Whether or not you celebrate Kwanzaa, it's a beautiful tradition, and one worth knowing about. Here's a little more about this wonderful African holiday.
All About Kwanzaa Learn more about the history and celebration of Kwanzaa. Focusing and reflecting on the seven principles is something that we could all benefit from.
Different Holiday Traditions How might it benefit a child to learn about different holiday traditions, other than the ones you already celebrate? Here are some sound reasons.
The day after Christmas...an intensely busy time to go to the mall, but a great day for returning what you don't want and getting what you do want, enjoying sales at the same time! If you're going shopping today (or in coming days, which will also be busy), here are some tips for keeping your sanity:
Tips for Finding a Parking Space Finding a parking space on a day like today is never easy, but these tips can help immensely. Here's your first line of defense in post-Christmas shopping stress.
Before You Go to the Mall with Your Child Honestly, the best way to deal with kids at the mall on a day like this is to find a way to not take them. If you need to bring them, though, these tips can help!
How To Reduce Holiday Shopping Stress Many of the strategies that work for holiday shopping also apply to holiday returns. Here are some ways to simplify.
For those who celebrate it, I'd like to wish you a very Merry Christmas! Here are some resources to make it even more special. I hope you and yours have a truly magical day.
Telling the Story Behind Traditions Create special holiday traditions, and know the meaning behind them. Our Guides to Marriage have some important tips here.
Christmas Poems Maintain a sense of meaning and connection to the true holiday spirit by enjoying some of these wonderful Christmas poems.
Christmas Games Here are some ideas for after the gifts are unwrapped, and the toys are played with.
Loneliness and The Holidays Even if you're surrounded by people, it's possible to feel lonely. (In fact, according to a recent loneliness poll on my site, many more people feel lonely than not!) Here are some tips for dealing with holiday loneliness.
Having a houseful of friends or family is one of the great joys of the holiday season, but can also bring on a significant amount of stress. If you've got a group of people gathering at your house, here are some resources to help ensure that everyone's comfortable and happy, especially you!
Preparing Your House for People With everything going on, we sometimes don't remember to clean until right before people arrive. Here are some last-minute tips on getting your house ready for people quickly and easily, so you can enjoy the fun!
Christmas Breakfast Menus If you have a full house, Christmas breakfast may need to be more than a box of cereal and milk! Here are some delicious and do-able Christmas breakfast ideas, to start your holiday off right!
How To Set a Beautiful Christmas Table A delicious Christmas meal is a wonderful gift in itself, and there's nothing like a beautifully set table to really enhance the special feel of this loving gift. From napkin folding to centerpieces, here are several different beautiful-table ideas to inspire you.
If you're still finishing up your holiday shopping, don't stress. You have plenty of great gift options that your friends and family will love! Here are some last-minute ideas to consider:
Best Books to Give as Christmas Gifts Books can be a great gift to pick up at the last minute, and are great for your recipients because they provide lasting enjoyment, great stress relief, and a topic for later conversation. Here's a visual list of especially nice books to give, with ideas on who to gift them to.
Gift Ideas for Teenagers When kids are younger, virtually any toy store provides dozens of gift options; when they become teenagers, it sometimes becomes necessary to hone your creativity. If you still need to buy gifts for the teens in your life, here's a list of more than 50 options from several different categories and price ranges, which can cut the stress out of teen holiday gift selection.
Let Them Eat Fudge! If you're looking for something to give your neighbors and casual friends, homemade fudge is a great choice. You can make one large batch and have many gifts taken care of at once! Here are several delicious recipes to try.
Stocking Stuffers For Kids Even if you have the bulk of your shopping done, it's easy to forget the stocking gifts! If you're still scrambling for Santa stuff, here are some ideas that will fit quite nicely.
Brain-building toys provide a win-win situation for kids and parents: they provide enduring fun and lasting benefits. If you're not sure what to get for your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, consider these mentally stimulating games:
Best Newborn Toys and New Baby Gifts These gifts are perfect for holidays as well as baby showers or births this time of year. They can soothe and stimulate new babies.
Best Educational Toys of 2007 Some of these are truly amazing! Learn more about the best toys for fun learning, sure to be a hit with just about any kid.
Top 10 Pretend Toys for Gifted Children Whether or not the children on your list are officially 'gifted', they will enjoy these fun gifts, which promote imaginative play.
Puzzles for Kids If you want to help the kids on your list build critical thinking skills without even realizing they're doing it, puzzles are a terrific choice, and can be inexpensive as well. This puzzle list provides some options for all ages, and even points you to a jigsaw puzzle maker, something adults can enjoy as well!
Are you still working on your holiday shopping? Many people are! As the holiday shopping season intensifies, these stress-reducing resources are just what you need to stay jolly and truly enjoy the gift-giving spirit of the season as you find just the right things for your loved ones!
To Regift or Not To Regift... The fewer items you need to shop for, the less stress, right? The renewed popularity of recycling, mixed with the tighter budgets that many are experiencing, makes 'regifting' an attractive option for people who may not have considered it before. When is it okay? When is it tacky? How does one regift the 'right way', or is that even possible? Now's the time to read up on regifting!
Why Wish Lists? Holiday wish lists can reduce stress for you as well as your loved ones. How? This article will tell you, and can point you in the right direction.
Tips for Finding a Parking Space One of the classic stressors of holiday shopping is the difficulty in finding parking. While I can't supply you with a magic pass for perfect parking, I can point you to the next best thing: tips on how to find a great spot for yourself!
Before You Go to the Mall with Your Child The only thing worse than listing to whining, screaming children at the mall is looking down and realizing that those whines and screams are coming from your children! At least there are things you can do to prevent this stressful predicament. Here they are.
For all the sacrifices they make, for all the love they give, for all the gifts they buy for others, moms are especially deserving of thoughtful holiday gifts! If you're stumped for the perfect token of love to give the moms in your life, whether they're your sisters, friends, or your actual mom, here are some ideas that are sure to please!
Top 10 Priceless Gifts Mom Wants And by 'priceless', we mean, 'mostly cheap or free, but really meaningful'. Here's an excellent list of ideas that should be read by kids and hubbies, and forwarded to friends!
Top 10 Gifts for the Walking Woman Whether she's an avid walker, or has just been meaning to get more active and hasn't yet made it a regular part of her life, these gifts can help support and nurture a walking habit, as well as a healthier lifestyle.
Top 4 Cashmere Sweater Styles Help her trade her stained tee-shirt for something beautiful, elegant and classy. Our fashion Guide has tips for finding a piece that she can wear for years to come.
Top 5 Digital Picture Frames Nobody cherishes fond memories more than a devoted mom, and these picture frames make it possible to relive a vast quantity of memories, or just show off her adorable offspring in all their glory.
Do you have a difficult-to-buy-for guy in your life? The guy who has everything, the difficult-to-impress guy, the guy who says, 'Anything you get is fine,' but you want to get him something that's more than fine? Here's a list for him, the not-too-easy-to-shop-for guy.
Top Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD Players Why not give him a toy he'll really love? If he's not already watching his movies in high definition, this could be his favorite gift. Ever.
iPod Gifts Under $100 If he has an iPod or iPhone, these are some great accessories at prices you'll love. (And if he doesn't have an iPod or iPhone, you now have two more great gift ideas to choose from!)
Top 10 Gourmet Chocolate Makers The way to his heart is through his stomach, right? Here are some amazing chocolate gifts that any guy should love.
6 Gifts For Men Under 25 Bucks If you're on a budget this year, here's a list of gifts you can afford that he'll still love. Really.
Whether you're buying for a spouse, a longtime partner, or someone who's relatively new in your life, it's important to find just the right gift for that special someone in your life. Trying to find that perfect item that represents exactly what you want to say, and at a price you can afford, can bring a lot of stress. Fortunately, you have help! The following articles can help you find just the right thing for that just-right person in your life.
Holiday Gift Giving Etiquette by Relationship Stage What should you get for someone you're only seeing casually? At what point does a relationship require a more serious gift? And how much should you spend? Learn the answers to these questions and more.
Top 10 Romantic Gifts For $50 and Under If you want her to think you're the most romantic guy in the world (or at least a pretty thoughtful guy) without breaking the bank, here are some pretty great choices for surprisingly less than you'd expect.
Top 6 Practical Gifts for Guys Sometimes giving a guy something he'll use every day is the best way to show you care. Here are some classic choices that may just keep you in his mind on a daily basis.
How to Make a France-Themed Gift Basket Creating a gift basket is a great way to give a completely unique and thoughtful gift without giving something that's too 'home-made'. A France-themed gift basket provides you with romantic date options without the price tag of an actual trip.
Top 10 Wine Gifts A simple toast "to us" fits virtually every relationship at every stage. Here are some gifts for wine lovers that facilitate romantic toasts and memorable times together.
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