Emerald Magazine, Vol. 1, Issue 1

Emerald holiday special

MAGAZINE

orEgon DAIlY EMErAlD • DECEMbEr, 2008

20 get in to

tacky sweaters frumPy fasHions beCome CHiC sHowPieCes for Holiday festivities

inside: Behind the beard Undercover shopper Socially conscious shopping

What’s inside Behind the beard 22

With minimal pay and less-than-savory work conditions, what keeps the Man in Red in jolly spirits throughout the holiday season? story Tristen knight

odds ’n ends

features

up ’n out

wish lists 8

Holiday calendar 30

Five must-have holiday wish lists from some of the most well known faces around campus. story Hannah Hoffman

Stuck in town this winter season? a guide of what to do between Eugene and Portland story Jaime Swindle

crafty canvas, vintage finds 8

5 films full of holiday cheer 32

Vintage stores make gift giving easy. also, learn how to personalize reusable shopping bags for family and friends. story Leslie Montgomery

an exploration of five classic holiday films and the best beverages to accompany them. story kelli Curtis

which holiday character are you? 11 Take our quiz and find out if you’re more like Frosty the Snowman, The Holiday armadillo, buddy the Elf or the Grinch. story Holly Schnakenberg

undercover shopper 12 The odE goes covert to find the best stores for holiday gift shopping in Eugene. story Rebecca Woolington

dreidels to mistletoe 14 The history behind some of the most common holiday traditions. story Alex Tomchak Scott

Tacky meets trendy 16 Fun and functional, these old-fashioned sweaters are the basis for one of the best holiday themed parties. story Lisa Anderson

EMERALD MAGAZINE EDITORIAL (541) 346-5511

ASHlEY cHASE Editor in Chief AlliE gRASgREEN Managing Editor TRiSTEN KNigHT Design Editor JAiME SwiNdlE Pulse Editor liSA ANdERSON TRiSTAN cOOlEN KElli cuRTiS ANdREw EdwARdS HANNAH HOFFMAN lESliE MONTgOMERY MiKE PERRAulT HOllY ScHNAcKENBERg RYAN SMiTH OTT TAMMiK AlEX TOMcHAK ScOTT REBEccA wOOliNgTON Contributors KElli cuRTiS ANdREw EdwARdS Copy Chiefs dAVE MARTiNEZ Photo Editor

BUSINESS (541) 346-5511

MicHElE ROSS Interim General Manager KATHY cARBONE Business Manager MONicA cHRiSTOFFElS Administrative Assistant KEViN ARMSTRONg SHAwN BARNES TONY FARlEY SPENSER HEATON SHANNON lOwE HOBBS MAgARET Distribution

ADVERTISING (541) 346-3712

liNdSEY FERguSON Advertising Director TARA SlOAN Asst. Advertising Director ERiN dAViS JESSEE dAViS EMilY KAHN JENNY KANE JEANNE lONg STEPHANiE MccullEY ANNA OSgOOdBY cRYSTAl STANFORd STAcEY STEwART MEgAN TAYlOR RiEHEl ZEREYHOuNE Advertising Executives lAcEY BEcKER Ad Assistant

CREATIVE SERVICES (541) 346-4381

Socially conscious shopping 28

MicHElE ROSS Technology & Creative Services Director BRiANNE BEigH Creative Services Supervisor BRiAN AEBi ROgER BONg KEiTH cHAlOuX KATiE MillER AdAM RYAN EMMA SilVERMAN

Think before you buy your holiday gifts this season . it’s where you spend that matters. story Andrew Edwards

last word The hidden holiday 38

Holiday homebrew 34

an Estonian christmas in 1950 was a cheerful, yet illegal affair for one reporter’s grandmother. story Ott Tammik

Save some hard earned cash and brew your own holiday-esque licorice infused stout. story Tristan Coolen

on TH E coVER | P HOTO daVE MaRTi n E Z | MOdE l S M EG an joy an d j a Son n icHoL a S

The oregon daily Emerald is published by the oregon daily Emerald Publishing co., inc. at the university of oregon, Eugene, oR. The Emerald operates independently of the university with offices in Suite 300 of the Erb Memorial union. The Emerald is private property. © 2008

Join Team In Training for the Eugene Marathon* & Half Marathon Teams forming in January. Check our website for recruitment information: www.teamintraining.org/or Interested in other TNT events?

Check the web for a complete list of run, walk, cycle & triathlon events!

1.800.466.6572 • www.teamintraining.org/or

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* Recruitment for the Eugene full marathon begins in December.

Contact the Chapter for more details.

eat &

drink

the

late night food ¤ Dough Co. ¤ Muchas Gracias ¤ Pony Express ¤ ________________

place for a date ¤ Prince Pucklers ¤ Ratatouille ¤ The Vintage ¤ ________________

coffee ¤ Dutch Brothers ¤ Espresso Roma ¤ Starbucks ¤ ________________

chocolate ¤ Euphoria Chocolate Co. ¤ Kekau ¤ Sweet Life ¤ ________________

sandwich ¤ Agate Alley Bistro ¤ Barry's Espresso & Deli ¤ Quizno's ¤ ________________

vegetarian ¤ Café Yumm ¤ Keystone Café ¤ Morning Glory Café ¤ ________________

chinese food ¤ Jade Palace ¤ Kowloon's ¤ Louie's Village ¤ ________________

italian food ¤ Ambrosia ¤ Beppe & Gianni's ¤ Pizza Pete's ¤ ________________

sports bar ¤ The Cooler ¤ Peabody's ¤ Villard St. Pub ¤ ________________

breakfast thai food ¤ Brail's ¤ Kuraya's Thai Cuisine ¤ Glenwood ¤ Sweet Basil Thai ¤ Original Pancake House ¤ Tasty Thai ¤ ________________ ¤ ________________

local brewery ¤ Ninkasi ¤ Eugene City Brewery ¤ Steelhead ¤ ________________

bar to end the night ¤ Jo Federigo's ¤ Max's Tavern ¤ Sixth St. Bar & Grill ¤ ________________

burrito ¤ Burrito Boy ¤ Mucho Gusto ¤ Qdoba ¤ ________________

under $5 ¤ The Caspian ¤ Laughing Planet ¤ Subway ¤ ________________

bar

taxi service ¤ Budget Taxi ¤ Oregon Taxi ¤ Jerry's Taxi ¤ ________________

shopping area ¤ 5th St. Public Market ¤ 13th St. ¤ Oakway Center ¤ ________________

outdoor gear ¤ Backcountry Gear ¤ Berg's Ski Shop ¤ McKenzie Outfitters ¤ ________________

concert venue ¤ Cuthbert Amphitheatre ¤ McDonald Theatre ¤ WOW Hall ¤ ________________

sex shop ¤ Castle Megastore ¤ Imagine That ¤ Olivejuice ¤ ________________

smoke shop skate shop ¤ Hunky Dory ¤ Boardspoarts ¤ Luckey's Club Cigar Store ¤ Tactics ¤ Midtown Pipe & Tobacco ¤ Zumiez ¤ ________________ ¤ ________________

women's clothing ¤ Due Donne ¤ The Juice ¤ Melange ¤ ________________

body modification ¤ Eugene Tattoo ¤ High Priestess ¤ Skullfly ¤ ________________

salon

grocery store ¤ Kiva ¤ Market of Choice ¤ Safeway ¤ ________________

underage entertainment ¤ Saturday Market ¤ Strike City ¤ Taboo ¤ ________________

major

campus icon ¤ Dave Frohnmayer ¤ Frog ¤ UO Duck Mascot ¤ ________________

pizza

¤ Pegasus Pizza ¤ Sy's New York Pizza ¤ Track Town Pizza ¤ ________________

burger & fries ¤ Cornucopia ¤ Marché ¤ McMenamin's ¤ ________________

play &

shop

Shoji's Sushi Domo Sushi Station ________________

¤ Bello Day Spa & Salon ¤ Chikara ¤ Gervais ¤ ________________

¤ Indigo ¤ Rennie's Landing ¤ Taylor's Bar & Grill ¤ ________________

bike shop ¤ Collin's Cycle Shop ¤ Paul's Bicycle Way of Life ¤ Revolution Cycles ¤ ________________

classes

lecture hall ¤ Lawrence 177 ¤ Lillis 182 ¤ LLC South 101 ¤ ________________

¤ Business ¤ Education ¤ Journalism ¤ ________________

ASUO group professor ¤ Assault Prevention Shuttle ¤ Dave Dusseau ¤ Crisis Center ¤ Kelli Matthews ¤ Designated Driver Shuttle ¤ Whitney Wagoner ¤ ________________ ¤ ________________

Deadline: 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 9

There are three ways to submit your ballot: Oregon Daily Emerald P.O. Box 3159 Eugene, OR 97403

deliver

One ballot per person.

place to catch a nap school supplies ¤ EMU Taylor Lounge ¤ The Duck Store ¤ Knight Library ¤ Hirons ¤ Clark Honors College Lounge ¤ Letterhead ¤ ________________ ¤ ________________

Oregon Daily Emerald 3rd floor of EMU (through main doors, up stairs to 3rd floor)

online

mode of transportation ¤ Bike ¤ Car ¤ LTD ¤ ________________

mail

VOTE for what you think is THE BEST!

when someone else pays ¤ Adam's Place ¤ Café Soriah ¤ Red Agave ¤ ________________

comfort food sushi ¤ Horsehead ¤ ¤ Café Lucky Noodle ¤ ¤ Papa's Soul Food Kitchen ¤ ¤ ________________ ¤

campus &

B E S T

indian food food cart ¤ Evergreen Indian Cuisine ¤ Alexander the Great ¤ Bombay Palace ¤ Carte Blanche ¤ Taste of India ¤ One Bad Dawg ¤ ________________ ¤ ________________

Fill out the ballot online at www.dailyemerald.com/best

o d d s ’ n e n d s | gifts | character quiz | shopper | history lesson | wish lists

do it yourself

IF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE WERE ON YOUR GIFT LIST, WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

How to: creatively craft your canvas wor d s LESL I E MONTGOM ERY

wor d s Hannah Hoffman

Jeremiah Johnson oregon ducks Running back

1.) Rock Band 2 2.) “A digital camera ... with everything.”

3.) Clothes 4.) “Definitely some new kicks.”

5.) PS3

Sam Dotters-Katz ASUO President

1.) Volkl Unlimited Grizzly Downhill Skis 2.) Dinner with Barack Obama 3.) Limited Edition Mac Dre Bobble Head 4.) FranklinCovey Day Planner 5.) Season Pass to Mt. Bachelor

1.) World Peace 2.) Bringing back habeas corpus 3.) Shutting down Guantánamo 4.) For the Bush administration to answer for its crimes 5.) Bottle of single malt scotch

wor d s A N D P HOTO S LESL I E MONTGOM ERY

Puttin’ on the Ritz 350 E. 11th Ave.

Alex Mali An array of earrings from all eras appear on this display at Oak Street Vintage

Oak Street Vintage 1409 Oak St.

Expect nothing less than fantastic, vivid and funky items from this “Mid-century Modern” shop near downtown. The atmosphere is so inviting, you might find yourself playing with retro toys, gadgets and swag lamps for hours. The Vintage sells a vibrant collection of apparel from the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, along with furniture, bags, hats, shoes, dinnerware, jewelry, records and more.

Emerald Magazine

Check out Eugene’s best vintage stores for eclectic holiday shopping: wish lists “Have you seen the funniest joke book in the world?”

Vintage swag makes funky gifts

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There are thousands of ways to jazz up a bag, so here are a few crafty ideas that will add your own personal touch to your carry-on: • Cut out logos from old T-shirts and adhere them to the bag using safety pins and buttons, or sew them on with a needle and thread.

• Festoon your canvas bag with various odds and ends like ribbon, glitter or old earrings.

• Write inspiring messages or your favorite quotes using iron-on letters or fabric paints.

Frog

go vintage

Frank Sinatra’s voice floats through the various rooms in Puttin’ on the Ritz, which embraces the early 20th century in every facet. Great for shopping for friends and family with retro style, this store has a wide assortment of items, including authentic Vogue overcoats, dresses, kitchen items and wooden cigar boxes.

Canvas bags: Not only does using and reusing them reduce the waste going into landfills, but they make an excellent environmentally friendly holiday gift. A quick D.I.Y. project under $20 can turn an ordinary beige bag into a personalized gift that stores groceries, books and more.

owner of alexander’s great falafel

1.) Health 2.) Economy to get better 3.) A cruise 4.) People to be happy: “I don’t want things.”

5.) Potholes in the road filled

Oregon Marching Band Go! Fight! Win Ducks Win!

1.) Win in the Holiday Bowl 2.) To keep new uniform jackets 3.) New set of woodwind instruments 4.) 100 more band members 5.) Equipment truck

With Reed&Cross Floral at Gray’s … … we can create the most Unique and Memorable Experience The possibilities are endless.

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Max’s Tavern

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Classic Pub Atmosphere in the Historic Thompson-Roach Building 550 E. 13th Ave., Eugene, OR 97401 • 541.349.8986 Visit us at myspace.com/welovemaxstavern

o d d s ’ n e n d s | gifts | character quiz | shopper | history lesson |

Which holiday character are you? wOR d S Holly sCHnaKen b erg

iT’S cHRiSTMaS MoRninG. you WakE uP and yELL: A Happy Birthday!

B AHHHHHH!!!!!! c I should clean the house today... d SHUT UP! This is a national holiday and I want to sleep in! youR FaVoRiTE HoLiday MoViE iS: A “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” B Anything — They’re all just so awesome! c “Eight Crazy Nights” d “A Charlie Brown Christmas” youR FaVoRiTE coLoRS aRE: A Pink and white — light and fluffy like the snow!

B Red and green — they just make me feel warm and bubbly inside. c Blue and white — they look good with anything. d Black and blue — the colors you’ll be if you keep bugging me.

youR FaVoRiTE aniMaL iS: A A rabbit.

B Not a raccoon. They’re not friendly. c An armadillo. d A dog. aT THE bEGinninG oF THE HoLiday SEaSon, you THink: A There’s so much to do!

B Now we can make snow angles and go ice skating and snuggle! c Is eight pairs of socks enough for Aunt Gertrude this year? d I must stop this holiday from coming ... but how? aS a kid aT THE HoLiday PaGEanTS, you WERE: A The star — you really wanted to shine!

B The teacher made you wait outside because you made all the other kids hyper. c A sheep, because it is a greatly under-appreciated animal. d I hid backstage. No way was I dressing up like a dork.

youR WiSH LiST THiS SEaSon incLudES: A A new refrigerator to keep me cool.

B Candy. c Latke mix. d Earmuffs for the noise, noise, NOISE! youR FaVoRiTE HoLiday LyRicS aRE: A “Let it Snow” B “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” c “The Dreidel Song” d “Shut up” by the Black Eyed Peas ouTSidE THE SEaSon, you can bE Found: A In a puddle on 13th Street.

B Getting ready for next December. c Watching old episodes of “The O.C.” — that Seth is hilarious! d Catching up on the sleep I lost in December.

i l lu ST R AT iON S PatriCK finn e y

MoSTLy a’S:

MoSTLy b’S:

MoSTLy c’S:

MoSTLy d’S:

Frosty the Snowman

Buddy the Elf

The Holiday Armadillo

The grinch

You’re fun and happy and always glad to lead your friends downtown (though you have tendencies to pause a moment when the policeman hollers “Stop!”). Everyone loves you around the holidays, though you can get a little mushy when things start to heat up.

You LOVE the holidays and everything they stand for!

While others might try to get you down, saying things like “there’s no such thing as Santa” or “don’t put maple syrup on your spaghetti,” you don’t let it get to you. They’ll catch the spirit of the holidays from your example.

As Santa’s part-Jewish friend, you may get a lot of guff for not celebrating Christmas, but worry not. With your deep voice and vast knowledge of Hanukkah, you’re slowly rolling your way into the hearts of holiday-lovers everywhere!

You hate everything about the holidays. In fact, if it were up to you, you’d stay in and sleep the whole month of December. Lighten up, though, Mr. Grinch. As long as you don’t get caught up in the commercialization of the holiday, you might actually have a good one.

Emerald Magazine

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o d d s ’ n e n d s | gifts | character quiz | shopper | history lesson |

Undercover shopper We’ve secretly been hitting up gift shops in Eugene to check out what they have to offer during the holidays. Here is what we found: secret shopper choice

Hartwick’s

PassionFlower Design

5th Street Public Market (541) 686-0216

128 E. Broadway (541) 344-3857 Service: and helpful.

Service: Very friendly and helpful.

Enthusiastic, upbeat

Prices: Fairly expensive. Some gifts can be purchased for less than $50, but items such as embroidered and beaded clutches cost more than $100.

Possible gift items: Pink-patterned and flower-embellished flasks. Quilts and blankets ranging from bright shades of pink to pearly champagnes.

Shop here for: People who appreciate French and Marie Antoinetteinspired interior decorations and gifts.

Atmosphere: The sweet smell of floral candles greets customers, and upbeat music creates an energetic environment. The store is packed with French-style books, jewelry, journals, clothing, pajamas and vases.

Shoe-A-Holic 957 Willamette St. (541) 687-0898 Service: being pushy.

Friendly and helpful without

Prices: Many shoes were more than $40. A

variety of shoes were on sale for 20 or 30 percent off.

Possible gift items: Converse and

Swahili

5th Street Public Market (541) 684-0688 Service: Laid back and helpful without being pushy.

Prices: Some gifts, such as earrings and beaded animals can be purchased for less than $25.

Vans that come in a variety of colors and patterns, including lemon yellow, cherry red and lime green. There are also black or brown round-toe heeled booties.

Possible gift items: Beaded jewelry or beaded African animals such as elephants and giraffes.

Shop here for: Anyone who loves shoes.

Atmosphere: The store is a little cluttered,

Shop here for: Any relative or friend who likes imported, non-mainstream gifts.

with shoes lining each wall. Dainty ballet flats with small bows and other embellished flats, occupy shelves on a column in the center of the store. The column and the tables surrounding it serve as a home for the sale shoes. Heels, boots and sneakers all have their own section in the little store, making it easier to find desired items. Shoes are available for men, women, and children in a variety of styles.

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Emerald Magazine

wor d s re b ecc a woolington P hoto jaime swin dle

Atmosphere: All items in

the store are from Africa except for CDs and a few other items.

Instruments, vases, and a large, rust-colored giraffe line the sides of the path, weaving through the collection of possible gift items.

Prices: Cost of items vary depending on the item. Some gifts, such as wine glasses, can be purchased for less than $25.

Possible gift items: Clear-topped wine glasses with light pink or turquoise diamond-patterned stems.

Shop here for: Any relative or friend who likes kitchen supplies and gadgets.

Atmosphere: Each aisle bulges with items like clear crystal or brightly-colored butter dishes, plump tea kettles, old-fashioned mixers and small brown football barbecues. A rainbow of colanders hangs from above, greeting guests as they enter.

Down to Earth 532 Olive Street and 2498 Willamette Street (541) 342-6820

Service: Cheerful greetings, little additional help offered.

Prices: There is a wide variety of possible gifts and price ranges.

Possible gift items: Dishes with coordinating mugs available in a variety of hues, such as orange, royal blue and snowy white. Outdoor items such as chimes, lanterns and bird feeders. Games such as Bird Bingo and Gardenopoly.

Shop here for: Outdoor-loving, houseware-using friends and family.

Atmosphere: The store is divided into separate sections, including clothing, housewares, outdoor gifts and supplies, children’s toys and games, lotions and soaps, and decorative lamps and lighting fixtures.

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1156 Hwy. 99N • Eugene (At the Gilbert Shopping Center)

o d d s ’ n e n d s | gifts | character quiz | shopper | history lesson |

Dreidels to mistletoe The historical background of some of the most common holiday traditions wOR d S ale X tomCHaK sCot t

MiSTlETOE The likeliest explanation for the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is that Druids, followers of a pre-Christian Celtic faith, consider it a symbol of fertility.

Mistletoe grows even in the thick of winter. The Druids noted the similarity between the white, viscous sap in mistletoe berries and a certain substance essential to human reproduction.

To kiss in the presence of such a powerful symbol, the Druids thought, was certain to increase the chances of conception.

Perhaps that’s something to think about next time you go to a holiday party.

Traditionally, after each kiss under the mistletoe, the man is supposed to remove a berry. Once the sprig has lost all its berries, it loses its powers of fertility, too, and no longer obliges those underneath to lock lips.

dREidEl

KiNARA

cHRiSTMAS TREES

While in modern times we associate dreidels with games and singing, the Jews of the 3rd century B.C. saw them as the only thing standing between their religion and execution, according to legend.

Back then, the Holy Land was occupied by Greek Syrians who, among other things, outlawed studying the Torah, making it punishable by death.

Devout Jews continued their religious studies secretly in caves or forests. When the Jews, huddled around their Torahs, heard the Greeks coming, they would quickly put the scriptures away and begin spinning dreidels to make it appear as though they had only gathered to play a game.

Kwanzaa is a modern descendant of ancient African celebrations of the first fruits of spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Its name comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” meaning “first fruits.”

Maulana Karenga, a former chairman of African studies at California State University, Long Beach, created the celebration in 1966 to celebrate African heritage.

Modern Kwanzaa is observed from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. It seeks to affirm, among other things, seven communitarian virtues: faith, self-determination, creativity, purpose, cooperative economics, collective responsibility and unity.

The Kinara is a candle holder. On it, one candle burns for each of the virtues.

It took the Angelina Jolie of the 19th century, Queen Victoria of England, to popularize the Christmas tree in America.

In 1850, an engraving of the queen celebrating Christmas with an elaborately decorated evergreen hit U.S. publications.

Soon, trees appeared in the homes of many in the American upper class.

The custom of associating evergreen trees with Christmas originated in Germany in the 16th century. It descended from an older pagan tradition that celebrated the trees during the winter solstice.

Until the queen showed them favor, Christmas trees had been frowned upon, even outlawed in the English-speaking world.

Take your campus radio with you. live 24hrs a day around the world.

uote for DDS as

best ASUO group!

| 14 |

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Emerald Magazine

“You can have it mild, you can have it wild.”

voted best thai restaurant in town

Sweet Basil THAI CUISINE

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Sweet Basil

Sweet Basil Express

941 Pearl St Eugene 541-284-2944

1219 alder Eugene 541-393-5797

tacky

f e a t u r e s | where tacky meets trendy | behind the beard | socially conscious shopping |

WHERE

MEETS TREndy

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Emerald Magazine

wOR d S li sa anderson P HOTO S dave martin e z

The ‘Haggard Holiday Sweater Party’ is a fun and functional festive phenomenon

T

he first time Nate Beard attended a “Haggard Holiday Sweater Party” three years ago, the now-21-yearold “felt at home.” In preparation for his first encounter with the flamboyant holiday ritual, Beard purchased a $4 green and red gingerbread man sweater from Goodwill and a bottle of Two-Buck Chuck (another term for cheap Charles Shaw wine) to give his hosts.

“I kind of had a feeling it was right up my alley,” the Lane Community College student and Holy Cow Café employee said. “People were there to celebrate a common thing in that (it) wasn’t so much about Christ, but about celebrating Santa, presents, candy canes and warm fabric. No matter anyone’s faith, everyone can appreciate the gift-giver.”

Gathered with 25 others at his friends’ expansive college abode, Beard ate gingerbread pieces while chasing down glasses of spiked apple cider and wine. He and his friends built a ranch-style gingerbread house complete with a pond, fence and cottage woods.

What began as a silly and cheap holiday party theme for college students has now become a fashion phenomenon that involves scouring thrift and consignment stores for ostentatious sweaters. Once considered visually accosting and only appropriate for school teachers or grandmothers’ closets, the overthe-top holiday sweater and its accompanying party have become a fashionista’s must-have seasonal centerpiece, both functional and trendy in an ironic sort of way.

“It’s honoring warmth and health and that you don’t have to be an avid Christian to celebrate consumerism,” Beard, a self-identified Daoist, said. “Although fat, white and very American, the Santa image is pretty hot.”

University senior Jason Nicholas, also an experienced holiday sweater shopper and party attendee, has amassed 25 holiday sweaters since he bought his first glittery number with foam imaging in winter 2005. The group planned a sweater swap, but Nicholas liked his so much that he temporarily switched with friends instead.

“I like the concept of the parties so that everyone isn’t worried about being scantily clad to look good,” Nicholas said. “When I lived in Hawaii I had never heard of these, but once I did, it was like a new revelation. It’s fun to reuse holiday sweaters for obnoxious purposes; I like to get new ones for each party.”

Since his inaugural participation in the Haggard Holiday Sweater Party, Beard has

Ugly holiday sweaters aren’t just for the winter months.

They can be donned in the summertime as a way to spread jolly holiday cheer all year-round.

frequented numerous parties that have included up to 80 guests. He dedicates himself to spreading the jolly man’s cheer by donning his digs in December and randomly during the summer months when Eugene’s hot weather threatens his cause.

“I may get some strange glances but I take them proudly,” Beard said. “It’s like my cult.

I can’t tell if some people are serious or joking when they wear the sweaters, but I don’t think it matters because they are bringing everyone together and brightening people’s day.”

Like Beard, Nicholas likes to pull out his holiday sweaters throughout the year. He recommends St. Vincent de Paul’s, Antrican and Buffalo Exchange for holiday sweater seekers, while Beard, who loves the wine stains on his sweaters, prefers Value Village, Goodwill and family members’ old sweaters.

“I’m not mocking, it’s legitimate,” Nicholas said. “When I’m out buying these, sometimes I see ladies in them and think ‘God, I wish she was donating that one! You go rock that Christmas sweater, grandma!’ I love when people wear these for serious.”

Unlike Beard and Nicholas, University senior Thea Evenstad hosted an “Ugly Sweater Party” in late November last year not to celebrate the holidays, but to keep party-goers warm in her unheated house. Evenstad bought seven wool sweaters for 50 cents a piece to keep her

warm as she commuted three miles to campus via bicycle. She challenged her friends to find one uglier than her bright purple number.

No consensus could be made on who donned the ugliest sweater. Evenstad and her guests baked cupcakes, played the game Balderdash and admired each others’ “degrees of hideousness.” They could see their breath in her freezing apartment but the ugly sweaters served their function.

“I associate thrift shoppers with sweater parties; it’s humorous,” Evenstad said. “But I find branding holidays offending. Seeing Santa on a sweater doesn’t make me happy inside, and the reasons I like the holidays don’t align with the secular sense of the holidays.

What I wanted was fun, food, togetherness and warmth.”

Regardless of the sweater genre, parties surrounding the article of clothing are among the most popular for college students during the winter.

On Dec. 5, Beard and his acting group, the Great Miasma, will perform an improv-experimental theater show in the EMU Ben Linder Room and encourages attendees to wear holiday sweaters for reduced admission.

“The holidays can be so heavy around the family,” Beard said, “and, to just embrace the lightness of dressing up? It’s like Halloween in the winter.”

Emerald Magazine

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Video lottery & ATM

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f e a t u r e s | where tacky meets trendy | behind the beard | socially conscious shopping |

beard

bEHind THE

For don Waddell, christmas smells like hair conditioner. He lathers up his beard with the silky substance before bleaching his facial tresses snowy white to become Santa claus.

There’s more to the man than a white fluffy beard, a red velvet suit, big black boots and a deep-bellied ‘ho, ho, ho’

i

wOR d S TR i S TEn k n iG HT

n a small, two-seat helicopter in 1985, Santa’s bells jingled as the helicopter swayed from the fierce winds raging over Newberg, Ore. Santa wasn’t used to flying in a toy-like machine, or, really, flying at all, and the nearing blizzard didn’t calm his jitters.

“My eyes were the size of saucers,” says Don Waddell, 60. “We flew over the town for quite some time, and when we finally were able to land on top of one of the stores, I wondered how I was going to get down.”

A fire truck parked outside of the tall building in Springbrook Shopping Center and raised its ladder

| 22 |

Emerald Magazine

|

P HOTO S M i k E PER R au LT

to where Santa stood. With his legs wobbling inside his heavy suit, Santa climbed down to a group of cheering children.

For the past 28 years, Waddell has left his cozy home and jeans behind in King City, Ore., to become Santa Claus, working to make Christmas just a bit more magical around Oregon and Washington.

After developing an act as a clown for eight years beginning in 1980, he began playing Santa Claus for friends and family during the holidays. His daughter Nicole Leverich, a journalism graduate of the University of Oregon, believed in her father’s

performing ability and helped start a family business in 1985, where her father acted as a commercial Santa in Newberg.

“He’s an irrepressible personality,” Leverich says. “He’s one of those people who’s great in front of the crowd.”

Waddell began as the community Santa, appearing in the town parade, the local library and other stores around the area.

Eventually his Santa career took off, and now he works for Cherry Hill Photo Enterprises, Inc., a corporation that places Santas in more than 300 malls nationwide, including Valley River Center in Eugene.

The idea of a commercial Santa is far from new. Gift-giving has been part of the Christmas tradition since the beginning of the 19th century. With that in mind, stores began advertising Christmas shopping in 1920, and by the 1940s newspapers were creating Christmas supplements with photos of Santa Claus to promote spending. Before long, stores enticed parents and children into their shops with a chance to see a “real” Santa Claus.

“I love every minute of it,” Waddell says.

“Working with families and their children brings a lot of joy to the holiday season for me.”

But don’t let Santa’s cheerfulness fool you — mall Santas cheerfully endure some of the most grueling working conditions every Christmas season.

To look like a real Santa, Waddell must take extreme measures. Every year, he sits in a beautician’s chair, his nose wrinkling as a thick layer of bleach is applied to his beard.

He braces himself for the pain that will soon ensue as the bleach turns his beard white, burning his skin in the process.

“It feels like battery acid,” Waddell says as he grabs a hair dryer to blow the fumes away from his nose. “I really try to be as close to the real thing as I can for the children.”

Along with the daunting beauty process, Waddell has to wear a padded suit that includes heavy velvet pants and jacket, thick socks and white gloves that remain visible at all times. The entire ensemble creates a human-heater.

“I keep three suits at the mall all the time so I have a suit to change in to,” Waddell says.

“They’re just absolutely soaking at the neck and shoulders by the time I get a break.”

And the break conditions aren’t so great, either.

To keep customers and children from running into Waddell when he is not in Santa form, the break room is usually an unused room that’s shielded from everyone.

“If I’m lucky, there will be a chair and table; nice things like refrigerators and ventilation don’t exist,” he says.

And let’s not forget the kids.

Back at the shopping center in Newberg, Santa sits in the chair as children climb

As a mall Santa, Don Waddell’s job isn’t always jolly. Waddell endures the headache of children crying, sneezing and urinating on him every day.

Santa statistics • More than 50 percent have their boots stepped on by a child up to 10 times a day.

• If Santa could “pimp his sleigh,” 44 percent would add a GPS for Mrs. Claus.

• Almost 90 percent have their beard pulled each day to see if it’s real.

• About 50 percent endure children trying to take their glasses off of their face.

• More than 60 percent are sneezed or coughed on up to 10 times a day.

• 74 percent have up to 10 children cry on their laps each day.

• 60 percent with real beards groom theirs up to four times a day.

• 45 percent see camera flash spots more than 25 times per day.

• 34 percent have had a child wet on their lap.

• Nearly half of mall Santas’ black boots are between sizes 10 and 11.5. source: www.auntieannes.com

Emerald Magazine

| 23 |

f e a t u r e s | where tacky meets trendy | behind the beard | socially conscious shopping |

Despite the hardships of being the Man in Red, Waddell looks forward to the Christmas season and his job of bringing holiday cheer to those around him.

onto his lap and share what they want for Christmas. More than 100 children line up to see Santa every day, and one-byone, each child steps on his feet, sneezes into his neatly groomed beard and attempts to pull it down to see if it’s real.

If that’s not enough, the abused Claus also endures crying, whining and unfortunate

bodily functions.

“Every now and then, there’s the kid who gets a little too upset, and Santa ends up with vomit across his lap,” Waddell says. “There’s also the little darlings who have problems in the other end, too, and suddenly there’s that feeling of warm dampness.”

Waddell isn’t alone. According to an

online survey carried out by Brand IQ, more than 30 percent of mall Santas has had a child “wet” on their lap, and many experience the same stresses at malls across the nation.

To top it off, Santas get paid next to nothing. Most make between $12 and $15 an hour, not near enough to cover an adult’s average standard of living. The hours are grueling, too. Half of all Santas work 180 hours a week, and almost a quarter of them work up to 240 hours weekly, according to the study.

While the conditions may be close to unbearable, there are some definite perks to being the man in red.

“The ladies love Santa,” Waddell says.

Every now and then, Waddell charms the “older gals” at the mall by singing “Oh, You Beautiful Gal” in a barbershop tenor, but most of the time the ladies just flock to him.

At the beginning of his Santa career, Waddell arrived at a sleek apartment complex to entertain children at a corporate party, but soon the children went home and the adult party began.

“They had an open bar and my wife came to take pictures of Santa, and as the evening progressed ... did I mention the open bar?” Waddell says, laughing. “The ladies got very friendly and started taking turns dancing with Santa and posing, and putting their hands where they generally don’t belong on Santa Claus.”

Makes a Great Gift!

8-Track Level :: $20 a year :: Free to UO Students* KWVA 8-Track Level

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• • • •

The Eugene

SYMPHONY GUILD

top 10 Strangest gift requests

source: www.auntieannes.com

25th Annual

CHRISTMAS WALK Saturday, December 6th, 10 am - 5 pm Sunday, December 7th, 11 am - 4 pm

Start the holiday season early! Join Eugene Symphony Guild members and supporters in their 25th Christmas Walk. View interiors of distinctive homes in the South University Neighborhood, beautifully transformed for the season by our best local decorators: Hirons, Shamrock Flowers & Gifts, Eugene’s Flower Home, Reed & Cross, Nick & Nora’s, Hartwick’s and the Eugene Symphony Guild!

2315 McMorran St. David & Lynn Frohnmayer

2323 Fairmount Blvd.

George Wingard

2311 McMorran St. Thomas & Megan Wuest

Live Music!

Enjoy a Eugene Tradition!

TICKETS: $12 advance or $15 day of event. For ticket outlets, go to

www.eugenesymphony.org (click on Calendar, then Special Events) or call Kaye at 683-4220

Now offering GOLF MEMBERSHIPS! For all students, faculty, singles, family & seniors Yearly, winter or term memberships.

The choice is yours!

Call or come by the Pro Shop for prices!

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift?

Try our new E-gift cards!

www.golflaurelwood.com 541.484.GOLF

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1. Exotic pets: dinosaurs, unicorns, llamas 2. A new sibling 3. Cookbooks for mom because ‘she can’t cook very well’ 4. To live on the moon 5. A ‘real chainsaw’ 6. An alien from Mars 7. A ride in Santa’s sleigh 8. A floor buffer for mom 9. Boots for a horse and diapers for a monkey 10. For Santa to marry ‘mommy’

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But despite all the overzealous women and snot-nosed children, there are many moments worth enduring the chaos.

At the Wenatchee Valley Mall in Washington last year, a little girl was nervous to sit on Waddell’s lap. Talking to the girl’s mother while she calmed her daughter’s distress, he soon learned the family wanted to take a portrait for her husband, who was stationed in Iraq.

“I got to looking and realized we had four generations of ladies here: the great grandmother, grandma, the mother and daughter,” Waddell says. “It meant a lot that they came to see me for the portrait.”

The holiday season is when miracles happen, and Waddell wants to make sure of it. A year after his mother-in-law passed from Alzheimer’s disease in 2002, he made a stop in costume at Ceder Crest Care Center in Tualatin, Ore., to bring holiday joy to those who were struggling with similar sicknesses.

“Everyone was laughing and singing, but there was one man who hardly noticed,” Waddell says. The elderly man hadn’t spoken in months — he was disconnected with his home back in Germany. Waddell asked the staff to play “Silent Night” and he sang it in German to the man.

“That song connected with him and he started talking and interacting again,” Waddell says. “Those are the things that keep me going.”

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Lazar’s Bazar

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Breakfast Mon-Fri 7:30-10:30 AM

Sat 9-11:30 AM, Sun 9-1 PM (featuring Open-Nest eggs)

Full menu ‘til midnight everynight

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687-0600 1214 Kincaid St.

Quizno’s on campus

13th and Alder (next to Starbucks) Late hours during school: 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.

ALSO: Coburg Rd. (across from Oakway Center)

f e a t u r e s | where tacky meets trendy | behind the beard | socially conscious shopping |

SociaLLy conSciouS

ShoPPinG it’s where you choose to buy, not whether you choose to buy

S

omewhere between the recycled-tire rubber purses and Fair Trade wool sweaters, it becomes clear: We’re not at Wal-Mart anymore, Toto.

When wandering around Greater Goods, a Eugene retailer that specializes in ecofriendly products and sustainable business practices, it doesn’t take long to realize the consumerist frenzy that invades our shopping malls and wallets this time of year probably isn’t a frequent customer. But if you ask the store’s owner, Joan Kleban, that’s all the more reason to bring your business there.

“We all consume,” she says, “but we must be more mindful of what we consume.”

And she’s not the only one who thinks so.

In a world where the words “holiday season” have become synonymous with materialism and wasteful consumption, it’s no surprise that many people have decided enough is enough. Adbusters, a non-profit magazine whose self-stated goal is to raise awareness “about the erosion of our physical and cultural environments by commercial forces,” has for years spearheaded the Buy Nothing Day campaign, urging people to take a spending holiday on the Friday after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year.

“There’s only one way to avoid the collapse of this human experiment of ours on Planet Earth,” the campaign’s Web site urges. “We have to consume less.”

There are some, however, who worry about this message. Given the current state of the global economy, many believe that to simply buy nothing for a day to fight over-consumption is not only misguided, it’s irresponsible. They argue that movements such as Buy Nothing Day are meant to target the corporate behemoths of the world, rather than the small businesses that often follow eco-friendly practices and sell unique products. But it’s those small businesses that could be hardest hit by such a movement.

“My first reaction was, ‘nice idea, if you don’t work in a shop,’” wrote Toronto blogger Lloyd Alter in a post last year on the Web site treehugger.com.

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Emerald Magazine

wOR d S an dR E W EdWaR dS

Susan Janvrin, co-owner of Papergeist, an online company that makes and sells books fashioned from reused office paper, echoes the same sentiment.

“The real problem isn’t mom and pop selling things that are locally made,” she says. “It’s big-box retailers shipping cheap plastic from China and just being socially irresponsible.”

These “mom and pop” establishments often depend on holiday shopping for a large part of their yearly revenue. A nationwide buying cessation on what is, for many, the most profitable day of the year, could prove detrimental, even fatal, to a small business.

Instead of “buy nothing,” an increasing

“The real problem isn’t mom and pop selling things that are locally made. it’s big box retailers shipping cheap plastic from china...” number of people think the message should be “buy better.” This could mean shopping locally, buying Fair Trade fabric clothing or recycled products and packaging. What is important, they argue, is being conscientious about what you’re consuming and where your money goes.

That’s where stores such as Greater Goods come in. It’s among a growing population of companies that embraces sustainable business practices in light of global issues such as climate change, human rights violations, poverty and economic upheaval.

Buy Nothing Day has more to do with combating big corporate entities than combating various global issues, Kleban said. It focuses on intense consumption that leads to wastefulness when, as she put it, “it’s cheaper to throw it away.” Her fellow employee Jen Leister agreed.

“As a retailer, it’s a difficult concept,” Leister says. “It’s what you buy and where, more than whether or not you buy.” She advocates buying consciously every day and

being aware of where one’s money goes, which she calls “voting with your dollars.”

Stacey Bierma, owner of another long-time Eugene business, Harlequin Beads & Jewelry, agrees. She urges people not to succumb to the pressure big companies put on them during the holidays.

“Buying local is huge,” she says. “Be conscientious about not getting sucked into the corporateness of it.” Big chains might offer the lowest prices, but people love it when they get something more personalized, she says. “We can sell things for dirt cheap, but they end up in the trash ... We’ve followed this must-have attitude for decades that’s not helping the environment or the economy.”

Representatives from Wal-Mart and Target stores were unavailable for comment.

So does this mean it’s bad to buy nothing?

Not necessarily, say Kleban and Leister.

Everyone consumes in some way, they point out, and it’s important to be aware of this, and to make an effort to do so as consciously as possible. But simply buying gifts is not what the holiday season is all about, they say.

“For a while it was all about the greed of ‘What can I get?’ Now it’s about ‘What can I do for other people?’” Kleban says.

If people don’t want to buy, they could donate money or support someone in another country, Leister says. The company works with various aid organizations, such as Friendship with Cambodia, which partners with other non-profit organizations to educate children, strengthen communities and help people in need, including AIDS survivors and young children rescued from trafficking, according to its Web site.

“Spend time with family and friends,” Leister says, “instead of spending all your time shopping. Gifts should be a follow-up to something else you do.”

And when you do shop? Kleban warns about the impersonal nature of the “musthave” mentality. Our economy is in a recession, and we must come together through simple efforts to reverse the trend, she says.

“It doesn’t have to be huge gestures; everyone can do something,” she says.

“Building community is one of the pieces that will save us.”

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Campus location now open until midnight!

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849 E. 13th Ave (campus store only) • 485-0557

Evergreen

Indian Cuisine South and North

Vote Evergreen...

Best Indian Food in Eugene!

Lunch: 11:30 - 2:30 • Dinner: 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Lunch Buffet • All you can eat! • Lunch boxes to go

Open 7 days a week

1525 Franklin Boulevard Eugene, Oregon 97403

2 GREAT LOCATIONS TO SERVICE YOU!

JEWISH INSPIRED NEIGHBORHOOD BAKERY

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HOMEMADE SOUPS • CHALLAH • SANDWICHES • COFFEE • CHALLAH • HOMEMADE SOUPS •

Call 541.343.7944 Fax 541.343.7866

www.evergreenindianrestaurant.com

804 E. 12th Ave. • 343-1141 Mon - Fri 7 am - midnight, Sat 11 am-midnight, Sun 11 am - 5 pm 2805 Oak St. • 343-6444 Mon - Sat 6:30 am - 6 pm, Sun 7:30 am - 5 pm • SANDWICHES • HOMEMADE SOUPS • CHALLAH • COFFEE • HOMEMADE SOUPS • CHALLAH •

u p ’ n o u t | calendar | movies | beverage | sunday

7

monday

8

tuesday Friday 9

Dec 5- 14 A Christmas Truce Actor’s Cabaret of Eugene: Annex $12 general admission 8 p.m Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday

14

15

16

wednesday

10

Thursday saturday 11

17

21

18

25

Oregon Symphony presents Happy Holidays Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (Portland) $5-42, 2 p.m.

29

19

20

A Christmas Carol Soreng Theater at The Hult Center $18-22: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Eugene Ballet Company: The Nutcracker The Hult Center: Silva Hall $22-65 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.

31 DEC. 11 - JAN. 4 A Tuna Christmas Oregon Repertory Theatre (Portland) $32.50-52, 2 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.

Cards • Journals Photo Albums • Gifts Toys • Bath & Body Fun, eclectic and unexpected—in the heart of dowtown Eugene.

Voted BEST CARD SHOP The Register-Guard

Voted BEST INVITATIONS 2008 Oregon Bride Magazine

25 E. 8th Ave • 343-6374 | 30 |

saturday Sunday

Eugene Symphony: Chambers Family Foundation Yuletide Celebration The Hult Center: Silva Hall $15-47, 7:30 p.m.

NOV. 29 - DEC. 28 Oregon Zoo presents Zoolights Oregon Zoo, Portland Sunday-Thursday 5-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 5-8:30 p.m. $3.50-10

28

friday

Emerald Magazine

Floydian Slip New Year’s Eve Show McDonald Theater $20-25 8 p.m.

Eugene Opera: Orpheus in the Underworld The Hult Center: Silva Hall $20-65 Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m.. Jan. 3, 2:30 p.m.

Give Mom a special gift...

Handpaint the holidays!

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3 OFF any $10+ project $5 OFF any $25+ project

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One coupon per person per visit.

Not valid with other offers. Expires 1/31/2009

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Spa Gift Certificates A simple gift of wellness to show you care.

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To be, that which we were meant to be, takes courage and support from others

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See our complete service menu and holiday specials at:

u p ’ n o u t | calendar | movies | beverages |

e

T

n i V ta g e h

e

5 films full of n i V t a e g h Tholiday cheer wor d s Kelli Cu rti s

Check out these classic holiday films this season. The accompanying drinks bring out the real flavor of each film.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) George Bailey has put his life-long dreams of travel and adventure on hold to run his father’s building and loan company. On Christmas Eve, when crotchety Mr. Potter threatens to have George jailed because $8,000 goes missing, George contemplates suicide. But a guardian angel is determined to show George how much he has to live for.

Fondue . Crepes . Cocktails 837 Lincoln St. 349-9181

Drink pairing: A double bourbon “The Hebrew Hammer” (2003) Mordechai is a little different than most of his peers. While the rest of the kids in his class celebrate Christmas, Mordechai sits alone with his blue dreidel — that is, until Santa stomps on the dreidel, flips him off and walks off with a merry “Ho, ho, ho.” But Mordechai grows up and becomes the Hebrew Hammer, a “Certified Circumcised Dick.”

After Santa’s assassination by his own son, Mordechai has a new mission: to save Hanukkah from the sadistic new Santa.

SPECIALS: Margarita Monday

Drink pairing: Manischewitz, a kosher wine

Tuesday Boozeday

“A Christmas Story” (1983) Little 9-year-old Ralphie only wants one thing for Christmas: a beautiful, glorious Red Ryder BB gun — not some “crummy football,” like Santa suggests. The problem? Everyone, including his parents, teacher and Santa, think Ralphie will shoot his eye out. Ralphie dreams and schemes of how he can convince the world he’s ready for such a gift, but it’s also a matter of surviving the school bully until Christmas.

Wine Wednesday Thursday:

Drink pairing: “Be sure to drink your Ovaltine”

Burger & Brews

“Love Actually” (2003)

Fishbowl Fridays:

It’s Christmas time, and love is in the air in London. No one can escape it, not the prime minister, aging rock star or love-struck schoolboy. But as most people know, love isn’t easy, nor is it always kind. In a complex web of connected love stories, the rise and demise of love transform the characters. While some fall in love for the first time, other relationships of years collapse. Can the holiday season work miracles?

Giant fishbowl cocktails — Perfect for sharing!

Drink pairing: A cup of tea with a cinnamon stick “Elf” (2003)

8th Ave.

22367

Emerald Magazine

LincoLn BroAdwAy

Drink pairing: The “world’s best cup of coffee” | 32 |

The Vintage

LAwrence

Buddy, an orphaned human, was raised in the North Pole with elves, but soon his differences become too much to bear. He sets out to meet his biological father in New York City, still clad in his yellow tights and pointy shoes. Buddy explores New York City with childlike curiosity, which endears him to some and pushes him away from others — including his father, who is on Santa’s naughty list.

837 Lincoln St. 349-9181

Eugene’s Flower Home

$4.00 off GIANT Pizza

THE UNIVERSITY FLORIST

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Breakfast all day two kitchens – no WaIt! korean BBQ Dinner moved to noodle Bowl at 8th & Pearl

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table with $50 (or over) w/ coupon

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Lunch Mon.–Fri. 11 – 2 Dinner Mon.–Thurs., 4:30-9:30, Fri & Sat, 4:30-10 Please call for a reservation, 541.343.0935 1020 Green Acres, #10 (next to Joe’s), eugene

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u p ’ n o u t | calendar | movies | beverages |

A holiday home-brew wor d s & photos Tri stan coolen

Beer-lovers are faced with twin concerns this winter: Worsening weather pushes many people toward dark, full-bodied beers that can fortify their hearts against the cold, while a worsening economy can make for a painful bar tab. But have hope — homebrewing may be your solution! A bit of effort can lead to lots of savings, not to mention lots of tasty beer.

Valley Vintner & Brewer is a brewstore near campus that is keen to help budding brewers.

Here’s its suggestion for a great seasonal beer: Read more about this recipe and the Valley Vinter & Brewer brewstore online at dailyemerald.com

The Starcat Stout: ‘This is a dark malty stout with a generous amount of hopping to balance it out. The addition of brewer’s licorice adds to the character.’

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Emerald Magazine

Procedure: 1. Bring two gallons of water to about 165 degrees Fahrenheit and remove from heat. Add grains and allow to steep for 20 minutes.

2. Remove the grains and set in a wire mesh strainer held above stock pot. Pour hot water through the grains until the run-off clears.

3. Turn the heat under the brew kettle to medium and add in the malt extract, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, and gradually bring to a boil.

4. When the brew (wort) reaches a rolling boil, put in the licorice and add two ounces Perle hops. Boil for 40 minutes, then add one ounce Chinook hops. Boil for 15 minutes, then add one ounce Cascade hops. Boil five minutes.

Recipe Ingredients: 3/4 pound crystal malt (120L) 1/2 pound roasted barley 1/2 pound black patent malt 6 1/2 pounds malt extract syrup 1 pound dark dry malt extract 1 ounce brewer’s licorice 2 ounces Perle hops (60 min) 1 ounce Chinook hops (20 min) 1 ounce Cascade hops (5 min) White Labs Irish Ale Yeast 3/4 cup corn sugar

5. Fill sink with cold water and ice and set covered kettle in it to cool. Fill carboy with one gallon of water.

6. Add the cooled mixture to the fermenter.

Top off up to five gallons with cold water.

When the temperature drops below 75 degrees Fahrenheit, aerate well, add yeast, and attach the blow-off bucket.

7. Allow to ferment for about five days or until the foam has receded. Siphon the beer into a secondary fermenter.

8. After fermentation, siphon beer out of the carboy. Mix corn sugar into wort. Bottle and cap. Makes five gallons.

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l a s t w o r d | the hidden holiday |

The hidden holiday wor d s ott tamm i k | i l lu strat ion ryan sm ith

A

Estonia, Dec. 24, 1950

lready in the morning, the noisy jingle bells are heard as horse-drawn sleighs slide across the white Estonian countryside.

In the city, the bright snow-covered streets finally replace the grayness of fall, and tired stares suddenly become warm grins. These are days of few hours, and cheerful shoppers hurry as nightfall approaches. The number two streetcar stops among the honking of busy traffic as jesting passengers unload and quickly scatter, quietly disappearing into the dimmer back roads amid echoing laughter. Lamps light up a white sky filled with snowflakes. In a blur, they glide with the soft guidance of the wind, reflecting the calm light of shop lanterns still glowing before closing time.

It’s Christmas Eve as always, but for an outsider something seems strange.

For one, Christmas trees will not be sold for another few days, and there isn’t a Santa in sight. Furthermore, the word Tonight however, the wind no longer blows through the church’s “Christmas” had not even been mentioned in the morning newspaper.

After the October Revolution in 1917, Christmas and religion in gen- hole-riddled ceiling, and hundreds gather inside, beneath two enoreral were banned in the Soviet Union. Instead, the holiday season pub- mous firs. Amongst the joyful crowd, Edna sees her father glance at a licly climaxed on New Year’s Eve when Grandfather Frost, the Russian shadowy character scribbling down the names of those present. Years Spirit of Winter, replaced St. Nicholas. When Estonia was occupied in later, Edna would be criticized in a newspaper for playing violin in this very church. Her friend would be expelled from school.

1944, it too had to rid itself of such capitalist, bourgeoisie threats.

After the congregation, Edna’s mother is busy preparing a dining table It is on such a Christmas Eve in the early years of the occupation when my grandmother, little Edna Leisberg, helps drag a sled through a dark flourishing with sauerkraut, blood sausage and mashed potatoes while her son sneaks desert from beneath the table. At and slippery trail. It has long been dark, point, Edna sees her father suspiciously but Edna’s father still carefully wrapped It’s Christmas Eve as always, but one sneak off. Soon, the little ones run screama blanket around the freshly cut tree.

The respected religious leader, noted by for an outsider something seems ing with joy to meet a loud knock and a jolly “ho, ho, ho!” the community and the KGB, shushes strange. For one, Christmas trees Santa pulled out a neatly wrapped his children as they turn the last street package from a brown potato corner to their apartment. will not be sold for another few days, bag. “What will you perform for Inside, they are greeted by the warm and there isn’t a Santa in sight. us tonight? A song, a poem; persmell of hot cocoa and the uncontainhaps you can dance?” he asked. In able excitement of Edna’s younger siblings. Last year, her mother simply filled a vase with fir branches, but those poor Soviet times, especially in the earlier years, the prestoday Edna decorates her first Christmas tree with live candle fire and a ents weren’t many, but Edna was overjoyed even with little snowflake star. Edna’s father had made the candles the night before, as pictures her siblings had made for her. stores didn’t sell them this time of year.

It wasn’t until 1991 that Christmas was openly observed, but the After munching down a few more gingerbread cookies, the family holiday season was by no means ruined for the nearly 50 years of joins the masses drifting toward the sound of choir music. It is the one Soviet occupation. Songs sung on Christmas Eve were never taught time of the year that Edna has to shove her way into an otherwise cold in school, yet everyone still seemed to know them by heart. Santa still and empty building. The towering Oleviste Church, recently reno- came and the tradition lived on behind curtain-drawn windows. Even vated under the directorship of Edna’s father, was the world’s tallest the trees eventually came back to the market because people refused structure when it was completed in the 16th century. to purchase them after Christmas. It seemed that the only one to have Edna had often played hide-and-seek in its hollow halls and missed Christmas was an unlucky dad who, the children learned, had watched bats scatter up past a cobwebbed bell still collecting dust. been caught in the blizzard when Santa arrived.

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