As more than one observer has noted, most Americans behave with respect to political campaigns and elections as they do toward sports teams and competitions. They have their favorites and then generally sit back and watch. True, some go out and stump for their candidate (or put out lawn signs), but generally most of us just follow the contest by way of cable news or local TV channels. And what those bring us these days, especially in the closing hours before Election Day, is a constant stream of strident messaging that caricatures opposing candidates as irresponsible, incompetent, or perhaps even dangerous. What is especially common is the format of these ads, whether on TV or in other forms of the media. They typically feature an especially unfavorable black and white photo of the opponent, probably snapped at an off moment along the campaign trail, while the favored candidate, featured smiling and in a color-rich setting, is portrayed as trustworthy, honest and friendly.
By extension — and probably without our adverting to the fact — this caricaturing of political candidates can easily lead us to include in our opinion those who support candidates we oppose. In short — and how many times have we all heard this? — they simply become “those people.” It’s a short step, for example, from portraying a candidate who favors a woman’s right to free choice to viewing that candidate’s supporters as “baby killers.” The political ads are replete with such exaggerations; indeed, that is what gives them the desired impact.
In his book Faces of the Enemy: Reflection of the Hostile Imagination, the philosopher and social observer Sam Keen documents the many ways, over time, we tend to conceptualize those who are our opponents as less than ourselves. In the extreme cases of warfare, the dehumanized enemy is portrayed as just that, less than human, and therefore easier to destroy.
But even in the political sphere such characterization can lead to condescension, disregard or even disdain. The higher the moral stakes, the greater the danger of regarding “the others” as unworthy or dangerous. The polarization in our society today, with its attendant imaging, makes the point.
Can we, will we break through this barrier of prejudice and start to engage in civil conversation with those who hold views opposite to ours? We cannot change everything, but we can start by reaching out and seeking not to convince others but to understand how they take the positions they do. The danger of not trying is to further harden difference, and that makes working toward a common good impossible.
From modest to massive, local to legend, light fun to heavy tomes, there’s a great gift for the music fan in your life. Here are some ideas sure to bring a smile this holiday season.
Rocking Horse Music Club’s Circus of Wire Dolls (rockinghorsemusicclub.com) is one of the best records to come out of New Hampshire in years, an ambitious rock opera of memoir and anthropomorphism that could very well be on Broadway one day. Its lineup includes area talent and progressive rock legends, led by creator and producer Brian Coombes — available on vinyl and CD.
Speaking of local acts, several released great albums this year. Couple Gravity and the Stars Above, the moody pop-punk sophomore release from Donaher (facebook.com/donahertheband), with a cool T-shirt. Go country with April Cushman’s NEMA-winning The Long Haul and a bull skull hoodie (aprilcushman.com), or gift Faith Ann Band’s raging In Bloom with a piece of their leader’s handmade jewelry (thefaithannband.com).
April Cushman Hoodie.
Concert tickets are a gift that pays off now and later, when the shows actually happen. The two-day Northlands Festival (northlandslive.com) is returning next June, this time with The String Cheese Incident and Phish’s Mike Gordon topping the bill at the Cheshire Fairgrounds in Swanzey. The long-awaited Nashua Center for the Arts finally opens in April, with Suzanne Vega, blues polyglot Grace Kelly and ukulele wizard Jake Shimabukuro all on sale, along with other shows (nashuapac.org).
For the gadget-minded, there are some great options. If you’re feeling really generous, the Beolit 20 from Bang & Olufsen is a perfect gift. It’s a portable Bluetooth speaker that runs around $500, which is entry level for the Danish sound company. Along with pristine output, the unit’s top doubles as a magnetic charge base for mobile phones.
Less lofty is JBL’s Charge 5, a (totally) tubular speaker that’s waterproof and quite powerful. Apple AirPods are always a safe pick; the third-generation ones pack a big bass wallop. For the extravagant, there’s the sleek and powerful over-ear AirPods Max. Just as beautiful is the Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame, which does not require user assembly, a rarity for that store. It works with Sonos, AirPlay and Spotify Connect.
How thoughtful is the clever offering from Vinylify, a bespoke vinyl album containing a playlist of choice and customized cover art? The site also offers gift cards, a safer choice that will allow your music lover’s imagination to run wild. You can give them some ideas with Easton Press’s voluminous Rock Covers book, which collects more than 750 sleeves from Elvis and onward, organized by artist and spanning rock’s 40-year “golden era” at a pricey $176.
More down to earth are books about classic rock favorites. Bob Spitz, whose past works include an encyclopedic look at The Beatles, has a biography of Led Zeppelin that does a great job with the band’s early days, when its four members were scrappily climbing the ladder and learning the ropes. U2 front man Bono’s Surrender looks back at his life through 40 of his band’s songs.
If fiction is more to your favorite fan’s liking, a good choice is a hardcover copy of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & The Six with a “She just seemed so fearless” bookmark. The novel traces the rise and fall of a band that sounds very much like the Stevie Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac.
Funko Pop! Rocks
Given the recent passing of Christine McVie, now’s a fine time to spin “Don’t Stop” and “You Make Loving Fun” — or marinate in McVie’s own music. There’s a Glyn Johns remaster of her Songbird: A Solo Collection that’s a good choice there. Or go further back in McVie’s career: For the hardcore fan, there’s a limited white-vinyl edition of the 1970 record she made as Christine Perfect on Amazon — an import, naturally.
Everyone loves toys for Christmas, especially music fans. One of the best (and hardest to get) is Funko Pop! Rocks: Iron Maiden Glow In The Dark Box Set (popmarket.com). It includes four 4.5-inch Eddie figures of the English heavy metal band: Live After Death, Seventh Son, Nights of the Dead and Somewhere in Time. When it sells out, there are other items that headbangers will love, like a Pantera set, along with standalones of Ronnie James Dio and Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider.
Featured photo: A bespoke vinyl album containing a playlist of choice and customized cover art through Vinylify.
Make it a holiday season to remember for the foodie in your life, with anything from a specialty gift box of local products to sweet treats like cocoa or tea bombs, cakesicles or even chocolate candy-filled gingerbread “smash” houses. Whether you’re looking for something to ship and be enjoyed later, or a centerpiece to be the hit of your next holiday party, there are all kinds of delicious gift-giving ideas this season.
Enjoy it later
Great for colleagues, teachers, neighbors or perhaps a friend at an upcoming Yankee Swap, gift boxes and baskets are the perfect ways to discover all kinds of locally made goodies. Jessica Moores of the Manchester Craft Market, Mall of New Hampshire (1500 S. Willow St.), recently organized an entire table setup inside the shop featuring bundled gifts from many of her sellers, from jams and jellies to cooking spices, soup kits, salsas, coffees and more.
In Bedford, head to the Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, theeducationalfarm.org), where they are selling specialty gift boxes in two sizes containing a variety of New Hampshire-made and other regional products. According to farm stand manager secretary Mandy Underwood, they can be ordered through Dec. 22 for pickup, and custom gift boxes can also be put together if you’d like a certain theme.
Other local businesses have gift boxes available to order directly on their websites to be shipped. Salem’s Cucina Aurora Kitchen Witchery (cucinaaurora.com) has a gift set of its infused olive oils, featuring 12-ounce bottles of its roasted garlic and rosemary oregano oils packaged with a free recipe booklet. Owner Dawn Hunt, who is the author of Kitchen Witchcraft for Beginners, her newest cookbook, released earlier this year, also offers a larger gift set that additionally comes with a wooden cooking spoon, a risotto mix, a garlic and herb dip mix and an herb and seasoning mix. Both also have the option of including a holiday card for your gift recipient.
For the spicy food lover, The Spicy Shark of Portsmouth (thespicyshark.com) has a gift box containing 5-ounce bottles of each of its six craft hot sauces — they vary in intensity, ranging from products made with jalapeno and chipotle peppers to habanero, Scotch bonnet and ghost peppers, as well as Carolina Reapers, which were recognized in 2017 by Guinness World Records as the hottest in the world. Smokin’ Tin Roof (smokintinroof.com), based in Manchester, similarly offers gift boxes containing bottles of its ghost pepper-based sauces, sometimes also accompanied by products like a bacon stout mustard and a Buffalo-style sauce. They even now sell mango habanero cotton candy in collaboration with Sillie Puffs (silliepuffs.com).
And speaking of sweets, there’s so much to discover for those looking to indulge. Fabrizia Lemon Baking Co. of Salem (fabrizialemonbakingcompany.com) is offering holiday gift boxes containing all kinds of limoncello-infused goodies added to its product line since its late 2020 launch, from limoncello cookies and biscotti to truffles, blondies, lemon loaf, hard candies and even lemon popcorn. They can be picked up at Fabrizia’s Salem facility (2 Industrial Way) or shipped nationwide with the option to write up a personalized holiday note at checkout.
For other sweet tastes that are uniquely New Hampshire, Ben’s Sugar Shack of Temple (bensmaplesyrup.com) has gift boxes of its maple syrup and other assorted maple-infused products, from maple cream and buttermilk pancake mix to gluten-free maple kettle corn and pure maple candy. Specialty candy stores like Van Otis Chocolates (vanotis.com) and Granite State Candy Shoppe (granitestatecandyshoppe.com) have gift boxes of their own, featuring items like assorted caramels, nuts, chocolate bars and Swiss fudge in several different flavors.
Enjoy it now
If you’re looking for a tasty hostess gift to share with other guests at a holiday party or gathering, local restaurants, caterers and other businesses have you covered. Tilton’s Twelve 31 Events, for instance, which also recently opened a cafe in downtown Concord (100 N. Main St.), is taking orders for its scratch-baked Italian Christmas cookies. They’re scheduled to be available for pickup and delivery starting Dec. 8 and right through Christmas Eve, Twelve 31 owner Melissa Dolpies said. Visit twelve31.events/christmascookies to order a dozen or more cookies — flavors include anisette, soft gingerbread, pistachio macaroons, dark chocolate espresso and snowballs, or traditional butter cookies that are rolled in powdered sugar.
“The typical dozen that people can get is an assortment of all of the cookies, but you can certainly mix and match or request one or two of whatever combination you’d like,” Dolpies said. “They come in a pretty little box, and they make great gifts. I’ve had people get them for employees, for teachers, for co-workers. They’re really appropriate for any kind of occasion.”
The Traveling Foodie (jmcateringllc.com), a food truck and catering company based at Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Merrimack, also has cookie gift trays and mixed cookie platters available on its holiday catering menu. Chef and owner Jamie Mandra said orders can be placed until Dec. 18 for a free delivery to the Nashua and Merrimack areas on Dec. 22. Options will include mixed sugar cookies and chocolate chip peanut butter kisses, or you can order brownies.
For some savory hostess gift ideas, check out the appetizer to-go kits being offered by Local Baskit (localbaskit.com) — featuring your choice of a set of miniature quiches with a goat cheese honey filo and cranberry dip, or dumplings and vegetable spring rolls with a sweet spicy soy sauce, each kit’s items are ready to pop right into the oven. This year, in addition to her custom charcuterie and cheese boards under her Grazing Baskits line, Local Baskit owner Beth Richards also has “Season’s Eatings” hostess gift packages, which come with a bottle of red or white wine, cheese and crostini — the prices for each package vary depending on your choices.
In Manchester, Loon Chocolate (loonchocolate.com) and 603 Charcuterie (603charcuterie.com) are gearing up for a two-day holiday market inside their facility at The Factory on Willow (252 Willow St.) on Saturday, Dec. 17, and Sunday, Dec. 18, when more than two dozen local vendors will be showcasing their products. In the meantime, you can visit their onsite joint shop every Thursday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., which offers a variety of New Hampshire-made cheeses, jams, crackers, mustards and other artisan foods. You can also buy locally built charcuterie boards — courtesy of Andy Pearl of Souhegan Wood Designs of Amherst — in all kinds of shapes, sizes and designs, or even gift a custom-made charcuterie board, gift basket or class certificate, Theresa Zwart of 603 Charcuterie said.
Explosive flavors
Cocoa bombs were all the rage during the 2020 holiday season and, two years later, are continuing to stick around. A trend that originally went viral on TikTok back in the fall of that year, these small hollow balls of chocolate are most often created using silicone molds, and are usually filled with miniature marshmallows or flavored mixes. Pouring hot milk or water over the bombs causes them to “explode” with flavor inside your mug.
For Lindsey Bangs of I Whisked It (iwhiskedit.com), a home baker based in Raymond, cocoa bombs are among her most popular seasonal items. Hers is among the participating businesses at The Factory on Willow’s holiday market, where she will be offering cocoa bombs in traditional, caramel and peppermint candy cane flavors. She’ll also be at New Hampshire Audubon’s Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, Dec. 10, at the McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road, Concord).
In addition to her flavors Bangs has played around with different types of silicone molds for her cocoa bombs, from those in the shape of Christmas trees to reindeer- and ball-shaped ornaments.
“I have a lot of people who are buying [cocoa bombs] from me this year because last year they had it on Christmas Eve with their family, and their kids are asking for it again, or people need something for a Secret Santa gift or a Yankee Swap gift, and so they are getting the nicer boxes. … I have little plastic boxes that have bows on them that I can put them in,” Bangs said.
Cakesicles from The Cake Fairy in Hooksett. Courtesy photo.
Pastry chef Emilee Viaud of Milford started her business, Sweet Treats by Emilee (find her on Facebook and Instagram), at the height of the cocoa bomb trend. She has since branched out to all kinds of cocoa bomb flavors and even recently started dabbling in tea bombs, which you can get at the Manchester Craft Market, as well as at Junction 71 (707 Milford Road, Merrimack) and Locally Handmade (80 Premium Outlets Blvd., Merrimack). Find Viaud also at Great New England Holiday Shopping Extravaganza on Friday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 10, at the Hampshire Dome (50 Emerson Road, Milford).
Tea bombs, Viaud said, are essentially a cup of tea’s counterpart to a cocoa bomb. They feature a sugar sphere that’s filled with a tea bag, edible glitter and flowers. She has more than 10 flavors, ranging from passion tea and Earl Grey to green tea, chamomile and more.
Another item Viaud is featuring this year includes chocolate candy-filled “smash” houses — similar to the breakable chocolate hearts she sold during Valentine’s Day, you simply take a small wooden mallet that they come with to smash open the house, revealing candy inside.
Cakesicles, or fun takes on cake pops crafted in the shape of a popsicle mold, are also having a moment as popular treats. Brianna Miller, whose mother, Lisa Lucciano, owns The Cake Fairy in Hooksett, said it’s likely a nostalgic factor that makes them resonate with so many people.
“It reminds me personally of the bars you’d get off the ice cream trucks as little kids,” she said.
In addition to lemon, funfetti and chocolate peanut butter-dipped cakesicles, The Cake Fairy rolls out a special peppermint dust-flavored cakesicle around the holiday season.
Featured photo: Cocoa bombs from I Whisked It, based in Raymond. Courtesy photo.
First on my list for holiday gifts for the gardener is this: a subscription to this newspaper. Our local papers need subscribers in order to deliver to you the news you want but cannot get online. Yes, local news, gardening tips that fit your climate, obituaries and more. If your loved ones do not have subscriptions, think about giving one.
Next, since most of us really need very little, think about a donation to a nonprofit in your loved one’s honor. One of my favorites is a nonprofit that for decades has nurtured orphan bear cubs, the Kilham Bear Center in Lyme, New Hampshire. The Center this year is nurturing and caring for more than 100 baby bears whose mothers have been killed by cars or hunters and who would otherwise not survive. The Center has more than 19 acres of fenced forest for the bears, and serves Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. You can donate to The Kilham Bear Center at PO Box 37, Lyme, NH 03768, or go online to kilhambearcenter.org. Online there are photos and videos of the bears. Visiting is not possible, as they want the bears to have as little contact with humans as possible because their goal is to return all to the wild where they avoid humans.
Other nonprofits I like include The Native Plant Trust, the Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy. As a supporter I get the Nature Conservancy magazine and I never cease to be amazed at all the good projects they initiate or support. And of course most states have nice nonprofits supporting public gardens and wildlife areas that need our support.
Along with new products I like, each year I have to mention a few old favorites. The CobraHead Weeder is a simple, well-made tool that virtually all gardeners love once they’ve tried it. Shaped like a curved steel finger, it will get under weeds or flowers to lift them from the earth. I use it for planting as well as weeding. It’s found at most garden centers or online at cobrahead.com for about $30. They now have a version for smaller hands and a long-handled weeder as well.
Books are a great present. I usually mention author Michael Dirr, my favorite expert on trees and shrubs. All his books are well-researched, complete and opinionated. My favorite is his classic, the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.
Another classic is Barbara Damrosch’s The Garden Primer. This book is a good reference on almost anything a gardener would wish to know. And at under $20 in paperback, it is great value for an 800-page book. More reliable than many of the online experts, I dare say.
Lastly, a pair of books that work well together. First, Doug Tallamy’s Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. This explains in readable layman’s terms why what we select for our gardens impacts birds and pollinators.
A good companion to Tallamy’s books is Essential Native Trees and Shrubs for the Eastern United States by Tony Dove and Ginger Woolridge. This book supplies all you need to know for selecting the right trees and shrubs for your land to support wildlife.
But on to other needs of gardeners. Consider a small electric chainsaw. They are safer, quieter and easier to start and to use than gas-powered ones. I have a DeWalt DCCS620 chainsaw that has a 20-volt battery and a 12-inch bar and weighs just 9 pounds. It’s great for cutting up downed branches, removing small trees and more. Available locally at $250 or less.
For gardeners who start seeds indoors each spring, there is an alternative to all those flimsy plastic six-packs. You can buy a metal soil blocker that you can use to make small cubes of a soil mix for your seeds. Available from Johnny’s Seeds or Gardener’s Supply, about $40.
Another great product for starting seedlings is electric heat mats. These sit under flats of seeds planted indoors, providing heat that speeds up the germination process. They are available in two sizes — enough for one flat or a big one for four or more flats. Great for things that take a long time to germinate.
For stocking stuffers I like seed packets. Give your loved ones seeds of less common vegetables and flowers that they might not find at the plant nursery. Garden gloves are great gifts, we all use them in spring and fall, and some people use them all summer, too.
Lastly, my wife, Cindy, swears by a natural bug repellent made in New Hampshire, White Mountain Deet-Free Insect Repellent (whitemountaininsectrepellent.com). It doesn’t take much of this stuff to keep away black flies, she says. It comes in a 4-ounce bottle of all-natural ingredients (no fillers) for $15 plus shipping. Great stocking stuffer.
Use your imagination. There are so many nice things a gardener will appreciate, including your own time promised for weeding in the spring!
Featured photo: Consider a donation to a good nonprofit like the Kilham Bear Center. Photo by Henry Homeyer.
For the holidays, give a gift to kids that allows them to explore art, nature and science through museum passes, activity gift cards, movie tickets and more.
Michael Accomando, the owner of Mel’s Funway Park, said that even though Mel’s is closed until the spring, they are still selling gift cards and Fun Packs (which include admission for all activities at the park) for the upcoming season. To Accomando, giving activities to kids is important.
“I try to keep people as far away from sitting on their phones or screens,” Accomando said. “I want to see kids outside and having fun.”
Below are a list of some area venues that offer gift cards, passes and more for kids and families to enjoy.
• Altitude Trampoline Park (360 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, altitudemerrimack.com, 261-3673) Gift cards can be requested through the website. An average jump session starts at $20 and there are multiple session passes available for purchase at the park.
• Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry, 669-4820, nhahs.org) Membership for the full year includes a 10 percent discount in the Museum gift shop, borrowing privileges from the Slusser Aviation Lending Library, an invitation to quarterly luncheon programs and all Aviation Museum of New Hampshire events, and a subscription to the quarterly newsletter The Aeronaut. Individual membership costs $35, with family membership costing $70. Memberships can be purchased online.
• Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover, childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) The museum is offering gift cards that are one playtime pass for $12.50 for an adult and one child. A yearlong membership costs $145 per family.
• Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 880-8055; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-7499; chunkys.com) The movie theater offers physical and printable gift cards ranging from $10 to $100 and an anytime movie pass for $8. There are also gift boxes starting at $22, such as the one that includes a $10 gift card, one prepaid admission and one prepaid popcorn coupon.
• Cowabungas (725 Huse Road, Manchester, cowabungas.com, 935-9659) The playground offers gift cards in any amount that can be purchased on its website.
• Crotched Mountain (615 Francestown Road, Bennington, crotchedmtn.com, 588-3668) Day lift passes start at $64 for youth ages 7 to 17.
• Fun City Trampoline Park (553 Mast Road, Goffstown, funcitygoffstown.com, 606-8807)Gift cards can be purchased at the park. Jump times start at $10 for toddlers ages 6 and younger or $16 for children ages older than 6. There is a VIP pass available online that includes two hours of fun, with a 60-minute jump time, laser tag and bumper cars. Pricing for children older than 6 is $30, $18 for toddlers.
• Granite Base Camp (300 Bloudin Road in Manchester; experiencebasecamp.org/pages/granite, 623-5962) offers annual family members (at $150 for four passes per weekend and $200 for six) or get a day pass for $20 per person. During Saturdays in winter, Granite Base Camp has ice skating, ice fishing, snow shoeing, indoor archery, STEM programs and more.
• Krazy Kids (60 Sheep Davis Road, Pembroke, krazykids.com, 228-7529) Gift cards start at $25 and a two-hour play session costs $15 for a child and an additional $5 for an accompanying adult.
• McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Dr., Concord, starhop.com, 271-7827) The Center features different levels of memberships that can be purchased online. Base level membership includes free admission to exhibit halls, free admission to the monthly Super Stellar Fridays series, free admission to regular planetarium shows, free or reduced admission to science centers that are part of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) reciprocal program, free admission to partner museums and attractions, discounts on Discovery Center workshops and programs, and discounts at the Science Store. Membership for students ages 18 and under start at $30.
• McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Way, Manchester, mcintyreskiarea.com, 622-6159) They offer everything from day lifts to season passes available to purchase on the website. Prices range from $20 to $389. Gift cards are also available starting at $10.
• Mel’s Funway Park (454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield, melsfunwaypark.com, 424-2292)Email [email protected] or call to purchase gift cards or a Funway fun pack. Packs start at $38 per person and include a go-kart ride, a round of mini golf, a laser tag session, a bumper boat ride, two admissions to the laser maze and five batting cage tokens.
• Muse Paintbar (42 Hanover St., Manchester, musepaintbar.com, 888-607-6873, musepaintbar.com) The studio is offering gift cards that can be purchased online. The starting price for a gift card is $25 and sessions start at $35.
• O’neil Cinemas (24 Calef Hwy., Epping, oneilcinemas.com, 679-3529) The movie theater offers gift cards from $5 to $100. Gift cards can be purchased online or in the cinema.
• Pats Peak (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, patspeak.com, 428-3245) Gift cards start at $20, and a lift pass for juniors costs $82.
• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St., Manchester, see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) Individual membership costs $30, membership for a family of four costs $120, for a family of up to eight is $150. Gift certificates can be purchased by calling the center’s phone number.
• Studio 550 (550 Elm St., Manchester, 550arts.com, 232-5597) The clay studio offers classes in drawing or clay work for students ages 9 and older during the school semesters and a pottery camp over summer vacation. Gift cards (made out of clay) are available and range from $10 to $300.
• Vertical Dreams (250 Commercial St., Manchester, verticaldreams.com, 625-6919) The rock climbing gym has gift cards starting at $25 that can be purchased online. A beginner lesson package costs $40 and a day pass costs $15 for children. Memberships for children start at one month for $45.
• XtremeCraze (4 Orchard View Dr., Unit 10, Londonderry, xtremecraze.us/londonderry, 404-6064) Pricing starts at $18.
Featured photo: The Aviation Museum of N.H.’s annual ‘Holiday Festival of Model Planes and Toy Aircraft.’ Courtesy photo.
Theaters, orchestras and cinemas are offering gift cards and season memberships for live performances.
“I think when you come to a show the overall experience is elevated,” said Shannon Sullivan, the development director at the Palace and Rex Theatres in Manchester. “It’s a chance to get out and come be part of the community. We love getting people over here to the Palace and the Rex to experience it firsthand.”
Sullivan said that the Palace is in the swing of its 2022-2023 season now, with showings of A Christmas Carol throughout December, to be followed by the Piano Men tribute show in January and Broadway classic Rent coming later in the year.
The Rex will continue having live music performances and comedy shows every Friday evening, as well as tribute bands and other entertainment, like magicians and silent films. Both venues will have local and national musicians playing throughout the year.
Sullivan recommended that people purchase gift certificates or memberships to the theater. She added that tickets could be bought as presents, but they wouldn’t be exchangeable for other days due to all ticket sales being final at checkout. Memberships for the Palace and Rex start at $100 and gift cards could be for any price.
According to Sullivan, the base level of membership includes “two tickets, access to private members club at the palace … various discounts … acknowledgement in the playbill, and members are invited to receptions and dress rehearsals as a perk.”
At Tupelo Music Hall in Derry, owner Scott Hayward said that it’s incredibly important to him to give people a fantastic experience. Growing up, Hayward said, his favorite presents were gift cards to movie theaters.
“I love getting experience for that,” Hayward said. “You want to do something and now you can without paying for it.”
The Tupelo has season memberships for $250 and also offers gift cards people can purchase. As at the Palace and the Rex, ticket sales are final, and Hayward advises against purchasing tickets over the gift cards. He said the average price for one ticket at Tupelo is $42.
There’s a whole series of comedians, musicians and other performers coming up at Tupelo, Hayward said. He is most excited about Crash Test Dummies, an alternative and folk rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. They’ll be playing on Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. The ticket price wasn’t listed on the website at the time of printing.
When it comes to a choice with gifting, Hayward said that there’s nothing like live entertainment.
“You can give a physical gift but when you give them tickets or venue gift cards it’s giving an experience,” Hayward said. “You get to give them a full night out.”
Here are some organizations in the Granite State that are offering gift certificates or memberships:
• Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com, 225-1111) Memberships are available starting at $120 and include exclusive access to the best seats in the house at the Chubb Theatre, members-only ticket insurance exchange policy, a 24-hour presale window, concession quick-lane pass, access to Listener Lab programming club, and free access to online content.
• Community Players of Concord (435 Josiah Bartlett Road, Concord, communityplayersofconcord.org, 344-4747) Season tickets are still available at the time of printing, costing $16 per ticket. Order by calling or by emailing [email protected].
• Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 880-8055; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-7499; chunkys.com) The movie theater offers physical and printable gift cards ranging from $10 to $100 and an anytime movie pass for $8. There are also gift boxes for $22 that include a $10 gift card, one prepaid admission and one prepaid popcorn coupon. Chunky’s also offers gift baskets for one, two or a family of four priced at $25.50, $43 and $84 respectively.
• Flying Monkey (39 S. Main St., Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com, 536-255) In addition to gift cards starting at $25, Flying Monkey also offers a “Prime-Mate” membership package for $250 that includes 48-hour advance notice on new shows, a $100 gift card, a copy of the “Rockin’ the Flying Monkey” photo book, merchandise, a pair of tickets to the annual anniversary bash, and special membership offers and discounts.
• Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord, hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) The theater has tickets for sale for the 2022-2023 season; tickets for adults cost $22 to $25 while tickets for students, seniors and members cost $19 to $22. Memberships are still available, and prices start at $40 a year.
• Nashua Chamber Orchestra (505 Amherst St., Nashua, nco-music.org, 978-226-8575) Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors ages 65 and older, military and college students, free for students under 18. A season pass costs $50 for adults, $35 for seniors, military and college students.
• O’neil Cinemas (24 Calef Hwy., Epping, oneilcinemas.com, 679-3529) The movie theater offers gift cards from $5 to $100. Gift cards can be purchased online or in the cinema.
• Palace and Rex Theatres (80 Hanover St. in Manchester for the Palace Theatre and its box office, palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Memberships start at $100. Gift certificate pricing starts at $25.
• Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord, redrivertheatres.org, 224.4600) Gift cards can be purchased online or at the theater for $10 or more. The theater also has package deals that include two movie passes for Red River Theatres and a $25 gift card to a participating restaurant, and also a year-long membership that starts at $65.
• Symphony New Hampshire (6 Church St., Nashua, symphonynh.org, 595-9156) Memberships are not currently available at the time of printing, according to the website. Ticket prices start at $20 per show.
• Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry, tupelomusichall.com, 437-5100) Memberships start at $250 and gift cards can be purchased for any amount.
Featured photo: Margaret Kasper of Mountain Girl Clothing, based in Milford. Courtesy photo.
