As we approach Thanksgiving, I begin to think ahead about ways to get into the holiday spirit for December.

I often write about the Finger Lakes, and to celebrate the holidays, the wine trail in Seneca Lake in New York offers two Deck the Halls weekends, Nov. 22–24 and Dec. 6–8. Event participants enjoy a fun weekend sampling holiday food and wine at festively decorated wineries. They receive a wreath at the first winery and collect a special ornament at each of the participating wineries, along with plenty of wine to taste.

Nearby, in Hammondsport, they have a more family-friendly event, the fourth annual Hammondsport Cookie Walk to put you in the Christmas mood. Participants purchase a cookie tin at the Visitor Center through the month of November. Then on Dec. 7th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., they bundle up, grab hot cocoa and visit participating businesses to receive specially made Christmas cookies.

If cookies and wine aren’t your thing, maybe Christmas lights will put you in the holiday spirit. South of the Finger Lakes, in Central Pennsylvania, Hersheypark’s Christmas Candylane opened Nov. 15 and runs through Jan. 1, 2020. More than 4 million lights deck the halls of Hersheypark for this annual event. Guests can enjoy their favorite rides and roller coasters and also visit with Santa and his reindeer. If you don’t care for amusement park rides in the cold, you can also visit Hershey Sweet Lights, viewed from the comfort of your heated car. Nearly 600 illuminated animated displays line two miles of wooded trails.

Maybe Christmas music is what really gets you in the Christmas spirit. If that’s the case, while you’re in Hershey to see those amazing light displays, snag some tickets to see Pentatonix at Giant Center in Hershey. They will be belting out their most popular a cappella Christmas songs Dec. 12.

If none of these successfully get you in the holiday mood, well, I tried my best . . . bah humbug!

— Tracey Cullen, art director