Gingerbread Houses, Potluck and Song

Despite the drizzly night outside, the crowd inside enjoyed good cheer during the festive Christmas activities at the Unitarian Church in Westport on Saturday. 

Candy-covered gingerbread houses, a delicious potluck dinner, and carols ranging from reverent to rowdy filled the space, with church members and friends coming out to celebrate the season.  The gingerbread constructions were sometimes simple and sometimes elaborate, but they were definitely sweet.  It wasn't always clear, however, how much of the candy went into the building, and how much went directly into the builder's tummy.

Later, a delicious potluck dinner featuring pasta, fried chicken, Indian daal, Swedish meatballs, salads, sausage and peppers, and a mouth-watering soup was laid out.  Naturally, desserts followed, as everyone dished up an abundance of homemade delights.  Volunteers in generous numbers scurried about arranging tables and chairs, and later doing kitchen patrol.

The grownups agreed that it was great to be able to relax, talk, and eat in relative peace while the kids ran around together in safety.  One young man was discovered climbing to the top of a pole in the church lobby.  Perhaps it was an attempt to reach Santa?

Marie Phan, a new member who is in the process of formally joining the church, said that her daughter loved making the gingerbread houses.  Judging by the smiles and the sticky fingers all around the tables, the verdict was unanimous.

The whole Halloran family was there enjoying the evening.   Gen, the mom, her husband Steve, and three kids aged 8, 6, and 4.  Gen proclaimed it a wonderful event.  "It's a great way to break into the holiday season with your family.  Kids have fun.  Adults have fun." 

Steve said, "The parents had as much or more fun than the kids.  It's nice to go to a church event that the kids looked forward to." 

Daughter Zelle, 8, said that her favorite part of the night was singing Christmas carols. 

Of course, as Steve pointed out, with all the goodies available, one of the major challenges involved managing their sugar highs.

Sarah Bell, Chair of Special Events for the Religious Education Leadership Circle, said that the Christmas program is one of their major efforts at the church.  But all year long, every six or eight weeks, they try to put something together to bring folks out for an evening.  Often, these take the form of bingo and pizza nights, and are usually geared to the entire family.

Bell has been coming to the church for nearly her entire life, and she remembers similar Christmas celebrations from the past.  "As a little kid - about 33 years ago, when I first joined - I came with my parents, and we made crafts and sang carols.  My dad was always Santa." 

Though the holiday celebrations had waned for a few years, there's been a renewed enthusiasm for creating special events recently, said Bell.  She credited it to the involvement of Perry Montrose, the new Religious Education director. 

"This is the second year this Christmas kick-off evening has been a pretty big deal," Bell said.  "Perry has breathed new life into these things."

The festivities concluded with an impressive show of vocal skills, lead by the church's Minister of Music Ed Thompson.  From the sublime Silent Night to the rowdy and fun Twelve Days of Christmas, the attendees demonstrated their enthusiasm for the season in melody. 

And with many carols yet to come this December, a weary but happy crowd headed home through the slushy drizzle after an evening well spent in camaraderie and song.