So You Don't Celebrate Christmas Today, What's Your Plan Instead

Whether for religious reasons or because of work, not everyone is celebrating the holiday today.

For those who don't celebrate Christmas today (or any day) Dec. 25 can still be a nice day. Almost everyone has the day off, so maybe you take advantage of that to spend the day with family and friends. Downtowns, parks and streets are usually empty, so perhaps you hit a favorite ethnic restaurant that's open or go for a quiet run or long walk.  For those working, the day often means visits from family bearing the gift of a home-cooked meal and the promise of a Christmas celebration on another day. What's your non-Christmas Christmas Day tradition?

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Holiday Recipes: Cookies, Candy and More

Patch editors from across Chicagoland share some of their favorite Christmas recipes.

Patch.com editors from across the Chicago area dug into their cookbooks and came back with some of their favorite holiday recipes to share with readers. We hope you enjoy. Happy Holidays! Share your favorite holiday recipes with Patch! Send your recipe as well as any photos to Editor Amie Schaenzer at amie.schaenzer@patch.com and we will include your recipe in this article.

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Interfaith Couples Find a Balance During the Holidays

Christmas trees and Hanukah menorahs sit side by side in many homes.

During Hanukah, Glencoe residents Renata and Greg Bregstone light a menorah and give their children a small gift for each of the Jewish holiday's eight days. But at the same time, their children, ages 3 and 5, are also counting down to Christmas with an Advent Calendar. Decorations for both holidays are displayed in the window and a Hanukah banner that their children decorated hangs above the fireplace beside a Christmas tree. Renata is Catholic and Greg is Jewish and both wanted to raise their children with the holidays they grew up on, but have come to value the different perspective celebrating both traditions provides. “I want them to be open-minded and understanding of others,” Renata said. The challenge of getting that balance right …

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Where to Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

Patch put together a map of cut-your-own Christmas tree farms for the northern Chicago suburbs.

Are you one of the 21 percent of United States homes that have a real Christmas tree? That's the number of people that opt for the real deal, according to the University of Illinois Extension's Christmas Tree fact page, compared to 48 percent who chose to have an artificial tree. (The rest don't have a tree.) If so, then perhaps you're also part of the 21 percent of those with real trees who like to cut them down yourself at a tree farm. Patch has assembled this map of cut-your-own Christmas tree farms in the vicinity of the northern Chicago suburbs. Click on the pins for more information about the farm or move the map around and zoom in on an area near you. Happy chopping!

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Where to Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

Patch put together a map of cut-your-own Christmas tree farms for the northern Chicago suburbs.

Winnetka-Glencoe Holiday Guide 2012

Are you ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Check out our guide for fun facts, trivia and holiday recipes.

An Extra Shot With James

Instead of Christmas Cards, Try Thanksgiving Messages

Celebrate the spirit of the community holiday by reconnecting with old friends.

It is almost unsettling what a Bears win does for my mood. I swear my morning coffee tastes better after Monday night. There is a lot of topical news I could write about this week. Sexual molestation and misconduct have been at the forefront of the national spotlight. In both the controversy at Penn State concerning top administrators accused of failing to report sexual molestation charges to the authorities, and in the ever-growing list of women claiming to have been harassed or assaulted by one-time presidential hopeful Herman Cain. And yes, I am assuming that by the time this makes press Cain’s campaign will be D.O.A. Which, I mean come on. Is anyone upset that the Godfather pizza guy won’t get a chance to be our next President? I’m for…

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Rapoport's Grandfather Testifies in Court

Hershel Rapoport, 88, described the murder he witnessed in his West Wilmette home on Christmas Day.

Eighty-eight-year old Hershel Rapoport sat attentively in the witness stand Thursday. He was testifying during a preliminary hearing for the murder trial of his grandson, Anthony Rapoport, who is accused of killing Nancee Rapoport. Nancee is Anthony’s aunt and Hershel’s daughter-in-law. The dark-grey haired man strained at times to hear the questions from attorneys. Anthony sat at a table along the left side of the courtroom, donning wet hair, glasses and light green prison garb and listened quietly to his grandfather’s account of what happened in their West Wilmette home on Christmas Day. Hershel explained how he was standing nearby when Anthony allegedly beat Nancee with a baseball bat after an argument, and spoke about Nancee’s drug use…

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'I Didn't See This Coming,' Rapoport's Uncle

Kenny Rapoport spoke with reporters following his nephew's court appearance Monday.

Monday was a long day for Kenny Rapoport. First he attended his estranged wife's funeral. Then he went to the court hearing for the nephew who is accused of killing her Christmas Day with a baseball bat.   "I didn't see it coming," an emotional Kenny told reporters, following word that Anthony's hearing has been postponed to Thursday. "If I would have saw this coming I wouldn't have had him there, or her there. I would've had them separated." "It's hard," he continued, choked up, "She didn't deserve this." Nancee Rapoport, 49, had been living with Anthony, 24, and his grandparents, who are Kenny's parents, in a West Wilmette residence up until her death. Kenny had been living in Glenview, according to Assistant State's Attorney Robert …

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Police Arrest Wilmette Man for Christmas Homicide

Anthony Rapoport, 24, has been charged with first degree murder of his aunt and will face bond court Monday afternoon.

A 24-year-old Wilmette resident was arrested by police on Christmas for the murder of his 49-year-old aunt, according to a statement released Monday from Chief Brian King. Anthony Rapoport had been arrested by police the day before, on Christmas Eve, following a verbal argument with his aunt, Nancee Rapoport, the release states. Wilmette police arrested Anthony Friday after a background check revealed he had an "outstanding warrant for an aggravated assault case in Skokie," according to officials. Anthony was held overnight and released Saturday. He subsequently returned to his aunt's home at 3115 Hill Lane, which is where he grew up and continued to live, King said. The Friday incident was not the first time police were called to the …

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