memories – F Words that are not 4 Letters

My Christmas Wish List 2025

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Everyone is remarking at how quickly Christmas will come this year following the late Thanksgiving holiday. I feel it. Less time to do all the things we feel obligated to do: The shopping, cooking, wrapping, socializing. Yes, it’s all fun. But also exhausting.

For me the things that suffer the most are probably the things I most enjoy about the season. I wish I had more time to enjoy the activities that really bring me the most pleasure, the most peace, the most Holiday Spirit. Here are a few of them, along with some tips I’ve cultivated to maximize their enjoyment. Most are no-cost, and easy to fit into a busy holiday schedule.

Look at lights-I love looking at Christmas lights. Whether it’s my own tree and ornamental lighted garland in my home, or an elaborate Christmas display like the one near my home at LaSalette Shrine. And everything in between.

A tip for you: Each year I make a map of light displays at houses in my area. I then take a drive in the evening to look at someone else’s creativity, or elegant beauty. Many social media platforms have groups that feature holiday displays in your area; you can join a group and get a lot of ideas of places you’d like to see. Get in the car with a thermos of hot chocolate, put on some Christmas music and enjoy the sights.

Socialize in an informal way, especially with people you don’t see often-The official parties are a lot of fun. We will attend 2 or 3 this year and I always look forward to the food, the decorations, the company. They also sometimes involve work: Bring a homemade dish, wine, possibly a gift. Then there might be too much eating and drinking, and a long drive home at night. Smaller gatherings can be just as much fun, and perhaps more intimate, more relaxed. We all have friends we wish we could see more often. I would have liked more time to invite people over for smaller gatherings with some simple snacks and drinks and good conversation.

A tip for you: Plan early, if you want to schedule time with the people you’d love to see, but sometimes last minute works too! If there’s someone you know you want to visit with around the holidays, reach out to them early to plan a time; but if things aren’t coming together and you haven’t been able to select a day to connect, try getting together on a whim. Call them in the morning and say, I have a couple of hours tonight, are you free? Sometimes it works. Don’t worry if the house isn’t clean, there’s no food to eat, or presents to be given. Order a pizza and enjoy the moment of being together.

Play games-I know, not everyone loves games, but I do! When we get together on Christmas day, my family plays games after dinner. I have a lot of games at home and I’m always on the lookout for something new that sounds fun. We usually find time for some of our favorite classics: Scrabble, Apples to Apples, Spoons. One of my favorite memories of Christmas as a kid include playing pokeno for pennies, around a big table filled with family members. Pokeno was my nana’s favorite so we all played it to make her happy, and we all ended up having as much fun as she did.

A tip for you: Invite your guests to bring a game so you have a bigger variety, with something that everyone can enjoy. Buy some inexpensive scratch tickets for prizes and draw names to select random teams. Play one game and then switch to something different. Even those who don’t love games will eventually find something they really enjoy. And you’re guaranteed to have some laughs, enjoying the company of the people you love.

Bake and Cook for Fun-Baking and Cooking can be a chore. Especially when you’re under a deadline. But doing it for fun is a whole different activity. Scheduling it could make it less stressful.

A tip for you: Set aside an afternoon and bake and decorate some cookies with a loved one. This serves double duty for spending time with someone important to you. And you can also use the cookies as a treat to bring to a party, or as a homemade gift, which means checking something off your to-do list! If there are several friends you’d like to include, turn it into a cookie swap. Add some holiday music and you’ve created a short, informal get together. Paying attention to your senses is one way to slow down the holiday season and enjoy all the moments. Homemade cookies are great at accomplishing this: touch, smell, sight, and especially, taste!

Watch Christmas movies-I love them all (except the Red Shoes! No sad stories at Christmas). The classics are great: A Christmas Carol, Elf, The Santa Clause. The old tv versions are fun too: Frosty, Rudolph, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Heat Miser and Cold Miser; and yes, I even love the Hallmark and Lifetime movies. Sure, they’re all basically the same plot and the ending is never a surprise, but there’s something comforting in that. Hope and joy that in the end, it will all work out. That’s the spirit of Christmas Spirit.

A tip for you: Find someone who also loves these sappy movies and plan a movie night or afternoon. Turn on the Christmas lights for a seasonal atmosphere. Or, if your family just isn’t into it, plan to watch one when you know you’ll be alone at home. I record as many as possible and save them for when I have a small window of time. Most of them run just about an hour and a half if you watch it prerecorded without commercials. Pure Christmas joy!

Listen to Christmas music– I can’t get enough! I know the radio stations that start playing the soonest (Before Thanksgiving? YES!) and the ones that play even after Christmas, so I get a solid hour each day during my commute to and from work. While there are one or two songs that I dislike, 99% make me smile every time and I never get sick of them.

A tip for you: We have a lot of ways now to listen to specific music. If the radio commercials are not your thing, create a playlist that you can enjoy in the car, or at home while you’re cleaning the house or making dinner. Most cable and streaming options also offer channels that feature holiday music. I sometimes play these in the background at home when I’m doing the dinner dishes, wrapping gifts, baking, or working on a puzzle.

Be grateful for the things you have-A good idea every day, but especially at the holidays. So many people are alone at the holidays, or suffering with illnesses, homelessness, or strained relationships.

A tip for you: Whether you practice gratitude every day, or only rarely, take some time during the holidays to recognize the many blessings in your life. This is something you can do with as little as 5 minutes of time. It might help to write them down. You will likely be surprised by how long your list is. Don’t forget the small things, like listening to a pretty song, or looking at lights, or the smell of a Christmas tree.

Prepare more homemade gifts and/or experiences and fewer store bought items– In my groups of friends and family, we are very lucky. None of us really needs more “stuff.” I think especially of my friends and family who may be living in small homes with little storage space, or are just not in need of more clothing or candles or toys. If you’re crafty, homemade gifts can be very special. Many people have great talent for crocheting and knitting, and can create beautiful blankets, or hats and mittens that are not only useful, but extra special. While I am not crafty, in the past I’ve used what little creativity I have to create my own “crafty” gifts like assembling a photo album of pictures of the recipient with loved ones, or gifting a cookie jar with homemade cookies.

A tip for you: Its a popular sentiment these days that an experience is far more valuable than an object, and I couldn’t agree more. This Christmas I gave the gift of time spent together. My daughter received a “certificate” for a day out with mom to include some of her favorite things, like pickles, massages, thrift stores, and hot chocolate. My mom loves movies, so her certificate was for dinner and a movie, both of her selection. There are companies designed to help you gift some fancier experiences: Let’s Roam is a scavenger hunt company, Virgin Experiences offers gift certificates for many different experiences like food tours, hot air balloon rides, and flying lessons. And AmazingCo offers mystery picnics where you spend a day travelling to different restaurants and small cafes where you pick up a food or drink item at each and end your day at a pretty location where you can have a picnic with all of your collected items.

Remember loved ones no longer with us– I know many of us have loved ones that we miss and remember all year long, but in particular at the holidays. It might seem counterintuitive to spend time thinking about lost loved ones during the holiday season, but I find it oddly comforting. I lost one of my best friends last year, and I still don’t feel like I’ve had enough time to mourn. I miss her every day, but particularly at Christmas, as her birthday was December 28th, and we had many traditions that we shared at the holiday season. I will spend some quiet time alone to reflect on our friendship, and will also reach out to her kids to let them know I’m thinking of them,, and here if they need anything. My nana also died around Christmastime many years ago, so thinking about them and remembering fond memories, especially of times shared at Christmas, is like visiting an old friend.

A Tip for you: Schedule some time to remember those you’ve lost. You can do it separately for each person, by visiting their final resting place, if available, or remembering all of your loved ones who are no longer with us, at home, in a quiet space. My friend every year would buy personalized Christmas ornaments for my children, one of whom was her goddaughter, so even decorating the tree this year was a nice way to remember her. You can also look through old photos, if you have some, and remember some good times, and what you loved about each person.

These are the activities that most put me in the spirit, and also bring me peace, that sometimes elusive, but ever sought-after feeling. And if it seems like additional pressure to fit these in, just choose your 2 or 3 favorites and combine them. Most require very little time or money and the payoff is big. By asking a friend or family member to join you while you bake cookies and listen to music, you’ve enjoyed three low-stress, holiday-oriented activities. I guarantee you’ll feel full of Christmas Spirit.

My Christmas Wish List

Socialize in an informal way, especially with people I don’t see often-The official parties are a lot of fun. We attended 3 this year and I always look forward to the food, the decorations, the company. They also sometimes involve work: Bring a homemade dish, wine, possibly a gift. Then there might be too much eating and drinking, and a long drive home at night. Smaller gatherings can be just as much fun, and perhaps more intimate, more relaxed. We all have friends we wish we could see more often. I would have liked more time to invite people over for smaller gatherings with some simple snacks and drinks and good conversation.

Play games-I know, not everyone loves games, but I do! When we get together on Christmas day, my family plays games after dinner. I have a lot of games at home and I’m always on the lookout for something new that sounds fun. We usually find time for some of our favorite classics: Scrabble, Apples to Apples, Spoons. My memories of Christmas as a kid include playing pokeno around a big table filled with family members. Pokeno ( similar to bingo but with playing cards), was my nana’s favorite so we all played it to make her happy, and we all ended up having as much fun as she did.

Bake and Cook for Fun-Baking and Cooking can be a chore. Especially when you’re under a deadline. But doing it for fun is a whole different activity. Scheduling it could make it less stressful.

A tip for you: Set aside an afternoon and bake and decorate some cookies with a loved one. This serves double duty for spending time with someone important to you. And you can also use the cookies as a treat to bring to a party, or as a homemade gift. If there are several friends you’d like to include, turn it into a cookie swap. Add some holiday music and you’ve created a short, informal get together. Paying attention to your senses is one way to slow down the holiday season and enjoy all the moments. Homemade cookies are great at accomplishing this: touch, smell, sight, and especially, taste!

Be grateful for the things I have-A good idea every day, but especially at the holidays. So many people are alone at the holidays, or suffering with illnesses, homelessness, or strained relationships.

Remember loved ones no longer with us– I know many of us have loved ones that we miss and remember all year long, but in particular at the holidays. It might seem counterintuitive to spend time thinking about lost loved ones during the holiday season, but I find it oddly comforting. I lost one of my best friends this year, and I still don’t feel like I’ve had enough time to mourn. I miss her every day, but particularly at Christmas, as her birthday was December 28th, and we had many traditions that we shared at the holiday season. My nana also died around Christmastime many years ago, so thinking about them and remembering fond memories, especially of times shared at Christmas, is like visiting an old friend.

These are the activities that most put me in the spirit, and also bring me peace, that sometimes elusive, but ever sought-after feeling. And if it seems like additional pressure to fit these in, just choose your 2 or 3 favorites and combine them. Most require very little time and the payoff is big. By asking a friend or family member to join you while you bake cookies and listen to music, you’ve enjoyed three low-stress, holiday-oriented activities. I guarantee you’ll feel full of Christmas Spirit. I wanted to write this while the thoughts were fresh in my mind, but I plan to re-post this blog early next December, when the thoughts will remind me–and you–to slow down and enjoy every moment of the Season.

How to Have a Merry Christmas

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If you don’t celebrate Christmas, substitute whichever holiday you do celebrate. And even if you don’t celebrate any of the various special days happening around this time of year, hopefully you still enjoy some of the atmosphere all around us. After all, it’s a happy time, and everyone is in a good mood.

Or are they? This year I’m finding that people are not particularly enjoying their Decembers. I see it every day in my day job. People are a little cranky, complaining about minor things, being a little more demanding, a little more unreasonable. It’s the same out in the world. Drivers beeping behind you. People being inconsiderate in stores. It can be a bit of a downer.

Some things about the holidays are stressful. I get it. I can understand mixed feelings regarding shopping, and gift-buying. I can even understand not enjoying all the work involved in decorating, baking, cooking But I hope you can find something to enjoy about the holidays. Maybe you’re finding it hard to be Merry this year. With just one week left to the Holiday that I celebrate, I have been thinking about how I can make the most of this time to remember the good things about this time of year; to celebrate without making myself crazy, and to create memories. I thought I would share my thoughts with you on ways to make this season more enjoyable.

Relax

It will all work out in the end. Hopefully you’ve never had a bad Christmas. I’m happy to say I haven’t. Your holiday won’t suffer if there’s one less decoration, one less batch of Christmas cookies, one less stocking stuffer. So take these last few days to go easy on yourself. It’s okay to say no, to sit down with your family and watch a sappy movie, to just decide that you’re done shopping.

Make the tasks more fun

If there are still a few things that you really must do, think about how you can make it more fun. This could mean grabbing a friend when shopping, baking or wrapping. If crowds bother you, try shopping later at night when it will be more peaceful. Put on some music that makes you happy, grab your favorite beverage while wrapping. These tasks can be just another chore, but throw in some company, music, maybe a little eggnog, and it can be an enjoyable experience.

Simplify the gift giving

Lately I’ve been giving experiences as gifts to my family members. This year my mom will get a certificate for “dinner and a movie” that I will treat her to in the future, and my daughter is getting a day of lunch and shopping for a new coat. One bonus: We get to spend time together! I didn’t have to leave the house for these gifts and I spent about 2 minutes typing up a cute certificate. Another bonus: I put off the expense of the gift to a future date which makes my Christmas spending a little lighter.

Enjoy the Lights

Start in your own house. You likely have a Christmas tree or hanging lights, maybe even some outside decorations. Position your chair so you have a good view, grab a cup of hot cocoa, and just sit and look at some lights. There are many spots now to go and view spectacular light displays, and these are fun and a good way for some family time. But it’s not necessary to spend money. Hop in the car and drive around town to view some great lighting. I belong to a local Facebook group that posts impressive displays, so when we set out I usually have some addresses at the ready. You can probably locate something similar for your area.

Spend some casual time with friends

The parties are great and we have a couple that we attend every year. I look forward to them and they’re always a lot of fun. But a casual get together can be just as rejuvenating. My besties and I recently got together at a restaurant with very little notice and it was a great time. No one had to cook or prepare anything. While we were together there were no obligations or to-do lists, just love and laughter with people who make you feel good.

Spend some time alone

It’s ok to be alone and just. . . do nothing. Grab a book, a cup of tea, take a bath, whatever works for you to decompress. This weekend I had a busy day of shopping and cooking and knew I needed to get ready to attend a party, but I just needed a half hour or so to wind down. I grabbed my book and climbed into my bed and just escaped into a world where I didn’t need to do, or worry about, anything. Just 30 minutes and I was ready to jump in the shower and tackle the rest of my day and evening. Avoid the phone or other devices. You probably already know that scrolling is not the best way to wind down.

Listen to music

I know not everyone loves Christmas music, but I do. I find the radio station that starts playing it as soon as possible and I’ve got it on in the car through November and December. If you don’t care for it, or get sick of it after a couple of weeks, listen to any music. If you need to relax, put on something mellow, and if you need a pick me up, put on something more upbeat. Grab someone in your family and take turns picking songs. My kids and I have recently been buying some vinyl, so we listen to that together. Music is such a healing medium.

Prepare a Healthy Meal

The holidays are filled with treats and sweets and intricate, heavy foods. And it’s delicious! But it you’ve been trying to eat healthier, it can be a little and you may suffer from the “morning after” regrets. So prepare a light, healthy meal that will get you back on track and make you feel better about the cheat events you already had and have yet to come.

Pass it On

The good feeling I mean. Maybe you helped someone less fortunate this holiday season. If so, stop for a moment to reflect on that. Someone’s holiday is more enjoyable because of your thoughtfulness. If you had been thinking about it participating in a giving program but time got away from you and it didn’t happen, there are still ways to help. It’s probably too late to buy gifts for a struggling family for Christmas, but there are needs all year long. Drop some food off to a food pantry or find a good program in your local town that you can get involved with after the new year. And being kind doesn’t have to involve material things. A smile, a kind word, a compliment can also make someone’s day. A phone call to a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. A handwritten Christmas card, or note. I know most people don’t send Christmas cards in the mail any more–I haven’t for years–but the handful that I received this year did brighten my day. These small gestures will not only brighten the day of someone else, but will also make your day more enjoyable as well.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your Holiday Season!

Why I Still Print Pictures

I know our recent reliance on our phones can create a “bad/good” discussion. We’re so addicted to them, we can’t function without them, we’ve lost many social skills and the ability to communicate. Often it seems we aren’t enjoying our life happening around us because we’re too focused on that incoming text, email, social media post. These things are all true, and often sad and maddening. If you’ve tried to get through a “no technology” dinner with a couple of teenagers, you know what I mean.

But they’ve also brought a lot of good. We feel better knowing when our kids are out that we can reach them to check in. Or they can call if they’re concerned about something. We probably find it easier to get in touch with our friends and family, or to reconnect with someone we haven’t seen in a long time. We have–literally at our fingertips–access to just about any piece of information we need at any given moment: What time does the store close? What does that word mean? What ingredients do I need to pick up for that new recipe I want to try tonight? And one I know we all love: Let me pull up a map that will talk to me and tell me step by step, exactly how to get to my destination.

But for me, one of the best features of having my phone always at the ready is the ability to take pictures. You young’uns don’t know what it used to be like. We needed an actual camera to take pictures, and you didn’t walk around with yours every day. You only had it with you when you were attending a special event: Vacations, parties, graduations. Not your everyday activities. Even if you wanted to take your camera with you all the time, you wouldn’t because it was bulky and possibly heavy. Then, you not only had to pay for film, but you also had to pay to have the pictures developed. And you could attempt a selfie, but you couldn’t see what you were taking a picture of, so you never knew what you would end up with. Cause, oh yeah, until you had the film developed you had no idea what your pictures would look like! Safe to say, a lot of those prints were unrecognizable and therefore useless. So yes, the quality, and quantity, of pictures have definitely improved.

What I dislike about our phone photos is the difficulty in viewing and sharing them. Sure, your phone can probably store lots of images. I guess with the cloud it might actually be limitless. And yes, you can share all 100,000 of them on social media. But how often do you go back and look at some of the older ones? Maybe on a special occasion when you want to post a baby pick of your daughter who just became a teen. Or on Mother’s Day, a pic of your young mom, who has since passed. But I don’t think we look at pictures on a regular basis to just enjoy the memories. And what happens if you do want to review the pictures? First you have to scroll. And scroll. And scroll. Scroll through all the pictures of your pets and aesthetically pleasing meals you’ve made recently, to find the pictures you’re hoping to see. Part of the problem with the ease of using our phones for pictures is that we take too many pictures. And we keep them all, making it difficult, and tiresome, to find the one you’re looking for. Frustrating. Then, when you find the group you want, the screen is too small to notice the details, and you can’t really share it with the people who are with you, except by passing it around so each person can squint to see what you’re showing them, before passing it to the next person.

So I still print pictures and put them into photo albums. I don’t mean online photo albums, but actual, physical, photo albums that are located in a bookcase in my home.

Of course, back in the day, we had no choice but to print our photos and usually we put them into albums. Some of us might still have some of the folders of pictures we picked up at the pharmacy, or maybe even recieved in the mail after sending the film out. I’ve probably been better than most at keeping up with this task of getting those pictures into albums. I started in my teens and soon came up with the idea of having one album for each year. They’re labeled with the year so if I’m trying to locate something in particular (remember that vacation to the Grand Canyon!? Was that in 2010 or 2011??) I can usually find it pretty quickly.

And although I’m a little behind, I still buy a new album each year, faithfully write the year in the front cover, choose the photos I want to include, go to a local pharmacy to print them, and then put them dutifully into their assigned place in the album. Yes, it takes time. And quite a bit of space in my home. But I wouldn’t have it any other way, because looking at photos like this is an exercise in nostalgia, laughter, and closeness with my loved ones.

Recently, we were planning a trip to Vermont, and I told my kids that they had been there once before, when they were much younger. As I talked a little about what we had done, my daughter exclaimed, “I remember that!” I was a little skeptical, thinking she had been too young too remember. Guessing she was about 4 or 5, I easily located the correct album, and the pictures of the trip to confirm that yes, she probably had been old enough to remember that trip.

By far, the best part of the story about remembering Vermont is how my daughter and I sat together on the couch, with the photo album opened on our laps, and flipped the pages, pointing and laughing together at the wonderful memories spread out before us. And if you want to share photos with your kids of things that happened before they were born, I promise you, printed pictures in an album will have a much greater impact than those on your phone. For the greatest emotional impact, digital photos are a poor substitute.

As I plan a graduation party for my son, I want to include a clothesline of photos of him through his 18 years, for partygoers to look at. I will easily locate, and retrieve, the album from the year of his birth and starting there, I can pull out one photo of him from each album to represent his 18 years. Granted this project will take a while as I get caught up in looking at those older photos, but so worth it. Imagine trying to accomplish the same task with photos on your phone? More time and frustration and none of the nostalgic smiles that my albums produce.

I try to look at the albums on a regular basis: My kids birthdays, when planning vacations, when trying to remember, who was with us when we went there? Were we still living at the old house, or the new one? If you still have a wedding album, pull it out on your anniversary and look it over with your betrothed. I promise you it will bring out many happy memories and have you looking at your partner with stars in your eyes.

Turns out that looking at old photos is good for your health. In fact, research done recently in England shows that looking at older photos relaxes you more than meditation. And albums are better than digital because of the tangibility, and especially the sharing capabilities of sitting together and enjoying the memories together.

One thing I’m most happy about is that I will one day hand these albums down to my kids. Not only will they appreciate the physical value of these old memories, especially as they get older, but my albums started well before cell phones, and so those earlier photos are the only versions available, and therefore irreplaceable. I consider them my most valuable possessions.

One other positive outcome to looking through old photo albums together? The whole time you’re reminiscing, no one will be looking at their phone.

When Donut Shops Used to Be About Donuts

I remember when I was a kid, and the first Dunkin Donuts opened up in our neighborhood. Im guessing it was the late 70s. We did not have a car, and it opened right at the end of my short street, intersecting with a busier street in the City. In other words, within walking distance from my house. There wasn’t a lot of money for extras like donuts, so it was a truly special occasion when my mother would walk us up the street and treat us to a dozen donuts. The employee would pull out the flat, cardboard box and quickly and expertly assemble it by folding up the sides and sliding the tabs into the slots. Most of the time we were not paying attention to this phase of the adventure, as our eyes were scanning the five levels of fresh donuts from which we would choose our favorites. Sure, you could ask for all 12 donuts to be the same type, maybe chocolate or honey dipped. Or you could just ask for “assorted,” in which case the Dunkin employee would select the different varieties. But in order to make sure you got your favorite, you had to call out each donut variety one by one, and this is typically what we did.

Back then, of course, I was too young for coffee, and my mom was never much of a coffee drinker, so we would leave after our critical selections and make the short walk back home, carrying our treasure, and once back at the house we would ravenously dig into the box and extract a truly special treat. It’s a great childhood memory.

These days, most people go to Dunkin for a coffee. They’ve even dropped the “Donuts” from their official name and as of 2018 are now just “Dunkin.” A shift has taken place in both culture, and business strategy. According to an article in Fortune in 2017, the name change, and refocus is due to a healthier lifestyle amount consumers. While breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, the combination of carbs and sugar contained in a donut aren’t really the metabolic medicine that the doctor ordered.

But is there another motive in the shift? In Spain the franchise is already called Dunkin’ Coffee; Do the coffee products offer more options? All of us work with at least one coworker whose coffee order is 7 or 8 words long. Dunkin reported that there were over 15,000 different ways to order their coffee. Donuts, on the other hand are not as popular. These days, there are only around 20 varieties of donuts with some seasonal offerings. Dunkin sells more coffee than donuts, and while donuts aren’t growing, coffee still is. Perhaps most importantly, coffee is more profitable than donuts. As recently as the 80s, it wasn’t unusual to pay 50 cents for a cup of coffee. I can hear you laughing. A basic “regular” coffee is now about $3 and a Coolatta costs $4.99. You don’t want to do the math on how much you’re spending annually for that daily indulgence.

Other donut retailers may have failed to make the change in focus quickly enough.

Krispy Kreme has been making donuts for 80 years, since 1937. The 2 local stores in Dedham, MA and Cranston, RI (the last 2 from an original 8 stores in NE)closed in 2007, eliminating Krispy Kreme’s presence in the Northeast.

According to a 2021 article in mashed.com “In September 2018, Dunkin’ announced that it was dropping the Donuts from its name. The move represented a long-recognized reality — that Dunkin’ primarily operates as a beverage company that sells donuts, not as a donut company that includes coffees as a side. Reporting on the name change, NPR noted the percentage of sales beverages represented increased between 2013 and 2014 from 58 percent to 60 percent. Even in 2013, Dunkin’ Donuts CFO Paul Carbone, according to Forbes, told investors, “We are a beverage company.” “

The verdict is in on the change in strategy, reflected in the success Dunkin’ found in the last financial quarter of 2019, where, according to The Motley Fool, it had its largest growth period in six years. Dunkin’ credited its booming business to its new beverage offerings, not the donuts that built its base.

Hey, I like a good cup of coffee as much as the next guy. While I don’t typically indulge in the more fancy flavors, I rely on my morning cup of joe to help kickstart my day. I sometimes meet friends for coffee and it’s frequently an important part of morning business meetings. But I still long for the days of a family walking to the local coffee shop and picking out a special treat to be enjoyed around the breakfast table. A simple treat for a simpler time.