PAGE 6 The Elwood Call-Leader, The Alexandria Times-Tribune and The Tipton County Tribune Christmas Opening Edition; Wednesday, November 25, 2020 A Merry Prairie Holiday tradition continues at

INDIANAPOLIS – For the of COVID-19 and protect the ornaments will be available families somewhere to cele- second year in a row, visitors health of guests and staff for purchase. However, brate safely together, can once again enjoy A Merry alike, A Merry Prairie Holiday guests can still take a ride on explained Conner Prairie Prairie Holiday while experi- has been modified in key Kringle’s Carousel – the president and CEO Norman encing Conner Prairie’s mag- ways. The Welcome Center attraction has a new home in Burns. ical festival in a new, safer will be closed except for rest- the Civil War Journey for the “Our number one priority is way. rooms, reducing the opportu- 2020 season. the health and safety of our Beginning Friday, Nov. 27 nity for guests to congregate In addition, the Winter staff, volunteers and guests,” through Sunday, Dec. 20 and indoors. Midway games, as Wonderland Stroll experi- Burns shared. “But with so on Tuesday and Wednesday, well as activities and visits at ence will be offered without many central holiday Dec. 22-23, Conner Prairie’s Mr. and Mrs. Claus’s Cabin wagon rides this year, and events and activities can- grounds will be transformed will not take place this year, guests will have the chance celled this year, we felt it was into a winter wonderland of although Selfies with Santa to explore thousands of important to still try to deliver lights and warm holiday fun. will still be available for chil- sparkling lights in the for our members and festival From 5:30-9:30 p.m. nightly, dren at the Featherstone Reynolds Farm Equipment attendees. We believe this guests can step into the past Barn on a first come, first holiday lights displayed on reimagined A Merry Prairie and explore holiday traditions served basis. Instead of chil- the Conner Prairie grounds. Holiday will allow people to from yesteryear while also dren making gifts on-site in In a year when so much experience the magic of the joys of the season.” against crowds. For more creating new memories with our North Pole Workshop, has changed, Conner Prairie holidays together outdoors, in Tickets will be sold by day information and to purchase their families. “Take and Make” crafts like felt it was important to uphold a socially-distanced way, and and time, allowing for better tickets, visit: https://www.con- To help prevent the spread leather bracelets and holiday its holiday tradition and give reconnect with the simple management of attendance nerprairie.org/explore/things- numbers and safeguarding to-do/merry-prairie-holiday DNR holiday gift packs available Cross those hard-to-buy- for those who like to enjoy of seven state park lodging State Forest, and Starve for people off your shop- nature from the indoors, is facilities, as well as at the Hollow SRA. The camping ping list by giving them a a $65 State Park Inns gift award-winning - gift card may also be used holiday gift pack from the card. You also have the designed golf course at to purchase daily entrance, DNR.The DNR gift pack option of upgrading either Fort Harrison State Park in lake permits, horse tags, saves you up to $31 over of those gift cards to $100 . The card can and any other items sold by buying the items individual- by paying $35 more. also be used for lodging, park-operated gates, stores ly. Various pack types are meals in the dining rooms, and gift shops. The camp- A gift pack is a gift the available. Orders ship with- or gift purchases. The ing gift card cannot be used recipient can use the whole in three to five business camping gift card can be at any privately operated year, whether that person days. Orders received by used toward the rental of concessions, camp stores, enjoys camping or sleeping Dec. 6 will ship by Dec. 14. cabins (excluding inns- marinas or saddle barns. in the comfort of one of The offer is available operated cabins), camp- Outdoor Indiana is a bi- seven Indiana State Park through Dec. 31. Packs can sites, cottages, group monthly magazine that Inns. The $99 gift pack be purchased online only at camps, recreation build- brings you the best of the includes a 2021 resident shopINstateparks.com ings, rent-a-camp cabins, state's outdoors in 48 annual entrance permit, a Indiana has 32 state shelters, youth and rally pages of full color. The nor- one-year subscription to parks and reservoirs camps at all state park and mal subscription rate is $15 Outdoor Indiana magazine throughout the state. The reservoir properties. It can per year. Learn more about and calendar, and one of entrance permit grants gate also be used at a handful of the magazine at out- two $65 gift card options. entrance for all of 2021 for DNR Division of Forestry doorindiana.org. One gift card option can be all state park properties properties, including Deam used at the campgrounds beginning Jan. 1. The inns Lake State Recreation Area — another gift card option, gift card can be used at any (SRA), Greene-Sullivan Schott’s Auction – Sell it Again Tree Schott’s Auction Gallery in Alexandria will begin to sell the Alexandria Toy Drive Sell it Again Tree each Saturday during its normal auction hours begin- ning Nov. 28 through the end of the year. Traditionally, the buyer of the tree donates the tree back to be sold again the following week. All pro- ceeds from the tree benefit the Alexandria Toy Drive.

Traditions much better competition!" Pick a Festive Gift Theme continued from page 1 If complicated exchanges are too unruly, try a theme former Good Housekeeping instead. "Instead of stocking associate editor. (And she's stuffers, my family does a not the only adult who's told craft beer swap," says us this!) Taysha Murtaugh, former Read Aloud to Hasten lifestyle editor at Country Santa's Arrival Living. "They each bring a six Whether it's The Polar pack from different parts of Express or the Fezziwig the country and trade." scene from A Christmas Lindsey Ramsey, director of Carol, pick a passage that'll content operations at Delish, get sugarplums dancing in says, "My family votes on a everybody's heads, and dog- theme every year. We've ear the pages for a yearly re- done BBQ, baseball and I'm read. "When we were kids, trying to get them to do A my dad always read 'The Christmas Story." Night Before Christmas' to us Show Gratitude on Christmas Eve," says for- It might be too much to ask mer Good Housekeeping overstimulated kids to sit and associate editor Caroline do hand-written thank-you Picard. Afterward, quiz your notes when they'd rather be kids to see if the can remem- playing with their new toys ber the names of all the rein- (though that'd certainly be deer. meaningful if you can get Cook Together on them to do it). But it's not too Christmas Morning hard to make sure that every- Opening up all those pres- one takes a beat before din- ents sure whips up an ner to be thankful for the appetite. If you can tear the good holiday — and year — kids away from their new toys they've had. for a minute, have everyone Order Takeout help out in the kitchen and By the time it gets to make breakfast. (Put the little Christmas night, after the ones in charge of the toast.) brunch and the presents and "My family does a big brunch the bonding, lots of families of eggs Benedict every year, are too exhausted to cook says Chelsea Frisbie, content and just order takeout. That producer at Hearst television. can become tradition in itself. "My mom makes it super "My grandma was the one lemony just like we like it, and who always cooked for holi- we stay in our pajamas all days," says freelance editor day." Jennifer Aldrich. "The Wear an Ugly Christmas Christmas before she died, Sweater she was really sick. My mom You leave it in the back of asked my grandma which the closet all year long, wait- dishes she really wanted, ing for its day in the spotlight. and my grandma said, Now it's time to bust out your 'Honestly, I love Chinese tackiest fashions and wear food. I'd rather just have that.' them with pride (and possibly So now, to honor my grand- a Santa hat). ma, we order Chinese take- Set Gift-Giving Rules out for dinner on Christmas." Whether you do a Yankee Just like the end of A Swap, Secret Santa or some Christmas Story! other type of gag gift grab Play a Game Together bag, when it comes time to Until Late at Night give presents to your extend- Organize a marathon of ed family, the wackier the your favorite board games, or rules, the better. "We do a DIY holiday twists on classic spin on a white elephant games like Pin the Nose on where half of us bring gag the Rudolph. Keep a running gifts and the other half brings tally of who in the family is nice gifts," says Lindsey most victorious, and that per- Murray, senior manager of son is Champion of commerce at Hearst. "This Christmas ... until next year. admittedly started by mis- take, but it's makes for a