Louisville Serves Up a Big Steaming Bowl of Holiday Giftiness

Well, it’s that time of year again. In a couple of days, family and friends will be descending on Possibility City to share Thanksgiving fare and kick off the holiday season.
Being from a city that manages to balance tradition with vision, however, Louisvillians should always be prepared to express their generosity in both conventional and unconventional ways

A Flaky Sort of Gift
Have you thought about something a little quirky for your friends and family — like the Possibility City Snow Globe. Behold a must-have objet d’art that’ll put smile on anyone’s face, whether it’s an out-of-towner looking for a memento of how unique Louisville is, an ex-pat nostalgic for happy memories, or a child who’s just too old for Justin Bieber tickets.

You can pick this 4″ snow globe up at any of the three Taste of Kentucky stores; at the Louisville Visitors Center downtown; or just click here to purchase it online..

A-Positively Perfect Gift
When Young Cecilia asks you what you’d like for Christmas, you could point out that donating blood is one of the most generous gifts of all — and that our very own Louisville Red Cross hosts the longest-running and largest continuous collection in the USA. (Click here to learn about to 2010 Louisville Donorama and how to become a donor.)

A Dramatic Holiday Gift
From November 9 to 28, world-renowned Actors Theatre of Louisville is presenting “A Christmas Story.” Take some guests over the long holiday weekend and join Ralphie as he campaigns for a Red Ryder BB Gun amid seasonal mayhem and family shenanigans. Click here for information on tickets.

Click here to send a special Louisville “A Christmas Story” e-card.

If You Can See Into the Future (or You’re Just Plain Cheap)
WAVE 3 meteorologist Kevin Harned has been given the honor of formally announcing this year’s first snowfall. Choose the date you believe the first trace of snow will be recorded in Louisville this season, and you could win a Possibility City Snow Globe for your troubles. Click here to enter.

Betcha Didn’t Know:

• Louisville has been a blood-donor city for 32 years straight.
• Snow globes are also called “waterglobes,” “snowstorms,” and “snowdomes” . . . but people just call the Possibility City Snow globe “cool.”
• Actors Theatre is 273.13 miles from Hammond, Indiana, where “A Christmas Story” takes place. It’s also within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the rest of country.

Donorama hosts blood drive. Louisville donates sweat & tears as well.

Louisville Holiday Donorama
Tues and Wed, Dec 29 and 30
12 pm to 7 pm each day
Crowne Plaza (formerly Executive West)
830 Phillips Lane (across from the Fairgrounds)

Here’s a another perfect example of Louisville living up to our “It’s Possible Here” motto.

In just a few days the Red Cross is holding it’s biggest blood drive of the year, Donorama. 1,500 donors are expected to show up – a number that could overwhelm just about any other blood drive. But in Louisville, we step in and donate our time and energy, too. Check this out:

• As an official sponsor of this year’s Red Cross Donorama blood drive, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is providing a $10 KFC gift check to all presenting blood donors.
Donors will also be entered into drawings for other prizes. So…

• Thornton’s donated several $50 gas cards

• Tony Boombozz donated pizza gift certificates

• Louisville Slugger donated a gift certificate for a personalized Louisville Slugger baseball bat

• Panera Bread donated bagels for a year

• UofL donated autographed University of Louisville memorabilia

• And a little something extra for the High School crowd, UPS donated a Flight Simulator Experience.
Meanwhile,

• Courtesy of the Louisville Musicians Union, local bands will be there both days to entertain.

• Instead of the usual donuts and juice in the refreshment area, hot meals will be provided.

• Childcare will be provided throughout the drive thanks to volunteers willing to pull out their hair for a few hours.

• And Louisvillians, being a heartfelt bunch, we will be able to write a personal note about their donation on a large display at the drive.
By now you probably want to join in, so here are the details of what you’ll need to make a blood donation:

Bring a blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification at check-in. You must be at least 17-years old (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Any other questions call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (448-3543) or go online to givebloodgivelife.org. (You can also use those contacts to schedule a blood donation appointment at another time.)
To everyone, you rock.