I have had the unique pleasure of spending nearly every holiday season of my life at Northstar. Childhood recollections of holiday periods revolved around the two weeks out of school. The first memory is being scooped away from home by my dad to come to the mountains for a few days so that my mother could prep for the holiday in peace. We would return to the Bay Area for Christmas Eve then turn right back around midday on Christmas to return to the mountains for the remainder of the holiday. We shared the holiday with many other families along Highway 80 including several years stuck in blizzards that necessitated Christmas dinner in various hotel rooms throughout the Sacramento region.

In later years, working as a ski instructor at Northstar meant gearing up for the holidays with 3 solid weeks without a day off. Never minding the grind it was great fun to spend this time on the mountain with happy customers and evening with great friends similarly weary from work. Working on Christmas Day always had a special feel as the pace was slower and moods typically higher. Various festivities would randomly occur creating a sense of family among the crew that lasts to this day.

Now, with my own family, we make a point to take advantage of everything the resort offers from Gingerbread House making at Alpine Club to Noel Nights and the most recent Northern Lights Fireworks show. It’s a unique joy to pass along the tradition of skiing on Christmas Day to my kids; even if only for a few runs to get some fresh air and spend quality time together.

At Tahoe Mountain Realty, our greatest joy is helping families find a path to their own traditions in the mountains knowing that each will be unique and lasting. Please enjoy this series of stories from our team sharing their mountain holiday traditions. There may be a few great ideas to pick up…….