Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Do you have items you no longer need? A number of holiday collections are underway and items can be easily donated at one location. Find out more!
Are you buying a new winter jacket? Do you have holiday lights that no longer work? Did your kids get duplicate toys this year? Did Santa bring you a new cell phone? If you have items you’d like to toss but aren’t sure what to do with them, a number of collections are taking place in Montgomery County and items can be dropped off right at the Salvation Army at 18705 North Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg, MD. You can also drop off items at Goodwill of Greater Washington at 619 South Frederick Avenue in Gaithersburg or 4816 Boiling Brook Parkway in Rockville. Have any unwrapped, unused toys? They can be donated to Toys for Tots in 2013. If you have coats you no longer need, donations are being collected through many local churches. Cell …
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
How much will we spend this year? And what's the best-selling Christmas song of all time? Find the answers below.
We know that there were three Wise Men, 12 days of Christmas and that Santa delivers all his presents around the world in one night. But did you know some of these numbers? $23,439.38 How much it would cost to buy your "true love" all the gifts in the 12 Day of Christmas . 12.9 billion hours, $447 billion How many hours Americans were expected to spend shopping, wrapping and returning gifts last year. That was about 42 hours and $688.87 per person. Get your postman/postwoman a gift According to Hallmark, Christmas is the largest card-sending occasion . Nearly 1.5 billion cards are sent to friends and family every Christmas Season. (That's actually down 400 million cards since 2004.) $983 million The value of U.S. imports of Christmas …
Monday, December 24, 2012
How much will we spend this year? And what's the best-selling Christmas song of all time? Find the answers below.
We know that there were three wise men, 12 days of Christmas and that Santa delivers all his presents around the world in one night. But did you know... $23,439.38 How much it would cost to buy your "true love" all the gifts in the 12 Days of Christmas. 12.9 billion hours, $447 billion How many hours Americans were expected to spend shopping, wrapping and returning gifts last year. That was about 42 hours and $688.87 per person. Get your postman/postwoman a gift According to Hallmark, Christmas is the largest card-sending occasion. Nearly 1.5 billion cards are sent to friends and family every Christmas Season. (That's actually down 400 million cards since 2004.) $983 million The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from …
Did you forget an ingredient for your holiday meal? Check our guide before you head to the store.
It's 3 p.m. on Christmas Day: The ham is cooking, potatoes are boiling, cookies are baking and the rolls are...OH, NO—YOU FORGOT THE ROLLS! Before you send your significant other to the store, check out our handy guide to which grocery stores are open and until what time. Giant Food Christmas Eve: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Christmas Day: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Safeway Most stores are open Christmas Eve, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Christmas Day, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check your local store’s hours here. Trader Joe’s Christmas Eve: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Christmas Day. Harris Teeter Christmas Eve: Open until 7 p.m. Christmas Day: Closed. Food Lion Christmas Eve: Open from 7 a.m.to 6 p.m. Closed Christmas Day. MOM’s Organic Market Christmas …
Sunday, December 23, 2012
The North American Aerospace Defense Command has a website that offers a Santa tracker mobile app to follow the jolly man's magical flight.
They sent him their wish lists, sat on his lap and left cookies and milk for his arrival. Now the only thing left for children to do is track Santa's progress as he delivers gifts around the world on Christmas Eve. Thanks to the folks behind the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) website, families worldwide can follow Santa's Christmas journey in real time. The tradition started in 1955 after an advertisement for Sears Roebuck & Co. misprinted a telephone number for a special "Santa hotline." Instead of reaching Kris Kringle, the number put kids through to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Commander-in-Chief’s operations, according to a description on the NORAD Tracks Santa Facebook page, which has more than one …
Your guide to movies premiering between now and New Year’s Day.
- HOLIDAY GUIDE
- Ben Gross
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Sunday, December 23, 2012
With many offices closed between Christmas and New Year’s Day and the kids out of school, going to the movies tends to be one of the more popular holiday-season events, and Hollywood is unleashing some serious star power to end 2012 and welcome 2013. Patch has put together this handy guide to all of the great year-end movie releases: Friday, December 21, 2012 Movie: The Impossible Stars: Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor What it’s about: The main stars play a couple vacationing in Thailand with their three sons who get caught in the 2004 tsunami. Rating: PG-13 -- Movie: Jack Reacher Stars: Tom Cruise and Robert Duvall What it’s about: Cruise plays the role of Jack Reacher (the hero of many Lee Child books) as a former military investigator …
Your guide to stores open late on Christmas Eve.
- HOLIDAY GUIDE
- Ben Gross
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Sunday, December 23, 2012
Did you forget to buy a bauble for Aunt Barbara? Leave Cousin Larry off the gift list? Neglect to be nice to your neighbor? Never fear, Patch is here with your guide to which stores are open nearby to grab that last-minute gift. Malls Westfield Montgomery - Christmas Eve: 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Christmas Day: closed Westfield Wheaton - Christmas Eve: 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Christmas Day: closed Mall at Prince George’s - Christmas Eve: 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Christmas Day: closed Mall in Columbia - Christmas Eve: 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Christmas Day: closed Lakeforest Mall - Christmas Eve: 7:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Christmas Day: closed Best Buy Christmas Eve: 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Christmas Day: closed Kohl’s Most stores are open on Christmas Eve: 6:…
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Need a quick holiday cookie recipe? Make one of these for your parties this season.
One of the most important holiday questions to ask yourself is: What kind of cookies will you be baking for your get-togethers? From sweet to savory, holiday cookies come in all shapes and sizes. And what’s better than to top off a tray of cookies than a glass of homemade eggnog? You can also check out myrecipes.com to learn how to host a successful cookie swap and view more holiday cookie recipes. Eggnog In a saucepan over low heat combine milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cinnamon stick and clove. Bring to a slow boil (this will take between 5-7 minutes). Once the milk mixture starts to boil remove from heat and leave cinnamon stick in for a couple of minutes, then remove. Put egg yolks and sugar into a bowl. Using a hand held mixer, mix …
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
A look at a fun and time-honored tradition of decorating holiday cookies for family gatherings or holiday parties.
One of my favorite childhood holiday traditions is decorating cookies; the possibilities were endless. In the world of holiday cookies, you could have a purple reindeer with an orange Reese's Piece nose to guide Santa's sleigh. You could have a blue Christmas tree with red hots and chocolate chips for lights. In the imaginative world of the holiday cookie, anything is possible. Here are some to remember when decorating holiday cookies either at a party with friends or at home with family. If you choose to decorate your cookies before baking them, use decorations that are able to withstand the heat of baking. This includes nuts, dried fruits, colored/natural sugars and sprinkles. If you choose to decorate your cookies after baking them, …
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Five quick tips for keeping toys safe for kids.
As the countdown to Christmas Day continues and parents rush out to get their children gifts this season, safety tops the list for one expert. Local Voice’s blogger Anna Schmitt from the American Academy of Ophthalmology advises parents to keep in mind their kids' eye safety. Schmitt says toys such as airsoft guns, bb guns and paintball guns can be particularly hazardous. Read more: Keep Eye Safety in Mind When Choosing Gifts this Holiday Season. Join Patch’s Local Voices! We want to provide a platform for your message. Email Tamika Smith, the Community Manager for Montgomery County, at Tamika@Patch.com to sign up.
