Happ-enings
A couple years ago, my parents were having a small family get-together and they decided that, instead of cooking, they would just order pizza for the group.
My dad called the Pizza Hut in St. Paul, ordered the pizzas, and drove the fourteen miles to pick them up. When he got to the iconic hut on the highway in St. Paul he was surprised to discover that they didn’t have an order for him. Turns out, my dear old dad had ordered pizza from Pizza Hut in St. Paul, Minnesota, not St. Paul, Nebraska.
Somewhere, in the Land of 1,000 Lakes, there were some Pizza Hut employees who I imagine had the chance to scarf down some free pizza thanks to my dad.
This confusion between the nationally known St. Paul in Minnesota and the one tucked into Howard County, I have come to learn, is a common one. From the school board president, to the post office, and even to the Pizza Hut, there are countless stories of Nebraskans, my local friends and neighbors, dealing with distraught Minnesotans seeking more localized help.
Of course, this phenomenon is not unique to St.
Paul, Nebraska.
Recently, one of my other newspapers’ social media accounts has been inundated with requests pertaining to another newspaper on the East Coast that has a similar, but not identical name. While in the past I have tried to correct the mistake, the sheer influx of inquiries – including one that claims that a story the other newspaper wrote several decades ago ruined a man’s life – lately I have let those questions and concerns go to the wayside.
After all, the issues that we encounter here, in the heartland of America, are significantly different than those that residents elsewhere in the country are dealing with.
While our communities may have the same or similar names, the truth is that each town has its own unique identity and, in my experience, these communities are not afraid to celebrate that identity in fun and unique ways.
This week, with the start of the winter sports season and with Christmas just around the corner, my staff and I had the chance to travel to many of the communities that we cover to participate in their special holiday celebrations.
For me, the weekend got underway on Thursday night, when I had the chance to travel down to Dannebrog to celebrate in a uniquely Danish way and to see Santa Claus for the very first time.
It has been an interesting year for this ink slinger, but amid all the hubbub, I think, for the most part, I have weaseled my way on to the “nice” list. At least, I hope I have.
Because of my good behavior – I didn’t have a single run in with the law in 2022 – I was excited to see the man dressed in red, and so were the many kids that flocked to Dannebrog on that chilly evening.
Later in the week, on Saturday, I saw Santa again, and again at area celebrations, including those in St. Paul and Palmer. In St. Paul, Santa made a couple appearances throughout the celebration; while in Palmer, I had the chance to see him inside the warm confines of Pinnacle Bank. Of course, those two communities, and many others across the area – including Ravenna, Elba, and Wolbach – also saw appearances from one of the most iconic characters of the season, and when we could, our staff was on hand to get photos of all those kids’ smiling faces.
Thankfully, Saturday’s celebrations are just the beginning of what many have dubbed as the most wonderful time of year, and there is still a lot of fun left to be had.
For us, the fun continued earlier this week with a series of elementary Christmas programs – personally, one of my favorite parts of the holiday season – and the celebrations will only continue as the month goes on. However, amid the holly jolly hullabaloo that envelopes our households and communities, it is important that we keep our sights set on the reason for the season and on the things we value most, our families.
So, whether you are reading this in eastern Dawson County, southern Greeley County, suburban New York, metropolitan Los Angeles, or somewhere in between, I hope that you have a fantastic and memorable holiday season.