This Holidays

Writen by Sarah Manners

Have you always dreamt of a white Christmas but thought skiing in Europe was only for investment bankers, movie stars and royalty? Many youth travel specialists offer great skiing package that will allow independent travellers to join the jet set and experience the magic of Christmas in the Austrian Alps.

White Christmas
The 7 night Ski Hopfgarten Xmas package, which departs from London on the 23 December, costs R3 280 per person on a B&B basis. In addition you need to add on your ski pass (R1 350) and equipment hire (from R375). If you are a beginner, then ski or snowboarding lessons are strongly recommended, and these cost from R750. Anybody purchasing a ski package will also receive the following discount options from Snowscape: 10% discount on shop purchases, 15% on clothing hire, first lesson free and 20% on extra lessons booked. Add in your flights to London from R3825 (ex Jhb, student and youth fare excl airport taxes) and you are looking at around R9000 for your most memorable Xmas ever!

On the Slopes
The idyllic Austrian village of Hopfgarten lies at the foot of the Hohe Salve Mountain, which rises to a peak of 1829m. It is everything you'd expect a ski resort in the heart of the Austrian Tyrol to be: traditional fairy-tale wooden chalets cluster around a twin-turreted church, snow-laden fir trees nestle beneath the impressive Austrian Alps.

Youth travel specialists have been taking skiers to Hopfgarten for over 20 years and now with a large investment by the Ski Welt region, Hopfgarten and its neighbouring villages are part of one of the largest network of artificial snow making machines in Europe – ensuring the best possible snow conditions over all 250km of piste.

Hopfgarten is great for all levels of skiers and snowboarders and the friendly and informal atmosphere of the village makes it the perfect destination for young travellers. In addition, if racing down a mountain is not enough to get your adrenaline pumping then you can try some of the optional excursions on offer which include tobogganing, sleigh rides, tandem paragliding or ice skating on a frozen alpine lake. And after an energetic day on the slopes the fun really starts with the town's infamous nightlife offerings.

http://www.statravel.co.za STA Travel is the world's largest travel company catering specifically to the needs of students and young people. STA and Contiki Holidays are offering a 7 night ski package to South African travellers this Christmas.

Writen by Ana Tampanna

Increase the memories and satisfaction and decrease the stress with these ideas!

As the holiday season approaches, my well-organized, super achiever friends have already put into motion the plans for their annual, holiday extravaganza.

All year long, they have purchased gifts at bargain prices. Their favorite family photo is duplicated onto 1000, addressed greeting cards. They can't wait to flip the switch illuminating their house which is permanently wired with twinkle lights and they have a file of menus carefully clipped from last year's Thanksgiving edition of Oprah magazine.

Sometimes I am envious of this achievement, sometimes I hate them for it (not really) and sometimes I even get caught up competing with them. The real freedom comes when I chose to give up the entire holiday tradition completely.

Don't get me wrong, I still celebrate, but differently. Memorable? You betcha!

That's impossible, you argue. Generations of family traditions, thrown out the window? That's right…and I'm challenging you to try it…offer a new tradition this year…steeped in values, simmering with love, and bursting with opportunities to connect with the best part of who we are. It could be the best gift you have ever given yourself, your friends and family.

Here are my tried and true approaches for a life-changing, no stress holiday season:

Volunteer: Sign up to serve Thanksgiving dinner at the local soup kitchen. You will have a profound experience, I promise.

Become a bigger family: Announce at your church or school that you are organizing a potluck Thanksgiving for singles and for families who would like to be part of a bigger group i.e. anyone who wants someone to eat with on Thanksgiving. Encourage people to bring their favorite holiday dish.

You would be amazed at the people who come….divorced parents whose children are visiting "the other parent," single adults, single parent families, and people who can't face the stress of preparing and cleaning up a huge dinner by themselves.

Take a trip: Take a trip at Christmas. Take your family or a special friend and go somewhere you've never been. Explore. Christmas decorations are everywhere… religious services abound. Resorts often have lots of empty condos at Christmas. (It's the week after Christmas that is in big demand.)

Select an area restaurant for a deluxe Christmas Eve dinner remembering that nothing is open on Christmas Day.

Enjoy games, books, and puzzles together.

For children, emphasize the search: Give less expensive gifts and hide them. Leave rhyming clues to maximize the fun.

Entertain foreign guests: Call the local colleges and universities and request foreign students as guests for the holiday. They are such fun and bring fascinating stories about their lives at home and at the school. Sometimes they even contribute a treat from their homeland!

Remember those who work on holidays: Take some cut up veggies and a dip to an office where people work throughout the holiday…such as a fire station, a police station, or a nurses station at the hospital. Usually sweets abound, but nutritious nibbles make for a thoughtful gift.

Wrap little novelties for a nursing home of Alzheimers patients. Sit and visit a while with patients who can still connect. Women love used costume jewelry.

Propose a special family project such as helping the Battered Women's Shelter. You can collect toiletry donations from big hotels or hold a clothing drive.

Honor a favorite relative by giving a goat to a family in Uganda in his or her name. Go to http://catalog.heifer.org.

These are a few ideas to get you going. The hardest part is choosing to do something different. Focus on enjoying your family rather than pleasing them. Simplify your preparation, and give love at a time that carries loneliness and heartbreak for so many. Instead of stress, you will find yourself full of gratitude.

© Ana Tampanna

About The Author
Ana Tampanna, "The Alligator Queen," is author or the "The Womanly Art of Alligator Wrestling." To learn more about her books in addition to her speaking and coaching services, visit her site at http://www.alligatorcoach.com/index.html. NOTE You're welcome to "reprint" this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the "about the author" info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to .

Writen by William Smith

The Easter Egg is a common symbol seen throughout the world as one celebrates the annual spring holiday, Easter. Egg decorating has evolved over the years in different countries, and is as varied as the cultures across the world.

Here is a look at some of the different decorating styles of these Easter gifts:

Russia - Perhaps the most famous decorated eggs of all are known as Faberge Eggs. They are named after the company that created them, and are exquisitely detailed jewelry designed in the shape of eggs. Faberge eggs, which are made from gold and precious stones, were originally created for the Russian Imperial Court.

Poland - The Polish pisankas are created by first dipping an egg in wax, and then carving it. The egg is typically dyed once the carving is finished. The Poles typically exchange the pisanka eggs as gifts between family members on Easter Saturday.

Ukraine - A process similar to Polish pisankas is used to make Ukrainian Easter eggs, known as pysanky. The most common design themes are geometric shapes like squares or diamonds. These eggs are also given as gifts, and it is common for the colors and designs to be tailored to the intended recipient. Receiving a pysanky as an Easter gift is a great honor in the Ukrainian culture, and the egg is often prominently displayed as art in the recipient's home.

Greece - The Greeks commonly dye their eggs solid red. The red color is symbolic of the redeeming blood of Jesus, resurrected on Easter Sunday. One can easily make their own red eggs by boiling eggs in a solution of water, vinegar and red dye or red food coloring.

Germany and Austria - The Germans have two Easter egg traditions which help reflect their diverse history. In parts of Germany and Austria, green eggs are used, but they are exchanged on Maundy Thursday. Others parts of Germany decorate hollow eggs.

British Isles - The British decorate Easter eggs in many different colors and styles. What sets their tradition apart from others, however, is the Easter egg roll. The Easter egg roll is a contest is to see who can roll their egg down a hill and across the finish line without breaking their egg!

United States - Here, many traditions from cultures around the world are celebrated. This reflects the mixed heritage of U.S. citizens. The most famous Easter egg tradition in the United States is the White House Egg Roll that takes place in Washington D.C.. The tradition was originally started by First Lady Dolly Madison in the early 1800s, and has evolved since then. Every year, on Easter Monday, children participate in this symbolic contest on the lawn of the White House, which is overseen by the First Lady.

Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets has a huge selection of Easter Gifts for kids and adults. Featuring Easter Baskets with chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, gourmet food and more. Visit http://www.holiday-gifts-gift-baskets.com/Easter.html today to see our whole gift selection online.

Writen by Ashlee Williams

Hello Everyone,

It's another snowy day and Santa made us shovel early this morning. We normally have Sundays to do what we want, but Santa made us shovel all morning and we had to work on the toys all afternoon because we skipped work yesterday to go sliding! ( You know what happened ~ if not ~read yesterdays diary!)

The little red wagons are almost finished. We had trouble attaching the wheels, as the bolts were a bit small, but Santa found a way to do it. The Senior elf is still cutting out the wooden blocks and the novice elf is trying to paint all the different letters on them. I guess Mrs. Claus felt sorry for all of us as she baked us a delicious white cake with lots of chocolate frosting Yum! Yum!

We had some free time after supper, so we went to the attic looking for some clothes which we could wear for a Halloween costume. Santa knew we were up there and he turned off the lights!! Wow!! Did we scream! It was so scary in the dark and we couldn't see where we were going! Santa was down the stairs ~ laughing! Finally he turned on the lights and we hurried down the stairs to the kitchen. Next time we go to the attic, we'll make sure Santa is snoozing in his chair!

Rudolph and the other reindeer didn't get to do their exercises outside. There was too much snow in the corral. Rudolph is always complaining about his feet being cold ~ he doesn't like the snow on his hoofs. The other reindeer love to play in the snow and chase each other around.

Well, kids that's all for today. BE GOOD BOYS AND GIRLS!!!! SANTA IS WATCHING

Writen by Sean Carter

An elderly man had died in the 1940's. He was old. He had many children. When he died, he left his spirit behind . The spirit is obsessed with the doors of that house where he lived. Every door in the house that is left open is found closed again. The apparition also drags people out of their bed during the night. The people can be found in the hallway.

This is not the only real haunted house in the world. The list is quite long. The big question, however, is - "Should we believe in haunted houses in this scientific era?"

The haunted houses are generally dark houses which lack maintenance. We hardly call a bright colored and well maintained building a "haunted house". Everything that we are afraid of or are not comfortable with get associated with the concept of a haunted house. Our psyche and imagination conceive haunted house as a dark house. The building is not at all impressive. One can hear eerie sounds coming out of the broken windows of the house. Blood stains can be found on the floors.

It is difficult to trace the origin of haunted house. Some are of the opinion that the ghost stories gave birth to the concept of haunted house. But then again, as others say, literature is always a reflection of the contemporary culture. Was haunted house a part of the pagan culture or was just a fictitious entity? It is debatable that who hatched the egg first.

The little girl knocked her neighbor's door. Nobody came out. The girl knocked again. This time the door opened. But the girl could not find the person who opened the door. She entered the house. But nobody has seen her since then. It is believed that the dead woman of the house was very fond of children. Thus, the apparition never allows any child to get out of that house. This same incident would have got a different interpretation if it was explained by a psychologist.

Professor Richard Wiseman, a renowned psychologist has done his research on superstitions and fake psychological phenomena. He is now interested to set up a scientific haunted house to explore the psychological effects of haunting. He is on his way to make the arrangements with eerie lighting, infra sound vibrations or provisions for making the necessary change in the temperature. He wants to record the visitors' responses and wants to prove that haunted feelings are caused actually by the environment and not by the ghosts.

If Richard turns out to be successful in his experiment, then it would turn the concept of haunted house upside down. People try hard to believe that ghosts really do not exist. In spite of this conception why we get sweats on our foreheads while passing by a haunted house? According to the scientists and psychologists, we get afraid because we are not comfortable with the gloomy appearance, dark rooms, strange smell of old houses...All these give us the impression of an eerie atmosphere. We do not want to get controlled by witches and apparitions anymore. It's time to wait for the response of Richard's experiment. Modern research is on it's way to prove that it is our uncomfortable state of minds that create the "Haunted House".

Haunted house forms a very important aspect of Halloween. People love to create the haunted house atmosphere while they celebrate Halloween. This time, it is all about fun and not fear. The psychology can be explained in this light- the moment we come to know that this particular house has been labeled as the "haunted house", we experience a different uncanny mental state even if we do not get any ominous signal from the apparition. Halloween is the time when people want to play with the fear feelings. Haunted house themed wallpapers, screensavers and ecards are growing in popularity. Sites like 123Greetings.com have special halloween section for haunted house themed ecards.

Writen by Ashlee Williams

Hi everyone!

How are you doing? I am feeling a lot better today. Mrs. Claus finally let me go to my ski lesson this morning. Since I missed my lesson yesterday, my ski teacher let me practice for an extra half an hour. I think I am doing pretty good...I only fell down 3 times today!

After my lesson I had to go to work in the toyshop to finish painting the dolls faces. While I was painting the smoke alarm went off so we all had to run outside in the freezing cold without our coats. We could see smoke coming out of the windows. The firemen came with their trucks and everything. Luckily we did not actually have a fire. I guess Chuckie the elf threw smoke bombs around the toyshop to try to scare us into thinking there was a fire. You should of seen how angry Santa was at Chuckie. I don't think I ever saw Santa so mad!

Because the toyshop still smelled of smoke we could not go back to work. So we had to clean the barn instead to get ready for our Reindeer inspection tomorrow. I wish you could see how great the barn looks. We even hung sparkling colored lights all around the Reindeers' stalls. The Reindeer love the lights!

Santa weighed all the Reindeer this afternoon and they are all normal weight except for Cupid. He is still 18 pounds overweight. Poor Cupid diets and exercises with all the other reindeer but cannot seem to lose the weight.

Well I have to go now and help Mrs. Claus finish baking the Gingerbread cookies for the town bakesale on Wednesday. Hopefully, Mrs. Claus will let me eat a few cookies!

See you tomorrow!

Writen by Jane Roseen

November has come, and the Halloween decorations are being packed away. Now comes the big social months of the year. That's right, it's time to plan for the holidays already. But if you prepare now, before the holidays are right upon us, you will save yourself the last minute headache that seems to come every year.

It can seem at times that November is the quiet month before the big December holidays of Christmas and Boxing Day. However, if you take the time to prepare your home throughout November, you'll be able to celebrate both the big December holidays and the smaller November holidays in style. Get your decorations in order now. Begin to make your home look festive and joyful. By the time Thanksgiving comes to the United States on November 24th, and the start of Advent comes to the world on November 27th, you'll be well into the holiday spirit and ready to celebrate with family and friends.

A great way to make a successful transition in decorating between the November fall holidays and the December winter holidays is to choose neutral bases that can be easily accessorized. For example, a blend of various types of greenery at the base of a centerpiece can have the traditional orange and red berries and leaves added to it for your November entertaining. But once they have passed, more traditional December decorations like holly and poinsettias can be added quickly and efficiently.

When it comes to your holiday table, focus on dishes that can be prepared ahead of time and stored. Certain side dishes, pies, cakes, and cookies can be prepared now and frozen or placed in the pantry for holiday dinners and parties. By getting those taken care of ahead of time, you'll help to minimize the feeling of a "chicken with its head chopped off" that seems to be omnipresent during the holidays. Often, you can garnish those items at the last minute with various sweets or sauces and make it look as if you slaved over the stove all day when you really were able to relax with a cup of holiday cheer.

One of the most stressful parts of the holidays, both mentally and monetarily, can be gift-giving. As wonderful of a feeling as it is to give someone a gift you know they'll love, it's equally as frustrating when you have no idea what to get someone. When gift givers seem to have it all, it can seem impossible to find something that they would love that's within your budget. The best idea for the person who has it all is something that they can enjoy and then it's done. That way, they can create a new memory of your gift without having something else to clutter up their home. Some great gifts along this line include a gift card from the local movie theater, a pass to the local museum or zoo, or tickets to an upcoming play or musical. For some people, the best choice would be something edible that you know they'll enjoy. Maybe a mix for their favorite cookies, a box of choice candies, or even a gift certificate for an evening out on the town would tickle their taste buds.

Even more embarrassing is when someone arrives at your doorstep with a beautifully wrapped package for you, and you don't have a matching one for them. But you can avoid this situation by having a stock of gifts that are quite lovely but are not purchased with a specific person in mind. Again, something small but of high-quality in an edible format is often well-appreciated by almost anyone. Beautiful chocolates, high-end cookies and biscotti, and an assortment of flavored teas and coffees are always welcome and in good taste. Have at least a half dozen of these sets purchased, wrapped, and available with a discrete marking coding it so that you know what is in the package. When someone arrives with a gift for you, you can pick up one of these packages as if it were meant from them all along

These next few weeks are a great time for you to get ready for the holiday rush. Order anything you need now while the post systems aren't so overwhelmed that they take longer or force you to spend more for expedited service. Thanksgiving and the beginning of the month of Advent are coming, and then Christmas and Boxing Day will be here before you know it. Prepare now, and be able to truly enjoy the time with your family and friends.

Jane S. Roseen became the sole Owner and President of Harmony Sweets in 2005. Since then she has taken a small, successful online gourmet chocolate shop and made it a name recognized world-wide. Harmony Sweets' original mission focused on individual consumers purchasing gourmet chocolates from around the world for their friends and relatives. Roseen expanded that mission to include corporate gift-giving.

Website: http://www.harmonysweets.com

Writen by Susanne Myers

With the weather being nice and warm outside, why not let the kids help prepare dinner for dad on Father's Day and make it a fun night out by the grill.

During the day, let the kids make decorations like handprints on a paper tablecloth, blow up balloons or make some simple paper lanterns. Then let them help you with dinner preparations. A great Father's Day dinner from the grill includes delicious grilled steaks, pasta salad and Texas toast. Finish it all off with scrumptious brownies a la mode.

Start by making this simple pasta salad. Cook the pasta ahead of time, and then let the kids mix all the salad ingredients together. Chill the pasta salad for several hours before serving.

Pasta Salad

Makes 5 servings

· 1 16-ounce package corkscrew pasta
· 1 cucumber
· 3 carrots
· 1 bunch broccoli
· 1 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans
· 3 tablespoons salad supreme
· 1 16-fluid ounce bottle Italian herb dressing

Cook noodles and combine with everything else.
Now it's time to prepare the marinade for the steaks.

Marinated Steaks

Makes 4 servings

· 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
· 1/4 cup soy sauce
· 3 tablespoons garlic minced
· 2 tablespoons honey
· 2 tablespoons olive oil
· 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
· 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
· 1 teaspoon onion powder
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
· 1 pinch cayenne pepper
· 4 beef steaks - cut of your choice

1. In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, ground black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper.

2. Place steaks in a shallow glass dish with the marinade, and turn to coat. For optimum flavor, rub the liquid into the meat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator overnight or up to two days.

Now it's time to cook those steaks on the grill. Of course Mom or Dad should be taking care of this.

3. Preheat grill for medium-high to high heat.

4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill steaks 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

Texas Toast

What would dinner be without some sort of bread? Dad is sure to love this hearty Texas Toast. Kids can help spread the butter and sprinkle the seasoned salt.

· 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
· 4 slices thick-cut white bread, about 1 inch thick
· 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1. Set oven control to broil.

2. Spread butter on both sides of bread slices. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Place on rack in broiler pan.

3. Broil with tops 4 to 6 inches from heat 2 to 4 minutes, turning once, until lightly toasted. Cut each slice diagonally in half. Serve warm or cool. Dessert

Help the kids mix up a boxed brownie mix and bake them just before you sit down for dinner. Allow the brownies to cool while you eat, then get the kids to make dessert by placing a piece of brownie in a bowl, top it with some vanilla ice cream. Drizzle chocolate syrup over the ice cream and dessert is ready.

There you have it…the perfect Father's Day dinner that Dad is sure to love, especially since the kids were busy making most of it.

Want more family friendly recipes and crafts ideas? Visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info for a sample weekly menu plan your entire family will love and http://www.kinderinfo.com for tons of craft and activity ideas that are sure to keep your little ones entertained.

Writen by Jeremy White

Each and every Christmas season we deck the halls with boughs of holly. We put up and decorate Christmas trees. We sing Christmas carols and make eggnog. We bake Christmas cookies and make peanut butter fudge. We buy, wrap and exchange gifts. We roast chestnuts. We build a snowman and name him Frosty.

And we hang mistletoe, then loiter beneath it hoping for a kiss. But this plant is more than a kissing enticer. In fact, it may well one day spread more Yuletide cheer than any lip-lock can create.

Mistletoe extracts are being studied to evaluate their potential to fight cancer, particularly breast cancer. That may sound surprising, but some of our global ancestors probably wouldn't be that shocked by the news. Norse mythology says mistletoe helped kill the sun god. Celtic Druids, meanwhile, used it as a medicinal herb. During the middle ages, Europeans hung mistletoe above their doors to ward off evil spirits and witches.

So, what exactly is mistletoe and why have various peoples attributed so much power to it?

An evergreen, mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant (a parasite is something that latches onto a "host" and feeds off it). It grows in certain trees, like poplar and apple trees, along with oak, beeches and chestnut. The plant produces waxy white berries and leathery leaves. Birds and butterflies use the plant for nectar.

Mistletoe grows on the trunks of the aforementioned trees, or in their branches. They are considered parasitic because their roots burrow into the trees and sap necessary nutrients. American mistletoe is found in the East, from New Jersey down to Florida. European mistletoe, by contrast, is a shrub that also produces yellow flowers along with the white berries.

It is believed that the Greeks began the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. However, a berry was supposed to be plucked from the plant with each kiss, and the kissing was supposed to discontinue once all the berries were picked. Our modern traditions, of course, ignore this!

Some Europeans make mistletoe tea, which they believe improves blood circulation. Historically, mistletoe has been used in Europe and Asia to treat numerous maladies, ranging from high blood pressure, headaches and arthritis.

In the 1920s, some medical professionals began to express hope that mistletoe could help cure certain forms of cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, extracts of mistletoe have been shown to kill cancer cells in laboratory experiments. These extracts also have stimulated immune system response. However, clinical trials utilizing mistletoe are not prevalent due to mixed results. Therefore, at least at this time, mistletoe injections have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Still, it's a safe bet that research will continue to determine whether mistletoe extracts can find a place in the world's fight against cancer. That's certainly something to think about this December when you hang the mistletoe in the doorway and wait for your loved one to plant that kiss!

Writen by Cheryl Johnson

...by observing you, children learn how to create and they learn craft. These powerful memories imprint a more important message. They come to understand the superiority of the creative tightwad method. - Amy Dacyczyn, a.k.a. The Frugal Zealot

Halloween costumes are so different today. Super heroes, wizards, and cartoon characters rule the trick or treat. It was not too long ago.....ok it was maybe a while ago......when I was a small trick or treater that costumes were much more original.

You were not likely to bump into three or four other characters that looked exactly like you. Oh, you might run into a costume of the same theme, but it would be totally unique by comparison. Of course my mom created our Halloween costumes. You can create unique Halloween costumes and save money by recycling items.

Create your own unique costumes. Remember that Halloween costumes exaggerate to be most effective. So the more accessories, the better. Some easy to make costumes using items around the house, borrowed from friends and/or relatives, or purchased for next to nothing at your local thrift store include:

Halloween Costume Recycling Tip: Any discarded or unwanted work uniform (nursing, military, fireman, policeman) can be used as a Halloween costume.

These are all good halloween costume ideas and I'm sure you get the picture by now. The idea is to use as many items as you have on hand to create these timeless Halloween costumes. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Don't let that little girl cry because you can't find her the purrrrrrrrrrr-fect cat costume. You can create a much nicer one from everyday items and a few craft materials. Chances are it will look more realistic than that store bought costume. As a bonus, many of the costume pieces (i.e. shirts, pants, tights, gloves/mittens) are reusable after Halloween!

A few other Halloween tips:

1. Use spray paints or craft paints. fabric dye, fabric paints and/or pens, to color recycled items to desired color. One year I used silver spray paint to color and entire outfit for my son's tin man costume. We recycled aluminum foil to use in making the hat and the axe. Some silver body glitter on the hands and face put the finishing touches on this costume!

2. Use regular clothing to create an all-over color effect as with the animal costumes.

3. Consider mittens or gloves when you need hand color

4. A gallon ice cream bucket w/handle makes a perfect trick or treat bucket. I save these throughout the year and recycle for hundreds of other uses. Use neon paint or stickers to add bright decorations. This is a good safety technique to make kids more visible while trick or treating

5. Make your own face paint: You will need Corn starch, Water, Cold cream, and Food coloring.

Use several different cups (custard cups, recycled single serve yogurt or Jell-O containers, a foam egg carton) Prepare 1 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon each of cold cream and water. Mix different color food coloring in each cup for desired colors

Make your own cream make up:
2 tsp white shortening
5 tsp corn starch
1 tsp white all purpose flour
glycerin (get at drug store)
Food coloring as desired

To make enough for one child's face - Use a rubber spatula, blend the first three ingredients until a smooth paste forms. Add 3/4 drops glycerin for a creamier consistency. Add coloring if desired one drop at a time blending after each drop until you have the desired shade. For easy removal use shortening, cold cream or baby oil.

Remember your Halloween safety. Here are a few, but certainly not all inclusive, reminders of safe trick or treat rules.

1. Small children should always be accompanied by an adult.
2. Use flashlights, bright costumes or decorations to make trick or treaters more visible.
3. Try to frequent the same limited area each year or limit visits to friends and families.
4. Remind children not to eat candy until they get home and have moms and dads check and approve.
5. A safe costume should not block or restrict a child's vision or interfere with mobility. Make sure costumes are of a safe length so as not to trip the child.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Cheryl Johnson is a mother of four helping herself and others become and remain debt free. Publisher of Simple Debt Free Living at http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com - a self-help plan, ideas, and resources for a simple proven debt elimination strategy, household budget planning, frugal living, and practical home business ideas. Money saving tips for monthly bills, home decorating, gifts, holidays, weddings, groceries, clothing and much more save money every day.

Writen by David Ben-Ariel

Who started that BIG LIE? Undoubtedly those with something to sell, the modern moneychangers! Look at the folks about you rushing like sheep to the slaughter, to the "sales" and such that they simply cannot afford.

Going into debt certainly isn't biblical, so why not break free from the trance? The "Christmas" rush is a "drug" pushed by commercial pimps prostituting a supposedly Christian holiday for their ungodly profits! They hold hands around the cash register and sing, "What a friend we have in Jesus."

The whole idea of giving gifts has gotten out of hand. First: it's not Jesus' birthday. Second: the wise men didn't exchange gifts amongst each other but gave their gifts fit for a King to the King of the Jews (two years old and living in a house at that time - which is why Herod slaughtered the children two years and under trying to abort the Messiah's ascension to David's Throne).

If Christmas is supposed to be about Christ (and some sincerely believe it is, still in denial that it's a pagan holiday God wants no part of), why let Santa steal the show? Why do folks pretend they care that Jesus was born when they deny His life the rest of the year? Why do folks get angry when you mention these facts and they're not even religious? The herd doesn't want their trance broken, so they'll go broke keeping alive pagan festivals and foolishness that will be the death of many.

"Harmless" Christmas celebrations, abominations to God and rejected by Christ, are setting the stage for our worst nightmare: our family and friends are going to be shipped off like cattle, since our countries are prophesied to suffer national defeat and deportation due to such idolatrous ideas and tinsel traditions. WAKE UP: Christmas is an ABOMINATION.

David Ben-Ariel, a Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, shares a special focus on the Middle East, reflected in hard-hitting articles that help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out Beyond Babylon.

Writen by Sandy Baker

Do you feel forgetful? Many people become so wrapped up in everything that they have to do that the simplest of things can be forgotten. It really doesn't' matter if you can not remember why you walked from one room to the next, but it does matter when you forget a special occasion and end up hurting someone's feelings. Yet, it is not like you can slow your life down to remember everything that there is to know. What's worse is that you just do not have the time it takes to write down what it is that you have to remember either!

Moving on, then, the question is, how can you remember the important stuff so that no one else gets hurt? By using tools to help you, you can increase your likelihood to get the things you need to done. As simple as dropping a card in the mail box, you can have your mobile phone set up to send out an e card to a friend for their birthday, for example. You can store important reminders in there too. It helps to know that there are some ways in which you can really benefit from technology, isn't' it?

There are some excellent services out there that can provide you with these heart break relieving solutions. You will likely find that many people are struggling to find ways to keep themselves organized but realizing that you can do it through your phone is like realizing that you saved money on that phone bill this month!

Can you slow down life? Probably not. You may be able to organize it well enough through to allow you to better it at least for others that are in your life. You may, just may, find that getting an instant message with your mom's name, birthday reminder and phone number on your phone will be the difference between getting a warm loving smile and getting the frying pan knocked into your head. It pays to remember and when you can do it so easily, you may not ever have an excuse not to remember again!

Sandy Baker is a well respected writer and recommends visiting free birthday cards, where you can send free greeting cards to friends and family on their birthdays, via your mobile phone.

Writen by Alexandra Warner

The rush is on! Valentine's Day is less than a month away, and I have a bet with some of my friends as to just which one of us will come up with the most creative gift for their significant other on the big day.

Here are are few great gift ideas for those of you who might need a nudge in the right direction:

For her:

1. Spa Package - give her a day of pampering. A pedicure, manicure, facial, etc. goes a long way after a long day.

2. Cookie Bouquet - For the lady with a sweet tooth. Always a big surprise!

3. Dinner - Any dude can take his favorite girl to a restaurant for dinner. But you're different! Make dinner for her...you know, candles, flowers, soft music, great conversation. Throw in something special, and make her favorite dish, or make something that you both absolutely adore. I don't know a woman who would be unhappy with that.

4. Cosy Pajamas or Lingerie - Works great for both of you.

5. Chocolate covered strawberries giftbox - Chocolate and strawberries all wrapped up in a gorgeous giftbox. Need I say more?

6. Make a CD of love songs - I know, I know...sounds cheesy, but it really is very sweet. Choose carefully, some combinations of songs have a tendency to come off as being way too drippy.

7. Diamonds are always a safe bet, and you can get them to fit into any budget.

8. Let's not forget the roses. Every woman I know loves to receive a bouquet of her favorite flowers on this day.

For Him:

Men don't tend to look forward to this day as much as we girls do, but here are a few suggestions for your gift to him.

1. Make him a special dinner. After all, they say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and what better time to test that theory? But Valentine's isn't the night to try out something new. Make his favorite dish, you can't go wrong with that.

2. Candles, and a romantic CD. Who doesn't like candles these days? Aromatherapy candles work wonders after a long day. Try not too to go too syrupy with the music though. Most men totally turn off to those drippy love tunes.

3. Romantic Lingerie. Okay, so it's a gift for you, but why not give it to him and kill two birds with one stone?

Have a wonderful, romantic Valentine's Day everyone!

Alexandra :)

Copyright 2006 Alexandra Warner All Rights Reserved

Alexandra Warner has been addicted to fashion for about as long as she can remember, at least since the age of about five or six. She posts her favorite deals on a weekly basis. New designers, not-so-new designers, wicked threads, gawk-worthy pieces, inspirational tidbits, and some great deals, all found at http://thefashionmap.blogspot.com.

Writen by Gail Leino

Most people think of piñatas as just a fun activity for parties, but the history of the piñata reveals many interesting facts that go beyond the playing of a game, but piñatas certainly can be fun. Many people believe piñatas are Spanish, Mexican, or Latino in origin, but they probably actually originated in China. It is believed that Marco Polo discovered the Chinese making figures of cows, oxen or buffaloes, covered with colored paper, and adorned with harnesses, and trappings in special colors to greet the New Year. When the mandarins hit the figure with sticks of various colors, seeds spilled forth, and were burned. People then gathered the ashes for good luck throughout the year.

In modern times, piñatas are made in all shapes and sizes. They are common at all types of parties, from children's birthday parties, to Cinco de Mayo. They can be made to fit practically any theme, and filled with whatever you wish, from party favors like candies, pens, pencils, stickers, balloons, or whatever items you choose.

Piñatas are also easy to make and can be great as a party activity that guests cannot only make, but take home as their own party favor. It is important that this activity be one of the very first, so the piñatas can dry, before the party is over.

First make a finger paint recipe, which can be doubled or tripled, if necessary.
1/4 Cup cornstarch
2 Cups water
Food coloring

Mix the cornstarch and water in a sauce pan, and cook until thick. Allow it to cool, and add lots of food coloring, to make the paint bright and vivid.

Blow up a good sized balloon, and tie it off securely with a string or ribbon. Tape the ribbon to the table, but leave enough play, so it is easy to move the balloon and cover all sides.

Because finger paints can get messy, a wide, open space away from furniture, walls, or carpeting is best. Put an old, adult long-sleeved button-down shirt on each child, backwards to use as a paint smock. Be sure to cover the area they're painting on with plenty of newspapers or a drop cloth.

Let each child dip paper (butcher paper, or white paper works best, but you can use newspaper, paper bags, or gift wrap too) into the finger paint, and stick it to the balloons in layers, but be sure to leave an opening large enough to put in some goodies. Then take the strings, and tie the balloons to a clothesline, so they can dry. When they are dry, carefully push a pin into the balloon to pop it, add party favors, and stick a final piece of paper over the hole. These piñatas can be taken home as party favors!

Writen by Stephanie Gallagher

Is your Christmas list starting to look like a telephone book? It's time to consider making your own gifts. Here are several easy ideas for wonderful homemade Christmas gifts.

Writen by Anne Harvester

It can be difficult to find the right gift for anyone. This is especially true if you don't know them all that well. While most people appreciate the positive intention inherent in gift giving, a poorly chosen gift can leave a sour taste in ones mouth. This is why personalized gift giving is becoming very popular. Personalized gifts accentuate the most important reason behind gift giving - because you know the person. The other impetuses for gift giving, that you want to offer thanks, good wishes and make them feel good are all dramatically increased by giving personalized gifts.

There are several ways to personalize a gift each of which makes sense for particular gift giving situations. Several gift providers offer custom photo printing on variety of products from coffee mugs to shirts and more. Putting someone's picture on a daily use or novelty item along with a message of thanks, friendship or love (depending on the nature of the relationship) helps to transform what would otherwise be a not-very-interesting-gift into something that will make the recipient think of you fondly.

There are several online and brick and mortar stores that offer good deals on professionally produced personalized gifts. One excellent way to find stores offering such products is search online using Google, Yahoo!, or MSN. By simply searching phrases like "personalized gifts" you can find a plethora of offerings to meet your needs. If you have a specific idea you can try something like "personalized coffee mug" or "personalized beach towel" to help narrow your search results.

If you are more comfortable using a local supplier you can try looking at local search results as well. Google offers an excellent local search tool known as Google Local that allows you to search for local merchants. This tool is associated with Google Maps as well so you can get directions to their location at the same time, as well as contact information.

Personalized gifts can also be a great idea for giving gifts to children. There are companies specializing in personalized children's gifts such as personalized rocking chairs or piggy banks. Giving personalized gifts to children is a way to show the parents of the children that you've taken the extra time, effort and expense to create a gift specifically for their child, scoring you major points.

Through personalizing a gift with special themes, their name and/or pictures you connect the gift to the recipient much more strongly, insinuating a stronger bond and imbuing the gift with more meaning. Personalized gift giving gets a much stronger response than ordinary gifts, especially if it's someone who you don't know as well.

Writen by Dr Nancy Kalish

How to cure the holiday blues...

If you are feeling sorry for yourself because everyone has a significant other and you don't, or because they have family events scheduled and you don't, here's a plan to perk you up: pick up the telephone and call some old high school friends, just to say hello. They will be thrilled that you thought of them during the holidays and you will feel appreciated and connected.

How to use the holidays as an excuse to contact a lost love...

Have you always thought about contacting a "special someone," but were afraid to? Send a simple holiday card, and write inside "Thinking of you this holiday season and wondering how you are doing. I'd enjoy hearing from you if you get a moment." Include your contact information. If your old flame calls or sends an email, there you go! If you get no response, it was only a generic card so you won't feel foolish about the contact. And your lost love may surprise you and write later.

How to greet guests you haven't seen in a long time...

Break the ice before you get together. Send a cute card: "Looking forward to seeing you again!" That will make them feel special, so by the time they arrive, it will feel like you were together just yesterday.

How to heal an old rift...

Is there someone you were once close to (a former friend, ex-spouse, coworker, estranged relative)? The holidays are a great time to heal old hurts. Send some home-baked cookies, or a small box of candy, with a simply note that says, "It's been a long time. Let's put the past behind us. Happy holidays."

Nancy Kalish, Ph.D. is a psychology professor at California State University, Sacramento, where she teaches courses on lifespan development. In addition to her popular book, Lost & Found Lovers, Dr. Kalish has had numerous articles published in newspapers and journals. She also does consultations (but not therapy) by phone for people with lost love issues. Dr. Kalish is the international expert on rekindled romances, lost loves, and first love. She has discussed her findings on lost love on Oprah, 20/20, NPR, CNN, Montel, Maury, and Dear Abby devoted two columns to Dr. Kalish's research. Modern Maturity/AARP, Redbook The Chicago Tribune, Parade, Associated Press, The New York Times, and USA Today are among the print media that have published articles on her work. She maintains an active website at http://www.LostLovers.com.

Writen by Iouri Kroukov

Jewelry is a favorite gift idea to give or receive. Whether the jewelry is costume or the finest gold and diamonds, everyone loves a little bling-bling. This is a gift that almost any woman and many, many men can enjoy.

Gifts of jewelry can range in price from a few dollars into the hundreds of thousands of dollars or even more. Those who are fortunate enough to be able to purchase anything they desire can spend millions of dollars on jewelry. For most people, however, a gift budget constrains exactly what jewelry can be given.

The exact jewelry selected depends largely on the recipient and their relationship to the giver. The jewelry a man gives to his wife is much different than the jewelry a teen age girl gives to another young lady who is also in high school. Not only will the prices probably differ drastically, but how personal a gift is appropriate will also differ.

A man should have no problem coming up with a gift idea of jewelry for his wife. Most women love anything with diamonds. Whether the diamonds are large or small, many or few, the very idea of receiving "a girl's best friend" is thrilling. Of course, the larger the better but most husbands must stay within a gift budget. Frequently, a husband will chose a ring, earrings or a necklace for his beloved wife. A tennis bracelet is another jewelry gift that can be quite affordable since the stone

A teen may give a girl with whom she is friends costume jewelry such as earrings, bracelets, anklets, a necklace or even a small ring. Scatter pins and brooches for dressing up outfits are also a nice gift idea.

A wonderful gift for a mother is a mother's ring. This ring contains a birthstone from each of the mother's children, creating a unique ring all her own. Another popular mother's gift is a mother's necklace which has a birthstone embellished charm in the shape of a girl or boy for each child. Mothers also love necklaces, earrings, bracelets, pins and broaches. In fact, mothers love almost anything one of her children gives her in the line of jewelry!

Fathers, husbands and boyfriends can enjoy nice gifts of jewelry as well. Some men simply do not like and refuse to wear jewelry, but other men really love the shine and sparkle of a little bling. Bracelets and neck chains are the most frequently given men's jewelry gifts. Watches are considered to fall into this area as well.

You can find a jewelry gift for just about anyone you might need to purchase a gift for. Even babies can receive the gift of jewelry. Little girl babies are often given a bracelet or necklace by a family member. Baby rings are another great gift idea for the littlest ones on your list.

Iouri Kroukov is an owner of My Gift Idea gift shop with gift ideas for men, gift ideas for women and more!

Writen by Jack Igan

The Halloween Bat. Did you know that...

At this time of year you can expect to find the Halloween bat all over town. They are

everywhere. You can see them in almost every window, pasted on doors, and very often even

hanging from porches. As familiar as they are, there are some important and interesting

facts that you probably did not know about them.

* First off, bats are the only mammals that have the ability to fly. * There are over one thousand different species of bats.

The most frequently occurring Halloween bat we have is the blood sucking Vampire bat. The

vampire drinks blood. How spooky is that. And, how appropriate for a Halloween bat. But the

truth of the matter is that this bat suffers greatly from an undeserved bad reputation.

Here are some facts that may change your mind about this fellow, the Vampire bat.

* To begin with, the Vampire bat is pretty small. He is the size of a small mouse. * Vampire bats very seldom bite humans. This is an extremely infrequent occurrence. * Vampire bats do not normally kill their prey by biting them. Actually, they feed on small

amounts of blood they suck from other resting mammals and birds. They do this by making a

shallow cut with their specialized incisor teeth. * Finally, the Halloween bat does never morphs itself into the more familiar blood-sucking

vampire.

Now that you know all abut the Halloween Vampire bat, you can go trick or treating with the

firm knowledge that some flying devil will not come screeching out of the night sky to suck

you dry of your blood. Boo!

Bats in general are really extraordinary, tiny animals. Here are a few more things you

should know to perk up the conversation at your next blood-vomit punch party. Share the

knowledge!

* Bats have a thumb and four fingers on each hand. These fingers are the bones or 'struts'

they use to spread their thin, skin membranes into flying wings. As they stretch their

fingers the skin unfolds into wings. * A bat's fingers are especially long. If a human being had fingers that were as long as a

bat's, comparatively, their fingers would be dragging on the ground. Sort of a permanent

manicure. * Bats are not blind as most people think. The truth is they can see just as well as a human

being. * Not all bats have radar. Actually, none of them do. But, some bats use echolocation, a

sonar like system used by dolphins, bats, and other animals to detect and locate objects. They send out an unsually high-pitched 'squeak', just like sonar. The squeak reflects off

an object and returns to the animal's ears or other sensory receptors. This is how they

find their prey but, again, while most bat species can do this not all have this ability.

The Halowen bat is as familiar as Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. It's no wonder why

weenjoy the treats and innocent pranks of Halloween so much. Here are some great websites

you can visit to help you get the most out of your holiday for yourself and your children.

First, the freebies: http://www.free-halloween-stuff.vati.com - Free Halloween

Stuff. This second website has a nifty Halloween bat-pack that chases your computer

mouse around the screen - http://www.hypergurl.com/games/halloweenbats.html . The last is a

wonderful website to share with your children -

http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/bats/index.htm.

Writen by Gail Leino

Groundhog day, February 2nd, has a long history of folklore on which the practice of listening to the animals to protect the changes in weather has been based. For centuries, it has been said that animals contain a certain intuition that better prepares them to identify changes in weather and natural occurrences. As early as the fifth century, the Celts believed that animals contained supernatural powers that enabled them to predict future weather behavior. These supernatural powers were only active on the special day that marked the half-way point between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. It was important to be able to predict whether or not the spring season was likely to come early in order to best predict the proper sowing time for the crops in the fields. After all, if the seeds were planted too early, and more winter weather followed, the crop production would be very poor.

In German folklore, it was said that if the badger came out of his winter den too early, he would be frightened by his shadow and retreat back inside for four to six additional weeks. In France and Britain, the bear was the animal believed to have the ability to gauge the end of winter. As German and British immigrants came over to America, it is likely that they replaced the badger and the bears with the groundhog because groundhogs were more plentiful in the new country.

Christians have historically referred to the holiday as Candlemas. Candlemas Day marks a festival that celebrates the presentation of Christ in the Temple. Before celebrating the Christian holiday of Candlemas, a pagan ceremony celebrating the longer days and the fertility of the fields was often held via candlelight. Instead of using a groundhog as in Groundhog Day, the Christians recited a British rhyme to predict the weather changes: If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight; But if it be dark with clouds and rain, Winter is gone, and will not come again.

Both techniques, the groundhog and the Candelmas rhyme ultimately result in the same result: if it is too sunny on February 2nd, there is another four to six weeks of winter to come. However, there is something about waiting for Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog in Pennsylvania to come out of his burrow that makes Groundhog Day a unique celebration of the upcoming spring.

Writen by Gail Leino

Holidays (such as St. Patrick's day) are always a good excuse to have a party. With a holiday like St. Patrick's Day, it is always fun to stick to a traditional theme of green. Incorporate other festive ideas like shamrock shaped invitations. These could be bought from any party supply store. Green balloons, crepe paper and wall hangings can also be used for more elaborate parties.

Food can serve as a great focal point of the celebration. A couple of drops of food coloring can turn many of your favorite foods into a colorful surprise. If your party is going to be for brunch, an old favorite of green eggs and ham maybe just what you are looking for. If you want to go a little fancier, simply add food coloring to a quiche. If the food coloring idea is a little too much, use things like spinach or asparagus to add a touch of color in a quiche.

If you are hosting the gathering later in the evening you may want to have a selection of green drinks to serve. A touch of food coloring can turn beer into a holiday treat and fruity mixed drinks can be turned green as well. Snacks like a spread of green dips would be easily served with vegetables, crackers, chips and so on.

A fun little game might be for whoever greets guests at the door to check if they are wearing green. If not give a little pinch and then as a party favor give them a green pin. It's a fun little joke and gives everyone something to talk about.

If you are entertaining a younger crowd you may want to choose a game like pin the pot-of-gold on the rainbow. Take a stuffed leprechaun and hide him around the house and play a game of hide and seek. Whatever direction you take your party planning takes, just have fun with it. The traditional green theme will delight holiday fun seekers.

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. The Party Supplies Hut has St. Patricks Day Party Supplies, ideas, pinatas, games, costumes, decorations, and activities.

Writen by Sharon White

The word "holyday" comes from the words "holy day". In present day Britain beside religious festivals (such as Easter, Christmas, Whitsun) there are many other holidays that have nothing to do with religion. There are festivals honoring important historical events of reflecting certain traditions of the country. Official public holidays in Britain are called bank holidays because all banks are closed as well as most factories, offices and shops. All the bank holidays (except New Years' Day, Christmas and Boxing Day) are movable. They don't fall on the same date each year. At present the following days are bank holidays in Great Britain: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring bank holiday (the last Monday in May), Summer bank holiday often known as the August Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Christmas

For most British families the Christmas period is the only time when all the members of the family gather together. This day people feel the importance of the family, and most young people, living apart from their parents, still spend Christmas with the family. The holiday is celebrated on the 25th of December. Although Christmas – celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ – is a religious festival, for most British people this holiday means traditional Christmas dinner of turkey, Christmas pudding and mince pies; exchanging presents and watching special Christmas programmes on TV. Decorating a house with evergreens at Christmas is very old custom. Traditionally mistletoe is hung from the ceiling for people to kiss under. Holly is another well known Christmas decoration. There's a legend that Christ wore a crown of holly thorns before his death. A traditional feature of Christmas is the Christmas tree. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularized this German tradition in Britain. Now most families buy a small fir-tree to decorate and put it in their homes at Christmas.

Boxing Day

This day is celebrated on the 26th of December- on the day following Christmas. It was formerly the custom to give "Christmas boxes", or gifts of money, to servants and tradesmen on this day. Today many people still give an annual Christmas gift to regular callers such as dustmen and paperboys. This is also a day for visiting friends and relatives and giving them presets.

Easter

It is the most important Christian festival with its central day Sunday (Easter day) falling between 22 March and 25 April. Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Many British people who never usually go to church attend a service on Easter morning. For non-religious British people Easter is an occasion for the exchange of Easter eggs. The egg may that of a hen with a painted or decorated shell, or made of chocolate. Easter eggs symbolize the birth of a new life and the coming spring. The day after Easter Day, Easter Monday is also a public holiday.

Halloween

Halloween is celebrated on October r, 31. It was originally a pagan festival of remembrance for the end of the old year and of communion with the dead (it falls on All Soul's Eve). Some people in Britain feel uneasy about Halloween. It is celebrated principally by children who enjoy the frightening atmosphere created by make-up, masks and costumes on the theme of ghosts, witches and skeletons.

In the 1990s many schools banned the Halloween celebration, because of the pressure from parents who believed the festival was connected with black magic and because it encouraged children to go out at night unsupervised.

Guy Fawkes' Night

On the night of November 5th, people usually gather for lighting bonfires and burning crude model of Guy Fawkes. Guy Fawkes (1570-1606) was one of the Roman Catholic conspirators and under torture revealed the names of the other conspirators. The model is made of old clothes with straw, paper, leaves etc., and burned on top of a bonfire on Guy Fawkes' Night. The occasion is usually accompanied by a supper or a barbeque in gardens.

Poppy Day

Poppy day is celebrated on Sunday nearest to the 11ht of November and also known as Remembrance Sunday. This day people wear an artificial poppy in memory of those who fell in the two world wars. In the First World War many British soldiers were killed in battle in the wheat fields of Flanders which had poppies growing on them. So poppies symbolize the soldiers who were killed at wars. Poppies are made by ex-servicemen and are sold by representatives of the Royal British Legion. All over the country ceremonies are held to remember those who died fighting for their country.

Writen by Gail Leino

It's a time of good cheer for one and all, but if you have a large family Christmas can be quite expensive. You can try to get everyone a small gift for Christmas, but with prices these days you may still end up with a large bill. Try introducing the Secret Santa game to your family and at the party everyone can give one bigger gift to the person they picked. Or you can make up the Santa Grab bag. Where everyone buys one gift and puts it into a common bag for people to remove gifts at random. Though this can lead to an excessive number of gift cards in the grab bag. You may wish to reserve the grab bag game as a way of giving little gifts such as are found in the Christmas stocking.

Set up a crafts table for the children to stay entertained while adults sit around talking after Christmas dinner. Some simple craft ideas are making a construction paper Santa or kids can make up pine cone bird feeders as a special Christmas gift for the wildlife. You'd need pine cones, peanut butter and birdseed, coat the pine cone in peanut butter and roll it in the birdseed until it's entirely coated. These can be set up in trees or before coating them in peanut butter you can tie a string around the ends of them to hang on a branch or hook.

Sometimes the effort of the traditional Christmas dinner can be too much. To stay out of the kitchen and in with the party ask people to each bring something for dinner. You can call it "Potluck Christmas" and guests can bring things like That way you only need to worry about the main entrée and guests can make sure they bring something they like. So get planning and give, eat and be merry this Christmas.

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. Christmas Fun has free party games, ideas, activities, word find, menus, recipes etc. to help complete your event.

Writen by Linda LaPointe

Selecting the right gift for a special someone is sometimes joyous, sometimes a chore. Give a gift that's free. A gift that no one else could give. A gift of your legacy!

Consider giving to or requesting a very personal, one-of-a-kind gift this year: heirloom stories. A perfect gift for an adult child who has everything. A perfect gift to request from aging parents who don't know what to give.

A daughter knew that the quilt protected in her mother's cedar chest was her great grandmother's. But until her mother recorded the story of the quilt she did not know how dear it really was. The quilt was a wedding present received the day before her newly married great grandparents climbed onto a covered wagon in Pennsylvania to begin their journey westward to Colorado and a new life. Protected and hand carried across the U.S. the quilt bumped for a thousand miles along the Santa Fe Trail with a wagon train. That quilt is now much more cherished.

People forget that they live in their homes with history all around them. Old tools, equipment and machinery have a history all their own. A woman's gloves, hat or shoes describe an era never to be seen again. Most of the stories go untold, leaving generations without the knowledge of an item's uniqueness, history or sentimental value. History lessons and family stories can be integrated, enjoyed & remembered by any age recipient.

Personal belongings and family heirlooms have so much to say. Have yours told their stories yet? They will be welcome and engaging gifts. Here are some ideas to help you tell those heirloom stories:

• Tell them to someone who will act as your scribe.

• Write them down in longhand or on a typewriter or computer.

• Record them on a tape recorder in your own voice.

• Have someone videotape you while you hold an item and tell its story or demonstrate its use.

Even a person with Alzheimer's Disease can often share the stories that others may think are lost. If she can still speak, put an item in her hand, and it may remind her of events or uses, people or places. Ask her questions, and you may get more history than you expected.

Start now to preserve those stories, histories and ways. Give or request a loving legacy for any season or occasion.

About The Author

Linda LaPointe, MRA is an ElderLife Matters coach and author of several products to assist families experiencing aging including the pamphlet, Don't Be a Burden: 100 Tips. Get free articles and information at www.SOSpueblo.com.

sospueblo@yahoo.com

Writen by Iouri Kroukov

It's true that fewer and fewer people are smoking cigarettes these days but a Zippo lighter is still a great gift idea. We all know that quitting, or better yet, never starting is better for a person's health than smoking. But those that still choose to smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipes would love a Zippo lighter as a gift! In fact, many people who do not smoke and never have smoked love to collect these fine quality cigarette lighters.

Since 1932, Zippo lighters have been renowned and highly revered as the finest lighters available. They are the only lighters that have a lifetime warranty. No matter how long after purchase, should you experience problems with a Zippo lighter, you can simply return it for service or replacement. By choosing these fine lighters as gifts for those special people that love them, you will be giving a gift built to last a lifetime. This lifetime warranty is one of the keys to Zippo's success. These are not lighters that are used; they break and then are thrown away. They truly can be with the recipient for life.

Some Zippo products are even wind-proof. When Zippo makes a wind-proof product, they are serious about it working even in the highest winds. Because of this fact, sailors, sportsmen of all kinds, people who work outdoors, convertible car drivers, motorcyclist and anyone who uses a lighter outdoors seeks out these products. This style makes them a great gift idea.

Zippo collectors, however, just love anything Zippo. They collect the wide range of pocket lighters from Zippo as well as the table models. Whether wind-proof or not, new or old, a Zippo collector is always happy to add another lighter to the collection.

Zippo products can be custom engraved if desired. Depending on the case, you can choose initials, names or even longer text. The smallest Zippos lend themselves best to initials only while the larger models are great for adding more text. Making it a great personalized gift idea.

Zippos have been made in so many designs. Zippo even creates lighters commemorating space launches and gives one of these to each astronaut returning from space. Advertisers have long used Zippo products to "brand" their merchandise. There is a sports series for sports fans also.

Older Zippos can be found in antique shops, flea markets, online sources and at yard sales. An old Zippo makes a great gift. But if you don't have time or inclination to search for an older lighter, purchase one of the newest models as a gift idea that will still be much appreciated by the Zippo collector.

Iouri Kroukov is an owner of My Gift Idea gift shop with gift ideas for men, gift ideas for women and more!

Writen by Ashlee Williams

Hi everyone!

How are you doing. I am not feeling too well today. I have been coughing all day long. Mrs. Claus would not even let me go to my skiing lesson this morning. I told her I was well enough to ski but she still would not let me go.

Since I have a cold I was not allowed to work in the toyshop today. I guess Santa was afraid everyone else would catch my cold. So I sat by the fireplace scanning Santa's letters into the computer. I still cannot believe how many letters Santa receives. I hope he has enough toys for everyone.

While I was working on Santa's letters I must of fallen asleep. Because when I woke up Mrs. Claus was ringing the bell for supper. At supper Mrs. Claus told me I was asleep for almost 3 hours. I cannot believe that I slept for so long. Santa says the cough medicine I took at lunchtime probably made me sleepy.

Santa says we are going to be really busy for the next few days because we have to get the reindeer ready for their inspections. The Reindeer inspector is going to visit us on Tuesday.

I bet you did not know that Santa has to get a special license from the Reindeer Board of Health to deliver presents on Christmas eve? A Reindeer inspector has to visit us every year to make sure the reindeer are healthy and that the sleigh is safe.

We almost did not pass inspection last year because Rudolph was playing one of his jokes. Rudolph had all the reindeer put heavy weights on their hoofs. So when the inspector weighed them they were all overweight. At first the inspector would not give Santa his license because the reindeer were too fat. Then the Reindeer started laughing and took the weights off their hoofs. It was so funny that everyone started laughing; even the crabby inspector.

Well I better be saying goodnight. It is almost snacktime. Since I am sick, Mrs. Claus let me choose our snack tonight. So we are having peanut butter on Ritz crackers and chocolate milk (yum!).

See you tomorrow!

Writen by Gail Leino

When you think about Mardi Gras, you don't think about some of the traditions that are a part of the celebration like Mardi Gras beads. In fact, how many people even know the symbolism behind the beads? It takes some research for most people to understand why certain things are done and why they are traditional parts of the Mardi Gras celebration.

For over a century it has been a tradition for those in the parade to throw out beads or other trinkets to any spectator shouting the phrase, "Throw me something, mister." It may seem like a small symbolism to be sure, but the tradition has endured for over a century, and will likely endure for another one. Sometimes it is not beads but trinkets or doubloons, which are coins in the size of a silver dollar. The beads are actually plastic necklaces in different colors, shapes, and sizes that represent jewelry royalty would wear.

In addition to beads and doubloons, cups are sometimes tossed to the spectator yelling the famous phrase. The cups bear the Krewes emblem as well as the theme for that year's celebration. Don't think that you cannot have your own celebration because you're not having a parade in order to follow the tradition. You can have a mini-parade or you can have a drawing or play a game with the winner becoming the recipient of the beads, doubloon, or cup.

If you don't know where to find what you need for your own Mardi Gras party, your local party store should be able to direct you. If you don't have a party store in your area or one that carries Mardi Gras supplies, an online search will provide websites where you can find all of the supplies you need for your Mardi Gras celebration.

Writen by Cynthia VanLandingham

Be sure to make time this holiday season to celebrate the accomplishments your child taking piano lessons has made over the past year. Take time to listen to them as they play before family and friends and in their holiday recitals. This is also a great time to take some special photographs of your child at the piano. Collect photos of previous years and arrange them in a holiday piano memory book as a unique Christmas gift for your child. Be sure to leave plenty of room to add future photographs so your piano student can continue to celebrate their piano journey as they grow.

Here are some things you can include in your child's Christmas at the Piano Memory Book.

1. Holiday Recital Photos.

2. Photos of special holiday celebrations at the piano with family and friends.

3. A list of your child's favorite holiday songs they have learned to play each year.

4. A page where your piano student can write personal notes about particular challenges they overcame learning their holiday music.

5. A page for your child write a few words about all they have learned in piano compared to what they were able to play the previous year.

6. And a place to write down their piano goals for the coming New Year.

Each year your child can look back at their special Christmas at the Piano Memory Book & Journal and look forward to adding new memories. This is an important activity as it brings perspective to your child's piano experience, and helps give them courage and strength to continue the journey.

For a Cool Piano Memory Book & Journal to download immediately and make at home, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You'll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f'ree internet newsletter so you can download f'ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. The Piano Adventure Bear Characters make piano lessons challenging and fun for kids. Don't wait to give your child this exciting and effective gift of music! Click here to learn more Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources

Writen by Jordan Marston

Halloween is often one of the favourite times of year for families, children and parents alike. It is an excuse to get dressed up, have fun, and eat candy. If you are going to be around young children (younger than eight) or if you are a parent to a young child, should you be choosing a scary costume?

Tradition

The Halloween tradition is to dress up as ghosts and goblins. This was to frighten the souls that were walking the earth on All Hallows Eve.

American Halloween is now a far cry from that. While there are still some aspects of the old traditions, including pumpkin carving and costume wearing, there is now much less of an emphasis on scariness and much more of an emphasis on candy!

Internationally

Halloween is not celebrated globally. What Hallowe'en is now in America—an excuse to have masquerade parties and get together—would be called a "fancy dress" party in Australia or New Zealand.

England is where the traditions surrounding All Hallow's Eve began, but they still do not celebrate with the same door-to-door trick-or-treating that North Americans associate with trick-or-treating.

When giving out candy

Children enjoy being scared a little bit, but don't ever make them feel truly unsafe. It is fine to decorate your house, put on a costume, and even play scary music…but know that if a child is really getting fearful, you need to perhaps take off your mask or turn on a light to help the child be less scared.

When dressing up your child

If your children are too young, they might not want to dress up in scary clothes or be scared. Consider other alternatives for these kids such as ballerinas and princess or cowboys and superheroes. (And remember if your child wants to have a gender bending costume, that is perfectly normal for children and you should support their decision).

Older children might want to dress up in scary costumes. They will also probably want to hear the scary traditions from around the world, or about historical moments (such as witch-burning) that seem particularly gruesome. However, if they want to have a lighter costume, it is also up to them.

When taking your child out trick-or-treating

Never stay too far behind your children, and always let them know that you will be there at all points. Of course, you shouldn't let your children eat any candy until after you have inspected it (but that's no reason not to inspect some of the candy while you're making the rounds!)

Have a fun and safe Halloween, and good luck choosing your costumes!

Writen by Amanda Pinkston

Mom is always there for you whether it be listening to your problems, lending you money in hard times, being a shoulder to cry on, or helping you out of a pickle. Mother's Day is the perfect time to show your mom how much you appreciate everything that she does. You don't need a lot of money to make your mom or wife feel special on Mother's Day. Here are some inexpensive yet thoughtful ideas that mom will be sure to love!

Breakfast/Brunch in Bed

If you still live at home this is a particularly special way to show mom that you care. Wake up extra early so you have time to prepare breakfast fit for a queen. Choose a meal that you know your mom will love. For example, if you know that your mom loves scrambled eggs, then make eggs the main dish for breakfast. Jazz them up by adding moms favorite veggies like mushrooms or green peppers. Add toast, English muffins, or bagels for a yummy side dish. Be sure to include a variety of beverages for mom as well. A fresh cup of hot coffee and a side of orange juice adds a nice touch to breakfast in bed. Put the meal on a pretty tray and add a fresh cut flower and the morning paper. Mom is sure to enjoy some quiet time reading and eating from the comfort of her own bed.

Coupon Book/Handmade Card

Mom's always love handmade items from their children. Handmade cards are easy and inexpensive. The Internet is full of free printable sites that provide free printable Mother's Day cards that can be printed and personalized for the special mom in your life.

A coupon book is a great way to provide your service to mom, free of charge. Simply cut some paper into the size of coupons and write in things that you are willing to do for mom, free of charge and complaining! Cleaning the bathroom, doing the dishes, and running errands are some ideas to include in your coupon book.

Spa Day

Not everyone can afford to send their mom to a lavish spa for Mother's Day. Instead, you can give mom the spa treatment in the comfort of your own home. Start by giving your mom an invitation to "spa day." Include all of the activities that you have planned and give her a choice of spa treatments to choose from. These treatments can include, a foot soak and massage, a hot oil treatment for her hair, a hand soak and manicure, a facial or a back massage. You can arrange all of these spa treatments by checking out your local discount store. Most stores offer a wide and inexpensive variety of facial masks, hot oil treatments for hair, manicure/pedicure supplies and much more. Greet mom at the door with a glass of wine or champagne and whisk her away to a day of pampering that she will be sure to remember for years to come.

Amanda is a writer for The Craft Cafe. Find free printables for baby, wedding, holidays and more as well as card making ideas, scrapbooking advice, and recipes at http://www.thecraftcafe.com