Style Unlocked: It Takes a Village

When Jane Christensen’s oldest son, Cooper, was a boy, he went to a friend’s house and saw their holiday village. The festive scene of holiday houses, winter landscaping and figurines captured his heart. Soon the Christensen family was building their own collection of ornately crafted decorations.

“It quickly became an addiction and it has been so much fun building a make-believe town with lots of special people, unusual themes and unique houses,” Christensen said. “We’ve added and added until the collection has literally taken over several rooms in our home.”

Christensen typically starts cajoling the family to pull the decorations out of the garage before Thanksgiving. “It takes all day to get everything out and prepared to assemble,” she said.

Next comes the fun of creating the village, which the family adds to each year. “Cooper’s favorite is the ski hill, along with the candy factory, Santa’s car wash and The Night Before Christmas house,” Christensen said.

It’s no surprise Christensen plays the lead in orchestrating the family festivities each year. After all, she plays a similar role in our community. She has chaired prestigious charity events such as the Phoenix Heart Ball, Author’s Luncheon and SAARC Community Breakfast, to name a few. When she gets involved with a cause, she jumps in and doesn’t flinch at working hard. Many charities have benefited from her focus, fundraising and care over the years.

Christensen is the CEO and founder of Omni Bioceutical Innovations, which provides cutting-edge anti-aging products and serums. While successful in both her career and philanthropic pursuits, the most important roles in Christensen’s life are wife, mother and grandmother. And the holidays are a time to bring all the facets of her life together.

“The holidays are a time of celebration, family and friends,” she said. “It’s when I reflect with gratitude about how blessed I am to have so many special people in my life. My husband and I look forward to our family traditions of get-togethers, special meals, decorating and experiencing the holidays, especially through the eyes of the children in our families.”

As busy as the holidays can be, Christensen credits this time of year for creating some of her most precious memories. “Baking together with my boys, setting up our holiday village with them, and now with my grandchildren — it’s something I look forward to every year,” she said.

Another tradition the family looks forward to is their annual game of Santa’s Grab Bag. They collect about 40 to 50 goofy items and place them in a large red felt bag. They hide one large bill in one of the items and then toss in lots of one-dollar bills. Everyone takes turns grabbing an item or some of the loose money. “Over the years, the prizes have become wilder and wilder and the laughs louder and louder,” Christensen said.

Although the children are now grown and many have families of their own, they still ask to play the game every year. “It’s the highlight of the day and a way to laugh and enjoy one another,” Christensen said.

This year, the holidays will take on special meaning. Christensen isn’t planning to buy lots of presents, believing that time together is the most precious gift. Instead of focusing on material things, Christensen will be hugging her family tight, praying for those who have lost loved ones, anonymously buying gifts and meals for those in need, savoring an extra piece of pie and enjoying her warm decorations.

Especially the holiday village.