Today marks one week from Giving Tuesday, an annual holiday meant to celebrate the movement of giving. Nestled in the middle of the holiday season, Giving Tuesday presents an opportunity to reflect on our own holiday traditions and how they can create a culture of generosity.
Believe it or not, many families have celebrated holidays here at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. We are open 24/7, 365 days a year, including all holidays because parents don’t get a vacation from their child being sick. Despite the difficult circumstances, however, we still decorate for the holiday seasons and try to provide a sense of normalcy for our guest families.
Estefanía’s Favorite Holidays
Estefanía and her parents, our longest-staying family of 1,103 days, have seen every holiday in the calendar year at the House, including some of her favorites like Christmas and Dia de los Muertos. Her mother, Hanet, shared that “for Estefanía, holidays were moments of happiness to listen to music, share community with other children, dance and give thanks. We often enjoyed a delicious dinner, thus creating special moments that my family and I will always treasure in our hearts.”
Estefanía also loved how beautifully decorated the House was around holidays. “Everything was decorated with the warmth of a home,” said Hanet.
A few weeks before she checked out, Estefanía celebrated her 13th birthday with a magical birthday party with staff, volunteers and other guests in the kitchen. Even though she was far from home, she was still able to celebrate becoming a teenage in a special way.
Omario’s New Experiences
Omario, a boy from Jamaica, stayed at the House for 203 days. His father, Omar, said that “every day at the Ronald McDonald House felt like a holiday.”
Their family spent three major holidays here: Valentine’s Day, Easter and Independence Day.
Upon the family’s arrival in February, the House was decorated for Valentine’s Day, making them immediately feel welcome. Plus, it was snowing!
“It was a dream come true,” said Omar. “We had only seen snow on TV. We were happy to play in it and make snowballs. This will always be a treasurable loving memory. We also made craft hearts in the dining room that day.”
When Easter rolled around, the family got to experience their first egg hunt and meet-and-greet with an Easter bunny. They also got to share their own Easter tradition of flying kites with other families at the House. Omar shared that during Easter weekend hundreds of people fly kites on the Jamaican beaches in their hometown, and they loved being able to partake in a tradition over a thousand miles away in the Ronald McDonald House backyard.
For the 4th of July, Omar was also celebrating his birthday. To celebrate, the staff baked him a cake with the Jamaican flag decorated on it. As you can see in the picture, he was delighted by the cake, and he happily shared it with other guests. That evening, Omar, his wife and his son Omario enjoyed the fireworks, a new experience for them all.
“We want to come and enjoy every 4th of July!” said Omar.
How You Can Help
Holidays at RMHC of Central Ohio may look a little different, but they are incredibly special and truly show the impact of celebration during difficult times. As Estefanía’s mom said, “the holiday celebrations for us at RMHC were happy moments that, despite the pain we felt, made us smile.”
This Giving Tuesday, December 3, we ask that you keep Omario and Estefanía’s stories of holiday celebrations in your heart. As you partake in your own holiday traditions this year, consider adding a new one of donating on Giving Tuesday.
To participate in the campaign, you can give any amount that you are able to on December 3. You can easily create a reminder in your calendar with this event.
Thank you for helping us to provide a home-away-from-home to families during this holiday season. Your donations ensure we can continue to provide these special memories for many more years to come.
