Earn Your Stripes: Pass Our Candy Cane Quiz

Dec. 26 is National Candy Cane Day.

For National Candy Cane Day, which falls the day after Christmas, we visited the National Confectioners Association website to gather the questions and answers for a quiz dedicated to the striped peppermint candy synonymous with the season. The quiz is available as a PDF so it's easy to print off and share with friends or family gathered at your house for the holidays. Or just test your knowledge below: Candy Cane Quiz 1. Legend places the origin of the candy cane in the: A. 1900s B. 1800s C. 1700s D. 1600s 2. According to legend, candy canes began as a means of: A. Rewarding shepherds for successfully guarding a flock. B. Bartering for the Christmas ham. C. Keeping choir children quiet during Christmas mass. D. Decorating the Christmas …

• Documents (1)

Christmas And Christmas Eve Services In Wakefield

A look at religious services scheduled in Wakefield for Monday, Dec. 24 and Tuesday, Dec. 25.

First Parish Congregational Church Monday, Dec. 24 – Children’s Pagaent Monday, Dec. 24 – Christmas Eve Service  Emmanuel Episcopal Church Dec. 24 – Festival Choral Eucharist at 5 p.m., music begins at 4:45 p.m. Dec. 25 – Christmas Day service at 9 a.m. St. Joseph’s Parish Dec. 24 – 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Christmas Day – 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Unitarian Universalist Church of Wakefield Dec. 24 – 7 to 8 p.m. Most Blessed Sacrament Parish Dec. 24 – 4 p.m. with adult choir Christmas concert at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 24 – 5:30 p.m. children’s mass with posada procession Dec. 25 – 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. masses. First Baptist Church of Wakefield Dec. 24 – 6:30 p.m.  St. Florence Parish Dec. 24 – 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Dec. 25 – 8 a.m. and 11 a.m…

• Photos (1)

Emmanuel Episcopal Church Announces Holiday Services

Rev. Matthew Caldwell offers a preview of this season's holiday services at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Wakefield.

The following is an announcement from Emmanuel Episcopal Church: Emmanuel Episcopal Church, located adjacent to the Veterans’ Memorial Common at the corner of Main and Bryant Street, welcomes the Christmas season and the religious observance of Christ’s nativity with several special services to which the greater Wakefield community is invited.  On Monday, December 24, Emmanuel celebrates Christmas Eve with a Festival Choral Eucharist at 5:00 p.m., with music beginning at 4:45 p.m.  Emmanuel's Rector, the Reverend Matthew P. Cadwell, will officiate and offer a Christmas sermon.  The parish musicians, under the leadership of Michael Salvatore, have been preparing for a grand Christmas Eve service for the past several weeks.  This year’s …

• Photos (1)

Christmas Fun Facts and Trivia

How much will we spend this year? And what's the best-selling Christmas song of all time? Find the answers below.

We know that there were three Wise Men, 12 days of Christmas and that Santa delivers all his presents around the world in one night. But did you know... $23,439.38  How much it would cost to buy your "true love" all the gifts in the 12 Days of Christmas. 12.9 billion hours, $447 billion How many hours Americans were expected to spend shopping, wrapping and returning gifts last year. That was about 42 hours and $688.87 per person.  Get your postman or postwoman a gift According to Hallmark, Christmas is the largest card-sending occasion. Nearly 1.5 billion cards are sent to friends and family every Christmas Season. (That's actually down 400 million cards since 2004.) $983 million The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from…

• Photos (2)

What Are Wakefielders Selling On Etsy.com?

Are you in that last-minute holiday shopping mode? See what some of these creative folks from Wakefield are selling online in their shops on Etsy.com.

A number of Wakefielders are among the thousands of people who sell hand-made crafts and other items on Etsy.com - and if you like to shop locally yourself, there might be some great last-minute Christmas gift ideas in here. You know you don’t want to endure another mall visit this holiday season, and there’s probably just enough time left to get a last minute gift in the mail before Christmas. With that, take a look at what some talented town residents have come up with! Regina Martine Design: Regina, who is also one of the writers for the weekly "Parent Yap" column on Wakefield Patch, sells some very nice paintings, as well as hand made Kindle cases and cell phone cases. Wakefield Woodworker: Town resident Dan Noren has a store featuring…

• Photos (1)

Dance Studio Of Wakefield Entering Last Week Of Toys For Tots Donations

Can you help out Toys for Tots this holiday season?

The following is from Dance Studio of Wakefield: The Dance Studio of Wakefield has already collected more than 150 toy donations for the Toys for Tots campaign.  We would like to send a heart felt THANK YOU to all who have given to the Toy Drive.  We are humbled by the generosity of our students, their families and the community.  This is an annual event that the students look forward too as their way of giving back to the community.  "No sooner are we back from Thanksgiving Break the dancers ask us when the Toys for Tots box will be up and how will it be decorated this season" says Diane Abraham.  If you would like to contribute to the donation please stop by and drop off an unwrapped toy to our studio by Friday December 14th or at the …

• Photos (1)

Enter Patch's “Deck the House” Contest For a Chance to Win $100,000

Did you decorate your house for the holidays this year? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your local school district and $500 to pay your electric bills!

We’re launching the annual Deck the House Contest to find the most over-the-top holiday decorations in America—the best “decked” house in the country—the one home so spectacularly decorated that everyone in town jokes your holiday decorations could rival Rockefeller Center’s. If this sounds like your house, upload a photo or video of your home to our contest page from Nov. 26 to Dec. 16. Only residents of Patch towns are eligible to enter. We’ll select 24 regional finalists, and from them, pick one grand prize winner. Patch will pay up to $500 of the utility bill for each finalist, while our national winner will have $100,000 donated to his or her local school district. Our contest is right around the corner, so now’s the time to get your …

• Videos (1)

Viewfinder

PHOTOS: More From Wakefield's Holiday Stroll

Wakefield held their annual Holiday Stroll Saturday with the added touch of light snow. Check out Mike Angelo's gallery here!

The Wakefield Event Planning Committee held their fourth annual Holiday Stroll with light snow flurries for an added touch. The Event was heavily attended with many events beng held at various locations around the twon.

• Photos (19)