5 Events to Mark on the November Calendar in Bloomfield

November is here, and though Thanksgiving gets the majority of attention, there's still plenty happening in Bloomfield before the annual celebration. Here are some highlights:

BHHS Blood Drive

The time to make a difference by donating blood is now. Visit Bloomfield Hills High School throughout the day today and donate for the American Red Cross. Appointments between 8 a.m. - 1:45 p.m. are available by contacting Jessica Lupone at jlupone@bloomfield.org; Natalie Langnas  at nlangnas@gmail.com; or Ameen Khaleel at ameenks@gmail.com. Contact Beth Sinclair at tbsinclair21@gmail.com or Tressa Mucci at tsmucci@comcast.net for appointments between 2 p.m. - 7:45 p.m. Donations will support Muslims for Life, a national campaign that collects units of blood to honor victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. 

Big Book Sale

The Friends of the Bloomfield Township Public Library will host their annual Big Book Sale from Nov. 9-10. Saturday's book sale begins at 9:30 a.m., with the first hour reserved for Friends members. Sunday's closeout sale starts at noon, and instead of big bags, all adult books are 25 cents and children’s books are only 10 cents.

'A Season For Elegance' at Cranbrook

The annual fund-raiser for the benefit Cranbrook House and Gardens Auxiliary will again feature decadent holiday tables and cheer for a patron reception at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. General admission days follow from 10-a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 22 and 23; and from noon to 4 p.m. on Nov. 24. Visit the Cranbrook House and Gardens Auxiliary website for more information.

Family-Hour Preview

Get a preview of the 2013 Gingerbread Brunch hosted by Preservation Bloomfield and support the organization's annual fund-raiser at 5 p.m. Nov. 21 at Oakland Hills Country Club. Craft stations, a family photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a Lego station are planned. And get a sneak peek at the fantastically festive gingerbread houses created and donated by local pastry chefs.

Small Business Saturday

The annual push from local retailers to promote local shopping during the busiest retail days of the year returns as this year's Small Business Saturday falls on Saturday, Nov. 30.