December 25th the lord’s birthday is a day for family gatherings where relatives even strangers unite to celebrate his invisible presence. If Christmas were every day where the atmosphere is filled with joyous and harmonious people? What a wonderful world this would be.

Children prepare for Santa’s arrival with a thank you plate of biscuits and a glass of milk. The bigger kid’s like mum/dad intend to over excite themselves too watching the kids unwrap their presents. Then we have the belly bursting feast of turkey with all the trimmings followed by apple pie and custard. But sadly to say all the joys that Christmas brings is not bestowed on every one.

Unfortunately some children celebrate Christmas from a hospital bed due to saddening events which may have taken place where instead of receiving a kiss and a cuddle on Christmas day they received a merciless beating. No joyous moments for babies on a mortuary slab.

Innocent of any crime the weakest links will suffer more pain under the hands of their abusers. This ongoing torture for toddlers/wife’s partners etc is escalating out of control causing an epidemic of sadism which has to stop. To many merciless beatings have caused death to a victim all because the abuser needs his/her daily fix of fulfilment where they celebrate Christmas with blood on their hands and a smile.

Help is out there for those looking for the reason behind why they cause so much sorrow and pain on their defenceless loved ones. Talk to someone and by doing this you have taken the first step in your quest to make every Christmas from now on happy ones.

Then we have the inhabitants of famine stricken countries suffering from starvation seeking to survive on flour and milk alone. Our flour comes in the shape of a loaf, our milk churned into butter/cheese.

Before keeping up with tradition where you get to stuff your self with roast parsnips and turkey be sure to say grace and to take in the meaning of every word. “Bless us O Lord for what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen”

Far from our thoughts are the less fortunate so remember to say a prayer. And for the innocent victim of abuse who’s cry for help go unheard. I ask you as a friend or neighbour to be extra vigilant of any situation that may give you reason for concern for a child’s safety.

By doing this you may be giving that child the best Christmas gift ever and that is to live for another day.

Baby’s Christmas Cry – Let Me Live Another Day is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

Paintball

What is the natural instinct that drives teenage boys to want to hunt each other down? Whatever it is, you can feed this instinct safely by giving a gift of paintball guns and equipment. There are complete kits you can purchase at retail stores for reasonable prices. .

Car Accessories

A gift of car accessories is a sure win if the teenage boy on your list is old enough to drive and has his own car. Even for the teenage boy who is not driving yet, this could be a great gift. Young guys dream of owning their first set of wheels. A gift of car wax and other cleaning supplies allow him to pamper his new toy. Seat covers or other decorative accessories let him give his car a personal touch.

Black Light Lamp

Black light lamps are back, and any teenage boy on your list is likely to want one. Get him one for his room and find out what glows in the dark. Many posters and other decorative accessories are available now that spring to life under a black light.

Consumer Electronics Gift Certificate

Gadgets and entertainment equipment are always a hit with teenage boys. A gift certificate to a consumer electronics store will give him an excuse to check out all of the latest TVs, stereo equipment, and computers. This is also the place where he can find his favorite music and video games. If you don’t have a suitable store in your area, the young guy on your list can do all his shopping there online.

Team Jersey

The majority of teenage boys are into some sort of sport. Whether it is basketball, football, baseball, or NASCAR racing, he most likely has a favorite team or sports hero. Buy him a jersey from his team. Even better, find a jersey with the number of his favorite player.

Jeans

Most teenage boys wear jeans most of the time, which means they always need new ones. Just make sure you buy the style he likes. Some teenage boys like snug-fitting jeans, while others like their jeans baggy. Carpenter or painter jeans are also popular. Whatever the style, this is the “can’t miss” gift, because there is no such thing as too many jeans.

Jewelry

Yes — jewelry! Jewelry is becoming increasingly popular, in one form or another, among teenage guys. For rockers, tribal or beaded necklaces will be a hit. They might also like a stud or hoop earring. Preppy guys often like to wear fashionable rings or bracelets. If you aren’t too sure about jewelry, try a watch. With such a wide variety of watch styles available, you’ll be certain to find one to fit any teenage boy’s taste.

Snowboard

Christmas is a great time for winter sports. This year might be the perfect opportunity for your teenager to get into snowboarding, and simple snowboards can be purchased at a relatively low price. The thrill of conquering a new challenge motivates many a teenage boy, and snowboarding will give him a way to release some energy and add excitement to the winter months.

Video Game Magazine Subscription

Generally speaking, teenage boys are suckers for video games. If the guy on your list has a game system, such as X-Box, PlayStation, or Nintendo, you can get him a subscription to the corresponding magazine. He’ll get inside information and screen shots from upcoming games, ratings of current games, and, best of all — demo discs. These demo discs let him play portions of games before they even come out, which helps him decide what games he really likes and wants to buy.

Portable CD Player

Boys love noise — and their favorite kind is music. Whatever his music preferences, the teenage boy on your list is most likely to be passionate about his bands. With a portable CD player he can listen to his music anytime, anywhere, and you won’t have to hear it.

Mission Accomplished

Head out to the mall armed with the above list and a little shopping savvy, and you have a way better chance of finding the ideal gift. Soon he will be saying, “DUDE, that is so cool!”

Awesome Gift Ideas For The Teenage Dude is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

The average North American gains 7 to 12 pounds over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Follow these simple holiday diet tips and tricks and you’ll avoid the holiday weight gain that afflicts so many other people:

#1 Drink Water – and Lots of It.

Boring I know – but the reason this tip stays around year after year is because it works. Adequate water intake keeps your metabolism humming along at a maximum rate and staves off hunger cravings as well.

In fact many people mistake thirst for hunger and end up eating to quench their thirst. This results in more calories than you body needs and – you guessed it – excess pounds.

Models and celebrities all know about the powerful slimming effects of drinking water which is why you often see them holding a bottle of water in their hands as they dash through airports or stand around at fashion shows.

#2 Increase Your Exercise A Little Bit Every Day

Everyone deserves to indulge in holiday treats. Part of the fun of the holiday season is the amazing treats that are only around at Christmas and/or Thanksgiving.

Accept the fact that you’re going to indulge a bit – and then enjoy it! But make sure you make up for it elsewhere by increasing your exercise.

You don’t have to double your exercise time or sweat till you fall off your treadmill. Just increase your exercise time a bit every day, maybe ten minutes here, fifteen minutes there. It all adds up.

You’ll burn off those holiday treats and easily avoid extra weight gain. I have several girlfriends who have been doing this trick for years and they never gain a pound over the holidays (in fact they often lose a few!).

#3 Cut Back Where You Can At Other Meals

Did you know that the average number of calories consumed by one person during a typical Thanksgiving dinner is 7,100! That’s about 2 pounds strictly in terms of calories alone.

But not to worry. All you have to do is make small calorie cutbacks at other meals the week before and you’ll easily make up for the extra calories.

For example, instead a huge slice of pecan pie (which normally will run you about 500 calories) for desert, why not try some blueberries mixed with low fat yogurt? Instead of the bag of potato chips you usually indulge in for the big game, why not munch on air-popped, low fat popcorn?

You can save as much as 500 calories and you’re still having a salty, satisfying snack.

Bottom line: cut back where you can in little ways. You won’t miss the little sacrifices and you can then enjoy your holiday meals – guilt free!

#4 Eat What You Like – But Only A Few Bites

If you absolutely cannot imagine giving up any of your favorite treats this holiday season, give yourself permission to have a bite of everything – but only a bite!

I read somewhere that Jessica Simpson never denies herself any of her favorite foods – but she only allows herself one or two bites. And let’s face it the first couple of bites are the best tasting anyways!

#5 Don’t Eat After 7:00 pm

Experts tell us that the earlier in the day food is eaten, the more likely it is to be burned off. However when you eat late at night, this food is more likely to be stored as fat.

Celebrities like Oprah use this knowledge to their advantage and refuse to eat after a certain time like 7:00 p.m.

So if you know you absolutely must have a sweet indulgence during the day, try to have it before noon. Then towards the end of the day, snack on healthy, lower carb foods like salads, vegetable broth, fruits or lean protein.

This keeps your metabolism elevated but won’t pack on the pounds. I’ve personally used this trick before every holiday Christmas party for 5 years running and it certainly helps for getting into those slinky Christmas party dresses!

So those are 5 diet tips to avoid holiday weight gain this year. Follow them and you’re guaranteed to save yourself the stress of unwanted weight gain. Heck, you’ll probably even lose a few pounds, all in time for New Year’s Eve!

Avoid Weight Gain During The Holidays – 5 Easy Tips is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

The question is are toys and video games the right Christmas gift for kids? The simple answer – yes.

Creative Development

Children love toys and they love to play video games. Imagination is the greatest gift that we can give our children and toys are essential to their creative development. With so many toys on the market, it’s difficult to choose which are best for our little ones during this holiday season. The best way to know is to ask your child to write a Christmas list. Go over the list and make sure that everything will be a positive learning, or playful, experience for your child. Avoid buying anything with an implication of violence or negative influences, which is sometimes present in current video games.

Promote Healthy Competition and Creativity

On the other hand… Video games can offer a very positive learning experience if selected carefully. They have the ability to promote healthy competition and creativity. If a child fails to achieve the next level in a video game, they are forced to come up with more creative ways to move forward. This creativity can lead to a wonderful imagination in all areas of life. Video games can also promote persistence and shows a child that patience is a key factor in achieving any goal. If a child begins playing a video game and stays with that game until he/she defeats it, this promotes patience, determination and intelligence. The child will learn that, if he/she works hard enough, they can achieve anything. This will carry over into other aspects of life and will be a positive experience. The most important thing is, that now, the child is simply having fun and doesn’t even realize how beneficial a creative mind can be. They don’t realize that they are learning and, to them, they’re just enjoying their toys.

Promote Sharing

Toys and games are terrific Christmas gifts for kids also because they promote sharing while keeping the child entertained and happy. Some toys promote learning, such as math and board games. Others, such as building blocks, promote creativity and the ability to build things on their own. A karaoke unit could help a child overcome shyness while a Barbie doll will allow a child to make up story lines and create fictional events.

Age Recommendations

Before choosing any toys or games as Christmas gifts for kids, make sure to read the age recommendations printed on the box or noted in the description. It’s important that the age recommendations match that of your child for safety reasons. If a toy needs batteries, don’t forget to include them in the box.

Unconditional Love

Keeping in mind that children are very influential, the best gift that we could ever give is unconditional love. Perhaps you can’t wrap it up or even add a fancy red bow, but that just goes to prove that the best things in life really are free.

Happy Holidays!

Are Toys & Video Games The Right Christmas Gifts For Kids? is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

Arbor in Latin means a tree. The spirit of Arbor Day is to plant trees and care for them and help them grow strong. It is what we give back to nature. If we think about our ancestors, we can imagine the dependence on trees in those times. Trees were widely used for wood, fruits, flowers and the shade a tree gave. The earliest humans derived tremendous benefits from the trees. We are all obliged to trees. Can birds survive without trees?

Think of a tree. Most of the trees grow from a small seed. Let us become a little philosophical. The seed makes a tree and the tree gives so many more seeds, who in turn give so many trees and in turn more seeds. How many trees does a seed contain? Infinite. Is this not an exciting thought? The trees stand alone on a piece of land. The roots go deep down the earth and hold the soil strongly. The tree gives leaves, wood, bark, fruits, flowers, sometimes different types of gums and shade for the tired souls. A tree gives all that it has got back to the animal world. In deep jungles, so many animals rest below the trees in the afternoons, and the birds make countless nests on the trees. Can one imagine the importance of trees in the ecological balance? It can not be measured. The butterflies know about that than many of us humans.

Many of us have seen so many trees since our childhood that we never give a thought to them. Visit a desert and you will realize the blessing that are trees. The desert looks so desolate without any growth, without the trees. Where are the singing birds in a desert? Where are the fruits, the flowers, and the shade? Trees are necessary for our growth, and they tell us about a selfless life. After you plant a tree and help it grow, it asks nothing from you for its lifetime. It only gives. That is the selflessness of trees and that is how a life must be lived by all of us. Give more and expect less in return.

Arbor Day – The Selflessness Of Trees is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

The origin of April Fool’s day is not clearly known, but it is generally accepted to have come about as a result to the changes in the calendar system. The New Year celebrations used to begin on 25 March and last for a week, ending on 1 April. In 1582, King Charles IX of France brought in the new Gregorian calendar, in which the new year began on 1 January. Unfortunately, some people did not hear about the change, and many others simply refused to break the tradition. These people became the object of so-called ‘fool’s errands’ and tests of gullibility.

April Fools Day is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

Did you know that April Fool’s Day began in France in 1564? Before then, the new year was celebrated on April 1! As some Europeans continued celebrating the new year on that day, they were called April fools and their friends would play silly tricks on them.

The harmless pranks of April Fool’s Day take place in the US, Germany, France, Great Britain, and other countries. In France, an April fool is a poisson d’Avril, an April fish, and chocolate fish are a special treat. In Scotland, people call you an April cuckoo.

Be sure not to play a joke after 12 noon or you will be the fool!

Now, for a few activities:

1. Cut out a 1″ square for every child playing this game. Write “A” on one of them and put them all in a bag. Have all children choose a square, not telling anyone which they chose, and put them back in the bag. As children sit in a circle, a child is chosen to go first. If he did not choose the “A”, he will walk around the circle and return to his spot; another child is chosen. Only the child who chose the “A” will walk around the circle, tap another on the shoulder, say “April Fool!” and start running. The tapped child chases him. If the tapped child does not beat the first child back to his spot, he continues walking around the circle and taps someone else; if he DOES beat the first child back, the first child has another turn to walk, tap, and run.

2. For older children, follow the same directions for the squares. After the squares have all been chosen, let the children scatter in the play area. At the Start signal, have children start moving around. The child who chose the “A” is IT and tries to tag the other children by whispering “April Fool!” each time he tags someone. Children that are tagged must freeze into statues. IT must be subtle in order to sneak up and tag the other children.

NOTE: The top two games are easily adapted to any letter of the alphabet for any theme. Try one for a birthday party!

3. Have children create their own lists of ten things (a good way to review nouns) or create a class list. Have an interesting variety. Without letting children see the silly story they are going to create, call on ten to say one of their words or to call out one from the class list. Fill in the blanks of this story (from Spring is Here, Macmillan Seasonal Activity Packs, 1987) as they provide the words:

One day, I put on my beautiful brand- new _____. Then I went out for a walk. The first thing I saw was a funny _____. It was right next to a striped _____! Then a tiny little _____wearing a huge _____walked past me. I was so surprised that I forgot to watch where I was going. I walked right into a big _____and bumped my _____. Then I saw a huge _____riding on a small _____. I laughed so hard I almost dropped my _____. What a silly way to start the day!

4. See if you are fooled by these riddles!

a. Which animals can jump higher than a tree?
b. What are the things you’ll never eat for lunch?
c. What do you lose every time you stand up?
d. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
e. Why can’t you tell a secret in a vegetable garden?

5. Remember that any time is great for a SMILE BREAK! Try it when you feel tense!

I hope these ideas are useful and ignite your own creativity. Enjoy!

ANSWERS to riddles: a. Every animal can jump higher than a tree because a tree can’t jump! b. Breakfast or dinner c. Your lap d. At the bottom of the page e. The corn has ears and the potatoes have eyes.

April Fool’s Day Activities is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

Before Christmas was celebrated, people were finding time to celebrate in Europe during the winter holiday before the birth of Jesus Christ ever even occurred!

The Winter Solstice has always been a time to celebrate and rejoice; it is celebrated on December 21 in the northern hemisphere and it was after the Winter Solstice that the worst part of the year was behind them. It was at that point during the year that the days began to get longer, giving the people more time to spend outside on their crops and tending to their animals.

In Scandinavia during the Winter Solstice, men and their sons used to go in to the woods to cut a tree down. After the tree had been felled, a nicely sized log was cut out of it, and the men would carry the log back to the home. This log was dubbed a Yule Log, and the Yule log was burned in the fireplace. The entire time the Yule log burned, the family would feast. Often times the Yule log might burn for a whole twelve days! Of course, as the Yule log burned it sent sparks out of the hearth and as the sparks flew out of the fire place, the family would count the sparks and each spark stood for a farm animal (a cow, a goat, a pig, etc) that would be born on their property that year. It is important to note that farm animals were signs of wealth back then.

Saturnalia is a celebration of the Winter Solstice that occurred in ancient pagan Rome. Saturnalia was celebrated in honor of the god of agriculture, who was named Saturn. During the time of Saturnalia, the entire Roman empire is in a state of social disarray. Servants and peasants spend time with and celebrate the holiday with people of higher classes, which was a rarity back then.

The Saturnalia festival in itself can last as long as an entire week in Rome. During that time, people rejoiced all over the country of Rome. The phrase ‘eat, drink, and be merry’ was played out to its fullest. Shops and businesses are closed during the Festival of Saturnalia. Following the first week of Saturnalia, the festival itself usually ends, but the Saturnalia period itself does not end.

In addition to Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture, the Romans also worshipped an infant type god named Methra, who was carved out of a rock. On Mithra’s birthday, people also rejoiced, just as they did during Saturnalia. The day of this rock god’s birthday was one of the most sacred days of the year for the Roman people. It was a time for celebration and togetherness, and for family.

Ancient Celebrations Of The Christmas Holiday is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

The best way to convey that message is by giving something that a person will truly appreciate or use. It need not be anything expensive. Even simple gifts are appreciated so long as the thought is there. Before going shopping, you may want to ask around as to what the receipt may want. His or her friends or family are your best sources.

You can never go wrong with flowers. Most flower shops have delivery services, and you can also order on line. A more lasting floral gift is a flowering plant that can liven up an office cubicle. You may also send a care basket- a collection of items such as specialized toiletries and emergency kits. This is ideal for a single person. There are also online stores that can help you with this.

More practical people will appreciate gift certificates to their favorite stores. Perhaps you would like to try a more out of the box gift, like give that person an extraordinary experience on her birthday. Check out websites that offer various services from adventure packages to makeover projects.

Always remember that when giving a birthday gift, the rule is you should like the gift first. Ask yourself, if you would like to receive the same thing for your birthday. If you answer yes, then you’re off to a good start. But if still no ideas come to mind, there are professional shoppers who can help you come up with a good gift idea.

An Introduction To Birthday Gifts is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

“You don’t love me!” How many times have your kids laid that one on you? And how many times have you, as a parent, resisted the urge to tell them how much? Someday, when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a mother, I will tell them.

A MOTHER’S LOVE GOES DEEP

I loved you enough to insist you buy a bike with your own money that we could afford and you couldn’t.
I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover your handpicked friend was a creep;
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your bedroom, a job that would have taken me fifteen minutes.
I loved you enough to say, “Yes, you may go to Disney World on Mother’s Day.”
I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, mistrust and tears in my eyes.
I loved you enough not to make excuses for your lack of respect or you bad manners.
I loved you enough to admit that I was wrong and ask your forgiveness.
I loved you enough to ignore “what every other mother” did or said.
I loved you enough to let you stumble, fall, hurt and fail.
I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your own actions, at 6, 10, and 16.
I loved you enough to figure you would lie about the party being chaperoned but forgave you for it after discovering I was right.
I loved you enough to shove you off my lap, let go of your hand, be mute to your pleas and insensitive to your demands…so that you had to stand alone.
I loved you enough to accept you for what you are, not what I wanted you to be.

But most of all, I loved you enough to say “no” when you hated me for it.

THAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF ALL.

An Inspirational Poem for Mother’s Day is a post from: Home And Family Blogs