Merry Merry!

In my “travels” on Google and Pinterest, I’ve been stockpiling these holiday photo’s for a rainy day…and since we won’t be having a White Christmas, it looks like this is a perfect rainy day.   These photo’s make me smile, inspire me and I’d love to share them with you.

Some advice for the holidays, as stolen from my friend Jayne Drew!  And check out her blog, it’s one of my favorites!:

http://smashingonline.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/woo-hoo-what-a-ride/

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately.. Go next door, where they’re serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It’s rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It’s not as if you’re going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It’s a treat.. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It’s later than you think. It’s Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That’s the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they’re made with skim milk or whole milk. If it’s skim, pass. Why bother? It’s like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people’s food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year’s. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you’ll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don’t budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They’re like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you’re never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don’t like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day ?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it’s loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don’t feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven’t been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:

“Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate and wine in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO HOO what a ride!”

Happy Festivus!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8g4Ztf7hIM

Merry Merry and Happy Happy!

And wouldn’t it be nice if our Bears actually showed up to play Sunday night v the not undefeated Packers?  How sweet would that be?!

xoxo,

T.

ps – going back to the once a week blog…this month has been exhausting!

Holiday Tipping…Again

What to tip for the holidays?  I’ve been asked this several times in the past week (and probably should have posted this last week)…but there is still time to take care of those who take care of you.   So, I am Reposting last year’s blog on Holiday Tipping…and have chosen Not to edit it, as my comments are still relevant now…and I Still need to start up again with my personal trainer!  And I did research into when is it, indeed, appropriate to repost a Full Blog, and I’m still unsure about protocol and quite frankly, I’m gonna do it anyway!

Tis the season to thank those who provide services to us.   I thought I would give a recap of what is customary:

1.  Postal Carrier-  My mail carrier, Rocks…she picks up boxes at my door, and gives me a bill for the shipping.  She is always pleasant, and between Thanksgiving and Christmas, she wears a Santa Hat.  She makes my life so much easier…and for that I give her $100.  I believe the USPS prohibits gifts of more than $20…so we will not use her name.

2.  Hair Stylist – the cost of one service…unless your stylist has messed up your hair, then I suggest Nothing.  Best to keep those who make you lovely, happy.

3.  Masseuse, Nail Technician, etc… - cost of one massage,  mani or pedi, or facial.  And look for a future blog on the No-Chip Manicure…Fabulous!

4.  Dog Walker – they say you should tip one week’s of dog walking.  Same applies for dog sitting.  Take care of those who care for our beloved pets.

5.  Sitter, Nanny, or Au Pair – if you have a live in Nanny, then you tip then one month.  An Au Pair should get an extra week’s pay.  If you have a regular babysitter, tip them the amount you would pay them for one evening’s work. A small gift from your child is also a nice touch.

6.  Personal Trainer – $25 up to 1 week’s pay (or cost of 1 session).   Which reminds me, I really need to go back to my trainer!

7.  Teacher – A small gift of about $20 value, given to the teacher by your child.  My sister-in-law is a teacher, and I remember the wonderful, thoughtful gifts she used to receive…and the ones that meant the most to her were personal gifts from the child.

8.  Coaches, Tutors, Music Teachers, Ballet instructors – a small gift from the child.  I always like a signed group gift for a sports coach.  A signed baseball, football, or team photo.

9.  Cleaning Person/Service – Does the person visit once or twice a week?  Tip them one week’s pay. Consider tipping more if they do work more frequently.

10.  Trash Collectors – $15 – $20 each.  If these guys haul away things they shouldn’t, you really should take care of them.  My father said no need to tip the Recycling People, because they can’t do anything for you.  Seems like sage advice.

11.  Paper Carrier –  $15-$25 for daily delivery ($5-$15 for weekend delivery).  We don’t get the paper anymore, and I know we had a carrier that didn’t deliver the paper till after 8AM during the week.  Suffice to say, that carrier did not receive a holiday tip.

12.  Parking Attendants -  $10-$35 each or up to half a month’s parking bill for the group if they regularly provide extra service.  More if this included washing your car.

13.   School Bus Drivers – $10 – Our bus always picked up and dropped off the kids at the end of the driveway, so to me, this was money well spent.  Or, as has my friend Carol says…so they don’t run over your children!

General Tips On Tipping:

Remember cash is king. Choose to give cash over a check, and do your best to make sure it’s a fresh, crisp bill.

If you can’t afford to give a little extra – or at all – a handwritten note to show your gratitude is something you should consider. Be sure to express your appreciation in some way to the folks who make your life easier. Suggestions include a holiday card or a handmade gift or treat like cookies or candy.  And if you can, a lovely holiday luncheon, always fits the bill.

Happy Holidays and Happy Tipping.

xoxo

T.

One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day.  Don’t clean it up too quickly.  ~Andy Rooney

Holiday Shopping…My Way!

First and foremost, am I the Only person who is driven Crazy by Christmas Ads and displays in the stores?  I mean, for Pete’s sake..it’s not even Halloween yet!

So…back to the blog… Holiday shopping done my way…and how I keep my sanity.

That’s not really the secret…but, it really doesn’t hurt.

I am usually done with Holiday Shopping by Thanksgiving.  Don’t hate me.  It’s just the way I survive.  Holiday shopping looming over my head drives me nuts, so I try to be efficient, organized, and have most of it done by Thanksgiving.

I handle the holiday shopping 2 ways…what I buy in the stores, and what I buy online. 

I write a list,  check it twice, carry it with me at all times from September on, of who I buy for, and when I find something that I love, I buy it, and cross it off the list.  This works for those on my list, who don’t provide me with a wish list.  It’s important to find items that ”move me”, and when I’m out shopping and see something I think someone will Love, I get it.  I loathe Christmas shopping from Thanksgiving – Christmas Eve. I have friends and relatives who Love shopping the day after Thanksgiving.  I’d rather stick needles in my eyes.   I don’t do well with crowds (unless it’s a Bears game, or a rally for me) so for those items that I need to “browse” for, I do that from September – November.   Easy, painless, and I give myself ample time to fill those lists.

Now “Santa” shopping is a bit trickier, because Santa has to wait for the kids to give him their lists…Let’s say for others who give “me” their lists, here’s what I do.  I check the internet first, for everything on the list.  And then I check it twice.  Most items on these lists can be found online.  And, it’s really easy to track, because you receive a confirmation email.  The boxes can be shipped to your home, or somewhere else…and can be opened when “others” are not present.  And, if you are concerned about shipping costs, (I mean, who isn’t?) you can check out www.couponcabin.com, or retainmenot.com,  for lists of shopping discounts.  Many, many retailers during the holiday season offer free shipping.  Plus, shopping via the internet, you can check to make sure you are getting the lowest possible prices.  And, you aren’t driving to the crazy malls, trying to find parking, and trying to find that specific gift, which you would have gotten online anyway! 

A fatal mistake would be ordering many times, from the same retailer, and paying that $8 or $12 shipping cost more than once.  Make sure when ordering online, you are ordering everything you want from that site/store, to alleviate numerous shipping charges.  And, if something isn’t correct, you can wait till after the holidays to return the item to the store (when it’s not a mad house at the malls), so you don’t have to pay the return shipping fees.

The good news is Patrick doesn’t read my blog, so he won’t kill me for posting this.

The good news is while Meredith may actually read my blog, she’s 5 hours away, so cannot kill me for posting this.

Happy Holidays! (UGH)

xoxo

T.