Christmas is full of traditions. Some people bake, others wear ugly sweaters, some go overboard with the lights. Me? Christmas movies.
It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Elf, Lethal Weapon (well, it’s set at Christmas…). But one of our family favourites is Christmas Vacation.
There are so many iconic scenes in Christmas Vacation. I think many families can relate to the trials and tribulations of the Griswold family in one way or another. I still can’t control my laughter when the power metre spins out of control as the miles of Christmas lights finally ignite. But the one part that comes up, destined to ruin Christmas, is Cousin Eddie showing up in the motor home.
Well, this year, it seems that Omicron is our Cousin Eddie. Here to ruin everything.
Just when we thought things were getting a little better, we were all getting vaccinated and holding our own, the motor home comes careening around the corner and causes mayhem again. Sounds like the vaccinations may help a bit, but there’s lots of breakthrough cases regardless.
Omicron spreads like nothing we’ve seen yet, and in just a few short weeks has everyone in a panic again. Sports teams are cancelling games as players test positive. People are getting stranded in foreign countries. Quarantine hotels are coming back, conditions worse than ever.
Just like Cousin Eddie, as soon as he shows up, things start going wrong. He did the same in Vegas Vacation – here comes Eddie, there goes Clark’s luck at the tables.
But maybe, just maybe, there will be a silver lining. So far, most cases of Omicron have been mild, if not asymptomatic altogether. Hopefully this is a weaker strain of COVID, pushes the Delta strain aside, and signals the end of this nightmare. It seems that we can’t hold back the tide any longer, that trying to hold this at bay won’t work. COVID might win, but win with a weaker version of itself, and burn itself out.
At the end of Christmas Vacation, when everyone felt they were at the threshold of hell, it was Cousin Eddie who inadvertently saved the day, and made Christmas happy for everyone.
We all seem destined to get this thing. Hopefully it will be the milder version. Hopefully if we can get it, stay out of hospitals, keep the border with Point Roberts open, and just get over this damn thing.
Maybe this is the strain that will peter out the whole pandemic, for good.
Now that would be a real Christmas present. Thanks Cousin Eddie.
Brad Sherwin, MBA is a long-time resident of South Delta, and has over 30 years’ experience in marketing, public relations and business strategy. He teaches at BCIT, coaches’ hockey goalies and is past president of Deltassist.
