All Over Albany

Here are a few ideas for making the most of your holiday donations

About this every year we get questions from people about making donations to local charities for the holidays. But this year we thought we'd turn the question around a bit and hear from someone whose org is typically on the receiving end, and get some thoughts on ways to make the most of our holiday donations.

So we're very happy to welcome Christine Schudde, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity Capital District.

Many of us will look for a meaningful way to give back this holiday season. And there's a lot to consider when making a charitable donation -- which charity, how to donate, the best way to way help.

Here are a few ways to can make sure your holiday gift has the greatest impact.

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Capital Region holiday events 2018

Do reindeer get overtime pay? (We hope so.)

Thanksgiving is already past us, December starts later this week, the Capital Region's schedule of holiday-themed events is now full of tree lightings, Victorian strolls, Nutcrackers, concerts, displays, screenings of Christmas movies, and a bunch of other holiday this and that.

And here's a very large list of that stuff...

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Capital Region holiday markets 2018

The Basilica Farm + Flea holiday market returns the weekend after Thanksgiving. / photo via Basilica Hudson

The unofficial holiday shopping season officially starts up Friday. (Or so they say.)

If you're looking for something a little bit different -- craftier, handmade, more independent, fair trade -- there are a bunch of local holiday markets around the region.

And here's a big list for this year...

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Photos from the 2017 Santa Speedo Sprint

A bunch of scantily-clad people dashed along a chilly Lark Street Saturday for charity as part of the annual Albany Santa Speedo Sprint, which is now in its 12th year.

The sprint is always one of the most fun events of year, with lots of smiles and cheering. It's organized by the Albany Society for the Advancement of Philanthropy, with the Albany All Stars Roller Derby, and is a fundraiser for the Albany Damien Center and the HIV/AIDS program at the Albany Medical Center. This year's sprint raised $14,000.

Here's a metric ton of photos from this year...

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About buying a fresh-cut Christmas tree...

We got a question from Nate about locally-owned tree farms in the Capital Region. It's getting a little late in the season, but we figured we'd recycle some still-useful info:

+ Here's a handful of cut-your-own tree farms around the area. (Some of the specific details won't still apply, but the farms are still in operation.)

+ The Christmas Tree Farmers Association of New York has a good find-a-tree-farm map on its website. You can plug in a ZIP code and radius within you'd like to search. The results include contact info and links for the farms, along with a few other details.

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Capital Region holiday events 2017

December has arrived and the Capital Region's schedule of holiday-themed events is full of tree lightings, Victorian strolls, concerts, screenings of Christmas movies, and a bunch of other holiday whatnot.

And here's a big, big list of that stuff...

(there's more)

Capital Region holiday markets 2017

Babes in Troyland returns to Takk House in December.

Updated

The unofficial official holiday shopping season starts up Friday.

If you're looking for something a little bit different -- craftier, handmade, more independent, fair trade -- there are a bunch of local holiday markets around the region.

And here's a big list of 'em for this year...

(there's more)

Capital Region holiday events 2016

It's saxophone-playing Santa season.

December starts this week and the Capital Region's schedule of holiday-themed events is full of tree lightings, Victorian strolls, concerts, screenings of holiday classics, and a bunch of other activities.

And here's a big, big list of them...

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You're probably getting socks as a present

A few bits from this year's annual Siena holiday poll:

Amount planned to spend on gifts
The two biggest ranges:
+ $0-$299: 31 percent of respondents.
+ $1,000 or more: 24 percent of respondents
(This question had a large margin of error: +/- 7.4 percent.)

Online shopping
A third of all respondents said they planned to do no online shopping for holiday gifts -- 18 percent said they planned to do 75-100 percent online.

Types of gifts
+ "I try, as much as I can, to buy practical gifts, things that they need and will use more than impractical things that they may want": 62 percent.
+ "While I may give some items that they may need like clothes, this is the time to splurge on special or memorable gifts that they want more than they need": 31 percent.

(So, in other words, that's why you're probably getting socks.)

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Thanksgiving conversation starters

Happy almost-Thanksgiving.

Most of us will be spending Thanksgiving with family. For some, those visits and holiday dinners will be a fun-filled time to bask in the warmth of loved ones, sharing old memories and making new ones. For others, they can be... more of a challenge.

And this year? Well, this year presents its own special conversational mine fields.

For those who want to avoid politics, and are hoping to talk about something other than weather, traffic or the moistness of the bird at Thanksgiving dinner this year, here are a few fun local directions in which to steer the conversation...

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Holiday markets 2016

The popular Basilica Farm + Flea is back in Hudson this year.

The unofficial official holiday shopping season starts up later this week.

And if you're looking for something a little bit different -- craftier, handmade, more independent, fair trade -- there are a handful of local holiday markets around the region.

And here's a list for 2016...

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A few bits of fun local holiday history

The first Christmas card was printed in Albany. Really. / image courtesy of Manchester Metropolitan University

Here's are some fun of local Christmas and holiday history that might be fun to share with family and friends over the next few days...

The first Christmas card
The first Christmas card was printed in Albany in 1851. One of the cards is currently on display at the Albany Institute of History and Art as part of the Capital Region in 50 Objects exhibit.

The Albany store/printer that produced that first Christmas card was Pease's Temple of Fancy, which is also said to have been the first to use a depiction of Santa in an ad.

T'was the night before Christmas...
The poem "A Visit From Saint Nicholas" was first published in the Troy Sentinel in 1823, but there's a controversy over who actually wrote it -- Clement C. Moore or Henry Livingston, Jr. For the last couple of years, Duncan Crary and Jack Casey have produced The Trial Before Christmas -- a mock trial with real attorneys in the Rensselaer County Courthouse, to determine the true author of the poem. Missed it? Here's a video from last year.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus
Yes, that Virginia -- who wrote the letter to the New York Sun that was answered by editor Francis Pharcellus Church -- lived for quite a while in Valatie in Columbia County. There is even film of her reading the famous editorial answer to her letter to a group of area school children.

The 18th century holiday table
Many Christmas traditions trace at least some of their roots to the Dutch. And, of course, the Dutch were a major influence in Albany's history. Earlier this fall we talked with food historian Sara Evenson about what was probably on holiday tables in Albany during the 18th century, including Christmas "cookey."

Also fun: An 1823 recipe for Albany Cake -- and Peck's Arcade pastry chef Greg Kern's recreations of the cake.

Where to get a good fruitcake?

Bryon asks via the Facebook:

Any suggestions on where to find a good local fruitcake?

Yep, we hear the joke already: A good fruitcake is no fruitcake. But apparently good version of the Christmas staple are actually pretty good.

We'll also expand Bryon's question a bit to include other traditional Christmas cake-ish things, like stollen.

So, got a suggestion for a good local place to snag a fruitcake? Please share! And a sentence or two about why you're recommending the place/product is always appreciated.

Earlier on AOA: Bakeries that sell yule logs/Bûche de Noël for Christmas?

photo: Flickr user storebukkebruse (CC BY 2.0)

The Airing of Grievances 2015

The drawing for the Peppermint Pigs is now closed!

This week many people will celebrate a holiday that brings us all together... to complain.

Yes, Festivus is near. And we will once again commemorate the day with a traditional Airing of Grievances.

So, what are your small annoyances, complaints, or frustrations?

Gather round the unadorned aluminum pole, let it rip, and let it go. You'll feel better. It's good to get it out before facing your relatives and the questions about why you're not married/don't have kids/aren't making more money and that one uncle who only gets his news from email forwards and Facebook.

But here's the deal: Grievances can not include personal attacks, nastiness, or creepiness. (You'll know it when you see it.)

To balance the bitter with the sweet, as is tradition, we will give Peppermint Pigs to two people who air their grievances in the comments. The winners will be picked randomly.

The Editors will begin the Airing after the jump. We're looking forward to hearing your grievances. (You're on your own for the Feats of Strength.)

Merry Festivus.

Important: To be eligible for the Peppermint Pig drawing, your comment must be submitted by 11:59 pm on December 22, 2015. You must include a working email address (that you check regularly) with your comment. Normal commenting guidelines apply. One entry per person, please. Winners will be notified by noon on Wednesday, December 23 and must respond by noon on Monday, December 28.

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Last-minute local holiday eats

Nine Pin + Albany Distilling = The 10th Pin. / photo via Nine Pin FB

OH, DANG! You have a holiday party to go to, and you blanked on bringing a gift or a dish to pass, didn't you?

Don't worry, it happens, especially with the hustle of the holiday season.

Fear not: We, your dear friends in the holiday spirit, are here to set you on your merry way with a few suggestions for last-minute grab-and-go items that will have everyone thinking you've definitely got your ho-ho-ho together.

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Christmas tree price answers gathered up

Prompted by a question from Hollie earlier this week we asked about where you got your real/live Christmas tree this year and how much it cost. A bunch of people answered in the comments -- thank you!

We figured it'd be useful to boil down all the answers for a few bits of info:

+ The average price people reported paying was $39.50. (That was for a range of tree sizes.)

+ The high price was $55 -- for an 8-foot precut tree Chris got at Calhoun's Farm Stand in Brunswick ("Great trees (all Frasier firs), super nice people."), and for a tree Spoon got at Olsen's in Slingerlands ("We go there because they have the set-up to drill a hole for our tree stand. And they are the only place I know that does.")

+ The low price was $15 for a tree from Bob's Trees in Galway. MaryElise reported they had "piles of trees" in different price ranges based on height, type, and fullness. "We found a 6' to 7' slender tree in the $15 section. It might not be everyone else's dream tree but we have a small apartment and wanted a tall slender tree. So yeah we got an awesome tree for $15."

Here are the local answers in a quick-scan table.

This wasn't a systematic survey, of course. So your mileage will no doubt vary. But the answers were pretty closely clustered. So it's probably fair to say you'll pay about $40. Bigger tends to cost more than smaller, as does pre-cut compared to cut-your-own. And look for oddball trees that might not appeal to everyone, but might work for you -- they could be a deal.

A good restaurant for Christmas dinner?

Nancy emails:

For several years we have enjoyed going to Karavali in Latham on Christmas Day. This year we'd like to explore somewhere else. Nothing wrong with Karavali - it's great and very busy that day.

We are looking for something in the nearby Capital Region - NOT a typical Christmas Buffet at a hotel, but an interesting, non-religious restaurant which is open on Christmas Day and provides great food and a festive atmosphere.

May I ask the readers of AOA to make suggestions, please?

We get the feeling from Nancy's email that she's very interested in heading to another ethnic restaurant, or just trying something a bit different.

Anyone have local Christmas Day dining experiences or suggestions to share with Nancy? Please share!

Capital Region holiday events 2015

It's now December and the Capital Region's bag of holiday-themed events is stuffed with tree lightings, Victorian strolls, concerts, screenings of holiday classics, and a bunch of other activities.

And here's a big list of them...

(there's more)

Holiday markets 2015

Basilica Farm & Flea is one of a handful of holiday markets coming up.

The unofficial official holiday shopping season starts up this week. And if you're looking for something a little bit different -- craftier, handmade, more independent, fair trade -- there are a handful of local holiday markets around the region.

And here's a list...

(there's more)

Video of "The Trial Before Christmas"

Check it out: Video from this year's staging of "The Trial Before Christmas" at the Rensselaer County Courthouse in Troy is now online.

The trial was to determine who really wrote the famous poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas," which was first published in the Troy Sentinel in 1823 -- Clement Clarke Moore or Henry Livingston, Jr. It included a real judge and attorneys, expert testimony, ghostly witnesses, Elvis, and some rather festive pants worn by E. Stewart Jones.

The event was organized by Duncan Crary and Jack Casey. The video of the trial was produced by RPI TV, and it's well done.

Paska bread from Schuyler Bakery

I went to Schuyler Bakery for the snowflake rolls, but I'll be going back for the Paska bread.

When everyone's favorite Speedo'ed Santa, Jim Larson, told me that the dinner rolls (AKA snowflake rolls, for their pre-bake dusting of flour like freshly fallen snow) at Schuyler Bakery in Watervliet were one of the best things he's eaten in the Capital Region, I knew I had to check them out. What I wasn't expecting was to come home with an assortment of other delights -- like the two other varieties of dinner rolls and a quarter-dozen of the bakeshop's famed glazed donuts.

But I'm glad I did, or else I'd never know how good the Paska bread is.

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The Airing of Grievances 2014

The drawing is now closed! But if you'd still like to air your grievance, please do.

Once again we're celebrating Festivus with a traditional Airing of Grievances.

So, what are your small annoyances, complaints, or frustrations?

Gather round the unadorned aluminum pole, let it rip, and let it go. You'll feel better. And it's good to get it out before facing your relatives and that one uncle who gets all his news from Facebook shares and email forwards.

But here's the deal: grievances can not include personal attacks, nastiness, or creepiness. (You'll know it when you see it.)

To balance the bitter with the sweet, as is tradition, we will give Peppermint Pigs to two people who air their grievances in the comments. The winners will be picked randomly.

The Editors have begun the Airing with their grievances, after the jump. We're looking forward to hearing yours.

Merry Festivus.

Important: To be eligible for the Peppermint Pig drawing, your comment must be submitted by 5 pm on December 23, 2014. You must include a working email address (that you check regularly) with your comment. Normal commenting guidelines apply. One entry per person, please. Winners will be notified by noon on Wednesday and must respond by noon on Monday, December 29.

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Local food gifts

Well, it would be a very heavy -- and happy -- stocking.

We're into the stretch run for December holidays, so we asked Deanna for a few stocking stuffer-type local food gift ideas.

Stockings are my favorite part of Christmas morning. In my family, you are not allowed to open any presents until everyone is awake and in the living room, around the tree. Stockings, however, are fair game. As soon as you wake up, you can tiptoe to the mantle, un-hook your stocking, and dump out all the goodies that are crammed deep into the toe.

Here are some local treats I'm hoping to find in my stocking this year.

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Where to get latkes?

Xina emails with a seasonal question:

Where can I get some excellent latkes in the Capital region? I have had no luck making good ones on my own, but I would love to eat some. :)

We get the sense that latkes tend to fall into the category of "foods people usually make and eat at home" -- in part because it's a holiday thing for a lot of people. But there's gotta be a place in the Capital Region that Xina get score some good not-made-at-home latkes. Or maybe you can share some advice on how she can make good ones at home.

Got a suggestion? Please share!

photo: Flickr user Sarah and Jason (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Good neighborhood holiday light displays?

Paul emails:

Have you ever done a story on good neighborhoods in the Capital District to view holiday lights? I know there is the Washington Park Lights, but I think there are specific neighborhoods that go over the top. My 10 yr old son loves to see the lights and was going to do some cruising this weekend with him.

There was an Ask AOA question about this years ago with a few suggestions. But things change. Some people get realllly into Christmas. Others fall out of it. So it seemed like a good time to pick it up back.

Got a suggestion for good holiday light display -- specific house, neighborhood, or street? Please share!