How to Make Gift Returns Easy

Know the store’s return policies for hassle-free returns.

Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter | Blog for us We are all hoping to give, and receive, the perfect gifts this holiday season. But when Santa or some other helpful elf sends a gift that’s not quite right, stores are saying “No problem.” In most cases, you can return it, but if your Santa has included a gift receipt in the package, don’t throw it away because some stores don’t accept returns without a receipt. Walmart strives for customer satisfaction by exchange, refund or repair. Even without a receipt, Walmart gives customers the option of a cash refund for purchases under $25, or a shopping card is the purchase was over $25. For the holiday gift buying season, Walmart has adjusted its…

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Holiday Guide 2012: All of Eagan Patch's Stories and Tips on December Festivities

Eagan Patch's Holiday Guide 2012.

Ask a Patch Pro: Last Minute Gift Ideas

Got someone on your list who is hard to shop for? We've got Twin Cities style consultants on deck to help you find the perfect gift.

We all have at least one person in our lives that presents a perennial problem during the holidays: They're impossible to shop for. Maybe they're a vegan who can't countenance any animal products whatsoever, or a friend who is allergic to everything from angora to silk, or worse, the one who never wants anything. Enter Melissa Hardin, creator of Flaunt, a mobile boutique run by a group of fashion artists and style consultants out of a studio in Fridley. Also on deck are Jennifer Zafft, Marketing Director for The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove, and Lisa Buck, a resident of the Lake Minnetonka area and veteran holiday shopper, and Kelly Bray of Zida Boutique in Burnsville. Stymied? Whipshawed by confusion? These ladies will help you …

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Local Pastor Publishes Heartwarming Holiday Short Story on Patch

Local pastor and Eagan Patch blogger Steve McKinley submitted this holiday-themed short story for Patch readers to enjoy.

Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter| Blog for us Editor's Note: The following is an original short story written and submitted to Eagan Patch by local reader Steve McKinley. McKinley has lived in Eagan since 1994, and currently serves part-time on the internship staff at Luther Seminary. He was a Lutheran parish pastor for 38 years, serving congregations in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. The New York Jets were playing the New England Patriots in a battle for playoff positioning, and to David Maxwell that sounded like the perfect accompaniment to his traditional Sunday afternoon nap, but it was not to be and he knew it. This was the second Sunday in December, the traditional …

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Don’t Let Stress Ruin the Holidays

Here are some ways to unwind and relax during the frenzied holiday rush.

Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter| Blog for us The holidays can be a time of great joy and fun memories, but they also bring stress with growing to-do lists and money concerns weighing us down. During this frenzied time, don’t forget to take time for yourself, whether that is a few minutes curled up on the couch with a book or a quick massage. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota lists several keys to managing stress. Here are a few ways to unwind and recharge this holiday season. Read a Good Book Check out your local bookstores or your local library for the newest bestsellers or tried-and-true classics. Nothing beats cozying up in front of the fireplace with a book. Schedule Dinner Out …

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Gift Ideas for Furry, Feathered Family Members

With pet ownership on the rise, more than half of pet owners are buying gifts for their pets this year.

Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter| Blog for us Don’t forget your pets this holiday season. According to a survey by AP-Petside.com, more than half of American pet owners will buy gifts for their pets this holiday season, spending an average of $46 on their animals. And with pet ownership at its highest level in two decades, at 72.9 million, according to the American Pet Products Association’s (APPA) 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey, chances are you are searching for a gift for your furry or feathered family member. AP-Petside.com says 68 percent of pets getting gifts will receive a toy, with 45 percent getting food or another treat, 8 percent getting new bedding, 6 percent clothing, …

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Lebanon Hills Hosting Seventh Annual Family New Year's Eve Party

Activities will likely include snowshoeing, hiking, sledding, s’mores at a bonfire and readings by a local storyteller, among other diversions.

Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter| Blog for us Ring in 2013 at Lebanon Hills Regional Park's seventh annual family New Year's Eve Party. The party, scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center in Eagan, is $10 per person at the door or $8 per person in advance. Children ages 5 and under are free. Activities include snowshoeing and hiking by candlelight; sledding on the lit sledding hill; s’mores at the bonfire; and readings by storyteller Roy Edward Power, magician Matt Dunn and live animals from Dakota Wild Animals. Participants can also welcome the New Year with a countdown and ball drop at 7:59 p.m. Hot concessions will be for sale and the snowshoe rental open. Bring…

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Eagan Mom Battling Leukemia Gets Holiday Surprise from Her Four Sons

Geoff Cleveland, an Eagan native, wanted to give his mother something special this holiday season in return for all the love and support she's shown her family over the years.

Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter| Blog for us Geoff Cleveland's father is a decorated Vietnam War veteran, and in January his brother leaves for his fourth tour of duty in the Middle East. But it's Cleveland's mother, 62-year-old Kathy Cleveland, who is the "real soldier" in the family, according to her son. Kathy, the family matriarch, has battled leukemia for two years, but still manages to support her husband and four boys. Which is why Cleveland, an Eagan native and current Apple Valley resident, wanted to give his mother something special this year. Cleveland nominated his parents, Kathy and Dave, for a free home holiday makeover courtesy of Christmas Decor's Decorated Family …

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From Winter Solstice to National Eggnog Day: Plenty of Reasons to Celebrate in December

You might be surprised what other days fall within December.

Follow Eagan Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter| Blog for us Christmas gets most of the press this time of year, but December is a month full of religious and secular festivals and holidays, along with some wild and wacky days as well. Here’s a reminder of the major holidays this month, along with a collection of the most bizarre holidays gleaned from the corners of the Internet. We can’t vouch for the authenticity of some of these lesser known observances, but if you need a moment to forget the stress that sometimes comes with the major holidays, there’s got to be a few here to make you smile. Forget the 12 Days of Christmas. Here’s a whole month of ways to celebrate. December is Human Rights Month. …

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David Henke

10:26 pm on Sunday, December 2, 2012

Thanks for the catch, Jonathan, and our apologies for the error. I've issued a correction on the story.   more ›