Let’s be real — 2020 has been a real stinker for all of us. We’ve been living in some level of isolation since March, so we’re lonely. Many of us have been impacted financially by COVID-19. We missed so many events that we look forward to all year long (hello, CY Fest), so at this point we’re all ready to say GOODBYE to 2020 and greet 2021, which will hopefully be a huge improvement. Luckily, December gives us a lot of excuses to end the year with traditions and festivities that make us feel cozy, merry, and bright — you know, the good stuff! The Cooper-Young Community Association would like to aid in saying goodbye to 2020 with a bang and we’ve come up with a few ways to do so.
- Cooper-Young Holiday Decorating Contest — we had so much fun with the Halloween contest, how could we possibly skip doing one for the holidays? If you’d like to enter, please email info@cooperyoung.org. I’ll be compiling a map with all houses participating so I can post a map online in order for folks to do a holiday lights tour of our neighborhood. Please enter by December 18! We will once again be inviting people to judge and naming winners!
- Family Friendly Holiday Bike Ride — We’ll be meeting up at the Gazebo on Saturday, Dec 19 for a group ride around the neighborhood. Time TBA, but we’ll definitely be posting about this ride more. Hopefully we’ll be riding around and encounter…
- Reverse Caroling — Caroling is fun but I think we’ve all seen that singing in groups is on the naughty list this year. So, we’re inviting everyone to sing on their porches during the bike ride we’re having 12/19. Or, if singing makes you crumple in embarrassment, feel free to play Christmas music on your front porch instead.
- Secret Santa Porch Ornament Exchange — Last year I started what I hoped would be a tradition — a Christmas party that included a white elephant style ornament swap. It was so fun, we thought we would do a neighborhood edition this month. A sign-up is coming soon.
- Cooper-Young Recipe Exchange — I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the lookout for new recipes so why not crowdsource throughout the whole neighborhood? Any kind of recipe you have that you think is worth sharing — best party food, fast dinners for when you’re sick and tired of cooking but have to eat anyway, desserts that are always devoured, sparkly holiday cocktails. Send em to info@cooperyoung.org and I’ll make a digital version of a community cookbook to share.
If you think these sound like good ways to kiss off 2020, we’re glad. We have tried in this unprecedented year to come up with ways to come together while staying apart — through the plant swap we did this spring, porch shows, our (virtual) 4-Miler and Light the Way celebration. We’ve also tried to keep you informed about the changes coming to Cooper-Young through proposed real estate developments, and other news and programs impacting Midtown. And, on this Giving Tuesday eve, we’re also humbly asking for your help to stay financially solvent in this unprecedented year. As we’ve mentioned, we were unable to have our annual fundraisers at the level we normally do, and that’s left us running our 501(c)3 on a shoestring budget. We think things are looking positive in regard to resuming these events in 2021, but every bit of support we get between now and then is a great help to us. If you have enjoyed our events in the past, if you’d like to see us host those and more in the future, please consider supporting us through a donation or membership today at our website.
