HH South Metro 2012

ometownH H O L I D A Y SN o v e m b e r 2 2 , 2 0 1 2

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PAGE 2 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > NOVEMBER 22, 20122-Color

COOKBOOK

15 complete dinner party menus

www.eclectic-entertaining.com

Available at Tattered Cover, Compleat Gourmet & Online

We Deliver to You!

Fresh Kettle Korn makes a great gift for the Holidays.

Order our gift bags online: www.DarboKettleKorn.com.

We’re available for your party or event!303.888.2470

Great Fundraisers!

We Deliver to You!We Deliver to You!

Great Fundraisers!Great Fundraisers!Great Fundraisers!Great Fundraisers!Great Fundraisers!Great Fundraisers!Great Fundraisers!Great Fundraisers!Great Fundraisers!

Santa visits with children and their parents during last year’s Highlands Ranch Hometown Holiday cel-ebration. File photo

Better be good

Hometown Holidays This special section is produced by Colorado

Community Media newspapers. For more information about advertising op-

portunities, call 720-409-4764, and please visit the ourcoloradonews.com website.

To comment on this section, email news@ourcoloradonews.com

Colorado Community Media9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

Inside Yummy for the tummy. Christmas fruit drops are fun to make and swap with friends.

Page 6

Season’s greetings. What to know about sending out holiday cards in time.

Page 5

Perfect cup. How to make old-fashioned hot chocolate.Page 9

Hometown events: Find out what holiday events are happening in your hometown.

Castle Rock Page 4Centennial Page 4Elbert County Page 6Englewood Page 7Highlands Ranch Page 8Littleton Page 9Lone Tree Page 9Parker Page 10 More holiday fun. Find out what holiday shows, musicals and other entertainment are going on near you.

Page 10

Hosting a holiday hit. Tips to entertain family and friends with lavish decorations and delectable food.

Page 11

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NOVEMBER 22, 2012 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > PAGE 33

The thrill of the (tree) hunt After years of taking the artifi cial Christ-

mas tree out of the storage closet, you’ve fi nally decided to take the family on a day trip and cut down your own tree.

You’ve selected a tree farm or a desig-nated cutting site in the mountains. You’ve planned your strategy and are getting ex-cited about the thrill of the hunt, and so are your kids. Before you load up the family and take off on your adventure, check to be sure you’ve packed plenty of water and snacks for the road. Taking along some paper towels, disposable wipes and a trash bag wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Be sure you are dressing for the weather. Being cold and miserable would take the fun out of the trip. Wear the oldest clothing and your worst old shoes or snow boots. You could be getting down and dirty, espe-cially if the ground is wet or muddy.

Here’s your chance to wear those horri-ble “moon boots” that you’ve kept over the decades for no good reason at all. Heavy gloves, hats and coats complete your fash-ion statement. Temperatures can change in a jiffy in Colorado, so be prepared for anything. An extra blanket or two wouldn’t hurt.

In case your destination doesn’t offer the tools to cut down and transport your tree, be sure to include a handsaw and a rope.

If you’ve forgotten a saw, some of the tree-cutting sites will offer the use of one for a small fee, so be prepared with some cash.

Two more items you should bring along are a tape measure or yardstick, and a step-ladder. Why, you ask?

Well, if you are REALLY prepared for the journey, you will have measured the height and width of your doorway, and the height of the ceiling in the room where your prized Christmas tree will be placed.

Remember that trees look relatively small when you see them in their outdoor sur-roundings. It could be a different story once you get the tree to your door.

You may look pretty silly to others as you carry around that stepladder, but consider this … there is the possibility that really, re-ally small creatures have called your tree home.

Case in point: In 2003, a family brought a tree home, put it up and decorated it be-fore realizing they had brought a family of little fi eld mice home with them! Check the

higher branches and shake the tree.You might be the only one carrying a

yardstick and stepladder around, but you’ll be the one who won’t encounter any prob-lems once you’re home.

After what seems like hours of walking around – and hearing dad say, “how about THIS one?” – you’ve fi nally spotted the per-fect tree. Before you get all excited about cutting it down, take a peak at the bottom.

Move the branches away and make sure the trunk is straight.

If you get a tree with a crooked trunk, you might never get it straight in its base

at home. When you load the tree on top of your car, make sure the base is facing the front and that it’s tied down securely.

You don’t want to see your tree bounc-ing down the road as you look in your rear view mirror.

Let’s see … drinks, snacks, extra blan-kets, boots, cutting supplies, transporting supplies … your day trip is pretty much cov-ered, but wait!

Don’t forget the camera. Just consider all the photo-ops of your adventure – not to mention documenting why dad didn’t win out on tree choice!

Stock photo

Shop provides gifts for children in need By Sonya Ellingboe sellingboe@ourcoloradonews.com

Each December, more than 400 com-munity volunteers combine energy and time to make the holidays happier for more than 2,000 children from about 700 fami-lies in Arapahoe County — kids who might not have a Christmas gift otherwise. They come from the Littleton, Englewood and Sheridan communities.

For 40 years, the Arapahoe County San-ta Claus Shop volunteers have gathered, cleaned, sorted, repaired and displayed new and gently used toys, books and games for kids ages 1-12 — to be given to referred parents in a two-day shopping spree in early December.

Volunteers are individuals, service groups and youth groups. Those with questions can email arapahoesantashop@msn.com. Some volunteers specialize in re-pairing bikes, for example, and others have a skill with dolls. Any help is welcome.

More than 40 donation locations throughout the county at many busi-nesses are open now and listed at arapa-hoesantashop.org. Toys will be collected into early December, when volunteers will go to work at the Littleton shop site on South Datura Street across from Woodlawn Shopping Center in a multipurpose build-ing owned by the county.

Among donation drops: Bradford Auto Body, Town Hall Arts Center, Broadway Estates Conoco, Littleton fi re stations, Ro-

mancing the Bean, Buck and Goodson rec-reation centers, Downtown Dinners and Littleton YMCA.

Volunteers are needed at the shop Dec. 7-12 to arrange donated items and on Dec. 13-14 to run the shop and help parents fi nd what they need from this huge toy store.

Distribution is to families referred by schools or other agencies.

Perhaps there are dolls and plush toys around town awaiting a new little friend? Check the corners and then check that website. Or, cash donations are welcome at Arapahoe Santa Claus Shop, P.O. Box 2004, Littleton, CO 80161-2004.

Bill and Helen Mc Daniel of Brush, who make cradles for the Santa Claus Shop each year, greet Andrea and her grandmother at the 2011 shop. Courtesy photo

Personalized gifts add special touch By ARA

Choosing the perfect gift for your loved

ones can be a diffi cult task. However, you don’t have to stress about going from store to store wondering if you’re picking out the right size or color or whether it fi ts your budget.

If you fi nd yourself struggling to fi nd the perfect gift this holiday season, con-sider taking a different approach - person-alize gifts you know your friends, family and coworkers will love unwrapping. Per-sonalized gifts show that you care enough to invest your time and energy to create the perfect present. In particular, photos from an event or family trip will often hold special meaning and can serve as the inspiration to a myriad of gift giving op-tions.- Here are a few ideas:

Bring memories backOpening a gift featuring memories of

the great moments over the past year will have your loved ones beaming with hap-piness. Help the recipient keep track of important dates and meetings while also reliving favorite events of the past with a photo calendar. Take those favorite photos to Staples Copy and Print Center or order online, choose from hundreds of calendar designs, and pick up the fi nished calendar in as few as four hours. Need another gift for your loved ones? Use those same favor-ite pictures to create personalized photo books which make great stocking stuffers.

Create something artisticYou can really wow your loved ones

this holiday season with a personalized gift that has an artistic touch - even if your

talents are limited to stick fi gures. Photo-graphs are one form of art, and you can turn a favorite photograph - whether it’s of a person, landscape or really intricate design - into a large mural with Staples EasyCanvas prints, available at Staples re-tail locations. Your photos will be printed on gallery-wrapped, high-quality textured photo paper, available in various sizes, al-lowing you to size the gift perfectly for the recipient’s home. One way to really make the photo mural stand out is to frame it to perfectly match the decor of the room where it will be hung.

Frame it your wayIf you don’t have time to put a collage

together for a calendar or photo book, a great last minute gift option is a basic pho-to enlargement. You can purchase a lovely frame to turn a simple picture into an ele-gant gift or have a larger version mounted or laminated. Places like Staples can do it for you instantly in store providing a con-venient option when you’re pressed for time during the holidays.

Finding ways like these to personal-ize gifts will show the recipients just how much you care.

Courtesy of ARA

PAGE 4 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > NOVEMBER 22, 20124

THROUGH DECEMBER: FESTIVAL OF TREES The Festival of Trees, the lighting of the trees through Festival Park, runs through December in downtown Castle Rock.

NOV. 25: PANCAKE BREAKFAST Castle Rock Explorers’ pancake breakfast will be at Applebee’s Restaurant, 390 W. Al-len St. in Castle Rock, from 7-10 a.m. Castle Rock Police Explorers and their advisers will serve breakfast during the group’s pancake breakfast fundraiser. Tickets are $7, and pro-ceeds will help the Explorers sponsor nu-merous community charity events during the holidays.

NOV. 30-DEC. 16: “A CHRISTMASCAROL” Front Range Theatre Company will present “A Christmas Carol” at 7 p.m. at Genera-tions Church, 221 Perry St., Castle Rock. Cost: $10 to $17. Tickets: www.frontran-getheatre.org or call 866-879-7373. www.frontrangetheatre.org.

Through winter season: Ice skating The Rink at the Rock, Castle Rock’s ice rink, is at 414 North Perry, next to fi nn laf-leur, and will remain open through the winter season. The rink is open from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sundays, 3-8 p.m. Mon-day through Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. For more information call (720) 498-0092 or email

info@rinkattherock.com.

DEC. 1: LARKSPUR TREE LIGHTING At 4:30 p.m., Larkspur’s annual tree lighting tradition continues with over 30 trees be-ing decorated and lit at Larkspur Commu-nity Park. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served and there will be a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, who will arrive by fi re truck and hand out gift bags to all the children.

DEC. 1: BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Breakfast with Santa will be at 9 a.m. in the Food Court at the Outlets of Castle Rock, with a pancake breakfast provided by A Perfect Bite Catering. Radio Disney’s Street Team will have giveaways. Cost is $5, a new unwrapped toy, or a food donation for the Douglas County Task Force.

DEC. 4: COLORADO GIVES DAY Colorado Gives Day is a 24-hour, online ef-fort from the Douglas County Non-Profi t Coalition to raise $500,000 collectively among the participating charities to sup-port the wide range of philanthropic orga-nizations located within the county. The coalition has developed a website, www.DouglasCountyGives.org, through the as-sistance of FirstBank of Douglas County and the Douglas County Community Founda-tion.

DEC. 15: HOLIDAYS IN THE MEADOWS Santa and Mrs. Claus invite you to their

“Open House” at The Grange from 10-11 a.m. They will arrive by trolley in front of The Grange at 10 a.m. and then are avail-able for photos. Event is free and open to all ages. The Grange is at 3692 Meadows Blvd., Castle Rock, in The Meadows. Full de-tails are available on MeadowsLink.com or call 303-814-2358.

DEC. 14: HOLIDAY CONCERT Castle Rock Chorale presents “The Holly and The Ivy: Christmas in Castle Rock” at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature a range of familiar and novel Christmas carols, sea-sonal music and a special audience sing-along. Christ’s Episcopal Church, 615 4th Street, Castle Rock. Tickets are available at the door: $15 general admission, $10 for students and seniors. www.castlerockcho-rale.org.

DEC. 15: CRAFT FAIR Sedalia Elementary School’s annual craft fair is from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at 5449 N. Huxtable St., Sedalia, 80135. Contact: 303-647-2145

DEC. 26-JAN. 31: CHRISTMAS TREE RE-CYCLINGLocations are: Metzler Ranch Community, Paintbrush, Centennial and Founders parks. Mulch from recycled trees will only be avail-able at Metzler Ranch Community Park through March 31 or when gone. Call 720-733-2260 for additional information.

Castle Rock’s star shines brightly during the holiday season every year. File photo

Star bright

NOV. 28: HOLIDAY LIGHTING IN CENTENNIAL Kick off the holiday season with Centen-nial’s fi rst holiday lighting celebration at Centennial Center Park from 6-7 p.m. Enjoy holiday performances from choral groups and holiday treats from businesses. Bundle up and bring family and friends destined to become a new holiday tradition. The park is located at 13050 E. Peakview Ave., Centen-nial. More information: 303-325-8087.

DEC. 1: GRANDVIEW CRAFT FAIR Holiday shopping is made easy with hand-made treats, crafts and gifts from local artisans. Fair runs from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Grandview High School, 20500 E. Arapa-hoe Road, Aurora. Craft fair is located in the lower commons level of the school. Park in the lower level parking lot, located on the northeast side of the school.

DEC. 7: A 1940S WHITE CHRISTMAS BALL Fabulous ‘40s and ‘50s holiday party. Enjoy dancing among movie set props and light, re-enactors, sleighs, Christmas trees, a can-opy of lights and music by The Hot Toma-toes, 6 p.m.-1 a.m. at Wings Over the Rock-ies Air and Space Museum, 7711 E. Acade-my Blvd., Denver. For more information, call 720-924-1945. Tickets are $40 in advance or $45 at the door.

THROUGH FEB. 3: ICE SKATING The Cube Ice Rink located in Commons Park provides a truly unique amenity to

The Streets at SouthGlenn. The rink is sur-rounded by eclectic cafes, restaurants and shopping. Shoppers and visitors may enjoy

outdoor ice skating and Colorado winter cheer. For more details, including hours of operation and rates, call guest services at

303-539-7141. The Cube is located at The Streets at SouthGlenn, 6851 South Gaylord St. in Centennial.

DEC. 14: HANUKKAH CELEBRATION Enjoy a traditional Hanukkah celebration at Temple Sinai, 3509 S. Glencoe St. in Den-ver. Shabbat Service begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. There will be entertainment for the kids. For addi-tional information, contact Lisa Thorner at lisa@sinaidenver.org or call 303-759-1827.

DEC. 22-23: SKATE WITH SANTA Take to the ice with the season’s most popular celebrity for two exclusive dates at the Family Sports Center, 6901 S. Peoria in Centennial. Join Santa on Dec. 22 from 1-1:45 p.m. and on Dec. 23 from 3:15-4 p.m. For more information call 303-708-9500. Public skating fees apply.

DEC. 31: NEW YEAR’S EVE EXTRAVAGANZA Celebrate the start of 2013 with South Suburban’s Family Sports Center, 6901 S. Peoria in Centennial. Enjoy laser tag, eXer-Games, infl atables, bumper cars, ice skat-ing, and an age-appropriate movie. Toast the new year with sparking cider while watching the ball-drop at midnight. Pop-corn and dinner included. Activities begin at 7 p.m. Contact Michelle Collette at 303-708-9500, ext. 217, or michellec@sspr.org for more information. Fees are $25 for on-line registration or $30 at the door. Suitable for ages 8 to 14 years.

Attendees check out a menorah carved out of ice during the Chabad Jewish Center’s Chanukah on Ice at the Family Sports Center in Centennial. File photo

Having an ice holiday season

CASTLE ROCK HOLIDAY EVENTS

CENTENNIAL HOLIDAY EVENTS

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NOVEMBER 22, 2012 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > PAGE 55-Color

Treasures on Park StreetNovember 23 & 24

After Thanksgiving Day Sale!!

Forget the big box stores! Come to Treasures on Park Street

where for two days the entire store is

This is a once-a-year two-day event, so don’t miss out!

Our entire store will be 50% offIncluding Holiday!!

with this ad

Treasures on Park Street 1638 Park St. Castle Rock, CO 80109 303-688-6129

It’s easy! Pick up a free Go to Town savings card at the Town of Parker Recreation Center, Fieldhouse, the Parker Arts, Culture and Events (PACE) Center or at Town Hall. Along with your card, grab a free limited edition Parker t-shirt (while supplies last).

With the savings card, enjoy exclusive discounts and giveaways from participating Parker businesses. The savings card is part of Parker’s Go to Town program, which encourages you to live, shop, work and play in Parker.

Go online to www.parkeronline.org/gototown or call 303.841.0353 to learn more about the Go to Town program and for a list of current Parker deals.

A free savings card forexclusive discounts?

Where do I sign up?

Pick Up Your FREEGo to Town Savings Card

at the following events:

Turkey Day 5k Fun Run/Walk - Nov. 22Mayor’s Holiday Lighting - Nov. 23Christmas Carriage Parade - Dec. 8

www.parkeronline.org/events

“Open House” at The Grange from 10-11 a.m. They will arrive by trolley in front of The Grange at 10 a.m. and then are avail-able for photos. Event is free and open to all ages. The Grange is at 3692 Meadows Blvd., Castle Rock, in The Meadows. Full de-tails are available on MeadowsLink.com or call 303-814-2358.

DEC. 14: HOLIDAY CONCERT Castle Rock Chorale presents “The Holly and The Ivy: Christmas in Castle Rock” at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature a range of familiar and novel Christmas carols, sea-sonal music and a special audience sing-along. Christ’s Episcopal Church, 615 4th Street, Castle Rock. Tickets are available at the door: $15 general admission, $10 for students and seniors. www.castlerockcho-rale.org.

DEC. 15: CRAFT FAIR Sedalia Elementary School’s annual craft fair is from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at 5449 N. Huxtable St., Sedalia, 80135. Contact: 303-647-2145

DEC. 26-JAN. 31: CHRISTMAS TREE RE-CYCLINGLocations are: Metzler Ranch Community, Paintbrush, Centennial and Founders parks. Mulch from recycled trees will only be avail-able at Metzler Ranch Community Park through March 31 or when gone. Call 720-733-2260 for additional information.

303-539-7141. The Cube is located at The Streets at SouthGlenn, 6851 South Gaylord St. in Centennial.

DEC. 14: HANUKKAH CELEBRATION Enjoy a traditional Hanukkah celebration at Temple Sinai, 3509 S. Glencoe St. in Den-ver. Shabbat Service begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. There will be entertainment for the kids. For addi-tional information, contact Lisa Thorner at lisa@sinaidenver.org or call 303-759-1827.

DEC. 22-23: SKATE WITH SANTA Take to the ice with the season’s most popular celebrity for two exclusive dates at the Family Sports Center, 6901 S. Peoria in Centennial. Join Santa on Dec. 22 from 1-1:45 p.m. and on Dec. 23 from 3:15-4 p.m. For more information call 303-708-9500. Public skating fees apply.

DEC. 31: NEW YEAR’S EVE EXTRAVAGANZA Celebrate the start of 2013 with South Suburban’s Family Sports Center, 6901 S. Peoria in Centennial. Enjoy laser tag, eXer-Games, infl atables, bumper cars, ice skat-ing, and an age-appropriate movie. Toast the new year with sparking cider while watching the ball-drop at midnight. Pop-corn and dinner included. Activities begin at 7 p.m. Contact Michelle Collette at 303-708-9500, ext. 217, or michellec@sspr.org for more information. Fees are $25 for on-line registration or $30 at the door. Suitable for ages 8 to 14 years.

Getting holiday cards out on time Sending and receiving holiday cards is an important

part of the season for many since it is often the only time of the year when people catch up with each other.

Getting those holiday cards out in a timely manner dur-ing this busy time doesn’t have to stressful.

Just remember these simple suggestions by the folks at American Greetings.

1 Plan for your cards to be delivered between Dec. 10 and Dec. 24. Make sure you have enough postage on

hand.

2 Shop early for the best selection of greeting cards. Holiday cards are already out at major retailers.

3 Divide signing cards and addressing enveloped into a few short chunks of time. Ten cards a night for a few

nights makes the job much more manageable.

4 Enlist the family to help. Have your spouse address the envelopes and let the kids apply the stamps and

decorative seals. Make it a family tradition.

5 Take advantage of down time – waiting in the doc-tor’s offi ce, eating lunch at your desk, riding the train

or bus. Keep several pre-addressed cards in your purse or bag to fi ll out while you’re doing nothing in particular.

6 Keep extra cards on hand in case you hear from someone who is not on your card list – and be sure to

add these people to next year’s list.

Source: ARA Content Stock photo

Getting holiday cards out on time Getting those holiday cards out in a timely manner dur-

Just remember these simple suggestions by the folks at

and Dec. 24. Make sure you have enough postage on

Divide signing cards and addressing enveloped into a

tor’s offi ce, eating lunch at your desk, riding the train

someone who is not on your card list – and be sure to

Source: ARA Content

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PAGE 6 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > NOVEMBER 22, 20126-Color

With Parker Chorale &

Parker Symphony Orchestra

Parker HolidayA Classic

DENVER MUNICIPAL BAND

HOLIDAY BRASSDec. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $11

A CLASSIC PARKER HOLIDAYPARKER CHORALE ANDPARKER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Dec. 7-8 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $11

Holidays at your own PACE.

Tickets at your own PACE.Build your own package at

www.PACEcenteronline.org303.805.6800

20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker, CO 80138

A CHRISTMAS CAROLIN PARTNERSHIP WITH AURORA FOX

Dec. 20-23, various times

Tickets start at $16

THE NUTCRACKER OF PARKERBY COLORADO SCHOOL OF DANCE

Dec. 13-16, various times

Tickets start at $11

Getting married? Call Denise at 303.805.3365.

NOV. 24: KIOWA LIGHT FESTIVAL Join the town of Kiowa for a night of fun and lights. Start at Kiowa Town Hall, 404 Comanche St. and visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus as they offi cially light the town tree in front of the building. All those who attend are invited to come to Patty Ann’s Café, 230 Comanche St. for food and drinks.

DEC. 1: PET PICTURES WITH SANTA

Ginger’s Legacy will be holding their annual Pet Pictures with Santa 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The event is hosted by Elizabeth Animal Hospital, 330 W. Kiowa Ave. in Elizabeth. A single photo is $10. A disc with all photos is $20. For more informa-tion, call 303-646-2891.

DEC. 7: FIRST FRIDAY NIGHT SHOPPING

Enjoy extended shopping hours for the holiday on Main Street in downtown Elizabeth from 5-8 p.m.

Each participating store will have cookie-themed treats and prizes.

DEC. 8: HOLIDAY CONCERT High Plains Singers Holiday Con-cert at 7 p.m. at Elizabeth Middle School, 4427 County Road 13 in Eliz-abeth. Tickets at the door are $8 for adults; $6 for students, vets, seniors, and children under 12. Tickets may be purchased in ad-vance from High Plains singers or staff members; Bank of Choice, 326 Comanche Ave. in Kiowa; Bank of Choice at 120 Elizabeth St in Eliza-beth or Grumpy’s Coffee at 796 E. Kiowa Ave. in Elizabeth.

DEC. 24: CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICE AND SOUP DINNER Elbert Presbyterian Church, 24281 Main St. in Elbert. All are welcome. Dinner is free. Meet neighbors, enjoy a holiday service and a home-cooked assortment of soups provided by the members of the church. Services be-gin at 5:30 p.m.

ELBERT HOLIDAY EVENTS Christmas fruit drops

The perfect holiday sweets for an old-fashioned swap with friends.

- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose fl our- 1 teaspoon baking soda- 1/2 teaspoon salt- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened- 3/4 cup granulated sugar- 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract- 3 large eggs- 2 cups toasted rice cereal- 1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped- 1/2 cup red candied cherries, coarsely chopped- 1/2 cup green candied cherries, coarsely

chopped- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease large cook-ie sheet.

2 On waxed paper, combine fl our, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, with mixer at medium

speed, beat butter and sugars until creamy, occasion-ally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in vanil-la, then eggs, one at a time. At low speed, gradually add fl our mixture; beat just until blended, occasion-ally scraping bowl. With spoon, stir in cereal, wal-nuts, cherries and 1 cup chocolate chips.

3 Drop dough by rounded teaspoons, 1 inch apart, onto cookie sheet. Bake cookies 10-11

minutes or until golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

4 Place remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave on

Medium (50 percent power) about 2 minutes or un-til chocolate melts, stirring once. Stir until smooth. Place cookies on waxed paper; drizzle with melted chocolate. When chocolate is set, store cookies, with waxed paper between layers, in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 1 week, or in freezer up to 3 months. Makes 6 dozen cookies. Each serving: About 100 calories, 6g total fat (2g satu-rated), 17mg cholesterol, 80mg sodium, 12g total carbs, 1g protein.

(c) 2011 Hearst Communications Inc. All rights reserved

The perfect holiday sweets for an old-fashioned

Winter begins December 21

R

NOVEMBER 22, 2012 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > PAGE 77-Color

• Trees & Greenery direct from the Grower• Gorgeous Poinsettias• Truly Unique Ornaments and Decor• A Style For Every Taste• Featuring Colorado Products• Rosy Rings & McCall’s Candles• Thymes & Caren Lotions• Willow Tree Collectibles• Patience Brewster Collectible Ornaments• Galileo Thermometers, Sand Timers• RedNeck & Red Solo Cups for adult beverages• Great Dog Toys• Kids Corner•& Much Much More

10500 W. Bowles Ave. (Just W of Kipling)303-979-6022 www.JaredsGarden.com

Stop By For Cider & CookiesEvenings and WeekendsStarting Friday, Nov 23

...And You Can Say YouGot It At Jared's!

Bring in or MentionThis Ad to Enter ourGift Card Drawingon December 20!

10500 W. Bowles Ave. (Just W of Kipling)

Got It At Jared's!Got It At Jared's!

Jared's Nursery Gift and Garden

Hours: 9-8 Mon-Fri, 9-5 Sat & Sun • Jaredsgc@jaredsgarden.com • Follow Us on Facebook and Twitter

• Thymes & Caren Lotions• Willow Tree Collectibles• Patience Brewster Collectible Ornaments• Galileo Thermometers, Sand Timers• RedNeck & Red Solo Cups for adult beverages• Great Dog Toys• Kids Corner•& Much Much More

Thanksgiving DinnerServing our four course dinner menu and Traditional Turkey Dinner

from 11AM – 8:30 PM

Classic Cocktails and Frank Sinatra5:50 PM – 7:30 PM

Listen to the sounds of Frank Sinatra, performed by Danny Wein, in our Tavern every Wednesday night until December 26th. Classic cocktails, appetizers

and happy hour specials will be available.

Holiday Afternoon TeaLoose leaf tea, freshly baked scones, tartlets, finger sandwiches and sweets

are the perfect combination to bring together a group of friends over the holidays. Served every Saturday in December from 11 AM – 2PM.

Reservations are required.

Sunday Champagne BrunchEvery Sunday from 10AM – 2PM. Includes a glass of champagne or mimosa, fresh fruit, homemade pastries, and your choice of entrée from the menu.

What the Dickens? Christmas Carolers!Every Monday night in December (including Christmas Eve!), Christmas Carolers will be strolling through the dining room singing classic carols.

Christmas EveServing Lunch from 10:30AM – 2PM and Dinner Starting at 4PM

Christmas DayServing our four course dinner menu from 11AM – 8:30PM

New Year’s EveJoin us for dinner on New Year’s Eve! Serving our four course dinner menu and a champagne toast at midnight. Reservations highly recommended.

Gift CardsPurchase a gift card for your family and friends this holiday season

and give the gift of outstanding food, service and ambiance! You may order on-line, on the phone, or in person.

During the Holidays, Dinner Nightly Starting at 4:30PM

Lunch: Monday-Saturday 10:30AM-2PM

1630 8th Street • Goldenwww.thebriarwoodinn.com

303-279-3121

1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden1630 8th Street • Golden

Holiday Eventsand HappeningsHoliday Eventsand Happenings

Celebrate the holidays in traditional German style Special to Colorado Community Media

Relive a centuries old Ger-man tradition when the 12th annual Denver Christkindl Market kicks off on Nov. 23, in connection with Down-town Denver’s Grand Illu-mination and the Parade of Lights. This typical German Christmas market at Skyline Park along the 16th Street Mall will continue through Dec. 22.

The year 2012 will again bring the sights, sounds and fl avors of the holiday season with a German fl air to the 16th Street Mall. Music, holi-day lights and typical vendor cabins will dot Skyline Park across from the Daniels & Fisher Clock Tower.

Be sure to see the Christ-kindl in person during the offi cial opening ceremony on Nov. 24, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The opening cer-emony includes:

- Opening Remarks by lo-cal representatives

- Musical performances by the Colorado Chorale Ensemble and the Austrian Connection

- The Christkind arrival and prologue

Enjoy a great entertain-ment schedule with doz-ens of community and high school groups who perform or sing throughout the fes-tival. The market includes vendors from Germany and other European countries, as well as local artisans, offer-ing high quality, handcrafted gift items such as traditional hand-carved wooden fi gu-rines, handmade candles, and ornaments. Traditional German food, bratwurst, po-tato pancakes, goulash and apple strudel will tempt your taste buds. Sip on warm Glühwein (spiced mulled wine) as you listen to tradi-tional Christmas carols, or you can toast your friends with an authentic German Bier! Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Sat-urday, with extended hours for the Parade of Lights on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2012. “The Denver Christkindl Market is a great event for kids of all ages from toddlers to 100 years old. The Ger-man American Chamber of Commerce - Colorado Chap-

ter is proud to again host this great event and to help keep the rich German traditions alive in Denver,” according to Jesse Young, president of the German American COC.

The Denver Christkindl Market is a production of the German Cultural Founda-tion of the Rocky Mountains and the German American Chamber of Commerce - Colorado Chapter, the initial contact for German com-panies considering business in the Rocky Mountain re-gion, connecting German decision-makers with their U.S. counterparts. For addi-tional information about our Christkindl Market please contact us at info@denver-christkindlmarket.com.

Happy Holidays FROM COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

NOV. 26: TREE LIGHTING Mayor Randy Penn will throw the switch at 5:30 p.m., lighting the Christ-mas tree at the Englewood Civic Center as a way to kick off the holiday season.

DEC. 1: HOLIDAY PARADE The annual holiday parade will step off at 10 a.m. and will travel along En-glewood Parkway make to the Engle-wood Civic Center. After the parade, a number of school choirs and musical groups will perform on the stage of the

amphitheater. There is no charge or ad-mission.

DEC. 7: “NUTCRACKER IN A NUT-SHELL: The Dawson/Wallace Dance Project will do two performances of the Nut-cracker in a Nutshell at Hampden Hall, which is on the second fl oor of the En-glewood Civic Center. One performance is at 6 p.m. and the second performance is at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for

children.

DEC. 8: BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Englewood’s annual Breakfast with Santa will be held at 8:30 a.m. at the Malley Senior Recreation Center, 3380 S. Lincoln St. Tickets are $4.50 for 2- to 10-year-olds and $5.50 for 11-year-old and older, including adults. The ticket in-cludes an all-you-can-eat breakfast plus children will receive a free gift and have their photo taken with Santa.

ENGLEWOOD HOLIDAY EVENTS

PAGE 8 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > NOVEMBER 22, 20128-Color

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Holidays in Highlands Ranch

DEC. 1: HOLIDAY CELEBRATION AT THE MANSION Santa Claus will arrive on a fi re engine and children can enjoy visits and a great photo opportunity. Guests can also enjoy holiday music performed by local choirs, children’s reindeer games, letters to Santa, entertain-ing holiday characters and more. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Highlands Ranch Mansion, 9900 Ranch Road.

DEC.5: HOLIDAY HOUSE DECORATING CONTEST If you enjoy decorating your home’s exte-rior and want to have some festive fun with your neighbors, submit a digital photo of your holiday home at www.hrcaonline.org/contests no later than 5 p.m. Dec. 5. Ad-dresses and photos of participating homes will be posted on a map on the website and the community will be asked to vote on the best houses between 5:30-8 p.m. Dec. 10-14. Wells Fargo will award the top three hous-es prizes of $200, $100 and $50. For more information, call 303-471-8821.

DEC. 7-9: CHRISTMAS AT THE RANCH Enjoy an evening of music, dance and drama celebrating the Christmas season as Cherry Hills Community Church hosts four performances of its holiday on-stage classic. Performances are at 7 p.m. Dec. 7-8, 6 p.m. Dec. 9 and a special family matinee will be at 3 p.m. Dec. 8. Tickets are available at www.chcc.org and range from $6-15.

DEC. 7: HOMETOWN HOLIDAY AND TREE LIGHTING Who says you can’t capture that home-town feeling in the ‘burbs? Hometown Holi-day gives Highlands Ranchers a chance to come together with friends and neighbors and share in the spirit of the season. A win-ter wonderland will come alive at Town Cen-ter South with the annual tree lighting at 5 p.m., caroling, holiday goodies and Santa until 7:30. For more information, please visit www.hrcaonline.org. Admission is free.

DEC. 7: SPARKLING WINE TASTING Don’t miss out on the chance to mingle, browse for books, enjoy live holiday music and sip on some sparkling wine. The High-lands WineSeller and HRCA are partner-ing up at Tattered Cover Book Store, 9315 Dorchester Street in Town Center South, to put on the annual holiday tasting spectacu-lar. All proceeds benefi t the Highlands Ranch Scholarship Fund. Advance tickets are $17 for HRCA mem-bers and $20 for guests, or pay $20 on the day of the event if it isn’t sold out. For more information or to purchase tickets call 303-791-2500.

DEC. 8: HOLIDAY TEDDY BEAR TEA Southridge Recreation Center will be the site of the Teddy Bear Tea from 10:30 a.m.-noon. A great chance to create a memory; children will enjoy a tea party with all the trimmings, including cookies, holiday can-dies, hot cocoa, pinwheel sandwiches and more. After the tea there will be a musi-

cal performance. Tickets are $11 for HRCA members and $15 for guests, $15 on the day of the event if it isn’t sold out. All children must be accompanied by an adult and no children under 2. To purchase tickets call 303-471-8859 or stop in at any of the recreation centers. Southridge is located at 4800 McArthur Ranch Road.

DEC. 8: A VISIT FROM SANTA The big guy loves Highlands Ranch, which is why he is coming back from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. He’ll be at the Metro District offi ces at 62 W. Plaza Drive fi nding out what all the good kids want for Christmas. Free.

DEC. 9: HANUKKAH HAPPENING From 12:25-3:30 p.m. at Northridge Rec-reation Center, 8801 S. Broadway, there will be great food, spinning dreidels, stories, games and more in a celebration of religion and culture. For details, please call Jewish Community leader Beth Horwitz at 303-470-6652.

DEC. 14: SHOWTIME AT SOUTHRIDGE HOLIDAY CONCERT The Highlands Ranch Swing Shift Band performs holiday classics from 7-8 p.m. at Southridge Recreation Center, 4800 McAr-thur Ranch Road. Advance tickets are $7 for HRCA member and $10 for guests. All tickets are $10 the day of the event if it doesn’t sell out. To purchase tickets visit any recreation center or call 303-471-8859.

DEC. 15: BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Santa needs to fuel up before his big night and fi gures hat better way to do it than en-joy some pancakes and crafts with kids in the Ranch. There’ll be sleigh-loads of cheer and a small gift for every good little boy and girl. Advance tickets are $9 for children and $11 for adults. From 9-10:30 a.m. at Eastridge Recreation Center, 9568 University Blvd. To purchase tickets, visit any HRCA recreation center or call 303-471-8859. Tickets will be $11 at the door for all.

DEC. 15: A CANTO DEO CHRISTMAS A sacred choral music Christmas concert for the whole family. Accompanied by a full orchestra, Canto Deo sings Christmas carols and music from around the world. Children from the audience even get to help con-duct the orchestra at the end of the show. For more information, call 303-797-6878 or 720-903-6945. Showtime is at 2 p.m. at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 9203 S. University Blvd.

DEC. 15-16: WINTER MARKET Take a break from the frantic hustle and bustle of the holidays and the busy malls. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each day, bundle up and swing by Town Center North to enjoy the HRCA’s Winter Market with local Colora-do farmers and crafters. There will be plenty of homemade items that make for great gift ideas and foods for that special gift or holi-day meal. You’re sure to fund something that will make your holiday warm and inviting for family and friends.

HIGHLANDS RANCH HOLIDAY EVENTS

NOVEMBER 22, 2012 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > PAGE 99

NOV. 23: 29TH ANNUAL CANDLELIGHT WALK AND TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY All along Main Street in Historic Down-town Littleton. The 29th edition of this Lit-tleton tradition begins at 5 p.m. and will be a festive evening of holiday lights and mu-sic for the whole family. Santa Claus and his sleigh will make their way down Main Street magically illuminating each block with more than one million lights on the trees and buildings. He’ll be joined by holiday revelers holding candles and fl ashlights.

NOV. 24: MAKE DREAM CATCHERS Visit Bemis Library to learn how easy and fun it is to make a traditional American Indi-an dream catcher. Jessica Bordeaux, a Lakota Indian, will host two workshops from 10-11:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m. Classes are open to adults and children 10 and older accom-panied by an adult. Cost is $5 for materials. Call 303-795-3961 to register.

DEC. 1: OLD TIME FIDDLING From 2-3 p.m., visit Sophie’s Place at Be-mis Library to hear holiday and fi ddling mel-odies by members of the Colorado Old Time Fiddlers Association, a nonprofi t dedicated to promoting the uniquely American style of music known as Old Time Fiddling through-out the Rocky Mountain area (www.colora-dofi ddlers.org). For more information, call 303-795-3961.

DEC. 15: ANDREWS SISTERS TRIBUTE From 2-3 p.m., celebrate the season at Bemis Library with a hilarious romp through the 1940s radio airwaves with one of Den-ver’s best Andrews Sisters tribute acts. Rev-eille 3 returns to present a radio show that featuring songs from the ‘40s, homemaking and fashion tips for women supporting the troops, and humorous stories. For more in-formation, call 303-795-3961.

DEC. 19: A SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS From 2-3 p.m., visit Bemis Library to hear Norwegian Eldon Halingstad relate stories about traditional Scandinavian Christmas customs. He will talk about holiday foods, Christ-mas-tree customs and family holiday ac-

tivities. Halingstad has been a professional speaker and storyteller for more than 30 years and is internationally known for his ed-ucational programs (www.halingstad.com). For more information, call 303-795-3961.

DEC. 9: HOLIDAY EVENING AT LIBRARY AND MUSEUM The Friends of the Littleton Library and Museum and the Littleton Historical Muse-ums popular Holiday’s Evening will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. The gentle glow of lumi-narias and the crackle of bonfi res light the way to wagon rides and carolers, and gin-gerbread cookies, corn bread and hot cider warm you. The 1860s and 1890s farms will be authentically decorated for the holidays, and interpreters will portray life during Little-ton’s early history. The mules will have their bells on and be ready for wagon rides, and Santa is looking forward to visiting with the children. Call 303-795-3950 for hours and ticket prices.

THROUGH NEW YEAR’S: A HUDSON CHRISTMAS New surprises await as Hudson Gardens & Event Center unveils “A Hudson Christ-mas,” a new walk-through holiday-light dis-play heralding the wonder of the Christmas season. As the sun goes down, the gardens bloom in a festive holiday display, illuminat-ing a 30-acre blanket of light. Horse-drawn wagons journey amid the twinkling back-drop, highlighting the beauty of the gar-dens in winter. Event runs on select evenings through New Year’s Day. Visit www.hudson-gardens.org for more information.

DEC. 5, 11, 12, 13: SCHOOL CONCERTS Littleton Public Schools welcomes the public to holiday concerts at its three high schools: Dec. 5 at Heritage, Dec. 11 and 13 at Littleton, Dec. 12 and 13 at Arapahoe, all at 7 p.m. For more information, call 303-347-3300 or visit www.littletonpublicschools.net.Through Dec. 31: Fitness discounts — South Suburban offers 10 percent off recreation center passes and punch cards, personal-training sessions, facials and massages for the holiday season. Offer is good through

DEC. 31 AT DOUGLAS H. BUCK COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER at 2004 W. Powers Ave. in Littleton, Goodson Recreation Center at 6315 S. University Blvd. in Centennial, and Lone Tree Center at 10249 Ridgegate Circle in Lone Tree. For more in-formation, call 303-347-5999.

DEC. 1: BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Children 10 and younger can join Santa at Buck Recreation Center at 8:30 or 9:30 a.m. for a pancake breakfast and photos with Santa. Tickets are $5, or $4 for residents. For more information, call 303-797-8787.

DEC. 1: HOLIDAY ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW Play Santa and get your holiday shopping done at the popular 26th annual Holiday Arts and Crafts Show at Goodson Recreation Center from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. There’s always a wide array of interesting items for sale: jew-elry, art, accessories, pottery, soaps, candles and more. Admission, parking and gift wrap-ping are all free.

DEC. 1: MAIN STREET DEALS The Historic Downtown Littleton Mer-chants’ Annual Holiday Shopping Evening is 5-9 p.m. Downtown merchants will have special offers and attractions. Contact Helen Rice at 303-730-8521 for more information.

DEC. 21-22: FREE HOLIDAY ICE SHOWS There are two chances to see South Sub-urban Ice Arena’s free annual holiday ice show featuring local skaters: Dec. 21 at 6 p.m., and Dec. 22 at 3:15 p.m. No reserva-tions are needed and admission is free with the donation of canned or packaged food to benefi t Inter-Faith Community Services. For more information, 303-798-7881 or www.sspr.org. Weekends: Santa visits Littleton — Santa visits Littleton every Saturday and Sun-day, noon to 4 p.m., starting Nov. 24. Santa’s Village is on the west side of Reinke Broth-ers, near the intersection of Prince and Main streets. There is no charge to visit Santa, but plenty of photo ops. For more information, call 303-795-5006 .

LITTLETON HOLIDAY EVENTS

Sledders enjoy fresh snow in Littleton’s Carbone Park last winter. File photo

Away we go

Dec. 4: Arts program Seedlings, the Lone Tree Arts Center’s family-friendly arts program, presents “Abrakadoole” at 11 a.m. Children and parents can make their own holiday craft items. All materials will be sup-plied. Admission is $3. For more information, call 720-509-1000 or visit www.lonetreeartscenter.org

Dec. 11-16: John Denver songs The Lone Tree Arts Center presents a John

Denver Holiday Concert, with several perfor-mances. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Sat-urday and 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. A cast of three singers and four musi-cians deliver such Denver holiday hits as “Christ-mas for Cowboys” and “Aspenglow” in addi-tion to standards like “Annie’s Song” and “Rocky Mountain High” and several seasonal classics. Tickets start at $29. For more information, call

720-509-1000 or visit www.lonetreeartscenter.org

Dec. 18-23: Home for the Holidays The Lone Tree Arts Center presents Home for the Holidays. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Sun-day, Tuesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The original, family-friendly production features favorite holiday music from past and present. Tickets start at $29. For more information, call 720-509-1000 or visit www.lonetreeartscenter.org.

Dec. 24, 26, 27, 28, 31: Day camp The Lone Tree Recreation Center hosts Club Lone Tree over winter break for children from kindergarten to age 10. The supervised day camp is open from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Register online and fi nd more information at www.sspr.org

LONE TREE HOLIDAY EVENTS Old-fashioned hot chocolate - 3 ounces unsweetened baking choco-late- 1 1/2 cups of water- Dash of salt- 4 1/2 cups of milk

1 Heat chocolate and water in 1 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat,

stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

2 Stir in sugar and salt. Heat to boil-ing, and then reduce heat to low.

Simmer, uncovered 4 minutes stirring constantly. Stir in milk. Heat just until hot (do not boil, because skin will form on top).

3 Beat with hand beater until foamy, or stir until smooth. Serve.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd. Inc.

DEC. 15: BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Santa needs to fuel up before his big night and fi gures hat better way to do it than en-joy some pancakes and crafts with kids in the Ranch. There’ll be sleigh-loads of cheer and a small gift for every good little boy and girl. Advance tickets are $9 for children and $11 for adults. From 9-10:30 a.m. at Eastridge Recreation Center, 9568 University Blvd. To purchase tickets, visit any HRCA recreation center or call 303-471-8859. Tickets will be $11 at the door for all.

DEC. 15: A CANTO DEO CHRISTMAS A sacred choral music Christmas concert for the whole family. Accompanied by a full orchestra, Canto Deo sings Christmas carols and music from around the world. Children from the audience even get to help con-duct the orchestra at the end of the show. For more information, call 303-797-6878 or 720-903-6945. Showtime is at 2 p.m. at St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 9203 S. University Blvd.

DEC. 15-16: WINTER MARKET Take a break from the frantic hustle and bustle of the holidays and the busy malls. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. each day, bundle up and swing by Town Center North to enjoy the HRCA’s Winter Market with local Colora-do farmers and crafters. There will be plenty of homemade items that make for great gift ideas and foods for that special gift or holi-day meal. You’re sure to fund something that will make your holiday warm and inviting for family and friends.

PAGE 10 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > NOVEMBER 22, 201210

NOV. 23: MAYOR’S HOLIDAY LIGHTING CELEBRATION Experience the magic and join the Park-er Chorale at 6 p.m. at O’Brien Park for the “Nutcracker of Parker,” by Colorado School of Dance and a special choral performance from Chaparral High School’s top choir, Con Brio, followed by a town sing-along of “Silent Night” before the park lighting. Concessions include coffee, hot chocolate, roasted nuts and light-up toys. Free carriage rides will be available at the park and around downtown Parker starting at 6:30 p.m. Event-goers are encouraged to park in downtown Parker as the O’Brien parking lot will be closed for the event. For more information, visit www.park-eronline.org/mayorsholidaylighting.

DEC. 7-16: “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE” LIVE RADIO PLAY A beloved American holiday classic comes to life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he consid-ers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. The shows are at 7 p.m. Dec. 7, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 8, 3 p.m. Dec. 9, 7 p.m. Dec. 14, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 15, and 3 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Parker Mainstreet Center, 19650 E. Mainstreet. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children and can be purchased online.

DEC. 10: HOLIDAY MARKET AT LINCOLN MEADOWS The Holiday Market at Lincoln Meadows

combines holiday shopping, music and mer-riment, as 30 local vendors will set up shop from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Lincoln Mead-ows Senior Living facility at 10001 S. Os-wego. Attendees to the free event will see a per-formance by the original Dickens Carolers, get pictures with Santa and eat s’mores by the open fi re.

DEC. 8: PARKER CHRISTMAS CARRIAGE PARADE The Parker Christmas Carriage Parade, a valued annual tradition in downtown Parker, will be at noon. The all-equestrian parade is made up of dozens of horse-drawn car-riages, wagons, surreys and stagecoaches from across Colorado, all dressed up for the occasion. With a different theme each year, the pa-rade continues to grow in size and is a staple event for Christmas in Parker. It is combines with two holiday markets, a petting zoo and pony rides, ice sculpting and visiting time and pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. The event is open to equine entries and march-ing bands only. If you’re without a horse, many entries hire horse and carriage companies to escort them though the parade. For event informa-tion, call 303-805-3253.

DEC. 31: NEW YEAR’S EVE, NEW YORK STYLE The PACE Renaissance Guild invites resi-dents to the Parker Arts, Culture & Events

Center for New Year’s Eve, New York Style at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 31. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with a tour around a mock Times Square. Food, a full premium bar and signature New York Style cocktails are available. The theater will be transformed to Times Square to watch the ball drop live from New York City, culminating with the fi rst of two champagne toasts to ring in 2013. Then,

dance the night away to Phat Daddy, a high-energy band consisting of Denver’s top nightclub talent and showroom performers. Ring in the New Year at midnight with the second champagne toast of the evening fol-lowed by fi reworks. Dancing continues as long as the party-goers are rockin’ the dance fl oor. Tickets went on sale in early fall and sold out in October.

PARKER HOLIDAY EVENTS

The Parker Christmas Carriage Parade entries include riding groups, carriages and marching bands. File photo

Horses of course

NOV. 23: “A HUDSON CHRISTMAS” opens at Hudson Gardens and Event Center, 6115 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Open on selected evenings through Jan. 1. Lighted, decorated trees on 30 acres, horse-drawn wagons, fountains and more. Hudsongar-dens.org.

NOV. 23: “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” plays at the Aurora Fox Theater, 9900 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, Nov. 23 to Dec. 16 (303-739-1970, aurorafox.org). The production will move to the PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker, on Dec. 20-23. 303-805-6800, PACEcenteronline.org.

NOV. 23: “IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A RADIO PLAY” is presented by Goodness! Gracious! Productions of Douglas County, at the Sherman Events Center, 1770 Sherman St., Denver, on weekends.

NOV. 24: “THE NUTCRACKER” presented by Colorado Ballet at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Performing Arts Center, with many performances through Dec. 24. Tick-ets: $28 to $154, coloradoballet.org or 303-837-8888 ext 2.

NOV. 27: “MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET,

THE MUSICAL” at Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada. Plays through Dec. 23. Arvadacenter.org, 720-898-7200.

NOV. 30: “A CHRISTMAS CAROL,” pre-sented by Front Range Theatre Company of Castle Rock at Generations Church, corner of Third and Perry, Castle Rock, weekends (7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays; 5 p.m. Sundays). Di-rected by Sara Crandell. Tickets: frontrange-theatrecompany.org, 866-879-7373.

NOV. 30: “TRAIL OF LIGHTS — LIGHT-ING UP THE COUNTRY” at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfi eld , nightly 5:30-9:30 p.m. through Jan. 1. Lights, skating rink, music, treats, decorated historic homestead. Lo-cated at 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton, just south of C-470 off Wadsworth. Denverbotanicgardens.org.

NOV. 30: “BLOSSOMS OF LIGHT” at Den-ver Botanic Gardens on York Street, Denver, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. daily. More than a million lights, some synchronized to music. Informa-tion and tickets: botanicgardens.org.

DEC. 1-2: “THE NUTCRACKER” presented by Littleton Youth Ballet and Littleton Dance Academy at 2 and 7 p.m. Dec. 1 and 2 p.m.

Dec. 2 at Colorado Heights University The-ater, 3001 S. Federal Blvd., Denver (formerly Loretto Heights). Tickets $14 to $21, 303-794-6694, littletondanceacademy.org.

DEC. 6: “HOLIDAY BRASS” with the Den-ver Municipal Band, 7:30 p.m., PACE Cen-ter, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. 303-805-6800, PACECenteronline.org.

DEC. 7: “CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD” with the Littleton Symphony at 7:30 p.m., Littleton United Methodist Church, 5894 S. Datura St., Littleton. Tickets: $15/$12, free under 21. 303-933-6824, little-tonsymphony.org.

DEC. 7-8: PARKER SYMPHONY ORCHES-TRA AND PARKER CHORALE CONCERT, 7:30 p.m. both nights. Pace Center 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. 303-805-6800, PACECenteronline.org.

DEC. 7: “JOY TO THE WORLD, A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION” by the Lake-wood Symphony, Rocky Mountain Ring-ers and Lakewood Stake Choir at 7:30 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 6465 W. Jewell Ave., Lakewood. Donations of unwrapped gifts for children ages 1-12.

DEC. 9: HOLIDAY EVENING AT THE FARM, Littleton Museum farms, 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Farolitos and bonfi res light the grounds, music, treats. Tickets $7-$10, at Bemis Library/Litleton Mu-seum. 303-795-3950.

DEC. 11-16: JOHN DENVER HOLIDAY CONCERTS at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree. 720-509-1000, lo-netreeartscenter.org

DEC. 13-16: “NUTCRACKER OF PARK-ER” at PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. Performances at 7 p.m. Dec. 13-16; 2 p.m. Dec. 15. 303-805-6800, PACECen-teronline.org.

DEC. 15-23: “THE NUTCRACKER” by Da-vid Taylor, presented by Dawson|Wallace Dance Project at Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Pkwy., Lakewood. Tickets, 303-987-7845, Lakewood.org/Cul-turalCenter.

DEC. 18-23: “HOME FOR THE HOLI-DAYS” is a new production at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree. In-formation and tickets: 720-509-1000, lone-treeartscenter.org.

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Holiday entertaining is focused on food By Family Features

Host a holiday party

that’s simple and festive with a combination of pre-made and homemade delights from the celebration experts at Wilton.

For starters, a cookie pan does double duty for holiday-shaped homemade Crispy Cheese Crackers.

Serve these aromatic rosemary treats, made into Christmas trees, snowmen and stockings, alongside a colorful assortment of fresh vegetables and made-from-scratch fi re-roasted jalapeño dip.

“Guests will think you spent hours baking in the kitchen when you wow them with a seasonal selec-tion of hand-decorated gin-gerbreads,” says Nancy Siler, vice president of consumer affairs at Wilton.

Easy to assemble with all the trimmings included, there’s a ready-to-decorate gingerbread kit to fi t any yuletide gathering. Com-plete with pre-baked gin-gerbread, each kit contains decorating accessories like candies and icings to per-sonalize your own mini vil-lage, Christmas tree, ginger-pop cookies and more.

For another fun twist on a traditional gingerbread house, Siler recommends getting the kids involved. They’ll love the marshmal-low-y Holiday House Treat made of cinnamon toasted oats cereal.

Once the house is built, watch the kids decorate their yummy creation with a vari-ety of gumdrops, licorice, ic-ings and candies.

To cater to a more so-

phisticated palate, Siler sug-gests Salted Caramel Bacon Cordial Cups. A lavish blend of vanilla pudding, crisp-cooked bacon and whipped cream is fl avored with cara-mel ice cream topping and piped into edible, dark co-coa Candy Melt cordial cups. They’re bite-sized holiday bliss.

Don’t forget eggnog. This year, give your favorite pre-pared eggnog a chocolate kick and serve Eggnog Hot Chocolate garnished with peppermint Candy Curls.

For more holiday reci-pe project and decorating ideas, or to purchase ginger-bread kits, visit www.wilton.com.

Holiday House TreatMakes about 12 servings-6 cups cinnamon-fl a-

vored toasted oats cereal-4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)

butter-1 bag (10 ounces) mini

marshmallows-1-1/2 teaspoons ground

ginger-1 teaspoon ground cin-

namon-Assorted Tube Icing,

Decorating Gel, Sprinkles, Colored Sugars, Icing Deco-rations and other favorite candy

Prepare Wilton Stand-Up House Pan with vegetable pan spray.

Place cereal in large bowl. In large saucepan, melt but-ter; add marshmallows, gin-ger and cinnamon. Cook and stir constantly until melted.

Pour over cereal and mix well. Spread cereal mixture into prepared pan. When cool to touch, remove from pan; secure to foil-wrapped cake board with icing. Deco-rate as desired with icing, sprinkles, sugars, icing deco-rations and candy.

Crispy Cheese CrackersMakes 16 to 20 crackers-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted

butter, softened-3/4 cup (about 2 ounces)

fi nely grated Asiago cheese-1 ounce (about 1/4 cup)

toasted pine nuts, fi nely chopped

-1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

-1/2 teaspoon garlic pow-der

-1/2 teaspoon salt-1/4 teaspoon black pep-

per-1-1/2 cups all-purpose

fl ourPreheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare Holiday Cookie Pan with vegetable pan spray.

In medium bowl, beat butter, cheese, pine nuts, rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper with electric mixer until creamy and well combined. Add fl our; beat until mixture looks sandy and holds together when squeezed in your hand. Press into prepared pan, fi lling cavities 1/2 full.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool in pan 5 min-utes. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Eggnog Hot Chocolate Makes about 4 servings-2 cups milk-2 cups prepared eggnog-1 cup Dark Cocoa Candy

Melts Candy-1 teaspoon vanilla ex-

tract-Whipped cream-Candy CurlsIn large saucepan, cook

milk and eggnog on me-dium heat until the mixture is hot; turn off heat. Whisk in Candy Melts candy and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until candy is melt-ed and mixture is smooth.

Pour into mugs; garnish with Candy Curls.

Fire Roasted Jalapeño On-ion Dip

Makes about 1-3/4 cups dip

-4 jalapeño peppers-1 package (5.7 ounces)

onion soup mix-1 cup sour cream-1/2 cup mayonnaise

Preheat broiler.Place peppers on non-

stick cookie pan; broil, turn-ing at least once, 6 to 7 min-utes or until blackened. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove stem and seeds; coarsely chop.

In large bowl, stir to-gether onion soup mix, sour cream and mayonnaise. Fold in peppers. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Serve with cucumber and zucchini slices, celery, carrot sticks, sliced bell pep-pers and other favorite veg-etables.

Note: For spicier dip, in-clude seeds from peppers.

Salted Caramel Bacon Cordial Cups

Makes about 24 fi lled cor-dial cups

-1-1/2 cups Dark Cocoa Candy Melts Candy

-3 containers (3.2 ounces each) vanilla prepared pud-ding

-1/2 cup fi nely chopped crisp-cooked bacon

-1 tablespoon caramel ice cream topping plus addi-tional for drizzling

-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

-Sea saltFill cordial cup candy

mold 1/3 full with melted candy. Using a decorator brush, paint the candy up the sides of each mold to the top edge. Coat mold so that no light can be seen through the shell. Refrigerate until fi rm, about 5 minutes. Re-peat if needed. Carefully re-move shells from mold.

In medium bowl, com-bine pudding, bacon and 1 tablespoon ice cream top-ping; mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in whipped cream. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Using tip #33, pipe fi ll-ing into candy cordial cups. Drizzle with additional ice cream topping and sprinkle with sea salt.

Follow instructions on package of each kit:

—Deluxe Gingerbread Kit—Gingerbread Tree Kit—Gingerbread Boy

Cookie Decorating Kit—Gingerpops Cookie Kit—Gingerbread Mini Vil-

lage Kit

fl our

with vegetable pan spray.

salt and pepper with electric

combined. Add fl our; beat

and holds together when Courtesy of Family Features

dance the night away to Phat Daddy, a high-energy band consisting of Denver’s top nightclub talent and showroom performers. Ring in the New Year at midnight with the second champagne toast of the evening fol-lowed by fi reworks. Dancing continues as long as the party-goers are rockin’ the dance fl oor. Tickets went on sale in early fall and sold out in October.

DEC. 9: HOLIDAY EVENING AT THE FARM, Littleton Museum farms, 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Farolitos and bonfi res light the grounds, music, treats. Tickets $7-$10, at Bemis Library/Litleton Mu-seum. 303-795-3950.

DEC. 11-16: JOHN DENVER HOLIDAY CONCERTS at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree. 720-509-1000, lo-netreeartscenter.org

DEC. 13-16: “NUTCRACKER OF PARK-ER” at PACE Center, 20000 Pikes Peak Ave., Parker. Performances at 7 p.m. Dec. 13-16; 2 p.m. Dec. 15. 303-805-6800, PACECen-teronline.org.

DEC. 15-23: “THE NUTCRACKER” by Da-vid Taylor, presented by Dawson|Wallace Dance Project at Lakewood Cultural Center, 470 S. Allison Pkwy., Lakewood. Tickets, 303-987-7845, Lakewood.org/Cul-turalCenter.

DEC. 18-23: “HOME FOR THE HOLI-DAYS” is a new production at Lone Tree Arts Center, 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree. In-formation and tickets: 720-509-1000, lone-treeartscenter.org.

HOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOME FOR THEHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYSHOLIDAYS

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PAGE 12 > HOMETOWN HOLIDAYS > NOVEMBER 22, 201212-Color

Home for the HolidaysDecember 18 – December 23, 2012

Produced by Starkey �eatrix

Home for the Holidays is a holiday extravaganza!

Reminiscent of Christmas Spectaculars from New York

to London, this performance showcases top Denver talent

Mary Louise Lee, The Jerseys, Sheryl Renee, Christine Starkey

and Frank Sinatra impersonator Derek Evilsizor. You’ll

experience the holidays through every decade from the

1940s to today. Big band brass, a drumline, break dancers

and much, much more make this a new holiday show with

a touch of nostalgia that the entire family will love.

John Denver Holiday ConcertDecember 11 – December 16, 2012

Created by Randal Myler and Danny Wheetman

Produced by Harold �au of Festival Management Corporation

Former John Denver band member Dan Wheetman and

noted director Randal Myler team up to bring you this

classic holiday concert full of sweet, simple promise.

Transport yourself to the Denvers’ house in Aspen, days

before Christmas in 1975, as Denver and Wheetman

host an acoustic concert for their neighbors and friends.

Featuring Denver’s holiday hits as well as standards, this

concert harkens the legend at this magical time of year

through first-hand anecdotes and, of course, great music.

C ALL OR CLICK TODAY720.509.1000

www.LoneTreeArtsCenter.org

10075 Commons Street Lone Tree, CO 80124

SCFD

HOLIDAY SHOWS

BLACK FRIDAY SALE!4 Premium Tickets

For $200

To Either Holiday Show

(4 Tickets for $170 Tues –�urs)

Box O�ce Hours 8am – 6pm