Unwrap the holiday fun
Your guide to five weeks of Nutcracker, symphonies, craft fairs, cookies and more

For the next few weeks, there will be daily excitement. Productions of A Nutcracker, classes on how to make your own holiday gifts, concerts, special meals, parades, late-night shopping — and that doesn’t even begin to cover all the events that will fill the calendar from the time this paper hits the stands as you’re preparing for Thanksgiving until a little after Christmas when you’re making your New Year’s Eve plans. This year, find a new way to celebrate. Check out a comedy show or learn to make some new treats. Take the kids to a live theatrical performance or carve out time for a parade or a tour through an art gallery. The possibilities are seemingly endless for ways to follow old traditions and make new ones.

Ready or not, the holiday season is upon us. So get ready to unwrap some fun.

PEOPLE: Helping the helpers
World traveler shows would-be volunteers the way
By Jeff Mucciarone jmucciarone@hippopress.com

Jason Connell has spent a few years helping others in faraway places. He’s also been visiting colleges in the United States telling students how they can make a difference abroad, and how they can afford it. The Westford, Mass., native made a presentation at Plymouth State University recently. Visit www.changingtheworld101.com.

THEATER: Watch and learn
We the People teaches history with song
By Adam Coughlin acoughlin@hippopress.com.

Theater has long been a favorite of educators because it teaches kids teamwork, dedication and an appreciation for the arts. But a new production showing in Concord will take its educational lessons to a new level and is a can’t miss for any child with a hunger to learn.

FOOD: The celebration of oil (and potatoes)
Latkes are a tasty tradition
By Angel Roy aroy@hippopress.com

Food in Judaism is symbolic, said Ami Bach. For Purim, which falls between February and April, the Jewish community snacks on Hamantash, a triangle-shaped cookie filled with chocolate or fruit. The triangle represents the shape of the hat worn by Haman, a biblical figure who plotted to wipe out the Jewish population.

LONGSHOTS: Thanks and turkeys for Thanksgiving
By Dave Long dlong@hippopress.com

It’s the annual column at Thanksgiving where we talk about the folks and things in sports to give thanks for and those people and things that go into the turkey category for the year. And we’ll get the turkeys out of the way first. Leading off with:

TECH: Mock Flock Rock Smock
I'm not addicted, I'm just a social browser
By John Andrews  jandrews@hippopress.com

Just when you thought it was safe to not be checking in on Facebook and Twitter all the time, along comes a browser specifically made to always keep them in front of you.