R S V P / ORANGE COUNTY : For Whom the Sleigh Bells Toll : Auxiliary Revives an Old Holiday Custom--and Raises $20,000 for Dental Center

Sleigh bells rang out again for the Junior Auxiliary of the Assistance League of Santa Ana on Saturday when members revived their traditional sleigh bell dinner.

As they had done every year from 1950 to 1980, members and guests of the auxiliary gathered at the Santa Ana Country Club for the holiday dinner-dance. The $95-per-person gala attracted more than 250 people and netted about $20,000 for the league’s Children’s Dental Center in Santa Ana.

Event Rings a Bell

For guests who had attended the original Sleigh Bell Suppers, the evening brought back happy holiday memories.

“For all of us who remember how this started, we’re excited. It reminds us of a wonderful time,” said Jeanie Brent Wahlberg, who helped plan the first supper.

As they pulled up in front of the country club, party-goers were greeted by the sight of the same antique sleigh used for past dinners.

“It’s been in storage all of these years,” said Susan Tancredi, event chairwoman, who attended with her husband, Harry.

“This used to be the social event of the county in the ‘50s,” Harry Tancredi said.

The first Sleigh Bell Supper cost just $10 to attend, Wahlberg said.

“When the group first met to talk about decorations, I remembered I had some sleigh bells that belonged to my mother, and one of the girls said, ‘Let’s call it the Sleigh Bell Supper,’ ” she said. The name stuck.

In the ‘70s, interest in glitzy holiday galas died out and the supper was deemed old-fashioned. Current auxiliary members decided people were once again in the mood for a holiday extravaganza.

“We wanted to do something on a grander scale,” said Sharon Wackeen, event co-chairwoman. “We did some talking and decided that because this is also our 50th anniversary, it was the perfect year to bring back the Sleigh Bell Supper.”

Signs of Change

The Santa Ana Country Club was trimmed inside and out with lavish garlands and lights.

Some party-goers giggled at a display that showed pictures of themselves sporting hairdos, gloves and party dresses at suppers from the ‘60s. Inside the dining room, tables draped in black cloth were adorned with towering ivy topiaries.

At past suppers, the menu featured roast beef. The modern fare: boned free-range chicken, angel-hair pasta and, for those not counting calories, chocolate cheesecake.

After dinner, couples danced to the Michael Sullivan Band.

One thing about the affair hadn’t changed.

“It’s the same warm, festive feeling,” said Sheila Mann, chapter advisor.

To help ring in the new year, the auxiliary announced it is changing its name to the Los Alisos Auxiliary and dropping the members’ age limitation. Members used to have to drop out after age 45.

“We kept pushing back the limit as we got older. People didn’t want to leave,” said Colleen Boost, auxiliary chairwoman.

The auxiliary will focus its energies on supporting the dental center, which provides care to needy school-age children.

Among the guests were Donald and Dorothy Kennedy, Michael and Charlene Immell, Brian and Karen Dineen, Tim and Sarah Randall, William and Paige Baker, Gary and Cindy Greiwe, William and Yolanda Carson and Jackie McClure Deter.