Nothing about last year was typical. The holidays, though, are always a time for traditions and making new memories. While we could not celebrate exactly as we had hoped, we all found ways to make the season bright:

• Tim and Lee Flaherty went to Mass Christmas morning, and then connected with family via telephone and Zoom calls. In the evening, they treated themselves to champagne and a gorgeous beef tenderloin for dinner.
• Duane Reynolds and his wife, Janice, were able to visit with their parents, friends, and family, some safely in-person and some virtually. They also tried broiling lobster tails on New Year’s Eve, which were easy to do and turned out great!
• Dirk and Jessica Beamer enjoyed having all three children (Langston, Lawrence, and Anika Jane) home for the holidays. The kids did their best to keep mom and dad abreast of pop culture. Having already finished Schitt$ Creek and The Crown, they introduced the Beamer household to Moon Base 8 and What We do in the Shadows among others.
• Like so many of us, Evan Chall and his family enjoyed a scaled back celebration this year. But with two children under two, their home was far from quiet! Theo’s favorite toy to unwrap was a toddler-sized “Peloton” allowing him to ride along with Mommy. Santa delivered new sunglasses to Evan, and Katy’s Christmas wish for an espresso machine came true, but the greatest gift this year was to spend quality time as a family.
• Kathy Spray’s family celebrated New Year’s Eve with a progressive dinner, serving a different course every hour from 7:00 p.m. until 11 p.m. Spreading out their meal helped to keep them awake until the big moment!
• A new annual tradition for Donna Stewart and her family is a trip to the Lights before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo. On Christmas morning, they got together with their kids and grandkids for brunch and gift opening. Fancy mocktails were served in their favorite champagne flutes!
• Mary Martin filled her time with a new craft, putting together a wreath for the birds and squirrels and stringing up fresh cranberries in the trees. She and her sweetheart, Walt, had a lot of fun watching the backyard critters enjoy the holiday treats!
• Many nights in December saw Lauren and Stephen Woirol taking a trip around their neighborhood so the kids could take in the beautiful lights and decorations. On Christmas, they attempted a dinner of Beef Wellington for the first time, and later tried out a few rounds of Mexican Train Dominoes.