5 Things for the Weekend: Last-Minute Christmas Shopping in Foxborough, Patriots Cheerleaders Calendar Signing & More

Editor's note: Five Things You Need To Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. If you know of something happening in town that did not make our list, please add it in the comment section!

1. Expect a Chance of Snow Saturday Followed by a Mostly Sunny Sunday in Foxborough

Saturday’s weather in Foxborough, according to the National Weather Service based in Taunton, calls for a slight chance of snow showers before 4 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 38. West wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent. Saturday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. West wind 15 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. West wind 11 to 17 mph. Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22.

2. Last-Minute Christmas Shopping in Foxborough

With all of the tree trimming, cookie baking and party going, there is so much to do during the holidays that it's easy to leave shopping for Christmas presents until the last minute. But by then, the malls and chain stores are usually chaotic and the mere thought of battling crowds is exhausting.

Here are some ideas for easy gifts that can be bought locally and require little stress:

• Go to Cindi's Diamond & Jewelry Gallery on Central Street and choose from a variety of rings, precious stone jewelry and designer watches.
  
  
• Go to Judy's Village Flowers for festive, holiday-inspired bouquets, or wreaths with candles that would make nice centerpieces for a friend or neighbor’s Christmas dinner table.

• Go to Rockhill Gift Shoppe on Bird Street and choose from a wide selection of personalized gifts for any occasion. It specializes in hand-sewn purses, bags and wallets, and carries gourmet foods.
• Go to Edible Arrangements and order unique arrangements that come in a variety of fun containers and can be supplemented with assorted non-fruit gifts such as stuffed animals or balloons.

• Go to Trophy Town Collectibles and pick up a gift certificate or memorabilia for the sports fan on your shopping list.
  
  
• Go to Just A Little Something for men and women's clothing and accessories, gifts for  every occasion and a wide variety of home accents.
• Go to All About You Salon and Day Spa and give someone in your life who needs a little relaxation a gift certificate for a manicure, pedicure or spa treatment.

3. Show Off Your Favorite Ornament on Foxborough Patch!

We're looking for photos of the most unique, quirky, or memorable trinkets that you hang on your tree for the holidays. Holiday decorations do more than glitter and sparkle — they give a hint about the personality of their owners.
Whether it's a trinket showing loyalty to a favorite sports team, cartoon character, or store [did you get your mini coffee cup from Dunkin' Donuts this year?] ornaments run the full range of sizes, shapes, and colors.

Here's your chance to share photos of the most unique decoration you keep on your tree year-after-year.

Click here to upload a photo of your favorite ornament.

4. Patriot Place Events:

The following events will be held at Patriot Place this weekend:

• (Saturday) - Santa's Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops: Enjoy a free photo with Santa, games crafts and more at Santa’s Wonderland.
• (Saturday) - Holiday Carolers: Join Patriot Place as it get into the spirit of the season with its roaming carolers.
• (Saturday) 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Cheerleader signing at Bass Pro Shops: The New England Patriots cheerleaders will be on site signing calendars at Bass Pro Shops.
• (Saturday) 10 a.m. - Holiday Classics at Showcase Cinemas De Lux: Enjoy free admission to a classic holiday movie with a donation of non-perishable food items to benefit a local food pantry. This week's classic holiday film: It's a Wonderful Life.
• (Saturday) noon to 2 p.m. - WBZ NewsRadio 1030 at Winter Skate: Join WBZ NewsRadio 1030 at Winter Skate for fun and prizes!  Record your very own news report at the WBZ Kidcast Mobile Studio.
• (Saturday) 8 p.m. - Tramps Like Us: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen: Tramps Like Us is the #1 Springsteen Tribute Band in the world. See them perform live at Showcase Live.
• (Saturday) 9:30 p.m. - Dalton & The Sheriffs at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill: This Boston based country band sings about real life—love and loss, success and failure, heartbreak and heartache. This band has found a sound original and dynamic and their show is not one to be missed.
• (Sunday) - Santa's Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops: Enjoy a free photo with Santa, games crafts and more at Santa’s Wonderland.

5. Tips to Travel Safe During the Holidays

During the holidays, we're all in a rush to get to our respective celebrations in Foxborough and enjoy the holidays. But also during this time of the year, the weather doesn't always cooperate. 

Information for Drivers
With some wintry weather in the forecast, drivers should be prepared to encounter varying roadway conditions as they head to their holiday destinations, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

MassDOT encourages residents and visitors to drive safely and use public transportation where possible during the upcoming holidays. 

Although holiday traffic is the worst around Thanksgiving, road conditions can still get pretty congested during peak travel times.

“Historically the days surrounding Christmas and New Year’s do not bring the traffic crunch seen around Thanksgiving, on Fridays in the summer or ahead of long weekends in the fall,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Frank DePaola. “Travelers, however, should anticipate congestion and be alert when approaching popular shopping malls and plazas.”

Drivers should expect holiday heavy volume on the Massachusetts Turnpike, I-90, at Exit 9 connecting I-84 to Connecticut and New York. Drivers are encouraged to consider travel during the early morning or after 8 p.m. Traffic congestion is also typical at the I-95 and I-495 Turnpike interchanges along with I-495 and I-93 northbound leading into New Hampshire. 

To speed through the tolls, ‘E-ZPass On the Go’ transponders are available at all 11 Massachusetts Turnpike Service Plazas and make good last-minute stocking stuffers. MassDOT has sold approximately 7,000 On the Go transponders since they debuted this summer.  

For those commuters working Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, MassDOT will not deploy the HOV lane on the Southeast Expressway in anticipation of a lighter than normal rush. The HOV lane will remain closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. 

In case of wintry travel weather, motorists should drive with headlights on, observe posted speed limits, make sure everyone is using a seatbelt and be on the lookout for changing weather conditions. And never drink and drive.

MBTA Holiday Schedule
The MBTA will be running on a different schedule during the holidays, so plan ahead before your trip. Christmas Day through New Year’s Day holiday service schedule includes a Sunday service schedule for Tuesday, Dec. 25 and Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. The T will be providing additional trains and free service after 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, December 31. Check out the full T schedule here.

Additional Perks for Travelers
Free coffee will be served at all 18 MassDOT service plazas courtesy of McDonalds, Burger King, and Gulf between 10 p.m. on Christmas night, Tuesday, December 25, until 5 a.m. on Wednesday, December 26, and between 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, Monday, December 31, until 5 a.m. on Tuesday, January 1, 2013. 

To check road conditions, visit MassDOT’s online traffic camera webpage with more than 90 live traffic cameras throughout the highway system. The cameras refresh every 10 seconds to provide real time traffic views.  The 511 traffic alert system alerts customers to traffic conditions throughout the holiday weekend. 

More information on safe winter driving is available at the MassDOT website. 

To check traffic locally, view Foxborough Patch’s commuter page here.