During a season in which more is often more, it can be a challenge to cut back in an effort to protect the planet. But scaling back gifts, food consumption and travel can be effective ways to go green this holiday season. * Buy fewer gifts. Christmas gifts show others how much they are cared […]

She’s mother to her own three children ages 9, 11, and 13. Her mother, Susan Loughrey, lives nearby. But DeMerchant is also the publisher for Macaroni Kid Androscoggin, www.arv.macaronikid.com, a free weekly e-newsletter and accompanying website featuring items of interest for family-friendly events. DeMerchant estimated that her publication is read by over 10,000 busy mothers […]

Norway’s Main Street, one of the longest walking Main Streets in Western Maine, has undergone many ups and downs throughout its history. The great fire of 1893 destroyed most of the businesses and devastated the local economy. A lot of hard work and the devotion and determination of business people and residents alike brought Main […]

Once upon a time, said Mary, “Dick had aspirations to own a pub.” And so their first purchase, “The Grapes Inn,” a pub which stands about 5-inches tall, captured their imaginations. The Grapes Inn is part of a line of ceramic miniatures created by “Department 56,” said Mary, and most pieces in the LaFontaine’s collection […]

From the perspective of a civilian, institutions like the United States Military Academy at West Point are places where traditions live forever. Army Captain Joseph Lapointe, whose primary ties to Maine exist in the heart of a proud aunt, graduated from West Point in 2008. According to Lapointe, “Freshmen [also called “Plebes”] would decorate each […]

Come the holiday season, many people find it’s not just family and friends on their shopping lists. Coworkers and acquaintances often land on such lists as well, and it’s not always easy deciding what to get those people who aren’t close friends or family members. Boss Gifting the boss is a sensitive subject and should […]

The holiday season has arrived, and millions of people across the globe will be celebrating Christmas with their families and friends. The following are some interesting tidbits to share with your loved ones this holiday season. · Each year, more than three billion Christmas cards are sent in the United States alone. · In 350 […]

Traditions vary from family to family, but many families share a love of holiday songs and carols at this time of year. Many notable performers have lent their voices to timeless classics or created entirely new songs that have gone on to become perennial favorites. Every year new singers showcase their talents with Christmas releases, […]

With so much on our plates between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, the holiday season can be hectic. Fortunately, there are many ways to save time and make the holiday season more manageable. · If you don’t have plastic clips to hang lights around windows and to the eaves of your home, inexpensive clothespins will […]

The Greeting Card Association says Americans purchase some 6.5 billion greeting cards every year. Of those, around 1.6 billion are Christmas cards. Exchanging cards is a great way for people to show their loved ones that they’re thinking about them, and such cards make for festive ornaments to display around homes. But when the holiday […]