Are You Ready For The Holidays? I'm Not, But...

On a day like today, we're all still thinking of summer. As my husband and kids go fishing, I'm working on several projects today. I keep taking breaks to blog about the community events coming up. Now that I've covered Halloween and Veterans' Day, it seems only natural to think about the holidays.

Am I ready for them? Not yet - I'm still shopping for back to school supplies and haven't even thought about what the kids will be for Halloween. (Well, we thought about it but didn't get anything yet.) Money is tight and we've saving for the holidays and hoping MI HEAP comes through. Despite those facts, the community marches on to plan the 39th Annual Mastics & Shirley Christmas Parade. The parade will be on December 7 at 12 PM at the Southport shopping center where Kohls is located. The rain/snow date for the parade is December 14.

Christmas Parade Grand Marshals are Paul Breschard, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Pattersquash Creek and Ray Hopp, Deputy Director of Colonial Youth & Family Services. Co-chairmen of the parade are Anthony Liberti and Fred Towle, Jr. For more information about supporting the parade, call 631-281-5500, ext. 103. Send donations to Chamber of Commerce of the Mastics and Shirley, PO Box 4, Mastic, NY 11950. I just can't bring myself to say Merry Christmas yet...not when it's 80 degrees, anyway...

Halloween Is Coming So Let's Party!

We always prefer to participate in a safe, organized activity on Halloween. While we still trick-or-treat, we stay on our own block where we know everyone. For the past two years, we've enjoyed the Halloween festivities at the Mastic Beach Property Owners Association with Kate Browning. This year our community has a Halloween Party and Networking Trad Show for all those new businesses to spread the word.

While I am still waiting to hear about Halloween at the MBPOA, these festivities are sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the Mastics and Shirley and The Montauk Highway Merchants' Association. The Halloween Party will be on Friday, October 31, between 4 PM and 8 PM at the William Floyd High School Cafeteria. The event is free and for the first 800 kids under 13. The kids must be with an adult. Tickets are available starting October 1. Call 281-5330 for more info. If you want a table for the trade show, it's only $100 and you can all the same telephone number.

Fun includes a Halloween costume contest, candy and goodie bags, prizes, entertainment, pumpkin coloring and free giveaways. We love safe, free fun!