OUR SPECIAL HOLIDAY ISSUE CONTENT CANADIANS TRUST DECEMBER 2018 THE POWER OF KINDNESS 9 Remarkable Stories PAGE 32 DO PLACEBOS THE DAY OUR DOG REALLY WORK? WAS KIDNAPPED PAGE 74 PAGE 90 A JOLLY JEWISH CHRISTMAS PAGE 70 OVERCOMING SOCIAL ANXIETY PAGE 40 HOW STELLA BOWLES THE RATTLESNAKE THAT SAVED WOULDN’T DIE A RIVER PAGE 54 CANADA’S AUTISMFRIENDLY TOWN PAGE 82 MEET SANTA’S POSTMASTER ......................... 14 FAREWELL, WINTER SKIN! ............................ 22 THE UPSIDES OF UNPLUGGING.................... 150 A CHRISTMAS CAROL WORD POWER ........... 157 WAITING IS PAINFUL ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY 118 James Street North, Suite 200 • Hamilton, ON, Canada • L8R 2K7 Local: 905-525-5097 • Toll Free: 1-888-990-9249 • Fax: 1-866-714-5521 Email: [email protected] • www.healthcitycanada.ca Contents DECEMBER 2018 Cover Story Drama in Real Life 32 Extraordinary Acts of 54 The Rattler’s Revenge Canadian Kindness When a Texas man decapitated Nine remarkable achievements the poisonous snake threatening from the past year. his wife, he assumed that would REBECCA TUCKER be the end of it. He was wrong. NICHOLAS HUNE-BROWN Life Lesson 40 Ready to Party? Social anxiety and surviving the P. | holiday season. LEAH RUMACK 32 Food 44 Sunday-Cooking at the Shelter Serving healthy food to those who need it most. COREY MINTZ FROM THE LOCAL Department of Wit 50 Off the Record A brief memoir about why I’ve decided not to write my memoirs. ARLENE AIKENS PHOTOGRAPH BY AARON McKENZIE COLIN WAY COLIN FRASER Vol. 193 | No. 1,155 DECEMBER 2018 Perspective Family 62 Wild Things 90 Reward: $500, No What entering my pet into Questions Asked a cat show taught me about While my father was in the the true nature of felines. late stages of Alzheimer’s, OMAR MOUALLEM FROM HAZLITT our family’s loyal hound was kidnapped. We had to get Heart him back—for his own sake, 70 A Holly Jolly but also for my dad. Jewish Christmas COURTNEY SHEA Holiday traditions don’t always have to be kosher. ROSE TEKEL RD Classic FROM UC OBSERVER 96 Andrea’s Gift How my daughter reminded Health me of the true meaning of the 74 Mind Over Meds holidays. ELIZABETH STARR HILL Placebos are more effective FROM READER’S DIGEST, than we think. DECEMBER 1966 ROBERT ANTHONY SIEGEL FROM SMITHSONIAN Humour 102 A Star Is Born Inspiration Comedian Mark Critch reflects 82 The Marvellous Making back on the kindergarten of Canada’s Most Autism- play that set the stage for Friendly Town his entire career. VALERIE HOWES FROM SON OF A CRITCH FROM TODAY’S PARENT Society 108 Crossing Over at Roxham Road Since 2017, thousands of asylum seekers have entered Canada by walking across P. | 74 the border in rural Quebec. Here are the stories of two such families. HEATHER ROBB FROM MAISONNEUVE COHEN MATTHEW P. | 70 Health Society 116 How to Get the Most 130 The Old Cannery’s New Era Out of Therapy British Columbia’s last wild- LISAN JUTRAS salmon packing plant makes history. FRANCES BACKHOUSE Family FROM HAKAI 122 Coming Up Watermelons When a practical joke becomes Editors’ Choice a message of hope passed 138 Catrin’s Long Way Back down through generations. The fiery crash and months CONRAD KIECHEL of recovery that changed a FROM READER’S DIGEST, young woman’s life forever. MARCH 1994 ROBERT KIENER READER FAVOURITES 13 Life’s Like That 101 @ Work 20 Points to Ponder 128 As Kids See It 53 Rd.ca 152 That’s Outrageous! CHLOE CUSHMAN CHLOE 73 Laughter, the Best Medicine 160 Quotes rd.ca | 12 • 2018 | 3 Culture P. | 18 RD Recommends 10 Our top picks in TV, books and movies. DANIELLE GROEN Health 22 Treating Dry Winter Skin How to best protect your epidermis against the ravages of cold weather. SAMANTHA RIDEOUT ART OF LIVING Health 28 What’s Wrong With Me? 10 Sea Change A medical mystery resolved. Hasan Hai convinces the men LISA BENDALL of Newfoundland and Labrador to get fishy for a good cause. CHRISTINA PALASSIO The RD Interview 14 Wish Lists P. | 16 Dayna Robinson, the coordinator of Canada Post’s GET SMART! Santa Letter Writing Program, on popular toys, requests 150 13 Things You Should for peace and the meaning Know About Unplugging of Saint Nick. COURTNEY SHEA ANNA-KAISA WALKER Pets 153 Trivia Quiz 16 Holiday Pet Safety Keep your furry friends merry 154 Brainteasers and bright by avoiding these 156 Sudoku common hazards. ANNA-KAISA WALKER 157 Word Power 5 Editor’s Letter 7 Contributors 8 Letters ISTOCK.COM/SPIRITARTIST (CAT) RICE; TERRY (PORTRAIT) 4 | 12 • 2018 | rd.ca Editor’s Letter The Common Good IF YOU’RE A DEVOTED READER OF THIS MAGAZINE, you know that one of the things that sets us apart from other publications is our com- mitment to telling stories of ordinary people doing exceptional things. For this holiday issue, we collected nine true tales about Canadians whose actions have had a significant impact over the past year. From dedicated activists to quick-thinking heroes, our cover story, “Extraordinary Acts of Canadian Kind- ness” (page 32), celebrates the remarkable ways in which people help others. Bold feats that alter the course of a life make for inspiring reading, of course. But that’s not to say that smaller gestures are any less important. The holiday season reminds me that simple deeds—making your part- ner’s morning coffee, shovelling your neighbour’s steps—are equally meaningful, especially when they become a habit. Taking time to check in with friends who have experienced a recent loss or a change in their circumstances is another invaluable way of showing you care. This special edition of Reader’s Digest, with almost 50 extra pages of features, also includes a moving story by journalist Courtney Shea about the kid- napping of her family’s dog (“Reward: $500, No Questions Asked,” page 90), the tale of a heart- warming tradition (“Coming Up Watermelons,” page 122), as well as a surprising health report on placebos (“Mind Over Meds,” page 74). From the team at Reader’s Digest, I wish you a happy, healthy holiday! Send an email to ROGER AZIZ ROGER [email protected] Published by the Reader’s Digest Magazines Canada Limited, Montreal, Canada Christopher Dornan Chairman of the Board Dominique Ritter Editor-in-Chief Ashley Leon Advertising, Head of Sales and Sales Strategy Executive Editor Stéphanie Verge Art Director John Montgomery Senior Editor Micah Toub Associate Art Director Danielle Sayer Graphic Designer Pierre Loranger Associate Editor Megan Jones Content Operations Manager Lisa Pigeon Editorial Intern Franca Mignacca Circulation Director Edward Birkett Contributing Editor Samantha Rideout Contributors: Arlene Aikins, Roger Aziz, Frances Proofreader Katie Moore Backhouse, Lisa Bendall, Linda Besner, Grant Callegari, Robert Carter, Mark Critch, Chloe Cushman, Marcel Danesi, Senior Researcher Lucy Uprichard Katy Dockrill, Aimée van Drimmelen, Aaron McKenzie Fraser, Researchers Martha Beach, Alyssa Danielle Groen, Clayton Hanmer, Elizabeth Starr Hill, Favreau, Matthew Halliday, Jaime Hogge, Valerie Howes, Steven Hughes, Nicholas Tessa Liem, Thomas Hune-Brown, Amanda Iannacito, Lisan Jutras, Conrad Kiechel, Rob Kiener, Susan Camilleri Konar, Kagan McLeod, Molander, Leslie Sponder Olivia Mew, Corey Mintz, Omar Mouallem, Christina Palassio, Copy Editors Chad Fraser, Amy Paul Paquet, Emily Press, Terry Rice, Sarah Richards, Ian Harkness, Richard Johnson Riensche, Heather Robb, Graham Roumieu, Leah Rumack, Pete Ryan, Julie Saindon, Courtney Shea, Robert Anthony Web Editor Brett Walther Siegel, Genevieve Simms, Rose Tekel, Rebecca Tucker, Conan Assistant Web Editor Robert Liwanag de Vries, Anna-Kaisa Walker, Colin Way, Victor Wong THE READER’S DIGEST ASSOCIATION (CANADA) ULC President Brian Kennedy Legal Barbara Robins Product Manager, Magazine Marketing Mirella Liberatore Production Manager Lisa Snow National Account Executives, Canada James Anderson, Suzanne Farago (Montreal), 121 Bloor St. E. 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