It’s All About the Holidays

By Bess Hochstein 

The Thanksgiving invitation was sudden and unexpected; our friend D. flew us in his small plane from the Pittsfield airport to his house in the high desert of Colorado for the week. Initially we hoped to go skiing, but that idea was dashed by unseasonably warm weather. Nevertheless, we played hard all week: hiking, biking, horseback riding, and even river rafting. I was thinking about how great it was to be in a beautiful area that had so much to do in the great outdoors—and then I realized this was equally true for our home in the Berkshires. We have fantastic hiking—through The Trustees of Reservations’ Tyringham Cobble or the Becket Land Trust Historic Quarry and Forest—and terrific paddling—on Goose Pond and the Housatonic River—at our doorstep.

We returned to find the Berkshires just as busy as on any summer weekend. It was “Black Friday,” and our route home from Pittsfield took us past the Prime Outlets in Lee, which was teeming with bargain-hunters kicking off the holiday shopping frenzy. The next morning we headed into Great Barrington with Duffy and Hobbes, and found many more happy shoppers taking advantage of special sales.

It seems as if everyone is gearing up for the holidays, and next weekend is prime time to prepare. For example, IS183 Art School of the Berkshires holds its annual Fine Art and Craft Sale on Saturday, 12/1, offering unique items handcrafted by over 30 of the region’s leading artists and artisans. IS183 is just one stop on Saturday’s Stockbridge Holiday House Tour, part of the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas event, from 11/30-12/2. This local tradition kicks off with a reading of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol at Berkshire Theatre Festival on Friday evening (before the full-blown production takes the stage on 12/13) and continues with Saturday afternoon’s Holiday House Tour.

That evening, meet at the Red Lion Inn with your candle or flashlight for a Caroling Luminaria Walk to the First Congregational Church, and then enter for a concert of joyful holiday music. Sunday brings the much-anticipated recreation of Norman Rockwell’s iconic painting, “Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas.”

In fact, the whole town gets into the act. In addition to IS183’s Saturday art sale, the Norman Rockwell Museum is holding a special family event of art-making, heart-warming treats, and a holiday music performance that evening. The Berkshire Botanical Garden holds its annual gift marketplace, A Currier & Ives Holiday on Saturday and Sunday while the Berkshire Scenic Railway offers “Santa Specials.”

While the house tour, art sale, and marketplace may give you a few ideas for holiday décor and gift-giving, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace has even more ideas in store, literally, with its “Holiday How-To” event, featuring cooking and entertaining demonstrations at both locations on Saturday, 12/1. We’ll probably head to the Pittsfield Guido’s, and then downtown to check out the new Berkshire Museum Shop, which will surely be stocked with great holiday gift items.

The next stop will be Fenn Street, where the Storefront Artist Project is holding an opening reception for Community Access to the Arts (CATA), a Great Barrington organization that provides arts workshops and creative employment for people with disabilities in Berkshire County. The CATA artworks on display will be for sale, along with handmade jewelry, handbags and notecards, through December 16. We may just stick around to catch the one-night-only performance of Dylan Thomas’ classic play for voices, Under the Milk Wood, performed by famed British tenor Benjamin Luxon and renowned actor Dana Bledsoe at the Lichtenstein Center. Or we may continue north to MASS MoCA for the acclaimed one-woman show, 9 Parts of Desire, exploring the lives of Iraqi women.

There’s no shortage of sources for creative gifts in the Berkshires, even from surprising sources. For example, Allium, the new Great Barrington restaurant from the folks who brought us Mezze and Café Latino, is holding trunk shows featuring local artists on every Thursday in December. They’re also offering “Ten-dollar Tuesdays” with hand-tossed, wood-fired pizza. And those in New York City on 12/3 can attend the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s Gala Benefit and Auction. This year it’s a tribute to actress Kate Burton, with a reception, dinner, and the chance to bid on some priceless gifts—such as a walk-on role in the hit TV show Weeds, an evening out at a Broadway show with Tony-Award-winner James Naughton, a private tour for ten of the Museum of Modern Art while MOMA is closed, and backstage tours at ABC, NBC, or CNBC.

No matter where you shop, the countdown to Christmas, Chanukah, and Kwanza can be stressful, so it’s only natural that local spas are getting into the holiday spirit. For example, Mepal Spa is offering discounted facial and massage packages, including use of its hot tub and steam rooms, on Thursdays. Now through the day before Christmas Canyon Ranch, usually open only to overnight guests, is opening its gates to Berkshire residents; these coveted day passes are limited, so interested parties need to call soon to secure a spot.

Specials at Cranwell run past the holidays—at least through the end of January—so there’s no need to stress over scheduling. Get a free mini-manicure with the purchase of a Citrus or Peppermint pedicure Mondays-Thursdays. Or opt for Cranwell’s Day Spa Package including a 50-minute Swedish massage or facial, fitness class, spa luncheon, and full use of the spa, indoor pool, fireplaced lounges, sauna, whirlpools and steam rooms plus 20% Spa Shop discounts, all for just $125 any day but Saturday.

For some, the best form of relaxation is attending a great performance, and in this realm the Berkshires also excels. One of the region’s biggest cultural draws, Tanglewood, is announcing its summer 2008 season this Thursday, 11/29. On Friday, November 30, lucky members of the press are invited to a special preview at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, followed by lunch from the Red Lion Inn, which is being served at Pearl’s.

But there’s no need to wait until summer for a great performance, with the Mahaiwe presenting the Rose Ensemble in Close Encounters with Music’s evening of Slavic Wonders on 12/1; The Preservation Hall Jazz Band on 12/9; and the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker on 12/13. It’s all about the holidays at The Colonial, too, with The Kingston Trio Holiday Show 11/29; the 12/30 release party for James Taylor’s One Man Band CD & DVD (a great gift recorded right there in Pittsfield!); and the Chicago City Limits comic troupe in Revenge of the Reindeer on 12/1.

The next weekend, the holiday madness moves north, when the Williamstown Chamber of Commerce presents its annual Holiday Walk Weekend, 12/7-9, with a Friday night tree-lighting and carol sing followed by a renaissance music and dance concert at the Clark. On Saturday afternoon, the Williams College Gospel Choir performs at Chapin Hall. Spring Street will be closed for events including the Reindog Parade, Santa’s Workshop, roving a capella performances by troupes from Williams College, and children’s entertainment. Of course, the stores will be open for holiday shopping, and some will have special treats, so be sure to stop in and get a gift for yourself! 

About Bess Hochstein

Buzz chronicler Bess J.M. Hochstein came to the Berkshires as a second-homeowner before deciding to move here full time. Previously a communications executive, she's now a freelance writer living in Tyringham with her corgis Duffy and Hobbs and K. She writes for several publications, including Berkshire Living, the Boston Globe, New England Wine Gazette, and Healing Lifestyles & Spas magazine.