Home for the Holidays | Local Living Magazine

By Kathleen McNicholas
Ah the holidays! What a glorious time of year.? It?s filled with smiles, laughter, tipping scales, drained bank accounts and refills of blood pressure medication. While these realities are unavoidable for most, the other constants of the season provide us with a connection to our family, our community, and an understanding of self. Weeks of meticulous planning and sleepless nights inevitably end with one truth: Wherever we are, whomever we are with, the kindest hearts come home for the holidays.
Party planning is both a highlight and a nightmare for the two months we refer to as the holiday season.? Thanksgiving is a collection of great food, testy in-laws, and a group of men whose contribution to the day include how many beer cans they can empty during the first quarter of the football game. Stress is often a side dish to days like this, but don?t allow it to spoil the overall spirit of the day. Mothers, daughters, sisters and cousins can gather in the kitchen to discuss which recipes for sweet potatoes are the favorites, which gifts to give the children the following month, and trade antidotes of past holiday catastrophes. For instance, have you ever had your oven break four hours into cooking a twenty-four pound turkey? While this could be a disaster, improvising a solution can provide the opportunity to involve other family members. For example, one fix is to grab your oldest brother and favorite cousin?s husband, get them to spark up the grill and spend the next few hours with flashlights and a bottle of Jameson while monitoring the popping of the little plastic timer which signifies chow time. As for the accompanying side plates, thank goodness for microwaves! Furthermore, get the children involved.? Note to reader: child labor laws are suspended on such days as this. Get them to set and clear the table, and if old enough, throw them rubber dish gloves and a sponge. Thanksgiving is the perfect day for them to write their holiday gift lists.
The best part of it all is at the end of the day, your tummies are filled and you can look around the table surrounded by friends and family and truly feel thankful for the gifts of love and companionship you bring to each other?s lives. Including, yes, even your sister-in-law, the one who will never approve of your choice of haircut.
Twenty-seven.? The number of extra-large Rubbermaid containers that harbor a four-decade collection of holiday decorations deemed priceless and indisposable by my mother. While most of these contain what I consider junk (such as the four bins of garland I recognize through past holiday photos circa 1974 which I refuse to wield throughout the house for no other reason than fear of dust mites), there are a few containers that protect gems of my siblings? childhoods and mine. These include the Popsicle reindeer ornaments and the gold painted macaroni candleholders which no longer bare the glitter of their original design.
Decorating for the holidays presents a wonderful opportunity to create traditions and long-lasting family affairs. Children love to get dirty with arts and crafts and there are thousands of projects one can introduce. Cotton ball created snowmen can thrill a four year old. Just make sure he or she puts the glue on the construction paper and not the cotton ball; you can imagine the mess otherwise. Connections made with loved ones made when creating and decorating can last a lifetime.? Often families choose specific days to put up holiday decorations. The Festival of Lights is time sensitive, so designate a specific time to light the Menorah as a family. Trade compliments with each other while opening the evening?s gift, and remember your family members who are not able to be with you and the heritage you are a part of. If trimming the tree is a time-honored day in your clan, be prepared for certain truths. More than one ornament will be broken, especially if toddlers are involved. The more eggnog your father imbibes, the less enjoyable is his rendition of Bing Crosby?s White Christmas.? Be sure to use extra care and pay attention when stringing the lights as you run the risk of putting them on backwards resulting in not only twisting them off but twisting yourself into the tree and emerging with a scratched cornea.

What are the holidays without shopping and gift giving? Which reminds me: there has only been one place and time in my life when I seriously considered physically harming an octogenarian: at the Charter Club cashmere sweater bin during a one-day Macy?s sale. It was the beginning of December and I crawled out of bed five hours earlier than my sanity requires in order to cash in coupons and that year?s collection of gift cards to purchase my girlfriend the perfect holiday gift. There I was digging through the odd sizes and irregular rejects when I came upon it. Do you know how difficult it is to find a size small, undamaged, powder blue cashmere sweater that is not ribbed? I had been victorious, and just as I was about to claim my prize, a coiffed assailant with uneven orange lipstick who reeked of Shalimar surprised me on my right flank. ?This is perfect for my granddaughter,? she said as her bony hands suddenly reached for my perfect find. Next thing I knew I was in the throes of a heated tug-o-war with grandma hanging over an 8?8 plastic bin with one of the cashmere sleeves in each of our clawed hands. In a flash it hit me, my mother?s voice in the back of my head reminding me that this is not a Christian-like attitude. I reluctantly released the garment, conceded my defeat, and proceeded to choose another sweater for my friend.
Nine months later, I witnessed aforementioned friend assist her three year old with blowing his nose into said sweater. What?s the lesson? Holiday gifts are just things unless they are purchased or created and bestowed with the spirit of generosity that is the very essence of the season. Do the best you can with what you have. It would be delightful to give a child the hot new item of the year, but at what expense? Overspending may provide joy at the moment you see the wrapping paper being ripped open, but is that moment worth the sacrifice of being able to comfortably afford the necessities during later months? Is it worth risking your health in order to flip out on the check out girl because she can?t find the purchase code for the untagged item in your cart? I understand, it is difficult to tune into the virtue of patience when one is stressed, hungry and sleep-deprived, but I beg you, step back a moment, take a deep breath, and don?t lose sight of what is important. There are plenty of other opportunities to lose your mind. One of these is at three in the morning on Christmas Eve when you can?t find the scissors or the Scotch tape.
While the holidays hold a different meaning for us all, one unfortunate unifying truth is the knowledge that there are people who will go without. It is important to do our best in support of relieving this reality in our communities, even if it is in the smallest gesture. Charity and alms have been an important part of the holiday season in most cultures for centuries. You could volunteer giftwrapping services to raise money for a non-profit, or collect non-perishable items from your neighbors to donate to a local larder. Start a cold-weather clothing drive. If you are one who is limited on time but abundant with means, break out the checkbook or visit a toy store and surprise some children with gifts they would otherwise not have a chance to play with.
It is most likely that parties, decorating and shopping will occupy a significant chunk of your time during these last few months of the year. Take the good with the bad, do the best with what you have, and remember that it?s generosity, compassion and gratitude that make it home wherever you are.
No Matter Where You Go?
While entertaining at home is a common way to celebrate with friends and family during the holidays, sometimes it?s nice to go somewhere new and leave the hosting to others. There are many communities throughout Pennsylvania and bordering states that capture the spirit of the season, some of which transport you to past eras so you may enjoy the holidays as they did centuries ago. Travel with your family and experience the spirit and cheer these towns have to offer.
Lahaska, PA
The intersection of Rt 202 and Rt 263 is home to Peddler?s Village. This quaint New England style neighborhood hosts an annual Christmas Festival and Gingerbread Competition and Display.? Enjoy holiday shopping in over 70 stores or dine in one of six restaurants.? www.peddlersvilliage.com
Bethlehem, PA
Christmas Town USA is rich in Polish, Czech and Moravian traditions. Old world European charm and multiple seasonal events enhance the holiday fun in this popular Pennsylvanian town. Visitors can attend different performances, including A Christmas Carol by Gerald Dickens, the great, great grandson of the author Charles Dickens. (Check out this issue?s Cultural Corner.) More information can be found at the Historic Bethlehem Visitor Center, 505 Main Street, Bethlehem.? www.christmascity.org
Lancaster, PA
Picture snow-draped covered bridges and candlelit homes. Pennsylvania Dutch Country is a beautiful destination during the holidays. The downtown market and family fun attractions make this county the perfect choice for all.? Witness the original German custom of decorating and lighting the tree or learn about Belsnickle, the Dutch version of Santa Claus. Couples and families alike will enjoy this getaway.? www.padutchcountry.com

Cape May, NJ
Victorian Era Christmas visits Cape May every year. There are a wide variety of activities, holiday tours, wine tastings and art exhibits throughout the season. Enjoy a self-guided tour through town or take the trolley down Beach Avenue to view exquisite mansions. Visitors can choose from several Bed and Breakfasts if they prefer an extended stay.? www.capemaymac.org
Williamsburg, VA
When visiting here, one is immersed in a living American history. Christmas in 1700?s Virginia is similar to the two preluding centuries in England. Early colonists celebrated with 12th Night balls, foxhunts and family feasts. Present holiday celebrations combine the customs of the past with a modern-day twist. Kick off the season with the Grand Illumination Celebration or take a carriage ride through one of our country?s oldest cities. Travel to nearby Virginia Beach and drive the twenty-five-block boardwalk covered with nautical and holiday light displays.? www.colonialwilliamsburg.com
Winterthur, DE
A short drive south of Philadelphia is Winterthur. Founded by Henry Francis du Pont, this magnificent museum is the premier display of American Decorative Arts. The 60-acre naturalist garden is a pleasant site, snow covered during the Yuletide season. There is plenty of dining and shopping for visitors to enjoy, and activities include Family Floral Arranging and Breakfast with Santa.? www.Winterthur.org.
Mystic, CT
The yuletide season can be magical in the waterfront village of Mystic. Famous for its aquarium, and for the younger cult classic movie lover, its pizza, this New England retreat is a perfect way to relax during the crazy time we call the holidays. Mystic Seaport?s Lantern Light Tours provides guided tours of the town, presenting it as it was in the late 19th century. Take time this December to visit sailors in port, old world taverns and bask in the glow of hundreds of lanterns that light the way and can light up your heart.? www.mysticseaport.org
Washington, DC
Did you know in 1978 a live Colorado blue spruce was transported from York, Pennsylvania, planted on the Ellipse in the south lawn of the White House and is the National Christmas Tree lit every year since?? The Pathway of Peace includes this spectacle along with 56 smaller trees representing the 50 states, 5 territories and the District of Columbia. Local music groups perform for visitors here nightly throughout December. Close by is the National Hanukkah Menorah and is viewed by many as a celebration of religious freedom and hope.? www.thedistrict.com

Source: http://www.locallivingmag.com/2012/11/home-for-the-holidays/

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