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elcome to our February magazine issue - we hope 2026 is off to a good start for you! It’s been a cold winter, and we hope you’re reading this somewhere warm and cozy. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, we’re excited to share themed editorial content and wish you a day spent with those you love most. Looking to advertise? Contact us today at 631.226.2636 for more information.
Thoughtful Valentine’s Gifts
Valentine’s Day brightens up the bleakness of the shortest and most wintry month of the year for the northern part of the globe. Businesses and homes are awash in pink and red each February, with heart-shaped decorations and boxes filling up store aisles. Sending heartfelt sentiments is a large part of celebrating Valentine’s Day, and most people cherish the day for the opportunity to bestow gifts on the ones they love.
The National Retail Federation says more than half of all consumers typically plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day. In 2025, $27.5 billion was spent on the holiday, with consumers continuing to prioritize gifting those closest to them. The NRF reports the top gift categories for Valentine’s Day are candy, flowers, greeting cards, an evening out, and jewelry.
Here’s how to make these gifts more thoughtful and endearing.
Candy
Gift givers can select candy that is preferable to their loved one instead of choosing the first box of chocolate they find at the store. Perhaps the person you love likes confections from a boutique candy shop a few towns over or has a hankering for candy from overseas? Mexico, for example, is known for its Dulce de Leche, while Halva is a dense, sweet treat from the Middle East. Choosing a special candy really sets the gift apart.
Flowers
Flowers are special gifts. Too often, people feel pressured to buy roses on Valentine’s Day, even if this might not be a special someone’s preferred flower. Choose, instead, a flower that
than one picked up at the store, particularly since the former can be customized to the recipient. Include personalized sentiments, inside jokes or memories of time spent together. Craft and hobby stores offer plenty of supplies for paper crafting, so it’s possible to create a lovely greeting card with minimal effort.
A night out
A night out can be tailored to the interests of the couple celebrating. Book a dinner at a restaurant that was the scene of your first date; otherwise, stay in and watch a movie you each love.
Jewelry
has particular meaning to the person or one that is known to be a favorite. Aster and Baby’s Breath are two blooms known for being symbols of love, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Greeting cards
A handmade card may express warmer sentiments
Jewelry is a very personal gift. While it may seem like a great idea to surprise a special someone with a bracelet or earrings, if the style is off or the color wrong, the piece may not be worn. Rather, the surprise can be a trip to the jewelry store together to pick out something recipients wear all the time.
Gifts that fit the interests, personality and memories of a couple can be especially meaningful on Valentine’s Day.
A Beginner’s Guide To Figure Skating
Figure skating is both an athletic and artistic pursuit. Figure skaters often begin training at very young ages and undergo intense sessions if they have goals to skate competitively. However, the majority of people who take to the ice during the holiday season or when local rinks have open skate sessions probably do not aspire to compete in national competitions or the Olympics. Such individuals enjoy the physical workout and want to learn to skate better.
It’s never too late to learn how to skate. These guidelines can help the process for beginners.
• Start with realistic expectations. Your first time out on the ice might not be your finest hour of skating. Although some people are “naturals,” learning to balance on two thin blades on a very slick surface takes practice. Go slowly and expect that you will fall several times. Increase your confidence in small increments.
• Build up your core. According to former professional figure skater
Cleo McGee, ice skating is a sport that requires a lot of core strength. Enroll in a pilates or yoga class or another corestrengthening activity, which can help you once you’re on the ice.
• Consider a figure skating club. Aspiring skaters in the United States can find places (and often coaches) with whom to train through the U.S. Figure Skating body. Search for a club near you online. Canadians are encouraged to learn through the CanSkate program.
• Get the right equipment. Beginner skaters may be tempted to rent skates, and that is fine for the first time out on the ice. However, if you commit to figure skating, it’s best to purchase skates that fit you well. Used skate blades may be dull and not as well-maintained. Also, invest in hip pads, padded shorts and knee pads to protect areas of the body when falls inevitably happen.
• Avoid blisters and cold hands. Wear gloves and two pairs of socks to protect your extremities.
It’s cold on the ice, particularly when skating outdoors.
• Hit the rink at the right time. Learning to skate with dozens of harried skaters zooming around you can induce anxiety. If possible, try to visit the rink when it is relatively empty and the ice has been freshly prepped. Trying to glide when there is a lot of ice shavings and people can prove challenging.
• Take some lessons. Learning the right
technique is key, and the U.S. Figure Skating Association recommends working with a trained coach. These early lessons will help you learn basics like skating on two feet, stopping, performing dips, getting up from falls, and eventually spins and jumps, if desired. Learning proper skills from the start can move progress along and help prevent injuries.
With a little patience, bravery and training, beginners can get started on their figure skating journeys.
Treat Your Valentine To Gluten-Free Sweets
Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to lavish love and attention on a special person in your life. Exchanging gifts, enjoying dinner out, and snuggling with your sweetheart are commonplace on this mid-February holiday devoted to love. It is equally common to enjoy a sweet dessert to cap off this romantic day. Food allergies and intolerances do not take a holiday when Valentine’s Day rolls around. For those who live gluten-free, finding a dessert that suits their diet might prove a tad challenging. Luckily, it is relatively easy to whip up a gluten-free dessert and ensure that Valentine’s treats can be enjoyed by all. This recipe for “Snickerdoodles” from “Cozy Kitchen AllergyFriendly Cooking” (Umbrella Sky) by Jeanette Smerina is gluten, soy, and dairy-free, but certainly not free of delicious flavor. What’s fun about these cookies is that cooks can use colored sugar to customize them for any occasion. Use red and pink for Valentine's Day.
Snickerdoodles
Makes 25 to 30
2 1⁄2 cups gluten-free flour, 1-1 blend
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup olive oil
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons almond milk
For rolling and coating:
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar (or colored sugar)
2 tablespoons cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low just to combine.
2. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until thickened.
3. Add the egg and sugar mixture to the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Then add the almond milk and blend once more.
4. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or more. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or use silicone baking mats.
5. In a shallow bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Scoop small balls of the cookie dough (about an inch in diameter) and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place each ball 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Repeat until all dough is used. The cookies will puff and enlarge while cooking.
6. Press down slightly on all cookie balls to flatten a bit. Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges of cookies are looking set up.
7. Cool cookies on racks. Store in covered containers for up to one week.
Score The Best Deals This Presidents’ Day
Februaryis packed with meaningful events and holidays. From Groundhog Day to Black History Month to Valentine’s Day, there are plenty of significant events on the calendar in the second month of the year. Presidents’ Day is one such event. Presidents’ Day was initially established to honor the nation’s first president, George Washington. In fact, according to the United States Government, Presidents’ Day is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code governing holidays for federal employees. Washington’s Birthday was celebrated on February 22.
After the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was passed, Washington’s Birthday was combined with the celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (February 12) to commemorate these two iconic figures in American history. The day also has become a way to promote retail sales during a historically slow time of year for retailers. As a result, the holiday
is now celebrated each year on the third Monday of the month, and is now called Presidents’ Day. It also now pays homage to all American presidents. Presidents’ Day is an ideal time to get great deals on any number of items, as many key products tend to go on sale this time of year.
• Furniture: Furniture discounts peak in January and during the three-day Presidents’ Day holiday. This is prime time to grab a new sofa, dining set or any other pieces of furniture needed for the home.
Year Of The Fire Horse
TheLunar New Year, commonly referred to as the Chinese New Year, highlights Chinese astronomical animals and elements. With 12 signs and five elements, certain combinations only arrive once every 60 years. In 2026, celebrants will recognize the Fire Horse with celebrations that begin on February 17.
Chinese astrology assigns a year with one of the 12 zodiac animals paired with one of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, or earth. As these elements complement and clash, it is believed they promote order, harmony and balance in the natural world.
The Chinese lunisolar calendar is based on a sexagenary (60-year) cycle of “ganzhi,” which means “stems and branches.” Although the last Year of the Horse was in 2014, that was a Wood Horse. We haven’t seen a Fire Horse since 1966. The combination of fire and horse can bring about certain effects.
According to Sino-cultural, the horse has earned a distinguished place in the Chinese Zodiac through legendary speed and unwavering endurance. Horses were indispensable in ancient Chinese society and representative of power, nobility and ambition. China Highlights says
• Large appliances: Appliances also are on sale this time of year. Buyers can get discounts on new refrigerators, washing machines or even stoves.
• Home goods: Rounding out the list of deals for home goods, bed linens, towels and kitchenware are often available at steep discounts around Presidents’ Day.
• Winter clothing: Retailers already have started putting out their spring lines and items as they plan ahead for warmer weather. Grab heavily discounted winter gear, especially coats and boots, before it’s all gone.
• Mattresses: Presidents’ Day weekend is an excellent opportunity to try out various mattresses and replace old ones with more comfortable models, according to Consumer Reports.
• Tech: Shoppers may be able to snag discounts on items like televisions, accessories to use with cell phones, computers, and more.
Chinese astrology asserts that personality and luck are determined by both zodiac sign and 12-year cycle element. The fire element provides warmth, enthusiasm, connection, and creativity.
For the Fire Horse, the element modifies the animal’s trait. Fire Horses are said to be strongwilled, proactive and lively. They can handle various problems simultaneously and they thrive on challenges, succeeding in the face of adversity. According to myNEWS, The Year of the Fire Horse is expected to be full of breakthroughs, rapid changes and innovations. People are encouraged to chase their dreams this
year as many opportunities await. A Fire Horse allegedly burns everything to rebuild, so the year could be tumultuous in the name of progress.
Celebrating the Lunar New Year will be even more exciting with the vibrant and change-inducing Fire Horse.
