This will be ther first Christmas that I won’t be spending with my immediate family, so thankfully, we haven’t had to buy gifts for eachother, and with all the time I have with not being stuck intraffic and gift-hunting, I have been thinking a lot about just how crazy the holidays have become.

So the “Holidays” are supposed to be associated great things like family time, warmth, giving, all that feel good stuff that you see on TV. but when you really look around, it couldnt be further from the truth.

The reality:

• you will probably spend more time in the mall, and mall traffic then you will spend with your family.
• You will experience more anxiety, stress, and depression from debt, trying to find gifts, then you will actually joy and happiness.
• As great as it is to give gifts, a lot of time, gifts give the opportunity for disappointment, since it may not be what people really wanted.

We are told that during this time, underpriveledged families are reminded of what they don’t have, and are encouraged to give to them. Now why might they be feeling this way? maybe becuase we are out buying sh*t like crazy, and emphasizing buying crazy big gifts. Have you ever had to sit and watch your friend open a bunch of great gifts, while you get nothing?

To summarize, the “Holidays” has really become far from a holiday, and consumerism and commercialism has tricked us into thinking that finding the perfect gift, will somehow set the stage for the perfect time with family, and perhaps, all the joyful holiday music you hear in the malls and on tv, are really just a way to mask all the awefulness that really comes from all these Holiday-related activities.

Here is a great Holiday idea that is actually a Christmas tradition kept by a friend:

1. Agree with all your family not to buy gifts for one another.
2. Between your relatives, pool some money together (what you are comfortable with).
3. Contact a local community help center and get matched with a family in need.
4. Get all your family together, split into teams, split the money between the teams, and make a list of things that the family needs.
5. Go out in your teams and try and see how much you can get with the money you have.
6. Spend the rest of your time with family, sharing and enjoying the stories that come from helping out the needy family.

Have a meaningful Holidays everyone.

- Bonesy

As a West Coast Canadian surfer of 12 years, I gotta say that I am lovin having the O’Neill Cold Water Classic going down out here. It’s been really inspirational to be catching waves with some of the best surfers in the world at home.

We are at day 5 of the event and Pete Devries (the last Canadian in the event) is still in the comp, making it through the Round of 24, moving into the Quarter finals tomorrow.

Once of the best parts of it all has been the daily highlight videos they have been doing. They make Tofino, and the waves look even more incredible. I don’t even remember the last time I’ve seen good footage from the water out here.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Just can’t get enough of this video, so good. “Amputations…boop!”

In the spirit of Movember, which I personally find a very forced term, have decided to share a list of failed monthly themes. Reader discretion is avised.

Manuary (man-uary) – the month dedicated to men & manly things.

Fibuary (Fib-uary) - a month of lying to everyone about everything.

Fartch (fart-ch) – a month of bad smells.

Rapril (rape -ril) – just straight up offensive. Ravishing.

Fay (flamboyantly gay may) – month of assless chaps, mantinis & pride parades.

Prune (old june) – the month of ancestory: chillin with Gramps,  taking slow drives out to the country-side, and dating people double your age.

Muly (Moo-uly) – a month of  ‘mind on yer money, and money on yer mind’. Get that chedder.

Laugust (log-ust) – a month of lumberjackery & that Canadian song “The Logdriver Waltz” (”he goes barreling, barreling, down the white water…”).

Moctober (mock-tober) – a month of not really the real thing, just a practise run.

Brovember (bro-vember) – the month of brotherhood: “hey bro, I love you man”.

Dicember  (Dick-cember)- a month of attitude and not returning phonecalls.