November 30, 2010
Christmas Countdown 2010 - Find out how many days until Christmas 2010
Christmas Countdown 2010 - Find out how many days until Christmas 2010: "Set www.xmasclock.com as your homepage to count the number of days until Christmas 2010!"
November 29, 2010
Christmas Countdown 2010 - Find out how many days until Christmas 2010
Christmas Countdown 2010 - Find out how many days until Christmas 2010: "Set www.xmasclock.com as your homepage to count the number of days until Christmas 2010!"
Green Christmas – Tips For a Frugal and Environmentally-Friendly Holiday Season
Here are many tips and Christmas Present Ideas for saving money and encouraging environmental friendliness.
Gift Giving
Notebook for planning Christmas 1. Get a notebook. Keep a small notebook with you wherever you go. Use it to keep a list of gift ideas for people. When you get ready to shop, look at the notebook and plan your trips based on where you can get the most items. Cross off items when you get them, and pencil in those items you purchased for people when you are out, so you don’t “over-buy” for people.
2. New and Old and Homemade. Think about giving each person a small new item, something homemade, and something gently used. Our society is focused on the “buy it new, use it once and throw it out” mentality, and this will encourage thoughtful gift giving of new and used items.
3. Sources of Used Items. Check into consignment stores like The Baby Bin Boutique, Craigs list, thrift stores, eBay and free-cycle. For used books, try local used book stores and libraries. Check out paperbackswap.com to trade your books for other people’s books – you only pay postage. Most bookworms do not care if a book was previously used. Using this method you can get your reader a ton of books for the price of one or two new paperbacks, maybe even entire collections by their favorite authors.
4. Homemade Items. If you are crafty, make crafts. If you photograph, make an album or frame some prints or make mugs, puzzles or other items from sites like Winklflash. If you sew, consider making cloth shopping bags or gift bags out of extra fabric or old clothing. If you are handy around the house, give some certificates for your skill (carpentry, computers, you name it). If you cook, make some preserves, can some applesauce, make up cookie mixes, cookies, popcorn balls, snack mix or other snacks. If you hunt, make some jerky or sausage. If you brew, make some nice 6-packs or wine bottles with neat labels. Everyone has skills…turn them into gifts! If you are younger, make up and give coupons for free babysitting, snow removal, lawn mowing or household “work hours”.
5. Green Gifts. Buy gardening supplies and seeds and a gift card to the garden center. Purchase compact fluorescent (CF) bulbs and help install them. Get them a programmable thermostat. An electric blanket keeps your loved ones toasty and lets them set back that thermostat at night. Buy an energy audit for someone. Smart power strips are great at stemming the “phantom power” from things like chargers and computer peripherals. Buy someone a bicycle, new or used, if they could and would commute with it.
6. Gifts to Support Frugality. Buy some cookbooks for someone who eats out a lot and wants to save money. Give them cooking lessons or coupons for you to teach them cooking. Get them some new or used books on financial management or self-improvement. Book suggestions would be “The Total Money Makeover”, “The Millionaire Next Door”, and “The Complete Tightwad Gazette”. Buy board games, outdoor gear/toys, playing cards and a Hoyle card rules book and teach them the old “real” poker.
7. Saving on Wrap. $2.3 Jillion dollars are spent each year on wrap and tags, all of which get thrown out. Recycle paper bags and Sunday comics for wrapping, or make up cloth gift bags of various sizes from scraps or “buy the pound” clothing from yard or thrift sales. These bags can double as shopping bags and cleaning rags in a pinch. Purchase the reusable shopping bags and put your gifts in them. Pay a kid a nickel apiece to make cute tags from construction paper and some stamps. Save a few large cardboard boxes from shipments or purchases and fill with crumpled newspaper or those annoying peanuts, then bury a small gift inside. Someone can use the large box to tote their loot home or recycle it.
Entertaining
Holiday Season sees many parties and guests stopping in. Here are some ideas to keep the fun going without spending a ton of money.
1. Bring a Dish. When you have a party, ask everyone to bring a dish. Also ask them to carpool with others to save on gas and make parking easier. Give a special gift to the carpool driver / designated driver.
2. Budget Booze. If you are going to serve alcohol, the larger containers are typically more affordable per unit, as long as you don’t have any spoilage. Some box and jug wines are great for parties. Strongly flavored beverages may discourage over-imbibing. Have a pot of mulled (spiced) cider on the stove to both sweeten the air and give people something interesting and non-alcoholic to drink.
3. Say Cheese. You can get a boatload of snack crackers pretty reasonable at the warehouse stores. Ditto for cheese spreads and large blocks of cheese. These are always good and low-cost snacks to bring or serve. Make up your own veggie and shrimp trays to save some cash.
4. Cookie Party! Invite some friends for a whole-day cookie party. If you all go in on the ingredients, you can get the larger sizes and save on the cost. You can also split the expensive ingredients like nuts and candied fruits. You can make jarred mixes (cookie, coffee/drinks, etc.) at the same time. Pick up some funky tins whenever you see them, and you have some real homemade gifts.
5. Watch the Costly Items. Meats, seafood, produce, dairy and nuts tend to be expensive when entertaining. I don’t suggest you serve just bread, but plan your menu around less expensive meats and produce and you can save a lot while still entertaining in style. For example, save some chicken from your chicken dinner and make a buffalo chicken dip.
6. Keep the Freezer and Pantry Stocked. You never know when people will drop in, or you will run out of time to cook. Keeping frozen snacks and appetizers available, and bags of chips, salsa and cheese dip available means you always have a snack for that unexpected guest or when the family can’t make a dinner.
Home Life
Holidays are stressful times. Here are some ideas to save money, be green, and lay a good foundation for the coming year.
1. Plan and precook. Take one day during the Thanksgiving holiday and block a couple hours to map out your next month – what foods you want to make ahead, when you want to shop, what “milestones” you want to meet, such as making the post office by December 5th. Print out this road map and post it on your fridge. Every Sunday afternoon, clean up the list and make an action plan for that week.
2. Reuse and Trade. When you take your decorations out, separate those out that you don’t use any longer. Any kids who have moved out may really like those as a gift.
3. Dim the Lights. If you set up outdoor lights, put them on a timer and/or cut back on the number of lights. This will save on electricity. Put your tree lights on a timer as well.
4. Eat First. When going out shopping, eat at home first. You’ll be more settled and won’t be encouraged to eat at a restaurant.
5. Extra Cash. As you clean up before the holidays, make a pile of stuff you don’t really need or use. Take them to your local consignment shop such as the BBB, sell in the classifieds or Craigs list or eBay. Take a seasonal part-time job to help cover the extra costs. Or, donate to a mission or thrift shop and save the documentation for taxes. Sometimes the mental clean out that accompanies cleaning up is more valuable than the cash.
6. Green Tree. Get a plantable tree. Yes it will cost more but if you have a place in your yard, or can find someone else who will buy it and plant it after the holidays, it will be twice-green!
7. Family Gift Cards. For older children, they may appreciate gift cards to popular clothing stores and department stores for games and similar items. If you all wait until that dreary week after Christmas, you can all find great deals and have a wonderful post-Christmas shopping spree. This helps to boost sagging spirits. Combine with some restaurant gift cards you may have received and you can have a nice day out and save some good money.
8. Schedule Game Nights. Rekindle old friendships by scheduling play nights with family and friends. This will strengthen the family and friendship bonds, provide inexpensive and fun events to look forward to, and give structure, hope and purpose to the first quarter of the year, which is often the most financially and emotionally stressful times of the year. Make it a point to not spend a lot of time or money on these events – the goal is to have fun without spending a ton of money!
9. Plan for Next Year. The week between Christmas and New Year is a good time to reflect on the last year and make some goals for the coming year. Spend some time on savings blogs such as Simple Dollar to get even more ideas on frugality and environmental awareness. Take a blank sheet and list 10 things you’d like to do in the coming year. Think of these categories: Personal, Financial, Family, Environmental, Faith, Career, Fitness, Education/Development.
The key to making these tips work for you is a plan! Get that notebook and get started!
Gift Giving
Notebook for planning Christmas 1. Get a notebook. Keep a small notebook with you wherever you go. Use it to keep a list of gift ideas for people. When you get ready to shop, look at the notebook and plan your trips based on where you can get the most items. Cross off items when you get them, and pencil in those items you purchased for people when you are out, so you don’t “over-buy” for people.
2. New and Old and Homemade. Think about giving each person a small new item, something homemade, and something gently used. Our society is focused on the “buy it new, use it once and throw it out” mentality, and this will encourage thoughtful gift giving of new and used items.
3. Sources of Used Items. Check into consignment stores like The Baby Bin Boutique, Craigs list, thrift stores, eBay and free-cycle. For used books, try local used book stores and libraries. Check out paperbackswap.com to trade your books for other people’s books – you only pay postage. Most bookworms do not care if a book was previously used. Using this method you can get your reader a ton of books for the price of one or two new paperbacks, maybe even entire collections by their favorite authors.
4. Homemade Items. If you are crafty, make crafts. If you photograph, make an album or frame some prints or make mugs, puzzles or other items from sites like Winklflash. If you sew, consider making cloth shopping bags or gift bags out of extra fabric or old clothing. If you are handy around the house, give some certificates for your skill (carpentry, computers, you name it). If you cook, make some preserves, can some applesauce, make up cookie mixes, cookies, popcorn balls, snack mix or other snacks. If you hunt, make some jerky or sausage. If you brew, make some nice 6-packs or wine bottles with neat labels. Everyone has skills…turn them into gifts! If you are younger, make up and give coupons for free babysitting, snow removal, lawn mowing or household “work hours”.
5. Green Gifts. Buy gardening supplies and seeds and a gift card to the garden center. Purchase compact fluorescent (CF) bulbs and help install them. Get them a programmable thermostat. An electric blanket keeps your loved ones toasty and lets them set back that thermostat at night. Buy an energy audit for someone. Smart power strips are great at stemming the “phantom power” from things like chargers and computer peripherals. Buy someone a bicycle, new or used, if they could and would commute with it.
6. Gifts to Support Frugality. Buy some cookbooks for someone who eats out a lot and wants to save money. Give them cooking lessons or coupons for you to teach them cooking. Get them some new or used books on financial management or self-improvement. Book suggestions would be “The Total Money Makeover”, “The Millionaire Next Door”, and “The Complete Tightwad Gazette”. Buy board games, outdoor gear/toys, playing cards and a Hoyle card rules book and teach them the old “real” poker.
7. Saving on Wrap. $2.3 Jillion dollars are spent each year on wrap and tags, all of which get thrown out. Recycle paper bags and Sunday comics for wrapping, or make up cloth gift bags of various sizes from scraps or “buy the pound” clothing from yard or thrift sales. These bags can double as shopping bags and cleaning rags in a pinch. Purchase the reusable shopping bags and put your gifts in them. Pay a kid a nickel apiece to make cute tags from construction paper and some stamps. Save a few large cardboard boxes from shipments or purchases and fill with crumpled newspaper or those annoying peanuts, then bury a small gift inside. Someone can use the large box to tote their loot home or recycle it.
Entertaining
Holiday Season sees many parties and guests stopping in. Here are some ideas to keep the fun going without spending a ton of money.
1. Bring a Dish. When you have a party, ask everyone to bring a dish. Also ask them to carpool with others to save on gas and make parking easier. Give a special gift to the carpool driver / designated driver.
2. Budget Booze. If you are going to serve alcohol, the larger containers are typically more affordable per unit, as long as you don’t have any spoilage. Some box and jug wines are great for parties. Strongly flavored beverages may discourage over-imbibing. Have a pot of mulled (spiced) cider on the stove to both sweeten the air and give people something interesting and non-alcoholic to drink.
3. Say Cheese. You can get a boatload of snack crackers pretty reasonable at the warehouse stores. Ditto for cheese spreads and large blocks of cheese. These are always good and low-cost snacks to bring or serve. Make up your own veggie and shrimp trays to save some cash.
4. Cookie Party! Invite some friends for a whole-day cookie party. If you all go in on the ingredients, you can get the larger sizes and save on the cost. You can also split the expensive ingredients like nuts and candied fruits. You can make jarred mixes (cookie, coffee/drinks, etc.) at the same time. Pick up some funky tins whenever you see them, and you have some real homemade gifts.
5. Watch the Costly Items. Meats, seafood, produce, dairy and nuts tend to be expensive when entertaining. I don’t suggest you serve just bread, but plan your menu around less expensive meats and produce and you can save a lot while still entertaining in style. For example, save some chicken from your chicken dinner and make a buffalo chicken dip.
6. Keep the Freezer and Pantry Stocked. You never know when people will drop in, or you will run out of time to cook. Keeping frozen snacks and appetizers available, and bags of chips, salsa and cheese dip available means you always have a snack for that unexpected guest or when the family can’t make a dinner.
Home Life
Holidays are stressful times. Here are some ideas to save money, be green, and lay a good foundation for the coming year.
1. Plan and precook. Take one day during the Thanksgiving holiday and block a couple hours to map out your next month – what foods you want to make ahead, when you want to shop, what “milestones” you want to meet, such as making the post office by December 5th. Print out this road map and post it on your fridge. Every Sunday afternoon, clean up the list and make an action plan for that week.
2. Reuse and Trade. When you take your decorations out, separate those out that you don’t use any longer. Any kids who have moved out may really like those as a gift.
3. Dim the Lights. If you set up outdoor lights, put them on a timer and/or cut back on the number of lights. This will save on electricity. Put your tree lights on a timer as well.
4. Eat First. When going out shopping, eat at home first. You’ll be more settled and won’t be encouraged to eat at a restaurant.
5. Extra Cash. As you clean up before the holidays, make a pile of stuff you don’t really need or use. Take them to your local consignment shop such as the BBB, sell in the classifieds or Craigs list or eBay. Take a seasonal part-time job to help cover the extra costs. Or, donate to a mission or thrift shop and save the documentation for taxes. Sometimes the mental clean out that accompanies cleaning up is more valuable than the cash.
6. Green Tree. Get a plantable tree. Yes it will cost more but if you have a place in your yard, or can find someone else who will buy it and plant it after the holidays, it will be twice-green!
7. Family Gift Cards. For older children, they may appreciate gift cards to popular clothing stores and department stores for games and similar items. If you all wait until that dreary week after Christmas, you can all find great deals and have a wonderful post-Christmas shopping spree. This helps to boost sagging spirits. Combine with some restaurant gift cards you may have received and you can have a nice day out and save some good money.
8. Schedule Game Nights. Rekindle old friendships by scheduling play nights with family and friends. This will strengthen the family and friendship bonds, provide inexpensive and fun events to look forward to, and give structure, hope and purpose to the first quarter of the year, which is often the most financially and emotionally stressful times of the year. Make it a point to not spend a lot of time or money on these events – the goal is to have fun without spending a ton of money!
9. Plan for Next Year. The week between Christmas and New Year is a good time to reflect on the last year and make some goals for the coming year. Spend some time on savings blogs such as Simple Dollar to get even more ideas on frugality and environmental awareness. Take a blank sheet and list 10 things you’d like to do in the coming year. Think of these categories: Personal, Financial, Family, Environmental, Faith, Career, Fitness, Education/Development.
The key to making these tips work for you is a plan! Get that notebook and get started!
November 23, 2010
Time Management Strategies For Holiday Stress Relief
If you spend the holiday season rushing about like a panicked lemming, it's time to apply some time management strategies.
For many, the holiday season is the season of stress. There are just so many things to do, and a limited time to do them in. Working people may feel especially harassed, trying to cram Christmas activities into their already limited "leisure" time.
If you're one of those people feeling more frazzled than festive, taking the time to use a few time management strategies can make a big difference; you'll feel as if you're in control, rather than feeling like you're being driven like one of Santa's reindeer.
Time Management Strategies For Holiday Stress Relief
1) Make a list.
It works for Santa, and it will work for you. Divide a page into two columns. List the things you have to do to prepare for the holiday season, such as gift shopping, on one side of the page and the things you want to do, such as special holiday baking, on the other side of the page.
2) Pick and choose your Christmas activities.
Many of us do what we do during the holiday season just because we always have, turning the entire month of December into a mad whirl of non-stop Christmas preparations and activities. If the things on your list that you have to do outnumber the things that you want to do, it's time to make your list more manageable by eliminating some of these holiday activities.
Do you really need to spend hours writing and sending Christmas cards, for instance, or hours making hundreds of chocolate balls? By all means do if you enjoy these activities, but if you don't, give yourself more time to do the things you enjoy by cutting them from your list.
3) Get an early start.
There's no rule that says that all Christmas activities have to be crammed into the week before Christmas. You can decorate your home for the holiday season in November if you want (or even, like I do, leave some Christmas lights up all year round.) Food for the holiday season can be bought in advance, and holiday gifts can be bought any time of year. Stretching out your Christmas activities over a longer period of time can really reduce your holiday stress.
4) Get help.
Who says that you personally have to wrap all the holiday gifts, do all the baking, and/or do all the holiday season decorating? This year, give yourself the gift of holiday stress relief by patronizing a local bakery, hiring a cleaning service to clean your home, or even having your holiday season party or festive dinner catered.
Think about how much your time (and sanity) is worth, and contract out accordingly. Use the gift wrapping services that many businesses provide this time of year. Use the time management strategy of delegation, and assign some tasks to other family members.
5) Break the holiday gift shopping gridlock.
You don't have to take the time to drive anywhere to shop if you don't want to. Shop and buy holiday gifts online or consider shopping with your small local businesses for all of your gift needs instead of the busy malls and big box stores.
6) Call ahead before you shop offline.
Why go six places looking for that one holiday gift when you could just make a few phone calls, go to one place and pick it up? I even call ahead and reserve a turkey for Christmas dinner from the local grocery store.
7) Avoid rushing around in a holiday frenzy.
Pre-plan and coordinate your journeys. You can easily combine running errands with Christmas shopping, for example, so why make separate trips? And why go Christmas shopping 10 or 12 times? Use your list and make your calls to cut down on the hours you need to spend shopping.
8) Turn chores into events.
Everyone finds some holiday season activities that have to be done drudgery. Make whatever it is you find drudgery more enjoyable by making it special and different. For example, make the Christmas baking a family affair, or invite some friends over for a tree-trimming night.
9) Slow down.
For instance, you don't need to buy, put up, and decorate the tree all in the same day. At my house tree trimming is an ongoing event. We buy it, put it up, and set out the ornaments. Then whoever wants to hangs a few ornaments on the tree when they feel like it. Sometimes it takes two weeks, but we always have a beautiful, fully decked Christmas tree by Christmas Eve.
10) Build time to relax and enjoy the festive season into your schedule.
Take the time to drive around and enjoy the incredible displays of Christmas lights, attend a special holiday concert, make snow angels with the kids, or just take a long hot bath. Your holiday stress will drop considerably.
11) Plan ahead for the next holiday season.
Christmas supplies, such as decorations and gift wrap, are often available at discounted prices in the week after Christmas, and they don't go bad! It's easy enough too to buy holiday gifts any time of year; all it takes is some planning.
The holiday season should be a joy, not an ordeal. Applying some time management strategies during the holiday season can help you regain the equilibrium you need to appreciate (and savor!) the true spirit of the season.
For many, the holiday season is the season of stress. There are just so many things to do, and a limited time to do them in. Working people may feel especially harassed, trying to cram Christmas activities into their already limited "leisure" time.
If you're one of those people feeling more frazzled than festive, taking the time to use a few time management strategies can make a big difference; you'll feel as if you're in control, rather than feeling like you're being driven like one of Santa's reindeer.
Time Management Strategies For Holiday Stress Relief
1) Make a list.
It works for Santa, and it will work for you. Divide a page into two columns. List the things you have to do to prepare for the holiday season, such as gift shopping, on one side of the page and the things you want to do, such as special holiday baking, on the other side of the page.
2) Pick and choose your Christmas activities.
Many of us do what we do during the holiday season just because we always have, turning the entire month of December into a mad whirl of non-stop Christmas preparations and activities. If the things on your list that you have to do outnumber the things that you want to do, it's time to make your list more manageable by eliminating some of these holiday activities.
Do you really need to spend hours writing and sending Christmas cards, for instance, or hours making hundreds of chocolate balls? By all means do if you enjoy these activities, but if you don't, give yourself more time to do the things you enjoy by cutting them from your list.
3) Get an early start.
There's no rule that says that all Christmas activities have to be crammed into the week before Christmas. You can decorate your home for the holiday season in November if you want (or even, like I do, leave some Christmas lights up all year round.) Food for the holiday season can be bought in advance, and holiday gifts can be bought any time of year. Stretching out your Christmas activities over a longer period of time can really reduce your holiday stress.
4) Get help.
Who says that you personally have to wrap all the holiday gifts, do all the baking, and/or do all the holiday season decorating? This year, give yourself the gift of holiday stress relief by patronizing a local bakery, hiring a cleaning service to clean your home, or even having your holiday season party or festive dinner catered.
Think about how much your time (and sanity) is worth, and contract out accordingly. Use the gift wrapping services that many businesses provide this time of year. Use the time management strategy of delegation, and assign some tasks to other family members.
5) Break the holiday gift shopping gridlock.
You don't have to take the time to drive anywhere to shop if you don't want to. Shop and buy holiday gifts online or consider shopping with your small local businesses for all of your gift needs instead of the busy malls and big box stores.
6) Call ahead before you shop offline.
Why go six places looking for that one holiday gift when you could just make a few phone calls, go to one place and pick it up? I even call ahead and reserve a turkey for Christmas dinner from the local grocery store.
7) Avoid rushing around in a holiday frenzy.
Pre-plan and coordinate your journeys. You can easily combine running errands with Christmas shopping, for example, so why make separate trips? And why go Christmas shopping 10 or 12 times? Use your list and make your calls to cut down on the hours you need to spend shopping.
8) Turn chores into events.
Everyone finds some holiday season activities that have to be done drudgery. Make whatever it is you find drudgery more enjoyable by making it special and different. For example, make the Christmas baking a family affair, or invite some friends over for a tree-trimming night.
9) Slow down.
For instance, you don't need to buy, put up, and decorate the tree all in the same day. At my house tree trimming is an ongoing event. We buy it, put it up, and set out the ornaments. Then whoever wants to hangs a few ornaments on the tree when they feel like it. Sometimes it takes two weeks, but we always have a beautiful, fully decked Christmas tree by Christmas Eve.
10) Build time to relax and enjoy the festive season into your schedule.
Take the time to drive around and enjoy the incredible displays of Christmas lights, attend a special holiday concert, make snow angels with the kids, or just take a long hot bath. Your holiday stress will drop considerably.
11) Plan ahead for the next holiday season.
Christmas supplies, such as decorations and gift wrap, are often available at discounted prices in the week after Christmas, and they don't go bad! It's easy enough too to buy holiday gifts any time of year; all it takes is some planning.
The holiday season should be a joy, not an ordeal. Applying some time management strategies during the holiday season can help you regain the equilibrium you need to appreciate (and savor!) the true spirit of the season.
November 08, 2010
Christmas Countdown 2010!
Christmas Countdown 2010!: "Set www.xmasclock.com as your homepage to count the number of days until Christmas 2010!"
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