Often during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, Hoptown Chronicle is fortunate to publish personal stories and families recipes from some of our devoted readers who happen to be wonderful storytellers.
You might recall the tremendous response we had with last year’s “Tales from the Thanksgiving Table.” The series featured stories and recipes that helped illuminate the Thanksgiving traditions of local families.
And in 2019, for our first holiday as a nonprofit newsroom in Hopkinsville, we published the “Advent Storytellers.” Local contributors shared memories of family, friends, community and faith at Christmastime. This was followed by “Christmas Quartet” in 2020.
This year we have two ideas for readers who want to join the 2025 holiday collaboration with Hoptown Chronicle.
First, we’re seeking your best family recipes for “The Dessert Table.” If you have an tried-and-true recipe for cookies, a cake, a pie, or anything that satisfies a sweet tooth — and you can tie it to a family story — please send it our way. The story doesn’t have to be long. We just want to know a little something about how your special dessert came to be a family favorite or where it originated. And don’t forget to list all the ingredients and instructions to make the sweet.
For the second request, we’re looking for “Holiday Humor” — stories about lighthearted and funny experiences tied to Thanksgiving or Christmas. Think holiday hijinks, pranks, unexpected visitors, Griswold trees and meal mishaps. Make us laugh. Make us cry (tears of joy). Ideally, your story will be 500 to 750 words.
We’re always delighted to receive photos that complement a story — but if you don’t have an image in mind, we’ll help.
Send your stories for “The Dessert Table” or “Holiday Humor” to editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Please include a phone number.
We can’t wait to see what y’all have to share.
As always, thank you for your interest in Hoptown Chronicle and the community we’re building among our readers.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
