Holiday Food: Eatable and Readable!

Ashe Library promotes “Food for Fines” during the week of December 8 – 13.  During this period, library patrons are encouraged to bring undamaged and unexpired, boxed or canned, non-perishable food items to the library. Each single food item will be applied as a $1 credit toward the reduction of existing overdue fines.  Food collected will be donated to local area food banks.  

Christmas is the happiest season of all—and the most delicious one, too!  Ashe Library will host a Holiday Recipe Swap during the month of December.  Look for a festive bulletin board/display and find cards with recipes recommended by library staff.  If you have any good recipes to share, bring them in and reference librarians will type them on cards to be added to the display along with staff recipes. 

And while feasting on good food this holiday season, don’t forget to pick up some good books to feed your mind!  The Friends of Ashe Library are planning a “You Buy-A-Book, We Wrap-A-Book, You Give-A-Book” fundraiser for the library from noon until 4:00 p.m. on the first two weekends of December.  Books, CDs and DVDs that look new to almost new will be available at very low prices and Friends members will be on hand to wrap those stocking stuffers and presents. The Friends also have designed a Christmas tree made up entirely of books! Tickets will be available to guess the correct number of books making up the tree. The winner will receive a gift certificate to the Friends Corner Bookstore.

Ashe Library Dates to Remember in December:

For All Ages:    

• Find an Elf on the Shelf and complete its mission, December 1-16, for a chance to win a family fun basket. 
• Get Crafty at the library with crocheting on December 13 and knitting on December 27.  Classes are for all skill levels from 10:00 a.m. to12:00 p.m. Crocheting supplies are provided for the Great Afghan Project.  This month the knitting project is a Nordic Holiday Centerpiece. For the knitting project you will need a 4 inch Styrofoam ball, size 8 set of double-pointed needles, and a couple of colors of yarn in “Christmas colors.”  
• In honor of the newest Story Walk, children and their parents can drop-in on December 6 to create their own magic tree out of paper.
• Ornamentality takes place at 3:30 p.m. on December 9.  Supplies and glitter provided to create your own ornaments.
• Hear LaMae Strange read “A Cajun Night Before Christmas” and visit with Santa at 4:00 p.m. on December 16. 
• The Fall Reading Challenge Wrap-up Party is at 5:30 p.m. on December 3.  Winter Reading Challenges begin on December 1 and last through February 28.

For Children:

• Baby Bounce takes place at 10:00 a.m. on December 2 and 9. This is a short 15-20 minute program for infants and babies that will include finger plays, songs, rhymes, and a book or two.
• Tot Time for 2-3 year olds is at 10:30 a.m. on December 3 and 10.
• Story Time for 4-5 year olds is at 10:30 a.m. on December 11. 

For Teens:

• Geek out with Otaku’s United Anime / Manga Club at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. 
• Save the date for a “Hobbit Party” at 4:00 p.m. on December 11.  Create Hobbit house gardens, eat Hobbit food, take the Hobbit trivia challenge, and experience fantasy face painting. 
•  Bring a book to swap, make your own digital greeting card, and decorate cookies and wrapping paper at the Teen Holiday Bash … 2:00 p.m. on December 19. 

For Adults:

•  Brouhaha Book Club meets at 5:30 p.m. on December 29 at Boondocks. 
• Learn, Connect, and Create computer classes are at 5:00 p.m. on Thursdays.
• Tackle a mini project using a new technology tool on Mondays at the Two O’Clock Tech Talk.
• Mountain Music Slow Jam takes place at 5:30 p.m. on December 5 and 19 in the library’s downstairs meeting room (access through side entrance).
• The Ashe Wellness Circle features Massage and Reiki with Marjorie Shinkel and Charla Rae Armitage at 11:30 a.m. on December 9. 

Special Events - In and Out:

• Visit the newest Story Walk; “Tap the Magic Tree” at Ashe County Park.
• Meet Michael Sawyer, author of “Theirs Not to Reason Why,” at 1:00 p.m. on December 6.
• An Art Reception for Joy Braverman-Smith opens in the upstairs gallery at 4:00 p.m. on December 5.