Holiday Season 2022: How The Accela Team is Celebrating

Photo by Brette Sayles on Pexels

For many, the year-end holidays mark a time for celebration, reflection, and excitement for the coming year. In anticipation of the upcoming celebrations, we’re rounding up how some of the Accela team will be spending the holidays and what holiday food or drink we will find them enjoying.

Louisa Meredith, Finance & Corporate Services Director

I can’t wait to see the excitement on my children’s faces when they wake up and realize that their Christmas stockings are full! Watching them opening gifts whilst I’m sipping tea and we are all sitting on the bed is going to make all of the chaotic Christmas preparations worthwhile.

Mulled wine, of course! Particularly perfect as I’ll be needing a winter warmer while I’m up a snowy mountain this year!

Jean Ho, Talent Coordinator

I'm looking forward to watching some of my favorite Christmas movies with my family and enjoying the Orchard Road Christmas light-up on weekends. I can't wait to host or attend a Christmas party this year too! There are so many fun ideas that we could do.

Lydia Lee, Senior HR Specialist

This holiday season (and with every holiday season), I look forward to slowing and chowing down! Especially looking forward to all the sweets – desserts and drinks alike!

Angel Obal, Marketing Executive

The Philippines is a great place to spend holidays. We have the most extensive Christmas celebration, and this is a very exciting time of year. After a year of work, I'm eager to see my family and enjoy a party with the kids. My grandparents' special macaroni salad, which they cook to perfection, was my favorite Christmas dinner.

Vanessa Mittman, Client Director

We’re about to have our annual Christmas Fondue Party, a fun and engaging alpine tradition that our family and special friends adore. It is a three-course fondue extravaganza starting with a broth fondue for skewered beef, chicken, and prawns. I have kids, so I precook the meat, and they can warm it in the broth at the table. The broth fondue is paired with an authentic cheese fondue. My recipe comes from a mountainside hut in the Austrian Alps, which I had translated and holds dear to my heart. Cheese fondue is served with baguette, pretzels, potatoes, and vegetables. Finally, we finish with chocolate fondue and call it a night. In case you’re wondering, I have 5 fondue sets - 2 metal broth pots, 2 cast iron for cheese, and 1 ceramic pot for chocolate. Plus, lots of skewer forks because I have one rule – no double dipping!

Savitha Vasan, Senior Finance Manager

We get gifts for everyone in the family and go on a video call when they open the gifts to see their reactions. Their happiness gives us happiness too.

I am going to make Pizza at home and enjoy it with my family with a movie.

Abigail Lazarus, Communications Executive

I’m making new Christmas traditions by traveling this year, but I will be doing my favorite holiday tradition before then, which is baking sweet treats! Last year I tried my hand at making sugar cookies, choco chip cookies, and brownies, and it went really well! This year I’m continuing the sweet tradition by trying out a new recipe for chocolate chip cookies, and other festive yummies!

My absolute favorite holiday food is definitely fruitcake! Nothing screams ‘Christmas’ to me more than a slab of dark, rich, and decadent fruitcake paired with bubbly champagne to really celebrate the occasion.

Joe Yan Low, Communications Coordinator

Every school holiday at the end of the year, my family and I would travel back to our hometown, Malaysia, and visit relatives across the country. While doing so, we would also explore the country and visit other areas that we have yet to go to. This year, we will be visiting Penang, together with my relatives and I look forward to having a little vacation and spending time with loved ones this holiday.

Erin Padilla, CEO and Co-Founder

My favourite holiday season tradition is watching The Muppet Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve with a glass (or two) of champagne. It’s been a tradition for my family for a very long time, and I know that even though we’ll be spending Christmas in different places, we’ll all share in that experience on Christmas Eve!

I love all holiday food, but for me, it’s all about eggnog!