December Publisher’s Letter
December is here. Snow is in the air. The aroma of a fire is wafting on the breeze. Christmas and New Year’s are around the corner. Cozy up with County Lines.
Everyone is decorating for the season: candles, ornaments, greenery and tinsel in the shops and store windows. Malcolm Johnstone takes a look at what’s new in “Winter Lights in Downtown West Chester” and offers a holiday shopping guide to the borough. You can follow it up with a stroll and a look at “Holiday Window Shopping” and “Holiday Style.”
But don’t limit yourself to West Chester. Take a walk through our other towns—Kennett Square, Malvern, Media, Phoenixville, Wayne, Downingtown and Centreville. Hania Jones and Casey Meyer write about the towns’ celebrations in “A County Lines Country Christmas.”
If you’re thinking about decorating your front door, get inspiration from our cover images of doors in West Chester and in the photo spread, “Christmas Wreaths.” Join Marci Tomassone in “Holiday House Tours” to see a few homes that are really dressed up.
Thinking about finding the right gift? This year let Mercedes Thomas help you out. Dinner? A show? A trip? A night of throwing hatchets? “Giving Experiences” is the new trend in gift-giving. The biggest problem is wrapping them.
Cathy Fiebach of Main Point Books has suggestions for your whole gift list, from “great aunt to youngest cousin,” for good reads this season. “How About a Book for the Holidays?”
Delaware’s grand historic homes and museums will have tables set with a spectacle of holiday dishes and grand feasts. But better not taste! It’s all fake! “A Feast for the Eyes Only,” Karen Jesse writes. The only thing missing is the aroma.
Expecting company? When? For how long? In “Brandywine Table” Alyssa Thayer is focusing on heavy hors d’oeuvres and offers guidelines and recipes, with help from John Serock Catering.
And what would the holidays be without a nice glass of wine at dinner, with friends or by the fire? In “Say Happy Holidays with Wine,” Fred Naddeo recommends some really good ones, to give as gifts or to sip for yourself.
I preview several “Holiday Performances this Season.” The Messiah, The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol, Into the Woods, and Frozen Jr. will all be performed at area theaters this season. Get your tickets now!
For Zack Malet, football—and especially the Eagles— are very much a part of the season. For now, the team is still “in the hunt.” Fingers crossed. He reviews the documentary about fans and fandom in “Maybe Next Year.” Maybe…
Come holiday time, Winterthur, the Nemours Estate, Hagley Museum and Historic Odessa will have tables set with holiday feasts that look very real. But don’t taste them. They’re all fake! Go behind the scenes to find out how the “historically accurate” food has been made. Go for the history, the spirit and the fun. You won’t believe your eyes!
An empty tree beckons. But what to get? We’ve read that experience gifts—travel, dinners, tickets, pampering, classes, charitable donations and more—are gaining traction. We suggest a number of ideas. Now how to wrap them …
Good cheer is spreading in West Chester. The town, its restaurants and shops are all decked out. Holiday decorations and events, carolers and a Christmas Parade, celebrating 40 years this year, attract thousands. Malcolm Johnstone, of the West Chester BID, and Tim Vaughan, photographer, welcome you and shows you around town, with hints on where to go and what to look for.
We hope you’ll to subscribe to County Lines. You can do it online or call 610-918-9300. Or get an electronic copy at Issuu.com. For single print issues, try Main Point Books, Wellington Square Bookshop, Wegmans, Paoli News, Bryn Mawr News, Berwyn News or other newsstands. Visiting an advertiser is a great—and free—way to get one: click Get A Copy on the home page of this website. You can also get our free on-line events newsletters by signing up online.
Ed Malet, Publisher
County Lines Magazine
