North Cook News

Holiday celebrations have changed over the years for Katy Dolan Baumer but the meaning of the season has not, she says.

“Traditions changing isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Dolan Baumer told the North Cook News. “It is still in our hearts and we are still here. This is a time for reflection about how you are as a person. Are you true to what you believe in, and are you true to your family? It was always a warm, comforting time.”

She said this is her favorite time of the year.

“I love this time of year. I love the crisp cool air. I love snuggling up with a book and a glass of wine. There is nothing more exciting to me on a cold winter’s day.”

Her most treasured holiday memories involve big family get-togethers.

“We would all get together on Christmas Eve and go to church and come back home and pry into the presents: Do the normal things that kids did.”

Things changed when Dolan Baumer and her siblings grew up.

“As we grew older and all got our own families, we decided to have a theme night for Christmas Eve. So, we would all agree upon a theme. Sometimes it would be a Greek theme. So we would all do Greek dishes and listen to Greek music. Sometimes it was Japanese. My sister married a Japanese man so she brought that influence into our family.

“My mom is a Francophile so she would do a whole French theme. She would do crepes. She would work for hours making crepes. She would make savory crepes and fruit-filled crepes with lots of whip cream, then set (them) out on a table so we could pick whatever we wanted. Those are some of my favorite ones.”

This year will also be different as her mother and mother-in-law are both in care facilities. 

“We are going to spend time with my mom and then we are going to take his mother, who is 93-years-old, we are going to take her for Chinese food. Her choice!”

In the end, Dolan Baumer said it was the meaning of the season that made it special.

“This is a time for people to reassess. It is a new year. A lot of people set their goals for the following year. It is such a good refreshing time.”

Dolan Baumer is running against Rep. Fred Crespo (D-Streamwood) in the 44th District.