b'Matters heart of thematterThingsthat Matter Since 1990 A Celebration Featuring Local People, Places and PUBLISHER Transition& EDITOR IN CHIEFEllen DonkerASSOCIATEEDITOR Im looking to the young adults this yearRosemary MattsonBY ELLEN DONKERSOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERRachael EntineADVERTISING CONSULTANTSRene ConlonH. Leslie GilmanAmy PowerCOPY EDITORSNick Humez W weseemlikeadreamtosome,inmy Tia SwansonCONTRIBUTORS hen Sara Courtney moved intoopinion, Thanksgiving dinner should Adrianna Donat ourhousebe homemade. We want my husbands Beau Fighera morethanmashedpotatoes,mymotherscorn Sue Kaplan 20yearspudding and my pecan pie. Maybe not Donny Levit ago, the former owner told usmy stuffing, but Ill give it another go.Olivia Mack McCool it was a great home for parties.When I really thought about what the pain points for Chrissy McIntyreJulia Maloof Verderosa She was downsizing and recalled the many celebrations shehosting another holiday dinner were, the words clean up had hosted when her husband was still alive and before herflashed in my head like a bright neon sign. I wouldnt mind children were grown and flown.making a turkey, a few sides and a dessert. Setting up isnt She was right. My husband and I have thrown moreso hard. But facing the piles of dishes and glasses and sil-parties than we can recall and enjoyed them all. There wereverware and used napkins when Im already spent from the birthday parties, Fourth of July shebangs, carol sings, andpreparationthat was the showstopper. the usual Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.So I made my counteroffer: If I set up and cooked some Now that our kids are out of college, we are getting closerof the meal, my nieces and nephewswho are all in their Please address all correspondence to: to being able to pass the batonwhen they can take family20swould be in charge of filling in the menu with a few Visual Impact Advertising, Inc. traditions and reinterpret them at their own homesbutother dishes and cleaning up. No tip-toeing out the front P.O. Box 198 we arent quite there yet.door before the last glass is dry. Sensing a fair deal, they all Maplewood, NJ 07040 So, for this holiday season, Im on duty. Usually, itstexted back immediately with an emphatic yes. Or what-973-763-4900 just for Christmas Eve, when we invite both sides of theever emojis or memes signify that they got their way. mattersmagazine.comfamily for a sit-down dinner. Because of all the effort thatIm already thinking of ways to make expectations for info@mattersmagazine.com celebration takes, we usually save our strength and have athe clean-up clear. Perhaps a Signup Genius is in order with Matters Magazine is owned and publishedsmall gathering for Thanksgiving. But this year, my threeeach 20-something signing up for a different responsibil-by Visual Impact Advertising, Inc., P.O.kids and their cousins started texting each other in earlyity. Or I can greet them at the door with a big poster and a Box 198, Maplewood, NJ 07040. MattersOctober about having turkey day at our house.Sharpie pen so they can choose their chore and I wont have Magazine is free, with editions direct mailed 7 times a year to the residents of MaplewoodThe logic ran something like this: They had had such ato hover. and South Orange and distributed to busi- great time here in July celebrating their grandmothers 90 th I have great confidence that the cousins will have fun nesses and surrounding communities total- birthday. And since the effects of Hurricane Ian forced hertaking part-ownership of a family celebration. But regard-ing 16,000. Subscriptions are available to non-residents for $30 (U.S.), $40 (Foreign)to trade her home in Sanibel, Florida for New Jersey thisless of how it turns out, most important to me is knowing annually. No part of the publication may bewinter, they were thrilled shed be right here with us again.that our next generation wants to be together. This is what I reprinted or otherwise reproduced without writtenpermissionfromVisualImpactWouldnt it be nice to all be together and make even morehoped for when they were small: that they become friends, Advertising, Inc. family memories? In Maplewood? (Did I mention I havetrade silly stories, learn from their grandparents, aunts and CIRCULATION VERIFIED BY siblings with homes in Northern NJ?) uncles, and continue family traditions.U.S. POSTAL RECEIPTS. The cousins knew that this was a big askChristmasBy the time you read this, Thanksgiving will have passed READ & RECYCLE Eve is a mere four weeks laterso, to sweeten the deal,and I will be planning for Christmas Eve. Im hoping to they offered to have the meal catered. Although that mightenlist the 20-somethings for a repeat performance. 8/ matters magazine / holiday 2022'