Posts Tagged ‘Holidays’

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Lake Placid’s Holiday Stroll December 8-10

Lake Placid Holiday Stroll Adirondack Family TimeThere is always so much to do during the holidays. I sometimes feel bombarded by ads and discounts and need to ground myself with some holiday spirit.

Christmas spirit has been plentiful around the Adirondacks and this weekend is no different as Santa visits the Adirondack High Peaks. The Lake Placid Holiday Stroll – Friday through Sunday, December 8-10 – not only provides ample opportunity to finish the holiday shopping, but also offers a weekend of fun family-friendly activities. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, December 2, 2017

Buy Local Christmas Trees, Support Local Growers

Christmas Tree PlantationChristmas trees can be seen everywhere during the holiday season. And, because of this, we often think of Christmas tree farming as a seasonal business, which it certainly isn’t.

To be successful, year-round management and maintenance are needed. And the work is often labor-intensive, and/or needing to be completed under adverse weather conditions. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, November 30, 2017

Long Lake-Raquette Lake Holiday Lights Contest

Long Lake Diner - Winner Business Lights Contest 2016The Town of Long Lake Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the 2017 Holiday Decorating Contest for both communities of Long Lake and Raquette Lake.

In Long Lake judging will take place on Wednesday, December 20th between dusk and 9 pm. Participants must have their displays lit up during the judging period. Sign up’s are not required, but strongly recommended. Winners will be announced at the Seniors Luncheon on Thursday, December 21st at the Long Lake Town Hall. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, November 23, 2017

Christmas Comes Early in the Central Adirondacks

It’s a Turkey Trot here and a Turkey Trot there, but in the Central Adirondacks Santa and Mrs. Claus make it all about shopping local. Long before Small Business Saturday, Old Forge and Inlet’s Christmas on Main and Indian Lake’s A Country Christmas Tour provided a Thanksgiving holiday celebrating its unique Adirondack shops as well as a weekend of family-friendly activities.

According to Mike Farmer, Director of Publicity for the Town of Webb, there are a couple of big additions to Old Forge’s already packed schedule of events. If children forget to make their Christmas list, there are two red mailboxes, one at the Webb Visitor’s Center and another at Pointe Park, at the ready. Postcards are also on hand to jot down any last minute ideas. The Central Adirondacks Association purchased and renovated an old-fashioned sleigh so Santa will be arriving in style. For the first year, 60 area businesses contributed items for a holiday raffle basket. Shoppers spending $10 or more in participating stores will receive a ticket for a chance to win gifts ranging from motel stays to whitetail deer antlers. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, November 16, 2017

Wreath and Garland Making Workshop at Arts Center

balsam wreaths The Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts will once again welcome local instructor, historian, and artisan Hallie Bond to teach participants how to make a fresh balsam wreath and a 4-foot to 6-foot length of garland on Saturday, December 2, 2017, from 1 to 4 pm.

Participants are asked to bring a wire hangar and garden scissors or snippers to the class. In addition, feel free to bring special ribbon or adornments to add a festive and personal touch to your wreath or garland. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Long and Raquette Lakes Holiday Craft Classes Offered

 Photo of Helen Kentile from Long Lake Balsam Class, photo by Cindy BlackThe Town of Long Lake Parks and Recreation Department will be offering two Wreath and Balsam Workshops with Cindy Black. Workshops will be offered Monday, November 20th, 2017, 6 pm at the Raquette Lake School and Monday, November 27th, 2017, 7 pm at the Long Lake Town Hall at 1204 Main Street.

Project cost will depend on materials used. Balsam, tools, wire, ribbon, and decorative embellishments will be available. Participants are invited to bring their own items to add to their project. Balsam bows were collected by the Long Lake and Raquette Lake Highway Department to be used for the workshops. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Warrensburgh Holiday Wreath Sale Underway

holiday wreathAdirondack balsam wreaths are being sold by Warrensburgh Beautification Inc. in time to decorate for the Christmas in Warrensburgh celebration and the holiday season. The evergreen wreaths are guaranteed fresh, and decorated with locally harvested pinecones and a handcrafted red velvet bow. » Continue Reading.


Friday, December 30, 2016

First Night Celebrations To Ring In The New Year

There are so many different ways to ring in the new year. Each Adirondack town has special celebrations from Lake George cruises to Long Lake’s Little Bus festivities. There are even ski mountain extravaganzas like Oak Mountain’s Torch Light Parade or Titus Mountain’s free 1st Tracks Bash.

My family has always chosen to bring in the new year with a First Night Celebration in Saranac Lake or Saratoga Springs. Both events offer an alcohol-free, family-friendly tradition for welcoming in the new year. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, December 24, 2016

The Trees of Christmas

christmas treeYou picked it out, maybe cut it down, brought it home, watered it, and decorated it. But do you know what species of tree that is surrounded by presents in your living room?

If you purchased your Christmas tree rather than cutting it out of the woods, chances are it’s either a balsam fir (Abies balsamea) or a fraser fir (Abies fraseri) – these are the two species most commonly grown on Christmas tree farms in northern New England. Balsam fir is found naturally everywhere, from Alberta to Pennsylvania, and has the largest range of any North American fir species. It’s perhaps best known for its aroma – when people say they want a tree that smells like Christmas, they’re talking about a balsam. Fraser fir, native to the Appalachian Mountains, doesn’t have the same trademark scent, but it does have a little more visual flourish in the form of elegant blue-green needles with silvery-white undersides. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, December 24, 2016

The Christmas Yule Log Tradition

yule logsApparently, the ceremonial burning of a large chunk of wood on or near the winter solstice (Yule to the old Germanic peoples) may have begun as a Nordic custom in the 6th century, possibly earlier. Known as a Yule clog, Yule block, Christmas log and other variants, the Yule log was purported to bring good luck in the new year if it burned all day long without being fully consumed. A remnant was always saved, and used to light the following year’s log. Though the tradition is much less common today, it has not been completely extinguished (so to speak).

Given the climate there, it is no surprise that the hardy folks in northern Europe thought the best way to observe a winter holiday was to light a tree trunk on fire and gather round it. That’s probably what I would have done, too. The French, on the other hand, put a whole new twist on the thing, inventing a delicious Yule log cake that they never burn, at least not intentionally. It took them a dozen or so centuries to come up with the recipe, but let’s not complain. You don’t have to go to France to check out a bûche de Noël — in Quebec you can find Yule log pastries that are works of art in addition to being delectable. (In an ironic twist, the bûche glacée de Noel, or frozen Christmas log, is gaining popularity in France and its territories.) » Continue Reading.


Friday, December 23, 2016

Letters to Santa from a Simpler Time

pa1922-xmasadChildren’s Christmas wishes and expectations years ago were much different from what they are today. I was so struck by this—the simplicity and innocence of children hoping to receive some sort of gift—that while researching a book back in 2010, I included a chapter entitled Letters to Santa (in History of Churubusco). The sample letters below are excerpted from that book, and were published in North Country newspapers between 1920 and 1940. They reveal a sharp contrast to the modern holiday, where expensive gifts have become the disproportionate norm.

Like hundreds of other small villages and towns in the early twentieth century, Churubusco (in northwest Clinton County) was a farming community. Families were often self-sufficient, and everyone, including small children, had daily chores. This fostered teamwork, family unity, and gave children a firsthand understanding of the value of goods, services, and hard work. Those lessons were conveyed in their missives to Santa. And some of the comments in the letters are just plain cute. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, December 17, 2016

Balsam Fir: Adirondack Christmas Tradition

As a rule, the severity of the winter becomes harsher with an increase in altitude. In the lowlands, around the periphery of the Park, conditions are more favorable for life, as these valley settings are capable of supporting a wide diversity of flora and fauna. However, closer to the summit of the peaks, the weather becomes as inhospitable as at much higher latitudes, such as near the Arctic Circle, where only a handful of extremely hardy forms of vegetation can flourish to grace the rugged, boulder strewn terrain. Among the woody plants that are successful in rooting in the shallow soil of these frigid, wind swept sites is the balsam fir (Abies balsamea), known as our most popular type of Christmas tree. » Continue Reading.


Friday, December 9, 2016

Lake Placid Holiday Village Stroll, Skate and Celebrate Saturday

holiday strollThe village of Lake Placid will host the 8th Annual Holiday Village Stroll, complete with holiday shopping, family fun, arts and entertainment from Friday, Dec. 9 through Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016.

The Holiday Village Stroll weekend includes activities for kids and families such as a skating party, opportunities to visit with Santa, holiday movie screenings at the Palace Theatre, a tree-lighting ceremony, holiday crafts, story time and cookie decorating. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, December 8, 2016

Adirondack Holiday Events This Weekend

holiday strollThere are a variety of ways to ring in the holidays with quaint Adirondack charm. It can be as simple as viewing the holiday lights throughout Long Lake or as active as this weekend’s Lake Placid Holiday Stroll and Christmas in Essex. With fresh snow in the mountains and holiday bazaars on every corner, it is beginning to look a lot like an Adirondack Christmas.

Over the past 20 years Christmas in Essex has evolved to include a mixture of traditional activities and new events. The event kicks off with a preview party, tree lighting and holiday concert. Adults can learn how to create a special holiday drink with a free lesson with Mixologist Lori Kudelski at the Essex Inn. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, December 1, 2016

Pining For That Evergreen Smell

balsamSpeaking as a guy who can hide his own Easter eggs and still not find them, I marvel how Father Christmas, who is at least several years older than I, still manages to keep track of all those kids and their presents. Lucky for us that the most enduring memories are associated with smell. If it was not for the fragrant evergreen wreaths, trees and garlands (and possibly a hint of reindeer dung), Santa probably would have long ago forgotten his holiday duties.

Of all the memorable aromas of the holiday season, nothing evokes its spirit quite like the smell of fresh-cut pine, spruce or fir. Although most American households which observe Christmas have switched to artificial trees, about eleven million families still bring home a real tree. » Continue Reading.



Wait! Before you go:

Catch up on all your Adirondack
news, delivered weekly to your inbox