We’re heading into “crunch time” at the shopping centers and malls this week. A few years ago I joined the ranks of online shoppers for most of my Christmas gift purchases for all the obvious reasons. Mainly, if you know what you want to buy, the selection online is so much greater and you can look around at several retailers for comparisons without having to spend days driving around to and fro.
But there’s always some last-minute thing, so I have to put up with the once-a-year drivers anyway. The shift from in-store to online shopping continues, though. Early reports show that retail sales are up about 2.5% over last year, but online sales are up about 11%.
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For those of you who live in the greater-Washington, D. C. area, or will be visiting here, one of the annual events is the Pageant of Peace program that is held on the south grounds of the White House known as the Ellipse. The National Park Service sets up a large stage along with that big Christmas tree that you’ve seen on tv each year when the U. S. President has a tree-lighting ceremony. Around the grounds are displays relating to the season like a huge Yule log burning in a big pit, a large Menorah (which had its lighting ceremony yesterday), and a variety of other activities designed for family participation.
During the three weeks of activity at the Pageant, there is a constant flow of musical performances being held on the stage to serenade and entertain the visitors.
GeezerDotter has a little sideline business running an after-school class where she teaches pre- and early-teens to perform song-and-dance routines as a group. They go around to various functions and put on shows in places like nursing homes, outdoor stages, and each year they put on a show at the Pageant of Peace, also.
This year they will be singing at the Pageant on this coming Saturday, Dec. 19, at 5:00 pm. So if you’ll be in the area and are planning on taking the family down to the Ellipse for the annual visit, plan on coming by Saturday evening. Make sure you say “hello” to her while you’re there and tell her you’re a Firegeezer reader. The name of her troupe is the Stafford Performing Stars.
I don’t know for sure if I’ll be there, but I’ll tell you later this week if I’m going. We’d love to see you there.
Now we’d best get this equipment checked out for today. And I need to get some more coffee started. See you back in the day room in a little while.
