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Last Saturday in downtown Lititz, children ages 10 and under got an early taste of Christmas. Carrying goody bags to be filled by generous shopkeepers, kids popped in and out of local stores, pausing only to wave at Santa and Mrs. Claus joyriding up and down Main Street on a fire engine.

"Have Yourself a Merry Lititz Christmas," now in its fourth year, featured activities for children all around the downtown area, including a scavenger hunt, carriage rides, a marshmallow roast, funnel cakes, games, giveaways, entertainment, visits with Mr. and Mrs. Claus and more.

Organized with great care by a close friend of Mrs. Claus, Kathy Blankenbiller, this free annual event allowed all area children, regardless of income, to celebrate the season.

"The holidays are really about children," said Blankenbiller. "No child is turned away from having fun because they can’t pay to play. Everything is free for kids ages 10 and under. For some of these kids, what they receive at this event IS their Christmas.

Source: Lititz Record Express

by RyTurner

As seen on Sacramento & Company's Holiday Decorating and Entertaining segment, as part of my Holiday Candy Buffet (article coming soon...)!

This was such a fun project for all of us to do, and my first foray into the world of candy making!

This would make a yummy treat for the family or a fun guest gift for your next holiday party. It's really simple to make and very inexpensive to produce in bulk.

Pick a color to match your party decor and a flavor that suits you, and that right there is half the battle! I am providing the recipe for my sweet mint variety, please note you can use any flavoring you prefer.

Add all contents to a sauce pan and boil the mixture. Continue stirring while it heats, until until it reaches 300 Degrees F; use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature (if you don't have a candy thermometer, it's possible to use a meat thermometer with a long stem - this is actually what I used)....

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by admin

I have never met a soul who doesn't love chocolate-covered pretzels. Locals will tell you that Reily's Candy in Medford makes the best chocolate ever and their legendary pretzels are always a welcome holiday gift. The number of toppings they offer is extensive including sprinkles, mini M&Ms, marshmallows, caramel and the list goes on. If you want it, chances are they've got it. the process for creating the majority of candies is easier than you think and with a some practice and taste testing you can come up with chocolate dessert recipes that s all your own Beginning With The Basics Prior to starting to make chocolate candy you might wish to begin baking more conventional chocolate desserts such as chocolate cake or brownies Chocolate

Source: Vintage Candy Cookbook 500 Chocolate, Caramels, Nut, Toffee ...