Home And Family

With the prospect of Halloween parties getting closer, there’s renewed interest in finding fresh and exciting ideas for adult Halloween costumes to celebrate the scary season. And because adults enjoy Halloween traditions just as much as children, each year brings out more wild and wacky designs for fantastic outfits to scare the socks off your fellow party-goers.

Some Halloween traditions never go out of style, so expect a full cast of ghouls and gremlins to haunt the scene, with creatively creepy make-up and effects to make a nicely terrifying impression. Male and female vampires add a suitably Gothic touch to the night time setting, with contrasting black, white and red colors that look especially dramatic when worn with hair-raising make-up. Whether your look is gory or glamorous, you can use your imagination to give your monster’s costume an individual twist to make your outfit unique.

But these days there’s much more to Halloween costumes than just a spooky style. So if phantoms aren’t your bag, why not go for something slinky instead? There’s a whole range of sexy Halloween costume ideas that give a seductive spin to traditional characters. Cats, bunnies and sexy fairytale costumes are amusing alternatives to the macabre effect, and uniforms of all kinds give Halloween revelers the opportunity to cut a delectable dash.

Every year brings different popular character costumes, and one of the hottest Halloween looks this season is the pirate. The ‘romantic rogue’ is an evergreen Halloween favorite and the movies have brought swashbuckling back in style. Whether it’s a sea captain, a buccaneer or a pirate king, you can customize your get-up with accessories from your wardrobe or costume store. Boots, braids and mustache help to complete the look with the aid of a hat or bandana.

If you’re renting or buying your Halloween costume, don’t leave it too late to make your reservation or purchase. The last few days of October see an avalanche of shoppers all looking for the perfect outfit — so get ahead of the rush to have the best chance of finding your ideal party gear.

Are you looking for a choice of great adult Halloween costumes to make your party go with a swing? Do you need inspiration for unique costume idea?

It’s time to make a start on all your Halloween planning: http://HalloweenHour.com

Do you have a large holiday gift list? It seems that everyone made it on your list, even the person who delivers your morning paper. It is easier to find holiday gifts for your children or immediate family. But, what can you give those people on your list that you may not know as well? Here are some holiday gift ideas that are sure to be a hit.

Consider giving out gift baskets for your holiday gifts. If you really dont know the person well, food is always a good choice. Find a basket that has a good selection of chocolates, gourmet cheeses and crackers. If the recipient doesnt like the items, they can always serve them during a party.

Another great holiday gift idea is giving gift certificates from a store or restaurant. Is there a restaurant in your area that seems to be a local favorite? If so, that is probably a good bet for a gift. If you want to get someone a certificate to a store but dont know what he or she like, get one for a popular department store or consider a mall gift certificate.

If your gift list seems too long and too complicated, maybe you can host a gift swap party to help others simplify things. Just instruct people to bring a holiday gift that is a certain dollar amount ($25 seems to work out well for most people). Everyone brings a gift and then picks a number. When it is your turn, you choose a gift or you can swap for something that somebody may have already chosen. This can be a lot of fun.

Some of the best holiday gift ideas are homemade. Popular choices include homemade blankets, chocolates and kitchen culinary treats such as infused oils, liqueurs and canning jar-baking mixes. You can find recipes and instructions online, in craft books or in magazines.

So, with a little creativity, you can come up with some holiday gift ideas that appeal to a wide audience.

Holiday Gifts provides detailed information on Holiday Gifts, Holiday Gift Baskets, Holiday Gift Ideas, Corporate Holiday Gifts and more. Holiday Gifts is affiliated with Birthday Gift Baskets.

The holidays have a way of sneaking up on us and creating a need for cheap Christmas ideas. No matter how sincere we were in our resolutions to be better prepared the next time December rolls around, there are always unexpected expenses. Perhaps the lights on our tree finally go dark or the number of Christmas cards to mail has multiplied beyond our initial expectations. Decorations, gifts and ornaments can be expensive and put pressure on an already stretched budget leaving us tense and wondering how will we ever make the holidays special for our children and have money to buy gifts.

While searching for tips on inexpensive Christmas decorations and gifts, I found more than a few reminders to plan ahead, budget and shop the sales. These are all good recommendations, but for those of us who find it a little late in the year to successfully put those wheels in motion I have a few suggestions that have worked well for me in the past that I will share with you.

CHEAP CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

When it comes down to it, nothing says Christmas like holly boughs covered in gleaming red berries. Artificial greenery may be more convenient, but natural is attractive and free. When it comes to cheap Christmas ideas this one may be the prettiest as well as the most entertaining. Load up the kids or a car full of friends and head for the woods to get free material for wreaths, garland and arrangements. Be sure to take a saw and rope along in case you find the perfect evergreen tree on your trip. They will also come in handy when cutting branches and tough vines.

Once you have your beautiful leaves and berries, check out a craft book at the local library and learn how to tie a professional looking bow. Wide, red, gold or silver ribbon is inexpensive and will in many cases, successfully stand alone. A single bow on the front door, the mail box or the mantelpiece has an elegant look and is so easy to make. Add a little greenery and your guests will believe that you had your arrangements designed by a professional florist.

Decorating the Christmas tree can be managed without spending a lot of cash by doing it the old fashioned way. Crochet snowflakes while watching holiday movies with your kids using free patterns that are readily available online or found in old copies of craft magazines. Paper chains will share the fun with the kids and start an enjoyable family tradition. Have a popcorn stringing and chain making party to make the work go faster building memories all the while.

There are times when very cheap Christmas ideas are a necessity but there is no need for your home to be bare or for your family to feel deprived. The key to happy memorable holidays is to approach frugal holiday decor with an attitude of adventure and fun. Enjoy and appreciate what you have rather than to focus on what may be missing.

Jan Bay’s love of interior decorating and child rearing motivated the building of her site, UNIQUE BABY GEAR IDEAS which features numerous articles on nursery design, reviews of modern baby gear and the creation of modern nurseries for babies.

Use of this article requires an active link to Baby Christmas Dress.

Happiness, enjoyment, fun, excitement, togetherness and celebration spells Christmas! Christmas fills our hearts with unbounded joy, and to multiply this joy, we search for the perfect gift for a truly magical lady called mother. Mothers are so very special, and at Christmas we want to show them how much we care by giving them the very best.

If mom loves jewelry companies like Red Envelope, Patagonia, Personalization Mall, JC Penny, Limoges Jewelry, Generous Gems, Personalized Boutique and Sundance, all have beautifully designed jewelry in a range of prices that fits into everyones budget. Stunning birthstone Mothers rings can be purchased for as little as $50, and you know mom will love it.

A very unique gift is the Shiitake Mushroom Log?that produces mushroom for years to come, or a personalized chess set?made up of white onyx and black marble with a personal message engraved on the board offered by the Cyber Gift Center. Equally are stuffed toys with a tape recorder inside so that you can tell mom how much you love her. This can be found at the Connection Channel.

If youd like to give her a gift basket, there are some fabulous choices from Warm Sentiments, Wine Country Gift Baskets, Design-it-Yourself Gift Baskets, Harry and David Gourmet Gift Baskets, Adorable Gift Baskets, Nostalgia Basket and Book Basket are some companies to look for online. A gift certificate is also a nice surprise. You can either give a gift certificate to a mall that would let mom shop in a variety of stores, or an online certificate that gives her several shopping options. You can also go to her favorite shop and ask for a gift certificate. Shell love shopping for something special, and shell love you.

Gifts For Men provides detailed information about gifts for men, birthday gift for him, anniversary gift for him, gift basket for him and more. Gifts For Men is the sister site of Wholesale Embroidered Hats [http://www.e-EmbroideredHats.com].

Christmas time is the ideal occasion to adorn one’s home with attractive and graceful Christmas decorations. When the season comes, people start looking for impressive ways to beautify almost every corner of the house. The shops also get ready very early with different ornaments and decorations to meet with the demands of different customers. The shopping centers get all fancied up with beautiful and elegant Christmas decoration items to attract all kinds of buyers.

There are many options when it comes to Christmas decorations. You can use only one theme for beautifying the whole building or prepare a distinct theme for each room. How it can be done? Some people may prefer a single color that overshadows all other colors, and some other choose a set of suitable ornaments that seem all over the household.

Christmas decorations should not be confined to indoors alone. If possible, you should get ready for some outdoor decorating also. It will make your neighborhood look fantastic. It shows your neighbors and passersby something gracious to watch, it will indeed make you proud and is simply plain fun ornamenting.

Most Christmas decorations are shining and light up during night, others look peaceful, but a few characteristics that they all posses in general are that they look beautiful and colored. Several choices are there to choose from. There is definitely something of a variety of sizes and shapes to suit your fund. Never hold off in such a festal season of the year! Beautifying indoors with a Christmas tree and outdoors with ornamentations will make people feel how felicitous you are. Some liquid lawn fertilizer will green up the field for the celebration.

Custom is all-powerful when it comes to all kinds of Christmas decorations. Many of us select an ornament every season to mark the festivities. Glass Christmas ornaments are specially made for this group of people. These ornaments can be personalized with names and dates given as a symbol joy during Christmas. Many artisans hand paint the ornamentation with special directions. Marriage and anniversary decorations are getting popular every year. The engraved glass ornaments are distinctive for this custom.

Christmas decoration items are available for a variety of price ranges. Choose any one that best matches your preference. Christmas trees are mostly beautified with swirls, garlands, pinecones, ornaments, stars and bells. Artificial snow buntings can be scattered on the Christmas tree to make it look realistic. People use snow machines in order to make these flakes. You may also prepare cotton swabs to look like snow buntings.

Christmas decorations are the focal point around which the Christmas festivities begin. Parties are arranged for decorating the Christmas tree; school kids design tree decorations as project work and we keep them to mark that particular season; family outings for selecting and cut the best Christmas tree are annual customs. Christmas decoration items come from different places and is beautified in several different methods. What is seen the same across the world is the importance given to all kinds of Christmas decorations.

The Nativity occupies a very important place among the themes of many Christmas decorations. An oval-shaped mirror below can make this display livelier. May be there are places in your house where this will look better and more elegant. The mantel, coffee table, and entry hall are ideal places. It’s good to explore the shelves of a local craft shop to get the best things for your Christmas decorations. Many combinations of colors and textures can be used to make festal vase showings in each place of your house.

Experts opine that Christmas decorations should have a graceful, elegant and colorful feel, so that they can contribute a beautiful touch to the festivities. Decorations will definitely help to make the festivities all the more vivacious. So, you need to be very heedful while planning the perfect decorating themes.

Christmas Decoration Tips Video Website includes more information and helpful tips. Be sure to visit Author’s Website at http://www.christmasdecoration.christmaspulse.com/

Most of the world regards Christmas as a Christian holiday based on the birth of Jesus Christ. But a look at the holiday’s origins shows that it is anything but Christian. And a look at its celebration today shows the same. Will you celebrate Christmas this year?

During Western European expansion into the rest of the world, Christian leaders adapted pagan traditions into acceptable practices by replacing many elements with Christian symbols and practices. One of the best known instances of this is the revision of the Roman festival of Saturnalia, celebrating the birth of the sun, into a Christian celebration of the birth of the son of God, Jesus Christ. Many Christian beliefs and pagan traditions have been interwoven in what we now known as the Christmas season.

Jesus’ Birth

Historical evidence in the Bible account of Christ’s birth and other sources tells us that Christ was not actually born in December, but rather in October. This determination can be based on weather clues in the Gospels that indicate that the shepherds were sleeping with their flocks in the fields at night at the time of Jesus’ birth, something that the cold rainy season that falls in December would have made impossible.

Additional evidence comes from known the date of Jesus’ death and his age at his death. He was 33 and a half when he died on Nisan 15 on the Jewish calendar, which was April 3 in 2007 and will be April 20 in 2008. Counting backwards or forwards six months (because he was 33 and a HALF) puts us in October. So we know that Jesus was born in October, not December. Celebrating his birth on December 25 was a way to Christianize pagan traditions.

Interestingly, there is no command in the Bible that Jesus’ birth be celebrated or observed in any way. Its exact date is not even recorded, despite the fact that many other dates are preserved and discussed repeatedly in the Bible. And in fact, the scriptures seem to discourage any birthday celebrations, saying that the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth (Ecclesiastes 7:1) and offering only 2 examples of birthdays in the Bible, in which horrific murders took place (Genesis 40:20-23, Matthew 14:6-13) including that of John the Baptizer. Jesus was nearby during Herod’s birthday celebration, but the scriptures make it clear that he did not attend.

However, Jesus himself commands that his death be commemorated at the last supper, which occurred on Passover and was to take its place (Matthew 26).

Santa Claus

The traditional symbol of Christmas is Santa Claus (also known as St. Nicholas, Pere Noel, Father Christmas, and many other titles around the world). The Santa we know today only really became firmly established in the American Christmas tradition in the early 1900s, though he made appearances as early as the 1800s.

Refined over time into the jolly, fat, red-suited bearded man we now know, Santa Claus is believed to be based in part on a real person, Catholic Bishop Nicholas, or St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas apparently delivered gifts to needy children and was supported by food (cookies, nuts, fruit, etc.) left out by parents and caregivers as he traveled the countryside.

Another theory of the origin of Santa Claus, and one perhaps better supported by the evidence, is that he is derived from either or both the Norse gods Odin/Woden or Thor. Thor is a particularly good match as the god of Yule (or Christmas time, hence the Yule log), who is charactized by a fat man with a white beard, with red as his signature color, a home in the northernmost parts of the world, a flying chariot drawn by goats, and association with chimneys and fireplaces. He was also accompanied by elves.

Other theories associated Santa clearly with Satan the Devil, pointing out that St. Nick’s name is too closely associated with the devil’s common name “Old Nick” in British and American vernacular, and various forms of “Nick” in multiple languages. The lengthy article SantaClaus: The Great Impostor” goes into great detail with additional information on the origins of Santa Claus.

The Christmas Tree

Evergreen trees have long been a part of religious traditions, but prior to the association of the pine or fir tree with Christmas, these uses have been almost exclusively pagan. For instance, the druids and others during the Middle Ages regarded holly and mistletoe as signs of eternal life, and used pine boughs to ward off evil spirits, ghosts, and witches. Ancient Egyptians worshiped evergreens, and evergreen branches were a part of the Roman Saturnalia festival and Norse traditions surrounding Balder, god of the sun. Various pagan religions including Greek, Roman, Norse, and Celtic groups, were known to decorate evergreen trees during festivals to certain gods, and to give evergreen boughs to others as a symbol of luck.

How the Christmas tree became part of Christian tradition is debated, but two popular explanations involve St. Boniface and Martin Luther. Boniface is reported to have cut down an oak tree during a druid ritual, and a small evergreen tree sprung up from its stump and became a symbol of Christianity. Martin Luther allegedly cut down a fir tree, brought it into his home, and decorated it with small candles, starting the tradition. In Germany, the tradition dates back to the 16th century, when trees were cut down, brought inside, and decorated with fruit to represent the Tree of Paradise during the celebration of Adam and Eve on December 24.

Christmas trees were long resisted as being pagan, but beginning in the mid-1800s gained fairly broad acceptance in America and worldwide.

Gift Giving

Exchanging gifts was a major part of the Roman Saturnalia festival, and continued after it was converted into Christmas. Justification for maintaining the practice of annual gift giving at Christmastime, despite the Bible’s frequent admonishments against materialism, comes from the gifts the Magi brought to the baby Jesus (Matthew 2:10-11). In contrast, the Magi’s gifts were for Jesus and to honor god, but today’s holiday gift giving focuses on gifts to friends and family, which is the type of gift giving practiced during Saturnalia.

Bringing It All Together

Although Christmas is regarded as a Christian holiday, exploring its origins makes it clear that Christmas has little if anything to do with Christianity. It is supposed to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but does so on a date unrelated to his birth, which he never commanded be celebrated, and incorporates thousands of years of pagan traditions. The holiday focuses on and encourages human traditions, not religious practices, and promotes consumerism through its practice of excessive gift giving. Further, Christmas’ central symbol, Santa Claus, whose existence and yearly nocturnal visits are a lie, is closely aligned with pagan gods.

The Bible teaches that God should be worshiped in spirit and truth (John 4:23,24), not through man’s traditions and falsehoods. There is no record in the Bible of Christmas celebrations, including annual observance of Jesus’ birth, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, or ritualistic exchange of presents. Further, the Bible teaches that we should worship and pray to God alone for what we need and want, not to a beneficent holiday gift giver who rewards the nice and overlooks the naughty. In Matthew 4:10, Jesus chastises Satan for offering all of the kingdoms of the world in exchange for a single act of worship, saying, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

Whether you are a devout Christian or someone who regards Christmas as a nonreligious tradition, the origins of the holiday and what its practice really means should play an important role in the decision-making process as to whether you should celebrate it. Mark 7:7-8 says that it’s in vain when people worship God with the teachings of men as their doctrine and neglect the commandment of God. Should these traditions be part of your life?

20 something copywriter and consultant Kristen King blogs at the award-winning Inkthinker blog and http://www.KristenKing.com, among other sites. Visit KristenKing.com for more lifestyle articles about religion, culture, relationships, pets, and married life in rural Virginia.

Christmas party games and ideas are easy to plan with a festive mindset. Think fun! Whoever is heading to your house for the holidays, make it a Christmas to remember. These ideas are a breeze to plan and will inspire the joys of the season for you and your guest to share.

With all the hype and consumerism that has taken over the pleasure of Christmas, don’t forget that nothing can replace the joys of a simple celebration at home with close friends and family. Think of Christmas past – the smell of fresh baked goods, the sparkling luminous tree, Christmas carols playing on the stereo, much talking and laughter throughout the house. This is the stuff of a true Christmas where the joys of the season can be found. It is also the simplest of celebrations to plan.

The smell of fresh baked goods coming out of the oven is an irresistible holiday memory. Even the family “scrooge” can’t resist the temptation to indulge in Christmas treats and sweets. Don’t spend all your time baking, a simple cookie recipe or two is all it will take to get your guests into the kitchen. Consider a holiday baking party with a few close friends, everyone shares their best Christmas cookie. How about a cookie decorating party? Cookie decorating is fun for kids, big kids and kids at heart. These recipes will bring the joys to your kitchen:

White Rolled Christmas Cookies

? c. powdered sugar

? tsp. cream of tartar

? tsp. soda

? c. butter (margarine may be used)

? c. flour

? egg, well beaten

? tsp. vanilla

? tsp. almond extract, if desired

Roll out dough a cut with cookie cutters. Dough can be rolled and re-rolled as often as necessary for cutting desired shapes. Frost with favorite powdered sugar icing and decorate. Also may be rolled in balls and pressed flat to 1/4 inch. Bake at 300 to 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Christmas Fruitcake Cookies

? c. butter, softened

?-1/2 c. sugar

? eggs

?-1/2 c. flour

?/2 tsp. salt

? tsp. baking soda

? tsp. cinnamon

? (8 oz.) pkgs. pitted dates, chopped

? c. pecans, chopped

? (8 oz.) pkg. candied pineapple, chopped

? (8 oz.) pkg. candied cherries, quartered

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add the rest. Drop on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 13 minutes.

How about Christmas movie night or nights. A great past time for families who want to create a holiday tradition to do every year. There are a number of wonderful holiday movies that will become family favorites. Try some of these for your family holiday movie night:

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) – The top all time favorite every year as George escapes the clutches of evil Mr. Potter and realizes he’s the richest man in town. Thanks, Clarence.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947) – Did Macy’s just hire the real Santa Claus? Hearts young and old still melt as Maureen O’Hara (and a very young Natalie Wood) finally see that “faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to.”

A Christmas Story (1983) – Ralphie schemes and dreams his way to his one and only Christmas wish, the official Red Ryder air rifle.

A Christmas Carol (1951) – The all-time best version of the Dickens classic starring Alister Sim as Scrooge and a definite must for any holiday DVD collection.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) – Tim Burton’s original stop-motion masterpiece about a bunch of ghouls who just don’t get Christmas “…and they call him Sandy Claws!”

The Santa Clause (1994) – Comedian Tim Allen’s only successful big screen performance to date as a hapless divorced dad begins to put on weight and grows a long white beard.

Polar Express (2004) – On track to becoming a classic with Tom Hanks as the conductor on the early morning run to the North Pole.

Nothing says Christmas like Christmas carols. The tried and true classics are still the favorites. How about a tradition of caroling with family and friends. A rousing rendition of “Deck the Halls” is sure to get your group and your neighbors in the holiday mood. This list of carols are perfect for your caroling adventure:

The 12 Days of Christmas

Christmas Tree

Come All Ye Faithful

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Tannenbaum

Hark The Herald Angels Sing

Silent Night

The First Noel

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Jingle Bells

Joy To The World

Three Kings

Create some holiday magic with your family and friends The scents, sounds and traditions from seasons past makes a great backdrop for a season of festivities, laughter and fun. Start a few new traditions your gang will want to do year after year. A bit of planning and a lot of love will create traditions enjoyed by the young and the young-at-heart. A little Christmas party games and fun will make the season merry bright and memorable. Happy holidays!

Terri Hunziker founded GamesAndLetters.com. Games and Letters provides hundreds of print-and-play games — Christmas party games, bridal shower games, baby shower games and more! For immediate access to hundreds of fun games and ideas for your next party, visit, gamesandletters.com.

Mothers have been venerated for centuries. The tradition continues today, with Mothers Day being one of the most celebrated occasions of the year.

Ancient Greeks held a spring festival in honor of Rhea, the mother of gods and goddesses. The Greek celebration involved honey cakes, drinks and flowers at dawn on the festival day. Ancient Romans also had a festival to honor Cybele, a mother goddess. The festival of Cybele lasted three days and became notorious enough to have Cybeles followers banished from Rome. For the ancient Celts, the first milk of the ewes marked the beginning of celebrations in honor of mothers.

In the early seventeenth century, Britons began observing Mothering Sunday. This occasion started as a holiday for servants who were encouraged to return home, with a special mothering cake, to visit their mothers. Mothering Sunday was observed on the fourth Sunday in Lent.

In the United States, three women were involved in the creation of Mothers Day. One of these women, Julia Ward Howe, was known for writing the words to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. In 1870 she tried to issue a peace manifesto at an international peace conference. By 1872 she was actively promoting the idea of a mothers day for peace. Her Mothers Day for Peace eventually took place in 18 cities and was carried on for about 30 years, until Mrs. Howe moved on to other activities and ceased financing the observance.

Mrs. Howe was influenced by Anna Reeves Jarvis, who started Mothers?Work Days?in 1858, in an effort to improve health and safety conditions for workers. During the Civil War, she mobilized women to help the wounded, regardless of which side of the conflict they were on. Anna Reeves Jarvis also took up the cause of Mothers Day, sharing Mrs. Howes vision of a day of peace. Upon her death in 1905, Mrs. Jarvis?daughter, also named Anna, made a promise to herself to continue her mothers work and to establish a day to honor mothers. In 1907, in memory of her mother, the younger Anna distributed white carnations to every mother in attendance at her mothers church in West Virginia.

The following year was a significant one for the history of Mothers Day and for Anna Jarvis. Her mothers church instituted an annual Sunday service honoring mothers. And, although it was not successful, the first bill proposing a Mothers Day holiday was presented in the U.S. Senate.

Anna Jarvis then gave up her job and began working full-time to establish Mothers Day. She wrote to anyone she thought had influence, including legislators, womens groups, clergy and businessmen, to try and persuade them to push for a holiday for mothers. In 1909, Mothers Day began being observed by other countries, including Canada and Mexico. By 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a resolution establishing Mothers Day as a national holiday in the United States. Unlike Mrs. Howes day for mothers, which had links to public activism for peace, the governments resolution emphasized the role of women in their families.

The tradition of purchasing cards and flowers came along shortly after the holiday was created. Distressed at the increasing commercialism of Mothers Day, Anna Jarvis eventually ended up campaigning against the holiday. She died in poverty in 1848.

Today, Mothers Day is celebrated around the world as sons and daughters of all ages use gifts and cards to tell their moms how important they are. And, although Anna Jarvis might disagree with the method, the message is still one of honoring mothers.

David Beart is the owner of [http://www.professorshouse.com] This site covers a wide selection of topics including relationships, family, cooking and other household issues. For additional articles that cover national holidays, please visit [http://www.professorshouse.com/family/holidays/holidays.aspx]

Every year I look forward to my Christmas luncheon. Planning it took weeks and I did not mind. As usual, the luncheon would be at my house. This year, however, with a diagnosis of high blood pressure, the planning seemed more difficult. I mentioned this to a friend.

“Make it a potluck,” she suggested.

“That’s a great idea!” I exclaimed, and started working on it immediately.

Vanessa Graves offers tips for hosting a potluck in her All Recipes website article, “Party Planning 1o1.” Whether the group is large or small, Grave says the planning steps are the same. Seeing the big picture is the first step. “A great party takes on a life of its own,” she notes.

According to Graves, invitations should be sent out a week ahead of time. But my friends are so busy I contacted them a month ahead of time. I sent emails to 13 people, saying the luncheon would be potluck and suggesting a date. “The menu is simple,” I wrote. “Appetizers, soup, bread, salad, and dessert.” Each guest was assigned a category.

Guests were asked to rsvp and two were unable to come. In their replies, most of my friends told me what they planned to make. Their email replies morphed into a complete menu:

Hungarian Mushroom Soup
Minnesota Wild Rice Soup
Homemade bread
Bibb Lettuce Salad with Sliced Pears, Walnuts, and Blue Cheese
Swedish Creme with Raspberries
Irish Oatmeal Cake
Fudgy Brownies
Wine, Coffee and Tea

I would supply punch, salad, Swedish Creme, dessert plates, napkins, decorations, and favors. Years ago, I wrote an all-purpose luncheon invitation, so it was easy for me to change luncheon to potluck, insert the date, and confirm the dish each friend was bringing.

Donna Pilato tells how to plan a potluck in her article, “Potluck Parties: It May Sound Old-Fashioned, but it Fits Our Modern Lifestyle.” To avoid duplicate dishes, she tells the host or hostess to plan the menu. The food doesn’t need to be fancy, Pilato adds, but it should be prepared in advance. “Nobody should do more in the kitchen than pop something in the oven for reheating.”

Modern potlucks often have a theme or focus, such as a book, knitting, or board business. Entertainment may also be provided. But my friends and I know each other well and we entertain ourselves. Over the years, we have cried together, laughed together, and supported each other during crisis.

Though potlucks sound “ify,” they are organized and vibrant gatherings. Sara Elliott, in her article, “How to Host a Holiday Potluck,” thinks this form of entertaining can showcase cooking prowess and hospitality. Make sure you have enough chairs and silverware, she advises, and check last minute details. Potlucks “give us an opportunity to share time and the bounty of good food with friends and relatives in a way that doesn’t overburden one person or family,” notes Elliott.

The potluck luncheon is Thursday and we’re going to have a marvelous, laughter-filled time.

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for decades. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of Health Care Journalists, and Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, “Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief,” written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from Amazon.

Centering Corporation has published her 26th book, “Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life” and a companion journal with 100 writing prompts. Please visit Harriet’s website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.

1. Christmas Cards – Make a list of people you would like to send a Christmas card to. Don`t feel obliged to send cards to people who you feel you have to send to. This year, I made a list of all the people who are close and make me smile and I made each one a handmade card. You might like to save money and stress, by getting your children to make all your Christmas cards this year.

2. Shopping – Plan your shopping trips and make plenty of lists and go shopping before it gets too busy. Try to make shopping a pleasure instead of a chore and give yourself little treats on the way. Have an express manicure, coffee break or stop and listen to the Christmas buskers!

3. On-line shopping -This is definitely the way forward! It is easy and quite stress free. It does lack the buzz and atmosphere though, so try to find the time to nip into town to get an injection of Christmassy spirit.

4. A perfect Christmas – There really is no such thing as a perfect Christmas and so many people stress unnecessarily by trying to create a Christmas that competes with Good Housekeeping magazine. Just Relax and do your best. Your family would much prefer you to be happy and relaxed than stressed and uptight trying to do everything perfectly.

5. Emergency Presents – Wrap up a few extra boxes of chocolates etc for any unexpected visitors. This will save any last minute panics! 6 Family Fun – Try to involve the children as much as possible and set aside times where they can help make gift tags or help cook gingerbread men. Although this may seem more stressful than getting on with it yourself, it will bring the real spirit of Christmas to your home.

7. Relaxation – Make sure you take time out to de-stress. Quiet reflection, meditation or going to church or your place of prayer, will give you vital chill time. You might like to try Relax Kids Silent Nights CD

8 Charity. – Try to spend a few moments in thought, prayer or action for those you are less fortunate than yourself. For many people, Christmas is a fun family time, for others it is the loneliest time of the year. Doing something for others is a sure fast way to make you feel valued and content.

9. Take a break if it is all getting too much on Christmas day and go for a walk as you take time out for some quiet reflection.

10. Relaxing Kids at Christmas – The seasonal build up can be so exciting for children and make them hyper and over exhausted. Make sure the children get plenty of relaxing time during the run up to Christmas. Try our “Silent Nights” CD and build relaxation into their regular bedtime routine.

Marneta Viegas
http://www.relaxkids.com