Small Town Holiday

Your guide for local holidayactivities, dining, andshopping

Helpful

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

General Manager: Chris Fidler

Editor-in-Chief : LindseyMcCallum

ArtDirection: Andrew Albright

Design: AmyRodriguez

Production: Erica Feltenberger, Maggie Noon

Photographer: VinnyTennis

Madcap &Co

As youpreparefor theholidays, think local atevery step. Frompurchasingyourholiday wardrobe at alocal boutique to curatingyour menu with homegrown ingredients or selecting beveragessourced from nearby distilleriesor breweries, you have somany opportunities to support and showcase your community this holidayseason

chocolateshop, or handcraftedpottery and ceramics from alocal artist,each purchase directly supports thelivelihood of small businessownersand theirfamilies

Moreover,whenyou supportlocal businesses,you canbuild personal connectionswiththe people behind the products. Whetheryou’rechattingwith theowner of yourcornerbookstore or learningthe stor ybehindahandmade item,shoppinglocal allows you to create meaning fulconnections andlearnmore aboutthe communit yaroundyou

distance andoverseasshippingand transportation.Whether it’s organic textiles from alocal weaver or locally sourcedhoney andpreserves from a nearbyfarmorapiary,choosing local goodscan contribute to amoresustainable andenvironmentallyconsciouslifest yle.

Whenyou shop locallythiswinter, you’ll do more than just purchase gifts ;you’ll fosterasense of communit yconnection andsupport thevibrantbusinessesthat make yourneighborhoodthrive.

Scoreu nique finds thatwon’ th urt the planet Shoppinglocal often meansstumbling upon one-of-a-kind gifts you can’tfind anywhere else. From customizedart work and prints to specialt ytea blendsfrom anearbycafeand locallydistilled spirits and craft beers, yourlocal retailersoffer atreasuretrove of goodswaiting to be discovered.Additionally, sourcing goods from nearbybusinesses minimizes the carbon footprintassociatedwithlong-

your

Thistle &Sage

4WEEKS AWAY!

With the big dayjusta month away, the magicalatmosphere of Christmasisspreading! Make the mostofthisweek!

Create amenu foryour gathering.

Decoratethe exteriorofyour home.

Buyand decorate your tree while listening to festivemusic.

Visit local shopstocomplete your gift shopping.

Prepare freezer-safedishes. Do thecooking asagroup to makeitmorefun.

3WEEKS AWAY!

Here areafew tasks and activities to help youpassthe time quickly and productively

Bring your child to meet SantaClaus at the mallor communitygathering place

Getintouch with your guests to work outlast-minute details.

Shop foryour festiveoutfits. If youhavechildren, get theirsready,too.

Prepareavariety of musical selections to playduring your gathering.

Wrap presents.Hide them carefully, if necessary!

2WEE KS AWAY!

Areyou feeling festiveand still full of energy? Fantastic! Take adeep breath andtackle these tasks with asmile:

Go around your home andput away unsightly objects, like personal hygiene products.

Stock up on essentials like toiletpaper,hand soap, napkins and tissues.

Makesureyou have everything forthe gathering, like glasses and chairs Borrow anything youmay be missing.

Choose or preparefun games to entertain your guests.

1WEEK AWAY!

Thecountdownisalmostover! Allthat’sleft to do is tie up the lastlooseends so youcan welcome everyone.

Buyperishable foodsto ensurethey’reasfresh as possible.

Unearth last-minutegifts

Unforeseen events and oversightsare part of life!

Clean the roomswhere your guestswill be spendingthe most time. Lock the others to maintain privacy.

Reserveawell-deserved momentofrelaxation alone or with your lovedones.

Just in time foryourholiday giftg iv ing!

Watt &Shand- East ,West, Hame’s Best by Nanc yC .Groff, availablenow!

An intriguinglookintoLancaster ’s famous department store histor y– theuniquegift youneedthisholiday season!

Createa custom, unique gift today!

This collection of gifts is ideal foryour holidaygift giving. Choose from afront page reprint, beautifully bound birthdaybook, or afront-page puzzle

Also hot off the press,the 2025 LancasterFirefighters and CutestPets Calendars areavailable

Support local news! lanc.news/shop

Watt &ShandP rese ntation (sig ning andselling book s) Saturday, De cember 7, 2024

10am-2pm at Morgantown Librar y 207 Walnut St ,Morgantow n, PA 19543 Freetoattend|MUSTRegister: Phone610-286-1022

Watt &Shand- East ,West, Hame’s is availableatthese fineretailers

available at these fine retailers

•PocketBooks 903 Wheatland Ave. ,Lancaster,PA

•L ancasterHistor y 230 N. President Ave. ,Lancaster,PA

•MasthofPrinters/Publishers

219Mill Rd ., Morgantown,PA (available online)

•Aaron’s Book Store

35 E. Main St ., Lititz,PA

•Historical Preservation

TrustofL ancaster

123N.Prince St ., Lancaster,PA

ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT TOUR

Lititz Historical Foundatio Friday, December 13 & Saturday, December 14 from 5p.m.- 8p.m Learnhow Christmaswas celebratedinthe 1700sduring this candlelighttour of theJohannes MuellerHouse Formoreinformation,visit LititzHistoricalFoundation.com. on

LITITZAREA COMMUNITY CHOIR

GraceChurch, Lititz Sunday,December 22 at 7p.m.

EnjoyaChristmas Concertbythe Lititz Area Communit yChoir.Theevent is free but donationsare encourag ed

carr ynew and used LEGO® sets, thousands of minifigs,build-a-fig,activit ybuild tables and more. We specializemoreinthe vintage/retired sets.Wealso buy, selland trade LEGO® by appointment only.”

Brighton, Vera Bradley, TJazelle, Pandora, Firefly, John Medeiros Jewelry

ANNUAL CHRISTMASCAROLSING

Lititz Moravian Church Square |Thursday, December 12 at 6:30p.m.

Join theL ititz Historical Foundation and theL ititz Moravian Archivesfor the annual Communit yChristmas CarolSing. Song sheetswillbehanded outso you canjoinalong insinging family holidayclassics.For more information,visit LititzHistoricalFoundation.com.

CHRISTMASPUTZ

LititzMoravianChurch

Saturdays in December from noon –2p.m.& December26-30 at 7p.m

Thistradition featurescar vedfiguresofthe Holy Family created and hand paintedby localchurchmembers.This Putz hasthirteenlig hted scenes featuring live moss, tree limbs,driftwood,and rocks. There is even acanopy of stars depictingthe northern December sky. The soundtrack forthe Putz uses verses from theBible to tell theChristmas Stor y, and mostofthe musical selections aresungbythe Moravian Church choir. The showisabout 18 minuteslong.

CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK

Lititz Springs Park | Friday,December 6 at6:30p.m.(Rain Date:Saturday, December 7)

Enjoythe officiallig hting of thecommunity ChristmasTree, includinga festive danceperformance, carolsing ,and visit from Santaand Mrs. Claus.

SANTAVISITS THE LIBRARY

Lititz Library |Saturday, December 7&14from 10 a.m. -12p.m.

Bring your lettertoSanta and listen to himtella stor yatthe librar y. While you’rethere grab a take-and-makecraftkit and visit themodel train. Visit lititzlibrary.org formore information

Thesetreasuresand manymoreawait youat theMCC Shops throughout Lancaster County! Shoplocal andshopsecondhandfor great prices on uniquefindsfor gifts or yourself!

HOMEDECOR

$4-$25

Larger furnitureitems onlyavailableatReUzit on State and Re-Uzit Shop of NewHolland.

5 Chr istm as wreath ideas to make yourself or with your family

Creating Christmas wreaths is a wonderful way to bring festive cheer to your home while spending qualit y time with family Bring your craft y loved ones together to tr y one of these wreath projects.

Classic evergreen wreath

Gather fresh pine, fir or spruce branches to create a traditional evergreen wreath Start with a wire frame and attach the branches using floral wire Add pinecones, red berries and a bow to complete the classic look

Ornament wreath

Recycle old tree ornaments to create a shiny, colourful wreath Use a foam wreath form and hot glue to attach those baubles and beads. Mix different sizes and shades for a vibrant display.

Felt tie wreath

Tie strips of green felt around a wire wreath frame, securing them with hot

glue. Layer the ties to add dimension and texture. Embellish the wreath with buttons or bows for a whimsical touch.

Pom-pom wreath

Upcycle your unused yarn stash with a pom-pom wreath Attach the pom-poms to a wire or foam wreath form with hot glue, ensuring they’re tightly packed for a lush look . Finish the look with decorative elements like ribbons or bells.

Paper snowflake wreath

Cut out various snow flake designs from white paper and glue them to a cardboard ring . Layer the snow flakes to create depth and dimension. This simple, budgetfriendly wreath adds a delicate, wintry touch to your decor.

Making Christmas wreaths with your family is a fun and festive activit y that fosters creativity and brings ever yone together.

Newspaper Toolbox

GINGERBREAD BREAD house

Holiday Entertaining DECEM BE R 1 The Perfect Gift DECE MB ER 8

Holiday Recipes DECE MB ER 15

deco rate , as semble an d enj oy !

Decorating a ging erbread house is a classic holiday activit y. Whether you want to bake your own or buy a ready-made kit, follow these tips for guaranteed success.

Doing it yo urs elf ?

Here are a few tips for making your very own ging erbread house from scratch:

• Find a ging erbread house template, either in a book or online. Choose models with straig ht lines to make the pieces easier to assemble.

• Prepare a recipe designed specifically for making ging erbread houses not cookies.

• Once the dough is baked, carefully cut the outlines of the pieces according to the chosen template.

• Decorate the four cooled “walls” and use the icing to glue them to the base (e.g ., a piece of cardboard), then wait for ever ything to set before carefully placing the roof.

Using a re ady-toasse mble se t?

Here are a few tips for putting together a store-boug ht kit:

• If you have multiple family members, share the sections among the group to adorn with icing and candy decorations.

• Wait for the decorations to set before assembling and finishing It’s best to give this honor to the adults

To keep the fun going, you can also get creative by adding decorations around your ging erbread house.

You might add a quaint fence made of pretzel sticks or a family of snowpeople made of marshmallows. The only limit is your imag ination! Newspaper Toolbox

Gift ideas for coffee & tea lo vers

Searching forthe perfectgifts foracoffee or tealover in your life? Hereare somesuggestions thatare sure to brew up someexcitement.

1

TO P- NOTC HG ADG ETS

Elevateyourg iftee’s at-home coffeeexperience with anew bean grinderora milk frother. Freshlygroundbeansand perfectly foamy milk will take theirhomemade lattes and London fogs to thenextlevel

2

CR E AM &S UGAR CO NTAIN ERS

Bring st yle and organization to your loved one’s coffeeortea stationwithcharming cream and sugar containers.These eleg antcontainerswilladd atouch of sophistication to theirdaily ritual

3

MUG WA RMER

There’s nothingworse than a lukewarm cupofcoffee or tea. Asleek mugwarmerwillkeep your giftee’sfavoritedrink at theperfect temperature, ensuring ever ysip is as delightful as thefirst.

Consider supportinglocal artisansbygifting ahandmade ceramic mugorknitted teapot cozy.

4

TEASA ND CO FFEES

5

Treatyourfriendorfamily member to aselectionofhig h-qualit y, ethicallysourced teas and coffees.Lookfor fair tradebeans or locallyblended teas to ensure that their brew isn’tonlydelicious butalso supports farmersand communities around theworld

PERS ONALIZ ED COASTERS

Addapersonaltouch to your lovedone’scoffeetable with custom coasters. Whether they’regracedwithinitials, ameaning fulquoteorafun pattern, personalizedcoastersare athoug htfuland practical gift.