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Your Weekend is Packed With Holiday Options

Shows, benefits, dinners and more.

The holiday season. It's getting closer and closer and closer. And, with it, more and more holiday-related events. You're certainly not at a loss this weekend. Check them out: New Jersey Ballet's Nutcracker When/Where: Eleven performances starting Friday at Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown. Why Go: C'mon, it's the Nutcracker. It's a Christmas thing. Cost: $19-$59 Christmas Tree Fundraiser When/Where: All day Friday at Glenwild Garden Center, Bloomingdale. Why Go: To pick up your Christmas tree last-minute and also benefit the Bloomingdale PTA. A portion of sales (20 percent of each purchase) will support various Bloomingdale PTA programs throughout the year. Cost: Depends on the tree. Delivery is available. Chanukah Party When/…

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No Shortage of Holiday Cheer This Weekend

Santa, sales and the smoothness of Kenny G.

The holidays are in full swing around here. Which means there are plenty of opportunities to get into the spirit, both here in Morristown and around the region. Here is but a sampling. But, don't worry: These will be more than enough to give you that Yuletide Cheer! And, if you're starting to get a little holidazed, there's other stuff happening, too. Holiday Boutique When/Where: The Somerset Hills YMCA in Basking Ridge will hold its Holiday Boutique from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, with local vendors (children’s books, clothing, make up, skin care, jewelry, gourmet foods, etc.), great music, basket raffles and a cash for gold table for cash on the spot. Why Go: The boutique will benefit the YMCA's dance team. Vendors include local artist …

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Morristown's Question of the Day

Christmas Tree: Real or Fake?

Real ones smell nice, but fakes are the tree that keeps on giving.

For the Christmas-celebrating set, it's an eternal question: Real or fake? Trees, that is. In your youth, do you remember going with Dad to the Christmas Tree vendor at the edge of town? Purchasing it? Lugging it home? Setting it up in the living room? Do you remember the smell? That pine scent was better than any Pine Sol bottle. And, it just smelled like Christmas. Three weeks after Christmas, the family finally decided to throw out the tree. Or, at least, the branches of the tree, as about 90 percent of the needles didn't make it out the front door. As you grew older, the family decided a fake tree made more sense. It was a one-time purchase. And, every year, you brought it out from the attic, clicked the branches into the center base. …

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Ways to Help Others This Holiday Season

Many opportunities available locally.

The holidays are just about getting stuff and stuffing one's self. Far from it. They are about family and friends coming together and giving thanks for what they have, and sharing in what they have with those they love. Not everyone, however, has the resources to celebrate. For many, it's just a struggle to pay their bills, let alone buy a turkey for Thanksgiving, or toys for Christmas. Luckily, there are a lot of opportunities for people to help others this holiday season. Here are a few: Do you know of other ways people can help others this holiday season? Post them to our events calendar, our announcements page or email John Dunphy at john.dunphy@patch.com.

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Mr. Clemente Goes to Washington

Morristown native and jazz pianist, Rio Clemente, to perform at White House Dec. 22.

Ten years after his dream to perform at the White House was put on hold, it's finally about to come true for pianist Rio Clemente. Clemente, a Morristown native also known internationally as "The Bishop of Jazz," will be playing there on Dec. 22. It's quite an honor for a man who considers himself a patriot. "America is very close to my heart," said Clemente, who served in the Coast Guard Auxilliary. "I never do a concert without ending with something patriotic." It all started with a phone call. Actually, it started when Clemente–who locals have probably seen perform, among other events, during Morris County's annual First Night in Morristown–was asked to perform at The Inn at Bowman's Hill in New Hope, Pa., for Veterans Day in November…

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Morristown's Walking Tour of Windows Returns

The public can vote on storefront designs until Dec. 19.

Last year saw the inaugural downtown Walking Tour of Windows event in Morristown. Dozens of businesses gussied up their storefronts for the holiday contest, to the pleasure of onlookers. Due to the event's success, it's back for a second year. So, head out of doors and into Morristown to see what businesses are getting into the holiday spirit. The press release is below: Nearly 30 downtown Morristown retailers have signed up to participate in the second annual “Walking Tour of Windows” window decorating contest. The event is a joint effort of the Morris County Tourism Bureau, the Morris County Alliance for Tourism, the Arts Council of the Morris Area, Morristown Partnership and the Mayo Performing Arts Center, and is designed to bring more…

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On Stage: A Peek At The Performing Arts

It's a Happening Holiday Season on Stage

North Jersey's stages are bursting with Christmas shows, along with some non-festive offerings.

If you’re a holiday kind of person, North Jersey’s theaters are sure to have something for you. Sure, thereare a lot of “Christmas Carol” and “Nutcracker” productions going on, but you can also spend some time with George Bailey and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” or see “White Christmas” live on stage. Options for kids include “Babes in Toyland,” “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and “The Littlest Angel.” And if Christmas songs are your thing, there are plenty of concerts featuring holiday music to take in, including shows by Crystal Gayle, Kenny G and Wilson Phillips. But if you’re not much of a holiday person, there’s still time to catch “The Wedding Singer,” “Crimes of the Heart” and “Over the River and Through the Woods.” Read on to find out…

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Morristown's Question of the Day

Cyber Monday: Hot Sales, or a Bunch of Hooey?

Will you be shopping online today?

First there was Black Friday. Then, we had Small Business Saturday. Now, we're at Cyber Monday. There is no shortage of days leading up the big day, Dec. 25. One features deals. One features deals ... online. One promotes shopping local. While each is played out in a different arena of commerce, all three still are about commerce. Which brings us to our "Question of the Day:" Are you participating in "Cyber Monday," the last of the three big holiday season shopping days (until someone comes up with a fourth one)? Are you glued to your computer? Did you get all your shopping done on Friday (or Saturday)? Or, are you being a conscientious dissenter, choosing not to participate in all this commercialism? Take our poll and chime in below.

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Gridlock Relief: Extra Rail, Bus, Customer Service for Holiday Travelers

Kids 11 and under ride free on NJ Transit all holiday weekend.

Whether you’re traveling over the river or through the woods, NJ Transit is gearing up to provide gridlock relief during the approaching holiday season.  Starting Wednesday, Nov. 23 and continuing through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, scores of NJ Transit customer service representatives and volunteers will be deployed at major facilities to assist customers, with rail and bus service adjusted to match Thanksgiving travel patterns. This year, NJ Transit will once again offer “early getaway” rail and bus service on Wednesday, Nov. 23, for the benefit of customers leaving work early, and to provide additional capacity for customers traveling to Newark Liberty International Airport. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically the …

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