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Christmas

Sunday, December 23, 2012

What's Open Christmas Day?

The entire Oak Park-River Forest-Forest Park area won't shut down this Tuesday.

Do your taste buds thrive on more than just ham and turkey? Can't do without your daily jolt of java? Well, you'll be in luck as a few places will be open Tuesday for those folks weary of the usual or who want to try out that new iPad in relative peace and quiet. Some places will be open early to satisfy a craving for a big Sunday breakfast. Some spots will be open late so you can get burgers, sandwiches and sweet and sour chicken. Here's a look at a few places where you can eat, unwind or escape the holiday madness: Stock up early on those extras for your holiday feast, as Jewel-Osco, Dominick's Finer Foods, Whole Foods, Ultra Foods and Pan's will be closed on Dec. 25. If you run out of milk or need an extra liter of soda or a bag of …

In this Article:

Starbucks Coffee, Poor Phil's Shell Bar, T.G.I. Friday's, and 5 more ›

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Add a Punchline to Our Rudolph and Santa Cartoon

If you've got wit, add your caption to Patch's weekly comic challenge and win a personalized print.

Are you blessed with insight and good humor? Or just bored today? Share your wit with your neighbors by entering Patch's comic caption challenge. Just add your dialogue for today's comic in the comment section of this post. Our only requirement is that you keep it clean! At week's end, we'll pick the winning punchline based on how many of us here at Patch giggle and smile at your contribution. The user who produces the winning punchline will get a personalized proof of the comic, with the winning words and a credit line, from cartoonist Chuck Ingwersen and Patch. Congratulations to Louis W. Sagan, who provided the winning punchline to last week's Doctor and Bear cartoon: If you think I'm letting you anywhere near me with a scalpel, you can…

In this Article:

Add the Punchline to Our Doctor and Bear Cartoon

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Mickey

12:46 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Great video!! I put it on my favorites! He spoke what has been on my mind for a long time now.   more ›

Friday, December 14, 2012

Holiday Recipes: Cookies, Candy and More

Patch editors from across Chicagoland share some of their favorite Christmas recipes.

Patch.com editors from across the Chicago area dug into their cookbooks and came back with some of their favorite holiday recipes to share with readers. We hope you enjoy. Happy Holidays! Share your favorite holiday recipes with Patch! Send your recipe as well as any photos to Editor Amie Schaenzer at amie.schaenzer@patch.com and we will include your recipe in this article.

In this Article:

Holiday Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (in Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Patch), Holiday Recipe: Hot Chocolate on a Stick (in Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Patch), Holiday Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (in Evanston Patch), and 7 more ›

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12:35 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Enter Patch's “Deck the House” Contest For a Chance to Win $100,000

Did you decorate your house in Oak Park or River Forest for the holidays this year? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your local school district and $500 to pay your electric bills!

We’re launching our annual Deck the House Contest to find the most over-the-top holiday decorations in America—the best “decked” house in the country—the one home so spectacularly decorated that everyone in town jokes your holiday decorations could rival Rockefeller Center’s. If this sounds like your house, upload a photo or video of your home to our contest page from Nov. 26 to Dec. 16. CLICK HERE FOR THE CONTEST PAGE Only residents of Patch towns are eligible to enter. We’ll select 24 regional finalists, and from them, pick one grand prize winner. Patch will pay up to $500 of the utility bill for each finalist, while our national winner will have $100,000 donated to his or her local school district. Our contest is right around the corner…

Thursday, November 1, 2012

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 …

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Despiser of Obama

8:52 am on Sunday, December 23, 2012

Calling the kettle black by saying the one closest to your Church.   more ›

Thursday, December 22, 2011

What's Open Christmas Day?

The entire Oak Park-River Forest area won't shut down this Sunday.

Do your taste buds thrive on more than just ham and turkey? Can't do without your daily jolt of java? Well, you'll be in luck as a few places will be open Sunday for those folks weary of the usual or who want to try out that new iPad in relative peace and quiet. Some places will be open early to satisfy a craving for matzo brei, a Hanukkah favorite, or a big Sunday breakfast. Some spots will be open late so you can get sushi, shawarma or sweet and sour chicken. Here's a look at a few places where you can eat, unwind or escape the holiday madness: Stock up early on those extras for your holiday feast, as Jewel-Osco, Dominick's Finer Foods, Whole Foods and Pan's will be closed on Dec. 25. If you run out of milk or need an extra liter of soda…

In this Article:

Starbucks Coffee, Poor Phil's Shell Bar, T.G.I. Friday's, and 8 more ›

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Crafty Christmas Leftover Recipes: Candy Cane

Because one box is always more than enough.

  • THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
  • Patch Staff
  • Wednesday, December 29, 2010

What to do with those bulk-sized packages of candy canes you purchased this year?  Patch did some Internet digging for fun and foodie ways to cut down your supply. While there are plenty of simple ideas out there, like chopping the canes into sprinkles or dipping them into your tea as a sweetener, we've compiled a list of craftier recipes. Perhaps you can turn these treat-making opportunities into more familial bonding time whilst the kids are still on break. If all else fails, pair up the candy canes into hearts for Valentine's Day décor and call it a day. Here goes:  1. Candy Cane Popcorn—Prep, cook time takes about an hour and requires about three ingredients. 2. Candy Cane Cocoa—Prep, cook time takes about 15 minutes and requires …

Thursday, December 23, 2010

What's Open on Christmas?

A look at places to eat, chill on the holiday.

Tired of ham or turkey? Need something to eat to make your Christmas unique? Or do you just want to continue a time-honored daily tradition of getting jacked on coffee? You're in luck. Some places in the Oak Park area will be open Dec. 25. Not all day, mind you, and some places will only open after dark. Still, you can catch a movie, get a cup of coffee, eat a hearty breakfast or a burger, or satisfy your taste buds for sushi, mu shu chicken or falafel.  Here's a look at a dozen places where you can eat, unwind or escape the holiday madness:  And, of course, there's nothing better to help you retreat from all the holiday hubbub than going to a movie. The Lake Theatre, 1022 Lake St., Oak Park, 848-9088. On Christmas Day, the movie house …

In this Article:

Poor Phil's Shell Bar, T.G.I. Friday's, Sushi House, and 7 more ›

Lauren121

5:56 am on Saturday, December 17, 2011

There have been some really cool shopping app recommendations over the past couple of days...I ended up downloading the 'Should I Buy It?' app someone recommended and it is awesome! I was shopping for shoes and was able to quickly share them with my friends to see what they thought of them. Here is the link again to download: http://bit.ly/sibifm33   more ›

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Warm Up, Shop Away at Pleasant Home Holiday Open House

Annual sale under way at historic Oak Park home.

  • VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
  • Casey Cora
  • Thursday, December 9, 2010

There is still plenty of time to escape the cold, shop local and visit (or revisit) an Oak Park treasure.  The annual open house at Pleasant Home invites visitors to take a stroll through the historic mansion, 217 Home Ave., while browing the wares from local crafters, collectors and artisans for a holiday sale. Vendors include Lunesque Design, The Economy Shop, Outrider Press, Artisnus, E Miles Vintage & Eclectic Jewelry, Sara's Pearls, Agents for Change and many others. The sale takes place against the unique backdrop of the Pleasant Home, where guests can cozy up by the fireplace with free holiday spiced tea and cookies while listening to the musical stylings of harpists, flutists and pianists. A winter wonderland view of adjacent Mills…

In this Article:

The Economy Shop, Pleasant Home Foundation, and Mills Park

Friday, November 26, 2010

Empty Streets, Few Sales for Early Crowd

So-called busiest shopping day of the year draws very small gathering to local chain stores before dawn Friday--which may not be such a bad thing.

It's called the busiest shopping day of the year. It's the day when stores put out their best items for the lowest prices. It is, of course, Black Friday, the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season. Why spending money has its own season is beyond me and beside the point. I'm new to Oak Park. Last year I woke up at 3 a.m. to buy my father a new flat-screen television from the Best Buy in North Riverside. This year I wanted to do some shopping a little closer to town, so I took a nap and filled myself with enough caffeine to keep me going for the next three days. Turns out I wouldn't even need enough for the next three hours. See, Oak Park isn't what I'd call a shopper's haven. Although there is a good deal of fun, innovative …

In this Article:

Old Navy, Gap, Lane Bryant, and 5 more ›

John Mulu

10:32 am on Tuesday, December 20, 2011

There have been some really cool shopping app recommendations over the past couple of days...I ended up downloading the 'Should I Buy It?' app someone recommended and it is awesome! I was shopping for shoes and was able to quickly share them with my friends to see what they thought of them. Here is the link again to download: http://bit.ly/sibifm33   more ›

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