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Convent of the Sacred Heart Madrigals sing “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

Convent of the Sacred Heart celebrated its third annual Come Home for Christmas event this past weekend, Friday, December 4 and Sunday, December 6.  The two-day event utilized the new athletic facility, accommodating a greater number of attendees and vendors. 
Friday night, the Madrigals greeted the guests at the door of the athletic complex, singing iconic Christmas songs such as “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “Silent Night.”  Parents and faculty then gathered for a cocktail party in the gym that included both a live and silent auction. 
Items in the auction included special tickets to Tony Award-winning musical comedy Something Rotten, pre-game field passes to a Giants game, and a farm-to-table dinner at Sprout Creek Farm.  All proceeds from the auction supported the school’s endowment.
Sunday began with a family Mass in the John de Csepel Theater at 11 am, followed by brunch in Hayes Hall. Families had the option to decorate gingerbread houses in the DuBois gymnasium, take photos with Santa in the McLaughlin gallery, or shop at the Christmas boutique in the athletic center.  
This year, co-chair heads Mrs. Nicole Steinthal ‘88 and Mrs. Bernadette Prato were able to invite more vendors than in previous years from all around Westchester county to sell either clothing, food, accessories, or beauty products at the Christmas boutique. 
“What makes this year different is having the new athletic facility to work in,” Mrs. Prato said.  “We were able to spread out and give more space to the gingerbread workshop, Santa’s Secret Shop and the Christmas boutique. We even added a mini book fair and a mini cafe for Sprout Creek Farm.”
Sprout Creek Farm sold its signature, farm-raised assortment of cheeses, such as the Margie, Bogart, Toussaint, and Kinkead. Sister Margo Morris and Sister Jo McFayden represented the farm and educated customers on the process of making organic cheeses.  
Mrs. Kitt Shapiro, daughter of actress and entertainer Mrs. Eartha Kitt, sold merchandise that celebrated her mother’s legacy.  This included necklaces engraved with the title of her mother’s final song, “Here’s to Life,” and blankets printed with a copy of a hand-drawn heart that her mother drew. 
Beautycounter, a chemical-free skincare and cosmetic company created to educate the public on the harmful toxins in everyday beauty products, brought its popular creams and makeup to the Christmas boutique.  
“I really enjoyed volunteering for Come Home for Christmas this year,” junior Clare Hammonds said. “Last year there was limited space, so we were unable to accommodate everyone, but with the new athletic complex, we were able to open our doors to more people.” 
– Grace Mather and Nadia Zuaiter, Staff Writers