Clinton Township Newsletter

2 d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 9 w w w . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . c o m Shirley (Sherry) Havens CRS, GRI, SRES ® Sales Associate Questions About Real Estate? Call Sherry, Your Clinton Township Specialist & Neighbor – Because the Right Realtor Really Makes the Difference.! Over 30 Years Serving Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren and Morris Counties cell: 908.507.4927 office: 908.735.8080 shirleyhavens@gmail.com sherryhavens.com With Christmas only weeks away, my memories of assorted gifts over the last almost 92 years remain quite vivid. When I go back to my very early years the best Christmas gifts were always dolls. A few of them walked and talked. My favorites, however, were the small ones who slept in shoeboxes carefully equipped with tiny sheets and blankets and were secured with mosquito netting every summer. My daughter also favored dolls. Do any of these strike a chord of nostalgia with Newsletter Readers? Her Barbie doll with Barbie's Dream Home and Sports Car. I guess Ken must have been part of the family as well. She had a Tiny Tears who, when you pressed her stomach, cried tears after emptying her bottle. And Edith, The Lonely Doll, who came with a "Lonely Doll" book. In addition Sally got a sturdy cardboard kitchen set... full-size for a toddler. That Christmas Eve my first husband, Gil, and I put the kids to bed and began to assemble the pieces around 9 o'clock. By the time 2:00 am arrived, we were so groggy from inserting Tab A and Tab B into slots A and B that we barely functioned and were as close to getting a divorce as could be. My son's top presents were his Schwinn bicycle adorned with colored streamers on the handlebars. There was a special Mickey Mantle baseball glove under the tree. An Ideal Jet Fighter console and a series of those wonderful "All About…" books. To this day, at age 69, Steve continues to enjoy the process of learning and takes courses after retirement just for the joy of it. I think my parents were pretty extravagant with Christmas presents. After all, I was an only child and remember getting pretty much what I'd asked for. Including an ice skating rink in our backyard which my Father watered every night with the garden hose to keep a slick smooth surface on the ice. The memorable year my Grandfather came down the stairs dressed as Santa Claus. Actually, he scared the BeJeebers out of my cousin and me. No way was I going to kiss that mothball-smelling bearded guy! As the years have gone by I have found that buying stuff for the Grandkids and Great Grandkids is almost impossible. What does a Little Old Lady from Lebanon know about teenagers and toddlers? Mailing and returning items from Minnesota led me to a real cop-out. Checks became the practical way to go. And the recipients LOVED them. I can't keep up with technology anymore and , therefore, am no good selecting gifts most kids would appreciate. I'd still be buying kitchen sets and dolls and toy soldiers. Of course, I always enjoy the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog of Christmas presents. This year I have my eyes on a Harry Potter animated hat for only $39.95 and a Beatles Pinball Machine for a cool $10,000 plus shipping and handling. Maybe another year! SHADES | MOTORIZED SHADES | BLINDS | DRAPES | PLANTATION SHUTTERS You Deserve Them! 908.236.2688 14 Lebanon Plaza n WindowExpressionsNJ.com Locally Owned and Operated by Phil & Diane Koury 185 Center St., Clinton • 735.4499 R o n a l d M c d o n a l d W i l l B e a t M c d o n a l d ' s i n c l i n t o n o n F R i d a y , d e c e M B e R 6 ! Phil and Diane Koury of McDonald's Restaurants of Hunterdon County are excited to announce that the world's most famous clown and McDonald's Chief Happiness Officer, Ronald McDonald, will be meeting all his friends at McDonald's in Clinton on Friday, December 6 before the Clinton Christmas Parade and on Sunday, December 8 at McDonald's in Flemington! A good friend to Ronald McDonald House Charities, Ronald will be appearing alongside his pals Hamburglar and Grimace in the Clinton and Flemington Parades in Hunterdon County. Ronald is thrilled to be riding his Big Red Shoe Car... the very same one he rides in at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! (Can you find the photo of Ronald and his car in this issue of CTNL?) Since 1984, Phil and Diane Koury have been the owner/operators of the McDonald's in Hunterdon County. Phil's father, "Papa Joe," was even one of the original Flemington Holiday Parade organizers! The Kourys are involved in the local community, and donate to the many local organizations that benefit children and families. Phil and Diane Koury are the second generation of McDonald's Franchisees, and have been sponsors of the Parades since their Clinton restaurant opened in 1991. If you want to get a selfie with Ronald, then be sure to stop by each of the restaurants before the parade! Check out Facebook/McDonald's of Hunterdon (www.facebook.com/McDHunterdon) for times, photos and more details!

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