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JESSICA FINCH Associate Editor

• HOLIDAY TRADITION — I remember the first year my mom asked me to attend the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s Holiday Pops concert with her and my grandma. I halfheartedly said yes. I had it in my head that it wasn’t the type of show I would enjoy. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I remember laughing, singing and finding the Christmas spirit. Led by Marvin Hamlisch, the BPO delivers a holiday concert to entertain the youngest of attendees, as well as those young at heart.

This past Saturday I attended my fourth consecutive Holiday Pops concert with my mother. We arrived early and listened to the choir performing in the foyer while enjoying a cocktail. When the doors opened, we found our way to our seats and settled in for what we knew was going to be an entertaining show. This year’s special guest was The Empire Brass, which performs around the world, and I have to admit I was literally in awe of their talent.

Hamlisch did not disappoint with his humor and conducting expertise. Although it was quite mild outside, it certainly felt like Christmas inside Kleinhans Music Hall. Last year the weather did its best to create the holiday feeling because heavy snow fell the whole way to the show, so this past weekend made for a much easier trip.

Of the four Holiday Pops concerts I have attended I can’t choose the best, but each year I make another special Christmas memory for my mother and myself. This year we rounded out the evening with dinner and shopping on the Elmwood strip among the lights and bustling people.

 PAGEANT — Most everyone has a story about how a child they know acted in a church’s Christmas pageant. Those stories include the child who burst out crying, or grabbed the baby from the manger, or made faces at the audience. This past Sunday my 3-year-old niece, Chastity, was that child, coordinating her own part in the pageant. Lasting only a few moments on stage, she ran to the pew where my family was and watched the rest of the production, where her older sister Alyssa was singing her heart out. Chastity returned to the stage only when the birthday cake was rolled out, placed herself center stage, leaned over the large cake and huffed and puffed until the candle was out. She then proceeded to eye the cake. I was just waiting for her little hand to end up in the frosting, but she was able to restrain herself until the cake was cut during the reception following the program.

 HEART WARMING — The Amherst High School’s Student Council held its annual Holiday Gift Drive last week to collect gifts and monetary donations for families in need in the Amherst community. This year 21 families were sponsored by high school students. More than 250 gifts and $1,000 in cash and gift cards were collected. The gifts will be delivered to the families later this week.

by JILL SCHMELZER Reporter

 MENORAH CORRECTION — In the article I wrote in the Dec. 13 edition of The Amherst Bee, “Hanukkah — Rededication through education,” the graphic pictured the wrong menorah. I regret the error and want to wish everyone a happy holiday season.