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Today it is three days after Christmas.  Most years I am knee deep in putting away the after Christmas sale loot I have hauled home from my favorite stores, BUT snow began falling late in the morning yesterday making my shopping trip cut short.  I did go out for a while in mid morning, but made my way home in the snow and cars slipping off the roadway.  So, instead of being knee deep in Holiday  wares for next year, we are knee or higher deep in fluffy white snow.  The wind is blowing, the snow is drifting, the sun is shinning so bright, and I have piles of laundry to wash... My oldest daughter is home for her semester break from college, and so is her entire wardrobe of college  clothes.  She brought the clothing home to sort out what to keep and what to give away. All of it needs to be freshly washed and dried.  Perhaps I should have asked Santa Claus for an extra  washing machine! However, the day before Christmas I received a package from Purex In the box was a  new type of fabric

The German word Tannenbaum translates to the  English language as O Christmas Tree. O Tannenbaum, or O Christmas Tree is a traditional German Christmas Carol about how ever green the trees branches are... The Christmas Tree has it's origin in Europe 500 years ago. German Settlers brought the tradition of The Christmas tree to Pennsylvania which then spread through America. Five hundred years ago Real Christmas trees were used, but in modern day times the artificial tree has made it's appearance in homes and business world wide.  The great debate of buying a real vs fake tree has been in the spotlight lately and to set the record straight I suggest you visit the official place for answers,  The National Christmas Tree Association .  Here you will find the pros and cons of the real vs fake tree, the history of the Christmas tree, a topic of Myths of Christmas Trees. I love the smell of fresh cut pine in my house.  I place tree branches in every nook and cranny in my house.  It gi

Growing up, we received tons of Christmas Cards.   My Mother would display them all over the kitchen wall and when I came home from college each Christmas break it was like an instant update on all the family friends.  In all my married years I have not sent or received as many as those on the kitchen wall.  It is eight days until Christmas day and my household  has strung up less then ten cards on the fireplace mantel.   Each year we receive less cards than the year before.  With the ease of electronic mail some of those paper cards  are now viewed on a monitor. I say there is nothing like sitting on the couch holding all the cards and catching up with old friends.  Some people have chosen  to stop sending out cards altogether. I really like Christmas Cards, after all it is Christmas time.  History shows that the origin of sending Christmas cards began in 1843 when an Englishman sent out cards to his friends wising them a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year.  This is why I like to se

Soon after we moved into our current house, my husband planned to  install a counter top in our basement on the unfinished side. My neighbor across the street happened to be getting rid of their old counter top.  In my husband's recycle, reuse mind,he asked if he could rescue it from the curb.  I am sure my husband had plans to use this counter space for his own hobbies, but somehow I took it over.  Can you imagine?  Just kidding, we do share the space, but I am pretty sure it has more of my stuff on it than his! My husband also installed a peg rack above the counter top to hang gift bags, and some dowel rods to hold spools of ribbon.  Underneath the counter top I put clear plastic bins with drawers to hold tissue paper, bows, gift card holders, treat bags, and boxes.   I use the tall clear wrapping paper bins by Rubbermaid to hold the rolls of wrapping paper.  They also fit nicely under the counter top.  On top of the counter on one side I have gift tags, different types of printe

I have just returned from the Mall on a Friday night-during Holiday Shopping Season, and yes it is busy.   The mall is crowded with Holiday Shoppers, Teenagers, Strollers and  Parents trying to fulfill Christmas Lists.  In this busy mall you will find several Clerks safely enclosed by the Mall's information Desk.  I really could not tell you what services are provided by the information desk.  Perhaps you can buy a Mall wide gift card, ask directions to a store, report your missing glove...  I make it a point to go to the info counter and take a look at the store coupons offered in a display stand.  I stop here first before going to any  store to see what coupons are up for grabs.  Tonight I snatched a  Macy's Family and Friends booklet 25% off regular, sale, and clearance items December 1 through December 6, 2010.  There are two coupons in this booklet that are the size of a credit/gift card easily stuck in your wallet instead of fishing out of your purse. One to keep and one