Woodloch Resort // Loch News // Holiday 2022

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS...

HAWLEY, PA - You might not notice it, but rest assured, there are plenty of happenings behind the scenes here at Woodloch Resort.

It’s an exciting time of year for us. Just as the last of the goblins clear out from our Autumn haunted walks, our team is hard at work preparing for the joyous season that lies ahead. In fact, preparation work for our world-famous “Festival of Lights” wagon rides has been ongoing since September. Thousands of strands of luminous lights have been checked and replaced, to ensure that they are shining

as brightly as possible for their Black Friday debut.

Speaking of which... just as our bellies are busy digesting all of that Thanksgiving deliciousness, our team is hard at work flipping the resort from Autumn to holiday decor- all of it is flipped overnight!

SANTA’S FAVORITE SNACK PG. 4

SEASON’S READINGS PG. 5 A Bi-Monthly Periodical Featuring Woodloch, Entertainment & Advice

OUR 3-RING CIRCUS PG. 7 DO THE LOCO MOTION PG. 8

SNOW BUSINESS

Winter is coming...

HAWLEY, PA- We can’t deny it, winter is certainly on the way!

But what about snow? How much are we looking at getting this year? Truth be told, you never know. That’s why we leave very little to chance, and actually MAKE our own snow!

It all starts when weather gets cold... ice cold. We need at least 10 nights with temperatures 20 degrees or lower in order to fluff up enough powder to open our run- the colder, the better! Once we’ve accumlated mountains of snow, we can use our “Snow Cats” to sculpt our tube run and Olympic area to our liking! There’s no guarantees, but we usually enjoy snow tubing and sledding into March, regardless of what Mother Nature has planned.

Some fun facts:

- Woodloch has three operational snow “guns,” just like you’d find at ski resorts. They can each transform about 70 gallons of water into snow per minute!

- At peak power, they can make enough snow to fill four triaxle dump trucks in 8 hours

- Our lake and water tower provide plenty of water for the operation, and it all returns to the lake when it thaws.

Be sure to enjoy it this season!

IT’S COOL TO “YULE”

THE HISTORY OF ONE OF WOODLOCH’S FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

With of all the upcoming holiday craziness, one can find release and escape by grabbing a hot toddy and taking a seat alongside a crackling fire. It not only provides heat to a room but also warms our souls and brings us closer together for much needed bonding.

One of the more interesting and ancient traditions that we still celebrate to this day is the Yule Log. Though it would later on have religious elements attached to it, the Norse tradition of finding a Yule Log stems back to ancient times. Every winter solstice, “the darkest time of the year,” people would hunt down a giant log and then bring it back home to burn. This ceremony was symbolic to Scandinavians as a “rebirth” of the sun and the promise of longer days. “Yule” is the Norse word for “sun.”

This became a Christmas Eve celebration for many Christians. While the wood burned, families would admit their faults and mistakes and reconcile sour relationships. They would also eat, drink and be merry (another tradition proudly carried on by

our Woodloch guests).

Burning this log, starting with the ashes from the year prior, was said to bring good luck to a household for the year. The tradition eventually spread all across Europe and evolved. It’s still carried on through some homes in America, though it’s more likely to catch it on local television (WPIX!), or even Netflix and Disney +.

Woodloch Pines holds a Yule Log Hunt throughout the holidays for guests staying at the resort. The log is carefully hidden somewhere on the 135-acre campus. The hunt begins, and guests scramble about hoping to be the lucky finders. When the log is found, everyone returns to the hearth for caroling, good tidings, and the burning of the log. The finders are given a bottle of champagne as the congregation heads indoors for holiday treats. And maybe, just maybe… they might even get a special visitor from the North Pole!

In springs of 2021, I took it upon myself to start the long, tedious but hopefully ultimately rewarding task of restoring family photos. I knew the risks going in, and I knew it would be me alone taking on just about all the work, but I went for it nonetheless.

My parents have had their fair share of household incidents involving flooding and water spills over the years, and somehow I became convinced the next target would be our treasure trove of family photos. As it is, there are several thousand 35 mm photos in tupperware containers, just waiting for chaos to unfold upon them. That was more than enough to scare me.

In April, with the financial help from some of my brothers and sisters, I purchased a high speed scanner. Every time I would visit my mom, I would take another big box of photos back with me to my tiny apartment’s makeshift photo lab on my kitchen table. Whenever I would find myself with some spare time and a little bit of

gumption, I would go to work. One at a time, scanning each relic of yesteryear from one pile and placing it in the next. Whether it was on my day off or while I was burning the midnight oil, I soldiered on.

Hoards of unorganized photos found their way to my hard drive, and after about a year of this I got to work on the “hard” part of it all. All of these had to be sorted into folders- I felt my best bet was to organize by family member. One by one, I would drag and drop from one folder into the correct onerinse and repeat almost 10,000 times. When eyestrain set in, I’d call it a day and get back to it when I was ready again.

I finished the project at the perfect time: as I scrambled to find a gift for my mom to thank her for helping with my wedding this year, I handed off a little flash drive jam-packed with a lifetime of memories to her. Needless to say, happy tears ensued.

editorialI got to thinking- while the task of scanning every last shot teetered on the brink of mundane, how lucky was I that someone was there to capture all of those priceless moments? Between my mother and grandfather, and countless trips to the ol’ K-Mart photo studio, decades of memories were preserved.

We all have that one member of the family that absolutely insists on getting pictures. While few might moan and groan about posing, there’s nary a person around that will regret the photographer’s efforts when the time is right. You’ll know the moment when it happens.

So... throwing it out there to the universe. If you’re feeling a little stumped on gifting ideas this season, look to the past and your best memories and you just might find the greatest presents of all.

Happy Holidays to all.

-Ed

A TASTE OF WOODLOCH

CHOCOLATE CHUNK SKILLET COOKIE

DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 350°F.

- In a cast iron skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Once the butter is melted, turn off the burner.

- Stir in the sugars until well combined. Add the vanilla and egg and beat in until egg is completely incorporated. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Gently fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chunks. Spread the dough evenly to cover the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chunks.

- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cookie just starts to crisp and brown on top.

- Go the distance and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Serves 6 people (or one Santa Clause). Eat up!

THEBOOKNOOK

ONE DAY IN DECEMBER JOSIE SILVER

The holidays can be such a whimsical time of year- why not curl up with a heartwarming romance novel?

Perfect for fans of movies like “Love Actually” and “Serendipty,” this feel-good novel brings the perfect balance of love, realism and a splash of holiday cheer.

JACQUELINE IN PARIS ANN MAH

Follow the exploits of young Jacqueline Bouvier (the future Mrs. Kennedy) in this historical fiction novel from Ann Mah.

Join Jackie as she embarks on a year of discovery, growth and love in postwar France in this evocative piece, rich in historical detail.

ATOMIC HABITS

JAMES CLEAR

Feeling ambitious about truly sticking to your New Years resolutions for 2023? Start with the little things!

This brief yet powerful read will help you shake off bad habits and get rolling with new ones. Overcome a lack of motivation, alter your environments and find success in just about anything!

THE FAMILY GAME CATHERINE STEADMAN

Meeting your future in-laws can be intimidating, and even downright scary- and such is the case in this brand new “domestic thriller.”

Fans of the movie “Ready or Not” get ready to settle in for the long haul- this book will have you gripped until the final page!

SPELLS FOR FORGETTING ADRIENNE YOUNG

Looking for a “spellbinding” fantasy read? This novel is a compelling magical mystery with a dash of romance, pinch of betrayal, twists of morality and just a bit of witchy influence.

Highly recommended for any fans of the “Practical Magic” series!

FIRE & BLOOD GEORGE R.R. MARTIN

Any fans of HBO’s “House of the Dragon” can certainly find reason to sink their teeth into this history by the author of the now legendary “Game of Thrones” series. Though the rhetoric is a departure from what fans are used to, this one is simply a must for anyone who can’t wait for the show to return in 2024.

Critic’s Corner

Our regular review of the classics for a new generation

whose line is it:

LOVE ACTUALLY (2003)

Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson

Depending on your point of view, the holidays can be either the most wonderful time of the year, or the absolute pits. And at the center of it all, is love.

Love is all around us- for better or worse. That’s the crux of “Love Actually”, directed by Richard Curtis. The film follows a star-studded cast around London and more during the holiday season. Through interwoven storylines, we see all sides of relationships and how they impact everyone in different ways leading up to Christmas.

Almost 20 years later, it’s almost hard to believe this many stars were billed in one film. With Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, the late great Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Kiera Knightley, Colin Firth and a baby-faced Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead’s Rick Grimes) all getting decent screen time, the talent alone is worth the watch. For me, it’s clear and convincing that Bill Nighy’s washed up Billy Mack character steals the show with the movie’s best comic bits.

No matter what your personal life looks like, the movie does a great job covering all the good and bad that love brings us. Between puppy love, forbidden romance, unrequited affection, heartbreak, grief and loss and even relationships with language barriers, this covers it all. The film hits a crescendo with Lincoln’s memorable “sign” scene.

At the movie’s heart, it’s a romantic comedy, but one with a bittersweet ending. Depending on your perspective, you could swoon, laugh, commiserate or even cry. The film treads along the lines of corniness, but one that can certainly be embraced this time of year. Unless you’re an absolute “Grinch” with a heart two sizes too small, this flick is certainly worth a watch if you haven’t indulged yet.

Critic’s Grade: B+

Tis the season to watch movies! Here are some quotes from our favorites... can you identify them all?

1. Has this toothbrush been approved by the American Dental Association?

2. …am I just eating because I’m bored?

3. Remember, no man is a failure who has friends. 4. It was… SOAP POISONING! 5. So, good news… I saw a dog today. 6. There’s no greater gift than friendship. 7. Where are you gonna get more sweaters after the circus pulls out of town? 8. You guys are nothing but a bunch of sleazy con men in red suits. 9. Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. 10. Save the neck for me, Clark. 11. Now I know what a TV dinner feels like. 12. Want me to fix you some sandwiches??

13. Please, have mercy. I’ve been wearing the same underwear since Tuesday.

14. Yesterday, she couldn’t sleep. Today, she won’t eat. She’s in love.

15. Well, this is one Christmas shepherd who’s going to keep his trusty blanket with him.

Down memory lane...

treasured tales of yesteryear

With a new Theme Show on the horizon for 2023, it’s crazy to see how far Woodloch has come since its humble beginnings in 1958. Before our Nightclub was built, we hosted shows in our North Lodge.

Perhaps the most memorable of these early Theme Nights belonged to 1984. Woodloch celebrated life under “the big top” with a Circus theme show. It all started with dinner in the main house (the Inn hadn’t been built quite yet), with dining room servers dressed as clowns.

The traditional parade through the rooms ensued, and featured a

full length circus train! A supporting costumed cast of animals, daredevils, ringleaders and more made for one of the most memorable parade photo ops we’ve ever seen.

The night continued with the North Lodge transforming into a 3-ring circus. Our house band, “The Company,” dressed in full clown gear as they grooved through their sets. “Trapeze artists” dazzled the crowd as they swung high over the dance floor ( a good 4 feet in the air), and of course, the comic banter of Joey Casella and Randy Barnes provided plenty of laughs to balance it all out. It was a proud and very happy time in Woodloch history, for sure!

LOCAL MOTION

All aboard!

A proud piece of American heritage awaits history and locomotive buffs alike just down the road in the bustling town of Honesdale, Pennsylvania!

Dubbed “Birthplace of the American Railroad,” Honesdale was an important hub of commerce in the early 1800’s. Coal mined in neighboring villages such as Carbondale needed to find its way to New York City. The Delaware & Hudson Canal Company (D&H) did this through both canals and by leading a revolutionary charge to bring steam engine locomotives to America.

“The Stourbridge Lion” was purchased by D&H in Stourbridge, England and brought to the United Sates in 1829. In August of that year, the steam engine premiered its test run much to the delight of local Honesdalians, and the modern railway as we know it found it’s way to America.

Though times have certainly changed since the early days, history afficiandos and travelers alike can still visit and enjoy the proud tradition of the tiny Pocono Mountains town. A museum containing a replica of the original Lion lies at the heart of downtown Honesdale.

Those wishing to experience the magic of an old-fashioned train ride are very much in luck! The Stourbridge Line offers rail excursions all year long, with round trip tickets available between the towns of Honesdale and Hawley on select dates. Special dining events include dinner served in train cars, just like the old days! And who could forget about “The Christmas Tree Express,” featuring caroling, hot chocolate and some special visitors from the North Pole!?

Educational and certainly a lot of fun, be sure to make the “track” to Honesdale to check it out!

Please visit thestourbridgeline.net for more details!