The final countdown to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and all other December holidays is officially on. Now that Villa has let out until the new year, it is remarkably quiet around here.
December didn’t start quietly, though. Children skipped down the halls, munched on holiday treats, eagerly discussed what they wanted for Christmas, and sang and played carols in preparation for Illuminata and the music performances. The hustle and bustle of school life grew to a crescendo over the past few weeks, and has now eased into the random clanging sounds of the furnace, the occasional rain tapping at the windows, and the wind rustling through the evergreens. The quiet pervading the school and grounds even reaches out to cover the forest and Lake Washington in a layer of fog each morning. It feels like the entire campus is recharging for the onset of 2017.
The week before break was busy. There were four Christmas concerts, plus the eighth graders’ mock trials. I got to watch the first, second, and third graders’ performances in the Rainbow Theater. They sang, danced, and played recorders, xylophones, and drums to songs like “Good King Wenceslas,” “I Want to Be an Elf,” and “Petit Papa Noel.” Students sparkled in their holiday finery, and they knew the songs remarkably well.
It’s interesting being a Villa alum who is now a staff member at the school and able to participate in the student events. Serving on the jury for the eighth graders’ mock trials was a real treat. An official judge was brought in to oversee the case in the Parlor, and the students dressed like young professionals in dress pant, suits, skirts, and ties. The prosecution and the defense built such strong cases with such powerful witness testimonies that it was tough for those of us on the jury to reach a verdict.
My favorite experience at Villa this time of year was the Festival of Lights in the chapel last Friday morning at 7am. Unbeknownst to many alums, this is an annual holiday celebration for Villa’s faculty, staff, administration, and their families. It’s a time of peace and reflection when the rest of the school is dark and the chapel is lit solely by candles. Jacob Lucero, the lower school music instructor, began the ceremony with some beautiful songs on the violin. The ceremony progresses with a series of readings and songs performed by Villa’s faculty and administration, and then finishes with the rising of the sun. Directly following, a breakfast cooked and prepared by Villa’s Chef Allison is served and hosted by Villa’s board members.
As I listened to the readings, breathing in the sweet smell of the candles and experiencing the music, I reflected on a prior Villa tradition: the annual student Christmas pageant at St. Bridget’s. I’m not sure when they stopped that tradition, but I remember hearing the story of when my sister, Galen, was a kindergartner at Villa back in 1990 and was supposed to be Mary. Her dreams of Christmas stardom were crushed however, since there was a snowstorm forcing the cancellation of the show. Nothing very exciting happened in the performance my Kindergarten year when I was a shepherd, but I’ve heard stories of Villa pageants with children throwing up, giggling uncontrollably, tripping over decorations and knocking over fellow students, and generally just causing a big uproar. But what would an elementary school Christmas pageant be without a little bit of craziness?
My love for Villa inspired this alumni blogging effort, and I hope that others will share their memories of Villa, the good and the bad, so that we can create a living history of individual experiences at this school.
Happy holidays, everyone.
-Claire Smith ’03
Villa Academy Alumni 