The Daily Illini: Holiday Edition 2022

ILLINI

How to contact us

The Daily Illini is located in the base ment of the University YMCA at 1001 S. Wright St., Champaign, IL 61820. Our office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday.

General phone numbers

Front Desk: (217) 337-8300 Advertising: (217) 337-8382 Newsroom: (217) 337-8345

Newsroom contacts

Online: If you have a question about dailyillini.com or The Daily Illini’s social media outlets, please email our editor at online@dailyillini.com.

Employment: If you would like to work for the newspaper’s editorial depart ment, please fill out our online form at dailyillini.com.

Calendar: If you want to submit events for publication in print and online, visit dailyillini.com.

Letters to the editor: Letters are limited to 300 words. Contributions must include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must in clude their year in school and college.

Corrections: When we make a mistake, we will correct it in this place. We strive for accuracy, so if you see an error, please contact Editor-in-Chief Heath er Robinson at (217) 337-8365 or email editor@dailyillini.com.

Engineering helps Indigenous infrastructure

Cultural context taken into consideration

By Vivian La Assistant News Editor

While living in Danville, Ill., Dean Dempsey, a member of the Nava jo Nation and field engineer, took for granted how easily he could access clean water.

Some of Dempsey’s family who live on a Navajo reservation in the South west don’t have the same luxury, often traveling several hundred miles to haul barrels of water from the nearest water source. Dempsey’s aunt’s water system failed about a year after installation, leading to her keeping a room filled with jugs of water to meet basic needs.

Researchers and engineers have come and gone trying to solve the Navajo Nation’s systemic infrastruc ture problems, according to Dempsey.

“(Engineers) always had a specific way they wanted to fix it, or thought they could fix it,” Dempsey said. “The trust was never there. The ignorance, or the arrogance, of the person that would come and try to do certain things was not accepted.”

Dempsey has since moved back to the Navajo reservation, working for the Navajo Water Project to address these infrastructure issues. He’s a former electronic technician who made the switch to engineering to help the Nation access pipe water. According to data from the Navajo Nation Department an estimated 30% of families in the Nation do not have access to pipe water.

The Indigenous-led organization pri oritizes the knowledge held by local leaders and engineers like Dempsey, which is the basis of contextual engi neering — a way of thinking about the design process that includes cultural and societal impacts.

“That knowledge of where everything is, and all our prayers, and our songs have been on this land for mil lions of years,” Dempsey said. “I think that all that knowledge and all that connection makes me a better engi neer here on the reservation. I’m just understanding what people are trying to explain to me about the land they live on or about the water they know about.”

Contextual engineering is making its way through the University, where stu dents and faculty in the Grainger Col lege of Engineering are trying to create a network of institutions and nonprofits,

like DigDeep, that center Indigenous knowledge and technologies.

Abhiroop Chattopadhyay, graduate student studying electrical engineer ing, has worked on the Navajo reser vation to address energy needs across the region. He said a large part of con textual engineering is just about listen ing to the people they’re trying to help.

“What the engineering aspect of the project should be, I think, is much more faithfully understood when one under stands the context of the society it is coming from,” Chattopadhyay said.

For example, when his team went to the Navajo Nation to speak to residents about electricity, they quickly shifted their goals after these discussions.

“We found out that lack of electricity is a major inconvenience. But lack of water is a crisis for them,” he said.

“So if energy is to play a role, it would be best served by improving the water access in any way it could.”

Chattopadhyay is a part of the Con textual Engineering Research Group at the University. Led by Ann-Per ry Witmer, a professor and senior research scientist at the University’s Applied Research Institute, the lab group includes students from differ ent academic backgrounds, not just engineering.

Witmer, who coined the term con textual engineering, said researchers often ignore the knowledge that already exists in a place, which is usually Indig enous knowledge.

“There’s a lot to be known there because it sort of evolved in the place, and therefore it’s addressing a need in that place,” Witmer said. “We should be learning what that is, before we try to put something in there that didn’t come out of there.”

Engineers don’t usually learn about humility in the context of their work, Witmer said. She was a newspaper reporter before changing careers but still uses journalistic skills everyday.

“If you don’t ask the question, you’re never going to find an answer,” she said. “So you have to recognize that you don’t know everything before you start.”

For Aisha Syed, senior in LAS, con textual engineering has a lot of poten tial for both improving the lives of underserved groups and building empathy.

“Contextual engineering is just lis tening to people,” Syed said. “I think if we can start respecting that and appre ciating that, then not only will the field of engineering change, but you’ll just give everyone an appreciation of the communities around them.”

Rosalyn LaPier, an environmental history professor at the University and an ethnobotanist, studies the tra ditional ecological knowledge passed down through Indigenous communities. Because different tribes have different relationships with the land and their environment, frameworks like contex tual engineering can address a histo ry of exploitation and failed attempts.

But as a member of the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana and Métis, LaPier has seen firsthand how communities can get tired of researchers always coming onto the reservation to “fix” their problems.

Researchers should ask the commu nities they’re working with, she said. What they want is usually not going to be what an outsider thinks needs to be addressed.

LaPier said another issue arises when scientists leave and the people living there might not have the tech nical skills to manage upkeep of an engineering “solution,” leading to yet another failure.

“(Build) technical skills or educa tion so that when that grant ends, those folks leave, that the community is not left with a dilapidated hotel,” LaPier said. “You build the capacity of the folks that you’re working with.”

Indigenous communities also want to be seen as equal partners who hold knowledge that outsiders don’t, she said.

“They know (the environment) really intimately, in detail, and they may not have a PhD,” LaPier said.

Dempsey, the field engineer for DigDeep, said he’s looking forward to bringing water — and the joy that comes with it — to families through out the Navajo Nation.

“Water is exciting, water is life and water is, you know, wonderful,” he said.

When Dempsey’s aunt finally had her water system fixed, he recalled her vis iting the next day — her hair dripping wet, and she was bearing gifts for her family. She kept saying that she took a shower today, Dempsey said.

He’s hopeful that he’ll continue to grow as an engineer who uses his knowledge and experiences to inform his work.

“Knowledge is power,” Dempsey said. “And the more I study, and the more I learn — even doesn’t have to be from a book, it could be from peo ple that just have a small knowledge of what’s going on — that is enough.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAMELA S BEDIENT/APPLIED RESEARCH INSTITUTE WEBSITE Ann-Perry Witmer (le ), professor and senior research scientist, visits residents of Janko Kollo with FIEA engineer Xiomara Echeverria to learn more about indigenous practices and community technical needs.

Ebert Center prioritizes film education

By Cecilia Milmoe Features Editor

The Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies, a part of the College of Media, has nearly finished its first semester of providing opportunities for students, co-sponsoring exhibits and offering pro grams for prospective film critics.

University alum Roger Ebert and his wife, Chaz Ebert, debuted the program in 2009, and the center was in develop ment for over a decade. After receiv ing over $5 million in donations, the center finally launched in the Fall 2022 semester.

Julie Turnock, director of the Rog er Ebert Center for Film Studies and an associate professor in Media, said the center is developing even more pro grams for the future.

“Well, it’s brand new this year,” Turn ock said. “So, we are, how do I say, devel oping a program for what it will pro vide, but it is meant to have benefits to undergraduates, faculty, graduate stu dents and the community.”

Turnock said that so far, there has been the “inaugural Ebert lecture,”

which featured film scholar Mark Wil liams and a personalized filmed mes sage from Martin Scorsese.

One of the major programs of the cen ter is the Ebert Fellows Program, which Turnock said is open to undergraduate students in the College of Media.

“Undergraduates in the College of Media can apply to be an Ebert Fellow, which means that they get mentored by film critic Michael Phillips of the Chi cago Tribune,” Turnock said.

Andrew Stover, junior in Media and an Ebert Fellow, said he “loves the benefits.”

“Some may think it’s all about review ing films and learning about film criti cism, but it’s actually going to be a wide range of things including podcasting, interviewing, music criticism and just all the different ways that you can review media,” Stover added.

Stover said he has always been inter ested in writing reviews, and when he learned about the program, he “instant ly knew that (he) wanted to apply.”

Lee Beckett, junior in Media, echoed this sentiment, saying that the program “just seemed perfect for (his) interests.”

The College of Media introduced the Roger Ebert Center for Film Studies for the Fall 2022 semester.

“So far, we’ve been talking about writ ing style and crafting your particular voice through your writing and trying to connect to art with people who don’t know very much about it and translat ing kind of complex topics into language that most people find accessible,” Beck ett added.

Stover drew attention to a project the fellows have been working on called “The Moment When.” The project entails focusing on a specific moment

in a film or a show that is particularly special and building a review off of that moment.

“What we’re doing now, it did a push me to consider how to write things indepth,” Stover said. “It’s just very dif ficult to do, and even I had a hard time doing it, but I think I got it down to what I wanted.”

Turnock said that in the future, the center will have many more events. In the spring, there will be the Ebert Sym posium, which will be part of Ebert Fest in April.

“We will have (screenings) on top of that — hopefully in the near future — and also co-sponsored events as well,” she said.

Turnock further elaborated on her interest in having more screenings.

“I certainly hope that there will be more screenings in the future,” she said.

“Although I know that there are a lot of people on campus who are interested in cinema and interested in going to screenings, that’s something that our campus doesn’t have very much of.”

cecilia@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICAGO TRIBUNE/MCT/TNS

The Jewish December dilemma

By Cecilia Milmoe & Kylie Corral Features Editor & buzz Editor

Between Christmas songs playing in every store and festive lights adorn ing houses, the Christmas season is well underway. For Jews, however, this nationwide joy and cheer isn’t all inclusive.

Many American Jews celebrate Hanukkah instead of Christmas. The eight-night holiday involves lighting a candle on a menorah each night, as well as gift giving. Because it’s based on the Hebrew calendar, the dates change a bit every winter. This year, Hanukkah begins on the night of Dec. 18 and ends on the night of Dec. 26.

Alina Lowenstein, sophomore in LAS, said that people regularly assume she celebrates Christmas.

“It’s funny how every year, most people who I interact with assume that everybody celebrates Christmas and don’t really ask about it,” Lowen stein said. “It’s just sort of a gener al assumption, but usually people are right because the majority of people do celebrate Christmas.”

Lowenstein said that over time, she’s gotten used to the prominence of Christmas.

“I enjoy it,” Lowenstein said. “It’s still like, I get to spend time with my family over break and stuff. I’m pret ty used to the whole Christmas mania thing. So, I don’t really think about it much anymore. But yeah, I still enjoy the holidays.

Danielle Guralnick, sophomore in Education, said she likes certain aspects of Christmas festivities.

“I feel like generally, I do like the cheer that comes with it,” Guralnick said. “It’s kind of nice because I love it when everyone puts up the lights … But then, starting (after Thanksgiv ing), everything is Christmas themed, which isn’t the best.”

Lowenstein said something similar, mentioning that she does appreciate the overall holiday cheer.

“Even not celebrating Christmas, it does make me think of the holidays, and I still get a good feeling from it, even though it’s not something that I really associate with,” Lowenstein said. “But just probably because it’s associated with break and other holidays.”

Maya Raviv, junior in LAS, said that when she first moved here from Israel, the dominance of Christmas bothered her, and it used to feel “very

excluding.”

“I think when I first moved here, I was really bothered because I just didn’t really understand why people make such a big noise for a holiday that’s not shared by everyone,” Raviv said. “At the end of the day, Christmas is a really nice and sweet thing, and people have a lot of fun celebrating it. So, I think I look at it with warmth.”

Guralnick said that people assume less on campus than they do in her hometown.

“I feel like on campus, it’s a lot less so that people assume because of the more diverse student body you know, which is nice,” Guralnick said.

Lowenstein said that Hanukkah isn’t as big of a holiday as some peo ple believe.

“I mean, the funny thing with Hanukkah is it’s not a huge Jewish hol iday,” Lowenstein said. “The High Hol idays are the bigger ones. So, I don’t

necessarily feel the need for Hanuk kah to be as blown up as Christmas.”

Raviv echoed this sentiment, say ing that it isn’t entirely accurate to portray Hanukkah and Christmas as being of equal importance.

“So, (representation is) nice, but I don’t think there should be an exces sive effort to include a Hanukkah with Christmas or other holidays that I don’t celebrate just because the group ing of them together is just not accu rate,” Raviv said. “It just seems a little performative.”

Guralnick also feels like a lot of inclusivity attempts are performative.

“Every time I walk into a store and I see the one shelf of Hanukkah things I’m like, ‘Oh, they kind of care a lit tle bit,’” Guralnick said. “But then at the same time, I know they don’t actu ally care.”

Guralnick said that while she used to see Hanukkah as an equivalent to

Christmas, she no longer does.

“I used to think about it as my equiv alent of Christmas,” Guralnick said. “But it’s not at all — at least to my family. It’s just like the winter one. If I was talking about my equivalent of Christmas, it would be Rosh Hasha nah, like a big meal where I’m with all my family and stuff like that. But I don’t know. Hanukkah — it’s a fun holiday.”

Raviv said that while Hanukkah isn’t as big of a holiday as some others, it still brings her joy.

“Back in Israel, everyone celebrat ed Hanukkah, it was not as big as Christmas here, but it was pretty big because it was like a collective holiday for everyone in the country to share. So, I think Hanukkah is kind of like home to me.”

MEILIN WANG THE DAILY ILLIINI

Parade of Lights dazzles C-U community

By Kylie Corral buzz Editor

The 22nd Parade of Lights took place in Downtown Champaign on Saturday. Families, locals and students gathered along the streets to watch the proces sion. The cold gradually grew through the night, as did the crowd, with peo ple visiting nearby businesses for a warm drink and a break from the cold weather.

Lily Bennett, graduate student at Kingston University in the U.K. and a parade attendee, said that she didn’t know the parade was going to take place until she stumbled across the crowd.

“There’s lots of people here — looks like there’s lots of families and lots of children — and it’s an event that any one can go to, which makes it nice,” Bennett said. “It’s a nice thing for the community.”

Bennett also added that while the hol idays here are a bit different from the U.K., she had been enjoying the festivi ties so far.

“So far, it’s a lot colder here than it is for me back home in the U.K. There’s

already been some snow, which makes it feel more Christmas-y,” Bennett said.

“I just went to some distant relatives’ house for Thanksgiving, which I guess it’s kind of the start of Christmas here, and that was really nice. So, different to back home, but in a good way.”

Emma Burgwal and Ashley Landis, locals to the Champaign-Urbana area,

were also in attendance at the parade. They both said they have attended the event for the last couple of years togeth er to celebrate the holiday season.

“We live downtown, so we just like to come down and see what’s up,” Burg wal said. “I think it’s a good kickoff to the holidays, (and) I like seeing all the small businesses participate. I feel like it’s good on Small (Business) Saturday, as it gets the word out.”

Landis agreed, adding that “a lot of people show up kind of early, in seats, and it’s cool on businesses, which is nice.”

Both said they were excited to see what floats would be in the parade for this year in representation of the C-U community.

“If you haven’t heard of certain busi nesses or certain places, the floats kind of bring attention to that, and a lot of people gather to spread the holiday cheer,” Burgwal added.

Becky Dye, an attendee who was fun draising for The Salvation Army, said she has been into the parade for four years now. She added that seeing some one fundraising for The Salvation Army

is a kind of tradition in itself.

“I think people are used to seeing (The Salvation Army) out at Christ mas. So it’s kind of a tradition that goes back a long way, and all kinds of people from all walks of life come to watch (the parade), and everybody enjoys it,” Dye said.

Jeffrey Brokish came to the parade representing Central Illinois Bakehouse by selling baked goods just off of the parade route. He said that while Cen tral Illinois Bakehouse has been to the parade for several years, it was his first time visiting.

“(The parade) helps people refocus on our downtown area and all the busi nesses that we have down here kind of revitalizing our community spirit,” Brokish said.

He added that it felt nice to see nor malcy after years of the pandemic.

“It’s great to see everyone out and about again. We’re happy that we’re get ting past COVID, and we can really all go get out and mingle again together and celebrate the holiday,” Brokish said.

kyliemc2@dailyillini.com

KYLIE CORRAL THE DAILY ILLINI

Floats pass through Downtown Champaign during the Parade of Lights on Saturday.

Holidays challenging for small businesses

By Faith Allendorf Managing Editor for Reporting

Every year around Thanksgiving, online retailers roll out yearly deals for the holiday season, bringing in an influx of web traffic and revenue. But how do small businesses get their piece of the holiday revenue pie?

For retail businesses, the holiday season brings in a significant chunk of income. According to the National Retail Federation, an average of 19% of the total amount of sales per year comes from the holidays.

Anna Peters, co-owner of art coop, inc. in Urbana, said there are three points in the year when the coop makes most of its money. According to Peters, the holiday season is one of those points — around 40% of the busi ness’ total funds come from that time.

“We do tend to make a larger quan tity of money in a shorter period of time during the holidays,” Peters said. Matthis Helmick, owner of Plant Mode in Champaign, said he sees about a 25% bump in sales during the holi days. However, this increase is not as much as it is in other months such as the start of spring (March and April) and the beginning of the fall semester (August and September).

“The holidays kind of get me going and pay some bills, and it’s usually a struggle again for two months until early spring,” Helmick said.

According to Chris Olson, the owner of Gopher Mafia Games in Urbana, the sales that come from the holidays are “surprisingly low” compared to the rest of the year — he attributes this to the type of store he runs.

However, Olson also said because of overall business operations, maintain ing and/or increasing sales becomes more difficult during the holidays.

“I’m going to be closed for at least three or four days that I normally wouldn’t be closed,” Olson said. “I’m looking for an uptick, but I’m just straight up missing days worth of sales.”

The holidays also make it harder for Olson to have consistent and motivated employees. Around this time of year, Olson finds that employees tend to call out more, and he has to make up all of the extra work.

“It means I have to put in a lot more work to make up for (employees calling out),” Olson said. “Or, I have to accept that work is just not going to get done and will get pushed off to later, which

could affect my sales for the month — and that’s compounding with the fact that I’m already closed several days that I normally wouldn’t be.”

Peters said the most difficult part of being a small business during the holi day season is keeping itself “at the top of mind” of people.

“Bigger companies are able to have a dedicated social media team, but we don’t — it’s just me and Hilary,” Peters said. “We have to constantly … let peo ple know that we’re here.”

For Remington Rock, manager of The Literary in Champaign, running a small business means facing a lot of unpredictability during the holidays.

“We run sales this time of year … but it’s so unpredictable if people will take advantage of them,” she said. “There’s also no income fallback that a chain store might have.”

One of the more difficult things for Peters is dealing with vendors. She said that if vendors want to support small businesses, they have to be willing to treat them the same way they treat

larger companies.

“If they’re giving a huge discount to a (big) company, and in turn, that company can sell a pack of pencils for less than the price that I pay wholesale for — I just can’t compete with that,” Peters said.

Another issue that small business es may face this season is inflation. The inflation rate in October was 7.7%, which is the highest inflation has been since 1981, when it hit 10.1%. Accord ing to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 50% of small businesses say that inflation is the biggest challenge they are currently facing.

The art coop has faced inflation issues with art materials. For exam ple, canvases are made of wood, but in 2021, the cost of wood was 17% higher than its 25-year average, and lumber still remains expensive.

“We have to raise our prices because the price of goods is going up,” Peters said.

Helmick said Plant Mode has felt the effects of inflation, especially in

the dips where business is slower. The last three weeks of business have been “the slowest weeks” that the business has had.

“Smart business people plan for things like that and have some extra cash for rainy days, but I don’t really operate that way,” Helmick said. “I’m always working out of a situation where I owe money, and I’m just trying to keep up.”

Olson said that inflation hasn’t hurt Gopher Mafia Games to the point where it would have to go out of busi ness, but the store has definitely felt the effects of rising prices.

“As much as we’re doing OK, it def initely feels tighter,” Olson said. “If we were making the same sales that we are right now three years ago, I’d have my debt paid off and two months’ worth of rent paid ahead of time. But because of the price hikes, it’s more difficult now.”

But despite the uncertainty sur rounding the outcome of this holiday season, Peters said that she has seen a growing shift in consumer spending habits. She thinks customers are really starting to think about the places they are buying from.

Since the pandemic, there has been a greater emphasis on value-based shop ping, as well as supporting local busi nesses. According to Pew Research Center, 80% of Americans say that small businesses have a positive impact on the state of the country.

“I think that people realized over the pandemic that if you don’t support these places, they’re just not going to be there,” Peters said. “(Consumers) supporting local, queer, women or BIPOC-owned places — I think that’s where we really have an opportunity to shine.”

Store owners also recognize the importance of running a small busi ness and that there are many elements of a good business that corporations lack.

For Rock, small businesses have a sense of personalization that big busi nesses do not.

“We have a very experienced and well-read staff that genuinely wants to help you find something that you will genuinely enjoy reading or gifting,” Rock said. “We really, really care about people who come in here and support us, and we want them to have the best experience possible.”

MEILIN WANG THE DAILY ILLINI

It’s OK to have a bad holiday season

By Storey Childs Columnist

The most wonderful time of the year can feel like a flood of experiences. Christmas music is playing in Star bucks. Christmas-themed commer cials dominate your streaming ser vices. Christmas lights are hung up and snow starts to fall in flurries.

It can be a comforting feeling. For many, the monotony of life disappears and in comes the most-anticipated cel ebrations of the year. At least, that is what is advertised.

For some, the anticipatory feeling of the season does not result in a perfect celebration. Instead, it can culminate in a time of unfortunate stress, anxi ety, depression or loss.

In addition to its qualities of being a time to cherish, the holiday sea son acts as an amplifier of emotions, whether they be good or bad.

Such perspectives can be lost in the whirlwind of the season, but every one needs to remember that it is OK to have a bad holiday.

The idealized notion of a good holi day season can make people feel like they have failed if their own experi ence does not match it. This feeling of failure can be heightened by adver tisements that illustrate a picture-per fect holiday season. Around the holi days, companies strategically harness nostalgia as a tool to gain access to the pathos of the general population.

Just recently, Amazon hired direc tor Taika Waititi to direct their latest holiday ad titled “Joy is Made,” which highlights the connection between a father and his daughter. The father attempts to recreate the scene depict ed in his daughter’s snow globe in their own home. Of course, a paper shredder ordered from Amazon is one of the key components.

The ad skillfully portrays the use of Amazon to help the father succeed in fulfilling his daughter’s hol iday wish and notably pulls at the nostalgic heartstrings of the general population.

This advertisement is very effec tive, but it adds to the canon of mov ies, books, songs and advertisements that create an idealized version of the holiday season that not everyone is capable of achieving.

Each person’s experience around the holidays is unique and not match ing a certain expectation isn’t synon ymous with failure. It is important to

acknowledge that life often gets in the way. Even in the seemingly picturesque time that is the holiday season, inevitable difficulties should not cause a feeling of disappointment, shame or failure.

The Mayo Clinic calls such obsta cles “unwelcome guests.”

Stress, anxiety, depression, grief and trauma are never invited, but sometimes, they show up anyway. Imagine a family gathering during the holidays where anxiety shows up as an unwelcome guest.

You are sitting across from a num ber of family members that you have

not seen since last Christmas.

Questions such as “How are you?” and “How is school?” are getting thrown at you in every conversation that you have. You become over-stim ulated, and the anxiety that you have been attempting to control grows in strength. Panic increases, and you want to catch your breath. Soon after, feelings of doubt, fear and anger follow.

Family dinner ends up feeling like a full-time job. But, you still feel bad that the holiday season your family spends together was seemingly “wast ed” because of the anxiety that you

“should” have been able to control. This difficulty does not make you any less of a person, and it should always be that way.

It is OK to not fit into the expecta tion of what something “should” be. It is OK not to want to set up a tree or have a family dinner. It is OK to feel your feelings even when those feel ings are an overwhelming sense of loss, depression or a lack of motiva tion. It is not something that you have failed at. It just makes you human.

Storey is a junior in LAS. storeyc2@dailyillini.com

MEILIN WANG THE DAILY ILLINI

Reconsider the meaning of gi giving

By The Daily Illini Editorial Board

The air is chilly — the perfect weather for a steamy cup of hot cocoa. Holiday music plays in just about every store you step in. The excitement of an upcoming break from school or work lingers on the top of everyone’s minds. These are all telltale signs that the holiday sea son is finally here.

But have you thought of what gifts you’re getting for your loved ones yet?

Giving gifts has become syn onymous with the holiday season. Although people may attribute this tradition to holidays that occur dur ing this time such as Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, there are actually many other powerful enti ties that secretly shape our outlook on spending money during the holi days: money-hungry corporations.

As early as October, companies will spend billions of dollars on

retail advertising and stock shelves with holiday merchandise to prema turely spread holiday cheer, and of course, remind consumers that it’s time to buy gifts for the holidays. The amount spent on ads is only increas ing every year, and for good reason — it pays off.

In 2021, retail spending in the months of November and December amounted to $889.3 billion, a 13.5% increase from 2020 retail spending during that same period. Holiday retail spending is also projected to increase in 2022.

Many of the facets of what an “ide al” gift should look like are pushed on consumers by corporations that want to increase spending every year, which overemphasizes the gift aspect of the holiday season and push es everything else to the sidelines.

The holidays are a time to cherish your loved ones, enjoy the presence of their company and take a muchneeded break at the end of the year.

Not everyone can afford to give what corporations regard as an “ideal” gift, which can put a damper on the cheer for many people and get in the way of what the holidays are actu ally about.

Gift giving can be a great way to express your gratitude and affec tion for someone, but it’s not the only method of doing so.

Sometimes, the best gift you can give is simply being around and spending quality time with the peo ple you love. Cooking or sharing a meal, creating handmade tokens of your appreciation or engaging in fun holiday activities are all ways that you can still show someone you love and care for them without breaking the bank.

If you haven’t bought gifts for your loved ones already, consider think ing outside the gift box this holiday season.

opinions@dailyillini.com

SEBASTIAN HOLT THEDAILY ILLINI

‘The Nutcracker’ celebrates 25 years in C-U

she danced for any productions, she had been assistant backstage for the past few years. She said that it was this year when CU Ballet reached out to her about returning to the stage.

By Kylie Corral buzz Editor

The holiday season has officially begun with celebrations gearing up to take off during the first week of December. “The Nutcracker,” a bal let production performed and coor dinated by dancers, directors and staff at Champaign Urbana Ballet, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Kay Greene, executive director of CU Ballet, said she has been working at the dance studio for 10 years now. She added that after visiting the com pany, she fell in love and “has been there ever since.”

This year, CU Ballet is changing again, welcoming alumni ballerinas from who will return to the stage for the special occasion. Greene said there will be many people returning to perform on the stage and back stage as well.

“I think that the biggest reward for us is now you have adults, all grown up. Some are moms with three chil dren and (are) coming back to do what they love to do. It just leaves one’s heart feeling very warm,” Greene said.

Greene also explained how much “The Nutcracker” production means to people in Champaign-Urbana, becoming a holiday tradition for locals, but for others as well. She added that people come as far as Kankakee and Effingham, Ill., just to see the show at Krannert.

“I guess I didn’t realize what a tra dition this was for our community. But it became very evident when we couldn’t take “The Nutcracker” to the stage because everything was closed,” Greene said. “My email was very busy. My phone was very busy, with people calling and inquiring (about the show).”

Greene also added that she is very excited to be part of the on stage performance as the fairy queen this year. She also added that she is excit ed at the possibilities for CU Ballet’s future and what they will bring to the stage next.

“I think it’s a goal that we all have. We share that (goal) to keep things fresh and alive and new and being a

part of a community that you know, gives back to us in so many ways. And so for us to be able to give this to them, this gift of arts, and bring smiles and laughter, I mean, gosh, that’s such a blessing,” Greene said.

Some of the alumni returning to the stage this year include Michelle Allen, a physical therapist and moth er of three, Gina Modica, who works at the University of Illinois System’s office and Alexandra Warwick, a dra ma teacher at Campus Middle School for Girls.

All three dancers said they started

dancing when they were around five or six years old, eventually leading them to perform in “The Nutcrack er” for CU Ballet.

“So then, I started dancing there and then I was in the inaugural group of dancers with the CU Ballet the year it was founded in 1998. And then I danced from ’98 to 2002 with them and went to (the University) for col lege. So (I) started college, took a little time off, but then really missed it,” Allen said.

Modica agreed, adding that although it had been a while since

“I actually did also start out taking an adult ballet class that I’m really enjoying. So it’s really brought me back to dance. Probably won’t stick with being on stage, but I really have enjoyed being back in the studio,” Modica added.

Warwick said that being back with CU Ballet has been exciting in prep aration for the show, as well as in seeing all the progress the three of them and the rest of the dancers have made in rehearsal.

“But now, coming in once a week or twice a week, I really see the leaps that the dancers are making from one week to the next which is real ly fun,” Warwick said. “All those things that somehow were in my world before that I took for grant ed just knowing what to do, now I’m having to revisit them after several years away. So it’s exciting but nerve wracking at the same time.”

Warwick added that the ordeal has been “a trip down memory lane” for all of them.

“I can see the dancers doing the steps, and I’m doing them in my mind as well. But at the same time, there’s a lot of new things as well that have changed and it keeps it fresh. So it’s always fun,” Warwick explained.

Modina said that her favorite mem ories are from her dance friends that she has met and now reunited with. She added that she also loves the environment that “The Nutcrack er” creates for those who come for the show.

“All the little kids that get dressed up and skip around the lobby and go get their cupcakes (and things) like that always just makes me feel really good. I just like seeing that people enjoy coming to see it and have a really good time,” Modina said.

Allen said that the advice she would give dancers everywhere is to enjoy themselves and where they are.

“Don’t be afraid to let go and have fun,” Allen said. “Because years from now you’ll be grown up like us, and it’ll be a lot harder. But you’ll still be able to come in and enjoy the music and the artistry and that sort of feeling of coming together for a show.”

Alumni dancers return to campus for anniversary ballet performance

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAIRE DALY PHOTOGRAPHY

The cast of ‘The Nutcracker’ rehearse at the Krannert Center in 2019. The production will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

“And so for us to be able to give this to them— this gi of arts —and bring smiles and laughter, I mean, gosh, that’s such a blessing.”

Kay Greene, executive director of CU Ballet

Illinois repeats Land of Lincoln rivalry win

By Jonathan Alday Assistant Sports Editor

Illinois wrapped up its regular sea son against in-state rival Northwest ern, holding onto the Land of Lincoln Trophy for a second year in a row via a 41-3 win.

After an early exit by the nation’s leading rusher, junior running back Chase Brown, sophomore Reggie Love III picked up 43 yards and a touchdown off a 20-yard and 12-yard run to put Illinois up early in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, junior cor nerback Devon Witherspoon under cut a pass during Northwestern’s first trip to the red zone, taking it the opposite way 57 yards to flip the field for Illinois. Illinois took it to the red zone but could not capitalize, set tling for a field goal. Illinois came up with another interception with about five minutes left in the first half, this time via senior safety Sydney Brown. Illinois punted on the ensuing drive.

After some offensive struggles, Illi nois exploded out of the gun after favorable field placement at the tail end of the first half. Senior quarter back Tommy DeVito hit sophomore wide receiver Pat Bryant on back-toback plays for a combined 21 yards. Love then found a gap for a huge run for 32 yards to get the Illini with in five yards of the endzone. DeVito snuck across the goal line to cap off the drive and put them up 17 before halftime.

Witherspoon closed out the first half with his second pick of the day off a hail mary pass by Northwestern quarterback Cole Freeman.

Chase Brown returned in time for the second half, finding gaps in the defense to inch closer to the endzone. Illinois settled for another field goal to expand the score by 20.

The second half did not prove any better for the Wildcats as the offense struggled to get anything going against the Illini defense. The point couldn’t be proven further as Sydney

Sophomore defensive lineman Keith Randolph Jr. (88) bears the Land of Lincoln trophy a er the game against Northwestern on Saturday.

Brown scooped-and-scored a mishan dled exchange for a touchdown, add ing seven more to the board. Brown soon added another touchdown, this time off a pick-six for 37 yards.

Northwestern canceled the shutout with a field goal toward the start of the fourth quarter.

Illinois would continue to put the pressure on Northwestern, hitting Chase Brown for 43 yards to get them back in scoring position. Brown walked in, untouched, to complete the 41-3 blowout for Illinois.

Shortly after the game, Indiana, despite holding a lead early in the game, was unable to hold off Pur due, losing 30-10. The final scoreline of the game punched the Boilermak ers’ ticket to Indianapolis to take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten Championship. The Boilermak ers’ win officially delivered the Big Ten West title to West Lafayette.

The Illini (8-4, 5-4 Big Ten) will now wait for Dec. 4 to see where they will travel and who they will play in their first bowl appearance since 2019.

@JonathanAlday7 jalday2@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINOIS ATHLETICS TWITTER

Green’s Illinois flourishes with 6-1 start

By Conor Blount Staff Writer

Nancy Fahey decided to retire last March after five years as head coach of Illinois women’s basketball. Despite having an unbelievable track record at her previous head coaching job, Illi nois had a combined record of 42-99 under Fahey, finishing last place in the Big Ten three times and second to last two times. Less than three weeks after Fahey announced her retirement, Shau na Green was selected to be the 10th head coach in Illinois history.

Green also had an impeccable track record at her previous stops, making the NCAA tournament in four of her six years as the head coach of Dayton and qualifying for the WNIT in the other two. Illinois has not made the WNIT since the 2012–13 season and has not made the NCAA tournament since the 2002–03 season.

With Green’s lowest seasons being as decorated as Illinois’ best season in almost a decade, it was easy to view her hiring as a victory right away. Howev er, at the time, it was easy to point to their last coach, who experienced great success at their last job but was unable to produce the same results at Illinois.

Green quickly started revamping Illinois’ program and brought in three new assistant coaches, four transfer athletes and four freshmen. With just five players from the 2021–22 season returning, the Illini were an entirely different team going into the 2022–23 season.

Part of Green’s overhaul of the team included watching no film of the 2021–22 team, believing that film of the past was irrelevant due to how different of a system she was trying to implement in the present.

“Some people may think that’s crazy, to not watch (film),” Green said. “But in my mind like, what would that have done to see the past when it’s just com pletely different systems of what we do. I think the nice thing too is that I had some awareness of the players — Kendall Bostic I recruited so I knew what she was like in high school. Jada Peebles we recruited a little bit at Day ton. The only thing I wanted to see was

with my own eyes.”

Seven games into the season, it appears that Green’s Illinois is already on the right track. Starting off their season with a five-game home stand, the Illini earned convincing victories in each of those games, while winning by an average of 39.2 points.

Illinois then went on the road for the Daytona Beach Invitational to play back-to-back neutral site games against two teams who qualified for the NCAA tournament last season. The

Illini claimed a 27-point victory over Charlotte on the first day of competi tion, before falling 83-80 to Delaware the next day.

The last time Illinois was 6-1 was the 2014–15 season, where the Illini finished 15-16 overall despite the hot start. However, this year Illinois has won in much more convincing fashion, with three of their six wins in 2014–15 being single-digit victories. With their next two matchups being on the road against opponents with one combined

loss, it will soon become more apparent whether or not the Illini’s historic open ing to the season is representative of how the rest of the season will pan out.

Looking ahead to the rest of the sea son, Green’s mentality about the start to the season is nothing if not encour aging for Illinois fans, as she maintains that her team will not be satisfied until the season is over.

“Every game we’re just trying to go 1-0,” Green said. “That’s our mindset. I want to win basketball games, so that’s all I care about. I also know the com petition is getting harder and harder … but I’ll never take for granted win ning a game. I can tell you that much.”

Revamped coaching staff, player overhaul contribute to success

SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green watches from the sidelines during the second half of the game against LIU on Nov. 9.

“Every game, we’re just trying to go 1-0. That’s our mindset.”

Shauna Green, Illinois women’s basketball head coach