2023 Christmas Message

Filled with bright lights, colorfully wrapped gifts, and joyful holiday greetings, Christmas is a special time when we come together and share warmth amidst the cold of winter. So many memories have been made over the years, from caroling, hot cocoa, and gingerbread houses to shopping, bedtime stories, and sappy Hallmark movies (for my wife, of course). The season is transformed into something magical. For us, it’s become a time of immense gratitude as we look to give what we can to those we love.

Yet, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge how we’ve sometimes found it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. Our lives have a nasty habit of getting busy, and the added stress and production of Christmas can sometimes seem more overwhelming than joyous.

We become a little grinchy.

In those moments, I’ve found it particularly helpful to reflect on the spirits of Christmases past and what made them so special. One Christmas memory that I often have thought of and will always stay with me occurred only last year when our studio was privileged to provide a bit of extra Christmas cheer for one of our clients.

Despite having begun their project in 2021 and efforts to move things along, the delays in the industry caused by the Covid pandemic had pushed back their expected completion date further and further. We knew they were eager to get into their home as the father of the family was declining in health, and it became uncertain whether they’d be able to celebrate Christmas in their new home together. It was a disappointment they were willing to accept, though it was clear as they frequently visited the building site that they’d been holding out hope.

That’s when our team got an idea. What if we hosted our company Christmas party in their new home anyway? We didn’t know exactly what it would look like, but we felt with a little creativity, we could pull it off. We pitched the idea to our contractor, Jensen + Sons, and they were all for it!

The next few weeks were a scramble to get things together. Sure, the home wasn’t complete—the walls were bare wood, the floors rough concrete, and the roof had even let in a few puddles of water from the winter storm earlier that week. Still, our team saw an opportunity to do something special for a family we loved. We scrambled to assemble what we hoped would be enough to turn that cold, unfinished room into our own little Christmas miracle.

Heaters brought in, lights strung, tables and chairs in place, and delicious foods plated, we waited to surprise our clients with the festive meal. I recall looking upon that moment with such awe, surrounded by the team who’d worked so hard to go the extra mile. Here was a room full of people eager to give so willingly, to work so hard for others. I felt such gratitude to even be a part of that moment. I felt I understood, perhaps for the first time, what Linus had meant when he explained to Charlie Brown what Christmas was all about.

When our clients arrived, the look on their faces and the warmth we shared that evening communicated that they’d felt it too.

That Christmas memory will always stand out to me and the team here at Parkway East Design, exactly because it helped clarify something that has been a part of our vision from its conception. A home is more than just a beautiful design, it’s the moments and memories we make within them. I’ll be forever grateful to have contributed to that Christmas miracle.

From our team here at Parkway East Design, we wish you a very merry Christmas.

– Douglas Speck, CEO