Guide to Hosting Thanksgiving on a Budget

Being the host for Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to go for broke. Check out Apartment Therapy’s guide for entertaining on a budget!

Is it your turn to host the big holiday meal in your circle of friends and family this year? Or maybe you are the perennial host? Either way, while wonderful and worth it to host such a special gathering, it can get very expensive. We're pulled together a whole list of ideas on how to do it well in a wallet-friendly way.

Substitute. Let go of what you think you absolutely "need" for the table. For example, if you are low on vases, substitute drinking glasses or bottles. Check out all of our ideas for How to Set a Party Table Without Buying Anything New.

Potluck. Do a partial potluck - you can do the "mains" and let your guests help out with the appetizers, sides and desserts.

Candlelight. Nothing is more festive and beautiful than a candlelit room. Simple tapers (that you've stored in the freezer to prolong their burn time) and lots of tealight votives create a holiday ambiance for a few dollars. Check out our full list of simple, fast and inexpensive decorating ideas.

Consider Carnations. They may be thought of as a "filler flower" from time to time due to their inexpenisve pricetag, but they can be used beautifully for holiday floral arrangements. For inspiration and ideas, check out our How-To post on making several great looking arrangements.

Keep the bar basic. Our list of just the necessities is right here.

Go reusuable. It may seem more expensive at first, but will save lots of money in the long run. We have a full list of party necessities that you'll use year after year, and they are all under $5.

Finally, if you'd really like to host friends and family on the day but just can't swing the expense of a full dinner this year, you can be the designated "after dinner" spot. Invite friends to stop at your place last, after the big meal. Board games, coffee and dessert are on you!

Read more http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/guide-to-hosting-thanksgiving-on-a-budget-tips-ideas-and-links-101102

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Should we call it Black Thursday? Stores opening even earlier this year

How do you feel about the earlier store openings?

It used to be that Black Friday shoppers could get at least a few hours of sleep before racing out in the pre-dawn darkness in search of deals.

No longer.

Target, Best Buy, Kohl’s and Macy’s are among major retailers  planning to open at midnight Thanksgiving night, making Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving and the traditional start of the holiday shopping season — an ideal event for night owls.

Some retailers aren’t even waiting until Friday for Black Friday to begin. Wal-Mart will begin some Black Friday specials at 10 p.m. Thanksgiving. Toys R Us stores will welcome shoppers beginning at 9 p.m. Thursday and will remain open until 11 p.m. Friday, making for a 26-hour shopping day.

The Outlets at Castle Rock begins its annual “Moonlight Madness” at 9 p.m. Thanksgiving as well. That’s an hour earlier than last year; when Moonlight Madness began in 2007, midnight marked the start.

Some aren’t pleased with Black Friday intruding into the Thanksgiving holiday.

“What happened to FAMILY HOLIDAYS!!” a reader posted on The Gazette’s Facebook page. “The almighty buck pushing in on family time. ”

Anthony Hardwick, a part-time Target employee in Nebraska, has pushed back against Target’s plan to open at midnight on Black Friday by launching an online petition that has gained national attention. And even the retailers aren’t necessarily thrilled by the race to be first. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn expressed unhappiness about the company’s midnight start, noting that it would change Thanksgiving plans for some employees. But, he said, “we made a decision at Best Buy that we need to be where our customers are.”

Merchants are competing for shoppers on a weekend that can be critical for their annual sales and profits, and a growing number fear opening at 4 a.m. or 5 a.m., as they have in recent years, may be too late in this challenging economy. According to a Black Friday shopping survey conducted for the National Retail Federation by BIGresearch, up to 152 million people plan to shop Black Friday weekend, up from the 138 million people who planned to do so last year.

'We have heard from our guests that they want to shop Target following their Thanksgiving celebrations rather than only having the option of getting up in the middle of the night,” said Molly Snyder, a spokeswoman for Minneapolis-based Target.

People in several fields — even retail — have traditionally had to work on Thanksgiving, said Ellen Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation. She noted that many drugstores and food stores remain open on the holiday. And Kmart stores have been open on Thanksgiving Day for many years.

“I understand the employee’s concerns, but at the same time, I’m sure if they don’t want to work on Thanksgiving, there are plenty of people who would be happy to step in for them,” Jason “Cliffy” Haag said on gazette.com. “I guess they have to decide which is more important for them, going to work on Thanksgiving night or collecting a paycheck.”

Michael Niemira, chief economist for the International Council of Shopping Centers, is not convinced that the longer Black Friday hours and midnight openings are such a good idea.

“I’m not sure how successful it will be,” he said. “I think it just shifts sales instead of adding incremental business.”

Still, it’s a strategy that many retailers can’t ignore.

“If their competitors are doing it, they are doing it,” he said.

—
The Associated Press, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Bill Radford of The Gazette contributed to this story.

STORE OPENINGS

Here is when some major retailers will open their doors:

Best Buy, midnight Thursday

Dick’s Sporting Goods, 5 a.m. Friday

J.C. Penney, 4 a.m. Friday

Kmart, 5 a.m. Friday (also open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Thanksgiving)

Kohl’s, midnight Thursday

Macy’s, midnight Thursday

Old Navy, midnight Thursday (also open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Thanksgiving)

Sears, 4 a.m. Friday

Toys R Us, 9 p.m. Thursday

The Citadel mall will open at midnight Thursday, though not all stores will be open; Chapel Hills Mall will open at 6 a.m. Friday, but some stores, including Aéropostale and Victoria’s Secret, will open at midnight Thursday while some others will open in the hours between midnight and 6 a.m. The Promenade Shops at Briargate opens at 9 a.m. Friday, though several stores will open earlier.

Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/black-128797-call-stores.html#ixzz1eLtkN0HX

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New Colorado Springs Brand, 'Live It Up!", Released To Mixed Reviews

The new Colorado Springs logo is definitely getting very mixed reviews:

A recent Colorado Springs campaign to re-brand the city concluded yesterday after seven months, $111,000, and the coordination of hundreds of people. The result? Colorado Springs's new tagline is "Live it up!"


The project was paid for by the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) in an attempt to appeal to residents, businesses, and visitors. Stone Mantel, an 'insights consultancy' in Castle Rock, Colorado, spearheaded the project.


"Everybody wants our city and region to be successful and this brand expresses that," said Mayor Steve Bach to the Colorado Springs Business Journal.


Added Doug Quimby, chairman of the Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corp, "We've never really tried to brand ourselves before. Others have created it for us, and some of those were negative." The Gazette reports another tagline option was "Spring into..." but "Live it up!" tested better with focus groups.


In contrast to the fanfare surrounding the brand launch, some have been less than impressed. A Facebook group titled "Rebrand the Springs" asks the CVB to bring in local designers to replace the new logo. The group, which applauds CVB's efforts, states:


We don't doubt [the branding exercise] was valuable, but most everyone is in agreement - the logo sucks. It doesn't reflect what Colorado Springs is, unless we're all playing little league baseball circa 1993.


The Denver Egotist, a marketing and advertising blog, takes the criticism a step further:


"Horrible design, horrible writing and generic to the bone. A quick search of tourism slogans finds at least 7 other cities with the tag "Live it up." Apparently, this is what happens when someone in government "knows a guy" who can develop a "brand." There's gotta be a more skilled group down there that could have done this thing some justice."

What's your take - Could we have done better? Should we bring in a team of local designers to give it another shot? Or do you think the logo is good the way it is?

Read more http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/17/colorado-springs-brand-live-it-up_n_1099559.html

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Sustainability conference aims to bring out the green in Springs

Glad to see that we’re moving towards sustainability in the Springs.

Is the tide turning for sustainability in Colorado Springs?

There are certainly signs that it is. Just months after Colorado Springs finished dead last in a Brookings Institution national ranking of cities’ “clean economy” performance, the Springs is sprouting community solar gardens, Fort Carson is moving toward “net zero” goals for energy, water and waste, and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs is launching an electric vehicle program, among other mileposts.

The Catamount Institute, a local nonprofit dedicated to sustainability and environmental education, is trying to keep the ball rolling at its annual Colorado Sustainability Conference taking place Thursday and Friday at the Antlers Hilton hotel downtown.

“A lot of times the community doesn’t realize the great things that are happening,” said Whitney Calhoun, conference coordinator for Catamount.

Calhoun pointed to a number of smaller developments, like the region’s first EPA WaterSense home, which was completed earlier this year at Gold Hill Mesa, and the growth of the local food movement.

Getting military, business and community leaders in the same room and talking about issues that affect them all is the primary goal of the conference, Calhoun said. Some of the topics include “getting to zero waste,” “rethinking transportation,” “sustainable procurement” and “alternative energy and rural Colorado’s future.”

“It’s the types of collaborations that come out of these, whether it’s the education that you get at the conference or the meeting of diverse people in the community that may not have been in the same room at any other event,” she said.

What’s changed at this year’s conference, the fourth year Catamount has run the program, Calhoun said, is that many of the national speakers Catamount is bringing in this year knew about one facet of Colorado sustainability or another and were excited to come.

“We haven’t had to beg the presenters,” Calhoun said. “They’ve heard about Colorado Springs and are excited and engaged to come to Colorado Springs and see what we’re doing here.”

Speakers include David Sandalow, assistant secretary of policy and international affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy, National Geographic writer Joel Bourne, FoodCorps farm-to-school program co-founder Debra Eschmeyer and Kevin Danaher, co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange.

COLORADO SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.
Where: Antlers Hilton hotel, 4 S. Cascade Ave.
Information: 471-0910 or catamountinstitute.org

Pricing: General public - $235, Pikes Peak Sustainable Business Network member $185, teacher/non-profit, $95, student $55

Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/springs-128557-colorado-sustainability.html#ixzz1dzQqWwqc

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Happy Veteran's Day!

Happy Veterans Day! Did anyone check out the parade last weekend?

Bands, floats, military vehicles and motorcycles will cruise down Tejon Street in Colorado Springs Saturday morning for the city's 11th annual Veterans Day Parade.
Organizers say the parade is the biggest one yet, with 14 bands more than a dozen floats, including many that mark the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.
Fort Carson's 4th Infantry Division band will lead off the parade at 10 a.m. starting on Tejon at St. Vrain Street and marching south to Vermijo Avenue
The parade includes eight grand marshalls — all Pearl Harbor survivors.
"We hope we have as many as 20,000 or 30,000 turn out for the parade," said Eileen Howe, one of the parade's organizers.
Also on tap is an annual highlight for the parade — a four-engined C-130 transport plane from Peterson Air Force Base will give the event a flying finish when it roars down the route.
Read more: http://www.gazette.com/articles/parade-127899-day-tejon.html#ixzz1closNLXU

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Colorado Springs 2nd Best City in U.S. for Veterans

Glad to see that our city is recognized for its support of veterans!

Livability.com has ranked Colorado Springs number two in the nation for military veterans and their families to call home. With Veterans Day just three days away, Livability ranked the top 10 places for veterans to either retire or start a second career.

The rankings  are based on quality of life attributes that appeal to veterans, such as modern climate, low cost of living, unemployment rate and outdoor recreational opportunities. Officials said they also gave additional consideration to places with military institutions and VA hospitals.

“We know it’s important for veterans and their families to have access to quality medical care and social services,” John Hood, Livability.com spokesman, said in a statement, “so we chose cities with excellent health-care systems and VA hospitals. The cities on this list also tend to be more diverse, have excellent school systems and higher education options and greater opportunities for post-military employment.”

Colorado Springs has five military installations, which Hood said offers veterans a solid social and professional network. He also pointed out the defense industry plays a major role in the Colorado Springs economy, employing thousands of military veterans. Some of the city’s largest employers develop high-tech weapons, aircraft, spacecraft and electronic equipment. In addition to the strong military presence, the city also fits the indicators listed above in terms of quality of life, cultural amenities and outdoor recreation.

Colorado Springs was beaten out only by Fayetteville, N.C.

Livability has ranked Colorado Springs before. Garden of the Gods is ranked #4 on the Great Hiking Trails list and received the same ranking in the Manliest cities list. The city is also ranked #2 for pets

Here is the complete top 10 list for best veteran places:

1)  Fayetteville, N.C.
2)  Colorado Springs, Colo.
3)  San Angelo, Texas
4)  Carlisle, Pa.
5)  Madison, Wis.
6)  Topeka, Kan.
7)  Syracuse, N.Y.
8)  Kenner, La.
9)  Tucson, Ariz.
10)  Cheyenne, Wyo.

“One thing all 10 cities have in common is their inclusive nature and a proven history of community support for military families,” Hood said.

Read more http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=684117#.TrrCvfQ80SQ

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CRAFT FAIRS: Start your holiday shopping early - and local

Want to do your holiday shopping locally this year? You’ll have plenty of opportunities…

NOV. 4-6
Black Forest Arts and Crafts Guild fall show and sale — 9 .m.-8 p.m. Nov. 4 and 5, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Black Forest Community Center, 12530 Black Forest Road. No strollers allowed, venue is wheelchair accessible, free admission; www.bfacg.org.

NOV. 4
“Fun Fair” — Hosted by the Assistance League of Colorado Springs with holiday gifts, toys, food and more, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., with card playing 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and luncheon and style show at 11:30 a.m., Colorado Springs Shrine Club, 6 S. Third St. Free admission for shopping, $15 for luncheon and style show. Reservations for luncheon, style show and table for cards required by Oct. 28: Jackie, 597-2675 or Gay, 570-7139.

NOV. 4 AND 5
Crossfire Ministries treasure and quilt sale and bazaar — 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 2120 E. La Salle St., free admission; 447-1806 or www.crossfireministries.com.
Ten Thousand Villages International Festival Sale — To benefit skilled artists in more than 30 countries with fairly traded gifts and home décor, 3-8 p.m. Nov. 4, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 5, Beth-El Mennonite Church, 4265 Ranch Drive, free admission; 636-2716, www.bethelmennonite.org or office@bethelmennonite.org.
Rocky Mountain Christmas boutique — With handmade gifts, gourmet food baskets and more to benefit programs of CHOICES of Woodland Park and Cripple Creek, 1-7 p.m. Nov. 4, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 5, Ute Pass Cultural Center, 210 E. Midland Ave., Woodland Park, free admission; 310-4043.

NOV. 5
Colorado Springs Senior Center arts and crafts sale — 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 1514 N. Hancock Ave., free admission; Jody, 387-6000.
Holiday bazaar — Lunch offered by the youth of Ascension, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Ascension Church, 2505 N. Circle Drive, free admission; 440-5896.
Craft and gift fair — With more than 90 vendors, jewelry, scarves, purses, shoes, puppets, Kettle Corn, candles, wood-work, laser stuff, tic-tac-toe, puzzles, art, photography, pearls and more, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunnyside Christian Church, 2025 N. Murray Blvd. Food will be served, free admission; 596-1659.
Holiday boutique — To benefit International MOMS Club of Colorado Springs - Northwest, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Hyatt Place Colorado Springs, 503 Garden of the Gods Road, free admission; www.momsclubnwcos.com.
Holiday bazaar — With foods, crafts and stocking stuffers, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St. George’s Anglican Church, 217 E. Pikes Peak Ave., free admission; 434-3364.
Fountain Valley Crafters craft fair — With homemade baked goods and lunch, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., VFW Post 3971, 4715 Clearview Drive, free admission; 392-6711.

NOV. 5 AND 6
Craft fair — Hosted by St. Patrick Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 5, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Nov. 6, St. Patrick Catholic Church, 6455 Brook Park Drive, free admission; 598-3595, ext. 108.

NOV. 12
Holiday arts and craft fair — Presented by the Ladies Auxiliary with snack bar, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Knights of Columbus Council 4636, 567 Marquette Drive, Security, free admission; Janet, 597-3284 or Connie, 392-5766.
Pine Creek High School holiday bazaar — 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Pine Creek High School, 10750 Thunder Mountain Ave., free admission; 495-4489.
Liberty craft and gift fair — 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Liberty High School, 8720 Scarborough Drive, free admission; Terry, 282-3083 or craftliberty@yahoo.com.

NOV. 12 AND 13
Mountain holiday arts and craft festival — Handcrafted items, jewelry, gifts and bake sale, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 12, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 13, Woodland Park High School, 151 N. Baldwin St., Woodland Park. Admission is donation of cash, pet food, collars or leashes to benefit the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter; Pam, 641-4116 or TCRAS, 686-7707.
Christmas craft bazaar — Hosted by the Women’s Fellowship of the Community Congregational Church of Manitou Springs, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 12, 11”30 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 13, Community Congregational Church of Manitou Springs, 103 Pawnee Ave., Manitou Springs, free admission; Patsy Adams, 685-5255.

NOV. 15
“Christmas Unlimited Fundraiser” — With more than 40 vendors, 10 a.m.-4 p.fm., Avanti Ballroom, 1337 N. Academy Blvd.; www.onestopshopfundraiser.info.

NOV. 19
Christmas craft fair and bazaar — To benefit the United Methodist Women’s mission projects, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Trinity Methodist Church, 701 N. 20th St., free admission; 633-9295.
Sand Creek High School’s 9th annual craft fair — 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 7005 N. Carefree Circle, free admission; Colette, 573-1724.
Rocky Mountain Classical Academy’s market day — Sponsored by the PTO with drawings for gifts, bake sale and crafts, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Rocky Mountain Classical Academy, 1710 Piros Drive, free admission; RMCAmarketday@yahoo.com.
Holiday art and craft fair — With local vendors, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Our Lady of the Woods Church, 116 S. West St., Woodland Park, free admission; 687-2631 or 9345.

NOV. 19 AND 20
“Festive Family Fun Days” — Christmas shopping, fresh baked goodies, music, Santa and more, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 19, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 20, Doubletree Hotel, 1775 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd., $5, free for children 12 and younger; www.ecusocmin.org.

NOV. 26
Annual Christmas arts and crafts bazaar — With baked goods and food, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Fountain Valley Senior Center, 5745 Southmoor Drive, free admission; 520-6470.
Winter show and sale — Sponsored by Mountain Artists with holiday ornaments, jewelry, wood art and more, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Ute Pass Cultural Center, 210 E. Midland Ave., Woodland Park, free admission; shandleym@q.com.
Holiday gift bazaar — Presented by the Colorado Literacy Foundation with Santa, lunch to purchase and more, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., East Library, Community Room, 5550 N. Union Blvd., free admission; www.coloradoliteracyfoundation.org.

DEC. 2-4
Bemis Faculty holiday art sale — 4-8 p.m. Dec. 2, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 4, Bemis School of Art, 818 Pelham Place, free admission; www.csfineartscenter.org or 475-2444.

DEC. 3
Holiday boutique and bazaar — Hosted by St. Peter Catholic School Home and School Association with local vendors, crafts, concessions, bake sale and more, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., St. Peter Catholic School Gymnasium, 124 First St., Monument, free admission; katie_pepper@hotmail.com.

DEC. 3 AND 4
Doherty arts and crafts show — With silent auction, concessions and bake sale, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 3, noon-4 p.m. Dec. 4, Doherty High School, 4515 Barnes Road, free admission; 531-5731, www.prideofdoherty.com/craft_show.htm or wpatterson88@msn.com.
Sixth annual North Pole Tri-lakes arts and crafts fair — Hosted by the Monument Hill Kiwanis Club, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 3, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 4, Grace Best School, 66 Jefferson St., Monument, free admission; 278-8393 or monumenthillkiwanis.org.
“Sounds of the Season” holiday home tour gift and gourmet food marketplace — With more than 40 vendors, homemade pies, lunch and more, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Dec. 3, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 4, Woodland Park Middle School, 600 E. Kelly Road, Woodland Park. Proceeds benefit Teller County nonprofits, free admission to marketplace; www.pprmc.org or 686-8648.

DEC. 10
Craft fair — To benefit The Hillsprings Learning Center, with refreshments and bake sale, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., The Hillsprings Learning Center, 2766 Janitell Road, free admission; Lisa Shaw, 534-2828 or 238-8383.

DEC. 10 AND 11
Florence High School Band’s arts and crafts show — With handcrafted items, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 10, noon-6 p.m. Dec. 11, Florence High School, 2006 Highway 67, Florence, free admission; 429-4226.
“Christmas Cookies and Crafts/Children’s Secret Shop” — Handmade cookies, candles, jewelry and more and children can find low-cost gifts for family members in area supervised by church youth, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 10, noon-1 p.m. Dec. 11, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 7400 Tudor Road, free admission; Peggy, 481-6166.

This seasonal listing is for local arts and crafts fairs sponsored by schools, churches, craft organizations and nonprofits. Send your information to Carlotta Olson at listings@gazette.com (no attachments), or fax to 636-0202, attention Carlotta. Please include dates, times, location with street address, if there is an admission cost and contact information we can put in the paper. Questions? Call 636-0221.

Read more http://www.coloradosprings.com/articles/unique-12662-fairs-gifts.html

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