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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-12-15, Page 27'tis the season - watch your shopping Ili the madcap rush of the Christmas season, when the stores are crowded with bustling shoppers and the strains of a favourite • Christmas carol lull us into a buying mood, it is even more important to shop carefully. Today the jingling sound we hear is that of cash registers, not sleigh bells, and an overabundance of Christmas spirit could herald a bleak January. Before joining the annual foray, here are a few timely tips. Know the store's refund policy. Stores are not obligated to refund money or to exchange merchandise purchased as a gift. Policies yary from store to store: some offer a credit ote, some offer a cash refund or exchange only for a limited time (often 10 days after purchase). Some stores will not refund your money or exchange goods after pur- chase for any reason. So if you're not sure that Uncle Joe likes polka dots, check the store's policy before you buy. Be sure that a refund will be given or an exchange made if mer- chandise is unsuitable and that this agreement is clearly stated on the bill. If a company represents that it has a refund policy and money is not returned, this is 4 in contravention of The Business Practices Act. But if no promise is made, don't expect a refund. Allow extra time for delivery. Post offices are full to overflowing during the holiday season ,and a rush of orders to a. ,mail order firm will probably take much longer to process as well as to deliver. Stores offering delivery services are often backlogged because of the volume of,sales. Don't be disappointed when Christmas Eve approaches and those special presents still haven't arrived. Allow extra time for delivery for all purchases, .whether by mail or by van. If you are buying furniture as a Christmas gift, insist that the promised delivery date is clearly stated on the bill of sale, even if you .are given a verbal promise of pre - Christmas delivery. Pay for the item on a.,,,,cash-on- delivery basis or, better still, arrange to have the goods picked up yourself. Unsolicited goods aren't your responsibility. Many companies or organizations send un- solicited goods, such as Christmas cards, through the mails at this time of year. They ask you to send money to pay for the items. if you didn't order them, you are not obligated to pay for them. You may keep them, destroy them or send them back at the sender's expense. Be wary of fund-raising schemes. At this time of the year, the unethical operators who see a quick buck to be made compete with honest fund- raisers for the dollars of a generous public. Most pleas for money are authentic, but to be sure that your money goes to the needy, keep the following points in mind: be wary of telephone solicitations; make sure you understand the nature of the donation request; ask . how they got your name; ask for the name of the person calling and the full name and address of his ,or her employer, in- cluding the telephone num- ber; if in doubt, request that the solicitation be made in writing; check a company's reputation with the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce. And just a reminder; be sure that gifts purchased for children are non-toxic; check the Christmas tree for flammable decorations; turn out the Christmas lights when the tree is unattended. The ministry of consumer and commercial relation's wishes you a happy and a safe holiday season. Plan ahead before you buy the turkey Christmas is approaching quickly. If you are planning to serve turkey for your holiday meal, it's a good idea to decide exactly what size you'll need and what to look for before you buy, say the food specialists at the Ontario Food Council, ministry of agriculture and food. Whether the gathering is going to be small or large, allow 1/2 to 3/4 pound per serving. It is wise to buy more than the exact amount needed, to allow for seconds or leftovers. Leftovers can be used for sandwiches, in soups, casseroles, salads, or pies. Any turkey that you don't plan to eat the day after Christmas should be frozen right after Christmas dinner, Turkey meat can be frozen up to two months. When buying a turkey, always look for the Canada Approved or Canada health inspection stamp on the tag, bag, or label. This is your assurance that the turkey has Bake for Christmas With Christmas in the air, many people are baking for holiday entertaining. Food specialists at the _ Ontario Food Council, ministry of Agriculture and Food, say that much of the baking can be done ahead, if carefully planned. First determine how many Christmas goodies to make. There is a wide variety of Christmas cookies, cakes, and breads which freeze very well. Be sure there is suf- ficient room in the freezer. If you are , uncertain about freezing, a product, first prepare a small batch and freeze that test sample. After two or three days, try it to see if the quality is satisfactory. For baked products j to maintain the best quality in r the freezer, it is important to exclude air and prevent loss of moisture. Make sure the now packaging is moisture - and vapor -proof. Package dainty cookies in rigid containers with waxed paper or plastic film between the layers, so they will not be crushed or broken. Breads and biscuits can be packaged in plastic freezer bags. If cookies or cakes are frosted, frAP7P them before wrapping. Once frozen, wrap. This prevents the frosting from sticking to the packaging. Remember to date the packages before freezing. Various baked products have different recommended storage times. Biscuits, muffins, and loaves can be stored approximately two to three months. Baked yeast breads are best used within six months. Christmas'"fruit cake can be kept in the freezer up to one year. Baked cookies can be frozen for nine to twelve months. Selling your house.... WHO ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS? How well do you know your neighbors? Is Mrs. Jones, next door, a lawyer?•Did Mrs. Smith, just around the corner, find a job with a department store; Are the Winthrops both school teachers? What may sound like trivial gossip can be important when It's time to brief a prospective buyer on the attributes of your neighborhood. We've found that too many sellers really do not know what's going on in their neighborhoods. Some don't even know their neighbors very well. A propsective buyer will want to know more about your neighborhood than just what he can see from the physical appearance of lawns, trees and other houses. By knowing the facts about your neighbors you'll be able to enhance the impression a prospect receives. Familiarity with people can be/as important as familiarity with ,properties when It comers to matching your house and the right buyer. List Your Property with Bob Storey 482-7440 SALESMAN FOR I I 10 f G. K. REALTY INC. )4 ISAAC ST., CLINTON been inspected and is safe and wholesome. Next, look for the grade name. The most common grade available is Canada Grade A. Canada Grade B is as good eating quality as Grade A, but is not as well -fleshed or fattened. Canada Grade Utility must at least qualify for Canada Grade B, but may have one or more of its parts missing. Turkeys will also be marked as young or mature. Mature turkeys, used for egg production first, are not as tender as young birds raised for meat only. When shopping, you'll notice that some•turkeys may be labelled Deep Basted, or Self -Basting. This means that the turkey .has been injected with vegetable oil or butter as a basting ingredient to ih- crease the juiciness, of the cooked turkey. You can get this same moist quality by buying a regular turkey and basting it yourself. If you plan to buy a fresh turkey, ' wait and buy it no more than 2 or 3 days before you cook it. If you plan to buy a frozen turkey, you can buy it now and store it in the freezer at -18 degrees C (Odegrees F)' or lower until the time to , thaw, it for roasting. CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1977—PAGE 7A Cranberries dd a special flavor to many varied dishes. Try this cranberry loaf, tested by the' Food Advisory Division, Agriculture Canada and enjoy the great festive berry! (Agriculture Canadaphoto) news ho m e news Cranberries: a festive treat! Did you know that cran- berries are native to North America? The first colonists discovered these small berries growing wild. The Indians used them for food and also for making a dye for their clothes: The ,cultivated berries are larger than the wild type, and require hoist, marshy soils. Cranberries were first sold commercially in Nova Scotia, towards the end of the 1800's. Now they are produced in Quebec, the Maritime provinces and the largest production in British Columbia. Annual production reaches about. 7,000 tons, valued at approximately $2 million. Close to a fifth of the cranberries produced . are further processed. Canada imports a littlemore than 2,000 tons a year to satisfy its demand. ' Cranberries can be found on the market from ' the beginning of October right through December. Their availability probably ex- plains why they are such a traditional favorite around the festive season. They vary in color from a bright red to a very dark red depending on the variety and can become darker if they are stored in a temperature ranging from 40 to 50 degrees F. When buying cranberries, look for ones that are well rounded, firm and have a bright, clear color. Those on the market are almost all Canada No. 1 grade. Pick out the soft or moist berries to prevent spoilage from spreading. Wash before using and remove any stems. Take advantage of the seasonal availability and freeze for Watch children, chief says "Christmas brings tem- ptations to many parents, while visiting with neighbors or completing last minute shopping, to leave small children unattended for short periods," says Clinton Fire Chief Clarence Neilans. "At the same time, decorations, trees and wrapping paper bring an increased threat of fire danger unless constant care is exercised." The Fire Chief urges all parents to recognize the fire danger of this season, and not to leave small children alone in the home even for a moment. He points out that the Criminal Code of Canada forbids such action which endangers the life or health of any child under the age of ten years. Parents are further reminded that under certain conditions, a Christmas tree can be ignited by a single match to burn furiously JO charred wood in a few seconds. Care must be taken,., to keep butts of natural' trees immersed in water and to ensure that the tree itself does not obstruct access to a door or window. Families are also urged to review their home fire -escape plans for quick exit in an emergency. THE SEPARATE SHOPPE MAIN CORNER, CLINTON PHONE 482-7778 (NEXT TO' CAMPBELL'S MEN'S WEAR) OPEN 1-6 Pantsuits Dresses Blouses Sweaters Pu (offers Pants Skirts A A A A A A A OPEN 1-6g later use. No special preparation is required, just wash and pack in freezer containers. Food consultants at Agriculture Canada remind you that cranberries add a special flavor to many varied dishes, sauces, salads, pies, cakes and more. Try this cranberry loaf and enjoy the great festive berry! Cranberry Bread 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ' 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons. orange rind IA cup chopped walnuts 1 beaten egg 1/ cup milk / cup orange juice IA cupbutter, melted ,1 cup chopped cranberries Sift together dry ingredients. Add orange rind and nuts. Combine remaining ingredients except cran- berries. Add to dry mixture and stir until just combined. Fold cranberries into mix- ture. Turn into greased 9 x 5 - inch loaf pan. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Makes 1 loaf.. finely grated Family Allowances to rise in 1978 Health and Welfare Minister Monique Begin recently announced that there will be full escalation of Family Allowances for 1978. The Family Allowances legislation calls for annual escalation of payments in January of each year in accordance with the increase in the cost of living. Effective January, the federal government monthly allowance paid for children under 18 will rise to $25.68 from $23.89 in most provinces and in the territories. The amount and method of payment of Family Allowances varies in Quebec and Alberta. Special Allowances, which are paid to foster parents, welfare agencies, govern- ment departments and in- stitutions maintaining children, will also increase to $25.68 from $23.89. Each month during 1977 the federal government paid out more than $173 million in Family Allowalces to 3.6 million families.'The cheques covered 7.2 milli n children. The national average allowance for each recipient family was about $49. Try this economical dikh "What am I going to serye for dinner?"... Food con- sultants at Agriculture Canada offer their solution. "Oven Corn and Cheese Omelet". It is different, easy to prepare and economical. Each serving of this omelet costs less than 25 cents and supplies 13 g of protein, which represents about one-quarter of the daily ' protein requirement. Above all, eggs and dairy products contain proteins of the highest quality. Smile Eat what you can and what you can't, can. Oven Corn and Cheese Omelet 6 beaten eggs 1 cup skim milk 1 cup soft bread crumbs 1 cup (4 ounces) grated process cheese 1 7 -ounce can kernel corn 2 teaspoons melted margarine 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Combine ingredients. Pour into greased 8 -inch square baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees F until knife inserted in center comes out clean (about 35 minutes). Cut and serve immediately. 6 ser- vings. MEMORIALS MARKERS - Bronze Plaques - Cemetery Lettering For expert counsel and a fair price rely on a firm you can trust. T. PRYDE 8 SON LTD. Serving Huron and surrounding area since 1920. DISTRICT SHOWROOM 75 Hamilton St. Goderich DON DENOMME Full time.representative-- Appointment -any times Phone Goderich: 524-2373 or 524-6621 Members of the Monument Builders Association of North America '* CAKES - BOTH LIGHT AND DARK * CHRISTMAS PUDDINGS * COOKIES * SHORTBREAD * MINCEMEAT TARTS AND PIES * AND MUCH MORE CHRISTMAS BAKING...ALL FRESH DAILY Specially made up for you! A unique gift idea that's sure to please. Orders now being taken. CHEESESifoittias Pa/Oe4 New! We now have a great selection of CHEESES Let us make up a tray of assorted cheeses for your holiday party. Bkiy' GPGRestaura.nt 96 ALBERT ST. CLINTON X88-9727 A tradition in Huron County since 1902