Dear SCJ Community,
Our hearts are full, our halls are decked, and our Christmas spirit is officially glowing—all thanks to YOU! What a truly magical evening we shared at our Christmas Tree Lighting and Boutique. It was joyful, peaceful, and just the right amount of jingle-bell rock.
First and foremost, an enormous, sleigh-sized thank you to Deborah Nicolaou for chairing this spectacular event. Deborah, you brought the Christmas magic faster than Santa on turbo mode. Your organization, sparkle, and festive energy lit up the night as brightly as our new trees. We could not have done this without your leadership—thank you for making this evening so wonderfully special.
Speaking of rockin’ around the Christmas tree… a huge shoutout to The Clipdowns (James Tanner, Stephen Sanoja, Ben Austin, Gerrit Green, and Vicki Parks-Murphy)! Thank you for the holly-jolly jams that had us all tapping our toes and for the perfect musical welcome for Santa Claus. You had us jingling all the way.
We are deeply grateful to The St. Cyril of Jerusalem Foundation and Mrs. Cohen for sponsoring our two beautiful new Christmas trees on the outdoor stage, for the candy canes that kept spirits sweet, and for making our visit from both Mr. AND Mrs. Claus possible—double the Claus, double the joy!
Thank you to our bar chair family, the Combs, for keeping everyone warm and cheerful. Nikki poured hot chocolate and Baileys with the speed and grace of a caffeinated elf, and a special thank you to Claudia Fera for helping at the bar all evening. Cheers to you both for keeping our cups—and our spirits—full.
A huge thank you as well to our volunteer elves, Cristian Shum-Harden and Danae Tucker, who helped with setup and jumped in wherever needed throughout the night. You two truly sleighed it.
We’re also so grateful to Mr. Orlanes for organizing the children’s choir and managing the sound system. The children sang with their signature angelic sweetness—proving once again that they’re the most reliable part of any sound system.
A round of applause to Andre, our plant manager, for setting up all the tables and chairs and then taking them down again after the festivities wrapped. Your behind-the-scenes work keeps our events running smoothly and merrily each time.
Warm thanks to Trish Benson and Mrs. Ceciliane for leading the 8th-grade churro fundraiser—delicious, festive, and fried to perfection! And to our Student Council and Mrs. Clark for running their booth and bringing even more energy and spirit to the evening.
Our gratitude extends to all our wonderful vendors, who arrived with their holiday treasures and made our boutique a delightful shopping experience for everyone.
A heartfelt thank you as well to Mrs. Austria in the office and Mrs. Pugliese for fielding contracts, organizing paperwork, and making sure we had the all-important cashbox on hand. We so appreciate your attention to every detail.
Finally, to our beloved SCJ community—thank you for coming out, celebrating with us, supporting our school, and bringing the warmth that makes this season truly meaningful. Our night was merry because you were there to share it with us.
Wishing you all peace, joy, and a season filled with light!
Warmest Christmas blessings,
On behalf of the SCJ Parent Association