Holiday Legac Issue 56|Winter 2020y MARION COMMUNITY FOUNDATION With much pleasure, we give you this With the pandemic adding special issue of Legacy. Because we will so many new words to not be able to share the season with you in our national lexicon, I am person this year due to cancelling our an- reminded of a master of nual holiday party, we decided to share with words–O. Henry. His classic you some of the best memories, traditions, story, “The Gift of the recipes, stories, ideas and more from friends Magi,” is beautifully of Marion Community Foundation. simple and We hope that by reading about the joy perceptive. It’s one of my in people’s lives, it will spark your own feel- favorite holiday stories. A copy ings of happiness and joy. Our only regret is in this special issue as my gift is we can’t fit all these memories within the to you. I hope you take a few limited space of this issue, so please enjoy minutes to read, or re-read, it with our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages an open heart. It is about selflessness for more! and wisdom, two qualities in much I’ll be thinking of all of you on December demand recently. 3 when we would normally be gathering As we all feel personally afflicted for the annual party. That evening, I plan to these days by so many causes, I find it cuddle up with Sue on the sofa with a mug comforting to reflect on the maxims of hot cider and read through this issue of here that share the universal truth that we Legacy and feel good about our friendships can only receive peace and happiness when and loved ones. we give them away. Holiday Checklist Pay for the coffee for the person behind you in line. Volunteer your time at a charity you are familiar with and one that is new to you. Introduce two people you think would make great friends to each other. Give a generous donation to your favorite charity. Offer to help a friend move/unpack. Post a social media message encouraging your friends to make a year-end financial gift to a local nonprofit. Donate some warm clothes to a homeless shelter. Marion Community Foundation 504 S. State St., Marion, OH 43302 What’s Christmas without Cookies? ince I was a little girl, my mom gathered the kids together to make frosted sugar cookies for Christmas. We couldn’t just slap frosting on each one. Each Scookie was its own masterpiece with bulbs on the Christmas trees and a red nose on Rudolph. Mom took great pride in the family cookies that we would create and then distribute to friends and family. This tradition continues today, still led by our vibrant 80-year-old mom! Nikki Workman Nikki’s mom, Mary Lou, and daughter, Cami White Chocolate Bugle Mix 3 cups Rice Chex Board e have so many traditions with the holidays, 3 cups Bugles Favorite but they all circle around how my mom, Norma, 2 cups peanuts loves Christmas and baking. 2 cups red and green M&Ms W 16 oz. white chocolate chips Each year, she makes around 21 different kinds of cook- ies, starting around the end of September and stocking Mix together Chex, Bugles, peanuts and M&Ms. the freezer. During this time, Christmas carols can be Melt chocolate and pour over dry mixture. heard throughout the house to inspire her. Spread mixture out on waxed paper and let it Several years ago, I created a notebook full of these harden. —Sue Jacob recipes which were given to each of her daughters and a few very special people. The recipe at right is one of the breads we have on Gift of the Magi Bread Christmas morning, with a 1/2 cup butter 1 cup sugar cup of coffee and the sound 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla of Christmas carols, as we 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda open our presents. Each of Pinch salt 1 cup mashed banana us make our own today, as 1 cup chocolate bits 1 cup coconut once a year is not enough. 1 - 11 oz. can of Mandarin oranges, drained It simply isn’t Christmas 1/3 cup sliced almonds or chopped nuts without Gift of the Magi 1/2 cup Maraschino cherries, chopped bread in my home. 1/2 cup dates, chopped Vicky Branson Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt; add alternately with mashed banana. Stir in choco- late, fruit and nuts. Pour into 2 greased 7.5x3.75” pans. Bake at 350o for 60-75 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from pans. Sue’s Best Gingersnaps Ingredients 2 tsp. baking soda 3/4 cup shortening 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. cloves 1/4 cup molasses 1 tsp. ginger 1 egg, beaten extra sugar 2 cups flour for rolling cookies in 1/4 tsp. salt Directions Cream sugar & shortening. Add egg & molasses; add dry ingredients (previouslyo formixed 8-10 together). minutes. Roll in sugar. Bake at 375 Sue Jacob 2|www.MARIONCOMMUNITYFOUNDATION.ORG Memories & Traditions ne tradition that my extended family maintains is to be together for Christmas. This is no easy production—now that there are 30 of us. O Since grandchildren are now a part of this family, a visit from Santa has become a part of this tradition. The first year Santa came, he asked each child, “What do you want Santa to bring you this year?” And, the first child answered SOCKS! Santa got a big chuckle out of this, so all the following children on Santa’s lap also said socks! The next Christmas, Santa had a pair of socks for each child and we are forever e are ‘real tree’ lovers. known to Santa as We believe that the “The Sock Family.” Wreal thing is best for our home—so making a big deal out of Janet Kruder picking out the tree has been a tradition for 36 years! Every year, we go looking for just pedinni Di Vitello. Italian for ‘Veal Bird Day,’ this is a the right one at tree farms around Marion family celebration. Each of us has a job do—pound the veal County and cut down our own. It is a special Scutlets, make the bread crumb mixture, roll the veal, and put event that we thoroughly enjoy!! them on wooden skewers—until we have enough for Christmas Day. We make pasta and homemade bread, drink a little wine and Todd, Victoria & Beth Meadows enjoy the family. It’s a great tradition. Mike Nicolosi Watching ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and ‘A Christmas Story.’ Trimming the tree. Tearing into the the presents. Christmas dinner with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, squash and cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie with ice cream. Deb Alspach dvent is a season of prepartion observed by Catholics for centuries. Beginning four Sundays before Christmas, it is a time to prepare one’s heart for the Abirth of the Savior. Each Sunday, another candle is lit—purple, purple, pink, purple. Pink is lit on Gaudete Sunday, a day of joy, knowing Christmas is so close. Another way Jim and I’d prepare—back in the days before kids—was to gather with friends late on Christmas Eve for a coffee party, prior to attending Midnight Mass. I looked forward to picking out some exotic or seasonal flavor to help us stay awake and welcome in the Christmas season. Lori Stevenson MARION COMMUNITY FOUNDATION|740.387.9704|3 The holidays are a special time to celebrate and reflect on the past year, while looking forward and planning for the coming year. This time of year is one of my favorite times, because we are able to enjoy time with our family and friends and we are also reminded of the message of humility and generosity towards each other. As 2020 comes to a close, I extend my warmest wishes for a joyous holiday season and a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year! Scott Schertzer The Makings of a Feast ecause Jewish holidays are on a lunar calendar, (potato pancakes), lox (smoked salmon), herring Hanukkah can occur anytime from late November in cream sauce, and lots of desserts. The brunch Bto early January. When Christmas and Hanukkah for Hanukkah is traditionally a dairy meal, happen together, we are all celebrating the which means no meat. Evening meals during season at the end of the year. Hanukkah are family celebrations, at home. Although Hanukkah is actually a minor It is traditional to serve something fried holiday, when my kids were small, we in olive oil, like latkes, to remember liked to make it very special. the eight days that the lamp burned. A few years ago, when the first night Most Jewish holidays have special occurred on Thanksgiving, we called foods associated with them. Hanukkah it Thanksgivakah. We spent it with is meant to be a feast. relatives and mixed traditional Thanks- I really enjoy the holiday, especially giving foods with things that were since it comes at the beginning of winter. traditional for Hanukkah. It is nice to decorate the house and enjoy We have a Hanukkah Brunch at Temple some time with family and friends before Israel, which is always fun. We have latkes winter really starts. —Sara Babich Eight NightsEight Lights anukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Mac- Hcabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire.