Favorite Holiday Memories & Family Traditions

The holidays are typically a time when family and friends gather. For many, it is filled with some of their most memorable moments. Below, members of our law firm share some of their favorite holiday memories and traditions. Enjoy!

KETZALLI LUJAN

Marketing Director
One of my favorite holiday memories was when my brothers and I got a puppy for Christmas. I was around 10 years old and I had really been wanting a puppy. A couple weeks before Christmas my dad was tucking me in and I expressed to him that I really wanted a dog. The very next day, my parents took me and my brothers to look at a couple of puppies. We fell in love with a golden retriever puppy and immediately told our parents that we wanted her.

As we were leaving, our parents broke the news to us that they decided a puppy would be too much responsibility at our age and that we, unfortunately, would not be getting a puppy. Christmas came around and there was one last present left under the tree. It was the biggest present there that year, a huge box, addressed to me and my brothers. My parents saved it for last and when we opened it, we found a bunch of dog supplies. We were obviously super confused what the supplies were for, as we had no puppy. We were sitting there in confusion, trying to figure out what’s going on, then we saw our dad outside, walking towards us with the same golden retriever puppy, with a Santa hat on her head! We were ecstatic! To this day, that’s still one of my favorite holiday memories.

KRISTINA SCHNEIDER

Former Executive Assistant to Philip Kavesh & Now Practice Success Coach for Attorneys Following Phil's Model
Growing up, I remember going to Northern California (Morgan Hill/San Jose area) to spend time with my great-grandmother. We would go to our auntie and uncle's house the weekend between Christmas and New Year's Day for mochitsuki, the Japanese tradition of making rice cakes. We would make bets on college football games, run around the rural streets and play with the neighborhood kids, and the adults would always gather around the table to play a Japanese card game called hanafuda.

Now that my grandparents have passed and the kids and grandkids have all spread out, unfortunately, these types of traditional get-togethers each year are gone, but I will cherish these memories forever!

MONIQUE VALDEPENA

Receptionist
One of my favorite holiday memories was, actually, celebrating New Year's during the pandemic. Even though it was hard on everyone not being able to spend time with all of the family, I still tried to find a way to make it fun and enjoyable! New Year's Day is also my mother-in-law's birthday and even though we couldn’t go out to celebrate, we put together a little dinner at home since we live right next to each other. We got takeout, decorated the house, and spent the night together. I love this memory because even though times were hard, we found a way to look at the bright side.

MELANIE FEDER

Administrative Legal Assistant
I remember the first time I was allowed to light the menorah candles. It was the 7th night of Hanukkah and my parents gave me chocolate coins as my present and said that I looked like I could handle using a match. I was eager but nervous because I didn’t want to mess up the order which candles to light. Remarkably, I did it right and, afterward, I felt even more connected to the holiday and my traditions.

What are some of your favorite family traditions or holiday memories?

When You Want the Very Best for Your Loved Ones, Choose Us.

Experience and Expertise. Estate planning and post-death administration are all we do. Our attorneys have over 70 years of combined expertise in the field, and three of our attorneys have passed an additional Bar examination and peer review process to become State Bar Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Two of our attorneys also have Master’s Degrees in Tax Law, giving us unique insight into how estate tax and income tax will affect your family’s inheritance.

Customization and Attention to Detail. Before we create or update your estate plan, we get to know you, your goals, and what matters to you most. We take the time to listen to your concerns and attend to each of your unique needs and desires as if they were our own. When we complete your plan, we perform a detailed quality control process to help ensure your objectives are met. We also provide you with a personalized Owner’s Manual containing all of your important documents, and your Successor Trustee with a Manual containing helpful, plain-English checklists and easy-to-follow procedures.

Lifetime Relationship. All of our estate plans include a free ongoing service package. We take phone calls any time you have questions, perform free estate planning checkups every three years, and keep you abreast of changes in the law and planning strategies with our complimentary newsletters and educational seminars. And, when the time comes, we will be there to help your trustee and loved ones.