It’s the most wonderful time of the year! During this busy holiday season, Akers Ellis team members are remembering past Christmases, pausing to enjoy Christmas present, and joyfully looking to future Christmases. We encourage you to take a moment out of your busy schedule to enjoy the magic and memories of this special season.
Sissy Ambrose – Christmas – what a magical holiday! As I stroll down memory lane, I remember one of my most favorite times with my children. They were 4 and 5 years old and such true believers that Santa would visit while they slept. It had been an exhausting day with our church Christmas pageant and then to our yearly Christmas Eve gathering where we ate dinner, exchanged gifts with extended family, and the kids waited for Santa to drop in for a visit. Santa’s visit was quick and exciting and the kids got to take home a small gift from his pouch. They hugged him, thanked him, and told him where they would leave his cookies. As we traveled home, eyes were to the sky looking for Rudolph’s red nose. As we drove down the causeway into Headquarters Island, there was a blinking red light that caught both of their eyes. They got so excited that they were sure they saw the sleigh and all the reindeer following Rudolph. They were SURE this meant that Santa was already in the neighborhood and they needed to get home quickly. NEVER in the history of my kids’ lives had they gone to bed so quickly and willingly at 7pm! I cherish the memories of the days when they were believers – believers in magic and the innocent excitement of Santa Claus.
Nancy Bryant – My favorite Christmas memory was a scavenger hunt when Santa brought me my first 10-speed bike! Notes were left for me to search and find the bike. It was a big deal because being the youngest of three childrern, I always received hand-me-downs and this was my own brand new bike!
Jerald Hucks – The year we had our second child, born on December 19, was a hectic and tired holiday season, but also one of the sweetest. Even though we were scrambling more to have our normal Christmas traditions in place, the sight of having our oldest son look at his new brother more than made up for the lack of sleep and haphazard way we celebrated that year in our home.
Leslie Hucks – During my childhood, my father read the Christmas story from the Bible and Twas the Night Before Christmas every Christmas eve. We snuggled together on the couch and hung on to every word (I can nearly recite both stories by memory). The next morning, we awoke to the most magical sight – our Christmas tree overflowing with presents and traces of Santa’s secret visit. Since we didn’t have a chimney, Santa would leave snow-covered boot tracks in our foyer and a snowy glove print on his glass of milk beside an empty plate where we had placed his cookies. After opening our presents, we dressed in our Sunday best for the annual tradition of going to my grandparents’ home. There we joined aunts, uncles, and cousins for an afternoon of food and fellowship. Looking back, I know that our time spent with family was more precious than any gift left beneath our tree. Now that I have children of my own, I strive to carry on family traditions while pausing to enjoy the magic and true reason for Christmas.
Brian Sullivan – My all-time favorite memory is an emergency cheese run my brother and grandfather made on Christmas Eve just before midnight 25 years ago. Cheese is a big deal in my family – a really big deal. We were almost out with the stores about to close for Christmas, so it was serious. My normally quiet, law-abiding grandfather ran red lights and stop signs to get to the store just before it closed, and he insisted that my brother hold the various blocks of cheese inside his jacket so it would be room temperature when they got back. It is known as “The Cheese Run” in my family and we still laugh about it when we all get together.
Merriest holiday greetings from Akers Ellis to you and your loved ones!
