Emporia Living Wishes 2013

wishes CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

2013

Wish List

16

The perfect presents for everyone on your list from local merchants

15 22

Small Business Saturday Shop local for the holidays

Handmade Christmas Make the perfect homemade gifts

Being St. Nick is a gift

8

12

Celebrating Years

Catering available for Holiday Parties!

Expanded Menu, now including steaks! Served 5 pm - 9 pm using ONLY Cerified Angus Beef® grilled properly and to your liking

Evening Specials Served after 5 pm Mondays

Brisket Dinner — Thick slices of hand-carved smoked brisket with choice of two sides

Wing Dinner — Ten large smokes wings, flash fried and sauced. Served with seasoned French fries.

Tuesdays

Bucket Dinner — BobbyD’s slow-smoked ribs & seasoned French Fries

Wednesdays Smoked Meat Loaf Dinner Thursdays Rib Tip Dinner — Slow-smoked rib tips with choice of two sides

GIFT CErTIFICATES MAkE THE PErFECT STOCkING STuFFEr!

Fridays

Prime Rib Dinners — BobbyD’s special smoked Prime Rib with choice of two sides. Served with horseradish and/or au jus upon request

Catch of the Week — Smoked/Grilled Fish with choice of two sides.

Served with lemon wedge & homemade dill sauce.

Saturdays

Smoked Chicken Dinner — 2 & 3 piece chicken dinners with choice of 2 sides

Prime Rib Dinners — BobbyD’s special smoked Prime Rib with choice of two sides. Served with horseradish and/or au jus upon request

Meats sold by the pound.

Ask for BobbyD’s carry out menu.

607 Merchant St. • Emporia, KS 66801

620-342-1990

Hours: Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm

Editor’s Note If you’re like me, even though it’s nearly December, you haven’t even begun your Christmas shopping, let alone your Christmas shopping lists. Finding Wishes on your front stoop may have even been a bit shocking to you. You are still planning for Thanksgiving next week, for goodness sake.

But take heart. You are not alone. According the National Retail Federation, American consumer typically have only completed about half of their Christmas shopping by mid-December. Seventy-seven percent won’t have finished it by the weekend before Christmas, according to a survey conducted by Visa. And by just a few days before the Big Day, 14 percent haven’t even started.

That’s where Wishes comes in.

Of course, we all know the gifts Santa brings come from the North Pole, but if, in fact, St. Nick needed a great back-up plan for finding this year’s best presents, Emporia would certainly be at the top of his list. Inside this holiday gift guide you will find nearly everything you need to make this year, a stress-free, easy Christmas season. From clever, inexpensive DIY gifts and decor to customized “wish” lists for the special people in your lives (What boy or girl wouldn’t love a Jupiter 1100S Silver Trumpet from Flint Hills Music... pg. 18 Or, what holiday-frazzled mom wouldn’t be delighted to pull a hefty gift card from Gambinos out of her stocking Christmas morning...pg 19), Wishes promises to keep you from being among those desperate 14 percent of shoppers wandering the aisles of a super-store the night before Christmas looking for the “perfect” gift.

So, before you take the turkey out of the freezer for next week’s feast, take a moment to get a jumpstart on your Christmas lists inside the pages of Wishes. It, quite possibly, may be all you’ll need this year.

Merry Christmas!

Ashley Knecht Walker Editor

Merry Christmas from Emporia’s #1 Jeweler

1015 Industrial Rd. 620.342.3899

Our difference is you.

karisbridal.com karisdiamonds.com Wishes | 1

2 | Wishes

wishes CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

Editor & Publisher Ashley Walker Sales Director Ronda Henery Sales Staff Briana Julo Thomas Silkman Contributing Writers Morgan Chilson Ben Fitch Jennie Loucks Regina Murphy Brandy Nance Casey Woods Fanestil Meats Contributing Photographers Eric Benjamin Matthew Fowler Dustin Michelson Casey Wilson Design The Emporia Gazette Production Department IM Design Group For more information, please contact: 517 Merchant Street Emporia, KS 66801 320-342-4800 Wishes is a publication of

1

Editor’s Note

3

Table of Contents

5

Advertisers Index

8

Being Santa Written by Morgan Chilson, Photos by Eric Benjamin

15

Shop Local for the Holidays Written by Casey Woods

16

Wish List

22

Handmade: Crafty Christmas Written by Jennie Loucks, Photos by Eric Benjamin

26

Handmade: Sealed and Delivered Written by Regina Murphy, Photos by Dustin Michelson

32

Holiday Calendar

36

Holiday Recipes Written by Fanestil Meats, Photos by Dustin Michelson

38

Angels Wanted: The Salvation Army Angel Trees Fulfill Christmas Wishes for Families in Need Written by Morgan Chilson

42

Has Gift-Wrapping Become a Lost Art? Written by Staff and Wire Reports, Photos by Dustin Michelson

46

Gift Giving Etiquette Written by Ben Fitch, Photos by Casey Wilson

Wishes | 3

Advertisers Index Affordable Room Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Bluestem Farm & Ranch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 BobbyD’s Merchant Street BBQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Cover CableOne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Casa Ramos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Chicken House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 City of Emporia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Clint Bowyer Autoplex. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Commercial St. Diner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Designs by Sharon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Do-B’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Dynamic Nails & Spa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Ek Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Emporia Christian School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Emporia CVB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Emporia Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Emporia Main Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Emporia Presbyterian Manor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Emporia Realty Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 ESB Financial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover Fanestil Packing Company. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7 Farm & Home Real Estate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 First Start Rental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Flint Hills Community Health Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Flinthills Mall Merchants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Flint Hills Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Flint Hills Technical College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Gambino’s Pizza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Giger’s Streetrods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 IM Design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

4 | Wishes

Junque Drawer Emporium. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Java Cat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Kari’s Diamonds & Bridal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 KISS 103.1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Liquor Locker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Longbine Auto Plaza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Navrat’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Mathis Physical Therapy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Medicine Shoppe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Mel’s Tire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Memorial Union Book Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Modern Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Moon Title & Escrow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Mr. G’s Car Wash. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Orange Leaf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Salon Del5ive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Schmidt Custom Cabinet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Studio 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Subway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 25 Sutherlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Sweet Granada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Thomas Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Todd Belt Appliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Total Technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Town Crier. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Walmart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Williams Automotive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 ValuNet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover Vektek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Wishes | 5

WHOLE 16# BONE-IN HAM

$58.95

½ BONE-IN 8# HAM

$32.95

WHOLE SPIRAL 16# SLICED HAM

$64.95

Anniversary INTERACTIVE PRINT

6 | Wishes

Download the free Layar App

Scan this page

Discover interactive content

½ SPIRAL SLICED 8# HAM

$35.95

Order on line www.fanestils.com or call and talk to a live person, 800-658-1652 or 620-342-6354.

S MOK E D T URKE Y 10 LBS

$39.95

13 LBS

$49.95

r Most Popula Gift Box!

! le b a il a v A s te ca fi ti er C t Gif Orders can be shipped or picked up in a Holiday Gift Box at the Fanestil Plant, 1542 S Hwy 99 Emporia, Ks 66801 M-F 8:00am -5:00pm.

We accept Visa, Master Card & Discover.

THE EXECUTIVE

$51.95

Wishes | 7

By Morgan Chilson | Photos by Eric Benjamin

Editor’s Note: Spoiler Alert! The following story may not be appropriate for young readers, especially those who truly believe in the magic of Christmas.

ou better watch out, you better not pout, you better not cry, I’m telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town.”

One of Emporia’s favorite Santas will soon spread cheer for the holiday season, donning his red suit and carrying his bowlful of jelly to the Flinthills Mall and other area events.

Darrell Jones, hereinafter referred to as Santa, launched his King of Gift Giving career about 40 years ago when his children were young and Santa was invited to visit the William Allen White Elementary School.

Wishes | 9

Little did he know those few appearances would begin a second career (Santa ran a wallpaper business until retirement) that required fur-trimmed clothing, jolly laughs, the ability to listen attentively to young voices full of hope and expectations and a disposition that reminds us where the “Saint” in St. Nicholas came from.

Being Santa isn’t always easy – think of unpredictable children – and sometimes it’s tough to know the right answers when little ones snuggle on your lap and pepper you with questions, but it’s always rewarding.

“People tease me that my picture is in more homes in Emporia than anybody else’s,” Santa said, smiling behind his full white beard.

“I enjoy being Santa.”

If you talk long to Santa, you’ll realize that “enjoy” is a pretty mild word for the seriousness with which he greets the holidays. He thinks hard about his job and realizes that it’s an important one – dealing with children who sometimes bring tough issues to his cushy lap.

“In the last two or three years, I get an awful lot of ‘I want Daddy home,’” he said. “That really gets me. I never tell them ‘You bet.’ I say ‘I’ll do what I can.’

“I’m such an old softy, I get all choked up and then can’t do the job. Or they’ll ask to get somebody well. Or divorce – they’ll say they don’t like the idea of having to be in two places at Christmas. They’ll say, ‘Can’t you work out something where Dad can come down and stay with Mom?’” No, it isn’t always an easy job.

The kind of trust inherent in the relationship children share with Santa Claus means they feel comfortable asking questions and asking for what they want.

The tough questions aren’t always sad ones. Little girls will sometimes ask dating advice from Santa, wanting help in getting a boyfriend. Santa asks who it is and promises to drop a word in the boy’s ear.

“I tell her you just keep being yourself and he’ll come around,” Santa said.

The want list that spews out of

10 | Wishes

kids’ mouths as they sit on Santa’s lap is often pretty big. Santa said he peruses the toy ads to try and keep up with the “hot” toys for every holiday season. At age 73, he’s a little concerned about being out of the loop.

“I don’t know the difference between an Xbox and a Pbox,” he joked. Part of the challenge of the want lists – which may come in letters the kids hand to him – is letting the parents know what the child is asking for.

Sometimes parents will come back a few minutes later to find out what their child asked for. Santa

shook his head sadly. “My memory’s about a quarter of an inch long and there might have been two or three kids after that. I can’t remember,” he said, but added he can always tell when a parent is standing nearby trying to listen in on the conversation he’s having with a child.

So he’ll repeat the desired item loudly, “Oh, you want such and such,” hoping the parent can pick up on what needs to be under the tree Christmas morning. He’s very careful not to make promises about what the child will get.

Like any good Santa Claus,

Emporia’s Santa tells kids there are expectations attached to their gifts.

“You’ve gotta be good,” Santa will caution his rapt charges. “You need to be good and keep your toys picked up.”

One time a group of boys, giggling, talked to him and Santa gave them the “be good” spiel. They left, but pretty soon, one of the boys came back by to inform on his buddies.

“You remember so and so here with me, he’s been bad,” the child told Santa.

“Yeah, I know,” Santa said he replied. Curious, the boy asked how he knows when people are bad.

“I told him it’s kind of like when you’re driving down the road with your dad and smell something and your dad says, ‘Somebody hit a skunk,’” Santa explained, eyes twinkling. “I could just smell that odor in the air and I knew he was trouble.”

Now there’s a skill for mothers and fathers to put on their Christmas wish list!

In his years connecting with children throughout the Emporia community, Santa has found himself in all kinds of situations. Children have peed on him, and even been placed in his lap “dripping with snot and hot as a firecracker” sick, Santa said. Many kids are scared of him, shrieking at the top

Wishes | 11

of their little lungs, and he works hard to help them overcome that.

“I do pretty good with them as a rule if everybody just leaves everybody alone,” Santa said. “They’ll worm around and be close to me and pretty soon they’re sitting on the arm of the chair and then on my knee. I lean back so I’m not right in their face.”

That awareness of how a big bearded face can scare a small child is exactly what makes Santa so special. The beard, in fact, comes in for a lot of discussion. When he was younger, Santa didn’t have his own beard and wearing a fake one was irritating. Now, he has his own beard and is frequently asked whether it’s real. He even encourages them to give it a good yank to test it out.

Santa works hard to make children comfortable with him, asking them if they have any questions to ask.

And yes, they do!

“Where are your reindeer?”

“How old is Rudolph?”

“Did you bring the elves with you?”

Many younger kids are just so excited that they pepper him with the same questions over and over again.

Santa’s Emporia home shows the dedication and connection he feels all year with the job that he takes on just through the holidays.

A collection of glass and carved Santas, collected by his wife, Shirley, decorate shelves in the living room. A clock featuring Santa and his reindeer flying across the top hangs on the wall near a picture of Santa painted especially for him. It even features his two dogs.

Yes, Santa admitted he’s more than a little tired of the holiday by the time January rolls around. And yet, every year, he’s anxious to slip into his red suit and bring a little holiday joy to Emporia.

It’s no small thing that he does, reaching into the hearts of children to remind them of the magic of the holiday season.

Happy holidays, Santa!

12 | Wishes

IT’S WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR High-Speed Internet

35/mo.

$

OFFER EXTENDED Don’t miss out!

*

for 50 Mbps for the first 3 months

HIGH SPEED YOU CAN RELY ON. No contract. No bundle. No data plans with overage fees.

At 50 Mbps fast, Cable ONE High-Speed Internet gives you the blazing speed you need for the best streaming of all your movies and videos. In fact, it’s 10X faster than Internet from the phone company for about the same price.**

*Regular price $50/mo.

CALL TODAY

1-855-692-4122 cableone.net

*Offer expires November 30, 2013. Promotional rate quoted good for the fi rst three months when customers subscribe to our 50 Mbps Internet service. After 3 months the promotional rate increases to the regular a la carte rate in effect at that time. Equipment, taxes and fees are not included in above rate. In compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you may be required to authorize and agree that Cable ONE may obtain a consumer report about you from a consumer reporting agency in order to verify your eligibility to receive this and other offers as well as determining deposits and install fees required, if any. Full discounted installation could require enrolling in our Cable ONE Easy Pay program. Customers are required to purchase or lease an approved eMTA capable of DOCSIS 3.0 in order to receive the full benefit of Internet services listed. Other levels of service are available. Cable ONE manages bandwidth consumption of Internet services to provide the best experience for all customers. Peak speed 50 Mbps. Speeds may vary. Speed comparison of Cable ONE Standard Internet service to 1.5 Mbps speed from DSL competitors. Call for details. Please visit http://www.cableone.net/Pages/internetaup.aspx for Internet plan specifi cs by reading our Acceptable Use Policy. Additional information can also be found at http://support.cableone.net. All services are not available in all areas. Money-back guarantee: May only be used within the fi rst 30 days of new service and only once for a particular service by any customer. Refunds will consist of the money paid for the service(s) cancelled as well as applicable taxes and fees but does not include pay per view purchases or long distance phone charges. Offer not available to current Cable ONE Internet customers. Restrictions apply. **When compared with 1.5 Mbps service offered by AT&T U-verse and CenturyLink.

Wishes | 13

Sweeten the Season

with

Place Your Holiday Orders by December 15.

803 Commercial St. • Emporia 620-342-9600 • sweetgranada.com 14 | Wishes

WE SHIP • Holiday Hours: Mon. - Sat. 10-8 • Sun. 1-4

Shop Local for the Holidays

By Casey Woods Starting in 2010, businesses and shoppers throughout the United States have celebrated a new type of shopping holiday. Small Business Saturday falls between “Black Friday” (the Friday following Thanksgiving) and “Cyber Monday” (the Monday following Thanksgiving).

Both Black Friday and Cyber Monday typically focus on “big business”, so American Express and several national small business advocates decided it was time to recognize the importance of small businesses and encourage people to shop the merchants that represent the life-blood of the American economy.

From 1993 to 2011, small businesses accounted for 64 percent of all net new jobs in the United States.

Small businesses contribute a larger percentage of their gross sales back to local charities and a greater percentage of dollars spent at local businesses actually stay in the community. Small businesses help preserve the unique culture and architecture of a community by creating niche businesses and filling commercial buildings. Most importantly, small businesses support each other and the creation of a new generation of entrepreneurs that can help grow the

local economy.

Locally, Small Business Saturday is a relatively new concept.

Small businesses in Emporia are excited to support a national trend that recognizes the value of entrepreneurs and focuses attention on the unique advantages of “shopping small.” Local businesses offer unique products and services for shoppers that give consumers eclectic choices. Many local businesses offer time saving services, like gift wrapping or shipping that can make holiday shopping easier.

With smaller staffs and specialized markets, small businesses can provide better service and product advice that makes gift giving easier.

Best of all, shopping at small businesses after Thanksgiving is much more comfortable than the crazy “contact sport” shopping you see at the big guys. This year, your local community businesses have banded together to offer more value to shoppers than ever before.

Emporia Main Street gift certificates give your loved ones the gift of shopping, dining or entertaining local. New technology allows you to view the myriad of local business options and coordinate with fami-

ly members across vast distances to virtually shop local unique items.

In recognition of market gaps, new businesses are opening in the community every week, like gift shops, expanded restaurant options, “popup” stores and service providers that give shoppers wonderful options for everyone on their wish list. Emporia specific items like collectable ornaments, “Emporia-Opoly” and much more can offer a nostalgic gift option for your loved ones. For the local market gaps that still exist, you can give the gift of enrollment in this winter’s “Start Your Own Business Class” that has helped build thirty-eight local businesses, and encourage the budding entrepreneur on your wish list to bring their business dream to reality.

This year, on Saturday, November 30, join the millions of people across America who choose to shop small for Small Business Saturday.

Explore your community. Support your neighbors. Discover the unique products and services that will make the holidays merry and bright for those on your shopping list. Join Emporia Main Street and our local businesses as we grow our local economy one small business at a time.

Wishes | 15

Wish Lists The perfect presents for everyone on your list from merchants right here in Emporia.

New this year to Wishes Magazine is our use of Augmented Reality (AR). This cutting-edge technology allows for a digitally enhanced view of the real world. This means that this printed magazine can come alive. AR adds layers of digital information – videos, photos, sounds – directly on top of items in the world around us.

By downloading the free Layar App to your smartphone or tablet, and scanning any page or ad with the Layar logo, you can go to a website, Like a business on Facebook, or watch a video directly from the magazine page. This includes every single item in the Wish List.

Don’t just read this magazine. Explore it.

INTERACTIVE PRINT

16 | Wishes

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Automotive

Giger’s Street Rods Gift Certificates Giger’s carries a full line of car audio, truck accessories, hot rod and performance parts, custom wheels and Bowyer goodies.

Available at Giger’s Street Rods & Sport Trucks 413 S. Commercial, Emporia Order Line: 888-397-4587 Tech Line: 620-342-6293

Mr. G’s Car Wash Gift Cards

Mr. G’s has the latest touchless technology in their automatic car washes at all 3 locations. Put one of our gift cards in someone special’s stocking!

Any Amount Requested Available at Mr. G’s Car Washes 3 Locations: 101 S. Commercial St. 1901 W. 6th Ave. 716 E. 12th Ave. 620-343-0772

Wishes | 17

for the

Home Pure Country Afghan

Afghan throw - Perfect for that ESU alum for Christmas. Available with Power E or Corky.

$59.98 Available at Memorial Union Bookstore 1200 Commercial 620-341-5214

Custom Cabinetry

Unmatched quality and style. Unlimited options and designs. From concept to construction to installation in your home or business, trust Schmidt Custom Cabinetry.

Free Estimates and Design!

Available at Schmidt Custom Cabinetry 15 W. Hwy. 99, Olpe 620-475-3233

Riccar Gem

Powerful and lightweight handheld vacuum includes microtools for cleaning cars keyboards and much more.

$38.95

Spring Air 8� Memory Foam Mattress

Give the gift of restful sleep! Experience ultimate comfort and minimize pressure points with this 8� Queen Visco Memory Foam Mattress at an affordable price!

$299 Available at Affordable Rooms Group 416 W, 6th St., Emporia 620-342-6765

18 | Wishes

Available at Todd Belt Appliance Service and Vac Shop 616 Commercial St., Emporia 620-342-9562

for the

Foodie

Holiday Wine Gambino’s Gift Card

Celebrate this holiday season with a bottle of wine from the Liquor Locker, or give as the perfect gift! Liquor, coolers and beer also available.

All Increments Available

All Prices Available

Available at Gambino’s Pizza 1003 Industrial Rd. 620-343-9114

Available at The Liquor Locker 2716 W. 12th Ave. Right across from the Fairgrounds!

620-343-7414

Make them smile this Christmas with more toppings, more taste, more value, more pizza!

Do-Bs

Get that special someone the gift that will keep their mouth watering well into the new year, a gift certificate to Do-B’s!

All Sizes/Prices Available.

Available at Do-B’s 704 E. 12th Ave. Emporia 620-342-7294

Gift Certificates

Give the gift of soul satisfying comfort food. Open since 1958, Olpe Chicken House can meet all your holiday needs including family dinners and catering.

Starting at $10 Available at Olpe Chicken House 8 E. Hwy 99, Olpe 620-475-3386 Monday-Saturday 11am-8pm Closed Sunday

Orange Leaf Gift Cards

This sweet treat makes a great stocking stuffer for any friend or family member with a sweet tooth for froyo!

Now serving seasonal flavors!

All Increments Available Available at Orange Leaf Emporia 1114 Commercial St. Ste. C 620-208-5323

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Everyone for

Thomas Kinkade’s “Starry Night” This charmingly detailed, hand-sculpted and hand painted Thomas Kinkade chapel centerpiece is a heartwarming reminder of the beauty and wonder of the season.

$69.95 Available at Design by Sharon 703 Commercial St., Emporia 620-342-6868

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Series

Combining the productivity of an Ultrabook™ with the intuitive touch experience of a tablet, the 13.3-inch Yoga 13 will give you the ultimate in versatility.

Starting at $849.95 Available at Total Technology 13 E. 6th Ave, Emporia 620-343-8324

Jupiter 1100S Silver Trumpet

The Jupiter 1100S bridges the gap between intermediate and professional. Great sounding with professional features at an unbeatable price. Hard case included.

$1199 Available at Flint Hills Music 620-342-4553 www.flinthillsmusic.com

Free Nail Art

Fitness Club Membership

Give the gift of healthy living!

With memberships designed for individuals, couples or even the whole family, our non-contract packages are the perfect holiday gift!

Available at Emporia Fitness 2812 W. 12th Ave., Emporia 620-342-2348

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With the purchase of a Gel Manicure, Full Set, or Pedicure. You must bring in this ad (Expires Feb. 28, 2014, basic art only).

2013 Reader’s Choice Awards Nail Salon & Spa. Call for appointment.

Gift Certificates Available Available at Dynamic Nails & Spa New Location: 2917 W. US Hwy 50 620-342-6245 Mon-Sat 9:30am-7pm

from us to you

Happy Holidays!

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Wishes | 21

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Handmade:

Crafty Christmas

By Jennie Loucks Photos by Eric Benjamin

As December quickly approaches, I’m reminded of two things: one, it’s almost Christmas, and despite my hatred of the cold that accompanies winter, it’s one of my favorite times of year, and two, it’s time to start thinking about all the gifts I want to give this year.

As strange as it may sound, gift giving is also one of my favorite things to do. The look on a loved ones face when you find them the perfect present is heartwarming. The only downfall to gift giving, other than the brother who is constantly saying, “I don’t care Jen, whatever

you think,” is the cost for everything, which can amount to quite a bit.

Ever since I was young, I’ve been a huge fan of homemade gifts, from my macaroni masterpieces and jewelry to my now more useful and sophisticated presents. For the past several years, I’ve tried my best to incorporate DIY projects into the gift-giving process whenever possible.

As the season for giving is upon us, I will share some of the actual gifts I will be giving, accompanied by step-by-step instructions on how to create them yourself.

My go-to, never fails gift:

Photo Blocks If I could tell you how many sets of these I have made over the past several years, you’d be amazed. This project is the perfect gift for anyone, male or female, and there are innumerable ways to personalize it and make it as simple or as fancy as you want.  1 2x4 from your local lumber store, cut into squares (Many places will cut the wood for you when you purchase it if you are unable to cut it at home.)  Spray Paint (I usually stick with one color, but as I mentioned earlier the more elaborate and creative you’d like to get, the more colors you can use.)  Mod Podge, liquid type, matte finish  Small foam paint brush  Photos (Some types of printer ink bleed when Mod Podge is used on it, so I recommend ordering your photos on real photo paper instead of printing them on an ink jet printer. Use photos that can be made roughly into squares. Group shots that take up the entire length of a regular-sized photo will NOT work.)  OPTIONAL: Embellishments such as sticker letters, scrap booking stickers, puffy paint, etc. This is the part where your creative side can take over.  OPTIONAL: Sanding block (This can give your blocks the shabby chic, rustic look if you so desire. Mine have this if you’re unsure of what this looks like.

Let’s get crafty!

Step 1: Take your wood blocks outside and onto the grass. Lightly, but thoroughly apply one coat of spray paint to the blocks on all sides except for the side touching the grass. Allow amply amount of drying time before flipping the block over to spray the other side. If not, you will get “grass marks” in your paint. Continue layers of spray paint until you have your desired amount of color on the blocks.

(Two coats is generally what I do.)

Step 2: While the last coat of paint on your blocks is drying, get out your pictures. At this point you will begin tearing the edges, or cutting if you prefer cleaner edges.

Depending on how you tear the photo, you will either have a ragged white border around the photos. You want your photos to fit centered on your squares with roughly a quarter to half inch from the edge of the photo to the edge of the block on all sides.

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Optional Step 2.5: If you would like to have the “worn” look on your blocks, here is the part where the sanding block comes in.

Use the block to scrub the surface and around the edges of your blocks until you get your desired look. I usually do just enough to have the wood barely show through the paint.

VERY IMPORTANT OPTIONAL STEP 2.75: If you choose to sand your blocks you MUST wipe them all off with a towel or damp cloth before going on to the next step! If

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you do not do this, you will have sawdust on your pictures and they will look spotty.

Step 3: Here’s where the sticky fun begins. Have your torn pictures handy, and one by one, put a light, but thorough coat of Mod Podge on one side of a block with your foam brush and lay the picture flat onto the wet surface. Do each block individually so that the Mod Podge is fresh with each block.

Allow the blocks to dry. This won’t take long at all.

Step 4: Now, to seal the pictures, apply another light but thorough coat of Mod Podge on top of each of the pictures, making sure to brush all the way to the edge of the blocks. This will seal the edges of the pictures to the blocks. The Mod Podge will look a bit streaky, but as long as you try to get an even coat, I promise you won’t be able to see any of the streaks when it dries.

Optional Step 5: If you are happy with the blocks with the

way they look now, then TA-DA you’re finished! However, if you’d like to jazz them up a little more, now is the time to add stickers, embellishments, glitter spray, and other craft supplies. My finished product has stickers added to personalize the blocks for my sister.

(For those of you who know Jess, “Shhhhhhh” until after Christmas!)

That’s all there is to this simple, but really cool gift idea. Good luck, and most importantly get creative to make these special for whoever will be receiving them!

mason Jar Snow Globe Now for decoration on the inside of the house, the possibilities are once again endless; however, I have for you one of the simplest, cutest ideas out there. I’m sure each of you at some point in your childhood shook, in awe, a snow globe. Turns out, you probably have most of the supplies in your house right now to be able to whip one up and put on the mantle come December.

You will need:  A mason jar (or cookie jar, depending on the size you prefer)  A pitcher of water  Liquid glycerin  A Christmas ornament or toy/figurine of proportionate size to your jar (This should be plastic, as it will be sitting in water)  A bottle of big, chunky glitter (white, iridescent, or silver)  Hot glue gun and glue sticks Step 1: Make sure your jar is completely clean and dry, then fill it to the lip with water.

Step 2: Glue the base of your ornament or toy/figurine to the inside of your lid. You should be able to pick up your ornament from the top and the lid of the jar comes too, remaining attached.

Step 3: Add several drops of glycerin to your water. This will keep it from getting murky and gross.

Step 4: Begin with several teaspoons of glitter. Add them to your water, and then screw the lid of your jar on to the jar securely.

Flip the jar over, and shake it to determine if you want more glitter or not. Also, you should be able to see if you need to add more water if there is an air pocket at the top of your globe. Add water and glitter as you deem necessary, and then, when you are satisfied, run a ring of hot glue around the threading of the lid and screw it back on. Ta da!

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The Crew at Mel’s Tire

Coffee Roasted In House

would like to Wish Everyone A Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year !

We appreciated your business in 2013 and look forward to serving you in 2014

“Service Is Not Expensive - It’s Priceless”

MEL’S TIRE

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915 Graham St. (620) 342-8473

M-F 7:30a - 5:30p Sat 7:30a - Noon

608 Commercial St. • Emporia, KS 66801 620-343-3919 • www.javacatcoffeehouse.com

Handmade:

Sealed & Delivered

By Regina Murphy Photos by Dustin Michelson

It’s gift-giving season. In addition to the usual birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and babies, we have Kwanzaa, Hannukah, Christmas and all those little thank-you’s for our teachers, neighbors, service professionals and party hosts.

Handmade gifts speak volumes to the recipient. Food gifts can be an easy way to accomplish this, and they don’t linger or have to be dusted once a week. However, there’s already so much food associated with the season it can also go to waste.

A solution to this is something non-perishable in a container that is multi-purposed and reusable.

Here are eight ideas: easy, affordable and some even kid-friendly, to take you through the weeks to come.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Sugar 2 vanilla beans 1 quart jar with lid Granulated sugar Fill the jar a third of the way with sugar. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and drop one in the jar. Add another third of sugar and the remaining bean. Continue placing sugar in the jar up to an inch from the neck. Screw lid in place and shake for 30 seconds. Store in a cool, dark place.

Shake the jar each day, and in a week all of the sugar should be infused with vanilla flavor. Divide it between four half-pint jelly jars, removing the vanilla beans to cook with, or cutting them into smaller pieces and placing one each in the individual jars.

Cover the half-pints with their lids and decorate as desired. Go the extra mile by tying on an antique or decorative spoon. The person you give this gift to can sweeten their cocoa, cookies or popcorn with this easy, tasty and elegant treat.

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Spiced Tea Mix 2 1/2 cups Tang 1 1/2 cups Country Time lemonade mix 1 1/2 cups instant unsweetened tea 1/2 cup sugar 3 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Scoop into pint jars and seal.

Want to jazz it up a bit? Tie on an airplane bottle size of honey whiskey.

Cinnamon Sugar 1 cup of granulated sugar 1 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon

Directions: Stir 2 Tablespoons into 1 cup hot water.

Mix well and package into small jars or salt shakers. Tie on a cinnamon stick with a ribbon for decoration. Use to sweeten cereal or make cinnamon toast.

Hot Chocolate Mix 3 cups nonfat powdered milk 2 cups confectioner’s sugar 1-1/2 cups cocoa powder 1-1/2 cups white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate) 1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Working in batches, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the chocolate is finely ground. Store in an airtight container.

Directions: Put 1/3 cup of the cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup of hot milk. Top with whipped cream or miniature marshmallows.

HOURS Closed Sunday

SALES / Mon-Thur 8A-7P / Fri 8A-6P / Sat 8A-5P SERVICE / Mon-Fri 7:30A-5:30P / Sat 8A-1P / Sun Closed

2815 W HIGHWAY 50, EMPORIA, KANSAS • 620-343-6723 28 | Wishes

Christmas Macaroons

Toffee Blondies

1 (7 ounce) package flaked coconut (2-2/3 cups) 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped candied red and green cherries 2 Tablespoons finely chopped candied orange peel

1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts 1/2 cup toffee pieces or butterscotch-flavored pieces

In a quart jar, layer the coconut, sugar, almonds, flour, salt, candied cherries, and candied orange peel.

Fasten lid; attach directions for making macaroons to jar.

In a quart glass jar, layer brown sugar, chocolate pieces, flour, baking powder, salt, nuts and toffee pieces. Fasten lid and decorate.

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Empty the jar into a bowl.

Add 3 lightly beaten egg whites, stirring well to combine. Drop mixture by teaspoons two inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cookies are light brown. Transfer to a wire rack; cool. Makes 30 cookies.

Directions: Grease an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. In a large bowl combine 1/4 cup butter, 2 eggs, slightly beaten, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in jar contents. Spread into prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until set and golden brown and edges just begin to pull away from pan. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

y r r e M s a m t s i r h C

Cookies, candies, rich foods … This holiday season, stay healthy by striving to maintain your current weight!

m fro

SIX WAYS TO MAINTAIN-NO GAIN:

Holiday Hours: Tuesday, Dec. 24: 7:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Dec. 25: closed Wednesday, Jan. 1: closed

1. Keep eating fruits and veggies 2. Drink more water 3. Keep track of calories in a journal or with the MyFitnessPal app 4. Have a healthy pre-party snack 5. Control portion sizes 6. Focus more on people than food BONUS: Don’t ban all treats – but only eat what you love!

420 W. 15th Ave. • Emporia, KS 66801 www.flinthillshealth.org • 620.342.4864

/FHCHCLCHD /FHCHC Wishes | 29

Christmas Bean Soup

Jambalaya in a Jar

2 cups dried red beans (not Kidney beans) 2 cups dried white (Great Northern) beans

4 4 3 1

Spice mix: 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 teaspoons dried marjoram 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 bay leave

1 1 1 2 1 1

Combine all the seasonings in a large bowl, mixing well. Stir in the rice, mixing well.

Divide evenly among three pint jars.

Combine the spices and scoop into a small plastic bag. Tie shut. Layer the red and white beans alternately in a pint or quart jar. Insert the spice packet on top or tie it on the neck after sealing.

Directions: For every cup of dried beans, use 2 cups of water. Place in a saucepan along with spices; add chopped onions or smoked ham if desired.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until beans are tender (60 to 90 minutes).

Adjust seasonings as desired and serve with freshly baked cornbread.

Order Chamber Gift Certificates at 342-1600

cups uncooked long-grain rice Tablespoons dried onion flakes Tablespoons dried parsley flakes 1/2 Tablespoons beef bouillon granules Tablespoon minced dried chives Tablespoon dried celery flakes teaspoon dried thyme teaspoons pepper teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder

Directions: In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper to a boil. Stir in the contents of one jar of the dried mix, return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 19 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

In another saucepan heat 1 cup of tomato sauce and one pound of fully cooked smoked sausage that has been cut into 1/4 inch slices. Add one pound of peeled, deveined shrimp and cook until shrimp is pink. Combine both pans, adding more tomato sauce if mixture is too dry and serve.

Merry Christmas Shop Emporia First!

FREE City Maps & Guides at 719 Commercial Street www.emporiakschamber.org or 620-342-1600

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From our homes to yours ~ Happy Holidays from all of us at

620

412-9850 • emporiareality group.com

sErViNG thE CommuNitY For 45 YEARS

“We are excited about using our new gas insert this winter. The Modern Air crew did a great job of installing it and it looks beautiful.” tom and helen thomas

620-342-7577 | 800-279-3045 106 Commercial | Emporia modernairconditioning.com

Visit our FirEplaCE showroom large selection of alternative heat ideas for home improvements Wishes | 31

Holiday Ongoing

Main Street window decorating contest.

Judging will be held Dec. 3rd Art Gifts, Emporia Arts Council Nov. 23 – Jan 4.

Upcoming

Nov. 28 – Walnut School Turkey Day Dash Nov. 30 – Small Business Saturday Nov. 30 – Chase County Christmas, Cottonwood Falls Dec. 1 – ESU and Community choir concert, 7 p.m.

Emporia Presbyterian Church Dec. 1 – Hanging of Greens, 10:30 a.m., First Christian Church Dec. 1 – Santa Paws, 1-4 p.m. L&L Pets Dec. 3 – 36th Annual Community Christmas Parade, 7 p.m. Downtown Emporia Dec. 3 – Pre-Parade Craft Show, 4-7 p.m.; Hot cocoa, coffee and cider from 5:30-7 p.m. First United Methodist Church Dec. 4 – TFI Family Services’ Annual Holiday Benefit Auction, social hour and silent auction: 5:30 p.m., live auction, 7 p.m.

Dec. 5 – Holiday Quarter Mania, 6:30 p.m. Granada Theatre Dec. 5 – Horse-drawn carriage rides, 5-8 p.m. Seventh Ave. and Merchant St.

Calendar

Dec. 6 – Artist’s Open House at Plumb Place, 5-9 p.m.

Dec. 7 – Display of Nativities, 1-6 p.m., First Christian Church Dec. 7 – Kids in the Kitchen, 1 p.m., Emporia Recreation Center kitchen Dec. 7 – Display of Nativities, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., First Christian Church Dec. 7 – Youth Christmas Festival, 9 a.m.-noon. First United Methodist Church Dec. 7 – Artist’s Open House at Plumb Place, 3-8 p.m.

Dec. 7 – The Red Stocking Breakfast, 7 a.m. Pizza Ranch Dec. 7 – Breakfast with Santa, 10 a.m. Emporia Public Library Dec. 7 – “Wonderful Christmas Time” dance concert, 7 p.m. Albert Taylor Hall Dec. 8 – Display of nativities, 1-5 p.m., First Christian Church Dec. 8 – Piano concert, Heath Recital Hall, ESU. 3 p.m.

Dec. 11 – Seasonal Celebration, 7:30 p.m. Civic Building Dec. 12 – Seasonal Celebration, 7:30 p.m. Civic Building Dec. 12 – The Sound of Music, 7 p.m. Granada Theatre Dec. 12 – Holiday Main Street Midnight Madness, 8 p.m.

Downtown Emporia Dec. 12 – Horse-drawn carriage rides, 5-8 p.m. Seventh Avenue and Merchant Street Dec. 12 – DeLane Drive Toy Drive, DeLane Dr., Darlene Way and Diane Ave.

Dec. 12 – Miracle on 34th Street, 7 p.m. Granada Theatre Dec. 13 – DeLane Drive Toy Drive, DeLane Dr., Darlene Way and Diane Ave. Dec. 15 – Children’s Christmas Program; First United Methodist Church, 10:35 a.m. service Dec. 15 – Caroling, 3:30 p.m., First Christian Church Dec. 17 – Lights for Angels, 5 p.m. Newman Regional Health Dec. 18 – Cookies for Claus, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Newman Regional Health Dec. 19 – Cookies for Claus, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Newman Regional Health Dec. 19 – Horse-drawn carriage rides, 5-8 p.m. Seventh Avenue and Merchant Street Dec. 20 – Joshua Hall’s Elvis Christmas, 8 p.m. Granada Theatre Dec. 20 – Blue Christmas, 7 p.m., First Christian Church Dec. 21 – Breakfast at the North Pole, 9-10 a.m., Emporia Recreation Center social hall Dec. 22 – Living Nativity, 5-7 p.m. First Christian Church Dec. 24 – 4 p.m. Family Christmas Worship; 7 p.m.

Candlelight Worship; 11 p.m. Candlelight Worship; First United Methodist Church Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve candlelight services, 8 p.m., First Christian Church Dec. 27 – Almost New Year’s Eve Party with Sellout, 8 p.m.

Granada Theatre

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Made to Order Breakfast from

Scratch

Breakfast & Lunch Specials Daily 421 Commercial Street (620) 342-1917

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”

2 Corinthians 9:15

Gift Certificates Available

Voted

Emporia Christian School 1325 C of E Drive Offering Christ centered education for ages 3-6th grade

BEST BREAKFAST 3 years in a row!

Open: Tues.- Sun. 6 am - 2 pm Closed on Mondays

614 Commercial Emporia • 343-9866

Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts 2 cans water chestnuts 1 lb. Fanestil Regular Sliced Bacon (cut the slices in half) Drain Water Chestnuts and wrap each chestnut with a half slice of Fanestil bacon and secure with toothpick. Place on sheet pan and bake in oven 400 degrees 35-40 mins or until the bacon is crisp.

Appetizers and EntrĂŠes

Holiday Recipes

By Fanestil Meats Photos by Dustin Michelson

Locally processed since 1942, Fanestil Meats seem to be synonymous with the holidays. Most Emporians at one time or another have either been given a Fanestil Ham at Christmas or prepared one with their holiday feast.

And while any Fanestil meat is delicious just prepared simply as the main feature of a meal, from appetizers to entrees, there are endless ways Fanestils meats can be incorporated into recipes. Here are just a few to try this holiday season.

Pigs in a Blanket

1 lb. Fanestil Hot Dogs, Cheddarwurst, Jalapeno Cheddarwurst or Hot Smoked Sausage 1 or 2 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls 1 Pkg. single sliced American cheese Place cheese and Fanestil Hot Dog crosswise on crescent roll dough and roll up neatly. Place on sheet pan & bake at 375 degrees until golden brown (about 25 mins). Cut in half to serve.

Ham & Pickle Roll-up Whole pickles Cream cheese Fanestil Party Time Ham – thin sliced Spread cream cheese on each slice of Fanestil Party Time Ham, place pickle on top and roll up. Slice into bite size pieces and serve.

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Philly Party Time Roast Beef Sandwiches 1 2 1 1 6

lb. Fanestil Party Time Roast Beef – sliced into strips green peppers – sliced into strips red pepper – sliced into strips medium onion – sliced into strips oz. Swiss cheese

Saute peppers, onion and Fanestil Party Time Roast Beef in butter & olive oil on the stove. Place onto Hoagie buns and add a slice of swiss cheese. You may broil sandwiches if you desire. Serves 6. *May substitute Fanestil Brats

Pineapple Cheese Ball 1½ pkg or 12oz cream cheese, softened 1 small can crushed pineapple drained Powdered sugar ( to taste 1 or 2 Tbsp) Green onions sliced Fanestil Party Time Ham (chopped fine 3 or 4 Tbsp) Pecans – crushed Combine all ingredients together. Shape into a ball and chill. Roll in crushed pecans. Serve with crackers.

Fanestil Sausages & Veggies entree 1 lb. Fanestil Sausage cooked/drained & cut into bite size pieces Bite size broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, onion (or your choice) 2 garlic cloves 1 cup Penne pasta – cooked & drained Salt/pepper to taste Parmesan cheese Saute 2 cloves of minced garlic in olive oil. Add veggies (you may need to add a little bit of veg broth for steam). In a large skillet or wok saute together Fanestil Sausage* , penne pasta and veggies. Add salt/pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with Parmesan Cheese if desired. *May also use any Fanestil fully cooked sausages or Fanestil Brats

Warm Fanestil Bacon Dip 8 oz. cream cheese – softened 16 oz. container sour cream 2 cups shredded cheese 4 pcs Fanestil Bacon – cooked/crumbled 1 cup green onions – chopped ½ tsp roasted garlic seasoning Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 mins. Serve with chips, crackers or bread.

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Angels Wanted: The Salvation Army Angel Trees Fulfill Christmas Wishes for Families in Need

By Morgan Chilson Even the most well-intentioned person can get sucked into the vortex of holiday shopping and baking and wrapping and running and . . . lose track of the real meaning of the season. But even with all the craziness (are Christmas decorations really in the stores before Halloween?), most people take a deep breath at some point, look around and realize it’s especially important at the holidays holidays to take care of each other.

Emporia’s Salvation Army makes it easy to reach out to help people in the community, and also makes it easy for people facing grim holidays

to get help. From Angel Trees, which pop up in area stores and suggest gifts local children and teens would like, to food donations for holiday meals and family adoptions, the Salvation Army organizes support for those who need it.

Doreitha Brooks has raised four grandchildren and the Salvation Army and generosity of Emporia residents have been there to help with gifts, food and clothing.

“They got a piece of clothing or two, and hats and gloves and a few toys,” she said. “It certainly helped a lot that they could at least stay warm. It’s just real helpful to people like me in times of need.”

The food she received, ham and pies and other items, made a difference at the holidays. But the items Salvation Army helped with throughout the year, including school supplies and help with utility payments, helped her too.

For 25 years, Rose Colunga has watched families come to The Salvation Army to pick up gifts and food at the holidays. As the organization’s office manager and youth director, she sees the appreciation.

“It will bring them to tears when

they see the things that they’ve gotten,” she said. “They’ll make comments, ‘My kids would not have anything if it wasn’t for these gifts.’”

During November, The Salvation Army will begin taking applications to participate in the holiday programs.

Soon after, Angel Trees will be put up in area stores featuring paper angels that list gifts wanted by specific children or families, Colunga said. Volunteers then take all the gifts that come in and sort them into families.

Though the idea of sorting all those gifts and getting them to the right people seems a bit intimidating, Colunga said they’ve been doing it for so long that there’s a solid process in place to make it flow smoothly. But it does take numerous volunteers, she said.

People can also volunteer to adopt a family, providing gifts for each person, including clothing, and food.

Toy drives throughout the holiday season help cover needs, providing gifts for children who don’t have angel tree gifts, and Emporia steps up to help in creative ways. For instance, Colunga said,

one neighborhood puts up lights for a tour and then they collect toys as people see the lights.

“Last year, we got a dozen bicycles from that toy drive,” she said. “Each year, they’ve built it up a little bit more.”

Along with getting gifts for the family, The Salvation Army offers an evening when parents or caregivers can come in and pick up stocking stuffers, a box of food, an outfit for each child, hats and gloves, and a variety of other items, Colunga said.

If there’s any lack in the community, it’s in gifts for teens, she said. Oftentimes the things they ask for can be expensive items from the Angel Tree, although groups do go together and buy bigger items. An Angel Tree at ESU just for teens was successful last year, she said.

The need increases almost every year, Colunga said. In 2011, 409 applications with 1,227 children were submitted.

Twenty-four families were adopted. In 2012, those numbers rose to 454 applicants with 1,362 children, and 30 families adopted.

For information about Salvation Army’s programs, call the office at (620) 343-3166.

723 Commercial | 620.343.7242 | Open Tuesday – Saturday E v e n i n g Ap p o i n t m e n t s Av a i l a b l e

Fu ll S e r v ic e S a lon Gif t C e r t if ic a t e s Av a ila b le Amy Delgado Evy Lopez Val Steavenson Lex Rodriguez Shanon Fletcher www.salondel5ive.com

38 | Wishes

Hearty choices and hefty savings.

Meat & Cheese Tray Includes smoked turkey honey ham and roast beef with Swiss, Colby Jack and pepper jack cheeses. Served with a center cup of olives and garnished with cherry tomatoes.

Delicious Party Tray For Every Occassion!

12” Small, over 2 lbs. of meat and cheese (serves 6-8) Every Day, $18 16” Medium, over 5 lbs of meat and cheese (serves 15-20) Every Day, $28 18” Large almost 7 lbs. of meat and cheese (serves 20-25) Every Day, $38

2301 Industrial Rd • Emporia (620) 343-1500

Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/Walmart557 Wishes | 39

Wishing everyone Happy Holidays from all of us at

3105 West 6th Ave. (Old Hw y 50) 620-343-0086 williamsautomotive.net

40 | Wishes

Emporia, Kansas

We have everything you need for your

Holiday Shopping list!

42 | Wishes

Has Gift-Wrapping Become a Lost Art?

By Staff and Wire Reports When the holidays approach and it’s time to wrap all those gifts to place under the tree, many people reach for the nearest gift bag — but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Gift wrapping can be simple, yet sophisticated.

For birthdays, anniversaries and even baby showers, paper designs have essentially become obsolete.

But Casey Woods, executive director of Emporia Main Street, is keeping the practice of gift wrapping alive. “...Wrapping is part of the gift,” Woods said. “Especially around Christmas time. There’s something about the ambiance of it.”

Woods got his start wrapping gifts for the Buckle and also wrapped for the former Madelyn’s in Emporia for 10 years.

“I started off terrified of it,” he said. “When you do it every single day you get used to it.”

It’s true that wrapping paper seems to make a rebound come the holiday season, when stores begin to devote aisles of space to holiday supplies. But even when shiny foils and smiling Santas beckon customers from the tightly packed rolls, many people still choose gift bags.

Gift bags do have many advantages. They are easily portable,

generally inexpensive and come in some very clever designs. They’re also touted as a “green” product because they can be reused.

But there are plenty of people who feel that the elimination of intricately wrapped presents takes some of the magic out of the holidays. Carefully wrapped gifts show that a person put in time and effort to present a gift in a way that is sentimental and personal. Although it may take mere minutes to pry away the paper and find a treasure inside, there’s something to be said for paper-wrapped gifts. It means the gift-giver sat down, pondered the paper design and carefully chose the bow or ribbon with the recipient in mind. Woods said the neatly wrapped gift adds to the gift — makes it even more special.

“In certain cultures (such as the Far East), the wrapping is more important than the gift,” he said.

“It’s in the presentation.”

If you’re still unsure about wrapping, watch our video via your Layar app, or read some tips below: Before you eschew wrapping paper for a gift bag this holiday season, think about all of the advantages to spending some time and reacquainting yourself with the art of gift wrapping. Here are

some reasons to save the gift bag for another time.  Wrapping can be green, too.

Wrapping paper can be reused if it is carefully removed from a gift. You also can create your own wrapping paper by decorating brown postal paper with a rubber stamp or having children color their own special murals. Don’t overlook newsprint as wrapping as well.  Paper is more cost-effective. You are bound to get more bang for your wrapping buck by choosing wrapping paper. Although there are scores of discount stores that sell low-priced gift bags, often the quality isn’t the same, and the handles could tear after one or two uses. Wrapping paper per inch is definitely more affordable than gift bags, particularly when purchased on sale.  Wrapping paper lets you be creative. Cover a box with a patchwork of different paper scraps, choose to stagger colors of paper with boxes towered one on top of another or tie on the biggest bow you can find.  Paper is traditional. Look back to the classic stories of yuletide and you are bound to find

images of Santa Claus pulling wrapped boxes out of his enormous gift sack. Also think about how department stores used to (and some still do) offer complimentary gift wrapping.  Wrapped gifts travel better.

When carrying your bounty of gifts to friends and family, carefully wrapped boxes tend to stand up to travel better than gift bags. No one wants to receive a gift bag that has been wrinkled and crushed into some amorphous shape. Plus, wilted tissue paper can be off-putting.  There’s something magical about wrapping paper. The anticipation, the drama, the build-up to peeling aside wrapping paper and revealing the gift has brought smiles to children’s (and adults’) faces for generations. It is hard to improve on something that has been successful for years and years.

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46 | Wishes

Gift Giving Etiquette

By Ben Fitch Photo by Casey Wilson

When the holidays roll around, we sometimes look forward to — and often dread, maybe — the activity of exchanging gifts.

For this materialistic practice in abundance, panic thresholds are often breached, dithering ensues and way too much money is spent on things that people never really use or enjoy anyway.

For help with this dilemma, the first place people often look might be gift-giving guides. “Wishes” has such resources at its disposal, but they are composed with the same dribble as the rest of them.

This one in particular regards “gift giving etiquette,” making the claim that the rules have loosened a bit from centuries past. People are no longer held accountable for the slightest misstep, it says. We say balderdash: they aren’t, nor do they need to be.

Instead, we got in contact with Kari Crump. She’s one of two owners of Studio 11, where patrons can find a legion of repurposed wares, antique and used furniture, unique trinkets and doodads — an evident plethora of gift-giving potentials.

The first taboo as listed in our gift guide says, “don’t regift.” Again, we say, poo. Re-gifting has taken on a new form in our day, and Crump has a valuable perspective.

“Taking something and turning it into something else is the base that Studio 11 Boutique was frugally built on,” she said. “We take pride in taking recognizable items and then turning them into something that people say, ‘That’s amazing, I never would have thought of that!’”

Crump started cutting panel doors apart in the late 1990s when she lived on a ranch in the Flint Hills. It wasn’t long after she gave her mom a sofa table that other family started asking for like items. An aunt of her’s ordered two side tables for a lake house, and “the rest is his-

tory,” she said.

“I have always given hand painted signs as gifts, using barn wood, recycled furniture pieces like table tops, or other funky items,” Crump said. “I like to personalize signs in a way that is special to the recipient, but not obvious.”

These items, of course, are not ordered online or purchased from a shelf, she said. She makes them with the recipient in mind and hasn’t received a complaint yet.

That brings us to the next piece of advice from our gift-guide: “Gift-giving is about the recipient and not you as the giver. It may not be the easiest to find a rare book or those collectible golf clubs, but putting forth the effort will mean more to the person getting the gift.”

Crump says take a minute and think of what this person talks about, where they travel, what music they like; even if it’s opposite of what you like.

“Think beyond a gift you can wrap in a box,” she said. “There are so many wonderful organizations that you can donate to in their names. How about tickets to an event, or a round trip plane ticket?”

Of course, sometimes things go wrong.

Crump said she hasn’t had any truly “awkward moments” in giving gifts or receiving. There was an incident involving her older brother and a carved coconut monkey head, but she didn’t elaborate. Suffice it to say that the gift is still displayed tastefully in her mother’s home.

The next meaningful tip in our guide says “don’t up the ante.”

This means don’t anticipate what someone will spend and then go above that. It comes off as petty, and Crump agrees. Instead of sticking with the advice of sticking within an affordable price range and finding the nicest thing, however, Crump says go all out

without spending a cent.

“Some of the most amazing gifts I have received personally have been small tokens that had great personal meaning,” she said. “For instance, I have grandparents who would rather have family pictures of us, or my children rather than a useless household item.”

She suggest digging up pictures of a person’s loved ones, or you and them while something special was going on, and framing them with small mementos.

“People love pictures,” she said.

We agree.

What if, after all this effort, someone doesn’t like their gift? “Gift receipts are very thoughtful,” suggests our gift guide, but sometimes you just take it in stride, Crump says.

“There will always be people who honestly appreciate anything, and let’s face it, we all know those people who will never be pleased,” she said.

Then there is the issue of thanking someone, and it can be the hardest. The gift guide suggests that you don’t email thank-you notes, and Crump says handwritten thank-you cards are appropriate for big events like births, weddings and graduations. Otherwise: “A hug or handshake depending on the relationship,” she said. “A

verbal thank you usually suffices.

Depends on the situation, I suppose.”

The final rules of etiquette in our gift guide include: It’s unnecessary to give your boss a gift. Gifting your boss may come across like you are trying to win a favor.

When in doubt, stick with non-intimate gifts. Perfume, cologne, intimate apparel and similar items say that you know a person on a deeper level and are extremely personal.

Gift cards do not break etiquette rules. Although gift cards may seem like the easy way out of gifting, they’ve become more accepted and popular. Crump agrees with gift cards being okay, she said. Her children are teenagers, and it’s just about the only way to give them gifts, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to personalize them.

With these tips in mind, have a seamless holiday season. May your gifts be bountiful and your company be cheerful.

“I would encourage people to follow their hearts when it comes to gift giving,” Crump said. “Meaningful gifts don’t have to cost a lot of money. In the end, remember what they taught us in grade school: It’s not the gift that matters, it’s just the thought that counts.”

Wishes | 47

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