Holding onto Traditions
I look forward to my first Christmas as mayor! Lighting the mayor’s Christmas tree at Rotary Park will be a proud moment for me as a Rotarian. Other Jefferson City traditions I am excited for include Living Windows, the Christmas parade and Capitol Caroling, which awaken the spirit of the season for me.
I have fond family memories of spending time at the Tergin Apartments gathered around a silver tinsel tree with my parents and grandparents. Hopeful for snow on Christmas Eve, my brother, sister and I were ready to make our marks in the new dusting and being the oldest, I was always first out the door. While there was not a nearby Greek Orthodox Church, we attended local Christmas Eve services and all celebrated together.
Growing up in the retail business and now continuing on with running our family store, I learned early that this season is about helping others prepare for their own traditions. Like many other local shop owners, it is our busiest time with lots of extended hours, and we often feel like Santa’s elves. As a Hallmark store owner, I love helping my customers find something special for everyone on their lists. Through the years I’ve grown to understand that putting ornaments on the tree is far more than decorating; it represents tender memories. It’s amazing how one special ornament captures a moment in time. As my family and I open gifts on Christmas Eve, I think of the packages that we helped wrap for so many. It makes the extra hours at the store worthwhile.
Today more than ever, Christmas cards deliver special holiday greetings from friends and family. Opening our mailboxes and finding that someone cared enough to send a card with a handwritten message is particularly meaningful at a time when technology is our main mode of communication. It makes us realize that during the fun-filled frenzy of the holidays, someone thought of us.
MOST IMPORTANTLY AND NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN, I wanted to give a special thanks to those who keep our city operating smoothly during the holidays: the snow plow drivers, police, fire fighters, ambulance drivers and those who work 24/7 regardless the season or holiday so that we can all be safe and enjoy.
