Happy Friday, Manchester. In today’s edition: Winter driving tips, Santa’s Christmas, free AARP scam-busting bowling, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Grassroots cleanup experiment proposed: A Merrimack resident has secured preliminary state support for a fungi-based cleanup pilot near the former Saint-Gobain site, testing whether mushrooms can reduce PFOA in soils — get details on the pilot.

Quirky holiday icon celebrated: Manchester officially added Black Friday as Creepy Santa Day after a Wednesday resolution, honoring the Rheaume family figure that has stood at their Elm Street tree stand for 35 years — read the full story.

Prepare for sudden whiteouts: After snow squalls and over 75 crashes, a state police captain and driving instructor share tips, from slowing down and pulling over to checking tires and carrying emergency kits — see expert winter driving tips.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Celebrate UNH at a community skating party
• Experience A Christmas Carol at Palace Theatre
• Celebrate Christmas with classic country hits
• Watch Unleash the Beast live
• Celebrate holiday romance at Bookmas fair
• See why December’s the best time to try new hearing aids
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%

🫶 We got your back

Corporate cuts ripple through retail: Newell Brands, parent of Yankee Candle, Rubbermaid, and Sharpie, will lay off about 900 workers and close around 20 Yankee Candle stores in the U.S. and Canada in January. No list yet, but New Hampshire’s nine locations could be affected. The company expects $110 million to $130 million in cost savings. See which locations could be affected.

Old-world oven, new chapter: Bedford’s Slightly Crooked Pies has gone wholesale, with its lopsided-but-loved pies now reaching shops across eastern Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire, and Maine’s coast via Boston Artisan Breads. To scale up while keeping quality, production moved to Creative Chef Kitchens in Derry. Sizes include 9-inch, 5-inch, and handheld. Pie people, rejoice. See where to find them.

Your neighborhood beer break: To Share Brewing Company pours onsite-brewed beer, serves snack-friendly bites, and keeps a game room packed with pinball and board games. Expect family-friendly vibes, rotating community events like live music, run club, and book club, plus a vinyl collection spinning the taproom soundtrack.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy that targets regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify your identity and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🎹 Mannheim Steamroller Christmas @ Chubb Theatre | Friday (12/5) at 7:30pm – Skip the crowded shopping run and let Mannheim Steamroller tune up your nostalgia instead. Classic Christmas hits, a 40-year tradition, 15 musicians, more than 20 instruments, and dazzling visuals in an intimate, immersive setup. Bring the kids, the grandparents, and your inner mall rat.

🎻 Faculty Trio @ Paul Creative Arts Center | Friday (12/5) at 8:00pm – Settle in for a faculty trio that actually earns the quiet: Karl Orvik, Jacques Wood, and Philip Solomonick trading lines on violin, cello, and piano, no small talk required. Intimate, beautifully played, and blissfully unamplified, it is the grown-up hour your ears deserve.

This weekend

🛍️ Annual Holiday Fair @ Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Milford | Saturday (12/6) at 8:30am – From peanut brittle and sweet breads to handcrafted ornaments and winter accessories, this fair is brimming with holiday charm. Enjoy breakfast or lunch while you shop the boutique and craft tables for treasures big and small. It’s your chance to knock out gifting in the most cheerful way possible.

🧶 Chunky Knit Blanket DIY Workshop @ LaBelle Winery Amherst | Saturday (12/6) at 9:30am – If your couch is chilly and your patience for crowds is thinner than your throw, head to LaBelle Winery for a beginner-friendly chunky blanket workshop. Hand-knit with guidance, pick your yarn color, sip coffee or tea, eat donuts, and leave warm. Seats are scarce.

🎁 Holiday Gift Faire @ Unitarian Universalist Church of Manchester | Saturday (12/6) at 10:00am – Think your holiday prep is under control? Prove it at the Gift Faire with the legendary gift basket raffle, a cookie walk that ruins willpower, frozen meals better than takeout, tarot readings, a 50/50 raffle, gift shopping, and a free selfie corner.

🎅 Santa’s Christmas @ Charmingfare Farm | Sunday (12/7) at 1:00pm – Skip the mall Santa and do Christmas right at Charmingfare Farm, where the ‘North Pole’ comes with hay in your boots. Ride a horse-drawn wagon or private sleigh, meet Santa and his reindeer, sip cocoa by campfires, with s’mores, and snag that yearly family photo.

🎶 An Epic Holiday Sing Along @ The Rex Theatre | Sunday (12/7) at 2:00pm – Around here, nothing beats a big, joyful sing-along when winter tries to turn us into shut-ins. Choir! Choir! Choir! leads hundreds through holiday classics and seasonal pop, ugly sweaters encouraged, harmonies optional, togetherness guaranteed, no matter what you celebrate.

🎼 UNH Music Department Seasonal Spectacular @ University of New Hampshire | Sunday (12/7) at 5:00pm – UNH’s Music Department packs the house for its Seasonal Spectacular, a big, polished showcase of choirs, bands, and festive tunes that actually earn the name. Think hometown pride, student talent, and zero mall parking drama, just applause, sweaters, and warm fuzzies. Tickets drop soon.

Next week

🫖 Holiday Tea Party @ Manchester City Library | Monday (12/8) at 10:00am – Bring your little ones for a sweet and spirited celebration of Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and the Winter Solstice. Kids ages 2–5 can sip “tea” (aka juice), crunch cookies, and enjoy festive songs and stories with their grown-ups. Wear your best or wildest holiday outfit and get ready for some adorable seasonal chaos. Registration is required.

🎳 Strike Out Holiday Scams @ Lakeside Lanes | Monday (12/8) at 11:00am – Roll into the season with free bowling, free pizza, and free scam-smarts courtesy of AARP New Hampshire. Drop in for two strings on the house while the AARP Fraud Watch Network shows you how to keep holiday scammers out of your wallet. It’s festive fun with a side of fraud-fighting confidence, and yes — it’s all totally free.

🚂 The Polar Express Experience @ Chunky’s Cinema Pub | Monday (12/8) at 5:30pm – Whether you have kids or just like pajamas, Chunky’s Polar Express Experience is back with a twist. Every child gets a golden ticket, cookies, a bell, and hot chocolate, and Santa stops by December 8 and 15. It sells out, so rally the crew.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/5 Paul Nelson @ To Share Brewing – 6:30 pm
• 12/6 Fat Bunny @ Bonfire Restaurant – 9 pm
• 12/12 Christmas with Rockapella @ 44 N Main St – 7 pm
• 12/12 Mark Riccadonna @ The Rex Theatre – 7:30 pm
• 12/12 ABSLN and more @ Jewel – 8 pm
• 12/13 Down Boys @ BAD BRGR – 7 pm
• 12/14 Chris Cyrus @ Litherman’s Limited Brewery – 1:30 pm
• 12/14 Corey McLane @ Stonecutters Pub – 4 pm