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Bakersfield Women talk Holidays "On The Red Couch."
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Anonymous user Fri Oct 19, 2007 09:58:30 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments While Bakersfield may not be snow capped and temperatures aren’t projected to be below freezing, the winter holiday season is here! This month Bakersfield Life’s Red Couch is discussing community holiday traditions, priceless family get-togethers and more with four of Bakersfield’s most festive women!

Q: Personally, what is your favorite part of the holiday season?

Diana:  Personally, the holidays represent a time when families get together to celebrate connection and joy.  Creating a great dinner menu, sharing the food, breaking bread together, seeing our grandchildren laugh – it is a wonderful time.

Cristy:   I’ve always loved the sense of anticipation leading up to the holidays. It doesn’t hurt that it is also a big birthday month in my family. My sister Lesley and I turn 29 every December! Really, though, I love getting ready: the shopping, the decorating, and the baking. I have really fond memories of that weekend after Thanksgiving when my sisters and I would start begging my mom to pull out the Christmas decorations and we would turn on the Johnny Mathis Christmas album and go to town on the house.

Jenny:  Christmas morning. In my family, everyone wakes up, and comes over to my house. We eat croissants, and drink coffee while we look inside our stockings. Then, we open gifts around the Christmas tree. I just love seeing everyone’s reactions, especially my granddaughter, Gabriella.

Darlene:  For the past 20 years we get together with friends and host a holiday friends and family celebration.  These are friends who grew up together with our children and are now raising their own children. It is rewarding to see these individuals grow from pre-teens into contributing members of our community doing excellent jobs as parents, professional contributors and mentors.  Our celebration always is centered around family, food and fun – not to mention Christmas carols, Santa and car rallies!

Q: Professionally, what is your favorite part of the holiday season?
Diana:  Professionally, I have seen the amazing generosity of this community at holiday time for homeless families and children.  I have been a part of eight holiday seasons at the Bakersfield Homeless Center (BHC) and each and every year people open their hearts to help our families. We are a community of people who care and give and reach out.

Cristy: I love that everyone is a little more laid-back and jolly, even though the idea of work slowing down through the holidays is strictly an urban legend. Even though I shouldn’t admit it, I love all the goodies everyone brings into the workplace. It’s neat when everyone brings their homemade treats and shares the stories that go with them – its like you are getting a glimpse into their personal history in one calorie-laden lump of sugar.

Jenny: Honestly ... when it’s over. Between finding the time to buy presents for my loved ones, and working doubles every day, I’m just exhausted. I enjoy all the Christmas parties and seeing all the families who eat at the restaurant, but by December 24th, I need a break.

Darlene: Being able to help the Bakersfield Homeless Center and the many children they serve during the holiday season.  Castle & Cooke is very supportive of my volunteerism with the Bakersfield Homeless Center and the holiday season can be so very heartbreaking and stressful if you are homeless. Being able to alleviate some of this burden is very rewarding for me personally, but I would not be able to be as effective without the support of my employer.

Q:What is your favorite family tradition that you have taken from your childhood and passed on to your immediate family?

Diana:   The love that surrounds the holidays.  Some years we have a tree, some we don’t.  Some years the presents aren’t as abundant as others. But, what is consistent is the love for each other and the genuine appreciation of family and friends. My grandmother had several oil hurricane lamps, which were passed down to me.  We light and use them often during the holiday season in remembrance of all the family and friends who are no longer with us.

Cristy:   Well, of course it is about food. When I was young, our neighbors shared an amazing sugar cookie recipe with my mother that had been brought with their mother when she emigrated from France. It is the most amazing thing ever and we can’t do Christmas without it. They are quite an ordeal to make and involve all the kids and grandkids. I have pictures of myself as a child and each one of my children wielding the cookie press and the sprinkles as we make batches to take to school parties, holiday parties or to neighbors. They won’t even let me in the door at work during the holidays if I don’t bring them.

Jenny: As a family, we always go to Christmas Eve mass, and eat tamales that our employees make for us.

Darlene: My grandmother used to make cinnamon fried pies during the Depression for her family.  This treat was so loved by my dad and his siblings that my grandmother carried this on with the next generation and the great grandchildren as well.  I learned at her knee how to do this and I now make them during the holidays and sometimes in between. 


Q: How many people are on your holiday greeting card list?

Diana:  My holiday greeting card list used to be huge!  These days, I send very few cards and most of those are to professional colleagues and friends.  But, last year, our family sent out a few fun New Year’s Day cards – so I am ever hopeful of sending those to more friends and family.

Cristy:   There are a lot of people on the list. And there are a lot of cards still in boxes in my garage – a lot of cards. As a matter of fact, I may open up my own holiday card shop very soon. I always start out with the best of intentions, but things just don’t slow down and before you know it, it’s too late to get them out. I had a friend who sent out a really clever “middle of January” card last year. That’s got style. I may try to pull that off myself.

Jenny: I’m horrible. I only find time to send Christmas cards to family that lives out of town.

Darlene: I must admit that I am terrible about holiday greeting cards.  I feel guilty when I get the lovely cards from my family and friends.  I promise this year I will get in gear and show my friends how much they truly mean to me by way of holiday cards.

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