One advantage of being old is that you have a lot of memories. And your community newspaper, having served this area for many decades, has a lot of photos from the past, some of which we are sharing with you this week in our special "Holiday Traditions" issue.
We are fortunate to have generations of subscribers, and our current readers may be surprised in these "blasts from the past" to find some younger versions of people and places they know!
Many of the community events listed in these pages – from Thanksgiving concerts to menorah and Christmas tree lightings – are long-standing traditions, always evolving as our hometown changes. But, essentially, they give off the glow of love that is the essence of the holidays for us.
We have asked our readers to share their own holiday traditions with us, whether recipes for holiday meals or other ways of giving and being together.
We look forward to sharing them with you in the weeks ahead.
Healthy and happy holidays
These days, with the flu in the air, wishes for a healthy and happy holiday have a special meaning. But the holidays are also a good time to indulge – not overindulge – in healthy food and drink, and a healthy lifestyle.
Winter can be fun, not just skating, sledding, snowboarding and skiing, but also zumba dancing, spinning and working out.
Parties make us connect, and give us special memories to share.
Most of all, the holidays are a time for spiritual growth, for renewal. That is the greatest, healthiest and happiest gift we can receive.