December 18, 2020
by hdroush

We all have a special holiday tradition or memory that lives on in our hearts. While this holiday season is likely a bit different for all of us, we wanted to spread a little Christmas cheer by sharing traditions and festive memories from your OVB community bankers.
For Kyla Carpenter, OVB Vice President, Director of Marketing, it’s hard to name just one holiday tradition or memory. However, it is her time spent with family over the years that is nearest to her heart.
“My absolute favorite tradition was our Christmas Eve celebration. We would spend the morning making homemade decorations to take to our family grave sites in the afternoon. Later in the day, my grandparents would come to our house for a Christmas Eve dinner. After dinner, it was time for me and my sister to gather at the front door to await the annual visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, riding through the neighborhood atop a firetruck. I vividly remember the excitement of hearing that siren heralding their arrival, as well as the awe of my dad’s signature blue lights glowing outside,” she said. “Though my father passed away when I was only four, we continued decorating with those blue lights so it always felt like he was right there with us awaiting Santa.”
Carpenter described her family’s Christmas Eve celebration as continuing with carols around the tree, followed by a gift exchange and the reading of the Christmas Story from her grandfather.
“I feel blessed to have been able to grow up in a loving, Christian family. We may not have had a lot by the world’s standard, but we were rich in love. Though many things have changed over the years, we still decorate our family grave sites, Santa continues to wave to families from atop the firetruck in Point Pleasant (W.Va.), and we still decorate with those wonderful, blue lights.”
Sheri Persinger, OVB installment loan clerk, also described her childhood Christmas memories as being very special.
“I have so many good memories from when I was a kid at Christmas. I think the one that stands out the most was when I was about six years-old. My dad worked shift work and this particular Christmas he was on the midnight shift. So, that evening after dark my mom loaded up my sister and I in the car and drove us around town to look at all the Christmas lights. We left my dad in the basement in his workshop. When we got home Santa had already been there and left our gifts. My dad told us he heard something upstairs and went up there while Santa was putting gifts under the tree. He said we were one of the first stops that night, so Santa was early,” Persinger said. “I can still remember how excited I was that my dad actually got to see Santa Claus!”
Jami Oberholzer, OVB assistant branch operations manager, also recalled fun traditions spending Christmas Eve with family over the years.
“My favorite Christmas time memory would be going to my mamaw and papaws on Christmas Eve; eating dinner with everyone; and then opening gifts. When we got home, my mom would let my sister and I open one gift from her that normally consisted of a Christmas movie and pajamas. Then we would go outside and sprinkle reindeer food all over the yard so that Santa could find our house to bring our gifts. Then we would go inside and watch our new movie until it was bedtime so we could get up early and see all the new stuff Santa brought…Christmas morning mom would make the best breakfast as my sister and I played in the living room,” she said. “I’m grateful that my mom always made Christmas such a magical thing, and I am very excited to bring some of that same Christmas magic into my home for my little girl.”
Childhood Christmas memories also stand out most to Adria Watson, OVB executive secretary.
“I actually have two favorite memories – my dad would set traps for us on Christmas morning. Sounds silly, right? Well, while most kids would run straight to their toys freely, we were barricaded by yarn being spider webbed in our bedroom doorway with hairbrushes and just about anything else you could think of wrapped up in it. We always had to make our way through it before we could get our presents. It was so much fun,” Watson said. “I also remember when I was very little, my favorite Christmas movie was Rudolph. Well, dad mounted a red lightbulb in the woods below our house and one in the barn just up from our house. He had it set to blink back and forth – I really thought that Rudolph had come to visit! My dad was very creative, and I am thankful for that.”
Childhood holiday traditions are also very special to Megan Martin, OVB retail lending.
“Back when I was elementary age, my siblings, parents and I would all watch ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’ on Christmas Eve night. We had a pullout couch that Matt, Brea and I shared until we fell asleep and mom and dad went to bed. We would wake up Christmas morning and start with breakfast. After breakfast, we would all gather in the living room around dad while he read the story of Jesus’ birth from the book of Luke. After that, we opened presents and dad went around the room with his video camera while mom dispersed the gifts among the three of us kids,” Martin said. “Traditions are a little different now, but recently mom, dad and I travel to do something fun for Christmas, like going to see lights and Christmas villages…We still open gifts on Christmas Day and have my sister over on Christmas Eve along with her family.”
Erik Mullins, OVB IT specialist, described his traditions evolving as time has passed, but said the memories made will always be special.
“When I was a kid, we would drive around Jackson (OH) looking at Christmas lights and listening to Christmas music on the radio. On Christmas Eve we would go to my only living grandparents’ house and exchange gifts there for a couple hours. Later we would leave and gather at my mom and dad’s house to exchange more gifts,” he said. “Traditions of old are fading as I get older. My grandma has passed away and so has my dad. My mom isn’t in good health either. We still gather on Christmas Eve night with my mom. While this all seems very sad, trust me it is, it also makes you appreciate those times and memories and pay more attention to what you have now. We are making new memories and traditions to go along with the old that are still there. My wife and I drive our kids around for lights and Christmas music…Seeing my kids happy on Christmas Day is such a cherished thing. But most importantly, I give God thanks for being truly blessed. It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of Christmas and trying to make things perfect. I’m just incredibly thankful that I have the life and family that I have and I give God all the credit for that.”
Harmony Phillips, OVB residential real estate underwriter, also said that while she misses old traditions of her past, she is happy to make new ones.
“I’m thankful for new traditions that have come about over recent years. We watch Christmas movies all month long, especially ‘The Grinch’ multiple times. We drive around on different nights to go see the lights, including Gallipolis in Lights, Krodel Park, Ashland, and local communities,” Phillips said. “However, I think my most favorite thing about the holidays is the good it brings out in everyone. People just have a different attitude during this time – they are so kind and giving and are so willing to help others. The love and consideration that is displayed during this time is just so special. I don’t think we noticed these things when we were kids. As I get older, Christmas gets a little more special each year because of things like this. It helps you realize that with all the crazy stuff in the world right now we are still good hearted and want to do good for others.”
Making memories with her kids is part of why the holiday season is so special to Bridgett Garrett, OVB customer support specialist.
“My favorite holiday tradition that I now do with my kids is any time we see Christmas lights, we have to sing ‘Ho Ho Lights, Ho Ho Lights, Ho Ho Ho Ho, Ho Ho Lights!’ It gets rather tricky and comical at times when there is a line of houses that all have Christmas lights on them, but it sure does bring on a good laugh and great memories,” Garrett said.
Maranda Prevatt, OVB assistant branch operations manager, Barboursville, like many others, also recalled fond memories spending the holidays with her grandparents.
“Each year Christmas Eve is spent at my grandparents’ house. After we all filled our bellies, but before the gifts were passed out, my grandfather, Pa, as he’s known to us, would measure all the grandkids to see how much we’d grown from the previous year. Each of us would take turns standing against the support beam in their basement and Pa would make a notch and hand write our name, height and the year. My cousin Katie and I are only 18 months apart in age, so it was always a contest between us as to who’d grown the most,” Prevatt said. “We have all stopped growing and Pa has passed on now but seeing his writing on that beam with each visit warms my heart.”
Amy Hollingshead, OVB branch operations manager, Jackson, described visiting her grandparents at Christmas as being quite memorable as well.
“My favorite Christmas memory was going to my Nanny and Papa’s on Christmas Eve when we were little. My mom’s whole family would come, and we would have Christmas dinner with all the trimmings! After dinner, we would all head to the family room to open gifts,” Hollingshead said. “I remember one year I got in trouble for opening one of my gifts and screaming what it was to the whole family – Nanny was not pleased with me since she had given all of us girls the same thing! The best part of the night was when our Nanny and Papa would open their gifts – all of the kids and grandkids would gather around to watch. My Papa liked to make a game out of it. He would shake each present and try to figure out what it was, and most of the time he got it right! I wish so much that I could go back and relive just one of those Christmas Eve celebrations!”
For Eric Whitt, OVB administrative assistant, there are countless Christmas traditions he has enjoyed over the years, from watching classic Christmas movies and shows, to visiting family.
“Christmas is probably my favorite time of the year! I love Christmas,” Whitt said. “As long as I can remember, we have always gone to my Grandpa and Grandma Whitt’s house for Christmas Eve. My grandpa has passed away, but we still go to my grandma’s, and she is now 91 years-old! We continue that tradition with my son Hayden, as he gets to spend Christmas Eve with his great-grandma.”
Whitt continued describing fun times from childhood, such as leaving the traditional milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve night.
“Now, I am able to continue that tradition with Hayden. It’s the same every year – three cookies, three gummy worms and a glass of milk! Seeing Hayden find out what Santa got him the next morning caps it all off. On Christmas Day, we spend the day with my family and my wife’s family, the Sipples. Of course, my memories are precious with the Sipples, as I watched Hayden get to spend the day with his cousins, Anthony, Wyatt and Ryelee. I hold memories of Anthony and Ryelee close at Christmas time,” he said. “Merry Christmas to all of my OVB family!”
We could share countless more memories. We, like you, treasure this time of year. From family and friends, to traditions old and new, the holidays are very special to everyone. From all of us at OVB, we wish you a blessed, and very Merry Christmas!