Cards Go Home for the Holidays
The wintertime holiday season usually involves an extended break for Louisville sports. Men's Basketball vs Kentucky (postponed this year due to COVID-19) and Football bowl games are the only exceptions.
Many of our athletes take advantage of the opportunity to go home with friends and family. As student-athletes, it's extremely difficult to travel home during the semester due to practices, workouts, and NCAA regulated games and events.
If you're active on social media, you may have seen some of the student-athletes already share photos and videos of them enjoying some well-deserved time away from campus.
UofL does an excellent job of giving student-athletes a break, which often includes leaving a gap open between games and events. Jeff Walz is a good example of this as Louisville Women's Basketball often has around a week and a half between games, giving players roughly a week at home. Walz notes that it's just long enough for players to get tired of boredom or being made to do chores at home and they arrive back to campus eager to play again.
We do wish all student-athletes, coaches, staff, and administration safe travels to and from campus during this season.
Christmas Traditions
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| I HOPE ALL WILL JOIN ME IN MY ANNUAL "EAT A BUNCH OF BACON ON WHITE BREAD" ANNUAL TRADITION ON THE 24TH !!" |
Paulie talked about some of his favorite Christmas songs yesterday. I'm not sure I have true favorite Christmas songs but often prefer the 'classics' or instrumental Christmas music. There are some songs I strongly dislike such as "Christmas Shoes", "Wonderful Christmas Time", and any "Sleigh Ride" that has the "ring-a-ling-a-ling-a-ding dong ding". There's also plenty of Christmas songs by newer artists such as Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber that I have a distaste for.
Another big part of Christmas is traditions. Traditions can change over time, but it could be something about whose house you go to for Christmas, certain foods, who opens presents first, going to church, and so much more.
We haven't had a normal Christmas since pre-COVID-19, but we often visit my grandma (mom's side) on Christmas Eve for an early dinner and do some presents there before heading to the Candlelight Service at church. The morning of Christmas would be at my parent's house before going to my other grandma's place (dad's side) for the last of any presents and have chili. There's usually a fair mix of Christmas movies and NBA games while at different homes.
This year will be different for me. By the time this article is viewable to everyone, I will be at the airport about to board a plane to Charlotte. From there, it's about a half hour drive to Fort Mill, S.C., to Katy's parent's house. I'm not all too sure on what Christmas traditions and plans we have going on there, but I know their church has a Candlelight Service too. Her dad loves to make a giant shrimp boil on Christmas Eve or Christmas that I hear is to die for. Some of her family enjoys to hit the gun range around Christmas and have invited Katy and I to join them this afternoon. Me shooting a gun? As long as I don't pull a Ralphie I think I should be okay!
Do you have any Christmas or holiday traditions? We'd love to hear!
Happy Thursday, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Go Cards!
Jared
