While the Susan G. Komen 3-Day® season recently wrapped up, the holiday season is in full swing! Similar to the Pink Bubble, there’s no denying the joy and magic that comes with the festivities that take place at the end of the year. As the weather gets colder and we snuggle up under blankets by the fireplace, our hearts grow warmer throughout the season of giving! From wrapping gifts to family traditions and beyond, the holidays are a time for celebration, togetherness, and spreading cheer however feels good to you. Let’s dive into what our Komen 3-Day family enjoys most about this enchanting time of year!
Returning to our roots is a particularly enjoyable part of the holidays, especially the food. Ashley F. enjoys Advent dinners and Coach Alex shared, “My partner and I share our blended traditions of making our holiday favorites — latkes with sour cream on the first night of Hanukkah, and an old family Italian shrimp soup recipe on Christmas Eve! Sharing our meals and time in the kitchen together brings us so much laughter, fun, and, of course, full bellies.” Pat R. also loves to celebrate with a delicious spread that includes tamales and pan de polvo for the whole family. Additionally, she looks forward to watching her great-nephews and great-nieces open their gifts each year.
Victoria L. has a tradition of gifting her children with pajamas each Christmas Eve. “My girls always had matching ones. Then when my son was born, he had similar ones. They are 18–26 now and still can’t wait to get their new Christmas Eve pajamas every year.” Whether it be pajamas or the newest gadget, it’s not called the season of giving for nothing! We all know that gift-giving is a huge part of the holidays, and our generous 3-Dayers are no exception. Mary Anne M. says that buying gifts for friends and family and watching their expressions when they open them is one of her favorite parts of the time of year, along with spending moments with loved ones.
Just a few days before Christmas, you can find Coach Heather in the enchanting Bavarian-style village of Frankenmuth, Michigan. “The night lights in this cozy town are nothing short of magical and create a holiday vibe that is oh-so-charming!” Cory A. also loves to bask in the beauty of twinkling lights and enjoy his favorite holiday movies while cozied up on the couch. With classics and remakes readily available and new films being released every year, it’s hard to pick a favorite!
Baked goods seem to be a big theme of the 3-Day® holiday lore, with countless participants stating that this is one of their favorite parts of the season. “All us girls in the family get together for a cookie exchange and a girls day out! We talk, we laugh, we drink, we eat, we make, we bake! [It’s] so nice to take a day off from the crazy holiday season!” says Lisa S. Betsy P.’s baking list this year includes classics like chocolate chip, ginger molasses, snickerdoodle, peanut butter blossoms, orange cranberry shortbread, oatmeal raisin and sugar cookies, along with hazelnut balls, fudge, macaroons and rosettes. Now that’s a spread! Other baking lovers include Kerri S. who makes monkey bread that she learned how to bake over 20 years ago in her high school cooking class and Julie J. who loves baking and caroling… sometimes at the same time!
There’s something about this time of year that just brings a smile from ear to ear and warmth to our hearts. However you celebrate, your 3-Day family wishes you a joyous holiday season!