SYCAMORE – Smoke and Lin Abitt of Sycamore have been creating their own winter wonderland in the 200 block of Alfred Drive for 44 years. It’s not quite the “250 strands, 100 individual bulbs per strand, for a grand total of 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights” level that is Clark W. Griswold’s claim to fame, but the Abitts’ holiday display boasts 3,000 lights in only one of its sections: an archway illuminating the driveway. The rest of the house’s exterior and yard are intricately detailed, with a Nativity scene at the heart of it all. Smoke, 80, built 90 percent of the lighted copper display himself, including the archway, the horse and sleigh on the front lawn, the candy canes, trees, train and various holiday greeting signs. “My daughter was a fairly good artist when she was in high school, and so she drew a horse and sleigh on the garage floor,” Smoke said. “I went and bought quarter-inch copper tubing, and bent that … [Read more...] about DeKalb County families celebrate holiday with sights too unique to miss
Celebrating holidays
Head to ‘The Hill’ to celebrate holidays
By TAYLOR MURCHISON-GALLAGHER STAFF WRITER The Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce and Holiday on the Hill Committee will be hosting the Holiday’s on the Hill and Children’s Reverse Parade on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., on the Federal Hill Green. The Children’s Reverse Parade, lead by the Bristol Fire Department and American Legion of Forestville Post 209, will begin at 6:05 p.m., at the American Clock and Watch Museum, 100 Maple St. It will follow along Maple Street, and will flow to the left, following the path through the Green, where it will conclude at the Christmas tree and carol sing. The carol sing will be emceed by Maria Salice and Sheila Kelley. At 7 p.m., holiday themed activities will start, including writing letters to Santa Claus, arts and crafts, cow train rides provided by Wojtusik Nursery, and visiting with Santa. All activities will be held in the First Congregational Church. Santa will be stationed in the gazebo on the green. Cow train … [Read more...] about Head to ‘The Hill’ to celebrate holidays
Celebrate holiday traditions at Ellwood House Museum
DeKALB – The historic Ellwood House in DeKalb is getting decked out for the holidays. From Thursday through Dec. 2, visitors can kick off their holiday season with a tour of the elegantly decorated mansion. More than a dozen rooms in the 1879 mansion will be decorated by volunteers, community organizations and local businesses. To begin the season, guided tours of the decorated mansion will run from Thursday through Nov. 29 (closed Mondays and Thanksgiving Day). Tours run at 1 and 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for youth ages 6 to 17 (free for children younger than 6). Tours last approximately one hour and begin in the Visitor Center. The museum’s 2018 tour season will culminate with the annual three-day Holiday Event Weekend Nov. 30 through Dec. 2. Visitors will enjoy live music as they tour the three-story mansion. Guides will be stationed on each level to share the history of the home. In the … [Read more...] about Celebrate holiday traditions at Ellwood House Museum
Holiday resorts take cash from our teens and have a duty to help keep them safe
My heart goes out to John and Ceri Channon whose 18 year-old son fell to his death in what appears to have been an avoidable accident on holiday in Magaluf. Reading their tributes to their son - and desperate message to other teens abroad - I can only imagine the pain they are going through. My own 18-year-old daughter returned from the same Spanish island resort on a similar post A-levels celebration holiday with friends just a few days before Tom died there in July. She didn’t know Tom but went to a neighbouring school and through the close teenage network learned of his death from the friend of one of his friends before it made headlines. When Tom fell from a 70ft raised walkway in the early hours of July 12 after becoming separated from his group on a night out, he became the third person from the UK to die at the Eden Roc complex in Magaluf, Majorca, this year. At the time the tragedy happened we had just arrived with my daughter on a family holiday which she joined after … [Read more...] about Holiday resorts take cash from our teens and have a duty to help keep them safe
School’s out! Pictures as hundreds celebrate holidays in Hull
The school holiday celebrations were certainly seen in Newland Avenue on Friday night, with plenty of teachers, school workers and more letting their hair down in the street's bars. Our photographer hit Roots to get some shots of you guys doing what you do best - winding down on a Friday night. The Caribbean-themed bar and restaurant was as busy as ever as revellers celebrated having six weeks off work as schools in the city broke off for summer. Take a look at the pictures shown in the gallery above and see if our snapper, Sergej Komkov, pictured you or any of your friends. We visit popular bars and club across Hull every weekend so keep your eyes peeled for your pictures! Get the Hull Live app The Hull Live app is the home of everything that's happening in Hull.It's completely FREE which features all the latest news, sport and what’s on information. You can download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple's App Store , or get the Android version from Google Play . … [Read more...] about School’s out! Pictures as hundreds celebrate holidays in Hull