HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-12-13, Page 15Wednesday, December 13, 2006 TIMES—ADVOCATE
15
Tips to stop that harried feeling
Do you ever feel harried
and overwhelmed at holiday
time? You're not alone.
Like many Canadians, the
holidays bring added stress
to already busy lives. Gill
Deacon, host of CBC
Television's daytime talk
show, The Gill Deacon
Show, was one of those
Canadians. "I woke up in a
cold sweat in late November
a couple of years ago pan-
icking about what I still had
to buy for whom and what
still needed to be prepared
for the holidays. I decided
then and there that I had to
rediscover the true meaning
of the season, not just dwell
in its commercialism, and I
can't tell you how much
more enjoyable the holidays
are for me now."
The Gill Deacon Show's
family of contributing
experts and host Gill
Deacon herself, offer up
their best advice on how to
make the holidays a truly
happy and memorable
experience with these help-
ful festive tips. The Gill
Deacon Show telecasts
weekdays at 11 a.m.
(repeating daily at 2 p.m.)
on CBC Television.
Tips for Moms from
Parenting Guru Alyson
Shafer *
Take along a book to read
in those long lineups and
see that time as an opportu-
nity to relax. Moms don't
get much down time. Lose
yourself in a love story in
the checkout line instead of
having a coronary wonder-
ing why you picked the
slowest line in the store.
* Have a family meeting
and ask each person, "What
would make this a great
holiday for you?", and try to
be proactive in getting
everyone's
requests in.
You may be
surprised to
find out
what your
children
do
and don't care about. Kids
who are rested and fed on
their regular schedule will
behave better. Make the
holidays special and enjoy
"exceptions to the rules" but
don't throw your children in
a tailspin with an aggressive
schedule of events and visit-
ing. Respect their need for
order and routine too.
Tips for Keeping
Yourself Sane Over
the Holidays from Life
Coach Janet Eastwood
* The real secret to enjoy-
ing the holiday season is to
lower your expectations and
focus your energy. Rather
than trying to outdo yourself
in every aspect of holiday
preparation, choose one or
two areas that you really
love and throw yourself into
them.
* Creating a "wow" in a
one or two areas (for exam-
ple, all white gifts, a flight of
five different shortbreads, a
tree decked out in sparkly
CDs) will give you more
pleasure - and elicit more
compliments - than half-
hearted and sometimes
grudging efforts to deliver
on all fronts.
Tips for Finding the
Perfect Holiday Outfit
from Fashion Stylist
Linton Drummond
* Don't wait until the very
last minute to start combing
the shops for your fabulous
new look. Start now while
stores are a bit quieter,
there is more stock from
which to choose, and your
level of desperation is at a
minimum. Shop with your
hair done and make-up on.
How else are you going to
know what the finished
product will be?
* Remember to wear
clothes and shoes that are
easy to remove; changing
rooms are small and
steamy and the less time
spent inside, the better.
Bring along a bottle
of water and a snack;
shopping is more
draining than some
realize!
Tips for
Setting the
Holiday Mood from
Trend -spotting
Decorator Andrew
Pike
*Candles add extra
warmth at the holidays and
are always available. Group
taper candles with pillar
candles and votives to cre-
ate multi-levels and use
simple clear glass holders
for protection. An over-
turned wine glass provides
the perfect place to hold a
pillar, and small drinking
glasses and aperitif glasses
make great votive holders.
Nothing reminds us more of
the holidays than the special
scents associated with it.
Use scented candles or oils
to spread the joy.
* Don't forget the music!
Be sure to have some holi-
day music on hand and
have it playing in the back-
ground. Choose something
that makes you feel happy --
it will not only create the
perfect backdrop to your
holiday events, but will also
help to keep you relaxed as
you prepare for the coming
evening!
Thoughts on Gift -
Giving from host Gill
Deacon
Buying gifts for people can
be particularly challenging.
Her new motto: "I try to
have everything I give meet
one or more criteria: be
totally environmentally
responsible, be in support of
a Canadian artist or design-
er, or be an experience."
Gill has put much thought
into the meaning of the holi-
days and what she wants
her family to take away
from the festive whirlwind.
She says, "We have talked
about what we could do to
share our good fortune with
others. Will we sing carols
at a hospital for sick chil-
dren? Will we take a shift,
packaging up meals at the
food bank? I really want
them to understand the big-
ger picture and to see that
their lives fit into a larger
context than just who gets
how much in what package.
That's something that can
last throughout the whole
year."
POLICE BRIEF
Stay further behind vehicle in snowy weather
HURON — Huron OPP are reminding motorists to be extra cautious in snowy and slippery
weather conditions. Did you know that all vehicles take longer to stop on snow covered
roads, the stopping distance for an average passenger vehicle traveling at 90 Km/h is 231
metres or 54 car lengths, compared to 121 meters or 30 car lengths on dry roads. Please
drive safely by staying alert, slowing down and staying in control.
Stephen Santa sighting
Christmas party — Santa Claus, skating and snacks were all part of
the annual Christmas party hosted by the Stephen Township Firemen's
Association and supported by the Huron Park Fire Department and the
Crediton/Centralia Optimist and Lions Clubs.Above left, Paige Lightfoot
and Emily Wells visit with Santa on Sunday. (photo/Nina Van Lieshout)
POLICE BRIEFS
Exeter equipment theft
EXETER — Four centre wheel caps from a Chevy Avalanche and the
clearance roof lights from a GMC pick up were stolen from Huron
Motor Products on London Road, sometime during the night of Nov. 29.
The loss to the victim between items stolen and damage to the vehicles
is in excess of a $1,000.
No charges from Lucan R.I.D.E
LUCAN BIDDULPH — The Lucan OPP checked 117 vehicles Sunday
during a R.I.D.E. program on the Main Street in Lucan. No offences
were laid.
Hensall Habitat fundraiser
Bake and craft sale —The Friendship Circle and Friends held a
fundraiser Saturday at Hensall United Church, a bake and craft sale for
Habitat for Humanity's new Hensall home.Above from left Janet sur-
prises her son Carter and daughter Taylor Marriage with a plate of
goodies. (photo/Nina Van Lieshout)
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