SPECIAL SHORTS (12/19/2008)
By Gerlind Dubey

GOD REST YE MERRY GENTLEMEN

YOU CAN’T ALWAYS TRUST THE INTERNET-Websites are simply a tool and are only as good as the people updating them. You can trust Special-E-Fects to give you weekly updates, not only in the paper but also on our fabulous web site designed by David Ruszkowski of DMR Graphics. Check it out. www.specialefectsny.com

SPRINGVILLE PLAYERS IN REHEARSAL FOR WINTER PRODUCTION… The cast has been chosen and production is underway for the zany whodunit comedy “3 MURDERS AND IT’S ONLY MONDAY.” 3 MURDERS will be presented in The Theatre at Springville Center for the Arts January 22 – February 1. Mum’s the word as to who is starring, but some suspicious new characters have been spotted around the Center lately…

WORTH THE WAIT; Have you noticed the pomegranate piled high in our markets this winter? Mastering the formula for breaking and entering the pomegranate was a real challenge. I chopped off the end opposite the stem, peeled back the outer skin and divided the fruit into segments. Use the seeds as a pretty garnish in a salad. If you are a real garden nut like I am, put about 6 seeds in an 8 inch pot with rich soil, water sparsely, keep in a place away from other plants requiring high humidity, and wait. If you find a great sale on these red beauties buy a few extra and let them dry out for a great addition to holiday décor that will last year after year.

LESS IS MORE- A BLOG ON CHRISTMAS I always buy Christmas cards and wrapping paper after Christmas, by the next Christmas season I have forgotten my post season purchases and wind up buying MORE at full price this not only cancels out last seasons savings, it has created a stockpile of them. So this year, I went through my stash early and will be using my existing stock and STILL have plenty left over for next year. I won’t buy any more cards until they are close to running out. No hoarding!

My friends and I are not exchanging monetary gifts; my family does a draw for names exchange that takes the stress and expense out of the Holiday shopping. This also frees up MORE time for a few of my favorite things; making, baking and creating. I save special holiday cards, and photos many of which I frame to embellish walls, tabletops, and the mantle.

For the last 10 years or so I have been part of a Christmas Cookie exchange, what started out with 8 women has grown in leaps and bounds. This year our group was up to 17 women; with this many women involved it was decided that if time was a factor and baking cookies was not possible you, a bottle of wine or any other type of treat would suffice. The exchange has become a special part of the Christmas holidays, it’s a respite from Holiday stress; we women get together and simply enjoy each others company, plus everybody went home with three bottles of wine, a jar of home made candied pralines, a package of individual serving bottles of Bailey’s and honey liquors, homemade fudge, white chocolate covered pretzel sticks, and MORE than enough delicious home made cookies. There are lots of other things that tiptoe in during the Christmas Season that often reel me in to spending money that could otherwise be put towards bills and savings. I am a pushover for Christmas décor, especially those old world blown glass ornaments that take me back to yesteryear. Over the years I have amassed a mountain of ornaments, snow globes, etc. This year I just said NO to any new bought decorations. Not only does that keep me out of the malls it frees up time to make my own trimmings. I usually buy some live holly and such to embellish the fresh picked pine boughs from our woods. Not this year; a shaker of glitter, glue and pine cones will do the trick; elegant yet very low-key, and best of all FREE.