A Sweet Tradition

Inspired by a beloved family friend, writer Riche Holmes Grant shares how a day of decorating gingerbread houses can build lasting memories.

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When I was growing up, there was a woman in my neighborhood named Mrs. Cheers. She was the kind of person who baked from scratch, crafted handmade cards (once sold by our local Whole Foods Market), and created scrapbooks for her kids that looked like professional works of art. Our families grew close, and Mrs. Cheers became like an aunt to me. True to her name, she brought joy to every holiday, community event, and special moment in between.

On Christmas, she would go all in on her love of crafting and baking. She and her family were the first people I'd ever met who baked gingerbread houses from scratch. I was so impressed by not only the houses, but also the fun they had together during the very involved (and messy!) process. When I got older, I learned that Mrs. Cheers had been living with lupus, an autoimmune disease, since the '90s.

She knew that the moments so many of us take for granted were not promised to her, which is why she worked so hard to create joyful memories.