‘Pass me the pickle, please’

Agnes W. Nicholson, retired Richmond Public Schools secretary:

There were so many cherished memories arising from seven siblings, it’s easy to recall many of them.

However, our mother always preserved watermelon pickle in the summer so we could have it as a favorite for our Christmas dinner. It was stored and kept in the pantry.

Well, one year, she found the pickle jar only had a little juice and no pickles.

My sister, Olga, my brother, Robert, and I had sampled, and sampled and sampled it and, you can guess the rest.

We did not have to own up to have eaten the pickles because our facial expressions displayed our guilt.

You know we paid the price dearly plus received a lecture. And each subsequent Christmas, the constant joke around the table was, “Pass me the pickle, please.” “Please, pass me the pickle.” “I would like some more of those pickles.”

In spite of all of that, it still rates as one of our favorite Christmas memories because, as we continued our family gatherings, it was still lovingly humorous.

A mansion of warmth

First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, wife of Gov. Terry McAuliffe:

Our family has had the incredible honor and opportunity to create new and truly meaningful holiday traditions during the four years that we have lived at the Governor’s Mansion.

In June 2014, we attended our first deployment ceremony for members of the Virginia National Guard when 60 members of the Virginia Beach-based 529 Combat Sustainment Support Battalion said goodbye to their families at Seatack Elementary School in Virginia Beach.

It was a poignant ceremony with celebratory notes of the military band and speeches honoring the service of our Guard and their families, but also with the sad tears of family members saying goodbye to loved ones.

That day, Terry and I vowed that we would invite those family members who would be missing a parent, child or spouse to the mansion to share our first Christmas. It touched our hearts that so many of those family members came and let us celebrate and honor them later that year.

Each year thereafter, with more and more deployments, we added to the number of receptions so that we could invite more families.

As parents of a Marine, we know these families miss their loved ones and worry about their safety every day they are away. For us, welcoming National Guard families to our home is a way to reflect and cherish the time we have with our families and friends and to honor the many men and women in uniform who serve and protect us every day throughout the year.

It has been a delight for us to see these families enjoy the Governor’s Mansion, taking in the mansion’s history and decorations while grown-ups sample a little Virginia craft beer and children decorate cookies and play with our dogs.

A special thank you to all Virginians who wear the uniform to serve and protect us and their families, and a warm and wonderful holiday to all!

Christmas love and loss

Glennroy Bailey Sr., director of Glennroy & Company jazz quartet:

My family and I try to make the best of every moment every day, especially during the holiday season. This is especially important to us because two days before Christmas, on Dec. 23, 2008, our son, Glennroy Jr., suffered a massive heart attack and passed away, leaving us all devastated.

It is only because of the grace of God, our family, church family and close friends that we were able carry on through this tragedy.

Like many families, we share a meal, exchange gifts and spend time together every Christmas. As a musician, the holidays are busy with performances and various events, helping others share the joys of the season. In the end, I’m always thankful to return home to my family.

To me, Christmas means love of family and celebration of the birth of baby Jesus. One of my most precious memories may not be that cheerful, but it is from the heart. It is connected to my son’s funeral. For as long as I can remember, in a time of family loss, I’ve been expected to play for the funeral.

But when it came to my son’s service, my nephew, David Bailey, a very talented musician, stepped up and said, “I got this one Uncle Glenn.” He proceeded to play “The Lord’s Prayer” on the alto sax. I will never forget that moment for as long as I live.

Although our Christmas holidays always will be a little bittersweet, there are many things to be thankful for. And it’s those moments with family that we must continue to cherish, together with the precious memories my family and I have of the wonderful times we had with our son.

Continuing traditions

Dietra Y. Trent, state secretary of education:

Christmas in the Trent household was always very special. Each year, our traditions began with my siblings and me traipsing into the woods in search of the perfect tree.

Growing up on a farm, we always had a fresh tree and part of our joy was competing to find the best one. Once we got it home, my sisters and I would decorate it, topping it off with our very own star of Bethlehem.

On Christmas Eve, the whole family was together — my mom and grandmother in the kitchen baking and prepping for Christmas dinner, my aunts locked in their bedroom engaged in their usual last-minute gift wrapping, and me and my siblings watching all of the Christmas classics: “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “A Christmas Carol,” to name a few.

Christmas morning was very exciting. My siblings and I woke up super early and ran downstairs to the tree and just sat, and sat and sat. As a kid, it seemed like we sat for hours. But we dared not touch one thing until all of the grown-ups joined us.

When the whole family was together, my grandfather would read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible. He would then pray, generally thanking God for the gift of Christmas and all of the blessings that came with Him. The prayer was followed by the family singing Christmas carols accompanied by my grandmother on the piano.

It was very important to my parents and grandparents that we valued and honored the true meaning of Christmas. Then, and only then, were we allowed to open our gifts.

As I look back over the years, my most cherished memories of Christmas were the moments when we created so many time-honored traditions — traditions such as family traveling across the miles, Christmas devotions before anything else and Christmas dinner, which was the only the meal during the year that was served on my grandmother’s china.

Even though my grandparents and father are no longer alive, we have continued those traditions over the years. We haven’t changed much except we now purchase fresh trees and, on occasion, we’ve made the little ones write Jesus a letter as His gift. They are not too fond of it now, but I’m convinced they will cherish these letters for the rest of their lives.

From the Trent household to the Greater Richmond community, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed and prosperous New Year!

‘A blessing … to bless others’

Young Prince Charles, entertainer and hip-hop artist:

My absolute favorite time of the year is Christmas. I’m 16 years old — I started my music career at the tender age of 6 — and I enjoy seeing people happy. I love to give back, as well as help others in their time of need.

When I’m not on tour, I look forward to being home for the holidays. I love spending time with my family. I love to see my Mom decorate the house and I love helping my Dad make gingerbread houses. 

One of my favorite memories of Christmas is going out last Christmas Eve with the Ricky Johnson & Friends Foundation’s “Christmas for Kids” Parade. I served as a junior grand marshal.

The event served residents in public housing communities in Richmond, Petersburg, Hopewell and Norfolk. We rode through the communities blowing the horn waking up the kids. Just the looks on their faces warmed my heart. The excitement in their eyes was so touching.

During the parade, I had the opportunity to get out of my vehicle to hand out toys, hugs and take pictures, all at the same time.

We didn’t finish handing out the toys on Christmas Eve, which meant we had to go back out on Christmas morning. I felt like I was one of Santa’s helpers.

It’s a blessing to be able to bless others.