Dec 2, 2022 3 min read

Happy holiday season! Fall and winter both give us a chance to slow down and express gratitude for the many blessings in life. As I write this, I sit amid a significant personal transition. As the trees stand bare and the daylight slips away, my thoughts tend to slow down and turn inward. I get introspective.

Let’s be completely honest, though; Taylor Swift’s newest album also has me deep in my feels. I’m sure other Swifties can relate.

Though this has been a challenging year for me and many I hold dear, I am still so thankful. I hope you, too, can find space and grace to be kind to yourself and take a moment to reflect on the best things in life.

I am so excited to bring you this edition, filled with beauty in many different forms.

Our cover story highlights a McMurray business, Fired Up, that’s changed owners and, with it, added new offerings, classes, a mobile studio and, soon, throwing wheels where customers can create their own clay masterpieces. The shop offers seasonal pieces, so you can decorate something for your loved one for a present or take a group for a fun activity as the temperatures dip lower and flakes begin to fly.

If you need some tools to create perfect seasonal treats, might we suggest Special Occasion’s newest Canonsburg location? Lisa Liberatore Fleissner opened the second shop, in addition to her location at Washington Crown Center, in late October. You’ll find chocolates, candy molds, toppers for cakes and cookies, piping bags, cookie cutters and other supplies. A pastry chef has already reserved the beautiful meeting room for twice-monthly classes. Fleissner hopes other instructors will teach cookie, cake and other decorating techniques, introducing a whole new generation of bakers to just how simple it can be to create homemade desserts that look as good as they taste.

And to round us out, meet Colby Jeffrey, a 14-year-old Trinity High freshman that’s been stuffing box trucks with Toys for Tots donations since he was five and realized other kiddos weren’t as fortunate as him at Christmas. He’ll be out again this year on Dec. 11, in the Krispy Kreme parking lot at Trinity Point in Washington from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

No matter what your plans are these next couple of months, I hope you can enter this busy season with an attitude of gratitude.

Take care, stay safe and see you in the next year!