Getting into the Christmas Spirit Year Round

My Merry Christmas
Image: mymerrychristmas.com

Getting into the Christmas spirit is easy when December nears. The weather starts to get cold, Christmas songs play on the radio, and decorations start appearing. In some cities, holiday-themed carnivals, such as Brian Shechtman’s Miami-based Santa’s Enchanted Forest, even come to town. Brian Shechtman’s guests enjoy a three-million-light display and over 100 attractions, rides, shows, and games to get them into the Christmas mood.

For those who really enjoy Christmas, there are activities that can give you the Christmas feeling year round. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Visit a Year-Round Christmas Town
Some towns have year-round Christmas attractions. North Pole, Alaska, tops the list. Here visitors can go to Santa’s Workshop, check the reindeer at Santa Claus’ House, and drive down Snowman Lane. Even though it’s not where the real North Pole is located, thousands of letters to Santa get sent there anyway.

2. Listen to Kringle Radio
Kringle Radio streams commercial-free Christmas music all day, all year long.

3. Join a Year-Round Christmas Online Community
Believe it or not, year-round Christmas enthusiasts exist. Sites such as www.mymerrychristmas.com share Christmas news, features, and podcasts throughout the year. It even holds events such as Christmas writing contests and tree ornament exchanges.

The Amigos for Kids’ Annual Blue Ribbon Campaign

Amigos for Kids’ Annual Blue Ribbon Campaign
Image: amigosforkids.org

Miami-based entrepreneur Brian Shechtman owns and operates Santa’s Enchanted Forest, the largest holiday theme park in the world. Since founding Santa’s Enchanted Forest, Brian Shechtman has opened the park to numerous local charitable organizations, including Amigos for Kids.

In pursuit of its mission to prevent child abuse, Amigos for Kids oversees a variety of programs and activities to help parents and families create nurturing home environments. The nonprofit group also conducts a number of advocacy events to raise community awareness about the effects of child abuse.

Every April since 2004, Amigos for Kids has observed National Child Abuse Prevention Month through its Blue Ribbon Campaign, which is coordinated with the help of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, political leaders, and community organizations. In partnership with these groups and individuals, Amigos holds a series of informative events each April in communities throughout South Florida.

The group invites community members to participate by wearing the There’s NO excuse for child abuse! blue ribbon pin, which can be acquired by making a monetary donation through the Amigos website. While there, interested parties also can print promotional ads for the campaign in English, Spanish, and Creole. For more information, visit http://www.amigosforkids.org.

Concussion Safety and Proper Tackling in Youth Football

A longtime marketing professional and the current owner of Santa’s Enchanted Forest in Miami, Brian Shechtman works closely with a number of vendors and charitable organizations throughout the region. Brian Shechtman also serves as a volunteer football coach at the University School of Nova Southeastern University in nearby Davie, Florida, where he teaches his players about the importance of concussion prevention.

In youth football, perhaps no topic has received more attention in recent years than concussion safety. To help players avoid unsafe practices, youth football coaches often begin by highlighting the importance of proper tackling technique. Instead of using the helmet as the “tip of a spear,” common practice for many beginning football players, players learn to keep their feet and engage with the shoulder, all while driving their feet through the tackle. Not only does this technique reduce the impact to the head of the tackler, but it also increases the likelihood of bringing the ball carrier to the ground. When it comes to safety and effectiveness, teaching proper tackling technique is a win-win.

Kick Off the Holiday Season at Santa’s Enchanted Forest

Brian Shechtman is the owner of Santa’s Enchanted Forest, a prominent holiday theme park and carnival located in Miami, Florida. Under the leadership of Brian Shechtman, Santa’s Enchanted Forest has grown to include more than 100 games, shows, rides, and attractions.

Santa’s Enchanted Forest features a diverse array of holiday attractions, including life-size handcrafted holiday displays and a Christmas light show spectacular. Families can participate in interactive events such as face painting, pony rides, and photos with Santa. For the more adventurous, Santa’s Enchanted Forest offers up attractions such as a bungee jump station and climbing wall.

Through January 3, 2016, from 5 p.m. to midnight, visitors of all ages have the opportunity to experience fun and exciting rides, from a merry-go-round and Ferris wheel to the thrilling Mega Drop and Space Roller rides. Santa’s Enchanted Forest also hosts a wide variety of shows, such as the Bengal Tiger Encounter and the Dale Scott Magic Show.

To learn more about Santa’s Enchanted Forest, visit the website at http://www.santasenchantedforest.com.

Santa’s Enchanted Forest Partners with Dwyane Wade

Brian Shechtman’s leadership of his company, Santa’s Enchanted Forest, includes not only finding attractions for his Miami theme park but inviting nonprofit agencies to join in the festivities as well. For example, Brian Shechtman has associated himself with the Wade’s World Foundation (WWF) for several years.

Founded by star guard Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat, WWF’s mission is to support efforts to improve the health and literacy of underserved children, whether through other agencies or the foundation itself. Since 2007, WWF has raised $3.2 million to aid youth in Chicago, Milwaukee, and South Florida.

Reflecting the foundation’s core values, the Live to Dream program encourages young people to engage in service projects in their communities. After the completion of these projects, they become eligible for seats at a Miami Heat home game during the regular season.

Project participants must document their activities photographically and answer questions about the reasons for choosing the project, the impact it made on the community, and what they learned from it.

Visiting Santa’s Enchanted Forest: What to Expect

A former football coach volunteer, Brian Shechtman spends his days working with charities through his company, Santa’s Enchanted Forest. A seasonal theme park, Santa’s Enchanted Forest provides the public with spirited holiday activities which are organized and improved each year by Brian Shechtman.

Located in Miami, Florida, Santa’s Enchanted Forest was founded 32 years ago. It is noted for more than 100 rides and attractions and maintains its status as the world’s largest holiday theme park and carnival. The park opens at the end of October and operates through the beginning of January. Guests enjoy evenings filled with thrill rides, holiday music, millions of twinkling lights, and interactive activities such as bungee jumping and mechanical bull riding. The park also coordinates a schedule of shows to delight visitors, like Cirque Equinox and Sea Lion Splash Spectacular. In 2014, a Frisbee Dog Show was added to the list of 10 productions.

Known to attract celebrities like NBA basketball player Dwyane Wade and actress Gabrielle Union, Santa’s Enchanted Forest offers single-day and express passes. Those looking to visit the park numerous times throughout the season may benefit from regular season passes, which start at $41.12 as of 2014. Children two and under may enjoy the holiday theme park for free.

Special Deals at Santa’s Enchanted Forest

Brian Shechtman owns and operates Santa’s Enchanted Forest in Miami, Florida. Throughout the year, Brian Shechtman strives to bring the top rides and attractions to his business, ensuring that it remains the world’s largest Christmas-themed park.

Open throughout the holiday season, Santa’s Enchanted Forest offers fun for all ages. Children under 10 and seniors 65 and over receive a discount off of the standard base price for both single-day and season passes, while children 2 and under can enter for free. In addition, subscribers to the park’s newsletter may be eligible to win a family four-pack of tickets as part of a seasonal giveaway.

Season passes cover unlimited visits throughout the season with no date restrictions at a price less than two standard day passes. Visitors may combine a season pass or a day ticket with an add-on express pass, which allows visitors to skip the lines for rides. As an added benefit for season pass holders, express cards are available online and inside the park.

Tips for Coaching Middle School Football

A business owner based in Miami, Florida, Brian Shechtman has contributed to his community as a volunteer football coach at a local school. At the University School of Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida, Brian Shechtman coached the sixth-grade team to a 2010 Tri-County Championship win.

The coach of a sixth-grade football team has many factors to consider. Players at this level are still children whose self-esteem and sense of talent are developing. For this reason, experienced coaches stress the importance of motivation and patience. In addition, coaches must be able to treat their players with respect and encouragement and be willing to praise them for their effort.

Coaches also need to be aware of the way they behave when players make mistakes or play poorly. This involves modeling a positive attitude. Children need to know that they can learn from their mistakes and move forward without negative feelings. This attitude also translates into showing players how to win and lose graciously, as well as how to treat players on both teams with fairness.

When players require constructive criticism, coaches need to remember that children at this age are vulnerable to the opinions of their peers. Coaches can praise publicly, but should correct privately. When making use of this philosophy, skill building becomes a group activity, as all players participate in running, tackling, and tactical drills.

Wade’s World Foundation Promotes Youth Education

Brian Shechtman owns and operates the world’s largest Christmas-based theme park, Santa’s Enchanted Forest. Over the years, Brian Shechtman has invited a number of charities to visit his park, including Wade’s World Foundation, a nonprofit that operates a number of outreach programs in the underserved communities of Chicago, Milwaukee, and south Florida.

Especially committed to youth education, Wade’s World Foundation (WWF) has developed several initiatives focused on improving the literacy of elementary and middle school students. In Chicago, WWF works closely with a local after-school program to help children living in inner-city communities build the reading skills needed to be academically successful.

In addition, WWF developed the Reading Playoffs, a literacy-based program designed to help students overcome their difficulties with reading. Structured like a sports tournament, Reading Playoffs challenges teams of students to a fun and educational book battle. The competition exposes children to a variety of books and helps improve their comprehension skills.

I Have a Dream Foundation Helps Miami Students Succeed

Since 1983, Brian Shechtman has owned and operated Santa’s Enchanted Forest Christmas theme park in Miami, Florida. With more than 100 rides, shows, and attractions, the park also features the largest Christmas tree in South Florida and millions of holiday lights. Brian Shechtman welcomes many charitable organizations to the park each year, one of which is the I Have a Dream Foundation, a group that provides academic and social support to students from low-income areas. It is one of his favorite charities.

Founded in 1981 in New York City, the I Have a Dream Foundation supports students nationwide through a number of local chapters. The I Have a Dream Foundation of Miami, for example, originally adopted 97 students from the second grade class at Charles R. Drew School in Liberty City. By providing academic support, as well as cultural and recreational activities throughout the students’ elementary, middle, and high school careers, the program helped 95 of its Dreamers reach 12th grade. In 2005, a total of 83 of the students graduated high school. Furthermore, 60 went on to university education, and have either graduated from, or are currently attending, institutes of higher learning.