COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL December 30, 2015
3C
Creative ways to ring in the new year
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Make Every
Day Count!
Your friendship and
goodwill make every day a
good one for us.
ounting down the hours until
the new year can be exciting,
as the world anxiously anticipates
the adventures in store for the
months ahead.
Celebrating the new year dates
back thousands of years to the an-
cient Babylonians, who celebrated
a new year come the fi rst full moon after the
spring equinox. The new year is now com-
memorated in various ways across the globe.
According to History.com, one million people
gather in New York City’s Time Square to
watch the famed crystal ball drop each year.
Across the pond in London, celebrants watch
thousands of individual fi reworks launch
over the Thames River. In Sydney, Australia,
roughly one million people line the shoreline
each year to watch a fi reworks show over the
famed harbor.
To match the excitement of New Year’s fes-
tivities, each year party hosts and hostesses
With gratitude and
best wishes for a
Happy New Year to
one and all.
longed to see, such as the Egyptian pyramids
or the city lights in the romantic city of Paris.
• Cheer for every time zone. Thanks to the
various time zones across the globe, “Happy
New Year” is shouted multiple times through-
out the night on New Year’s Eve. Timeand-
Date.com notes that, depending on how you
defi ne the time zone and if you include the
International Date Line, there are 24 or 25
standard time zones. That gives revelers
25 opportunities to usher in the new year.
Choose a country in each time zone, and then
employ that country’s cultural traditions to
celebrate the new year.
• Design a scavenger hunt. A fun activity for
both adults and children, scavenger hunts
can send guests in search of clues and an-
swers based on things that happened over the
previous 12 months. Include photos and other
mementos when preparing clues.
Best buys for the new year
STARFIRE
LUMBER CO.
are on the lookout for innovative ways to
entertain and ensure everyone has a blast. The
following are a few ways to do just that as
you and your guests prepare to close the book
on 2015 and usher in 2016.
• Go bowling. New Year’s Eve probably
isn’t a big league night, so it’s likely you can
reserve a number of lanes. Book in advance
to take advantage of affordable food and
drink packages. Some alleys now offer more
than just bowling, with live music or deejay
entertainment as well. You do not have to be
a professional bowler, either, as the goal of
bowling with friends is to simply have some
fun and make some lasting memories.
• Try a “fi rst”. There is a fi rst time for every-
thing, and why not try something you have
been thinking about doing for some time on
the fi rst day of the new year? Maybe you’re
ready to tap into your adventurous side and
try skydiving. Or, you may be looking to trav-
el abroad to experience something you have
C OTTAGE G ROVE T AX O FFICE
Income Taxes • Bookkeeping
Quickbooks Specialist
Payroll
Cauleen & Laura - Owners
541-942-7070 •541-767-1841
cgtaxoffi ce@gmail.com
PO Box 844
28 South 6th St. Suite C • CG
541-942-2521
80408 Delight Valley School Road
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Performing All Phases
Of Automotive Repair
www.huddleautomotive.com
Specializing In Ford, GM, and Dodge Diesels
541-942-2521
80408 Delight Valley School Road, Cottage Grove, OR 97424
www.huddleautomotive.com
Smart shopping involves making budget-
friendly purchases. Never paying full price
is a mantra shoppers can follow to help
keep their fi nances in check.
In addition to coupons and other discounts,
shoppers can usually score deals based on
which time of year they shop for particu-
lar items. Each year, various consumer
resources offer advice on the best time to
buy certain items.
The beginning of the year is often an ideal
time to purchase certain items. Consumers
who take advantage of sales offered at the
start of the new year can save substantial
amounts of money. Now that the holiday
season has passed, consumers can begin to
fi nd deals on items for themselves.
• Clothing: Post-Christmas sales are boom-
ing, and stores are looking to sell what’s
left of their inventories to make room for
spring and summer selections. Even though
the weather outside is still cold, sweaters,
pants, coats, and more are usually available
at a discount come January. It may take
some digging through the racks, but there’s
an excellent chance to discover some great
items.
• Boats: Wintertime is boat show season,
but it’s also the offseason for boaters who
live in cooler climates. These factors com-
bine to make it easier and less expensive to
fi nd a new boat. According to boat-buying
retailer Boatline, consumers can probably
get one of last year’s models at a good
price.
• Air conditioners: If the warm-weather
season was particularly steamy this past
year, it might be time to revamp the HVAC
system or invest in some new portable
units. Bankrate offers that the fi rst few
months of the year are prime times to shop
for air conditioners. While you may not get
the latest model, it’s likely you can fi nd a
reliable unit at below-market cost.
• Theater tickets: January and February are
not especially busy seasons for theaters,
which means there will be greater op-
portunity to get discounted seats for many
popular shows.
• Linens and bedding: John Wannamaker
was a retail entrepreneur and had a few
department stores in New York and Phila-
delphia. Wannamakers held the fi rst “white
sale” in 1878, and since then many stores
have continued the tradition. January is a
great month to buy towels, sheets, bed-
spreads, and more at a discount.
• Motorcycles: Riding a motorcycle is a
fair-weather hobby, and retailers are aware
of this. The easy riders of tomorrow might
be able to fi nd great deals today.
• Video games: Those who haven’t pur-
chased their fi ll of video games for the
holidays can benefi t from post-holiday
drops in price.
• Furniture: Many furniture manufacturers
begin to churn out new inventory in Febru-
ary, so last season’s items will need to
move quickly. Shoppers can often negotiate
some good deals now and upgrade their
homes’ decor.
• Wedding-related services: Couples who
don’t mind the chilly weather can enjoy
steep savings by hosting their weddings in
January. Spring and summer are by far the
more popular seasons to tie the knot, but
reception halls, musical acts, fl orists, and
other vendors may heavily discount their
services in winter.
www.shoppelocal.biz
With best wishes to you and
yours for the coming year.
It’s been a privilege and a
pleasure serving you.
Thank you for your business!
Jeff Williams, LTC
Deanna Mathis, LTP
a new beginning
a fresh start
a blank page
T: 541-942-7790
F: 541-942-7811
E: taxmanjeff@gmail.com
taxladydeanna@gmail.com
575 North 9th Street
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
Here’s hoping your year is filled with
the makings of many grand memories.
For the opportunity to serve you again,
we are deeply grateful.
A number of wishes for you:
Peace • Prosperity • Happiness • Health • Friendship • Love
and all the good times you deserve!
1515 Village Drive
Cottage Grove
541-942-5500
Happy New Year
Middlefi eld Oaks Senior Living Community
1500 Village Drive • Cottage Grove
541-767-0080