FROM WHERE I SIT
The magazine by and for the people who call Lake Norman home
Publisher
Gifts from the Heart Our attic is filled with toys from Christmases past. I guarantee you, ten years from now, we’ll be sorting through the plastic storage bins trying to figure out what to keep in case our kids want keepsake toys for their own children. They will have to choose from My Little Pony characters, a whole pile of metal vehicles from the “Cars” franchise, plastic Little People sets complete with the auto garage, barnyard and nativity set, plastic musical instruments, and of course, Thomas the Tank Engine trains and wooden railroad tracks.
MacAdam Smith Mac@LNCurrents.com
Advertising Director Sharon Simpson Sharon@LNCurrents.com
Advertising Sales Executives
These days, gift giving looks a lot different. Our kids have moved into the teen years and one of them is a legal adult now. My son requests things like tickets to see his favorite NBA team, The Charlotte Hornets, and maybe a few new hoodies and an Xbox game, and our daughter would be happy with gift cards to places like her favorite bookstore so she can shop for herself. Last year, she received a six-month membership that gave her access to online writing courses she could work through on her own. That was a hit. And then there’s my husband, who every year, insists, “I don’t need anything. We should spend that money on the kids!” I’ve started to become more interested in offering experiential gifts within our own family. One year we combined a trip to visit my family with a few days in San Antonio, Texas, where we strolled along the River Walk, visited The Alamo and Tower of the Americas, shopped, and ate way too much Mexican food. We also stayed in a hotel that was decorated with a vintage 1960s motif, so that was fun. Another time we stayed local and bought tickets to a Carolina Panthers game on Christmas Eve. Once we took an overnight trip on New Year’s Eve to Asheville to tour The Biltmore Estate all decked out in holiday decorations, and of course it decided to start sleeting as we were riding in the bus that was transporting us up the curvy mountain road to the estate. This year we’re still deciding on if we’ll take a road trip to somewhere we’ve never been before in lieu of the usual gifts, but it will be a new and unique experience no matter what we do. But there is something to say for picking up unique gifts you won’t find anywhere but in the small, independent businesses that fill our area. Maybe you need something for a beloved coach, teacher, or family member. Perhaps you want to bring a host gift to a holiday gathering. For those moments, I researched some fun ideas right here in LKN for this month’s “Renee Wants to Know” column on page 72. Stay safe and enjoy this time with your loved ones. Happy Holidays! Editor Renee@LNCurrents.com
Do you have a special love story you’d like to share with our readers for the February issue? E-mail me at Renee@LNCurrents.com with the details for consideration.
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LAKE NORMAN CURRENTS | DECEMBER 2021
Carole Lambert Carole@LNCurrents.com
Beth Packard Beth@LNCurrents.com
Trisha Robinson Trisha@LNCurrents.com
Event Coordinator Alison Smith Alison@LNCurrents.com
Social Media Specialist Lauren Platts social@LNCurrents.com
Design & Production idesign2, inc
Contributing Writers John Buckner Trevor Burton Allison Futterman Karel Bond Lucander Grace Kennedy Bek Mitchell-Kidd Tony Ricciardelli Mike Savicki Abigail Smathers Allie Spencer Lara Tumer
Contributing Photographers Jon Beyerle Jamie Cowles Lisa Crates
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