It’s official … the Holidays are here. Although we celebrate many holidays, these are the big daddies, the ones we spell with a capital H. It’s the time of year when enough money is spent to feed several small nations. It’s the season where sipping hot cider in front of a fire is practically mandatory. We wear cheesy sweaters, and watch sappy made-for-TV movies, and read feel-good stories, and love it. Ahh … the Holidays.
If you are looking for an outing or two to help pump-up your Holiday cheer, you need look no farther than your own backyard. There are many family friendly holiday happenings around town just waiting for you to join in the merriment.
So, tune-up your best carol-singing voice, and check-out the list:
Saturday, Dec. 10:
1:00-2:00 p.m. – Newport Beach Central Library, Friends Room
2:30-3:30 p.m. – Mariner’s Branch Library
Holiday Puppet Show – Don’t miss this fun annual tradition! Seating is first-come, first served, and attendance will be limited to space available.
4:00 p.m. – Barnes and Noble, Metro Pointe
Holiday Cheer with Louis V – Join author Tracy Delio as she signs copies of her newest book, “Louis V Trims the Tree.” There will also be live music and crafts for kids.
Wednesday, Dec. 14 – Sunday, Dec. 18:
6:30-9:00 p.m. – Newport Harbor
103rd Annual Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade — Beautiful boats will light up the harbor as a dazzling array of holiday lights and music fill the air. The parade begins and ends off Bay Island. As a bonus, our friends at Martha’s Bookstore will be open until 9:00 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, so check out the lights, then pop on over to Martha’s to get a little holiday shopping done while you’re in the neighborhood!
Sunday, Dec. 18:
2:00 p.m. – Newport Beach Central Library, Friends Room
A Celtic Christmas — Come enjoy an afternoon of song, humor, stories, and holiday traditions from the British Isles including a reading of Dylan Thomas’s classic poem.
Admission is free, and holiday treats will be served.
As always, the different library branches host story-time events for varying ages, and they will be featuring many holiday themed stories over the course of the month. To see a schedule of times and age levels at the different branches, visit http://www.newport-beach.ca.us/nbpl/Events/calendar.html
Likewise, Barnes and Noble, Fashion Island holds children’s story-time each Tuesday at 11:30 a.m., and Friday at 7:30 p.m. You can expect to find some fun holiday titles being shared there as well.
If you are the type who prefers to stay at home cuddled up by he fire, why not try starting up an advent candle? In the early days of my family, before life got crazy, and schedules became opposite, we did this every Dec..
Simply get a taper style candle, and draw on 25 lines in evenly spaced increments. Then, let the candle burn each night as you read one chapter from a holiday-themed book. If your family includes younger, wigglier children, you can always read a picture book instead of drawing a more grown-up story out over many nights.
If your family is made up of older children, or all adults, take turns choosing the books and reading aloud. Again, it’s The Holidays, so this type of mushy, sappy activity is actually encouraged, and there are SO MANY great holiday books just begging to be read.
After discovering which stories are your family’s favorite, how about making someone else’s holiday bright by donating a copy to your local hospital or shelter, or sharing one with a neighbor.
And don’t forget to deliver it with a plate of cookies and some mistletoe, ‘cause remember … it’s the Holidays!
