Sasee Magazine - December 2016 by Strand Media Group

December 2016

May your walls know joy; may every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility. Mary Anne Radmacher-Hershey

who’s who Volume 15, Issue 12

December 2016

Publisher Delores Blount

Sales & Marketing Director Susan Bryant

Editor

Leslie Moore

Account Executives Amanda Kennedy-Colie Erica Schneider Gay Stackhouse

Art Director

Patrick Sullivan

Graphic Artist Stephanie Holman

Photographer & Graphic Artist Aubrey Plum

Making

Gifts Merry Galore!

Featured A Surprise for Tiddles by Marsha Tennant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 I Want a Really Real Christmas Tree by Lynn Ingram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Queen’s English by Diane DeVaughn Stokes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Oh Christmas Tree by Jeffery Cohen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The Photo Gift by Diane Stark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Waiting for Christmas by Rose Ann Sinay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The Christmas Pickle by Sally Gosen Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Tree by Jean Matthew Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

In This Issue

Read It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 A Joyful Spirit: Diane Blake, Myrtle Beach Estates by Leslie Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Southern Snaps: Community & the Arts, Barbara Streeter & Dennis Stevens by Leslie Moore . . . 18 Merry and Bright: Eileen Cyrus, Just Because IYQ by Leslie Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Sasee Takes a Look: Carolina Forest and Conway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Making Merry Gifts Galore Gift Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 December Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Kids Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Web Developer Scott Konradt

Accounting Kristy Rollar

Administrative & Creative Coordinator Celia Wester

Executive Publishers Jim Creel Bill Hennecy Suzette Rogers

PO Box 1389 Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 fax 843-626-6452 • phone 843-626-8911 www.sasee.com • info@sasee.com Sasee is published monthly and distributed free along the Grand Strand. Letters to the editor are welcome, but could be edited for length. Submissions of articles and art are welcome. Visit our website for details on submission. Sasee is a Strand Media Group, Inc. publication.

Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material, in part or in whole, prepared by Strand Media Group, Inc. and appearing within this publication is strictly prohibited. Title “Sasee” is registered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

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Pen & Brush

readers’ comments RE: “Reaching for the Stars,” by Rose Ann Sinay

Wow! What a great narrative, infused with humor and endowed with wisdom. And yes, I remember that 8 Ball. One of my childhood pals “accidentally” dropped it after it gave her the wrong reply!

-Erika

RE: “The Six-Word Blessing,” by Janet Dopsovic Your story brought a tear. Thank God for second opinions and your son.

-Linda

RE: “Doldrums,” by Erika Hoffman

Love this essay. Life is not all sweetness and light -- a great reminder to appreciate and enjoy all the happy moments. It gives us balance and fuels us to get through those doldrums. Nice job!

letter from the editor When my children were growing up, I tried to make Christmas picture perfect. I (over) decorated the tree and the house, baked tons of goodies, scheduled family nights watching Christmas movies and specials. We did every single holiday activity I could find to do. It was mostly fun, but it was also exhausting. And, it was never perfect. The lights on the tree didn’t work, the cookies weren’t as delicious as I had hoped, and we all seemed to have different ideas of the best holiday merry making. Still, those memories of our imperfect Christmases are very dear to me now, and I wouldn’t change one single thing. I have a lot to look forward to this year – a few get-togethers with friends, visits to family and, best of all, my daughter and family will be here. Seeing my granddaughters might be the best gift of all! And I know it won’t be perfect. But, I plan to enjoy and appreciate every moment of my beautifully imperfect holiday season. As we close 2016, I want to thank you, dear reader, for continuing to read and support Sasee – if something you read in these pages inspires you or makes your day a little brighter, we have succeeded! The Sasee team has been busy working on 2017 issues and they are going to be fabulous. I can’t wait to share all that we have planned!

RE: “Letter from the Editor,” by Leslie Moore

-Rose Ann

Thank you for your kind words. I have always loved to read and have several books going at once. I never leave home without a book or two in my purse! I am beyond grateful to be a part of the Sasee team and the Sasee Facebook Book Club has been a lot of fun. I look forward to discussing great reads with fellow book lovers!

-Nicole

Cover Artist

Karen tarlton

Angel Blessings, by Karen Tarlton

Contemporary California Impressionist painter Karen Tarlton paints oil paintings with a unique sense of color, texture and light. With loose strokes and bold use of color, she brings a unique perspective to the contemporary art world. Her paintings are a visual journey that allow the essence of her subject matter to come to life. She creates lively, engaging, colorful art, and her work is widely collected worldwide. Karen is a mother and a military wife of 28 years. She is a UC Davis graduate and studied at the Corcoran School of Fine Art in DC and workshops across the country. As of 2002, she has been creating a new painting almost every day. Landscapes, cityscapes and boat-filled harbors become illuminated by majestic, textured light, and she is well known for her colorful angel paintings, for their energy, intimacy and brilliant color. Prints and new original oil paintings can be found in her Etsy shop: Karen Tarlton Fine Art Original Oil Paintings impasto by Karensfineart.

Many blessings and best wishes for a beautifully imperfect holiday season!

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A Surprise for Tiddles by Marsha Tennant

There was snow on the ground, a chill in the air and Tiddles was snug in her stall on that Christmas Eve. My daughter, Alice, belonged to a Pony Club and they were excited that a new foal would soon be on the way. Just like a similar scenario thousands of years before, the exact moment and conditions could not be planned. New life has its own timeline.

just settled in for the night after last minute preparations for the next morning. After a few frantic calls back and forth the girls decided they had to be there for Tiddles. Of course that meant parents had to get up, get dressed and drive them out to the rural barn. No one could sleep after the news that Tiddles was going to be a mom.

The weeks leading up to Christmas Eve were busy at Meadow Creek Farm where most of the girls’ horses were boarded. This was a tight group of teens. They spent more time mucking stalls and taking riding lessons than thinking about boys – although they did that, too! The commitment for such a large animal could not be taken lightly. Each stall was decorated for the holidays and care was given to make sure that the horses were safe.

Within an hour we were all back at the barn. It was cold, and our breath was visible as we emerged from our cars. The owner of the barn had the coffee on in the tack room, and a big thermos of hot chocolate was ready for the girls. We did not know how long we would be out there. We did know that no one would leave.

Everyone gathered in the warm tack room late Christmas Eve afternoon. The girls exchanged gifts and made sure they had completed what needed to be done before heading home to their own family celebrations. They agreed on a time to meet back at the barn Christmas afternoon. Tiddles was given extra attention to make sure her swelling body was comfortable, and it was ok to leave for the night. Her “due date” was still days away. A foal shower was planned for her in the coming days. It was all perfect timing since the girls were out for winter break. Two weeks to hang out at the barn and welcome the new arrival. Everyone hugged, kissed Tiddles, patted her belly and headed home. Just before midnight, Holly, Tiddles’ owner, called the girls to say that Tiddles was in labor. The equine vet was there, and he did not think it would be long before she would deliver. We had

Tiddles was a first time mom so she was nervous and restless. She was in the double stall to allow her to pace about as her labor intensified. It would also serve as a nursery when the little one arrived. Her low groans reminded the Pony Club moms of our own experiences, and we passed the time sharing a few funny memories. There was an unspoken understanding between animal and human. Some of us even offered Tiddles advice – “just push girl...breathe.” And it did not go unnoticed that our girls were experiencing the miracle of birth in the most natural and organic setting. This was an unexpected gift for all of us. While we were sharing this moment the Pony Club dads were all huddled in the corner, not sure what to do. We didn’t miss that observation either. The vet was accurate with his ETA for delivery. After only a few hours, Tiddles began to make a bed of hay, piling it up and arranging it as though she had done this before. Her instincts were taking over. She walked around the straw manger she had created and then settled down on her

side. We were all so excited and began talking to her with encouraging words. The girls were wide-eyed as we all peered through the stall bars. The vet asked us to be quiet while he began assisting Tiddles in the birth process. It began to snow harder, and we could see the flakes coming down at a rapid pace. It looked so cold outside, but inside the barn we were radiating a glow of wonder and anticipation. The Pony Club girls and moms were embracing one another and keeping each other warm. And then, almost in the blink of an eye, the new life appeared. Tiddles turned her head as the vet spoke to her with reassuring words. Then he said, “Well, Tiddles, looks like you have a filly!” The entire barn broke out in cheers. Moms, dads and girls all laughed and congratulated the new mom! It was a happy moment for everyone. A healthy newborn is always a blessing and reason for celebration. We settled down and realized that it was now early Christmas morning. One of the moms began to hum Away in a Manger. We all joined in. There were tears and smiles with no words necessary for the irony of this moment.

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The girls gathered around Holly and were all asking at the same time what the filly’s name was. Holly was standing at the stall door looking at the new arrival. After a few minutes she looked out at all of us and said…. “Her name is Merry Christmas.”

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–Read It!– Nicole Says…Read

Lowcountry Bordello

(Liz Talbot Series #4) By Susan M. Boyer Review by Nicole McManus 10

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Private Investigator Liz Talbot is gearing up for her wedding and the holiday season. However, when her bridesmaid Olivia calls, panicking that she has found a dead body in the local bordello, chaos is bound to ensue, especially since it seems the body has gone missing. With the help of Nate, her fiancé and business partner, and Colleen, her ghostly friend, Liz has to expertly weave through police matters, in-laws, traditions and a vivacious, elderly madam. Will Liz be able to make it down the aisle or will this case wreck everything? Stella Maris is a quaint island near Charleston, South Carolina. The island is filled with Southern charm and the residents are a quirky bunch. Susan M. Boyer has created a delightful cozy mystery series, filled with laughter, ghosts and family drama. Liz Talbot will become readers’ new best friend, as she deals with antics, while trying to keep her friend out of jail. Readers will surely fall for this fast-paced, Christmas-themed, murder mystery book.

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Although this is the fourth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone story. I am normally a stickler for reading a series in order, but I haven’t read the other books… yet! Susan Boyer covers every intricate detail in her writing, so the story comes alive. I felt like I was finally visiting the part of Charleston that everyone raves about. I enjoyed the fact that the main character is confident and reliable for her friends, while balancing wedding preparations and a crazy case involving a bridesmaid. I did keep a notepad handy to help keep the crazy cast of characters straight, but reading this book felt like a fun ride. I look forward to discovering more works by Susan M. Boyer.

Nicole McManus Nicole McManus loves to read, to the point that she is sure she was born with a book in her hands. She writes book reviews in the hopes of helping others find the magic found through reading. Contact her at ARIESGRLREVIEW.COM.

A Joyful Spirit by Leslie Moore

Diane Blake: Myrtle Beach Estates What merry making activity do you look forward to the most during the holiday season? Baking cookies with my mom – we bake every year. She has done this for her family all my life. We call it the cookie factory! Her cookies are fabulous…so much so she had to hide them to keep my little brother from eating them before Christmas. She hid them…he found them. So she tried freezing them. He decided he could heat one up by putting in the toaster. Unfortunately, it caught on fire! BUSTED! Finally, she loaded them all up into a cupboard and put a padlock on it! He still loves her cookies. I am also excited for my family to be able to be together. Having a blended family means respecting the needs of the kids to have good contact with their other parent and family. So often we don’t celebrate on a specific day…we have the holiday whenever we are all able to be together. This has helped our two grown kids not feel like they are in a tug of war between their parents. We also have two grandbabies under two years old…so more sharing of the joy of the season. I really enjoy decorating the tree with the residents of Myrtle Beach Estates. We all do it together and have treats – it feels like one big happy family making more memories. I also love singing Christmas carols together; although I can’t really sing, no one seems to mind! My other favorite tradition is to watch, It’s a Wonderful Life. Do you prefer a real tree or an artificial one? Tell us about your decorations. I like real trees but use an artificial one. When I was little we went through four real trees before Christmas as they kept getting too dry and were a fire hazard.

I love Santa Claus decorations, plus I also love the snow village. When I lived in Chicago, I had a large tree in each of five rooms. One tree had my Christmas village, one was decorated with

ornaments made by our kids, one held my keepsake ornaments that date back 45 years, one was a collection of other ornaments, and the final tree was in the family room in the basement, decorated in burgundy and gold. I also have a collection of Santas, and they sat on each stair throughout the house. My husband would put out holiday lights on our big two-story house. He would climb a big ladder, and I would watch to make sure he didn’t fall off! And we always had a big party for our closest friends, which we thoroughly loved! How can we make the holidays brighter for our senior relative and friends, especially those who live in senior living facilities? Visit them. Bring young people. A simple card, a hug or a special treat all make our residents feel merry for the holidays. Our loved ones with Alzheimer’s or dementia enjoy decorations, music, little parties, small gifts, something to do like a little hand puzzle, pictures of family members, a lap blanket, a pretty decoration for their door…and most importantly lots of hugs, smiles and joy. What fun holiday activities do you have planned for the residents of Myrtle Beach Estates? Tree decorating, baking cookies and our Golden Girls will be doing a singing performance. We have special meals, snacks and holiday movies with popcorn. I always enjoy “Time with Diane” where we talk about our holiday memories. At Myrtle Beach Estates, we make the holidays fun with Christmas crafts, Christmas manicures and a Christmas service. We will be keeping everyone busy and jolly as we enjoy this wonderful season. Myrtle Beach Estates is located at 3620 Happy Woods Court in Myrtle Beach. Contact Diane at by calling 877-931-1417 or visit www.capitalsenior.com/myrtlebeachestates.

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I Want a Really Real Christmas Tree by Lynn Ingram

I know they’re convenient and reusable and some of them look pretty real. Some of them even smell real.

Nevertheless, I am philosophically opposed to artificial Christmas trees. If God had intended us to have aluminum and plastic trees, He’d have planted them. When it comes to Christmas decorations, I want real things. Real glossy green magnolia on my mantel, wreaths fashioned of real cedar and real pine and real holly with red berries. That last bit is no small feat, as hungry birds have de-berried most of my trees. Most importantly, I want a real live Christmas tree. I want needles all over the carpet and sap that sticks to my fingers. I want my house filled with that wonderful scent that is only truly available from a freshly-cut evergreen. When I was a kid, we cut our Christmas tree from a big field of cedars that grew beside our house. To me, those cedars were perfect, the quintessential Christmas trees. I thought spruces and firs were awfully naked-looking because they didn’t have branches in all the places that those cedars did. As a young adult, having set up my own housekeeping, far away from my cedar field, the prospect of actually paying money for a Christmas tree was an assault upon my sensibilities. Buying a Christmas tree felt as foreign as putting syrup in grits. I’m wedded to visions of Christmases of yesteryear, like those on Currier & Ives Christmas cards. I still think acquiring a Christmas tree ought to involve a saw, a trudge through snow, a search for the perfect specimen and a triumphant dragging of the tree back home – where, of course, steaming mugs of hot chocolate await (made with Hershey’s cocoa, thank you very much; none of that Swiss Miss packet stuff for me). Sigh. Big, sorrowful sigh. It is sadly true that

where there are no trees available to be cut down, one must purchase a tree if one intends to have a place to hang the cranberry-and-popcorn strings. (Yes, I do make them – every single year – with real cranberries and real popcorn, popped in a pot on the stove, the way God intended.) Not long ago, I decided to get a really real Christmas tree, as in one that was still living, that had been dug up rather than cut down. If I really had to buy a Christmas tree, I reasoned, my environmentalist, tree-hugger sensibilities would be much more satisfied if I spent money on a live tree that I could keep that way. What could possibly go wrong? For starters, the root ball on a living tree is big. Really, really big. Huge, even. What in the Sam Hill was I going to put this thing in? Ordinary tree stands were out of the question (and I thought, gleefully, so was the nerve-fraying task of screwing this screw in and that screw out trying to get the thing to stand up straight.) A friend’s offer of a five-gallon bucket seemed perfect—until I compared the bucket and the root ball. Not even close. So I went to Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has everything, right? You just have to find it. The container I needed wasn’t in the Christmas department, but I hadn’t really expected it to be. I tried housewares, imagining some enormous plastic bin big enough to hold my tree. No luck. Maybe the automotive department, something like the containers for catching oil when you change it in your car. Nope; not there either. Ah, the houseplant department! There, finally, was a sufficiently round and tall plastic pot just waiting to hold my tree. For $29.95, I bought it. Once home, however, I confronted a new problem: How was I to get the tree into the pot? I thought I’d just pick the tree up and stick it in the pot. And that was because I had not yet attempted to move that tree by myself; it had been delivered. Holy Earth Mother of Dead Dirt Weight! Evidently, Christmas trees are grown in concrete that just looks like dirt on the face of the earth. Lead may well be lighter. So I sought help, which didn’t improve things much, except there were now two stubborn souls on a mission to get that tree in the house. Determined not to be defeated – and, as it was Sunday night and no forklifts were immediately available – we shoved, dragged, kicked, heaved and hoisted the tree onto the porch. There are no Currier & Ives-inspired Christmas cards with scenes like that. Nor do any Christmas cards contain verses with language like the muttered words that accompanied the Great Moving of the Tree. Of course, now the tree needed to go into the pot, and of course, the pot wasn’t quite big enough – what did you expect? To solve that, I removed the burlap around the root ball and some of the dirt covering the roots. I ignored the little voice that suggested that the burlap and discarded dirt were meant to help keep my tree alive. Never mind: I was determined. That tree was going into the house and it was going to be decorated that night.

However: Isn’t there always a however? Removing some dirt revealed an assortment of roots that stuck out just far enough to exceed the pot’s diameter. No problem. A couple of judicious stomps with my foot shoved those right in.

Design, Sit & Order

SHOP OUT OF THE BOX WITH D.S.O. . . .

Except for that one root that resisted being shoved anywhere. Two vicious stomps persuaded the uncooperative root to join its friends inside the pot. The second vicious stomp was the one that split the plastic pot neatly down one side. Nevertheless, the tree was potted, and so into the house it went. And in just a little while, it was covered with twinkly lights and red gingham bows and popcorn-and-cranberry strings and sentimental ornaments –complete with its pine cone star at the top. It was, indeed, a lovely sight to behold. Never mind that I couldn’t water it, as the pot was now cracked, unless I wanted to soak presents and carpet. It smelled right. I had needles in the carpet that were still there when I moved from that house. I had needle pricks and sap on my fingers. I had a real tree. I did try to think of a better container that would allow me to water the tree and save its little evergreen life. Much too late, I found a galvanized washtub, just the right size. Getting that fully decorated tree out of the spit plastic pot and into that washtub was a whole nother Christmas adventure. That, dear reader, is a tale for another time. Suffice it to say that it involved several friends and copious alcohol consumption. In case you’re wondering: Yes, I planted that tree – despite the fact that when I moved it to the yard, nearly all of its needles fell right off. I was reasonably sure that didn’t bode well for the tree’s future life, but I dug a hole and planted it anyway. Have I mentioned that I can be a bit single-minded? And when I sold that house, my dead Christmas tree still stood in my front yard.

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In the interest of complete honestly, I did sneak a look at the artificial trees on sale after Christmas that year. Just a look, mind you. Or maybe two. Or three. I confess: They didn’t look that bad. You go on and buy one if you want to, and I promise not to say ugly things about you. As for me, I’m not going over to the Dark Side just yet. In my house, I’m still having the real deal – needles and sap and the heavenly scent of evergreen.

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Lynn Ingram

Lynn Ingram's writing has appeared in The Charlotte Observer, Progressive Farmer, Lake Wylie Magazine, and a number of other publications, including Cape Fear Living Magazine, for which she writes a monthly column. She teaches psychology at UNCW and sees clients in her private psychology practice in Wilmington. She has recently resumed acting at TheatreNOW, and she's on the verge of becoming an avid contra dancer.

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Community and the Arts Barbara Streeter & Dennis Stevens by Leslie Moore

Owners of Conway Glass, Barbara Streeter and her husband Eddie are known in Conway for their cultivation of the arts in their community. Located just off 12th Avenue, their thriving business has recently settled into a new location. The site is also home to two arts-related nonprofit organizations; one managed by Barbara and one managed by Barbara’s son, Dennis Stevens. Conway Glass opened in their new location in early October, shortly before Hurricane Matthew passed through our region. The front section of the charming, eclectic building was built in 1909 and was originally an oil distribution and propane business, known locally as Creel Oil & Gas Co. Another section was added in 1938 – the arched roof, brick building is both lovely and practical. Barbara, Eddie and Dennis as well as a hardworking and generous crew of friends and family spent many nights and weekends in August and September painting and remodeling the building before the move. “We hated to leave downtown Conway but, this new location is great; our customers are more comfortable and the parking makes it more convenient,” Barbara said as she showed us around. Always creative and artistic, Barbara never envisioned that she would be making art as her career. Laughing, she told me, “I wanted to be a writer and studied journalism, but when I learned how hard it was to make money writing, I took accounting classes!” In 1983 Barbara landed a job at WKDY radio in Spartanburg. The station let her do some on-air work, night time weather and sports. “My manager told me to not be nervous, no one was listening

anyway!” Shortly after, Barbara, a single mother with two children, relocated to Conway from Spartanburg to work for WLAT radio. Barbara and Eddie met in 1985, were married in 1986 and then opened Conway Glass, but both kept working while the new business grew. “Eddie worked in commercial glass, but he has always been artistic. When he had the opportunity to apprentice in the stained glass department, he found that he loved it.” When Eddie’s employer decided to get out of the stained glass business, they sold him the equipment – and that was the beginning of Conway Glass. “For four years, Eddie’s dad kept the business open while we both worked our day jobs to get the new business off the ground.” Barbara and Eddie’s exquisite glass art has become a part of Conway and surrounding communities. For those of us who look forward to Brookgreen Garden’s Nights of a Thousand Candles annual holiday event, Barbara and Eddie have something special in store. “We will have a new sculpture, an eleven-foot glass tree in Anne’s Garden to add to our sculptures from last year. We’re also adding a flower component to the reeds from last year,” Barbara told me excitedly. This talented artist is not limited to one medium. Barbara has another, completely different, project in the works – The Hyperbolic Crochet Wisteria Project. When unveiled in March 2017, it will be displayed in Balentine Public Library in Columbia. “I received this commission to do a crochet and knitted

yarn tree – it will be eleven feet tall and twelve feet wide with a wisteria theme. I have 27 crocheters and knitters working on it now,” Barbara told me. “I receive this commission to do a public art project through One Columbia, a nonprofit that places art in public spaces.” The creative drive is in all of us in some form, and those who want to learn the art of glassblowing can take classes at Conway Glass. “Eddie teaches the glass blowing classes where students learn all of the first steps of glassblowing,” Barbara explained. “They learn about the equipment, how glass is made and how color is added. Then students get to mix colors, melt it in the oven and after Eddie starts the bubble, they get to finish blowing the piece of molten glass.” All types of glass making classes are offered throughout the year, and the schedule for classes is listed on the Conway Glass website. I asked Barbara why Conway has become such a mecca for artists. “I think CCU has a lot to do with it,” she began. “Many talented art professors and artists live in the area, and a lot of art students settle here. It’s an inspiring place! We have the river and the beautiful landscape of the lowcounty.” Barbara’s son Dennis Stevens also maintains an office in the Conway Glass building where he develops and leads projects that use arts and culture as a tool to enhance the livability and the economic vitality of Horry County. Barbara is the volunteer director of Create Conway, a membership organization for artists that has been in existence since 2005, and Dennis, who is also an artist, is the president of Conway Cultural Development Corporation, a community development corporation that addresses community improvement priorities through the arts. Some of the sample projects of Create Conway and Conway Cultural Development Corporation are a public piano project, where the organizations purchased a used piano for $40 from Horry County Schools, and a team of volunteers tuned and painted it. The piano was previously on Laurel Street, often seen on the sidewalk in front of the former Conway Glass location. It now resides inside their new studio. In the future, additional pianos will be located in the cultural district that the nonprofits are developing. In April, the nonprofit groups host a popular Indie Market, and in June, in collaboration with Clemson Extension, the two organizations lead the Ag + Art Tour - a free, self-guided tour of farms and farmers markets in Horry County featuring local artisans and musicians. “I’m an artist and a designer,” began Dennis when I asked him about himself. “I also invent things that occasionally people pay for!” He told me this with a chuckle but then went on to elaborate. “I’m not a scientist, rather I’m an artist. But, one project I’m working on now is developing a new iron oxide nanoma-

Southern Snaps

terial that will have applications in enhancing the design and manufacturing of textiles.” Dennis originally led a cultural planning effort for the City of Conway in late 1990s with Mayor Greg Martin-- the outgrowth of that effort led to the establishment of Conway Cultural Development Corporation in 2015. Dennis left South Carolina for a few years, but he came back in 2013.

With a doctoral degree in Art and Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City, Dennis is naturally passionate about incorporating the arts into community economic development. As president of Conway Cultural Development, he is working with Create Conway, the South Carolina Arts Commission and community stakeholders to create a cultural district in Conway as a way to benefit both the arts and economic development in the county. “Conway Cultural Development is slowly becoming better known to people here,” Dennis began. “The boards of both arts organizations are working with an outside consultant to develop a joint strategic plan that will identify and address the needs in and through the arts in Horry County.” Dennis is determined to help make good things happen via the arts for Conway and Horry County. “The idea of using the arts as a tool for community economic development, as well as the term “creative placemaking,” are new concepts in Horry County, but these approaches have been successful in many other parts of the country.” A busy professional, Dennis also makes time for the people that mean the most to him. He visits his daughter, Ella, in New York City about every three to four weeks and also travels often to the upstate to see family and the special woman in his life. “I am building a life for myself that is fulfilling, and I am determined to push through on this important work for Horry County!” For Christmas, the Streeters, along with Dennis, will travel to the upstate to be with Barbara’s daughter, Tricia, and her three grandsons. Dennis’ daughter, Ella will fly down from New York and join the family for the celebration. Both Barbara and Dennis are excited about the future of the arts in Conway and Horry County. If you’re in town, stop by and say hello – you can be sure they’ll be present wherever the arts connect with the community to make things better! Conway Glass is located at 708 12th Avenue in Conway. Contact Barbara or Dennis at 843-248-3558 or visit www.conwayglass.com for class schedules, information about upcoming events. You can learn more about the arts-related non-profits by visiting www.createconway.org and www.conwayculture.org.

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The Queen’s English by Diane DeVaughn Stokes

You’ve got to love traveling in order to do it nowadays, and you’ve got to have patience if you travel by air, especially during the holidays. Prepare for long lines, prepare to be annoyed and always buy trip insurance, not just because you may have to cancel your trip, but also because you may miss your flight due to security measures that may detain you. My husband Chuck and I just returned from a beautiful wedding in England and for the first time in ages, there were no pitfalls. We breezed through all the usual chaos, pain-free! This was truly an exciting trip for Chuck as he has always been obsessed with English history, the War of the Roses, royalty, Henry the VIII and others like him. I always tell my mother if she ever finds me beheaded, make no mistake, Chuck did it! We spent three fabulous days in London seeing the sights, touring Westminster Abbey, enjoying live theater and just happened upon a big event in Leicester Square where they were debuting the movie Eight Days a Week, which was directed by Ron Howard. Ron, Ringo and Paul McCartney were all there for the shindig greeting well-wishers and discussing the movie! Since Chuck and I are both huge Beatle fans this was incredibly thrilling for us both. I felt like screaming just like I did in 1964! Then we toured the Cotswold’s, a bucolic area west of London with one adorable community after the other with sheep on the hills, thatched roof houses and romantic gardens everywhere we turned.

Even the community names were idyllic: Moretonin-Marsh, Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden, and Bourton-on-the-Water. Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon took us back to our high school history and English lessons. Then we headed to Oxford for four days for all the wedding activities of our beautiful niece Nikki and her handsome new husband Alex, whose family became ours immediately. They were simply incredible.

What was most amazing about this England adventure was the opportunity to learn the Queen’s English! Who could imagine that we would’ve had a problem with the language of our “mother country?” All the inflections are even different. I was an English major in college, but my recent vacation reminded me I fared better in France! Let’s start with the obvious. Most of you know that you should never discuss our state dance over there as “shag” is a dirty sex act, described to me by the groom’s mother as “worse than the f-word!” Luckily, we knew that before going over there, even though we secretly shagged at the wedding reception! And yes, the “loo” is the bathroom. But let’s chat about food for a moment since it is my favorite past time. The breakfast menus all featured “Bubble & Squeak,” and we learned that it was like a potato pancake made with cabbage and onions. Not bad actually, but I’d rather have grits saturated in butter which could not be found anywhere in England. All desserts were listed on the menu under the heading of “Puddings.” Chocolate cake was served with cream, and we were expecting ice cream, but it was actually real cream that you pour over the cake making it scrumptious. Scones and “clotted cream” were on every menu and were fabulous and decadent. And never mistake a biscuit here for a biscuit there, as theirs is a wafer pastry covered in chocolate! England is famous for its fish and chips and rightly so, as the batter is light and airy, but the fish pie, much like a pot pie, was not up our alley. Have you ever had a “Scotch egg?” Perhaps it really began in Scotland, who knows, but it was a hard boiled egg coated in loose sausage, breaded and fried. And my favorite food phase was “a cheeky spot of tea.” Yes, we foreigners had a lot to learn. We were totally in awe when our bed and breakfast host asked us if we would like a “tipple.” It sounded like fun to me, but it’s actually an after dinner, or before

bedtime, drink that we would call a “toddy!” This is the same man who asked us if we would like a little “tramp” after breakfast one morning, and little did we know he was referring to a walk around the property. But some of our phrases took on different meanings in England. Never say “that’s very interesting” to someone you are talking to, as it suggests that this conversation is totally boring and ends right here. A woman told me she had lost thirty “stone” since January. I thought it must have been a grand cleaning out of her kidneys, when she meant it was a mighty good diet. I heard a man say, referring to a joke that was told to him, that it was “arse over tit.” So I asked him what that meant, and he said, the joke was so funny it made him almost fall over. Now you know! And while on the train going from the Cotswold’s to Oxford we met a man who worked for the “Dumb Friends League,” also known as the Blue Cross which helps homeless animals. Some name, huh?

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A sign on the hotel lawn said, “Do not let your dog FOUL our lawn.” A pathway in the park had a sign that read, “Come take a Bluster!” We assumed that meant a brisk walk. “PUNTING available here” caught our attention, as it is a boat much like a large gondola with a big oar. I went into the boathouse to inquire and asked if they would like some “punters” and no one laughed. I came to find out that a “punter” was a prostitute’s client, not someone wanting to go punting. Stupid American that I am! And a more impressive correlation is that gaining pounds here is bad but in England gaining pounds is a good thing referring to money. A “row” is an argument, a “bop” is a party, a “nutter’ is a crazy person, a “toff ” is an upper class person, a “bog” is a toilet, a “hooker” plays soccer, and Lord knows don’t use the word “fanny” over there as it means vagina. I did, and it wasn’t pretty! But one phrase that has always been endearing to me was “bee’s knees.” My maternal grandfather, whose mother was from England, always said I was the bee’s knees. I had never heard anyone use that term here, but everyone uses it there. It simply means “awesome.” And that describes our vacation, and the wedding we joyously attended in England. Would I go back again? Absobloodylutely! Now that I’ve had my real English lesson, I am much more prepared to do so. Tally Ho!

Diane DeVaughn Stokes

and her husband Chuck own Stages Video Productions in Myrtle Beach. Diane is also the Host and Producer for TV show “Inside Out” as seen on HTC channel 4, and “Diane on Six” on EASY Radio. Her new book Floating On Air- A Broadcasting Love Affair is available on amazon.com.

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Oh, Christmas Tree by Jeffery Cohen

While we cleared the table of the Thanksgiving Day dishes, scores of small empty lots around town were being transformed into tiny makeshift pine forests. Strings of white bulbs stretched overhead mapping out their perimeters as lumber-jacketed men unloaded bundles of freshly cut Canadian and Frazier firs from trucks, then untied and lined them up in orderly rows. As we watched these evergreens rise from what seemed like every street corner, my brothers and I began to feel Christmas drawing near. For days we followed my father around the house repeating the same question. “When are we going to pick out a tree?” My Dad’s answer was always the same. “What’s the hurry? We haven’t even finished all of the turkey from Thanksgiving.” And though we begged and pleaded every hour on the hour, he would not be moved. “Don’t worry. We’ll get to it,” he promised. That’s when we decided to recruit my mother, who always proved to be our best ally. “You know, we shouldn’t wait until the last minute when all of the best trees are already taken,” she said. “Don’t worry. There are plenty of trees for everyone,” my Dad nodded, his head cocked to one side, listening to the football game on the radio. Mom tried again the next day. “Maybe we should go look for a tree while the weather’s nice, and it’s still warm out.” “Don’t worry. We’ll get to it,” my father mumbled from behind his newspaper. It was obviously time for my mother to resort to drastic measures. Paging through a mail order catalog, Mom casually mentioned that there were a number of lovely artificial trees for sale. “Just look how beautiful they are. They come in pink and blue and even silver.” Smiling, she flashed a peek in my father’s direction. “They say they’re so easy to assemble. No mess, no needles to vacuum up.” Before she could get another word out, my father was slipping his coat on. “Who’s ready to go get the tree?” he said, shaking his head as he snatched up his car keys.

“But what about one of these artificial trees?” my mother asked innocently. “No mess, no trouble, no needles.” “No smell, no life, no spirit of Christmas,” was his answer as he started up the old Ford. As my brothers and I sang fractured holiday carols in the back seat of the old family jalopy, my folks had the same discussion they had every year. “You know, I was thinking,” my mother began. “Maybe this year we could get a nice, small tree. Something with a good shape; one that I could put my angel on top of.” My mother had been saving a delicate angel ornament since before I was born. It had never even been taken out of the box. “A small tree?” my father said. “Didn’t we have a small tree last year?” “No.” My mother shook her head. “Remember I wanted a small tree? Instead, we wound up with that monster that took up half of the living room.” My father grinned with pride. “Was that last year?” He shrugged as he pulled the car into the lot. “Alright, alright. We’ll see what they have.” Dad loved big trees – the bigger the better. Half the time the trees he chose were so tall we had to cut off the top quarter just to stand the thing up inside the house. One year my dad insisted the giant he picked would certainly fit. He angled and bent and pushed the thing until the tree was finally upright...and punched a hole right through the ceiling! “What about this one?” my mother smiled as she straightened up a five footer. My dad squinted. “That’s no tree. That’s a bush.” Then he turned around and stared up at a ten foot tall colossus. “Now that’s a tree,” he said with satisfaction. “What do you think guys?” We cheered, our mittens slapping together, knowing the bigger the tree the more goodies it would carry. “What do you think, Hon?” my father asked my mother. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders knowing it would be another angel-less Christmas. My father tied the blue spruce on top of the car, and we headed off.

At home, we wound up chopping the usual two feet from the top of the tree, and then we just barely squeezed it through the front door. Dad fit it into its stand and wove strings of colored lights in, out and around the branches, careful to hide every inch of their wire. Mom lovingly opened boxes of ornaments that we’d collected over the years, slipped hooks on them and passed them to us for hanging. There were shiny balls, handmade stars we’d fashioned from yarn and popsicle sticks in elementary school, elegant blown glass and hand-painted globes that my folks bought the first year they were married. When all of the boxes were finally emptied, my brothers and I were set free to fill every available gap with red and white striped candy canes or cellophane-wrapped popcorn balls. We finished by hanging lead tinsel, strand by strand, then stood back to admire our work. I can still remember the way the lights bathed the room with holiday color as the silver tinsel shimmered. Though more years have passed than I care to count, our Christmas tree tradition remains intact. Last December my wife turned to me and said,”You know, we shouldn’t wait until last minute when all of the best trees are already taken.” “Don’t worry. There are plenty of trees for everyone,” I nodded, without turning from the football game I was watching on TV. “Maybe we should go look for a tree while the weather is nice and it’s still warm out,” she continued the next day.

Scanning the top news stories on my laptop, I said, “Don’t worry. We’ll get to it.” Then as she stared at the screen of our computer, she casually mentioned that there were a number of lovely artificial trees for sale on eBay. “Just look how beautiful they are. They look so real these days.” She snuck a peek in my direction. “They say they’re so easy to assemble. No mess, no needles to vacuum up. They even have aerosol cans of pine scent that you can spray around the room and...” Before she could get another word out, I started slipping on my coat. “Okay, who’s ready to go get the tree?” On the drive over to the lot, my wife turned to me. “You know, I was thinking,” she began. “Maybe this year we could get a nice, small tree; something with a good shape; one that I could put your mother’s angel on top of.”

Jeffery Cohen

Freelance writer and newspaper columnist Jeffery Cohen has written for Sasee, Lifetime and Read, Learn, Write. He’s won awards in WomenOn-Writing Contest, Vocabula’s Well Written Contest, National League of American Pen Women’s Competition, Southern California Genealogy Competition and Writer’s Weekly writing contest.

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Pawleys Island: Chasing the Light, by Tanya Ackerman Cradled bet ween the Atlantic Ocean and the Waccamaw River, Pawleys Island – the town, the barrier island and the community across a tidal creek from the island and extending west to the river – is a visual treasure trove. Through the lens of her camera, award-winning photojournalist Tanya Ackerman guides us to some of the special places where land, sky and water meet in this historic seaside resort. She captures the magical moods and splendor of sunrises, sunsets, wildlife and beach-living in this stunning collection of images that speak to the eye and to the heart. Jacqueline Sarno NYC Certified Hair Colorist & Designer Haircut Specialist

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The Photo Gift by Diane Stark

“Jules, make sure you take a lot of pictures today, OK?” I told my 14-yearold daughter on a recent family outing. “I will,” she promised without hesitation. She knew how important the pictures were to me. They were very important to me, but they weren’t actually for me. No, I needed lots of pictures of our family or Christmas this year would be a bust. You see, there is only one acceptable type of gift to give to my children’s grandparents: The Photo Gift. The Photo Gift is often less expensive than other types of gifts, but it is much more labor-intensive. It also requires planning year-round. My in-laws’ favorite photo gift is a calendar with pictures of our family throughout the year. They live several hours away, and we don’t see them often, so they love to see pictures of what the kids did throughout the year. But that means I have to remember to actually take the pictures. If I forget – and I have – the calendar winds up with pictures of my kids in their swimsuits on the January calendar page. I also try to include pictures of each child in their birthday month, but this doesn’t always happen either. On more than one late December night, I have been at the Walgreens photo kiosk, silently berating myself for not taking more pictures throughout the year. On most of these occasions, Julia has been with me, frantically, but unsuccessfully searching through the pictures on her phone as well.

“Why is this so hard for me?” I ask every year. “Why can’t I plan ahead? I know I have to make these calendars every December and yet, every year, I stress out because I don’t have any good pictures of our family.” “Why don’t you just skip it, Mom?” Julia would ask. “Just buy everyone a candle and a gift certificate.” “I can’t do that, Honey,” I’d say. “Your grandparents are all in the stage of their lives that if they want something, they can just go and buy it. If Grandma wants a candle or a new outfit, she can just get it herself. But the one thing they can’t buy is pictures of you guys. And that’s why it means so much to them that we do this every year.” “You could buy them something really nice though.” “Honey, the goal at Christmas time is to make Grandma Nancy cry,” I explained. “If you give her a store-bought gift, she thinks it didn’t really come from your heart. But if you make something for her, she gets all teary-eyed and emotional, and that’s when you know you did well. Photo gifts are what the grandparents want for Christmas.” “But it stresses you out.” “Yeah, but it doesn’t have to. Just a little bit of planning ahead could make this so much easier. If I could just remember to snap a few pictures each month, the calendars would be a piece of cake.” Julia laughed. “I take about 50 selfies a day, but I don’t think that’s what you mean.” It wasn’t what I meant, but Jules was still on to something. “Maybe you could help me,” I said. “Maybe you could include Nathan in some of

your selfies. If we’re both taking pictures, maybe we’ll have enough come Christmas time, and this won’t be so stressful next year.” Julia has taken my suggestion and run with it. In previous years, I’ve always ended up using photos that weren’t really that great, just because they were all that I had. But since Julia has started helping with this, we’ve had so many photos that it was tough to choose the best ones. Last Christmas was our first year of stress-free calendar-making. We also made coffee mugs, cell phone cases and blankets with the kids’ pictures on them. It was quite the windfall of photo gifts. (There were also lots of happy tears!) It was actually fun for the first time. In previous years, I’d made the calendars by myself, usually at the last minute, always stressing over the lack of good photos.

Your Christmas Centerpiece

But last year, Julia and I made them together. It was still at the last minute, but instead of stress, the time was full of laughter and reminiscing over the photos. I could hardly believe the difference and I kicked myself for not asking for her help sooner. During 2016, Julia has become quite the photographer. I know we have tons of photos from our family vacation, a wedding we attended together and just every day events. Most of these pictures are on her phone, ready to be downloaded for our annual calendars. For the first time ever, I am looking forward to Christmas shopping for my parents and my in-laws. I already know what I’m getting them – heck, they already know! But thanks to Julia, making their gifts might actually be fun. This year, I’m going to take it a step further. I’m going to make one more photo calendar, this one for our family to keep and enjoy ourselves. I know it’s Christmas, and we’re supposed to be giving gifts to others, not making them for ourselves. But enlisting Julia’s help in this annual project has already been a gift to me. It’s less stressful now and a lot more fun. And spending time with my daughter is always a blessing. I know we’ll laugh as we choose the photos and imagine how happy her grandparents will be when they see them. We’ll be making a memory, while we’re creating a memento for those we love to enjoy in the year to come. I guess it’s true. Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Diane Stark

is a wife and mom of five. She loves to write about her family and her faith. Her essays have been published in over 20 Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

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Waiting for Christmas by Rose Ann Sinay

(anything we wanted) and one flour and salt dough ornament to be baked, painted and preserved. Each creation was initialed and dated. Christmas was happy, memorable and predictable – a collection of modern day Norman Rockwell moments. Intellectually, I knew it wouldn’t last. Emotionally, I could not imagine a change in our family as we knew it.

Christmas i s c o m i ng an d I am s o e x c i te d ! M y husband a n d I h av e two special granddaughters to celebrate our favorite holiday with us this year. It will be a while b e f o re we c an bake s nowman cookies together, but that is the prize – the privilege – I look for ward to. I have come to realize that grandbabies are wonderful, fragile gifts – not automatic entitlements or expectations. As with most people, it never occurred to me, in our repeating pattern of life, that there could be a hitch, a kink or a question mark.

When our children were young, we reveled in the spirit of the holidays. We read stories, adorned the house with evergreens and red bows, gave time and gifts to the less fortunate and trudged through the local tree farm to find the biggest, most majestic tree to honor the day. Instead of after-dinner television, we made decorations. One “free” ornament

Years rolled by like a powerful, yet silent, locomotive. We didn’t notice when the momentum slowed and then became a hollow chug. The kids had grown up. Our little family had moved in different directions – it soon was impossible to get together for the holidays. The tree that stood in the corner of our living room, decorated with a few of the baked dough ornaments, was a mere branch – a twig – in comparison to our magnificent blue firs of the past. It looked sad and lonely, as sad as we were. After a few years it was replaced with a scentless, pre-lit artificial tree. It was called adjustment. As good karma would have it, both of our children moved back east, still many miles away, but at least in the same country and on the same coast. Our family happily expanded as the kids chose their spouses. The locomotive began to move again. We picked up speed when my son and daughter-in-law announced a baby was on the way. Shopping began immediately. Baby’s first Christmas ornament, a green crocheted elf ’s hat, tiny red shoes and a multitude of adorable winter outfits accumulated in a basket in the closet. The old wives’ tale warning me not to buy baby presents until after the baby was born whispered to me, but it felt too wonderful . . . like old times . . . like family. And then, it happened; problems with the pregnancy that continued to escalate: questions, fear and dread. Would it be a choice of mother or child? My selfish stash of Christmas gifts, prematurely purchased, crossed my mind. Silly superstitions, I told myself, but the doubt chewed the edges of my reason. We had no thanks to give at Thanksgiving, but by Christmas we were hopeful. By April, we held our collective breaths, and by the end of the month we had our beautiful red-haired baby. Mother’s love and sacrifice endured. A true treasure–our own miracle. Two years later, Thanksgiving was a bountiful one when my daughter and son-in-law informed us of their own impending bundle of joy. They arrived at the dinner table wearing matching red shirts that proclaimed themselves “Mom” and “Dad.” The turkey was eaten with gusto between baby chatter and name possibilities. If the baby was a girl, her middle name would be Rose. Life was sweet! A Christmas visit was planned with our red-headed Addie, and Mila Rose was en route, growing in visual comparisons to fruits and vegetables. At Thanksgiving she was the size of a poppy seed, and by Christmas, a

whopping cranberry. All was right with the world. Norman Rockwell had returned for the holidays. There was no morning sickness, just a beautiful pregnancy glow. At my daughter’s four month scan, the technician had seemed concerned. She left the room and returned with the head nurse and then the doctor. “There appears to be an anomaly of the heart,” the doctor said as kindly as he could. “You’ll need to see a pediatric cardiologist, immediately.” This couldn’t be happening again, we all thought. We’d all been there before; the sadness and fear returned. Open heart surgery would be needed. Immediately? After one month? Two? More questions. The list of risks and complications were longer than the positives to hold on to. An amazing team of physicians were assembled for Mila’s birth and subsequent care. The competence and kindness of the team guided my daughter and her husband through the remainder of her pregnancy. To everyone’s surprise, Mila was two days late. She was a healthy weight and looked out of place in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with all the premature babies. Except for the tubes and monitors, it would be easy to think she was a healthy newborn. The doctors agreed Mila should wait for the surgery for as long as her heart would allow. The delay would let her grow a little bigger and stronger. A date was scheduled for October. We were anxious for the procedure to be done and the road to a normal life to begin. But while we waited, a viral infection set in, sending her little heart into a tailspin. Emergency surgery was performed and was successful. The original operation had to be postponed until our little warrior princess recovers. Now I have two baskets in my closet, one red and one green, overflowing with infant and toddler clothes and shoes, trinkets, books and holiday keepsakes. We know from past experience: good news is worth waiting for. Christmas is coming again, and it’s full of miracles! Hair Nails Facials Waxing Spa Packages Massage Therapy

Rose Ann Sinay

is a freelance writer typing away in sunny North Carolina. Her articles/stories have been published in The Carolinas Today, The Oddville Press and The Brunswick Beacon.

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Merry and Bright by Leslie Moore

Eileen Cyrus: Just Because IYQ

What merry making activity do you look forward to the most during the holiday season? I personally love all the decorations and the Christmas music. At the Tea Room, I LOVE our Christmas High Teas and making so many people happy. I also LOVE taking my grandkids shopping for “special” presents. Do you prefer a real tree or an artificial one? When do you decorate? I used to only have a real tree but as I’ve grown older, the artificial trees look so real and are so much easier – I am now a fan. Real trees smell wonderful, so now I use essential oils to replace that real tree smell. I decorate as early as I can. A month is just not long enough to celebrate the season. My favorite decorations are the lights and a Christmas Angel I have owned for many years. Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a fabulous tree!

You and your staff at Just Because IYQ make customers feel like family, while still ensuring that every meal or tea is extra special. What are some ways that our readers can make family and friends who visit their homes this month feel special? ‘Tis the season to keep freshly baked cookies, orange cinnamon tea or hot chocolate on hand. When friends or family stop by, take the time to sit and actually chat with them about times gone by. Relax and enjoy the moment.

Tell us about your Christmas Teas. And please share any new additions to Just Because IYQ for 2017. Our Christmas Teas this year are so incredible – even I can’t wait for them to start. We have four full weeks of Christmas Teas with so many delicious goodies – you’d better come hungry! Our menus are posted on our website, IYQinc.com, so you can pick your favorite week to come. If any guest chooses to attend three or more weeks, a delightful discount will be enjoyed. This is a perfect time to celebrate and reflect on the reason for the season while enjoying a fabulous lunch. Reservations ARE required so call us at 843-651-3071 and reserve early. Our calendar is already getting full. The Tea Room has recently added crystal chandeliers to the already beautiful décor, and more gorgeous things will be happening in the New Year. You’ll have to come by to see for yourself. You won’t be disappointed…..just because IYQ! Just Because IYQ Tearoom and Boutique is located at 2520 US-17 Business in Murrells Inlet. Call Eileen at 843-651-3071 for reservations for Christmas Teas or visit www.IYQinc.com.

and Thank You for another GREAT Year!

Join us for our Beautiful and Special

Christmas High Tea! (by Reservation Only)

Beginning the day after Thanksgiving and Served all the way through Christmas Eve. A Different Menu each week! Check our Website or Facebook for Menus. Please call for Reservations.

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Sasee Takes a Look West of the Waterway! Located west of the waterway, between Conway and Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest is one of the fastest growing communities in our area. With many well-planned subdivisions, some of the best schools in the state and easy access to the sand and sun of Myrtle Beach, it’s no wonder that Carolina Forest is home to close to 35,000 people (2014 census). Bought by International Paper in 1937, the 30,000 acre tract was used as a gunnery and bombing range in WWII. Part of the tract became what is now Coastal Carolina University and in the mid1990s, the rest became the area’s only master planned community. Today, Carolina Forest is bustling with shops, restaurants, schools, a library and more! A Sasee favorite, Horry County Parks & Recreation opened the Carolina Forest Recreation Center in 2012. This beautiful facility features a full size gymnasium for open gym and sport leagues, a fitness room for exercise classes, a multipurpose room with a divider for multiple events, locker rooms, kitchen, and a rock climbing wall. Little ones love the Palmetto Adventure Land Playground located behind the library. Another exciting upcoming development in Carolina Forest is new medical facilities – local hospitals are currently planning free standing emergency clinics in the area. Sasee’s art director, Patrick Sullivan, lives in The Farm, one of Carolina Forest’s subdivisions – one of his favorite pastimes is taking the kids and dog out to the Horry County

Bike and Run Park. Also known as “The Hulk,” the single track mountain bike and running trail starts out with a 30 foot hill climb, and then takes on characteristics of a wooden roller coaster for three fourths of the trail. With a few tight twisty sections, several switchbacks, small hill climbs, ditch digs, dramatic drops, field laps and possible speeds up to 20 mph, this is the closest thing to real mountain biking and trail running our area has to offer. It truly surprises everyone. Another staff favorite is the new Famous Toastery in Carolina Forest. Cooler temps make the soup and sandwich lunch a perfect choice! Or stop on the way out of the house for a quick and yummy breakfast. Clean Eatz is another great choice in Carolina Forest – delicious and healthy! Clean eating never tasted so good! For dinner, try Sam Snead’s for a delicious meal and a glass of wine. The Sasee ladies love the great salad selections! We all love outlet shopping and Tanger Outlets is just outside Carolina Forest – and the new Gander Mountain is the perfect place to find gifts for those outdoorsy people on your list. What do you love in Carolina Forest? Let us know!

Sasee Takes a Look: Conway West of the Waterway – Small Town Pride

The city of Conway is one of the oldest in our state and is the county seat of Horry County. Founded in 1732 as the village of Kingston, today this small town, set along the banks of the Waccamaw River, 15 miles west of Myrtle Beach, is a picture perfect, small southern town – and Sasee loves the great shopping! Main Street and the surrounding areas are where you want to begin your visit. Beautiful trees line the picturesque streets and the shopping, well, like we said...it is fabulous! A city in love with art, there are galleries all along the streets you’ll want to visit. Conway Glass, on 12th Avenue, has beautiful hand-blown glass items, and you can even take classes in glass blowing!

Grady’s Jewelers, at 317 Laurel Street, is one of the oldest jewelry stores in the area and is still owned and operated by the same family.

Dawn Richardson, who is now operating her parent’s business, talked to Sasee about her love of Conway. “I love small towns – you know who the merchants are and the service is always personal. I like that warm feeling of walking into a shop and the people known my name.” While you’re in Conway, be sure to take a stroll on the Riverwalk. This scenic walk connects the Waccamaw River with the historic downtown business district. The trail begins under the Main Street Bridge and ends at the beautiful riverfront park and marina complex. Enjoy a stroll by historic buildings and the Conway Arboretum; stop by a riverside gazebo for a quiet place to enjoy the view. If you enjoy local theatre, Theatre of the Republic is known to be the best in the area. The vintage theatre on Main Street is enough to draw you in – the restored sign is spectacular.

And food? Conway has so many delicious choices! When you visit Crady’s Eclectic Cuisine, save room for dessert! The chef has won regional and national awards for her homemade delights! Featured in Southern Living and SC Magazine, this small town bistro is a fun place to visit and a delicious place to eat. At The Trestle Bakery and Café, French toast made with sourdough bread, a breakfast croissant featuring eggs, cheese and ham or bacon are just a few of the delicious menu items. Plus, they have really good coffee. Rivertown Bistro is rated the top eatery in Conway by Trip Advisor, Diners can choose from the upstairs deck overlooking the historic district, book a private dining room or enjoy the elegant, two-tiered main dining room. Their crab cakes are some of the best in the area. Jo Hibachi is one of Conway’s hidden gems – locals rave about the Japanese food and fresh, delicious sushi. Located on Elm Street, Jo Hibachi is open for lunch and dinner on weekdays and dinner on Saturdays. The holidays are a beautiful time of year, and Conway is no exception. Main Street is beautifully decorated, and shops are filled with everything you need for your celebration. The first three Thursdays in December are filled with holiday fun and good cheer during the Rivertown Christmas Celebration. All three nights will feature the Holiday Market and Candlelight Shopping. Enjoy some live holiday music and even carriage rides at this annual December celebration! New for 2016, the Conway Celebration of Lights is a mile long drive with spectacular displays of lights. Open daily at 5:30 pm through the end of the year, the display begins at the entrance of the old Grainger Steam Plant at 3rd Avenue. Along the route will be merry making activities and live music! With delicious food, great shopping and holiday entertainment, Sasee is excited to make Conway a part of her merry making this year! Hope to see you there!

The Christmas Pickle by Sally Gosen Case

The box of wondrous ornaments had belonged to my Austrian greatgrandmother. I had no conscious memory of the stern woman in the photos, her clothing severe, hair piled high on her head. I saw no logical connection between her and the strange and amazing things we brought out every Christmas: oddly-shaped marvels of satiny pink glass, shining multicolored spheres, charming animals and an exquisitely-crafted pickle. We treasured them and unwrapped each with great care. They adorned every one of my childhood Christmas trees; our only loss was the grotesque but somehow dapper little frog. One Christmas my young brother plucked it from the tree and popped it into his tiny mouth, instantly crushing it into a thousand pieces of antique Austrian glitter. Somehow no harm came to him from the minute shards he may have swallowed as my mother frantically retrieved the froggy remains. Years cycled by, measured rounds of love and hard work. I was a teenager when I began to understand that we were slowly losing our beloved farm. That terrible and long-dreaded day had to come at last; no amount of labor could change the realities of market prices and loan payments due. We loaded a great many things onto our faithful old pickup truck and drove away into a new but uncertain future. A box tumbled onto the road: my great-grandmother’s ornaments. We left it on the highway, a crumpled box filled with my mother’s shattered childhood memories. There are some things that are impossible to mend. There are times when it is better to just look forward. We built a new house and made a new farm. We spent long winter evenings crafting ornaments to decorate our tree, fashioning a new family history together as the seasons came and went.

Many years later I found myself a widow with a teenager of my own. Christmastime has been hard for me but harder still for him. His friends have real families; we are only two. The memories crowd close as we decorate, reminders of lost love and forever-altered futures. One Christmas someone gave my son a pickle ornament. He brought it home, bewildered. It is not a pretty thing; no craftsman’s hand has ever touched this mass-produced oval of shiny green plastic. I hung it on our tree though. I told my son, “When I was a girl, we always had a pickle on our tree.” I told him about his great-great-grandmother, a strong and brave woman who had made a new life for her family in a strange country. I told him about the abandoned ornament box and how my family had made a new life on a new farm. Now every year we hang the pickle on our Christmas tree. Through my stories, my son has found a part of himself, a part of his history and made it his own. He listens to Handel while he sets up his Christmas carousel, bought in a thrift shop and so warped and worn that it needs constant adjustment to keep it spinning. Round and round, the shepherds circle the Holy Family. Out in the kitchen are the lebkuchen he makes, each one glazed and decorated with flowers of almonds and candied fruit. The cookie jar is filled with fragrant pfeffernusse. My great-grandmother would feel right at home, though she might be bewildered by the fact that he gets his old-country inspirations and even some of his recipes off of the internet. She never returned to Austria, but he can visit the places she knew with the click of a mouse. Some say there is an old German tradition that the pickle ornament brings good luck to the person who finds it on the tree. Others say that there is no such tradition. For me, though, the pickle is a symbol of the memories we treasure, the things we have lost in life, and the new beginnings we have made. That is all the luck I need.

Sally Gosen Case

lives and writes on the beautiful Oregon coast. Her poetry and nonfiction have appeared in a wide variety of publications, including Horticulture, Rocky Mountain Rider, and Time of Singing. Sally and her son coauthor a popular Oregon travel blog, casingoregon.com.

Enjoy the holidays and still stay on track!

it’ s a merry feeling . . .

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Making Merry Gift ideas for Seniors! Photos of family either in a digital display or photo album were a top choice of all our experts. Diane Blake, Myrtle Beach Estates suggests: Games like Rummikub • Special teas A favorite movie • Flashlight Water bottle – many seniors do not drink enough water Busy basket for Memory care residents things to do with their hands, little puzzles, photo book, etc. Jacque Richardson, Thrive Assisted Living & Memory Care at Prince Creek suggests: Aroma dispensers Anita Weaver, Morningside of Georgetown Assisted Living suggests: Large piece puzzles • Lap throws Bird feeders to hang outside their window Calendar with pictures to hang on their wall Digital clock with large numbers

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Name

Address City State

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Kristie Pirkey at Lower Cape Fear Hospice & Life Care Center suggests: Clothing – don’t forget to label Body wash, lotion and other personal care items Supportive shoes or slippers that have skid-resistant soles A small CD player and CDs if they are music lovers Come to the facility when special holiday events are planned. Join your special senior for a holiday meal at the facility Throw a party at the facility for your family member Claire Huminski from Hospice Care of SC suggests: Cozy socks Old-fashioned candy to remind them of their childhood Music from their youth – and a way to listen to it T-shirt blanket from their grandkids

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Sasee Entertains

Planning a party? Holiday cocktails are fun – and Sasee has found a few that will impress your guests!

Santa Sleigh Martini

White Christmas Sangria

White sugar crystals, preferably coarse 2 cups store-bought eggnog, chilled 1/2 cup brandy 1/2 cup amaretto liqueur 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 scoops vanilla ice cream 4 cinnamon sticks

This beautifully festive holiday cocktail is perfect for parties, brunches or even Christmas morning! Get creative using your favorite fruits and herbs to really make it your own.

Dampen the rims of 4 martini glasses and then line the rims with sugar crystals. Combine eggnog, brandy, amaretto, nutmeg and ice cream in a blender; process until smooth. Pour mixture into martini glasses and garnish each glass with a whole cinnamon stick.

Peppermint Martini 5 fluid ounces vanilla-flavored vodka 2 fluid ounces white crème de menthe 1/2 fluid ounce peppermint schnapps Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour vodka, crème de menthe and peppermint schnapps over the ice. Cover cocktail shaker and shake; strain into two martini glasses.

Colonial Hot Buttered Rum 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 1 pinch salt 2 quarts hot water 3 cinnamon sticks 6 whole cloves 2 cups rum 1 cup sweetened whipped cream Ground nutmeg to taste Combine the brown sugar, butter, salt and hot water in 5 quart slow cooker. Add cinnamon sticks and cloves. Cover and cook on Low for 5 hours. Stir in rum. Ladle into mugs, and top with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg.

3 tart Granny Smith apples 1 large orange 1-1/2 cups fresh cranberries 1 cup fresh raspberries 2 bottles dry white wine (For a non-alcoholic version, use white sparkling grape juice.) 1 cup white cranberry juice 1/4 cup sugar 16 ounces ginger ale or club soda 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary To begin, chop the apples into slices, discarding the cores. Place into a large pitcher. Slice the unpeeled oranges and add them to the pitcher. Add the whole cranberries and raspberries. Using a spoon, carefully stir so as to not break the raspberries. Pour in the wine, white cranberry juice and sugar, then stir to combine. Let the sangria chill for about 30 minutes. When you’re ready to serve, top the pitcher with ginger ale or club soda, and add fresh rosemary to garnish.

Apple Pie Spiced Cider This one is non-alcoholic, but just add brandy or whiskey to give it an adults-only touch! 1 1/4 quarts apple cider 3 tablespoons firmly packed light-brown sugar 7 whole cinnamon sticks (6 sticks for garnish) 1 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger Ground cloves to taste Freshly grated nutmeg to taste Salt, one pinch In a medium saucepan, whisk together cider, sugar, spices, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from heat; pour in brandy, if desired. Strain into a pitcher; discard solids. Serve in mugs, garnished with cinnamon sticks.

–Kid’s Read It!–

Reserve your holiday party here!

Nicole Says…Read these books to your kids! Reviews by Nicole McManus

Cat as a Hat, by Richard Lake; Illustrated by Petrina Ong A young girl experiences everyday life while her precious cat, Audacious, stays curled on top of her head. The people in her town express their concern and disapproval of this girl and her cat. However, the girl explains to readers all the wonderful things that happen when you wear a cat as a hat.

Catering available - Our Location or Yours!

We can deliver lunch platters, dessert trays etc...

Richard Lake created a cute story in a sing-song poem. The adorable pictures display a beautiful world that will catch everyone’s attention. The abrupt ending is balanced by a surprise reader contest and the promise of future books. This is a delightful story that is fun to read for cat lovers of any age! For every book purchased, the author is donating $1 to Dragon Boat at the Beach, a team of cancer survivors promoting positive emotional, spiritual and physical well-being through the ancient sport of Dragon Boat Racing.

Bear Stays Up for Christmas, by Karma Wilson; Illustrated by: Jane Chapman Bear tends to hibernate all through the winter season, which means he is sound asleep during Christmas! His forest friends are determined to make sure Bear stays awake this year, so they find several holiday-themed tasks for Bear to do. Will he be able to stay awake with his friends, or will he fall into a deep slumber? This charming book is sure to become a family favorite. The rhythmic story is beautifully backed by stunning illustrations. Readers are introduced to several forest animals and are taken inside of the Bear’s cave, as they prep for Christmas. The spirit of friendship and giving come alive in this story. Bear Stays Up for Christmas is a delightful must-read during the holiday season.

The Sweetest Little Place in Pawleys Island 843-237-3100 10517 Ocean Highway Pawleys Island, SC 29585

email: max@pawleysislandbakery.com

Hours of Operation: Monday-Saturday 6am-6pm Sunday 6am-1pm

www.pawleysislandbakery.com

The Tree

by Jean Matthew Hall This year The Tree stands as eight feet of sparkling lights decked in silver, gold and white with accents of rich cranberry. Glass and china angels dangle from the branches like jewels from a princess’ earlobes. It hasn’t always been like this, though. Jerry and I celebrated our first Christmas together in 1968. Our tree was a lopsided, left-over plastic thing we inherited from my mother along with a dozen boxes of ancient decorations she had rescued from her attic. Some of those ragtag decorations adorned our home for many Christmases. The Tree has always been one of my favorite Christmas joys and responsibilities. As our children grew I drafted them to help me each year. None of the three children were ever as excited as I, but they complied and helped Mom out December after December. Year after year The Tree was central to our Christmas celebrations. We hung gifts on it. My husband hid special Christmas envelopes within its branches. We gathered around The Tree to tell the story of the first Christmas. We stacked packages wrapped in red and green underneath it. We sat around The Tree sharing those gifts. Until they were grown and gone, our children slept in sleeping bags near The Tree every Christmas Eve night.

Then came the Christmas of 2000, and everything changed. Our oldest child, Stephen, died suddenly in May of that year. The summer was filled with heartache for us. Autumn was a chilly reminder that life was going on “as usual” without our precious son. We made a brave effort to celebrate Thanksgiving together as a family. But December brought dread instead of joy. I kept postponing my Yuletide ritual of pulling The Tree and boxes of decorations from their hiding place. I dreaded the thought of rummaging through those boxes of breakables and the years of memories tied to them. When I could postpone it no longer I headed for the attic with icy determination.

“It’s alright to be happy at Christmas” “It’s alright to keep this one who is absent from your home forever in your heart.” “It’s alright to celebrate again beneath these branches.” “It’s alright to embrace again the memories nestled in The Tree.”

As the years rolled by The Tree took on the role of a family scrapbook. We dressed it with multi-colored lights and blessed the branches with snowmen and angels, stockings and wreaths made from popcorn and coffee filters, play-doh and craft sticks. Miniature school pictures and photos of toddlers and teens dangled everywhere and added to each Christmas’ supply of memories.

Climbing the stairs was like following a coffin to its final resting place. As I gripped the door knob to enter the attic I made a decision. I would decorate for Christmas that year, but I would do it differently from all those Christmases we shared with Stephen. The next day our daughter and I picked out a live tree heady with color and fragrance. After we set it up it in a corner of the living room we headed for the attic. I pulled out only the boxes containing tinsel and generic ornaments with no sentimental value. While Tabitha sorted through those I drove to a discount store and stocked up on new white twinkling lights and plain, glass ornaments.

It worked, I think. The Tree filled its usual corner of our living room. It was lovely to look at and it didn’t drag me down in grief. For the next eight Christmases I purchased new ornaments each year. I tried different color schemes and different themes. Each year The Tree was different from the previous years. I was succeeding in making The Tree emotionally sterile – and keeping it in our Christmas celebrations and out of the broken places of my heart.

But in December of 2009, I noticed something different about The Tree. My trek to the attic wasn’t filled with dread. Those boxes of neglected family ornaments called to me. So I pulled them out and gently unwrapped each ornament. I spent hours pulling memories out of hiding and back into the front room of my heart. As I hung those decorations on The Tree, I was able once again to actually enjoy them. Yes, I cried as I did it. And, yes, I missed our son terribly that day. But it was a sweet kind of missing him. An I’ll-seehim-again-someday missing him. A quiet joy washed over me as I let Stephen once again become part of our Christmas. It was late in the evening when I finished The Tree of 2009. Hundreds of miniature stars twinkled on a lush field of green. The gold and silver bulbs reflected their light and gave the room a warm glow. Garlands of silver beads rested on outstretched branches. Angels of every description peeked through The Tree’s emerald fingertips. Doves nested here and there. Occasional clusters of cranberries and bits of crimson drew my eyes from glittering bough to glittering bough. A gilded angel stood watch atop The Tree. And suspended from the branches were tiny photographs and child-made reminders of Christmases past.

Let It Glow

I stood there breathing in the peace and listening to the quiet. Floating softly on the silence of that December night was a faint whisper of Christmas joy. Joy over the beauty of The Tree and all it had ever represented to me: our family loving each other, caring for each other and holding each other up in the hard times; the Christmas festivities that linked us with our past, knit us together in our present, and gave us courage to face the future; and our faith in the tender wisdom of the Savior whose birth we celebrate each year, and in whose arms we, too, will one day rest.

You’re invited to check out our Holiday 2016 Collection featuring gifts for everyone on your list.

“It’s alright to be happy at Christmas,” the whisper said to me. “It’s alright to keep this one who is absent from your home forever in your heart. It’s alright to celebrate again beneath these branches. It’s alright to embrace again the memories nestled in The Tree.” Here.

PURE Compounding is combining our Holiday 2016 Collection Party with Ladies Night at Lee's Inlet Apothecary!! PURE Compounding will be featuring BEAUTYCOUNTER - BEAUTIFUL PRODUCTS MADE SAFE.

Thursday, December 15th, 6pm-8pm LEE’S INLET APOTHECARY

Now. Rejoice!

3579 HWY. 17 BUSINESS, MURRELLS INLET

Jean Matthew Hall

lives in beautiful North Carolina. Her stories and articles appear in a variety of inspirational magazines and anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Chocolate Lover’s Soul, The Ultimate Gardener, God Makes Lemonade, Christmas Miracles and The Spirit of Christmas. You can read more from Jean at www.jeanmatthewhall.com/blog or at Jean Matthew Hall on Face Book, and Jean_Hall on Twitter.

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Hors d’oeuvres and Door Prizes! 843-293-RxRx

www.PURE-Compounding.com

3072 Dick Pond Road, Highway 544, Suite 2

Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

Contact Kim Kelaher, Pharm.D. today!

Happy Holidays from

“The Little Rascals” at Sasee Magazine Delo

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Leslie

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Patrick

Celia

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4 11 18 25

December 2016 1-3, 8-10, 15-18

Nights of a Thousand Candles, Brookgreen Gardens, new this year, advance tickets only, 3-10pm. For more info, call 888-718-4253 or visit brookgreen.org.

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Holidays on the Boardwalk, Myrtle Beach, holiday-themed events every weekend. For more info, visit myrtlebeachdowntown.com.

10-11

1-30

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A Very Fashionable Christmas, Holiday Tours at the Kaminski House, Georgetown, 11 am-3 pm; 12/17 is Family Night, 4-6 pm, $5 adults, under 12 free. For more info, call 843-546-7706 or visit kaminskimuseum.org.

Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes, 4-8 pm, North Myrtle Beach, $30, presented by NMB Women’s Club. For more info, call 843-655-2688 or visit northmyrtlebeachwomensclub.com.

7-11, 14-18

8-4/23/17

Holiday on Main Street, Be a Santa, Theatre of the Republic, 331 Main St., Conway. For show times and ticket info, call 843-488-0821 or visit theatreoftherepublic.com.

Christmas and All That Jazz II, Carolina Master Chorale, 10-4 pm @ Trinity UMC, North Myrtle Beach; 11-4pm @ Trinity Church, Myrtle Beach. For more info, call 843-444-5774 or visit CarolinaMasterChorale.com.

Gee’s Bend: From Quilts to Prints, exhibit at Myrtle Beach Art Museum, 3100 South Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, TuesdaySaturday, 10am-4pm; Sunday, 1-4pm. For more info, call 843-238-2510 or visit myrtlebeachartmuseum.org.

Music in the Park, 6-9pm, Francis Marion Park, Georgetown. For more info, visit hammockcoastsc.com.

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Area Christmas Parades, rd 3 Georgetown, 11 am, Front St. 3rd Broadway at the Beach, 11 am 3rd North Myrtle Beach, 5:30 pm, Main St. 4th Murrells Inlet, 3 pm, Business 17 10th Conway, 10 am, Main St. th 10 Surfside Beach, 2 pm, Ocean Blvd.

2016 Historic Marion Tour of Homes, 2-6 pm, $20. For tickets or more info, call 843-423-3561. Litchfield Dance Arts Academy presents, Winter Holiday Showcase, holiday dance performances, 3 & 7 pm, 97 Otis Dr., Pawleys Island. For more info, call 843-237-7465 or visit litchfielddance.com.

New Year’s Eve at Celebrity Square, Broadway at the Beach, fireworks at 8 pm, live entertainment and more. For more info, call 843-444-3200, or visit broadwayatthebeach.com.

Sasee Kids

Sasee has seen the Jolly Old Elf holding court all around the Grand Strand! Share the magic of Christmas at a few of Sasee’s favorite spots! And, shhh, Sasee has found a secret online passageway into the North Pole that you can share with your special girl or boy! Coastal Grand Mall, Center Court Santa will be available Monday-Saturday, 10am - 9pm; Sunday, 12pm - 6pm and Christmas Eve 10am - 6pm. Note that Santa takes a break to feed his reindeer from 1-2 pm and 5-6 pm Monday – Saturday and from 3-4 pm on Sunday.

Bass Pro Shop Santa’s workshop is in full swing at this fun superstore. Santa will be available from open until close through Christmas Eve. Free crafts and games are available for kids at selected times. Visit www.basspro.com for details.

The Hammock Shops Village This Pawleys Island landmark will host Santa December 3rd, 10th and 17th from 1-3 pm.

The Great Christmas Light Show, North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex This is a memory making event the kids won’t soon forget! A drive through the light show with 1.7 million lights is just the beginning. Park the car and visit Santa’s Village where Old Saint Nick himself will be holding court – don’t forget your camera! Other activities include ice skating, Santa’s Express Train Ride and more! The show is open 5:30 - 9 pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday through December 10th. The event is open every night except Christmas Day from the 10th – 30th.

This is also an official Toys for Tots drop off site. Make another less fortunate child happy by taking a new unwrapped toy to drop off when you visit. Sasee has found Christmas joy at

www.portablenorthpole.com, a secret passageway into the very heart of the North Pole. You upload your child’s photos and preferences to create a personalized video with Santa. The kids will want to watch this over and over – and your heart will melt each and every time.

On December 11th, the 13th Annual Christmas Towne will be held at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center from 2 - 6:30 pm. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in attendance, along with fun rides and entertainment.

Merry Christmas! And remember… “Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy.”

Edwin Osgood Grover

Advertiser Index

The Accessory Cottage........................................................................................................................... 5 Angelo’s Steaks & Pasta........................................................................................................................ 25 Aunique Boutique................................................................................................................................. 16 B. Graham Interiors.............................................................................................................................. 15 Barbara’s Fine Gifts............................................................................................................................... 30 Belk.......................................................................................................................................................... 35 Bella Gray Floral & Gifts..................................................................................................................... 59 Bleu.......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Bloomingails.......................................................................................................................................... 13 Brookgreen Gardens............................................................................................................................. 11 Burroughs & Chapin Art Museum.................................................................................................... 17 Butler Lighting....................................................................................................................................... 29 Cabana Collections............................................................................................................................... 31 Callahan’s of Calabash............................................................................................................................ 3 Carolina Car Care................................................................................................................................. 26 Chasing the Light.................................................................................................................................. 26 Chive Blossom....................................................................................................................................... 13 Christopher’s Jewelers.......................................................................................................................... 60 The Citizens Bank................................................................................................................................... 7 Class LLC................................................................................................................................................. 7 Coastal Dance........................................................................................................................................ 17 CoCo Salon & Spa................................................................................................................................ 26 Crady’s..................................................................................................................................................... 38 Darden Jewelers..................................................................................................................................... 20 Doodlebugs............................................................................................................................................ 37 Dr. David Grabeman.............................................................................................................................. 5 Dr. Sattele’s Rapid Weight Loss & Esthetics Centers.................................................................... 54 Eleanor Pitts........................................................................................................................................... 37 Finders Keepers..................................................................................................................................... 21 Frame Factory........................................................................................................................................ 26 Good Deed Goods................................................................................................................................ 24 Grady’s Jewelers.................................................................................................................................... 38 Grand Strand Plastic Surgery............................................................................................................. 46 Harvest Commons................................................................................................................................ 33 HGTC..................................................................................................................................................... 16 Homespun Crafters Mall..................................................................................................................... 45 Hospice Care of SC.............................................................................................................................. 33

Hot Fish Club........................................................................................................................................ 17 Joggling Board....................................................................................................................................... 44 Just Because IYQ................................................................................................................................... 37 La Fayes Lamp & Lampshade Shop.................................................................................................. 23 Legacy Antiques.................................................................................................................................... 11 Litchfield Dance Arts Academy........................................................................................................... 7 Long Bay Symphony............................................................................................................................ 21 Morningside of Georgetown.............................................................................................................. 21 Myrtle Beach Estates............................................................................................................................ 13 Osprey Tennis........................................................................................................................................ 21 Palmetto Ace Hardware....................................................................................................................... 44 Pawleys Island Bakery.......................................................................................................................... 51 Pink Cabana........................................................................................................................................... 31 Pounds Away.......................................................................................................................................... 43 Pure Compounding.............................................................................................................................. 53 Rose Arbor Fabrics............................................................................................................................... 31 Sea Island Trading Co............................................................................................................................ 2 Shades & Draperies................................................................................................................................ 9 Shoney’s Restaurant............................................................................................................................. 20 Silver Shack............................................................................................................................................ 45 Simply Divine........................................................................................................................................ 45 Spaces by Valerie................................................................................................................................... 33 Socialite................................................................................................................................................... 17 South Atlantic Bank.............................................................................................................................. 27 Southern Graces.................................................................................................................................... 32 Studio 77................................................................................................................................................. 31 Taylors Boutique..................................................................................................................................... 7 Taz............................................................................................................................................................ 43 Thrive Assisted Living & Memory Care........................................................................................... 10 Tidelands Community Hospice......................................................................................................... 47 Tidelands Ford Lincoln....................................................................................................................... 16 Tradd Management.............................................................................................................................. 43 Treasures Jewelers................................................................................................................................. 47 Two Sisters with Southern Charm.................................................................................................... 27 Vandy Jewelers....................................................................................................................................... 27 WEZV...................................................................................................................................................... 58 Wild Birds Unlimited........................................................................................................................... 44

Custom Christmas DĂŠcor and Installation

Bella Gray

Floral & Gifts

843-457-0945 â&#x20AC;˘ bellagrayfloral@gmail.com

11412 Ocean Highway • Pawleys Island 843-237-3773 • www.christophersfinejewelry.com