What is Your Favorite Thing About the Holidays?!
Here we are: Holiday Season chugging along full-steam like The Polar Express actualized. It seems as though the morning we begin wrapping our heads around what to do with all of our leftover Halloween candy, we begin hearing songs with distant sleigh bells as we pass by poinsettias on our way in the grocery store. And we all have that thought:
I can't believe it's already here.
The Holidays elicit strong reactions out of most all of us. Love it or hate it, this season does something to everyone. Whether it's the memories of mom baking cookies in the kitchen and excitement to break out the decorations and our favorite holiday movies or it's anxiety over incoming in-laws and shopping for those pesky presents, we all are at least somewhat swept away by this time of year. Holiday music. Holiday memories. Holiday parties. Holiday gifts. Holiday traffic. Holiday parking. Is there any season more profound and enveloping? Whether you're a jolly whovillian or a surly scrooge, we hope you can find something to enjoy about this year's yuletide.
To commemorate this festive time of year, and our amazing crew at the girl & the fig, we've asked some of our staff: What is your favorite thing about the Holiday Season? Here are their answers. We hope you all have a wonderful Holiday filled with joy and love (and hopefully some food and wine)!
Sondra Bernstein (Founder - the girl & the fig et al.): "I love seeing the Sonoma Plaza all lit up and Sonoma looking so festive. And taking the gnomes out of hiding!"
Kelly Moore (Executive Assistant): "Candy Canes, because I'm partial to peppermint."
John Wilson (Bartender - the girl & the fig): "No comment. But I will just say this: My people. I like hanging out with my people."
Kira Higgins (Event Manager - CATERS): "My favorite thing about the holidays is watching "The Muppets Christmas Carol" with my family on Christmas Eve with eggnog and hot cocoa."
Nadia Duarte (Hostess - the girl & the fig): "I love the food. Especially pumpkin pie!"
Olivia Haywood (Event Manager - CATERS): "Glitter. Sparkles. Sweets."
Julia Klein (Manager - the fig rig): "Spending time with my family. We eat and drink. My favorite tradition is our "white elephant" gift exchange. Best gift I ever got was a Justin Bieber singing toothbrush."
Dustin Villa (Chef - CATERS): "Good excuse to drink and overeat."
Jesse Caswell (Director - CATERS): "Copious amounts of alcohol."
Carole Small (Accounting): "Snuggling by the fire and reflecting on the year."
Berenice Ramirez (Busser - the girl & the fig): "Wrapping gifts. It's exciting knowing that you are getting something ready that is going to bring your loved ones so much happiness."
Sara Johansson (Event Production Manager - CATERS): "My favorite thing about the holidays is the decorations!
Jenn Adams (Executive Assistant): "Being with the family. All of the memories of year's past; our huge family. It's the best."
Ariel Andrews (Sales Manager - CATERS): "Seeing the family."
Stacy King (Supervisor - the girl & the fig): "Watching people out enjoying themselves."
Brendan Behan (Server - the girl & the fig): "Snowboarding on Christmas Day."
Jonathan Ruppert (Food & Beverage Director): "Spending time with the family. This year I'm teaching my niece how to cook. We're making tamales from scratch."
Jenna Katsaros (Pastry Chef - CATERS): "Spending time with the family!"
Janice Shelton (Accounting): "Christmas Eve with the extended family. We eat, drink and be merry!"
Mauricio Reyes (Server - the girl & the fig): "Family."