Holidayguidedone

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BROADSIDE AND CONNECT2MASON PRESENT

FOURTH ESTATE George Mason University’s official student news outlet

Nov. 25, 2013 | Issue 12, Volume I

HOLIDAY GUIDE

(JOHN IRWIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

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Nov. 25, 2013

Holiday Guide

Fourth estate

Happy holidays from the Fourth Estate staff!

(JOHN IRWIN/FOURTH ESTATE)

Holiday Guide

Fourth estate

Nov. 25, 2013

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Every year my mom hosts an ornament party and I always used to eavesdrop on the neighborhood ladies and their wine-fueled antics. The past few years, I’ve finally been old enough to join.

Colleen Wilson

Editor-In-Chief gmufourthestate@gmail.com

Eating sea food with my family on Christmas Eve!

Frank Muraca Executive Editor

Everyone opens one present on Christmas Eve. Sometimes you hit the jackpot and find a cool one and sometimes you get socks.

Andrew Stevenson Managing Editor

On Christmas Eve, all of the kids in the family each open one gift from their Secret Santa, which is one of their siblings.

Pat Carroll

Online Managing Editor

cially when I was younger.

Niki Papadogiannakis News Editor

Christmas morning breakfastfrench toast, cinnamon buns, bacon, eggnog- so many calories, so delicious.

Janelle Germanos News Editor

Not so much a tradition, but just that feeling of coming downstairs into the living room, usually the last one, and my sister picking out the first present for each of us to unwrap.

Vernon Miles

Online News Editor

Hau Chu Sports Editor

My family always goes together to cut down our Christmas tree. We drive about an hour and a half from Virginia Beach into New Kent county and buy a tree from the sheriff.

Daniel Gregory Asst. Sports Editor

We make crab dip and seafood appetizers on Christmas Eve and watch It’s a Wonderful Life and do family presents for each other.

Mary Oakey Asst. Lifestyle Editor

My mom and I will fill two travel mugs with hot apple cider and walk around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights.

Everyone gives each other pajamas Genevieve Hoeler on Christmas Eve to wear to bed so Online Lifestyle Editor we can wear them when we open I like to sit around and help my presents in the morning. mom wrap presents while watchJill Carter ing The Polar Express. My mom Copy Chief makes those giant bows with the big thick ribbon and I’m bad at During the holidays, I end up that and she gets all mad. cooking a lot or helping my mom cook, so cooking and learning how to make certain things, espe-

My family legitimately has no traditions. We don’t really buy gifts because no one can decide on what they want. We don’t eat anything consistently from year to year. So I guess my favorite tradition is the scrambling to figure things out at the last minute every holiday season.

Will Rose

Opinion Editor

On Christmas morning, we make coffee and read “The Christmas Story” out loud before we open presents. Then we go to my parents’ house in our pajamas and my Mom makes crepes for my whole family for breakfast and we exchange gifts.

Kristi Anable

Online Sports Editor

My family reads the story of the birth of Christ on Christmas morning from our family Bible.

John Irwin

Photography Editor

Football for Thanksgiving and basketball for Christmas. Always a must.

Marcus Miller Video Editor

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For New Years, my family puts 13 coins at every door in the house. It’s supposed to bring prosperity in the following year.

Walter Martinez Design Editor

Moving around because of the military made it difficult to make and keep friends, but the friends I’ve made during my four years at Mason helped introduce me to things like Secret Santas, hot pot, group drawing sessions, etc.

While I’ll always enjoy the time I spend with my family, I think that having a solid group of friends to celebrate with makes for some of the fondest memories.

Katryna Henderson Illustrator

Kathryn Mangus Faculty Advisor

David Carroll Associate Director Fourth Estate operates as a publication of Broadside. Fourth Estate is printed each Monday for George Mason University and its surrounding Fairfax Community.

The editors of Fourth Estate have exclusive authority over the content that is published. There are no outside parties that play a role in the newspaper’s content, and should there be a question or complaint regarding this policy, the Editor-in-Chief should be notified at the email listed above.

Fourth Estate is a free publication, limit one copy per person. Additional copies are 25 cents payable to the Office of Student Media.

Mail Fourth Estate George Mason University Mail stop 2C5 4400 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030 Phone 703-993-2950

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For the

For the

BOOK WORM

SPORTS JUNKIE

There’s nothing better than curling up with a good book and a cup of tea.

Combine the best of both worlds with NovelTea, tea bags inspired by classic literature. | bagladiestea. com $12.50

Hang out during your next camping trip or in the living room during the next big game.

Choose from a variety of styles and sizes. | Amazon.com $47 - 71

Miss the smell of old familiar pages since switching to a tablet reader? Try Paper Passion, a unisex perfume that will conjure memories of afternoons spent buried in the pages of a favorite book | luckyscent.com $98

Carry your books in style with this Pride and Prejudice inspired typography tote bag. | Etsy store Brookish $18

Fourth estate

The best gifts are the kind you benefit from too. Buy tickets for a friend and yourself to a Wizards game. Check out the game schedule for student nights that offer a discount with a valid student ID | http:// www.nba.com/wizards/ You don’t have to venture out into the promotions-schedule bitter cold for your next free throw practice session. This mini basketball hoop has the look and functionality of a regulation basket. | shop.skilz.com $24.99

It’s a wrap!

The only thing better than giving presents, is giving presents. Check out some of our favorite gift suggestions for the holiday’s this year

For the

PERSONAL TOUCH

Be stylish and sensible with this personalized wallet clip and credit card holder. | Things Remembered $25

For the

TECHIE Tired of lugging your laptop to class to take notes but too slow on your iPad keyboard to keep up? This transparent 3D keyboard sits on top of the screen and allows users to type without looking. | Touch Fire Keyboard $39

This bracelet can be printed with names and dates or something as unique as the longitude and latitude of your favorite city. | Etsy shop Mimic Design $28

These gloves have special conductive threads in the fingertips that allow you to scroll on your smart phone while you keep your fingers warm. | Isotoner $21 Send in the recipe that’s been passed down through the generations for a custom-made laser engraved cutting board. | Etsy shop 3DCarving $30

Outdo even the best Instagrammers with these add-on lenses for your iPhone. Lenses are availble in macro for extreme closeup shots, fish-eye and telephoto for high-quality zoom. | PhotoJoJo $20

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(COLLEEN WILSON/FOURTH ESTATE)

COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF What better way to stay warm this winter than by keeping busy in the kitchen in front of a warm oven? It’s the season of sugar, and getting in the spirit of things can lead to some pretty tasty creations.

Resist the urge to pick up a bag of Betty Crocker pre-mixed cookie dough and delve into baking yourself. These recipes are simple enough to make in an afternoon and tasty enough to impress the friends and family who didn’t know you could cook anything more complicated than Ramen.

If you’re really feeling festive, hosting a cookie exchange party is a great way to have a sampling of sweets for only a fraction of the

effort. Simply gather a group of friends and ask everyone to bake a set amount of cookies.

Each person would choose one type of cookie to make. For example, five friends coming together could bake 50 cookies each. Then, at the party, everyone would hand away ten of their cookies to each person. In the end, each person would leave with the same amount of cookies they started with, but have a wide sampling of new ones to try.

Make sure to keep tabs on what kind of cookies each guest plans on bringing. You don’t want to end up with dozens and dozens of sugar cookies.

Create a packaging station, complete with tissue paper, paper boxes and labels so that guests can take their portion home in style or pass on the treats to other friends.

If you’re not sure which type of cookie to tackle, take a look at recipes for rolled cookies, bar cookies, drop cookies, decorated cookies or ask mom and grandma for old family recipes.

This is a great way to try several different types of baked goods without spending too many afternoons in the kitchen. It also works for other baked goods or sweets, but cookies are usually the easiest to transport.

To keep the sharing spirit alive, ask each guest to provide a recipe for the cookies they’re bringing and create a small recipe booklet for each person to take home. That way, when they fall in love with grandma’s sugar cookie recipe, they will be able to create their own batch at home.

Holiday Guide

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Peppermint candy bark 8 oz. milk or dark chocolate chips 8 oz. white chocolate chips 2 Tbs. canola oil ½ tsp peppermint extract 24 peppermint candies, crushed

Spritz Cookies 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour ½ tsp. salt 1 cup butter 1 ¼ cups confectioners’ sugar 2 egg yolks ¼ tsp. almond extract 1 tsp. vanilla extract Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift together the flour and salt and set aside.

Cream together the butter and

sugar. Add in the egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla extract. Slowly add the sifted flour and salt. Fill a cookie press with the dough.

For an extra holiday feel, use food coloring to dye the dough green and/or red and use a Christmas tree design.

Shoot out cookies 1 ½ inches apart onto greased baking pan. Add sprinkles or colored sugar to decorate.

Bake for 6-8 minutes.

To avoid burning the chocolate, use a double boiler. You can create a makeshift double boiler by boiling water in a large pot and setting a metal bowl inside the pot. Pour 1 Tbs. canola oil and the milk (or dark) chocolate chips in the top of the double boiler.

Using a rubber spoon or spatula, stir the chips until they are completely melted. Once melted, add ¼ tsp. peppermint extract and stir. Pour the mixture into a 9x9 casserole dish lined with wax paper, spreading evenly. Sprinkle ½ of the crushed peppermint candies over the melted chocolate. Refrigerate for at least one hour until hardened. Wash metal bowl.

Pour the white chocolate chips and 1 Tbs. canola oil into the metal bowl over the boiling pot. Stir until chips are melted and add ¼ tsp. peppermint extract. Pour overtop the hardened milk/dark chocolate in the pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining crushed peppermints over the white chocolate and refrigerate until hardened.

Once the bark has hardened, break into pieces and enjoy.

Classic gingerbread cookies Bailey’s bundt cake 1 package yellow cake mix 1 package instant vanilla pudding mix 4 eggs 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3/4 cup Irish cream liqueur 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup water 1 cup white sugar 1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in eggs, water, oil and Irish cream liqueur. Beat for five minutes at high speed.

Pour batter over nuts in pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto the serving dish. Prick top and sides of cake.

To make the glaze: In a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup Irish cream. Spoon glaze over top and brush onto sides of cake. Allow to absorb glaze repeat until all glaze is used up.

3 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 3/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 large egg 1/2 cup molasses 2 teaspoons vanilla In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves until well blended.

Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar and egg on medium speed until well blended. Add molasses, vanilla and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.

Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least two hours or up to eight hours. Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days, but in this case it should be refrigerated. Return to room temp before using.

Preheat oven to 375 Farenheit. Grease or line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Place one portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin. Roll dough 1/4-inch thick. Use additional flour to avoid sticking.

Cut cookies into desired shapes and space 1 1/2-inches apart.

Bake one sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes. Remove cookie sheet from oven and allow the cookies to stand until the cookies are firm enough to move to a wire rack.

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Holiday Guide

OH WHAT FUN

Fourth estate

A gilded holiday party

COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF From October through the New Year, hosts and hostesses everywhere are in a mad dash to throw the season’s best holiday party.

The most important part of being a host is planning. It can be a stressful job to take on, but to stand back and see everyone mingling and enjoying themselves at your soirée makes the hassle all worth it.

The first step is to finalize a date and get your invitations out. Facebook makes it simple to reach out to your friends, but hand written invitations are always a nice touch - who doesn’t like to get mail?

Crafting a menu is the next priority. Decide whether you want to have a dinner party, easy

appetizers to munch on or a potluck.

Either way, it is always a good idea to have something for guests to eat, especially if alcohol is being served. Be wary of guests with special dietary needs and try to make at least one dish that everyone can eat.

Now for the fun part - decor. I created this golden display with a few cheap glasses and plates from the thrift store and a can of gold spray paint. Get creative with designs and personalize place settings for each guest. Make sure to use clear glass plates when you’re serving the food, though. Spray paint is not safe to eat directly off of.

I chose a gold and white theme because of its versatility. No matter what holiday or occasion you’re celebrating, the table can be modified to be

festive. For Thanksgiving, replace the greenery with a garland of autumn leaves and the ornaments with fresh apples or seasonal produce. For Hanukkah, adding blue hues and a Menorah centerpiece entirely changes the theme. And finally, if you’re looking for more Christmas spirit, touches of red will really tie the whole package together. If you want to keep it simple, golds, whites and greens are always classy and are a nice nod to our school colors.

You can certainly do more planning for the party, especially if it is themed or includes activities.

Dressing up yourself and your home is always fun, but the heart of the celebration will come from good food with great people, especially during this most wonderful time of year.

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(COLLEEN WILSON/FOURTH ESTATE)

Deck the residence halls Make sure to follow all Housing and Residence Life rules in decorating for the holiday season. For a complete list of regulations on decor, check out the Resident Student Handbook at http://housing.gmu.edu/policies/. * Candles can be festive and fun during the cold winter months, but flames are not allowed in the residence halls.

Flameless LED candles are a great alternative for that warm glow and sweet scent. * Plants are allowed in the dorm as long as they are alive and not cut. If having a live Christmas tree is important, consider a small, potted tabletop version. Otherwise, the options are endless for synthetic trees. * Keep wall decorations sparse - only 20 percent of any given wall is allowed to be covered before it becomes a fire hazard. * Use temporary and removable hooks to hang decorations and string lights. Damage to the walls can result in hefty fines.

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Holiday spirits White Christmas Sangria 1 Granny Smith apple 1 Braeburn apple 1 heaping cup fresh cranberries 1 large sprig rosemary 1 bottle Pinot Grigio ½ Cup white grape juice Ÿ cup sugar (more, for garnish) 1 can club soda

Chop the apples into cubes and combine all ingredients in a large pitcher. Mix well so that all the sugar dissolves and set in the refrigerator to chill. The rosemary will infuse into the sangria and cut down on the sweetness.

To garnish, dampen sprigs of rosemary and roll in sugar.

Gingerbread shots 1 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream 1/2 oz. butterscotch schnapps 1/2 oz. Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps

Pour ingredients into shaker with ice.

Strain and pour into shot glasses.

Pomegranate champagne 1 oz. chilled pomegranate or cranberry juice 3 oz. chilled champagne 1 tsp. pomegranate seeds Pour the pomegranate juice into a champagne flute.

Slowly add champagne. Garnish with pomegranate seeds (optional). Serve immediately. Makes one serving.

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Festive flicks: What to watch this holiday season HAU CHU, DANIEL GREGORY SPORTS EDITOR, ASST. SPORTS EDITOR The first holiday movie recommendation is a classic choice of Home Alone. Outside of Rush Hour 2, I don’t know if I’ve watched a movie more times than this enduring holiday classic. I could go on about the John Hughes-penned script and the idea of Kevin McCallister building elaborate Rube Goldberg machines to thwart the Wet Bandits, played brilliantly by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, but it’s really the dumb, small details that I love the most about Home Alone. First, let’s talk about Buzz McCallister, the quintessential bullying older brother.

But of course, Buzz ends up playing a crucial role in the resolution of the movie by proxy of Chekov’s pet tarantula, which is part of the downfall of Stern’s Marv character. The other minor detail I love about Home Alone is the movie within the movie, Angels with Filthy Souls. While this bit has a funnier laugh line in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York — “Don't gimme that! You've been smoochin' wit everybody! Snuffy. Al. Leo. Little Moe, with the gimpy leg,” — but the introduction of it in Home Alone deserves praise in its own right.

While the overall movie ends up being a good physical comedy showcase for Daniel Stern and teaches about the importance of family during the holiday season, remember the dumb little bits that round out the movie.

My other holiday movie recommendation is half-ironic and half-genuine to get you to watch one of the most bananas family holiday movies. Please make time this winter break to watch Jingle All the Way. Nothing signals the true meaning of the holiday season like Arnold Schwarzenegger dueling Sinbad for the vaunted Turbo Man doll to give to their respective children.

Where else can you hear the former governor of California utter the line, “I'm not a pervert. I just was looking for a Turbo Man doll.”

Yes, the character of Ted, the next door neighbor — played by the departed Phil Hartman — does get a live reindeer. Yes, Arnold Schwarzenegger does punch a reindeer square in its face.

Yes, Sinbad is an alcoholic, racist, woman-punching terrorist mailman in this movie. It’s very obvious that Sinbad is improvising many of his lines in this movie, so that’s why you get him invoking the name of Rodney King and defending himself from mall riots by claiming sickle cell anemia.

Sinbad’s character is also notable for threatening police with what he thought was a

fake mail bomb that ended up being a real bomb.

Beyond the absurdities of the movie, including a ridiculous cameo by Jim Belushi as a mall santa, the film does make a thin, salient enough take on the commercialism of Christmas and the holidays. Really though, I’m telling you to watch this movie with your family during the holiday season so you can collectively mock it and grow to love it as I have.

The best TV specials come from the era of horrible stop-motion claymation. From Rudolph to Frosty the Snowman, nothing signals the holidays like turning to ABC Family and hearing some cheesy song sung by a choir of children’s voices.This holiday season, you have to watch The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus. While the special has all the classic elements of a holiday TV special, this one is significantly weirder than your typical flick.

Thanks to the original story from L. Frank Baum, the writer of Wizard of Oz, The Life and Adventures of Santa Clause uses classic fantasy elements to tell the story of how Santa Claus came to become the jolly hero making and delivering toys to children.

That’s right, there’s no religious folklore here.

The special explains everything you could ever want to know about Santa Claus from how he got his name to why he makes toys.

All the while Santa lives his entire life in a world with mythical creatures and pet lion/mother Shiegra. Is it weird enough for you yet? Don’t worry it gets weirder.

Santa’s magical friends wage war against the Awgwas who convince children to behave badly. The Awgwas set out to fight Claus because children behave because they play with his toys instead of misbehaving.

If Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph are the High Renaissance, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is Mannerism. It’s just weird, and I love it.

While Die Hard is the greatest action movie ever, it also is one of my favorite holiday films. Yes, Die Hard is a holiday movie. The film takes place on Christmas Eve, for goodness’ sake. It is the classic I’ll be home for Christmas story set against Bruce Willis taking down European bank robbers/ terrorists.

While detective John McClane navigates Nakatomi Plaza taking down members of Hans Gruber’s bank robbing team, he merely wants to return to his family. When Holly Gennarro-McClane and Gruber watch the news reports featuring the McClane children, my heart drops every time.

(PHOTO COURTESY FARM 8/FLICKR)

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Holiday Guide

Fourth estate

There’s an app(etizer) for that

Gorgonzola and rosemary cream puffs 1/2 c. water 1/4 c. butter or margarine 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crumbled 1/8 tsp. coarsely ground pepper 2 eggs 1 c. shredded Gorgonzola cheese (4 ounces) 2 Tbsp. chopped pistachio nuts Heat oven to 425 Fahrenheit. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Heat water and butter to boiling in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, salt, rosemary and pepper all at once, stirring constantly 30 - 60 seconds or until mixture forms ball; remove from heat.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating with electric mixer on medium speed until mixture is well blended. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for five minutes.

Gently press center of each puff with tip of spoon to make slight indentation. Sprinkle with cheese and nuts. Bake 2 to 4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

(COLLEEN WILSON/FOURTH ESTATE)

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Stuffed mushroom caps 12 whole fresh mushrooms 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tbsp. minced garlic 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1/4 tsp. onion powder 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom

stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool.

When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper.

Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing.

Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.

Create the perfect cheese platter COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cheese plates add a touch of class and sophistication to any party - even if Burnetts is on the menu instead of Pinot Grigio.

The formula is pretty simple, just make sure there is a variety of textures and flavors. That goes for the cheeseboards and the pairing options. Just make sure there is something for every taste.

Wegmans and Trader Joes are great places to explore some new cheese options. If you’re feeling adventurous you can try exotic flavors like pesto gouda or cranberry goat cheese, if not, crowd favorites are available in a number of price ranges.

Serve the cheeses on a big board. There are specialty boards available but a standard cutting board or cheap

serving tray works too. Make sure to label each cheese so that guests, especially those with food allergies or sensitivities, have a better idea of what they’re biting in to.

To compliment the cheeses have a wide spread of options to compliment and contrast flavors. Bread, crackers, nuts and fruits pair well with cheeses.

Specialty pairings can bring new interest and excitement to the cheese platter. My favorite combination is brie with balsamic glazed cherries on toasted bread. I was hesitant about the flavors at first, but the tart fruit and the creamy cheese with the crunch of the bread was so delicious that I skipped the main course to eat more of the appetizer.

Check out the cheese bar at the store, there are often seasonal accompaniments and the attendants behind the counter can offer their advice and recommendations.

Roasted shrimp cocktail For the shrimp: 2 lbs(12 to 15-count) shrimp 1 tbsp. good olive oil 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper For the sauce: 1/2 cup chili sauce (recommended: Heinz) 1/2 cup ketchup 3 tbs. prepared horseradish 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/4 tsp. hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread them in one layer. Roast for 8-10 minutes, just until pink and firm and cooked through. Set aside to cool.

For the sauce, combine the chili sauce, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Serve as a dip with the shrimp.

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Relative Stress: Navigating the holidays with family JANELLE GERMANOS NEWS EDITOR I hear it every year. My friends and classmates say they can’t wait to get home and spend time with their family. They’ll talk about their Christmas traditions, often without a trace of stress in their voice.

For me, the situation is a bit different. It’s not that I dislike my family or don’t want to spend time with them.

But after finals and an entire semester full of work and classes, dealing with a divorced family can be difficult- especially during the holidays, when everyone is raving about being home.

Think about it – you haven’t seen your family in three months, and they all want to see you at oncemom, dad, stepmom, grandma, step-grandmathe list goes on. So instead of relaxing at home by the fire, playing a round of scrabble or enjoying homemade food, I used to budget my time precisely as to not offend either parent. But after three years of dealing with this, I realized I wasn’t enjoying my breaks because I didn’t have time to see friends or relax. I’ve thought of a couple of tips that I have found helped me relax more during the holidays, and for the most part, they have allowed me to avoid conflict.

Honestly, these tips can be used to deal with any stressful family situation—not just for students who have divorced families—but this is what I’ve found from my experience.

Don’t worry about trying to please every parent I used to spend Thanksgiving morning with my mom, the afternoon with my dad, and the evening with my mom again. Last year, however, I woke up and realized that I’m an adult, and can spend the holidays wherever I want to. So instead of going through multiple trips between housesstep-grandma’s house, dad’s house, mom’s

house, other step-grandma’s house- I choose where I want to go for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

I had to remember that my parents are adults— and they know I love them, even if I choose to go to the other parent’s Thanksgiving that year.

Make time for yourself This is important, especially considering the busy nature of the holidays. Even when you don’t have parents who are divorced and re-married, remember that you spent a very busy semester wishing for some relaxation time, and you deserve time to do the things you want to do without worrying about hurting someone’s feelings.

Set aside time to hang out with friends When I was a freshman and sophomore and college, I would come home and all of my friends would ask me to hang out. The problem was, I felt so guilty about hanging out with them because I hadn’t seen either my mom or dad yet, because they were divorced, and would spend very little time with my friends before going to the other parent’s house. This is just not healthy behavior, and after talking to my parents, they mostly understood. Remember, they were young once too.

Try to avoid controversial dinner topics This applies for every family, but should be paid extra attention to if you have step-family that may react to certain topics in a very heated way.

Last year at Thanksgiving, the recent election came into conversation, and certain step-family members reacted a little too passionately. The situation can become quickly uncomfortable, especially if you have to deal with the reactions of stepparents, in addition to parents.

(PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW STEVENSON)

Spread holiday cheer on a college budget ANDREW STEVENSON MANAGING EDITOR The holiday season can be a very expensive time for many people. For college students, it is even worse. On-campus jobs are on a hiatus, but you still need to shell out some cash on gifts for friends and family. Here are a few tips to get you through the break without going broke.

Holiday greeting cards are a surefire way to show off your beautiful family and let everyone see how good you look. Before you go breaking the bank at a professional studio, find a friend with a decent camera and offer them $20 to take your photos. Bring those photos into CVS or Walgreens where you can turn them into some dope greeting cards.

A great way to avoid spending a ton of money on gifts is to make stuff on your own. I’m no Gordon Ramsay, but it isn’t too hard to make some baked goods and share them with friends and family.

Yeah I know, Black Friday is killing family time and materializing the holiday spirit. But when Target is selling a 50-inch LED TV for $229 (true story) some exceptions can be made. If you really feel the need to go out on Black Friday (now Black Thursday), just pick a few specific things that you want to buy and get the heck out of there.

Shop online. Many websites are offering free shipping on products that are already heavily discounted. Save time and money by staying home.

If you do shop online, use Amazon. And if you use Amazon, get an Amazon Student account. This account is FREE for the first six months and gives you free two day shipping on almost everything. They also throw in free streaming for their many television shows and movies. It is a no-brainer.

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Seven Mason Music events for the holiday season GENEVIEVE HOELER ONLINE LIFESTYLE EDITOR Searching for something to help you finish off 2013 with a bang (or perhaps a High C)? Here are seven music events happening on Mason’s campuses that will help you kick out the old and ring in the new year for free or at student ticket price with a Mason ID. “A Chanticleer Christmas” Chanticleer is a 12 man, Grammy award winning a capella group. Both performances will have a pre-performance discussion with members of the group approximately 45 minutes before the show.

Center for the Arts | Sat., Nov. 30, 2013 at 8 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center | Sun., Dec. 1, 2013 at 4 p.m.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” The official opera company of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Virginia Opera, present the final piece that Mozart ever revealed to the world just after his untimely death in 1791. “The Magic Flute” is a fairy tale bout Prince Tamino and his friend, Papegeno—a bird catcher. They battle evil as they try to rescue Pamina, a girl who has been kidnapped, and face all sorts of terrifying and mystifying creatures along the way. This piece will be sung in English.

Center for the Arts | Fri., Dec. 6, 2013 at 8 p.m. and Sat., Dec. 7, 2013 at 2 p.m.

Vienna Boys Choir presents “Christmas in Vienna” Vienna Boys Choir is an all boy children's choir that began in 1498. They have not only performed the works of but performed for the likes of Mozart and Bruckner.

They began performing outside of their chapel in 1921 and began traveling around the world—producing two Grammy winning records while doing so.

Center for the Arts | Fri., Dec. 13, 2013 at 8 p.m.

Hylton Performing Arts Center | Sun., Dec. 15, 2013 at 4 p.m.

American Festival Pops Orchestra presents “Holiday Pops: Songs of the Season” AFPO returns with some Holiday hits. Their repertoire for the evening will range from “Carol of the Bells”

by Leroy Anderson to Elvis Presley's “Blue Christmas.”

They will also be playing traditional Tchaikovsky selections, as well as jazz in the stylings of Duke Ellington.

And for those unable to attend a performance of the Nutcracker in Washington D.C., they will also be playing “The Nutcracker Suite.”

Hylton Performing Arts Center | Fri., Dec. 13, 2013 at 8 p.m.

Center for the Arts | Sat., Dec. 14, 2013 at 8 p.m.

An Orchestra and a Choir Mason also brings the holiday spirit with a performance from Mason's School of Music, presenting the Mason Symphony Orchestra and Combined Choruses.

This performance provides another chance to hear “The Nutcracker Suite,” and also to hear excerpts of Handel's “Messiah,” the latter of which audience members are invited to sing along.

Center for the Arts | Sun., Dec. 8, 2013 at 7 p.m.

Mariachi Los Camperos De Nati Cano “Fiesta Navidad” Another Grammy award-winning ensemble, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano returns to Fairfax by popular demand for the holiday season.

The mariachi group, considered one of the finest mariachi ensembles in the world, performs Mexican and American carols while in traditional, authentic Mexican costumes. There will be a 45 minute pre-performance discussion at the CFA's Grand Tier III. Center for the Arts | Sun., Dec. 15, 2013 at 4 p.m.

Eileen Ivers “An Irish Christmas - An Nollaig” With Irish-American fiddle player Eileen Ivers leading the way, this evening will be one consisting primarily of traditional Christmas carols. She will be supported by an international cast of musicians, including Immigrant Soul members Tommy McDonnel, Buddy Connolly, Greg Anderson and Lindsey Horner. In addition, Mason students of the George Mason University Singers and dancers from the O'Neil-James School of Irish Dancing in Arlington, VA, will be in attendance.

Center for the Arts | Sat., Dec. 21, 2013 at 8 p.m.

(PHOTO COURTESY OF EVAN CANTWELL/CREATIVE SERVICES)

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Nov. 25, 2013

Holiday Guide

Fourth estate

Holiday activities and stuff to do ya fun fun COLLEEN WILSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Resist the temptation to enter into a Netflix-induced hibernation this winter and explore all the seasonal fun only available during these chilly months.

Whether you’re trapped on campus or willing to venture out further into the District, there are dozens of things to keep you so busy you won’t even notice that your toes are numb.

National Christmas tree display If you haven’t made it out to the White House holiday display yet, make it a priority this year. The individual trees for each U.S. state and territory make it a fun place to visit with out-of-state friends and compete to see whose tree is the prettiest.

Tickets are already sold out for the tree-lighting ceremony, but if you want to catch the performances from the comfort and warmth of your home it will broadcast on tv and online.

Christmas on the Potomac If you’re up for a bit of a roadtrip, the Gaylord hotel Christmas ice display is worth the hike.

The exhibit, called ICE!, features life-size ice sculptures detailing “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Guests are given calf-length parkas to brave the frigid temperatures inside the display.

This adventure is a little pricier - but if you plan well you can find discounts up to 20 percent.

The display is open from Nov. 15 - Jan. 5.

Santarchy DC If you spent your childhood Christmases dreaming of catching a glimpse of Santa, this event will either make your dreams come true or utterly shatter them. Santarchy, an event held in cities across the US since 1999, calls for hundreds of people to show up downtown dressed in their best holiday garb.

It isn’t a protest or even a politically or religion fueled event. It’s just a chance to be silly and mingle with hundreds of others dressed just as ridiculously as you are.

The main event is 21 plus since a bar crawl

is the spotlight entertainment, but the underage crowd is welcome to join the fun for the beginning outdoor portion.

The Santas are meeting on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. at a location to be determined. Find out more at santarchydc.com Holiday sing-along We wait all year for Black Friday, some of us for the insane deals, others for the chance to finally tune in to the holiday radio stations.

Whether your voice is up for some a cappella harmonies or not, the Mason Symphony Orchestra and Choruses are hosting a holiday sing-along on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Concert Hall. Student tickets are $5.

After the concert, keep the revelry going with your own caroling session from Southside all the way to President’s Park.

(PHOTO COURTESY BENSON KUA/FLICKR)

Ice skating Winter isn’t over until you’ve fallen flat on your back trying to recreate a move you saw on TV for the Winter Olympics. There are plenty of rinks, both indoors and outdoors, in the area that a quick Google search can pull up.

Reston Town Center, located half an hour away from campus, is a perfect spot for a night on the ice. Each Friday night, the rink is entertained with live rock music, perfect for date nights and group outings. Stores, restaurants and a movie theatre offer more entertainment after your legs are worn out.

Admission to the skating rink is $10 and skate rentals are $5.

Downtown DC Holiday Market Over 180 exhibitors and artisans gather on the sidewalks on F street between 7th and 9th for the downtown market in Penn Quarter, D.C. The market, open Nov. 29 - Dec. 23, is a great place to shop for unique and personal presents, whether they’re for giving away or for keeping for yourself.

Booths sell everything from fine art, crafts, jewelry, pottery, photography, clothing, prepared food and more. Live local musicians, ranging from jazz, swing, blues, reggae, bluegrass, a cappella are there to entertain while you browse.