Why Bridgeport? Taking a Look at the Perfect Gift in the City; the Annual Eli Bailey Christmas Calendar
By Jon Griffith on December 23, 2023 from Why Bridgeport?
One of the great things about the holiday season is the increased opportunity to spend time with family and friends. This has become an even more precious commodity in the shadow of the pandemic. If there can be a positive consequence of what we have experienced over the last few years, we have a renewed sense of purpose and determination to spend time with the ones we love and hold dear.
Like most of us, I have a treasure trove of holiday memories. Some good, some not. The pleasant memories, though, always shine 
brighter in my mind through the years. I suspect that is the case for most people.
brighter in my mind through the years. I suspect that is the case for most people.
As a child, I remember waking up many Christmas mornings on my Grandfather and Grandmother Reese’s farm on Grapevine Road, located on the rural outskirts of Charleston near Sissonville. A country Christmas filled with plenty of great southern home cooking and fun. That was in direct contrast with Christmas at my Grandfather and Grandmother Griffith’s house on Charleston’s West Side, where a delicious Better Homes and Garden-style formal sit-down dinner was a staple, followed by just as much fun and excitement as we experienced out in the country.
I also fondly remember holidays from when my children were young. Depending on the year, sometimes we visited relatives and friends nearby, and other years, we would travel to visit those far away. Years we stayed home, our out-of-town family members often traveled to 
see us. When that wasn’t possible, letters, cards, and phone calls would suffice.
see us. When that wasn’t possible, letters, cards, and phone calls would suffice.
However, I must confess that much of it is a blur, a whirlwind. With four children, most of our holidays were chaotic, loud, and frantic, but we tried our best to get to church and all of our other appointed destinations and celebrate with our loved ones. By the time Christmas was over, I just wanted to lay on the couch and sleep. Frenzied as it was, I miss those days.
Today, I am in the phase of life where my goal is to help make my grandchild’s holidays memorable. Last year, at ten months old, he was too young to remember anything, but the importance of making those memories will grow with each passing year. I plan to make the most of each holiday with him and any more grandchildren I may eventually be blessed with.
Many of the best memories revolve around family, friends, and holiday traditions. I am sure it is the same for most of you. Whether 
worship services, meals, gift exchanges, tree trimming, cookie baking, or whatever you and your family partake in, our holiday traditions provide a sense of continuity and structure to an otherwise hectic season. Year after year, we bathe in the familiarity, warmth, and comfort these annual customs and time with family and friends grant us.
worship services, meals, gift exchanges, tree trimming, cookie baking, or whatever you and your family partake in, our holiday traditions provide a sense of continuity and structure to an otherwise hectic season. Year after year, we bathe in the familiarity, warmth, and comfort these annual customs and time with family and friends grant us.
Generally, we are purposeful in living out and preserving our traditions. Yet, I am now aware that is not always true. Without my knowledge, I became part of a holiday tradition. One that intentionally focuses on and revolves around family and friends. One that I am honored in which to be included.
The prestigious tradition I am a part of is the annual Eli Bailey Christmas Calendar. Each year, a calendar is created as a gift to Eli from his mother, Beth Fox. I would say without hesitation it is Eli’s most anticipated gift every year. You may wonder why it is so important to him. Or why I am so honored.
My inclusion in the calendar marks my achievement as a significant person in his life. As a teacher and a coach, making a positive impact in the lives of those we work with is the ultimate payoff. It is the main reason so many of us continue to work in a profession that is shockingly so poorly rewarded financially.
You may be thinking that it is just a calendar. In some regard, you would be right. It isn’t incredibly expensive or some technological masterpiece. Even though it is an impressive undertaking, how can it compare to the latest and greatest gaming console, a shiny titanium-cased iPhone, the must-have new designer purse, or some other hot and trendy gift? What makes this calendar more?
For Eli, it is the physical embodiment of his tribe. His circle. The calendar is marked with the birthdays of Eli’s family and friends. Names and dates that Eli knows by heart. Ones he can easily recall at any time. Each labeled date contains a photo of one of the people whose birthday falls on that day, and each month features a photo collage of the people special in Eli’s life.
In our post-pandemic world, more attention is being placed on family and friends. Eli’s calendar is another reminder of their importance in this holiday season and throughout the year. Life should revolve around and be about those closest to us, those who have impacted us, and those who have built relationships with us. This is where we can find strength, support, and true happiness.
Why Bridgeport? Eli’s holiday tradition is just one of countless stories. Unique stories and traditions are being lived by residents all across Bridgeport. Tales and anecdotes that weave throughout the fabric of our community and bind us together as family, friends, and neighbors. We are all connected.
This holiday season, I encourage you to hold family and friends close. Reach out to your neighbors. Let them know you care. Let them know what they mean to you. Make memories that will last a lifetime and beyond. There is no better tradition than that.
Editor's Note: Top photo shows Jon Griffith and wife Heidi with their kids at a Christmas several years ago, while second photo is of Eli Bailey and the third is part of his special calendar project. Bottom photo shows, clockwise from top left, Eli, mother Beth Fox, and brother Gage Fox. Beth is holding her do Tequila as Ozzie stands below.
Leave a Comment
Log in or create an account to post a comment.