I've Got Mail.... for You

The holidays are coming up pretty quick and that means that soon your mailbox will be piled high with greetings from friends, family, and acquaintances that you haven’t heard from since the holiday season of 2008. There’s just something about late December that makes people want to send tidings of comfort and joy and share news from all around with those they haven’t touched base with in 12 long months. You shouldn’t be any different. Get out your greeting card list, check it twice, write a little note, include the proper postage and send holiday greetings to everyone from your college roommate to Aunt Susan to your old work buddy who now lives on the West Coast. Count your blessings with a Speaking of Peace card or if fun and the Caribbean is more your thing, send thoughts of island drinks with a Palm Trees card. And while you’re writing out those cards, do something nice in the spirit of the season for someone else – like sending some cards to a nursing home where the greetings can be distributed to those residents who don’t receive any mail. Your simple card will surely put a smile on a stranger’s face.

They Jingle and Jangle, but for the Life of Me, I Can't Find Them

I figure there must be many, many people out there like me – people with way too many keys in their life and not enough hands (or brain cells) to keep track of where they are at all times. Usually as soon as I walk in the door, I toss my keys on the kitchen counter or the table, forgetting the fact that there is a basket conveniently located by the front door with the sole purpose of holding everyone’s keys as they enter. Then, when I need to go someplace, I visit the basket by the front door and become instantly frustrated because lo and behold – no keys! I head to my purse, but it’s a dark abyss in there. I have a better chance of finding the cure for the common cold in that nightmare of a bag then finding my keys. So, for Christmas this year, could someone not only get me something that I so desperately need but also desperately want? A spiral wrist coil will do the trick. And should you be so kind as to present me with this inexpensive yet so obviously in need of gift, would you please give it to me in a bright color? This way, if I happen to take it off my wrist, the neon yellow will attract my attention, even from the dark confines of my purse.

I'm Making a List... I'm Checking It Twice so I Don't Go Broke

Everyone’s looking for a good deal these days. While the economy is recovering from the recession, people are still unwilling to dig really deep into their pockets and money is spent on the basics. Yet, the holidays are fast approaching and while we might all spend a bit less than we did in previous years, gift-giving won’t die out. That usually means we shop around for the best prices, clip our coupons faithfully, and head to the stores or online when we see great sales. Even with less greenbacks in your wallet, you can still buy presents for those who are tops on your holiday gift list. And when you shop online, you miss out on the huge crowds, the hot stores, and the long lines. Plus, you can enjoy your ho-ho-hoing while seated comfortably on the sofa with your laptop while you hum “Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Here are some great suggestions for gifts that will get smiles all around, won’t break the bank, and can be ordered online:
• Method tote.
• Travel umbrella.
• Giant calculator.
• Cyber frame.
• Rox box
• Multi tray desk organizer set.
• Foot therapy kit.

Watch Your Carbon Footprint

These days everyone is chatting it up about going green. Celebs like Leonardo DiCaprio and Al Gore warn us of what’s coming if we don’t reduce, reuse, and recycle. But for most of us, it’s much easier to chuck that plastic bag from the grocery store into the trash than use it again. Isn’t it much harder to think environmentally friendly than it is to be an energy hog? Think about all of the Styrofoam coffee cups, plastic wrap, bags, and wrappers you toss daily. Start out small in an effort to conserve and the task will seem less daunting. Unplug your alarm clock and use the Elements solar powered clock instead. Stop tossing those brown lunch bags into the can each day and switch to the recycled prospect lunch cooler. A birthday just isn’t a party without balloons, but those traditional ones are environmentally destructive. Try a kinder alternative with our latex balloons in basic colors. Do your part by releasing more oxygen into the air with an air plant set. For even more ideas to give Mother Earth a gentle pat on the back, check out the Goingreen 13 month calendar which not only contains ideas to get you in the green, but is printed on recycled paper.

Mom, What's for Dinner?

If your family is anything like mine, they probably get really tired of the same old culinary fare that is slapped on their plates each evening during the dinner hour. There are only so many chicken cutlets and slices of pizza that my kids can eat before they are bored. And that’s when I have to switch things up and add some subtle changes – anything too earth-shattering causes them to run screaming from the kitchen. The best thing to do is experiment with new foods and new recipes. If your kids like to be with you near the sink and stove, have them help out with mixing and adding ingredients to dishes. Does your husband make a wicked chili that’s the talk of the town? Let him make a large cauldron of it and then serve it in different ways as leftovers – top baked tortilla chips with it for tasty nachos or use it as a filling for tacos. For more fun ideas to tease the palates of those you love, open up one of the following cookbooks for inspiration:

• Barbecue Cookbook
• Easy Does It Cookbook
• Kids in the Kitchen Cookbook
• Recipes for Healthy Eating
• Holiday Recipes Cookbook