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! 

Wintertime is known for chilly temperatures, cozy blankets, and being the season of giving. Fundraising during this time of year is a great way to raise money for the 3-Day while embracing the spirit of holiday altruism. Here are twelve winter fundraising ideas to consider. 

Holiday Gift-Wrapping Service 

Set up a gift-wrapping station at a local shopping center or organize a gift-wrapping service within your community. Charge a fee and provide festive wrapping paper and decorations to fully embody the holiday season. 

Winter Bake Sale 

Host a winter-themed bake sale with treats like gingerbread cookies, hot chocolate, and other chilly delights. You can sell these goodies at local events, schools, or online.  

Cookie Swap 

Another option is a cookie swap where everyone donates a certain dollar amount to exchange their tastiest sweets! Bake away and share the love with your friends to raise money for the 3-Day. 

Christmas Tree Recycling 

After the holidays, collect used Christmas trees for recycling. Charge a fee for tree pick-up and disposal services and then recycle the trees to raise funds for your cause. 

Ice Skating Fundraiser 

Partner with a local ice rink to host a fundraising event filled with winter charm. Charge an entry fee, offer skate rentals, and maybe even consider organizing a competition or providing lessons for additional funds. 

Hot Chocolate Stand 

In summertime we have lemonade and in winter we cozy up with hot cocoa! Top each cup with pink marshmallows and fundraise away.  

Snow Sculpture Contest/Sand Sculpture 

Host a snow sculpture (or sand sculpture for those in warmer weather) contest in your community and see everyone’s artistic talent. Participants can pay an entry fee and spectators can vote for their favorite sculptures with donations. 

Winter Party 

If you’re into glitz and glam, you may want to organize a formal winter party with dinner and music at your home. Tickets can be sold for entry, and you can also raise money through silent auctions of items that have been donated to the event and have the proceeds go toward your fundraising.

Mac & Cheese Cook-Off 

The 3-Day and mac & cheese go hand in hand! Organize an event where participants can showcase their culinary skills with their best cheesy recipe. Attendees can purchase tickets to sample the dishes and vote for their favorites in a blind taste test. 

Winter Movie Night 

Organize a movie night with your favorite winter or holiday-themed film and encourage attendees to bring their coziest blankets and pajamas. Sell tickets for entry and offer concessions like popcorn, hot cocoa, and other snacks. 

Polar Plunge 

Organize a “Polar Plunge” event where participants take a chilly dip into an ice-cold lake or pool. This is a fun and daring way to raise money during the winter months, and a bucket list item for many individuals! 

Winter-Themed Trivia Night 

Host a trivia night with questions related to winter holidays, traditions, and general knowledge. Participants can pay to join the event and you can offer prizes for the winning teams! 

Remember to promote your winter fundraising event through social media, local advertising, and community outreach to ensure its success. What is your favorite way to fundraise during the colder months? 

Sallie R. has walked 33 times over 19 years, contributing a lifetime total of more than $148,000 toward the breast cancer cause. An avid gardener and psychologist, her friend and teammate Courtney B. describes Sallie as “the definition of small but mighty. The strength she has, to not only fight her internal battles but to also ensure everyone around her is cared and loved for, is admired by all those who know her.” She walks alongside her friends and family on the team Wild Women Walking For A Cure and is always a light to her teammates and other 3-Dayers.  

“Her strength and courage inspire me and the rest of the Wild Women, including her daughter and granddaughter, to continue to support the 3-Day to one day live in a world without breast cancer.” ?Cait B. 

Get to know Sallie as we honor her as our 2023 San Diego 3-Day Milestone Award Winner! 

What was your inspiration to do your first 3-Day???  

I fully recovered from my first battle with breast cancer in ’95 and was excited to have a way to give back to the cause. This was an amazing start to my love for the 3-Day. My daughter joined me that year, and on many walks since along with teammates who have become lifelong best friends. 

What has brought you back to the 3-Day year after year?  

Raising money to help find the cures is certainly the driving force but I couldn’t have done it without the friendship and support of my family and teammates. Not only do family members walk with me, but the team itself can only be described as family. One of the founding members of our team, Wild Women Walking For A Cure, who we recently lost to breast cancer, would say that the 3-Days are addictive and contagious. Yes, indeed they are! 

What is the secret to your 3-Day fundraising success?   

I use the old-fashioned way… snail mail. I make sure my donation letters go out in October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each year, I compose a letter that is very personal, sharing family events as well as personal challenges I have faced. For example, my husband is severely disabled, and I share his progress in my letter. I have built up a group of supporters who anticipate my letter and include their donation in their yearly contribution plan.  

I will send letters to people I barely know. I include every doctor, dentist, therapist, accountant, contractor, etc. You never know when they will respond that their mother or sister or brother, etc. has or had breast cancer and they thank me for the opportunity to help. I ask my donors to send me the names of who I can walk in honor and/or memory of which is how I discovered that my dentist had breast cancer. Additionally, I am persistent and send reminders by postcard and I always send a personalized Thank You postcard with a photo from the 3-Day. Yes, it is a lot of work. Yes, it works! 

What is your best advice to anyone walking the 3-Day?   

As our current shirts say, “Every step is a story.”  

I love walking with my teammates, but I also love meeting new people and hearing their stories. This truly is the Pink Bubble. Take the time to listen to others, share your own story, and have FUN. Play games, sing songs, and take pride in the amazing task that you have accomplished. You have just raised a boatload of cash for such an important cause. As the years roll on and many walks later, I cherish the friendships that I have forged in different cities around the country with people I would not have otherwise met.  

What’s a fun fact about you? 

I like to think I’m a good gardener. I am happiest when I can dig, weed, plant, water, create, and design in the garden. I live with soil under my fingernails. In retirement, I have devoted a ton of energy into converting our landscape to native plants that I have started from seed. Everyone I walk with knows that I carry an assortment of plastic bags and markers to collect seeds and identify them. By the way, as a psychologist, I can say that gardening is the best therapy… and it’s free. 

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned on the 3-Day?   

Gosh, where to start? Although 60 miles is a daunting task, we are capable of so much more than we sometimes think. You will be repaid a zillion times over by being positive, kind, and patient. You won’t regret investing time and energy in relationships. I was definitely a slow learner about knowing your body and your limits, but I get it now! 

“Special. Strong. Supportive. Teammate. Gopher hunter. Survivor. Survivor again. Loving. Kind. Short. Crazy. Walker. Crazy Walker. Fundraiser. 60-Mile Walker. 1,920-Mile Walker. Over 30 3-Days. Funny. Funny without meaning to be. Caring. Dedicated. Amazing. Did I say short? Mom to others. Grandma to others. Best friend… so lucky to know her.” ?Les C.