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 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 tree ornaments from …
Sunday, December 23, 2012
There's a chance of snow Monday night into Tuesday
Christmas won't be a winter wonderland, according to the National Weather Service, but snow is possible for Livingston. Current forecasts call for Monday night rain and snow, with little accumulation. Tuesday, Christmas Day, is expected to see snow in the early morning, then rain until noon. The afternoon is predicted to be sunny. More rain and snow is expected late Wednesday into Thursday. For those awaiting Santa and the reindeer, no weather worries! You can track his progress across the globe here.
Here's what's open, what's closed for Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Day in Livingston
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Sunday, December 23, 2012
Monday is Christmas Eve. Tuesday is Christmas Day. Here is a list of how state and federal offices and services will be affected. NJ Transit :
The North American Aerospace Defense Command has a website that now 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 now 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 …
Saturday, December 22, 2012
A look at the hot toys for tots this holiday season.
Every holiday season, the mailbox fills with the latest toy catalogs. Children peruse the pages as they scribble their lists, daydreaming about what they will find under the tree come Christmas morning. Parents pull out their pocketbooks, spending hard-earned cash as they anticipate the joy on those little faces. What will be the runaway favorites this year is always a guess, but here are some of the latest trends, mixed with tried-and-true perennial favorites. jChews Smartphone teether by Jellystone No tears for parents or babies. Babies love nothing more than to gum Mom and Dad’s cell phone, but now they’ll be too intrigued with their own smartphone to chew on. The Jellystone smartphone teether comes in seven funky colors and is BPA …
As you look over the list of gifts you need this holiday season, an unsettling feeling starts. How will I pay for all these gifts? How about homemade gifts?
Gift-giving is meant to be a time for sharing how much you appreciate others, but rising prices and tight budgets take the feel-good vibes right out of gift-giving traditions. This year, take the money stress out of the holidays by turning to homemade gifts. Homemade gifts are a great way to show you appreciate someone while also adding a personal touch. Gifts don’t need to be expensive to be special. Get the family involved in the fun and you will be creating memories while making unique gifts for those who mean the most in your life. Patch explores the homemade holidays in hopes that you will find something to inspire you to enjoy the season more. Healthy options: Pack energy in a jar with healthy snacks like energy bars, dark chocolate…
Friday, December 21, 2012
There's still time left to shop at Short Hills, Willowbrook, Livingston Malls.
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Friday, December 21, 2012
With just three shopping days left until Christmas, there are precious few days left to say "I'll do it tomorrow." Whether you're just busy, a serial procrastinator, or something in the middle, local malls are open through Christmas Eve to give even the late starters a chance to max out those credit cards. Below are the remaining holiday hours for the Mall at Short Hills, 1200 Morris Tpke., Short Hills, Willowbrook Mall, 1400 Willowbrook Mall, Wayne, and Livingston Mall, 112 Eisenhower Parkway Livingston. Friday (12/21): 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday (12/21): 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Photos with Santa are available at the lower level of Willowbrook, at Bloomingdale's Exhibit Court through Christmas Eve. Santa's Hours are Monday- Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., …
For our family, these cookies herald the start of the holiday season.
In my house, it isn’t the holidays until the Chocolate Crackle Cookies come out. They are, for us, as much a staple of the season as decorating the tree and overspending on presents. There are many different variations on this recipe, but they all follow the same basic structure: whip up an ultra-fudgy cookie dough, roll it into balls, coat with confectioners sugar and pop into the oven. As they bake, the cookies split open on top and the powdered sugar gives them a festive, crackled look. They are almost pretty enough to hang on the tree, although I wouldn’t recommend it. Crackle cookies are easy, delicious and last for at least a week – which makes them an ideal holiday gift. I wrap a few in festive bags, tie with a ribbon and hand …
Tips and tricks on how to take better pictures of those festive holiday lights at night
For many, the holidays just wouldn't be complete without Christmas lights adorning their homes. If you own a digital SLR (digital camera) and want to be able to show off your home and holiday lights, here are some tips and tricks to getting a good picture at night to share with family and friends who may not be able to see your work of art in person. Plan ahead of time: The last thing you want to do is to be running in and out of your house because you forgot something. Gather up everything you need before you go out so you have more time to enjoy experimenting with night photography. Additionally, keep in mind what time you will be taking pictures and weather conditions. Having the backdrop of dusk on your house and holiday lights will …
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Our Patch Elf on the Shelf has gotten ahold of our computer and now wants to know what his buddy elves are up to. Share your photos here!
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Hi friends! I'm the Patch Elf on the Shelf. Call me Patchy. I've heard about more of my friends hanging around the area lately, and I wondered what they were up to. Could their families post pictures here on Patch to show me? I'd love to catch up with them. We all go back to Santa on Christmas Eve, but in the meantime, we'll be watching you! Cheers, Patchy the Elf Add your photo by clicking on the green "Upload Photos and Videos" icon.
Scott Helming
1:21 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Actually, there is no firm evidence there were three wise men. We know if three gifts, hence the thought of three persons...An ongoing mystery! more ›