In the time honoured tradition of bad 90s sitcom Christmas clip shows, where the producers try to save a quid by packing the episode full of clips from earlier episodes, let’s take a look back at some articles from the past year. A year that will no doubt go down in infamy. In this Big Men Christmas Special retrospective we’ll take a look at all of the things that changed our lives as big men in 2020, and why this year, more than ever, we deserve to treat ourselves to a truly joyous Christmas.
May 2020: The Lockdown drags on.
We dressed up our Lockdown wardrobe with some timeless loungewear
Just when we had resumed life as normal after the unprecedented devastation of the 2019 – 2020 bushfire season, everything we once knew was again turned upside down once the Lockdown began. Panic buying saw supermarket shelves stripped bare of toilet paper. We big men couldn’t go to the gym to get back in shape after too much indulging over Christmas. Heck, we couldn’t even go to the pub! These certainly were strange days. Indeed, pyjama sales went up, people didn’t wear pants so much and track and lounge pants became very popular.
Doom and gloom aside, the Lockdown did give us all a chance to stop and take stock. We big men found out that the Lockdown wasn’t the time to luxuriate in one’s own languor. We were given a much needed pause button on our hectic lives that allowed us to realise what was truly important. And when it comes to fashion choices, the world found out something that big men have known all along: you can look your best and be comfortable at the same time.
Big Men Christmas gift idea: Lockdown Loungewear - Pierre Cardin Bath Robe
June 2020: Time to get training again!
It's uber-important to wear clothing that breathes when doing Cardio. Say N.O to B.O!
Sick of being cooped up during the Lockdown, we decided that it was high time to take a hike. Getting outdoors in the wide blue yonder is not just beneficial for your physical health, studies prove that it lifts your mental game as well. Seeing as the gyms were shut, we big men needed some options to get back into shape, especially if we had over-indulged in the finer things in life during Lockdown. I know I had (read: Netflix and chill!).
We realised the importance of establishing a habit of going for regular hikes. Heck, we even discovered what the Yanks called ‘rucking’ (or walking with a loaded backpack on). In the sage words of Tony Robbins: “If you talk about it, it's a dream, if you envision it, it's possible, but if you schedule it, it's real.” We scheduled our hikes and never missed any and pretty soon we saw some results, including: better heart health, improved recovery plus strength and conditioning.
Big Men Christmas gift idea: Hiking Rucksack - Arizona Travel Backpack
October 2020: School Holidays!
Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a dad
As if schools closing and remote learning wasn’t enough, the school holidays arrived to further remind us big men that our little mini-mes need round the clock entertaining. Contrary to initial belief, we found out that the holidays were not a time for us big men dads to laze about, indulging in day beers, or taking afternoon naps. No, we had another thing coming: trying to keep up with the kids.
“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.” So said notable author William Feather. Indeed, we quickly learnt ways to make the holidays as fun as possible. We played sports. We might have even set up a fun holiday treasure hunt. Kids are pretty good at getting up to all sorts of hijinks to keep themselves occupied and this can get a bit full on if you are trying your best to do something else. However, as the old saying goes: they won’t be young forever. And once gone, you can never get back the time when they were young. Show them now how much you enjoy having a good time with them.
Big Men Christmas gift idea: Dad Gear – Hugo Boss Polo
The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear ~ Buddy the Elf
So, there you have it. As the end of this horror year finally draws nigh, hopefully we have learnt a thing or two about health, happiness and haute couture. This year, unlike any other, has tested us big men. It’s taught us to keep our cool while the world around us becomes unrecognisable. And if nothing else, in the words of the always fashionable Elton John, we’re still standing (yeah, yeah, yeah!). Surely that is reason enough to treat yourself to a great big man Christmas gift this year. Ho! Ho! Ho!
By Anthony Cheadle.