Georgia Family Wins Patch's Deck the House Contest

The Felix family from Dallas, GA received thousands of votes to win Patch's Deck the House contest and $100,000 for their local school district.

In this year's Deck the House contest, the second time was the charm. Joseph Felix's home in Dallas, GA outshined the other 24 finalists to win the 2012 Deck the House contest and $100,000 for the Paulding County, GA school district. After placing second in the nationwide voting in the 2011 contest, the Felix home received nearly 11,000 votes this year to finally win Deck the House. The home, with 100,000 computer animated holiday lights choreographed to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You," received about 300 more votes than a home in Coventry, R.I., which finished in second place.  Judging by the 80 comments on the Felixes' Deck the House submission, visiting the home has become a holiday tradition in Dallas, a suburb about …

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Helping Out Lakewood Neighbors in Need for the Holidays

The number of needy residents has skyrocketed, while funding has dropped. Here are some ways you can get help.

The holidays are a good time to spend time with family and friends, but they’re also a great time to offer a hand to those in need. And, in Lakewood, there are plenty of ways to help. There are a number of organizations — including the Lakewood Community Services Center and the Lakewood Charitable Assistance Corporation — and several hot meals in Lakewood looking to help out needy Lakewood families.  And there’s no shortage of those.  According to the 2011 US Census data, more than 17 percent of Lakewood's population is below the poverty line. That’s high, compared with the state average, at 14.8 percent. The recession hasn’t helped. “There’s just so many people coming through,” said Trish Rooney, the director of Lakewood Community …

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Christine K Crawford

2:04 pm on Friday, December 14, 2012

Volunteers are needed today and tomorrow for the LCAC Christmas food bag distribution. No need to register, just show up...and bring a friend. See the blog below for more details http://lakewood-oh.patch.com/blog_posts/volunteers-needed-today-and-tomorrow-for-lcac-holiday-food-basket-event   more ›

Enter Patch's 'Deck the House' Contest For a Chance to Win $100,000

Did you decorate your house for the holidays this year? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your local school district and $500 to pay your electric bills!

Holiday Ornaments: What's Your Favorite?

Decorating your home for the holiday? Show us your favorite piece!

When we decorate our home for the holidays I remind my family of the story around each decoration. One of my favorites is the very first ornament I received from a friend who told me how important it is to build your own collection of holiday ornaments. I was single and had just moved into my own apartment at the time. I had a little Charlie Brown tree and not much to put on it. The little crochet dove she gave me has a musical box in in the back that plays a whiney (albeit not so loudly today) 'It's A Small World.' Another good one is the little house ornament that represented the year we bought our first home in Pennsylvania. We had bought a townhouse and the ornament looked like our home. At the time I worked across from the Moravian …

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Rev. Paula Maeder Connor

8:11 pm on Thursday, December 6, 2012

Ive been collecting things over the years. 33 years ago as a poor seminarian, a friend offered me a Lladro angel at Christmas. Having been a Spanish major in college, the Lladro porcelain was so precious...and I thought out of my reach financially. With that first angel gift I started a life long collecting tradition...saving enough each year to buy one figurine from the Lladro Children's …   more ›

It's a Winter Wonderland in Lakewood

From jazz music to the Light Up Lakewood event, the city’s about to turn into a very festive place.

Santa Claus is coming to town. So are several holiday events during the next few days. All that’s missing is the snow. Whether it’s listening to jazz music while getting your photo taken with Santa or attending the sixth-annual Light Up Lakewood event Saturday, you should be able to get your holiday fix soon. Here are a few of the holiday events posted during the next several weeks leading up to Christmas: Light Up Lakewood: Dec. 1. This classic event stretches from Marlowe to Arthur avenues — from Lakewood Hospital to Lakewood Public Library — from 4 to 8 p.m. when Lakewood turns into a virtual winter wonderland. Click here for a complete schedule of activities and events. The parade will begin at 5 p.m., marching west on Detroit Avenue, …

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The 2012 Holiday Book List

Books make great holiday gifts. Give your loved ones these books as stocking stuffers this holiday season.

When you give a child or a teen a book, you are creating a memory that will last a lifetime. What’s more, reading offers so many options. Are you trying to find a book for an early reader? Choose a picture book or a Great Beginner Read from the list below. Does your grandchild love nonfiction? Take a look at the Great Family Reads section. Has your niece read every book known to man? There are some brand new books on this list that she may not have seen yet. Do you struggle to find just the right book to entice your child to read? These selections are sure kid-pleasers that will meet any interest. The ReadKiddoRead holiday gift list has something for everyone: realistic fiction, science fiction, and nonfiction; animal stories, mythology …

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Beyond Christmas Ale: Try Hard Ciders, Belgium and Pumpkin Beers

Local craft beer aficionados share their holiday favorites to help you expand your beer palate. And you can get them close to home.

Rozi's Wine & Liquor House Inc. 14900 Detroit Ave.  Lakewood 216-221-1119 Rozi's Manager Bill Barak gave us the rundown between the two general classifications of Christmas-time beers, Christmas or spiced and winter warmers. “Winter warmers are scotch ales or strong ales. Basically they are heavier more malty. They warm your belly. They are thick and thus take longer to get through. “Then you have your Christmas beers which are spice beers. The actual classification is spice or vegetable beers is the broad style.” In his opinion Ohio is the leader of the spice beers as far as Christmas ales go. There really aren't other areas that produce it or produce it as well as we do, he said. Winter warmer craft beer selection: Breckenridge Christmas…

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Barry Wemyss

9:29 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012

Last year, for the holidays, I brewed a batch of chocolate habenero pepper porter. It wasn't a hit with everyone, but for those who did like it, it made the holidays a little more special.   more ›

Huge Craft Show Returns to I-X Center

Christmas Connection set for Nov. 16-18

The I-X Christmas Connection will return Nov. 16-18 to the I-X Center in Cleveland. The craft show includes up to 500 booths featuring items like gourmet dips, woven garments, flavored coffees, chocolate-covered pretzels, handmade jewelry, furniture and much more. New this year is the Christmas Wine Cellar, a wine-tasting area; and the Traveling Duck® Tape experience where attendees can check out a 31-foot Duck® Bus and other creative items made from the tape. A free roll of Duck® brand duct tape will be given to the first 500 attendees each day of the show. For kids, features will include Santaland, where youngsters can write letters to Santa or visit with the Jolly Old Elf; the Sugar Plum Shoppe, where children can buy gifts; and …

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