Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Share these tips with your family and friends to keep man’s bestfriend safe.
This holiday season is almost over, and as you toss plants and holiday decorations away make sure to keep the family pet in mind. Five Quick Tips: Read more: 20 Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe 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.
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
Christmas carols can bring holiday cheer to the season (and evoke other emotions, as well). Here are a few favorites.
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Monday, December 24, 2012
What's your favorite holiday song or carol? Tell us in the comments or upload the YouTube video to this post so others can enjoy!
Friday, December 21, 2012
Planetary nebula called NGC 5189 that looks a lot like a glass-blown holiday ornament.
Do they celebrate the holidays in space? Looks like it. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured a nearby planetary nebula called NGC 5189 that looks a lot like a glass-blown holiday ornament with a glowing ribbon entwined.
Struggling with how to make those last few batches of Christmas cookies? Try these hassle-free ideas.
These cookies start with a cake mix! One can make several varieties from just one batch of dough. If you’re full-up with sugar cookies, use a chocolate fudge cake mix. The cookies were a big hit with my family, and they’re fun to make with kids. “Cake and Bake” base ingredients: With an electric mixer, beat together the Crisco, butter and vegetable oil. It may seem odd to use three different types of fat in one recipe, but go ahead and try it. The butter adds flavor, the shortening keeps the cookies from spreading too much, and the vegetable oil keeps the mixture from being grainy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat well. Add the cake mix and beat well, set dough aside and assemble your extras. For the extras, think fun things such as …
Homemade spiced nuts -- holiday treats and easy gifts.
These crunchy, slightly sweet nuts are wonderful munchies to offer your Thanksgiving or Christmas guests. Both kinds of nuts keep well in the freezer for several months, or you can serve them right away. They won’t be around for long! Spiced Almonds 1/3 cup white sugar 2 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground allspice ½ tsp. seasoned salt ¼ tsp. nutmeg 1 large egg white 3 cups whole shelled almonds Preheat your oven to 250º. Mix sugar, spices, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl with high sides, beat egg white with an electric mixer until the egg white is foamy. Add all the nuts to the bowl and toss gently to coat with the egg white. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the nuts and toss to coat nuts evenly. Lightly coat a large cookie …
Thursday, December 20, 2012
If the holidays leave you with little time to shop for gifts, try these stores in Potomac and Bethesda for great last-minute gift ideas.
With all of the tree trimming, cookie baking and partygoing, there is so much to do during the holidays that it's easy to leave shopping for Christmas presents until the last minute. But by then, the malls and chain stores are usually chaotic and the mere thought of battling crowds is exhausting. Here are some ideas for easy gifts that can be bought locally and require little stress: Tell us: What are some of your own last-minute gift ideas? Share in the comments below.
The Nutcracker features marionettes and larger-than-life costume characters.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Vote and help a Maryland school district win $100,000.
A Maryland school district has the chance to win $100,000 if a home in its community wins our national Deck the House contest. According to users who voted, three homes—in Columbia, Bel Air and Glen Burnie—made it as finalists for their holiday light decorations. But now it's up to you to narrow the list down from our 25 finalists to the best decorated home in America. Until Dec. 28, vote for your favorite and that person could win $100,000 for his or her local school district. All you have to do is visit this page to browse a gallery of the finalists and cast your vote. On Dec. 29, we’ll announce the grand prize winner of our Deck the House contest. So, now’s your chance to tell us who has the best “decked” house in the country. Let us …
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.
John Floyd II
10:50 am on Tuesday, December 25, 2012
My very favourite Christmas tune of all time is "Do You Hear What I Hear?" as sung by the incomparable Bing Crosby in 1963. Written during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and being released only a few days before the assassination of President Kennedy, that beautifully-crafted number struck a literal chord with the American people. It became a massive hit for Mr Crosby and is still being played … more ›