In this Cary Spotlight Issue…

💭Spotlight Hook Trivia

☀️ Cary NC Weather

❤️ Fall in Love with the Small Town Charm of Cary at Christmas Time!

✈️RDU Unveils Key Strategies for Stress-Free Holiday Travel

🚢 Celebrity Beyond: Where Luxury Cruising Meets Vegas Glamour

🎄Do They Know It’s Christmas: Kenya

😋Tasty Trend: Homemade Krispy Kremes

🏛️ Support Cary Local Businesses

Question: Which of the following facts about Cary, North Carolina, is NOT true?

A) Cary was the site of North Carolina's first state-funded public high school.

B) Over two-thirds of Cary adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

C) Cary is the birthplace of the famous jazz musician John Coltrane.

(Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.)

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Fall in Love with the Small Town Charm of Cary at Christmas Time!

Credit: Stephanie Acevedo-Newbold: “ Here’s a video my dad took yesterday. It made me fall in love with the small town charm of Cary! I hope you enjoy!”

Brenda Gunnell (Cary Spotlight Newsletter Subscriber) wrote, “It's been 32 years for my family living in Cary. We are locals not natives. We could not have chosen a better place to live! It's a great place to live!!”

RDU Unveils Key Strategies for Stress-Free Holiday Travel

As the holiday season approaches, Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is committed to ensuring a smooth and stress-free travel experience for all its passengers. With an anticipated surge in travel, RDU has released a series of strategic tips designed to streamline the airport journey. From parking to picking up passengers, these guidelines aim to enhance efficiency and reduce the common hassles associated with holiday travel.

Simple Travel Tips:

Pre-Book Parking: Secure a spot in advance through parkrdu.com to guarantee your desired location.

Utilize ParkRDU Express: Take advantage of the additional 1,000 spaces and trunk-to-terminal services for convenient access.

Download Airline Apps: Stay updated with real-time flight information and changes via your airline’s mobile app.

Arrive Early: Plan to arrive two hours before domestic flights and three hours prior to international ones to ensure ample time for all procedures.

Prepare for TSA: Familiarize yourself with TSA regulations and consider expedited screening options like TSA PreCheck and CLEAR.

Use the Cell Lot: For pickups, wait in the free designated area until your party is ready at the curb, helping to reduce congestion.  Read Full Story

Do They Know It’s Christmas: Kenya

Three decades after "Do They Know It's Christmas?" first mobilized a global audience to address the Ethiopian famine, "Band Aid 30" emerged in 2014 to combat West Africa's Ebola crisis with the same ethos.

This revival, spearheaded once again by Bob Geldof, sought to harness the unifying power of music to drive humanitarian aid, bringing together a new generation of artists to renew the song's message of global solidarity. While the original Band Aid set a precedent for celebrity-driven charity, catalyzing a wave of global initiatives, its 2014 counterpart aimed to adapt this legacy to resonate with contemporary audiences and challenges, showcasing music's enduring ability to galvanize action and empathy across borders.

The impact of both Band Aid initiatives extended beyond their considerable fundraising achievements, sparking a broader dialogue about the nature and portrayal of international aid and the role of celebrities in these efforts. While critics and supporters alike debated the effectiveness and ethics of such campaigns, the ongoing legacy of Band Aid is its testament to the power of music as a force for global awareness and change.

In uniting people from disparate backgrounds and cultures, both versions of the song remind us of our shared responsibility to respond to worldwide crises, highlighting the profound capacity of art to move, inspire, and mobilize communities towards collective action.

So, with that let’s explore the question today, “Do they know it’s Christmas in Kenya?” Short answer: Yes.

Kenyan Christmas: A Tapestry of Family, Faith, and Festive Feasts

In Kenya, Christmas is a cherished time for family reunions, often the only annual gathering for many. People journey from urban areas to ancestral villages, transforming cities and towns with festive decorations like colorful balloons and greenery.

Uniquely, Kenyan Santas might arrive in anything from Land-rovers to camels. Midnight church services are central to celebrations, featuring hymns and nativity plays, followed by all-night festivities. The feast, 'nyama choma,' includes barbecue and homemade beer, while gifts, typically modest, sometimes come from missionaries. The merriment extends into Boxing Day, emphasizing community and relaxation. 
Read about Christmas in other cultures

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Celebrity Beyond: Where Luxury Cruising Meets Vegas Glamour

Celebrity Beyond redefines luxury cruising with its Vegas-like ambiance, showcasing features like a Swarovski crystal peacock and the Magic Carpet platform.

The ship's interiors are a testament to luxury and innovation, with spaces like the Eden and a corridor of bronze sculptures. Culinary delights are provided by Daniel Boulud’s restaurant, Le Voyage.

The ship's distinction is further solidified by Captain Kate McCue, the first American woman to captain a cruise ship. Despite a short itinerary, Celebrity Beyond promises an unrivaled spectacle of luxury and entertainment with sailings starting at $300 per person.

Feel free to visit their website for current cruise dates and destinations for more information and the ships amenities and reviews.

😋😋Click here for the recipe