This Holidays

Writen by Lisa Rickwood

If you dread the impending holiday season (extra shopping, errands, money spent…) then you're probably an overburdened, working person balancing a million things on your plate. This time of year can stress out even the most Zen-like person.

The holidays should be a time of connection with friends and family and a time to relax, rest and reflect on the past year. Instead, it's often a time of rushing, spending, agonizing, shopping and over-indulging.

You may not be able to eliminate all your stress, but you can master it when you learn five simple secrets to low stress holidays.

First Secret: Do a little planning. Decide when to have a holiday party, how much to budget for gifts, how many people to buy for and if you're sending out cards or corporate gifts. Take an afternoon and record your intentions.

We often begin this intention but lose focus three-quarters of the way through the season. Make it a point to stick to your objectives. If your budget is tight, don't overspend; the people receiving your gift will know you're stressed and they don't want to be a part of that.

Second Secret: Simplify what you just wrote. Yes, that's right - eliminate something that's not urgent. Maybe you don't need to send out cards this year - a phone call or email may suffice. Decide what can be trimmed from your plan. One year I didn't send out cards and guess what, the world didn't end. In fact, no one mentioned that they didn't get cards.

Third Secret: Eliminate perfection. I'm not sure who decided our Christmases have to be like the Norman Rockwell paintings. I don't know one family who has a perfect family life – we all have funny or stressful members in our clan. The trick is to accept this and move on; just try to enjoy what we can in a family or group situation.

When we set out to buy presents, stop trying to make everything perfect and just aim for 'good enough.' This is very liberating when buying gifts; instead of running from store to store trying to find the 'perfect' gift, grab the first item that seems 'okay.'

Fourth Secret: Connect with people. We all know this and do this by working harder, attending parties and socials, but really listen to what others are saying instead of thinking about what 'must get done.' Get to know people, ask questions and be of service. Enjoy the moment - it goes by too quickly.

Those with growing small children know all too well about the passing of time. Life goes by so fast that by the time you slow down enough to enjoy it, the season is over and you've got the memory on your digital camera.

Fifth Secret: Escape. What does this mean? Take some escape time for yourself; if you work with people all the time, this will be the most important activity you practice.

I work in retail and offer business coaching and although I love my work, there are days when a brisk walk outdoors or good movie and no interruptions would be heaven.

If your idea of escaping is taking a holiday, visiting the spa, playing racquetball, lifting weights or watching a movie, honor yourself by doing it every day. You don't need a day or afternoon - even 20 minutes doing something fun helps you as you're less inclined to be rude, get aggressive or end up sick. This secret is practiced by all successful people; they know how to recharge so they get in the zone and optimize their energy.

If you practice these five secrets, your holidays will be happier, healthier and more prosperous.

Writen by Beiling Lee

1. Go out to dinner with your friends. If you have other single friends, call them up and tell them that you're going out. Keeping in mind that most restaurants are going to be packed and some require reservations for Valentine's Day, so be flexible if you don't already have plans.

2. Hit the clubs. There is no better way to meet other singles than to hit the clubs. Sure, you're going to run into the pawing couples, but there are a going to plenty of other singles anxious to meet new people.

3. Not in the mood to get all dolled up? Fine, go to Barnes and Nobles. There's you might run into a well-read man, or possibly a fellow geek hanging out in the technology section.

4. Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Don't hesitate in making the first move. Guys sometimes get the wrong impression. We don't always send the right signals that tells a guy we're interested, or even available. So, if you see a guy, think he's cute, just say, "Hello." What's the worst that can happen?

5. Stop feeling sorry for yourself! Not every girl getting flowers is happy in her relationship. Valentine's Day lasts for 24 hours, but a happy relationship is more than a dozen roses.

Remember, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being single, just don't be a pitiful single. People can smell desperation from miles away and they usually run in the opposite direction. No matter what you end up doing, don't let it be in front of the tube and please put the ice cream down. There's a whole world out there. Now get out and enjoy it!

Beiling was recently added as new columnist on The Cozy Shack (http://www.thecozyshack.com). She answers questions submitted by readers (askbeiling@thecozyshack.com). Her candid, sincere approach makes her a welcome to The Cozy Shack family.

Writen by Eddie Tobey

Christmas gifts for the men in your life could be personalized, popular or practical. It depends on the man and your relationship with him. There are gifts for male friends, co-workers, boyfriends, husbands and family members, and there are hundreds of ideas waiting for you online, at the mall or in one of many boutiques.

If you are buying a gift for an acquaintance or co-worker, you can't go wrong with a monogrammed men's cashmere scarf, leather card case, accessories box or a gourmet gift tower. These items can be found in any department store, men's shop or on the Internet. Gadgets like a photo frame that also has the indoor/outdoor temperature and time is unique. You could give it with or without a photo. There are also several good gift ideas for the sport's buff. This includes a golf basket, tickets to a sporting event or a tee shirt bearing his favorite team's logo.

For someone very special -- a boyfriend or husband-- a cashmere sweater, portable DVD, Swiss army knife, watches with portable TV or a monogrammed bathrobe is sure to please. If you're thinking more romantically, a chest filled with "love" is the way to go. These chests come filled with romantic games, body rubs, incense and other romantic gifts that will give both the man you love and you hours of fun. A massage chair, heart monitor, air purifier or jogging stroller will also send a special message that you care, and what better than a food and wine gourmet gift basket to enjoy by the fire on a cold winter's night?

Ideas for men's gifts are endless, so your plan should be to first find out his likes and dislikes. Once you've done that decide how much you want to spend and find a gift that's meaningful and fits within your budget. If you're a true friend or lover, he'll love the gift no matter what it is.

Gifts For Men provides detailed information about gifts for men, birthday gift for him, anniversary gift for him, gift basket for him and more. Gifts For Men is the sister site of Wholesale Embroidered Hats.

Writen by William Smith

Finding the perfect Valentine gift for the woman in your life can be a daunting task. To help you out, we've searched the internet to find our top 10 picks for Valentine's Day. From flowers to jewelry to a romantic weekend at a bed & breakfast, you can simply surf the internet to buy or find all the information you need to make this a perfect Valentine's Day for the woman you love.

1) Fresh Flowers - Flowers are still the most popular gift at Valentine's Day. Of course, it is also the most expensive time of the year to buy flowers, particularly roses. Still, flowers remain a classic option and one that is always well received. Try a local florist for guaranteed delivery, or one of the many online retailers if you will be apart this Valentine's Day.

2) Chocolate - Chocolate is a close second to flowers, and for good reason. Many women crave chocolate, and Godiva (http://www.godiva.com) is the ultimate indulgence. When in doubt, buy a variety chocolate gift pack that will allow her to sample a different treat each time. She'll enjoy the mystery of what's inside each tasty treat, and be dreaming about the next one.

3) Perfume - Think of perfume as "flowers in a bottle." A pleasing smell is a powerful aphrodisiac, and a carefully selected scent will make her feel special. Perfume is also nice because the gift lives on for several months, and she'll think of you each time she sprays on your wonderful gift. Ask your female friends what scents are popular this year, or sneak a peek in her magazines to see what perfumes are being advertised.

4) Spa/Massage Gift Certificate - For a truly memorable experience, give her a trip to the spa. Woman love to feel pampered and a massage or spa treatment is a Valentine gift that will relax and elevate her mood.

5) Romantic Dinner At Home - If your wife or girlfriend normally does all the cooking, surprise her with a home-cooked meal. If you're new to the kitchen, don't try anything too ambitious. Pick some of her favorite foods and find some easy recipes to make. Don't worry if your meal isn't perfect, because for this gift the old adage, "it's the thought that counts," is definitely true.

6) Jewelry - Women love jewelry, especially when it's received as a gift on a special occasion. Price is always a factor, but also consider getting something personal (e.g., a dolphin pendant for the ocean lover) or personalized (with your names and date) to make sure this Valentine gift is unforgettable.

7) Teddy Bear (http://www.vermonteddybear.com) - Nothing says cute and cuddly like a teddy bear. The teddy bear has changed a lot since you had one as a kid. Now, there are many different styles, varieties, and colors. Find one just right and she'll thank you for your thoughtfulness.

8) Bouquet Of Heart Shaped Cookies (http://www.gourmet-cookie-bouquets.com) - Cookies are always a "sweet" gift, and heart-shaped gourmet cookies make a great Valentine gift. Personalize the cookies with your own special message to let her know how you feel.

9) Chocolate Covered Strawberries (http://www.aagiftsandbaskets.com) - Strawberries are the perfect Valentine's Day fruit - red, heart-shaped and sweet. We already know how women feel about chocolate, so combine the two and you've got an unforgettable Valentine's Day gift. Chocolate covered strawberries are normally shipped via overnight air for maximum freshness, so these delectable treats also make a great gift for the procrastinator.

10) Romantic Weekend Get-Away - Nothing rekindles romance like a little time away from it all with your Valentine. For a truly romantic weekend, try a bed-and-breakfast someplace special (http://www.bnbfinder.com to find a bed & breakfast). Many bed and breakfasts offer Valentine's Day or romance packages, so it's best to reserve this date far in advance. If you can't get away during Valentine's Day, you can always make the reservation by February 14 and give her a special card telling her about your future romantic escape.

Valentine's Day gifts can be difficult, but with a little planning and insight in your wife or girlfriend's preferences, you can find her a memorable gift this year. You could even chose a different Valentine gift from this list and be covered for the next 10 years!

Bill Smith is the owner of http://www.holiday-gifts-gift-baskets.com which offers a huge selection of Valentine's Day gift ideas for your Valentine. Offering gourmet gift baskets, chocolate, cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, flowers and more. Send them a memorable gift this Valentine's Day from Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets.

Writen by Natalie Aranda

The meaning of Christmas to those that celebrate this day can be as different as the many Christmas Gift Ideas that you can find in magazines, from mouth to mouth or on the Internet if not already in your mind. Most people associate candy canes with Christmas gifts, but there are many other sweet gifts for this season including chocolate candy and the popular candy bar.

Christmas Gifts do not have to be expensive, in fact, this is the best time to use your own talents cooking and baking ahead on time from the typical shaped-ginger cookies to chocolate candy in as many ways as your imagination dictates. Candy bar presents are even easier to prepare with anticipation, either alone or as part of other seasonal recipes.

Crafting a feast for the eyes is also easy if you design your own Christmas gifts wrappers, decorating them with candy canes to make your job easier, some websites offer free pre-made Christmas wrapper templates for popular candy bars including Hershey's, Oh Henry!, M&Ms, Baby Ruth, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Butterfinger, Kit Kat, Snickers and even Junior Mints.

Christmas Gift Ideas based on chocolate candy may include Christmas Gift Baskets, which are typically available in varied styles and range. These baskets can be filled with a candy bar, cookies, boxed chocolates, a candy cane and other goodies to make your Christmas gifts a real delight for the eyes and of course, the taste.

From a simple candy cane, you can get countless Christmas Gifts, including ornaments, twists, and more. An easy to make gift is made by putting a candy cane in a bag and crush it with a rolling pin. Melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and deep spoons into chocolate to fill. Sprinkle with crushed candy and place on waxed paper covered cookie sheet to cool.

Spoons are a great present accompanied with a cup of hot cocoa and a candy bar with the attractive wrapper that you designed. Doing a little research on the web will show you many other Christmas Gift Ideas. Chocolate candy that you get from the supermarket during the season, generally include useful tips to transform this and other sweets into incredible presents.

Have you ever wondered where the candy cane comes from? Christmas Gifts rarely include the origins of legends so make an original present including a short written history or legend around a candy bar, chocolate candy or the candy cane itself. It is said that candy canes symbolize Jesus because their shape representing the letter "J" and their colors represent the purity and blood of Christ.

Although candy canes were created as treats to eat and decorate with them, there are a number of legends associated to them, including the supposedly relationship with the North Pole and Santa Claus, and a form of identification among Christians during a time of persecution. This way Christmas Gifts can be as tasty as entertaining and even educational.

Natalie Aranda writes on family, holidays and business. The meaning of Christmas to those that celebrate this day can be as different as the many Christmas Gift Ideas that you can find in magazines, from mouth to mouth or on the Internet if not already in your mind. Most people associate candy canes with Christmas gifts, but there are many other sweet gifts for this season including chocolate candy and the popular candy bar.

Writen by Norma Schmidt

Choosing and perhaps making teacher-gifts with your child can provide quality family-time while teaching your child to give from the heart. Here are ten ideas even busy families can use.

1. Have your copy shop help you make notepads featuring your child's art.

Have your child create several small designs with a black felt-tip pen or fine-tip marker. Visit your local copy shop with your child and let the staff advise you about which design will work best. The staff can then help you and your child choose the dimensions of your notepads. When you bring the pads home, your child can glue to the cardboard backing a strip of magnetic tape, available at crafts stores.

2. Make potpourri ornaments.

Make a batch of these when you want to remember multiple teachers. At a craft store, buy clear, round, hollow plastic ornaments and holiday- colored potpourri. Help your child pour some potpourri into each ornament. Close and loop a ribbon through the top.

3. Mold glycerin soaps in fun shapes.

Buy colored glycerin soap bars and molds from a craft store. Melt soap chunks in a can placed in a pot of water over a low flame. Let the can cool until it can be safely handled. Supervising carefully to avoid burns, help your child pour the liquid soap into the molds. Let harden and release. Package several soaps in a cellophane bag and tie with ribbon.

4. Shop fair trade.

The "fair trade" label means the farmers or artisans who produce an item are paid fairly. You can find fair-trade coffees, chocolates, bath items, jewelry, home accessories and more at www.globalexchange.org, www.servv.org. and some local stores. In a note, tell what part of the world your gift came from and what "fair trade" means.

5. Make "jar-mixes."

Layer the dry ingredients of your favorite cookie recipe in a jar. Tie a pretty ribbon around the jar's neck and include the full recipe, noting which ingredients need to be added. Hint: Use a small enough jar that the ingredients are held snugly in place to preserve a layered look. Visit www.cooksrecipes.com/cookie/cookie-in-a-jar-mix.html for recipes and tips.

6. Buy a relaxation wrap.

This gift is more expensive than the others listed here. It's a soft flannel wrap that can be microwaved for a minute to provide a half hour of warmth and soothing lavender aroma. This is a fantastic gift for a special teacher, especially in areas with cold winters. Available at www.dodisturb.com.

7. Bake with your child.

This one is great because your children's participation can expand as they grow. Even preschoolers can pour pre-measured ingredients and stir, and middle-schoolers can take pride in baking independently with adult supervision.

Supervise young cooks carefully to prevent burns, and be sure to protect any classmates with nut allergies when your send your gift to the school.

8. Make candles.

Kits are available at craft stores. Supervise carefully around hot wax. For honeycomb wax sheet candle kits that do no involve high temperatures, visit www.islandtreasuretoys.com/ homeschool_supplies.html.

9. Give a gift related to your teacher's children, pets or hobbies. Would the teacher enjoy a subscription to a magazine devoted to cats or dogs? How about a copy of your family's favorite read-aloud book for the teacher's family to enjoy?

10. Give contribution to a charity in the teacher's name. Sponsoring organizations generally provide a card or certificate you can download or have sent. Visit www.churchworldservice.org/tools- blankets/alternativegift/catalog.html or www.altgifts.org or www.catalog.heifer.org.

Norma Schmidt is a parent of two and a former Lutheran minister. Her career includes serving as a pastor, campus minister and cancer center chaplain. She has also worked with children with disabilities. Norma offers workshops on parenting and on living with serious illness. Her writing has appeared in "Coping With Cancer" magazine. She is a former co-host of the "Inspired Survivor" Internet radio program for people with cancer. Download the free report "55 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Have the Best Holiday Season Ever" and look through her other articles by going to http://www.ParentCafeOnline.com

Writen by Carolina Fernandez

"Being organized…frees you up to prepare you for both the dizzying frustrations and distractions, as well as the surprising opportunities and celebrations, that come our way." Carolina Fernandez (from ROCKET MOM! 7 Strategies To Blast You Into Brilliance)

Towards the end of the summer, I took my thirteen-year-old daughter and her friend on an unexpected shopping excursion. Having gotten kicked out of Six Flags Water Park by thunder and a cloudburst, the girls voted on—-and won-—a quick trip to the mall on the way home. Dragging me (and younger brother and brother's friend) to a favorite clothing shop, we were met by two denim skirts possessing magnetic powers, as they almost immediately found their way onto these girls' torsos. Proving adorable on, we got two. The fact that my daughter's skirt has a row of dangling threads (seems to be the new style) doesn't diminish my liking to it. But I find myself with a nearly insatiable desire to get out my scissors every time my daughter prances by wearing it. I want to snip those loose threads. Trim it up. Have it hang from her dangling-thread free.

The story of my life.

My personality yearns for a dangling-thread-free life. For loose ends to be snipped. Garbage taken out and clean laundry folded. Thank-you notes written and emails replied to. Calendars synced up and ducks perfectly lined up in rows.

Don't get me wrong. Oil painter that I am, I have a fairly high tolerance for chaos. Half-finished canvases have lined my family room floor-—in my makeshift studio—-for months. A pint-sized violin rests most days on the back of my living room sofa, rather than safely tucked inside its case. And Victor's new oboe finds itself almost always on the edge of his bed, which remains, many mornings, only half-made. What with four kids in four different schools, a traveling husband and a needy lapdog, my life can be summed up by my girlfriend's license plate: "BEDLAM." Add to that our ongoing chemo protocol with upwards of nine-hour days away from home some days, and I'm ready to throw up my hands in desperate resignation.

I long for simplicity. For having loose threads snipped such that I can meet my responsibilities-—with discipline-—as well as celebratory opportunities—-with creativity-—that come my way.

Fall is officially upon us. Leaves are falling (onto my freshly-swept deck); bulbs are begging for planting (in my just-weeded garden); and clothes are waiting to be rotated (in my recently-edited closets). Thankyouverymuch.

There's always something.

So how do we rocket moms get our acts together in order to lead more creative, gratifying lives? While oodles of strategies are found in my book, ROCKET MOM!, here are my 4 Quick Tips for fall:

Sniff: Walk around your house and sniff our patterns of inefficiency. Last Tuesday, in a bout of fall fever and its resultant flurry of housekeeping, I realized that no one in my family—-including myself-—was benefiting from my art "studio" plunked squarely in the middle of the family room floor. Nearly-constant-begging-for-a-barn-studio-for-my-birthday notwithstanding, I realized that, in the meantime, I needed to create a more organized workspace for my favorite hobby. So I carried all of my extraneous canvases to the basement and hid all extraneous supplies in a nearby cabinet. I left two easels standing, each one holding a half-finished painting, and kept the rest of the area bare. Once done, I started walking around the whole house, doing the "sniff" test. Piles of clutter were perused; useless stuff was tossed. I kept sniffing until I was satisfied that things were (almost) as they should be. I venture to say that you border on the bizarre if you are capable of maintaining a perfectly perfect house while simultaneously raising kids and your spouse. But keep sniffing and keep trying.

Snip: Whatever threads are dangling, snip 'em. Be they painful letters to write or junk mail to sort, toy closets to re-organize or car seats to vacuum...resolve to use this changing of the seasons to snip anything that's been dangling over you. The resulting liberation is nothing short of dizzying! I confess that the piles of papers on my desk and the dozens of emails in my inbox are the two dangling threads in desperate need of snipping this week. Claim yours, too.

Sort: Clear out anything that reads "summer." Now that the weather's finally changing, sort out t's, shorts and sandals; get ready for sweaters, jeans and boots. Sort through your kids' clothing and donate or rotate. Give away items that no longer work; shuffle things around so that fall clothing is more readily accessible. Ditto for closets. Be scrupulous. Regular sifting and sorting prevents painful dredging a few years down the road. Trust me.

Stage: As Ernie took Nick to chemo on Tuesday, I had a "free" day with which to deal with my fall fever. When a girlfriend called that night to check up on me, she was shocked to hear me tell her that I had "staged" my home for fall. Having no idea what I was talking about—-she admitted that her home looked the same all year long-—I explained that I had put away all summer accessories and had brought out those for the fall. Floral arrangements were re-arranged, annuals were replaced with mums, and summer's fresh colors were reinvigorated by autumn's subdued warmth. Mantels and window sills and tabletops were given renewed status for roosters and sunflowers, porcelains and candles. Are you building collections? Use the changing of the seasons as an opportunity to showcase and stage them. Your home needn't look like it fell out of a Ralph Lauren scrapbook or a page in the Orvis fall catalog. But it can be creatively staged to reflect the new season in which we find ourselves.

In short, use these next couple of weeks to get your act together. Allow the crisp, fresh air to invigorate and inspire you to organize your home so that you can lead the creative, energetic life into which you were called.

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.

Writen by Jeff Kennedy

The "tumultuous teens" is that dreaded phase in everybody's life, for the parent as well as for the child concerned? It is that unfathomable phase when most teens are grappling with their sense of identity and belonging while perceiving their environment differently but not necessarily positively. Every gesture during these tumultuous times from concomitant forces in their environment can contribute to the marring or shaping of their long-term ideals. Selecting a gift can be deemed one such important gesture in the broad framework of things.

In this context, the rebellious streak inherent in most teens is an unavoidable factor, which cannot be ignored and should be taken into serious consideration while choosing that gift. It has to conform to their taste or you stand the risk of a serious rebuke and your gift a rebuff from your precious teen child or friend. It is thus very important to select your gift with the utmost care and discretion. But what if you're a busy parent working long hours and don't have the time to embark on that laborious task of finding that "right gift" and your utter confusion only further compounds your dire situation? You can then seek the help and guidance of such portals as www.lazygift.com that offer a comprehensive view of the multitude of gift options to suit a multitude of preferences and temperaments.

Jumping Skateboard- If the range of tricks performed by your adventurous teen on his skateboard keeps you on tenterhooks each time he lands precariously, then the "Jumping skateboard" with an in-built soft landing system would make a good gift to thrill your youngster while placating your frayed nerves. You can at least rest assured that the harmful jarring effects on landing will be mitigated.

The iDog Musical companion is a great gift for your teen daughter especially if she is an ardent music lover because it is not just another stuffed toy. As its very name suggests, this electronic gizmo, which is cuddly in its own right, will serve as her ideal, lovable companion that stores and plays her favorite tunes. Slimline Digital Camera- This Super-thin digital camera makes for a great carry along accessory to stoke the budding photographer in your teen. Its slim, sleek design makes it extremely portable and it affords crystal clear pictures of high resolution that can easily be downloaded onto the computer. Priced at $50, it's a steal.

How about presenting your teen with "The World's Largest Crossword Puzzle"? If your teen is even slightly intellectually predisposed, this is an awesome gift. In every way, this would be considered very special, as it has even earned its place in the record books for having broken the 1996 Guinness record. Your teen will regard it an honor to crack this puzzle. Its exclusivity notwithstanding, it costs a mere $30.

Writen by Kevin Hart

Santa Clause comes to us with several names. For some he is know as Saint Nicholas, and for others Father Christmas or quite simply Santa. While people interchange Santa and Father Christmas from an historical perspective they are two different persons.

It was Saint Nicholas of Myra, who lived in the 4th century in what is now modern day Turkey, who gave birth to the modern day Santa Clause. As bishop he developed a reputation for secret gift giving.

In the Western tradition the day of gift giving is on the 25th December while in the Eastern tradition the day for gift giving is New Years Day.

Most of us see Santa as a friendly, pot bellied sort of character who rides from house to house, through the sky, on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. It is possible that the tradition of ridding through the sky comes from a Germanic tradition where the god Wodam is seen riding a flying horse through the sky. The horse has eight legs, the same number of reindeer that Santa uses!

While Santa is portrayed as a jolly man giving out present to deserving children he is also used to keep children in check. Traditionally Irish children, and a large number of their European and American counterparts, hang up a stocking for their gifts but are told that if they are not good all year round, they will receive a lump of coal instead of a decent present.

In most traditions food or drink are left out for him to help him on his journey. In Ireland it is traditionally a bottle of Guinness, in America cookies and a glass of milk, in England he receives mince pies and sherry. No wonder then that he is perceived as a happy pot bellied character!

How then did St. Nicholas make the transformation from a bishop to a jolly old man with red cheeks. The transformation did not happen all at once but over a period of time and goes back before the American revolution to the time when the Dutch controlled what is now New York. When the Dutch arrived in America they took with them the legend of Saint Nicholas, at this stage he still dressed as a bishop.

In Washington Irving's History of New York, Sinterklaas was Americanised to "Santa Claus" but lost his bishop's apparel, and was at first pictured as a thick bellied Dutch sailor with a pipe in a green winter coat. Irving's book was a lampoon of the Dutch culture of New York, and much of this portrait is his joking invention.

Santa Clauses robes changed over the years until in 1885 the modern costume was born. At around this time his horse was converted to reindeer and a sleigh, his slaves into elves and the date was moved forward to coincide with Christmas.

For those interested Santa's eight reindeers were given their name in the popular poem by Clement Clarke Moore 'the Night Before Christmas.'

Kevin Hart
http://www.christmas-worldwide.com - the family site for Christmas. http://www.abcwritersnetwork.co.uk - an invaluable resource for creative writers. Large data bank of writing contests.

Writen by Kathy Burns-Millyard

You don't need a special reason to be romantic, or give romantic gifts. You can do it all... just because.

Romantic gifts are a wonderful way to say "I love you" and "You're Special". But somtimes it's not easy to come up with romantic gift ideas, so here are a few suggestions.

1. Picnic Dinner Under The Stars - Yes this will work as a candlelight dinner too, but if your special lady loves the outdoors she will be blown over by a special dinner out under the brilliant stars in the sky.

Try to pick a secluded, private place outdoors, and try to be sure there's not much distraction from city lights and sounds. In fact, the more "out of the way" you can make this, the more romantic it will be.

2. Love Notes - Yes, guys you may think this sounds corney and sappy, but women love it. Leave them love notes! Pack a note in her lunch, slip it into her jacket pocket, or put one in her briefcase. They don't have to be eloquent, poetic or anything else overly hard. Just a simple "I love you" or "I'm thinking of you" will do it. And even something silly and cute is a great romantic touch too. Try writing something like "Smile You're Loved!"

3. A Song - Nope, you don't have to actually write a song to be romantic. Just give her a song as your romantic gift! Find a song you or she - better yet both of you - love. Make sure that song expresses your feelings for your special woman in some way, then buy the CD or a Single MP3 for her. Then include a little note with your gift which says something like: "This song is how I feel out you". Trust me guys... she'll be downright thrilled with this!

Writen by Jennifer Bailey

Mother's Day is believed to have its origins in the annual spring festival celebrated in Ancient Greece to pay tributes to Rhea, the wife of Cronus and the mother of many deities. One and a half centuries ago, in the United States, the foundation stone of this festival was laid by an Appalachian homemaker named Anna Jarvis.

Mother's Day has changed drastically in its basic conception and form. None of the above mentioned festivals were meant to express love and gratitude to the immediate mother. Anna Jarvis wanted the women in her community to help her raise concern about the poor sanitary conditions of the community. She felt that mothers were the most affected members of the community because of the concern they had for their children's health. Her efforts led to the conception of the Mother's Work Day.

Anna Jarvis's daughter, of the same name, campaigned for the celebration of a day especially meant to express love and honor to our mothers. Anna Jarvis's daughter could be called the real founder of Mother's Day in the United States, as she worked relentlessly to promote the celebration of Mother's Day. Behind it all was her extreme love and devotion to her own mother. Her efforts were rewarded in 1908 when she celebrated the memory of her mother at a local church; she handed out the white carnation at this service. It was her mother's favorite flower. The real reward came in 1914 when mother's day was officially recognized and a holiday declared to celebrate this festival.

Despite the misgivings of the founder, in her later years, about Mother's Day becoming too commercialized in its practice, Mother's Day flourished in various parts of the world, especially in the United States. In its present form, Mother's Day is celebrated as a festival when we express our love for our mothers by presenting them with gifts in the form of cards, flowers, crafts, jewelry and a variety of other gifts. Celebrated on the second Sunday of May, this festival is the most popular way of showing your mother that you care and appreciate all that she has ever done for you.

Writen by Tiffani Smith

The holidays bring joy and a sense of well-being for most people. With the numerous parties, activities, family get-togethers, and holiday shopping, you may find that you are very busy and may not pay attention to potential scams and rip-offs. Here are some tips that will keep you and your money safe during the holidays:

Pickpocketing

While shopping for the many gifts you intend to give this year, pay careful attention to the presence of pickpockets. Keep you money in a front pocket rather than in your back pocket. If you carry a purse, make sure you hold it close to your body rather than holding it by the strap and letting it swing as you walk. Crafty pickpockets who often work as a team steal millions of dollars each year. One will distract the victim while the other slips in and take the victim's money. Protect yourself and your wallet at all times. Do not be fooled into thinking that since you are shopping at an upscale, safe location that you will not become the victim of a pickpocket.

Online Shopping Scams

Beware of online scams. During the holidays there are many web sites that offer incredible deals on various merchandise, travel specials, and a number of other seemingly 'perfect' opportunities. Be very careful about what you purchase online and from whom you make purchases. If you are careless in your online shopping habits, you may find that your merchandise ever arrives as promised, the deal you thought you were purchasing is non-existent, or that not only does your order arrive after the holidays are over, but when it does arrive the merchandise only vaguely resembles that pictured on the web site, if there is any similarity at all.

Credit Card Companies

Beware of credit card companies that increase your spending limit immediately before the holiday shopping season begins. Each purchase you make will accrue interest, increasing the overall amounts you will spend the items you buy. Also do not make the mistake of accepting offers from your credit card company to skip your payment until after the New Year. The interest you owe will still accrue and you will end up owing more than you did initially. Also, be very cautious about making online purchases during the holiday season. While most merchants are reputable, there are some that will put up a web site with the express intent of obtaining credit card and debit card numbers for fraudulent purposes.

Telemarketing Scams

Telemarketing scams seem to increase during the holidays. Never give your personal information or credit card number to an unsolicited caller. Millions are stolen each year during the holidays due to telemarketing scams that entice consumers to make purchases immediately. If a telemarketer tells you that the incredible offer they are giving you will only be available for the next 10 minutes, hang up immediately. You should also be very careful when making purchases from door-to-door salesmen. Not only could you have your personal information used in a fraudulent manner, you could risk your safety by allowing strangers into your home.

Charity Scams

Beware of mail and calls from charities that you have never heard of. Many people have fallen victim to a charity scam that solicits money form unsuspecting consumers. The charity promises that your tax-deductible gift will go to help the underprivileged, starving children, victims of natural disasters, etc. Most charities are reputable, but stay away from any charity solicitation that is from an organization you have never seen before.

Wrapping Paper Station Scam

Also, beware of wrapping paper station scams. Wrapping paper stations can seem like a great idea, but in reality you can purchase and wrap everything you need for significantly less money. However, if you do decide to use a wrapping paper station make sure you're present at all times while your gift is being wrapped. Do not leave your gifts at the station and come back later to pick them up. The time you may save is not worth the extra expense and you may find out later that the gifts you bought were not the gifts you paid to have wrapped.

Tiffani Smith is the online editor for eFameOnline.com - the hottest place on the web for entertainment & fashion career advice. Get insider information from industry experts on how to kick-start your career & avoid scams and pitfalls @ http://www.efameonline.com

Writen by Susie Michelle Cortright

On Father's Day, we celebrate the guys in our lives. Not just our dads and the fathers to our children, but all the men who have made a positive impact on a child's life.

A number of recently published studies call attention to the effects of good fathering. Men who play an active role in their children's lives stimulate all aspects of development: emotional, academic, behavioral, and social, even when those men don't live in the same home as their children.

But we don't need a study to understand that the men in our lives matter, whether he's a husband who lives at home, an ex-husband who lives across town, a stepfather, a grandfather, an uncle, or a mentor in the community.

Even from a child's conception, a supportive father makes a difference in the lives of mothers, their children, and the world-at-large. In fact, research shows that women with supportive partners experience fewer health complications in pregnancy and have better attitudes about the inevitable physical changes to their own bodies. Studies indicate that even labor and delivery may be shorter and easier when your partner is by your side.

Men lend a sense of self-control. They model their work ethic. They make us laugh and help us develop a sense of humor. Men teach self-reliance, self-confidence, discipline, independence, and the ability to deal with frustrations, large and small. They help their daughters understand how to relate to men and the meaning of trust and intimacy in all relationships. They help their sons understand what it means to be a husband and a father and a man.

This Father's Day, let us remember the father's role. Let us actively engage him in this day-to-day process of parenting. Let us stand back so he can take charge and do things his way once in a while. Let us see his parenting style as a complement - and not an opposition - to our own.

Let us celebrate our fathers and honor them for making a difference in our world.

Copyright, Susie Michelle Cortright

About The Author

Susie Michelle Cortright is the founder and publisher of Momscape, a website devoted to nurturing the nurturers through empowering articles, inspiring essays, and daily pampering tips, as well as freebies, contests, and giveaways just for moms. Visit her at http://www.momscape.com and get inspired to be the best mom you can be.

momscape-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Writen by Margit Streifeneder

Don't panic, I tell myself. Yes, there's less than one week to go before Halloween, and I haven't prepared anything for my party yet. Just don't panic ... oh, I'm afraid I actually DO panic!

If you are like me and tend to leave things to the very last minute, you might be in desperate need for a Halloween decoration that

• is easy and quick to do,
• doesn't strain your budget too much and
• will earn you some admiring 'Ohs' and 'Ahs' from your guests.

Here comes the 'Spooky Bouquet' to the rescue! For one bouquet you'll need:

• four high quality 11" latex balloons, preferably with Halloween design, but if you can't get those, three plain black and one plain orange balloon will do as well,
• color matching curling ribbon (5mm wide),
• a plastic or ceramic pumpkin for the base (or any other small item that fits the theme and to which you can attach the ribbons) and
• a small flask of helium to fill the balloons.

How to make it

You start with inflating the first of your black balloons with helium. Before you tie the knot you should make sure that the balloon is fully inflated to its 11" size. This is important as the bouquet will only look good if all balloons are blown up to the same size. There are two easy ways to do this: you could make yourself a simple 'balloon sizer' by cutting a circle of 11" diameter out of a piece of cardboard or you could set up two chairs back to back, so that the distance between them equals 11".

So, before you knot the balloon, pass it through your sizer and if necessary, deflate or inflate the balloon until it fits. Now take about 1m length from your curling ribbon and tie it to the balloon neck, leaving ca. 30cm loose for curling. Then attach the other end of the ribbon to your base. The overall height from the base to the top of the balloon should be about 80cm.

Repeat these steps for the other two black balloons. Position all three balloons at the same height.

O.k., just one more step to finish your Spooky Bouquet. Take the last balloon, in our example that would be the orange balloon, inflate it as described above and attach it to the base, so that it floats in the center of the three black balloons and just above them. You found the perfect position, when the top balloon just slightly touches the three black balloons.

Congratulations. You're done! Now stand back and admire your floating bouquet. There are so many Halloween themed balloons, both latex and foil, that you can easily create variations of this basic design. For example, you'll get a nice effect, if you replace the top latex balloon with a foil balloon - it could be a crazy pumpkin, a flying witch or a ghastly ghost ... whatever you prefer.

One special tip: as this is a last minute decoration idea, it might be too late to order a helium tank from a specialised balloon supplier. Maybe you know a small corner shop in your neighborhood that sells balloons. They probably have helium too. If it's not for sale, ask them to inflate your balloons on the spot and take the inflated balloons home with you. Of course, you should go there prepared and take the curling ribbon and the balloon sizer with you.

If you'd like to see the instructions for the 'Spooky Bouquet' illustrated with photos, please check out the 'Halloween Decoration' page on our step-by-step 'Balloon Decoration Guide'. You'll also find tips on tying balloons without ending up 'all fingers and thumbs' or how to greatly increase the floating time of helium filled latex balloons.

Writen by Gregg Hall

There are many holidays and events worth celebrating throughout the year: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's & Father's Day, Halloween, anniversaries, and birthdays.

With so many holidays, so many occasions, and so many events, there is not 'so many questions', but one, which ends up burning at the back of our minds, that we must answer several times a year: what is the perfect gift that I can give them?

The world is so diverse. There are so many different people who like such different things that it becomes stressful, but incredibly difficult to think of a present you can be proud to give every holiday.

If there were a perfect present, nearly guaranteed to make nearly anyone happy, it would alleviate a lot of pressure. But consider that pressure alleviated, because there is, indeed, a present much like that: wine gift baskets.

Appropriate for nearly every occasion, holiday, or event, wine baskets are always a pleasant, appreciated gift, which you will be glad to give, and they will be glad to receive.

Not only are they a good gift, but also it is quite simple to accessorize, pay and send them. As you do with flowers, you can send a wine basket either through phone or by getting online and ordering it. You can have it delivered either to the intended person, or you can send it to yourself and give it to them, personally!

Wine gift baskets are not limited to simply wine. In fact, they go far beyond wine. You can create the perfect basket by pairing the wine of your choice with many different options, ranging from things like: cookies, meats, chocolate, nuts, biscuits, cheese, breadsticks, crackers, pasta, and more!

You can call and place an order for a certain amount of money, which will result in the company choosing the best-suited basket for your budget. Nonetheless, it is encouraged that you choose the accessories for the basket. For example: ordering the same wine from various wineries, or ordering a certain wine and choosing the accessories which best fit the intended recipient's taste (for example: if they love bread, pair your wine with an assortment of various breads).

Creating the style of the wine basket makes it personal, and then you have a chance to create intimacy with your recipient. Wine baskets are very appealing to a diversity of different people, regardless of age, gender, sexuality, social class, location, etc.

If you want to give a gift sure to elicit a good response, buy a wine basket! People tend to not spend money on wine to enjoy for themselves, and nearly everyone enjoys the refined taste of wine.

Wine becomes a gift, which goes beyond the recipient, as the recipient can serve and share it with others, while enjoying it themselves. They will think of you as they appreciate the thoughtful gift that they can share and enjoy with those that they love.

The next time you find yourself trying to figure out the perfect present for someone, whether personal or professional, remember what wonderful perks you can enjoy buy giving a wine basket.

Writen by Sean Carter

Fun, frolic and excitement reaches its crescendo during the auspicious occasion of Thanksgiving. Traveling, party, feasting all increase manifold during this time with family, friends and relatives sharing the spirit of togetherness. It is one of the busiest time of the year after Christmas and New Year with sky ways jammed, roads snarled with traffic and trains filled to capacity. It's the time to pack one's bag and set out for a relaxed vacation to the most sought after, coveted travel destinations or simply unwind at some far off desolate place. Some adventurous spirits are even eager to experiment and venture out into some unconventional holiday destinations. As people tend to be busy during the rest of the year, this is the time when they often make plans to visit their native places to meet their loved ones or leave for new holiday destinations with their families.

With traveling scenario being quite conducive traveling no more poses to be a big issue. Airlines offer attractive discounts for those booking way in advance, hotels too offer rooms at affordable rates to court the public in this festive season. Many hotels are smart enough to cash in on this festival by including special programs catering to the varied interest of people belonging to different age groups, the idea behind it being appealing to the mass and not just one section of the population. In order to lure tourists, activities such as rock climbing, bowling, golf, and tours of nearby historic places of interest as well as lavish feasts comes complimentary with one's hotel bookings. Various tours and travel agencies have special travel packages encouraging more and more people to travel round the globe. For adults these vacations poses to be an escape from their daily drudgery, while for the children it is a short break to enjoy their holiday away from their usual routine study. Trekking seems to be a good idea for those adventurous souls who may be ready with their adventure gear and all set to hit the rocky mountains. One can also opt for a country getaway or a historic place may be not to brush up one's history lessons but to get a feel of the place as it was many years back. There are also many cruises lined up offering heavy discounts to attract people who may have their heart fixed on the sea.

Let us sort out a list of places that one could perhaps make a tour of during this Thanksgiving, packed with fun and entertainment aplenty. For instance, the National Historic Landmark property, a famous resort at Bretton Woods in New Hampshire, has a harvest feast plus festive weekend with family turkey-trot, flag football, kids camp, along with a story-telling session with Santa, especially for the kids. You can also opt for the beautiful island resort in northeast Florida which has historic town and fort, nature tours and beautiful resorts that celebrate Thanksgiving in large scale. In fact another bewitching place, which is in fact a 1350 acres of land complete with beach, marshlands makes a perfect getaway during Thanksgiving. For instance, on Thanksgiving weekend, there is a Grand Buffet, Pumpkin Pie Eating contest, Just For Kids dinner party and much more exciting activities lined up. Again another splendid resort in Florida, located just two hours southwest of Orlando, organizes special programs for the occasion like the comedy shows under circus tents, Grand Buffet and a special show. The idea of booking a room at one of the most renowned hotel in West Virginia is also quite thrilling, as the hotel prides itself of having an absolutely traditional Thanksgiving feast like turkey and venison roast are served by the innkeepers in 18th century clothing.

If, for long your kids' requests have gone unheeded, then Thanksgiving is the best time to ensure that the fond wishes of these delicate souls are taken care of by planning a surprise trip to the fun-filled Disneyland and Walt Disney World. You can be assured of seeing a broad smile flash across their face, as they shake hands with their favorite cartoon characters. The beautiful decorations, special shows and parades performed in these Disney theme parks are surely going to leave children and adults in a state of wonderment. It's time you can pose to be different by opting out of the world famous Thanksgiving Day Parade, held in New York City and instead watch the "Orlando Christmas Parade" to be held in the town of Orlando on November 25th, 2006, which has off late become the largest nationally televised parade in the south-east.

This year you can fulfill you dream of paying a visit to New England, traditionally claimed as the land of the Pilgrims. This historic place has a host of interesting places to make a tour of. There is the Plymouth Rock commemorating the landing of Pilgrims, Pilgrim Monument, America's tallest granite structure, located in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod. You can also visit the history museum called Plymouth Plantation which remains open from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. You can also take a tour of the architectural structure May Flower II, which seems to be a mirror image of Pilgrim's original ship, now docked near Plymouth Rock. An archaic colonial inn, a 300 year old sea captain's mansion in Yarmouthport, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod offers a four-night Thanksgiving weekend package that is inclusive of an old-fashioned turkey dinner. Lincoln Park, a gaming operation in Lincoln, Rhode Island, hosts its annual Thanksgiving Breakfast Buffet on Thanksgiving Day with turkey served for breakfast.

To ensure that you have a hassle-free vacation, there are certain strategies you can follow which will help you to keep costs low as well as avoid all difficulty in finding the best travel deal. You can fly on off-peak days, meaning you can depart before or after peak dates or even on the holiday itself. Booking rooms in off-peak destinations can save you thousands as well as ensure a room at an upscale hotel without having to worry about accommodation. As a consequence, seaside resorts are a good place to look for great deals. This year you can plan a trip to the Caribbean, for winter is not the peak business time of the year there. If you for long had a secret wish of paying a visit to Europe, then this is the golden time to do so as November is the beginning of low season in much of Europe for Europeans don't celebrate Thanksgiving, thereby one can avail of best bargain with discounted airfares at your display. Places such as London, Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, Barcelona or Prague can be visited by having to purse out less money for the same trip which may cost you a fortune at the time of spring or summer.

Traveling and fun are synonymous to each other, so it's wise to fix a budget, plan your trip accordingly and make bookings way in advance to avoid all hassle of last minute arrangements. Booking is only a click away with Internet sites offering you a host of destinations and hotels to choose from. In short, Thanksgiving is the time to express gratitude for having time to spend quality time in the company of your dear ones and spread the feeling of warmth and cheer all around.

Writen by Carolina Fernandez

With six shopping days left until Christmas, many of you may still be searching for that perfect gift; wrapping way past your bedtime; joining the stampede at your local post office; and putting last minute touches on everything from your decorating to your dinner plans to your gingerbread men.

Ahhh! Christmas.

I anticipate its arrival every year with a spirit open to its marvelous story; and I engage midway through its certain presence with anxiety about getting everything "done." My most dreaded fear: winding up too exhausted, too spent, and too complacent to thoroughly embrace the message and the miracle of Christmas.

Friends have cautioned me—particularly this year, what with Nick's leukemia and almost-daily three-hour round-trips to the clinic where he receives chemotherapy—that this would be a good year to not be overly involved in preparations for Christmas. Not to "not do" Christmas…for how could a Christian ignore one of the holiest days of the year? But to scale back in the traditional celebrations of the season. And I have. No ladies luncheon at my house (a tradition for the past ten years or so); no dinner parties, either (another favorite tradition); no offering to host a session of the neighborhood progressive dinner party. Some even questioned if we would put up a tree this year! Or go to the "trouble" of decorating!

Our tree went up several weeks ago, as did pinecone-studded garlands and candle lights in every window. And my Byers Choice carolers, handcrafted Saint Nick's, and folk art angels have been lovingly set out throughout the house.

For Christmas comes regardless of one's circumstances. And we need to celebrate it.

But the one thing that friends most cautioned me about—with my best interests at heart to be sure—was to foregone gift-giving this year. That taking care of our son need be our highest priority and that everything else could, and should, fall by the wayside. The friendly advice was purely cautionary: don't wear yourself out. Go easy this year. No need to shop, to wrap, to ship, to deliver. Forget the trouble of wrapping paper, gift tags, Christmas cards, and photos. Standing in line at the post office—what…are you nutz?!?

And it was good advice. Friendly, loving advice. But I just couldn't help it. And I hope you can't either. Christmas is not about acquiring, and we all know that. Christmas is about giving, and we've all heard that, too. No news flash here. But God was generous in His gift of His son, and having fully embraced this truth, I cannot help but give also.

Eugene Peterson, one of my most beloved authors and the translator of THE MESSAGE, said it beautifully: "Giving is the style of the universe. Giving is woven into the fabric of existence." (1) In this lavish order of the world that God created, giving serves a central role. God gave away His son, Jesus, for all of us to accept as a gift. And one of the ways in which we celebrate this gift is to give, also.

Again, from Peterson: "Giving is what we do best. It is the air into which we were born. It is the action that was designed into us before our birth. Giving is the way the world is. God gives himself. He also gives away everything that is. He makes no exceptions for any of us. We are given away to our families, to our neighbors, to our friends, to our enemies—to the nations. Our life is for others. That is the way creation works." (2)

I give at Christmas because God gave to me. He gave me His son who would take center stage in my life. And celebrating this at Christmas gives me unexplainable joy. Through injury, accidents, and now, through my son's cancer: I give because I just can't help it. My gifts are not extravagant. Not to my friends, certainly. They are always tiny tokens of appreciation for the gift of intimate relationship. And what a precious gift that is! And they're usually not extravagant to my kids or to my husband, either. The point here is not to indulge in materialistic expressions that stroke egos requiring status symbols or a gimme gimme modus operandi. Gifts are given that say: "I love you. Thank you for loving me, too. Here is a small token of that love." Simple gifts.

I pray at Christmas that you model a life of generosity. Not just in your thoughtful gifts to friends and family. But that you practice generosity in your time and in your talents, too. That you sing in a choir because God gave you the voice of a songbird. That you play the violin at your church's midnight candlelight service—as are two of my children—because you are able to share developed talent for the enjoyment of others. That you take an elderly neighbor to the grocery store—as does my neighbor, Nancy—because she knows how much it means to her friend to get out and about. That you take dinner to a family in crisis—as have more neighbors in our town than I am able to count during these past eight weeks—because you understand the physical and emotional toll of childhood cancer. That you entertain friends and strangers alike—"angels unaware"—because you grasp the joys of hospitality. That you promise to lift up someone in need, because you've witnessed the power of intercessory prayer and know that the time spend doing so for someone else will make a difference this Christmas.

Peterson, the poet, says it best: "We don't think we can live generously because we have never tried. But the sooner we start the better, for we are going to have to give up our lives finally, and the longer we wait the less time we have for the soaring and swooping life of grace." (3)

May you be filled with all blessings on Christmas Day—and everyday—by giving away.

Merry, merry Christmas!

Carolina

NOTES: Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright (c) by Eugene H. Peterson, 1993, 1994, 1995. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

1. Eugene H. Peterson, Run with the horses (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1983), p. 42.

2. Ibid., p. 43.

3. Ibid.

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; ten years of homeschooling and raising four kids provide fertile soil for devising creative parenting strategies. These are played out in ROCKET MOM! 7 Strategies To Blast You Into Brilliance. It is widely available online, in bookstores or through 888-476-2493. She writes extensively for a variety of parenting resources and teaches other moms via seminars, workshops, keynotes and monthly meetings of the ROCKET MOM SOCIETY, a sisterhood group she launched to "encourage, equip and empower moms for excellence." Please visit http://www.rocketmom.com

Writen by Sean Carter

Being surrounded by loved ones and good things is a gift in itself, without which no occasion would make much sense to the world. But on Thanksgiving, people celebrate these gifts bestowed on them with more meaning and warmth. Thanksgiving is a time to acknowledge the blessings which God has gracefully showered upon us each passing day. Traditionally, Thanksgiving was a harvest festival and the people gathered to express their gratitude to the Almighty for the bountiful Autumn harvest. But now, the spirit of thankfulness has spread to all aspects of our lives that make it richer and more prosperous. We say 'thanks' for the most treasured gifts in our lives-our family, friends and loved one. So this Thanksgiving Day, you can express your appreciation for these wonderful people with some Thanksgiving gift. Take a leaf from some of the following Thanksgiving gift ideas listed for you.

Thanksgiving gift baskets:

A Thanksgiving gift basket can be an ideal gift for a close relative, a dear pal or your sweetheart. For a friend you can get a gift basket with goodies like pumpkin-flavored iced cookies, leaf-shaped milk chocolates wrapped in Autumn-colored foil, mini tea cakes and brownie bars. For your siblings' or your parents' homes, you can get a wicker cornucopia basket full of their favorite things. Cookies, cakes, scented candles, spa kits and the list goes on. The colors and aromas of fall and the taste of Thanksgiving that these Thanksgiving gift baskets carry, are sure to convey the appreciation you feel for the receivers.

Thanksgiving flowers:

One of the sweetest Thanksgiving gift ideas is to gift flowers ! Flowers that reflect the colors of fall make ideal Thanksgiving gifts. A cornucopia flower arrangement can be a lovely Thanksgiving gift for any household as this is a traditional symbol of the occasion. Seasonal burnt orange, fiery red, yellow, and green blooms create an ambience of warmth and the soft blooms of the Asiatic Lilies, Red Rover Chrysanthemums, Marigolds, Spray Roses and Carnations make the sight of the arrangement in the cornucopia engaging. A simple bronze wicker basket of fresh fall daisies or an assortment of Autumn flowers can be apt Thanksgiving gifts for your friends, neighbors or colleagues. Flowers will carry your Thanksgiving prayer for them as also wish them a happy thanksgiving. Thanksgiving flowers even work wonders if you're far away from your loved ones and want to let them know how much you miss them.

Inflatable toys:

Thanksgiving gift ideas are galore; but how to make your gift stand out this year ? Thanksgiving won't feel like Thanksgiving without a big roasted turkey on the dinner table, would it ? The turkey over the years has become one of the most recognized symbols of Thanksgiving and on this Thanksgiving you can get an inflatable turkey or an inflatable scarecrow (another symbol of Thanksgiving) for a neighbor or a friend to have them gaping at your innovatively amusing Thanksgiving gift. These make good outdoor decorations, befitting the festival ambience, and will surely be fun toys for very young kids in any home !

Thanksgiving crafts:

An eye-catching seasonal wreath of dried poppy pods and pomegranates accented with red oak and green lemon leaves and grass and a lot more could be a lovely Thanksgiving gift for an office colleague, a neighbor or your teacher. A box of miniature gourd shaped Autumn scented candles is again a very good Thanksgiving gift idea for anyone you hold close. A cornucopia of blown glass with faux fruits and gourds piled high can be a lovely gift for your boss. These skillfully crafted Thanksgiving gifts will be anyone's joy and will stay with the receivers for many years to come.

Home accessories:

A central feature of Thanksgiving is the Thanksgiving dinner. It is the harvest feast arranged to honor God for the food that He provides. Some exquisite china or some lace for the dining table can be great ideas and ideal Thanksgiving gifts on this occasion to wish a happy Thanksgiving. You can buy yourself or your parents a Turkey preparation kit for the occasion and make preparing dinner this Thanksgiving an easy affair. A thoughtful home accessory can be the ideal Thanksgiving gift for this family festival.

There are a lot of Thanksgiving books, Thanksgiving movies and music collections in addition to these, that make good Thanksgiving gifts too. So every Thanksgiving, you have a big array of Thanksgiving gifts to choose from. Thanksgiving gifts express your thankfulness for someone. So send a gift and make someone feel special in the spirit of November 23, the Thanksgiving Day. All you need to do is make sure that your gifts or cards tell your friends and family how blessed you feel and thankful you are to have them in your life.

Writen by Terry Echols

Another year has come and gone leaving way for new, hot and gorgeous Halloween costumes for 2006. Blockbuster movies like Superman Returns, Ghost Rider, Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest, and Disney/Pixar's animated creation Cars are leading the way.

Manufacturers have made alterations and improvements to many existing costumes this year. Power Rangers and most Disney character costumes have been updated for 2006. Ariel from the Little Mermaid, Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and of course who can forget the beautiful Cinderella. A host of other famous and recognizable character costumes are available this year with great and beautiful improvements.

Legend says when the darkness arises, five brave teen sorcerers will be called to fight for the planet's survival - with the guidance from their wise mentor and the ancient Xenotome, book of the unknown. They will embark on magical adventures, befriend mystical dragons, battle dangerous beasts, encounter pure evil… and transform into the Power Rangers Mystic Force. We carry the complete line of Power Rangers Mystic Force costumes and accessories. Beautifully detailed costumes and accessories for all the Mystic Force characters are available this year. Red Ranger, Green Ranger, Pink Ranger and Special Power Ranger costumes are available in Standard and Deluxe versions and in child sizes 4-6 and 7-8. Don't forget the accessories, boot covers; individual Ranger weapon and gloves for each costume are also available.

The unforgettable Captain Jack Sparrow has a new adventure on the high-seas, Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man's Chest. The only way the crew of the Black Pearl can lift the curse upon them is to return a golden Aztec coin to its treasure chest. But that coin is currently hanging around the lovely neck of British Governor's daughter, Elizabeth Swann. Costumes from this major blockbuster movie include Captain Jack Sparrow in adult and child sizes and standard and deluxe versions; Elizabeth Swann also available in adult and child sizes and standard and deluxe versions and Captain Jack accessories; pirate boot covers and pirate sword.

Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel comes back to Earth in the epic Superman Returns. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. Or has she? Superman's bittersweet return challenges him to bridge the distance between them while finding a place in a society that has learned to survive without him. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space.

Costumes for Superman Returns are available in many different styles for both children and adults. Also added this year were accessories not previously available. A bendable steel bar, a break-apart chain, Kryptonite Ball and a Superman ring have all been added to our many accessories for your Superman costume. Superman costumes are available in child sizes from Small 4-6 to Large 12-14 and adult sizes for men Medium 32-42 chest to Extra Large 46-48 chest. Please note not all costumes are available in all sizes. Don't forget your pet for a great look-a-like pairing, Superman Dog costume is available for your pet in Medium or Large size.

This is just a small sampling of the costume products available this year to elevate your Halloween celebration to be a huge success. CostumersNetwork.com also has a complete line of Haunted Halloween Houses props and decorations. Whatever your Halloween or costume party needs are we have you covered.

CostumersNetwork.com is your one-stop shop for all things Halloween. From costumes to props and all things in between we have your party needs covered. Why shop at multiple sites when you don't have to. With over 5000 products and inventory that is updated every 30 minutes there's no need to shop anywhere else.

Terry Echols is the owner of http://www.CostumersNetwork.com, an online retailer of Halloween Costumes and Accessories. He is also a publisher at http://www.netonesolutions.com aimed at the aspiring home based internet business owner. He also hopes to educate his readers on acquiring multiple sources of online income.

Writen by Andrew Pye

When I was a kid growing up in South Florida, I have fond memories of school parties and exchanging cards with my female classmates, eating candy with "I LOVEYOU" and "KISS ME" on them, but as I have gotten older, Valentines Day has become something entirely different to me.

My son was born a week after Valentines, and my wife and I had spent most of that week so involved with the fact she was about to pop, we had completely forgotten about the most romantic day of the year. We made a vow right then to make sure that for the next year we would go all out and do something special.

One year later, on the eave of cupid's big day, we brought my son to visit my grandparents, and spent the evening with them, because the following evening we had plans to go out and spend a nice romantic night together. My nearly 1-year-old son played with my grandpa all night. The next mourning, I woke up to a phone call from my grandmother. My grandpa had passed away in his sleep. My grandmother called me first before anyone else, and I went to her home and the day forgotten once more.

The following year was not any better, my wife and I split up, and begun the slow and painful process of divorce, and so we never had our romantic day together. Valentines Day for me has become something different, with some good and some bad memories, but all worthwhile.

The point I am trying to make is this, I think Valentines Day is to each man and woman, something unique, and for most a day dependent on circumstance. Some people are single, some in long relationships, some in good ones, and some in bad (relationships). Some people are lonely in this world with no one to love, and some have love and throw it away carelessly with no regard for commitment or the human heart, but some are in love and for them this is their day.

I wish everyone a very wonderful Valentines, what ever your situation may be, and I hope everyone will go out and at least try to make the magic happen in your own life. Remember everyone, cupid has a job to do, and who knows maybe this year you might be the one to get lucky and cupid will harpoon someone for you, and sparks will fly, lighting will strike, and your life will never be the same.

Hello everyone, Andrew here, I hope you find all you want this year for Cupids big day. Come check out my website and you will find great gift ideas at http://www.zaneselegantcollectibles.com for that special someone in your life. Go to http://www.zapcashflow.com then click on, Zane's gift card site, or you can contact me @ za_elegantcollectibles@yahoo.com, for more information on how you can order your gifts this year and have them delivered right to your door. Also you can go to http://www.qcf.thegiftlane.com for more info on how to order. Make your shopping a breeze this year with our World of Products catalog online. Once again thank you and have a great day...Give love a chance!

Writen by Dawn Miller

The first time I hosted Thanksgiving dinner for my husband's family, I was a new bride of only three months. I had never attended a family holiday event before my marriage because I lived out-of-state. Add to the mix my mother-in-law, three stepchildren, my husband's ex-wife, four sister-in-laws, and assorted children and husbands. I felt like I was blindfolded and sky-diving without a parachute.

I spent that first Thanksgiving morning frantically cleaning and peeling potatoes like a madwoman. Unforeseen shortages sent me scrambling – twice - to the only open grocery store within twenty miles – in my pajamas. Now things go a lot smoother, because I've learned a few secrets to make hosting Thanksgiving dinner for twenty in-laws manageable, and even enjoyable.

(1) Learn the traditions combined families bring to the table, and honor both, not just one. If it means you have doubles of a few dishes – so be it. My husband's family has a thing about stuffing – they like the old-fashioned starts-out-like-croutons-in-the-bird kind. Stove Top was the only kind of stuffing my mom ever fixed, so of course, that's what I bought – I never knew anything else existed. Needless to say, stuffing was one of the items I had to buy at the grocery during my Thanksgiving morning mad dash – and two kinds of stuffing grace the table.

(2) Create a schedule. I'm the first to admit that those two-week dinner planning timelines don't work for me. But if you are defrosting a frozen turkey and cooking a large meal, then you should plan when the countdown commences. If you are in a stepfamily like us, you should also plan your custody schedule ahead of time, so there is no confusion about what time the kids are at which home, and try to schedule meals so the kids aren't forced to have meals too close together.

(3) Lower your stress level by getting basic tasks out of the way early. Check off tasks on your list that can be done ahead of time to keep your frazzle thermometer low, and don't be afraid to parcel out job duties to others. Get busywork done ahead of time if you can. Or break down and spend a little extra for pre-cut vegetables and already-prepared side dishes. I take the day before Thanksgiving off from work to chop veggies, set tables and make desserts. Thanksgiving morning is much better spent basting a turkey and watching the Macy's parade, instead of stressing out.

(4) Ask for and graciously accept help if you need it. My husband helps out with tidying so I don't have to whip myself into a cleaning cyclone that terrorizes dust bunnies. I had no clue how to make gravy that first year. My mom said to buy it when I phoned for advice. So I bought a half dozen jars of turkey gravy and figured that would suffice. My mother-in-law chuckled when I sheepishly told her about the jars. She offered to help me make gravy that first Thanksgiving and even taught me a few secrets that I plan to pass on to her grandchildren.

(5) Accept that not everything will go according to plan and use creative solutions. Instead of each family arriving with one side dish and one dessert, they each brought two or three dishes and a couple of desserts. The twenty-seven side dishes (yes, 27 side dishes!) overran my serving plans, so we improvised a buffet for the extras by balancing casseroles on cookie sheets over the kitchen sink.

Finally, do your best to enjoy yourself and remember what the holiday is all about. Be thankful for the many blessings we have in our lives – even if your blessings arrive disguised as challenges. If you keep the right attitude, hosting Thanksgiving dinner can be a blessing, not a curse.

Dawn Miller writes a column on life in blended families at http://www.thestepfamilylife.com.

Writen by Arthur Buchanan

Stress and depression can ruin your holidays. Here's how to keep the sparkle.

For some people, the holidays bring unwelcome guests — stress and depression. And it's no wonder. In an effort to pull off a perfect Hallmark holiday, you might find yourself facing a dizzying array of demands — work, parties, shopping, baking, cleaning, caring for kids on school break or elderly parents, and scores of other chores. So much for peace and joy, right?

Actually, with some practical tips, you can minimize the stress and depression that often accompany the holidays. You may even end up enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.

The trigger points of holiday stress

Holiday stress and depression are often the result of three main trigger points. Understanding these trigger points can help you plan ahead on how to accommodate them.

Here are the three issues that commonly trigger holiday stress or depression:

Relationships. Relationships can cause turmoil, conflict or stress at any time. But tensions are often heightened during the holidays. Family misunderstandings and conflict can intensify — especially if you're all thrust together for several days. Conflicts are bound to arise with so many needs and interests to accommodate. On the other hand, if you're facing the holidays without a loved one, you may find yourself especially lonely or sad.

Finances. Like your relationships, your financial situation can cause stress at any time of the year. Overspending during the holidays on gifts, travel, food and entertainment can increase stress as you try to make ends meet while ensuring that everyone on your shopping list is happy. Physical demands. The strain of shopping, attending social gatherings and preparing holiday meals can wipe you out. Feeling exhausted can increase your stress, creating a vicious cycle. Exercise and sleep — good antidotes for stress and fatigue — may take a back seat to chores and errands. High demands, stress, lack of exercise, and overindulgence in food and drink — these are the ingredients for holiday illness.

12 pre-emptive strategies for holiday stress

When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Take steps to help prevent normal holiday depression from progressing into chronic depression. Try these tips:

Acknowledge your feelings. If a loved one has recently died or you aren't near loved ones, realize that it's normal to feel sadness and grief. It's OK now and then to take time just to cry or express your feelings. You don't have to force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.

Seek support. If you feel isolated or down, seek out family members and friends, or community, religious or social services. They can offer support and companionship. Consider volunteering at a community or religious function. Getting involved and helping others can lift your spirits and broaden your social circle. Also, enlist support for organizing holiday gatherings, as well as meal preparation and cleanup. You don't have to go it alone. Don't be a martyr.

Be realistic. As families change and grow, traditions often change as well. Hold on to those you can, if you want to. But understand that in some cases that may no longer be possible. Perhaps your entire extended family can't gather together at your house. Instead, find new ways to celebrate together from afar, such as sharing pictures, e-mails or videotapes. Set differences aside.

Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. With stress and activity levels high, the holidays might not be conducive to making quality time for relationships. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are, they're feeling the effects of holiday stress, too.

Stick to a budget. Before you go shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend on gifts and other items. Then be sure to stick to your budget. If you don't, you could feel anxious and tense for months afterward as you struggle to pay the bills. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts. Donate to a charity in someone's name, give homemade gifts or start a family gift exchange.

Plan ahead. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make one big food-shopping trip. That'll help prevent a last-minute scramble to buy forgotten ingredients — and you'll have time to make another pie if the first one's a flop. Allow extra time for travel so that delays won't worsen your stress. Learn to say no. Believe it or not, people will understand if you can't do certain projects or activities.

If you say yes only to what you really want to do, you'll avoid feeling resentful and overwhelmed. If it's really not possible to say no to something — your boss asks you to work overtime — try to remove something from your agenda to make up for the lost time.

Don't abandon healthy habits. Don't let the holidays become a dietary free-for-all. Some indulgence is OK, but overindulgence may add to your stress and guilt. Have a healthy snack before holiday parties so that you don't go overboard on sweets, cheese or drinks. Continue to get plenty of sleep and schedule time for physical activity.

Take a breather. While you may not have time every day for a silent night, make some time for yourself. Spending just 15 minutes alone, without distractions, may refresh you enough to handle everything you need to do. Steal away to a quiet place, even if it's the bathroom, for a few moments of solitude. Take a walk at night and stargaze. Listen to soothing music. Find something that clears your mind, slows your breathing and restores your calm.

Rethink resolutions. Resolutions can set you up for failure if they're unrealistic. Don't resolve to change your whole life to make up for past excess. Instead, try to return to basic, healthy lifestyle routines. Set smaller, more specific goals with a reasonable time frame. Choose resolutions that help you feel valuable and provide more than only fleeting moments of happiness.

Forget about perfection. Holiday TV specials are filled with happy endings. But in real life, people don't usually resolve problems within an hour or two. Something always comes up. You may get stuck late at the office and miss your daughter's school play, your sister may dredge up an old argument, you may forget to put nuts in the cake, and your mother may criticize how you and your partner are raising the kids. All in the same day. Expect and accept imperfections.

Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for several weeks, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. You may have depression. Have it both ways

Remember, one key to minimizing holiday stress and depression is knowing that the holidays can trigger stress and depression. Accept that things aren't always going to go as planned. Then take active steps to manage stress and depression during the holidays. You may actually enjoy the holidays this year more than you thought you could.

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With Much Love,

Arthur Buchanan
President/CEO
Out of Darkness & Into the Light
43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
Huron Ohio, 44839
567-219-0994 (cell)
http://www.out-of-darkness.com

They are calling Arthur Buchanan's methods of recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICAL COLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) 'Arthur Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these uncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high in the United States of America, yet if you follow this young mans methods, we assure you of positive results and I QUOTE 'If these methods are followed precisely, their is no way you can't see positive results with whatever illness you have' -Dr. Herbert Palos Detroit, Michigan

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!
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LISTEN TODAY!

Writen by George Stark

Have you developed your Christmas plan yet? If you have not then now is the time to get started. Christmas will be here before you know it and it will pay to get ahead of the rush.

Most people wait until the last minute to get ready for Christmas and then they wonder why their Christmas is so emotionally draining and nerve wracking. Christmas is the most chaotic and stressful time of the year so it makes sense to plan it out to cut down on your stress and strain. Only through planning and preparation can you have a well coordinated and pleasurable Christmas. Those who wait until the last minute to prepare oftentimes experience a disappointing and dysfunctional Christmas which creates a lot of anguish and bad feelings all around.

With a little bit of planning you can avoid having a bad Christmas. You can escape the last minute hysteria and pandemonium because you will have a plan that will smoothly get you through the entire holiday period.

Okay, here's what you need to do right away. Take out several sheets of paper or 3x5 cards. Write down the following headings at the top of each sheet of paper or card: Cards, Gifts, Decorations, Food, Tree, Lights, Toys, Parties and Miscellaneous (Catchall). These are the nine major categories in which all your Christmas planning and preparations will revolve around.

Now that you have these nine categories identified (some will overlap) you need to start brainstorming ideas and listing individual "to do" items under each category. For instance, under "Cards", you will list and provide answers to questions like what type of cards do we want to send this year, where will we purchase the cards, who do we send the cards to, when should we mail the cards out to ensure they arrive prior to Christmas day, etc. Under "Tree" you might want to ask what type of tree should we put up, where is the best place to buy a tree, what type of tree accessories do we need, etc.

By making such a brainstorm list you are now able to develop a bigger picture of how you want your Christmas to go. You can now refine your Christmas tasks, arrange and schedule them into a logical sequence, delegate them to others and track the progress of each individual task until it is accomplished. It gives you the organization and control you need to ensure that your Christmas turns out the way you want it to.

Using this type of planning system or something similar, you can take all the drama out of Christmas and enjoy a great holiday season.

Writen by Melanie Farkas

Just this past year, I needed a Secret Santa gift idea when my husband's family tried out a form of the Secret Santa gift exchange. In the end, we did reveal our identities to each other, so the secrets were out. It turned out to be a fun way to exchange gifts because I put all my energy into finding a special gift for one person, instead of scrambling to come up with a gift for every family member. The way we did it, we each put our name on a slip of paper and every person drew one of the papers out of a bag. Whatever name you drew, you became that person's Secret Santa. As most people do, we set a low price limit and everyone pretty much stuck to it. We all saved money and everyone got a nice gift!

The 25 Secret Santa gift ideas I have listed are good for co-workers, family, small groups, school mates or any group. They cost between five to twenty dollars. Have fun with your Secret Santa gift exchange!

1. Deck of cards and book of card game rules

2. Set of Gel pens and stationary

3. A Bulb with instructions how to force blooming

4. Holiday serving bowl or platter

5. Decorative napkins and napkin rings

6. Fancy chocolate bars tied with a ribbon (try some from other countries)

7. Makeup brush set or beard trimmer

8. Photo album

9. A Holiday Childrens' Story

10. Special soaps and bath puff or natural sponge

11. Colorful Post-It notepads

12. Pretty glass jar or small toolbox filled with candy

13. Picture frames

14. Set of dish towels and dish cloths

15. Note cards and book of stamps

16. Nail polish kit

17. Night shirt or pajamas

18. Basket filled with kitchen gadgets

19. Video rental gift certificates

20. Disposable camera

21. Address book

22. Prepaid long distance phone cards

23. Small clock or radio

24. Pretty box for keepsakes

25. Last, but not least: home baked cookies or logs of frozen unbaked cookie dough!