During the twelve days until Christmas break, the King Street Chronicle will again present staff favorites from the holiday season. This sixth edition will not include six geese-a-laying, but beloved Christmas songs, memories, recipes, movies, and crafts.

Song: “Grown Up Christmas List“ performed by Natalie Cole and David Foster.

Recipe: Icebox Cake

• Total time:
  • Four hours and 20 minutes
• Makes:
  • 8 servings
• Ingredients:
  • Three cups of heavy cream, cold
  • One-half cup of powdered sugar
  • One teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • 64 Oreo thins or chocolate wafers, plus more for serving
• Steps:
  • 1) In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment), beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
  • 2) Spread a very thin layer of whipped cream onto the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan, then top with an even layer (about 16) of whole Oreos or cookies. 
  • 3) Spread more whipped cream on top of cookies and repeat the layering process until there are four layers of cookies.
  • 4) Spread a final layer of whipped cream on top. 
  • 5) Refrigerate cake until cookies have softened, at least four hours and up to overnight.
  • 6) When ready to serve, garnish with crushed cookies, and slice.

Movie: Santa Paws

“When Santa Claus loses his memory and the crystal that keeps him eternal, his new best friend—his puppy, Paws—two orphan kids and a team of elves must work together to save him—and Christmas,” courtesy of heavy.com.

Craft: Accordion Christmas Trees 

• Supplies:
  • Green cardstock  
  • Trim and score board  
  • Stapler  
  • Colorful cardstock (for the ornaments and star)  
  • 15/16-inch star punch  
  • One-inch circle punch  
  • Hot glue gun 
• Instructions:
  • 1) Cut green card stock to 4-by-7-inch.  Score long ways at every half-inch.  Fold like an accordion.
  • 2) Take one end and staple it closed.
  • 3) Punch a star and a few round ornaments.
  • 4) Then hot glue the pieces to the tree.

Memory: Ms. Olivia Tompkins, Assistant Librarian, Middle/Upper School

“My favorite Christmas memory is growing up, we had a tradition on Christmas Eve that my brother and I would open a new pair of pajamas and a new ornament for the tree; a favorite memory for general Christmastime is sledding in the snow.”

Featured Image by Charlotte Burchetta ’22