Holiday Message 2025

It’s Christmas Eve while I type this. It’s usually one of the least busy sports days of the year. Yet, the Africa Cup of Nations is going on and that fulfills some viewing pleasure before Christmas Day. If that’s the reason this year’s message is a little shorter than previous years, then that’s the way it goes. (It also took me a while before I found inspiration.)

So what to make of 2025? There are three reasons to reference “A Christmas Story” for this one. The first reason is that a lot of stuff in 2025  just made you want to say, ‘Oh fudge!” Only. we all know you didn’t say “fudge”. It was really the F-dash-dash-dash word! We won’t go into many details on this one. Don’t worry, I won’t ask what’s your favorite soap.

The second reason is in reference to the Bumpus’s dogs. They bothered no other human being except Raphie’s Dad so the narration goes. It’s easy to feel like the dogs are an allegory for fate and they are out to get you. Wolves fans may feel that way the way their calendar year has gone or if you’re an American football fan in New York, Dallas, Kansas City (at least this year), or [insert random sport team whose owner is likely to be characterized as Potter, the Grinch, Scrooge, or the Rat King].

The third and final reason has nothing to do with the Red Ryder BB Gun (and we don’t endorse wanting to shoot your eyes out despite a lot of news this year!) It’s also not being triple dog dared like Flick (For the love of all that’s holy, do not try that at home!). It’s when Raphie unleashing his inner Tasmanian devil and finally lashed out at Farkus (though in one of Jean Shepered’s other short story, it’s Grover who is on the receiving end). At some point, we all become the Tasmanian devil (may or may not be the Looney Tunes character) and lash out. One wishes people who have the power to country certain figures turn into such.

Yes, it seems like 2025 fit in one of those three buckets. It’s been a rough year for a lot of people. Yet, there are still those who like to still draw some good out of the year. Our planned turkey dinner may be ruined, but we could find some solace at the nearby Chinese restaurant (outdated cultural references aside) and perhaps taste Chinese turkey for the first time.

Hopefully, you can end 2025 on a good note and look forward to a better 2026.

May you have a safe and healthy holiday season and we hope to see you at the other end of New Year’s Day.