Downtown Bethesda Christmas decorations (Photos)

We've looked a few times this year at the Christmas decorations and lights around the Bethesda Row area. Now let's take a look at some of the Woodmont Triangle's festive displays for 2020.

RUSSELL STOVER DARK CHOCOLATE MAPLE SANTA CLAUS REVIEW (VIDEO)

Today is the official end of the Christmas season, and that means it is also the end of the Christmas Countdown on the Robert Dyer Channel. Why not conclude with a Santa Claus product? In this case, it's the Dark Chocolate Santa Claus from Russell Stover, filled with their famous maple creme. Best of all, unlike some candy and cookie companies these days, Russell Stover hasn't shipped their jobs overseas or to Mexico. This product is made in the USA. Is it up to the standards you'd expect from Russell Stover? Watch my review to find out!

SNICKERS ROCKIN' NUT ROAD REVIEW (VIDEO)

In the final days of the Christmas Countdown, let's take the on-ramp to the Rockin' Nut Road, a limited-edition Snickers bar. This candy bar features almonds, instead of the traditional Snickers peanuts. Marshmallow creme and caramel round out the package, which is coated in dark chocolate. Is it as good as the original Snickers, America's best-selling candy bar? Watch my review and find out!

BRENT & SAM'S COOKIES REVIEW (VIDEO)

I've never heard of Brent & Sam's Cookies before, but company co-founder Brent Bumpers is the son of former Arkansas governor and senator Dale Bumpers. Does that connection make for a good cookie? Watch my review and find out! I'm testing the Chocolate Chip variety on this episode of the Christmas Countdown, which runs through January 6.

REESE'S NUTRAGEOUS BAR REVIEW (VIDEO)

One of my favorite candy bars of all time is back on store shelves. Reese's NutRageous features peanut butter wrapped in peanuts and caramel, and topped off with thick, rich milk chocolate coating. Does it still taste as good as it did in 1994? Watch my review and find out!

PRINGLES SWEET CHILI TANGO REVIEW (VIDEO)

Walgreens is arguably the top drugstore chain in America right now, particularly as it offers items more often associated with retailers like Walmart, and since CVS seems to have streamlined its variety of snack food options in recent months. Now Walgreens has even has its own flavor of Pringles, the exclusive Sweet Chili Tango limited-edition canister.

How does it taste? Watch my review to find out on this edition of the Christmas Countdown, which continues through January 6.

BUSCH ICE BEER REVIEW (VIDEO)

Happy New Year to all readers! To celebrate the occasion on my YouTube channel's Christmas Countdown (continuing through January 6), I tested out Busch Ice Beer. Watch now! This was the 25 oz. can.

WISE HONEY BBQ POTATO CHIP REVIEW (VIDEO)

Today on the Christmas Countdown (which continues through January 6), I am testing the new Wise Honey BBQ Potato Chips. Considering that the standard Wise potato chip rates 5 stars in my book, can it hurt to add honey and barbecue flavors to it? Find out by watching my review!

HOSTESS GLAZED DONETTES REVIEW (VIDEO)

Hostess is now offering a glazed variety of donuts, with the new Hostess Glazed Donettes mini donuts. Of course, glazed donuts are more often associated with Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts than Hostess. Unlike those brands, the Hostess variety are cake donuts. Today on the Christmas Countdown, I test out the Hostess venture into glazed territory. How does a glazed Hostess donut compare to the famous Original Glazed Krispy Kreme donut? Watch my review and find out!

WISE POTATO CHIPS REVIEW (PHOTOS)

Today on the Christmas Countdown (which continues through the end of the Christmas season on January 6), I'm testing a classic product from another great American company - Wise Potato Chips. These were the main potato chips of my childhood, but have vanished from Bethesda store shelves in recent decades.

I found Wise Potato Chips for $1.00 at Family Dollar, and had to buy several bags. Do they still taste the same as they did in the old days? Watch my review to find out!

ARCHWAY ICED GINGERBREAD COOKIES REVIEW (VIDEO)

Archway Cookies has an Iced Gingerbread variety in its lineup of holiday cookies this year. Today on the Christmas Countdown, I am testing them out. Unlike Nabisco, Archway has not shipped cookie baking jobs overseas - they are still baking cookies right here in the great state of Ohio. Buy American!

HALLMARK THE FONZ ORNAMENT REVIEW (VIDEO)

Nothing says Christmas like The Fonz, right? Actually, The Fonz doesn't say anything in this Christmas tree ornament iteration of Henry Winkler's iconic Happy Days character, Arthur Fonzarelli. Clad in his famous leather jacket, t-shirt and jeans, he delivers his thumbs-up gesture #LikeABoss from simpler times. Watch my review for a detailed analysis of this Hallmark Keepsake ornament, hopefully the first of many 1970s TV characters they will manufacture. The Fonz is sure to be a conversation-starter on your tree.

FOUNDING FARMERS POTOMAC REVIEW (VIDEO + PHOTOS)

I had Christmas dinner at Founding Farmers in Park Potomac last night. Starting with a Palm Belgian Pale Ale, I ordered the table biscuits and the Sausage Mushroom Gnocchi. How did it all taste? Watch my review to find out!

Palm Belgian Pale Ale

Menu 

Table Biscuit with
butter and honey

Farmhouse Platter

Sausage Mushroom Gnocchi

Peanut Butter cookie (bottom) and
Macaron

TOWN HOUSE LIMITED-EDITION CINNAMON SUGAR PITA CRACKERS REVIEW (VIDEO)

The Christmas Countdown continues with a review of Keebler's limited-edition Town House Pita crackers with cinnamon and sugar. Pringles has proved how difficult it is to mix dessert ingredients with chips and crackers. Can Keebler succeed where others have failed? Watch my review to find out!

SWISS MISS CANDY CANE COCOA REVIEW (VIDEO)

Christmas is less than 12 hours away, and on this episode of the Christmas Countdown, I am testing a third limited-edition Swiss Miss holiday cocoa flavor - Candy Cane. This sounds like the most Christmas-appropriate one of all. Does the flavor live up to the promise? Watch my review and find out! Plus we'll check in with a news anchor for some breaking news.

HALLMARK DUKES OF HAZZARD CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT REVIEW (VIDEO)

A rare Dukes of Hazzard ornament is part of Hallmark's 2014 Christmas Keepsake Ornament collection. "Jumpin' General Lee" features the iconic Dodge Charger doing what it did best on television, smashing through some kind of a barn wall in the process. One of many nostalgic pieces in Hallmark's 2014 line-up, alas, the General lacks any Hemi exhaust note, "Dixie" horn, or voices of the Duke Boys. Is it worth $17.95? Watch my review to find out, and get some helpful advice on driving the back roads of Hazzard County from our "expert."

BORDEN EGG NOG REVIEW (VIDEO)

Borden Egg Nog certainly brings back fond memories of childhood Christmases past. It's been missing in recent years, but I found it in a new, resealable container this year at Giant. No more punching holes in the top of a metal can, and now it will stay fresher. Unlike other egg nogs on the market, Borden's can stay off ice for many months until you open it.

Elsie the Cow, Borden's famous mascot, is still on the package, as well. During my review, you'll also learn a bit about her history, and about the history of egg nog.

Does Borden's egg nog still taste as good as it did decades ago? Watch my review to find out!

ROY ROGERS HOLSTER FRENCH FRIES REVIEW (VIDEO)

One of the most iconic packaging concepts from Roy Rogers in its golden age of the 1970s and 1980s was the french fries holster, or Holster Fries. Just as the name implies, your golden fries arrive hot in a container that looks like an Old West gun holster. Well, sort of. The holster of the earlier era really did look just like a gun holster, faux leather texture design and all. Today's Roy Rogers holster has toned down the realism quite a bit, and is red rather than leather brown. I don't know if it is smaller, too, or if it just seems smaller to an adult than childhood recollections.

In any case, the holster is emblazoned with the words, Holster Fries, and the famous cut-out markings for those who simply must slip their belt through the slots and hit the trail with french fries ready for a quick draw. Also fortunate, is the fact that the fries are the same style as the old days, crispy outside and soft inside.

How do they taste? Watch my review to find out!

STARBUCKS CHESTNUT PRALINE LATTE REVIEW (VIDEO)

I went in to Starbucks to get one of their holiday beverages and found they have a new one. The Chestnut Praline Latte definitely stands out from the standard peppermint holiday coffees available there and elsewhere. How does it taste? Watch my review to find out!

LANCE SPRINKLED SUGAR SWEET CREME COOKIES REVIEW (VIDEO)

Lance has a second limited-edition Christmas cookie this year, Sprinkled Sugar Sweet Creme cookies. On today's episode of the Christmas Countdown, I'm testing them out. The two primary differences between this cookie and their standard Van-O-Lunch variety are the Sweet Creme filling, and green and red Christmas sprinkles baked right into the sandwich cookies. How do they taste? Watch my review to find out!