Tag: holiday

FAIR HAVEN – Each December, as the month deepens into Christmas, families around the world engage in an age-old ritual, unwrapping the elements of their manger scenes: a rustic stable that will house the figurines stored away each year with the Christmas ornaments, awaiting their own journey to Bethlehem.

The winter months bring shifts in temperature, daylight and daily routines. Research shows that adults take fewer steps in winter than in summer, which may lead to adverse physical and psychological effects.

The first time I made macarons, I was 14. My family was on vacation in Paris, and we spent an entire day tucked away in an underground kitchen, La Cuisine Paris, learning the art of the notoriously fickle macaron.

FREEHOLD – It’s always been a challenge for those who don’t celebrate Christmas to find something enjoyable to do Dec. 25, when most businesses are closed for the holiday. Movie theaters and Chinese restaurants are pretty much the only choices for an activity, it’s often been observed.

LITTLE SILVER – Is there a Clark Griswold in Little Silver? Someone who goes all out on the lighting and decorations for the holidays? Dec. 5 will be the time to find out, as the Little Silver PTO presents its annual Lights of Little Silver fundraising event.

The holidays are meant for celebration, not deprivation, but many find themselves in the new year feeling like their goals are already out of reach after a season that got away from them. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average person gains one to two pounds each holiday season, and many find it challenging to lose the weight once the holidays are over.

COLTS NECK – “Cheers to the hostess whose welcome is most cordial and whose cordial is most welcome.”

On Dec. 14, for the 20th year, Christmas carolers spread holiday cheer while donating warm coats and Christmas trees to needy families and individuals.

As the Christmas season rapidly approaches, the proliferation of a specific kind of gift has reached new levels. The lowly Advent calendar, once made of cheap cardboard and offering only a festive image or saying behind each of its 24 small, perforated “doors,” has grown – oh, has it grown.

The holiday season is a time to gather and celebrate but many friends and colleagues don’t share religious beliefs, cultures or holiday traditions. In recent years, even families have become more diverse, particularly in regard to faith.