The holiday season has always been one of our favorite times of year. The air turns crisp, lights pop up on storefronts and homes, and that sense of community we love so much seems to shine even brighter.
For our family, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are especially meaningful. Both are rooted in family and tradition, and over the years we’ve built a few of our own. A couple of days before Thanksgiving, we start our annual pie deliveries from Oronoque Farms in Shelton (fantastic homemade pies!) — several hundred of them, handed out across the county to friends, clients, and neighbors. We also make sure plenty get dropped off at The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County in Stamford. It’s a tradition that kicks off the holiday season for us and reminds us what it’s all about — sharing, connecting, and giving back.
Hanukkah brings its own kind of magic. Lighting the menorah each night connects us to generations before us, and the house fills with the sound of songs, laughter, and the smell of latkes (except for that one year when we burned them to a crisp). Every year, we make a special trip to Beldotti’s Bakery on Newfield Avenue for their jelly donuts — a must. And we never miss the giant menorah lighting at the Stamford Chabad, which has become a favorite family ritual.
The season has a way of making our town shine. It starts with Stamford’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and, of course, the holiday tree lighting at Heights and Lights. But what makes this time of year so special isn’t just how beautiful it is — it’s the sense of community. There’s a closeness here, a way that family and neighbors intertwine, that makes every gathering feel warmer. As we celebrate Thanksgiving and Hanukkah this year, we’re reminded how grateful we are to live here.
But what makes this time of year so special isn’t just how beautiful it is — it’s the sense of community.