Celebrating the Holidays in Their New Townhome
For townhome neighbors Anthonette and Donna, this holiday season is particularly special—it’s their first time celebrating in their new homes. As they prepare, both women reflected on creating new traditions, and the journey that brought them here.
Although Anthonette’s favorite holiday is Halloween, in honor of her mother’s birthday, Christmas holds a special feeling for her. As a kid, her grandmother loved Christmas and would transform the house with decorations. Even now that her grandparents are gone, all the decor and positive energy make this holiday stand out for Anthonette. Christmas was also special because as an only child, she admitted, “I was a little spoiled.”
Donna also favors Christmas, mostly because she loves watching her kids and grandkids open presents: “Seeing Christmas through the eyes of kids is truly magical.” Donna recalls childhood memories of trying to peak down from the top of the stairs with her siblings to see if Santa had come yet. “It’s like I can still see us now doing it,” she laughed.
Even before she signed her closing papers earlier this year, Anthonette knew how she was going to prepare her new space for the holidays. Whether it’s a front door wreath, her black and pink tree, or watching the Hallmark channel while working, Anthonette is a firm believer that “decorating is definitely a comfort thing.”
Donna, on the other hand, hasn’t always been decorative. But this year, with the help of her daughter, her townhome is accessorized and ready for Thanksgiving where she will host 22 of her family members. “It seems small, but I’ve always wanted to decorate the dinner table with the perfect centerpieces. And now I have!”
This will be the first time in 20 years that Donna will host a holiday dinner. With family coming from all parts of the country, tears spring to her eyes as she shared, “It’s a huge blessing to share my home with everyone.”
Anthonette will play hostess as well, throwing a small get-together for Christmas. She is excited to start new traditions and have more support with her family around. Although she did not grow up with many traditions, Anthonette is preparing family activities and will start a new ornament scavenger hunt game this year.
Excited to bring back her grandmother’s old recipes, Anthonette will utilize her culinary degree to incorporate new dishes as well. Next door, Donna will prepare her famous cherry cheesecake, always highly requested by her family.
Both women have found their go-to spots in the house now that they have additional space. Donna‘s front porch is where she and her dog, Rocky, go to decompress. She also shares the value of her office space that allows her to comfortably work remotely. “Instead of sharing my bedroom as a multipurpose space, I use the second room to work. When I log off, I can shut the door and not think about it until the next day.”
Reflecting on the cost–savings of homeownership, Donna noted, “My mortgage is about half of what I was paying for a one–bedroom apartment.” Her monthly expenses have been cut drastically.
Anthonette’s living room is her favorite spot, a space filled with memorabilia and belongings of her daughter. In 2019, Anthonette lost her daughter just 19 days after birth. Seeing those memories of her puts Anthonette in a peaceful mood. “It’s a sad thought, but at the same time, it puts a smile on my face to think the time I had with her.”
In December, the second townhome will finish right next door to Donna and Anthonette. As the first owners to experience this new Habitat model, they shared what the incoming homebuyers can expect and are excited to welcome them to the community. They’ve been pleasantly surprised by how quiet it really is and the amount of space inside.
Both women shared their gratitude to those who helped in their journey to homeownership. Anthonette shared that without Habitat, the donors, and volunteers, she would still be living in an expensive apartment. “Hopefully I can have another child who I can pass my home down to.” Donna explained that the support of donors helps make hopes and dreams come true for families that might not otherwise have this opportunity of ownership and emphasizes that “every little bit counts.”
