Five Places To Ring In 2013

Here are some places to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Do you have plans for New Year's Eve yet? Celebrate 2012 and welcome 2013 locally. Here are five places to ring in the new year: 1. Great American Tavern. Great American Tavern will host a New Year's Eve party with live music featuring the classic rock band The Shotz. They will be serving dinner with dessert for $48 per person or $88 per couple and a champagne toast at midnight. Call for more details. They will also provide a limo service until 1:30 p.m. They will cover the cost, but tips for the driver are welcome. 2. Horseshoe Grille. Reserve your spot now for New Year's Eve dinner at the Horseshoe Grille. In addition to their regular menu, they are offering baked stuffed shrimp, crusted rib eye steak, surf and turf and mushroom ravioli…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Christmas Fun Facts and Trivia

How much will we spend this year? And what's the best-selling Christmas song of all time? Find the answers below.

  We know that there were three Wise Men, 12 days of Christmas and that Santa delivers all his presents around the world in one night. But did you know... $23,439.38  How much it would cost to buy your "true love" all the gifts in the 12 Day of Christmas . 12.9 billion hours, $447 billion How many hours Americans were expected to spend shopping, wrapping and returning gifts last year. That was about 42 hours and $688.87 per person.  Get your postman/postwoman a gift According to Hallmark, Christmas is the largest card-sending occasion . Nearly 1.5 billion cards are sent to friends and family every Christmas Season. (That's actually down 400 million cards since 2004.) $983 million The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from…

• Photos (2)

What's Open on Christmas Day in Reading and North Reading

Find out what places are open on Christmas day.

In the midst of opening gifts and enjoying Christmas dinner, if you need to run out or grab a last minute gift check out some places that are open around town. Schools, town halls, post offices, banks and grocery stores are closed. Here are some businesses that are open in Reading and North Reading on Christmas Day this year. If we missed something, please add it to the comments section below. Subway The subway will run a normal schedule on Christmas Eve, Monday, Dec. 24. On Christmas Day, Tuesday, Dec. 25: Commuter Rail The commuter rail will run a normal schedule on Christmas Eve, Monday, Dec. 24. On Christmas Day, Tuesday, Dec. 25: Bus Buses will run a normal schedule on Christmas Eve, Monday, Dec. 24. On Christmas Day, Tuesday, Dec. 25…

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

The Best Places To Get a Christmas Tree

Where is the best place to get a Christmas tree locally?

Christmas trees are the centerpiece of the holiday celebrations for many people, and each year, families go to tree farms to cut down their own evergreen, pick one up from a school sale or dig out their trusty fake from the basement.  Here are some places to get a Christmas tree locally: If we missed any, tell us in the comments section below!

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)

Unique Finds: Everything But The Dog

Check out some of the unique items to be had in Reading! We will be highlighting some of the one-of-a-kind finds for sale in town from now through Christmas Eve.

Everything But The Dog is the perfect place to find Christmas gifts for your canine friends this holiday season. Check out these beautiful Christmas cookies, just for pups. Santa better be careful, because these treats look so good he might eat them by mistake!

• Photos (2)

Toys for Tots Brightens Holidays in Area

It's well worth the drive to West Real Estate in Wilmington for their annual photo with Santa day.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but that’s not the case for everyone. With your help, however, the holiday season could be a little more cheerful for families in need. Toys for Tots returns again this year, bringing gifts to less fortunate families in Tewksbury and Wilmington. There are a host of drop off locations in town, including Town Hall, Market Basket, Reading Co-Operative Bank and the Senior Center. Wilmington resident Frank West, who organizes the local efforts, said at a recent Board of Selectmen meeting that the biggest struggle is solicitng donations for children 9-14 years old, while three- to five-year-olds are the most popular donation age. “If we can have people in our own community have a good Christmas and a …

• Photos (1)

15 Shopping Deals And Bargains This Week

Craig Foster won a $25 gift certificate to Grumpy Doyle's in our shopping tip contest this week.

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Moms Talk

What Lessons Do You Use Christmas to Teach Your Children?

Humility? Charity? Appreciation for what you have?

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council takes your questions, gives advice and shares solutions. This week's topic: "What lessons do you use the holiday season to teach your children?" Erin Calvo-Bacci: As a parent, I find teachable moments every day and am truly blessed and thankful for the children I have, the husband who is still by my side and the roof over our head. The Christmas Season is a wonderful time to focus on virtuous lessons. Those lessons my children are learning, but may not know how to articulate are the following: patience, charity, diligence, kindness, humility (humble) and temperance—okay the temperance is more for me so I guess I’m teaching by example! The above should be self explanatory, but my current focus is on …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)