Thursday, November 22, 2012
Sarah Hale's 38-year letter writing campaign assured Thanksgiving Day for our nation.
America's Thanksgiving Day holiday is credited to the Pilgrims. The truth is, we have a national celebration thanks to Sarah Hale's 38-year letter writing campaign. Hale wanted Thanksgiving to be a national holiday, and she started a campaign in 1825 to bring it to pass. In Hale's day—two hundred years after the pilgrim's arrival—Thanksgiving had been mostly forgotten. Sarah Josepha Hale was born in Newport, N.H., in 1788. Her father, disabled Revolutionary War Captain Gordon Buell, and her mother, Martha Whittlesay Buell, believed in equal education for both sexes. According to Laurie Halse Anderson's book "Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving," Hale grew up listening to her father's Revolutionary War stories. They made a …
The senior vice president for the club, which has a location in Brambleton, offers advice to readers.
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Thursday, November 22, 2012
• By Mitch Batkin - Sport & Health Clubs’ Senior Vice President As the temperatures begin to drop and the snowfall piles, people tend to lose all motivation to eat healthy and keep their bodies moving. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the holiday season is in full swing, which means we are hearing more, “Pass the mashed potatoes,” than, “I had the best workout today.” As anyone can tell you, people tend to gain weight around the holiday season. There is nothing wrong with enjoying oneself while celebrating this special season with loved ones, but there are steps that can be taken to avoid winter weight gain. I want to share these tips with readers in order to keep the holidays happy and healthy: Mind the food on your plate: …
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Brining a turkey takes time and effort, but results in a moist and flavorful bird.
“Brining” has always been the secret method that chefs use to make a moist and flavorful baked turkey. Many years ago I asked a chef why her turkey meat tasted so good, and she led me back to the kitchen’s large, walk-in cooler filled with birds soaking in a fragrant bath. I immediately got her recipe. But what is brining? There are two types: wet and dry. Dry brining is simply rubbing a turkey in a salt and herb mixture and letting it sit (refrigerated of course) for many hours (usually about one hour per pound). It's somewhat easier and more convenient than the alternative wet option, and advocates insist dry brining makes for a bird with a firmer meat texture, and the skin is sensational. Wet brining, which does seem to be the most …
Some Fairfax County offices and services will be closed on Thursday and Friday.
The Thankgiving holiday will stretch over several days for many Fairfax County offices and agencies. Here is a look at what is open and what is closed. County Government – Closed Nov. 22-23. Courts – Close at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 21; closed Nov. 22-23. Public Schools and School Offices – Two-hour early closing for students only on Wednesday, Nov. 21; closed Nov. 22-23. Library – Closed Nov. 22-23. Fairfax Connector – Nov. 22 - Sunday schedule. Routes with Sunday service operate according to the Sunday schedule. Routes without Sunday service will not operate. Nov. 23 - Holiday weekday schedule. Routes with weekday service operate according to the weekday schedule except 335, 395, 585, 595, and 597, which will not operate. (These routes …
Keep your holiday incident free by following a few tips.
Thanksgiving Day is the busiest day for the fire service, says the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. More property damage and lives are lost in residential structure fires on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year. The increase applies mostly to cooking fires in family homes. An estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. fire departments each year and cause an estimated average of 5 deaths, 25 injuries, and $121 million in property loss. Over the last several years, turkey fryer fires have contributed significantly to the increase in cooking fires. The use of turkey fryers by consumers can lead to devastating burns, other injuries, and destruction of property. The following safe…
Monday, November 19, 2012
All Fairfax County Public Schools will close early on Wednesday for Thanksgiving break.
All Fairfax County Public Schools, including those in Herndon, will close two hours early this Wednesday to help school buses avoid the increased traffic related to Thanksgiving travel. The policy to close early on the day before Thanksgiving has been in effect the past few years. Superintendent Jack Dale has issued guidelines regarding the closing. Schedules for Head Start, preschool, alternative learning centers, and intervention support programs will have special modified hours coordinated by transportation and program staff members. All other FCPS classes will be dismissed two hours earlier than the regular Tuesday through Friday closing schedule. Limited preapproved school activities will be allowed, but regular late buses are …
A few tips on beating the traffic while holiday shopping during Black Friday weekend.
This year, about 147 million people plan to go shopping during the Black Friday weekend, according to a recent National Retail Federation survey. The survey shows a slight decrease from last year’s 152 million who planned to shop during the same weekend. Specifically, NRF’s survey shows that 71 million said they would shop and another 76 million said they would wait and see what retailers have in-store that weekend. “Though the Black Friday tradition is here to stay, there’s no question that it has changed in recent years; already there is a tremendous amount of excitement and anticipation surrounding retailers’ Thanksgiving and Black Friday promotions,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. With that said, shopaholics everywhere are …
Friday, November 16, 2012
If you're looking to try something new this year, give one of these non-traditional twists a try.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
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Friday, November 16, 2012
There are so many ways to cook everyone’s favorite holiday bird. Each family has their own special technique for cooking a turkey, whether it's using an old family recipe, adding a secret ingredient or shopping at a certain store in town that helps make the turkey taste all the better. Do you buy our turkey from a Chantilly grocery store or a specialty butcher or farm? Is there anywhere in town you can buy a pre-made turkey? If you're hosting Thanksgiving this year, you can try any of the recipes below to add a new kick to your feast. If you're attending someone else’s dinner, hopefully their turkey will taste as good as one of these! Just the name of this recipe makes my mouth water. An Allrecipes.com user contributes this Greek take on …
Bob Ashdown
7:40 am on Thursday, November 22, 2012
Terrific story! Thank you for publishing it! more ›