Greg really misses the Hounds. And egg nog

The following note from a loyal reader in Europe is one of many special greetings that SooToday.com will be publishing over the holidays.

If you're a former resident now living 200 or more kilometres away, SooToday.com would be delighted to post your 800-word-or-less message.

It's absolutely free, but the deadline is midnight on New Year's Eve.

For details, click here.

*************************** It's now six years since I was last in the Soo for Christmas and I still miss the Hound games, skating at the oval and egg nog! 

I've experienced some pretty different Christmases in Europe since I've been away playing hockey... and I have to say it can all get a bit confusing! 

In some countries it all happens on the 24th and and Santa Claus can be called Father Christmas, St. Nicholas or Sinterklaas. 

Christmas dinners have varied from the traditional turkey roast in some places, to truly epic 10-course extravaganzas in others (the latter have left me unable to move in net until well into the new year!). 

The weather has been a key factor in how "Christmassy" I have felt... ok so I've never seen "proper" snow like we get in the Soo but even a bit is enough to make me feel more festive... and bring most of Europe to a standstill as well!!

By the wonder of webcam I have been able to connect with family in the Soo and some members of the family have seen my baby daughter Amber for the first time this Christmas.  

Six years have flown by and I have had some great Christmases but if I can convince my girlfriend that she and the children won't die of exposure, I hope to bring my family back home next year to experience a real Sault Ste. Marie Christmas! 

Thanks to SooToday.com for keeping those of us who are away from home in touch with everything that's going on in the Soo and for allowing us to pass on our Christmas wishes to our friends and family.  

Wishing all my family and friends a great time this Christmas and a very Happy New Year. 

With love from Greg, Frances, Lucy, Brody and Amber Blais.

*************************** Look who else wrote to us this year

大家好! Happy holidays from Taiwan! Snowed in for Christmas. In England Christmas 400 kilometres southeast of Beijing Thanks for the support while our daddy has been away Life is beautiful in Hammertown! Chris Carr sends us a picture. From Calgary Howdy from the Calgary Stampede official family! Pat and Howard love living in Goderich Christmas temperatures in the mid 20s. Not too shabby! Seasons greetings from Montreal A warm hello from Spruce Grove, Alberta Greg really misses the Hounds. And egg nog