A Christmas Eve lesson learned while loafing around ‘The Rocks’

–Wandering Through Life –

Editor’s note: The “Wandering Through Life” column is an occasional piece by West Hills Gazette partner and editor Sonja Reis.

It’s Christmas Eve morning and a core childhood memory surfaced that was happily shared with my youngest son.

We stopped by Mancini’s Bakery in Stowe Township to see co-owner Nick Mancini-Hartner’s latest and arguably greatest holiday bread art offering. It’s a Reis family tradition that began a few years ago. 

Nick’s 2024 “A Charlie Brown Christmas” masterpiece weighs 150 pounds and requires assistance from a fork truck when popping it in or out of the oven. Based on the 1965 animated TV special, this glutenous Christmas classic measures 8 feet by 4 feet and will be displayed outside the Mancini Way bakery through the new year. It’s a great photo and selfie opportunity for a steady flow of customers shopping locally.

Nick says he started bread art as a child, when his mother, Mary Mancini-Hartner, would bring home dough from the bakery. “It was our ‘play-dough.’ We would make it into shapes, bake it, then eat it hot from the oven,” says Nick. 

His art became more purposeful in 2002 when Mancini’s started a second bakery in the Strip District. “Until we were established, there was a lot of downtime, so I would make bread art for the window to help draw people into the store,” he says. 

As the location became busier, the hobby fell by the wayside, only to be resurrected during the pandemic. That was when Nick was invited to participate in the “Not Your Average Holiday Parade” by YaJagoffs, a creative marketing and public relations group. Nick decided to push the boundaries of an 18-by-24-inch bread pan and make large-scale pieces to take a selfie with.

The childhood memory referenced above is not about this colorful bread art featuring the “Peanuts” gang and a sad little wisp of a Christmas tree. Instead, it’s about the gift of a piping hot loaf of bread we tore into before driving away from the McKees Rocks landmark. Nick had asked if I’d like a loaf to go and my initial response was a polite no that quickly switched to, “Only if it’s fresh from the oven.” He said he’d see what he can do. A few minutes later he arrived with a bag filled with a fresh loaf and a dinner roll for my son Silas.

Good grief was that “Twist” loaf delicious. My 11-year-old remarked it tasted like a “fire oven” as he reached into the white paper bag to tear off another hunk from the soft warm loaf. His assessment was accurate since the hearth-baked bread has been produced by hand in McKees Rocks since 1926. 

Working to create memories that will last a lifetime is a much better use of time than stressing over how much one should spend on so-and-so.

Hours later, holiday classics are playing while chunks continue to be pulled from that dwindling loaf. That consumable gift was appreciated much more than Nick will ever imagine. You see, as a young child I lived in neighboring Kennedy Township (I made my way back there as an adult) and my mother and I made many trips to Stowe’s West Park for this, that or the other. A particular favorite of mine was an outing to the bakery because I always came away with a little piece of heaven clutched in my tiny hands.

What is the deeper meaning of all of this? No, it’s not my carb addiction. An enjoyable conversation, appreciation of art, and the breaking of bread between two people who haven’t seen each other in a while is a gift all on its own. Like Charlie Brown’s struggle with the overt commercialism of the Christmas season, I, too, am struggling with its overt capitalism.   

For much of Christianity, Jesus is the reason for the season. Yet, when did maxed-out credit cards for piles of brightly wrapped gifts become the norm for showing love for friends and family? Instead, visit or make a call and use that time to plan an adventure. Working to create memories that will last a lifetime is a much better use of time than stressing over how much one should spend on so-and-so. I’m hopeful that my son’s first experience with a fresh hot loaf of Mancini’s goodness will become a lifetime memory for him as it did for child me. 

Don’t expect to include introducing your children to “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as one of those memories, unless you have a copy and a DVD player or are an Apple+ subscriber. In 2020, Apple in all its capitalist wisdom, secured the rights to the “Peanuts” properties including the beloved holiday specials. 

While there are trial memberships for the streaming service, monthly access starts at $9.99. Get that credit card ready for one more charge. Or tonight you take a pilgrimage to the original Mancini’s Bakery location to grab a loaf of goodness, take a selfie with the “Peanuts” gang and hope to hear some rooftop caroling.