Holidays 10 Gifts Of More Lasting Value

Writen by Jeff Herring

The Gift of Integrity

Do you know someone who has high integrity? That person seems to stand out because integrity can be such a rare commodity. As my father-in-law says, integrity is a gift you give yourself. How? By making the day-to-day choices and decisions that shape a strong character. Integrity is shaped in the small choices we make when no one is looking. I believe it works like this: Choices shape our habits; habits shape our character; our character results in our integrity. Then our integrity shapes our choices. A nice circle to live in.

The Gift of Community

Here's a little-known fact about many of our suburban neighborhoods. Most people do not know the names of their next-door neighbors or the people across the street. That is a frightening fact. We've gotten so caught up in rush-rush-rush that many people have no real sense of community, which provides a sense of place and of belonging. Knowing your neighbors is also a safe thing to do. So, whether it is in your neighborhood, a place of worship, a club or other group, create, build and maintain a sense of community in the coming year.

The Gift of Persistence

If you want to achieve anything worthwhile in life, you must have persistence. Persistence is often confused with stubbornness, but it is not the same. Stubbornness is banging your head against the wall trying to do something in the same way that does not work. This is also one definition of insanity. Persistence is continually trying new and different solutions, as many as it takes and as long as it takes, to reach a worthy goal.

The Gift of Rest

Would you intentionally drive your car until it ran out of gas? Though many of us have done this accidentally, it does not make sense to do it on purpose. So why do we do the same thing to our minds and bodies? Many of the most successful people I know have forgotten how to rest. I usually recommend they take an entire day to rest, recover, recharge and reload. Rest is not laziness. It is wisdom in action. So, rest.

The Gift of a New Proficiency

Many people seem to stop learning after they finish school. After a while, I wonder if the brain begins to die or just dry up. Make it a goal in the new year to develop a new proficiency. Take up a sport; upgrade your computer skills; start a hobby. I wonder how much more we would enjoy life if we developed one new major proficiency a year?

The Gift of Encouragement

Life can be discouraging. We can so easily lose our way. Whether it's a good swift kick in the pants or an arm around a shoulder, I bet there is someone in your life who could use your encouragement. Why not give it?

The Gift of Perspective

Richard Bach said "perspective _ use it or lose it." Isn't it easy to lose perspective? With the events since Sept. 11, our perspective has been altered in many ways. Pay attention to how and about what you complain. Is there something to appreciate hidden in there? There's no such thing as a complaint without something to appreciate, or at least get started on changing, hidden inside.

The Gift of Declutterization

Many of us live with so much clutter in our homes, in our jobs, and thus, in our minds. Clutter creates disorganization, which creates chaos, which is a significant contributor to anxiety and depression. Getting rid of clutter frees up our time and our minds to live the rest of life. If you haven't used it in a year, and it's not a family heirloom, throw it out. Handle mail and other papers just once. Make some files, organize your desk. At least clean out a drawer. You will feel lighter.

The Gift of Freedom

In this year when our freedoms and way of life have been challenged as never before, it's a good time to appreciate and exercise our freedoms.

The Gift of a BYE

For our purposes, a BYE stands for Best Year Ever. As we enter into a new year, many people are pulling back on their dreams and other things they want to do. Instead, why not commit to making the daily choices and decisions that would give you the best year ever? Imagine how you would feel one year from today.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

Doorbusting

Writen by Carolina Fernandez

"We are not to avoid the Holiday rush. We are to avoid rushing the Holiday." Rev. Bill Pfohl.

It's official. The world can be divided yet one more way: those who doorbust and those who don't.

Surely you've heard the term by now. It refers to folks who get up pre-dawn— most notably on "Black Friday"—and literally bust through stores' doors as they open in the morning for business. This lovely little ritual is just a few years old...and it appears that it's starting earlier in the day and attracting more and more devotees each year.

As several of my friends engage in this practice, I can't put it down. My understanding is that those folks who doorbust think it's the most normal thing in the world; those of us who wouldn't be caught dead doing so think they are absolutely nuts.

Talk radio on Friday morning was loaded up with discussion on this phenomenon. Shockingly, the calling audience overwhelmingly felt that doorbusting is actually a rather virtuous practice. That is helps teach kids the value of a hard-earned buck. That those who engage in it exhibit perserverance. Work diligently for what they want. Are willing to sacrifice sleep and comfort in order to get it. Are smart spenders. Exercise good stewardship.

Me? It was a mute point, as I needed to get Nick to the doctor for his weekly check-up (for leukemia). Couldn't have doorbusted even if I wanted to. And I cannot imagine—even in my wildest dreams—the mere thought. Hate crowds. Hate standing in lines. Hate standing in lines in the cold. Hate giving up my morning coffee ritual. Wouldn't dream of leaving my warm bed in the pre-dawn cold and dark.

I admit, however, to once again feeling overwhelmed by my long shopping list for Christmas and would love—as my doorbusting friends can now boast about—having it nearly finished. Gifts bought, wrapped and ready to ship. I face frustration once again as I contemplate how to most graciously allow the true spirit of Christmas to enter my family's reality while meeting all of the season's demands. Of heeding my pastor's advice in this week's sermon: "We are not to avoid the Holiday rush. We are to avoid rushing the Holiday."

Every year, at about this time, I make my gift list, review those of the past few years, and resolve to be more clever, more thoughtful and more efficient. Every year, at about this time, I under-budget the three most important factors—time, money and energy—for getting my act together. And every year, at about this time. I submit to some of the inevitable: mall-shopping, post-office waiting and last-minute ordering. I resolve—year after year after year—to "be better." And yet, to keep my eye on the ball. To remember that this season of Advent is to help us move closer to the Christ child. To deepen our relationship with Him.

So where does that fit in? Where, amongst the parties and the pageants, the cookies and the cards, does the message of Christmas weave itself into the fabric of these next four weeks? How does one remain true to the message and yet live in consistency with cultural expectations? Gift-giving is one of the mainstays of the Holidays. And yet it exacts an emotional, financial and physical toll. Whether we like it or not.

For whatever they're worth, these are my guideposts for preparing for and celebrating the Holidays with vigor and verve:

Think natural. There's just something about natural beauty. In faces, fashion and home decorating. Friends this year will get gifts from the outdoors or from my local garden center: flowers, bulbs, topiaries. Clay pots, sphagnum moss and all. No gloss. No shine. Simple.

Think small. It never fails: just when I think I've outsmarted the system and have figured out perfectly well the exact postage for my smaller packages, I wind up making three or four long trips to the post office with a half a dozen boxes in my arms each and every time. This year, I'm thinking small and lightweight. Gifts that can be easily stuffed into small padded envelopes. With pre-determined, pre-affixed stamps. Stationery, note cards, writing tablets. Jewelry. Smart.

Think homebaked. I adore receiving homemade cookies, as I almost never bake in my own home. (Not my thing.) And so I assume that others love receiving them as much as I do. I never forget our family's time-honored hands-down best Christmas cookie: Ritz-cracker-peanut-butter-sandwiches-dipped-in-dark-or-white-chocolate. Packaged in pretty tins or boxes, they remain a perennial favorite, and will find their way onto my kitchen counter as well as into a few brown packages this year as they do every year. Easy.

Think handmade. I always think that this Christmas will be different: that I'll paint large quantities of miniature canvases in oils, hook multitudes of stockings out of hand-dyed wool, decoupage glass plates for all of my neighbors, or needlepoint belts for all four of our kids….and then life gets in the way. Amidst the hustle and the bustle, I invariably wind up at my favorite local merchant, filling his counter with a dozen or so of my favorite things, and giving said item to each and every one of my girlfriends—whether she likes it or not. Not necessarily the most thoughtful approach, but certainly one of the most expedient. But if I can time it just right, I'll be tinkering in my studio this year, trying to create something out of my heart. Using my own hands and investing time more than any other ingredient. Honest.

I admit: this approach only works for the grown-up set. Girlfriends are amongst the most appreciative set I know. But as for all the little tykes on your list: give it up. You'll find yourself at more toy stores than you ever thought possible, searching for talking dolls, action-packed video games, new bikes and glow-in-the-dark balls. And you'll spend way more of those special three—time, money and energy—than you ever planned. As for those teens on your list? My own daughter is so hoping for Juicy Couture and I am so hoping that they're all sold out. Malls and madness. Yuck. The mere thought exhausts me.

If only I had doorbusted.

Carolina Fernandez earned an M.B.A. and worked at IBM and as a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch before coming home to work as a wife and mother of four. She totally re-invented herself along the way. Strong convictions were born about the role of the arts in child development; homeschooling for ten years provided fertile soil for devising creative parenting strategies. These are played out in ROCKET MOM! 7 Strategies To Blast You Into Brilliance. It is available on Amazon.com, in bookstores everywhere, or by calling 888-476-2493. She writes extensively for a variety of parenting resources and teaches other moms via parenting classes and radio and TV interviews. Please visit http://www.rocketmom.com to subscribe to her free ezine and get a weekly shot of inspiration.

Chocolate Easter Nests Your Kids Will Love To Make

Writen by Carol Boles

Instead of coloring eggs this Easter how about having your kids make edible chocolate Easter nests? These nests are easy to concoct and will look and taste just like the expensive candy nests you see in the stores this time of year. Best of all, your kids can help with these. They'll have fun forming this chocolaty mixture into nests, then decorating each nest with jellybean eggs.

What you will need:

A double boiler
A medium size muffin tin
1 (14 oz.) bag sweetened flaked coconut
1 (6 oz.) bag milk chocolate baking chips
1 can chow mein noodles
1 (7 oz.) bag assorted jelly beans
1 Tbsp. solid shortening
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

In a double boil (or place a glass bowl over simmering water) melt the milk chocolate chips and one tablespoon of shortening. After mixture is completely melted, fold in flaked coconut and chow mein noodles. Gently mix together until thoroughly blended.

Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon enough chocolate mixture into each section of a muffin tin to flatten along the inside of each section make a basket shape. Immediately press jellybeans (gently) into nest.

When all sections of the muffin tin have been filled with a "chocolate nest," let them dry completely. While they last, display on a pretty dish covered with colorful Easter grass.

Makes approximately 24- 30 nests depending on your muffin tin.

Variation: These nests can be made with white chocolate baking chips as well. You can also add a couple of drops of either red or green food coloring to make pink or green nests from the white chocolate.

Happy Easter!

Carol Fraser Boles has a master's degree in Special Reading and an Educational Specialist degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She has more than ten years experience teaching K-12 reading in public schools. She now manages her own business and is a member of The Lieurance Group, a freelance writers cooperative. Find out more about her writing services at http://www.lieurancegroup.blogspot.com. or email her at Cwrites-56@hotmail.com

A Real Christmas Tree O Tannenbaum O Tannenbaum

Writen by Anne Clarke

Sometimes the children beg for a real one while parents, caretakers, and grandparents prefer the convenience of plastic branches that neither shed needles over the carpet nor require trimming and watering. Some of us simply can't give up the wonderful fragrance, and fresh feeling of a real pine. The benefits are plenty, if you want to celebrate the holidays in the true traditional sense!

In regards to this annual decision, there are some misconceptions about the environmental benefits of artificial trees. Many people believe that by putting up a plastic tree each new season, they are helping to save forests of evergreens. However, there are hardly any fresh Christmas trees sold that aren't grown specifically for this traditional purpose. Generally, they are tended to on plots of land that otherwise wouldn't have such productive growth, since evergreens can grow in soil that won't nourish other crops. Therefore, soil is strengthened and used to its greatest potential in a Christmas tree lot, especially since there are three seedlings planted for each mature tree harvested.

Also, each acre of Christmas tree growth produces the daily oxygen needs of 18 people. And since there are Christmas tree plots in every single state, even Hawaii and Alaska, approximately one million acres of the United States is giving oxygen for 18 million people every single day!

And also, many people are concerned about the fire hazard of a real Christmas tree. In actuality, if you keep the tree watered, it is not any more flammable than a plastic one. And, if a real Christmas tree does burn, it will not issue toxic fumes into the atmosphere as does an artificial tree.

So, purchasing a pre-cut tree or going to a cut-your-own lot poses no harm to the environment.

There are a couple things that you'll need to do though, to maintain the health of the tree and the safety of everyone in the household. First of all, when you bring the fresh tree home, cut an inch off the base of its trunk to open a fresh grain that will take in water. Place the tree in a bucket of warm water, either in a garage or shed, away from the wind and cold. Allow it to soak until you bring the tree indoors.

In whichever room you choose to display this beautiful, pine-smelling tree, make sure that it has a sturdy stand which holds plenty of water and will keep the tree from falling over. Consistent watering will keep the tree from drying out and dropping its needles, and maintains the fragrance. Check the water level often, making sure the base of the tree is always covered.

While you are trimming the tree's branches to suit your aesthetic taste, make sure to trim the lower branches sufficiently as to avoid eye injuries to small children. Make sure to hang lights before anything else. And also, hang the breakable ornaments or those that look like treats, higher on the tree so that the little ones can't reach them.

If you are buying a real Christmas tree this season, you can be assured of the joy and festive spirit it will bring to your household!

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, recreation, education and décor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles about holiday décor, please visit Real Christmas Trees

Christmas Just Aint Christmas

Writen by Dr. Yvonne LaMar

What happened to 2005? Didn't we just have Christmas and New Years? I'm still processing what happened at Christmas 2004!

Last year I discovered that there are LifeSaver candy canes and precooked half turkeys. I also noticed that the ornaments and decorations that I have been buying for the last few years has grown into quite a collection. Major projects had been completed before the holiday break and I wasn't pressed for time. I could decorate my house and enjoy my Christmas tree.

I could send out my holiday greeting cards on time and in the right spirit. Christmas 2004 was the first time I managed to pull off the whole thing without a hitch. Even as a single person, I could have a full, unique holiday season with dignity. My life would never be the same.

In 2004, I was able to accept and decline invitations with my head held high. I had my own plans. Things to do, people to see, a nativity scene with a little light to turn on when the sun went down. Sympathy wasn't necessary. I was not a prodigal, but an independent woman making her own traditions.

During a flight back from one of our external campuses, I gave my seat to a little girl so she could get a sky view of the Christmas lights in Lubbock. The magic of Christmas and the magic of childhood are made for each other.

My growing collection of Christmas sweaters allowed me to dress the part for a week and a half leading to the holiday. One of my resolutions was to have enough sweaters for two weeks in 2005. Some day I would have a different sweater for each day of December. Reindeers, bells, sleighs, snowmen, I was open to all of the options. I found out that velour was much easier to maintain than velvet. I rediscovered my love of fur collars. There is a whole section in the closet just for sparkly stuff. Who knew the holidays had so many levels and facets? I could handle it!

I was feeling really good about myself, then something happened. In fact, a lot of things happened. The next thing I knew it was time to do it all again. I picked up my Halloween candy at Family Dollar this year and found it next to Santa Claus mugs. The season for pumpkins and orange, fall leaves lasted about a week! It was time to talk turkeys again and choose recipes for the annual covered dish parties. People were already wearing their holiday sweaters and ties!

The drive back from Dallas this Thanksgiving left me tired. The tradition of decorating the house over the Thanksgiving weekend could be put off until 2006. After all, its just me here and I don't mind. It won't hurt anything to put the tree up the next weekend. I noticed something on the news about sending out holiday cards in time for Christmas. My impression is that you have around ten days to work with. I put my address book on standby.

Then I got an email from Amazon.com. They offer free shipping and guaranteed delivery before Christmas if I order by mid-December. They used to just sell books, now they sell everything. Cool, one stop shopping and I still have a week or two to work it out.

I have a two week break for the holiday and a major project to finish. Maybe I can play Christmas music in the background. This year is not working out like I thought.

Other people seem to be on top of things. The lights are up, the music is playing and the Christmas spirit is everywhere. I saw a "Happy Birthday, Jesus" sign that gave me some perspective. It is not about me and how many traditions I can manage from year to year. It is about celebrating what we believe. My beliefs about the routines that make Christmas official are officially bogus. I'll be lucky to get half as much done as I did in 2005, but I will celebrate anyway.

Dr. LaMar researches, writes, and speaks about mentoring relationships among professional women. She also consults with growing businesses about how personality and processes can affect workplace dynamics. Her books "God Provides The Sacrifice: Women Discuss Making Their Hardest Decision" and "Drama Free Workplace" can be purchased in e-book format and paperback from her web sites or by calling 806-203-4094.

http://www.DrLaMar.com
http://www.DramaFreeWorkplace.com
http://www.PhenomenalWomansGuide.com

Alone For The Holidays

Writen by Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

Being alone is a challenge for many people. This challenge may loom especially large during the holidays if you are single or newly divorced and without family around you. Holidays are a time to share love, and many people end up feeling depressed when they do not have people around with whom to share love. If you are in this situation, what can you do to make the holidays joyous rather than depressing?

The key phrase here is SHARE LOVE. Too often people think in terms of getting love rather than giving and sharing their love. They don't realize that it is the act of giving their love that is so very fulfilling.

Gail had grown up very lonely in an emotionally distant family, with parents who did not freely give their love and relatives who were also cold and distant. She had married an emotionally distant man, and after 7 years of more loneliness, had decided to leave him. This was her first holiday season alone.

Gail decided that she was not going to be alone and lonely again this holiday season. She did some research on service agencies that needed volunteers and discovered a women's shelter in her area for women and their children who were hiding from physically abusive husbands. The shelter was badly in need of funds for food, which Gail didn't have. What she did have was the time to help gather food. Each day, after her job as a secretary, Gail went around to the markets in her area until she found some willing to donate Thanksgiving dinners for the mothers and their children. Then, on Thanksgiving Day, she spent her time at the shelter cooking, decorating, serving, and having Thanksgiving dinner with these brave women who had left their abusive husbands to save themselves and their children. It was the best Thanksgiving she ever had! By choosing to share her love with people who needed her, she felt filled with love.

Gail had such a fulfilling experience that she found a small part-time job in addition to her regular job so that she could afford to buy presents for the children at the shelter for Christmas. She had such fun buying presents for the children and watching their joyous little faces as they opened them on Christmas day! Gail felt anything but alone and lonely.

Gary was in a similar situation to Gail. He was single, had been an only child to parents who were no longer alive, and had no close relatives. His janitorial business did not give him much opportunity to make friends. Gary had spent many lonely holidays feeling isolated and depressed, and decided a few years ago to do something about it.

Gary loved animals. As a child, his dog had been his main connection with love. After some research, Gary discovered that there was a wonderful animal shelter within a half-hour of his home – a shelter that loved and cared for animals and didn't euthanize them. Gary started to volunteer one day a week on the weekends – cleaning, feeding, playing with puppies and kittens, helping to interview people who wanted to adopt a pet, and getting to know the other volunteers. He found that he really connected with the people who volunteered there. Many of them were loving people who were deeply devoted to caring for animals. As his friendships developed, he found he had a new sense of family centered around the shelter. Thanksgiving and Christmas were now sometimes spent with the other volunteers who did not have families, and sometimes with the families of some of the volunteers. Gary's life had become full and fulfilling. The last I heard, he was dating a woman who also volunteered at the animal shelter.

No matter what your life situation is, you can always share your love with others. Instead of feeling alone and lonely this holiday season, open your heart to giving. There are many people and animals out there who would welcome your love.

About The Author

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or mailto:margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone sessions available.

margaret@innerbonding.com

How Not To Be Disappointed This Christmas A Practical Tip

Writen by Silvia Hartmann

Many years ago, when I was living in circumstances not quite like today, I invented something in the spur of the moment which is fascinating and has significantly improved my life.

It actually started four months earlier, for my birthday in fact.

I had wanted to buy something very esoteric for me - a personal development tape set about wealth and success; but it was massively expensive and although my husband didn't exactly beat me with sticks on a daily basis, there would have been NO WAY I would have been "given permission" to buy this with the meagre family funds.

This sort of thing was held to be "stupid" and "pointless" and "a waste of money", and there wasn't anyone at all in my life at that time who would care enough or even try to understand me enough to actually go out and buy it for me.

Please. Start the violins! And then bring in the cello section, for good measure!

Ok, so I was feeble back then, had no self esteem, didn't know what I was doing because I hadn't received my personal development tapes yet :-) but I came up with the idea to sneak the money and then in order to have an excuse for having the tapes around the house, to say that a girlfriend had given it to me as a present.

I went into action. I sold some things, skimmed some of the money off the shopping budget, ordered the set (without using the family checkbook but with postal orders instead!); sat on the doorstep for a week so I could intercept the postman; when it arrived, I hid it carefully and then got gift wrap, wrapped it, put a card to it and signed it with a greeting from the imaginary friend.

Then I put it on the hall table because now, it could be seen and stand up to questioning.

When my birthday came, I hadn't been so excited about it in YEARS.

I raced down the stairs like a kid to get "my present", and even burst out into tears when I opened it (which was explained with an onslaught of PMT) and hugged it.

It was the best present I'd had in YEARS.

Then, Christmas turned up and even though I felt guilty as hell, I did it again with something I similarly desired.

I've been doing this ever since.

Now you may say that's not in the spirit of things, but 25 years later and with the hindsight of a professional career in counselling and psychology behind me that began with that gift I gave myself, I would say that what I did there was to CHANGE MY LIFE.

There was no-one there to give me what I wanted, and finally, I stopped waiting for that mysterious knight in shining armour, or the glowing angel manifesting on my doorstep, or the mysterious rich uncle who I never knew about, or my husband to undergo some instant personality transformation so he would finally "get me", and instead, I took my life into my own hands.

*I* gave *me* what I need and wanted.

And the result was that I *actually GOT WHAT I NEEDED*.

That's an amazing lesson, in many ways and on many different levels.

Women are STILL deeply entrained to be the providers and to take nothing for themselves; the "culture of everything for others and nothing for you" is even more global than that and extends to EVERYONE.

There are many things about the bold move of DELIBERATELY choosing and wrapping a present complete with a card TO YOUR SELF which are remarkable.

ALL the religions say that you should give service - there is no logical reason to EXCLUDE one single person from the service, of all the many people on this planet.

8 billion minus - one?

And that one is ... YOU?

That makes no sense, but that's the way we have come to understand it.

In psychology terms, to exclude the self from the service and devotion extended to others is actually pathological and a sign there's something wrong with you!

One could argue, and I would indeed argue this, that if you give gifts to other people but NOT TO YOURSELF, you are sending the wrong message, big time.

And practically speaking, this shouldn't be anything special. It should NOT be like the first time I did that - full of guilt or shame or so significant or revolutionary as a concept.

You should just simply be on your own shopping list at Christmas, just the same as everyone else you are buying presents for!

Everyone should buy themselves a gift at Christmas! And on their birthdays, and on whatever holiday or celebration their culture prescribes. They should take the opportunity to express thus practically their support and gratitude for all that was done, for WHO THEY ARE, with a small gift and a card which carries the words so they may be read, and understood.

That is in essence, a blessing.

To perform this ceremony on behalf of one's self is not only fair, and more than that, it is a HUGE metaphor of integration and integrity.

It is a fantastic opportunity to sit back and assess, very practically, where you're at, what might make you happy, and to enter in a communication with the "forgotten self" that brings this one back into the fold of the 8 billion.

This is not a selfish act at all, but instead, a golden opportunity to ensure that on many levels, this one person gets what they want; that this one person is as happy as circumstances will allow; and you know, beyond all material goods, it really is the thought that counts.

Dr Silvia Hartmann is the author of "Oceans Of Energy" and "Project Sanctuary". You can get a free, beautifully illustrated ebook, The Enchanted World, free meditation downloads, stories, fairy tales and articles at http://SilviaHartmann.com"

Holiday Stress Management Four Tips

Writen by Susie Cortright

Decking the halls and spreading good cheer takes a lot of energy. Here are some tips to make sure you enjoy every last fa-la-la.

1. Stay Centered. An energized and peaceful holiday season is possible only when you can keep your priorities straight. Take a pen and paper and ask yourself: What do you value, above all else? What comes second? Third? How important is your spirituality, your family, your profession, your time for yourself? After some thought and reflection, rank your top priorities on a Post-it-Note where you will see it throughout the day. (Mine is on my computer monitor). Refer to your list when asked to make commitments and compromises. If the request does not jibe with your list, you do not only have permission, you have an obligation, to say no.

This list of priorities may set the course for new holiday traditions, as well. Maybe you will donate toys, books, and food to charities. Maybe you will help serve dinner at a homeless shelter in lieu of a holiday meal.

2. Indulge the ghost of Christmas Past. What memories immediately come forth that evoke a fond nostalgia? For me, it isn't the gifts or the shopping or even the parties. It's rocking my infant, alone, by candlelight, to "Silent Night." It's letting my 2-year-old crack the eggs for the cookies, and seeing the pride on her floury face.

Decide what the holidays really mean to you. What is really important? Then make a plan to weave more of those activities into your holidays, and reduce the rest.

3. Deck the Halls with Light and Love. Don't let commercialism spoil your fun. Make the simple promise to yourself that, this year, you'll actually enjoy your holiday shopping. Brainstorm ways you can make this happen. For me, the mall is a giant energy drain. The look of worried resignation as a shopper hands over her credit card tells me that she is shopping out of a sense of obligation and not one of joy. And it sours my holiday spirit.

Instead, I carve out an afternoon all to myself. I put on an Andrea Bocelli CD, sip Chai tea from a giant mug, and curl up with a fleece blanket to surf the Internet and page through catalogs. That's how I find just the right something for everyone on my list. When it ceases to be fun, I stop. I so enjoy shopping this way that, throughout the year, I bookmark sites that offer just the right items.

If you find the materialism of the season draining your energy, commit to making an attitude shift. If you want things to be different this year, only you can make it so. Take the lead for your family, and live in such a way that you prove less stuff really does equal more fun.

Maybe you'll take the money you usually spend on one-too-many toys and enjoy, instead, a weekend family getaway. Maybe you'll make homemade goodies, such as picture frames, home movies, or goodie baskets, which the whole family helps to create.

Maybe you'll bag the traditional gift-giving and start a new tradition. In our family, it goes like this: Each guest brings a wrapped gift of roughly the same dollar value. We sit in a circle and each person, in turn, has the option of taking a gift that's already been opened or opening a new one. It's fun. It's festive. It gets everyone moving and talking, and it switches the focus to the relationships and the event...not the gifts.

4. Start early, plan well, and take care of yourself. Here are some tips:

Simplify as much as possible. Use paper plates. Eat out. If a holiday tradition is old and tired, reinvigorate it or start a new tradition of staying at home.

Plan ahead. To help, chances are, your favorite food website has a checklist for big holiday events.

Replenish your natural energy by taking care of your body. Eat right. Exercise (in the crisp outdoors once in a while). Drink plenty of water. Sleep.

Energize your image. Give yourself an early holiday gift or a great haircut, a brow shaping, a pedicure with bright red polish, or a free makeover at your favorite cosmetics counter and a purchase of the most vibrant lipstick shade you'll actually wear.

Decorate with items of comfort and joy. Display photographs from past holiday celebrations. Keep in full view reminders that you take care of yourself...fresh flowers, indulgent hand crème, inspiring music, and energizing scents, such as citrus or peppermint.

Spend the season with your most energetic friends. Instead of letting the Scrooges in your life yank you down, send them something sweet from a Secret Santa. A little anonymous enchantment may be just what they need.

Keep a "Joy Journal" this holiday season, in which you record the funny things your kids say, joyful times you share, your favorite things to do with your family (and by yourself), and all the things for which you are grateful. Use your Joy Journal as a reminder of the facets of your life-and this holiday season-that are really important.

Happy holidays from my home to yours!

Susie Cortright is the founder of Momscape.com and Susies-Coupons.com, where she hand picks only the very best online coupons and products, including sites that offer free gifts with purchase.

Origin Of Halloween

Writen by Susanne Myers

The tradition of Halloween goes back to an ancient Celtic custom. As far back as the 5th century B.C. Celtic tribes in Ireland believed that the spirits of the dead were allowed to come back to earth once a year on October 31st. The Celtic New Year began on November 1st and the belief was that, on the night before the border between the world of the living and that of the dead became blurred. The spirits of the dead would then be able to cross over for this one night into the world of the living.

People were afraid of what the spirits may do to them, so they started to dress up to disguise themselves. They would roam the streets in these disguises trying to fool the spirits into believing that they weren't living beings. Of course the costumes weren't nearly as elaborate as they are today, and were usually scary costumes. People would wear rags and smear ashes on their faces to disguise themselves and keep the spirits of the dead away.

The tradition of Halloween came to the United States in 1840, with the arrival of a group of Irish immigrants. From there it slowly evolved into our modern day version of Halloween, with kids dressing up as Dora the Explorer T and Power Rangers T, pretending to be their favorite TV characters.

While the spirit of Halloween and the meaning behind it have changed over the centuries, it is still a holiday that allows us to pretend to be someone else, by dressing down in rags and blackening our face to hide it, or by wearing a fancy costume with a mask, or using face paint to disguise our appearance.

Would you like to quickly make creative Halloween costumes that you and your children will be proud of -- for a fraction of the price of store-bought? Susanne Myers has co-authored a book to show you how -- no sewing involved. Visit http://www.ILoveHalloweenCostumes.com to learn more.

Chinese Valentines Day

Writen by Jane Roseen

Chinese Valentine's Day is on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Month on the Chinese calendar, which falls on August 4th this year. Legend has it that the seventh daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, a weaving maid, fell in love and married a cowherd. They were so much in love that they forgot everything else in their lives and didn't complete their farming and weaving duties, which angered the Jade Emperor. He exiled them to opposite banks of the Silver River (Milky Way), and only allows them to meet each other once a year on the night of the seventh day of the seventh month.

This legend has been handed down for nearly two millennia. The Chinese people believe that the star, Vega, east of the Milky Way, is Zhi Nu, and that Altair, on the western side of the Milky Way is Niu Lang waiting for his wife.

The seventh day of the seventh lunar month is the only Chinese festival devoted to love in the lunar calendar. Chinese Valentine's Day traditions abound and this special day is celebrated differently depending on the Chinese province.

Some of the many traditions include Chinese girls preparing fruits, melons, and incense as offerings to Zhi Nu, the weaving maiden, praying to acquire high skills in needlecraft, as well as hoping to find satisfactory husbands. Girls place sewing needles on water. If the needle doesn't sink, it's a sign of the girl's maturity and intelligence and she is ready and eligible to find a husband.

People in some Chinese provinces believe that decorating the horns of oxen with flowers will save them from catastrophe. Another tradition is for women to wash their hair to make it look fresh and shining.

On Chinese Valentine's Day, young lovers go to the temple of the Matchmaker and pray for their love and happiness, and their possible marriage in China. In the evening, people sit outside to observe the stars. On this night, Vega and Altair are closer together than at any other time of year. Chinese grannies say that if you stand under a grapevine, you can probably overhear what Zhi Nu and Niu Lang are saying to one another.

Jane S. Roseen is the Owner and President of Harmony Sweets. Harmony Sweets is an international gourmet chocolate shop focusing on individual consumers purchasing gourmet chocolates from around the world for their friends and relatives, corporate gift-giving, and wholesale sales to retail outlets across North America.

Website: http://www.harmonysweets.com

Christmas Gifts For Dog Lovers

Writen by Roy Thomsitt

Let's admit it, the US and UK are both countries of dog lovers, and dog owners love to indulge their dogs like children. You only have to listen to a dog owner call out to their dog, playing in the park or field, to realise how devoted they can be. Being devoted, dog lovers, and their friends, like to give dog gifts.

Dog lovers often refer to their dogs as "baby", or to themselves, when talking to the dog, as mummy or daddy. It's no surprise then that dog toys are a big market, and can make excellent dog lover gifts.

Choosing the right dog toys can be more difficult than you may think. The problem is, you probably "think" in a human way. Dog lovers, and those buying gifts for them, love to buy cute, squeaky toys for the dogs, or give them stuffed animals which they can chew on and carry around. That's really the human thinking in baby terms. The result is likely to be a dog lover gift for the dog lover, not the dog.

If you are buying a gift for a dog lover, or are a dog lover buying for your own dog, then try to remember that dog toys have no need to be cute to look at. A dog does not appreciate cuteness, so if you want a real dog gift, rather than a dog lover gift, then look for something practical, fun for the dog, durable, and safe.

The Best And Safest Toys For Dog Lover Gifts

An important consideration with gifts for dogs is size. Kongs, balls, and other common dog toys must be small enough that the dog can chew them and also carry them. However, they should not be so small that they can become lodged in the dog's mouth or throat.

For the same reasons, durability is an important factor, particularly for a dog that loves to chew. A toy that will break apart easily can become a hazard as the small, sharp parts of the toy can be swallowed, caught in the dog's throat, or they could cut the mouth and gums. A hard rubber Kong, easily one of the best dog toys ever conceived, is a great choice for a dog lover gift.

If you, or the dog lover you are buying the gift for, has a gentle softie of a dog, then you can consider softer toys, like the popular "squeak" toys made of thin plastic and full of air. These are good for dogs that are that bit gentler. Such dogs are unlikely to chew through these softer toys, so again these can be good dog lover gifts if chosen with the type of dog in mind.

A good ol' tennis ball can be a good choice, but are great for some dogs, and poor choices for others. This is likely to depend on size. If the dog is too small to fit a tennis ball all the way into its mouth, then it can be an excellent toy, one which the dog will love but will cost you very little. If the dog is a large one with a large mouth, and the tennis ball fits all the way in, then the tennis ball becomes a choking hazard. Your dog lover friend or relative may not thank you for buying a box of tennis balls that endanger the dog and land him with emergency vet bills.

This gift for dog lovers article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner author of the Gifts For Xmas website, and the Christmas Ornament website

Relax, get in the Christmas spirit, and read Roy's new Christmas Story, for adults or children, about Santa Claus and a little girl living on the edge of a tropical rainforest.

Lowcost Halloween Decorating Ideas For Fun

Writen by Jeanette Joy Fisher

Halloween is a uniquely special time of year, regardless of whether you're a kid or just a kid at heart. It's a holiday time that offers lots of wonderful opportunities to decorate your home creatively, since the subject matter is different from any other holiday. If you're thinking about decorating your porch and yard for the spookiest night of the year, you can do it without having to spend a lot of money. Here are a few low-cost ideas for showing your Halloween spirit to the world:

Crime Scene to Fright Scene

You can get rolls of yellow Caution tape (the type you see at crime or disaster scenes to keep people out of certain areas) fairly inexpensively at most hardware stores, and if you put it up around the perimeter of your yard, accompanied by a sign that says something like "Fright Scene: Enter at Your Own Risk," it can give an eerily spooky ambience while also offering guests a wary smile.

You can enhance that spookiness either more by replacing your regular porch light with a black light bulb. Adding a few Halloween-oriented items like skulls and ghost figures that glow in the dark will be even more effective.

Pumpkins and Paint Fun

If you want your pumpkins to last longer (and even to be reusable when you scrap your Halloween decorations and begin decorating for Thanksgiving), don't carve them. Paint them with acrylic paint. You can create an infinite variety of faces or scenes, and your pumpkins will last much longer. There's also none of the mess involved with carving them. Place your pumpkins in groups of three to five of varying sizes and shapes. It makes for a much more effective display.

Graveyard Fun

A little paint can go a long way in creating great-looking tombstones, too. You can paint simple boards gray and then use black paint to add silly or scary epitaphs that will delight visitors. Things like: "See? I Told You I Was Sick" can bring smiles, but you can also create scarier epitaphs to bring out the more ghoulish side of your nature.

Craft Fun for Children

Children love this craft. You can create some wonderfully spooky scenes in your windows by cutting out silhouettes of the various Halloween icons, such as black cats, witches, and skeletons, out of construction paper. When it gets dark, your windows will take on a lovely macabre look when the light is blocked out by those eerie objects.

Simple scarecrow-type figures, topped with rubber Halloween masks, can also be effective in adding some scare factor to your front porch and lawn. Just stuff a shirt and pair of pants with straw or leaves, add the mask, and you've got an instant horror figure for just a little time, imagination, and very little money.

Jeanette Fisher helps home makers have fun decorating their homes. Free holiday decorating tips at http://joyholidays.com Home Decorating Interior Design Ideas Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Birthday Party Supplies Technology

Writen by Jeff Bauman

Birthday party supplies and decorations have come a long way. Getting prepared for a child's birthday celebration used to mean cobbling together flimsy streamers, wafer thin table cloths and handfuls of confetti. But now, birthday party supplies are color coordinated, themed and produced with vastly better materials and technology.

Advances in computer controlled printing technology enables color detail to 16.7 million colors. Shading, range, and saturation applied to an object can be controlled to excruciating detail. Uniformity of ink vessels, faster silk screening, sublimation and advanced inventory control measures has enabled manufacturers to produce high quality theme package components that were formerly reserved for settings such as Hollywood openers. But now this is being brought to consumer level products.

Advances in printing technology combined with greatly improved molding and sheet feeding has made it routine for makers of birthday party supplies to use a greater variety and much higher quality materials. Now, birthday party theme packages include such items as masks, hats, table cloths and plates which are all made of extremely durable materials but with no limit or flake of the colors applied. Components of birthday party theme packages are able to be washed and even handed down.

The combination of these advances has dramatically improved the quality of birthday party supplies, increased the selection and lowered the retail cost. There is now an infinite variety of theme packages which can suit just about any taste and budget. And with the internet, selection and ordering has never been easier. You can now have the birthday party supplies that closely match your child's tastes and interest.

3 Great Memorial Day Party Ideas

Writen by Gail Leino

Memorial Day is held in honor of the men and women who died during military service. Since they made the sacrifice for our country you may wish to hold a charity asking people to sacrifice for the soldiers. You can easily put together a backyard BBQ as you normally would for your party, but this time put out change jars for guests to put their loose change into which can be donated to any number of veteran's organizations to benefit the living relatives of deceased military members. If you like you can see about contacting members of a local veteran's association to make an appearance at your party. They can enjoy some food and mingle to tell people about what its like in the military and of the nature of their cause.

If you can hang the flag at half mast on Memorial Day. It may even be possible to work a flag raising ceremony into your party schedule, with a moment of silence as you raise the flag to half mast in the memory of fallen soldiers. This will serve to bring home the importance of the holiday to so many.

For this solemn occasion raise a collection of money from your neighbors and relatives to use in the purchase of wreaths. Then on Memorial Day gather a group of volunteers to visit the graves of military members and work to clean them up. There are many places where the graves of civil war veterans are neglected and forgotten. You can set fallen tombstones upright, pull up weeds and mow the grass and put out the wreaths. The will show relatives of the deceased that people are aware of their family members sacrifice and it will leave you with a good feeling. Now you've got ideas, don't sit at home, get out there and do something this Memorial Day.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Free Party Games to help complete your event.

Creative Ideas For Baby Halloween Costumes

Writen by Monty Smith

While it's true that babies are too young to enjoy Trick-or-Treating, dressing them up in baby Halloween costumes is something that parents often can't resist. There are so many reasons to dress up a baby in a Halloween costume. But, the main thing is that there are Halloween costumes geared towards babies and all of them make the little ones look cute.

Reasons to Dress Up Baby

What are your motives for wanted to put baby Halloween costumes on your little ones? Do you want a cute picture to slip into your annual Christmas cards? Do you want to bring your little one along with you during Trick or Treat? Is your baby part of a play group that is having a costume party? Where the costume will be worn will often determine which costume to choose.

Finding Baby Halloween Costumes

You can find baby Halloween costumes in a variety of places. These include at online auction sites and in the classified, in department stores, costume shops, stores that specialize in baby clothing, and other places online. You can also borrow the costumes from people that you know and also make it yourself.

Baby Halloween Costumes Options

So, which baby Halloween costumes are appropriate for the little ones? Well, there are some adorable costumes designed to bring out a child's unique personality. You can find pumpkins, clowns, black cats, even little witches. Animals also make for cute costumes and so do character outfits. Does your child favor certain cartoon characters or toys? Consider dressing them in those outfits.

Professional Photographer

If you are dressing up your child for the sole purpose of taking pictures and including them in albums and Christmas cards, you may want to hire a professional photographer who specializes in children. They will help bring out their unique gifts and help make sure they are happy and captured well on film. You want your baby to look their best!

Costume Party

If the baby Halloween costumes are designed for a costume party, keep in mind that they should be durable and washable. They may smear food on their outfit and get it dirty. Unlike other events such as getting pictures taken or trick or treating, a costume party is long and filled with activities that can ruin a costume. Make sure you get one or make one that is built to last.

Monty Smith writes about Halloween costumes and other Halloween-related topics for the Costumez Online website.

Mothers Day Is Comingdont Blow It

Writen by Samantha Olea

Mother's Day is May 8th. And, you do realize all of the things that the Mom in your life has done for you and your family, right? Then you must know that a bouquet of flowers and card, though very sweet, are not all it takes to make Mother's Day a true holiday.

To make Mother's Day special for any Mom in your life, try some of these tips:

1. Watch the kids! Think of giving a "Kid Free Night" Coupon or taking the kids to the park for a few hours.

2. Cook – No mother should ever have to cook on Mother's Day, so plan ahead. Pick out something for everyone to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It doesn't have to be fancy, just one less thing for Mom to worry about on her special day.

3. Pick up after the kids. Come on, now, if Mom is supposed to feel pampered on this one day of the year, why should she have to pick anything up? Leaving the mess, though, will likely cause her stress, so help out by picking up.

4. Ask-Ahead of time, ask her what she wants to do. You may be surprised at her answer. Even if it's something you hate, just think of all of the boxing matches and football games she has smiled through.

5. Be Nice. All relationships have their good days and their bad days. On Mother's Day, no matter what, don't argue with a Mom. Its only 24 hours, you can handle it.

6. Have fun with it. Blow up balloons, throw a barbeque (where no Moms are allowed to help cook or clean up), make banners, buy a cake, play music, hide her shoes and force her to wear fuzzy slippers all day with a paper crown made by the kids, just make sure that she knows that this is her day!

7. Buy her something that she will cherish. Don't buy her something that she will have to use to cook or clean unless she has absolutely requested it, and then I still wouldn't. All Moms love to look at their families, especially their children, so look into personalized or photo gifts-put some real thought into it.

Mother's day should not be just another day with a few flowers thrown in. Moms spend their lives taking care of the people that they love, so one day of fun, pampering and rest should not be too much to expect. Trust me, if you follow these tips, the mom in your life won't be struggling to remember next time she's asked, "What did you get for Mother's Day?"

Http://PaintedPlatesandBowls.com is your source for unique and memorable keepsakes including Personalized Painted Plates, Photograph Memory Plates and much more for MOther's Day, or any special occasion. To learn more, visit http://paintedplatesandbowls.com today!

Samantha Olea is the owner and creator amd lead designer of http://PaintedPlatesandBowls.com which makes hand painted porcelain plates and photograph plates and keepsakes for all holidays and special events.

Memories In Lights

Writen by Kenneth C. Hoffman

Christmas in the old country

Tramping through the snow

To choose the young tree

Which overnight would change our home;

The old made new wherever candlelight shone.

Spice of balsam decorates the air,

The hand carved Christ Child

Placed gently there.

Baskets of holly, mistletoe and herbs

A discovered nest remains undisturbed.

So many white candles blazing on faces,

A wonderful sight to hold our gazes.

The delight of giving warms our cheeks;

Loving goodnights and last minute peeks.

Historians tell us that the indoor Christmas tree tradition came from England or Germany. The first lights came in the form of candles placed on its branches. One theory has the candles representing the light spaces between the branches shining with the light of the morning sun. Another sees the candles as heavenly stars. I just know that the lighted Christmas tree brings to my mind warm feelings of family and good will.

My wife, Marianne, remembers placing candles on the Christmas tree in Germany and although they remained lit for only a short, watchful period, the sight remains indelible on her mind. Our first set of lights was inherited from my Grandparents who bought them in the thirties. The original string contained twenty large sized bulbs in various shapes and colors representing the moon, stars and candles. Through the years, the bulbs were gradually replaced with the standard candle variety. A second set of twenty five bulbs was added in nineteen forty. These smaller bulbs unfortunately were series wound, the whole string blinking out when one bulb gave up the ghost and making it difficult to find the culprit. They lasted for twenty five years.

Sometime in the fifties, miniature string sets arrived from Japan, quickly gaining in popularity. The sheer numbers of bulbs awed us, making it easy to wind two hundred lights on one tree. Our Irish dad insisted on colored lights and even sneaked in a blinker for variety. My German mother preferred white lights, but bowed to the Irish side, stopping short of blinking lights. When Dad's parents moved to an apartment, they opted for a table top tree in white, festooned with all blue lights and dripping with meticulously hung aluminum icicles. Further adorning the tree, delicate reproductions in spun glass representing ships in full sail, angels, stars and toys shimmered in reflective splendor. We weren't allowed within three feet of it.

Nowadays there are Christmas trees lit with whiskers of fire, the light pulsing in tune to an imagined beat. Stylized columns of green paper mache wound in ropes of twinkling stars, satisfying the Andy Warhol in us. Through the plenitude of variations runs the always present theme of lights on a tree. In our own family, the lights held us together through brief separations, financial disaster and family disagreements. The lights on the tree provided a focus for togetherness and a palpable visual aid in the celebration of Christmas.

I love to answer questions. Now a retired portrait photographer, I love to write.

Trick Or Treat

Writen by Bridgitte Williams

Happy Halloween!

trick or treat! Give me something sweet.

trick or treat! See me in costume, from my head to my feet.

trick or treat! No, I don't want any meat.

trick or treat! Oh no, you forgot to buy any candy?

trick or treat! Halloween just can't be beat!

trick or treat! I tripped over your dog and he bit me.

trick or treat! Your mean cat hissed at me!

trick or treat! Oh no, my costume is splitting!

trick or treat! Let me in, it starting pouring!

trick or trick! Please don't let the neighborhood bully know it's me.

trick or treat! I dropped all of my candy while I was running.

trick or treat! I don't know where I am. What's the name of this street?

trick or treat! I know you but, in this costume, you don't know me!

trick or treat! I have to take my mask off so I can see.

trick or treat! May I use your cell phone to call my parents, please?

trick or treat! That man in the Jason costume from the Friday the thirteenth movie really scared me!

trick or treat! No, I don't want a bowl of soup instead of candy!

trick or treat! All this trick or treating can be tiring!

trick or treat! Mom, please don't embarrass me!

trick or treat! Don't tell my friends that I got scared after dark and started crying!

trick or treat! We are going. I don't care if it is storming!

trick or treat! May I use your bathroom, please?

trick or treat! I have never seen that kind of candy!

trick or treat! No one is answering!

trick or treat! That is a big dog, I think we better be leaving!

trick or treat! Do you hear something moaning?

trick or treat! I fell down. I told you not to dress me in that long sheet!

trick or treat! I don't feel so good after eating all these sweets!

trick or treat! Don't let that guy in the mummy suit touch me!

trick or treat! Dad is in the car, hiding!

trick or treat! With this mask on, I can't see who gave me that candy!

trick or treat! These superman boots feel like they are made out of concrete!

trick or treat! I almost killed myself running ,when your spider decoration screamed!

trick or treat! Don't you have any money? I'm a teen.

trick or treat! Your old lady costume is really neat!

trick or treat! Is ringing the doorbell ten times being mean?

trick or treat! I am sorry, I put my finger through your door screen.

trick or treat! Hey, lady, your black cat is on your roof, howling.

trick or treat! Until you guess what my costume is, I am not leaving.

trick or treat! I am the invisible man, you are not supposed to see me!

trick or treat! I can't wait for next Halloween!

Bridgitte is retired and loves Halloween. Her webpages can be visited at http://All4Webs.com/i/3/bridgitte/home.htm and http://www.webspawner.com/users/bridgittem/index.html

Embroidered Gift Ideas For Christmas

Writen by Low Jeremy

One of the ways to make your Christmas gifts more personalized is to put some fancy embroidery on it. There are actually a lot of gifts, which you can put embroideries on, caps, handkerchiefs, towels, even stuff toys like teddy bears. It can either be a full-scale embroidered design or just a couple of letters or words. It will really depend on what you can do and of course the time available to do it.

Here are some embroidered Christmas gift ideas that you can put to good use this holiday season.

1. Bags glamour

Nothing can make a simple bag stand out than intricate embroideries that add color and texture. Buy a simple cloth bag in shops and craft stores and design it yourself. This will make your gift look more expensive than it really is.

You can embroider the pockets or the edges. You can also create patterns at the center to make a really unique piece that other people will surely envy. You can even use gold and silver threads to make the piece more glamorous. Add beads if you can on the embroidery to add a three-dimensional quality to it.

2. Bath Essentials

Bathroom staples like towels and bathrobes are another great items that you can embroider. Bath essentials are especially great if you are giving it to a couple like your mom and dad or your sister and her husband. You can create for them a matching set, emblazoned with the same design but in different colors. You can also embroider their names or their initials on the towels or robes. If you want to be whimsy about it, you can even put their endearments to each other on the material.

3. Head Essentials

This is another great piece of material that you can easily put embroider to. Of course, check first the materials, as there are some caps that have a cardboard embedded inside for support. This will be harder to embroider. Straw hats can also be embroidered. Just use straw threads instead of ordinary threads. Straw threads can be bought in craft stores in the country.

4. Sneakers

What better way to make sneakers really unique than to put some great embroidery on them. Often, sneakers will be made of lightweight materials that can be easily embroidered. Just use a sharper and stronger needle in stitching. For a more personalized touch, you can even put your initials at the back of the sneakers.

Low Jeremy maintains christmas-gift.articlesforreprint.com. This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Holidays Gratitude Is For The Weak Minded And Just A Mushy Concept

Writen by Jeff Herring

Have you ever been out in public and seen someone treated a service person (waiter/waitress, check out clerk, etc) rudely for no apparent reason?

It's an uncomfortable thing to see.

What I have found is that some people have linked up complaining with being a tough and strong person.

On a recent three day Labor Day weekend, I visited the video rental store early on a Sunday evening. There were only a few people in the store, two of which was a middle aged couple complaining loudly and vulgarly about how there was nothing to rent.

My thought was that it's the middle of a three day weekend, of course there will not be copies of a just released movie.

The language got so bad that if I would have had my kids with me I would of had to have said something.

While I was checking out, I warned the clerk, who I knew, about what might be coming. This couple storms by, complaining loudly and yelling at the clerk, as they went out the door. The clerk put it in perfect perspective when he said:

"It's not like we don't have the prescription they need."

My thought was that these two people had to go home and live with each other.

Is gratitude weakness?

There are those, perhaps including this couple, who see this kind of behavior as some show of strength. I see it as a show of weakness at worst and at best, a show of a total loss of perspective.

I believe that politeness and gratitude are a sign of a strong character. Gratitude is a demonstration of a strong sense of perspective.

Visit The Article Guy for more leading edge tips and tools for writing articles that bring you prospects, publicity and profits. You can also subscirbe to our monthly Article Empire Tips Newsletter. You are also invited to visit my Express-Start Article Writing Program for more information on the next article writing tele-seminar.

Brighten Up The Holiday Season With Christmas Tree Lights

Writen by Dave Poon

Christmas Day is the most anticipated celebration through out the world. The festivity and the pleasure of it are not the only things that are being anticipate, but also the decorations and the extra effort in making the festivity more vivacious and special to the family, friends, and relatives.

One of the cherished traditions of all the family members especially the young ones is the ornamentation of the Christmas tree. Young ones like to put adornment and thinking of some ideas on how to perfect their Christmas tree. He/ she enthusiastically participate in garnishing the Christmas tree and making it more appealing with putting some lights on it.

Listed below are some of the ideas that could help in decorating the Christmas tree lights.

1. Maintain the Christmas tree at its best.

A fresh-cut on the base of the tree absorbs more water, thus it has to be place in a stand with large water supply. It can consume up to more than loads of water the first day and some pints succeeding days. It is important to ensure and replenish the water level quite a lot for a week.

2. Preserving the Tree

The Christmas tree may protract by just using pure, water from the tap with enough quantity to keep the stump of the tree roofed at all times.

3. Decorating the tree

Remember to follow steps in decorating the tree in order to have a great result. Putting of lights should be the first one, and then next to it is the garland then lastly are some ornaments one wishes to put. Begin setting up the lights on the stem near the stump. Interlace the cord along the stem inside them going outside. The basic ornaments that can put in the tree were the balls; they are cheap one and have wide range of hues to choose that could enhance the design of the tree.

Tips on how to buy a Christmas tree

1. Shop early. Buying Christmas tree should be earlier, to allow time for delivery and shipment. Consider buying earlier to get a fresher and cheaper one.

2. Make sure to know the measurement of the area where the Christmas tree will be place.

3. Order Christmas tree to the nearest store in your home, to lessen the delivery expense.

4. Buy only the tree that suits the preference of all the members of the family to avoid wasting time asking the store to change it.

Steps that a buyer must know when buying a Christmas tree through online

1. Use search engine online. It is so simple, just key in Christmas tree and it will open to different sites for possible response.

2. Surf the site, and look for important information that could help in deciding what to buy.

3. Write down some important notes, for instance, how much it will cost for delivery, the policy for returning if possible, the guarantees, the payment method, and the delivery time.

4. After jotting down important notes, he/she has to compare everything from the design to the price and the delivery time.

5. He/she has to follow all the necessary rules in handling or taking care of the Christmas tree.

Note: In everything a person does, it shall require a great knowledge on how to have a better idea in order to feel the warmth of yuletide season.

Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in the latest in Holidays. For more information regarding Christmas Tree Lights please drop by at http://www.christmasworldbest.com/

Halloween Party Games For Children

Writen by Rose Smith

Halloween is a wonderfully fun time for kids. Between trick or treating and attending various Halloween parties, this holiday is something a lot of children look forward to. This year, if your child is planning to hold his or her own party, keep the kids occupied with some simple, but entertaining games.

All of the games mentioned below are easy and simple to put together and children usually have a lot of fun playing them. However, as with any game where there is often only one winner, many children can quickly become unhappy and refuse to play. To avoid tears and hurt feelings, I would suggest that you provide one larger prize for the winner, and give out cheap "runner-up" prizes to all the other children. Some small prize ideas would be: a Halloween themed balloon, a lollipop, bubble gum, plastic spider ring, etc. You can usually pick up packages of really cheap toys at most department stores... and then all the children at the party will feel as if they've "won."

Moaning Musical Ghost Chairs

A twist on a classic children's game, start off by cover the backs of several chairs with white sheets. Pin some black cardboard eyes and a ghostly mouth to the backs of the sheets and line the chairs up (back-to-back) with one less chair as there are children. Play spooky Halloween music as the children walk around the chairs. When the music stops, each child tries to sit down on a chair. The one who doesn't get a chair is out of the game. Remove a chair and repeat until there is one winner left. Give a larger prize to the winner and small runner-up prizes to the rest of the kids.

Scarecrow Dress-up Game

Divide the children into teams of 3 or 4 players per team. Provide each team with "scarecrow clothes" in a box (jeans or overalls, plaid shirt, boots, straw hat, gloves). Each team should pick one child from their group to be the "scarecrow." At the word GO the teams hurry to dress the scarecrow (who has to stand still and not help). The first team who gets their scarecrow dressed, wins.

Mummy Wrap

This one is always a favorite and brings out many giggles. Divide the children into teams of two. One is the "mummy" and the other child needs to wrap up the first child with toilet paper. The first team done wins.

Pumpkin Ghost Bowling

Spray paint 15 large empty plastic pop bottles with white paint. Using a black marker, create ghost faces near the top of each bottle. Add about 1 cup of sand or gravel to each bottle to give them stability. Using small miniature pumpkins, kids take turns bowling over the ghosts. Each child has 3 tries per turn. Don't forget to keep score!

Pin The Nose On The Pumpkin

Draw and paint a large pumpkin on cardboard. Paint in the eyes and mouth. Cut out the pumpkin and tape to a wall. Cut out a triangular nose and paint yellow. Add some double-sided tape to the back. While blindfolded, each child tries to pin the nose on the pumpkin.

Candy Corn Toss

Carve out a couple of pumpkins or use small tin buckets. Place the containers several feet across the room. Kids line up behind a line (use masking tape on the floor) and are given 5 candy corns. Each tries to toss their candy corns into the container. The one who gets most of their candy corns into the container wins.

(c) 2006. Rose Smith owns HalloweenHowl.com a website filled with Halloween party ideas, costumes, decorations, games, graphics, crafts and more. It's Halloween fun for all ages! For more fun party ideas visit: http://www.halloweenhowl.com/halloween-party-ideas.shtml

9 Secrets To Buying A Valentine Gift Without Making A Committment

Writen by Victoria Winston

You like her a lot. In fact, given some time, she may even turn out to be "the one". But you're not sure yet - and you don't want to rush things. Or lead her on.

So . . . how do you handle "gifting" holidays, like Valentine's Day or even her birthday?

The answer lies in a secret very few men know. That secret is the power of fashion jewelry! I hear ya - you're saying, "What the heck is fashion jewelry! Isn't all jewelry fashionable?"

The answer is yes - but not all fashionable jewelry has to be an expensive commitment! In fact, "fashion jewelry" is crafted of something other than precious metals and doesn't contain real gemstones - so it costs a lot less.

But because really good fashion jewelry is simulated to look like the real thing, it becomes a fabulous and tasteful gift - one that tells your lady you think she's special, without having to make a major commitment.

Buying A Woman Jewelry: What To Look For

While I'm certain you'll have no problems finding a vast array of fashion jewelry, particularly online, there is the good, the bad, and the "you're better off buying her a blender " styles. So if you're thinking about choosing a piece, we at CountryDutchess Jewelry think there are a few things you need to know.

1. Use your "eye" to choose jewelry that simply looks "real". It should mimic the look of expensive jewelry like genuine gemstones or a precious metal. If you wouldn't expect to see a neon pink stone or a green rubber bracelet band in a "good" jewelry store, then don't buy one in a fashion jewelry store.

2. Remember that bigger is not always better - well at least not in jewelry. So by pass the knuckle-to-knuckle rings or huge sparkly earrings and again choose pieces that look as if they could be real. No one is going to wear a stone the size of the Hope Diamond - but a pair of earrings that could be one or two carats in size is going to look classy and real.

3. Think about what your lady wears - and then look for pieces that will fit into her wardrobe. Does she wear lots of suits -with pins on her lapel? Then choose a pin. Have you never seen her without a dangly bracelet ? Then look for a bangle or charm bracelet.

Will she never go out of the house without her earrings ? Buy her a pair - and if you're not sure if her ears are pierced, buy her clip-on earrings because they can be worn by anyone!

4. Is your gal strictly a "jeans and cowboy boot" kind of lady? Trust me, she still loves jewelry! Go for Southwest styles made of simulated turquoise or amber.

5. Is your gal a glamour girl - who loves satins and silks? Look for Cubic Zirconias -also known as CZ's - or "Royalites". These are stones that simulate diamonds to a "T" . When set in sterling silver or a plated metal, they can be very inexpensive - with an expensive look and feel - and every woman loves them!

6. If you just can't figure out your lady's taste, play it safe with "classic" choices- a pair of hoop earrings are a wardrobe staple, as are a pair of CZ stud earrings - which now come in pieced and clip on styles.

7. Always have your jewelry boxed and professionally wrapped - or shop in a store that offers free gift boxing. A lot of very nice fashion jewelry loses its appeal when it's presented clipped to a cardboard or in a plastic baggie.

8. While buying a piece of "heart" jewelry is the old Valentine standby - and it still works - don't limit your shopping to just "hearts". Any type of pendant, earrings, bracelet or pin carries the same sentiment as a heart - so if you see something you like, buy it!

9. Finally, I'm going to let you in on the biggest secret of all: In a woman's hierarchy of thinking, even fashion jewelry has levels of commitment! ( We can't help it - we attach romance to everything! ) So to help you match your gift with your current level of feelings, here's how it goes:

* Rings - even inexpensive ones, always carry an "unspoken" promise of more to come. If you're not sure there is more to come, don't buy her a ring of any kind.

* Pendants - This is the next level of commitment jewelry - not quite as romantic as a ring, but when you think about the idea that she's wearing it next to her heart. . . well you get the idea!

* Earrings are a great gift because they let her know you are looking at her face! And the great thing about earrings is, if she's already your one and only, she'll take them as a sign of your truest love. If she's not yet yours alone, she'll view earrings as a sign you're really interested - but she still has a ways to go.

* Bracelets are the least "committed" piece of jewelry - yet they are a great way to show her she's important and you like her. Buy your lady a bracelet and she'll know you're interested - and that you have great taste - but you won't be wearing your heart on your sleeve!

* Pins are the gift with the least commitment - a perfect choice for that gal you just met, or one who will probably never be more than just a friend. Also the perfect choice for your Mom, your sister, or as a holiday or birthday gift for a female boss or co-worker.

Victoria Winston is a former fashion model and now the style director of http://www.CountryDutchess.com - an online fashion jewelry, accessory and gift shop.

Birthdays Something Different To Do

Writen by Michael Russell

In this article we're going to go over some things to do for your kid's birthday that might be a little out of the ordinary but certainly fun.

Let's face it, birthdays can get pretty dull after a while. Unless you've got a great imagination they usually become the same thing year after year, a party at home, or maybe the bowling alley or pizza parlor, the usual games of pin the tail on the donkey, and the usual birthday cake and presents, not that there's anything wrong with that stuff. But how about trying something a little off the wall for a change? What follows are a few ideas that just might make that birthday party a little different and certainly memorable.

One idea is to have a multiple location birthday bash. Maybe this will start off with a trip to the miniature golf course for 18 holes of golf. If you have more than 5 kids you're going to have to arrange them in groups of 5 as that is the max for a group at a miniature golf course. One way to determine the groupings is to throw everyone's name into a hat and pick them at random. This will add an element of fun to the event itself.

After a round of golf, then maybe you can head to the bowling alley and roll a couple of games. If you've started this in the early morning by now you should be just about at lunch time. You can either have lunch at the bowling alley or go to yet your third location. Of course the secret to this success is just that, it's a secret, the whole day. The kids won't know what's going to happen next. Think they won't be excited?

After lunch it's time to head to your next location. A great spot is a mall if there is one in your area. This is where you spring the big surprise on them. Of course you can only do this with older kids because younger ones will need to be supervised and this is an unsupervised event. What you do next is have a treasure hunt in the mall. The adults all hide in different parts of the mall and the kids have to find them. The kids who find the most adults before time runs out (you set a time limit) wins a special prize. You can make it a purchase at one of the stores in the mall. Set a dollar amount on this. You don't want the kids going crazy. You can even award second and third prizes too if you like.

Finally, after the mall trip it's back to your house to finish up the party, maybe with some party games and of course that birthday cake. Make it something different though. You could do something like have the bakery make the cake into an unusual shape like a car or truck, or maybe even an airplane. Use your imagination. By the time this day is over it is going to be a birthday that none of the kids will soon forget, especially not the birthday person. Try it sometime. You might be surprised.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Birthdays
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Christmas Television Specials Do They Really Know The True Meaning Of Christmas

Writen by Michael Bresciani

Some sects of the church do not observe Christmas at all. Probably the most well know modern church that refuses to celebrate this holiday is the Jehovah Witnesses. It may surprise many people to learn that most of the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony also banned this holiday. If approached without bias, an honest study of the origins of this holiday might not cancel all your Christmases but you would be certain of one thing, it is a man made mandate and nothing less. The advent is of God but the celebration of it, is of man.

I believe that the birth of Jesus Christ was the most important single event to happen on this old earth since it began. But I can't prove to myself or anyone else that Christmas is a God given mandate. I don't like the middle of the road stance on anything, I have always thought it is a cowards hiding place. I choose not to fight Christmas but to preach the Christ of Christmas. I abhor all that Christmas has become but I also know that it has a momentum that makes the speed of light look pokey. Suffice it to say that all the peripheral Christmas excesses and nonsense notwithstanding, I am glad for a season where at least some people are considering the birth of the Savior.

I don't have an active battle going against Christmas but I cannot help raising at least one question. Where does Hollywood come into the picture? After feeding us sex, violence, crime, witchcraft, debauch and mayhem all year long how do they suddenly qualify for telling us the true meaning of Christmas?

The Christmas specials are like a black hole sucking in every ones attention from November first, to the dropping of the ball on Times Square. The Grinch, Little House on the Prairie, Charlie Brown, The Christmas Shoes, Scrooge and Marley, Robbie the Reindeer, Rudolph the Reindeer, Bambi the Reindeer (whoops), this is some of the specials fare and lest I forget, isn't some network still playing John Denver's Christmas specials?

Sure, some of them are ok and might be moderately entertaining, but the question still begs to be answered, how does Hollywood presume to tell us the true meaning of Christmas. Perhaps I should say, how do they even know the true meaning of Christmas. Do directors and producers take an October sabbatical to holy places, or secret themselves away and study the bible for a few weeks prior to the season? Not likely.

Almost everyone knows the biblical account of the birth of Christ. If you are one of those who somehow missed it just pick up a bible and read the entire second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Remember you will only be reading the beginning of the story. If I were Paul Harvey I would urge you to take a break after which I would advise you to read "the rest of the story." Jesus also lived a sinless life, preached the words of life, gave up his life and now offers you life. The rest of the story is what the full meaning of Christmas actually is. If taking a verse or passage out of context is truly only a pretext, then all of the meaning of Christmas dribble Hollywood serves up is just a pretext, regardless of how quaint or entertaining it may seem. The story of Christ's humble birth is only the beginning and it is not supposed to end with television specials. It must end only with…"the rest of the story."

Let me end with a "meaning of Christmas" thought that was given to me by the late Dr. Eathan Henry of New Orleans, Louisiana, a teacher in The Union Baptist Seminary. He said that "we are prone to think of the fullest meaning of Christmas as being a babe in a manger. Even though this is true, and even though the baby was the Christ child and promised Messiah of the scripture it still leaves something to be desired. When we consider that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself 1Corinthians 5:19 then the picture is significantly altered. It is not just a babe in a manger but it is…God in a baby."

You can't get any closer to the true meaning of Christmas than this, and if should you choose to ponder this wonderful truth let me say to you with all sincerity…Merry Christmas.

Rev Bresciani has written many articles over the past thirty years in such periodicals as Guideposts and Catholic Digest. He is the author of two books available on Amazon.com, Alibris, Barnes and Noble and many other places. Rev Bresciani wrote "Hook Line and Sinker or what has Your Church Been Teaching You," publisher, PublishAmerica of Baltimore MD. He also wrote a book published by Xulon Press entitled "An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ." His book is now being heralded as the clearest book on the subject of the second coming of Christ since Hal Lindsey's "Late Great Planet Earth" Rev Bresciani's website is,

http://americanprophet.org

Color Easter Eggs Naturally With Dyes From Your Kitchen

Writen by Debra Lynn Dadd

The most beautiful dyes for Easter eggs come from foodstuff you probably already have in your kitchen.

I have been delighted with the results of the colors I have tried and my friends have been thrilled to receive them as springtime gifts. The colors are very unusual -- gentle, earthy, soft, and very vibrant, without being harsh like the artificial dyes -- and when I tell people the colors come from plant dyes, they always want to know the origin of each color.

To color these eggs, you boil the eggs with the dyestuff, rather than boiling the eggs separately and they dying them.

Here are the general directions:

1. Put raw, white-shelled, organically-raised eggs in a single layer in a pan. Cover with cold water.

2. Add a little more than a teaspoon of white vinegar.

3. Add the natural dyestuff for the color you want your eggs to be. (The more eggs you are dying at a time, the more dye you will need to use, and the more dye you use, the darker the color will be.)

4. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Quickly check the eggs for color by removing them from the dye liquid with a slotted spoon.

If the color is as desired, pour off the hot dye liquid and rinse the eggs immediately in cold water to stop the eggs from cooking. Continue to change the water until it stays cool in the pot because the eggs are no longer releasing heat. Drain and allow eggs to cool in the refrigerator.

If you wish a deeper color, strain the hot dye liquid into a container, then rinse the eggs immediately in cold water to stop them from cooking. Continue to change the water until it stays cool in the pot because the eggs are no longer releasing heat. Drain the last of the cold water, then cover the eggs with the strained dye liquid. Add more water if necessary so that the eggs are completely covered. Put into the refrigerator immediately and keep eggs in the refrigerator until the desired shade is achieved. Overnight is good. Longer than about twelve hours some of the colors just get muddier instead of deeper, and the lighter shades are more vibrant.

Try these foods to dye your eggs:

Red - Pink -- lots of red onion skins, cranberry juice, or frozen raspberries.

Orange -- Yellow onion skins

Brown -- Red beet skins or grape juice (produces a beautiful sparkling tan), coffee.

Yellow -- Saffron, tumeric or cumin, orange or lemon peels, or celery seed.

Green -- spinach, or carrot tops and peels from Yellow Delicious apples for a yellow-green.

Blue -- Red cabbage leaves make the most incredible robin's-egg blue.

Deep Purple -- Red wine makes a beautiful burgundy color

Tips for successful results:

* Use filtered or distilled water. Chlorine and other chemicals will work against the dye, making it less intense. Buy distilled water or use your own filtered water.

* For deeper colors, use more dyestuff or let the eggs soak longer.

* For even coverage, cook eggs in a pot large enough to hold enough water and dyestuff to completely cover the eggs, even after some of the liquid has evaporated during the 15 minute of boiling.

* Again, for even coverage, if you continue to soak the eggs in the refrigerator after cooking, make sure the eggs are completely covered with the dye liquid.

* Blot the eggs dry or allow them to air dry, as for some colors the dye will rub off while still wet. On the other hand, if you wish to make a white pattern on the egg, you can rub off some of the dye for some colors immediately after cooking.

* Make sure eggs of different colors are completely dry before piling them up in a bowl together, as wet dye from one egg can transfer to another.

Read more about natural dyes for Easter eggs at http://www.debraslist.com/food/aboutcoloringeggs.html.

Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a consumer advocate for products and lifestyle choices that are better for health and the environment since 1982.

Visit her website for 100s of links to 1000s of nontoxic, natural and earthwise products, and to sign up for her free email newsletters.

http://www.dld123.com

Hasslefree Holiday Baking 6 Easy Days To Perfect Christmas Cookies

Writen by Mimi Cummins

Like many people, I love the idea of making a large assortment of Christmas cookies during the holidays, but I find it difficult to find the time to get it done. As a working mother, cookbook author and webmaster of Christmas-Cookies.com ( http://www.christmas-cookies.com ), I am a very busy woman, but baking Christmas cookies every year is a must. Over the past few years, out of frustration and necessity, I have developed a system for organizing my Christmas baking. This system allows me to make a large variety of holiday treats without taking too much time out of my busy schedule. By dividing the tasks up into 6 days, I can spend a couple hours each day getting this done, and on the 7th day, relax and enjoy giving and eating some delicious Christmas cookies. After all, God rested on the 7th day! You don't even have to do this on 6 consecutive days. Most of the steps can be done days and even weeks in advance, giving you a great head start on your holidays.

Day 1

Search your books, recipe cards, and favorite Web sites and decide what recipes to make this year. I usually mix my traditional family recipes with a few new recipes for variety. 6 to 12 different recipes makes a nice assortment, depending on how many people you have to feed and how much time you have to spend baking. Write down the name of each recipe on a piece of paper, as well as the source of the recipe so that you can look it up later, such as the Web site URL or page number in a cookbook. Print out the recipes that you find online, and set aside the books or recipe cards you'll need so that you can access them easily on Day 2. Things you may want to consider when making your selection are:

-difficulty of the recipe if you are a novice cook or will be baking with children,

-cost of special ingredients such as chocolate or nuts, if you are on a budget,

-whether the cookies keep well or can they be frozen, if you'd like to do your baking ahead of time.

Day 2

Consulting your list of recipes, create your shopping list. Calculate roughly how much of each ingredient you'll need in total by adding up cups of butter, number of eggs, and other common ingredients. Include in your list:

-All of the ingredients for the cookies. Check what you have at home for freshness. Nuts and shortening will go rancid after a few months, and baking powder and baking soda lose their effectiveness, so keep this in mind: out with the old, in with the new! Fresh ingredients are the key to good tasting cookies.

-Any baking tools you may need. Consider replacing old worn out tools or adding a new tool to your collection each year.

-Anything you may need for decorating such as food coloring, colored sugars and jimmies, or pastry bags for piping frosting.

-Containers like plastic tubs, cookie tins, or even cardboard boxes to store your cookies in. Make sure you have containers that are large enough to hold a complete batch of each cookie (look at the yield of your recipe if you're not sure). If you plan to parcel them out for gift-giving, make sure you have enough containers for each recipient.

-Organize your shopping list according to store, such as: grocery store, kitchen or home store, cake decorating supply store, etc.

Day 3

Go shopping! Lay out your plan of action so that you go to the grocery store last of all, so that you can take your refrigerated ingredients home as soon as possible. Of course, if you live in a very cold climate, this is not too much of a worry. When you get home, wash your new baking tools and put all the non-perishable ingredients in one place so that you can easily get them out on Day 4. At my house, I have a designated baking cupboard that gives me easy access to everything I need on days I decide to bake. You can do Day 3 weeks before you plan to bake as long as you:

-Freeze your butter or shortening, and

-buy the perishables such as eggs and cream cheese just before you plan to bake.

Day 4

Today you will just make the dough for your cookies, but you will not actually bake them! Most cookie doughs can safely be refrigerated for days or frozen for weeks before you need to make the cookies. The reason for doing it this way is because when making several different kinds of cookies at the same time, it's very efficient to make all your dough at once while you have all your ingredients and baking tools at hand. If you do have a particular recipe that can't be frozen, identify it and plan to make it on Day 5.

Remember to bring refrigerated items like butter, eggs, and cream cheese to room temperature before you start to assemble your recipes. Take them out of the refrigerator at least a couple hours before you plan to bake.

To make this process even easier, I've developed a system for making dough assembly-line style, which you can read more about in my article about the Cookie Assembly Line ( http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/assembly.php ). Wrap each ball of dough in plastic wrap, identify it by writing the name of the recipe on the plastic wrap with a felt-tip marker, and refrigerate it or freeze it. If it is a slice-and-bake refrigerator cookie, form it into a log instead of a ball, according to the directions in your recipe. Make sure to keep your recipes in a handy place so that you don't have to search for them on Day 5.

Day 5

Today is baking day! Check your recipe: if you have to work with dough at room temperature (as recommended for most cookie press cookies) then take your dough out ahead of time and let it warm up to room temperature before you begin forming the cookies. If you have frozen your dough, allow it to thaw in the plastic wrap and only remove the plastic wrap once it has reached the desired temperature. If you remove the plastic while it is still frozen, then condensation will form on the dough and that will add too much moisture.

Start with the recipes that call for the lowest oven temperature and pre-heat your oven to that temperature. Remove dough from the refrigerator, line your baking sheets with parchment paper (no greasing!) and prepare the dough for baking as called for in your recipe. You may have to roll out the dough and cut it with cookie cutters, or fill it with some kind of filling, or place it in a special pan like a mini-muffin pan or a Madeleine mold, or simply slice and bake the rolls you made on Day 4. Once all the cookies that are baked at the lowest temperature are completed, raise your oven temperature to the next highest to bake those cookies, and so on.

Even if you have some of the handy stackable cooling racks, you will surely run out of space to cool several batches of cookies. Placing a double-thickness of aluminum foil on your countertop is a good substitute for a cooling rack when you run out of space. Once your cookies are completely cooled to room temperature, line your containers with waxed paper and place your cookies in the containers one layer at a time, with another sheet of waxed paper in between each layer. Then return the containers to the refrigerator if they will not be eaten for a day or two, or you can leave them out at room temperature until the next day. If they won't be eaten or shipped for several days, you can wrap the entire container in plastic wrap and freeze your cookies for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze them for longer than this if you wrap the cookies in small stacks of 5 or 6 before placing them in their containers. Defrost the cookies at room temperature, leaving them wrapped until they are thoroughly defrosted.

Many of your recipes may be completed at this point if they don't require decorating.

Day 6

Day 6 is decorating day. For many of us, this is the most enjoyable step in the cookie-baking process. Decorating should always be done no more than 2 days before the cookies will be eaten, ideally the day or even the morning before. Now you will make your various frostings and icings, or prepare your melted chocolate for drizzling, or dust with powdered sugar to decorate your cookies as directed. If your cookies are not to be eaten immediately, make sure that the icing or melted chocolate has thoroughly set and hardened—a process that may take several hours—before stacking the cookies back in their containers, again separating the layers with sheets of waxed paper. Cookies that have been frosted with a buttercream-type frosting cannot be stacked. They should be stored in a single layer with a loose covering of plastic wrap.

Day 7

Relax and enjoy your holiday, because your Christmas baking is done!

Copyright 2004 Mimi Cummins. All Rights Reserved.

Mimi Cummins is co-author of the book "Christmas Cookies Are for Giving: Recipes, Stories, and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts." This book, "enthusiastically recommended" by Midwest Book Review, is full of baking tips and hints, including nearly 50 recipes each with a full-color photo. For more information visit http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/ or order from your favorite online bookstore.

http://www.christmas-cookies.com