You've heard it all before, right? Complaints about retailers who put up Christmas decorations by Halloween, the commercialization of a religious holiday, and the stress and exhaustion (and emptied checkbook) caused by hunting down "the perfect" holiday gifts. I'm not sure how you handle it all,...
Blog
Attitude of Gratitude
I think it's fair to say that November has been a tough month for most of us. Those of us who are upset by the election results are feeling afraid for the future of our nation and many of its people, while those who are celebrating the results are feeling attacked for exercising their rights....
Halloween: A Snapshot of Budding Character
They say you can tell a lot about a person from the way they handle themselves on the golf course. Does she cheat? Does she throw a fit when things aren't going well? Does she understand the etiquette? However she plays that game is likely how she handles herself in life, at work, and so on. I...
“Promposals:” A Good Thing or Not?
It's that time of year again: Prom season! Some things haven't changed throughout the decades, like mothers and daughters going shopping for the perfect dress and shoes. Of course, gone are the flouncy princess dresses of yore. I still remember my purple silk-organza gown, with its ruffled,...
Party Time
My favorite childhood memories of Christmas have nothing to do with presents and Santa, and everything to do with the parties. I grew up on the same street with three sets of cousins and one set of grandparents (all on my Italian father's side of the family). My mother's family all lived within...
Six Ways to Enliven Thanksgiving
It's that time again, my favorite holiday of the year. No gifts, no jingles--just good food, friends, and family all together at a table. Of course, the holiday can be a lot of work (especially for the host), which can rob the day of some of its joy. Here are six ideas to put the fun and "thanks"...
Holiday Baking…and Other Disasters
I knew before we started that my daughter’s and my plan to bake Christmas cookies would not become a blissful Betty Crocker memory. First, I’m not a baker. And when I do bake, I prefer to make brownies or cakes. You know--things that are less time intensive, require just one pass at the oven, and...