Del Rio Grande 1218

DECEMBER 2018

THE NUTCRACKER BALLET DECEMBER 2018 $3.99

HOLIDAY DECORATING

Season’s Greetings GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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FROM THE EDITOR Be the light!

PUBLISHER Sandra Castillo EDITOR Karen Gleason CREATIVE DIRECTOR Megan Tackett WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Karen Gleason Megan Tackett ADVERTISING Xochitl Arteaga Alicia Jimenez Ashley Lopez PRODUCTION Jorge Alarcon

Roland Cardenas Antonio Morales EDITORIAL karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com 830-775-1551, Ext. 247 ADVERTISING ashley.lopez@delrionewsherald.com 830-775-1551, Ext. 250 STORY IDEAS karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com

2205 North Bedell Avenue • Del Rio, TX 78840 delrionewsherald.com Del Rio Grande is published by the Del Rio News-Herald.

No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine.

Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative.

I’m not ashamed to admit it: I love Christmas.

As an adult, I’ve come to love that in December, the light returns to the world, literally, in the physical world, as well as figuratively, in the canons of some of the world’s great religions.

In December, after the winter solstice, which will occur in the Northern Hemisphere this year about 4:30 p.m. (our time) on Dec. 21, the days will begin to grow incrementally longer as the world begins turning back toward summer.

In fact, some of the symbolism of Christmas lights and of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication, also called the Festival of Lights, must surely reflect the knowledge that early humans had of this “return to the light.”

Likewise, in the Christian tradition, Christ, whose birthday Christians celebrate on Dec. 25, is called the “Light of the World.”

In our own lives, we can use the symbolism of illumination, whether we are Christians or not.

We say that it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness, but how many of us are willing to actually strike the match?

It is our hope that during this holiday season, each of us will take some time to be that lighted candle for one of our fellows, whether that means volunteering time or money for some worthy cause or something as simple as providing a kind word of encouragement and hope for someone who is struggling.

We at Grande hope you will enjoy our holiday issue, in which we explore the wonderful holiday traditions of “The Nutcracker” ballet, a timeless classic. We hope all of you will attend at least one performance of the ballet and honor the talents and dedication of the many Del Rioans who have been working months to bring it to the stage.

We also hope you’ll join the ladies of the Pan-American Round Table and visit the homes on this year’s holiday home tour and pick up some good ideas for decorating your own space.

Also, Megan has put together a series of great decorating ideas featuring wreaths, trees and tablescapes, and we’d like to thank Haus of Londyn photographer Jessy Colossus.

Happy Holidays!

Karen Gleason Grande Editor

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GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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CONTENTS 8

CALENDAR Keep busy this month at these local events.

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CHRISTMAS COLLECTIBLES Del Rioan’s nutcrackers help her celebrate the season.

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CHRISTMAS TRADITION ‘The Nutcracker’ brings magical ballet to Del Rio stage.

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HOLIDAY CIDER Warm up this season with this hot spiced sip.

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GIFT GUIDE Make your list and check it twice for these local finds.

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WREATH ON EARTH Southern Passion Wreaths owner crafts door ornaments for every season.

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TABLESCAPE

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Event planner offers how-tos for holiday hosting.

Del Rioans open their houses for annual tour.

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STYLE OF THE SEASON Show up to your holiday party in style with these looks from Miles Away From No Where.

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OH, CHRISTMAS TREE Professional decorator decks her halls with decked-out trees.

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FOR UNTO Y’ALL City plans annual holiday parade, tree-lighting ceremony.

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LAST LOOK Our creative director gift-wraps the December issue.

On the cover: Nicole Meza as Clara, one of the main characters in “The Nutcracker.” The iconic Christmas ballet is presented by the Del Rio Council for the Arts each year on the stage of the Paul Poag Theatre for the Performing Arts.

• Photo by Karen Gleason 6

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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DECEMBER CALENDAR Keep busy this month at these fun local events 1 NOISE FOR TOYS 2018 5 p.m. • Casa de la Cultura Listen to live music while helping families in the community. Donate a new, unwrapped toy and enjoy free admission to see the Code 88s, Kalavera De Azúcar from Piedras Negras, San Antonio punk rock band Dead Weight and more. $5 admission without a toy.

7 COWBOY CHRISTMAS PARADE 6 p.m. • South Main Street Join the City of Del Rio for its annual Christmas celebration, cowboy style! Greenwood Park tree lighting will follow the parade at about 7:30 p.m.

15 POSADA, TAMALADA, BAILES Y CANTOS

For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Luke 2:11-14

4 p.m. • Casa de la Cultura • 302 Cantu St. Bring the family and enjoy these festive, cultural traditions, including the Posada, Matlachines, Ballet Folklorico Corazon de Mexico and Tamalada. Special visit from Santa Claus with presents para los niños.

15 DIY FERTILIZER 10 a.m. • Del Rio Community Garden • 210 Jones St. Rafael Flores of the Armpit of Texas garden/food truck will teach you how to make effective fertilizer in your own backyard. Rafael and his wife, Adriana, invite the community to learn how to make the same fertilizer they use to grow the produce they use for their food truck creations.

20 MYSTERY BOX COOKING CLASS

From our family to yours here at St. James Episcopal School, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

6 p.m. • Del Rio Community Garden • 210 Jones St. Chef Cortez and students of the Del Rio High School Culinary Arts Program will cook up something delicious and surprising for dinner.

Bring any item from your kitchen to the community garden and watch Cortez and his students transform random ingredients into to a scrumptious dish for everyone. Come hungry!

22 LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY POP-UP Noon to 4 p.m. • Greenwood Park • 501 Griner St. Complete your gift-giving list this year at the Little Market at Greenwood Park. Visit a variety of vendors and pick up unique, local gifts. Vendors include arts and crafts, jewelry, honey, handmade soaps, clothing, pet treats and more.

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Twana Billeaudeau said she loves nutcrackers because they reflect some of the mystery and magic, joy and enchantment of the holiday season. Billeaudeau said each of her nutcrackers has a story, whether she purchased it herself or received it as a gift.

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Christmas

Collectibles Del Rioan’s nutcrackers help her celebrate the season Story and photos by KAREN GLEASON

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very year during the holiday season, decorative nutcrackers of every shape, size and design are on display in the home of Twana Billeaudeau.

At least one is almost human-sized and last year greeted visitors just inside the door of Billeaudeau’s north Del Rio home during the Pan American Round Table’s Holiday Home Tour.

Some of the nutcrackers, created as Christmas tree ornaments and pins, fit in the palm of Billeaudeau’s hand.

“This little guy is meant to be worn as a pin. My mother found him somewhere for me, and I wear him regularly,” she said.

No one seems entirely sure how these decorative nutcrackers – most often wooden soldiers with oversized teeth and movable jaws – became symbols of the Christmas season, but much of the credit can be laid at the feet of “The Nutcracker” ballet, which became popular as a Christmas production in the U.S. more than half a century ago.

Billeaudeau, who works as the chief operations officer for The Bank & Trust, has been collecting nutcrackers since her daughter Bailey was a baby.

“It’s just this magical world, I think, that draws me in. The collection actually started because my husband’s aunt sent our daughter Bailey a nutcracker for her first Christmas. She was born two days after Christmas, so the following year was her first, and she received a nutcracker.

“At the time, I thought, ‘What an odd gift,’ but I put him next to the Christmas tree, and then the following year, another nutcracker from the same aunt showed up. When I saw him, I thought, ‘Hey, this is something that maybe we ought to consider.’ I could start a collection to later pass on to Bailey when she gets older and has her own family,” Billeaudeau said.

The second nutcracker her husband’s aunt sent their daughter struck Billeaudeau as polished and refined.

“I thought this guy looked a little bit different from the ones you usually see on retail shelves, and he intrigued me.

I think it was because his colors were muted. They’re not the bright colors you usually see, and he had these nice

little jewels on him, and he’s carrying a sword, so I don’t know, I thought, ‘Maybe I ought to think about this.’

“So from there, I started noticing that there were nutcrackers everywhere, and that’s really what got me started. Ever since then, every time Christmas rolls around, I’m looking for something unique that I can add to the collection, and hopefully my daughter and her children will inherit it and appreciate it,” Billeaudeau said.

The collection is large and gets larger every year, Billeaudeau said, as she purchases more than one nutcracker a year.

“It’s probably close to 100 nutcrackers now,” she said.

On a recent visit to Billeaudeau’s home, she talked about some of her favorites.

One of the nutcracker tree ornaments was a gift from her daughter.

“She went through a lot of trouble to get it for me without me knowing while we were in Fredericksburg. She saw me looking at him, but I didn’t get him, probably because I had already purchased my quota for the year, so she had my mother-in-law to distract me long enough so she could buy him, so he was under the tree for Christmas Eve for me one year,” she said.

While Billeaudeau has received many nutcrackers as gifts, most are ones she found and purchased.

“Some are gifts; some I purchase. This guy came from a garage sale, and I think he is just awesome. I think he is the best bargain I’ve ever gotten on a nutcracker. This one was a gift from my daughter. This one here was a gift from one of my bank customers, and some are from family and friends,” Billeaudeau said.

“I found this one in my hometown of Natchitoches, La. Natchitoches is the oldest settlement in Louisiana, and they have this fabulous front street that is brick from the 1700s. It’s been there forever, and the main street program has flourished there since I left 25 years ago. Now it’s full of shops and restaurants and just a fantastic place to visit anytime of year.

“We were there for Thanksgiving and were going

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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Exquisite detail is the hallmark of this handcarved wooden nutcracker.

Twana Billeaudeau said this Mardi Gras-themed nutcracker reminds her of her home state of Louisiana.

Twana Billeaudeau found this elegant little nutcracker in her hometown of Natchitoches, La.

An Uncle Sam-themed nutcracker holds a U.S. flag and watches over a table.

Twana Billeaudeau added this nutcracker to her collection in honor of her husband, teacher Brad Billeaudeau.

This adorable teddy bear nutcracker is ready to be part of a royal guard.

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GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

A small portion of Twana Billeaudeau’s nutcracker collection, which she arranged for the 2017 Holiday Home Tour.

through the shops. I found this guy in a tiny little store about the size of a closet, and I said, oh, he has to come home with me.

His hair and his beard, I just love them. They’re multi-colored,” she said.

Her Mardi Gras-themed nutcracker also reminds her of her home state.

“This guy is a music box, and I love him because he has all this intricate detail on his gloves. Most of the time they just have round or square hands, but this guy has detail. Bailey gave him to me for Christmas one year,” she said.

“This one I adore because I’m married to a teacher (Brad Billeaudeau), and one year he got these great black glasses, and then we found this nutcracker and we had to have him.

I’m just proud to be married to an educator, and he’s one of my favorites,” Billeaudeau said.

There is a real connection between nutcrackers and Christmas.

“They only come out during Christmas, and although you can find nutcrackers for various seasons of the year, I only focus on Christmas nutcrackers. I am going to make an exception this

year. I’m looking for a Texas A&M nutcracker this year because our daughter was accepted to the College of Engineering, and she’s going to attend Texas A&M, so I would like to get a Texas A&M nutcracker,” Billeaudeau said.

“Every one of my nutcrackers has a story. I know where each one came from, who gave it to me or where I got it, and this guy, he’s a teddy bear. How can you not love a teddy bear nutcracker?” she added.

The nutcrackers reflect the joy and enchantment of the season, Billeaudeau said.

“Christmas to me is all about the Nativity, the birth of Jesus.

That is of the utmost importance, and I also have a Nativity section that I have special every year, and I look for a new Nativity displays as well,” she said.

“This is that side of it, the magical and mysterious side, and so that’s why I enjoy them. They’re also unique, and I love things that are unique and different. I am quite the quirky person.

Anyone that knows me well knows that, and so I feel like the nutcrackers add to the quirkiness of the season,” she said. •

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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The cast of the 2017 production of “The Nutcracker.”

A Christmas Tradition “The Nutcracker” brings magical ballet to Del Rio stage Story by KAREN GLEASON: photos by AMY BOLES & KAREN GLEASON

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erformances of the iconic ballet “The Nutcracker” are staples of the December holiday season in cities across the world, and Del Rio is no exception.

2018 will be the 10th year “The Nutcracker” is presented to Del Rio audiences at the Paul Poag Theatre for the Performing Arts in the city’s historic downtown district.

The ballet, scored by Russian composer Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky, was first performed in St. Petersburg, Russia, in December 1892.

It became increasingly popular, especially during the second half of the 20th Century, when ballet companies in many large cities performed it during the holidays.

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There will be three Del Rio performances of “The Nutcracker,” presented by the Del Rio Council for the Arts, this year. There will be two performances on Saturday, Dec. 15, and one performance on Sunday, Dec. 16.

The Saturday, Dec. 15, performances will be at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and the Sunday, Dec. 16, performance will be at 3 p.m. All performances will be at the Paul Poag Theatre for the Performing Arts, 746 S. Main St. Tickets for “The Nutcracker” are $5 and are available at the Del Rio Council for the Arts Firehouse Gallery, 120 E. Garfield Ave., or may be purchased at the door.

This will be the eighth year that Del Rio’s “Nutcracker” is directed by Annie Marshall, who owns Miss Annie’s

Grace Rodriguez, 14, shows off her costume as the Russian Queen.

Ana Sofia Tejeda, 14, is the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Hanna Rodriguez, 16, practices a move for her role as the Spanish Queen.

Genevieve Abrego, 15, strikes a pose as the Arabian Queen.

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Three graceful queens from “The Nutcracker” ballet: From left, Audrey Marshall, 15, as Dewdrop; Ana Sofia Tejeda, 14, as the Sugar Plum Fairy; and Kaylee Allen, 15, as the Snow Queen.

Straight up Dance studio in downtown Del Rio, where she is also a teacher.

Like many Del Rioans, Marshall arrived here via a roundabout route.

“I’m from a little town, Liberal, Kansas,” she said.

She came to Del Rio with her husband, who works for FedEx. “We were moving from Denver, and this looked like a great place, and we moved here. We have lived here 11 years now,” she said.

Marshall has been dancing since she was a toddler.

When she was two years old, she said her mother was in a belly-dance class and took Marshall along.

“They liked me; I was that crazy kid who couldn’t sit still, and I did okay at dance class. So I danced in Liberal until I graduated from high school, then I was on the

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GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

dance competitive team there. I think I got on it when I was in sixth grade,” she remembered.

“Just so you know, I didn’t make it one of those years, and my mom was not the one who said, ‘Oh, that means you’re not a good dancer,’ she said, ‘You should have done better,’ and I never, ever, not made it at an audition again,” she said.

Marshall said she loved dancing, and went to college with the idea of becoming a music teacher.

“But I ended up in the Air Force as a Chinese linguist two years later, so I didn’t really dance much then, and I was in the military for almost eight years,” she said.

Instead of dancing professionally, Marshall became a teacher.

“I was that kid in the class who did okay and really liked it, and I think I can teach really well because of

Genevieve Abrego, 15, strikes a pose as the Arabian Queen.

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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Three young ballerinas from a scene in the 2017 production of “The Nutcracker.”

that. I think sometimes when you’re the best at something, you’re not always that good of a teacher, and a lot of my students have surpassed the skills I had. I may not always tell them that, but I love it. I love seeing kids get that good,” she said.

When she landed in Del Rio, one of her daughters, Audrey, took dance classes with the woman who owned the studio before Marshall.

“She ended up changing and wanting to be a cheerleader, and she went to Velocity, and Judy Marino was trying teach a dance class. She is an amazing cheer and tumbling coach, but she didn’t know dance quite as well, and I’d been watching every class, trying to help Audrey at home, because she was on the dance team at Velocity, and I finally spoke up and said, ‘Can I show you how that’s done?’ And she looked at me and said, ‘Do you just want to teach this class?’ So five minutes later, I was teaching a dance class, and I loved it. It worked out really well,” Marshall said.

That was eight years ago. Then the Del Rio Council for the Arts was looking for a dance teacher, and Marshall said Marino pushed her almost daily to apply for the position.

“I really didn’t know if I would be able to do it, but I love doing it, and I think I’m pretty good at it,” she said. “I have also gotten to work with some amazing teachers here. We luck into some amazing people coming through Del Rio, through the Air Force

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and different things, and I’ve learned from them as well. I try to learn everything I can from the people passing through, and I try to make sure my girls here get exposed to as many good teachers as possible.”

Among the teachers who helped her this year, Marshall said, are Jessie Liu, Katie Fulton and her daughter, Audrey Marshall.

Marshall said she also had several guest choreographers helping out with some of the numbers in the performances. They are Alissa Hobby, David Scheller and Benjamin Pool.

There are more than 80 Del Rioans, most of them children and teenagers, but also several adults, in this year’s cast of “The Nutcracker.”

“The Upstagers are also helping me out this year. I worked with them this summer on ‘Annie,’ and got to know them, so Scott Oshe and Colin Montgomery are going to be building me some set props that are going to be very exciting,” Marshall said.

After so many years, practices and performances, how does Marshall keep the magic alive?

“We’re very, very excited that it’s been 10 years, and that it has grown so much. It’s amazing,” Marshall said.

“I tend to get help from as many people as I can. I have a lot of girls now who are getting older as students, who are able to choreograph, and I’m really trying to encourage them to come up with the creative vibes, and that’s been helpful, but I also actively

Members of the cast from the 2017 production of “The Nutcracker.”

try to do something different every year, so this year, our big scene that we’re trying to do a little differently is the fight scene.

“We have a ton of mice and soldiers this year, but . . . This year we have little cute mice, and we have big, burly, scary mice. We have the whole gamut of mice, and the Mouse King is actually a girl, who can tumble, because years ago we had a boy named Taylor who was the Nutcracker, and he could tumble and fight, and that brought so much to the fight scene.

“This year, the Nutcracker is a boy named Ben Pool, who is a tae-kwan-do black belt, and so he is our Nutcracker and also very skilled at playacting,” Marshall said.

“So because our Mouse King is a tumbler also, we’re playing on that fighting and tumbling experience to make the scene a lot more physical, and we have these teenage guys fighting each other in it throughout,” she said.

“We’re hoping we’re going to get that excitement on the stage, but we’re still in the middle of that creative process, so we’ll see how it all works out,” Marshall said.

Auditions for every year’s performance of “The Nutcracker” begin in August, with classes and rehearsals starting in September.

“Choreography I really start in October. We’re really working on skills up to that point,” Marshall said.

Why should Del Rioans go see “The Nutcracker?”

“I think we put on a really good show. I think Del Rio in general

puts on really good shows. We have a lot of talent here. Going to San Antonio to see things is wonderful, and it’s awesome to see that, but don’t discount your own talent next door. The other thing is the people who put the show on here – and this isn’t our job, this is what we love to do – there’s a lot of passion, emotion and love for what they’re doing on the stage.

“Besides, you’ve got 80 people up there, and you’re going to be supporting 80 people who have been working very hard for a very long time, and it’s a great show. You have funny parts, you have heartfelt parts. You have really amazing dancers, and for all I know, you’re going to be able to one day say, ‘Oh, I saw her when she danced in ‘The Nutcracker’ in Del Rio, Texas,’ and now she’s famous. There is some real, real talent here. We have some girls that I watch and I think, ‘They really could make it someday.’ I just think it’s a fun tradition. You can’t beat the price.

“You get the whole story of the Nutcracker, and I think it’s very exciting. We come up with different choreography every year.

If you go to the professional ballet, they’re going to do the real choreography. Which is beautiful, but we get creative and we have fun up there. We try to make it something new,” Marshall said.

“I think it’s a magical show, and I think everybody will enjoy watching it. We do try to have something for everybody. We are going to have a cannon this year. A cannon,” she said. •

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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The greatest gifts are the people who bring warmth to our hearts and smiles to our faces. Thank you for brightening our days with your visits. We hope the holiday season and the coming year deliver all of the wonderful things you deserve and more.

Best wishes from our home to yours!

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Spiced

Cider Recipe and photo by MEGAN TACKETT

H

ot mulled cider is the perfect way to please your holiday guests while filling your home with inviting, festive fragrance. This traditional recipe is easily made in a slow cooker, keeping the cider warm and ready-to-serve for hours. Add a splash of spirits before serving and imbibe in the holidays.

Ingredients • 1 gallon fresh apple cider • 1 large orange • Fresh ginger • Cinnamon sticks • Whole cloves • Nutmeg

Method • Pour cider into slow cooker or large stovetop pot • Heat slow cooker or stovetop on low • Cut oranges into quarter-inch thick rounds. Cut ginger about four times length-wise. Add both to pot.

• Add cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg to pot.

• Let cook for about four hours.

• Use a mesh strainer to filter cider if you wish.

• For grown-ups, add rum, whisky or vodka.

Serve in a mug and enjoy!

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Wear your love for Del Rio on your back.

Find these colorful tees at Del Rio Feed and Supply.

The creators behind this tea towel digitally placed string lights on a cactus, so you don’t have to risk the pokes! Pick it up at Russell’s True Value.

Holiday

Gift Guide

Del Rio’s Creative Pallet Designs by Kidd creates unique home decor from repurposed wood. Find this wall-hanging and several other creations on Kidd’s Facebook page.

Give the gift of Del Rio this year by shopping local and supporting Queen City sellers. Find some of our favorites here, in our annual gift guide.

Desert Home Studio’s macrame creations and leather goods are locally-crafted, aesthetically pleasing and totally instagram worthy.

Find wall-hangings, earrings, keychains, tree ornaments and more at Deserthomestudio.com

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Treat your senses to indulgent products from the Skin and Body Apothecary. Try their pillow mist to help peacefully drift off into a good night’s sleep. Find their storefront at 1001 S. Main St.

Ever So Sweet Crafts and Designs creates personalized printables custom to order. Buy this Del Rio mug for an easy, thoughtful gift or order customized signage for a special occasion. Find Ever So Sweet on Facebook.

This gift will help you and your Del Rio native loved ones always remember home.

Find this pouch inside Russell’s True Value.

Let’s face it, alcohol is usually a happilyaccepted gift. This year, try giving Sotol, a truly Texas tequila-esque spirit.

Grab this bottle at Lechuguilla Liquors.

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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Holiday Tablescape A Del Rio event planner offers how-tos for holiday hosting Story and photos by MEGAN TACKETT

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F

amilies gather around the dinner table throughout the holidays to celebrate the season with loved ones and enjoy a gorgeous meal together. A memorable tablescape helps enhance these moments and adds an element of luxury.

Anita Pruneda, of Anita Pruneda Events, considers her customer’s vision and assembles a rich table landscape to complement the desired atmosphere. She worked in Austin for 10 years as a professional event planner, designing countless parties from corporate events to small-scale get-togethers.

She returned home in November 2017 and has helped aesthetically improve parties in Del Rio ever since, with the help of his sister, Selina Andrade Jaramillo. While she still has a business to run, she doesn’t mind providing a few tablescaping tips, free of charge.

To start off, Pruneda recommends inventorying your cabinets and closets and noting anything that could help build a tablescape: china, wine glasses, silverware, centerpieces, candlesticks, candle holders, cloth napkins, placemats, plates and any other decorative items you feel would add a nice touch.

“Start with the things you have at home that feel festive and then put that all together,” Pruneda said. “Think about a color palette and think how you can bring that design together.”

Pruneda incorporates an antique set of gold flatware and tinted water goblets from her family’s decorating stash. She also adds wine glasses and metallic candlesticks as ornamental accents to fill her canvas.

Consider investing in certain items if you plan to host more parties in the future, Pruneda said. Charger plates and mercury glass candleholders are relatively inexpensive items that you’ll use time after time and easily help fill a table, she said.

Next, decide on textiles and color schemes. Pruneda recommends using a solid-colored tablecloth and saving busy, festive prints for napkins. For

Anita Pruneda uses candlesticks, custom floral arrangements and gold details to incorporate texture, ambience and holiday shimmer to her tablescapes.

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her family’s holiday table, Pruneda uses a deep green velvet tablecloth and black and white checkered cloth napkins for texture.

“We’re not super formal or hoity-toity,” Pruneda said. “We like a relaxed feel. That’s where the textures and the checkered napkins came in.”

Using florals as a centerpiece will add volume, and sometimes a subtle pleasant scent, to the table while giving your guests something pretty to look at, Pruneda said. Recently, Pruneda and her sister began the venture of making their own floral arrangements, using flowers from a supplier in Houston.

“With the floral, we want to keep it clean but keep an interesting texture,” Pruneda said.

Pruneda also encourages novice decorators to include a small creative element as a final touch. Pruneda lays little bundles of cinnamon on her napkins to faintly emit fall’s favorite scent.

“Smell adds to ambience,” Pruneda said. “When you’re at an event, you remember the conversations and the memories, and smell has a lot to do with that.”

After the table is assembled, all you’ll need are your closest family members, friends and perhaps, a bottle of wine to share a toast. •

TABLESCAPING TIPS • Choose a solid tablecloth and festive napkins.

• Polishing silverware, plates and glasses will make the table sparkle.

• Candles add simple and easy ambience.

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• Incorporate colors from the table into the flower arrangement.

• Use cinnamon stick bundles or rosemary sprigs on the napkins as a final touch.

Pruneda (left) and her sister, Selina Andrade Jaramillo, consider their customer’s vision and assembles a rich table landscape to complement the desired atmosphere.

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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Holiday Haute Wardrobe from Miles Away From No Where Photography by Haus of Londyn Location provided by Villa Bonita Styling and directing by Megan Tackett

Paola stuns in an offthe-shoulder black ruffle bodysuit with burgundy maxi pants.

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Andrea sits in a pale pink dress with a black faux fur vest.

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Mercedez enjoy a glass of cabernet while wearing a black, velvet short-sleeved dress.

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Paola shines is a shimmery black ruffle top and basic black pants.

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Andrea sparkles in a black and gold sequin dress.

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Mercedez twirls in a belted burgundy fauxvelvet jumpsuit.

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Oh, Christmas Tree Professional decorator decks her halls with decked-out trees.

Story and photos by MEGAN TACKETT

Sugar and Spice owner Ana Suday decks her home out each December with several voluminous trees.

T

he Christmas tree becomes the home’s centerpiece during the holiday season. One Christmasadoring woman takes it upon to herself make sure that centerpiece wows its audience every single year.

Sugar and Spice owner Ana Suday decks her home out each December with several voluminous trees and also constructs themed trees for customers who would rather dodge the annual chore.

“You’d be surprised how many people don’t want to go through the hassle of setting up a tree and especially taking down the tree,” Suday said. “Nobody likes to do that.”

Suday sets up multiple trees every year in her home, starting in late October before her orders start flooding in.

“I try to start before everybody else’s,” Suday said with a laugh. “By the time I’m done with everybody else’s, I don’t want to do mine.”

Suday designs her trees around the themes like rustic, formal gold, Santa Claus, “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer,” snowflakes, unicorns for her daughter and Green Bay Packers for her son. The smallest tree stands at about 7.5 feet while the larger one towers at 12 feet tall and 6 feet wide.

Customers who commission Suday’s services can pick from about 20 themes, including elves, snowmen, princesses or a single color, turquoise standing out as the most popular choice, she said.

After an order is placed, Suday brings the tree and decorations to her customer’s location. She starts at the top of the tree, creating a large bow made from ribbon.

She then works the ribbon down the tree, creating waves of texture and volume.

Suday then incorporates the themedornaments, including large decorative balls, over-sized poinsettias, snowflakes, icicles, woodland critters, plaid burlap, stuffed santas, sequined candy canes and elves feet that stick out from the branches.

About 90 minutes later, a decked-out Christmas tree is assembled, sans discarded pine needles all over the floor.

Although Suday profits from the holiday season, she’s a far cry from a grinch. Suday cherishes the time spent with her loved ones, and recognizes the holiday’s purpose.

“I like the family coming together and, of course, we can’t forget what we’re celebrating, the birth of Jesus.”

Next to Christmas trees, Suday’s favorite holiday decorations are nativity scenes, she said. Her living room features various holy family sets ranging in size and style.

When the holidays pass, Suday continues to decorate for weddings, Quinceañeras, themed-parties and other special events that require the professional touch of an off-season Christmas tree designer. •

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Wreath on Earth Southern Passion Wreaths owner crafts door ornaments for every season Story and photos by MEGAN TACKETT

Although wreaths are typically considered holiday decor, Nuño also creates wreaths for a variety of occasions and seasons.

A

festive wreath signals the commencement of seasonal celebrations and will warmly welcome guests before the host even opens the door.

Johanna Nuño, creator of Southern Passion Wreaths, handcrafts the festive door decorations commonly associated with the holiday season. Nuño’s designs, however, forgo the traditional pine branches and instead incorporate vibrantly-colored mesh, ribbons and unexpected embellishments.

Since Nuño uses deco mesh as the foundation for her wreaths

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rather than live branches that will eventually dry out, Nuño’s final product can last for many seasons to come.

The Del Rio native began creating wreaths about five years ago amid a challenging time in her life, she said. Crafting gave her a cathartic outlet and distracted her from life’s obstacles.

“I asked God, ‘What’s my purpose? What do I need to do?” Nuño said. “And He gave me the vision to do this, and He made me feel confident.”

To start, Nuño said she weaves the deco mesh through a circular

Johanna NuĂąo, creator of Southern Passion Wreaths, hand-crafts the festive door decorations commonly associated with the holiday season.

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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wire frame, gently tugging on the mesh to create a desired volume. She then chooses a feature piece, sometimes festive signs that convey cheerful phrases like, “Don’t wake the bear” and “‘Tis the season to be jolly.”

“I work the mesh on the frame and use pipe cleaners to tie them down,” Nuño said. “I just visualize it. If I feel like it needs a big bow, I’ll use that. To me, it’s pretty simple.”

From there, Nuño decks her wreaths with holly- or pine cones, faux poinsettias, burlap and well-known stuffed characters, like the Grinch, Charlie Brown and Betty Boop.

“If I see something that will look cute on a wreath, I’ll buy it,” Nuño said.

While her smaller wreaths take only 20 minutes to create, Nuño said her larger ones can take up to three hours, of course, if any of her children don’t distract her.

Although wreaths are typically considered holiday decor, Nuño also creates wreaths for a variety of occasions and seasons. Her home is filled with wreaths for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Dia de los Muertos and Fiesta.

Much of her inspiration, Nuño said, comes from her grandmother, who would make candle wax flowers and wreaths for cemeteries, and her mother, who would refurbish and resell items to make extra cash.

“My mom, I think she’s the one I get it from,” Nuño said. “Just watching her I learned.”

Nuño started crafting from a young age, creating Halloween costumes for her nieces and learning to sew along the way.

If her operation continues to grow, Nuño said, she might consider opening her own storefront and add other homemade décor to her inventory.

“Mentally I feel like I can do anything,” Nuño said. “Anything I set my mind to. I just have that mentality.”

Nuño sells her wreaths, which she creates in her home, through Etsy, an e-commerce website focused on handmade items, and at local markets.

Since establishing her online shop, she’s shipped wreaths as far as New York, California and Hawaii. •

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The Del Rio native began creating wreaths about five years ago amid a challenging time in her life.

NuĂąo weaves the deco mesh through a circular wire frame, gently tugging on the mesh to create a desired volume.

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49

Homes

for the Holidays Del Rioans open their houses for annual tour Story and photos by KAREN GLEASON

A rustic holiday table complements a bright Christmas tree and original art in the home of Laura and Joel Langton, which will be on the Holiday Home Tour again this year.

I

f you’ve ever had the urge to peek inside someone else’s house and see how they decorate for the holidays, the Pan American Round Table of Del Rio’s annual Holiday Home Tour offers the chance to do just that.

“This year we have three homes on the tour,” said Harvest King, Pan American Round Table member and event chair.

This year’s featured homes are 312 Quail Creek Drive, owned by Alma and Steve Nuñez; 108 N. Frank St., owned

by Maribel and Alonzo Barrera; and 108 Central St., owned

by Laura and Joel Langton.

“I think this is a big deal for a lot of reasons. I think it’s nice to get to go around and look in other people’s homes, especially when they’re decorated for Christmas, and so there are a lot of good ideas that can be gathered. It’s at the beginning of December, right after Thanksgiving, so it’s also a good way to get into the holiday spirit,” King said.

This year’s tour is Sunday. Dec. 2.

The tour begins at 2 p.m. and ends at 4 p.m. on Dec. 2.

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King said the process for selecting homes for the holiday home tour begins in the summer.

“Come August, we are already looking for homes to be on the tour. Really, we start the year before, as we are always asking people if they’d like to be involved. We have people who go on the tour who tell us they’d like to participate the next year, and we take their names and information and we call them.

“A lot of them will say, ‘Who am I to put my home on a tour?’ But we remind people that the goal of this is to see how other people celebrate the holidays in their homes. Sometimes we have different types or themes of decorations. We’ve had houses decorated for Hanukkah (the Jewish festival of lights that also occurs in December).

I think it’s for everybody. So then we start calling and picking homes. We have some people who volunteer, who ask us to put their homes on the tour,” King said.

Following the tour, Del Rioans are also invited to the Pan American Round Table Christmas Cookie reception,

More accents from the 108 Central St. home of Laura and Joel Langton

which this year will be held in the newly-renovated Texas Community Bank Community Center, 401 Pecan St. The Holiday Home Tour serves an important function for the Pan American Round Table here.

“It raises money for scholarships, and it’s the biggest fundraiser for that effort. The scholarships go to women who are heads of households who are continuing their educations, so a lot of these women are already working in our community. Some of them are teachers, some of them

are nurses, some of them are regular part-time or full-time workers who are striving to continue their educations, and these scholarships help them to be able to do that,” King said.

Tickets for the Holiday Home Tour are $12.

Tickets are available at Fragola’s Catering & Kitchen, Rio Grande Mini Storage, Kelly’s Hairstyling and at the door of any of the homes on the tour.

Tickets are also available from any member of the Pan American Round Table. •

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Plan your New Years with us!

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Book your holiday party with us!

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Join us for our Christmas Buffet 11:30 am-9:30 pm or order your Christmas packages to go.

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Call 830-775-1511 to reserve your table or order your Christmas to go packages, TODAY!

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GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

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For unto Y ‘al l

City plans annual holiday parade, tree-lighting ceremony Story and photos by KAREN GLEASON

Alejandro and Aleksa Zepeda and Andrea Sanchez wish everyone a “Merry Christmas y Feliz Navidad” from the Brown Plaza Association’s float in the city’s 2017 Christmas parade.

A

s darkness falls on Del Rio on Friday, Dec. 7, the night will come alive with the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Christmas on the border.

The city’s annual parade kicks off the event at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7.

The theme of this year’s parade, selected by Mayor Bruno “Ralphy” Lozano, is “For Unto Y’All Cowboy Christmas Parade.”

The parade, which in years past has featured entries from city departments, floats from local businesses and civic organizations, as well as choirs and bands from local schools, will begin at Ogden and South Main streets at 6 p.m. and finish at South Main and Nicholson streets.

An hour-and-a-half has been allotted for the completion of the parade, with the remainder of the night’s festivities scheduled to take place in Greenwood Park, located between Griner, Garfield and Greenwood streets in south Del Rio. Lozano will give the welcoming address about 7:30 p.m. and begin the countdown to the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree, 54

GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

which is scheduled for 7:45 p.m.

Santa Claus will be on hand to give out candy and take photos from 7:40 p.m. to 9:40 p.m.

A number of local music groups are scheduled to perform holiday music during the event, including the following: • 7:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Bibleway Academy Choir • 8 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. – St. James Episcopal School Choir • 8:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – Sacred Heart Academy Choir • 8:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. – SFDRCISD All-District Elementary School Choir • 8:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. – Heritage Academy Choir • 9 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. – SFDRCISD Show Choir • 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Mariachi Rayos del Sol • 10 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. – Del Rio High School Band Assistant City Manager Esme Meza said there will be food and craft vendors will be sited along the edges of the park from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.•

The Del Rio Police Department won first place in the city’s 2017 Christmas parade with its float interpreting “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Matachines dance in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe during the city’s 2017 Christmas parade.

Del Rio Police Department staffer Rebecca Monk sits in Snoopy’s dog house and holds her son, John Monk III, dressed up as Snoopy’s faithful sidekick, Woodstock.

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Del Rio Middle School Dance and Cheer Team members who marched in the 2017 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Mary and Joseph from the St. Joseph Catholic Church’s entry in the 2017 city Christmas parade.

Firefighter Ryan Root chauffeurs DRFD mascot Sparky and the Hamburglar.

One of Santa’s cutest elves plays the maracas.

An angel from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.

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Girls Scouts from the Southwest Texas Del Rio Service Unit march in the 2017 Christmas parade.

Border Federal Credit Union’s mascot, Border Buck, was joined by BFCU staffers wishing all a happy holiday season.

We’d love to see you in Grande!

OCT 2018

NOVEMBER 2018

SEPTEMBER 2018

GUITAR MAGIC

Radney Foster carries Del Rio in his heart

Carpet Grass, Landscape & Sprinkler Systems

MARCHING PROUD The Mighty Ram Band takes its music seriously

EXOTIC EATS Wild Game Dinner offers guns and grub

GIRLS WITH GUNS Cabello sisters hit the mark

NOVEMBER 2018 $3.99

HISTORIC HAUNTINGS

PASSING IT ON

Ghost tour thrills Fort Clark Springs visitors

Hunters work with youth to keep traditions alive

The Hunting Issue GRANDE / NOVEMBER 2018

1

HALLOWEEN READY Homeowners create spooky scare-scapes

OCTOBER 2018

$3.99

EL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

Mexican holiday honors the beloved dead

Celebrating Autumn GRANDE / OCTOBER 2018

1

SEPTEMBER 2018 $3.99

Professional Landscape & Irrigation Contractor

LOCAL SOUND Del Rio bands nurture musical renaissance

GRANDE / SEPTEMBER 2018

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WE ARE LOOKING FOR MEN AND WOMEN TO MODEL IN FUTURE ISSUES OF THE MAGAZINE.

Helping Del Rio Grow!

If you are interested, send photos and contact information to Sandra Castillo at the following email: sandra.castillo@delrionewsherald.com or call 830-775-1551.

For story and photo ideas, email Karen Gleason at the following: karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com

3709 Veterans Blvd • Del Rio, Tx 830-774-7030 GRANDE / DECEMBER 2018

57

Last Look Season’s greetings readers!

A couple years back, Chris and I hosted a Christmas get together in our cozy Seattle apartment. When one of my snarky bartender friends arrived, she briefly looked around our living room, embellished with holiday-themed porcelain Lucy Bears, a miniature Charlie Brown Christmas tree (you know the one) and stockings hung by the chimney with care. She furrowed her eyebrows and said: “You own all of this stuff?”

You could say, I appreciate holiday decorating. I was thrilled to find four women who create detailed holiday tablescapes, extravagant Christmas trees and beautiful wreaths. They all taught me a thing or two about holiday design.

I must also say how much I admire Del Rio’s adoration for the Christmas season. I thought this community took Halloween decorating seriously, but as I write this, Thanksgiving hasn’t even arrived yet and the holiday spirit around town is in full swing.

I don’t mean to sound like that person who complains about Christmas coming earlier and earlier each year. It’s a very tired grievance. I, for one, can’t get enough.

I hope this edition put you in the Yuletide mood. If you need a push getting there, I suggest reaching out to your favorite local nonprofit and helping out in any way possible. The spirit of giving is contagious. Make sure you catch it.

Sincerely, Megan Tackett Creative Director

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• • • •

Creative Director Megan Tackett fusses with Paola’s top during the fashion shoot.

One of Anita Pruneda’s cats found his lens during the tablescape photo shoot.

Mercedez balances on a curb while rocking a Santa hat during the fashion shoot.

Editor Karen Gleason and Production Manager Roland Cardenas push in some lastminute edits before Karen heads to Dallas for the birth of her grandson.

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