The Roanoker - November/December 2020 - 69

WHILE OUR HOLIDAY GATHERINGS might look
a little different this year in the face of COVID-19, our
memories will always have that festive little glow about
them. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah,
Kwanzaa, Diwali or another version of holiday cheer,
perhaps this is the year you take on a new tradition. Our
team of staff and writers are getting into the spirit and
sharing their beloved family memories to inspire you into
making new memories.
Wishing you very happy holidays, from our families
to yours! -Liz Long

My husband and I always lead up the week of Christmas by
watching the classics: "A Christmas Story" and Seinfeld's
"Festivus" episode. We usually spend Christmas Eve with
my mom, who always makes an amazing dinner, followed
by homemade brownie sundaes and opening gifts. We stay
the night and watch the parade in the morning (and the dog
show if there's time!). On Christmas Day, we visit the other
side of the family to enjoy the day together. After lunch, we
honor my husband's grandmother, who started a tradition
years ago - the kids divvy up the gifts to everyone in the
room, which are opened in order of age from youngest to
oldest. (We've often threatened to reverse this and make
the youngest wait their turn to learn patience!) -Liz Long
The most memorable holiday traditions always included
watching "A Muppet Christmas Carol" and "It's A Wonderful
Life" and getting to choose one gift to open on Christmas
Eve! -Julianne Rainone Jacob
My favorite holiday family tradition is having 13 gifts in our
Christmas stockings. My parents picked the number 13, a
baker's dozen, in honor of my grandfather who was a baker
onboard a battleship during WWII. -Martha McMahon
When my children were growing up, we would let them
open one gift on Christmas Eve. It was usually a new outfit
to wear on Christmas Day. Christmas Day we always wore
something nice because of pictures we took, and we took
a lot of pictures! So glad we did because it is fun to look
back with my children on the Christmases we had. I always
tried to have a duck, Cornish hens, or roast beef (with all
the fixings); something other than a traditional ham dinner

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for our Christmas. Whether we had relatives included for
dinner or ourselves, it was always a big dinner late in the
day on Christmas after opening gifts. -Suzi Findley
My favorite holiday tradition is that my brother's family
comes in from out of town to stay with us, and we make
homemade pizzas for the family. It's a tradition my parents
did when I was growing up, and my wife and I have been
passed the mantle. -Matt Ayers
After Christmas Day with the in-laws, December 26th is
Boxing Day! We never celebrate without the presence
of Christmas Crackers with their fun prizes and paper
hats inside, which everyone MUST wear (at least through
dinner)! -Vicki Markvart

Christmas cookies!
It's a whole family
affair. My mom
makes the dough,
my dad's wife bakes
them and then the
kids decorate them.
Last year the boys'
girlfriends helped,
too! -Jenny Dorsey

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

69
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The Roanoker - November/December 2020

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