How To Save Money On Your Holiday Gift Shopping

by: Robert Landis

With the rising costs of gasoline and heating oil, as well as rising interest rate charges, saving money is at the top of everyone's wish list this holiday season. Here are some tips on getting the most out of your gift shopping dollars this holiday season.

1. Set a budget. This seems like a simple step, but many people fail to do this before starting their holiday shopping. Figure the total amount you can afford to spend on gifts and then divide that number by the total number of people on your list. This gives you the average amount that you should spend on each person. Try and stay within this limit for each person on your list.

2. Compare Prices. With the internet, it is easy to compare prices on most products. Some websites even offer customer comments which can give you valuable information on quality, ease of use, customer service, and overall ratings for many products. Some of the best websites for this are nextag.com, epinions.com, pricegrabber.com, and shopping.com.

The Making of Holiday Events

by: Cyndi Seidler

What's your vision of this holiday season? Creating a memorable holiday is like orchestrating a major production. There are people, props, and agendas involved.

Appoint yourself as the producer and bring together the pieces to transform your vision into a reality.

Start a list of what activities would give you the most pleasure, and then decide what the main event(s) will be.

Are you going to be throwing a party? Having a tree-trimming party? Doing charity work? Going on a light-gazing tour? You might need to do meal planning, party planning, travel planning, and/or gift planning.

Break down your holiday event(s) into action tasks. Set priorities and schedules of the activities that need to be carried out.

Holiday Planning Tips For Busy Moms

by: Aurelia M. Williams Ahhh, the Holidays…… The Thanksgiving turkey comes out of the oven golden brown, with an enticing aroma that fills the entire house. All the china is in pristine condition and not a single piece in the set is missing. The family is gathered for holiday pictures, the children are poised perfectly; hands to themselves, not a hair out of place and their smiles are shining brightly for the camera. Then just as the photographer is about to capture the shot… you wake up!

Holiday Entertaining Made Easy

by: ARA

(ARA) – Every year around this time, the number-one complaint people make is that there isn’t enough time to get everything done. You have to put up the lights, decorate your tree, shop for gifts, and send out cards. As if those tasks weren’t stressful enough, a lot of people also decide to add holiday entertaining to the list.

There’s no getting around the fact that putting on a holiday party is going to be a lot of work; but if you plan ahead, you’ll find it makes all the difference. Whatever you do, keep it simple. That goes for everything from decorations to the menu.

Planning Creative Holiday Parties

by: ARA

(ARA) - “You’re invited . . .” are always popular and welcome words around the holidays. If you’re like me, you love to host a party. But if you’re a hostess with the “leastest” amount of time, a party is a lot of work. Entertaining requires considerable planning and preparation because there are so many things to do.

Think about the parties you’ve attended and what made them special. Was it the food, guests, laughs, decorations, ambience? The parties I liked best were the ones that touched me in a personal way. A special party creates lasting memories for you and your guests. No matter who is on the guest list, the basics of organizing a party are almost always the same. What’s different is how you customize the details. Here are my tips to get you started:

Holiday tree trends: Choose a new theme to decorate your tree

by: NC

 

Choose a new theme to decorate your tree (NC)—Trimming the tree is an activity that captures the holiday spirit and reflects personal style. The decorating team at Canadian Tire suggests these new ways to dress up your holiday tree. Pick an entirely new theme or incorporate fresh touches to complement an existing look.

Top tree decorating trends

When considering a theme to complement your home décor, consider lighting, colour combinations, textures, and the mixing and matching of various materials.

Three Steps to Reduce Holiday Stress for Your Kitty

by: Nancy E. wigal

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be
appreciated - send to nancy@cat-urine-odor-advisor.com

The annual holidays can be a very stressful time for your cat. This is the time of the year when that strange tree goes up, bright trinkets are hung (but all your cat hears is “No, no, bad kitty!” when she tries to explore them), delicious food is prepared (cats need not apply to eat it!), and lots of strange people come tramping into the house.

Make the most of renting a holiday/vacation villa in Orlando Florida USA

by: Philip Howard

Going to Florida can be, for most, a holiday of a lifetime quite literally as families choose "The right time to take the Kids" and will only ever go once.

Imagine if your holiday of a lifetime turned into a complete disaster just because you didn't do some simple planning that the 'Kids' could easily do for you?

How to Make Sure Holiday Card Writing is Not a Chore

by: Patty Gale

Copyright 2008 – Patty Gale

Sending holiday cards does not have to be a tedious chore. I remember when I was little, my mom would tape all the pretty cards around a special doorframe in our house and I would love to see where they all came from. The pretty trees, stars, snowmen made it fun to see what the mail carrier would bring that day.

There is nothing more special than the smile created at the mailbox from a friend or loved one when they receive your card. It should be something that we want to do in showing those we care about that we are thinking of them, not something we feel obligated to do just because it’s “that time of year again.”

Hey Parents, Stop Before You Shop: Here’s How to Avoid Holiday Teen Gift Faux Pas

by: ARA

(ARA) - As the holidays go by year after year, trendy gifts come and go. A few years ago we witnessed the truly engaging battery-operated, wall-mounted singing fish. Rewind to the decade prior and we find the puzzling Rubik’s Cube, as well as a dozen theory books on how to solve it. But holiday seasons throughout time have shared one common truth. It’s a constant struggle to find that perfect gift for teens, especially one that adults can feel good about.

Holiday gifts that promise a pampering New Year

by: NC

a pampering New Year (NC)—Looking for a snazzy stocking stuffer for your siblings, the perfect gift for a friend, or a stylish token of appreciation for the 'hostess with the most-ess'? The Body Shop has the holidays wrapped up with an extensive collection of inspirational gifts at a wide range of affordable prices.

"There are gifts that bring the indulgence of a relaxing spa treatment right into your home,and all the benefits of high-quality skin and body care" says Laine Ferguson, Executive VP of Retail, The Body Shop. "And don't forget a seasonal pick-me-up for yourself to help you stay calm throughout the holiday rush."
Seasonal Gifting Made Simple

Holiday Gift Guide for People Who Enjoy “Must See TV”

by: ARA

(ARA) – Hard to believe this is going to be the last holiday season that Rachel, Ross, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, and Joey gather around the Christmas tree and Hanukkah Menorah to share memories. NBC’s Friends is coming to an end after a 10 year run on the network.

The show about love, life and lattes doesn’t wrap up until after the all-important May television ratings book, but if you know someone who is already in mourning over the inevitable end, a Friends’ themed-gift would be much appreciated this holiday season.

Staying Organized This Holiday Season?

by: Sandy Baker
The holiday season is upon us. You now have this huge taste of staying organized throughout it. You need to purchase gifts for a number of people. You’ll need to take care of the spouse, the kids of course. You’ll need to remember to take care of your parents, your sisters and brothers….your in laws of course. Then, there are your friends. Don’t forget about the boss either…then there are the co workers….oh, and the neighbor that helps to get your child off the bus. You have to think about your child’s friends, their teachers. Don’t get the bus driver either. How in the world are you supposed to keep track of all of that?

Pack n' Ship Tips for the Holiday Season

by: NC
(NC)—The fun and frenzy of holiday shopping doesn't end at the mall – you still have to get the packages to friends, family and business associates in time for the holidays, and in one piece.

"Taking an extra moment to carefully package items correctly saves everyone money in the long run and lessens some of the holiday stress," says Barbara Foster, a packing trainer for Mail Boxes Etc. (MBE) who works with hundreds of MBE staff in over 275 of its centres across the country. MBE is Canada's largest retail chain of business and courier service centres and is expected to ship more than 100,000 holiday packages this season with the assistance of several of its courier suppliers, including UPS.

Holiday Planning Tips For Busy Moms

by: Aurelia M. Williams
Ahhh, the Holidays…… The Thanksgiving turkey comes out of the oven golden brown, with an enticing aroma that fills the entire house. All the china is in pristine condition and not a single piece in the set is missing. The family is gathered for holiday pictures, the children are poised perfectly; hands to themselves, not a hair out of place and their smiles are shining brightly for the camera. Then just as the photographer is about to capture the shot… you wake up!
Let's be realistic ladies. Without proper planning, the holidays are anything but a holiday. Just look at the list of things that need to be done: Shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, sending holiday mail, the list goes on and on.
Let me clue you all in on a few key questions that you should ask yourself in order to have a holiday season free of stress and worry, and instead filled with fun and laughter:

Holiday entertaining made easy

by: NC
(NC)—As the holiday season draws near, many Canadians will begin planning a festive get-together for family and friends. The team at Canadian Tire have put together entertaining ideas to add some flare to celebrations this year.
Formal dinner

Holiday Decorating Ideas And The Environment

by: Jeanette Joy Fisher

Have you thought about how your holiday decorating affects the environment? What can you do about your holiday decorating to improve your happiness and at the same time be kind to the environment?

The good news, taking action to decorate your home and office for the holidays, while keeping respect for the environment, makes your workload easier.

Conquer holiday stress with simplicity. Keep your decorations to a minimum. Simple holiday decorating makes your life easier to manage.

Holiday Planning Tips For Busy Moms

by: Aurelia M. Williams

Ahhh, the Holidays…… The Thanksgiving turkey comes out of the oven golden brown, with an enticing aroma that fills the entire house. All the china is in pristine condition and not a single piece in the set is missing. The family is gathered for holiday pictures, the children are poised perfectly; hands to themselves, not a hair out of place and their smiles are shining brightly for the camera. Then just as the photographer is about to capture the shot… you wake up!