Pizza, A Gettysburg TraditionPizza. Sometimes, that’s all that needs to be said. A one word food, a one word statement. Gettysburg has the luxury of having some great pizza places to choose from. Two of these establishments have a rich history in Gettysburg. When Thomas “Tommy” Kranias first came to America, Ellis Island to be exact, in 1951 he was 21 years old and spoke not a word of English. His Uncle Ernie (I think you know where that story leads) brought him here from Greece to afford him a better way of life. Under Uncle Ernie’s tutelage at the hot dog shop, Tommy was a hard worker, learned to speak and write in English, made many friends and married a local Biglerville gal named Nancy. Tommy’s Pizza first opened in the former railroad station on North Washington Street, in 1973. I remember that location well. Whether we ate in or carried out, I would gravitate to the jukebox and hope that we had enough time to listen to a few songs. In 1987 Tommy sold the railroad station to the Gettysburg College and moved the operation to its current location at 105 Steinwehr Ave. Ownership passed to Tommy’s daughter Cathy and her husband in 1995. Tommy passed away suddenly in 1999 and ownership has stayed in the family with Tommy’s grandsons, Drew and Wade Leedy, as the current proprietors. Mamma Ventura became a Gettysburg staple when Carmelo Fazzolari moved to Gettysburg in 1977. He first opened his pizza shop on York Street (currently Starbucks). In 1982 a fire swept through what is now The Gettysburg Hotel, which was used as an apartment building back then, and that structure sat in hollowed ruins for 8 years. The Gettysburg College purchased and restored the building and the grand hotel was operational again in 1990. Having to relocate due to the changes, Carmelo purchased 13 Chambersburg Street and moved the pizza shop to its current location. What was once a pizza shop then evolved into Mamma Ventura Casual Italian Dining, a more upscale dining experience with authentic Italian cuisine. Carmelo suddenly passed in 2003 and his wife Jackie and daughter Cristina have carried on the family business. The restaurant offers a spacious banquet room for wedding parties, anniversaries, birthdays and other intimate events. Cristina, a graduate of the Cordon Bleu School in Pittsburgh, specializes in the creation of the incredible desserts that are offered. Two families. Two restaurants. Two dreams. Two Gettysburg traditions. Dine in is offered at both, and if you’re not comfortable with that yet, both offer take out as well. Stay local, shop local and help support family dreams. It’s what helps them become Gettysburg traditions. Visit www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com for a list of all of our GARMA retailers. Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA and the owner of Artworks on York St. Every Building Tells A StoryEvery Sunday night a small group of locals (6-10 of us), including myself, gather at The Swope Manor Bed & Breakfast for an evening of fellowship, fun, laughs and most important of all – exquisite food.
Located at 60 York Street, right in the first block of the square, George Swope purchased the property in 1836 and built the current brick structure you see today. Prior to this, the first structure built on this lot was a log home in 1793 by our town’s founder and namesake James Gettys. Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, in 1860 George added an addition of a half story as well as the ornate trim you see around the roof, windows and entrance today. This building, and the Swope family, have a storied history that you can read about at www.theswopemanor.com. Current owners John and Lori Jumba purchased the property in 2012 and completely remodeled and restored it to what it is today. Speaking of today, The Swope Manor is much more than a regular Bed & Breakfast. With the addition of Executive Chef Karl Held, John and Lori are happy to announce the opening of “George’s at The Swope” for casual fine dining and take out. Appropriately named after George Swope, “George’s” is a great new addition to the Gettysburg culinary scene. Open for dinner to the public for in-house dining (social distancing dining is provided outside and throughout the house) and curbside take out, “George’s” is open Thursday through Sunday from 4pm until 9pm. Call ahead for reservations and find out what culinary delights are on the menu. So many of our buildings in town have such a history to them that may not be Civil War related. This month I turn a number in the high 40’s – let’s just leave it at that. I loved how Gettysburg was when I was growing up and how things have changed. I remember the David Wills House being a museum upstairs, but the lower level being a Rea & Derrick, then People’s Drug Store, for a short time CVS and then it was the Antique Center of Gettysburg. I love seeing where new brick and old brick meet, where a window or door may have been. The restoration in this town is beautiful and the revitalization projects have been much needed. Don’t laugh, but a lot of seniors would write in their yearbook that their goal was to “get out of Gettysburg” I didn’t write that, and I’m glad I stayed to see our stories unfold. We’re more than a Civil War town. For a complete listing of GARMA members, who just might happen to be in some of these storied older buildings, visit www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com. Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA, owner of Artworks on York St and Events Manager at Gettysburg Rental Center Shop local – Adopt localSome say that you can always count on your friends or family when you need a laugh, a smile, emotional support or financial support. Me? I rely on my pets. They may not be able to give me financial support, but they sure can make me laugh and smile. They’ve helped me through some tough times when maybe I just needed a paw on my arm to remind me that they were there for me. I have 28 possible paws to rest on my arm – yes, that means I have seven pets – three dogs and four cats. There’s plenty of love to spread around with that herd.
The Lucky Paw, 35 York St., is a great place to shop for your furry friends and reward them for all they do for you. They carry various pet supplies, beds, collars, leashes, toys, foods and treats. The Lucky Paw is also a great place to shop for pet themed gifts, metal and wooden pet related signs made by local Gettysburg artists. The Lucky Paw also supports non-profits such as “Canines for Kids” which is an organization dedicated to training service dogs for disabled children. Prior to March, The Lucky Paw also supported Forever Love Rescue by giving some of their adoptable kitties another place to hang out and meet people. Stop in and visit Stacey, the owner, and see what all this adorable store has to offer and remember to “Like” The Lucky Paw on Facebook so you can keep up to date on all of their products and events. If you’re in need of a furry friend to lift your spirits, now is a great time to consider Forever Love Rescue at 39 Queen St. Kitten season is upon us and Forever Love Rescue has taken in a lot of homeless kittens in the last few months. However, they have older residents too who are looking for their furever homes. Adoption is the purrfect choice. You are adopting a kitty who has already received its vaccinations and has been spayed or neutered. There is an adoption fee, but it’s a nominal fee considering what the rescue has already spent making sure you are adopting a healthy kitty. You can find their adoptable cats on their website, foreverloverescue.com. If you aren’t able to adopt but still want to help there is a tab on their website called Ways To Help. “Like” Forever Love Rescue on Facebook to see what’s happening at the “kitty corner”. Now and always, be safe and take good care of yourself. There’s only one of you and you can’t be replaced. Shop Local. Adopt, don’t shop. For upcoming GARMA events, visit our website www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA, owner of Artworks on York St and Events Manager at Gettysburg Rental Center Reminisce, Smile and Shop LocalReminiscing. I’ve been doing a lot of that lately trying to conjure good memories to get my mind off of the current status of our country. Sometimes I think that reminiscing is the only way that I am going to keep my sanity. So, I started thinking of past Christmas’s. I haven’t personally, put up a Christmas tree since 2006. Sometimes I say “bah humbug” who needs a tree and to deal with the mess that comes with it. Don’t get me wrong, I love decorating for holidays. I have a snowman collection that I used to leave out all year long because they put a smile on my face. I haven’t been doing a lot of smiling lately when I see the news and what is happening all around us. I need to smile again. A lot of us do.
As Gettysburg starts to transition and open for business there is one place that I think I need to go first to make me smile – The Christmas Haus at 13 Baltimore Street. That should get me back in the holiday spirit instead of being such a Grinch! When you walk in The Christmas Haus you are transported to Christmas in Germany (hint, the spelling of Haus vs House). Each year, Roger Lund, owner of The Christmas Haus travels to Germany to work directly with the finest German artisans to bring you the most beautiful handmade items. Whether it be authentic German Nutcrackers, Beer Steins, various handcrafted wood items, mouth-blown glass ornaments or pewter music boxes you are sure to feel the magic of Christmas and Germany in each item. It doesn’t just stop at Christmas. The Christmas Haus also caters to other holidays and events as well. You’re not just buying a product, you’re buying an heirloom for your family to cherish for generations. It is ironic that I write about being a Grinch since part of my role as a GARMA board member is pulling Christmas together in downtown Gettysburg. Maybe that 32 foot tree that stands in our center square from Black Friday to New Year’s should satisfy my need of getting into the holiday spirit, but with no fuss or muss at home. The tree, the wreaths, Santa and his Shanty and so much more do warm my heart around the holidays. I love the look and feel of Christmas in Gettysburg. I love the shopping experience with so many stores offering so many unique items. The diversity of the shops and restaurants in Gettysburg is abundant. I can’t think of too many reasons to leave our town to satisfy my shopping needs or my palette. Shop local and support a local business owner’s dream. If you’d like to find out more about what GARMA does in the community and how we support local business and growth, visit www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com. Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA, owner of Artworks on York St and Events Manager at Gettysburg Rental Center There are still many ways to keep in touchThis is certainly a crazy and trying time in which we live. That said, it’s also a very innovative time. I’m a little old school about social media and keeping connected with the latest apps and trends. I don’t do Snapchat. I rarely get on Instagram. I’m old school Facebook, texting and facetiming on my phone. However, I’m so intrigued and impressed with new ways that people are using to stay connected.
Chad-Alan Carr, Founding Executive and Artistic Director at Gettysburg Community Theatre is staying connected. He and his theatre family have managed to make me SMILE through this pandemic by using SMULE. Smule is “The Singing Social App” which allows you to sing karaoke alone or with a group of friends and share on social media. I watched a great group of performers from the theatre sing “Seasons of Love” from the Broadway musical RENT. It was great to see everyone together on one screen (each person is featured in an individual frame as they’re not all physically together), singing a beautiful song and spreading a lot of joy. I just may get up the courage to sing and share sometime, too. In the midst of this all, Mother’s Day is celebrated on May 10th. Whether you’re celebrating Mom, Grandma, an Aunt or other loved one, remember that a lot of our shops in town are open, whether it be by online ordering or curbside pickup. Guys, there’s no excuses to not buy your wife or mom a present! Gift Cards are also a great idea and are still a way to support our local businesses. There are so many beautiful shops downtown to choose from – A&A Village Treasures, Fresh Boutique, Lord Nelson’s, Gallery 30, Artworks, Lark, True Friends, LeLe B’s, Body & Soul Silversmith, Codori’s, Martin’s Family Shoes, The Lucky Paw, Redbud House, and more. Call or visit websites and Facebook pages to see how each business is operating during this time. Many restaurants are still offering take-out or delivery. Treat your loved one on Mother’s Day weekend to lunch or dinner from Blue & Gray, Garryowen Irish Pub, Mamma Ventura, The Gettysburger, ABC on Steinwehr, Dunlap’s Restaurant, The Livery at Herr Ridge and our newest GARMA member, The Swope Manor on York St. Again, call or visit websites and Facebook pages for more information. May is also when GARMA holds the Spring Gettysburg Outdoor Antique Show. This year we will be postponing the show to June 13 provided sanctions have been lifted – we have our fingers tightly crossed. We look forward to seeing our vendors and patrons on June 13. Let’s hope all is well and we have a beautiful day for it. For updates on GARMA member businesses and activities, visit www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com. Be Safe! Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA, owner of Artworks on York St and Events Manager at Gettysburg Rental Center Come Together, Right Now…I’ve had some time on my hands this last week or so and I’ve been thinking about what I would write. I didn’t want to focus on the current events, I’ll leave that to the evening news. What I do want to talk about is our community and how we can rally around and support each other.
When restaurants were instructed that they could only provide delivery or takeout, no dine in service, our town went into action. Signs were put up in front windows, “Call ahead for delivery or take out”. A local page was started on Facebook, “Gettysburg Takeout”, to get the word out about who was open and who wasn’t. The page was created on March 26, 2020 and already has over 1,700 members. I started to hear more people say that they really wanted to support the local businesses that have stayed open. This is just one of the ways that our community shines bright. Since this has all taken place, I have started to really explore the local eateries. I had my first Chopped Beef Cheesesteak from Hunt’s Battlefield Fries and it was amazing. I’ve heard so many people rave about this place so I had to see what all the fuss was. Now, I truly understand the fuss. Great service and great food. One of the best combinations ever. Craig and Lisa at The Gettysburger Company never disappoint. They have fantastic burgers and I was able to order my favorite “Apple Burger” to go. I ordered from Ernie’s Texas Lunch. Typically, I have to eat my “2 with” at Ernie’s. So it was a bit strange to be handed a brown bag and have to eat them somewhere else. But once I took a bite I didn’t care where I was, I had my “2 with” and was happy. The hardest thing for me is seeing the streets empty and the shops all closed. It all seems dark and dreary, especially to a business owner of one of these shops. So as I was driving down York St. the other week I saw something taped to my window at Artworks. First I thought, “oh no, what is this”. So I took another drive and parked. I had this big, beautiful, purple heart taped to my window. On it was “Gettysburg Loves Artworks”. Actually “loves” was drawn as a heart. I started looking around and I am seeing these hearts in different colors with the same sentiment for each business. I was to find out that a borough resident named Sarah Pearce was responsible for this. Seeing these hearts around town have made me smile and appreciate living and working in such a wonderful community. As I write this we are still in the middle of our shutdown. Not being open has crippled a lot of local businesses. Many wonder if they can survive and thrive once open. Now more than ever we need to rally the troops and show our support. Shop local, eat local. It’s going to be a long road to recovery, if some of us can recover. Show your support. Go to www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com and see a compiled listing of most the shops and eateries in Gettysburg. Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA, owner of Artworks on York St. and the Office and Events Manager at Gettysburg Rental Center. Celebrating St. Patrick and the ArtsFirst Friday, Gettysburg Style has become a downtown Gettysburg/GARMA tradition ever since it was first introduced over 20 years ago by the late Jennifer LeVan. Every month has a theme that GARMA merchants can expand upon to create a festive, entertaining, enjoyable shopping experience. A lot of the themes are centered around holidays or observances that occur during that particular month. GARMA also likes to feature a local non-profit each month to heighten awareness as to what they do in the community, their operating needs and opportunities to become involved with their organization.
St. Patrick’s Day is the theme for First Friday on March 6. If you ask anyone what they associate with this holiday you can be assured most answers will be the color green and lots of alcohol consumption. What St. Patrick’s Day really is about is the observance of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, drinking and the color green. While Gettysburg doesn’t have a parade, many of our restaurants, bars and pubs have their own traditions for celebrating. A wee bit of Irish resides in Gettysburg in the form of The Garryowen Irish Pub on Chambersburg St. For authentic Irish delights, whether it be beverages such as Smithwick’s or Magners Irish Cider or Irish Nachos and Bangers & Mash to tempt your palate, you definitely feel like you are “across the pond”. The Adams County Arts Counciladamsarts.org/ is our featured non-profit. Located on S. Washington St., the ACAC offers a variety of classes that help you find the inner artist that you may not have known was in you. Art is such an important part of our academic curriculum and self-development. Art instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision making, risk taking and inventiveness. There is no right or wrong in art because it’s an expression of yourself. An artist communicates with their audience through their expressions and visions. Everyone is an artist in their own way, whether they realize it or not. Whether it’s painting, singing or playing an instrument, you are sharing your special craft or skill with the world and saying “this is me, this is who I am and what I can do”. I was very fortunate to have had an extremely artistic, influential woman in my schooling that made me believe in myself and my abilities. Judy Pyle was my Gettysburg High School art teacher. She impacted my life, and I’m sure the lives of many of her students, by encouraging us to express ourselves through our art without conforming to social normalcies. Personally, Judy, a heartfelt thank you for believing in me and my abilities. Gettysburg is a work of art. This town has so much to offer its residents and visitors culturally, artistically and historically. Explore the opportunities that Gettysburg has to offer. I’m sure you’ll be glad you did. To find out about future First Friday themes and events, visit www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com. Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA, owner of Artworks on York St. and the Office and Events Manager at Gettysburg Rental Center. January 2020 RetrospectI honestly don’t think I recall there being a January this year. I feel like 2020 is already flying by and here we are in February; typically the shortest month. However, 2020 is a Leap Year, so savor the extra day we get this month (especially if it’s your birthday!).
February 7th First Friday, Gettysburg Style kicks of a new event for GARMA. Join us for our First Annual Cocoa Crawl. This family friendly event kicks off at our two “warming stations” located at ABC on Steinwehr Ave. and The Gettysburg Hotel Atrium. There you will receive a map and list of participating businesses and can also purchase your souvenir GARMA First Friday mug to take along with you on your journey to sampling cocoa inspired treats. While you’re checking in at a "warming station" you can enter to win prizes that will be drawn that evening during First Friday. Crawlers can also vote for their favorite GARMA Member Cocoa-inspired treat on Facebook and win prizes! We hope to see you out and about that night enjoying some great cocoa treats! How can I write about events in February without acknowledging the most celebrated of all; Valentine’s Day. It is a festival of romance that celebrates love and relationships. Celebrated on February 14th, it is often marked by giving gifts to, and spending time with, loved ones. Valentine’s Day traditions include exchanging gifts such as chocolates or roses and having a romantic night out on the town. Obviously, the color we associate with Valentine’s Day is Red. Hearts are red, but you can have a “heart of gold”. So what exactly does the phrase “heart of gold” mean? Generally, it means someone who is very kind and good natured. The expression alludes to gold in the sense of “something valued for its goodness”. I’m sure we all know someone who fits this meaning. Other phrases that are related to the heart are “getting to the heart of the matter”, “wearing your heart on your sleeve” and “having a heart of stone”. Some heart phrases you may not want to hear such as “heart murmur”, “heart disease”, “heart attack” and “heart failure”. February is also American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease. The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. A great opportunity to learn about heart disease and other heart health issues is to register to attend “Love Your Heart”, a FREE educational event being sponsored by Wellspan, Gettysburg Hospital on Saturday, February 29, 2020. Free blood pressure screenings are provided at the event. Visit www.wellspan.org/programs/heartvascular/ and click on the link for Adams County. February takeaways: Take care of yourself – there’s only one YOU! Celebrate yourself and your loved ones this Valentine’s Day (and every day). Get out and have fun on First Friday at GARMA’s First Annual Cocoa Crawl! For more information visit www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com. Jennie Dillon is the owner of Artworks on York St., Vice President of GARMA and Office and Events Manager at Gettysburg Rental Center. New Year brings about new resolutionsA New Year brings about new resolutions (or familiar resolutions that we forget by the end of each January but swear we’ll follow through on next year). I think my biggest resolution will be that I will take some time for myself. I started the New Year with sinusitis. Not a great way to start 2020, let alone each and every day. About this time of year I’ve run out of steam and my body and illnesses catch up to me. However, I have so many people I need to thank for making this Gettysburg holiday season one of the most beautiful we’ve had.
GARMA starts the holiday season with the annual tree lighting festival the day after Thanksgiving. In chronological order, this is what happens to make it all a success. The first thank you goes to Leonard Loski (The Gettysburg Experience magazine) for bringing his team of wonderful volunteers to the GARMA shed to check/replace each and every lightbulb on every wreath and tree panel before they are hung for the holidays. This crew is truly a family of friends who have made my light bulb checking day easier for the past 2 years. I can’t thank them enough. By the time we leave the shed our hands are filthy and we’ve inhaled a lot of generator gas fumes. I look forward to working with this team again this coming October, but please, let me be the ones to buy the chocolate milk and donuts!! Ross Brownley (Brownley & Sons) and his team are up bright and early the Monday of Thanksgiving week hanging the beautiful wreaths throughout the downtown and Steinwehr Ave. This year Ross and his team took on a new challenge - draping the lights in the trees in the planters of each corner of the square. I think he and I scratched our heads a bit as to how it would work, but he figured out a way to hang the lights so that they can stay up year round without worry of them growing into, or harming, the trees. Thank you Ross for the wreaths and tackling the new challenge I gave you this year. It’s not Christmas without a tree! I can’t thank Rob Harbaugh enough when it comes to the task of assembling the tree. He and his crew have been doing this for years for GARMA and they have it down to a science. Once the tree is up it’s only a matter of days until it is lit to kick off the Christmas season. The first two years that I was in charge of Christmas for GARMA we kept the tree lights on a timer. The new, existing, tree was purchased with LED lights. The decision was made by the GARMA board members to leave the tree lit 24 hours a day. Since LED lights are very economical and we didn’t see a huge rise in the electric bill (GARMA pays the electric for the tree/wreaths) after the first year, the tree stayed lit. I thank Rob for putting up with my text messages and phone calls asking if the tree timer was off so the lights would stay on. The Public Works crew also hangs the holiday banners you see on poles that don’t have a wreath. Gettysburg Rental Center takes care of bringing Santa’s Shanty to town. It’s about a four person effort to make sure that the shanty safely rolls off its trailer. Gary DeCroes, owner of the Rental Center, makes sure the fireplace in the Shanty is cleaned and ready for use (sorry mice, you have to go!). The Rental Center donates the propane to keep the fireplace roaring and the Shanty nice and cozy. Gary also is tasked with flipping the switch the night of the tree lighting when Santa says “light that tree”. I am also tasked with hiring Santa (or Santa’s as was the case this year). Our Santa’s this year were Ben Oelker (second year), Cary Shirley and Jason Officer. These three balanced out the schedule and made sure that Santa was on hand to greet all with a hearty ‘ho, ho, ho’ and listen to their requests. Don’t worry Mom and Dad – Santa always tells the kids ‘I’ll do my best’, that way they’re not expecting that pony in the yard that they asked for. Thank you Santa’s, you were great! Thank you to the board members of GARMA for their support during all of this craziness, MY craziness, of pulling this all together. Thank you to Gettysburg Hotel (John Berendt and Andrea Proulx) for supplying the free hot chocolate that was served the night of the tree lighting. Thank you Steve Smith (Dual FX/Ultimix DJs) for providing the inviting holiday music as people gathered to the square (and personally, thank you for working in some Barry Manilow holiday songs for me). Many thanks to all that I didn’t name but thank yous can be found on our website, www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com. Thank you to the town of Gettysburg for making this such a great occasion. Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA, owner of Artworks and Office and Events Manager at Gettysburg Rental Center. Creating Lasting TraditionsDuring the holidays we tend to use the word ‘tradition’, or variations of the word. “It’s tradition that we put the tree up Christmas Eve”. “Traditionally we have ham for Christmas dinner”. A tradition is a belief or behavior that is passed down from generation to generation. Growing up in Gettysburg it was a tradition to watch the parade and see the town Christmas Tree on the square come to life with lights. Traditionally, Santa’s Shanty always sat in the corner of the square by the Blue & Gray Bar. In more recent years it moved to where it sits now, by the grand ACNB building. So how did some of our holiday traditions get started and what do they mean?
The tradition of Mistletoe at Christmas – This goes back to the ancient Druids. It is supposed to possess mystical powers which bring good luck to the household and wards off evil spirits. Norse mythology used it as a sign of love and friendship. The custom of kissing under the Mistletoe comes from England. The original custom was that a berry was picked from the sprig of Misteltoe before the person could be kissed and when all the berries had gone, there could be no more kissing. The laying or placing of a Wreath – Its circular shape represents eternity, as it has no beginning and no end. From a Christian religious perspective, it represents an unending circle of life. The evergreen, which is most often used in making holiday wreaths, symbolizes growth and everlasting life. Leaving Milk and Cookies for Santa – Another tradition that dates back to ancient Norse mythology. According to legend, Odin had an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir. Kids would leave treats for Sleipnir hoping that Odin would favor them with gifts in return. The practice of leaving cookies on a plate for Santa, accompanied by a cold glass of milk, became popular again during the Great Depression. Parents tried to impress upon their children the importance of being grateful for anything they were lucky enough to receive for Christmas. There are so many things to do in Gettysburg throughout the month of December that can surely become new memories and traditions. The first Saturday in December is the annual ‘Breakfast with Santa’ at The Gettysburg Hotel. From 7am-11am you can have breakfast in the Grand Ballroom with Santa and have your picture taken with Santa and his star reindeer, Rudolph. There is no registration required. The event is $5 per person, kids under 5 eat free. Proceeds from this event benefit the United Way of Adams County. If you aren’t able to have breakfast with Santa then visit Santa at his Shanty on the square. Santa is there every weekend waiting to hear the wants of every little boy and girl. Have fun creating a wish list with the kids to present to Santa. He can’t guarantee they’ll get everything on their list, but he loves to listen. If you appreciate good holiday music, then come to the Annual Holiday Tuba Carol Fest. Held this year on December 13 you can hear tuba players from around the country join together to play Christmas carols. Crowds gather on Lincoln Square to hear young and old playing all the familiar Christmas songs. Hot chocolate is served to keep you toasty while outside (rain site will be Prince of Peace Episcopal Church). For even more music, you can experience A Christmas Offering held December 15 at the United Lutheran Seminary Chapel. This is part of a series of performances called Music, Gettysburg! It is a premier concert series that features international, regional and local musical artists for the greater South Central PA region. Both events are free of charge. It’s not about the amount of money you spend. You can certainly create holiday traditions that don’t cost a thing. Whether it’s passing on Grandma’s chocolate chip cookie recipe to the next generation or hunkering down on the floor with the kids with paper and crayons to create a Christmas list, it’s all what you make it to be. It should be fun, memorable and everlasting. Traditions that will endure through the years. For Santa’s Shanty hours, visit www.gettysburgretailmerchants.com. Jennie Dillon is the Vice President of GARMA, owner of Artworks on York St., and Office and Events Manager of Gettysburg Rental Center |
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