Holiday tradition is deep rooted in the Barden household. My mom’s birthday is on Christmas Eve and each year that makes Christmas time more special. She is from an Italian family and grew up with the family tradition of eating an assortment of Italian food, including pasta and cannoli’s, on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. She introduced my sister and I to this tradition at a very young age and I am forever grateful as Italian food makes for a hearty and happy holiday season.

One tradition my family always carried out on Christmas was going to the movies. Though this holiday season is much different, I remember cherishing those times we went to see the new premier movie on Christmas day and sharing a large overly salted popcorn bucket amongst family members. We saw instant classics such as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Galaxy Quest. I remember my dad’s laughter in the movie theatre with a mouth full of popcorn. He passed away five years ago; however, he brought the American tradition to the Christmas dinner table with turkey, cranberry sauce, chili, stuffing, dressings, apple pie, etc. I really miss my dad’s cooking over the holiday season. This year we are making my dad’s famous chili recipe in honor of him and our past family Christmas traditions.

This is also the first Christmas that I have lived outside the state of Georgia. I am flying back to Atlanta for Christmas and my mom has gone above and beyond to prepare the holiday décor and meal arrangements to give her house an extra homey feel. I cannot thank my mother enough for all the time and effort she spends to ensure her children have a Merry Christmas. As always, I am careful not to make the mistake of lumping her Christmas presents with her birthday presents. My mom has always taken care of me and made me feel at home during the holiday season. One day, I look forward to returning the favor from both myself and Nabors through Naborforce!