Christmas Spritz with Katie and Carlie
Their cakes are so good that they’ve never received a review below five stars (except for one rating, but it was from a bot, so it doesn’t count). Katie Southwick and her daughter Carlie, founders of Mom & Me Cakery, are sweet-treat baking machines, completing 70-85 orders a week from their home’s kitchen counters. But […]
Christmas Crack with Ashley Shepherd
Ashley Shepherd is the head recipe developer for Blox Dessert Bars and founder of Shep’s Catering — her days are coated in baking powder, butter and sugar. And it continues when the holidays roll around! Christmas Crack is her signature dessert for spreading Christmas cheer, and this is the recipe from her own cookbook, Blissful […]
Candied Pecans with Alisha Nuttall
Alisha Nuttall is the owner of Cravings Alisha’s Cupcakes and a sweets mastermind. She won Cupcake Wars around 10 years ago and her shop in Pleasant Grove features her cutest cupcake creations, like Princess Vanilla, Chocolate Tuxedo Cheesecake and Better Than What! But her chosen holiday recipe is for these candied nuts, a recipe Alisha […]
Hey June Owner Bonnie Blackburn Brings Sunshine into Christmastime
Bonnie Blackburn’s spirit color is yellow. From the branding of her online jewelry business Hey June, to her results on the Color Code personality test, to her pursuit of joy as a single mom, the color of sunshine captures it all. Yellow Christmas: Celebrating the color of joy, light, and Hey June When Bonnie was […]
Actor Rick Macy Shares Memories of the Silver Screen and Christmas Silver Linings
Rick Macy acts deliberately. While attending BYU in the 1970s, he committed to pursuing a career on the silver screen only if he received an answer to prayer that this was the right decision. He received an affirmative heavenly feeling after committing to use his talents as a missionary tool. “For me, it is […]
Artist J. Kirk Richards Paints Themes of Faith and Christmas
Artist J. Kirk Richards has always been drawn to spiritual subjects. In fact, a quick review of his work shows numerous Christ-themed works illustrating the Nativity, including one called “Nativity in Reds.” Reds aren’t his only chosen hue (or even his favorite), but the spirit of Christmas is found in every color and almost […]
Holiday Recipe Winner: Almond Puff
This light pastry is the perfect balance of sweetness and nuttiness. Our staff members’ tastebuds enjoyed the buttery pastry, caramelized frosting, crunchiness of the nuts and the immediate flavor of almond. Becky Heward used chopped pecans on this puff, but walnuts or almonds also work well. Becky is excited to share her mom’s famous recipe […]
Taste Owners Morgan and Char Coleman Create Experiences for the Holidays
Food brings people together, but chocolate has a special ability to minimize differences and help people make friends — which is really what Christmas is all about. “I don’t care how you lean politically or religiously. When you come and sit down over chocolate, everyone can find something they agree on,” Char Coleman says. […]
Holiday Recipe Contest: Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
These cookies are just as sweet as the story attached to them. They take about 30 minutes of kitchen work and about one hour to prepare total. When our staff taste tested these cookies, we loved the contrast of textures between the cookie, marshmallow, frosting and nut — and we wished we kept a gallon […]
4 Bright Ideas for Making Your Home the Merriest on the Block this Season with Gatehouse no.1
1. Layer in the Holiday Designers are all about finding ways to creatively layer in the holiday fun, utilizing everyday home accessories for more interesting displays and a seamless transition in home design. To add the merry, fill decorative vases and bowls with holiday sprays and unique ornaments, add a candle ring around chandelier […]
Talking Christmas and the new Noorda Center with Stephen Pullen, UVU School of the Arts Dean
If Christmas is the season of giving, then it’s always Christmastime at the UVU School of the Arts. From the dedication displayed by faculty and administration in giving students resources to compete in the cutthroat entertainment industry, to the generous financial gifts from the community to fund the new Noorda Center for the Performing […]
Locals With Giving Hearts Share Their Gifts of Service Throughout the Year
By Jayna Smith During the months of November and December, serving our fellowmen comes to the forefront of headlines, angel trees, and to-do lists. But the needs in Utah County also persist from January to October. Meet two people who are Santa’s helpers all year long. Brent Crane, Executive Director of the Food & Care Coalition […]
A Behind the Scenes Look at Christmas Around the World Artistic Director, Jeanette Geslison
In 1987, Jeanette Geslison traveled from her home in Denmark to study dance at Provo’s true blue university. Every year since, she has participated in the annual Christmas Around the World concert. She began as a student dancer, and now she’s worked as the artistic director of the production for nine years. Each year she […]
Artist Jen Lewin illuminates Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point
Jen Lewin, artist and owner of Jen Lewin Studio in Brooklyn, New York, was camping in Western Australia when she and some friends discovered a magical moonlight reflection. The receding tide had left dozens of small pools of water that reflected in the moonlight and looked like tiny dots of light in the otherwise dark […]
City of David: David Archuleta Sings Praises of Utah’s Christmas and Glorious Notes of His Career
David Archuleta was barely old enough to drive when he made it to the finale of “American Idol” in 2008. He was the runner-up in Season 7, and this Utah idol has been topping charts and hearts ever since. His verses have included billboard highs with “Crush,” personal lows with difficult publicity, serving a […]
4 Utah County locations to let it glow this holiday season
The Temple Square Lights are known across the world for have its Christmas display experience in Utah. While driving to downtown Salt Lake is still a favorite holiday trek for families from around Utah, here are four local light displays this season with a much shorter travel time. Fibernet Light Display Six years ago, Fibernet […]
More than 70 families need Sub for Santa sponsors
With less than a week before Christmas, there still are 78 Sub for Santa families who need sponsors. “It seems like a lot, but we’ve already helped more than a thousand families,” said Michaelann Bradley, communications manager for United Way of Utah County. For more than 35 years, United Way of Utah County has connected […]
Volunteers wrapping for a good cause at University Place
For the last 10 years, Habitat for Humanity of Utah County has been raising money every Christmas season by wrapping gifts at Provo Towne Centre. They’re back on duty starting Saturday, but in a new place. This year Habitat wrappers will be at University Place in Orem. And instead of being in the middle of […]
Utah-Tube: Group of LDS musicians from Utah collaborate on #LightTheWorld video
A group of Utah musicians collaborated for a video that invites the world to “come and see” the Savior this holiday season. The group of six singers and two musicians sang an original song written by American Fork’s Sailiata Fano. Musicians included Spanish Fork’s Yahosh Bonner, Orem’s Jenn Blosil, Orem’s Bri Ray, Provo’s Madilyn Paige, […]
Meet Santa Lerl
HOMETOWN: Saratoga Springs AGE: 70 Around town, kids stop Lerl frequently to give him their Christmas list and parents pull up their photo with him from the previous year. Lerl relishes in his role and even has a personalized “SANTA” license plate. PRE HO-HO-HO: Land surveyor in Las Vegas. BECOMING SANTA: My daughter-in-law was the […]
Local printing shop holding Christmas-themed food drive in May
Here comes Santa Claus … in May. Alexander’s Print Advantage in Lindon is bringing the spirit of the season at an odd time of year with a food drive in conjunction with its Christmas-themed customer appreciation party. The collected food will benefit the Food and Care Coalition in Provo. “This time of year there aren’t very many […]
9 quotes and scriptures to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas
Celebrate the true meaning of Christmas — the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ — with these nine memes. Elder Craig C. Christensen “It was the Savior’s atoning sacrifice that made holy that night in Bethlehem.” President Thomas S. Monson “Let us make Christmas real. It isn’t just tinsel and ribbon, unless we have made it […]
Utah-Tube: Jenny Oaks Baker rings in Christmas with ‘Carol of the Bells’
Ringing in the holiday season, violinist Jenny Oaks Baker’s plays in a winter wonderland for her latest music video, “Carol of the Bells.” Baker drives a dogsled in the music video and describes the experience as an opportunity to “dress as a magical Eastern European princess.” Her daughters Laura, Hannah and Sarah Baker — who play with […]
Christmas countdown: United Way’s Sub for Santa program still needs help
Donors have helped more than 1,300 families, with 3,911 kids. But as of Tuesday, 78 families who’d applied for help from United Way’s Sub for Santa program still needed sponsors. Every year for more than 35 years, United Way of Utah County has helped about 1,500 families by connecting them with sponsors who provide Christmas […]
12 variations for your 12 days of Christmas countdown
Believe it or not, Christmas is precisely 12 days away. That means that even if your Christmas advent calendar isn’t off to a great start, today is the day to start again — or you can celebrate with 12 special gifts. Welcome to the 12 days of Christmas! Here are a dozen ideas for making these […]
The best, the worst and the most underrated Christmas songs
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for music. I enjoy hearing Christmas songs on the radio and singing Christmas hymns in church. Some of the best music we have has to do with the holiday season. Unfortunately, it’s produced some of the worst, too. Below is my list of Top 10, Bottom 5, […]
Christmas kids and their moms share the scoop on the holidays
We interviewed 10 tiny Utah Valley elves — and their moms — about Christmas, traditions, Santa and their favorite Christmas songs. To see what these 10 believers think about the big day, scroll to the bottom of the page for the first “Christmas Kids” video. But, mom gets the first merry word here. The Osburns Mom: […]
Utah-Tube: Dancing Highland family delivers another #familygoals Christmas dance
The family of eight dancing siblings is back for the fifth year with another #familygoals video. This year the siblings from Highland, Utah dance to Pentatonix’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” and Mariah Carey ‘s popular Christmas tune, “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Each year the family dons their mother’s Christmas sweaters and choreographs […]
#LIGHTtheWORLD: LDS Church introduces 2016 Christmas initiative with Worldwide Day of Service
https://youtu.be/LYPJq_r425o The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints introduced its 2016 Christmas initiative Monday afternoon, which encourages people to #LIGHTtheWORLD. This initiative starts with a Worldwide Day of Service on Dec. 1 and invites people to perform an act of kindness daily leading up to Christmas. On its website, the Church lists a few preemptive ideas […]
Classic Christmas movies with a Utah Valley twist
Here are some beloved Christmas movies — with a distinct Utah Valley twist — you may have missed, but can watch during the holidays. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll fall asleep in your grandma’s fruit cake. An Algie Brown Christmas BYU running back Algernon Brown discovers the true meaning of Christmas. Hilarity ensues when Lucy […]