I must preface this for those who do not know me. The Olympic Games are one of the most important things in my life and excite me beyond belief. I know more Olympic trivia than almost everyone I’ve ever met. I suppose that being half Greek (and a Greek citizen to boot) makes it part of my blood – perhaps even my religion.
So, why did I wait until two months after the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games ended before I wrote about my red mittens? I wanted to make sure I was still as excited about them after the games were over as I was when I first saw them in September 2009 – that the “fad” did not end with the games.
It’s nice when an Olympic apparel item becomes an international “hit” like the red mittens have become. Canada seems to be the only nation that has been capable of this so far. It first happened with the “Po-boy” hat that came out for the Nagano Games in 1998. The U.S. team was so miffed that they looked bad next to the spiffy Canadians that for the Salt Lake Games in 2002 they hired the same Canadian company to outfit them!
It’s bad when the Olympic clothing company touts an item as being the next big “it” Olympic Item – like the Bay did with their Trapper hat in 2006 and worst of all - that weird scarf / buff / headband thingy for Beijing in 2008.
It is nicer when the item just sparks pride and grows on its own – like the mittens for Vancouver.
Since the mittens nearly didn't make it off the drawing board, we sure are lucky that they came into being. As soon as I saw them I knew I had to have a pair – but the Bay was always sold out.
Months went by – I kept dropping by the Bay and Zellers to find out that they “just sold out”. Meanwhile I had to see the lucky ones with red mittens on Canada AM every morning in photos sent of them being worn in all sorts of situations all over the country and the world.
When I put my name on the waiting list at the Bay, they didn’t even tell me (until I called to check over a month later) that they had torn up the list, as it had gotten too big to be manageable. The mitts were on a first come – first get ‘em basis whenever a shipment came in.
I saw on the news how they were selling out across the country and were getting close to a million pairs sold. All I wanted were three pairs – one for me, and one for each of my parents as Christmas gifts.
Even the Members of Parliament all had pairs on when Barbara Ann Scott brought the Olympic Flame into the House of Commons!
On the 12th of December 2009 I went to Parliament Hill to see the holy object of my church of the Olympic Games – the flame lit at Olympia! There were thousands of people there and it was almost like Canada Day in December. The torch relay sponsors were handing out goodies – a mini-tambourine from RBC, a super neat battery powered 3-colour (Vancouver Games colour scheme) glowy Coke bottle (from guess who?), and several styles of commemorative flags and pennants. I also got to hold a bearer’s torch, as well as a 1988 Calgary Olympic torch that a woman had brought along with her. (Her husband had been a highly placed government Pooh-Bah in the Ministry of Sport back in the day – that’s where the perks are!) Coca Cola had a neat exhibit (in a rolling museum) of torches from many Olympic Games past – including London 1948, Montreal 1976, Calgary 1988, Athens 2004, Torino 2006, Beijing 2008 and of course Vancouver 2010. I was in Olympic – Geek heaven!
Tears came to my eyes when I felt the heat of the flame as it went by me on that cold December evening.
When the festivities were over I turned to walk back down Wellington Street and towards home when…
There it was - a caravan selling all the Olympic stuff you could want – including the mittens! I waited along with the throng for my turn and finally secured my coveted three pairs! I gladly forked over the money ($10 each – what a bargain) and felt good that the proceeds were going to support our athletes. (I only hope the MPs paid for theirs!).
Finally I was in the red mitten club. Why do we like them so much? Every time I was wearing them and saw someone else with a pair – we exchanged a look of kinship. Much like Harley – Davidson riders exchange a little low wave when they meet in passing on a highway. When I went to Winterlude people referred to each other as “mitten buddies”. When my Father went to the “anti-prorogation” rally on Parliament Hill he said a little girl was smiling at him because they were wearing the same mittens.
I think wearing them made us all feel a part of something – a club or even the fraternity of nationhood. We sure felt good about the Games themselves, and I think the mittens helped us feel a part of this big moment for our nation.
After Canada won the greatest hockey game ever played I wandered up Elgin Street along with thousands of other proud Canadians. High – fives were the order of the evening, and more than once I heard – “He’s got the mittens – High five him!” as people would run across the street to deliberately high five me. I got good laughs when I would ask, "Does all this mean we won the curling?”
Also they look good! They are cosily warm, comfy and fuzzy inside. They are fun to wave with and be waved at with. They are bright and visible and good for signalling taxis or stopping a car when crossing a road.
I never (to this day) have gone out wearing my pair without spotting at least (the very least) one other pair on someone else. Incidentally – except on television during the games – I have to this date only seen 2 males other than me wearing them. (Not counting my Dad). I’m not complaining – if guys don’t want to be in the club – fine by me! I’m super proud to wear mine!
There have been copycats – fake red mittens being sold in Vancouver with a rather “underweight” inuksuk emblem. What about the Swedish Olympic team with their blue mittens with the gold crosses? Nice mittens but a stolen idea!
The good thing is that people have not lost their interest in wearing them after the games.
On April 9’th I was walking along the Rideau Canal (after attending the Vimy memorial service at the National Cenotaph) and came across a newlywed couple taking wedding photos near the Rideau Locks. It was a pretty cold day (hence my mittens being on) and the bride was wearing a sleeveless / strapless number and looked like she was turning blue. As a joke I said she could use a set of mittens. She immediately beamed and asked to borrow mine so that they could take a wedding photo with her waving in them. Of course I obliged – although I think I might have felt even warmer than her when she had my mittens on.
I wore mine as recently as yesterday when we got another cold blast in this whacky weathered spring we’re having. I suppose these mittens are now a collector’s item even though 3 million pairs were sold in the end. I will continue to wear mine as long as I can and for years into the future.
My only question is one of etiquette – it is a fashion faux pas if I mix my outfit by wearing Vancouver Olympic mittens at the same time as my Athens Olympic baseball hat?
-- CR
Update: 29 Apr 2010 - a "Constituency Assistant" for my Member of Parliament is looking into the question of whether the MPs paid for their red mittens or not. If asking the question over one’s shoulder doesn't give the answer, I think I already know what it is...
Update: 10 May 2010 - Cold weather for May both yesterday and today - but the "mitten buddy" streak continues - met someone else wearing them when I was wearing mine while walking the Rideau Canal both days. Still no word from my MP's office...hmmm...
