During the holiday season, Heartland celebrates many traditions and beliefs that accompany the diverse workforce of the Heartland family. Sharing and caring about each other is part of the Heartland culture, and why this time of year brings thoughtful recognition of the differences among us along with the celebrations we share. Check out a few holiday highlights with guest writings shared by several Heartland associates:
Jacob Garris – Lead Universal Banker Capitol Square branch:
What’s Christmas all about?
Charlie Brown. Piling in the van to drive around to look at Christmas lights. Amy Grant CD's on repeat. Parties with family and friends. All the cousins in matching jammies. Scrooge and the Muppets. Plays at church when I could never remember my lines. Getting to open one present on Christmas Eve. Kevin McAllister vs Harry & Marv. My parents giving me coins to drop in the red kettles. Model trains. Cookies, cookies, and more cookies.
All of these things come to mind when I think of Christmas. But just like Charlie Brown, I need Linus to bring the real message to center stage. “For behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
Jesus. Glory to God. Peace on Earth. Good will to men. That’s what Christmas is all about.
Elvedin Melkic – Information Technology Desktop Support Technician 1 located in our Northern Kentucky region:
The holidays are celebrated differently by everyone, one way or another. Some celebrate different beliefs, religions, and customs, while some don’t take part in any of the holidays. For myself and my family, being Muslim and from Bosnia, we don’t really have a religious holiday or anything like that during this time of the year typically; however, we still celebrate the holidays. What I mean by that is that we celebrate the meaning of the holidays.
Celebrating the meaning of the holidays for us means traveling to Wisconsin and spending time with family that we don’t get the chance to see all the time, having that dinner or meal with the ones that mean the most, and just being present and thankful for all the small things we often take for granted. It means we give to those we love and really find appreciation in everything we have; just being thankful is a blessing in itself. Even though we don’t celebrate a specific holiday, we celebrate the meaning of the holidays, and if you ask me, that’s what the holidays are about. Plus, my birthday is during the holidays, so I get some extra goodies ha-ha!
Marnie Stein – Executive Assistant at the Heartland Bank Corporate Center:
Chanukah is a joyous, Jewish, eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights” holiday celebrated with nightly menorah (a branched candelabra) lightings, special prayers (3 on the first night and 2 on the other nights) and eating fried foods! Some of these foods you may know such as potato pancakes, or “latkas,” jelly filled doughnuts called “sufganiyot” along with chocolate coins called Chanukah “gelt.” The game of “dreidel” is played (a 4-sided spinning top that is spun and money is exchanged depending which letter lands face up). Each of the dreidel's four sides is inscribed with a Hebrew letter—nun, gimel, hay, and shin—which together stands for "Nes gadol haya sham," meaning "a great miracle happened there" (there signifies Israel). This holiday commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The Jewish people found only enough oil in the temple to burn for one night. Miraculously, it burned for eight nights which is why this holiday lasts for eight nights.
My family celebrates the holiday of Chanukah by lighting candles, saying the prayers over the candles, singing Chanukah songs and of course, giving our daughter lot of presents for eight nights! We also attend candle lighting ceremonies with friends and other family members. It is a time for my family to gather and enjoy good food and play games.
Regardless of how YOU celebrate the holiday season, we wish you peace, joy and happiness. If you’d like to bank with a community bank that celebrates a diverse workforce, stop in to any of our locations or learn more about us online. We’d love to be your community bank!