Write to a Friend Month

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December is National Write to a Friend Month! When was the last time you wrote a letter by hand? In the modern world of today, there are quicker ways to get in touch: email, text, IMing (instant messaging), and more. Yet nothing feels more special than opening the mailbox and pulling out something that isn’t junk mail or a bill. Additionally, hand-writing a letter to a friend, posting it in the mailbox, and waiting to get a letter in reply can be a joyous, addictive cycle of truly serendipitous surprise and positive feelings of companionship. 

Looking for some ideas on how to have a memorable, fun letter-writing experience? Consider the following list of suggestions:

  • Do letters feel intimidating in length? Try sending a postcard, a photo with a short note on the back, or a Christmas/holiday card. 
  • Want to personalize your envelope? Look into learning how to use wax seals, use the collection of stickers gathering in your drawer to close the seal, doodle on the back, or learn to fold envelopes from anything to make your own unique letter-wrappers. 
  • Don’t know who to send a letter to? There are many online services offering to connect letter-writing penpals: Compatipal, World Wide Snail Mail, PenPal World, and more. 

Marianna’s Merry Market

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It’s officially December which means holidays are upon us! Consider visiting the 1st Annual Merry Market at Citizens Lodge Park in Marianna this weekend to start looking for gifts, get pictures, or just to entertain the kids for a few hours. The event is this coming Saturday, December 5, and will run for ONE DAY ONLY from 9 a.m. CST to 4 p.m. CST. 

There will be a variety of things to do at the Merry Market including but not limited to:

  • Over 40+ vendors selling bags, Mary Kay, wood crafts, home goods, homemade crafts, food, produce, and more. 
  • Performances from Sarah Williams, Sandra Harrell, Amy Allen, the Tobacco Road Band, and possibly more.
  • Santa Pictures; professional photographer and picture packages available.
  • Petting zoo with goats, ducks, bunnies, and reindeer alpacas. Hercules the bull may make an appearance.

Visit the Merry Market Facebook event page HERE to keep up with vendor announcements and more! 

GivingTuesday2020

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Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday! GivingTuesday was brought to life in 2012 with the idea of encouraging people to do good. In the past eight years, it has “grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.” source Now, GivingTuesday is an annual event held each year on the Tuesday after the U.S.A. Thanksgiving celebration. This year, it falls on December 1st! It’s held the same day for participating countries. Want to celebrate GivingTuesday? All it takes is kindness; you can give your voice, time, money, goods, and/or advocacy to support the communities, causes, and people in your life. 

Visit the official Giving Tuesday website for more information HERE. 

Local Boutique’s Annual Holly Jolly Sale

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Marianna’s A Wild Hair Boutique is a local clothing store known for its friendly service and styling expertise. They just completed a very successful Black Friday sale thanks to the support of the community, and have an annual holiday sale coming up. On December 4th from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., the boutique will host its annual Holly Jolly. It’s the best sale of the year, offering exclusive sales and deals.

Want to see some of the offered accessories, trendy clothes, or browse the holiday-specific wares? Click HERE to visit A Wild Hair Boutique’s official website. 

Wishing You a Happy Thanksgiving!

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The United States of America, or at least the area that would become the U.S.A., first called for a national day of thanksgiving to celebrate victory over the British in the Battle of Saratoga in 1777. However, it didn’t officially become a sanctioned holiday until 1863, thanks to the efforts of author Sarah Josepha Hale (you might know her from the poem “Mary Had a Little Lamb”). 

Here’s a fascinating story you can share this year to wow people with the breadth of your knowledge!

Image having 26 elephants worth of extra turkey!!!

In 1953, C.A. Swanson & Sons overestimated demand for Thanksgiving turkey and had over 260 TONS of extra frozen birds. In the end, an employee came up with the idea to order 5,000 aluminum trays, devise a new turkey meal, and use an assembly line of workers to put together the meal on the trays. And thus the first frozen TV tray dinner was created! It was such a hit that the next year, 1954, the company put the TV trays into production and sold 10 million turkey tray dinners. Nowadays, the global frozen food market size is valued at approximately $291.3 billion (as of 2019).

National Day of Mourning is For Honoring

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving as well as the National Day Of Mourning! The Day of Mourning has been observed annually since 1970 on the fourth Thursday in November. This year, 2020, this annual support rally is going to be held the same day as Thanksgiving. The National Day of Mourning rally is organized by the United American Indians of New England (UAINE). The UAINE is an autonomous, Native-based organization focused on confronting racism and fighting for the freedom of people who were imprisoned for political reasons. Their Day of Mourning rallies not only bring new perspectives and fondness for Native American culture but also bring about positive social changes such as revisions on how American history is portrayed.

From the UAINE Facebook Page

To celebrate and observe the National Day of Mourning, consider learning about the various complex, rich cultures of indigenous nations in what is now the United States. Looking for somewhere to start? Visit the First Nations Development Institute website HERE. Or consider using the Native Land Digital interactive map (click here!) to learn more about territory awareness. Or visit the UAINE official website HERE. 

Calhoun County Christmas Parades

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Join the Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce for the 2020 “Masked & Merry” CalCo Christmas Parades! The first parade will be on December 4th in Altha, and the second will be on December 5th in Blountstown. “Masked & Merry” is the theme of the parade, a theme celebrating CalCo making the merriest of a masked situation. Be sure to wear a mask, and make it merry! Interested in volunteering or participating? Be sure to sign up before December 2nd!!! 

Visit the following website for more information and to register: 2020 CalCo Christmas Parades

Thanksgiving Kids Fun Camp

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Believe Martial Arts is putting on a camp for the kiddos this Thanksgiving. Available to kids age 5 and up, the camp begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m. The camp will be a daily event from November 23rd to November 25th. They offer activities such as dodgeball, arts & crafts, relay races, zombie tag, Connect 4, martial arts fitness, life-skills education, and much more. Single-day passes are $40 per day while a 3-day pass is $90. Please note that if you are late to pick up, you will be charged $5 every 5minutes you’re late (after 5:30 p.m.).

Want more information or to buy tickets? Visit their event page HERE!

Theater Performance: Annie Kids

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The Florida Chautauqua, Inc. is putting on their last performance of Annie Kids today at 2 p.m. The show is performed by their fantastic Emerald Coast Theatre Company education program students. The non-profit is charging only $10 per ticket to see this amazing, classic hard-knock-life story.

Tickets are available at the box office the day of OR online at Florida Chautauqua Site. 

Defuniak Springs: Farmer’s Market

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Today is the last chance to visit Defuniak Springs’ Farmer’s Market! Come down to Downtown DeFuniak for the Farmer’s Market held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Baldwin Avenue. The whole street will be closed down for the market, so stroll down the lovely street while browsing not only the local farm stands but also vendors with crafts, gift items, and prepared foods for snacking. With a high of 77 degrees, it’s the perfect Saturday to browse for fresh produce and holiday gifts!