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• All&i < In The Christmas Spirit These three McHenry area residences won honorable mention in a field of 22 in the Chamber of Commerce competition for the best Christmas home display. Top prize went to the Robert Blaney home, 612 Green street, pictured on the front page. The contest, the first held in several years, encouraged much interest and resulted in the McHenry residential community being one of the most colorful in the city's history. All of the entries, with their addresses, were listed in the Dec. 22 issue of the Plaindealer so that they may be enjoyed by passersby. STAFF PHOTOS-WAYNE GAYLORD > RUSSELL HOPP HOME 3015 W. Scott Avenue / ALAN CINDY HOLM RESIDENCE 5425 W. Brittany Drive WALTER STUPEY HOME 3004 W. Mary Lane Keeping Phone Lines Busy While millions of people are making phone calls to relatives and friends on Christmas day, thousands of -telephone people will spend the day helping with those calls. A vital center of this ac­ tivity will be the American Telephone and Telegraph Long Lines' Regional Net­ work Management center, 10 S Canal street in Chicago. On Christmas day, 20 Long Lines technicians and six Illinois Bell technicians will monitor and direct the telephone traffic flow in Illinois and eight other Midwestern states. Each of the 15,300 inch- square indicators on the board indicates the status of call processing systems in local telephone offices and the call pathways inlllinois, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Colored red, green, yellow, orange and white to indicate various volumes of calling traffic, the indicators will transform the board into a vast display of shimmering colors when calling volumes soar. AT&T expects a record 23.3 million interstate calls on Christmas day. The total, 1.8 million more than in 1980, includes 825,000 overse, calls to and from the Uni States. le^nrx Illin( red-- \*pewrl \j mas c During holiday periods like Christmas, both the volumes and the flow pat­ terns of long distance calling change from the normal weekday pattern. People talk longer and call from and to smaller com­ munities and residential neighborhoods instead of LITTON MICROWAVE OVENS The Perfect Gift For Christmas! calling between business districts. The vast majority of calls supervised by the network managers will be direct dialed, but some will still require the assistance of an operator. To provide that help, Illinois Bell will have some 1,020 long distance operators and 775 directory assistance operators on duty throughout the state on Christmas day. Illinois Bell expects that ors will help Christ- callers place ^ 775,000 calls, including approximately4,473,000 long distance calls. Callers will receive a 35 percent holiday discount on all domestic direct-dialed interstate calls placed between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. on Christmas day. The normal 60 percent night discount will apply for such calls from 11 p.m. on Christmas eve to 8 a.m. Christmas day. Because Christmas falls on a Friday this year, callers may also take advantage of the 60 percent weekend discount, which will apply from 11 p.m. on Christmas to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27. To help callers complete their calls, Illinois Bell of­ fers the following tips: -- To avoid the rush, call before 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 24, if possible. - If you call on Christmas day, the least busy period is usually between 3 and 6 p.m. - You can save both time and money by dialing long distance calls yourself. No matter what the hour, the rate for any domestic direct- dialed call is lower than the rate for the same call with operator assistance. -If you need to call directory assistance to get a number, do so before the holiday. The operators aren't as rushed as they will be on Christmas day. WHAT S NEW Safety In The Holiday Spirit NEW WIDE BRUSH This 2'/< x 8 in. brush gives a smooth, finished look. Can be used on either smooth or rough surfaces and eliminates splattering common to rollers. An ex­ tension can be inserted into the handle for high places. Available from J.B. Ward & Sons, Inc., 170 5th Ave., Hawthorne, N.J. 07506. With everyone occupied in the gaiety and activities of the season, fire safety and prevention might be neglected. For those who might not take time to consider the consequences, the Office of the State Fire Marshal offers a reminder of how to save lives and property loss from fire during the holiday season. A list of do's and don'ts probably is not the holiday spirit, but appreciation and practice of them may save lives. Natural Trees. Be sure the tree is fresh, not dyed green. Except for the tree having been stored in extremely cold weather, the needles should be supple and bend, not snap. When bumped on the ground, only a few, old needles should fall; a rain of needles indicates a dry, hazardous tree. The cut end should be sticky from fresh sap. If you store the tree before decorating, keep it in a bucket of water in a cool place, away from heat and out of the wind. Before decorating, cut one inch off the bottom of the tree to improve water ab­ sorption. Set the tree in water in a sturdy, non-tip tree stand. Guy wires may be used and needed for stability. Keep the tree away from candles, TV sets, fireplaces, open flames and heat vents. Do not set it up in or near an exitway. Add water in the tree stand every day. Plain water is best; absorption of other preparations may clog the trunk and prevent water absorption. When the needles are dry, discard the tree. Plastic Trees. Be sure it carries the label of an ap­ proved safety-testing agency. Metallic Trees. Use only indirect spotlighting unless the tree has the label of an approved safety-testing agency built-in electrical unit. Do not use decorative lights on a metallic tree. Lighting. Replace worn insulation, loose bulb sockets and broken plugs. Be sure all lighting sets are testing- agency approved. Use only 15 ampere circuits. Be sure decorative lights are not close to combustible materials. Do not use can- 03 LITTON Microwave Cooking Litton: Model 1011 You'll find time-saving convenience and spac- ce-saving size along with the capacity to cook family-size meals at microwave speed •Meal- In-One cooking in a large 1.3 cubic foot oven cavity • 35-minute timer automatically shuts oven off when cooking time is completed • Vari-Cook lets you cook a variety of foods at a variety of settings. E *389 95 "SERVING McHENRY AREA FOR OVER 50 YEARS" « CAREY APPLIANCE ! f SALES I SERVICE f SI 241 N. GREEN 3S5-5500 McHENRY 5 v* *5* JSSS 5S» 5253 $53** OUR MAIN LOBBY NEW YEAR'S DAYI Pictured above is Robert Schneider of McHenry, proudly displaying his model railroad exhibit at McHenry State Bank's Main Lobby. Bob has been collecting model trains for 25 years and is an active member in the Train Collectors of America Chapter. He also repairs trains and has been a Lionel train dealer for the past five years. Bob has generously set up his display and invites everyone to stop in and enjoy this fascinating exhibit. McHenry State Bank 3510 W. Elm St., McHenry 385-1040 Member FDIC dies or open flame around or on the tree. Do not use candles in decorations or displays. Make sure all decorative lights are turned off before going to bed or leaving the house. Provide a switch away from the tree for controlling the lights. Do not crawl around or under the tree for any reason. Indoor lighting sets should not be used outdoors. Be sure outdoor lighting sets, ex­ tension cords and fixtures are testing-agency ap­ proved. Decorations. Use only flame-retardant or non- combustible materials. Do not use untreated cotton batting, flocking, tissue paper or flammable foam plastics on or around the tree. Keep gift wrapping and electric toys away from the tree. Home Safety. If you use liquid-fuel space heaters, be sure they are vented and have an adequate air supply. Be sure also that they are testing-agency approved; and be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Refuel the heater outside where there's plenty of air; e.g., the garage or patio. Use only the correct fuel, which should be stored properly in a safe place. Keep the space heater away from all combustible materials. Since half of Americans are unprotected by smoke detectors in their homes, install one now for year round fire safety. Smoke detectors, incidentally, make excellent gifts for loved ones. Have an escape plan and practice EDITH (Exit Drills in the Home). Instruct the babysitter in fire emergency procedures. Celebrations. Be sure to keep exits clear. Provide large ashtrays. Dispose of smoking materials in covered, metal waste con­ tainers. Don't dump mat­ ches or cigarettes and cigar butts in trash - smoldering smoking materials can cause paper to burst into flames later. Have a safe and happy holiday. The state fire marshal also suggests that local fire departments can be very helpful on all fire safety questions and problems. It pays to call them before there's a fire. For in­ formation, write or call the Office of the State Fire Marshal, 3150 Executive Park Drive, Springfield, 111., 62706, 217-782-7381. IrH THE GAS PUMP SHIFTING TRICK PNOLB With practice you can "feel" when the automatic transmission starts its shift. If you ease off the accelera­ tor at this moment you will save gas and help your au­ tomatic transmission. Ac­ celerator "easing" smooths and hastens the shift because of the increased engine vac­ uum that is created. This trick will put you into the economy range. Oak Park Hotel & Lounge On Pistakee Bay Presents Dave Helton Playing Solo NEW YEAR'S EVE 10:00 PM-2:00 AM Per Person At The Door. Includes Food, Party Favors, Entertainment, Free Champagne Toast At Midnight 385-9872