christmas – Page 3

Christmas Sight and Sounds

You can always count on the Christmas season for the great sights, the pretty sounds, and the delicious smells. Even though money is tight and my family doesn’t plan on doing too much shopping, we still like to jump in the car and head to the mall to take in the sights and smells of Christmas. We go to look at the great big tree with its ornaments that are bigger than basketballs! We walk by the bakery and the coffee house just to smell the pumpkin bread and the candy cane hot chocolate. We let the kids play in the free kid area where they have a clear view of Santa Claus, listening to their peers admit to their urgent Christmas wishes. My kids don’t want to sit on Santa’s lap, he is still too scary in person, and that is fine with me! That is one more dollar I need not spend!

And while I may browse by something I think I need, or that I think a loved one would love to find under the tree, I look to my children who are just amazed at all of the sights and I remember that Christmas isn’t just about the presents. On our way out of the mall, we stop to listen to a children’s choir sing our favorite holiday tunes. And still yet in the car we drive slowly so the kids can take in all of the Christmas lights in the neighborhood. Christmas is everywhere! I still have my loved ones in mind as we reach home, so I head to the computer and send them some Christmas ecards. Money spent on this fabulous day in December? None. Happiness gained on this fabulous day? Countless Amounts. Christmas is what you make it, so make it a good one

Remember the Mall Workers

Between early November and New Year’s, I work at the local shopping mall, as a way to draw in extra money for my own Christmas shopping. A lot has changed in the world of retail, between the time I worked in a mall full-time and now, when I do it just to make extra money, but one thing, at least, has remained the same: retail employees work their butts off, especially during the holiday season.

It may be easy, as a shopper, to vent your frustrations of the poor man or woman standing behind the cash register: you’ve spent all day at the mall; you waited for hours in different lines; you haven’t found half the gifts you need to purchase; and the cashier who accidentally gives you twenty-five cents less than you’re owed in change is an easy target. But something you should remember, is that the cashier himself is just trying to make it by, is just trying to make enough money that his family, his children, his friends, don’t have to suffer through a Christmas with no presents under the tree.

You don’t have to take small presents with you to the mall, and hand them out to all the cashiers you come across. You don’t even need to smile and wish them a happy holiday, if it’s too much work for you. All you really need to do is remember that they, like you, are people, just trying to make it through another Christmas shopping season.

Save with Free Christmas Ecards

Well, Black Friday is behind us now, and the Christmas shopping season is officially in started. Initial reports say there were 17% more holiday bargain-hunters this Black Friday than last, a number that’s surprising, considering the shoddy state of the economy. But what that 17% doesn’t factor in—and what many analysts have already pointed out—is that with the struggling economy, many people have been holding back on doing any holiday shopping until Black Friday.

In other words, just because a lot of people went shopping after Thanksgiving, that doesn’t mean all is well and rosy with the economy. The compulsion may be there to join the crowds, and run out to spend money you really don’t have, even knowing if you do, you’ll regret it later.

I’m not advocating burning your shopping lists this year; I’m not even saying you should pinch pennies in buying gifts for those closest to you—my little brother is getting his high-end telescope, no matter how long I’ll be paying down the credit card bill. What I am saying, though, is that you can—should—conserve money where you can. One easy and sensible way to do that is through gotfreecards.com, and their huge collection of free christmas e-cards. All you have to do is log on, pick your card, and enter the e-email address of the recipient. It’s that easy, and it doesn’t cost a dime.

So buy a telescope for your brother, or a diamond ring for your fiancé; but remember: you can, and should, save money where you can

Christmas Something Small for those who serve

This year, as the leaves begin to change color and fall from the trees; and as bare walls are covered first with Halloween decorations, then Thanksgiving decorations, and finally Christmas decorations, it’s important to remember the most important people in our lives, and let them know that we care about them, and that we are grateful for all that they do.

Many of us have friends or family members currently serving in the military—people we love who won’t be able to come home for Christmas. And though they defend our country and our livelihoods overseas without asking or expecting anything in return, that still doesn’t mean it would be anything less than a great idea to do something—anything—for them, to remind them that wherever they are this holiday season, we keep them in our hearts.

There are countless sites on the Internet, taking up collections for care packages—sites so numerous I won’t even bother listing some here. Other sites—like gotfreecards.com—give you the opportunity to send animated ecards to your loved ones overseas. You can even chip in some money at various sites to buy our servicemen and women phone cards, so that even if they can’t come home this holiday season, they can at least phone home.

They do so much for us, without asking anything in return. Let’s all do something for them—even if it’s something small.

Send Free Christmas Ecards Today!

Even when something as perfect as FREE CHRISTMAS ECARDS is readily available for everyone to use, there are still people who have some excuse not to use them. Here are the top 7 excuses people have for not using FREE ecards and an answer for each excuse:

Excuse #1) I want to write my own sentiment in the Christmas cards I send out this year.
Answer: You can add your own sentiments to every ecard at GotFreeCards.com.

Excuse #2) I want to be able to send pictures of my kids and the dog in my Christmas card.
Answer: This is also something you can do with each ecard!

Excuse #3) I don’t understand how to do it.
Answer: It’s easy! Just select the card you want to send, input the email addresses of the recipients, add your personal message, add any photos, and hit the send button!

Excuse #4) But I have all of these cute Christmas postage stamps to use.
Answer: Save them for something you HAVE to mail! No stamps needed at GotFreeCards.com!

Excuse #5) I want to send people something they can keep and show to their loved ones.
Answer: It will be on their computer! They can forward it to anyone they want to show!

Excuse #6) My grandma doesn’t have an email address to send it to.
Answer: GotFreeCards.com also has FREE printable cards that you can design yourself to print out and mail! Perfect for those Christmas stamps you’ve been saving.

Excuse #7) I don’t celebrate Christmas.
Answer: So send a holiday ecard, a thank you ecard, or any ecard you want! The choices are endless!

No more excuses! Send your free ecards today!

Commercial Christmas Commentary

Each holiday season, Americans are completely bombarded with advertising and sales promotions for millions of products. Toy commercials entice our children to beg for dolls and trains. Late-night infomercials convince us we need complete storage systems to hide away our extra belongings. In-store displays prompt last-minute purchases. And, in the frenzy of the holidays, the lists and the parties, we are often caught up by commercialism more than celebration.

It is a somewhat sad commentary on our society that we must constantly be reminded of the reason behind the season. However, this year’s economic crisis affords us a new opportunity to make changes in some of our holiday traditions. Our family, for example, has decided to forgo paper Christmas cards. We’ve gathered everyone’s email addresses, and have agreed that we will all use free e-cards from gotfreecards.com. This one step will save us the cost of the Christmas cards, as well as the astronomical cost of postage. E-cards also save precious storage space. After all, what are you supposed to do with a hundred Christmas cards? We also decided that this year, the youngsters will receive the bulk of the gifts. The adults will exchange only small tokens and stocking stuffers. It feels good to pull away from the frenzied spending habits of Christmases past. Instead of worrying how we’ll afford all those presents, we’re planning on enjoying the time we spend with one another. Happy Holidays!

Christma Take a Moment

As Thanksgiving comes, and quickly goes, we find that we barely have enough to catch our breath—let alone clean up the kitchen—before we start to fully realize that there’s less than a month left until Christmas.

Christmas is a wonderful holiday, and if you’re anything like me, some of the best, most cherished memories from your life involve the Christmas Holiday season, in one manner or another. It can be all too easy, though, to let the inherent stress of the Holidays get the better of us, and cause us to miss all the real joy that does surround us those few weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

I’m not leading into some great words of wisdom or advice, other than to say this: slow down, take your time, spend a few moments, every day, to remind yourself what the Holidays are really supposed to be about, and remember how, several months from now, it won’t be the hours spent in shopping lines that you remember, but the looks on your friends’ and loved ones’ faces when they open up that perfect gift on Christmas morning. Or the thank you note you receive for the thoughtful Christmas Ecards you sent from Gotfreecards.com.

So get to it, take a breath, and have a great Holiday season!

Turn a depressing, lonely Christmas into a cheerful celebration

Christmas is considered one of the most joyful times of the year. But did you know that it could also be one of the most depressing for some? Surprised?

Consider the fact that it marks the end of the current year – there’s less than a week to go – and many of us may not have accomplished our goals for the year. Then, there’s the not-so-light problem of the holiday pounds. Most of us tuck into rich food, sweets and snacks the last three months and by Christmas, we find that we are no closer to keeping our current resolution of losing weight! Throw in snow, Christmas traffic, crowded shopping malls, job cuts, expensive gifts and thinning wallets and what do you get? Not a very joyful holiday season. If your family lives far away, your friends are out of town and you end up spending Christmas alone or at work, it’s even worse. But wait! This post is not meant to make those of you who may already be dreading the holidays feel even more miserable. In fact, there is actually a way for you to feel good about this season even if you are not up to it.

And that is by sending free Christmas ecards from gotfreecards.com. Sending your friends, family and coworkers free ecards not only shows them that you care but also lightens up your mood. You will feel good that even though you may not be there with them, you did think about each other on Christmas. Besides, for every ecard you send, chances are you will receive ‘Thank you’ ecards which will also cheer you up. On top of it all, as you browse the ecards, you are sure to come across some funny ones that will crack you up or some heartfelt wishes that will move you and remind you of the true spirit of Christmas – that it is not about what you have or get but about what you give.

So cheer up and start picking out the perfect Christmas ecard for all the people you care about.

Money Saving Tips for the Holidays

Let’s face it. The economy stinks, and we’ve all seen our wallets and bank balances shrink over the past few months. This year, it’s important for us to focus on the essentials during the holidays, and to refrain from the excess that has become the norm for most Americans. Whether it’s Christmas or Chanukah, Kwaanza or New Year’s, here is a list of ideas to stay on budget and keep the season simple:

* Skip expensive store-bought cards! Gotfreecards.com has a card for every occasion, and they don’t charge a cent to send good wishes to friends and family. You will find an excellent selection of cards, ranging from humorous to sincere. Whatever your requirements for the perfect holiday card, you will be satisfied with our free christmas e-cards!

* Buy small, thoughtful gifts that send a caring message. While extravagant gift displays are nice, the best gifts are truly the ones that come from the heart. Purchase an inexpensive item and have it monogrammed for a personal touch. The purpose behind a gift is to show love and sincere appreciation toward the recipient. This can be achieved without spending large amounts of money.

* Make a budget and stick to it. Treat the holiday budget just as you would your household. Make a list of recipients, plan a gift for each person, set a ceiling on the amount you can spend and stay with it. Saving receipts will also keep you from overspending.

* Use your knack for baking or crafts to create a homemade gift. A plate of warm, home-baked chocolate chip cookies is often more appreciated than a gift card!

* Plan ahead. Often we spend more money when we wait too long to buy a present. Knowing in advance what you have in mind for each person on your gift list will keep you on your budget.

My final bit of advice is to appreciate your loved ones during the holidays. Remember that this season is about friendship and family, togetherness and love. Avoid thinking that an expensive present will replace your presence at holiday celebrations. Time is extremely valuable, and each moment you spend with your loved ones is more precious than anything else. Happy Holidays!

Christmas Tree Shopping

My family has a fake Christmas Tree. I am not a fan. It doesn’t smell good, it is prickly to touch, and each branch has to be fluffed and primped and twisted to make it look like a real tree. And then when it is time to pack it up in January, each branch has to be smoothed down and folded up, and there are like 500 of them. But our fake tree has its pluses too: it cost us barely nothing as we got it at an after Christmas sale 3 years ago, it can be put up whenever we want, it fits into a box that is easy to store, and it doesn’t shed.

Our kids’ pediatrician made us get it because she says it is safer for the little ones, and I appreciate that, but I still miss going out to get our tree.

I remember a season when we went Christmas Tree shopping, and spent hours looking for the perfect tree. The tree we always ended up with was nothing to write home about, but once we adorned it with lights, ornaments, and candy canes, it immediately became a part of our home, a part of our Christmas celebrations. It was perfect because it was the one we chose, even if it was bare on one side and had a family of squirrels living in it.

For now, our fake tree is the perfect tree for our family. Christmas Tree shopping is a tradition I will share with my kids when they are older. But today, I will send my husband the free Christmas ecard “Perfect Tree” as a little reminder of the tradition we used to share. What are your Christmas Tree traditions?