Pandemic changed many travel plans. One of the few travel activities that can be done anytime is driving within your household group (when one has access to the vehicle and can afford gas). In 2020 I have collected information from multiple sources on the best-decorated houses in Kamloops. Please check the Asset Map of Kamloops Holidays Lights 2020 and enjoy the drive. You can program up to 8 locations in Google Maps and celebrate the views that local Kamloopsians created for everyone near their residence places. The map has pictures so one can preview the site. Not all information is accurate as my GPS has not always captured the correct locations, so please feel free to send corrections to okondrashov@tru.ca. If you have pictures of places I could not visit, please feel free to send me the photo and location. If you are the house owner and do not want your site to be listed on the map, please let me know, and I will remove it.

Thank you all for supporting sharing the joy, hope, peace and creativity during this pandemic holiday season and always. I hope next year’s annual senior’s tour will be back, and more people can enjoy seeing the terrific winter lights in Kamloops. Happy Holidays

As I woke up a little bit later on my first day off since the start of the fall term, I know many people around the world will be celebrating Christmas Eve tonight. I want to wish you beautiful preparations for the holiday, and I hope to join some celebrations tonight too as I clean my house. It needs some work that has been postponed for months. So today is the cleaning day!

Before starting the holiday season, I also want to acknowledge many people who might not be able to celebrate tonight. This year many will follow local health orders requiring a lot of creativity to stay together while physically apart. I also want to express my gratitude for the first respondents who will keep us safe tonight and every night by providing emergency services to those who need them while sacrificing their right to celebrate on time with their loved ones.

I know many people who will mourn their loved ones tonight as 2020 brought more grief, loss and trauma to existing inequities. I am always grateful for the Blue Christmas service that annually TMUC and many other faith communities have for everyone who needs an alternative way to celebrate life and birth. Code Blue will be applicable for anyone unable to celebrate in a way they used to for many years.

I want to thank all who support those who cannot celebrate tonight, people without homes, refugees, and internally displaced people seeking asylum, prisoners of war and political repressions and many others who are marginalized and oppressed by the dominant groups. I also know that many people tonight in war-torn countries will keep defending their country’s borders as they do every night so others will be able to celebrate safely.

One of the many things the 2020 pandemic taught me is the ability to postpone the celebration. Christmas can be anytime and any day, so if for any reason you cannot celebrate tonight, celebrate another day. Wars end, violence stops, the acceptance of loss and grief happens and life goes on. Time and supports are crucial to getting back “on track”. I hope everyone can find the best day when to celebrate. Celebrations are important and needed.

To those who are celebrating tonight: Merry Christmas Eve. For anyone in Code Blue: stay well and safe and find a time when it is appropriate to celebrate. Thank you to all who support one another, staying physically apart while being mentally, emotionally and spiritually together!

PS: I took the Blue Christmas tree picture when we were driving with Mama in Kamloops. I use driving as one of the way to celebrate freedom of movement and seeing how other Kamloopsians celebrate help me to relax after long hours of work.

Oleksandr (Sasha) Kondrashov and Ani Dingamtar https://www.instagram.com/emprsocialwork/

Here are the Social Work Instagram pages that highlight the work of virtual chat presenters. We hope you can follow them to stay empowered:

The page is designed to empower new and aspiring clinical Social Workers through relationships and knowledge to make a massive impact on the world. Catherine Moore, LCSW. Socialworkerrise creator is born and raised in Southern California and has been a social worker since she obtained her BSW in 2009. She now has her MSW and LCSW and provides clinical therapy in a Palliative care clinic. This year she has launched her organization, Social Workers, Rise! Catherine also has a podcast that you can listen https://anchor.fm/SocialWork

#reiliencyllc https://www.instagram.com/resiliencyllc/

 On Instagram Resiliencyllc page you can learn that Tiffany L. Green,MSW,LCSW offers Individual Therapy/Family Therapy/Group Therapy/Trauma Informed Yoga/Wellness Workshops/ Clinical Supervision/Consulting. Born and raised in Chicago Tiffany is currently residing in Indiana. Tiffany has over 15 years of experience in social service and therapeutic work. Tiffany loves incorporating wellness and holistic intervention in practice and has her practice and provides individual and group supervision. Tiffany lectures part-time at Purdue University and works as a clinical home-based therapist with youth and families court ordered to have individual therapy, family therapy, or have to complete parenting or substance use assessments.

#groundedcounseling https://www.instagram.com/groundedcounseling/

Rebecca Ogle, the creator of Groundedcounseling Instagram page is an LCSW practicing therapy in Chicago, IL. Rebecca specializes in helping people with anxiety, codependency, and people-pleasing tendencies using mindfulness-based CBT and DBT interventions through a trauma-informed lens. Her Instagram page includes mental health information and tips and anti-oppressive content, and linkage to community resources. Rebecca believes that authenticity and appropriate self-disclosure about her own lived experiences is key to reducing stigma. She has been inspired by @thelivedexperiencecounsellor and @mswjake as well as many others.

#socialworkbub https://www.instagram.com/socialworkbub/

Laura Swanson, MSW is a NYC based Social Worker & Therapist. In addition to Instagram page #socialworkbob Laura created the The Social Work Bubble Blog, Podcast, & Etsy Shop. Laura is a 2020 MSW graduate from Columbia University, and also hold my Bachelor of Social Work from SUNY at Fredonia. Luara has completed work in child welfare, disaster relief, foster care, forensic social work, supporting those with developmental disabilities, community outreach, and practicing as a psychotherapist in outpatient mental health. You can listen to Laura’s podcast on  https://thesocialworkbubble.com/podcast

Trisha and Joyce from @nswalliance #UnionizeSocialWorkNOW is a group working to organize the Social Work labour movement across the United States. We’re Social Workers building collective power w/our community allies to mobilize & reach for social justice together. Stay empowered and follow amazing social workers who shared their passion during the #EMPRSocialWork virtual chat. Thank you to all the speakers and Schools of Social Work in universities in Canada (Thompson Rivers University) and Ukraine (Lviv National Polytechnic University, Lviv Catholic University and Cherkasy National University) and CASWE-ACFTS Social Policy Advocacy Committee and Social Work Educators in the US for support in promoting the event.