Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Looking for something to talk about over Christmas dinner? Here are a few things most people don't know about our yuletide traditions.
There are so many holiday traditions that we do without thinking much about how or why they started. Allow us to shed some light on a few: 1. Candy Canes. They're believed to have made their debut in the mid-1600s, when a German choirmaster made white sugar sticks shaped like shepherd’s staffs in the mid-1600s to keep fidgety kids occupied during live Nativity scenes, according to www.christianitytoday.com. The idea caught on, and became common at Nativity scenes all over Europe. The idea of using them as tree decorations began in about 1847, and red stripes and peppermint flavor were added around the turn of the century, the Web site says. Christian sources say the candy has many symbolic qualities – the white representing the virgin …
Friday, December 21, 2012
Tollway officials expect 15.7 million vehicles on toll roads between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3.
From the Illinois Tollway For those last-minute shoppers, each of the Illinois Tollway’s four roadways offers access to great shopping: Tollway customers will also find there’s still time to tell Santa Claus what they want for Christmas. On Sunday, December 23, visit and take a photo with Old Saint Nick at the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis on the south Tri-State Tollway (I-294/I-80) from 1 to 4 p.m. The Illinois Tollway expects 15.7 million vehicles will use the tollway system during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays between Friday, Dec. 23, and Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2013. On an average day, about 1.4 million vehicles use the tollway. “The Illinois Tollway wishes a safe and happy holiday season to all of our customers,” said Illinois …
Friday, December 14, 2012
Here are 10 ways to have fun and spread holiday cheer in Glen Ellyn without breaking the bank.
This year’s holiday season can be special for you and your family regardless of your budget. Here are some fun tips for creating new holiday traditions while saving money. 1) Make your cards from recycled materials. Cards can be made from paper grocery bags, cereal boxes, used file folders and even last year’s holiday cards. Feature your family’s artwork and use recycled wrapping paper or paper from catalogs and magazines for backgrounds. A great resource for making cards from recycled materials is "Creative Correspondence" by Michael and Judy Jacobs, available at Amazon.com or check with The Bookstore or Bundles of Books & Gifts for other options. 2) Have fun together and create a festive decoration by making a gingerbread house. …
Monday, December 10, 2012
'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' or 'Trading Places'? 'Elf' or 'Love Actually'? We want to know your favorite holiday movies.
Do you like the holiday movie classics? Have you slapped your face and screamed bloody murder in the mirror like Kevin McCalister? Do you hole up with chocolate and tissues to gush over Love Actually? Are you convinced your family is crazier than the Griswolds? We've put together a few clips from some of the hokiest, most hilarious holiday box office hits, but we want to know what you have playing on repeat in your house this season.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The DuPage County Health Department offers tips to ensure trees, decorations and lights look pretty and work safely.
Those holiday decorations are beautiful to look at with lights twinkling and tinsel sparkling. Taking steps to make sure the lights, decorations and trees are used properly will make the holidays safer. When decorating for the holidays its important to take safety measures to keep all the sparkle from going up in flames or causing family members injury, according to officials. The DuPage County Health Department offers a number of tips to keep your holidays merry and bright this holiday season. Here are some tips for tree, light and decoration safety: Source: DuPage County Health Department Let Patch save you time. Get more local stories like these delivered right to your inbox or smartphone with our free newsletter. Fast signup here. …
Monday, December 3, 2012
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and DuPage County Health Department offer tips to help consumers make safe toy purchases this holiday season.
Remember the days of breaking out the Sears catalog to peruse all the toys while making that list for Santa? Needless to say, safety was rarely a concern when dreaming of what would arrive under the tree. Irwin Mainway’s Bag O’ Glass might have even looked attractive to some kids. But, for most parents safety is a major concern when choosing toys for children. To ensure that a child will be safe after opening those holiday gifts, the DuPage County Health Department and Consumer Product Safety Commission are offering tips for parents to consider before buying and before toys are used. Before purchasing a toy the DuPage County Health Department suggests: Before allowing children to play with toys: The Consumer Product Safety Commission …
Friday, November 30, 2012
Share your Christmas tree memories, upload a photo and discuss your tree preference this season.
A funny thing begins to happen around town the first weekend after Thanksgiving. Tightly wrapped trees are strapped to the roofs of cars with twine and taken home where they will be set up in the living room, wrapped in lights (once untangled of course), and decked with ornaments, hand-crafted decorations, tinsel and just about anything else from popcorn to chili peppers. But not every family goes through the motions of picking up the tree at a nearby lot, or heading out to the farm to cut one down. Instead, they simply head up to the attic to dust off the same one they used last year. Real, or fake: that's the question? Personally, I love a real tree. It's become a personal tradition to choose just the right tree (frasier or balsam fir). …
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Thanks to a very special U.S. Postal Service program, "Santa" will reply to children who mail him their Christmas wish lists this holiday season.
Every year, millions of children sit down to make a wish list for Santa, hoping he will make all of their Christmas dreams come true. But what if Santa actually wrote back? The United States Postal Service is now accepting "Letters From Santa," a program that allows parents and caregivers to play Santa by sending a letter signed by Saint Nick to a child. According to a postal service news release, "The 'Letters From Santa' program helps parents fulfill the dreams of their own children." Instructions to send a letter from Santa: In Glen Ellyn, letters to Santa can be dropped off at the Glen Ellyn Post Office at either DuPage Boulevard or 528 Pennsylvania Ave. in downtown Glen Ellyn. TELL US: Do your children plan on writing a letter to …
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
A number of DuPage-based organization are among the nonprofits trying to encourage people to pause in their shopping and find a way to help others.
Will donating to charity ever be as popular as shopping during the holiday season? A partnership of nonprofits hopes so. For many people, the holiday shopping marathon began on Thanksgiving day, with some national chains opening their doors just hours after the traditional turkey dinner. Then comes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, which has morphed into Cyber Week. Now, there's a new campaign asking you to open your wallet — Giving Tuesday. The Giving Tuesday website says the effort, coming on the heels of days devoted to consumerism, is designed "to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations." …
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
AliKat Boutique is in it's sixth year of business in Glen Ellyn. This is the time of year when business gets crazy and fun for owner Sandy Moore.
Now is the time that Sandy Moore looks forward to. The holiday shopping season is here and things get a little bit crazy but in a good way. For six years, Moore’s business AliKat has been offering shoppers in Glen Ellyn distinctive items not found in department stores or shops downtown. As the store celebrated its sixth anniversary this year, it also celebrated its expansion, taking over some additional space that allowed Moore to bring in new products, expand product lines and provide dressing rooms for customers. The boutique now feels more organized and customer friendly, she said. “I would like people who may have not visited us in a while, I want them to come in and see us,” Moore said. After 20 years in the financial service industry…
41.877467
-88.067145
AliKat
499 Pennsylvania Ave, Glen Ellyn, IL
/articles/alikat-ready-for-holiday-shoppers-with-expanded-space-product-lines
311537
/locations/8177939
