A holiday health and safety message from the ESH staff

The ESH Department wants to wish everyone a safe, happy holiday and to share some of the traditions that they hold dear.

From ESH Director Larry Jaudon:

I want to wish the entire Sanford Underground Research Facility a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Having just completed my first year at the lab, I continue to be impressed by the highly skilled professionals who make up our wonderful SURF team. We have faced a number of challenges this year but through teamwork and dedication, each and every person has contributed to our success in overcoming these hurdles. I’m excited for the upcoming year as we continue this tradition of working together to make SURF becomes the nation’s premier underground research facility.

Most of us have traditions we like to continue at this time of year. Those traditions might include gifts, food, games, worship or quality time with family. The point is, tradition is something that lasts well into the future. As we think about the holiday traditions, we are reminded that we share traditions at work as well. Our most treasured one is going home safely each day to our families. As we move into 2019, let's all remember to keep a tradition of safety going all year long.

The entire ESH and Security Department want to share their "tradition" experiences and wish you all a magical holiday season.

To start feeling festive, check out these five ways to recapture that magical experience:

  1. Don’t give up on tradition – See below for some of the traditions our ESH team celebrates.
  2. Do something selfless – Take some time out from the hustle and bustle and stress of the season and spread some love and joy instead!
  3. Be frivolous – As we get older our gifts become more practical. Try to put excitement back into Christmas asking or giving gifts you really look forward to.
  4. Immerse yourself in the magic – Immerse yourself in festivities, play festive music or watch holiday movies.
  5. Do something different – visit a location you have never visited before – have you seen the Capitol trees in Pierre?

David Rynders

When Lisa and I were married, we were on Active Duty and stationed in Germany. Both of our families were far away and we missed being in South Dakota. We spent many hours telling stories about Christmas in Rapid City and Aberdeen. We found many similarities but quickly found a point of domestic friction; when to open presents:  Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? It grew into a larger issue than the toilet seat being up or down!

As our children arrived, they added their own voice to the annual debate. Of course, they sided with the Christmas Eve model as it shortened their gift wait by 12 hours. Who says it is tough to teach kids how to read a clock?

One year, after a lengthy discourse worthy of any Congressional bill, we decided to open one gift on Christmas Eve but only after church. The next year, an amendment was proposed to raise the limit to two gifts. But mom vetoed that idea.

The life lesson we modeled was that traditions are important but family is the focus. For us, our lives were in a constant state of change. Life is nothing but change and hopefully, our kids notice our flexibility, and learn to adapt to new conditions but keep the value of family foremost.

Michelle Andresen

Even though my kids are 25 and 21, we buy them a LifeSaver candy book. And I LOVE that our kids still look forward to a simple tradition of having one in their stocking on Christmas morning! We also watch “A Christmas Story” and “Nat’l Lampoons Christmas Vacation” every year together!

Pete Girtz

We have numerous traditions during the Christmas holiday. For instance, we still hang the stockings on the fireplace mantle, even though my children range from 21 to 32. We have now added two more stockings to the fireplace for our grandchildren. We always have an unwrapped and unboxed gift that is delivered by Santa to each child if they are home during Christmas. Our newest tradition now is Grandpappy Pete reading the "Night Before Christmas" story to my granddaughter on Christmas Eve.

Chad Knight

A long standing tradition in the Knight family is oyster stew and chili soup on Christmas Eve. Still my favorite feast every year!