2 • DECEMBER 2019
COAST RIVER BUSINESS JOURNAL
EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK
What should I give for Christmas: Heirlooms or fruitcakes?
I
t’s slightly embarrassed to
admit that when it comes to
Christmas gift-giving, I’ve
become a cliché male, usually
waiting until nearly the final
hour to make a decision on pres-
ents for my wife and daughter.
My task is complicated by the
fact that they each already have
enough clothes and jewelry to
open their own boutique. Cash
would seem to be ideal — but
for some reason, they don’t con-
sider a check to be a sufficient
symbol of deep, empathetic
love. Go figure…
There was a time when I ago-
nized over what to give parents,
siblings and girlfriends. In junior
high I spent hours crafting a sign
for my dad’s law practice — and
a pretty professional job it was,
too. It still hangs in my newspa-
per office in Long Beach. A year
or two later in the full throes
MATT
WINTERS
PUBLISHER
& EDITOR
of teenage angst, a kindly store
clerk convinced me that just a
sincere note of love and thanks
would be the best possible gift
my folks could hope for. And he
was right.
Amazing myself, with three
weeks still to go before Christ-
mas, this year I do have a per-
fectly ideal gift in mind for
my wife. No, I haven’t actu-
ally bought it yet. Just as in pre-
TSA days when I used to rejoice
in being the last man to dash
aboard the airplane before the
door closed, I still derive some
minor thrill from waiting until
close to the last minute to make
my purchase.
And for my daughter? I’m
still thinking about a check.
My brothers in recent years
have been the recipients of fruit-
cakes made with our mom’s
favorite recipe. I don’t know if
they actually like them, but they
love me enough to claim they
do.
Nearing the Ecclesiastical
“time to cast away,” Christmas
is also starting to present oppor-
tunities to part with family heir-
looms. Few have any substantial
monetary value but all stand as
talismans of our progress from
Northwest Europe to this dis-
tant shore. In some ways, they
count less as gifts than as obliga-
T
he Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa sits 600 feet
into the magnificent Columbia River on a
100-year-old pier that was a historic cannery.
Guests enjoy a close-up view of exciting Columbia
River ship traffic while binoculars in each room
showcase the antics of swimming sea lions, blue
herons and pelagic birds. Unsurpassed in location,
sophistication and timeless beauty, our unmatched
services and amenities make each and every stay a
one-of-a-kind experience.
WHAT YOUNG DAUGHTER OR
NIECE WOULDN’T WANT HER
GRANDFATHER’S ANCIENT
BISON SKULL OR MY DUSTY
1870 GLASGOW TELESCOPE?
tions — markers of memory that
I hope the next generation will
safeguard as I have, along with
the stories that transform them
into more than worn objects.
Pewter teapots, rusty spurs,
gold-mining scales, mustache
cups, hip flasks, Army uniforms,
pocket watches and dozens of
other things all need to land
on new stewards. What young
daughter or niece wouldn’t want
her grandfather’s ancient bison
skull or my dusty 1870 Glasgow
telescope?
Taking care of your business...
Just Got Easier!
• Private balconies
• Romantic fireplaces
• Clawfoot tubs and cozy terry robes
• Complimentary continental breakfast
• Wine and appetizer reception nightly
Mike Wallis, CPA
• Full service Spa with mineral hot tub and
Finnish sauna
• Fitness room
• Complimentary WiFi
Telephone 503.325.4996
Toll Free 888.325.4996
www.cannerypierhotel.com
“L OCALS O NLY S PECIAL ”
December 2019
& January 2020
Limited Space Available
129
$
Please call hotel direct 503-325-4996
*
Per Night
One Coupon per Stay Required
Must Present Original Coupon at Check-In
Deluxe King or Deluxe Double Queen
Rates subject to change without notice. *Plus Applicable Tax
And what’s the perfect gift
for an old newspaper editor with
esoteric collecting interests?
Odds are slim that my wife will
find me a long-coveted ticket for
the Ilwaco Railway & Naviga-
tion Co. or a local 19th century
oyster can label I don’t already
have. A new pair of indoor/out-
door leather moccasins is always
welcome. Or maybe a brother
will send me back one of last
year’s fruitcakes.
I’ve heard it’s the thought
that counts.
Suzanne Corliss
• Income Tax Preparation
& Planning
• Accounting Services
& Financial Statements
• Elder Accounting
• Consulting Services for
New & Existing Businesses
• Payroll Services
WWC Business
Solutions, Inc.
1024 MARINE DRIVE • ASTORIA • 503.325.2200