From the Editor
Sometimes I get carried away – and the holiday season seems to top the list of those times. I find myself somewhere between Cindy-Lou’s mom in “The Grinch” movie, frantically hanging lights and ribbons EVERYWHERE, and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” when everything goes comically awry.
I’ve unpacked storage bins this week and laid out plenty of holiday cheer. Garland, bells and tinsel are tossed about my home from one end to the other. I rearranged the living room furniture to accommodate our massive artificial tree which, after assembling, seems to be missing its top piece (ugh). As I clear the mantle to make room, the dogs trip over loose ornaments as Alexa plays Michael Buble in the background. It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. Chaos!
Days later, I have barely made a dent in our adornment. Who knew decking the halls could be so hard? How do those YouTubers and TikTokers make it look so easy? It’s usually when I am ready to give up that it somehow comes together beautifully and Bob reminds me that Christmas is not about the decorations. I know that, I really do. But somehow, year after year, I can’t resist.
On another note, with Covid restrictions becoming more of a distant memory, the amount of spectacular holiday events and entertainment is astounding. From parades to tree lightings to holiday shows, there is so much holiday cheer in the air. Please take a look at all the events and happenings on pages 14-17. The options are sensational.
Christmas trees are popping up on beaches up and down the coast. On page 18, we catch up with Sue McElwee, the creative mastermind behind this new holiday tradition at the Jersey Shore.
My family and I visited the North Street Beach Tree this week and placed shells around it with messages to our son, Jamie, who passed in 2020. Being by the oceanside and placing his name on a shell around the tree somehow felt cathartic and a little healing. I’m not alone in that sentiment. Others have expressed the same. In fact, McElwee shared that 7,000 shells were placed around the tree last year..
We at Shore Local, in partnership with the Patriots of the Somers Mansion, coordinate “Christmas at the Mansion,” a holiday market and festival that draws attention to and raises funding for the Somers Mansion. At 300 years old, this is the oldest building in Atlantic County, and its history is remarkable.
The second annual “Christmas at the Mansion” was originally scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3, with even more vendors, food trucks and fabulous entertainment than last year’s. However, as I write this the forecast looks grim. We will be moving the event to its planned rain date, Saturday, Dec. 10.
Although we are disappointed in the forecast, we are reminded that we can’t control the weather. Christmas at the Mansion, Dec. 10, will still be a spectacular event. We hope to see you there!
Peace & Love,
Cindy
