Share the story, show off the ring and spread the news about your engagement with a photo of the happy couple!
Newly engaged? Share the joy, whether the proposal arrived the traditional way, on bended knee, or in some surprising way. Add a photo and tell the story here! Did you use a family ring or brand-new one? Propose directly or as a surprise? What else happened? Also, share your wedding announcement right here.
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Help this nonprofit organization lend a hand to others facing challenging situations.
This is part of a 30-day series of ways Patch community members can give back this holiday season. We hope you'll take part in this 30 Days of Giving and take the spirit beyond the holidays, because there truly is need all year long. The Judson Center in Royal Oak is a nonprofit organization with resources to help individuals and families across southeastern Michigan facing challenging situations. Its services focus on a variety of family issues, such as adoption, autism, family preservation, respite care and counseling. To help make a difference in the lives of Judson Center clients, you can donate money: The Judson Center also takes donations of a variety of goods, including canned foods, personal hygiene items, bedding, school supplies…
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Not all treats are created equal. Tell us what you love and loathe.
Taste is highly personal, particularly when that taste is literally on the tip of the tongue. So it's no surprise that when it comes to the sugary, colorful indulgences served this week, one person's delight may be another's disgust. Fortunately, abundant choices at office parties, family gatherings and neighborhood visits let us grab what we savor and skip what's out of favor. In these polls, tell what you crave and what makes you cringe. Pick one on each list. Then feel free to tell us in comments what we've missed.
Learn more about the history and meaning behind this Jewish holiday, which starts tomorrow at sundown.
While Christmas is among the top two Christian holidays in terms of importance, Hanukkah is considered a minor holiday for the Jewish people. Nevertheless, it has become one of the more widely celebrated Jewish holidays and is certainly a favorite among children. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of the Jews over the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE (Before Common Era) and is celebrated by lighting one additional candle in a candelabrum, called a hanukkiah (or menorah) for eight days. The holiday is also known as the Festival of Lights. Hanukkah means rededication and refers to the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement by the Syrian Greeks in 164 BCE (or BC). As the website MyJewishLearning.com notes, "Beginning in 167 BCE…
Certain December music makes us pause, sing along and feel nostalgic.
Holiday voices sing, are you listening? Songs of the season are inescapable this week – whether they bring comfort and joy or lyrics and beats that annoy. Amid the jingling and roasting, most people cherish at least a few Christmas songs – perhaps because they've been sung many times, many ways since we were young. Though it may be tough to single out a favorite, here's a chance to click on one that invariably makes you pause, turn up the volume and feel nostalgic. So come and vote, faithful celebrants, and let's see which is triumphant. Write-in votes for unlisted tunes can go in the comments.
Black Friday spending reached all-time levels this year, but the biggest jump was in 'couch commerce.' Have you shopped mobile this year?
Spending reached all-time Black Friday highs this weekend as a record 226 million shoppers jumped into holiday purchases – many of them using mobile devices to do so. The average holiday shopper spent $398.62 Black Friday and Saturday, according to a National Retail Federation survey. And Black Friday global mobile payment volume increased 516 percent from 2010, according to data from PayPal. A lot of mobile shopping appeared to take place from the couch following Thanksgiving dinner: Five times as much was spent that day via mobile as was spent on turkey day 2010, PayPal's blog reports. According to eBay, U.S. shoppers purchased nearly 2 1/2 times as many items through mobile devices this Black Friday compared with 2010. What about you…
Greeting cards allow you to fall back on the 'old' way of reaching out with holiday cheer – and benefit a charity post-haste.
This is the third in a 30-day series of ways Patch community members can give back. We hope you'll take part in this 30 Days of Giving, and take the spirit beyond the holidays, because there is need all year long. With texting, email, Tweeting, Facebook and a slew of other technologically savvy ways to stay in contact with friends and family, communication via "snail" mail has certainly plundered. But during the holidays, instead of sending a text or eGreeting, take the time to send a Christmas card to everyone you care about – and help out a charity while you’re at it. Hundreds of national charities, and many local ones as well, offer a variety of holiday card options to choose from. By purchasing cards through the nonprofits, some (or …
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Here are some quick recipes to save you time before vacation starts, the kids are home and stores are packed with last-minute shoppers.
Editor's note: Check back Monday on Patch and read about some special diet-friendly holiday events coming up around Oakland County. It's a busy, busy time of year. Whatever your faith or customs, this is an event-packed season and the race is on to get things done before vacation starts, the kids are home and stores are packed with last-minute shoppers. I say I'm going to work ahead every year and have my cards addressed and ready to go, my house decorated and holiday gifts made or wrapped by Thanksgiving. It has yet to happen. So, in these busy times, it's nice to have a few recipes that will help me save time. For special dieters, these are the standbys we cling to, especially since stopping for a little pick-me-up isn't always an option…
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1:09 am on Sunday, November 27, 2011
Look for things you buy anyway, like yogurt or cheese, and see if there are coupons for those things. You should have a store loyalty card if your store offers one, like safeway or sample things before you buy best place would be to check is "Get Official Samples" more ›
Big box stores were nearly unrecognizable during this year's Black Friday.
Gone was the mad dashing, elbow pushing and winding lines wrapped around the stores. The typical 5 a.m. shopping bonanza also known as Black Friday was drastically different this year at local big box stores, and a bit quieter too. “It’s kind of a bummer that there aren’t any crowds; it’s not as fun,” said Christina Angel, a Clawson resident and Target shopper. “There aren’t all of the people like usual and I’m not really seeing as many things that I want this year.” Target along with Kohl’s, Meijer and other major retailers in Troy and Royal Oak all opened their doors as early as 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving night, giving the true bargain hunters first picks at the steals, without having to wake up at the crack of dawn. Many employees said the…
2:22 am on Sunday, November 27, 2011
Did you visit Walmart? I was at the 15 and crooks Walmart store at 8:30pm on Thursday, and people were fighting for 6.88 sheets and 5 dollar barbies. It was loud,over crowded, and the employees were not very helpful. Today I went out shopping with my 2 year old and the stores were trashed, the employees were not helpful and nothing was in stock. However regardless of all of that, I had a good … more ›
Check out the roads around Somerset, Twelve Oaks and Oakland malls before heading out.
Heading out to the mall this Black Friday. Make sure to check out the traffic around (from top to bottom) the Somerset Collection in Troy, Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi and Oakland Mall in Troy. Also, note any current construction with the yellow icons. Here are mall hours and other "if-you-go" details: Address: 27500 Novi Road, Novi, MI 48377 Mall hours: Friday: 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Photos with Santa: At the Ice Palace; every day now through Dec. 24 during mall hours (generally 10 a.m.-9 p.m.). Breaks are from 12:30-1 p.m. and 5:30-6 p.m. on Mondays-Saturdays. Break on Sundays are 1-1:30 p.m. More Holiday events in Novi Address: 412 W 14 Mile Rd, Troy, MI 48083 Mall hours: Friday: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. …
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Alan Stamm
1:27 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Vienetta makes me smile, Geri, as does panettone from your people. I assume you modestly omitted other skillfully rendered selections in your repertoire such as struffoli, pizzelle, panforte and perhaps -- be still, my stomach -- Zuppa Inglese. Thanks for commenting. Mangia bene and Buon Natale to you and The Commissioner! more ›