Our Holiday Traditions

What’s Your Holiday Tradition?

We love the holidays over here. From the food, to the decorations, and best of all, the people. We took a moment this month to ask our staff – “What’s your holiday tradition?” Keep reading for the answers and pictures they shared with us!

Victoria Shelton, Executive Administrative Assistant:

I make a whole beef tenderloin following a great recipe which includes a ginger marinade and powdered sugar crust. My family loves it, and it has become our Christmas meal tradition!

Courtney James, Marketing & Creative Coordinator:

We always set aside a day to blast Christmas music and decorate the tree! The dogs love to be in the middle of the action, but they usually aren't much help hanging ornaments.

Eliza Chan, Customer Service Manager:

We pick a color theme for our Christmas tree every year, this year is red and gold! We also make it a point to have our dog dressed up for a photo op, which he hates…

JT Christensen:

I have a very large Danish Family – we faithfully do a large version of a Danish recipe called “Burning Love”. At the center of the table we make a large volcano out of mashed potatoes. Fill it with caramelized onions, bacon strips fall over the edges like lava, and at the bottom all the way around are pickled beets. We use Dill as a garnish and have small pork meatballs slow cooked in a white cream sauce. We all serve ourselves, feasting like the barbaric Vikings we are.

Brittany Stephenson, Atlanta Commercial Sales:

Christmas Eve is bigger in our family. We always make a full spread of appetizers. Two apps that show up every year are our baked brie: Brie, brown sugar, and walnuts or Brie, Lingonberry jam, and almond. The other is Clams Casino served in my grandmother’s seashell dishes. As we nosh on a spread of amazing food, we give gifts to each other. The youngest goes first. Everyone has to provide explanation of why they are giving that gift. We usually all sing the 12 Days of Christmas, which is a lot more entertaining after a couple glasses of wine.

On Christmas day, we put Jesus in the manager and then have Christmas brunch with fresh orange juice from the orange trees in our backyard (joys about Florida). We also cook a Roast beef which my Dad calls the Roast Beast.

Either way Christmas is one of my favorite times of year!

Laura Collins, Product Manager:

1. We always get a family Christmas ornament.
2. I dress my dog up like a reindeer.

Bonnie Perry, Accounts Payable Specialist:

For our Christmas Holiday tradition we always have a Seafood Fest - crab legs, crab boil, grilled shrimp and fried catfish instead of the traditional Christmas dinner.

We also have a white elephant gift exchange, so much fun!

Chris Hill, Commercial Inside Sales Manager:

We have a great time at the Ellicott City Light Show. This year our daughters got to meet Anna and Elsa!

Kate Valder, DC Commercial Sales Rep:

My family tradition is simple - we all gather together and always watch the classic Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, “White Christmas” on Christmas Eve! I even dance along to all of the Vera-Ellen dance numbers - horribly out of sync and loving it! 😂💃🏻

If John, Will and I are not with my immediate family we still watch that movie every Christmas Eve!! ❤️

Ginnie Schielke, Senior Sales Residential:

Every year we go to the German School in Potomac for their annual Deutscher Weihnachtsmarkt (German Christmas Market). Also, the weekend after Thanksgiving we go to Butlers Orchard to pick up our Christmas Tree and start the decorating.

David Benson, President:

Holiday Tradition for getting the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Always a fun time to go shopping for a fabulous tree that fits our space. Getting the kids involved in the shopping is key. At Merrifield Garden center in Fairfax they have amazing decorations and even Santa and cookies and popcorn. So much fun!

Kris Conti, Purchasing:

We love to look for Elfie each morning in December, leading up to Christmas. He finds lots of places to hang out each day.

Jill Fedie, Commercial Sales - Atlanta:

Part of being Serbian is making this traditional bread during the holidays called Potica. Grandma used to make it every year, and we've all recently started making it again to keep the tradition going!

Rachelle Bishop, Corporate Trainer:

We love traditions in our house, from the Elf on the Shelf, to insisting on our yearly eggnog drink, and more. My favorite? Filling up our felt Advent calendar with fun and inexpensive little goodies for my kids. I recently heard a great tip from colleague Phil (Commercial Rep for Richmond). He said he fills his advent calendar with “acts of kindness” – genius. I will be doing that next year as well!

Diana Benesh, Web Sales Rep:

My family celebrates Christmas Eve by doing the Feast of the Seven Fishes—also known as Festa dei Sette Pesci or La Vigilia. The origins of the Feast of the Seven Fishes has its roots in southern Italy. Also, according to the Roman Catholic Church, seven are the sacraments, the days of the Creation, as well as the deadly sins. For some it also represents the Seven hills of Rome that surround the city.

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