Where To Buy Thanksgiving Pies Near Beacon!

And just like that, Thanksgiving is one week away! Although it might look a little different this year, the Hudson Valley is filled with the best places to get the most delicious pies. Plus, what a better time than now to shop small & support locals! Right?!

See below for the list of businesses near Beacon that are selling pies! Some places already closed their pre-order window. Pies are going fast! Can ya blame people?

If we missed you, please email teslie@alittlebeaconblog with your hot tip :)

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BEACON

Beacon Bread Company

Beacon, NY

Pre-order until Sunday 11/22!
Email beaconbread@gmail.com for an order form if you can’t make it to the shop!

BJ’s

Beacon, NY

Small Pies
BJ’s does sell pies (apple, cherry, yam, and others) as well as cheese cake. Your best bet is to call or walk in. (845) 831-1221

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Yankee Clipper Diner

Beacon, NY

Pre-order until Sunday 11/22!
You can also place an order for Thanksgiving meals!

More details HERE.

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Beacon Pantry

Beacon, NY

Pre-order until Saturday 11/21!
You can also place an order for Appetizers & Side Dishes!

More details HERE.

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Kitchen And Coffee

Beacon, NY

Pre-order until TONIGHT 11/20 or inquire to see if you can be squeezed in ;)
More details HERE.

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NEWBURGH

Newburgh Flour Shop

Newburgh, NY

Pre-order until Sunday 11/22!
More details HERE.

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WAPPINGERS FALLS

Sweet Bakes Cafe

Wappingers Falls, NY

More details HERE.

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O’ Heavenly Cake

Wappingers Falls, NY

Pre-order until Sunday 11/22!
Message to order or email oheavenlycake@gmail.com

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FISHKILL

The Cakery

Fishkill, NY

Pre-orders extended until TONIGHT 11/19

More details HERE.

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COLDSPRING

Hudson Hil’s

Coldspring, NY

Call 844-265-9471 or email hudsonhils@gmail.com

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Coldspring Coffeehouse

Coldspring, NY

Pre-order until Tuesday 11/24

More details HERE.

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OTHER

Adams Fairacre Farms

Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Newburgh and Wappingers

See Holiday Catering Info HERE.

Key Food Beacon

Key Food does sell pies, and carries different brands from time to time. They have been known to carry Junior’s Cheesecake, so give them a try.

Beacon Natural Market

Frozen pies including apple pie and others!

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ALL DONE OR NOT OFFERING

We called around to some usual suspects, and they either passed their deadline, or aren’t doing it this year. These include:

Fishkill Farms
The Beacon Daily
Homespun Foods

Restaurants Open On Main Street For The 4th Of July

Traditionally, Beacon has been a ghost town on the Fourth of July but not this year! We called around and asked who was open this holiday weekend and got the deets for you! If you’re staying local, check out the list below for restaurants on Main St. that are open on the 4th of July. A lot of them are open for takeout but most are now open for outdoor dining too! 

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OPEN

Bank Square

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Kitchen Sink

Open For Takeout 

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Artisan Wine Shop

Open For Pick-up & Deliveries 

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Meyer’s Old Dutch

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout 

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Beacon Bread Company

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Tito Santana

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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BJ’s Soul Food

Open For Takeout 

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Homespun

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Ziatun

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Max’s On Main

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Royal Crepes & European Market

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Glazed Over Donuts

Open - Modified Hours (9-1am) 

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Yankee Clipper

Open – Modified Hours (Closing at 3pm) 

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Kennedy’s Fried Chicken

Open For Takeout

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The Beacon Daily

Open – Modified Hours (Closing at 4pm) 

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2 Way Brewing Company

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Fu Xing Chinese Restaurant

Open For Takeout

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Enoteca Ama

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Cafe Amarcord

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Vegetalien

Open For Takeout & Indoor Dining

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Draught Industries

Open For Outdoor Dining & Takeout

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Joe's Irish Pub

Open For Indoor Dining & Takeout

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Chill Wine Bar

Open For Take Out & Dine-In With Limited Spacious Seating. Outdoor Seating Available (very limited)

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Hudson Valley Marshmallow Co

Open 12-4 on Saturday (4th of July) for all of your last minute S’mores-making supplies! 

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The Roundhouse

Patio 11:30am - 10pm
Smoke on the Water BBQ restaurant 11:30am - 10pm

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PENDING CONFIRMATION

The Pandorica

Tito Santana

The Towne Crier Cafe

Big Mouth Coffee Roasters

Oak Vino Wine Bar

The Beacon Hotel Restaurant 

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CLOSED

Melzingah Tap Room

Roma Nova

Baja 328

Eat Church ( Closed Saturday & Sunday)

Wonderbar

Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr Celebrated Today (Sunday). The Intricate Images Of Mosques and Moons Explained

PIctured here are “Mammoul cookies, which are tea cookies stuffed with dates (spiced with cardamom) and are traditional across Arab culture and popular on Eid in Muslim countries. The tea is Yemeni style black tea, which means it’s brewed loose leaf and steeped with mint and cardamom,” explains the writer, Izdihar.
Photo Credit: Izdihar Dabashi

Editor’s Note: During quarentine for this coronavirus pandemic, holy holidays like Easter and Passover were experienced in this unknown time. Ramadan, the month-long Muslim holiday started shortly after, and ends today (Sunday) with a celebration of Eid Al-Fitr. A Little Beacon Blog asked writer Izdihar Dabashi to explore the holiday with us, to come closer understanding to what many in Beacon’s community are celebrating today. Take it away, Izdihar!

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If you’re scrolling through images of lanterns and intricate graphics of mosques and moons on social media and wondering what about Ramadan, you are not alone. As a Muslim with plenty of non-muslim friends, I can confidently say most of my friends were unaware of what occurs during the Islamic holy month until I explain the significance of this month.

First and foremost, Ramadan celebrates the month in which the Qur’an, the Islamic holy book, was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Ramadan begins on the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar that varies due to the cycle of the moon. The first sighting of the crescent of a new moon indicates the beginning as well as the end of the month of Ramadan.

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown in which they refrain from food and drink. Anyone of good health is expected to fast excluding young children, pregnant/breastfeeding and menstruating women, travelers, those in battle, and people with any health condition in which fasting may risk their well-being. Muslims wake up before sunrise for suhoor, which is an early morning meal before the beginning of the fast. After sunset, Muslims break their fast with the after sunset meal is known as iftar. Traditionally, as set by the Prophet Muhammad’s example, the fast is broken by eating dates but it is not mandatory.

Side Note: I have Ramadan to blame for my obsession with dates. Seriously, you won’t understand the value of dates until you have them spiced with cardamom and stuffed in a maamoul, a traditional Arab tea cookie. To be fair, dates are eaten in their natural form when breaking fast, so perhaps my obsession with dates in dessert is no one’s fault but my own.

The significance of Ramadan goes beyond refraining from food and drink. It’s a month of dedication to the cleansing of your mind and body. Reconnecting to your spirituality occurs through intentionally devoting time to prayer, family and community, and faith. Muslims pray 5 times a day- dawn (Fajr), early afternoon (Duhr), late afternoon (Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and night (Isha’a). The spiritual, physical, and mental act of prayer remains constant all year but Ramadan encourages greater time spent on reading the Quran and praying Du’a, a type of prayer best described as making requests such as asking for Allah (the Arabic word for God) for strength, peace, or more personal supplications.

Allah is believed to ascend to the lowest rank of the sky, referred to as the heaven, every night of the year. Muslims believe that prayers have a greater chance of being accepted and forgiven during Ramadan, which may be explained by people holding an authentic intention during this month or the belief that the gates of heaven are open in the third part of the Ramadan night, a few hours before dawn. The Nabulsi Encyclopedia of Islamic perfectly describes the weight prayer holds for many Muslims, “work is based on vision and vision is based on light and prayer is light”.

Connecting to family and community is easier when you refrain from distractions and focus on priorities during this month of peace, Muslims abstain from listening to music, limiting excessive attention to our surface-level appearances, and entertainment television. During this month, being unkind, using foul language, displaying rude or aggressive behavior without attempting to redeem the harm you cause will result in your fast being unaccepted.

Since this month is spent effortfully limiting bad deeds and focusing on committing good deeds while connecting to the people around you, Muslims donate food and money. Some Muslims may focus on actively feeding a family, others may donate to charity or put together organizations for people in the community who need extra support such as someone with cancer needing assistance in covering medical bills.

When I reference the “community,” it does not allude to only Muslims, religion is not a barrier as to who Muslims choose to offer aid to, anyone they know who needs help will be cared for. Muslims are not awarded by Allah for committing charitable acts, they need to have an earnest intention and intentionally set aside what you can of money and time instead of simply giving away unwanted items around the house. Charity needs to be done wholeheartedly.

“The pandemic changed the bond that comes with the redemption of Ramadan. In my family, we’d usually try to invite people over for iftar or people would invite us, and soon the home becomes alive and filled with warm laughter as everyone bustles around the kitchen to prepare for breaking our fast. ”

— Izdihar Dabashi

Prior to the current pandemic, mosques are normally filled with people breaking their fast or coming to night prayer (Isha’a); especially weekends, when families are able to bring food and break their fast with other Muslims in the community. Some mosques even invite other faiths and non-Muslims to experience a Ramadan iftar. Muslims who are able to make it to the mosque after sundown will follow prayers lead by the Imaam usually to ask for forgiveness, peace, and relief in the world.

The pandemic changed the bond that comes with the redemption of Ramadan. In my family, we’d usually try to invite people over for iftar or people would invite us, and soon the home becomes alive and filled with warm laughter as everyone bustles around the kitchen to prepare for breaking our fast. After iftar and the final prayer of the night, we would gather in the living room with tea and dessert and experience time passing by as we exchange stories and laughter.

Nevertheless, the true spirit and purpose of Ramadan remain intact despite the various hardships experienced this year. Ramadan teaches mindfulness, empathy for those in need, generosity, and humbleness across generations. Any social confinements of age, socioeconomic status, and gender cease to exist in Ramadan. We become equals striving for balance and nourishing individual connection between God and oneself. Ramadan reminds you to be conscious of your role within the community and our earth.

The end of Ramadan is marked by Eid al-Fitr (prounounced “eed,” like “feed” without the f), the religious holiday to celebrate completing a month of fast. Muslims attend Eid prayer at the mosque held in the morning, listen to a khutba (a sermon), and give Zakat al-Fitr before the Eid prayer. In traditional Islam, zakat al-Fitr used to be a charity given in the form of food. In the United States, it is common for $10 to be donated for every household member, others may send money if they have family in different countries or they may gather people to donate to communities in need of money. It is only important for the donation to be made before the Eid prayer for it to be accepted as Zakat al-Fitr. After a morning spent in the mosque, Muslims spend the day with friends and family. Some may choose to dine at restaurants or celebrate outside while others may choose to prepare a feast at home. This year, many Muslims are using Zoom to connect with family or participating in drive-by parades. The pandemic may have brought on adversity but the spirit of Ramadan and Eid will only grow as Muslims are reminded of the blessings of proximity and kinship.

Restaurants That Are Open Christmas Eve and Day in Beacon - 2019 Edition

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

UPDATED: 12/20/2019

One of the things that make the holidays so wonderful is the FOOD! The special meals that bring us all together. Some families have their big meal on Christmas Eve while others have it on Christmas Day. If there is a day you plan on dining out, A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant Guide is always here at your service. In this case, we saved you some time in finding out who on Main Street will be open and closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Editor’s Note: If you are a Beacon restaurant not on this list who is open, please email us at editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com. Our researcher, Teslie, called every restaurant we could think of to acquire this information. You might not have been able to answer the phone when we called. So please let us know. Thank you, Teslie!

When we do projects like this, it is with the help of all of our advertisers and sponsors that make this happen. Special thanks to those restaurants who do sponsor our Restaurant Guide: Barb’s Butchery, Eat Church (the food truck in the parking lot of Industrial Arts Brewery), and BAJA 328.

Who’s Open Christmas Eve?

Barb’s Butchery, 11 am to 6 pm
Bank Square Coffee, until 6 pm
BJ’s Soul Food and Restaurant, 7:30 am to 6 pm
Tito Santana’s, until 4 pm
Homespun Foods, until 3 pm
Isamu Sushi, regular hours
Ziatun, regular hours (until 8 pm)
Max’s on Main, until 6 pm
Enoteca Ama, until 9 pm
Cafe Amarcord, regular hours
Yankee Clipper Diner, until 3 pm
Ella’s Bellas, until 3 pm
Brother’s Trattoria, until 10 pm
Beacon Falls Cafe, until 3 pm
Sukhothai, until 9:30 pm
Melzingah Tap Room, until 9:30 pm
Beacon Bread Company, until 4 pm
Roma Nova, regular hours
Beacon Hotel Restaurant, regular hours
Trax Espresso Bar, regular hours
Roundhouse Lounge, 3 to 8 pm (limited menu); main dining room closed.

Who’s Open Christmas Day?

BJ’s Soul Food Restaurant, 7:30 am to 9 pm
Isamu Sushi, regular hours
The Roundhouse Lounge, 3 to 9 pm (walk-in only, full menu); main dining room closed.

Who’s Closed Christmas Eve/Day?

We are not going to run the Closed list this year because we don’t want to leave anyone out. If the restaurant is listed in the Open list, then we know that for sure, and most everyone else is closed.

If you are a restaurant in Beacon who is in fact open, please reach out to us and we will amend this list: editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com

Toy Drive Collections for Drop-Off Toy Donations In and Around Beacon

Pictured here is the 2018 toy collection at Beacon Pilates.
Photo Credit: Beacon Pilates and A Little Beacon Blog

Last Updated: 12/5/2019

Every year, community organizations fire up toy drives to help donate to kids in need. If you’re looking to donate toys to these drives, it’s best to mark your calendar for just before Thanksgiving, as that’s when these opportunities start opening up - some are even as early as October, like Toys for Tots. It’s good to get an early start too with Adopt-a-Family programs, which require more attention to detail in terms of what kind of toys you are purchasing for which family member. So mark your calendar for mid-November to return to this list to get a head start! And subscribe to our newsletter to get early advance notice.

If you missed a toy deadline and really want to give, consider a donation to the organization the toy is being collected for instead.

Things to know about Toy Drive Collections:

• Wish Lists: Generally, the organization provides guidance on what type of gift to give. They know their kids and what they need or want.

• New: Toys need to be new and in original packaging.

• Usually Unwrapped: Usually the Wish List will ask for unwrapped toys.

• No Guns or Other Violent Toys: Even if your kids love it, there is extra sensitivity for these kids.

BEACON PILATES

Beacon Pilates is collecting new toys for Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie.
Kids: 80 kids live in 11 facilities, ages newborn to 21 years
Wish List: Click here for the wish list and gift guidance. Juliet, the owner of Beacon Pilates, also has a list of individual wish list items. Email info@beaconpilates.com for more specific recommendations.
Location Drop-Off: Beacon Pilates, 18 West Main St., Beacon, NY (near Brett’s Hardware)
Times: 9 am to 9 pm
Deadline: Monday, December 16, 2019
The Children’s Home is dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment that improves lives and empowers at-risk children and families in the Hudson Valley and surrounding communities. The Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie provides residential care on the main campus in Poughkeepsie, in agency boarding homes or group homes off campus and apartments in the community. On any given day, over 90 children receive services in one of the home’s programs.

The STUDIO @ BEACON

The Studio @ Beacon is collecting new toys for Toys For Tots.
Location Drop-Off: The Studio @ Beacon, 301 Main St., Beacon, NY (next to Royal Crepes)
Deadline: Go now!
The basic mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute those toys to less fortunate children at Christmas. The primary goal of Marine Toys for Tots is, through the gift of a new toy, help bring the joy of Christmas and send a message of hope to America's less fortunate children. In order to better execute the program, in 1991 the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was created at the behest of the Marine Corps.

BEACON’S SALVATION ARMY

The Salvation Army of Beacon is collecting toys via their “Angel Tree” at two locations with Wish Tags. Says Captain Leilani Alarcon: “We have toy wishes, and usually also like to get a couple of warm outfits, since most of the kids that participate are needy and their parents can’t afford to buy coats and boots, and such. Everything desired is on the tag. Wherever the tag is picked up, is a drop-off location, or people can bring them directly to our location in Beacon - the church. My email and cell information are on the tags for people to arrange drop-offs at our building.”
Kids: Captain Leilani Alarcon described to us the types of children they reach with this toy drive: “Most of the kids for our toy drive are from low-income housing (Tompkins Terrace), as well as needy families that have come all the way from Hopewell and Poughkeepsie because they missed sign-in dates at the Poughkeepsie Salvation Army. Kids also are sent from Social Services or from our Food Pantry Assistance for Families here in the church as well. We have decided not to set an age range, since most older children get forgotten by most programs, so we have kids from 0 to 16.“
Wish List: Select a tag from the Angel Tree. It will have an exact gif suggestion.
Location Drop-Offs:
Planet Fitness in Wappingers Falls: 1572 U.S. 9, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
Hilton Garden at Fishkill: 25 Westage Drive, Fishkill, NY 12524
Salvation Army Church in Beacon: 372 Main St., Beacon, NY (drop-off only, the Angel Trees are at the above locations). The main entrance of the church is actually behind it, by their parking lot off of Fishkill Avenue. Tuesdays and Thursdays are best for dropping off toys or bringing a donation to their Food Pantry (even year-round), as that is when their receptionist is there. Or, you can email Captain Leilani Alarcon at Leilani.Alarcon@USE.SalvationArmy.Org to make arrangements for other days.
Deadline: TBA

LIBBY FUNERAL HOME

Libby Funeral Home is collecting stuffed stockings for Stockings For Soldiers.
Location Drop-Off: Libby Funeral Home, 55 Teller Ave., Beacon, NY
Deadline: TBA
If filling stockings brings you joy during the holiday season, and so does giving the stockings to someone who isn’t expecting them, then this holiday initiative is for you. Libby Funeral Home has set up a free stocking for you to take home, decorate and stuff to the brim with holiday cheer. You will receive a list of recommended items along with the stocking. Libby Funeral & Cremation Services will ship the stockings (at their expense) to troops abroad in time for the holidays.
Details >

GRACE SMITH HOUSE

Grace Smith House organizes an annual Adopt-A-Family program.
Deadline: TBA
During the holiday season, Grace Smith House opens its doors to countless survivors of domestic violence and their families. They need your help to provide holiday joy to the families who shelter serve. They are seeking items such as baby monitors (new), women's robes, women’s pajamas (all sizes), grocery store gift cards, gas gift cards, underwear (women, girls, boys), jewelry, makeup, shampoos and conditioners, body wash and spray, and more.
Details >

ALL SPORT HEALTH + FITNESS

All Sport Health + Fitness is collecting select gifts via a wish-list tree. To participate, go to the fitness center and take a wish off the tree. Fulfill the wish, and bring it back!
Location Drop-Off: All Sport, 17 Old Main St., Fishkill, NY 12524
Deadline: Go now!

LOVE HOLDS LIFE AT LEWIS TOMPKINS HOSE CO. #1 OF THE BEACON FIRE DEPARTMENT

The fifth annual Toy Giveaway in Honor of Carmen Viruet-Senato is being hosted with the help of Love Holds Life Children’s Cancer Foundation. They are collecting new and unwrapped toys for children ages 2 to 14 years old, to be distributed on Saturday, December 15, with Cookies and Cocoa with Santa at Lewis Tompkins Hose Co. #1. According to Southern Dutchess News, the event is in honor of Carmen Viruet-Senato, co-founder of LHL. The event is in memory of Leticia Dos Santos. Richard Senato, founder of LHL, said Leticia was 16 years old when she passed from Stage 4 bone cancer. She created the Cookies and Cocoa event with Senato and Viruet-Senato five years ago.
Location Drop-Off: 13 South Ave., Beacon, NY
Deadline: Donation deadline is Friday, December 7.
Event for any child to receive a free toy is Saturday, December 15 from 10 am to 1 pm. All are invited.
Love Holds Life helps children and their families financially battling cancer, on a national level from their offices located in New York's Hudson Valley region. Love Holds Life provides financial support for their medical treatments and expenses not covered by insurance. LHL’s ultimate mission is to ensure children with love and life. Their financial program consists of funding a child’s medical deductible, co-payment, co-insurance and prescriptions, along with travel reimbursement to and from treatment. Donations received from individuals, foundations, corporations and other local organizations help to fund each child and their family.
NOTE: To be a drop-off location for Love Holds Life, please contact their office at (845) 592-4544

GUARDIAN SELF-STORAGE

Location Drop-Off: 14 collection locations in Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange counties
Deadline: November 1-December 13
Donations will go towards Toys For Tots.

As we hear of more Toy Drive Collections, we will update this list. Keep refreshing the page!

How to Submit

If you are running a toy drive, please email details in the format matching the above listings to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com. Thanks!

Holiday House Lights In Beacon For 2018!

Thank you to everyone who submitted pictures of their decorated homes! It has become a tradition each year for us at A Little Beacon Blog to go “Holiday House Light Hunting,” where we literally drive up and down Beacon (quite literally, when we drive up Mount Beacon into those neighborhoods) to find exciting holiday house light decorations.

While there are several pictures in this roundup, it is just a sampling of the many house lights decorating Beacon right now. Where possible, we indicate where a house is. Otherwise, we encourage you to drive or walk around on your own self-guided tour!

Here is a home going with a fun minimalist pop-art look. If this looks familiar to anyone, this house was featured on HGTV’s House Hunters with Richard Blakely and Lindsay Kaplan. Watch the episode - it is hilarious, and you’ll even see Richie from Max’s on Main in it!
Photo Credit: Richard Blakeley (Richie’s son-in-law)

Celebrating their first holiday season in Beacon, Allison and Chris built their house from scratch. You’ve probably seen it on 9D on the way to the train station just after the Southern Dutchess Country Club. Next year they promise MORE lights to outline the entire house.

Lauren and Brent just moved to Beacon at the end of this past summer, and were excited to decorate their new home for the holidays!

New life in the former Halvey Funeral Home as the new residential homeowners are settling in. (The funeral home business has relocated to Bank Street, near Dia off Wolcott.)

A nice “I’ll be home for Christmas” vibe is coming from this home.

Oooh! Glittery and sparkly!

Brightly lit trees on front porches emerged as a theme early on. In order to capture these white lights on the tree, we had to sacrifice the rest of the house in the dark. #iphonechallenged

Props to anyone who got lights onto their roof!

Traditional and festive!

The sparkly laser lights look like snow for a minute.

While not over the top, this very classic look had us wanting to live there.

Awwww! We love the big polar bear!

This corner of Tompkins Terrace has some serious cheer!

This house is a professional Griswold. Wait for the other side...

It’s a good thing we had our Christmas music playing, because it felt like music was coming out of the lights! And BTW, this design is so elaborate and well-done, we had driven around the block to go somewhere else, but actually got lost and thought we had driven up to a new house when we approached this one from a different angle! People come from all over to take pictures of this house.

Being a neighbor of the above house might serve as a Holiday House Light Challenge, so we tried to show some love for the neighbors. Fist bump to this little Vader across the street.

It’s the “Fa La La La La La La Death Star” house on Overlook Ave.

As we stopped to take this photo of this charming display, one of the wreaths got sucked back into the window! We wondered if we were in Whoville while the Grinch was stealing Christmas? No, the decorators were just putting on finishing touches as we drove by.

Quite elaborate around the yard!

We liked the illuminated nativity scene with the snowman.

Always a good one. This house is near Dogwood and gives us a beach-house vibe each year when they light up with Christmas.

Certainly a warm glow! There was a cute snowman table spread scene out on the front porch at this house near the mountain.

More lit up trees on the front porch of this house near the mountain. We are definitely putting a Christmas tree out on the front porch next year!

Tricky picture, but this house, on Mountain Lane, which travels up Mount Beacon, overlooks the city below and over to Newburgh. It’s really neat over here, as several roads twist and turn up the mountain.

Charming. Can we move in? This one is also slightly up Mount Beacon.

If your house was gift-wrapped as a package, this is what it might look like.

Santa in a web!

Candy canes in the front yard on DeWindt.

Where to Buy a Christmas Tree Near Beacon, NY

Your hunt for a Christmas tree in or near Beacon is going to be a satisfying one. Below, you’ll find different local Christmas tree lots from which to purchase your live tree. The lots will smell heavenly, as the aroma is bursting from the trees. If you are totally out of decorations, and need a place to start, you could go to Brett’s Hardware in Beacon for the Christmas tree stand and an entire galaxy of light options (choices for your house, your tree and for other outdoor decorations like a mini-light show).

You could also go to Home Depot in Fishkill for Martha Stewart brand shatter-proof ornaments and other staples for indoor and outdoor decorating. If you change your mind on a real tree and instead opt for an artificial tree, you could head back to Brett’s or read our faux tree roundup.

SUNNY GARDENS NURSERY

Sunny Gardens Nursery is the nearby nursery located on 9D a little ways past Stony Kill Farm as you head toward Poughkeepsie. The regular plant nursery is open in spring, summer and fall. Once frosty winter days hit, Sunny Gardens opens its lot for the Christmas trees, wreaths, and decorated wreath balls.

Drive into the parking lot and step out, and it smells. so. good. The pine fragrance is accented with a slow-burning fire as the staff keeps warm around a fire-pit off to the side while you search for the exactly-right, perfect-for-you, favorite tree.

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CHRISTMAS TREES FROM BEACON'S FIRE DEPARTMENT

View fullsize

The Christmas tree shed from the Beacon Engine Fire Company next to Dogwood's parking lot.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

View fullsize

The Beacon Fire Engine Company’s Christmas tree lot usually keeps hours consistent year to year.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Beaconites can also buy a tree that benefits the Beacon Fire Engine Company, which is one of three fire companies in Beacon that respond to fires. To buy a tree from these firefighters, look for them in the lot next to Dogwood's parking lot (a single rope separates the two parking lots), at East Main Street and Liberty Street, on the east end of town, over Fishkill Creek, near the mountain.

A perfect December day might include a late lunch or dinner and a beer at Dogwood, followed by a Christmas tree pickup.
Location: 60 East Main Street 
OPEN:
Wednesdays to Fridays, 5 to 9 pm
Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am to 6 pm

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FISHKILL FARMS

Wow, what a beautiful location to go buy a Christmas tree! Fishkill Farms is just a short trip east on I-84. In addition to the fragrant trees, you may also smell the homemade donuts being cooked up fresh every morning. Don’t miss their store stocked with their apples and homegrown organic veggies, eggs, and fresh-pressed cider. Plus, Santa is visiting on Saturday, December 15, 2018.

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VERA’S MARKETPLACE & GARDEN CENTER

Speaking of homemade donuts, more homemade donuts are in Cold Spring at Vera’s Marketplace & Garden Center, and they are famous. The garden center is located in a strip on a rural part of Route 9, and it shares its location with The Pantry and Marbled Meat Shop. You will not leave hungry from this tree hunt when you get yours from Vera’s. Getting there from Beacon is easy.

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ADAMS FAIRACRE FARMS

And of course, you can buy your Christmas tree from Adams Fairacre Farms on Route 9 in Wappingers Falls. Adams offers a big selection of small and large trees, and walking through their tree nursery at night is always a lovely, fragrant experience. In years past, they’ve had real. live. reindeer.

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CHOP YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TREE

If you’re the real adventurous type, and want to cut down your own Christmas tree, you could try Battenfelds, up in Red Hook in the arctic reaches of northern Dutchess County. They offer wagon rides, Santa sightings and do sell other Christmas decorations. Just a heads up, though: They open at the end of November, so you may need to go early in the season if you want more of a selection. You could also visit TJ’s Tree Farm in Highland, which opens on Black Friday. They offer pre-cut trees, as well as trees you can cut yourself.

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BIG STORE OPTIONS - HOME DEPOT AND PARKING LOT NEAR WALMART ON ROUTE 9

If you're a recent transplant from NYC, then buying a Christmas tree from Home Depot on Route 9 (to the right off the ramp from eastbound I-84), or from the parking lot across from Walmart on Route 9 (to the left off the same ramp) won't feel that much different from picking a tree from a pop-up Christmas tree lineup on Broadway.

Where To Buy A Faux Christmas Tree - And Could It Cure Your Cold?

Faux Christmas trees were the answer to this family’s recurring sniffles and chronic coughing.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Most of you are searching for where to buy a real Christmas tree in Beacon right now. And why wouldn’t you be? 'The hunt for the live Christmas tree is the most fun part of the start of the holiday season! But did you know that your Christmas tree, and any live-greens garland, might be bringing on that mystery “cold” you just can’t kick?

I know - I’ve been a denialist for years about this, until I went to the ER in Poughkeepsie two Christmases ago with a really bad asthma cough, and actually got better at the ER, surrounded by goopy, miserable people. Hear me out:

The Christmas Tree Can Bring On Allergies, Causing Asthma, Runny Noses, Prickly Skin

Pretty much every year, I get really sick. We all do, right? It’s normal. While at an in-law family Christmas dinner down South years ago, where the halls are decked with loads of garland, I basically had to sit outside in the cold fresh air for most of the dinner preparations, while my head calmed down and I could breathe again. I called home to my mom, telling her of my symptoms. “You’ve always been allergic to the Christmas tree!” she said. Oh yeah… I forgot.

I forget every year. Two years ago, while pregnant with my third child, my asthma was really acting up. But it wasn’t like an asthma attack, it was a simple tickle-cough. Totally normal, right? Doesn’t everyone have a tickle-cough? At the Holiday Family Fun Night in the school cafeteria, PTA parents were handing out the wreaths that families bought as part of a fundraiser. I was slowly fading away into a head fog, but just thought I was tired. Eventually I couldn’t speak to people anymore, without coughing. I was whispering.

The next morning, I called my midwife to ask her if it was safe to take my kid’s inhaler while pregnant. My kids both have asthma coughs, so I’m a professional nebulizer person. Her response? “I can hear you not breathing. I can hear you pushing the words out. Take yourself to the ER to measure your oxygen.”

Great. So off my dad and I went to Vassar. The waiting room was overflowing with the flu. As my dad Googled how to fix the computer board on our broken washing machine (Darn that thing! Pro tip: Buy the cheapest washing machine with the least amount of bells and whistles!!!), my lungs started clearing up in this germ-infested room. After half an hour, we left. And I remembered about the Christmas tree.

Therefore, out went the live Christmas tree, and so began our hunt for a fake Christmas tree!

The Hunt For The Fake Christmas Tree

We went to #allthestores to find the perfect faux Christmas tree, and wowzers, there are fun selections. Clearly we will be having several different trees because it’s too hard to pick just one. Great news, though: We have many options for artificial Christmas trees here in Beacon and around the Hudson Valley:

Faux or Artificial Christmas Trees In And Around Beacon

BRETT’S HARDWARE - 18 West Main Street, Beacon, NY

Brett’s Hardware (True Value)

Your closest and friendliest option is Brett’s Hardware at 18 West Main Street in Beacon, NY, down toward the train near the Hudson River. There, you’ll find all the things you need for a faux Christmas tree Christmas. With rainbow pre-lit trees, prices start at $89 for a 7-foot tree that has plugs for the lights running down the tree, and $149 for a 7.5-foot tree without plugs to fiddle with, so just piece it together and it works once plugged in at the bottom. BAM! You’re done.

But maybe you want more lights, so more lights you shall have. Brett’s has different colored Christmas lights, and those neat laser lights that all the neighbors are getting. You want some instant holiday stars? You got ‘em. There are different styles and prices of the laser light spinner as well. Brett’s Hardware also has plastic bin containers to store your ornaments and decorations.

Brett’s Hardware is open until 8 pm every weeknight, so if you’re commuting home, just stop on by. Brett’s is open ‘til 7 pm on Saturdays and 5:30 pm on Sundays. Brett’s is in the True Value family, so they can get in on good group pricing.

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Pier 1

Way up Route 9, you’ll find Pier 1. Luckily, it’s right near a Starbucks to help fortify you through the afternoon shopping. There are beautifully bushy white artificial Christmas trees there, but they start at $400. If you weren’t planning on investing in a faux Christmas tree this year, you might want to put this on your wish list for Santa for next year. (Or check back after Christmas - maybe there’ll be a big sale?)

Target

Target in Poughkeepsie is where I found the smallish silver tinsel tree (about $80) that graces my office here at A Little Beacon Space. To be honest, I was looking for a pink tinsel tree, like the one Howling At The Edge Of Chaos has in her storefront window. But this fun one will work for now!

Rite Aid

Located in the middle of Main Street in Beacon, you may find some short (about waist-high) faux Christmas trees that could fit in a small window - with white frosting on the tips. After three years, the white “frost” on one of ours just turned yellow. Soooo… time to check on these options!

Happy decorating!

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SPONSOR SUPPORT: Brett’s Hardware supported this article with an Article Sponsorship! We can bring you stories and ideas like this with the help of all of our advertisers at any level. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us!

Christmas Trees For Sale From Beacon Engine Fire Company

Christmas trees for sale in the Beacon Engine parking lot.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

In case you wanted more warm and fuzzy feelings about where you are getting your Christmas Tree this year, the Beacon Engine Fire Company has gotten their X-MAS TREES sign back out, and filled the lot with plump trees - all just waiting to be strapped to the top of your car.

The Christmas trees are sold from the Beacon Engine parking lot at 60 East Main Street, right next to Dogwood’s parking lot. A single rope divides the lots. Open hours are Wednesday to Friday, 5 to 9 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm.

Speaking of, you can make an easy night of it with dinner at any of the restaurants on the east side of Beacon, like Dogwood, Melzingah Tap House, or Sukhothai. See A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant Guide for more dinner ideas.

Looking for other places to get your tree? See our updated article, ”Where To Buy A Christmas Tree in Beacon NY.”

Share your pics of which tree you take home! Tag A Little Beacon Blog in your Instagram photo - we’re @alittlebeacon.

P.S.: While we’re mentioning the Engine Co., we should share an important public-service announcement: The City of Beacon Fire Department reminds you to not leave cell phone chargers plugged in! They are a fire hazard.

Pop-Up Shop Is OPEN! Holiday Artisans At A Little Beacon Space

WHERE: 291 Main St, Beacon, NY 12508
The Telephone Building
First Floor, First Door
WHEN: December 8th
Saturday: 11am-8pm

Going on now for one day only, the Artisan Holiday Pop-Up Shop at A Little Beacon Space! Most of these artisans are not in stores, so you can only find them during pop-up occasions such as this. Organized by Susan Labodin, designer and founder of Allegory, this pop-up shop features five talents: the painter Anna West, the ceramics artist MossPocket, the fabric enthusiast reklaimed, and the maker of fun dog collars (she brought the ones that you can color!) Teller Hill.

This pop-up shop is extra special because one of the artists, Kat Stoutenborough of reklaimed, was an original pop-up shop creator here in Beacon. Some of you may remember Cherry Bomb, which exploded into Zora Dora's for at least two years during the winter season (the spot has been occupied by different pop-ups ever since).

Kat's creation inspired A Little Beacon Blog to incorporate pop-up shops into our business model when we took the office space on Main Street in the Telephone Building. Kat's ability to bring dozens of artists together in a retail community during the winter months was exceptional, and created lasting relationships.

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ALREADY SHOPPED
Not gonna lie... we have already shopped this pop-up and did take home a few spoons - but left some for you! The reklaimed pins are flying off her table, Teller Hill's adult-coloring dog collars are a no-brainer for the dog owner on your gift list!

SEEKING: Toy Drop-off Locations

A Little Beacon Blog is seeking Toy Drop-off Locations or Programs. We will run an article on this if we get submissions.

Please include: Name of Program, Address, Deadline, Types of Toys (if there are guidelines).

Please email submissions to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com ASAP.

Thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving 2018

Happy Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the quiet, the laughter, the unplugged, the family, the friends, the neighbors.

Last year’s blog post made a suggestion to tell someone unexpected why you are thankful for them. Someone not in your every day life. It’s a neat assignment, if you were to try to do it.

This year, there is a lot to be grateful for, but I’ll say that I’m grateful for the ability to step outside my house and onto the sidewalk or into any shop, where I’m bound to run into a friend who I haven’t seen in real life for a while. Usually it changes the day for the better, or helps reshape how I was thinking about something, and I’m grateful for those moments.

What or who are you thankful for?

PS: The photo in this blog post was taken inside of the shop Raven Rose on Main Street on the east end of town near the mountain. The owner, Courtney, always has the prettiest windows and unusual flower selections for a wild bouquet, including several tall dried flowers. I’m thankful for those snippets of beauty.

New Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony At Visitors Center - November 24, 2018

A group of people have organized a new ceremony scheduled for Saturday, November 24, 2018, from 3 to 5 pm, to light up this well-known evergreen next to the Visitors Center at Polhill Park. The rain date is set for Saturday, December 1.

Tree Ceremony To Add To Merriment

Says Rosemary Merhige, one of the organizers of this lighting: “We started out with a group of Beacon residents and formed a committee. We have support of the Elks, City of Beacon, Boy and Girl Scouts, Beacon Recreation Department, Yanarella Dance Studio and others.”

There will be ornament making, refreshments, and entertainment. Look for Santa, carolers, tiny dancers, and more.

The Bicycle Tree Lighting from BeaconArts and the City of Beacon will be on December’s Second Saturday as it always is - this year it’s December 8. That is also the seventh night of Hanukkah, and BeaconArts will be lighting the menorah that night as well. The lighting of the menorah begins on the first night of Hanukkah: Sunday, December 2. Details about it are here.

Says Kelly Ellenwood, a past president of BeaconArts about the tree: “The tree next door [to the bicycle tree] was never left alone. It was always lit up and decorated, every year. Its juxtaposition to the Visitors Center makes it hard to see. A new tree somewhere where folks can gather ‘round will need to be planted (or sited) in the coming years.”

It is the opinion of this writer that a new tree on the other side of town - near the mountain - would help spread the abundant merriment down the full length of Main Street. It could serve as a new anchor to help draw people toward the east end of Beacon, and the shops, art galleries and salons that reside there. Oftentimes, people turn around after the Howland Cultural Center, where there is the big turn in the road. If you follow Main Street around the bend, you’ll discover so many more art galleries and shops, like Maria Lago Studio 502, bau Gallery, Russell Cusick Gallery, Kaight, Style Storehouse, and others. See A Little Beacon Blog’s Art Gallery Guide for a list of galleries.

The Holiday Wreaths Are UP!

It’s a most exciting time of the year, when we see the City of Beacon trucks loaded with holiday wreaths intended for the streetlamps slowly roll down Main Street, hanging up the festive greenery and bows.

Cheers to you this holiday season, on the eve of Thanksgiving. May you stay merry and bright.

PS: If you are decorating your house this season, please send your pics to us! We want to feature your houselights. Email editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com for consideration. Including your address is optional. We’d love to see your work, so even if you set up one version, and then add to it later, get on our radar now - you can always send another picture when your masterpiece is complete!

Stockings for Soldiers - Stuff a Stocking For a Soldier, and Libby Funeral Home Ships It

If filling stockings brings you joy during the holiday season, and so does giving the stockings to someone who isn’t expecting them, then this holiday initiative is for you. Libby Funeral Home has set up a free stocking for you to take home, decorate and stuff to the brim with holiday cheer. You will receive a list of recommended items along with the stocking.

Libby Funeral & Cremation Services will ship the stockings (at their expense) to troops abroad in time for the holidays. “Sending our heroes some good tidings and holiday cheer is a great way for us to show our support and appreciation for the sacrifices they make to keep our country safe and secure,” said Matthew Fiorillo, owner of Libby Funeral & Cremation Services.

Pickup of stockings is now through Saturday, December 15. You can stop by their Beacon location at 55 Teller Ave., Beacon, NY, 12508 (near Stock Up) on Monday through Friday, between 9 am and 2 pm to pick up your stocking and begin stuffing.

Another Way to Help: Recycled Cell Phones for Soldiers

FYI, for those looking to recycle their cell phones: Libby Funeral & Cremation Services is also an official drop-off center for Cell Phones for Soldiers. You can bring in your old cell phones to help American troops call home this holiday season. The old cell phones are recycled and turned into free calling cards for the soldiers. According to Matthew, businesses nationwide have so far collected enough old cell phones to provide American troops overseas with nearly four million free calling minutes.