“The Most Wonderful Time for a Beer: Surviving the Sports Onslaught Over The Holidays”
Written By: Matthew Lloyd
Thumbnail and Banner Photo By: Markus Spiske on Unsplash
As we head into the peak of the holiday season, there will be a lot of sports on television. For many households across the Maritimes, watching sports is a time-honoured tradition, with many leagues offering appointment viewing for some of their biggest games of the year. While I am typically writing to the avid sports enjoyer in my column here at The Journal, I wanted to take some time to help out those who may feel lost at this time of year, constantly playing catch-up as their uncles, brothers, and other relatives talk about players you’ve never heard of, as if they are their own firstborn child. This article will be a guide to some of the hottest topics and games during this holiday season, and how you can contribute to the conversation without drawing too much attention to yourself.
Mckenna:The Red-Leafed Hockey Player
No matter your level of sporting knowledge, you have likely heard of the yearly U-20 IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) World Junior Championship. This is the yearly showcase of the best and brightest prospects of the best hockey nations on Earth, and for some reason, we really care about it. Despite living in the age of cable cutters, Canada's match against Czechia in the World Junior Finals in 2023 drew an audience of 4.777 million Canadians, more than 10% of the entire population. Much of the country continues to be behind the Canadian team and their yearly quest for gold, and you'd better hope they secure it. A key part of this tradition is a mild celebration if Canada wins gold, contrasted with a call for the heads of all execs and even the teenagers on the ice if they fall short in any way. Be on the lookout for the always-important New Year's Eve game against Finland this year as a major occasion in the round-robin section of the tournament, as tournament schedulers typically put the most important non-elimination game for Canada at this time due to viewership.
Advice: Celebrate modestly if they win, lay your head down low, and watch out for your uncle if they lose. Nod your head to your relatives when/if they go on a rant about how “players just aren’t as tough as they used to be” should a loss occur. Do not be surprised if Gavin McKenna is both seen as the saviour of Canada and the fall guy for any disappointment at the tournament, somehow at the same time, as he is the consensus #1 overall pick heading into the 2026 NHL draft.
Feliz Navi-Dad is Watching Football Again
While it is still relatively new to the holiday spirit, especially Christmas Day, the NFL now regularly schedules at least two games on the 25th of December. This is a large draw for fans of the league looking for an excuse to take up the TV for the day, heightened by the accessibility of the games, which are broadcast on Netflix worldwide due to their exclusive streaming rights agreement. These rights include Canada, making it as easy as opening the app and choosing the live broadcast when the games are on. Canada is a major market for the NFL. You likely know at least one Patriots fan who is louder than usual this year now that they’re finally good again without Tom Brady for the first time in many of our lives. This year, the Dallas Cowboys will take on the Washington Commanders at 2PM AST, with the Detroit Lions facing the Minnesota Vikings at 5:30 AST. While Netflix has not released definitive viewership figures for these games specifically in Canada, last year’s average audience was over 24 million for both games.
Advice: For those unacquainted with football and still confused by the multitude of commercials occasionally interrupted by gameplay, you are not alone, and this is a safe space. With much of our region still dominated by Patriots fans, should a relative turn either of these games on, they should be in impartial fan mode, a much more reasonable and open-to-questions state for the typical football fan. Questions such as, “Why is it called football when it rarely touches anyone’s foot?” or “Why do you care about American Football and not the CFL?” may not be met with the holiday spirit, so it’s best to ask for clarifications of rules you may not understand, as your relatives may be just as confused when a call is sent for review.
Baby, It’s Not Cold Outside
As we are Canadians, it is only natural that we once again end up back at hockey, this time with the National Hockey League (NHL). While the league has once again opted for American teams for Canada’s national pastime, it has taken the extra heinous step of hosting an outdoor hockey game on ice in Miami, Florida, on January 2nd, as the Florida Panthers take on the New York Rangers. The American effect is full-on here: while the Winter Classic has traditionally taken place on January 1st, it has been moved to January 2nd at 9PM AST to avoid a conflict with the College Football Playoffs.
Advice: This is ample reason for your relatives to complain about America, what Gary Bettman has done to hockey , and anything else that may be on their mind. This is your opportunity to agreeably nod along, as you may not have to do much talking at all, given the potential pain points mentioned above. Be prepared for lengthy rants, hopeless platitudes about the Maple Leafs actually being better without former star Mitch Marner, despite both not being in the game and the Leafs being out of a playoff spot, and some minor discussion about what is actually happening in the game. Try not to make fun of Leafs fans too hard this holiday season, as they really have had it rough recently.
Conclusion
While there are more sports that you may find on the television when visiting or hosting relatives this year, this guide should allow you to understand what not to tread into regarding sports this winter break, alongside what you should expect from the sports fans in your life. When in doubt, just nod along, and you’ll be more than fine. Have a great winter break, Huskies!