Polar Bear Plunge

What is a Polar Bear Plunge?  The first recorded one took place in Boston in 1904.  It occurs in many Canadian communities each year generally as a New Year's tradition.  It has become an international activity branching out into fundraising events and is sometimes even toted as a healthful cold water plunging therapy for athletes.  

All that aside, this year, we introduced the little boys to the idea of a polar bear plunge.  I suppose technically their Canadian cousins introduced them.  If it wasn't for the 2020/Covid 19 they may not have been as familiar with their cousins and subsequently with the idea of a Polar Bear Plunge.   

It was New Year's Day and mid-day this video came in on the family group chat.

All the Karlsson's took their plunge also.

We watched the videos and then the conversation from the boys of why?  What are they doing?  and then... Can we?

To which I replied... "Why would you want to???  Besides all the water around here for at least 100 miles is all frozen solid.  No. can. do.  The best we could do would be to go jump in a snowbank."

And then... we posted that Duncan was going to go do snow angels in the snow bank.  He had said no such thing but .... he's a good sport. 

So...  Emerson and Whittaker joined him and out they went.

Into the snow drifts they went.  

Whittaker standing in the cold and watching had a change of heart and decided snow angels were not for him...  He says in the video, "I don't want to."  So we said .. Okay, that's fine.  But minutes later he said, "If I don't have to take my shoes off I could do it."... 

Reassured that he could do it or not do it... Do it with his shoes on or off... It was his call... off he went.  I almost didn't have my camera ready.  

Of course his shoes filled with snow and fell off so he ended up doing it with them on and with them off.  

Then....

erghhh... those children..... "What about you Mummy?" 

So, wearing Patrick's swimsuit and a t-shirt since my swimsuit is packed in storage somewhere with other SUMMER clothing, I headed out.  It wasn't a delightful experience.  Oh so cold... 

Ava went a few more times... Eden a month later went again and Duncan and Caleb did also.  

I say... been there, done that!