Christmas in Berthoud 2017

D U O H T R E B N I S A M T S I R H C 17

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Š Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

November 23, 2017

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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017

Cowboy Christmas adds festivities to annual art show ter. “Our mission is building community through the arts at Wildfire. We’re all Two downtown Berthoud promoting the same thing. business owners wanted to We’re promoting Berthoud, add a festive atmosphere community spirit, and creto an annual art show but ative endeavors.” needed a unique theme.

On Dec. 2, Cowboy Elizabeth Kearney, an Christmas will bring a cowemployment attorney with boy lunch, pony rides, fire an office in Berthoud, and pits, and a visit from Santa Kelly Canino, owner of The Claus to Massachusetts Rancher’s Wife in downtown Avenue between the WildBerthoud, founded Cowboy fire Community Arts Center Christmas to fit with the and The Rancher’s Wife, 600 small-town atmosphere of Third St. The event will be Berthoud and to offer some10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the thing not found elsewhere Courtesy photo same hours of the art show. in Northern Colorado.

Santa Claus, played by Andy Farr, poses last year in front “Last year we started of the Wildfire Community Arts Center during the Wildfire Cowboy Christmas will Local Artists Show. This year’s show, Dec. 1-3, will include talking about how no one serve as an extension of was on the streets,” Kearney a Cowboy Christmas event to bring visitors to downtown the Wildfire Local Artists said. “It’s good for businessBerthoud.

Show, an art sale and show es downtown. It’s good for Dec. 1-3 of the work of local artists at the Wildfire Community Arts Center, 425 Mas- community spirit. It’s good for all the reasons for living in a small town.” sachusetts Ave. The idea behind Cowboy Christmas is to combine a “It’s all designed to bring people out and about to country feel with the area’s roots, Canino said. downtown Berthoud,” said Kearney, founder and presi“People hope to keep the country visible in Berthoud. dent of the board for the Wildfire Community Arts CenWe have a lot of different entities getting involved, making it fun. It’s more than just the businesses. It’s about what’s in your community.”

The lineup of events for Cowboy Christmas will include: • A cowboy lunch served at the Berthoud Lion’s Club, 600 Third St., in the depot, with members of the local FFA chapter providing assistance • Maker displays by a rug maker and a saddle maker • Vendor booths along Massachusetts Avenue and in front of The Rancher’s Wife • Caroling by the Larimer County Horseman’s Association • Hot chocolate sold by the Silver Spurs 4-H Club • Hot cider concessions to benefit the Berthoud High School National Honor Society • Pony rides, plus a visit by Santa 1-3 p.m • Fire pits with Smores kits offered by the local Boy Scouts troop • There also will be stockings filled with coupons from local businesses, offered for $5 each.

“It just expands the opportunities for people to come to downtown Berthoud to shop and talk to their neighbors and get Christmas shopping done,” Kearney said, adding she hopes for a turnout of 300 to 500 people.

“Cowboy Christmas is an attempt to enlarge art sales and get other businesses to participate, so people can walk around and have something to do.”

Canino hopes visitors will start thinking about their Christmas shopping and consider doing it locally.

“It’s a good thing to create something for them to do around town to see what is around their own town and what options they’ve got.”

By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017 Celebrating Christmas in BerthoudŠ 2017 is published in Berthoud, Colo., by the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor. The publisher reserves the right to edit, classify or reject any advertising or news copy. Liability for any newspaper error in an advertisement shall not exceed the cost of space occupied by error. The publishers assume no liability for any advertising which is not published for any cause. The publisher assume absolutely no obligation or responsibility for subject matter in copy placed by its advertisers or their agents.

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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

Index Cowboy Christmas .......................................................1 What is Christmas all about? ..................................... 3 Christmas Home Tour ................................................ 4 Strategies to avoid holiday weight gain..................... 7 Exploding turkeys! .......................................................8 Did you know? .............................................................10 Last-minute holiday shopping trips...........................11 Unusual Christmas gifts - 2017 ................................12 Snowfest ..............................................................14&15 Hottest toys this holiday season................................16 Keeping pets safe, happy during the holdays...........17

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Please support them with your patronage.

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What is Christmas all about, Pastor Phil?

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at iz cwismas about mr pheeel? That is how it sounded coming from a small child who asked me what is Christmas all about? I love it when children are seeking understanding about life, and then take great joy when they hear the answer. As adults we don’t always have the answers so we come up Guest with something quick Columnist and sometimes those answers backfire on us and that has certainly happened when trying to prove Christmas.

I cannot prove all the mystical things about Christmas, and certainly cannot describe how each culture chooses different ways to celebrate Christmas, so that makes this child’s question a brilliant one.

Pastor Phil However, I could tell the child who Brewster it was always about. We sat down and I shared that Jesus was born here on earth for us, and he so desired to be our savior from the beginning of time so we could live with him forever, and when we receive him into our hearts, we will live with him in heaven. And every year he invites us to his Birthday Party, but since he has everything, he wanted to change the rules a little for his Birthday Party. Instead of getting gifts for his Birthday Day, he wants us to give to others.

The child said; what kind of gifts? Well, that’s a great question too! You see, Jesus loves to give things to people he already has, and he gave us love, joy, and peace, and if you give love, joy, and peace when you give a gift to someone then that gift will be great!

The child was excited! She said; Ima gona dwar a pictuwe for Daddy and Mommy because I love dem and Ima gona get a tweat fo my doggy because he makes me happy. And then she said something you don’t expect children to say; ima gona get some food fo my fwiend because deys don’t have any.

I told her; I think that is exactly what Jesus would do too. The smile from that little one was worth the whole conversation. She was on a mission. In fact we all should be as excited as she was to show love, joy and peace this Christmas.

This Christmas Eve we are having a musical play about a Monster who wants to learn about Christmas. It is called “Lenords first Christmas.” I promise you a lot of laughter and joy if you come, as Lenord learns where Christmas came from, and what it is all about. It will be held on Sunday, December 24th at 5pm, New Freedom Outreach Center, 250 Mountain Ave, Berthoud, CO. I promise the kids as well as adults will enjoy the show. We will be giving the kids gifts at the end and they can take a picture with the bashful monster Lenord before leaving.

Don’t forget to tell Jesus this Christmas; Happy Birthday Jesus!

Phil Brewster is a pastor at New Freedom Outreach Center, 250 Mountain Ave., Berthoud.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017

Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

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Christmas Home Tour offers view of Berthoud residents’ holiday decorating styles

By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor If you want to get ideas for decorating during the holidays, a local philanthropy organization will offer a peek into a few Berthoud homes.

The Berthoud P.E.O. HA Chapter will offer the first Christmas Home Tour Dec. 15-16 at three homes: a Scandinavian home, a historic home, and a model home, all in downtown Berthoud.

“It’s fun for families to go through and see the decorations, get ideas and relive Berthoud history and get into the Christmas spirit,” said Stephanie Gregg, a member of the finance committee for P.E.O., which stands for Philanthropic Education Organization. “Every home will be different, from antique decorations to ornaments to eclectic and whimsical.”

The home tour will take place during the second annual Snowfest, a winter festival with a lighted parade, an artisan market and the annual Colorado State Snow Sculpting Competition.

“We thought because of Berthoud’s historical significance, what a wonderful way to showcase homes and raise money at the same time,” Gregg said. “Partnering with Snowfest couldn’t be a better weekend. We’re the icing on the cake.”

The Christmas Home Tour will be 5-8 p.m. on Dec. 15 and 1-4 p.m. on Dec. 16, snow or shine.

“It’s very fluid and the hours are long enough, so people should have time to do it all in Berthoud,” said Marcy Greenslit, a member of P.E.O. Members of P.E.O. will serve as docents at the tour stops to talk about the significance of the different decorations and the historical aspects of the homes.

“Each home’s personality will shine on the tour,” Gregg said.

Two of the homes are owned by P.E.O. members and the third home is Carol Patterson of Berthoud demonstrates how she will set her table for the first Christmas Home Tour, a model home.

Carol Patterson, with her husband Tom, will show her home at 935 N. presented by the Berthoud P.E.O. HA chapter Dec. 15-16.

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to their home. What’s fun is the different styles of decorating, 10th St., which they had custom built in 1975 and decorated to reflect her Scandinavian heritage, especially at Christmas time. what people focus on and where they put things and how they pull it all together.”

Their Christmas tree has candle lights and red ribbons, accordThe third home on the tour is at 502 S. ing to Scandinavian tradition, and ornaments Fifth St. and will be decorated by P.E.O. they collected, one a year for 50 years, from their members who each will get a room to decorate travels or significant occasions. On the shelves in according to different themes and styles. The the kitchen there is a Norwegian Santa holding a members, who do a big fundraising event each kransekage in the shape of a Christmas tree and year, plan to offer the home tour again next a nisse, or friendly Norwegian elf, eating the romyear and will decide at that point whether to megraut left behind as a Christmas treat. continue it.

“Decorating the tree is like taking a trip down Tickets for the tour will be sold at the memory lane, recalling both the occasions and Berthoud Area Chamber of Commerce, 428 the people who gifted ornaments to us over the Mountain Ave.; Indigo Sky, 212 Mountain years,” Patterson said in her write-up for the Ave.; and Wishful Living, 321 Mountain Ave. tour.

The tickets cost $15 to raise funds for Jane Waggener Vielehr will show her and her P.E.O., which engages in charitable projects husband Chuck Vielehr’s Victorian home at 980 and provides scholarships to women pursuing Mountain Ave., which was built in 1903 by Berall levels of education, including graduates of thoud pioneer F.M. Waggener for his wife Mary Berthoud High School and women who want and their eight children. It later was occupied to earn their master’s and doctoral degrees. by additional members of the Waggener family, “They’re helping raise funds for women in including Vielehr, who is the fourth generation to Courtesy photos education as well as seeing beautifully decolive in the house.

Carol Patterson and her “I’m decorating it just with the decorations rated homes. It’s a win-win,” Gregg said. decorated Christmas tree, I like,” Vielehr said. “I collected things over the P.E.O. is an all-women’s organization with years that I like, and that’s what I put up. I would she and her husband Tom, two chapters in Berthoud. Chapters in Colorado say it’s eclectic, but it’s pretty. There are wreaths, will have on display Dec. are given letters of A to Z, followed by double table decorations, lots of candles everywhere, just 15-16. letters, according to the dates they are formed.

Christmas stuff.”

There are two chapters in Berthoud, the HA Vielehr decorates a live tree and finds her trees look better if and AS chapters. The HA chapter, which currently has 50 she doesn’t put too many ornaments on them. members, started in 1979, and the international organization “It’s just so interesting to see what people do to celebrate the was founded in 1869. holidays,” Vielehr said. “You can get a lot of good ideas by going “It’s really neat we can see all these levels of women sucinto other people’s houses, and you can see what people adapt ceed,” Gregg said.

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Strategies to avoid holiday weight gain Special to the Surveyor

Pack in the fun without packing on the pounds this holiday season. According to researchers at Stanford University, although the average person only gains around one pound during the holiday season, quite frequently that pound sticks around, and those extra pounds add up year after year. As a result, it doesn’t take too many years of holiday bundt cakes to gain a considerable amount of weight.

Staying fit during the holiday season can be quite challenging, even for the most ardent fitness enthusiasts and disciplined calorie-counters. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, many people are offered a wide assortment of foods, beverages and other indulgences - typically in mass quantities.

According to researchers at Stanford University, although the average person only gains around one pound during the holiday season, quite frequently that pound sticks around, and those extra pounds add up year after year. As a result, it doesn’t take too many years of holiday bundt cakes to gain a considerable amount of weight.

Holiday season weight gain is not unique to the United States and Canada. Investigators at Tampere University of Technology in Finland tracked weight gained in the United States, Germany and Japan during those countries’ festive times and found that each country’s participants gained weight, particularly during the holiday season. Annual holiday weight gain can contribute to weight-based problems such as obesity, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

The holiday season might not be the best time to start a diet, but holiday eating does not have to derail healthy lifestyles. The following are ways to avoid holiday weight gain and

still enjoy all of the parties, adventures and time spent with friends and family.

• Focus on festivity instead of food. When hosting holiday festivities, make the bulk of the celebration about an activity rather than food. If guests are focused on fun, such as a sing-a-long, dancing or tree-trimming, they may be less likely to overeat.

• Don’t show up starving. Eat a light, healthy snack before participating in any holiday revelry. Hunger pangs may drive one straight to the buffet table.

• Survey your options prior to eating. Guests should scope out the food choices and then make the smartest selections possible. Avoid creamy sauces, greasy foods and those that are heavy on cheese. Fill up on vegetables and then you won’t feel bad about splurging on a dessert.

• Go sparingly on alcohol. People seldom realize how quickly calories from beverages can add up. A 12-ounce glass of beer has about 150 calories, a five ounce glass of red wine has about 125 calories and a 1.5-ounce shot of gin, rum, vodka, whiskey, or tequila has about 100 calories, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Furthermore, alcohol lowers inhibitions, so you may be more likely to overindulge in more spirits or extra food when intoxicated.

• You can’t buy back calories with exercise. Putting in a marathon exercise session the next day probably will not undo the damage done from overeating the night before. Maintain a consistent workout schedule all through the holidays.

Holiday weight gain is not inevitable for those who take control and exercise discipline.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017

Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

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Exploding turkeys, gifts gone wrong and the plague — holiday mishaps from my home to yours

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GTV, Food Network, Pinterest, holiday movies, they all paint beautiful, picturesque holiday scenarios with perfectly golden brown turkeys, elaborate place settings and home décor with fashionably attired families smiling unnaturally white toothy grins while sitting on equally white couches enjoying what you can only imagine as the perSurveyor fect holiday Columnist season.

They are fun to look at and maybe even draw a little inspiration from (except the white couch, it would look like a Jackson Pollock painting in no time if I even attempted to have that in my house) but, if you’re not already aware of this, most people’s holidays Amber are more Clark Griswold and less McIver-Traywick Martha Stewart — despite what you might see on social media. Stressing out about achieving this unattainable holiday perfection just isn’t worth it. Holidays are meant to be enjoyed with family and friends, focusing on what really matters in life. Even if a few things go awry, you’ll most likely have made some memories that you just might be able to laugh about, eventually, and other people surely will too.

Growing up there were several occasions in my family where holiday festivities weren’t exactly torn from a Norman Rockwell painting, but have survived in my mind as particularly memorable happenings that bring a smile nonetheless.

This was a brief incident but will forever live on in holiday family-lore. My dad had decided to smoke a turkey one year for Thanksgiving. He’s a smart guy and very mechanically savvy.

However, something slipped his mind on this particular occasion and while he was out on the deck checking the turkey’s progress a loud boom was heard from inside the house and most likely across half the state. The living room where I was seated had cathedral ceilings with palladium windows that reached the top. Immediately after the boom I saw the lid to the turkey smoker streak past the windows up into the heavens like the space shuttle being launched from Cape Canaveral, followed immediately by an entire turkey shooting upward behind it. The objects disappeared from view. A few seconds after the clearly successful launch the turkey fell back down from the ether followed by the lid and finally a loud clang. I’m not sure what environmental factors and specific trajectories it took to accomplish this feat but the turkey landed directly back on the smoker with the lid slamming right back on top. Dad casually walked back in the house a few minutes later acting as if nothing had happened and thankfully no dads or turkeys were injured in the process.

The plague hit one year. I think it was actually strep-throat but one-by-one almost every family member fell like the Black Death sweeping across Europe. There was a triage of sorts set up in my grandma’s living room as we communally convalesced. The kids in particular tried to soldier on and convince our parents we were totally fine and could proceed with the

festivities as usual despite not being able to sit up for long periods of time or swallow anything from the searing pain in our throats. I think we all bonded that year from the shared experience of fighting the disease together. We all survived but Christmas tasted a lot like bubblegum flavored Amoxicillin that year.

Our miniature schnauzer discovered her love for candy canes one Christmas after plucking several of them off of the Christmas tree. We came home to find multiple slobbery chewed up wrappers and candy cane carnage all over the floor. Subsequently her eyebrows, beard, chest hair and front legs also had clumps of red and white candy firmly affixed to them as well that had to meticulously be cut out. We also learned shortly after this event that tinsel, that happened to be consumed along with candy canes, comes out the exact same way it went in — and with that I’ll say no more. This resulted in a no “candy canes on the lower two feet of the tree” rule and avoiding tinsel at all cost.

I’m not sure who had the brilliant idea to lash our enormous Christmas tree to the couch because as it turned out, it was a really bad idea. The tree was well over 8 ft. tall and kept listing like The Leaning Tower of Pisa. We remedied the situ-

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ation by taking rope and hoisting it into place. We tied it off on the mechanisms inside the couch as that seemed like a sturdy anchor. Decorating the monstrosity took hours and many trips up and down a ladder. It was absolutely beautiful though with hundreds of twinkling lights and shiny ornaments. My brother and I had just finished decorating it and were sitting down to enjoy our handy-work when it happened. As he flipped the couches built-in recliner back the inner workings of the couch betrayed our trust. The footrest went up and the giant conifer came down flinging silver bells and red bows indiscriminately across the room. The branches consumed my brother as the tree landed on top of him. FYI: buying a sturdier tree stand is a better course of action.

My parents always tried to make the holidays extra special.

One year they went above and beyond and constructed an actual ice skating rink for my brother and I. They called it global warming back then and I guess we had that to thank for the fact that despite living in northern Indiana it never got cold enough to actually freeze the water in the rink so in realty we got snazzy new ice-skates and an enormous container of ice water out in the middle of a field for Christmas that year. We still had a fantastic Christmas and although I don’t remember what my other gifts were that year what I do remember is the hard work my parents put in to try and give us something special — despite it being an epic fail.

So even if you don’t exquisitely execute every element of your holiday season all the way down to folding the toilet paper roll end into an origami reindeer to delight your guests, know you are in good company. Keeping it all in perspective helps get through the mishaps of everyday life but particularly during the holidays. Enjoy what goes right, laugh at what goes wrong and celebrate the season with the people you love taking the time to fully appreciate all the things you have to be grateful for.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017

Did you know?

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 91 percent of long-distance holiday travel is by personal vehicle. And while many people may associate holiday travel with long lines at airport check-in counters and security checkpoints, the BTS notes that just five to six percent of holiday trips are taken by air. The remaining two to three percent are taken by bus, train, ship, or another mode of transportation.

The average long-distance holiday trip for the Christmas/ New Year’s holiday is 275 miles, which is slightly longer than the average long-distance trip during the rest of the year, indicating that many travelers are willing to travel farther for the holiday season than they might be during the rest of the year.

In addition, when traveling long distances for the Christmas/New Year’s holiday, travelers spend roughly four nights away from home on average.

Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

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Last-minute holiday shopping tips Special to the Surveyor

While waiting until the last minute to begin holiday shopping may not be as risky as it used to be, shoppers may still benefit by sticking to certain strategies so they can find the perfect gifts without breaking the bank.

Holiday shopping season typically begins the day after Thanksgiving and extends all the way to Christmas Eve. While that’s a considerable amount of time for shoppers to find gifts for everyone on their shopping list, many people will still find themselves putting holiday shopping off until the last minute.

In certain ways, last-minute holiday shopping is easier than ever. Thanks to online retailers who can ship products overnight, men and women who delay their holiday shopping have more options at their disposal than they did before the arrival of the internet. And unlike the days of yore when the best deals were largely exclusive to Black Friday, some shoppers find that competition between online retailers and traditional brick-andmortar stores is so great that deals can be found regardless of when they begin shopping. But while waiting until the last minute to begin holiday shopping may not be as risky as it used to be, shoppers may still benefit by sticking to certain strategies so they can find the perfect gifts without breaking the bank.

• Shop local. National chains and big box retailers are renowned for rolling out great deals during the holiday season, but such stores may have very limited or unimpressive inventory left by the time last-minute shoppers begin shopping. Local retailers are often incapable of slashing prices as significantly as their larger competitors, and that may mean they have more extensive inventories available throughout the holiday shop-

ping season. In addition, shoppers who stick with local retailers won’t have to pay shipping costs to ensure items arrive on time.

• Stay within your budget. Even last-minute shoppers have holiday shopping budgets. But it can be harder for lastminute shoppers to stick to their budgets because they have less time to comparison shop and hunt for deals. As the holiday shopping season winds down, resist the temptation to go over budget. If a gift you had in mind is available but more than you can spend, look for something else. Overspending on holiday shopping in December is a recipe for debt in January, and no shopper wants to begin the new year weighed down by consumer debt.

• Shop during off-peak hours. Shopping during off-peak hours can help last-minute shoppers make efficient use of the limited time they have to buy gifts for their loved ones. Visit stores early in the morning or late at night, or schedule a midweek afternoon shopping trip so you aren’t spending what little time you have left waiting on lines or hunting for parking.

• Give something less traditional. Holiday gifts need not come from stores. Rather than spending their time shopping for gifts for loved ones who seemingly have it all, last-minute shoppers can give the gift of a donation in their loved one’s name. Last-minute shoppers who want to give something more tangible can create a homemade gift that’s both unique and heartfelt. If your DIY skills are lacking, give a loved one the gift of a night out on the town at your expense.

Shoppers who wait until the end of the holiday shopping season to begin their searches for holiday gifts can still find great gifts without going broke.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017

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Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

Unusual Christmas gifts — 2017

t’s that time again. Time for the annual list of unusual gifts. It seems as though I just did the last one but it really was twelve months ago.

This year, we start with salad dressing. Yes, salad dressing as a present. Hidden Valley Ranch dressing has a mini-keg Surveyor of their creamy topping for this Columnist year’s gift givers.

The keg holds five liters (that’s 1.32 gallons for those who do not speak metric). It measures 9.7 inches in height and 6.3 inches in diameter.

The kegs are stackable in case your family uses ranch dressing on absolutely everything.

Find the info on the keg of dressing at www.

Bob flavourgallery.com/colMcDonnell lections/hidden-valleyranch/. The keg costs $50.

How about a gift for you and your dog? You and your favorite pooch can sport matching pajamas if you go to fabdog.com. The set of pants for two legs and outfit for four legs comes in green plaid, red-white-and-blue plaid, red and gray.

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For $50 you and Fido can look alike in bed.

Speaking of dogs — have you heard of the Furbo dog camera? It’s a full high-definition wifi pet camera with twoway audio so you and your dog can “chat.”

It allows you to watch your pet on a 160-degree wide angle lens. The bark alert feature sends notification to your phone when barking is detected.

But wait, there’s more. The Furbo lets you dispense treats to your pet remotely. Fill the device with 100 treats. Via your phone, you can determine when to reward your furry friend.

Cost is $249 on www.amazon.com but you know your dog is worth it.

How does coffee in your mailbox sound? Cans of coffee that is. LaColombe offers what they call the first ever draft latte. It’s coffee in a can for those who like a cold latte. LaColombe says it comes with a frothy layer of foam too. It’s

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made with lactose-free milk and cold pressed espresso-no sugar added.

The canned coffee comes in four or 16 packs of 9-ounce cans for $12. Go to lacolombe.com to find it.

I bet almost everyone on your Christmas list loses things. Well the Style company has help for them. It’s called the Tile Style and works in conjunction with your cell phone.

These small 1.3-inch plastic squares can be attached to a phone, a purse or placed in a wallet. If one of these items is lost, it can be found via your phone. It emits an audible alarm and has a range of 200 feet. Someone suggested placing one in your car in case it gets stolen. I say put one in the kid’s pocket so you can find him if he stays.

These tiles sell for about $34 on Amazon.com.

This next item is a flashback to the 1990s. Tickle Me Elmo is back. Maybe you didn’t get one back then even after standing in line for hours. Well, for about $25 and a quick look on amazon.com you can show your

children what your parents tried to get you oh so long ago.

Elmo still laughs if you press his tummy or squeeze his foot. He still laughs and shakes when tickled.

My last item is one that I saw in one of the big box discount stores.

This is a glove with “etips.” This allows you to work your electronic gadgets without exposing your finger to the cold. Some styles of the gloves contain conductive pads on the thumb and index fingers to connect with touchscreens. Others have conductivity on all five fingers of the gloves.

I think I saw these gloves in Costco. They are also at Dick’s Sporting Goods. The North Face and Eddie Bauer make versions of the etip gloves, and I imagine other do too. It looks like they are in the $25 to $50 range.

That’s it for this year. Have a great holiday.

CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017

Berthoud Weekly Surveyor

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Snowfest combines state snow-sculpting competition with Berthoud’s hometown holidays

By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor

The second annual Berthoud Snowfest brings together Colorado’s only snowsculpting competition with a hometown event that adds magic to the holidays — this year there’s a lighted parade, artisan market and a long list of fun activities over four days in mid-December.

Snowfest and the snow-sculpting competition came together when the Berthoud chamber wanted to create a winter festival and the organizers of the Colorado State Snow Sculpting Competition needed a new home. The result was Berthoud Snowfest, launched last year.

“The chamber was looking for a winter event to help bring people to the town of Berthoud, and it seemed like a good match,” said Kerri Ertman of Loveland, co-founder of the Colorado State Snow Sculpting Competition. “They built their event around us because we were the main event … We’re what makes Snowfest special.”

The competition and the other events of Snowfest will be Dec. 13-16, but a few events earlier in the month will be included as part of the festivities because they are organized by chamber members.

Teams of snow sculptors from all over the state will come out for the competition, using snow handmade by Steve Mercia of Loveland, event co-founder with Ertman, to create large snow sculptures of whatever subjects they choose. They will have from 10 a.m. Dec. 13 to 10 a.m. Dec. 16 to complete their projects, using only hand tools to do the work. Their sculptures will be set up along Seventh Street on the west side of Fickel Park, both for the competition and final showing.

Originally the competition was held in Loveland, from 2010 to 2015, but had to move because of date and organizational changes. Engaging Loveland first operated

the event until it dissolved in 2014, when the city of Loveland picked up the event. A year later Blazen Illuminations took over, rebranding it as Loveland Fire & Ice and moving the date from December to February to fit with Valentine’s Day. The problem the organizers found with the new date was the snow didn’t hold up during the later winter months, Ertman said.

“They decided to go toward ice, which left all of the snow sculptors homeless.”

The sculptors found their new home in Berthoud, with nine teams, each consisting of two to three snow sculptors, competing last year. The hope for this year is that 10 to 12 teams will take part, showing even more of an interest.

The winner of this year’s competition will move on to the national snow-sculpting competition in Lake Geneva, Wisc. Each state is offered one sanctioned competition.

The international competition will be in Breckenridge.

Last year Mercia’s team, Team Mercia, won first place, and Ertman’s team, Rabble Rousers, won the People’s Choice award.

“It’s artistic. It’s creative. It’s cold. But there’s good camaraderie among all the snow sculptors,” Ertman said. “We were pleasantly surprised by the small town community and how they embraced us. People talked to us. They brought us snacks.”

Snowmaking for the event will begin just after Thanksgiving, pending weather, at Grace Place, south of the church’s main buildings, to create enough snow to fill a football field. Snow stomping teams, consisting of community volunteers, will stomp Continued on page 15

15 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017 the snow for each of the team’s blocks of snow on Dec. 11-12. A prize will be awarded The Snowfest Artisan Market will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Dec. 16 at Grace Place. to the team, consisting of three or more people, with the best stomped block, that will Artisan vendors can apply at the event website — last year there were 35 vendors, be judged by the sculptors. Last year there were 30 stompers stomping blocks 7 ½ feet but space was limited at the Berthoud Community Center. With the new location, in diameter by 10 feet tall. there will be room for 75 vendors or more.

The snow sculptors will have set hours when That evening at 5 p.m. there will be a lighted they can work: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 13-14 and 6 a.m. parade along Mountain Avenue, followed by a Dec. 15-10 a.m. Dec. 16, when tools have to drop, tree-lighting ceremony and singing of Christmas followed by judging 10-11 a.m. by three judges. carols by candlelight in Fickel Park. Last year’s “This is what’s nice about our event, is people parade lasted 45 minutes. can come by and watch us work during the day. They Other events will include a home-decorating can see the progression of snow sculptures,” Ertman contest, where judges will determine the best said. “It helps build excitement for the event. Saturdecorated home in Berthoud by traveling the day is the big day when everybody is out and about. community and making their choices, plus taking That’s when we have the most spectators.” suggestions for the stops they should make. For Following the competition, the snow sculptures an inside look of interior holiday decorations, the will remain up for public viewing through Sunday.

PEO Holiday Home Tour will be offered by the Phil“It’s fun to have these giant snow sculptures for anthropic Educational Organization in Berthoud everyone to enjoy. Everyone’s in the holiday spirit,” as a new event. The tour will be 5-8 p.m. on Dec. Ertman said.

15 and 1-4 p.m. on Dec. 16 and will include three Photo by Lanna Brake To launch Snowfest, the chamber will host the Robin Dodge, an artist in Loveland, works on a homes, a Scandinavian, historical Berthoud, and Snowfest Launch Party 5:30- 7 p.m. on Dec. 13 at new model. Tickets are $15. snow sculpture in December 2016 during the Grace Place, 375 Meadowlark Dr., to give the public Colorado State Snow Sculpting Competition Also associated with Snowfest is an art show an opportunity to meet the snow sculptors and get that is part of the annual Snowfest event in and sale Dec. 1-3 at the Wildfire Community Art their photos taken with the sculpting teams. Santa Berthoud.

Center and a Cowboy Christmas event with a list and Mrs. Claus will be at the party for additional of holiday activities in downtown Berthoud. photos. The cost will be $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

“They’re all chamber members,” Mulvihill said. “Come to Berthoud for the holidays.

During the event there will be additional planned activities, including a Kids’ Snow It starts from early on. All through December there’s stuff going on, which is kind of Sculpting Event beginning at 4 p.m. on Dec. 14. Children will be able to use snow fun.” scrapers and snow packed in five-gallon buckets to make mini-sculptors. They will That’s because Berthoud is a “charming community for the holidays,” Mulvihill said. need to register at the event website at berthoudsnowfest.com. Last year there were “If you want to have that slower pace, that’s what you get here. You can slow down more than 60 children participating. and enjoy the holidays.”

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The hottest toys this holiday season Special to the Surveyor

Learn what kids are hoping to find nestled under the tree this holiday season.

The Toy Fair, and recommendations by toy and game industry experts around the world, like Dr. Toy and The Toy Insider, help cement which toys are likely to end up on kids’ holiday wish lists. For those shoppers who fell behind the curve and missed out on last year’s break out “Hatchimal” hit, the following figure to be the most coveted items for this year of giving.

Christmas and Chanukah may be celebrated toward the end of the year, but at the annual New York Toy Fair, the season for thinking about toys begins in February. This popular convention unveils the industry’s hottest trends and toys, attracting more than 1,000 exhibitors.

The Toy Fair, and recommendations by toy and game industry experts around the world, like Dr. Toy and The Toy Insider, help cement which toys are likely to end up on kids’ holiday wish lists. For those shoppers who fell behind the curve and missed out on last year’s break out “Hatchimal” hit, the following figure to be the most

coveted items for this year of giving.

• Lego Boost: Lego continues to reinvent itself, offering add-ons to its popular building brick model. Lego Boost takes advantage of the STEM trend by enabling children to build and code any of the five models of building sets. These include a cat, robot, guitar, rover, and building machine. Or, they can use the pieces to create their own designs.

The models work with an app and can be coded to make different motions and sounds.

• Melissa & Doug Scientist Role Play Costume Set: Melissa & Doug is widely recognized for its highquality wooden games sets and puzzles, but the company also delves into imaginative play costumes. This scientist role-play costume includes a beaker, a test tube, a lab coat, experiment cards, and other ingredients necessary to fuel interest in the sciences. It can be a welcome addition to any dress-up collection.

• Nerf N-Strike Elite: Nerf brand has been popular for decades, and the company continues to churn out popular items for boys and girls. The N-Strike Elite series has a number of incarnations to tempt sharpshooters. Nerf’s

17 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017 new AccuStrike line is designed to improve accuracy with specially Special to the Surveyor crafted darts that sail straighter Christmas carols than the original and festive songs help darts. make the holidays • CollEGcomplete by setting the Gtibles: Building mood for the festivities upon the Hatchito come. Songs resonate differently with people mal craze of last during the holiday Christmas and season. early this year, For example, some Spin Master offers an addition to the very popular colcelebrants find certain lectible toy niche. CollEGGtibles are much smaller than holiday tunes or lyrics especially poignant. Those who might Hatchimals, but are equally fun. Smaller eggs hatch to be missing home or planning on visiting friends and relatives reveal various colorful critters inside. Kids are apt to who live far away during the holiday season often find the want to collect them all. words to “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays,” • Pie Face Sky High: Hasbro keeps reinventing the are an accurate portrayal of the sentiments of holiday travelPie Face game, their runaway hit from 2016, which was ing. Composed by Robert Allen, with lyrics by Al Stillman, “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays” was pubawarded “Game of the Year” by the Toy Industry Assolished in 1954. ciation. In the Sky High version, one player hits a lever The best-known recordings of the song are by Perry Como, with a mallet, hoping to deliver their opponent a face full who recorded it twice — once in 1954 and then again in 1959 of pie cream. with a different musical arrangement.

These are just a handful of the industry favorites that The first version reached #8 on the Billboard magazine could be the hot picks among children for holiday giftchart in the United States. The Carpenters recorded another ing this year. Also, keep an eye out for FisherPrice Movi, popular version of the song for their 1984 album, “AnOldanything Star Wars, FurReal friends, Shopkins, and Fashioned Christmas.” Nora Jones and Cyndi Lauper also much more. recorded a duet version of the song in 2011.

Home for the holidays

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Keeping pets safe, happy during the holidays

E

very year I wrap presents with fancy paper and bows, and to keep my miniature dachshund Zoey happy, I have to give her a rawhide.

But I’d learned my lesson during our first year together when she was still a pup. I’d wrap, and she’d rip. She didn’t eat the paper, nor did she go near the Christmas tree with ornaments, tinsel and presents underneath.

Surveyor But I’m lucky, though wrapping Columnist proved difficult.

Dogs and cats can bring holiday joy with their antics and love of play, but they also can get into trouble — unintentionally or intentionally. The holiday decorations, special treats and festive plants all can present danger sources for household pets and spoil the good cheer with a rush to the emergency veterinary clinic.

The Larimer Humane Society in Loveland advises pet owners take a few precautions as they include their furry friends in the fun and exciteShelley ment of the holidays. When it comes Widhalm to decorating, the Humane Society recommends the following, with input from other pet-friendly organizations: • Securely anchor Christmas trees, so pets cannot accidentally tip them over or cause them to fall, potentially causing

injury. Cats, in particular, may be tempted to play with strings of lights, ornaments or other dangly things, or think it’s fun to climb up the tree’s branches — not good for them or the tree.

• Safely mount lights and wires to avoid pets getting tangled up or chewing them and risking electrical shock. Also keep batteries out of paws’ reach, since a punctured battery can cause burns to the mouth and esophagus.

• Avoid using tinsel, glass ornaments, or decorations with long strings, which can be harmful if ingested, causing serious damage to intestines and possibly requiring surgery for removal. Cats, in particular, are attracted to the sparkle of tinsel, which they like to bat at or carry around in their mouths. But if they take a nibble, they may experience an obstructed digestive tract, vomiting and dehydration. As for ornaments that end up breaking, the shards can damage their mouths or digestive tracts.

• Avoid leaving candles that are burning unattended or within paws’ reach. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock them over. Place the candles in candle holders on a stable surface.

• Keep holiday plants, such as mistletoe and holly, that are toxic to cats and dogs, out of paws’ reach.

The Humane Society recommends avoiding giving pets certain foods which can cause illness or be toxic. Some of the most popular holiday treats contain chocolate, raisins, grapes and macadamia nuts that, at the extreme, can be fatal for pets. Also avoid giving pets leftover fat trimmings and bones, which are unhealthy and can be dangerous for them to consume.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to

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CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BERTHOUD • 2017

parts and instead gift them with a new ball that’s too large to Animals, or ASPCA, has a few additional recommendations swallow, or a stuffed to make sure pets don’t catnip toy. consume the wrong things, The American Vetwhile also maintaining their erinary Medical Associaroutine eating and exercise tion, or AVMA, recomhabits. mends special treats be The ASPCA recommends made or bought especialkeeping water for live trees ly formulated for pets. To out of the reach of pets. The avoid pets making their water may absorb fertilizers own treats, the AVMA or, if stagnant, become a advises clearing food breeding ground for bacfrom the table, counters teria. If a pet drinks the and serving areas after water, they may experience each meal and keeping nausea or diarrhea. Holly, trash in a place where if ingested, also causes the the pet can’t reach it. same symptoms, along with Clear out all other trash, vomiting, and mistletoe can too, particularly those cause gastrointestinal upset sparkly ribbon kitty magand cardiovascular problems. nets and other packaging Many varieties of lilies can and decorative items that result in kidney failure in have toy appeal. cats if ingested.

When you leave the Instead, decorate with arhouse, unplug the tree tificial plants made from silk Photo by Shelley Widhalm and other decorations, or plastic, or choose a pet-safe Zoey, the cute dachshund, wears her Santa shirt and opens her so pets aren’t tempted to bouquet. own presents every Christmas. Zoey belongs to Surveyor writer chew the cords. And, lastWhen it comes time for ly, be sure when it comes presents, the ASPCA recom- Shelley Widhalm. to festive activities to mends giving pets special include pets to their comfort level, so they are not overwhelmed treats for their stockings, such as indestructible chew toys, by the noise and company but also feel part of everything.

Kongs stuffed with healthy foods, and chew treats designed to be safely digested. For cats, avoid ribbon, yarn and loose little

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from all of us at the Surveyor

Jo Buckridge Cheri Busch Caroline Creager Mark French Angela Gattuso Katie Harris Becky Hemmann Rudy Hemmann Dan Karpiel Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer Kristine Leonard Bob McDonnell Aaron Reynolds Amber McIver-Traywick Diane Wells Shelley Widhalm