Is wrapping paper recyclable?  Even with tape attached? Which bin for cellophane? Wine corks? Tinsel? Americans generate an extra 6 million tons of trash in the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, according to waste management officials.  The days of merely heaping it in the garbage can are over.  But determining the correct bin for used holiday trappings can be confusing, so we asked Livermore Sanitation for guidance. Livermore Sanitation community relations manager Sheila Fagliano offers a breakdown: RECYCLE: Wrapping paper, even with tape attached. (Metallic or cellophane paper…

If you are looking for some snow fun over winter break, you don't have to spend several hours driving from Livermore.  With just a 35-minute drive, you can get to Dell'Osso Farms, which is having its Holidays on the Farm celebration. You may think of the site as the pumpkin maze place in Lathrop, but now it is completely transformed into a winter wonderland.  It has snow tubing and ice skating for a fee. Customers are advised to buy snow-tubing tickets online in advance. Dell'Osso's 90-minute sessions, tube included, tend to sell out. Tubing and ice skating are available rain or shine because…

To some folks, New Year's Eve is all about donning your finest to sit at a crowded white-tablecloth restaurant and feast on the fanciest tasting menu imaginable. Not me. I like to get down and dirty at home on New Year's Eve. With fresh Dungeness crab, to be exact. New Year's Eve is not complete without digging my fingers into some fresh, cracked crab with meat that's silky, sweet–and yes—finger-licking good. After all, eating with your hands is as sexy as it gets. With glasses of festive sparkling wine, a perfectly dressed Caesar salad and a warmed loaf of crusty sourdough, it's a …

Matt Phipps began his holiday light display journey three years ago. The 20-year-old has come a long way. His display now features 40,000 lights, water geysers, a projection screen and its own radio frequency. Phipps' house, located at 646 Zermatt St., lights up the neighborhood. "All I can say is visit us this year, come back again next year, and never think that a dream is too big to do," he said of his music-synchronized light display. Though Phipps admits his display is complex and definitely worth a visit, he says it is different than local holiday favorites like Deacon Dave's annual …

It's the season of giving and getting. But that doesn't mean the gifts you opened up on Christmas are something you really want to keep. However, the National Retail Foundation said two-thirds of holiday shoppers didn't return a single gift last holiday season. But if you're not one of them, and plan to hit the return line, here are some things you need to know. Ask for the receipt - This means that whoever gave you the gift will know that you're returning it, but having a receipt will make a huge difference when you get to the return counter. Be patient - Many stores will give you time to …

If you are traveling the next few days to spend the holidays with family, expect a lot of company. More than 11.6 million Californians are expected to travel this Christmas and New Year's holiday, representing an increase of 3 percent compared with 2009, according to a report released by the American Automobile Association."Regardless of ongoing concerns over unemployment and financial uncertainties, Californians are not holding back on their travel plans for the holidays," said AAA Northern California spokesperson Cynthia Harris in a press statement.AAA estimates more than 10.6 million …

If you look at my bookshelves, you'll know that I'm somewhat obsessed with children's books. I love them. I love reading them to my children, I love having my children read them to me, I (secretly) love reading them myself and, perhaps most importantly, I love giving them as gifts, particularly around the holidays. As such, I'm always on the lookout for the best children's books, be they picture books, chapter books or all-time classics. Someone once said that a book is a present you can open again and again. Here is a list of books to give (or read) this holiday season that you and your …

"They're taking me to jail!" laughed June when police showed up on her front door step Sunday morning. June's concerned neighbors crowded around her front porch asking the police officer and the rest of his entourage if things were all right. Officers were not there to arrest June, but rather to bring her gifts from the Livermore Police Department's giving tree. The giving tree has been Livermore Police tradition for the past seven years and has been a partnership with local groups and businesses to bring holiday gifts to needy seniors, children and families. June, who did not want her …

For 20 years Trinity Baptist Church has presented their popular drive-through Nativity, and this year's event was no different, drawing a large crowd of enthusiastic visitors.The cars began lining up on Olivina Avenue long before the Nativity's 7 p.m. start time on Saturday night. On hand to help invigorate the crowds were smiling volunteers armed with juice boxes, cupcakes, and candy canes. A little further down the street a group of carolers lit up the night sky with their joyful chorus. While families waited in line to view the live performance, volunteers provided a Christmas quiz to keep…

Budgets for holiday gifts can be tight this season. But that doesn't mean you can't give your loved ones a meaningful token of affection. Our list of frugal gifting ideas under $10 have items that say a lot but cost little. Most of these are available online at websites like Blair.com and Amazon.com. Reading and entertainment: Visit your neighborhood bookstore to pick up locally made bookmarks, artsy journals made of handmade paper, puzzle books, cell phone holsters, bumper stickers with clever one-liners and other ingenious items that are useful, yet don't burn a hole in the wallet. If your …

Ah, the holidays. Family is back in town. Friends are visiting. Time to head into the city — or the malls and the local shopping districts — in droves. Just keep an eye out. Amid all the twinkling lights, ringing bells and festive Christmas music, the serious business of gift shopping is in full swing. So are the thieves, police warn, waiting for rushed, stressed-out shoppers distracted by long lists, impatient children, inclement weather and the sudden thought: Where in the world did I park the car? With the streets and malls bustling, police and other security personnel are extra-…

Trinity Church tonight will launch their 20th annual Live Drive-Through Nativity. The program will run from 7 to 9 pm, rain or shine. It will feature live actors and  live animals, including sheep, a donkey and llamas outfitted with 'humps' to look like camels. The free event will be held at the church's parking lot, and is scheduled to run at the same evening times through Sunday. "In a culture often focused on materialism, the Live Drive-Through Nativity speaks to the real meaning of Christmas, the coming of Jesus Christ into the world," said Michelle George, the volunteer publicity chair…

Bells were ringing and the choir was singing Sunday at the Ravenswood Historic Site's annual Victorian Yuletide. The ballroom in the Main House was filled to capacity with revelers enjoying holiday music and refreshments, while outside, visitors lined up for horse and carriage rides, a visit with St. Nick, and tours of the beautifully decorated property. In addition, the event featured crafts for children, and in the Cottage a lacemaking demonstration from representatives of The Lace Museum in Sunnyvale. Yuletide is all about sharing, and at Ravenswood a dedicated team of docents were on hand…

Cristian Buenrostro looks over a table filled with presents and flashes an ear-to-ear smile. On the table is a doll for his younger sister, clothes for his father and shoes for his mother. "My mom works a lot and needs comfortable shoes to walk in," he said. The gifts were personally chosen Saturday morning by the 14-year-old Buenrostro, a student at Junction Avenue K-8 School. Purchases were made possible thanks to the Shop With a Cop program, which selected nine students from the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District to participate in a Walmart shopping spree. Buenrostro also …

Here are a few facts to consider before getting behind the wheel after having a few drinks: Last year, 950 people died from alcohol-impaired traffic collisions in California. Costs of a DUI arrest continues to rise each year, with an estimated cost for a first offense up to $10,000. Terms of conviction require the installation of an Ignition Interlock Device in any vehicle being driven by the offender. Here's one more thing to consider that can't be measured in numbers: Lives and families are destroyed by drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs. Still want to drive? If so, here's your …

Police will have a special assignment Saturday: Take students shopping. Nine kids selected from the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District will be taken on a shopping spree at Walmart. Officers will escort the students in a police car with lights flashing and sirens blaring to the store on Las Positas Road at 8 a.m. and help them pick out gifts for the holiday. "It's giving back to the community in a way that puts our Police Department in a positive light," said Pat Avilla, Granada High School vice principal. Avilla brought the Shop With a Cop program to Livermore last year after …

The holidays are finally upon us — as the rest of the bay strings up its Christmas lights, I'm lighting candles for Hanukkah, which began last Wednesday and ends Thursday. It's is not my favorite holiday. Purim's tale of post-biblical near extinction is more of a nail-biter (plus, there are costumes); Passover boasts the Bible's best story, recounted over a huge family meal and followed by a week of carnivals; and nearly all our religious heavies are in the autumn. The best things to come out of Hanukkah — our lone winter festival that celebrates the miraculous longevity of some holy …

Some of the best locally-produced wines were uncorked last weekend to ring in the holiday season. More than 40 wineries participated in the Holidays in the Vineyard, an annual tradition hosted by the Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association. The event was held over two days and featured live music, food, crafts and wine tasting. Here is a video recap of the event.

The community officially welcomed the holiday season Saturday at the downtown Holiday Sights and Sounds Parade. Here is a video recap of the event.

The opening ceremony for Deacon Dave's popular Christmas display was held Friday night. The ceremony featured a candlelight procession along Hillcrest Avenue. In addition, Livermore Mayor Marshall Kamena and Livermore Police Chief Steve Sweeney spoke at the opening ceremony. This year's display features more than 350,000 lights, plus a walk-through themed display. Jeanie Haigh, who helped organize the event, discusses the opening ceremony and the display's history in our video coverage. For more information, click here.