Hanukkah and Thanksgiving, Miracles and Gratitude This Week

Here's what you need to know for the week ahead.

• We'll start off the weekly rundown with a vital message from the Borough of Hopatcong: It's going to be cold this week—please remember to bring outside pets indoors to keep them safe and warm. 
• On Monday, two Hopatcong Municipal Court sessions will be held at the River Styx Road municipal building. A day session begins at 1:30 p.m., and night court starts at 6 p.m.
• Seasoned citizens get to give thanks together Tuesday at a Hopatcong Senior Game Social. Gather for friendship, fun and refreshments. The pre-Thanksgiving event takes place at 1:30 p.m. at the Hopatcong Senior Center, 32 Lakeside Blvd.
  
• The Sparta Township Council has not released a meeting agenda as of press time, but the body is scheduled to gather for its monthly session Tuesday. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. at Sparta Town Hall, 65 Main St.
• Wednesday at sundown marks the beginning of Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. We wish all who celebrate these eight nights light, hope, peace, love, blessings and miracles galore. Chanukah Sameach, ah Lichtige Chanukah. And the town will join in celebrating: The official municipal Hanukkah Menorah Lighting takes place on this first night of this sweet observance at 6:30pm at Borough Hall. Bring on the jelly doughnuts and  chocolate gelt!
• Pushcart Players, New Jersey’s touring theater for young audiences, presents a timely offering Wednesday. For the start of Hanukkah and the day before Thanksgiving, enjoy a performance of “A Season of Miracles” at 9:30 a.m. at the Marian E. McKeown School, 1 School Road in Newton. The production is a multicultural collection of holiday tales that celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah and the miracles that live within us all. Stories within the musical include O. Henry’s "The Gift of the Magi," E.T.A. Hoffmann's "The Nutcracker," "The Kwanzaa Kite" and "The Chanuka Miracle."
• Thursday, of course, is Thanksgiving Day for those who celebrate the long-ago supper between new European settlers and indigenous tribes that became a nationally recognized holiday in 1863. It is alternatively considered Genocide Day or Day of Mourning by many of those concerned what happened after the historic feast. Whichever occasion you observe, Patch wishes you a memorable day—we give thanks for our readers. Area children are likely giving thanks for the inevitable accompaniment of a national red letter day: Hopatcong and Sparta public schools will be closed for the holiday and the Friday that follows. Sparta Township Hall, Hopatcong Borough Hall and the Louise Childs Library will be closed Thursday and Friday as well. Sparta Public Library will be closed Thursday and reopen Friday.
  
• An important notice from the Borough of Hopatcong: For Thanksgiving Thursday, there will be no sanitation pickup for Section C. Pickup will be scheduled instead for Saturday.
• After Thanksgiving comes Black Friday. Since the mass descent of humankind upon the malls, big box retailers and department stores started Thursday, we'll just say... the holiday shopping continues. (Don't forget to support local merchants, especially on Small Business Saturday!) We recommend wearing football pads and remembering that we are now in the season of peace and goodwill. 
• Lake Hopatcong Elks Veterans Committee hosts a Black Friday Gift Wrapping and Dinner. Starting Friday at 1 p.m., stop in, make a donation, and have a cup of coffee while Elks volunteers gift wrap your day's purchases. Then, from 4-8 p.m., have dinner: $8 gets you a meal including spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, salad, dessert and coffee and tea. All proceeds raised from this event will go to support the endeavors of the Elks' Veterans Committee. The lodge is located at 201 Howard Blvd. in Mt. Arlington.
• Book fans, rejoice. Saturday marks Sussex County Authors Day at the Sussex County Historical Society. The group will welcome local wordsmiths including Wayne McCabe, Kevin Wright, Pete Lubrecht and Jude Pfister, who will be available for autographs and whose books will be on sale. This is the perfect opportunity to purchase a holiday gift for your history buff. The event will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at  82 Main Street in Newton.  
• Saturday also offers a salute to the Italian family. The Sparta Elks Lodge #2356 presents Italian Family Night at its lodge house, 6 W. Shore Trail in Sparta Township. Dinner will include cold antipasti, Italian Wedding soup, a pasta buffet, a Viennese table, flavored coffees, cordials a cash bar and more. There will also be entertainment by Party by Pete's Pete Lamone. Tickets are $25 per person in advance or $30 at the door; admission is $10 for children under 12. For more information, contact Tony Nazzaro at 973-944-0770 or nazzaro.tony@gmail.com.