Congressional Motors
801 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
888.675.2906

www.CongressionalMotors.com
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Newsroom

Mazdaspeed3 Receives ALG Award for Highest Residual Value in U.S. Sportscar Segment
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Volkswagen Passat Named Motor Trend 2012 Car of the Year
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Lion House Wassail

If the holidays haven't warmed you enough, this seasonal drink will surely do the trick!


Ingredients


2 1/4 cups white sugar
4 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 slice fresh ginger root
4 cups orange juice
2 cups lemon juice
8 cups apple juice
8 whole allspice berries
1 tablespoon whole cloves

Directions


1.) In a large saucepan, combine sugar and water. Boil for 5 minutes.

2.) Remove from heat, and add cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, cloves, and ginger. Cover and let stand in warm place for 1 hour.
 
3.) Strain liquid into a large pot. Just before serving, add juices and cider and quickly bring to boil. Remove from heat and serve.

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Holiday Celebrations From Around the World

Brazil
New Year's Eve on the Beach

Brazilians dress in white and gather by the ocean to honor the passing year and welcome the next. In Rio de Janeiro, revelers light candles, watch a fireworks display, and throw flowers into the ocean as an offering to Yemanja, the Afro-Brazilian goddess of the seas.

Greece
Saint Basil's Day, New Year's Day

On this day, families visit, exchange gifts, and celebrate with a feast. The meal includes Vassilopita, a bread or cake inside which is baked a foil-wrapped gold or silver coin that the diners then search for. Whoever finds the coin, a symbol of good fortune, can look forward to a happy New Year.

Israel
Hanukkah, the Festival  of Lights
Hanukkah is a celebration of restored freedom and victory. Jews around the world commemorate Hanukkah on the 25th day of Kislev. In Israel it's a national holiday--schools are closed, menorahs are publicly displayed and parties abound, featuring the Israeli's favorite Hanukkah food, sufganiyot, jelly donuts cooked in oil.

Jamaica
Jonkonnu Festival, Christmas Season

First celebrated in West Africa in the early 1700s, the Jonkonnu Festival was brought to the United States and the Caribbean by slaves. In costumes made from found objects and rags, men and women paraded through town, chanting, singing, and dancing to the beat of drums and other instruments, in a show of strength and pride amid adversity.

Philippines
Polka Dots and Coins, New Year's Eve

On New Year's Eve, men and women in the Philippines wear polka dots, keep coins in their pockets, and adorn their tables with round foods, such as grapes. In Filipino folklore, circles symbolize future good luck and riches.

Sweden
Feast Day of Santa Lucia, Beginning of the Christmas Season, December 13

According to legend, Santa Lucia, a fourth-century Sicilian virgin, wore a wreath of candles to light her way as she brought food to Christians hiding in dark tunnels to escape persecution. Her generosity is reenacted every year on the morning of December 13, when the eldest daughter of each Swedish family, dressed in a white gown and an illuminated crown, brings a tray of saffron buns and hot coffee to her parents in bed.

Message from Sue:
The Problem With Leaves

Do you remember how fun it was to jump into a pile of leaves when you were a kid?  The weather was crisp, you were running around the yard, in and out of leaf piles.  Great stuff.  Leaves have their dark side however when it comes to your automobile.  Below is an explanation of a common problem with leaves that could cause a water leak and an uncommon problem that one of our customers just encountered.  

As leaves fall on your car they can build up around the base of the windshield and fill the plenum which is the air box below the windshield at the firewall.  There is a screen over the plenum, but if the area becomes filled with leaves, over time the leaves can break down into small pieces and pass through the screen.  There are water drains in the plenum but if there is a buildup of leaf debris, the drains can become clogged and the plenum will fill up with water.  If this happens water can enter the interior of the car through the outside air intake, such as at the pollen filter housing.  To avoid a water leak of this nature, clean leaves away from your windshield area and do not let them accumulate on the plenum screen. Feel free to watch the video compiled by Chuck DeVault on this subject subject.  

One of our customers recently had a bizarre leaf accident.  I want to share his story so you so you can avoid a similar incident.  Three days after buying a new VW Tiguan from us, while driving to work, a police officer signaled for him to stop because he saw smoke.  Unbelievably, the gentleman’s Tiguan was on fire.  After both fire and insurance investigators inspected the car, the clear verdict was that leaves in the engine compartment had caught fire.  The leaves were partially mulched which increased their combustibility.  This, plus the unusually high volume of leaves in the vehicle’s undercarriage and engine compartment, led the investigator to believe that the leaves were forced into the vehicle with a leaf blower.  His new car was totaled and he is now shopping for a replacement Tiguan.  

So the moral of the story is to be careful where your car is parked during leaf cleaning season so no one accidentally aims a leaf blower at your car.  If you are concerned this may have happened, open the hood and check the engine compartment.  If you see a lot of leaves, feel free to bring your car in and we can help clean the leaves out.  Or we can put the car on the lift and check under the car as well.  Also make sure you keep the base of the windshield free of leaves.  Do not let them accumulate on top of the plenum screen or you could end up with a water leak in your car.

Happy Holidays to you and yours! 

Sue Seboda
 Congressional Motors President

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New Year's Resolutions of a New Kind

With the end of each calendar year comes the resolve to make changes for the coming 12 months. How many of these resolutions are ones we've all heard before? Quit smoking, lose weight, eat healthier -- these are the common goals that surface again and again. Perhaps this year we should resolve to come up with more unique resolutions that put the emphasis on helping others in addition to helping ourselves.

Donation of Time or Money
The good thing about helping others is that we usually end up helping ourselves in the process. So the resolution to give back to an individual or the community often proves mutually beneficial. Continue the feelings of generosity that may have sprung up during the holiday season throughout the rest of the year. Volunteer at a senior center, or become a mentor for disadvantaged children. Find a charity to which you can really relate and regularly donate money to their cause.

Repair Broken Relationships
We have all said and done things we regret later. Sometimes these involve bridging gaps between the people we love. This year, resolve to fix relationships that need a little work, or reconnect with a long-lost friend or relative.

Spread Some Joy
Why not do something just for the sake of bringing a smile to someone's face? Mail a greeting card to one of your neighbors who may seem lonely. Find out if there is an elderly resident who could use some help grocery shopping, or just needs someone to sit with him or her for a few hours during the week. Think like a child and absorb all of the little joys you experience every day and often do not give any thought. Send a note to your child's teacher saying how much you appreciate his or her dedication. Ask to see a supervisor at a store and compliment the job done by an employee, rather than complaining about something that's wrong. These little measures can bring smiles to many people and don't require much effort at all.

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Congratulations to Pat Capobianco, Congressional Motors Employee of the Month! 

Pat is an excellent service advisor who has been with us since March 1989, when we purchased the Mazda dealership.  We are all delighted that Pat has been on our team for so long and no doubt his loyal customers are as well. 

Over the years, Pat has provided excellent customer service and does whatever it takes to get the job done. 

Pat is the quintessential family man.  Much of his free time is spent with his wife, four children and two grandchildren.  Every Sunday the entire Capobianco family meets for a big Italian dinner.  And rarely does anyone miss this meal.  What a wonderful tradition. 

Congratulations Pat and thank you for all you do!  

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Shop for the Car-Lovers in Your Life At Congressional

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Service Corner

Did you know you can schedule a service appointment at Congressional Motors using our online form 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Click the link below to schedule your service or maintenance appointment.

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