Today is “Black Friday,” generally thought of as the busiest shopping day of the holiday season. It is the day that many businesses hope that they make enough profit to put them into the “black” for the year.

The Caldwell Heritage Museum is involved as well. Today we begin our “Shop ‘Til You Drop” days with gift shop items that can be discounted on sale. In addition, we will have some baked goods and similar items for sale that will help you with your holiday meals. Lib Barnette, one of our volunteers, is coordinating the bake sale, and she promises that we will have something suited to your taste.

Our holiday display is designed to put you in the Christmas spirit. We are planning to have some recorded Christmas music as well as hot cider and cookies and a place where you can sit and relax for a few minutes. You’ll find us a calm oasis in the desert of shoppers. On Saturday we will have the same wonderful items and atmosphere.

Sunday will be our fourth fifth Sunday Open House for 2009 from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. On that day only, Mike Willis will be playing Christmas music, and a man in a red suit has promised that he will be there as well. It will be a good time to bring the children to visit the museum. Mike might even play your favorite Christmas song, and Santa might have a small gift for you.

Dr. Earl Davis, interim pastor of College Avenue Baptist Church and author of some wonderful books, will be on hand to sign copies. “Racoon Theology,” a delightful book of stories, will make a great gift. One of the stories was used as a devotional for a ladies’ circle meeting, and nearly every lady in the circle wanted a copy.

Our “Christmas at the Center Theater” cards have sold well (we’re on the third printing), and we still have some left. We also have some “Christmas at the Heritage Museum” as well. We have prints suitable for framing of both of these cards, as well as the popular “Christmas at the Red Pig BBQ” from last years. (Sorry, no cards of the Red Pig are available.)

We are anticipating visitor number 3,188 any day now. That person will break our former annual high attendance record, and he or she will receive a special gift. If that person has not already visited us by the time this is printed, you might be the one!

Our regular hours are 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays. We will keep those hours all during the holiday season with the following exceptions: We will close at 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve and be closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

So join us on Black Friday, on the fifth Sunday, on the Saturday in between or any other time that you can. We are located at 112 Vaiden Street SW in downtown Lenoir behind Davenport A+ School. There is no admission charge, but donations for the upkeep of the museum are appreciated. For more information, check our Web site at www.caldwellheritagemuseum.org or call 828-758-4004.

John O. Hawkins is Director of the Caldwell Heritage Museum. He resides in Buffalo Cove.