Here are events planned in the Winston-Salem area:

Only eight days of madness till your true loves give to you — gifts that need returning and Tums for hearts ‘a burning.

To all of you who will shop yourselves into a frenzy during the next eight days — then on the holiday receive gifts that you cannot wait to return — these tips are for you: 

Eighteen-thousand lights. A half mile of cables. Eleven months of work. The James family in Mooresville took Christmas spirit to the next level this year.

Wayne and Tresha James have decorated their home with more than the traditional twinkling lights. Instead, their colorful Christmas display keeps time and beat with modern, high-energy holiday music.

In a converted gym at her Mount Pleasant home called the “workshop,” Tracy Ginder is struggling to create the best Christmas for all of her 60 “kids.”

Boxes stacked in the floor are overflowing with coffee and food items, wrapped gifts and cards, all waiting to be sent to the family members she’s never met.

She’s nearly completed her goal: supplying Christmas halfway around the world. 

It’s one of those rare opportunities for a person to do something festive for the holidays while having a positive effect on the community, as well.

The Newton-Conover Educational Foundation Holiday Tour of Homes will be held from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday. All proceeds from the tour will go to Newton-Conover Schools, providing money for grants for teachers.

When Paula Quick left a management position at a Fortune 500 company to start her own business, her passion for quality customer service went with her. The difference was she had to provide it at a more basic level.

The shift also made her consider more closely those who provide her with services. 

Take a trip back to the Victorian era this weekend when the Catawba County Historical Association opens the Harper House, decked out in holiday finery.

The association’s staff and volunteers have trimmed the rooms in the three-story Queen Anne house with fresh greenery.

Santa’s got a new suit to wear, made by his very own Burke County seamstress.

Patty Lackey, owner of Patterns on Sterling Street, has made three suits for Santa in the past 12 years.

“He just tells me what he wants, and I create it,” she said.

Presents aren’t the only things being delivered this Christmas season.

Kody Transport of Morganton delivers Christmas trees and garland up and down the east coast. 

When you’re going over your Christmas list during the next few weeks, don’t forget to add a new, shiny bike to your list.

The recipient is a needy child who probably wouldn’t get any other gifts this year. But thanks to the Hickory Fire Department, Salvation Army and Catawba County Christmas Bureau, hundreds of children will receive new bikes and toys for Christmas.

The square in downtown Newton lit up Sunday night despite the rainy weather.

“According to The Weather Channel, this was here to stay,” said Lori Wray of the city’s Festival and Events Committee’s decision to cancel most of the festivities planned for “Light up the Town.”

While Santa’s elves are busy making presents for good boys and girls, the big man himself is in Hickory on a rooftop through Dec. 21 in an effort to rally area citizens to donate toys for boys and girls.

Affordable Cars of Hickory has made a pledge to fill a 48-foot tractor-trailer with new toys for Toys for Tots. Santa is being held hostage on the roof of the business until the tractor-trailer is full or Dec. 21 rolls around, whichever comes first, said Kevin Roberts, general manager of Affordable Cars of Hickory.

Project Christmas trees are now stocked with angels waiting to be adopted for the holidays.

The organization was designed to give presents and food to needy kids and their families. Parents submitted applications to the program. 

Original Pecan Pralines
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups mixed pecan halves and pieces
1 tbsp. butter

Combine sugar and water in saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in pecans; cook until mixture reaches the soft ball stage. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Immediately drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper; let stand until firm. 

Dean and Beth Stewart’s home in Coachman’s Trace in Cornelius has been attracting plenty of stares thanks to the rather unusual decoration outside. Beth says her husband came up with the idea of a life-sized man falling off a ladder while hanging Christmas lights.

Gary Hargus remembers the last time he had the holiday blues.

The year was 1977 and Hargus, who had recently separated from his first wife, spent Thanksgiving in New Jersey away from his family. He recalls eating by himself at a diner at the beginning of the holiday season.

The Lake Norman Jewish Congregation will hold its annual Hanukkah Celebration on Dec. 7 at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Cornelius. 

Opening ceremonies
Christmas in Davidson kicks off on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 6 p.m. on the Village Green (Concord and Main). Santa will arrive at 6:30 p.m. on a fire engine.

Beth Shalom of Lake Norman is hosting the 4rd Annual Hanukkah celebration at Birkdale.  The event will be Sunday, Dec. 9, from 2-5 p.m. on the Village Green. The celebration will include free food, games, Hanukkah crafts, songs and a magic show, plus discounts offered by Birkdale merchants.  This event is free and open to members and guests. 

Mt. Zion United Methodist Church is helping ring in the holiday season with its annual “Cornelius Concert Series.”

“This series has been going on for the past five years, and has been very successful,” said the church’s musical director, Macy Mittelstadt. “It’s open to the public and they’re all free.”

The holidays are like an etiquette minefield for children. Cooks who get “creative” with the food; long, boring visits with distant relatives; and gifts that are less-than-exciting can all leave kids feeling less than gracious. But with a little effort in advance, parents can help kids be on their best behavior — at least when it counts the most. We turned to Davidson etiquette expert Aimee Symington, owner of Successful Kids, to offer a few tips.

Christmas decorations are popping up in houses everywhere, and they can be especially tempting for young children.

Take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable, keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid them from swallowing or inhaling small pieces and avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them. 

Sure, you can wait until the New Year to dedicate yourself to healthier living. Or, with a little creativity, you can start right now by loading your holiday gift list with books and toys that are good for your friends and loved ones.

Maybe they’ll catch your spirit and support you whenever you’re ready to get yourself in gear.

Healthy is as healthy shops!

Some consumers may choose to go with an artificial Christmas tree rather than a fresh-cut one, opting for the convenience and easy clean-up that an artificial tree can provide compared with a real or live tree.

There is an ongoing debate about whether real or artificial trees are “greener” in environmentally friendly terms.

VIDEO: Tree lighting ceremony

And so it is that families like the Reeders of Union Grove mark the event — which took place on Tuesday night — on their calendars.

“It’s an enjoyable way to get the season started off right,” said Todd Reeder. “The kids get to see Santa, and it puts you in the Christmas mood.”

The Reeder children — Taylor, Jared and Carey — planned on asking the big guy for everything from a teddy bear to metal detector to a Rubik’s Cube.

A Rubik’s Cube?

The Exceptional Equestrians Program at J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center will open the stable doors Saturday for its annual “Christmas with the Horses” fundraiser.

The event will take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Parents and children can ride horses, take a picture with Santa or go on a wagon ride around the campus to see the Christmas displays.
Kids can dress up in jockey silks and ride the program’s miniature racing horses. 

People can give twice with their holiday purchases by supporting local nonprofit organizations, such as Brenner Children’s Hospital, that sell items that can be given as holiday gifts.

Here is a list of some of the organizations and the items that are available this season:

It’s that time of the year when people drive around at night to see houses that have been elaborately decorated for the holidays. We have updated a list that we ran last year. The list was compiled from recommendations sent in by Winston-Salem Journal readers.

Looking for a holiday gift for someone who loves to travel?

Here are some recommendations from experts across the travel industry, from cruise specialists and Web site editors, to Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler and Delta flight attendant David Lang. (Retail prices may vary.)

More than 35 million Americans will be heading over the river and through the woods to visit friends, family and to go on vacation between now and New Year’s. If you’re thinking of hitting the road, one thing is certain - you won’t be alone.

Before you find yourself stuck in traffic or delayed at the airport, take a few moments and consider these tips as you plan your travel for the upcoming holiday season.

Most of us realize that Christmas trees are like cabbage or cotton, grown as a renewable crop.

If they were not harvested, they would strangle each other out. Still, there is a pang of sympathy for the poor little tree. It is whacked down in its youth to serve for a month of spangled and jeweled glory. Then it is tossed aside with the rest of the excessive holiday debris.

You’re in a hurry. So you drop $5 on a trinket for your child’s teacher, then move on to the next item on your holiday to-do list.

While shoppers lolled on the beach or camped under the stars this summer, it was holiday time for more than a few online retailers.

The shopping sites were running simulations to see what would happen over the holidays if customers showed up at their Web doors in numbers far beyond their wildest dreams - or nightmares.

More than a million lights will be turned nightly through Jan. 1 during Tanglewood Park’s annual Festival of Lights.

The festival transforms a four-mile route in the park in Clemmons into a holiday light show.

Though a big bird looming in the center of the table sums up a holiday meal for many people, side dishes are just as important to the festive atmosphere.

We tend to stick to classic dishes that we’ve served time and time again during the holidays, but it’s nice to tweak them now and then.

This holiday season, after various large-scale recalls, parents may be jittery about buying toys. A little research and a large dose of common sense - rather than a boycott of toys from China - can help shoppers make wise decisions, experts say.

One of the highlights of the holiday season is reconnecting with family members you may have been out of touch with for a while. If you find yourself thinking this holiday season that you might want to see these people more than once a year, plan now for a reunion next year.

A family reunion is the perfect way to get all the people you love in one place to relive the old days, and also make new memories. There’s no limit to what you can do. You can have a simple weekend getaway with close family, or invite the whole family for an extravaganza. The important thing to do is strike while the iron is hot. So this holiday season, when everyone is sitting around, start hatching a plan for your own reunion.

Before hitting the malls, experts recommend, try making a list of expected expenses, trimming your gift-giving list, and determining whether to pay by cash or credit card.

Give way to your creative side with this pumpkin trifle. Consider the recipe just a guide for making your own patterns and designs as you layer pumpkin pudding, pound cake and whipped cream. This recipe takes a little time, but you could easily make a similar trifle with a quick pudding (whip pumpkin pie filling into prepared tapioca pudding) and purchased whipped topping.

If all the TV shows, magazines and gadgets geared toward helping us organize our stuff indicate anything, it’s that a lot of us already own everything we need - and then some.

Maybe your family has adopted a “no gifts” policy at Christmas. But if you still enjoy the process of gift-giving, think about buying gifts that won’t take up space. Give donations, experiences, time.

Buying a gift card lets you off the hook if you’ve got persnickety people to shop for.

Or, if you lack time, ideas, good taste, or the will to hit the malls or stores.

But let’s talk about those ubiquitous little plastic presents. If you don’t buy a good one, they could wind up as a gift to retailers or a state treasury, and not the one on your shopping list.

I’ll explain later. First, here’s what you need to know: 

The holidays can be one of the most wonderful times of the year. They are a time to appreciate all we have and to spend time with our loved ones. Unfortunately, the holidays can also be one of the most stressful times of the year. Nutrition-wise, for those trying to manage their weight, this season of parties and get-togethers can present many challenges. 

You can’t lose by giving books as holiday gifts. People who love to read are always thrilled to get them, and those who don’t may well discover a whole new world.

Everyone has interests, and there’s a book for every one: dogs, fantasy, gardening, cooking, space, celebrities, art. You name it.

The pre-holiday flurry of new publications includes several we’d recommend for the holidays: 

There are many ways to give back to the community and to the less fortunate. Here are a few ways you can donate your time, money or gifts:

With the holidays approaching and the preparing of food and special dishes, cooking fires are more likely to happen on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

In 2005, cooking fires were involved in approximately 1,300 reported home fires on Thanksgiving, almost three times the daily average, says the NFPA.

Enterprise Fire Chief Byron Herring said at times involving more preparation of food in the kitchen, fires can become a hazard.

“People just need to be aware of what they’ve got on the stove and in the oven at all times. With company coming in, sometimes it gets easy to overlook something on the stove that is boiling, especially anything with grease,” he said. “Grease overheating is often the cause of fires.”

Thanksgiving dinner is getting bigger and better by the year in Mooresville.

The Mooresville Community Thanksgiving Meal will make its third appearance to serve anyone in need of food and fellowship on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 22. It’s all free. 

Tired of the traditional red and green of Christmas? Consider peacock feathers and chartreuse.

Holiday decorating trends have come and gone and come again over the years — bubble lights; colorful strings of lights with opaque bulbs bigger than some lamp bulbs; retro silver trees; and the turning color wheel to make your Christmas tree appear blue, then red, then yellow and even green.

Decorators say tree ornaments and other holiday decorations run the gamut this year. 

Whether you go with an artificial or real tree this Christmas, there are some things to keep in mind.

Some people call it “the Super Bowl of holiday travel.”

It’s the time around Thanksgiving when airports are packed with people trying to go somewhere for turkey and pumpkin pie.

Turkey. Check.

Stuffing. Check.

Green bean casserole. Check.

Cranberry sauce. Check.

Wine. Wine? 

For area race fans, the Friday after Thanksgiving is like Christmas coming early.

NASCAR enthusiasts and early Christmas shoppers will have the opportunity to fulfill the dream of driving around Lowe’s Motor Speedway during the annual Souvenirs and Race Ticket Blow-Out Sale set for Nov. 23.

This time of year, cooking magazines, the Food Network and food columns abound with recipes for Thanksgiving. Rachel Ray is promoting Zucchini Muffin Stuffin’ and Chipotle Gravy, Giada De Laurentis wants you to make turkey and cranberry ravioli, and Paula Deen, bless her heart, thinks deep-fried turkey is the ticket.

The pressure is on. Everyone wants a home-cooked meal for Thanksgiving, and even if you haven’t cooked for your family in six months, chances are you feel obliged to venture into the kitchen for Thanksgiving.

Christmas in Davidson begins on Thursday, Nov 29, at 6 p.m. on the Village Green. Look for Santa Claus to arrive by fire truck at 6:30 p.m. Here are some of the highlights:

Last year, more than 70,000 toys were collected through the Toys for Tots program, helping 10,000 children in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties have a happier holiday. 

“My friends and family love this cheesecake variation and beg me for the recipe!”

Which is the appropriate greeting? The debate rages in letters to the editor, e-mails and discussions around the region and nation.

Here are the thoughts of three clergy on the issue:

Given all that Jerry Jones juggles, it’s difficult to imagine how he fits even more work into his crammed schedule this time of year.

For church-music directors such as Jones, the weeks leading to Christmas can be hectic as a shopping mall on the day after Thanksgiving.

Credit is not the only way to pay for holiday presents.

Shoppers without credit or those trying to avoid high-interest card payments continue to look to financing classics like layaway for big-ticket items. 

While the holidays can be a joyous time for adults and children alike, they may also bring a smile to the face of criminals. That’s because amid the excitement and confusion of holiday shopping and travel, many people leave themselves susceptible to theft. Willing thieves are waiting in the wings to lighten your holiday shopping load.

To ensure the holidays will be as happy as possible and not spoiled by criminals lurking in the shadows, consider these safety and comfort tips.

With the holidays fast approaching, you’re probably already thinking about what you’re going to do this year. What are you going to cook? How will you decorate? What fun activities can you organize for the family? What gifts are you going to buy? 

When asked to pick their favorite holiday films, movie buffs almost always name “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” as one of their favorite yuletide comedies. Among the more notable struggles faced by protagonist Clark Griswold in the film is stringing up the Christmas lights on his home.

While audiences can laugh at Clark’s flirtations with death during this ordeal, as anyone who has ever undertaken their own Christmas lighting knows, accidents are no laughing matter. They can prove deadly if you’re not careful. That said, consider the following safety tips before diving in to your own lighting display this holiday season.

This magical treat will help guide Santa’s reindeer to your house on Christmas Eve.

Reidsville residents will bundle up in warm clothes and watch the Christmas Parade Saturday night. While the event is fun, if not chilly, for the spectators, organizing a parade takes more than an evening’s work.

Matt Smith finds time between his jobs as assistant pastor and station manager of WGSR to chair the Reidsville Christmas parade committee. He took over the job last year with no experience but busied himself with the long planning period. The parade went smoothly and Smith was excited about working with the committee this year. 

The 12 days of Christmas traditionally bring calling birds, French hens and turtledoves, but this year, Christmas shoppers have the chance to pick up a few more items.

The Southern Christmas Show at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart is bringing Christmas to the Carolinas a little early.

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Stumped on what to get the women in your life? Have a great idea you think others would enjoy? Post your ideas or browse others here:

Stumped on what to get the men in your life? Have a great idea you think others would enjoy? Post your ideas or browse others here:

The glittery ghouls and plastic pumpkins are barely back in their boxes, and already retailers are in full-blown winter-wonderland mode.

Although it all might seem a little premature, retailers know what they’re doing — and you should, too. 

Did you hear? We have a direct line to the Jolly Ol’ Elf himself. Be sure to tell Santa Claus what you want for Christmas and we’ll pass it along!

Have a unique family tradition during the holidays?  Post your stories here:

Like to color?

Download a picture of children and a snowman.
Download a picture of a menorah.
Download a picture of Christmas tree decorations.

Do you celebrate Kwanzaa? Would you like to share the tradition with us?

E-mail us to share your tradition.

Do you celebrate Christmas? Would you like to share the tradition with us?

E-mail us to share your tradition.

As the Hindu festival of Diwali began earlier this month, Americans of Indian descent rejoiced in the recognition of their holiday in a measure approved by the House of Representatives.

The bill noting “the religious and historical significance of the festival of Diwali” passed by a unanimous vote last month in the full House. It was the first bill to pass the House recognizing a Hindu festival that is also marked by Sikhs and Jains. 

Do you celebrate Hanukkah? Would you like to share the tradition with us?

E-mail us to share your tradition.

Chiles add an extra kick to that you don’t usually get in holiday meals.