12.21 Sasee_Ebook

December 2021 

“Remember 

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that love weighs 

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– Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon

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“It’s A Wrap” 

December 2021 

Contents 

Volume 20, Issue 12 

About the Cover Artist: 

The Budapest-based artist, Dorina Nemeskéri, has not stopped drawing 

from the moment she could hold a pencil in her hand. It was never a 

question that she would pursue her passion to become a full-time artist. 

Her creations are inspired by an olden-time, vintage vibe. She wants her 

art to offer people a chance to escape their reality and feel cozy. Dorina 

explained, “I turned to fantasy to escape my environment of a city largely 

consisting only of what is usually often referred to as ‘commie blocks.’ 

Painting gave me an outlet to briefly move away from that grey reality!” 

To set this atmosphere, she usually goes for oil-based and acrylic 

material. You may also notice that her characters have a unique taste 

in fashion. That is because her other love is vintage fashion/fashion 

design. As an introvert, art is definitely the best way for Dorina to truly 

express herself. 

ETSY: www.etsy.com/shop/AtelierDorina?ref=seller-platform-mcnav 

CASETIFY: (phone case shop) www.casetify.com/atelierdorina/collection 

SPOONFLOWER: (fabric/wallpaper design shop) 

www.spoonflower.com/profiles/atelierdorina 

WEBSITE: www.atelierdorina.com 

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/atelierdorina/ 

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/atelierdorina 

4 :: Sasee.com :: December 2021 

8 

12 

14 

16 

22 

26 

34 

40 

42 

44 

What We Want for Christmas 

by Erika Hoffman 

Christmas in Our Hearts - But We Need Lights Around It 

by Mary McClure 

Karen Riordan: Making Magic in Myrtle Beach 

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson 

The Season of Love, Joy, and Wisdom 

by Rose Ann Sinay 

Sasee Wish List 

Perfectly Imperfect 

by Margaret Lea 

Songs of the Season 

by Ellen Fannon 

Evan’s Elf 

by Melissa Face 

December 2021 Events 

Our Chinese Food Christmas 

by Linda Baten Johnson

from the Editor 

Growing up, my parents and 

I mostly spent Christmas day 

traveling to spend time with 

my mom’s side of the family, 

which is pretty big. Instead of 

bringing gifts for every single 

family member, we collectively 

participate in a gift exchange. 

The Santa’s Hat Gift Exchange 

has a few various names, but 

the rules pretty much remain 

the same. 

Everyone included brings one 

wrapped gift of similar value 

that is usually either really 

great or really funny and the 

gift is placed under the tree 

anonymously. All participants 

pick a number from a Santa hat and take turns choosing a gift in their 

designated order. It’s important to note that you are not allowed to pick 

up or touch a gift unless it is the one you are opening. In other words, 

you cannot test how heavy the present is during your decision making. 

The fun really begins when a player decides to “steal” an already opened 

gift from someone else instead of opening a new one. Each opened 

present is allowed two steals and the third person gets to go home with 

it. From experience, it seems that the best numbers to have are either 

the first or the last because those candidates have more gift options. 

Regardless of the outcome, everyone involved goes home with a gift 

and gets a good giggle out of the game. 

However, my family coined an iconic gift about a decade ago that 

(due to its lack of cuteness) reappears every year, the pink pig planter. 

Family members have gotten a little more strategic with it now and do 

not wrap the pig itself because it’s too easy to spot. We would think, the 

bigger the gift, the more likely you are going home with the infamous 

pig. So now, most gifters take a picture of it and place it with another 

item that is actually a really good gift, to make up for the pig, of course. 

Sasee wishes you all a wonderful holiday season surrounded by what’s 

most important - loved ones and treasured memories. 

Cheers, 

Publisher 

Delores Blount 

Sales & Marketing Director 

Susan Bryant 

Editor 

Sarah Elaine Hawkinson 

Account Executives 

Erica Schneider 

Gay Stackhouse 

Art Director 

Patrick Sullivan 

Contributing Photographer 

Chasing the Light Photography 

Web Developer 

Scott Konradt 

Accounting 

Gail Knowles 

Executive Publishers 

Jim Creel 

Bill Hennecy 

Suzette Rogers 

PO Box 1389, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 

fax 843-626-6452 • phone 843-626-8911 

www.sasee.com • info@sasee.com 

Sasee is published monthly and distributed free along the Grand 

Strand. Submissions of articles and art are welcome. Visit our website 

for details on submission. 

Sasee is a Strand Media Group, Inc. publication. 

Copyright © 2021. 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. 

6 :: Sasee.com :: December 2021

What We Want for Christmas 

by Erika Hoffman 

I attended a Christmas luncheon yesterday. A choir of older 

women sang traditional holiday carols flawlessly. Yet, the 

highlight for me was not the mesmerizing music and their 

jovial red vests and joyful smiles but instead the performance 

of a little old lady who is the troupe’s comedienne. 

She stepped forward in front of her compatriots and with 

a little twinkle in her eyes began her story. Neither Jimmy 

Kimmel nor Jimmy Fallon can deliver a joke with better 

timing, tone, affect, and enunciation than she did, and 

she performed it live too in the midst of 100 folks. That’s 

no laughing matter because most of us amateur jokesters 

wouldn’t have had the nerve! 

She segued into her joke from a song the group had warbled 

about making a list to let Santa know what your heart desires 

for Christmas. She said she knew a woman who hinted about 

her wishes days on end before the holiday. This woman told 

her husband repeatedly what she expected to see in her 

driveway on Christmas morning. Like most husbands, her 

spouse didn’t appear to listen. She became more explicit in 

telling him what she wanted. The gift wasn’t to be delivered 

under the tree but in front of the garage. “I want something 

that goes from zero to 150 in three seconds” this woman had 

trilled to her non-responsive hubby. 

“Zero to 150” she repeated each day leading up to December 

25. “No need to wrap it.” 

That Christmas morning- we were told- this woman rushed 

out to her driveway and looked to her right and then to her 

left, turning in a complete circle. As our raconteur told this 

part of the tale, she exaggerated the head turns, and then 

our performer looked straight ahead at us with a bewildered 

gaze. Our jokester twirled around. Imitating the woman in 

her story, she searched for her zero to 150 surprise! And then 

she looked down at her feet. 

She said, “There set a digital scale.” 

We all howled. 

Mature women like jokes that resonate. Women of a 

certain age understand the scenario of a nagging wife, an 

unresponsive partner, her desire for something extravagant 

and sporty and his answer to her wish - something frugal 

and practical. A literal answer. A comical twist. And the 

glaring truth of the joke which most of us accept - we gain 

weight as we age. 

We related to her joke. 

So many women in their fifties and sixties complain 

about husbands’ habits as though they’ve just discovered 

these things about their partners, despite four decades of 

marriage. I always elicit a stare from my pals when I declare: 

“It’s too bad my husband was so dang good looking when he 

was a young man.” Ears perk up. Brows raise. Smiles form. 

“If he hadn’t been so handsome, I’d have noticed how odd 

he was.” Then everyone guffaws. 

People laugh because we’re all alike. We marry when we’re 

young and pretty and then as the years go on and our faces 

sag along with our bellies, we start noticing traits of our 

partners we didn’t see in the heady days of youth. Suddenly, 

it seems the smitten groom you married is morphing into 

your grumpy father-in-law or you are accused of turning 

into your husband’s critical mother-in-law. We start noticing 

DNA we hadn’t considered when blinded by attractive looks 

and springtime. C’est la vie. With age, we notice chinks in 

our armor, but we also laugh about those chinks and do not 

take the world or each other too seriously. We appreciate 

truths we’ve discovered along the way. 

So, with many Christmases behind us, we enjoy listening to 

songs more than opening presents. We appreciate a good 

joke more than a good cup of wassail. And the camaraderie of 

friends and acquaintances over a pleasant meal in a pleasant 

setting entertained by pleasant folks who “get us” is a merry 

way to celebrate the season, to celebrate life. 

Erika Hoffman 

resides in Chapel Hill, North 

Carolina with her one and only 

husband for many, many years. 

Her kids are grown and gone. 

But they left their pets behind. So 

now her doggies are her kids and 

writing is “her thing.” 


Wishing You... 

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MERRY & BRIGHT 

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Christmas in Our Hearts - 

But We Need Lights Around It 

by Mary McClure 

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas,” I say 

hopefully each December when the temperature drops 

down in the 30s. I say, “feels like Christmas,” not “looks 

like Christmas,” because we Okies know that a white 

Christmas is as rare as a partridge in our pear tree. It 

does happen, once in a while, but I am not one of those 

looking at the sky and dreaming of a White Christmas 

because snow can really foul up travel plans for everyone 

but Santa Claus. What I’m hoping for, starting with the 

first weekend in December, is the perfect day to put 

up the outside Christmas decorations. A perfect day I 

define as somewhere between 33 and 99 degrees, not 

raining, although a little mist would be OK, and wind 

gusts no more than 25 miles per hour. I would make a 

list each year. Read it to my husband: “Go to the storage 

place, get 15 boxes of decorations. Cut enough cedar 

boughs for the lamp post and front door. Decorate lamp 

pole. Decorate front door. Put lights in tree.” 

“What was that last thing?” he always asked suspiciously. 

“Put lights in tree,” I’d say cheerily. “We’ll just work it in 

on a pretty day.” He would look noncommittal. He knew 

I was using the editorial “we” and it was he who would 

have to lug the ladders around the front and climb up 

and down them to string lights in the elm tree. 

occurred to me that they could take over this essential 

part of the Christmas festivities. As it turned out, they 

didn’t find it very festive either. I insisted for several 

years until, finally, one son, high atop a ladder, said 

bitterly, “Mom, you just ruin Thanksgiving making us 

put these lights up in the tree.” 

That got my attention. What kind of a Ma Scrooge, what 

kind of a Grinchette had I turned into? So, I hired it 

done by people who put ads in the paper saying if there 

was anything they loved to do, it was climb up in brittle 

old trees and wind strings of little light bulbs around 

even more brittle branches. Or, more precisely, “We do 

what others won’t.” 

That elm tree is more than 50 years old now, which is not 

that old for a tree, but high winds and bad ice storms, 

have taken their toll. This year, there aren’t enough 

reachable branches to wrap lights around. I finally had 

to concede that what we’re reminded of every year - that 

the true spirit of Christmas lies not in decorations, in 

gifts, in celebrations, but in our hearts – that’s what is 

important. I just wish I could find a way to string some 

lights around it. 

“I’ll help,” I’d add quickly. “I’ll go get stuff and hand it 

up to you.” 

Eventually, I’d encourage him - well, OK, nag him 

into climbing up into the elm tree to string lights. The 

Christmas spirit curve took a nosedive around our 

house during this stage. It was a task he hated, as he 

continually reminded me in left-over Marine Corps 

terminology. But I always got a great rush of Christmas 

joy when I’d drive up to the house and see our elm tree 

aglow with twinkling-colored lights. Since our three 

sons were always here for Thanksgiving, it finally 

Mary McClure, 

editor of the Fort Sill Cannoneer for 18 

years when it was rated among the Army’s 

top three newspapers, was also the first 

woman inducted into the Army’s Public 

Affairs Hall of Fame. She has received the 

Lawton Citizen of the Humanities Award and 

the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters 

Outstanding Achievement award for Special 

Programming among metro radio stations. 


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With a passionate background in tourism marketing and sales, Karen 

Riordan made her way to the Grand Strand in 2018 to become the new 

President and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce 

(MBACC) and the Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). “What I appreciate 

the most is the incredible team I work with every day, and the fantastic 

business community we have here!” Karen continued, “I enjoy the 

legislative advocacy aspect of my role and I absolutely love getting the 

opportunity to serve all of the amazing small businesses.” 

Our local, small businesses deserve to be supported all year, but especially during the holiday season. Karen prefers to shop 

at local stores and goes crazy for creative arts and crafts. She explained, “Art, candles, and the many other handmade type 

gifts are my favorite to buy. They are all made with love and feel extra special and personal to give as gifts to my loved ones 

because they are all such unique presents.” She likes to wrap as soon as she selects a gift and enjoys making them personalized 

with gift bags and pretty tissue paper, tags, etc. 

Karen and her husband get excited every year to decorate their Christmas tree with their collection of special ornaments 

that they have received from their parents, friends, and family members through the years. One year, their kitten climbed 

the tree and knocked it down, causing quite a few ornaments to fall. Luckily, not too many were broken, because pulling 

each ornament out and placing it on the tree is like a lovely walk down memory lane for them as a couple. 

Christmas is Karen’s favorite 

time of year and she cherishes 

her quality time spent with her 

family who all travel to Myrtle 

Beach to be together. They 

celebrate with lots of great food, 

especially cookies, pies, cocoa, 

and many other chocolate 

desserts. Karen’s family always 

attends Christmas Mass on 

Christmas Eve and they have 

a tradition of opening one gift 

that night as well. Growing up 

in the north surrounded by 

snow this time of year, Karen’s 

family also had the tradition of 

going ice skating. “This year, we 

will just have to go ice skating at 

the Winter Wonderland festival 

right here in the heart of Myrtle 

Beach,” she exclaimed with 

enthusiasm. 

Karen Riordan: 

Making Magic 

in Myrtle Beach 

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson

Winter Wonderland at the Beach is an exciting new festival that features a magical, walk-through light experience plus a 

real ice-skating rink...just like Rockefeller center. This is the first time in many years that a real, outdoor ice surface has been 

brought to the Myrtle Beach area and it will be located at Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place. The light show will take you on 

a walking path through the park where you will be able to tour Toyland, Peppermint Valley, and several other interactive and 

picture-perfect light displays. This family-friendly holiday attraction was created by the MBACC and the CVB along with the 

City of Myrtle Beach and produced by the City of Myrtle Beach Parks, Recreation, and Sports Tourism Department. During 

the whole month of December, every day (except Christmas Day) until January 2nd, the downtown and boardwalk areas will 

be transformed into a sparkling holiday dreamland. Filled with twinkling lights and family fun, the Winter Wonderland at 

the Beach festivities are a must this holiday season. 

Visit the website and the Facebook page to keep up with the latest magical events: 

www.WinterWonderlandatTheBeach.com • www.facebook.com/events/404655734369960 

Sasee.com :: December 2021 :: 15

The Season of Love, Joy, and Wisdom 

by Rose Ann Sinay 

It was the year of the Cabbage Patch Kids, and I was making 

my bi-weekly visit to the Zayre’s toy department to peruse 

the aisles, hoping for a surprise shipment of the hottest doll 

of the year. The toy was all my three-year-old daughter could 

talk about. Some of her little friends carried their babies with 

them everywhere they went, and Kailey wanted one of her 

own to love. 

Although I wanted more than anything to make it happen, 

these special “kids” were nowhere to be found. There were 

sightings of the doll and frantic buying, only for the toy to 

disappear, again, leaving some moms triumphant and many 

others dismayed that their child may not have the most 

important toy on their list. Although I was doing my due 

diligence to find the doll, I couldn’t relate to the craziness 

reported on the news about parents stepping over one 

another to snatch this plaything. What was the world coming 

to? 

Suddenly, the stock room doors flew open. A large cart 

appeared piled high with boxes–Cabbage Patch Kids. 

Women scrambled like crabs holding two or three boxes in 

their pincers and under their arms. A high-pitched buzz and 

a horde of bodies descended upon the toy section. My anxiety 

spiked as I tried to find some space. As the boxes were being 

attacked, I watched a carton being pushed across a shelf and 

wedged between the lower shelf and the wall. I lunged for the 

package, landing hard on the tiled floor. No pain, no gain, I 

muttered to myself moving forward. I huddled the object like 

a large football and retreated from the growing mob. I didn’t 

care which Cabbage Patch Kid I had–blue-eyed, green-eyed, 

red hair, blonde hair, no hair. It didn’t matter; I had scored! 

My knees were wobbly as I made my way to the register, and 

I thought I might have bruised a rib. The previous week, I 

had snagged a He-Man figure (Masters of the Universe) and 

a few of his freakishly muscled cohorts for my son, but there 

had been no frenzy, just a calm, successful shopping trip. 

The toys were already wrapped and hidden in a plastic bin 

in my closet. Although I was pleased and relieved to have 

them, there hadn’t been that desperation that I had just 

experienced. 

Battered and bruised, I thought an ice cream sundae and 

a cup of coffee would be the perfect way to celebrate my 

coup and lick my wounds. I made my purchase and headed 

directly to Friendly’s next door. With my package in tow, I 

found a booth, ordered my treat, and proceeded to take the 

box from the bag. The doll had red hair in two thick pigtails 

and freckles across her nose. She was perfect. 

I couldn’t wait to see the looks on my kid’s faces on Christmas 

morning. I took a long draw on my coffee followed by a 

spoonful of fudge. Life was good. 

“Mommy,” a young voice screeched, “a Cabbage Patch doll!” 

“Excuse me,” her mother said, “Where did you find the doll? 

Were there any left?” She looked as desperate as I had felt 

before my death-defying lunge. 

“Next door,” I said. “The boxes were disappearing as quickly 

as the stock boys put them out, but, if you’re quick, you might 

get one.” 

Before I knew it, the woman and her child were out the door 

rushing across the parking lot. 

The chocolate in my mouth was suddenly too thick and 

sickeningly sweet. Had I really charged like a linebacker to get 

this red-headed piece of plastic and cloth? Embarrassment 

set in. I had gotten caught up in a material mania and my 

priorities had been scrambled. This was not the reason for 

the season. 

I went home, wrapped the package, and put it in the bin 

along with He-Man. There was no longer any pleasure in the 

fact that I had gotten the doll. 

*** 

Christmas morning, my son and daughter were up early. We 

heard them scramble down the stairs and squeal with glee at 

the sight of the presents lined up under the tree. My husband 

and I grabbed a glass of eggnog and snuggled on the couch, 

watching our children open each gift. Their delight was 

contagious, and we laughed at their excitement. 


My son opened his assortment of 

Masters of the Universe figures and 

jumped up and down. His wish had 

been granted. 

My daughter opened the box containing 

her doll and she began to cry and laugh 

at the same time. “Santa brought me 

a Cabbage Patch baby,” she managed 

to say hugging her ginger-haired doll 

to her chest. An hour later, she laid 

the doll in a cradle, also delivered by 

Santa. From time to time, she picked 

the baby up, burped her, and ran her 

small hand over the doll’s pigtails. She 

was enchanted. 

I was still embarrassed by my actions in 

aisle nine of the department store but 

watching my daughter’s happiness let 

me forgive myself a little. 

I fished the “adoption” certificate with 

the doll’s name out of the box. I laughed 

out loud. Her name was Joy; of course, 

it was. 

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Let Us Wrap You in Peace and Love 

My self-recrimination slipped away. I 

had learned my lesson well. This bit of 

wisdom was my gift in this wonderful 

season of love…and joy. 

Rose Ann Sinay 

Assisted Living & Memory Care 

is a freelance writer newly relocated 

Assisted Living Memory Care 

of MURRELLS INLET 

to Connecticut. She continues to write 


about moments worth remembering, 

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Prince George Church 

300 Prince Broad Street George Georgetown, ChurchSC 

300 Broad Street, Georgetown, SC 

Wednesday, December 15 th at 1:00 pm 

Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church 

Wednesday, 2631 Hwy 17 December Business Garden 15th, City, 1:00 SC pm 

Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church 

Blue 36 Years Christmas of Caring Service 

2631 Because Hwy 17 Every Business, Moment Garden Counts City, SC 

Your community’s only locally based not-for-profit 

hospice provider serving Georgetown, Horry, 

and Williamsburg Counties since 1985. 

36 Years of Caring 

Georgetown 

Myrtle Beach 

Because Every Moment Counts 

2591 N. Fraser Street 29440 1600 Farrow Pky #B6 29577 

843-546-3410 843-839-3410 

Your community’s Tidelandshospice.org only locally based 

not-for-profit hospice provider, serving 

Georgetown, Horry, and Williamsburg Counties 

since 1985. 

Georgetown 

2591 N. Fraser Street 29440 

843-546-3410 

Blue Christmas Service 

www.tidelandshospice.org 

Myrtle Beach 

1600 Farrow Pky #B6 29577 

843-839-3410 


Wish List 

Sasee is incredibly thankful for all of you, our devoted readers, and we hope all of you understand just 

how important our advertisers are to our magazine. Our advertisers are all local and offer unique gifts 

for you and your loved ones so please join us in supporting them this holiday season. Sasee encourages 

you all to give thanks as well as give gifts from our Wish List. 

This limited-edition Gingko Leaves sculpture was 

created by Tony Hochstetler. The Ginkgo’s distinctive fanshaped 

leaf has carried symbolism along with its singular 

beauty. The Ginkgo has been a symbol of longevity and 

endurance because the tree can live for a thousand years. 

Cheryl Newby Gallery 

11096 Ocean Hwy, Suite 4 

Pawleys Island 

843-979-0149 

This Palmetto necklace is sure to be the best gift 

under the tree. This beautiful piece of jewelry was 

designed by Dawn at Grady’s Jewelers. 

Grady’s Jewelers 

317 Laurel St 

Conway 

843-248-2624 

Unique and decorative, these whimsical planters and 

watering pitcher are sure to liven up any household or 

porch setting as they are cute and functional. 

Design on a Dime 

1918A US 17 Busines 

Surfside Beach 

843-232-1026

These one-of-a-kind Glacier Earrings from the Brackish 

Collection are a statement like no other and are lovingly 

handcrafted from start to finish in Charleston, SC. 

Crafted with teal goose, gold & green peacock, and 

orange & yellow pheasant feathers, each feather is 

hand-selected giving each pair a unique coloring. 

Good Deed Goods 

3579 US-17 BUS 


843-651-7979 

Featuring accents created by artisans from 

regions throughout Mexico, Consuela Bags pair 

playful patterns with joyful colors & interesting 

textures. Showcasing hand-embroidered textiles, 

papier mâché bag charms, and braided or woven 

bag straps, they are stylish as well as durable and 

comfortable to carry. 

Bleu 

720 Sunset Blvd N., 

Sunset Beach, NC 

910-579-5628 

Looking for just the right gift that can complement a 

home or workspace? This Chanel inspired pillow is a 

must for any woman on your gift list. 

Rose Arbor Fabrics 

Myrtle Beach • 6916 N. Kings Hwy. • 843-449-7673 

Pawleys Island • 11382 Ocean Hwy. • 843-979-9970

These statement piece Sea Life Pendants and Charms come in 

Sterling Silver or Gold Enamel. Call or shop in store to see all of 

the available sea life options. 

Darden Jewelers 

12078-C Bypass 17 


843-651-5067 

This is a luxury melamine cake pedestal or chip & dip platter all in one from 

Beatriz Ball. This item can be used two different ways and is the perfect gift for 

someone who has everything. 

Sara & Beth Gifts & Home 

1003 Prince St., Georgetown • 843-833-8768 

The Urban Villa Complete Doll House Playset from Small Foot 

Wooden Toys comes fully furnished and includes 12 pieces 

of custom-made play furniture. This large, stable, wooden 

doll house has an open front side that makes playing easier. 

The bright outer facade and modern color scheme fit 

neutrally with tasteful living room/nursery interior designs. 

Doodlebugs 

800 Front Street 

Georgetown 

843-546-6858

Large 13” Plush Warmies are fully microwavable to provide hours 

of soothing warmth and comfort. Warmies are scented with real 

dried French lavender and perfectly weighted for a positive sensory 

experience. Choose from sloths, turtles, sharks, flamingos, red pandas, 

and more. Warmies make an ideal gift for all ages. 

Gay Dolphin Gift Cove 

916 N. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach 

843-448-6550 

For him or her, these reclaimed wood 

bar accessories compliment any home 

bar while entertaining guests during the 

holidays and all year long. 

Coastal Luxe Interiors 

6613 N Kings Hwy 

Myrtle Beach 

843-946-6644 

Artfully designed and handset by Julie Vos, these Milano 

Bangles in candy-colored hues are gilded in 24kt gold and 

make for the Ultimate “Stacking” Stuffer! 

Surf Unlimited Mercantile 

17 Causeway Drive 

Ocean Isle Beach, NC 

910-579-1525

Perfectly Imperfect 

by Margaret Lea 

Standing back to admire and enjoy the lovely decorations 

I’d put up in our home for Christmas 2020, I noticed that 

the table runner on the long table in our family room was 

extremely uneven. One side dangled nearly to the floor, while 

the other side barely hung over the table. 

On top of this wayward table runner was an elaborate display 

consisting of pinecones, cute ornaments, a small glass 

Christmas tree, and a dancing Santa who boogied to “Jingle 

Bell Rock” when his start button was pushed. (My three girls 

pushed this often.) Two long strings of shiny beads, placed 

precariously around the outer edges of the table runner, 

completed the festivities. 

It had been a lot of creative fun placing everything just 

so on the table, but I did not want to remove it all, adjust 

the runner and do it again. So, the funkily-placed runner 

just lay there mocking me, “Hey, Little Miss Perfectionist, 

congratulations on the FANTASTIC job you did of placing me 

on my table! A little too jolly with the wine while decorating?” 

As I’d had no wine at all while decorating, I knew this was a 

ludicrous taunt. However, the intent behind the query still 

stung. How could I have allowed this quite rude table runner 

to be placed so negligently in my very own home? Mr. Table 

Runner was quite correct in his keen assessment of me as a 

perfectionist - well, as long as you don’t count how tidy and 

clean the house is… or isn’t. 

With three teenagers, I long ago waved the white flag for 

that battle. Technically, I waved the grey flag; I can’t keep 

anything snowy white anymore. So, while my kids have 

steadily chipped away at my perfectionism for years, 

COVID-19 dealt it the final blow. Our family vacation in 

2020 was to the delightful island nation of Hobby Lobby, 

with special add-on shore excursions to Walmart and Dollar 

Tree. To be fair, we did spend a good bit of time at the lake... 

the tiny, man-made one in our subdivision, which we walked 

around frequently for exercise and to keep some sanity. 

My husband lost his job due to the pandemic, thus freeing 

him up for a couple of months of luxury home-spa relaxing. 

Well, I guess it could have been relaxing if not for the 

constant networking, job searching, and extremely expensive 

COBRA health insurance payments. (Thankfully, he did find 

a new job that he enjoys even more than his previous one.) 

Our kitchen nook was turned into a ceramics workshop 

thanks to virtual school. Our daughter’s teacher informed 

her that working with ceramics is not advised in small closed 

spaces like bedrooms, due to the possibility of breathing 

invisible toxic particles of silica dust. Apparently, it’s much 

better to share that noxious dust with the entire family. 

Two of our three girls succumbed to Netflix and Hulu’s 

siren songs, with a corresponding drop in GPA. One girl 

blamed us, the parents, and claimed that her grades would 

dramatically improve when we let her return to in-person 

school. (She did return to campus for the last three months 

of the school year. Alas, the wondrous improvement in her 

grades never materialized.) 

Like everyone in the pandemic, we were forced to spend an 

inordinate amount of time at home with only immediate 

family, to stop going most places we love, and to basically 

just survive in a weird limbo, learning to negotiate cramped 

quarters and trampled-on emotions. It made me realize that 

perfection is grossly overrated. 

I even learned to appreciate the freakishly weird aspects of 

my fellow family members, as they did with me. Peaceful 

coexistence, progress, kindness, and good health have 

replaced my former goal of perfection. I know now without 

a shadow of a doubt that nothing will ever be perfect, and 

that’s OK. If things are running even moderately smoothly, 

that’s a major win. 

So, take that my dear Mr. Table Runner! I’m not listening to 

any more of your jeers. You were just fine the way you were 

in 2020. Perhaps I’ll even place you in exactly the same goofy, 

lopsided position again this Christmas. Then again…Nah! 

Margaret Lea 

is a wife, piano teacher, writer, and 

mother of three beautiful teenage 

girls. She has been published in 

“Chicken Soup for the Soul.” 


Fabulous 

Gifts 

in Historic 

Georgetown 

Gifts • Home Decor • Fashion 

Designer Jewelry • Bridal Registry 

Pat Puckett Fine Art 

1003 Prince Street, Georgetown, SC 29440 • 843-833-8768 • www.saraandbethgifts.com • Mon - Sat 10am - 5pm 

Cheryl Newby 

GALLERY 

Is proud to introduce 

Award Winning 

Watercolorist, 

Brittney Tough 

843.979.0149 


in The Shops at Oak Lea 

Pawleys Island, SC 29585 

CherylNewbyGallery.com 

TROPICAL GARDEN SAMPLES 

By Brittney Tough | Watercolor on Paper | 36” x 36” 


Presents with Personality 

by Sarah Elaine Hawkinson 

For some gift-givers, the actual wrapping of the present is one of the most important and fun elements when 

giving a gift. Whether the aesthetic matches you or the one receiving the gift, try wrapping your presents 

with some personality. Here are a few gift-wrapping styles that are trending this holiday season: 

The Modern Minimalist 

The Traditional Lady

The Eco-Friendly Conservator 

The Crafty Queen 

The Glam Goddess

Stay Local, Eat Local, 

Support Local... 

How big is Your heart? 

Get Your Holiday Goodies Here!! 

The Sweetest Little Place in Pawleys Island 

843-237-3100 


Pawleys Island, SC 29585 


Hours of Operation: 

Monday-Saturday 6am-3pm 

Sunday 6am-1pm 

www.pawleysislandbakery.com 

email: max@pawleysislandbakery.com 

NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER 

843-293-1137 

4452 Socastee Blvd • Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

WE DELIVER WHEN YOU DO! 

Saltwater Storks & More 

offers the finest lawn sign rentals 

on the Grand Strand! 

Our storks are 6 ft. tall and a 

wonderful way to surprise a loved one 

when a new baby arrives and to 

celebrate life’s finest moments. 

Contact us today! 

saltwaterstorksandmore.com 

843-446-1039 

Samuel B Cuff 

From the Royal Bali Collection 

Sterling Silver and 18k Gold 

with Multi-Colored Gemstones 

843-248-2624 

317 Laurel Street 

Conway, SC 29526 

(Closed Sundays) 


Give the gift of Adventure, Family Time 

& Memories this Holiday Season! 

PRODIGY 

Kitchens & Baths 

Great for all leveled anglers 

Fully outfitted 

Inshore • Offshore • Gulf Stream 

1/2 Day • 3/4 Day • Full Day Charters 

Reservations can be made at 

www.laidbackchartersoib.com or 

by calling (910) 733-2608 

Owned by Allison Harrington and Daniel Walters 

Captained by Danny Cox 

(910) 733-2608 

contactlaidbackcharters@gmail.com 


YOUR LUXURY 

KITCHEN & BATH 

DESIGN CENTER 

8435 Ocean Highway, 

Pawleys Island, South Carolina 29585 

Monday - Friday: 9am - 5pm • Saturday: 9am - 1pm 

www.prodigykb.com • (843) 314-0444

Speech Solutions Inc. 

Meeting the Speech and Language 

Needs of Our Community Since 2003 

We assess, diagnosis and treat our patients to 

help improve their speech, language, cognitive, 

communication, voice, swallowing, fluency 

and other speech disorders We also have the 

equipment and certified Speech-Langugage 

Pathologists to provide Vital Stem Therapy. 

TRUNK SHOW 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10 

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11 

10:00 - 5:00 

Nationally Accredited 

and State Licensed 

Speech Solutions, Inc. 

is owned by 

Allison Harrington 

M.Ed., CCC-SLP 

“The mission of Speech Solutions, Inc. is to provide speech 

and language needs with integrity and accountability in 

the communities we serve, to give back through community 

service and to inspire moments of optimism and happiness 

while creating value and making a difference.” 

910-754-3484 

127 Village Drive, Suite B 

Shallotte, NC 28459 

www.speechsolutionsinc.com 

THE SHOPS AT OAK LEA 

11096 OCEAN HIGHWAY 

PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC 29585 

(843) 237-8080 

WWW.ELEANORPITTS.COM 


Songs of the Season 

by Ellen Fannon 

I love all kinds of Christmas music–carols, secular 

songs, children’s songs–provided it is not played before 

Thanksgiving. That being said, there are a number of songs 

associated with Christmas time that really don’t seem to 

have anything to do with Christmas. 

Take the old standard, “Jingle Bells.” There is no mention 

of Christmas in the lyrics. According to Wikipedia, it 

was written by James Lord Pierpont, J.P. Morgan’s uncle, 

in 1850, and was inspired by one-horse open sleigh 

races between Medford Square and Malden Square in 

Medford, Massachusetts. It was originally intended for the 

Thanksgiving season and was often sung as a drinking song 

at parties. Personally, I’ve never been in a one-horse open 

sleigh, so I don’t know if it is fun or not, yet I sing with gusto 

as if I know it is. 

There are several other “winter-themed” songs heard only 

during the Christmas season, such as “Winter Wonderland,” 

“Frosty the Snowman,” “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” “Sleigh 

Ride,” and “Let it Snow.” Living in the south and having 

lived for two years on the equator, it is hard to appreciate 

the requisite for snow in order to have a real Christmas, but 

it must be true as all the Christmas movies feature snow. 

I sometimes wonder how other people who live where 

Christmas falls during hot weather feel about this stereotype. 

As for me, I am quite happy not having a white Christmas, 

which is one of the reasons I escaped Ohio. In fact, the song, 

“I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” conjures up visions in 

my mind of shoveling snow, having my car stuck in the snow, 

and breaking my neck on ice. More like a nightmare than a 

dream. Snow is only beautiful when one is inside a warm 

house with a roaring fire, sipping a mug of hot chocolate 

with marshmallows, and gazing out the window at the 

pristine newly fallen snow before it turns into black slush. 

One of the traditional Christmas songs which never fails 

to amuse me is “Little Drummer Boy.” Now don’t get me 

wrong, I like the tune and the lyrics are sweet. But I have 

to consider it from the perspective of Mary, the mother of 

Jesus. The poor woman had to travel approximately seventy 

miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the joyful purpose 

of paying taxes (talk about rubbing salt in the wound), in 

the condition of being “great with child.” This couldn’t have 

been easy. The Bible doesn’t tell us whether she walked or 

perhaps rode a donkey or had other modes of transportation. 

Nevertheless, any journey in her late stage of pregnancy 

would have been uncomfortable. Then when she arrives in 

Bethlehem, there is no place to stay, so she ends up having 

to give birth in a stable (which was probably a cave rather 

than what we think of as a wooden structure). Although the 

Bible doesn’t explicitly say, it is assumed there either were 

animals present, or the area had been used for animals, as 

baby Jesus was laid in a manger, which is a feeding trough 

for animals. So, in addition to the ordeal of having just given 

birth, the lack of cleanliness and the barnyard odors most 

likely added to her discomfort. 

Then what happens? A snot-nosed little brat shows up and 

bangs on a drum! He probably woke the baby after she’d just 

gotten him to sleep! Somehow, I find it difficult to envision 

any woman who had just gone through what Mary did 

nodding her head when the drummer boy asked if he could 

play his drum for baby Jesus, rather than asking Joseph to 

please get rid of the kid and especially his drum. Who wants 

to hear a drum solo when one is stressed, exhausted, and (oh 

yes) just given birth in a stable? But as the little drummer 

boy is not scriptural, I suppose I shouldn’t attach too much 

significance to the scenario. 

Enjoy all the wonderful music of the season, don’t worry 

about analyzing it too deeply, and “Have Yourself a Merry 

Little Christmas.” 

Ellen Fannon 

is an award winning author, 

a practicing veterinarian, 

former missionary, and church pianist/ 

organist. She originated and wrote the 

Pet Peeves column for the Northwest 

Florida Daily News. She and her 

husband have also been foster parents 

to more than 40 children, and the 

adoptive parents of two sons. Her 

first novel, Other People’s Children, 

the humorous account of the life of a foster parent, was released 

November 2017 and is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and 

the trunk of her car. She lives in Valparaiso, Florida, with her husband, 

son, and assorted pets. 


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(843) 650-9757 • GrandStrandLawyers.com • 1271 Glenns Bay Road, Surfside Beach, SC 29575 

*Sarah A. Johnson: Retired 


Delores 

Patrick 

Susan 

The Sasee Staff wishes all our readers, writers, 

advertisers and artists a Very Merry and 

Sasee Christmas! 

Gay 

Erica 

Sarah

Holiday 

Magic! 

Design Services available! 

Fabric, Furniture, Accessories & More 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10th 

AND 

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11th 

AT THE 

KAMINSKI HOUSE MUSEUM 

Photo by Paula Supina 

HOLIDAY MARKET • CAROUSEL RIDES 

ANNUAL LIGHT UP THE LAWN EVENT 

Myrtle Beach • 6916 N. Kings Hwy. • 843-449-7673 

Pawleys Island (Across From Fresh Market) • 843-979-9970 

It’s never too late to get something 

FRAMED before Christmas! 

1003 Front Street • Georgetown, SC 

kaminskimuseum.org 

843-546-7706 

Lead Sponsor 

Emma Marie’s 

Antique Shoppe 

C & C Auction Company, Inc. 

Kuma by John Bickle 

Frame Factory 

& Gallery 

Voted Best of the Beach since 1998 

843-449-6282 • 6912 North Kings Hwy. • Myrtle Beach 


Licensed & Insured 

Commercial • Residential 

FROM OUR FAMILIES TO YOURS: 

Merry 

Christmas! 

Cleaning & Linen Rentals 

May this season bring love and happiness to all! 

Love The DJO Team 

702 Country Club Drive 

Conway, SC 29526 

843-488-2526 | drjenortho.com 

843-299-0247 

671 Jamestown Dr., Unit R2 

Garden City, SC 29576 

thecleanupclub@gmail.com 


Design on 

a Dime 

Consignment 

& Gift Shop 

Beachy Coastal Home Décor, Gifts & More! 

40 Local Crafters/Artisans 

(843) 232-1026 

1918A US-17 Business 

Surfside Beach, SC 29575 

Mon - Sat 11am - 3pm 

Merry Christmas 

Jewelry Repairs 

Custom Designs 

Bridal and Wedding 

Watch Batteries 

There’s still time to create that one of a kind 

gift for this year’s holiday season, stop in 

anytime and design the perfect piece. 

Free drawings and estimates. 

Darden Jewelers 

Serving the Grand Strand since 1940 

843.651.5067 

12078-C Hwy 17 Bypass • Murrells Inlet 

Between West Marine & T-Mobile 

www.dardenjewelers.com 


Evan’s Elf 

by Melissa Face 

“I’m never allowing an elf on my shelf - or anywhere 

else in my house for that matter,” I proclaimed at my 

firstborn’s baby shower. I was a new mom and full 

of ideals, philosophies, and many other “I’ll never” 

statements. I hadn’t read the popular book, and I really 

didn’t want to read it. I didn’t like the idea of having 

something else to monitor during a season that is 

already so hectic. 

For about eight years, things went as I planned. We 

enjoyed Christmas with our son, Evan, and eventually 

with our daughter, Delaney. We wrote letters to Santa, 

visited him at the mall, and enjoyed Santa-themed 

pancake breakfasts. None of us mentioned the elf, and 

we still didn’t have one in the house. I laughed at images 

my friends posted on social media of their elves getting 

into mischief and making whipped cream and sprinkle 

messes on kitchen countertops. It still wasn’t enough to 

make me want one. 

Kids have a way of learning about things, though. Elf 

stories circulated around my kids’ elementary school 

and at dance class. 

“Why don’t we have an elf?” my children asked. 

“We don’t need one,” I said. “We know that Santa is 

watching your behavior.” 

“Well, my friends have an elf,” Evan said. “He does fun 

things around the house and leaves notes for them.” 

“Yeah! And he moves to a different spot every day!” 

Delaney echoed. 

I didn’t budge, and we enjoyed another “elfless” 

Christmas season. 

Two years ago, we went shopping a couple of days 

after Christmas. I wanted to buy some discounted 

wrapping paper, bows, and decorations. My children 

were enjoying rummaging through a holiday toy bin. 

They resurfaced with several small, plushy creatures 

including a fox, a reindeer, and an elf. I didn’t think 

much about it at the time. My arms were full of gift 

wrap; I was distracted, and I had no rebuttal for my kids’ 

best argument: “Everything is seventy-five percent off!” 

They got me. 

On the way home, they chatted incessantly about their 

new friends and how excited they were to finally have an 

elf. I cut my eyes at Evan in the rearview mirror. He saw 

me and quickly said, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve got this.” 

For almost a year, the elf and his cohorts hid out in 

Evan’s room. When the following Christmas season 

came around, Evan stayed up a little later than his sister 

each night to help the elves find a new spot around the 

house. He helped them hide behind canned food in the 

pantry, set up a carnival on the living room floor, and 

write notes about being good and eating vegetables. 

Delaney was in love with the elf. She couldn’t wait to 

get up each morning to find out where he was and what 

kind of message he had left for her. In fact, she got up 

so early some mornings that I had to tell her to go back 

to bed - even the elves were still asleep. 

One morning I was exceptionally grumpy when Delaney 

came into my room at five a.m. and stood by my bed, 

waiting for me to notice her arrival. 

“Mom, can I go check on my elf?” 

“No!” I shouted. “Go back to bed. And if you wake me up 

again, the elf is leaving for good!” 

Delaney returned to her room without much 

complaining, but a few minutes later I heard Evan 

quietly crying in his room. I got up to check on him and 

asked him what was wrong. 


Furniture, Bedding, Custom Window Treatments, Wallpaper, 

Throw Pillows, Area Rugs, Full Interior Design Services 

“I’m just sad about the elf,” he said. 

“I’m really having fun surprising 

Delaney each day. I don’t want him 

to go away.” 

I told him I understood, and I 

promised not to ban the elf. While 

I didn’t exactly appreciate being 

woken up at five in the morning, it 

was a small price to pay for the joy 

that my children were experiencing. 

Delaney loved the excitement of 

finding her elf each morning, and 

Evan loved creating that magic for 

his sister. 

I still haven’t read the popular book, 

but I have accepted the elf as part 

of our Christmas tradition. I’ve also 

allowed a few other items into our 

home that I said I never would, years 

ago, before I was a mom, and before 

I really understood the wonder of 

creating magic for little ones. 

Come see our new model located at the Waterside Edge Community in the 

Grande Dunes Area, off of 71st Ave. North and Bypass 17 on the Intracoastal Waterway. 

In-Home or In-Store Interior Design Consultation by Appointment 

New Construction & Remodel Material Selections 

(Cabinets, Lighting & Flooring) 

Coastal Luxe Interiors 

Better Living by Design 

843.946.6644 

6613 N. Kings Highway • Myrtle Beach, SC 29572 

www.coastal-luxe.com 

Tues - Fri 11am - 4pm 

Merry Christmas 

from our family to yours! 

...I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for 

all the people: today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, 

was born for you in the city of David. 

- LUKE 2:10-11 HCSB 

Melissa Face 

is the author of I Love You More Than 

Coffee, an essay collection for parents 

who love coffee a lot and their kids...a 

little more. Her essays and articles 

have appeared in Richmond Family 

Magazine, ScaryMommy, and twentyone 

volumes of Chicken Soup for the 

Soul. Read more at melissaface.com. 

843-395-4402 bethearetirement.com 


December 2021 

Events 

Light Shows 

Winter Wonderland at the Beach 

Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place 

Myrtle Beach 

Dec 1 - Jan 2, 2022 (closed Christmas Day) 

Check website for hours 

www.winterwonderlandatthebeach.com 

Nights of a Thousand Candles 

Brookgreen Gardens 


Dec 2 - Jan 2, 2022 • 4:00-9:00pm 

Check website for specific dates 

www.brookgreen.org 

The Great Christmas Light Show 

N. Myrtle Beach Parks & Sports Complex 

Dec 1 - 31 

(closed Christmas Day) 

5:30-9:30 PM 

www.nmb.us 

Charlestones Christmas Show 

Winyah Auditorium 

Georgetown 

Dec 3, 2021 • 7pm 

www.winyahauditorium.org 

The South’s Grandest Christmas Show 

Alabama Theatre 

North Myrtle Beach 

Dec 1 - Jan 1, 2022 

Check website for show times 

www.alabama-theatre.com 

Christmas at Pirates Voyage 

Myrtle Beach 

Dec 1 - Jan 1, 2022 


www.piratesvoyage.com/myrtle-beach 

Holiday Entertainment 

Carolina Opry’s 

The Christmas Show of the South 

Myrtle Beach 

Dec 1 - Jan 5, 2022 


www.thecarolinaopry.com 

A Magical Christmas and Comedy Show 

GTS Theatre, Myrtle Beach 

Dec 3 - 28 • 7pm 


www.gtstheatre.com 

Original Motown Christmas Tribute Show 


Dec 1 - 29 



Christmas with Elvis 

Starring Alex Mitchell 


Dec 7, 14, 28 • 2pm 


Step into Christmas 

with Elton John Tribute Show 


Dec 2, 9, 16, 23, 26 • 7pm 


Joy To The World: 

A Celebration of Christmas 

Theatre of the Republic, Conway 

December 9 - 12 & 16 - 19 


www.theatreoftherepublic.com

Christmas Parades 

Georgetown 

Candyland Christmas Parade 

Front Street 

Dec 4 • 11am 

www.historicgeorgetownsc.com 

North Myrtle Beach Christmas Parade 

Main Street (from Bilo to Ocean Blvd.) 

Dec 4 • 5:30pm 

www.nmbpark.com 

Murrells Inlet Christmas Parade 

Highway 17 Business 

(from Wilcox Avenue to Wachesaw Road) 

Dec 5 • 3pm 

www.murrellsinletsc.com/events 

Surfside Beach Christmas Parade 

Ocean Boulevard/Surfside Drive 

Dec 11 • 2:00pm 

www.visitmyrtlebeach.com 

Barefoot Landing 

Holiday Golf Cart Parade 

Dec 12 • 3:00pm 

www.bflanding.com 

Franklin & Boone Charcuterie Christmas 

Hand-Poured, Citrus Preserved Resin Charcuterie Board 

Gorgeously gilded along the edges. 

Luxury gifting from Franklin & Boone at Good Deed Goods. 

...More to see in store! 

Located inside Lee’s Inlet Apothecary 

843.651.7979 

3579 U.S. 17 Business 

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576 

gooddeedgoods@gmail.com 

www.GoodDeedGoods.com 

Surfside Beach Resident 

Golf Cart Christmas Parade 

Dec 18 • 1:00pm 

www.surfsidebeach.org 

41 

YEAR 

ANNIVERSARY 


Our Chinese Food Christmas 

by Linda Baten Johnson 

In 2021, the polar vortex left millions of Texans with no 

electricity or water available. My niece’s family, warned 

about the stoppage of water, filled bathtubs and containers 

with the precious liquid. Other friends with no electricity left 

their homes to go to warming shelters or to live with those 

who were experiencing only temporary electrical shutdowns. 

We connected with our three daughters during that 

challenging week through a joint text fest. My husband and I 

experienced rolling blackouts but had water. We camped out 

in our smallest room, the office, a sanctuary in the middle 

of the house with only one window. We ran a small electric 

heater when the power was on and hung blankets in front 

of the lone window. We even wore our long underwear, 

coats, and hats while working puzzles and reading during 

the daylight hours. 

In one text, our youngest daughter said, “When it’s this 

cold, I get a taste for Chinese food.” Her comment drew 

immediate responses of LOL, happy faces, and Yum-Yum. 

We all regard our Chinese-food Christmas as one of our best 

holidays. 

The year before our girls left home, we planned a family 

vacation to Europe. We dreamed of a delightful Christmas 

as we boarded the airplane to take us from sunny Texas to 

the “blessed plot” of England, the place we’d seen in films, 

on television, and imagined when reading books. 

My husband mastered driving on the left side of the road 

and roundabouts. Our youngest daughter organized 

our underground excursions, and our older daughters 

organized our must-see stops. Emerging from the tube 

station and seeing Big Ben brought gasps from all of us. We 

walked cobblestone paths with a nippy chill in the air and 

marveled at the shop decorations celebrating the season. As 

in America, people rushed through the English streets, many 

armed with packages, and most wearing smiles as the bells 

and recorded carols competed with the busy traffic sounds. 

For our English Christmas, we’d booked a charming bed and 

breakfast in Bath, which promised a separate apartment 

for our family. With Jane Austen’s memorable characters 

in our heads, we rang our host for final directions and 

confirmation. 

“We’re expecting you, but the weather is going to be 

unusually cold. Bring your jumpers and plenty of 20p and 

50p coins.” 

After she terminated the call, we surmised that a jumper was 

a sweater, but we were puzzled about the need for coins. 

Advertising pictures can be deceiving. 

When we arrived, our daughters dubbed the abode as the 

Munsters’ Homestead as the exterior reminded them of the 

black-and-white television show. Optimistic that the inside 

would be better, we knocked on the door. We saw no spiders 

weaving webs, bats flying through the rooms, or a dragon 

peering out. 

We issued a collective sigh of relief until our hostess led us 

to our private apartment–a cramped and unheated space 

unless you put 20 pence or 50 pence in the heating meter. 

Our abode did have four beds as promised but distinctly 

lacked charm and ambiance. We unpacked and went to the 

local market for breakfast and lunch supplies as we planned 

to celebrate Christmas in an elegant restaurant. 

The predicted unusual cold arrived, and we abbreviated our 

scheduled Christmas Eve exploration of Bath. We hurried 

back to the apartment, snuggled up under blankets we 

pulled from all the beds, and sat on the sofa wearing hats 

and gloves. The heating meter had a voracious appetite, and 

our stack of pence coins dwindled. We decided to feed the 

machine only when absolutely necessary. It became a game 

as to who would be the first to request heat. Despite the 

cold, we were warm and happy, all bundled up and spending 

Christmas Eve together. 

Christmas Day dawned, and we dressed warmly as we 

searched for a nearby restaurant with notions of a blazing 

fireplace, gleaming china on white tablecloths, and perhaps 

some figgy pudding. 

Nothing. We agreed to postpone our special English dinner 

until the next day and compromised on Chinese food for 

Christmas. Stomping our feet to keep warm, we begged for 

as many 20 and 50 pence coins as the proprietor of the takeout 

shop could spare and gratefully ordered our favorite 


dishes and extra egg rolls. Of course, we 

received fortune cookies. 

Our fortunes didn’t tell us that 

restaurants would not be open the 

next day either. England celebrates 

Boxing Day on the day after Christmas, 

a holiday designated for the workers 

to spend with their families. So, we 

ate leftover Chinese food on Boxing 

Day. Fortunately, we didn’t worry 

about spoilage as our tiny apartment 

was colder than the inside of any 

refrigerator. 

The morning of the 27th, we boarded a 

plane back to the United States. When 

family and friends trot out stories of 

Christmas memories at holiday times, 

I often notice smiles or winks between 

our daughters. We all remember our 

perfect English Christmas when we 

learned that shared times with family 

members create a warmth greater than 

any 20 or 50 pence coin can purchase. 

So, when our daughter texted that the 

polar vortex conditions made her want 

Chinese food, she reminded us all that 

bad times pass, but the joy and love of 

family and friendship are forever. 

916 N. Ocean Blvd., ld Myrtle Beach, SC 

On the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk one block south of the SkyWheel® 

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Available a t 

Celebra ting 75 years! 

Linda Baten Johnson 

loves traveling, meeting people, 

and collecting stories. Her favorite 

memories include parasailing, white 

water rafting, and being mistaken for 

a tour guide in Mexico and Russia. 

Named Best Consignment Shop 13 years in a row 

Visit us at our NEW LOCATION 

843-780-1136 

1468 Hwy 17 • Little River 

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm 


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RED DOT 

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John S. Gore, 

Owner, Designer, Allied ASID 

843-692-7844 • bgrahamint@aol.com 

SHOWROOM LOCATION: 1307 ENTERPRISE AVE. MYRTLE BEACH 

BETWEEN GRISSOM PKWY. & SEABOARD STREET • BGRAHAMINTERIORS.COM 

MON - FRI 9am - 5pm • SAT BY APPOINTMENT 

INDEPENDENTLY 

OWNED & OPERATED 

HANDEL’S 

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FREE 

ADMISSION 

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2021 | 2:30 PM 

In lieu of tickets, nonperishable food items or monetary donations 

for Sea Haven are appreciated and will be collected at the door. 


South Myrtle Beach 

843-626-7272 

North Myrtle Beach 

843-280-3222 

Garden City 

843-357-6400 

Socastee 

843-293-7272 

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843-347-7272 

papajohns.com 

Ring in the New Year with Long Bay Symphony 

Strauss on the Strand 

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2021 | 2:30 PM 

“Provide a Safe 

Place for Youth in 

Crisis” with respect 

and dignity. 

TICKETS 

$25 

Both holiday concerts will take place at First Presbyterian Church 

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 843.448.8379 

OR VISIT US ONLINE AT www.LongBaySymphony.com 

Advertiser Index 

AIM | Acupuncture & 

Integrative Medicine............................47 

Angel Oak Nursing 

& Rehab Center..................................30 

Angelo’s Steak & Pasta.........................43 

B. Graham Interiors Collection...........46 

Bethea Retirement Community...........41 

Bleu.....................................................20 

BloominGail’s......................................45 

Brightwater ...........................................7 

Brookgreen Gardens .............................5 

Carolina Car Care...............................19 

Cheryl Newby Gallery.........................27 

Class, LLC...........................................39 

The Clean Up Club.............................38 

Coastal Luxe Interiors..........................41 

Darden Jewelers...................................39 

Design on a Dime...............................39 

Doodlebugs.........................................19 

Dr. Grabeman.....................................39 

Dr. Jen Orthodontics...........................38 

Dr. Sattele’s Rapid Weight Loss 

& Esthetics Centers.............................11 

Eleanor Pitts Gifts & Jewelry...............33 

Flooring Plus.......................................19 

Frame Factory......................................37 

Gay Dolphin.......................................45 

Good Deed Goods..............................43 

Grady’s Jewelers...................................31 

The Hammock Shops Village...............10 

Hot Fish Club ....................................21 

Inspire Coastal Grand..........................18 

The Kaminski House...........................37 

Laid Back Charters..............................32 

The Lakes at Litchfield ........................48 

LampLighter........................................18 

Long Bay Symphony...........................46 

Moore, Johnson & Saraniti..................35 

Papa John’s Pizza .................................46 

Pawleys Island Bakery..........................30 

Prodigy Kitchens & Baths....................32 

PruittHealth........................................13 

Renewal by Andersen ............................2 

Rescued Treasures................................21 

Rose Arbor Fabrics...............................37 

Rover Boat Tours.................................20 

Salt Water Storks & More....................31 

Sara & Beth Gifts & Home.................27 

Shades & Draperies.............................17 

Speech Solutions .................................33 

St. Gabriel Assisted Living 

& Memory Care..................................17 

Surf Unlimited Mercantile.....................9 

Tidelands Community Hospice...........21 

Winter Wonderland at the Beach...........3 

Wilson Senior Care..............................35

comes in many shapes and sizes. 

Pain 

of the most debilitating being the 

One 

and tingling that comes with 

burning 

neuropathy. A disease that 

peripheral 

with years of shooting, 

comes 

pain that gradually ends in 

stabbing 

balance problems and on 

numbness, 

amputations. A disease that 

occasion, 

R. of Murrells Inlet was facing 

David 

a fate. 

such 

neuropathy is a result of 

Peripheral 

to the nerves, commonly 

damage 

by a lack of blood flow to the 

caused 

in the hands and feet. This 

nerves 

the nerves to begin to 

causes 

due to lack of nutrient 

degenerate 

Most peripheral neuropathy 

flow. 

experience a heightened 

sufferers 

to touch making it almost 

sensitivity 

for those diagnosed to 

impossible 

wear shoes, much less enjoy life. 

even 

was like walking on sharp river 

"It 

CAN WALK BAREFOOT 

I 

THE BEACH AGAIN! 

ON 

David, whose experience is 

shares 

uncommon for those diagnosed 

not 

is until he found Dr. Tonya 

That 

of AIM|Acupuncture & 

Weber 

Medicine of North Myrtle 

Integrative 

Dr. Weber and her staff have 

Beach. 

a cutting edge, medical 

pioneered 

to treat neuropathy, 

solution 

or greatly reduce its 

eliminate 

and give people their lives 

symptoms 

And they’re doing it without 

back. 

use of prescription medications 

the 

is incredible at 

“Acupuncture 

blood flow and stimulating 

restoring 

nerves preventing them 

damaged 

dying off,” tells Dr. Weber. “We 

from 

our treatments a step further by 

take 

ATP Resonance 

integrating 

which targets specific 

BioTherapy 

in the body using micro- 

nerves 

ATP therapy is like watering 

current. 

plant. This treatment will stimulate 

a 

blood vessels to grow back 

the 

the peripheral nerves and 

around 

them with the proper 

provide 

to heal and repair.” 

nutrients 

for the staff at AIM. "We have 

atypical 

90% success rate in treating 

a 

neuropathy," shares Dr. Weber. 

number of treatments needed to 

The 

the nerves to fully recover will 

allow 

from person to person and can 

vary 

be determined after a detailed 

only 

and vascular evaluation. 

neurological 

long as you have not sustained 

So 

than 85% nerve damage AIM 

more 

hope where there once was 

offers 

David’s peripheral neuropathy 

While 

idiopathic meaning the cause is 

was 

Dr. Weber’s treatments 

unknown, 

also help people whose 

can 

is caused by diabetes or 

neuropathy 

chemotherapy. 

schedule a consultation and 

To 

evaluation call (843)273- 

complete 

but do so quickly because AIM 

4467 

taking a limited number of new 

is 

patients. For more 

neuropathy 

and to take advantage of 

information 

new patient offer visit 

their 

AIMLiveLife.com. 

www.AIMLiveLife.com to learn more 

Visit 

to take advantage of their NEW PATIENT OFFER! 

and 

Local acupuncture clinic is treating the untreatable, 

peripheral neuropathy with incredible results! 

with peripheral neuropathy. 

was once classified as irreparable. 

“I stopped golfing. I wasn’t taking 

walks on the beach with my wife. 

I was living on gabapentin and 

antidepressants and everywhere 

I went; my doctor, the specialists, 

the pain institute, told me there 

was no cure. How are you 

supposed to live your life knowing 

that everyday brings pain 

and suffering?” 

and invasive surgeries. 

none. 

“We have seen tremendous 

success in treating neuropathy 

of all types through very 

personalized treatments, 

specifically tailored to treat 

each individual case.” 

Three months later David is 

thrilled with his progress, 

“I can walk barefoot on 

the beach again!” 

rocks. I barely left my recliner.” 

Success stories like David's are not

As a fresh holiday season settles 

over Pawleys Island, revelry and song fill 

the halls and fends off the chill as The 

Lakes at Litchfield collective gather and 

visit with family and friends, all in the safety 

of their perfectly wonderful community. 

Call Us Today • (843) 353-6040 

Independent Living • Assisted Living • Memory Care • Skilled Nursing • Rehab 

120 Lakes at Litchfield Dr. • Pawleys Island, SC 29585 • Lakes-Litchfield.com • (843) 353-6040

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