RECIPES
Curried Potato Salad
Ingredients:
1 kg potatoes, diced
1 med onion, finely chopped
salt & pepper
Dressing:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
? cup sour cream
2 tsp curry powder
Directions:
Cook potatoes until just tender, cool. Add onion & salt & pepper
and gently fold in dressing which has been mixed together.
Recipe courtesy of All Holiday Recipes.
For more creative and interesting Christmas recipes, visit
http://www.allholidayrecipes.com/christmas/
DECORATING
Fairytale Christmas Tree Themes
Uniquely themed trees that break from tradition have grown in
popularity the past few years. They are a fabulous way to bring a
touch of whimsy to holiday celebrations.
Gingerbread Dreams
Red glass balls, loads of candy canes, red velvet bows,
snowflakes, and gingerbread man cookies or dough ornaments, accent
it with white bead garland or icicle-look garland. Top it with a
Christmas themed stuffed white teddy bear, these can often be
found at the goodwill or thrift shop.
The Secret Garden
This is a great theme to use if you are really into gardening.
natural raffia, dried hydrangeas, fresh salal or ivy (it will dry
naturally in the tree), flower seed packets (glue a bit of ribbon
on the back to use as a tie), gardening shovels and tools can be
tied with a raffia bow, and your tree skirt can be made
inexpensively out of gardening burlap. To give an old world effect
look for old fashioned skeleton key ornaments or find the real
thing at a thrift or key shop and tie on with fabric ribbon. Your
topper can be a gathering of branches accented with a bird nest
and some forest birds. Branches and birds can also be used
throughout the tree. The tree shown featured acrylic "crystal"
look hummingbird ornaments that were hung to look as if they were
drinking nectar from the hydrangeas.
Snowman Spectacle
Unique but traditional this theme celebrates the popularity of
snowmen this season. It features rustic snowmen with gold accents
to give it some glamour. To tie in with the gold we have added
gold and white patterned ribbon, gold bead garland and matte gold
balls. Snowflakes add texture and continue the winter look.
Article by Julie Ann Bennett
SHOPPING
Seven Tips for Safer Holiday Shopping
Shoppers will soon be on the move through crowded stores and
malls as the Holiday Season approaches. Teeming crowds provide the
perfect opportunity for thieves who prey on harried and distracted
shoppers. To avoid becoming their victim:
1. Keep cash out of sight. After you pay for a purchase in a store,
return
bills to your wallet and close your purse before you turn around and
leave the cash register.
2. Keep purses and shopping bags in view or where you can easily
touch them when you stop for lunch. Thieves commonly work busy
restaurants waiting for unsuspecting diners to place items on or
beside chairs or under tables where they can be snatched without
anyone seeing.
3. Avoid draping the straps of your purse or tote bag over the
corner of a chair in restaurants or other public places. They can
easily be lifted off
without your notice by anyone passing by.
4. Be careful in public restrooms. Place purses or packages between
your
feet when using the toilet. Items placed on inside hooks or near the
door
are too easy to grab by someone reaching under or over the door.
5. Consolidate your purchases and keep your hands as free as you can
before you head for your car. Being encumbered by unwieldy packages
diverts your attention and makes it difficult for you to get in your
car in a hurry.
6. Have your keys or electronic door opener in your hand as you walk
toward your car. This will enable you to get in quickly and
eliminate time wasted fumbling in your purse or pocket. Criminals
count on the element of surprise. Anyone who is unable to get in the
car quickly is an easy target.
7. Look around you while you are loading packages into your car or
trunk. Turning your back makes it easy for a thief to sneak up on
you unseen.
Judith Albright is the author of How to Stay Safe and Trouble
Free Wherever You Travel, 404 ways to Protect Yourself and Prevent
Problems Anywhere in the World. Available online at:
http://www.booklocker.com/books/1390.html
CLASSIFIED ADS
Christmas
Tree Decorating
Christmas Tree decorating ideas, photos, themes, poems, clipart
and downloads.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Easy Christmas Decorating
If you are looking for some fresh ideas to decorate your home inside
out this season,
check out our creative Christmas decorating ideas for mantles,
centerpieces, doors,
outdoors, walls, tables and more.
----------------------------------------------------------------
