I’ve been in heaven lately. Why, you may ask? Thick ice. Lots of it. That's what I found when I cranked my trusty auger into Lake Nokomis yesterday. In only a matter of weeks we’ll begin preparing our 25 USPHC rinks on Lake Nokomis for all of you! I might be more excited about the 2011 tourney than my son is about Santa [possibly] coming in a few days!

Thought I’d send you a note to tell you what’s on my mind...

We are excited to announce that we have commissioned internationally renowned printmaking artist Chris Speakman to create the first annual official limited edition USPHC print. Each print is HAND MADE, signed by the artist, editioned, and dated. All prints are printed on a quality 100% cotton paper, archival & acid free. Only 400 prints of this year's artwork have been produced.

Check out this year's official artwork and place your order before they sell out: https://usphc.secure-ngin.com/register/form/748976253

We’ve had a few withdrawals, and now have a couple teams available. Get ‘em while they’re hot!

Register at https://usphc.secure-ngin.com/register/form/098984637

For all of those non-skaters who are looking for an opportunity to participate in this year's event, we've created the Timberland Boot Hockey Tournament! Boot hockey games are scheduled for the evenings of January 21-22, 2011, with championship games being played during the morning and afternoon of Sunday, January 23rd.

The tournament is a light-hearted co-ed event that brings friends together to share in competition, camaraderie and a love of hockey... in their boots and for a great cause! Modeled after the social evening games that we grew to love in high-school and college, the Timberland Boot Hockey Tournament is as much a party as it is a competition. So get your friends together and come join us for the "evening session" on Lake Nokomis.

Learn more about this new event and register your boot hockey team:
http://www.uspondhockey.com/page/show/255985-timberland-boot-hockey-tournament

We’re happy to offer special lodging deals through our official host hotels: the new Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington hotel and Crowne Plaza Northstar in Downtown Minneapolis. Both locations are offering a special discounted rate for USPHC players as well as other player perks.

Learn more and reserve your rooms at:
http://www.uspondhockey.com/page/show/243193-host-hotels

It’s on your mind, I know it. Which teams will you have to defeat to have a chance at the Golden Shovel? Games schedules will be ready no later than January 14. Promise.

And now, my friends, I'll leave you with my favorite lines from the most classic holiday story, "Twas the Night Before Pond Hockey"...

So I'll speak not a word, I'll go straight to the lake.
We'll fill in the cracks--good ice for all we will make.
And wiping a snot chunk from aside of my nose,
And giving a nod, up the ice hole I rose;
I drank from my Coors, giving my flooding crew a whistle,
And they skated to my side, at the speed of a missile.
And I heard them exclaim, as they shoveled with all their might,
"Smooth ice to all, and to all a good-night."