Reader's Digest Memories Sept 30

Everyone remembers making Christmas trees out of readers digest magazines don't they? Here's a YouTube...very boring if you're already a magazine folding pro...but if not, it's a great idea for young kids, boy scouts crafts, girl scouts crafts, or Sunday school craft time.  
 Our YouTube instructor has you limiting the number of pages, but I think you could just use the whole magazine if you want.  My added hint...glittery pom poms make great "ornaments" for your magazine paper tree.

Special Cards for Special People Sept 29

Yesterday we talked about the budget and mentioned those people that we give gratuity gifts to.  One thing that will really be remembered is if your card to those people is something special just for them.  Here are some great ideas from some artistic friends at Greeting Card Universe.

Have a Plan Sept 28

It's not too early to start thinking about your Christmas budget.  Take some time before the shopping season is in full swing to decide who is on the gift list.  And don't forget to add those gratuity gift recipients, the mailman, the doorman, the kids bus driver, your gardener, your hairdresser etc.  Also make sure to include any gifts that will be expected at the office, for the office party or gift exchange, and those that the kids will need for their parties.  Yes, they add up quickly and can really break your budget if your not careful.  

Careful planning can not only save you some money, it  can give you a more stress free holiday.  If possible once you have your list and some reasonable gift ides for everyone, start shopping now... look for sales and enjoy some savings.  But, be careful...once you have found and purchased a gift for someone on your list be sure to cross them off so you don't make the mistake of purchasing another item.  Also, remember that room you made in the closet a couple days ago?  Find a nice box to keep all of your advance purchases together in one spot so you can find them later.

Quick Quiz Sept 25

Real quick... What's the name of that Christmas song made famous by Nat King Cole?  You know, the one about chestnuts, and Jack Frost, and tiny tots....  

Yup, it's "The Christmas Song" 

This is dedicated to my Mom and Dad.  Today would have been their wedding anniversary, and this was always one of her favorites.

The Christmas Pickle Sept 24

The first year I heard about this I was in love with the idea.  The story is that this is an Old World German tradition, but a bit of research revealed to me that most Germans don't know anything about it. So, odds are this was a more recent invention that was attributed to German tradition just to get the consumer interested and sell these glass pickle ornaments.  Anyway, the story is that on Christmas Eve, after the kids are all in bed, the parents would hang the small glass pickle shaped ornament on the tree.  In the morning, the first child to find it would receive an extra gift from St. Nicholas.  For the more frugal family the finder was blessed with a year of good fortune.  Because my eldest daughter was the pickle queen we definitly had to have one.  Being crafty I decided that I would make our pickle instead of paying the $10.00 asking price of the pickle I found in a mail order catalog.  Pickles are a simple shape and it needed to be pretty small, so I made mine out of Fimo clay with a small eye hook threaded with some very thin ribbon for hanging.  If you're crafty in any way I'm sure you can come up with your own version. The processes that come to mind are crochet, knit, sewn, whittled...you get the idea.  For a very simple and inexpensive craft for children you can get them to make one from craft foam, modeling clay, or even just a simple construction paper pickle shape.  Let them give the "pickle" a little personality by adding a face.  Christmas is about traditions, but traditions have to start somewhere, so don't be afraid to add something fun to your holiday...someday your children will tell the stories of these "traditions" to their own children.