As the weather gets chillier and the holidays draw closer, we’re excited to continue inspiring people to change the way they commute in Central Indiana going into 2023. In the meantime, we’re excited to have time off coming this month to enjoy all our favorite holiday traditions, movies, and music. Here are the holiday favorites of our CIRTA-Commuter Connect team!
Favorite Christmas Tradition
- Jennifer Gebhard: Making Christmas cookies with my grandmother and going to our grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve. We would go look at Christmas lights and then when we would come back Santa had arrived. They always made the holiday magical and special.
- Sarah Kendall: Portillo’s Beef and spaghetti for dinner at my family Christmas party.
- David Krieg: Making cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.
- Amanda Meyer: Spending Christmas Eve at Grammy’s house with all my cousins as a kid. Gram LOVED Christmas and made a huge buffet of delicious home cooked food.
- Berrie Rupert: Life has changed so much over the last few years that many of the traditions have disappeared in my life for Christmas. Two things are still a part of each season: Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, and the silence and peace of Christmas Day, reflecting on the gravity and importance of the holiday outside of the commercial aspect of it.
- Allison Steinke: Christmas Eve at my Nana’s house. As kids growing up, we always got so excited to celebrate a day early. Now, I get to watch that same excitement with my 3 daughters enjoying the same tradition with their Great Grandma Nana.
- Sarah Troutman: My favorite Christmas tradition is letting my kids open ONE present on Christmas Eve. It is always jammies, but now that the kids are older, we pretend it could be anything. Is it Gucci Slides? Is it a Prada hoodie? Could be, but in the end it’s always jammies!
Favorite Christmas Movie
- Jennifer Gebhard: So many to choose from. Classic Rudolph as it brings back so many wonderful memories from my childhood.
- Sarah Kendall: The Polar Express (and I don’t care that the animation looks scary today!)
- David Krieg: Rudolph
- Amanda Meyer: Elf. It always makes me laugh!
- Berrie Rupert: A Christmas Story. Absolute classic that has some of the best lines.
- Allison Steinke: It’s a tie between Elf and A Christmas Story. Elf is so funny, and we always play A Christmas Story on repeat most of the day on Christmas. Can you live in Indiana and not love that movie?!?
- Sarah Troutman: Elf. ” I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite” “Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad!”
Favorite Christmas Song
- Jennifer Gebhard: Christmastime by Michael W. Smith
- Sarah Kendall: Carol of the Bells
- David Krieg: Little Drummer Boy
- Amanda Meyer: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays by NSync
- Berrie Rupert: White Christmas by Frank Sinatra and Ringing the Bells for Jim by Johnny Cash
- Allison Steinke: Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree
- Sarah Troutman: Jingle Bells by Frank Sinatra
