Holiday Wish Guide #2

8/3/2019 Holiday Wish Guide #2

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

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HolidayWish Guide

Call 780-532-1110 dailyheraldtribune.com


2/12

JOANNE RICHARDQMI Agency

Its the thought that counts?No way! Gits speak volumesand its actually the thought-lessness o bad git choicesthat really matters.

Whats inside that prettywrapping symbolizes whatsinside someones head andheart, especially in new rela-tionships.

According to relationshipexpert, Dr. Bonnie Eaker Weil,the wrong git can ruin a rela-tionship. Make sure its some-thing they like and want.

A git card, wrong-sizedclothing, a blender, a gymmembership and diet booksare no-nos these gits havethe potential to obliterate anyho-ho-ho on Christmas morn-ing.

And cash is a big oender

unless specifcally requested.Git giving can actually be

a hostile act, says Eaker Weil i youre partner is angry at

you, he may get you a git youhate and totally ignored what

you really wantedhink romantic and inti-

mate jewelry is always a saebet, says Eaker Weil, and so isperume, i they wear it. Whensplurging or a day at the spa,be sure to make it or two and

join her.For him, generally technol-

ogy, gadgets or sporting tick-ets are a good way to go, sheadds.

It doesnt have to be expen-sive, just put some thoughtinto it, chorus the experts.Generally dont get him ties orany tools or machinery like alawn mower, which generallyindicates you want him to do

that chore.

Git gaes abound blameit on stress, panic, bad taste,momentary insanity or simplya complete lapse in judgment.

Add to that hostility.Poor git choices make

people eel devalued itshows their partner is notpaying attention, adds Eaker

Weil, author o Makeup, DontBreak Up.

Te biggest mistake, accord-ing to Eaker Weil, is totallyignoring what the recipienthinted at or requested andgetting something the recipi-ent doesnt want.

Shallow or not, the dollarvalue o a git deinitely playsinto the equation during theattachment stage o a relation-ship. People are evaluatedby what theyre giving butit really is about the thoughtput into it, says Eaker Weil,

adding it doesnt take a lot o

money to show you care.Cooking a romantic din-

ner at home or planning a pic-nic or writing poetry or mak-ing a book all take time andeort, which indicate caringand attention. It makes peo-ple eel loved, cared about andspecial, she says.

Money i s t i gh t so weneed to get back to basics,says Eaker Weil, and puttingthought into it is key to keep-ing costs down.

You cant aord to makemistakes so Eaker Weil sug-gests pre-shopping togetherin order to pick out a ew idealgits and then surprising yourpartner with one o them.

According to git guru JodiNewbern, the dollar valuedoesnt determine the true

value o a git. Sometimes,a personalized note, story or

poem accompanying a gitmakes even an inexpensivetoken seem like a true git.

Almost anything that hassome special meaning or sig-nifcance, even i its silly, is agood choice as long as it shows

you actually put thought intoit. Te less practical and unc-tional the better, unless itssomething she wanted - rom

you! adds Newbern, o www.regitingrevival.com.

Generally, when buying oryour guy, the more practicaland unctional the better andespecially i its something that

he has literally asked or. Ithey tell you they want it, and

you are able to give it to them,do it, Newbern says.

Gift guide

A lup of coal?Give the gift he or she really wants. Hint its not a toaster

FIvE bAD GIFtstO GIvE HER

Cheques or cash, unlessspecically asked for Cologne or perfume his lastgirlfriend wore Gift card to Hooters Tickets to the upcoming carshow Anything that you want butshe doesnt Anything that you wish shewould wear, but wouldnt

- Courtesy of Jodi Newbern,of www.regiftingrevival.com.

FIvE GREAt GIFtstO GIvE HER

A visit to her favourite storeand go with her, even if itsVictorias Secret. Favourite cologne orperfume A collectible that you knowshe loves

Two tickets to a cultural

event one for her and onefor you Gift package containingseveral items, i.e., restaurantgift card, favourite wine,scented candle, massage oil,etc.

- Courtesy of Jodi Newbern

FIvE bAD GIFtstO GIvE HIm

Clothes, unless he wants

them. It suggests you dontthink he can dress himself toyour standards. No pyjamas either, unlessthey are funny and he thinksso, too. Cheap tools, especially ifthey come in large sets withevery tool hell ever need,and it costs less than $1,000. Cologne or after-shave youwant him to wear A puppy or kitten or sh.Anything that is living,

cute and isnt practical or

functional, unless maybe apython or lizard. Knick-knacks for his housebecause he doesnt have any,or anything that will needdusting. If he doesnt have it,he doesnt need it.

- Courtesy of Jodi Newbern,of www.regiftingrevival.com.

FIvE GREAt GIFtstO GIvE HIm

Anything aliated with hisfavourite sports team Sears Craftsman or HomeDepot gift card Gift certicate for a roundof golf, or other interest youdont share Tickets to a favouritesporting event Homemade giftcerticates or couponsfor personal services, suchas back rubs, baths or carwashes.

- Courtesy of Jodi Newbern

2 Grande Prairie Daily Herald-Tribune Tuesday, December 6, 2011

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Gift guide

JILL ELLIS

Special to QMI Agency

he holidays are illed withangst. From prep to cleanup,there are a million things toplan and do.

Here are a ew shortcuts orgits and goodies that will get

you through this years es-tivities, with an eye to gettingahead o the curve or next

year.

Gifts

I youre a single mom witha limited income, shopping all

year long and taking advan-tage o sales makes a lot osense. Tat was once the caseor Shannon hompson, whostill uses this method by choicerather than necessity.

She has about 10 on herlist, rom younger nieces andnephews to a hard-to-buy orhusband. I hate crowds; I

hate the stress and this pre-vents both, she says.

Besides reducing her stressseveral levels, taking advan-tage o sales allows her tostretch her budget and bemore generous than she mighthave been.

Sometimes I can get extrastu when there are rock bot-tom sales, she explains. Forinstance, Canadian ire hadcooking equipment on salethis summer or 70% o andI was able to get (a loved one)

cookware that she doesnteven know she needs.

hompson always stashesthe goods in a spare bedroom,so she doesnt orget where itshidden. hough she doesntkeep a running list, others withless trustworthy memoriesmight want to. A list o all yourrecipients names, what youintend to buy and what youvealready purchased will save onpossible duplication over thecourse o the year.

Another smart lady who hasthe holidays down to a fne art

is Marla Cilley, also known asthe Flylady to millions o ansaround the world. Cilleysno-nonsense attitude aboutclutter and disorganizationhatched an entire section onher website ocused on ideasor thoughtul, low-key gitsthat ease holiday stress.

One an suggested hosting akids party or the ospring o

your riends, giving the parentsa couple o ree hours to shop,

wrap or just chill. his couldbe one o the greatest gits youever give someone (and maybetheyll repay in kind).

Another contributed theidea o supplying your cheor sommelier wannabe withcooking or wine tasting classes.

You dont even have to leavethe house to shop or these, asmost high-end gourmet storeshave websites where classescan be purchased.

Grandparents can be dii-

cult to shop or because theyhave more stu than they

know what to do with. Butmany are on a ixed income,so pre-paid phone cards orpaying or a year o satellite orcable service are thoughtulgits to keep them in touch.

Check out http://www.ly-lady.net/pages/clutterree_main.asp or hundreds ostress-ree git ideas.

Goodies

Holiday baking is a high-

light or amilies each year . . .or is it? While the smell o gin-gerbread illing your home is

wonderul, achieving dozenso perect cookies or Christmascakes is a lot o eort or par-ents who already have enoughto do with jobs, housekeep-ing, shopping, wrapping, dec-orating and not to mention -cooking daily meals.

Premade cookie dough soldby the bucket still achieves theresh-baked smell and taste.

Bake up a couple o dozen,slide these onto a estive plat-

ter or the cookie swap and noone is the wiser. Or purchase aestive chocolate Yule log cakeor a gingerbread torte romBakers Street (available acrossCanada through most majorgrocery chains) and put it in

your own baking pan or serv-ing dish as your oering at theschool potluck or oice treatday. Youre a no-sweat hero.

Deborah Zuskan makesRumtop (rum pot) each year.

his is not only a time cheatbut it also cheats the season,preserving tastes o summeror the shortest days o the

year. An old German recipe,Zuskan makes this each yearor guests serving over icecream, cake or alone or asa git to honoured hostesses.She says once a recipient hastried this boozy concoction,they ask or it each year.

Any seasonal ruit will doexcept tropicals, like bananas.

Zuskan adds more blueberriesbecause she likes the lovely

purple hue they bring to themixture.

Beginning in June with thestrawberry harvest, Zuskantakes out the oversized sealing

jar thats reserved especiallyor this recipe. She begins withthree cups o strawberries anda cup and hal o sugar. Start

with your ruit and mix withhal that much sugar, sheadvises. hen she covers theruit with dark rum, seals and

stores it in dark cool spot untilthe next summer ruit harvest usually around two weeks then adds the next type o ruit,the corresponding amount osugar and again adds rum justuntil its covered. She contin-ues the process until the jar isull.

Its ready or the holidaysand makes a nice git, but dontgive it to children, she laughs.

When time and energy arein short supply, its OK to take

a ew shortcuts and cheat theseason.

Seasons cheatings can helpClever shortcuts will save time and reduce stress during the busy holidays


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5/12

Gift guide

CAROLYN McTIGHESpecial to QMI Agency

One the best things aboutChristmas are the stockingsand there are ew kids outthere who dont love rilingthrough them on Christ-mas morning. But instead o

sticking the same old man-darin oranges, candy canesand chocolates in your childsstocking this year, why nottreat them to a ew o ourstocking stuer avourites.

Hexbug Nanohis may seem like the

kind o goodie only boys willlike, but the truth is these lit-tle battery-operated bugs area hit with girls and boys o

all ages. Tey come in a vari-

ety o bright colours and thereare even a ew that glow inthe dark. hese little crea-tures behave exactly like bugs,swerving and bumping intothings beore turning aroundand scooting in the oppositedirection. Tese robotic bugscan be ound at almost any toystore or can be bought onlineat hexbug.com or $9.99 and

up.

Lego Mini ModelsWhat could be better than

a tiny Santa igure made outo Lego to put together onChristmas morning. Howabout three Santa iguresmade out o Lego? Or evenbetter, how about a smallLego calendar that your childcan put together and change

every single month. At Lego.com you can ind an array omini Lego fgurines and mod-els that are inexpensive andideal stocking stuers. Pricesrange rom $5 to $25

SquinkiesTe name may sound silly,

but kids adore them. Onceonly a toy or girls, now thereare Squinkies or boys too.Made o sot, durable plas-

tic these little igures can be

traded and worn on braceletsand necklaces. hese adora-ble toys can be ound at mosttoy stores or can be purchasedonline at squinkies.com. Price

vary rom $10 to $30

Lush Bath BombsEveryone loves to smell

sweet and there are ew girlswho wouldnt be happy to getadorable bath bombs romLush in their stocking. Withscents like spicy cinnamonand candy cane and shapeslike Santa Claus and ginger-bread men to choose rom,

youre sure to ind some-thing to make your little sugarplum airy dance with delighton Christmas morning. Lushstores can be ound at mallsaround the country or you

can buy them online at Lush.

ca at prices ranging between$6 to $15

Plush Funny Face

SnowballsSot and uzzy, these tiny

plush snowballs are sure to

delight your kids. hey are

lightweight and come withunny aces kids can collectand share with one another.Priced at $15 or a dozen,there will be plenty o themto go around or give as smallgits this holiday season. Visitorientaltrading.com

Aromatherapy NecklacesNot only are these glassnecklaces gorgeous, theyare also illed with essentialoils that can be used to calmnerves, settle stomachs or justsmell great.

In addition to the necklaceyou can also buy a zipper pullor earrings. Originally seenon the CBC television show,Dragons Den, these uniquenecklaces can be ound onlineat pixieglassworks.com or

$25 to $30.

No lumps of coalFill your kids stockings with hi-tech toys and sweet-smelling treats all under $30


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Gift guide

LINDA WHITESpecial to QMI Agency

Red and green are avour-ite colours or Christmasdecorating, what about uch-sia and silver?

Whatever your style, throwcaution to the wind when

you deck the halls. he onlydecorating rule you need toremember is there are norules.

O n e o m y a v o u r i t ethings about decorating orthe holidays is that you cantry new colour schemes you

wouldnt ordinarily workinto your dcor and have alot o un because you knowits not permanent, says Er inMcLaughlin, editor-in-chieo Style at Home magazine.

Im so excited about theevolution o the traditional

red and green, or red and

gold colour scheme, shesays. Fuchsia and silver issuch a glittery combinationbut may not be one youd usein your everyday dcor. heholidays are a great opportu-nity to try them.

Jewel tones are strong andmuch richer and more opu-lent than in seasons past.hink peacock eathers andB o l l y w o o d , M c L a u g h l i nadvises.

In ashion, were seeingall t hese bold colours andpeople are colour-blockingin very inventive ways. Wereseeing that in our holidaydecorating as well, she says.

Basics like gold and silverornaments and clear LEDlights should be buildingblocks to holiday dcor.

Work in accessorizingcolours rom year to year,

says McLaughlin. Im also

a traditionalist and think you should work in somehomemade decorations, likestrings o popcorn or thetree.

Even i her tree is colour-co-ordinated, youll see dec-orations handmade by lit-tle hands that have enduringsentimental appeal. Despitethe excitement about unex-pected new colour schemes,theres something homeyabout the traditional red andgreen palette.

You cant go wrong, saysMcLaughlin.

Decorating guru Debbieravis agrees. he themeso her sel-named Christ-mas tree collection (availa-ble at Canadian ire) includehomespun, inviting youto create an old-ashionedChristmas with traditional

reds, whites and greens, as

well as gingham and stitcheditems.

Y o u a l w a y s g e t t h a thomey trend in tough ti mes,she says.

ough economic timesalso usher in bling: Wereseeing a lot o deep blues indecorating, especially cobalt.Its dark but has a bit o redin it and is very lively and

vibrant, says ravis. Werealso seeing icy silver, whitesand pale blues. You need tohave rich jewel tones likeberry a nd gold Were see-ing a lot o bright colours thathave lots o rosting.

Her avourite theme romher collection is woodlandsplendour. It eatures warmmetallic tones and texturedsuraces with nature-inspiredicons, such as birds and por-cupines. Tats really nice i

youre in the cit y. You prob-ably wouldnt do the rustic,cottage thing in your apart-ment but its nice to bringthat in or the holidays, saysravis.

Beore transorming your

house or the holidays,she recommends lay-ing out your decora-t i o n s a n d d e c i d i n g

which pieces will serveas the backdrop, suchas garlands, wreathsand lighting. Once you

choose a theme, startbuilding layers, saysravis. Its about hav-ing un.

Create a ocal point.For many people, its aChristmas tree but they

can be a lot o work, saysMcLaughlin. You can do atabletop tree or somethingmore inventive.

Te Style at Home team, orexample, cemented an appletree branch in a pot andtrimmed it with ornamentsor the magazines Novemberedition. here are all sortso un t hings you can do,McLaughlin says. Its aboutthinking outside the box.

Fuchsia Christmas?Try new colour schemes when decking the halls for the holidays

QMI AGENCy

Its the git that keeps ongiving.

A talking phone or pocketmagniier purchased romCNIB will not only make lieeasier or a riend or relativeliving with vision loss, butthe git wi ll also help thou-sands o Canadians who relyon the charitys services.

Proceeds rom Shop CNIB

sales go directly to serviceshelping Canadians who areblind or partially sighted,including emotional sup-port, the charitys library andindependent living support,

which helps with everydayactivities such as travellingand cooking without sight.

You might call buyingrom Shop CNIB a win-winsituation, said John Raferty,president and CEO o CNIB.

Te online store gits canalso be purchased throughCNIB retail locations ofers

t a l k i n g w a t c h e s , p r i c e dat $40.65 to $44.95, whichannounce the time at thetouch o a button, as well astalking calculators, cookingtimers and blood pressure

monitors.heres also large-print

playing cards or $4.85, burn-less oven mitts or $14.70and a $3.50 sock lock, whichensures socks dont go miss-ing on laundry day. Anyone

with a drawer o mismatchedsocks will appreciate thatstocking stufer.

Many people arent awareo just how helpul thesekinds o products can be not

only or people who are blind,but people with even a mildloss o vision or those whomay just have a litt le troublereading restaurant menus,Raferty said. Something assmall as a pocket magniieror a talking watch can makea huge dierence in some-ones lie.

G i t s c a n b e o r d e r e donline (cnib.ca/shop) or byphone (1-866-659-1843) andshipped across Canada. Shopby Dec. 15 to ensure deliveryby Christmas.

Gift of sightHelp a relative with vision loss this Christmas

Gifts like a Talking Watchcan make a huge dierencein the life of someone withvision problems.

Erin McLaughlin


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7/12

Gift guide

QMI AGency

Heres a ew o the top toysor preschoolers as recom-mended by the Canadian Toy

Association.

Brand Snug BugsBy: Borgeldt (Canada)

LimitedThese cool bugs make a

chain that will delight babiesand toddlers. Each chewa-

ble, squishable, lovable bugis approximately 3 inches.

Age: 10 months to 3 yearsSuggested retail: $24.99R e c o m m e n d ed b y t h e

Canadian Toy Association

Papo Pirate ShipBy: DArtagnan Distribu-

tionThis colourul wooden

ship brings children intothe world o pirates. The setincludes two Papo gurines,

a wooden leg captain and

cannon.Age: 3Suggested retail: $89.99R e c o m m e n de d b y t h e


Rock Star MickeyBy: The Walt Disney Co.

Ltd.Watch Mickey kick across

the loor and jam into hisMickety-split. Dance withMickey as he shows you hislatest moves. Plays three rock

tunes, including the classic,You Really Got Me! Batter-ies included.

Age: 2Suggested retail: $59.99R e c o m m e n de d b y t h e


Cloud B - Gentle Girafe -Soothing Sounds

By: Dogree FashionsGentle Girae has our

unique Serengeti sounds thattake your child on a magical

journey while transorming

playtime to sleep time. Bat-teries included.

Age: all agesSuggested retail: $39.99R e c o m m e n de d b y t h e


Sesame Street Playskool

Lets Rock! ElmoBy: Hasbro CanadaElmo comes with a micro-

phone, tambour i ne anddrum set. Kids can also playalong on Elmos instruments,

which are perectly sized or

little hands.

Age: 18 monthsSuggested retail: $79.99R e c o m m e n d ed b y t h e


P e e k - a- S h o e T a l k i n gOctopus

By: LeapFrogDrop in a ball and look

or it under the brightly col-oured, numbered shoes.Explore counting, coloursand learn about diferent seaanimals.

Age: 9-36 monthsSuggested retail: $39.99R e c o m m e n d ed b y t h e


LEGO DUPLO My FirstSupermarket

By: LEGO CanadaCreate your own super-

market with colourul, saeand sturdy DUPLO bricks.This 38-piece set includesbananas, bread and a cashierready to ring up purchases.

Age: 2

Suggested retail: $24.99R e c o m m e n de d b y t h e


Little People Zoo TalkersAnimal Sounds Zoo

By: MattelBring animals to lie by

placing any Little People ZooTalkers animal on the peg atthe hut. It responds with thatanimals name and the soundit makes.

Age: 1 1/2 to 5

Suggested retail: $54.99R e c o m m e n de d b y t h e

Canadian Toy AssociationCare & Learn TeddyBy: V Tech Technologies

Canada Ltd.Children will learn parts

o the body and how doctorsuse a stethoscope, ear ther-mometer and bandage tohelp patients eel their best.

Age: 18-36 monthsSuggested retail: $24.99R e c o m m e n de d b y t h e


Hot christmas tos for prshoolrs


8 Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune Tuesday December 6 2011


8/12

Gift guide

Here are a ew suggestionsor the kids in your lie thisChristmas.

Its a Little Book, LaneSmit, $8.99

Know a child who pre-

ers to chew on books ratherthan read t hem? hats okaywith Its A Little Book, whichexplores exactly what a bookis or (chewing? wearing?) ina unny a nd captivating way.

hats Not My Snowman,Fiona Watt, $11.95

A great touchy-eely bookto help little ones develop lan-guage and sensory skills whileenjoying vibrant, Christmascolours and textures such as auy red scar, uzzy mittensand reective snowakes.

A Porcupine in a Pineree, Helaine Becker, $16.99

Te welve Days o Christ-mas Cana-di an style,eaturingMounties,squirrelsand hockeyplayers sing-ing, leapinga n d e v e ncurling.Now thats

something the original carol

let out!Moo, Matthew Van Fleet,

$19.99Bring a day at the arm to

your living room, with thisinteractive book o animalsounds and textures. Lit,

push and pull tabs to indurr y surprises and squeaks,illustrated with lovelyphotographs, rhyth mand rhyme. Just dontbe surprised when

you have a clucking,mooing toddler.

Bad Kitty Christ-m a s , N i c k B r u e l ,$18.50

A greedy kitty getsa lesson in the truemeaning o Christ-m a s w h e n d i s a p -poi nti ng presentslead to a estive jaunt acrosstown. Beautiul pictures and

rhymes teach kids thatits not all about thegits.

Te Bippolo Seed andOther Lost Stories, $17

he literary equiva-lent o buried treasure,these seven rarely-seen-beore Dr. Seuss stories

will keep ans enter-tained or hours. Gems

include a rabbit saved rom a

bear with a single eyelash anda tale about a boy whose ar-ung career antasies are onlybested by those o the real Dr.Seuss himsel.

Everything On It, Shel Sil-verstein, $21.99

Say Hi-ho to a toilet trolland get tongue-tied with Stick-a-ongue-Out-Sid, whilereadi ng thi sabulous,brain-bendingpoetry book.

Wildwood,Colin Meloy,$18.99

L i e t u r n s w e i r d o rPrue Mc-Keel when herbaby brother

is abducted and she starts anadventure o wonder, danger,magic and antasy. Wonderulstorytelling with intricate andbeautiul illustrations.

Tis Dark Endeavour, KenOppel, $19.99

Victor Frankenstein lives acharmed, luxurious existence.But when his twin brotheralls ill, he must embark on aperilous adventure, pushingthe boundaries o nature, sci-

ence and love to save him.

BRIONY SMITHSpecial to QMI Agency

heres nothing estiveabout business casual.

With so many holiday par-ties scheduled right ater

work, it can be tough to headstraight to the shindig romthe oce and still look chic.

All it takes, however, is a lit-tle planning and a ew extrapieces thrown into your purseto make sure youre party-ready post-work. Use ourguide to get holiday gorgeousin fve minutes at.

1. Stash a pair o dangly ear-rings, a statement necklace, orstack o bangles in your desk.

A little jewelry can take youroice outit to the next level,as can a aux ur jacket or vin-

tage ascinator.

2. Eye-catchi ng heelsare big this holiday season.Choose a pair in a brightshade or with un extras likestuds or an eye-catching pat-tern to make a work dressmore estive-eeling.

3. Invest in a slick blazerwith sexy details like a emmeshade (try blush pink orteal) or tuxedo lapels. Once

you leave the oice, you canreplace your work blouse

with a lacy cami, or button theblazer to the topwith noth-ing underneath!

4. wist your hair up in aloose chignon during the day

with a healthy blast o hair-spray. Come evening, let itdownyoull have a head obouncy va-va-voom waves.

5. Don a button-up blouseover a bustier during the day,then unbutton it halway or

the evening or a bit o peek-

a-boo party appeal.6. Sporting a pair o wool

trousers to work? When youreready to hit the soiree, switchout your ballet ats or a pairo sky-high heels and roll upthe cus. Unbutton the bot-

tom ew buttons o your shirt

and tie it in a jaunty knot.7. Wear a sharp shit dress

over a sweater and thick woo-len tights during the day.Remove the sweater and swapout the tights or some sheerlacy black patterned hose or

a holiday look to die or.

8. one down a sequined,brocade, lace or bright redtank with a crisp Oxord wornunderneath and a black cash-mere cardigan worn overtop. Just beore you leave theoice, take o the cardi andbutton-down and rock justthe tank.

9. Dress up a pair o tightblack trouser jeans with a ew

strands o pearls and wedgeheels. heyll transition per-ectly into the party whenpaired with a leather necklaceand slouchy silk top.

10. rade those sensibleleggings or some nude ish-nets or vintage-inspired pat-terned hosiery.

11. Rocking a tight mini-dress? Make it OK or the

workplace by throwing amaxi-skirt over top o it or theday.

12. Have a sparkly cocktail

dress or lashy metallic skirtyoure dying to wear? one itdown in the oice by throw-ing on a black wool blazer andbelting it, then wearing a neu-tral scar over top and knee-high boots.

13. Don a vintage lace bust-ier with a slim-itting pencilskirt, then top it o with a sotangora sweater. When its time

to party, remove the sweaterand add a pair o chandelierearrings and belt the pencilskirt over the bustier.

14. hrow a little cocktailpurse into your workbag, thentranser your must-haves orthe night into the smallerclutch beore you leave.

15 . K e e p s o m e p a r t y makeup essentials in yourdesk bronzer, gold eyeshadow, a bright coral lipstick,and concealer or last-minute

touch-ups.

Party planningNeed to take an outt from corporate to cocktails? Just add accessories

Books are always a good gift


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9/12

Gift guide

JOANNE RICHARDQMI Agency

Dont ruin the holidays orthe kids.

Divorce can be a devas-tating transition or kids andChristmastime can be espe-cially traumatic, especially

when couples are deep inconfict.

Help make it merrier withco-operation and advanceplanning.

Fail to plan, plan to a il,says Karen Stewart, divorce

mediator and president oFairway Divorce (www.airwaydivorce.com). Holidayscan be diicult at the best otimes but with divorced/sepa-rated amilies it can be chaos.

I parents do not planthen kids are oten let tornbetween where to go, who tospend time with juggling thetwo amilies and extendedamilies is more than any kidsshould have to handle, Stew-art says.

Advance planning in detailreduces last-minute decisionswhich may result in hard eel-ings and arguments, addsStewart, an expert at conlictresolution.

Replace happy memories opast holidays with new ones create new traditions. Per-haps put on a amily play andtake the kids around to amilyand riends to perorm. Con-sider going out or holidaydinners

Generally, kids are adapt-able and will respond as theparent responds so be disci-plined about keeping a smileand happy ace, Stewart says.

C h i l d r e n e e l t o r n i ndivorce i they perceive thatone parent is hurting becauseo the ot her parents behav-iour, she says. Parents mustat all times reassure the childthat they are OK and that they

want their child to enjoy theirtime with the other parent.

Pretend i you have to chil-

dren need to eel that you are

happy when they are spend-ing time with their other par-

ent, she says.Be supportive and positive.

Children are hal o each par-ent. Bad mouthing a parent isbasically telling the child thatone hal o them is not OK. Donot bad-mouth their parentaround them ever. A parent

will destroy their childs selesteem this way.

Keep kids connected totheir grandparents they playa huge role in the wellbeingand development o children.

Divorcing parents does notmean divorcing grandpar-ents, says Stewart, addinggrandparents need to be keptout o the divorce mess.

Ruthlessly protect thisspace so that the children

will never be put in a posi-tion where they cannot spendtime with their grandparents.Sometimes grandparents arethe only stable environmentduring divorce and save thechilds emotional wellbeing.

Bad behaviouris synonymous

with divorce

Kids have been torn awayrom one household in themiddle o git opening to runout the door to be with theother parent, says divorcemediator Karen Stewart. Tisis heart-wrenching and mustbe avoided. Be sure to havean exact exchange time asevery minute seems to mat-

ter or amilies during holidayseason.

Receiving the exact samegit or way more rom onehouse than the other canmake kids eel very bad aboutthemselves and/or one par-ent, says Stewart, presidento www.airwaydivorce.com.Co-ordinate git-giving inadvance.

Some parents use theholiday season to get back attheir ex-partner. Vindictivebehaviour is nothing short oabuse and happens way too

oten. his is so damaging tochildren and can leave scarsor lie, says Stewart.

Act like a grownupMake it an emotionally

healthy and merry Christmasor kids with these tips:

Plan events in advance sokids know where and whenthey are going. Tis way, kidscan look orward to spend-ing time with each parent and

extended amilies. Establish a new tradition. Keep kids busy plan

physical activity every day totire them out.

Keep presents about thesame volume and expense ateach household.

Teach kids about gratitudeand speak positive, empower-ing language to create energyo love and thankulness.

Avoid negative language andinteraction at all costs.

- Courtesy of Karen Stewart,www.fairwaydivorce.com

Broken homefor the holidays

Divorce is devastating, but careful planningcan make Christmas easier for kids

Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune Tuesday, December 6, 2011 9

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10/12

Gift guide

Here are a ew more ideas

or gits or kids in your liethis year.

Hockey FansBy: Filosoa

A card game played whilewatching a hockey game onV, it eatures goal, powerplay and penalty cards. Play-ing time: one period.

Age: 8Suggested retail: $14.99Recommended by the

Canadian oy Association

Caillou Super QuizBy: Jouet Kid oy Inc.

With the help o Caillou,explore animals, insects,

vehicles, numbers, letters,seasons, sports with thiselectronic portable console.Batteries included.



LEGO Games Creation-

ary

By: LEGO CanadaLEGO Games Creation-

ary is among a collection oconstructible board gamesthat can be built, playedand changed. An interactivegame or the entire amily.



3D Breakthrough Puz-zles

By: MEGA BrandsAssemble the two-dimen-

sional jigsaw puzzle back-ground and then use spe-cially-designed clips to con-struct the u nique cardboardpieces that really pop out.

Age: 3 levels, 6 , 8 , 12Suggested retail: $14.99-

$24.99Recommended by the


Logo

By: Spin Master Ltd.

Put your consumer knowl-edge to the test and show o

your knowledge o popularbrands in this amily game opop culture.



Khet Laser Game

By: Lion Rampant Imports

A game that combines

lasers with classic strategy;players alternate turns mov-ing Egy ptian-themed pieceshaving t wo, one or no mir-rored suraces.

Ages: 9Suggested retail: $49.99Recommended by Neigh-

bourhood oy Stores o Can-ada as Gold Star Award recip-ient

Perplexus EpicBy: PlaSmart

Navigate the steel ballalong the tracks, through 125barriers o varying difculty

as you try to dey gravity.

Ages: 6 - 10Suggested retail: $29.99Recommended by Neigh-

bourhood oy Stores o Can-ada as Gold Star Award recip-ient

Angry Birds Knock onWood

Build, launch and destroywith an exciting skill-and-action game based on thebest-selling phone app.

Age: 5

Suggested retail: $19.99Recommended by Mattel

Hot game and uzzle for Chritma

CAROLYN McTIGHESpecial to QMI Agency

When it comes to the holi-days it is very easy to all o

your diet and gain a ew extrapounds.

From the decadent Christ-mas goodies at the oice tothe holiday parties every

weekend, overeating is acommon complaint amongthose o us who are trying tostay loyal to our itness andhealthy eating programs.

I dread Christmas, saysMiranda oews, a Calgarystay-at-home mother o three.All year long Im very diligentabout eating right and stay-ing healthy, but during theholidays I end up cheatingbecause there are so manytemptations. By the time thenew year rolls around, Ivegained anywhere rom ve to10 unwanted pounds.

D e n y i n g y o u r s e l t h eenjoyment o an extra serv-ing o stuing or pumpkinpie may seem like the right

way to tackle the overeatingtendency, but according to

Vancouver-based dieticianDeborah Maki, it is the wrong

way to address the issue.Christmas is the one

time a year where its OK toindulge a little, says Maki.When you cut yoursel orom the oods you like com-pletely, it oten makes it hardto stick to a healthy eat-ing plan. I you love mashedpotatoes then eat some at

your holiday dinner, but skip

the extra dollop o butter orsour cream.

Removing the ocus o

ood and placing it instead onthe social at mosphere o hol-iday parties and gatherings isanother way to help ensure

you stick to your healthy eat-ing regime. Giving ood thepower to tempt you is a rec-ipe or disaster.

Its all about moderation,Maki says. I you wouldntovereat at other times duringthe year, t hen you shouldntbe doing it over the holidayseither. Food should nevercontrol you. Eat what youlike in moderation and when

youre ull, stop. You donthave to take an extra plate osugar cookies just becausetheyre t here.

I youre able, Maki alsosuggests bringing healthysnacks and goodies with youto substitute or t he richer,more calorie-laden oods thatare oten oered at holidayparties a nd get-togethers.

Have healthy snacks andoods that you can bring

with you to the ofce or am-ily dinner part y, says Maki.hings like sliced vegeta-bles and low at yogurt dipare great alternatives to moreatty snack oods and every-one, not just you, can enjoythem.

Te main thing to remem-ber is that you can still eat

well and have un over theholidays, you just have to besmart about what you eatand take charge o your eat-

ing habits, Maki says.

Christmas stufngTips to avoid gaining a belly like a bowl full of jelly

CHRIsTMAs

HEALTHYEATING TIpsnDont orget to get

physical. ime may belimited, but there is alwaystime to exercise. Burninga ew extra calories willallow you to enjoy an extrahelping o something youlove

n Keep pop and boozeto a minimum. We dontoten attribute those extrapounds around our waist-line to the alcoholic andsugary beverages we drink,but the truth is they canbe sneaky weight gainers.Enjoy a ew, but dont overdo it.

n Dont skip meals .Skipping a meal is a badidea, especially i you areheading to a Christmas

party. Empty stomachslead to overeating.

n Steer clear o sugar. Aew sweet treats are nice,but too much is naughty.

n Say no. Never eelpressured to eat. I thereis something being oeredthat you dont eel is a goodchoice or you, then gra-ciously pass and dont eelguilty about it.

y y, ,

#184 Prairie Mall, Grande Prairie, AB 780-831-1190

www.chatters.ca



11/12

Gift guide

JOANNE RICHARD

QMI Agency

Dont let the door hit you onthe way out!

is the season to be merrybut bad behaving guests canmake the season scary andstressul.

Its as i all the warts startto come out Aunt Mary con-stantly complaining, Uncle

Jack always drunk, little Billy whining about missing hisNintendo, says etiquetteexpert Linda Allan.

Duty and obligation otendrive a host to extend invita-tions to amily to stay over.And despite the added eort,time and money expendedby a host, guests can oten bemost ungrateul, says Allan.

Showing up with pets, aever, a bad attitude and thengoing on to run up phonebills, hog the computer andeat everything in sight rude

guests may possibly be mak-ing reservations at the HolidayInn next year.

We cant choose our am-ily, and that means sometimeshaving to put up with thingsthat we just wouldnt tolerateotherwise, says the mannermaven, o www.lindaallan.ca.As were most giving andorgiving at the holidays, host-ing amily gatherings can be at

once a treat and most trying.According to Dr. Rick Kir-schner, when its your home,and youre the host, yourenot going anywhere becausetheres no way to get away.Either manage the madness orget swept up into it and maybeswept away by it too.

I someone has to have atleast a little holiday spirit, itmight as well be you, addsKirschner, author o How toClick with People. Flexibil-itys a must, you have to startand then keep building a reso-

nant container or the gather-ing, a way to keep everyone onthe same wavelength insteado scattering to their worstbehaviour.

And i theyve already scat-tered and youre trying tobring them back, nd the per-son most likely to be listenedto, and have them do the talk-ing or you, adds Kirschner, o

www.theartochange.com.

Adds Allan: Te longer thestay, the tougher it gets.But hosts can be pretty

enterprising when it comesto oering hospitality to thosethey most enjoy, adds Allan.

Some hosts invite thoserude guests to join themor dinner out, thus avoid-ing having them step oot intheir home, Allan says. Otheravoidance tactics, she adds,include things like a girlsnight so the b elligerent hus-band is eliminated rom theestivities or a Saturday ater-

noon reunion so the dudnephew who works weekenddays cant attend.

Mean while , Kirs chn erstresses the best way to be agreat guest is to strive or it.Observe the local customs.

Pitch in when asked, listenwhen talked to, be generouswith your time and atten-tion but not overbearing, andtalk with people respectully,regardless o how they com-municate with you.

Dont get in the middle oother peoples conficts, unlessasked - then stay neutral.Heres the recipe: A modi-cum o decorum, a big help-ing o helping, and a dash ocharm, adds Kirschner.

Roll out the unwelcome matA few tips on how to be a good guest over the holidays

Bei n g too comforta-

ble a n d overly fa mi li a r:Packing at-home casual-ness and behaviours into thehosts home. Ater the irst24 hours, guests tend to set-tle in and make like its theirhome, says Linda Allan, eti-quette expert.

Tey get up and go to bedwhen they like, have a napeven in the living room, servethemselves rom the ridge

without irst asking theirhost or better, waiting to beserved. hey dont tidy theirroom, wipe the bathroom

counter or pick up ater them-

selves. Ignoring the host: Guestsact as i theyre on a holiday

while the host slaves awayand others pitch in. Ive seenguests watch V, play games,nap, make phone calls, etc.

while others are bu sy prepar-ing meals, planning or thenext meal, washing dishes,buying groceries, tidy bath-rooms, says Allan.

Being inconsiderate ofothers: Putting themselvesrst no matter how many oth-ers may be aected.

Ive had guests take or-

ever in the bathroom in themornings and evenings whileothers wait patiently or theirturn. Ive seen guests com-plain about their sleepingarrangements, pillows, lacko closet space, temperaturein the house, meal schedule,brands o liquor in the cabi-net, etc., while others try toaccommodate them, says

Allan, o www.lindaallan.ca. Arriving unprepared:

hey orget to bring thingsthey need and then expect thehost to provide these items.

Be sure to never get invited back

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Documents

Holiday Wish Guide #2