Now that you’ve removed your winter jacket, boots, thick socks, ear muffs, mittens or gloves, and any other apparel you donned yesterday to watch the Heritage Classic, I respectfully ask you to do something.

Take a bow. A big one, at that.

Because, Edmonton: we really know how to turn an idea into monumental civic pride, don’t we?

You could feel it, starting on the west side on 184 Street, zooming east to 17 Street, revving up on Ellerslie Road, chugging up to 167 Avenue, and then bouncing, sliding and rolling a shade northeast of Edmonton — the iconic community we call McAuley — for a safe landing into Commonwealth Stadium.

When the fireworks roared above 111 Avenue after the Heritage Classic ended, the celebration began on several levels.

For the Oilers, they bumped the proverbial polar bear off their back with a 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames, ending a four-game skid.

And getting their captain back, perhaps the planet’s most prolific player, back on the roster, playing 23 minutes — that’s a big deal.

But the fans in the pews, circling around the 55,000 mark, also need to be toasted for making it a festival-like atmosphere.

And we also give a tip of the helmet to the Calgary Flames fans — sorry, but, not really — for joining in the fun.

The people glued to the television — pick me — watching the game was part of the celebration.

There are many Edmontoniands who aren’t big hockey fans, but they were an integral part of the night.

For they are bus drivers, cab drivers, restaurant staff, hotel staff, police officers, paramedics, security staff and so many other roles which were so very important to the success of the weekend.

Hark! This was absolutely a team effort of Edmontonians.

There’s a delicious piece of history: Edmonton thought of the outdoor game, and then went to work at pulling off the first National Hockey League’s outdoor game.

We all know how blistery cold it was.

Yet, fans, somehow embraced Mother Nature’s cool swath over Edmonton that frosty November day.

We made it special, didn’t we?

The NHL picked up the vibe Edmonton put down.

Flattery, they say, is measured if an original idea is duplicated.

Consider the Oilers flattered. Big time.

Since the first outdoor game hosted in Ednobton, the NHL has had 38 games outside, with three scheduled for this season.

And that brings us to a most interesting question: will there be another outdoor game played in Edmonton in 2043 to properly mark the 40th anniversary?

That’s hard to thoughtfully answer.

Perhaps, the novelty of the outdoor game will have melted like ice after a hockey season.

If that is indeed the case, I know those of us fortunate enough to be around will organize another great event not only to celebrate the four decades of the first Heritage Classic.

But to show the next generation of Edmontonians our rich history of putting on world-class events — a nudge for them to carry the torch.

Because … they can do it, and proudly say three words I’m saying today after a great event.

Well done, neighbours!