Holiday memories are shaped by the families we hold dear — whether they are the families we are born into or the ones we build through the bonds formed at church, work, or through social connections. In this season of warmth and togetherness, may these reflections of cherished holiday moments, shared by four Greater Richmond residents, inspire and remind us of the deep connections that make the holidays so special.

 Roshan Chakane 

Roshan Chakane-Organist and Associate Director of Greater Richmond Children’s Choir

I was born in South Africa and because it is in the southern hemisphere, it is usually boiling hot this time of year. Growing up, I was always away from home because I went to boarding schools basically my entire life. So it’s always special to be home over that season because I get to see my whole family. I used to travel a lot for concerts and was at boarding school so, my late Mother, Jessey Chakane, loved it when I was home for the holidays. The Christmas season is a very special time for me, as it’s also my birthday. 

For a good nine or 10 years, whenever I’d come home for the Christmas period, my mom would always wake me up on Christmas Day with a glass of bubbly and Mariah Carey singing on the radio “ All I Want for Christmas is You.” I’ve always kind of associated that song with my birthday, just because it really plays the whole of November and December practically. I find it comforting because of the memories that are associated with it. We would then often have a late breakfast followed by a day of relaxing at the pool with all my loved ones. One dish we liked to serve is pap, the South African equivalent of grits. This would typically be served with a protein, such as a braai or barbecue. Due to the heat, there is also a whole selection of cold salads. My sister would often be making the salads and she’d make a good five or six different kinds of them and we’d eat them throughout Christmas and Boxing Day. 

I find this season to be magical. From working with kids as a teacher and director, I have seen how the kids really start to sparkle up as November hits. Most of all I love seeing all the happy smiles on my cousins, nieces and nephews as they awake on Christmas morning. It’s truly the very best time of year! 

Anika L. Hines-Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Public Health

 Anika L. Hines 

I think Christmastime for us growing up was just a special time when people seemed a little bit kinder. There was just a spirit of anticipation and goodwill. It might sound a little corny, but I felt like people were a lot more mindful of the way they treat others, at least growing up. I feel like as a child, there was always this rush of just happiness and joy that started somewhere after Thanksgiving, I think in anticipation of what was to come in the holiday season. 

Seeing all of the lights and the decorations, I just remember being young and being so excited for little things. We would ride around and see houses lit up, and think about gifts we would buy other people. My parents always made us give away all of our old toys to charity, “in order to make room for the new things,” they would say. Toys for Tots ... was always a part of our household, and making sure that we gave to others in need, which is still something that I carry on to this day. My mother was born on Christmas Eve, so she always told us a story about how she was the gift to her sibling when she was born. 

I think Christmas is a time for giving and charity and for being kind to other people. And I definitely think that’s rooted in my family, but I think that’s what everyone thinks about at Christmas. 

Vicki Lovings, M.D. - Pediatrics   Capital Area Health Network 

 Vicki Lovings, M.D. 

After Thanksgiving, people get sick from being around a lot of people – so the holidays are busier than you’d think for pediatricians. Some parents want to make sure their kids aren’t sick on Christmas Day, so there are plenty of office visits. I can’t make those guarantees, so I jokingly tell the parents I left my magic wand at home. Thankfully, people are considerate, so I haven’t had to work much on Christmas Day when I’m on call. 

I don’t have a specific Christmas memory, and I’m not one for material possessions. My most precious gift is the time spent with my loved ones. The sheer delight on my kids’ and grandkids’ faces as they come downstairs on Christmas morning fills my heart with joy. 

My parents instilled in us the value of family, making Christmas a cherished time. We’re always together at Christmas — from Christmas Eve dinner to Christmas brunch and dinner. Christmas Eve dinner can be as simple as take-out or elaborate as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. It’s whatever we feel like doing and how much work we want to put into it. 

On Christmas Day, brunch and dinner flow together like a continuous party. We start with brunch around 10 or 11 a.m. at my house, which will go through the afternoon. It’s not limited to just our family, though. Friends and co-workers pop in and out, so we can have as many as 30 or 40 people. The menu consists of things we can make ahead of time, like quiches and breakfast casseroles, so we’re not cooking much on Christmas morning. My daughter makes a yummy French toast casserole. I make a special ham and cheese casserole that I only make once a year and my husband makes made-to-order waffles. We also have traditional Virginia classics like fried apples and country ham and biscuits. 

In the early evening, we head to my sister’s house for dinner. Then, we visit my husband’s family. At night, we end up back at my sister’s house, where the kids play trivia games in the dining room while the adults talk and have fun in the living room. It truly warms my heart that we can enjoy spending time together. We’re living what my parents taught us — the value of family. 

 Ant the Symbol
 

Ant the Symbol   Producer, Artist 

 I don’t vividly remember a lot of the Christmas mornings in my life, but I do remember Christmas of 1998. Any other 10-year-old boy wanted a PlayStation or Nintendo 64 games. I just wanted “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” on CD, from which I had heard songs from pretty much endlessly on the radio. 

One thing no 10-year-old boy wanted was clothes, especially when he only asked for one thing. But when I woke up on Christmas morning, the tree had nothing but clothing boxes. I even shook all of them in disbelief and disappointment. When the time came to open the gifts, I reluctantly reached toward the one in the front of the tree. I shook it again just to make sure. Once I opened it and removed the tissue paper, I found the CD taped to the bottom of the box, much to my surprise. 

I listened to the album on the CD boombox I owned at the time. I knew I would get what I wanted, but I didn’t know that it would end up being one of my favorite albums of all time. I love it because it covers every musical mood I love in one album. The various genres helped me to become a more versatile listener. My mother really got me good that morning– And it really shows that she loved to see the look of surprise on my face and how dedicated she was to giving me the Christmas that I wanted. 

This year will be my first Christmas as a father. I look forward to celebrating Christmas with a whole family unit including my wife, daughter and my mother, who is equally (if not more) excited for her first Christmas as a Grandma. This memory inspires me to do the same for my daughter. As she grows up, I want to do the best that I can to make sure she gets what she puts on that list. 

Photos by Julianne Tripp Hillian/Richmond Free Press