It's Never Too Late To Live Happily Every After

After Christmas Sales

After Christmas sales can be a great way to save money on things you would buy anyway, without paying full price.

If you want to get some great deals but you also want a lot of selection, you'll want to show up in the store pretty early on December 26th. You can get deeper discounts if you wait several days or a week for the stores to mark items all the way down to 75% off. The down side of waiting is that the item you want may be gone if you wait too long.

You can often find good buys at grocery and drug stores a week or two after Christmas because there's not as much demand for after Christmas items in those stores.

Here are some of the things to consider as you visit after Christmas sales:

Buy new Christmas decorations for next year.

Buy "Baby's First Christmas" items (pajamas, bibs, ornaments, etc.) for those friends and relatives expecting babies in the next year.

Purchase holiday craft items. Christmas ribbons, needlework, and other craft supplies are often marked down to 75% off. Get started on those projects and get them done early. Don't forget to get enough red ribbon and craft supplies for Valentines day.

Buy Christmas chocolate to freeze for year-round baking.

Christmas isn't just red and green any more. You can get every color under the rainbow now. If you are decorating a room or having a special party, such as an anniversary you can purchase your supplies for 75% off.

Purchase gifts for next Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day and teachers' gifts.

If you have a wedding coming up, look for decorations with your wedding colors after Christmas.

You can also get tablecloths and napkins for your household on clearance after Christmas. You can buy these at up to 75% off and use them every day.

Look for wrapping paper for other occasions. Stores have colored and white tissue paper and wrapping paper that isn't necessarily just for Christmas. You can also buy Christmas paper for next to nothing after Christmas and save it for next Christmas.

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o' kindness yet
for auld lang syne.

And here's my hand my trusty frien',
and gie's a hand o' thine;
we'll take a right gude-willi waught
for days of auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o' kindness yet
for auld lang syne.

CHRISTMAS CARDS

Great Green Goods Christmas Cards
http://www.greatgreengoods.com/category/holiday-cards/
Christmas Cards Hobbycraft Handcrafted Christmas cards

http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/xmas06/xmas_cards.htm
Card Making @ Circle of Crafters.com

http://www.cardmaking.circleofcrafters.com/christmas.html
Card Inspirations
http://www.cardinspirations-usa.com/demo/demo10.htm
My Craft Book Christmas Cards
http://www.mycraftbook.com/List.asp?subcategoryID=14
Iris Folding Christmas Cards http://www.irisfolding.circleofcrafters.com/christmas.html
Handcrafted Greetings Christmas Cards http://www.cardsandcrafts.freeservers.com/embrinst.html
Stitching Cards Free Holy Wreath Pattern
http://www.stitchingcards.com/product.php?xProd=102&xSec=5
Card Making Ideas and Verses
http://www.cardmaking.info/58428.html
Punch Art Christmas http://www.fabulousfoods.com/crafts/paper/cards/xmas/treepunchxmas.html

GIFT GIVING

50 Great Green Gifts
http://www.crafty-moms.com/gift_giving.shtml
Five Christmas Gift Baskets You can put together

Holiday Gifts to Charity

FirstGiving.com is a Web site that allows you to select a recipient charity and then set up a giving page where friends and loved ones can donate to your cause, in lieu of purchasing gifts. The FirstGiving.com site is good for birthdays, anniversaries, as well as the holidays, and can also be used in memory of someone or to fundraise in connection with a sporting event or personal goal.
Altgifts.org is the creative gift-giving Web site of Alternative Gifts International, which helps you divert your holiday giving dollars to someone in need in all parts of the world. For example, for the price of an iPod you can purchase supplies for a hospital in North Korea, or for the price of a video game you can purchase a wheelchair for someone in Cambodia. Altgifts.org provides an entire online catalog of creative giving options.
NetworkforGood.org makes it easy to give to any nonprofit you like – or several all at once. They keep track of your donations and provide all the tax information you need.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

1st Day - Donate toys to the U.S. Marines' Toys for Tots Program in your community.
2nd Day - Send a Care Package to a soldier or student.
3rd Day - Go caroling at Assisted Living Homes.
4th Day - Take blankets, quilts, coats, socks, gloves etc. to homeless shelters.
5th Day - Show random acts of kindness to the homeless who are on the streets.
6th Day - Invite friends whose families are out of the area to your family's Christmas dinner.
7th Day - Attend a church service, especially if you haven't done so in a long time.
8th Day - Visit Pediatrics, Oncology, and Surgical floors of your local hospital(s).
9th Day - Order a Christmas dinner from a restaurant and deliver it to a needy family.
10th Day - Make a donation to a charity such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army.
11th Day - Deliver food and other nonperishable items to your local food bank(s).
12th Day - Send a Christmas card to someone saying they're forgiven or seeking their forgiveness.
Have a Merry Christmas and remember to pray for Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all men!

Helpful Hints for all Holidays

Living on a Dime Helpful Holiday Hints for all Holidays http://www.livingonadime.com/holiday-articles.htm

HOW MANY DAYS?

THE CRAFTY CHRISTMAS


Decorating and Project Ideas

Christmas Items
Craft Ideas and Projects for Busy Moms
Craft Site Directory Christmas Crafts
Craftbits Christmas Crafts
Christmas Craft Creations Free Projects
Freebies from EZ Craft Show
Christmas Place mats and runner to sew
Believe Magnet in Plastic Canvas
Silver Bells Wreath
Candy Cane Potholder Knitted
Wood Scrap Snowmen
Snow Folks made from mittens
Make Earth Friendly Gift Wrap

Wrap Up Your Holiday for Free


Shirt Boxes: If you purchase clothes as a gift this year, remember that during the holidays many department stores offer at least one free box with your purchase. Decorate the box with existing pens, pencils, stencils, glitter, or paint you already have on hand. Use holiday pictures from magazines or newspapers and glue them in a collage around the box or feature just one on the top lid. You can also use duplicates or scanned copies of old family photos for decorating the box to give it a more personal touch.
Paper Bags: Gift bags are always popular, so why not decorate your own? On paper sacks use pens, paint or glitter you already have on hand and either staple or tape the bag closed to hide the contents.
Aluminum Foil: Chances are you already have this in your kitchen cupboard. In a pinch, it will make elegant gift wrapping.
Newspapers: This is an old stand by that works all year round. Use the comics, the sports section, the arts and entertainment section, etc. The newspaper also makes great lettering for gift cards. Just cut letters and holiday pictures from the paper and arrange on solid colored paper you already have on hand or recycle envelopes from opened mail by cutting out squares to make "To" and "From" labels.
Yarn: Chances are you have a few skeins hidden in a closet somewhere that can be used for wrapping. Use it for tying up the other packaging ideas listed here or as a wrapping paper alternative. When using it as packaging, wrap the yarn all around the item until it is completely covered and then tie off. You can even embellish the yarn with beads or feathers if you have these items left over from previous craft projects.
Calendars: The year is almost over, so put that old calendar to good use and recycle the pictures from the calendar for wrapping paper. You can also cut the calendar pictures into squares and add a smaller square of white or solid colored paper on top to create unique gift tags or thank you notes.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE


Most popular Christmas Trees
Tips for Selecting a Christmas Tree

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS


Nativity Christmas Ornaments Plastic Canvas http://www.aokcorral.com/projects/how2nov2006.html
Reused Ornaments and Decorations for the Holidays http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art25814.asp
Holiday Ornaments from around the world http://www.indigoarts.com/store3_ornament1.html
Ornaments and Suncatchers made from recycled Christmas trees http://www.ctstore.com/kensanta.html
PA Dept of Environmental Protection Recycled Christmas Ornaments http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/Recycle/Tree/Details2.html

CHRISTMAS FOOD


CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Christmas Traditions

AN ORGANIZED CHRISTMAS?

You Are Comet
A total daredevil, you're the reindeer with an edge!
Why You're Naughty: You almost gave Santa a heart attack when you took him sky diving
Why You're Nice: You always make sure the sleigh is going warp speed

My Birthday is when?

Free Software Every Day

Giveaway of the Day

For Gardener's - Websites of Interest

Backyard Gardener http://www.backyardgardener.com/index.html Organic Gardening http://www.organicgardening.com/ ******** You Grow Girl http://www.yougrowgirl.com/ ******************** 10 Ways to Get Free Plants for Your Garden http://www.pfadvice.com/2007/02/14/10-ways-to-get-free-plants-for-your-garden/ ***************************************** Average U.S. First and Last Frost Dates http://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/index.html **************** Avant Gardening http://www.avant-gardening.com/ ********** Feeding Plants: Compost http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/feature/organic_gardening/13-1.html%20/%20Feeding_Plants:_Compost Free Bird House Plans and Bird Feeder Plans http://www.craftybirds.com *********************************** Earthly Pursuits http://www.earthlypursuits.com/Links.htm Gardening crafts site http://home.att.net/~DLeddy/garden.html Growing Wildflowers and Native Plants http://gardening.about.com/od/wildflowergardens/qt/NativeWildflowe.htm************************************************** Make your own seed starting pots http://frugal.families.com/blog/frugal-gardening-make-your-own-seed-starting-pots ******************************************* Organic Gardening http://supak.com/organic_gardening/organic_gardening_links.htm Organic and Natural Gardening site http://homeharvest.com/insectdusts.htm ******************** Organic Garden Tip Links http://www.organicgardentips.com/links.html ***************** Passive Solar Greenhouse http://www.passivesolargreenhouse.com/ Plant Bed Heating http://www.jc-solarhomes.com/pb/plantbedheating.htm ********************** Ten Best Garden Crops for Beginners http://www.motherearthliving.com/issues/motherearthliving/organic_gardening/Start-A-Garden_222-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS ******** Top Organic Blog Sites http://www.blogtopsites.com/tag/organic+gardening ********** Using Wire Mesh in the Garden http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2002-06-01/Using-Wire-Mesh.aspx ************************************ Webring for organic gardening http://t.webring.com/hub?ring=organic
'Every one of us can do something to protect and care for our planet.We should live in a way that makes a future possible.'- Thich Nhat Hanh

Sites for Greener Living

awesome greenbuildng articles here... http://www.theownerbuilder.com.au/bisample.htm ********** Find an Energy-Saving Lightbulb http://www.environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID=632&campaign=mts ********************************* Solar Cooking funnel http://solarcooking .org/plans/ funnel.htm Solar Roofs http://www.solarroofs.com/ ********************* What do I do With This? - A green resource for companies that have extra supplies or need supplies http://www.whatdoidowiththis.com/ Lumber Liquidator$ http://www.lumberliquidators.com/home.jsp Haute Trash http://www.hautetrash.org/ ********************** The RE Store http://www.re-store.org/links.htm **************** Do It Yourself Woodworking Projects on DIY Networks http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/woodworking ***************** Do It Yourself Home Improvement Projects on DIY Networks http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/home_improvement ********** Complete Woodworker Projects http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/pac_ctnt/text/0,2019,DIY_14161_14222,00.html ********************************************** DIY Woodworking Video Channel http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,2829,DIY_24936_55027,00.html ********************************* Iceless “Ice Box” http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/04/17/iceless-ice-box-lowered-in-ground-keeps-the-food-cool/ ************************************************************ The Thrift Shopper.com http://www.thethriftshopper.com/ ****** 25 Gadgets that Actually Save Money http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/19/25-gadgets-that-actually-save-money/ *************************************** Gigantic List of Tips on How to Save the Environment http://thegoodhuman.blogspot.com/2007/01/gigantic-list-of-tips-on-how-to-save.html *************************************** Swap Ace (Get and Give stuff for free, recycle http://fc.swapace.com/ ************************************* 25 ways to save money http://www.frugalforlife.blogspot.com/2006/09/25-ways-i-save-money.html ************************************************ Many uses for http://www.frugalforlife.blogspot.com/2005/12/many-uses-for-series.html ************************************************* Sewer Pipe Wind Generator http://www.velacreations.com/chispito.html

Interesting Websites

The 25 Most Useful Sites on the Internet http://www.aiapvc.org/25mostuseful.htm ******************** Cheap Tee Shirts http://www.cheapestees.com/ *************** Jungle Crazy All the best Amazon deals in one place http://www.junglecrazy.com/ ******************************** The Virtual Dog Diagram for Finding Your Pets Problem http://www.pethealth101.com/virtual_pets/virtual_dog.shtml Grieving the Death of your pet http://www.bellaonline.com:80/articles/art48587.asp/zzz ******** Drying Food with the Sun http://www.countrysidemag.com/ How to make your own kettle corn http://www.aliciakachmar.com/blog/life/homemade-kettle-corn-cheap-and-easy/ ********************************************************* How To MakeVinegar http://www.countrysidemag.com/ Make Your Own Watercolor Paints http://kidscrafts. Anti-virus program for free http://www.Avast.com *************** Must be a Dream Quotes http://mustbeadream.info/zjwv ********** Free Clipart Image Resizer http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48647.asp/zzz ********** Free Fonts http://creamundo.com/index.php?lang=en ******** Print your own graph paper as well as other types of printed paper http://www.incompetech.com/graphpaper/ ******************** Women in Balance http://womeninbalance.org/ ********** Snoopy.com http://www.comics.com/webmail/ViewStrip?key=53796226-3014fcae89-FF

Hoax or Not

There are many stories going around the internet that are not true. These take in a variety of different subjects. Here are 4 great places to check them out: ************************************* http://hoaxbusters. ************************** http://www.snopes. ***************************** http://www.vmyths. **************************** http://truthorfiction.com/

My Granddog, Duke
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