Signs of spring

Canadians like to talk about the weather. Good weather. Bad weather. Mediocre weather. It doesn’t matter what its “doing” outside we like to talk about it. Our long winters make us want to talk about subtle differences in temperatures, daylight hours, and any tiny hint that spring might be around the corner. The first robin, the snow melting, the getting home from work before the sun goes down.

We anticipate the coming of spring, or perhaps more specifically, the end of winter so much that we have a holiday that elevates a groundhog to the status of meteorologist for crying out loud! And journalists across the country report on whether or not Wiarton Willy saw his shadow.

But one of the ways the whole country is signaled to the coming of spring is an event so momentous that the event is anticipated, talked about, and provides fodder for LOTS of small talk (and commiserating):

And it couldn’t have come at a better time. As the Olympics ended Canadians needed something to keep them bonded. Tim Horton’s to the rescue.