FOR NEWCOMERS WHO aren't familiar with this time-honored tradition, Cheers & Jeers is a delightful little place where the Gargoyle editors can exercise their wit and charm.

The “Cheers” section is full of happiness, rainbows, sunshine, butterflies, and laughter. It's where we can reflect on and thank our lucky beans for the things that make Uni amazing.

“Jeers” is a good-humored, gentle look at the oh-so-few things that are wrong with this school and the world in general. (And, yes, over the years we've jeered ourselves.)

Thumbs courtesy of former Gargoyle co-editor-in-chief Michael Belmont, Uni '07 & Princeton '11

CHEERS

HOLIDAY HAPPINESS
This one kind of goes without saying. We are all looking forward to the end of the semester and the impending two-week break. We just wish that school would end a bit sooner …

FINALS FINALLY OVER
Though finals coming before break has added to the stress of the school year (not to mention that it’s also added an extra week of school before break), it’s nice to know that winter break will be homework free. No end-of-semester bolshevism to worry about once we return!

WINTER SURPRISE PARTY
It’s official — the surprise party was actually a surprising success. There was more food than any of us ever remember having, and the presentations were entertaining enough. Special props to senior Ethan Berl, junior Clement Dossin, and teacher Rick Murphy for their jazz extravaganza. Also, the madrigals are ballers.

MADRIGALS ON TV
Speaking of the Uni High Madrigals, they will be on local television several times next week. Along with singers from other high schools, they will be featured in "Holiday Expressions," a program that will air on WCIA Channel 3 at noon and 5 p.m. Tuesday (aka Christmas Day). The show will also air on WCFN Channel 49 at 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. The taping took place Dec. 12 at Parkland College. Congratulations on the well-deserved publicity!

SSO TREATS
Hopefully, all of you have noticed the wonderful food, courtesy of the SSO. Oatmeal, muffins, juice, hot chocolate, tortilla chips — it was all wonderful. Perhaps free food will become a hallmark of the CRC.

"SWEENEY TODD"
The holiday release that we’ve all been anticipating, or that we all should have been anticipating, comes out today. "Sweeney Todd," starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Alan Rickman, and directed by Tim Burton, adapted from Stephen Sondheim’s original musical, is sure to be amazing. Even if it’s not, at least the audience will get two hours of Johnny Depp. What is there to complain about?

JEERS

POOR PLANNING
Who decided to have the winter surprise party before finals? Honestly, what a buzz kill. Just when you think you can enjoy good food and music, you have to go home and worry about studying for a bunch of tests.

OUR 2 CENTS ABOUT 10 CENTS
Our coats are not juvenile delinquents that need to be bailed out of jail. Not only is it annoying that we have to cough up an exorbitant 10 cents to earn the return of our winter gear, most of the time it seems that our “lost” clothing has been wrongfully accused. It may surprise you to learn that coats have been known to fall off locker doors, be misplaced by students other than the rightful owner, and disappear mysteriously from a proper location.

TROUBLE LOGGING IN?
The U of I admissions office caused an unnecessary hassle when it messed up the Net IDs of all of the students accepted into the University. Though no one quite understands what happened, all seniors who got into the U of I had to go down to the CITES help desk with photo identification and have their Net ID and password restarted. Come on people, don’t waste our time like that.

JAMIE LYNN SPEARS
Not to be too much of a tabloid, but does anyone else think it’s funny that the Spears family cannot stay out of scandal? First Britney with her career issues and loss of custody. Now Jamie, the cute and innocent sister who stars in a Nickelodeon TV show, has gotten pregnant. Plus, she and her mother sold the story to OK! magazine. That’s not very classy.