We know that there were three Wise Men, 12 days of Christmas and that Santa delivers all his presents around the world in one night. But did you know... If you were to buy your "true love" all the gifts in the 12 Day of Christmas, it would cost a whopping $23,439.38. When it's all said and done, this holiday season Americans will spend 12.9 billion hours and $447 billion shopping, wrapping and returning gifts. That's about 42 hours and $688.87 per person. Make sure to give your postman a little extra something this year, or perhaps something for an aching back. According to Hallmark, …

Why toast the new year in the same old way? Create personalized champagne glasses, and make the midnight hour special. Glass etching is a great way to bring life into a plain piece of glassware. A well-etched piece of stemware adds a personal and elegant look to the dinner table and makes for a great conversation piece. For this project, I decided to make a pair of champagne glasses for my cousin and his fiancée to celebrate the beginning of their first year as a married couple.  I wrote their names and the year on the glasses. When choosing a design for your glasses, think about the purpose …

Get ready to welcome 2011 with a celebration—and we'll help you find the one that's right for you. Whether you're looking for a casual event or a formal occasion, Patch gathered the information for six Woodridge-area New Year's Eve parties sure to set the tone for a memorable night. Formal Ashton Place - 341 75th St., Willowbrook. This festive banquet hall invites guests to an elegant, black tie optional event. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres begin at 7 p.m., followed by a five-course dinner prepared by Chef Paul Maciulis. Dance to Motown, rock and classic live music performed by Public i until …

Take a photo tour of the best holiday lights in Woodridge. The lights are on and our community has become a magical village of colorful displays.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope that you're spending your day relaxing and spending time with family and friends. If you're making Woodridge Patch part of your holiday festivities, check out ten of our best stories from the holiday season. Food and Entertaining 1. 8 Holiday Cookie Recipes You Should Try 2. Tips To Make Holiday Entertaining Easier 3. Have the Best, Most Environmentally Conscious Christmas Tree Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 4. What's Open in Woodridge and What's Not on Chistmas Day 5. Christmas Eve and Day Services in Woodridge Woodridge Gets Ready for the …

While Santa Claus makes his trip around the world, with Rudolph lighting the way, the men and women at NORAD will be tracking his travels and alerting children of his progress. Santa's magic is powerful and much more technologically advanced than that of NORAD, the North American Air Defense Command, said U.S. Army Major Mike Humphreys. Humphreys is stationed at Peterson Air Force Base, in Colorado Springs, Colo. The command is confident that Santa will be able to handle anything he encounters on his Christmas Eve trip. "We have satellites in space that pick up heat signatures, and those …

With the holiday entertaining season in full swing, chances are pretty good that you will be attending a party or special dinner. As Emily Post will tell you, it can be impolite to show up empty-handed. Hostess gifts are always a great way to express your gratitude.  "Wine makes great hostess gifts or last minute presents," said Kelly Dean of WineStyles. "We offer a selection of about 30 different wines in our special '6 for $60' section, where you can buy any six bottles for only $60. You'll find a great selection of red and white wines with flavors ranging from sweet to bold." If you're…

What's Open: Restaurants: Eggstasy, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Jameson's Charhouse, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Coffee: Starbucks at the Bolingbrook Promenade, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., 645 E Broughton Rd., Bolingbrook, IL Movie Theaters: Cinemark, AMC Loews, Hollywood Blvd. Businesses: Walgreens, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. What's Closed:  Coffee: Both Woodridge Starbucks (at 75th and Lemont and in Seven Bridges) Restaurants: Suparossa, Papa's Pizza, Blue Ginger, Buffalo Wild Wings, Carrabba's Businesses: Target, Jewel, Sam's Club

1. Cornflake Holly Cookies  What you'll need: Butter, marshmallows, cornflakes, cinnamon candies, vanilla, green food coloring Why you'll love them: The cookies are beautiful to look at. Plus, they combine cornflakes, marshmallows and candy. How can you lose?  2. Aunt Marion's Toffee Bars What you'll need: Soda crackers, brown sugar, butter, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, walnuts or pecans (optional) Why you'll love them: Everyone knows that sweet and salty make for the most satisfying holiday snacks. 3. Whirlaway Cookies What you'll need: Butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla, …

Christmas is right around the corner, much to the horror of shoppers who have been putting off their to-do lists. Video games, as always, are at the top of many wish lists whether it be kids or adults. Gamers are a finicky, picky type, as many shoppers all over the world have come to realize and understand. Still not sure what to get them? Hopefully, this list will help, broken down by video game system. I'll also mention a few games and accessories to avoid at the end, as well. Games are listed by title, main developer, number of players and ESRB rating. Wii: Super Mario Galaxy 2, Nintendo, …

Below are the Christmas services offered by churches in Woodridge. First Baptist Church of Woodridge and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Woodridge are missing from this list but will be added once the information becomes available. christ the savior catholic church Christmas Eve: 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. Christmas Day: 10 a.m. Dec. 26: 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. prince of peace lutheran church Christmas Eve: 4:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. There will be traditional carols and candlelight (or glowsticks) at each ceremony. Christmas Day: No services. Dec. 26: Service of lessons and carols with…

Christmas is just around the corner, which means it's now time to find a good tree for the family.  There is no clear cut answer as to which Christmas tree to choose. This choice is based on one's own tastes and desires. Included are a few general tips regarding the maintenance of your tree, what type of lights to use and where to get them, and how and where to dispose of your tree. Also, I wouldn't be a very good environmental columnist if I didn't present to you a reasonable argument supporting real Christmas trees as opposed to those plastic, synthetic trees. Care and Maintenance …

Every week during the month of December, we'll feature local homes with holiday decorations. Send us a photo of your decorated home, or let us know of a house you've seen that stands out, and we'll include it into our photo gallery. E-mail photos to melissat@patch.com.

Dear Soldiers: Thank you for fighting for the americans. Happy Holidays from Emmy Dear Soldiers: Thank you for fighting for all americans. And have a happy holiday, From Sam Dear Santa: I'm wishing for a art set. I'm wishing for a sister! I hope you get a sister for me! I am leaving some reindeer food for well you know who. Love Emily Dear Santa: Here are the things I want for Christmas, they are a Zoo Zoo Pet and a furrele friend zhu and a lightup dairy.  Maddie Dear Santa: You've been a nice man. What I would like for Christmas is clothes, zhu zhu pets, puppy, cell phone, desk and chair, …

Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived at St. Scholastica in Woodridge Saturday, courtesy of the Woodridge Special Events Committee (WSEC). The Lisle-Woodridge Fire Department provided the transportation and the Woodridge Police Department provided an honoray escourt to ensure a timely arrival for the waiting crowds. Mr. and Mrs. Claus met with nearly 200 children of all ages. Each child shared their Christmas wish list with Santa and were provided with a gift bag and photo compliments of the Woodridge Special Events Committee. The WSEC Committee members have been offering this annual event to …

Mrs. Santa Claus let her hair down, Prancer announced she's a dance instructor during the year and the snowmen day-dreamed about living in Hawaii. Sound unconventional? Maybe. But those scenarios were all part of "North Pole Exposure," the holiday musical the third- and fourth-grade students at William F. Murphy Elementary School performed Thursday. The musical was written by John Jacobson and Mac Huff. The students performed "North Pole Exposure" twice, once for a school assembly and again for friends and family Thursday night. Dianne Sabovik, the music teacher at Murphy, said the students …

Use food to entice your guests, while setting the stage for your holiday occasions.Whether it's a house warming or a holiday occasion, food is the star attraction. You may be surprised that the edible goodies you serve can also be used as a form of personal and creative expression to deck the halls and the holiday table. As a bonus, they're relatively inexpensive and most are found in the produce section of your grocery store. So, get creative and play with your food this holiday season. Place green onions or green beans side-by-side on a platter or wooden cutting board. The fresh green …

Can I thaw my turkey in my electric blanket? I've trapped my turkey in the oven by accidentally turning on the self-cleaning cycle, what do I do? Can I use a chain saw to carve my turkey? My Chihuahua is stuck in the turkey carcass, help! Hard to believe, but these represent just a handful of actual questions posed to the staff of the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line since it first started helping callers with their turkey traumas 30 years ago. The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line is tucked away in an undisclosed office building on Diehl Road in Naperville. For nearly two months — from Nov. 1 until …

The Dinner Dish In 2009, 931 million pounds of pumpkins were produced in the major pumpkin-producing states. Illinois led the way by producing 429 million pounds, and 90 percent of the country's processing pumpkins. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, in 2010, 242 million turkeys will be raised for the sake of making our dinners more filling. That's about 7.1 billion pounds of poultry. Minnesota is the top turkey home with 47 million turkeys raised in the Gopher State. According to Ocean Spray, Americans consume 400 million pounds of cranberries each year, …

If you are one of the lucky ones who will be enjoying Thanksgiving dinner elsewhere and won't need to dirty your kitchen or break out the good china, then good for you! Enjoy your week and don't forget to pick up a hostess gift. However, for those of us who will be the recipient of the aforementioned hostess gifts – it's show time people! Not to put you in a planning panic, but it's time to get cooking. If you're following the Thanksgiving timeline suggested by Williams-Sonoma, by now you've already planned your menu, table setting, serving dishes and decorations, shopped for the appropriate …