Tales of a Tireless Mom

Tales of a Tireless Mom: The De-Christmafying of the House

Putting one season away and making room for the New Year!

  This Sunday, I de-Christmafied my house. It’s an amazing phenomenon…come the first weekend in December I can’t wait to hang the twinkle lights but by the 26th, the mere thought of a pine needle makes me want to hurl. You must understand, I go big at Christmas.  BIG.  There is not a single room in the house that doesn’t boast at least one decoration, whether it’s as subtle as a candle in a window or as over-the-top as lit garlands on every flat surface available.  The smell of Hollyberry wafts throughout the house and Chez Shumway is sparkly for three weeks straight.  At the time, it’s magical. But once Christmas is over, I want it GONE. I set out to get it done quickly and went straight to work.  I made the conscious decision to hold off…

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What's Open, Closed Christmas Day in Dedham

Libraries and post offices are just a couple of businesses that will be closed on Dec. 25.

  Here's a handy list of what's open (and closed) on Christmas:   Tuesday, Dec. 25:

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How Do You Balance Greed and Gifts?

Consumerism surrounds the holiday season: is greed inevitable, and how do you avoid it?

For those children who celebrate, Christmas' biggest connotation can be a pile of gifts under the tree.  With this in mind, a panel of staff contributors at The Chicago Tribune tackled the question of whether it's inevitable to see greed in their kids around Christmastime. The parents weighed in on suggestions to remind kids of Christmas spirit. Among their suggestions? Help your kids round up some old toys to donate to charity before giving them new toys. Sign them up to participate in a community service project. The Tribune's advice got us thinking at Patch about how we were taught or are teaching our kids to be less greedy around the holidays. Some of our suggestions? Find a giving tree and let your child pick a name or two off of it, …

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Where's Santa? Track Him Live from Dedham!

The North American Aerospace Defense Command has a website that now offers a Santa tracker mobile app to follow the jolly man's magical flight.

  They sent him their wish lists, sat on his lap, and left cookies and milk for his arrival. Now the only thing left for children to do is track Santa's progress as he delivers gifts around the world on Christmas Eve. Thanks to the folks behind the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) website, families worldwide can now follow Santa's Christmas journey in real time. The tradition started in 1955 after an advertisement for Sears Roebuck & Co. misprinted a telephone number for a special "Santa hotline." Instead of reaching Kris Kringle, the number put kids through to the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Commander-in-Chief’s operations, according to a description on the NORAD Tracks Santa Facebook page, which has more than …

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Find Last-Minute Christmas Gifts in Dedham

If the holidays leave you with little time to shop for gifts, try these stores in Dedham for great last-minute gift ideas.

  With all of the tree trimming, cookie baking and partygoing, there is so much to do during the holidays that it's easy to leave shopping for Christmas presents until the last minute. But by then, the malls and chain stores are usually chaotic and the mere thought of battling crowds is exhausting. Here are some ideas for easy gifts that can be bought locally and require little stress: Tell us: What are some of your own last-minute gift ideas? Share in the comments below. 

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TELL US: Does 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer' Condone Bullying?

Does the lovable children's holiday classic send the wrong message? Tell us your thoughts.

In October, Patch asked readers how they felt about one parent's view that "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" condoned bullying. Specifically, blogger DadCamp wrote that the show sends the wrong message to children because of its "continuous teasing and bullying" It's not the first time a parent has spoken out against a classic children's program with such a claim. Last December, news spread that author and special ed professor George Giuliani said that "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was also a program laden with the theme of bullying, considering how much Rudolph was an outsider due to his glowing red nose. Giuliani, as such, wrote a book titled "No More Bullies at the North Pole," which re-tells the story of Rudolph. What do you …

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Betty Smith

8:10 am on Tuesday, December 11, 2012

I do see your point.   more ›

Christmas Worship Times in Dedham

Check a church's website for other holiday events this weekend.

St. Mary of the Assumption: Christmas Eve: 4 p.m.; 6:30 p.m.; midnight (Life Teen sponsored) Christmas: 8 a.m.; 10 a.m.  St. Susanna Parish: Christmas Eve: 4 p.m.; 6 p.m. Christmas: 10 a.m. St. Paul's Episcopal Church Christmas Eve: 4 p.m.; 10 p.m. Christmas: 11 a.m.  St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church Christmas Eve: 3 pm.; 7 p.m. Christmas: 10 a.m. St. John of Damascus Christmas Eve: 5 p.m. First Church and Parish Christmas Eve: 6:30 p.m.  Allin Congregational Church Christmas Eve: 10 p.m. Christmas: 9:45 a.m. 

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Tales of a Tireless Mom

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

A bit of artistic rhythm to celebrate the holidays and reflect back on a busy year for this 'Tireless' mom.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas In the Shumway household There were presents to wrap And laundry to fold  The children were wired And wouldn’t go to bed While visions of serenity Were erased from my head  With Andy at wit’s end I thought I might snap The toddler was crying ‘Cuz we blew off his nap  When over in the playroom There arose such a clatter We sprang from the kitchen To see what was the matter  The tree was knocked over! The ornaments had shattered! But the kids were just laughing And that’s all that mattered A calm feeling took over And I started to smile The Christmas spirit had arrived It just took a while  Taking stock of my blessings Over the past year I knew that our family Had nothing to fear  We’d made it through fourth …

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Alex Shumway

9:26 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Thanks to all....and to all a goodnight!   more ›

Who Has the Best Decorated Christmas Tree in Dedham? [Add Your Photos]

Upload photos of the best trees in town this holiday season.

As Dedham Patch seeks out the most decorated home in Dedham for the holidays (add photos for a chance to win $100,000 for Dedham Public Schools), you now have the chance to upload photos of what you think are the best and most decorated Christmas trees in town! Do you take Christmas tree decorating seriously? Have a friend or family member who has a stunning display? Let us know! Simply click the button below to add any photos of your favorite Christmas trees in town this year!

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6 Places Open on Christmas in Dedham

While many places will be closed up for the holiday, there are a few around town that will stay open.

Still need coffee on Christmas Day without leaving Dedham? No worries. Coffee shops and a few other places are still open on Christmas, making sure that you can get your fill - whether it's food, coffee or taking in some entertainment. We're sure there are more, so if you know of one, add it in the comment section below.

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