Giftguidenorth mc112112

2 Holiday Gift Guide Advertising Supplement to The Gazette | November 2012

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Paid Advertising

Visitors to Lancaster County from the Baltimore, D.C. andNorthern Virginia areas love to experience the serenity of days

gone by. Part of this experience includes the delicious foods of thearea, and the handcrafted products of furniture artisans.

One place that offers both is the Shady Maple complex just east ofNew Holland on Route 23.

When Shady Maple Smorgasbord moved into a larger buildingacross the parking lot more than a decade ago, the former restaurantbuilding became home to one of the largest and best furniture storesin the Lancaster area, Country Home Furniture.

According to management, “We like to think we’re helping topreserve a little piece of America’s furniture-making history.Our craftsmen are steeped in tradition. They deeply care abouttheir work.”

On two floors and 30,000 square feet of selling space in their retailstore, you will find eight manufacturers of American-made sofasand recliners, made in North Carolina, Ohio and Mississippi, inaddition to over 30 manufacturers of solid wood dining, bedroom,office, occasional and entertainment… and the area’s largestselection of Amish furniture. The wood pieces come from Americanhandcrafters and Amish builders in Ohio, Indiana and right here inLancaster County.

With hundreds of stylish products in traditional, transitional, modernand country looks on the floor, there is something for everyone.

“Amish built furniture and quality go hand-in-hand. As far asAmerican handcrafters in the hardwood and upholstery industries,their knack for getting their styles to mesh with today’s buyer issecond to none. No one builds better, more stylish furniture thanAmerican furniture makers.”

Unlike other stores where your only choices of the style or color orwood is what you see, at Country Home Furniture you can have ahand in every facet of your design. That’s the beauty of shoppingthere. Customers love the flexibility to have a piece made for themby selecting the wood, stain, hardware and fabric.

“We sincerely encourage you to experience this for yourself. Youcan certainly buy off the floor or even have something made for youas you see it. 50% of our customers do that. The other 50% lettheir imagination run wild. We have stain block boards and fabric handles available throughout the store to give our customers an opportunity to engage in thefascinating process of getting exactly what’s wanted in the style, shape, size and color desired. It’s distinctive furniture, made for you, your way. It’s fun, andit’s easy to select what you want.”

Why shop now? “We have had a great year, thanks to our customers. Our Baltimore, D.C. and Northern Virginia area customers are a big part of that. We arein the Beltway and surrounding areas delivering furniture to our customers’ homes several times a month, sometimes several times a week. We have all kindsof special pricing deals and delivery specials going on through the end of the year that we can to pass along because of the year we are having.” If beautiful,quality, brand new, solid wood, American handcrafted furniture are important to you, then you owe it to yourself to explore Country Home Furniture. As theylike to say, it’s “worth the drive to the countryside of Lancaster County.”

Country Home Furniture is open Monday and Friday 10-7, Tuesday through Thursday 10-5, and Saturdays 9-5. The entire complex at Shady Maple is closedon Sundays.

For more information, call 717-354-2329, go online to www.chfs1.com or email [email protected]. GPS address is 1352 Main Street, East Earl Township, PA.

Not All Furnitureis Created Equal

Holiday Gift Guide 3November 2012 | Advertising Supplement to The Gazette

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i The White FlintVisa Gift Card

Stumped on what to give the person whohas everything? Give the gift they won’treturn! The White Flint Visa® Gift Card isavailable in any denomination between $25and $250. And, unlike other gift cards, thereis no purchase fee! The White Flint Visa®

Gift Card is accepted anywhere Visa® debitcards are accepted. Give the gift of choicethis holiday season. White Flint shoppingincludes Lord & Taylor, Talbots, PotteryBarn, Williams-Sonoma, Coldwater Creekand more. White Flint also offers fabulousdining choices like The CheesecakeFactory, P.F. Chang’s, Dave & Buster’sand Bertucci’s. Stop by the White Flintmanagement office Monday throughFriday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.to purchase your gift cards. For a completelist of shops and restaurants, please visitour website.

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i Cultural eventsgift certificates

This holiday season give your loved onesan unforgettable evening of dancing, music,theatre, gallery exhibitions, family program-ming and much more with a Cultural ArtsCenter gift certificate. Gift certificates areredeemable for tickets to all main stageand Around the World Passport children’sevents presented by the Cultural ArtsCenter. Purchase in person at the CulturalArts Center ticket office, or by calling240-567-5775. Join us in celebrating ourcommunity’s many exciting cultures.

Cultural Arts Center MontgomeryCollege7995 Georgia Ave.Silver Spring, 20910240-567-5775www.montgomerycollege.edu/cac

i Amish furnitureBeautiful, quality, brand new, solid wood,American handcrafted…check out thearea’s largest selection of Amish furniture!It’s an elegant and enduring gift for some-one special on your list—or for yourself—this season.

Country Home Furniture1352 Main St. at Shady MapleEast Earl, Pa. 17519717-354-2329www.chfs1.com

i Tickets to musical eventsJoin us at The Robert E. Parilla PerformingArts Center for a new year of awe-inspiringentertainment. The center will feature avariety of exciting shows, including DarleneLove in her rock show The Sound of Love;the splendor and majesty of The Pipes andDrums of The Black Watch 3rd Battalion,The Royal Regiments of Scotland and TheBand of the Scots Guard; and Live atBirdland, a recreation of Charlie “Bird”Parker’s legendary club.

The Robert E. Parilla PerformingArts Center51 Mannakee St.Rockville, 20850240-567-5301www.montgomerycollege.edu/pac

i Shopping spreeVisit any participating Muddy BranchSquare merchant now through Dec. 4 andenter for a chance to win a $500 shoppingspree to the center. The lucky winner willalso choose his or her favorite local schoolto receive a $1,000 donation on behalf ofthe merchants at Muddy Branch Square.For official rules, go towww.promorules.info.

Muddy Branch SquareLocated at the intersection ofDiamondback Drive and MuddyBranch RoadGaithersburg, 20878571-382-1200


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i Dance lessonsThe gift that lasts a lifetime! Learn to dance this holiday season. Give her a gift she won’t

return: Dance lessons! Singles and couples welcome.

Arthur Murray Dance Center

Silver Spring 20901, 301-681-4466

Gaithersburg 20877, 301-590-0382

Chevy Chase 20815, 301-657-2700

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ISTOCKPHOTO/ALEXA-ERKAEVA

i Shopping spreeVisit any participating Rock Creek VillageCenter merchant through Dec. 4 and enterfor a chance to win a $500 shopping spreeto the center. The lucky winner will alsochoose his or her favorite local school toreceive a $1,000 donation on behalf of themerchants at Rock Creek Village Center.For official rules, see towww.promorules.info.Happy holidays from your friendly RockCreek Village Center merchants!

Rock Creek Village Center

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i The gift of Strathmore—Performing arts ticketsand specialty items

At the Shop at Strathmore you’ll findjewelry, toys and keepsakes as unique asthe people on your list. Or, wrap up the artsfor someone special this holiday seasonwith a Strathmore gift certificate. Givestellar performances, original artwork, giftshop goodies, specialty teas and more.Gift certificates are available in any amountand do not expire. They’re a joy to give—abreeze to redeem.

Strathmore

5301 Tuckerman Lane

North Bethesda, 20852

301-581-5100

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i The Shops atSumner Place

Located on Sangamore Road in Bethesda,minutes from the Washington, D.C., line,The Shops at Sumner Place is a neighbor-hood retail center nestled within the beauti-ful and prestigious Sumner Place commu-nity. With a mix of more than 20 shops andrestaurants, including Safeway, CVS,Chico’s, Starbucks and Praline Bakery &Bistro, Sumner offers a variety of places todine, meet for coffee and shop. In the cen-ter of The Shops is an office building with avariety of business offering professionalservices. What makes Sumner Place sounique? It’s one-stop shopping all within awalkable environment. It is a “town center”within a peaceful community. Plenty ofparking is also available.

The Shops at Sumner Place

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ISTOCKPHOTO/AVDEEV007

i Bowling gift certificatesWhile the weather outside is frightful, come in and warm up at 300 Shady Grove! Give

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1862915

BY CATHERINE MCNULTY

C hances are you have at least onegamer on your holiday list thisyear. Apps for smartphones,

online role-playing games and tons ofgaming systems have made it easy to playvideo games anywhere and with oragainst anybody. What used to be anactivity for adolescent boys has become apastime for a huge swath of the popula-tion. But finding the perfect gift can takea little sleuthing.What kind of gamer areyou shopping for?

Pow! Bam! Swoosh! Does your gamerdream in onomatopoeic sounds andspandex outfits? Fear not, tremulous hol-iday shopper, you’re shopping for a super-hero fanatic. Fortunately, gifts abound foryour would-be caped crusader.

If your loved one has an allegiance to aspecific super, why not get a portrait ofhim/her as that superhero? The ComicsFactory can do just that. Featuring offi-cially licensed Marvel characters, eachportrait is digitally hand-illustrated totransform any picture into a comic-stylemasterpiece. Check out the selection atthecomicsfactory.com. And really, whodoesn’t want to be part of The Avengers?

With the release of Nintendo’s WiiU—the next generation of theWii gamingsystem—“Batman: Arkham City” is get-ting an upgrade, as well. The ArmoredEdition is an enhanced version of thisaward-winning game that all but puts theplayers in the Batsuit. Also available thisholiday season is “Lego Batman 2: DCSuper Heroes,” for those who prefer theirvideo games and childhood toys to happi-ly coexist.

If you’re afraid your wannabe hero isgoing to freeze during those long, latenight gaming sessions, you can always getan official Batman or Superman Snuggie.Yes, they really exist.

But what if your gamer isn’t gaga forcapes and tights?What if you know whenyour gamer is around because of theincessant Mario Bros. ring tones andrepeating of the phrase “It’s on like‘Donkey Kong’!” In this case, you may beshopping for a classic video gamer.

Chances are they have the games theylove already, so what could you possiblybuy them? Why, accessories, toys andclothing, that’s what!The classic NintendoEntertainment System is benefiting from ahuge boom in nostalgia, and you can nowbuy everything from Nintendo wall graph-ics to Nintendo Monopoly featuring allyour favorite 8-bit characters. Got a sugarjunkie on your hands? How about MarioBros. gummies? ThinkGeek has an excel-lent selection.

Maybe you have younger childrenwho love being on the computer. Thereare plenty of fun and educational gamesfrom which to choose. “The GreatCookie Thief” app for iPhone and iPadallows youngsters to help CookieMonster find out who has been stealingall the cookies on Sesame Street.“Scribblenauts Unlimited” is for slightlyolder children and will help build vocab-ulary and reasoning throughpuzzles and challenges.

For the pop culture-savvyperson on your list, everythingfrom Cartoon Network’s hit“Adventure Time” to “LegoThe Lord of the Rings” to“Madagascar 3: Europe’s MostWanted” is getting the videogame treatment.

Occasionally, you may wantyour gamers to step away from thescreen and into the real world.Does this mean they need to for-sake their allegiance to gaming? Ofcourse not!You can fully kit out yourfavorite gamers with T-shirts, hood-ies, buttons and even coffee mugsfrom websites such as CafePress, ZazzleandThreadless.

And where best to wear these newthreads? Why not take your gamer to themovies to see a movie about a video gamevillain who wants to be the good guy foronce? Disney’s “Wreck-It Ralph” openedearlier this month, and plenty of old-school gaming villains make appearances.

This holiday season, you may findyourself wishing everyone were as easy toshop for as a gamer.

–Creators.com


COOL GIFTS FOR

GAMERS

CREATORS.COM/THE COMICS FACTORY

The Comics Factory allows you to put your gift recipient’s faceon his or her favorite superhero.

CREATORS.COM/

47 COMMUNICATIONS

“ScribblenautsUnlimited” helpskids buildvocabulary andreasoning skillsthrough puzzlesand challenges.

What to get your golferBY SARA MENDELL

There is no simple solution to finding the perfect gift for a golfingfanatic. Buying someone a brand-new putter who has used histrusty Billy Baroo for years might destroy his putting mojo as he

trades Billy’s luck for Scotty Cameron’s smooth sensations. To avoidbeing the reason for the demise of a golf game, take inventory of yourloved one’s needs before buying.

Begin by evaluating their current state. Is she complaining about play-ing with a 20-year-old set of irons? Is she looking for the game improve-ment aid of a new hybrid club? Does she love apparel with the logos offamous golf courses? Or to dress like her LPGA Tour idols? Taking thetime to ponder such questions will make your decision much easier.

If your fanatic is looking for some game-improvement technology,help him or her out with a set of transitional irons.The hybrid low-loftclubs will help improve his long game and the cavity-back short irons willdeliver the same consistency he’s used to feeling.These sets can be pur-chased at various price points. Adams Golf makes a high-quality set ofclubs that you can typically find on sale at golf stores or new on eBay.Higher handicap golfers may struggle using iron sets that don’t offer thesame forgiveness as a hybrid set.These clubs will work well for both menand women.


[continued on 30] ISTOCKPHOTO/LATTAPICTURES

Think be‘fore’ you shop

If your fanatic is looking for somegame-improvement technology,help him or her out with a set oftransitional irons.

1867125

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BY DIANE SCHLINDWEIN

F urby is back and better than ever; Barbie will betaking a lot of pictures; and Monster High dollsand accessories probably will be smashing all

the holiday competition, according to experts track-ing popular toys for Christmas 2012.

No. 1 on the Mattel top 12 list is the Barbie PhotoFashion doll. The doll is actually a digital camera;images appear on Barbie’s shirt.At $49.99, it’s a littlepricier than your usual Barbie, but she can hold morethan 200 images and features an internal recharge-able battery.

“This year, we are introducing an innovative dollthat lets girls customize, create and design, all in oneinteractive toy. The Barbie Photo Fashion doll com-bines fashion play and photography with a simpleclick,” said Cathy Cline, vice president of U.S. mar-keting for Mattel’s girls’ brands. “With this digitalcamera doll, girls can customize their own photos andthen display them on Barbie’sT-shirt—allowing themto be the ultimate photographer and stylist.”

Mattel also has launched Apptivity, which is a newline of plastic toys that interact with iPad games.Apptivity brings toys to life and turns tablets intomoving digital worlds. Fisher-Price Apptivity items

are also compatible with the iPhone and the iPodtouch. Games will include “Hot Wheels,” “Cut theRope,” “WWE Rumblers” and “Fruit Ninja.”

“With millions of households now owning iPads,we sought out a meaningful way to create new playpossibilities that both entertain and bring familiestogether,” said Lisa McKnight, senior vice presidentof marketing for Mattel’s North American division.“Apptivity meets the needs of today’s tech-savvy kidswhile showcasing our trusted brands and best-in-class partners.”

Families who want to play a new and fun boardgame might consider giving the

CREATORS.COM/MATTEL

The Barbie Photo Fashion dollis actually a digital camera.

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HOTTEST TOYS

The Monster High two-story school featuressome of the most recognizable rooms fromthe webisodes, including the iconic schoolentrance through the gargoyle statuesand the mad scienceclassroom.

[continued on 30]


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BY TAWNY MAYA MCCRAY

T he holidays are the biggest shoppingseason of the year, a time to dole outgifts to the special people in your life.

For shoppers on a tight budget, this time ofyear can be a real headache, but there areplenty of great and practical gift ideas outthere for less than $50 that are sure to makeyour loved ones merry.

Big Picture PR has standout stockingstuffers under $50 this season. For women,jewelry designer Paula Montgomery has anice selection of repurposed, romantic, vin-tage earrings starting at $45.

Jewelry designer Kris Nations has plentyof pieces for less than $50 in her eco-friend-ly line that’s made with repurposed metal.Necklaces start at $39, earrings at $35 andbracelets at $25.There are also several items

on sale. All metals are 14-karat gold or ster-ling silver. According to Nations’ website,she works with metal refiners who obtaintheir metal from the earth’s existing supplyrather than depending on mining, whichunder the wrong circumstances could gen-erate environmental waste, contaminatewater and endanger the lives of humansand animals. All her jewelry is made in theUnited States.

Hard Candy Cases has a wide variety ofcasings for less than $50 for your iPhone,iPad, iPod, Kindle Fire and MacBook.Cases for iPhones start at $9.95, iPads at$16.95, iPods at $34.95, Kindle Fire at$39.95 and MacBook at $9.95. See the col-lection at www.hardcandycases.com.

Many stores have a large array of gifts forless than $50 online, including Barnes &Noble and Pottery Barn. Items include wine

racks, industry wine coolers, candles,incense, recycled-glass bottle vases, lanterns,clocks, journals, pens and picture frames.

An article from eHow on Christmas giftsfor women that are less than $50 suggestspurchasing bath and beauty products in therecipient’s favorite scent.

“Find out her favorite perfume, andinstead of buying the perfume itself forChristmas, purchase the accompanyingproducts, such as lotions, body washes,body oils, soaps, bubble bath and candles inthe same scent,” the article said.

The article also suggested putting a spinon simply buying a bottle of wine. Instead,take the woman in your life on a tour of alocal winery. Many wineries offer free toursand tastings, so you can sample a variety ofwines to find out which your loved one willlike best. [continued on 28]

giftsUNDER $50

CREATORS.COM/PAULA MONTGOMERY

These blue keystone earrings from PaulaMontgomery are a great gift if your budgetis on the low side.

1822180

BY SHARON NAYLOR

Give a man a fish and he eats for oneday; give a foodie a fish spatula andhe makes many delectable seafood

meals for his family and friends.If you have people on your gift-giving list

who love to cook and experiment with newrecipes and exotic cuisines or are alwaysserving up amazing dishes at meals andget-togethers, choose kitchen-oriented giftsfor the so-called “foodies” this holiday sea-son. Even the most inexpensive, uniquekitchen gadget or spice mix can thrill them.

Gifts can be purchased for the experi-enced chef or for those just starting out,such as newlyweds, engaged couples andthose who have discovered a love of cook-ing later in life. “My mother started takingcooking classes at her retirement home,

and she fell in love with organic and Asiancooking,” said Dena Guerrard, a mother oftwo. “Now, she wants cooking tools,sauces, cookbooks and other items for hernew interest, which makes it far more excit-ing to shop for her gifts.”

Here are the top types of gifts to consid-er for all the foodies on your holiday shop-ping list:

Flavored Balsamic VinegarsThese subtly or powerfully infused vine-

gars open up whole new worlds of flavorprofiles in salads, seafoods, poultry and redmeats. At the Cape May Olive OilCompany—www.capemayoliveoilcompa-ny.com—some of the top creativelydesigned balsamic vinegars include:

-POMEGRANATE: This balsamic vinegarhas the tartness of the pomegranate right in

it, making it slightly sweet, slightly tart.Enjoy it on salads, in desserts and in saucesand marinades.

-MANDARIN ORANGE: Bold orange aromaand flavor. Perfect for vinaigrettes, saladsand sauces for Asian dishes. Use with porkor chicken dishes.

-CRANBERRY: This is a wonderful flavorto add to meats, such as pork or turkey.Works great on a salad with nuts, or try iton vanilla ice cream.

Flavored Extra-Virgin Olive OilFlavored olive oils add gourmet flair to

the foodie’s treasured recipes and allow

them to follow celebrity chef recipes to theletter. You’ll find such flavors as jalapeno,lemon, rosemary, garlic and even bacon-flavored olive oil. Look especially for blacktruffle garlic olive oil, which the experts atCape May Olive Oil Company describe as“an elegant oil to use as a final touch toyour dish. Drizzle over pasta, vegetables orscallops. Makes a wonderful risotto.”

SpicesQuality spices are essential items in a

foodie’s kitchen, and you’ll wow them withyour gift of exotic spice blends, such asMarrakesh—a Moroccan


[continued on 24]

New andimproved

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BY DIANNE CROWN

A n old grandmother I once knew kept holiday giftgiving simple. She gave each child something to do(play with or build), something to eat, something to

wear and something to read. For that special something toread for your family this year, Chinaberry, a company thatsells educational toys, recommends a collection of endur-ing favorites and soon-to-be-classic reads chosen to nur-ture caring and respect, to be positive and uplifting, and toprovide rich reading for children’s hearts and minds.Consider these three new titles in the collection.

Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton take a fresh look at“Puff, the Magic Dragon,” with paintings by EricPuybaret, in a board book format. Unlike the sad tale ofthe great friendship of dragon and boy who slips away for-ever when he grows up and leaves home, there is a satisfy-ing resolution that teaches more about friendship and loy-alty than the 50-year-old folk song ever did. The boardbook retails for $7.95 and a pop-up version with a CD isalso available.

“Seed by Seed: The Legend and Legacy of John‘Appleseed’ Chapman,” written by Esme Raji Codell andillustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins, broadens the story formiddle-elementary through early-middle-school students.More than the oft-told tale, this new edition looks into a lifebased on five principles: Use what you have; share whatyou have; respect nature; try to make peace where there iswar; and you can reach your destination by takingsmall steps.The book jacket reads:“Esme Raji Codell andLynne Rae Perkins showus, in eloquent wordsand exhilaratingpictures, whyJohnny

Appleseed matters now, perhaps more than ever, in ourloud and wired and fast-paced world.”The hardcover bookretails for $16.99.

Chinaberry also recommended Lissa Evans’ “Horten’sIncredible Illusions: Magic, Mystery & Another VeryStrange Adventure,” for ages 8 years and older.This small,thick chapter book starts off where the first adventure,

“Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms,” ended andgrabs returning readers and new fans alike from

page one. “Just when height-challenged StuartHorten thinks his big adventure is over, hediscovers that Great Uncle Tony has leftbehind yet another mystery: he’s hidden hiswill, and his magic tricks are the clues to itslocation!” the jacket reads. Unlike the darkand dreary books populating the shelves ofmany children’s sections, this is a fun adven-ture for reading alone or reading together

out loud.The hardcover book retailsfor $14.95.

Creators.com


ISTOCKPHOTO/CARACTERDESIGN

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BY ERIC CHRISTENSEN

T he holidays can be a stressful time ofyear. Cooking and party planning cancreate logistical nightmares.Traveling

to meet friends and family can become anordeal. For new parents, the stress of theholidays is often more extreme.

A new baby means new routines,increased travel difficulties and less sleep.But the right gift can help alleviate thatstress. Here are some gift ideas to help thenew parents in your life have a happy hol-iday season.

Taking Care of the BasicsDuring the first few months after the

baby is born, parents can get overwhelmeddue to lack of time, energy and sleep.Alleviate some of the resulting stress andhelp them take care of basic things around

the house, like groceries and cleaning.Prepare meals for them that can be frozenand reheated. As an added convenience,divide the meal up into two-portion sizes.

If you don’t cook, buy the new parentsa gift certificate to a local grocery or agrocery-delivery service. Most grocerswill list such services on their website.Look for an in-house service, likeSafeway’s, or links to a separate company,such as Peapod.

New parents can fall behind on house-cleaning after the birth of a child. If youlive nearby, you could volunteer to clean.Alternatively, arrange for a housecleaningservice, either in advance of the birth or ashort time thereafter. Consider carpet-cleaning services, like Stanley Steemer,that provide a long-lasting, deep clean orhire a maid service to clean the entirehouse or specific rooms. [continued on 28]

What to get

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BY CHANDRA ORR

N othing says you care quite like a hand-made gift, but why should the humanshave all the fun receiving them? Give your

favorite feline or canine companion a gift from theheart, such as homemade biscuits, gourmet chick-en jerky or tempting catnip treats.

“DIY gifts for pet lovers are really fun tomake,” said Jennifer Quasha, author of more than40 books, including “The Dog Lover’s Book ofCrafts” and “Chicken Soup for the Soul: I Can’tBelieve My Dog DidThat!”

“The whole time you’re working on theproject, you’re thinking of your friend, his or herpet, and how much they will like or get a chuck-le out of what you’re creating,” Quasha said. “Itsays that you care enough to spend a lot moretime making something than going out andbuying something.”

While you’re in the kitchen crafting your signa-ture Christmas cookies, pour an extra cup of

cocoa and cook up these gourmet goodies for thedogs and cats on your list—and don’t forget thegift wrap. For paws-itively pleasing packaging,pack the tasty treats in holiday tins or festiveChinese takeout-style containers. In lieu of a bowand gift tag, top it off with a new collar and per-sonalized dog tag—or for the kitties, a catnip toymouse or jingle ball.

Super Soup BoneInstead of splurging on pricey bones at the pet

store, make your own from an inexpensive gro-cery store staple: beef soup bones. Traditionallyused for making homemade broth, these heftybones are simple to prepare and they’re just asindulgent as the basted, meaty beef bones, but ata fraction of the price.

To prepare, place in a glass baking dish andcook at 250 F for two hours or until the bone isgolden brown and the meat chunks are crisp.Remove from the baking dish and place on papertowels until cooled; store in a [continued on 25] ISTOCKPHOTO/VVVITA

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BY ANICA WONG

W hether it was in Sunday school or athome around the kitchen table, mostof us learned that when we have more

than what we need, we should give to those lessfortunate. And for the most part, peoplearound the United States do give.According toa study by The Chronicle of Philanthropy,Americans, on average, give 4.7 percent of theirdiscretionary income to charity, and donatedmore than $135 billion in 2008.

While that study doesn’t show when most ofthese donations are made, Miriam Davenportof the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals Los Angeles (SPCALA) said that themajority of the donations they receive arriveduring the holiday season. “A lot of people,especially in the last few years, have opted tohelp others (during that time),” she said.Davenport, the senior director of developmentwith the SPCALA, pointed out that there aremany ways that donating to your favorite char-ity, instead of giving gifts to your friends andfamily, can benefit the organization and pro-mote a feeling of goodwill.

“We rely 100 percent on donations,”Davenport said. “It is important to have sup-port from our local community.”

The animal shelter has several ways that a person cancontribute. Like most organizations that accept donations,the SPCALA has a donation page on its website. It evenoffers to send an e-card or a mailed card to a person if youdonate in his honor. Instead of spending money on toysand clothes that your family and friends might get little joyfrom, giving money to help your local shelter can feel like awin-win for everyone.

Davenport said that like other animal shelters, they alsoaccept food, blankets, toys and other items.These help themore than 3,000 animals that get adopted throughSPCALA every year.

Of course, there are many places your generous dona-tion can be put to good use helping humans.

The Internet has made donating easier than ever.Justgive.org has simplified the process even more bypulling together more than 1.8 million charities into a sin-gle database.The cool part about the website?You can givecharity gift cards.

“You choose the value of the cards; your recipientchooses the charity; their charity receives a donation—

everyone wins,” according to the website. So instead ofbuying your mom another sweater, put that money on aGiveNow Card, and let her pick the charity to which she’dlike to donate.They even let you upload your own image topersonalize your gift cards.

If you’re looking to affect a single person this holidayseason with your giving, consider sponsoring a child. It canbe overwhelming to think about all of the children in theworld who need help, so you might focus on making a dif-ference here at home. According to Save the Children, 15million American children live in poverty.This organizationoffers options to sponsor a child in the United States.Yourmoney not only supports that child, but also helps Save theChildren to provide literacy, early education and nutrition-al programs around the country.

This year could be the year that you give back instead ofjust giving.

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If you’re looking to affect a single person this holiday seasonwith your giving, consider sponsoring a child. According toSave the Children, 15 million children in the United Stateslive in poverty.

You might also donate the money you would usually spend ongifts to a pet shelter. Some will even send a card to the personin whose honor you are donating the money.

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BY SHARON NAYLOR

W ho doesn’t love receiving cashgifts? The gift of money allowsyour recipient to buy anything

he or she would like without you having toguess or potentially send a present thatmight go right into their garage sale bin.These days especially, a little windfallallows your recipient to enjoy an indul-gence, such as a manicure, a massage or afabulous box of truffles. Even better,there’s no guilt associated with spendingthis extra money. It’s for pure enjoyment.

Joel Waldfogel, professor of appliedeconomics at the University of Minnesotaand author of “Scroogenomics: Why YouShouldn’t Buy Presents for the Holidays,”said that recipients of cash gifts appreciatethe full value of the present since theyknow the amount.

In contrast, Waldfogel said, recipientsperceive traditional, noncash gifts as cost-ing 20 percent less than the giver paid.Applying this “perceived value” to giftcards would seem to make sense, but

Waldfogel said that 10 percent of a giftcard value is never used and retailers can’tclaim the unclaimed cards as revenue foryears.

Interested in giving cash gifts? Here aresome creative ways to present them, mak-ing the gift even more of a thrill:

ORIGAMI. The artistry of folding, curlingand otherwise shaping crisp dollar billsinto shapes and sculptures is a fun way topresent cash gifts. You’ll pay just a smallextra fee for an origami artist to makemoney roses, money hearts, even littleshirts created from $1s, $10s, $20s, andeven $50s or $100 bills for more extrava-gant givers.

There are lessons on YouTube to tryyour hand at money origami, books on thetopic at craft stores and expert origamiartists who can create your cash sculpturefor you.

Many florist shops offer money roseorigami to insert in floral arrangements orto give as gifts. At the Etsy shopPaperAffection, which you

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[continued on 29]

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BY SHARON NAYLOR

Buying a gift for a teenager can be dif-ficult since there’s such a differencebetween what a 13-year-old loves

and what an 18-year-old loves.Teens canbe very particular about which trends suittheir style and which trends are “in” attheir school.

Luckily, there’s a free online tool tohelp you assess each of the teens on yourgift list. Gifts.com’s Personality Profilertool on its home page allows you to enterthe teen’s name and answer some easyquestions regarding the teen’s goals, hob-bies and what she talks about at dinner.The site then delivers an array of gift sug-gestions. Take this quiz for each of theteens on your list and you’ll save time,and perhaps money, while finding theperfect, on-trend gifts.

Gifts.com editors also place a banneron each of their top gift picks to help makefinding the right gift easier.

Here are the top trends in teen gifts forgirls and guys:

Achiever ItemsGoal-oriented teen gifts include iPad

covers in various designs, locker organiz-ers with whiteboards and pockets, digitalalarm clocks, USB sticks in themeddesigns and the Gifts.com editors’ pick ofa digital scanner pen for taking betternotes in class.

Trendanista ItemsFor teen girls who love their fashion

designer labels, consider Kate Spade wal-lets, key chains or iPhone covers.

Gifts.com editors’ picks for teen girlsinclude manicure collections filled withpretty nail polishes in classic, trendy colorswith sparkly options for teens of all ages.As an example of new nail polish artistry,the editors of Gifts.com showcase theCiate Caviar Manicure set, a two-part nailart kit created in London, which they saidbrings “avant-garde catwalk nail styling toyour fingertips.” Featuring pearlescentbeads to create a 3-D effect, this kit helpsteens produce attention-grabbing naildesigns for $25.

Trendanistas also love jewelry, and thisseason’s big look is the cuff bracelet—alsoa bargain buy at less than $30 for manystyles of wider bracelets in silver, eithersimple or intricate. And, of course, youcan’t go wrong with a gift card to the tren-danista teen’s favorite store or website.

Technology ItemsTeens are extremely tech-savvy. They

often own the top tools, such as iPhones,iPads, MP3 players and high-poweredlaptops and desktops. In order to get themexcellent tech-oriented gifts, find outwhich kinds of tools they use right now sothat you can give them accessories forthose. It may be a wise idea to buy techtoys closer to the holidays, since teensupgrade their gadgets often—and youdon’t want to give them a case that does-n’t work with their current phone, forexample. Some choice picks:

HEADPHONES. Yes, big headphonesworn over the head are in again, withmany featuring funky colors from designercollections. You’ll find basic black, islandturquoise, vivid orange and [continued on 24]

ISTO

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1862936


BY ANICA WONG

I t happens to the best of us.Whether it’s the com-pany holiday party or a gift exchange among afew friends, many have ended up with a gag gift

while others scored Starbucks gift cards or fancy ket-tle corn. Gift exchange parties most often happenwith extended family members, colleagues andgroups of friends. While there are many types ofparties, make sure the participants keep in mind thatthe real gift is the camaraderie, regardless of whatitem they receive.

“The idea of taking the stress out of holiday shop-ping while still enjoying your friends’ and family’scompany during the busy holiday season is captivat-ing,” said Matt Taylor, founder of Yankee Swap, awebsite that provides information and rules for thegameYankee Swap, also known as the white elephantgift exchange.

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Taylor started the website a few years agobecause he wanted to print out the officialrules of the game for a work party,but couldnot find a site that provided clear directions.

Most people know the game as whiteelephant, although Taylor noted that theterm is probably regional, with people inthe New England area calling it YankeeSwap.The myth that the game began witha holiday prisoner-of-war swap during theCivilWar might be a very compelling story,but it’s more likely that it originated as asimple parlor game during the 1800s.

“Before the advent of radio, gentlemenand ladies found themselves with moreleisure time than any previous generationand would amuse themselves with gamessuch as charades, truth or dare, 20 ques-tions and theYankee Swap,” saidTaylor.

As with all other gift exchange-typegames, make sure you let the participantsknow what the rules are—what is the min-imum and maximum price allowed? Areyou doing gag gifts or not? In what orderare you going to be running the game?

Another fun party game that incorpo-rates gifts is the cobweb game. Setting upfor this game is the most important part.Take one color of string or yarn and attachit to one person’s present.

Hide the present somewhere in theroom and wrap the string around lampbases, under chairs and over tables beforehanding the string to the person for whomthe present is intended.

Hide each present like this, and thenwhen all of the strings turn your livingroom into a colorful cobweb, let yourguests loose to find what’s on the otherend of their string.

If you and your friends are all into onething—whether it’s alcoholic beverages,vampires or books— try a themed party onfor size this year. A cocktail swap would beperfect if your group likes to try its hand atbartending. Each person or couple invitedto the party is tasked with bringing a giftbag full of the ingredients for a specificcocktail. Coupled with instructions on howto make the drink, this gift provides otherswith something new to learn and a surefiregood time. (Designated drivers required.)

While the Yankee Swap lets you spendtime together and laugh with friends andcolleagues, one of the perks of doing giftexchange games is that you don’t have tobuy a gift for everyone at the party.

The typical American said he/she wasgoing to spend an average of $646 on giftsfor the 2011 holiday season, according tothe American Research Group Inc. Insteadof purchasing, say, 15 individual presents,you can buy one gift for one member of thegroup, thereby lowering your annual holi-day spending considerably.

Inevitably, the holidays are about giving;but why not make the giving more fun byadding a game twist here and there?Laughter can be the best gift of all.

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Buying a home can be one of themost rewarding experiences in aperson’s life, and it also can be

one of the most stressful.New homeowners are faced with

many expenses, and the holiday sea-son is a great time to help them outwith a thoughtful gift for the placethey now call home. Consider theseuseful items:

- HOW-TO BOOKS: Owning a homepresents many opportunities forrepairs and renovations. Frequently,buying a home for the first time leadsto the new owner’s initial foray intodo-it-yourself projects.

Consider giving a library ofinstructional books that will walkhim through some of the basics, suchplumbing, simple repairs or evenlight construction.

- PERSONALIZED KEY CHAINS: A newhome means a new set of keys. Havekey chains monogrammed and presentthem with a bottle of champagne totoast the new residence.

- WELCOME MAT: Welcome matscan be customized with the owner’slast name. Some services can evenprint an image or a quirky saying on adoormat.

- DOOR KNOCKER: Although door-bells have replaced door knockers forpractical use, a nice metal knocker stillmakes a decorative statement on thefront door. Have the door knockerengraved with the family name.

- GIFT CERTIFICATE: A new homemeans new projects, both large andsmall. Homeowners will be makingfrequent trips to the home improve-ment center, and such trips can be

costly. A gift card will help lessen thatfinancial burden.

- HOME WARRANTY: Third-partycompanies sell home warranties thatcan cover the costs of repairs on majorhome systems. The peace of mind ofknowing the HVAC system or a majorappliance can be repaired or replacedat minimal cost can make this giftinvaluable to new homeowners.

- PORTRAIT: Give the gift of memo-ries by setting up a photo session witha photographer. Prints can be hungaround the new home.

- TOOL GIFT BASKET: Homeownerscan almost always use nails, screws,hammers, painter’s tape, picture-hanging kits, and the other odds andends for making repairs.

- FURNITURE: Ask the homeownerwhat room needs fur-

HOMEOWNERS

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One of the more common NewYear’s resolutions is a commit-ment to getting healthier. This

year, holiday shoppers can combine thetradition of giving gifts with the traditionof making NewYear’s resolutions and givea loved one who wants to improve person-al health a gift to make keeping that reso-lution much easier.

During this holiday shopping season,consider the following gift ideas for thathealth-conscious friend or family memberwho’s looking to turn over a new leaf in thenew year by adopting a healthier lifestyle.

- GYM MEMBERSHIP: Fitness centers tendto see a spike in enrollment at the dawn ofa new year as those who want to gethealthier take the first step by signing upfor a gym membership. And the holidayseason can be an ideal time to buy thatmembership; many fitness centers waive

their initiation fees to attract more cus-tomers. When trying to help a friend orfamily member get back on a healthytrack, offer to pay a portion of their mem-bership or, if their preferred club is charg-ing an initiation fee, offer to pay thatinstead. Recipients might feel more obli-gated to go to the gym if they know a lovedone helped pay for the membership.

- CARDIOVASCULAR MACHINE: Manypeople cite a lack of time as the primaryreason they don’t exercise enough. Gettingto and from the gym takes time, but havinga cardiovascular machine—an ellipticalmachine, exercise bike or treadmill—athome removes this hurdle, increasing thechances that people will exercise moreoften.The potential benefits of routine car-diovascular exercise are considerable.According to the American Heart Associ-ation, as little as 30 minutes of daily cardio-

vascular exercise can significantly reducethe risk of heart disease.

- BICYCLE: Few activities are more enjoy-able and simultaneously beneficial than rid-ing a bicycle. Many people still enjoy ridinga bike just like they did when they were chil-

dren, when they might not have known justhow healthy riding is. Cycling improves car-diovascular fitness, lowering the risk forheart disease, while helping to build andtone muscles. In addition, those with pre-existing joint conditions [continued on 29]

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blend used for lamb, fish, meatballs, cous-cous, soups and roasted vegetables—andCataluna—a blend of pimento andsmoked cinnamon for stews, soups, beandishes and pork.

Flavored SugarsThe Cape May Olive Oil Company’s

website shows off more than a dozeninspirational uses for flavored sugars,including ginger flavored pure cane sugar.SWEET: Top lemon sorbet or pumpkin pie.FRESH: Use ginger sugar in stir-fry to add asweet zing.SAVORY: Perfect on grilled salmon.LIQUID: Ginger sugar will be your newfavorite when it’s added to a steaming cupof tea.TWIST: Caramelize ginger sugar on top ofcrème brûlée.

Kitchen ToolsBrowse the kitchen gadgets at such

popular stores as Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma, and other upscale entertainingand foodie delight sites and you’ll see chef-worthy kitchen gadgets to turn the every-day cook into a wannabe master chef.

From top-quality, ultra-long zestersand strawberry hullers to a chef-qualitymandolin for fine slices of cucumber anda julienne peeler, specialty tools elevate

an indoor and outdoor kitchen’s cre-ations. Shop FoodNetwork.com for gadg-ets from a favorite chef’s line, such asGuy Fieri’s sauce squeeze bottles andexpert paring knives.

CookbooksThere are so many gorgeous cook-

books on the market today—from elitechefs’ French cuisine to colorful offeringson panini sandwiches, healthy appetizers,Tuscan foods and, of course, the newestfrom the Food Network celebrity chefs.Rachael Ray’s new cookbook on burgerspleases male and female gift recipientsand Melissa d’Arabian’s “Ten DollarDinners” cookbook adds budget-friendlyrecipes to the foodie family’s collection. Ifyou know that your foodie already ownsmany cookbooks, give him the gift ofchoice with a gift card to Amazon.com,Barnesandnoble.com or the FoodNet-work.com store.

On a budget of $20 or less, give sub-scriptions to foodie magazines for giftsthat arrive fresh each week or month, orpacks of pretty recipe cards so she canshare recipes the old-fashioned way.

Gadgets can also be found for less than$20, so you can thrill the recipient withoutspending a fortune.

And every time he uses your gift witheach winning dish he creates, he’ll begrateful to you.

Creators.com

patterned headphones on the market.TheUrbanears headphones are an editor’s toppick at Gifts.com.

EARBUDS. Teens use these tiny earpiecetools to listen to music or televisionshows via their handheld gadgets, and arange of teen-style earbuds are on themarket right now.

From classic, solid-colored earbuds tothose with a hot pink, zebra pattern toearbuds with sports team logos on them,these gifts are easy to match to yourrecipient’s style.

Even if they own earbuds already, theycan always use extra pairs to keep in theirsports bags or for travel.

IPHONE CASES. Tailor your choice to theteen’s interests, from classic novel coversto soccer to funny quotes and sayings.Teens love to accessorize their tech gearand gift cases can expand their options.

Diaries and JournalsSurprisingly, teens don’t write every-

thing on social media—mostly becausetheir parents are often “friends” with themon Facebook and monitor their posts and

activities. So a private writing space isgreatly appreciated by those who want tojournal their projects, goals, and, yes, theirschool dramas and crushes.

Creative types might use their journalsfor writing poetry or sketching, and astarter scrapbook complete with an arrayof stickers and borders from the craftstore may meld a teen’s penchant forkeepsakes and artistry.

One of the most popular journals onGifts.com is theTicket Stub Diary, whichlets them insert their tickets from con-certs, plays, sporting events and vacations,and journal details of each experience.

Money and Gift CardsTeens are in a stage of self-discovery

and independence, which means they loveto choose their own gifts. You can helpthat happen, and perhaps even help themget an item they’ve been saving for, with acash gift or a gift card to their favoritewebsite or store.

Not sure which gift card would be best?Just ask them. It’s a gift to give them somesay in what you get them.Teens love that.

Creators.com

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FOODIE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

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sealed bag in the fridge until gift-givingtime. Bones can be refrigerated up to twoweeks or frozen for up to two months.

Gourmet Chicken JerkyChicken jerky for dogs is all the rage,

and for good reason. It’s chewy, satisfyingand packed with protein—but it’s alsopricey and potentially loaded withunhealthy additives.

Bake your own at home in a food dehy-drator and you’ll be certain it’s 100-per-cent natural.

“As a dog owner, I care about what mydog eats as much as I care about what Ieat,” said Pamela Braun, recipe developerand the voice behind mymansbellycom.“One of my favorite gifts to give to myfriends that own dogs is a gift of dehydrat-ed chicken breast treats...these home-made treats show your friends that youcare about their pet, just like you careabout them.”

Slice boneless, skinless chicken breastinto 1/4-inch slices. The overall shapedoesn’t matter, Braun said, but the thick-ness of each slice should be uniform.

Lay out the chicken pieces on the dehy-drator tray, leaving room between eachpiece. Dehydrate for eight hours at 145 F.The chicken pieces should snap whenbroken; if they’re still flexible, continuedehydrating until crispy. Store jerky insealed bags or airtight containers.

Don’t have a dehydrator? Place slicedchicken on baking sheets and bake in theoven at 200 F for two hours or until done.

Catnip Tuna TreatsThese catnip-infused tuna treats are

sure to please even the most finicky feline.The recipe makes enough to share with allthe cat lovers on your list.

u 1 can tuna, well drainedu 1/3 cup Bisquick baking mixu 1 large egg, beatenu 2-3 tablespoons milku 1 cup dried catnip

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place tuna infood processor or blender and blend intoa thick paste.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the tuna,Bisquick, egg, milk and 1/2 cup dried cat-nip until well moistened. Add additionalmilk as needed. Mixture should resemblethick sticky dough.

Roll the mixture into small, bite-sizedballs. Roll each ball in the remaining cat-nip and place on a greased cookie sheet.Bake at 350 F for 5 to 8 minutes until set.Treats should be soft, not crunchy

Let treats cool at room temperature fortwo hours; store in an airtight container inthe refrigerator for up to five days, or inthe freezer for up to one month.

Peanut Butter “Gingerbread”Biscuits

With wholesome ingredients like oats,bran, molasses, barley and apple scraps,these mouthwatering treats made in afood dehydrator will have your dog beg-ging for more. For an extra decadent treat,add a thin layer of “chocolate” icing madefrom melted carob chips.

u 1 1/2 cups wateru 1/2 cup oilu 3 tablespoons natural peanut butter

(no sugar added)u 2 teaspoons vanillau 2 cups whole-wheat flouru 1/2 cup cornmealu 1/2 cup oatsu 1/4 cup honey crunch wheat germ

In a large bowl, combine flour, corn-meal, oats and wheat germ. Stir in oil,peanut butter, vanilla and water. Kneaduntil smooth, adding more flour or wateras needed. Roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thick. Shape into bars or cut withcookie cutters in the shape of bones orgingerbread men.

Place cutouts on a dehydrator trayand place in the dehydrator at the high-est setting (145 to 155 F) for six to eighthours. Add time if needed; treats shouldbe very dry.

(Recipe from Excalibur Dehydrators)Creators.com

CREATORS.COM/PAMELA BRAUN

Skip the pricey pet store fare and make yourown chicken jerky for the canine companionson your holiday list. The prep time isminimal, and you have the benefit ofknowing it’s 100-percent natural.

PET GIFTS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

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holiday eventsThe fo l lowing is a sampl ing of var ious hol iday events throughout Montgomer y County. Dates/t imes may be subject to change.

-COMPILED BYKAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

A Little House ChristmasNov. 21–Dec. 23; Sat., 11 a.m., 2 and 4:30p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m., 2 p.m.; Dec. 4–21,Tues.-Fri., 10:30 a.m.; Winter break (Dec.24–31), 11 a.m., 2 p.m.; American SignLanguage interpreted performance, Dec.1, 2 p.m.; sensory-friendly performance,Dec. 15, 2 p.m. Closed Dec. 25.

$18Adventure Theatre MTC, Glen Echo Park7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo301-634-2270www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org

The NutcrackerNov. 23–Dec. 23; Wed., 11:30 a.m.(closed Nov. 28); Thurs.–Fri., 10 and11:30 a.m.; Sat.–Sun., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.Dec. 26-30, 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m.

$10The Puppet Co. Playhouse, Glen Echo Park7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo301-634-5380www.thepuppetco.org

Glen Echo Holiday Art Showand SaleNov. 23–Jan. 6; Sat.–Sun., 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Glen Echo Park7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo301-634-2222www.glenechopark.org

The Garden of LightsNov. 23–Jan. 6; Sun.–Thu., 5:30–9 p.m.,Fri.–Sat., 5:30–10 p.m. Last car admitted30 minutes prior to closing. ClosedDec. 24, 25 and Jan. 1–3.

Cars/vans $20 (Mon.-Thu.) and $25 (Fri.-Sun.); 15-24 passenger vehicles $50; 25-35passenger vehicles $75; 36-57 passengervehicles $120. Cash only.Brookside Gardens1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton301-962-1453www.montgomeryparks.org

Winter Display and GardenRailway ExhibitNov. 23–Jan. 6, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.Closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

FreeBrookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave.,Wheaton301-962-1453www.montgomeryparks.org

35th Annual Festivalof LightsNov. 30–Jan.1, 10 a.m.–10 p.m.; nightlyconcert, 7 and 8 p.m.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-daySaints’ Washington D.C. Temple Visitors’Center9900 Stoneybrook Drive, Kensington301-587-0144dctemplelights.lds.org

Mrs. Claus TeaDec. 1, 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

$28; reservations requiredMusic Center at Strathmore5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda301-581-5108www.strathmore.org

Bethesda’s WinterWonderlandWinter ConcertDec. 1, 8 p.m.

$10 adult, $5 under age 12Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave.,BethesdaStudent concert, Santa meet and greet,ice sculpting

Dec. 2, 2–4 p.m.

Veterans Park, corner of Woodmontand Norfolk avenues301-215-6660www.bethesda.org/bethesda/winter-wonderland

Miracle on 34th StreetNov. 30–Dec. 15, Fri.–Sat., 8 p.m.;Dec. 16, Sun., 2 p.m.

$16; $14 for Gaithersburg residentsThe Arts Barn311 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg301-258-6394www.gaithersburgmd.gov/artsbarn

Breakfast with SantaDec. 1–2, 9–11 a.m.

$20 adult; $15 age 12 and under.Reservations required. Bring your owncamera.Kentlands Mansion320 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg301-258-6425www.gaithersburgmd.gov

Holly TrolleyfestDec. 1–23; Sat.–Sun., noon–5 p.m.

$7 adult; $5 child/senior; free age 2and younger (includes trolley ride)National Capital Trolley Museum1313 Bonifant Road, Colesville301-384-6088www.dctrolley.org

Rockville Civic Ballet’sNutcracker 2012Dec. 1–9; Sat.–Sun, 2 p.m.; Sat., 7:30 p.m.

CITY OF GAITHERSBURG

17th Annual Gaithersburg Winter Lights FestivalNov. 25 (S’more Lights), 5–9 p.m.; Nov. 23–24 and Nov. 30–Dec. 31; Sun.–Thurs.,

6–9 p.m., Fri.–Sat., 6–10 p.m. Closed Dec. 25.

S’more Lights, $8 residents, $10 nonresidents, free under age 4. Cars $12 (Mon.-Thu.)and $15 (Fri.-Sun.); 15-19 passenger vehicles $20; minibuses $30; buses $70. Cash only

at gate. Credit cards for advanced sales (see website).

Seneca Creek State Park11950 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg

301-258-6350www.gaithersburgmd.gov/winterlights


$16, adult; $12 age 60-plus or 12 and underF. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at Rockville CivicCenter Park603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville240-314-8690www.rockvillemd.gov/arts

National Philharmonic:Handel’s MessiahDec. 8 and 22, 8 p.m.; Dec. 23, 3 p.m.

$28-$84Music Center at Strathmore5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda301-581-5100www.strathmore.org

A Charlie Brown ChristmasDec. 8, 1 p.m.

$14Black Rock Center for the Arts12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown301-528-2260www.blackrockcenter.org

Music at the MansionFeaturing songs of the season, MiddleAges through BaroqueDec. 14, 8 p.m.

$25; $23 for Gaithersburg residentsKentlands Mansion

320 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg301-258-6394www.gaithersburgmd.gov

A Special Holiday Event withthe Victorian Lyric OperaOrchestra and theMetropolitan ChorusDec. 14, 8 p.m.$24 adult; $16 studentF. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville CivicCenter Park603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville240-314-8690www.rockvillemd.gov/arts

Winter’s EveDec. 15, 6–9 p.m.

Glen Echo Park7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo301-634-2222www.glenechopark.org

It’s a Wonderful Life: Livefrom WVL Radio TheatreDec. 15, 8 p.m.$29-$32Black Rock Center for the Arts12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown301-528-2260www.blackrockcenter.org

A Ceremony of Carols byNational PhilharmonicSingers and Rebecca Smith,HarpistDec. 16, 3 p.m.

$23-$25Black Rock Center for the Arts12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown301-528-2260www.blackrockcenter.org

Family Christmas Sing-AlongDec. 16, 4 p.m.

$10Music Center at Strathmore5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda301-581-5100www.strathmore.org

Rockville Concert Band’sHoliday ConcertDec. 16, 3 p.m.

$5 suggested donationF. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville CivicCenter Park603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville240-314-8690www.rockvillemd.gov/arts

Moscow Ballet’s GreatRussian NutcrackerDec. 16, 3 and 7:30 p.m.

$28-$88

Music Center at Strathmore

5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda

301-581-5100

www.strathmore.org

Lloyd Dobler Effect:Holiday ExperienceDec. 22, 8 p.m.

$15

Black Rock Center for the Arts

12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown

301-528-2260

www.blackrockcenter.org

New Year’s Eve Swing DanceDec. 31, 8 p.m.–12:30 a.m.

$25

Spanish Ballroom, Glen Echo Park

7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo

301-634-2222

www.glenechopark.org

www.americanswing.org

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“Take note of her favorite wines during the tastings,”the article said. “After the tour, purchase several bottlesof her favorites, and give them to her as Christmas gifts.For $50, you can likely purchase one to three bottles ofwine, depending on the price.”

An article from eHow on gifts for men suggests pickingout tools, sports paraphernalia from his favorite team, or anice bottle of wine or whiskey for less than $50.

Gift certificates are also a nice present for $50 or less.Montgomery said she’s big on giving them to her friendsfrom their favorite places, such as knitting stores, beadstores, independent movie theaters and coffee shops.

“That way, they only use it for themselves and don’tfeel like they need to use it on someone else,” she said. “Ilike to get them from local shops and try to avoid the big-box, mall store, chain store, so as to support the localeconomy and locally owned shops.

“I also make one-of-a-kind gift card holders myselfso it shows more thought than just running out andbuying a gift card and shoving it in a boring envelope.The envelope that I make becomes part of the gift,”Montgomery said.

No matter the gift, Montgomery said, it is the thoughtthat counts.

“Any gift is great if it’s thoughtful and something youknow the recipient will use or love or that targets theirstrengths or interests,” she said.

Creators.com

GIFTS UNDER $50, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

A Quiet Night at HomeNew parents often find they can’t go out to restaurants

or movies like they did before the baby, but you can helpthem enjoy a special evening together at home. Netflixoffers a range of gift subscriptions to its online library ofstreaming TV shows and movies, eliminating the need toleave the house to rent. Similarly, an Amazon.com gift cer-tificate can be used to buy a new DVD or Blu-ray or to rentsomething from Amazon’s InstantVideo library.

Consider buying the new parents a gift basket to goalong with the entertainment. Many stores and onlineretailers offer baskets filled with cheese, chocolates or othertreats.You can also help them unwind after a long day bychoosing a basket containing their favorite adult beveragesand the appropriate glassware.

Date NightWhen the new parents feel comfortable going out

again, give them a memorable date night.Take their inter-ests and hobbies into account. Perhaps they would like agift certificate to a new restaurant in town or to an oldfavorite; or maybe they would like tickets to see a play, acomedian or a band. If you think they would like to trysomething new, pay for two spots in a cooking or danceclass. Most spas offer a couple’s session that is a perfectstress reliever for new parents.And, of course, volunteeringto babysit during the date or arranging for a babysitter willgo a long way toward letting them focus on themselves fora few hours.

Keeping in TouchLastly, you can help new parents keep in touch with

faraway family members. The Logitech HD Pro WebcamC920 will allow them to chat online in full HD 1080p andthe dual stereo microphones will provide crystal-clearsound. The Sony Bloggie Live HD camera will let themstream HD video live to their social networks or personalblogs, or record and upload those videos later.

After a quick setup, the Eye-Fi Connect X2 SDHCwireless flash memory card will let them upload 2 to 8 giga-bytes of photos to their computer without any cords, plugsor adapters. Also, a set of rechargeable batteries and acharger will eliminate many missed moments.

When buying a gift for new parents, focus on the littlethings. Your gift can become the extra set of hands theyneed in a moment of stress or exhaustion; it can be thespark that helps rekindle romance; or it can be the glue thatbrings a distant family together.

Creators.com

PARENTS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14CREATORS.COM/

STANLEY STEEMER

New parentsalways need helpwith cleaning, sogiving the gift of acleaning service,such as StanleySteemer, may be agood idea.

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can find online at etsy.com/shop/PaperAffection, the artist will makeblooming roses and other shapes fromAmerican and foreign currency.FENG SHUI RED PROSPERITY ENVELOPES. In arecent interview on Oprah.com, financialguru and author Suze Orman said that shelikes to give money in red feng shuienvelopes, which, according to the ancientphilosophy of attracting energy, luck andother positives via symbolic placement ofitems, makes a gift of the envelope itself.

When the recipient finds a cash gift inthe red envelope, he or she can then removethe cash, fill the red envelope with ninecoins of any type and then place the luckyenvelope at the entrance to a room or in aroom’s “financial corner” to “attract”wealth and financial health.WALLET STUFFING. Giving a gift of a stylishwallet or change purse gets even more excit-ing when the recipient opens it to find a stackof crisp $20s or a pile of $10s.STAND-UP CARD HOLDERS. Look at cute andcreative place card stands with themedbottom designs such as starfish, littlechairs and other items. Instead of thoselittle printed cards, slip a crisp $5 or $10bill into each of six or eight holders.

Display this gift on a table or wrap in apretty box, with the place card standsbecoming a secondary gift the recipientwill use again and again.GIFT TINS. In a craft store’s wrapping andparty favor section, there are trendy, pat-terned flat gift tins designed for holding giftcards. With zebra stripes, sports logos orother themes, gift tins are the perfect hold-ers for your cash gifts—and again, the gifttin can be reused by the recipient.PAPER BANDS. As an easy DIY craft, simplycut a length of patterned paper—perhapsfrom a pad of scrapbook paper—to create a2-inch-wide band that you wrap around thepile of money. Secure with tape and deco-rate with a rubber stamp design, sticker,wax seal or a message you write on the bandin metallic marker.

If your recipients live far away, you maybe tempted to send money via PayPal, butbe aware that they may have to open aPayPal account if they don’t already haveone, and PayPal may charge a fee to therecipient—or to you, if you offer to pay it. Ifyou decide to mail money to a farawayloved one, do so safely using trackable andinsured mail. Check usps.gov for currentregulations about mailing cash nationallyand overseas.

Creators.com

CASH, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

nishing and offer to purchase one or morepieces for the space.

- LINENS: Guests might be stopping by tosee the new house, so a gift of sheets for theguest room or hand towels will ensure theplace is stocked for anyone who drops in.

- DINING OUT CERTIFICATES: Peoplewho have just moved into a home may beso busy with projects that they don’t havetime to make meals.Therefore, a gift card

to a favorite restaurant can provide a wel-come respite from takeout.

- SECURITY SYSTEM: Homeowners whowant to protect their new asset mayappreciate a home security system.

- MONEY: Buying a home is an expen-sive endeavor, and new homeownersmight be feeling the pinch of an overex-tended budget. Sometimes cash makesthe most thoughtful gift.

Metro Creative Connection

HOME, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

often find riding a bicycle is a great low-impact exercise that encourages them toget off the couch in a way that doesn’taggravate their conditions. Many adultsreceived a bicycle as a holiday gift whenthey were children, and those looking toadopt a healthier lifestyle might be just asexcited to receive one again.

- COOKBOOK: Adopting a healthierlifestyle does not have to be all about exer-cise. In fact, eating healthier is just asimportant as exercising more. A commonmisconception is that healthy foods don’tboast the flavor of those irresistible,unhealthy, sugary and salty foods.

But a healthydiet can indeed beflavorful, so helphealth-consciousmen and womenget started by get-ting them a cook-book filled withhealthy recipes thatare also delicious.Before buying, find out if your recipienthas any specific dietary restrictions,such as the need to be gluten-free or toavoid red meat.Then you can find a cook-book that suits him, but in a way thatallows him to embrace healthy eating.

Metro Creative Connection

FITNESS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

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When your golfer enjoys looking styl-ish on the golf course, new golf apparelwill always be a fitting gift. As weapproach winter, a new pair of golf pantsor a long-sleeve top will be a welcomeaddition to her cold-weather golfingwardrobe. A new golf shirt will also beappreciated by an avid golfer; and if sheplays at the same course frequently, buyher a shirt or other apparel with the logofrom the local golf course or club. If priceis a consideration, try searching discountshopping sites online, such as gilt.com orruelala.com, where there will occasional-ly be a sale of major golf apparel brandsat nice markdowns.

The golfer who enjoys collectingunique paraphernalia from courses orevents may enjoy logo tchotchkes. Youcan simply go on eBay and type in “pinevalley golf” or “pebble beach golf” andsee a litany of items that range from logoballs and golf bags to scorecards and tro-phies.Take a look through his golf bag oron his shelves to see whether you noticeball markers with different courses or oldgolf photos on his walls. You may pur-chase an inexpensive ball marker for afew dollars or a golf bag with logo for afew hundred dollars.

You may also notice that your golfer isdesperate for something, such as a newgolf umbrella or a golf glove. Check hergolf bag and look at the accessories; gothrough the pockets to take full invento-

ry. If you see that your golfer lovesTitleistballs, you can buy a dozen new balls or50 limited-play used balls. Any of thesecan usually be purchased at a local sport-ing goods store, at a pro shop or online.

As with any purchase, you can alwaysshop around for the best value. TheInternet has created a transparent golfmarketplace where anyone can compareprices. The pro shop will usually be themost expensive and eBay the cheapest.Remember that a brief investigation willlead you to the perfect gift.

–Creators.com

GOLFER, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

ISTOCKPHOTO/RANPLETT

IF YOU SEE THAT YOURGOLFER LOVES TITLEISTBALLS, YOU CAN BUY ADOZEN NEW BALLS

OR 50 LIMITED-PLAYUSED BALLS.

“Angry Birds Space Game,” saidChristopher Byrne, known across thecountry as The Toy Guy. “The app is nowa board game,” he said. “This is the latestversion from Mattel. It’s really selling well.”

Lego toys have long been a favoritewith boys, but the company has launcheda new item in Lego Friends, said Byrne,who is also associated with timetoplay-mag.com. “This is the first girl-centeredline from Lego,” he said. “It caused a bitof a stir when it was launched earlier thisyear, but it’s doing very well and is verypopular.”

One toy that’s making a comeback isthe odd-looking, but fun, Furby. “Yes, it’sback, but I have to say that they’ve donea really great job of updating the technol-ogy, so the play is better than ever,”Byrne said.

The Bounce Bounce Tigger, from JustPlay, is a “new version of a toy that was ahit about eight years ago,” said Byrne. Itwas initially meant for preschoolers, butthere is a “totally new consumer basesince then. They’ve done a great job ani-mating the toy, and it’s hilarious.”

High-energy kids with time on theirhands over the holiday break can playoutside with the Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire. “This is one of the most high-pow-ered Nerf guns yet. It shoots up to 75 feetand can hold up to 104 foam darts,”Byrne said.

Although it is still a little early to knowfor sure which toys will be most popular,Byrne made one prediction on which bothhe and Mattel agree. Mattel is promotingMonster High High School on its top 12toy list, and Byrne thinks the toy companyis right on the mark. Girls also will enjoythe Monster High Create-A-Monster kit,according to Mattel.

Creators.com

TOYS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 THE NERF N-STRIKEELITE HAIL-FIRESHOOTS UPTO 75 FEET

AND CAN HOLD UPTO 104 FOAM DARTS.

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