ANÚNA : St Nicholas (12th Century, St Godric), arranged Michael McGlynn

St. Nicholas Feast Day Hymn

Hymn to Saint Nicholas

Good Medicine on Christmas Day

People who have not tested positive for COVID seem to fall into two camps: those who never will and those who haven't yet.

Over the past couple weeks, I began to wonder which camp was mine and was really hoping I was in Camp One.

But on Friday morning, I migrated to Camp Two with a positive test that definitely matched my symptoms. And I didn't catch it in the community. I caught it at home.

I had previously offered to handle any breaking news on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and I'm happy to report I kept my promise.

But Christmas evening was made all the brighter when Joshua called and asked if he could bring the kids down for a bit just to get them out of the house. They had opened a few gifts, but he was saving the rest until Jan. 7, which is our family Christmas.

"I'm working," I told him. "And I have COVID. I'm not sure I have the energy for a visit, too."

They came anyway. And it was a relatively safe visit. Because the kids and Joshua all had COVID end of November into early December.

That's why we still had the kids' St. Nicholas stockings. Because the kids had COVID.

That's why we canceled our plans to take them to Festival of Gnomes in Joliet, their first theater experience. Because they had COVID.

But COVID didn't keep the joy of St. Nicholas stockings away. It just delayed it. The fact the kids tore into the stockings on December 25 instead of December 6 didn't dampen their excitement one bit.

Who would have thought Christmas could bring such a surprise - to them, to me?

It was good medicine on Christmas Day.

Never Too Old

In 2016, I wrote a column for The Herald-News on how our family's St. Nicholas tradition began.

And the tradition is indeed a cherished one for ALL members of the household, complete with the hanging up of stockings, giving of gifts, and putting together little stockings for adult children and grandchildren outside our immediate household, too.

If you think that the feast day is only for children, consider the words from this blessing prayer for candy canes, which, along with chocolate gold coins, always are added to our St. Nicholas stockings.

The prayer is from Prayers From the Domestic Church, a book we used until it fell to pieces from so much, well, use. Fortunately, the St. Nicholas Center has the prayer online. 

Here is the excerpt that always stands out to me, especially the last line:

We rejoice that you are the holy bringer of gifts

and that so many have been delighted

through your great generosity.

Help us to be as generous of heart.

So, no, the celebration isn't for just for children. I don't think we grow out of celebrating the feast day of St. Nicholas. I think we, if we follow God's lead, we grow to fit into it.

My youngest three adult children still have their original stockings from babyhood. But they may retire them after this year since the fabric is so worn, it's separating from itself. But the enjoyment of the day is what matters, not the actual stockings or the gifts.

May anyone reading this today feels some of that joy and is forever rich in the gifts that matter.

Community News Update with a Sprinkle of Commentary

Usually I share all these briefs I put together for The Herald-News in the evening, but with so many recently published I have not yet shared (holidays and all), I'm doing some catching up now.

Speaking of holidays, my family is celebrating our family Christmas tomorrow, a tradition that began a long time ago in our family.

I'll expound why in another post. But our family is not the only family celebrating Christmas tomorrow. Plenty of other families in the Joliet area will be celebrating, as well.

Two years ago, I wrote a story for The Herald-News explaining why.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/01/04/72fa64f0ec884df98d8817c50dd03f2e/index.xml?page=1

Be sure to check out some of the Joliet area "community new" below.

If you live within the Herald-News' coverage area (most of Will and Grundy counties in Illinois), and you'd like to share your organization's news or upcoming events, email the information to new@theherald-news.com.


250 students at D. 202 in Plainfield named 2020-2021 Illinois State Scholars

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/18/250-students-at-d-202-in-plainfield-named-2020-2021-illinois-state-scholars/acyr60k/

Longtime Plainfield D. 202 HR director is new assistant superintendent 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/20/longtime-plainfield-d-202-hr-director-is-new-assistant-superintendent/ay7mn38/


Plainfield High School – Central Campus names principal

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/20/plainfield-high-school-central-campus-names-principal/angfe8a/


Lincoln-Way East student completes new AFJROTC flight academy program 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/18/lincoln-way-east-student-completes-new-afjrotc-flight-academy-program/axmjt92/


Joliet students treated to Operation Santa party

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/20/holiday-party/dy4aaw4/


Hufford students collect donations for Joliet rescue 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/24/hufford-students-collect-donations-for-joliet-rescue/a8ojyn2/


Frankfort students explore their names, patriotism

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/11/frankfort-students-explore-their-names-patriotism/dubjiqp/


Joliet Fire Department served up food baskets

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/09/joliet-fire-department-served-up-food-baskets/as7leq8/


Joliet students collect and donate food

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/09/joliet-students-collect-and-donate-food/a5gtzn7/


Frankfort school donates to food pantry

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/24/frankfort-school-donates-to-food-pantry/avankko/


L-W AFJROTC cadets receive orientation flight with the Illinois Air National Guard 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/18/l-w-afjrotc-cadets-receive-orientation-flight-with-the-illinois-air-national-guard/djbwy80/


Lemont lights up for the holidays

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/18/lemont-lights-up-for-the-holidays/ajoraq/


IDNR encouraging pollinator-friendly Habitat on solar energy sites #pollinators 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/20/idnr-encouraging-pollinator-friendly-habitat-on-solar-energy-sites/a7xk7s4/

Easterseals Joliet Region held annual meeting

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/18/easterseals-joliet-region-held-annual-meeting/ay7olu5/


Romeoville man receives Senior of the Year award

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/romeoville-man-receives-senior-of-the-year-award/a5xhdk6/


Shorewood athlete recognized for exceptional dedication Special Olympics

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/shorewood-athlete-recognized-for-exceptional-dedication/ackdhrz/


Joliet preschool students had a fruitful advent season

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/joliet-preschool-students-had-a-fruitful-advent-season/aapuioe/


Plainfield parish blessed statue of patroness

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/plainfield-parish-blessed-statue-of-patroness/a3dw4rm/


Joliet students make holiday wreaths for Our Lady of Angels residents

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/joliet-students-make-holiday-wreaths-for-our-lady-of-angels-residents/a116vbb/


St Nicholas visits Joliet students on his feast day

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/st-nicholas-visits-joliet-students-on-his-feast-day/aw95s1q/


District 202 schools in #Plainfield, #Joliet, earn extra supply of 'Stop the Bleed' kits stothe bleed 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/district-202-schools-in-plainfield-joliet-earn-extra-supply-of-stop-the-bleed-kits/av0wobv/


Heartland Blood Centers now known as Versiti Blood Center of Illinois

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/heartland-blood-centers-now-known-as-versiti-blood-center-of-illinois/al6txp0/


Lockport Township Firefighters Local 1544 donate bleedings kits, teach classes at LTHS

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/lockport-township-firefighters-local-1544-donate-bleedings-kits-teach-classes-at-lths/a7upnjk/


Silver Cross awards scholarships to hospital employees/children

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/22/silver-cross-awards-scholarships-to-hospital-employeeschildren/al2xe99/


Silver Cross medical staff elects new officers 

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/22/silver-cross-medical-staff-elects-new-officers/a7myc8j/


Too late to get a flu shot? Not at all, said health care expert says

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/23/too-late-to-get-a-flu-shot-not-at-all-said-health-care-expert/anfgzo8/


Jackie Bersano to retire from Joliet hospice

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/12/18/jackie-bersano-to-retire-from-joliet-hospice/aan3n13

NEWSLETTERS

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http://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/will-county-go-guide/#//

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http://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/locallit/

Sign up for The Munsonville Times

https://www.bryonyseries.com/munsonville-times

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Two Links and a Prayer for the Feast of St. Nicholas

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Two Links and a Prayer for the Feast of St. Nicholas

To help you celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas, I've included two links.

One is a story I wrote about St. Nicholas for last Thursday's Herald-News. This has been on my story wish list for a long time. Since our photo editor couldn't find appropriate at for the story, I asked Daniel to don our costume and pose for a photo.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/28/a-look-at-the-saint-who-inspired-santa-claus/aeqnmx5/


This second link is the prayer our family has used for the blessings of candy canes, modified to include all the contents of our St.Nicholas stockings before we partook of them. My copy of Prayers for the Domestic Church, over thirty years old, is now in tatters, but it's heartening to know I can purchase a fresh copy on Amazon.

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/blessing-candy-canes/

Hymn to St. Nicholas

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday Our St. Nicholas Day Celebrations: A Few Photos

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Our St. Nicholas Day Celebrations: A Few Photos

 

 

 

Left to right: Midnight and Hope sit patiently while waiting for their St. Nicholas feast. Frances moves away from her bowl after Daniel plops in her space to play with his phone. The boys, both tuxedos--Alex and Charity--need a little encouragement to behave during the prayer. Faith had heard Christopher walk in bolted to the attic.

 

Now that my children are adults, we set a $20 limit and then draw names to see who will fill a particular family member's stocking. Everyone agrees to buy something small for the grandbabies, and we chip in for candy canes and gold coins.

 

 

Caleb Gabriel, Christopher's youngest son, can't wait to peek inside his stocking.

 

 

 

Christopher David shows "Cal" one of his treasures.

 

 

Cal wears Christopher's stocking. Someone made it for Christopher when he was a baby, and he's used it ever since.

 

 

Ronald Nathaniel poses with his father.

 

 

 

Some of the surprises St. Nicholas left Ronnie inside his stocking.

 

 

 

Daniel John never did figure out the identity of his St. Nicholas.

 

 

Rebekah Ann tries out her new hat while pulling out the next item from her stocking.

 

 

Turtles!

 

 

Cinnamon-scented pine cones for my office and a Bryony-purple bath towel on my lap.

 

 

Ronnie follows along as Daniel reads the St. Nicholas blessing prayer for candy canes.

 

 

One way to ensure no one swipes your candy canes!

 

 

The blessing of our new chalice before our church's St. Nicholas banquet.

 

 

Fifty years ago, Fr. Boris first heard about tying ribbon to the chalice and stretching it down the aisle so the faithful could connect with each other and the new Eucharistic vessel during the blessing. He realized it for the first time today.

 

 

Ronnie informs St. Nicholas he has only four requests.

 

                                            Ezekiel James, my youngest grandson, chilling on St. Nicholas' lap.

Two Links and a Prayer for the Feast of St. Nicholas

To help you celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas, I've included two links.

One is a story I wrote about St. Nicholas for last Thursday's Herald-News. This has been on my story wish list for a long time. Since our photo editor couldn't find appropriate at for the story, I asked Daniel to don our costume and pose for a photo.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/28/a-look-at-the-saint-who-inspired-santa-claus/aeqnmx5/


This second link is the prayer our family has used for the blessings of candy canes, modified to include all the contents of our St.Nicholas stockings before we partook of them. My copy of Prayers for the Domestic Church, over thirty years old, is now in tatters, but it's heartening to know I can purchase a fresh copy on Amazon.

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/blessing-candy-canes/

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Nov 27 through Dec. 2

Last night WriteOn Joliet held its fourth annual open mic night (which was actually our fifth event because we offered it twice on year), and it was our best yet.

We packed the Book and Bean Cafe inside the Joliet Public Library, and no one (including moi) was nervous standing up and reading our original pieces in front of a crowd (as opposed to feeling more comfortable in front of a computer monitor), so we are definitely progressing. I'm hoping in the future we can offer it more often.

The week flew by (as weeks seem to do), and I have to be at Loyola early this morning (appointment with my endocrinologist), so as head off into a compressed day of work (no fiction writing this morning, alas) and then into a weekend that will be part work, part errands, and part fiction, I'd like to give some kudos to two of my sons, Timothy and Daniel.

Timothy, who is more chef than writer and no stranger to a microphone as he sings karaoke, is working on a novel and some poetry and actually read an excerpt from his WIP last night, which was well-received (video to follow later).

And Daniel made the Faith section of The Herald-News by donning our St. Nicholas costume and posing as the good saint so I could have art for Thursday's story (link below).

And onward...

First, the non-bylined work: the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page throughout the week.

Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.

I also put together an extra calendar, a listing of area craft fairs for 2016: http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/09/13/area-craft-events/aei3pml/

Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.

FYI: videos have not been attaching to stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News.

Joliet Fire Department rallies around firefighter battling cancer for the second time

Joliet firefighters surround Shawn Carroll in his fight against liposarcoma

Mike Singler, a firefighter/paramedic who works at Station 1 with Shawn, said the entire department is doing everything possible to support Shawn and his family physically, mentally, emotionally and financially.

In addition to raising funds for the family – $10,000 so far between collecting at the firehouse and the GoFundMe webpage the firefighters started – Singler said firefighters have also made numerous phone calls and visits, sent emails, invited Shawn to break bread with them at work, kept him abreast of their calls, and even raked leaves and cut the grass.

“This week we’re going to get the Christmas decorations out of the attic and help his wife decorate the house,” Singler said.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/21/joliet-fire-department-rallies-around-firefighter-battling-cancer-for-the-second-time/aqbc35s/

Joliet minister known for smiling, positive service (VIDEO EXTRA)

The Rev. Jim Allen of Joliet ministered with exuberance and in abundance

Rev. James E. Allen often quipped, “You can’t afford the luxury of a negative thought,” said Nancy Allen, his wife.

Armed with a deep passion for God and his community, along with a never-ending supply of positive thinking, Jim ministered with exuberance and in abundance.

In fact, Jim’s résumé, listing his training, professional experience and community outreach, is five pages long. Nancy said Jim was a people person and an idea person who motivated others to execute good ideas.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/16/joliet-minister-known-for-smiling-positive-service/alx5f5p/

Pets of the Week: Nov. 28

The Herald-News presents this week's Pets of the Week. Click on the caption of each photo to find out about that pet, including where he or she can be adopted.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/27/pets-of-the-week-nov-28/a8zc9g/

A look at the saint who inspired Santa Claus

Dec. 6 marks the feast of St. Nicholas

What is known about St. Nicholas is a blend of fact and legend, but adopting this saint as our own began a cherished family tradition consistent with our Eastern Orthodox faith tradition.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/28/a-look-at-the-saint-who-inspired-santa-claus/aeqnmx5/

'Family Ties' star to appear at the Tin Roof in Joliet on Dec. 5

Marc Price will showcase his brand of comedy on Dec. 5 in Joliet

The advent of comedy clubs “opened the floodgates” for a new approach to comedy.

“Back then, they had rules. Now, there are no rules,” Price said. “In my dad’s era, they kept going until they couldn’t do it anymore ... There’s more funny people now than ever before. Talk about a growth of an industry.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/30/family-ties-star-to-appear-at-the-tin-roof-in-joliet-on-dec-5/a90bxdq/

Fiddle Jigs: Upon St. Nicholas' Boat / Statia Donnelly

Lois, Eli, Poppyseed, and True Food

Sometimes people wonder why I and my three youngest adult children travel forty miles to a dying church - St. Nicholas in Homewood - with a handful of members every Sunday. It's hard to explain in words.

Certainly, it's not simply because it's Eastern Orthodox, as Joliet has four and Homer Glen, a little closer, has a Byzantine Catholic church, one I had attended for many years when it resided in Joliet. On the plus side of St. Nicholas, this church has a joyful spirit that wonderfully transcends the soberness accompanying many Orthodox traditions, and when it closes its doors altogether, finding a suitable replacement for it in my life will be challenging.

No, it's about God. It's about the people.

First, God.

Many years ago, in the mid-80's, an acquaintance of mine ministered to me during a particular rough time in my life. One of the things she did was to pile me and my three children into her station wagon with her and her four children and drive to St. Nicholas for a Wednesday evening Prayer and Praise service. Yes, many churches have such services, and I had refused her for a year before I needed the distraction. Once inside that church, I found something I hadn't expected to find.

I found God.

No, I'm not sharing a conversion testimony, for God has always been in my life. But in the quietness of my spirit, I knew this church was where God meant me to be. It's not a large church or a beautiful church, in the sense of traditional Orthodoxy architecture and icnonography. But SOMETHING in that church spoke to me. And one night, when everyone was in the fellowship hall, preparing to leave, I ducked back inside to reverence the icon on the tetrapod and silently beg God to find a way to make me part of this church and its community.

And He did. And I have grown spiritually in unbelieveable and breathtaking ways.

Now, the people.

At first glance, they are ordinary people, nothing spectacularly spiritual about them. But they do pray, not dramatically, hands-in-air showy kind of prayer or overly-pious, staid, look-down-your-spectacles kind of praying, but ordinary when-I-remember-to-do-so kind of praying, the kind most of us do (unless we have a structured prayer life), if we were honest enough with ourselves to admit it. But it is sincere praying. And through these prayers and our decades-long history together, we are connected in strong and subtle ways.

Yesterday, one of older members said farewell. In many ways, Lois has always reminded me of my godmother: a professional woman in the days when women were not professional women, never-married, confident, humble, independent, somone who gave rides to church to those that did not have one and who continued to drive, along, from the Calumet City side of Hammond to church until this past summer, when she experienced a bout of stomach flu that knocked her down a few pegs.

Anyone that has followed this blog knows that our family is slowly emerging from a few years of crisis. During this time, Lois, with whom I have always enjoyed conversing, periodically called me to see how we were doing. She sent occasional greeting cards. She assured me of her daily prayers for us. She passed along historical magazines for the boys and presented me with a small, but beautiful, piece of Orthodox art that stands behind my phone at work, a reminder of the forces of good people behind me.

During these months that were difficult for her, I occasionally called her as she had called me, rejoiced with her as her strength returned, verbally high-fived her at the progress she made in downsizing her home, and agreed with her that moving to Kentucky to be with her family was a good idea.

The move came sooner than she had anticipated. Last week, while walking to work, I had talked to Lois, who anticipated the move would be in three weeks. On Sunday, she shared it was her last Sunday. Her brother had deciced to come for her this week. The farewell was bittersweet, but we had a very special and private moment. She said kind and complimentary things to me, and I assured her that any trait she admired in me was due to the prayers of godly women like her. I wished her well in this next adventure of her life and a promise that my prayers will accompany it. And they will.

So, I was on call this weekend for two newspapers. Fortunately for me, I didn't have to address any breaking news (as breaking news is not my best skill), but a number of other nstances did occur, and I dealt with them, I believe, successfully. The culmination did cause Timothy and I (Rebekah and Daniel had spent the weekend ni Mendota) to be late for church, late enough that he debated the wisdom of attending at all.

Let's just say I persuaded him otherwise.

In retrospect, with Lois leaving, this was a good thing. Also, Timothy has the ministry of washing the windows at St. Nicholas, one that was, shall we say, thrust on him, but one that he, nevertheless, has embraced and mastered, in the spirit of Alex Tytus, another godly man who unobstrusively kept the windows sparkling for many years, despite failiing health. So that task must be accomplished every Sunday.

Feeling rather discouraged, we walked in just as the communion prayer had started. Eli, an 80-year-old wonderful Serbian man, grabbed my arm as I walked past.

"Oh, thank God, you're here!" Eli whispered excitedly. "I brought poppyseed!"

Eli occasionally brings poppyseed potica, candy for my heart and soul, as I have loved anything poppyseed since childhood, when my Bohemian grandmother would make these delectable poppyseed coffee cakes, a recpe that went to the grave with her. I shared this once with Eli, and he now keeps a few extra slices to the side to ensure I get some. And I always share my unabashed appreciation for it. Last time when he brought potica, he made sure I took a couple pieces home, too.

So before I could respond, Eli also said, with a huge grin, "I brought extra, just for you. I was so afraid you weren't going to make it today."

"Extra," on this particular day, meant half a potica. After church, I spent six hours at The Herald-News trying to catch up on editing briefs (I did not catch up), being interviewed via phone by a Columbia College student, and snacking on potica, a vivid reminder of the positive forces in my life. Today, I have a vacation day, but will probably work at least half of that, but from home, so the day will be less hectic. But there will be potica. I'll enjoy the taste, think of my grandmother, and feel warmed as Eli's enthusiastic remembrance, hopefully half as warm as he felt from the joy of giving it to me.

So why do I atttend a church forty miles away from home when we're cash-strapped? I'd be a stupid fool not to attend.

The Male Rite of Passage at our Church

One of my sons, dressed as St.Nicholas at our parish's 60th anniversary celebration and St. Nicholas banquet.

 

Now here's a game for loyal followers.

 

Message me at bryonyseries@gmail.com with the name of the correct son.If you guess correctly, we will send you a Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony" cookbook.

 

You already have one? Cookbooks make terrific Christmas gifts. ;)

 

 

Hymn to St. Nicholas

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Since this was first published in 1902, it's not exactly Victorian, but close enough to Bryony's time to be worth checking out.

Baum offeres a back story for the Santa Claus legend that has nothing to do with St. Nicholas. As a baby, Santa appears in the Forest of Burzee where a wood nymph raises him. There, Santa becomes well-acquainted with a variety of magical creatures including fairies, gnomes, nooks, ryls, sleep fays. light elves, sound imps, wind demons, and water spirits.

Eventually Santa encounters other humans and is dismayed at the evil they do, but discovers he has a knack for toymaking. Because the invisible Awgwas steal from children, Santa must perform his gift-giving at night and through the chimney, since he cannot pass through locked doors.

The story contains explanations for other Christmas traditions and a battle by the forces of good and evil. It's a full-length book, but if you're looking for unusual, Christmas-themed reading, this is it.

http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/L_Frank_Baum/The_Life_and_Adventures_of_Santa_Claus/

WHAM

Yesterday afternoon, our family received a delightful nineteenth century Christmas treat from WHAM.

Five members of the Wheeling High Alumni Men's Chorus (They were Wham long before WHAM! with George Michael) in top hats, scarves and canes (they've outgrown the rest of their official lamplighter costumes) stopped by our deck and entertained us with their rendition of traditional carols, including Joy to the World, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, The First Noel, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

One of WHAM's members was participating in a fundraising event at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park in Joliet, and WHAM was singing in between performances. Our house just so happened to be on the way, and boy, were we glad!

Now it just so happened that our small mission church (so small we haven't told anyone about it yet--one of our goals for 2011) was celebrating old calendar St. Nicholas and the repose of St. John of Kronstadt (our mission's patron saint), so the chorus was the crowning point of an upbeat afternoon.

What began as a bit of Christmas fun back in 1975 (Bryony zig zags between 1975 and the late Victorian era; yes I had to get that in) with a dozen newbie high school graduates has morphed into a holiday celebration of spreading good cheer. With the remaining members scattered across the country, those who still live in the area also use WHAM as a reason to see each other once a year.

I'm hoping singing at the Unland house can become part of their annual tradition.