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 Holiday Shipping Deadlines By Zones

 

True Meaning of Christmas

Christmas Dinners

Christmas Around the World

Kwanzaa

Traditions

Decorations

Ornaments

Christmas Gifts

Christmas Gifts for Her

Christmas Gifts for Him

Christmas Gifts for Kids

CHRISTMAS NEWS

• HOLIDAY ANGELS AND MENTORS NEEDED
• 'Gina D's Cuddle Bug Christmas' Television Special Tops 200 Stations As Reported by CEOcast.com
•  Christmas Comes Early in Detroit! Brand-New Scenes Unveiled for the Seventh Season of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Detroit's Fabulous Fox Theatre! 

'Gina D's Cuddle Bug Christmas' Television Special Tops 200 Stations As Reported by CEOcast.com

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Raven Moon Entertainment, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: RVNM - News) announced today that its CEO Joey DiFrancesco has been featured on CEOcast.com. In the interview, Mr. DiFrancesco discussed the company's major syndication push.

According to Mr. DiFrancesco, The Christmas special will air on over 200 stations. Raven Moon's "Sing-A-Long With Gina" special aired on PAX in Orlando last night, and the company continues to offer its FCC Friendly children's programming to major stations across the country.

 

Mr. DiFrancesco also discussed the upcoming shareholder meeting. Mr. DiFrancesco urged shareholders to vote their proxies online at www.proxyvote.com. Raven Moon will be holding its Annual Shareholder meeting on September 12, 10:00 am at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fl. Raven Moon previously announced a 1 for 1 stock dividend for all shareholders of record as of September 19th, 2003 which is based upon shareholder approval at the September 12 shareholder meeting. The distribution date for the shareholder dividend will be October 1, 2003. For information call Marc Jablon at (407) 877-5952.

About CEOcast

CEOcast is the premier source of original and syndicated streaming broadcast interviews of CEOs of public companies. CEOcast is distributed to millions of on-line investors at over 700 financial websites as well as to more than 20,000 portfolio managers, buy side analysts and traders at more than 3,300 North American Institutions. For Raven Moon CEO Joey DiFrancesco's complete interview visit www.ceocast.com. About Raven Moon Entertainment Raven Moon is currently offering stations the opportunity to broadcast "Gina D's Cuddle Bug Christmas" television special, which is a half-hour live action and animated program with original music aimed at the pre-school set, starting November 1 through December 25, 2003 and the "Gina D's Kids Club" television series beginning September 2004 on a no cost basis. The series complies with the Children's Television Act that requires stations to air a certain number of hours of educational programming in order to renew their broadcast license, "and we believe that we can clear 75% to 85% of the US television markets the first year," stated DiFrancesco.

For syndication information contact Keith Jablon at (321) 217-6994.

Safe Harbor Act Notice

This release may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, acceptance of the company's products, increased levels of competition, product and technological changes, the company's dependence upon financing and third-party suppliers, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's federal filings, annual report, offering memorandum or prospectus. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

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Source: Raven Moon Entertainment, Inc.

HOLIDAY ANGELS AND MENTORS NEEDED

Out Flow Inc. a non profit organization needs Holiday Angels to help with toys for the upcoming Holidays. We deliver toys and gifts to children orphaned, infected or affected by HIV/AIDS.

LONG BEACH, CA (PRWEB) August, 2003 -- We need volunteers and donors to help children orphaned, infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Children need your help at the Holidays. Last Christmas Out Flow, Inc. with it's volunteers delivered over 300 toys to children in the South Bay area. Although we had only opened our doors for two months we took on the task and what a wonderful and rewarding task it was.

Last year a local HIV/AIDS service organization called us with an emergency. They told us that in the past Disney had supplied toys for them to give to the children that they assist. The organization said that Disney had donated toys to them in the past but for some reason Disney could no longer contribute toys. So we said, "yes we will do it." And we did. With help from the US Marines "Toys For Tots Program", The Campfire USA group, and a local McDonald's, we were able to get the doys needed.

On Christmas Eve we delivered over 300 toys. FOX 11 News heard of what we were doing and asked if they could follow us while we delivered the toys? Of course we said yes. FOX 11 News aired us live on Christmas Eve.

This year we plan on increasing our toy delivery by over 1,000 gifts. That will be a hugh task, but we will do it and maybe more that 1,000 with your help.

We need toys, gift wrapping paper, ribbon, gift boxes, gift bags, etc. Also, we need volunteers to help in our Gift Wrap Store during the Holidays. We need Mentors to take children to the ballgames, movies, deliver toys on birthdays, etc. All gifts, tickets and passes are furnished by contributions to Out Flow, Inc. by people like you and local businesses. Be a Mentor, ask us how?

The Holidays are just around the corner, and we start with Thanksgiving by giving turkeys to needy families.

Please contact us at OutFlowLB@aol.com or send your donations to Out Flow, Inc., PO Box 21124, Long Beach, CA. 90801.

Christmas Comes Early in Detroit! Brand-New Scenes Unveiled for the Seventh Season of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Detroit's Fabulous Fox Theatre!
 

The World-Famous Rockettes Star In The No. 1 Holiday Show In America

 

Tickets Go On Sale At Noon September 14!

DETROIT, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The world-famous Radio City Rockettes return to Detroit for a seventh consecutive season with three brand-new scenes to add to the traditional classics in The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, at Detroit's fabulous Fox Theatre November 28- December 27, 2003. The Rockettes will enchant Detroiters with a brand-new tap number, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Santa will share the magic of his Christmas travels in I'm There, and Mrs. Claus takes a starring role with some special Christmas helpers in Everybody's Waitin' For The Man With The Bag.

It's bigger than a partridge in a pear tree, and more exciting than 12 drummers drumming -- it's the world-famous Radio City Rockettes performing in The Twelve Days of Christmas, a new high-energy, eye-high-kickin' tap sequence that'll leave audiences, not to mention the Rockettes, absolutely breathless. This is precision tap dancing at its best.

Each year, Santa Claus pulls off the magnificent feat of delivering toys and gifts to boys and girls all over the world in one night, but how does he do it? With the help of some special friends, audiences will get an inside peek at the magic behind Santa's knack for being here, there and everywhere during his Christmastime journeys in I'm There.

No one knows better than Mrs. Claus what it's like to wait on Santa Claus! Mrs. Claus takes center stage in Everybody's Waitin' For The Man With The Bag, as she and a couple of Santa's favorite helpers -- the Radio City Rockettes -- wonder if Santa will return in time from a mysterious errand to prepare for his big Christmas Eve trip. Although Santa's been busy spreading Christmas joy all over the world, Mrs. Claus has to reassure his helpers that Santa has never missed a Christmas Eve!

The 2003 Radio City Christmas Spectacular will also include classic scenes that Detroiters have grown to love and cherish, including legendary Parade of the Wooden Soldiers and The Living Nativity. Those who are enchanted with the holiday season will revel in nearly 120 minutes of live holiday entertainment where snowmen shimmy, reindeer fly, elves rap, and the Radio City Rockettes perform their fancy footwork and world-famous eye-high kicks. Those who may have glowing memories of the famed New York production of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular will be thrilled to see all the spectacle and excitement brought to Detroit for another year.

In 1994, due to popular demand, Radio City Entertainment broadened the beloved holiday theatrical's schedule for the first time to encompass markets outside New York, while running simultaneously with the New York show. Since then, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular has performed in top cities all across America.

This year, the Christmas Spectacular celebrates another huge season, performing in nine markets, including Radio City Music Hall in New York City; Detroit's fabulous Fox Theatre; the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville; the Grand Palace in Branson (MO); Gammage Auditorium in Phoenix; the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in Tampa; the Broward Center for Performing Arts in Ft. Lauderdale; the Paramount Theatre in Seattle; and the Milwaukee Theatre in Milwaukee.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular will return for its seventh consecutive season to Detroit's Fox Theatre, November 28-December 27, with 54 total performances. Tickets ($18.50-$60.50, with limited Elite and Gold Circle seating available) go on sale at noon September 14 at Hockeytown Authentics in Troy (without service charges) and all Ticketmaster locations, including Marshall Field's. To charge by phone, call (248) 433-1515. Purchase tickets online at www.ticketmaster.com . Tickets may be purchased at the Fox Theatre and Joe Louis Arena box offices (without service charges) at 10 a.m., Monday, September 15. To purchase group tickets (20 or more), call (313) 471-3099. For information, call (313) 471-6611 or visit www.OlympiaEntertainment.com .

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Source: Olympia Entertainment

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Men and Christmas Shopping Don't Mix

by Jan Andersen

Let’s not beat about the bush. Men hate shopping. Unless they are searching for some sort of power tool for themselves.

Only this morning, my other half breezed enthusiastically into our home office brandishing his latest gadget-like purchase. At the time, I was sitting gazing at a blank PC screen searching for inspiration, which arrived instantly in the form of a Bosch Router.

“Look at this!” he enthused, as he waved this heavy metal object menacingly above my head. “Remember me telling you about how I wanted an edging tool, so that I could get a nice profile on the borders of furniture, like this desk for example?” he said, running his middle finger across the perimeter of his recent creation and then swiftly removing it when the razor-sharp edge sliced through his flesh.

“Well, now that I’ve got this, I can do that”, he gushed, as I ducked to avoid this now identified flying object swooping precariously past my cranium, whilst he gave a charades’ type demonstration of the action that one would employ when using such a contraption.

Mention the words B&Q, Do-It-All, Homebase and, above all, power tools and his face lights up like a Halloween pumpkin. Mention any other type of shopping, for anyone other than himself, and his features contort into an expression on a par with someone who’s just stepped, barefooted, into a pile of dog excrement.

Naturally, from a man’s point of view, Christmas is the worst time of year to engage in the tedious pastime of shopping, not just for one person, but for a miscellaneous assortment of friends and relatives, some of whom you only hear from once a year via a brown paper package containing a home knitted garment.

This loosely-woven hand knit is generally a ferret-coloured sweater that would fit a cross between an anorexic chicken and monkey, sent with much love from someone with a name like Auntie Beryl, who always has stale, tea breath, who wears rancid, Eau-de-Skunk perfume and whose Orang-utan lipstick overflows the outline of her lips and invades the rest of her face in a haphazard pattern. Oh, and she always seems to forget that you’ve matured somewhat, mentally and physically, since you were a mere six years old.

As far as men are concerned, Christmas shopping is best left until an hour before closing time on Christmas Eve. This is the “panic and buy anything for the sake of having to” hour and trying to secure the best of what is remaining on the spartan shelves. The tacky choice generally includes a cellophane wrapped set of Lavender fragranced talc and bath cubes, a pair of musical Santa socks, a reduced price window candle arch, with two faulty bulbs and a Popular Christmas Songs album, by some obscure artist sporting a coat hanger grin, Grecian 2000 hair and a diamond-patterned pullover.

The only time that my partner enjoys the shopping experience as a couple, is when we visit select underwear stores, allowing him to sidle off and rifle lustfully through the transparent lingerie and waggle his fingers through the gap in crotchless panties. When shopping as an attached man, he can conduct himself in this manner without question. Unaccompanied, he would give the impression of either being a pervert or of harbouring a secret fetish for cross-dressing.

Last week, accompanied by our one-year-old daughter, we visited a shopping mall in Bristol to “tentatively” search for some Christmas gifts. Led by my “likes to be in control” partner, we skirted past 101 women’s clothes’ shops before I barely had time to drool longingly through the window at some over-priced, flirtatious little number, as it hung perfectly from some unbelievably stick-like, plastic dummy. And no, I don’t mean Pamela Anderson.

Suddenly, without prior warning, my beloved quickened his pace to the equivalent of having had a large stick of dynamite lodged up his behind, before veering sharply to the right and cutting across the paths of innocent pedestrians. He must have assumed that I was following, since not once did he glance over his shoulder to check that I was trotting dutifully behind.

Darting in and out of a bustling crowd of people, who all seem to be travelling at right angles to you, is not so much of a problem when you are not weighed down by any sort of baggage. However, when you have a mind-of-its-own pushchair and a large, golfing umbrella that has a habit of piercing unsuspecting victims in the nether regions, life becomes a tad more difficult.

After playing skittles with the pushchair and mobile human targets and ruining a nice young man’s reproductive capacity with my umbrella spike, I spotted my eager sidekick disappearing into a store that had “The Gadget Shop” emblazoned across the entrance.

Typical.

He spent more time in this store excitedly twiddling with knobs (imagining they were nipples, no doubt) and pushing various buttons, than we did in total looking around the entire mall. After declaring, “I’ve got to get one of these” at least ten times, he announced, “Well, that’s about it then. Not really much else here is there?”

“So aren’t we actually going to do any Christmas shopping today then?” I enquired.

“No, I think I’ll take a day off work in December”, he said.

“When, exactly?” I asked.

“Oh, probably Christmas Eve”, he replied……..

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Jan Andersen is a British freelance writer and mother of four children. Her youngest three children are aged 17, 15 and 3. Jan's eldest son, Kristian tragically died on 1 November 2002 at the age of 20, as a result of which she has just launched a new supportive website for families who have lost a child to suicide: http://childsuicide.homestead.com.

Jan specializes in humorous, satirical and thought-provoking articles, essays and columns on diverse topics, from relationships, parenting and women's issues, to psychology, health and social issues.

She also owns and run Mothers Over 40, an inspirational and supportive site for older parents and those considering midlife pregnancy. www.mothersover40.com http://worldwriter.homestead.com

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7 Tips For Defusing Holiday Stress
by Ramona Creel

KNOW THYSELF

The first key to creating a peaceful holiday season is identifying those holiday traditions that you ENJOY and those that you don’t. When you spend your precious time and energy on activities that you don’t find rewarding, you are destined to become FRUSTRATED and cranky. So go ahead and be honest with yourself before the season even starts. Make a list of every possible holiday “obligation” that you can think of. Your list might contain (but not be limited to) the following:

- send greeting cards

- bake holiday goodies

- decorate the house

- shop for gifts

- wrap gifts

- make the holiday meal

- attend church services

- go caroling

- volunteer

- visit extended family

- visit friends

- spend time with spouse

- plan family get-together

- spend time with kids

- decorate the tree

- clean house

- shop for food

- attend a concert/play

- watch holiday TV

- visit Santa

- look at lights

- host a party

- attend a party

- take a walk in nature

Now, here’s the real trick -- circle those items that you absolutely enjoy doing and don’t want to miss out on this holiday season. And cross out those that you hate, despise, and dread. Be HONEST here! If you loathe baking, don’t try to convince yourself that this year you will turn into Donna Reed with a batch of homemade gingerbread. And you can get very specific if you need to. You might love visiting with your parents, but can’t stand seeing your critical Aunt Louise. That’s fine -- make visiting your parents one activity and seeing Aunt Louise another. It might be a good idea to have everyone in your family make their own lists -- everyone has different ideas about what activities are joyous and which ones are miserable.

FITTING IN THE JOY

Take a look at your list -- which items did you circle? Did you feel so strongly about some activities that you double-circled them or put a star by the side? Those are your true priorities -- and no matter what you do this season, you need to MAKE time to fit them in. Notice I didn’t say “find” time -- the best way to assure that you will never get around to doing something is to say, “I’ll do it when I find a few free minutes.” If you want to do it, SCHEDULE it into your calendar. If walking around your neighborhood with your family singing carols and looking at holiday lights is a priority, sit down together and pick an evening and have everyone block it off. It’s as simple as that.

So at the start of the season, decide ahead of time which activities on everyone’s lists are the most important. Of course, you’ll have to be realistic about what you have time for -- you may only have enough room in your schedule for each person to pick three priorities instead of eight. And you may need to do a little TRADING with your loved ones -- “I’ll go to Christmas Eve services with you, and in return I’d like for you to go for a nature walk on Saturday with me.” Creating harmony in any situation is about COMPROMISING -- just don’t allow yourself to bend so far that you give up all of your priorities for someone else’s. Everyone should feel that his or her needs are being met.

LET GO OF THE “HAVE TO’S”

So the big question now is “how do I fit in all of these priorities when I’ve got other chores to do?” It can seem hard to make time for caroling and roasting chestnuts and all of the good stuff when you have so many OBLIGATIONS. Those “I have to’s” will absolutely kill you! Well let me start by asking WHY you “have to”? Are you being graded on how much you accomplish during the holidays? Are you going to be judged harshly by your family, friends, and co-workers if you skip out on the cards or parties or baking this year? If they do judge you harshly, I guess you need to ask yourself why you would want to have that kind of people in your life in the first place! If you don’t want to do it, a simple NO should be sufficient – especially if you find an activity that everyone in your household has crossed off of their lists. Remember, the only things that you “have to” do in this life are pay taxes and die -- putting up a Christmas tree isn’t required!

Let me share a story to illustrate. A few years ago, my husband and I had a really rough year and decided to SKIP OUT on the traditional family Christmas get-together for the first time in our lives. We chose to go on a trip by ourselves -- cross-country skiing in the middle of nowhere in Colorado -- instead of spending the holidays with our family. And since we were going out of town so early in December, we only put up minimal decorations and didn’t send any holiday cards. We worried and worried that we were going to OFFEND someone with our crass insensitivity -- but do you know what happened? Everyone we talked to (family included) said, “Boy, I wish I had the courage to do that!” It turned out that 90% of the people we knew had considered doing the same thing at one point in time, but had never been able to walk away from the pressure of the “have to’s.” Well, we had a marvelous time (one of our best Christmases ever), everyone loved hearing about our trip, and we now take a holiday vacation every other year.

FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO DO IT

But just because you don’t want to do it, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have to get done at all. And, just because it needs to be done, doesn’t mean that you have to do it (that’s the reverse corollary!) Start by sitting down with your family and compare everyone’s “wants” and “don’t wants” for the season. This is the time for a little BARGAINING. If you love baking and shopping for presents but really don’t enjoy decorating the house, see if your spouse or kids have decorating marked as a priority on their lists. At the very least, you might find someone else who feels neutral about a chore that you completely despise! The holidays are an excellent time to learn the fine art of NEGOTIATING!

And if you decide as a group that you really do want something done but no one wants to do it, consider HIRING someone else to do it for you. If you like having the house decorated but hate putting up lights and garland, find a florist or interior designer that can take on that particular chore. The same is true of many holiday “obligations.” If you don’t like cooking, have your holiday meal catered or buy a pre-cooked meal from the local deli or eat out. If you love giving goodies to friends but don’t have time to bake, buy “homemade” cookies from the local bakery. Have a housekeeper give your home a good cleaning before your out-of-town guests arrive. In this age of convenience and SERVICE-ORIENTED businesses, I guarantee that you can find someone who is willing to do almost anything for a fee!

DON’T MAKE IT A CHORE

Unfortunately, many of us have turned the holiday season into just one more chore to be tackled. It’s as though the holidays have been transformed into an intensified “to-do list” -- baking, shopping, wrapping, visiting – no wonder the holidays stress people out so badly! But it doesn’t have to be that way -- it’s all about PERSPECTIVE. Do you remember when you were a kid and one of your parents introduced you to the “clean up your room” game? Maybe you rushed around trying to see how quickly you could get everything put away -- or perhaps you sang and danced while you straightened up. Cleaning up was fun, until you learned to look at it as a CHORE -- something to be tolerated, something that “had” to be done but wasn’t in any way enjoyable.

Holiday tasks are the same way. At our house, we turn every holiday “chore” into a PARTY. We have a house decorating party, where we invite our friends to help out, put on some Christmas music, and give everyone spiked eggnog. We take our holiday cards to the local Starbucks and spend a very pleasant afternoon listening to carols, drinking hot cocoa, and chatting as we write out our holiday greetings. We even make gift-wrapping fun (my husband and I compete to see who can get their gifts wrapped the fastest -- just like when we were 6 years old!) The point is, you can make anything FUN, if you create the right mood and the right frame of mind. So think about how you can put a cheery spin on at least one “chore” this year -- you might be surprised what a good time you have!

LOWER THE BAR

In a world where we seem to think that perfection can be attained if we just work hard enough, we often feel a tremendous pressure to outdo ourselves during the holidays. Each year, we want to buy more gifts (or more expensive gifts) than last year, to host the most elaborate party of the season, to make the house look more festive than any other on the block. And in the process of trying to OUTDO everyone else in the world, we end up missing out on the real meaning of the holidays. We no longer have time to spend with our loved ones, because we are on an insane quest to create the PERFECT holiday.

This year, why not be a little bit REALISTIC about your holiday? Accept right from the start that things may not go perfectly -- and the harder you try to mold your holidays exactly as you had planned, the less likely they are to cooperate. And quite frankly, sometimes less is more. Instead of attending a different party full of strangers every night, why not pick two or three gatherings where you will be surrounded by people you love? Rather than planning a seven-course meal serving 75 people, wouldn’t a small potluck dinner with your 10 best friends mean more to you? Do you really need to buy dozens of gifts for your kids, or would they be happy with just a few things they really wanted? Maybe this year, it’s time to focus on the QUALITY of your experiences instead of the QUANTITY.

Ramona Creel may be contacted at http://www.onlineorganizing.com ramona@onlineorganizing.com. Click here to view more of their articles. Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- a web-based one-stop shop offering everything that you need to get organized at home or at work. At OnlineOrganizing.com, you may get a referral to an organizer near you, shop for the latest organizing products, get tons of free tips, and even learn how to become a professional organizer or build your existing organizing business. And if you would like to read more articles about organizing your life or building your business, get a free subscription to the "Get Organized" and "Organized For A Living" newsletters. Please visit www.onlineorganizing.com or contact Ramona directly at ramona@onlineorganizing.com for more information.

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12 Ways to Teach Your Children about the Holiday Spirit
by Christine Louise Hohlbaum

Jesus’ birthday is the most widely celebrated one in the world, and yet many people seem so busy at this time of year. With budgets tighter than usual this year, you still want to make this celebratory season a special one. Children can be involved in preparing for this season of light with a few simple tips.

1. Create a book of thanks with your children. Ask your children what they are grateful for. Have the kids clip out magazine photos, paste photographs of themselves, their friends, family, pets, etc. onto several sheets of paper. Staple the paper together in the middle.

2. Integrate the message of giving into your craft activities. Free printables and coloring pages can be found at these sites:

http://coloringbookfun.com http://www.free-printables.com/archive/Coloring/Holiday

3. Make a loaf of bread together and give it to a neighbor.

4. Go through your children’s closet together and donate items to a nearby homeless shelter.

5. The National Database of Nonprofit organizations has a web site which features over 850,000 non-profits and their respective ratings. Check out www.guidestar.org to find your favorite organization. Donate a sum in someone’s name.

6. Create your own Twelve Days of Christmas song and act it out.

7. Make a calendar with old photos and write captions under them.

8. Decorate holiday cookies with your kids, place them in colorful bags, and give them to friends as gifts.

9. Start a new family tradition (for example, lighting the same candle every year, going for a hike, sledding, or making your own Christmas ornament for the tree…).

10. Create your own crèche and read the story of Jesus’ birth from the Bible as you set it up.

11. Reuse the tops of old holiday cards and send them as postcards. Have your children write cards to relatives and friends with you.

12. Instead of making a wish list, ask your children to make a list of things that they wished someone else had. The list may not be long, but it will make them think.

Have a happy, healthy, and loving holiday!

Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff, is a freelance writer and busy mother of two. She holds a BA in political science from Smith College and an MA in International Relations, German and English Literature from the University of Constance, Germany. Visit her web site for more of her writing at:

http://mypages.iparenting.com/webs/diaryofamother/diaryofamother.html

mailto: chohlbaum@smith.alumnae.net

Christine Louise Hohlbaum may be contacted at http://mypages.iparenting.com/webs/diaryofamother/diaryofamother.html chohlbaum@smith.alumnae.net. Click here to view more of their articles.
Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of "Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff," has been writing stories since she was eleven years old. She currently resides near Munich, Germany, with her husband and two children. © 2003 Christine Louise Hohlbaum. All Rights Reserved.

How to Write a Holiday Tale that Isn't a Turkey
by Caterina Christakos

When we write stories, with the purpose of sharing them with others, we enter into an agreement where we allow our reader to see a glimpse of our heart, our souls and our memories. If we truly want them to be immersed in the tale, we actively immerse ourselves in those memories so that a glimmer of what we saw, heard and felt comes through.

This is especially true with holiday tales. The best way to convey a holiday scene is to take a trip back in time through the wonderful world of our unconscious. Here are some great ways to delve back into our child hood memories and incorporate them into our holiday tales.

1) Sit in a darkened room and close your eyes. Allow yourself to go back in time to the very first Christmas that you can remember. Take a deep breath and relax. What are the scents, sounds and feelings that come up? What is the first picture that pops into your mind?

Is it the sound of children racing down the stairs that comes to you first? The feel of your heart pounding when you awoke and found that Christmas was really here? The warmth of your parents’ blankets as you bounced on them, anxious to wake them up?

The autumn and winter holidays will always be associated, for me, with my grandmother’s cooking and pumpkin pies. I remember running into her little house, and the sound of the front door’s slam behind me. I was immediately engulfed in warmth. The scent of nutmeg and cinnamon and pumpkin seeds physically drew me forward, until I was wrapped in my grandmother’s embrace.

2) Recreate the scene. Since a prime trigger for me is the scent of pumpkin pies, I often order pumpkin scented candles from Yankee Candles. I sit on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket, light the candles and wait. Within moments, the scent has pulled me back to my grandmother’s kitchen. And I hear the sound of my cousins pounding down the hall after me, each of us anxious to win the first warm treat.

You can do the same. If a scent triggers your memories, you can either bake the cake or cookie or brew the eggnog. Or you can get one of those scented candles and simply light it.

If the feel of sweaters immediately transport you back to your snow throwing days, slip one on. If you are like me and live in Florida, turn the air way up first. Close your eyes and hear the sound of children shouting as they try to nail each other with snowballs. Picture their fresh flushed faces.

3) If there is a particular holiday character that sparks your memories, rent holiday movies. Some of my favorites are Frosty the Snowman and Miracle on Thirty fourth street. Watch one for a while, until you get the holiday feeling, then turn the sound off. Watch the pictures and let your mind go.

4) Use all of these pictures and sensations and feelings in your story.

If you are writing about a little girl in a big family, think back to what holiday dinners were like for you. Did everyone talk at once? Does your character like this or does she feel overwhelmed? What is it like to be the smallest one in a room full of adults? Is there a cousin or neighbor that is constantly picking on her? Do the children get bored and decide to explore the forbidden attic?

5) Once you have a scene in mind, write down all of these questions. Don’t worry about answering them until you have run out of questions. Then think back to the picture, sound or feeling that you associate with and answer the questions.

6) Now describe everything that you can about the characters. What are their ages? What do they look like? Are they the youngest or oldest in their family? Where do they live? What is their favorite thing? What are their best friend’s names? Who is their arch nemesis and why?

Get as much detail as possible down.

Once you can describe all of these things, the pieces of your story will begin to fall into place. More importantly, your characters and your scenes will be real and alive. Be brave and put as much of yourself into these stories and your characters. Your readers will love you for it.

Caterina Christakos may be contacted at http://www.howtowriteachildrensbook.com cchrist896@aol.com. Click here to view more of their articles. Written by Caterina Christakos (c)2001 for more writing tips check out: http://www.howtowriteachildrensbook.com

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Target Giving; Your Key to a Relaxed Holiday Season
by Colleen Langenfeld

Do you struggle with shopping for gifts each year during the holiday season? Is it more stressful than joyful? Would you like that to change? Then take a few minutes to consider a new approach to your gift-giving and find yourself putting the happy back in your Happy Holidays!

I call this gift-giving approach Target Giving. Simply put, Target Giving uses planning, customization and careful record-keeping to make sure that everyone on your gift list receives a gift they will truly appreciate. In addition, you (the gift-giver) are able to reap the joys of a less hectic, more organized season of giving.

Here's how Target Giving works:

- Step 1 Grab a spiral notebook or open a new file on your computer. Mark your first page 'Holiday 2003' Then list everyone for whom you'll need to have a gift. Don't forget the 'small' or 'overlooked' gifts, such as teacher appreciation gifts, business gifts, etc.

- Step 2 By each name, jot down any quick ideas that come to mind of things that person enjoys. Books, games, lunch out, anything at all. The more brainstorming you do at this stage the easier your shopping will be later on. Add suggestions you may have received throughout the year. Give quick calls or emails to ask family members or other close associates what they know about the gift recipients needs and wants. Pay close attention to dislikes, too, and note any such comments in your notebook/computer file.

- Step 3 Allow a space or insert a column by each name to note when you need to give the gift. Give yourself some leeway and make this date a few days earlier than you actually need. That way you build some flexibility into your schedule. Count up the total number of gifts you will be purchasing and divide by the number of weeks left until you will start delivering them. This will tell you how many gifts per week you need to shop for.

- Step 4 Now jot down on your regular calendar/planner one day a week that you need to look at your Target Gift List and choose two, three, or whatever amount of gifts you need to purchase that week. Write those names in your regular planner or on a shopping list.

In addition... - note the gift ideas you have already compiled next to the recipient's name and choose two or three ideas that you like the most. - Often a new idea will come to mind during this time. Mark it down, as well.

The point is, this is the time to organize your actions for this task. Spending a few minutes customizing your gift selections at this point can save you real time - sometimes hours - later while shopping.

Key Tip: - Not only is this the point at which many of us lose control of our time management for this task, it's also the point we shift from giving what we really want (something the recipient will truly appreciate) to giving impulsively whatever jumps off a store display at us.

The main idea here is... - DON'T GO SHOPPING until you have narrowed down your choices to two or three definite ideas per gift. When you get to the store, if you see something that's even better, great! In any case, you are prepared to BUY and not just endlessly LOOK.

You get the idea!

- Step 5 Examine your regular schedule and decide when you're going to shop, where you're going and what (probably) you're going to purchase. Then do it!

Target Giving also allows you to take advantage of sales and specials. Because you are focusing on only a small amount of gifts at a time, your brain can easily alert you to appropriate sales notices you naturally come across each week. In this way, you are not only using Target Giving, you are also utilizing Focused Shopping!

- Step 6 A simple tip. Remember to take advantage of all of your options. Making use of lunch time, shopping by catalog or internet, delegating the job to someone more qualified or less busy, are all examples of making use of your resources. You could assign a chunk of the gift shopping this year to your teenager, for example. It's a great way to learn about budgeting time and money, as well as discovering the joys of giving.

- Step 7 After the gifts are purchased, wrap and label immediately. Include a note (to yourself) on the package reminding you when and where the gift should be given. Mark the day each gift needs to be delivered on your regular calendar; then store until the proper time to give.

- Step 8 Lastly, make sure you note in your Target Giving List what you actually gave each recipient. That way you'll have a record of gifts in the coming years and can easily prevent duplication.

Using Target Giving, by the time the holidays arrive you will have completed most or a large portion of your gift shopping. Then you can relax and delight in watching your gifts be appreciated, enjoying the blessings of giving!

Colleen Langenfeld may be contacted at http://www.paintedgold.com mailbox@paintedgold.com. Click here to view more of their articles. Colleen Langenfeld delivers deals, tips and creative resources to working moms who want the most out of their homes, families and careers at http://www.paintedgold.com . Sign up for our FREE online newsletter and get a digital Creativity Toolkit as our gift to you!

Holiday Recipe: Filled Cookies
by LeAnn Ralph

From the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm)

When I was a kid growing up on our dairy farm in Wisconsin 40 years ago, cookies with a date filling were my dad's favorite kind. Here is the recipe.

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine (softened)

• 3/4 cup shortening

• 2 cups sugar

• 3 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 5 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• several tablespoons of milk if the dough seems too dry

• Jam: blackberry, black raspberry, strawberry, red raspberry, plum conserve, apple conserve, or date filling (recipes for plum and apple conserve and date filling are included below.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. If the dough is too dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of milk. If the dough seems too wet, add 1/4 or 1/2 cup of flour.

Roll out dough. Use either a small round cookie cutter or one large round cutter. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Put one teaspoon of jam (or other filling) in the middle of the smaller rounds or off to one side of the larger rounds. Place another small round on top of the small rounds; fold the larger rounds in half. Use a fork to crimp the edges together and to poke holes in the top. Bake for 15 minutes, or until light brown.

This recipe makes about six dozen filled cookies.

The recipe can also be used to make cut-out Christmas cookies frosted with colored icing.

************

~ Plum Conserve ~

If plum conserve is made specifically for filling cookies, store any that remains in the refrigerator and use on toast or biscuits. The conserve can also be sealed in pint jars. (This recipe makes about three pints.)

• 8 to 10 fresh, large, ripe plums

• 1/2 cup of water

• 4 cups of sugar

• 2 cups of raisins

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Pit the plums and chop into small pieces. Place in a large saucepan and add the sugar and water. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice, raisins and walnuts and cook for 10 minutes longer, stirring constantly. (Note: Recipe can also be made using 3 cups of chopped apples instead of plums. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.)

~ Date Filling ~

• 3 cups chopped dates

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 2/3 cups water

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Put all ingredients into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (10 or 15 minutes).

************

LeAnn Ralph may be contacted at http://ruralroute2.com bigpines@ruralroute2.com. Click here to view more of their articles.
LeAnn R. Ralph is a freelance writer in Wisconsin. She is the editor of the Wisconsin Regional Writer (the quarterly publication of the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Assoc.) and is the author of the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm) (August 2003; trade paperback). Click here to read sample chapters and other Rural Route 2 stories — http://ruralroute2.com

Inexpensive Holiday Gift Solutions
by Christine Louise Hohlbaum

When the first pumpkin arrives in the farmer’s market, I start thinking about the impending holidays. Holiday shopping in autumn? Absolutely! The more time you have to think carefully about your gift list, the more likely you are to spend less. Here is a list of inexpensive gift ideas to consider this holiday season:

· Make a photo calendar. Either purchase one or create one with your personal computer. Select photos of yourself, your family, even your pets! If culling through your photo collection seems to be too much work, use stamps, children’s art, or stickers to fill the pages.

· For similar aged cousins, compile your children’s favorite songs onto an audio tape. Consider speaking on the tape yourself for an added personal touch. Who knows? You might want to know what your voice sounded like twenty years from now!

· Make a videotape of the year’s footage and send it to faraway relatives.

· If you own a CD burner and digital camera, make a CD of pictures that you have taken with your digital camera throughout the year. People can pick and choose their favorites, and it saves you time from getting the pictures printed.

· Purchase one ream of colorful paper and make personalized stationery for everyone in your family.

· Make a photo album and accompanying audio tape with a narration about the photos.

· Write a children’s story.

· For the person who has everything, consider donating a sum to your favorite charity in the person’s name.

· Create a coupon book for your partner or close friend which can be good for one date, a movie night, a video, babysitting, or whatever.

· Purchase an inexpensive kite and write a note saying “The first flight must be flown with yours truly.”

With a little forethought, gift giving can be fun! As my mama says, it truly is the thought that counts.

Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff, is a freelance writer and busy mother of two. She holds a BA in political science from Smith College and an MA in International Relations, German and English Literature from the University of Constance, Germany. Visit her web site for more of her writing at:

http://mypages.iparenting.com/webs/diaryofamother/diaryofamother.html

mailto: chohlbaum@smith.alumnae.net

Christine Louise Hohlbaum may be contacted at http://mypages.iparenting.com/webs/diaryofamother/diaryofamother.html chohlbaum@smith.alumnae.net. Click here to view more of their articles.
Christine Louise Hohlbaum, author of "Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff," has been writing stories since she was eleven years old. She currently resides near Munich, Germany, with her husband and two children. © 2003 Christine Louise Hohlbaum. All Rights Reserved.

© Christine Louise Hohlbaum, All Rights Reserved.

Ten Ways To Make The Holidays Easier Next Year
by Ramona Creel

What does your holiday season usually look like -- a lot of rushing around at the last minute? The holidays really don't have to require so much effort -- if you plan ahead and spread the work out throughout the year. Here are ten tips for making your next holiday season a snap:

PACK YOUR DECORATIONS THE RIGHT WAY

I know you will be in a rush to get the house back in order after the holidays are over -- but don't just throw everything in a box. Take time to wrap your lights so they won't get tangled, to pack fragile items carefully, and to store like items together (ornaments, snowmen, candles, whatever). And be sure to label all of your boxes!

UPDATE YOUR HOLIDAY ADDRESS LIST

If you have access to a computer, make it a priority to computerize your address list -- preferably in a program which will allow you to print labels. Whether you keep your list on the computer or by hand, double check your addresses against the envelopes from the cards you received this year. If you see any mistakes or people you forgot, add them in while it's still fresh in your mind.

TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR HOUSE DECORATED

Do you have a hard time remembering how you had everything laid out from year to year? Or did you do a particularly spectacular job of decorating this year and want to replicate it again in the future? Take a photo and stash it away with your decorations -- you'll have a built-in reference the next time you set up for the holidays.

KEEP TRACK OF ANY RECIPES YOU ESPECIALLY ENJOYED

If you just adored Aunt Martha's cranberry cobbler or your next door neighbor's cheese ball -- ask for the recipe. You can keep a special notebook of holiday recipes that you would like to make again year after year. This will save you a lot of time searching through cookbooks saying, "Now where was that recipe?" You can store your holiday notebook with your other recipes (if you might want to use it at other times during the year) or in with your decorations.

KEEP A LIST OF GIFT IDEAS

During the holiday season, people pay close attention when loved ones mention an item they might like to have. But we seem to turn our radar off after that point. Keep a wish list of gifts you may give this year -- but don't throw it out after the holidays are over. Cross off any items you know were already given, and continue to add to your list throughout the year. When Christmas comes around next year, you don't have to wonder what gifts you should buy.

START A CHRISTMAS CLUB ACCOUNT

There is nothing uglier than coming up on the holidays knowing that you are going to go into serious debt. We can certainly debate the merit of spending huge amounts of money on gifts -- but the easiest way to deal with holiday bills is to plan ahead. Banks used to (and still may) offer "Christmas Clubs" -- savings accounts that you add to throughout the year and can't touch until December. If your bank doesn't have such a creature, set up a separate account that you treat as a Christmas club. Put aside a small amount each month, and swear not to spend it on anything except the holidays. Then promise yourself that you won't spend any more than you have in your account.

STOCK UP AT AFTER-CHRISTMAS SALES

Some things -- like greeting cards and wrapping paper -- can only be purchased during the holiday season. But if you buy them right at the start of the holidays, you will end up paying an arm and a leg. I always head out to the day after Christmas sales to stock up on wrappings, lights, cards, and other goodies -- all at least half off. I can even find potential gifts for the next year at huge savings. Then I store all of my bargains away with my decorations, ready for action next holiday season.

SHOP FOR GIFTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Armed with your gift list and Christmas club account, you are in an excellent position to take advantage of sales and specials throughout the year. Keep an eye open for items that you think would make good holiday gifts -- and pick them up while the price is reduced. Then designate a spot in a closet or cabinet as your gift center -- a place to stash your goodies until next year.

SET UP A GIFT WRAPPING STATION

Of course, another great way to cut down on holiday chores is to do your wrapping ahead of time. Since you are buying gifts throughout the year, consider setting up a wrapping station along with your gift center. Then, when you bring home a present, you can wrap it and tag it right then, instead of waiting until the last minute. And this will also keep prying eyes from sneaking a peak at their gifts!

MAKE A LIST OF THINGS THAT WORKED AND DIDN'T WORK

It always happens during the holidays -- some things go smoothly and others do not. Maybe you tried to have a huge family buffet and all of the food got cold before everyone could eat it. Or you thought fresh greenery would be nice -- but all the needles fell off a week after you set out the garlands. On the other hand, you may have found a great pattern for a gingerbread house, or discovered a fabulous community event that you would like to attend again next year. Make a note of these pluses and minuses and stash your list with your decorations. Then review your list next year and plan your holiday accordingly.

Ramona Creel may be contacted at http://www.onlineorganizing.com ramona@onlineorganizing.com. Click here to view more of their articles. Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- a web-based one-stop shop offering everything that you need to get organized at home or at work. At OnlineOrganizing.com, you may get a referral to an organizer near you, shop for the latest organizing products, get tons of free tips, and even learn how to become a professional organizer or build your existing organizing business. And if you would like to read more articles about organizing your life or building your business, get a free subscription to the "Get Organized" and "Organized For A Living" newsletters. Please visit www.onlineorganizing.com or contact Ramona directly at ramona@onlineorganizing.com for more information.

Creating Your Own Holiday Traditions
by Ramona Creel

I love this time of year -- decorations on the houses, a cold nip in the air, beautiful music everywhere you go. I often have a hard time understanding why so many people get so FRUSTRATED during the holidays -- until I go out in public and partake of the madness. Between the crowds, the crazed spending, and the pressures to participate in every social event that comes along, it's no wonder that some folks dread this joyous season! So I invite you to make a pact with me -- this is the year that you decide to step off of the treadmill and do your own thing. Who says that you have to have a nervous breakdown to celebrate properly? Where is it written that you must give in to the consumer feeding frenzy? If I remember correctly, the holidays are supposed to be a time when you celebrate all that is good about life -- when you enjoy the company of your friends and family -- and when you spread goodwill wherever you go. The holidays are a time when you get to practice being the person you always hoped you could be -- how can you do that when you are going 90 miles an hour? Let's take time this year to develop a few holiday rituals that focus on your true priorities. TURN OFF THE TV How much time do you spend during the holiday season watching the boob tube? TV execs have got things figured out this time of year -- if they call it a "special," everyone will tune in. But how many times do you really need to see the "Grinch" and "It's A Wonderful Life"? Wouldn't that time be better spent doing something meaningful with your loved ones? Try and trade at least one TV show for the telling of a holiday story -- or go caroling around your neighborhood. The memories you share will be much more valuable than that lost hour in front of the telly. FOCUS ON GIVING RATHER THAN RECEIVING I received an e-mail 2 years ago called "The White Envelope" -- and it really made me think about the true meaning of the holidays. On Christmas morning, a family came downstairs to open their presents and found a white envelope sitting on the mantel. No one was sure who put it there, but they eagerly opened the envelope, thinking it might be another present. It was, but not for any of them. Enclosed was a letter, stating that an anonymous gift had been given to a local community group on behalf of the family. No one ever confessed to having made the donation, but every year one member of the family would secretly take a turn at the tradition. And from that point forward, the family was more excited about opening the white envelope than their own gifts. What would you place in your white envelope? TRY ON ANOTHER HOLIDAY FOR SIZE One of my favorite holiday rituals is celebrating in the tradition of another culture each year. This doesn't mean abandoning your own religious beliefs or personal preferences -- it's just an exercise in expanding your horizons. One year, we celebrated the last day of Hanukkah with some Jewish friends -- another year, we lit the candles on the kenara each day of Kwanzaa. There are so many interesting holidays during the winter months -- solstice, Boxing Day, Ramadaan -- each with fascinating origins and symbolism. You can also find hundreds of different ways to celebrate Christmas -- try fixing a holiday dish from another country or instituting a foreign tradition. Maybe this year, you can put out wooden shoes instead of stockings (Holland) -- or hang a blown glass pickle on your tree (Germany) -- or have your holiday meal at midnight on Christmas eve (Mexico). This practice will liven up your holidays, give your family something new and interesting to do each year, and keep you from getting into a rut with your celebrations. TURN CHORES INTO A PLEASANT RITUAL Many people look at the traditional activities of the holiday season -- putting up decorations, sending greeting cards, baking goodies -- as a chore rather than a joy. I can think of nothing more distasteful than doing something because I HAVE TO! But I've found that setting the mood makes all the difference. Instead of sitting at a dreary desk with inadequate lighting and a cramp in your neck writing out cards, take your stationery to a cozy little cafe and make an afternoon out of it. Rather than fighting with those tangled strings of lights by yourself, invite your friends to a decorating party. Turn on some holiday music, order some food, and serve hot chocolate -- you will be surprised at how much fun you have! GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN Which holiday party sounds better to you: one where you get to spend time socializing with your friends and family -- or one where you spend all night running back and forth to the kitchen checking, tasting, basting, serving, and cleaning up? I personally would go for the first choice! Your loved ones will appreciate you much more if they actually see you than if you serve them a 17 course meal. Remember, Martha Stewart has a paid staff and tons of money and way too much time on her hands! Instead of trying to kill yourself entertaining, plan a potluck or a progressive dinner (where each guest prepares one course and you eat your way from house to house). Or you can even have your party catered. Do whatever it takes so that you can actually enjoy the celebration along with your guests. SPEND SOME QUIET TIME We often get caught up in the idea that we need to always busy during the holidays -- going somewhere, doing something -- we're so busy having amazing experiences that we can't even remember them all! There is a lot to be said for stopping and just sitting still. I can't tell you how much I enjoy lighting a few candles, putting on some soft music, and curling up with a book and a cup of tea in front of the fire. That's my holiday quiet time. Yours might involve a walk through the neighborhood looking at lights or time with your kids before bed. Build some silence into your list of rituals -- you will find that the holidays seem much less hectic and more enjoyable. GET OUT OF THE MALL AND BACK TO NATURE Unfortunately, most of our holiday experiences these days seem to be inside of a building -- concerts, shopping, parties, Festival Of Trees, indoor ice skating -- don't people get outside anymore? Develop some rituals that involve stepping out into nature. Hang pine cone ornaments (covered in peanut butter and bird seed) on trees in the woods -- as a treat for the birds. Go to a Christmas tree farm and cut your own tree. Build a snowman. Just take a walk through the brisk morning air. Get "unplugged" for a little bit and reflect on the real meaning of the season. Ramona Creel may be contacted at http://www.onlineorganizing.com ramona@onlineorganizing.com. Click here to view more of their articles. Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- a web-based one-stop shop offering everything that you need to get organized at home or at work. At OnlineOrganizing.com, you may get a referral to an organizer near you, shop for the latest organizing products, get tons of free tips, and even learn how to become a professional organizer or build your existing organizing business. And if you would like to read more articles about organizing your life or building your business, get a free subscription to the "Get Organized" and "Organized For A Living" newsletters. Please visit www.onlineorganizing.com or contact Ramona directly at ramona@onlineorganizing.com for more information.

Country Christmas Idea: Milkweed Pod Poinsettia Ornaments
by LeAnn Ralph
 

At first glance, milkweed plants and poinsettias don't seem to have much in common. If you live in an area where milkweed grows wild, however, you can use the dried milkweed pods to make poinsettia ornaments for your Christmas tree. Here's how: 1. Collect some dried milkweed pods. In the fall, the milkweed plants have already gone to seed but the dried pods will still be attached to the plant. You will need six "halves" of a milkweed pod for each poinsettia flower that you are going to make. 2. After you have collected the milkweed pods and have brought them into the house, put them in a warm spot for a few days or a week to dry out more. This is especially important if it has been rainy and damp outside. 3. Glue the milkweed pod halves together side-by-side in a circle so that they look like a flower. A hot glue gun works well for gluing the pods together. 4. Decorate your poinsettia flowers with spray paint and glitter, or, if you don't want to spray paint your poinsettias, just use glue and glitter. Mix and match and experiment with colors. 5. Glue a loop of string, yarn, twine or ribbon to the back of the poinsettia flower. Once the glue is dry, your ornament is ready to hang on the Christmas tree. You could also give these as gifts — four or six to set, or however many you want to give. LeAnn Ralph may be contacted at http://ruralroute2.com bigpines@ruralroute2.com. Click here to view more of their articles. LeAnn R. Ralph is a freelance writer in Wisconsin. She is the editor of the Wisconsin Regional Writer (the quarterly publication of the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Assoc.) and is the author of the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm) (August 2003; trade paperback). Click here to read sample chapters and other Rural Route 2 stories — http://ruralroute2.com

Things You Can Do Now for a Simpler Christmas in December
by Nancy Twigg

Every year do you wish for a less stressful holiday season? This year, don't just dream about a simpler Christmas. Make it a reality by taking action. Consider these positive steps you can take in October to ensure a less hectic, more meaningful Christmas celebration in December:

Christmas shopping before the Christmas rush - Don't wait until the stores are packed with thousands of holiday shoppers. Beat the crowds. Ask family members for their Christmas wish lists and get busy now.

Take care of time-consuming tasks - Writing Christmas cards, wrapping gifts, boxing up presents to mail–why wait until December to attend to these time-consuming details? There’s no reason to put off these tasks. Knock them out now.

Fill your freezer - Each time you cook in the next few weeks, double or even triple your recipes and freeze the extra portions. During the hectic holiday season, you’ll be thankful to have those quick heat-and-eat meals in the freezer.

Plan volunteer activities now - Is there some charitable work you'd like to do each year that you never seem to get around to? Does the idea of giving back to the community always get lost in the holiday shuffle? Decide what you want to do to help out this year and volunteer now so it won't get overlooked in December.

Complete your Christmas crafts - If you plan to give any handcrafted gifts, plan to have them finished by Thanksgiving or even sooner. Work at it in the evenings or on the weekends until you finish.

Plan holiday menus – Take this time to write out menus for dinners and family gatherings so you won't have to think about it later. Talk to other family members now if you’d like them to help out with the cooking. Also, use this time to experiment with any new holiday recipes.

Decide what to delete - What obligations add to your stress level each year? What activities would you rather forgo this time? Decide in advance what activities you want to skip and how you will diplomatically decline these engagements.

Byline: These and other ideas for enriching the holidays can be found in Nancy Twigg’s new book, Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and Special Occasions (www.celebratesimply.com). Endorsed by financial guru Dave Ramsey, this paperback book is must-read for anyone who wants to increase the enjoyment of holidays while decreasing holiday spending and stress.

Nancy Twigg may be contacted at http://www.countingthecost.com nancy@countingthecost.com. Click here to view more of their articles. Nancy Twigg is the editor of Counting the Cost, a free email newsletter about simple and frugal living. She is also the author of the new book, Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and Special Occasions. To learn more about living simply or celebrating simply, visit Nancy online at www.countingthecost.com

Whatever Happened to Christmas
by LeAnn Ralph

Remember when no one started Christmas shopping until after Thanksgiving?

Wisconsin author LeAnn R. Ralph remembers it very well.

"When I was growing up on our dairy farm forty years ago, the stores didn't put up Christmas displays until the day after Thanksgiving. No one was really thinking about Christmas shopping before that," Ralph said. "In fact, my mother felt so strongly about it that she didn't even like to hear the word 'Christmas' until after we had finished eating Thanksgiving dinner."

"Back then, happiness was baking cookies, decorating the Christmas tree, and eating lefse that my mother had made," Ralph said.

Lefse (pronounced lef'suh) is a flat potato pastry brought to this country by Norwegian immigrants who settled in Wisconsin. Ralph's mother was the daughter of Norwegian immigrants, and their 120-acre family farm was homesteaded by Ralph's great-grandfather.

"When I was a kid, people enjoyed simple pleasures. The Sunday school Christmas program was an event at the little country church just down the road from our farm that was attended by nearly everyone in the neighborhood," Ralph noted.

"At the time, if someone had told me the Christmas season was going to change so drastically that you would eventually get Christmas catalogs in the mail in August and September — and that you would find Christmas decorations on sale in August and September, too — I wouldn't have believed it," she said.

"I also would have never thought that dairy farming would change so much. I always took it for granted that we lived in 'America's Dairyland,' but today, most of the small family dairy farms have disappeared," Ralph noted.

According to statistics from the United States Census of Agriculture , Wisconsin has lost two-thirds of its dairy farms since 1969. Forty years ago, Wisconsin had 60,000 dairy farms. Today, only about 20,000 dairy farms remain.

Nation-wide statistics from the United States Census of Agriculture show the same trend. In 1969, more than a half a million dairy farms operated in the United States. Today, only about 80,000 dairy farms remain.

"As far as I was concerned, one of the best parts of Christmas was going out with my dad to cut a Christmas tree. We had small stands of pine trees planted around the farm to stop soil erosion. We would walk around until we found a nice tree, and then we would cut it and bring it home," Ralph recalled.

Ralph earned an undergraduate degree in English with a writing emphasis from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and also earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from UW-Whitewater. She taught English at a boys' boarding school for several years and worked as a newspaper reporter for more than eight years.

LeAnn Ralph may be contacted at http://ruralroute2.com bigpines@ruralroute2.com. Click here to view more of their articles.
LeAnn R. Ralph is a freelance writer in Wisconsin. She is the editor of the Wisconsin Regional Writer (the quarterly publication of the Wisconsin Regional Writers' Assoc.) and is the author of the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm) (August 2003; trade paperback). Click here to read sample chapters and other Rural Route 2 stories — http://ruralroute2.com

Rushing the Season
by LeAnn Ralph

Every year when November arrived, I started to wonder when it would snow.

And this year was no exception.

Thanksgiving was only a week and a half away, and we still didn't have any snow on the ground yet.

Mom and Dad had arrived home from grocery shopping a few minutes ago. Since my mother couldn't drive because of the polio, Dad would take her into town and help her with the shopping.

Although today happened to be Saturday, a trip to town for groceries could occur on any day of the week (except Sunday), all depending upon the farm work.

During the summer, Mom and Dad went to town on rainy days when Dad couldn't be out in the field cutting, raking or baling hay. During the winter, their trips to town were on days when it wasn't snowing and when it wasn't below zero. My mother didn't like to go outside when it was below zero. She said the polio paralysis caused her to have poor circulation and that she was afraid she would get frostbite.

On my way across the yard, I zipped up the lined denim jacket that I wore for helping Dad with the chores. I had remembered to grab my stocking cap before leaving the house, but I had neglected to take my mittens. A cold east wind quickly turned my hands into what felt like little blocks of ice.

Yesterday morning the sky had been bright and sunny, but by afternoon, a thin layer of hazy clouds made the sun look like someone had covered it with gauze. Today, the sky was filled with low gray clouds that seemed as if they were only a few feet above the treetops on the hill behind our barn.

"Think you can carry this?" Dad asked when I reached the car. He held out a brown paper bag.

"What's in it?”

"Oh," he said, lifting the bag up, as if to test the weight, "about twenty pounds, I guess."

"Twenty pounds?"

"That's our turkey," Mom explained. "For Thanksgiving. Take it out to the freezer, please."

The air felt so cold that I was pretty sure we could leave the turkey outside on the porch and it would stay frozen. But I also knew that if we left the turkey outside, our dog, Needles -- or the barn cats -- would have a grand time feasting on frozen turkey. Or least they would try to have a grand time feasting on frozen turkey. No one had to tell me that tooth marks in our turkey wouldn't make my mother very happy.

I grabbed the grocery bag that Dad held, hoping the handles wouldn't break. No one had to tell me that dropping the turkey in the dirt wouldn't sit too well with Mom, either.

Before I reached the machine shed where we kept the chest freezer, something cold and wet landed on my cheek and then on my nose and lips.

I could hardly believe my eyes.

It was a snowing!

By the time I had rearranged some packages of green beans and sweetcorn to make room in the freezer for the turkey and had carefully shut, and latched the door of the little room Dad had built around the freezer to keep out the dust and dirt, the ground was already covered with a thin layer of white.

On my way back to the car, I glanced across the yard and noticed it was so snowing so hard I could barely see the woods across the road at the back of our neighbor's farm.

Last year we had gotten a snowstorm before Thanksgiving too.

And then I remembered something else.

Every year, Dad and I went to one of our pine plantations to cut a Christmas tree. The trees had been planted on dry, sandy slopes to stop soil erosion. A few times when we went on our annual Christmas tree expedition, there was no snow at all, but more often than not, we had at least a few inches. Last year, it had started snowing before Thanksgiving, and by the middle of December, we had more snow on the ground than we sometimes got all year, making it almost impossible to drive through our fields to reach the pine plantation.

'What if we get that much snow again this year?' I wondered as I lifted the trunk lid and took out the last two bags of groceries.

I shut the trunk, and then I turned and headed toward the house.

Mom was putting away groceries and Dad was changing into his work shoes when I walked into the kitchen.

"Dad, when can we get a Christmas tree?" I asked, as I closed the door behind me. My hands still felt like little blocks of ice, although I figured they would be warm again soon now that I was back in the house.

Before my father could reply, Mom spoke up. She was holding a can of cranberry sauce that she had intended to put in the cupboard. Instead, she set it down on the counter with a firm thump.

"Christmas tree?" she said. "It's not even Thanksgiving!"

"But --"

"I WON'T have a Christmas tree before the middle of December," she continued, warming to the subject.

"But --"

"Christmas tree! The very idea. Turkey's not even thawed and she's talking about a Christmas tree."

As I set the two bags of groceries on the table, Dad and I exchanged glances. For as long as I could remember, I had known that my mother did not believe it was proper to put up a Christmas tree until well into December. I hadn't realized she would react this way, though.

"But Mom --"

"Don't you 'but Mom' me. If I had my way, we wouldn't decorate our tree until Christmas Eve. It's ridiculous the way they keep trying to stretch out the Christmas season. The next thing you know, we'll be starting our Christmas shopping before Halloween. A tree! In November!"

"Ma," Dad said quietly. "Don't you want to hear what she has to say?"

"Christmas tree! I haven't hardly had time to think about Thanksgiving, much less Christmas! Which reminds me. We forgot to buy sweet potatoes. If we're going to have sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, someone is going to have to make another trip to the store. Unless we want to skip them for Thanksgiving and have them at Christmas instead. Although, come to think of it, I don't know why I should even bother with Thanksgiving. A Christmas tree! In November!"

Dad looked at me and sighed.

"Getting a Christmas tree now is almost as bad as those guys who bought trees from us one year so they could sell them at Christmas!" Mom exclaimed as she made her way over to the table to sit down. "Said they had to cut them early. I'll say it was early. September, no less. I've always pitied the poor people who bought those trees. Must have been all dried out and absolutely good for nothing by Christmas."

Dad cleared his throat.

As Mom drew another deep breath, she glanced at me. "Oh, all right. I suppose I should let you get a word in edgewise. What about a Christmas tree?"

"I just thought," I said meekly, "that if we get our tree right after Thanksgiving this year, we probably won't have so much snow."

"That's right," Dad added. "Last year, we waited until the middle of December and we couldn't take the pickup. Even had trouble getting the tractor back in the field. We almost got stuck."

"Hmmphhh! A Christmas tree!" Mom grumbled. "The very idea. In November!"

"But Mom," I said, "look at how hard it's snowing."

"A Christmas tree," she muttered. "The next thing you know, she'll be pestering me about decorating it the day after Thanksgiving!"

After a while, my mother finally calmed down. Dad and I didn't dare mention cutting a tree again until December, and by that time there was so much snow, it wasn't a matter of 'almost' getting stuck with the tractor, we did get stuck, even with chains on the tires.

Dad was pretty upset about it, too. It was one thing to get stuck with the pickup because you could always pull the truck out with the tractor. But what do you do when the tractor is stuck?

You shovel an awful lot of snow away from the tires, that's what…

************

From the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm)

LeAnn Ralph may be contacted at http://ruralroute2.com bigpines@ruralroute2.com. Click here to view more of their articles.
LeAnn R. Ralph is a freelance w