Christmas traditions vary for Wheat Kings

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/12/2023 (740 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Santa Claus is set to visit Dominik Petr and Ostrava, Czechia sometime on Christmas Eve.

The 18-year-old Brandon Wheat Kings forward flew home on Dec. 17 and arrives back in Canada on Christmas Day. But he has a visitor to deal with first.

“It’s a little bit different than in Canada or the U.S.,” Petr explained. “We have Christmas on night of the 24th so our Czech Santa comes after supper on the 24th. That’s when we unpack our presents.”

Petr is the older brother to Simon and Natalie. His mother Petra died when he was three, but his father Jakob has remarried to Veronika.

His family does Christmas supper with their extended family, so there were about a dozen people last year.

“We have fried fish with potato salad, and for those guys who don’t like fish, we have fried chicken,” Petr said. After the meal, the family gathers to open gifts.”

That’s one of his favourite things about the holiday.

“The part I most enjoy every time and I’m excited for is when the little kids unpack their presents and they’re happy and excited about it,” Petr said. “That’s the part I like, and of course some presents for myself. The past couple of years I’ve played away from my family so it’s time to spend it with my family, which makes me happy.”

It will actually be his second Christmas of the year. The Wheat Kings have done several things together and celebrated the holiday in their own way before heading home.

“It was so much fun,” Petr said. “There were a couple of funny presents we’re given to each other. It was a good time.”

As much as enjoys time with his teammates, he’s happy to have a chance to see his family. It’s his first season playing in North America and the rigorous schedule and distance from home haven’t been easy.

“It’s been a long time,” Petr said. “In Europe, we have national team breaks so it would be twice so far we would have had a 10-day break. In Canada, we play every week at least three times so it’s nice to have a little break and enjoy some time with my family and friends and relax a little bit.”

LUKE SHIPLEY

The 19-year-old Brandon defenceman doesn’t hesitate when asked why he’s eager to head home to Powell River, B.C., for the holidays.

“I think it’s just about being around family and being around people you love,” Shipley said. “I enjoy giving. I get a happy feeling from giving and making people happy.”

Shipley said Christmas is a relatively low-key affair for his family, which includes parents Richard and Michelle and siblings Gabe and Addy. The celebration starts on Christmas Eve.

“We’re pretty chill,” Shipley said. “We always open a gift on the 24th, Christmas Eve, and then take the dog for a family walk. There’s nothing too crazy in the Shipley household.”

However, it gets a little busier on Christmas Day.

“For Christmas dinner we’ll have all my mom’s side,” Shipley said. “Usually we get together. She has two brothers and two sisters so all the aunts and uncles and cousins get a pretty big dinner. Hopefully, it’s not at our house so I can get to bed early, but I don’t know where it is this year.”

In total about 20 people attend. Not surprisingly, Shipley has a thing or two he’s eager to eat.

“Honestly I’m not a huge turkey guy, I prefer ham,” Shipley said. “My mom makes this millionaire square that is pretty good for dessert.”

While it’s been a busy first half — the team played 33 of its 68 games in an 85-day span — winning is a tonic which keeps everything fresh. After going on a six-game winning streak prior to a 4-3 loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Dec. 16, Shipley is doing just fine.

“I feel pretty good,” Shipley said. “I know in seasons past, you’re kind of dying to get home but this year feels like it’s gone by so fast. I honestly feel like I could keep going because we’re playing so well and having success right now.

“It’s lot of fun coming to the rink, and being at home helps too. You’re not super exhausted from the travel. From years prior compared to this year, I honestly feel pretty good, but I’m excited to get home and see my family.”

JACKSON DeSOUZA

The new Wheat Kings defenceman won’t be getting home this Christmas, but will instead be meeting up with his family on the road.

“Depending on our schedules, it’s whatever is easiest,” DeSouza said. “This year we’re going to Toronto because we have some family there. We’re all just going to meet there and have a good time with some cousins. It’s wherever the wind takes us and have fun.”

DeSouza is the American-born son of Canadian parents. The family lives in Erie, Colo., because his father works at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Usually the DeSouza Christmas involves just the five in the family, father Chris, mother Sarah and his brothers Christian, who is going to school in Texas, and Noah, who he lived with in Kelowna.

“It’s pretty low key,” DeSouza said. “All we’re looking for is just to get the family back together. We’re all spread out. I have an older brother in Kelowna and the other one in Texas, so it’s all just wherever we can rendezvous and meet up. We usually have a tiny little tree.

“Honestly, just the fact we’re all together makes it special.”

Since they are so spread out, the DeSouzas have gift-giving down to a science, which usually involves a little bit of collaboration.

“We know what gifts we’re getting each other because we want to make sure they like it so we don’t have to return it,” DeSouza said. “For example, I just went through the (Wheat Kings) team store and took pictures of a lot of stuff and it was ’Tell me what you want’ and that’s going to be your gift.

“It’s the same with my brother Christian. He sends us a link, my brother and I, to the University of Texas team store, and just said ‘Screen shot something and I’ll pick it up.’

“My brothers and I have something for our parents. We usually keep that low key.”

His dad is the cook, and usually prepares the traditional meal — “he makes the cranberry sauce, which is unreal” — capped off with some pumpkin pie from Costco. (“Those are pretty knock down.”)

“It’s real simple, it’s really easy, it’s more just being able to see each other is the whole thing,” DeSouza said.

JAYDEN WIENS

When the easy-going Brandon overage forward headed home to Carrot River, Sask., it gave him a chance to get away from the Christmas carols.

“I’m ready for it,” Wiens said with a chuckle. “I get into the Christmas schedule pretty early. The guys have been talking about it and singing Christmas songs in the room for about three weeks now. I’m getting sick of hearing them singing, but it’s been good.”

Like many players, he’s taking his skates home with him.

He likes to get out on the outdoor rinks with local kids — “It makes their day” — and always visits the food truck in Carrot River, a community of just under 1,000 located 179 kilometres northeast of Prince Albert.

“It’s good to see the town,” Wiens said. “Everyone knows everyone.”

His family — parents Holly and Henry and older brother David — opens presents on Christmas morning. But the biggest gift for the former Saskatoon Blades forward is the chance to see them.

“It’s just being back with my family and friends,” Wiens said. “Obviously I don’t get to see them a whole bunch. In Saskatoon I got to go home the odd day and see them a bit more but being a bit farther away from home now, it’s the first time since August. I’m just excited to see my friends and my grandparents who can’t make it out to the games.

“It’s different now. It’s not about the presents: Spending time with my family is the biggest thing.”

Like most players, Wiens is looking forward to something his mother makes. In his case, it’s an orange jello salad. But there will be no shortage of things to try during big meals.

“I have a pretty big family so on the 24th we’ll head to my great-grandma’s house for a big family supper there,” Wiens said. “The 25th is usually just for my immediate family. We stay home and mom will cook a good supper.”

If you thought you had a chaotic family gathering, it’s hard to beat the Wiens family on Dec. 26. Since most of the family still lives there, dozens of people congregate in a small house for another special holiday gathering.

He’ll have to forgo that one because the team practises on Boxing Day evening to prepare for a home game against the Regina Pats on Dec. 27.

“My dad actually has 13 siblings, so we have a really big family on that side and will go to my grandma’s for supper,” Wiens said. “I usually have to miss it because I’m coming back to play hockey.”

MATTEO MICHELS

When Michels headed home to Colleyville, Texas, he had family and a lot of buddies to catch up with doing the brief break.

“I’ve had friends I’ve grown up with since I was four years old and played hockey with them, so I’ve spent every holiday with them for the next 10 years,” Michels said. “We’re always with them. It’s spending time with friends and family.”

The former Regina Pats forward flew home on Dec. 17 and returns early Boxing Day.

Since their extended family is in the Windsor, Ont., area, the Michels generally celebrate it with friends instead of relatives, although they have headed north to Ontario for the holidays some years.

“My parents (Derek and Tina) are Canadian so it’s similar to anyone else,” Michels said. “We’re all together, and on Christmas Day we have our friends over.”

Michels especially looks forward to the Oreo chocolate balls his mother makes. In fact, he enjoys them so much he got the recipe and his billet mom actually made them, too, in Brandon.

“It’s cream cheese and Oreo mashed up, and then you melt chocolate on top of the balls and put it in the fridge,” Michels said. “It’s the best I’ve ever had. It’s my favourite thing in the world. It’s so good.”

When he and his brother Maddox were younger, they opened one gift on Christmas Eve, but now that the boys are older, they open everything on Christmas morning.

Just being with them might be the biggest gift of all.

“I haven’t been home since August, so it’s going home and seeing my friends and family and spending time with them,” Michels said. “The meal on Christmas Day is almost like Thanksgiving and that’s what I’m excited for. You can rest your body a little bit and get ready for the second half of the year.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @PerryBergson