Joy Drop: What's more Canadian than 'Justin Beaver'?

Friends, it's the most wonderful time of the year! I'm not just talking about how it's snuggly throws at Bath and Body Works or Indigo season. I mean it's the time of year to feel goodwill and cheer. Granted, I don't celebrate Christmas, but I fully enjoy the cheer of the season and have family who does.

I have acquired a wonderful non-denominational decoration piece that I absolutely love. I found it at Canadian Tire and am obsessed with it. There is a moose as well! The moose wasn't available last year but now can join my beaver, who I aptly named Justin Beaver, because of course I did. "Bieber" means beaver in German so it all works.

As we end this iteration of the men's World Cup with Morocco playing Croatia on Saturday in the third-place game and then the long-awaited final of France versus Argentina on Sunday, I wanted to offer some good news regarding the women's game.

FIFA announced it is expanding tournaments for women's club teams, expanding the Olympic tournament, and will have a Futsal World Cup. Futsal is an increasingly popular sport in the football ecosystem. In a November edition of Joy Drop, I wrote about the Canadian women's futsal team coming second in the recent world championships. So this is great news! 

The IIHF announced that Brampton, Ont., will be hosting the 2023 women's hockey world championships. Games will be held at the CAA Centre and take place between April 5-16. This is the first time the tournament has been held in the Greater Toronto Area since 2000 so I am absolutely ready. Canada are reigning world champs and it will be thrilling to fill the stands to support the women. 

I absolutely loved this rendition of a popular holiday song performed by Knox. Knox is autistic and a student at Bedford Elementary School in Baltimore. His mom, Jen White-Johnson, shared his incredible performance on Twitter. She also thanked Mr.Ryan Stewart, his dedicated music teacher. 

Mariah Carey replied and then Knox was featured on the Today Show. Knox is a star! But it is the #AustisticJoy that did it for me. Everyone deserves joy. 

This is Joy Drop, but I wanted to take a minute to offer some support and share some love for anyone who is struggling. Yes, this is a great time for many, but one that can be challenging and lonely for others. CAMH offered some ideas on how to protect your mental health and links to podcasts and sites to help navigate this holiday season.

Out of tremendous sorrow can come pieces of joy and gratitude. Last week was full of grief for me as I lost a loved one and immediately after, a colleague and friend.

My friend, Grant Wahl, was a superb soccer writer and an advocate of justice in football around the world. He died of an aortic aneurysm while covering a men's World Cup match in Doha. It is an understatement to say many were devastated. The tributes to him are outstanding, respectful, loving and apropos. I wanted to share a few of them as compiled by my dear friend Lindsay Gibbs for her Power Plays newsletter. 

Last week, my dear father-in-law, Reginald Mark passed away. He was a warm, funny and wonderful man and he will be dearly missed. One of his favourite hymns was His Eye is on The Sparrow. I first heard it years ago in Sister Act 2 sung by Tanya Blount and Lauryn Hill. I had no idea that hearing it so many years later would impact me this way. Hug your loved ones — tight. And be well, my friends.