What's Open, What's Closed on Christmas

With it being Christmas and a Sunday, most businesses will be closed today.

Since Christmas falls on a Sunday, by Massachusetts law the holiday will be observed on Monday. Today, full restrictions apply. Most businesses must be closed, but there are some limited exemptions. On Monday, the usual holiday rules apply other than liquor stores, which will be allowed to open after the state legislature decided on an exception for the day. Gov. Deval Patrick signed the bill on Dec. 20.

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Newton Holiday Gift Guide 2011, Part Four: Families

The final installment in our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide for buying presents right here in Newton.

Editor's note: This is part four in our four-part Newton Holiday Gift Guide series, where we present holiday gift suggestions you can find right here in Newton. Check out Part One: Kids, Part Two: Women and Part Three: Men. You've bought gifts for the kids, and those special women and men in your life. Why not now treat the whole family to some special presents for the holidays? Or, how about a gift to a local charity. Either way, you and the whole family will wind up feeling good! Creative Playthings Play System- Sure, you might have to wait until spring to have it installed and it’s going to be too cold to use it for a while, but can you imagine the look on your kids’ faces when you tell them you’re putting in a backyard playground? …

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Moms Talk

The Christmas Goof

Well, it's the thought that counts, right?

Yesterday—as is our tradition on the first Sunday of every December—we went to Church, had breakfast at Martin's while our children attended religious education class (LOVE religious education), and then trekked to Allendale Farm to pick out our Christmas tree. This year, however, we channeled our inner Chevy Chase and got two trees that we spent all day dressing up in their holiday best. The smaller, fatter tree was draped in classy white lights and smugly preens in the corner of our sunroom for all the passersby to see. The very tall, slightly thinner tree was slathered in multicolored lights with fat retro bulbs like the ones I grew up with, only these won’t set the tree on fire five minutes after you turn them on. The tree in the …

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Holidays 2010

Christmas Services in Newton

Looking for a place to worship tonight or tomorrow? Here's a list.

Church of the Redeemer A family eucharist Christmas Eve service will be held at 4 p.m. and a festival eucharist will begin at 10:30 p.m. with a choral prelude starting at 10 p.m. The church will also offer a service at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day. Second Church The church's Christmas Eve pageant will be held at 5 p.m. tonight and a candlelight Christmas Eve service will start at 10 p.m. Newton Highlands Congregational Church A family-friendly Christmas Eve service will be held at 4:30 p.m. and a worship service will be held at 7:30 p.m. First Baptist Church in Newton At 4 p.m., a family-friendly Christmas Eve service will be held with lessons, carols and a special children's message. A candlelight Christmas Eve service will begin at 11…

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