Ravenna – If you went to sleep the night before Thanksgiving with dread over not getting to celebrate the holiday with family then you are not alone. I woke up with apprehension at the idea of even getting out of bed. But then my dog licked my face and I smelled coffee brewing. I remembered my husband, Aditya, had promised to make French toast for breakfast and my day got that much better.
Let’s talk Turkey…this is a holiday meant for gratefulness which is a reason to celebrate life in general. So, this year I know to focus on what I have and not what I want. For instance, there are working eyeballs in my head that let me watch the 94th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Getting to see the Snoopy float going down 34th Street in all his cartoonish glory made my morning. The Radio City Rockettes, dressed as nutcrackers, performing a skilled and extremely precise dance is so awesome. Such talent!
Best of all, Dolly Parton sang “Holly Jolly Christmas” to get you amped up for the holiday season. If Dolly can’t do it then nobody can! She is my all-time favorite. I smiled and thought “Today is going to be a good day.” Minus the fact that my dishwasher is broken!!!
Now let’s talk about shopping you knew this was coming. I love Midnight Madness in Ravenna. It is a local tradition that has been going on as long as I can recall and I’m not telling you how old I am. So, it did happen this year, but not with all the usual activities which is understandable given social distancing guidelines.
You don’t necessarily have to go into a place to enjoy festivities. There were lots of different options to have fun that night. These are continuing. The Light up the Town! window decorating competition is an excellent family activity. Just walk around town. Look at the participants. Vote for each of the categories:
-Best use of Product
-Best Seasonal Theme
-Most Quirky Window
-Most Beautiful Window
Something to be grateful for is businesses decorating for the Holidays making it pleasant for you even if it is just a walk around town! You can use it as an excuse to get in your 10,000 steps and walk off all that pecan pie and other goodies. Two birds, one stone.
When I found out the Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt was also kicking off around town, I swear I would have done a cartwheel (if I knew how). That is how excited I was! If you knew my beautiful Mother Darlene, then you know she had a competitive streak a mile long when it came to challenges and trivia. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, because I love a good game and will go out of my way to compete. I have already started finding those little guys hiding around town. Tag you’re it!
Ballots for the Window contest and Elf on the Shelf Passport are available at Megan’s Diner, Guido’s, Vance’s Carriage House Creamery and Bean and the Baker.
We may not have Rockefeller Center, but we do still have a huge tree donated, decorated, and lit up for all to smile at as they pass the Portage County Court house lawn. Besides if you went to New York City for the Christmas tree lighting you’d have to fight for parking. That is just a pain in the rump-roast. I drive down Main Street Ravenna and never have to fight for parking unless it is in front of Deluxe Bakery on a weekend morning! The official tree lighting ceremony can be viewed on the Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
By focusing on what we CAN DO, instead of what we can’t, it promises to be a lovely holiday season full of love, family and opportunities. You can try new businesses, which will in turn support our economy and people doing what they can to support their families. For example, two new things open during Midnight Madness were Dom’s Bombs and Lugapha’s Smoked BBQ food truck.
Dom’s Bombs is the maker of a very trendy item right now, flavored hot chocolate and coffee bombs! They are made from a thin shell of chocolate filled with flavors and candy surprises. The peppermint bomb I sampled was true to its name. It was an explosion of flavor. View their Facebook page for details.
Lugapha’s Smoked BBQ can be found behind West Main Street Winery. Just follow the smell. Seriously. It is that delicious. Their food rounded out the night of Midnight Madness for me with the tasty mix of sweet, tang and spice. These flavors from the pulled pork sandwich and the Pumpkin wine were a great end to a unique day.
