Wednesday, November 18, 2009


Does it bother anyone besides me that we seem to have taken a shortcut straight from Halloween to Christmas? Sometimes I want to walk into the stores already bedecked with holly, decorated trees and images of Santa Claus, shake the managers and say, “What about THANKSGIVING??!!”
Some radio stations have already gone to their all-Christmas music formats, for heaven’s sake. We need some Thanksgiving carols. With apologies to Charles Wesley:
Hark, the hungry clan arri-ives,
Bearing bread and ‘lectric knives.
Macaroni’s hotly steaming,
‘Taters wait for gentle creaming.
Turkey takes the center spot.
Everybody eats a lot.
(And so on ...
)
I did see an inflatable turkey in a Pilgrim hat in the front yard of an Alice Drive home last night. It was bobbing slightly in the wind, its head swaying from side to side as if admonishing us, “Don’t forget about me! Don’t forget about Thanksgiving and thanks giving.”
Now maybe I’m a little bit crazy for attributing an attitude to a plastic turkey, but I tend to like my holidays one at a time; even if it seems this one is all about the food, there’s still the gathering of family and friends, the traditional viewing of the Macy’s parade and the nodding off during the football game to make the day special. And you don’t have the pressure to buy gifts.
Besides, everybody knows it’s not the Christmas season until the Hickory Farms kiosk appears in the mall.
United Ministries of Sumter County reminds us that there are many in our own community who won’t have the traditional Thanksgiving feast because they can’t afford it. Each year, UMSC tries to provide a dinner for 150 families, but as of last week, the charity had only three turkeys in its freezer.
Mark Champagne, executive director, said local congregations have provided all the side items needed; however, without a turkey or ham, the food boxes would be a little sad. He and UMSC’s volunteers are hoping individuals and businesses will be able to contribute enough to make the boxes a true feast and give some needy families much to be thankful for next week.
People will pick up their Thanksgiving dinner boxes on Tuesday, so if you’d like to help UMSC feed the hungry by donating a turkey or a ham, Champagne asks that you take them to the UMSC office at 36 Artillery Drive by noon Monday. Call (803) 775-0757 for more information.

There are actually some non-Christmas events scheduled around town over the next few days. On Thursday night, the Sumter County Museum presents its much-anticipated Carolina Backcountry Oyster Roast. This feast of oysters, barbecue, drunken collards and more is a perennial hit with Sumter’s oyster lovers, and the proceeds benefit the museum. There may be a few tickets left. Call the museum at (803) 775-0908.

If oysters aren’t your thing, check out the Morris College Gospel Choir Fall Concert at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Neal Jones Auditorium. Admission is free. The college is located at 100 W. College St., just off North Main. For more information call (803) 934-3200.

Works by four of Taiwan’s most renowned photographers go on exhibit at the Patriot Hall Galleries on Friday. These photographs are noteworthy both for their artistry and for their insights into the culture, history and landscape of Taiwan. Friday night’s opening reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. is free and open to the public.

Sumter’s House of Classic Movies presents Cary Grant in “The Bishop’s Wife” at the Sumter Opera House. Grant plays an angel named Dudley, and David Niven and Loretta Young are the bishop and his wife. There is some Christmas stuff in the film, but that’s not the central focus of this classic. The movie starts at 7:30 p.m., and the admission of $2.50 benefits the children’s department at the Sumter County Library. Call (803) 436-2640 for more information.
Saturday brings the fall edition of the community’s indoor garage sale at the Sumter County Exhibition Center, 700 W. Liberty St. It starts at 8 a.m. and continues until 2 p.m. There are thousands of bargains to be had, and it’s still not too late to get your own table to sell your treasures. Just call (803) 436-2270 for more information.

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