2011 Fall Family Guide

When I was a kid, the holiday season was my favorite time of year. And not just because of the great Thanksgiving food, days off from school, or awesome Christmas presents, but for all of the wonderful memories and traditions I created and celebrated with my family each year.

I’m big on family. While I currently live more than an hour from my parents and my younger brother, we make sure to talk daily. Luckily, we get to see each other often during this season. On Halloween, my brother and I decorated our parents’ garage like a haunted house and spent hours laughing about our crazy Halloween costumes in years past—including the year I went as Cruella deVille and he as my Dalmatian. This Thanksgiving will be my first time hosting—a feat which will prove interesting in my small apartment kitchen—and the pressure is on to perfect my aunt’s famous recipe for sweet potatoes. My boyfriend and I have a winter tradition of venturing to Tahoe on a rare clear day, getting some hot chocolate and trekking around in the snow. It seems like there is something to do every weekend, and these few months are always a blur of festivities.

Families come in different forms, and Northern Nevada offers fall activities for all ages. Tim Hauserman gives us a glimpse into outdoor fun in the snow. Sami Edge’s museum guide shares the stimulating and exciting learning opportunities for kids and teens, and families can get creative with our overview of local and budget-friendly holiday shopping. New parents can check learn about the logistics of cloth diapers. And I share some of my family’s experiences with scouting as the Boy and Girl Scouts celebrate their centennial anniversaries.

Fall and winter are great seasons to participate in traditions—or start some of your own.

Cheers,