The Christmas Gifting Solution: Chocolate

After a particularly tough day recently I found myself sitting on an airport car rental car shuttle bus fretting over a text message I had just received informing me of a long flight delay. There wasn’t a thing I could do about it — the car was turned in and I was headed into the drab airport...

Accident Breaks 11-Year Christmas Light Tradition in California

There will be no Christmas lights at the Brock home on Mercedes Avenue this year, ending an 11-year tradition for the family. There were tears in Renee Brock’s voice when she called the Manteca Bulletin to make the announcement. It was a decision she and her husband, Dale, made with a heavy heart this past...

The Christmas Truck

Here is Christmas decorating done right — red-neck style! Central Iowa has had many versions of the Christmas truck over the last 25 years. Here’s how it began. Kris Marshall was carrying a generator and some Christmas lights to his church in his $50 used truck. Much like peanut butter and...

Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments

The art of making objects using salt dough is a popular way to make Christmas ornaments and is fun for all the family the only requirements needed to get started are flour, salt, water and basic equipment found in the kitchen. These include: A bowl to mix your dough A rolling pin for producing smooth sheets...

Going Green with the Christmas Tree

Having a live Christmas tree that you plant outdoors after the holidays may seem like the green thing to do. But there are complexities to consider. It’s a lot of trouble and the tree’s long-term survival is iffy. 1. You would have to dig the hole before the ground freezes — by...

How to Grow Holly

Holly is a beautiful plant which can be grown almost anywhere except Australia and Antarctica. Most holly varieties are evergreen and have red berries which attract birds, squirrels and deer in the wintertime. Select your holly carefully. Hollies range in size from 6 inches to 70 feet tall. While many...