Smart Living Rockford - December 15, 2022

Christmas Hope

SomethingI’ve been pondering lately:

The “reason for the season” is the birth of Jesus Christ, but the meaning of Christmas can change from person to person.

I cringe to admit that when I was a kid, all I cared about was receiving presents. Between my grandparents, multiple aunts and uncles, and of course, “Santa Claus,” I’d always receive quite the haul. I remember something changing around age 10, when my elementary school had its first “Christmas sale.” Booths were set up all around the gymnasium for students to shop at, and I carefully selected a small gift for each of my immediate family members. I had maybe a dollar left over, so I used it to buy a candle for my grandma.

Let’s be clear, that candle was no taller than 2 inches. In terms of glitz and glam, it was a pretty lame gift.

But on Christmas Day, my grandma was so touched. She didn’t expect anything from me, and even though it was just a 2-inch-tall candle, she became emotional. That Christmas was a game-changer for me.

It’s easy to get caught up in the commercialism of Christmas. According to Gallup, consumers estimate they will spend an average of $932 on gifts this year. Thinking about the ramifications of this on the environment sends me into a tailspin. In terms of faith vs. materialism, it feels like the latter is dominating when it comes to “the meaning of Christmas.”

What gives me hope, however, is the “reason for the season” has never changed. This is a holiday rooted in someone’s humble birth in a barn. Whether you’re Christian or not, it’s almost comical to think about. The Savior was probably 5 feet away from manure, just saying.

I think to most of us, Christmas means putting others’ happiness before ourselves. Oftentimes, that looks like buying a whole bunch of presents. But maybe we should ease up a bit and focus more on doing what the Messiah did... returning light to a dark world, in whatever small ways we can. Wishing you a wonderful season,

Lindsey Lukas Senior Editor

Smart Living Live December

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The Christmas Story

The following is a portion of the Christmas Story from Luke chapter 2. Give yourself the gift of some quiet time this holiday to contemplate the greatest gift of all.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told ... ❚

-Janine Pumilia

Your Last-Minute Local Gift Guide

By NWQ Staff

If you’re like most of us at Smart Living, you probably aren’t done with your holiday shopping just yet. There’s no need to panic-buy something expensive online when these local businesses have got your back. The following shops in our region have excellent products and customer service to help you purchase meaningful gifts for everyone left on your list.

640 Meats

6410 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park, (815) 633-9443, 640meats.com

Independent, locally owned butcher shop and deli with a wide selection of meats, side dishes and other savory eatables.

Eurostyle +

510 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 222-7384

Stylish women’s clothing imported di-

rectly from Europe, with brands that include Mat, Rimini, Twister and Yoek.

Flower Girls

102 N. Elida St., Winnebago, (815) 335-2787, thoseflowergirls.com

A flower shop that also offers flower arrangement classes.

Gustafson’s Furniture and Mattress

6651 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 636-8608, gustafsonfurniture.com

A family-owned furniture store with a showroom featuring over 100,000 square

feet of home furnishings and more than 1,000 mattresses in stock.

Barnstormer Distillery 6969 S. Main St., Rockford, (815) 269-4069, barnstormerdistillery.com A farm distillery that grows many of its own ingredients to create delicious and unique whiskeys, vodkas, rums and moonshines.

Lallygag Boutique

4616 E. State St., Rockford, (608) 345-7802

Women’s clothing boutique that specializes in comfortable yet chic women’s fashion, accessories and gifts.

Lucky Quilt Company

516 Main St., Pecatonica, (815) 239-1026, luckyquiltcompany.com

Quilting supply shop that carries a variety of fabrics, kits and quilting supplies. Also offers classes and retreats. Official seller of Janome sewing machines.

Porch

3065 N. Perryville Road, Rockford,

(815) 282-8881, porchboutique.com

This store offers a one-of-a-kind selection of jewelry, home decor, garden art, baby gifts, bath products and candles.

The 3R’s Learning Materials Center 5388 Williams Dr., Roscoe, (815) 270-0406

Family-owned store that specializes in educational materials, toys and games for children.

ReTool

3622 E. State St., Rockford, (815) 398-4900, rockfordretool.com

A one-stop shop for do-it-yourselfers

and professional contractors. Buys, sells and trades new and used hand and power tools.

Shine 6730 Broadcast Pkwy., Loves Park, (815) 977-4332, shinelovespark.com

Boutique offering gifts, jewelry, décor, and everyday-use items. Also has the area’s largest selection of Polish pottery.

Zavius Jewelers

2636 McFarland Road, Rockford, (815) 654-4000, zavius.com

Jewelry store that specializes in customdesigned, handmade original pieces of wearable art. ❚

Smart Living Live December 2022

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Living at Home for as Long as Possible

By Peggy Werner

Elderly people wanting to live at home for as long as possible need to be their own advocate, long before other family members see a need to take over decision making, says Lucretia Ristin, co-owner with Mark Podemski of Comfort Keepers, 4855 E. State St., Rockford. The company also has a Freeport office, both of which serve patients in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.

“People should be thinking about their care options long before they need help,” Ristin says. “Most of the time, we see a family member step in and take charge because their loved one seems to be losing their ability to be independent.

By the time the kids take over for their parents, it’s too late. If a parent is being realistic about their needs and is making plans for the future, others are less likely to interfere.”

Being realistic means knowing what you need, whether from growing older, being temporarily or chronically ill, growing tired of the workload, feeling lonely or depressed, or losing interest in self-care, Ristin says.

Comfort Keepers’ caregivers assist people with all non-medical needs such as light housekeeping, meal preparation, companionship, bathing, grooming, mobility assistance, bathroom needs, laundry, and transportation to appointments, shopping, events and more.

Caregivers work full time or part time and have to pass an extensive background check, drug test, and show they are caring and empathetic individuals,

Ristin says. Plans at Comfort Keepers within the next year include opening an office in Janesville, Wis., and adding private duty nursing to their services.

Right now, Comfort Keepers has a plethora of caregivers who are ready to help.

For more information, go to comfortkeepers.com or call (815) 229-9100. ❚

Entertainment & Events

RAM: Midwestern Biennial Thru Jan. 30, Thur.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The latest iteration of this recurring display draws together a juried selection of works by Rockford and regional artists. Rockford Art Museum, 711 N. Main St., (815) 968-2787, rockfordartmuseum.com.

Forest City Swing Dec. 15, basic swing lesson 7-7:45 p.m.; open dancing to DJ music, 7:45-10:30 p.m. A fun place for people of all ages to enjoy dance. Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 2001 N. Alpine Road, Rockford, (815) 399-3171.

BJSO: ‘The Nutcracker’ Dec. 16-18, Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 2 p.m. Beloit Janesville Symphony, 444 E. Grand Ave., Beloit, (608) 313-1200, beloitjanesvillesymphony.org.

Holiday Pop-Up Market

Dec. 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Find last-minute holiday gifts and enjoy live music. Rockford Indoor City Market, 116 N. Madison St., Rockford, rockfordcitymarket.com.

RSO: Holiday Pops

Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m. Features favorite holiday classics. Coronado Performing Arts Center, 314 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 965-0049, rockfordsymphony.com.

Winter Wonderland Dec. 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. It’s like winter without the cold at Discovery Center’s new indoor Sock Skating Rink. Discovery Center Museum, 711 N. Main St., Rockford, (815) 963-6769, discoverycentermuseum.org.

Countdown to Fun

Dec. 31, noon-4 p.m. It’s always midnight somewhere, so count down to the new year while enjoying a midnight celebration every hour, on the hour. Discovery Center Museum, Rockford, (815) 963-6769, discoverycentermuseum.org.

Open Mic Poetry Slam

Jan. 17, 6-8 p.m. The format is an open mic followed by a poetry slam. Open mic performance must be original works under 10 minutes. The top three poets will advance to

the second round. New performers are welcome. The event repeats on the third Tuesday of every month. Rockford Public Library, Hart Interim Library, 214 N. Church St., Rockford, (815) 965-7606 rockfordpubliclibrary.org.

‘The Book of Mormon’ Jan. 20, 8 p.m. Coronado Performing Arts Center, Rockford, (815) 968-5222, coronadopac.org. ❚

Count down to the new year every hour, on the hour, on Dec. 31 from noon-4 p.m. at the Discover Center Museum, in Rockford.