By Eli Meschko
Media & Communications Coordinator
It’s that time of year. The air is cooler. Snow is on the ground. Trees are lit up from top to bottom, and houses are decorated.
For many, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. But for Mary and John Hanno, Christmas means so much more than just a time of year.
For the past 38 years, the Hannos have hosted a Christmas party with fellow Briar Cliff alumni. What started as a way to stay in touch quickly grew into a yearly tradition of togetherness, closeness, and faith.
The idea came from how close the friend group was during their time at The Cliff. The group was very tight knit. They lived together in the dorms and represented Briar Cliff in athletics.
The group continued to stay connected after graduating. The men spent time in the same fast-pitch softball league, and the couples played in the same couples' golf league for years following graduation.
After a few years, everyone’s kids started to become busier with school and sports. This didn’t stop the group from meeting up before Chargers athletic events, but spending time together wasn’t as easy. So, Mary and John started an annual Christmas party.
“It started off as just appetizers, but the next year came around and we all wanted to do it again,” Mary said. “The third year came around, and we all figured we should start doing a theme with the Christmas party.”
The group decided the theme would feature different countries and their respective cultures. Every year, Mary chooses a country and researches its Christmas traditions. She looks at customs, traditional Christmas meals, and the country’s history related to Christmas. .jpeg)
This year’s country was Aruba. Mary researched the customs and traditions of the small island nation and learned that the traditional Christmas dish is a tamale. However, she discovered that Arubans wrap their tamales in a banana leaf rather than a corn husk.
While she was excited for this year’s theme, her favorite years were Italian and Mexican, where she and her friends had fun breaking open a piñata. Last year, the theme was Vatican City, which Mary thoroughly enjoyed. She liked researching the wide variety of recipes and learning how the guards are in charge of all the cooking in the Vatican.
Of course, when it comes to the meal, everyone lends a helping hand — the cooking isn’t all on Mary. She gives recipes to some of the group based on their expertise. Some bring desserts, appetizers, or beverages connected to the respective country. Everyone also typically brings a gift for a themed gift exchange.
For the last several years, the group has decided to donate to a local charity. This year, along with a few other years, Lila Mae’s House was chosen as the charity of choice.
“Sister Shirley Fineran, who taught social work at Briar Cliff, created Lila Mae’s House,” Mary said. “It’s a safe house for women who have survived human trafficking. It’s amazing what she has done, so that’s our charity this year.”
As a Briar Cliff social work graduate, it has been a special moment for Mary to support Sister Fineran’s mission, but she finds the most joy in staying connected to her friends through all the ups and downs.
It’s important for her spiritually, emotionally, and physically to maintain these good connections. She knows God created us to thrive through connection and closeness with people who are genuine, hardworking, ethically good, and fun.
It’s here that we can grow and become the best version that God intended us to be. She and her friends have a deep appreciation for one another. They all understand that none of them is perfect or has it totally figured out, but togetherness helps carry them through life’s peaks and valleys.
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“It’s what this whole tradition is really about,” Mary said. “It’s about friendship, love, and connectedness. It’s about keeping those roots deep to be together.”
The tradition has gone on so long that it has reached the point where everyone’s kids know about it. Now that everyone’s children are grown, it has set a strong example of how important faith, family, and friendship are. She finds it neat that whenever she runs into a friend’s kids, they ask what country the group picked that year and what everyone will cook.
Mary urged other Briar Cliff graduates to find ways to stay connected with one another. She noted that it’s not easy and doesn’t happen automatically. It takes time and effort to maintain friendships, support, and love. Staying connected is at the root of reminding us of our love for Jesus and our faith.
“It's fun to do gift exchanges and themes every year,” Mary said. “But it’s more important to be in each other’s presence and to take care of each other.”