Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Not all treats are created equal. Tell us what you love and loathe.
Taste is highly personal, particularly when that taste is literally on the tip of the tongue. So it's no surprise that when it comes to the sugary, colorful indulgences served this week, one person's delight may be another's disgust. Fortunately, abundant choices at office parties, family gatherings and neighborhood visits let us grab what we savor and skip what's out of favor. In these polls, tell what you crave and what makes you cringe. Pick one on each list. Then feel free to tell us in comments what we've missed.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Want to catch a bite out before the festivities or head to the bank? You're in luck.
The holidays are fast approaching. While most restaurants and stores are closed Christmas day, take a look at what’s open Christmas Eve.
42.53354
-83.142759
Old Port Restaurant
278 E 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI
/articles/local-spots-in-clawson-open-christmas-eve
694936
/locations/6038451
42.533127
-83.146202
Clawson Grill
41 S Main St, Clawson, MI
/articles/local-spots-in-clawson-open-christmas-eve
694785
/locations/6038452
42.54708
-83.16649
Apovini Grill
1536 N Crooks Rd, Clawson, MI
/articles/local-spots-in-clawson-open-christmas-eve
694775
/locations/6038453
42.53171
-83.14611
Grumpy's
230 S Main St, Clawson, MI
/articles/local-spots-in-clawson-open-christmas-eve
695078
/locations/6038454
42.533111
-83.16246
Tim Horton's
1230 W 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI
/articles/local-spots-in-clawson-open-christmas-eve
695170
/locations/6038455
42.533108
-83.136103
Clawson Steakhouse
56 Rochester Rd S, Clawson, MI
/articles/local-spots-in-clawson-open-christmas-eve
694973
/locations/6038456
42.534752
-83.146389
PNC Bank
150 N Main St, Clawson, MI
/articles/local-spots-in-clawson-open-christmas-eve
695155
/locations/6038457
42.533128
-83.161743
Al Makan
1139 W 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI
/articles/local-spots-in-clawson-open-christmas-eve
1907267
/locations/6038458
Monday, December 19, 2011
Learn more about the history and meaning behind this Jewish holiday, which starts tomorrow at sundown.
While Christmas is among the top two Christian holidays in terms of importance, Hanukkah is considered a minor holiday for the Jewish people. Nevertheless, it has become one of the more widely celebrated Jewish holidays and is certainly a favorite among children. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Jews over the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE (Before Common Era) and is celebrated by lighting one additional candle in a candelabrum, called a hanukkiah (or menorah) for eight days. The holiday is also known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah means rededication and refers to the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement by the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE (or BC). As the website MyJewishLearning.com notes, "Beginning in 167 BCE…
Certain December music makes us pause, sing along and feel nostalgic.
Holiday voices sing, are you listening? Songs of the season are inescapable this week – whether they bring comfort and joy or lyrics and beats that annoy. Amid the jingling and roasting, most people cherish at least a few Christmas songs – perhaps because they've been sung many times, many ways since we were young. Though it may be tough to single out a favorite, here's a chance to click on one that invariably makes you pause, turn up the volume and feel nostalgic. So come and vote, faithful celebrants, and let's see which is triumphant. Write-in votes for unlisted tunes can go in the comments.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
If you haven't gotten a Christmas tree yet, consider purchasing one that will help provide shelter, food and clothing for 12 people.
This is the seventh in a 30-day series of ways Patch community members can give back this holiday season. We hope you'll take part in this 30 Days of Giving and take the spirit beyond the holidays, because there truly is need all year long. It’s officially December and Christmas is fast approaching. If you haven’t already, it’s time to break out the decorations, adorn your house with lights and find the perfect Christmas tree. Though there are dozens of tree farms in the area, there is one nonprofit among them selling Christmas trees for charity: Grace Centers of Hope. Grace Centers of Hope is a homeless shelter that accommodates hundreds of men, women and children on a daily basis. Now through Dec. 24, the Grace Gospel Fellowship, located…
42.64273
-83.29145
210 N Perry St, Pontiac, MI
/articles/30-days-of-giving-day-7-grace-centers-of-hope-5ecd31b0
/locations/5920881
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
If you find yourself dropping change into kettles, consider starting your own online red kettle.
This is the sixth in a 30-day series of ways Patch community members can give back this holiday season. We hope you'll take part in this 30 Days of Giving, and take the spirit beyond the holidays, because there truly is "need" all year long. Dropping change in the red kettles outside the grocery store is a traditional part of the holiday season. While the tradition of bell-ringing volunteers still continues, there is now another way to donate to the Salvation Army — giving to an online red kettle. In order to widen its approach and better utilize social media, the Salvation Army has created the online red kettle system, giving individuals, groups and companies the ability to collect money virtually in their own kettles from friends, family…
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Donate money or toys at your local Caribou Coffee or bd's Mongolian Grill to benefit folks who are unemployed or receiving education through Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit.
This is the fifth in a 30-day series of ways Patch community members can give back this holiday season. We hope you'll take part in this 30 Days of Giving, and take the spirit beyond the holidays, because there is "need" all year long. Good things come to those who give and, through Dec. 6, do-gooders will receive $1 off a future cup of joe at their local Caribou Coffee when they donate a toy to Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. Caribou Coffee – in conjunction with FM 88.7, or 89X, as well as bd’s Mongolian Grill – is hosting a "12 Days of Christmas" campaign to collect toy donations to be sold at Goodwill’s Santa Shop. The shop gives Goodwill clients, who are unemployed or receiving education through Goodwill, the opportunity to …
Monday, November 28, 2011
Clawson launches the start of the holiday season by lighting up the city's Christmas tree.
The holiday spirit has officially shined its light on Clawson. The city lit up its giant Christmas tree at Memorial Park on a cold, rainy Monday evening. Dozens of families gathered around the gazebo, where there was Christmas caroling and introductions of the Clawson pageant winners. Santa Claus made a grand entrance on a Clawson fire truck, and Mayor Penny Luebs handed him the key to the city, a yearly tradition. Check out photos of the event. If you took photos and would like to share them with us, email nicquel.terry@patch.com. Or you can upload them yourself here by clicking on "add your photos."
42.53739
-83.14652
Memorial Park
N Main St & Roth Blvd, Clawson, MI
/articles/photos-annual-christmas-tree-lighting-ceremony
1733174
/locations/5895429
Lend a hand this holiday season by volunteering at Habitat for Humanity's ReStore or constructing a home.
This is the fourth in a 30-day series of ways Patch community members can give back. We hope you'll take part in this 30 Days of Giving, and take the spirit beyond the holidays, because there is "need" all year long. Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County is a nonprofit organization with a mission to eliminate poverty and ensure that those in need have a decent place to live. The organization builds and renovates houses annually and is always in need of a crew of volunteers for completing house projects and manning the ReStore, which is located at 150 Osmun St. in Pontiac. Volunteers for construction projects are still needed on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the holiday season; volunteers for ReStore are needed Tuesday through Saturday. …
Black Friday spending reached all-time levels this year, but the biggest jump was in 'couch commerce.' Have you shopped mobile this year?
Spending reached all-time Black Friday highs this weekend as a record 226 million shoppers jumped into holiday purchases – many of them using mobile devices to do so. The average holiday shopper spent $398.62 Black Friday and Saturday, according to a National Retail Federation survey. And Black Friday global mobile payment volume increased 516 percent from 2010, according to data from PayPal. A lot of mobile shopping appeared to take place from the couch following Thanksgiving dinner: Five times as much was spent that day via mobile as was spent on turkey day 2010, PayPal's blog reports. According to eBay, U.S. shoppers purchased nearly 2 1/2 times as many items through mobile devices this Black Friday compared with 2010. What about you…
Alan Stamm
1:27 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Vienetta makes me smile, Geri, as does panettone from your people. I assume you modestly omitted other skillfully rendered selections in your repertoire such as struffoli, pizzelle, panforte and perhaps -- be still, my stomach -- Zuppa Inglese. Thanks for commenting. Mangia bene and Buon Natale to you and The Commissioner! more ›