5 Things You Need To Know Today, Tuesday, Dec. 4

Here are five pieces of information designed to get your Tuesday off to a flying start and to help make you the smartest Christmas shopper at the mall.

1. Your 3-Day Local Weather Forecast: According to the NWS, today will be partly sunny, with a high near 52. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon.

• Tuesday Night Showers, mainly after 1am. Patchy fog after 1am. Low around 47. Southwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Wednesday Showers, mainly before 10am. High near 52. Northwest wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 24. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
• Thursday Sunny, with a high near 40.
• Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 22.

2. Reader Comment of the Day: "A bit too old to do the cutting anymore but not to do the picking out of a fresh tree to support local business! Already too much artificial stuff in the world. Nothing like the smell of fresh balsam at Christmastime!" Reader Karyn, commenting on the story, "TELL US: Real vs. Artificial Christmas Trees."

3. If You're Going To Lose, Lose To One Of the Best: For the second season in a row, the Tewksbury High football team saw its season come to an end with a loss to one of the best teams in Massachusetts. In 2011, the Redmen fell in the Division 2 Super Bowl to Duxbury (13-0), which ended the year ranked No. 2 in the state by ESPN. This year, Tewksbury fell in the semifinals to Reading High (13-0), which went on to win the Division 2 Super Bowl and ended the year ranked No. 4 in the state by ESPN. For the record, Everett High ranked No. 1 for the second year in a row.

4. It's Happening Today: Come celebrate a Victorian Christmas at the Tewksbury Public Library at 7 p.m. All are invited to gather 'round as Victoria Yule (portrayed by Anne Barrett) entertains in her parlor, telling all about her Christmas plans for 1895.  She'll sing songs, tell stories and show the treats, ornaments and presents that will make it a special celebration.  Along the way, she'll share the history and traditions of this festive holiday season.

5. It's Happening Today, Part 2:  the Board of Selectmen is scheduled to meet tonight at 7 p.m. at the Tewksbury Town Hall. For the complete agenda, click here.

And Don't Forget: You still have time to enter your home in the Deck The House Contest To possibly get your electric bill paid or maybe even win $100,000 for the Tewksbury Public Schools. Click here to submit a photo or video of the outside of your home decorated for the holidays!!