Celebrate the Holidays, Shop Local, and Snow For Thanksgiving

1. What's the Weather? Today will be sunny but cold with a high of just 35 degrees and an overnight low of 32 degrees. Here's what weather.com is predicting the rest of week is likely to bring:

• Tuesday: There's a 60 percent chance of rain, most likely in the afternoon. Weather.com is predicting a high of 45 degrees and a low of 39 degrees.
• Wednesday: Heavy rain and strong winds will make this a bad umbrella day. Temperatures will be a tad warmer with a predicted high of 59 degrees but will drop to a low of 26 degrees.
• Thursday: Few people are dreaming of a white Thanksgiving but that's the day weather.com is predicting flurries, with a 30 percent chance of snow, a high temperature of just 36 degrees and a low of 22 degrees. 
• Friday: We should see the sun today but it's still going to be cold under sunny skies, with a high of 37 degrees and a low of 23 degrees. 

2. Meetings This Week

• Monday: The Personnel Board meets in the Council Ante Room in New London City Hall at 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday: The Housing Authority meets at the George Washington Carver Community Room at 5:15 p.m.

3. Happy Thanksgiving! City Hall and all municipal and state offices will be closed for the holiday. 

4. 'Tis The Season of Giving: The holiday shopping season begins in earnest this week with sales for Black Friday but if you'd rather get creative with your gifts, there are a number of artistic options. Local galleries are celebrating with holiday shows with art for sale.

• The Gallery at Firehouse Square's "Unwrapped" show is offering unframed works by a variety of artists. 
• Studio 33 Art and Frame Gallery's "Tis The Season" has work for sale by local artists. 
• Hygienic Art's annual holiday show, Art=Gift, has works of art by dozens of artists priced affordably for the holidays. 

November 30 is also Small Business Saturday, which encourages people to shop at locally owned businesses, of which there are plenty in New London. If you can't stand the crowds at the mall, this is by far the best day to shop if you're looking for bargains. 

5. Holiday Celebrations: 

• Ever wondered how the early settlers managed to cook that huge Thanksgiving meal? Hempsted House in New London will be open for tours and for a demonstration of traditional cooking techniques on November 30 at noon.
• New London will be celebrating the start of the holiday season with a festival of lights and song and a holiday tree lighting on Saturday, November 30. The event is sponsored by New London Main Street and begins at 4 p.m. You can visit with Santa in the Little Red Schoolhouse, join in with carol singing, and watch as Mayor Daryl Finizio lights the tree at Parade Plaza at 5 p.m.