🎄Ocean Senior Scoop: See What’s Happening in Ocean County This Week

👋 Hey there, Ocean County!
The twinkle lights are on, the holiday concerts are warming up, and December is officially in full swing. This week’s Ocean Senior Scoop brings you everything from trolley rides and Victorian house tours to smart shopping tips and cookies worth gifting (or keeping for yourself). Let’s jump in!

📅 Mark Your Calendar – Concerts, markets, parades & trolley rides
🌲 In the Parks – Tree trims, candlelight music & guided walks
🧶 Beyond the Books – Crafts, concerts, tech help & yoga
🍪 Tasty Treats – McCormick & Milk Bar cookies to bake this week
🚗 Day Trippin’ – Cape May’s Victorian Christmas
🎂 Birthday Cheers – Local shoutouts + celeb birthdays
📝 One Last Thing – Holiday party rules… Jersey senior style

Up first…

The elves are back in action! The Ocean County Board of Commissioners — along with PBA 258 (Corrections), Juvenile Services, and Public Affairs — is once again collecting new, unwrapped toys for local kids in need this holiday season.

Now through Thursday, Dec.12, you can drop off a toy for children of all ages at any of the following locations across Ocean County:

📍 Toms River:
• Ocean County Youth Center – 155 Sunset Ave.
• Ocean County Clerk’s Office – 118 Washington St.
• Ocean County Consumer Affairs – 1005 Hooper Ave.
• Ocean County Administration Building – 101 Hooper Ave.
• County Connection at Ocean County Mall (JCPenney Wing)
• Parks & Recreation Admin Office – 1198 Bandon Rd.

📍 Southern Ocean County:
• Ocean County Southern Service Center – 179 S. Main St., Manahawkin
• Ocean County Training Center – Volunteer Way, Waretown
• Dept. of Transportation – 2820 Ridgeway Blvd., Manchester

📚 Library Drop-Offs Available Too!
Toys can also be dropped off at these Ocean County Library branches:
• Toms River
• Brick
• Barnegat
• Jackson
• Lacey
• Little Egg Harbor

📞 Questions? Call (732) 929-2175 or (732) 929-2089.

Looking for handmade gifts, local vendors, and holiday cheer by the Shore? Don’t miss the Snowflakes & Seashells Market on Friday, Dec. 6 from 3–7 PM at the Lavallette Firehouse (125 Washington Ave).

Hosted by Lavallette PTO, this festive indoor market features crafters, creators, and small businesses selling one-of-a-kind holiday finds. It’s the perfect stop for gifts with heart — plus a great way to support local makers! Wrap up your shopping and soak up the holiday vibes — Shore style! 🎁🌊✨

Join the Senior Success Program and WISE (Wellness Initiative for Senior Education) for an open and uplifting discussion about hospice care, quality of life, and compassionate support for seniors and their families.

🗓️ Thursday, Dec. 4
🕛 12:00–2:00 PM
📍 Somebody CARES, Inc. – 48 Schoolhouse Rd, Manchester Township

Guest speaker Melissa Meegan of Affinity Care will lead this thoughtful conversation focused on care, comfort, and dignity for those 60+ in Ocean County.

📞 To enroll, call Suzanne Donley-Pagano at 732‑703‑7706.

This free program is grant-funded. Basic demographic info will be collected confidentially.

Looking for twinkle lights, hometown parades, musicals, gift fairs, cocoa stations, and Victorian charm? Here's your one-stop guide to all the festive fun this weekend.

A cozy week of crafts, concerts, chair yoga, computer help & cocoa-filled fun at your local Ocean County library branches!

🧠 Caregiver Support Group
🕚 11 AM – 1 PM | 📍 Barnegat Branch
Presented with Hackensack Meridian Health – for anyone balancing the caregiving journey.

🍽️ Operation Homeplate (NJSNAP Info Session)
🕚 11 AM – 12 PM | 📍 Toms River Branch
Learn about eligibility for NJSNAP nutrition benefits & get help applying.
📞 Ocean County Senior Services: 732‑929‑2091 (Option 1)

🧶 String of Purls – Knit/Crochet Drop-In
🕐 1 PM – 3 PM | 📍 Stafford Branch
Bring your own project or start fresh. Beginners welcome!

⚠️ Consumer Fraud Awareness
🕑 2 PM – 3 PM | 📍 Little Egg Harbor Branch
Protect yourself from scams with help from Ocean County Consumer Affairs.

🎉 90s–Today Trivia
🕝 2:30 PM – 4 PM | 📍 Jackson Branch
Pop culture, movies, music — come test your memory and win bragging rights!

🌱 House Plant Hospital
🕙 10 AM – 12 PM | 📍 Berkeley Branch
Bring a struggling plant (or photo) and get expert help from the Master Gardeners.

🧩 Christmas Puzzle Packs
🕛 12 PM – 1 PM | 📍 Long Beach Island Branch
Pick up holiday-themed brain teasers — while supplies last!

🪑 Chair Yoga for Adults
🕚 11 AM – 12 PM | 📍 Point Pleasant Borough Branch
Gentle yoga with instructor Linda Higley. Registration & waiver required.

🧶 Waretown Woolies – Holiday Knit-Together
🕚 11 AM – 1 PM | 📍 Waretown Branch
Create a holiday piece — yarn and needles provided!

📚 Friends of the Library Book Sale Begins
🕛 12 PM – 5 PM | 📍 Little Egg Harbor Branch
Books, music, DVDs & more — runs through Dec. 13!

🎤 Elvistory: Christmas with The King
🕡 6:30 PM – 8 PM | 📍 Toms River Branch
Holiday hits, Elvis-style! With tribute artist Ruben Castillo. Register now!

🃏 Canasta Club
🕡 6:30 PM – 8 PM | 📍 Lakewood Branch
Learn or play this classic card game. Beginners welcome!

🖱️ Computer Mouse Basics
🕡 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM | 📍 Toms River Branch
New to tech? Learn how to click, scroll & navigate with confidence.

🪑 Chair Yoga
🕙 10 AM – 11 AM | 📍 Stafford Branch
Stretch & breathe with Linda Higley. Register & sign waiver required.

🧵 Learn to Embroider: Pet Bandanas
🕥 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | 📍 Island Heights Branch
Make a bandana that suits your furry friend! Supplies provided.

💻 Tech Help Tuesday
🕥 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | 📍 Waretown Branch
One-on-one help with smartphones, email, or digital library tools.
📞 Call 609‑693‑5133 to register

💃 Lunch & Learn: Chair Ballet
🕛 12 PM – 2 PM | 📍 LBI Branch
Gentle ballet movements with lunch from Wally’s. Sponsored by Causeway CARes.

👩‍🍳 Julia Child’s Kitchen: A Virtual Talk
🕑 2 PM – 3:15 PM | 📍 Stafford Branch
Behind-the-scenes stories from historian Paula Johnson, via the Smithsonian.

🍫 Blending Fun with Amy – Frozen Hot Cocoa Edition
🕑 2 PM – 3 PM | 📍 Tuckerton Branch
Demo, tastings, and a toppings bar — plus recipes to take home! Registration required.

👔 Meet the Mayor: Lacey Edition
🕕 6 PM – 7 PM | 📍 Lacey Branch
Ask questions and connect directly with Mayor Peter Curatolo.

🎹 Frosted Keys Concert with NGXB
🕖 7 PM – 8 PM | 📍 Barnegat Branch
A magical piano concert featuring holiday hits and crowd favorites.

🎨 Paint Your Own Ceramic Soup Bowl
🕥 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM | 📍 Lakewood Branch
Design your own soup bowl! Pieces will be kiln-fired off-site.

🌿 Terrariums 101
🕑 2 PM – 3 PM | 📍 Brick Branch
Learn to create a mini plant ecosystem with a Master Gardener.

🌱 Ask a Master Gardener
🕑 2 PM – 4 PM | 📍 Point Pleasant Borough Branch
Drop in with your garden questions or mystery plant samples.

🎩 Tea & Craft: Jane Austen’s Birthday Celebration
🕝 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | 📍 Jackson Branch
Sip tea and make a silhouette craft in honor of Jane’s 250th.

McCormick and Milk Bar are serving up holiday happiness, one cookie at a time — and trust us, you’re going to want to preheat that oven. These festive bakes are loaded with flavor, easy to make, and perfect for gifting, sharing … or sneaking straight from the tray.

🍪 Eggnog English Toffee Cookie
Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, this cozy cookie blends creamy eggnog vibes with crunchy toffee bits. A new classic!

🍬 Candy Cane Pretzel Bark Cookie
A pepperminty dream! These treats mix crushed candy canes with salty pretzels and sweet vanilla for the ultimate cookie tray standout.

✨ Snickerdoodle Cookie
Soft, chewy, and rolled in cinnamon-sugar — the timeless snickerdoodle never goes out of style.

🎄 Bonus tip: Bake a batch and package them up with ribbon for easy neighbor gifts or party favors. Or host a “cookies & cocoa” night with friends or grandkids — no special occasion needed!

👉 Find more recipes & holiday inspiration at McCormick’s The Cookie Confidential

This holiday season, guide your sleigh to Cape May! This Victorian beach town turns into a spectacular winter wonderland of festivities now through Jan. 1, 2026. Take a holiday trolley ride with themes ranging from holiday lights and ghosts of Christmas past to the glittering ways Victorians ring in a new year. Go on candlelight house tours along gaslit streets and step inside historic inns, B&Bs and churches to admire the stunning interiors. Tour the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate decked out in authentic Victorian holiday style. Have Breakfast with Santa and be sure to bring your wish list. Add shopping at Washington Street Mall and live shows to the mix, and you’ll feel like the star of your very own movie. It’s one of the best places to visit in New Jersey at Christmastime and get into the holiday spirit.

🎈Big 73rd birthday shoutout this week to Margaret P. of Manahawkin — hope your day is full of fun, frosting, and fantastic surprises! 🥳🍰

A few other notable names celebrating this week…
✨ Jaye P. Morgan (The Gong Show) turns 94
✨ Actors Daryl Hannah & Julianne Moore both hit 65
✨ Musician Southside Johnny rocks into 77
✨ Actor Jeff Bridges abides at 76
✨ Musician John Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls) hits the big 6‑0

Official Holiday Party Rules from Jersey Seniors
(Because we’ve been doing this a long time — and we’ve got rules.)

Break just one of these rules and you’re going home with the fruitcake. 😉

⁉️Questions comments or news to share? Email us at [email protected]

👀First time reading? Join thousands of Ocean County seniors. Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter here.

🤶🎅See you next week!

The Better With Age New Jersey team