Best and Worst Holiday Foods
David Zinczenko, author of the Eat This, Not That! series of books, offers tips to help you make healthier food and drink choices this holiday season.By David Zinczenko
Original Content | October 27, 2009
The Eat This, Not That! Guide to Holiday Food
Whether your weakness is mayo-spiked deviled eggs or rum-spiked eggnog, the holiday season is packed with one belly-bloating temptation after another. In fact, studies show the average person consumes an extra 600 calories a day between Thanksgiving and New Year's, which translates to an extra 6 pounds of lard.
While everyone's entitled to a little indulgence, there's a fine line between festive and fattening. Fortunately, making simple food swaps helps keep the pounds down without sacrificing merriment. You don't have to diet. You don't have to deprive yourself.
Cocktails
Worst cocktail:
Gin and tonic (8 ounces)
240 calories
22 g sugars
Drink this instead:
Champagne
100 calories
5 g sugars
Before your raise your glass to good health, consider your own. The sad truth is that light-tasting tonic water contains as much sugar as two glazed doughnuts, making it nothing more than a glorified soda. Champagne is just as bubbly but contains only one-fourth of the sugar and half the calories.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/2
Dip
Worst dip:
Spinach and artichoke dip
300 calories
19 g fat
Eat this instead:
Salsa (1/4 cup)
10 calories
0 g fat
The wrong dip can transform healthy veggies and a whole grain pita into vessels for fat and hundreds of extra calories. Avoid creamy, cheesy dips at all costs and stick to the tomato-based salsas and bruschetta, which are low calorie and offer a healthy serving of vegetables to boot.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/3
Side Dishes
Worst side:
Baked potato with butter and sour cream
400 calories
14 g fat (6 g saturated)
Eat this instead:
Roasted red potatoes (1/2 cup)
100 calories
5 g fat (1 g saturated)
The difference here is in the toppings. Add bacon and cheese to the mix, and add an extra 150 calories. Another smart sides rule: Not all salads are paragons of virtue. Greens with croutons and Italian dressing pack in 140 more calories than a serving of peas with pearl onions.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/4
Hot Drinks
Worst hot drink:
White chocolate mocha (20 ounces)
660 calories
22 g fat (15 g saturated)
95 g sugars
Drink this instead:
Café au lait with peppermint syrup (20 ounces)
150 calories
5 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
17 g sugars
Sugary coffee concoctions are a holiday shopping staple—but the wrong one could deliver more calories than a Big Mac! Avoid mochas, lattes and cappuccinos and order a café au lait with a spurt of flavored syrup instead.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/5
Desserts
Worst dessert:
Pecan pie à la mode
810 calories
65 g fat
55 g sugars
Eat this instead:
Chocolate fondue
340 calories
10 g fat
28 g sugars
In the wide world of holiday pies, nothing is worse than a slice of pecan. Blame the filling, which is a sickly-sweet sludge of corn syrup and sugar. Fondue, in comparison, is a fun and relatively healthy way to splurge after a big meal. Angel food cake makes an ideal dipper: light, low in calories and virtually fat-free. Fruit is even better.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/6
Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
Simple Eat This, Not That! food swaps will make holiday weight gain a thing of the past. These holiday party survival rules may even help you lose weight:
•Watch what you drink. The average American consumes about 450 liquid calories a day. Forgoing the fancy holiday drinks means extra room for other sweets and treats.
•Snack smart. Protein-based snacks, like jumbo shrimp, cheese or prosciutto, will make you feel full longer than carb-loaded breads will.
•Master the buffet. Use a small plate—a study from Cornell University found that you'll serve yourself less, but feel like you've eaten more!
David Zinczenko is the editor-in-chief of Men's Health magazine and co-author of the Eat This Not That! series of books.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/7
MY THOUGHTS
champagne! champagne would really hit the spot. and i love salsa. the bottled ones, of course. who's got the time to make their own salsa? not me. that's for certain. i miss cooking though. maybe next year. or not.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Beat the Bloat this Holiday Season
10 Ways to Beat the Bloat
Try Changes in Your Diet and Exercise
By Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., Lifescript Nutrition Expert
Published December 26, 2010
Is your belly bulging after yesterday’s holiday feast? Follow these 10 bloat-busting tips and you’ll fit back into those skinny jeans again...
1. Hydrate
Drinking water is probably the last thing you want to do when you feel like your belly is about to explode.
But downing several glasses a day will restore the sodium balance so your body will give up fluids. Water also flushes your system and keeps your digestive tract moving so you don’t become constipated.
Ditch the sodas and other carbonated beverages. You may think they’ll make you feel better by inducing burping, but all they do is add gas to your system and increase bloating.
Instead, quench your thirst with water – the perfect, all-natural drink.
If you have to dress it up, add lemon or lime slices or an instant low-calorie flavor pack, like Crystal Light, Propel, Water Sensations or any store brand. Stash them in your purse or gym bag.
If you love the taste of fresh lemon and lime, try crystallized True Lemon and True Lime (TrueLemon.com) in individual packets with no sweeteners or calories
Many water-filled fruits and veggies can help hydrate you. Grab in-season, juicy fruits like tangerines and kiwis for a healthy snack. Or dine on a fruit salad or a plate piled with hydrating vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.
2. Cut Down on Salt
Salt makes your body retain water. But cutting back on it isn’t easy – nearly 80% of the sodium in our diets comes from packaged or canned foods and restaurant meals. And 9 in 10 Americans are eating too much salt, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Think fresh and unprocessed. Prepare more meals at home and buy low-sodium convenience foods.
You’ll win by eating plain fruits and vegetables, but be careful about the dipping sauces or salad dressings. Their salt content can bring on the bloat.
You can’t judge a food’s saltiness by its taste, so study the nutritional information on food labels whenever possible: a 6-inch tuna sub sandwich has more than 1,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium, but an ounce (1/4 cup) of salty peanuts has only 160 mg, about the same as a cup of fruit-flavored yogurt.
At home, hide the saltshaker.
Add flavor to your dishes with lemon, garlic, basil, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, jalapeños, or any of favorite herbs and spices.
3. Skip Sugar Alcohols
These sugar substitutes – sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, erythritol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH) – could be lurking in any food marked “sugar-free.”
Sugarless products may save a few calories, but they linger in your gut, where normal bacteria make a meal of them. The result? A lot of gas.
4. Be Wise About Dairy
A great source of calcium, protein and other nutrients, dairy also contains lactose, a natural sugar.
Nearly 50 million Americans are lactose-intolerant, meaning they lack enough of the enzyme lactase to completely digest lactose. Undigested lactose causes gas and cramping.
Some lactose-intolerant people can eat cheese and yogurt without discomfort, because much of the lactose breaks down during processing. They may even drink small amounts of milk.
If dairy bothers you, start drinking about one-fourth to one-half cup milk twice a day and work up to about two cups daily.
You can also try lactose-reduced milk or Lactaid, an over-the counter lactase supplement. Take it each time you eat or drink dairy foods.
If you avoid dairy or eat very little of it, you’ll have to work extra hard to meet your calcium needs of about 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg per day. Try calcium-fortified soy milk or orange juice instead.
5. Eat Potassium-Rich Foods
This mineral triggers the kidneys to excrete more sodium.
Most fruits and veggies are loaded with potassium, but some are extra packed: bananas, mangos, melons, papayas, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and nuts. OJ is another great source – but watch out.
Fruit juice is a concentrated source of natural sugars, which means the calories can add up fast.
6. Eat Small
Feel stuffed? Eat smaller portions to give your digestive tract a chance to work.
If small meals leave you hungry and low on energy, perk up with a healthful snack. Or divide your meal into two and eat them 2-3 hours apart.
If a typical lunch includes a sandwich, broccoli and apple salad, and yogurt, switch to two mini-meals:
Mini meal #1: 1/2 sandwich, broccoli and apple salad
Mini meal #2: 1/2 sandwich, yogurt
7. Savor Every Bite
Don’t gobble. Slow down and enjoy your food. You swallow more air when you race through a meal. More air in your belly means more bloating.
8. Take Beano
Plenty of disease-fighting foods – like beans, broccoli and beets – cause gas. But don’t skip them.
Instead, try Beano, an over-the-counter digestive supplement, breaks down their complex sugars into simple sugars before your gut’s bacteria can chow down and leave you with a gas crisis.
Also check out the 10 Best & Worst Foods for Your Tummy.
9. Move It
Get off the couch. Feeling bloated and sluggish is no reason to skip your workout.
You can move gas quickly through your system with a little huffing and puffing. Turn on some loud music and dance the bloat away. Take a walk. Or play tag with the kids.
10. For Chronic Bloat, See a Doctor
Most bloating is no cause for concern.
MY THOUGHTS
this is just a welcome article. i've gobbled so many food the past 3 days i feel really bloated. i've started hyrdrating and eating fruits and veggies for potassium. will start on dairy tomorrow. and dancing again.
Try Changes in Your Diet and Exercise
By Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., Lifescript Nutrition Expert
Published December 26, 2010
Is your belly bulging after yesterday’s holiday feast? Follow these 10 bloat-busting tips and you’ll fit back into those skinny jeans again...
1. Hydrate
Drinking water is probably the last thing you want to do when you feel like your belly is about to explode.
But downing several glasses a day will restore the sodium balance so your body will give up fluids. Water also flushes your system and keeps your digestive tract moving so you don’t become constipated.
Ditch the sodas and other carbonated beverages. You may think they’ll make you feel better by inducing burping, but all they do is add gas to your system and increase bloating.
Instead, quench your thirst with water – the perfect, all-natural drink.
If you have to dress it up, add lemon or lime slices or an instant low-calorie flavor pack, like Crystal Light, Propel, Water Sensations or any store brand. Stash them in your purse or gym bag.
If you love the taste of fresh lemon and lime, try crystallized True Lemon and True Lime (TrueLemon.com) in individual packets with no sweeteners or calories
Many water-filled fruits and veggies can help hydrate you. Grab in-season, juicy fruits like tangerines and kiwis for a healthy snack. Or dine on a fruit salad or a plate piled with hydrating vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.
2. Cut Down on Salt
Salt makes your body retain water. But cutting back on it isn’t easy – nearly 80% of the sodium in our diets comes from packaged or canned foods and restaurant meals. And 9 in 10 Americans are eating too much salt, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Think fresh and unprocessed. Prepare more meals at home and buy low-sodium convenience foods.
You’ll win by eating plain fruits and vegetables, but be careful about the dipping sauces or salad dressings. Their salt content can bring on the bloat.
You can’t judge a food’s saltiness by its taste, so study the nutritional information on food labels whenever possible: a 6-inch tuna sub sandwich has more than 1,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium, but an ounce (1/4 cup) of salty peanuts has only 160 mg, about the same as a cup of fruit-flavored yogurt.
At home, hide the saltshaker.
Add flavor to your dishes with lemon, garlic, basil, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, jalapeños, or any of favorite herbs and spices.
3. Skip Sugar Alcohols
These sugar substitutes – sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, erythritol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH) – could be lurking in any food marked “sugar-free.”
Sugarless products may save a few calories, but they linger in your gut, where normal bacteria make a meal of them. The result? A lot of gas.
4. Be Wise About Dairy
A great source of calcium, protein and other nutrients, dairy also contains lactose, a natural sugar.
Nearly 50 million Americans are lactose-intolerant, meaning they lack enough of the enzyme lactase to completely digest lactose. Undigested lactose causes gas and cramping.
Some lactose-intolerant people can eat cheese and yogurt without discomfort, because much of the lactose breaks down during processing. They may even drink small amounts of milk.
If dairy bothers you, start drinking about one-fourth to one-half cup milk twice a day and work up to about two cups daily.
You can also try lactose-reduced milk or Lactaid, an over-the counter lactase supplement. Take it each time you eat or drink dairy foods.
If you avoid dairy or eat very little of it, you’ll have to work extra hard to meet your calcium needs of about 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg per day. Try calcium-fortified soy milk or orange juice instead.
5. Eat Potassium-Rich Foods
This mineral triggers the kidneys to excrete more sodium.
Most fruits and veggies are loaded with potassium, but some are extra packed: bananas, mangos, melons, papayas, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and nuts. OJ is another great source – but watch out.
Fruit juice is a concentrated source of natural sugars, which means the calories can add up fast.
6. Eat Small
Feel stuffed? Eat smaller portions to give your digestive tract a chance to work.
If small meals leave you hungry and low on energy, perk up with a healthful snack. Or divide your meal into two and eat them 2-3 hours apart.
If a typical lunch includes a sandwich, broccoli and apple salad, and yogurt, switch to two mini-meals:
Mini meal #1: 1/2 sandwich, broccoli and apple salad
Mini meal #2: 1/2 sandwich, yogurt
7. Savor Every Bite
Don’t gobble. Slow down and enjoy your food. You swallow more air when you race through a meal. More air in your belly means more bloating.
8. Take Beano
Plenty of disease-fighting foods – like beans, broccoli and beets – cause gas. But don’t skip them.
Instead, try Beano, an over-the-counter digestive supplement, breaks down their complex sugars into simple sugars before your gut’s bacteria can chow down and leave you with a gas crisis.
Also check out the 10 Best & Worst Foods for Your Tummy.
9. Move It
Get off the couch. Feeling bloated and sluggish is no reason to skip your workout.
You can move gas quickly through your system with a little huffing and puffing. Turn on some loud music and dance the bloat away. Take a walk. Or play tag with the kids.
10. For Chronic Bloat, See a Doctor
Most bloating is no cause for concern.
MY THOUGHTS
this is just a welcome article. i've gobbled so many food the past 3 days i feel really bloated. i've started hyrdrating and eating fruits and veggies for potassium. will start on dairy tomorrow. and dancing again.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Creative Ways to Make Your Gifts Stand Out
Be a Wrap Star! 5 Creative Ways to Make Your Gifts Stand Out
Good things come in great-looking packages. We've got nifty and thrifty tips to help you deliver perfect presents.O, The Oprah Magazine | November 16, 2010
Prop Stylist Elizabeth Press traces her gift-wrapping prowess to her mother, whose creative, budget-conscious ideas—like wrapping boxes with painted newspaper comics, pasting gift certificates inside hollowed-out books, and making decorative stamps out of eraser carvings—proved that a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. "She really understood presentation,"Press says. "Her creativity could turn even inexpensive gifts into something fabulous."
Now Press has her own cost-saving tricks. To achieve a chic, monochromatic effect, she says, "let leftovers be your guide."If you have lime-colored ribbon from Easter, use green paper. And forget traditional holiday color combinations: Pair pink with red, yellow with gold.
1. Keep it Monochromatic
Combining any two shades of the same color "is a straightforward scheme that looks really modern,"says Press. FYI: Matte, solid-color papers tend to cost less.
2. Add Nontraditional Accents
Unexpected finishing touches are likely sitting idle in your drawers and closets. Instead of tying a bow, use cord to attach an ornament or dreidel; pin a brooch or faux flower onto ribbon; top children's gifts with chocolate coins or a glued-on toy. Press particularly loves to decorate with alphabet stamps, spelling out the recipient's name or initials, because "they instantly make a present feel personalized."
How to Make Your Own Stamps
What you'll need:
1. A rubber eraser (at least two inches wide) or a large potato sliced in half widthwise.
2. A marker to draw a simple shape on the eraser or sliced potato.
3. An X-Acto knife to carve away the eraser (or a kitchen knife for the potato), leaving the raised shape.
4. Water-based paint—or a leftover can of acrylic wall paint, diluted in a bowl.
Brush the paint onto your carving, test it on scrap paper, and stamp up your ribbon, paper, etc., in random patterns. "The idea is for it to look fun and homemade, not perfect,"stresses Press.
Tip #3: Think outside the cardboard box
3. Think outside the white cardboard box
Pick up colorful, inexpensive containers from stores like Pier 1, or use Chinese-takeout cartons from a party store (perfect for cookies and candy), tea towels or scarves (ideal for wine bottles and other odd-shaped offerings), and ID-badge sleeves (fun holders for gift cards). "You don't need wrapping paper if you have pretty fabric or containers,"Press says.
4. Focus on the Bows
For about $50 at stores like Staples, you can buy hundreds of feet (years' worth!) of kraft paper. Use it for all your presents, then dress them up with colorful ribbons. Classic hangtags give an old-fashioned "special delivery!" effect
5. Personalize Your Paper
Use a printer to make unique backdrops: a color photo of you with the gift recipient, a googled image of an Impressionist painting, a vintage map. "It takes relatively little effort,"says Press, "but it's the icing on the cake."
Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list with our giftfinder!
MY THOUGTHS
i love wrapping gifts. more than the shopping. it's a pity i'm done with all the gifts before i found this article. i'm so interested i was tempted to unwrap them and use some of the ideas here. except for bows. i can never tie a ribbon. except the laces on my shoes. and i don't want my gifts to look like footwear.
Good things come in great-looking packages. We've got nifty and thrifty tips to help you deliver perfect presents.O, The Oprah Magazine | November 16, 2010
Prop Stylist Elizabeth Press traces her gift-wrapping prowess to her mother, whose creative, budget-conscious ideas—like wrapping boxes with painted newspaper comics, pasting gift certificates inside hollowed-out books, and making decorative stamps out of eraser carvings—proved that a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. "She really understood presentation,"Press says. "Her creativity could turn even inexpensive gifts into something fabulous."
Now Press has her own cost-saving tricks. To achieve a chic, monochromatic effect, she says, "let leftovers be your guide."If you have lime-colored ribbon from Easter, use green paper. And forget traditional holiday color combinations: Pair pink with red, yellow with gold.
1. Keep it Monochromatic
Combining any two shades of the same color "is a straightforward scheme that looks really modern,"says Press. FYI: Matte, solid-color papers tend to cost less.
2. Add Nontraditional Accents
Unexpected finishing touches are likely sitting idle in your drawers and closets. Instead of tying a bow, use cord to attach an ornament or dreidel; pin a brooch or faux flower onto ribbon; top children's gifts with chocolate coins or a glued-on toy. Press particularly loves to decorate with alphabet stamps, spelling out the recipient's name or initials, because "they instantly make a present feel personalized."
How to Make Your Own Stamps
What you'll need:
1. A rubber eraser (at least two inches wide) or a large potato sliced in half widthwise.
2. A marker to draw a simple shape on the eraser or sliced potato.
3. An X-Acto knife to carve away the eraser (or a kitchen knife for the potato), leaving the raised shape.
4. Water-based paint—or a leftover can of acrylic wall paint, diluted in a bowl.
Brush the paint onto your carving, test it on scrap paper, and stamp up your ribbon, paper, etc., in random patterns. "The idea is for it to look fun and homemade, not perfect,"stresses Press.
Tip #3: Think outside the cardboard box
3. Think outside the white cardboard box
Pick up colorful, inexpensive containers from stores like Pier 1, or use Chinese-takeout cartons from a party store (perfect for cookies and candy), tea towels or scarves (ideal for wine bottles and other odd-shaped offerings), and ID-badge sleeves (fun holders for gift cards). "You don't need wrapping paper if you have pretty fabric or containers,"Press says.
4. Focus on the Bows
For about $50 at stores like Staples, you can buy hundreds of feet (years' worth!) of kraft paper. Use it for all your presents, then dress them up with colorful ribbons. Classic hangtags give an old-fashioned "special delivery!" effect
5. Personalize Your Paper
Use a printer to make unique backdrops: a color photo of you with the gift recipient, a googled image of an Impressionist painting, a vintage map. "It takes relatively little effort,"says Press, "but it's the icing on the cake."
Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list with our giftfinder!
MY THOUGTHS
i love wrapping gifts. more than the shopping. it's a pity i'm done with all the gifts before i found this article. i'm so interested i was tempted to unwrap them and use some of the ideas here. except for bows. i can never tie a ribbon. except the laces on my shoes. and i don't want my gifts to look like footwear.
Fresh Holiday Home Decor
Fresh Holiday Home Decor
Event planner Debi Lilly shares tips on how to use fresh fruit and flowers in your holiday décor.By Erin E. White
Original Content | November 17, 2000
Fresh Holiday Décor
Welcome your friends and family to your home this holiday season with festive décor that anyone can create. Event planner Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event shares tips and photos from a family Christmas Eve party she planned for a client in the Chicago area. "It is so much fun to decorate this time of year because you can start in November and continue adding special touches for more than month," she says. "Little extra touches help make the holidays a special experience, and guests notice and enjoy the extra touches too," she says.
Create a Key Lime Wreath
Fresh fruit is a great decorating resource during the winter months, Lilly says. "Especially with the cool weather we have in the Midwest, fruit can last outside for at least four weeks," she says. To create this key lime wreath, use straight pins to secure key limes to a Styrofoam ring, Lilly says. Then, secure a few cranberries around the wreath with straight pins topped with small pearls. "You don't have to hide the pearl pins—they become part of the design," Lilly says.
Artistic Apple Designs
Apples are another hearty fruit that make an impression when used as outdoor holiday décor. Lilly used a hot glue gun to adhere Lady and Gala apples on a cone-shaped Styrofoam form that can be purchased at a craft store. Depending on your color scheme, Lilly says you could also use Granny Smith or Red Delicious apples."The trick is not to use really big apples," Lilly says. "Try to use smaller apples that are around the same size." This idea can also be used indoors for a table center piece, Lilly says.
Illuminate with Cranberries
Cranberries are another one of Lilly's favorite fruits to use outdoors. Here, she puts a sophisticated spin on a holiday luminaries. "Instead of using a paper bag and sand and a small candle, we used these large, glass cylinder vases, placed a pillar candle inside and filled the bottom with cranberries," she says. "Make sure the container you use is tall enough to block the wind so that your candle won't blow out."
Also, Lilly says it is important to use fresh cranberries versus frozen. "Frozen cranberries can get mushy and bleed and won't be very pretty. Fresh cranberries keep their color and shape up for weeks," she says.
Adorn Your Front Door
Don't be afraid to pull out garland, pinecones and silky ribbons to decorate your front door. "A lot of people think they can't use [silk ribbons] outdoors and think they need to use the stiff plastic, ribbon, but that isn't so. We love to use the thick, wide, silky ribbon, and it holds up beautifully outdoors," Lilly says.
A Special Mantle Scene
Continue using fresh fruit and flowers to decorate indoors, and if you have a fireplace, deck it out for the holidays! Here, Lilly created a winter white scene over a mantle by pinning white carnations to a floral oasis foam ring. "You just submerge the ring in water and it soaks up the water, then you cut your carnations with about a half an inch of a stem and poke them into the wreath," Lilly says. You then secure the carnations to the wreath with pearl-topped straight pins. "The floral oasis foam gives the carnations a water source, and if a few of the carnations begin to turn brown, just pop them out of the wreath and replace them with fresh carnations," she says.
Use garland, pinecones and more fresh fruit designs to top off your holidays mantle, and don't forget to add some candles too. "We always decorate with candles; they just create such a warm and inviting mood and are perfect indoors or out," Lilly says.
MY THOUGHTS
exciting isn't it? espcially for someone like me who couldn't even find the time to put up the plastic xmas tree. i missed decorationg for xmas 2 years in a row. next year i hope schedules won't be so hectic so i can try one or two of these fresh holiday decors.
Event planner Debi Lilly shares tips on how to use fresh fruit and flowers in your holiday décor.By Erin E. White
Original Content | November 17, 2000
Fresh Holiday Décor
Welcome your friends and family to your home this holiday season with festive décor that anyone can create. Event planner Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event shares tips and photos from a family Christmas Eve party she planned for a client in the Chicago area. "It is so much fun to decorate this time of year because you can start in November and continue adding special touches for more than month," she says. "Little extra touches help make the holidays a special experience, and guests notice and enjoy the extra touches too," she says.
Create a Key Lime Wreath
Fresh fruit is a great decorating resource during the winter months, Lilly says. "Especially with the cool weather we have in the Midwest, fruit can last outside for at least four weeks," she says. To create this key lime wreath, use straight pins to secure key limes to a Styrofoam ring, Lilly says. Then, secure a few cranberries around the wreath with straight pins topped with small pearls. "You don't have to hide the pearl pins—they become part of the design," Lilly says.
Artistic Apple Designs
Apples are another hearty fruit that make an impression when used as outdoor holiday décor. Lilly used a hot glue gun to adhere Lady and Gala apples on a cone-shaped Styrofoam form that can be purchased at a craft store. Depending on your color scheme, Lilly says you could also use Granny Smith or Red Delicious apples."The trick is not to use really big apples," Lilly says. "Try to use smaller apples that are around the same size." This idea can also be used indoors for a table center piece, Lilly says.
Illuminate with Cranberries
Cranberries are another one of Lilly's favorite fruits to use outdoors. Here, she puts a sophisticated spin on a holiday luminaries. "Instead of using a paper bag and sand and a small candle, we used these large, glass cylinder vases, placed a pillar candle inside and filled the bottom with cranberries," she says. "Make sure the container you use is tall enough to block the wind so that your candle won't blow out."
Also, Lilly says it is important to use fresh cranberries versus frozen. "Frozen cranberries can get mushy and bleed and won't be very pretty. Fresh cranberries keep their color and shape up for weeks," she says.
Adorn Your Front Door
Don't be afraid to pull out garland, pinecones and silky ribbons to decorate your front door. "A lot of people think they can't use [silk ribbons] outdoors and think they need to use the stiff plastic, ribbon, but that isn't so. We love to use the thick, wide, silky ribbon, and it holds up beautifully outdoors," Lilly says.
A Special Mantle Scene
Continue using fresh fruit and flowers to decorate indoors, and if you have a fireplace, deck it out for the holidays! Here, Lilly created a winter white scene over a mantle by pinning white carnations to a floral oasis foam ring. "You just submerge the ring in water and it soaks up the water, then you cut your carnations with about a half an inch of a stem and poke them into the wreath," Lilly says. You then secure the carnations to the wreath with pearl-topped straight pins. "The floral oasis foam gives the carnations a water source, and if a few of the carnations begin to turn brown, just pop them out of the wreath and replace them with fresh carnations," she says.
Use garland, pinecones and more fresh fruit designs to top off your holidays mantle, and don't forget to add some candles too. "We always decorate with candles; they just create such a warm and inviting mood and are perfect indoors or out," Lilly says.
MY THOUGHTS
exciting isn't it? espcially for someone like me who couldn't even find the time to put up the plastic xmas tree. i missed decorationg for xmas 2 years in a row. next year i hope schedules won't be so hectic so i can try one or two of these fresh holiday decors.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
5 Ways to Stay Sane Over the Holidays
5 Ways to Stay Sane Over the Holidays
By Lesley Dormen
O, The Oprah Magazine | December 03, 2010
You know that woman who glides through the holidays effortlessly turning out fruitcakes, entertaining fractious family members, and thinking up unbelievably perfect gifts without being a wreck inside? We don't, either. Holiday stress is now part of the human condition. As the familiar tension digs its heels in, consider a dose of calm from Alice Domar, PhD, author of Self Nuture and one of our LLuminari experts.
1. Reassess. Create a list of everything you do for the holidays and notice which activities make you queasy even thinking about them. In each case, ask, "Who am I doing this for?" Your husband? Your children? Your mother? If you're going through the motions only to meet your own expectations, perhaps you could cross off that activity this year. If you're doing it for others, suggest something different. Instead of cooking up a huge family Christmas dinner, for example, propose making reservations at a special restaurant. Anxious about the usual New Year's Eve party? Your husband might be more than happy to ditch it and escape with you to a romantic hotel.
2. Check your perfectionism at the door. Are you a working woman who is comparing her baking and tree-trimming efforts with those of someone who doesn't have a full-time job—or with the way your stay-at-home mother handled the holidays? Are you envisioning your Christmas party right out of a movie? "We put so much of this pressure on ourselves," says Domar.
3. Put yourself on the receiving end. Come up with gifts that will benefit you as well as the other person. Instead of getting your friend a $50 sweater, use the money to take both of you for a manicure/pedicure. Buy two tickets to a play or concert. Convince your family to pool what everyone would have spent on presents and hire a massage therapist to give half-hour shoulder rubs as you all sit around at your holiday gathering.
4. Break the routine. If you're losing sleep over where the family should spend the holidays, "start a new tradition," says Domar. If a large get-together is too complicated or torturous, suggest seeing relatives separately. Or arrange for everyone to put their family gift money toward going on a cruise together. If logistics are suffocating, celebrate a month later when travel is easier and fares are cheaper.
5. Buy a few extras. It's everyone's worst nightmare: the beaming acquaintance who shows up unexpectedly with a gift. You can sometimes get away with, "Oh, I haven't wrapped yet," but Domar suggests protecting yourself by having a few extra generic gifts ready—a pretty little vase, a blank journal on nice paper, a lottery ticket. And if the reverse happens—you buy someone a thoughtful, one-of-a-kind treasure and she has nothing for you, or pulls out some $2 trinket? "It's very hard to gauge what other people will spend," says Domar. "They may have a different gift-giving style. They may be having financial difficulty. Don't let it ruin your holiday."
MY THOUGHTS
somehow, we've managed our family christmas celebration in such a way that it won't put too much stress on just one or two persons who would play host. for years, we've been going out of town - to some resort or private pool. no rushing to clean the house, buy groceries and then slave over the stove. no cleaning after wards and putting away china and silver. now we have all the time to just laze around. more time to just bond together. of course, it can be expensive. so we start saving for christmas at the start of the year.
By Lesley Dormen
O, The Oprah Magazine | December 03, 2010
You know that woman who glides through the holidays effortlessly turning out fruitcakes, entertaining fractious family members, and thinking up unbelievably perfect gifts without being a wreck inside? We don't, either. Holiday stress is now part of the human condition. As the familiar tension digs its heels in, consider a dose of calm from Alice Domar, PhD, author of Self Nuture and one of our LLuminari experts.
1. Reassess. Create a list of everything you do for the holidays and notice which activities make you queasy even thinking about them. In each case, ask, "Who am I doing this for?" Your husband? Your children? Your mother? If you're going through the motions only to meet your own expectations, perhaps you could cross off that activity this year. If you're doing it for others, suggest something different. Instead of cooking up a huge family Christmas dinner, for example, propose making reservations at a special restaurant. Anxious about the usual New Year's Eve party? Your husband might be more than happy to ditch it and escape with you to a romantic hotel.
2. Check your perfectionism at the door. Are you a working woman who is comparing her baking and tree-trimming efforts with those of someone who doesn't have a full-time job—or with the way your stay-at-home mother handled the holidays? Are you envisioning your Christmas party right out of a movie? "We put so much of this pressure on ourselves," says Domar.
3. Put yourself on the receiving end. Come up with gifts that will benefit you as well as the other person. Instead of getting your friend a $50 sweater, use the money to take both of you for a manicure/pedicure. Buy two tickets to a play or concert. Convince your family to pool what everyone would have spent on presents and hire a massage therapist to give half-hour shoulder rubs as you all sit around at your holiday gathering.
4. Break the routine. If you're losing sleep over where the family should spend the holidays, "start a new tradition," says Domar. If a large get-together is too complicated or torturous, suggest seeing relatives separately. Or arrange for everyone to put their family gift money toward going on a cruise together. If logistics are suffocating, celebrate a month later when travel is easier and fares are cheaper.
5. Buy a few extras. It's everyone's worst nightmare: the beaming acquaintance who shows up unexpectedly with a gift. You can sometimes get away with, "Oh, I haven't wrapped yet," but Domar suggests protecting yourself by having a few extra generic gifts ready—a pretty little vase, a blank journal on nice paper, a lottery ticket. And if the reverse happens—you buy someone a thoughtful, one-of-a-kind treasure and she has nothing for you, or pulls out some $2 trinket? "It's very hard to gauge what other people will spend," says Domar. "They may have a different gift-giving style. They may be having financial difficulty. Don't let it ruin your holiday."
MY THOUGHTS
somehow, we've managed our family christmas celebration in such a way that it won't put too much stress on just one or two persons who would play host. for years, we've been going out of town - to some resort or private pool. no rushing to clean the house, buy groceries and then slave over the stove. no cleaning after wards and putting away china and silver. now we have all the time to just laze around. more time to just bond together. of course, it can be expensive. so we start saving for christmas at the start of the year.
Friday, December 10, 2010
survive holiday shopping with kids
Survive Shopping with Small Kids
Get Your Shopping Done and Save Your Sanity
By Michelle Kouzmine, About.com Guide
I know just how you feel, embarrassed, desperate, ready to jump into the closest, deepest hole. You look around and see other people happily shopping with their well behaved kid while yours loses it after the first 15 minutes in any store.
Yep, my kids have thrown super-duper, massive fits in the mall too. Did I give up shopping? No way! I just made a few simple adjustments to our shopping routine to make the entire process more enjoyable for the entire family.
•Eat before you leave and feed the kid.
Keep everyone's energy and blood sugar levels nice and high by starting the trip off with full stomachs.
•Tell your child ahead of time exactly what will happen.
For example, "We are going to buy you a pair of shoes. The salesperson will measure your foot, and then we will try on several pairs. We will choose the best ones and buy them for you."
•Bring along no-mess snacks.
Bring a snack to keep your child from getting hungry and tired. A snack is also a good distraction in case your kid gets bored. Make sure the snack is a no-mess snack such as dry cheerios.
•Bring an umbrella stroller.
If your child is under five and tends to tire easily, bring along an umbrella stroller to give his feet a break. Some shopping malls rent out strollers for a small fee.
•Let your child bring a toy along.
Most children like to bring something from home with them wherever they go. Let your kid bring a small item with him to keep him occupied while you shop.
•Promise a small reward for good behavior.
On the way to the store, promise your child a small reward if he is well behaved throughout the trip. The reward can be a trip to his favorite food stand or a small trinket from a vending machine.
•Get your child involved in shopping.
Most small children are not overly interested in fashion, but if you try, you can get your child more involved in choosing his wardrobe. When buying shirts for example, pick the style and let him choose the color. Actively look for items that you think he will like such as a backpack featuring his favorite storybook character.
•Take shorter shopping trips.
Marathon shopping is sure to end badly. Budget your time wisely and take several smaller shopping trips. Soon your child will get used to shopping and you will be able to increase your mall-time bit by bit.
•Shop online
If your kid is really going through a tough patch, and shopping together seems impossible, do some of your shopping online. Just about anything is available through online stores these days.
Eventually, your child will grow out of this difficult stage and you can begin shopping normally again. Until then, be patient and use these tips to make shopping with your kid easier.
MY THOUGHTS
i remember going to the mall with my nephew and my niece. the minute we entered the mall, my nephew persuaded me to go to the toys area. of course, he got his toy. as soon as he got what he wanted, he felt instantly hungry. right after eating he wanted to go home. i thought his tummy was aching. apparently, that was a ploy. he wanted to go home so he can start playing with his new toy. moralof the story - if you want to enjoy your holiday shoping with kids, get the toy last.
Get Your Shopping Done and Save Your Sanity
By Michelle Kouzmine, About.com Guide
I know just how you feel, embarrassed, desperate, ready to jump into the closest, deepest hole. You look around and see other people happily shopping with their well behaved kid while yours loses it after the first 15 minutes in any store.
Yep, my kids have thrown super-duper, massive fits in the mall too. Did I give up shopping? No way! I just made a few simple adjustments to our shopping routine to make the entire process more enjoyable for the entire family.
•Eat before you leave and feed the kid.
Keep everyone's energy and blood sugar levels nice and high by starting the trip off with full stomachs.
•Tell your child ahead of time exactly what will happen.
For example, "We are going to buy you a pair of shoes. The salesperson will measure your foot, and then we will try on several pairs. We will choose the best ones and buy them for you."
•Bring along no-mess snacks.
Bring a snack to keep your child from getting hungry and tired. A snack is also a good distraction in case your kid gets bored. Make sure the snack is a no-mess snack such as dry cheerios.
•Bring an umbrella stroller.
If your child is under five and tends to tire easily, bring along an umbrella stroller to give his feet a break. Some shopping malls rent out strollers for a small fee.
•Let your child bring a toy along.
Most children like to bring something from home with them wherever they go. Let your kid bring a small item with him to keep him occupied while you shop.
•Promise a small reward for good behavior.
On the way to the store, promise your child a small reward if he is well behaved throughout the trip. The reward can be a trip to his favorite food stand or a small trinket from a vending machine.
•Get your child involved in shopping.
Most small children are not overly interested in fashion, but if you try, you can get your child more involved in choosing his wardrobe. When buying shirts for example, pick the style and let him choose the color. Actively look for items that you think he will like such as a backpack featuring his favorite storybook character.
•Take shorter shopping trips.
Marathon shopping is sure to end badly. Budget your time wisely and take several smaller shopping trips. Soon your child will get used to shopping and you will be able to increase your mall-time bit by bit.
•Shop online
If your kid is really going through a tough patch, and shopping together seems impossible, do some of your shopping online. Just about anything is available through online stores these days.
Eventually, your child will grow out of this difficult stage and you can begin shopping normally again. Until then, be patient and use these tips to make shopping with your kid easier.
MY THOUGHTS
i remember going to the mall with my nephew and my niece. the minute we entered the mall, my nephew persuaded me to go to the toys area. of course, he got his toy. as soon as he got what he wanted, he felt instantly hungry. right after eating he wanted to go home. i thought his tummy was aching. apparently, that was a ploy. he wanted to go home so he can start playing with his new toy. moralof the story - if you want to enjoy your holiday shoping with kids, get the toy last.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Make Holiday Work with this Xmas Wrap Ideas
Top 8 Cheap Christmas Wrap Ideas
By Erin Huffstetler, About.com Guide
Christmas wrap doesn't have to be expensive to be festive. Here are several low-cost gift wrap ideas:
1. Oatmeal Containers
Cardboard oatmeal containers are the perfect quick-wrap solution. Just wrap a band of wrapping paper around the outside of the container, and stick your gift inside. For a truly spectacular finish, cut a circle of paper to go on the top of the lid.
2. Recycled Gift Bags
Gift bags are pricey, and it's sad to think that many of them only get used once. Get in the habit of saving all of the bags that you receive, and you'll have a near-endless stash of Christmas bags to draw from.
3. Kids' Artwork
Do you have a budding artist in the house? If so, save his or her larger drawings and paintings, and you'll have a steady supply of wrapping paper. Want to work in that Christmas theme? Encourage your child to draw Christmas pictures – and prepare for an explosion of red and green artwork.
4. Kraft Paper
Give your Christmas gifts an old-timey look by wrapping them in Kraft paper. You can pick up large rolls of this brown paper from office supply stores, or cut your wrapping costs entirely by saving your brown paper grocery bags (currently making a comeback).
5. Take-Out Containers
Rinse out empty Chinese take-out containers or ask for a few extras when you order, and you'll have a clever gift box that doesn't cost a thing.
6. Wallpaper
Thrift stores often have a large collection of wallpaper – no doubt the leftovers from countless do-it-yourself projects. Dig through the stores' offerings, and you're likely to find several patterns that would work perfectly for Christmas (green and white stripes, silver and gold designs, etc.).
7. Fabric
Have a box of too-small-to-use fabric scraps? Put them to use as gift wrap, and you'll turn clutter into a treasured gift. Long forgotten scarves can also be put to use for this purpose. Dig through your own collection, or sift through thrift stores to find what you need.
8. Reusables
Get creative, and make your gift wrap a part of the present. Wrap a gift in a purse, a tin, a trinket box, an old suitcase or a reusable shopping tote. Shop yard sales and thrift stores often, and there's no end to the number of clever containers that you can find to put presents in.
MY THOUGHTS
i've tried oatmeal containers.i use boxes often. yes, i've recycled gift bags. last year i used wallpaper. actually,i made a mistake.it was so cheap, i thought it was wrapping paper. I think i'll use fabric this year. i'm clearing out my closetand i'm sure i'll find nice fabric that i can use to wrap gifts. such a splendid idea for this christmas holiday.
By Erin Huffstetler, About.com Guide
Christmas wrap doesn't have to be expensive to be festive. Here are several low-cost gift wrap ideas:
1. Oatmeal Containers
Cardboard oatmeal containers are the perfect quick-wrap solution. Just wrap a band of wrapping paper around the outside of the container, and stick your gift inside. For a truly spectacular finish, cut a circle of paper to go on the top of the lid.
2. Recycled Gift Bags
Gift bags are pricey, and it's sad to think that many of them only get used once. Get in the habit of saving all of the bags that you receive, and you'll have a near-endless stash of Christmas bags to draw from.
3. Kids' Artwork
Do you have a budding artist in the house? If so, save his or her larger drawings and paintings, and you'll have a steady supply of wrapping paper. Want to work in that Christmas theme? Encourage your child to draw Christmas pictures – and prepare for an explosion of red and green artwork.
4. Kraft Paper
Give your Christmas gifts an old-timey look by wrapping them in Kraft paper. You can pick up large rolls of this brown paper from office supply stores, or cut your wrapping costs entirely by saving your brown paper grocery bags (currently making a comeback).
5. Take-Out Containers
Rinse out empty Chinese take-out containers or ask for a few extras when you order, and you'll have a clever gift box that doesn't cost a thing.
6. Wallpaper
Thrift stores often have a large collection of wallpaper – no doubt the leftovers from countless do-it-yourself projects. Dig through the stores' offerings, and you're likely to find several patterns that would work perfectly for Christmas (green and white stripes, silver and gold designs, etc.).
7. Fabric
Have a box of too-small-to-use fabric scraps? Put them to use as gift wrap, and you'll turn clutter into a treasured gift. Long forgotten scarves can also be put to use for this purpose. Dig through your own collection, or sift through thrift stores to find what you need.
8. Reusables
Get creative, and make your gift wrap a part of the present. Wrap a gift in a purse, a tin, a trinket box, an old suitcase or a reusable shopping tote. Shop yard sales and thrift stores often, and there's no end to the number of clever containers that you can find to put presents in.
MY THOUGHTS
i've tried oatmeal containers.i use boxes often. yes, i've recycled gift bags. last year i used wallpaper. actually,i made a mistake.it was so cheap, i thought it was wrapping paper. I think i'll use fabric this year. i'm clearing out my closetand i'm sure i'll find nice fabric that i can use to wrap gifts. such a splendid idea for this christmas holiday.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Make Christmas Holiday Work: Budget Gift Ideas
Giving Christmas Gifts on the Cheap
Cheap Christmas Gifts: Why Not Start a New Tradition?
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide
Updated November 19, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
According to a Consumer Reports poll, Americans are scaling back their holiday spending in droves. (This may be due to the fact that so many people are hurting from the financial crisis right now, plus more than 12 million consumers are still carrying debt from last winter's holiday season!) If you’re happy with your holiday spending level, you may simply want some holiday gift ideas. However, if you would like to cut down on spending in attempts to avoid the stress of holiday debt, here’s a creative list of cheap Christmas gift giving ideas. Perhaps you can start a new family gift-exchanging tradition, allowing you and your entire family to save more each and every year.
Draw Names
Many families, especially extended families who are spread out in different cities, adopt the name-drawing tradition for gifts. Basically, each family member only buys one gift. Whom you give to, and who buys for you, is determined by drawing names from a hat. This is known around many office circles as "Secret Santa."
This strategy can really save you money in terms of buying for and shipping gifts to several individuals. Not only does it save you the stress and expense of shopping for multiple people, but it can also ensure that everyone gets one nice gift. The drawback is that you may end up paired with someone who you aren’t close to, or you may find it difficult to not buy a special gift for the relatives to whom you feel closest.
Just Give Gifts to the Kids
Another strategy for large extended families is to have each relative only buy gifts for family members under 18. This greatly cuts down costs and ensures that those who might appreciate the gifts most -- kids -- are the ones who get them. It then becomes a sort of rite of passage when the kids grow older and switch to the gift-giving role.
Place a $15 Limit
Another strategy people employ is putting a spending limit on each gift. While you and your family can choose whatever number you want, keeping the dollar amount low can sometimes spark people to become more creative with the money that they do spend, taking advantage of sales or putting a lot of thought into the best way to make the most of the allotted budget. While this may cut down on the number of expensive gifts exchanged, it also takes a lot of the pressure off of the situation. There’s no more feeling like you need to spend a lot to show people how much you love them, worrying about spending more or less than they spent on you, or looking "cheap" if you shop the sales.
Books Only
Agreeing to give books only can be an excellent way to keep costs down. Buying loved ones just the right book is a way to show that you know them well and understand their taste. Books also provide hours of fun reading in addition to some interesting topics of conversation. Giving paperbacks can ensure a pretty low cost, and including a gift receipt can basically make any book a "coupon" for any other book the recipient wants (if it turns out you didn’t quite capture his or her tastes). This may not work as well for a non-reading crowd, but this is a great way to go for a group of avid readers.
Homemade Gifts
Gifts that you make need not be comprised of pipe cleaner, tissue paper, or painted macaroni. Most of us have some sort of creative side, and you’d be surprised by what you can create if you put that creative side to work. Some of my favorite gifts to make and receive have been family photo albums, quilts, custom-made place mats, crocheted blankets, custom-made CDs, hand-painted pottery, and cookies. Some gifts do take considerable time to create (especially en masse), but those who enjoy creating often find it a worthy trade-off. Here’s a list of more gifts you can make, with instructions.
Thoughtful Cards
Because “it’s the thought that counts,” if your group is really on-board with saving money, you may want to consider just exchanging thoughtful cards. The key is for the card itself to be blank -- you create the meaningful message. For those who want to try their hand at poetry, even an average quality poem goes over really well with most recipients -- how many of us get poetry written especially for us? For those who can’t even force a crude limerick, writing about fond shared memories or the qualities you love most in your recipients tends to work just as well.
Coupon Books
Creating a book-o'-favors for your loved ones, including good deeds especially for them, can be an incredibly thoughtful money saver. Coupons offering free babysitting to busy parents, airport trips to the frequent traveler, or a hand-delivered homemade meal to just about anyone can be a welcome and thoughtful gesture. (The possibilities are wide open when you create a coupon book for a spouse or child!) The key to making this one successful is to be sure to follow up and push people to actually use the coupons, or include a specific date on which they should be used, if possible.
Yummy Gifts
While cookies, brownies and bars tend to be gone within days, few faces fail to light up when presented with tasty treats. I love About.com Southern Food Guide's fabulous holiday cookie recipes. If the sugary stuff would be an unwelcome diet saboteur, you can always assemble a healthy fruit basket, wine and cheese basket, or come up with your own cheap-and-tasty basket idea.
After-Christmas Shopping Spree
Recently, "Super Human Radio" host Carl Lenore shared this one with me: Why not buy the gifts right after Christmas, when everything is drastically reduced? While this one may not be for everyone, it does have some bonuses: Fewer returns and exchanges of not-quite-right gifts, obvious savings, and the "fun" of doing something slightly different than everyone else. You can still exchange beautifully-wrapped “IOUs,” give a picture of the gift you intend to buy, or provide small "token" gifts (like candy) on the actual holiday.
MY THOUGHTS
i wish i have the talent and the creativity for homemade gifts. i think i'll opt for the kids only this year. well, at least the kidsget a gift each. for the rest, i needto think of gifts for the family or for the couple. i used to do the after-christmas shopping. i'm not recommending it if you have a small space at home. remember you will have to keep that for a year. of course, you can use them for birthdays. still, storage is an issue.
Cheap Christmas Gifts: Why Not Start a New Tradition?
By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide
Updated November 19, 2009
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
According to a Consumer Reports poll, Americans are scaling back their holiday spending in droves. (This may be due to the fact that so many people are hurting from the financial crisis right now, plus more than 12 million consumers are still carrying debt from last winter's holiday season!) If you’re happy with your holiday spending level, you may simply want some holiday gift ideas. However, if you would like to cut down on spending in attempts to avoid the stress of holiday debt, here’s a creative list of cheap Christmas gift giving ideas. Perhaps you can start a new family gift-exchanging tradition, allowing you and your entire family to save more each and every year.
Draw Names
Many families, especially extended families who are spread out in different cities, adopt the name-drawing tradition for gifts. Basically, each family member only buys one gift. Whom you give to, and who buys for you, is determined by drawing names from a hat. This is known around many office circles as "Secret Santa."
This strategy can really save you money in terms of buying for and shipping gifts to several individuals. Not only does it save you the stress and expense of shopping for multiple people, but it can also ensure that everyone gets one nice gift. The drawback is that you may end up paired with someone who you aren’t close to, or you may find it difficult to not buy a special gift for the relatives to whom you feel closest.
Just Give Gifts to the Kids
Another strategy for large extended families is to have each relative only buy gifts for family members under 18. This greatly cuts down costs and ensures that those who might appreciate the gifts most -- kids -- are the ones who get them. It then becomes a sort of rite of passage when the kids grow older and switch to the gift-giving role.
Place a $15 Limit
Another strategy people employ is putting a spending limit on each gift. While you and your family can choose whatever number you want, keeping the dollar amount low can sometimes spark people to become more creative with the money that they do spend, taking advantage of sales or putting a lot of thought into the best way to make the most of the allotted budget. While this may cut down on the number of expensive gifts exchanged, it also takes a lot of the pressure off of the situation. There’s no more feeling like you need to spend a lot to show people how much you love them, worrying about spending more or less than they spent on you, or looking "cheap" if you shop the sales.
Books Only
Agreeing to give books only can be an excellent way to keep costs down. Buying loved ones just the right book is a way to show that you know them well and understand their taste. Books also provide hours of fun reading in addition to some interesting topics of conversation. Giving paperbacks can ensure a pretty low cost, and including a gift receipt can basically make any book a "coupon" for any other book the recipient wants (if it turns out you didn’t quite capture his or her tastes). This may not work as well for a non-reading crowd, but this is a great way to go for a group of avid readers.
Homemade Gifts
Gifts that you make need not be comprised of pipe cleaner, tissue paper, or painted macaroni. Most of us have some sort of creative side, and you’d be surprised by what you can create if you put that creative side to work. Some of my favorite gifts to make and receive have been family photo albums, quilts, custom-made place mats, crocheted blankets, custom-made CDs, hand-painted pottery, and cookies. Some gifts do take considerable time to create (especially en masse), but those who enjoy creating often find it a worthy trade-off. Here’s a list of more gifts you can make, with instructions.
Thoughtful Cards
Because “it’s the thought that counts,” if your group is really on-board with saving money, you may want to consider just exchanging thoughtful cards. The key is for the card itself to be blank -- you create the meaningful message. For those who want to try their hand at poetry, even an average quality poem goes over really well with most recipients -- how many of us get poetry written especially for us? For those who can’t even force a crude limerick, writing about fond shared memories or the qualities you love most in your recipients tends to work just as well.
Coupon Books
Creating a book-o'-favors for your loved ones, including good deeds especially for them, can be an incredibly thoughtful money saver. Coupons offering free babysitting to busy parents, airport trips to the frequent traveler, or a hand-delivered homemade meal to just about anyone can be a welcome and thoughtful gesture. (The possibilities are wide open when you create a coupon book for a spouse or child!) The key to making this one successful is to be sure to follow up and push people to actually use the coupons, or include a specific date on which they should be used, if possible.
Yummy Gifts
While cookies, brownies and bars tend to be gone within days, few faces fail to light up when presented with tasty treats. I love About.com Southern Food Guide's fabulous holiday cookie recipes. If the sugary stuff would be an unwelcome diet saboteur, you can always assemble a healthy fruit basket, wine and cheese basket, or come up with your own cheap-and-tasty basket idea.
After-Christmas Shopping Spree
Recently, "Super Human Radio" host Carl Lenore shared this one with me: Why not buy the gifts right after Christmas, when everything is drastically reduced? While this one may not be for everyone, it does have some bonuses: Fewer returns and exchanges of not-quite-right gifts, obvious savings, and the "fun" of doing something slightly different than everyone else. You can still exchange beautifully-wrapped “IOUs,” give a picture of the gift you intend to buy, or provide small "token" gifts (like candy) on the actual holiday.
MY THOUGHTS
i wish i have the talent and the creativity for homemade gifts. i think i'll opt for the kids only this year. well, at least the kidsget a gift each. for the rest, i needto think of gifts for the family or for the couple. i used to do the after-christmas shopping. i'm not recommending it if you have a small space at home. remember you will have to keep that for a year. of course, you can use them for birthdays. still, storage is an issue.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Make Halloween Holiday Work: Last-Minute Costume for Kids
How to Make an Emergency Last-Minute Costume
By Terri Mauro, About.com Guide
So your child decides at the last minute that he wants to go trick-or-treating after all. Or that her storebought costume is itchy and too uncomfortable to wear. Or that he forgot to tell you there's a pageant tomorrow, and he's in it. You have no time and no special materials to put together a costume, but a costume is quickly called for. Here's how to assemble something homemade, makeshift and slapdash that you can call a costume and that your child will tolerate. Now get going! Quickly!
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: As much or as little as you have
Here's How:
1.First, a mask. Print one out from sites like Jan Brett's, Terminix, or Star Wars, or use markers or crayons to turn a paper plate into a scary monster face. Cut out eye and nose holes as needed. You can punch holes in the sides of the mask, thread a string or rubber band through, and tie it around your child's head, but some kids don't like the feeling of mask against face, and it will probably just fall apart anyway. Try the options in the next step instead.
2.How to wear that mask? Here are three options: Glue or tape it to the front of a paper bag and put the paper bag over your child's head; dangle it by a piece of string from the front of a sweatshirt hood or a cap; or glue or tape it to a ruler or a long thin stick and let your child hold it in front of his face (glue or tape a paper mask to something stiffer first, like the front of a file folder or a piece cut from the side of a cereal box.)
3.If your child has clothing that can work with the mask to create a costume, you're done! Brown shirt and pants makes a bear, black makes a cat, grey makes a mouse or a robot or the Tin Man. Your child's not that color-coordinated? Then you'll need some sort of tunic. Go on to the next step to find out how to fake one.
4.Assuming you have no tunics lying around the house ready for service, try one of these: a garbage bag with holes cut out for head and arms; a pillow case with holes cut out for head and arms; a beach towel with a hole cut in the center for the head; even a long piece of butcher paper or sturdy gift wrap, with a hole cut in the center for the head and a scarf or piece of ribbon to tie it around your child's middle.
5.Finally, decorate the "tunic" with as much imagination and creativity as you have time for. Depending on what you're working with, you can glue construction paper on the tunic, draw on it with crayons or markers, or attach all manner of feathers and sequins and buttons and shoelaces and what-all.
6.Now, stand back and admire that costume. It may not win any prizes from judges or the judgmental, but it's homemade, it has sort of kind of a theme, and it was crafted with love. Take a picture. Then start strategizing for next year, because you know this is going to happen again.
What You Need:
•Paper or paper plate for making a mask
•Cardboard for gluing paper mask to, if needed
•Ruler or long thin stick for gluing mask to, if needed
•Crayons and markers, if needed
•Construction paper, feathers, sequins, shoelaces, other add-ons (optional)
•A "whatever works" attitude (essential)
MY THOUGHTS
come on! get going! there's still time.
By Terri Mauro, About.com Guide
So your child decides at the last minute that he wants to go trick-or-treating after all. Or that her storebought costume is itchy and too uncomfortable to wear. Or that he forgot to tell you there's a pageant tomorrow, and he's in it. You have no time and no special materials to put together a costume, but a costume is quickly called for. Here's how to assemble something homemade, makeshift and slapdash that you can call a costume and that your child will tolerate. Now get going! Quickly!
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: As much or as little as you have
Here's How:
1.First, a mask. Print one out from sites like Jan Brett's, Terminix, or Star Wars, or use markers or crayons to turn a paper plate into a scary monster face. Cut out eye and nose holes as needed. You can punch holes in the sides of the mask, thread a string or rubber band through, and tie it around your child's head, but some kids don't like the feeling of mask against face, and it will probably just fall apart anyway. Try the options in the next step instead.
2.How to wear that mask? Here are three options: Glue or tape it to the front of a paper bag and put the paper bag over your child's head; dangle it by a piece of string from the front of a sweatshirt hood or a cap; or glue or tape it to a ruler or a long thin stick and let your child hold it in front of his face (glue or tape a paper mask to something stiffer first, like the front of a file folder or a piece cut from the side of a cereal box.)
3.If your child has clothing that can work with the mask to create a costume, you're done! Brown shirt and pants makes a bear, black makes a cat, grey makes a mouse or a robot or the Tin Man. Your child's not that color-coordinated? Then you'll need some sort of tunic. Go on to the next step to find out how to fake one.
4.Assuming you have no tunics lying around the house ready for service, try one of these: a garbage bag with holes cut out for head and arms; a pillow case with holes cut out for head and arms; a beach towel with a hole cut in the center for the head; even a long piece of butcher paper or sturdy gift wrap, with a hole cut in the center for the head and a scarf or piece of ribbon to tie it around your child's middle.
5.Finally, decorate the "tunic" with as much imagination and creativity as you have time for. Depending on what you're working with, you can glue construction paper on the tunic, draw on it with crayons or markers, or attach all manner of feathers and sequins and buttons and shoelaces and what-all.
6.Now, stand back and admire that costume. It may not win any prizes from judges or the judgmental, but it's homemade, it has sort of kind of a theme, and it was crafted with love. Take a picture. Then start strategizing for next year, because you know this is going to happen again.
What You Need:
•Paper or paper plate for making a mask
•Cardboard for gluing paper mask to, if needed
•Ruler or long thin stick for gluing mask to, if needed
•Crayons and markers, if needed
•Construction paper, feathers, sequins, shoelaces, other add-ons (optional)
•A "whatever works" attitude (essential)
MY THOUGHTS
come on! get going! there's still time.
Last-Minute Halloween Costume Ideas for Teens
Last-Minute Halloween Costume Ideas
Sunday October 25, 2009
By Holly Ashworth, Teen Advice Guide
Halloween is just a couple of days away! If you still haven't come up with a costume yet, try one of these easy-peasy costumes that won't require you to shop much further than your own closet:
•Wear a bathing suit, shorts and flip flops, put a towel around your neck and sunblock on your nose, and go as a lifeguard.
•Wear your regular clothes, cover your face in grey makeup and spray your hair so it's all messed up, and go as a zombie version of yourself.
•Make a toga out of a bed sheet and go as an ancient Roman.
•If you've got a friend with totally different style than you, swap clothes and go as each other.
•Wear all black, paint a black nose and whiskers on your face and go as a black cat. You can make a simple cat ear headband out of construction paper.
•Wear your fanciest dress, make a sash out of a strip of white fabric, buy a cheap tiara and go as a beauty queen.
•Wear torn jeans and a t-shirt, tie a bandana to the end of a stick and go as a hobo.
•Wear a robe and fuzzy slippers, roll your hair in curlers and go as a housewife.
Got any other ideas, or just wanna share what you'll be going as? Leave a comment! .
MY THOUGHTS
go ahead and try any of these. then have fun.
Sunday October 25, 2009
By Holly Ashworth, Teen Advice Guide
Halloween is just a couple of days away! If you still haven't come up with a costume yet, try one of these easy-peasy costumes that won't require you to shop much further than your own closet:
•Wear a bathing suit, shorts and flip flops, put a towel around your neck and sunblock on your nose, and go as a lifeguard.
•Wear your regular clothes, cover your face in grey makeup and spray your hair so it's all messed up, and go as a zombie version of yourself.
•Make a toga out of a bed sheet and go as an ancient Roman.
•If you've got a friend with totally different style than you, swap clothes and go as each other.
•Wear all black, paint a black nose and whiskers on your face and go as a black cat. You can make a simple cat ear headband out of construction paper.
•Wear your fanciest dress, make a sash out of a strip of white fabric, buy a cheap tiara and go as a beauty queen.
•Wear torn jeans and a t-shirt, tie a bandana to the end of a stick and go as a hobo.
•Wear a robe and fuzzy slippers, roll your hair in curlers and go as a housewife.
Got any other ideas, or just wanna share what you'll be going as? Leave a comment! .
MY THOUGHTS
go ahead and try any of these. then have fun.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
make your own halloween costumes
Make Your Own Halloween Costumes
Free, Creative Costume Ideas and Patterns
By Sherri Osborn, About.com Guide
Costumes are a big part of most people's Halloween celebrations and Halloween will be here before you know it. Do you have any idea of what your Halloween costume will be?
If you have your Halloween costume picked out already, share your ideas with everyone using this form! If you are still trying to find Halloween costumes, give some of these creative ideas a try; find easy and inexpensive homemade costumes for everyone! Don't forget about the Family Crafts Halloween Costume Photo Gallery... You can submit photos of your costumes to be included by following these simple directions
First of all, if you waited until the last minute to figure out what costume you will wear, check out these ideas:
•Fast and Simple (Last-Minute) Costumes
You can make Halloween costumes out of a variety of items you may already have at home:
•Cardboard Box Costumes
•Sweatsuit Costumes
•Thrift Store or Recycled Costumes
You can also select a Halloween costume to make based on how it is made. I have two different listings:
•Costumes to Sew
•No-Sew Costumes
If you prefer to browse through all the costume ideas by theme:
•Animal and Creature Costumes
•Edible Items Costumes
•Inanimate Objects Costumes
•People Costumes
•Popular Characters Costumes
•Scary Characters Costumes
•Unique Halloween Costumes
•Costumes Based on Children’s Books (from Liz @ Children's Books)
If you need a costume for more than one person, consider some of these suggestions:
•Costumes for Couples (long list)
•Costumes for Couples (by category)
•Costumes for Groups (long list)
•Costumes for Groups (by category)
Finally, if you have your costume picked out, but a need to add a special finishing touch, try some of these:
•Make Your Own Costume Accessories
•Halloween Make-Up Ideas and Recipes
•Making Masks
•Make Your Own Trick-or-Treat Bag
MY THOUGHTS
can't imagine myself making these costumes. but i hope this helps those who need to make one. be creative.
Free, Creative Costume Ideas and Patterns
By Sherri Osborn, About.com Guide
Costumes are a big part of most people's Halloween celebrations and Halloween will be here before you know it. Do you have any idea of what your Halloween costume will be?
If you have your Halloween costume picked out already, share your ideas with everyone using this form! If you are still trying to find Halloween costumes, give some of these creative ideas a try; find easy and inexpensive homemade costumes for everyone! Don't forget about the Family Crafts Halloween Costume Photo Gallery... You can submit photos of your costumes to be included by following these simple directions
First of all, if you waited until the last minute to figure out what costume you will wear, check out these ideas:
•Fast and Simple (Last-Minute) Costumes
You can make Halloween costumes out of a variety of items you may already have at home:
•Cardboard Box Costumes
•Sweatsuit Costumes
•Thrift Store or Recycled Costumes
You can also select a Halloween costume to make based on how it is made. I have two different listings:
•Costumes to Sew
•No-Sew Costumes
If you prefer to browse through all the costume ideas by theme:
•Animal and Creature Costumes
•Edible Items Costumes
•Inanimate Objects Costumes
•People Costumes
•Popular Characters Costumes
•Scary Characters Costumes
•Unique Halloween Costumes
•Costumes Based on Children’s Books (from Liz @ Children's Books)
If you need a costume for more than one person, consider some of these suggestions:
•Costumes for Couples (long list)
•Costumes for Couples (by category)
•Costumes for Groups (long list)
•Costumes for Groups (by category)
Finally, if you have your costume picked out, but a need to add a special finishing touch, try some of these:
•Make Your Own Costume Accessories
•Halloween Make-Up Ideas and Recipes
•Making Masks
•Make Your Own Trick-or-Treat Bag
MY THOUGHTS
can't imagine myself making these costumes. but i hope this helps those who need to make one. be creative.
Friday, August 6, 2010
World's Most Outrageous Hotel Fees
World's Most Outrageous Hotel Fees
More and more hotels are adding fees to room bills. But you can take steps to protect yourself if you look before you book.
By Mark Orwoll
My own distaste for hotel surcharges began years ago on my first business trip, when I ate an entire jar of what appeared to be complimentary macadamia nuts. At checkout I discovered the snack had cost me $12 (not to mention an upset stomach). If anything, the add-ons since then have gotten worse for guests, but much more profitable for the hotels. The lodging industry stands to earn more than $1.75 billion this year in surcharges alone, which means extra fees are likely to be with us for years to come.
In the meantime, here are some tips on sidestepping surcharge surprises:
•Be proactive. Ask when you book if there are any mandatory fees (and taxes) that will be added to your bill. Seasoned travelers know to look for these charges before they book and to complain about them in advance.
•Check your bill carefully before you sign it. It's easier to dispute a charge at checkout than afterward.
•Calmly object if you think a fee is unfair or was not disclosed in advance. Desk clerks often have the authority to remove them.
•If not, ask for the manager.
•Forget it—until the next time you book a hotel. Then go somewhere that charges guests fairly.
Credit Cards
It's unfair of hotels to require a credit card for booking but then to surcharge you for using it at checkout. It can happen anywhere (I've found examples in Switzerland, Vanuatu, Thailand, and elsewhere), but the practice is epidemic in Australia.
Your Cost: Up to 5 percent of your total bill.
Early Check-In
Hotels used to go out of their way to accommodate early-arriving guests. Now you just might have to pay for the privilege, including at some properties under the banners of Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Kempinski.
Your Cost: Fees average $20–$50.
iStockFitness Center
A good hotel should have a fitness center. And use of the fitness center should be included in the rate you pay. But at some hotels under banners like Hard Rock, Hilton, Crowne Plaza, and Intercontinental, along with many others, you'll have to cough up some extra cash if you want to work out.
Your Cost: $10–$40.
Charitable Donations
Increasingly, hotels are adding charitable donations to your bill. There's even a company that helps hotels do that. The intention may be noble, and the hotels pass along the donation directly to the charity, yet something still feels wrong about this. They'll remove the donation from your bill on request, Mr. Scrooge—but should you really have to ask?
Your Cost: $1–$2.
iStockIn-Room Coffee and Tea
The hotel kindly placed an electric coffeepot on your dresser along with an assortment of tea bags and instant coffee. Watch out. That amenity, which used to be gratis, is becoming a new source of revenue for hotels. So next time you get that wake-up call and instinctively brew up a nice cup of Colombian, you just may find an extra item on your bill.
Your Cost: $2–$5 for a tea bag or a packet of coffee.
Maid Service
Some hotels now charge guests for that most basic of expectations—cleanliness. It may show up in the form of a mandatory gratuity or simply be listed as a housekeeping fee. But whatever they call it, you're paying a separate fee for maid service.
Your Cost: $2–$10 per room per day.
iStockInternet Connection
Why is it that so many budget hotel chains (including Best Western, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn) routinely offer free Internet connection while so many luxury brands don't? Don't expect that to change. According to iBAHN, which claims to be the world's largest Internet service provider for the lodging industry, "The 'free to guest' model of providing free access in all locations of the hotel at all times to all guests is economically unrealistic given guests' differing bandwidth needs."
Your Cost: $10–$20 (or more) a day.
Mini-Bar Restocking
It's bad enough that you have to pay 10 times or more the normal price for mini-bar items. But what's worse is the growing practice among hotels to add an extra charge to replace items you took. And it gets worse: hotels are increasingly using mini-bars armed with sensors that detect—and charge your room bill—if you so much as move an item.
Your Cost: $3–$5.
Jeff Greenberg / AlamyPackage Delivery
Surcharges for packages or faxes delivered to your room are frequently added to guest bills, but you probably won't find that out until after you've tipped the bellhop who brought it to you in the first place. Some hotels also charge for accepting an express delivery package at their business center—even if you come down to the lobby to collect it yourself.
Your Cost: $3–$5.
Holiday Surcharges
Additional fees added onto your bill for stays during holidays are cropping up, especially in Asia. At the Vinpearl Resort & Spa on Hon Tre Island in Vietnam, you'll pay extra if your booking extends over the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary and other major holidays. In Japan, the Kyoto Hotel Okura adds a surcharge on Saturdays and on the night before a public holiday.
Your Cost: $18–$45 a night.
MY THOUGHTS
i've had my share of chekout woes. it really pays to have everything negotiated before checking in or signing any contract. my job entails booking activites at some hotel or resort 4-6x a year. they will come up with all sorts of surcharges if these are not cleared from the beginning. and never never go for verbal agreements. especially with smaller resorts. they tend to value more the small income they can get rather than a happy customer who will come back or refer them to someone else.
More and more hotels are adding fees to room bills. But you can take steps to protect yourself if you look before you book.
By Mark Orwoll
My own distaste for hotel surcharges began years ago on my first business trip, when I ate an entire jar of what appeared to be complimentary macadamia nuts. At checkout I discovered the snack had cost me $12 (not to mention an upset stomach). If anything, the add-ons since then have gotten worse for guests, but much more profitable for the hotels. The lodging industry stands to earn more than $1.75 billion this year in surcharges alone, which means extra fees are likely to be with us for years to come.
In the meantime, here are some tips on sidestepping surcharge surprises:
•Be proactive. Ask when you book if there are any mandatory fees (and taxes) that will be added to your bill. Seasoned travelers know to look for these charges before they book and to complain about them in advance.
•Check your bill carefully before you sign it. It's easier to dispute a charge at checkout than afterward.
•Calmly object if you think a fee is unfair or was not disclosed in advance. Desk clerks often have the authority to remove them.
•If not, ask for the manager.
•Forget it—until the next time you book a hotel. Then go somewhere that charges guests fairly.
Credit Cards
It's unfair of hotels to require a credit card for booking but then to surcharge you for using it at checkout. It can happen anywhere (I've found examples in Switzerland, Vanuatu, Thailand, and elsewhere), but the practice is epidemic in Australia.
Your Cost: Up to 5 percent of your total bill.
Early Check-In
Hotels used to go out of their way to accommodate early-arriving guests. Now you just might have to pay for the privilege, including at some properties under the banners of Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Kempinski.
Your Cost: Fees average $20–$50.
iStockFitness Center
A good hotel should have a fitness center. And use of the fitness center should be included in the rate you pay. But at some hotels under banners like Hard Rock, Hilton, Crowne Plaza, and Intercontinental, along with many others, you'll have to cough up some extra cash if you want to work out.
Your Cost: $10–$40.
Charitable Donations
Increasingly, hotels are adding charitable donations to your bill. There's even a company that helps hotels do that. The intention may be noble, and the hotels pass along the donation directly to the charity, yet something still feels wrong about this. They'll remove the donation from your bill on request, Mr. Scrooge—but should you really have to ask?
Your Cost: $1–$2.
iStockIn-Room Coffee and Tea
The hotel kindly placed an electric coffeepot on your dresser along with an assortment of tea bags and instant coffee. Watch out. That amenity, which used to be gratis, is becoming a new source of revenue for hotels. So next time you get that wake-up call and instinctively brew up a nice cup of Colombian, you just may find an extra item on your bill.
Your Cost: $2–$5 for a tea bag or a packet of coffee.
Maid Service
Some hotels now charge guests for that most basic of expectations—cleanliness. It may show up in the form of a mandatory gratuity or simply be listed as a housekeeping fee. But whatever they call it, you're paying a separate fee for maid service.
Your Cost: $2–$10 per room per day.
iStockInternet Connection
Why is it that so many budget hotel chains (including Best Western, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, and Holiday Inn) routinely offer free Internet connection while so many luxury brands don't? Don't expect that to change. According to iBAHN, which claims to be the world's largest Internet service provider for the lodging industry, "The 'free to guest' model of providing free access in all locations of the hotel at all times to all guests is economically unrealistic given guests' differing bandwidth needs."
Your Cost: $10–$20 (or more) a day.
Mini-Bar Restocking
It's bad enough that you have to pay 10 times or more the normal price for mini-bar items. But what's worse is the growing practice among hotels to add an extra charge to replace items you took. And it gets worse: hotels are increasingly using mini-bars armed with sensors that detect—and charge your room bill—if you so much as move an item.
Your Cost: $3–$5.
Jeff Greenberg / AlamyPackage Delivery
Surcharges for packages or faxes delivered to your room are frequently added to guest bills, but you probably won't find that out until after you've tipped the bellhop who brought it to you in the first place. Some hotels also charge for accepting an express delivery package at their business center—even if you come down to the lobby to collect it yourself.
Your Cost: $3–$5.
Holiday Surcharges
Additional fees added onto your bill for stays during holidays are cropping up, especially in Asia. At the Vinpearl Resort & Spa on Hon Tre Island in Vietnam, you'll pay extra if your booking extends over the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary and other major holidays. In Japan, the Kyoto Hotel Okura adds a surcharge on Saturdays and on the night before a public holiday.
Your Cost: $18–$45 a night.
MY THOUGHTS
i've had my share of chekout woes. it really pays to have everything negotiated before checking in or signing any contract. my job entails booking activites at some hotel or resort 4-6x a year. they will come up with all sorts of surcharges if these are not cleared from the beginning. and never never go for verbal agreements. especially with smaller resorts. they tend to value more the small income they can get rather than a happy customer who will come back or refer them to someone else.
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