By Brian Schommer

Thanksgiving is just a few short weeks away which can only mean one thing, Christmas is not too far away either. Of course, if we go by the retailers, there really is not a difference between the various season as there is plenty of Fall, Thanksgiving, Winter, Christmas stuff out on the shelves. The over commercialization of holidays is often fodder for disgruntled comments on social media and understandable to say the least. On the other side of the coin sits the argument that “you need to make hay when the sun shines” and let’s be honest, from early October when those first bags of candy hit the shelves until December 24th when the last-minute shoppers are out and about, the checkbook balance seems to dwindle a lot quicker than other times of the year. Well, while you’re spending, here are a few places you might want to check out while you are “out and about.”

DOWNTOWN HASTINGS. Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 26th for Small Business Saturday, and the Holiday Hoopla. Photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, breakfast with Santa, horse drawn wagon rides, food, fun and more, Historic Downtown Hastings will be all a clatter, you know, like out on the roof, was a Rose Suchek Ladder. If you are a fan of the movie “The Santa Clause,” you get the reference. If not, watch the movie sometime… it will put you into the spirit. There is something for everyone in downtown Hastings any day of the week, but this event is one for the entire family. You can find out more about the various frolics for you to participate in by going to www.hastingsdba.com and clicking on the “more” tab. This will take you to the Small Business Saturday and Holiday Hoopla page. A lot can be said for shopping local. Local business is the backbone of many clubs, teams, and organizations within and outside of our schools. By leaving our communities to drive elsewhere to shop, while potentially saving us a few dollars, takes dollars out of our community. Saving those few bucks might also not be as big of a savings if you calculate the cost of gas, your time and wear on your vehicle.

Speaking of businesses supporting the community, Fleet Farm is partnering with local Heroes in the Hastings Community (Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Services, and the Fire Department) to offer “Shop with A Hero Night” at the Hastings Fleet Farm on December 8th. The business is asking for help to make this happen. All you need to do is purchase a gift card from customer service (any dollar amount is helpful) and tell them that you are donating the card to the event. The gift cards will be utilized by our local heroes as they shop with families who are having a hard time making ends meet. You will help brighten the holiday season for many and keep the money local in the process. It is truly a win-win situation.

If you are looking for some music in your life, you should mark your calendar for Tuesday, December 13th at 7pm at the Hastings High School Auditorium for the annual HHS Band and Orchestra Holiday Concert. If you are more a fan of vocal music, you should plan on attending one of the HHS Holiday Vocal Concerts at either 2pm or 4pm on Saturday, December 17, also in the Hastings High School auditorium. These events are highly popular, and tickets are necessary. More information can be acquired by calling the Hastings Public Schools at 651-480-7000.

If you are involved with an organization that is hosting an activity that might benefit from some free publicity in the “Out and About” section, please reach out to [email protected] gmail.com and we will do our best to help spread the word for you.