Holiday Resources Here!

Need some help with the holidays? Let your friendly and helpful Educational Park librarian be your guide....explore and learn! And remember, if you are interested in even more holiday resources, come in to your local library, give us a call, or log onto our chat service, AskNow. Questions are the best gift you can give those of us who work for San Jose Public Library--really!

Holiday Music Online
NPR Music
has a really interesting holiday mix available here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17173498
I especially like the tracks by The Knife, Magnetic Fields, and The Apples in Stereo. Additional NPR holiday music content can be found here: http://www.npr.org/rss/rss.php?id=6511959

Yahoo Music
At this link http://music.yahoo.com/launchcast/stations/category.asp?i=179
you have the option of choosing highly specific types of holiday music, from Rock Holiday and Holiday Lounge to Scrooge Tunes and Latin Holiday.


Recipes and Entertaining: Help for Holiday Cooks and Hosts
Epicurious
The web site with resources from Bon Appetit and Gourmet gives us this page
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/kwanzaa
rich with recipes and ideas for Kwanzaa; another page
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/christmas
featuring Christmas with extensive help on everything from favorite Christmas cookie recipes culled from years of collections by the editors to international holiday recipes and delicious seasonal cocktails;
and last but not least, this page
http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/hanukkah
with great Hanukkah creations, including Suzanne Tracht's revision of classics (I have eaten at her L.A. restaurant and her cooking is astonishing) and a guide to making rugelach for those of us who are somewhat less than naturally gifted bakers.

San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/holidayfood/
This well organized and appealing page has multiple resources for each category, and some of those categories are Hannukah, Cookies, and Main Courses. The beauty is in the detail--like the suggestions on holiday cheeses and lists of wines for the wine-lover in your life.

Giving Back
San Francisco Chronicle
Contribute locally though the Season of Sharing Fund http://www.seasonofsharing.org/
All money goes directly to those in need in the Bay Area.

San Jose Mercury News
Volunteer your time or give a donation to one of the local agencies listed here: http://www.mercurynews.com/holidayguide/ci_7582354

San Jose Public Library
Donations of money, time, and books are greatly appreciated and needed. Explore our donation page http://www.sjlibrary.org/donation/index.htm
and consider giving back to your community in a meaningful way.

Local Holiday Information
San Jose Mercury News
http://www.mercurynews.com/holidayguide/
The Mercury News gives us the gift of a sense of community with this page. Though it has many interesting tips and bits of information, some of the most fun include a map of local holidays lights (take a walk or a long evening drive with the family!), a best Christmas tree contest (enter your tree or just get ideas from the photo entries), and gift ideas for those of us who haven't decided what to get for our pets!

Happy Holidays!!!!