A large, all-ages audience filed into the theater for the annual (when not deployed) holiday matinee, which featured a number of different band arrangements and traditional holiday music. The band said they were happy to put on the show since returning from their 2007 deployment to Al Anbar Province, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

 “It is good to be home, back playing music again,” said Chief Warrant Officer Mikel Laird, band officer, 2nd Marine Division Band, after the show. “The concert went really well. We had some bumps in the road getting up to this point, but it started coming together in the middle of the week … Today it all came together. (The band) was really focused and really put on a good show.”

 Laird’s sentiment was shared with enthusiastic applause from the audience after each of the 18 musical selections, which were divided into a few different arrangements.

 “We have the full concert band, and the jazz combo,” said Staff Sgt. Gary Robinson, a trombone player with the band, who just returned from a deployment the previous week.

 The drum major, Staff Sgt. David Wilson, introduced every selection with pertinent background information, including a narration of “The Christmas Bells.”

 The second to last song, “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” featured a cast of rednecks singing the song and Grandma getting chased by the reindeer. As “The Division’s Own” played the song, the audience stood up and started clapping to the beat of the song.

 “(The concert had) great audience participations, everyone was having fun. That’s what we want to see,” Robinson said.

 “Home for the Holidays” ended with Santa Claus coming out to give candy canes and discuss the season’s matters with all the eager children. Santa said he enjoyed the show.

 The band said they looked forward to relaxing. Now that the show is over, they anticipate spending more time with their families during the holidays.