Volunteers at food events can be tempted to eat the offerings. “I really want a cookie,” said volunteer Zoe Brandt at the Celebrate the Holidays! Cookie Decorating for Kids! event held Dec. 10 at the El Cajon Library. Brandt resisted and continued to set out sugar cookies and frosting for the kids to decorate Christmas trees, stars and bells.
The Santee Community Chorus (billed as the Santee Community Chorus Holiday Concert) performed after the cookie decorating.
Volunteers at food events can be tempted to eat the offerings. “I really want a cookie,” said volunteer Zoe Brandt at the Celebrate the Holidays! Cookie Decorating for Kids! event held Dec. 10 at the El Cajon Library. Brandt resisted and continued to set out sugar cookies and frosting for the kids to decorate Christmas trees, stars and bells.
The Santee Community Chorus (billed as the Santee Community Chorus Holiday Concert) performed after the cookie decorating.
Librarian Farrah Mazhari had this to say about the event: “We usually do something around the holidays to celebrate. We have a lot of people from different cultures here.” Differing traditions did not dampen the attendance or festive spirit.
The cookie decorating was limited to 50 kids. Each child got two cookies, frosting, sprinkles and a plastic knife to implement their cookie designs. The Disney Channel’s holiday playlist played in the background with songs like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” sung by Bella Thorne adding to the festive spirit.
Yuko and Mike Huang from Lakeside brought their twin daughters Layla and Ellena with their older sister Kiera to the event after seeing it advertised on a flyer. Mike said the twins’ cookie decorating strategy would be “whatever they want.”
Jessica Sanders used an app to find out about the event saying, “My mom works at the Fletcher Hills Library and I have the app so I always know what’s going on.” The app is San Diego County Library or SDCL. Sanders brought her niece and nephew to the event.
Librarian Susan Del Castillo estimated the turnout at 60. Del Castillo oversaw ordering the sugar cookies from Albertsons and ordered nine boxes. Cookies were available for decorating until they ran out.
The cookie decorating started at 1 p.m. and the second part of the event was a free holiday concert for all ages to enjoy at 2 p.m.
Chorus director Elizabeth Kimery explained that the chorus has been around for five years. They are a non-religious volunteer chorus made up of people from all over San Diego.
Introductions to each of the songs performed was done by Anne Ault, whose husband Jan Ault is the accompanist. The holiday concert playlist ranged from “Pie Jesu” by Andrew Lloyd Webber to traditional holiday songs such as “Jingle Bells” by James Pierpont.
Chorus member Blanca Kressel from La Mesa had this to say about her day: “I dealt with an electrician, my cleaning lady, and my son and I cut our Christmas tree. Then I came here because it’s so fun.”
