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When Chris Lundy was younger, he saw Christmas presents from his mother as a reflection of his self-worth.
So things went badly when he was 17 and received a cheap-looking T-shirt that he thought looked like it came from the corner pharmacy.
“I hated it,” the Baltimore resident said of the cream-colored T-shirt featuring a majestic lion with in the foreground and African plains in the background. “Not only because the gift was low-value, but because I had a good year and felt I deserved a commensurate gift.”
Lundy had stayed out of trouble, was doing his chores, and was doing well in school and at extracurricular activities.
“I was on the honor roll with a high GPA,” he said “I was captain of the football and tennis team. I was in student government as the senior class vice president, and I was doing well in ROTC. I also worked a few hours at K-Mart (to earn) spending money, which took some burden off of my mother.”
He just thought he deserved more.
Then, the next year, his mother died.
Now her gift holds special meaning.
“That gift she gave me — the one I hated and resented — transformed into my favorite possession,” he said. “Although nothing changed about the gift itself, its sentimental value continued to grow over the years.”
Lundy will share his personal story on Dec. 15 as part of the USA TODAY Network’s Storytellers Project show, “Holidays.” Tune in online at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET for five true, personal stories. Register in advance to receive a reminder and watch on USA TODAY’s Facebook page, YouTube channel or website.
Lundy will be joined by:
Warren, director of South Mountain Community College’s Storytelling Institute in Arizona, will share a story about food evoking memories that transport us back in time and her regrets over buying a prepared meal for Thanksgiving in 2020 during the pandemic.
“Being a storyteller, I imagined just how wonderful it was going to be …
“But, of course, reality was very, very different and I ended up sadder than if we’d just made grilled cheese,” she said.
At Christmas, Warren had a shot at redemption and poured her heart into the turkey’s gravy.
“Just one taste of that golden goodness and I’m transported through time — back to the last time I made it with my dad, to the first time my husband was at Thanksgiving, to the time my mom forgot to turn on the stove and maybe even back before my own life.”
Lopez will look back on Christmases spent with her grandparents, who made it a magical time, and she’ll talk about how she keeps their traditions alive.
“Even though there were some bumps in the road, I think I’ve made them proud in the end,” she said.
Wellington’s story centers on the loneliness he experienced at the holidays and his attempt to feel better by helping others.
“I decided to drive around my neighborhood giving away socks to those who may need them,” he said. “And with some of those people, I had conversations. I felt a little better. But then, I met a homeless family.”
That unsheltered family had something that Wellington had longed for.
“I appreciate having a home, but the family — that’s something I no longer have and something that I want,” he said.
Crowe will share a story about her surprise in learning a friend was facing food insecurity, and how it inspired her to launch Goodr, a multi-million-dollar business based in Atlanta that connects restaurants and nonprofits that feed the hungry.
In the last four years, Crowe says she has helped divert more than 12 million pounds of food surplus to people in need. She has also helped bring a free grocery store and clothing store to McNair Middle School in College Park, Georgia, and self-published the children’s book “Everybody Eats” to teach kids about food waste and its impact on the environment.
WATCH: Episodes from the Storytellers Project
Learn more about the Storytellers Project and apply to tell a story in 2022 at https://www.storytellersproject.com/tell/.
What: “Holidays”
Where: The Storytellers Project’s Facebook Page, YouTube channel and website.
When: Dec. 15, 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET
More: Watch past virtual shows on YouTube and recorded in-person shows on the Storytellers Project’s website.
Join the Storytellers Project in 17 cities for in-person shows. Tickets are on sale now and applications are being accepted for people from each community to share their stories on stage.
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Meet the Frens (L-R): Jonathon, Victoria, Cathy and Mark. Nine With their good-natured bickering and silly antics, the Frens have found the perfect balance to make their family work. Mark keeps things upbeat and is a forthright dad, and is …
After a turbulent year, the Mineta San Jose International Airport is seeing a promising uptick in passengers traveling for the holidays.
Approximately 300,000 passengers passed through the airport from Nov. 19 through Nov. 28. Daily traffic data is not yet available, but airport officials say overall travel volume was nearly three times higher than the same period in 2020.
“Thanksgiving week and the following weekend saw some of the highest volumes since March 2020,” airport spokesperson Keonnis Taylor told San José Spotlight.
Traffic numbers for 2021 are roughly one-third below the 2019 Thanksgiving traffic—546,000 passengers, a record year for the airport. But the increase in holiday travelers is a promising sign the pandemic’s negative impact on air travel is slowly fading—a welcome development for the airport, which saw tremendous decline in passengers during COVID-19.
“One of the things we’ve seen this year driving air traffic right now are the leisure and holiday travelers, which I think is a good sign,” said San Jose Airport Commission Chair Dan Connolly. “I was very happy seeing the numbers we had coming into the Thanksgiving holiday, and I would expect the same traffic during Christmas.”
Taylor said the airport projects holiday traffic to remain strong during December, with approximately 400,000 to 450,000 travelers using SJC.
Air travel across the country dramatically declined during the pandemic. The downtown San Jose airport, with a $1.2 billion debt from its massive expansion and modernization projects, has seen its debt triple in the last decade and experienced a 53{e9f0aada585b9d73d0d08d3c277fd760092386ec23cac37d50f4b8cd792b062a} drop in passengers in April. Even though travelers are returning, the airport is still grappling with financial ramifications from COVID-19. For example, the San Jose City Council recently voted to continue negotiations on how to distribute federal relief money to airport vendors. According to a city memo, many food-related businesses and retailers are struggling to make a profit as recently as October.
The airport doesn’t yet have revenue data available for Thanksgiving week. Taylor said one positive indicator for the airport is the increase in parking revenue. This year, the airport collected $591,900—more than double what was taken in during the same period last year. While travel volume is improving, Taylor noted TSA screened roughly 35{e9f0aada585b9d73d0d08d3c277fd760092386ec23cac37d50f4b8cd792b062a} fewer passengers in recent weeks compared to 2019, which means the recovery is still in progress.
Before the pandemic, holiday travel played a critical role in the economy of downtown San Jose. Scott Knies, executive director of the San Jose Downtown Association, told San José Spotlight it was encouraging to see several events taking place downtown during Thanksgiving, including the opening of Christmas in the Park. He’s waiting to see if the number of visitors downtown climbs back up this year as people return to flying.
“Downtown becomes a regional destination for people coming to celebrate these holiday traditions,” Knies said. “And part of the holiday tradition is traveling to see family.”
Capturing holiday traffic would be a boon for downtown, which is still grappling with a lack of foot traffic and the shuttering of numerous businesses, including the Fairmont San Jose hotel, which once hosted many out of town travelers.
The appearance of the omicron COVID-19 variant in San Francisco could potentially affect people’s willingness to travel during the holidays. But local business leaders say their experiences in the airport puts their minds at ease.
“I had a chance not too long ago to walk through the airport and see what they had done from a health and safety standpoint, and I was so impressed,” said Derrick Seaver, CEO of the San Jose Chamber of Commerce.
President Joe Biden is expected to extend the mask mandate for airplane passengers to mid-March 2022, according to recent news reports. International travelers will also be tested for COVID-19 one day before departing for the U.S. as part of the government’s effort to curb the spread of variants.
Connolly told San José Spotlight he’s concerned panic over the new variant could potentially tank air travel during December.
“I believe it’s important that our officials put coronavirus into perspective,” Connolly said. “There’s no reason not to encourage people to enjoy time with their families.”
Contact Eli Wolfe at [email protected] or @EliWolfe4 on Twitter.
