10 Ways To De-Stress During the Holidays

Feeling overwhelmed this season? Check out the list below for ways to stay healthy and have fun.

It’s that time of year again: the holiday season. There are gifts to buy, parties to attend, family to visit ... and it all happens around your existing crazy schedule. This can be a time for joy and celebration but it can also be a time when people experience sadness, anxiety, stress and exhaustion. Here are 10 ways to stay healthy this Hanukkah and Christmas season: 1. With the exception of one night a week, stick to the same sleep schedule. Don’t try to make up for lost sleep by sleeping late. Instead, try to nap once or twice during the day for 15 minutes. Drink lots of water or other vitamin infused drinks. Use cold compresses on your eyes to decrease swelling and increase brightness. 2. Set a limit for gift giving and stick to it. …

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Try These Hanukkah Recipes During the Festival of Lights

Make these brisket, latke, and sufganiyot recipes for Hanukkah.

This year, Hanukkah begins on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 8 and ends on the evening of Sunday, Dec. 16. Observing the Festival of Lights goes hand-in-hand with making special Hanukkah foods. Before you light the menorah, make sure you have all the ingredients for some great brisket, latke, and sufganiyot. Although there are many recipes, below are a few to try during the eight nights.   Potato Latkes Ingredients Instructions Once they are ready to eat, try them with some apple sauce mixed with sugar & cinnamon, sour cream or just a sprinkling of salt. Brisket Ingredients Instructions   Sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) from chabad.org Ingredients Instructions TELL US: What are your favorite things to eat during Hanukkah? Do you have any …

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Hanukkah Begins at Sundown; List of Greater Framingham Events

Hanukkah parties and happenings for the week ahead.

Tuesday, Dec. 20 3rd Annual Young Families Chanukah Party/Jewish Family Services of Metrowest: Heritage Assisted Living 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21 Cantor’s Coffee: Temple Beth Am 11:30 a.m. LifeLong Learning Trial of Abraham: Temple Beth Am noon Whimsical Wednesday: MetroWest Jewish Day School 10-11:00 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22 Yom Tov Party for Chanukah:Temple Beth Am  noon Friday, Dec. 23 Torah Service & Anniversary Blessings: Temple Beth Am 7:15 p.m. Friends & Family Shabbat Dinner: Temple Beth Shalom 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24 Chinese Food & Movie: Night Temple Beth Am 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 25  Project Ezra: Temple Beth Am noon

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The Social Scene

Award-Winning Latkes at Family Hanukkah Party

A family party at Temple Beth Am featured Hanukkah songs, a homemade menorah contest, and a latke contest.

Homemade latkes were on the menu at Temple Beth Am's family Hanukkah party last night. Each family brought a plate of 25 latkes to enter into the "Best Latkes of the Year" contest. Everyone at the party could vote for their favorite latke. In addition, some children had entered homemade menorahs into a separate menorah contest. Entries featured creative menorahs made from Crayola markers to candy. At a crafts table, Madison Sherman, age 9, made an edible dreidel using marshmallows, blue sugar, and candy. Nearby, Lindsay Noah, a kindergartener, and Amanda Noah, a second grader, showed off the menorahs they had made. Their grandmother, Barbara Marder, is an art teacher who set up a craft table at her house, where the girls worked on their …

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Holiday Shopping in Framingham

Fabulous Estate and One-of-a-Kind Jewelry Gifts

Sheldon Jewelers has unique estate and custom designed jewelry for the wow factor on the final night of Hanukkah or on Christmas morning.

Family-owned business Sheldon Jewelers  has been in Framingham for more than 25 years.  Sheldon Smith operates the store with his son Russell Smith and daughter Sophia McFadden. The store specializes in custom-designed jewelry and unique estate jewelry pieces. The store also does repairs on the premises.Recently, Framingham Patch visited the store and found one-of-a-kind pieces to please any special lady in your life.  If you holiday budget needs a boost this year, you can sell your jewelry to Sheldon. They buy old gold, diamonds, single earrings, broken chains, pins, estate jewelry, coins, and anything gold!

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Hanukkah Begins at Sundown

Area famililes plan to celebrate the 8-day Festival of Lights at home and at local Temples this weekend.

Hanukkah, which starts at sundown tonight, is more than simply a celebration of a great victory. The eight days of Hanukkah celebrates a miracle and an opportunity to shine a light onto the world, according to Rachmiel Langer, an area spiritual director and counselor. Hanukkah is a relatively recent holiday, instituted about 2,100 years ago, she said. Hanukkah is not dictated in the Torah, but is a wonderful family and home focused holiday, she added. Many Framingham residents will celebrate the holiday at home with family traditions. "Tonight my family will celebrate the holiday the way that we always do," said Cindi Muller. After dinner, the family gathers in front of the family menorahs. Muller and her husband Dain have a son and a …

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5 Things You Need To Know This Week

Nov. 28: A Look at the Week Ahead

Hanukkah starts at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 1 and Framingham will hold its 19th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting on Friday, Dec. 3.

1. This is the last week for curbside yard waste collection. Yard waste collection occurs on the same day as your trash collection. Only yard waste contained in approved, paper biodegradable leaf bags or in covered 35-gallon plastic or metal barrels clearly marked "yard waste" will be collected. No plastic bags allowed. Any yard waste not conforming to these guidelines will not be collected and will be left at the curb.  2. Hanukkah begins at sundown on Wednesday, Dec. 1. The Festival of Lights ends on Dec. 9. 3. The town of Framingham will hold its 19th Annual Holiday Tree Lighting at the Memorial Building on Friday night, Dec. 3 at 6:15. Framingham Girl Scouts will lead the crowd in carols on the steps outside, in anticipation of …

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