Media Maven: Holiday Must-Reads
'Tis the season! To continue spreading holiday cheer, may I suggest embarking on festive outings around Cincinnati?
The PNC Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo is a wondrous experience for any one, any age, any time this season. The lights, the atmosphere, the excitement and wonder of all who attend are a sight to see. Train rides encircling this enchanted home of Santa and the animals is something not to be missed. Dress according to the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Add a cup of steaming hot chocolate and you are ready to go.
A most exquisite display of natural beauty is housed at our very own Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park. Hundreds and hundreds of vibrant poinsettias uniquely positioned to showcase a magnificent display of Christmas cheer awaits. Krohn Conservatory is located at 1501 Eden Park Drive in Walnut Hills.
A little-known holiday theatre experience that is at once intimate and cozy is Showboat Majestics Frostbite Follies! If you havent had this theatre experience of live entertainment on the river, then Showboat Majestic may well be what you are looking for. Weekend performances beginning November 30th include singing, dancing, hoofing and prancing by an energetic group of local talent can make any Scrooge a believer in the joy of the holiday season. Call (513) 241-6550 for more information.
Change gears yet still enjoy the season treat yourself to any bookstore selection of Christmas picture books. An array of classics and new stories herald the virtues of what this season can mean abound. Some of my favorites:
- Olive the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold and Vivien Walsh
- The Nativity by Julie Vivas
- When It Snowed That Night by Norma Farber, illustrations by Petra Mathers
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever! by Barbara Robinson
Even if you dont have the time for reading just visiting one of our local bookstores such as Waldens, Joseph Beths, Barnes and Noble or the St. Francis Bookshop all offer an atmosphere of busyness and holiday cheer. The displays are festive and colorful. And, for the most part, the employees are too.
Speaking of books great holiday table toppers are any books created by the talented Robert Sabuda. Sabuda thrills readers with a pop-up celebration of The 12 Days of Christmas. Such artistry and detail is a visual delight to enjoy. Three-dimensional pop-ups depicting each of the 12 days of Christmas are stunning. Sabuda has other holiday pop-up books that are well worth the investment as a yearly Christmas keepsake.
Dont know what to get someone? Not sure of the correct size or color? Give a book. The singer Amy Grant has a biography Amy Grant: The Life of a Pop Star. It is the story of her life and all the incidents that influenced her songwriting. Purchase any one of her holiday CDs to accompany the book and you have one present ready to go.
Two other books worth mentioning are ones that can inspire. On the New York bestseller list is a book called Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World by Bill Clinton. The former president presents true stories of famous and not-so-famous people making a difference in our world by giving of themselves in a multitude of projects benefiting others.
And for my final book suggestion: Now We Are One: Faces of International Adoption. Cincinnatians should be proud to read this book. Through touching photographs by the nationally acclaimed, local photographer Michael Wilson and accompanying essays written by Cincinnatis David Wecker, we see the lives of local Cincinnati families who have chosen to adopt children internationally. Each page is rich in text, in heart and in joy. This book shares the stories and the many faces of happy families through the gift of adoption.
I wish you all, Cincy Chic readers, a very blessed holiday season.
Tis the Season… of giving…of living…of receiving…of caring. Enjoy!
