West Seneca - Orchard Park - Blasdell 2014

Page 1

2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS 1

November 30, 2014 - Community Papers of WNY

November 30, 2014

Let There Be Lights How to hang holiday lights

Over the River & Through the Woods Tips for a successful, stress-free holiday travel season

Hosting at Home

Six reasons to host a holiday this year


2 2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS

Community Papers of WNY - November 30, 2014

6 reasons

to host a holiday this year

W

hat would the holidays be without gatherings of family and close friends? Everyone gets to reminisce around the dinner table, and distant family members get to meet face-to-face instead of through social media. In many families, holiday hosting duties are shared by one or two family members. Some host out of a sense of obligation, while others do so because they truly love providing a place for their loved ones to get together during such a festive time of year. Those undecided about whether or not to take on the role of holiday host should know there are a bevy or reasons to do just that. 1. No travel time: If you despise sitting in traffic or waiting in line at the airport for a delayed flight, hosting the holidays is your way around such headaches. While you’ll certainly deal with a number of people in your home, it will pale in comparison to the crowds holiday travelers must deal with. 2. New traditions: Hosting the holidays presents an opportunity to try out your own unique ideas and establish new traditions for

your family. Over time, traditions become integral parts of family celebrations. A new host can impart fresh concepts and breathe new life into the festivities. 3. Time management: Hosting the event allows you to set the pace of the day. You may find the holiday is less stressful when you know what is coming next and can exercise control over the schedule. You may not have to wake up as early to account for travel time and could feel more relaxed. 4. Give older relatives a break: Perhaps Grandma or an aunt has always hosted the big holidays. Over time, the scope of the event can prove too much for an older person, whether it’s physical or financial constraints sparking such difficulties. Stepping up to take over hosting will relieve someone you love of the work, allowing him or her to enjoy the festivities even more. 5. Sense of pride: Hosting a holiday is a significant undertaking, especially if you will be following in the footsteps of a successful party host or hostess. This can be

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your proving ground and a chance to show that you are up to the task. It can give you a confidence boost and the inspiration to try other things you may have thought were beyond reach. 6. Food: Hosting also allows you to customize the menu so the foods you and your immediate family like best make it on to the holiday menu. You may open others’ eyes to new culinary treats and show off your culinary skills along the way.

Once the festivities have ended, you may even have enough leftovers to free you from cooking for a few days after the holiday, giving you a chance to relax and recuperate. Some people shy away from hosting a holiday because of the work involved. Although it can be challenging, there is a sense of reward and many other benefits that come with opening your home to friends and family come the holiday season.

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November 30, 2014 - Community Papers of WNY

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2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS 3

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4 2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS

Community Papers of WNY - November 30, 2014

As the Christmas season approaches, there is always so much activity, and we all become very busy. We take great pleasure in setting aside our regular work to send a heart felt message to all of our readers and advertisers. We would like you to know how much you are appreciated. As we reflect upon 2014, we are grateful for all the new friends we have made. We look forward to continuing building strong relationships with our advertisers and helping you get your message out to your current and new customers. As we move into the New Year, watch for more improvements, and more themed magazines to enjoy throughout 2015. We know that without our readers and customers, our business has no reason to exist and it won’t last long. Companies, and their employees, need to make “customer satisfaction� more than just an expression. We will work very hard to meet your expectation!

the coming year be overflowing with all good things in life. A very close friend shared the quote below with me years ago, and it is still true today:

“If you’ve had wonderful family relationships, you will be able to call yourself a true success in life no matter what else you’ve achieved.� Best wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season and a New Year filled with peace and happiness. Sincerely,

Our thoughts now turn to what is most important - family! We know that the holidays are an important time to reconnect with family. Let the magic of this holiday season bring you joy and happiness as you spend time with your family. May your holiday be filled with joy and

James C. Austin, Publisher Community Papers of WNY, LLC

PRESIDENT Bob Cassell

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING MANAGER Karin Weale

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Janet Gane

MANAGING EDITOR Matthew Ondesko

CIRCULATION MANAGER Bill Marshall

ART DIRECTOR Dave L. Neamon

(716) 674-4600

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2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS 5

November 30, 2014 - Community Papers of WNY

Cookies make a perfect holiday indulgence

T

he holiday season is known for many things, not the least of which is all those special treats that find their way onto holiday tables each year. Though moderation should reign when indulging in delicious holiday treats, what would the season be without a few extra cookies and confections? Baking is popular come the holiday season, and the following recipe for “Triple-Chocolate Cookies” from Michael Recchiuti and Fran Gage’s “Chocolate Obsession” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang) is sure to add some joy to an already festive time of year. Triple-Chocolate Cookies Makes about 48 cookies 7

ounces unbleached all-purpose flour 11⁄2 ounces unsweetened natural cocoa powder 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda 6 ounces unsalted butter with 82 percent butterfat, at room temperature 31⁄2 ounces granulated cane sugar

41⁄2 ounces dark brown cane sugar 1⁄2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1⁄2 Tahitian vanilla bean, split horizontally 1⁄2 teaspoon fleur de sel in fine grains 3 ounces 41 percent milk chocolate, roughly chopped 3 ounces 65 percent chocolate, roughly chopped

To make the dough: Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside. Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until creamy. Add both sugars and the vanilla extract. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the top. Beat on medium speed just until combined. Reduce the speed to low. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, pulsing the mixer to incorporate each addition before adding the next one. Pulse just until a crumbly dough forms. Add both chopped

chocolates and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead a few times to incorporate any crumbs. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a log about 11⁄4 inches in diameter and 12 inches long. As you roll, gently push the ends toward the center occasionally to prevent air pockets from forming and to keep the logs at an even thickness. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least three hours or up to three days. To bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line the bottoms of two 12-by-18 inch sheet

pans with parchment paper. Remove the logs from the refrigerator and unwrap them. Using a ruler to guide you and a sharp knife, cut each log into rounds 1⁄2inch thick. If the dough crumbles as you cut it, reshape each slice. Place the rounds on the prepared pans, spacing them 11⁄2 inches apart. Bake on the middle shelves of the oven, rotating the pans 180 degrees halfway through the baking time, until set but soft enough to hold a slight indentation when pressed with a fingertip, about 14 minutes. Let cool completely on the pans on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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6 2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS

Say ‘Happy Holidays’ wherever you are

The phrase “Happy Holidays� is uttered millions of times across the globe between the end of November and the beginning of January. But even if you find yourself in a foreign, non-English-speaking country this holiday season, you can still pass along this popular greeting thanks to the following translations.

• Danish: Glade feriedage • French: Joyeuses FĂŞtes • Greek: κιΝέĎ‚ δΚικοĎ€έĎ‚ • Italian: Buone Feste • Polish: WesoĹ‚ych Ĺ›wiÄ…t

• Portuguese: Festas Felizes • Romanian: Sarbatori Fericite • Spanish: Felices Fiestas • Swedish: Trevlig Helg • Turkish: Mutlu Tatiller

Help Fulfill the Holiday Dreams of Our Nation’s Neediest Children

This holiday season please donate a toy or book to your local Toys for Tots Program. For more information or to make a tax deductible credit card donation visit:

www.toysfortots.org

VALID AT:

Orchard Park 3221 Southwestern Blvd. (Tops/Steinmart Plaza) 716-674-2461

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Community Papers of WNY - November 30, 2014

The many ways to recycle Christmas greeting cards

The Greeting Card Association says Americans purchase some 6.5 billion greeting cards every year. Of those, around 1.6 billion are Christmas cards. Exchanging cards is a great way for people to show their loved ones that theyÕre thinking about them, and such cards make for festive ornaments to display around homes. But when the holiday season ends, recycling those cards into other items can make good use of the paper resources and turn whatÕs normally a single-use item into an enduring trinket. • Turn this yearÕs cards into next yearÕs gift tags. Cut out circles, rectangles or any shape you desire. Otherwise, visit the scrapbooking aisle of your favorite craft store and purchase a paper punch to make easy work of cutting those shapes. • Transform a greeting card into a mini puzzle for a youngster. • Glue silly characters from Christmas cards onto a sheet of magnet. Then use these magnets for decora-

tions next year. • Frame favorite cards so their messages can endure year after year. • Turn a beautiful card into a keepsake. Use a decoupage medium to attach a card to a ceramic or wood backing. Coat with a polyurethane top coat to protect it. • Use greeting cards to make wine charms for holiday entertaining. Guests can keep track of their glasses with ease. • Use cut-outs of cards to improve the appearance of plain gift wrap or bags. • Insert cut rounds of greeting cards into the inside of can lids to create crafty ornaments. • Make a paper Christmas tree from cutouts on greeting cards. • Encourage kids to make a photo collage from the cards they like. Mount their efforts on poster board and save for next year. • Donate used cards. St. JudeÕs Ranch recycles greeting cards by reselling them to help fund programs.

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2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS 7

November 30, 2014 - Community Papers of WNY

Get organized

for easy holiday decorating Celebrations go a long way toward making the holiday season a special time of year. Each holiday offers the opportunity to transform both the interior and exterior of a home into a holiday wonderland blending both store-bought and handcrafted decorations and ornaments. As families grow, many amass various holiday trinkets and decorative items that become part of their holiday traditions. Some decorations hold special sentimental value, while others are standard decorations found in homes across the globe come the holiday season. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by holiday decorations, but organizing such items can make the process of giving your home a holiday facelift that much easier.

Color-coding Storage bins are the unsung heroes of holiday decorating. Such bins keep treasures safe and out of the way in attics, basements and closets. Employing a color-coding system to organize holiday decorations will make it easier to identify items

and their corresponding holidays. Christmas objects can be housed in red or green storage containers, while Halloween decorations can be placed in orange containers, and so on. Investing in durable, plastic bins with lids will keep items clean and orderly. Designate a storage spot Hunting and pecking around the house for holiday décor can make the process of decorating that much more time-consuming. Not knowing where the strings of lights or extra extension cords are stored can drag out the time it takes to decorate. Establish a designated storage area for ornaments, lights, wreaths, and other items used to decorate your home come the holidays. Out-of-the way spots like attics or seldom-used closets make good storage spots for holiday decorations, guaranteeing that such items won’t get in the way throughout the rest of the year. Sort and replace as you go Take the time to periodically go through decorative items, removing

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Invest in some sturdy, durable storage containersin various colors to organize holiday decor.

anything that is broken or worn beyond repair. It takes time to go items through piece by piece, but this will save time next year when decorations are taken out again. The longer you wait to sort items and do a little cleaning, the more time it ultimately takes to clean house. Keep a running list Although you may have a general idea of the items you have packed away, some things may be forgotten. Keep an informal inventory of

decorations and supplies so you don’t purchase any duplicates. If you notice your list is lacking some items, shop pre- or post-season sales when items tend to be less expensive. Try to avoid shopping for holiday decoratons right around that holiday, when stores are running out of stock and prices are typically at their highest. Decorating for the holidays can be fun, and it’s even more fun when homeowners take the time to carefully organize their decorations.

Happy Holidays

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8 2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS

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Community Papers of WNY - November 30, 2014

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2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS 9

November 30, 2014 - Community Papers of WNY

Happy Holidays to all our Customers

Customer Appreciation Christmas Party Tues., December 1st • 5 pm - ? Drink Specials & Hors d’oeuvres

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10 2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS

Community Papers of WNY - November 30, 2014

How to hang holiday lights Holiday lighting displays are a beloved tradition come December, as homeowners and businesses alike string lights to make the season even more festive. Stringing lights can be tricky, but the process can go smoothly if do-it-yourselfers employ a few tricks of the trade. The best time to hang outdoor lights is before the weather gets especially cold and wet. Some people like to hang their lights before American Thanksgiving, which falls on the fourth Thursday of November, while others hang their lights on the days after Thanksgiving. No matter when you hang your holiday lights, make sure you do so when the conditions outside are comfortable and safe. Even if you do not plan to hang the lights early in the season, start your preparation early. Remove the lights from storage and inspect them to check for bulb outages or frayed wires. Sketch out your lighting plan, including which architectural

features of the home you plan to highlight. Set the ground work by running and attaching extension cords and setting up any timers you plan to use. If this is the first time you are lighting up your home’s exterior or if you are trying a new lighting scheme, use a tape measure to determine the width and height of the area you will cover. Then measure the length of each strip of lights you will use. Multiply accordingly to best estimate how many strings of lights will be needed. It’s much less stressful to have an extra box of lights on hand than to realize when you’re up on the roof that you have run out of lights and need to purchase more. Invest in a few packages of light clips or nail-on fasteners. These devices attach to the gutters or siding to make it much easier to string up lights. If they are inconspicuous, some clip styles can be left up for several years, saving you more time in the years to come.

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additional lighting tips • Tailor lighting displays to the style of your home. Let them complement the architecture as well as the neighborhood. • Borrow ideas from neighbors but do not copy them to a tee. • If you are new to the neighborhood, ask neighbors what is typical for lighting displays on your street. • Dress windows from the inside if you do not want to scale the exterior of your home. • Net lights and other products are designed to make covering bushes and trees easier.

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2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS 11

November 30, 2014 - Community Papers of WNY

Tips for a stress-free holiday travel season Millions of people fly the friendly skies, ride the rails or hit the highway come the holiday season. Such travel can be both expensive and stressful. But holiday travel need not be so costly or tense. The following are a handful of tips to help travelers enjoy successful and stress-free travel this holiday season. Reserve early. Fares only rise as the holidays draw closer. It’s unlikely you will score a last-minute deal by waiting until the last minute to book holiday travel, as discount fares are largely a thing of past. If your travel schedule is inflexible, book as early as possible. You might be able to save some money if you have some flexibility with regard to your travel schedule. Fly on the holiday. Very often flying on popular holidays, including Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, is less expensive than flying on the surrounding days. If your goal is to save money and you don’t mind showing up on the holiday itself, then flying on the holiday may earn you the most savings. Book a business hotel. Hotels that

cater to business clientele in big cities often reduce their rates during the holidays, when business travel tends to wane. Consider flying into and out of smaller airports. What they lack in size, number of flights and modern comforts, smaller airports can make up for in fewer delays and smaller crowds. Flying into and out of a smaller airport may be especially advantageous if such an airport is closer to your home or final destination. Get pre-screened security clearance. The TSA Pre-Check Program enables some people to move quickly through security checkpoints. This can help save a considerable amount of time. Visit www.tsa.gov to learn who qualifies. Do not wrap gifts prior to traveling. If you must bring gifts along, your move through security will likely be quicker if those gifts are not wrapped. Unwrapped gifts save officers the time of removing wrapping paper to inspect what’s inside, so reserve the wrapping for when you arrive at your destination.

Have an alternate plan in place. Unforeseeable delays or cancellations can turn even the most carefully planned itinerary on its head. Keep phone numbers for taxi services and hotels handy just in case your flight is delayed and you do not want to spend a night at the airport. Avoid domestic or popular holiday destinations. One way to avoid the holiday crowds is to head off for parts of the world that are not

celebrating the same holiday as you. Such locales likely won’t attract as many tourists as other parts of the world, and you might be able to save money by visiting during the offseason. Take your turn hosting. People who do the holiday hosting do not have to worry about holiday travel at all. Even though it can mean more prep work and cleanup, hosting duty saves you the headaches and expenses of holiday travel.

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With This Ad • Cannot Be Combined With Any Other Offer Expires 1/31/15

982 Union Rd., West Seneca, NY 14224 Southgate Plaza www.childrensfootwearsouthgate.com

716-677-4636

Make Up, Skin Care and Facial Waxing

Merle Norman Cosmetics Mary Jo Sedor, Owner

(716) 674-8541

992 Union Rd., Southgate Plaza, West Seneca, NY 14224

Happy Holidays from

Call

Pat McDonnell

PAT McDONNELL Insurance Broker / Agent

479-6245

16 Lake Ave., Blasdell, NY Open on weekends by appointment • Also located in Akron

Artisan Jewelry

Handcrafted f Silverware verware Jewelry

FREE GIFT with $100 Purchase

(716) 226-8088

Buy 1, Get 1

FREE

Purchase One Handcrafted Spoon/Fork/Knife/Ring at Regular Price and Receive One FREE Does not apply to sterling rings. Cannot be combined with any other offer, including 10% Off coupon. Expires 12/31/14.

12 Michael Rd. (Pappas Plaza) West Seneca, NY


12 2014 HOME for the HOLIDAYS

Community Papers of WNY - November 30, 2014

Robertson & Bach Fine Jewelry - Manufacturing & Distribution Extended Holiday Hours

959 Union Road - West Seneca, N.Y. 14224 • (716) 675-4050 www.robertsonandbach.com

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