Holiday

Join us for Hot Chocolate, treats and Scuba each day in December

Do you feel nostalgic during the holidays?  Do childhood memories come drifting into your consciousness like leaves just floating by? While the holidays are a busy time for retail salespeople, like those of us here at Oceanic Ventures, we are not immune from these random thoughts entering our minds.

When I was in college, my father started taking my brother and me to the Odessa Country Club for hotdogs and beer served in the locker room bar.  It was a time for us to just hang-out and talk.  The topics of those conversations don’t really come to mind but the time we spent together does.  I am sure we talked about a lot of things from school to the future to what things had been going on at home while I was away.

I always worked a lot during the holiday season.  In high school, I worked at a retail store, and later I worked in accounting and retail through the season.  Things were always busy.  My Father has been gone for a long time but still, when I think about the holidays, it was the peaceful moments in time that stick in my memory.

Many other memories float up this time of year.  Ann and I were married in December and have spent a lot of holidays together now.  We have been with family, friends, and especially our adopted family on the holidays.  I remember big meals and small meals, big package events and small events too.

When Ann and I first got together, I found that she loves Christmas and finding that special something for everyone.  In fact, she is more of a multiple-gift person.  Running a dive store during the holidays makes it difficult to find time to really enjoy the season but she still finds a way to surprise everyone which makes the season special for her. 

This desire to find the right thing carries forward to our clients as well.  She tries to help everyone find that special something to sneak under the tree, put in a stocking or give as a gift during the season.  She says, “there is always something people would love to have, and helping their family or friends find the right thing is fun!”  I know coming from us it sounds like a sales line, but she really does enjoy helping people find the right thing.

Being in retail, the holidays are hectic and stressful.  Then there is the end of the year looming as we march through December.  Our obligations here make spending time with family and friends difficult.  Many of those friends just show up here rather than trying to find a time we can all get together outside of work hours.  It is a good thing we have a real family atmosphere and understanding friends!

Over the years, we have created a tradition of a Cozumel trip on or around our anniversary, December 3, and while it expands and contracts, people love joining us for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of the holidays at home.  It is relaxing and active at the same time.  Lots of diving with periods of downtime to reflect on life or to just unwind.  It is a fun holiday tradition for us and for our friends.

As I move forward through the years, I am sure new memories will embed in my mind and old ones will continue to float by.  I only hope that maybe, I have helped create a few memories that will float by for others I have met.  Maybe they will be bright like a sailboat in the holiday boat parade or just a glimmer illuminating the past like hotdogs with Dad.