b"Matters heart of thematterFeaturing Local People, Places andWhat MattersThingsthat Matter Since 1990PUBLISHER this Season& EDITOR IN CHIEFEllen DonkerASSOCIATEEDITOR Honoring our traditions even as they shiftCheryl Silver BY ELLEN DONKER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER A s the holidays are upon us, Im look- Our neighborhood's first holiday market mayafteraGer-Rachael EntineADVERTISING CONSULTANTS ing forward to any excuse to be withmanChrist-Rene ConlonH. Leslie Gilman family and friends again. Last yearmasmarket, was the first break in our 23-yearneighbors set COPY EDITORS tradition of hosting Christmas Eveup tables on Nick Humez dinner, and we missed celebratingthebackal-Tia Swanson with our extended family. ley that runs CONTRIBUTORS Although that tradition will continue, I wonder whatbehindour Sara Courtney new ones will be made. For instance, last year my friendhousesand Lizzie DiBiase Judy Erlandsen invited me to a cookie exchange. Insteadjust become our newest tradition. Photo byservedfood Adrianna Donat of being held in her living room, we bundled up in herCait Knoll. anddrinks, Rick Gilman backyard.Thatday,thesome which matched their country of origin. Those of us Cait Knoll skies were overcast and thewho had merchandise sold our wares and gave the profits Donny Levit afternoon temperature hov- to a charity. Others contributed items to a silent auction, Olivia Mack McCool ered at a chilly 40 degrees,begging neighbors to buy them so they wouldnt have to Tia Swanson butJudymadeherpatiolug them back home. The afternoon also featured a dog cos-Julia Maloof Verderosa cozy even if we had to holdtume contest, activities for children and a visit from Santa. our wine glasses with glovedThe graphically-talented Lizzie DiBiase designed a charming hands. We sat in chairs sur- map identifying the offerings at each back yard stop.rounding a roaring fire pit;Madeline and I had made macram ornaments and plant yummysnackswereonaholders; we also potted up some succulents that I had propa-nearby table.Our outdoor cookie ex- gated. Our charity, the Bowery Mission, received $75 from Allofherguestscamechange was warm withour sales. The silent auction netted $400 for the Community preparedwithenoughholiday cheer. Food Bank of NJ and a neighbor got Google, her employer, Please address all correspondence to: homemadecookiestosharewithoneanother.Ihadntto match it at 100 percent, yielding an $800 donation. Visual Impact Advertising, Inc. been to a cookie exchange in years and was flummoxed bySince it was a cold day, Madeline and I had to find cre-P.O. Box 198 what to make, so I consulted The New York Times cookingative ways to weigh down our tablecloth and protect our suc-Maplewood, NJ 07040973-763-4900 app and chose three recipes. Yes, I went overboard. Onlyculents from a cold and gusty wind that kicked up as the mattersmagazine.comone was required, but I wanted to be sure I had some ed- festivities began. But I remember feeling a sense of wonder info@mattersmagazine.com ible offerings. Fortunately, my daughter, Madeline, helpedfrom being part of a carefree day when neighbors offered out-Matters Magazine is owned and publishedme get to the finish line. door hospitality and children and dogs ran around freely just by Visual Impact Advertising, Inc., P.O.After catching up with each other and giving a briefas holiday lights started to twinkle with the setting sun. After Box 198, Maplewood, NJ 07040. Matterspresentation on our cookies, we voted by secret ballot forspending so many months cooped up, it reinforced why our Magazine is free, with editions direct mailedthe tastiest one. Apparently, my cornmeal lime shortbreadneighborhood is a wonderful place to call home.7 times a year to the residents of Maplewood and South Orange and distributed to busi- fans were a hit because I won Star Bak- I dont know if either of these events nesses and surrounding communities total- er; I have the plate to prove it, courtesywill be repeated this year. Maybe some-ing 16,000. Subscriptions are available toof Karen Donovan, who excels at pull- one will come up with another novel non-residents for $30 (U.S.), $40 (Foreign) annually. No part of the publication may being the right giveaway from her stashcelebration and Ill count myself lucky reprinted or otherwise reproduced withoutof gifts that she accumulates for justto be invited. Still, the most meaning-writtenpermissionfromVisualImpact Advertising, Inc. these kind of occasions.ful traditions are those that have stood Another memorable holiday eventthetestoftime,evenapandemic. CIRCULATION VERIFIED BY that never wouldve happened withoutCheerstohonoringtheoldwiththe U.S. POSTAL RECEIPTS.the nudge of a pandemic is my neigh- My daughter, Madeline, helped sell ournewandsimplybeingtogetherthis READ & RECYCLE borhoodsholidaymarket.Patternedwares for charity. Photo by Cait Knoll. year. 10/ matters magazine / holiday 2021"