2019 Holiday Gift Guide

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Sunday, November 17, 2019

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BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR

‘Tis the season for giving, and we hereby “present” the 2019 Holiday Gift Guide to Suffolk News-Herald readers.

As we thought about what kinds of features to include in this year’s Gift Guide, our thoughts were drawn toward various “things.”

Many of us will agree that we have far more stuff than we need. Even if you got caught up in the Marie Kondo craze

this year and tossed everything that didn’t spark joy, there’s still a good chance you have lots of things — things you don’t need, things you don’t want, maybe even things that are getting in the way.

So we decided to veer away from “things” in this Gift Guide and focus instead on experiences.

It’s one of the most common pieces of advice for parents whose kids have too many toys or those shopping for older people who have

everything and don’t particularly need anything. “Get them an experience,” they say.

Take the kids to a movie, a museum, or out to their favorite place to eat.

Spend quality time with the elders in your life at a show or on a special trip, if they’re still able to travel. Focus on making memories, not just gifting “things.”

That’s all well and good, until your ideas for that break down, too, and you’re right back where you started.

In the spirit of that, we

decided to get you thinking with a few ideas for local “experience” gifts.

There are lots of experiences you could gift right here in Suffolk that aren’t listed here. Maybe you can take that special someone to the movies or on a shopping spree.

Maybe you could gift a dance class at a local studio. Whatever you choose to do, we urge you to keep it local and support your local venues and businesspeople.

We wish everyone Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Holiday gifts for four-legged family members Holiday shoppers who are busy making lists and checking them twice should make sure they don’t overlook the family pet. Christmas has gone to the cats and dogs, as a greater number of people include their companion animals when selecting gifts each year.

A study by OnePoll conducted by Rover.com, the nation’s largest network of dog sitters and walkers, found that 95 percent of pet owners have bought holiday gifts for their pets. Gifts can range from everyday needs, like food and treats, to more lavish extravagances like spa treatments.

Pet owners who plan to get their pets gifts this year may want to consider some of the emerging pet trends as they browse wares and services. The Balance, a business, career and industry information site, says pet industry trends point toward these segments seeing growth.

Natural pet products Just as people are interested in protecting the health of the planet and their own personal health, so, too, are they extending this concern to companion animals. Natural pet products, which can include natural flea and tick remedies, holistic foods, organic items, and all-natural grooming products, can make great gifts.

Specialty pet services The American Pet Products Association says the demand for high-end pet grooming and other services is substantial.

In addition, personalized training, behavioral consulting, portrait photography, dog sitting, and upscale spa treatments like pet Reiki and massage are booming.

Mobile pet grooming Mobile pet grooming has become the norm in many areas. Mobile pet grooming can reduce the

potential stress on animals and tends to be very convenient for customers, particularly seniors and others who have mobility issues.

Beyond these growing trends, pet owners have a bevy of other ideas from which to choose. Here are just a few different suggestions: 4tests to detect pets’ DNA and trace breed and ancestry, 4interactive puzzles to keep pets engaged and banish boredom, 4stylish storage baskets for pet toys, 4hidden cat litter or dog crate items that camouflage commonly used pet items, 4heated pet bed for cozy nights and mornings, and 4signature vests, coats and sweaters to look good and remain comfortable.

Pet gifts are popular this time of year, ensuring all members of the family have a treat to open.

—Metro Creative

Please give to Cheer Fund

BY TRACY AGNEW EDITOR

If you can’t think of any other gift for the people on your list this year, please consider giving a gift to your community and making it in honor of your loved ones.

The Suffolk NewsHerald Cheer Fund accepts donations all year long, and you can always list a donation in honor of or in memory of someone.

That recognition will be listed in the newspaper.

The Cheer Fund, a community nonprofit run by a volunteer board, was started by the newspaper during the Great Depression and is sustained by the newspaper through pro bono publicity and bookkeeping work.

The Cheer Fund collects

donations each year to fund the purchase of toys given out by the Salvation Army to Suffolk families.

These families apply in October of each year, and their need is vetted by officials. Parents visit the toy store the week before Christmas and choose toys for each of their children to find under the tree on Christmas morning.

This year’s fundraising goal is $40,000. All donations support children who live right here in Suffolk.

To donate to the Cheer Fund, send a check to P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 or bring it to the newspaper office, 130 S. Saratoga St., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

We will list your donation in the newspaper, but it can be marked “anonymous” if you like. If you bring the check to our office, we’ll even take your picture as you hand it to one of our staff. This is a great way for community clubs and organizations to get recognition for the many great things they do for our community.

For more information on the Cheer Fund, call 934-9609.

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Give fun at YMCA

BY JIMMY LAROUE STAFF WRITER

Want to give the gift of year-round fitness? The Suffolk Family YMCA at 2769 Godwin Blvd. sells gift cards of any amounts that can be used for swim lessons, personal training, childcare or even a membership.

For an individual, the joining fee is $50 with monthly dues of $63, for a duo, the joining fee is $75 with monthly dues of $78 and to gift a family

membership — including adults, dependent children and any relatives living in the same home, the joining fee is $75 and dues are $93 per month. For those who need a more affordable membership option, the YMCA offers assistance through its Open Doors Financial Assistance program, which is an income-based sliding fee scale.

“With a membership, people in our community have access to 22 locations in the South Hampton

Roads area with different relationship building activities for kids, families and active older adults,” said Suffolk Family YMCA Membership Director Kelly Henson. “By giving people the gift of the Y, you can inspire them to improve their spirit, mind and body.”

To try a week of the YMCA for free, go to ymcashr.org/free-week.

For more information, call 934-9622, visit ymcashr. org or visit the Suffolk Family YMCA.

FILE PHOTO

Aiden Mahoney enjoys the alpine tower swing during summer camp activities at the YMCA’s Camp Arrowhead this summer.

Gift a show at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts

BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER

People looking to purchase some culturally enriching experiences for their loved ones this holiday season can look at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts calendar for a slew of options.

There are still more than a half-dozen shows left on the schedule for the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts, from December through May, according to D’Arcy Weiss, marketing managSUBMITTED PHOTO er for the Suffolk Center.

Christian recording artist Mark Schultz is one of many shows at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts this Tickets may be purchased winter that would make great gifts. in bundles at a discounted rate, as well.

Tickets are available for

Tips for successful office Secret Santa exchanges The holiday season provides plenty of opportunities to socialize.

Holiday celebrations are sometimes akin to family reunions, but friends also tend to celebrate together in December. Such celebrations sometimes include different groups of friends, and that may require hosts to do a little extra to break the ice so everyone relaxes and has a good time.

Secret Santa gift exchanges can make for a great ice breaker, even if guests are buying gifts for people they don’t know. If you plan to make Secret Santa part of your holiday party this year, consider these tips to ensure it goes off smoothly.

4Start planning early.

Hosts likely know every-

one coming to their party, so they should take the lead and organize the Secret Santa exchange.

Let guests know as early as possible, even including the information in the party invitations, so they have time to shop.

4Make it optional.

Forcing people to mingle and exchange gifts is never a good idea. Give guests the option to participate ask them to indicate if they will or won’t when they RSVP. 4Set a reasonable gift limit. Figure out a budget that works for everyone.

There are plenty of gifts

to be had for $20 and under. Gag gifts or “dollar store” gift themes can ensure no one goes overboard in terms of dollar value.

4Consider a wish list.

Asking participants to fill out wish lists ensures that their Secret Santa buddy will have an idea where to start shopping.

4Enlist a digital helper. Technology can make organizing Secret Santa exchanges even easier. Elfster is an online gift exchange app that can help hosts effectively organize their Secret Santa parties.

Fun is key to Secret Santa exchanges, so make sure to keep things lighthearted when planning the party and exchanging gifts.

—Metro Creative

the Suffolk Center’s many 2020 season performances and winter classes, which make for great gift ideas, according to Weiss.

“We have so many opportunities to expand our minds and expand our experiences,” Weiss said.

The Virginia Symphony Orchestra will perform its Holiday Brass Show at the center on the evening of Dec. 20. The Virginia Symphony is at the center of the Hampton Roads arts community, according to suffolkcenter.org, and in many ways serves as the “cultural cornerstone” of the region.

“The bold sounds of the Virginia Symphony brass section ring in the

holidays with a blast,” according to suffolkcenter.org. “Experience the festive sounds of the season in a concert filled with wit, virtuosity, and the glorious music of the holidays — featuring the VSO brass and percussion sections in an all-new program.

“You’ll enjoy music from a variety of styles that have made this concert a new holiday tradition.”

Special seasonal surprises are also in store for ticketholders at the Holiday Brass Show.

Visit suffolkcenter.org for further information on performances, classes and more.

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Handmade items and artistic experiences abound

BY ALEX PERRY STAFF WRITER

Give a skydive

BY JIMMY LAROUE STAFF WRITER

Looking for an activity that is sure to give you or someone you love an adrenaline rush?

Want to learn how to parachute out of an airplane?

In operation since 1960, Skydive Suffolk offers a variety of gift certificates for anyone looking for that special thrill, or for the experienced skydiver in your life. Gift certificates of $100 or $150, along with Tandem and Friday Tandem Specials, are available for purchase online.

People will receive an email confirmation as well as a note saying, “Congratulations (insert name)! You are going skydiving!” From there, peo-

ple can forward the email or print it out and stick it in an envelope to gift.

All purchases are transferable but non-refundable within 12 months of the purchase date. To purchase the gift certificate, go to skydivesuffolk.com. For more information, call 539-3531.

Skydive Suffolk is located at 1200 Gene Bolton Drive at the Suffolk Executive Airport.

Note that there is a weight limitation of 220 pounds for jumpers, though Skydive Suffolk can accommodate others who weigh more for an extra fee on a case-bycase basis only. Also, anyone jumping must sign a waiver and receive instructions before jumping.

Make a child’s Christmas a little brighter this year

The SPARC Shoppe at 100 N. Main St. has plenty of gift ideas for creative people’s wish lists.

A retail sales gallery and studios featuring local artists and creatives, the shop has a wide variety of original artwork, jewelry, home décor and “one-of-a-kind” gifts, according to the SPARC Shoppe’s Facebook page.

Gift cards are available for purchase, according to SPARC Shoppe Manager Pam English. Additionally, there are events on the calendar that would make for a great experience for creatives young and older.

On Dec. 7, basket weaver

Rami McKinney will hold a “Woven Reindeer Ornament Workshop.” Participants will make their own delightful reindeer ornaments to take home from 2 to 6 p.m.

This workshop is free and designed for beginners, open to anyone ages 12 and up. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

To reserve your ticket for “Woven Reindeer Ornament Workshop,” and to find out more about what else is happening at the SPARC Shoppe this holiday season — including a holiday celebration for Second Saturday on Dec. 14 — visit facebook.com/TheSparcShoppe, or check out their new location at 100 N. Main St.

20 ways to live life to the fullest Time is a precious commodity, which is why many people try to embrace life and live it to the fullest.

Although many people adopt the philosophy of living life to the fullest at a young age, this approach garnered greater attention thanks to a 2007 movie. Directed by Rob Reiner, “The Bucket List” starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman introduced a larger audience to setting goals and doing as much as possible to make those goals a reality.

Freeman and Nicholson played two terminally ill men who set off to complete their personal to-do lists before their diseases catch up with them. The movie helped coin the term “bucket list,” which is a reference to things individuals want to do before they “kick the bucket.”

Although the two main characters in the film are terminally ill, the idea of creating a bucket list is something anyone hoping to live a full, adventurous life can do. In fact, several bucket list organizations have sprung up, and other groups help make trips and other goals happen.

People can even meet up with others who share the same desires and do them together.

While anyone’s bucket list is a personal endeavor, there are some goals that are quite popular and desired by many. The following are some ideas to get a person started. They might be

something you do as a gift to yourself or ideas you can give others for gifts!

4Throw a party on a rooftop in a bustling city or urban center.

4Take a parent on his or her dream vacation.

4Immerse yourself in the culture of a foreign country.

4Go back to school to embark on a different career.

4See the Northern Lights.

4Become fluent in another language.

4Go on safari and see endangered animals in their natural habitats.

4Take friends on a skydiving adventure.

4Drive cross-country.

4Tour every continent.

4Do a professional photo shoot with you as the model.

4Meet your favorite actor, athlete and/or author.

4Be an extra in a movie.

4Publish a book of any sort.

4Participate in a festival, such as running with the bulls or Oktoberfest, in the festivals’ countries of origin.

4Dive at the Great Barrier Reef.

4Fly a plane.

4Gather your entire family together for the biggest family reunion yet.

4Try a new hobby that is out of your comfort zone.

4Travel to the top of the tallest building in the world.

—Metro Creative

To donate to the Cheer Fund, send a check to P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439, or bring it to the office at 130 S. Saratoga St.