During the twelve days until Christmas break, the King Street Chronicle will again present staff favorites from the holiday season.  This ninth edition will not include nine ladies dancing, but beloved Christmas songs, memories, recipes, movies, and crafts.

Song: “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” performed by Andy Williams.

Recipe: Christmas Light Cupcakes

• Total Time:
  • One hour and 30 minutes
• Quantity: 
  • 18 cupcakes
• Ingredients:
  • Devil’s food cake mix
  • One and one-half cup of heavy cream
  • One ounce of cream cheese, softened
  • One cup of granulated sugar
  • One teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • One-fourth teaspoon of salt
  • Black decorating gel
  • Mini M&Ms
• Steps:
  • 1) Preheat oven to 350°F and line two muffin tins with cupcake liners.   Make cupcake batter according to package instructions and fill liners three-fourths full with batter.  Bake for around 18 minutes.  Let cool completely.
  • 2) Make cream cheese frosting: In a large bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.  In another bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy.  Gently fold in whipped cream.
  • 3) Transfer to piping bag and frost cupcakes.  Trace a black line around frosting with decorating gel.  Stick M&Ms along the black line, imitating rainbow lights.

Movie: The Snowman

“The Snowman is a gorgeous animated tale of a young boy’s short-lived adventure with his snowman.  Though it’s based on Raymond Briggs’s children’s book of the same name, the film’s themes of impermanence and innocence make it a tear-jerker for any age,” courtesy of esquire.com. 

Craft: Holiday Lanterns

• Supplies:
  • 12 small, medium, and large mason jars with lids and bands
  • Heavy-duty yarn
  • One-inch circle stickers
  • Spray paint
  • Battery-powered LED string lights
  • Tree trimmings and floral wire
• Instructions:
  • 1) Start by adding stickers to the outside of the jars.
  • 2) Then remove the lid and spray paint in a well ventilated area.
  • 3) Once dry, remove the stickers from the jar.  Add long pieces of yarn underneath the lid and knot them together after wrapping around the lip.  Add battery-powered LED string lights inside and close the jar.
  • 4) Use the wire to wrap tree trimmings around the mouth of each jar.

Memory: Mrs. Catherine Butler, Upper School Learning Specialist

“My favorite Christmas memory was a trip with my family to Vienna during the holidays.  The Sacher Hotel, where we stayed, hosted a party for its guests on Christmas Eve.   In a section of the festive and elegantly decorated lobby, we sipped champagne, savored delicious hors d’oeuvres, and listened to beautiful Christmas carols sung in several languages.  Later that night, we walked to St. Stephen’s Cathedral for an inspirational Midnight Mass with a magnificent choir accompanied by a full orchestra.”  

“Arriving back in our rooms, we were surprised and delighted to find beautifully wrapped gifts on our dining table, one for each of us, compliments of the management.  Although we were away from home for the holidays, we felt embraced by the warmth of the Viennese people and their generous Christmas spirit.”

Featured Image by Leah Allen ’22