The Sentinel: Holiday Tradition

Area Holiday Event Calendar

Here is our latest list of area holiday events for Champaign, Ogden, Philo, Savoy, Sidney, St. Joseph, Tolono, and Urbana. Bookmark this page if you are looking for fun activities to do or unique places to shop this holiday season. in The Sentinel area. This page will be updated regularly with new events. Is your event not listed below? Send your event information to editor@oursentinel.com.

.::. November 28, 2024

.::. November 30, 2024

.::. December 1, 2024

.::. December 7, 2024

.::. December 8, 2024

.::. December 14, 2024

.::. December 15, 2024

.::. December 19, 2024

4 tips for a healthier Halloween

Illustration by S. Bartels/Pixabay

Brandpoint - Candy, sweets and seasonal treats - it's officially dessert season, and you may be starting to think about how you'll stay on track with your nutrition goals this year. While there's nothing wrong with a little indulgence, it can be overwhelming when the kids bring home their overflowing bags of candy.

"We're coming up on several months of holidays and it's so fun to celebrate with our favorite candy and treats," says Kristin Kirkpatrick, M.S., registered dietitian and Quest endorser. "But there can be too much of a good thing, so it's important to take some proactive steps to stay on track while also enjoying yourself."

Kirkpatrick is dishing out her tips on how to make this year's trick-or-treat season festive while sticking with healthy behaviors when it comes to candy and sweets.

1. Watch out for "snack-sized" portions.

A "fun-sized" or "snack-sized" piece of candy may seem harmless, but a common misconception is that this smaller candy is healthy for you, according to Kirkpatrick. However, even a snack-sized candy bar is high in sugar. And because they're small, you may be tempted to eat several pieces, sometimes even more than a standard-sized serving. Instead, be mindful. Keep track of how many snack-sized treats you eat to ensure you're not overindulging.

2. Opt for smart swaps.

Choosing a candy option that has more protein and isn't packed with sugar and net carbs, such as the Quest Chocolatey Coated Peanut Candies, can allow you to stick to your nutrition goals while still enjoying a sweet treat. With 10 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar per serving, this treat delivers the crunch, sweetness and might help "scare" away the candy cravings you might experience during Halloween. If you prefer traditional candy, choose a kind that has a little fiber (such as nut-based candy). This can help fill you up quicker, meaning you may eat less overall.

You can also stock up on healthier options for snacks and treats for your kids - and yourself. For example, you can find snack servings of popcorn, pretzels, cheddar crackers, trail mix and dried fruit.

3. Fuel up before trick-or-treating. Before you head out the door for a night of spooky fun and candy hunting, be sure to serve your family a nutritious, balanced meal with protein and fiber. This can help your kids feel full and energized and may prevent them from overindulging on sweets later in the night.

4. Share your sweets with others.

After a long night of trick-or-treating, sit down with your kids and help them go through their stash. Have them pick out a few of their favorite candies, then talk to them about the benefits of sharing and allow them the opportunity to give to others. Ask your local food pantry or shelter to see if they are accepting Halloween candy. This can help your family make healthy choices after Halloween while also donating to a good cause.

If you're not able to donate the treats, consider freezing it for later or using it for baking during the holiday season.

Consider these tips to make managing Halloween candy in your house a little easier this year. And for more sweet swaps, check out questnutrition.com.

Make this Easter holiday 'Eggstra' special

Photo provided

Family Features -- Easter is about traditions, both old and new, as well as celebrating family and creating lifelong memories. In fact, nearly 8 out of 10 Americans will celebrate the holiday this year, according to the National Retail Federation, which often includes egg decorating amongst the fun.

Decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back to the 13th century. Eggs were once viewed as a forbidden food to some religious entities, so people would paint or decorate them to highlight the end of penance and fasting.

Yet still today, coloring eggs can help bring the whole family together and inspire simple moments of connection and creativity. From dunking eggs in neon dyes to embellishing them with paint, glitter and more, PAAS(r) brand - named after the Dutch word for Easter, "Passen" - offers these expert Easter egg dyeing tips based on its 140 years of experience.

Keep It Clean - Wash your hands in hot, soapy water before and after handling eggs, even if they've already been cooked or decorated. This helps protect you from any bacteria that may be on the egg and protects the eggshell from oil on hands that may make the dye not adhere properly. Make sure an adult supervises all projects to ensure food safety precautions are observed.

Hard Cook, Don't Hard Boil - Although the cooking water must come to a full boil, the pan should be immediately removed from heat so the eggs can cook gently in the hot water. This method produces tender, not rubbery eggs and minimizes cracking.

Banish the Greenish Ring - This harmless but unsightly discoloration sometimes forms around hard-cooked yolks as a result of a reaction between sulfur in the egg white and iron in the yolk. It occurs when eggs have been cooked for too long or at too high a temperature. Cooking eggs in hot, not boiling water then cooling immediately helps minimize this discoloration.

Make Them "Apeeling" - To ensure easily peeled eggs, buy and refrigerate them 7-10 days in advance of cooking. This brief "breather" allows the eggs time to take in air, which helps separate the membranes from the shell.

Photo provided

Store Eggs Safely - In the shell, hard-cooked eggs can be refrigerated safely for up to one week. Refrigerating them in their original carton prevents odor absorption. Once peeled, eggs should be eaten that day. Piercing shells before cooking is not recommended. If not sterile, the piercer or needle can introduce bacteria into the egg. Also, piercing creates hairline cracks in the shell through which bacteria can enter after cooking.

Tap Into Your Creative Side - You don't have to be highly creative to create an "eggceptional" egg. Use your imagination to create appealing eggs by gluing on fun materials found at craft stores, like fake gems, sequins, trims and ribbons. You can also use paint, including gold or silver metallic paint, to make eggs special. An option like PAAS egg decorating kits can help make the process more convenient and fun.

Find more tips and ideas to bring your family together this Easter at paaseastereggs.com.

How to Hard Cook Eggs

Hard-cooked eggs are best when you want a sturdy egg for hiding and to eat when you're done. They are also easier for younger children to handle. Eggs can be hard-boiled or baked to achieve tender eggs perfect for dyeing. Consider these tips from the Easter egg decorating experts at PAAS to cook eggs for decorating:

Hard Boil Directions

Place eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in single layer.

Add cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch.

Heat pan over high heat until just boiling.

Remove pan from burner.

Cover pan.

Let eggs stand in hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs. Time may need adjusted for smaller or larger eggs.

Cool completely under cold running water or in bowl of ice water.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Baking Directions

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Place eggs individually in muffin tins to prevent them from rolling while cooking.

Cook 30 minutes.

Fill large bowl with ice water. Set aside.

Remove eggs from oven.

Transfer eggs carefully, one-by-one into ice water using tongs.

Remove from water after 10 minutes.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Egg Decorating Kits to Make Egg Dyeing Easy

There's more than one way to dye an egg. To meet various needs and interests, PAAS offers a variety of kits, including:

Photo provided

Traditional Kits - Deluxe, Classic and Color Cup kits allow families to create a full spectrum of colored eggs.

Craft Kits - Craft kits help users create their own one-of-a-kind works of art, such as color whipping eggs, adding sparkles or speckles, or creating neon tie-dyed eggs.

Eggsperiment - Active Volcano - This kit allows users to dye eggs by lowering them into an overflowing volcano.

Craft-A-Scene - These kits, which come in multiple versions, offer not only dyes and decorations to create character eggs, but also different backdrops that can be used in stop motion movies using a free app.

Themed Eggs - These include Dino Eggs, Forest Friends, Rides and Superheroes kits that allow families to bring characters to life.

Guest Commentary: Give the gift of mercy and forgiveness this Christmas

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

This Christmas give somebody the gift of mercy and forgiveness. Be broad with your giving and generous. We all need a lot of both. For such a joyful holiday of cheer, giving and yuletide merriment there is much to be stressed about.

Typically, people have been stressed about all the holiday parties, gatherings and Christmas scheduling. This year there is more stress related to sickness, masks, vaccinations, Omicron, natural disasters, filled hospitals, massive numbers of funerals and inflation. The last couple of Christmases have not been life as usual for most of us.

You may have watched Chevy Chase in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. He becomes over the top stressed out when his Christmas lights won’t work and he literally kicks, stomps and curses a blue streak across his yard. It's a funny scene. Mostly because in some way we've all been there a time or two.

Most of us enjoy giving if we can. We enjoy giving to the people we love. Christmas trees, decorating, eating and gatherings are all a part of the season. However, we become frustrated when we lose sight of the big picture. The big picture includes looking around and beyond our Christmas pain.

Millions of people would simply be thrilled to have the problems that some of us have. Many people are in the nursing home and will never go to the mall again. Some have a terminal disease and this may be their last Christmas. Depression will weigh heavy on many who have lost their homes, buried loved ones or experienced financial devastation from medical care or natural disasters. Most of these people would love to have a house to decorate or gifts to buy for a loved one.

Celebrate Christmas this year. Give away some special gifts. Give gifts that money can't buy or time cannot fade. Give love, give forgiveness and give some mercy. Extend these generously to yourself. If you can't give them to yourself it's impossible to give them to others.

The little baby that Christmas celebrates became a man and taught people that we should love God and love others as we love ourselves. Herein is part of the rub. Too often people stop loving themselves. Life becomes imperfect, we fail, get hurt or mad and we kick Santa or the reindeer across the yard. Unfortunately, we don’t stop there. We go into Ebenezer Scrooge bah humbug mode. We don't get our groove back and miss out on some of Christmas' most wonderful characteristics- mercy and forgiveness.

The Christmas story is about a child who came to show us the way. He showed us how to love, forgive and be merciful. Some of the people in your life probably need it more than you know. Give generously and start with yourself.

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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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Guest Commentary: America is ready for a resurrection this Easter

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

The followers of Jesus believed in his resurrection because they saw him alive after he was dead. They had a powerful testimony of firsthand evidence seen with their own eyes.

Mary Magdalene saw Jesus first. In John’s gospel chapter 20:14-16 we have the recorded appearance. "Jesus said to her, Mary! She turned and said to him 'Rabboni' which is to say teacher."

Jesus next appeared to Mary the mother of James, Salome and Joanna. They were on their way to tell the disciples that an angel had told them Jesus had risen when he appeared before them. He greeted them and the women took hold of his feet and worshipped him. (Matthew 28:9) As with Mary Magdalene these three women also touched Jesus.

Jesus appeared to Peter. "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" (Luke 24:34) This was a private appearance and occasion where Jesus reassured Peter. Peter had earlier denied him.

Later on Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. They had lost hope in Jesus and were leaving Jerusalem. They were not expecting Jesus to rise. Jesus approached them and began traveling with them. Luke 24:13-16.

Jesus' last appearance on Easter Sunday was to the disciples with Thomas absent. It took place in the upper room in which Jesus had instituted the Lord’s Supper. It is recorded in Luke’s and John’s gospel. Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” And when he had said this, he showed them both his hands and his side. The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord.”

There were other appearances of Jesus later as recorded in the scriptures but these were the five appearances on Easter.

The followers of Jesus were terrified. They had been hiding behind closed doors. They thought they could be arrested and crucified at any time, just like Jesus. Seeing Jesus alive turned their lives around completely. They were so empowered they went out to dynamically proclaim that Jesus had risen. Their message brought hope to a scared and hopeless society.

Last Easter most of the world sat behind closed doors for fear of Covid-19. Many church doors around the world were closed in fear. This Easter will be different as millions have received their vaccinations and are feeling hopeful. Most houses of worship will be open and many will go to church this Easter. It probably will not be like “before” Covid-19 as many have yet to be vaccinated and still will not feel safe to venture out.

America and the world have been down emotionally. Sickness, death, business failures and our Covid lifestyles have taken a lot out of us. We want to live again. Easter is about life, new life.

If you possibly can, get up, get out and celebrate life this Easter, safely. America is ready for a resurrection.

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Blondies offers fresh designs for this year's Halloween

As you might have heard, the Village of St. Joseph is sponsoring a Halloween contest for the best candy and treat delivery system. Whether you are a one-person operation or will have a ghouled out posse to pass out treats, you will want to check out Blondies for some unique trick-or-treat to gear up your crew.

Photo provided

Owner Tiffany Monier has come up with some colorful new shirts and designs show your Halloween spirit all week or add the finishing touches to your trick-or-treat costume.

"I work for smiles," she said. "I started this [business] in order to provide affordable personalized merchandise for all."

Shirts like the one pictured on the left are available in newborn sizes all the way up to 6x. For last minute costume ideas, if she has the shirts in stock, most items are printed on the same day. Adult sizes start for as little as $12.

Orders can be placed online through Blondies' Facebook group which boast more than 2,200 members. The group features additional Halloween designs inspired by Frankenstein, mummies, pumpkins and more that are available.

"I always enjoyed trick-or-treating with my parents and brother, who has since passed away," Monier said sharing her on her favorite Halloween memories. Trick-or-treating also meant always having plenty of candy on hand for her birthday on November 1. "Although this year will be different, I will continue the tradition of costumes with the children, posting pictures on Facebook, and buying candy and hiding in yard for my own kids to find [while] in their costumes."

Like many other local small business owners she is weathering the pandemic as best she can.

"I am a local stay-at-home mom due to COVID and just trying to stay a float," she said.