Newport Beach Lifestyle December 2014

Newport Beach december 2014

NewportBeachLifestylePubs.com

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beyond the

Exploring the history of Christmas and Hanukkah

Deck the Halls with Ugly Sweaters Host an ugly holiday sweater party Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan The Truth about Estate Planning The Art of Lifelong Learning Mariachi Nationals provides at-risk youth with a solid foundation

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Editor's Letter

The Best Gifts O

ne of my favorite Christmas memories took place in 2008.

That’s when my eldest son, Ryan, was in love with Christmas and my younger son, Alex, started to figure out “Christmas magic.” Alex believed Santa delivered his presents and elves filled his stocking with treats and toys.

december 2014 publisher

Randy Harding | RHarding@LifestylePubs.com 714.600.4759

editor

Lysa Christopher | LChristopher@LifestylePubs.com

My sons reminded me of my own childhood, when I hardly slept on Christmas Eve, waking up at all hours of the night to ask the most important question of the year, “Is it Christmas yet?” This was, of course, well before I could tell time.

Heidi Darby, Rich Manning, Anne Potter Russ, Alexander L. Ryan

I distinctly remember one Christmas, specifically when my parents gave up trying to sleep around 5 a.m., and we opened all our presents while it was still dark outside. I had no idea that my dad had been up half the night putting together a Barbie modeling stage that proved to be a challenge for even him, a multi-degreed engineer, while my mom stood by his side wrapping gifts with beautiful paper and bows.

Roger Bloom, Ken Finocchio

My sons still carry on that family tradition. They wake up really early on Christmas morning and ask “Did Santa come? Is it Christmas yet?” Only now, they have to wait for their grandparents to arrive before they open their gifts (which is excruciating for them).

Interestingly, although they’re 14 and 11, the issue of believing or not has never come up in our home. I tell them “Santa lives in your heart. He is Christmas magic, and that feeling will always stay alive if you believe.” They usually roll their eyes and give me a knowing grin, then walk away. I suspect once they have their own families, they’ll understand the real meaning of Christmas a lot better. No matter what holiday or religion your family observes, be it Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas, each holds a rich family tradition and a special meaning. That’s the real magic. Holidays are one of the few times during the year when we slow down and take pause. We celebrate family, friends and being kind to one another. “Peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

This year, I'm going to do my best to experience Christmas the way I did when I was a kid. I’m determined, no matter how busy, to enjoy not only the actual day but all the days leading up to it as well.

contributing writers

contributing photographers Deirdre Palladino account managers

copy editor Mary Nesfield

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corporate team chief executive officer | Steven Schowengerdt chief sales officer | Matthew Perry chief financial officer | DeLand Shore production director | Christina Sandberg director of marketing | Brad Broockerd art director | Sara Minor ad coordinators | Cyndi Vreeland, Samantha Engel layout designer | Liesl Poet copy editor | Kendra Mathewson executive assistant | Lori Cunningham application architect | Michael O’Connell

I will savor the joy on my kids’ faces, relish the time I have with my parents (who are now in their 80s) and remember that I have the ability to make this wonderful feeling last well into 2015. That’s the best gift of all.

it director | Randy Aufderheide

Lysa Christopher , Editor LChristopher@LifestylePubs.com

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Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

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P.O. Box 12608 Overland Park, KS 66282-3214 Proverbs 3:5-6 Newport Beach Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Kingdom Holdings LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of Newport Beach’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Kingdom Holdings’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Kingdom Holdings does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Newport Beach Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

is pleased to invite you to its

One Year Anniversary Celebration Featuring tony duquette/Hutton Wilkinson magnificent jeWelry

friday, december 5, 2014, 6pm - 9pm 1 troon drive, newport beach, ca 92660 | black tie event

live jazz featuring dean grech and saxophonist greg vail san lorenzo italian fine Wines • hors d’oeuvres Tony Duquette is one of the most emblematic jewelry creators and Hollywood design legends in history. He is the first and only American to be honored with a one-man show at the Louvre in Paris. He worked with business partner and design collaborator Wilkinson for more than 30 years prior to his death in 1999. The Duchess of Windsor, Doris Duke, Buddy Rogers, J. Paul Getty and Elizabeth Arden were among their many Hutton Wilkinson

famous clients. Their bold and theatrical jewelry designs draw inspiration from their notable work as costume and set designers during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Wilkinson continues to create pieces for the “Tony Duquette Collection” using their favorite materials such as malachite, pearls, emerald and coral.

general admission tickets are $60. couples tickets are also available for $100 per pair. purchase your tickets at: www.eventbrite.com/e/newport-beach-lifestyle-magazineone-year-anniversary-celebration-tickets-13210993437

Tony Duquette Hutton Wilkinson

Dr. Peter T. Smrecek, DDS

December 2014

24

Departments 8

Good Times

10

Around Town

12

Giving Back

14

Locals Only

16

Hot Spot

24

What's Cooking?

28

Style Wise

30 Lifestyle Calendar 34

Parting Thoughts

14 Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan

Local attorney-author shares the simple truth about

estate planning in new book.

20 Beyond the Holiday

Explore the history of Christmas and Hanukkah.

12

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Good Times

Sandcastle Contest

Sun and Fun were on the agenda for the 53rd Annual Sandcastle Contest presented by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. The event attracts thousands of spectators and contest participants ranging from seasoned professionals to first–timers.

8

Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

Around Town 2. Do you remember Lion Country Safari? One of their most famous residence escaped. What was the animal and what was its name? Answer: Bubbles the hippo 3. This early television sitcom family, called Emerald Bay home for many years.

Still seen on reruns, what was their show called? Answer: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (The Nelsons).

4. This famous actor lived on Balboa Island. When walking by his home, you could take a peek inside the windows and see his portrait. You don't need to be from the backwoods to solve this mystery. What is the name of the actor? Answer: Buddy Ebsen

NEWPORT BEACH BOAT PARADE Come celebrate the 106th Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, the nation’s longest running lighted holiday boat parade, for five jam-packed nights: December 17-21, 2014.

Beautiful yachts, kayaks, canoes and other small boats will light up the harbor as a dazzling array of holiday lights and music fill the air. Many of the boats will be decorated with animated Christmas scenes accompanied by music and costumed carolers. The Christmas floats will wind their way some 14 miles around the harbor to give viewers in restaurants, yacht clubs, on public beaches, and in private homes an incredible sight that has delighted millions of people.

On opening night, comedic actress Leslie Mann and singer/actor Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray will reign as the first-ever Grand Marshals for the parade—both grew up in Newport Beach.

The Christmas Boat Parade has been hailed as “one of the top ten holiday happenings in the nation” by the New York Times. The parade continues to be a premier Southern California event bringing joy and happiness to all who view it.

THEY’RE BACK …

M&M’S® Brand has a message to all the diehard fans of M&M’S® Crispy Milk Chocolate Candies: They’re finally back … because of you.

After a decade of phone calls, petitions, Facebook posts and countless other pleas, 10

Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

Mars Chocolate North America recently announced M&M’S® Crispy will return to stores nationwide in January 2015 following a 10-year hiatus.

This crispy, crunchy and delicious treat is slightly larger than the original milk chocolate variety, and will be featured in a new, eye-catching, bright green bag.

The launch of M&M’S® Crispy is the biggest M&M’S® Brand launch since the introduction of M&M’S® Pretzel Chocolate Candies in 2010.

M&M’S® Crispy will be available in early 2015 at retailers nationwide.

FAMED WATERCOLORIST COMES HOME TO NEWPORT BEACH Rex Brandt, who lived and worked in Corona del Mar for most of his life, created hundreds of paintings of Southern California coastal scenes, many of them set in Newport Beach, Corona del Mar and Balboa Bay. The Newport Beach City Arts Commission recently honored the life and art of this California scene painter—his residence and studio, “Blue Sky” in Corona del Mar, was designated as a “Historic Point of Interest.”

TRIVIA WINNER

OCTA GOES VIRAL

Congratulations Brian Dimick, the winner of our trivia contest. Brian was the first person to submit his answers correctly and nail our trivia contest! Brian won a one year subscription to Newport Beach Lifestyle magazine.

Who knew the Orange County Transportation Authority could be so funny?

Their video Bike Smart, Bike Safe- 3 Feet for Safety Act was recently posted on YouTube. The video educates motorists about a new law that requires them to maintain a 3-foot buffer space when passing cyclists.

The video is doing so well, it has gone viral. It received more than 71,000 views. On the company’s Facebook page, it received more than 325,000 views.

ANSWERS:

1. Everyone knows Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm. Can you name the now defunct amusement park that operated in Buena Park from 1967-1975? Answer: Japanese Deer Park

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Giving Back

The Art of Lifelong Learning Jose and Teresa Hernandez provide at-risk youth with a solid foundation

J

ose and Teresa Hernandez are a Newport Beach couple with passion. Local business owners, and parents of four beautiful children, they’ve conquered their greatest challenge to date—Mariachi Nationals and Summer Institute in Orange County. At its core, the institute offers low-income children the opportunity to study with some of the best Mariachi performers and educators in the country. The lessons they learn at the institute will stay with them for a lifetime.

Jose, a fifth-generation Mariachi musician, first developed his passion for music as a small child. His family established their musical legacy in 1879. Indisputably, mariachi was in his blood. His love for music ultimately ignited his desire to pass on his knowledge and keep the mariachi tradition alive.

In 1991, the couple created the Mariachi Nationals Institute under the umbrella of the Mariachi Heritage Society. Their goal at the time was to educate and build an identity in children of Mexican heritage. Ultimately, they wanted these kids to develop a deep love and understanding of their culture as well as the music.

The summer institute is a camp—an intense five-day workshop filled with music classes and competition. The children get to perform around Orange County, and for many of them, it’s a oncein-a-lifetime experience. Indisputably, one of the best aspects of the camp is that it’s open to any music student—from beginning to advanced. The only caveat is the child must have taken either trumpet, violin, guitar, vihuela, guitarron (bass guitar) or voice lessons in school or on their own.

In the past three years, the institute has proudly taught more than 700 children. They leave the camp with a unique and in-depth view of mariachi music in its most traditional 12

Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

form. However, the skills they learn will serve them well beyond one summer.

“They will carry the lessons they learn in whatever avenue they pursue in their lives. Many of them even go on to play professionally or teach music,” Hernandez says proudly.

During the summer months, the children perform at the institute. They also host community performances at the Balboa Pier and Robert B. Moore Theater at Orange Coast College.

The culmination of their hard work actually takes place on the closing day of the OC Fair. That’s when the institute takes center stage at The Hangar to perform in front of thousands of enthusiastic onlookers.

When Teresa is not helping at the institute, she sits on the board of the Orange County Lincoln Club and acts as a chairperson for the Latino Outreach & Engagement Committee. She has also been instrumental in developing the Lincoln Club’s immigration policy and encourages conservative Latinos to run for office.

Jose continues to record music and perform around the world with Mariachi Sol de Mexico, the platinum-selling band he founded in 1981. They are the first-ever, two-time Grammy-nominated mariachi ensemble.

The couple’s passion for education is evident. Currently, Jose’s mariachi program is being emulated all over the country. “Music instruction provides youth with a strong sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. Now our goal is to establish mariachi and jazz programs in colleges all over the country.”

Mariachi Nationals and Summer Institute

MariachiNationals.com | 626.279.1700

Locals Only

Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan Attorney-Author Laura Meyer sets the estate planning record straight Article Heidi Darby

F

riday nights are pleasantly chaotic for Newport Beach local, Laura Meier. She loads her children into the car and rushes over to her eldest son’s football game, where her husband paces the sidelines as an assistant coach for the team.

During the game she often chases the youngest of her brood, who is prone to darting onto the field in an effort to join his big brother’s team. In between corralling her kids and cheering on her son, she’ll take a moment and catch up with the other parents on the sidelines. While this may sound like typical behavior for a mother of four, for Meier, it’s a lifestyle that helped shape her career path. Her family not only led her into estate planning, they served as the inspiration for her book, Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan.

Estate planning is generally viewed as a course of action reserved for the aging elite, but Meier asserts that it’s a necessity for anyone with loved ones. The Brigham Young Law School graduate operates Meier Law Firm alongside her husband and fellow attorney, Josh, and recently published a book coaching on financial and legal preparedness for families with young children. Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan is Meier’s guide for parents. It helps them understand wills, trusts and estate planning, should the worst occur. The book echoes her work at the firm, by providing families with the knowledge to protect their children from 14

Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

temporary foster care, courtrooms, loss of inheritance, and other stressful situations that may arise when parents pass away.

While her area of expertise is somber, Meier believes it’s also an avenue for comfort and relief. After graduating from law school, she immediately joined a successful firm, but found herself searching for a ways to connect with her clients on a more personal level.

Her desire resulted in the opening of an estate-planning law firm geared towards families with young children.

“I wanted to do more than hand people a document and send them on their way,” Meier shares. “I wanted to work with families, but instead of helping them get divorced, I wanted to help them stay together and shape their future. Surprisingly, estate planning was perfect for that.”

Her children played a crucial role in her journey into estate planning—they were the original catalysts for her interest in the field. When she opened her law firm in 2010, she wanted to extend her knowledge to other families. And while Meier took great pride in assisting her clients, she wanted an opportunity to aid parents on a broader platform. After encouragement from a colleague, she buckled down and began writing Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan. The writing process occurred between long hours at the office, little league, teething, and first steps—all of which were contributing factors to creating a book that she hopes is both relatable and to the point.

“The book is written in very simple, plain language. I didn’t want it to be full of legal terms. I’m a mom who’s busy, just like my clients, so I wrote something that I would want to read when I’m not at work. Something quick, with short chapters, that I could pick up and put down,” Meier says. “Planning for the future can be a tough subject to approach, but it’s important. I wanted the book to be like getting advice from a friend— honest and straightforward. You’re not doing anyone any favors by sugarcoating things.”

Being direct is an asset for Meier, and her readers will likely benefit from her candid advice. Her experience as an attorney and mother intertwined to create an informative, compelling book that sheds light on a tough subject. Her inaugural run in authorship has already garnered high praise from the creator of Yo Gabba Gabba, Christian Jacobs; President-Elect of California Academy of Family Physicians, Jay W. Lee; and Executive Director of Boys Town California, Lawren Ramos. Judging by the book’s current list of accolades, Meier’s advisory talents are only beginning to reach their potential.

“I’d like to think clients choose us because we’re parents first, lawyers second,” Meier says. “We send a weekly email to clients that always starts with what our families did that weekend.

We’re very open about our family life, and very open about the fact that we have struggles like everyone else. We make mistakes like all other parents, and have things we’re working on.

The book is geared toward making sure parents understand that we’re in this for everyone.”

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Hot Spot

A&O KITCHEN + BAR Newport’s newest gastropub to open along the water’s edge Article Rich Manning

B

oats and the Balboa Bay Resort are inextricably linked. That’s what happens when you have a property that overlooks Newport Harbor. So it’s not a big shock to see something cool going down on a seafaring vessel when you’re hanging out at the uber-renovated hotel. It happened to my wife and me while we were dining at A&O Kitchen + Bar (abbreviated from Anchors and Oceans). The sleekly appointed gastropub now stands where Duke’s Place, and a healthy swatch of the resort’s old lobby, once lived. We were right in the middle of noshing on our blue cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates when a large yacht filled with kilted Scots, and complete with a piper playing, floated by in front of us. The sequence is a little weird, but it was also a lot cool.

The scene got me thinking about the annual Newport Beach Boat Parade, specifically, about how it’s become somewhat of a tradition for me to catch the single-file fleet of ships as they sail by the BBR. I imagined what it could be like bundled up on A&O’s

16

Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

outdoor patio, or even sitting along the bar gazing at the water from the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows. The thought made me a touch giddy. I looked around the dining space of A&O and realized a synergy exists between the event and the eatery.

You see, the only difference between the Newport Beach Boat Parade and a rustic holiday parade down the main drag in Anytown, U.S.A., is that the boat parade is on the water. At its heart, the parade is about people taking pride in the celebration of their community. It’s not about making the scene; it’s about enjoying the neighborhood.

After several panoramic glances around A&O’s dining space, it became clear that it isn’t about making the scene here, either. The space is filled with casual-looking people of all age groups and genders watching football at the bar with a couple of craft cocktails, or splitting a bottle of white outside and enjoying sundown under heaters. My wife and I noticed how we could use our normal

speaking voices to converse and negotiate over which one of us would get the last delectable deep-fried cheeseball that adorned our nicely grilled romaine salad.

Best of all, there was no pretentiousness to be found—just normal folk having a really good time, just like at the boat parade when populated with great people displaying their community spirit.

And don’t let the waterfront fool you.

This is a gastropub. A legit one. The venue’s one-two punch of Executive Chef Vincent Lesage and Chef de Cuisine Rachel Haggstrom proved to be a lot of fun in the kitchen, and it showed in the menu.

Some of what you’ll find here is simple and yummy, with a touch of kicked-up whimsy. We’re talking chicken wings with yogurt dipping sauce, a kobe hot-dog flight, and a salted caramel-chocolate-and-pretzel dessert concoction called Twisted Sisters. Other items also wind up giving the crew a serious dose of gastropub street cred. The best example is the savory hamand-egg cake, a dish that tastes like 2 a.m. in the best way possible.

Because A&O is in a resort on Newport Harbor, I suspect some patrons of the regular scene may initially pooh-pooh the gastropub’s ability to create kicked-up bar food, sight unseen. Their loss. A&O understands the gastropub concept, and the people who will enjoy its food. I’m guessing they’ll be the same people who will enjoy watching the Newport Beach Boat Parade.

A&O KITCHEN + BAR

(Inside Balboa Bay Resort) 1221 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach 949.645.5000

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Beyond the Holiday Exploring the history of Christmas and Hanukkah Article Alexander L. Ryan

C

hristmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenodn. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion.

Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. December 25, Christmas Day, has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

fathers and sons would bring home large logs, which they would set on fire. The people would feast until the log burned out, which could take as many as 12 days. The Norse believed that each spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be born during the coming year.

The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year was finally fermented and ready for drinking.

An Ancient Holiday

Saturnalia

The middle of winter has long been a time of celebration around the world. Centuries before the arrival of the man called Jesus, early Europeans celebrated light and birth in the darkest days of winter.

Many people rejoiced during the winter solstice, when the worst of the winter was behind them and they could look forward to longer days and extended hours of sunlight.

In Scandinavia, the Norse celebrated Yule from December 21, the winter solstice, through January. In recognition of the return of the sun,

In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as those in the far north, Saturnalia—a holiday in honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture—was celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up to the winter solstice and continuing for a full month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when food and drink were plentiful and the normal Roman social order was turned upside down. For a month, slaves would become masters. Peasants were in command of the city. Business and schools were closed so that everyone could join in the fun.

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Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention a date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration).

Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival.

First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger.

An Outlaw Christmas

In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday.

The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston.

Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.

After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

Irving Reinvents Christmas

The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil.

During this time, unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season.

In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city’s first police force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.

In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., a series of stories about the celebra-

tion of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status. Irving’s fictitious celebrants enjoyed “ancient customs,” including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving’s book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he had attended—in fact, many historians say Irving’s account actually “invented” tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the season.

A Christmas Carol

Also around this time, English author Charles Dickens created the classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol. The story’s message—the importance of charity and good will towards all humankind—struck a powerful chord in the United States and England and showed members of Victorian society the benefits of celebrating the holiday.

As Americans began to embrace Christmas as a perfect family holiday, old customs were unearthed. People looked toward recent immigrants and Catholic and Episcopalian churches to see how the day should be celebrated. In the next 100 years, Americans built a Christmas tradition all their own that included pieces of many other customs, including decorating trees, sending holiday cards and gift-giving.

Although most families quickly bought into the idea that they were celebrating Christmas how it had been done for centuries, Americans had really reinvented a holiday to fill the cultural needs of a growing nation.

Christmas Facts • Each year, 30-35 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States alone. There are 21,000 Christmas tree growers in the United States, and trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

• Christmas was declared a federal holiday in the United States on June 26, 1870.

• Poinsettia plants are named after Joel R. Poinsett, an American minister to Mexico, who brought the red and green plant from Mexico to America in 1828.

• Rudolph, “the most famous reindeer of all,” was the product of Robert L. May’s imagination in 1939. The copywriter wrote a poem about the reindeer to help lure customers into the Montgomery Ward department store. continued >

December 2014 | Newport Beach Lifestyle

21

beyond the holiday (continued)

T

he eight-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukkah or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. Hanukkah, which means “dedication” in Hebrew, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar and

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Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

usually falls in November or December. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts.

History of Hanukkah

The events that inspired the Hanukkah holiday took place during a particularly turbulent phase of Jewish history. Around 200 B.C., Judea—also known as the Land of Israel—came under the control of Antiochus III, the Seleucid king of Syria, who allowed the Jews who lived there to continue practicing their religion. His son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, proved less benevolent: Ancient sources recount that he outlawed the Jewish religion and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C., his soldiers descended upon Jerusalem, massacring thousands of people and desecrating the city’s holy Second Temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs within its sacred walls.

Led by the Jewish priest Mattathias and his five sons, a large-scale rebellion broke out against Antiochus and the Seleucid monarchy.

When Matthathias died in 166 B.C., his son Judah, known as Judah Maccabee (“the Hammer”), took the helm; within two years the Jews had successfully driven the Syrians out of Jerusalem, relying largely on guerilla warfare tactics. Judah called on his followers to cleanse

surrounded them, adopting Greek and Syrian customs, and those who were determined to impose Jewish laws and traditions, even if by force.

The traditionalists won out in the end, with the Hasmonean dynasty—led by Judah Maccabee’s brother and his descendants—wresting

first Hanukkah may have been a belated celebration of Sukkot, which the Jews had not had the chance to observe during the Maccabean Revolt. One of the Jewish religion’s most important holidays, Sukkot consists of seven days of feasting, prayer and festivities.

Hanukkah Traditions

The Hanukkah celebration revolves around the kindling of a nine-branched menorah, known in Hebrew as the hanukiah.

On each of the holiday’s eight nights, another candle is added to the menorah after sundown; the ninth candle, called the shamash (“helper”), is used to light the others. Jews typically recite blessings during this ritual and display the menorah prominently in a window as a reminder to others of the miracle that inspired the holiday.

In another allusion to the Hanukkah miracle, traditional Hanukkah foods are fried in oil. Potato pancakes (known as latkes) and jam-filled doughnuts (sufganiyot) are particularly popular in many Jewish households. Other Hanukkah customs include playing with four-sided spinning tops called dreidels and exchanging gifts. In recent decades, particularly in North America, Hanukkah has exploded into a major commercial phenomenon, largely because it falls near or overlaps with Christmas.

the Second Temple, rebuild its altar and light its menorah—the gold candelabrum whose seven branches represented knowledge and creation and were meant to be kept burning every night.

The Hanukkah “Miracle”

According to the Talmud, one of Judaism’s most central texts, Judah Maccabee and the other Jews who took part in the rededication of the Second Temple witnessed what they believed to be a miracle. Even though there was only enough untainted olive oil to keep the menorah’s candles burning for a single day, the flames continued flickering for eight nights, leaving them time to find a fresh supply. This wondrous event inspired the Jewish sages to proclaim a yearly eightday festival. (The first Book of the Maccabees tells another version of the story, describing an eight-day celebration that followed the rededication but making no reference to the miracle of the oil.)

Other Interpretations of the Hanukkah Story

Some modern historians offer a radically different interpretation of the Hanukkah tale. In their view, Jerusalem under Antiochus IV had erupted into civil war between two camps of Jews: those who had assimilated into the dominant culture that

control of the Land of Israel from the Seleucids and maintaining an independent Jewish kingdom for more than a century.

Jewish scholars have also suggested that the

DID YOU KNOW…

The story of Hanukkah does not appear in the Torah because the events that inspired the holiday occurred after it was written. It is, however, mentioned in the New Testament, in which Jesus attends a "Feast of Dedication."

December 2014 | Newport Beach Lifestyle

23

What's Cooking? different categories, such as All-Around Ugliest, Most Original, Funniest, Most Non-Ugly or Most Ridiculous. Get creative with the prizes, too. Find an inexpensive and unique white elephant gift, or hand out little first place ribbons.

Your party will be one to remember with these ideas. For more fun and festive party ideas, visit Wilton.com.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Ugly Sweater Cake

Servings: 10–12

Deck the Halls with Ugly Sweaters Host an ugly holiday sweater party

T

he holiday season is all about making fun memories. Why not wear something no one will soon forget at your own ugly sweater party?

Hosting one is simple — have everyone show up in the tackiest holiday apparel they can find, whether from their closet, at a thrift store or something they “bling-ed” on their own.

With the party attire planned, try these easy and ugly dessert ideas from Wilton: • Soft, sweet and so ugly cakes: If your

Set up a sweater cookie decorating station.

24

Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

guests’ apparel doesn’t grab attention, your cake sure will. Use the Ugly Sweater Cake Pan to bake the cake. Style the decorating after your own garment — use buttercream or fondant, holiday-shaped sprinkles and icing decorations to add some ugly to your cake.

• Cookie decorating fun: Bring the classic seasonal activity to your party by having guests decorate their own sweater cookies.

Set up a decorating station with the Tacky Sweater Cookie Kit. With 12 pre-baked vanilla cookies, a dozen of your friends can have a blast decorating with the included green and red icing and sprinkles. Set up a photo station so guests can take pictures of their silly cookies to share online.

• Warm up with lattes: Who doesn’t love sipping hot beverages by a warm fire with friends? Brew delicious Spirit of the Season Mocha Lattes to toast a merry Christmas. Offer assorted liqueurs for an adults-only party.

• It’s time to judge: At the end of the party, hold a contest for the ugliest sweater — both real and cookie. Award winners in

• 1 package (16.25 ounces) Devil’s Food cake mix • 1/4 cup hot cocoa mix • 3 eggs • 2/3 cup water • 1/3 cup vegetable oil • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract • Buttercream icing • Red Decorator Preferred Rolled Fondant • White Decorator Preferred Rolled Fondant • Primary Colored Fondant Multipack • Piping Gel • String licorice • Sprinkles: Sugar Pearls, Trees, Yellow Colored Sugar 1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray Ugly Sweater Cake Pan with vegetable pan spray.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, hot cocoa mix, eggs, water, vegetable oil and peppermint extract with electric mixer at low speed 30 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl; beat at medium speed 2 minutes.

3. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading to even thickness. Bake minutes 44–47 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling grid 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on grid.

4. With spatula, lightly ice cooled cake. Roll out red fondant 1/8 inch thick; cover cake.

Knead small amount of white fondant into remaining red fondant, white with small amount of yellow fondant, small amount of yellow fondant with green fondant. Roll out all colors of fondant separately, 1/16 inch thick. Using holiday cutters, patterns or cut free-form, to make collar, ornaments and sweater neckline, cuffs and bottom band.

Use piping gel to attach licorice ornament hangers, sprinkles and sugars.

Eggnog Ugly Sweater Cake

Servings: 10–12

• • • • • • • •

1 package (16.5 ounces) yellow cake mix 2/3 cup eggnog 1/3 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Buttercream Icing Icing Colors: Juniper Green, Christmas Red Holly Mix and Candy Cane Sprinkles

of bowl; beat at medium speed 2 minutes.

Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading to even thickness.

3. Bake 39–42 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan on cooling grid 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on grid.

4. With spatula, ice cooled cake. Using tip 233 and green icing, pipe tree on cake. Using tip 46 and red icing, pipe outline neckline, sleeve cuffs and bottom sweater band.

Attach sprinkles.

Spirit of the Season Mocha Latte

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray Ugly Sweater Cake Pan with vegetable pan spray.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, eggnog, oil, eggs and nutmeg with electric mixer at low speed 30 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides

Servings: 8

• 2 cups very hot strong brewed coffee • 2 cups Wilton Dark Cocoa Candy Melts Candy • 6 cups milk • 1/2 cup chocolate syrup • Assorted liqueurs and spirits (optional), such as: peppermint schnapps, Irish cream liqueur, creamy rum liqueur, chocolate-flavored liqueur, cinnamon schnapps, caramel-flavored vodka 1. In large bowl, pour coffee over dark cocoa Candy Melts candy; let sit to melt.

2. In large microwave-safe bowl, heat milk and chocolate syrup until steaming, about 4 minutes. Whisk milk vigorously to froth.

Whisk in candy mixture until combined.

3. Divide lattes evenly between eight mugs.

If desired, add 1 ounce of your choice of liqueur to each drink.

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Lifestyle Calendar

December DECEMBER 1-JAN 4 HOLIDAY LIGHT SHOW IRVINE SPECTRUM

The Edwards Courtyard will come to life each evening with a special tribute to the magical holiday shows of the Disneyland® Resort. Families can enjoy the holiday music and light displays on the hour every hour from 5:30 p.m. to closing through Jan. 4, 2015. Enjoy live holiday entertainment throughout the weekends of December while you stroll and shop.

DECEMBER 1 – 22 SAWDUST WINTER FANTASY SAWDUST GROUNDS, LAGUNA BEACH

This unique fair offers shoppers the opportunity to purchase distinctive artisan crafts from various local artists. Admission includes live entertainment, hands-on art projects and picture-perfect moments. The Sawdust Art Festival’s Winter Fantasy will become your family’s favorite holiday tradition. General Admission: $6 Adults, $3 children 6-12. 949.494.3030.

land Tree Lighting ceremony. There will be real snow for the kids (dress warm) and excitement in the air as everyone anticipates the arrival of a very special guest. Bring the entire family. Festivities start at 4 p.m.

Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, we invite you to celebrate this year as we feature the theme “Deck the Hulls with Bows of Jolly.” 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

DECEMBER 7 36TH ANNUAL CORONA DEL MAR CHRISTMAS WALK CORONA DEL MAR

The Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce is proud to present the community’s most popular event of the year!

The day is filled with holiday festivities for family, friends, residents and visitors looking for a spectacular way to ring in the holiday season. Each year “The Walk” brings together thousands of fun-loving people into the Village of Corona del Mar for live entertainment, food, prizes and games in true holiday spirit! 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Free.

DECEMBER 18 SHARE OUR SELVES 45TH ADOPT A FAMILY PROGRAM OC FAIR & EVENT CENTER, COSTA MESA

Share Our Selves’ annual holiday donation program, Adopt A Family, pairs generous donors with struggling families with children in the Costa Mesa & Santa Ana public school districts to provide them a holiday dinner plus new gifts for the children.

Pre-registered donations are collected December 18 at the OC Fair & Event Center.

Information about contributing is available online at ShareOurSelves.org.

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Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

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Business Directory Animals & Animal Care Newport Animal Hospital (949) 706-8380 newportanimalhospital.com

Charities & Fundraisers Real Estate Giving Tree (855) 814-9092 regtn.com

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Parting Thoughts

When Friends Become Family Words Anne Potter Russ

W

ith a family the size of a small compact car, I often use the term “family” to describe my friends. My lineage is a long thin vine, rather than a large leafy tree, due to circumstances and odds that would win the lottery, if played. My mom was an only child. My dad was an only child. Both of my paternal grandparents were only children. My husband is an only child. And, of course, I round out the roulette wheel as an only child. Norbert and I had two kids so fast, it made the four grandparents’ heads spin.

As soon as our children could talk and watch Mr. Rogers, they wanted to know where all the cousins were. “Is this a cousin?” they’d ask as the babysitter walked in the door. I had learned from my own childhood that “aunts” and “uncles” could be created; so, as an adult, I figured I must be able to conjure up some cousins for my kids. It wasn’t as easy as I’d thought. As I contemplated my friends in terms of being family members, it occurred to me that they had plenty of relatives, and might not be so thrilled to have to take on mine as a hobby.

But finally, after reaching my half-century mark, I have come to realize that many folks in many places have reasons to create extended families. We are only a drastic case due to our very small numbers – there are just four of us in total, that is until we get to the branch of third cousins twice removed, whatever that means.

34

Newport Beach Lifestyle | December 2014

We could bulk up the numbers with the multiple-removed people, but we don’t really know them well. Who we do know and want to spend time with are the friends now designated as family.

Every Christmas night when I was growing up, we had an open house for anyone who needed someplace to go on a dark holiday night. My parents were inviting their “family” into our home for a holiday (at the time, I thought it was just a ploy to delay my union with my newly opened gifts!). It was always a wonderful experience where people literally came in out of the cold to celebrate the season and the fellowship.

Thanks to some wonderful friends, of multiple generations, we have recently spent some very rewarding time with our “family.”

Our inclusion in a rehearsal dinner, wedding, and surrounding festivities; our invitation from a dear friend to celebrate her mother’s birthday; and our crazy holidays spent with anyone who will have us, all add up to family.

Lest you think I’m getting carried away anticipating the holidays this year, it does translate to our daily lives. As you read this magazine, think about the families who are being helped, often by people they’ve never met in soup kitchens and food pantries. Think about the families to whom you’ve become attached through work, play or philanthropy. It’s powerful stuff.

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