Christmas is coming, us “poor souls” that work have the good fortune to have a
longer break this year, as Christmas day falls on the Monday. The local people’s
celebration is a family occasion spending one day with each side of the family.
With epiphany, the Three Kings day, on the 6 January being the traditional time
for present giving. With a harder sell of a commercial Christmas similar to
Northern Europe local parents are under pressure to recognise Santa Claus or
more to the point present giving on the 25th.

Five year ago I was invited into a Catalan home on Christmas Eve to see how the
children celebrate La Caga Tió. A hollow log about half a metre long, typically
propped up on little stick legs. From December 8th, he is given something to
“eat” every night. He is also covered with a little blanket so that he will not
be cold at night. On Christmas Eve he is beaten with a stick as the child sings
a special song to make him drop the sweets or little gifts placed inside him. I
sang the words without understanding them!!!

caga tió caga turró, avellanes i mató, si no cagues be, et dare un cop de
bastó. caga tió!”

Shit, log, shit toffees, hazelnuts and cheese, if you don’t shit well. I’ll
give you a blow with a stick. Shit, log!

A Catalan colleague asked me about “pruna postre” it took me a few minutes to
recognise what he was referring to, but once described as a black round pudding
served at Christmas yes it’s a plum pudding. He had been given one years before,
he wanted to buy one, not easy in Tortosa. Each October I make three, one for
him as a gift, one for Christmas day and one to hide for later. Like most of us,
I never have room to eat any with so much rich Christmas food on the day. So I
serve one on Epiphany.

Chasing about to find the ingredients is a task, but the smell of the fruit
cooking brings back such lovely childhood memories of helping Mum prepare the
nuts and fruit. Finally getting to stir the pudding, a wish made but kept
secret. How she managed to get a silver sixpence hidden only in the children’s
slice was a mystery. All the adults would look for theirs but only we had them!
As I grew up I figured not getting a coin was a sign of this, I watched her slip
the coins under the pud for the younger family members. We bring our children up
to be honest but deceive them to believe in Father Christmas, the tooth fairy,
and many other notional characters, a lesson in double standards?? Watching the
magic of Christmas through a young child’s eyes is so beautiful it has to be
forgiven!.

Then, as with the last four years I will get the call a few days before
Christmas from clients that are here for Christmas and wish to look at
properties. So difficult to arrange at this time I try to explain that owners
often will not welcome this intrusion. Then their questions on shop opening
hours confirm that they plan to fly in on Christmas Eve and leave on 27
December. I gently point out that they should expect a quiet time at Nadal and
that a trip to view property arranged later would be wise. Last year one
response to this was “I am spending a lot of money to fly out to you” All my
strength was used not to respond with “did I invite you to spend Christmas with
me?” Sorry but my goodwill to mankind can become a bit thin with this kind of
attitude. I wish to celebrate Christmas with a couple of days off, just like
they have. The next call I got from them was the Wednesday before Easter you
can guess the days booked for that trip!

I adore Christmas time here, shopping for appropriate gifts for family and
friends in the evenings running up to Christmas is fun. Here it is still less
commercialised in a spend spend spend philosophy world. Given with thought and
love not a bank roll! We made it a rule that it is a little gift, not expensive,
just a token than we care.

Bon Nadal Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year

Helen Rowe is the Overseas Marketing and Sales Consultant for Immobiliaria Rieres, Tortosa, Spain.

http://www.realitypropertyspain.com

http://www.rieres.com

Holidays are meant to be fun, thrilling, enjoyable and something that you would look forward to. It’s meant to be a time to relax, get together and time to catch up with friends and families. It’s a time for you to take a break from your routine work.

However, sad to say, not everyone would feel the same and holidays can be a period where some people will dread its arrival, hoping that they would never have to go through it at all.

These people are suffering from what we called “Holiday Stress”. What exactly is holiday stress and what are the leading causes of this stress?

Holiday stress is a result of anxiety in a heightened state. This anxiety may be caused by financial instability, busy shopping schedules, high workload, relationship, physical demands or family stress.

As you are aware, holidays usually come with lots of preparations to make. There’s the cleaning and decorating to do, friends and relative to invite, food menus to plan, gifts to buy and wrap, children to take care of etc. As such, apart from of all the fun and enjoyment that we may be expecting, holidays can be also be a particularly stressful time for us as well.

Wondering if you are suffering from holiday stress? Here is a stress questionnaire that will help you find out. Simply answer “yes” or “no” to these questions:

1. Do you feel exhausted such that the holiday gathering don’t even sounds like much fun to you?

2. Do you worry that your holiday plans will not be good enough for your guests?

3. Do you feel that you are the only one doing all the preparation and planning, and everyone and everything seems to be dependent on you?

4. Do you find difficulty in enjoying the spirit of the holiday season?

5. Are you getting more forgetful, discombobulated, resentful and irritable during the holiday seasons?

6. Are you secretly wishing that it would be all over soon and that you can get on with your routine life?

If you are answering “yes” to 2 or more of the above questions in the list, then, you may very well be suffering from holiday stress! If that’s so, it’s time to take some actions in coping with holiday stress before it overwhelms you.

Be sure to read Part 2 of this article which provide you with Tips For Stress Relief For The Holidays.

Lynette has written numerous articles and research papers on stress management. Check out Part 2 of this article to get Tips For Stress Relief for the Holidays and learn more about other Types of Stress” which may affect you in your daily life.

When you are a busy business executive, you tend to spend a lot of time traveling. Perhaps you need a face-to-face meeting with an important client to close a big deal. Regardless of the reasons, your time is better spent working rather than getting mired in the details of travel, which is why you opt to use a charter jet whenever feasible. People like jet charter because of the convenience, comfort, time savings and safety this method of travel offers the executive.

Renting a jet is convenient for a businessperson. All you need to do is make one phone call, and you can have a personal concierge deal with reserving the flight, all the details concerning your requirements before boarding, while in flight, and unboarding, so that all aspects of your trip will receive the attention they deserve and nothing will be left to chance.

Your comfort is a high priority when it comes to chartering a flight. You can select any five-star cuisine that you prefer, and it will be ready when you are. If you have particular dietary requirements for any reason, those requests will be honored in style. Religious reasons for food choices can also be accommodated with ease. Your preferences for exactly the liquors you enjoy can be ready and waiting for you when you choose to charter a jet. Perhaps you wish to be ready for a big meeting at the end of your flight, and what you need to do is relax while traveling. You could have a massage, or get your hair done all in the comfort of your own private jet.

One big reason busy executives choose air charter flights is due to the amount of time they can save compared with taking a commercial flight. Let’s face it, by the time you arrive at the airport and find a parking spot, then travel up to the terminal, wait in lines for security clearance and checking in, you’ve wasted several hours before you even get on the commercial plane and take the flight. Flight charters remove all these hassles. You arrive, and your personal flight attendant escorts you to your personal plane. That’s how easy it is.

Another important reason why using a charter air jet makes sense is safety. When you are flying on a private jet, you fly with whom you want. All personnel, both in-flight and on the ground, have been screened by the strictest standards. As well, all aircraft ready at your disposal have been approved by the stringent guidelines set by ARG/US, Wyvern, NATA and NATA First, to ensure your protection. These compelling reasons, as well as many others, are why charter jet flights are so popular.

Jonathan Blocker is an avid business and travel writer. He has been traveling on commercial airlines and air charters for several years. He has traveled millions of miles around the world using charter flights and jet charter services

On Mother’s Day, we take time to honor she who in many cultures for ages uncounted was known as the “Life-Giver.” The earliest clay figures made by man were depictions of the ideal mother. In prehistoric and early historical times - particularly in “tribal,” hunting-gathering societies in northern lands - anthropologists speculate that early humans, lacking knowledge of biology and other sciences, had not understood the connection between the sex act and pregnancy and childbirth. Therefore, a woman’s “getting power” - the ability to bring forth life - was seen as a very powerful sort of magic. Although we have no way of knowing what types of celebrations these early humans had, it is very likely that a woman would receive a very unique and important Mother’s Day gift on certain days.

Today, the science behind conception and childbirth is well understood, but that doesn’t make it any less miraculous. This understanding - and the tradition of presenting Mother’s Day gifts - is reflected in the fact that Mother’s Day, in some form, is celebrated all over the world in virtually every culture. Even more significantly, these observances have evolved independently, having almost nothing to do with the Mother’s Day celebrated in the U.S.

In Great Britain, for example, the holiday is known as Mothering Sunday. Unlike the American holiday, Mothering Sunday is generally observed in March, three weeks before Easter. This is also true in Ireland and Nigeria. In France, Sweden, Haiti and the Domincan Republic, Mother’s Day is usually observed on the first Sunday in May, unless that coincides with the religious holiday of Pentecost; in this case, it postponed until June.

In Korea and Albania, the day is celebrated on 8 May every year, but is actually called “Parent’s Day” and is an observance that honors fathers and well as mothers. No matter which country it is, Mother’s Day seems to be associated with spring, so it should come as no surprise that in South America, Mother’s Day is observed in October, where it is known as Dia de la Madre.

In some countries, Mother’s Day is connected with important women in high places. In Thailand, for example, Mother’s Day is currently observed on August 12th, which is the birthday of their beloved Queen, H.M. Sirikit Kitiyara. In many parts of the Muslim world including Iran, the observance also occurs during the boreal summer during the month of Jumada. ‘Al-thani, or “Women’s Day,” is the traditional date of the birth of Fatima Zahra, who was the daughter of the prophet Muhammad. The Sufi sect of Islam associates her with Mary, mother of Jesus, who is held in high esteem by many Muslims.

As humans, all of us have significant things in common that outweigh issues of culture, language and religious beliefs - not the least of which is that we are have a mother - and many will be honouring their mothers with Mother’s Day gift baskets, which can be as unique as the mother who receives it.

Anne Harvester is a homemaker extraordinaire with years of experience creating spectacular events and gifts. She supports GiftBasketsPlus.com for those in search of fantastic gift ideas.

When it comes to Halloween party, it is all fun. One of the most well liked events of Halloween is carving pumpkin. Before you buy or pick your Halloween pumpkin from the local pumpkin shop, you first need to plan the pumpkin design. You can as well take the easy way out and but readily available pumpkin patterns, or you could further design your own.

Buying good pumpkin

The pumpkin’s shape and size would decide what type of patterns and drawings you could use to it. If you are using pumpkin carving design then it is necessary to buy a pumpkin, which matches the stencil’s size and requirements. If you don’t plan on using a stencil then makes certain that your Halloween pumpkin is tall and huge enough for the sketchy design that you are carrying in your mind.

Look for a pumpkin that’s not excessively ripen. It needs to be in the right color orange and not have any squashy spots or bruises. Look for a strong stem and you should never, ever lift the pumpkin by the stem. Sturdy or not, it’s a small trip from “nice Halloween pumpkin” to splat.

Hold the pumpkin nicely and then smell it around the stem and top. If in case it smells very strong and “pumpkiny” then there is a possibility that it’s too ripe, pass it up and hunt for another. Thump the pumpkin and pay attention for a solid “thunk”. A void sound could be of bad news. Carry your Halloween pumpkin cautiously and move it home safely. A black-and-blue pumpkin rots very fast and may not make it during the Halloween season.

Preparing process

1. Cut a circle properly around the top of the pumpkin with no damage on the stem.

2. Remove the top stem and put aside.

3. Remove and throw away the pulp and seeds unless you would like to make Vampire Fingernail snacks for your Halloween party.

4. With a soft knife or same scraper, quietly scrape down the inside of the pumpkin to take away any moist flesh adhering to the sides. Be careful not to harm the wall of the pumpkin.

Next step is pumpkin stencil

1. Wipe the outside of the Halloween pumpkin so that it is empty of dust and any other foreign material. If you require wiping it down with a wet rag, permitting it to become methodically dry before moving on to the next step.

2. Tie the stencil to the side of the Halloween pumpkin, which you have selected to be the face. Tie the top left area first, then the top right, bottom left and only then bottom right. Bring the stencil out as you are tying the same.

3. Using an ice pick or a locate punch tool, slowly poke holes through the stencil and then into the pumpkin. Follow all the lines of the stencil cautiously. It’ is simply like playing connect-the-dots games.

4. Check cautiously to make certain that you have moved the whole pattern and then take away the stencil. Keep the stencil practical to refer to in case you get puzzled while cutting.

Tamil Selvi is a Copywriter of http://www.halloweenfantasy.com She written many articles in various topics such as sexy costumes, halloween party. For more information visit http://www.halloweenfantasy.com contact her at usharani.articles@gmail.com

While you decorate your home for the holidays, take the time to do the same careful trimming on your dollhouse as well. A dollhouse Christmas can bring warmth and life into your display, and you’ll almost be able to imagine the little people inside, enjoying the festivities. There are many ways to celebrate a dollhouse Christmas and add holiday spirit to your scene.

Every Christmas needs a tree, and your dollhouse is no different. You can create a miniature Christmas tree in your dollhouse parlor or living room. Many manufacturers offer conifer trees that would be used to landscape the exterior of your dollhouse, but you can certainly use these trees indoors as well. You can buy a miniature Christmas tree that comes already decorated for the festivities, or you can rise to the challenge of crafting a miniature Christmas tree yourself. Add decorations that resemble your own tree to bring your holiday spirit into your dollhouse.

Another way to get your dollhouse ready to celebrate the holidays is to create and then place, some packages to put underneath the tree. Additional decorating ideas include running some garland down a staircase banister and hanging greenery throughout the dollhouse. Any miniature decorations of Santa or other Christmas themes will also enhance the Christmas feel of your miniature house.

There are also many holiday decorating ideas that involve the outside of your dollhouse. Consider stringing some miniature lights around the eaves of the house and around the doorways. If you enjoy detail work, then you will really enjoy making a small wreath to hang on the front door of your dollhouse. It creates an even more dramatic effect if you can work some lights into the wreath. Also, when thinking about the exterior landscape, don’t forget about the aesthetic value of artificial snow. The addition of snow will complete the transformation of your traditional dollhouse into a winter wonderland.

You may find it fun to move the miniature people in your dollhouse outside at this time of year. Dress them in warm coats and scarves and create a scene that depicts them playing in the snow with the family dog or even sledding. Regardless of how you choose to set it up, the addition of some holiday flair to your dollhouse or miniature display will only serve to enhance the overall holiday decor of your home. See how much depth and character you can give to your display. Remember, don’t just stop at decorating a tree, Christmas is a holiday that affects the decor of the entire house, inside and out.

Learn more about the fascinating world of miniatures. Visit TheMagicalDollhouse.com today for a great selection of href="http://www.themagicaldollhouse.com/barbie-dollhouses.html">barbie doll house kits and dollhouse accessories from top miniature companies.

Everyone has a mother, and around the world, no matter which culture or geographic location, you can rest assured that some form of Mother’s Day will be celebrated. It is a well-known fact that more of us go out to eat at a restaurant on Mother’s Day than on any other holiday of the year. Every holiday has its food and customs, yet in the U.S. Mother’s Day has few customary traditions. Instead, you can be sure to give your mother a great Mother’s Day gift in the form of a festive celebration that focuses on all the things your Mother likes, in all its customized glory.

Food is always an important consideration in every celebration, and Mother’s Day is no exception. It is easy to make sure that you cover all bases when it comes to gift food for your mother when you present her with gourmet Mother’s Day gift baskets. You can be sure to select all the different types of special foods that she enjoys, and include a bit of everything in your customized gift basket. If she is a lover of sweets, then you might wish to add gourmet chocolates, candies, and baked goods. These items could consist of milk, dark or white chocolate truffles, or hand-dipped candies, whereas the baked items could start with decorated gourmet cookies and end with chocolate-dipped pretzels. On the other hand, your Mom may prefer the savory side of life. This is when glorious tastes such as imported gourmet caviar, capers, anchovies, olives, and cheeses might cause her mouth to water. A fine bottle of wine or champagne would be a fantastic finish to a thoughtful gift.

Another way to customize a celebration to what your Mother enjoys is through the use of color in decorations. If your celebration is meant to be a surprise, you might be able to determine your Mom’s favorite colors by the clothes she wears, or the color of flowers she grows in her garden, or even the paint colors she has used in her home. But likely she has told you what shades she likes at one time or another. Now is the time to use those hues to glorious effect, in terms of decorating the table for the celebration, the flowers you might select, and the colors of gift wraps and ribbons that she would most enjoy. It is easy to create a great impression when your gift basket not only includes items in her favorite colors, but the basket itself is wrapped in colorful sheer plastics, and tied with layers of ribbons in all the tones she gravitates toward. The final touch is to include a beautiful gift card to commemorate her happy day.

Anne Harvester is a homemaker extraordinaire with years of experience creating spectacular events and gifts. She supports GiftBasketsPlus.com for those in search of fantastic gift ideas.

If you want to Haunt your yard or a house this year for Halloween then you came to the right place. I have been designing Haunted Houses and Haunted Hay rides for the past 5 years. The Haunted Houses and Hay Rides I have designed have been for a Halloween Safe Party for a small City. I have learned what is effective and what is not.

First what you need is to set the mood. This could be easily done with the right music or sound effects, strobe lights, and a fog machine or two just to disorient the person. Once you have that, then comes the hard part. What I mean by hard part is making sure you don’t have to much clutter or dead spaces in you haunt. This will make your Haunt boring or overwhelming. You need to make sure that what you give the person(s) enough time absorb everything. You also need to make sure that you have good props and an actor or two. (Actors are not necessary but help with the unknown).

Decorate the area well enough to get your point across. To many things in a scene will make the want to stay longer. If you have not enough things in a scene the person just wants to move on and honestly is not very effective for a scare.

I have a web-site that sales Halloween Items all year long. I also have photographs from a Haunted House I did last year. Feel free to stop by and look at the pictures. Also if you have any questions or would like some help with ideas as to how to haunt your area, email me. I will be more than happy to assist in any way.

To link to my site below is an HTML code:

“JAIDS STORE= Halloween”

Last year I gave my wife a digital picture frame for Mother’s Day and I have been patting myself on the back for the decision ever since. For over a year and a half, my wife had been taking amazing pictures of our son with her digital camera as he went from being a newborn to a toddler. Each holiday, she would pick her favorite digital photo to print out and mail to our friends and family.

The problem was that all the other great digital photos she was taking were still stuck on her computer. When we would have visitors over, she would set up her computer to run a slide show for them - getting oohs and aahs for all the shots that they hadn’t seen in their holiday cards.

I really wanted her to have a chance to enjoy her digital pictures more easily and I also wanted to do something special for her for Mother’s Day, so I gave her a digital picture frame loaded up with about fifty of my favorite photos of her and our son. Of course she changed them so that she could see her favorite digital photos, but that is the beauty of a digital frame - it can always be updated with new photos and truly acts as a gift that keeps on giving.

The only issue I have now is that I can’t give her another digital frame for Mother’s Day this year.

To find out more about digital picture frames, including a profile describing each of the frame manufacturers, check out All Digital Frames. And for reviews of some of the most popular frames see Digital Media Stream.

The author, Corey Kirkwood, is involved with several online projects, including All Digital Frames and Digital Media Stream.

A honeymoon is neither a vacation, nor a ritual - it is something that makes a couple experience days of magic. It is something that prompts a couple to make up an imaginary universe of their own and escape into it for a few days. And that is why honeymoons must be planned at pristine spots that add to the romance and the cheer every newly wed feels. Beaches, because of their sands, sea and the tranquil and romantic atmosphere, are the preferred destination of many honeymooners.

Here is our pick of the top 5 honeymoon beaches in the world.

Matira Beach Raititi Point, Bora Bora, French Polynesia Regarded as one of the best honeymoon beaches in the world, the Matira Beach begins from the world famous resort, Hotel Bora Bora, and goes round the island. The scenic island lies in the middle of a lagoon with a coral reef protecting it. The sea is fabulous - very gentle and warm, the sands are white, the scenery is lush and the sunsets will make you swoon. Matira beach is just too perfect for a magical honeymoon.

Pink Beach Harbour Island, Bahamas The Pink Beach is so beautiful that it will leave you dazed after just one look! It is a small beach filled with pink, fine-grained sand and it is lined by swaying palms. The tropical grounds are scattered with a few cottages (just 25), which ensures that a honeymooning couple gets all the privacy they seek. For all honeymooners, Pink Beach offers a chic and relaxed experience.

Wailea Beach Muai Island, Hawaii Wailea beach provides honeymooners both with privacy as well as fun and frolic. Golden sand glitters on the beach, which, with its warm and gentle waters is perfect for swimming. The nearby waterfalls and the national park add the activity element that every honeymooner yearns for after a couple of days of honeymooning in solitude. The island is characterized by an upscale lifestyle and there are just so many things to see and do that it could make a perfect "metropolitan" honeymoon for any couple who want their solitude and yet do not want to miss out on urban life.

Anse Source d’Argent Seychelles Seychelles is a breathtaking, stunningly beautiful archipelago made up of 115 islands and Anse Source d’Argent is one of the exquisite beaches out there. Anse Source d’Argent is secluded and seems to be set in an untouched ecosystem. Pink sands and towering granite boulders dot the beach, which is sheltered by a reef and the calm and shallow waters in a gorgeous setting will make a couple feel they are in the Garden of Eden. The island of La Digue, where you have to stay, is classy and does not have any nightclubs, resorts or signs of any frantic activity. This beach is perfect for the couple who wants to get away from it all.

Promenade des Anglais Beach Nice, France If you’re looking for an extremely fashionable and stylish honeymoon, Promenade des Anglais is the place to be in. A promenade dotted with cafes is just a stone’s throw away from the tranquil waters of the Promenade des Anglais Beach, and a honeymooner can really go into raptures in this stylish, sleek, happy and very happening honeymoon beach.

Luca Robi is the owner and co-editor of HoneyMoonReplies.com.Visit us if you want to learn more about Honeymoon Beaches.