Olympic attire keeps Canadian patriotism alive
by Phylicia Torrevillas
A simple pair of fuzzy, red mittens became the must-have accessory during the Winter Olympics. Even Oprah had to have them. It’s completely understandable – they were only $10.
The Vancouver Sun reported that despite the early criticism of the Games, patriotism shone through, with thousands of people dressed in Canadian regalia flooding the downtown core.
Those people who felt especially patriotic went all out, showing their Canadian pride with Quatchi hats, toques with moose antlers, and white rubber boots with a maple leaf design on the front. People had to dole out big bucks for these paraphernalia. Olympic hoodies, jackets and sweaters ranged from $45-300, and the Team Canada hockey jersey went for $135.
There was nothing unusual about people lined up for hours in downtown Vancouver to buy the official merchandise. Nor was there anything wrong with those who wanted to spend money on the gear. I guess they hoped to score a piece of history, and be part of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Even my family caved in to the Olympic spirit and bought souvenirs. If I sound Olympics obsessed, you can’t blame me. I’ve only been in this country for a year and a half since my family moved to Canada from the Philippines in 2008. My home country is pretty patriotic. When Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao has a fight, the crime rates all over the country go down because everybody’s watching. It was exciting to witness a sea of red and white whenever I went to Granville and Robson streets and feel that same sense of patriotism. It was like I never left home.
Now that the Games are over, we’re experiencing a fashion hangover. Our closets are filled with all things red, maple leaf, and Canada. We can’t help that our newfound Canadian attitude, with no regard for fashion sense or money, made its way to our closets.
Our olympic purchases may not be appealing to others and may have hurt our pockets. But what the heck, we got to experience this once. We don’t need to wait for another big event like the Winter Games to show our Canadian pride. With all the Olympic gear we bought, we can wear our pride on our sleeves any day. I think I’m becoming more and more Canadian, eh?