The holidays are my favorite time of year because of so many fond memories as a kid. We never really experienced a white Christmas growing up on the Gulf coast of Florida. However, I recall being surrounded by family, friends, and typically enough food to feed a small army while jamming out to some of my favorite holiday tunes like Christmas in Hollis.
Traditions were also a big deal in the Maura household, and one of our most important traditions during the holidays was giving. I remember my mother making to-go trays of food and my two older brothers and I hopping in the car with my dad doing door-to-door food deliveries. We were “door dash” before it was even a thing. I didn't appreciate the lesson of giving at the time, but enjoyed the moment with the older role models in my life. Looking back on those times, I still remember the joy and appreciation from those we visited and the joy we felt in doing something for someone, even as simple as giving out a hot meal.
As a husband and a father, I now have the privilege and the responsibility of passing this tradition on to my kids. To this day, it is one of the most enjoyable parts of how I celebrate the holidays with my family.
So, as we kick off Inclusive Holidays in December and continue to value our culture of belonging, I am thankful that PetSmart’s values of giving align with mine in providing each associate paid volunteer hours to give back to the causes we care most about.
I encourage you to check the resources on the Belonging Month Engagement Fetch Page to learn more about some of the moments below. While not exhaustive, I wish you a safe and happy holiday season of celebrations.
- St. Lucia Day (Swedish) – December 13th
- Las Posadas (Mexican and Latin American) – December 16th – December 24th
- Hanukkah (Jewish) – December 18th – December 26th
- Winter Solstice (Pagan) – December 21st
- Christmas (Christian) – December 25th
- Boxing Day (Australian, Canadian, English, Irish) – December 26th
- Kwanzaa (African American, pan-African) – December 26th
- Omisoka (Japanese) – December 31st
Sincerely,
Chris Maura | Vice President Distribution
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