Joy! Joy is the word to describe the Saint Anselm Youth Activities Christmas Workshop, held on Sunday, December 7, 2025; as scores of ladies, and a few gents came to the Academy’s McMahon Auditorium and Meletia Hall to create table centerpieces, miniature trees and holiday wreathes to decorate their homes for the Christmas season; all the while enjoying the company of family and friends. In fact, many of the participants have been taking part in this joyous holiday activity for decades!
This year, in addition to the usual bows, ribbons, and ornaments, which the participants had the opportunity to purchase, there was a table setup in an outside hall to glitter the greens and put the finishing touches on their masterpieces.
As befits this joyous occasion the ladies came wearing an array of holiday themed headpieces – Santas, Christmas trees, elf socks, candy canes, and the always-popular reindeer antlers. Holiday earrings and necklaces in candy cane, Santa, and the favorite – Christmas tree lights designs were everywhere, while blouses and scarfs in holiday colors, shirts with holiday messages, and the traditional Youth Activities Workshop aprons completed the display of holiday dress-up.
While creating their beautiful holiday decorations, participants had the opportunity to find out if they had been naughty or nice during the past year by taking a chance on the wonderful selection of raffle gifts and the 50/50 raffle, all to the purpose of raising funds to support the Youth Activities programs. We hope someone “nice” went home with a gift they wanted.
Organizing the Christmas Workshop is a monumental labor of love, and so a special “thank you” to an army of volunteers: Barbara Thomas, Elizabeth Texeira, Kiera Thomas, Samantha Soto, Michael Gallagher, Megan Heaney, Carolyn Tomasullo, James Jude McKenna, Justin Sin, John Cafiero, Patrick, Luis and Raphael who made this wonderful, joyous event possible.
Congratulations St. Anselm Youth Activities on a wonderful, joyful Christmas Workshop and a special thank you to the 2025 Chairs: Anne Texeira and Michele Soto.
All the best,
The St. Anselm Publicity Committee