SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

December 16th, 2021

2 • December 2021 Season’s Greetings

Wonderland of Trees attracts repeat participants

By BRIAN QUINN
bquinn@batavianews.com
BATAVIA — This year’s
Wonderland of Trees at the
Holland Land Office Muse-
um features at least 20 Christ-
mas trees decorated by local
groups or businesses.
The Friends of the Batavia
Peace Garden has sponsored
and decorated a tree for each
of the last 10 years, since the
Peace Garden was created.
“We’re good neighbors and
we want to support the mu-
seum. That’s the reason we MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
put the garden next to them,” BRIAN QUINN/DAILY NEWS A Santa ornament in the Friends of the Batavia Peace Garden
Friends of the Peace Garden From left, BOCES student Taryne, teaching assistant Laura Christmas tree at the HLOM.
President Barbara Toal said. Pastecki and another student, Gena, check out one of the more
“We took photos from a book than 20 trees at this year’s Wonderland of Trees.
that’s been written on how the Happy Holidays!
Friends of the Peace Garden couple of days, she said. Historical Society/Stafford
was formed in Batavia. We “I think it’s a wonderful Country Club. Linda Call of the
took the photos out of book event. It’s great to have that Stafford Historical Society said
and hung them on the tree.” for the community,” Toal said the Historical Society has dec-
The photos form a timeline of the Wonderland of Trees. orated trees in the past for this Lynn Bezon
through the years since the “They have the gala along with event. cell 585.746.6253
Peace Garden was formed, she the opening. They have the ”We’ve done it probably ph 585.344.HOME
said. trees to view for the month of three, four years and before fx 585.343.8884
Eight to 10 people helped December.” email: lbezon@rochester.rr.com
that, I was personally involved
decorate the Friends of the Another of the decorated 340 Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020 • 585.343.4663
Peace Garden’s tree over a trees was done by the Stafford See TREES T3

Happy Holidays
From Our Family to Yours

F U N E R A L H O M E S
EXPERIENCE • COMMITMENT • TRUST
B ATAV I A F U N E R A L H O M E S . C O M

Trees
From T2
with the Stafford Garden Club
and we did it for a few years,”
she said. “They (Garden Club
members) would do some-
thing to decorate the tree with
natural ornaments that we
made from living things —
milkweed pods, pine cones
and other dried weeds.”
Call said the Historical So-
ciety is featuring the Country
Club this year.
“We’ve had a different fea-
ture every year. We pick a
theme somehow related to
history. We try to tie it in with
something historical and
something from our town,”
Call said. “The Country Club
is our feature this year because
they are celebrating their
100th anniversary and they
are in our town. We are excited
for them that they have been
there for 100 years.”
Holland Land Office Muse-
um Executive Director Ryan
Duffy said the number of peo-
ple coming in during the day to
see the Wonderland of Trees is
up this year.
“It’s been very busy. We’ve
From our family
to yours...
Wishing you a beautiful holiday season and a New Year filled with health, happiness & prosperity.
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MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
The St. Joseph’s Church tree
is illuminated at the Holland
Land Office Museum.
just kept it during our regular
business hours and it’s been
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Season’s Greetings
pretty much every day that
we’re open.”
Duffy said on Dec. 17, the
Genesee Symphony Orches-
tra Flute Quartet will perform
a show at 6:30 p.m. at the mu-
seum. Basket raffles are going
until the 17th as well.
On Dec. 10, a group of stu-
dents and staff from Genesee
Valley BOCES were at the mu-
seum as part of their activi-
ties for that day. The students
were in Michelle Lamkin’s and
Jeanne Johnson’s class.
“We are doing a unit on
‘Christmas traditions around
the world,’ and this is the ‘Tour
of Trees,’ so this was the first
stop, here, at the Holland Land
Office.
“Our second stop will be to
tour the trees in the village of
Oakfield and our third trip will
be to the village of Bergen to
tour their trees.”
Lamkin said the class is do-
ing activities to learn about
Hanukkah; Christmas tra-
ditions in France, where the
stocking originated; Christ-
mas traditions in Germany,
where the tree originated; the
Mexican poinsettia; the meno-
rah, the dreidel.
Tuesday - Friday 9-5
Saturday 9-4
Closed Sunday
& Monday
www.stanshd.com
December 2021 • 3
A Quick Look
WHAT: “Wonderland of Trees.”
WHEN: Through Jan. 1, 2022.
WHERE: Holland Land Office Mu-
seum, 131 West Main St., Batavia.
HOURS: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tues-
days through Saturdays.
ADMISSION: $5 ($3 for stu-
dents, veterans, seniors; $1 for
child; $10 for family).
INFORMATION: (585) 343-4727
or http://hollandlandoffice.com/
H
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
A R L E Y- D AV I D S O N
More Than Just a
“Motorcycle Shop”
Since 1958
(585) 343-9598
4425 W. Saile Dr.,
Batavia, NY
4 • Thursday, December 16, 2021 Season’s Greetings

Come caroling,
and spread
holiday cheer
By MALLORY DIEFENBACH
mdiefenbach@batavianews.com
BATAVIA — Join The Bata-
via Daily News for some holi-
day cheer!
On 7 p.m. Friday come to the
West Bethany Baptist Church,
located at 10333 West Beth-
any Road in Batavia, the our
third annual “Christmas-Sing”
Christmas Carol Concert.
After going virtual last year
to the pandemic, this year it’s
back to in-person.
Wendy Williams will be con-
ducting again with her won-
derful students from Sound
Foundations Vocal Studio.
Hot cocoa and cookies will
be available afterward, provid-
ed by Pub Coffee Hub.
There will be 11 songs.
You can find the songbook
inside the Dec. 16 edition of
The Daily News and its sibling
weekly The Livingston County
News, based in Geneseo.
The song book features both
music and lyrics for more than
a dozen holiday favorites. The
songs are accompanied by
notes about the style of sing-
ing. These descriptions in-
clude “reverently,” “with spir-
it,” “expressively,” “quickly,”
and “not too slow.”
For those who cannot at-
tend in person, we will also be
live streaming the concert on
both our Daily News and Liv-
ingston County News Face-
book pages.
The annual concert was first
presented in 2019 at St. James
Episcopal Church in Batavia.
Inspiration for the con-
cert came after a customer
brought in a song book that
had been published in The
Daily News around 1991. The
paper thought it would be
great to once again include a
holiday song book and renew a
seasonal tradition. Soon after,
the idea of a free public carol-
ing event – inspired by one in
Chicago – developed in part-
nership with Sound Founda-
tions, which has been part of
all three concerts.
 Season’s Greetings December 2021 • 5

Lighting up Le Roy House

Unusual trees tell stories of Christmases past
By MALLORY DIEFENBACH
mdiefenbach@batavianews.com
LE ROY — Christmas trees
aren’t just tall pine trees; at
least not in Le Roy.
Unusual trees are on display
this holiday season at Le Roy
House, including a gas tree.
“The whole funny thing is
we wanted to do Christmas
trees that are connected with
the history of Le Roy,” said The Tinsel Christmas Tree.
Lynne Belluscio, Le Roy his-
torian and director of Le Roy
House. “Which we got some
neat stories.”
The story of Le Roy’s gas
tree was found in a 1907 issue
of the Le Roy Gazette. The tree
was exhibited by H. A. Par-
melee in the 1860s. Parmelee
wrote a letter to the newspaper
explaining his project. At the
time, he was living in Honolu-
PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
lu. Sam Zalacca portrays Mr. Jacob Le Roy as places decorations on the gas Christmas Tree at the Le Roy
“I think that here is a good House. The tree is one of a series of unique and unusual Christmas trees that help tell the stories of Sam Zalacca places a candle
place to speak of a certain how Christmases have changed over the years. ornament on the Victorian Tree.
Christmas tree that I took par-
ticular interest in ... It was in with the instantaneous light. I
the Starr Hall. One year, it was am now wondering if that idea
in Central Hall and afterward was original with us.”
in the church. This particular As it turns out, gas-lit Christ-
tree in Starr Hall was my pride. mas decorations were not
It was the first Christmas Tree unique and were common in
in Le Roy to be illuminated New York City and in England,
by gas. The idea was evolved but specific mention of a
through many consultations Christmas tree lit with gas jets
and discussions with James has not been found.
McKenzie. A lead pipe lead- This year, the gas tree has
ing up beside the trunk of the been constructed by Ray Stein
tree and branches of small who built it to the specifica-
lead pipe that could be twisted tions of a drawing discovered
among the branches. I spent in an obscure journal.
an entire day in Rochester There will also be alumini-
searching for the small pipe, um trees, which were popular
of such a size that the ordinary in the 1960s.
gas burner would screw in- “Then ‘Charlie Brown
to it. James McKenzie did the Christmas’ comes out, and ...with many thanks
plumbing work and Gideon everyone says Christmas is
Fordham, superintendent of becoming so commercialized.
for the gift of your business.
the gas works, kindly loaned This is an example of commer-
the burners and assisted in in-
stalling the apparatus. I looked
on. Thus, we were enabled to
cialization,” Belluscio said.
“Then, all of a sudden, nobody
wants an aluminium tree.”
WILL’S
do away with the dangerous A tree will also be on display
and dripping wax tapers and, decorated as it might have 651 East Main St., Batavia, NY 14020 • 343-7830
at the same time, obtain the been during the Civil War. Closing at 4:30 on December 23 • Closed December 24 & 25
proper effect of simultaneous During the Civil War, it was Closing at Noon on December 31 • Closed January 1
lighting, the gas being turned not uncommon for people to
down to its lowest limit and, Visit our web site at: willscarpetonebatavia.com
at the proper time, turned on See LE ROY T7
6 • December 2021
‘The Christmas Tree’
An excerpt from ‘My House of Life, An Autobiography’ by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse
EDITOR’S NOTE: In this con-
tribution from the Livingston
County Historian’s Office,
Jessie Belle Rittenhouse, a
distinguished Mount Morris
native and co-founder of the
Poetry Society of America,
describes her grandparent’s
house in Tuscarora around
1880 as it is all decked out
for Christmas .
O
ne memory ... perhaps
the most vivid of my
childhood, centers
about the old mansion on the
hill, for it was a large house of
which only part was in com-
mon use, the rest being re-
served for state occasions.
This incident is connect-
ed with my first memory of
Christmas, my first sight of a
Christmas tree. Prior to this
I can vaguely recall running
downstairs in the early dawn
to see what was left in the
bulging stocking by the coal
stove, but nothing stands out
as particularly romantic un-
til the night of the Christmas
tree set up in the great hall at
Grandfather Rittenhouse’s.
My father was one of seven
children, all of whom were
married and had families of
their own, and nearly all, by a
strange chance, lived within
driving distance of the early
home.
A widowed sister kept
house for the parents and
conceived of the idea one
Christmas of asking the var-
ious families to dinner and
of having a tree set up in the
front hall and decorated,
without the knowledge of
the old people. This plan was
quite feasible, owing to the
size of the house and the fact
that in winter that part of it
was rarely used.
My aunt had delayed the
dinner, saying she thought
some of the family might
come home, and when one
group after another began to
arrive, great consternation
was felt on the part of my
grandmother lest the tur-
key should not hold out. She
whisked about, rushing to
the pantry for sausage and
A Christmas tree at Mills Mansion, Mount Morris, is decorated in 2019 with candles, cornhusk dolls
and tin ornaments.
head-cheese but at his junc-
ture proceedings were stayed
by the information that each
family had brought its own
contribution to the feast. And
what a feast it was, served
at the edge of evening with
lights and cheer!
We of the younger gen-
eration had no inkling that
more was to follow, until
the dinner over, the doors to
the great front hall thrown
open and we flocked in, to be
thrilled by the most dazzling
sight that ever met the eyes of
an unsophisticated country
child. The tree, blazing with
candles and gay with tinsel,
had been placed at the foot of
the wide stair, up and down
whose steps we were quickly
disposed, the larger children
near the bottom, the small
near the top. My point of van-
tage was with the latter, and
from the moment I saw the
tree there was for me but one
think upon it – a doll, such as
I had never seen before, a doll
to take the very heart out of a
child with longing.
This was my first discipline
in renunciation, my first at-
tempt to forefend pain. I said
Season’s Greetings
to myself that it could not be
for me, it was far too beauti-
ful. It must be for some older
girl, I could not expect to have
anything as lovely as that –
and the more I schooled my-
self against it, the more acute
became the desire.
My father’s only brother,
a large blond man and a ge-
nial spirit, was dressed as
Santa Claus and distributed
the presents. He frequently
called my name and one gift
after another was passed up
the stair to me, but I could
look at none, for there, at the
very top of the tree, still un-
Look great for the holidays!
30%
113 E. Main Street
Batavia, N.Y. (585) 344-1345
BEN BEAGLE/LIVINGSTON COUNTY NEWS FILE PHOTO
touched, was the doll. I be-
gan to be afraid that I should
cry when it was assigned
to someone else and medi-
tated flight to the chamber
beyond, but was held by a
spell as Santa Claus at least
reached up, took down the
doll, turned it slowly over,
looked well at the card, and
then read out my name!
There have been gifts in life
ardently desired, gifts that I
feared would never be mine,
but none like this. I look back
upon the moment as my first
knowledge that joy is made
exquisite by pain.
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About Jessie Belle Rittenhouse
Jessie Belle (Rittenhouse) Scol-
lard (1869-1948), a daughter of John
E. and Mary Jane (MacArthur) Rit-
tenhouse, was born in the hamlet
of Tuscarora in the town of Mount
Morris. She attended Nunda Acad-
emy and graduated from the Gen-
esee Wesleyan Seminary in Lima in
1890.
Jessie Rittenhouse taught En-
glish in Illinois
and Michigan
before pursu-
ing a career in
journalism. She
began writing
freelance arti-
cles for Buffalo Rittenhouse
and Rochester
newspapers and reviewed books
and press syndicates before be-
coming a modern-poetry lecturer
at Columbia University in 1900.
In 1905, Rittenhouse joined the
editorial staff of the New York Times
and The Bookman, a literary mag-
azine, and held both positions for
several years. She then edited and
published poetry compilations,
the first being The Younger Amer-
ican Poets, published in 1904. She
continued to publish compilations
until 1927, a time when many crit-
ics believed poetry’s contemporary
popularity had ended.
Rittenhouse was the only wom-
an founding member of the Poet-
ry Society of America in 1910 and
served as secretary of the society
for 10 years. She also published her
own poetry in four volumes: “The
Door of Dreams” (1918), “The Lifted
Cup” (1921), “The Secret Bird” (1930),
and “My House of Life” (1934).
Rittenhouse was awarded a
bronze medal in 1931 by the Po-
etry Society of America for distin-
guished service to poetry.
In 2019, the town of Mount Mor-
ris installed a historical marker at the
Dutch Street Cemetery, near the
site of her childhood home.

A fountain filled with holiday spirit
Geneseo Garden Club continues holiday tradition at Main Street landmark
By BRENDAN MCDONOUGH
bmcdonough@livingstonnews.com
GENESEO – Members of the
Geneseo Garden Club are once
again using the famous bear
fountain to help spread a little
holiday cheer.
Club members decorate the
trees that have been placed in
the fountain for Christmas.
“It just adds to the festivity
of Geneseo and the village has
their decorations up, so I say let
the festivities begin,” said Mi-
chelle Strang of Geneseo.
Helping to brighten up the
area is something that volun-
teers from the Garden Club
have been doing for more than
50 years. They normally go in-
to the schools and help local
third grades make ornaments
and then those ornaments are
used to decorate the trees but
because of the COVID-19 pan-
demic they could not do that
this year.
“I love doing it. I taught at
Geneseo, so I liked when we
Le Roy
From T5
decorate their Christmas trees
with small American flags in
honor of the men serving in
the war.
Another unusual tree which
will be on display is the “ladder
tree” from 1892. The shape of
the step ladder is similar to the
Christmas tree and for some
people it was easier to put up
a ladder than it was to put up
a tree. Sometimes, boards
are placed from one side to
the other and presents were
placed on the boards. Today,
some people use the boards to
display Christmas villages or
other Christmas collections.
The popularity of the
Christmas tree in America,
was due partially to Queen
Victoria’s popularity in En-
gland. Her husband Prince
Albert brought the Christmas
tree tradition from his native
Germany. On Christmas Eve
Members of the Geneseo Garden Club decorate the fountain on Geneseo’s Main Street.
used to be able to make the
ornaments with the kids, but
since we can’t do it with the kids
we are out here hanging them
this year,” said Pat Allan of Gen-
eseo.
MARK GUTMAN/DAILY NEWS
A Ladder Tree at Le Roy House.
in 1848, a tree was put up in
Windsor Castle and the Queen
and her husband took great
delight in decorating it them-
selves. In 1850 that tradition
was Americanized and Victo-
rian trees had candles, paper
chains, hollow egg shells filled
with seeds and candy, paper
cornucopias and snowflakes.
Electricity changed how
Americans celebrated Christ-
mas, however.
A friend of Thomas Edison
Season’s Greetings
This year, some of the deco-
rations came from a local Girl
Scout troop and the rest were
made by members of the Gar-
den Club. From wooden disks
to ornaments made from pop-
wired 80 red, white and blue
lights together in 1882 and
put them on an evergreen
tree. But it took years before
the idea of electric Christmas
lights became popular. For the
average homeowner, electric
Christmas lights were very ex-
pensive. Although there were
assembled light kits available
as early as 1903, it wasn’t un-
til the 1920s that Christmas
tree lights found their way into
homes.
The Le Roy Historical Soci-
ety has compiled the stories of
the trees in a 16-page booklet.
A Quick Look
WHAT: The Le Roy Historical
Society.
WHERE: 23 East Main St., Le
Roy.
WHEN: Museum hours through
Dec. 31 are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays and 1
to 4 p.m. Sundays. The museum is
closed Christmas and New Year’s
Day.
NOTES: The trees are expected
to be displayed at least through
Christmas. For more information,
call (585) 768-7433.
December 2021 • 7
lene Collins of Groveland.
The trees will be up for the
entire month of December.
Garden Club members said
they hope the decorated trees
will not only boost community
pride, but put those who pass
by the fountain in the holiday
spirit.
“It was more fun when the
kids did it because they would
drive by on the school bus and
they would see their ornament
and they would get all excited
when they saw the ones that
they had made, but it is nice for
us to see them also,” said Allan.
With brightly colored lights
and unique ornaments, orga-
nizers said they hope the trees
BRENDAN MCDONOUGH/LIVINGSTON COUNTY NEWS
will be something that people of
all ages will stop by to enjoy, as
they take in the spirit of the holi-
sicle sticks there was no limit to day season.
the creativity used to help make “This is in the name of civic
the ornaments. beautification,” said organizer
“I think it is just fun for the Julie Brocklehurst-Woods, “and
town and for the students, this is another way to help keep
when they can do it,” said Dar- our community beautiful.”
Celebrating
the Gifts of
Friendship &
Community
As we wrap up another year,
we think about how lucky we are to know
good folks like you. Thanks for making us feel so at home here.
We sincerely appreciate your patronage and support.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from our entire team!
Mark Doerr, MD
408 North Main St., Warsaw, NY
Matthew Sheldon, MD
24 East Main St. (Route 33), Corfu, NY
716-677-2273 • www.wnyurology.com
8 • December 2021
Why ‘The Nutcracker’ is the sound of the holidays
By MOIRA MACDONALD
Seattle Times
It is, for so many of us, the
permanent soundtrack of the
holiday season. Pyotr Ilyich
Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nut-
cracker,” like no other music,
conjures up images for me
of warm fireplaces, whirling
snowflakes, brightly wrapped
presents, twinkling lights on a
fragrant tree. I’ve been hooked
on the “Nutcracker” score ever
since my first performance of
the ballet at the age of maybe 6
or 7, sitting in a folding chair at
the high school gym as a friend
of mine performed to recorded
music with her ballet school.
Dozens of Nutcrackers later, it’s
still magic.
Things weren’t quite so
magical at its beginning.
Tchaikovsky, late in his career,
began writing the “Nutcrack-
er” ballet — as well as a sepa-
rate composition combining
much of its music, called “The
Nutcracker Suite” — in 1891
as a companion piece to a now
forgotten one-act opera called
“Iolanta.” The two works pre-
miered in December 1892 at
the Mariinsky Theatre in St.
Petersburg, Russia, to luke-
warm response. Tchaikovsky
died the following year at the
age of 53, believing the work to
be a failure; it was, according to
biographer David Brown, not
performed again in Russia until
1919.
And that might have been
that, were it not for Willam
Christensen, artistic director
of the San Francisco Ballet,
who single-handedly began
the “Nutcracker” tradition in
America by presenting the first
U.S. production of the ballet in
December 1944. According to
the San Francisco Ballet, Chris-
tensen had never actually seen
“The Nutcracker” performed
in its entirety before staging
it, but was able to obtain a no-
tated score from the Library of
Congress, and spoke to George
Balanchine about the latter’s
memories of the ballet in Rus-
sia. Balanchine would go on to
create his own wildly popular
“Nutcracker” for New York City
Ballet a decade later, and today
you can hear Tchaikovsky’s
score in a “Nutcracker” pro-
duction in every city and town
Musicians of the Nairobi Philharmonic Orchestra and foreign guest musicians perform during a
production of the “Nutcracker,” a ballet primarily performed during the Christmas period, during
the annual show of Dance Centre Kenya at the Oshwal Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, on Dec. 1, 2018.
in America, from the tiniest
ballet schools to the most daz-
zling professional companies.
And while it’s always a joy to
hear this work performed live,
you don’t need to buy a ticket
— or even have any interest in
ballet — to appreciate the art-
istry of Tchaikovsky’s score. It
plays in my head all the time,
always beginning with the
delicate flicks of the overture
(former Pacific Northwest Bal-
let music director Stewart Ker-
shaw, who conducted around
800 performances of the ballet
in his career, told me years ago
that he thought of this piece
as the opening of a music box,
setting the stage), played by
the orchestra’s lighter instru-
ments, as if reassuring the
youngest audience members
that all is gentle here.
The music of the party
scene, with its playful marches
and stately gavotte, is pleasant
and lovely, but the real joy of
Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker”
doesn’t begin until Clara goes
to bed. The stage is empty
and night has fallen, and the
music finds a sense of dark
wonder, with little eruptions
of notes and a sudden brass
crash. And then it begins to
grow and grow, like the tree,
its notes emerging like gold
thread being spun in ever-in-
creasing heaps, and suddenly
Season’s Greetings
you’re 6 years old again, gazing
rapt at a stage transforming
before your eyes, hearing the
cymbals clash and the strings
soar. Brown, in “Tchaikovsky:
The Man and His Music,”
called the tree-growing music
simply “one of the most awe-
some passages Tchaikovsky
ever wrote.” (I just listened to it
again. He’s not wrong.)
On we go, into the shadowy
playfulness of the battle music,
the majestic notes of the pre-
Snow pas de deux (Kershaw
called it “the great C Major”)
and the delicious lilting flutes
of the Waltz of the Snowflakes,
which always sounds to me ex-
actly what a nighttime snow-
fall feels like, with snowflakes
chasing each other in the icy
breeze. Act 2 brings a pastiche
of musical inspirations for the
various international dances
(though Brown notes that the
Arabian variation, also known
as the Peacock, isn’t Arabian
in the slightest but is based on
a Georgian cradle song). And
there’s another bit of magic: the
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,
with the delicate bell-like tones
of the celesta — then a brand-
new instrument whose debut
Tchaikovsky plotted in secret,
worried that another compos-
er would steal his thunder. It’s
as if the ballerina is dancing on
delicate porcelain, or on fairy
that if you love this music, the
best recording is whichever
one is at hand. There’s a love-
ly one currently on YouTube,
should you be in need of it, by
the Rotterdam Philharmonic
— an unusual presentation of
just the music of the full bal-
let, without the dancing. But
let me correct myself: There’s
actually plenty of dancing, in
the expressive full-body move-
ments of the conductor who’s
clearly enjoying letting this
glorious music wash over him.
“For the thousands who
see it every December,
Tchaikovsky has become
something like a favorite uncle
before Christmas (a little like
Drosselmeyer),” wrote Da-
YASUYOSHI CHIBA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES/TNS vid Schroeder in “Experienc-
ing Tchaikovsky: A Listener’s
Companion,” “enchanting us
and ushering us into the sea-
son like nothing else can.”
wings; a dance of ethereal beau-
Try listening to it with your
ty and weightless joy.
eyes closed at some point
I wish I was enough of a clas-
during this holiday season,
sical music expert to recom- and see if you don’t sudden-
mend a particular “Nutcrack- ly shiver, as if softly pelted by
er” recording, but I suspect sudden perfect snow.
CAVATIES: WHAT ARE THEY?
Tooth enamel is the durable, protective outer layer of teeth. Bacteria
in the mouth use ingested sugars to crate acids that deteriorate this
protective layer, forming cavities. Because enamel does not regenerate,
dentists advise daily bushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing to
halt this destruction. A cavity begins as a white spot, which can be
healed. However, over time, discoloration and decay occur, turning
the spot from brown to black. Cavities primarily form on the tops of
the teeth as well as in between them, where food becomes impacted,
creating more bacteria. If not properly addressed, cavities cause
sensitivity, pain, infection,and loss of sound natural teeth, making
cavity prevention the first line of defense in avoiding permanent tooth
loss.
Cavity-causing bacteria and its resultant damage can be controlled
if we deal with bacterial plaque activity on a daily basis. A toothbrush
alone, however, no matter how often used, cannot do the whole job. It
takes the combined effort of smart eating, conscientious daily brushing
and flossing, and professional visits to promote total oral health as well
as complete body health. If it’s been too long since you treated your
teeth and gums to professional care, now would be a good time to
call BATAVIA FAMILY DENTAL for an appointment. You can reach us at
585.343.4246, 6 Batavia City Centre.
P.S. One third of a human tooth, known as the root, is hidden beneath
the gums, making it vitally important to keep gums healthy to ensure
oral health.
 Season’s Greetings December 2021 • 9

Shake on the Lake puts its twists on ‘Christmas Carol’
By MALLORY DIEFENBACH
mdiefenbach@batavianews.com
PERRY — Shake on the Lake
is promising “A Christmas Car-
ol” like you’ve never seen it be-
fore. The Dec. 18 production
will be an improvised take on
the Charles Dickens holiday
classic, “A Christmas Carol.”
“Improv is all about struc-
tures, even when we’re making
it all up as it comes along. Even
in a ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’
they have a structure; they are
improvising,” said Josh Rice,
co-founder and producing ar-
tistic director of Shake on the
Lake. “We’re improvising the
Christmas Carol.”
People know the story and
the structure; Miserly mis-
anthrope Ebenezer Scrooge
humbugs the holiday, but
when he gets visited by Jacob
Marley, and a cavalcade of
ghostly characters from his
past, present, and future, his
world changes forever.
Rice said what Shake on the
Lake is going to do is find mo-
ments within that structure
where they can take out the
specific things and insert audi-
ence suggestions. An example
might be changing Scrooge’s
quired for entry. Masks will be
required during the perfor-
mance.
Shake on the Lake is offer-
ing a second way to experience
“A Christmas Carol.” Shake
has created a podcast play in
which Ebenezer Scrooge and
the cast of ghosts, memories
and shadows of Scrooge’s un-
redeemable past try to move
him to a redemptive future by
understanding the true mean-
ing of the holiday spirit. The
WARSAW, NY
sales@edhulmeinc.com
www.edhulmeinc.com
FIND HUNDREDS OF THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU VISIT
THE CALENDAR AT THEDAILYNEWSONLINE.COM.
cast features past Shake on the
Lake actors such as Madeleine
Dauer, Ashley Winkfield, and
Fergie L. Philippe as Ebenezer
Scrooge.
Philippe is currently play-
ing the roles of Hercules Mul-
ligan and James Madison in
the Broadway production of
“Hamilton.” Past work with
Shake on the Lake includes its
2016 production of “Twelfth
Night” in the roles on Antonio
and Maria.
Stars are bright, but it’ s good friends like you who really light up our
Phone: 585.786.5880 year! Thanks for bringing us so many smiles and great memories.
Fax: 585.786.8269 We cherish the times we’ve shared with you in 2021,
and we look forward to serving you again soon.
Commercial
Residential
Agricultural
Excavation
Blacktop
Hydro-Seed
8276 Park Road, Batavia, NY 14020 • (585) 343-7440
17 East Buffalo Street
Warsaw, NY 14569 www.GeneseeNY.com • www.VisitGeneseeNY.com

Attica Rodeo
catchphrase.
“It will change the story a
little bit, but for the most part
what we’re hoping is to still
keep is the main structure of
the story of Scrooge,” Rice said.
Shake on the Lake is also
considering other ways to get 64th Annual
the audience a little bit more
involved, such as giving them
props to use.
The show will feature the
improv duo “The Joshes” –
Rice and Josh Marcks – along
with special guests. Rice likens
the production to “A Muppet
Christmas Carol,” in which
august 4-7, 2022
the Dickens classic is mashed Get your tickts today!
up with absurdity to deliver a Go to:
unique performance.
“A(n Improvised) Christ-
mas Carol” will be performed
7:30 p.m. Dec. 18 at East Hill
https://bit.ly/3lwJQPp
Creamery, 346 South Main St.,
Perry. Tickets, which cost $20,
are available on Shake on the The Perfect Gift
Lake’s website at www.shake- Makes a Great Stocking Stuffer!
onthelake.org.
The production is appropri-
ate for ages 10 and older.
Proof of vaccination or a
recent (within three days)
negative COVID-19 test is re-
10 • December 2021 Season’s Greetings

Holiday happenings abundant FACEBOOK.COM/BATAVIADAILYNEWS

The holiday season is near- judged on Dec. 18. art work by Martin Walter
and Louis Melendez. Work is
ing its climax, but there are on view through Dec. 30 at
still more than a few things the Arts Council for Wyoming
you can do to help celebrate
THROUGH DEC. 30 County’s satellite gallery at
The Rochester “Holiday Light the Wyoming County YMCA,
the season with others in the Show”: 5 to 9 p.m. Sunshine 115 Linwood Ave., Warsaw.
community or find unique Camp, 809 Five Points Rd.,
ways to personalize your own Rush. The Rochester “Holiday THROUGH DEC. 31
Light Show” is a drive-through
holiday experience. light show featuring dozens Wonderland of Trees: The
Here’s a guide to selected of dazzling, larger-than-life Wonderland of Trees will run
holiday-themed displays to through the end of Decem-
events in the four-county delight the entire family. Visi- ber. The theme to honor this
GLOW region to help you feel tors are welcomed to bundle milestone year is “Through
the holiday spirit. up in their car, pack a favorite the Years.” The basket raffle
snack or beverage and tune winners will be drawn Dec.
With the COVID-19 pan- their radio to enjoy the synced 17. Further holiday events will
demic continuing, some light performance as they trav- also take place throughout
el the more than 1 mile route the season. For more informa-
events may be presented tion, contact the museum or
through the “Holiday Light visit www.hollandlandoffice.
virtually, and others will have Show.” For ticket information, com. Holland Land Office
safety requests such as social go to holidaylightshow.com. Museum, 131 West Main St.,
distancing and masks. For all Exhibit: Martin Walter & Louis Batavia.
events, we encourage you to Melendez: The Walter & yassestruckingandconstruction.com
Melendez Exhibition features See EVENTS T11
call ahead to verify it is still
scheduled and also to check
for any special protocols.
Here is a selection of activ-
ities scheduled in and near
Genesee, Livingston, Orleans
and Wyoming counties. For
updates and more events, SPECIALIZING IN WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE
check the online calendar at 108 Bank Street, Batavia • 343-6600 Krysten Schmidt,
thedailynewsonline.com or fax 343-6601 • ladiesfirst@verizon.net Nurse Practitioner
thelcn.com:
During this
THROUGH DEC. 18:
Artful Holidays: 11 a.m. to 5
p.m. Tuesdays through Satur-
Holiday Season
days (until 7 p.m. Thursdays)
at the Genesee Valley Council more than ever, our
on the Arts, 4 Murray Hill
Drive, Mount Morris. Browse
the curated, boutique-style
thoughts turn gratefully to
sale featuring works by more
than 30 local artisans. Items those who made our progress
available include jewelry,
ceramics, holiday decor, hand-
made soaps, fiber arts and
possible! And in this spirit,
more. For information, go to
gvartscouncil.org or call (585)
243-6785.
we say Thank You and
Drive-Thru Country Christmas:
Bring the family out for a
send Warm Wishes to all.
festive holiday experience Hours: Mon. 8-4, Tues. 7-3, Wed. Closed, Thur. 7-3, Fri. 7-12
hosted by the Western New
York Gas & Steam Associa-
tion. Thousands of lights are
displayed along a half-mile
long route. The event starts
the eve of Thanksgiving and
continues Thanskgiving night
Purchase a $25 gift card, Get $5 FREE
and every Friday and Saturday
night through Dec. 18. Gates
open each night from 5p.m.-
9p.m. $10 per car, cash only
Kathy & Staff would like to wish you a

Merry Christmas
at gate. The entrance will be
3000 Walker Rd., Alexander.
Food vendors will be on site.
This event is in compliance
with COVID-19 safety mea-
sures. This is a fundraiser for
the association. Western New
York Gas & Steam Associa-
tion, 10294 Gillate Rd., Alex-
ander. (716) 380-7061.
& Happy New Year
Holiday Decorating Contest - Sun-Mon: 11:00am - 9:00pm,
Mount Morris: Mount Morris
is conducting a house deco- Tues-Thu: 11:00am - 10:00pm, Fri-Sat: 11:00am - 11:00pm
rating contest in the village.
Judging on Dec. 18. Keep
your lights on the week of
Dec. 13. Also, best-dressed 500 East Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020 (585) 343-3303
window for store fronts will be

Events
From T10
2.5 Million Christmas Lights
Display at The Red Osier:
Ring in the holiday season
with Red Osier and its Winter
Wonderland of Lights. The
Original Red Osier Landmark
Restaurant is becoming the
largest holiday light display
in Genesee County, with well
more than 2 million lights
on display. The Original Red
Osier Landmark Restaurant,
6492 East Main Rd., Stafford.
THROUGH JAN. 2, 2022
Magic of Lights: A festive drive
through Holiday Light Dis-
play Extravaganza!: Six Flags
Darien Lake, Darien Center.
“Magic of Lights” will run daily
through Jan. 2, 2022 from
5 to 9 p.m. It will be closed
Dec. 24 and 25. All guests
are required to purchase
tickets in advance (online
only) and admission is free
to current season pass hold-
ers. Season passes for the
2022 season are available
and include admission to this
event. For information, go to
https://magicoflights.com/
events/six-flags-darien-lake/.
Six Flags Darien Lake, 9993
Alleghany Rd., Darien Center.
DEC. 17-18
Yuletide in the Country Tours
GENESEE COUNTRY VILLAGE & MUSEUM PHOTOGRAPH
An interpreter dressed as a
19th century St. Nicholas.
& Dinners: 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Fridays, 2 to 8:30 p.m. Satur-
days on Dec. 17-18, Genesee
Country Village & Museum,
Mumford. Visitors can explore
the wintry Village and be invit-
ed into scenes that highlight
19th century celebrations and
gatherings. Historic homes
will be bedecked in holiday
splendor, and visitors can
INSURANCE AGENCY
Season’s Greetings
immerse themselves in the
exuberance of a spirited
town dance, merry singing,
candle-lit trees, and jubilant
gift-giving. St. Nick may even
make an appearance as vis-
itors move about town. Gen-
eral admission for Yuletide
Tours is $27 ($24 for Muse-
um members). Tours can be
paired with a festive Yuletide
dinner, which cost $25 for
adults and $15 for guests 12
and younger. Reservations are
required for both tours and
dinner, and can be made sep-
arately. For information, go
to www.gcv.org or call (585)
538-6822. Genesee Country
Village & Museum, 1410 Flint
Hill Rd., Mumford.
DEC. 17
Christmas-Sing Christmas
Carol Concert: 7 p.m.,
Batavia. Concert featuring
students from Sound Foun-
Warm
Wishes for
a Joyous
Holiday
Season
41 Liberty Street
Batavia, NY 14020
Phone: (585) 219-4214
Fax: (585) 219-4877
dations Vocal Studio and
community members in a
Christmas carol sing-along.
Song books available in
today’s edition of The Daily
News and Livingston County
News. Free. Concert will also
be livestreamed on the Face-
book pages of The Daily News
and The LCN. West Bethany
Baptist Church, 10333 West
Bethany Rd., Batavia.
DEC. 18
Holiday Bake Sale by Livonia
Area Preservation & Histor-
ical Society: 8 a.m. Home-
made pies, cookies, sweet
breads & many other treats.
Livonia Historical Society, 10
Commercial St., Livonia.
It’s the Most Wonderful
Time of the Year to
say thank you to all of our compassionate volunteers,
the 80 families who trusted us with their loved ones
and all of the businesses and individuals who have
donated to our mission for the past 4 years!
December 2021 • 11
An (Improvised) Christmas
Carol: 7:30 p.m., Perry.
iserly misanthrope Ebenezer
Scrooge humbugs the holiday,
but when he gets visited by
Jacob Marley, and a caval-
cade of ghostly characters
from his past, present, and
future, his world changes for-
ever. Only, in this production
by Shake on the Lake, will
feature an improvised tale.
Tickets available at shakeon-
thelake.org. Appropriate for
ages 10 and older. Masks
required, along with proof of
vaccine or a negative COVID-
19 test. East HIll Creamery,
346 South Main St., Perry.
See EVENTS T12
Helping guests and
their families through the
end of life journey
167 North Main Street, Perry
585-237-5881
suzannescch167@gmail.com
suzannescch.com
May the miraculous
spirit of this holy season
fill your heart and home
with peace, wonder and
feelings of good will.
We feel blessed to
celebrate Christmas
with such great friends
and neighbors.
12 • Thursday, December 16, 2021
Events
From T11
DEC. 18-19
Polar Express Train Rides: On
the Polar Express, children
experience the magic of the
classic Christmas movie
(based on the book) during
a one-hour train ride. Aboard
the train, songs from the
movie play over the sound
system. Just like the movie,
entertainers dressed as chefs
move through the train cars,
delivering cookies and hot
chocolate to the passengers.
The ride even includes story
time, narrated by Liam Nee-
son. Thirty minutes into the
ride, the Polar Express stops
at the North Pole to pick up
Santa himself! Santa rides
back to Medina with everyone,
handing out bells to all the
children. All Polar Express
tickets include admission into
the Medina Railroad Muse-
um Museum, hot cocoa, a
cookie and a bell for children.
For more information, go
to https://www.medinarail-
roadmuseum.org/. Medina
Railroad Museum, 530 West
Ave., Medina.
DEC. 19
“Create-A-Critter” and “Treats
for Wildlife”: Meet for an
eclectic spread of craft mate-
rials gathered from nature.
Genesee County Park &
Forest Interpretive Center,
11095 Bethany Center Rd.,
East Bethany. For information
Season’s Greetings
or reservations, call (585) Holiday Open House: 11 a.m.
344-1122.
Pancake Breakfast with
Santa: Seatings at 10 a.m.,
to 3 p.m. each day, Genesee
Country Village & Museum,
Mumford. Families can cele-
brate the season by exploring
11 a.m. and noon, Genesee the festive Historic Village.
Country Village, Mumford. See villagers bustling with
Guests can enjoy a sweet and winter tasks and offering
savory buffet breakfast of pan- greetings to their neighbors
cakes, stuffed French toast, and friends. Bring the whole
sausage, and other offerings, family for self-guided tours
and afterwards, take a stroll through historic homes that
through the wintry Historic are warmed by fires and alive
Village. Breakfast with St. with holiday lights, candles,
Nick is $12 for adults, $10 and traditional decorations.
for youths 12 and younger, Tickets available online for
and free for children three advance purchase as well as
and younger. Reservations are at the door. General admis-
required. For information, go sion for the Holiday Open
to www.gcv.org or call (585) House is $12 ($9 for Muse-
538-6822. Genesee Country
Village & Museum, 1410 Flint
Hill Rd., Mumford. See EVENTS T14
GENESEE COUNTRY VILLAGE AND MUSEUM PHOTOGRAPH
Genesee Country Village and Museum hosts a pancake breakfast
with Santa on Dec. 19. There will be three seatings.
“Offering help for the Journey”
from everyone at
Best Wishes for a
Happy Healthy 2022
127 North St., Batavia, NY
(585) 345-0417 • geneseecancerassistance.org
 Season’s Greetings Thursday, December 16, 2021 • 13

thelcn.com

es &
Christmas Cooki ed
serv
Hot Cocoa to be t!
after the co nc er
person?
Can’t make it in
Join us on

See our songbook

inside Dec. 16th
TDN & LCN to
bring with you to
the concert!
Please Join Us for our

2021“Christmas-Sing”
LIVE Christmas Carol Concert
December 17, 2021 @ 7pm in person

at with
SOUND
FOUNDATIONS
10333 W. Bethany Rd., Batavia Voice Studio with Wendy Williams
14 • December 2021
Events
From T12
um members, free for children
three and younger). Genesee
Country Village & Museum,
1410 Flint Hill Rd., Mumford.
“Rejoice Believers” presented
by The East Bethany Pres-
byterian Church: 10:30 a.m.
“Rejoice Believers,” a Christ-
mas Cantata, will be present-
ed at The East Bethany Pres-
byterian Church. The Church
Choir under the direction of
Mark Barie will perform this
beautiful musical piece with
readings to share the story
and joy of the season. East
Bethany Presbyterian Church,
5735 Ellicott Street Rd., East
Bethany.
Song of Emmanuel: A Cantata
for Christmas: 2 p.m. The
Geneseo United Methodist
Church presents “Song of
Emmanuel: A Cantata for
Christmas” by Lloyd Larson.
The cantata will feature the
music of the Geneseo Ecu-
menical Singers, the Bliss
String Quartet of Eastman
School of Music, Connor
Ricotta on piano, and the
choirs of the Geneseo Unit-
ed Methodist Church. This
presentation is a free and
open to the community. The
church is fully handicapped
accessible. The sanctuary is
equipped with a t-coil hearing
loop for the hearing impaired.
Geneseo United Methodist
Church, 4520 Genesee St.,
Geneseo.
DEC. 20-23
Celebrate Ugly Christmas
Sweater Week at the
“IT’S WHAT WE DO”
77 Years in Business
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL • AGRICULTURAL
128 Cedar St. Batavia, NY • 585-343-2400 / 585-356-4300
RAHAITZ.COM | sales@rahaitzcoinc.com
Library!: Join in the fun and
come celebrate the holidays
with us. Wear your favorite
ugly Christmas sweater or fes-
tive holiday outfit to the library
and get a sweet treat. Pick up
your treat at the service desk.
Bonus points if you pose for
pictures. Wadsworth Library,
24 Center St., Geneseo.
DEC. 20
DIY Flannel Christmas Trees: 6
p.m. Geneseo. Brandy Finoc-
chario will teach participants
how to make decorative trees
with flannel and Styrofoam
cones. All materials included.
Space is limited. For more
information, contact the
library at (585) 243-0440.
Wadsworth Library, 24 Center
St., Geneseo.
DEC. 24
Christmas Candlelight Service
at The East Bethany Presby-
terian Church: 7 p.m. East
Bethany Presbyterian Church
presents a Christmas Eve
Candlelight Service of carols
and readings. The service,
led by the Rev. John Goeh-
461 N Main St., Warsaw
(585) 786-0820
Mon. - Sat.: 8am - 9pm, Sun. 8am - 8pm
Trusted. Reliable.
Richard Wendt, President
Fully Insured & Free Estimates
Season’s Greetings
le, includes special music,
readings, and carols. East
Bethany Presbyterian Church,
5735 Ellicott Street Rd., East
Batavia Downs 2022 New
Bethany.
DEC. 29
New Year’s Eve Appetizers
with Liz: 10:30 a.m. Brock-
port. Liz will demonstrate
unique ideas for appetizers
that you just might want to
share on New Year’s Eve.
You even get to sample, so
call a friend and join us in the
Duryea Room for a tasty pro-
gram. For adults. For informa-
tion, call (585) 637-1050 or
go to seymourlibraryweb.com.
Seymour Library, 161 East
Ave., Brockport.
DEC. 31
Countdown to the Noon Year:
11:30 a.m., Brockport.
Celebrate the “Noon” Year
with a balloon drop at noon.
Story time, then make a
noisemaker and celebrate.
For families. For information,
call (585) 637-1050 or go to
seymourlibraryweb.com. Sey-
mour Library, 161 East Ave.,
Great Food
Great Prices!
Great People!
Professional.
Brockport. New Year’s Eve Masquerade
Year’s Eve Party: Count down
Ball: 7 p.m. An elegant eve-
ning of ballgowns and tuxedos
in a historic 1840s building.
to 2022 at Batavia Downs
with its “Around The World”- The New Year’s Eve party will
themed New Year’s Eve Party. feel like an elegant dinner
Reservations required. Call party. The theme is “Vene-
Sara at (585) 343-3750 or tian Masquerade Ball” with
email STenney@westernotb. dancing, casino games and a
com. Payment required ahead champagne toast at midnight.
of time. Ring in 2022 with Limited tickets available. For
dinner, drinks and dancing
with music. Each person information, call (585) 226-
will receive $100 Free Play 8181. The Avon Inn, 55 East
Open Bar from 7-10 p.m., Main St., Avon.
buffet dinner from 6-8 p.m.,
Le Roy’s “First Night”: Wel-
live music 8-11 p.m., and
fireworks at 11:30 p.m. No come the New Year in Le Roy.
one under the age of 21 is Shops will be open. Purchase
warm drinks. Enjoy entertain-
allowed inside the New Year’s
Eve Party. Batavia Downs, ment and fireworks. For infor-
8315 Park Rd., Batavia. mation, call (585) 768-2527.
East Bethany
Presbyterian Church
5735 Ellicott St. Rd., East Bethany • 585.344.2931
Sunday, December 19th 10:30 AM
“Rejoice Believers” a Christmas Cantata
The Church Choir under the direction of Mark Barie
will perform this beautiful musical piece with
readings to share the story and joy of the season.
Please join us all are welcome!
Friday, December 24th 7:00 PM
Christmas Eve. Candlelight Service
Lead by Rev. John Goehle includes
special music, readings, and carols.
Please join us for an inspirational service to
begin your Christmas festivities.

Family-friendly activities to
celebrate New Year’s Day
Metro Creative
People spend so much time
planning New Year’s Eve rev-
elry that they may not consider
that they have another day on
the holiday calendar to enjoy
after the clock strikes 12. New
Year’s Day activities may differ
significantly from the count-
downs and parties of the night
before, but that doesn’t mean it
can’t be equally enjoyable.
Chances are children are
home from school for holiday
breaks, meaning New Year’s
Day activities should probably
be family-friendly. Check out
these family-friendly ways to
spend New YearÕs Day.
n Catch (or play) a football
game. New Year’s Day and
football go hand in hand, and
families can likely find a game
on television to enjoy together.
Of course, it’s also fun to burn
off a few New Year’s Eve calo-
ries by playing a game of foot-
ball in the backyard on January
1.
n Host a New Year’s Day
meal. Give people plenty
of time to recover from last
nights’s antics by inviting
neighbors or friends and their
children over for a brunch, late
lunch or early dinner. Potlucks
WNY's First Custom
Beer-Makers Center
Get your Gift Cards
for your favorite beer lover
on your Christmas list!
are great for these occasions
because no one will likely want
to cook for a crowd.
n Enjoy a movie marathon.
Spend the day in comfortable
clothes and make a new family
tradition. Select one movie for
each family member to watch
and then cue up the streaming
service or dust off that DVD
player. Use holiday mugs for
hot cocoa and dig into any left-
overs from holiday dinners. If
a marathon at home isn’t up
your alley, check out the show-
ings at a nearby theater and en-
joy an afternoon at the cinema.
n Take a hike. Enjoy the cold
weather up close and personal
with a hike in the brisk air. State
parks or nearby nature pre-
serves may not be busy on Jan-
We Are Open For All Of Your Foot Care Needs
3922 West Main Road, Batavia | 585-344-1677 | www.bataviafootcarecenter.com
Come Try One
of Our Beers!
windybrews.com
windybrewery@gmail.com
585.805.4006
733 Route 20A,
Strykersville, NY
Season’s Greetings December 2021 • 15
VISIT THE DAILY NEWS ONLINE
www.TheDailyNewsOnline.com
uary 1, making them an even
more relaxing respite.
Letchworth State Park and
the Genesee Valley Greenway
State Park have, in recent years,
hosted First Day Hikes. For in-
formation on the Greenway,
go to https://tinyurl.com/4y-
96b7r7. For information on
Letchworth hikes go to https://
tinyurl.com/5992t43t.
n Tackle an organizational
project. Get the whole family
together and take on a project
that has been pushed aside,
such as organizing the garage
or cleaning out the refrigerator.
n Volunteer with a local
charity. Give back to the com-
munity and start off the new
Lamb Farms, Inc
year on a positive note by vol-
unteering as a family.
585-948-5777
lambfarmsinc.net
lambfarms@hotmail.com
A New York leader in quality
milk production and ag innovation
Andnd a HHealthy
Merry Christmas to You A ealthy NNew
ew Year!
Wishing you an accumulation of
holiday happiness that lasts all year!
Thanks for your business & to the
many friends we’ve made this year.
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16 • December 2021
Sharpen your baking skills
with these holiday pointers
Metro Creative
The holiday season is
steeped in tradition. Baking is
one tradition that comes with
the holiday territory.
Many people may only bake
in November and Decem-
ber, so it’s understandable if
they’re a little rusty come the
holiday season.
These baking tips can lead
to successful yields of cookies,
cakes and other holiday treats.
FOLLOW THE RECIPE CAREFULLY
When cooking, it is easy to
add an extra dash of this or a
pinch of that. But baking is a
science and the ingredients
are used in a ratio to produce
a desired chemical reaction
while cooking. To ensure suc-
cess, do not substitute ingre-
dients unless the recipe tells
you how to do so, and measure
each addition carefully.
SPOON OUT
YOUR MEASUREMENTS
It can be tempting to dig a
measuring cup right into a bag
of flour, but scooping packs
the ingredients down – po-
tentially causing you to use
more than the recipe calls for.
Instead, spoon the flour in-
to your measuring cup gently
and use a straight edge to level
it out. Even better, use a scale
and metric measurements to
ensure exact amounts of wet
and dry ingredients.
READ UP ON TEMPERATURE
Certain ingredients, like
butter and eggs, are tempera-
ture-dependent. Cold butter
in biscuits helps them to rise
up flaky and delicious. Eggs
brought to room temperature
enable the emulsification pro-
cess to work more readily. The
difference in temperature can
mean a completely different
chemical reaction, so follow
the recipe accordingly.
CALIBRATE THE OVEN
Purchase an oven ther-
mometer, set your oven to 350
F, the standard baking tem-
Season’s Greetings
FOLLOW THE DAILY NEWS: THEDAILYNEWSONLINE.COM
Charter Partner
perature, and see what the them on different racks and
thermometer reads. slightly offset them to enable Nancy M. Crocker
Lic. Real Estate Salesperson
If it is different, adjust cook- air circulation.
ing times accordingly or have Cell: (585) 314-7982
crocker@rochester.rr.com
the oven repaired. Cooking at USE PARCHMENT PAPER 7133 W. Main Road • LeRoy, NY 14482
the wrong temperature might This unsung hero of baking office • (585) 502-5250
mean the recipe doesn’t turn can keep cookies from spread- Main Office: 2112 Empire Blvd • Webster, NY 14580
out right. ing out on baking sheets, pre-
vent cakes from sticking to
USE UNSALTED BUTTER pans and may even help batter
Most recipes will call for and dough bake evenly. Batnws2021
unsalted butter so you aren’t
adding unwanted sodium to FLIP CAKES
the recipe, affecting dough Cool cakes upside down on
consistency and flavor. a cooling rack. This will help
flatten out the tops, which
POSITION PANS CENTRALLY makes it easier to stack and
Pans should be on the cen- level cakes for layered cakes.
ter rack of the oven. If the oven A few tips can go a long way
isn’t wide enough to put mul- to helping holiday baking go
tiple pans side by side, place more smoothly. Entire Purchase
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Simple recipes for your holiday enjoyment
By Lilly Crane and Kendra Brace
Wyoming County Dairy Princess and Alternate
As the winter season ap-
proaches, everyone typically
gets more laid back on many
things but one specifically
being their diets. Your diet
contributes to many everyday
tasks, even sleeping!
Of course, there isn’t much
to do during what some like
to call the “most wonderful
time of the year,” but there are
many ways to have fun in the
snow and to enjoy seasonal
meals and beverages that in-
clude dairy!
One of the most challenging
things to keep up with during
these cold harsh months is
your everyday routine. For
those that have kids home for
winter break it can be even
more challenging.
One activity I love to do is
take my siblings outside and
play in the snow. A lot of my
most fond memories include
going out and sledding, snow-
ball fights or building snow-
men!
A way to provide a deli-
cious treat while catering to a
healthy diet this winter is hot
chocolate. Hot chocolate may
seem like a dessert choice such
as ice cream, but it can have
a nutritious benefit by mak-
ing one simple change. One
thing my mom always did for
us was use warm milk in the
hot chocolate mix instead of
water. Warm-milk hot choco-
late provides a great serving of
dairy and essential minerals in
our diets and also continues to
support our hard working local
dairy farmers that persevere
through these times.
The recommended number
of dairy servings you should
have daily is three. This may
seem like a lot but when you’re
consuming things you enjoy
it is so easy! Milk contains 13
essential nutrients such as
high-quality protein, calcium,
vitamin D and more. These
nutrients help our bodies func-
tion properly while giving us
a great night of sleep, which is
essential to everyone, includ-
ing highly active kids.
The holiday season brings
many options for you to con-
tinue to keep dairy in your diet.
Eggnog is a wonderful refreshment to make and help you enjoy a happy holiday season with your
family.
One of my favorite holiday
drinks is eggnog.
Eggnog contains one serving
of dairy while providing you
with a delicious treat. Nothing
sounds better than having a
nice cup of eggnog while keep-
ing warm inside your home
and watching the snowfall.
Another idea for keeping
your body healthy after shov-
eling all that dreaded snow
here in Western New York or
even trying to keep up with
outside maintenance is re-
warding yourself with a nice
cold glass of chocolate milk;
the number one refuel bever-
age. Many don’t know this but
chocolate milk replenishes
electrolytes and builds muscle
faster than any other beverage.
It contributes to your health
in many ways including that
serving of dairy I keep going on
about.
I am wishing you all a safe
and wonderful holiday season.
Always remember to support
the hard working dairy indus-
try by aiding your body and
consuming as they provide for
us.
I have added a nice and sim-
ple recipe for everyone to make
and enjoy with their family.
Happy holidays and remem-
ber to make the most out of the
snow and have fun!
Season’s Greetings
Homemade Eggnog!
Ingredients
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
ground cinnamon (for topping)
Directions
Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until
light and creamy. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, com-
bine the milk, cream, nutmeg and salt. Stir
frequently until to comes up to a low simmer.
Temper the egg mixture by ladling a big
spoonful of the hot milk to the egg mixture
(first one) and whisk quickly to incorporate
well. Repeat a couple of times until the egg
mixture is hot.
Pour both mixtures together in the saucepan.
Whisk constantly for a few minutes (about
5 miutes), until the mixture is just slightly
thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the eggnog into a pitcher or other con-
tainer and cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate until chilled. It will thicken as it
cools.
Serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and fresh
whipped cream, if desired.
Store homemade eggnog in the fridge for up
to one week!
December 2021 • 17
METRO CREATIVE
Pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin Pie
15 ounces of pumpkin puree
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups of brown sugar
1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of milk (any percentage)
METRO CREATIVE Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk the pumpkin, eggs, and brown sugar
together until mixed. Then add the corn-
starch, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg,
The Dairy Court knows lots cloves, heavy cream, and milk. Whisk the
of great ways you can cele- remaining ingredients in until it’s all mixed
brate the season while sup- together.
porting the dairy industry. Stir it all up and add it to your pie crust.
When you’re ready to bake it, put it in the
Wyoming County Dairy
oven for about 55 to 60 minutes. Let it cool for
Princess Alternate Kendra
Brace shares a pumpkin pie three hours on a rack.
Once finished use whatever toppings you
recipe – it’s a flavor everyone wish, pour a tall glass of milk, and enjoy!
loves – and to make it better
you can use heavy cream in Celebrate this season using
your pie. dairy products.
Bouchard Financial Services, LLC
Investments*, Insurance and Tax Preparation
Donald E. Bouchard, MBA, ATP, LUTCF
Financial Advisor and Accredited Tax Return Preparer
585-343-7478
Visit Online: www.BouchardFinancialServices.com
* Securities offered through Avantax Investment ServicesSM, Member FINRA, SIPC,
Investment Advisory Services offered through Avantax Advisory ServicesSM,
Insurance Services offered through Avantax Insurance AgencySM,
Bouchard Financial Services, LLC is not a registered broker/dealer or registered investment advisory firm.
18 • December 2021
’Tis the season for gingerbread cookies
Metro Creative
Tradition plays a big role
during the holiday season. Food
is at the center of many families’
traditions, which may include
big family dinners and Sunday
brunches together.
Holiday baking sessions al-
so hold a sacred spot in many
households. Such sessions are
a great opportunity for adults
and children to have some fun
in the kitchen and create some
tasty treats the whole family can
enjoy.
Baked goods devotees may
find it hard to imagine the hol-
idays without gingerbread, and
this recipe for “Soft Glazed Gin-
gerbread” from Elisabeth M.
Prueitt and Chad RobertsonÕ’s
“Tartine” (Chronicle Books) can
ensure the whole family enjoys
this holiday season staple.
Soft Glazed Gingerbread
Yields 12 to 20 cookies
Dough
3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup blackstrap or other dark molasses
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons water
To make the dough, stir to-
gether the flour, cocoa powder,
ginger, cloves, cinnamon, bak-
ing soda, salt, and pepper in a
mixing bowl. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted
with the paddle attachment,
beat the butter on medium-high
speed until creamy. Slowly add
the granulated sugar and mix on
medium speed until the mixture
is completely smooth and soft.
Stop the mixer and scrape down
the sides of the bowl with a rub-
ber spatula as needed. Add the
egg and mix well.
Add the molasses and corn
syrup and beat until incorpo-
rated. Stop the mixer again and
Baked goods devotees may find it hard to imagine the holidays
without gingerbread.
scrape down the sides of the
bowl. Add the flour mixture and
beat on low speed until a dough
forms that pulls away from the
sides of the bowl and all the in-
gredients are well incorporated.
Remove the dough from the
bowl, flatten it on a large piece
of plastic wrap into a rectangle
about 1 inch thick, cover the
dough with the plastic wrap,
and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 de-
grees F. Line a baking sheet with
parchment paper on a nonstick
liner.
Unwrap the dough and place
on a floured work surface. If us-
ing a plaque with a design, roll
out the dough 1/3-inch thick,
lightly dust the top with flour,
press your cookie molds over
the dough, and then cut out the
******* HAPPY HOLIDAYS *******
Season’s Greetings
METRO CREATIVE
shapes with a small knife and
place on the prepared baking
sheet, spacing them about 1
inch apart. Alternatively, using
the mold as a guide, cut around
it with a small knife, flip the
mold over so the design is facing
you, and place the dough over
it, pressing it into the design.
Unmold the shapes onto the
prepared baking sheet, leaving
about 1 inch between them.
If using a patterned rolling
pin, lightly dust the lined baking
sheet with flour and transfer the
dough to the pan. Lightly dust
the top of the dough with flour
and roll it into a rectangle about
1/3-inch thick with a plain pin.
Then, using the patterned pin,
roll over the dough with enough
pressure to ensure a clear im-
pression of the design. Trim the
Tips and tricks for cutting out cookies
Cut cookies are some of the most
popular cookies to make during the
holiday season. Certain techniques
make holiday baking sessions easier
and ensure consistent results.
n Work on a lightly floured, cool
surface, such as a cutting board or
stone counter top. A warm surface
can cause dough to spread and stick.
n Roll out the dough between
two sheets of baking or parchment
paper. Betty Crocker recommends
a thickness of about 1/8 inch, unless
noted in the recipe. This prevents the
dough from sticking, and parchment
enables you to easily transfer rolled-
sides with a small knife. It is not
necessary to cut into smaller siz-
es before baking.
Bake the cookies until lightly
golden along the sides but still
soft to the touch in the centers,
7 to 15 minutes. The timing will
depend on the size of the indi-
vidual cookies, or if you have
made a single large patterned
piece that will be cut after bak-
ing.
While the cookies are bak-
ing, prepare the glaze. In a small
bowl, whisk together the con-
fectioners’ sugar and water until
smooth.
When the cookies are ready,
remove from the oven and let
cool in the pan on a wire rack for
about 10 minutes.
Peace BE WITH YOU
C.B. Beach & Son
Mortuary, Inc.
1903 - 2021 ~ Celebrating 118 years
4 - 6 Main Street, Corfu, N.Y. 14036
Phone: 585-599-4520
Charles A. Herman
Funeral Director, 1932-2020
out dough.
n When rolling out dough, portion
it out into a few smaller amounts to
roll out more easily. This will also help
it to chill more readily.
n Cookies cut most easily when
the dough is chilled. Refrigerate the
dough for as long as possible, ideally
an hour or more – even overnight.
The more chilled, the firmer the
dough will be.
n Dip cookie cutters into flour with
each cut. Work from the center and
move out to the edges when cutting
out your designs. Try to maximize
space and avoid scraps and rerolling.
Then, while the cookies are
still warm, using even strokes,
brush a light coat of glaze on the
top of each cookie, evenly cov-
ering it.
Let the cookies cool com-
pletely.
When the glaze dries, it
should leave a shiny, opaque
finish.
If you have used a patterned
pin to make a single large
plaque, cut into the desired sizes
with a small, very sharp knife.
The cookies will keep in an
airtight container in a cool place
for about 2 weeks. They do not
freeze well, however, as the
glaze becomes watery when
they are thawed.
Julie A. Herman
Funeral Director

There are many versions of wassail beverages. Today, most are now mulled cider.
Toast to good health
with a traditional wassail
Metro Creative
The practice of wassailing is
a time-honored tradition that
has spanned centuries.
When wassailing, people
go door-to-door, singing and
offering a sip of drink from
something called a wassail
bowl. Most do it to spread
holiday cheer and wish good
health on their neighbors.
The word “wassail” is de-
rived from the Anglo-Saxon
phrase “waes hael,” which
loosely translates to “good
health” or “be whole.”
Wassailing remains popular
in some communities, though
caroling has overtaken it as a
way to spread cheer through
singing.
Wassail drink was originally
made from mulled ale, curdled
cream, roasted apples, eggs,
cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and
sugar, according to the hol-
iday customs and traditions
resource WhyChristmas. Most
wassails are now mulled ci-
ders, which are popular in late
fall. Wassail was traditionally
enjoyed on Twelfth Night (Jan.
5 or 6), but it can be used to
toast to good health and mer-
Season’s Greetings December 2021 • 19
Toast the season with a
literary-inspired cocktail
Metro Creative
Come the holidays, ma-
ny people engage in various
customs and rituals that
make the season even more
special. One person may
bake dozens of cookies to
share with friends and fami-
ly, while another may go car-
oling with the church choir.
Reading familiar stories
and watching classic Christ-
mas movies also are part and
parcel of many celebrations. A cocktail shaker and glasses.
For example, “A Christmas
Carol,” a novella by Charles mention the Sherry Cobbler
Dickens that was published in “A Christmas Carol,” the
in 1843, is a must-read and beverage does make an ap-
must-see for many people pearance in another of his
METRO CREATIVE each holiday season. The works, “The Life and Adven-
story is the tale of the miserly tures of Martin Chuzzlewit.”
Ebenezer Scrooge, who is vis- Charles Dickens’s
ited by various ghosts, each
of whom teaches Scrooge
an important lesson about
living life to its fullest. Many
Sherry Cobbler
Serves 1
local theater companies put 2 orange slices
on productions of the classic 1 tablespoon sugar
Dickens tale around the holi- 4 ounces amontillado sherry
day season. Berries (in season) for garnishing
riment at any time during the Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut Maraschino cherries for garnishing
holiday season. apples into thick slices, and Holiday celebrants and
fans of “A Christmas Carol” 1 lemon wheel for garnishing
There are many versions of arrange in layers in a covered
wassail beverages, including casserole dish, sprinkling a few can raise a toast to Charles Muddle orange slices and
this “Traditional Wassail,” teaspoons of sugar over each Dickens by enjoying one of sugar at the bottom of a cock-
courtesy of “The FarmerÕs Al- layer. Cover and bake for 30 his favorite cocktails, the tail shaker. Add sherry and
manac.” minutes. (Apples will get puffy “Sherry Cobbler,” courtesy ice and shake. Strain ingredi-
and soft.) of Margaret Kaplan’s “How ents into a Collins glass filled
Traditional Wassail While the apples bake, com- to Drink Like a Writer: Rec- with crushed ice.
Serves 8 to 12 bine beer, spices, lemon zest, ipes for the Cocktails and Garnish with seasonal
and remaining sugar in large Libations that Inspired 100 berries, maraschino cherries
5 to 6 large baking apples, peeled and cored Literary Greats” (Apollo Pub-
saucepan. Heat slowly, bring- and a lemon wheel.
(such as Baldwin, Gravenstein, McIntosh, or
ing jst to a simmer. (Don’t let lishing). Serve with a generosity of
Stayman Winesap)
the mixture boil.) When it is While Dickens did not spirit.
1 cup sugar
2 quarts beer or ale hot, add sherry and keep heat-
ing until the mixture reaches a
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half, or 2 tea-
spoons ground cinnamon simmer again, still not boiling. Merry Christmas from our family to yours!
1 teaspoon ground ginger Place the hot baked apples in a
Zest of 1 lemon punch bowl, and pour the hot
1-½ cups sherry or sweet red wine wassail over them. Serve hot.
Wishing you a season
10597 Main St.
of wonder. . . Alexander, NY 14005
Jim Rudgers, Owner 585-591-1140
1-888-344-0176
sales@sunnysidecyclesales.com
20 • December 2021
Explaining the primary symbols of Kwanzaa
Metro Creative
Kwanzaa is an African
American and pan-African
holiday that is celebrated each
December beginning on De-
cember 26. The celebration of
family, community and cul-
ture lasts for seven days.
Many holidays have their
own unique symbols, and
Kwanzaa is no exception.
The following are the prima-
ry symbols of Kwanzaa, cour-
tesy of OfficialKwanzaaWeb-
site.org.
Mazao
Mazao symbolizes the crops
of African harvest celebra-
tions.
Mazao also is symbolic of
the rewards of productive and
collective labor.
Mkeka
Mkeka translates to “The
Mat.” The mat in Kwanzaa cel-
ebrations symbolizes African
American and pan-African
tradition and history and the
foundations on which those
How holiday hosts can avoid overserving guests
Metro Creative
A house full of family and
friends no doubt excites indi-
viduals who love to host holiday
gatherings. Coming off a year in
which no such celebrations were
held, it’s easy to see how hosts
and their guests might be tempt-
ed to celebrate a bit too much.
Overconsumption of alco-
hol can affect guests’ judgment,
both during the party and at the
end of the night when it’s time to
go home.
Hosts must acknowledge and
accept various responsibilities
when hosting a holiday party,
not the least of which is making
sure guests get home safe and
sound. Hosts can consider these
strategies to avoid overserving
guests:
n Hire a professional bar-
tender to serve drinks. The In-
surance Information Institute
notes that most professional
bartenders are trained to recog-
nize signs of intoxication and are
skilled at limiting consumption
by partygoers. Hosts can benefit
The seven candles are symbolic of the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa.
traditions and histories are
built.
Kinara
The kinara is a candle
from that expertise and training
if they hire professional bartend-
ers. Let guests know in advance
that bartenders have been asked
to monitor each guest’s con-
sumption, and support the bar-
tender should he or she refuse to
serve a guest.
n Host outside your home. A
large party at home may create
a warm atmosphere, but it also
can leave hosts liable in the eyes
of the law. Hosting the party at a
restaurant with a valid liquor li-
cense can minimize hosts’ liabil-
Season’s Greetings
holder that is symbolic of
the continential Africans to
whom African Americans and
pan-Africans trace their roots.
ity risks. In addition, restaurants
and bars tend to be very busy
during the holiday season. That
means it will likely take longer
for guests to order and receive
their drinks. Extra time between
drinks can reduce the risk of
overconsumption.
n Stay sober. Hosts can more
effectively monitor how much
their guests are drinking if they
abstain from alcohol. Guests
who recognize hosts are not
drinking also might be more
agreeable if hosts ask them to
METRO CREATIVE
Muhindi
Muhindi stands for “The
Corn” and symbolizes chil-
dren and the future that they
stop for fear they’re consuming
too much alcohol.
n Shift the focus of the festiv-
ities. When planning the party,
look for games and activities that
engage guests and don’t pro-
mote drinking. Guests are less
likely to drink too much if they’re
given something to do at the par-
ty, especially if the activity has
nothing to do with alcohol. Avoid
games like beer pong in favor of
Wishing you the timeless treasure of
Christmas. The warmth of home, the love
of family and the company of friends.
Have a blessed and meaningful
Christmas!
Carmichael & Reed Monument Co.,
Authorized
Mark D. Hansen
carmichaelmonuments.com
rockofages.com
email: cr mc@frontiernet.net
55 S. Main St.Warsaw, NY (585) 786-3830
embody.
Kikombe cha Umoja
The Kikombe cha Umoja is
the unity cup and symbolizes,
in both principle and practice,
the unity that makes all else
possible.
Mishumaa Saba
This is the seven candles,
which are symbolic of Ngu-
zo Saba, or the Seven Princi-
ples of Kwanzaa. Each day of
Kwanzaa is dedicated to one
of the Seven Principles. The
principles are a set of values
Kwanzaa celebrants are urged
to live by.
Zawadi
Zawadi stands for “The
Gifts” and are symbolic of the
labor and love of parents and
the commitments made and
kept by children.
The seven-day celebration
of Kwanzaa celebrates African
American and pan-African
culture. The symbols of the
holiday are a vital component
of that celebration.
charades or other activities that
require guests to stay sharp.
n Stop serving alcohol as the
party winds down. As the festiv-
ities begin to wind down, stop
serving alcohol and offer water,
coffee or tea in its stead. This de-
creases the chances that guests
will overdo it and gives them a
chance to assess how they feel
and determine if they can drive
home safely.
LLC.
Dealer
Sandra R. Hansen
 Season’s Greetings December 2021 • 21

Jan. 1 New Year’s celebrations a recent phenomenon

Metro Creative
Celebrating the new year on January 1 is a rel-
atively recent phenomenon.
The calendar as we know it today has evolved
several times and months have gone by differ-
ent names.
On the early Roman calendar, March was the
first month of the 10-month calendar. That is
why the last four months of the year have pre-
fixes that coordinate with the seventh (Septem- METRO CREATIVE
ber), eighth (October), ninth (November), and
tenth (December) numerals. ment on the ancient Roman one, which was
King Numa Pompilius reformed the calendar
around 700 BCE by adding the months of Janu-
lunar-based. During this time, the month of
Quintilis was renamed July in honor of Julius
Crocker’s
ary and February to the original 10 months. Caesar and Sextilis was renamed August in hon-
Ace Hardware
But the calendar still required some addi- or of Augustus.
tional tweaking to be more aligned with the Shortly after the introduction of the solar
seasons. In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar introduced calendar, the beginning of the year was moved
a solar-based calendar that was an improve- from March 1 to January 1.

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3:00pm – St. Brigid Midnight – Our Lady of Mercy 8457 N. Street Rd., LeRoy • 585.768.2360
4:30pm – Our Lady of Mercy 7:15am – Our Lady of Mercy Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30am-8pm • Sat. 8:30am-5pm • Sun. 9am-5pm
10:45am– Our Lady of Mercy
Our Lady of Mercy Parish St. Brigid Parish

Don’t Hesitate
44 Lake Street, LeRoy, NY 14482 18 Gibson Street, Bergen, NY 14416
Times and seating requirements are subject to change
due to the evolving COVID situaton.
Masses at Our Lady of Mercy will be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
To Designate.
Don’t
Drink &
Drive.

This Holiday Season...

Please Remember to
Celebrate Responsibly
Message courtesy of:
Orleans Co. STOP-DWI & Orleans Co. Youth Bureau
22 • December 2021 Season’s Greetings

The benefits of making FOLLOW THE DAILY NEWS

TheDailyNewsOnline.com n Facebook.com/BataviaDailyNews
Twitter @Batavia_Daily n Twitter @BataviaDNSports

New Year’s resolutions

Metro Creative a catalyst for positive change.
The end of December is a When something isn’t working
busy time of year. Families with your routine, personal
are shopping for gifts for loved health or relationships, resolu-
ones and friends, holiday cel- tions can serve as the catalyst
ebrations are in full swing and that ultimately rights the ship.
thoughts begin to turn to the n Resolutions can promote
new year ahead. self-esteem and empower-
At the stroke of midnight on ment. Making resolutions and
New Year’s Eve, it is custom- keeping them can provide a
ary to sip a glass of champagne sense of accomplishment that
and toast to the new year. Ma- comes with goal-setting and
ny people use the dawn of a following through. Resolving P.O. Box 58, Stafford
new year as a time to create a to lose five pounds and then
list of resolutions that reflect seeing the proof on a scale can 585-343-5449
positive changes they hope to be a powerful motivator that www.williamkentinc.com
make in the year ahead. compels you to make other
Between 40 and 45 percent METRO CREATIVE self-improvements. Accom-
of American adults make res- Making resolutions and plishing small goals also can
olutions each year, accord- keeping them can provide a boost self-esteem.
ing to the health and wellness sense of accomplishment that Resolutions are often made
group Proactive Mindfulness. comes with goal-setting and at the dawn of a new year.
According to John C. Norcross, following through. These efforts can provide
Marci S. Mrykalo and Matthew according to the wellness re- the motivation and direction
D. Blagys, coauthors of the source Alternative Daily. people need to make positive
study “Auld Lang Syne: Suc- n Resolutions can serve as changes in their lives.
cess predictors, change pro-
cesses, and self-reported out-
comes of New Year’s resolvers
and nonresolvers,” within six
months of starting a resolution
46 percent of people are still
Going Out Tonight?
maintaining their resolutions.
Resolutions may seem silly
to some, but there are several
positive reasons to make them.
n Resolutions provide
practice setting goals.
Goal-setting is an important
component of life. Goals are
key because they provide gen-
eral direction in life. A goal
is a map that can give you an
idea of where you are head-
ing and what path you need to
take to get there, according to
the self-improvement guide
Success Consciousness. Res-
olutions can be fun, low-pres-
So Are We!
sure goals. Think of them as
dress rehearsals for bigger life This Holiday Season...
changes.
n Resolutions offer time please remember to
for reflection. Too often peo-
ple are rushing through daily
life without stopping or slow-
celebrate responsibly.
ing down to truly assess the
impact of their actions. Res- Message courtesy of:
olutions help you reflect on Genesee County STOP-DWI &
the past, present and future, Genesee County Youth Bureau
figuring out what has been
working and what may need to
be changed to provide a boost,
 Season’s Greetings December 2021 • 23

Here are some fun facts about Three Kings Day

Metro Creative tides have largely shifted out- garner considerable atten-
The holiday season begins side of Latin America and ar- tion during holiday celebra-
January 6 marks the celebration
with Thanksgiving, and ma-
ny people believe that the
eas dominated by large pop- tions, but Three Kings Day of the Epiphany, which is sometimes
ulations of people who have also is an important date
festivities come to a close af-
ter ringing in the new year. Latin American heritage. on the calendar for faithful referred to as Three Kings Day.
In fact, for the faithful, the Christmas and New Year’s Christians.
Christmas season does not
end until January 6 (January
12 in Eastern churches).
January 6 marks the cel-
ebration of the Epipha-
ny, sometimes referred to
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In Latin America, the three
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24 • December 2021 Season’s Greetings