Get Your Holiday Tree to the Curb

Curbside tree pick-up is scheduled for tomorrow and next Thursday.

The Village of Grayslake Waste Management crews will pick up Christmas trees tomorrow, January 10 and next Thursday, January 17. Trees should be placed unbagged, at the curb or edge of the street the night before the scheduled service day. Trees greater than six feet in height must be cut in half prior to being set out for pick-up. Waste Management will not pick up trees in plastic bags. For more information contact the Request for Service System at 847-223-8515. You can also donate your tree to the Lake County Forest Preserve. Drop it off at one of the several sites across the area. How long do you leave your Christmas tree and decorations up? Join the Patch Poll here.

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Holiday Recipes: Cookies, Candy and More

Patch editors from across Chicagoland share some of their favorite Christmas recipes.

Patch.com editors from across the Chicago area dug into their cookbooks and came back with some of their favorite holiday recipes to share with readers. We hope you enjoy. Happy Holidays! Share your favorite holiday recipes with Patch! Send your recipe as well as any photos to Editor Amie Schaenzer at amie.schaenzer@patch.com and we will include your recipe in this article.

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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!

Cuneo's Mansion Gets Decked Out for Holiday Display

Cuneo Mansion and Gardens opens its Winter Wonderland Holiday Lights Show on Friday, Nov. 23.

Loyola University Chicago’s Cuneo Mansion and Gardens is once again getting decked out for its annual Winter Wonderland Holiday Light Show.  Staff and Vernon Hills public works crews are putting the final touches on hundreds of displays outside and decorations inside for the light show’s Nov. 23 opening. “We are so pleased to share another holiday season with the public,” said Kevin Ginty, general manager at Cuneo Mansion and Gardens. “It is one of our favorite times of the year, and we are thrilled to host the open house with Santa for a second year. It brings such joy!” Cuneo’s grounds will open for a drive-thru tour the estate’s 97 acres. Visitors can enhance their experience by tuning into the local radio station 107.1 FM for a dual …

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Top Toys Grayslake Kids are Asking For

Find out what’s in before you head out to take advantage of Black Friday savings.

Making sure to put just the right presents under the tree for kids can be a trick even for Santa. If you’re hoping to find out what’s hot before you head out to shop on Black Friday or Small Business Saturday, we’ve put together a few suggestions. Retailers themselves are generally the best judges of what’s in. Here are what some of the biggest toy retailers in the area are saying: Toys ‘R’ Us This retailer has a Top 15 list of toys for boys and girls. Some of its suggestions include: To see the full list, visit Toys ‘R’ Us online. Target This store agrees with Toys ‘R’ Us on a few counts, but has its own suggestions, as well. They include: To see the full list of suggestions, visit Target online. Walmart This retailer has an extensive …

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Angela Sykora

11:13 am on Friday, November 23, 2012

Thanks for your suggestion, Tina!   more ›

Mag Mile Lights Festival Tips to Make Your Trip Memorable

The popular festival returns to downtown Chicago on Nov. 17.

Nothing is more thrilling than to see Mickey and Minnie turn on the thousands of lights on Michigan Avenue, just ask the million or so people who attended last year's Magnificent Mile Lights Festival. The 21st annual festival is scheduled on Saturday, Nov. 17 and heralds the Christmas season. If you are one of the brave souls heading out to the Mag Mile, here are some helpful tips to make the trip memorable for your family: Getting there Public transportation is highly recommended due to the crowds, estimated at 1.2 million last year. Metra will have weekend passes available for purchase and special entertainment at its Ogilvie Transportation Center. Schedules are available here. If you are brave enough to drive, check out the Chicago …

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Fantastic Thanksgiving Sides

A cheesy potato casserole and delicious cranberry sauce are sure to light up your Thanksgiving dinner table.

It’s time for Thanksgiving! Not only do you get to see family, but the food is plentiful and delicious. There are multiple side dishes to choose from to accompany the all important turkey. Everything from green bean casserole to sweet potato pie, Patch is sharing some fantastic side dish recipes that may become a part of your Thanksgiving tradition. Ingredients Cheesy Potato Casserole 3 lbs red potatoes, sliced 1 lb broccoli, chopped 1 10.75 oz can cream of chicken 1 cup sour cream ½ lb ham, sliced 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp black pepper 1 tbsp kosher salt 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp basil ½ cup cheddar cheese, grated ½ cup Asiago, grated ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated ½ cup bread crumbs ¼ cup butter, melted Cranberry Sauce 1 12 oz bag cranberries …

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