‘Tis the Season

By Leigh Sharps

For the past two years, we have experienced a total change in habits during the holiday season: fewer events, less in-person shopping, no large family dinners or gatherings, an inability to get out during the holidays to volunteer, and (especially) the chance to aid families with children who might need extra help bringing joy to them on Christmas morning.

Somehow, though, gift-giving to youngsters continued last year through the concerted efforts of faithful volunteers, public donations, and help from many local Lakes Region businesses, individuals, and organizations. Those successful efforts are anticipated this holiday season, again, and if you are looking for ways to help out, there are certainly abundant methods to do so.

“Toys For Tots” is a program started by the U.S. Marine Corps. Their program began as collecting unwrapped gifts and distributing them to less-fortunate children at Christmas. It became more organized and offi cial as the “Marine Toys for Tots Program” in 1991. It has become the most widely known holiday toy charity in the nation. It has a board of directors who are ex-Marines and business leaders from all over the country. They’re headquartered near Washington, D.C. One objective of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to “help less fortunate children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas and play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable resources: our children.”

To request toys from Toys for Tots, one may go online and click the link for assistance. Their main Granite State offi ce is in Manchester, with program branches all over the state. Going online also provides other information and the closest program near you. Many Lakes Region holiday charitable programs partner with them each year.

Annually, as the holiday season approaches, members of Lakes Region organizations and clubs (the Rotary and Lions Club or other service organizations, for instance) hold events such as concerts, dinners, food basket deliveries, and coat and toy drives. Of course, non-members of organizations help, also, through donations of money, food, goods, and services. The Lakes Region Rotary partners with the Salvation Army in Laconia during their yearly holiday “Kettle Drive.” Off-season, they support the Salvation Army’s bi-monthly “Friendly Kitchen.” The Rotary also has a car show every year. It is a big fundraiser for them and the

money raised supports the Santa Fund, which provides winter boots, coats, mittens, and hats for area youths. The Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, in its 40th year, is also a large part of the holiday season. Between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on December 7 through 10, the event will be televised on Lakes Region Public Access Channel 25 and Atlantic Broadband Channel 12, and on the radio at 104.9 The Hawk and 101.5 Lakes FM, all from the Tanger Outlets in Tilton where people may visit in person this year. More information is posted on their auction site, facebook. com/childrensauction. A lot of Christmas shopping can be done this way, with diverse offerings available to the public, such as global vacations, handcrafted goods, dining and clothing store gift cards, and larger items such as popular sporting goods. The funds are disbursed to organizations that provide needs to Lakes Region children and families. Applications for assistance are posted online at childrensauction.com.

Speaking of radio holiday traditions, the Mix 94.1 FM Cash N’ Cans Annual Food and Money Drive is set for the week of December 10-17, with radio personality Fred Caruso, who founded the effort in 1987. Many events are planned for the week, so stay tuned in to Fred. Last year, Cash N’ Cans raised $52,000 in cash and thousands of pounds of non-perishable food items. A unique way they raise funds (besides direct donations) is through the purchase of their prize calendar ($10) and with cash and prizes donated by individuals and businesses, a lucky winner is selected daily for a prize. Listen to details on 94.1 FM.

All donations from Cash N’ Cans stay local and go to many programs, including the Twin Rivers Interfaith Food Pantry, Santa Fund of the Lakes Region, the Tilton-Northfi eld-Sanbornton Christmas Fund, Bread & Roses Soup Kitchen, the Franklin Police Department’s Toys for Tots program, Santa’s L’il Helpers through the Belmont Police Department, the “Every Child Is Ours” program, the Meredith Emergency Food Pantry, and the Northfi eld-Tilton Congregational Church Food Pantry. These are all programs you can contact now to help during the holiday season (and most of them are year-round, also).

Lakes Region Community Services helps the needy all year and especially during the holidays. They display a

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The Jewish holiday of Hanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights, began at sundown on November 28, and celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration in 164 BCE. The Maccabees, led by Judah, were the fi rst Jews who fought to defend their religious beliefs. Following the struggle to regain the Holy Temple, a great miracle happened when the oil to light the lamp, that was only enough to burn for one day, miraculously burned for eight days, thus establishing the precedent for the eight-day festival.

Today, Hanukah is celebrated in homes around the world by the lighting of the menorah, a nine-branched candelabrum that holds a primary candle, the shamash, that is used to light an additional candle for each night until the fi nal night when the menorah glows brightly with all eight candles and the shamash. As the candles are being lit, blessings are chanted before and during the process. Many families will light their menorah by a window to share the spirit and glow of the festival.

Aside from lighting the menorah, other Hanukah celebrations have emerged over the years. In the shtetls of Eastern Europe, children were given Hanukah gelt (coins) as a special treat, but real coins have been replaced by chocolate coins, wrapped in gold or silver foil, and brightly wrapped presents which are often given each night of the holiday. In many homes, playing the game of dreidel, a spinning top that is inscribed with the Hebrew letters that represent the Hanukkah theme, “a great miracle happened there,” may be part of the nightly ritual after lighting the menorah.

As with every Jewish holiday, there are traditional Hanukah foods that have special meaning to this festival as they are cooked in oil. The most notable are the potato latkes (pancakes), fried in batches and served with applesauce or sour cream. The custom of eating sufganiyot, a jelly-fi lled doughnut, has emerged from the Israeli tradition where these delicacies are fried in oil. Whether indulging in latkes, sufganiyot, or fried mozzarella sticks, the importance of celebrating with fried food is recognizing what occurred in the past and honoring the joyous holiday today.

Temple B’nai Israel will host a Zoom community Hanukah celebration on Saturday, December 4. Each household will light their menorah and chant the Hanukkah blessings in their home. The Religious School children will lead singing of traditional Hanukah songs, followed by a game of Trivia and a Hanukkah scavenger hunt.

For more information about the festivities planned, visit the Temple B’nai Israel web page, https://tbinh.org/event/ hanukah-celebration. Zoom links will be available upon request with RSVP’s.

Everyone is encouraged to share why their menorah may have special meaning. Do you light a menorah that has been handed down through generations? Maybe you have a sentimental menorah that was made by children who are grown now. If there are stories to be told, please share yours when sending your RSVP to info@tbinh.org.

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“Giving Tree” in their downtown Laconia offi ce, with hanging tags representing a child’s wishes for Christmas that the public is invited to choose and fulfi ll. The tags go quickly each year.

There are also programs in many Lakes Region towns, from Wolfeboro to Franklin. For instance, each season in Plymouth, the Fireman’s Association partners with Toys for Tots to deliver gifts along with good cheer to the Plymouth community. Unwrapped toys are delivered to the fi re station where they are wrapped and then delivered (call and leave a message at 603-536-1253 for further info). It may be too late this year to give to this program and a few other local programs, but write it on your calendar to remember this next November.

Another town whose program is run by their fi remen is in Ashland, where the Firefi ghters’ Auxiliary runs “Operation Santa Claus,” benefi ting town children. They hang paper stockings with a child’s age and toy wishes on them (and conservative wishes they always are — most requesting snow clothes), and residents pick them up and deliver unwrapped gifts to dropoff locations (the fi re department, Elaine Hughes Realty or the Meredith Village Savings Bank in Ashland). Their program does not go unappreciated by parents who often become those who now donate. One resident said (anonymously): “I learned later that myself and my siblings would never have had toys on Christmas morning without the generosity of resi-

TM dents here. Now that I am an adult with kids of my own, and I am able, I return my gratitude to residents and the Auxiliary who made our Christmases joyful when I was young, by giving back to the program each year now.”

“Operation Christmas Spirit” is Operation Help A Hero’s annual project. Their mission is to “Spread the spirit of Christmas to those who serve, asking nothing in return.” For the past 18 holiday seasons, they have asked for support by “adopting” a military family or single service member. They folks who wish to adopt a military family or provide gifts for single service members to hold a toy drive for the program or donate online, and volunteers will shop for you or advise of other ways that you may help.

Fundraising goes on year-round for the needy, not just at Christmas time. There are many ongoing programs aimed to help needy children and families. There are ways to help with food, clothing, housing, fuel assistance, etc., in every county (all cities and most towns) in the state. Some ideas to help are: Donate to a food pantry, help a needy family one may fi nd through welfare offi ces or community centers, donate your hair to “Locks of Love”, grant a wish to the Make-a-Wish Foundation, or visit or call your local humane society to assess any needs there.

We at The Laker give many thanks to all those who donate in some way each year to make the Christmas season a joyful one for our children and their families.

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