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ANTIPASTO (Choose one)
• Traditional Antipasto Platter
• Handmade Mozzarella Caprese Platter
• Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail Platter
FIRST COURSE (Choose one)
• Penne Alla Vodka
• Baked Ziti
• Stuffed Shells
SALAD (Choose one)
• Garden or Caesar
• Linguine Frutti di Mare
• Lasagna (Meat or Cheese)
• Baked Manicotti
• Baby Spinach & Goat Cheese with Fresh Seasonal Berries
TAs we come close to year’s end, it’s the perfect moment to look back on all that 2025 has brought us and look forward to what lies ahead. Your continued support means the world to us - we truly couldn’t do this without you. Within these pages, you’ll find a mix of seasonal pieces and local community news. And don’t forget to enter our featured contest! May this season bring you peace, joy and renewed hope for the coming year. Looking to advertise? Contact us today for more information!
Tips To Stay The Course With A New Diet
Thedawn of a new year marks a great time to turn over a new leaf. Many people begin a new year by making resolutions, and aspiring to eat healthier is annually among the most popular pledges health-conscious individuals make. A recent Statista survey of hundreds of people across the globe found that eating healthier was the second most popular New Year’s resolution of 2024. 50 percent of respondents indicated they set goals to eat healthier in the year ahead. Though each year is different, it’s fair to assume a similarly large percentage of resolution-minded individuals will aspire to eat healthier over the next 12 months. As people begin their journeys to a healthier lifestyle, they can consider these strategies to stay the course with a new diet.
• Do not eat too close to bedtime. A recent study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics found that eating more of a day’s total energy intake in the evening is associated with a higher risk of being overweight or obese. The researchers behind the study concluded that eating more of the day’s energy intake at midday can lower the risk of being overweight or obese. Individuals are more likely to stay the course when they see positive results, so try to eat dinner several hours before bedtime and resist the urge to snack after dinnertime.
• Treat yourself, but only periodically. It’s unreasonable and potentially counterproductive to avoid foods seen as treats completely. Cutting out indulgent foods may seem appropriate, but such an approach could make you miserable, and a diet that sparks feelings of misery will prove harder to commit to than one that allows for the occasional indulgence. Moderation is the name of the game, and that should be a rule of thumb for both healthy foods and indulgences. Don’t make indulgences part of your daily routine, even if you eat them in moderation. Rather, save treats for special occasions, and even then only eat them in moderation.
• Consider eating less, but more frequently. Data is conflicting regarding eating smaller but more frequent meals. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that individuals with six or more eating occasions in 24 hours had a lower mean body mass index than those with four or fewer eating occasions in 24 hours. The researchers behind the study concluded that eating a larger number of small meals throughout the day may be associated with improved diet quality and lower BMI. This approach is commonly referred to as “grazing,” and some research has indicated it has no metabolic advantage over other approaches to eating. So what to make of the mixed results? Dieters can decide for themselves and eat more frequent but smaller, healthier meals to combat hunger pangs that can arise when switching to a new diet. If hunger no longer poses a threat that can derail your diet, then this approach might increase the chances you stay committed to eating right.
A Dog Trainer’s Tips For A Safe, Fun Holiday Season With Pets
By Darris Cooper, CPDT-KA, FFCP, National Dog Training Manager at Petco
(NAPSI)—The holidays are a great time to bond with loved ones, which—for most people—includes beloved pets. Whether you’re dressing up in matching outfits and snuggling up at home, enjoying traditions and festivities with family and friends, or traveling for holiday adventures together, these essential tips will help you and your pets navigate a safe, healthy and fun holiday season and beyond:
• Prepare Pets for Big Gatherings: Pets thrive on routine, so new people, sights, smells and sounds can cause extra stress during the holiday season. Give your pet a calm, quiet place of their own, such as a crate or bed in a room away from the festivities. Training can also help your pet self-soothe when they are feeling stressed or overstimulated. Introduce your pet to new pets and people in a calmer environment before the holiday festivities begin. If this isn’t possible, you can still practice meeting new people by inviting a friend over to mimic these interactions and using positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors. A professional dog trainer can also provide personalized tips to keep your pet comfortable and polite in new situations and festive environments.
• Heed Holiday Hazards: The holidays bring festive decorations, new foods and colder weather, all
of which can pose risks to pets. Common holiday plants such as poinsettias, ivy, holly and mistletoe can be toxic if ingested, so these should be kept out of pets’ reach. Similarly, avoid giving your pet potentially toxic holiday foods such as ham, turkey skin and bones, onions, garlic, candy and chocolate. Holiday decorations are meant to be enjoyed by all, but if you have a frisky feline that likes to knock things over, move breakable decorations out of reach and place glass ornaments higher up on the tree. And, for pet parents living in or traveling to cold climates, be sure your pet is bundled up with gear including a cozy puffer jacket, festive holiday sweater and booties.
• Travel Safely: Travel via planes, trains and cars reaches a peak during the holidays. If your pet will join you, plan ahead to confirm pet-friendly hotels, TSA-approved carriers and a special seatbelt or harness for the car. Use a pet travel bag for all the essentials—plenty of your pet’s food, travel bowls for food and water, calming supplements, their favorite toys, and a bed or blanket they can use while away from home. For anxious pets, slowly work your way up from exposure to the car, to sitting in it while the engine’s off, to longer rides, while rewarding calm behavior along the way. Be sure to consult your veterinarian to rule out any underlying health
issues contributing to anxiety and for your pet’s specific needs.
• Start the New Year on the Right Paw: This year, many people are starting their New Year’s resolutions early, and pets should, too. Getting new routines in place now can help lay the groundwork for a healthy and strong start to the new year. Schedule your pet’s regular veterinary and grooming appointments and ask about any nutrition or exercise changes if your pet is entering a new life stage. It’s always a good time to set goals for a new training regimen, regardless of your pet’s age.
• Celebrate in Style: No holiday celebration would be complete without gifts and treats. Pets can get in on the fun by snuggling up in holiday pajamas that match their parent’s, getting cozy in themed beds such as a snow globe and a dreidel, donning a dapper tree print collar and sporting
a festive sweater. Pets can join in baking traditions with a matching oven mitt and dog toy set and an adorable pie-shaped plush dog toy. The dog toy Advent calendar, holiday beverage plush toys and jar of plush pickle toys make great gifts for dogs, while a teaser base with assorted festive attachments, a cat treat Advent calendar and a sixfoot cat scratch house are sure to be a hit with cats. For Hanukkah, Petco has a cute “Chewish” plush bone dog toy, dreidel cat teaser, blue fair isle cozy coat, and more.
• Save on New Pet Essentials: Petco’s new “Welcome to the Family” program features free in-store booklets providing new dog and cat parents with practical guidance and shopping checklists for pet parents created by Petco’s expert veterinary, training and grooming teams, plus exclusive discounts on pet services and essentials from top brands.
New Year’s Eve Celebration Ideas For Families
TheNew Year’s Eve countdown is on, with people eagerly awaiting the opportunity to say goodbye to this year and welcome the possibilities of the year ahead. The month of January’s name was derived from the Roman god Janus, who was the god of beginnings, endings, doorways, and transitions. Symbolized by his two faces looking in opposite directions, Janus presided over many transitions.
Billions enjoy celebrating the arrival of a new year. While New Year’s Eve may be known for its raucous nature, complete with overflowing cocktails and packed dance floors, parents looking to celebrate with their young children have plenty of
Comeoptions to turn NYE into a more family-friendly affair. Explore these ideas for family-friendly NYE fun.
• Noon Year’s Eve: Staying up until midnight might be a stretch for young children, who tend to get wired and cranky the later into the evening they go beyond typical bedtime. Instead of waiting until 12 a.m. for the countdown, move it back (or ahead) 12 hours to 12 noon. Young children won’t mind if it’s the sun out instead of the moon, as long as they get to make noise and throw confetti.
• Homemade noisemakers: Making noise is part of the fun of welcoming the new year. Kids can get in on the act of crafting
Did You Know?
New Year's Eve, it's customary to count down the last 10 seconds until the clock strikes midnight and the new year officially begins. It seems like the 10-second countdown is as old as time itself, but the tradition actually is much more modern. According to Alexis McCrossen, a history professor at Southern Methodist University, prior to the twentieth century, New Year's Day was celebrated rather than New Year's Eve. And even up until the mid-twentieth century, countdowns were not associated with New Year's Eve or even festive occasions. However, the tides turned on countdowns with the Apollo moon launch in 1961. After that, countdowns for radio hits and other fun activities began. Although some TV announcers in the 1960s began counting down to the new year, it wasn't until 1979 that the crowd at Times Square in New York City began joining in. This was despite the first New Year's Eve ball drop being held more than 70 years earlier in 1907. Publisher Adolph Ochs organized the first New Year's Eve party in Times Square in 1904, while the first-ever ball drop took place three years later when the city banned fireworks for the celebration. Yet it was not until the final year of the 1970s for it to be fashionable for a crowd to gather and participate in shouting out the 10-second countdown, a practice that is now tradition.
their own noisemakers from items that already may be around the house. Collect empty toilet paper or paper towel cardboard tubes for this purpose. Cover one end of the tube with masking tape or a round piece of plastic. Fill the tube with beads, small seashells, rice, or dried beans, leaving enough room for the materials to move around inside the tube. Seal the other end and allow the kids to decorate their noisemakers. Then it’s only a matter of shaking them when it’s time to welcome 2026.
• Dress-up photo booth: Many people love to dress up for a special occasion. At a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration, set aside a corner of a room with dress up props like funny glasses, feather boas, top hats, and NYEspecific items. Explore digital disposable camera apps like POV, Lense or Pixel Party. Guests simply scan a QR code for the event that the party host
has established for a low price, and can snap moments at this “photo booth” that are shared effortlessly to one digital place.
• Kids beverage bar: Ensure that younger guests can be age-appropriate mixologists with sodas, fruit juices, citrus slices, and maraschino cherries. Or set up a hot cocoa bar with miniature marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and peanut butter chips.
• Family-friendly dance club: Put together a playlist of popular songs and choose the “clean” versions so children will not hear questionable lyrics. Clear an area of the party to serve as the dance floor, and utilize strobe lights or a disco ball to enhance the atmosphere.
Families can celebrate New Year’s Eve with kids in entertaining ways that are appropriate for everyone in the home.
Serve Up This Classic Christmas Cocktail
The holiday season is often characterized as the most festive time of year, and for good reason. Social schedules tend to be especially busy come the holiday season, when friends gather for nights out on the town and families reunite in the homes of welcoming hosts. Celebrations are certainly on the mind between late November and early January, and many people like to toast this festive time of year with a cocktail. Perhaps no cocktail is a bigger part of holiday celebrations than eggnog, which is quite popular come December but not typically consumed throughout the rest of the year. This season’s celebrations might not be the same without eggnog, and amateur mixologists can keep that in mind and whip up this recipe for “Eggnog Christmas Milk Cocktail With Cinnamon” courtesy of Lines+Angles.
Eggnog Christmas Milk Cocktail
With Cinnamon
Makes 2 servings
2 ounces dark rum
2 ounces brandy
1 cup eggnog
1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg
1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄8 teaspoon ground star anise
1⁄2 teaspoon demerara sugar
2 sticks cinnamon, for garnish
2 pods star anise, for garnish
Shortbread cookies, for garnish and to serve (optional)
Directions:
1. Mix the rum, brandy and eggnog in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, ground star anise and sugar to a small plate. Wet the rim of a glass with rum. Roll the rim of the glass in the spices.
3. Strain the eggnog mixture between the two glasses. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, star anise pods and festive shortbread cookies if desired.
Simple Stuffed Shells To Please A Hungry Holiday Crowd
Holiday hosting is a fun way to welcome loved ones. Opportunities to host abound between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, and savvy hosts know how useful an expansive culinary repertoire can be during a time of year when it’s common to enjoy home cooked meals with loved ones. Simple but flavorful meals are a holiday host’s best friend. Such meals, which include the following recipe for “Stuffed Shells With Spinach and Ricotta” from Lines+Angles, give hosts more time to mingle but still ensure a delicious dish makes its way to the table come dinnertime.
Stuffed Shells With Spinach And Ricotta
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Salt, to taste
32 jumbo pasta shells
10 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups ricotta, softened
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided), plus extra to serve
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 3⁄4 cups marinara or spaghetti sauce
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per package directions until al dente. Rinse pasta in cold water to stop cooking process and drain well.
2. Squeeze spinach dry. Transfer spinach to large bowl. Add ricotta, 1⁄2 cup Parmesan, garlic, and beaten eggs to bowl. Season mixture with salt and pepper, and mix to blend.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
4. Spoon 1⁄2 cup marinara sauce evenly over bottom of 9- x 13- x 2-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with spinach mixture. Place shells, filling side up, in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1⁄2 cup Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake until heated through and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Spoon remaining sauce over shells.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve.
How To Stay Healthy While Traveling For The Holidays
The holiday season is always a busy time of year for the travel industry, and 2025 figures to be no exception. A November report from CNN indicated that the aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that passenger bookings on major airlines for Thanksgiving were up by 2.22 percent from a year earlier, when holiday travel reached a record high.
Traveling is indeed a key component of the holiday season for millions of people, and long lines at airports, crowded train stations and trains, and even heavily trafficked roadways are among the challenges such individuals must navigate as they aim to spend time with loved ones between late November and the first week of January. Finding ways to stay healthy while traveling is another challenge that such individuals face. While that can be difficult, travelers can look to various strategies to stay healthy when taking to the rails, roads, or friendly skies this holiday season.
• Take some creature comforts to ensure a good night’s rest. The Clayton Sleep Institute reports that as much as 80 percent of travelers report sleeping worse while traveling than they do at home. Jet lag, general weariness, and unique sleeping environments can compromise travelers’ ability to get sufficient and quality rest while away from home. When possible, taking some creature comforts along, such as the pillow you sleep on at home, can facilitate better rest on the road. That can promote a healthier
holiday season, as the Mayo Clinic notes, people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get sick after exposure to a virus, including the common cold.
• Do some homework on nutrition. Healthy food and the holiday season are not exactly synonymous, and it’s easy to overindulge in unhealthy fare like baked goods when visiting loved ones between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. It’s also more difficult to eat healthy when traveling, regardless of the time of year. Some pre-travel homework can help travelers find restaurants that offer healthy fare on the road to their destination and locate restaurants with nutritious foods once they
arrive. Travelers can also pack healthy snacks to enjoy during their travels.
• Stay somewhere you can exercise. Many hotels now feature on-site fitness facilities and/or swimming pools so guests can exercise during their stay. Travelers can book stays in these facilities rather than staying in hotels with no such offerings or in loved ones’ apartments. Some hotels may include access to a local fitness facility with each booking instead of an on-site exercise room. Travelers who want to stay healthy while on the road can take advantage of these offerings during their stay.
• Take something along to calm the stress. Even the
most seasoned travelers can succumb to travelrelated stress, especially during the busy holiday travel season. Take along an engaging book, a tablet pre-loaded with films and television shows, a smartphone with a full array of podcasts to listen to, or additional items that might help you remain calm should a stressful situation arise during your travels. Stress can compromise the immune system, so having a distraction during travel delays can help people get through their holiday travels in a healthy way.
Staying healthy when traveling during the holiday season can come down to some simple planning.
Seven Ways To Organize And Store Holiday Decorations
Holidaydecor comes in many different sizes — from the smallest tree ornaments to illuminated statues for the yard or inflatable items. Figuring out a storage plan can take a little effort. These seven tips can help.
1. Purchase clear, similarly sized storage bins and shelving racks, hanging them where you plan to keep the decorations. Most people prefer an out-of-the-way spot, such as in the garage, attic or basement. Label each bin by holiday and put the bins in chronological order to make finding items more convenient. Uniform bin sizes make it easier to stack and store.
2. Store smaller items inside larger decor items. Decorative baskets or wrapped boxes brought out for Christmas or Chanukah are ideal places to keep smaller tchotchkes like ceramics, dreidels, candlestick holders, or mantel hooks. Delicate items can be tucked into Christmas stockings or wrapped and stored in a fluffy tree skirt. Egg cartons can be used to keep small items safe as well.
3. Label everything, so you will not need to dig through boxes or bins to know what is inside. This might be a good year to ask for a label maker for the holidays!
4. Use overhead or wall storage for holiday decor. Overhead spaces in the garage or basement walls can be good spaces to keep holiday decorations. Always keep bins and boxes off the floor, so they are not vulnerable to damage related to leaks or floods.
5. Garment bags can protect larger decorations, such as wreaths, artificial trees, or signs. If you have a large number of mechanical, illuminated, or inflatable lawn ornaments, consider investing in a small shed where these items can be safely kept. Wrap the extension cords and any bracing stakes or strings used with the decorations so it’s easy to find.
6. Utilize pieces of cardboard as well as toilet paper or paper towel tubes to keep lights and wires tidy. Tuck cords into the toilet paper tubes, and wrap lights around the cardboard to avoid tangles.
7. Each year, take inventory of your decoration collection and toss out anything that is damaged or has seen better days.
Storing holiday decorations will take some time, but once you establish a system, things will be simple year after year.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2026
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2026
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Why Make Resolutions?
dawn of a new year is a time when many people take inventory of the previous 12 months and begin thinking about ways they can improve their lives in the coming year. Such looking ahead can provide inspiration and motivation.
Resolving to make changes at the beginning of a new year is a tradition for many people. Even when people veer off course from their resolutions, many pick themselves up, dust themselves off and try again year after year.
The custom of making resolutions is celebrated in many areas of the world. But how did the custom begin?
History.com states that the origins of New Year’s resolutions can be traced to
Christmas
the ancient Babylonians, who purportedly made promises to the gods to earn good favor for the coming year. These resolutions were personal promises of growth and redemption and were made in conjunction with the start of a new year which, at the time, began in mid-March and not January.
Common resolutions revolved around getting out of debt or returning borrowed items. The Babylonians tried to fulfill these resolutions so that the pagan gods would bestow favor on them, including a rich harvest, for the coming year.
The Romans were the first to change the calendar to have the new year begin on January 1. January was named for the Roman god Janus, who had dual faces.
Did You Know?
trees are a key component of many people's holiday season. It's a family tradition to choose the tree each year and then adorn it with ornaments, tinsel, family mementos, and a beautiful tree topper. Most people fasten the top bough with an angel or a star. The first tree toppers were the infant Jesus, but toppers are now available in other options symbolic of the Nativity of Jesus. The star refers to the Star of Bethlehem. The angel represents the messengers of God as well as the Angel Gabriel, who visited Mary to share the news that she would be giving birth to the Son of God. People can choose whichever topper they prefer, but many refer to the religious significance of Christmas.
Romans believed that Janus could not only look back into the previous year, but also look forward to the next one. So Romans made promises to Janus to do good deeds in the months to come and learn from past mistakes.
Early Christians also embraced resolutions as chances to repent and redeem themselves through positive actions. Although there are still some religious ties
to resolutions, New Year’s resolutions are still largely practiced today. And unlike making promises to God or pagan gods, resolutions are now most often personal promises focusing on selfimprovement.
The largest percentage of resolutions made today, according to Statistics Brain, involve self-improvement or education-related goals.
