Sasee December 2011

December 2011 Priceless www.sasee.com

The words you say mean

nothing, the way you say them means

everything. – Eileen Parra

'Tis the Season

to Visit THE MARKET COMMON

EXCITING HOLDIAY EVENTS NOV. 26TH THROUGH DEC. 18TH!

Breakfast With Santa - Saturdays 9AM

Each week, one restaurant will host Breakfast with Santa. $10/person includes gourmet breakfast and a treat from Santa for the kids. Reservations Recommended.

Nov. 26 - Tommy Bahama, Dec. 3 - Gordon Biersch, Dec. 10 - Nacho Hippo, Dec 17 - Travinia.

Free Carriage Rides - Saturdays 11AM-2PM Rides Begin in front of Tommy Bahama.

Carolers - Sundays 1PM-4PM

Enjoy your favorite holidays songs around The Market Common

Special Delivery for Santa

Visit Pottery Barn to write your letters to Santa and drop them in the special mailbox in front of Grand 14 Cinema!

CHIME IN TO WIN! Visit www.MarketCommonHolidays.com or scan the gift to join the

conversation. Prizes include a decorated Christmas Tree from Pottery Barn, holiday wardrobe makeover and dinner at Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar!

www.Mar ketCommonHolidays.com Located along Farrow Parkway between Highway 17 and Highway 17 By-Pass

48498-McL Dr. Lukowski-Sassee_48498-McL Dr. Lukowski-Sassee 9/8/11 8:55 AM Page 1

The strength of unique skills and expertise make Dr. Lukowski a standout in our area.

McLeod Orthopaedics Seacoast and Dr. Frederick Hamilton are very pleased to welcome orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Lukowski to the practice. Highly skilled in treating general orthopedic needs, Dr. Lukowski also completed a hand and upper extremity surgery fellowship and specializes in caring for patients of all ages with needs ranging from carpal tunnel and artery and nerve damage in the hand to elbow surgery and rotator cu repairs. A respected practice that has been serving the area for more than 15 years, McLeod Orthopaedics Seacoast provides an extensive range of orthopedic care, including general orthopedics, joint reconstruction, sports medicine, and hand and upper extremity surgery. Many procedures can be performed with minimally invasive technology.

Dr. Lukowski is currently welcoming new patients at Seacoast Medical Center. Patients can be referred by their primary care physician or make an appointment directly with the practice.

McLeod Physician Associates

3980 Highway 9 East, Suite 200, Little River, SC 29566

McLeod Orthopaedics Seacoast 843-390-0100 www.McLeodHealth.org

featured articles

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December 2011 Volume 10, Issue 12

Putting Yourself and Friendships in Time-out

by Susan DeBow

Ode to Joy

by Debra Ann Pawlak

When No One Else Will Do

by Diane Stark

Trained by the Best

by Sioux Roslawski

Southern Snaps

by Leslie Moore

Fudge

by Felice Prager

The Perfect Gift

by Rose Ann Sinay

who’s who Publisher Delores Blount Sales & Marketing Director Susan Bryant Editor Leslie Moore Account Executives Amanda Kennedy-Colie Erica Schneider Celia Wester Art Director Taylor Nelson Photography Director Patrick Sullivan Graphic Artist Scott Konradt Accounting Bart Buie CPA, P.A. Administrative Assistant Barbara J. Leonard Executive Publishers Jim Creel Bill Hennecy Tom Rogers

She ReGifted My Present

by Janey Womeldorf

A Stair-Step Christmas Carol

by Linda O’Connell

A Surprise Gift

by Merry Carol Cotton

PO Box 1389 Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 fax 843-626-6452 • phone 843-626-8911 www.sasee.com • info@sasee.com I n T h is I ssue Sasee’s Circle of Love Wreathes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Read It! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Sasee Gets Candid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Finding the Spirit of Christmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Faves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Women & Men Who Mean Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Scoop on the Strand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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Sasee is published monthly and distributed free along the Grand Strand. For subscription info, see page 47. Letters to the editor are welcome, but could be edited for length.

Submissions of articles and art are welcome. Visit our website for details on submission. Sasee is a Strand Media Group, Inc. publication.

Copyright © 2011. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material, in part or in whole, prepared by Strand Media Group, Inc. and appearing within this publication is strictly prohibited. Title “Sasee” is registered with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

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Wishing you a joyous holiday season!

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Sydney J. Lynn, Esquire

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december

www.sasee.com 5

contributing writers Merry Carol Cotton arrived in Pawleys Island over six years ago after having taught in Michigan for nearly thirty years. She has published in the National Council of Teachers of English Journal.

Susan DeBow is a Midwest writer with a Southern heart. She is currently working on her second book, The Irish Virgin, about her exploits in Ireland.

letter from the editor Each month, Sasee publishes nine first person essays, selected from the many well-crafted submissions we receive. Freelance writing is lonely work. It involves a lot of sitting at the computer for hours on end and then sending the results out into cyberspace with no clue to how it will be received. While we cannot publish them all, I am very grateful that we are able to offer our readers such a wide range high quality writing. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of our writers, many of whom have become friends, for continuing to share your talent and lives with us. This month, in addition to our usual essays, you’ll find some special holiday pages to brighten your day and hopefully convey the spirit of the season.

A native South Carolinian, Lisa Hamilton is the director of the First Presbyterian Church Preschool and Kindergarten. Of course she loves reading, but also finds time for cooking and walking her dog, Hurley.

And, of course, I could not end the year without a big thank you to YOU, dear readers.We are all so grateful that you continue to pick up Sasee each month. Your input and kind comments throughout the year mean so much.

May your holiday season be truly blessed. Don’t forget to support your local retailers this year – shop local!

Debra Ann Pawlak is an author from Michigan and has completed a book, Bringing Up Oscar, The Men and Woman Who Founded the Academy, which was published by Pegasus Books in January 2011 and soon to be released in paperback. She is currently working on her next book in the Hollywood series.

Linda O’Connell is a preschool teacher and freelance writer from St. Louis, Missouri. As Linda waltzed through the decades, she discovered her age of elegance was in her forties, but she isn’t complaining. Linda resides in the Midwest but her heart and soul hang out at the beach.

Happy Holidays!

Felice Prager is a freelance writer and author of the recently released book, Quiz It: Arizona from Arthur McAllister Publishers. To find out more about Felice’s book, please visit www.QuizItAZ.com.

cover artist

Sioux Roslawski is a third grade teacher, a grandmother and a dog rescuer. You can read her musings at http://siouxspage. blogspot.com.

Lord Lift Me, by Jan Oliver Jan Oliver is a self-taught artist who began painting in 2003. She divides her time painting between the mountains of Colorado and the deserts of Arizona. Jan’s unique style of painting is inspired by traditional Spanish Colonial folk art and the works of the Mexican Muralist movement. Early exposure to the beautiful stained glass windows in her grandmother’s church also contributed to Jan’s sense of color and the “stained glass” quality many collectors remark about in her works. Since 2003, her art has become internationally collected and gallery and museum exhibited. She is the mother of one son, Trevor, three cats (Mooker, Smellicus and Weasel Puffin) and one dog (Kylie). She currently resides in Yuma, Arizona, with her partner Don. Additional information about Jan and her work can be found at www.janoliver.com.

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Rose Ann Sinay lives in North Carolina with her husband and dog where she spends her time writing. Her children graciously continue to provide her with moments worth preserving.

Diane Stark is a wife, a mother of five and a freelance writer.

Her work has appeared in publications like Chicken Soup for the Soul: A Tribute to Moms. She loves to write about her family and her faith.

december

Janey Womeldorf is a freelance writer who thrives on writing about the humorous, the poignant, and the continually-surprising sides of everyday life. She drinks too much coffee and scribbles away in Memphis, Tennessee.

’s

Circle of Love A heartfelt Thank you goes out to all who participated in the 1st Annual Circle of Love Wreath Drive.

Sasee had so many gorgeous wreaths & door hangings donated. At presstime, we were still receiving wreaths to distribute and to judge. The special awards and recipients will be published in the January 2012 Sasee. Please visit our website at www.sasee.com or our facebook page to see the wreaths that were donated.

Thank you also to Rose Arbor Fabrics & Interiors and The Social Garden for being such great sponsors of this year’s event. As promised each sponsor donated $5 for each wreath received. Angel Tree gifts will be purchased with these proceeds during the month of December and delivered to children in our area.

The wreaths were delivered to Myrtle Beach Manor’s skilled nursing center on November 30, 2011 by the Sasee staff.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

1782 Sasse Magazine.indd 1

Celebrating 22 Years in Pawleys Island

9/2/09 12:00:58 PM

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Gifts • Jewelry • China Shops at Oak Lea 11096 Ocean Highway Pawleys Island, SC 29585 (843) 237-8080 www.eleanorpitts.com

Merry Christmas & Blessings for the New Year Love Chris, Hannah, Henning & Whitman

Isaiah 9:6

Where Childhood is

Cherished

Photos by Wendy Kovac Photography

4640 Hwy 17, Murrells Inlet, SC Next to Salt Creek Cafe

843-651-7424

december

Find us on Facebook

www.sasee.com 9

Pawleys Island Swimwear

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Beauty is in the details!

Looking good is feeling great!

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Read It! The Village Shops

(Just south of the Hammock Shops)

Pawleys Island, SC 843-235-3808

Inlet Square Mall Hwy. 17 Bypass Murrells Inlet, SC 843-651-9372

Lisa Says…

Read Boomsday, by Christopher Buckley

by Lisa Hamilton 10 www.sasee.com

Gift Certificates make GREAT stocking stuffers!

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843.995.5005

www.YourJourneyToBeauty.com Appointments Available Monday - Saturday

Boomsday, by Christopher Buckley is a book that will appeal to all, especially Baby Boomers and their offspring. It is extremely witty, well written and quite timely to say the least.

Boomsday is the day that the majority of the Baby Boomers will begin retiring, pushing the United States into economic trouble and forcing tax raises to support Social Security. When Social Security began there were 15 workers to support 1 retiree; now the ratio is about 3 to 1.

This book swears you can run from that kind of math, but you can’t hide.

december

For unique gifts & home accessories

Large selection of

Mark Roberts

Collectible Fairies, Elves & NEW Pixies.

Greenery, Ribbons, Ornaments & great gifts.

843-449-1653

www.accentsbycarol.com

11412 Ocean Highway • Pawleys Island 843-237-3773 • www.christophersfinejewelry.com

Northwood Plaza • 7711 N. Kings Hwy. • Myrtle Beach

Cassandra Divine is the novel’s heroine, she’s a twenty-nine year old intellectually and morally superior PR blogger who purposes tax incentives for people who, at age seventy years old, “voluntarily transition” themselves. (commit suicide). Of course she doesn’t truly believe in this, but she certainly makes a good case for it with her political ally and lover, a certain wealthy, handsome Senator from Massachusetts.

Christopher Buckley once again proves his prowess for political satires by adding plenty of twists and turns, and fast-paced characters with great dialogue. This book is outrageous, hilarious and highly entertaining.

december

www.sasee.com 11

Putting Yourself and Friendships in

Time-out

by Susan DeBow

When my kids were growing up, the concept of “time-out” was not in our vocabulary. We sent kids to their room or told them to, “Sit there and don’t make a sound!” but never did we say, “Okay, you are going to get a timeout.” The whole concept of that, to me, was stupid and too “Mr. Rogers.”

Now I see the value. Not necessarily for kids, since I don’t have any at home to put in a time-out. But for myself and some of my friendships, timeouts have become part of my repertoire for dealing with life.

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This past summer, was when I began learning the value of time-outs.

I went on vacation with a group of people that I love. Hilton Head. Lovely house with its own pool. A dream vacation for me. It was delightful, especially after I learned my new coping technique.

I don’t know about you, but after I am around a group of people for too much time, I begin to get the vapors. My skin begins to crawl, and my head tilts to the side; my tongue drapes from my mouth, and my eyes roll back in my head. And Lord knows what can soon come out of my mouth. Think Linda Blair in The Exorcist.

For years, when this occurred, I would use all of my might to keep from imploding or exploding. I’d tough it out and dread. Not so any more.

Why? Because finally, after 58 years, I figured it out. When I felt the vapors coming on, I simply said, “Well, I am going to go put myself in time-out.”

Then I would trot off to my room where I would rest, regroup and let my ears rest. Within an hour or so, I would return to the group and be my lovely, captivating self. Sense of humor intact.

During my time-outs, I would sometimes rest on my bed, maybe scan the internet or perhaps watch out my window and listen to the birds. I would release tensions that I might have felt and return my mind to the here and now. Hell, sometimes I prayed for patience.

I have always found it way too easy to lose myself when I am with a group. When that happens, I am not happy. And I am not myself. Time-outs help me be myself. They help me give others a break.

There is another use for time-outs. Friends. Sometimes I don’t like my friends. Yes, I said it. On occasion, I have been so upset with some of my friends that I have considered discontinuing friendships.

I stew and fret over slights and words said and unsaid. I get on my high-horse and become holier than thou. For those of you who ride a high horse, I am sure you know how lonely that can be.

Knowing that my mind and logic can sometimes not be trusted, I have learned another technique that helps protect me from myself. Time-out for friends! Yes-sir-ee Bob, I give friendships a time-out. Cooling off periods that not only give myself breaks from my friends, but my friends get breaks for me. Sometimes the time-out is just a few days, but more often than not, they are in the range of two to three weeks. Enough time for personalities to settle down, patterns to be broken and the absence makes the heart grow fonder theory to take place.

Most of my friends are pretty long-term. Fifty-five years. Twenty years. Fifteen years. We know a lot about each other. The good. The bad. And the ugly. And, as much as friendships buoy me in life, sometimes they can drag me down. And give me – you guessed it – the vapors. But instead of trying to determine whether I should end a friendship because I am feeling frustrated either with my friend or myself, I give the friendship a time-out.

I have been using the time-out method for a few months now, and it is working. In the case of friendships, I don’t announce the time-out. Nature takes its course. So far, so good. It has been invigorating. It is fun to catch up with friends after a time-out. Time-outs allow us both to expand our horizons, spend time with other friends that add to our lives and relearn the reasons why we are friends in the first place.

Because I am such an imperfect person in most aspects of my life, I have had to learn hints, tools and techniques to help me with anything that has to do with another human being; a.k.a..…relationships.

I will never roll my eyes when I hear a mother tell her child, “You need a time-out.” It is now a tool in my life’s arsenal. And you know who I might use it on next?

My husband!

december

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Love Heals • Frederic Duclos • Rembrandt Charms • Seiko

• Cargo Hold • Elle • Gabriel & Co. • Benchmark • Pandora • Metalsmiths Sterling • Galatea • Love Heals • Frederic Duclos •

Merry Christmas

from our family to yours!

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Interior Design S e r v i c e A v ai l a b l e

843•449•7673 • www.rosearborfabrics.com • askus@rosearborfabrics.com • 6916 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach

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www.sasee.com 13

Happy Holidays

Inspired living Inspired design is the essence of living well. From bold statement rooms, to rejuvenating retreats, CHD Interiors creates spaces for you to live life engaged.

15% off All merchandise

“Buzz in”

to pick up one of our

“Wrapped Gifts to Go”!

We’ve got the perfect gift beautifully wrapped and ready to go!

Wrapping is complimentary, as always!

Wreath and Holiday Decor Classes are still going strong. Reserve your spot by calling the shop

www.SoGaBuzz.com • 843-712-1365 7706 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach

Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00am to 6:00pm. Closed Sunday & Monday

www.CHDInteriors.com Celebrating our 19th Year in Business

Our Inventory is Always Changing…Stop in Frequently!

Happy Holidays From our staff to you!

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Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm • take2resale@yahoo.com

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december

It’s All in the Family

Families share many similar characteristics.

Unfortunately, they often share genetics which can lead to serious diseases like breast cancer.

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Get a mammogram, a HALO® Breast Pap Test or BRCA genetic testing

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december

www.sasee.com 15

Ode to Joy

by Debra Ann Pawlak

Whenever my cell phone rings to the tune of Beethoven’s famous melody, joy takes over my spirit. I gladly answer knowing my daughter, Rachel, is on the other end.

“Hello, sweetie-girl!”

“Hello, lady-bug!”

And so begins one of our many long distance conversations.

It took some getting used to, but when Rachel first declared her independence and announced she was moving from our Michigan home all the way to Denver, there was no joy in my mother’s heart. I had to let go of the little girl I’d so carefully protected her entire life. That same little girl who had grown into the best running buddy a mother could have. Now, she would no longer be here. No more trips to the theater or to the mall or to the movies. Of course, I understood that my adult child needed to be on her own, but why so far away? Why Denver? Maybe, it’s just one of the hazards of today’s mobile world – whether a mother likes it or not.

When she left, Rachel urged me to get a cell phone. I never wanted one before, but I quickly signed up. It would be our way to keep in touch.

My eyes, however, weren’t quite what they used to

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be. The display was too small so my clever son programmed the ringer with a special song for each of the special people in my life. For Rachel, I chose Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” That song and my cell phone have become our lifeline.

We talk throughout the day. The first sounds of “Ode to Joy” usually come while she’s driving to work.

“Hello, sweetie-girl!”

“Hello, lady-bug!”

We talk about the evening before, and what we did or didn’t do. Then I hear that famous song again while she’s on her way home. We compare notes about our workdays.

Sometimes, we go to the mall…

“Mom, I can’t decide between the red blouse or the blue one. What do you think?”

Sometimes, we go to the grocery store…

“Mom, what should I buy for dinner?”

Sometimes, we even look at television together…

“Mom, do you want to watch the game with me?”

And we both cheered for our “Motor City Bad Boys,” the Detroit Pistons, the night they claimed the NBA Championship over the Los Angeles Lakers.

december

Then there was that excited phone call when Rachel proudly proclaimed that we had a new member of the family.

“Mom, I got a puppy – a Cavalier! His name is Cody, and I love him to pieces! He’s soooooooooooo cute!”

But when Cody got sick soon after, the tremor in her voice said it all.

“Mom, I had to leave Cody at the animal hospital. The vet isn’t sure if he’s going to make it.”

Thankfully, things with Cody turned out just fine, and we both felt relief.

“Mom, I’m on my way home with Cody, and he’s a whole lot better now.”

I can’t say I like the fact that my daughter moved to another state, but in many ways we’ve grown closer. At least, I know that whenever I hear those familiar musical notes humming from my cell phone, she is on the other end.

It’s obvious that when Beethoven penned his famous melody, “Ode to Joy,” he had a vision of a lovely young woman with sandy-colored curls and mischievous hazel eyes. I’m pretty sure he also saw that little silver cell phone that keeps us connected.

And maybe, just maybe, somewhere out there is a missing verse that starts out with: “Hello, sweetie-girl!”

“Hello, lady-bug!

Pawleys Lifestyles Give the gift of Pawleys this year!

Handmade Oyster Tables Custom Built Joggling Boards Limited Edition, Hand Painted Ornaments Unique Firepits, Outdoor Games Furniture Repair, Specialty Candles Local Honey, Handmade Pottery & More

Just Arrived! 2012 Calendars Featuring the artwork of Keels Culberson Swinnie

Located on the corner of the North Causeway and Hwy. 17, 42 North Causeway Rd., Pawleys Island, SC • 843-314-3536

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Join us for lite bites, good cheer & receive 20% off everything in the store with some items 50% off PLUS 20% off!!

Christmas Open House Dec. 8th-10th 10-5

Dec. 15th-17th 10-5

december

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10164 Beach Dr. SW Calabash, NC 910-579-2015 Mon.-Sat. 10 am-6 pm

www.sasee.com 17

gets candid

Meet Sharon Clayton

One of the first things you learn about Sharon Clayton is that she has a big heart. A native of the Washington D.C. area, Sharon and her husband, Michael, own a vacation home in Myrtle Beach, and her two sons live here year-round; Nicholas is a senior at CCU and Tony is a recent graduate. What is not well known – and she’ll never tell – is how much Sharon does for members of our community that need a helping hand, a hug or just a smile.

This philanthropic-minded woman owns Frugal Princess, a small boutique in Myrtle Beach that donates all of its profits to charity.

Sharon, how did you come up with the idea of opening the Frugal Princess?

There is no one reason I opened Frugal Princess, but I do feel a need to give back – and I love to shop! My merchandise comes from many sources; I buy designer samples in Atlanta and New York, shop sales throughout my travels and accept donations from outside of the area. We are not a consignment or thrift shop – I have accepted a few “gently loved” pieces, but they are like new, dry-cleaned and ready to wear – and not from anyone in this area. Most importantly, I am tied to the Myrtle Beach area because Nicholas and Tony are here. I tell people I followed my sons to college!

Everyone is not a size 2, so I stock all sizes, even curvaceous sizes, and my customers range in age from teenagers to women in their 80s. I strive to find unique pieces to the area. Prices are great, too, ranging from around $20 to $60. I only open Thursdays and Fridays seasonally, but people make an effort to come when I’m here. I think it’s the thrill of the hunt, you just never know what treasures you’ll find!

What do you do for fun?

I love being on the water, and my perfect day is sitting on our boat picking crabs. Or, sitting on the pier with Michael, watching the sun set and drinking a glass of wine. When I’m in Myrtle Beach, I love walking on the beach with my two little dogs.

Why give all the profits to local charities?

Volunteering has always been a part of what our family does. I used to help purchase clothing for children in Northern Virginia. People always donated for the little ones, but not so much for teens. And, if they did, there was no guarantee anything would fit. Now, I can buy things on sale and help others.

Teenagers come in that have never set foot in a boutique – they have no idea how to shop here. By the time they leave, they are smiling and having a good time. And, my profits go mainly to charities that focus on helping women in the area, plus some private donations where it’s needed.

My family home is in Southern Maryland – it has been in my family for 60 years. Recently, I was able to buy it and begin renovations. It was hard to make the house my own, but still leave the memories that we all share, but I succeeded and everyone loves it.

It makes me so proud to see my sons beginning to give back. Nicholas is in charge of fundraising for his fraternity now. Like most families, we’ve had our share of tragedy, but it has only made us all more aware of how very fortunate we are to have each other.

Visit Sharon at the Frugal Princess on select Thursdays and Fridays throughout the year. The boutique is located at 3584 St. James Ave., just off the corner of 38th Ave. N. and Grissom Parkway. For more info, visit www.frugalprincess.org or follow Frugal Princess on Facebook.

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Is there anything else you’d like to share about Frugal Princess?

I have made so many friends through this boutique. Women come in to shop and we end up talking and sharing our lives. We’re tiny, but there’s a lot of love in here.

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www.sasee.com 19

When No One Else Will Do

by Diane Stark

“Mom, can I have some money for the Santa Shop at school?” My seven-year-old son, Jordan, asked.

I sighed. As a single mom, money for non-essentials was pretty much non-existent.

“Please, Mom? The Santa Shop is where all the kids go to buy Christmas presents for their families,” Jordan added hopefully. “And there’s something I really want to get for you.”

“Honey, I don’t need anything,” I said.

But he nodded. “You need this, Mom.” I sighed again and reached for my purse. “I’ll give you three dollars, Bud. I know it’s not much, but it’s what we can swing right now.”

Jordan grinned. “That’s exactly how much I need, Mom. Thanks!”

On Christmas morning, Jordan was beyond excited about the present he’d bought for me. “Open it, Mom, open it,” he said, jumping up and down.

I ripped off the wrapping paper and inside was a small, plastic plaque. It read, “Mom is the person you need when absolutely no one else will do.”

Tears filled my eyes. “This is what you wanted to buy for me?”

Jordan nodded. “Do you like it?”

“Oh, Honey, it’s the best present I’ve ever gotten.”

“I just wanted to show you how much I love you,” Jordan said.

I hugged him close and thanked him for the gift.

“It really is the best present anyone has ever given me,” I told him.

That Christmas night, after Jordan and his sister were asleep I held that plaque in my hands and thought about the meaning behind its words.

Mom is the person you need when absolutely no one else will do.

My children needed me. As a single parent, I was pretty much all they had. They counted on me for everything.

If I wasn’t there for them, no one else would be. It was a lonely, overwhelming realization, and the responsibility of it weighed on me heavily.

I loved the plaque, I really did. And I would live up to it. I’d be the person my kids needed me to be.

But who would be there for me? Who was my “when no one else would do” person?

I had my parents, but I was in my 30s, a little old to be relying on Mommy and Daddy. My siblings and I are a close-knit bunch in our hearts, but geographically, we’re spread out across the country. I had wonderful friends too, but they all had families and other responsibilities, and I didn’t want to be a burden or a drag.

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For me, life as a single parent was lonely, and scary, and not at all how I’d dreamed my life would turn out. But here I was, both alone and scared, and on Christmas, no less.

And in moments like this one, there are only two viable options: cry or pray. I did the former until my eyes were red and my nose was stuffy, but I didn’t feel any better. So I prayed.

I told God about my fear and loneliness. I told Him that I was worried about being enough for my kids.

“I’m all they have,” I reminded God, “and it wasn’t supposed to be this way.”

In that lonely, scary moment, I remembered Bible verses I’d memorized as a child. I remembered that God promised that He would never leave me. He loved me and He always would. No matter what.

The loneliness faded as I realized that I wasn’t really alone. Maybe God could be my “when no one else would do” person.

The thought was comforting, although I couldn’t help wishing for someone special here on earth. “I know You’re here with me, God,” I prayed, “and I thank You for it, but maybe someday, if it’s not too much trouble…”

God heard my prayer that Christmas night, and His answer was better than I ever dreamed.

That February, I met a single dad named Eric. He was raising a couple of kids on his own, and he didn’t like it any better than I did. The more time we spent together, the surer I became that Eric was truly the answer to my prayers.

We got married that summer, and we were now raising our four his-and-hers children together. I no longer had time to be lonely, and I was happier than I’d ever been in my life.

That first Christmas as a new family was really special. Eric and I had shopped for the children’s gifts together.

We’d bought matching pajamas for his daughter and mine.

The girls loved them. I smiled through my tears when I heard them say that all sisters should have matching jammies.

It was a wonderful day, but God had one more surprise for us. I hadn’t been feeling well, so on a whim, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive. Yet another blessing.

At bedtime, I spotted the plaque Jordan had given me the previous Christmas. My eyes filled with tears as I thought about all of the changes over the past year. “Thank You, God,” I said. “Thank You for hearing those desperate words from a lonely single mom. And thank You that I’m not that person anymore.”

That Christmas, I learned that God really is there when no one else will do, but sometimes, if we’re especially blessed, He puts people in our lives who also fit that description.

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www.sasee.com 21

Trained by the

Best

by Sioux Roslawski

Last summer as I sat idling, waiting for the train to pass, I glanced over at the lemonade booth set up in a front yard. The train was long and slow.

I was hot, and from the looks on the kids’ faces, business was even more sluggish than the train.

I contemplated just ignoring their pleading eyes. If I kept staring ahead, I could pretend they weren’t there. After all, I was two minutes from home. Free beverages in the fridge awaited me.

But then, I remembered Mrs. Buffa. And I turned off the ignition, got out and ended up buying a cup of lemonade. In fact, it was so refreshing (as I smacked my lips with exaggerated satisfaction) I paid them double what they were charging as I thought to myself, ‘Mrs. Buffa, you taught me well…’

You see, as a kid, I was crazy about cash.

These days, my motivations differ. I’m a teacher (not the most lucrative job). I dye my own hair (and when I splurge, it’s on the $9 box instead of the $4 brand). I wear the same atrocious-looking Crocs almost daily. But in my pre-teen phase, I was obsessed with earning money.

The first start-up summer, I sold peaches. In the fall before, the tree in our backyard had gotten struck by lightning, which seemed to speed up its mature metabolism. We had so many peaches, the branches were begging to be unburdened, and my mother could not keep up, despite making jam and cobblers and pies. I figured we should share our overage of those fuzzy orbs with our neighbors and, in the process, I could earn some cash.

After a business meeting with the local branch of BOMAD (Bank of Mom and Dad), I set out with our old rusty red wagon, an antique portable

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produce scale, a bunch of paper lunch sacks and a huge box of peaches.

Was I saver? No. Did I come from a family without the means for a comfortable lifestyle? No. Did I have my eye on some “big” purchase, perhaps an extra special Christmas present for a family member?

No. When I was 9, it was the neighborhood Ben Franklin that beckoned me, with their bins and bins of penny candy and their cheap toys.

The next summer, the peach supply had returned to its normal dribbles and drabs. For my endeavors as an entrepreneur, I was going to have to be more creative.

After racking my brain, and noticing that in the summer, everyone ate more salads, I put two and two together and planned on a new product line: wild “onions.”

Perhaps they were properly known as “onion grass.” I didn’t care what they were called. All I knew was there were lots of patches of oniony-smelling grass growing right in front of our house, between the sidewalk and the street, and they were there in front of the neighbors’ houses as well. Just like the chives my parents put on top of their baked potatoes, I decided this plant material would be delicious snipped up in a salad.

To harvest the “crop,” all I had to do was twist a bunch between my hands and yank. After pulling a few bunches, my hands reeked of a strong onion odor but that didn’t bother me. One, I loved the flavor of onions – even at that young age – and two, the aroma was like nasal ambrosia as it wafted towards my nostrils.

I knocked on door after door. The neighbors were polite, but clearly not interested. After not a single sale, I grew a bit despondent. Perhaps I had lost my slick salesman skills?

When I came to Mrs. Buffa’s house, however, the tide turned. Okay, perhaps it didn’t crash in like a wave but it was a small ripple.

She came to the door and right away I started my spiel. “Hi, Mrs. Buffa. I’ve got some wild onions, and they would be really tasty in a salad. You could just sprinkle them on top of the lettuce and tomatoes and really add some zing. Would you like to buy some?”

Her tired-looking eyes looked smilingly at me. She brushed her blondish-red hair back into place with a hand, while the other plump arm held open the screen door. And then surprisingly, she said yes.

Now, of course, I know that – most likely – she immediately threw them in the trash and probably shook her head over the idea of a kid selling weeds. But as a ten-year old, I was ecstatic.

Unfortunately, that was my only sale, so the next summer I tried a different tack. My mother had a habit of saving Christmas cards the family had received. She would cut them up the next year, creating free gift tags. Some had just a signature, while others had a note scrawled across the card. They were both free and abundant and as much of a hit as the wild onions. More than forty years later, I don’t even remember my sales pitch. Whatever it was, it wasn’t convincing because I got a long string of no’s…until I got to Mrs. Buffa’s house.

Mrs. Buffa acted thrilled to buy some of the cards. She chose several, commented on the colorful designs, and paid me. Even though it was my only sale – until the boys behind us bought all of them at a much-reduced price (they made marvelous paper airplanes) – it buoyed my spirits. By the time I got to the end of her driveway, she was probably chuckling over someone selling “used” Christmas cards as she tossed them in the trashcan. Maybe I was even talked about at cocktail parties.

All I know is I still remember Mrs. Buffa. I’m sure she had no idea what a kind thing she did for me – two summers in a row. It was an act that cost so little, but did so much.

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www.sasee.com 23

Southern Snaps Brown Bradley: Living Life in Song

by Leslie Moore

Brown Bradley, Director of Music and Fine Arts at First Presbyterian Church in Myrtle Beach, brings the pleasure of fine music to area residents from a small third floor office at the church. His award-winning FPC Concert Series, featuring world-class musicians, is a four concert series that begins every January. And, his remarkable tenor voice, heard in halls across the United States, Europe, Hong Kong and The White House, is anticipated by area residents in concerts and plays throughout the year. In short, Brown Bradley is a star.

Growing up in Orangeburg, South Carolina, the young Brown always loved to sing and performed throughout his childhood. His parents sent him to Furman University with the hopes that he would become a doctor. But, after

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Brown’s college graduation he traveled to New York City instead of going to medical school, and after securing a small role in a Broadway play Brown knew his talent and love for music would guide the remainder of his life.

Even military service didn’t stop Brown from singing. After being drafted into the Air Force, Brown became a tenor soloist in the Singing Sergeants, the official chorus of the USAF. The group sang monthly at the White House, and Brown remembers his visits when John F. Kennedy was the chief executive. “I met Jackie O.; she was so gracious and shook all of our hands. The President didn’t shake our hands, but he was always very congenial.

A hush fell when President and Mrs. Kennedy entered the room – everyone froze to watch them walk in.”

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After his honorable discharge from military service, Brown returned to New York and auditioned to sing with the Metropolitan Opera Studio, believing that his career as an opera singer was well underway. But, the lure of Broadway caused a 180 degree turn when Brown secured a supporting role in Half a Sixpence. “Broadway made me forget the opera,” Brown remembers.

A young, beautiful dancer in the show caught Brown’s eye. She had replaced the lead dancer, and he saw her daily at a nearby cafeteria. Three months later, Mary agreed to marry Brown, and they held the ceremony between the matinee and evening shows. Forty-five years and two children later, Brown and Mary Bradley are still happily married.

Before they had children, Brown and Mary decided to combine work and travel. The couple sublet their apartment off Central Park and moved to Europe to perform. “I got a role in Austria, but the pay was low, and it was nothing like New York. We came home early and since our apartment was leased, we decided to live in Los Angeles for awhile. I did a lot of singing there.”

Back home in New York, Mary gave birth to their first child, a son, and stopped dancing. She worked as a secretary and sold her delectable pecan pies to some of the best restaurants in the city. “We still have the menu that lists, ‘Mrs. Bradley’s Pecan Pie,’ Brown said proudly.

By 1985, New York City had become a crime-filled city. Brown was once mugged right outside of his brownstone home. When a thief pulled an earring right off of his wife’s ear, he knew it was time to think about moving. Each summer, the Bradleys vacationed in Myrtle Beach, so the next year, Brown began to investigate possible jobs in the area.

“Coastal Academy [a now-defunct private school] needed a Fine Arts Director. I applied and got the job.”

Brown had also been an organist and choir director at his church in New York, so he took a second job as part-time music director at First Presbyterian Church. And after the school went under, the church took him on full-time. Now in his 26th year at the church, Brown was recently honored for 25 years of service as Director of Music and Fine Arts and became a little emotional telling me how much he loves his work. “They have been wonderful in letting me do community outreach work with our FPC Concert Series and making it affordable to everyone.”

A proud father, Brown talked quite a bit about his children. His son, Damon, has followed in his father’s musical footsteps, and is a keyboard player and composer who is well known as a member of “Soul Function,” a popular local group. Damon also sells his scores to movie and television producers in Hollywood. Though confined to a wheelchair due to Muscular Dystrophy, Brown’s daughter, Ashley’s artistic talent led her to become one of the top needlepoint designers in the United States. Brown and Mary took her to see Rene Fleming, one of Ashley’s favorite singers and the music world’s most famous Metropolitan Opera diva, in Charlotte a few years ago, but Ashley’s wheelchair couldn’t get through the backstage door. “Later we took Ashley to New York to see Ms. Fleming again, and when she heard what had happened in Charlotte,

she invited Ashley to the green room in Lincoln Center where she was able to socialize with a room full of celebrities!”

Most of us have special memories associated with holiday music and the members of First Presbyterian Church are no different. Susan Bryant, member of the church, says that Brown’s talent is a part of her family’s Christmas tradition. “It just wouldn’t be Christmas without hearing his beautiful tenor voice sing “Ave Maria” and “O Holy Night.” This year’s “Christmas Glorias” will be held on Sunday, December 18 at the 8:45 and 11 am services.

January begins the 26th season of the FPC Concert Series. The four monthly concerts are held at 1 pm on Thursdays and sold out the very first season. “They didn’t think people would come to concerts at that time of day, but they do. We have people waiting for over an hour just to get a good seat,” said Brown. This talented tenor always sings in the last concert, one of the most anticipated in the series.

Another friend of Brown’s, local celebrity Diane DeVaughn Stokes, has performed with him several times at Theatre of the Republic in Conway and is one of his biggest fans, saying, “I call him the Music Man of the Grand Strand because he brought outstanding Lincoln Center-type talent here before anyone else ever considered it, even without the 76 Trombones!”

Diane went on to tell me one of her favorite “Brown” stories. “Chuck [Diane’s husband] and I have done about ten shows with Brown as the Director, and he has taught us so much about comic timing!

When we did, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, with Chuck as Charlie Brown, me as Lucy and Brown as Snoopy, every night Brown would try to crack me up by doing some crazy dog-like behavior…one night he kept licking my leg while I tried to scream at Charlie Brown for being so stupid! It got such laughs; he left it in the rest of the run!”

Performing is Brown’s passion and he has appeared as a tenor soloist in symphonies and chorales from Wilmington to Charleston. Last December, he saw on the Metropolitan Opera’s website that they were accepting auditions via CD and ended up a national finalist. “These performers are very highly paid, so I decided to send a CD, and they called me for a stage audition! Of course, I was much older than anyone there and didn’t get the job. But, they did ask me to audition again this year. I decided not to do it – the schedule is grueling.”

Brown talked to me a little about the opera of today and how much harder it was for the up and coming singers. “There are so few jobs now for singers. Opera is not as popular as it once was – it is still popular in Europe, but they mostly hire people from the area. I do believe there is a new group of people discovering opera. Recently there have been live broadcasts of operas shown at movie theaters around the country that have been well received.”

When I asked Brown about his future plans, he told me they were in limbo. But, he was very sure of one thing. “As long as my voice is fresh, I will continue to sing.”

Visit www.fpcconcerts.com to learn more about the upcoming FPC concert series, or call First Presbyterian Church at 843-448-4496.

december

www.sasee.com 25

Fudge

by Felice Prager

When my kids were little, I had a recurring dream: My neighbor’s children were standing in my driveway saying, “Let’s go to Mikey’s house. His mother makes great fudge.” In the dream, I’m looking out a bay window, beating on the glass, yelling, “No! No!” It was a weird dream, since I’ve never made fudge, and neither of my sons are named Mikey. We also don’t have a bay window. But whenever I was in the kitchen back then, flipping through my recipe books for things that didn’t look too complicated to cook, I’d stare at the picture of fudge and think about making it. Then visions of Mikey and his buddies would return. They’d be eating fudge at my kitchen table. Their hands and faces would be covered in a drippy, chocolate glaze. I’d then close the recipe book, try to stop wheezing, and say, “Nah, let them go down the block to make the mess. Not in my house.”

Last week my 16-year-old son, Jeff, made fudge. He’s been messing around in my kitchen for a few years now. Although he has always said he wants to be an architect, I think his soul wants him to be a chef.

“I feel like cooking something,” is how he started. And then out came my recipe book. As he opened to the dog-eared fudge page that I daydreamed over, he asked, “Why don’t you ever make us fudge, Mom?” Believing in always being truthful, my “because you and your brother are slobs” didn’t have an effect on him. He ignores me a lot.

“Well, I’m making fudge.”

And this is where the differences between this mother and that son begin. In my kitchen when I’m cooking, it’s neat and focused. Crack an egg. Discard the shells.

Stir the batter. Place the spoon on a spoon rest. I’m organized. I’m neat. I clean up after myself.

Jeff, on the other hand, is like a sitcom that only lasts nine weeks. Crack the egg – drop the shells on the counter. Stir the batter. Lick the spoon. Stir the batter again with the same spoon. Chaos, confusion and food splatter.

He wasn’t always like this. As a little boy, his room was organized and clean. He was my little boy.

Now there are stockpiles of empty Dr. Pepper cans lining his windowsill.

He calls it Art. As a little boy, I helped him keep

26 www.sasee.com

his room in order. As a teen, I’m afraid something might crawl out from under his bed and inject its stinger into my eyeball filling me with last week’s TV dinner that’s molding under there.

Somewhere he rebelled. He figured out the right answers, “Don’t you know that by forcing me to have my room your way, you are stifling my creative energy which can lead to severe manic depression and perhaps the taking of illegal drugs?”

He knows all the right answers; he knows what gets to me.

With his room, I am as forgiving as I can muster up. It’s very hard for me. I know how neurotic I can get.

But with Jeff taking over my kitchen, he’s stepped over an imaginary line. The kitchen, no matter how much or how little I use it, IS mine. So his, “Well, I’m making fudge,” was upsetting.

I tried not showing my reaction. I tried to be supportive. But in my mind, I was seeing chocolate in between the rubber gasket pleats in the refrigerator and roaches marching in two-by-two to help clean up the mess.

I tried some reverse psychology. “Oh, good,” I said. “I love fudge. But you might have to miss Dragon Ball Z. Making fudge takes awhile.”

“No problemo, Mamacita!” my multilingual son said as he ran down the hall, returning with the small TV from the den.

I tried to distract myself as I watched him melting chocolate while he talked on the phone. I tried to pretend I was somewhere else as I heard him say, “Oops, two teaspoons, not two tablespoons.”

But a little while later, Jeff was standing in front of me, offering me a chocolate square. “Taste test time,” he said.

I bit in, and it was delicious.

“Well?” he asked.

“It’s great,” I said. “Now go clean my kitchen.”

“I did already!”

I looked into the kitchen, and it was cleaned the Jeffrey Way. The dishes were in the drain board. There was a can of Dr. Pepper on the counter.

And there was a fudge stripe going right across the front of the refrigerator.

“Go finish,” I told him.

“No problemo, Mamacita!”

I’ve been having this nightmare lately: A group of women are standing outside my house saying, “Let’s go to Felice’s house. Her kid makes great fudge.” In the dream, I’m looking out a bay window, beating on the glass, yelling, “No! No!”

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www.sasee.com 27

The Perfect Gift

by Rose Ann Sinay

A red, porcelain bow hid the clasp on the trinket box. Its round, bulb shape was intersected by a gold-tone, filigree band, hinged on one side and threaded with a thin, but sturdy filament for hanging. I opened the ornament and placed a piece of fluffy white cotton inside, preparing it for the final, special gift it would hold.

The tradition of the box started when my daughter, Kailey, was three.

After tearing through all her gifts, she innocently asked for more. Obviously, the process of ripping paper off the gaily wrapped presents was more appealing than what was inside.

The trinket was a last minute drug store purchase on Christmas Eve, five minutes before store closing. It hung from a sad looking, artificial tree placed strategically next to the register. The tiny, white treasure chest looked misplaced amongst the plastic reindeer and snowman ornaments. A bright orange, clearance sign made it impossible to resist.

I looked around for something within arm’s reach of the counter to place inside, ignoring the clerk’s audible sigh. An enameled butterfly barrette lay under the plastic fir. If I took it off the cardboard backing, it would fit perfectly inside.

The teen-aged girl looked relieved and quickly rang up my purchase.

That night, when my daughter was sound asleep, I wrapped her presents with It’s a Wonderful Life playing on the television. My husband put her tricycle together and made quick work of assembling a child-sized table and chairs. We ate Santa’s cookies, drank the milk and went to bed, softly jingling bells just in case she stirred.

The next morning, we breakfasted on English muffins, coffee and juice while Kailey played with the brightly colored, Christmas paper and bows. I suddenly remembered the ornament still in my purse. I placed the hair pin in the box and quietly slipped the loop onto a lower bough of the tree.

“There’s one more present,” I said when she had “opened” her last package, looking at me expectantly, her head cocked to one side, palms in the air. “You have to look for it on the tree.”

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“It’s round,” I said, showing her a circle with my fingers, “And, white, like this tissue. It has a pretty, red bow on the front.” I picked up a discarded ribbon to remind her of the color, red.

Kailey peered into the tree branches searching for her prize. After a few minutes, she spied the ornament. Her tiny hands grasped the ball and shook it. I showed her the clasp and helped her open it.

“Butterfly,” she exclaimed, delighted with the multicolored barrette.

She promptly balanced it on her head and turned her attention back to the small bauble. For most of that day, Kailey opened and closed her toy, finding bits of ribbon and pieces of her stale muffin to stuff inside.

Every year since, the box has held a little something – a special present from me to my daughter. I have seen her eyes scour the tree, looking for a glimpse of white even before she picks up her first wrapped gift.

“You didn’t forget the box,” she always asks, although I have never forgotten it.

Occasionally the contents are expensive – as in Tiffany’s; most times, it’s not – as in a department store bargain. Sometimes, the gift is creative – as in homemade. Obviously, it’s not the cost that measures its worth; it is the thought behind the year long search. It never disappoints for there are no expectations; the token is always a personal surprise.

But, now it’s time to pass the tradition on. It’s time for my daughter to enjoy the even bigger gift of giving from the heart to a person who owns a piece of it. I am sending her the tiny coffer with my final, special, Christmas present. I’ve given her husband explicit instructions on where to hang it on their tree. I am pleased with this year’s selection. I’ve been working on it for quite some time. If I fold this white paper with all its printed words, just so, it will fit perfectly. It is a sweet legacy between my daughter and me.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, KAILEY!

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Celebrating the season with dance Saturday, December 10, 2011 Showtimes: 3 pm and 7 pm Tickets: $15 per person (Ages 12 and under are free)

Litchfield Dance Arts Academy Ilka Doubek, Director 97 Otis Drive in Pawleys Island (behind Gilligan’s) For reservations and information, call 843.237.7465 ldaaoffice@gmail.com • www.litchfield-dance.com Photo by Wayne’s View Photography

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Finding the Spirit of Christmas Most people enjoy the holiday season, but interior designer Virginia BooneFicarra loves the season so much that her decorations stay up most of the year.This Wachesaw Plantation woman spends more than six weeks decorating her large home each year – and, yes, it takes nearly that long to take everything down and pack it away in 60 large packing containers.

“I love Christmas,” Virginia told Sasee. “It brings out the little girl in me.” Virginia, her husband and mother-in-law moved to the area four years ago from Long Island, New York, but her passion for holiday decorating started around 1970. “I find things everywhere, from specialty shops to consignment stores.” Every nook and cranny, even the master bath and laundry room, hold treasures of Christmas past and present.

Virginia’s passion received national attention in Long Island when her home was featured in the 2005 holiday issue of Family Circle magazine and, in 2007, Sandra Lee taped a half hour televised Christmas special from the backdrop of Virginia’s beautifully decorated home. This year, Virginia couldn’t wait until Christmas and hosted a “Christmas in July” party for her friends in area.

On Saturday, December 10, local residents have a chance to enjoy Virginia’s home, along with seven other stunning homes in Wachesaw Plantation during the Christmas in the Inlet Holiday Home Tour.

Gather your friends and get into the holiday spirit! The tour is for one day only, from 10 am-4 pm and tickets are $25 in advance. For ticket information, call 843-357-2007.

All proceeds benefit Murrells Inlet 2020.

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Someone, (sorry, if you are reading this) gave me a music CD with the plastic wrap missing for Christmas one year. I later learned she had opened it, recorded it, wrapped it and then given it to me. I know this because she told me – not that she had much choice, the missing plastic wrap was a dead giveaway. Maybe I should thank her; I can never get that plastic off anyway.

It is a soothing-sounds CD. Every time I play it, un-soothing thoughts enter my head and remind me that she opened it first. In a way, she wasn’t guilty of regifting because the CD was new. Wait a minute, I assume it was new. Oh no, maybe she just scoured her CD rack for something she hadn’t listened too in ages that she thought might make a suitable gift. In my heart, I believe it was new, but now I feel guilty for even thinking that. I need to go play it; I feel stressed now.

Regifting scares me. I always worry that one day I will regift something to someone that they previously gave me. Of course, I usually give to others gifts that I would use myself, so at least if ever I did get one back, I’d like it. The few times I have regifted, I have always regretted it. My conscience is my punishment though, as years later, I still recall what the items were, what the occasion was, and who the victims were. And let’s just say it’s not pride that oozes from my pores.

Whether or not you regift really boils down to how you answer the following questions: Is it wrong? Is it okay but tacky? Or, is it perfectly acceptable as long as you tell the person?

My CD friend believes in the latter; I, on the other hand, think regifting is tacky, which is a shame because it solves so many “stuff” problems. I mean, what else can you do with all those unwanted desirables that

32 www.sasee.com

She ReGifted My Present

by Janey Womeldorf

december

seem inappropriate for Goodwill, too expensive for a garage sale, and too valued not to pass on to someone?

Hopefully there won’t be any more deceptively-wrapped, regifted presents under my tree this year – Christmas is complicated enough as it is. Not only does it expose the etiquette minefield of regifting, but it also confronts us with the equallyexplosive issue of handling “the unwanted gift.” Do you keep it, return it, or exchange it? If you do decide to return or exchange, should you ask the person first, or just go ahead and return it, hoping the subject never comes up?

Choosing the ignorance-isbliss option seems like the perfect solution, until that is, the gift-giver comes to your house. Guilt consumes you, especially if the occasion warrants using the item in question. You sit there, smiling and chatting away, all the while knowing that the gift-giver is secretly strategizing how to bring up the subject of their seemingly-unused gift into the conversation. Thankfully for the friendship, the gorilla in the room never gets mentioned, and you are safe until their next visit.

Whether we like it or not, all gifts elicit emotional reactions – good and bad. I know this because on the flip side, nothing nourishes the heart more than seeing a gift you gave, being used. Conversely, I’d be lying if I didn’t acknowledge a twinge of sadness, (or ashamed to admit, a prick of

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annoyance) to learn that my gift had been shoved in the back of a closet somewhere, destined to earn pennies on the dollar at their next garage sale. It makes me want to ask for it back.

Early in our marriage, my husband gave me a vase for Christmas.

Hard as I tried to love it, I couldn’t escape one basic truth – I didn’t. I wanted a vase but not that one. Finally, one day, as we stood in line at a food court to buy pizza, I broke the news to him. I chose the food court specifically because if he took it badly, steaming slices of cheesy pepperoni will lift anybody’s spirits; it’s food band aid. To my relief, he didn’t mind and the vase was forgotten before he even got to the crust. Months later, the subject came up. He admitted that although the pizza had helped, he felt gutted I didn’t like his vase. It broke my heart. Consequently, I have adored everything he has bought me ever since – as far as he knows.

Twenty-plus years of marriage later, the only gifts my husband and I now buy for each other are small, (read: cheap) token gifts. Every dollar that comes into our house, regardless of who earns it, goes into the same “pot.”

Consequently, I can never quite get my head around the fact that if I buy him something (which he may or may not want), it is our “joint” money paying for it. Also, if he buys me a gift and pays by credit card, I am the one who pays the bills which can be especially brutal when the amount due includes that gift you know you’ll never use.

Talking of which, I am desperate for a gift idea for my husband this year. Maybe I’ll find something during my next cleaning purge that I could wrap up and give to him. Just because I consider it tacky to regift to friends, it doesn’t mean I can’t regift to my husband. Different rules apply between spouses – especially after 20 years. In our house, any time we can put old stuff to new use is cause for celebration.

Wait a minute; his job has been stressful lately. I think he’d love a soothing-sounds music CD, and I know just where I can find one. But what if he gets suspicious about the missing plastic wrap? I know, I’ll have him unwrap it right before dinner which I’ll order out.

“I’d like to order a large cheese pepperoni please.”

Regifting scares me. I always worry that one day I will regift something to someone that they previously gave me. Of course, I usually give to others gifts that I would use myself, so at least if ever I did get one back, I’d like it.

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love Christmas carols. I can’t carry a tune, but I keep my car radio tuned to the Christmas station during December and sing holiday music at the top of my lungs. One song in particular brings tears to my eyes no matter how often I hear it. The melody takes me back to Christmas Eves of long ago when my son, now 38 and my daughter, 41 were children and our family was intact. They stood on the staircase with their cousins, before one of the girl cousins was struck by a car and killed at age seven. Each of the kids claimed his or her own stair step, and their little hands held onto the garland-wrapped banister. Their faces radiated love and trust as I taught them the words and hand motions to my favorite childhood Christmas carol, “Away in a Manager.”

A Stair-Step

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Every year I photographed them in the same poses with their mouths open wide singing as they rocked an imaginary infant to and fro. I can almost hear their tiny voices as they interlocked their hands and nestled them under their chins pretending to lay down their sweet heads. Their fingers danced in the air as they sang about the stars in the sky.

They folded their arms and pretended to cradle an infant as they sang lustily about sleeping in hay.

The days of cradling my babies are long gone, but those precious memories unravel like a strand of loose red wool in my old holiday sweater. My blue-eyed little girl with blonde wavy hair had a smile brighter than the Christmas star. Her overactive little brother’s hair was parted to one side but inevitably fell over his forehead no matter how many times I hand-combed it out of his eyes. Joy and laughter rang out as all of the children ran and played with one another and adults enjoyed the family festivities.

After everyone left, the children would excitedly watch the night sky for Rudolph’s red light. They’d hover nearby as I poured a glass of milk and set two cookies out for Santa. “Don’t forget an apple for Rudolph.” They’d stand at the front door shivering as I set an apple on the porch. Then, I’d hurry my little girl and boy through the tooth brushing routine and into their fuzzy, footed, zippered pajamas.

“Listen, I can hear the tinkle of bells. Hurry, hurry, climb into bed.

Let’s say your prayers.” I rushed them off to dreamland.

“Mommmmm?” my daughter called.

“Yes?” “Are you sure Santa can get in? We don’t have a fireplace.”

“Don’t you worry. Santa has magic. He can squeeze into any little

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boy’s or girl’s house.” I assured her.

“Mommmm?” My little boy called again and again.

“What now?” I responded, impatient and tired.

“I love you, mom,” he shouted.

I got up from my comfy couch and went to them.

“I love you too.” I peered down into their faces and said the same thing to each, “I know you’re excited about Santa, but don’t ever forget, this is the night that a very special baby was born.”

“Okay Mom, I won’t.” I’d back out of their rooms smiling, singing softly, “Away in a Manger.”

This Christmas Eve, as usual, the kids will all be off in different directions, meeting family obligations. I’ll snuggle on the sofa wrapped in a holiday afghan with sugar plums dancing in my head, holiday music playing softly, the TV screen a blur as I remember the past and gaze into the future.

The kids are grown and gone, but the same feelings remain. Every Christmas Eve, no matter where they are, I can still feel their childhood bear hugs and smell their little minty toothpaste goodnight kisses. As I doze off, I envision myself young, tiptoeing into their childhood bedrooms pulling the covers up to their chins. Satisfied with their rhythmic breathing, I brush my lips across their chubby little cheeks and turn the light down low…

Goodnight my babies with babies now of your own. Merry Christmas. There’s only one thing I want from each of you this year, just a promise. Teach your children to sing, “Away in a Manger,” and when I’m old and infirm, please stand at my bedside with them on Christmas Eve and serenade me with my favorite Christmas carol. Please, continue the tradition.

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A Surprise Gift L

by Merry Carol Cotton

ast June my husband surprised me with a gift that didn’t need to be unwrapped and that wasn’t even immediately useable, but filled me with so much anticipation that the remainder of the summer seemed to drag on forever. You see, he had quietly entered the Antiques Road Show random drawing for tickets for their much-celebrated television series. Since I have been a faithful viewer for many years – and the series has been televised for over fifteen years – and I have talked often about how much fun it would be to actually attend an appraisal show, he more than took the hint and secretly entered his name for a pair of tickets for the two of us.

For those of you not familiar with Antiques Road Show, the format of the show is ticket holders such as ourselves can bring for appraisal two of their antique valuables. Nearly seventy or more experts are available to evaluate and offer appraisals. On an average taping day nearly 10,000 items – items ranging from A to Z – that is to say, perhaps, amulets to zithers – from the rare and wonderful to the seemingly weird and insignificant are brought to the location of the show which in our case was Atlanta.

Knowing the taping of the show wasn’t until August, I had plenty of time to select two of my many antiques for evaluation and, of course, appraisal.

So began the nearly summer-long search through my house for the two perfect items I wanted to take – would it be my hand-carved wooden soldier, a hat pin holder with several hat pins in it, a signed copy of President McKinley’s biography, or my very old German belznickel, commonly known as Santa?

Decisions, decisions!

None of the above seemed to be the perfect item…until I remembered a Native American birdstone. A birdstone is exactly as its name describes – a bird carved from stone. As for its use, that is still uncertain, but some collectors believe birdstones were used for ornamentation while others believe they

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were attached to the ends of spears to give more thrust. It really didn’t matter as I figured I had found a perfect item for identification and appraisal.

The second item was an Austrian military medal my mother had given me many years ago. I had forgotten what she claimed as its significance, so I figured that taking the medal was a good choice to make.

Finally the day arrived, and we headed to Atlanta for the taping of the show that would air on PBS in January, 2012. I was excited and hoped not only for good appraisals, but that I would be chosen for a spot on the show.

I was like a child in a toy store when I entered the appraisal area after passing through a preliminary screening where other antiquers with their larger pieces were hauling in everything from Radio Flyer wagons to super market pushcarts. It was a festive atmosphere as all participants probably had the same expectations as I did for their antiques – a good appraisal plus a personal appearance on the show with their antique. As for being chosen for a personal appearance on the show, I understand the criteria for an owner is to have an antique that has “star quality, exceptional monetary value, historical significance and a compelling story.” Some have all four attributes. But one of my two antiques seemed to have just historical significance.

When we arrived at the Convention Center in Atlanta, I had to show my objects to the first round of knowledgeable dealers who made the initial consideration as to which of the 23 appraisal tables I would be permitted to take my treasures. I was given two tickets – one for the military memorabilia

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table, and one for the Native American arts table. All of the tables had large banners indicating Books, Glass, Furniture, Folk Art, Native American Arts, Paintings, and Jewelry, to mention a few, so participants could easily locate which table they should go to take their antiques.

I understand the appraisers rely on their own knowledge and, perhaps, a magnifying glass, a jeweler’s loupe, a cell phone and maybe even a reference book or two. Also, behind the scenes are a few computers and a portable research library.

My suspense had brought me a sleepless night so I could hardly wait for my turn.

My first item was the military medal that appeared to be from Austria. I had no idea where my mother had gotten it. So, the appraiser examined it carefully. I held my breath. Surely, this military medal would be very valuable. But, I was wrong. The appraiser told me it was costume jewelry and worth around $10 – not $1000 – not $100 but $10. I was more embarrassed than disappointed, but only temporarily.

My next item was the birdstone. The appraiser asked questions as to where I had gotten it, how long I had owned it, and what did I know of its origin. Well, the first two questions were easy. My husband’s grandfather had given the birdstone to him, and he had given it to me. I have owned it for over 40 years. But I did not know where the grandfather had gotten it and, of course, what Native American tribe had previously owned it.

The appraiser examined it closely and told me it was the first real one he had ever seen. My anticipation grew…my hopes started to soar. I began to think it would be worth several hundred dollars. He said it was museum quality – my anticipation continued to grow – in my mind I also hoped I’d be chosen for one of the interview clips prepared for the TV show itself. Then he said the birdstone was worth over $3,000.

Now, that was a surprise…a surprise gift…from my husband, and he had given it to me over forty years ago. The tickets had been a surprise but the value of the birdstone was an even bigger surprise. I was elated.

About then, my husband had returned from the appraisal booths where he had taken a military officer’s antique knife and sword, and a handengraved antique pistol. I must say that my husband’s antiquities received a much higher appraisal than mine, but it really didn’t matter.

Finally, as we were leaving the show, Roadshow personnel asked us if we’d like to go to the “Feedback Booth” where those of us who had articles appraised could talk about the fun we had at the Antiques Road Show. We won’t know if we will appear on the Feedback Booth segment until the show airs in January 2012.

Even though I didn’t get a personal appraisal appearance for the show itself, the tickets and the trip to the Antiques Road Show were a surprise gift.

But my Native American birdstone with its appraisal value of approximately $3000 was truly a bigger surprise gift, one that I had owned for years.

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Cindy Davenport

“My two children are the best gifts I’ve ever received,” began Cindy Davenport, owner of Social Garden in Myrtle Beach. “And, my two granddaughters, well, they are the light of my life!” Cindy and her family adopted a less fortunate family for Christmas one year, select7706 N. Kings Hwy ing gifts and food to take on Christmas Day. “The kids were involved Myrtle Beach in selecting the gifts, and it really had a big impact.” On Christmas 843-712-1365 Eve, Cindy’s family gathers for their traditional holiday celebration www.sogabuzz.com to enjoy the children’s excitement and special holiday food and drink.

Christmas parties are usually the smaller more intimate kind for this close-knit family but Cindy looks forward to decorating for the holidays and dressing up. “We will attend a big party at the Ocean Club on New Year’s Eve.” “Opening Social Garden allowed us to come to Myrtle Beach and be near the ocean again after living in North Carolina,” said Cindy. “It’s been a wonderful outlet to meet people and get involved with the community. I‘ve been in the event-planning business for many years and am an interior designer also. It’s nice to be able to combine the two. I also look forward to participating in the Sasee’s Circle of Love again next year!”

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Barbara Marshall

A Christmas engagement was the most exciting gift Barbara Marshall, Vice-President of South Atlantic Bank, ever received. “I opened a present, a cowl-neck sweater, and when I pulled it out of the box, a small South Atlantic Bank package fell out of the neck!” After nearly 25 years of marriage, Barbara and her husband still cherish this very special holiday memory. “I love 630 29th Ave N. the peace that descends on Christmas Eve; all the hustle and bustle is Myrtle Beach over, and our worries are kind of shut away for awhile.” Barbara loves the fun of dressing up for special parties during the holidays, but also enjoys 843-839-0100 www.southatlanticbank.com the small, fun gatherings. “This is the best time of year because time with family and friends comes first.”

“South Atlantic Bank is genuinely a family,” Barbara began when asked about her work. “It’s wonderful to work amongst such good friends, and to be a part of a business that cares about the community. We have worked on so many worthwhile projects this year and are already planning for 2012. It’s great to work for a company that cares so much about its customers and employees.”

Ilka Doubek

Ilka Doubek, founder of Litchfield Dance Arts Academy in Pawleys Island, remembers that the best gift she ever received came from her husband. “When you are an artist, the biggest complaint from your spouse is that you are married to your art. Since Tom is 97 Otis Drive, also a performing artist, he has given me my dance and let me folPawleys Island low my passion.” The best gift Ilka has ever given is forgiveness, 843-237-7465 and she believes this is the only way to get through the hardships in www.litchfield-dance.com life. “Forgiveness makes life work.” A professional dancer for many years, Ilka fondly recalls one of her favorite holiday traditions.

“When we performed in Germany, we were always on stage on New Year’s Eve, but German tradition allowed us to play around with the dance and have fun on that one day—the audience loved it!” Now, Ilka’s daughter, Leda, is rapidly climbing the ladder in the modeling world, and Ilka spends a lot of time traveling with her.

“It’s very inspiring to teach and see my students go off to great futures,” said Ilka when asked about her work. “They carry the work ethic taught by dance into their chosen careers. I am very proud of my students. I see myself as a springboard.”

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BUSINESS Dr. Jerry Guanciale

Dr. Jerry Guanciale has never forgotten his sixth Christmas when he reDr. Jerry M. ceived a microscope from his parents. Year later, Dr. Guanciale bought his parents a gift that he remembers fondly. “I bought them a Grandfather clock Guanciale with money I earned from my first job. It was very special!” Growing up, Dr. 4022 Postal Way Guanciale’s favorite traditions were centered around food. “On Christmas Eve Suite 201-A our house was a feast of Italian dishes—spaghetti with anchovies, marinated Myrtle Beach smelts and octopus were among my favorites!” These days, Dr. Guanciale prefers to celebrate the holidays with small intimate gatherings with friends. “I 843-995-5005 prefer time spent with friends in real conversation versus the cursory interacwww.yourjourneytobeauty.com tion that tends to follow big parties.” This preference extends to New Year’s Eve, which will find this hard working physician relaxing at a lake house with friends, “roasting s’mores and toasting 2012!”

Dr. Guanciale’s work as a cosmetic surgeon brings him many rewards, including being voted a finalist in the Best of the Beach 2011 for Cosmetic Surgery/MedSpa. “I am also very excited with my HCG diet program. It is special because it doesn’t just help people lost weight, it teaches them to live their life with a healthy diet.”

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Talented and beautiful, lead singer Kim Perry Williams, of Carolina Opry, didn’t hesitate when asked about her best-ever gift. “My wedding was on December 30, and the first anniversary gift is supposed to be paper.

I gave my husband a map with an outline to Snowshoe, W.V., for our skiing vacation, and he gave me a certificate saying he had a star named after me!” Christmas means family to Kim—her childhood Christmas Eves were always spent with her parents and Christmas Day with her godparents. “Until my mother passed away, I always wrote a short Christmas poem or story to read on Christmas Eve.” These days, Kim enjoys intimate holiday gatherings with friends and family, but does put on her holiday finery when she and her husband throw parties for the cast of Carolina Opry.

“I’ve been with Carolina Opry for 17 years,” said Kim. “We become a part of people’s lives and holiday traditions—it is such an honor.” This year, hear Kim sing one of her favorites, “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” a big band, jazzy standard. “I look forward to singing it at every show!”

Jo Ann Johnston

Jo Ann Johnston, owner of The Blue Heron Gallery in Sunset Beach, N.C., had no problem remembering the best gift she ever received. “I The Blue Heron Gallery was given a surprise birthday party and was totally taken aback! All of my friends and family managed to keep the party a secret.” The tra1780-10A Chandlers Ln ditional Thanksgiving dinner—eat, drink and be merry—is Jo Ann’s Sunset Beach, NC favorite holiday tradition. “My family is spread out up and down the 910-575-5088 East Coast, so many times I’m alone on Christmas, but we always get www.blueherongallery-nc.com together for Thanksgiving. I like to honor Christmas for the reason it is—the birth of Jesus Christ—and that’s a personal thing for me.” Jo Ann does enjoy holiday parties, but prefers the smaller, more intimate gatherings with friends. “We can relax and catch up when there’s not too many people.” This year, Jo Ann is traveling to Florida with her oldest daughter, grandson and great-grandson to spend New Year’s Eve with her twin daughters in Florida.

“It was a good year for my business,” Jo Ann began. “It’s important to me to offer quality handcrafted gifts that are made in the U.S. for my customers and their families. Just being with my customers is a gift. They’ve been so good to me!”

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843•272•PRPL (7775) The Shops at Barefoot Landing

Ballroom • Flirty Girl Fitness • Latin • Zumba

www.letsdancemb.com 5221 N. Kings Hwy., Myrtle Beach SC • 843-997-2300

www.purpleologist.com

• Custom Framing • Art Classes •

Betsy Russell’s Ceramic Jewelry & Fabric Purses

with ceramic embellishments

Get the FREE at http://gettag.mobi Getapp the FREE app at http://gettag.mobi then scan the TAG

Going HOME for the Holidays?

then scan the TAG

Fine Arts and Crafts of the Carolinas

2126 Hwy. 9E, Unit 5-A, Little River, SC • 843-399-3300

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10283 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, N.C. • 910.575.5999 www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com

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December 2-3, 9-10, 15, 16 & 17 Brookgreen’s most celebrated festival, Nights of a Thousand Candles, is a holiday tradition!

Stroll down garden paths glowing with hand-lit candles and festive lights as muscians perform and carolers sing.

Tickets are $16 for adults and $7 for children (4-12). Children age three and under are free.

For special pricing for groups of 15 or more call (843)235-6021. www.brookgreen.org

1-(800)-849-1931 or (843) 235-6000

www.brookgreen.org Nights of a Thousand Candles is sponsored in part by:

Advertiser Index

Accents by Carol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Art & Soul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Barbara’s Fine Gifts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Bloomingails Consignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Blue Heron Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Bouvier Tax & Financial Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 42 Brookgreen Gardens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Burroughs & Chapin Art Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Butler’s Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Cabana Gauze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Carmen Carmen Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Century 21 Barefoot Realty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Christopher’s Fine Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 CHD Interiors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 City of Georgetown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Coastal Carolina Breast Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Coastal Dance Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 David E. Grabeman, D.D.S., P.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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Distinctive Eyewear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Dr. Jerry M. Guanciale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Douglas Diamond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Eleanor Pitts Fine Gifts & Jewelry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 En Facé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Everything under the Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Finders Keepers Consignment & Boutique . . . . . 43 Fran’s Clothing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Grady’s Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Hair Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Hannah Bs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Homespun Crafters Mall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Hope Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Inlet Queens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 The Joggling Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 The Kangaroo Pouch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Lane’s Professional Pest Elimination, Inc . . . . . . . 39 Lets Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Litchfield Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Long Bay Symphony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Maguire Law Firm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Marina Inn at Grande Dunes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 The Market Common . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 McLeod Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Me & Mommy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Miller-Motte Myrtle Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Miss Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Nina Jewelry Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Palmetto Ace Home Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Pawleys Island Swimwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Pawleys Lifestyles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Purpleologist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Rice Paddy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Ripley’s Aquarium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Rose Arbor Fabrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Sassyfras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

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Scents Unlimited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Sculpted Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Shades & Draperies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Skin & Beauty Logic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 The Social Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 South Atlantic Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Southern Guys & Gals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 The Strand Styling Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Studio 77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Suset River Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Take 2 Resale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Taz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Too Qt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Treasures Jewelers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Victoria’s Ragpatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 WEZV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Fall/Winter Clearance sale Up to 70% Off Everything in Stock!

Now thru December 31st Happy Holidays Perfectly unique gifts • No royal purse required!

Retro or Revamped • Created & Uncommon • Quality to Quirky

18 Eclectic Shops Under 1 Roof!

Inlet Square Mall 843-299-0340

Holiday Hours Mon-Sat 10-5, Sunday 1-5 or by appointment 4905-C Highway 17 Bypass • Murrells Inlet, SC • 843-947-0767 (Next to Lee’s Farmers Market and Pet Galley)

Check our Facebook Daily for Deals and Giveaways

Me & Mommy

wishes you Happy Holidays Brighton Charms, Spacers & Beads

Ladies’ and Children’s Boutique

Clothing, Accessories, Gift Registry, Sportwear

SALE! Christmas Clothing & Accessories

4.50 - 35.00 each

Christmas Gift Certificates Available

Complimentary Gift Wrapping

Joyous & Free, Judith March, VaVa and many more…

2004 Hwy. 17 South N. Mytle Beach, SC 29582 843.361.919

(843) 281-9650 312 Main St., North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582

www.meandmommyonline.com

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Visit www.sasee.com for a full calendar and more Sasee events!

2-3,9-10,15-17 3-4 Nights of a Thousand Candles, Brookgreen Gardens, 3-10 pm. For more info, call 843-235-6021 or visit www.brookgreen.org.

North Myrtle Beach Christmas Cantata, Sat. 4 pm, Sun. 4 & 7 pm, Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church, N. Myrtle Beach. For more info, call 843-249-2312 or visit www.odpc.org.

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Breakfast with Santa, Saturdays, Market Common, a different restaurant each week, $10.

For more info, call 843-839-3500 or visit www.MarketCommonEvents.com.

Kaminski House Holiday Open House, Front St, Georgetown, holiday decorations, treats and gifts.

For more info call 843-546-7706 or visit www.kaminskihousemuseum.org.

Moveable Feast, Phillip Powell’s Annual Holiday Concert, 11 am, Capt. Dave’s Dockside, $25. For more info, call 843-235-9600 or visit www.classatpawleys.com.

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Holiday on Main Street, Theatre of the Republic, 331 Main St., Conway. For show times and ticket info, call 843-488-0821 or visit www.theatreoftherepublic.com.

“Celebrating the Season in Dance,” holiday dance performances at Litchfield Dance Arts Academy, 3 pm & 7 pm, $15, 12 & under free. For more info, call 843-237-7465 or visit www.litchfield-dance.com.

Noon Year’s Eve Party, 9 am-noon, Children’s Museum of SC, ring in 2012 with the children, ball drop and toast at noon, $5. For more info, call 843-946-9469 or visit www.cmsckids.org.

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The Scoop

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Holiday Parades, 3rd: 11 am, Broadway at the Beach, 843-913-9325; 11:30 am, Front St., Georgetown, 843-527-8413; 5:30 pm, Main St., N. Myrtle Beach, 843-361-3045; 4th: 3 pm, Business 17, Murrells Inlet, 843-357-2007; 10th: 10 am, Main. St., Conway, 843-248-0003; 2 pm, Ocean Blvd., Surfside Beach, 843-650-9548.

Murrells Inlet Tour of Homes, tour eight stunning homes in Wachesaw Plantation, advance tickets $25.

For more info, call 843-357-2007 or visit www.murrellsinletmarshwalk.com.

Creative Exchange Series, “The Art of Holiday Baking,” Monique Holenko, Sunset River Marketplace, 10283 Beach Drive, Calabash N.C., 11 am-12:30 pm, lunch included, $7, RSVP required. For more info, call 910575-5999 or visit www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com.

New Year’s Eve at Celebrity Square, Broadway at the Beach, fireworks at 8 pm, live entertainment and more. For more info, call 843-444-3200, or visit www.broadwayatthebeach.com.

843-238-3622 www.homespuncrafters.com

Give Your Mom, Sister, Best Friend or Yourself the Gift that Lasts a Year!

Special Introductory Offer 12 Issues for $24 Name Address City State Zip Send check or money order to Sasee Distribution PO Box 1389 Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

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Antiques Avon Collectibles Country Decor Fabrics + Notions Glassware Handbags Jewelry Luzier Personalized Cosmetics Unique Handmade Crafts Vintage Items Wood Products WoodWick Candles

114-A Hwy. 17 N. Surfside Shopping Center Surfside Beach, SC 29575 Mon - Fri: 9 am to 6 pm Sat: 10 am to 5 pm • Sun: 1 to 5 pm

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2011-2012 SEASON

Epic Proportion

DECEMBER 3 AND 4

Handel and Bach for the Advent Season n

DECEMBER 3 7:30 pm at First Presbyterian Great Hall on the Grissom Parkway Campus

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DECEMBER 4 4:00 pm at Our Lady Star of the Sea, North Myrtle Beach

HOUSE CONCERTS n

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 at 7:00 pm The Mills Residence, Conway

Tickets $35

Tickets $15 or $5 for students

FOR TICKETS CALL: TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:

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843.448.8379

www.LONGBAYSYMPHONY.com

www.sasee.com 47

BUY ONE GET ONE

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Juvéderm & Radiesse

$500 OFF Smart Lipo

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Breast Augmentation

$1000 OFF Tummy Tuck

$200 OFF

Fractional Skin Resurfacing

$1000 OFF Facelift

Promotions may not be combined with other offers and other restrictions may apply. Background image is a model.

Cannot be combined with any other offers or specials. Expires 12/31/11

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