Christmas Traditions

I am fascinated by the various ways in which people around the world celebrate Christmas. In France the season starts early on December 6th with Saint Nicholas Day. On Christmas Eve, children put polished shoes out in front of the chimney and hope that Pere Noel (Father Christmas) will fill their shoes with sweets (I don’t know if I would really want a smelly sneaker full of lukewarm chocolate). In Germany, homes are decorated and the tree is put up on Christmas Eve and roving bands of the anti-Santa, also known as Krampus, scare the Dickens out of the children. In the Philippines, people create enormous Christmas lanterns called parols (add accent) some measuring 18 feet in diameter and thus begins a ferocious competition between villages for the most elaborate lantern. Sometimes fights break out among competitors. Since 1966, town luminaries erect a 40-foot goat made of straw in the small Swedish Hamlet of Gavle. In the past 52 years, someone has tried to set the goat on fire. Despite covering the goat in fire retardant coating and giving the temporary statue a 24-hour armed guard, the Gavle goat has been torched a whopping 29 times. In our family we have many traditions and none of them involve arson, theft, or violence. Our family tradition is enjoying a multi-layered egg and cheese souffle on Christmas morning, more commonly referred to as a Cheese Strata. Apparently it is a tradition in many homes across America, and ranks within some of the highest search results on Google every year on December 24th. Everyone likes Cheese Strata, but apparently very few people in America know how to make it. This year, the kids and I are starting a new tradition and spending Christmas on a big boat in the Caribbean. I will not be here next week to wish you a happy new year, but I will send pics to Mr. Brockwell so he can put them in next week’s Weekly Report. #LuckyYou Wishing you a very merry Christmas, and bon voyage!

Monday, December 17 – Secret Santa Stuffed Sock Swap Spectacular

We kicked off the week real elf-like and spent the morning assembling Christmas gifts for our fantastic clients. And although our world-class assembly line was similar to that of Ford Motor Company, no Model T’s will be wrapped with a bow in your driveway this year. #SoSorry

Later in the day we held our Secret Santa Stuffed Sock Swap which warmed each other’s “soles.” Account Executive Haleigh Lader received a customized pair of socks with her dog Milly’s picture all over them. Communications Manager Kent Brockwell got knee-high Rambo-inspired cat socks and Junior Copywriter Derek Fair received a perfectly wrapped tacky Christmas blazer from me with one of my old socks stuffed in the breast pocket. I think I misunderstood the whole sock stuffing thing.

Tuesday, December 18 – Cruisin’ & Boozin’

Tuesday night the Madison+Main-iacs (and their plus ones) joined me at Morton’s Steakhouse for a five-course feast and open bar. At the end of the night they gave me a very nice Christmas card and an all expense paid and upland hunt at the Orapax Hunting Preserve in Goochland County. #ShootTheBird

During dinner, I handed out envelopes to my hardworking crew that contained Visa gift cards and passes for a company cruise—onboard the Norwegian Dawn so we can all celebrate Cinco de Mayo together next year. This is a fair warning to the good people of the Bahamas: you need to stock up on booze, because the Madison+Main-iacs are coming.

Wednesday, December 19 – Be Bold

On Wednesday, the team was out and about delivering Christmas gifts to many of our clients, friends, and partners. In addition to our gratitude, we gave them a handcrafted 2019 daily desk calendar entitled “Be Bold Every Day”. Meanwhile, back at the office, Hertless Brothers Roofing were hard at work repairing the roof and our friend Woody Vickery from Hudson Contracting fixed our third floor window that was blown out in June. We are very excited for Kent “Frozen Toes” Brockwell, who now gets to spend the rest of the winter in relative comfort because there is no longer a gaping hole in the side of the building.

Thursday, December 20 – Look Ma, A New Website

This week we were thrilled to showoff our latest website design for the sweet folks at Lucy Corr! As always, we’re excited to grow with one another and continue to help in every way possible to expand the family at Chesterfield’s leading senior living community. Check out their new website and explore the various options available for your loved ones to live a fun, carefree, and convenient life with a full continuum of care.

Friday, December 21 – On The Road Again

As you know, along with a few other Main-iacs, I decided to travel this holiday. While our devoted skeleton crew of 6 orchestrated a pajama day back at the office, I was with my kids Jack and Hattie on the way to clear blue water and white sand beaches. I know, I know it’s such a dreadful way to spend Christmas. Fun fact: The dominant languages in the Caribbeans are Spanish, Dutch, Haitian Creole, Papiamento and English. Luckily for me, I can communicate with a colossal 20% of the people there. #HelloGoogleTranslate

A Few of Our Favorite Events

A Night In Paris (St. Jude Benefit)

CrossKeys Vineyards | Mt. Crawford, VA

Saturday, Dec. 29 from 6-11 p.m.

Join our friends at CrossKeys Vineyards for a memorable “Night In Paris” benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The night entails a six-course plated dinner and a bottle of your favorite CrossKeys wine per couple. Live entertainment by the Bootsie Daniels band will begin at 8 p.m. I hope to see you in the Shenandoah Valley!

Got an upcoming event you want to share? Can we come? Send us the deets!

“Remember that the important thing is not what you give or how you wrap it. The important thing, during this very special time of year, is that you save the receipt.”

Look ma, we have a blog!

Christmas Traditions | Weekly Report for December 21, 2018