Hidden Gems

Forget Me Not Custom Gifts

We are deep into the holiday season and the closet is full of unwrapped gifts. The busy weeks leading up to gift giving can be overwhelming with cookie decorating, visiting family and taking photos with Santa. Make it easier on yourself this year by leaving the wrapping to someone else!

Forget Me Not Custom Gifts in Cincinnati provides gift wrapping and custom gift services. With two options available, gifts can be wrapped using supplies you provide from home or leave all of the creating to Forget Me Not. No matter where your gift was sourced, the occasion, size or quantity of gifts, wrapping services are available all year.

Bring your own wrap includes desired wrap, boxes, tags and ribbon from home. Any additional materials provided by Forget Me Not are charged ala carte. With a one hour minimum charge for both options, BYOW starts out at $20 per hour. Alternatively, leave everything to Forget Me Not and use their wrapping materials! Small items such as jewelry, books, ornaments are $3, medium items like shirts, tablets, action figures for $5, large coffee makers, home decor, gaming systems are $8 and extra large items like TVs, oddly shaped goods, basketballs and large toys 24 inches or more are $10 plus the one hour minimum.

Forget Me Not offers free customer pick up and drop off or $10 one-way mobile delivery. Within twenty minutes of the home office, Forget Me Not will pick up and deliver wrapped gifts when complete. Shipping is available upon inquiry.

Schedule your wrapping needs online using a simple scheduling form and receive a response within 24 hours! Each package is completely customizable with dried florals, crinkle paper, wooden crates and more for a beautiful Christmas morning.

forgetmenotcustomgifts.com/

BUCKET LIST

Our roundup of fun and festive things to do in Southwest Ohio this season.

WORDS BY NICOLE SIPE

The holidays are here, and there is no shortage of family activities to enjoy in our area. If you’re looking to add some Christmas fun to your month, here are some ideas to add to your family’s winter bucket list!

CATCH A HOLIDAY PLAY

Let the theatre stage get you into the holiday spirit! Watch as The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati recreates a beloved holiday television classic with the musical “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr.” at the Taft Theatre on December 10. See Charlie, Snoopy, Lucy and the rest of the Peanuts gang as they explore the true meaning of Christmas in “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at Dayton’s Sinclair College on December 15-18.

CUT YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TREE

There’s something magical about picking the perfect Christmas tree with your family and cutting it down yourself! Around southwest Ohio, you’ll find Timberwind Tree Farm in Lebanon, Koch Christmas Trees in Okeana, Big Tree Plantation in Morrow, and Corsi Tree Farm in Hamersville, among others. Many of these tree farms also have family activities to enjoy during the weekends, too.

ENJOY A NUTCRACKER PERFORMANCE

The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition, and fortunately, there are many performances happening in our area. Watch Dayton Ballet remake this iconic classic on select dates on December 9-18, or see The Nutcracker performed by Cincinnati Ballet alongside the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on December 15-24.

Christmas and trains are the perfect match! Watch model trains chug through villages, around mountains, and through tunnels during Heritage Village Museum’s Train Days on select times through December. Check out Holiday Junction featuring the Duke Energy Holiday Trains at Cincinnati Museum Center through January 2, Bill Schott’s Holiday Train Display at Highfield Discovery Garden through December 23, or Virginia Kettering’s Holiday Train Display at Stratacache Tower on the corner of 2nd and Main Streets in Dayton. Or experience the largest indoor train display at EnterTRAINment Junction’s Christmas at the Junction, running through January 1. Want to take a ride on a real train? Then all aboard the North Pole Express during an hour-long train ride starting at LM&M Railroad in Lebanon.

SHOP AT A HOLIDAY MARKET

Find the perfect gift and help your local economy by shopping locally! You’ll find two great Cincy-area holiday markets this season with Findlay Market’s Holiday Market on December 3-4, and The City Flea Holiday Market at Washington Park on December 17.

VISIT WITH SANTA

Santa is a busy guy — he has been spotted all over southwest Ohio! You’ll find Santa scuba diving all season long at the Newport Aquarium, or hanging out at the North Pole in Caesar Ford Park during ParkLights through the month of December. See Santa in a replica car dealership from a safe distance at A Carillon Christmas at Carillon Historical Park in Dayton. Meet and greet Woodland Santa through December 17 at Yuletide Village: Season of Lights at Renaissance Park in Waynesville, or share a pizza and cookies lunch with Santa at Springfield Township Arts on December 4.

WATCH A MERRY MOVIE

Holiday movies should be on every family’s bucket list! At The Neon in downtown Dayton, check out “Elf” on December 10 and “White Christmas” on December 17.

These are just some of the great ways to celebrate the holidays in Southwest Ohio. Go out and make the most of this merry season!

8 COOL PLACES TO GO ICE SKATING

Lace up your skates and hit the ice at these fun skating rinks around town.

Ice skating is a great way to experience the outdoors during the cooler weather, and provides a winter tradition for families looking for something fun to do together. Here are some options, both indoors and out, that offer places to skate around Southwest Ohio.

OUTDOOR ICE SKATING

Fountain Square

520 Vine St., Cincinnati A favorite of locals and visitors alike, ice skating — and now bumper cars — on Fountain Square have become a familyfriendly tradition in the heart of downtown Cincinnati each winter. The UC Health Ice Rink, presented by Fifth Third Bank, is open daily until February 20 and offers two different sessions: bumper cars + ice skating, or just ice skating. Reservations are encouraged.

myfountainsquare.com

MetroParks Ice Rink

237 E. Monument Ave., Dayton This rink has something for everyone: beginners’ lessons, open skating, broomball and curling, not to mention hot chocolate and music. Located within RiverScape MetroPark, take advantage of the sweeping views of both the Great Miami River and the downtown Dayton skyline as you cut a path on that ice! metroparks.org/

ice-rink

Middletown Holiday Whopla

Downtown Middletown Enjoy ice skating and lots of festive fun at Holiday Whopla, an interactive holiday lights festival featuring musical performances, artist vendors, themed venues and lots more through January 3, 2023.

holidaywhopla.com

INDOOR ICE SKATING

Goggin Ice Center

610 S. Oak St., Oxford Home of the Miami University Hockey Team, this indoor ice rink has two sheets of ice, and one is available during certain times for public skating on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, plus special days during winter break. miamioh.

edu/campus-services/goggin

Kettering Ice Arena

3600 Shroyer Rd., Kettering Located inside the Kettering Recreation Complex, this indoor ice rink is a great place for figure skating, ice hockey, ice skating lessons and leisure skating. The arena also offers rental skates, lockers and a heated seating area for spectators. playkettering.org

Northland Ice Center

10400 Reading Rd., Evendale Whether you want to compete, learn to ice skate or just have a great time, Northland Ice Center is the place for the whole family to skate. Bonus: This indoor rink is open year round! northland

icecenter.com

South Metro Ice

10561 Success Ln., Centerville This indoor rink offers a variety of classes for all ages and abilities for both hockey and figure skating, as well as public skating times.

smetrosports.com

Sports Plus

10765 Reading Rd., Cincinnati This unique, family-friendly sports, dining and entertainment facility is the perfect way to spend your day. Take a break from the ice and experience activities including the basketball court, zip-line course or even the smoothie cafe!

sportsplusohio.com