Image courtesy of Soul Enlightenment.

Does your neighbor have an obnoxious holiday display? Do YOU have an obnoxious holiday display? Or maybe your dog just looks really cute with a Santa beard. No matter the scenario, we want to see your photos!

Send us your holiday photo submission for a chance to win a restaurant gift card. continue reading »

It’s back! NEast Philly’s holiday song, the 12 Days of NEastmas, is back for a second year. In honor of the holiday season, we’re reviving the song — a spin on the classic 12 Days of Christmas. Enjoy the song, sing along and suggest any changes or additions you think we should make. Happy holidays! continue reading »

Happy Thanksgiving to our wonderful NEast Philly readers!

No matter what you’re doing today and where you’re doing it, we wish you a happy and safe holiday. To get you in the spirit, here are more photos from Sunday’s Mayfair-Holmesburg Thanksgiving Parade. continue reading »

Steve Brennan and his wife Shirley, both long-time Philadelphia Zoo members, brought their 5- year-old grandson, Reece Henry, to see Santa and enjoy the festivities--after he finishes his sandwich of course.

Children and their families were able to find a warm place to spend a chilly December Saturday –at the Philadelphia Zoo inside the Tree House. There, they were entertained with solo and group performances that were accompanied by the sounds of DJ Smooth Rod and DJ Snoop from Shadow Trax. continue reading »

Happy holidays, everyone!

NEast Philly will return Monday with our usual reporting. Until then, have a safe, warm, joyus holiday. Start it off right with a snowy slideshow (the second of two)  from photographer Bill Achuff.

Food For Thought will take a break this week for the holidays. If you’re in need of a last-minute dessert recipe for the holiday, try this one for Lemon Meringue Pie.

Have a safe and tasty holiday!

Food For Thought is a NEast restaurant review column written by Donna Ward that runs every other Thursday on NEastPhilly.com. See all of Donna’s reviews here. Read other NEastPhilly columns here.

Everywhere you turn, the holidays have exploded as if on steroids.  Fake snow, mistletoe, trees, toys, sale prices and hordes of people – ’tis the season to be cranky?

What happened to spreading the holiday joy and celebrating a time of family togetherness?  It seems that with each passing year the holidays become more about presents and a frantic race to ensure that the hottest new item is purchased before it is sold out.

Almost as soon as Thanksgiving ended, the NEast became covered in lights, decorations and holiday advertisements.  Earlier and earlier each year, stores seem to have a growing monopoly on what defines our holiday season. continue reading »

Parkwood Civic Association members gathered in St. Anselm’s school hall last night, but they didn’t have a meeting. Instead, the board hosted a holiday party for the neighborhood, complete with an impromptu performance by a bell choir (with appearances from several legislative assistants, civic board members and NEast Philly’s very own editor), free hoodies and a full spread of sandwiches, salads, drinks and desserts.

Among festive table cloths, paper snowflakes and other holiday decorations, residents sat down to enjoy their food, talk about the neighborhood and wish each other a happy holiday.

And with that, Parkwood Civic Association closed out 2009, to reconvene in February.

The Historical Society of Frankford puts local, historical Christmas items on display for an event held Dec. 8, 2009.

Christmas decorations and holiday keepsakes from Frankford families of the past were on display Tuesday night inside the century-old Historical Society of Frankford building.

On the well-waxed wood of the 30-foot wide stage in the society’s main auditorium, more than a dozen holiday items, from red and gold trinkets to a yellowed painting of a wintry scene on Orthodox Street, were on display. Board members and friends were encouraged to bring an item of their own to display or discuss about their family or cultural traditions.

continue reading »

With a flick of a switch at last Sunday's holiday ceremony, Santa lit the newly trimmed tree gracing the intersection of Frankford and Cottman.

It’s not a big tree. It’s certainly not as big a tree as you might expect for its intended purpose–to be seen by anyone walking or driving around the intersection of Frankford and Cottman avenues; but it’s not a Charlie Brown Christmas tree, either.

On Sunday Nov. 22, around dusk, folks from Mayfair Business Association and members of the community — young and old alike — strung lights and affixed ornaments on the community’s holiday tree. Santa arrived after darkness had embraced the assembled audience; he flicked a switch, and the tree lit up, a bright star atop, and the people cheered. continue reading »