2011 Holiday Wishbook - Issue 3

Kids Coloring ContestGift IdeasHoliday EventsFestivitiesRecipesAnd More

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November 30, 2011 • www.brainerddispatch.com

2 Home for the Holidays Brainerd dispatchThe Week of November 30 - December 6, 2011

paul Bunyan Land enchanted VillageDate: Nov. 25 Ð De c. 17, 2011 Time: 6 Ð 9p m Fridays & SaturdaysEvent Description: Paul Bunyan Land will be lighting up their pioneer village again this year. The village will have holiday themes inside the buildings and several displays set up along the streets. It is a great way for a family to spend a winter evening. Bonfi res and hot chocolate will be available. A stroll thru the village is the best way to experience the Enchanted Village or the trolly will be giving rides. Admission is FREE.

christmas at the MansionsDate: Nov. 25 Ð De c. 4, 2011 Event Description: Linden Hill Historic Event Center, 608 Highland Ave., Little Falls. Celebrate Christmas by touring the decorated Musser and Weyer-haeuser mansions. Admission $10/person, $8 with food shelf donation, 12 and under free

taste of the holidaysDate: December 1, 2011 Time: 4pm Ð 7pmEvent Description SchaeferÕ s Foods, Nisswa. Come and taste a huge selec-tion of diff erent samples store wide. Admission: $3 donation will go to help fund the Nisswa Historical Society.

Girls night Out on the cuyuna rangeDate: December 1, 2011 Time: 11am Ð 8pmEvent Description $500 cash drawing at 8:30pm at the Ironton Legion. Call 546-5029 for more details.

18th annual radiothon to end child abuseDate: December 1-2, 2011 Time: Starts at noon for 24 HoursEvent Description: Lakes Area Radio-thon to end child abuse is a joint eff ort by WJJY/B93.3/Cool 103.5/The Power Look 107.5 Radio, the Child Abuse Prevention Councils of Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, and Morrison Counties Child Protection Teams.

Grass roots concert Ð peter Ostroushko & the heartland BandDate: December 2, 2011 Time: 7:30 Ð 9pm Event Description: Livewell Night-club and Coff ee Bar, Journey Church, Nisswa www.grassrootsconcerts.org

7th annual toys for Kids & salvation army Food shelf FundraiserDate: December 3, 2011 Time: 3pm Ð 10pmEvent Location: The Green Lantern on County Road 8 (between Garrison & Brainerd on Hwy 18)

HOLIDAY EVENT GUIDE

Lakes Area

Brainerd dispatch Home for the Holidays 3The Week of November 30 - December 6, 2011

Event Description: Dog sled rides, col-oring contest, cookie decorating, crafts, silent auction, bake sale, pie eating contest and Visits with Santa. Drawings and raffles throughout the event.Admission: 2 non-perishable food items per person, toy or $5.00 cash donation

Breakfast with santa & Mrs. clausDate: December 3, 2011 Time: 10am Ð 1p mEvent Description: Pequot Lakes Ameri-can Legion. Come and have breakfast (pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee) with Santa. They are asking for donations and items for the Lakes Area Food Shelf and Project New Hope. Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus for a minimal charge.

annual aitkin county historical society Open houseDate: December 3, 2011 Event Description: Open house, cookie walk, raffle at the Depot Museum in Aitkin

ironton Fire department ham Bingo and RaffleDate: December 3, 2011 Time: 7pm Event Description Ironton American Legion. First prize is a Remington 700 ADL 30.06 Bold Action. Second prize is a framed 2011 Ironton Centennial Print (The Gathering by JD Speltz) and third prize is a large ham

heartland symphony Orchestra Winter concertDate: December 3, 2011 Time: 7:30pm Event Description: Charles D. Martin Auditorium, Little Falls High School. Contact 1-800-826-1997

heartland symphony Orchestra Winter concertDate: December 4, 2011 Time: 2pm Event Location: Charles D. Martin Auditorium, Tornstrom Auditorium

christmas in the parkDate: December 7, 2011Sponsored by: Cuyuna Lakes Chamber. For more details visit: www.cuyunalakes.com

downtown holli-WalkDate: December 8, 2011 Time: 10am Ð 8p m Event Location: Downtown Brainerd

the steele Family christmasDate: December 9, 2011 Time: 7:30-10pm Event Description Central Lakes College, Chalberg Theatre. Contact 218-855-8199 or visit www.clctickets.com

annual holiday BazaarDate: December 9, 2011 Time: 9am Ð 4p m Event Description: Essentia Health-St. Jo-sephÕ s Medical Center Auxiliary welcomes the community to their annual Holiday Ba-zaar. Located in the River Room Cafeteria on the lower level of Essentia Health ÐS t. JosephÕ s Medical Center.

the steele Family christmasDate: December 10, 2011 Time: 2-5pmEvent Description Central Lakes College, Chalberg Theatre. Contact 218-855-8199 or visit www.clctickets.com

parade of Lights & christmas programDate: December 10, 2011 Time: 2:30pm Event Description: Pine River, Free horse drawn rides downtown 2:30-4pm. Parade of Lights will start at 5pm. Fireworks and Yuletide bonfire.

cookies with santaDate: December 10, 2011 Time: 9am-1pm Event Description: West Side Skat-ing Rink, Little Falls. Children visit with Santa and decorate cookies. Pictures also available. Contact 320-632-6349

annual soup WalkDate: December 10, 2011 Sponsored by: Cuyuna Lakes Chamber. For more details visit: www.cuyunalakes.com

cookie saleDate: December 10, 2011 Event Location: St. JosephÕ s Church in Deerwood

Just for Kix showDate: December 10, 2011Time: 7pmEvent Location: C-I High School

all You care to eat dadÕ s Belgian WafflesDate: December 11, 2011 Time: 9am-1pm Event Location: Ironton LegionSponsored by: Cuyuna Range LionsAdmission: $7 adults, kids 6-12 $5, chil-dren under 5 eat free. Carry out avail-able, advance tickets available.

tonic sol Fa holiday concertDate: December 11, 2011 Time: 7pmEvent Description: Tornstrom Audito-rium, Brainerd. Tickets available at Cub Foods (Brainerd & Baxter), www.tonic-solfa.com or by calling 320-259-4071


There is no denying that shopping online is the quickest and easiest way to zip through a holiday shopping list. With a few clicks and keystrokes, itÕ s possible to have all of your Christmas shopping done in no time. But as many people have found out -- the hard way -- purchasing via the Internet can be risky business, especially dur-ing the holiday season when shop-pers are pressed for time and make hasty decisions. While identity theft and fraud can occur at any time of the year, the holiday shopping season leaves consumers particularly vulner-able to hackers and identity thieves.

According to the Identity Theft Re-source Center, a San Diego-based nonprofi t, there are several important steps that consumers should take to ensure that their online transactions are conducted both safely and secure-ly. First and foremost, the ITRC recom-mends that consumers shop only on sites that use technology that encrypts -- or encodes -- both your personal and fi nancial information before send-ing it for payment processing. En-crypting sensitive information makes it inaccessible to anyone outside the system, and all of the WebÕ s major retailers secure customer data in this manner. Nevertheless, itÕ s a good idea to ensure that a shopping site is se-

WHEN SHOPPING ONLINE

Secure Your Identity

Even Santa needs to ensure the Web sites he uses for Christmas shopping are secure.


cure, particularly if you have not made purchases there in the past. Any page on a site that asks for personal or fi nancial information will have a URL or Web address beginning with https:// as opposed to the usual http://.

Shopping only on the sites of mer-chants you know and trust is another critical means of ensuring your on-line safety. However, if you decide to order from a Web site you have never patronized before, itÕ s a good idea to spend a few minutes investigating the site. For starters, reliable Internet retailers always include a business ad-dress and contact telephone number on their sites, as well as information about site security, their return and refund policies, shipping practices and privacy policy. This information should be easily located on the Web site, often along the bottom of the companyÕ s home page. If you canÕ t fi nd this information or suspect that the business might not be legitimate, contact the Better Business Bureau or your state’s Attorney General’s offi ce to determine if there are outstanding complaints against the company.Another critical step in securing your

personal and fi nancial data is to pro-vide only the information necessary to complete the transaction -- and no more. Social Security numbers are not required to complete an online pur-chase and consumers should never provide this information. Being asked to reveal sensitive information, such as a Social Security number, on a retail Web site is an automatic red fl ag indi-cating that something is not right. Your best bet? Close your browser window and search for another, reputable source for the item you want.

Finally, whenever you shop online, itÕ s best to pay with credit cards, which are protected by the federal Fair Credit Billing Act -- a law that entitles card-holders to dispute charges made to their accounts. Unfortunately, there is no other form of payment that pro-vides this type or level of protection.

The good news? Once you are as-sured that a site is secure and the re-tailer is reputable, shop away. Chanc-es are good that youÕ ll not only save time, but money and energy as well.


IN THIS SEASON OF GIVING...

The Brainerd Salvation Army has announced the locations of its Angel Trees, where interested community members may pick a tag and purchase a gift for a child.

The Angel Trees are at the Westgate Mall, Bremer Banks, Wells Fargo Bank, Mid-Minnesota Credit Unions, Deerwood Bank, Big Stone Therapies and the BN Credit Union, Sawmill Inn, Giovanni’s of Brainerd.

After they pick up a tag and buy a gift participating donors should deliver the gift to the Salvation Army at 208 S. Fifth Street by December 5th.

The 30th annual ÒT oys for KidsÓ campaign sponsored by Heartland Detach-ment, Marine Corps League is scheduled for now through December 15, 2011. This local community service program is supported entirely by local businesses, organizations, and individuals. Applications can be made for the Toys for Kids program during the month of November at the Brainerd Salvation Army offi ce. Donations of new toys may be deposited between November 22nd and De-cember 15th at toy drops located at many businesses throughout the area. Tax deductible cash donations may be sent at any time to Toys For Kids, PO Box 2811, Baxter, Minnesota 56425. Gifts will be distributed at the Brainerd National Guard Armory on December 15th. For additional information please contact Steve Amerud at 218.764.3170 or 218.838.1640

Other local charitable organizations:

Bridges of hope Ð www .bridgesofhopemn.orgCamp Confi dence – www.campconfi dence.com - 218-828-2344Family safety network of cass county, inc - 218-829-2619habitat for humanity Ð ww w.lakesareahabitat.org or 218-828-8517heartland animal rescue Ð www.hartpets.org or 218-829-4141Kinship partners Ð www .kinshippartners.orgMid-Minnesota WomenÕ s shelter - www.womenscenteronline.org or 218-828-1216northland arboretum Ð www .northlandarb.com or 218-829-8770salvation army - www.thesalarmy.orgUnited Way Ð www .unitedwaynow.org

If your charitable non-profi t organization would like to be listed please contact Kristine at 218-855-5829.


YOUr GiFt FOr a LOcaL chiLd 0-15 Years OF aGe MaY Be LeFt at anY OF these LOcatiOns BetWeen nOV. 25 Ð dec.14.

BaXterBrainerd Lakes Area Board of Realtors Ð Bra inerd Savings and Loan Ð C rosby Eye Clinic Ð C row Wing Power Ð Culvers Ð Do ndelinger Chevrolet Ð F randsen Bank & Trust Ð Gander Mountain Ð G ull Lake Glass Ð H iwayan Club (MNDOT) Ð I n-Fisher-man Communications- Integra TeleCom Ð M enards Ð M id-Minnesota Fed. Credit Union – Mid-State Heating and Air Cond. – Mills Fleet Farm – Mills Ford – Mills GMC Ð M N Pollution Control Agency Ð N orson Builders Ð Ri ddles Jewelry Ð River-wood Bank – Westgate Mall Offi ce – Widseth, Smith, Nolting – WJJY Radio

Brainerd3WI Radio – AFCME Crow Wing Co. Auditor’s Offi ce – Brainerd American Legion Ð Bra inerd Fire Department Ð Bra inerd Savings and Loan Ð Bra inerd VFW Club Ð Br emer Bank Ð C row Wing Co. Jail Ð C row Wing Co. Law Enforcement Center Ð Edgewood Vista – Giovanni’s Pizza – Mid-Minnesota Fed. Credit Union – People’s Bank – Salvation Army Offi ce - Senior Center – U. S. Marine Corps Recruiting Offi ce – Walgreen’s – Wendy’s – Westwood Professional Services

crOsBY/irOntOnCrosby Eye Clinic – Mid-Minnesota Fed.Credit Union –Ironton American Legion - Papa JohnÕ s Pizza Ð T rue Value Hardware

MerriFieLd/nissWaGrandview Lodge Ð N ortech Systems

(Toys For Kids is a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization)

30th annUaL tOYs FOr KidsdOnatiOn drOp OFF LOcatiOns


FaBULOUs FiVe-MinUte FUdGeprep time: 5 minutes total time: 25 minutes servings: Makes 24 pieces

ingredients1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 tablespoon water 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted if desired 1 teaspoon vanilla

directionsLine a cookie sheet with waxed paper; set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and water.

Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 1 minute more, or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and spread it into a 9x6-inch rectangle, or drop mixture by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.

Chill fudge about 30 minutes or until fi rm. Cut fudge into 1-1/2-inch squares. Makes 24 pieces

snOW peOpLeprep time: 30 minutes total time: 50 minutes servings: Makes 12 candies

ingredients1/2 package (16-ounce size) vanilla-fl avored candy coating (almond bark) 24 large marshmallows 12 large pretzel rods

24 large gumdrops 24 mini semisweet chocolate chips

About 3 Fruit Roll-Ups̈

directionsCover cookie sheet with foil or waxed paper. Melt candy coating as directed on package.

Thread 2 marshmallows on each pretzel rod so marsh-mallows are at one end of pretzel. For hat brim, press gumdrop to fl atten and at-tach to top of pretzel, using melted coating; press and hold brim about 5 seconds. For top of hat, attach another gumdrop, fl at side down, on center of brim, using melted coating; press and hold about 5 seconds. Place pretzel in empty bever-age glass to hold upright; let stand about 20 minutes or until set. For eyes, attach chocolate chips to marshmallow, using melted coating. Repeat with remaining gumdrops, pretzels, marshmallows and chocolate chips. Cut fruit snack rolls into strips, about 6 inches long and 1/4 inch wide; place on snow people for scarves.

special touch For an individual gift, package one snowman in a plastic bag fi lled with miniature marshmallows to resemble snow. Tie with fanciful ribbons.

pOinsettia cOcKtaiLingredients

1/4 cup vodka 1/4 cup Champagne 1/2 cup cranberry juice Crushed ice 2 strips orange zest, each about 1/4-inch wide and 2 inches long

directionsCombine the vodka, Champagne and juice in a large-stemmed red wine glass. Add crushed ice and stir until the mixture is well chilled. Twist the orange strips over the glass, drop them in, and serve.


PLEASE

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!


As global economic woes continue, holiday spending remains diffi cult to predict. In 2010, holiday spending rose more than fi ve percent from the year before, according to MasterCard

AdvisorsTM SpendingPulseTM. That increase surprised forecasters, many of whom predicted holiday spending would decline for the fi fth straight year.

ON A TIGHT BUDGET

Giving


With the holiday season on the horizon once again, no one truly knows what consumer response will be. But many consumers fi gure to exercise some restraint this holiday season, stick-ing to a budget when buying gifts for family and friends. While budgets are good ways to limit spending, a holi-day spending budget doesnÕ t mean shoppers canÕ t still put a smile on their loved onesÕ f aces. In fact, with a few tips, holiday shoppers can stick to their budgets and still enjoy a happy holiday season.

Get creativeHoliday gifts donÕ t have to be bought at the local mall or from an online retailer. Gift-givers with unique talents can create their own gifts and save some money along the way. For ex-ample, shoppers skilled at woodwork-ing can create a personalized wood carving for a friend or family member. Good at knitting? Knit a scarf, mittens or even a blanket for a loved one who lives in a cold weather region. Such personalized gifts are often especially meaningful to their recipients, who appreciate the time and eff ort such keepsakes take to create.

Be patientNowadays, many families are so spread out geographically that they donÕ t always get together on Christ-mas Day. If thatÕ s the case and you wonÕ t be seeing your family until a few days after Christmas, take advantage of the special sales off ered in the days after the actual holiday. Items are often heavily discounted, and if you can stay patient, your patience might just pay off with substantial savings.

establish spending rules With Fam-ily Members Before the shopping season BeginsIn an eff ort to reduce some of the fi nancial burden of the holiday season, many families have begun to place spending limits on holiday shop-ping. This saves everyone money and ensures no one fi nds themselves with substantial debt come the new year.

do a Gift exchange With Family and Friends Many larger families have also be-gun to do a gift exchange rather than asking members of the family to buy gifts for each and every member of the family. In a gift exchange, each mem-ber of the family draws a name out of a hat and then only buys a gift for that specifi c person. This even has the added benefi t of allowing shoppers to buy something a little more expensive for a family member since they arenÕ t obligated to buy gifts for anyone else.

start earlyThe earlier you begin your holiday shopping, the more you can spread out your spending. This reduces the fi nancial stress of the season while still allowing shoppers to get something special for everyone on their shopping list.

Holiday spending may or may not in-crease this holiday season. But savvy shoppers can still make the most of their spending without breaking the bank.


KIDS’ CORNER


Name_________________________________________________________Age ________ Address___________________________________________________________________City_________________________________State________________ Zip______________Phone # ( ) ________________________ Drop off or mail this picture to the Brainerd Dispatch, 506 James Street, P.O. Box 974, Brainerd, MN 56401, by Friday, December 16, 2011, to enter the coloring contest. The Dispatch will judge and award first, second, third and honorable mention prizes in each category of ages 1-4, ages 5-8, and ages 9-13. Winners will be announced on Christmas Day.


Despite the many messages from all corners promoting a Òmo re is betterÓ philosophy when it comes to holiday gifts, the truth is far more complex -- especially for children. While most parents work hard to give their kids everything they need and much of what they want, it is often hard to draw the line, prompting many well intentioned moms and dads to ask, ÒH ow much is too much?Ó

In general, the answer lies within each family. Parents should purchase what makes sense to them and what they believe their children will use and appreciate. However, in recent years, child psychologists and experts in child development have returned to these questions as economic condi-tions have forced many families to scale back, both throughout the year and during the holiday season.

Books such as ÒT he Pampered Child SyndromeÓ ( Jessica Kingsley, 2006) by Maggie Mamen and ÒG ive Me, Get Me, Buy MeÓ ( HCI, 2010) by Donna Corwin and several others on the same topic off er similar conclusions: When children are given too much over the course of their childhoods,

they can develop a serious case of entitlement, become unappreciative of what they have and begin to equate love with “stuff .” And for younger chil-dren, receiving a huge pile of gifts in one sitting can be both overwhelming and overstimulating.

If you have been wondering about these issues, here are some general guidelines for having a fun-fi lled holi-day with just enough stuff .

Make a Gift planBefore setting out on your fi rst shop-ping expedition, devise a plan that makes sense for your family. If you have younger children, decide on the number of gifts for each. With older children, you might want to estab-lish a dollar amount rather than a gift amount. Once youÕ ve made the plan, stick to it -- no matter what.

draw names Particularly in bigger families, gift-giving can become a fi nancial and emotional burden if everyone buys for everyone. Drawing names not only re-duces those burdens, but often results in more meaningful gifts all around.

HOW MANY IS TOO MUCH?

Kids and Gifts:


Opt For a shared experienceConsider pooling the money you would have spent on individual gifts and putting it toward a special outing, vacation or shared item for your home. Long after the toys have broken and the electronics have stopped working, your children will cherish their memories of a holiday that focused on sharing time together.

communicate If Grandpa Mike or Aunt Emily has a reputation for heaping on the presents at Christmas or Chanukah, let them know ahead of time that one will do, then off er a suggestion that is sure to please your son or daughter. If they insist that they want to do more, consider asking them to make a donation in your childÕ s name to a charitable organization or to purchase a gift for a local child in need.

collaborateSometimes one big gift makes a lot more sense. If your child would love a new bike or a trampoline or horseback riding lessons, consider asking extended family members to contribute to that item or to items that go with it, such as a helmet or other gear.

Consider pooling the money you would have spent on individual gifts and putting it toward a special outing, vacation or shared item for your home. Long after the toys have broken and the electronics have stopped working, your children will cherish their memories of a holiday that focused on sharing time together.

If Grandpa Mike or Aunt Emily has a

Chanukah, let them know ahead

off er a suggestion that is sure to

name to a charitable organization or to purchase a gift for a local child

Sometimes one big gift makes a lot more sense. If your child would love a new bike or a trampoline or horseback riding lessons, consider asking extended family members to contribute to that item or to items that go with it, such as a helmet

2011 Holiday Wishbook - Issue 3

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Transcript of 2011 Holiday Wishbook - Issue 3