Holidays in Western Maine Dec. 18, 2014

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Advertising Supplement to the Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Thursday, December 18, 20142 western maine holiday

By NAPSI

Here’s a del ic iou s idea : Feature vegetables at your nex t fa mily gat hering or hol iday br u nch. Ser v i ng a balanced dish with lean protein, healthy carbs and a small dose of healthy fat can be a great addition to brunch.

Vegetables such as onions help increase your intake of dietary f iber and other important nutrients w ith layers of f lavor. Use these easy ideas to add a nutritional boost to any day.

• Add choppe d on ion s, tomatoes and either spinach or kale to omelets.

• Combine hash browns or other breakfast potatoes with cooked vegetables and tofu.

• Sauté mushrooms, onions and bell peppers and add to scrambled eggs.

• Use up leftover salad and top with a poached egg.

• Spread a thin layer of onion-f lavored cream cheese on lightly toasted whole-grain bread. Add sliced tomatoes and sweet onions, avocado a nd f resh, baby spinach leaves.

• Try this tasty onion quiche from the Nationa l Onion Association. A lighter version of the classic, this dish is easy

to prep ahead and reheat in the morning.

SWEET ‘N’ SAVORY ONION QUICHE

Makes 6 to 8 servings

• 5 cups yellow onion, thinly sliced• 1 tablespoon olive oil• 1/2 cup Canadian bacon,

diced• 1 cup nonfat Swiss cheese,

grated• 1 tablespoon sugar• 1 tablespoon flour• 1 teaspoon salt• 1/4 t e a s p o on c a y e n ne

pepper• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper• 1 teaspoon nutmeg• 2 eggs, 1 egg white, slightly

beaten• 1/4 cup 2% milk• 1 9-inch pie shell, unbakedRosemary and sautéed red onion for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sauté onions in ol ive oi l until tender and translucent.

Add Canadian bacon and grated cheese. In a separate bowl, combine sugar and f lour with seasonings. Add slightly beaten eggs and milk to flour mixture. Put sautéed onion, bacon and cheese in a pie shell; pour milk and egg mixture over onions. Bake for 35 minutes or until custard sets and top is golden brown. Serve warm.

• Wrap up some nutrition with a brunch burrito: Fill a whole wheat or sprouted wheat tortilla with sautéed

on ions, scra mbled eg gs, tomatoes and cilantro. Top with plain yogurt and a fresh salsa like this one:

ONION-PEACH SALSA

Makes 6 servings• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion• 2 cups chopped fresh ripe or thawed frozen peaches, drained• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves• 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño pepper• Salt• Fresh lime juice

Combi ne i ng red ient s i n medium bowl, adding salt and lime juice to taste; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 6 servings.

Tip: Yellow onions are the best, a l l-pu r pose choice for both raw and cooked dishes. For more great tips and recipes using onions, visit w w w.onions-usa.org/recipes.

Onions baked into a savory quiche make an easy and flavorful brunch addition.

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Festive holiday brunch starts with vegetables

Vegetables such as onions help increase your intake of dietary fiber and other important nutrients with layers of flavor.

Advertising Supplement to the Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine, Thursday, December 18, 2014 western maine holiday 3

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Last-minute shopping ideas for the holidaysBy MetroCreative

It's December 22 and you've just barely made it through half of your holiday shopping list. The panic may have set in that you just don't have enough time to get everything done. This is a common scenario around the holidays.

Shoppers have the best intentions to get their gifts early, but whether because of work obligations or social events, the task seems to get pushed further and further into December.

Soon many are staring down the calendar experiencing sweaty palms. Many others may be putting off holiday shopping simply because of the current state of the economy and affordability. According to a Steelhouse Marketing Consultants poll of 1,000 consumers, 62 percent predict they will spend less money on the 2011 holiday season.

Plus, 56 percent of families predict they will comparison shop more than they have in the past. These factors may contribute to just how long shoppers put off actually getting into stores or going online to shop.

For the scores of shoppers who consciously or subconsciously wait until the last possible minute to shop, there are ways to survive and surprise friends and family with great gifts.

• Gift cards: They may not have sentimental meaning behind them, but gift cards are fast and easy. Chances are you can run into a store and be out with a handful of gift cards in less than 15 minutes, depending on lines at the checkout counter. Also, many supermarkets, bookstores and other retailers offer gift card kiosks enabling you to shop for different gift cards all in one place.

• Food and beverages: While everyone is heading to the mall in droves, you can be stepping inside of a gourmet food or spirits store. Splurge on fine cheeses or that trendy bottle of liquor that a gift recipient has mentioned but not yet purchased for him- or herself.

• Newspaper and magazine subscription: A newspaper or magazine subscription is an easy fix as a last-minute gift. Purchase one copy of the newspaper or magazine at the newsstand and wrap it up nicely. Put a note that a year's worth of this periodical is on the way. No one will suspect that the gift was a last-minute thought.

• E-certificates: Retailers like music or book sellers will e-mail a gift certificate code to the person of your choice on a selected date. For those who are never without an e-reader or mp3 player, digital gifts could fit the bill.

• Gas card: It may sound funny and tacky, but a gas card from a brand-name station is a universally acceptable gift for anyone who drives regularly. With fluctuating gas prices, filling up the tank can be an expensive venture. Having a pre-paid gift card can help.

Online retailers are also there to help last-minute shoppers. Many online retailers guarantee in-time-for-Christmas shipping even on gifts ordered as late as December 23.

However, overnight shipping charges will cost more. But it's all worth it to get the item in time. Waiting until the last minute for shopping can induce some anxiety. But knowing about easy gifts for procrastinators can take the stress out of this type of shopping.

Many people wait until the last minute for Christmas shopping. But there are still gifts and deals to be had.

Gifts no outdoor enthusiast can resistBy MetroCreative

The great outdoors is even greater when you're prepared for all of the things Mother Nature can throw your way.

Hol id a y s h opp e r s w it h a person who enjoys the outdoors on their shopping list can turn this holiday season into a truly joyous occasion with the following gifts tailor-made for tackling the great outdoors.

Folding kayak:

Kayaking is a great way to take in the great outdoors, but not everyone has the room at home to store kayaks when they aren't being used to traverse nearby waterways. Those who live in apartments, condominiums or smaller homes with limited storage

may appreciate a folding kayak, which can be stored in a closet or beneath a bed and put together in a matter of minutes.

Folding kayaks that can be stored in vehicle trunks and qu ick ly a ssembled once you arrive at your kayaking destination also can save kayakers money on roof racks for their vehicles.

Waterproof backpack: A good outdoor person knows never to leave home without a waterproof parka, but what about his or her backpack? A waterproof backpack protects va luables, including cel l phones, cameras and tools, from the elements.

Look for backpacks w it h waterproof zipper systems

to ensure your loved one's valuables are fully protected on rainy treks through the forest.

Water filter:

D r i n k i ng st r a ig ht f r om n a t u r a l w a t e r s o u r c e s may seem like a genuinely adventurous thing to do, but it's genuinely dangerous as well. A hiker's water filter greatly reduces his or her risk of suffering illness after drinking water tainted with bacteria such as E.coli.

E v e n t h e m o s t s e r e n e streams or isolated rivers can contain harmful bacteria, so a portable water filter is a necessity.

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Made in Maine gifts: The usual and unusualBy Dan Marois Feature Writer

Greenwood, Maine is often noted as the birthplace of Leon Leonwood Bean, the founder of the iconic cata log a nd reta i l g ia nt. It is

also home to Maine Line Products, one of a handful of retail outlets and stores that specialize in items that are baked, sewn, crafted or built in the state of Maine.

On a quiet stretch of Route 26, just a hundred yards or so from the town post office, Maine Line Products has been charming visitors since 1979 when Rick Whitney first opened its doors. Along with a few similar outlets in the state, Maine Line Products keeps the spirit of Made in Maine products alive and well with a unique selection of gifts, souvenirs, coffee and snacks. The holiday season is a prime time to visit the store.

“As you might expect, we carry all made-in-Maine items. In fact, many of the items are made right out back here,” said co-owner, (and Rick’s wife) Ellen Whitney.

The select ion of items range from t he traditional to the more unusual. There’s a variety of wooden gift boxes filled with assortments of Maine jellies, jams, chowders, maple syrup and salt water taffy.

“We make the wooden boxes ourselves,” said Whitney. “We can customize them to what you want.

“Our top seller is the Woodman’s Weather Stick,” said Whitney, holding out a small tree-like stick in plastic packaging. “My son makes these right here.”

Whitney explained that the weather sticks

are the most popular seller because it is one-of-a-kind and unique to Maine. Folks who purchase them say that it is not a novelty gift, but a real weather indicator used by the Abenaki Indians.

The instructions for the sticks say to “hang on an outside wall or door casing exposed to the weather. The stick bends down to foretell foul weather and up for fair weather.”

The sticks are available at the Greenwood store and are sold to other Made in Maine retailers throughout the state.

Other popular gift-giving items are not only Made in Maine, but literally “dropped” in Maine by the official state animal, the moose.

“We have a line of products that are made from moose droppings,” said W hitney, acknowledging that Maine is well known t hroug hout t he count r y for its moose popu lat ion a nd t hat people l i ke t he uniqueness of having a bit of “nature” from Maine.

The fast-selling moose items are touted as the ultimate recycled products. There’s the Moose

Drop Key Chain made from authentic moose droppings with each piece varnished to make it odor free and hard to the touch.

For the more fashionable minded, there’s the Moose Drop Earrings, a product similar to the keychain, but dangling, instead, and on gold earring posts.

“We also have the Mooseltoe,” said Whitney,

Dan Marois photoThe pieces in these toy log cabin kits are made from Maine trees.

Dan Marois photoThe Woodsman's Weatherstick is a popular made-in-Maine item.

mainepage 5 ‰


holding up a n orna ment with a red bow, green holly a nd -- you g uessed it — moose droppings. “My son gathers the droppings from a local moose and makes the products right here.”

For t hose seek i ng more traditional items, the store is well stocked with homemade wood products, the Better Than Average, LLC world-famous Mox ie Jel ly made from Maine’s homegrown beverage, handmade wind bel ls, a nd more k inds of h o m e m a d e f u d g e t h a n could ever be imagined. All customers are greeted with an offer to sample a free taste of fudge that is made on the premises.

Ma r ie Stewa r t, ma nager at L isa Ma r ie’s Made i n Maine location in Portland’s Old Port believes there is somet hing specia l about buying a gift made in the Pine Tree State.

“Buying local is becoming more and more important to people and knowing that the money they are spending

is going to stay in their own com mu n it y helps,” sa id Stewart, whose mother is Lisa Marie, the company founder. “People like knowing that they are supporting their

n e i g h b o r s , t h e i r l o c a l economy and they like the fact that most times their gift is a one-of-a-kind item that can’t be found elsewhere.”

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Dan Marois photoEllen Whitney holds a made-in-Maine gift package.

Dan Marois photoMoxie jelly makes a great gift for the Moxie lover on your gift list.

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Little Drummer BoyCome they told me, pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum

That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,

On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum

The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum

Me and my drum.

Gift-giving alternativesBy Tresa EricksonFeature Writer

Gift giving is a time-honored tradition, but how do you keep it affordable with a great number of people? If you have a rather large family and buying gifts for each and every person is out of the question, what can you do? You can have a gift exchange, and there are various ways you can go about it. Here are a few of the more common ones.

Be a secret SantaSecret Santa exchanges take place over a series of days. Participants draw names, purchase several small gifts for the person whose name they draw and arrange for a gift to be delivered daily in secret. Gifts may be themed, and the identities of the Secret Santas are revealed on the last day of the exchange.

Draw namesName drawings are fairly straightforward. You set up a time for the drawing to take place, throw the names of everyone participating into a hat and have each person draw a name and tuck it away. This is the person for whom they must purchase a gift. Parents of young kids are responsible for purchasing a gift for the names drawn by the kids. The actual gift exchange takes place later at the date, time and place designated.

Give backCharity exchanges work well for individuals who don't need anything and would rather give back something to their community. Participants write down the name of their favorite charity and insert it into a hat. They then draw a name of a charity from the hat and pledge to support it with either a monetary donation or volunteer work.

Go the white elephant wayWhite elephant gifts are generally inexpensive, sometimes funny, sometimes used gifts. For your white elephant gift exchange, you may select a theme and price limit, such as gag gifts for under $5 or odd items from home. Participants must then wrap a gift that meets those specifications and bring it to the exchange. The person first in line selects a gift, unwraps it and holds it up high for everyone to see. The next person selects a gift, unwraps it and either keeps the gift or swaps it for the other person's gift. The fun continues until everyone has a gift. Exchanges may be limited to a certain number, and participants may be given one final opportunity to swap gifts if they so desire.

RegiftRegift exchanges usually take place after the holidays and require participants to bring something they received but do

not want or need. Participants then get to swap what they don't want for something that they do. Any gifts not selected may be donated to charity.

None of these ideas appeal to you? No problem. Design your own gift exchange and theme it anyway you want. Themes can run the gamut from board games to cooking gadgets to pet supplies. It's your choice, and with only one gift required instead of several, participants are sure to have fun whatever is involved.

Charity exchanges work well for individuals who don't need anything and would rather give back something to their community.


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B. While such apps may do the job when we are near cell phone towers, phone signals are often less reliable in more remote locations, such as forests and national parks.

A reliable compass is all one may need to make his or her way through the wilderness.

Hot dog roasters:

No trip to the great outdoors is complete without roasting some hot dogs over an open f lame. But far too many hot dogs have been lost to the fire thanks to traditional campfire fork s t hat don't prov ide adequate hold as hot dogs cook over an open flame. Curly hot dog roasters wrap around the hot dogs, snuggly holding them in place as the franks cook.

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Holiday living made easyBy MetroCreative

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 work just as well. If you're concerned about the color of the wooden clips, paint them holiday hues before stringing the lights.

• Put a bath mat, rug-side down and rubber-side up, beneath your Christmas tree stand. This allows you to spin the tree as you hang lights and ornaments without damaging the floor underneath. It also makes it simple to undress the tree once the season is over. Use a tree skirt to hide the mat.

• Squeeze artificial tree portions into concrete form tubes. First wrap the tree portions in twine and then slip them into the concrete sleeves. Each tube can be stowed in attic or garage rafters, freeing up precious space.

• Use empty squirt bottles to make baking and cooking easier. Pancake and cookie batters can be squirted from the containers for less mess.

• Store one or two strings of lights in a plastic shopping bag to keep the strands from getting tangled. Hang the bags from a hook in a garage or stack them in a storage bin.

• Use plastic zip ties to attach garland and lights to bannisters. They're easy to assemble and will not damage the bannisters.

• A paper towel holder can be screwed to the wall in a craft room to neatly hold spools of ribbon. Simply pull the length you need from the spool and cut for easy decorating.

• Mount a tree stand to a piece of wood with screws or glue. This prevents spills from reaching the f loor while stabilizing the tree.

• Old maps make interesting gift wrap and are a nice change of pace from commercially produced paper or newsprint.

• Wrap duct tape or another type of sticky tape around your hand. Pat over fallen pine needles that accumulate around the tree. In hard-to-reach areas, wrap the tape around a broom or a floor sweeper.

• When traveling for the holidays, use a brightly colored suitcase or flashy tape to make your suitcase stand out from others at the airport.

• Place hardened brown sugar in a baking dish, cover it with a moist paper towel and either microwave it on high for 20-second intervals or place it in a 300 F oven for five minutes. This will soften the sugar, making it easier to use the sugar to prepare your favorite holiday cookie recipes.

• Save plastic bread ties, which can be used to make tags for the wires on certain devices. Such ties also can be used to organize decorating components and to keep your place on a roll of tape.

• Measure the inside of your picture window and construct a wooden frame to its dimensions. Staple holiday lights to the frame and then easily slip the frame in and out of place each year.

• Hang a live wreath or some boughs of evergreen in your home to give it that fresh pine scent if you have an artificial tree.

• Color-code storage containers so you can easily find holiday decorations in the attic or basement.

• Pack for a holiday excursion using a collapsible clothing storage hanger for closets. Fold clothes on each fabric shelf and then collapse it into your suitcase. When you get to your destination, unfold and hang it in a closet so all of your clothes will be at the ready.

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By Brandpoint

The holiday season is full of celebrations. From office parties to family events,

everyone gathers to spread a little extra cheer. While people may be wa r y of what a l l of t he hol iday treats will mean for their health, avoiding all of the revelry could cause more harm than good. Creating a balance between restraint and indulgence will help sustain physical, mental and emotional well-being. Come out of the holiday season feeling just as good as you did when you went in with these easy tips.

Choose wisely.

D u r i n g t h e h o l i d a y s there are tempting treats everywhere you turn. From cook ies at t he of f ice to fondue at the holiday party, your favorites can be hard to resist. But if you choose your treats wisely, you can guiltlessly enjoy every bite.

Browse the buffet line for healthy options like veggies or fruit, shrimp cocktails or ch icken ske wer s so you won't have to sk ip dessert. You can a lways share a sweet treat with someone else to keep you accountable. And if you're worried about not having the will power, it's a good idea to eat 1.5 ounces of healthy protein before an event to keep you feeling satiated.

Don't deny yourself.

Food is connected to family, c u lt u r e, t r ad it ion a nd celebration, and it should be a source of enjoyment. Avoid creating a list of items you cannot have. "When it comes to tempting foods, forbidding them only makes

you want them even more," s a y s D ebbie S w a n s on, registered dietician, and nut r it ion a nd hea lt hy-cooking tips instructor at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Colorado. She suggests eating smaller portions of your favorites, such as a bite of pie instead of the whole piece. "My friend makes the best apple pie. I always have two bites," Swanson says.

Work it off.

The best way to prevent the extra pounds from sneaking up on you is to engage in a regular exercise routine. Doing something as simple as park ing farther away from the office or taking the stairs instead of the elevator can help increase the number of steps you take each day.

Individuals typically gain around two pounds during t he hol idays, according to the Mayo Clinic. "The problem is that we don't lose the weight," Swanson says. Rather than adding weight that you have to work off later, maintain a workout regimen or find other ways to burn the calories you consume throughout the busy day.

Make "me" time.

Resea rch over t he past two decades has begun to demonst rate t he st rong connection between mental health and the strength of the immune system, which a f fects overa l l physica l w e l l - b e i n g , a c c o r d i n g to Jim Wasner, dean for t he A merica n School of Professiona l Psycholog y at A r gos y Un i ver sit y | S c h a u m b u r g . W a s n e r says that the strength and resi l ience of ever yone's overa l l immune system, feeling depressed or overly anxious, often correlates w i t h p o o r e r p h y s i c a l health and v ulnerability to i l lnesses. "Rela x a nd schedule time for yourself," he says." Go easy on the alcohol and sugar. Catch up on your sleep." Maintaining this overall balance wil l keep you physical ly and mentally healthy during the holiday season.

Allow yourself to enjoy the celebrations, just maintain the balance between health-conscious and indulgent decisions so the holidays don't get the best of you.

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The man behind the beardBy MetroCreative

Every Christmas Eve, children go to bed eagerly anticipating a v i s i t f r o m

Santa Claus. This merr y gentleman is purported to visit the home of every good girl and boy, delivering gifts and cheer along the way.

B e f o r e t h e m o d e r n evolution of Santa Claus l i v e d a v er y r e a l a nd generous individual named Nichola s. I n t he t h i rd century, Nicholas served as the Bishop of Myrna in present-day Turkey. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, believing that giving should be done secretly and sacrificially in Jesus Christ's name rather than one's own.

Stor ies tel l of Nicholas paying the dowry for poor daughters to enable them to get married. He reportedly put coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him. It is believed Nicholas helped to restore the hope of hundreds of people in his community, making him a beloved and revered Bishop.

Throughout his ministry, Nicholas fervently shared his life and fortune with others.

N i c h o l a s c o n t i n u e d t o b e r e v e r e d a n d commemorated by many Christians even after his deat h. His cha r it y a nd u nsel f ish work s helped inspire generations of the faithful, and he eventually was named the patron saint of everyone from merchants to sailors to pawnbrokers.

No one really knows what St. Nicholas looked like. But in 2005, a forensic l a bor ator y i n E ng l a nd reviewed historical data and photographs of t he rema ins ta ken f rom St. Nicholas' grave in the 1950s. Researchers concluded that he was a small man, perhaps no more than five feet in height, with a broken nose.

This image certainly does not fit with the robust frame and other imagery awarded S t . N i c h o l a s i n m o r e modern years. St. Nicholas i s b e l ie v e d t o b e t he inspiration for Santa Claus,

which was a name taken from the Dutch Sinterklaas, a contracted form of Sint Nicolass, or St. Nicholas.

Ta l e s o f t h e r e a l S t . Nicholas' giving spirit were blended with a f ictional personif icat ion by New Yor k-b a s e d ne w s p a p e r writers who blended the St. Nicholas na me w it h the appearance of a Dutch town citizen. The goal was to reach out to the primarily Dutch immigrants living in New York at the time. This jolly elf image was given a boost by the publication of "A Visit From St. Nicholas," w h i c h w a s p u b l i s h e d around the same time.

Eventually, the merry Santa Claus portrayal began to outshine the more accurate St. Nicholas version as a rel ig ious ma n, fostered by political drawings and caricatures that depicted Santa as a chubby sort in a red suit. That image prevails to this day.

Beneat h t he Ch r ist ma s symbolism, the beard and t he presents associated with Santa Claus lies a tale of generosity that originated with St. Nicholas.

Before the modern evolution of Santa Claus lived a very real and generous individual named Nicholas.

indulging in a bite of pie and taking a nap could keep you healthy this holiday season

Creating a balance between restraint and indulgence will help sustain physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Holidays in Western Maine Dec. 18, 2014

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Transcript of Holidays in Western Maine Dec. 18, 2014