Christmas BirthdaysIf you have a child whose birthday falls during December, it's easy for it to get lost in the shuffle of Chistmas. My son was due 12/26, but he came early on 12/5.
Curtain Rod For Hanging Christmas StockingsI use a curtain rod to hang the Christmas stockings from the fireplace mantel. It will handle more weight then the stocking holders do and its easy to slide the stockings to the side when we light a fire.
"Twas the Day After Christmas"Twas the day after Christmas when all through the mall, not a shopper was stirring, they had all hit the wall. The stockings were empty, the trees were all bare, in hopes that the Visa bill, wouldn't be there.
Surprise SantaGet into the spirit of the holiday by playing Santa for a friend or neighbor in need. By "in need", I don't just mean financially; there are so many people who are alone on the holiday.
Christmas Charities And Gift AdviceFor all the people that ask for help with gifts at Christmas, here is a little advice. First of all call the HELPLINE!, their number is 211, it is a nationwide clearing house that keeps a list of organizations in each area that provide different kinds of help for people.
Christmas Letter QuizI received the neatest Christmas Newsletter from my aunt (a retired college professor). She put 10 photos on the left side of the page and mixed the 10 3-4 sentence descriptions on the right. You were directed to match the descriptions with the correct photo.
Teach Children to GiveIt's that time of the year when most children are wanting gifts from Santa. While that is typical, please teach your children that giving is more important than getting. That is the real theme for Christmas.
Celebrate the Holidays After the HolidaysThe suggestion to be flexible about with whom to spend holidays is excellent. When the children were grown with families of their own, we started the "tradition" of having a party on January 6th (Twelfth Night).
Fill Letters to Santa from the Post OfficeThe best holiday stress reliever I found, was engaging the whole family in Christmas for others. I went to local Post Offices and asked for any Dear Santa letters, and they were very happy to let me take some.
Have Fun During the HolidaysTo relieve stress during the holidays, make time for fun. Build a snowman or have a snowball fight with the kids, go tobogganing. Whatever you do, make it fun, relaxing and worry free.
Give Love Instead of Presents This YearA tip for avoiding stressing during the holidays from the ghost of Scrooge! Tell every member of your family and all your friends that you are broke and will not be buying any gifts this season, and possibly many seasons in the future; but you love them all very much and you wish them all a Happy Holidays.
Expensive Gifts Are Not What Christmas Is AboutI came from a poor family, so did my husband and our parents. We never looked for charity at Christmas or any other time. I think people need to really think about what is most important.
Buy Marked Down Cards After ChristmasI never pay retail for Christmas wrapping paper, cards etc. I always wait until the day after when the prices for these items are slashed even in the dollar stores...
Ask Permission Before CuttingWhen going to cut down your own Christmas tree, be sure the land you're taking the tree from, that you have the land owners permission to do so...
The Spirit of Giving - Donating GiftsIf you stockpile toys and small gifts throughout the year for birthday parties or other gift-giving occasions, go through your stash and donate what you can to a charity...
Check the Doctor's Hours On HolidaysAnytime when going to the doctor for a routine checkup like a blood pressure check or allergy shot make sure the office is open during the holidays.
Congratulate Yourself After The HolidaysCongratulate yourself for pulling off another "holiday" with a treat-massage, facial, pedicure etc.
Save Money by Taking Your Own Family Holiday Portraits
The secret to taking great family portraits is to have a colorful background, have everyone dress in colors that match or contrast with the background,
have plenty of natural light, and take the shots as close as possible.
-- Cindy added some more tips so if you've already read this, look again! More . . .
