Everyday for the past year or more we’ve heard or read bad news.  Unfortunately, we’ve all seen this recession hit our own families and/or those that we love.  I’ve seen friends lose their jobs, lose their homes and what’s most sad to me is when I’ve seen the effects of the recession steal their spirits.  It’s made everyone in this country take a step back and think about what’s really important in life and what we want to teach our kids. 

I, myself, like to indulge.  I like to do most things in a big way, over the top, the skies the limit, and I still do.  However, I’m coming from a new angle these days.  I’m doing all the things that I’ve been told: cut coupons, eat out less, brown bag it, turn off the lights, switch out the light bulbs, recycle, carpool, rent movies rather than see them in the theater, check books out of the library rather than buy them, set budgets, make more of our gifts…  Yes, I do them all.  But I still want to have fun.  I still want my children to look at life as being exciting, full of joy, laughter, lots of friends and family, parties and whatever it is that they may want.  Let’s face it, spending significantly less money can put a damper on these things, BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO.

Here’s my battle – Christmas!  Of course I want to give my children lots of the items on their list.  What parent doesn’t?  I want my kids to reflect on this Christmas as one where they received everything they wanted.  Here’s the thing – I want to cut back but I don’t want to feel like I’ve cut back.  I really do think it’s possible if I get creative.  I’ve given this a lot of thought and here’s my plan.

1.  Make up big adventures for my Elfing Around elves.  I’ve already got a few tricks up my sleeve, like filling the boys’ bed with wrapped candy, having the elves sitting on cookie sheets while sliding down the steps covered in extra batting, and having the elves bring the boys their Christmas pj’s (which I bought on clearance last year).  The elves make Christmas so magical that I really don’t have to do much more.  They were the #1 best investments in my journey to make Christmas special without spending a fortune.  Honestly, every family should have one or two of these elves!!!

2.  Decorate a tree with gift cards, dollar bills and coupons for my teenager.  This is going to be a huge hit.  I’m wrapping each item in a small box and hanging them from this never before seen tree.  It’s going to take him quite awhile to unwrap his $10 itunes cards, movie tickets, dollar bills, etc.  Let’s face it – teenagers are hard to buy for.  All they want is money or big ticket items.  This tree will be unique, appreciated and unexpected.  Those are three adjectives I always look for in a gift.  There’s nothing worse than spending the day at the mall shopping for the perfect gift and having to exchange it the day after Christmas.

3.  I love to make things for my children and this year it will be big faux fur blankets.  I’ve seen these blankets sold in boutique stores for $300.  Are they crazy?  I can make the same exact blanket (I’m not kidding – the same exact blanket) for a fraction of the cost.  I’m going to wrap them in a big box, then wrap their favorite DVD to go on top of the big box and then adhere some movie sized boxes of candy on top.  I’m going to hot glue popcorn all over the top of the big box just for fun.  Very creative if I do say so myself!

4.  I’m a member of Snapfish and quite frequently they send me e-coupons to make free photo books.  I’ve never done it before, but I’m going to try it!  I think they make amazing keepsakes, especially because they’re created with love.  Let’s not forget the operative word – FREE!

5.  I’m also orchestrating a different type of gift exchange with my extended family.  Instead of cutting back on each person’s gift, we’re going to have everyone bring several gifts valued at $10 each.  Everyone will spend a total of $30.  We’re going to play a fast paced dice game that will end up getting everyone involved, engaged, excited and wishing we could play again.  Last year my kids won $10 in ice cream coupons, itunes cards, special lotions, Starbuck’s gift cards, a Rubik’s cube, and movie tickets in a plastic popcorn tub.  Everyone spent less money, had more fun and went home with gifts they could really use.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/how-to-outsmart-the-recession-for-christmas-1211026.html

ok so i went to new york over christmas break. and i went to bryant park. and when i was there, there was a bunch of little boutique stores one that i came across was a jewelry store called stone flower. and i bought a ring from there. but sadly i lost it and i can find the business card but i still have the box that the ring came in and the logo says stone flower. do any of you guys know where their official store is in new york? and their website. i would really appreciate it. it was an awesome ring i found please help me replace it. or if you find it online send me the link.
the ring silver with a black vintage camera that had a crystal for a lens

We all know that Christmas is just around the corner so it is time to begin looking at what you are going to need for it. When it comes to gifts you will probably leave this till later in the Autumn. Buying gifts can be left to the last minute but it is usually a good idea to get other essential Christmas items before hand. You will have noticed that a number of shops have already started to put out their Christmas stock as they realise that people like to be prepared well ahead of time. Whether you are one of these people or not then you should consider looking at getting some of these products in time for Christmas.

Christmas hampers are a great way to treat the whole family. They are beautifully packaged and come stocked full to the brim with treats. If you want to have a traditional Christmas hamper you will be able to find them stacked full of mince pies and other seasonal favourites. You might want to get a Christmas hamper especially for your children then you will be pleased to hear that you can get sweet hampers full of all sorts of sherberts and jellies. If cheese and crackers is more your thing then you will find a wide selection available with different wines, cheeses and crackers. The great thing about Christmas hampers is that they make excellent gifts for families as well as corporate gifts. Many businesses send hampers to their clients and suppliers at Christmas to say thank you and to help bolster business relationships. It is a great way to say thank you and can result in repeat business and possible new leads.

When it comes to Christmas you have to have a tree or it just wouldn’t feel right with out one. Real trees are great but they can be a lot of trouble to look after and you will also have to recycle them afterwards. This is what makes artificial Christmas trees so popular as you don’t need to constantly clear up needles that have fallen off and you can reuse them year after year. There are a number of additional advantages to choosing artificial Christmas trees. You will find that there is a wide range of colours available so you can choose whether you want red, black or white Christmas trees for your home. You will also find fibre optic Christmas trees that have lights already built into them and that will flash on and off in different colours. Why buy a set of tree lights when your fibre optic tree already has them installed and create a dazzling effect.

Giving Christmas cards is a favourite past time of most people who tend to do it every year. Getting all of your cards and envelopes written up can take so much time that it is a good idea to buy your chosen cards and get them delivered well before. The other great thing about sending cards is it gives you the opportunity to give to your favourite charity by buying charity Christmas cards. If you are interested in purchasing cards for your favourite charity then make sure you look on the back to find out what percentage of the cost goes to the charity. If you want to make sure that your chosen charity receives the maximum amount of money from the cards that you buy then your best bet is to order them directly from the charity.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/holidays-articles/secrets-to-getting-christmas-right-3270852.html

I’ve seen some websites that offer recycled cards, but they are really expensive. I’d like to find some that are more affordable.

Can you smell the pine trees? Have you taken a look at the glittering lights across the streets at night? Well, it’s Christmas time once again and most of the people who enjoy this holiday cheer are thinking about giving gifts and Christmas cards to the person they adore. But what’s in Christmas cards that allures people to take a peek at those little pieces of paper displayed on the store windows that contain greetings to someone dear? Or what tempts a creative person to indulge in Christmas card making in this cold season? Well, here are the reasons why a person would desire to engage in a card making activity.

• Every person has a thing about getting Christmas cards. Isn’t it nice to feel that you arte wanted? That someone is thinking about you as he or she sits near a fire place drinking a glass of champagne in a cold and silent night? How warm is the feeling to read your name written on the sweet Christmas cards spread all over your table. You have read the most beautiful name in the world there-your name.
• Receiving Christmas cards can help you tie the relationship with your relatives. You can make this an opportunity to tell your old Aunt how special she is. You can show how much you appreciate your Mom for always being there in your times of need. You can even express your feelings for someone special as you write all those words showing how much you care. If you want to experiment on card making you will have the freedom to say whatever you want in order to show your emotion for a certain person.
• Card making is a great way to alleviate your stress. Maybe you are so tired from your everyday work and you simply think of ways in order to lessen those wrinkles on your forehead. Why not try card making? You can make simple designs using your used papers and glitters to make a nice card. Or you can even try drawing a pine tree and paint it with different colors. Just be sure that you have color green there since a pine tree is green. You can make use of other designs that you can think of.

As long as you believe that your card reflects your intention for someone dear to your heart, card making is the best gift that you can send that person.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/crafts-articles/great-reasons-to-make-christmas-cards-3797960.html