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Old-Fashioned Holiday Fun

“Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money.”- Unknown Buy, buy, buy.  Spend, spend, spend.  These days it seems the holidays are more about spending money than bonding with loved ones.  I suppose you could bond over how much you’ve spent on each other, but wouldn’t you rather save your cash and share the richness of laughter and warm embraces? Instead of going into debt trying to prove how much you love your favorite family members and friends, consider spending time with each other having fun with these holiday-themed activities: … Continue reading →

Give the Gifts of Time and Talent

Retailers make it seem as though the holidays wouldn’t be anywhere near merry and bright if you don’t spend, spend, spend from now until Christmas.  But, the truth of the matter is that you don’t have to drain your wallet in order to show family and friends how much you love them.  Instead of presenting your clan with a bunch of overpriced items this year, consider gifting them with your time and talent. If you have a special skill, share it with your loved ones to create a thoughtful present. For example, if you are a whiz in the kitchen, … Continue reading →

Holiday Themes on the Cheap

Use the word “cheap” during the holiday season and you’re likely to be labeled “Scrooge” or “Grinch.”  However, not everyone can afford to bleed through wads of cash in order to deck halls, make merry and spread holiday cheer. Fortunately, there are ways you can get into the spirit of the season without spending a ton of money.  One way is to stick with a theme.  There are a slew of holiday-friendly themes you can use to spice up your home in time for Christmas.  For example: Hawaiian Holiday:  You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars importing fresh flowers … Continue reading →

Get Your Holiday Game On

  Tis the season to party. The holidays are a time for festive family fun.  However, the key successful entertaining is to have a host of activities on hand for guests of all ages. The following Christmas-themed games and projects are sure to keep your guests in the holiday spirit long after they leave your home: Christmas Sing-Off:  Instead of bundling up to go caroling outdoors, host a karaoke contest inside using holiday-themed tunes.  Or, you could have your guests split into groups and sing favorite songs a cappella. Trivia:  Go online to retrieve a bunch of holiday-themed trivia questions, … Continue reading →

Holiday Gifts from the Heart

The holiday season is an ideal time to teach kids about the importance of giving.  This year, though, consider doing one better by giving your children the opportunity to take a hands-on approach to gift-giving. There’s no need to break the bank purchasing expensive holiday presents for loved ones when you can use your creativity and other talents to craft a slew of special treats.  Show kids that by putting their heart into making a personal present for a loved one they will be giving a giving a gift you can’t put a price tag on. Some simple ideas include: … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Holiday Money Savers

This is it. With just a few hours left until Christmas morning, there is not much time left to procrastinate. If you’ve been holding out on shopping for gifts because you planned to take advantage of last-minute doorbusters, you may be in for a big surprise. Money experts warn that while some stores claim their last-minute deals are major money savers, in most cases they aren’t. In fact, financial wizards are quick to point out that retailers prey on procrastinators and the amazing deals you think you are scoring are in fact not much bigger than those advertised at any … Continue reading →

Sharing Holiday Laughs

Christmas is no fun when the laugh’s on you. Whether guests are giggling because your seasonal souffle took a nosedive on the kitchen floor or the dog dove into the Christmas Prime Rib before you got the chance to carve it, you never want the highlight of your holiday get-together to be a mishap. Instead of the laughs centering on an accident, let your guests make merry playing the following fun games with a seasonal twist: Gift Swap: This is not your traditional gift exchange with family members. Rather, the game features a candy bar (or other small item that … Continue reading →

Too Many Gifts

I love Christmas, I really do, but I can’t help but wonder how much longer it will be the holiday we all remember from childhood. Every year the stores bring out the decorations earlier and earlier. Christmas trees are up in the stores before the school supplies are even gone. Everything is advertised as that perfect gift for someone on your list. Have we forgotten what Christmas is about? All day long I hear people talking and read online about the shopping, shopping and more shopping. The amount of debt Americans take on every Christmas is staggering. I’m as guilty … Continue reading →

Homemade Holiday Decorations for the Craft-Challenged

I am no Martha Stewart, but that doesn’t stop me from having fun tackling artsy holiday projects to display during this magical time of the year. Shortly after Thanksgiving, my 7-year-old and I took on a candy cane craft project we first saw hanging at a Ben Franklin store. Nearly three weeks later we are finally done putting together the seasonal showpiece. Okay, it didn’t really take us three full weeks to craft the minty, blinged out wreath. It just seems that way. Truth be told, you could easily construct the sweet masterpiece in a single afternoon. Here’s what you … Continue reading →

Get Your Holiday Game On

It’s the most wonderful time of the year; time to make merry, rock around the Christmas tree and fa-la-la-la in perfect harmony with friends and family members. The holidays are known for festive get-togethers complete with music, laughter and fun. If you are hosting the clan this year for the holidays, now is the time to get your game plan in order. While you don’t have to construct an elaborate itinerary of activities, you should have at least a few games on hand, especially if you are hosting a party with young children. Keep the seasonal shindig joyful by having … Continue reading →