News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Cindy Cebula looks at Christmas decorations at work on Monday. She said her favorite Christmas memories are those made while baking and decorating cookies with her grandmother. She said her grandma’s recipe is still used by her family today.

ALPENA — Cindy Cebula, 49, has fond memories of celebrating Christmas with her family and friends, but knows the holiday season could be a little different this year if the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen.

Cebula and her husband, Dave, who sails on the Great Lakes, have four children and one grandchild. On Monday, she took time to answer some questions for The News about the holiday season.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE

HOLIDAY TRADITION?

It’s baking cookies. We used to bake and decorate cookies with my grandma, and it was my favorite thing to do. She’s deceased now, but we still use her recipe and get together to make sugar cookies and decorate them.

WHAT WAS YOUR BEST

PRESENT?

I remember I got a cardboard kitchen when I was a little girl that I just loved. I was super excited when I opened it. I played house with it, and it had running water to it. My mother cleaned it with bleach and then I drank some water from it and almost gave the babysitter a heart attack.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE HOLIDAY?

It is being together with family and the people you love. We do two celebrations. One with my family and one with my husband’s. Family is the most important thing during the holidays.

HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO

CELEBRATE ANY OF THE

HOLIDAY SEASON WITH THOSE YOU LOVE DURING THE

PANDEMIC?

I spent Thanksgiving alone and ate a TV dinner because we had an exposure at work and I didn’t want to get anyone sick if by any chance I would have had it. It was a boring day and kind of depressing. We hope to get together for Christmas, but one of our children has an autoimmune disease and we won’t take any chances of getting anyone sick. Right now, we’ll play it by ear, but my family’s health will come first. My husband will be home for Christmas for only the second time since we’ve been together, so I’m excited about that.

WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO LEARN FROM YOU ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS?

How important family is. When everyone else moves on from your life, all you have left is your family.