Enjoy tea sandwiches, assorted scones with jam and clotted cream, and a selection of traditional British Christmas treats — in the festive atmosphere of the Darien Community Association mansion, beautifully decorated for the season. UPDATE: “This event is sold out. Please call our office at 203-655-9050 extension 10 to be put on the waitlist,” the DCA says on its website. — an announcement from the Darien Community Association
Caterer Carolyn Eddie and her fabulous supporting cast return to the DCA on Thursday, Dec. 12 for the holidays!
Cars, like humans, need seasonal checkups; in cold winter weather such as this week’s anticipated cold snap, it’s important to maximize fuel efficiency, maintain safety, and ensure your vehicle can start for the worst winter has in store for us. — an announcement from AAA Northeast
So now is the time to get cranking on car maintenance, says AAA Northeast. “No one wants to be stranded in the cold,” said Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman. “So properly preparing your vehicle for cold weather is essential – before your vehicle breaks down. You’ll save time, money and aggravation when the mercury dives into the teens or single digits.”
To prepare, AAA Northeast offers drivers these cold weather car tips:
Batteries: If your battery is more than three years old, have it and the charging system tested. Even a good battery can lose up to 50% of its capacity when temperatures drop to zero. At 32 degrees, it takes up to 30% more power to start a cold engine.
Shop one-of-a-kind gifts by local artists at Rowayton Arts Center’s annual Holiday Gift Show from Nov. 29 to Dec. 24, 2019. There’s a Coffee and Bagels breakfast offered at the RAC this Saturday, Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Clear a spot in your living room: “Trees are here!” Noroton Heights Fire Department announced on Facebook Wednesday night. “Members and friends helped unload them and get everything set up for opening day on Saturday Nov. 30 at 10 a.m.!” Here’s the rest of the announcement of the volunteer fire department’s annual tree sales:
We have new hours this year:
—Thursday and Friday 5 to 8 p.m.
—Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Join the the DCA’s Greenhouse Group as they lead you in this hands-on workshop to make a festive wreath of your very own at 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 5. — an announcement from the Darien Community Association
Bring your gloves, pruners and imagination and we’ll provide the rest, including fresh greens, ribbons and a variety of embellishments. If You’re Going … This workshop is $35, or $25 for DCA members.
With the holiday season upon us, neighborhoods are starting to twinkle with festive light displays inside and out. Here are some safety tips were recently announced by Eversource on lighting and the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s Office on other decorations, as well. (Darienite.com added the boldface, not to add urgency but to make the tips quicker to scan so you can concentrate on the ones you don’t already follow.)
FROM EVERSOURCE:
SAFETY
“Before putting up holiday decorations, it’s important to inspect them to ensure they’re not broken or damaged — check lighted displays for cracked sockets, frayed wires or loose connections,” said Ken Bogler, Eversource vice president of safety. “When decorating outside, we remind people to work from a stable surface and to always be aware of any power lines or other hazards that might be nearby.”
More Safety Tips:
Never run extension cords under rugs or coil them tightly, which can cause them to overheat
Water and electricity do not mix so keep outdoor connections off the ground
Check labels to ensure lights are used properly — outside light are labeled for outdoor use
All the parts of the lights need to be dampness and temperature-proof
Check extension cords for wear, and plug outdoor lights and decorations into GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets
Use advanced power strips where possible for all holiday lighting to eliminate standby energy loss
SAVE ENERGY, SAVE MONEY
Customers can save money and protect the planet by replacing traditional incandescent lights with an energy-efficient light-emitting diode, or LED, holiday decoration. Not only do LEDs use 80 percent less energy than conventional bulbs, they last longer, and they are brighter and safer, as they are much cooler than incandescent lights.
The 2019 Darien-New Canaan Turkey Bowl starts at 10 a.m., Thanksgiving morning at Darien High School, and for the 4,000 people with tickets, there are rules about where to park and how to get onto the high school campus. Expect delays in traffic, so give yourself plenty of time. If you’re one of the lucky people parking on the campus, you got your parking pass with your tickets. Don’t forget to bring it. If you don’t have a parking pass (or forgot to bring it or you lost it or the dog ate it or you left it in your unlocked car and it was stolen overnight), you’re not going to get in.
On behalf of the Darien Department of Human Services, I would like to thank you and your fellow Lions Club members for your generous support of our annual Holiday Gift Giving Program. The $1,000 in Shop Rite gift cards which you provided will help our families and seniors enjoy a nice holiday meal and will continue to benefit our clients during the year. Your ongoing support over the years means so much to our department. We rely on local organizations such as yours to help us provide our clients with the vital services they need. Thanks, again, for helping us help others.
Darien High School Principal Ellen Dunn issued an announcement early Wednesday afternoon wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving and gently asking students to remember that “you represent your school and your community” at Thursday’s Turkey Bowl game with New Canaan. She emailed the announcement to families of students. Here’s the full text:
Dear Families,
I want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving from the entire DHS family to yours. I would also like to share the announcement I made a few moments ago about the Turkey Bowl tomorrow. All my best,
Ellen Dunn
Principal
Good morning, DHS family! As we prepare for an exciting Thanksgiving football game, it provides an opportunity for us to pause as a school community to consider how fortunate we are.
Look for congested roadways later today as more than 2 million New England travelers — 3% more than last year — make their annual Thanksgiving pilgrimage to celebrate with family and friends, says AAA Northeast. — an announcement from AAA Northeast
Nationally, more than 55 million folks are expected to travel over this Thanksgiving holiday with 90% of that overall number driving the nation’s roadways, AAA projects. “As you know, more people on roadways mean greater congestion,” says Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman. “And greater congestion means a greater potential for vehicle crashes.” At a morning news conference at Troop G, Bridgeport, AAA Northeast joined the representatives from the Connecticut State Police and state Sen. Tony Hwang, a Fairfield Republican, to remind motorists to travel safely this holiday.
The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County received a staggering donation yesterday… nearly one ton of turkeys plus additional dry goods were provided through a team contribution effort. Stamford EMS, Stop and Shop at Ridgeway Shopping Center and Our Lady of Grace Preschool & Kindergarten worked together to make the donation. — an announcement from Stamford EMS and Our Lady of Grace Preschool and Kindergarten
Stop and Shop, located in Ridgeway shopping center, generously provided the turkeys to community partner Stamford EMS to be delivered, by ambulance, to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County. Our Lady of Grace School contributed cranberry sauce, green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing and other canned and packaged side dishes that were collected by their school community. All turkeys and donations will be distributed to soup kitchens, emergency pantries and shelters across the region. “At this time of giving thanks, and in the spirit of community, we came together to help our neighbors in need,” said Patricia Squires, chief and CEO of Stamford EMS.
The donations from the families of Our Lady of Grace Preschool & Kindergarten in Glenbrook are a portion of the total provisions that the school community collected, which measured over one ton. A sizeable contribution of food was designated to help those in their school community in need.
Gather your friends, neighbors, or book group for a Girls’ Night Out Gingerbread House Decorating from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10. As one participant raved, “It’s like no other event of its kind—low key, lots of fun, and a really nice evening out with friends before the holiday rush begins.”
— an announcement from the Darien Community Association
The DCA and Palmer’s Catering will provide light bites, wine, gingerbread houses and all of the decorating supplies you’ll need. You supply the creativity! You’ll be supporting a great cause — the non-profit mission of the DCA — which includes college scholarships for Darien High School graduates.
Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for reconnecting with loved ones over food and drinks, but for those in active addiction or recovery, it can present unhealthy temptations and added stress. With the Thanksgiving break quickly approaching, Mountainside treatment center in Wilton will provide a free helpline and “virtual” recovery support groups online for those in need of assistance for themselves or their loved ones this holiday season. — an announcement from Mountainside Treatment Center
For people in recovery, the cold weather and shorter days of winter can lead to boredom and isolation, increasing their risk of relapse. Additionally, binge drinking over the Thanksgiving weekend has become increasingly popular, with Thanksgiving Eve even being nicknamed “Blackout Wednesday” or “Drinksgiving” as many Americans pack local bars to celebrate the long weekend. With this in mind, Mountainside’s 24/7 Holiday Helpline will be available from Nov.
Darien police, along with various other police agencies around the state and nation, are looking for drivers who aren’t wearing their seatbelts, now through the Monday after Thanksgiving. Here’s the police announcement, followed by information from state and federal transportation agencies:
The national “Click It or Ticket” enforcement wave will be taking place from Nov. 25 through Dec. 2, 2019. The Darien Police Department will be joining hundreds of other law enforcement agencies across the country in renewing a pledge to save lives by intensifying efforts to enforce seatbelt laws among all motorists.
The 2019 Darien-New Canaan Turkey Bowl begins at 10 a.m. at Darien High School, but you don’t have to be one of the 4,000 attendees there to watch it live. There will be no day of game ticket sales at the gate. The Darien Athletic Foundation’s DAF Media has live video of the game on YouTube, right here:
And while you’re waiting to watch the game, here’s a promo video produced and edited by Darien high school students Ethan Haas and Sander Schuddeboom:
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See Also:
Traffic, Parking, Other Rules for Those Attending Turkey Bowl Game on Thanksgiving (Nov. 24)
DHS Principal Ellen Dunn Issues Thanksgiving Message, Slips In a Little Reminder About Good Behavior at Turkey Bowl (Nov. 27)
Wear Your Seat Belt: Darien Police and Others are Watching For It, Especially Now Through Monday (Nov.
