The Psychology of Gift Giving

Anne Arundel Community College professor Matt Patton explains why we feel the way we do about presents.

Exchanging gifts is a major part of celebrating the holiday season, but it can also be the source of major stress. Patch spoke with Matt Patton, an Annapolis resident and psychology professor at Anne Arundel Community College, about the social science behind gift giving. It's the thought that counts An expensive gadget like an iPad or new cellphone may make a person jump for joy on Christmas morning, but Patton said that high wears off quick. Everyone has an emotional baseline or "set point." While we can feel happier or sadder in the short-term, Patton said most people return to their baseline within a few weeks. "In that sense, we are very resilient," Patton said. "Things that move that set point are having a socially connected life …

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Christmas in Glen Burnie–Funny?

A holiday song about Glen Burnie has created some interesting conversation on the Internet.

A song called "Christmas in Glen Burnie" has been on YouTube for four years, featuring two carolers with the infamous "Balmer" accent singing about the lights and decorations around Glen Burnie and south Baltimore. But the tone of the song left some viewers debating the prevalence of the dialect among locals. "I lived here my whole life and nobody has an accent like that," said love2sing432. "That is a regler balmor accent. They drink weter (water) and put der (their) dishes in da zinc (the sinc) hon," said Rose Cupelli. So what do you think–is the accent accurate or overdone? Tell us in the comments.

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Maribel Ibrahim

4:02 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012

I think this song is hysterical, especially since I'm not a native of the area. However, having lived in Anne Arundel County for more than 15 years, yes, Marylanders from here sound like that! I loved the local references, especially the MVA and the Honey Bee.   more ›

Santa Comes to Glen Burnie Monday

Santa will pay an early visit to Glen Burnie neighborhoods on Monday.

Deck the House Contest: This House Could Win $100,000 for Anne Arundel County Schools

This Glen Burnie house is one of the 25 finalists in Patch’s Deck the House contest. Vote now to help this entry win $100,000 for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Could this be the best “decked” house in the country? Possibly. Congrats to Tony Iorio Sr. for being chosen as one of the 25 finalists in our Deck the House contest. We had tons of national entries in this year’s Deck the House contest and in our quest to find the most over-the-top holiday decorations in the country, we’ve seen everything from a life-size Santa to holiday lights so bright they could blind the neighbors. We loved seeing everyone’s holiday spirit, but Deck the House isn’t over yet. We’re still looking for the one home so spectacularly decorated that it could be the national grand prize winner of our contest—and it could be a home from right here in Glen Burnie. Until Dec. 28, vote in our contest to help this entry win $100,…

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Hanukkah: Not Christmas for Jews

While the two holidays fall in close proximity to each other and are celebrated in popular culture together, Hanukkah does not hold the religious significance for Jews that Christmas holds for Christians.

Each year, Hanukkah falls in close proximity or during Christmas according to the Hebrew calendar. Because of that, the two are celebrated side by side under the “Happy Holidays” moniker. But in terms of religious significance, Hanukkah doesn’t rank as high for Jews as Christmas ranks for Christians. “It’s hard to not make a big deal of out Hanukkah living in America, and I’m not sure it’s a bad thing,” said Rabbi Rhoda Silverman of Temple Emanuel in Reisterstown. “That’s not a problem for me as long as we don’t forget about everything else that makes us Jewish.” Jonathan Schwartz, senior aide to Baltimore County Council Chairwoman Vicki Almond and a member of Temple Emanuel, sees Hanukkah as having two roles in the lives of American Jews…

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Would Your Child Like a Letter From Santa?

Thanks to a very special U.S. Postal Service program, "Santa" will reply to children who mail him their Christmas wish lists this holiday season.

Every year, millions of children sit down to make a wish list for Santa, hoping he will make all of their Christmas dreams come true. But what if Santa actually wrote back? The U.S. Postal Service is now accepting "Letters From Santa," a program that allows any person to play Santa by sending a letter signed by St. Nick to any child. According to a postal service news release, "The 'Letters From Santa' program helps parents fulfill the dreams of their own children." Instructions to send a letter from Santa: Letters to Santa can be dropped off at any post office location. Click here to find your local post office. TELL US: Do your children plan on writing a letter to Santa this year?

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Post Your Holiday Events on Patch

Know of a great community event during the holiday season? Post it on Glen Burnie Patch.

Coming Soon: Patch's 'Deck the House' Contest

Are you decorating your house for the holidays this year? Enter our "Deck the House" contest and you could win $100,000 for your local school district and $500 to pay your electric bills!

Patch is launching our annual Deck the House Contest to find the most over-the-top holiday decorations in America—the best “decked” house in the country. If this sounds like your house, upload a photo or video of your home to our contest page from Nov. 26 to Dec. 16. A Columbia home in Howard County was named a national finalist last year. Only residents of Patch towns are eligible to enter. We’ll select 24 regional finalists, and from those, pick one grand prize winner. Patch will pay up to $500 of the utility bill for each finalist, while our national winner will have $100,000 donated to his or her local school district. Our contest is right around the corner, so now’s the time to get your holiday decorations out of the attic and “deck” …

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Layaway Makes a Comeback for 2012 Holiday Season

Try layaway plans at one or more of these retailers in Anne Arundel County.

In this economy, some shoppers are fretting over being able to afford that special toy, bauble or other item that they know will bring a smile to their children, spouse, friend or family member. Consider layaway as a way to spread payments out over time, and be able to check things off those holiday lists. Popular during the Great Depression in the 1930s, layaway fell out of fashion in the 1980s as credit card usage became widespread. Many companies are once again offering the service, which allows customers to make installment payments on an item, sometimes with a small fee added to the item’s price for the company’s administrative costs. In Anne Arundel County, try one of these retailers’ 2012 holiday layaway programs (see stores to …

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