Carthage Christmas Parade 2000.

About 80 entries have been received for the 2000 Carthage Christmas Parade scheduled for Monday, December 4, 2000 at 7:00 p.m. "Christmas Remembered" is this year’s theme.

Eleanor Coffield will serve as Grand Marshall of the 2000 Parade. She was chosen for her many years of teaching here in Carthage before her retirement in 1986. She is credited with starting the Speech Correction Class. Eleanor has lived in Carthage most of her life. She has been involved in the McCune-Brooks Hospital Auxiliary, University Women, Missouri Association of Social Welfare and others. She is also an active singer in the Presbyterian Church Choir. It is a pleasure to honor this outstanding citizen.

Additional entries to the parade include bands from the Carthage High School and Junior High School, Joplin High School, Joplin North 7th & 8th grades, Joplin South Middle School and the Springfield Kilties Drum Corps. Also included are the Girl Scouts, Brownies, twirling and dance groups, churches, classic cars, commercial businesses, local radio and television personalities, several equestrian entries and much, much more. There will even be a mystery guest in a bright red suit.

The Carthage Technical School Chapter of Skills USA-VICA and Main Street Carthage, Inc. are sponsors of the Carthage Parade. For additional information call 417-359-7026 or 417-359-9005.

The annual influx of tourists and locals tourin’ the various displays of lights and the historic district has begun.

I don’t know if that is part of the noticeable increase in traffic, or if I’m just becomin’ more impatient as the days grow shorter.

With vehicles turnin’ their lights on earlier I’m guessin’ I’m just noticin’ the number of folks travelin’ here and there as I try to make my way to the house in the evenin’s.

‘Course I’m talkin’ ‘bout that long five or ten minute commute I make ever’day. Prob’ly be quicker to walk, but ya never know when ya might need ta get outa town in a hurry. I suppose I will have ta take my Christmas attitude adjustment and learn to have a little more patience for the season. There’s still the shoppin’ to do.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing Services

PRIME TIME WITH KIDS

by Donna Erickson

At our house, the smell of popcorn popping usually signals the start of a much-anticipated weekend. When it’s an extended holiday weekend, we always like to have extra munchies on hand for friends and family who come and go.

Here are two popcorn snack recipes that are real crowd pleasers. And they’re fun to make!

Indian Corn Snack

Pop 2 quarts of popcorn and place in a large bowl. Melt 1/2 stick of butter or margarine over medium heat. Add a 10-ounce package of marshmallows and stir constantly until melted. Pour the mixture over the popcorn. As you stir, toss in raisins and a variety of chopped dried fruit such as peaches, apples, apricots and cranberries.

When mixture is comfortable to touch, let your kids coat the palms of their clean hands with margarine and mold the popcorn mixture into shapes to resemble ears of colorful Indian corn. For a serving size, make the ears 4 inches long. Push a wooden skewer into one end of each ear of popped corn for a handle. Set on wax paper. Makes about 15.

Honey-Nut Popcorn

Pop 3 quarts of popcorn and place in a large bowl. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine and 1/2 cup honey in a small saucepan. Heat until well blended. Add 1 cup chopped nuts. Pour the mixture over the popcorn and mix well.

Spread popcorn mixture in a thin layer on cookie sheets and bake in 350-degree oven for about 12 minutes until crisp. Stir often to avoid burning. Cool. Store in airtight container.