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
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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.
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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