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Win 'Annie' tickets by sharing your favorite holiday memory here

741 posts

Posted by chuttonmom on Nov 14, 2009 at 07:36 AM

Now through Nov 26, Central Wis. MomsLikeMe wants to award the best story, poem or essay shared here about your favorite holiday memory or longstanding tradition. You might inspire other families! Tell us what you cherish about the upcoming holidays and we'll pick three winners with the best stories who will win two tickets for the Dec. 17 performance of 'Annie' at Wausau's Grand Theater. I can almost smell the turkey in the oven and the chestnuts roasting!

OFFICIAL RULES:

MomsLikeMe.com Favorite Holiday Memories Contest
Official Rules

1.    NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

2.    Eligibility. Subject to the additional restrictions below, the "Favorite Holiday Memories” sweepstakes is open to Wisconsin residents, who are 18 years or older at the time of entry. Employees of Wausau Daily Herald, Stevens Point Journal, Marshfield News Herald, Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, Gannett Wisconsin Media, Gannett Co., Inc., and the immediate family members of, and any persons domiciled with, any such employees, are not eligible to enter or to win.

3.     How To Enter. The Sweepstakes entry period begin at noon on Sat. Nov. 14, 2009 and end at 11 p.m. on Thursday, November 26, 2009 (the “Sweepstakes Period”).

Online: Visit Centralwisconsin.MomsLikeMe.com and submit an essay, poem or short story on the appropriate forum thread.

Restrictions: Multiple entries by means of software generated or other automated processes will be disregarded. Sponsors will not be responsible for incomplete, lost, late, misdirected or illegible entries. All entries become property of Sponsors and none will be returned. Any questions regarding the number of entries submitted shall be determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion, and Sponsors reserve the right to disqualify any entries by persons determined to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Sweepstakes.

4.    Winner Selection. Three Winners will be selected by Wausau Daily Herald staff from all entries at the conclusion of the contest.

5.    Prizes and Odds.   Three Winners will each receive two tickets to the Dec. 17 “Annie” performance at the Grand Theater in Wausau.

Odds of winning are based on the number of entries received and quality of the writing submitted.

6.    Winner Notification and Acceptance. All winners will be contacted by email on or about Thursday, Nov. 26. Failure to reach winner by email (within 48 hours) will result in disqualification of winner, forfeiture of his or her interest in all prizes, and selection of a substitute winner from among all remaining eligible entries.

Winners may waive their right to receive prizes. Prizes are non-assignable and nontransferable. No substitutions allowed by winner. Prizes and individual components of prize packages are subject to availability and Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. Winners are solely responsible for reporting and payment of any taxes, title, license and services fees. Winners may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility/liability and publicity release (except where prohibited by law) which must be returned within ten (10) days of date of personal delivery or date of postmark. Failure to sign and return the affidavit as required, or to comply with any term or condition of these Official Rules, may result in a winner’s disqualification, the forfeiture of his or her interest in the prize, and the award of the prize to a substitute winner. Except where prohibited, acceptance of any prize constitutes winner’s consent to the publication of his or her name, biographical information and likeness in any media for any commercial or promotional purpose, without limitation the Internet, or further compensation. Prizes not won and claimed by eligible winners in accordance with these Official Rules will not be awarded and will remain the property of Sponsor.

7.    Participation. By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify persons found tampering with or otherwise abusing any aspect of this sweepstakes as solely determined by Sponsor. In the event the sweepstakes is compromised by tampering or other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsor, which corrupts or impairs the administration, security, fairness or proper operation of the sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the sweepstakes. Should the sweepstakes be terminated prior to the stated expiration date, Sponsor reserves the right to award prizes based on the entries received before the termination date.

8.    Construction. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any such provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these rules shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained therein.

9.    Sponsor. The "Favorite Holiday Memories” sweepstakes is sponsored by CentralWisconsin MomsLikeMe.com. The decisions of Sponsors regarding the selection of winners and all other aspects of the sweepstakes shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsors are not responsible for typographical, printing or other inadvertent errors in these Official Rules or in other materials relating to the sweepstakes. For a copy of these Official Rules, visit centralwisconsin.MomsLikeMe.com. The winners’ names will be available after Nov. 26, 2009. If you have any questions regarding this sweepstakes, email jjwitt@gannett.com.

Carrie Hutton

Online Editor, Wausau Daily Herald

(715)845-0660

Replies

741 posts

chuttonmom

on Nov 15, 2009 at 08:39 PM

Just type your holiday memory in a post on this forum thread...

Carrie Hutton

Online Editor, Wausau Daily Herald

(715)845-0660

chutton@wdhprint.com

741 posts

chuttonmom

on Nov 16, 2009 at 08:37 AM

Submitted by Jan in Stevens Point:

A CHRISTMAS MEMORY

Our first Christmas Eve as husband and wife
Was spent in our barn playing the role of midwife.

A cow began calving when milking was done.
We’d planned to attend the Christmas program.

The cow needed help so we knew we must stay.
Before long a bull calf lay in the clean hay.

The mother was milked and the new calf was fed.
Her tongue licked him clean, and fresh straw was his bed.

It wasn’t the Christmas Eve we’d been planning.
We’d hoped to see children in pageant performing.

But the sights, smells, and sounds in our stable, we knew,
Were present at Bethlehem that first Christmas too.

Our Lord had a manger for His place of birth,
And animals welcomed His coming to earth.

So we spent Christmas Eve in our barn, in a stall,
And felt closer to Him Whose birth started it all.

Carrie Hutton

Online Editor, Wausau Daily Herald

(715)845-0660

chutton@wdhprint.com

1post

Litzer2009

on Nov 17, 2009 at 09:34 AM

my favorite christmas tradition memory is helping out at the 4 o clock and 6 o clock mass at our church in marathon city and then going over my my moms side and my dads side for christmas eve and christmas day the fresh smell of grandma's cookies in the oven is one of my favorite tradition eating gooey cookies after baking them after a long day of working and singing at the church christmas eve and always remembered the play anne as a christmas tradition whether it we be on tv or at the grand we always found away to get to see anne the play.

7 posts

lkf

on Nov 17, 2009 at 11:03 AM

I would have to say may favorite holiday memories all involve may Grandma Loretta who lived with us since before I was born and I am now 39. She passed away 16 years ago already but we still follow her traditions. Starting with St Nicholas Day, Dec. 6. When she was a kid he left small things in her shoes. She kept of that same tradition with her kids and when my brothers, my sister and myself(I am the oldest) were small she would always help my mom. St. Nicholas alwasy left a gunny sack with candy and nuts on our porch. One year and I still remember this-she even dressed up in a big long coat and carried a tall cane/staff and made a noise on our porch and then was seen walking down the side walk in the dark. Of course we all thought it was St Nicholas and I remember that to this day. Most kids don't even know about St Nicholas but I now keep up this tradition with my daughter. We even have a book about how the St Nicholas tradition was started. There are many other memories with my Grandma, like baking turkish delight, fudge, cut out cookies, and Angel food(it always fell but she made it anyways because it was my favorite!) Putting up the tree and putting on all of the old ornamets was a favorite of all of us kids. She left each of us an ornament when she died(she had it packed away with our names on them for us. I always place it in the very front of our tree and think of her as I do. Midnight mass was never missed even if we had to go to the childrens mass earlied in the day and we always opened some gifts before mass with her. We miss her dearly but thank her for so many wonderful memories!!

77 posts

ShannW

on Nov 17, 2009 at 01:43 PM

One favorite Chrismas memory: After the Christmas tree was finally up and decorated with mostly handmade ornaments and large and small twinkling lights. We as a family would turn off the lights and lay next to the tree watching the shadows on the ceiling. A few years after I got married I missed the randomly twinkling lights in our house, we searched until we too can watch the tree shadows on the ceiling.

There was also many times where after the Christmas Eve service we would drive around looking at the light displays. We as a family were one of those open presents on Christmas day people, so there wasn't any reason to hurry home after the service.

1post

Mfrances

on Nov 19, 2009 at 12:52 PM

My favorite holiday memory – opening night at Radio City Music Hall - The Christmas Spectacular.

My mother came to visit me in Connecticut in November of 1991. I was a nanny at the time. I got off work early and my employer had suggested we catch a train into the New York City and see if we could get tickets to the opening night performance at the Music Hall. Well, we got all dressed up and heading into the city. My mom thought we were crazy going into the city at night. We barely made it to the front of the Music Hall when we were approached my some sweet old ladies who had to extra tickets for that nights performance. Row 7. It was amazing!

After that we came out of the Music Hall to a beautiful light snow. It was like a dream. We headed to Rockefellar Center to see the tree and all the people skating. It was a time I will cherish for ever. Not only one of my favorite holiday memories, but my favorite Mommy and Me memory!

2 posts

Annasmommy79

on Nov 19, 2009 at 04:06 PM

My four-year-old daughter Anna truly believes that Christmas lasts for 25 days. It’s not just because she spends those days waiting for Santa Claus to bring her all the gifts she has been desiring…it’s because she has a family that celebrates the spirit of Christmas all season long by continuing all the traditions that have been passed down the line from generation to generation.

Anna’s favorite person, her grandma, hosts a holiday baking day at her house and we all bring our favorite recipes and spend the day covered in flour. And of course the grandkids get to help - anything with sprinkles wins extra points in my daughter’s book. I reminisce when I look through my grandma’s old cookbooks, reading her notes in the margins that describe how Grandpa or the grandkids really enjoyed her sweet treats.

Then we trudge through the snow looking for the perfect Christmas tree. As kids, we would never stop at a lot to buy those horrible pre-cut trees (although I have to admit, they were probably more “shapely” than some we ended up coming home with!) The little ones are bundled from the tops of their heads to the tips of their toes, and have so many layers they can barely sit in the sled. It’s all worth it when we come home with the perfect tree and enjoy a mug of warm cocoa. Every year the kids seem to find new treasures when we bring out the special box that holds their personal Christmas ornaments.

No Christmas is complete without watching every single holiday movie we own. Everyone has their favorites, so we take turns watching each other’s. There are too many to list: A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, Frosty the Snowman, and Christmas Vacation. And of course we take at least one Sunday evening to drive through town to look at all the festive Christmas lights.

Four-year-olds love countdowns, so we post some kind of Christmas countdown to help Anna know when Santa is visiting (the ones with chocolate are always the best). It’s too hard to tell a toddler that they have to wait 25 more whole days until Santa comes! At least she gets a treat every day she has to wait.

When the big day comes, we continue a tradition that’s gone on for years. We bring our families over to Grandma’s house on Christmas Eve and open gifts on Christmas Eve night after mass. When I was a child I went to my grandma’s house, and my mom remembers going to her grandma’s house. It was quite bittersweet last year for my mother to have taken on this most important and the fondest holiday tradition, as it meant that my grandparents were no long with us. However, we all had so many lasting memories of all those Christmases past and everyone worked together to make a scrapbook filled with pictures from each one.

I feel proud as Anna’s mom to see her already beginning to understand the true spirit of the season – family and love and giving. It’s something I remember feeling as a child myself, and feel myself once again experiencing it with my own children.