■Don’t forget that if you pre-ordered poinsettias from a Bow Garden Club member this year, they will be available for customer pick-up at the Old Town Hall, 91 Bow Center Road, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday (unless you have made other arrangements with the seller). The garden club thanks you for your patronage!
■The Merrimack County Stamp Collectors will hold its monthly meeting at the Bow Mills United Methodist Church, 505 South St., on Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. Anyone interested in stamp collecting is welcome to attend, share their interest, buy, sell and trade, meet other collectors and learn more about this hobby. For more information, call Dan Day at 228-1154.
■Bow Mills United Methodist Church, 505 South St., is holding a Blue Christmas Service for people dealing with a death in the family, a loss or broken relationship, hardship or because of painful memories of Christmases past. This special service will take place Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. and will include candle lighting and healing prayer. Light refreshments will be offered after the service.
■The annual Bow Rotary Christmas Tree and Wreath sale has begun by the Town Pond adjacent the Bow Community Building and it will run for only two weeks. All trees are from the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and are 5- to 8-foot, well-shaped Fraser and Balsam Fir trees, best known for their long-lasting qualities. The wreaths are pre-decorated Balsam Firs and again this year, our Earlyact Club and Interact Club will be selling birdseed wreaths as a fundraiser. The hours of the sale are: Monday to Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. All trees are $45. Pre-decorated wreaths are only $25.
■The Baker Free Library Foundation’s annual fundraising campaign begins this year on Tuesday, “Giving Tuesday,” a global movement that encourages charitable giving during the holiday season. The library’s goal is to raise $10,000 by Dec. 31. Bogside Publishing, Inc., a family-owned Bow business, is generously offering partial matching funds on Giving Tuesday which will increase the value of any contribution. All monies raised will be invested in the Baker Free Library Endowment Fund. Checks should be made payable to the BFL Foundation, with the word “endowment” noted on the memo line. Donations should be mailed to the library or dropped off at Baker Free Library, 509 South St., Bow, N.H. 03304. Contact Eric Anderson at e-anderson@comcast.net or Christine Carey at ccarey24@comcast.net for more information.
JOYCE KIMBALL
bowcomnews@comcast.net
■The Christmas Tree lighting will be Saturday. Children are invited to bring a weather friendly ornament for the tree between 4 and 4:45 p.m., with the lighting at 5 p.m. Santa arrives at 5:10 at the bandstand. There will be hot cocoa, cookies and other warm items. There will be holiday music and laser lights on the trees around the commons.
■Visit dunbartonUCC.org to reserve your ticket for the Dunbarton Congregational Church Christmas Concert on Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. Featured pianist Dan van Kalken. Fore more info, call 774-3208. Tickets also sold at the door. Single $12, family $25, balcony $25 (limited seats).
■The Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Dunbarton Police Department have partnered together to present “Social Media: A Predator’s Playground” on Tuesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the elementary school. We’ll discuss how computers, cellphones, iPads, digital cameras, gaming systems, social networking applications, and internet blogs all play a role in placing students and families at risk. This 1.5-hour presentation is specifically geared toward parents, educators and community leaders who are looking to better understand the technology available to teens today and the way in which child predators use it to exploit them. Please RSVP to Sgt. Christopher Remillard at chrisremillard@gsinet.net.
■The DCCUC book group will gather Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at the Vestry for a holiday potluck. Finger foods or whatever you wish to bring. Afterwards, discuss Revelations of the Magi by Zondervan. Hosted by Tina Bean.
■Cookies with Santa on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the elementary school. This event is free! Kids of all ages are welcome to come. Decorate cookies, enjoy hot chocolate, make holiday-themed crafts, and visit Mr. Claus himself for a photo. Santa arrives around 10:30 a.m. Cards will be delivered to the N.H. Veterans Home in Tilton, the VA Hospital in Manchester, and the Soldiers Home in Holyoke, Mass. Everyone is invited to place wreaths on the graves of our veterans in the Dunbarton cemeteries on Dec. 14. A ceremony will be held on the Commons in front of Major Caleb Stark’s statue at 10 a.m., with the N.H. Sons of the American Revolution’s Honor Guard and in front of the library by the war monuments. Placing of wreaths will follow. Call 774-3500 for more information.
■The Silver Birch 4-H Club is sponsoring a Cookie Walk on Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DCCU Vestry on Stark Highway in Dunbarton (right in the center of town) on Route 13. These homemade cookies will be sold for $5 per pound, and containers will be provided. Proceeds go to a great group of kids who do so much for others! Don’t let food sensitivities or allergies stop you either, ingredient lists will be included with each cookie.)
NORA LEDUC
774-3141
dtowncrier@gmail.com
■A more than 100-year-old tradition continues in Weare with the awarding of the Boston Post Cane to Esthermary Hadley. In 1909, the former newspaper began sending golden-topped canes to towns to be given to their oldest person.
■Join us at Gathering for Giving on Friday from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Henniker Community Center. Come for the silent auction, a hot chocolate bar, desserts, door prizes, drawing for an amazing raffle quilt, and leave having had lots of holiday gathering time. Event tickets are $15 each and two for $25, so bring a friend! This holiday event benefits the Congregational Church.
■You are invited to stop by the second annual White Birch Holiday sale on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lots of lovely hand crafted items at reasonable prices and all proceeds to benefit White Birch programs.
■Come enjoy a brew and bring a gift Saturday to the Henniker Brewing Co. for the annual toy drive sponsored by Henniker Chamber of Commerce, American Legion and New England College’s Veteran’s Association from noon to 7 p.m.
■Congrats to Weare’s Sgt. Austin Maguire and Officer Paul Lewis IV for being awarded the John “Jack” Maguire Medal of Honor Awards last month.
TOM DUNN
dunn.t@comcast.net
■On Monday, the GHSS Crafty Critters are going to make cinnamon Christmas ornaments. If you have Christmas cookie cutters, please bring them and also a mixing bowl. Call Barbara Hays at 464-2692 to reserve a space so we have enough supplies for all who attend. Naturally, you’ll take home what you create.
■Visit the Artisan’s Fair at Fuller Public Library on Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. Shop from local artisans for your gift giving needs. Shop crochet hats, woven scarves, glass baths for bees and birds, hand-painted wood houses, paper mache farm animals, paper angels, stocking stuffers, and more!
■On Thursday, Fuller Public Library’s popular fiction book group will meet to discuss Everyone is Forgiven by Chris Cleave. Discussion begins at 7 p.m., all are welcome.
■On Saturday, doors will be open at 9 a.m. at Smith Memorial Church for the Annual Cookie Walk at 30 W. Main St. Hundreds of homemade, beautifully decorated and delicious cookies will be on available to purchase. Get there early to get your Christmas stash.
■Stop by Fuller Public Library Saturday during the Olde Fashioned Christmas weekend to make three different holiday crafts for free. Join us from 10 a.m. to noon!
NANCY SHEE
nshee71@gmail.com
■The 42nd Annual Contoocook Artisans Holiday Craft Fair will be held at St. Andrew’s Parish Hall on Main Street on Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contoocook Artisan Show is part of “Starry, Starry Weekend,” a group of more than 20 shops and organizations in Hopkinton and Contoocook celebrating the holidays.
■Register now for the Gingerbread House Workshop on Saturday. Spaces are limited and fill up quickly! Visit HopkintonRec.com.
■Hopkinton Historical Society’s 2020 Community Calendar is now available for $10 at the Society, Contoocook Farmers Market, Hopkinton Town Library, and Hopkinton Town Hall. Featuring gorgeous local scenes by talented local photographers, it is the perfect gift to give or receive. For more info, contact 746-3825.
■While in town on Saturday for “Starry, Starry Weekend,” stop by the Contoocook Farmers Market at the Maple Street School for goodies and gifts. Open from 9 a.m. to noon; SNAP/EBT accepted. For more information, visit facebook.com/ContoocookFarmersMarket.
■Concord Regional VNA is holding a Senior Health Clinic at Slusser Senior Center on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Park Avenue Apartments on Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All Senior Health Clinic services are provided for a suggested donation of $10, however, services are provided regardless of a person’s ability to pay. Services offered include foot care, blood pressure screening, B-12 injections, medication education, and nutritional education. Call 224-4093 or (800) 924-8620, ext. 5815, for an appointment.
■Senior lunch at the Slusser Center on Wednesdays at noon at the Slusser Senior Center, 41 Houston Drive, next to the library. Suggested donation of $4. The first time a senior attends a lunch, can ask for a new visitor gift certificate at the front desk, for a free lunch.
■We are looking for shoppers for Operation Christmas. Local families have provided a list that you will shop from. We are also looking for gift certificates from Walmart, Target and Colonial Village. Please contact Marilyn at town hall at 746-8244.
KATHLEEN BUTCHER
724-3452
kathb123@comcast.net
■On Saturday, join Warner in our annual celebration of traditional caroling, artists and artisans, food, farmers market, storytelling and more for the Hometown Holiday Celebration. At MainStreet BookEnds, we will have the Gallery overflowing with activity. At 11:30 a.m., Gear-Up Homeschoolers caroling; Rebecca Rule visits at noon, reading her bestselling children’s book Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever!; at 1 p.m., a special concert from The Magdalen College Choir singing carols on Main Street in front of the bookstore.
■Warner Winter Wonderland will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. During this festive day, the New Hampshire Telephone Museum will be open by donation only. Admission by donation. Contact Graham Gifford, program coordinator, at 456-2234 or visit NHTelephoneMuseum.org.
■On Dec. 8 at noon, join MainStreet BookEnds with Mary Lyn Ray for the release party of The Friendship Book, the companion to last year’s The Thank You Book. She will be reading and meeting with all her devoted fans. Bring the kids, as we might be able to convince her to also read The Christmas Farm.
■Simonds Elementary School calendar: PTO meeting Wednesday at 7 p.m.; Movie night featuring Polar Express on Friday at 6:30 p.m.; Simonds PTO Pop-Up Shop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.
NEIL NEVINS
456-3614
info@mainstreetbookends.com