Albuquerque resident Michael Coffing is a self-described Christmas “light bug.” He even bought his new house based on Christmas light dramatic potential and optimal viewing location. Every year, the 37-year-old dad puts on a Christmas light show like no other, incorporating his favorite musical tunes—music taking center stage in Coffing’s decorations—which he programs with lights…

What’s your favorite book to read with your children during the holidays? Here are some true-and-tested picks. ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’ by Laurel Long (Dial Books) The classic English Christmas carol that counts the gifts “my true love gave to me” over the course of 12 special days comes to life through the stunning…

When I was growing up in the ’50s and ’60s, the passage from Thanksgiving leftovers to packages under the tree started with my mother. On the first Sunday of Advent, she would assemble an evergreen wreath with four candles—three purple and one pink. Some years, she would attach satin ribbon bows to the base of…

Borax, a combination of sodium, boron, and oxygen, is a natural substance mined from the earth in its crude form, found in abundance in the deserts of California and Nevada. Powdered borax is white, consisting of soft, colorless crystals that dissolve in water. Borax is an ingredient in many detergents, cosmetics, and enamel glazes. The…

Christmas delivers more traditions, festivities, and entertainments than all other American holidays combined. Worshippers sing traditional carols and hymns, and light Advent candles. In their churches and homes, they set up nativity scenes, a practice created in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi. On the other side of the fence are secular holiday traditions. Originally…

Welcome to the sparkliest time of the year—New Year’s Eve. It’s a time for reminiscing and cherishing memories from the past year and welcoming in the new year with shouts of good cheer and toasts to prosperity for the year to come. Spend some time in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve learning…

A woman has turned her council flat into her dream home over lockdown for under 5,000 pounds (approx. US$6,600). Emma Campbell, 30, a digital marketing trainer, got her flat from the council when she was just 17 years old. Since then, she bought the flat for herself, and over the lockdown, she transformed it into her…

With the holiday season upon us and Christmas approaching soon, a professional Santa Claus from England shares his experience and tips for parents to make their family visit to Santa this year a truly memorable one. “Henley Santa,” Michael Facherty, 70, who resides in Reading, UK, has been a professional Santa for the past 35…

By Ryan McGrath It’s common for entrepreneurs to feel as though they need to choose between their personal and professional lives. Oftentimes, young leaders are simultaneously growing their businesses and their families. As a result, your days can become taxing. From playtime to board meetings and everything in between, learning how to juggle a successful…

If you have ever seen a hydroponic gardening system, especially a DIY project to build your own hydroponic system, you probably saw a lot of pipes and pumps. If you are not a plumber, you were probably not impressed. These systems tend to be ugly and only meant to be used in the garage or…