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Home for the Holidays: Surviving a Long Trip

Keeping children entertained on lengthy airplane rides.

Liz Henry is nervous about her upcoming flight to San Francisco. It’s not TSA regulations or long lines that are causing her anxiety, however. It is traveling alone with her three children — all of whom are under the age of 6.

Teaching Children To Be Charitable

Experts say modeling, nurturing are keys to raising generous children.

Elena Santiviago walked her 6-year-old son down the aisle of a grocery store near her Arlington home. They picked up five boxes of toothpaste and two bottles of mouthwash, several bars of soap and a few sticks of deodorant. The shopping trip was part of a school project in which students fill holiday stockings with personal hygiene items for the homeless.

Art Educator Releases Two Books

Stories offer children and parents innovative ways to explore art.

Elizabeth Augenblick Smith, 10, spent a recent Saturday afternoon gluing strips of brightly hued tissue paper to create a collage. There were no rules or guides to follow.

Holiday Sibling Shop Spreads the Spirit of Giving

FACETS hosts a traditional Holiday Sibling Shop.

FACETS, a non-profit in Fairfax that helps those affected by poverty, hosted a Holiday Sibling Shop on Dec. 16 at the Ragan Oaks Community Center that allowed children living in an affordable housing community to shop for donated gifts to give to their siblings during the holiday season. According to James Wilson, a community advocate for FACETS, the Holiday Sibling Shops not only give children the chance to shop for gifts, but also reduce stress the families may face.

Centreville Football Beats Oscar Smith for 6A State Championship

Wildcats finish 15-0, ranked No. 15 nationally by USA TODAY.

The Centreville football team defeated Oscar Smtih 35-6 in the VHSL 6A state championship game on Dec. 14.

Langley Boys' Basketball Coach Newman Gets First Win

Saxons defeat Fairfax to improve to 1-4.

The Langley boys' basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak.

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Alexandria Schools See Rising Poverty In the Classroom

City has the highest rates of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in region.

In the last decade, the percentage of Alexandria students who live in poverty has grown from 50 percent to 56 percent. That's the largest percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced price lunch in the region, according to a recent analysis by the Washington Area Boards of Education.

West Springfield’s Berglund Reaches 1,000 Career Points

Spartans start season 5-0.

West Springfield senior guard Amy Berglund reached 1,000 career points on Dec. 7 against Madison.

The cover of the January 2014 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, features a Jorge …

McLean Girls' Basketball Cruises to Victory Against Langley

Highlanders pull away with 35-3 run.

The McLean girls' basketball team improved to 4-0 with a win over Langley on Friday.

McLean Boys' Basketball Beats Rival Langley in Overtime

Highlanders senior Sullivan leads all scorers with 17 points.

The McLean boys' basketball team evened its record at 2-2 with a win over Langley on Friday.

Spreading Holiday Cheer

Wine shops from around the region give their suggestions for bottles to bring to holiday parties.

Holiday season means parties, hostess gifts, office Secret Santas and other occasions where many people bring a bottle of some spirit or other to spread good tidings. So what to pick up? What's right? What kind of wine goes with what kind of food? And where to go for some good advice?

Robert Werth of Springfield Takes Reins of National Transportation Organization

Robert M. Werth, of Springfield, a leader in accessible transportation for more than three decades, has taken the helm of the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) as its new president.

Area Roundups

Police responded to the report of a crash on Wednesday, Dec. 4 shortly after 11 p.m. Brian Benjamin Blaine, 30, of Manassas, was driving his 2001 Honda S2000 convertible southbound on the Franconia-Springfield Parkway, approaching Spring Village Drive.

Letter: Grateful Locally

Your Op Ed piece ["Shop Locally, Shop in Fairfax," Connection, Nov. 21-27, 2013] prompted me to share my story of how important small businesses are in my community.

Last-minute Holiday Gift Ideas

Local businesses in Fairfax Station and Lorton offer variety of choices.

For those looking to give the gift of relaxation this holiday season, Shapes Salon and Day Spa in the Fairfax Station shopping center on Ox Road is a great place to start. Shapes is decorated for the holiday season, and manager Amy Jordan said that the salon has holiday specials that are popular.

Week in Fairfax

What's happening in the Fairfax area.

Helping Homeless Pets Find Homes

Join in the holiday spirit of giving and help save lives with the ‘Twelve Days of Adoptables,’ a partnership between the Washington Humane Society and the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. These organizations are joining forces to get the word out about some very special pets.

Gift Baskets from Great Harvest

Local business in Burke offers last-minute gift ideas.

At Great Harvest Bread Company in Burke, customers can eat a freshly made bakery sandwich and complete some last-minute holiday shopping at the same time. The local bread and other baked-goods company, which also has a location in Lorton, provides a variety of gift baskets and products like baked goods and tea towels for a last-minute holiday shopper on any budget.

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