Have Some Happy Holidays

Yes, despite the strangely Spring-like temperatures, it is indeed December 23rd here at Camp (and presumably everywhere else as well).

This means it's time for all of us here to wish all of you out there (you and yours, and all of yours, etc...) some very Happy Holidays. 

The Camp Office will be closed until after the new year. January 1st is also last call for Polar Bear Registration, so we encourage all returning Camp families to sign up before then for our best rate.

Otherwise, we hope you all enjoy some relaxing time with family and friends and that you manage to ignore the fact that it's inexplicably 70 degrees out. We'll be back in January with more news and happenings from everyone's favorite 108-acre-home-away-from-home in Stokes State Forest. 

In the mean time, here's a few more pictures of our Gathering Tree to hold you over till 2016. See you then.

New for '16 - Camp Eve Celebration

Yes, our Polar Bear Registration is currently up and running, offering our best rate and first picks of classes and themes to our returning campers.

With only two weeks remaining in Polar Bear Registration, we thought this would be a great time to let you know about another brand-new, exciting aspect of Summer 2016.

As you know, the big news for '16 is our SEVENTH session (the first session), and we are coupling this new week of Camp with another special event that should soon become a classic Camp tradition.

For some time we've been celebrating the end of the summer with our last S'moregasbord session, but we realized we haven't been appropriately celebrating the start of the summer season!

That oversight exists no longer, with our new Camp Eve Celebration! The night before the first session starts (hence "Camp Eve") we'll be holding a special evening of Camp, complete with our opening of Summer ceremonies. (Cause if you know us, you know we just love ceremonies.)

This celebration will be attended by any campers who sign up for Session #1 Early Drop-Off. Since we want as many campers as possible to attend, for the first time there is no enrollment limit on Early Drop-Off. (Usually we just have two cabins available for our Sunday nights.) Yes, all eleven cabins on Camp will be open, so if you're attending Session #1 we encourage you to sign up for Early Drop Off and enjoy the Summer '16 season from the very beginning.

But that's not all?

(It's not?)

No! That's not all!

You'll notice that that same day is our Lantern Family BBQ, a summer kick-off event to thank our 2016 Lantern Families. And any Lantern campers attending Session #1 can stay after the BBQ for a free Early-Drop Off and to attend our Camp Eve Celebration.

To reiterate, anyone who refers a new camper for Summer 2016 will get an invite to our July 3rd afternoon BBQ for their whole family, and if they're attending Session #1 they get a free Early Drop Off as well to attend the Camp Eve Celebration.

Sounds pretty good, right?

It sounds so good, I wish it was July already.

Oh wait, never mind. I like December and the Holidays. But after that, I wish it was July already.

Oh, wait, never mind. We have a whole lot to do here before July.

July can happen when July happens.

But when it does happen, it'll be great.

Part II: Gather 'Round For MORE Gathering Photos

When last we left our intrepid adventurers enjoying their Winter Gathering/Summer-Camp-Reunion-In-December-Time, they had just ventured inside to try their hand at some seasonal crafts.

And now.

The thrilling conclusion:

Yes, we go back inside our festively decorated Dining Hall...

For more festive decorating!

Arts and Crafts!

That have been moved to the Dining Hall!

And effectively winterized!

Yes, they were drawn and painted...

Constructed and strung...

While warm beverages were enjoyed,

And charming photos were taken.

And charming photos with even more people were taken.

And now it was time to hang our craftiness on the tree. But how will we get the craftiness up there?!

Oh no. Not like this.

The holiday tradition continues...Sean Post perched dangerously on a ladder around the Camp Tree.

Well, not too dangerously. There were spotters.

Now, there's a holiday card photo if I've ever seen one.

Yes, all our carefully made decorations slowly made their way out of the Dining Hall...

And on to the tree.

We come from the mountains, we come from the fire, 

We come from the water,

 Go back to the sky...

And turn the world around.

Uh-oh! It's starting to get dark out.

You know what that means!

Time to light up that tree!

Ta-Da!

The tree is lit and registration for Summer 2016 is OFFICIALLY OPEN! (Yup, it's official!)

Then it was time to stare adoringly at it.

And stare adoringly some more.

And then gather 'round it...cause this was a Gathering...

And then gather round for a photo!

And then go inside again cause it got super cold when the sun went down.

For just a bit more reunion-ing with Camp Family...

And Camp Staff...

And friends around the fire...

And around the table...

And just enjoy some good ol' family time at Camp. (Nice hats, by the way.)

And then...it was already time for everyone to leave!

Or, un-gather, as we call it.

Leaving behind a decorated Dining Hall...

And a lit up tree.

And hopefully taking with them...

Some lovely memories of a winter afternoon with their Camp Family...

And a brand-new excitement for Summer 2016.

Which, now that the Winter Gathering is over, is right around the corner.