According to at least one of the calendars at my office, today is National Ugly Sweater Day. I don’t have any ugly sweaters. I have my year-round, all-weather beautiful black fur coat, but I hope some readers will have fun finding and/or even making and then wearing the ugliest sweater you can find. I don’t understand this silly trend, but I know it’s a thing, and whatever makes humans happy is OK by me.

Newtown High School’s basketball programs will hold 15 For Life fundraiser games on Saturday. The teams will have raffle baskets, donation buckets, and more as they raise awareness and funds for 15 For Life. There is a full slate of games scheduled in the high school gymnasium on Saturday, as follows: freshman boys vs Darien 9 am, JV girls vs NFA 11:30 am, varsity girls vs NFA 1 pm, varsity boys vs Darien 3 pm, and then JV boys vs Darien 4:45 pm. If you’d like to know more about the foundation and its efforts, visit 15forlife.org.

It’s time to select the 2025 Newtown Bee Sportsman of the Year, which since 2008 has honored the late Newtown Bee Sports Editor Kim Harmon. The award will go to someone who has had a significant impact on Newtown sports within the last year. Sports Editor Andy Hutchison is collecting nominations. Please send him your suggestion(s) via email at andyh@thebee.com. Past winners include coaches and parents who have volunteered hours to sports organizations in town, both in that particular year as well as throughout the years, in addition to exceptional athletes.

The Winter Solstice occurs on Sunday. I’ll be thinking of my friends Amber Edwards and Justin Scott, who love celebrating the shortest day of the year while concurrently cursing the darkness.

Hanukkah will then conclude at sunset Monday. To all of my friends, I wish you Chag Urim Sameach.

Papa Al’s Pizza Pasta Subs owner Fiat Islami said last week he is extending the offer for a free Christmas meal. Fiat told me he’d actually heard from more than ten people, which was the original number of dinners he planned to provide, but decided to continue to accept requests from those who contact him before end of business on December 22. Fiat and his staff will cook the meals on December 24, so they really need to hear from folks by Monday so they can plan and shop appropriately. If you could use some help, call Fiat or Tani at Papa Al’s (203-426-2323) and let them know how many people you’ll have with you.

Dardo and Alonso won Artist of the Year! Argentine tango instructors Dardo Galletto and Alonso Guzman were named Southbury Artist of the Year on December 11. The two recently visited Aquila’s Nest Vineyards and taught a tango class there for the first time. Some readers might even recall Reporter Sam Cross visiting the November 18 event and expanding her dance repertoire. After her article about the event went to print, Sam received an email that mentioned they had been nominated for Southbury Artist of the Year. Sam then saw some photos from the event circulating online and ran to the phone last Friday morning to confirm if the happy rumors were true.

When Dardo and Alonso returned her call, the two joyfully shouted “We won!” With the fancy new system recently installed at 5 Church Hill Road, I could hear their excitement from my sunny spot just inside the front door!! I think everyone in the office could hear their excitement through the receiver, in fact! And of course, the two then quickly invited her to join them at their studio. I haven’t learned how to tango yet, but I am certainly happy to hear the two have been recognized for their amazing talents. Congrats to both of our new friends!

Tuesday was the final day of the local Toys For Tots collection, and I was very happy to spy this overflowing box of donated toys at My Place Restaurant one day earlier. I was leaving early Monday afternoon after checking in with Friends of Newtown Seniors while they were conducting a meeting for the new Outreach program. What a happy sight to see on my way out of the Queen Street restaurant. I understand other locations in town were also overflowing with donations, which makes my happy little heart overflow with joy.

When we reach the new year in just a few weeks, it’ll then be time for another very special observance: the welcoming of the 68th annual First Baby of Newtown. Madeleine Carmela Rayome is the current title holder. Born less than 75 hours into the new year, Madeline was welcomed by parents Alison and Michael and big sister Renee on January 4 of this year. She will forever remain the 2025 Newtown Bee First Baby of the Year, but pretty soon it will be time to add someone new to the circle of first babies. We look forward to meeting the next child to earn the title, and hope family, friends and other Newtown Bee readers will help us find them.

The winning parents will be the ones who submit the earliest birth date to Managing Editor Shannon Hicks (shannon@thebee.com) by noon Monday, January 5. Parents must live in town. They’ll need to share the paperwork from the hospital that states the exact time and date of the baby’s birth; place of birth, gender, weight and name; and the name and address of the parents. The title, a great big prize package, and a feature about the newborn are all waiting for the family.

I’m not rushing the holiday season, I promise. I just want to share some happy news that was shared with me last week concerning former Newtown resident Brad Stanton. Fresh off his recent exhibition of photography at Newtown Municipal Center, Brad will have his work featured next month at Still River Editions. The self-taught photographer — whose name may also be familiar to those who read about Liz Fay’s recent hooked rugs collection, which was photographed for its exhibition catalog by her longtime friend Brad — will again be celebrated with “Brad Stanton: Light and Lines, Figuratively,” January 10-April 3 at the gallery and studio at 128 East Liberty Street in Danbury. An opening reception is planned for January 10, with a snow date set the following Saturday just in case, and we’ll have a full press release within a few weeks. Still River Editions is great about sharing news ahead of their exhibitions, but I wanted to share this news a little early. Congratulations in advance to Brad for the exhibition, and thank you to the little birdie who shared the news with me.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, Red-Tailed Hawks, Tree Swallows, Great Blue Herons, and Pileated Woodpeckers are all seen throughout Connecticut. They are also regularly spotted at Connecticut Audubon centers and sanctuaries, and you get to decide which one will be named CT Audubon Society’s Bird of the Year 2026. Act quickly, however: readers have just until Sunday, December 21, to make your choice. Visit facebook.com/theconnecticutaudubonsociety and scroll to the December 14 post. The voting link is within that post, and taking a moment to select your favorite will help Connecticut Audubon Society decide which bird they’ll feature and focus on throughout the year.

I love them all. I can’t decide among the five which I love most. They’re all so pretty, and feathery, and yummy … sorry Santa! I mean pretty. I hope you won’t have a difficult decision when it’s time to come back next week and … read me again.