Glen Arden and Highlands celebrate international holidays

A spectacular celebration of international December holidays was enjoyed by members of Glen Arden and Highlands on December 16 at the Clubhouse. The room was aglow with fairy lights at each table and, filling the air, was holiday dinner music provided by DJ Ed Knott. The theme of the event was “A Dinner Dance Extraordinaire with an International Flair.” In keeping with that idea, each table featured a centerpiece decorated with icons from Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, La Posada, Bodhi Day, Pasko, and the Winter Solstice. A tasty and beautifully plated meal was served by the capable dining room staff.

Joanne Fraser, a roaming photographer disguised as an elf, delighted guests by taking photos in front of the tall, lit-up Christmas trees and at each table. Guests were thrilled with the possibility of real-time photos that they could take home and share with family and friends not present. The celebratory evening included party favors for every guest, dreidels and instructions for the dreidel game at each table, and a no-host bar.

 Following dinner, Andrew Hathaway and Lou Sullivan, music students from San José State University, entertained the crowd with holiday selections from around the world. Hathaway and Sullivan are equally adept at singing and playing the piano and they took turns providing exceptional entertainment by doing both, together and separately. They led a sing-along of popular jubilant songs and other more obscure pieces, including one in Spanish and one in Hebrew.  Each guest had a songbook so they could join in on unfamiliar choices. The evening ended with dancing to Ed Knott’s music and a drawing for door prizes—the elf setting the camera aside and pulling names from a hat instead!