Things To Do At Christmas

November 18, 2015 / como / 0 Comments

Christmas is one of the few times when families are likely to get together, so ensuring that everyone has a great time is crucial. In some cases you may need to plan activities that will help to keep everyone amused throughout the festive season and the internet is a great place to look for things to do. In this article we look at the top 10 Christmas activities worth considering using when you have family and friends over this year.

1 When it comes to decorating the home ready for Christmas then why not get the whole family involved. You could even ask the children to make some special decorations themselves for hanging on the tree or around the home this year. If you are stuck for ideas then the internet is a great source for arts and crafts.

2. As on Christmas day you will be very busy in the morning preparing the food for lunch, why not prepare something the day before getting your children to assist you. You could even ask them to make some gingerbread items that can then be used as decorations on the tree or which can be used as snacks whilst waiting for Christmas dinner to arrive. But dont allow them to eat too many else they wont want the wonderful dinner you have prepared.

3. There is a great game that you can play on Christmas day that all your family and friends can participate in and that is Remember That Carol. What happens is that each person will take it in turns to announce what carol it is they are going to sing and then sing one verse of it. This is a suitable game for all to play when travelling in the car as well over the Christmas period.

4. Another great game that you can play with family and friends is charades. But this time rather than just being on any theme you base it around Christmas. So it may be a certain Christmas song that others may have to guess that the person is acting out or it could be in relation to a decoration or even an animal associated with Christmas.

5. If you want to help the younger children in your family wind down on Christmas day or even on the days leading up to it then spend 5 minutes each night reading them a special Christmas story. It is crucial that you let your children decide what stories it is they want read to them each night. Plus every year why not purchase some new books that you can read to them that year as well as the ones they already have.

6. Sometimes families like to open one present on Christmas Eve and if you want to make it a little more memorable make it in to a treasure hunt. You will need to prepare everything in advance and make sure that you give them simple easy clues to follow which they can solve and will lead them to where their gift has been placed. If you find you have not got enough time to actually spend on coming up with your own clues the internet is a wonderful source for getting some very inexpensive ones readymade that you can print off and use.

7. Another activity you may find fun is actually taking a wonder round your neighbourhood one evening to see how other people have decorated their homes. Some people spend weeks before Christmas decorating their homes, not just inside but out so that everyone else can enjoy the festive season. In some cases there may be a charity box left outside where you can make a donation and the money raised is given to a local good cause.

8. Another thing you can do to help make your family Christmas special is for the whole family to learn about where they came from. Through this you and your family can learn about the ways your family use to celebrate Christmas in the past and maybe incorporate some of the activities they use to enjoy into your own. There are plenty of places online as well as speaking with others relatives that can help you to find out just what sort of Christmas your ancestors would have led.

9. Another activity that you could consider doing that you may not have done before and especially if you have young children is to go see a pantomime. Often these take place a few weeks before Christmas and will certainly help you and the rest of the family get into the swing of things.

10. One final activity that you should consider incorporating into your own familys Christmas festivities is to make a big thing about turning the Christmas tree lights on. Spend the whole day with your family putting the tree up and decorating it then at the end of the day you then gather together and count down to the moment when someone flicks the switch and the lights come on. Why not make it a special event for someone in your family each year as towns and shopping malls do when they get some celebrity in to turn on theirs.

Above we have offered our top 10 Christmas activities which could help to make this festive season for your family and friends special. Certainly the more involved everyone is in this special event then the more enjoyable the time will be and of course you wont be so stressed out.

When You Are Still Single In Your Thirties

September 7, 2015 / como / 0 Comments

Desiree, 34, a freelance interior decorator and a Martha Stewart fanatic, goes on a trip every holiday season to visit her parents in Bedford, Indiana. She usually arrives a week before Christmas Eve. Holidays were supposed to be happy events, but not for Desiree. She dreaded the holiday season which means she has to face the questions again from her own parents and relatives. Family reunions makes her feel so uncomfortable because everyone from her teenage niece to an assortment of cousins are already “taken.” That time of the year, she always found herself on the spot for being the only single person in family.

It doesn’t help to see your own father in the corner looking at you, as if he was asking: “What is wrong with you?” Your mother also pretends not to hear the most frequently asked question in the house whenever you have guests: “Is your daughter married?”

Single and unattached…biological clock ticking. This is the dilemma faced by Desiree and the exact source of all her stress and anxiety.

After the holidays, she always ends up with the conclusion that there is no room for a single white female in a family that expects all women to be married; and no room in her circle of friends who all have their own boyfriends and flings. People around her, she concluded, looked at her as someone who kissed dating goodbye.

Yes, there are many Desirees out there waiting for their “someone” to come along. But are they waiting in vain?

Career women, once they realize they are not getting any younger, immediately panic and think that they have already been left behind in the game of love. Once they realize that they too yearn for the comforts of a loving relationship, career women begin to take more time for social interaction… hoping to meet someone who could free them from the Single Life. Women, mostly in their thirties, have already realized that “singlehood” has already lost its novelty.

But its not just the single women who feel this way. Even single parents like Terry, a thirty-something attractive chef and mother of twins also miss the security and warmth of being in a relationship. Life is tough for her especially since her twin boys miss their father so much.

But there is always hope for the single and separated.

There is no need to sulk because you are in a “single” situation. At this time in your life, it is good to consider the following recommendations:

lLove yourself – Take care of your well being. Pamper yourself. It needs not to be expensive-a trip to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant will do the trick. keep yourself busy like doing volunteer work that way you won’t be staying home always and feeling sorry for yourself. Another depression stopper is listening to music. Listen to soothing music like jazz and bossa nova accompanied by a bottle of red wine.

lShopping Therapy- Women finds it therapeutic when shopping. It sounds superficial but even in a low budget. You can get “high” canvassing for fashionable clothes and accessories. Don’t forget that beautiful pair of red shoes.

lStop, Look, Listen – Don’t think you have to join the “race” to find the perfect man. Chances are you’re Prince Charming might be found in an unlikely places and probably and caught in between your unguarded moment when you don’t look at your best. Don’t try so hard to be with anyone, you’ll just end up being disappointed.

lBe with other single women- Just think how “Sex in the City” becomes a hit t.v series. There is something “magical” when you are surrounded by your well meaning single friends. You can get together and have some fun like watching movies or invited them over to your house and eat a home cooked meal and laugh your way out from being all alone.

lDon’t get in touch with your ex- resist the urge even if you get pressured from family and friends from time to time. Getting back at your ex because you can’t stand being alone especially during holidays is one pathetic move.

lAcceptance – Being bitter and resentful only adds to your stress and anxiety. Being angry about being along, finding the wrong man or being separated won’t helped but only add fuel to the fire. Enjoy what you have, no matter how little you have. Accept that being single might have some advantages and purpose. We just get caught up with what other people say. Get a grip…being single shouldn’t be “the end of the world.”

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