Christmas in Park City

English: The USC Trojan Marching Band leads a parade down Park Ave. in Park City, Utah. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Christmas in Park City

There’s really no better place to celebrate Christmas than Park City, Utah. With the fresh, powdery snow, the beautifully decorated streets, and the unique local events, you’ll be sure to feel the spirit of the season. Traditional celebrations are enjoyed by both locals and visitors, creating a close-knit community feeling that enhances that Christmas feeling. If you’re coming to town this year, here’s what you should be on the lookout for:

World Class Christmas Shopping

Park City has endless options for holiday shopping where you can find unique gifts for your friends and loved ones. The shops and boutiques of main street offer everything from high-end fashion, to one-of-a-kind knick-knacks, so you can fill every wish on your list. The Rocky Mountain Christmas Boutique is one of my favorite spots on Main St., so be sure to check it out! If you’re looking for a great deal, the Tanger Outlets are just 5 minutes from downtown, in Kimball Junction. Here you can stock up on the best deals of the season. Be sure to bring someone along to help you carry all of your bags!

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Santa Claus loves to ski, and he can be seen all over Park City this time of year. Santa can be seen hitting the slopes all day on Christmas Eve at Park City Mountain Resort, but he leaves by sundown to make his deliveries. On Christmas Day, Santa greets guests at the Snow Park and Silver Lake Lodges at Deer Valley. Check with the front desk for his schedule this year. I've also heard that Santa loves the Flight of the Canyons gondola at Canyons Resort, and is usually hanging out there from Dec. 23-25. He gets in plenty of skiing time and delivers candy and other treats to kids.

Christmas Day Dining

If you’re visiting Park City from out of town this year, you’re probably looking for a nice place to have you Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day meals. Several of the hottest restaurants in town remain open throughout the holidays so you can celebrate with your family. The most highly awarded, critically acclaimed restaurant in the State of Utah, The Riverhorse on Main, remains open on Christmas, and serves their full menu, plus a special holiday cuisine. Another upscale option that stays open for both days is the J & G Grill at the St. Regis, Deer Valley. For affordable, family oriented options, Grub Steak Restaurant in Prospector Square, Cisero’s on Main, and The Eating Establishment on Main all serve up delicious Christmas meals. All of these restaurants take reservations or offer a priority seating list, all of which can be booked as early as months in advance. Bon appetite, and Merry Christmas!

 Tiecen Anderson

 In her former life, Tiecen worked in sales and marketing for a large insurance company. Before starting a family, she decided to switch gears and pursue a career that would give her a little more time at home. She finished up her degree from California Sate University in 2008 and started picking up work as a corporate web content writer. She enjoys learning new things every day as she works with a wide variety of clients, like Peak Transportation.  
Here's a blurb about the company,
Peak Transportation is a full service transportation company based in Park City, Utah.  Featuring a fleet of late model luxury SUV's you'll be sure to ride in comfort and style.

The Sparkle Box - Book Review

The Sparkle Box is the perfect way to start a new family tradition, teach your kids to help others, and add more meaning to Christmas. 

We received a copy to review and the kids and I Loved it! I'm so excited to add this to our family traditions. Such a great way to teach kids to be compasionate givers, while also showing the love of Christ. 

At the beginning of the story you see The Sparkle Box  sitting on a fireplace mantle and a child asking him mom about it.Throughout the story you read about the child and his family and the various things they are doing to help out someone or some charity. Simple things like donating money or giving a homeless person some gloves. As the story progresses the child continues to ask about the sparkle box, but the parents tell him he has to wait until Christmas to open it.

Finally Christmas comes and the child gets to open The Sparkle Box , but there is nothing in it except slips of paper. On the slips of paper are each of the kind acts that the family has done during the month of December. The parents explain that these were their gifts to Jesus, helping others.

The book comes with The Sparkle Box  and you can do the same thing the family does in the story.

What Everyone Should Know About Credit Unions

Credit Union Benefits

There are many benefits to using a credit union instead of a traditional bank. Here are some of the best benefits credit unions offer.

• Credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives that exist solely to provide financial services to their members, and anyone can find one that he or she is eligible to join. 
• Unlike banks, it’s the members, not corporate shareholders, who own the credit unions.
• When you use a credit union, the money you deposit stays in the community. Your dollar can become someone’s college degree or a loan for a family’s first home. These local reinvestments are the seeds that keep communities growing.
• Many credit unions offer financial literacy classes to help members make more informed financial decisions.
• All the profit that credit unions bring in goes back to members in the form of dividends, rebates and lowered interest rates

Learn more about credit unions at “Make Your Money Matter” (www.makeyourmoneymatter.org) a grassroots campaign introduced by eight credit unions from across the country and PSCU that aims to educate a new generation of consumers about the wealth of benefits credit unions provide over big banks.

“The impetus for this joint campaign came from the fact that credit unions offer all the products and conveniences you’d expect from a big bank, but unlike those big banks, credit unions are built around strengthening communities by providing low-interest loans and giving all their profit back to members, truly ‘making your money matter,’” said Fredda McDonald, Executive Vice President, PSCU, a leading provider of traditional and online financial services to credit unions. “With membership, the money you deposit stays in the community – your dollar could become somebody’s college degree or a loan for a family’s first home – and it’s these types of reinvestments that draw local-minded consumers intent on consumption that keeps communities growing.”

 

"This post is sponsored by Make Your Money Matter, in association with PSCU, though all views expressed are my own."

Christmas Gifts for Men

Wondering what to get your dad, brother, husband, or other man in your life this year for Christmas? Here are a few ideas to help get your started finding Christmas gifts for men.

Watches
Cuff links

Disney Fantasy's: Desserts

 My trip aboard the Disney Fantasy was wonderful. I truly enjoyed all of my time aboard the ship. The 

food was delicious and endless, just as it should be on a cruise. I especially 
enjoyed trying all the desserts.  I think I tried four desserts at every meal.  
Obviously, there will be no tips on not gaining weight on a cruise here on my 
blog!  Here are some photos of the various desserts I tried.

The first two pictures are from dinner at the Royal Court Restaurant.

Sundae

Vanilla Ice Cream, Whipped Cream, and Angel Food Cake

Sweet Temptations

A trio of Peanut Butter Mousse, Mango Cheesecake, and Tahitian Vanilla Crème Brûlée

 These two are from the Enchanted Garden restaurant.

Animator's Palate - assorted desserts

American Towns With European Flair

Whether you are a European looking for a taste of home in the U.S. or an American who wants to experience a bit of Europe without traveling overseas, here is a list of towns that are as European as they come on North American soil. Of course, there are other towns and cities that could have made the list, but we have tried to keep it simple and down to the few that receive the most reviews for their European atmosphere, whether due to the architecture or the people themselves.

Newport, RI

We have to stop first in the town of Newport, Rhode Island, famous for its beautiful mansions that are reminiscent of European country estates. The splendor of these mansions is unequaled in the U.S., and many of them are open for tours. Add to these mansions other homes from the 1600’s, lighthouses, tall ships, cafes and bakeries, folk festivals and the fact that you can walk to just about anywhere in the town, and you’ll understand why Newport makes a great first stop when seeking that European feel in the New World.

Photo by Doug Kerr

Seattle, WA

No, Seattle does not physically resemble any European city. There are neither Gothic buildings nor quaint villages, but Seattle has a different type of European flair, one that many Europeans are drawn to. The touch of Europe in Seattle lies not in the architecture but in the people themselves. Take football, for instance. Although the folks in Seattle still insist on calling it soccer, their team, the Seattle Sounders, is the best team in the U.S. and boasts the best fans in the country. Seattleites love and support their team so much that they have their own fan organization, much like the clubs in Europe. In addition to the sports’ scene, Seattle is a city that was environmentally conscious before the rest of the nation even realized there was an issue. This resonates with Europeans who, being accustomed to a much smaller land mass than North America, feel strongly about protecting the natural resources they do have. All in all, it is the focus on sustainability, the free-thinking, the liberalism and, of course, the love for football that makes Seattle a city that feels most like Europe despite its appearances.

Photo by Doug Kerr

New Orleans, LA

In the Deep South we find a lovely European mecca: New Orleans’ French Quarter. New Orleans’ oldest neighborhood, Vieux Carre, another name for the French Quarter, dates back to 1718 and the French rule. The area is filled with beautiful architecture, but not all of it is French. In fact, many of the French buildings were burned in the Great New Orleans Fire of 1788. Much of the existing architecture instead dates to the Spanish rule. Regardless of the era from which the buildings hail, architecture in the French Quarter definitely reveals its strong European ties. Many European-styled eating establishments fill the French Quarter, and even some of the music draws upon the neighborhood’s European roots. Better known for its fun and entertainment, the French Quarter roots are firmly planted in Europe.

Photo by Kimberly Vardema

Solvang, CA

As we dance across the map, visiting cities that remind us of Europe, we land back on the west coast in a quaint Scandinavian town. Affectionately known as “Little Denmark,” you’ll have to blink twice to remind yourself that you really are in the U.S.A. Windmills, the Hans Christian Anderson Park, tree-lined streets, Danish pastry shops and horse-drawn carts all seek to convince you that you have been transported overseas. Thankfully, the fact that English is still spoken will bring you back to reality. The charming town of Solvang, with its quaint shops full of porcelain, leather and all things European, is definitely a must see. Time it right, and you can experience the annual Danish Days and enjoy the culture of song, dance and celebration in true Danish style.

Photo by Cristeen Quezon

Minot, ND

Even the great west, in Minot, North Dakota, you will find the Dhome of an active Scandinavian Heritage Association. While the town does not boast as much of the Scandinavian flair as Solvang, it does have a beautiful park that highlights the Scandinavian heritage with a charming replica of a Norwegian storehouse that was originally built in Norway before finding its way to Minot. The city also hosts the largest Scandinavian festival in the United States which should not be missed by those who are actively self-educating or home schooling.

Photo by Wikipedia

Do enjoy the wonderful sampling of European heritage that is found in pockets all across the nation. We are still the Great Melting Pot, where peoples from all over the globe came to find a free land where they could be individuals and a part of something great, as well.

Lorena Starkey enjoys travel in the USA and abroad. She works in hospitality in many locations, including Minot, ND at the Hyatt House where she assists visitors in finding what they need for the perfect stay.

Share Your Best #3

Once again it's time for the Share Your Best Linkup where you share your best post for the last month with us.

Do you have a post that your particularly proud of you wrote within the last month? Each month Mommy Travels and Two Kids and a Map will be hosting the Share Your Best link up. You link up once and show up on both blogs.

Your challenge is to pick out your best post of the month and share it with us. Normally it does not matter what the topic is, but this month we are focusing on Christmas posts. Mommy Travels and Two Kids and a Map  are both big fans of Christmas and we can't wait to read your best Christmas post!

Here are some of my own favorite Christmas posts and they are all recipes. I always bake more around Christmas and try new recipes.

• Christmas Treats - Turtle cookies, Texas White Trash, and Chocolate Cake Batter Chex
• Blueberry Cinnamon Roll Crumble
• Rudolph's Nose Cookies