Skip to main content

Jam-packed


 

The more I try not to inundate you with posts about “the holidays”, the more all the local stories around as are about “the holidays”. Sorry, folks. 

Clarksville Commons is hosting a Holiday Market on the plaza from 10 am to 2 pm.

Stock up your fridge, freezer, and pantry, and find unique presents for all kinds of people on your list! Local musician Mike Walls will be adding a festive musical feel to the market!



While you’re there you might want to pop inside the Common Kitchen where three of the food vendors are having a bit of a contest. 



The three businesses participating are trifecto, Tasty Empanadas, and the Taco Joint. Cast a vote for one of their displays and you can help them win 500 dollars for their selected non-profit.




Meanwhile, down at the Lakefront, The 3rd will be hosting a Holiday Bazaar from 1 to 5 pm. It looks like they are suggesting that you pre-register. Learn more at the event page. 

We’ll sip, shop and celebrate a great year!

This event will be held inside the 3rd headquarters and includes shopping for the community, a wreath-making workshop with Tracey Christian from Brown Legacy Products, chair massages and the chance to get your purchases gift-wrapped.

Invite family and friends to enjoy a day of shopping and holiday fun, all while supporting local WOC business.

It’s the perfect opportunity to relax, network, and snag a last-minute gift!

I went to this event last year and ended up buying something for myself. Hey, it happens.




If you are looking for a bit of holiday cheer that doesn’t come with a price tag, students from Oakland Mills High School are putting on a parade this afternoon at four o’clock.



The parade begins at Stevens Forest Elementary and heads towards Oakland Mills High School. I’m pretty sure that you don’t need to be from Oakland Mills to attend. While there’s no shopping involved, the parade organizers are inviting you to bring along non-perishable food items which will be donated within the community. 

Also free:  a concert at 3 pm this afternoon at River Hill High School presented by the Columbia Concert Band.



Oh, boy. I’m sure there’s more “holiday” going on today in Columbia/HoCo that I just don’t know about. Clue me in if there’s something I’ve omitted.

BUT WAIT - - THERE’S MORE!

After the parade, all are invited to OMHS for a Holiday Hangout:



And, from 4 to 8 PM, come check out the festive light display in the Oakland Mills Community Association courtyard. Take fun photos! Make yourself truly the envy of your Instagram friends! It’s free but bring a non perishable donation for the OMHS Food Pantry. 




As a postscript, can someone explain to me what they’ve done to the drive-through mail boxes at the Oak Hall Lane branch of the Post Office. I was there yesterday to mail (holiday) cards and discovered that the three mailboxes have been morphed into one enormous box with a central mouth.



It was so full I had to get out of my car to forcibly insert my cards deep enough into the slot that they weren’t in danger of falling back out. I think there may be something wrong with the theory that the mail will distribute enqually into the huge interior. The mail, I fear, is damned. 

Sorrry, I meant jammed. I don’t think it works on the inside the way it looks on the outside. I sure hope they emptied it soon after I left! 

In a spirit of ecumenism, I’d love to know about any completely non-holiday activities you have planned for the day. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents.  When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more