Valentines Day Gifts: Gifts That They Will Love

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Are you tired of giving and receiving all the same old boring gifts for Valentine’s Day? If you are like many people, you get the same basic things each year including candy, flowers, some underwear. But, you don’t have to have such a boring Valentine’s.

Use these tips not only for Valentine’s Day but for every time that you need to purchase a gift for your loved ones. This year, you’ll be bragging at work about what you got and they didn’t get!

* Pay attention on shopping trips. This is a good tip for the guys. Watch what she looks at and seems to like. What books, what type of kitchen product would she like, or what type of movie does she enjoy? If she won’t buy it for herself, it’s up to you to make sure that she gets it. Ladies should do the same things. What projects does he like to do and what does he need to do them? What sports items would he enjoy? What does he look at in the store?

* Gift Basket Ideas for the ladies. This is a great way to spoil her a little. For the cook in the family, go with gadgets that she loves and needs, things like ergonomically correct vegetable peelers and beautiful napkin rings are great. Fill the basket with an apron and maybe a cookbook too. For the girl that needs pampering, fill a basket with bath and body products. Make sure to know the scent that she enjoys though and then fill the basket with all sorts of things that she would love such as bath salts, lotions, add in a nice luxury robe for her too. For the craft lover, go with a basket filled with all the things at the craft store that she needs. Great scissors, papers, and fabric that she would love. How about a manicure gift basket that is filled with nail polish, filers, clippers and a wide range of cosmetic items. You can often purchase a gift basket filled with all that is needed too.

* Coffee and tea gift baskets. This would work well for both the guys and the girls that love coffee. Fill it with a coffee mug or a tea cup with a wide range of teas that they would like. Line it with a beautiful cloth and then add flavored coffees, gourmets and even some decadent candies to go with it.

* Wine. For the wine lover, create a gift basket with their favorite wines, wine glasses, and some good quality cheeses and crackers. Perhaps add a bouquet of flowers to it as well.

* The Sports Guy. If you have a guy that loves sports, you can create the perfect gift for him. If you have a fisherman, for example, give him the things he needs such as hooks, fishing line, and accessories. Make sure to purchase what the will use and if you don’t know, ask the salesman for help. For the hunter, things like camouflage gear, binoculars, heavy socks and sunglasses are necessary. Add to them whatever else he may need. For the golfer, give him new golf balls, gloves and maybe even the membership to the local club.

Any of these gifts could be the perfect gift for the loved one in your life. Think about what they would like, what they would enjoy and then find a way to make it personal for them. Purchasing gifts that work well for them will be gifts that they appreciate that much more.
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Valentines Day Is For Married Couples Too

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Who says that married couples can’t enjoy Valentine’s Day? If you would like to make this day a little more special than others have been in the past, you’ll need to think about a few things, make a few plans and make this day a great day.

Keep It Exciting!

Use all of the tools that you have to remind yourself of the day. Set up your palm pilot or your computer to remind you of the day. And, not just on that day but several weeks before. This way, you can easily remember to do something for the day.

* Make dinner reservations.

* Buy a new outfit for the day.

* Plan what you will be serving for dinner.

* Find a way to get the kids out of the house for a few hours.

* Head out on the town for several hours.

* Plan out your meal for the night and test new recipes before then.

One of the biggest problems for the evening is with the kids. Where can they go or do? Find a sitter for them so that you two will have time on your own. Make sure to leave them someplace that they will enjoy themselves so that you don’t have to worry about them all evening. And, doing this will allow you to spend better quality time with your loved one too.

Gifts should be purchased well in advance. First of all, more and more individuals are turning to the internet to purchase gifts. If this is your plan, do it well in advance of the day, as it may take several weeks to receive a package. If you plan to purchase something, make sure that you know the tastes of the individual and their size. If you visit local department stores, they may even wrap them up for you on this day.

Go For Something Different!

Go ahead and get something more unique this year. For example a singing telegram is sure to surprise her. Surprise her with something like this that you purchase through the local florist.

Making Valentine’s Day special is important for each of you to really enjoy the day. Do something different, set aside a block of time and make it mean something to each of you. Then, it will be a day to remember even though you are married.
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The meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers

Friday, December 18, 2009

Nothing says it is Valentine’s Day better than red roses. The meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers with red roses is love. It is an ideal, but unoriginal, way of telling her that you love her without saying a word. You have to have the mindset of what type of flower arrangement, including color and type of flower, would personalize her best. When choosing flowers for this lover’s holiday, do keep in mind the type of person that you are buying for. Roses come in a variety of colors and meanings. While the red rose is all for love, the yellow has a meaning of friendship and the pink is all about happiness.

Valentine’s Day is by far the most romantic of the holidays. While red roses are a favorite of this holiday, they also have a strong meaning of passion. That is what these fragrant gifts should convey for the meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers. This holiday is one of two holidays in which flower giving is the most popular. The other holiday is Mother’s Day. Giving flowers is a token of your affection to the one that you love. Women are not the only recipients on this holiday. Men love to be in this role too. The meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers for the man in your life is a symbol of love and the arrangements should be kept simple and masculine.

Give a bouquet to your special valentine. She will know instantly that you thought of her first on this holiday and hopefully her sentiment is the same for you. You both will be bursting with love and this day will be forever remembered. Now we have discussed the red rose as an option for Valentine’s Day. It is a flower that has been given over and over again and has lost some of its love appeal. Consider a sunflower for the person in your life. The meaning of this Valentine’s Day flower is admiration. Your special someone will feel adored by you all day long. How about a For-get-me not? This flower means true love. You could not say it any better. A tulip given on Valentine’s Day has a meaning of the perfect lover. Now that is a desired compliment.

The meaning of Valentine’s Day flowers can be what ever you would like. The person receiving them will get an overwhelming feeling of appreciation that you thought of them on this day. No matter what type of flower you give her, one thing is for sure, she will love the thought behind this gift that speaks ever so loudly to the heart without ever saying a word.
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Christmas Trivia Quiz

Monday, December 7, 2009

Christmas Quiz

1.    Which Christmas tree fact is NOT true?
A. Artificial Christmas trees have outsold real ones every year since 1991.
B. Nova Scotia leads the world in exporting Christmas trees.
c. Franklin Pierce was the first president to decorate an official White House Christmas tree.
D. The Christmas tree was chosen to represent this holy holiday because it's shape points the way to heaven.

1.    Which Christmas tree fact is NOT true?
D. The Christmas tree was chosen to represent this holy holiday because it's shape points the way to heaven.
QQ: OK, so maybe it's true, but the QuizQueen can't prove that fact, as reasonable as it sounds, because it wasn't in any of the literature she dug up for this quiz.

2. Can you name the popular Christmas song that was actually written for Thanksgiving?
A. Jingle Bells
B. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
C. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
D. Away in the Manger

2. Can you name the popular Christmas song that was actually written for Thanksgiving?
A.    Jingle Bells
QQ: The song was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called One Horse Open Sleigh.  When you think about the words make a lot more sense that way…

3. Electric Christmas tree lights were first used in what year?
A. 1865
B. 1895
C. 1905
D. 1932

B. 1895
QQ: American Ralph E. Morris had the bright idea that electric Christmas lights would be safer than using candles.

4. Good King Wenceslas was king of what country?
A. Bohemia
B. England
C. Germany
D. Morocco

4. A. Bohemia.
QQ: Who knows why those Bohemians always get such a bad rep? Although, history has it that Wenceslas, who lived in the 10th century, was only a Duke, not a King at all.

5. In 8971, the New York Sun newspaper wrote a famous response to a little girl's question: "Yes, _______, there is a Santa Claus."  Can you name that girl?
A. Mary
B. Charlotte
C. Vidalia
D. Virginia

5. In 8971, the New York Sun newspaper wrote a famous response to a little girl's question: "Yes, _______, there is a Santa Claus."  Can you name that girl?
D. Virginia
QQ: Virginia O'Hanlon to be exact! Shame on you, if you missed it.

6. Can you name Scrooge's dead business partner from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol?"
A. Jacob Marley
B. Tiny Tim
C. Bob Cratchett
D. Old William

6. Can you name Scrooge's dead business partner from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol?"
A.    Jacob Marley
QQ: The first of four spirits to appear to Scrooge that fateful Christmas Eve was that of Jacob Marley, his old business partner.

7. One of the pagan traditions that Christians have incorporated into their Christmas celebration includes hanging mistletoe.  Which of these is NOT a former pagan belief?
A. Ancient Europeans believed that the mistletoe plant held magical powers to bestow life and fertility as well as protect against disease.
B. French girls used to slip branches of mistletoe beneath their pillows to dream of their future husbands.
C. The Celts believed mistetoe brought about peace and goodwill.
D. Northern Europeans associated mistletoe with the Norse goddess of love, Freya and developed the custom of kissing underneath mistletoe branches.

7. One of the pagan traditions that Christians have incorporated into their Christmas celebration includes hanging mistletoe.  Which of these is NOT a former pagan belief?
B. French girls used to slip branches of mistletoe beneath their pillows to dream of their future husbands.
QQ: That was a tough one, wasn't it?  The QuizQueen is soooo clever…

8. While today the Christmas tree is an enduring symbol of the season, it wasn't always a holiday tradition.  Which historical fact is NOT true?
A. According to legend, Martin Luther, the founder of German protestantism, while walking through the forest on Christmas Eve was so moved by the starlit fir trees he brought one indoors and decorated it with candles to remind his children of God's creation.
B. In 1841, Prince Albert of Germany gave his wife, Queen Victoria of England, a gift of a Christmas tree. This was reputedly the first Christmas tree in England, but the custom quickly spread.
C. German immigrants brought the Christmas tree to Europe, the United States and Canada, where it soon became a popular tradition.
D. On a bet, 11-year-old P.T. Barnum started hawking trees in Connecticut in 1821, telling his marks they were all the rage.  Soon the fashion spread throughout the country and it became tradition, thus establishing his maxim "There is a sucker born every minute."

8. While today the Christmas tree is an enduring symbol of the season, it wasn't always a holiday tradition.  Which historical fact is NOT true?
D. On a bet, 11-year-old P.T. Barnum started hawking trees in Connecticut in 1821, telling his marks they were all the rage.  Soon the fashion spread throughout the country and it became tradition, thus establishing his maxim "There is a sucker born every minute."
QQ: Good 'ole P.T. Barnum did try to sell just about everything, and may in fact have sold Christmas trees, but I doubt he sold them at that age!

9. Many people are familiar with the term "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but not everyone knows where it originated. Can you pick out the right explanation?
A. The Twelve Days of Christmas represents the number of days Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem.
B. The Twelve Days of Christmas represents the length of time that the three wise men from the East traveled to reach Baby Jesus after his birth.
C. The Twelve Days of Christmas represents the number of reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh.
D. The Twelve Days of Christmas represents the length of time required to celebrate Good King Wenceslas' birthday.

9. Many people are familiar with the term "The Twelve Days of Christmas," but not everyone knows where it originated. Can you pick out the right explanation?
B. The Twelve Days of Christmas represents the length of time that the three wise men from the East traveled to reach Baby Jesus after his birth.
QQ: And you thought you didn't learn anything practical in Sunday school?

10. Who hasn't wondered what "wassail" is and why people would request it at Christmas. Let's see if you can guess…
A. Wassail comes from the Old Norse "Ves Heill" and means "to be of good health," so when neighbors would visit on Christmas Eve they would drink to each other's health.
B. Wassail comes from the Old German "Ves Heill" and means "to avoid Hell," so loved ones would share this sentiment with each other on Christmas Eve in preparation for the birth of Christ.
C. Wassail comes from the Old Celtic "Ves Heill" and means "drink up" so is naturally associated with all party occasions.
D. Wassail comes from the Old English "Ves Heill" and means drink of the angels and eventually became associated with Christmas.

10. Who hasn't wondered what "wassail" is and why people would request it at Christmas. Let's see if you can guess…
A. Wassail comes from the Old Norse "Ves Heill" and means "to be of good health," so when neighbors would visit on Christmas Eve they would drink to each other's health.
QQ: Sometimes The QuizQueen can be very, very silly.

11. Everyone loves to receive them, but dreads performing the annual holiday ritual of sending Christmas cards. So who do we NOT have to thank/blame?
A. Medieval Europeans who exchanged wood prints of religious themes for Christmas.
B. English illustrator John Calcott Horsley who created the first modern Christmas card in 1843 that depicted a family celebration with the caption "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You."
C. German-American printer Louis Prang who made advances in color lithography allowing him to mass produce colorful Christmas cards in 1875.
D. Desmond Hallmark who had a surplus of cards left over from Arbor Day depicting a fir tree and decided to unload them by the box by simply printing Merry Christmas across the trees in red ink.

11. Everyone loves to receive them, but dreads performing the annual holiday ritual of sending Christmas cards. So who do we NOT have to thank/blame?
D. Desmond Hallmark who had a surplus of cards left over from Arbor Day depicting a fir tree and decided to unload them by the box by simply printing Merry Christmas across the trees in red ink.
QQ: While all except poor Desmond can be held responsible, The QuizQueen truly blames Louis!

12. Remember that fuscia sweater Aunt Edna knitted for your Christmas present last year? Don't blame Aunt Edna, she's not the one who started the Christmas gift giving tradition, so who is?
A. Those three wise men who visited the stable where Jesus was born.
B. The ancient Romans who exchanged gifts to bring good fortune for the new year.
C. Mark Antony who was always looking for new ways to please Cleopatra.
D. The ancient Greeks who sought to placate the gods on Mount Olympus.

12. Remember that fuscia sweater Aunt Edna knitted for your Christmas present last year? Don't blame Aunt Edna, she's not the one who started the Christmas gift giving tradition, so who is?
B. The ancient Romans who exchanged gifts to bring good fortune for the new year.
QQ: Of course, Aunt Edna is to blame for choosing that color. You can't blame the Romans for that.
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6 Christmas Shopping Tips You Must Know

There are a variety of opportunities for holiday shoppers, including stores, catalogs and the internet. Below are 6 Christmas Shopping tips that should:

Christmas Shopping Tip #1: Shop Early

If you’re heading out to the mall this year, have your shopping list ready. It’s a good idea to shop early in the season because, if you wait too long, that perfect gift may already be under someone else’s tree.

Christmas Shopping Tip #2: Be Polite

Always remember to be polite. The holidays are extremely busy and store employees are working overtime, so be patient as you wait for assistance.

Christmas Shopping Tip #3: Layaway

If you have a big list, but not quite a budget to match, consider a layaway. Many stores offer a convenient layaway plan, which would allow you to make payments up until Christmas. It saves you from having to charge up credit card bills or spend a lot of pocket money all at once, so consider a layaway if you have a big shopping list.

Christmas Shopping Tip #4: Shop Online

If you do decide to shop on the information superhighway this year, it will save you a lot of time standing in line at the mall. You can literally shop worldwide with the click of a button. Browse photos, compare prices, read customer reviews and see a huge variety of products without having to leave home. Best of all, in some cases, you won’t even have to pay sales tax on internet orders. Some stores offer free shipping, quantity discounts and all kids of other incentives to lure you into their site. In addition, several televised shopping networks have websites in which they offer an easy payment program on select items. This means that you make one payment, using a credit/debit card, and the product ships out to you immediately. The remaining payments are billed to your credit card, until the item is paid in full, for the specified number of months.

Christmas Shopping Tip #5: Place Your Catalog Orders Early

If you’re shopping from a catalog this year, be sure to place the order early. The most popular items sell out first, so get your order placed and on its way as soon as possible. There’s no need to wait for a catalog to arrive in the mail because you can log on to the internet and find many catalog companies online with product photos, descriptions, size charts and special ‘internet only’ sale prices.

Christmas Shopping Tip #6: Buy in Bulk

If you have a lot of people to buy for, and aren’t exactly certain of their taste, consider buying in bulk. You can purchase a nice package of scented candles, divide them up into multiple gifts and present them with a beautiful bow wrapped around the glass jar. These types of gifts are ideal if you have teachers, doctors, co-workers or other special people that you want to wish a Merry Christmas. Another terrific idea is to purchase small Christmas tins and several bags of assorted miniature candies. Divide the candies up into each tin and present them with a beautiful bow on top. These are ideal gifts because they are thoughtful, but also budget conscious. You can purchase a pre-designed tin similar to the one described, but you will get a much better deal if you make your own. As an added bonus, you get to decide which candy to include, which isn’t always the case with pre-packaged gifts.

Happy shopping!
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Christmas - Giving Is A Blessing

Friday, December 4, 2009

Christmas brings a new life to the believers. Much before Christmas comes, the mood around the world changes. It is the anticipation of lovely days ahead of giving joy, meeting friends and family and feeling the spirit in the air that changes the most negative person to positive moods. Chistmas makes a person different. The same man, who you never see smiling, laughs during Christmas. That is the festive spirit of Christmas and that is why it is a lovely festival.

The most important part of Christmas is of course celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Another ritual of Christmas that makes it so special is giving. We send so many cards to friends and family that we lose the count. Similarly giving gifts is very important. Selecting the right gift for everyone, wrapping it lovingly and sending it across, all this is joyful. This joy cannot be described in words.

As I said earlier, it is the giving that is the major reason of happiness. If we look at our moods and behavior, we find that we always derive greater joy in giving compared to receiving. Can we not celebrate this spirit of giving everyday? Can we not get this joy everyday? Can we not make someone happy everyday? We can. With conscious effort, we can do one act a day that makes somebody genuinely happy. Why not carry the spirit of Christmas all the year and enjoy the happiness of giving. One is blessed when one gives. Let us get these blessings round the year.
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A Christmas Story – The First Christmas Lights

One would think that Christmas lights have been around for as long as Christmas itself.  Can any of you imagine Christmas without lights?  How would the children find their way in the dark, so early on Christmas morning without them?  The history of Christmas lights is intricately tied to the dawn of the modern era, when houses began to be supplied with electricity.

As you are likely aware, Thomas Edison invented the first functioning light bulb back in 1879.  A few years later, in 1882, an associate of his first employed the use of lights on his Christmas tree.  Edward Johnson was the first to electrically light his family Christmas tree in his New York home.  His home was located in one of the first sections of the city to be wired for electricity.

A visiting reporter from Detroit reported the following in "The Detroit Post and Tribune":  "Last evening I walked over beyond Fifth Avenue and called at the residence of Edward H. Johnson, vice-president of Edison's electric company. There, at the rear of the beautiful parlors, was a large Christmas tree presenting a most picturesque and uncanny aspect. It was brilliantly lighted with many colored globes about as large as an English walnut and was turning some six times a minute on a little pine box. There were eighty lights in all encased in these dainty glass eggs, and about equally divided between white, red and blue. As the tree turned and the colors alternated, all the lamps going out and being relit at every revolution. The result was a continuous twinkling of dancing colors, red, white, blue, white, red, blue---all evening."

In 1890, Edison published a promotional brochure which may have been the first mention of commercially available electrically powered Christmas lights.  It stated that "There are few forms of decoration more beautiful and pleasing than miniature incandescent lamps placed among flowers, or interwoven in garlands or festoons; for decorating Christmas trees or conservatories..."

From there, the popularity of Christmas lights exploded.  Before long, every family had them and they became synonymous with the Christmas tree.  It’s hard to imagine Christmas without Christmas lights.  I tip my fuzzy red cap to you, Mr. Edison.  You have given us all a gift we will always cherish!
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Christmas Gift Buying Guide

The year 2005 is drawing near to its end, which means that the holiday season is approaching once again. And that means lots of shopping-- at least for most people.

Regardless of whether one looks for the perfect gift for a spouse, girl/boyfriend, mother, father, son, daughter, cat, et cetera, every year has its trends, especially among children -- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, He-Man, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Furbies, Tickle-Me Elmos, Giga Pets, Beanie Babies, the list goes on and on. In times more recent, of course, and with the older set, Apple iPods have been, and continue to be, quite popular.
But whether you are the type to give your loved one a paper clip, or an SUV, the following list is an attempt to sort of ease the stress of Christmas time shopping for the typical American. The suggestions are quite random, as a matter of fact; some are popular, “trendy”, even; others simply aren’t. Either way, happy holidays—and shop safely.


1. Shopping for a bookworm? Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold is certainly a worthy choice. It’s a critically-acclaimed piece of work—and for good reason. It’s a novel about the life and adventures of a vaudeville-era magician, Charles Carter, otherwise known as Carter the Great. A sizeable volume, it is full to the brim with an assortment of three-dimensional characters, fictional as well as real; the incorporation of historical figures into the prose (think Harry Houdini and even President Warren G. Harding) serves only to tighten the book’s grip on the reader’s attention-span. “One of the best seasonal reads in the past decade…a single-read wonder, closer in tone to an intellectualized Indiana Jones adventure, but far more satisfying.”—Austin Chronicle

2. Give Ali G a chance! Perhaps you are shopping for a young one—one who happens to be over 18, preferably, just to be safe. If that be the case, and you don’t mind subjecting other people to a bit of profanity, then you might at least want to consider purchasing Da Ali G Show: The Complete Seasons, 1 and 2 on DVD. Arguably one of the funniest television programs to come out of the United Kingdom and HBO in recent years, it involves actor Sacha Baron Cohen and the trio of characters he portrays, most especially the character Ali G—a Caucasian “gangsta” wannabe type from England who travels to the U.S.A. in order to conduct interviews with celebrities and politicians (among them: Ralph Nader, Newt Gingrich, and Pat Buchanan). Ali G asks some of the dumbest questions you will ever have heard coming from anyone’s mouth—and the DVD itself contains some hilarious extras, like a “glossary of Ali G jargon” (Wot is yous banging on about?= What are you talking about?). The whole thing has to be seen to be believed.

3. One of the most popular, hence obvious, gift ideas for any age group: an apple iPod. Unfortunately, though, iPods tend to cost around $250, depending on where they are being sold, and that can be unaffordable for some families. The good news is that for half the cost you can purchase what is called an iPod Shuffle. Sure, it doesn’t hold as many songs as the regular device (240 tracks for the Shuffle, 5,000 for the Apple 20 GB iPod M9282LL/A) but it’s still a worthy investment or gift, and you save a lot of money, too.

4. Give your grandmother the gift that keeps on giving…the bad guys more than they bargained for. Especially during the holidays, it isn’t uncommon to hear of an increase in robberies, muggings, purse snatchings, etc. Maybe you have a friend or relative who might benefit from a gift that will come in handy in the event of a criminal attack. There are many examples, ranging from a Panther 100,000-volt stun gun for just under $20, to the Advanced Taser with Laser available for about $600.

5. As for the kids, the much-anticipated film adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has just arrived in theaters all over the country. And while it won’t be coming to DVD any time soon, the entire Narnia series is available in audio book format-- unabridged. The Chronicles of Narnia CD Box Set can be found in bookshops for around $75. And for those of you who have a certain fondness for the actor Kenneth Branagh, well, the entire set is narrated by Kenneth Branagh. If your child enjoys this audio book, why not get an audio book rental subscription from a service like JiggerBug.com. It’s an easy way to get your child away from the television and into some books.


Random, indeed. Even if those suggestions really didn’t tickle your fancy at all, it is desired that they at least served as inspiration for some gift ideas of your own. Shopping for Christmas presents ought to be fun—and with a little imagination it can be.
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7+ Top Types of Real Christmas Trees

There are several types of real Christmas trees, all of which are a cheap choice over artificial. The most common types of Christmas trees are the six-foot Scotch pines, which fit nicely into the average home living room.

One type of Christmas tree is the deodora cedar, which has blue-green short needles with pendulous needle tips. Another cedar, the Eastern red, has shiny dark green leaves and gives off a great scent, though it's sticky to the touch and will only last 2-3 weeks. As this tree dries out quickly it is best used in a humid climate.

One of the most popular of Christmas trees in the southeast part of the U.S. is the Leland Cypress, with dark green or gray foliage. Its branches are feathery and its scent is pleasant but light. This tree is ideal in the home of allergen-troubled folks.

The Douglas fir is a popular type of Christmas tree, and easily flocked. It has a great fragrance and lives longer than a lot of other trees. Its leaves are either dark green or blue. Its sister fir, the Fraser, has needles that are flatter and dark green. It holds its needles well and gives off a pleasant aroma. For a more citrus aroma from your Christmas tree you should choose the grand fir, with dark green shiny needles. If you want a more durable tree that can hold your heavy ornaments the noble fir is a great choice. It lives longer and healthier as a Christmas tree and makes an attractive, strong and durable wreath as well.

Pine and spruce are too other commonly used types of Christmas trees. The pine has a great fragrance. The spruce however, dries quickly and its needles drop rapidly.
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Christmas - Giving Is A Blessing

Christmas brings a new life to the believers. Much before Christmas comes, the mood around the world changes. It is the anticipation of lovely days ahead of giving joy, meeting friends and family and feeling the spirit in the air that changes the most negative person to positive moods. Chistmas makes a person different. The same man, who you never see smiling, laughs during Christmas. That is the festive spirit of Christmas and that is why it is a lovely festival.

The most important part of Christmas is of course celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Another ritual of Christmas that makes it so special is giving. We send so many cards to friends and family that we lose the count. Similarly giving gifts is very important. Selecting the right gift for everyone, wrapping it lovingly and sending it across, all this is joyful. This joy cannot be described in words.

As I said earlier, it is the giving that is the major reason of happiness. If we look at our moods and behavior, we find that we always derive greater joy in giving compared to receiving. Can we not celebrate this spirit of giving everyday? Can we not get this joy everyday? Can we not make someone happy everyday? We can. With conscious effort, we can do one act a day that makes somebody genuinely happy. Why not carry the spirit of Christmas all the year and enjoy the happiness of giving. One is blessed when one gives. Let us get these blessings round the year.
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Christmas Stress Relief: 7 Simple Tips

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Everyone loves Christmas, but the biggest complaint I hear is, "It gets too hectic." It's still the favorite season for most of us, but we do get tired. We still have to make a living; we still have to maintain our daily lives and then we add shopping for gifts, wrapping the gifts, decorating, entertaining or attending parties and possibly baking. It's fun and festive, but we get tired.

Take some of the stress out of Christmas. Don't wait until the Christmas season begins to start thinking about it. Plan ahead and you'll enjoy it even more. Here are seven stress-relieving tips to make your favorite holiday relaxed and worry-free.

Decide Who You Want To Buy For

Make a list of the people you want to buy gifts for: Recipients. Keep it with you as a reminder, or at the least, keep it in your head. Open your eyes and window shop. When you see something you know you like, go ahead and buy it. And think outside the box. When you shop all year, you have the opportunity to do this. Every Christmas gift doesn't have to be a sweater or winter-type gift.

Shop From Home

Shop on the Internet. Have fun and explore. Many gift sites run promotionals off-and-on year round. When you're not under pressure to buy immediately, you have time to "window shop". And don't forget to keep your gift list in front of you.

Record What You Buy

Make a list of the gifts that you buy: Gifts Purchased. Each time you make a gift purchase, whether it's on the Internet or in the store, put it on the list. If you know specifically to whom you are giving it, put his or her name next to it. Go back to your Recipients list and write the name of the gift next to the person you are giving it to. You now have a cross-reference. Sound too complicated and organized? It's not. It's really easy. If you don't make some kind of notes, you'll get real confused when it comes time to wrap. You won't remember who was supposed to get what.

Buy Decorations In The Off-Season

Buy Christmas decorations year-round on the Internet. And in the off-season you can get them at reduced prices. Buy your decorations all year and when the Christmas season arrives, you'll be ready.

Wrap Sooner Not Later

As soon as Christmas wrapping paper is placed on the shelves, start selecting and buying. By this time, you should have a shelf full of presents to wrap. Wrap at your leisure; a few at a time or all at once. Just enjoy it. You have time to make the presents look outstanding. Give them that added decorative touch that will make the recipient feel special and give you the opportunity to be creative.

Record What You Wrap

You have two lists to cross-reference. Check off or make changes as necessary. If you didn't make a list, you should make one now. Don't make the mistake I made one year. I got all my wrapping done early, and by the time Christmas came, I couldn't remember what I was giving everyone or exactly what it looked like. I remember wishing I had a digital camera. I could have taken pictures of the presents before wrapping them. I don't have to worry about that now. I have a list and a digital camera.

Collect Recipes

Don't wait until you have to prepare a dish for a party to decide what you want to make. Start collecting recipes from magazines and friends. But don't stop there. You have plenty of times to try them out. Put stars beside the ones you especially like and will be proud to serve. When the time comes, it will be fast and easy to make choices.

Christmas can be a pleasure, even before the season begins. Enjoy your window-shopping whether it's in the stores or on the Internet. But be ready to buy when you see something you like. Make your choices wisely and keep up with your lists. Following this plan will be a great stress reliever come Christmas time. Have fun and keep on enjoying Christmas.
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Christmas Parties

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Christmas parties are something that most people look forward to all year long because they are a joyful gathering of friends, family, great food, and shared memories. There are lots of things that probably go into your Christmas parties such as preparing food, having a good music selection, sending out beautiful invitations, creating or buying Christmas table arrangements, or preparing your home for overnight guests. The great thing is that you can make your home look very festive without spending a lot of time or money on it, so that you can spend more time visiting with your guests and catching up with many people that you may not have spent much time with since your party last year.

Christmas crackers

Christmas crackers, cookies, and some simple foods will make feeding your guests quite simple. If you want to have more filling foods, you might want to consider having the party catered or purchasing pre-cooked foods so that you do not have to worry about cooking great food for you and all of your guests to eat at your party. If you really want to have homemade food at your Christmas parties, you may want to have some friends or family members come over and help you prepare the food and make a tradition out of that as well. Or, you can always make your Christmas parties potlucks so that you have a different selection of foods to offer your guests every year and simply say that you’ll provide the Christmas crackers, cookies, and one prepared dish every year but you want help feeding the masses! Most people love potlucks, so you’ll find that most of your guests will be quite receptive to this idea.

If you are busy preparing food and Christmas table arrangements and other decorations and you just can’t seem to get your home cleaned, think about employing your kids or a neighbor to help you get things tidied up quickly. Just one extra pair of hands can help you get the job done in a lot less time. Or, create a checklist for yourself that will help you get a few things done each day before your Christmas parties so that you do not have stress about cleaning the day of your party.

If you want Christmas table decorations as well as other decorations to make for your party, the Internet and craft stores offer many great ideas for Christmas crafts that will make your home look even more festive. Just hanging strands of garland on your door frames is a simple and inexpensive way to make your home look great for your Christmas parties, so don’t think you have to spend a ton of money to make your home look great. A great Christmas party table decoration is to simply buy a pre-decorated wreath to place on the table and then find a great scented candle to put in the middle of it. If you have a large table you might think about placing more than one on the table.

Christmas parties should be a lot of fun, so don’t let yourself get stressed out as you plan for the party in your home. Some of the best Christmas parties are that way because of great planning and because the hostess isn’t afraid to be thrifty and even ask for help. Christmas is about bringing family and friends together to have fun, not to stress you out! So focus on enjoying friends, family, and fun at your next Christmas party!
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5 Perfect Christmas Gift Ideas For Him

It’s holiday time again and what should you get for him? He has everything, so what else could there possibly be? Don’t give up yet because there are plenty of unique ideas for the man who’s difficult to shop for.

Gift Idea For Him #1: Naming a Star in His Honor

If the man in your life is also a star in your eyes, let him know with the perfect Christmas gift idea. There are many online novelty stores, which offer star naming kits. For a set price, you can have a star named after the man in your life. The complete kits come with a certificate, a map so that he can locate his special star and other information about star naming and astronomy. You can also select a date in which the star was officially named. Maybe it’s an Anniversary or Birthday. Perhaps, it’s in honor of Christmas. The star naming service will imprint any date that you choose on the certificate. Many of the stores offer custom framing, or you can find a frame at a local department store. If he’s into astronomy, of just to let him know that you think he’s a star, this is a great gift. In addition, it’s unlikely that most people would already have a star named after them so this would be very original.

Gift Idea For Him #2: A Watch

If you want to let him know that you love it timeless, buy him a watch. It’s practical, thoughtful and carries a wonderful meaning. Slip a note inside the watch box, which reads "Time flies when I’m with you." Gold watches are nice and they don’t always have to be expensive. Shop around at some of the online stores and browse their huge selection of watches.

Gift Idea For Him #3: Tools

If the gentleman in your life is also the home’s handyman, consider a toolkit. There are some terrific kits, which contain hundreds of items, which are available and make wonderful Christmas gift ideas. When searching for the perfect toolkit, keep in mind what he likes to do. If he prefers to build things, look for a kit with the tools necessary for building. If he likes to repair, look for a kit with a lot of fix-it tools and spare gadgets. You know what they say - busy hands are happy hands.

Gift Idea For Him #4: Unique Sports Items

If your guy is a sports nut, consider the ultimate unique gift. Log on to his favorite team’s website and read about any construction or new projects being built for use by the team. Many times, during construction of a new facility or building, the teams will sell customized bricks to help with financing of the project. You could purchase a brick used for construction, have it engraved with his name and present a certificate to let him know that he will forever be a part of his favorite sports team. If his favorite team is building a new stadium or other brick structure, the brick would be used and forever remain as part of the facility. Talk about a homerun, this will be it! A better Christmas gift idea, for a sports fan, would be difficult to find. If he’s a race fan, check out the Auto Racing Hall of Fame & Museum in North Carolina, where you can purchase actual race-used tires from some of NASCAR’s top drivers for less than $100.00, which includes the Certificate of Authenticity.

Gift Idea For Him #5: A Gift Card

If you’ve looked all around and still can’t find the perfect gift, consider a gift card. For the man that is truly impossible to shop for, let him do the shopping for himself. Gift cards are great because they give the recipient an opportunity to buy anything in the store, as determined by the value of the gift card, without spending a dime.
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