From left, neighbors Luigi and Juana Guarino and Joan and Craig Amsden enjoy decorating their homes for the holidays.

By Rich Fahey

Juana Guarino was happy but sore at the end of a recent Sunday spent decorating her home at 16 Lynn Fells Parkway in Saugus. Since 2006, she and husband, Luigi, have spent weeks in September, October and November on the decorations for their home, which includes thousands of lights as well as characters such as Big Bird and Mickey Mouse. The pace gets intense in the weeks before Thanksgiving.

It’s the perfect time of year for holiday get-togethers with family, friends or co-workers—and the perfect excuse to sip some festive seasonal cocktails. Drink choices become richer, creamier and adorned with beautiful (and tasty) touches like peppermint and cranberries. So rather than hibernating as the days get colder, enjoy imbibing in some winter warmers.

One (and maybe the only) advantage to the days getting shorter and colder this time of year is that it leaves more time for dessert. And, thankfully, the holidays give us an added excuse to bake cookies, craft gingerbread houses and give in to sweet indulgences. Our cravings tend toward the deliciously rich and drool-worthy. Luckily, even the sweetest of teeth will be satisfied by these pastries found in local sweet spots. We sampled a few that will be sure to be crowd-pleasers this holiday season.

Winter seasonals showcase sweet malt flavors

Holiday cocktails aren’t the only beverages getting sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg this time of year. Winter beers highlight flavors of the season like allspice, spruce, vanilla, chocolate and gingerbread, complementing many of our favorite holiday dishes.

Make way for the gingerbread man.

He’s cute, not so cuddly, but very sweet. And he comes in with a bang each holiday season— taking his rightful place in millions of bakeries and kitchens across the globe.

The “no white after Labor Day” rule may be well-known, but it’s also, well… very outdated. Trade cottons for cashmere and wool in shades such as ivory, ecru and cream to carry the hue into colder months. And who needs snow? Create your own winter wonderland with these seasonally-appropriate whites we spied at shops around One’s cities and towns.

One of the season’s biggest trends in women’s fashion is simple to spot: Leopard. Whether it’s sprinkled in as a subtle trim or a purr-fectly bold statement piece, leopard print is a sassy classic that makes a comeback every couple of years (just beware of going full-on jungle cat or it can get tacky). Take a walk on the wild side with these leopard picks we spotted.

By Tracy Miller Geary

We checked in with Tracy Miller Geary, Academic Principal of Enrollment Edge International, to ask her advice on crafting effective and compelling college essays. Tracy guides high school seniors from around the country through the college application essay process and offers the following tips on how to write an essay that will help you stand out from the crowded college application pool.