Copyright (c) 2005 Xmas-Stocking.com http://xmas-stocking.com/ Xmas articles, hints and tips for the holidays, gift ideas and lots more en-us Sun, 09 Oct 2005 07:22:23 -0500 60 36 14 http://xmas-stocking.com/rss/news.xml http://xmas-stocking.com/rss/xml.gif http://xmas-stocking.com/Five-Christmas-Survival-Tips-For-The-Divorced---Single-Parent/ http://xmas-stocking.com/Five-Christmas-Survival-Tips-For-The-Divorced---Single-Parent/ Five Christmas Survival Tips For The Divorced and Single Parent Drew Harris For the over 50% of marriages that end in divorce, Christmas can be a hugely trying time. Since the season is one of the most stressful times of the year anyway, this onslaught of raw emotion to the divorcee can be overwhelming. This is reflected in the Christmas surge of suicide rates. The feelings are that much more intense if there are kids involved. I know for myself, nothing could have prepared for me for the crushing sadness I felt during my first post-divorce Christmas. As a father of two young girls, it was like I was emotionally disconnected from everyone. The joy of the season was something I just switched on, for brief periods, when my little girls were at my house leading up the holidays. When they would leave until their next visit, the joyful glow of the Christmas lights and Christmas tree seemed to turn cruel and I would turn it all off. It seemed I had an inverse reaction to the level of ... http://xmas-stocking.com/Ancient-Celebrations/ http://xmas-stocking.com/Ancient-Celebrations/ Ancient Celebrations of the Christmas Holiday Christmas The Christmas holiday period may very well be the oldest holiday that is shared across many of cultures of the world. It is traditionally celebrated during the winter season in the Northern hemisphere, and takes place in midsummer in those parts of the Southern Hemisphere where Christmas is officially recognised.. Christmas, as celebrated around the world, is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Although many would argue that this has largely been overlooked, in the commercial welter that is now evident from the end of September onwards to the end of the year. The Winter Solstice Before Christmas was celebrated as Christmas, people were finding time to celebrate in Europe during the winter holiday before the birth of Jesus Christ ever even occurred! The Winter Solstice has always been a time to celebrate and rejoice. It is celebrated on December 21 in the northern hemisphere and it was after the Winter Solstice that ... http://xmas-stocking.com/Hassle-Free-Holiday-Baking/ http://xmas-stocking.com/Hassle-Free-Holiday-Baking/ Hassle-Free Holiday Baking: 6 Easy Days to Perfect Christmas Cookies Mimi Cummins Like many people, I love the idea of making a large assortment of Christmas cookies during the holidays, but I find it difficult to find the time to get it done. As a working mother, cookbook author and webmaster of Christmas-Cookies.com ( http://www.christmas-cookies.com ), I am a very busy woman, but baking Christmas cookies every year is a must. Over the past few years, out of frustration and necessity, I have developed a system for organizing my Christmas baking. This system allows me to make a large variety of holiday treats without taking too much time out of my busy schedule. By dividing the tasks up into 6 days, I can spend a couple hours each day getting this done, and on the 7th day, relax and enjoy giving and eating some delicious Christmas cookies. After all, God rested on the 7th day! You don’t even have to do this on 6 consecutive days. Most of the steps can be done days and even weeks in ... http://xmas-stocking.com/Giving-Great-Gift/ http://xmas-stocking.com/Giving-Great-Gift/ Giving Great Gift: How To Think The Thought That Counts. eBobb Here it is in a nutshell: it’s the thought that counts because it’s the thought itself that is actually the gift. The material expression of that thought is what you wrap up in brightly colored paper and shiny ribbons. But if the gift inside does not clearly reveal The Thought, it may be splashy or clever or impressive – but it will never be truly great. What, then, in our quest to give great gift, is The Thought We Should Be Thinking? Actually, it’s so simple, I’m almost embarrassed to say it. But The Thought We Should Be Thinking is: what do I want? Sound crazy? After all, if what we want is a fur coat/car/ticket to the Super Bowl/vacation cruise/puppy, and the giftee happens to live in the Bahamas, doesn’t have a driver’s license, hates football, gets seasick, and is allergic to dogs, wouldn’t giving them what we want be . . . well, thoughtless? Indeed. But – the question is not: what material expression do I want? ... http://xmas-stocking.com/Games-Of-The-Past-Meet-The-Present/ http://xmas-stocking.com/Games-Of-The-Past-Meet-The-Present/ Games Of The Past Meet The Present Brandie Valenzuela Recently, our family had the opportunity to care for sisters' children for a couple days, when she and her husband traveled to a bed and breakfast for some much need rest and relaxation. They don't have a chance to get away that often, so I was more than happy to help them out for this little getaway. And, well, I would hope that she would do the same thing for me. Once I agreed to taking care of her children, reality set in. My sister has six children, and while the youngest wouldn't be staying with me, all the others would be. Add those five children to my three, you have eight, and add that to my small apartment and you have enough to drive any mom up a wall! How would I keep eight children occupied in my small home, without spending a lot of money? One of the first activities we played was Twister. Twister was a gift for Christmas, so it was a game the children were still learning. As I watched them play, my I started thinking ... http://xmas-stocking.com/GIFTS-THAT-LAST-A-LIFETIME/ http://xmas-stocking.com/GIFTS-THAT-LAST-A-LIFETIME/ GIFTS THAT LAST A LIFETIME Pauline Wallin, Ph.D. Gifts That Last a Lifetime In this season of holiday gift buying, advertisers bombard us with messages, some of them contradictory. One ad tells us that the best way for men to show love is to spend three months' salary on a piece of diamond jewelry. On the other hand, MasterCard commercials remind us that there are some things ( Priceless moments) that money can't buy. Oh, that's a sweet sentiment, you might say, but can it really substitute for the latest videogame or hot toy? Very few children raised in this materialistic culture would say, Gee mom, thanks for making my favorite meal. What a great Christmas gift! Yet 20 years from now, these same children probably won't remember the items that they got for the current Christmas. They will, however, recall the special games that their family played together, the time that their older brother took them to a movie, or the way their parents tucked them in at night. These are the little ... http://xmas-stocking.com/Fun-and-Frugal-Kids---Activities/ http://xmas-stocking.com/Fun-and-Frugal-Kids---Activities/ Fun and Frugal Kids' Activities! Cyndi Roberts Christmas is over, but the kids are still home from school for a few more days. You're all tired of playing the new games, but what else is there to do? Try these fun, frugal activities! 1. Go to the park and feed the ducks. Bundle up and take along some stale bread, rolls (leftover from Christmas dinner) or crackers. The kids will love it and the ducks will be glad to see you! 2. Were you too busy before the holidays to bake and decorate cookies? Bake after-Christmas cookies. It will still be just as much fun and there's no added stress of finishing on time, etc. 3. Gather blank paper, stickers, markers, rubber stamps, etc.and let the kids make their own stationery for writing thank-you notes. 4. Let the kids make a tent out of a card table with an old blanket or sheet hung over it. You could even let them eat a picnic lunch inside. 5. Make a beanbag toss game. Fill old socks partway with dried beans and tie closed with twist ties or ... http://xmas-stocking.com/FOR-A-JOYFUL-HOLIDAY-SEASON/ http://xmas-stocking.com/FOR-A-JOYFUL-HOLIDAY-SEASON/ FOR A JOYFUL HOLIDAY SEASON: TAME YOUR INNER BRAT! Pauline Wallin, Ph.D. FOR A JOYFUL HOLIDAY SEASON: TAME YOUR INNER BRAT! By Pauline Wallin, Ph.D Author of Taming Your Inner Brat: A Guide for Transforming Self-defeating Behavior Shopping is a pain, malls are crammed, and there are no parking places. Cookies, candies, eggnog and other goodies are making you fat. You have to buy a gift for someone you don't particularly like and grumble all the way. You need to buy another useless gift for your so-called friend. Your inner brat will tell you to go ahead and eat everything you want - after all, it's the holidays, and you deserve it! TAMING YOUR INNER BRAT What is the inner brat? It's the seemingly irresistible, impulsive force inside every one of us, that makes us say and do things we later regret. Bad habits, problem tempers and other self-defeating behaviors and thoughts are products of the inner brat. A voice inside you screams, I want it! or I can't stand it! or Why me?! Sound ... http://xmas-stocking.com/Experience-the-‘Magic-of-Christmas’-Without-the-Headaches/ http://xmas-stocking.com/Experience-the-‘Magic-of-Christmas’-Without-the-Headaches/ Experience the ‘Magic of Christmas’ Without the Headaches ARA (ARA) - There are many things that can spark the Christmas Spirit inside of us --the arrival of cold weather, the smell of cookies baking in the oven, the presence of family are all examples. But nothing seems to trigger the magical feelings of the holiday season quite like holiday decorations. Wreaths, trees, Christmas lights and bows -- their unveiling marks a home or business owner’s unofficial, proactive pursuit of capturing and stimulating the Christmas Spirit. Holiday decorations create a warm, welcoming environment. If only you could skip straight to the enjoyment and avoid the tedious -- and sometimes dangerous -- task of designing, installing and maintaining your holiday decor. Good holiday lighting takes time, physical ability, design skills and knowledge of electrical capabilities -- things that many of us do not have. But wait! Your prayers have been answered. In recent years, a trend has developed among ... http://xmas-stocking.com/Enjoy-Christmas-by-Simplifying/ http://xmas-stocking.com/Enjoy-Christmas-by-Simplifying/ Enjoy Christmas by Simplifying Janie Schaeffer Is there such a thing as an enjoyable Christmas holiday? A holiday when you aren't shopping at the last minute with no real idea of what gifts you want to buy? Of course! Just imagine a holiday with plenty of food, fun occasions with family and friends, and gift giving that doesn't exceed your time and dollar limits. It will all become reality when you learn the tradition that lots of families share each year. So what's the secret? The tradition (and it's really no secret) is drawing names for Christmas gifts in your family or group. Some people call it Secret Santa. Basically, you put everyone's name in a hat and each person draws a name. Instead of giving a gift to every person in the group, you give just one gift to the person whose name you draw. That's one gift instead of many. Uno. Giving just one gift has great merits. First, it's easy to be thoughtful when giving one gift. You can't say that when your list has 20 or more people ...