| 10 Tips for a More Meaningful and Less
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| | gift theme each year. If the theme is
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| Stressful HolidayDoes your Christmas
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| | plants, you would give everyone something
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| spirit get lost in the frenzy this time
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| | from a nursery. If the theme is books,
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| of year? Is your household so hectic
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| | you would buy all your gifts at a book
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| during December that it could drive even
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| | store. If you choose a theme of
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| Bob Cratchit to tear out his hair? Well,
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| | entertainment, you would buy movie passes
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| you might as well face the fact that not
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| | for everyone or concert tickets. If
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| even the Grinch can stop Christmas from
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| | there are a lot of men on your gift list,
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| coming; so we must learn strategies for
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| | a hardware theme might be appropriate.
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| surviving the holidays with our sanity
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| | If you're forgetful like I am, buying
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| (and our hair) intact. It is possible to
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| | everyone on your list the same thing
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| go from stressed to blessed. To tame
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| | makes it easier to remember what you gave
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| your Grinch within and create a simpler,
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| | whom in past years!7) CELEBRATE FAMILY
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| more joyful Christmas this year, follow
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| | and COMMUNITY: Schedule time for fun and
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| these ten Grinch-busting tips and you'll
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| | relaxing together. Put it on your
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| slide from overwhelmed to overjoyed
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| | calendar and make it top priority. Don't
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| faster than you can shout "God bless us
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| | let anything get in your way. If you're
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| all, everyone!"1) LOWER EXPECTATIONS:
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| | too busy to drive through the
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| Don't fall for the hype and myth-takes
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| | neighborhood with the kids looking at the
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| that can ruin your holiday. You'll make
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| | lights and listening to Christmas music,
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| yourself crazy comparing your home, your
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| | re-arrange your schedule. Spend an
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| holiday, your family, with anyone or
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| | evening as a family reading Christmas
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| anything that makes you feel less than
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| | stories or poems and writing letters to
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| perfect. Remember, YOU ARE NOT MARTHA
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| | Santa together, thanking him for last
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| STEWART! Stop trying to win the perfect
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| | year's gifts.If you must shop or attend
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| holiday award for the best cookies, the
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| | concerts or parties, don't go alone.
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| most elaborate decorations, or the
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| | Take the family along and include lonely
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| biggest gifts. Remember these four
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| | neighbors or elderly friends too. This
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| important words throughout the holiday
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| | applies to cooking, baking, and gift
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| season: DO LESS, ENJOY MORE. Make every
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| | wrapping too.Invite someone to do it with
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| day of the season a present to
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| | you. It will make your tasks more fun
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| yourself.2) CHANGE ROUTINES: Why do we
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| | and they'll appreciate spending time with
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| feel that we must continue forever to do
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| | you. Whatever you're planning to do,
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| things just as we've always done them?
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| | share it with someone and make it quality
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| Don't be bound by past traditions. Think
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| | time.8) CREATE LASTING, LOVING MEMORIES:
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| outside the box and consider new ways of
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| | Be selective. Don't fill every moment of
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| doing things to make it easier on
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| | the season with frantic activity. Think
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| yourself.A) Instead of exchanging gifts
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| | quality, not quantity. Your goal should
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| with co-workers or extended family , how
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| | be sharing happy times and being
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| about choosing a charity to help? If
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| | together. Reading stories together, a
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| each person gives just a couple of
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| | relaxed tree-trimming, singing carols,
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| dollars, it adds up and beats searching
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| | making snow angels, or just enjoying the
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| for the perfect gift for all those
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| | evening stars and sharing a cup of hot
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| people.B) Who says you HAVE to cook a
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| | cocoa can be more enjoyable than
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| huge meal for 30 people every year?
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| | attending every play, concert, and party
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| Could you, maybe just this once, have a
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| | of the season. Volunteer as a family to
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| simple gathering instead? Better yet,
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| | sort food at a food bank, organize a toy
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| let Aunt Irma take a turn at hosting this
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| | or coat drive, deliver meals on wheels,
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| year's celebration. Have you considered
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| | or serve Christmas dinner at a shelter.
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| suggesting that this year the women cook
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| | These are memories you'll cherish
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| and all other family members do the clean
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| | forever.9) TAME THE GREEDIES: Steer the
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| up? Why should the men of the house
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| | family's focus toward the needs of others
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| gorge themselves till they must unzip
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| | and how your family can render service.
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| their pants and then collapse on the
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| | Help everyone to develop an attitude of
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| couch while the women who cooked for
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| | gratitude instead of always wanting
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| weeks continue to slave away in the
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| | something more. Talk about ways to share
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| kitchen tackling a mountain of dishes?
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| | the season's joy with others. Instead of
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| Would it kill them to help in the kitchen
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| | wish lists, make a list of ways to
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| once a year as a special Christmas
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| | practice generosity. These might include
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| present to you?C) When did we decide we
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| | helping someone with shoveling, shopping,
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| needed 37 different varieties of
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| | decorating, or baking. Or choose a
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| Christmas cookies each year? You know,
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| | volunteer project you can work on
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| all your family REALLY wants are
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| | together as a family.Keep the TV turned
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| chocolate chip cookies! Why do more than
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| | off as much as possible to avoid
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| is necessary to keep them happy? If you
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| | commercials. They only give your kids
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| MUST have a variety of cookies, go to or
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| | ideas of more useless things they think
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| host a cookie exchange where everybody
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| | they must have. If you want to watch a
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| bakes one type but takes home several of
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| | Christmas show, rent the video or record
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| all the other varieties. That makes NOT
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| | programs and watch them later.10) CREATE
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| baking a jillion different types of
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| | FUN NEW TRADITIONS: Buy a new cookie
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| cookies fun!3) DON'T DO IT ALL YOURSELF:
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| | cutter each year to add to a collection,
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| Involve every member of the family right
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| | or shop as a family to buy an early
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| down to the toddlers. If you can't do it
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| | Christmas present for yourselves: a board
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| together, then maybe it's not something
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| | game you can play each evening in
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| you need to do at all. Instead of buying
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| | December. Share at the dinner table
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| gifts for children to give, engage the
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| | every night something you've each read
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| kids in the process. Turn decorating,
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| | such as a Christmas story or poem, a
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| shopping, gift-wrapping, baking, and even
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| | riddle, or holiday trivia.A friend began
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| house cleaning into family time
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| | a tradition of having boiled shrimp for
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| activities4) PLAN AHEAD: Work smarter,
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| | Christmas dinner, along with garlic
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| not harder. Do as much as you can in the
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| | toast, salad, and Christmas eggs (boiled
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| months before Christmas to leave December
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| | eggs dyed red and green). Preparation
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| open for spontaneous joy. Get the car
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| | for this meal takes almost no time at
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| serviced in the Fall so it will be ready
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| | all, and the cleanup is equally easy.
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| for holiday travel, bake and freeze
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| | Everyone can enjoy the afternoon
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| cookies throughout November, start
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| | visiting, playing games, napping, etc.
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| addressing Christmas card envelopes
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| | In the evening, they enjoy leftover
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| during the summer while you're sitting in
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| | shrimp fried in garlic butter with the
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| the sun sipping lemonade. If it's too
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| | traditional Christmas pies and
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| late to plan ahead and you're already in
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| | cookies.Here are a couple of traditions
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| the middle of mass chaos, don't panic.
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| | that can lighten your work load: Instead
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| Memorize the Serenity Prayer and repeat
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| | of an elaborate holiday meal, how about
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| it daily! (God grant me the serenity to
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| | having friends in for a potluck Christmas
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| accept the things I cannot change, the
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| | Eve supper where you provide only the
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| courage to change the things I can, and
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| | dessert? Another tradition kids love is
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| the wisdom to know the difference!)5)
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| | going out for pizza on Christmas Eve.It's
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| SPEND LESS MONEY: Nothing adds stress to
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| | the little things that make life more
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| the season like worrying about how you'll
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| | meaningful. I like the idea of starting
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| pay the credit card bill come January.
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| | a Christmas tradition of practicing
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| Remember that it's the thought that
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| | not-so-random acts of kindness each
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| counts. Think of creative gifts you can
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| | holiday season and maybe even extending
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| give that cost less but express your
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| | this "kindness throughout the year.ITEMS
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| love.A) Tell those on your gift list
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| | 7 THROUGH 10 CAN ALL BE ACCOMPLISHED
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| that instead of presents this year,
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| | THROUGH VOLUNTEERING to focus on others
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| you'll be providing warm clothing and
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| | and help someone outside your family.
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| food for a needy child or sending a
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| | Kids love to give and help. They just
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| donation to your favorite charity in
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| | need encouragement, guidance, and
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| their honor. Chances are they really
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| | opportunities to reach out.Volunteering
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| don't need anything anyway, and it will
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| | is a great way to teach children
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| warm their hearts to know you're doing
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| | compassion. It develops character,
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| good in their name.B) Keep a journal of
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| | leadership, self esteem and a sense of
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| all your expenditures. Know each day how
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| | community. Volunteering also helps
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| much you've spent so far. You will
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| | offset the materialism of our culture.
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| probably be shocked to learn how fast it
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| | The key is finding a cause the whole
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| adds up and this knowlege may help you
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| | family can identify with.One creative
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| control your spending.B) Stay out of
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| | idea is to set up a gift-wrapping station
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| stores as much as possible. Every time
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| | in a mall to raise money for a charity.
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| you step foot into a mall, you are
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| | A great way to volunteer that can involve
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| subjected to clever marketing tactics.
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| | kids of every age would be to visit
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| Shop fast. The more time you spend in
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| | nursing homes and maybe even take holiday
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| the store, the more money it will cost
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| | decorations that your family has made.
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| you.C) Consider inexpensive but
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| | Here's another suggestion: Find some
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| heartwarming gifts like handmade frames
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| | children who need cheery mail and work as
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| filled with favorite photos or cassette
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| | a family making cards for them. There
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| tapes of your family reading books. Home
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| | are hundreds of such children in need of
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| made breads, jams, or sauces make great
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| | smiles featured on the HUGS and HOPE
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| gifts that everyone appreciates; and
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| | Club's web site at Your family can also
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| creating them provides family time to
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| | sponsor a child for Christmas through the
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| boot.D) One year, my family had great
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| | Hugs and Hope Elf Program. It's fun to
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| fun cutting evergreen boughs and making
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| | shop for and wrap items from your
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| wreaths for everyone on our gift list.
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| | sponsored child's wish list.Then . . .
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| All we had to buy was wire and ribbon.E)
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| | you can RELAX:To enjoy this season, we
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| How about giving a few of your own
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| | must remember what is truly important.
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| special treasures as gifts? Perhaps a
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| | All ten of our suggestions involve
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| book you love or a special knick knack or
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| | togetherness, sharing, helping, enjoying,
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| piece of jewelry someone has admired? A
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| | savoring the moments. The events of 9-11
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| gift that's worth more than anything from
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| | have taught us that our time and the
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| a store is a handwritten letter telling
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| | people in our lives are precious. This
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| someone how much they mean to you.If you
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| | Christmas will be a season filled with
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| must shop, a list is your best friend.
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| | opportunities to reach out to and enjoy
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| To avoid impulse buying, buy only what's
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| | others. Don't miss them! Commit to
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| on your list and pay only with cash.
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| | spending more "down time" with others
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| You'll think twice before purchasing an
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| | just hanging out -- it's more important
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| extravagant gift you really can't
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| | than you may think. Experience really
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| afford.6) SIMPLIFY GIFT SHOPPING:A) Plan
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| | feeling the joy of the season. Make it
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| ahead, make a list, and stick to it.
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| | a "feel good" holiday season rather than
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| Shop throughout the year rather than
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| | a "look good," one-day, picture-perfect
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| doing it all at the last minute.B)
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| | event. Create a warmer, more loving
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| Instead of individual gifts, buy one item
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| | celebration by focusing on sharing and
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| for an entire family such as a board
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| | just being.Now that you've learned how to
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| game, fast food coupons, gift
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| | tame your inner Grinch . . . take a deep
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| certificates for restaurants or stores,
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| | breath, turn on the tree lights, gather
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| phone cards, school supplies, or food
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| | your loved ones around you, relax in your
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| baskets. Or exchange names within your
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| | favorite chair, and watch angel Clarence
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| family so everyone needs to buy only one
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| | earn his wings for the forty-third time.
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| gift, rather than many. I've heard of
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| | Only this year, you'll be able to affirm
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| families who stipulated that it had to be
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| | with George Bailey that it really is "A
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| a garage-sale or a thrift-store item
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| | Wonderful Life."Marsha Jordan is author
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| under a certain price. That made it a
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| | of "Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter" a
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| lot of fun, as everyone tried to find the
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| | compilation of inspirational essays
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| best buy.C) Divide up the shopping. Maybe
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| | illustrated by critically ill children.
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| the wife could purchase all the gifts
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| | Proceeds from book sales help sick kids.
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| required for women and the husband buy
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| | Jordan founded the HUGS and HOPE
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| all the men's gifts. Teens can select
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| | Foundation, which provides smiles for
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| gifts for kids their age too.D) Choose a
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| | hospitalized children.
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