• Ukraine celebrates Christmas on Dec. 25 for the first time, distancing itself from Russia

    Christmas carried more than spiritual weight for many Ukrainians this year as the country newly observed it as a public holiday on Dec. 25 rather than the later date followed in Russia. The change, enacted in legislation signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in July, reflects both Ukrainians' dismay with the 22-month-old Russian invasion and their assertion of a national identity. Ukraine is predominantly Orthodox Christian, but the faith is divided between two churches, one of which had long
  • Calgary father deals with grief by bringing people together for Christmas

    A Calgary father who recently lost his 18-month-old son is working to make the holidays less lonely for people. “(Rhett) was a really happy boy and I was really looking forward to teaching him how to skate,” said Spencer Weilermann. Weilermann has always had a complicated relationship with the holidays. He didn’t start celebrating Christmas until 2019 as his family doesn’t observe the occasion. But, with the unexpected death of his son in October, Weilermann expects this

Follow @Lethbridge_News on Twitter!