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Printable Christmas Cards
Do You Know
The Origins of Christmas Traditions ?
By Adam Lenk
There are many traditions and
symbols that we associate with Christmas including the Christmas tree,
leaving cookies out for Santa Claus, and sending Christmas cards and
Christmas presents. If you're like most, you observe all of the
traditions which are sacred to your family without a thought about where
they originated or why they became so popular in the first place.
While you don't need to know why you
celebrate the Christmas holiday the way you do, it makes for interesting
conversation when you're sipping egg nog in front of the fireplace. So,
if you're ready to wow your family and friends with your knowledge of
the Christmas holiday, bring up these interesting facts about the most
widely celebrated holiday.
The modern term Christmas originates
form the Olde English "cristes masse," which means "Christ's mass." The
name Christ finds its origins in the Greek tongue, which was the
language spoken by Christ himself. The Greek form of the work was
Khristos, which means "anointed one."
The origins of the Christmas tree
actually predate Christ and the history of Christianity by thousands of
years. The tree finds its beginning during the time of the Druids, a
society made up of sorcerers, prophets and priests. During the time of
the Druid winter solstice, which fell on December 21, the Druid priests
decorated outdoor trees with apples and lit candles to show their
appreciation to their god Odin. The candles represented the eternal
light of their sun god Balter. Christians later adopted the practice
widely and decorated their fir trees with apples to represent Adam and
Eve's gall from grace.
The first Christmas tree has been
credited to a warrior of the Crusades, Winfried of England, who had
traveled to the Northern forests to covert the Pagans, according to
legend. When Winfried came upon an unruly mob getting ready to conduct a
human sacrifice before the sacred Oak of Geismar, he chopped down the
detestable tree and a fir tree immediately sprang from where the Oak
tree formerly stood. Winfried claimed the tree was the three of Christ
which represented the love and kindness that should be in everyone's
home.
Santa Claus is a lively, jolly and
fat old fellow who tours the whole world on Christmas Eve delivering
presents to deserving children. The modern-day Santa Claus finds his
origins in Saint Nicholas. This patron saint was shown in paintings to
look like the ordinary person that he was, but was given a makeover by
the Coca-Cola Company in the 1930's. That's right; our beloved Santa
Claus is nothing more than a clever marketing ploy. And you thought it
was hard when the kids on the playground told you Santa Claus didn't
exist.
Christmas cards were introduced
during the 1840s in Britain with the introduction of the postal service
and the penny stamp. While a penny was a lot of money during those days,
sending Christmas cards still became very common by the 1860s.
Holly and mistletoe are also
attributed to the Druids. The ancient Druids were the first society
known to have worn sprigs of holly and mistletoe. The druid priests
believed that holly was able to remain green and vibrant the entire year
because it possessed magical properties. We may have also picked up some
other significant traditions from the Druids. Do you think that it's a
coincidence that the colors of holly, green and red, are the colors
associated with Christmas today? Mistletoe, on the other hand,
represented fertility and was looked down upon by the Christian church
for its association with non-virginity.
Gift giving came to us from the
Romans. The Romans exchanged holly wreaths as gifts during their
Saturnalia festival, which coincided with the Druid's winter solstice.
The wreaths were a symbol of eternal life. Later, many Christians would
take to adorning their homes with holly during the Saturnalia festival
to avoid persecution from the Romans. Eventually adornment with holly
was absorbed into Christian practices as well.
So, now that you know a little more
about why you do the things you do during the Christmas season, why
don't you see what other tidbits of historical knowledge that you can
uncover to share during your next holiday gathering.
By Adam Lenk
For more Christmas articles and information visit
Making Christmas
Legends of the
Christmas Tree
By Susanna Duffy
The Christmas tree is a much loved
symbol instantly calling up images of gifts and family jollity. There
are many beautiful connections to ancient traditions. Egyptian and Roman
customs, early Christian practices and Victorian nostalgia are all
combined in our modern Christmas tree.
The Greek Fir is commonly used as a
Christmas tree. Ancient Greeks called the tree "Pitys" and, together
with the pine-tree, it was sacred to Pan. Legend tells us Pan was once
in love with a nymph called Pity, as was the god of the North wind. Pity
chose Pan and the wind god, insulted and humiliated, blew her over a
gorge to her death. Pan found her lifeless body and turned her into his
sacred Fir-tree. Ever since, whenever the North wind blows, you can Pity
crying and her tears are the droplets of pitch that leak from the
fir-cones every autumn.
Since ancient times, evergreen trees
have been revered as a representation of sexual potency and fertility,
and played an important role in Winter Celebrations. Perhaps the
Christmas tree is a watered-down version of the Scandinavian Yggdrasil,
the Great Tree of Life. In Northern Europe the evergreen was a reminder
that the long dark nights of Winter would end and the green of Spring
would return. For Saturnalia, Romans would decorate their trees with
suns, candles and small pieces of metal and today we still carry trees
into our homes and adorn them.
During the winter solstice,
Egyptians carried green palms into their homes to symbolise the triumph
of life over over death. Living trees in large tubs were brought into
homes during the old German feast of Yule. Prince Albert, husband and
Consort of Queen Victoria, carried on this German tradition by adorning
a tree with candles, candies, fruits and gingerbread. Although generally
adverse to anything German in origin, the English public held great
affection for their Queen and soon adopted the custom for themselves.
Some say the Christmas Tree has
evolved from Paradise Plays. From the eleventh century, these popular
religious plays were performed outdoors and in churches. It told the
story of the creation of Adam and Eve, their sin, and their banishment
from Paradise. The only prop on stage was the "Paradise tree," a fir
tree adorned with apples. From this tree, at the appropriate time in the
play, Eve would take the fruit, eat it, and give it to Adam.
One legend tells of St. Boniface who
encountered some German pagans about to sacrifice a child at the base of
an Oak tree. He cut down the Oak to prevent the sacrifice and a Fir tree
grew in its place. St Boniface told the pagans that this was the Tree of
Life and represented the Christ.
Another delightful legend is told of
the time the Holy family was pursued by the soldiers of Herod, when many
plants offered to provide them with shelter. One such plant was the Pine
tree. With Mary too weary to travel any longer, the family stopped at
the edge of a forest to rest and a gnarled old Pine grown hollow with
the years invited them to rest within its trunk. Then, it closed its
branches down, keeping the family safe until the soldiers had passed by.
As they left, the Christ Child blessed the Pine and the imprint of his
tiny hand was left forever in the tree's fruit...the Pine cone. If a
cone is cut lengthwise, the hand may still be seen.
Martin Luther also features in the
legends of the Christmas Tree. Late one night the founder of the
Protestant religion was taking a stroll through the woods. The sky was
clear and many stars were shining through the branches of the trees,
giving the impression of twinkling lights. Luther was so captivated and
inspired by the beautiful brilliance of the sight that he cut down a
small evergreen and brought it home. He recreated the stars by placing
candles upon the tree's branches to imitate their radiance and presented
it to his children.
Whatever legend pleases you, make
sure to pass on the story when you gather around your own Christmas
tree.
Susanna Duffy is a Civil Celebrant,
grief counsellor and mythologist. She creates ceremonies and Rites of
Passage for individual and civic functions, and specialises in
celebrations for women.
http://celebrant.yarralink.com
The Evolution
of Christmas Ornaments
By Roy Thomsitt
Things have come a long way since a
Christmas ornament was likely to be just a ball hung by the window, or
later on a Christmas tree.
Historians believe that this
original Christmas decoration descended from a witch ball. The original
purpose of a witch ball was to fend off evil spirits. However, being
traditionally glass made, these balls were also very decorative, and
people started to see their use for decorating the home. They were great
decorations, so they started to move around the house a bit, and the
original green colour was varied as time went on. Over the centuries,
and gathering pace in the Victorian era, they were made in different
colours and sizes, and even the material from which they were made
started to be varied.
Also by Victorian times, it became
fashionable to decorate the home for Christmas, so Christmas ornaments
started to take a hold in Victorian homes. Less concerned about evil
spirits, people looked at ornaments as a festive display, a symbol of
celebration. Instead of warding off evil spirits, they started to
accompany a surge in other spirits, most notably brandy and whisky.
From Victorian times onwards the
range has increased steadily. The decorations have been hung in
different places too: the mantle, windows, and front door being
favourites, as well as the Christmas tree, but there is really no
restriction where to hang Christmas ornaments these days. Inside,
outside, it no longer seems to matter.
A lot of the increase in the use of
Christmas decorations has come from the desire to impress friends,
neighbours and family with the decorative display, as well, of course,
for one's own enjoyment.
The Christmas ball that was supposed
to have been derived from the witch ball, is still a clear favourite of
the Christmas ornaments used to decorate the Christmas tree. Over the
years Christmas tree balls have been designed in a great variety of
colours and finish, with an increasing variety of sparkling balls.
Another favourite for Christmas
decorations nowadays are the coloured fairy lights. Flashing coloured
lights are often a feature of outside Christmas ornament displays, as
well as for the tree and other places inside the house.
It also became quite normal in the
20th century to hang a new type of Christmas ornament on a tree; some
sort of food, especially chocolate, that would be covered with a
colourful, shiny paper wrapping to add a festive decorative effect. On
top of the Christmas tree, a fairy has been a popular adornment over the
years, but that has been changing in recent decades, and other Christmas
ornaments often now take pride of place at the pinnacle.
As with so many things over the last
hundred years, Christmas decorations have just got bigger and better, as
well as with a greater variety. Now, in some localities, you will get
local communities where house owners go to great lengths to decorate the
outside of their homes with giant Christmas ornaments and lighting
displays. Some such localities become well known simply for their
Christmas display. Even here in the Philippines, some localities become
well known in the Christmas season for their exuberant Christmas
ornament displays.
For most of us, however, Christmas
ornaments are about decorating our own little piece of territory to make
Christmas a special occasion for the family, and it is unlikely that
that will ever change.
This
Christmas Ornament
article was written by Roy Thomsitt, owner of the Xmas ornament website,
and
http://www.gifts-for-xmas.com
12 Creative
Ways to Recycle Your Christmas Cards!
By Lindsay Small
Don't throw your Christmas cards
away! There are so many creative ways to use your Christmas cards, many
of which you can do with your kids. We have brought together some ideas
below.
Christmas jigsaw game:
Make a Christmas jigsaw game. Gather 10-20 cards and cut each one into 3
or 4 pieces, using straight lines. Shuffle them up and lay them out on a
flat service such as a dining table or the floor – then put them back
together again! Store the cards in a shoebox for next time. This is fun
on a quiet family evening at the beginning of the season as it helps to
get everybody into the Christmas spirit!
Christmas tree ornaments:
Make cinnamon stick ornaments for the Christmas tree. Wrap a small
bundle of cinnamon sticks together with a pretty ribbon tied in a bow
(leave a loop for hanging). Using a small dab of glue, attach a pretty
shape cut from a Christmas card with pinking shears to the centre of the
ribbon bow to finish the ornament off. These look pretty and smell
delicious too!
Scented sachets
Make scented sachets to give as gifts or fragrance your own home. Simply
glue the bottom and side edges of the card together and then slip a
small amount of potpourri (or a cotton ball on which you have dropped a
little Christmas essential oil) into the space. Use a hole punch to make
two holes on the top edge, through which you can thread a pretty ribbon
before tying a bow. If you leave a loop in the ribbon, the sachets can
be hung on door handles, coat hooks or radiators (the heat will help to
release the scent, but it won’t last as long) to create a welcoming,
Christmas atmosphere.
Christmas mobile or “string”:
Cut shapes out of the cards in matching pairs. Hearts work nicely, as do
simple Christmas tree shapes and even plain squares and circles. Stick
the cards back to back and laminate them, then punch a hole in them and
use to make a colorful and child-friendly mobile or “string” to decorate
next year. You could add to this every year. As a variation, you could
back each shape with a plain-colored piece of card or construction paper
and write on it the date and name of the person who sent the card.
Christmas card game:
Cut playing-card shapes out of the cards, stick a piece of plain card
over any writing if necessary, and use to make a Christmas game or quiz
for your children to play next year. Laminate to protect.
Gift tags:
A traditional activity, but one which never fails to amuse the kids, is
making gift tags for next year's presents. Use pinking sheers, a hole
punch, and leftover ribbon
Gift bags:
Make gift bags for next year by saving smart paper bags. Cut a nice
shape out of each card and stick it to the front of the bag (covering
any shop labels if necessary). Sometimes one Christmas card will yield
many different bag decorations! Add a little ribbon bow just above the
card and wrap your present in tissue paper before putting it into the
bag. This looks lovely with brown paper bags and tartan ribbons.
Miniature Christmas cards:
Some Christmas card designs can be cut and folded into miniature
Christmas cards for the kids to give next year, or for decorating the
dolls house.
Christmas screensaver:
Scan your favorite cards into the computer – and some of your favorite
messages from inside the cards as well – and make them into a Christmas
wallpaper or screensaver with a photo program. Children love this and it
is a great memento if you do it each year.
Lacing card:
Cut out the pictures on the larger cards, punch holes around the edges
with a hole punch, add a shoelace or brightly colored yarn (with sticky
tape wrapped around the ends) and you have a cheerful and cheap lacing
card for little ones. If they are particularly popular you could
laminate them to make them last longer.
Christmas confetti
Make some Christmas confetti to use next year (scatter it on the
Christmas table, or put a pinch inside your Christmas cards and gifts!)
Use either a plain hole punch or a special Christmas one (both together
look great) and choose the most colorful areas from each card to cut.
Gold and silver looks very effective, especially mixed in with red and
green. Small scraps of leftover wrapping paper can be used too. You can
keep the children busy with this for hours!
Lindsay Small is the owner of
Activity Village, packed full of fun and educational activities for
kids. Do you have children aged 2-10? Visit
http://ww.ActivityVillage.co.uk to find free kids crafts, printables,
educational resources, worksheets, coloring pages and puzzles, jigsaws,
Sudoku for kids and much more!
A Christmas Story – The First
Christmas Lights
By Catherine Spelling
One would think that Christmas
lights have been around for as long as Christmas itself. Can any of you
imagine Christmas without lights? How would the children find their way
in the dark, so early on Christmas morning without them? The history of
Christmas lights is intricately tied to the dawn of the modern era, when
houses began to be supplied with electricity.
As you are likely aware, Thomas
Edison invented the first functioning light bulb back in 1879. A few
years later, in 1882, an associate of his first employed the use of
lights on his Christmas tree. Edward Johnson was the first to
electrically light his family Christmas tree in his New York home. His
home was located in one of the first sections of the city to be wired
for electricity.
A visiting reporter from Detroit
reported the following in "The Detroit Post and Tribune": "Last evening
I walked over beyond Fifth Avenue and called at the residence of Edward
H. Johnson, vice-president of Edison's electric company. There, at the
rear of the beautiful parlors, was a large Christmas tree presenting a
most picturesque and uncanny aspect. It was brilliantly lighted with
many colored globes about as large as an English walnut and was turning
some six times a minute on a little pine box. There were eighty lights
in all encased in these dainty glass eggs, and about equally divided
between white, red and blue. As the tree turned, the colors alternated,
all the lamps going out and being relit at every revolution. The result
was a continuous twinkling of dancing colors, red, white, blue, white,
red, blue---all evening."
In 1890, Edison published a
promotional brochure which may have been the first mention of
commercially available electrically powered Christmas lights. It stated
that "There are few forms of decoration more beautiful and pleasing than
miniature incandescent lamps placed among flowers, or interwoven in
garlands or festoons; for decorating Christmas trees or
conservatories..."
From there, the popularity of
Christmas lights exploded. Before long, every family had them and they
became synonymous with the Christmas tree. It’s hard to imagine
Christmas without Christmas lights. I tip my fuzzy red cap to you, Mr.
Edison. You have given us all a gift we will always cherish!
Catherine Spelling absolutely loves
spending Christmas with family and friends. When she is not counting
down the days until Christmas, she writes for
christmaslightsanddecorations.com – an online resources for all things
relating to Christmas and decorations, with information about
Christmas trees,
artificial Christmas trees,
fiberoptic Christmas trees and more.
Make your own greeting cards
Hand Made Dramatic Cut-Away Greeting
Card
By Kira Enari
Create a dramatic hand-made greeting
card with a rubber stamp and white pigment ink, using black card-stock
on white card-stock. This simple project gets maximum Wow! for only a
little effort. The cut-out technique may be incorporated into scrapbook
pages for truly impressive results. Just stamp, cut-cut-cut, and glue!
Supplies
- Rubber Stamp (2" or larger
recommended)
- White Pigment Ink Pad
- Scrap Paper
- 5 1/2 x 4 1/4" black card stock
- 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" white card stock,
scored to fold into 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" card
- Bottled Stamp Cleaner
- Paper Towels
- Clean, dry paint pad (optional)
- Craft Knife
- Cutting Mat
- Glue Stick
Lay down scrap paper to protect the
work surface. Stamp image onto black card stock using the white pigment
ink. Whether the image is centered or placed to one side or the other is
a matter of personal preference. No matter where the image is stamped,
the card will turn out spectacular. Allow the stamped image to dry, or
heat set with a heat embosser or even a blow dryer.
Clean the rubberstamp using the
bottled stamp cleaner. Open the bottle, tap it onto the stamp so that
the rubber is saturated. Tap the stamp onto a paper towel to remove the
pigment. Repeat if necessary. Scrub the rubber stamp on the paint pad to
thoroughly remove any pigment residue. Tap the stamp cleaner onto a
paper towel to remove any pigment on it. Keeping your stamps clean
ensures the next color used will be free of other pigment and will also
prolong the stamp's life.
When the image is dry enough to
handle, place the black card stock on the cutting mat. Make sure the
craft knife blade is very sharp so the cuts will be clean. Holding the
card stock steady with one hand, begin making random cut-outs in the
card stock around the stamped image. When cutting, hold the craft knife
so that the blade is as close to horizontal with the paper as
possible--this maximizes the cutting edge contact to make cutting
easier. Start about 1/4" away from the image and cut out triangles,
stripes or even boxes, keeping the cut-outs similar in shape and size
while working out to the edge of the cardstock. Leave about a 1/4"
margin for a border. It isn't necessary to measure or be exact, just
fairly consistent.
Turn the black card stock over onto
a piece of scrap paper so that the image is facing down. Hold the card
stock steady with one hand and run the glue stick over the back of the
black card stock. Carefully lift the black carstock and position
glue-side down on the outside of the white cardstock card. Press firmly
in the center and out to the edges, pushing out any air bubbles.
Try the cut-out technique using
different colors of paper and ink. This cut-away technique also works
nicely to frame a picture, or even overlay an entire image.
Kira Enari is a paper craft enthusiast.
Holiday Fun for Singles
by Rinatta Paries
Are you dreading the holidays because you are single? For those who are
alone, this can be a difficult season -- especially if you know what it
is like to be in a relationship during this time of year. This can,
however, be your best time of the year if you follow this plan:
1. Participate in Lots of Holiday Gatherings
Who knows? You may meet Mr. or Ms. Right at that next party. Or you may
meet someone who knows someone who is right for you. And you will most
certainly have fun, which makes for a good holiday season.
So how do you find these gatherings? Ask your friends, family, neighbors
and co-workers about upcoming holiday events. Then see if you can join
in on the fun!
2. Volunteer
Many people volunteer during the holidays, especially very good-hearted,
loving people -- the kind of people with whom you want to be in a
relationship! This is why volunteering is a great way to meet others
while also making yourself feel good for contributing.
How do you find these opportunities for holiday volunteering? Look in
your local paper and in your phone book for charitable organizations. Or
contact your local United Way for
charitable organizations in your area.
3. Worship
Religion and spirituality can be uplifting and satisfying for your soul.
Thus, the holidays are the perfect time to rejoin or revisit your place
of worship. Plus, you'll find that lots of other people are making the
same choice this season!
If you have trouble meeting your fellow worshipers, take on a volunteer
role. Become a greeter, volunteer on a holiday committee, or take on
some other role that fits your personality and interests. Being in a
role with a job to do makes it easier to strike up conversation with
people -- and possibly find romance!
4. Participate at Work
Are there holiday events going on at your work? If so, participate! If
not, lead a group of people in organizing some activities.
Create opportunities to socialize with as many of your co-workers as
possible, then ask each of them to bring friends to the events.
5. Send Out a Holiday Letter
Mail a letter about your life to your friends and family, and maybe even
to work clients. Tell them about significant events and milestones in
your year -- and tell them you are single and looking! Describe your
ideal mate and include your picture. Who knows what the postman will
bring back?
6. Step Out of the Ordinary
Participate in activities that you either normally avoid or don't have
time to do. And take time to research brand-new activities in which you
can partake. Step out of your norm and
you are likely to meet new and interesting people.
Some ideas for activities: speed dating, neighborhood gatherings,
singles clubs, dances, group nature hikes, etc. Find these activities by
looking in your local paper, surfing the Internet, and listening to your
local radio stations. Also ask your friends if they know
of any fun group events.
7. Be More Social
Try to attend at least three social occasions a week right now --
perhaps a party, a singles event, and a work event.
These activities should not just consist of you and your friends going
out. Do things that will expose you to new people. If you can manage
more then three social events a week, you will be even better off. The
more social you are, the more people you will meet.
8. Be Happy
You want to shine and be attractive this holiday season. This can be
somewhat achieved with stylish clothes, a good haircut, and jewelry and
makeup for women.
However, it will be better achieved by being happy, which will make you
shine from the inside out. Make yourself happy by working on your
attitude on a daily basis. Focus on being grateful for the bounty of
what you have, even if you feel that what you have is not enough.
9. Give and Be Generous
Give to friends and loved ones, but also give to strangers and charity.
The more you give, the more joyous and in the holiday spirit you will
feel.
The more joyous you feel, the more attractive you will be to others.
People want to be with joyous, happy people.
10. Make a Significant Emotional Shift
Learn something extraordinary and profound about yourself, your
relationships, or your life. Transform some part of yourself. Change
something so radically that you will have no doubt about the change.
This will help you attract love now and will guarantee that your
relationships will be better in the future. Knowing this, you will enjoy
the holidays more.
Your Relationship Coach,
Rinatta Paries
www.WhatItTakes.com
(c) Rinatta Paries, 1998-2002. Do you know
how to attract your ideal mate? Do you know how to build a fulfilling
relationship, or how to reinvent yours to meet your needs? Relationship
Coach Rinatta Paries can teach you the skills and techniques to attract
and sustain long-term, healthy partnerships. Visit
www.WhatItTakes.com where
you'll find quizzes, classes, advice and a free weekly ezine. Become a
"true love magnet(tm)!"
About the Author
Having coined the phrase "relationship coach," Master Certified Coach
Rinatta Paries works with singles to help them attract their ideal
relationship, and helps couples create more love and fulfillment in
their existing relationships. Visit her web site at
www.WhatItTakes.com or e-mail
her at coach@WhatItTakes.com.
Tips For
Singles On Surviving (and enjoying) The Holidays by Toni Coleman, LCSW
Here you are, facing the holiday season alone. Have you been thinking
about?
*how alone and lonely you feel
*excuses you can give family members as to
why you can’t come this year
*what friends may be available to spend
those long days with
*how another year has passed and you are
(still) single
*how unfair it is that everyone else seems
so happy and connected
*how you will handle the office holiday
party- single, take a friend, not attend
*going to a far away (tropical?) place to
escape it all
*hiding out, alone, in your own home
If these thoughts sound familiar it is probably time to reflect on your
feelings regarding this holiday season. If your goal is to hide out and
endure it alone, you won’t need to do too much planning. However, if you
wish to experience at least a measure of the “peace and joy” associated
with this time of year, you need to make and follow through with plans
that allow you to participate in ways that are meaningful to YOU.
Remember, your senses are bombarded from October to December with music,
images and Hallmark verses depicting the “right” experiences and
expressions for the season. Remind yourself, every day if necessary,
that there’s nothing wrong with being single. You have the same need and
right to enjoy this season as any couple or family does. How you choose
to do this is up to you.
After you have done some serious reflection, consider the following list
of holiday tips designed especially for singles.
Don’t make plans out of a sense of obligation. This is also your holiday
season. Set limits, make good choices and enjoy. You may ask yourself;
“do I really want to go out”? If so, make your next question something
like; “does it sound like something I would enjoy or be interested in?”
Or, “will I have the opportunity to meet and mix with other singles?”
Avoid unrealistic expectations from others, from yourself and from the
holidays themselves. Relax, enjoy and don’t expect so much that you will
feel hurt or disappointed when things don’t turn out just as you had
imagined. This will defeat all the positive feelings and experiences
that you may have already gained.
Make sure you give thanks for all the blessings you do have in your
life. Focusing on what you don’t have only encourages negative thoughts.
Add a prayer of hope for the things you would like to work for in the
coming year.
Don’t overbook OR overstay a good amount of time with relatives/friends.
Sometimes a shorter stay works best and leaves you energy and space to
get back to your own home and decompress.
Look for ways to give to or do for others. Feeling useful and
appreciated will provide a great boost to your holiday spirits. Check
into volunteer opportunities at local shelters and nursing homes or
through any local church or non-profit group.
Don’t plan to spend the entire holiday season with married /coupled
family and friends. Seek out other singles and singles groups/
activities where you can feel relaxed and able to share with folks you
have more in common with at this time. Better yet, plan a get together
with other singles for one of the holidays. A festive potluck meal, tree
trimming party or other holiday event would probably be much
appreciated.
Do avoid using food, alcohol or drugs to cope with holiday stress.
Nothing is worse than the feelings that follow the use (or wrong use) of
these things. This way of coping leads to depression, low self-esteem
and a greater sense of isolation and despair.
Do decorate your home with any and all things that make it feel more
festive and fun for YOU. Tune into all those wonderful traditions you
grew up with. It does not have to be very costly or time consuming to
begin your own traditions in your own place. Don’t put off or deny
yourself those happy holiday expressions, as you wait for your
significant other. Make your life all it can be right now.
Consider emphasizing the more spiritual aspects of the holiday. Go to a
concert featuring religious holiday music or attend a church (or other)
service, (even better with a friend).
Finally, going away to an exotic place may be just what you do need.
Look into tour or vacation packages for singles. This may provide plenty
of rest and relaxation and help you meet new friends and develop new
interests.
Whatever you decide to do for your holidays, have fun and enjoy them.
Focus on taking care of yourself and doing what is right for you. This
way you will also be giving your best to those around you. Happy
Holidays!
About the Author
Toni Coleman is a relationship coach in Virginia. She specializes in
working with singles who want to create lasting, intimate relationships.
Toni has over 20 years experience in relationship coaching with singles
and couples. She has written numerous email classes for singles on all
aspects of meeting, dating and relating. She is the author of The Art of
Intimacy, which goes out to thousands of subscribers monthly.
Pet Safety
Tips for the Holiday Season
by Pet Friendly Canada
'Tis the season for friends and family, eggnog and other treats, and
good times! During this busy time it can be a challenge to juggle
everything that needs to be done --including caring for your four-legged
friends. Here are a few tips to help keep your furry friends safe for
the holidays:
__No Chocolate, Please
Although Fido and Fluffy may be attracted to the smell and taste of
chocolate, in sufficient quantities, chocolate can make her very sick.
The result? Vomiting, diarrhea, and a lovely holiday spent at the
emergency vet clinic.
Be sure to store chocolate well away from pets. Open counters or ledges
are not good places -- some dogs may 'counter-surf', and cats easily
reach counters (what's worse, they can knock chocolate off the
countertop and straight into the path of enthusiastic dogs!).
__Tinsel's Pretty, But...
Although it's a popular decoration for trees, it can pose a danger if
your pet swallows it. It's possible for it to cause an intestinal
blockage -- and again, no one (least of all your pet!) wants to spend
the holidays undergoing surgery!
__What's That? Who's There?
Holidays are often filled with friends and family going in and out of
the house. If your pet is excitable or tends to get stressed with noise
and crowds, consider placing her safely in a crate or a room that's
"out-of-bounds" to guests. Give her blankets, food, water, toys ... and
check in with her regularly to make sure she's okay. This will help to
ensure your pet stays safely with her family, rather than accidentally
slipping out the door.
__Mmm mmm! Extension cords!
With all the pretty lights during the holiday season, you probably have
a variety of extension cords running every which way. Some pets have a
real 'taste' for extension cords -- keep an eye on them to prevent
chewing, or they could be in for a real 'shock'! Where possible, tie
cords out of the way. Some hardware stores also sell a plastic tubing
into which you insert cords to keep your gnawing little pet from hurting
herself.
Happy Holidays to you and your family -- both two-legged
and four-legged!
About the Author
_____
PetFriendly.ca features pet-friendly cottages, cabins, B&Bs, hotels, and
other lodging from across Canada that welcome pets! Visit them online
and subscribe to their free newsletter for pet lovers around the globe!
http://www.petfriendly.ca/
How You Can
Give Better Holiday Gifts AND Be More Environmentally Friendly
by Mark Jeantheau
It's the holiday shopping season, and Grinning Planet would like to
point out that the holiday phrase "Ho, ho, ho!" also relates to being
green--it's the Jolly Green Giant's tagline. Well, OK, that doesn't
exactly get us to the "eco-friendly" meaning of being green. But when
shopping for holiday gifts, there are a number of ways we can be
environmentally friendly.
All manufactured items, including gifts, require material and energy to
be produced, and production and transportation of the items results in
some level of pollution. Here are a couple of ways to make sure those
resources aren't a waste:
1) Useful Gifts -- One of the best ways to ensure the resources related
to your gift don't get wasted is to make sure your gift doesn't end up
gathering dust in a closet. While "surprises" can be nice, giving
someone a gift out of the blue without any clue whether they'll truly
like it or use it may get you one of those half-hearted "Um, oh, cool,
thanks" responses. A different approach is to ask your giftees for wish
lists, which works especially well within families, where social
protocols and rituals can be more easily adjusted. This lessens the
surprise factor but guarantees that you're giving a gift that the person
will use.
2) Drawing Names -- As families and circles of friends grow, the number
of gifts being exchanged can increase rapidly. Rather than each person
within a group giving a gift to every other member of the group, names
can be drawn so that each person gives gifts to only one or two people.
This reduces the overall amount of resources related to presents and
will reduce your holiday stress level. It may be too late this year to
implement such a strategy, but if you'd like to try it next year,
suggesting the change to your family/friends just after this holiday
season will give people time to think about it and adjust to the idea.
Regardless of how you arrange your gift giving, choosing environmentally
friendly products will be better for the planet than buying everyone an
economy sized bottle of cloying cologne or some other non-green item.
When looking at items claiming to be green, the US Federal Trade
Commission advises that shoppers look for quantitative or specific
claims, rather than general claims like "green," "eco-friendly," or
"environmentally safe," which are open to interpretation. Better
descriptions are things like "made from organic cotton," "made from 50%
recycled materials," or "manufactured without animal testing."
Here are a few categories of gifts that would be more eco-friendly than
some others:
1) Organic -- A gift basket of food is a typical holiday gift that's
even better if at least part of the basket is filled with organic
yummies. If you know someone who is a coffee lover, they will flip over
the bag of organic gourmet coffee you give them. Organic flowers are
available, as are flower arrangements that are not organic but whose
growers minimize their use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Organic cotton clothing and bedding are also making rapid gains in
popularity.
2) Fair trade -- Buying fair-trade items--items typically made by
indigenous peoples--often helps the creators sustain themselves without
resorting to environmentally unwise practices such as clearcutting
forests. Whether it's art, coffee, chocolate, soaps, or carpets, buying
items labeled "fair trade" lets you avoid purchasing gifts that were
produced by companies that use exploitative labor practices.
3) Recycled -- These days, lots of things are made out of recycled
materials--from works of art to clothing. A great holiday gift might be
some of the very cool clothes they now make from recycled cotton. Some
eco-friendly clothing even includes 50% fibers from recycled plastic
bottles.
4) Honorary Gifts -- How much stuff does anyone really need? Once we
reach a certain age, getting more "stuff" is as much a storage problem
as anything else. Donating money to a person's favorite charity or cause
in their name is a nice substitute.
To some extent, a nice holiday get-together with family and friends,
full of good cheer and warm conversation, is as good a gift as many of
us really need. But for the instances where a gift is appropriate,
here's a good starting point for your eco-friendly shopping: Grinning
Planet's Green Products and Services page ( http://www.grinningplanet.com/5005/green-products-services.htm
).
(Disclaimer: Grinning Planet does not receive any commission from the
companies listed on the Green Products and Services page.)
Finally, we'd like to put in a word for our dear departed Uncle Freeman.
When cash got short, he still never skimped on the Christmas gifts--he
just sent them C.O.D.
For jokes, cartoons, and more great environmental information, visit
http://www.grinningplanet.com
.
© 2003 by GrinningPlanet.com
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in
print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. Must
be published complete with no changes. A courtesy copy of your
publication would be appreciated.
About the Author
Mark is a writer, financial analyst, web developer, environmentalist,
and, as necessary, chef and janitor. Grinning Planet is an expression of
Mark's enthusiasm for all things humorous and green, as well as a
psychotic desire to work himself half-to-death. Hobbies include health
foods, music, getting frustrated over politics, and occasionally
lecturing the TV set on how uncreative it is.
Other
Greeting Cards
Brighten Your Day
Chicken Dance
Internet Parking Ticket
Hillbilly Medical Terms
Don't Say This To A Cop!
Everlasting Friendship Rose
Monkey Hug
Kitty Hello AWESOME CONVERSIONS!
I'm Always Thinking Of You!
I've Got Something For You - Big KISS!
If Friends Were Noses!
It's Hard To Find A Friend Like You!
A Big Warm Hug!
It's Hard To Find A Friend Like You!
Hugs N Kisses!
The SNOW ANGEL Hug!
The Daily Blessing - new blessing each day!
The Singing Teddy Bear!
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