Santa's Helper - Nurse spreads the 'infection' of holiday spirit

By Bonnie V. Winston
Photo by Lisa Billings

Laurinda Finn-Davis is reminded almost daily at work that life hasn’t been easy for many young women.

Finn-Davis is nursing supervisor for the Richmond City Health District’s maternity services, where she works with a large population of pregnant teens.

“It can be stressful,” said Finn-Davis, an RN who earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1980 from the University of Virginia. “No matter how much you can do, the outcome is not always positive.”

So that’s where Finn-Davis relies on the joy associated with the Christmas season to bring her a peace of mind that, in turn, allows her to bring smiles and happiness to her patients, colleagues, family and friends.

Wonderland for the holiday
Finn-Davis, who is known as “Miss Christmas” and “Santa’s Helper,” starts getting ready for Christmas in July.

When the calendar reaches July 25, she’s off and running – buying, planning and readying for the decorating that she does by Dec. 1.

She turns her Chesterfield County home into a wonderland. Starting with the yard and working inside, every room, every door, every curio cabinet and tabletop has a tree, angel, Santa or wreath.

From the 5-foot, motion-activated Santa standing just inside the front door, who sways and sings carols to entering guests, to the talking wreath in the bathroom and the “upside down Christmas tree” – a real conversation piece – that is lighted and outfitted with holiday decorations in her family room, the spirit of the season permeates every corner of Finn-Davis’ house. 

Decorates herself, too
The 52-year-old also decks out herself for the holiday, wearing work scrubs with Christmas themes, along with jewelry that lights up and a red and white Santa hat.

“I start out easy to not overwhelm people,” Finn-Davis laughed. “But I have a whole month of seasonal uniforms or scrubs. I can wear a different one every day of the month without repeating an outfit.”

When they see her, her patients and their families light up with smiles – even the youngsters she works with in the immunization clinic, she said.

Sparked by children’s laughter
Finn-Davis said her seasonal collecting and decorating began years ago during her 20-year tenure as a maternity nurse at the former Medical College of Virginia Hospital in Richmond. It was fueled further by the laughter of children who enjoyed the holiday lights and ornaments and the December birth 17 years ago of her daughter, Bianca, for whom she tries to make each holiday special.

“We make gingerbread houses and go on tacky light tours,” Finn-Davis said.

Her husband, Ronald Davis, and 31-year-old stepson, Sivad, help by getting all the decorations out of the garage and attic and stringing lights, hanging lighted wreaths in each window and placing the automated reindeer in the yard.

But while the collecting and decorating started out for children, Finn-Davis said she found her seasonal hobby helped alleviate the stress of her work. And it brought joy to family, friends and all those around her.

After MCV, she began working with community-based child and maternal health agencies. She worked for eight years with CHIP (Children’s Health Involving Parents) of Greater Richmond and recently marked her second year at the Richmond City Health District.

Soothes frustrations
“When I come home and I’m a little frustrated by a teen who I know is not prepared to have a child, or who has dropped out of school, or because a child has died despite me teaching about safe sleep, diverting my attention to Christmas kind of takes my mind off all of that because it’s a happier occasion,” Finn-Davis said.

“This is something to make people happy, to make people laugh. You have to keep that spirit going all year.”