The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Christmas

Harvest Moon Farm Presents a Longer, More Spectacular LUMAGICA Holiday Light Experience this year

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Open November 18 to December 30

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. (November 14, 2022) – Harvest Moon Farm and Orchard in North Salem will once again transform into an enchanted forest after apple-picking season is over; and this year the LUMAGICA spectacular holiday trail is longer with several new and brilliant displays.

The natural landscape of the Orchard is a canvas for design and creative and immersive storytelling and will be filled with over 750,000 lights, whimsical creatures, and many surprises. The over half mile trail will take visitors on a journey through six magical spaces, Sparkling Light, Into the Wonderland, Magical Trees, A Great Celebration, Treats and Sweets, and Beyond the Forest.

During the LUMAGICA experience, guests will enjoy enormous, illuminated displays including a 20-foot-tall reindeer and a soaring parrot offering plenty of photo ops as attendees wind their way through light tunnels all timed to a musical performance. To get into the spirit of the holidays, visitors can grab a warm drink and an illuminated wand on their way in to begin the trail. At the end of the trail, participants will be greeted by fire pits as well as hot food, cider donuts, and seasonal drinks available for purchase. It is a memorable holiday experience for all ages.

LUMAGICA will open November 18 and run through December 30 from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm at 130 Hardscrabble Road. The walk-through experience takes 45 minutes to an hour and is one of 30 LUMAGICA parks around the world. Tickets are free for children 2 and under and range from $28 and up depending upon the date and time selected. Parking is free. To purchase, visit https://feverup.com/m/119449?utm_source=partner%26utm_medium=pr_119449%26utm_campaign=lumagica_nyc.

A Search for Joy in ‘Something New’

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Contemplating the Holidays Without My Extended Family

One of my brothers-in-law recently noted that the lack of family gatherings over the last seven months has thrown off his internal calendar. We have a large extended family–and it’s the celebrations and gatherings with those relatives that help mark the passage of time and distinguish one week, one month, one season from another.

If ever there was a time that we could benefit from the rhythm and joy of family gatherings, it’s now. And yet, if ever there was a time that we could benefit from staying away from each other, it’s now.

In past years: The author’s extended family at Christmas

So, what to do with the holidays? In normal years, we would host anywhere from 20 to 30-something on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Our mid-century modern house isn’t huge, but its open floor plan allows everyone to be together in the same space whether cooking or engrossed in conversation. On Thanksgiving, we drag extra tables and chairs up from the garage, and each individual family contributes dishes and their labor to the effort. On Christmas, the base of the tree is smothered in gifts we exchange through Secret Santa and a hilarious Yankee Swap. I love watching the cousins of my children’s generation curl up together on our wraparound sofa like one long genetic sequence.

We are lucky: there is no embarrassing drunk uncle disrupting dinner. I am lucky: I never feel burdened by the toll of the work because there are so many hands offering help. If it sounds nauseatingly civilized, I suppose it is. I embrace the winter holidays with a passion that would provoke eye rolling among cynics, an association to which I belong the other ten months of the year.

This year with the pandemic still raging and travel fraught with peril, some of our family members are spread far enough away that they might as well live on another planet. My daughter, who just graduated from college in May, will be spending Thanksgiving in Alaska where she currently lives, returning for a week or two at Christmas. My son, a sophomore in college, is not allowed to come home for Thanksgiving unless he stays here through Christmas and winter break. So, we will be empty nesters for the first time ever at Thanksgiving. My sister recently moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to be with her daughter. I have two sisters-in-law who, with their families, live flights away, one in Europe. They haven’t seen any of their siblings (there are seven) or their ninety-three-year-old dad in nearly a year.

We’ve had a few conversations about the possibility of mini gatherings of six-ten. We’ve also considered the question, could Thanksgiving be held outdoors? We bought a restaurant-grade deck heater that could warm a handful of guests. But what if it rains or snows? We’re fortunate that our kids will be able to return home for Christmas. But because one will have been on a plane, the other on campus, we will likely stay clear of our extended family in December.

None of this is tragic of course–we are healthy, for now. More intimate versions of yearly traditions are hardly a disaster. The upside: a reasonable size turkey, one less tray of stuffing and more in-depth conversation.

I’ve noticed that my family and friends are careful not to complain too much about their pandemic malaise, acutely aware of the kind of emotional, physical and economic suffering that plagues so much of the country. There is guilt attached to wallowing when others have it worse. But perhaps one holiday gift we can give ourselves and those in our orbit is the freedom to acknowledge how much this has impacted us–changed us–left us without many simple joys, like connecting over a turkey and stuffing, around a tree, or to light candles.

As anyone who has had a birthday in this pandemic season understands, our celebrations this holiday season will be different–or at least they should be. And while they will be stunted, we may find in them something new, and some familiar comfort in their rhythms and joy.

Get Ready for Frosty the Snowman Homecoming 2017

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVE HILLEBRAND AND ROBBY MORRIS

SAVE THE DATE: November 26 in Armonk

The annual homecoming of America’s favorite snowman, Frosty, will be held right here in Armonk on Sunday, November 26, the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend.

The Frosty Day fun-filled family activities will be downtown Armonk at 12:30 p.m. with the annual Frosty Parade scheduled for 4 p.m. The parade will be followed by the annual holiday lighting ceremony at the gazebo in Wampus Brook Park.

The Frosty Parade is the only holiday-themed parade in the area and all activities are free to the public. Almost every business, shop and merchant in Armonk is involved somehow in Frosty Day; there are individual corporate sponsorships available for events and activities during the day and the parade.

There will be new activities and rides this year including more of the popular animated animals and the creation of an ice sculpture in the center of town. Favorites such as the miniature trains and horse-drawn wagons will be back again, along with dancers, singers, marching bands, magicians, clowns, elves, Santa and of course, Frosty. Shops and merchants will offer face-painting, frosting cookies, decorating holiday ornaments, refreshments, and making your own Frosty the Snowman to carry in the parade. A list of the times and places of events and activities are available on the Frosty website: armonkfrosty.com.

Events and activities will be held for three hours around town before the parade which will travel north on Main Street to Maple Avenue and then into Wampus Brook Park. Everyone is part of the parade, joining in at the end to help welcome Frosty home for the holidays.

More than 35 local and county-based groups and organizations will participate in this year’s Frosty Parade with floats, lights, dancing, costumes and music, going past the Historic District in downtown Armonk which was the inspiration for the “Village Square” where Frosty dared the children to “catch me if you can.” Steve Nelson, who was the lyricist of the classic holiday song, was a long-time resident of Armonk.  

Friends of Frosty Inc., a non-profit group of local volunteers formed to oversee the day’s events, encourages visitors to Armonk to contribute to its “Help Frosty Help Others” campaign, with donations either in Frosty jars during the event, or with contributions to the Winter Warmth Project that collects outdoor jackets and gear for those in need. People can make clothing donations during a one-time drop-off of clothing items at North Castle Town Hall on Saturday, November 4th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The group’s president, Robby Morris, reminds us that “Frosty Day is an event that the town looks forward to every year. It’s a great time for everyone to come together and have some fun.”

 

Sunshine Staff Play Vital Role in Bringing Holiday Joy

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“Thoughtful and Inclusive” and an Interdisciplinary Effort

The Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehab Center is a very special place. This local facility is recognized as one of the top facilities of its kind, earning both five stars out of five from the government, as well as ranking in the US News and World report two years in a row.

What does Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehab Center offer? Their website says “Sunshine Children’s Home is a 54-bed licensed nursing facility that specializes in the care and treatment of medically complex children who require post-acute, rehabilitative care.” What does this mean to the lay person? They offer both short term and long term care, depending on the needs of the child. Unique to Sunshine is that the warmth that emanates from them.Their mission is, in part, to be a “second home” to the child, while providing necessary medical treatment and/or other related services. They foster an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating physical therapy, speech services, occupational therapy etc., as needed.

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For the children who reside at Sunshine, the holidays are especially important. The children look forward to this festive time all year! They are celebrated several different ways, and the celebratory season begins with Thanksgiving. For this kick off to the holiday season, the extended family, inclusive of the children, their family and their Sunshine family all dine together on a Thanksgiving meal. Children create various themed crafts in celebration of the holiday.

As the holidays progress, Linda Mosiello, the Administrator for Sunshine, said, “The month of December is one extended, inclusive holiday season as we celebrate Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa. Each holiday is rich with traditions and customs, energizing our staff to prepare joyful celebrations that capture the spirit of each. We have come to learn that thoughtful and inclusive holiday celebrations bring comfort to all the families–embodying our view that we are a second home for them.” This perspective and approach are part of what makes Sunshine such a special place.

Linda also expressed much gratitude to our local community, its organizations and volunteers alike, as well as donors who play such a vital role in the holiday celebrations for the children who reside there.

She said, “We are joined in our efforts by the generosity of community organizations and volunteer groups who seek to bring smiles to the children through ongoing celebration and gift giving.” She cited Scouts who make cards and sing to the children, as well as retired and still active members of the Police force who help bring holiday cheer to the children. Volunteers and staff guide the children in holiday games, baking, caroling and of course, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The Sunshine Children’s Home and Rehabilitation Center fills a need in the Westchester community and excels at it by creating a home away from home for these children and their families. Ms. Mosiello said it best when she said, “Sunshine is a remarkable home for our special children all year round, and they are extra blessed during the holiday season.”

Heather Skolnick, her husband Neal and three young children have lived in New Castle the last ten years. When Heather isn’t writing articles, she works for a footwear company as the Director of Planning.

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A Fond “Look Back” at the Westchester Christmas Dinner

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Volunteers come from all over Westchester County.
Volunteers come from all over Westchester County.

By Anna Bennett

When we are caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it can be easy to forget that not everyone has the resources to purchase gifts for multiple family members or to gather all the ingredients needed to prepare a hot, festive meal for the day. Such “givens” are so easily taken for granted. So it was heartening and enlightening to learn about and actually witness the “Westchester Christmas Dinner.”

This past Christmas day, as has been the tradition for 20 years, over 300 of our neighbors in need arrived via pre-arranged transportation to a welcoming St. Mary’s Parish in Katonah, to relax and enjoy a truly unique community-wide event. One of the event coordinators Licia Sandberg, said, “One of the main reasons I’m here is to teach my two sons what it means to give back.”

With team captains covering every aspect of the event from clothing and toy donations to volunteer coordination, this was a Christmas Dinner that had heart. Along with a delicious buffet meal, the venue was filled with entertainment, including DJ’s and various stations, like a “Rainbow Loom” activity for children, and a room filled with elves diligently wrapping gifts.

A colossal effort is needed to stage such an enormous production; the event requires hundreds of volunteers and hefty donations from both individuals and merchants. Perhaps one of the most charitable, intimate features of the dinner is that of gifting. Prior to the dinner, volunteer “elves” are designated a table, and take individual gift orders from the guests. After taking information about the guests’ needs, the elves proceed to a gift-wrapping room, where they select the best-fit presents. Adults are given assorted clothing items, and children are given both clothing and toys and other kinds of gifts. Thus, needy children can receive more than the bare minimum for survival, as would a more fortunate child.

The Blumenfelds of Chappaqua have made volunteering at this event an annual family tradition.
The Blumenfelds of Chappaqua have made volunteering at this event an annual family tradition.

The Blumenfeld family of Chappaqua was among the elves at work: “This is our sixth year volunteering,” said Susan Blumenfeld. “Ever since our first time, we decided that Christmas would be a day of giving back. It’s very rewarding.” Like the Blumenfelds, many families return year after year for that humbling and life affirming effect of giving back to those considerably less well off. As one might expect in its 20th year running, the event ran smoothly and radiant smiles were painted across the faces of hundreds of guests and volunteers alike.

According to multiple volunteers, Chappaqua’s Dawn Greenberg (owner of Aurora boutique) was to be commended for her valuable contributions and outstanding performance collecting food from an array of restaurants, not to mention her personal last-minute shopping for extra clothing.  Stated Dawn: “Crabtree’s Kittle House and Quaker Hill always give tremendous amounts of stuffing and sweet potatoes. Le Jardin du Roi and Susan Lawrence were new this year and equally generous. Altogether, we had food contributions from 70 restaurants in northern Westchester. Many thanks to all the callers and drivers who joined us from Chappaqua this year. And to folks who donated gifts and dollars for new clothing.”

Hope Mazzola, the joyful, hard-working “head elf,” confirmed that following the completion of this year’s dinner, planning for the next dinner will soon be underway. If you would like to get involved (or even just donate), the event’s website, westchesterchristmas.org, describes the many opportunities available and provides all of the information you might need.

A mom and her three boys enjoying the Westchester Christmas Dinner festivities
A mom and her three boys enjoying the Westchester
Christmas Dinner festivities

Anna Bennett, a long time contributor to Inside Chappaqua Magazine, is graduating in May from University of Massachusets in Amherst. She is also job hunting for a position maximizing her considerable writing, communications and social media skills. Write to her at annabennett13@gmail.com.