A Retro Christmas

A Valley Resident Recreates Fond Memories of a Childhood Tree

by Luanne Austin

All families have traditions that make Christmas Christmas. When Phyllis Rinaca was growing up, it was the blue star on top of the Christmas tree and the shoebox filled with goodies. Even now, at age 64, her face lights up when she describes the shoebox her father prepared each year. She’s a little girl again.

A couple of years ago the Grottoes woman decided to relive some aspects of her childhood Christmas by putting up a tree like the ones she had growing up. That would be circa 1950-ish. But doing so was not as easy as she thought. Her sister, Anna, the “saver” in the family, still had many of the glass ornaments, the icicles and, best of all, the tin star. But alas, the blue bulbs in the star had long since died. Smaller and slenderer than today’s bulbs, they were no longer being manufactured. Phyllis resigned herself to finding a star similar to the one her father set on top of the tree every year.

Searching e-Bay, Phyllis found a round tin star and purchased it. When it arrived in the mail, however, she realized it was the same star she already had. Then, back on e-Bay, she found the bulbs. She bought all they had. She doesn’t remember how much she paid, just that it was “more than what they’re worth.” All she needed now was a cedar tree.

“We always had a cedar tree,” Phyllis says. “Daddy would go out and find one. He had to have just the right one. He’d pull up the branches to be sure his lights would set on it just right.” After putting the tree in the stand, “he’d turn it and turn it until he was satisfied it looked just right.” Philip Rinaca, who owned Golden Rule Garage in Grottoes, was a perfectionist, not only at putting up the Christmas tree, but in his business as a mechanic. His customers appreciated it, says Phyllis. They came back again and again.

After finding a cedar tree, Phyllis borrowed the glass ornaments and lead icicles from her older sister. On the icicles box is written “fireproof Christmas decorations.” “They’ve been used over and over and over,” says Anna, most likely purchased in the 1940s. Each year after the holidays, the icicles were carefully lifted off the branches and placed back in the box. The crowning glory, of course, was the blue star. Phyllis’s father decorated the tree on Christmas Eve, an old German tradition that drove the little girl crazy. “I was so anxious he wouldn’t get it done before Santa Claus came,” she says.

On Christmas morning, Mr. Rinaca gave each of his daughters a shoebox filled with candy, oranges and nuts, another German tradition that was passed down through the generations. “That was one of my favorite things,” Phyllis says. Anna recalls crunchy peanut logs and caramels that “tasted better than any candy today.” They always received a few other gifts but “not like kids today.” Anna remembers getting a sled. Phyllis remembers, “I was a little tomboy. One Christmas I got Roy Rogers guns in a holster and a cowboy hat.”

Phyllis loves her tinsel-laden Christmas tree with its colorful glass balls and blue star. She still keeps her eyes open for old Christmas decorations, occasionally picking them up at yard sales. “But it’s more fun when it’s from your own family,” she says.

Touring Historical Treasures

Winchester Hosts Home Tours

by Karen Doss Bowman

More than 50 years after George Schember got his first set of lead toy soldiers as an adolescent, the Winchester resident’s collection of tiny warriors has grown to include more than 400 pieces with a distinctively global appeal. The models are painted to resemble infantries from all over the world, including Argentina, Greece, Great Britain and Russia. But a significant grouping of 100 soldiers features a slice of Shenandoah Valley history, representing Revolutionary War troops led by Winchester’s own Brigadier General Daniel Morgan.

Schember’s hand-crafted models symbolize the 2,000 American and British troops that fought the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina on January 17, 1781, considered to be a pivotal victory in the war. Morgan received a Congressional Medal in 1790 for his tactical genius in orchestrating the battle plans.

The Morgan corps and Schember’s other lead soldiers will be on public display during the first weekend of December, when Schember and his wife, Jeanne, join several of their neighbors on Amherst Street in offering Holiday Home Tours, sponsored by Preservation of Historic Winchester Inc. The couple lives in the Daniel Morgan House, where the rifleman lived from 1800 to 1802, when he died in an upstairs bedroom.

“The house is basically the same [as when it was built in 1786],”says Schember, noting that the home’s historic architectural features include “Winchester mantels,” Dutch elbow locks and the original red pine floors. “We’ve always shared our home—what’s the use of keeping this thing just to ourselves?”

This wasn’t Morgan’s only home in the Valley. For a while, he lived with his lover Abigail Curry (whom he later married) and their two daughters at “Soldier’s Rest” in Winchester. After the Battle at Cowpens, when Morgan retired from military service due to a painful case of sciatica, he built his Clarke County home, “Saratoga. The home was named for the war’s two victorious Battles of Saratoga, in which he was a key figure. In 1800, when Morgan’s health began to decline, he purchased the Amherst Street home to be close to his doctor and to his minister, Schember explains.

The Schembers have a number of Daniel Morgan artifacts, including a copy of the original Charles Willson Peale portrait of Daniel Morgan, which is part of the permanent collection at the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond. Close examination of the portrait reveals a scar on Morgan’s left cheek—the result of a bullet wound inflicted during the French and Indian War when Morgan served in the British army. The couple, who had never heard about Morgan when they moved into the house 14 years ago, have learned more about him through their collection of first-edition copies of books written about Daniel Morgan. Visitors who wander into their home during the Holiday Home Tours are bound to get an American history lesson.

History Preserved in Homes
The Daniel Morgan House is one of six historical homes on Amherst Street in Winchester that will be open for the Holiday Home Tours on Dec. 6 and 7. Another interesting collection on the tour will be found at the Catherine B. Conrad House, owned by Robert and Genevieve Boxley. About 20 years ago, they began collecting “pond boats,” miniature boats that were built as toys, but also have been used for racing. The couple’s collection of 150 of the boats includes sailboats, rubber-band-powered ships and tugboats.

About the Event

Saturday, Dec. 6, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Cost, $35. Includes a holiday party on S. Washington St.

Sunday, Dec. 7, 12 noon to 5 p.m. Cost, $15 advance; $20 day of tour.

Ticket sales locations include The Hexagon House, Kimberly’s, The Final Yard and Celebrate!

A Partridge in a Pear Tree?

A Century Old Christmas Tradition: The Christmas Bird Count in the Valley

by Jeremiah Knupp

It’s a Christmas tradition that dates back more than a century and is celebrated throughout the Western Hemisphere. On chilly winter mornings in late December and early January, small groups will gather before dispersing to the farm fields, the woods and the streams for a day of counting the local feathered inhabitants. Known as the Christmas Bird Count or “CBC,” this winter will mark the 109^th annual count since the first was organized by the National Audubon Society in 1900.

Crista Cabe, data compiler of the Waynesboro count, participated as a child, taking to the field with her father and brothers. More than just a birding activity, the CBC has become a Christmas tradition for Cabe.

“When I think of the Christmas Bird Count I think of a crisp, cold morning, waiting for the sun to come up and watching the birds become more active,” she recalled. “It’s just being out in nature and observing our local wildlife. It wouldn‘t feel like Christmas if I didn‘t do a count or two.”

The CBC developed from the tradition of a Christmas “side-hunt,” in which hunters would take to the fields for a wholesale slaughter of birds regardless of species. Around the turn of the century, naturalists decided to dedicate the tradition to counting, rather than killing, the birds. According to the Audubon Society, who calls the CBC the “the oldest and largest citizen science event in the world,” last year over 50,000 volunteers documented over 60 million birds in 2,000 counts. In the Shenandoah Valley, bird-watching clubs organized six bird counts that included nearly 200 participants.

“Our count is special in that we have a diverse area,” Rob Simpson noted of the northern Valley count. “We are the only count in the Appalachian region that has observed over 100 species [in a single day].”

Each count will take an area formed by a circle with a 15-mile diameter and divide it into sectors. Three to four person teams will be assigned to each sector, counting and documenting all the birds they see for the entire day. Most counters travel by car until they find a concentration of birds to count. Some counters, Ann Simpson noted, canvas the local streams and river by boat.

“We have some energetic counters who will begin at midnight, trying to call in owls,” Rob Simpson said. “It’s a 24-hour adventure.”

“Counting is the first step in learning how environmental threats are affecting our birds,” said Geoff LeBaron, the National Audubon Society‘s Christmas Bird Count director, in a press release on this year‘s event. “The proverbial ‘canaries in the coal mine,’ birds provide an early warning indicator of the health of the world we all share.”

“Canary in a coal mine.” The popular expression comes from the 19^th century practice of using the birds as an early warning system in mining operations. The small animals would be overcome by toxic gases well before their human counterparts, giving the miners a chance to escape.

The census of Valley birds taken during the annual count also serves as a barometer for the local environment, Rob Simpson said. He noted over the last three decades there has been a significant decline in the population of bobwhite quail, a change he links to the changing nature of the Valley. The quail thrive in rural farm fields and overgrown fence rows. As this type of habitat disappears with urbanization, so do the quail.

The count also highlights the effects of global warming, with species that normally head south for the winter still hanging around in December or birds that are migratory becoming residents.

“When I was a child, seeing a blue bird was a rare and wonderful thing,” she said, noting that the bird’s habitat was taken over by the non-native English starling. “Now if you drive down any country road you’ll see blue bird houses and blue birds.”

Participation in the Christmas Bird Count is open to everyone, whether or not you are a member of a birding society. The event draws everyone from students to entire families to out-of-towners in the area to visit relatives over the holidays.

“Each group is led by an experienced birder,” Rob Simpson said. “We pair them up with new people, so the count is a chance to learn more or improve your skills.”

“It’s a non-commercial event that you can do with a good friend or family members and it’s great fellowship,” Cabe said.

Valley residents can also assistant the count without leaving their front yard. Filling up your bird feeder a week before the count will make your home a magnet for local birds. Don’t be alarmed, Ann Simpson noted, if you see someone parked in front of your house with a pair of binoculars on the count day. They’re looking at the birds congregating around your feeder, not you.

“There’s a joy and satisfaction in knowing the area and its species well, when every little cheep or chirp is a specific species,” Cabe said. “Some types of birds that come to the area are like old friends and I love seeing them each year.”

So this year start a new Christmas tradition, by joining a century-old one, helping local citizen scientists use birds to document the Valley’s changing environment.

COVER STORY | The Fight Before Christmas

Real versus Fake Christmas Trees by Jenelle Watson “Once we hang all the ornaments we’ve collected, it really doesn’t matter whether the tree is alive or not. In the great debate, we try to think about what it is we’re celebrating during the holidays. It’s those things we’ve collected during our five years together as a couple that makes the tree special. Once you string the lights and hang the ornaments, the tree is just a small part. It’s the other stuff that matters.” – Kris Ludwig, Massanutten

The election may be over, but in homes throughout the Valley the debate is just now heating up: Go with a live tree or make the jump to artificial?

After being force-fed a year’s worth of red state-blue state polls, politically charged debates and politics as usual, all the Miller family wants to see is green. “But we can’t agree on what is green and what isn’t,” Debbie Miller said as she priced crystal snowflake ornaments on a fully-decorated tree at Cracker Barrel in Waynesboro. “With all the talk about global warming and the environment, we’re trying to make smart decisions at home. The (presidential) debates and commercials have really hammered at that this year, so we wanted to do our part. But this tree thing, well, I can already tell that’s going to be a battle.”

While Miller would like to decorate several trees this year – starting a few weeks before Thanksgiving – her husband, Scott, doesn’t like the idea of an artificial tree. “We’ve always had a real tree,” Debbie Miller said as she waited for a table at the crowded restaurant, “and I’ve always went along with it. But this year I want to do some theme trees in a few rooms, and I’m not going to put that much work into something I’m only going to be able to display for a few weeks.

“The holidays are supposed to be a time for peace,” the Winchester resident said, laughing, “but here it is not even Halloween yet and we’re already arguing over which is greener – cutting down a tree every year to be used for a few week’s worth of decoration or buying one made of plastic that we can use over and over again.”

The Millers aren’t the only family at odds. From packed tree lots and hillside farms to garden centers and discount stores, the debate continues to rage — just as it does every year. For when it comes to the annual battle of the branches, there are no winners – or losers.

“By the time most folks come out to a choose-and-cut farm, they’ve probably already decided they’re going to get a real tree,” said Dave Thomas of Harrisonburg’s Evergreen Christmas Tree Farm. And while they may share the same “green” platform, Thomas said his customers often have other issues to work around. “The wives come in here pushing for a large tree,” he said, “but the husbands know how much they’re going to have to be involved in getting that tree in the house, put up, then down and back out of the house, and if it’s one they’ve got to plant, in a hole.” Thomas laughed. “Those husbands, they’re the ones going for smaller trees. They’re usually pushing the wives to bring that height down, and somewhere, somehow, they reach a compromise.”

THE FLIP SIDE

Tony Suarez lives the other side of the debate – and not just during the holidays. For this co-founder and owner of the popular Christmas Gallery stores in New Market, Gainesville and Fairfax, it’s Christmas 365 days a year. It’s been that way for the past 32 years, ever since he and friends turned an old general store into a year-round holiday haven.

“Back in 1977, there were very few people doing Christmas stores,” he said. “We liked Christmas and thought why not.”

Since then, the stores have been bringing holiday magic to life for countless merry makers. Stocked with wonderful holiday treasures and trinkets, it’s hard not to find something magical at a Christmas Gallery. And yet, there’s one holiday staple you would be hard-pressed to discover at his home or any of his businesses: a live Christmas tree.

A fan of faux trees, Suarez neither apologizes for his preference nor does he beat around the bush — or tree as the case may well be. “There’s nothing wrong with an artificial tree, nothing at all,” he said. “You can not beat an artificial tree if you have an allergy to pine, if you’re concerned about the fire hazard, if you have a second home or if you like to go on vacation during the holidays.”

That covers a lot of people, he said, hence the increasing popularity of artificial trees — and the demand for more realistic versions. “The trees they make today are beautiful,” he said. With prices ranging from less than $50 for a budget-friendly tree to nearly $1,000 or more for a top-of-the-line creation so real you’d have to cut into its metal trunk to tell the difference, there’s plenty of options to meet every budget and every style, Suarez said.

Artificial trees are also ideal for displaying valuable ornaments, he says, due to their stronger branch structure and heavy-duty construction. “The branches on some real trees, like spruce and pine, tend to sag and drop,” he said.

It’s for all of the above reasons that you’ll not find a live tree in his home.

“It has to be artificial,” Suarez said while surrounded by holiday goodies in mid-September. “We’re not home for Christmas; we spend every day up until Christmas working in the store. We’re home on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and that’s it. Our tree is already decorated and ready to go.”

ON THE FENCE

Ryan and Kris Ludwig know both sides of that debate – and they’re not certain they want to revisit the issue.

As the special events manager at Harrisonburg’s Downtown Renaissance, Kris’s last name might as well be Kringle for the amount of time she spends focusing on the holidays. Whether it’s the city’s Holidays on Main Street celebration or the dozens of special end-of-the-year events hosted at the hotel, Ludwig has Christmas on the brain for the better part of the year. Come December, she eats, breathes and lives Christmas. Given the size of some of the Christmas trees she and her husband have purchased in recent years, there hasn’t been room in their house to do much else.

“We have always thought a live tree adds something special to the holidays,” Kris said. “We like the smell of a live tree, the feel of it and every thing that comes with it.”

So it didn’t come as a big surprise when her husband suggested they bid on a live tree during a silent auction a few years back. “Well, we won it,” Kris said, giggling at the though of what came next. “The gentleman called and asked what size tree to deliver and if we wanted the root ball. We thought that would be great. We hated the idea of cutting down a tree and then seeing all those trees tossed on the side of the road after Christmas. That made us feel guilty. We thought it would be great to be able to plant our first Christmas tree in the yard.”

That was until the tree arrived.

“This tree comes and we had no idea how big that root ball was going to be,” she said. “It was huge. We couldn’t fit it in the stand. So we found the biggest (plastic) tote we could find and put (the roots) in that. Then we filled it with dirt and watered it every day.” Ludwig snickered. “That tree was so big the skirt wouldn’t cover it, so we used a sheet.

“Anyway, we kept this thing watered and babied and then, after Christmas, we go out and plant it and are so proud of ourselves until,” she laughed again, “until someone comes by. ‘Ya’ know,’ they tell us, ‘Frazier firs don’t grow down here in the valley. You can’t keep that tree alive.’”

Ludwig sighed then laughed again. “All that work only to find out that tree wasn’t going to live anyway,” she said. “We decided not to do that again – at least not with a Frasier fir.”

But their story doesn’t stop there. The following year, the couple won the live-tree bidding again. “We though since we had these tall ceilings in our house, we’d go with a 12-foot tree,” Ludwig said. “So we put in our order. When the guy comes, the tree won’t fit in the door it’s so huge. We ended up setting it against the deck. My husband strung lights on it and we felt so guilty about buying another tree, we didn’t have one in the house that year.”

That was the second year of their marriage. Last year, for their third Christmas as husband and wife, the couple decided to spend a romantic afternoon searching for and cutting their perfect tree. “We went out to this tree farm that was an hour away, and then when we got there we decided maybe we shouldn’t cut down a tree when there were all these other trees sitting around that had already been cut,” Ludwig said. “We left with a pre-cut tree that we could have bought anywhere.”

And what about this year? Have their past experiences pushed them to switch tickets? Will they flip-flop on the issues or will they stick to their “green” party platform?

“Who knows,” Ludwig said. “Through all of this we’ve come to realize what Christmas is all about. Once we hang all the ornaments we’ve collected, it really doesn’t matter whether the tree is alive or not. In the great debate, we try to think about what it is we’re celebrating during the holidays. It’s those things we’ve collected during our five years together as a couple that makes the tree special. Once you string the lights and hang the ornaments, the tree is just a small part. It’s the other stuff that matters.”

Planning a Themed Party

Add an Italian Flair To Your New Year

By Cynthia Norris

Are you throwing a special soiree to ring in the New Year? Try a themed celebration.  Adding a theme makes party planning easier and creates an event your friends will remember.

Italian Wine-pairing  Party
Gay Argyros owner of Wine Styles in Penn Laird has extensive wine knowledge and is an experienced event planner. She suggests an Italian New Year’s Eve wine- pairing party.

The hand-delivered invitation is a custom wine label attached to champagne splits topped with gold ribbon and bells. The label invites guests to “Ring in the New Year with Old Vines.”

Baskets of artisan breads, festive platters of assorted cheeses and grapes create the centerpiece and provide colorful appetizers. A crisp fruity wine, 2007 Laxas Alberino from Spain, perfectly complements the appetizers.

For the main course, Argyros serves Brick Oven Bolognese with Basil Pesto and Double Cheese Focaccia paired with 2003 Marchesi Pancrazi Pinot Noir from Italy. She says it is a mellow, but intense and full-bodied Pinot layered with red fruits, vanilla and mint, which evolves in the glass. It is a versatile wine, which pairs with everything.  Dessert is simple and elegant petite chocolates.

To end the evening and the year, Argyros suggests Scharffenberger Brut Sparkling Wine from California. “It is a fruity, balanced, bubbly blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, perfect for toasting the New Year,” she says.

Caribbean New Year’s Party
Michelle Miller is the executive chef of Panache catering in Middletown. She trained at the Le Cordon Bleu in London. Miller recommends a Caribbean-themed party to welcome the New Year.  “During winter, people really want to feel a little bit of summer,” she explains.

Go to the Internet to get ideas (like e-vite.com.) There are some amazing places to order inexpensive party things. “You can staple grass skirts around the tablecloth edge to set the mood and hang colorful lights over the bar or buffet table,” Miller says.

She recommends a mojito or any rum-based drink to give the party a Caribbean flavor. She says most people have the basic wine and beer available then add one or two very exotic drinks. ”Use edible orchids to garnish drinks. They really make it look special,” she adds. Miller selects chicken skewers and jerk pork or chicken served with fruit salsa, with grilled fruit and vegetables.  Miller recommends toasting the New Year with champagne cocktails for a great tasting blend of champagne, brandy and light orange flavor.

Custer’s Last Stand Dinner Party
Harrisonburg resident Robert Underwood and his wife, Amy, belong to a supper club. To make their dinner party special, they chose a theme. They wanted to serve wild game such as elk, venison, salmon and trout. “We built the theme around the food. We brainstormed ideas and came up with Custer’s Last Stand,” he says.

Underwood went online, found a copy of Custer’s last orders, and photocopied them onto parchment paper in an old script. On the back, he added an addendum to the order, “Dinner will be served at the officers’ mess,” with his address and time listed. Then he sealed it with red sealing wax and a red ribbon and delivered it by hand. He ordered oil lanterns for table lighting and made Calvary flag nameplates for the table. He downloaded music from the Civil War era for background music. Underwood recommends starting with an idea like the food and then brainstorm for other ideas. “It was a lot of fun to have a themed party,” he says. “Otherwise, you are just going over to someone’s house for dinner.”

Recipe by Chef Michelle Miller

Champagne Cocktail

· 1 sugar cube

· 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

· Champagne

· .5 oz brandy

· orange zest for garnish

1. Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a champagne flute.

2. Use the dashes of bitters to saturate the sugar cube.

3. Add brandy.

4. Fill with Champagne.

5. Garnish with the orange zest.

Argyros’ Wine-Pairing Party Tips

• Use a white tablecloth. It helps guest observe the depth and color of the wine.
• Do not use scented candles and floral centerpieces. They detract from the aroma and flavor of the wine.
• Place an attractive dump bucket, champagne or ice bucket, in the middle of the table for guests who do not care to finish each glass.
• Supply a phone list of taxicabs for guests.
• When spills occur, use Wine Away. It is a spray-on stain remover, which easily removes red wine.

Kay’s Book Reviews

Reflections of God’s Holy Land: A Personal Journey Through Israel

By Eva Marie Everson and Miriam Feinberg Vamosh

“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”

David Ben-Gurion (p. 18)

Written by two friends, a Christian from the United States and a Jew from Israel, this “arm chair tour” of Israel illustrates miracles, both ancient and modern.

As the two friends move from the Judean Wilderness to the Garden Tomb, the women journey not only in miles but in depth of heart and kinship. Two unlikely traveling companions. Two women bonded in search for what they hold holy.

Through the eyes of the two friends, we come to the Western Wall, a sacred place of prayer for centuries. We see men dressed in traditional religious garb while others wear khaki shorts and athletic T-shirts. The history is fascinating (“Did You Know?”) but Eva Marie Everson’s insights (“Reflections”) stir the soul.

At Beersheba’s well, we wonder with the authors, “…how deep I’m willing to go each day to find water from the stream.” (p. 33)

At the Field of Boaz, we understand that when one traveler cannot enter Bethlehem safely, the other will not go. Like Ruth and Naomi, they are not parted.

This book is not just beautiful and inspirational; it touches the soul. It tells of miracles of the past while creating hope for the future.

Reviewers Notes:

One of my favorite sections of the book is the story of when Rebekah sees her future husband for the first time. When translated from the original Hebrew, Genesis 24:64 “…says that when Rebekah saw Isaac, she fell off the camel!” Later in this section, the author asks, “When was the last time your Heavenly Bridegroom knocked you off your camel?” (pp. 30-33)

Fight for the Flag

Elkton is attempting to bring home its Civil War flag. The flag will go up for auction next week. Please contact Casey if you can help: historyed@msn.com

This note from Casey Billhimer best explains the plight:

It appears that Christmas will not come early here in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
as was hoped. The effort to raise needed funds to purchase the beloved 10th Virginia
Infantry battle flag at auction has thus far fallen way short. Cowan Auctions of Cincinnati,
Ohio will offer the flag to the highest bidder on December 4 which is just over a week away.
Unless a miracle takes place soon the flag will end up heaven knows where. We have not
conceded to defeat as of yet, however, it doesn’t look promising. If anyone knows of a
“person of means” who would be kind enough to help bring the flag home please contact
them now and plead for the cause. Thanks to the 35 people who have sent donations toward
the flag’s purchase to date. You are true Confederate-Americans.
With regards,

Ed “Casey” Billhimer, President
Elkton Historical Society, Inc.
Past Commander SCV Camp 10

see http://www.geocities.com/zedwhit1/10thvainf.html

Holidays on Main Street

Celebrate the holidays in downtown Harrisonburg and support the Salvation Army. Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR) is hosting a special Holidays on Main Street this year Dec. 6 on Court Square.

Here is HDR’s description of the event:

After the Harrisonburg holiday season kicks off with the annual parade on December 5^th at 7:00, HDR will then host Holidays on Main Street the next day from 4:00 to 8:00pm.  For this year, Kris Ludwig  of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance says that “We wanted to stick with what works, but we also wanted to bring in aspects that are meaningful for this year”.  As the Special Events Manager for HDR she, along with volunteers and sponsors, has scheduled a family-friendly evening packed with live music, sweet treats, horse and carriage rides and of course, a visit from the man in red.  In addition to old favorites, HDR has added some new elements to the event.  They teamed up with the Salvation Army for a canned food drive and the event will also feature a “Window Wonderland Giveaway” where anyone can play for a chance to win a storefront window packed with over $1200 of gifts from downtown shops and restaurants.

Whether it’s giving to a food drive or giving gifts to a lucky shopper who supports downtown businesses, this year Holidays on Main Street will make sure that the joys of giving are shared by all.  A gift will also be made to Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance in the form of a special piece of fine art to serve as the first annual downtown poster.  Over the past three months, art students submitted entries during the first annual Picture Downtown poster contest.  The judges have chosen a winner and on December the 6^th, moments before Mayor Rodney Eagle lights the tree, the official 2009 poster will be unveiled.  The posters will go on sale that evening – the perfect gift to GIVE anyone who cares for downtown.

Finally, if it is cold enough that evening, Massanutten Resort will bring SNOW to the square!

A complete schedule of Holidays on Main Street events is below.  For questions or details call 540.432.8922 or go online to www.downtownharrisonburg.org.

Holiday Open House in Staunton

What could be more quaint than holiday shopping among locally-owned boutiques, with strolling entertainers, carriage rides, caroling, among a mix of Victorian and Colonial architechture in downtown Staunton? Sounds dreamy to me.

Add a chance to win a $500 shopping spree, and you have even more motivation to take a jaunt to Staunton this weekend (Nov. 22, 1-5 p.m.) for their Holiday Open House downtown.

And don’t forget to stop in to Sunspots Studios and Glassblowing. The kids will love to watch the artists drip, drop, twist and twirl their melted glass into works of art.

For more information about the event and places to shop and eat, visit Staunton on the Web.

Go Shopping

I’m a firm believer in the power of the media. Of course, I would say that, because I am, and have been in media for 20 years.

But my belief is that media is not always a good power. Take the current economy, for instance. While there is no doubt our economy is in the worst shape in which it has been for many years, I believe the media has frightened folks into freezing their lives and holding on tighter to their pocketbooks.

This has hurt the economy. It’s hurts business owners who need us to keep spending; and especially the small business owners who drive our economy.

My message? Go holiday shopping in the Valley. It’s good for business.

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