Happy Holidays From Patch
Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and wonderful holiday season! Share your family holiday photos and season's greetings.
Holiday Guide
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Monday, December 24, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
Vote For the Best 'Decked' House
We've chosen 25 finalists in Patch's Deck the House Contest from all our entries across the country.
We had tons of national entries in this year’s Deck the House contest and in our quest to find the most over-the-top holiday decorations in the country, we’ve seen everything from a life-size Santa to holiday lights so bright they could blind the neighbors. We loved showcasing everyone’s holiday spirit, but Deck the House isn’t over yet. We’re still looking for the one home so spectacularly decorated that it could be the national grand prize winner of our contest. We've chosen 25 finalists from all our entries across the country. Until Dec. 28, vote for your favorite and that person could win $100,000 for his or her local school district. All you have to do is visit this page to browse a gallery of the finalists and cast your vote. On Dec…
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Avenues Neighborhood Association Serenades Hopkins Streets
Check out these photos of Avenues carolers and then share your own images of your holiday festivities.
The Avenues Neighborhood Association once again brought holiday cheer to their neighbors. Residents kicked off their annual caroling event Sunday at Chapel View, where they sang for people living there. They then split into groups to sing at Avenues homes, leaving candy canes at the homes where they sang. After serenading the neighborhood, the carolers gathered around a fire in the driveway behind Kay and Jim Griggs’ home to enjoy cider, cocoa and cookie. Do you have photos of your holiday festivities? Share them with your neighbors by uploading them to the gallery above. To do so, just make sure you’re signed in to Patch and click on “Upload Photos and Videos." Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our free daily …
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Ask a Patch Pro: Last Minute Gift Ideas
Got someone on your list who is hard to shop for? We've got Twin Cities style consultants on deck to help you find the perfect gift.
We all have at least one person in our lives that presents a perennial problem during the holidays: They're impossible to shop for. Maybe they're a vegan who can't countenance any animal products whatsoever, or a friend who is allergic to everything from angora to silk, or worse, the one who never wants anything. Enter Melissa Hardin, creator of Flaunt, a mobile boutique run by a group of fashion artists and style consultants out of a studio in Fridley. Also on deck are Jennifer Zafft, Marketing Director for The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove, and Lisa Buck, a resident of the Lake Minnetonka area and veteran holiday shopper, and Kelly Bray of Zida Boutique in Burnsville. Stymied? Whipshawed by confusion? These ladies will help you …
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Saturday, December 15, 2012
Enter Patch's 'Deck the House' Contest For a Chance to Win $100,000 for Hopkins Schools
Did you decorate your house for the holidays this year? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your school district and/or $500 to pay your electric bills!
Recycle Your Old Lights This Holiday Season
Old lights can be dropped off at City Hall and the Hopkins Activity Center.
Editor’s Note: The following announcement comes from the City of Hopkins. The holiday season is officially upon us. For many of us that means decorating with holiday lights. When your old lights don’t turn on, there is a solution. The City of Hopkins has two collection sites for “Recycle Your Holidays”. Reduce waste this year by dropping off old, broken holiday lights at City Hall (1010 1st St S) or the Activity Center (33 14th Ave N) during the holiday season. This program recycles every part of the light strand. The lights are collected and sorted by vocational centers throughout Minnesota, which employ individuals with disabilities. For more information about Recycle Your Holidays™ visit RecycleMinnesota.org.
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Friday, December 14, 2012
Enjoy an Eco-friendly Holiday Season
Reduce, reuse and recycle to make your holidays even greener.
As we deck the halls this holiday season, the overabundance of wrapping paper, plastic packaging and miscellaneous bits and pieces can be overwhelming. All of this will soon result in overflowing trash cans and more crowded landfills. According to the Ecology Center, Americans throw away an additional five million tons of trash—25 percent more than usual—between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. How can we reduce our waste while still enjoying the season? Let’s look at ways to make your holidays more eco-friendly. Decorations Dina Manzo from HGTV sets up an edible tree on her back deck. The tree is festooned with ornaments made from apple slices, covered in peanut butter and sprinkled with birdseed, pretzels, and gingerbread men. Strings of…
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Wednesday, December 12, 2012
PHOTOS: Hopkins Police Help Students Shop for Christmas Presents
‘Shop with a Cop’ brings officers and youth together to find Christmas gifts.
Police filled the Target at 36th Street and Highway 100 in St. Louis Park on Tuesday. But these officers weren’t responding to a crime. They were Hopkins police helping local youth shop for Christmas presents for their families. The inaugural “Shop with a Cop” brought officers together with 15 at-risk teens, chosen because they are excellent students with good behavior records. Cargill provided $3,000 for the event, while Target provided $500 and 15 to 20 staff members to help. The students had $100 to spend on their families. The officers helped them navigate the store and check off items on their list. When they were done picking out gifts for their families, the officers surprised them by telling them they had $50 to spend on themselves…
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Monday, December 10, 2012
Blackstone Manor Wins Window Decorating Contest
Hopkins Carpet One is this year’s runner-up.
The Hopkins Business and Civic Association has named Blackstone Manor Clock Repair as the winner of its annual window-decorating contest. Each year, the organization invites local businesses to decorate for the community’s Old Fashioned Christmas celebration, which took place Thursday night. Five businesses total decorated. Blackstone Manor’s display featured a nativity scene backed by a Christmas tree. Hopkins Carpet One was named second place. In addition, the following businesses also participated: Organizers are counting the event a big success. More than 300 people attended, and Santa handed out more than 130 candy canes. Click here to see photos of the event and to share your own. Follow us on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign …
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Saturday, December 8, 2012
Enter Patch's 'Deck the House' Contest For a Chance to Win $100,000 for Hopkins Schools
Did you decorate your house for the holidays this year? Enter our 'Deck the House' contest and you could win $100,000 for your school district and/or $500 to pay your electric bills!
Martina Tresenriter
3:32 pm on Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Our family was adopted by a large company through our childrens school, they gave us a $100 gift card to Wal-Mart... so I have to buy them something from there. I figured we would buy them a gift from "Santa" there and then plan an individual date night with mom and dad from us. I really like that idea :) more ›