By Carol Meyer Downtown Hingham will be merry and bright this holiday season! There's the annual Christmas in the Square celebration December 6 -- hosted by the Hingham Downtown Association -- featuring local musicians playing holiday favorites, giant candy canes, the second annual Luminaria Festival lighting up the Square, a visit from Santa, and other festivities. Leading up to this event and kicking off the excitement surrounding the holidays will be the Dec. 5 Miracle on Main Street, the primary Christmas in the Square fundraiser. With the help of many generous businesses and individuals, all 80 of the downtown lampposts will be decorated, each bearing the name of its sponsor. In the spirit of inclusiveness, eight of the lampposts will be decorated in observance of Hanukkah. Thanks goes to Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant and the Hingham Police Department, who will decorate the lampposts in time for the Christmas in the Square celebration. And if you can't get enough of that holiday spirit, you can enjoy the Holly Jolly Hingham month-long celebration while doing your holiday shopping in downtown Hingham. For full details about all these events and activities visit discoverhingham.com. What's your favorite part of the Christmas in the Square celebration?! How many years have you and your family enjoyed this event?! By Carol Meyer The Swap Shop at the Hingham transfer station is popular for a reason -- the variety of offerings seems nearly endless! From good-quality furniture and lamps to sporting goods and really cool, gently-used kids' stuff, there's something for everyone -- really! And it's all free! You can drop off or pick up items most days the transfer station is open -- Thursday through Sunday -- from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., depending on the weather. An enthusiastic Swap Shop regular had this to say: "There's wonderful stuff here. This is recycling at its best, and it's a lot of fun!" The message shared by Swap Shop Coordinator Bill Marshall is, "Always shop here first!" That's not surprising when you hear stories of people furnishing their offices, dorm rooms, kitchens, and even a new home with dishes, furniture, and other high-quality items from the Swap Shop. New volunteers are welcome. For more information check out the Public Works/Swap Shop link at hingham-ma.gov (https://www.hingham-ma.gov/272/SWAP-Shop). Have you ever stopped by the Swap Shop? If not, what are you waiting for?!!! By: Carol Meyer With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I decided to take some time to think about, and show appreciation for, the many blessings in my life. As Thornton Wilder said, "We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." I'm grateful for our warm and comfortable home, beautiful seasonal flowers and plants, our three pets -- two Maine Coon cats and one much smaller Chihuahua who is constantly trying to hold his own! -- a job I love, my next-door neighbor and good friend who always comes to our rescue when we get locked out of our one bathroom -- last time a credit card did the trick! -- many kind and caring friendships and family relationships, including my two wonderful sons, Chris and Marc -- and newly-arrived this year, my beautiful granddaughter, Aida, who lives close by. (I'm Nan, NOT Grandma!) These are only a few of the blessings that come to mind -- I could barely name them all if I had the space. What blessings are you most grateful for in YOUR life?! Happy Thanksgiving! The eleventh month, the eleventh day, the eleventh hour . . . . That's the traditional date and time of Hingham's Veterans Day ceremony. November 11 is much more than a day off from work. It's an opportunity for our entire town to honor military veterans -- all those who have served in the United States Armed Forces -- from Hingham, surrounding communities, and nationwide. Our town's 2019 Veterans Day observance will take place Monday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. in Sanborn Auditorium at Town Hall. The ceremony will be led by Town Moderator Michael Puzo, with rousing music by the Hingham High School band -- not to be missed! The key speaker will be Col. Wayne Libbey, US Army. Then there will be a parade of the colors of the Armed Services to the veterans monument on the Town Hall lawn, followed by a brief commemorative wreath-laying ceremony. Director of Veterans Services Keith Jermyn, USN, encourages citizens "to make every effort to attend and show your support for our nation's veterans." There are greeting cards designed to thank veterans for their service, which is a nice way to honor veterans we know. Is there a special way that you and your family commemorate Veterans Day? By Carol Meyer Have you noticed the newly-installed Hingham Harbor history signs along the walking paths and public areas of the Inner Harbor, which stretches from Broad Cove to the Hingham Maritime Center? "The idea is to convey what has happened at the harbor since 1635 . . . and to provide a generational conversation starter," Bruce MacAloney -- a member of the Harbor Development Committee subcommittee involved with bringing the project to reality -- said recently. Each sign incorporates the town seal. They were funded by a Greenbush Historic Preservation Trust grant awarded to the Harbor Development Committee and the Bathing Beach Trustees. The plan is for a total of between 10 to 15 weather-resistant signs to be installed leading up to Hingham's 400th anniversary in 2035. The overall project was a cooperative effort among various town boards and departments, the Historical Society, volunteers, and interns. Visit hingham-ma.gov/HinghamHarbor for full details. If you haven't seen the signs yet, why not take a leisurely fall walk along the harbor-front and experience them firsthand?! |
Meet Carol!
Articles
March 2024
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