The holidays are fast approaching and the to-do lists are growing as we make plans to start decorating, shopping, donating, cooking, and entertaining, all within a matter of weeks. This issue is filled with ideas to help you accomplish your holiday goals and still have time left over to relax and enjoy this special time of year. Our cover photo was taken last December when two Wellesley women decided to decorate their entire neighborhood (with help from their children and neighbors). Local businesses contributed, a festive evening was enjoyed by many, the walkways were well lit with good tidings, and a generous donation was made to the Wellesley Friendly Aid Association. You’ll meet these women in “Lighting Up Wellesley for the Holidays” and discover a few decorating tips to try on your own.

Before you begin holiday shopping for the youngest people on your list, you’ll want to read “Ten Tips for Choosing the Right Toy for Your Child.” Local store owners offer ideas on how to buy age-appropriate gifts that will be enjoyed and appreciated for years to come. If you need gift ideas for the older special people in your life, our advertising pages are filled with them. From jewelry to spa treatments to fine furniture to oriental rugs, local businesses have created beautiful ads that will certainly generate gift ideas for just about everyone on your list. While you’re shopping in Wellesley, look for the “Shop Wellesley First” logo in the stores. The Wellesley Chamber of Commerce is doing an excellent job of promoting our local stores, and I’d like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to the quality, quantity, and variety of shopping locales right here in town.

This is also the time of year when we become more sensitive to the needs of others, and in “Feeding the Hungry” you’ll learn that there are a number of people in our area who will have trouble putting together a holiday meal this season. You can help by donating food, money, or both to the local food pantries or to a number of organizations listed at the end of the article. You can also volunteer your time to stock shelves and assist clients at a food pantry or to serve a meal at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. I hope this article will inspire you, as it did me, to get involved. You’ll also meet Wellesley resident and children’s book author Katie Smith Milway and be introduced to the Web site she recently launched, onehen.org, that teaches kids about microfinance and how it can be used to help the nearly three billion people in the world who live in poverty.

After each issue of WellesleyWeston Magazine is published, we usually receive a number of comments from readers regarding specific articles. Allison Ijams Sargent’s article about autism, “Seeing Things Differently,” that appeared in the fall 2008 issue received an unprecedented number of positive comments from readers. Autism has touched the lives of many local residents, and I’d like to thank Allison for her sensitive handling of a complex subject and the local families who agreed to share their personal stories with us. I’d also like to thank all of our writers for their hard work and ability to take on a variety of assignments as well as the photographers, proofreaders, salespeople, and advertisers who contribute to the quality and success of WellesleyWeston Magazine. I hope you enjoy the very best of the holiday season and the new year.

Sincerely,

Beth Furman