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Holiday Guide 2012

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Baysox Help 16 Local Families with Holiday Program

Boxes of food, warm clothing and toys were donated to families in need.

Louie’s Holiday Hope Project, the Bowie Baysox baseball team's program to help local families in need, helped 16 families during the 2012 holiday season, according to a news release. Partnering with the Prince George’s County Fire Department (PGFD), the Bowie Police Department and Bowie Youth & Family Services, the Baysox and the team mascot, Louie, were able to provide the families, which included 39 children, with food, coats and Christmas gifts. “Louie’s Holiday Hope Project had another very successful year of assisting families in need around the holidays,” said Baysox Marketing Director Brandan Kaiser. “Every year this program grows thanks to the great support from the community and all the donations we receive. The Baysox would like…

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

SPEAK OUT: How Old is Too Old for Santa Claus?

What is the right age to reveal the truth about the jolly old elf?

  It is undeniably Christmas time, as evidenced by the decorated houses, Christmas tree lots popping up and Santas setting up shop in department stores and malls. For many small children, Santa Claus is a big part of the holiday. Kids pose on his lap for photos, write letters will detailed gift requests and try to be on their best behavior to avoid the naughty list. The big guy in red is a hot topic of conversation for those who celebrate and have little ones, which begs the question, when do you reveal the truth about the Santa myth? Do you tell your precocious 7-year-old the truth because she's no longer buying it and you are tired of lying? Do you reveal the truth to your 10-year-old so he doesn't get teased by his friends for being the…

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Jenni Pompi

12:33 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

LOL, Pachacutec - when I told my mom I wasn't sure if I believed any more she told me that Santa only brought presents to believers. She got a few more years out of me that way!   more ›

Share Your Elf on the Shelf Hiding Spots: What Has that Elf Been Up To?

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!

  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.

Holiday Cookie Recipes

Need a quick holiday cookie recipe? Make one of these for your parties this season.

One of the most important holiday questions to ask yourself is: What kind of cookies will you be baking for your get-togethers this season? From sweet to savory, holiday cookies come in all shapes and sizes. And what’s better than to top off a tray of cookies than a glass of homemade eggnog? You can also check out myrecipes.com to learn how to host a successful cookie swap and view more holiday cookie recipes.  Eggnog In a saucepan over low heat combine milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cinnamon stick and clove. Bring to a slow boil (this will take between 5-7 mins). Once the milk mixture starts to boil remove from heat and leave cinnamon stick in for a couple of minutes, then remove. Put egg yolks and sugar into a bowl. Using a hand held …

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

County Reduces Pet Adoption Fees for December

The county Animal Management Division is offering $100 off the adoption of cats and dogs all month long.

Christmas could come early for some shelter animals thanks to the Prince George’s County Animal Management Division (AMD). Through the month of December, AMD is inviting residents to adopt dogs and cats at reduced fees as part of its “All I Want for the Holidays is...You.” “Fulfill the holiday wish of a homeless animal at the Animal Services Facility by giving them the gift of a loving home,” Rodney Taylor, associate director of AMD, said in press release.  “I encourage you to visit the Facility this holiday season to find the perfect pet for your family.” Dog adoption fees will be $100, a savings of $100; and cat adoption fees will be $45, also a $100 savings, according to the press release. AMD will also waive adoption fees for a second …

Ryan McDermott

2:11 pm on Thursday, November 29, 2012

Has anyone else had a good experience with the adoption program?   more ›

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Holiday Shopping: Spending Limits For Kids’ Presents?

How much is too much to spend on children and teens? We want to hear your thoughts!

As the holiday shopping season goes into full swing, some people are maxing out their credit cards to pay for presents and others are setting budgets and sticking with them. Scour just about any Facebook stream or stop in a local coffee shop and chances are you’ll hear parents debating the merits of setting spending limits. Or, you'll hear them lamenting about just how much they've already spent. The ideas for a perfect limit do seem to vary rather greatly. Some parents say $100 per child is more than enough. Others tend to lean toward much more generous figures. After all, there’s nothing like seeing a child’s eyes light up as they unwrap gift after gift. And that’s what we want to hear from you about! Do you set spending limits on the …

Carl Simmons

12:21 pm on Wednesday, December 5, 2012

I always start right here every year, and they have never let me down: http://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&node=165793011&site-redirect=&tag=t068-20   more ›

Holiday Road Trip: Main Street Celebrations in Carroll County

Main Streets around the county are gearing up for holiday celebrations.

A Main Street Christmas Mount Airy When: Saturday, Dec. 1 (Main Street will be closed from 4 to 8 p.m.) What: At 5 p.m. the fun will kick off with a tree lighting ceremony in the plaza featuring various singing groups. The tree will be lighted about 5:30 p.m. by a local child, assisted by Mrs. Santa and the Mayor. At 5:30 p.m. enjoy a holiday band concert performed the combined Mount Airy Middle School & South Carroll High School bands, held in the center of Main Street in front of the tree. At 6:30 p.m. the tenth annual “Giant Twinkling Santa Parade” will begin at Mount Airy Elementary School and end at Calvary Methodist Church. Following the parade, Santa will meet with children inside Firehouse Pottery. Children waiting to see Santa …

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10:11 am on Friday, January 4, 2013

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Share Your Thanksgiving Dinner Photos

Let everyone see just how hard you worked!

Putting together a Thanksgiving feast is no simple feat. Between the shopping and the cooking, there’s barely time left to set the table and make everything just right. If you’ve gone above and beyond with your spread this year, Patch invites you to show off your hard work! Just upload your Thanksgiving dinner photos to the gallery. Be sure to share tell everyone what the special dishes are you served up, too. And, if your dinner table setting and decorations rival something Martha Stewart might whip up, we invite you to show those off, too! To share your photos, just login to your user account and click on the white and green button at the top of this article. Happy holidays, Prince George's County!

How to Track Down the Hottest Toys

Tips for getting the presents they want without having to hoof it from Prince George's County to the North Pole.

Santa’s awesome, but he doesn’t always deliver the hottest toys of the season on demand, no matter how nicely we ask. If the kids – or wannabe kids – in your life happen to have their hearts set on presents that are hard to come by, it can be torturous running from store to store only to find what they really want just isn’t available. Whether your little girl has her sights on the latest Lalaloopsy, your son wants a Hot Wheels R/C Terrain Twister or that “big baby” in your life is yearning for a copy of Halo 4, here are some ideas on how to track down what’s in demand without putting miles and miles on your vehicle in the process: Tips for Shopping in Town If you hate ordering online and love the gratification of being able to hold the …

Sam Astor

9:46 pm on Friday, November 23, 2012

I always start right here every year, and they have never let me down: http://www.amazon.com/b?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&node=165793011&site-redirect=&tag=t068-20   more ›

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Poll: Is Black Friday a Shopping Day for You?

When people start lining up late Thanksgiving night to take advantage of door-buster deals in the wee hours Friday morning will you be there?

Love it or hate it, Black Friday is the super bowl of shopping. And with its arrival only mere days away, Prince George's County is abuzz with people talking about the potential savings stores big and small have to offer. Some people create their own Black Friday “game plans” on what stores to hit and when after they've poured over the announced bargains various retailers have to offer. There are those so keen on saving they set alarms to wake them up in the wee hours of the night. These folks line up early and some even camp out all night to be able to scoop up the deals they’re after. Are you one of those shoppers? Do you do Black Friday or do you prefer to stay as far away from stores on the day after Thanksgiving as possible? Let us …

Pachacutec

11:28 am on Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Absolutely NEVER go out for Black Friday shopping. I watch for good deals for presents at other times of the year. Too, unless you absolutely HAVE to have the latest electronic gadgets, there's SO many other choices for shopping other than the big box stores and the malls; you can find a lot of great items at the museum shops in DC, at local festivals and fairs, etc. Not to mention local …   more ›

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