Personally, I am someone who loves traditions and those traditions were grounded in community. Whether it was Holiday parties (that ended in Christmas Carol sing-a-longs), Holiday concerts, and gathering together with family and friends on Christmas Eve, there is no question that Christmas this year doesn’t feel as celebratory as it has in years past.

These feelings have only been complicated by the fact that I became a parent for the first time in March. And while I am disappointed I haven’t been able to introduce my son to many members of our family and our many traditions, it has also taught me to manifest joy in the every day. 

And remind me that there are so many things that I am grateful for. Gratitude has been a constant theme that the Archer Roose team and I have discussed this holiday season. 

We are grateful for our health and for the opportunity to do what we love. We are grateful that we get to work with a team of such amazing winemakers whose wines tell stories of places we can’t wait to travel to. We are grateful to create a product that allows us & our drinkers to enjoy wine in a manner where we can celebrate the day-to-day joys – even when it is as small as an infant sleeping through the night.

With the Corona Virus vaccines approved and in the process of being rolled out across the country, we can begin to imagine a world and a holiday season that will once again be pandemic-free. But let’s be sure to carry the lessons of this holiday season with us and to never take for granted community and being together again. 

Until then, let’s keep hold of what we are grateful for and have this sustain us until our dear friends and family can be near to us once more.

-- Marian Leitner-Waldman