Happy Holidays & Warm Wishes from the VLTA! We hope you enjoy some of your favorite VLTA Board Members’ responses and “hot takes” to this short but sweet holiday questionnaire.
Feel free to ask your friends, family, or co-workers these questions as a holiday ice-breaker during your festivities! Take a recipe or an idea, and leave your own below! What are you most grateful for this season?
Sharron Kennovin – VLTA President
- What is your must have holiday dish?
I don’t necessarily have a favorite dish. I don’t cook a “traditional” holiday dinner. Usually, I make Beef Tenderloin for Thanksgiving with a few sides. If I had to pick something it would be a dessert dish (apple pie, banana pudding trifle, or caramel in cream cheese with apples for dip).
- Are you “team host” or “team guest” for the holidays?
I love to host, but with living small now, I tend to not do that. We usually go over to our good friend’s house with a bunch of friends.
- Do you have any special holiday traditions or memories?
When my daughters were home, I would always give them an ornament for Thanksgiving to start the holiday off with. This ornament would either have to do with something that we did during the year or was happening in life. This way they had something to remember that event during that point in life.
Dale Shoop – VLTA President Elect
- What is your must have holiday dish?
It’s a tie between country ham and pecan pie. - Are you “team host” or “team guest” for the holidays?
We’ve always been team guest but this year we volunteered to host. I’ll let you know. - Do you have any special holiday traditions or memories?
Gotta watch National Lampoons & A Christmas Story. - What is one thing you are most grateful for right now?
Darn Tough ™ merino wool socks! I know I’m supposed to say family and friends or VLTA but you gotta try these socks.
Becky Taylor – VLTA Immediate Past President
- What is your must have holiday dish?
Sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top. - Are you “team host” or “team guest” for the holidays?
A little of both – I help my 81 year old mother continue to host family at her home on Christmas Eve. - Do you have any special holiday traditions or memories?
Re-hearing stories from my mother’s childhood with her 5 siblings. - What is one thing you are most grateful for right now?
There are 2 things tied at the top of the list – my 2 little grandsons – Will and Luke.
John Mashack – VLTA Treasurer
- What is your must-have holiday dish?
Home-made pizzelles. Check out last year’s VLTA Board Members’ Favorite Holiday Recipes for my Nana’s recipe. Nothing beats a hot pizzelle off the iron, but my sister found an old Italian nonna who makes them every year. Usually I’ll freeze them to portion out over the next 12 months, but I’ve already eaten them all. - Are you “team host” or “team guest” for the holidays?
Definitely “team guest.” Don’t ask me to host anything. - Do you have any special holiday traditions or memories?
One Thanksgiving tradition is me slipping into a food coma on my sister’s sofa after dinner every year. Another tradition is watching Christmas movies that some may erroneously consider not to be Christmas movies. I will die on the hill that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Also, Die Hard isn’t the best Christmas movie starring Bruce Willis. That would be 12 Monkeys. - What is one thing you are most grateful for right now?
I am most grateful for friends, family and good health.
Jessica Snead – VLTA Director-At-Large
- What is your must have holiday dish?
It doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving unless there is stuffing, so I have to have that. For Christmas, I make my grandma’s peanut butter balls every year because my mom told me it was a “generation-skipping recipe.” - Are you “team host” or “team guest” for the holidays?
Definitely team guest. But I do like to bring a dish or two with me! - Do you have any special holiday traditions or memories?
I enjoy making gingerbread men with my kids every year even though it requires a great deal of patience. - What is one thing you are most grateful for right now?
I am most grateful that my kids (and the rest of my family) are happy and healthy!
Quintus “Q” Williams – VLTA Director-At-Large
- What is your must have holiday dish?
I am assuming New Year’s qualifies as part of the holiday season. I always have black-eyed peas, turnip greens and cornbread with ham; that NEVER changes. EVER. That is a family tradition that goes back decades in my family. For Thanksgiving we always do some form of turkey, usually brined turkey breast cooked on the grill. Christmas is all over the place, usually some kind of beef—prime rib, filet mignon, or ribeye’s—along with some seafood usually scallops or shrimp; usually done on the grill. Sides vary but usually some kind of pie—apple, blueberry, cherry or pecan—always too much food and eating leftovers for days. - Are you “team host” or “team guest” for the holidays?
Team host – we rarely ever leave home for the holidays. My wife is an exceptional host; she hates it but does it wonderfully! - Do you have any special holiday traditions or memories?
We did a cookie decorating contest for years and sent pics to all the family and let them judge who had the best decorated cookies; unfortunately, we are ending that tradition this year. We cut down a Christmas tree the weekend of, but usually the day after Thanksgiving, and do most of our decorating that weekend. We always add a new White House tree ornament each year. We always go out on Christmas Eve and ride around towns to see Christmas lights. - What is one thing you are most grateful for right now?
I am very thankful for my health and my family and their health. We have been blessed with a great gene pool.
Charley Gates – VLTA Director At Large
- What is your must have holiday dish?
Turkey is fine, but a Standing Rib Roast is what gets me most excited about a holiday dinner! I go by Alton Brown’s recipe: https://altonbrown.com/videos/alton-browns-holiday-standing-rib-roast/. - Are you “team host” or “team guest” for the holidays?
Team host these days! - Do you have any special holiday traditions or memories?
Cousins take turns dressing as Santa for our gift exchange. This year is my year!! - What is one thing you are most grateful for right now?
Family and health.
Kathi Weaver – VLTA Director At Large
- What is your must have holiday dish?
LOL I cannot limit to just one dish! The must-haves are: turkey, homemade stuffing (as a side, not cooked in the turkey), homemade mashed potatoes (milk and lots of butter, please), green bean casserole with cut green beans (not French style!), Southern Living’s corn casserole, deviled eggs, whole cranberry sauce, jellied cranberry sauce, Trader Joe’s cranberry orange relish, homemade dinner rolls, and homemade pumpkin pie! I just gained 30 pounds making that list! - Are you “team host” or “team guest” for the holidays?
Team host! This year I was “team guest” which was a nice treat! - Do you have any special holiday traditions or memories?
Do horror stories count? The first turkey I was ever responsible for cooking for my family contained the actual head still attached to the neck of the turkey inside the cavity! I was so freaked out and disgusted that I almost “quit” as if I had a choice – I was 16 and everyone was counting on me. LOL My dad talked me down off the ledge and that turkey got cooked but I don’t think I ate turkey that year. - What is one thing you are most grateful for right now?
I would have to say that I am most grateful for good health, a roof over my head and food on the table – things often taken for granted.
