What a fun year it has been! 2019 was filled with milestone birthday celebrations, both for me and for RFM, the launch of a new RFM annual Education Expo, plus a new addition to the Thompson family, in the form of a fluffy little puppy named Charlie. I’m pooped, but exhilarated as I reflect on the year that was and what lies ahead.
I was on a mission in 2019 to see more people in person instead of relying on social media to be my sole way of staying in touch, so it was nice to have reasons to bring people out to celebrate. And as it turns out, the opportunity to connect face-to-face was welcome by many, and it was clear that now more than ever, we all crave the sort of conversation and camaraderie that can’t be found through screens. I’m looking forward to continuing to bring people together in person in 2020, for no reason other than the chance to sit and visit. I hope to see you out and about at some of the events we host and sponsor, so be sure to keep in touch with us in the new year, in print, online, and through the RFM eNews to get the scoop on where we’ll be and when.
The RFM calendar (beginning on page 48) is filled with festive ways to connect with one another in person this month, and I have filled our family calendar with lots of events I discovered as I read through this issue. We’ll have some family firsts this season, like Pet Photos with Santa at Willow Lawn! And it will be so fun to ice skate outdoors at the Children’s Museum’s downtown location for the first time ever. I was so excited to hear they were adding skating to their holiday lineup of cool family things to do (they also have the Diggity Dudes playing at their New Year’s Eve Bash – yay!).
Depending on when you’re reading this, you may be knee-deep in either shopping lists or wrapping paper. The entire RFM team agrees that giving the gift of family membership to one of RVA’s many wonderful museums makes for a truly wonderful gift that keeps on giving for a whole year. Whether it’s the Children’s Museum, VMFA, the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, the Science Museum of Virginia, or one of the many other museums in town, you can’t go wrong with the gift of membership. Most have special members-only perks, like gift shop discounts, special member-only nights, and free admission to sister museums across the country. Through December 20, use code STEM20 at smv.org/stem to save 20% on a Supernova membership at the Science Museum of Virginia, so get shopping and saving!
And here’s one more gift suggestion: Give your loved ones, friends, neighbors, teachers, and even yourself the gift of an RFM subscription! It’s just $10 a year when you subscribe for three years, and you’ll love knowing that you’ll never have to remember to pick up your copy when you’re out and about – it will show up right in your mailbox! Subscribe on our website at the top of the homepage.
From all of us to you and your family, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!
