The Commercialization of Holidays Is Out Of Control

I just read this today about Lowes Home Improvement Center. Things like this are just getting crazier and crazier.

A 2007 Lowe's holiday catalog advertised Christmas trees as "family trees."

Snopes says its true:

"In an effort to avoid the use of the term "Christmas tree," Lowe's has renamed their Christmas trees and are now calling them "Family trees."

In their Holiday 2007 catalog, containing 56 pages of Christmas gifts, Lowe's advertises hundreds of gift items, including scores of "Family trees." In fact, the word "Christmas" only appears two times in the entire holiday catalog. The ads mentioning "Christmas cover only 12 square inches of the 5236 square inches available."

Lowe's evidently did not want to offend any non-Christians, therefore they replaced "Christmas tree" with "Family tree."

Their Holiday 2007 catalog features scores of products, including lights, wreaths, trees, and yard decorations. Most people would associate these items with Christmas, but not Lowe's! Except for two obscure references, they refer to everything in their catalog as "holiday."

Here's what my mom had to say about it:
I get so worked up over this..... Christmas is what it is... a religious holiday (holyday) and if some don't like it then invent a different day to celebrate and call it National Spend Your Money Day! I spend a lot of money with Lowe's, but I'm going to contact them and let them know, that I'll be buying my CHRISTMAS decorations elsewhere and I hope that doesn't offend them!

Go Mom!

Man....I am so tired of this. Every year the arguments over religion and offending others get worse and worse. The problem I see with this whole Christmas tree thing is, if you don't celebrate Christmas, you don't buy a tree as decoration. So why do you care what others call it?
Maybe Lowes should consider selling Hanukkah menorahs and Kwanzaa kinaras instead of just decorations for those who celebrate Christmas. Maybe they already do, I dunno. Maybe Lowes should just stick to home improvement items and quit selling holiday decorations altogether.

You know, Festivus doesn't sound like such a bad idea after all. I've always said that the best part of the holidays for me is my family gathered for a meal and playing games afterwards. I could care less whether we divvy out presents or not.

You haven't heard of Festivus??
It's a non-denominational holiday featured on the Seinfeld show but now really celebrated in real life. It's an alternate holiday resurrected and modified to protest against the commercialization of Christmas. It's celebrated on Dec 23 and instead of Christmas trees, you have a Festivus Pole.
Sounds crazy but people really celebrate this holiday. And yes, I'm SERIOUS!

"Festivus for the rest of us!"

I think it would be fun!
In fact, I think I am going to suggest this to my family over the Thanksgiving holiday. We can still gather and eat but if you feel you have to bring a present for someone, make it something handmade, homemade or something you already own but can't use or don't want. Nothing store-bought.
We'll see how it goes.

Tomorrow, yawl!

Homemade Gift Wrapping

AlexRussell has a few ideas on what to use for wrapping a gift when you don't have or don't want to use traditional wrapping paper.

Because store-bought wrapping paper is so boring these days. Around the house there's plenty of gift wrapping to make your presents pop if you experiment a little. Here are a few ideas:

Paper towels: This is the one that started it all. My paper towel-wrapped White Elephant gift was the most battled over at the last Holiday party. It was so intriguing. What kind of gift could be wrapped in paper towels? Paper towels are a great, but they use a lot of tape and tear easily.

Sunday Comics: This gift wrapping idea is an homage to the comic issue of McSweeny's. Comics pages are a great way to wrap a present, and they're a lot cheaper than store-bought wrapping paper featuring the same characters. But don't stop at just the comics section of the newspaper. For your beloved meathead, think about the sports section. For your brother the CEO, how about the stocks? Where does it really end?

Aluminum foil: This is probably the most controversial gift wrap idea, because it's pretty expensive and you can get foil gift wrapping in the store that looks much better. However, you probably have aluminum foil in the house, and when you're done opening presents it's easy to recycle. And if there are cookies to take home from that holiday party, well...

Tinted Plastic wrap: This is almost a non-wrap gift wrapping, because it's transparent. But if you want to wrap and wrap and wrap until that's no longer so, I won't tell you not to. It's pretty easy to work with. You don't need tape, and even if there are creases and folds in the first few layers, pulling the last couple layers tight will make them look intentionally textured.

More ideas: There are plenty of other gift wrapping materials around the house. Here are a few more: printer paper; paper grocery bags with the labels turned out; pages ripped out of magazines, bonus for using the New Yorker; pages ripped out of dubious magazines (you know what I'm talking about); a cardboard box as-is; wax paper...

Outside Cat also had a great idea for wrapping paper using a copy machine and whatever your mind can imagine to make a copy of.

How To Make A Christmas Card Star

Christmas Card Star from WikiHow


What a great way to re-use your old Christmas cards from year to year instead of throwing them away.

Paper Holidays!

Jaime over at Paper Forest has assembled an incredible list of holiday papercrafts.

Spiky Star http://swapatorium.blogspot.com/2005/12/spiky-star.html

Zero from the Nightmare Before Christmas (Purchase the CD from Trader Sam-the least you can do for all his other magnificent Free models.)
http://disneyexperience.com/models/zero_model.html

and Jack Skellington's Coffin Sleigh (same deal)
http://disneyexperience.com/models/sleigh_model.html

Moving Santa Model (Nominal fee for Download)
http://www.flying-pig.co.uk/pagesv/hohoho.html

Santa Popper (nominal Fee for download)
http://www.flying-pig.com/pagesv/santapopper.html

Cool 3-d snowflake
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-3D-Paper-Snowflake

Printable tree for those with NO space
http://www.hp.ca/portal/hho/holiday/tree_printout.php?jumpid=ng-nov06-projec

Keisuke Saka's Carolers
http://www.zuko.to/kobo/down-f/song.html

Keisuke Saka's Reindeer
http://www.zuko.to/kobo/down-f/deer.html

Paperpino's Flying Santa
http://paperpino.net/showroom/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=7

Pop-up Tree, Pointsettia (new), and Reindeer
http://www.robertsabuda.com/popmakesimple.asp

Holiday Costume for your Paper Bear and more to explore!
http://cp.c-ij.com/english/3D-papercraft/toy/t-christmas-costume_e.html

Holiday Gift Box
http://cp.c-ij.com/english/3D-papercraft/event/xmas-box-star_e.html Star Box

Cards from Epson Hong Kong
http://www.epson.com.hk/files/minisite/papercraft/card.htm

Snowflake cut-out cards
http://members.shaw.ca/woa/christmas.htm

Simple Tree Place Card
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel192449&contentGroup=KIDS&site=kids

Dreidel Favor Box
http://www.thecraftypc.com/dreidfavbox.html

Paper Snowflakes
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel181245&navLevel=2&site=kids

Paper Snowflake templates
http://www.papersnowflakes.com/templates.htm

Rob Ive's List of paper models (many aren't included here)
http://www.flying-pig.com/pages/christmasmodels.htm

And Flying Pig has assembled their own fantastic list:

Festive Paper models to print out and make. A selection to paper animations from our site and from around the web for you to download print out and make. Let us know if you find any others we can add to the list. Ho ho ho!
	Santa Popper Press down on his head and he raises his arms cheerfully. One of our models available here.
	Stellated Solids ...make fantastic Christmas decorations! More info.
	Hako Santa From the Paper Pino web site The HPH Santa disassembles and fits completely into his head. Free to download here
	Warming Up By Keisuke Saka. Delightful model with an athletic Rudolph limbering up for the big day! Free to download here
	Christmas Kiss One of ours! Charming moving Christmas card. Pull the tab and the festive couple kiss under the mistletoe. Free to download here
	Ho Ho Ho! Another one of ours! Turn the handle and the jolly Santa laughs heartily! Download here
	Flying Santa Another model from Paper Pino - What fun! Download for free here
	Pop Up Christmas Card from Canon Reindeer and Sleigh Christmas Game Carol Singers Christmas Tree Christmas Tree with Stange Characters Hako Reindeer Santa on rails Various Christmas Trees Turkey! Flying Angel Nativity Scene Snowflake Cards Interesting Santa Various very nice pop up cards Weird sort of Santa thing Flying Santa Thanks to Arturo Palacios and others for these links! Have fun everyone. I'm going to start with the nice pop up cards. I LOVE PAPERCRAFTS! Can you tell?

3D Paper Snowflake

3D Paper Snowflake

WikiHow has an awesome tutorial on making 3D snowflakes out of paper. They're super easy and so pretty! Kasey and I tried our hand at making one last night and it turned out so neat, if I do say so. Ours is huge compared to the one in the pictures from the Wiki site but we used regular 8.5" x 11" copy paper. Because of that paper, it's also kind of flimsy but this was just a test and we're going to make more using a stiffer paper. We're also going to make smaller ones and ones from colored paper.

Instructions from wikihow are here. Let me know how yours turns out.

Easy, Inexpensive Holiday Gifts

Brownie Mix in a Jar

Who doesn't love brownies? Nobody, that's who. That's why a brownie mix in a jar makes a great gift: it looks cool, it's easy and inexpensive to make, and it turns into brownies! I like to keep a couple of these on hand for "emergency" situations, like when someone gives you an unexpected gift and you want to look like you already planned something in return.

Basically, you layer all the dry ingredients in a jar, then add a tag explaining what wet ingredients (like eggs and oil) to add and how to finish the recipe. There are countless variations; this one comes from Allrecipes.com and includes pecans, which have no business in a brownie but can be replaced with chocolate chips or even coconut. In addition to the ingredients themselves, you'll need quart jars and tags for the baking instructions. Buy everything in bulk and you'll have enough lovingly homemade gifts for everyone on your list.

One final note: this doesn't have to be a regular old brownie mix. Search Allrecipes.com for "in a jar" and you'll find loads of brownie varieties as well as cookie recipes. Yet another variation: Family Fun's Hot Chocolate Cones, which rely on cone-shaped bags instead of jars. Whatever mouth-watering mix you choose, don't forget your favorite editors during this special season.

The Winter Emergency Car-Kit

Think of a friend or loved one stranded in the ditch while the snow continues to pile up. Not a pretty picture, is it? A homemade emergency kit not only helps ensure their safety, it also says you care.

Start with a large coffee can. Decorate it as you see fit, starting with blank or holiday paper wrapped around the outside. Now, fill it with the following:

• Rock salt, filling roughly half the can. If the car gets stuck in the snow, the salt will help give the tires some traction and, hopefully, get it unstuck.
• A few roadside flares.
• A couple granola bars (stranded people get hungry).
• A pair of stretchy knit gloves (which are very small until you pull them over your hands). Maybe a knit cap, too.
• A small flashlight and a pack of fresh batteries.
• A mini first-aid kit with bandages and aspirin.
• A small bottle of water. Yes, it may get frozen, but it's still worth having.
• A pocket-size book of Sudoku puzzles to pass the time waiting for the tow truck.
• A small, laminated sheet of emergency numbers, like AAA, towing services, etc.
• If you're really ambitious, add a compatible Energizer Energi To Go powerpack for the recipient's cell phone. Because the battery will invariably die the moment the car gets stuck.

Everything but the rock salt should go inside an oversized Ziplock bag to keep it from getting mixed in with the salt. All told, the kit shouldn't cost more than $10-15, unless you add the Energi To Go (which costs around $20).

Holiday Peppermint Bark

Spray a large cookie tray with non-stick spray and then line it with a piece of way paper. Take several large candy canes or a bag of peppermint candies and crush them into small pieces. (How much peppermint flavor you like should determine how many you chop up.)

On the stove, melt two bags of white chocolate chips at a low temperature. When melted, add most of the crushed peppermint and stir it in. Pour the mixture onto the cookie tray and spread over the tray until flat and even. Sprinkle the remaining peppermint pieces on top, pressing them in with a spatula.

Let it cool. Peel off wax paper and break into pieces. Enjoy!

Cocoa in a jar Layer the ingredients for homemade cocoa in a jar, add a ribbon and a tag, and you have a simple but stylish gift. Our mixes will fill 1-quart jars (12 servings; see below for sources), but if your containers are different sizes, just keep the ratio of ingredients constant. On the back of the tag, write: "Mix contents in a large bowl. For each serving, place 1/3 cup cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup boiling water. Store remaining mix in airtight container."
CLASSIC COCOA Layer 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup powdered milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows. Makes 1 quart mix or 12 servings hot cocoa. Per serving: 142 cal., 20% (29 cal.) from fat; 3.7 g protein; 3.2 g fat (1.9 g sat.); 30 g carbo (2.6 g fiber); 1 mg chol.		MEXICAN COCOA Layer 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup powdered milk, 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 3/4 cup chopped Mexican chocolate (such as Ibarra). Add a few cinnamon sticks to top of jar. Makes 1 quart mix or 12 servings hot cocoa. Per serving: 158 cal., 14% (22 cal.) from fat; 3.4 g protein; 2.4 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 33 g carbo (2.1 g fiber); 1 mg chol.
PEPPERMINT STICK COCOA Layer 1 cup powdered milk, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy. Makes 1 quart mix or 12 servings hot cocoa. Per serving: 172 cal., 17% (29 cal.) from fat; 3.7 g protein; 3.2 g fat (1.9 g sat.); 37 g carbo (2.6 g fiber); 1 mg chol.		MOCHA COCOA Layer 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup espresso powder, 1 cup powdered milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate or miniature chocolate chips. Makes 1 quart mix or 12 servings hot cocoa. Per serving: 141 cal., 23% (32 cal.) from fat; 4.1 g protein; 3.5 g fat (1.9 g sat.); 28 g carbo (2.3 g fiber); 1 mg chol.
Photos by David Prince
Sources: Vintage straight-sided Ball canning jar. Rounded 1-liter French canning jar from the Container Store (www.containerstore.com or 888/266-8246). Vintage metal-clip jar. Glass 1-quart cracker jar with aluminum screw-top lid from the Container Store.

Copyright 2004 Sunset Publishing Corporation

2006 T.O.Y. Awards

2006 T.O.Y. Awards

The Internet Tourbus deems this the "hands-down the best, most up-to-date toy buying guide around."

Click on the appropriate age group on the left side
of the page to see a list of the top three toys by category for that
age group.  There are two dozen award categories that cover both the
type of toy and the age group for which that toy was designed.
Click on the name of any of the award-winning toys and you are taken
to a page that shows you

- A picture of that particular toy;
- The toy's manufacturer and suggested US retail price;
- A one-paragraph description of what makes that toy so cool; and
- Either a telephone number you can call, or a link you can click,
  to locate a store in your area that carries that particular toy.

I've been riding the Tourbus for several years now and I gotta agree with them on this one. This list is great!

Monster Christmas Stockings

At $50-$60 a piece, I could live without them (or make them myself), but they sure are cute!

Merry Christmas to you and all of your little monsters, er, kids!

Leftovers and Goodbyes

Well, the holidays are upon us. I love this time of year. I love the family gatherings and having dinner, playing games, watching the Christmas specials on tv, just generally celebrating the spirit of family. There's something about this time of year that makes me feel so much closer to my family. We're a big one.....last count I think was 38 immediate family members in all. I'm so lucky and blessed to belong to such a big and wonderful tribe.

There's only one thing I hate about this time of year more than the traffic, the crowds at the stores and the nasty Merry Christmas versus Happy Holidays war.

It's the 'Scraps Debates' that happen after every meal. You know how it is....all the women are in the kitchen, Saran-Wrap flying everywhere, lid and bowl matching sessions in every corner, people are putting on coats, gathering their children, trying to get home before they pass out from all the overeating and you get stuck in the middle of the kitchen with.........
You want to take some of this turkey home with you? Why don't you take some of this pie home with you? You want to take some of these rolls home with you? Take this veggie tray with you and eat it later. You want to take some of this dressing home with you? You want to take....you gotta take.......you wanna......
Sounds like some sort of leftovers auction!

Because this scenario happens at every family gathering of a meal, it takes FOREVER to get out the door and get gone. I seriously dread saying goodbye. The mumble and rumble from the kitchen starts at that precise moment you say anything about heading home. The ripping of Saran Wrap starts up and if you don't quickly find your coat and grab the door handle to freedom, you're bombarded from all sides with a run-down of the days menu, just ready for you to take home.
I understand why some people appreciate leftovers while others won't touch them. I'm one of those that won't touch them, especially if it's any kind of meat. The flavors and textures are just lost when warming them in the microwave. And I can't eat a half of a bowl of cranberry sauce if I don't have all the other fixin's to go with it like the older generation can.
Because, you know, it's the older generations that instigate this behavior. They'll save every last scrape of foodstuff from a dish and make a meal of it later. Literally, I've seen two spoonfuls of corn saved in a butter dish before. I don't know if they think we're still in a depression or what.

I don't mind taking back the leftovers of the dishes that I brought, but if I wanted to take a bunch of other peoples leftovers home too, I would have brought my own set of butter dishes. I don't want to take all that crap home. I just want to get my dishes, get my coat, give my love and get in the car. I don't want your leftovers! Stop trying to pawn all this food off onto me!
You're giving me a headache.

Holiday Cookie Ideas

Postcard Christmas Card Cookies
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31961,00.html

Swedish Christmas Cookies
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_28988,00.html

Thimble Cookies
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_25050,00.html

Platinum Blondies
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_25045,00.html

3D Cookie Cutters

http://tinyurl.com/ybshk3

Railway Cake Pan

That is so dang cute it makes my head hurt. Check out the rock candy smoke!

http://tinyurl.com/uut6h