Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Many businesses are closed today.
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
It use to be that the quietest day of the year was Christmas: While a few Chinese restaurants and a couple of downtown movie theaters were open, all the retail shops and eateries were closed shut as families and friends would head to church or prepare for a big Christmas dinner. You could literally walk down the main street of town and not see a car for minutes (well, at least in Weymouth.) But just as with Thanksgiving, even on this most sacrosanct of days, a small number of businesses in Belmont are open. While today is a national holiday – one of ten holidays recognized by the federal government – and most businesses along with federal, state and town offices are closed, there is a few places to go, especially if you're dying for …
Share your stories, be they funny or touching, about some of the best gifts you have ever given to others.
Conventional wisdom dictates that "it is better to give than to receive," and the adage is repeated often during the holidays. Sometimes giving is incredibly rewarding, as a number of law enforcement officers who recently made a trip to Virginia may attest. Sometimes, it's kind of funny, as in an experience I had a few years ago: The summer of that year, my mother, sister and I had taken a trip to visit family in England. While there, The BBC aired a film from the Carry On series,low-budget comedies made between the '50s and '90s which my mother had loved when she lived in England. Some quick research on Amazon turned up a boxed set of those movies; the perfect Christmas gift, I thought. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face. Fast-…
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Scan and share your awkwardness.
Everyone's got them — those awkward family photos that are a hoot to look back on here in 2012. Many old holiday photos also fall into the awkward category. I was looking through some old holiday photos from our family gatherings of yesterday-year recently, and came across some funny ones of me and my cousins when we were young. What about you? Do you have '80s hair on display in a holiday photo? What about fashions from the '70s? Post your awkward family holiday photos by clicking the upload button below the photo at right. Can you outdo your neighbor?
We're looking for photos of the most unique, quirky, or memorable trinkets that you hang on your tree for the holidays.
Holiday decorations do more than glitter and sparkle — they give a hint about the personality of their owners. Whether it's a trinket showing loyalty to a favorite sports team, cartoon character, or store [did you get your mini coffee cup from Dunkin' Donuts this year?] ornaments run the full range of sizes, shapes, and colors. And when it comes time to deck out the tree, it's the ornament that gets the best spot — the perfect place for the ornament to function as a conversation starter. Other folks prefer original, handmade decorations — especially if they were created by the kids when they were younger. Whatever the style, one thing's for sure: favorite decorations are unique. Here's your chance to share photos [or video] of the most …
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Or are you a last-minute gift-getter?
This year, for the first time, I took advantage of Cyber Monday to get a few gifts knocked off my list. The sales on things I was looking at for family and friends weren't incredible, but the 10 percent off here or free shipping there certainly helped. What also helped me out this year was going as simple as possible when it comes to gift giving. Instead of buying my sister and brother-in-law individual gifts, I proposed that my husband and I get them one gift, and they get us one, with a $30 limit. We also instigated a Yankee swap with my inlaws this year, so we don't end up with a ton of gifts that we really don't need. So it'll be a pared-down holiday for us. The best part of holiday giving, I think, is watching a loved one's …
Monday, November 26, 2012
Knocking out your holiday shopping today? Or not?
Today is Cyber Monday, the biggest online shopping day of the year. It's a day to scour the Web, as big deals on merchandise abound. Retailers are offering online discounts on everything from TVs and appliances to clothes or books. Are you shopping on Cyber Monday? Stocking up on holiday gifts, perhaps? Or maybe you prefer to do your shopping in person. Tell us what you're hoping to score a deal on — and, if you do score a good deall, tell others about it in the comments. Or, are you all shopped out after Black Friday or Small Business Saturday? Tell us in the comments.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Celebrate next week's holiday by reading some of these Thanksgiving-themed books.
Although it's not as famous as Halloween or Christmas, the Thanksgiving holiday does have it's fair share of literature dedicated to it. Whether you're young and still reading picture books, or an adult, we have a little something for everyone in our Patch Reads book list. So grab your turkey and enjoy some books as side dishes! Younger readers: 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving—In a switch on the classic Clement Moore poem, some boys and girls have an eventful Thanksgiving eve. If You Lived In Colonial Times—This book outlines what the lives were like for the Pilgrims and Colonists from 1565 to 1776. The First Thanksgiving—Geared toward beginner readers, this book tells the story of the first Thanksgiving with lots of illustrations. …
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Here are some recipes for Thanksgiving's most popular side dishes.
What would a turkey be on Thanksgiving without its faithful side companions? Often more popular than the turkey itself, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and other favorites are staples of the food coma-inducing meal. Try one of the recipes below to bring a new taste to your Thanksgiving feast. Irish Sausage Stuffing Directions: Brown the ground sausage thoroughly. Drain and cool. Peel and quarter the potatoes. Boil until a fork can separate them. Drain and cool. Dip the stale bread quickly into a bowl of water and then squeeze out all the water. Alternating the ingredients, begin running everything through the grinder. Grind only once. In a large bowl, add the celery salt and poultry seasoning along with a couple of dashes of …
Saturday, November 17, 2012
If you need a new recipe for your Thanksgiving turkey, give one of these non-traditional twists a try.
There are many ways to cook everyone’s favorite holiday bird. Each family has its own special technique for cooking a turkey, whether it's using an old family recipe, adding a secret ingredient or shopping at a certain store in town that helps make the turkey taste all the better. If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, you can try any of the recipes below to add a new kick to your feast. Or, check out our vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes. Just the name of this recipe makes my mouth water. An Allrecipes.com user contributes this Greek take on turkey, which combines ground beef and pork with tangerine juice, rice and other ingredients for an in-bird stuffing. This one requires no pre-made brine. Emeril Lagasse’s recipe for a Cajun-spiced …
Friday, November 16, 2012
It's a little less than a week to Thanksgiving 2012. Are you prepared?
Most people plan Thanksgiving well in advance, but with so much time spent on the elections this year, Thanksgiving has kind of sneaked up on us. Would you believe Thanksgiving, and with it the traditional start of the holiday season, is one week from yesterday? If you haven't started planning for Thanksgiving yet, you're already in trouble, according to the website Epicurious. It suggests a six week prep time if you want to do the holiday justice. Are you prepared for Thanksgiving? And more importantly, in what has been a very contentious year, what is it that you can be most thankful for this year? Share your thoughts in the comments field below.
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11:25 pm on Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Wow Franklin-Bold move to say "Christmas" in your article. I hope Patch doesn't fire you for that. I guess its not a sin after all. Please forgive me...............MERRY CHRISTMAS !! more ›