Celebrating Christmas in Raritan, NJ

Have you been out and about in Raritan and the surrounding area this Christmas season?  There’s so much to see and do, it can seem impossible to do it all.  However, there are surely a few events you just have to get to.  Here are some of the things going on in and around Raritan during the holidays.  Try to make it to at least one—you won’t regret it!

You can get your photo taken with Santa up until Christmas Day at the Bridgewater Commons Mall!  Santa will also give children a free coloring book when the visit him.  Santa will also be available for photos at the TD Bank in Somerville on Dec. 23rd from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Starting this week, the Village Theatre in Somerset will be performing The Christmas Toy Shop.  Tickets are $10.  Performances are on Saturdays and Sundays.

Between Saturday the 24th through January 8th, take a drive to the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton for something really cool: the Laser Nutcracker Spectacular 3D.  This laser show features the classic Tchaikovsky music, but it puts a major modern twist on it.  Other beloved holiday characters like Frosty and Rudolph also make appearances.  Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids under twelve.

If the lasers are a bit much, many local theater groups perform The Nutcracker, A Christmas Carol, and other classic holiday stories during December.  For example, the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown is performing The Nutcracker ballet on the 22nd – 26th.

On Dec. 27th, head over to the Somerset County Library in Bridgewater for Home for the Holidays Stories and Crafts.  Kids will have the opportunity to hear stories and even make a little something for those special to them.  Be sure to pre-register with the library—it’s required.

For those who love wine, check out the holiday winemaker’s dinner.  The theme this year is “Christmas in Merry Olde England,” and guests are promised traditional English Christmas dinner and customs.  A five-course meal and wine are included in the $89 per person price.  The dinner is December 28 at 7:30 at the Crossing Vineyard and Winery.


Christmas Flowers in Raritan, NJ.

Bringing Back the Magic of the Holidays

The holiday season is here!  Starting with Thanksgiving (or possibly before!), it seems like we have over a month of different holidays.  Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s…all of these holidays are bunched together.  Sometimes, it seems like we can be completely overwhelmed by all of this.  This year, take the time to bring some of the magic back to your holiday season. 

How do you bring back the magic?  It can be difficult, especially if the holiday season is always stressful and unhappy for you.  However, if you do your best to refocus your holidays around what really matters, you’ll find yourself feeling less stressed.

Remember what the holidays are all about.  It’s not the big meal, the number of gifts, or any of the events.  The importance of the holidays is about seeing family members you haven’t seen in quite some time and getting together with friends.  Those who are hosting a dinner or party may feel very stressed over the preparations, often to the point of exhausting themselves and not enjoying everything they’ve worked so hard towards.  They worry so much about what people will think if there’s any little detail wrong that they drive themselves crazy.  However, the reality is that most people don’t even notice these “disastrous” little things, so there’s no point in stressing over them.

Another thing that seems to suck some of the magic out of the holidays is the stress of gift-buying.  While the saying about it’s the thought, not the gift, you know some people really are keeping score.  However, these should also be the people you’re least interested in impressing.  Try your hardest not to get caught up in the game of giving gifts, and give what you can.  In some cases, this means homemade gifts instead of buying expensive presents.  The people who know you and truly love you, though, will appreciate everything you’ve done.

If you feel yourself getting too stressed out by the holidays, take a moment to relax and remember why the holidays exist.  Enjoy your time with your friends and family, and don’t worry about the little things.


Christmas Flowers in Bridgeport, NJ.

Thanksgiving Decorating

November is here, which means it’s time to start planning for Thanksgiving.  If you’re hosting the big family dinner this year, don’t put anything off.  If you wait until the last minute, you may find that stores are out of what you most desperately need.

Decorating isn’t generally the main focus of the Thanksgiving, unlike Christmas.   Instead, this holiday is all about the food!  However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do a little bit of decorating.  Here are a few things you may want to do to make your home look festive.

Accent your meal with a great Thanksgiving tablecloth.  You can also add Thanksgiving placemats, napkins, napkin rings, and even plates if you’re using paper plates. 

Find a great centerpiece.  A nice arrangement of Thanksgiving flowers certainly works very well, plus you can accent it with a few extra items.  Put candles on either side, add a few little turkeys, or place some small pumpkins and gourds around the vase.  A cornucopia is another great option.

Replace your standard salt and pepper shakers with novelty ones shaped like turkeys or pilgrims.

Use a fun platter with Thanksgiving images for cookies or other finger foods.  There are even some platters out there shaped like turkeys!  You can also find small spreading knives with decorative figures like pilgrims on the handles.

Don’t forget to decorate in other areas, too.  Even though the dining room will be the center of the holiday, here are a few ways to add Thanksgiving décor to other rooms:

Put out throw pillows in fall colors or with Thanksgiving designs on your sofa.

Add a few pumpkin spice candles to your end tables or on shelves.

Put an arrangement of fall flowers in your entryway or near the door.

Add a wreath of fall leaves and flowers to your front door.

These are just a few fun ways you can decorate for Thanksgiving.  Don’t forget to get the kids involved, too.  There are a lot of neat Thanksgiving art projects they can do and display for your guests.


Thanksgiving Flowers in Bridgeport NJ.

Scenic Fall Foliage Drives in Raritan New Jersey

Fall brings with it some amazing displays.  There are some great scenic fall foliage drives around Raritan, New Jersey, and the nearby areas.  If you need something to do in the coming weeks, why not get out and take a drive through some of the best views the Garden State has to offer.

Take a drive to Waterloo Village in Stanhope, an area that not only features great foliage but also has a number of historic festivals and unique little shops.

A drive to Lake Hopatcong, the largest lake in the state, is a great place to enjoy the outdoors.  Bring a picnic lunch and have a nice lunch while taking in the sights.

Another great place to take in the fall scenery is near Andover.  The Allamuchy Mountain State Park is located close to the city, and it’s a great place for an outdoor family adventure.  Enjoy the various hiking trails, take a picnic lunch, or even go camping and fishing. 

New Jersey has more than just one outstanding state park.  If Andover is out of your way, how about visiting Moravian Village, an 18th century town that features several different walking tours.  The town is right next to Jenny Jump State Forest, a great place for camping, hiking, and more.

The Pequest Trout Hatchery and National Resource Center is another fun place to visit.  The waters reflect the fall foliage, giving you a great mirrored display of the colors.

The Ringwood State Park offers two great sights: Norvin Green Forest and Shepherd Lake.  Along the way to the park, stop by Wanaque Reservoir.  This is a great day trip.

Finally, there’s the New Jersey Botanical Garden at Skylands Manor.  You’ll find over 90 acres of gardens and natural areas.  It’s amazing any time of the year, but the fall foliage looks especially nice.

Fall Flowers delivered in Raritan New Jersey

Beautiful Roses and Romance

Roses have always been associated with romance, especially red roses.  But why?  What traditional started it all?  There are a lot!  The red rose can be traced back as a symbol of love for centuries.  Red has always been associated with life, emotions, and love, and they have been used in weddings and important rituals all around the world.  The rose was connected to goddesses of love, such as Aphrodite, and to important rulers like Napoleon’s wife Josephine.

The rose was used in ceremonies during the Roman empire, for example, and in ancient China.  The Chinese, in fact, cultivated the flower, and they introduced the modern red rose to Europe in the 1800s.  It was a bit different from the roses the Europeans grew, and it quickly became associated with the rich and the aristocratic.  Once roses became common, however, many people began exchanging roses as signs of fidelity and love.  The rose’s place in courtship and romance was even more firmly locked in when William Shakespeare added an allusion to the flower in his famous play Romeo and Juliet.  Many other writers and poets also wrote about the rose.

Victorian England took the symbolism of the rose to extremes.  They grew huge rose gardens during that time, and they introduced many new rose varieties.  It was during this time that the very first printed Valentine’s cards were sold.  Adding one of these cards to a bouquet of roses quickly caught on, and ever since then, the rose has been connected to Valentine’s Day.

Do you want to impress your special someone with a bouquet of a dozen red roses this summer?  Why not tell your wife how much you love her, show your girlfriend you truly do care, or get a first date off on the right foot?  Come visit Angelone’s Florist in Rareton NJ and take advantage of our summer special.  We’re offering one dozen roses for $19.99, but the offer is good only by visiting our store.  Don’t delay—summer won’t last forever!

About Angelone’s

Angelone’s Flowers is one of the premiere florists in New Jersey. The florist was established over 60 years ago by James and Lena Angelone. Today, the company is managed by their son, Lynn Angelone. Lynn and the Angelone’s staff continue to uphold James and Lena’s dedication to creating quality arrangements for every customer.

Angelone’s has a large inventory of freshly cut flowers. You can tell our flowers have been flown in daily from various locations around the world just by looking at them. Unlike flowers you’d find in a grocery store, the blossoms at Angelone’s are always bright, cheery, and look great. But Angelone’s has more than just flowers. We also provide gourmet gift and fruit baskets via the Bountiful Basket and corporate gifts through Angelone’s Corporate Flowers. The corporate branch provides flowers for events plus gift baskets and plants for employee birthdays, service anniversaries, and more.

Based in Raritan, the company delivers to Branchburg, Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Neshanic, Readington, Somerville, and Whitehouse. Angelone’s takes flowers to hospitals, funeral homes, churches, private residences and businesses every day. Angelone’s works hard to provide every one of our customers with the best arrangements possible. If you see an arrangement you love on our website or in the store, great! If not, Angelone’s has a staff of experienced, professional florists who will work with you to create custom arrangements. 

Angelone’s customers can also join their Petal Points Program. This program gives you one point for every dollar you spend. When you reach 150 points, you get $10 off your next purchase. The program is free, and all you have to do is sign up for it! 

Angelone’s has made a name for themselves in New Jersey as a quality florist. But we can do more than just send flowers and gift baskets locally. Angelone’s is a part of the TeleFlora network, which means we can connect to other florists around the country and have them deliver your order just about anywhere. If you want to learn more about Angelone’s Florist, visit our website or follow us on Facebook. Also be sure to check out some of our Summer Specials!

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