Memories & Moments with Mike: November- A Month Filled with Christmas Spirit, Parades and Turkeys!

November – A Month Filled with Christmas

Spirit, Parades and Turkeys!

Mike Tussey

For The Ashland Beacon

November – this wonderful month is filled with the Christmas spirit, parades and turkeys! Are you ready?

November crept into our lives with the end of Daylight-Saving Time last Sunday, November 1. By now, you have reset your clocks, and the days get shorter with each passing day.

Always remember: "Spring Forward – Fall Back!"

Mark your calendar – Daylight Saving Time returns March 14, 2027.

Here's BIG NEWS for you – Election Day is TODAY!

Have you voted yet? I sincerely hope so!

Well, as you know by now, the Milwaukee Brewers won the 2026 World Series last week, and NFL and NCAA football are well underway.

The Bengals return to action this Sunday, November 8, against Atlanta in Madrid, Spain.

Round ball stuff! NCAA basketball is rolling here in Kentucky as the Wildcats host the Jaspers of Manhattan at Rupp Arena today.

KHSAA high school boys' and girls' basketball is getting underway as well, while high school football playoffs are taking place this weekend.

Ashland Gets Ready for the Holidays!

Mark this down – Ashland always opens the holiday season with its annual Winter Wonderland of Lights!

Opening ceremonies get underway Monday, November 16, at 6 p.m. at the Central Park Bandstand.

It's always great to bring the family for an evening stroll through Central Park's beautiful 52 acres, which will be ablaze with 60 holiday displays punctuated by 800,000 lights!

Of course, Ashland's annual Christmas Parade takes center stage downtown in three weeks – Tuesday, November 24, at 7 p.m.

This year's theme is "Stars, Stripes and Christmas Lights!" As always, thousands will make plans to attend because holiday fun and families are always a great combination!

I can hear Burl Ives singing "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" right now!

For many, November fills us with gratitude, family and good times – and even my birthday as well!

November Memories and Traditions

You never know about November weather, as Forrest Gump might have said:

"November weather is like that box of chocolates – you never know what you're going to get!"

The blustery, cold weather reminds me of a hit song back in 1976 that many of you may remember – "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

The song was written and sung by Gordon Lightfoot, and DJs loved it because it was 5:57 long! Trust me, I know!

The song reflected the doom of the bulk carrier when it sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975, taking 29 lives.

The lyrics refer to the month of November four times:

• "When the skies of November turn gloomy"

• "The gales of November came early"

• "'Twas the witch of November that came stealing"

• "With the gales of November remembered"

If you were born here in November, as I was, you fall under Scorpio or, like me, Sagittarius – for what it's worth!

Notables such as Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Loretta Swit, Will Rogers, Danny DeVito and Billy the Kid share our month of birth.

When you're out shopping, it's for sure you'll see plenty of chrysanthemums for sale seemingly everywhere.

You probably know them better as "mums" for short. Mrs. T began stocking up with wall-to-wall mums in September!

How many are hanging around your house?

I bet you have a few!

Those lovable mums are known as November's birth flower and possess so much beauty, along with a ton of magnetism.

Thanksgiving Is Just Around the Corner!

It's no surprise that over the years, Thanksgiving has become a family favorite for sure.

Although the renowned holiday is still three weeks away, plans are being made for the Big Day as families prepare to reunite for the warmth and love of it all.

With Thanksgiving falling on Thursday, November 26, it automatically creates a long weekend that we have all come to love and expect.

In the kitchen, with the turkey and dressing being prepared, America settles in at 9 a.m. for the Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.

A little history: 102 years ago, in 1924, the very first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade tuned up and rolled into American history.

That first parade included Macy's employees marching along 34th Street in New York, accompanied by costumes, floats and even live animals.

Of course, at the end of the parade on this November 26, 2026, you'll find SANTA CLAUS, as he officially opens the 2026 Christmas season!

Thousands upon thousands will line the streets in New York in anticipation of the Great Parade and Santa.

Black Friday – Let the Shopping Begin!

Seemingly, after a day of turkey and all the trimmings, it's time for what millions of Americans today know as "Black Friday!"

This bonanza for retailers has become an integral part of the beloved Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Retailers came up with the title in regard to all the sales and money flowing. That flow would be the magic wand that would put companies in the so-called "black" column, meaning they are making a great profit.

Meanwhile, shoppers are eager to hit the malls and stores very early to catch those great bargains before the huge crowds devour all the great merchandise!

I remember a few years ago when my wife dictated that she and I would hit the mall at the early hour of 4 a.m. and join the crowd eagerly awaiting the opening of the doors.

Wait, we did, in the darkness of the night.

That was my first and only jaunt into a very early "Black Friday!"

The success of Black Friday sometimes expanded into a four-day event, spawning even more sales events such as Small Business Saturday, Small Business Sunday and even Cyber Monday.

However, in many cities, shoppers head out right after their Thanksgiving meal!

And so, it goes.

November Is All Around Us!

Sound the trumpets, beat the drums – November is all around us!

By the way, be sure to VOTE TODAY!

Under the category of "information you don't need," this coming Friday is November 6, and it will be:

NATIONAL SAXOPHONE DAY!

If you have a sax at home, blow on it a few times for the good times!

It's a good bet that the late Boots Randolph will be looking down and smiling Friday!

We miss ya, Boots!

HAVE A GREAT NOVEMBER!