Christmas spirit discovered in fun, unexpected way

When all was said and done on Christmas Day, there was an immense sense of satisfaction that everyone had a wonderful time. Their bellies were full, there was joy in gift giving and we all could escape from the day-to-day insanity of our lives and laugh and love.

And although my bones were aching in the end, I was so happy — but that’s what you do for those you love.

That dedication certainly was tested a few short days later, when I was crazy enough to gift my husband with tickets to the Winter Classic, an outdoor hockey game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on New Year’s Day.

Now, those who know me are well aware of my hatred of winter. Snow, ice and frigid temperatures just ain’t my thing. If it were up to me, I would hibernate with the squirrels until the mercury crept back up to 50 degrees.

So it was no small feat when I packed on the layers to attend this event. There were the two layers of socks wrapped in faux fur-lined boots. There were the two pairs of long underwear, the two-layer winter coat and the snow pants. And it wouldn’t be a party without the Red Wings jersey and hat, coupled with a facemask with only a narrow window for my eyes.

Before the puck dropped, the announcer called the stadium visitors’ attention to the scoreboard at either side of the field. And there, in giant digits read 13 degrees, and that was before wind chill. Did I mention it was in the middle of a blizzard?

Hockey fans might remember that, because of a dispute between the NHL and its players last year, an ensuing lockout canceled the 2013 Winter Classic. Everyone had to wait another year to see this matchup at this epic venue come to pass. And I married a rabid hockey fan.

Over the next four hours, we saw a great hockey game and we didn’t die of hypothermia, which in and of itself was a great accomplishment. But, most importantly, my husband was over the moon to see this game — this frigid, long-awaited game.

And you know what? That’s what Christmas is all about: bringing joy to others and that led to me having a wonderful time.

— Sarah Leach is editor at The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at (616) 546-4278 or sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com.