No flies on us last weekend. The place was hoppin’. Basketball games all over the place; Geauga Theater opened its holiday run of “It’s A Wonderful Life”; Santa and his clones–you know they’re all the REAL Santa wherever they are–were breakfasting and eating pizza and just chatting with the younger set at several venues ‘round and about; the Home 44444 the holidays parade stepped off to open the Newton Falls community activities; Curtains Up Theatre sponsored the annual Holiday social, with the Boy Scouts of Troop 62 producing their renowned doughnut holes (among other things), crafts and cookies and talent on display, tickets to “Miracle on 34th Street” available on presale (opens on December 10, get your seats now),; girls’ basketball was drawing a crowd; the Garfield High School Band–the James A. Garfield Marching Pride– the Choir and the Black and Gold Swing Machine were all raising the roof with Christmas standards and new riffs on old favorites (the combined rendition of the ”Hallelujah Chorus” was a knock-out); St Ambrose Adult Choir and O.K. Chorale children’s ensemble were, as usual, inspirational, uplifting and –BIG TIME–jolly (Bless your heart, Amy McCoy) to place the focus of the season squarely where it belongs (Chloe Ann Vincent will never hear the last of it). Ho – Ho – Ho !!
And that’s just the start of it. Christmas parties are breaking out all over like a bad case of the hives; check your calendar so you don’t miss anything, your local group or organization won’t be as festive without you. There are still musical offerings on tap : December 10 at the Garfield Meeting House in Hiram at 7:30 p.m.–choral and instrumental, Kent Trumbull Theatre does “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”, Braceville Christian Church has a live nativity on the 10th and 11th, the Garrettsville United Methodist Church presents “Follow the Star, Follow the King” at 7p.m. on Sunday, December 12, Bainbridge Community Church has a Christmas Cookie Walk on December 11, if you’re just not up to baking another single thing but still have a craving for gingerbread and icing and nut rolls and date pinwheels and red & green sprinkles and chocolate chips and…where was I ? …did I mention cherries and candied fruit?…all of that stuff that you really could have any time but it wouldn’t taste the same.
The People Tree still needs more ringers; there are probably still kids and families on various “Giving Trees” around town that could use your help; the Salvation Army red kettles are still out at the malls. Go local (see above) or focus on the wider world–Happy Trails Farm Rescue, Operation Christmas Child, The Heifer Project, for example–‘tis the season to “think outside the box”–the gift box, that is–to unwrap the all of the joy that you can for all of the people you can (Shades of John Wesley!). No messy clean-up!
