Nov 2008

In case you need a holiday craft project for young ones, try this beach-themed one. It takes minimal supplies, but supervision needs depend on the ages of the children involved. You'll need a drape to protect the table and the floor, some paper plates, some thin kitchen sponges, some heavy craft paper and some craft paint (washable) in complementary colors. If the paper and paint can be beachy, so much the better.

Take a kitchen sponge and cut out star shapes. Give each child a section of paper, a sponge and some paint squeezed out onto a paper plate. Have him or her stamp the paper with the sponge, creating personalized wrapping paper.

Older children can use the odd bits of sponge to create coral reefs or other “sea”-sonal decorations.

For large family gatherings where lots of children are going to be present, use the same idea, but swap out the paper for craft foam in rectangles of roughly 11-by-17 inches. If all the children are present a day or so ahead of time, each can make his or her own custom place setting. If not, the “host” children can make place settings for everyone else. It's a great way to keep youngsters involved in the process by giving them their own project.

When it's time to go home, each person has his or her little piece of the beach as a reminder of the great holiday

Some folks think you have to book weeks or months at a time to take advantage of winter rates along the Alabama Gulf Coast, but that is not the case. You don't even have to make it a long weekend (although, frankly, I can't imagine why you wouldn't) to come for a visit during the winter months.

And what a great time to come! Everything seems to be just a bit more refreshing. Sunrise is an awesome display of colors, with hues of gold gradually brightening the sky. During the day, the steady rise of the sun is complemented by the steady rise of the temperatures, making the outdoors so appealing. And when dusk begins to set in, the blue sky turns to red and the sun slips behind the horizon. The temperatures are perfect for snuggling with a mug of hot chocolate next to a fire on the beach as the waves lap nearby.

Got your bag packed yet? Well, what are you waiting for?

The orange and black of Halloween have given way to the reds, greens, golds and silvers of Thanksgiving, Christmas and the prospect of the new year. The holiday displays that in September seemed so out of place now look homey and inviting.

It's time to break out the notepads and pens, because you've got to make the list before you can actually check it twice. Then it's on to the next stage of planning: Who to take on which excursion to each destination?

Hmmm. Tanger Outlet Center and Colonial Pinnacle are great destinations for family shopping trips because there's something to meet every need, every taste and every price point, plus shops left over to provide inspiration for the things you've inadvertently left off the list. Plus, they are close to lots of restaurants, and, if someone gets bored, there are plenty of distractions nearby.

The Wharf and San Roc Cay are perfect for girlfriend getaways. You can take that friend, the one who has everything, and watch her try on shoes or earrings or test perfumes, then double back when she's not looking to snag the perfect gift. Or you can gather the gal pals for a day of boutique hopping in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores.

Better start limbering up now. The marathon is about to start ...