Mistletoe has been revered by certain cultures for many, many years. The ancient Celts of Britain felt that Mistletoe held sacred powers of healing, and that it contained the soul of the tree from which it was cut. In the Celtic language, Mistletoe means “All Heal”.

The Druids also had an interesting ceremony that included Mistletoe. The pagan priests of the time would carefully cut boughs of Mistletoe from the sacred Oak tree with a golden sickle. They were ever careful not to let the boughs touch the ground, for fear of contaminating them. The priests then divided these boughs into sprigs, and gave them to the people to protect them from storms and other forms of evil.

Mistletoe has also been included in many famous myths from earlier times. The Norse myth that comes to mind is that of the resurrection of Balder, the god of the summer sun. The myth states that Balder had a dream in which he dies. His mother Frigga, the goddess of beauty and love, was rather alarmed by this. Frigga went to all of the elements (air, fire, water, and earth) and asked that they spare her son. When she was satisfied that she had secured their cooperation in this matter, she informed Balder that he would live forever.

Balder had one enemy, though. Loki, the god of evil, discovered one plant that Frigga had overlooked. That plant was Mistletoe. Loki fashioned an arrow made from the branch of the Mistletoe, and dipped it in poison. He then tricked Balders blind brother, Hoder, into firing it and killing Balder. Each of the elements tried to bring Balder back to life, but none were successful save for his mother, Frigga. It is said that her tears turned into the berries from the Mistletoe, and when they rained upon Balder they brought him back to life.

In her joy at Balders resurrection, she reversed the poisonous reputation of the Mistletoe and kissed everyone who walked beneath the tree on which it grew. She also issued a decree that anyone passing under the Mistletoe must kiss, and therefore no harm would come to them.

I love that story, and I think of it each year as I hang the Mistletoe in my home. The tradition of kissing under the Mistletoe seems to have faded somewhat in modern times. So Im going to hang it in every doorway I pass under during this Christmas season!

Christmas and the Mistletoe Tradition is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

The most important part of Christmas is of course celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Another ritual of Christmas that makes it so special is giving. We send so many cards to friends and family that we lose the count. Similarly giving gifts is very important. Selecting the right gift for everyone, wrapping it lovingly and sending it across, all this is joyful. This joy cannot be described in words.

As I said earlier, it is the giving that is the major reason of happiness. If we look at our moods and behavior, we find that we always derive greater joy in giving compared to receiving. Can we not celebrate this spirit of giving everyday? Can we not get this joy everyday? Can we not make someone happy everyday? We can. With conscious effort, we can do one act a day that makes somebody genuinely happy. Why not carry the spirit of Christmas all the year and enjoy the happiness of giving. One is blessed when one gives. Let us get these blessings round the year.

Christmas – Giving Is A Blessing is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

If you have never bought a sexy costume for Halloween before, you may be a little confused as to how to choose one. Some costumes online probably look more like lingerie, while some look like costumes you could wear to an adult only sexy costume party, and probably nowhere else, without halting traffic dead in its tracks that is.

The first thing to consider when choosing a sexy costume is where you are planning to wear it. If you are not going to leave the house, then a harem bikini costume might be perfect. If you are, you may want to opt for a she devil or mermaid costume, but then again, you may not. This leads us to the next factor to consider when choosing a sexy costume, your individual personality.

Are you confident, daring, and possess a little bit of a wild streak? If so, why not try a sexy nurse, French maid, harem or slave girl costume? Are you a little more inhibited? A mermaid costume, or a costume that covers a little more of your body might be more appropriate for you.
Whether you decide to bare a little or a lot of your body really depends on you, because only you know which parts of your body you feel most comfortable showing off or downplaying.

When you decide on a costume, particularly if you are ordering one online, take the time to measure yourself to ensure the right fit. It may take a little longer than just automatically clicking the buy button, but it will save you time, and the hassle of returning a costume, in the long run.

Ultimately, whatever costume you choose should be a reflection of you, your personality, and should make you look your very best at the same time. For more sexy costume ideas, and photos, the Internet is a great resource, and once you find one that you like and are sure of the fit, ordering it is easy and fast.

Choosing The Perfect Sexy Costume for Halloween is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

The most famous type of outdoor wreath is, of course, the door wreath so often used at Christmas. Usually made from evergreen branches and decorated with sturdy touches that can withstand the elements, the Christmas wreath adorns millions of outside doors annually.

There are, of course, many other outdoor wreath options. The Christmas wreath, however, offers a wonderful standard against which other alternatives should measure up.

Christmas door wreaths are sturdy. The balsam fir or other evergreen branches tolerate the weather well without significant degradation. All other outdoor wreaths should share this quality. An outdoor wreath will be constantly exposed to the elements. Any outdoor wreath under consideration must be able to handle the probable climate of the region in which it will be used. It makes little sense, for instance, to use a delicately assembled floral wreath when it will be exposed to high winds. Likewise, a wreath resplendent in cloth bows is poorly suited for a rainy environment. Any wreath chosen for outdoor use must be sufficiently sturdy.

Not only should the wreath itself be sturdy. It is also important that the strong base of the wreath be decorated in a manner allowing it to survive the weather. Delicate decorations should be avoided. Items fastened to a wreath should be affixed with wire or a similarly strong method. A small dab of glue from a hot glue gun or a thin piece of thread will never sufficiently attach decorations for an outdoor wreath.

Decorating with outdoor wreaths can improve the look of a home and make it an inviting place for guests. However, appropriate care must be taken to choose wreaths that possess great sturdiness and longevity.

Choosing An Outdoor Wreath is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

The shower of baby gifts often doesn’t end after baby is born. Traditionally, until junior is able to fend for himself, you may find yourself swamped with an incredible selection of baby gifts that serve to entertain, pamper and humor your little ones.

At some point you’ll find yourself on the buying end of the totem poll. When your time comes to shower a new mom or family with baby gifts, keep in mind that not all gifts are created equally. Baby gifts can be broken down into several categories, including those for infants, toddlers and beyond.

There are several well intentioned items that end up in a corner or drawer never to be looked at again when received. To make the most of your best intention, keep in mind that infants seldom need elaborate toys and educational accessories to crowd their nursery. Some well appreciated and useful gifts for infants include the following:

Diapers – lots and lots of diapers. The typical infant goes through 5-8 diapers per day that translates into as many as 56 diapers a week or more than 200 per month. Baby may not express their enthusiasm at the offering, but a parent certainly will

Diaper service – this is a wonderful and thoughtful gift for someone considering using cloth instead of disposable diapers.

Wipes

Diaper Disposal System

Onesies of varying sizes and colors

Baby Bath Items

Socks to keep an infant’s feet warm

Caps

Teething rings

Hampers

Crib sheets, Changing Table Sheets

Burp Cloths

Sleepers

Baby Bouncer Chair

Playpens

Crib Mobiles

Coming into the Toddler stage of course, everything changes! Here is where the gifts start becoming fun. Toddlers may make much better use of educational toys than infants. Among the offerings certain to be appreciated in this category include the following:

More teething toys

Anything colorful

Balls

Books

Baby Einstein or Disney Videos

Junior Bikes

Stuffed Animals

Musical Toys

Building Blocks

Toy Cars or other Vehicles

Discovery Centers

Once a toddler moves into an older stage, be sure to consult with parents regarding gifts. Find out what types of hobbies their child or children are into. In some instances some of the gifts that apply for toddlers apply to older children as well. These include bicycles, books, and animals (stuffed or otherwise).

Many well intentioned friends consider buying an older child a pet as a gift. Many well meaning parents do the same for their children, thinking having an animal will help teach responsibility. Keep in mind though that young children are still barely grasping how to take care of themselves, and while having a pet can be entertaining and enlightening, a majority of the care giving will likely still rest on the shoulders of the parents instead of the child.

Children’s Gift Ideas: Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

Cheap Gift Ideas

You can find all of the following cheap gift ideas online. Just search for the words in parentheses and you should find them.

1. Dual Cereal Dispenser A great kitchen accessory, the Dual Cereal Dispenser sits on a counter top andta da, dispenses cereal. Simply put a box of cereal in one of the two holders and seal the top. Each morning, family members just put a bowl underneath and dispense cereal through a slot. Keeps cereal fresh and gets rid of annoying boxes that take up space. The Dual Cereal Dispenser will run you as low as $14.99 online.

2. Rolling Caster Set Moving furniture and heavy items around is not much fun. In truth, Ive added to the lexicon of cusswords when hauling my oak dining table around. Fortunately, the Rolling Caster Set has been created to help us all avoid back surgery. These rolling casters are little triangles with wheels on the bottom. Simply slide them under the corner of whatever youre moving, and off you go. No struggling and staggering around. When it comes to cheap gift ideas, this one will run you $9.99 and never be thrown away by the person you give it to.

3. Cordless Glue Gun A great gift for moms. The cordless glue gun can be used in arts and crafts, home repair projects and for general repairs around the house. The glue gun works on fabric, metal, wood, plastic, leather and just about anything youll run across. You can find the cordless glue gun for as low as $9.99 online.

4. Nomad Writing Journals If youre buying for a person that loves the outdoors or to travel, Nomad Writing Journals make great gifts. These journals are tailored to activities such as travel, fly fishing, bird watching, backpacking, camping, rock climbing and so on. They come with or without a case and provide writing space as well as cues for writing down important information. A great keepsake for family members to preserve their travel and outdoor experiences. The journals cost as low as $9 without waterproof case and $25 with case.

Thanks to the Internet, cheap gift ideas arent hard to come by. Heck, I even purchased some of these while writing this article.

Cheap Gift Ideas is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

He is thought to have died on 17th March. Some stories about him are products of fertile imaginations over the centuries. What is important is that he gave the Irish Catholics an identity. Irish people celebrate 17th march as St.Patricks Day. On this day, most of the cities where Irish have a big population celebrate the day with parades. This day is the day to celebrate the Irish spirit. Color green, shamrocks, and good luck.

Shamrock And Irish People -

Shamrock, the three-leafed clover has special significance for the Irish. Earlier this was also called the seamroy. Though some people believe that Shamrock was used by Saint Patrick to explain the Christian doctrine, though there are no proofs of that. Shamrock is surely the symbol of Irish. Along with other Irish symbols or other things that are associated with Ireland such as green, gold and Luck, shamrock reminds everyone around the world of Ireland immediately.

Traditional Food -

Corned Beef and cabbage meal is the traditional Irish food for the Saint Patricks Day. Though the traditional food has been Irish bacon, corned beef saves money and is becoming popular amongst the Irish Americans. On St. Patricks Day, Chicago River is turned green for several hours by using green vegetable dye. What a great way to celebrate the day. Wishing you all a Happy St. Patricks Day.

Celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

Given these were the only options, the freedom offered by the holiday camp was instantly appealing and holidaymakers were welcomed at the UKs first holiday camp in 1906 at Caistor-on-Sea, Norfolk. By todays standards the camp was incredibly basic and certainly had no luxury accommodation on offer! Yet it paved the way for a holiday genre that has been thriving for more than 100 years.

Holiday camps continued to make steady progression and 1924 saw the arrival of a holiday camp in Hopton-on-Sea which boasted brick chalets, running water and electric lights some of the ultimate facilities. However, global events were to have a serious impact on holidays with two World Wars, and the take over of holiday camps to be used as military bases in the Second World War.

Holiday camps really came into their own with a glorious golden era during the 1950s and 60s after the end of WWII. People hadnt been on holiday for many years and many children had never seen the sea. Life had been incredibly hard and the public were in need of fun and entertainment. The holiday camp could provide all this and more. With swimming pools on site, entertainment in the evenings, competitions including Glamorous Granny and Knobbly Knees plus plentiful food the camps offered all the right ingredients for an fun and affordable family holiday.

While the offer of cheap sea and sun holidays drew many people to destinations such as Spain in the 1970s, UK holiday resorts such as Great Yarmouth have seen a resurgence of visitors in recent years. As the cost of living continues to soar and with the need to consider greener ways to travel, a Great British seaside holiday with glorious beaches, strolls along the pier and ice cream is an attractive proposition.

And where better to stay than a holiday village? A far cry from their 20th Century counterparts, Great Yarmouth is home to some of the UKs best including some with 5-star ratings. With the promise of modern accommodation, a huge range of indoor and outside entertainment for children and adults and onsite eateries, its the ideal choice for families.

Great Yarmouth has invested more than 25 million in redeveloping the seafront, creating a stunning new promenade area for visitors to stroll along, and a beautifully lit pedestrianised walkway linking the seafront to the town centre. The towns rich maritime heritage is evident all around, with a heritage quarter rich in history to explore. The many holiday parks and villages along this part of the coastline expect a bumper year in 2008.

Celebrating 100 Years Of The British Holiday Camp! is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

1. Before you even take the tree in the house, dig a hole for the tree where you expect to plant it after the holidays. Put the soil in a wheelbarrow and park it in the garage. You’ll need loose soil to backfill the hole, and the ground might be frozen after the holidays.

2. Keep your live tree in the house for as short a time as is possible.

3. Keep the ball plenty moist while in the house, but not in a tub full of water. You don’t want the ball to dry out completely, but by the same token it shouldn’t be soggy all the time either. Just moist. You can wet it thoroughly, but then don’t water again until the water is almost gone.

4. After Christmas move the tree outdoors as soon as possible and plant it immediately. If you were not able to dig the hole earlier, the ground is frozen, and the tree cannot be planted, leave it outside and pack bags of leaves or bales of straw around the ball. Find a way to heel it in in such a way that the amount of sun and wind the root ball receives is minimal.

5. Try and plant the tree immediately if you can. You do not want to store the tree on top of the ground during the winter if you can avoid it. Putting it in your garage is not a good idea either, it is likely to dry out in there. The absolute best place for the ball is in the ground, even if the ground has frozen after you dug the hole. Just set the tree in the hole and backfill with loose soil. Make sure there are no air pockets around the ball. Backfill only with small particles of soil. If this cannot be done because the soil is frozen, just set the tree in the hole and backfill as soon as the weather permits.

6. Check the ball for nylon string. Cut and remove any nylon string. Sometimes the diggers wrap the string around the stem of the tree. If the string is a cotton type, like sisal twine, you can leave it on the ball but remove it from the stem. If the burlap is nylon it should be cut in many places or removed. If the ball is wrapped with a wire basket I recommend leaving it on. It will help to secure the tree and keep it from rocking back and forth with the wind. The roots will find their way through the wire and the burlap. Just cut the burlap where you can.

7. Do not plant the tree too deep. This is the number one reason for plants that do not survive. They should not be planted any deeper than they were in the nursery. The top of the ball should be one to two inches above the ground level. If you have heavy, wet, clay soil, you should plant it even higher and build a bed up around the ball. When you plant them too deep the plants literally suffocate.

8. Do not fertilize the tree at the time of planting. You can fertilize it in the spring, but only with an organic fertilizer. If you have compost available, mix some in while planting. Fertilizer can do more harm than it can good. I always recommend organic fertilizers. It’s hard to make a mistake with organics. It’s always a good idea to stake trees when you plant them. If the wind is constantly rocking them back and forth they will have a difficult time establishing new roots in their new home.

Caring For and Planting a Balled in Burlap Christmas Tree is a post from: Home And Family Blogs

Communities would be wise to look at Nova Scotias waste reduction success and try to emulate it in their area. With the highest waste reduction rates in Canada, Nova Scotia has reduced landfill contributions by 46% – saving about $31 million per year – simply by making the most of the organic and recyclable materials. Curbside recycling service (Blue Box) is available to 99% of its residents and 76% now enjoy curbside organic service (a.k.a. Green Box). Many cities are encouraging compost bins for those with access to a yard and worm bins for those who dont.

People will find that they do not have to put the trash out as often, because both the odors and volume are greatly decreased. Many garbage collection companies offer discounts to homes with reduced waste as a fiscal incentive. Businesses, such as restaurants and coffee shops could reduce their waste removal costs by a huge amount simply by recycling their organic waste.

We can also help the waste management industry run more efficiently. For instance, when only full garbage bags and Blue or Green boxes are put out on the curb, the garbage truck does not have to stop as often and waste fossil fuels inefficiently while idling. (Incidentally, vehicle idling is responsible for 3% of the air pollution problem.) Similarly, by collapsing items like cardboard and paperboard (cereal or pet food) boxes before recycling we are ensuring that space is used more efficiently – thereby reducing the number of bins needed for transporting materials.

Recycling alone, has a huge impact on the environment. Studies have shown that if 100 apartment units practiced maximum recycling, it would save 21.93 thirty-foot trees, 26.86 cubic yards of landfill space, 8,389 kilowatts of electricity, and 77.4 pounds of air pollution in just one year!

So you see, these seemingly small choices and efforts towards waste management really do make a difference.

Canada’s Waste Reduction Week (Oct 15-21) – Just A Place To Start… is a post from: Home And Family Blogs