December 2025 - Spirit of the Season

Thumpety-Thump-Thump

ACROSS

1 “___, humbug!”

4 Control, as a plane or sleigh

6 “How ___ You Spell Channukkahh?” (The LeeVees song)

7 @

9 Red-nosed ungulate of note

10 Long-running NBC medical drama

11 Tool for cutting down Christmas trees

12 Supports for walls

16 “...word ___ smile that can change someone’s life” (The Goo Goo Dolls’ “This Christmas”)

17 Gas or liquid alternative

19 Autonomous internet program responsible for many online comments

20 Raced a 5k

22 With 34-Across, character with “two eyes made out of coal,” loosely depicted by this puzzle’s artwork

24 Rice-A-___

25 What Clarence did off a bridge in “It’s a Wonderful Life”

26 2003 Will Ferrell holiday film

29 Time period, to an historian

30 “The White Lotus” network

32 Opening word in many a message to Santa

33 Strap for 9-Across

34 See 22-Across

36 What you better do if you want Santa to stop by

37 8.5” x 11” pg. size DOWN

1 Prefix for cycle or lingual

2 “And another thing…”

3 When tripled, Santa’s laugh

4 Serves, as eggnog

5 Spanish restaurant finger foods

6 “Dr.” of rap

8 “Much appreciated,” in a text

13 First American individually wrapped penny candy

14 HTTP follower

15 One having a cow?

17 In the near future

18 December 26, 2025, e.g.

19 Stereotypical frat guy, say

21 Grp. of Penguins?

22 “____ Claus” (2007 film about Santa’s sibling)

23 Tesla CEO Musk

27 “___ Misérables"

28 Enthusiasts

30 Pile, as of laundy

31 T.S.A. checkpoint container

35 ___ Bandits (“Home Alone” villain who flood houses they burgle)

By Joe O’Brien and Michael Guarino (University of Delaware, Class of ‘29)

Solvers Note: This grid features two rare occurrences: ‘unchecked’ squares (squares that do not belong to both across and down answers) and bars. Hopefully the unchecked squares are still gettable. Bars are treated the same as black squares (e.g. 19-Down and 26–Across are only three letters long).

Complete puzzle, take a photo, send to: Contact@TSNPub.com.

Subject line: December Puzzle. Deadline: December 17. Two correct puzzles will win a cool prize Last month's winners: Debbie Halligan, Todd Roade

THE WAR On Words

A monthly column in which we attempt, however futilely, to defend the English language

WORDS GONE WRONG

Professional communicators continue to twist the meanings of words to fit their off-base definitions. A few examples:

• Greg Finberg, The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Interim head coach Terry Smith lauded Penn State’s opportunity to ‘shock the world’ against No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday.” One lauds (praises) something that has been achieved. What Smith did was tout (to sell something or attempt to persuade people of the merits of) the possibility that Penn State could beat the Buckeyes. (They didn’t.)

• From the Epstein files controversy and reader Charlene McGrady, we get a lesson in the confusion between poignant and pertinent. Charlene reports on an interview she heard with Epstein’s brother about something Donald Trump once said in his presence: “Jeffrey Epstein asked Trump why he slept with so many married women and Trump replied, ‘Because it’s so wrong.’ Epstein’s brother declared ‘the poignant part of the story is that it showed that Trump and Epstein had a relationship.’” Poignant (moving, emotional, touching) hardly applies here. Pertinent (relevant, germane) is the appropriate word.

• Jim Nance, of CBS, doing play-by-play of the Kansas City Chiefs-Baltimore Ravens game, reported that the Chiefs kicker came into the game “to apply his trade.” Although this wording is technically correct, the usual expression is “to ply (practice, pursue) his trade.”

MEDIA WATCH

• Matt Hayes, USA TODAY: “That was Texas A&M Saturday night in LSU’s famed Death Valley, where dreams go to die. Unless you have a spare $477 million laying in the desk drawer.” That’s “lying in your desk drawer.” Lying is the present participle of the verb “lie,” which means to recline or rest in a flat position. It does not require a direct object. Laying is the present participle of the verb “lay,” meaning to place or put something down. It requires a direct object. Common mistake.

• Pamela Brown, on CNN, reporting on the mafiafunded gambling ring on college campuses that involved some athletes, added a syllable to the name, calling them “ath-a-letes.” Too many in the broadcast media commit this gaffe.

Word of the Month

Pronounced sooper-anya-waded, it’s an adjective meaning outdated or obsolete through age or new developments; old.

By Bob Yearick

• On WDEL AM, a network reporter said that Justin Timberlake had “Lyme’s disease.” There is no apostrophe in the name. Or s. It’s simply Lyme disease.

• Meanwhile, on the WDEL website, a story on people in Lewes dealing with major flooding included this statement: “John Phelps and his family, who live in Lewes, say they had their bags packed incase it got any worse.” In case is two words. (So is all right, BTW.)

• Reader Larry Hamermesh submits this from the website of the Birdland Jazz Club in New York City: “Jazz luminaries Champian Fulton and Klas Lindquist are set to captivate Birdland Jazz Club with their exhilarating nine-piece nonet [a group of nine people or things, especially musicians — which, incidentally, makes this a redundancy] debuting every Sunday in October 2025.” “I could be wrong about this one,” says Larry, “but I thought that a debut was the first in a series, not the beginning of each event in a series.” Larry’s right, the website is wrong. A person, performance, piece of music, etc., can only debut once.

DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCIES DEPT.

• Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY: “[Boston Celtic Jason] Tatum will be responsible for various responsibilities, including providing feedback on player performance, mentoring student-athletes, advising on roster construction . . .” I just hope Tatum acts responsibly in dealing with his responsibilities.

• Old Reliable, Bob Nightengale, of USA TODAY, returns once more with this prolixity in a story about the crackdown on betting in baseball: “The betting limit will now be limited to $200 on wagers focused on individual pitches and exclude them from parlays . . .”

• From an ad for the Brandywine Zoo’s Halloween event: “Enjoy spooky cocktails and liquid libations.” Sometimes used facetiously, libation almost always refers to an alcoholic beverage, or liquid, such as cocktails.

• Reader Larry Kerchner submits “Please RSVP” as a classic example of a failed attempt at sophistication. RSVP is an initialism of the French “réspondez s’il vous plait,” which translates to “respond if you please” or “please respond.” So “Please RSVP” means “Please, please respond.”

NEED A SPEAKER FOR YOUR GROUP?

Contact me at ryearick@comcast.net for a fun and informative discussion on grammar.

Buy The War on Words book at the Hockessin BookShelf, at Huxley & Hiro Booksellers on Market Street, or on Amazon.

PETS OF THE MONTH

Meet this month’s adorable adoptables sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka

MONTE

The Holiday Pet Boom

What to know before deciding to bring home a furry friend

By Brianna Hansen

It happens every year … as soon as the holiday lights go up, so does the number of people adopting or buying pets. And who hasn’t pictured that classic scene? A wide-eyed puppy with a giant red bow, kids shrieking with joy … It’s the stuff of holiday movies, but real life is a little more complicated.

While shelters do see a heartwarming surge of animals going home in December, they also brace for something far less merry: the wave that comes after the holidays. Each January, returns and surrender requests spike as families realize their new furry addition wasn’t quite the right fit, or perhaps not even expected at all.

So before you make the leap, here are a few things worth considering.

LORA

Affectionate

Couch Potato Enjoys Watching TV Loves Bird Watching

First: pets aren’t presents. It’s tempting to imagine the magic of gifting someone a kitten or puppy, but if the recipient isn’t prepared, that “gift” can quickly turn into stress, guilt, or even a heartbreaking return. Pets should never be a surprise. If you want to start the journey together, consider gifting a stuffed animal with a note promising to cover the adoption fee once they’re ready to choose a pet with you.

Second: lifestyle matters more than looks. Before bringing home a new companion, consider your day-to-day life. Are you active and outdoorsy? A high-energy dog might thrive with you. Prefer quiet days at home? A laid-back cat or a senior pet could be your perfect match. Think about work schedules, housing restrictions, energy levels, allergies, kids, travel … those less glamorous details are what truly determine long-term success!

Third: prepare for the basics. A pet is a life-long commitment and every new dog or cat needs essentials: nutritious food, exercise, a cozy bed, toys and a routine for enrichment, grooming supplies, and a plan for routine veterinary care. Puppies and kittens, in particular, need vaccines, spay/neuter surgery, training, and plenty of patience.

Timid but Sweet Playful, Loves Toys Enjoys the Outdoors

Humane Animal Partners can help keep that part affordable. Every adoptable animal has been fixed and brought fully up-to-date on necessary vaccinations. They also offer low-cost vaccine and wellness services year-round, making it easier for families to stay on top of preventative care like distemper, rabies, microchipping, parasite prevention, and more. It’s a great way to start your new pet off on the right paw without stretching your holiday budget.

Finally: remember that timing matters. If now isn’t the right time, that’s totally okay. Shelters are full of incredible animals all year long, and they’re more than happy to help you find the perfect match when life settles down.

This holiday season, give yourself (and any future pet) the gift of thoughtful planning. A little preparation now leads to a happier, healthier, long-lasting relationship in the long run. LUNA GOOFY GIRL 4.5 YRS | FEMALE | 35 LBS HAP WILMINGTON

FYI

Things Worth Knowing

THAT'S A WRAP!

Happy holidays? They will be if you can help us find those exasperating elves. Tell us the four pages you've spotted an elf and you could win a cool prize. Email your answer by December 17 to Contact@TSNPub.com with the subject line: I Found the Elves. We will choose three winners from correct submissions. Congrats to Karen D'Eramo, Ken Holbert and Kathleen Corbino who found the turkeys on pages 9, 23, 41 and 55 of last month's issue.

PHILADELPHIA AUTHOR RELEASES DEBUT NOVEL

Local author Rebecca Gould

Baeurle’s debut novel, Six Weeks of Love & Larceny, follows two sisters whose carefully balanced lives begin to unravel over six weeks of secrets, romance, and risk. Blending humor, heart and compelling characters, the novel explores sisterhood, second chances and life-changing choices. Six Weeks of Love & Larceny is now available wherever you buy books, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and independent bookstores nationwide.

BALL JOINS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF STATE ARTS AGENCIES BOARD

The Delaware Division of the Arts announced that Director Jessica Ball has been elected to the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) Board of Directors. She began her three-year term in October 2025. NASAA is the national leadership and advocacy organization for state arts agencies, advancing public support for the arts and guiding national policy. Ball’s appointment highlights Delaware’s growing visibility in the arts and its commitment to innovation and access. Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez noted that Ball’s leadership “has elevated Delaware’s arts and culture sector… and places Delaware’s voice at the national table.” More at Arts.Delaware.gov.

DELAWARE DEVELOPER DEBUTS ADVENTURE GAME

Local musician and developer Joey Lopes has launched his debut game, Detective Instinct: Farewell, My Beloved , available on both Nintendo Switch and Steam for PC. The adventure-style mystery invites players to solve a case through interrogations, clue analysis, and branching story decisions, echoing the style of classics like Ace Attorney . Lopes, who composed and developed the title through his studio, says the game reflects his passion for narrative-rich, characterdriven storytelling. More at linktr.ee/detectiveinstinct.

CALLING ALL BEER LOVERS

The annual celebration of beer brewed in New Castle County will kick off on President’s Day (Feb. 16, 2026) and continue through Feb. 22. Greater Wilmington Beer Week will include collaboration beers created by area brewers, special releases, flight deals, beer-and-food pairings and more, as well as the popular Beer Week Passport. More at WilmingtonBeerWeek.com.

FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES SUCCESS

The Wilmington International Film Festival premiered in October, featuring 56 films from 21 countries over six days at three Wilmington venues. Filmmakers and guests from around the world attended, with 2,422 tickets sold, bringing visitors to local businesses, hotels, and restaurants. Following its success, organizer Gordon Delgiorno has announced that the festival will return October 8–11, 2026. More at Wilmington.film.

DELAWARE BURGER BATTLE SMASHES RECORD

The 12th Delaware Burger Battle, which sold out for the fifth consecutive year, has announced it raised a $22,977, marking the event’s largest donation to date. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the all-volunteer-run August event were distributed to the Food Bank of Delaware and the Delaware Restaurant Foundation to address food insecurity and career development. This year’s winners were: The Greenhouse from Newark (People’s Choice), and Leo’s Smash Burgers & Dogs from North East, Md. (Critic’s Choice). More at DeBurgerBattle.com.

THE BRANDYWINERS TAKE THEIR SHOT WITH ASSASSINS

The Brandywiners Second Stage will present Stephen Sondheim’s Tony-winning musical Assassins from Dec. 4-7 at the Presser Black Box Theatre (OperaDelaware Studios, 4 S. Poplar St., Wilm.). sThe show presents a darkly humorous look the stories of the nine men and women who attempted, successfully or not, to take the life of the President of the United States. More at Brandywiners.org.

Wilmington University’s New 3+3 Pathway

Helps Students Fast-Track Their Legal Education

Wilmington University has launched the 3+3 Accelerated Law School Pathway, which gives students the opportunity to complete both a bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor degree in just six years. The program trims the traditional timeline while lowering overall tuition costs.

How Does the 3+3 Pathway Work?

Students complete three years of undergraduate study before moving directly into their legal education at Wilmington University School of Law. Credits from their first year of law school also count toward their remaining undergraduate requirements, and the bachelor’s degree is awarded at the end of that year.

Law school admissions deadlines require LSAT completion by Feb. 28 and application submission for the law school by April 1 of the intended start year.

Students preparing for law school come from a wide range of majors, often including arts and humanities, legal studies, policy and political science, criminal justice, and interdisciplinary studies. Academic advisors work with each student individually to make sure their plan of study fits their goals. Early advising helps students keep the flexibility they need while staying on track to complete both degrees in six years.

“Our mission has always been to open doors and remove barriers,” says Dr. LaVerne Harmon, Wilmington University president. “This pathway gives students a clear and affordable route to the legal profession while preparing them to serve others with integrity and purpose.”

Program Highlights Include:

• Students complete 75 percent of their undergraduate credits at WilmU, with first-year law courses counting toward both degrees.

• Thirty credits from the first year of law school apply to undergraduate and J.D. requirements.

• Participants receive access to a one-credit LSAT preparation seminar and advising support.

The American Bar Association awarded provisional approval to WilmU’s law school in March 2025, a recognition that allows students to pursue a law degree from an institution meeting rigorous national standards.

“The 3+3 Pathway reflects our commitment to preparing students for the demands of the profession,” says The Honorable Jan R. Jurden, dean of Wilmington University School of Law. “This program gives students early immersion in legal study, strong academic support and the foundation to become practice-ready attorneys who will make a difference in their communities.”

Adds Dr. Denise Wells, WilmU senior vice president and chief academic officer, “This pathway connects two stages of education in a thoughtful way. It gives students a structured, cost-effective progression from undergraduate to law school while ensuring the quality and rigor they need to thrive in the profession.”

To learn more about WilmU’s new 3+3 Accelerated Law School Pathway, visit wilmu.edu/law-pathway.

3+3 = 1 Powerful Law School Advantage

WilmU’s 3+3 Accelerated Pathway helps future lawyers fast-track their education, earning a bachelor’s and J.D. in just six years — with built-in LSAT prep.

Holiday Happenings

Enjoy holiday events like The Nutcracker, holiday craft shows, and so much more.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 5pm Start Next Art Loop: JANUARY 9, 2025

RIVERFRONT

The Delaware Contemporary

200 S. Madison Street

656-6466 • DeContemporary.org

Exhibitions: Closing Reception for Fall 2025 Biennial: Art + AI; Opening Reception for Poems and Heroes by Caroline Chen in the Hatch Gallery

Starbucks @ Justison Landing

329 S. Justison Street

510-2762

Exhibition: Glimmer Group Show

DOWNTOWN

Bridge Art Gallery

213 N. Market Street

353-4527 • BridgeArtGallery.net

Exhibition: Keep It 100

Chris White Gallery

701 N. Shipley Street

475-0998

• ChrisWhiteGallery.com

Exhibition: For All My Dogs Group Show

City of Wilmington’s Redding Gallery

800 N. French Street

576-2100

CityfestWilm.com/Redding-gallery

Exhibition: Eclectic Group Show

Huxley & Hiro Booksellers 419 N. Market Street

439-0805• huxleyandhiro.com

Artist: The book is ALWAYS better

The Little Huxley at the Hotel du Pont 111 W. 10th Street

439-0805 • HuxleyAndHiro.com

Exhibition: This IS my real job by Edward Abbott

Made In Delaware

419 N. Market Street

Artist: Made In Delaware Group Show

MANE Gallery at the Tina Betz Urban Artist Exchange

1509 Clifford Brown Walk, Studio #1 576-2100

CityfestWilm.com/uae-amphitheater

Exhibitions: Unbridled (Studio #1); Imagining Joy (Studio #3)

Mezzanine Gallery

820 N. French Street

577-8278 • Arts.Delaware.gov

Exhibition: The Garden by Renita Coursey

MKT Place Gallery

200 W. 9th Street

289-6772

Exhibition: House Frequencies: At Home, On Stage by E.Lizé

The Queen

500 N. Market St.

400-7020 • TheQueenWilmington.com Artist: Emma Winward

The Sold Firm

800-B N. Tatnall Street

689-3237 • TheSoldFirm.com

Exhibition: Ameriica Has A Problem

Starbucks

627 N. Market Street

299-9980

Exhibition: The Brushstrokes of Realities by Janice King & Crystal Baynard Norman

WEST SIDE

Blue Ball Barn 1914 N. Park Drive 651-2700

Exhibition: Grace & Gravity by Maia Palmer

Blue Streak Gallery 1721 Delaware Avenue

429-0506

Exhibition: Blows of the Wind by Kevin P. Coogan

Blue Streak at Toscana Piccolina 1412 N. Dupont Street

Artist: Carol Slocumb Strukelj

Delaware Center for Horticulture 1810 N. Dupont Street 658-6262 • thedch.org

Artist: Beth Trepper

Howard Pyle Studio 1305 N. Franklin Street 656-7304

Exhibition: Howard Pyle Studio Group Holiday Open House featuring the artists of the Howard Pyle Studio Group

BEYOND THE CITY

Arden Buzz-Ware Gallery 2119 The Highway, Arden 981-4811

Exhibition: Timeless Threads: Classic Craft, Contemporary Art by Beverly A. Barnett

Lumen Studio & Gallery

Independence Mall 1601 Concord Pike, Suite 89 545-3204 • lumenstudiogallery.com

Exhibition: Chiaroscuro: Emerging from the Darkness by Carson Zullinger & Patt Panzer

Finist & The Owl 811 Brandywine Blvd, Bellefonte 786-228-6638 • FinistAndTheOwl.com

Exhibition: Laura Colorful Art by Laura Johnson

The Station Gallery 3922 Kennett Pike, Greenville 654-8638 • StationGallery.net

Exhibition: Art Works for the Holidays Group Show

IA New Dawn

Amanecer plays invaluable role in Hispanic community

By Adriana Camacho-Church

n 2003, Franciscan Sister Theresa Marie Elitz of Philadelphia found herself in need of extra cash, so she decorated a shoebox and put it on her desk.

“People were very generous, especially before 2008 when we had the recession,” she says. That year, Father Chris Posch asked her if she would like to work in St. Paul’s parish in Wilmington. “What he did not tell me was that the people of the parish were very poor, and my ministry would have to be self-supporting,” she says.

Between the shoebox and learning how to write grants, Sister Theresa sustained an outreach program she founded at the church and hired another person to help her run it.

"We very quickly had a waiting list,” she adds.

In need of more room, in 2021 she moved the Family Counseling Center of St. Paul’s to a new location outside the parish and called it Amanecer Counseling and Resource Center (ACRC).

“Amanecer signifies a new dawn which we hope for all our clients,” says Sister Theresa, who at age 81 sees clients and supervises all the clinicians and interns eligible for a master’s degree.

Located in Wilmington, the nonprofit provides bilingual and culturally responsive mental health services and therapy to economically challenged children, teens, and adults in Delaware suffering from physical, sexual, and mental abuse as well as issues such as grief, anxiety, and depression. ACRC’s client-base is 83% Hispanic.

ACRC provides referrals, case management, legal services, and partners with other physicians, schools, police victim service providers, and agencies statewide to help empower their clients as well as foster inclusivity and stronger communities. It also offers internship hours to undergraduate and graduate students as well

as recruits, trains, supervises, and hires graduates with master’s degrees.

Clients learn about ACRC through word of mouth or referrals. They make appointments either in person or via telehealth.

“Amanecer is the only bilingual, culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and evidence-based behavioral health services organization collectively providing these services in Delaware,” says Executive Director Rob McCreary. “In 2024, our team served nearly 600 at-risk, underserved communities disproportionately impacted by mental health disparities and associated social determinants of health, such as shelter and food insecurity.”

ACRC recognizes the importance of cultural and linguistic diversity in mental health care, adds McCreary. “Minority communities often face barriers to access and quality care. By offering culturally responsive services, we work to reduce these disparities and honor each person’s unique background.”

Culturally responsive care means healthcare that acknowledges and respects a patient’s cultural traditions, says Ana Ramirez-Irineo, the victim services therapist at Amanecer. It promotes and improves health outcomes, fostering trust and rapport between health care provider and patient.

Feel Good

“My clients come to therapy with a lot of pain, fear, doubt, and anger. Trust, support, and community are very important components to healing for some clients,” says Ramirez-Irineo. “Cultural competence to me is the capacity to understand and explore one’s own cultural context as it relates to others. As clinicians, we come with our own cultural contexts, biases, and beliefs that can influence how we assess, interpret, understand, and relate to our clients.”

Ramirez-Irineo is one of six therapists at ACRC whose skills address a need for more bilingual and culturally responsive service providers in the state. According to ACRC, Delaware has only 43 bilingual behavioral health providers and there are nearly 100,000 Hispanics in the state.

ACRC’s unique approach to providing bilingual and culturally responsive healthcare, stems from Sister Theresa’s years of experience working as a nurse. Her missions took her throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Central America.

When she joined the Order of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in 1964, her first mission was at St. Agnes Hospital in South Philadelphia, located in an Italian neighborhood.

“I would ask the patients how they were, and they would answer me in Italian,” she says. “I made up my mind right then and there if I ever got stationed in another hospital where they spoke a different language other than English, I would start to learn it from day one, so that is what I did. My next mission was St. Mary's Hospital in North Philadelphia in a predominantly Puerto Rican neighborhood.”

In 1999, she earned her second master’s degree, but this time in behavioral health counseling.

“Nursing is physically wearing, especially after I had done it for 30 years,” she says. “Turning my attention to the mentally ill was a way of continuing the healing ministry.”

According to data made available in March by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), more than 220,000 people in Delaware live in a community without enough mental health professionals and 1 in 5 adults experience a mental illness each year. NAMI also reports that 15,000 Delaware adolescents experience a major depressive episode each year and 165,000 adults in Delaware have a mental health condition. Additionally, 1 in 12 homeless people in Delaware have a serious mental illness.

In June, ACRC and Saint Francis Hospital in Wilmington partnered through the hospital’s Healthy Village initiative. The initiative aims to integrate health and social services to clients and community members with the goal of improving quality of life and enhancing communities.

— For more about ACRC, visit Amanecerde.org

Starting on Small Business Saturday and running throughout December, shop small this season and support Wilmington’s small businesses!

Gift cards from local retailers, restaurants, spas, and salons make perfect presents while giving these businesses much needed support. Visit WilmingtonMADE.com or DowntownWilmingtonDE.com to search for local businesses offering holiday discounts!

November 28, 2025 through December 21, 2025, Huxley & Hiro is hosting a pop up holiday retail shop every Saturday & Sunday!

The Made in Delaware Holiday Shop Located at Huxley & Hiro’s original location: 419 N. Market Street Wilmington, DE 19801 Visit WilmingtonMADE.com for a list of participating businesses.

Still Making the Cut

Michael Christopher Salon celebrates 50 years of creativity, cutting-edge style, and staying power

By Pam George

It was 1975, the year Saigon fell, and the Vietnam War ended. Saturday Night Live premiered, Jaws hit theaters, and Bruce Springsteen released Born to Run. Culture was shifting, trends were changing, and even the beauty industry was affected. In Wilmington, a 22-year-old Michael Hemphill opened a salon above a bar on Delaware Avenue to “exceed expectations.”

Half a century later, Michael Christopher Salon and Day Spa is one of the region’s most well-known and respected salons. “Not only has Michael survived 50 years, but we’ve continued to thrive,” says salon manager Rebecca Barry, who started in 1986. “I am very proud to be a part of this.”

Credit in large part the man behind the brand.

“What I love about Michael is that he’s just real,” says longtime client Anne Eidschun. “There’s no act, no attitude — just pure talent and authenticity. He’s a great leader, as evidenced by the longevity of his staff. And he is, without question, a brilliant businessman.”

Hemphill has never shied away from reinvention; in fact, he’s embraced it.

“Growth never has to stop,” he says. “Even after 50 years.” >

BORN INTO BEAUTY

Michael Coleman Hemphill grew up with the hum of hairdryers and the haze of hairspray. His parents, Pauline “Dolly” DiGiuseppe and Clifford Hemphill, owned Clifford Hair Fashions in Kennett Square. Michael, his brothers Clifford P. and Mark, and his sister, Dorian, spent much of their childhood in and around the business.

For instance, Hemphill did his homework in the salon and styled the mannequin’s hair while colorful hairdressers chatted around him. “They had cigarettes hanging out of their mouth, ashes falling off, and there was all this hairspray — it was crazy,” he once said. “If you’ve ever put a match to a can of hairspray, it’s like a blow torch.”

As a tween, the budding hairstylist rode his bike to neighbors’ homes with a briefcase full of curlers and a spray bottle of stale beer — a makeshift styling aid that produced stiff, shiny results. He charged a quarter. At 14, he convinced his parents to let him study at Bruno’s School of Hair Design in Toronto, an 18-month program that accepted young teens. When he returned home, he apprenticed at his father’s salon until he earned his license.

Then life changed. In 1968, Clifford died of a heart attack at age 45. By law, Dolly needed a hairdressing license to keep the business, so she went back to school while Michael helped run the salon. He was 17.

The young hairstylist — he would later prefer hair designer — already knew to succeed, he had do more than reproduce the five basic cuts he learned in school.

His approach is to study the whole person, not just their hair. He considers the neck, nose, lifestyle, posture, and commitment to a morning routine.

“You want to enhance what is good and camouflage what is not,” he says.

Clients appreciate that intentionality. “I trust him completely,” says Eidschun.

Stacey Millan agrees. “He always shows me how to replicate my style at home. I don’t think I’ve ever had a stylist so invested in how I look and feel.”

RAISING THE BAR

Hemphill’s first salon was at 706 Delaware Avenue, above The Sting, a Wilmington bar (which was later O’Friel’s Irish Pub). “It was nerve-wracking,” Hemphill says of the opening. “I’d put all my money into it. I hoped my dream would come to fruition.”

He named the salon Michael Christopher after his confirmation name. When the nun asked to choose a name, he’d quipped, “Christ.” She slapped his hand with a ruler and replied, “It’s already taken.” Christopher was next on the list.

The salon expanded to two floors, but it wasn’t long before Hemphill needed more space. In 1980, the business moved to 2000 Pennsylvania Ave., a building he’d admired since childhood. “I thought, ‘Oh, what a cool place,’ never imagining I would land there.”

Hemphill embraced the maximalist, glitterball spirit of the 1980s. “I thought, ‘I’m going to lose my ass here, because I turned it into Studio 54,’” he says. “There was stainless steel, mirrors.” He filled the street-facing windows with eye-catching displays. “It wasn’t done until it was overdone.”

Rappucci, who managed Pike Creek, left in 1992. Two years later, stylists Nicholas Scarfo and Anthony DiFrancesco opened their own salon. Hemphill understood ambition — many of his protégés opened salons — but he bristled if they tried to recruit his people.

“Don’t pick from my garden,” he told them.

His most devastating loss came with the death of his partner, Mark Stifter, in 1992. Stifter had unknowingly contracted HIV from a previous partner. When they learned the diagnosis, Hemphill assumed he was also positive. He purchased cemetery plots and quietly put his affairs in order while awaiting his test results. The doctor eventually called while he was with clients. Hemphill, however, kept cutting. Later, he learned he was negative.

Clients adored the pampering, complete with complimentary food and drinks, curated merchandise, and a glamorous environment. When celebrities came to Wilmington to perform at The Playhouse, they would often visit Hemphill, who also made house calls to the Andrew Wyeth household.

Michael Christopher became the salon in the Wilmington and Philadelphia region.

“When I moved to Delaware, I asked about salons,” Eidschun recalls. “Everyone mentioned Michael Christopher — even if they weren’t going there. His salon and his name were everywhere.”

Competitions, awards, and a knack for providing pithy quotes to reporters kept Hemphill in the limelight. When he pitched Bloomingdale’s on a salon inside its King of Prussia store, they listened. The Michael Christopher location opened in 1986, drawing clients like Millan, who remembers treating herself as a young college graduate. A Pike Creek location soon followed.

LOSSES, LESSONS, AND LETTING GO

Success didn’t insulate Hemphill from hardship. His gourmet to-go restaurant, The Charcuterie, lasted from 1983 to 1985. In 1991, he lost his stepfather and a close cousin to cancer.

Then came the departure of key talent. Dominic

Still, rumors swirled in an era when AIDS-related stigma was lethal to a business. Hemphill posted his test results in the salon. “A whiff of suspicion could ruin you,” he says.

Caring for Stifter while running multiple locations stretched him to the limit. Stifter grew so weak that Hemphill had to feed him and carry him. To explain his partner’s weight loss, Hemphill said he had cancer. He’d never lied to his staff before. Three years after Stifter’s death, he revealed the truth to his team.

In 1993, Hemphill left the Bloomingdale’s partnership and sold the Pike Creek location to Scarfo. He focused on his flagship, giving the Pennsylvania Avenue space a $200,000 renovation. Out went the chrome; in came European warmth and elegance.

REINVENTING AGAIN — AND AGAIN

Hemphill’s career evolved in tandem with the industry. He became a familiar face on QVC, where he sold solutiondriven products. Long before YouTube, he produced blowdrying VHS tutorials. Today, his Michael Christopher Beauty brand is available online.

When he learned that 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue would be demolished for redevelopment, he was excited, not disappointed. “It was time to reinvent,” he says.

He found his next home at the Montchanin Corporate Center, once occupied by Columbia Gas and MBNA. The salon now sits inside what used to be a four-bay garage. Even the landlord doubted the concept.

“Michael saw potential where others didn’t,” Eidschun says. “He turned it into a stunning, comfortable salon with thoughtful touches everywhere, including a lovely outdoor garden.”

Instead of in-your-face glam, the new salon would

embrace the sanctuary sentiment so needed in the digital age.

The salon moved in 2017, and Millan rediscovered it during the pandemic, when her Pennsylvania salon remained closed.

“I was immediately taken with the décor, the accessories, and the whole vibe,” she says. She eventually made the switch to Hemphill permanently and drives an hour each way for services.

Meanwhile, Hemphill married Matthew Tseronis, and the couple purchased and renovated a historic home in Old New Castle. Though Hemphill has reduced his hours, retirement isn’t in the plan.

He maintains that he’s “nobody’s boss.” But he is a teacher and mentor with no shortage of sage sayings. Corporate administrator Lindsay Grace says he taught her to “take an idea and throw it at the wall to see what sticks.”

Eidschun remembers reading an interview in which Hemphill quoted Mark Twain: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

“That really stayed with me,” she says. “He clearly found his ‘why’ in sharing his gift and making people feel their best.”

After 50 years, countless reinventions, and a family of successful stylists who trace their careers to him, Hemphill often reflects on the one thing none of us can control.

“Time is the most precious thing we have,” he says. “You can only spend it. You can’t buy it. You can’t get any more of it.”

In other words, he says, “Don’t waste it.”

Local Shops Worth Trying Local Shops Worth Trying

The Genius of Dickens Lives On

British actor, director and producer Gerald Dickens is touring the U.S. and U.K., performing his adaptation of great-great grandfather Charles Dickens’ classic novella, A Christmas Carol

By Mary Allen Mitchell

Gerald Dickens’ electrifying one-man stage show, A Christmas Carol, returns this December for the last act in the First State, with shows at Winterthur Museum and Lewes Public Library. Dickens will draw the final curtain on his American tour at the end of this year, in order to spend more time with family while continuing to tour across the pond.

Garbed in Victorian-era costume and using only a few props, Dickens dynamically plays all 26 roles

in his great-great-grandfather’s vivid tale of yuletide redemption, including Scrooge, the Cratchits, Fezziwig, and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. “There’s a bit of each of us in every one of the characters,” he says.

Beyond the holiday season, Dickens performs one-man shows of his famous ancestor’s many other literary masterpieces, including Doctor Marigold, Great Expectations, Nicholas Nickleby and The Signalman.

Holidays at Hagley

“Our Storied Past” Through January 1, 2026 See the du Pont ancestral home dressed for the holidays, find your favorite gingerbread house in our annual contest, visit with Santa, and enjoy a Holiday Nights tour.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Dickens and his three siblings grew up in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, about 30 miles southeast of London. Although he was shy as a young boy, he fell in love with the stage while playing a whimsical part in the school play at Huntleys Secondary School for Boys, where he found his voice.

He went on to earn acting awards throughout his formative years in school and also participated in a local theater group called Design Theatre Workshop. As a student at West Kent College, where he studied drama, Dickens learned how to delve into a text and explore the nature of its characters. After graduation, he decided to pursue a career in theater.

“My dad worked as a publisher, and he was an expert on all things Charles Dickens,” Dickens says. “He always told us, ‘It’s fine to do whatever you want in life — just do it the best you can.’ And then he would sit back with a little glint in his eye and say, ‘But, you know — Dickens will get you in the end.’ He was absolutely right.”

DISCOVERING THE MAGIC

“The first time I remember hearing a reading of A Christmas Carol, I was about 5, at home on Christmas with my parents and siblings,” Dickens says. “My aunt, uncle, and two cousins came to stay, and my uncle sat us all down and read us the story.”

“When he came to the end, I remember being absolutely astounded that it all happened one night, yet Scrooge hadn’t missed Christmas. This is the sort of emotion I've tried to capture in my shows.”

In fact, he says, “Charles Dickens was an amateur magician who loved performing for family and friends. I’ve always seen this as one of his greatest conjuring tricks: He led us in one direction, but at the end, he produces a rabbit from his hat.”

Another pivotal moment in his career came on New Years Eve, 1980, when Dickens’ father took the family to see a theatrical adaptation of Nicholas Nickleby, performed by The Royal Shakespeare Company of Britain. “I didn’t want to go. I was 19 at the time and felt that I shouldn't have been sitting in a theater watching a Charles Dickens play on New Year's Eve,” he says.

“But from the opening curtain, it all suddenly made sense: Dickens was theatrical — and theater had always

been my passion. I sat on the edge of my seat for the entire show, and that’s when my great-great-grandfather really made an impression on me. I recognized this sort of kindred theatrical spirit.”

After graduating from college, Dickens performed with various amateur theater groups in his hometown, until a fateful encounter several years later determined his destiny.

In 1993, celebrations ran throughout the U.K. commemorating 150 years since Charles Dickens published and performed his first reading of A Christmas Carol. “A representative from a local charity came to me with the idea of recreating his reading as a fundraising opportunity,” Dickens recalls.

At first, he was reluctant to get involved but soon realized the inherent theatricality of the writing. “This was a script from the heavens,” Dickens says. “For any actor reading those words and having those

characters to portray, it was just magic. And that’s where I started, some 33 years ago.”

A HOLIDAY TRADITION

Performing his prolific ancestor’s classic Christmas story for over three decades has enabled Dickens to recognize and become acquainted with entire generations of repeat show-goers. For legions of devoted fans, his performance never gets old, especially when he makes subtle phrasing and pacing changes during a tour.

“I try to just go with the flow as the audience and venue dictates, which is one of the reasons I love doing the one-man show,” Dickens says. “I’m proud to be able to continue Charles Dickens’ legacy — not that he needs us, you know.”

Performances at Winterthur are Dec. 10 (1pm) and Dec. 11 (1pm and 6pm). The performance at Lewes Elementary School is Dec. 12 (7pm). Visit GeraldDickens.org.

Excited

DEC 6, 2025 Lúnasa: An Irish Solstice Celebration with special guest Dave Curley

DEC 12, 2025 Joan Osborne Sings the Songs of Bob Dylan

APR 11, 2026 BubbleMania: Comedy...with a drip!

APR 12, 2026 An Evening with Livingston Taylor

APR 14, 2026 An Evening With Leo Kottke

FEB 6, 2026 An Evening with Josh Ritter: A Book of Gold Thrown Open

MAR 7, 2026 An Evening with Jimmy Webb

APR 24, 2026 Gary Gulman: Grandiloquent

MAR 13, 2026 Tony Trischka’s EarlJamFeaturing Michael Daves

MAR 22, 2026 An Evening with Tom Rush

MAY 2, 2026 One Love, One Heart: Feelings in Color & Sound by Kyma Fulgence

Amazed

DEC 16, 2025 Matteo BocelliFalling In Love World Tour

FEB 27, 2026 Keb’ Mo’

DEC 20 & 21 Meredith Willson’s Miracle On 34th Street, The Musical

FEB 6, 2026 Adam Pascal & Anthony Rapp: Celebrating 30 Years of Friendship & Music

APR 12, 2026 An Evening with David Sedaris

APR 17, 2026 Mandy Patinkin in Concert: JUKEBOX. With Adam Ben-David on Piano.

GET

Broadway

GIFT OF MUSIC

MAR 27-29 THE BOOK OF MORMON

MAY 8-10 Kinky Boots

JUNE 5-7 Meredith Willson’s The Music Man

GET

Inspired

FEB 6, 2026 Billy F Gibbons and the BFG Band

FEB 15, 2026 Curious George: The Golden Meatball

APR 12, 2026 The Acrobats of Cirque-Tacular

APR 25, 2026 Bored Teachers: “Is It Friday Yet?!” Comedy Tour

MAY 1, 2026 Aries Spears

FEB 20, 2026 KANSAS

FEB 21, 2026 The Rock Orchestra performs Lynyrd Skynyrd

MAR 6, 2026 The Simon & Garfunkel Story

MAY 2, 2026 EagleMania - The World’s Greatest Eagles Tribute Band

MAR 7, 2026 Dirty Dancing in Concert

MAR 8, 2026 Blackberry Smoke: Rattle, Ramble and Roll Tour 2026

MAR 14, 2026 The Irish Tenors

MAY 30, 2026 The Rock Orchestra performs Jimmy Bu ett (including a full performance of ‘Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes’)

MAY 31, 2026 The Canine Stars Stunt Dog Show

JUNE 7, 2026 Be Like Blippi Tour

MAR 28, 2026 An Evening with Garrison Keillor with special guest Rich Dworsky

Learning and fun for age 50-plus

Over 300 classes and social activities— Arts | Current events | Languages | History | Music Entertainment | Literature | Health and Wellness Travel opportunities | Yoga olli.udel.edu

SAVE THE DATES

Registration for the spring semester opens January 5 Our free online January Explorations program begins January 13. Scan to visit olli.udel.edu

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Delaware 302-573-4417 (Wilmington) | 302-645-4111 (Kent/Sussex) • olli-online@udel.edu

An Illuminating Swedish Tradition

Approaching 50 years, St. Lucia’s light still shines

By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald

Every holiday season, Delawareans gather at the historic Old Swedes Church near the Wilmington waterfront to celebrate its Sankta Lucia Celebration (St. Lucia Celebration), in a ceremony filled with candles, light, and song.

Next year, the Delaware Swedish Colonial Society will celebrate 50 years of honoring the Lucia tradition in the First State. Although no formal plans have been set for the anniversary, this annual event will surely be on the docket.

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Origins of the Lucia Tradition

This Swedish tradition has roots in both Christian and pre-Christian customs.

Historically, December 13 was considered the longest night of the year under the old Julian calendar. In Nordic folklore, it was believed to be a dangerous night when evil spirits roamed, prompting people to stay awake to protect their homes and livestock. Fires and candles were lit to ward off darkness and keep malevolent forces at bay.

With the rise of Christianity, these customs merged with the story of Saint Lucia (or St. Lucy, whose name means ‘light’), a young Christian martyr from Syracuse, Sicily, who was executed around 304 A.D. for her faith. In the legend, she brought food to persecuted Christians in hiding, wearing a wreath of candles on her head to light her way.

The modern celebration began to take shape in 18thcentury Sweden, particularly among the nobility, where a young woman dressed in white would serve coffee and buns to her family on December 13. The custom spread throughout the country, and by the early 20th century, it had become a national tradition, complete with public processions, music, and officially chosen “Lucias” in towns and schools.

Lucia Traditions Far and Near

Today, Luciadagen (St. Lucy’s Day) represents light overcoming darkness, hope amid winter, and togetherness, uniting ancient Nordic midwinter rituals with the Christian story of Saint Lucia.

Each December 13, Swedes continue to honor St. Lucia, as a timeless symbol of light and renewal. The event also signifies the official beginning of Christmas preparation in Sweden.

Historically, the eldest daughter in a family is dressed in white with a crown of candles. She leads a procession of attendants through the church — including younger children wearing white costumes and "star boys" adorned with pointed hats — all singing traditional songs. The celebration is accompanied by treats including coffee, lussekatter (saffron buns), and pepparkakor (ginger cookies).

Locally, the celebration began to formalize in the late 1970s. According to the book, Delaware Swedish Colonial Society: A Chronological History, by longtime board member Ruth Swanson Crossan: “On December 12, 1976, Mr. and Mrs. Willis Harrington held a ‘mini Lucia party’ at their home. Their friend, Frank Hagrid, brought the customary Swedish drink glögg, and an exchange student from Sweden portrayed St. Lucia.”

The following year on December 3, a Lucia Christmas party was held at the Hotel du Pont, attracting 110 guests. The event featured Swedish folk dancers from New York, a Swedish menu prepared by hotel chefs, and Mr. Hagrid’s renowned glögg recipe. Another Swedish exchange student, named Maria Hedlin, played St. Lucia.

Finally on December 10, 1978, a crowd of 250 attended

the first official St. Lucia celebration at Old Swedes Church. Anne Marie Meckler, clad in a long white dress and a crown trimmed with greens and lighted candles on her head, led the procession.

One of the attendants, a Swedish exchange student named Eva Swanberg, said of the evening, “Christmas just isn’t Christmas without Lucia. I’m really glad I can do it. To me, it’s really Sweden.”

Experience Lucia for Yourself

The Old Swedes Church was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963. It was built in 16981699 and is one of our country’s oldest church buildings still in regular use. Its location, at 606 N. Church Street, is near the original 1638 landing of Swedish colonists — Delaware’s first permanent European settlers.

The Lucia Celebration is one of the best times to visit the church. This year’s Lucia Celebration will take place on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 1:00 p.m. Swedish coffee and cookies will be served before and after the service in the building adjacent to the church. Guests can also enjoy free tours of the Hendrickson House, which will be decorated in Swedish Christmas tradition.

— Tickets for patrons age 13 and up are $15; tickets for children age 5-12 are $5; under age 5 admitted free. Purchase at DelawareSwedes.org.

Fa La La La Fun

Fa La La La Fun

From sparkling estates and festive markets to magical performances and quirky parties, here’s your guide to what’s happening this holiday season in Wilmington and beyond

By Amy Watson Bish

Historic Lewes Annual House Tour

Saturday, Dec. 6, 9:30am-4pm | Lewes Historical Society, Lewes

Explore beautifully decorated private homes and historic buildings during the Annual Holiday House Tour hosted by the Lewes Historical Society. This self-guided tradition offers a rare glimpse inside cherished properties — from centuries-old homes to contemporary designs — celebrating local architecture and festive seasonal charm. Visit HistoricLewes.org

Christmas in Odessa

Saturday, Dec. 6, 10am-5pm | High Street, Odessa

Take a self-guided tour of private homes and public buildings in one of Delaware’s most historic towns. Throughout the day enjoy Christmas concerts, refreshments, and visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Additionally, visit the Wilson-Warner House and tour A Jane Austen Christmas at 250, a festive exhibition honoring the 250th anniversary of the writer’s birth, on view to guests through Dec. 29. Visit ChristmasInOdessa.org

Twinkle All the Way

Festival of Lights

Friday & Saturdays, Nov. 29 - Dec. 21, 4-9pm

Delaware Park Casino, Wilmington

Things get merry & bright at Delaware Park this season with a free, family-friendly outdoor light display and holiday market featuring food and beverage specials, a variety of vendors, and chance to take a photo with Santa. Visit LightsAtDelPark.com

Holiday Magic at Riverbright Wilmington Through Jan. 4 | Wilmington Riverfront

The Christiana Riverwalk transforms into a captivating walk-through light display and trees decked out with twinkling lights. Lights are on view each day at dusk. Plus, on select afternoons and evenings enjoy mini golf, meet & greets with Santa, Little Farm Petting Zoo, and more. Visit RiverfrontWilm.com/holiday-magic >

Light Up the Square

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 5pm-7pm | Rodney Square, Wilmington

Ring in the holiday season with the City of Wilmington’s tree-lighting celebration featuring live performances, plus face painting, hot chocolate, a visit by Santa and other winter characters, and more. Visit CityFestWilm.com/Light-Up-The-Square

Holiday Lights Express

Dec. 4 – Dec. 31 | Wilmington & Western Railroad, Wilmington

Ride aboard a festively decorated, historic locomotive with heated coaches, and admire the decorated trackside homes and yards along this 45-minute trip through the Red Clay Valley. Visit WWRR.com

Holly Jolly Family Fun

Schellville Enchanted Winter Celebration

Select dates through Dec. 31 | Tanger Seaside, Rehoboth

Since 2017, Schellville has grown into a 5.5-acre holiday wonderland with festive miniature houses, train rides, snow zones with hourly magical snow, Santa and Mrs. Claus, and an artisan alley showcasing local crafters, and so much more for families to enjoy. Visit Schellbrothers.com/Schellville

25th Annual Holiday Open House at Rockwood Park

Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6, 5pm Rockwood Park & Museum, Wilmington

This free, family event features light displays throughout the park, museum tours, photos with Santa, and performances from local performance groups and more. New this year is a winter playground, train rides, winter games, a human snow globe and additional lights and sights. Visit NewCastleDE.gov/Events

Santa at the Zoo

Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7, 10am-12:30pm Brandywine Zoo, Wilmington

Kids can meet and take a photo with Santa and enjoy fun holiday activities at this winter wonderland tradition at the Zoo. On Dec. 6 enjoy a performance by Wilbur Elementary Choir. Registration required. Visit BrandywineZoo.org

Holiday Trains at Auburn Heights

Friday, Dec. 5 & Saturday, Dec. 6, 4-7pm

Marshall Steam Museum at Auburn Heights, Yorklyn

All aboard for holiday cheer! View operating model train layouts, take a ride on the Auburn Valley Railroad, enjoy live musical entertainment, take a photo with Santa, and more. Visit AuburnHeights.org

Sankta Lucia Celebration

Sunday, Dec. 7, 1pm | Old Swedes Church, Wilmington

The Delaware Swedish Colonial Society welcomes the public share in this age-old Swedish Christmas tradition, celebrated with song and ceremony in the historic candlelit church. Visit DelawareSwedes.org/celebrations

Holiday Celebration & Market at Glasgow Park

December 12 & 13, 5-8pm

Glasgow Park Bank Barn and Frazer House, Bear

Enjoy live performances, gift and specialty food vendors, holiday express train rides, make-and-take crafts for kids, food trucks, and more. See the tree lighting on Friday at 6pm and return Saturday in your holiday jammies for a screening of The Polar Express under the stars at 6pm. Visit NewCastleDe.gov/events

Spirit of Christmas

Saturday, Dec. 13, 10am-5pm | Historic New Castle

Delight in tours of beautifully decorated private homes and museums, enjoy musical performances throughout town, and find the perfect gifts at the indoor and outdoor winter market. Savor a variety of festive fare from the local restaurants and finish your day watching the tree lighting in Market Square. Visit SpiritOfChristmasDe.com

Krampus Festival & Yuletide Market

Saturday, Dec. 13, 2pm-9pm | Liquid Alchemy, Wilmington

For a Yuletide celebration with a spooky Scandinavian twist, Liquid Alchemy hosts its annual family-friendly Krampus Fest featuring meads and Glogg for sipping (hot cocoa for the little ones), axethrowing, tarot card readings, Krampus photo opportunities, and food by Bang Bang BBQ. Visit LiquidAlchemyBeverages.com

A Frozen Fairytale Brunch

Sunday, Dec. 14, 11am | Hotel du Pont, Downtown Wilmington

Enjoy a family-friendly brunch, sing along with Anna & Elsa, and get a warm hug from Olaf, and delight in sweet treats, snowy surprises, and magical memories in this frosted fairytale experience. Visit HotelDuPont.com/Experiences

Holiday Magic Brunch with Santa Saturday, Dec. 20, Seatings at 10am and 12:30pm Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington

From waffles to custom omelets, this brunch has something for everyone, including bounce houses, arts & crafts, face painting, cookie decorating, Santa, and more.Visit RiverfrontWilm.com/Holiday-Magic

Center Stage Cheer

A Christmas Carol Through Dec. 14 | Clear Space Theatre, Rehoboth Beach

This musical retelling of Dickens’ classic follows Scrooge’s transformative journey through past, present, and future, brought to life with Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens’ enchanting score. A festive, heartwarming celebration of redemption and holiday spirit. Visit ClearSpaceTheatre.org

Christmas by Candlelight Through Dec. 21 | The Candlelight Theatre, Arden Candlelight welcomes you home for the holidays with beloved seasonal and sacred tunes, as well as new surprises, performed by fan-favorite Candlelighters in this heartwarming musical celebration of the yuletide season. Visit CandlelightTheatreDelaware.org

Shrek the Musical Dec. 3–Dec. 21 | Delaware Theatre Company, Wilmington Riverfront

Celebrate the holiday season with this heartwarming, family-friendly show based on the Oscar-winning film. Follow Shrek and friends on a joyful journey of transformation, self discovery, and the reminder that true beauty lies within. This is a Wolf Performing Arts Center production presented by DTC. Visit DelawareTheatre.org

A Christmas Carol Live!

December 10, 1pm and December 11, 1pm & 6pm

Winterthur Museum & Gardens, Greenville

Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, brings the timeless tale to life in this captivating one-man show.

Visit Winterthur.org

It’s a Wonderful Life – The Musical Dec. 12, 13, 19 & 20, 7:30pm; and Dec. 14 & 21, 2pm

Everett Theatre, Middletown

Based on the beloved 1946 film, this musical adaptation follows George Bailey’s journey from youthful dreams to midlife struggles, blending warmth, humor, and heart for devotees and newcomers alike. Visit TheEverett.org

Meredith Wilson’s Miracle on 34th Street, The Musical Dec. 20, 2pm & 8pm; and Dec. 21, 2pm

The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Wilmington

From Meredith Willson, creator of The Music Man, this heartwarming musical adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street follows a skeptical mother, her daughter, and a man who might just be the real Santa Claus — filled with humor, love, and holiday cheer.

Visit TheGrandWilmington.org

Ladies Dancing & Lords a-Leaping

Christina Cultural Arts Center’s Carols in Color

Sunday, Dec. 7, 4 pm

The Grand Opera House, Downtown Wilmington

This holiday dance musical retells the story of Christ’s birth through soulful song, exuberant dance and powerful narration, featuring Eleone Dance Theatre and top Philadelphia vocalists in a moving celebration of faith, artistry, and seasonal joy. Visit TheGrandWilmington.org

The Wilmington Ballet presents The Nutcracker Friday, Dec. 12, 7:30pm; Saturday, Dec. 13, 2:30pm & 7:30pm; and Sunday, Dec. 15, 2pm

The Playhouse on Rodney Square, Downtown Wilmington

This presentation of the holiday treat welcomes the return of Brazilian ballet dancers Ingrid Silva and Luis Fernando of The Dance Theatre of Harlem starring as The Sugar Plum Fairy and The Nutcracker, respectively, with Maestro Allan Scott conducting The Wilmington Ballet Chamber Orchestra. Visit WilmingtonBallet.org

Delaware Arts Conservatory presents The Snow Queen

Saturday, Dec. 13, 12pm & 5pm; Sunday, Dec. 14, 2pm

Laird Performing Arts Center at Tatnall School, Greenville

A holiday tradition since 2012, this production is a feast for the eyes told through various forms of dance. Based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, this 1844 story was also the inspiration for Disney’s Frozen. Visit DelArts.com/snowqueen

First State Ballet Theatre presents The Nutcracker 25th Anniversary Saturdays, Dec. 13 and Dec. 20, 2pm & 7pm; Sundays, Dec.14 & Dec. 21, 2pm

The Grand Opera House, Downtown Wilmington

Join Delaware’s professional ballet company on a magical journey through the Land of Sweets in this lavish production that has become a favorite holiday tradition. Visit FirstStateBallet.orgounds of the

Sounds of the Season

Mastersingers of Wilmington: Winter’s Night

Friday, Dec. 5, 7:30pm | First & Central Presbyterian Church, Downtown Wilmington

An evening of choral music designed to evoke the wonder, mystery, and joy of Christmas. The program features a set of “O magnum mysterium” interpretations, Marian music including a set of “Ave Maria” compositions, and the Delaware premiere of Cecilia McDowall’s “A Winter’s Night,” with brass, percussion, and organ. Visit MarketStreetMusicDe.org

Holiday Sing

Sunday, Dec. 7, 3pm | The Music School of Delaware, Wilmington

This sing-along with faculty and friends marks the school’s annual festive celebration of the season. A musical treat for the whole family.

Visit MusicSchoolOfDelaware.org

Wilmington Handbell Ensemble presents An Olde World Christmas Multiple dates in Newark and Wilmington

Wilmington Handbell celebrates 25 years of ringing in the season with a holiday program featuring selections from The Nutcracker and more. Performances will be held in Newark at Ebenezer United Methodist Church (Saturday, Dec. 6 at 4pm) and the Independence School with the Newark Symphony Orchestra (Sunday, Dec. 7 at 3pm), and in Wilmington at Grace Episcopal (Friday, Dec. 19 at 12:15pm) and Westminster Presbyterian (Saturday, Dec. 20 at 4pm).

Visit WilmingtonHandbellEnsemble.org

The Choir School of Delaware’s Holiday Cabaret Saturday, Dec. 6, 2pm | The Candlelight Theatre, Arden

Enjoy cocoa, snacks, and favorite holiday tunes as the talented young vocalists of The Choir School of Delaware’s Young Artist Program bring seasonal classics to life in a joyous performance. Visit ChoirSchoolOfDelaware.org

Ein Kind Geborn: A German Christmas Sunday, Dec. 7, 3pm Westminster Presbyterian Church, Wilmington

Escape the holiday bustle with the joyful sounds of a German Renaissance Christmas as Piffaro and Tenet Vocal Artists to present music by Praetorius and his contemporaries. Visit Piffaro.org

A Jazz Christmas

Sunday, Dec. 7, 4pm| Cab Calloway Theater, Wilmington

Enjoy an afternoon of jazz-infused holiday classics from Wilson Gault Somers and guests, benefiting The Ministry of Caring. Visit MusicWithAMission.org

Delaware Symphony Orchestra’s Holidays at the Hotel

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 7:30pm | The Gold Ballroom at Hotel du Pont, Downtown Wilmington

Step into a warm, elegant holiday celebration as the DSO brings festive charm to the Gold Ballroom. This intimate evening features mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski with musicians of the DSO in a chamber orchestra led by Michelle Di Russo, as well as a dessert and wine reception at intermission. Visit DelawareSymphony.org

WXPN Welcomes

Socks: A Rock & Roll Christmas Tour by JD McPherson

Thursday, Dec. 11, 8pm | Aden Gild Hall, Arden

A high-energy holiday show featuring JD McPherson’s acclaimed, alloriginal Christmas tunes from his celebrated album Socks, blending rock ’n’ roll with vintage-inspired flair. Visit ArdenConcerts.com

A Celebration of Handel

Friday, Dec. 12, 7:30pm | The Barn at Flintwoods, Wilmington

Brandywine Baroque celebrates the holiday season with works by Handel including Concerti Grossi and the recently rediscovered Gloria. Visit BrandywineBaroque.org

Amid the Cold Winter:

A Wilmington Children’s Chorus Holiday Concert

Friday, Dec. 12, 7:30pm | The Barn at Flintwoods, Wilmington

This program features holiday favorites and winter-inspired new songs, blending classical, folk, and popular tunes that inspire nostalgia and seasonal joy. Visit WilmingtonChildrensChorus.org

Elevate Vocal Arts presents Holidays in Mosaic

Sunday, Dec. 14, 4pm | St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, Wilmington

This concert weaves together music celebrating Christmas, Yom Kippur, Kwanzaa, and other traditions, offering a mosaic of light, joy, and togetherness. Visit ElevateVocalArts.org

A Jazz Before

Christmas

featuring John Maurice Restrepo Quartet

Friday, Dec. 19, 5pm | Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington

Sip winter-themed beverages while exploring the galleries and enjoy a lively selection of holiday jazz classics performed by the John Maurice Restrepo Quartet. Visit DelArt.org

Cartoon Christmas Trio, with special guests

Wilmington Children’s Chorus

Friday, Dec. 19, 7pm | OperaDelaware Studios, Wilmington

Celebrate 30 years of holiday cartoon jazz with the Cartoon Christmas Trio, joined by the Wilmington Children’s Chorus and baritone Grant Youngblood for a nostalgic, spirited performance that brings classic Christmas favorites to life. Visit CartoonChristmasTrio.com

OperaDelaware Holiday Candlelight Concert

Saturday, Dec. 20, 6pm

Winterthur Museum & Gardens, Greenville

Surrounded by the warm glow of hundreds of flickering candles, OperaDelaware’s vocalists will perform holiday classics, timeless standards, and beloved opera favorites for a magical evening of music and nostalgia. Visit Winterthur.org

Merry Markets

The Made in Delaware Holiday Shop

Saturdays & Sundays, Nov. 28-Dec. 21, 10am-4pm 419 N. Market St (former Huxley & Hiro), Wilmington

Find unique gifts, handmade crafts, and festive treats all by local makers at this pop up holiday shop.Visit WilmingtonMADE.com

Holiday Village Market

Saturdays & Sundays, Dec. 6, 7, 13 & 14, 11am-5pm

The Creamery of Kennett Square

This open-air market transforms The Creamery into a festive wonderland with a rotating selection of artisan vendors, plus seasonal drinks, food trucks, fire pits and family activities. Visit KennettCollaborative.org/HolidayVillageMarket

Cityfest Holiday Market

Saturday, Dec. 13, noon-5pm

Tina Betz Urban Artis Exchange, Downtown Wilmington Shop ’til you drop at this market featuring local makers and artisans, with handcrafted treasures, original artwork, and festive treats. Visit CityfestWilm.com

Dew Point Brewing’s Christmas Fair

Saturday, Dec. 13, 1pm-5pm

Dew Point Brewing Co., Yorklyn

Enjoy a pint and peruse gifts by local vendors, ice carving, and seasonal tunes performed by a brass band, then stay for the tree lighting at 5:15pm. Visit DewPointBrewing.com

Brandywine Holiday Festival of the Arts

Saturday, Dec. 20, 10am-6pm and Sunday, Dec. 21, 10am-4pm Chase Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington

Check off your holiday list with one-of-a-kind gifts from more than 100 local artists and artisans — perfect for last-minute shopping. Visit BrandywineHoliday.com

Holiday Hijinks

Blitzen Bar

Through December 20 | 220 W. 9th Street, Downtown Wilmington

Wilmington’s holiday pop-up invites you to cozy up by the fireplace with festive cocktails and seasonal bites, such as “Joy to the Shell” (mini chicken tacos) and “Grinch Fingers” (fried green beans). Visit BlitzenWilmington.com

LIT Holiday Pop-Up Bar

Fridays & Saturdays through Dec. 22, 6pm-1am Delaware Park Casino, Wilmington

Sip holiday cocktails, soak up over-the-top décor, and dive into rotating themed nights for a spirited seasonal escape. Visit DelawarePark.com

Santa Claws at Starboard Claw

Through Dec. 31 | 1818 Coastal Highway, Dewey Beach

If you’re headed to the beach, stop by the Starboard Claw, which has rebranded itself for the season as “Santa Claws.” They’re serving up a special menu of holiday-inspired cocktails, as well as sweet and savory nibbles. Visit StarboardClaw.com

The Sleigh Bar at Klondike Kate’s

Through January 11 158 E. Main Street, Newark

What’s this? What’s this? Themed cocktails, treats, and mischief await at Klondike Kate’s Nightmare Before Christmas-themed Sleigh Bar. Visit KlondikeKates.com

Movies on Tap: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Elf

Friday, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, 6pm

Penn Cinema, Wilmington Riverfront

It’s going to be the “hap-hap-happiest Christmas” when Movies on Tap screens the ever-popular National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation on Dec. 5 to benefit the Food Bank of Delaware, with beers by Dogfish Head Brewery. On Dec. 12, the modern Christmas classic Elf spreads cheer to benefit Delaware Children’s Museum, with beers by Tröegs. Visit Wilmington.PennCinema.com/Movies-On-Tap

Ugly Sweater Santa Crawl

Saturday, Dec. 13, 8pm | 9 locations throughout Wilmington

Don your tackiest apparel on this annual bar crawl hosted by Out & About. One $5 cover gains admission gets you into all the venues and benefits the West End Neighborhood House. Toy donations are accepted at all venues. Visit OutAndAboutNow.com/events

Ring It In

Confetti Countdown

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 11am, 12pm & 1pm

Delaware Children’s Museum, Wilmington Riverfront

Ring in the New Year early with your little one with three separate hourly countdowns featuring a big confetti release. Kids will also enjoy the educational exhibits and activities, along with special live performances. Visit DelawareChildrensMuseum.org

Roaring into the New Year

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 9:30am Delaware Museum of Nature & Science, Greenville

Celebrate the New Year with a special countdown for all ages and stages, featuring hands-on activities including a science-related ball drop. Pre-registration requested. Visit DelMNH.org

New Year’s Eve Drone Light Show

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 6pm

Wilmington Riverfront

Gather along Wilmington’s riverfront for a dazzling display of technology and artistry that promises to be a mesmerizing and memorable experience. Visit RiverfrontWilm.com/Holiday-Magic

A Recipe for Doing Good

BBC Tavern’s guest bartending program blends social fun with serious fundraising — all thanks to David Dietz’s custom app

By Pam George

Fournier

Shortly after opening BBC Tavern and Grill in 2010, David Dietz decided to raise money to help children and families affected by juvenile diabetes. The oldest of his three daughters was 5 when she was diagnosed with the disease, which affects the pancreas. Dietz had been involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, now known as Breakthrough T1D, and was aware that the staff worked long hours.

“I thought, ‘How can I help them?’” he recalls.

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Six friends agreed to guest bartend at his Greenville restaurant and invite their friends. “We raised like $1,500, and the foundation got a check out of nowhere,” Dietz says. One of the participants was a volunteer with the American Cancer Society, which benefited from the event that followed.

Today, BBC Tavern hosts guest bartending nights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and occasionally Thursdays. “I think we did 14 in October,” Dietz says.

The causes run the gamut, from the arts — Serafin Ensemble on Dec. 9 — to education — Conrad School of Science on Dec. 10. The calendar is booked into April 2026.

While many restaurants do dineand-donate or guest bartending events, none can compare to BBC Tavern. That’s because Dietz does more than allow volunteers behind the bar. He created the Guest Bartender Program app, a how-to manual and marketing tool on an easy-to-use platform. It also serves as a vehicle for online donations.

“That’s where the money really takes off,” he says. “It’s more valuable than 50-50s, raffles and silent auctions.”

Repeat organizer Kerry Welsh has raised about $10,000 per event for Rodney Street Tennis and Tutoring.

“The whole process makes it very easy for folks to coordinate the events and for bartenders to raise money,” she says. It is also an awareness tool, she adds.

While the program benefits charities, it’s also good for Dietz’s business.

Never One to Miss an Opportunity

Creating a fundraising app may seem like a stretch for someone in the hospitality business, but Dietz is passionate about processes. He focuses first on the facility and the personnel.

“It’s the people who make the business, and you have to make sure everything is working, from the credit card system to the HVAC,” he explains.

Secondly, he’s into advertising and

marketing. Once the place is clean, the servers are trained, and the chef is in the kitchen, you need people in the seats.

Those who know Dietz aren’t surprised by his ability to take an idea and run with it. He was still in his 20s when he bought a Boston Chicken franchise, and he was among the first Delawareans to open a brewpub in the mid-1990s. Brandywine Brewing Company (BBC) was in what is now Pizza By Elizabeths. It closed in 2004 with the promise of a new location.

Sure, Dietz has had some misses, namely a second Brandywine Brewing Company, which opened in 2000 and closed six months later, and Shaggy’s on Main, which Dietz owned with Joe Van Horn. Customers came to Shaggy’s for drinks, not food, which didn’t fly with the city of Newark. At the time, no new bars were allowed.

The seasoned restaurateur realized that the pot of gold was in his own backyard: Greenville. His Bar Reverie has an urbane, more upscale approach, while BBC Tavern — a play on the brewpub’s nickname — is more pub-like; nachos are a big seller. BBC Tavern is the perfect gathering spot for a guest bartender event.

A Blueprint for Fundraising Success

After those initial events in 2010 and 2011, organizers began asking Dietz for tips. He scribbled how-to bullet points on the back of a napkin for one friend, and when the requests for advice kept coming, he wrote a copyrighted manual — complete with timelines and checklists.

“I call it a four-week fundraising program capped off by a cocktail party,” Dietz says. The pandemic in 2020 gave him time to refine an online app, which he updated at least three times.

Dashboard categories include fundraising and promotion. There are also areas for participants, information about the cause, images and event details.

“The platform makes it very easy to add and edit bartenders and to automate emails to them about their fundraising progress,” says Welsh.

Dietz, who supplies bartender recruitment copy, recommends having at least 18 bartenders, since some will raise the bulk of the funds, some will do well with

encouragement, and some will drop the promotional ball. (He recommends they work two at a time in 20-minute intervals.)

He tells organizers to look for seven key personality traits during recruitment, including competitiveness. To foster a friendly rivalry, he recommends team contests focused on raising money or securing positive responses to Facebook event invites.

“We create a sense of obligation to the tribe — it’s a psychological thing,” Dietz says. A leaderboard on the site displays the bartenders’ total online donations.

He also provides suggested text for fundraising and promotion. Since guest bartenders post to their personal profiles, the algorithm boosts the event to the top of followers’ newsfeeds.

Harnessing the Power of Online Giving

The online donation page is a valuable function. Since 2019, people have donated more than $500,000 online. Stacey Silvers donated to support a friend who was bartending and found it easy to do. When combined with on-site initiatives — and bartending tips — it adds up to a substantial amount of money rooted in a social night out.

Dietz leaves the donation portal open for about 10 days after the event. He then factors in the varying credit card fees, many of which donors elect to cover. He deducts the program costs and other expenses, such as graphic design and photography.

He cuts the charity a check representing 10 percent of the dinner sales and another for the donations. It is not a contribution from BBC Tavern, he stresses. Donors receive letters for their tax records.

The app’s transparent financial report section details the distribution. For instance, one charity received $23,250 in online donations and $5,000 in offline donations. The platform cost was $1,509. (With on-site raffles and other ancillary activities, the total proceeds were closer to $40,000.)

The ability to donate online has not affected attendance, he says. It’s all about the personal connection between the friends of the guest bartender. >

Win-Win

Even before the app’s creation, the program benefited the restaurant. “BBC is packed, which means that instead of buying three cases of tomatoes a week, I’m buying eight, so the tomatoes are fresher — that’s true down the line with seafood, poultry and meat,” Dietz says. “It’s a lot easier to run a busy restaurant with fresh food than a slow restaurant buying food once a week.”

Dietz has already had establishments in Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina license the program. He’d love to see a chain such as Applebee’s collaborate with a national brand, such as Miller beer, to raise money for a charity.

“If there are 1,000 locations, and each one gets an extra 150 to 200 people to come into their restaurant, think how much money can be generated for the charity. We collect donor information so that you can send them a coupon. The data you can collect from this is insane,” he says.

He currently has sponsors who pay to have their logos on relevant materials. “You have 18 guest bartenders with an average of 1,000 friends, who have significant others all promoting it on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and LinkedIn. They’re emailing their friend groups, and when the friends are asked to donate, they all see those logos.”

However, he’s thinking beyond a fundraiser focused on beverages. “It could be the guest sub or sandwich-maker promotion led by a band leader in elementary school and middle school,” he says. “They pick a Saturday and Miss Smith, the principal, is back there making subs.” Don’t want a hoagie? You can donate online.

The Guest Bartender Program proves that a neighborhood restaurant can be the catalyst for something far larger than a night out. What began with six friends and a $1,500 check has grown into a finely tuned fundraising engine that empowers charities, energizes volunteers and strengthens Dietz’s own business. As BBC Tavern heads toward its second decade, the program continues to demonstrate that generosity — when given structure, momentum and a little friendly competition — can ripple far beyond the bar.

— For more info, visit GuestBartender.org. For a list of upcoming events, visit BBCTavernandGrill.com/GuestBartending

Who’s Counting?

Age is a state of mind for Fred Dawson and his senior-citizen bandmates who rock out regularly as Club Phred

By Kevin Noonan

Like many teenagers who started garage bands in the 1960s, Fred Dawson had dreams of fame and fortune, not to mention the chance to meet girls. The fame and fortune part didn’t work out, and the girls didn’t exactly swarm, but Dawson did grab hold of the one thing that matters the most — the music.

Dawson is the leader of the local band Club Phred, which has been around since 2002, although its various members have been around a lot longer than that. Most of the sevenpiece band are in their 70s, including the 76-year-old Dawson, and their eldest statesman, saxophonist Vince Vincguerra, 87.

But this is no geriatric act.

“We’re a bunch of old-timers, no question about that,” Dawson says. “But when we get up on that stage, it’s like we discovered the fountain of youth and we’re ready to rock and roll. We feel like teenagers again and that’s because we still love what we do — maybe even more than we used to.

“Getting old isn’t always fun, but it does give you some perspective,” adds Dawson, who is a financial advisor when he’s not on stage. “You appreciate things more and that’s especially true with our music. And I honestly think we sound as good, or better, than we ever have. That’s the beauty of music — it makes time stand still.”

Dawson, who started playing music at 16 while a student at Christiana High, is one of five original members of Club Phred, along with Vincguerra, Brian Daring (bass guitar), Kathy Layfield (keyboards) and Mark Fisk (vocals). Newcomers and, relatively speaking, youngsters Brian Scott (guitar) and Paul Cuttic (drums) round out the group.

Both Dawson and Fisk give the two younger players, especially Scott and his guitar, credit for reenergizing the band a few years ago when things started to get stale.

“They lit a fire under us,” Dawson says. “And it’s still burning.”

Fab Four Fanatics

Like many teenagers who started garage bands in the 1960s, members of Club Phred say their desire to become rock stars was sparked by the landmark appearance by The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show — so much so that Fisk remembers the exact date of that historic event: February 12, 1964.

“That was a life-transforming moment for me, just like it was for so many of us back then,” says Fisk, who is a lawyer when he’s not making music. “It was an epiphany for me and, really, my generation, and that’s why we’re still at it now.”

Like Dawson, Fisk dreamt of becoming a rock star, a dream that had its beginnings when he played in garage bands in his hometown of Newark — with the University of Delaware nearby, there were plenty of places for a young group to play in the 1960s and 1970s.

“We played frat parties when I was in the eighth grade and there was just a real vibrant music scene in Newark back then,” he says. “There were a lot of bands and a lot of venues to play in, and we had lots of gigs. But eventually I realized that this was probably as far as I was going to go, that I was never going to be on The Ed Sullivan Show like The Beatles, so I decided to stick with education and become a lawyer.

“But the love for music and the desire to play music never left me. So, even though the dream of stardom was gone, the passion for the music was still there.”

Eventually, that led to Fisk connecting with Dawson and the other members of Club Phred for informal jam sessions in Dawson’s basement-turned-night club. They realized they had something special in the way they harmonized with their instruments and their voices.

“We had all been around the block and we were at that stage in life when our egos weren’t as important as the music we were making together,” Dawson says. “You could tell from the beginning that there was a real enthusiasm about how we sounded and how we fit together, and it just developed from there. And here we are, more than 20 years later, still doing it.”

Charlie Ross is the owner and operator of The Reef Seafood & Steak restaurant on Carpenter Station Road in Wilmington, where Club Phred plays regularly. And Ross says there are a few simple reasons he keeps hiring the band.

“They’re talented and they’re energetic and the people here love them,” Ross says. “Above all, they’re professional. Those guys have been doing this for a long time now, and they obviously know what they’re doing up there. They have a huge repertoire of songs from the ‘60s and ‘70s, so you never know exactly what to expect from them. And I think the people love that about them.

“They’re definitely one of our favorites here.”

Playing With the stars

Even though the members of Club Phred never made it to the major leagues, they’ve rubbed elbows with some big-time rock stars, including Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad (with hits like “I’m your Captain (Closer to Home)”, “Some Kind of Wonderful” and “We’re an American Band”) and Felix Cavaliere of the Rascals (“Good Lovin’,” “Groovin’” and “People Got to Be Free”).

“Over the years, I’ve become friends with those guys, and I’ve played with Mark Farner in Delaware 33 times, and with Felix Cavaliere three or four times,” Dawson says. “Those guys are great musicians, but even better people, and it’s been a privilege to play with them and hang out with them.”

Dawson was especially close with legendary saxophone player Boots Randolph, who recorded with stars such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and Chet Atkins and appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

But most people probably recognize Randolph’s music from his 1963 hit recording “Yakety Sax”, which is also the theme music for the BBC’s Benny Hill Show that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s. And if you don’t know that show, or that theme music, check it out on Google — the odds are you’ll recognize it immediately.

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Dawson was so close with Randolph that he was with him in his hospital room in Nashville when Randolph died in 2007. Randolph even gave Dawson some of his iconic saxophones before he passed.

The present and the Future

There’s another side to Club Phred — the philanthropic side. Since its inception, Club Phred has raised more than $5 million for 40-plus charities.

“It ended up that we had a bunch of musicians in the group who really love their community,” Dawson says. “So, we started playing gigs for charity and we’ve never stopped. We really enjoy giving back, and invariably good things come back to us. It’s always fun to play music and it’s even more rewarding when you’re helping a good cause.”

As for the future, the veteran members of Club Phred know that nobody outlasts Father Time, not even The Beatles, and they can’t do this forever.

“I make no predictions, but for now we’re still going strong,” Dawson says. “I mean, our sax player is 87 and he plays like he’s 13 years old — he smokes that horn like crazy. So, I think we all appreciate that we’re still doing this, because even though we’re old, the music keeps us young.”

For more information on Club Phred, including live dates and song lists, visit ClubPhred.com

BANDS AND DJS BRING ENERGY TO HOLIDAY PUNK ROCK FLEA MARKET

In cooperation with DJs Odd Todd and Dusty Fingers, Rainbow Records is bringing together a lively collection of bands and a diverse mix of vendors for the Newark Holiday Punk Rock Flea Market the weekend of December 13 at the Aetna Banquet Hall.

Saturday, December 13 sees rowdy live sets from Friction Fit, Beat Stu, Crashout, and Penny Death with DJ sets from Gentle Jones and Dusty Fingers. On Sunday, December 14, Dusty Fingers spins again with the assistance of Odd Todd, while Apathy, Spricket, Think Machine, and Not Allow provide the jams.

The event also promises different vendors each day, noon to 5pm. The Aetna Banquet Hall is at 410 Ogletown Road, Newark.

THE ROCK ORCHESTRA TO PERFORM ALL-REQUEST BEATLES SHOW IN ELKTON

The Rock Orchestra (TRO) closes out 2025 with something old and something new.

Countless music fans in the area have attended TRO’s All Together Now shows, usually held in August, in which the band performs every Beatles song (in order of release) over the course of six consecutive nights.

On Friday, December 19, at the Elkton Music Hall, TRO will add a new twist to their approach to The Beatles. For one night only, the band (complete with a small orchestra) will perform the top 40 Beatles tunes as voted by fans.

And there are plenty of fans… Since its first show in September 2017, TRO has sold more than 9,400 tickets at The Grand alone. When including TRO’s shows at The Queen, Elkton Music Hall, Milton Theater, and elsewhere, the band estimates the total number to be closer to 15,000.

TRO has been a boon to area musicians as well. In addition to its co-founders, Joe Trainor and Matt Urban, TRO has hired more than 135 musicians, assisting the group in learning and performing 737 songs from 20 popular bands and artists, for a total of 96 concert performances.

— ElktonMusicHall.com

ECHOES AND MONTANA WILDAXE STAR IN PRE-CHRISTMAS WEEKEND AT THE QUEEN

Billed as the “American Pink Floyd” the tribute band Echoes will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the classic Floyd album Wish You Were Here with a performance at The Queen on Friday, December 19.

In addition to the impressive work done by the 10-piece band, the show includes an award-winning laser show and iconic video content — some of which was actually used by Pink Floyd themselves while on tour.

Then, on Saturday, December 20, Montana Wildaxe will perform its annual rock concert, a widely popular pre-Christmas event which typically has a few memorable surprises of its own.

— More at TheQueenWilmington.com

The City

HOLIDAY PARKING IN EFFECT BEGINNING NOV. 28

The City of Wilmington has announced that holiday parking will be in effect from Friday, November 28 to Friday, January 2 . To support holiday shopping, parking w ill be free all day in the Downtown (2nd to 12th Streets, French to Washington Streets) and Riverfront Business Districts. Please check nearby signs for parking limit regulations. Exceptions include tow-away zones and enforcement of other traffic regulations, such as time limits, bus stops, fire hydrants, and double-parking.

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION LAUNCHES YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP BUSINESS PROGRAM

The City of Wilmington Department of Parks and Recreation announced the launch of a Youth Entrepreneurship Business Program . In partnership with I Am My Sister’s Keeper (MSK) and local business owner Antinette Watson, this program aims to help students learn about business operations and explore their entrepreneurial ambitions.

“ This program provides the next generation with leadership skills and the tools to build something of their own,” said Mayor John Carney, who thanked the partners and guest speakers contributing to the effort.

The pilot program will be held this fall at the MSK Community Center for students ages 14 to 17. Over six to eight weeks, participants will take part in workshops and mentoring sessions led by local entrepreneurs and professionals, covering branding, business planning, marketing, e-commerce, and financial literacy.

The program will conclude with a Youth Business Showcase and supports the City’s broader Youth Career Development initiatives.

GUEST READER RECAP FROM MAURICE PRITCHETT ACADEMY

Last month, Mayor John Carney visited Maurice Pritchett Academy as a guest reader in celebration of Young Readers Week . Spending time with students and seeing their enthusiasm for stories and learning was a wonderful reminder of how important it is to nurture a love of reading at an early age. Barry, our K-9 ambassador, even made a surprise appearance, much to the students’ delight.

As we move through the holiday season, we want to encourage Wilmington families to consider taking a trip to your local library with your children. A single story can spark curiosity, build confidence, and open doors that last long after the decorations come down.

This year, let’s continue to invest in our children by putting books in their hands and imagination in their hearts.

PARKS & RECREATION HOSTS HOLIDAY BRUNCH

In partnership with the Mayor's Office, the Department of Parks and Recreation will host a Holiday Brunch this year.

Bring the whole family out on Saturday, December 20, from 11am to 2pm at 501 N. Madison Street for a festive afternoon filled with:

• Free Toy Giveaway

• Make-Your-Own Holiday Ornaments

• Family Activities & Crafts

• Blanket Giveaway to Keep You Warm This Winter

This event is free and open to the community; it's a perfect way to spread holiday cheer together. For more information, please contact Alexis Robinson, Family Matters Coordinator, at 302.685.5437.