HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS IN THE BAY AREA

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS IN THE BAY AREA

BY Gerrye Wong December 8, 2025

It is December and we are so lucky to live in the Greater Bay Area where there is so much to see and do.  Symphony San Jose’s public relations Director Lee Kopp told me about the HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR show happening December 6 & 7 in downtown San Jose’s California theater so off I went for a wonderful evening to start off the holiday happenings.   It was a jolly crowd having fun to see and hear Symphony San Jose orchestra and chorale group, Cantabile Youth Singers, New Ballet dancers and other special guests who were performing all of our favorite holiday classics, with dazzling dance numbers,  adding to my favorite audience sing-alongs and the ever popular-12 Days of Silicon Valley.    It was a full night of toe-tapping tunes, heartwarming classics and even some movie magic of The Polar Express.

Caption: Guest vocalists Chris Blem & Stephanie Jae Park  sing with SJS accompaniment

Guest vocalist Stephanie Jae Park was a show stopper as she sang many Christmas favorites accompanied by the Symphony orchestra and the choral groups.  Vocalist Chris Blem added light hearted fun to the program  which was choreographed to perfection by conductor Elena Sharkova.  The hilarious part of the show was the traditional  12 Days of Christmas in Silicon Valley where all of the verses were very timely to the 2025 happenings, On the second day of Christmas, the sign said , go see two parts of Wicked, and even Executive and artistic Director Robert Massey was on stage for one of the days of Christmas.

Caption: Director Robert Massey joined in the 12 Days of Christmas in Silicon Valley 

This  great show for all ages was heartily enjoyed as evidenced by the boisterous singing of the Singalong Hark the Herald Angels Sing and The first Noel.  One Symphony Board member won the privilege of leading the orchestra that night by outbidding others in a live auction held at the non profit’s gala earlier, and there he was excitedly leading them in a bright green Christmas suit of the season. Thank you Symphony San Jose for joining forces with other local music groups to bring us such a wonderful concert.

Caption:  New Ballet dancing reindeer              Auction prize winner conducts Symphony San Jose orchestra

FAIRMONT HOTEL  SAN FRANCISCO

If one wants to celebrate the holiday and get into the mood for Christmas, step right off of the California Street Cable Car atop of Nob Hill and there you will see the majestic Fairmont Hotel before you on Powell Street.  The building itself is stately and regal, but step into the lobby to see  the magnificent ceiling high Christmas tree covered with white teddy bears, and the Fairmont’s traditional Gingerbread house.  First glance shows the building’s bricks are made totally of brown gingerbread cookie dough.  Bordering the walls are all kinds of small candies sitting on a white sugar frosting.  A sign said it took the makers many months of large scale productions to  produce this house every year.  People had many photo backgrounds to choose from and children could hardly keep their hands to themselves not to touch the little candy goodies lining the walls.

Caption:  Visiting the Fairmont Hotel Gingerbread House and  Christmas tree in hotel lobby

If you have a day to explore all that San Francisco has to make your holidays merry, definitely put the Fairmont Hotel as a must-see.  While there my reunion group of college friends enjoyed a peaceful  and plentiful buffet breakfast in the opulent Laurel Room adjacent to the Gingerbread House.  There were even two tables set up separately so one could dine in a space with a Gingerbread wall on one side like a private party.  Tea is also on the agenda in the restaurant too at 4pm so that would definitely be a special occasion event to do with family, young and old.

Caption:    Visitors to San Francisco in awe of ceiling to floor gingerbread house                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

CHI AM CIRCLE INSTALLATION LUNCH

Always at the end of the year, Chi Am Circle introduces and installs their new Board of Directors for the upcoming year.  Over 50 of its members joined together to welcome the new Board who will lead this dynamic Asian American women’s club to bigger and better heights.  Among the 2025 activities the Chi Am ladies worked on so fervently were the Chi Am scholarship program where it awarded over $125K in honorariums to over 40 student applicants for college.

CAPTION:  Chi Am Officers convene        Among clubs early members Aimee Leung, Gerrye Wong founder, Barbara Why

Another activity the ladies corralled their community service to do was helping the Asian American Community Involvement, a  San Jose service agency pack 100 back packs for low income families.  The ladies also have activities for their own  pleasure too . One was an excursion to Half Moon Bay for hiking, shopping and eating.  Another was a bus and ferry trip to the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation’s site of the original barracks where many immigrants were detained and interrogated unfairly before allowed into American shores.

Caption:  Chi Am Welcoming Committee

Running a social  service non profit organization with over 100 members with activities happening every month is not an easy task so I welcomed and congratulated each new officer while informing the audience what their duties were.  As I spoke, they came up and lit a candle of friendship and purpose to carry on the duties so like all their predecessors for over 60 years have done.

• 2026 SLATE OF CHI AM CIRCLE OFFICERS
• Presidents: Sylvia Eng & Nikki Chow
• Vice Presidents of Sponsorship: Teddy Sue & Judy Wong
• Vice President of Membership: Kelly Matsuura
• Recording Secretary: May Sui
• Treasurers: Sharon Lai & Yolande Jun
• Program Chair: Liza Wong
• Assistant Program Chair: Helen Yamauchi
• Public Relations Officer: Annette Motoyama
• Newsletter Editor: Christina Sue
• Webmaster: Rebecca Feng
• Hospitality: Linda Toda
• Historian: Mabel Thong
• Auditor: Shirley Pak
• Technology Officer: Juliet Sham
• Parliamentarian: Juliet Sham

Caption: 2026 Chi Am Circle installation of  2026 officers.

CHINESE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PROJECT DIRECTORS EVENT

After a year of hard work, CHCP co- President Kimberly Lee knew the remedy to end the year on a happy relaxed note.  She invited both the Board of Directors, Trustees and Advisory Board Members to come to an in-person holiday brunch at her lovely home in Los Altos Hills. Forty of her dedicated team came to end the year with a celebration  of achievement and progress CHCP had in 2025.    CHCP members work in various segments of what the club is doing now. But they all agreed it was fun not to talk “business” and just enjoy the merriment of the season with fellow CHCP brothers and sisters.

Caption: CHCP  Board members; trustees; members and guests

Kimberly welcomed everyone to her beautiful fun home for entertaining, both inside and outside.   VP Ingrid Lai with photographer husband Bill Shu gathered all into Kimberly’s  Family Room to play the ever traditional Steal the Present game of chance.  Lots of laughs ensued as each gift was opened which so disappointed the receiver, he or she began begging people to rescue them and steal the unsuitable winning object. During a serious moment, I spoke as co founder of the organization and thanked everyone being here for their dedication to the fine cause CHCP stands for.  Since 1986 its goal was to preserve and present Chinese American history through its Ng Shing Gung Chinese American Historical Museum experience.  I gifted president Kimberly Lee and past president Dave Yick with a framed water color print of them standing before the historical museum in History San Jose park.

Caption:  Enjoying holiday fare with fellow officers and guests.     Presentation of personalized painting to  Kimberly Lee and past president Dave Yick. 

2025 activities of the CHCP included  sponsoring school tours for children from low income school areas  to the Chinese American museum as well as other museums on the premises, presenting   a Lunar New year Festival  in the park, and presenting a Speakers Series with guest lecturers and authors of Asian American books and movies.  An exhibit and curriculum kit highlighting Chinese American veterans of World War II was produced  to  be distributed to schools for history lessons.

 Caption: Co president Kimberly Lee welcomes all       Co Founder Gerrye welcomes  Michael Chan, of  first CHCP Founding Board     

Anyone interested in joining this fun yet hard working group , look up details on website chcp.org. Be a part of making history by restoring the history of Chinese Americans in Silicon Valley and Bay area and bringing its importance for future generations who will carry on the CHCP tradition of giving and serving.