Special Supplement

December 19, 2020

2 • December 2020
I heard the bells on Christmas Day
By Lynne Belluscio
Le Roy Historical Society
It is 1864, and the United
States is in the midst of a bloody
civil war.
A year earlier, in November,
the President had questioned
whether the “nation, or any na-
tion, so conceived and so dedi-
cated,” could long endure. And
it was in a contentious election,
that Lincoln was elected for a
second term on Nov. 8, 1864.
Eight days later, he would send
Gen. William Sherman and
62,000 Union soldiers into the
south on the infamous March
to the Sea. Atlanta, would fall in
flames.
Meanwhile in upstate New
York, in the rural town of Le
Roy, soldiers were billeted in
the old stone factory buildings
on Church Street. They would
be sent for training and then
join their neighbors on the bat-
tleground. Wives, mothers and
sisters, rolled bandages, sewed
battle flags and sent packages of
fresh food and supplies, not only
to the soldiers on the front, but to
the many men who were being
held in Southern prisons.
Le Roy, like many other towns
across the north was getting
ready, as best they could for
Christmas. The Le Roy Gazette
noted that the ladies of Le Roy
prepared a Christmas dinner for
the sick and wounded soldiers
and their families at Starr Hall. It
was decorated with the nation-
al flag. Just down the street, the
stores offered a variety of Christ-
mas gifts, from cook stoves to a
fine selection of books. The Pres-
byterian Sunday School held a
festival, complete with a Christ-
mas tree decorated with small
gifts. For some lucky children,
they might receive some coins,
which for the first time were
marked with the United States’
motto – “In God We Trust.”
During this time, the Rev.
Samuel Cox was living in Le
Roy House on East Main Street,
across from Ingham Universi-
ty. He had been called to serve
as the Chancellor of this char-
tered college for women, and
his teenage daughter, Mary, was
enrolled as a student. As part of
the curriculum, students were
Season’s Greetings
Christmas wreaths hang from the front doors of the First
Presbyterian Church of Le Roy.
expected to attend elocution
classes and prepare recitations.
A few years ago, the Le Roy His-
torical Society, during its annual
Christmas candelight tour, en-
acted a scene in the front parlor
of Le Roy House. The scene was
set for 1864, and Mary Cox was
LYNNE BELLUSCIO PHOTOGRAPH
practicing her recitation for the
program at Starr Hall.
“For tonight’s program I will
recite the poem, ‘I Heard the
Bells on Christmas Day’ written
last year by renowned American
poet Henry Wadsworth Longfel-
low. I would like to mention that
even some of our art students
have created paintings based on
his poetry. These words written
in the midst of our country’s de-
spair, are even more poignant
because it is written from the
depths of the poet’s own per-
sonal anguish with the death of
his wife in a horrific fire accident
and his son’s brush with death
at the Battle of Mine Run in Vir-
ginia. Listen as the poet brings us
through the darkness of desola-
tion and finds hope in the joy of
the pealing bells. May it remind
us, that the promise of Christmas
will forever prevail, even in the
darkest of times.”
I heard the bells on Christmas
Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
and wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to
men!
And thought how, as the day
had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along
See BELLS T9

‘Wonderland of Trees’
spreads Christmas cheer
By BRIAN QUINN
bquinn@batavianews.com
BATAVIA — We need a little
Christmas, said Ryan Duffy, ex-
ecutive director of the Holland
Land Office Museum, consider-
ing the circumstances that befell
us this year.
And so the Wonderland of
Trees took shape in the rooms of
the museum as it has for each of
the past 19 years.
“There are about 20 trees
around and other displays from
local organizations and busi-
nesses that have come together
to decorate and give us a little bit
of Christmas cheer, as our theme
was, ‘We Need A Little Christ-
mas.’ We thought that was pretty
appropriate for the year we’ve
had — that we could all use a lit-
tle bit of that,” Duffy said.
The 19th annual Wonderland
of Trees continues through Dec.
31.
There are some changes due
to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There was no traditional
Opening Gala. There is a limit
of 25 visitors at the museum at
Season’s Greetings December 2020 • 3
one time. And, of course, visitors The grand prize basket is a
must wear face coverings and separate raffle from the other
follow social distancing guide- baskets.
lines. The musical performances
Julie Jackson visited the Won- were livestreamed on the mu-
derland of Trees in November
seum’s Facebook page and
along with her mother, Diane
Perozzi, and her stepfather, Dave YouTube channel. Both may be
found under the name Holland MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
Perozzi, both of Oakfield.
Land Office Museum. A Santa ornament is seen in the Friends of the Batavia Peace
“I try to come every year. I love
to see the trees and participate in Garden Christmas tree at the Holland Land Office Museum.
the raffles,” Jackson said.
Diane Perozzi said the trees
are beautiful.
“It’s for a good cause. I love
coming here to look at the mu-
seum things, the displays,” she
said.
The Wonderland of Trees did
include some of its traditional
basket raffles, a new silent auc-
tion of a membership to God-
frey’s Pond, and small group
performances by members of
the Genesee Symphony Orches-
tra for a limited audience. Raffle
and auction winners were to
be announced Dec. 18, which
would also feature the final per-
formance of GSO members. MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
About 40 baskets were avail- Zonta Club of Batavia has this MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
able to bidders. Christmas tree at the museum. GCASA Recovery Station Christmas tree at the museum.
4 • December 2020 Season’s Greetings

The meaning of the menorah FOLLOW THE DAILY NEWS

Metro Creative
Menorahs are a prominent
symbol of Hanukkah. Menorahs
are seven-branched candelabras
that have been used in Jewish
worship since ancient times. The
seven branches refer to the seven
days of creation. The menorah is
the traditional symbol of Juda-
ism and the emblem of the state
of Israel.
For Hanukkah, a nine-
branched candelabra called a
hanukkiah is used, but the word
“menorah” has become inter-
changeable. The Hanukkah me-
norah consists of nine candles.
The center and ninth candle are
referred to as the Shamash. It is TheDailyNewsOnline.com | Facebook.com/BataviaDailyNews
used to light all the other candles.
The Shamash is raised above the
other candles to make it kosher.
The lighting of the menorah
over the eight days of Hanukkah
symbolizes the miracle that oc-
curred during the rededication
of the Second Temple in Jerusa-
lem at the time of the Maccabean
revolt. The sacred oil, of which
there was only enough for one
day’s lighting, miraculously last-
ed for eight days.
Hanukkah 2020 began in the
evening of Dec. 10 and ended the
evening of Dec. 18.

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Menorahs are a prominent symbol of Hanukkah.

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 Season’s Greetings
Holding memories,
honoring loved ones
CHRISTMAS TRADITION: Relatives and friends
place Memory Trees in Pavilion park
By SCOTT DESMIT
sdesmit@batavianews.com
PAVILION — Town Supervi-
sor Robert LaPoint was “wax-
ing poetic” when asked about
the Memory Trees at Henry B.
Wright Memorial Park.
“Years ago when I was a kid,
you would run into neighbors
all the time,” he said. “Now, we
lost our bank, we lost our gro-
cery store. We don’t have a lot
of places to gather anymore.”
Which is why, he said, the
Memory Tree program was a
great idea.
Town Clerk Lucinda Starr
came up with the idea three
MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
years ago after seeing some
Memory Trees honor deceased loved ones at Henry B. Wright Park
in Pavilion.
Happy Holidays from Merle Maple LLC
We appreciate you shopping with us!
other towns do a Memory Tree
program. Oakfield has one.
Beginning in the fall, people
can order Christmas trees and
have them placed in the park.
During the past two years
the town could have a lighting
ceremony, LaPoint said.
“It’s been growing each
year,” he said. “We had over
100 people at the ceremony
last year.”
The town could not have
the event this year because of
COVID but still, 44 residents
bought $30 trees to honor
loved ones for Christmas.
The deadline for ordering
trees has passed but, LaPoint
said, Starr has been accepting
December 2020 • 5
some late orders.
The trees are from McPher-
son Orchards in Le Roy,
LaPoint said.
The park is named after
Henry “Hank” Wright and was
dedicated to him in 2004.
Wright was a World War II
veteran and served the com-
munity for many years by vol-
unteering with Boy Scouts,
Pavilion United Methodist
Church, Pavilion Fire Depart-
ment and he served as town
judge for more than 35 years.
He was the 1992 recipient
of the Genesean of the Year
Award.
Wright died in 2015.
6 • December 2020
Garden club members decorate fountain trees
By BRENDAN MCDONOUGH
bmcdonough@livingstonnews.com
GENESEO – Instead of dig-
ging in the dirt members of the
Geneseo Garden Club spent
an early December Thursday
morning trimming Christmas
trees in the bear fountain on
Main Street.
“We have four trees. It looks
like one tree but we are us-
ing grapevines, which I tried
to spray paint with some red
paints to get them to show
up well,” said organizer Julie
Brocklehurst-Woods.
In a coordinated effort, club
members worked together to
place the ornaments on the
trees, making sure not to leave
any empty spaces.
“We are putting on mostly
pine cones, grape vine garland
and bows on the top of the trees,
which is new this year,” said
Barb Cristiansen.
Decorating the trees is some-
thing that volunteers said is an
annual tradition. They said it
has been going on for decades.
“We do this every year and
it is a tradition. We have been
doing it probably more than 50
years,” said Georgene Ehmann.
Normally, garden club mem-
bers said in addition to getting
the community involved, they
also reach out to local school
children to help with decorat-
ing the ornaments. But because
of the COVID-19 pandemic that
did not happen this year.
“Usually we have the kin-
dergartners and the third grad-
ers from the school make the
decorations but this year it was
impossible to do that. This year
we just gathered our spirits to-
gether and each one of us made
decorations,” said Ehmann.
Many decorations were
made out of Styrofoam meat
trays.
“Every year it helps put us in
the holiday spirit,” said Cris-
tiansen.
Brightening spirits and giv-
ing garden club members
something to look forward to
during the holiday season is one
of the outcomes of the project.
“We are doing this for your-
selves, too, because we also
are missing a lot of Christmas
events, so we thought this was
something we could all get to-
gether and do,” said Brockle-
hurst-Woods.
The project not only gave the
club members something to do,
Season’s Greetings
but it also brought back memo-
ries for some garden club mem-
bers.
“I came here in 1987 for an
interview at the college. It was
snowing and the lights were on
and everyone gathered around
the fountain to sing Christmas
carols. I thought it was wonder-
ful,” said Wanda Spruill.
In all, about a dozen people
came out to help decorate the
trees. Most of them were wom-
en, but a few men did lend a
helping hand.
“I am helping my wife who
is in garden club. She asked me BRENDAN MCDONOUGH/LIVINGSTON COUNTY NEWS
to come down and throw some Members of the Geneseo Garden Club placed ornaments on four
ornaments on the tree, which small trees inside the fountain on Main Street in Geneseo.
I have a lot of training doing.
When I drive by I can say hey I
put those bows that tree, you
gotta do something,” said Phil
Natoli.
The trees will be up for the
entire month of December
and garden club members said
they hope it will not only boost
community pride, but put those
who pass by the fountain in the
holiday spirit.
“Geneseo Garden Club exists
to make our community beauti-
ful,” said Brocklehurst-Woods.
...with many thanks
for the gift of your business.
WILL’S
651 East Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 • 343-7830
Closing at noon on December 24. Closed December 25 and December 26.
Closing at 3pm on December 31. Closed New Year's Day.
Visit our web site at: willscarpetonebatavia.com
 Season’s Greetings December 2020 • 7

Opening pages on Christmases past

Diary entries convey simpler times with quintessential traditions that remain strong
By Ami Alden the evening played at concert morning and returning in the who worked at Our Home on – Christmas day at our home
Livingston County Historian #1 of Y.B.B - Great assemblage. evening. He also carried out the Hillside (Jackson Sanitari- [Jackson Sanitarium}, did not
Residents of Livingston Tuesday, December 25, 1849 numerous other legal or finan- um) in Dansville: go to church. I got some nice
County have likely celebrated – Christmas all about the vil- cial matters in addition to the Sunday, December 24, 1882 presents.
Christmas throughout gen- lage. holiday dinner with close fam- – I was at our home [Jackson n n n
erations the way most people Sanitarium]. I went to church From the diary of promi-
Moses Long’s diaries span ily and friends.
have in rural New York – gath- to Communion this morning. nent farmer James Harrison
from 1842 to 1860. The major- n n n
ering with family and friends J.V.K. was up this eve to see me (1838-1924) of Groveland:
ity of entries on Christmas day From the diary of Maggie Wednesday, December 25,
over a special meal, offering & Mary came up, stayed all
toasts, decorating a tree, carol- show that Long went to work Adelia Crine (birth and death 1907 – Went to Bailor’s for
at his store, sometimes in the dates unknown) of Wayland night and we all went to mid-
ing, exchanging gifts, and go- Christmas dinner. I received
night mass.
ing to church. Monday, December 25, 1882 See PAST T9
Excerpts from diaries in the
County Historian’s archives
reveal some interesting in-
sights into the way Christmas
was celebrated in the 1800s
and in the early part of the 20th
century.
While the entries are varied,
often the passages conveyed
simpler times with quintes-
sential Dickens-like traditions.
n n n
From the diary of entrepre-
neur Moses Long (1821-1860) COURTESY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY HISTORIAN’S OFFICE
of York: This downtown snowscape shows the village of Mount Morris
Monday, December 25, 1843 draped in a seasonal blanket of snow.
– assisted in preparing for con-
cert of the Y.B.B [York Brass
Band] at [Baptist] church – in

LIVINGSTON COUNTY HISTORIAN’S OFFICE

A Christmas ad from the Dec.
22, 1950, edition of the Nunda
News offers last-minute gift
ideas.
8 • December 2020 Season’s Greetings

Handel’s ‘Messiah’
How do we cope without the soaring melodies and communal experience
By Howard Reich tion with fellow listeners.” has drawn throngs to its annual son but in our common human- and the audience. And when
CHICAGO TRIBUNE(TNS) Indeed, “Messiah” stands “Do-It-Yourself ‘Messiah’” in ity. there isn’t an audience, it’s just
CHICAGO — Imagine a as more than just an epic work downtown Chicago since 1976). “It’s really emotionally just not the same thing.
Christmas season without Santa. illuminating “the scriptural ac- The work has long since be- very difficult to not be with our “Every year I revisit the deci-
Or Christmas trees. count of the birth, life, death, come a communal experience fellow musicians and to not be sion: Should we continue to do
Or mistletoe. and resurrection of Jesus of Naz- – an occasion for everyone to sharing this with a live audi- this? And then we get into doing
The vicious coronavirus pan- areth,” as the International Mu- come together and revel not just ence,” says Andrew Lewis, ar- it, and we have so much fun with
demic can’t stop any of these. sic Foundation describes it (IMF in the spirit of the Christmas sea- tistic director of Chicago’s Bella it, and it’s such an amazing piece
But, unfortunately, it’s robbing Voce ensemble, which has per- of music that it would be a hole,
us of something similarly essen- formed a complete, period-in- personally, in my life, if I didn’t
tial to the holiday season: live struments “Messiah” annually do it. And I think that’s how a lot
performances of George Frideric since 2010 (except in 2018).
Handel’s “Messiah.” of people in the audience feel.”
“Music is an act of commu- So there will be a hole in our
Normally at this time of year, nication, not just between mu-
“Messiahs” would be blossom- sicians, but between musicians See MESSIAH T13
ing in churches and concert halls
across the United States. Virtu-
oso singers would be delivering
its sublime arias. Magnificent
choirs would be thundering the
“Hallelujah” Chorus.
Early music groups would
be attempting to re-create the
way the piece sounded in the
mid-18th century, when Han- CHRIS SWEDA/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS
del premiered his masterpiece Tenor Matthew Dean sings the “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s
in Dublin. And everyday music “Messiah” from inside the back porch of his Oak Park home during
lovers would be gathering by the a Zoom session with members of the Rockefeller Chapel Choir,
thousands to sing along with do- Nov. 19, 2020.
it-yourself “Messiahs,” attesting
to the work’s global appeal and
treasured message of comfort
and joy.
Most of these performances Celebrating
have been canceled, with a few
migrating online for truncated, the Gifts of
prerecorded, scaled-down ver-
sions of Handel’s most famous Friendship &
oratorio.
Which raises two uncomfort- Community
able and inseparable questions:
What are we missing? And how
do we get by without “Messiah”?
“We’re missing the sense of
community for the performers
as much as the audience,” says
tenor Matthew Dean, director As we wrap up another year,
of University of Chicago chapels we think about how lucky we are to know
and a soloist in Rockefeller Me- good folks like you. Thanks for making us feel so at home here.
morial Chapel’s annual “Messi-
ah” (and others). We sincerely appreciate your patronage and support.
The University of Chicago’s
“Messiah” has been presented Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
annually since 1930 – until now. from our entire team!
“We’re missing the physical
experience of feeling the sound
in your body as an audience
member,” adds Dean. “There
is nothing like the acoustics of Mark Doerr, MD
Rockefeller Chapel ... the echoes 408 North Main St., Warsaw, NY
bouncing off the space and kind
of going through you. Matthew Sheldon, MD
“It sympathetically vibrates 24 East Main St. (Route 33), Corfu, NY
you in a way that reminds you of 716-677-2273 • www.wnyurology.com
the season and of your connec-

Past
From T7
from the Christmas tree a pair
of suspenders and a bill book
and ink stand. Katie [Harri-
son’s new bride] received a
sugar and milk set…one dollar
and a little plate.
n n n
In many ways these tra-
ditions have carried into the
21st century, with events such
as candlelight dinners at the
Mills Mansion in Mount Mor-
ris, the community sing-along
at the fountain in Geneseo,
and Christmas in the Village in
Dansville.
Every community has host-
ed its share of holiday bazaars,
concerts, and visits with Santa.
Local attendance has soared at
churches for midnight masses
and viewers have bundled up
during the darkest and often
coldest time of the year to wit-
ness live nativity scenes.
Beginning in the 1970s,
shopping locally was replaced
with “shop ‘til you drop” at the
malls in Rochester, making it
more difficult for local stores
to compete. And as market-
ing efforts capitalizing on the
holiday season increased, jet-
ting off to exotic places for the
Christmas break or spending
thousands of dollars on gifts
or parties became common in
many households.
In the present day, lights
A horse and sleigh are seen during winter in Livingston County.
and decorations often go
up before Thanksgiving and
shopping online has become
the norm; yet, downtowns
in the county have benefited
from concerted revitalization
efforts. Merchants embrace
the season and sport the colors
of Christmas with evergreens,
red and gold ribbons, and can-
dy canes in store windows.
Although online shopping
has seriously challenged re-
tailers, many residents still
prefer to stroll along main
streets, soaking up the historic
ambiance in search of a one-
of-a-kind gift for a special per-
son that can’t be found in the
big box stores.
Despite the global pandem-
ic in 2020, the holiday spirit is
apparent, albeit subdued this
year. Social distancing rather
than social gatherings are pro-
Season’s Greetings December 2020 • 9
Of peace on earth, good-will
Bells to men!
And in despair I bowed my
From T2 head;
“There is no peace on earth,”
The unbroken song
I said;
Of peace on earth, good-will
to men! “For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Till ringing, singing on its
way, Of peace on earth, good-will
The world revolved from to men!”
night to day, Then pealed the bells more
A voice, a chime, loud and deep:
A chant sublime “God is not dead, nor doth He
Of peace on earth, good-will sleep;
to men! The Wrong shall fail, The
Then from each black, ac- Right prevail,
cursed mouth With peace on earth, good-
The cannon thundered in the will to men.”
South,
LIVINGSTON COUNTY HISTORIAN’S OFFICE And with the sound
Lynne Belluscio is the Le Roy
The carols drowned town and village historian, and
Of peace on earth, good-will director of the Le Roy Historical
moted as a necessary means
to men! Society. The story is based on true
of slowing the spread of the It was as if an earthquake
facts. Mary Cox did exist and was
coronavirus. Clothing, food, rent the daughter of the chancellor of
and toy drives have taken on The hearth-stones of a conti- Ingham University. The family did
nent,
a higher level of importance live in Le Roy House. Whether she
And made forlorn prepared and gave this recitation is
as so many families struggle
The households born unknown.
with unemployment and un-
certainty. Those working in
the medical field taking care
of COVID patients will likely
be working overtime during
Christmas.
Perhaps customs and tra-
ditions of Christmases past
will emerge in full force as this
year’s holiday takes on a differ-
ent tone and residents of Liv-
ingston County adapt to a new
normal.
10 • December 2020 Season’s Greetings

Christmas trees continue

COURTESY OF MEDINA FIRE DEPARTMENT
Medina firefighters Fisher and
Long got to perform one of the
department’s long-honored
holiday traditions of placing
Santa’s mailbox at Rotary Park.
COURTESY OF MEDINA FIRE DEPARTMENT
Justin Morgan from the Village
of Medina’s Department of
Public Works was spotted
doing some final preparations
at the North Pole.
giving after holiday
Metro Creative
When choosing a real
Christmas tree for holiday
celebrations, consumers
should think about the ma-
ny ways that trees can be
repurposed after the holi-
day season.
Some towns collect dis-
carded trees to use them
for various purposes. How-
ever, homeowners can get
in on the action as well.
The Old Farmer’s Alma-
nac offers these great ideas
for post-holiday tree use.
n Prop up the tree near
a bird feeder to provide
another perch and shelter
to birds that stick close to
home in winter, such as
chickadees and finches.
n String the tree with
various treats for birds and
put it in a sheltered loca-
tion. Ideas include home-
made suet, cranberries and
millet.
n Mulch the tree and
use it in the garden in the
spring.
n Use boughs to insulate
perennials in the garden.
n Keep some branches to
use as kindling in a wood
stove or fireplace, or as ar-
omatic logs for next year’s
yule fire.
n Sink an old tree in a
personal pond. Fish and
tadpoles will live and lay
eggs around this sheltered
area.
n Collect some pine nee-
dles and sew them into fab-
ric packets to make scent-
ed sachets for closets or
drawers.
There are many imagina-
tive ways to come up with
handy uses for Christmas
trees once the holiday sea-
son ends.

Firefighters decorate in Medina

MEDINA — Members of Park, the department said in a
FOLLOW
the Village of Media Fire De- Nov. 24 Facebook post. THE DAILY NEWS
partment helped to decorate Justin Morgan from the vil-
the village for the holiday sea- lage’s department of public TheDailyNewsOnline.com
son. works was also spotted doing Facebook.com/
Firefighters Fisher and some final preparations at BataviaDailyNews
Long got to perform one of the the North Pole. The DPW has
department’s long-honored been busy all week getting the Twitter@Batavia_Daily
holiday traditions of placing decorations up for the com- Twitter@BataviaDNSports
Santa’s mailbox at Rotary ing season.
 Season’s Greetings December 2020 • 11

How to host virtual holiday celebrations

Metro Creative
The 2020 holiday season fig-
ures to be vastly different than
seasons past.
The novel coronavirus
COVID-19 has transformed dai-
ly life in many ways. The public
has become accustomed to
wearing masks while shopping,
limiting the number of people in
public venues and keeping their
distance from friends and loved
ones. Many events have been
reimagined as virtual celebra-
tions because of social distanc-
ing protocols.
For large families or people
with inherent risk factors that
make them more susceptible to
illness, sharing the holidays over
video conferencing apps may be
the safest way to go in 2020.
The following tips can help
holiday hosts make the most of a
virtual holiday experience.
PICK A BRIGHT, FESTIVE SPOT
Set up your tablet, smart-
phone or computer in a bright
area with a festive backdrop.
You’ll want others who join the
virtual hangout to be able to see
you clearly. A Christmas tree or a
decorated fireplace in the back-
ground can set the scene.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT
CONFERENCING APP
Certain programs may work
better than others depending
on your needs. For example, if
everyone has the same operat-
ing system platform (iOS or An-
droid), you may be able to use
an app inherent to that system,
which won’t require a separate
download or login. Apps also
may be chosen depending on
how many people can be invited
in Do your homework and con-
duct a test run.
KEEP PROPS NEARBY
If the goal is to open gifts vir-
tually, be sure to have everyone
gathered and gifts nearby so no
one is scrambling out of view.
POSITION THE CAMERA
AT EYE LEVEL
Try to set up the camera so
you’re not looking up or down.
Practice looking straight into the
camera instead of at yourself in
the minimized window or even
others on the screen. This way
you’ll appear engaged.
USE MUTE WHEN NOT SPEAKING
Muting yourself (and encour-
aging others to do the same)
when you are not speaking will
limit the amount of background
noise. As the host, serve as the
moderator and encourage ev-
eryone to speak one at a time.
Choose a visual cue to signal
when someone has the floor to
speak, such as raising a hand or
even showing a festive picture.
TUNE INTO VIRTUAL WORSHIP
While some places of worship
have reopened to some capac-
ity, others may still be offering
hybrid services. If your place of
worship offers online services,
gather around and watch to-
gether and participate just as if
you were there in person. Bet-
ter yet, share the link with other
family and friends so they can
tune in as well.
SHARE DINNER “TOGETHER”
Set up your camera source
so it captures the holiday table.
All parties gathering virtually
can then sit down to the holiday
meal as one and enjoy one of the
season’s endearing traditions.

Travel with Cathy

585.250.8103
www.travelwithcathy.com

Happy Holidays friends and family

and let’s just look ahead to 2021
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!!
The Best of The Best of Rhode Island – June 9-13, 2021
The More of Nashville, TN Tour – September 29 to October 4, 2021
Canyon Country Tour – October 13-20 2021

METRO CREATIVE
Virtual celebrations may continue through the holiday season. Adapting with some video
conferencing tips can ensure everyone enjoys the festivities.
12 • December 2020
Crafts, story times among upcoming holiday events
A selection of holiday-themed
events happening in the
four-county GLOW Region
in the coming days (due to
COVID-19 restrictions and
potential changes it is advis-
able to call ahead to confirm
details):
Through Dec. 31
19th annual Wonderland of
Trees: Through Dec. 31 at
Holland Land Office Museum,
131 West Main St., Batavia.
All the decorated trees can
be viewed during the muse-
um’s normal business hours
and visitors will be limited
to 25 at a time. Masks and
social distancing protocols
are required. Normal museum
admission rates will apply.
For information, visit holland-
landoffice.com or call (585)
343-4727.
Through Dec. 22
Holiday Lights Scavenger
Hunt: Albion. Explore your
neighborhood for holiday dec-
orations! Pick up the list from
Hoag Library, 134 South Main
St., Albion, or print it off of
the library’s website, http://
www.hoaglibrary.org/. Bring
the completed activity to the
library for a small prize; one
per child. For information, call
(585) 589-4246.
Dec. 19
46th Annual Letchworth-Sil-
ver Lake Christmas Bird
Count: Letchworth State
Park, 1 Letchworth State
Park, Castile. For information,
call (585) 493-3600 or visit
parks.ny.gov.
MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
The Genesee Symphony
Orchestra tree is seen at the
Wonderland of Trees at the
Holland Land Office Museum.
Books from Birth Christmas
Storytime - Facebook: Hoag
Library, 134 South Main St.,
Albion. Children enrolled in
the Books from Birth program
are welcome to watch a spe-
cial storytime video. If your
child is under the age of 5
and lives in the Albion area
they can join the Books from
Birth program. too.
Drive Thru Country Christmas!:
Western New York Gas &
Steam Association grounds,
10294 Gillate Rd., Alexander,
The Western New York Gas &
Steam Association is hosting
a Drive thru Christmas Light
Display contest. Bring the
family out for a festive holiday
experience. This is a fundrais-
er for the association. $10
per car.
Season’s Greetings
Dec. 21 Dec. 30 conducted via Zoom. For infor-
mation, go to http://www.
Crepuscular Walk - Solstice Kids’ New Year’s Celebration
hoaglibrary.org/ or call (585)
Sunset: 3:30 p.m. Letchworth on Zoom: 11 a.m. Seymour
589-4246.
State Park, 1 Letchworth Library, 161 East Ave., Brock-
State Park, Castile. For infor-
port. Join Miss Natalie for a Le Roy’s “First Night”: Le
mation, call (585) 493-3600 fun New Year’s story followed Roy. Join locals in welcoming
or visit parks.ny.gov. by some crafts and activities. the New Year. Shops will be
Then we’ll count down to open, purchase warm drinks,
noon and have a treat. Reg- enjoy entertainment and ooo
Dec. 22 istration required. A kit will & ahhh at the fireworks which
Storytime Online with Ms. need to be picked up from the will start at 9 p.m. It’s a
Mary Ellen: 10:30 a.m. Dans- library. For more information, wonderful family event. You’ll
ville Public Library, 200 Main call (585) 637-1050. have a great view of the fire-
St., Dansville. Read along works from the Main Street
with Ms. Mary Ellen on Face- Bridge.
book at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays Dec. 31
and Thursdays. Stories by Jan –––
Noon Year’s Eve Virtual Dance
Brett. Register for accompa- Party - Zoom: Noon. Hoag For more events, visit our
nying Craft Bag. Call (585) Library, 134 South Main St., online calendars at www.the-
335-6720. Albion. Come dancing to cele- dailynewsonline.com or www.
Craft Time: Holiday Crafts: 4 brate 2021. The event will be thelcn.com.
p.m. Seymour Library, 161
East Ave., Brockport. Get cre-
ative with fun crafts for kids
going into grades K-5. Regis-
tration required. A project kit
will need to be picked up from
the library. For more informa-
tion, call (585) 637-1050.
Dec. 23
Holiday LEGO Challenge: 4
p.m. Seymour Library, 161
East Ave., Brockport. Grab
your Legos and join us on
Zoom for a variety of holi-
day-themed building challeng-
es. Registration required. For
more information, call (585)
637-1050.
Dec. 24
Crepuscular Walk - Moon-
rise Over Canyon: 3:30
p.m. Letchworth State Park,
1 Letchworth State Park,
Castile. For information,
call (585) 493-3600 or visit In this season snowy and white
parks.ny.gov.
We send our wishes warm and bright
And hope that the holiday brings to you
Ever ything you want it to!
With heartfelt thanks and warm wishes
from all of us this holiday season.
Advanced Podiatry Associates
Dr. Joseph Canzoneri
Dr. Evan LaTourrette
and staff
2 STATE STREET, BATAVIA
343-8150
 Season’s Greetings December 2020 • 13

and in moments of our shared

Messiah Dixon.
Adds “Jazz-Gospel Messiah”
singer Burke, “It feels surreal to
“That certainly would have
been easier,” says Riggleman.
“We really feel a loyalty to our
humanity; and to energize us as
we come together to create a bet-
bernation.
“I think there’s going to be a
build-up, a hunger (for music)
From T8 not be doing this show.” audience that comes every year. ter tomorrow.” that will be so tremendous.
But the “Messiah” postpone- We know how much they get “I want people to know we’re “Can you imagine coming
musical lives this season, as we ments and cancellations don’t from the experience. not laying over and not doing back and hearing, in person, the
yearn to experience again a mag- mean the work has been com- “Even though we know it’s anything,” says Apollo Chorus ‘Amen’ of ‘Messiah,’ and the im-
num opus Handel composed pletely silenced this year. not going to be the same, we music director and conductor pact that will have? Especially the
in a few weeks in 1741 and pre- The IMF’s beloved “Do-It- wanted to somehow be in touch Stephen Alltop, a senior lecturer way Apollo does it: We sing that
miered during the Easter season Yourself ‘Messiah’ ” will be going with them, let them know we at Northwestern University’s Bi- entire last part by memory, the
the next year. “Messiah” was an online, albeit in reduced form. care about them, and hope they enen School of Music. chorus stands there and sings
instant hit, its Easter-season per- The foundation has filmed vocal come back next year. “We’ve met every Monday directly to the audience, and the
formance tradition eventually soloists Michelle Areyzaga and “Actually, there are some pos- night for these Zoom rehearsals. impact is unbelievable. ... ”
moving to Christmas in the U.S. Mark S. Doss singing arias, and itives here: We did get some new It’s one of the most ambitious Or, as James Kallembach, di-
It’s never easy to explain ex- it has recorded the St. James Ca- partners interested, and the fact things that the chorus has ever rector of chapel music at Rocke-
actly why any particular piece thedral Choir, with organist Ste- that this year will be free to every- done. As you know, virtual cho- feller Memorial Chapel, sees it,
of music becomes universally phen Buzard, performing select one. So we have the potential of ral production is extremely time the eventual return of “Messiah”
revered, but in the case of “Mes- choruses. Find it at https://imf- expanding our audience, at least intensive. We have 90 singers will represent perseverance in
siah” at least one reason seems chicago.org. for this year. Not everything is involved. I wanted to finish with the face of catastrophe.
apparent: Handel’s soaring The organization will post negative.” this piece ‘Unity,’ which is what “I sent out a big email (to the
melodies, stirring solos and re- PDFs of portions of the score on Though the Apollo Chorus of I feel we need most in this coun- choir) at the beginning of the
demptive choruses convey the its webpage, so those who want Chicago will be postponing its try.” year saying: Every time we sing,
same message of hope and faith to sing along at home can print run of “Messiah” performances Alltop remains optimistic singing is a form of resistance,”
as its text. You don’t have to be them out, practice and join in at dating back to 1879, it has come about the Apollo Chorus’ future says Kallembach, who conducts
Christian, religious or classically the appropriate moments. up with an intriguing seasonal “Messiahs” and our musical lives Rockefeller’s “Messiah” every
trained to be profoundly moved “We’re trying to make it as alternative: “Glory: Music for our overall. “We have dates reserved year, drawing roughly 900 listen-
by the score’s aspirational qual- easy and accessible as possible,” World Virtual Concert” (https:// at the Harris Theater for April,” ers. “And the resistance is that we
ities, galvanic climaxes and im- adds Riggleman. “It’s not the tinyurl.com/y2er4gts). he says. “Of course, it’s opti- can’t let the arts die. ... We need
peccable craft. same. We would certainly much The prerecorded perfor- mistic. With the vaccines being it for our communities, and we
All you have to do is sit and lis- rather be at the Harris Theater mance was curated “to reflect talked about now, who knows? need it to be human beings.”
ten – or join in. with everyone live. It’s quite an our shared experiences during Maybe we’ll be coming out of hi- Amen.
“As music directors like to say, exciting performance. Not be- these many months,” accord-
it’s never needed a revival,” says cause it’s the highest quality per- ing to the institution’s website.
Rockefeller Chapel tenor Dean. formance you’ll ever hear, but “It will bring us together to cele-
“It’s been like ‘Cats’ or ‘Phan- everybody gets to participate.” brate frontline workers and hon-
tom of the Opera.’ ... The melo- Why didn’t Riggleman and or the memories of those lost to
dies have become familiar in our colleagues simply skip “Messi- the pandemic; to delight in the
society because they’re often re- ah” this time around? solace we have found in nature
corded. If folks know one major
work of ‘early’ – so to speak – mu-
sic, it very often is this wonderful
Handel oratorio.
“Also, I think there’s a mea-
sure of self-reflection in the text,
when audiences come in and
engage with this libretto,” says
Dean. Its message “is that we
all have hope that there is a re-
deemer out there in these times
of trouble.”
The very first line of the text,
indeed, signals the work’s pur-
pose and tone: “Comfort ye,
comfort ye my people, saith your
God.”
Which means that we need
“Messiah” more than ever in this
year of tragic loss.
This helps explain why tenor
Rodrick Dixon, a star of “Too Hot
Leroy’s No Finer Diner!
to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Mes-
siah” production that has played
the Auditorium Theatre every
January since 2006, keeps hear-
ing the same question.
“People are asking: Is it com-
ing in 2021?” says Dixon, who has
appeared with soprano Alfreda
Burke, his wife, and a large cast in 140 west Main St., Leroy • 585-502-5030
a concert timed to celebrate the
Martin Luther King Jr., holiday. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 6am - 8pm • Sun. 6am - 2pm
“Society both secular and sa-
cred is looking for those divine
moments of connection,” says
14 • December 2020 Season’s Greetings

How to make Kwanzaa celebrations more meaningful

Metro Creative bility. When discussing ujima, more beautiful and fruitful for
Kwanzaa is an opportunity celebrants focus on how they all. Creativity can be explored
for families to gather and cele- can work together to build and through crafts, such as making
brate their rich cultural heritage. maintain their communities. a unity cup or decorating for the
Kwanzaa is a week-long celebra- Organize a community-wide holidays. Listening to or playing
tion that was the brainchild of effort, such as helping to fix up a culturally relevant songs and/or
Dr. Maulana Karenga, a profes- neighborhood garden or raising viewing artwork from Africa are
sor and chairman of Black Stud- money to support a less fortu- just a few other ways to express
ies at California State University nate family, to celebrate collec- your creativity.
Long Beach in 1966. At a time tive work. n Imani: The Swahili word
when rioting was prevalent near n Ujamaa: Ujamaa is dedi-
where Dr. Karenga lived and for “faith,” imani promotes be-
cated to cooperative economics lieving fully in one’s people,
worked, he thought a celebra- and how celebrants can build
tion to unite African Americans parents, teachers, and leaders.
and maintain their own busi-
as a community and help them Faith can be expressed by reli-
nesses and how they can all
reconnect with their African profit from the success of those gious devotion, or through belief
heritage could benefit his com- businesses. This principle can METRO CREATIVE in one’s people, parents, teach-
munity. be perhaps best supported by Kwanzaa is a family-oriented holiday, and it’s easy for everyone to ers, and leaders. Uniting people
The name “Kwanzaa” is from shopping locally. Local busi- play a role in making Kwanzaa celebrations even more meaningful in faith can be another way for
the Swahili phrase “matunda celebrants to enjoy the holiday
nesses owners also can support celebrants to make the building ing it with others through teach-
ya kwanza,” which means “first together.
one another and cross-advertise and development of their com- ing or mentoring.
fruits of the harvest.” Kwanzaa Kwanzaa is a family-orient-
to keep revenue in their com- munities a collective vocation. n Kuumba: Creativity is the
pays homage to the traditional ed holiday, and it’s easy for ev-
munities. Having a purpose in life is im- basis for the principle of kuum-
harvests that take place in Africa eryone to play a role in making
n Nia: “Nia” is the Swahili portant and can keep goals on ba, which encourages cele-
during December and January.
word for “purpose.” The princi- track. Harness this principle by brants to do everything they Kwanzaa celebrations even
Kwanzaa, an annual cele-
bration that begins Dec. 26 and ple of nia is meant to encourage figuring out a passion and shar- can to make their communities more meaningful.
ends on Jan. 1, presents anoth-
er way to reflect on the year that
is drawing to a close and look
forward to the months ahead.
Kwanzaa also presents an op-
portunity to focus on family,
community and traditions –
which already is a hallmark of
the holiday season.
Individuals and families can
harness the meanings behind
the seven principles of Kwanzaa
by incorporating various tradi-
tions into their celebrations.
n Umoja: The Swahili word
for “unity,” umoja is focused
on maintaining and striving for
greater unity in the family, com-
munity, nation, and race. Cele-
brate unity by gathering togeth-
er with other African Americans
to discuss favorite components
of African culture and history.
Share important stories and
traditions with younger genera-
tions.
n Kujichagulia: The prin-
ciple of kujichagulia focuses
on self-determination and is
designed to inspire Kwanzaa
celebrants to discuss how they
define themselves, name them-
selves, create for themselves,
and speak for themselves. En-
courage the practice of self-de-
termination by setting goals or
resolutions and seeing at least
one or two through to fruition in
the weeks to come.
n Ujima: Ujima focuses on
collective work and responsi-
 Season’s Greetings December 2020 • 15

Slow cooker meal makes holiday entertaining a breeze

Metro Creative
The holidays wouldn’t be
complete without a delicious
meal to share with family and
friends.
A holiday roast is often the
centerpiece of festive occa-
sions. Having a go-to recipe
for this classic main course
makes holiday preparations
that much easier.
Utilizing a slow cooker
to make a beef roast reduc-
es time spent in the kitchen,
affording hosts more oppor-
tunities to mingle with their
guests.
That’s just the idea behind
this recipe for “Beef Roast
With Dark Rum Sauce” from
“Crock-Pot 356 Year-Round
Recipes” (Publications Inter-
national Ltd) by Crock-Pot
Kitchens.
Beef Roast with
Dark Rum Sauce
Makes 6 servings
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 beef rump roast (about 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup dark rum, divided
1/2 cup beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole bay leaves, broken in half
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1. In a small bowl, combine
allspice, salt, pepper, and
cloves. Rub spices onto all
sides of roast.
2. Heat oil in skillet over
medium heat until hot. Sear
beef on all sides, turning as
it browns. Transfer to a slow
cooker. Add 1/2 cup rum,
broth, garlic, and bay leaves.
Cover; cook on low 1 hour.
3. In a small bowl, combine
remaining 1/2 cup rum, brown
sugar and lime juice, stirring
well. Pour over roast. Continue
cooking on low 4 to 6 hours, or
until beef is fork-tender. Baste
beef occasionally with sauce.
4. Remove and slice roast.
Spoon sauce over beef to
serve.

VISIT THE DAILY NEWS ONLINE

www.TheDailyNewsOnline.com

44 YEARS IN BUSINESS!

585.493.5709 | djbeardsley@frontiernet.net | 585.493.2426

150 West Mill Street, Castile, NY

METRO CREATIVE
Utilizing a slow cooker to make a beef roast reduces time spent in the kitchen, affording hosts more
opportunities to mingle with their guests.

Christmas Eve (Vigil) Christmas

2:30pm – St. Brigid Midnight – Our Lady of Mercy – Missa Cantata
4:30pm – St. Brigid {Extraordinary Form Latin Mass}
4:00pm – Our Lady of Mercy 7:15am – Our Lady of Mercy
7:00pm – Our Lady of Mercy 10:45am– Our Lady of Mercy
Our Lady of Mercy Parish St. Brigid Parish
44 Lake Street, LeRoy, NY 14482 18 Gibson Street, Bergen, NY 14416
Seating is limited, to make your reservation CALL OR TEXT (585) 709-2764
or email request to events@ourladyofmercyleroy.org
Masses at Our Lady of Mercy will be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
16 • December 2020 Season’s Greetings

Celebrate the holidays with a delectable dessert

Family Features
With so many traditions
and ways to celebrate the
holiday season, the options
are nearly endless for fam-
ilies looking to spend spe-
cial moments together. One
of the tastiest and most en-
joyable activities you can
engage in with family and
friends is to team up and cre-
ate sweet eats in the kitchen.
Whether you’re a choc-
olate lover or prefer tradi-
tional seasonal flavors like
peppermint and ginger-
bread, you can turn to these
Gingerbread Cupcakes with
Whipped Vanilla Butter-
cream from Milk Means
More to tingle taste buds
while bringing everyone to-
gether.
Find more ways to cele-
brate the season with sweet
eats at milkmeansmore.org.
Gingerbread Cupcakes
with Whipped Vanilla
Buttercream
Recipe courtesy of Megan Gundy
UNITED DAIRY INDUSTRY OF MICHIGAN
Tingle your taste buds with these
Gingerbread Cupcakes with
Whipped Vanilla Buttercream.
Set aside.
To make cupcakes: In me-
dium bowl, whisk flour, gin-
ger, cinnamon, cloves, nut-
meg and salt.
In large bowl of stand mix-
er, cream butter and sugar
until light and fluffy, about
3 minutes. Add molasses
and beat until incorporated.
Beat in eggs, one at a time,
then beat in vanilla. Add
flour mixture and mix on low Eggnog is a holiday classic
speed until just combined.
Divide batter evenly Metro Creative Quick Brandy Eggnog
among muffin cups, filling No beverage is more associated
each about 3/4 full. Bake 30 with holiday parties than eggnog, YIELD: 1 cocktail
minutes, or until toothpick which is a beloved beverage come 1 ounce brandy
inserted in center cupcake the holiday season. 1 1/4 ounces milk
While it’s perfectly acceptable
comes out clean or with 1/2 ounce simple syrup
to purchase store-bought eggnog 1 egg yolk
moist crumbs. Let cupcakes in the dairy case and dress it up
cool 10 minutes then trans- with a favorite spirit, most eggnog Grated nutmeg or cinnamon for garnish
fer to wire rack to cool com- recipes only feature a handful of In a cocktail shaker, combine the bran-
pletely. ingredients and are quite easy to dy, milk, simple syrup, and egg yolk. Dry
To make whipped vanilla make at home.
Rum, whiskey and brandy are shake without ice.
buttercream: In large bowl Fill shaker with ice, then shake vigor-
customary liquors to use in eggnog
of stand mixer, beat butter recipes. The Spruce: Eats believes ously for about 30 seconds to ensure the
on medium-high speed until brandy is perfect for the finished egg is well mixed. Strain into an old-fash-
light and fluffy, about 3 min- product. Here is their version of ioned or cocktail glass. Add a dash of grated
utes. Add vanilla and, with “Quick Brandy Eggnog”: nutmeg or cinnamon as a garnish.
mixer on low, slowly add in
powdered sugar, cream and
salt, scraping down sides of
bowl as needed. Once in-
corporated, whip frosting
at least 3 minutes on medi-
um-high or high speed. If
frosting is too thick, gradual-
ly beat in additional cream.
Pipe on top of cooled cup-
cakes and sprinkle with cin-
namon.
–––
SOURCE: UNITED DAIRY INDUSTRY OF MICHIGAN

of “What Megan’s Making” on be-

half of Milk Means More
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 20

Cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room tem-
perature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons molasses
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Vanilla Buttercream:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 pinch salt
cinnamon, for topping

Adjust oven rack to low-

er-middle position and pre-
heat oven to 350 F. Line muf-
fin pan with cupcake liners.

The origins of New Year’s Eve traditions
Metro Creative
Traditions are the glue that
hold many celebrations togeth-
er. Individuals and families em-
brace many customs that serve
as the script for commemorating
year-end holidays.
Some celebrants may ad-
here to traditions without really
knowing how they began or why
they continue. Here is a closer
look at some of the most popular
traditions tied to New Year’s Eve,
both domestically and around
the world.
DRINKING CHAMPAGNE
The use of champagne for cel-
ebrations is rooted in the Chris-
tian ritual of consuming wine
during the Eucharist. In the year
496, a wine from the Champagne
region of France was offered
during the baptism of the Frank-
ish warrior Clovis, according to
the Champagne Committee of
France. It then became custom-
ary for champagne to be used
at religious events like conse-
crations and at coronations or
soirees. Eventually the tradition
became associated with secular
rituals, such as celebrating the
new year.
New Year’s resolutions
an enduring tradition
Metro Creative
The tradition of making New Year’s
resolutions is an enduring one that
dates back thousands of years.
According to History.com, ancient
Babylonians are credited with being
the first people to make New Year’s
resolutions. During Akitu, a 12-day
religious festival, Babylonians would
make promises to their gods. These
promises typically focused on being a
better person in the coming year. Cel-
ebrants of the festival, which was held
when crops were planted and marked
the beginning of a new year to individ-
uals in certain ancient societies, would
promise the gods that they would re-
pay their debts and return any items
they had borrowed in the previous year.
While these promises might have
been the forerunners to modern New
Year’s resolutions, there is one dis-
tinct difference that separates ancient
Babylonians from people in modern
times. Babylonians believed keeping
their word to the gods would curry fa-
vor for them in the coming year, while
failure to keep their promises would do
the opposite.
People who make resolutions
today typically do so to better them-
selves and do not fear reprisal from
their creator if they fail to live up to their
pledges.
FOOD
People of Japanese heritage
might eat soba noodles on New
Year’s Eve. The Toshikoshi So-
ba, which means “year crossing
buckwheat noodle,” denotes
the crossing from one year to the
next. Nibbling the noodles rep-
resent traveling from one year
to the next as well as letting go of
the previous year’s regrets.
In Spain, people gobble
grapes to bring good luck in the
coming year. The goal is to eat
12 green grapes during the 12 re-
maining seconds until the New
Year. Those able to do so will
have 12 months of good fortune.
DROPPING THE BALL
Revelers have long watched
the giant ball drop in New York
City’s Times Square in person
and on television. This tradition
may be rooted in the custom of
sailors using “time balls” to set
their timepieces at sea. These
chronometers were employed
by using a spyglass to scan the
harbor looking for balls that
were dropped into the water at
certain times, PBS reports. The
Times Square ball was first used
in 1907, according to the Times
Season’s Greetings December 2020 • 17
Square Alliance.
MAKING RESOLUTIONS
Historians trace the making of
resolutions to the Ancient Bab-
ylonians. Citizens made spoken
resolutions during their new
year festival known as “Akitu.”
This ritual required making an
oath to the sitting or new king.
Romans also swore oaths of loy-
alty to the emperor when the
New Year started.
FIREWORKS AND NOISEMAKERS
Fireworks are a big part of
celebrations and are not to be
outdone on New Year’s Eve. METRO CREATIVE
New Year’s Eve traditions abound, and many of these annual
Fireworks were invented in the
seventh century in China. Ac- customs have interesting origin stories.
cording to Anthony Aveni, an as-
tronomer and anthropologist at
Colgate University, the fireworks
were designed to ward off evil
spirits. In cultures around the
world, fireworks, banging drums
and other efforts were used to
chase away spooky creatures,
especially during the transitional
period that is the passing of the
new year. Today fireworks and
noisemakers are employed not
for scaring away spirits, but rath- We’re all revved up
er to add to the revelry. for the holidays and
we can’t think of a
finer place to
celebrate than right
here at home with
good folks like you!
H
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
A R L E Y- D AV I D S O N
More Than Just a
“Motorcycle Shop”
Since 1958
(585) 343-9598
4425 W. Saile Dr.,
Batavia, NY
www.stanshd.com
Tuesday - Friday 9-5
Saturday 9-4
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18 • December 2020 Season’s Greetings

The best ways to store and serve champagne

Metro Creative or artificial light. Chilling also Etiquette experts say it is pref- pagne Laurent-Perrier, advises lip-shaped flutes will produce
No New Year’s Eve celebra- will help reduce the “pop” and erable to open a bottle of cham- taking your time pouring a lit- more bubbles and help capture
tion would be complete without overflow of the bubbly. If you pagne with a hiss rather than a tle champagne into each glass the flavor and aromas of the
a champagne toast to ring in the purchase champagne and need large pop. To achieve this, chill to allow the bubbles to settle. champagne.
new year. to chill it for serving, you can the champagne and open the Then return to the first glass to It’s ideal to drink all of the
Champagne is a sparkling achieve this by either chilling it bottle very slowly and with a pour more, helping to make the champagne in a bottle, as it will
wine from the Champagne re- in the fridge for three hours be- great deal of control. champagne less likely to froth. begin to lose its fizz immediate-
gion of France, though the term fore serving, or in a Champagne When the champagne is Do not tilt the glass like pouring ly after opening. A specialized
“champagne” is often mistaken- bucket in a mixture of ice and opened, Daniel Brennan, com- a beer, rather pour champagne champagne stopper will help
ly used in reference to any type down the inside of the glass. keep the champagne fresh for
water for 30 minutes. munications director at Cham-
of bubbly. The shape of the glass comes up to two days after opening. Af-
Champagne is a wine and, like down to preference. Tradition- ter the bottle has been opened,
merlot or pinot grigio, it has spe- al coupes look the part, but tu- refrigerate it.
cific storage and serving tem-
peratures to ensure top flavor.
According to ThermoWorks,
wines have specific layers of fla-
vor that are most effectively en-
joyed when they’re experienced
at the proper temperature. In Ask me about the 100% Money Back Guarantee!
wine, temperature affects alco-
hol, acid and aromatics. Ther- KAREN GABBEY
moWorks suggests a tempera- Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
570 East Main Street • Batavia, NY 14020
ture of 45 degrees Fahrenheit for
champagne. Cell: 585.734.5734
Office: 585.409.2116 • Fax: 585.343.8502
In addition to controlling karengabbey@howardhanna.com
temperature, there are other HowardHanna.com
ways to help ensure champagne
reaches the palate in optimal METRO CREATIVE
fashion. Grape Escapes, a wine In addition to controlling temperature, there are other ways to
tasting and touring company, help ensure champagne reaches the palate in optimal fashion.
says that champagne is already
aged properly before being sold,
so it does not necessarily bene-
fit from extra aging in the bottle.
When kept too long (beyond 10
years for vintage cuvŽes), some
effervescence may be lost and
the flavor will change.
Bottles of champagne should
be stored horizontally in a well-
chilled environment. They
should be kept away from bright

Not all sparkling

wines are champagne
Metro Creative
Sparkling wines can make spe-
cial occasions more enjoyable. That
is why they’re generally reserved for
big events that warrant toasts such
as New Year’s Eve celebrations.
But many people mistakenly
believe that all sparkling wines are
champagne. However, true cham-
pagne is made in the Champagne
region of France from a combination
of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot
meunier grapes. It can only be made
in the region’s traditional method,
called MŽthode Champenoise, and
the taste will typically be nutty and
toasty.
Sparkling wines can be produced
across the globe in various ways.
The taste will vary depending on how
it is produced. Sparkling wines are
named depending on where they are
made. Prosecco is an Italian spar-
kling wine, cava a Spanish variety
and sekt is a German version.
 Season’s Greetings December 2020 • 19

Three Kings Day brings holiday season to a close

Metro Creative Christ child of gold, frankin- ring-shaped cakes in which are greatly revered by chil- or names of the magi who
The holiday season begins cense oil and a resin called they will hide plastic baby dren and adults alike. Until visited Jesus. However, oral
with Thanksgiving, and ma- myrrh. The gold represent- figurines that are meant to the 19th century, the Epiph- tradition has it that there
ny people believe that the ed Christ’s royal standing. symbolize Jesus Christ. The any may have been consid- were three and their names
festivities come to a close The frankincense marked cake is called The King’s ered more important than were Gaspar, Balthasar and
after ringing in the new year. Christ’s divine birth. Finally, Ring, or Rosca de Reyes. Christmas day. However, Melchior.
In fact, for the faithful, the the myrrh stood for Christ’s In Latin America, the three those tides have largely shift- Christmas and New Year’s
Christmas season does not mortality. magi are more prominent ed outside of Latin Ameri- garner considerable atten-
end until January 6 (January Many celebrants will bake figures than Santa Claus and ca and areas dominated by tion during holiday celebra-
12 in Eastern churches).
large populations of people tions, but Three Kings Day
January 6 marks the cele-
who have Latin American also is an important holiday
bration of the Epiphany, or
the visit of the maji to the heritage. in the Christian faith, and
Christ child. The day is some- The Bible does not specif- one that brings the holiday
times referred to as Three ically mention the number season to a close.
Kings Day, Little Christmas,
the Baptism of Jesus, and D’a
de los Reyes.
While some people are
very familiar with this feast
day and the customs sur-
rounding it, others are less
so.
The Epiphany is celebrat-
ed 12 days after December
METRO CREATIVE
25. That is where the phrase
Three Kings Day is an important holiday in the Christian faith, and
the Twelve Days of Christ- one that brings the holiday season to a close.
mas, and the song of the
same name, originated.
Christians believe that the
real celebration of the hol-
iday season does not begin
until December 24 and then
continues through Three
Kings Day. While the four
weeks preceding Christmas,
also known as Advent, are
supposed to be times of re-
flection and prayer in antic-
ipation of the birth of Jesus
Christ, the 12 days of Christ-
mas are times of great cele-
bration.
In Britain and elsewhere,
Twelfth Night is the evening
that precedes the Epiphany,
and Christmas decorations
should remain up until then.
Also, until as recently as the
1950s, Twelfth Night was a
time for wassailing. Was-
sailers went house to house
singing and wishing neigh-
bors good health.
On the Epiphany, children
may leave their shoes out for
presents in a similar fash-
ion to the way stockings are
hung. Gifts are exchanged,
reminiscent of the three gifts
the magi presented to the
20 • December 2020 Season’s Greetings