The holiday shopping rush is almost over. The children are preparing to play with the goodies Santa will leave during his annual visit.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s will be a time for more holiday fun as children are on break from school and many parents have time off from work. This time at home together is priceless and many great memories will be made. But if your family happens to get a case of cabin fever, why not get out of the house for a while and view the “Beyond the Log Cabin” exhibit at the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center. Catch Abraham Lincoln before he leaves town at the end of February.

You can also remember Christmases past with our “Toys of Yesteryear” exhibit on the mezzanine level of the museum. Little ones will love our “Toddler Terminal” in the Discovery Center. Our Country Music Heritage Hall and the “Music Quilt” always steal the show.

Wednesday brought our first “Eve before Christmas Eve” celebration. Children of all ages learned about Christmas and holiday traditions from across the globe. Four remarkable exchange students from the Center for Cultural Interchange taught the children about holiday customs from Sweden, Brazil, Taiwan and South Korea. They were also treated to cookies and cocoa and a special interactive reading of the “Polar Express” at our “Music Quilt.”

A good time was had by all, and several mothers were happy to complete their last-minute shopping knowing that their children were cared for in a safe, educational and fun environment. We hope to make the “Eve Before Christmas Eve” an annual event at the Highlands.

Stay tuned because plans are under way for next year for an international holiday exhibit inspired by the students from CCI and a wonderful lady by the name of Pat Sazy.

As 2009 draws to a close and we ring in 2010, we look forward to an exciting year at the Highlands. The first months of 2010 promise to be full of energy and excitement. Coming soon to the Discovery Center will be a grand, new interactive weather center, complete with the “green screen” used by meteorologists on television.

February will bring our Black History Month celebration. Please join us for a special African-American quilt exhibit that will be featured in conjunction with “Beyond the Log Cabin.” This magnificent exhibit of quilts is brought to the Highlands from Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi, a world- renowned quilt artist and founder of the Women of Color Quilters Network. It is titled “Abraham Lincoln: The Emancipation and the African-American Experience.” You won’t want to miss this terrific exhibit. Mazloomi has commissioned quilt artist Carolyn Crump to create a fabulous quilt specifically for our exhibit. You will definitely be moved when you see this amazing work of art. The exhibit will open First Friday on Feb. 5.

It’s not too early to be making New Year’s resolutions. What will your resolutions be? Here at the Highlands our New Year’s resolution is to make sure everyone in the area is well informed of the wonderful things happening here.

We graciously extend an invitation to each and every one of you. If you haven’t stopped in for a while, we’d love to see you, and if you’ve never been here, now is the time. The Highlands belongs to us all, and as always, there is always something new to discover.

Our best wishes to you for a happy and healthy 2110.

LEIGH ANN HEINEMAN is executive director of the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center.