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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-12-01, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2005. Take the stress out of your holiday planning (MS) - Holidays are a time for lun. family and friends, but they can also result in stress, overeating and taking on more than we can handle. With a little thought and planning, it's possible to take much of the worry out of the holiday season. Here are some suggestions for keeping your holiday events simple and healthy. CREATE SIMPLE GATHERINGS * When planning holiday dinners and parties, delegate tasks to friends and family. Ask guests to bring side dishes so you can concentrate on the main entree. Since the holidays put us in a giving mood, ask for help in the kitchen. Chances are dinner guests will be more than willing to mash potatoes or refill drinks. * Keep your event casual so the focus stays on the people, not the place settings. We are often tempted, and even expected, to take our good china and silverware out of storage for holiday dinners, but this only adds the extra step of delicately washing them by hand. Make it easy Tugging along This little one was dressed warmly and snuggled up in a blanket as she waved to the crowd at the Santa Claus Day parade — and enjoyed her free ride. (Heather Crawford photo) Carson s Farm Supply and Tack Shop HR 3, Listowel (519) 291-1094 • Horse Care Supplies • Budweiser Novelties • Gallagher Fencing Supplies • Alfalfa Cubes & 14% Sweet Feed on yourself and use dishwasher-safe plates and flatware. Your guests will be too busy savouring the good food and conversation to notice, and you’ll have more time to enjoy their company! * Finally, don’t go overboard when planning your holiday menu. Although you might be tempted to make each guest’s favourite dish, keep it simple and stick to the standard favourites. You can never go wrong with traditional holiday fare. STRESS-LESS HOLIDAYS * Set your priorities and stick to them. Don’t try to be everything to everyone during the holidays. You can keep much of the inevitable stress at bay by scaling back on your promises. Don’t forget to take time for yourself. * Don’t strive for perfection. You will lose sight of what the holidays are truly about, and will create unnecessary anxiety for both you and your family. Try to remember that the little mishaps that happen along the way will make great » Country Artists' Figurines • Western Cowboy Hats • Bolo Ties, Belt buckles • l.P.M. Souvenirs • and other gift wear We carry a wide variety of equine supplies as well as farm supplies and feed. • Canada West Boots • Western & English Saddles • Horse Equipment • Rider Accessories • Feed & Supplements • Minerals • Shavings • Bird Seed We are more than a farm supply & tack shop. We have added to our retail store, selling our own home-raised, government inspected freezer beef by the quarter or more. Cut, wrapped & frozen, ready for your freezer. CALL TO ORDER NOW Hamburger Patties • Ground Beef • Summer Sausage Drug & Hormone Free Hwy. 86, East of Listowel Hours: Mon. - Sat., 8:00 am - 5:30 pm stories and fun memories for years to come. * Although it might seem impossible, avoid creating a “To Do” list. It could prevent you from enjoying all that each holiday has to Make home merry and bright (MS) — When the holidays approach, visions of colourful lights dance in many a homeowner’s head. But, when it comes down to it, decorating the exterior of a house for the holidays can be overwhelming dnd, sometimes, with hit or miss results. Here are some tips to help you get started: * Plan ahead. Do a rough sketch of your property, including the front of your house, available posts, trees, window moldings, doors, etc. that can be easily decorated. If other sides of your house are visible and should be decorated, do a separate sketch. Indicate the location of electrical outlets. * Develop a focal point. Usually, the front door is a good focal point. Work with your family to determine colours and theme. For an even more co-ordinated approach, consider what your neighbours are doing, and plan complementary designs. * Determine how you want to decorate other areas of the property. They should harmonize with the focal point. For example, a huge red Santa can look lonely on a front lawn without decorations. Try adding lights to the house or nearby shrubbery. If the front door is the focal point, lead your visitors to it with a row of candy canes, small illuminated trees or other accessories that fit your theme. * Have fun with bulbs. For a copier m loses cravings al stress relief formuli fates abdominal far - ; • reduces nicotine cravings • eases withdrawal symptoms • be a non-smoker in as little as 3 weeks Unwrap the best present of all this year - a healthy new body and shining new image. Talk to a counselor today and let Herbal Magic guide you home for the holidays. GODERICH • 394 Huron Rd. 524-5555 EXETER • 8 Wellington St. 235-3088 WINGHAM • 55 Josephine St. 357-4050 WfVkV hc-rbaltna^tc-.z-a WEIGHT LOSS & NUTRITION 4I '1^ CENTRES offer. Instead, enlist the help of your entire family. Bond over decorating, baking, and other tasks and you’ll be surprised how quickly you will be ready for the big day! * And finally, the best stress­ cheerful, light-hearted look, use strings of multicolored bulbs with colours appearing in a random order. For a more planned approach, organize bulbs in repeated series of colours: red, green, blue, orange...red, green, blue, orange, etc. For interest, vary the size and/or shape of the bulb from one area to another. For example, place all large round bulbs on the house and all miniatures on shrubbery. Twinkling lights add another dimension of excitement, whether timed to blink together or randomly across different areas.- * Take measurements. Take Fough NOTICE TO THE RATEPAYERS OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CENTRAL HURON Final Tax Bills second installment is due November 30th, 2005. If you wish to use the monthly pre-authorized payment plan, please contact the Municipal Office prior to December 31st, 2005 for the 2006 taxation year. buster is exercise. A simple walking program will give you some much needed time away from the hustle and bustle, plus you will feel better about indulging when the big day arrives! measurements of the areas you will decorate and the distance to electrical outlets. A simple way to measure a tree for lights that will spiral around it in 1-foot rows is to multiply the circumference of the base times the height of the tree. A 10-foot tall tree with a 5-foot circumference would require 50 feet of lights. * Go to the store to explore your options. Write down specifications and installation details for your favourite design concepts. * Have fun! Match what you like to your sketch, emphasizing your focal point the most. yau a tafe <£ Aappf Holiday mcmii F^jDKC groups Insurance Investments Advice j Snedden Insurance Brokers Ltd. Linda Stevenson - Office/Account Manager • Commercial • Property • Auto • Life • R.R.S.P.S • Employee Benefits 453 Turn berry SL, Brussels ; Tel. 519-887-6663 Fax. 519-887-9042 Toll Free 1-800-265-9686 www.dkcgroup.com linda@dkcgroup.com i