I once heard someone say that Valentine’s Day isn’t a “real” holiday, but one manufactured by the greeting card industry in order to sell more cards. I imagine there may be others who claim it’s the chocolate industry, or the jewelry industry, or the florists who made up this holiday.

Well, I don’t care. I like Valentine’s Day because, to me, it’s a chance to tell all the most important people in my life – my family and my dearest friends – how much I appreciate them. And I think that’s worth a little of my time and money (buying greeting cards, chocolate, jewelry, and flowers, of course!)

I’m lucky because some of my best friends live just across the street. And because most of my family lives far away, these friends have become like family to me, friends I can call on when I need some help, want to borrow an egg or a cup of sugar, or just need a shoulder to cry on. It’s great living on the same street as my best friends!

Tomorrow, I’ll be visiting those friends with a small gift, a token of the bond between us and the memories we have in common.

What about you? How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? (And are you lucky enough to live on the same street—or in the same neighborhood—as your friends? If you live in Alderbrook, that may well be the case!)

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Many people refuse to make resolutions because they don’t want to fail at them. They avoid the whole depressing “I-haven’t-followed-through-on-my-resolutions” episode that occurs around January 21st for many people.

On the other hand, people who set goals generally get more done than people who don’t. And what are resolutions if not goals we strive to meet? The problem starts when we set unrealistic goals for ourselves (like losing 30 pounds in two weeks), or we make too many resolutions and lose focus. So keeping all that in mind, here are some ideas for realistic yet satisfying resolutions to make for 2008.

• Do you have a home decorating or garden project idea you’d like to tackle this year?
• Do you have a financial goal you’d like to meet, like paying off a credit card, or purchasing a new home? (We’ve got some nice ones here at Alderbrook Properties!)
• Do you have personal improvement in mind, like reading more, learning to play a musical instrument, exercising more, or improving your golf game? (You can always practice here at the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club.)
• Do you want to pamper yourself a little? (We’ve got the Alderbrook Resort & Spa just down the street …)

The important thing about resolutions is to select them carefully and define them well, so you know when you’ve succeeded. And remember not to make too many; three small, well-defined resolutions are probably enough for most people, and may be too many for some of us. (grin)

So now that we’ve rung in 2008, it’s time to decide: will you make any resolutions this year? If you do, leave a comment and let us know what they are!

Check this out!

The snow started falling in the morning [Christmas Day] and didn’t stop all day. It was like living in one of those snow [globes] that you shake, and inside the glass the snow swirls around. With the Christmas lights on the homes, Alderbrook was magical … Then yesterday [12/27] we again had a beautiful day of falling snow. The amazing thing is that we have all this beautiful snow here, but you go a mile or so outside of Alderbrook and the roads are clear.

Sounds like something out of a fairy tale, doesn’t it? All the beauty and wonder of a Christmas snowfall, and clear roads to boot!  I mean, if you’re going to have snow, isn’t Christmas Day the perfect time for it?

When do you “un-decorate” for Christmas? Are you a pre-New-Year’s-Day un-decorator, or a post-New-Year’s-Day un-decorator?

At our house, we’ve decided to leave our Christmas decorations in place until December 31st, but on that day we’re going to take down all our Christmas decorations and pack them away, so that we can start the New Year with a clean slate (and a clean house)!

I confess that I’m ambivalent about the whole un-decorating process. I love the festive Christmas decorations, and the house always seems so bare, and well … boring … after Christmas. No more lights on trees, reflecting on the shiny ornaments. No more evergreen garlands dressing up mantels, banisters, and doorways. No more Christmas wreaths welcoming visitors to our doors, or peeking through our windows. It’s a little bit depressing. But this year I’m planning to combat those post-Christmas un-decorating blues with a little perspective called “margins.”

Richard A. Swenson, M.D., has written some books on this concept of margins, which simply means making room in your life for pauses and empty spaces, and not cramming so much into your life that you end up constantly feeling out of time, out of energy, out of space, and out of money.

I’m going to think of my Christmas “un-decorating” as a way of creating “margins” in my home … after all, less glitter and more empty space in a room might just lead to an increased sense of peace and serenity. And that’s a very good thing to have!

Well, I don’t know if anyone at Alderbrook happens to be roasting chestnuts on an open fire, but rumor has it that the Annas Bay Choir will be singing yuletide carols in the Alderbrook community tonight. They’ll start at the golf club, and then make their way around the community, caroling as they go. Chances are pretty good that they’ll be dressed up like Eskimos, given the seasonally-appropriate temperatures we’ve been having all over western Washington as of late. 

Hopefully, you’ve already completed your Christmas decorating, shopping, gift wrapping, and baking, and can spend the next 5 days enjoying the company of family and friends with parties involving lots of good food and conversation. But if not, don’t stress! You have five whole days left! Well, actually I guess it’s more like four now … (grin)

So hurry up and get your turkey and mistletoe (you know, it helps to make the season bright, or so I’ve been told). And let me offer this simple phrase, for those of you from one to ninety-two (or ninety-three, or ninety-four, and so on…)

Merry Christmas to You!

Have you planned your Christmas Dinner menu? What will it be? Turkey? Prime Rib? Ham? I don’t know about you, but by the time Christmas Day rolls around, I’m usually too tired to be ambitious with my holiday menus. All of the decorating, shopping, wrapping, and partying has taken its toll, and I want nothing more than to sleep late, enjoy lazy family games, do a little reading by the fire, and maybe watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the umpteenth time. Unfortunately, the family gets hungry, then they get crabby, and you realize SOMEONE has to make SOMETHING for them to eat.

Here’s an idea: did you know that the restaurant at the Alderbrook Resort serves Christmas Dinner? Yes, they do, and if you don’t feel like cooking on Christmas Day, you should make your reservations right away (they’re required). Listen to this lineup of courses: Penn Cove Mussel Chowder or Cider Poached Honey Crisp Apple; Warm Goat Cheese and Duck Confit Tart or Crispy Pacific Oyster Salad; Whole Roasted Black Bass or Crisp Muscovy Duck Breast or Red Wine Braised Venison Shank; and for dessert, Eggnog Brulee or Brandied Gingerbread Cake or Persimmon Charlotte. YUM!

A friend of mine recently had dinner with her husband at the Alderbrook Resort Restaurant, and gave it rave reviews! “The Resort is beautifully decorated for Christmas with lights on the docks and the mood is very festive. As we were leaving, we walked through the main Lobby and saw the display of gingerbread houses made by local school children in Mason and Kitsap Counties. They were amazingly intricate with all the frosting and candies. People can vote for their favorite, and the school winning 1st prize wins $500, 2nd place wins $300 and 3rd place wins $100. The children that worked on these must have had a great time, because they were all just darling … all in all, it was a special evening …”

So if you want someone else do the cooking this Christmas, check out the restaurant at the Alderbrook Resort. Just don’t wait too long to make your reservations …

 PS — They have a New Year’s Eve party, too!

… with nowhere to go? There’s no need to wait for the weekend to enjoy some holiday cheer. Check out these musical offerings sponsored by the Annas Bay Music Festival:

On Wednesday, December 12th at 7 pm, The Annas Bay Choir Octet and the Harstine Island Octet will be singing at the North Mason Library in Belfair. Each choir will perform some numbers, and there will also be a community sing-along.

On Thursday, December 13th at 7:30 pm, there will a fireside caroling party at the Nordstrom Great Hall at Harmony Hill Retreat Center in Union, WA. The choir will sing, and there will be a community sing-along as well.

Of course, the weekend brings with it more chances for fun, starting with the Harmony Hills Gala Holiday Benefit Dinner on Friday, December 14th from 6-8 pm. Enjoy a traditional holiday meal while being entertained by comedian Debbie Wooten, speaker Brian Hudak, and pianist-vocalist Larry Hill. Tickets are $35 and all proceeds go to benefit Harmony Hill’s cancer programs. You can learn more at the Harmony Hills website.

On Sunday, December 16th at 3 pm, the Annas Bay Community Choir and the Harstine Island Community Choir will join together in a Celebration of Christmas at the Shelton High School Auditorium. A $5 donation is requested.

So, for less than the price of a movie ticket, you can enjoy some holiday music; for a bit more, you can include dinner and a chance to help a worthy cause. Who knew there was so much going on in this little corner of the world?

Thanksgiving’s over, the leftovers have all been eaten (or tossed!) and it’s time to fill the air with holiday music and deck our halls with decorations marking the season! Wreaths for the doors and windows, evergreen centerpieces for our holiday tables, candles everywhere, and – for those celebrating Christmas – the quintessential Christmas decoration: the Christmas tree.

Many people have moved away from real Christmas trees in their homes, preferring instead the pre-lit, artificial variety. And there’s no denying that artificial trees have improved greatly since their early days; however, if you’re a purist, there’s just no substitute for the real thing.

If you happen to be one of those “give-me-a-real-tree-or-give-me-nothing” types, you’ll be glad to know that besides all the regular pre-cut Christmas tree stands, the Kitsap Peninsula boasts many Christmas tree farms where you can cut down your own Christmas tree. In fact, there’s a Christmas tree farm just down the road from Alderbrook Properties and the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club community, in Union. Hunter Farms offers both the pre-cut and u-cut options for Christmas trees, and you can also watch them making their wreaths, swags, and garlands right there.

The Kitsap Sun has more information on Christmas Tree farms throughout the Kitsap peninsula (Hat tip: soundbiteblog.com). Many of these farms offer warm beverages and other amenities that make for a nice family outing. Call ahead and make sure you go prepared for some mud!

So what are you waiting for? Come on and deck those halls!

There’s some fun holiday stuff going on this weekend right here on Hood Canal. If you live in the area and are feeling festive, check out these activities!

On Saturday morning (12/1), you could head out to the Shelton Christmas Bazaar (10 am – 4 pm; also open Sunday), where you could do a little Christmas shopping from their selection of holiday crafts, art, and decorations, and even enjoy some lunch.

After lunch, drop in to the Real Estate Open House (open 12 – 4 pm) at Alderbrook Golf Club Community. Alderbrook Properties will be featuring three of their beautiful homes: the Hadlock, the Brinnon, and the Hoodsport.

Later that afternoon – if you have kids, or are just a kid at heart – you could visit the Shelton Library to hear award-winning storyteller Christopher Leebrick tell the classic holiday tale of the Grinch, as well as other stories. Hang out and enjoy hot cider before the Shelton Christmas Torchlight Parade, which starts at 5 pm.

If you aren’t ready to call it a day after the parade, then check out these local stage productions, which are running both Saturday and Sunday:

• “One-Man Christmas Carol” by the Artful Rogue Theater in Allyn (tickets are half-price this weekend).
• “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” at Paradise Theatre in Gig Harbor.

And of course, on Sunday you can top off your festive weekend by attending the Christmas Tree Lighting in Belfair at 5 pm. There will be hot chocolate, coffee, and cookies (and I have it on good authority that Santa will be there!)

So come take a picture with Santa, and bring a donation for the North Mason Food Bank if you can. There’s no better way to celebrate this season of giving!

Grammy Award winners Eric Tingstad & Nancy Rumbel are performing their annual holiday concert “Comfort & Joy” tonight (11/29) at the Peninsula College Little Theater in Port Angeles.

If you’ve never experienced Tingstad & Rumbel before, you can hear some of their music on their website. My favorite is the video of “Magnificat,” which shows them performing with the Evergreen Philharmonic – check it out on their music and video page. 

The concert is sponsored by the Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts (JFFA), and begins at 7 pm (doors open at 6:15 pm). You can purchase tickets at the door, or at Port Book & News in Port Angeles or Pacific Mist Books in Sequim. Ticket price is $17 ($16 for seniors & students, $15 for members of JFFA).  If you can’t make tonight’s performance, don’t worry … they have a few more concert dates in and around western Washington before the New Year begins.

The hectic pace of the holiday season – with its decorating, shopping, parties and other social obligations – can take a toll on us.  This concert sounds like a great way to create some space in our lives for reflection during this busy time of year, and enjoy some great music at the same time, right here on the Olympic Peninsula!