Category: Family Fun

Treasure Hunt 25/12/18

Dear Donna,

I want to give this pair of earrings to my niece. They belonged to my late wife. I think they were her mom’s as well. My question is, should I have them insured for her? They are marked 14 KT but I have no information on the diamonds. Can you point me in a direction for the correct information?

Thank you, Donna.

Denny

Dear Denny,

What a nice gift to pass along!

The first thing you want to do is have a jeweler take a look at them. This is usually a free service they provide. If you want a written appraisal that would cost you.

You want to ask them if the stones are of good quality and what is the size of them. Then an approximate value for them. They might be able to give you an age on them as well. This should give you all the information you need to make your decision on whether to insure or not.

Denny, I think any information will be helpful. Either way, though, it won’t take away from them being family and being passed on.

Good luck and thanks for asking.

Note: Jewelers have diamond testers as well to confirm the stones are real.

Kiddie Pool 25/12/11

Family fun for whenever

See Santa

• The Milford Recreation Department will hold a Breakfast with Santa featuring pancakes and sausage on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Town Hall Auditorium, according to milfordnh.recdesk.com, where you can register and pay for limited seating.

• Santa Live 2025 at the Londonderry Access TV studio, 281 Mammoth Road in Londonderry, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 1 to 3 p.m., according to the station’s Facebook page. Kids can meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus on TV while parents take photos, the post said. RSVP to Erin at 432-1147 or email erowe@londonderrynh.gov.

Santa airborne

• On Saturday, Dec. 13, at 11 a.m. the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, will receive a visit from Santa Claus via helicopter, according to aviationmuseumofnh.org. Families wanting to watch Santa land should be at the museum by 10:45 a.m., the website said. Kids can meet with Santa at this free event until he departs at 1 p.m., the website said.

• It’s Astronaut Santa Day at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord on Sunday, Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., when kids can visit with Astronaut Santa and explore the museum, according to starhop. com, where you can purchase admission for the museum only or for the museum and a planetarium show.

Holiday concerts

• The Manchester Community Music School, 2291 Elm St. in Manchester, will hold its Holiday Pops 2025 concert on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m., according to mcmusicschool.org.

• Kimball Jenkins, 266 N. Main St. in Concord, will host a Mr. Aaron Concert on Friday, Dec. 12, at 5 p.m. in the Carriage House, according to kimballjenkins.com.

• Catch Symphony NH’s Holiday Pops concert on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at Keefe Center for the Arts, 117 Elm St. in Nashua, according to symphonynh.org.

Holiday fun

• The YMCA of Greater Londonderry, 206 Rockingham Road in Londonderry, will host The Great Candy Cane Hunt on Friday, Dec. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m., according to graniteymca.org, where you can register and pay for the event. The YMCA’s Teen Leaders will hide candy canes all around the facility, and kids, in groups divided by age, will search for them with candy cane bags they decorate, the website said.

• Pembroke City Limits, 134 Main St. in Pembroke, pembrokecitylimits.com, will hold a Kids Show on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 1 p.m. featuring a reading of The Polar Express, hot cocoa and candy canes and a “visit from the North Pole,” according to the website.

Holidays on screen

• Cinemark Rockingham Park, at The Mall at Rockingham Park, 15 Mall Road in Salem, cinemark.com, will wrap up its special screenings as part of Holiday Movie Clubhouse with screenings onElf(PG, 2003) on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 9:40 a.m. and 10 a.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 17, at 6:30 p.m.

• The Park Theatre (19 Main St., Jaffrey, theparktheatre.org) will present one of the best cinematic A Christmas Carol adaptations, The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 4:30 p.m.

Treasure Hunt 25/12/11

Hello, Donna,

Can you give me a value on my brother’s lava lamp? He just recently gave it to me. It’s in good working condition and is marked Simplex on the bottom. He got it in the 1970s so I’m wondering, is it an antique one? Thank you kindly, Donna.

Kenny

Dear Kenny,

Your brother gave you a collectible, not yet an antique, but a fun piece from the 1970s. Lava lamps were created in the 1960s by a British inventor. The first ones were called Astro lamps. The Simplex Co. was very popular in the 1970s. Now called Lava Lamps they were made here in the U.S. until the early 2000s, after which they were manufactured in China. Lava lamps were a big part of the 1970s. Lamps of this age in good working condition can bring in the range of $100 to $200+. So yes, Kenny, it does have a value and collectibility these days. It’s very important that the light is clear and the wax inside is in good shape. What a fun piece, Kenny. Thank you for sharing.

Kiddie Pool 25/12/04

Family fun for whenever

Santa time

• New Boston will hold its annual S’mores with Santa event on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. (rain date is Sunday, Dec. 7) at the Town Common & Gazebo, 5 Meetinghouse Road in New Boston. The event will feature “caroling by the New Boston Community Church, and New Boston Recreation and Recreation Commission will be providing hot cocoa, s’mores supplies, fires to roast,” and kids can visit with Santa, according to New Boston Recreation. See newbostonnh.gov/recreation for updates.

• The Friends of Griffin Free Library in Auburn will present a Santa Breakfast on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Auburn Village School Cafeteria, 11 Eaton Hill Road in Auburn, according to an event organizer. Santa will arrive by fire truck by 8:45 a.m. and the morning will include a breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, home fries, doughnuts and beverages; photo opportunities with Santa; holiday music; raffles and more, the email said. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids up to grade 8 and free for kids under age 3, with cash, check and credit card accepted, according to the email.

Party time

• Mr. Aaron’s Holiday Bash will come to the BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St. in Concord, on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 11 a.m., according to ccanh.com.

• The Millyard Museum, 200 Bedford St. in Manchester, will hold A Feast for the Holidays American Girl Tea Party on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with foods and crafts from American Girl Dolls, according to manchesterhistoric.org/event/christmas-tea-2025, where you can purchase tickets.

Storytime

• Author David Elliot will read his latest book,Boar and Hedgehog, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, at MainStreet BookEnds, 16 E. Main St. in Warner, on Saturday, Dec. 6, from noon to 1 p.m., when he will also sign books, according to mainstreetbookends.com. Warner’s downtown will be celebrating Warner’s Hometown Holiday on Saturday, featuring local artists, a storytime at the library and more, the website said.

Treasure Hunt 25/12/04

Dear Donna,

I would like to wish you happy holidays.

It took me a while to find one of these turkey platters, but now I have. It’s huge and in great condition with no damage that I can see. I can’t find any name on it on the back. I bought it at a thrift store and paid $9. For me it was a deal to finally own one similar to the one I grew up with. Going to be the center of my table Thanksgiving Day.

Did I find a deal, Donna?

Thank you.

Cynthia

Dear Cynthia,

You got a deal no matter what! If this makes you happy and brings back memories it’s priceless.

Your turkey platter is not just in your memories but in lots of people’s. Some were fancier and much older, dating to the late 1800s. Others are bright and colorful, running from the 1940s to present! I also remember one on my grandmother’s and mother’s table, only coming out once a year. You never forget them, though.

Values on unmarked ones usually run in the $50 range and up, as long as there’s no damage. So, Cynthia, you got a double deal this time!

Thanks for sharing and Happy Holidays to you as well.

Treasure Hunt 25/11/27

Hi, Donna,

I’m wondering if you can provide any information about this desk bell that I purchased at an antique shop several years ago. It’s made entirely of metal. It’s 5.25 inches tall, the base is 4.25 inches across, and the bell is 3 inches in diameter. I’m wondering about its age and value. It’s in very good condition, and it still works! Thank you.

Peter in Manchester

Dear Peter,

Your Victorian Era (late 1800s) service bell was probably used a lot back in its time. Any situation where you would have needed service is what it was for. Countertop bells would be in hotels, stores, etc. Bells are still used today, although most are electric.

Some antique bells are plain, some fancy. I think yours is in the middle but very pretty. I would say the value is in the $90 range. Thanks for sharing with us, Peter.

Donna

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