Christmas ornaments are fun!

Every year I get excited about seeing the latest ornament fad. However, commonsense floods my brain, and I am reminded that I have enough dangling, sparkling decorations for my tree.

But when the potters of Chapin had their Christmas sale, I ignored common sense. I bought ceramic ornaments handcrafted by local artisans. The 2021 Christmas tree will be thrilled!

Suppose you need more Christmas gifts, trinkets, tree trimmings and decorations. In that case, the Irmo Holiday Market is on Saturday, Dec. 11, from 11 to 7 p.m. at Honda of Lake Murray at 705 Western Lane, Irmo, SC.

The ornament ideas featured this week have a bit of a historical significance. If you wish to give your tree a yesteryear luster, string nuts, cranberries, paper dolls and paper streamers. They used real candles attached to trees for that extra twinkle and glow in the olden days. I wonder how many houses accidentally burned down due to those candles!

The Historic Columbia Holiday House Tour features the Robert Mills House and the Hampton-Preston Mansion and ends on Dec. 31. The Robert Mills house is decorated in 1820 style. The Hampton-Preston has the holiday 1860 décor Tours are Tuesday to Saturday at noon and 3 p.m. Call 803-252-1770 x 23 or email reservations@ histsoriccombia.org for more information.

The Cocco family in Irmo needs the community to step up and help. Joe Cocco of Irmo fell off his roof on Nov. 26 while putting up Christmas lights. He has a complete spinal cord injury and is paralyzed from the neck down.

He and his wife Haley have an 8-week-old and 8-yearold. A GoFundMe account has been set up under “Help Support the Cocco Family.”

A Stuff a Bus will be located at the Irmo and Ballentine locations collecting nonperishable food donations for those in need on Dec. 10.