Christmas 2009

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Page 2 - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Page 15

Artificial vs. Natural: Pros and Cons of Both Tree Types

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As long as Christmas trees have been a part of the holiday season, so, too, has been the debate over real or man-made trees. Each side has its supporters and detractors, and both have real and man-made Christmas trees have their pros and cons.

When deciding whether or not to go to the nearby tree farm or the department store for your holiday tree this season, consider the following factors.

What Will a Natural Tree Cost?: Natural trees can vary in price depending on where you go. Prices can range from less than $20 to more than $50.

When making the decision, it's important to keep in mind that a tree does not last very long, and therefore investing too much money might not be the best way to spend your money.

However, there are options to purchase real trees with the root ball intact, which enables homeowners to plant the tree in their yard after the season.

What Will an Artificial Tree Cost?: Artificial trees will ini-

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tially have a higher price tag than their natural counterparts.

However, they are also more cost-effective because they can be used for several years after their initial purchases. There is also no need to purchase accessories such as tree stands and

watering devices with an artificial tree, which are typically necessary with a natural tree.

How Easily Can a Natural Tree Be Moved?: The Christmas tree lot or farm does take steps to make it easier to lift and move the tree, but there's still the challenge of getting it home. Many, whether driving a car or SUV, choose to put the tree on the roof of their vehicle, but then worry about the tree blowing off on the highway. Then's there the issue of getting the tree through the doorway, an especially difficult task for homeowners with older homes, where doorways are often much smaller compared to newer homes. Bring the tree into the home can also leave trails of pine needles from the car to house. That's a problem that can still be around throughout the year, as those pesky pine needles can be difficult to banish.

How Easily Can an Artificial Tree Be Moved?: Clearly, artificial trees are more advantageous when it comes to moving them.

Because they're often boxed, these trees are lightweight and easy to maneuver into the house.

Whether a house is old or new really does not matter when it

comes to an artificial tree thanks to the packaging.

What Does a Natural Tree Look Like?: Where natural tree supporters often stake their biggest claim is the tree's aesthetic appeal. Supporters feel a natural tree is much more aesthetically appealing. However, those buying late might be stuck with all that's left, long after the more desirable trees have found a living room in which to spend the season.

What Does an Artificial Tree Look Like?: While some like the real look of a natural tree, others like their holiday tree to be perfect, with none of the warts of a natural tree. Artificial trees, unless poorly produced, have no warts, as they're man made. Also, an artificial tree guarantees its owners the same look each and every holiday season.

What Is the Environmental Impact of a Natural Tree?: Natural trees are actually much more environmentally friendly than they initially appear.

Christmas trees are planted for the express purpose of the holiday season, and large numbers of new trees are planted each year to replenish the stock in an environmentally friendly way.

In addition, once the season has ended, many trees are recycled and used as sand and soil erosion barriers.

What Is the Environmental Impact of Artificial Trees?: Artificial trees often come with a host of safety warnings. That's because they are made from a variety of materials, including PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and metals, which can put toxins into the air during production.

That is why there are lead warning labels on some artificial trees. Artificial tree buyers must be careful of erecting artificial trees in homes with small children or pets, as consumption can be toxic. Another thing to consider is that many artificial trees cannot be recycled, so there is no environmentally friendly way of disposing of them when homeowners decide it's time to replace them.

Inspired holiday gifts from the kitchen If the best gifts come from mint sticks, chocolate-coated the heart, certainly the next- spoons or homemade marshbest gifts come from the mallows to the mix. kitchen. Culinary treats can be Have a jam session.: perfect presents for your foodie Handmade jams, preserves and friends or just about anyone on fruit compotes are always your list. Food gifts are espe- appreciated. Your creation can cially perfect for friends, neigh- be accompanied by the recipe, bors, teachers, and others for some scones or great toasting whom more elaborate gifts are neither expected nor required.

What's more, the possibilities are endless and can be adjusted for varying palates, allergies and preferences. Here are several suggestions for serving up delicious holiday gifts this season.

SUGAR Just about everyone looks forward to seasonal sweets, from Christmas cookies to jelly doughnuts for Chanukah to benne cakes or sweet potato pie for the final feast of Kwanzaa.

Rethink your cookies.: When it comes to culinary delights, there's nothing wrong with sticking to the basics. But Holiday cookies are a culinary if you want to put a twist on treat that nearly everyone can tradition, consider some alter- enjoy. natives to the holiday cookie sampler, such as decorating greeting-card-sized cookies bread, or even a decorative with personalized messages, serving jam jar. filling decorative jars with all Bark that's as good as its of the dry ingredients needed bite.: Chocolate bark is a delifor your favorite cookie recipe cious no-bake gift that's so easy or giving the gift of dough -- to make you'll wonder why three different kinds of cookie you've waited so long to try it. dough rolled into logs, wrapped Recipes are everywhere and in wax paper and tied at the you can customize the bark ends with festive ribbons. with your recipients' favorite Take a dip.: Dipping store- nuts, dried fruits and other tasty bought confections such as pep- tidbits permint sticks, candy canes, AND SPICE candied orange peel, shortbread For people who love to cook, cookies, or even fresh figs in great ingredients make exquisgood-quality chocolate (a mix ite gifts. Think about giving of dark, milk and white choco- your favorite foodie the gift of late is even better!) will trans- flavor in the form of spices, form these everyday items into either from the bulk aisle at holiday-worthy gifts. your favorite upscale grocery Think drinks.: Nothing takes chain or a well-loved specialty the chill out of a cold retailer. Since spices don't stay December morning like hot fresh forever, your culinary chocolate -- especially when connoisseur is sure to appreciit's homemade. Make your own ate a new assortment. For the mix with ground chocolate and more adventurous cooks on sugar or package a high-quality your list, consider purchasing a store brand in a festively deco- few special spices, such as safrated jar, then add some pepper- fron or vanilla -- either the bean

Beam-Fender Funeral Home or a high-quality extract. Spices can be purchased in small amounts and then presented in decorative airtight jars with handwritten labels. Other options include making and giving your own spice blends and purchasing whole spices, such as nutmeg or allspice, and presenting them along with the appropriate tool for grinding or grating them.

AND EVERYTHING NICE Themed baskets of food will generate big smiles from everyone on your holiday list.

Putting together an assortment of items for a particular meal or kind of cooking is as much fun for the giver as it is for the receiver. Here are some ideas that are both simple and special.

Breakfast basket.: Fill a basket with homemade pancake and waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup, or go continental with a batch of freshly baked scones and a jar of lemon curd. For the caffeine lover, two mugs, one filled with a favorite gourmet coffee or tea and the other packed with some homemade pastries or a jar of jam.

Pasta basket.: The centerpiece of this gift could be a jar of your famous spaghetti sauce, which is surrounded by a package of fresh pasta, a bulb of garlic and a wedge of Parmesan cheese.

Pizza basket.: Start with a package of homemade pizza dough, add a jar of pizza sauce or pesto made from the basil in your garden, then decorate the basket with a merry mix of cheeses and popular pizza addons, such as pepperoni, olives, olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and small packets of spices, such as oregano or red pepper flakes.

To ensure that your gifts don't go to waste, be sure to add instructions for storing and handling the food -- especially those items that need to be refrigerated.

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Page 14 - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Page 3

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from PETCO A house decorated for Christmas can present some hazards for pets, primarily because they will be curious about all the new items hanging around the house. PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. offers these tips to ensure that your pets have a healthy and happy holiday: o Christmas Trees: Pine needles can get lodged in an animal's esophagus, making it painfully prickly for your pet to swallow.

Drinking the water from the Christmas tree base is enough to cause diarrhea, mouth sores, vomiting and loss of appetite. o Deck the Halls: A bunch of mistletoe may tempt a festive kiss, but eating this holiday greenery

could cause a drop in blood pressure, as well as vomiting and swollen throat and mouth tissue.

Other holiday foliage, including Holly and Poinsettias, contain toxins that could lead to severe stomach problems, as well as skin, mouth and eye irritation. Worse yet, Yew is extremely toxic, and one mouthful could be deadly. o Tinsel and Lights: A flickering flame and shiny decorations intrigue companion animals. When lighting the menorah, advent wreath or decorative candles, keep pets in another room where paws and claws can't reach them. With electrical lights, remember to tape exposed electrical cords to walls or floors to ensure no chewing or trip-

ping. Tinsel and wrapping paper may look like fun toys, but they can cause choking, upset stomach or more serious problems. o Visions of Sugar Plums: PETCO knows that cookies and candies are as much about holiday tradition as a snowy street scene; however, some of them can be dangerous to your pets. For example, chocolate contains a chemical known as theobromine, which can be highly toxic to your four-legged friends. o Antifreeze Alert: The onset of winter often means new antifreeze for the family car, which is a substance that can be especially harmful to the family pet. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which

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Keeping your pets safe this Christmas Season

Holiday entertaining - dial up the fun factor It's that season for making party rounds and opening up homes to friends and family.

Maybe it's your turn to play host or hostess and you're not sure where to start or how to set your party apart from the others.

More importantly, you want to ensure guests have a good time.

Here are a few ideas how.

Play games: Scour the game aisle of your favorite store for board or action games that would work well in large groups.

Or, modify baby or bridal shower games to fit a holiday theme.

Door prize games, or "Pin the Red Nose on Rudolph" are silly ideas that can add up to fun, especially when the cocktails are flowing.

Create the mood with lights and music: Christmas and New Year's are celebrated in most areas during the darkest days of winter. So shed light on your festivities with plenty of twinkling

lights and votive candles. Create a holiday playlist on your MP3 player and make sure the tunes continue all night long.

Involve guests in decorating: Short on time? Gather up supplies for decorating and advertise that you're having a treetrimming or house-trimming party on your invitations. Allow guests to get crafty and be involved in dressing up your home.

Don't fret about food: You don't have to be a gourmet chef to host a winning party. If food isn't your forte, don't worry about catering the event or looking to pre-packaged appetizers and snacks. As guests mingle and hop from party to party, they're not going to be looking for an elaborate sit-down dinner.

Fresh veggies and dips, bitesized finger foods and the like are standard party fare. If you want to get creative, take any of

your favorite foods and just make them in miniature. Tiny burgers, bite-sized pizzas, and even small peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can delight.

Cocktail savvy: Stock the bar with the old standards for variety and come up with one signature drink you can make in bulk.

Why not try a frosty punch and give it a theme-inspired name, such as "Winter Wonderland"?

Be sure to have plenty of nonalcoholic drinks on hand for those designated drivers.

Dessert bar: Top off the evening with a dessert bar where guests can create and garnish their own desserts. Set out ice cream and fixings, a fondue pot with skewers of fruit, different pies with nuts and whipped cream, or any other combination you can think of.

Try out a couple of these tips for a memorable evening that doesn't take much planning.

SunQuest Hair Designs is a full service salon and tanning center that caters to the entire family and has been serving the Brown County area for 20 years.

“SunQuest has a family-friendly, clean and professional atmosphere that clients enjoy,” said Angela Isner, of Sardinia, who started the business when her two sons, Eric and Michael, were children. “I thoroughly enjoy operating SunQuest and want to thank area residents for their business.”

The SunQuest staff makes it a priority to know their clientele.

They focus on meeting the needs of the client by really taking the time to listen and to create a specific and individual style for each client.

Another priority to the staff is keeping up to date on the latest trends and techniques in both hair

styles and hair care. They each consider their continuing education a necessity to maintain the highest level of professionalism and customer satisfaction. All staff members have managing cosmetology licenses.

SunQuest staff can provide the desired results, including, a trendy cut, a specialty perm, adding dimensional highlights or adding color to eliminate the gray.

The tanning center at SunQuest is perfect for both the beginning and experienced tanner and for anyone in between. SunQuest carries a full line of tanning products to meet the individual needs of a wide range of tanning clients.

SunQuest also offers full manicure and pedicure services and includes a spa pedicure chair for the client to relax and be pampered.

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Christmas 2009 - Page 13

Money-Saving Tips for Memorable Holidays

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The holidays are a time for family and friends to gather and share the joys of the season.

While many families are faced with the need to scale back their holiday celebrations and expectations, it's good to know that memorable holidays can be both frugal and festive. By doing a little extra planning and reclaiming some of the traditions of simpler times, it's possible to discover that less really can be more. Make your holiday season both merry and memorable with the following money-saving tips: * Make a plan. Create a plan for holiday spending and gift giving. List possible gifts, how much you expect to pay, what you can afford to pay, and alternatives. Once you determine how much you can afford to spend on each gift, stick to your plan. Always look for sales and pay in cash or with debit cards whenever possible. Compare prices online. Check the shipping charges. For kids, consider buying one nice gift rather than

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a lot of smaller ones. * Timing is everything.

While the best deals on greeting cards can be found after the holidays, some do go on sale in December. It's also worth remembering that postcards are

less expensive and also cost less to mail. And if you're handy with scissors, you can transform last year's greeting cards into this year's festive holiday postcards. In addition, it pays to mail packages early.

The longer you wait, the more it will cost to make sure that your gifts arrive on time. * It's a wrap. Wrapping paper, like most other seasonal items, is deeply discounted after the holidays. If you didn't catch last year's afterChristmas sales, consider using the comics from your local newspaper as wrapping paper.

A roll of white butcher paper and assorted sizes of paper bags can be transformed into works of art that double as gift packaging. And last year's holiday cards can be cut into wonderful gift tags. * Nurture nature.

Homemade decorations and

ornaments add an old-fashioned touch to the holiday season. You can bring nature indoors with cornstalks, pinecones, dried flowers and pumpkins. Trees can be decked with strings of popcorn and cranberries as well as holiday cookie cutters, ribbons and bows. If you're willing to wait, bargains on Christmas trees can be found in the days leading up to December 25th. You might also consider investing in a high-quality artificial tree, which can save you big bucks in the long run. * Delicious deals. Some grocery stores offer great deals during the holidays. Check your newspaper and store fliers for deals on items you need.

Use store brands when making casseroles and side dishes. In the spirit of sharing, a potluckstyle holiday dinner could be a tradition worth considering. It also relieves the host of the entire burden of paying for and preparing the meal. * Simple pleasures. Holiday entertainment can be as simple as a drive around town to see the lights. And don't forget to bring along some blankets and hot chocolate for the ride. Pull out the board games you haven't played in years. Learn three new card games and two new holiday songs. Bake and decorate cookies. Make lasting memories.

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Unearthing the origins of the Christmas tree From Christmas stockings and mistletoe to smiling Santas and burning yule logs, the symbols of the season are so powerful that people seldom stop to think about their origins. But one of the most common symbols of Christmas --at least in the United States and Canada -- is the twinkling Christmas tree, which is often depicted with piles of shiny gifts under its bottom branches.

While most of us take these kinds of holiday images for granted, many of us aren't sure where the traditions started or how they became associated with Christmas. Whether you've always wondered about the origins of the Christmas tree or are simply in need of some seasonal small talk for this year's holiday parties, the following should add some insight into the origins of this popular holiday tradition.

A Growing Tradition In the U.S. and Canada, the Christmas tree has become one of the foremost symbols of the holiday season. But the origin of the beloved holiday evergreen has been debated for centuries, with some historians asserting that it has Christian roots and others contending that its roots are pagan.

However, many explanations trace the custom of having a decorated evergreen tree inside the home to 16th century Germany, while others go back 300 years earlier to a tradition that began with the Miracle Plays sponsored by local churches.

While its specific origin is unclear, we do know that the Christmas tree tradition spread first across Europe and then throughout the world. In the U.S., Christmas trees were first seen in communities with prominent German populations in the late 18th and early 19th century. Two communities in particular -- Windsor Locks, Connecticut and Easton, Pennsylvania -- lay claim to

being the "birthplace" of the American Christmas tree tradition.

Throughout the world, Christmas trees are a symbol of the continuation of life through the dark, cold months of winter and are linked both to the winter solstice and the belief that the birth of Jesus

brought light into the world. In many parts of the world, Christmas trees have long been set up and taken down according to the calendar. they were Traditionally, brought into the house on Christmas Eve and removed the day after Twelfth Night (January 6th), and varying from these dates was considered bad luck.

Red + Green = Christmas While the colors green and red are now synonymous with Christmas, the association of these colors with the holiday originally had nothing to do with Santa, elves or even mistletoe. Like so much holiday lore, the origins of the red-

Cahall Funeral Homes and-green Christmas theme have long been debated, but the explanation that appears to be most deeply rooted in fact begins in 14th century Europe, when Adam and Eve's Day was celebrated each year on December 24th. At that time, churches presented dramatic performances --called Miracle Plays -- that were intended to teach religious topics to a largely illiterate population.

For Adam and Eve's Day, people gathered to watch the "Paradise Play," which presented the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Since no apple trees were available in the middle of winter to represent the Tree of Good and Evil on stage, a pine tree with apples tied to its branches was used instead.

The use of a "makeshift" apple tree worked so well that many churches adopted its use.

The "Paradise Tree" eventually became so popular in Germany that people started to erect evergreen trees in their homes and decorate them with red apples. Over time, the green of the trees and the red of the apples became widely associated with the celebration of Christmas.

Light Up the Holiday Before the invention of the light bulb, families in many parts of the world brought light into their homes during the cold holiday season by placing candles in their Christmas trees. While this custom was extremely dangerous and caused many fires, it wasn't until the early 20th century that most people had access to electric Christmas tree lights. Edward H. Johnson, a friend and business partner of Thomas Edison, was the first to string together lights for the purpose of decorating a Christmas tree in 1882. However, Christmas light kits were not available until 1903 and, until then, only very wealthy families could afford to light up their trees.

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Christmas 2009 - Page 5

O D D P A G E S

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Postal Workers: Unsung Holiday Heroes

Film Classics to Rev Up Holiday Spirit

The postal system is a welloiled machine that few people actually stop and consider.

During the holiday season the reliability and swiftness of the postal service is relied on for several weeks. Individuals put their cherished gifts and cards into the hands of willing individuals who will make every attempt to have those holiday treats arrive promptly at their destinations around the world.

In the United States alone, 20 billion cards, letters and packages are to be delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas, says the United States Postal Service. More than 200,000 vehicles are dispatched to transport that mail, and mail carriers are instrumental in neighborhoods all over the country. Home pickups can also be scheduled if you can't make it to the nearest post office to send your package.

Postal workers and volunteers make sure that the correspondence is received and answered to bring smiles to millions of children.

Apart from the abundance of holiday greetings this time of year, the postal system must

Families often have their gift. Will Ralphie find his own unique traditions when it heart's desire under the tree? comes to the holidays. Lately, Watch to find out.

"It's a Wonderful Life" families have begun to include films in many of those tradi- (1946) - When distraught George Baily tions.

That's (Jimmy Stewart) thanks largely to meets a compasthe array of classionate angel, he sic holiday films learns what life that have consiswould have been tently put people like if he'd never in the holiday existed. Holiday mood. Families magic wins out reuniting for the in the end. holidays this "Miracle on year have a host 34th Street" of films from (1947) - Another which to choose classic that can't to enjoy a night be missed! When in and a bucket a man claiming of popcorn. to be Santa Claus When heading to deemed visit family and Ralphie from the classic tale is insane, a young friends, consider “A Christmas Story.” lawyer and a bringing one of the following as a gift to make headstrong young girl come to a memorable night with loved his rescue.

"A Christmas Carol" ones.

"National Lampoon's (1951) - Yet another movie Christmas Vacation" (1989) - that has spawned a series of Led by an all-star cast includ- more recent remakes. This one ing Chevy Chase and Beverly stars Alastair Sim as Mr. D'Angelo, the Griswold family Scrooge, a bitter, miserly man Christmas should be merry, but who doesn't give a bah humnaturally turns into a hilarious bug about the holiday season. disaster. Look for appearances But will a haunting by three by "Seinfeld" veteran Julia ghosts change his mind and ill Louis-Dreyfus and legendary will?

Charlie Brown comedienne Doris Roberts in "A supporting roles.

Christmas" (1965) - Charlie "A Christmas Story" (1983) Brown is depressed and can't - Growing up in 1940s find the Christmas spirit.

America, young Ralphie has When he is put in charge of the his heart set on a Red Rider school's holiday pageant and BB gun for Christmas, but it comes in with a meager seems like Mom, teacher and Christmas tree, the schoolkids even Santa are certain he'll ultimately learn about the true "shoot his eye out" with such a meaning of Christmas.

also face an influx of other mail during the season. Stores tend to send out more flyers advertising sales, and magazines may be larger -- packed with more tips, techniques and ads.

The holidays mark a time when you should give an extra measure of thanks to your mail carrier for the hard work he or she does throughout the year.

It's also a time to show appreciation for the other people in your community who provide exemplary service.

The United States Postal Service media relations department confirms that postal employees are not allowed to accept monetary tips, but you can show them a token of your appreciation by offering a small gift of a value of around $20. Think about something a mail carrier would enjoy, such as a gift certificate to a local store, hand or foot warmers, cookies, movie tickets, etc.

Spread a little holiday joy to local postal workers, even if it's a smile and a "thank you" for a job well done during this busy season.

Account Number Expiration Date Signature

Issuing Bank

Required if using Your Mastercard or VISA

Attn: Ginny 465 E. Main St. Batavia, Ohio 45103

We Are Here For All Your Banking Needs

Fixed Rate Second Mortgages

Low Closing Costs

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1-800-404-3157

370 N. High St., Mt. Orab, Ohio 45154

Name

937-444-1441

Address City

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from

State

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Zip

One of the classic scenes from “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

www.merchantsnat.com

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Page 6 - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Page 11

“You’re At Home With Us”

www.fsb4me.com Manchester (937) 549-2621

Seaman (937) 386-2525

Winchester (937) 695-0331

Mt. Orab (937) 444-2380

Peebles (937) 587-6191

West Union (937) 544-5252

Georgetown (937) 378-2595

Ripley (937) 392-4349

Smith Custom Service 2469 St. Rt. 131 (9 mi. E. of Milford)

Be safe and sound when stringing holiday lights Few holiday traditions are as aesthetically appealing as lighting a house and Christmas tree. Neighborhood passersby often delight in a well-lit holiday home, and some neighborhoods even have contests among residents as to who can create the most festive holiday lighting display.

But as fun as stringing up and designing a holiday lighting scheme can be, it can be equally dangerous as well. Film fans are well aware of Clark Griswold's hysterical efforts to string up holiday lights in the comedy classic "Christmas Vacation."

But as oddball and over-the-top as those efforts were, they've also hit home for many who have had accidents stringing up holiday lights in years past.

Consider the fact that Christmas trees account for roughly 200 fires annually -mostly from electrical lights or open flames from candles -causing more than $6 million in property damage, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

In addition, each year plays witness to thousands of visits to local emergency rooms resulting from falls that happen when stringing up holiday lights.

But for every person who visits the emergency room after a fall, there are thousands more who make it through the season safe and sound. To do just that, consider the following holiday lighting safety tips, courtesy of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). * Check that outdoor lights - and extension cords -- are designed for outdoor use, and

be sure to look for the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label on the lights. The label indicates that the product has been tested for safety hazards. * Inspect lights for any damages, such as frayed strings, exposed wires, loose connections, or any broken or cracked sockets. Damaged sets are a fire and safety hazard, so replace any sets with any of the aforementioned problems. * Minimize extension cord use, plugging lights directly into the electrical sockets

Brell & Son Funeral Home

513-625-9000 www.smithcustom.com

Maysville’s Only Family Owned and Operated Funeral Home.

620 E. Second St. Maysville, KY 41056

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(606) 564-3641 1-800-222-8672

whenever possible. Check the fuse box to determine how many amps your circuit can handle safely. * Routinely feel electrical cords around the house and unplug any that feel too warm. * Turn off lights when you are away from home and when you're asleep. Even if only for a midday cat nap, unplug all lights just to be safe. * Do not strand more than three light sets together. * Do not use electric lights with a metallic tree. Touch alone can lead to a deadly electrical shock. * Prevent wind damage to bulbs by securely attaching all outdoor lights to the house, walls or other firm objects.. * Do not conceal cords under floor mats or rugs. This can lead to trips and falls. * When hanging lights, always emphasize safety and have a helper on hand. The ladder should be sitting level, and when hanging lights, stand centered on the rails of the ladder.

When placing the ladder, both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the CPSC recommend extending it at least three feet beyond the roofline. In addition, for every four feet the ladder extends up, space the base of the ladder one foot away from the wall. * Keep all lighting decorations out of reach of children and pets. Children may be intrigued by the lights and be tempted to play with the wires or the bulbs, while the family pet might chew or pull on cords. * Be especially careful with candles. Candles are an obvious fire hazard, so avoid placing them near trees, decorations and wrapping paper and do not put them in a place where they can be knocked down or blown over.

Easy Ways to Keep a Home Safe While Away for the Holidays Safety and security is an important concern for many homeowners. Around the holidays, it can be easy to overlook those concerns due to the increasingly busy schedule many people have between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Unfortunately, putting home security on the backburner during the holiday season can prove to be a grievous error.

Because extended vacations to visit family and friends are common during the holiday season, criminals often target this time of year thanks to empty homes they know will not be the hub of activity they usually are. To safeguard your home while you're out of town this holiday season, it's best to take a few precautionary measures to make a home less appealing to prospective burglars and criminals. * Ask a friend or neighbor to pick up the mail. If your home doesn't have a mail slot in the front door, a telltale sign that you're away is an overstuffed mailbox. Before you leave, arrange to have your mail, newspapers and flyers picked up by a neighbor or friend. If you can, arrange to have newspaper delivery suspended for the duration of your trip. If you can't find someone to pick up your mail, you can ask the local post office to suspend delivery while you're out of town. * Leave some lights on, including the Christmas lights.

If your beautiful Christmas lights display glows in the weeks leading up to Christmas but then suddenly disappears once the holiday arrives, thieves can probably determine that your house is empty and therefore a good target. By leaving a kitchen light on inside your house and keeping your Christmas lights on a timer, you're at least giving the appearance that someone is home, and a yard illuminated thanks to your decorative lights makes it much more difficult for potential thieves to creep around your house under the cloak of darkness. Be sure to

string up some lights in the backyard as well. * Secure all windows. Along with making sure your windows are locked, hang thick curtains or blinds in all windows. These make it difficult for prospective burglars to see into a home and look for valuables as well as determine if the house appears lived in or not.

And just as with sliding patio doors, make sure any sliding windows have similar anti-lift protection. * Give someone you trust a spare key to your home. Never leave a spare key in the familiar places, such as under a doormat or in the mailbox. Chances are, even the most incompetent burglar is skilled enough to look under the mat or in the mailbox.

Instead, give a key to a neighbor you can trust or a family member. Homeowners who just moved into their new digs should replace the keys and locks immediately, since there's no telling who might have had access to your home before you lived there. * Join or start a neighborhood watch. Many neighborhoods today feature a neighborhood watch program where any suspicious activity can be monitored and reported to police by your neighbors when you're home or away. Particularly when you're out of town, this is a great way to provide yourself with some peace of mind. If you neighborhood doesn't have a watch program, ask the neigh-

bors if they would be interested in one. If so, consult with the local police department for tips on making your neighborhood watch as successful as possible. * Light all of the entrances.

Keep each and every entryway well lit while you're away.

Doing so makes it harder for prospective burglars to inspect a home and break in. This is even more important for homeowners who do not decorate their homes with Christmas lights. Also, before leaving for an extended period of time, remember to replace all light bulbs with fresh ones, assuring that your lights will burn brightly throughout the duration of your vacation. * Take good care of the lawn.

A great place for a burglar to hide and go unnoticed is in bushes that are not well trimmed. Take this option away from him by making sure all of bushes have been trimmed neatly so he doesn't have easy access to a hiding spot he can use to scope out your house, even while you're home. It's also wise to strategically plant security bushes near any potential points of entry for a burglar.

Placing a rose bush, for instance, near all ground floor windows is a serious deterrent for a potential burglar since rose bushes, while beautiful when in bloom, are also loaded with thorns. * Put away patio furniture and other backyard tools.

Household items strewn about

the yard could facilitate a burglary. Ladders, chairs and boxes should be stored in a locked shed or garage, as a burglar can simply use the ladder

THE HISTORY

to climb up to a second story window. Also, simple garden tools can be used to break windows or shimmy open doors, so lock those away as well.

OF

“FROSTY”

Though it might seem as though it’s been around forever, the beloved holiday song “Frosty the Snowman” actually wasn’t produced until 1950. Written by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson, the song was first recorded by legendary country singer Jack Autry and the Cass County Boys. Once they finished penning the now classic Christmas tune, Rollins and Nelson shipped the lyrics to Autry, who just a year earlier achieved great success with another holiday favorite, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” While Autry’s version remained the most successful, and arguably most recognizable, version of “Frosty” for many years, its success in terms of charting was actually outdone just a year ago. The peak position for Autry’s original version on the U.S. Pop Singles chart was #7 back in 1950. However, the 2007 rendition by former American Idol participant Kimberly Locke reached #1 on the Billboard U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary chart. The television adaptation of “Frosty the Snowman” remains a staple of the television schedule each holiday season.

“A Great Place To Learn” Full or Part-Time Classes

Grant Career Center

734-6222

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E V E N P A G E S

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Page 10 - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Page 7

A Fire Safe Home For The Holidays During the holiday season, 47,000 fires claim more than 500 lives across the United States. According to the U.S.

Fire Administration (USFA), fires are also responsible for over 2,200 injuries and cause $990 million in damage.

MT. WASHINGTON SAVINGS & LOAN O D D P A G E S

Your Financial Institution Since 1886 In Savings & Home Financing OPEN A MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT TODAY 2110 BEECHMONT AVENUE, Mt. Washington

231-7871

Unfortunately, many of these fires are caused by the very things that make the holiday season special -- Christmas trees and other decorations.

About one in every 20 Christmas tree fires results in a loss of life. But by choosing decorations wisely and taking basic precautions to ensure that they are used properly, many of these fires can be prevented.

Selecting and caring for a holiday tree: When choosing a tree, be sure it has been freshly cut and has not dried out. The trunk should feel sticky and the needles should not break or be pulled off easily from branches. If a large number of needles fall off a tree when it is "bounced" on the ground, that indicates the tree has dried out and is a fire hazard. Once in your home, set up the tree in a secure and stable stand, away from heat sources such as fireplaces or heating vents. Check the wiring on tree lights for wear and open sockets. If there is any doubt about the condition of your tree lights, replace

them with new "UL" approved lights. Be sure the stand is always full of water and that lights aren't in contact with the stand or water. Avoid buying a tree too early or leaving it up too long.

If you are purchasing or using an artificial tree, be sure that it is flame-retardant.

Metallic artificial trees should never be decorated with strings of lights because of the risk of a short circuit and possible shock hazard.

Maintain holiday lighting: All holiday lighting, extension cords and other electrical decorations should be "UL" approved. If they are to be used outside, be sure to use only those designed for that purpose and keep all exterior wiring out of standing water. Inspect lighting for worn or broken wires or sockets and replace any missing bulbs. Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords or connect more than three strings of lights together unless the directions state otherwise. In addition,

never leave holiday lighting on when leaving home or going to bed.

Avoiding other holiday fire hazards Here are some additional tips to ensure a safe holiday season: * Decorations should be non-flammable or flame-resistant and kept away from heat or ignition sources. * Do not burn wrapping paper or tree branches in a fireplace. * Never put candles in trees and other decorations or leave burning candles unattended. * Designate someone to make sure that candles and lights are out when leaving the house or going to bed. * Smoke alarms save lives!

Make sure they have fresh batteries, are in good working order and that they are properly located. Having a working smoke alarm reduces the chance of dying in a fire by nearly half.

For more information about using smoke alarms, go to www.usfa.dhs.gov.

THE HISTORY OF “SANTA CLAUS” Each year, shoppers are greeted by the sights of the holiday season at area stores, including strung garland, lights and masses of bright red poinsettia plants. However, it's an appearance by the man in red that really signifies the arrival of Christmas. Department stores count on Santa Claus to attract customers to pose for pictures and shop the day away.

History suggests the department store Santa made his debut in 1841, when J.W. Parkinson, a Philadelphia merchant, hired a man to dress up in a "Kris Kringle" outfit and climb the chimney of his store. It wasn't until forty years later that a Boston merchant repeated the idea, hiring a Scottish immigrant named Edgar, who happened to be tall and a little round around the middle and who boasted a white beard, a warm voice and a hearty laugh.

CLEAN-UP IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE ★ CALL US FOR CURRENT PRICES ★ Copper Aluminum Radiators Catalytic Converters • Batteries #1 Copper • #2 Copper • Aluminum Cans Aluminum Radiators • Auto Radiators Aluminum Wheels Transmissions - Automatic - no pan Transmissions - Standard - no pan

Recycling trees could boost local economy After Christmas, when people are taking down their ornaments and packing them away, Christmas trees make their way from living rooms to the garbage heap. In recent years, people have realized the benefit to recycling these spruces and firs into compost material. But Christmas trees aren’t the only timber being recycled these days. Many towns and cities are realizing the potential for urban tree recycling at other times during the year.

Many municipalities remove hundreds of trees from public and private land each year. Utility companies, construction personnel and others also remove trees for various reasons. Some block power lines while others pose safety hazards. In most cases, these cut-down trees end up being sent to the landfill.

Some logs are buried, ground

CMYK

up or become a disposal problem. But what if the felled trees could be put to other uses that are a bit more economically friendly and could help those in need earn a profit?

That’s just what Hammond, Indiana’s Lake County Solid Waste Management District Executive Director Jeff Langbehn was thinking when he approached a local sawmill to see if the downed trees could be put to another use. In 1997, the city started a program called “Trees to Furniture.” Downed trees were taken to the Hoosier sawmill, which used 70 percent of the material for compensation. The remaining thirty percent was turned into city structures, such as picnic tables, garden sheds and park benches. Not only did the city save on disposal expenses, it saved on purchasing materials

for replacement picnic tables and other public area furniture since the “garbage” trees were being recycled into these items.

The concept has since spread beyond Indiana. Many other states have adopted their own similar tree recycling programs. Some are municipal-run programs. Others are spearheaded by businesssavvy individuals who see a way to profit on waste wood.

The organization Harvesting Urban Timber (HUT) has a Web site that connects people looking for more information on recycling timber. Those with portable sawmills or people with trees can collaborate to find out how to turn waste wood into valuable lumber for business or hobbyists. For more information, visit www.harvestingurbantimber.c om.

Butler Recycling Staff and Employees wish to thank you for your business.

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

HIGHEST PRICE PAID FOR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS! Remember Your Gift Giving with deSha’s Gift Cards!

Buy $100 in Gift Cards and Receive a $20 Bonus Card FREE! Buy $50 in Gift Cards and Receive a $10 Bonus Card FREE!

Open Daily at 11:00 a.m.

606-564-9275 www.tavernrestaurantgroup.com

HOLIDAY CLOSINGS: Dec. 24, 25 & 26 • Jan. 1 & 2 • Re-Opens Jan. 4 CALL US AHEAD TO CONFIRM HOLIDAY SEASON HOURS

BUTLER RECYCLING & CORE 5148 U.S. 62, Maysville, KY 41056 Hours: M-F 8:30-4:30; Sat 8:30-12:00

1-888-749-8863 606-759-8863

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Page 8 - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Page 9

HISTORIC NEW RICHMOND WALKS Friday, December 11 at 5:00 p.m. & Saturday December 12 at 5:00 p.m.

Meet Greg Roberts at the Ross-Gowdy House at 125 George Street at 5:00 p.m. for an interesting and informative walking tour of Historic New Richmond. This is a fundraiser for Historic New Richmond, Inc. Cost for the tour is $5.00 per person. Hot cider, hot chocolate, and light refreshments will be offered for sale prior to the walk.

FRONT STREET GALLERY 218 Front Street - New Richmond

Friday 5-9pm - December 11th

December 11th & 12th

Original Art • Prints • Pottery • Jewelry Photography and More

Join us on December 12 - 10am to 6pm Live Demos and Mini Classes

(513) 520-2103 • frontstgallery.com

For more information, call Cathy

513-207-3184 www.newrichmond.org

1 4 2 4 4 4 5

5-9:00 5-9:00 5:00 6:00 6-9:00 6-9:00 6-9:00

7 6 24 3

5-9:00 6-9:00 6-9:00 6-9:00

19 6-9:00 10 6-9:00 11 7:00 12 7-9:00

Information Booth (Front St. Arch) Primitive Tee Pee Display (Haussermann Park) History Tour (Greg Roberts) Event Opens (Town Crier) NR High School Troubadours Shops and Businesses Open late FREE Hot Chocolate & Hot Dogs Landing Restaurant Patio (401 Front St.) Student Art Show @ Frames of Mind & Trendy’s Carriage Rides (Donations) Petting Zoo (Main & Front St.) Family Holiday Photos with Santa @ Passages Books (126 Front St.) NR Girl Scouts Caroling Open House, Refreshments & Tours Somewhere In Time B&B (100 Market St.) Tree Lighting Ceremony (Haussermann Park) featuring our very own vocalist, John Hale (Front St.) Open House, Tours and Refreshments Cranston Church (Union and Washington Streets)

E V E N P A G E S

❄ Carolers on the RiverFront ❄ Santa Arrives by Boat ❄ Our World Famous

ReinDog Parade ❄ Crafters Galore ❄ Antique Carriage Rides ❄ Enjoy local Shops & Restaurants

Saturday 10am-6pm - December 12th 1041 B Old U.S. 52, New Richmond • Accepting HMO, Insurance Plans and Welfare • We offer UPS Package Service • Complete Line of Greeting Cards • Photo Finishing Visit our Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain

1 4 6 7 4 15 24 15 16

QUALITY BODY REPAIR SINCE 1982 ALL MAKES & MODELS - FOREIGN & DOMESTIC • All Insurance Companies Accepted • Rental Cars Available • Towing Available 8:30 - 5:00 Mon-Fri Sat (by appointment only)

1 3 19

19 10 20 12 19 21

553-2331

22 2

404 Front St., New Richmond - Robert Moore (Owner)

P

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10-5:00 10-5:00 10-4:00 10-5:00 10-4:00 10-4:00 10-4:00 10-5:00

Information Booth (Front St. Arch) Primitive Tee Pee Display (Haussermann Park) Carriage Rides & Hot Food (Historic Riverfront) Student Art Show @ Frames of Mind & Trendy’s Shuttle Bus (Donations - along entire route) Crafters Galore (311 Front St. & along Front St.) Petting Zoo (Main & Front St.) Cardboard Boat Museum Open House Refreshments & Tours (311 Front Street) 10-6:00 Open House - Train Display Cottage Garden Greenhouse (108 Susanna Way) 11:00 Santa Arrives by Boat at the Front St. Public Landing 12-2:00 Pictures with Santa @ Passages Books (126 Front St.) 12-3:00 Carolers Presbyterian Church Choir directed by Pat Hawkins NR Girl Scouts Caroling - Strolling along Front St. 12:30 Faith United Church of Christ - Brass Quartet 12-4:00 Open House, Refreshments & Tours Somewhere In Time B&B (100 Market St.) 12-5:00 Ross Gowdy House Museum - Bid/Buy Silent Auction Open House & History Talks (125 George St.) 1-4:00 Luncheon & Ice Cream Social Cranston Church (Union and Washington Streets) 2-3:00 NR Middle School Choir 2-3:00 Registration for ReinDog/Pet Parade Starts at Main & Front St. ($1.00 per pet) 3-4:00 Annual ReinDog/Pet Parade along Front St., Judging at RiverHills Bank Steps 5:00 Walking History Tour of New Richmond (Gary Knepp) Begins at the Ross Gowdy House (125 George St.) OFF STREET EVENT PARKING

CMYK

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Page 8 - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Page 9

HISTORIC NEW RICHMOND WALKS Friday, December 11 at 5:00 p.m. & Saturday December 12 at 5:00 p.m.

Meet Greg Roberts at the Ross-Gowdy House at 125 George Street at 5:00 p.m. for an interesting and informative walking tour of Historic New Richmond. This is a fundraiser for Historic New Richmond, Inc. Cost for the tour is $5.00 per person. Hot cider, hot chocolate, and light refreshments will be offered for sale prior to the walk.

FRONT STREET GALLERY 218 Front Street - New Richmond

Friday 5-9pm - December 11th

December 11th & 12th

Original Art • Prints • Pottery • Jewelry Photography and More

Join us on December 12 - 10am to 6pm Live Demos and Mini Classes

(513) 520-2103 • frontstgallery.com

For more information, call Cathy

513-207-3184 www.newrichmond.org

1 4 2 4 4 4 5

5-9:00 5-9:00 5:00 6:00 6-9:00 6-9:00 6-9:00

7 6 24 3

5-9:00 6-9:00 6-9:00 6-9:00

19 6-9:00 10 6-9:00 11 7:00 12 7-9:00

Information Booth (Front St. Arch) Primitive Tee Pee Display (Haussermann Park) History Tour (Greg Roberts) Event Opens (Town Crier) NR High School Troubadours Shops and Businesses Open late FREE Hot Chocolate & Hot Dogs Landing Restaurant Patio (401 Front St.) Student Art Show @ Frames of Mind & Trendy’s Carriage Rides (Donations) Petting Zoo (Main & Front St.) Family Holiday Photos with Santa @ Passages Books (126 Front St.) NR Girl Scouts Caroling Open House, Refreshments & Tours Somewhere In Time B&B (100 Market St.) Tree Lighting Ceremony (Haussermann Park) featuring our very own vocalist, John Hale (Front St.) Open House, Tours and Refreshments Cranston Church (Union and Washington Streets)

E V E N P A G E S

❄ Carolers on the RiverFront ❄ Santa Arrives by Boat ❄ Our World Famous

ReinDog Parade ❄ Crafters Galore ❄ Antique Carriage Rides ❄ Enjoy local Shops & Restaurants

Saturday 10am-6pm - December 12th 1041 B Old U.S. 52, New Richmond • Accepting HMO, Insurance Plans and Welfare • We offer UPS Package Service • Complete Line of Greeting Cards • Photo Finishing Visit our Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain

1 4 6 7 4 15 24 15 16

QUALITY BODY REPAIR SINCE 1982 ALL MAKES & MODELS - FOREIGN & DOMESTIC • All Insurance Companies Accepted • Rental Cars Available • Towing Available 8:30 - 5:00 Mon-Fri Sat (by appointment only)

1 3 19

19 10 20 12 19 21

553-2331

22 2

404 Front St., New Richmond - Robert Moore (Owner)

P

CMYK

10-5:00 10-5:00 10-4:00 10-5:00 10-4:00 10-4:00 10-4:00 10-5:00

Information Booth (Front St. Arch) Primitive Tee Pee Display (Haussermann Park) Carriage Rides & Hot Food (Historic Riverfront) Student Art Show @ Frames of Mind & Trendy’s Shuttle Bus (Donations - along entire route) Crafters Galore (311 Front St. & along Front St.) Petting Zoo (Main & Front St.) Cardboard Boat Museum Open House Refreshments & Tours (311 Front Street) 10-6:00 Open House - Train Display Cottage Garden Greenhouse (108 Susanna Way) 11:00 Santa Arrives by Boat at the Front St. Public Landing 12-2:00 Pictures with Santa @ Passages Books (126 Front St.) 12-3:00 Carolers Presbyterian Church Choir directed by Pat Hawkins NR Girl Scouts Caroling - Strolling along Front St. 12:30 Faith United Church of Christ - Brass Quartet 12-4:00 Open House, Refreshments & Tours Somewhere In Time B&B (100 Market St.) 12-5:00 Ross Gowdy House Museum - Bid/Buy Silent Auction Open House & History Talks (125 George St.) 1-4:00 Luncheon & Ice Cream Social Cranston Church (Union and Washington Streets) 2-3:00 NR Middle School Choir 2-3:00 Registration for ReinDog/Pet Parade Starts at Main & Front St. ($1.00 per pet) 3-4:00 Annual ReinDog/Pet Parade along Front St., Judging at RiverHills Bank Steps 5:00 Walking History Tour of New Richmond (Gary Knepp) Begins at the Ross Gowdy House (125 George St.) OFF STREET EVENT PARKING

CMYK

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Page 10 - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Page 7

A Fire Safe Home For The Holidays During the holiday season, 47,000 fires claim more than 500 lives across the United States. According to the U.S.

Fire Administration (USFA), fires are also responsible for over 2,200 injuries and cause $990 million in damage.

MT. WASHINGTON SAVINGS & LOAN O D D P A G E S

Your Financial Institution Since 1886 In Savings & Home Financing OPEN A MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT TODAY 2110 BEECHMONT AVENUE, Mt. Washington

231-7871

Unfortunately, many of these fires are caused by the very things that make the holiday season special -- Christmas trees and other decorations.

About one in every 20 Christmas tree fires results in a loss of life. But by choosing decorations wisely and taking basic precautions to ensure that they are used properly, many of these fires can be prevented.

Selecting and caring for a holiday tree: When choosing a tree, be sure it has been freshly cut and has not dried out. The trunk should feel sticky and the needles should not break or be pulled off easily from branches. If a large number of needles fall off a tree when it is "bounced" on the ground, that indicates the tree has dried out and is a fire hazard. Once in your home, set up the tree in a secure and stable stand, away from heat sources such as fireplaces or heating vents. Check the wiring on tree lights for wear and open sockets. If there is any doubt about the condition of your tree lights, replace

them with new "UL" approved lights. Be sure the stand is always full of water and that lights aren't in contact with the stand or water. Avoid buying a tree too early or leaving it up too long.

If you are purchasing or using an artificial tree, be sure that it is flame-retardant.

Metallic artificial trees should never be decorated with strings of lights because of the risk of a short circuit and possible shock hazard.

Maintain holiday lighting: All holiday lighting, extension cords and other electrical decorations should be "UL" approved. If they are to be used outside, be sure to use only those designed for that purpose and keep all exterior wiring out of standing water. Inspect lighting for worn or broken wires or sockets and replace any missing bulbs. Do not overload wall outlets or extension cords or connect more than three strings of lights together unless the directions state otherwise. In addition,

never leave holiday lighting on when leaving home or going to bed.

Avoiding other holiday fire hazards Here are some additional tips to ensure a safe holiday season: * Decorations should be non-flammable or flame-resistant and kept away from heat or ignition sources. * Do not burn wrapping paper or tree branches in a fireplace. * Never put candles in trees and other decorations or leave burning candles unattended. * Designate someone to make sure that candles and lights are out when leaving the house or going to bed. * Smoke alarms save lives!

Make sure they have fresh batteries, are in good working order and that they are properly located. Having a working smoke alarm reduces the chance of dying in a fire by nearly half.

For more information about using smoke alarms, go to www.usfa.dhs.gov.

THE HISTORY OF “SANTA CLAUS” Each year, shoppers are greeted by the sights of the holiday season at area stores, including strung garland, lights and masses of bright red poinsettia plants. However, it's an appearance by the man in red that really signifies the arrival of Christmas. Department stores count on Santa Claus to attract customers to pose for pictures and shop the day away.

History suggests the department store Santa made his debut in 1841, when J.W. Parkinson, a Philadelphia merchant, hired a man to dress up in a "Kris Kringle" outfit and climb the chimney of his store. It wasn't until forty years later that a Boston merchant repeated the idea, hiring a Scottish immigrant named Edgar, who happened to be tall and a little round around the middle and who boasted a white beard, a warm voice and a hearty laugh.

CLEAN-UP IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE ★ CALL US FOR CURRENT PRICES ★ Copper Aluminum Radiators Catalytic Converters • Batteries #1 Copper • #2 Copper • Aluminum Cans Aluminum Radiators • Auto Radiators Aluminum Wheels Transmissions - Automatic - no pan Transmissions - Standard - no pan

Recycling trees could boost local economy After Christmas, when people are taking down their ornaments and packing them away, Christmas trees make their way from living rooms to the garbage heap. In recent years, people have realized the benefit to recycling these spruces and firs into compost material. But Christmas trees aren’t the only timber being recycled these days. Many towns and cities are realizing the potential for urban tree recycling at other times during the year.

Many municipalities remove hundreds of trees from public and private land each year. Utility companies, construction personnel and others also remove trees for various reasons. Some block power lines while others pose safety hazards. In most cases, these cut-down trees end up being sent to the landfill.

Some logs are buried, ground

CMYK

up or become a disposal problem. But what if the felled trees could be put to other uses that are a bit more economically friendly and could help those in need earn a profit?

That’s just what Hammond, Indiana’s Lake County Solid Waste Management District Executive Director Jeff Langbehn was thinking when he approached a local sawmill to see if the downed trees could be put to another use. In 1997, the city started a program called “Trees to Furniture.” Downed trees were taken to the Hoosier sawmill, which used 70 percent of the material for compensation. The remaining thirty percent was turned into city structures, such as picnic tables, garden sheds and park benches. Not only did the city save on disposal expenses, it saved on purchasing materials

for replacement picnic tables and other public area furniture since the “garbage” trees were being recycled into these items.

The concept has since spread beyond Indiana. Many other states have adopted their own similar tree recycling programs. Some are municipal-run programs. Others are spearheaded by businesssavvy individuals who see a way to profit on waste wood.

The organization Harvesting Urban Timber (HUT) has a Web site that connects people looking for more information on recycling timber. Those with portable sawmills or people with trees can collaborate to find out how to turn waste wood into valuable lumber for business or hobbyists. For more information, visit www.harvestingurbantimber.c om.

Butler Recycling Staff and Employees wish to thank you for your business.

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Christmas 2009 - Page 11

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Be safe and sound when stringing holiday lights Few holiday traditions are as aesthetically appealing as lighting a house and Christmas tree. Neighborhood passersby often delight in a well-lit holiday home, and some neighborhoods even have contests among residents as to who can create the most festive holiday lighting display.

But as fun as stringing up and designing a holiday lighting scheme can be, it can be equally dangerous as well. Film fans are well aware of Clark Griswold's hysterical efforts to string up holiday lights in the comedy classic "Christmas Vacation."

But as oddball and over-the-top as those efforts were, they've also hit home for many who have had accidents stringing up holiday lights in years past.

Consider the fact that Christmas trees account for roughly 200 fires annually -mostly from electrical lights or open flames from candles -causing more than $6 million in property damage, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

In addition, each year plays witness to thousands of visits to local emergency rooms resulting from falls that happen when stringing up holiday lights.

But for every person who visits the emergency room after a fall, there are thousands more who make it through the season safe and sound. To do just that, consider the following holiday lighting safety tips, courtesy of the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). * Check that outdoor lights - and extension cords -- are designed for outdoor use, and

be sure to look for the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label on the lights. The label indicates that the product has been tested for safety hazards. * Inspect lights for any damages, such as frayed strings, exposed wires, loose connections, or any broken or cracked sockets. Damaged sets are a fire and safety hazard, so replace any sets with any of the aforementioned problems. * Minimize extension cord use, plugging lights directly into the electrical sockets

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whenever possible. Check the fuse box to determine how many amps your circuit can handle safely. * Routinely feel electrical cords around the house and unplug any that feel too warm. * Turn off lights when you are away from home and when you're asleep. Even if only for a midday cat nap, unplug all lights just to be safe. * Do not strand more than three light sets together. * Do not use electric lights with a metallic tree. Touch alone can lead to a deadly electrical shock. * Prevent wind damage to bulbs by securely attaching all outdoor lights to the house, walls or other firm objects.. * Do not conceal cords under floor mats or rugs. This can lead to trips and falls. * When hanging lights, always emphasize safety and have a helper on hand. The ladder should be sitting level, and when hanging lights, stand centered on the rails of the ladder.

When placing the ladder, both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the CPSC recommend extending it at least three feet beyond the roofline. In addition, for every four feet the ladder extends up, space the base of the ladder one foot away from the wall. * Keep all lighting decorations out of reach of children and pets. Children may be intrigued by the lights and be tempted to play with the wires or the bulbs, while the family pet might chew or pull on cords. * Be especially careful with candles. Candles are an obvious fire hazard, so avoid placing them near trees, decorations and wrapping paper and do not put them in a place where they can be knocked down or blown over.

Easy Ways to Keep a Home Safe While Away for the Holidays Safety and security is an important concern for many homeowners. Around the holidays, it can be easy to overlook those concerns due to the increasingly busy schedule many people have between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Unfortunately, putting home security on the backburner during the holiday season can prove to be a grievous error.

Because extended vacations to visit family and friends are common during the holiday season, criminals often target this time of year thanks to empty homes they know will not be the hub of activity they usually are. To safeguard your home while you're out of town this holiday season, it's best to take a few precautionary measures to make a home less appealing to prospective burglars and criminals. * Ask a friend or neighbor to pick up the mail. If your home doesn't have a mail slot in the front door, a telltale sign that you're away is an overstuffed mailbox. Before you leave, arrange to have your mail, newspapers and flyers picked up by a neighbor or friend. If you can, arrange to have newspaper delivery suspended for the duration of your trip. If you can't find someone to pick up your mail, you can ask the local post office to suspend delivery while you're out of town. * Leave some lights on, including the Christmas lights.

If your beautiful Christmas lights display glows in the weeks leading up to Christmas but then suddenly disappears once the holiday arrives, thieves can probably determine that your house is empty and therefore a good target. By leaving a kitchen light on inside your house and keeping your Christmas lights on a timer, you're at least giving the appearance that someone is home, and a yard illuminated thanks to your decorative lights makes it much more difficult for potential thieves to creep around your house under the cloak of darkness. Be sure to

string up some lights in the backyard as well. * Secure all windows. Along with making sure your windows are locked, hang thick curtains or blinds in all windows. These make it difficult for prospective burglars to see into a home and look for valuables as well as determine if the house appears lived in or not.

And just as with sliding patio doors, make sure any sliding windows have similar anti-lift protection. * Give someone you trust a spare key to your home. Never leave a spare key in the familiar places, such as under a doormat or in the mailbox. Chances are, even the most incompetent burglar is skilled enough to look under the mat or in the mailbox.

Instead, give a key to a neighbor you can trust or a family member. Homeowners who just moved into their new digs should replace the keys and locks immediately, since there's no telling who might have had access to your home before you lived there. * Join or start a neighborhood watch. Many neighborhoods today feature a neighborhood watch program where any suspicious activity can be monitored and reported to police by your neighbors when you're home or away. Particularly when you're out of town, this is a great way to provide yourself with some peace of mind. If you neighborhood doesn't have a watch program, ask the neigh-

bors if they would be interested in one. If so, consult with the local police department for tips on making your neighborhood watch as successful as possible. * Light all of the entrances.

Keep each and every entryway well lit while you're away.

Doing so makes it harder for prospective burglars to inspect a home and break in. This is even more important for homeowners who do not decorate their homes with Christmas lights. Also, before leaving for an extended period of time, remember to replace all light bulbs with fresh ones, assuring that your lights will burn brightly throughout the duration of your vacation. * Take good care of the lawn.

A great place for a burglar to hide and go unnoticed is in bushes that are not well trimmed. Take this option away from him by making sure all of bushes have been trimmed neatly so he doesn't have easy access to a hiding spot he can use to scope out your house, even while you're home. It's also wise to strategically plant security bushes near any potential points of entry for a burglar.

Placing a rose bush, for instance, near all ground floor windows is a serious deterrent for a potential burglar since rose bushes, while beautiful when in bloom, are also loaded with thorns. * Put away patio furniture and other backyard tools.

Household items strewn about

the yard could facilitate a burglary. Ladders, chairs and boxes should be stored in a locked shed or garage, as a burglar can simply use the ladder

THE HISTORY

to climb up to a second story window. Also, simple garden tools can be used to break windows or shimmy open doors, so lock those away as well.

OF

“FROSTY”

Though it might seem as though it’s been around forever, the beloved holiday song “Frosty the Snowman” actually wasn’t produced until 1950. Written by Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson, the song was first recorded by legendary country singer Jack Autry and the Cass County Boys. Once they finished penning the now classic Christmas tune, Rollins and Nelson shipped the lyrics to Autry, who just a year earlier achieved great success with another holiday favorite, “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” While Autry’s version remained the most successful, and arguably most recognizable, version of “Frosty” for many years, its success in terms of charting was actually outdone just a year ago. The peak position for Autry’s original version on the U.S. Pop Singles chart was #7 back in 1950. However, the 2007 rendition by former American Idol participant Kimberly Locke reached #1 on the Billboard U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary chart. The television adaptation of “Frosty the Snowman” remains a staple of the television schedule each holiday season.

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Christmas 2009 - Page 5

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Not good for out of state. You can 465 E. Main St., Batavia, OH 45103 or subscribe by phone: sign up for as many years as you 513.732.2511 or wish. If you already subscribe, your online at www.clermontsun.com expiration date will be extended.

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Postal Workers: Unsung Holiday Heroes

Film Classics to Rev Up Holiday Spirit

The postal system is a welloiled machine that few people actually stop and consider.

During the holiday season the reliability and swiftness of the postal service is relied on for several weeks. Individuals put their cherished gifts and cards into the hands of willing individuals who will make every attempt to have those holiday treats arrive promptly at their destinations around the world.

In the United States alone, 20 billion cards, letters and packages are to be delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas, says the United States Postal Service. More than 200,000 vehicles are dispatched to transport that mail, and mail carriers are instrumental in neighborhoods all over the country. Home pickups can also be scheduled if you can't make it to the nearest post office to send your package.

Postal workers and volunteers make sure that the correspondence is received and answered to bring smiles to millions of children.

Apart from the abundance of holiday greetings this time of year, the postal system must

Families often have their gift. Will Ralphie find his own unique traditions when it heart's desire under the tree? comes to the holidays. Lately, Watch to find out.

"It's a Wonderful Life" families have begun to include films in many of those tradi- (1946) - When distraught George Baily tions.

That's (Jimmy Stewart) thanks largely to meets a compasthe array of classionate angel, he sic holiday films learns what life that have consiswould have been tently put people like if he'd never in the holiday existed. Holiday mood. Families magic wins out reuniting for the in the end. holidays this "Miracle on year have a host 34th Street" of films from (1947) - Another which to choose classic that can't to enjoy a night be missed! When in and a bucket a man claiming of popcorn. to be Santa Claus When heading to deemed visit family and Ralphie from the classic tale is insane, a young friends, consider “A Christmas Story.” lawyer and a bringing one of the following as a gift to make headstrong young girl come to a memorable night with loved his rescue.

"A Christmas Carol" ones.

"National Lampoon's (1951) - Yet another movie Christmas Vacation" (1989) - that has spawned a series of Led by an all-star cast includ- more recent remakes. This one ing Chevy Chase and Beverly stars Alastair Sim as Mr. D'Angelo, the Griswold family Scrooge, a bitter, miserly man Christmas should be merry, but who doesn't give a bah humnaturally turns into a hilarious bug about the holiday season. disaster. Look for appearances But will a haunting by three by "Seinfeld" veteran Julia ghosts change his mind and ill Louis-Dreyfus and legendary will?

Charlie Brown comedienne Doris Roberts in "A supporting roles.

Christmas" (1965) - Charlie "A Christmas Story" (1983) Brown is depressed and can't - Growing up in 1940s find the Christmas spirit.

America, young Ralphie has When he is put in charge of the his heart set on a Red Rider school's holiday pageant and BB gun for Christmas, but it comes in with a meager seems like Mom, teacher and Christmas tree, the schoolkids even Santa are certain he'll ultimately learn about the true "shoot his eye out" with such a meaning of Christmas.

also face an influx of other mail during the season. Stores tend to send out more flyers advertising sales, and magazines may be larger -- packed with more tips, techniques and ads.

The holidays mark a time when you should give an extra measure of thanks to your mail carrier for the hard work he or she does throughout the year.

It's also a time to show appreciation for the other people in your community who provide exemplary service.

The United States Postal Service media relations department confirms that postal employees are not allowed to accept monetary tips, but you can show them a token of your appreciation by offering a small gift of a value of around $20. Think about something a mail carrier would enjoy, such as a gift certificate to a local store, hand or foot warmers, cookies, movie tickets, etc.

Spread a little holiday joy to local postal workers, even if it's a smile and a "thank you" for a job well done during this busy season.

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Christmas 2009 - Page 13

Money-Saving Tips for Memorable Holidays

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The holidays are a time for family and friends to gather and share the joys of the season.

While many families are faced with the need to scale back their holiday celebrations and expectations, it's good to know that memorable holidays can be both frugal and festive. By doing a little extra planning and reclaiming some of the traditions of simpler times, it's possible to discover that less really can be more. Make your holiday season both merry and memorable with the following money-saving tips: * Make a plan. Create a plan for holiday spending and gift giving. List possible gifts, how much you expect to pay, what you can afford to pay, and alternatives. Once you determine how much you can afford to spend on each gift, stick to your plan. Always look for sales and pay in cash or with debit cards whenever possible. Compare prices online. Check the shipping charges. For kids, consider buying one nice gift rather than

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a lot of smaller ones. * Timing is everything.

While the best deals on greeting cards can be found after the holidays, some do go on sale in December. It's also worth remembering that postcards are

less expensive and also cost less to mail. And if you're handy with scissors, you can transform last year's greeting cards into this year's festive holiday postcards. In addition, it pays to mail packages early.

The longer you wait, the more it will cost to make sure that your gifts arrive on time. * It's a wrap. Wrapping paper, like most other seasonal items, is deeply discounted after the holidays. If you didn't catch last year's afterChristmas sales, consider using the comics from your local newspaper as wrapping paper.

A roll of white butcher paper and assorted sizes of paper bags can be transformed into works of art that double as gift packaging. And last year's holiday cards can be cut into wonderful gift tags. * Nurture nature.

Homemade decorations and

ornaments add an old-fashioned touch to the holiday season. You can bring nature indoors with cornstalks, pinecones, dried flowers and pumpkins. Trees can be decked with strings of popcorn and cranberries as well as holiday cookie cutters, ribbons and bows. If you're willing to wait, bargains on Christmas trees can be found in the days leading up to December 25th. You might also consider investing in a high-quality artificial tree, which can save you big bucks in the long run. * Delicious deals. Some grocery stores offer great deals during the holidays. Check your newspaper and store fliers for deals on items you need.

Use store brands when making casseroles and side dishes. In the spirit of sharing, a potluckstyle holiday dinner could be a tradition worth considering. It also relieves the host of the entire burden of paying for and preparing the meal. * Simple pleasures. Holiday entertainment can be as simple as a drive around town to see the lights. And don't forget to bring along some blankets and hot chocolate for the ride. Pull out the board games you haven't played in years. Learn three new card games and two new holiday songs. Bake and decorate cookies. Make lasting memories.

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Unearthing the origins of the Christmas tree From Christmas stockings and mistletoe to smiling Santas and burning yule logs, the symbols of the season are so powerful that people seldom stop to think about their origins. But one of the most common symbols of Christmas --at least in the United States and Canada -- is the twinkling Christmas tree, which is often depicted with piles of shiny gifts under its bottom branches.

While most of us take these kinds of holiday images for granted, many of us aren't sure where the traditions started or how they became associated with Christmas. Whether you've always wondered about the origins of the Christmas tree or are simply in need of some seasonal small talk for this year's holiday parties, the following should add some insight into the origins of this popular holiday tradition.

A Growing Tradition In the U.S. and Canada, the Christmas tree has become one of the foremost symbols of the holiday season. But the origin of the beloved holiday evergreen has been debated for centuries, with some historians asserting that it has Christian roots and others contending that its roots are pagan.

However, many explanations trace the custom of having a decorated evergreen tree inside the home to 16th century Germany, while others go back 300 years earlier to a tradition that began with the Miracle Plays sponsored by local churches.

While its specific origin is unclear, we do know that the Christmas tree tradition spread first across Europe and then throughout the world. In the U.S., Christmas trees were first seen in communities with prominent German populations in the late 18th and early 19th century. Two communities in particular -- Windsor Locks, Connecticut and Easton, Pennsylvania -- lay claim to

being the "birthplace" of the American Christmas tree tradition.

Throughout the world, Christmas trees are a symbol of the continuation of life through the dark, cold months of winter and are linked both to the winter solstice and the belief that the birth of Jesus

brought light into the world. In many parts of the world, Christmas trees have long been set up and taken down according to the calendar. they were Traditionally, brought into the house on Christmas Eve and removed the day after Twelfth Night (January 6th), and varying from these dates was considered bad luck.

Red + Green = Christmas While the colors green and red are now synonymous with Christmas, the association of these colors with the holiday originally had nothing to do with Santa, elves or even mistletoe. Like so much holiday lore, the origins of the red-

Cahall Funeral Homes and-green Christmas theme have long been debated, but the explanation that appears to be most deeply rooted in fact begins in 14th century Europe, when Adam and Eve's Day was celebrated each year on December 24th. At that time, churches presented dramatic performances --called Miracle Plays -- that were intended to teach religious topics to a largely illiterate population.

For Adam and Eve's Day, people gathered to watch the "Paradise Play," which presented the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Since no apple trees were available in the middle of winter to represent the Tree of Good and Evil on stage, a pine tree with apples tied to its branches was used instead.

The use of a "makeshift" apple tree worked so well that many churches adopted its use.

The "Paradise Tree" eventually became so popular in Germany that people started to erect evergreen trees in their homes and decorate them with red apples. Over time, the green of the trees and the red of the apples became widely associated with the celebration of Christmas.

Light Up the Holiday Before the invention of the light bulb, families in many parts of the world brought light into their homes during the cold holiday season by placing candles in their Christmas trees. While this custom was extremely dangerous and caused many fires, it wasn't until the early 20th century that most people had access to electric Christmas tree lights. Edward H. Johnson, a friend and business partner of Thomas Edison, was the first to string together lights for the purpose of decorating a Christmas tree in 1882. However, Christmas light kits were not available until 1903 and, until then, only very wealthy families could afford to light up their trees.

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Christmas 2009 - Page 3

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from PETCO A house decorated for Christmas can present some hazards for pets, primarily because they will be curious about all the new items hanging around the house. PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. offers these tips to ensure that your pets have a healthy and happy holiday: o Christmas Trees: Pine needles can get lodged in an animal's esophagus, making it painfully prickly for your pet to swallow.

Drinking the water from the Christmas tree base is enough to cause diarrhea, mouth sores, vomiting and loss of appetite. o Deck the Halls: A bunch of mistletoe may tempt a festive kiss, but eating this holiday greenery

could cause a drop in blood pressure, as well as vomiting and swollen throat and mouth tissue.

Other holiday foliage, including Holly and Poinsettias, contain toxins that could lead to severe stomach problems, as well as skin, mouth and eye irritation. Worse yet, Yew is extremely toxic, and one mouthful could be deadly. o Tinsel and Lights: A flickering flame and shiny decorations intrigue companion animals. When lighting the menorah, advent wreath or decorative candles, keep pets in another room where paws and claws can't reach them. With electrical lights, remember to tape exposed electrical cords to walls or floors to ensure no chewing or trip-

ping. Tinsel and wrapping paper may look like fun toys, but they can cause choking, upset stomach or more serious problems. o Visions of Sugar Plums: PETCO knows that cookies and candies are as much about holiday tradition as a snowy street scene; however, some of them can be dangerous to your pets. For example, chocolate contains a chemical known as theobromine, which can be highly toxic to your four-legged friends. o Antifreeze Alert: The onset of winter often means new antifreeze for the family car, which is a substance that can be especially harmful to the family pet. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, which

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Holiday entertaining - dial up the fun factor It's that season for making party rounds and opening up homes to friends and family.

Maybe it's your turn to play host or hostess and you're not sure where to start or how to set your party apart from the others.

More importantly, you want to ensure guests have a good time.

Here are a few ideas how.

Play games: Scour the game aisle of your favorite store for board or action games that would work well in large groups.

Or, modify baby or bridal shower games to fit a holiday theme.

Door prize games, or "Pin the Red Nose on Rudolph" are silly ideas that can add up to fun, especially when the cocktails are flowing.

Create the mood with lights and music: Christmas and New Year's are celebrated in most areas during the darkest days of winter. So shed light on your festivities with plenty of twinkling

lights and votive candles. Create a holiday playlist on your MP3 player and make sure the tunes continue all night long.

Involve guests in decorating: Short on time? Gather up supplies for decorating and advertise that you're having a treetrimming or house-trimming party on your invitations. Allow guests to get crafty and be involved in dressing up your home.

Don't fret about food: You don't have to be a gourmet chef to host a winning party. If food isn't your forte, don't worry about catering the event or looking to pre-packaged appetizers and snacks. As guests mingle and hop from party to party, they're not going to be looking for an elaborate sit-down dinner.

Fresh veggies and dips, bitesized finger foods and the like are standard party fare. If you want to get creative, take any of

your favorite foods and just make them in miniature. Tiny burgers, bite-sized pizzas, and even small peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can delight.

Cocktail savvy: Stock the bar with the old standards for variety and come up with one signature drink you can make in bulk.

Why not try a frosty punch and give it a theme-inspired name, such as "Winter Wonderland"?

Be sure to have plenty of nonalcoholic drinks on hand for those designated drivers.

Dessert bar: Top off the evening with a dessert bar where guests can create and garnish their own desserts. Set out ice cream and fixings, a fondue pot with skewers of fruit, different pies with nuts and whipped cream, or any other combination you can think of.

Try out a couple of these tips for a memorable evening that doesn't take much planning.

SunQuest Hair Designs is a full service salon and tanning center that caters to the entire family and has been serving the Brown County area for 20 years.

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Another priority to the staff is keeping up to date on the latest trends and techniques in both hair

styles and hair care. They each consider their continuing education a necessity to maintain the highest level of professionalism and customer satisfaction. All staff members have managing cosmetology licenses.

SunQuest staff can provide the desired results, including, a trendy cut, a specialty perm, adding dimensional highlights or adding color to eliminate the gray.

The tanning center at SunQuest is perfect for both the beginning and experienced tanner and for anyone in between. SunQuest carries a full line of tanning products to meet the individual needs of a wide range of tanning clients.

SunQuest also offers full manicure and pedicure services and includes a spa pedicure chair for the client to relax and be pampered.

SunQuest is located at 7588 Staten Road, on the corner of TriCounty Highway and Staten Road in Sardinia.

For more information, call (937) 446-2306.

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Page 2 - Christmas 2009

Christmas 2009 - Page 15

Artificial vs. Natural: Pros and Cons of Both Tree Types

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As long as Christmas trees have been a part of the holiday season, so, too, has been the debate over real or man-made trees. Each side has its supporters and detractors, and both have real and man-made Christmas trees have their pros and cons.

When deciding whether or not to go to the nearby tree farm or the department store for your holiday tree this season, consider the following factors.

What Will a Natural Tree Cost?: Natural trees can vary in price depending on where you go. Prices can range from less than $20 to more than $50.

When making the decision, it's important to keep in mind that a tree does not last very long, and therefore investing too much money might not be the best way to spend your money.

However, there are options to purchase real trees with the root ball intact, which enables homeowners to plant the tree in their yard after the season.

What Will an Artificial Tree Cost?: Artificial trees will ini-

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tially have a higher price tag than their natural counterparts.

However, they are also more cost-effective because they can be used for several years after their initial purchases. There is also no need to purchase accessories such as tree stands and

watering devices with an artificial tree, which are typically necessary with a natural tree.

How Easily Can a Natural Tree Be Moved?: The Christmas tree lot or farm does take steps to make it easier to lift and move the tree, but there's still the challenge of getting it home. Many, whether driving a car or SUV, choose to put the tree on the roof of their vehicle, but then worry about the tree blowing off on the highway. Then's there the issue of getting the tree through the doorway, an especially difficult task for homeowners with older homes, where doorways are often much smaller compared to newer homes. Bring the tree into the home can also leave trails of pine needles from the car to house. That's a problem that can still be around throughout the year, as those pesky pine needles can be difficult to banish.

How Easily Can an Artificial Tree Be Moved?: Clearly, artificial trees are more advantageous when it comes to moving them.

Because they're often boxed, these trees are lightweight and easy to maneuver into the house.

Whether a house is old or new really does not matter when it

comes to an artificial tree thanks to the packaging.

What Does a Natural Tree Look Like?: Where natural tree supporters often stake their biggest claim is the tree's aesthetic appeal. Supporters feel a natural tree is much more aesthetically appealing. However, those buying late might be stuck with all that's left, long after the more desirable trees have found a living room in which to spend the season.

What Does an Artificial Tree Look Like?: While some like the real look of a natural tree, others like their holiday tree to be perfect, with none of the warts of a natural tree. Artificial trees, unless poorly produced, have no warts, as they're man made. Also, an artificial tree guarantees its owners the same look each and every holiday season.

What Is the Environmental Impact of a Natural Tree?: Natural trees are actually much more environmentally friendly than they initially appear.

Christmas trees are planted for the express purpose of the holiday season, and large numbers of new trees are planted each year to replenish the stock in an environmentally friendly way.

In addition, once the season has ended, many trees are recycled and used as sand and soil erosion barriers.

What Is the Environmental Impact of Artificial Trees?: Artificial trees often come with a host of safety warnings. That's because they are made from a variety of materials, including PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and metals, which can put toxins into the air during production.

That is why there are lead warning labels on some artificial trees. Artificial tree buyers must be careful of erecting artificial trees in homes with small children or pets, as consumption can be toxic. Another thing to consider is that many artificial trees cannot be recycled, so there is no environmentally friendly way of disposing of them when homeowners decide it's time to replace them.

Inspired holiday gifts from the kitchen If the best gifts come from mint sticks, chocolate-coated the heart, certainly the next- spoons or homemade marshbest gifts come from the mallows to the mix. kitchen. Culinary treats can be Have a jam session.: perfect presents for your foodie Handmade jams, preserves and friends or just about anyone on fruit compotes are always your list. Food gifts are espe- appreciated. Your creation can cially perfect for friends, neigh- be accompanied by the recipe, bors, teachers, and others for some scones or great toasting whom more elaborate gifts are neither expected nor required.

What's more, the possibilities are endless and can be adjusted for varying palates, allergies and preferences. Here are several suggestions for serving up delicious holiday gifts this season.

SUGAR Just about everyone looks forward to seasonal sweets, from Christmas cookies to jelly doughnuts for Chanukah to benne cakes or sweet potato pie for the final feast of Kwanzaa.

Rethink your cookies.: When it comes to culinary delights, there's nothing wrong with sticking to the basics. But Holiday cookies are a culinary if you want to put a twist on treat that nearly everyone can tradition, consider some alter- enjoy. natives to the holiday cookie sampler, such as decorating greeting-card-sized cookies bread, or even a decorative with personalized messages, serving jam jar. filling decorative jars with all Bark that's as good as its of the dry ingredients needed bite.: Chocolate bark is a delifor your favorite cookie recipe cious no-bake gift that's so easy or giving the gift of dough -- to make you'll wonder why three different kinds of cookie you've waited so long to try it. dough rolled into logs, wrapped Recipes are everywhere and in wax paper and tied at the you can customize the bark ends with festive ribbons. with your recipients' favorite Take a dip.: Dipping store- nuts, dried fruits and other tasty bought confections such as pep- tidbits permint sticks, candy canes, AND SPICE candied orange peel, shortbread For people who love to cook, cookies, or even fresh figs in great ingredients make exquisgood-quality chocolate (a mix ite gifts. Think about giving of dark, milk and white choco- your favorite foodie the gift of late is even better!) will trans- flavor in the form of spices, form these everyday items into either from the bulk aisle at holiday-worthy gifts. your favorite upscale grocery Think drinks.: Nothing takes chain or a well-loved specialty the chill out of a cold retailer. Since spices don't stay December morning like hot fresh forever, your culinary chocolate -- especially when connoisseur is sure to appreciit's homemade. Make your own ate a new assortment. For the mix with ground chocolate and more adventurous cooks on sugar or package a high-quality your list, consider purchasing a store brand in a festively deco- few special spices, such as safrated jar, then add some pepper- fron or vanilla -- either the bean

Beam-Fender Funeral Home or a high-quality extract. Spices can be purchased in small amounts and then presented in decorative airtight jars with handwritten labels. Other options include making and giving your own spice blends and purchasing whole spices, such as nutmeg or allspice, and presenting them along with the appropriate tool for grinding or grating them.

AND EVERYTHING NICE Themed baskets of food will generate big smiles from everyone on your holiday list.

Putting together an assortment of items for a particular meal or kind of cooking is as much fun for the giver as it is for the receiver. Here are some ideas that are both simple and special.

Breakfast basket.: Fill a basket with homemade pancake and waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup, or go continental with a batch of freshly baked scones and a jar of lemon curd. For the caffeine lover, two mugs, one filled with a favorite gourmet coffee or tea and the other packed with some homemade pastries or a jar of jam.

Pasta basket.: The centerpiece of this gift could be a jar of your famous spaghetti sauce, which is surrounded by a package of fresh pasta, a bulb of garlic and a wedge of Parmesan cheese.

Pizza basket.: Start with a package of homemade pizza dough, add a jar of pizza sauce or pesto made from the basil in your garden, then decorate the basket with a merry mix of cheeses and popular pizza addons, such as pepperoni, olives, olive oil, garlic, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and small packets of spices, such as oregano or red pepper flakes.

To ensure that your gifts don't go to waste, be sure to add instructions for storing and handling the food -- especially those items that need to be refrigerated.

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