As the year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on all the seasons gone by. By now, snow blankets the ground and the sun sets at what feels like 2 p.m. (I know it’s probably closer to 4 p.m.).
And yet, not that long ago, the row of trees in the back parking lot of the Monitor office glowed yellow like nothing I’d ever seen before. Driving down Sewells Falls Road, aglow with autumn rusts and golds, became my favorite moment of the day.
It feels like just last weekend I was hiking Franconia Ridge, finding respite from the heat somewhere I felt on top of the world while I watched birds soar over the peaks of the Notch. Or maybe I was sitting with my feet buried in the sand, book in my lap as the sun beat down overhead and children played in the waves at Wallis Sands State Park.
Before that, it was mud season. An endless slew of rainy weekends in a row until it felt like the whole world might just wash away. And yet somehow we made it out the other side.
The year starts and ends in cold, in darkness. And yet, as I’ve learned, nothing about the seasons is permanent, even when it feels as if you’ll be in the blistering heat, the pouring rain or the frigid cold forever. If there’s one constant about the world in which we live, it’s change.
And with that, I offer you some ideas for how to spend one of the last weekends of 2025 before it’s time to remove our calendars from the walls and hang new ones in their stead.
It’s a festive weekend at the Concord City Auditorium. On Saturday at 2 p.m., Turning Pointe Center of Dance will host a performance of “The Nutcracker.” This performance, which brings classic holiday magic to the big stage, features a growing Christmas tree and falling snow. Tickets cost $25 and can be purchased the door or online at turningpointecenterofdance.com. For more information, call (603) 485-8710.
Then, on Sunday at the Audi, the Granite State Dance Center will present “Holiday Spectacular” at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 if purchased in advance or $18 if bought at the door. For advance ticket information, call: 603-533-5716 or Cathyrichard@comcast.net.
It’s a weekend for performances, so buckle up because the Pittsfield Players have one in store, too. “Another Very Pittsfield Players Christmas” will take place on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets will cost $15, or $10 with a donation of a non-perishable food item to be given to the Pittsfield Food Pantry.
And to add some more variety to your weekend, consider visiting NH Audubon McClane Center’s Annual Holiday Craft Fair in Concord between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday. Over 30 vendors will be in attendance, with raffle items, discounted memberships and a taco food truck to add to the fun.
Have a lovely weekend!