Community Involvement

National Short Film Day was created to honour and celebrate the birth of “film.” We’ve come a long way since then from short films to major motion pictures and blockbuster films, and the industry continues to grow by leaps and bounds.  We can even watch movies on the road in our car now!  Pretty cool, if we may say so.  But do you know how movies got their start?  You’ll have the Lumiere Brothers to thank for that!  Learn all about it on today’s blog, and check out our picks for cool car themed short films!

Are you looking for somewhere to celebrate the holidays in the local area? We’ve got a great list of happenings and events and places open for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. And a few suggestions to create your own Christmas Eve Traditions for this year with your family and friends!

Road Trip Ideas and Lodgings for Winter Break in New York State

We’ve rounded up our picks for great weekend or week-long getaways that are just a short drive away.  On less than a tank of gas, you and your significant other can enjoy a weekend of restful repose.  Or perhaps you’d like to take the kids on a short vacation to beat those post-holiday doldrums?  We think you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for amongst the suggestions for winter road trip ideas!

We’re celebrating the first day of winter on the Winter Solstice.  It’s the shortest day and longest night of the year in 2021!  We’ve got some fun facts about the history of this seasonal event, ways to celebrate it at home, and interesting events all day long around the New York City Metro Area.

For National Christmas Wreath Day, and we’re highlighting wonderful local businesses in the community who have natural wreaths for sale.  In addition, we’ve also got some fun decor for the car as well as your home!  If you’re looking for something more active to do with loved ones, we also found a great Wreath exhibit as well as some workshops.

Perhaps you’re not a fan of the traditional holiday hum drum, and perhaps you enjoy living life more on the wildside.  Well, do we have news for you!  Our blog post today is dedicated to highlighting the best and boldest in Ugly Sweater partywear.

If you’ve got a pal on your list that is hard to shop for, we’re here to help.  You can never go wrong with a box of chocolates for gift giving, and since today is National Chocolate Covered Anything Day, we’ve got a list of great local candy shops!  In addition, we’ve also got some suggestions for gift boxes to ship directly to your loved ones, and some fun ideas to make your own chocolate.

Let’s get creative over the holiday break!  Break outside of  your comfort zone and try something new before the year is over, and check off the last few of your New Years Resolutions.  We’ve got a list of creative projects to do at home, and a few ideas to get out of the house and shake things up a bit at local studios.

Today is National Hot Chocolate Day!  In celebration of this classic wintertime treat, and our love of shopping local businesses, we’re highlighting the best places locally to snag a cup of cocoa or custom hot chocolate bombs.  And plenty of fun things for home and your car with hot chocolate themes!

Winter break is just around the corner!  We thought it would be fun to highlight some great activities and crafts for families.  Keep those kiddos busy and occupied with exciting activities, coloring pages, and keepsake crafting ideas for the holiday and winter season.  Some of the crafts here would even be great gifts from your little ones made special for relatives or grandparents!  Who wouldn’t love a sweet personalized ornament made by your little elves?  It’s a great way to spread festive cheer.