8 Holiday-Related Injuries

8 Holiday-Related Injuries That Are Surprisingly Common

The holidays are all fun and games until someone gets hurt. With all the hype and demands surrounding Christmas time, it’s no surprise that thousands of people are injured every year from falling off a ladder while stringing lights, cutting their finger while carving a turkey, or bumping their head in a fender bender outside of the mall. With a little more patience and a lot more caution, everyone could drastically reduce their chances of holiday-related injuries.

Ugly Sweater Store

The Ugly Sweater Store is the original online store to purchase "ugly" sweaters for Christmas, Halloween, and everything in between. Of course, what is considered "ugly" is really in the eye of the beholder, so they offer a variety of sweaters on their site.

The idea of the Ugly Sweater Store materialized in 2008 while spending too much time on the congested highways of Chicago. Ugly sweater parties are a growing trend and everyone wants to have that perfect ugly sweater, but who has time to scour stores for the right sweater? Ugly Sweater Store will do the shopping for you.

All of their sweaters are unique and hand-picked with an expert eye for "ugly." We know that the more beads, bells, and bling, the more likely you are to be the talk of the party.

Heinous stripes, reindeer, candy canes, bells, beads, applique galore (and so much more) go from the trash heap to Holiday Fashion Chic.

Gummibar's New Christmas Album

The Internet sensation, Gummibär has been hard at work this holiday season recording his new Christmas album called Christmas Jollies! The new five track album includes five Christmas favorites including Jingle Bells, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, and O Christmas Tree. This one is sure to ring in the holiday cheer with kids and adults alike. The album can be purchased on iTunes or the official Gummibär website (where you can also stream the full songs for free before purchasing).



Merry Christmas from your favorite animated gummy bear!

Christmas Tree for the Desktop

Go to my main blog, All Things Cherished, to get a Christmas Tree for your desktop.

Go Joy

‘Tis the season for giving and sharing. Visa’s theme for the holiday season is “Go Joy” which means spending time with friends and family and creating new traditions. To help create these joyful memories,  Visa is helping add joy to your holiday season.

Visa Signature cardholders will definitely want to check out Visa Signature’s Holiday Collection each day to see how you can get exclusive discounts on some of season’s most popular gift items. 

If you don’t have a Signature card, Visa is offering great holiday deals from merchants such as Brookstone, The Gap, Sears, The Banana Republic, and so much more. Check out the discounts and exciting deals.
Visa is also offering a weekly $5,000 giveaway on Amazon. When you purchase something on Amazon with your Visa card, you’ll be entered for a chance to win a $5000 shopping spree so you can buy everything you’ll need for a cozy holiday shopping spree. You can find out more at Amazon.

Countdown to Christmas

Hey mom, how many days until Christmas? Dad, when is Santa coming? Have you heard this once or twice before? If you have kids I know you have heard this more than twice before! :)

Next time they ask, you can answer - Christmas is in 10 days, 12 hours, 15 minutes and 10 seconds. Better yet, hand them your iPhone and let them figure it out for themselves. A new iPhone application is ready for this Christmas season.  The name of the app is called Holiday-3-2-1.

Holiday 3-2-1 is much more than an image and a counter (like all the other countdown apps) - it is a complete children's activity application with true interaction for the kids to be entertained while they watch the seconds tick away towards their favorite holiday. Holiday 3-2-1 comes with interactive scenes for Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

This app is available right now. Holiday 3-2-1 is good clean family fun for all ages! More information can be found at JayPee Softworks.

I wish I had a cellular phone that has applications.

The Wreath Factory

Check out all the beautiful and striking wreaths, from traditional to modern, at The Wreath Factory at Otter Creek.

Letters By Santa

Letters by Santa offers parents, grandparents, and loved ones the opportunity to send a personally created letter to whomever they choose. The letters come postmarked from the North Pole (Alaska) with a write up of a few good deeds that the child or person has done in the past year. It's a great way to keep the spirit of believing in Santa alive and kicking. Come check out the site.

Letters by Santa is offering my readers a special coupon code -- STORM -- for $3.00 off the regular price.

The Real Magic of Santa Claus

Is Santa Real?  Eventually all kids will ask. This time need not be one of sadness and disappointment for the child or the adult.

The Real Magic of Santa Claus, will answer their questions honestly, but in a way that won’t leave them disappointed. The book is a lesson in love and sharing. Children come away realizing they are part of something special.

Not only does the author tell a bit of the history of the man (who lived over 1,000 years ago), but he offers fun statistics about Santa (like how much milk he must drink if he gets a glass at every child's house) that make it clear to children Santa can't be real.

Or can he? The author gently explains how Santa Claus is real.
This is an excellent resource to introduce children to the real meaning behind the magic of Santa Claus.  Anthony answers questions truthfully.  The book allows the reader to come to their own conclusion.  Readers soon discover that the answer opens up a new chapter in their lives. 

Santa is not a man in a red suit -- he's based on a true figure who has taught us to be generous and caring -- but readers do find that Santa is real.

The Real Magic of Santa Claus

Written and Illustrated by Anthony Canamucio

acanamucio@yahoo.com

Christmas Banner

How excting it was to receive my very own Christmas banner, personalized exactly the way I wanted!

You can personalize your sign by color, by type of material (vinyl banner, corrugated plastic, static cling, poster paper, PVC, matte vinyl banner), by size (12"x18" to 24"x48" to custom sizing), by template, and by adding your individual wording and graphics.

To order your own Christmas sign, go to Signazon.

Nicole, the SEO Manager of Signazon, was very patient and treated me like I was their number one customer.  My order took less than a week to arrive. 

The great thing about the vinyl banner is that it is a low cost decoration that is completely weatherproof and can be reused for many years.

The website is quite easy to navigate.

Some of my favorite banners/signs are:
Christmas Banner
Holiday Party
Holiday Wishes
Christmas Peace

The banner I chose:

Christmas Ornaments

Christmas Ornaments is a new website but the owners have been in the Christmas ornament business since 1983, providing discerning holiday shoppers with unique and distinctive holiday gifts, collectibles, and Christmas ornaments. Their holiday decorations and ornaments come from more than five dozen companies.

Some of my favorite ornaments:
Holy Family
Scrapbooking
Paw Print Dog Bone
Close Brother and Sister
Army
Angel Bell
Tasty Tudor
12 Days of Christmas Set
Ornament Stand
Holiday Around the Tree

The ornament I picked:

I picked the Noah's Ark ornament since I am an avid Noah's Ark Collector.  It's part of the Old World Christmas Collection.  I can't wait to hang my new ornament up on my tree.

Celebrity Holiday Cards that Make a Difference

Tiny Prints holiday cards are known for standing out, but this year they're also taking a stand against a painful childhood disease. These stylish ornament cards were designed by some of your favorite celebrities to benefit the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation, a volunteer organization dedicated to researching and curing the genetic skin disorder that affects thousands of children each year. It's your chance to send these holiday ornament cards that stand out and make a difference. Select any of the exclusive designs from the collection created by Reese Witherspoon, Courteney Cox, Rachel Zoe, Jennifer Garner, Kate Beckinsale, or Brooke Shields.

Christmas Gift Alternatives to Video Games

Everyone knows that kids love video games. They're on nearly every child's wish list between the ages of 7-17. But at some point, you have to wonder if kids play video games just a bit too much. So this year, instead of getting them another Xbox 360 or Wii game, consider these electronic alternatives to video games.

Christmas Collectibles for the 2010 Holiday Season

Everyone knows about the typical Jesus nativities for Christmas, but what about a Santa nativity? Sometimes the best Christmas decorations are the unique ones that few other people have or the ones that you make yourself. Traditional Christmas decor with Jesus and other religious themes is definitely beautiful, but when you are looking to spice up the holiday season with more than eggnog and a wreath, swapping Santa for other more traditional Christmas characters is a new and exciting way to accomplish this.

Read more.

10 Regrettable Christmas Toy Crazes

As if the travel and family commitments didn't make Christmas crazy enough, the holiday season is often marked by a conspicuous consumption and pursuit for certain random products that's downright insane. Every year or two, some new fad hits the scene and sends kids into a frenzy and their parents into a fury, and just as quickly, those crazes are forgotten as shoppers move onto the next big thing. In a sense, every toy craze is regrettable, but the ones listed here are probably the worst.  Go to Online Degree for the full story.

Thanks, Anna, for sharing.

Personalized Free . . . and a Giveaway!

You can find over 1,300 personalized Christmas ornaments at PersonalizedFree.com. There is a HUGE sale going on NOW so don't miss out. All orders ship in 2-3 days and they ship worldwide.


About Personalized Free

Wendy Simonsen runs her own business of personalizing Christmas ornaments at home with her family.

Personalized Free is proud to boast their 11th year in business online. Their family-run, home-based business is owned and operated by an entrepreneur stay-at-home mother and father team. Real people personalize each adorable ornament by hand with precision and love.


My Review


I love this ornament (though, this is not the ornament I originally picked). . . the personalization that includes my favorite hobby and my name makes this ornament the perfect gift for me.

At Personalized Free, the ornaments are cute, whimsical, fun, and, of course, personalized.

The site is super easy to navigate. You can search by occupation, hobbies, pets, sports, state, transportation, and many other themed categories. You can search by person -- grandparent, child, aunt, friend, etc.

The customer service provided by Wendy is top-notch. She is very patient and kind.

Personalized Christmas ornaments make great gifts for everyone on your gift list.

I have ordered from Personalized Free for several years because of the unique, heirloom-quality, personalized Christmas ornaments.


Giveaway

Wendy wants to help you jump-start either your Christmas decorating or Christmas shopping by giving you a chance to win one ornament of your choice, personalized however you wish, shipped to you for free!

To be entered into this giveaway, go to Personalized Free, check out the enormous selection, come back here, and tell me what ornament you want in the comments section. This will be the actual ornament you receive if you win, so take your time and pick out your favorite ornament.

This giveaway is open to all entrants, in the U.S. only, ages 18 and over, until 9 PM EST on Saturday, November 13th. A winner will be chosen by random number generator, notified by email, and posted online shortly thereafter. Have fun and good luck!

Bonus Entries (you may have one additional entry for each task you accomplish):

• Subscribe to the Personalized Free blog, Life in the Ornament House.


• Become a Personalized Free Facebook fan.


• Follow Personalized Free on Twitter AND tweet about the giveaway.


• Sign up for the Personalized Free newsletter (gray box on our website).

Some of the NEW original ornaments available:

Some of my favorite ornaments:

Hotel Chocolat

The Christmas chocolate gift collection at Hotel Chocolat is brimming with exquisite gift ideas for everyone on your list this Christmas season, from stocking stuffers to jaw-dropping chocolate hampers for those extra-special people in your life.

What I Received

1. Ultimate Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar
2. Fruit & Nut Dark Chocolate Mini Wreath
3. Tiddly Caramel Chocolate Santas
4. Dasher the Chocolate Reindeer

My Review

When the package arrived, the festive atmosphere was  instantly set with the smell of chocolate in the air and the wonderfully decorated packages; no wrapping paper needed. I felt very spoiled and royal to receive such luxurious chocolates. The chocolates themselves are adorable, classy, ravishing . . . and oh so delightfully delicious. Yum!

Included with the package of chocolates was a thank you card . . . how sweet!

There are many chocolates available:

• Christmas Advent Calendars
• Chocolate Christmas Gifts
• Christmas Stocking Fillers
• Holiday Gifts for the Winter Season

There are many chocolate selections, many exclusive choices to pick from -- who would of thought there were so many different sizes, shapes, and products of chocolate.  There are chocolates available for vegetarians, vegans, and diabetics.  This is the only site where I have seen such a huge selection.

You can search by type of chocolate or by person or by occasion.

The only drawback is the time it took to cross the ocean -- Hotel Chocolat is located in England -- to reach me, but the chocolates were received in plenty of time.  However, I'd suggest ordering early. 

There are two stores now open in Boston, MA, USA.  If you are within driving distance, I highly suggest you go to the store.



Hotel Chocolate, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA

The additional complements of the site are the sharing of chocolate recipes; the many chocolate celebrations available, such as birthday gifts, dinner party gifts, thank you gifts, and more; and the exclusive availability of chocolate products.

Tiny Prints

Showcase your family at its best with hundreds of customizable holiday and Christmas designs.

Tiny Prints has brand new, beautiful, classy, elegant Christmas cards this year. You can personalize 100s of cards with your photographs and your words. You can choose from contemporary, vintage, classic, and whimsy designs. There are many options, such as color changes, layouts, and formats for each card.

I am so impressed with the variety of cards available for the holidays and Christmas.  I looked at 1,476 cards in the Christmas section because I am fastidious and wanted to give a thorough and complete review.

Some of my favorite cards:
Reindeer Imposter
Crafted Nativity
Caring World
Happy Everything
Chic Collage
Boroque Snowflake
Patchwork Wreath
Merry Circle
Winter Zephyr
Sweet Center
Historic Charm
Posted Wreath
Round Wreath
Beautiful Believe
Precious Tree, and
Graceful Whirls,
and many more (but I won't continue to bore you with my favs).

Can you guess what card is the one I ordered?

After narrowing down the list, which was very difficult to do with so many fabulous choices, my daughter, Cassandra, 9, joined me.  We went through my favorites and picked the one we liked the best.  We chose the card (1.) that most fittingly expressed our thoughts (we were able to chose our own words) and (2.) that was most suitable for the photos we thought were most appealing and enhanced our lives from the past year.

Take the time to browse through the wide variety of Christmas cards featuring traditional holiday symbols such as garland, Christmas trees, gingerbread, snowflakes, wreaths, reindeer, and holly. Whatever your family Christmas tradition may be, they have a card to complement it and your photograph. When you add a picture of your family, the cards are sure to be cherished by those who receive them. Tiny Prints will even mail your cards for you.

Tiny Prints Christmas cards stand apart due to the one-of-a-kind designs!

Your Wish Is Their Command

• If you aren't 100% satisfied, they'll reprint your order for free.
• Their customers rank them in the 95th percentile (for U.S. companies).
• Easily personalize and instantly preview your cards.
• Luxurious, eco-friendly paper, custom-made in Italy.
• Premium printing methods and top quality products.

Need Help? No Problem
• Enjoy online shopping with a personal touch.
• Etiquette experts are ready to answer questions seven days a week.
• Professional designers assigned to almost every order.
• Contact us at 877-300-9256, info@tinyprints.com, or chat.

Designs To Love From Artists You Adore
• Shop thousands of exclusive designs by style, color, or event.
• New items added each week.
• Find cards from famous design studios and independent artists alike.
• More than 11,000 product reviews to help you shop.

My Review

It was a straight-forward process.  The quality is first-rate!  You have the choice to click on "live chat" throughout the process of picking your card and adding your personal touches.  I did not do this since I had no trouble placing the order.  The Tiny Prints site is easy to navigate and well organized.   There are many holidays and occasions to choose from -- birth announcements, birthday cards, invitations, thank you cards, wedding stationary, and much more  -- but Christmas, of course, is my favorite.  There are a lots of extras -- etiquette tips, mail service, party ideas, sample verses, etc. -- that make the site #1 in my book.  Even on the tightest of budgets, these cards are affordable and a great package deal!  I LOVE all the personal touches we were able to add to make the card more precious and more personalized.

Cassandra's Review (in her own words):

• The process was quick and easy.
• There were LOTS of cards to choose from.
• The service satisfied my picky mom. :)
• It was fun to see all the different cards.
• It was exciting to put all the personal touches on the card.
• I had a great time with my mom.

Read more raves and reviews.




Click the box above or in the side column to look at all those wonderful cards and place your order.  Let them know in the comments box that Storm sent you.

Christmas Blogs They Love

I was lucky enough to be listed at Dobbies.com as part of their favorite Christmas blogs.

25 Easy Healthy Tips for Christmas and the Holiday Season

The holidays can represent the best time of year for healthy living, as it is a time when many people can focus on a mind-body-soul connection. However, stress, heavy traffic, sold-out store items, and bad weather can interrupt that healthy and wholesome way of life for many. How can you maintain that holiday season joy and love for both yourself and those around you? The following easy, healthy living tips may help you keep your focus during the upcoming holiday season.

Mind (Stress Management)

1. Spend some time alone. Use this time to meditate, read, or relax. Regain your equilibrium and remember that this time of year is a special time for friends and family.
2. Avoid unnecessary travel. One way to keep your peace of mind is to stay home. If you need to travel, plan your trips to combine errands or — on longer trips — plan to drive at night and to avoid large cities during rush hours. If you’re caught in rush hour, make sure you have some music or a book on tape to help pass time.
3. Watch the anger. Stress can lead to anger which can often lead to more stress (and may be linked to heart problems). Help yourself during bouts of anger by counting to ten and visualizing a relaxing experience.
4. Don’t overspend. Your daughter/son/husband/wife or friends may prefer spending more time with a cheerful you than with whatever you got on sale during Black Friday. Avoid the temptation to overspend and you can avoid stress as well.
5. Allow someone to help you. Why do you want to do everything yourself? Allow a friend to help you with chores, managing kids, or cooking (try a potluck for the holidays, rather than take on all the cooking yourself). You might enjoy the company and you can avoid stress at the same time.
6. Balance work, play, and family life. What better time to learn how to balance your life than during the holidays? Parties, family events, and other social activities basically demand that you stop working for at least a few hours. You can continue this practice long after the holiday season.
7. Be creative. Think outside the box when problems arise. Use humor, rather than anger, to find resolutions. Open your mind to the new and unusual and think about how you might incorporate those new ideas into your life.
8. Smile. Smiling can make you feel relaxed and happy, even when you don’t mean it. You can tilt your neurochemical balance toward calm by smiling, as smiling transmits nerve impulses from the facial muscles to the limbic system, a key emotional center in the brain.

Body

9. Watch your weight. Those candies are tempting and you don’t want to hurt Aunt Cookie's feelings by passing them up. Eat before you attend parties so you’re not so hungry when you arrive.
10. Drop caffeine and soda. Get a jump start on a possible New Year’s resolution by weaning yourself off caffeine and sodas. Wean yourself away from caffeine slowly, otherwise you might end up with a caffeine-withdrawal headache that could last for a few days. Substitute herbal teas for hot and cold drinks. After a few days without sodas, you might wonder why you thought they tasted so good.
11. Use locally-grown ingredients. While you may stick with traditional recipes, try to use locally-grown ingredients. Using local ingredients is environmentally sound as well as healthy.
12. Drink plenty of water. Water can help to keep hunger at bay as well as to help hydrate you when you are subjected to dry air in heated environments. Water also helps your body eliminate toxins, such as those martinis you had the night before.
13. Keep your body moving. It’s a given that most people eat more during the holidays. If you move more as well, you can keep your metabolism running and help burn those extra calories. Take stairs when possible, stand rather than sit, and offer to clean the table after dinner — not really exercise, but it all counts.
14. Wash your hands often. Washing your hands often is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer if you can’t get to a sink and soap.
15. Stay warm. If it’s cold, then dress warmly in layers of loose-fitting tightly-woven clothing. This way you can shed some layers if the day warms up or if you spend some time visiting indoors.
16. Travel safely. Don’t drink and drive (and don’t allow others to drink and drive), wear a seat belt, and don’t speed. You also can put a kit in the trunk for emergencies that includes blankets, band-aids, aspirin, and other first-aid items.
17. Treat yourself to a massage. Not only can a massage help release toxins physically, it can help you release negative and stressful energy. Think of the massage as a gift to yourself for the holiday season (but you might think about doing this several times per year. You, after all, deserve it.)

Soul

18. Volunteer. You might gain a grasp on your own fortune when you offer to help others. Work in a soup kitchen, take a meal to an elderly neighbor, or look for local events that need volunteers.
19. Count your blessings. What better time to be grateful than when you’re stuck in a traffic jam? You can begin by understanding that you’re not alone in that traffic jam and then work up from there. You can end by understanding that you are the only person in this universe who is exactly like you – a unique and amazing creation.
20. Forget comparisons. One way to spoil your holiday is to compare yourself to who you see as the most beautiful/talented/charming, etc. person in the room. Stop those comparisons and you may begin to feel the love — from yourself and from others.
21. Let go of expectations. The holidays often provide a time for expectations, especially in the gift-giving department. If you can let go of the material and remember the spirit of the season (better to give than receive), then you might enjoy whatever you do receive with a bigger heart.
22. Make your heart bigger. This is an exercise in appreciating beauty in all forms and the elimination of a need to nit pick and point out flaws. Everyone is a unique soul, different than you. This does not make them better than you, nor does it make them less than you. Insults and judgments, even if they are not voiced, might only serve to increase your own insecurities. This process may begin with self acceptance.
23. Let go of the need to control. While you can continue to make that dinner for friends and family, you can stop worrying about whether the gravy is just right or if the meat is overcooked. Relax, enjoy, and understand that the world will go on despite small flaws and even despite the huge mistakes. Go with the flow.
24. Think of others first. This does not mean that you need to neglect your own needs; however, when you think about others and their needs you might be able to crowd out all those negative thoughts that might creep in over the holidays. Think altruism.
25. Forgive and forget. Why not start out a new year with a clean slate? If you can forgive someone and forget the slight (real or imagined), perhaps you can enter 2010 with a real smile on your face.