Avery Holiday Gift & Shopping Guide 2021

Discover the best holiday deals in the tri-county area!

2021

Avery County Mitchell County Carter County

Delicious recipes and fun Christmas craftss for the whole family!

Fun holiday pu zzle and colorin s g pages!

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Wednesday, November 24, 2021

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

A Christmas Drink Pour Up Tasty Hot Drinks Holiday celebrations call for great food, and various items can be roasted for that perfect meal.

Roasts for the Holidays STAFF REPORT The holidays are time to show up and show out on the dining table.

From Thanksgiving through the New Year (and that inevitable resolution to eat better and work out more), it’s time to chow down. It’s the perfect season, as Cindy Lou Who knows, for roast beast.

Thanksgiving dish as early as the 1800s.

Ham The word ham comes from the Old English ham or hom, meaning the bend of the knee, fitting since it refers to a leg of pork. People have been eating ham almost as long as there have been people and pigs; even the ancient Romans had a recipe. Hams can be dry cured in salt, wet cured in a brine or smoked. Usually, in the U.S., hams for holiday consumption are baked in a sweet outer coating, sometimes of honey or brown sugar.

roast among the Irish, as beef was dear and it was a holiday treat.

Prime rib is made by slow-roasting the meat on the primal rib and then portioning it after cooking, whereas ribeye steaks are what you get when you cut it before cooking.

Roasted Goose

In Germany, roasted geese often sit on the Christmas table, and the birds are also popular in England.

Roasted Turkey We start off, much like the holThey are usually seasoned with iday season, with roasted turkey. apples, sweet chestnuts, prunes Turkeys are a New World food and and onions, along with mugwort were eaten by ancient peoples in or marjoram. They can be served the Americas for centuries before alongside potatoes and other root European conquerors brought turvegetables roasted in the goose fat, keys back home with them. Turkey Prime Rib which has a high smoking point This is a cut of beef from the pri- and thus makes these veggies nice was eaten in England as early as mal rib containing anywhere from the 16th century and, during the and crisp.

17th century, turkey became a com- two to seven ribs. Ribeye steaks Goose itself is a dark meat with mon Christmastide food in Britain. are also cut from the standing ribs. an intense flavor that’s not akin to Prime rib is a traditional Christmas turkey or chicken.

In the U.S., turkey was a common

Nothing’s better on a freezing day that a nice, warm mug of something sweet. And even better if it has a kick.

Here are a few toasty recipes guaranteed to bring the holiday cheer to your party.

Hot Lemon Tea With Charred Oranges 3/4 cup honey 1 cup fresh lemon juice 3 thyme sprigs 2 cinnamon sticks 3 star anise 4 small oranges, cut in half

Directions

2 cups pomegranate juice 2 cups apple cider 1/2 cup orange juice 2 cinnamon sticks 3 star anise 2 slices of orange 10-12 whole cloves

Directions 1. In a large saucepan, pour in wine, juice, apple cider and orange juice. Add the cinnamon sticks and star anise.

2. Pull whole cloves through the slices of orange and add to the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate

1. Combine the bourbon, 2 cups milk chocolate chips honey, lemon juice, spices 1/2 cup caramels, unwrapped and two cups of water in a 4 cups milk medium saucepan. Cook over 2 cups heavy cream medium-low heat until just 1 teaspoon vanilla warm, 10-15 minutes.

1 / 2 teaspoon fine sea salt 2. Grill or broil orange Directions halves until charred, 1-2 min1. Add all the ingredients utes. Serve the drinks and except the sea salt to a slow top with charred oranges. cooker. Cook on low for two hours. Stir until the ingrediMulled Wine ents melt completely. Add the 750 milliliters merlot sea salt and stir, then serve.

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HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

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Gift Giving STAFF REPORT Gift Giving Gift giving is now an integral part of how we celebrate the holidays in the U.S. There are different strategies for different families.

Some people exchange names and everyone gets one present. Some people only give to children. Still other families encourage the giving of small gifts and necessary items, while others blow it out with extravagant giving.

No matter how your family gifts, there’s always a new way to enjoy this holiday tradition. Here are some ways you and yours can up your gifting game.

Donations For families who love to give back and for recipients who have everything, consider a monthly or yearly donation. Does your person love sloths? Sponsor a sloth and get them regular updates on how their creature is doing.

Look for organizations that support causes near and dear to your recipient’s heart and do your homework. Make sure the charity you’re considering spends their money wisely by using websites such as Charity Navigator.

Services Everyone appreciates the gift of time. By giving

prepaid services, such as car detailing or lawn care, you’re giving your loved ones that time back. You may also be treating them to a luxury they wouldn’t normally pay for themselves.

Other services to consider: Spa treatments, pet care and boarding, meal delivery and grocery delivery. And don’t forget to add in the customary tip for your area for these service providers.

Subscription Services Sure, there’s the baconof-the-month club, but subscription services and boxes have gotten a lot more sophisticated. Now you can find a customizable subscription for just about anyone and anything under the sun. Look for boxes for pet lovers, fashionistas, beauty products and even spices. You can also consider paying for a whole year of their favorite streaming media service.

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An Experience One thing that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic is a tendency to value experiences over things.

Consider giving your loved ones the gift of an unforgettable experience. It doesn’t have to be a trip out of the country, either. If you have an animal lover to buy for this year, look at getting them a backstage trip to a local zoo or aquarium.

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Find the perfect gifts and souvenirs this holiday season at our gift shop!

Monday: 8:30 AM - 6 PM Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 8 PM Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 6 PM Thursday: 8:30 AM - 6 PM Friday: 8:30 AM - 6 PM Saturday: 9:00 AM - 2 PM Sunday: CLOSED

Visit our gift shop to find the f h his holiday season!

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HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

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Choosing a Christmas Tree Putting up the tree is a great memory for many families.

Now, there are lots to choose from, well beyond live tree or faux. But fear not, we’re here to help you find the perfect tannenbaum for your family’s holiday celebrations.

decorations; it should have a few empty spaces to show off your cherished baubles.

Find one with a straight trunk to avoid complications getting it in the tree stand and it should be fresh. Check for freshness by breaking a needle in half with your fingers. A fresh fir will snap; fresh pines should bend without breaking.

Live

Reusable Trees

Nothing smells quite like a live Christmas tree. If you choose to go the live route, know that your local Christmas tree vendor may have several varieties from which to choose. Get a tree suited to your family. If you have little hands (or paws) around, pick a tree with softer needles.

Look for a tree that’s not so full that you can’t festoon it with

If bringing a live tree indoors isn’t your thing, the fake trees are getting more fancy every year.

The needles look more real and, just like everything else, even Christmas trees are more tech savvy. There are trees you can control with your digital assistant, that will sync their lights to music and that are controlled by remotes. Take that, disco tinsel

STAFF REPORT Choosing a Christmas Tree

tree.

When you’re done with your tree for the year, take it down and store it according to the manufacturer’s directions. If your tree is technologically advanced, this may mean considering storing it in a climate controlled closet or other space to avoid damage.

Recycling Your Trees Once the season’s over, it’s time to responsibly recycle your live trees. Many cities and towns will offer a service to mulch your tree for you, or sometimes there’s a drive to create fish and wetlands habitat using old Christmas trees. Look into the recycling programs offered in your area and choose the one that works best for you. Whatever you do, don’t just put it into the trash.

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Wednesday, November 24, 2021

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

Making Ornaments STAFF REPORT Making Ornaments Some of the best holiday memories are hands-on holiday memories. Baking cookies and cakes, wrapping presents, and, this year, making your own ornaments.

Keep reading to find out how to start this fun holiday tradition for your own family.

Mini Walnut Reindeer

FILE PHOTO

Consider donating to your local animal shelter.

Make your own fleet of tiny reindeer. Start with a walnut, in the shell, and drill a small hole through the top. Glue on googly eyes, a red pompom nose, and felt ears to finish it off. Run a piece of twine through the hole in the walnut and you’ve got your own Rudolph.

Use your imagination and make more reindeer with bows, sparkly noses and more. The only limit is your local craft store’s inventory.

Giving Back STAFF REPORT Giving Back

1 cup salt, ½ cups warm water — then roll it out Use clear glass or plastic and get to cutting. Use balls and tiny bits of ripped Christmas themed cookie up tissue paper. Affix the cutters and don’t forget tissue to the ornament to find some way to get using glossy Mod Podge, those little thumbprints in then tie a ribbon through there for the best memothe cap. Use different colries. Use a straw to poke ors and layers for texture, a hole through the top for or go all out and make a hanging, then bake at 300 whole scene. See who can degrees for about an hour. make the most creative Cool before handling. ornaments this year.

Decoupaged Tissue Ornaments

Salt Dough Ornaments Wooden Bead Snowmen These are a Christmas classic. Mix up a batch of salt dough — 4 cups flour,

These won’t melt away, but you might from the

sweetness. Paint three wooden craft beads (any size will do, it depends on how big you want your snowmen) with white craft paint and allow to dry. Thread a piece of twine through the beads and knot it to hold them together. Attach black gem mini gems or beads for the buttons and eyes, then snip orange felt and attach it for a carrot nose. Attach two twigs for arms and, if you’d like, a felt hat. Feel free to personalize your snowmen and date each ornament.

The holiday season is a great time to be thankful for what we have.

One way to put into sharp focus all we have to be grateful for is to schedule some time to give back to others.

Remember you may not just be able to walk in and volunteer; giving back may take some planning. Some places require training before you can work your first volunteer shift, so take that into account.

Here are some ways to work volunteering into your family’s holiday traditions.

Hospitals and Nursing Homes These are great places to volunteer all year round, but especially during the holidays, when people may be stranded in hospitals or nursing homes on their own. Ask the hospitals if you can visit with patients that haven’t gotten any visitors lately. Bring a deck of cards or other games and keep them chatting while you’re there.

Homeless Shelters Some things you may be able to do are cook and serve meals, pack up toiletries, toys and clothes to hand out, or help

entertain children during their stay at the shelter. Consider rounding up your friends and family to bring donations in, too. Look at your area’s domestic violence shelters, too. Incidents of abuse tend to spike along with holiday stress, and these organizations can quickly become overwhelmed with some of a community’s most vulnerable residents.

Delivering Meals Find local organizations that deliver meals and groceries to the home bound, and offer to make deliveries or do the shopping for these organizations. You can also help wrap gifts that these groups sometimes give out at Christmas or collect and distribute non-perishable foods.

Animal Shelters Don’t forget the four-legged friends, too. Collect donations for your local animal shelter, then volunteer to walk or play with the pets spending the holidays there to take the strain off of shelter staff.

Your input could also help a lonely pet find their home for the holidays.

If your family is staying around the house, you could also consider being a foster family and letting a shelter pet rest and relax in your home.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

Mountain Times Publications • Page 7

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Wednesday, November 24, 2021

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

How to support small businesses this holiday season The holiday season is an important one for small businesses every year, and it figures to take on heightened importance in 2021. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 over the last two years hit small businesses especially hard, with many being forced to close their facilities to customers in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading. Estimates regarding the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on small businesses varied, but many small business owners were forced to let go employees as they confronted steep declines in revenue. A ZenBusiness survey of more than 1,000 small business founders, senior managers and decision makers found that 37 percent of small businesses that employ between 11 and 25 people were considering laying off more than one-fifth of their workforce.

As small businesses face difficult challenges, it’s no surprise that many consumers want to support locally owned small businesses this holiday season. Such support not only can help small businesses, but also can help to revitalize

local communities.

Shop online. Online shopping has traditionally been dominated by big box retailers. However, many small businesses increased their e-commerce capabilities to generate revenue. Shoppers

concerned about shopping in person this holiday season should explore the delivery and curbside pickup options available at locally owned small businesses. Even businesses that have not traditionally been allowed to deliver, such as breweries and wineries, have been able to do so during the outbreak, giving consumers unlimited online shopping options.

Purchase gift cards. Gift cards take the guesswork out of holiday shopping, and such cards are easily shipped or even emailed to loved ones. That’s a significant benefit during the 2021 holiday season, when delivery times are expected to be lengthy. Gift cards to local businesses simplify holiday shopping, support small businesses and help shoppers avoid potential delivery delays.

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Roan Mountain, TN 543 E. Elk Avenue, Elizabethton Tues - Sat 11-6 • 423-213-5039

Call for Hours Newland, NC

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Share your experience.

Word-of-mouth is vital to small businesses at any time, and can be especially valuable as these companies try to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak. Holiday shoppers can share their experiences with local businesses via social media. Share information about the lengths local small businesses have gone to in regard to safety measures, order fulfillment and their delivery and pickup efforts. Such sharing may compel neighbors and friends to follow your lead and provide vital support to local businesses in need this holiday season. Small businesses are the backbone of many communities, and the holiday season provides a great opportunity to support such firms as they look to recover from a difficult period.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Mountain Times Publications • Page 9

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

Unique holiday recipes Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie 1 homemade or store-bought pie crust 1 stick of butter 1 cup of sugar 1/4 cup of cornstarch 1 cup of milk 1 cup of cream (half and half) 1 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

and reserve the scraps. Stack the pancakes, filling the layers with the sweetened condensed milk filling. Ice the top and sides of the cake with any remaining filling. Coat the cake with the left over crumbs. Chill overnight and enjoy.

3 tbsp. of honey 1 cup of butter cubed 1 tbsp. baking soda 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cans of sweetened condensed milk

In a saucepan, submerge 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk in water and bring to a boil.

Cook for 2 hours, adding water as necessary.

Remove cans, and allow them to sit and cool till they reach room temperature. With an electric Cover pie crust edges with foil and blind beater, whip 1/2 cup of butter and slowly add 1 1 /2 cans of the sweetened condensed caramel bake at 425° for 15 minutes, till crust is lightly browned. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and butter mixture until it forms a creamy icing consistency. Chill mixture. in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once Whisk eggs and sugar while adding in honey combined, add in liquids and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and stir for 1-2 minutes, till mixture and the remaining butter in a double boiler.

Once mixture reaches a smooth consistency, add thickens. Pour the filling mixture into pie shell, in baking soda and whisk for another 30 sectop with nutmeg, and bake for an additional 15 onds. Remove from heat and slowly incorporate minutes at 375°. the flour. Divide the dough in 5-7 portions and Medovik (Russian Honey Cake) make a large thin pancake with each portion.

Place each pancake on a greased baking sheet 3 eggs and cook at 350° for 5 minutes.

1 cup of sugar Trim the pancakes, making them uniform,

Draniki (Potato Latkes) 5 large potatoes 1 egg 2 tbsp. of flour 1 tsp. of salt 1 tsp. of black pepper

Wash and peel 5 large potatoes. Shred the washed and peeled potatoes into a large bowl.

Use cheese cloth or paper towels to remove excess moisture from the potatoes. To the grated potatoes add the egg, flour, and salt and pepper.

Mix well.

Heat oil in a skillet (deep enough to fry with).

Drop golfball sized pancakes into the oil, and flatten with a spatula. Cook for 3 minutes on each side, or till golden brown. Replenish oil as needed. Top with sour cream and fresh dill.

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HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Mountain Times Publications • Page 11

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

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Page 12 • Mountain Times Publications

Choose & Cut

Christmas Tree Farm

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE

2021 Snowy Mountain Christmas Shop & Sweets Hours: Monday-Saturday 10AM-6PM Open Thanksgiving Day! Hours Change Beginning the day after Thanksgiving: Monday-Saturday, 9AM-7PM Sunday 1PM-6PM Christmas shop features Christmas Decorations • Homemade Sweets • Coffee Shop • Ice Cream Treats Located on Hwy 221, Crossnore, NC 828-737-9313 www.snowymountainchristmasshopandsweets.com

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