Christmas Weekend Movies In Theaters Near Florissant

Hitting the theaters this holiday weekend? See which ones are having opening day between now and Christmas.

The box office is busy this time of year, and several new films are coming to theaters for the Christmas holiday weekend. Patch has a quick round-up of the movies opening in theaters Dec. 21-25.Before you go out, buy tickets and stuff your face with popcorn, check here to see which movies are best for you, your friends or family.  Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes.com and Flixster. This is 40 Release date: December 21 MPAA Rating: R for sexual content, crude humor, pervasive language and some drug material Genre: Comedy Run time: 2 hours, 14 minutes Starring: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow Rotten Tomatoes rating: 62% of critics liked it Zero Dark Thirty Release date: December 21 MPAA Rating: R for for strong violence …

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Gluten-Free for the Holidays: Recipes and Meal Planning Tips

Andrea's Gluten-Free in Chesterfield and New Day Bakery and Cafe in Ballwin offered Patch some recipes, tips and overall good advice for those planning gluten-free meals over the holidays.

Food will be an essential part of many holiday gatherings next week, but for those on a gluten-free diet (or those planning meals for them), it also represents certain hazards as well. To help plan your gluten-free meals, Patch contacted some local gluten-free bakeries and stores who shared holiday recipes along with tips on where to buy baked goods without the pesky protein. Andrea Kosinski, owner of Andrea’s Gluten-Free in Chesterfield, regularly posts recipes on her company’s website, including video instructions on using their popular sugar cookie dough. (Looking for recipes? Check out these links to a few of Andrea Kosinski's favorite gluten-free recipes: White Texas Sheet Cake, Herb Stuffing, Sugar Cookies - Instructions and Icing …

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Video Games Fit for Holiday Gifts

Need to find something for the gamer in your life? Check out our handy holiday shopping guide.

If you’re unfamiliar with the world of video games, stepping into the games section of a Best Buy or entering a Gamestop can be a bewildering experience. Perhaps you're a parent wanting something fun and wholesome for your kid, a girlfriend wondering what her refuses-to-grow-up boyfriend might like or a grandparent trying to impress a grandchild with your grasp of technology. Have no fear, Patch has complied a list of some the holiday’s best and biggest games, along with some recommendations for who might enjoy them. "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" $59.99, Mature (Xbox 360, Playstion 3, PC, Nintendo Wii U) – For some seasoned parents of video game-obsessed kids, this name may sound familiar, and it should. The “Call of Duty” franchise …

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Volunteers Needed: Ring Bells for the Salvation Army for the Holidays

Find out how to become one of the ubiquitous Salvation Army bell ringers this holiday season and help raise money for families in need.

It's that time of year again when volunteers for the Salvation Army don their red aprons, stand in front of their red kettles and ring bells to raise money for those in need. We're sure you've seen the famous Salvation Army bell ringing army around every holiday season in front of your favorite mall, grocery store or pharmacy. This year, Patch is making it easy for you to sign up and become a bell ringing volunteer yourself! The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Christmas campaign helps raise funds to provide food, clothes and toys to 6 million people nationwide. Why volunteer? Here are the top 10 reasons why Salvation Army volunteers say they donate their time: If you'd like to volunteer, choose your region below and sign up for a shift online…

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Local Charities Release Holiday Cards for a Cause

Buy your annual holiday cards from a local charity this year.

Every holiday season, families across the country send cards to their loved ones, filling them in on the last year and wishing them a happy new one.  For families planning to buy holiday cards this year, nonprofit organizations around the area are offering unique cards that benefit their missions. That way, each card sends holiday cheer while supporting a worthy cause. Here is our round-up of holiday cards for charity. Operation Food Search Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Our Little Haven Saint Louis Zoo Is your non-profit organization selling cards this holiday season? Add your photo and information to the story by clicking the Upload Pictures and Video button. 

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Buying Christmas Gifts for the Hard-to-Buy-For: What Do You Do?

Yes, it's still a little early to think about Christmas shopping. I understand. But it's coming up soon. And we all know that one person who is extremely hard to buy for. What do you do?

I will make no apology for this edition of our weekly "Conversation Starter." I'm selfishly motivated by the need for your help. And I don't care that Halloween is still three days away. Or that Christmas is still nearly two months off. We need all the time we can get. See, here's the problem: My father is in his early 70s; my father-in-law is in his early 80s. If anything, they're trying to get rid of things. What do you buy for the hard-to-buy-for? What do you do to make the Christmas merry for the folks who seem to have everything, don't need anything or who won't let themselves get pinned down? Here's another stumper for you: My son is 17. He's a drama kid, a singer, a World of Warcraft fanatic. He is every bit as hard to buy for as my…

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Adventures in Parenting

Santa Who?

Nothing against the jolly fat man, but he does not play a significant role in our Christmas celebrations.

"So, what do you want Santa to bring you this year?" the well-intentioned woman asked my boys. As I see their perplexed looks on my sons’ faces, I struggle to formulate an explanation to the woman that we don’t "do" Santa in our family. By that, I mean we don’t tell them that a jolly fat man with a flying sleigh goes down every chimney in the world in one night to give presents to good boys and girls. We made this decision before we had kids. Four children later, we have never regretted our decision. Before you label me a scrooge, let me explain our reasoning. Too often, Santa emphasizes the spirit of receiving instead of the spirit of giving. Browsing the toy catalogs, compiling a three-page wish list, editing it when a new catalog …

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Elizabeth O'Fallon

5:19 pm on Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Our family doesn't really do much with Santa. We really like our focus to be on Christ. We talk a lot in our family about the real St. Nicholas and how he blessed others. We try to focus on others during this time though family service projects. It definitely takes the focus off of the commercialism of Christmas.   more ›

Local Charities Release Holiday Cards for a Cause

Buy your annual holiday cards from a local charity this year.

Every holiday season, families across the country send cards to their loved ones, filling them in on the last year and wishing them a happy new one.  For families planning to buy holiday cards this year, nonprofit organizations around the area are offering unique cards that benefit their missions. That way, each card sends holiday cheer while supporting a worthy cause. Here is our round-up of holiday cards for charity. The Salvation Army – St. Louis Smiling bell-ringers in front of Downtown St. Louis’ Peabody Opera House greet recipients of this 2011 holiday card. Pick up yours at The Salvation Army office near Forest Park and support youth programming and homeless assistance throughout Missouri and southern Illinois.  Cost: $10 for 10 …

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Kemery Baldwin

8:02 am on Tuesday, November 15, 2011

I buy Emmaus Homes Christmas Cards every year. The art is delightful, cards well made, and packaged by residents. Thanks for this article about all these wonderful cards and this opportunity to help these great organizations.   more ›

Editor's Notebook

The Week in Review

The holidays and some news set the mood for the season.

The past week focused on one consistent theme: the holiday season. Leading up to the day of giving, though, there was a ton of holiday features as well as news sprinkled in from around town. Here's a recap of the week that was:

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