Santa Mail: Montgomery County Children Can Write to St. Nick

Thanks to a 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 any person to play Santa by sending a letter signed by Saint Nick to any 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: Letters to Santa can be dropped off at any Montgomery County post office location. TELL US: Will you participate?

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Christmas 2012 Gift Advice: No Towels or Sporks for Grandma

Study reveals we buy according to our age and life stage. But, for gifts, is cemetery lot maintenance really a crowd pleaser?

  During the holiday season, many struggle with the anxiety of wondering if a recipient will really like his or her gift. Are you considering opera tickets for your great aunt? What about purchasing a photograph session for a person under 30? Or, maybe grabbing a game for granddad? If the data in a recent article on The Atlantic’s website is any indication, you may want to think foremost about a person's stage in life before purchasing. The article cites a report from HS Dent, an economic forecasting firm that looked at U.S. Census data regarding spending behavior by age groups. Some of the data is less that shocking – spending on hearing aids, prescription drugs and the upkeep of cemetery lots rises dramatically as we age. Expenditures on…

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Olney Ballet Theatre Presents 'The Nutcracker'

Directed by Patricia Berrend; choreography by Mary Day, founder of the Washington Ballet

Turkey Fryer Safety Tips

The Prince George's County Fire Department offers these tips to reduce the risk of fire and injury when frying a turkey.

Thinking of going a less traditional route this Thanksgiving and deep frying your bird instead of roasting it? According to the Prince George’s County Fire Department (PGFD), the growing popularity of turkey fryers is cause for concern as they have the potential to cause fires and injuries if not used correctly.  If you are deep frying your turkey this Thanksgiving, the PGFD asks that you follow these federal government recommended steps to maximize safety and minimize the risk of fire and injuries:

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MoCo Mojo: Being Thankful in These 500 Square Miles

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls" - Aesop.

  A few years ago, I started a "gratitude journal" as a way of turning my many complaints on their head. Finding what to be grateful for among all that happens each day can be a challenge at first, but it's an exercise in thoughtful awareness of the good things in life. Below are some stories that might help in applying that philosophy toward Montgomery County during the Thanksgiving season. Who says there's no positive news? Just click and think thankful thoughts: After Decades on the Street, a New Home for Bethesda Veteran MCPS Achievement Gap Shrink Noted at National Conference Toys for Tots Drop Off Locations Sending the Troops Holiday Cards and Gifts State Touts Successes in Investment and Innovation Chamber of Commerce Announces …

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Are Target, Walmart, Other Retailers Ruining Thanksgiving?

Retail 'sale' creep hits the all-American holiday big time this year.

  If all you can wait to do after you chow down on your Thanksgiving meal is start the holiday shopping marathon, retailers are ready to help you. Other Americans, including some retail workers, are saying they want to keep one Thursday in November free of American capitalistic intrusion. Target, Walmart, Sears, KMart and Toys"R"Us have all announced they will open as early as 8 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, making 2012's holiday shopping season of 32 days and four hours perhaps the longest ever due to the way the calendar fell this year. At least one online petition says enough, already. A campaign on the site Change.org entitled, "Target: Take the high road and save Thanksgiving," had been signed by more than 230,000 users as of Friday night. …

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Peggy Anne

10:31 am on Friday, November 23, 2012

Black Friday ? Why not play the Funeral March ? Of course consumers in human form have the right to shop 24/7. They have a right to be trampled, poked in the eye with an umbrella, make fools of themselves, and buy discounted caskets. Why not ?everything else is on sale. Big brother brainwashing is alive and well. I like to shop sensibly. Give me an old thrift shop, a rainy Monday, and an ebay …   more ›

Consumers Plan to Spend at Least as Much as Last Year This Holiday Season

New study finds two-thirds of respondents expect to spend same amount as 2011.

The percentage of consumers who plan to sustain or increase their holiday spending in 2012 when compared to 2011 is growing, according to a recent survey by the NPD Group. The survey saw increases in respondents who plan to spend “About The Same” or “More” and a decrease in those who plan to spend “Less”: Survey Response 2012 2011 “Plan to Spend More” 10% 9% “Plan to Spend about the Same” 67% 64% “Plan to Spend Less” 23% 27% An article in the Baltimore Sun quoted NPD’s chief industry analyst Marshal Cohen as seeing “a light at the end of the tunnel with more consumers telling us they plan to 'spend about the same' and less planning to 'spend less.'" While the survey results paint a somewhat rosy picture for retailers such as Target, Sears…

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