Take it from us: It’s never too early to get into the holiday spirit, especially when preparing the November/December issue in late summer and early fall. We were moved by stories of acts of kindness, like Anna Hazlett baking 500 Santa cookies each Christmas. Her batches not only offer a boost of positivity to those who many need it; they also continue the legacy of a dear friend.
Holiday traditions hold weight here, as we were reminded while catching up with of- ficials from the Hadi Shrine Circus. The three-ring show has provided laughs and amazement on Thanksgiving weekends since 1933 and is embracing a younger, more “xtreme” experience under the big top. Longtime executive director Joe Vezzoso notes the circus, West Side Nut Club’s Fall Festival, and Germania Maennerchor’s Volksfest each has been a homegrown mainstay for decades thanks to sustained community support.
Tradition also is the name of the game at House of Como, where Santa figurines capture a joyful mood all year for a special reason: After surviving imprisonment in World War II, late founder George Hage vowed to make every day feel like Christmas.
