First Coast News Holiday Information Guide: Festivities, Ways to Help, Safety Tips

HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

Chanukah

Record crowds are expected at Chabad @ the Beaches' Chanukah event, a family oriented Chanukah Judaica, gift and fun fair titled "Dreidels and Doughnuts," which will culminate in the lighting of a giant 8-foot public Menorah at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Hampton Inn.

Fifth Annual Holiday Party for Beaches Kids

Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry Inc. is hosting its annual party for kids who live in Jacksonville Beach from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 5, at the NEW Carver Community Center at 777 Fifth Avenue South, in Jacksonville Beach. Participants must bring their own table and chairs and the materials to make a holiday craft or goodies. More than 200 neighborhood children are expected. Santa, a bouncy-house and other activities will be provided along with photos of children with Santa. For more information, call (904) 241-7437, Ext. 1.

Nativity

Christ's Church Fleming Island will be hosting a free live nativity, including live Christmas music, guided nativity tour, petting zoo, hot chocolate, and family photos from 6-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4 and 5 at Christ's Church is located one mile south of 220 on Highway 17.

St. Augustine festivities

St. Augustine's British heritage will be celebrated in grand style Dec. 4 and 5. The 35th annual presentation of Grande Illumination and British Night Watch will feature entertaining pageantry and authentic historical presentations describing life in St. Augustine when it was part of the British Empire.

The Grande Illumination and British Night Watch events are open to the public and admission is free. For more information, call 904.829.5318, or 1-800-653-2489.

THE BASICS

• Travel information and tips 
• Home for the Holidays

VOLUNTEERING/DONATIONS:

Toys for Tots

• Kids eat free at Applebee's until closing plus there will be clowns, cotton candy machines, bounce house, raffles and turkey bowling on Thursday at the Applebee's shopping center, at 8635 Blanding Blvd., Jacksonville. The restaurant is open between 5 and 10 p.m. All money and toys collected will go to the Toys for Tots program.
• Drees Homes will be collecting new unwrapped toys at model homes in designated communities until Dec. 12. Donations will be accepted at Drees models during regular business hours: Monday, Tuesday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Friday and Sunday from noon - 5:30 p.m. A full list of model locations and communities in Northeast Florida is available on Drees Homes Web site.

Food donations

Taylor Morrison is partnering with Second Harvest North Florida to provide food and grocery products to the hungry this holiday season. The public can bring canned goods and non-perishable items noon to 6 p.m. Sunday and Monday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday to the addresses below. All goods will be donated to Second Harvest North Florida. Find out more about Second Harvest North Florida.

• Austin Park at Nocatee, 15 Kenmore Avenue, Ponte Vedra, (904) 436-6000
•  Kindlewood, 3337 New Beginnings Lane, Middleburg, (904) 282-0904
• Lakeside Townhomes, 6809 Misty View Drive, Jacksonville, (904) 446-9538
• St. Johns Forest, 200 Flores Way, Jacksonville, (904) 819-6868

J.A. Long is providing help for the food pantry serving Clay County.
For the third year, its has coordinated drop-off locations to collect non-perishable canned goods for the Food Pantry of Green Cove Springs. The biggest needs are canned meats, vegetables and fruits, and peanut butter.

J.A. Long will accept food, cash, check or gift card donations through Dec. 22. Drop-boxes are located at J.A. Long, Inc., 1677 Wells Road, Suite D in Orange Park, and:

• A1 Stone World, 4002 J-Louis St., Green Cove Springs
• BB&T, 1711 Eagle Landing Parkway, Orange Park
• Carpet 'N' Drapes, 351 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park
• Head, Moss & Fulton, P.A., 1530 Business Center Drive, Suite 4, Fleming Island
• Island Realty, 636 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park
• Prosperity Bank, 934 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park
• T&M Electric, 200 College Drive, Orange Park

For more information call 904-264-3073 or e-mail info@jalong.com. 

Time with the elderly

Florida's Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program encourages Floridians to spend one hour visiting a long-term care facility resident this holiday season.  According to AAA Florida, a drop in national air travel is resulting in an overall 62 percent decrease of Thanksgiving holiday travel since 2000. As a result, many residents whose family members are not within driving distance will spend the holiday alone.

"Any extra time spent with long-term care residents can boost both morale and health. Visits also serve to improve residents' quality of life and care through socialization," said Brian Lee, the program's director.

Find a complete list of long-term care facilities in your area go to and locate the facility nearest you. The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program also encourages Floridians to make visiting long-term care residents a year-round commitment by volunteering as an ombudsman.

Santa for Seniors

The 2009 Be a Santa to a Senior Campaign has started and will continue through Dec. 7.

The program collects, wraps and delivers gifts to lonely and needy seniors in the Orange Park area. Members of the community are asked to contribute by purchasing and donating a gift at Ameris Bank of Fleming Island or any one of the seven other retail locations in the area. 

The need is especially great this year, so we you will help us promote this community service project and let your viewers know how they can make a difference in the life of a local senior. For more information an drop-off points, call Gina Pappas, (888) 296-2411, Ext. 9.

Angel Tree Program

The YMCA Angel Tree program which provides less fortunate families with gifts they would have been unable to afford otherwise starts Friday. The YMCA of Florida's First Coast will begin to collect new, donated Christmas gifts from caring members of the community.

Every branch will feature an Angel Tree adorned with tags with a child's first name, age, gender and wish list. Participants are asked to select an angel off the tree, and buy an age and gender appropriate gift for the child described on the tag. All gifts should be wrapped and returned to the YMCA by Dec. 18.

Those wishing to help volunteer by organizing and decorating any unwrapped gifts are asked to contact any local YMCA.
Read more information about the YMCA's Angel Tree program.

Santa dollar program

Children's Home Society of Florida is partnering with Publix Super Markets this holiday season with Santa Dollars. A Santa Dollar is a real dollar bill with a trademarked and registered "Santa" seal that covers George Washington's face. The seal is removable so the dollar remains legal tender and can be spent or kept as a collectible. Until Dec. 27, Publix customers can purchase Santa Dollars for $2.50 with $1 going directly to charity.

Sulzbacher Center Needs

The Sulzbacher Center's Homeless Outreach Project Expansion teams, which work with the needy in Jacksonville to build relationships and restore their lives in need of many items:

Soap, deoderant, disposable razors, shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrushes, body lotion, bug repellant, lip balm; new underwear, socks, gloves and hats; and new or used warm  jackets and blankets.

Prepackaged toiletry bags are available for a $3 donation at the registers and all other donations also are accepted.

SAFETY TIPS

Turkey frying tips:

• Always use turkey fryers outdoors, away from combustible decks and buildings, on a flat, stable surface. 
• Do not move fryer during operation or while oil is hot. 
• Cool oil completely before removing oil from fryer. 
• Do not overfill fryers with oil. 
• Do not heat oil above the temperature recommended. 
• Keep children and pets away from turkey fryers.  Never leave fryers unattended. 
• Thaw turkeys completely before cooking. 
• In case of fire, do not attempt to extinguish with water.

Turkey cooking tips

• Wash hands and fingernails frequently.
• Clean and sanitize countertops and cooking areas before and after food preparation.
• Cook food thoroughly.
• Keep un-cooked meats away from other foods.
• More tips on thawing cooking 

Need help on turkey carving, we've got that, too!

Read more holiday food safety information. Read more cooking safety tips.

Pet safety tips (courtesy Georgia Department of Agriculture)

Here are a few tips to help dogs and their owners survive Thanksgiving and the following days without accidents or trips to the veterinarian: 

• If your dog is not used to eating table food, Thanksgiving Day with a houseful of guests is not the time to start.  Explain to guests that your dog is not to be given table scraps.
• Dogs can choke on small bones, especially from poultry.  Carefully check meat for bones before giving any to your dog.
• Don't scrape whole plates of food into your dog's dish. There may be unsafe items or ones that could cause digestive upset. 
• Don't give your dog chocolate or raisins. 
• Consumption of large amounts of high-fat foods can cause acute problems such as pancreatitis and can contribute to obesity. 
• Dogs are prone to overeat when there is a lot of food around. Keep track of what your dog eats. 
• Consider taking a walk with your dog; the exercise will probably do you both good

Flu prevention tips

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has kicked off a travelers health awareness campaign during the holidays as millions travel through airports and train stations to spend time with loved ones.

To help travelers avoid the flu this holiday season, the CDC today launched its largest ever public awareness campaign aimed at staying healthy while traveling.

CDC is urging people to take the following steps when planning their travel and to stay informed about what to do if they get sick while they're gone, including:

• Travel only when they are feeling well
• Get vaccinated for flu (both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 if they are in a priority group)
• Wash hands often
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve

MAINTAINING SANITY DURING THE HOLIDAYS
(Courtesy of lifestyle expert Alison Deyette)

• filling your bedroom with your favorite relaxing scent. 
• savoring a holiday treat.
• relaxing in a bubble bath. 
• taking a few extra minutes to do your make-up.

GREEN HOLIDAYS  

Tips for a green holiday season (courtesy Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

• Use green cleaners. When preparing for Thanksgiving guests, trade in harsh household cleaners for natural. Find homemade green cleaning recipes.
• Choose green lodging. Consider staying at a Florida Green Lodging designated property, which adopts cost-saving practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality and reduce waste. Find a green lodging property.
• Visit a state park. Entertain guests by visiting one of Florida's state parks which are open 365 days a year, 
• Avoid idling in holiday traffic. Dial 511 and check the Florida Department of Transportation's 511 traffic information hotline.
• Use reusable utensils during holiday meals. Use cloth napkins, silverware, glass drinking cups and ceramic coffee mugs.
• Share leftovers with guests or compost food waste. Send guests home with food or create compost instead of letting food and scraps go to the landfill. The U.S. Environmental Protection agency offers helpful tips for composting food waste.
• Prevent pollution. Choose reusable bags rather than plastic or paper when shopping on Black Friday. 
• Shop green. This Black Friday, consolidate shopping trips, shop locally or skip driving by shopping online.
• Give a green gift. As the gift giving season approaches, try giving appliances that are eco-friendly and protect air quality.
• Use energy-saving LED lights for holiday decorating.

Tips for saving energy (courtesy Florida Power & Light Company)

• Don't unnecessarily pre-heat your oven. Some holiday meal staples such as turkey and ham don't require it.
• Keep the oven door closed. Ovens lose lots of heat when opened and require significant energy to heat back up to the appropriate temperature.
• Oven-bake as many items together as you can. Although some items may cook at different temperatures, many items can be cooked at a standard temperature.
• Use smaller appliances such as crock-pots, microwaves and toaster ovens when possible.
• Match the size of your pan to the size of the heating element. For example, when using an electric cook top, a 6-inch pan on an 8-inch burner will waste more than 40 percent of the heat produced by the burner.
• Choose glass or ceramic pans for the oven. These pans heat faster than metal ones.
• When possible, cover your pots and pans. This can help cook your food more quickly.
• Only use as much water as you need in a pot. Every extra drop requires more energy to heat.

The 10-minute pre-trip car checkup (courtesy the Car Care Council)

• Check all fluids, including engine oil, power steering and brake and transmission, as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant.
•  Check the hoses and belts that can become cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or show signs of excessive wear. These are critical to the proper functioning of the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering and the cooling system.
• Check the tires, including tire pressure and tread. Uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots.

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