St. Peters Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony Scheduled for Friday

The annual event starts off at 6 p.m. at St. Peters City Hall.

St. Peters Holiday Tree Lighting Planned for Friday

The annual event starts off at 6 p.m. at St. Peters City Hall.

The holiday season is set to kick off in St. Peters on Friday night. At 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 16, at St. Peters City Hall, Santa and the lighting of the holiday tree will begin the 2012 holiday season. The event is free and open to the public.  At the event, guests will hear music from the Hearts of Praise Christian Choir, directed by Debbie Green. One the event begins inside, guests will hear more holiday-themed musical performances by the Childbloom Guitar Program of St. Charles County, directed by Chris Peleshenko; the Fort Zumwalt East High School Orchestra, directed by Chris Torretta; the St. Peters Choral Society, directed by John Smith; and the Lindenwood Voices Only a capella group, directed by Professor Pamela Grooms. Following …

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Grand Gifts for Grandparents

Picking the perfect gift for grandparents can present unique challenges.

Finding the right gift for grandparents can be tough. Many grandparents have downsized and don’t have space for extras. And today’s mobile society means Grandma’s house may be much further than over the river and through the woods. How do you overcome these obstacles and give them a truly unique and personal gift? Here are a few suggestions to please any grandparent on your list. Personalized photo gifts are a sure winner As grandchildren grow, they change every day, especially for grandparents who can’t be there every day. Photo gifts capture those moments to share with loved ones. Ideas include calendars that track family events over the past year, shopping bags printed with grandkids’ photos or artwork, or photo books. Tiny photo …

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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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Get Out

Get Out: Celebrate the Holidays This Weekend With Lights, Bowling and a Historical Tour

Each week, St. Peters Patch features a planner with weekend events in St. Charles County.

Check out what's happening in and around St. Peters this weekend.  Community Chanukah Bowl O'Fallon's Celebration of Lights  St. Charles Christmas Traditions Christmas Traditions Open Doors Holiday Night Lights Drive

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Celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day With Local Churches

"Patch" rounds up local Christmas Eve and Christmas Day church services and events in St. Charles, St. Peters, O'Fallon, Wentzville and Lake Saint Louis.

Are you looking for a local church family to celebrate Christmas with this year? We’ve got you covered with this comprehensive listing of area church services and events on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Mid Rivers Christian Church Church on the Rock First Baptist Church of St. Peters Saint Peter Catholic Parish, St. Charles Harvester Christian Church, St. Charles Trinity Episcopal, St. Charles St. Charles Christian Church in New Town United Methodist Church of the Shepherd Assumption Catholic Church O’Fallon Christian Church Sunrise United Methodist Church Dardenne Baptist Church Holy Cross Lutheran Church St. Patrick Catholic Church Immanuel Lutheran Church Wentzville Christian Church United Methodist Church of Wentzville River Oaks …

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Make Sure Your Gifts Arrive In Time for the Holidays

See our roundup so your gifts arrive in time for your loved ones to unwrap on Christmas.

It doesn't matter how great your Christmas gift is if it doesn't arrive on Christmas. Check out our guide to shipping gifts below. However, be sure to call the closest location or check the respective websites for specific shipment dates and prices. FedEx You can ship domestically through Christmas Day using same-day service, FedEx's websitestates. Check the website for specific international shipments. FedEx also offers packaging services. The closest FedEx office location sits at 7120 Mexico Road in St. Peters.  United States Postal Service Domestic express mail must be shipped by Dec. 22, the U.S. Postal Service's website states. International shipments must be sent between Dec. 19 and 21, depending on their destination. Although the …

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Update: Deck Your House Contest Now Closed

Get out the lights and holly. Your decorating could net $100,000 to our schools.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to win a $100,000 gift to the St. Peters public schools. Patch.com is launching a nationwide contest to find the best dressed home in its Patch communities, and the winner’s school district will receive $100,000, no strings attached. Here’s how the contest works. Beginning on Dec. 8 and continuing through Dec. 26, you can nominate your home by uploading a photo to the contest entry form on the site. During that same time period you and your neighbors will also be able to vote for your favorite festive home. The winning entry will be forwarded to a national Patch judge that will select 24 finalists. Each finalist will receive $500 that they can apply to their December electric bill. From Dec. 30 through …

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