"St. Nick" visits foreign language students' Christmas party

Finlandia students of foreign language and their instructors celebrated an early Christmas on Nov. 28 with a skit and dramatic reading of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas," the singing of Christmas songs in Finnish and English, a gift exchange and a Christmas buffet of goodies. The basement of St. Matthew's Chapel on campus took on a festive atmosphere during the party, organized by Anna Leppanen, instructor of Finnish and ESL.

Finlandia students and instructors of foreign language enjoy a potluck feast during their Nov. 28 Christmas party in St. Matthew's Chapel basement on campus. Pictured clockwise from left are Suzanne Van Dam, ESL instructor; Angela Book, German instructor; Anna Leppanen, Finnish and ESL instructor; Kumiko Takahashi; Kazuki Nishiyama; Fred Knoch, student of Finnish; Fumiya Kobashi; Toshiyuki Mita; and Takaaki (Nick) Niikura. (Photo by Michele Anderson, ESL instructor)

St. Nick --Takaaki (Nick) Niikura, left -- boards his sleigh, pulled by his "tiny reindeer" (from left), Suzanne Van Dam, Finlandia ESL instructor, and students Fumiya Kobashi, Kumiko Takahashi and Toshiyuki Mita during the students' performance of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Not pictured is Kazuki Nishiyama, who did the dramatic reading of the poem to accompany the skit during the ESL Christmas party Nov. 28 in the Chapel basement. (Photo by Anna Leppanen, ESL instructor)

St. Nick's reindeer play dual roles in the skit as Kazuki Nishiyama reads the poem. (Video by Michele Anderson)


Here's "St. Nick" -- Takaaki (Nick) Niikura -- ready to deliver his bundle of toys. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

St. Nick and his reindeer take off for Hancock ...

... where Anna Leppanen, Finnish and ESL instructor, receives one of the first gifts St. Nick has to deliver. Pictured in the background are, from left, Toshi (Mickey), Fumiya and Suzanne Van Dam, ESL instructor, who organized and directed the skit. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

Special guests Angela Book, German instructor, and Fred Knoch, student of Finnish, relax and enjoy St. Nick's antics at the party. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

Toshi (Mickey) comments on this photo he took: "When we each exchanged presents, Santa Claus (Nick) gave a present to Kumiko. What is in the present?" Also pictured in the background are instructors Suzanne, Michele and Anna. (Photo by Toshi Mita)

Toshi also took this photo, noting, "When we were in the chapel, there was a Christmas tree. It 's cute !!!!" (Photo by Toshi Mita)

We welcome your comments on our Christmas party!