Leland Magazine is published once a month by Live Oak Media.
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Happy Holidays
We decided to do something a little different with this month’s magazines. We’re lighter on features and news and instead we’re sharing a series of columns by our wonderful writers about the holiday season. As the writers’ work came in to me, I just got happier and happier about this idea. I’ll be honest, it was partly the result of a very small window between the time I finished delivering the November issues and the day I had to send the December issues off to the press, but it turned out to be a wonderful thing. We left it wide open really, and what you’ll find is a wide variety of holiday cheer. You’ll read about a family’s Hanukkah traditions, a special Christmas toy, the importance of not seeking perfection, the birth of a new tradition for a family spread all over the country, children keeping the magic alive for their dad, and how we can rediscover the Spirit after suffering loss and grief. Lisa and I chime in with our Christmas reflections as well. I’m very happy to be able to share these with you and I hope you find something to make you smile, learn something new, and maybe even wipe away a tear. I know I did. — Jeffrey
We all spend a lot of time with family and friends in our living rooms and kitchens, we spend our nights in our bedrooms, but having an up-to-date, safe, and comfortable bathroom can really make your home. Bathrooms put up with a lot, really. It’s often wet or at least damp, and let’s face it, people don’t show off bathrooms with the pride they show off a new kitchen or living room remodel. But even if you and your family are the only ones who might appreciate it, fixing up the bathroom is important, too..
That’s where Bath Fitter comes in. We spoke to Barry Mastrodomenico, Bath Fitter’s local representative, about how they can help get you a new bathroom with minimal fuss.
Bath Fitters is focusing more on the Southport area, but the company is not new. Can you tell us about Bath Fitter and its service in our community?
Bath Fitter is not new. We’ve been around for 41 years, and we have been serving this area since 2004. We’re excited to have this opportunity with Southport Magazine to reach our customers in a more targeted area rather than taking a broad marketing approach.
What services does Bath Fitter offer, both private home and commercial?
We do one thing, and our focus is installing everything. We are not the company that does roofs, windows, and doors, and an occasional bath remodel. We have perfected the wet area remodel.
For residential and commercial customers, they benefit from little to no demolition. They get a permanent solution with very little disruption. In most cases an installation can be done in as little as one day. Whatever the case, they get to use their beautiful new shower or bathtub the next day.
What sets Bath Fitter apart from other remodelers
That’s a great question. Customers deal with one singular company that’s been around for 41 years and is also the manufacturer. We provide a one-piece seamless wall with no grout, no leaking, and we offer a watertight solution. We partnered with an industry leader in commercial plumbing, Symmons, that matches our mission, vision and values. They have been in business for 85 years specializing in large commercial projects. Every installation includes a commercial grade solution. We also offer a lifetime warranty that is transferable.
How can you make a bathroom safer for people as they age and perhaps lose some mobility?
We offer a variety of safety products such as grab bars, seats, and lowto-no-barrier walk-in showers. All our remodels are customized to meet those needs. We work very closely with
the Veterans Administration to convert tubs for veterans to handicapped accessible walk-in showers, so they can continue to live in comfort in their own homes.
How long does a bathroom remodel take? How disruptive can it be?
This is where Bath Fitter is the game changer. With our PermaFit solution technology, we have little to no demolition and a non-disruptive remodeling
experience so that customers won’t even feel we’ve been there when completed, and this completion, in most cases, can be done in as little as one day.
What is your role with Bath Fitter? What’s your favorite part of the job, personally?
I am an in-home design consultant. My favorite part of the job is that I represent an amazing company and get to help people refresh, improve, and add value to their homes. Seeing their smiles afterwards is very rewarding.
What are your goals for Bath Fitter going forward?
Continue doing what I love and that’s helping people transform their bathrooms, one bathroom at a time.
Also to increase awareness in all we do as a company. We just completed dormitories at Davidson, William Peace, and Winston-Salem Universities. On the commercial front — along with the student housing, we have done large projects with multi-family units, hospitality, and senior living.
Happy Holidays Finding Santa’s Bag
A CHRISTMAS COLUMN BY JAN MORGAN-SWEGLE
There is a moment of sadness when children suddenly realize who Santa Claus really is. I almost had that moment many years ago when we lived in Lakewood, Ohio, in a four-family home.
My parents made sure that my sisters and I went to a department store to see Santa every year. We all went together and sat in his lap at the same time, so that my little sister, Doni, wouldn’t be afraid. This year was no exception. We asked for dolls and Legos and slippers and promised that we had been good all year long.
She explained that Santa had left our Christ mas presents with our parents early because he didn’t have time to wrap them. She said, “Don’t you tell your fa ther that you found this bag, he would be so disappointed.
As Christmas was drawing nearer and the weather off of Lake Erie was getting colder, my sisters and I played more inside than outside. My mother wouldn’t abide running in the house but hide and seek was okay. One day, we were playing hide and seek in my parents’ bedroom. After we had all been “found,” my 4-year-old little sister stood up and looked over the headboard of the bed and said, “Look! Toys!” Soon, we were all looking in this bag that was stuffed behind my parents’ bed, out of sight.
Apparently, we were too quiet, so my mother came looking for us. She found us looking in the bag and was very upset with us. She put everything back in the bag and seemed to have calmed down enough to tell us exactly what we had found.
And, as young as we were, we knew she was right. My father loved Christmas. He would put a Santa hat on and sit under the tree, calling out our names as he handed out the pres ents. He would watch us open each gift and loudly exclaim that he was so glad Santa remembered what we
Happy Holidays November Christmas
Changing Ideas About Early Holiday Prep
A CHRISTMAS COLUMN BY LISA STITES
Iusedto be steadfast in not wanting to rush Christmas. We have my November birthday to celebrate, then Thanksgiving, and then we could have Christmas. But in the past few years, I have mellowed and I seem to get excited to decorate and shop and do all the things earlier and earlier every year. As I see others starting a bit early, I think, why not me?
I’m not ashamed to admit that while I am writing this in mid-November, I have already watched a Christmas movie and started listening to Mannheim Steamroller’s “Christmas Live” album. I have also already bought two presents. I’m 50-something right now (never mind what the rest of that number is) and I love that the joy of giving is something that continues to grow inside me. I still love to receive, of course, but I really love putting thought and consideration into finding something that the recipient will really appreciate.
The joy of giving is one of the important general sentiments of the season. Regardless if Christmas carries religious significance for you personally, these are sentiments that we would all do well to embrace
all year long, such as spreading good cheer, celebration, and also, quiet reflection and focusing on the really important things in life, like gratitude, family, and friends.
The rest of the trappings that accompany Christmas — the gifts, the front yard blowup decorations, the glitter and the sparkle — aren’t necessary of course, but they are fun and make people smile, and what could be wrong with something as simple as that?
Personally, I have always loved Christmas decor, and if I could, I’d have it up all year long. I actually do keep a few small things, like special ornaments, out in the house instead of packed away for only a brief annual display. I’m not a fan of covering the whole yard in decor, though I did buy a family gift one year and insisted Jeffrey and our son John open it on Christmas Eve. It was a blow-up jet pack Santa, and they were thrilled.
them. We have some that were on my parents’ tree when they married in 1966. We have some that Jeffrey’s grandmom and great aunt made. They are definitely from a different time and style (I did say tacky is forgiven, right?), but we lovingly put them on the tree, right next to John’s Sponge Bob Square Pants candy holder ornament or the clothespin toy soldier Jeffrey or I made in third grade. We were in the same class, and at this point, we’re not sure which one of our soldiers has survived this long. It’s great to reminisce, to remember loved ones far away or who aren’t with us anymore. It’s another great Christmas tradition, so why not feel those feelings for longer than a couple weeks in December?
I know some people who are super organized for Christmas. They have cookies made and presents bought and wrapped in plenty of time so that they can relax and enjoy the holiday. Good for them. We are not those people. I did start keeping a list on my phone with Christmas gifts ideas so I won’t forget them throughout the year. The one time we packed something away far ahead of Christmas, though, we forgot we had it and found it mixed in with the wrapping paper and bows a few years later. It’s probably not
surprising that a couple of magazine people like us are deadline driven anyway. We can’t be the only people still wrapping gifts on Christmas Eve, right?
While my decorating style may look more chaotic than refined, I have no trouble organizing the transformation to Christmas decor. Jeffrey cheerfully, or at least without grumbling, pulls out the boxes and we put on some music and maybe grab a cup of cocoa as we decide what we want to put out and where it goes. Our son is coming home for Thanksgiving, and you can bet we’ll rope him into hauling out the boxes and decorating the house. We’ll fuss, with love of course, and talk, and best of all, we’ll laugh. A lot. That’s an opportunity I won’t pass up, no matter how far ahead of Christmas it comes.
One of my favorite things about decorating is the tree. Like many people, our family members, including the furry four-legged ones, get a new ornament for the tree every year. I absolutely adore pulling out the ornaments and telling and retelling the stories behind
Whether you want to stick to a more traditional holiday schedule or you already have wrapped presents under the tree, I hope you’ll make it a great holiday. Do what makes you happy and don’t stress over making everything perfect. It won’t be perfect, but it will be fabulous, no matter how early you start spreading good cheer and singing your fa la la la las. Merry Christmas everyone!
This ornament hung on my parent’s tree when they were first married
Jeffrey’s Grandmom hand-made this ornament
One of our newer favorites
Happy Holidays Capturing Christmas Trying To Get To All The Christmas Fun
A CHRISTMAS COLUMN BY JEFFREY STITES
One of my very favorite things about the festive holiday season is that it’s sort of my job to go out and see as much of the festivities as I possibly can. I need the photos to use to promote the following year’s events, and also we put them up on social media, where they tend to get a lot of love. So it’s technically “work.” But I absolutely love it.
Lisa and I both love community events and love the Christmas season, so we’ve been regular attendees and/or participants in Oak Island’s Christmas Tree Lighting and Christmas by the Sea Parade for almost all of the 30 years we’ve lived here. And as our community has grown, the number of events has exploded. Add to that the fact that we now
own three magazines covering the entire county, and the world of Christmas festivities has gotten huge for us.
Now my problem, if you want to call it that, is getting around to as many events as I can. While a few, like Sunset Beach’s tree lighting and the Ocean Isle Holiday Flotilla, are the weekend after Thanks-
giving, the vast majority of the holiday festivities are happening over the course of the first two weeks of December, and many of them are on one of those two weekends.
There are Christmas Tree Lightings in Leland, Belville, Southport, Oak Island, Varnantown, Shallotte and Sunset Beach. There are parades, both day and night, in Northwest, Bolivia, Southport, Oak Island, Shallotte and Calabash, and that doesn’t include the flotillas in both Ocean Isle and Southport.
The there are the movies on lawns, the Santa visits for both people and pets, two Festivals of Trees (Southport’s new one and the long-running even tat the Museum of Coastal Carolina in Ocean Isle Beach), fundraisers and shops with cops, holiday markets, the State Port Pilot’s cookie contest, two Colonial Christmas events at Brunswick Town State Historic Site, and this year a real ice skating rink in Southport. And that isn’t even nearly all of it.
Happy Holidays
I’m not Santa Claus, sadly, so I can’t be everywhere all the time at once. I’ve started sort of rotating around so I can visit different towns’ events in different years so I can have photos that are relatively fresh from as many events as possible.
This involves choices, some which are difficult. Last year, for the first time since moving here, we missed the Oak Island Christmas Tree Lighting. We’ve loved that event as it’s grown from a couple dozen people in the park next to town hall to hundreds of people in the newer Middleton Park nearer the beach. We both decided that we needed to see the Calabash Christmas Parade that happened the same night and time. We’d talked to the parade organizers for a story and really wanted to go support them, and also get some photos. On the drive down were excited, but also a bit sad at what we were missing in our hometown.
But once we got to Calabash, parked and made our way to the corner in front of Callahan’s, we got completely drawn into the town’s Christmas Spirit. The parade was terrific, the crowd was friendly and enthusiastic, and it had that small
town charm that until you experience it in person, you might think only exists in Hallmark Christmas movies.
We made the right choice going down there. We even had the perfect spot to watch Santa get unloaded from the ladder on a fire truck.
This year we’re rotating back to Oak Island’s tree lighting, but there will also be some new events. We’ll go to see Leland’s first Christmas light display in its newly renovated park, I’ll be sure to capture photos of the fun at Southport’s ice rink, and we’re planning our first visit to Shallotte’s tree lighting.
It’s a busy season. We’ll put on a lot of miles and have some early mornings and late nights. And as soon as the holiday events wind up, we move right into our layout week for the January Pet Issues. But they’ll all be sent to press before the week of Christmas.
I look forward to that week too, the one with very little to do, because even for me, a little peace in this season means a lot.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to each and every one of you reading this. Even if you don’t run across the entire county for three weeks, I hope you see something new and enjoy your longtime traditions as well. There’s a good chance I’ll be there too, camera in hand. Don’t be afraid to say “hi!”
Happy Holidays Hanukkah Traditions
A HANUKKAH COLUMN BY JANET FORTNEY
Our family’s Hanukkah celebrations have changed over the years as our three children – Madeleine, Maxwell, and Juliette – grew from babies into young adults. Happily, though, most of our traditions have remained. For us, Hanukkahs have always included eight nights of glittery blue-and-silver-wrapped gifts, which began piling up on the desk in our den as the holiday approached; loads of freshly-fried potato latkes served with applesauce; dreidel playing; chocolate gelt (“money” in Hebrew and Yiddish) to eat; and jelly doughnuts for dessert.
Of course, no Hanukkah would be complete without eight nights of lighting our family’s menorahs, with one candle being added to each menorah every night. To multiply the fun, we were not a one-menorah family. We figured why limit ourselves to one when we could each have our own menorah! Madeleine’s menorah featured little colorful, clay animals and had been a gift from her aunt when she was born; Maxwell’s was one that he had made in preschool; Juliette, the ultimate dog-lover, was proud to light a menorah featuring a menagerie of dogs; and our main menorah was an elegant, silver tree-of-life design that had been a wedding gift from my brother. We still treasure
all of these menorahs today.
Some years, our Hanukkah festivities included a huge party with dozens of guests and hundreds of latkes. Some years, we gathered with only our closest family – grandparents, uncles and aunts, and cousins. Many Hanukkah evenings, it was just the five of us who kindled the lights, ate our latkes, and opened gifts together.
Hanukkah, we were naively ambitious: everyone was tasked with creating homemade gifts for the four others. This proved to be a lot of work! So, the following year, we made our lives easier by randomly choosing names and creating a gift for only one family member. The results of our endeavors included, among other items, one gigantic snickerdoodle cookie; a “Fifty Reasons Why I Love You” scrapbook; personalized book labels
For too many years to count, I was the designated “Hanukkah mom” in our three kids’ classrooms. Although it was labor intensive, it was a joy for me and a highlight for our children and their classmates. Every year I would lug into the schools at least two large bags that contained latkes, applesauce, disposable plates, napkins, and forks; a couple of children’s books about Hanukkah; a menorah and candles; and dreidels, gelt, and game-playing instructions. Some years, depending on the school, I fried up dozens of latkes on the spot on a portable burner under the excited gaze of 25 elementary school students; other years, I warmed my pre-cooked latkes in a microwave in the teachers’ break room. Never once did I go home with uneaten latkes. As many as I made, that was how many got eaten!
As our children got older, our festivities became less focused on our kids’ specific gift lists and Madeleine suggested that we institute a less retail-oriented and more creative and meaningful gifting tradition in our family. Thus began our beloved “Homemade Hanukkah”! The first year of
and bookmarks with fluffy yarn tassels; a realistic-looking faux layer cake made out of foam and caulk; a tiny 3-D printed schnauzer; a lovely blue-resin bird figure; hand-carved wooden paperweights; a trio of hand-drawn silhouettes of our kids; as well as a decoupaged heart-shaped, Harry Styles-themed box, flower petal and sprinkle candles, and tie-dyed t-shirts. Whew, I am so proud of our creativity!
This year, Hanukkah begins on Sunday, Dec. 14 and our family is once again looking forward to crispy, sizzling potato latkes and all of the joyous holiday traditions that the Jewish people have taken part in for more than 2,200 years. Happiest of Hanukkahs to those who celebrate! If you’d like to learn more about the origin and traditions of Hanukkah, check out https://kids. nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/hanukkah.
Homemade
Keeping Fit
Food For Thought Healthy Eating Is Always Within Our Control
BY VICTOR FERNANDES
Victor Fernandes is owner of Fernandez Fit, helpjng clients achieve personal and professional success through health and fitness
It’s hard to believe six months have passed since our family went to our homeland of Portugal for the month of June. And as much as I miss it all, I miss the food the most, and not simply because I ate like I was headed to the electric chair upon my return to the United States. The quality of food, even food we can classify as “unhealthy,” is so far ahead of what we have available to us in this country.
Foods are as all natural as they can be, specifically because it’s required by law by the European Union, which includes Portugal, among other nations. Far fewer additives are allowed in foods in those countries in comparison to the United States. The European Union, according to published reports, requires additives to be proven safe before being used, while in this country, additives are often allowed until (if and when) they are proven to be harmful.
But laws or no laws, natural foods are
what people in Portugal and other nations choose to eat to most benefit the healthy lifestyle they choose to live. Portuguese people focus on a healthy nutritional plan I have known my whole life – the Mediterranean diet, which includes fish, vegetables, salad, olive oil (and if you are of legal age, a glass of port wine with dinner), among other foods.
Portuguese people live active lifestyles. They often walk and ride bicycles. They take rest and recovery seriously, such as two-hour lunches when stores across the country close for that period of time, and nationwide vacation for the entire month of August. Good luck getting renovations done at your home at that time.
Meanwhile, the foods they eat provide the fuel they need to complete the healthy overall plan they naturally follow.
Overweight people? I can tell you there aren’t many, if any, there because the lifestyle they follow isn’t suitable for gaining weight. I recall one day while there, when I was going for a walk on the hilly roads near our family home. I came across a young man returning to his nearby home with bags of groceries. It made me think of that popular social media challenge pertaining to carrying all of our grocery bags from our car in the driveway into our home
That young man was carrying all of his grocery bags home from a store roughly a mile away. Then a short time later, I saw him running on those same hilly roads in our neighborhood. Apparently, that trip to and from the store was simply the warmup before his workout. I grew tired just thinking about all of that effort.
So, why was I overweight in my 20s and into my 30s, which saw me balloon to nearly 250 pounds as recently as 15 years ago? As I wrote earlier, I grew up on the Mediterranean diet many years before it was fashionable to call it that.
That’s because I made poor choices – day after day, month after month and
year after year for two decades – and I blamed the life I led and the schedule I kept as a sports journalist for 26 years for being unhealthy and overweight.
Once I affected change in my life for the better, especially with my nutrition, my health began changing for the better. That control is well within all of our hands.
Whether we choose to do something about it is totally up to us.
And if you look at the alarming statistics, too many of us in this country are choosing to take risks with our health because we’re not willing to take the steps needed to develop a healthier lifestyle for ourselves and our families.
More than 40 percent of the country is deemed obese, while more than 70 percent are considered overweight. There is one common thread that ties those numbers together – the lack of desire and dedication to taking care of ourselves.
As a health and fitness coach, I hear so many excuses from people who need help to take
at one time.
control of their health and well-being but don’t follow through on it.
“I don’t have time” and “I can’t afford it” are the two most used, followed closely by “I’m too old” and “It’s too late for me.” And each time, I ask them to reframe their excuse of choice into one eye-opening stHeatement—“My health isn’t a priority to me.”
If we’re going to provide “reasons” why we won’t take care of ourselves, they may as well be the truth and nothing but the truth. We as human beings will do whatever it takes to accomplish something we find truly important.
Why isn’t the most precious commodity we have – our health – one of them?
It’s mind-boggling to consider. But I know this to also be true…
If we don’t choose to take of ourselves, life will one day make that de-
Keeping Fit
cision for us, and we won’t always like the outcome.
If you need help laying out the best plan of action to take control of your health and well-being, I’m here to help. Contact me at 814-504-7774 or by email at info@fernandesfit.com to get started. You can also get more information on my website at fernandesfit.com.
B l adder Cance r
Blood in Urin e
En l a r g ed P r ostat e
E r e c t i le D ysfun c tio n
Fert i lit y
Fr equent Urinat i o n
H yd r ocel e
K idn ey C a nce r
K idn ey Ston e s
L ow Te stoste r on e
P eni l e I mp l ant s
P ey r on i e’s D i s e a s e
P r ost a te Arte r y Embol i zat i o n
P r ost a te C a nce r
Community BLT’s 2026 Season
A Year Full Of Community Theatre Fun
STORY CONTRIBUTED
The Brunswick Little Theatre is excited to announce the 2026 season. In the coming year, we will be offering a mix of comedy, farce, and drama, and a musical. We know you will be delighted with our productions, which include some titles that will be familiar to many of our patrons.
Starting in February, we will present “One Slight Hitch” by comedian Lewis Black. This door-slamming farce with a heart takes place on the day of a suburban backyard wedding in 1981. The story centers on the highly organized and anxious mother of the bride, Delia Coleman, and her frantic husband, Doc, who are trying to ensure their eldest daughter, Courtney, has the perfect wedding they never had.
In April we present our musical “The Bikinis – A New Musical Beach Party,” by Ray Roderick and James Hindman. It’s a family-friendly jukebox musical about four women who reunite after 20 years to perform a concert to save their beloved Jersey Shore mobile home park, Sandy Shores. The show features over 30 hit songs from the 1960s and beyond as the group relives their past and navigates their current lives.
In early May we’ll feature “Aesop’s Oh So Slightly Updated Fables,” by Kim Esop Wiley. It’s a hilarious retelling of these familiar fables. This short play, performed for and with kids, weaves five of Aesop’s most famous fables into a show that’s fun, fastpaced, and full of surprises.
Later in May, just in time for Mother’s Day, we will present the 2026 version of “Listen to Your Mother,” by Ann Imig. This production has been a yearly favorite at BLT and will feature all new segments, some written by our local actors. It’s a live storytelling performance series featuring true stories about motherhood from diverse perspectives, including humor, grief, and celebration.
In June we will present the thought-provoking comedy “End Days,” by Deborah Zoe Laufer. Rachel Stein is 16 and is having a bad year. Her father hasn’t changed out of his pajamas since 9/11. Her mother has begun a close, personal relationship with Jesus. Her new neighbor, a 16-year-old Elvis impersonator, has fallen for her hard and
befriended her parents. And the Apocalypse is coming Wednesday. Her only hope is that Stephen Hawking will save them all.
Our August production is the stage version of the hit film “Same Time Next Year,” by Bernard Slade. The play is about a two-person affair between a man and a woman who meet at a California inn once a year for 25 years. They are both married to other people, have a one-night stand in 1951 and agree to meet again annually, charting their lives, their changing relationship, and 25 years of American social and cultural shifts over six scenes set five years apart.
In October we present another stage version of a beloved film “On Golden Pond,” by Ernest Thompson. The plot focuses on an aging couple, Ethel and Norman Thayer, who spend each summer at their home on a lake called Golden Pond. During the year the story takes place, they are visited by their daughter, her fiancé, and his son. The play explores father and daughter’s turbulent relationship, and the difficulties faced by a couple in the twilight years of a long marriage.
We end our season with perennial holiday favorite “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus,” by Jamie Gorski. This radio drama is set in New York City, in 1897. Christmas is almost here, but 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon suddenly is facing a crisis of belief: Is Santa Claus real or not? Famously, she writes a letter to a local paper to give her a definitive answer to that most crucial of questions.
So that is our exciting 2026 season. Tickets are available through our website at www.brunswicklittletheatre.com or at the Ricky Evans Gallery, at 211 North Howe St. in Southport. Thanks for your continued support and patronage!
Historic Christmas Enjoy Two Holiday Brunswick Town Events
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JEFFREY STITES
Christmasat Brunswick Town State Historic Site is not to be missed. Two events allow visitors to experience the site at dusk turning to nighttime. If you’re familiar with Brunswick Town, you’ll know how special this can be, and if you’ve never visited our county’s very own State Historic Site, this is a perfect opportunity.
During A Light in the Darkest Night, visitors will get the chance to experience a peaceful evening amongst the ruins of St. Philips Church as it is decorated in its holiday finest, with candlelight and greenery.
This free program will be held Friday, Dec. 12 from 4-7 pm, and allows for self guided exploration and meditation. The Visitor Center and gift shop will remain open during the course of the evening to also allow a chance for a little holiday shopping.
An 18th Century Christmas allows visitors to explore how the American colonists celebrated Christmas. During the program, you can enjoy 18th century inspired refreshments in the Visitor Center, participate in traditional games, or try your hand at Moravian paper stars and other 18th-century crafts. The church ruins are decorated beautifully, but simply, with greenery and candles, which really add to the general peace and quiet and celebratory atmosphere.
The highlight of the evening will be an authentic period candlelit service in the ruins of St. Philips Anglican Church. The service will begin at 5 pm and will conclude by 5:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance online beginning on Nov. 15 through the site’s Square website at https://friends-of-brunswick-townfort-anderson.square.site/ upcoming-events.
Golf Tips Understanding Wedges The First In A Series Explaining Golf Clubs
BY NICOLE WELLER, LPGA / PGA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
For a new golfer, having 14 different clubs can be confusing with all the options. Most sports have one piece of equipment at a time, like tennis, soccer, cricket and lacrosse, to name a few. Imagining a tennis player needing to get a different racquet for each different type of shot like a serve, lob shot, soft cut shot over the next, hard forehand from the baseline and so on. Keeping it simple for new golfers is good!
Way back there wasn’t a limit on the number of clubs a golfer could have. In fact some caddies were lugging 26 clubs (or more!) in their players’ bags, like Lawson Little, who won back-to-back U.S. and British Amateur Championships in 1934-1935. In modern days, sets usually have a putter, several wedges, 9 iron, 8 iron, 7 iron (clubs were actually made of forged iron!), several hybrids, several fairway woods or fairway metals and a driver.
Wedges tend to be the higher lofted clubs in the set. Here are some ideas to help new golfers understand the Wedge World, as it can be confusing with how they’re labeled. We chip with a pitching wedge and pitch with a sand wedge. How does THAT make sense?!?
The lofts on a club dictate how high the club can launch the ball into the air. Traditionally the ‘Lob’ Wedge has 60-64
degrees of loft, a ‘Sand’ Wedge 55-59 degrees of loft, a ‘Gap’ Wedge 50-54 degrees of loft and a ‘Pitching’ Wedge 4549 degrees of loft, roughly. Companies have labeled the wedges but it’s nice to see that manufacturers are putting the degrees on the clubs now instead of the labels like P, W, S, L, A, D , U… degrees are changing to lower lofts so instead of a pitching wedge being 46 degrees, some are now 39 degrees. Maybe they want us to think we’re hitting them farther, but essentially we’re really hitting a former 8 iron…tricky marketing! Whatever the label is, find the right lofts that help your yardage. Most new golfers do
better with just five clubs and then add from there as they learn how to use the clubs better and see more need for extra clubs and distances.
I actually call my S wedge not my Sand Wedge but my Stop Wedge, since I use it mostly out of the grass and other lies and not strictly out of the sand. I want that high lofted club to launch high and then stop on the green from all kinds of surfaces. The ‘sand’ wedge is not just for the sand.
Fun Tips to Learn Your Wedges:
• Pitching Wedge would be roughly your 10 Iron
• Gap Wedge (or Approach, Dual, Utility with other companies) would be roughly your 11 Iron
• Sand (or Stop) Wedge would be roughly your 12 iron
• Lob Wedge would be roughly your 13 iron.
The higher the number, the higher the shot in golf. I also have students think of it this way, if the image helps…S Wedge lands and flies Super Short while a P Wedge lands and flies Pretty Short, it
Golf Tips
runs more than an S Wedge.
I hope that helps some with fun imagery and words. If starting out with just one wedge, I’d recommend a Pitching Wedge (some have a P or W or PW on it… and that doesn’t stand for Putter, which often newbies mistake that letter for). If you want two wedges, I’d recommend a Pitching Wedge and a Stop/Sand Wedge.
Those will give you different lofts. Check with your local LPGA/ PGA Professional or nearby club fitter/seller to help guide you through your clubs!
Nicole Weller is an award-winning LPGA & PGA Instructor who instructs local area golfers at Compass Pointe Golf Club in Leland. For more information on Nicole and her tips / videos, visit www.nicoleweller.com.
Art Beat
Sharon Petteway
Debut Book, “Heidi Hippo Doesn’t Hula”
STORY BY CARLA EDSTROM
HeidiHippo Doesn’t Hula” is a children’s book published in July by local author Sharon Petteway. This creative story explores themes of self-discovery and the awareness of one’s unique talents, encouraging children and adults to embrace who they are rather than always fitting in with others.
In this delightful narrative, Heidi attempts to hula like her friends but soon realizes that she just doesn’t enjoy it. She learns that it’s okay not to have the same interests and skills as others. Instead, she discovers her own special talents, which convey a message of self-acceptance and joy in following your own path, no matter the obstacles.
With 29 years of experience in healthcare, Sharon didn’t initially set out to write a children’s book. But instead, she had this cute story idea, and it just grew from that. “I had a story that I wrote for fun, and one
day I decided to explore the idea of making a little book, even if it was only for myself and my nieces.
“As the process went on, the possibility of where Heidi could go was an exciting concept,” she said. “The story of Heidi Hippo had been tucked away in my desk drawer for at least 15 years. The idea of Heidi came from my experience of taking ukulele lessons. When I started in 2008, it wasn’t as popular as it is now. The friends I talked to looked puzzled and didn’t realize what a ukulele was, much less realize there was (is) a ukulele school in town. No one wanted to do it with me, so I just went on my own. Some would ask, “Why not just play guitar? Why the ukulele?” My answer was easy: happiness! You can’t be sad listening to ukulele music. The reactions did hurt my feelings. I wanted others to be excited about my new venture, too.”
months later. Once the illustrations began to take shape, I had the idea of creating a plush Heidi to accompany the book. This has been a very long process. I am so excited to see the book and the doll together. I expect a large box of Heidi stuffies to arrive any day now!”
ron. “I love painting. I’m currently exploring watercolors. Give me an old piece of furniture and I’ll give it a new life,” she said. “I have many story ideas. I’ve never considered myself a writer, even though I enjoy stories and have a love of poetry and words in general. I have always considered myself an artist. It was a dream I never thought I could fulfill until now.”
Keep your eyes out for more Heidi Hippo in the future. “‘Heidi Hippo Doesn’t Hula’ is my first book, and I hope she isn’t my last,” she said. “I’d love to make Heidi a series. I think she is a character that can have many adventures. An alphabet series would be fun. I am trying to get a literary agent so I can take Heidi to new heights. There is more out there for her. I just need the right company to help her get there.”
The journey in self-publishing is a testament to the power of determination and the joy of seeing a dream come to life. “I started noticing more opportunities for self-publishing books. I began to wonder if that was a possibility for my little story. I began researching the process last spring. I decided on a company that could help me create illustrations and guide me through the process. I learned a lot and made some mistakes along the way. There were many highs and lows, but I’m happy I did it,” she said. “The book was ready for the world about four or five
The illustrations from the book publisher make the story come to life on the pages. The colorful pages and designs pay homage to Sharon’s friends, family, and beloved pets, as well as to Hawaiian culture. “The ideas came from a description of what I think Heidi should look like, what colors I wanted on the pages, themes of the story to depict, etc. I gave them the story pages, and in return, I’d receive an illustration. As each page unfolded, the characters began to take shape. I shared with the illustrator what expressions I wanted on Heidi at each stage. I wanted diversity in her friends, and I also wanted her friends to represent my friends and me! One hippo with glasses is me, the alligator is my ukulele teacher wearing his company t-shirt. I represented my parents in the little duck and fox, and I also included my two standard poodles, Koa and Johnny, in the final page.”
A self-declared serial hobbyist, Sharon has always been creative, but never as a writer. “I’ve always challenged my own emotions through writing. Whether it is journaling, jotting down random thoughts, writing poetry, or putting it into a character,” said Sha-
Heidi Hippo Doesn’t Hula is available wherever you buy books online —Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and Amazon. Sharon also sells the books and the doll through her website, www.authorsharonpetteway. com. “I have contact information on my website, and you can sign up for future information on all things Heidi.”.
December Fishing Report
Looking Forward To A Productive Cooler Month
BY CAPTAIN STEELE PARK
As winter settles over the Southport area, the fishing remains surprisingly strong—when the weather allows. If there’s been one theme for 2025, it’s been wind, wind, and more wind. November was no exception, with persistent northeast blows dominating most days. Yet when the seas have finally cooperated, the fishing has been excellent.
This fall brought a mix of unseasonably cold snaps followed by warm spells, leaving our overall water temps right where they typically sit for this time of year. With December now underway, anglers are hopeful for a break in the forecast and ready to take advantage of what can be one of the most productive winter months. Both the backwater and offshore grounds will be the focus as we close out the year.
Backwater: Drum & Trout in Winter Pattern
Winter in the creeks means concentrated schools of red drum and speckled trout— and when you find them, the action can be “fast and furious.” With water temperatures dropping into the low 60s and upper 50s, fish instinctively push into areas that offer protection from the cold and quick access to bait during the warmest parts of the day.
The backs of creeks, especially those with deep holes, are prime winter hotspots. Shrimp become the main forage this time of year, so live shrimp, fresh shrimp, or artificial shrimp lures are the go-to choices— fished under a popping cork or on a light jighead. Slow presentations are essential. During mid-day warmups, red drum often slide onto mud flats to soak up heat and feed on the bait that gathers there. Trout, on the other hand, typically set up in secondary creeks where moving water funnels shrimp and small baitfish right to them.
Nearshore: Waiting on the Bluefin
As winter arrives, nearshore action thins out. Falling water temps push the Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and drum out of the immediate coastline, leaving anglers to wonder whether this will be a “bluefin year.”
Some seasons deliver memorable runs of bluefin tuna; others remain quiet. If they
Captain Steele Park, a US Navy Veteran, has been fishing the oceans, rivers, and lakes of southeastern NC since he was 7 years old and knows these waters like the back of his hand. He calls Southport home and captains the Catherine Anne Sportfishing & Excursions fleet. For more information please call at 910-620-9919
show, the usual zones—Bald Head Island’s East Beach, the Knuckle Buoy, the Fairway, and the shoals—are the places to scout. Gannets diving on surface-pushed bait are the clearest sign that bluefin are working underneath.
Offshore: Kings, Seabass, Wahoo & Blackfin
Offshore is where the December bite truly shines. Productive water stretches from 20–25 miles all the way out to 55 miles this month.
King Mackerel
Look for kings where water temps sit in the upper 60s. Schools are roaming widely, and when conditions align, action can be fast.
Black Seabass
Black seabass are stacked on structure from Lighthouse Rocks out to roughly 100 feet of water. Bigger fish are typically found on offshore ledges, rocks, and wrecks in deeper territory. A simple drop rig tipped with cut squid will fill a cooler in short order.
Gulf Stream—Wahoo
& Blackfin Tuna
We’re entering one of the two prime windows of the year for quality wahoo and blackfin tuna fishing. Classic hotspots—The Steeples, Blackjack, Same Ole, and The Nipple—are all worth a look.
While overall numbers of wahoo may not peak in December, the quality more than makes up for it. Many fish average 40–60 pounds and are commonly found along offshore ledges where water temps hover in the low 70s. High-speed trolling and rigged ballyhoo on wire leaders are the preferred methods.
For blackfin tuna, make sure to run a small tuna feather or cedar plug way back in the spread.
A Final Word: Winter Fishing Safety
Winter fishing can be a blast, but December demands respect. Offshore runs mean long stretches over water in the low 50s, where hypothermia becomes a very real threat. Pick calm weather windows, dress in layers topped with a waterproof shell, and ensure all safety gear is properly stocked and functioning.
If you’re hesitant to make the run yourself, plenty of local charters are equipped for winter conditions and have openings this month. December offers some of the most rewarding fishing of the year—and with the right preparation, it’s a season well worth getting out on the water.
History
High Seas Adventure
November Brunswick Civil War Roundtable
STORY AND PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
Blockade running, whether on the high seas or steaming up the Cape Fear River toward Wilmington, is a curious subject for most folks. In fact, blockade runners played a major role in the eventual outcome of the Civil War. For some answers, and for those eager to learn more, the Brunswick Civil War Round Table turned to one of the most knowledgeable area historians on this subject, Jim McKee. Jim will be the featured guest speaker at the Tuesday, Dec. 2 meeting. His program is appropriately entitled, “Runners and Raiders,” and everyone is invited to come aboard!
During the Civil War, right here in Wilmington, which was considered a blockade- running hub, runners thrived, using this port to supply the Confederates with weapons, ammunition, medicine, and food by making risky trips through the Union blockade. Wilmington’s location was ideal because it was up the Cape Fear Riv-
er, safe from direct naval bombardment, and protected by Fort Fisher. These vessels were shallow draft, slim, sleek ships designed to slip through these blockades, outrun Union warships, and make it upriver successfully to Wilmington until the fall of Fort Fisher in January, 1865. In fact, many blockade runners that didn’t succeed are the sunken shipwrecks off the Carolina coast.
Blockade runners relied on darkness and bad weather to make their runs, ideally on moonless nights. They would have to assess blockade positions to decide which of the two inlets, separated by Smith’s Island and the Frying Pan Shoals, determining which was less guarded. Each trip was an exciting adventure, with threats of peril, but worth it for the incredible profits that could be
realized. These were exciting times, and the way Jim shares his vast knowledge with such enthusiasm you would think he was there watching events unfold first hand!
Jim is a life-long student of history, and is currently Site Manager at Brunswick Town/Ft. Anderson Historic Site. Being located on the banks of the Cape Fear River broadened his interest about what took place
along that river about 160-plus years ago. So blockade running became one of his prime interests. While his incredible four-page life story is too lengthy to share here, it’s important to know his passion has always been American history. He has worked for the National Park Service in Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where he helped operate two visitor centers, researched,
and conducted many guided tours. Years later, his career led him to the NC Maritime Museum at Southport. In addition, Jim has been an Advisor to this Round Table since its inception 15 years ago, always eager to share this thoughts and ideas which
has had an impact on the organization’s success. With his extreme enthusiasm for delivering history presentations, and his personable style of captivating his audiences, Jim is always a crowd pleaser.
This Dec. 2 meeting will be held at Hatch Auditorium on Caswell Beach (at the east end of Caswell Beach Road). Registration begins at 6:15 and the program starts at 7 pm. The visitor fee remains at $10, and may be applied toward the $25 annual membership
dues, which importantly can include a spouse. Incidentally, about onethird of our audiences are female! For more information about the meeting or the Round Table, please contact president John Butler at Brunswickcwrt@gmail.com, or call
warroundtable.com
and current information, news, and updates, or their Facebook page.
History Battle of Roanaoke Island
January Cape Fear Civil War Round Table
STORY AND PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
Members of Wilmington’s Cape Fear Civil War Round Table will enjoy a special holiday meeting in December. The get together will be open only to round table members, but mark your calendars for the Jan. 8, 2026 meeting.
Michael P. Zatarga, the author of “The Battle of Roanoke Island: Burnside and the Fight for North Carolina” in The History Press Civil War Sesquicentennial Series, will speak about the pivotal battle for control of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the sound country.
Zatarga grew up surrounded by history in New York’s Hudson Valley, resulting in a career in the history field. He has worked with the National Park Service at Guilford
Courthouse NMP in Greensboro and Fort Raleigh NHS in Manteo. He was the living history coordinator for the 150th anniversary commemoration of the Civil War on the Outer Banks: Flags Over Hatters event.
Many people, even seasoned Civil War history buffs, seem to glance over the importance of the war on the water, saving all their interest for the dramatic, large-scale land battles that involved so many more men. Yet, without a blockade of serious effectiveness, the Union would have faced a much greater risk of intervention by the European nations and also Confederate interference with troop movements by sea.
the rear of St. John’s Episcopal at 1219 Forest Hills Drive in Wilmington. The church parking lot and entrance to the meeting room is easily accessed via Park Avenue off of Independence Boulevard. For more information about membership in the Cape Fear Civil War Round Table, go to http:// www.cfcwrt. org and pick “Join/Rejoin.” All are welcome. See you there!
Gaining control of the North Carolina sounds was key early in the war and the the battle for Roanoke Island in February 1862 was key. The January meeting (remember, no regular meeting in December) begins at 7 pm and doors open at 6:30 pm. The meeting will be held in Elebash Hall at
CALENDAR
Our Calendar is full of information from all of Brunswick County. We publish three magazines — Leland Magazine, Shallotte and South Brunswick Islands Magazine, and Southport Magazine. We love collecting details about all the of the fun events from all across our county and we think that everyone in the county, no matter which magazine they read, should be able to see all of the opportunities our community offers. We hope you’ll find something unexpected in this month’s Calendar and we really encourage you to hop in the car and go to something you’ve never experienced before.
December
THROUGH DEC
31
Festival of Trees — Museum of Coastal Carolina
From Van Gogh to Wicked, from a country Christmas to enchantment under the sea, the Museum has been transformed into a magical Christmas wonderland with 20 spectacularly and artfully-decorated trees. It’s the 6th Annual Festival of Trees, and decorated trees are offered in a silent auction; guests are encouraged to bid and the highest bidders will take possession of decorated trees once the festival concludes. The winner of the favorite tree contest will be announced Dec. 29.
NOV 28
Tree Lighting — Sunset Beach
Enjoy s’mores, hot chocolate and festive music at the Town’s tree lighting. The event starts at 5 pm at Sunset Beach Town Park, 206 Sunset Blvd. North. Donations of dog and cat food for Pawsability will be accepted.
NOV 28
Tree Lighting and Letters to Santa — Ocean Isle Beach
This jolly celebration includes visiting with Santa, lighting of the Christmas tree and even some festive surprises. The event is 6-8 pm at Town Center Park, 11 E. Second St.
NOV 29
Holiday Market in the Park — Sunset Beach
Local artisans offer unique works for
purchase at this special holiday market, 10 am to 2 pm at Sunset Beach Town Park, 206 Sunset Blvd. North. Donations of dog and cat food for Pawsability will be accepted.
NOV 29
Ocean Isle Beach Christmas Flotilla
Boaters come out in a big way to celebrate the season and to raise money for Brunswick Family Assistance while they’re at it. Boats are transformed into all kinds of Christmas decor — one entry last year was a huge floating snow globe! The flotilla starts from Inlet View Marina at dusk-ish and turns at the bridge and turns at the canal.
DEC 1
Christmas Tree Lighting in Shallotte
It’s time to light the tree, and Santa Claus will be on site to lend a hand. Join the evening festivities at Mulberry Park, 123 Mulberry St.
DEC
2
Brunswick Civil War Round Table
“Runners and Raiders.” Consider exciting adventure, imminent peril, and boring quarantine…all for unbelievable profit. That is what blockade runners realized running in and out of the Cape Fear River during the Civil War. Popular local historian Jim McKee, site manager at Brunswick Town/Ft. Anderson State Historic Site, will focus his audience on a rare adventure into these ironclad vessels, and the critical Confederate roles they played within North Carolina, as well as fierce localized battles off the Carolina coast. The group meets
at Hatch Auditorium at Fort Caswell, 100 Caswell Beach Road. Doors open at 6:15 pm and the program starts at 7 pm. Annual memberships (for two) are just $25; the cost for visitors is $10.
DEC 2
Santa Paws — Oak Island
Take your furry friends to Middleton Park Complex, 4610 E. Dolphin Drive (at the amphitheater) from 4-8 pm for photos with Santa.
DEC
4
Christmas Tree Lighting — Holden Beach
More details to come, but plan on lighting the tree at the park, 125 Davis St.; entertainment starts at 5:30 pm.
DEC 5
Tree Lighting — Oak Island
This annual event includes train rides, craft stations, live entertainment, letters to Santa, a vendors market and a visit
CALENDAR
from Santa Claus. The program is 5-7 at the Middleton park Complex, 4610 Dolphin Drive.
DEC 5
Tree Lighting - Southport
Gather at 6 p.m. at the Whittler’s Bench (the foot of Howe Street and enjoy carols with the Trinity UMC Children’s Choir, hot cocoa and cookies, and the official lighting of the Christmas tree!
DEC 5
Tree Lighting — Boiling Spring Lakes Town Hall
The tree will be lit, and ornaments will be provided for children to hang on the tree (or they can bring their own). The event is 5:30-7 pm, and includes cookies and cocoa, and a visit with Santa following a parade at the new Fire Department Headquarters, 3172 George II Highway.
DEC 5-13
Ice Skating in Southport
Yes, you read that right. Enjoy this pop-up skating experience on the tennis court at Fort Johnston (East Moore Street)
The rink is open Friday to Sunday noon to 8 pm, and 3-8 pm Monday to Thursday. The cost is $15 and includes skate rental.
DEC 6
Breakfast with Santa — Oak Island
Enjoy breakfast with Santa Claus before his big appearance in the parade later that day. Breakfast is 8-10 am at the Community Center, 102 SE 47th St.; preregistration is required and the cost is $10 for residents/$12 for non-residents.
DEC 6
Winterfest Tea — Southport
You and your favorite ladies, or gentlemen, can help support local community organizations with this elegant event at the Southport Community Center, 223 E. Bay St. Tickets are $50; visit http://cityofsouthport.com/winter-
DEC 6
Christmas By The Sea Parade — Oak Island
Festive crowds line Oak Island Drive for this annual parade. The parade steps off at 2 pm at NE 46th Street and travels east, ending at McGlamery Street.
DEC 6
Christmas Parade and Festival — Northwest
This festival has it all — a parade, music, shopping with local vendors, food trucks, and a chance to visit with Santa! Parade lineup starts at 9 am, and the festival starts at 10 am, 4440 Blue Banks Loop Road.
DEC 6
Christmas in the Village — Southport Stroll amongst the Southport Village Shops (1102 N. Howe St., behind the Smokehouse) and shop in the stores and with vendors, enjoy samples and coca, and pictures with Santa!
DEC 6
Holiday Market — Leland
Shop for unique gifts and maybe treat yourself at this annual market, 10 am to 3 pm at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way.
DEC 6
Grand Illumination — Leland
Leland’s Mayor will welcome everyone to the Town Hall complex (Town Hall Drive) and give Santa his cue to light up the park, officially bringing back Leland in Lights! After the park lights up, visitors can stop in Santa’s Workshop and visit with Santa, and the Leland Express kids train will be chugging around the park. The event is 6-8 pm.
DEC 6
Tree Lighting — Varnamtown
Help Varnamtown light the tree at Town Hall (100 Varnamtown Road), with Christmas music and caroling, hot cocoa, and cookies. The fun starts at 5:30 pm, and the lighting is at 6 pm.
DEC
6
Calabash Christmas
Small town family fun at its best — a parade with loads of entries, a tree lighting, live music and caroling, an appearance from Santa Claus, and hot cocoa. There will also be a mailbox with direct service to the North Pole and a reindeer food station. The festivities start at 6 pm at Callahan’s, 9973 Beach Drive in Calabash.
DEC 6
Christmas Parade — Shallotte
Join neighbors and friends new and old for this annual parade on Main Street in SHallotte. The parade starts marching at 10 am.
DEC 6-7
Sea Notes Concert
Start your holiday celebrations early with the Sea Notes holiday concert, “We Wish You the Merriest.” The concert is at 3 pm at Odell Williamson Auditorium, Brunswick Community College (150 College Road NE, Bolivia). Tickets are free, but are usually snapped up quickly.
Tickets are available at the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce, Long Beach Road;
Ricky Evans Gallery in Southport; The Shoe Center in the Villages at Brunswick Forest, Leland;
Port City Java, Olde Waterford Way, Leland; Scott’s Farm and Family, Main Street, Shallotte and Lanvale Road, Leland.
DEC 7
Pet Pictures with Santa — Southport
From 2-4 pm, your furry family members can get their picture with Santa! The photo op is at Indian Trail Meeting Hall, 113 W. Moore St.
DEC 7
Holiday Market — Oak Island
The fields at Middleton Park Complex (4610 E. Dolphin Dr.) will be filled with vendors and lots of goodies to buy. The Market is noon to 4 pm, and keep
an eye out for your favorite magazine publishers (us, of course!) who will have photos and crafts for sale.
DEC 8
Shop With a Cop Concert
This concert with the Back Porch Rockers helps support the Southport Police Department’s program to help provide gifts for families in need. The concert is 6-8 pm at Franklin Square Park on Howe Street; this year’s event also includes a contest for decorated golf carts.
DEC 9
Cookies With Santa — Leland
Enjoy a break from the chaos of the season with some milk and cookies and a visit with Santa. Children can also make a holiday craft. Preregistration is required.
DEC 9
Winterfest-ival of Trees — Southport
Franklin Square Park on Howe Street hosts this new event, with trees decorated by area groups, businesses and individuals. Walk through the Park from 6-8 pm and enjoy children’s crafts and games, visits with Santa and The Grinch, children’s and adults’ caroling, holiday items for a sale and silent auction items. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information and to register a tree for the Park, visit www.southportgardenclub.org.
DEC 9
Sandbar Lecture — Museum of Coastal Carolina
This monthly program features “A Colonial Apparition,” a Cape Fear holiday ghost story. Hunter Ingram, assistant museum director for the Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens will tell the tale. The lecture is free with Museum admission; the Museum opens at 4:30 pm and the lecture is 5:30-6:30 pm. The Museum is at 21 E. Second St.
DEC 12
A Light in the Darkest of Night
Experience the quiet and peaceful-
ness of Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson at night, with the site open 4-7 pm. Admission is free, and the gift shop will be open. The ruins at St. Philips Church will be decorated in period style greenery and candlelight. The site is at 8884 Saint Phillips Rd SE, Winnabow (off N.C. 133).
DEC 12
Light Up the Night Christmas Parade — Southport
Children can ride in the parade on fire trucks; loading begins at 5:30 pm at the Station and the parade starts at 6:30 pm (along Moore Street and back to Howe).
DEC 12
Open House at Once More Bookstore
Friends of the Library - Southport & Oak Island’s used bookstore is open for holiday shopping, 10 am to 4 pm. The store is in the back of Southport Realty, 727 N. Howe St. in Southport, and the day includes hot cider, cookies, and books under the outdoor tent, with treasures like books, puzzles, signed pottery, and whimsical baubles inside.
DEC 13
Christmas Craft Festival — Belville Shop for all things Christmas at this festival, 10 am to 3 pm at Riverwalk Park, 580 River Rd SE. Stop back by that night for the annual tree lighting, 5-7 pm.
DEC 13
Father Daughter Snowball Dance
Fathers and daughters can spend some time together with dancing and light refreshments. The dance is 5:307:30 pm at the Oak Island Recreation Center, 3003 E. Oak Island Drive. The cost is $20 per father/daughter combo for residents.
DEC 13
Christmas Parade and Holiday Market — Bolivia
Vendors will offer unique finds at the market, 3848 Old Ocean Highway (U.S. 17 Business), before and after the Christmas parade, which steps off at 11 am.
DEC 13
Southport Winterfest
Check the ad in this month’s magazine or visit https://cityofsouthport. com/winterfest/ for details. Events today include the Winter Craft Festival, Santa’s Workshop, Winterfest Performing Arts, old Brunswick Jail Tours, the Southport Toy and Train Show, a Charlie Brown Christmas party for the kids, and the annual Holiday Tour of Homes (tickets required, and they sell out fast).
DEC 13
Southport Winterfest Flotilla
Cape Fear Yacht Club, Downtown Southport, Inc. (DSI), and the City of Southport, will illuminate the waterfront with the annual flotilla. Bring chairs and blankets to enjoy the beauty of Christmas lights bouncing off the water along Southport’s Waterfront, starting at 6 pm. The Flotilla route will showcase vessels from Old American Fish to Marker 19 near The Landings, then return to continue down the ICW. This year, Cape Fear Radio will broadcast live, and students from the Southport Elementary School Art Program will be judging the sail and power boats of the Flotilla. The Judges’ Artwork will be on display at the NC Maritime Museum at Southport during the month of December.
DEC 14
An 18th Century Christmas — Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson
Enjoy 18th century inspired refreshments in the Visitor Center, participate in traditional games, or try your hand at Moravian paper stars and other 18th century crafts. The highlight of the evening will be an authentic period candlelit service in the ruins of St. Philips Anglican Church. The service will begin at 5 pm and will conclude by 5:30 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the gate upon arrival. The site is at 8884 Saint Phillips Rd SE, Winnabow (off N.C. 133).
DEC 16
Storytime by the Sea — Oak Island Children 12 and younger and their families can enjoy Christmas storytime
at Oak Island’s 801 Ocean Event Center, 10-11 am. Children will also be able to make a craft to take home. This event is free, but pre-registration is required.
DEC
31
Noon Year’s Eve — Ocean Isle Beach
This family-friendly event lets you ring in the new year and still go to bed at a decent hour. Gather at Town Center Park, 11 E. Second St., from 11 am to 12:30 pm for music, dancing, crafts, and the countdown to noon..
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
Hatch Auditorium
NC Baptist Assembly - Fort Caswell (end of Caswell Beach Road)
Dec 13-14 — Brunswick Bands will perform a Holiday Extravaganza at 3 pm each day, sharing plenty of great holiday tunes to put you in a festive mood. Donations of canned goods are requested.
The Historic Amuzu Theatre
111 N. Howe St.
Dec 5-7 and 12-14 — Christmas at The Amuzu (tickets available at Ricky Evans Gallery in Southport and Crossroads Gathering Place on Oak Islandz0
Leland Cultural Arts Center
1212 Magnolia Village Way
Dec 12 — The Wilmington Big Band will perform classic holiday and big band tunes, 6-8 pm
Odell WIlliamson Auditorium at Brunswick Community College
150 College Road NE, Bolivia
Dec 6-7 — Sea Notes (at 3 pm)
Dec 13 — Barracuda, America’s Heart tribute
Visit https://bccowa.com/ for tickets.
Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College
701 N. Third St., Wilmington
Dec 3 — Wilmington Choral Society presents Season of Celebration
Dec 6-7 — City Ballet performs “The Nutcracker”
Dec 11 — The North Carolina Symphony presents Holiday Pops
Dec 13-14 — “The Nutcracker,” performed by The Wilmington Conservatory of Fine Arts
Dec 16 — La Nueva Generación (mariachi)
Dec 18 — Michael Feinstein in Coming Home, The Holiday Celebration
Dec 20 — The Wilmington Symphony Orchestra plays the score along with “The Muppets Christmas Carol” movie
Visit https://wilsoncentertickets.com for more information.
Thalian Hall
310 Chestnut St., Wilmington
Dec 1 — “A Christmas Carol”
Dec 4 — Sean Heely’s A Celtic Christmas
Dec 5-6 — Ballet for Young Audiences: The Nutcracker
Dec 11-21 — Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, from Big Dawg Productions
Dec 12-21 — The Thalian Association Community Theater presents “Ebenezer: A Musical Christmas Carol”
Check https://www.thalianhall.org/ calendar for more information.
OPEN AIR MARKETS
Belville Riverwalk Farmers Market
Riverwalk Park, 580 River Road, Belville
Shop for produce, ice cream, and fresh seafood, seasonings and all things related to seafood, with the beautiful backdrop of the Brunswick River. Hours are Fridays 10 am to 6 pm; and Sundays 11 am to 3 pm, except ice cream is available every day.
4th Friday Art Market
Shop among 30-plus vendors, eat, dance and enjoy spending time with friends and neighbors at this monthly market next to Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar (1175 Turlington Avenue, in Brunswick Forest). The market is open from
CALENDAR
4-8 pm.!
Market on Mulberry
Shop for unique items from among local artisans, crafters and farmers, and enjoy live music too. The Market is Nov 15 and Dec 13, 1 am to 2 pm at the Riverwalk, 158 Mulberry St.
One Love Market
Christmas Festival & Holiday Market
Sunday, Dec 7, 10 am - 4 pm at Sea Trail Convention Center, 75 Clubhouse Dr., Sunset Beach.
Shop unique gifts, get your photo with Santa, create your own keepsake atb the craft table. Benefits A Second Helping-3G Food Recovery and Distribution..
ONGOING EVENTS
Friends of the Library Southport & Oak Island
The Libraries are open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 am to 6 pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am - 6 pm; and Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm. The Once More used bookstore, at Southport Realty (727 N. Howe St.), with new-to-you books, is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and Saturdays 10 am to noon. Donations accepted Tuesdays and Saturdays 10 am - noon.Visit https://folsoi.org/blog/ for information on summer youth programs.
Barbee Library, 8200 E. Oak Island Drive: Call 910-278-4283 for details on children’s story time and other programs. The Lifelong Learners Group meets at 10 am on Thursdays. Other programs offered at the library include chair yoga, one-on-one tech support on Wednesdays from 1-3 pm, and more.
Harper Library, 109 W. Moore St., Southport: Call 910-457-6237 to register for programs. the Southport Historical Society’s Tuesday Talk is Nov 4 with Old Baldy Foundation’s Jake Grossman presenting “Digging for the FutureDiscovering and Reconstructing Old Baldy’s Glasis Wall.” The program is at 10 am at the library. One-on-one tech support is offered on Thursdays, 1-3
pm.
Boiling Spring Lakes VFW Post
10400
3161 George II Hwy (N.C. 87)
Taco Tuesdays are 3-7 pm (or until sold out!); Trivia Nights are the second and fourth Fridays for teams of four with registration starting at 6 pm; and bingo is on the first and third Thursdays with door opening at 5 pm and games starting at 6 pm.
NC Maritime Museums - Southport
204 E. Moore St.
Hours are 10 am to 4 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. Sensory Saturdays (low light and quiet time in the museum) are the first Saturday of the month, 10 am to noon. Visit www.ncmaritimemuseum.com to register for special programs.
Oak Island Recreation Department
Join the Striders Club at various locations and dates/times to get out and about with a group or try your hand at art with the Paintbrush Academy. There are book clubs, kayak tours in the Davis Canal, surf fishing lessons, and much more. Visit https://parksrec.egov. basgov.com/oakislandnc for details on programs.
Franklin Square Art Gallery
The Gallery is open 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Saturday and can be found at 130 E. West St., next to Franklin Square Park. Works in the 2025 Maritime Art Show will be on display through Nov. 15..
First Friday Gallery Walk — Southport
The First Friday Gallery Walk is 5-7 pm in Southport at participating galleries, such as Lantana’s, The Rickey Evans Gallery, the Franklin Square Art Gallery, Artisans on Howe and the Intracoastal Realty Downtown Southport Office. Stroll along and browse in the shops to see what local artists have to offer.
Bingo at the Elks Lodge — Oak Island
Bingo games are on the second and
fourth Tuesdays at the Lodge, 106 E. Dolphin Drive, Oak Island. Games are open to the public; no one under 16 and no outside food or drinks allowed. Doors open to the public at 5:45 pm with games starting at 6:30 pm. Snacks and drinks available for purchase (cash or checks only). Progressive Jackpot and winner take all coverall.
Battleship North Carolina — near Leland
Tour the USS NORTH CAROLINA and participate in group programs and special programming throughout the year. Visit https://battleshipnc.com/. The battleship site is at 1 Battleship Road NE, Wilmington (west side of the Cape Fear River).
Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson
State Historic Site
8884 St. Philips Rd. SE, Winnabow
There is plenty to do and see, with a museum, historic ruins, great information on the site’s history, and some of the most beautiful riverfront property in the County. Hours are 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.
Museum of Coastal Carolina
21 E. Second St., Ocean Isle Beach
The Museum is open Thursday-Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays from noon until 4 pm. Also open Dec 29-31. Sandbar lectures are every Tuesday at 6 pm.
Ingram Planetarium
7625 High Market St., Sunset Beach
The Planetarium is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 am to 4 pm; dome shows start on the hour from 11 am to 3 pm. Laser shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 6 pm and 7 pm. Visit https://museumplanetarium.org/ ingram-planetarium/ to see the show schedule.
Leland Library
487 Village Road NE
Baby storytime is at 10 am on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Pre-K and older storytime is at 11 am on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
4th
Friday Art Market
Shop among 30-plus vendors, eat, dance and enjoy spending time with friends and neighbors at this monthly market next to Shuckin’ Shack Oyster Bar (1175 Turlington Avenue, in Brunswick Forest). The market is open from 4-8 pm.
Town of Leland/Parks & Recreation
Check out https://www.townofleland. com/parks-recreation-and-cultural-resources for more information on classes and programs, including starting an art journal, pottery, gardening, writing creative nonfiction, acting, dance and more.
Wilmington River Tours
212 S. Water St., Wilmington
Tour the beautiful Cape Fear River and learn more about the area’s history and ecology. Sunset cruises include acoustic music Thursdays through Sundays! Tours are offered daily, to the north along historic downtown Wilmington, the USS North Carolina Battleship and Eagles Island on the even hours, and to the south under the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and past the shipyard on the odd hours; visit https://wilmingtonwatertours.net/ for schedules and to purchase tickets.
Art League of Leland (ALL) at the Leland Cultural Arts Center
The group welcomes artists of all kinds and meets monthly (except in summer months) 4-6 pm at the Leland Cultural Arts Center, 1212 Magnolia Village Way.
Don’t see your event or location listed? Try as we might, we don’t catch everything, so to be sure to be included send your events to lisa@ southportmag.com before the 20th of each month! Thank you!
ALL WINTERFEST LONG SHOP, DINE & ENJOY LOCAL
Downtown • Spt-OKI Area Chamber
Holiday promotions, gift guide, and dining updates from local businesses. Info: www.shopsouthportoakisland.com
STOREFRONT SHOWCASE
Downtown • City of Southport
Vote for decorated storefronts in festive categories. Winners announced Dec. 15.
