Dear Crabby,
Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. October is all about cider mills, football, and of course, Halloween. November is still fall, but I feel like it gets ignored because people are already focusing on Christmas. Can you give me any ideas of what there is to do around town in November to keep that fun fall feeling going?
Thanks, Feeling Fall-bulous
Dear Feeling Fall-bulous,
Oh, so you’ve noticed that, too? Just last week I was in Rite Aid picking up my bunion cream and Halloween candy was half off and two aisles were already dedicated to Christmas! Poor November, indeed! Thankfully, we live in a great area that’s always planning something. Now, it’s almost impossible to suggest activities that don’t have a Christmas tie-in, but the missus and me thought about it and came up with a few ideas that we like to do that won’t break the bank. 
I’ve never been a big reader, but I know the Rochester Hills Public Library is one of the best around. And the Friends of the RHPL are a big reason behind that with their Annual Holiday Home Tour. For $25 you can see six area homes decked out in their finest. The only downside to this is that it always gives Mrs. Crabby crazy ideas of how to decorate our house and that usually involves a lot of money or me out on a ten-foot ladder.
New this year is the Downtown Rochester Festival of Trees. Sure, it’s got a Christmas theme, but it could be fun and I’ll try anything once. In addition to the trees and other decorations, there’s supposed to be live entertainment, stuff for the kiddos, and treats. Speaking of Downtown Rochester, you’ve probably already noticed the lights going up on the buildings. That’s because this year The Big, Bright Light Show starts a week early so all the fine folks visiting for Thanksgiving can enjoy it.
Finally, Mrs. Crabby loves going to the theatre. Me? I can’t see the sense of spending good money on gas, parking, and tickets to sit through some play, or even worse, a musical. But I found a way to make both of us happy – Avon Players. The theatre is close to our house, parking is free, and the tickets won’t send me to the poorhouse. Their production of Miracle on 34th Street starts November 28. Yes, I know that’s Christmas themed too, but it’s still a nice night out. And I’ll do pretty much anything so I don’t have to sit through Phantom of the Opera at The Fox one more time.
November, fall; whatever you want to call it is what you make of it. At the risk of sounding all sappy, it shouldn’t matter whether the stuff you do with your family is fall-themed or Christmas-themed, in this crazy world we live in, the important thing is that families still take time to do things together. So, get out there, enjoy the rest of fall and have fun making new memories or traditions!
Sincerely, Dear Crabby
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