This time of year
December is absolutely one of my favorite months. Ever since I was a little boy, I have loved this time of the year.
The holiday season is meant to be enjoyed, and no matter what stresses try to creep into our lives, December should never be dreaded. I’ve always believed that.
I really don’t let parties, shopping or any other obligations get in the way of celebrating the real reason for the season.
I had a conversation recently with a friend regarding the holidays and all the invitations and obligations he has coming up this month. He seemed to be agitated and anxious about his agenda for December, so I began to tell him my personal reasons for loving the final month of the year.
As I started pontificating, it struck me that I had many reasons to love this season. So in the spirit of trying to help our readers keep it all in perspective, I’ve listed several of my favorite things about December.
In no specific order, they are:
• Celebrating the birth of Jesus, angels, and of course, Christmas trees with family presents underneath them.
• Amy Grant’s Home for Christmas CD and Michael Smith’s Christmastime. I play these over and over again.
• It’s a Wonderful Life, wreaths and candy canes.
• Gingerbread houses, Salvation Army bell ringers, making gift lists and caroling.
• Sledding. Okay, not down here in the bayou, but I love the thought of it.
• Hot cocoa, cinnamon and Christmas cookies.
• Nativity reenactments, Frosty the Snowman and time with friends.
• Cookies for Santa, Eggnog, the Elf on a Shelf, and finally, the excitement of ringing in a new year!
It’s no secret that Millennials and Gen Xers view the world differently than people of the aging Boomer generation. Their unique qualities extend to their financial support of nonprofit organizations. How do young people want to plug into charitable efforts today, and what information and assurances do they want from these groups concerning their donations? Can local nonprofits evolve to attract the next generation of engaged volunteers and donors? These are the questions at the heart of contributing writer Maggie Richardson’s article, “Philanthropy Under 40.” Read it starting on page 28.
Each December we pause for a gorgeous glimpse of the year that is almost behind us with our annual photo contest. It’s our turn to ask you, our readers, amateur and professional photographers alike, to show us your best.
For 2013 we have nine categories—including Portrait, Pets, Children and Instagram—plus our overall “Best in Show” winner. The result is a beautiful printed gallery that serves as a collection of snapshots of our local landscape, our people and the creative eyes that call Baton Rouge home. See this year’s winning photographs, a few runners-up and work by our two talented judges, Lawles Bourque and Amy Shutt, starting on page 49.
It can happen quite often. You’re listening to the radio in your car or streaming a playlist at the gym, and all of a sudden a chart-topping pop or rock star is singing about your hometown. Wait, what? That’s right. More than perhaps any other city our size, Baton Rouge gets name-checked in popular music. From the Rolling Stones and John Mayer to Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood, numerous music icons have uttered our city’s name in song. For more on this phenomenon and our list of “Baton Rouge” songs, turn to page 100.
New York may drop a ball in Times Square, but now Baton Rouge has its very own Red Stick to drop at midnight on Dec. 31. That’s right. A new event is coming to Downtown Baton Rouge, and everyone is hoping it’s a new tradition in the making for our city.
Community and business leaders have joined together to help ring in the New Year downtown by dropping a custom-designed, LED-lit Red Stick on top of the Town Square Beacon at the stroke of midnight. Before the countdown, revelers can join the party and rock out to the music of Phat Hat at The Crest, Baton Rouge’s new stage in Galvez Plaza. There will be plenty of live music, food, fireworks and fun. Visit redstickrevelry.com for more details and updates.
From our family at 225 to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and we wish you a very Happy New Year!
