The December of my youth meant piles of snow, gloved hands and thick gray cloud cover. These past few Decembers have held more blue skies with the promise of snow pushed back a calendar page. This doesn’t stop my child from yearning for a pile of snow the week of Dec. 20—which includes his birthday, Christmas and Hannukah all in one week. Coming from a blended family of steps, halfs and friends closer than kin, we have a lot to celebrate this time of year, even if the ground isn’t covered in a glistening white blanket. Still, we’ll keep our fingers crossed in hope.
Winter Wonderland
This month, enjoy the milder winter days at Detweiler Park, Dauphin County’s largest park, owned and operated by the county’s Parks and Recreation Department. Located in Middle Paxton Township on Peter’s Mountain Road, Detweiler Park consists of 400 beautifully forested acres with a pond and creek. Naturalists host a diverse set of events for all ages to get acquainted with the park through education. My kid and I participated in a foraging walk to discover edible plants in our region. We apply what we learned about the eastern spicebush to make flavorful and medicinal teas over the winter. Keep an eye on Dauphin County’s website for upcoming events that appeal to your interests, including their “Kids Discover” series.
Detweiler Park has collaborated with another one of my favorites, Dauphin County Library System, to install a “Story Walk.” The interactive display is mounted on wooden signs that each hold one page of a children’s book. The Story Walk encourages parents and children to read together and to get families out and moving. The walk meanders along a trail that is about .5 miles into the park, over the creek, up the hill and to the left of the public bathrooms. The trail is lined with evergreen trees that fill the air with citrus and pine and make me imagine that even nature decorates for Christmas.
Holiday Express
Another way to lean into the festive feeling this month is to visit Elizabethtown Public Library’s train display. Twenty trains ranging from antiquated rail cars to contemporary locomotives choo-choo around a table that nearly fills the room. The tracks navigate miniature towns with people enjoying winter in all its romantic charm. Children will point out hot air balloons rising and falling or Santa flying a plane through cotton ball clouds, like we saw last year. The circuit board used to control the intricate display is massive and can inspire children to learn more about STEAM projects.
The display is put together by The Train Guys, a group of model train enthusiasts, who request a minimum donation of $2 per visitor, which is donated to the library. The display is open to the public in December on Thursdays, from 6 to 8 p.m., Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Friday, Dec. 13 for Elizabethtown’s Second Friday.
Spreading Cheer
Give back this holiday season by getting involved with Jewish Family Service of Greater Harrisburg. Families can aid those in need by assisting with packing and delivering meals for their Meals on Wheels program. All ages also can assist with shelf-stocking for the Libby Urie Food Pantry and organizing community food drives. Donations are highly encouraged, especially shelf-stable items and personal care items. The Jewish Community Center also offers a variety of youth and family programs.
As we approach the end of the year, I like to make a list of everything bad that happened to me. Yes, you read that right. Next, I make a list of everything good that happened to me. It’s kind of like Santa’s “Naughty and Nice List” but specific to one person, or you could try it with your family, so everyone can share their memories. Positive moments range from a day spent volunteering to something specific, like the 10 minutes my kid and I were practically in tears laughing at jokes from his library book. Every year without fail, my good list has outweighed the bad, and I am incredibly lucky for that. I hope it is the same for you and yours.
For more information about Detweiler Park, visit www.dauphincounty.gov.
To learn more about the Elizabethtown Public Library Train Display, visit www.etownpubliclibrary.org/things-to-do/trains.
To find out more about Jewish Family Service of Greater Harrisburg, visit www.jfsofhbg.org.
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