Tag Archives: Holidays

Valentine Re-mailing – Loveland, Colorado

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From Loveland With Love

Loveland Valentine Mailbox - B Can it really be time to think about sending Valentine cards? Volunteers in The Sweetheart City of Loveland, Colorado are gearing up for their busiest weeks of the year. Since 1947 the Loveland program has re-mailed more than 12 million Valentines with special cachets and verses – the largest postmark re-mailing program in the world. The Loveland Chamber of Commerce operates the program in partnership with the Loveland Post Office which creates a special annual cancellation.

Each year a pictorial and love verse are selected from dozens of entries. The art for this year’s cachet was designed by Teresa Boynton. Wearing a cowboy get-up "Dan Cupid" aims his arrow to send the 2010 message written by Stan Griep, image

  “Love From Cupid’s Arrow

     Comes Straight ‘n’ True

     From Loveland, Colorado

     Direct to You!”

Over 200,000 Valentines from every state and 100+ countries will arrive in Loveland. Beginning at 9am, Feb. 1st more than 60 volunteers will gather to hand stamp the cupid cachet and love verse  – a true labor of love.

The 2010 "Official Loveland Valentine Card" designed by Tracie Jenkins and produced by the Chamber of Commerce can be ordered by calling 970-667-6311, on the web or in Northern Colorado retail outlets.image

Wanda Quist wrote the 2010 card verse:

“Sending this greeting on Cupid’s dart

From the City of Loveland, a city with heart.

Hoping this message fills your heart too

Here’s a Happy Valentine Wish for  you!

To receive the Loveland cancellation and Valentine cachet, enclose pre-addressed cards affixed with the proper postage in a larger envelope and mail 1st class to:

Postmaster – Attention Valentines

446 E. 29th St.                                            

Loveland, CO 80538-9998                   

Loveland Heart Sculpture The cards are removed from the larger envelope at the Post Office. To ensure delivery by Valentine’s Day 2010, foreign mail must be received in Loveland by February 3,  U.S. destined mail by February 8, and in-state Colorado by February 11. Many Colorado King Soopers and City Market stores have Loveland Valentine Re-mailing boxes where you can drop off your pre-stamped and addressed cards. Be sure to attach the correct postage on your cards.

Add a little extra love from Loveland to your Valentines this year.

The 2010 cachet and card courtesy Loveland Chamber of Commerce

15th Annual Great Fruitcake Toss – Manitou Springs, Colorado

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Let it Hurl

You may have recycled the tree, put away the presents, and eaten the leftovers but have you dealt with the dreaded fruitcake from Aunt Mabel? If not, this is your opportunity. Head to Manitou Springs, January 9th and have fun disposing of the fruity, nutty "treat."

happy-ladyTucked between Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods, Manitou is immediately west of Colorado Springs. The visitor’s bureau calls the town "magical", I call it quirky. You’ll find characters and class – and, a whole lot of panache. This is a town that knows how to have fun and take a lighthearted look at life.

youth-catapult

How better to cap off the holiday festivities that to join in the hurling and launching at the 15th Annual Great Fruitcake Toss? Competitors and spectators will gather at the Manitou Springs High School Track for a final holiday “send off”. Bring your own cake in one-, two-, or four-pound sizes or "rent" one for $1.00.  Fruitcakes must contain glaceed fruits, nuts and flour – they cannot contain anything inedible. Don’t wrap in foil, duct tape, etc., all fruitcakes must be visible to the "Fruitcake Toss Tech Inspectors."

Events start with the Kids Toss – three age groupings, boy and girl winners, and the Fruitcake Toss – one person physically throwing a 1 pound cake. Then, they get down to the serious stuff: the Fruitcake Launch using a mechanical device and the Pneumatic Spud Gun or canon division using pneumatic devices brought to the competition by the contestant. It doesn’t stop there, they also have the team “Catch the Fruitcake” competition, and Accuracy with targets place on the field of "battle". The entertained crowd gets to vote for the Most Creative Launch and the Best Showmanship. Teams are asked to "dress" for the event. fruitcake-target   ready-the-arms1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob almost wept the first time he saw all the flying fruitcakes crushing to earth. This is a man who never saw a fruitcake he didn’t like. Imagine how happy the squirrels are to clean up after the event. After the competitions we "squirrel" away for a delicious healthy lunch at Adams Mountain Cafe.

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When You Go: The Great Fruitcake Toss runs from 10am – 2pm, Saturday, January 9, 2010 with registration beginning at 9am. Entry Fee is one canned food item or one non-perishable food item to be donated to the local food bank.

Hammond Candies – Candy Cane Festival

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candy-canesSweet Treat

Hammonds Candies promises a sweet addition to your holiday shopping or stockings. A Denver tradition since 1920 Hammonds is best known for their handmade candy canes. There’s a flavor for every taste – holiday favorites like cinnamon, cherry, peppermint, cranberry and sugar plum. Fruit flavors range from apple to very berry and for the unusual try bubble gum, cotton candy or key lime. And, for a real treat select one of the filled candy canes – chocolate filled cherry, raspberry or peppermint and vanilla filled cinnamon. YUM!

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Hammond’s retail store brims with buckets of candy canes,  baskets of old-fashioned ribbon candy, bags of peppermint pillows and rows and rows of lollipops.   Swirls of the hand-twisted confections come in 1-ounce, 4-ounce and giant 1-pound sizes.

Note: Come Valentine’s Day some of the lollipops take on a heart  shaped twist.

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The friendly staff  leads tours of the candy kitchen. Visitors watch through large windows as sugary syrups cook in huge copper pots, poured onto large cooling tables, coloring and flavoring added before being kneaded, stretched and formed. The mixture must be  just the right temperature to cut into individual lengths. When each batch is ready candymakers deftly and quickly crook each candy cane or swirl lollipops.

inside

Not surprisingly tours end in the candy store.

Tours are available every half hour year round, Monday-Friday 9am-3 pm, Saturday 10am-3pm. The store and factory are closed on Sunday. Tours are FREE.

Families and individuals are welcome to tour without reservations. Groups should call ahead to schedule a time. Behind the scenes tours can be scheduled.peppermint-pillows1

 

 

 Hammond’s is located at 5735 N. Washington Street, Denver, Colorado. Candy store open Monday-Friday 9am-4:30pm and Saturday 10am4pm. Directions and online shopping available on their website.   

  

Candy Cane Festival ‘09

Each December Hammond’s hosts the Candy Cane Festival – Dec. 12, 2009, 9am-5pm. Take a tour, finish off your Christmas shopping, whisper your list to Santa, feed his reindeer or enjoy the variety of activities. Caroling, storytelling, gingerbread cookie decorating, carnival games, face painting and trolley rides keep everyone entertained.   nancy-shopping1

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The delight of a child- toddler to teen – Santa’s lap is sure to boost your holiday spirits.                      

why-wait                                                                       

After your visit to Hammond’s I bet you won’t be able to wait till Christmas for your first sweet treat.

Yum!

Hammond’s is located at 5735 N. Washington Street, Denver, Colorado. Candy store open Monday-Friday 9am-4:30pm and Saturday 10am4pm. Directions and online shopping available on their website.