Specials Gift: December 2007

Birthday New Year Party

People who are born on 31st December or on 1st January have the advantage of celebrating the New Year's Eve and their birthday together, thereby saving some bucks. Lucky ones, hehe. Jokes apart, I would suggest anyone whose birthday falls on the last week of December would better postpone the celebrations for few days and club the New year party and birthday party to have a blast on the New Year Eve celebration. Here are some birthday party ideas to be celebrated on the last day of the calender:-

Decorations
If you are going to have the party at home, then decorate the home with streamers, balloons with the noisemakers and hats. Fill the balloons with some noisemakers and tie them in such a way that even kids' can reach them to make the noises at the stroke of midnight. Make New Year noisemakers at home by filling the plastic film canisters halfway with corn kernels and decorate with shiny stickers. Make a hole at the canister's cap and put a thread and hung them. For more decoration tips click here.

Birthday food recipes
On birthday, birthday cake is inevitable. In the other menus, there can be Italian meatballs, apple pie, baked ham, Deviled Egg boats along with cookies and chocolates. If there are children present in the party, then do the toasting with something non- alcoholic drinks like hot spiced cider or any colorful cocktails suitable for kids.

Birthday party activities
Since it is the New Year's Eve, arrange for some activities that will go with the mood of the celebration. One of the common activity of New Year party is to writing of letter telling one's aims and wishes for the coming year and then keeping them in a safe place without lettting anyone to read it. On the next New Year's Eve, the letters will be opened and it will continue as a cycle. Or there can be batting of balloons but there is a catch. Guests have to be in pairs with their one hand locked with each other and they have to volley the balloon with one hand. The pair that does it longer will be the winner. Or other funny games can be done like memory gift exchange or writing of resolutions on sheets of paper separately and then mixing them randomly someone reads it aloud asking the guests who made what resolution.

So, start the countdown for the New year 2008 and enjoy double celebration on this New Year eve

Birthday gifts for Capricorn

Send Capricorn birthday Card
More Capricorn birthday Comments

People born within 22nd December - 20th January fall under the zodiac sign of Capricorn. The common Capricorn traits are that they are traditional, practical, respects authority, neat and tidy and has a likeness for elite things. So if you know someone whose zodiac sign is Capricorn and you don't know that person too well, then go for the conventional birthday gifts like photo frame, bracelets, watches, diaries, wallets, apparels or monogrammed briefcase or leather bags. They will love anything that is of utility so think of something that will be useful for them in future.

It is said that a Capricorn is sensitive to cold is so something warm like scarves, gloves, waistcoat will make them happy. Also, being a practical person, a Capricorn might not make extravagant buy, but it does not mean they won't be happy if they get a expensive gift like diamond pendant or a silk bathrobe.

Being a earth sign and the ruling planet being Saturn, the main gemstone for this zodiac sign is Garnet. So, one option can be any kind of jewelery consisting of this stone.

Another Girlfriends Christmas Party

My friend Alisha and I enjoy hosting a party for our Girlfriends at Christmas as our "gift" to them. Here's what we did this year.

Wednesday night my friend Alisha and I hosted our 2nd Girlfriends Christmas Party. Neither of our days went as planned but we still had a great time and were happy with how everything turned out. When we were on the phone in the afternoon realizing how much was left to do in such little time I said "I think we might not be the super women we thought we were", she laughed at my drama.

These were the invitations we sent out.

We invited 6 friends to the party so there were 8 of us total. We started off with appetizers and punch while we played a little "get to know you better game". Okay, okay, I'll tell the truth, we started off with Alisha using my blender without putting the bottom of it on and then having quite the mess when she tried to take the blender off of the stand, after that our guests started arriving and we enlisted there help in some last minute food prep. THEN we enjoyed Creamy Mushroom Phyllo Triangles, Veggie Pizza, Shrimp Dip and Frothy Pink Grapefruit Strawberry Drink while we played the "get to know you better game". Four of the girls won prizes which were either a bag filled with foot scrub, lotion, a pumice stone and pedicure kit, or a bag of chocolate covered pretzel rods rolled in toffee bits.

Then it was onto dinner. Alisha made the lime tower centerpiece and had extra berries left over that I used along with some ribbon and a tag to tie the napkins with. We served Christmas Salad, Barbequed London Broil with Vermont Cheddar Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes, Crunchy Green Beans, Orange Rolls, and the most delicious and beautiful Island Fruit Cups you have ever seen (Alisha has an amazing gift for food presentation).

After dinner we did our dessert exchange. Everyone brought a fun holiday dessert on a new serving tray to give away! Here is a picture of them, I took individuals but most of them were blurry. Alisha made the Black Forest Cake, I made the tall cupcakes, Tanya made the Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Torte, Tina made the cutest snowman cupcakes, Kelly made her famous Peppermint Fudge Truffle Cake on a pedestal that I REALLY wanted, Lori made her own recipe of Ooey Gooey bars in this super cute candy cane tray, Heidi brought her favorite wassail recipe in this cute teapot, and Celeste made her famous cathedral cookies. Everyone was so excited to take their treats home to their families.

For the dessert that we actually got to eat Alisha made Double Chocolate Souffles.with Warm Fudge Sauce. And OH. MY. GOODNESS. Heaven in a bowl. Seriously a must try!

The last part of our evening was our little craft. We made these cute ornaments inspired by Becky Higgins. Each ornament has four pics of each child on it to remember this year by. Each person made them so differently and they all turned out so cute.

I had a great time and am so thankful for such good friends to share fun times with. I can't wait for next year!

submitted by Emily (www.delightfuldistraction.blogspot.com)

Packaging Idea

Looking for a cute and economical way to present all of those little gifties?

I found these great red lunch sacks at Target. They had blue as well. I can't remember how many were in the package but I want to say 50 for less than $2

Fold over the top, hole punch two holes, bring some fab ribbon through and add a tag. All set!

You could even jazz it up with a charm or ornament attached to the ribbon.

We like to do the ribbon through the flap side but you could do the backside as well.

We have used brown paper sacks too and they look great, as well.

(Our teacher gifts for Religious Ed were homemade cutouts cookies and hot cocoa packets.)

submitted by Carlo

A Few Fun Ideas

This first one is a scraplift from Becky Higgins blog, it is soo easy to make. Clear pebbles from your local craft store and scrap paper and ribbon and it is a great gift to give too. The second is a piece of wood, painted and I used rub on letters from my local scrapbooking store and rub on snowflakes and wrapped fabric around the edges. The third is an Ikea mirror frame which I painted a snowman on and used a wooden snowflake.

submitted by Joanne

Christmas Potpourri

his Christmas potpourri fills your house with a delicous holiday aroma. You will need: Fresh oranges, lemons and limes, whole cloves and cinnamon sticks (I got my spices in bulk and it saved me a ton of $). I got my cellophane bags at Michaels and you could attatch any sort of tag you wanted. I typed up these directions on the back of my tag:

Christmas Potpourri

1. Place ingredients in pot.
2. Fill Pot with water, covering potpourri mix.
3. Bring to a boil and turn down to low.
4. Let simmer & continute to add water as needed.

* potpourri will last approx. one week.

These can be used as visiting teaching gifts or little party favors etc. I think I spent around $14 to do approx. 40 bags. They are always a hit! Hope you enjoy!

submitted by Holly (http://www.zachhollyd.blogspot.com)

Gifts for birthday on Christmas

Are you going to celebrate anyone's birthday on Christmas? If yes, then it is good for you as you can give the birthday cum Christmas presents at one time. Hehe. Jokes apart, when it comes to birthday gifts on this holiday season, it is better to give something that goes with the mood of the season.
When it comes to selecting a gift for him, my experience tells me that men usually prefers gifts that can be of utility rather than showpieces. So give them "A Christmas Story" Lamp
or a video and MP3 Jukebox or a Digital photoframe . Or you can pamper your boyfriend or husband with the Men's Bracelet watch or leather wallets.
When it comes to women, then most men try to go for the traditional gifts like jeweleries and perfumes. But you can be a little different and present her a beautiful candle holder with some beautiful candles or a digital camera.
If there is a birthday party of a kid, then Animal Skittles and carry case or electronic drum sticks. Or else, you can present a a story book like the classic "A Christmas Carol".

Whatever gift you might buy, the celebrant's taste and hobbies should be kept in mind while finding the gift. That's the golden rule for buying any gift for birthday or any other occasions.

Hurricane Lantern Bird Feeder

Hurricane Lanterns are the icon of simpler living. Camps and cabins sans electricity are often lit with this time tested kerosene lanterns. Here the clever folks at Fishboy have turned this treasured icon into another practical object - bird feeder!

It looks and feels like the real thing with only a few slight differences that make it more suitable for fine feathered friends.

More Info

5 Great Stocking Stuffing Ideas for Fishermen

1. Fishing Journal - Journals make a thoughtful gift for the angler in your life.

2. Fridge Magnet - A funny fridge magnet is a great idea and is handy all year round.

3. Fishing Christmas Decoration - Special fishing decorations for the tree make great stocking stuffers.

4. Angler Watch - Surprise your angler with a great watch designed for fishermen.

5. Fishing Gadget - What angler doesn't like gadgets?

Famous Birthday Quotes

Not everyone likes to celebrate birthday. To some people, birthday is a reminder of getting old and it means regular health check ups, more responsibilities and more wrinkles. Famous people have also something to say about this yearly celebration that everyone celebrates.

Old age isn't so bad when you consider the alternative.
~Maurice Chevalier

People ask me what I'd most appreciate getting for my eighty-seventh birthday. I tell them, a paternity suit.
~George Burns

If I'd known I was going to live this long (100 years), I'd have taken better care of myself.
~Ubie Blake

As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two.
~Sir Norman Wisdom

A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age.
~Robert Frost

The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.
~Lucille Ball

Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle.
~Bob Hope

The best birthdays of all are those that haven't arrived yet. ~ Robert Orben

In a dream you are never eighty. ~ Anne Sexton

Thanks to modern medical advances such as antibiotics, nasal spray, and Diet Coke, it has become routine for people in the civilized world to pass the age of 40, sometimes more than once. ~Dave Barry, "Your Disintegrating Body," Dave Barry Turns 40, 1990

People might crave for returning to youth, here is a word of wisdom from Jonathan Swift
"No wise man ever wished to be younger."

So, keeping this line in mind, enjoy your birthday. Always.

Christmas is in the Air

Wow here it is December 1st already... Christmas is in the air, the hustle and bustle has officially begun...Does any of you ever get tired of all the hype that is now associated with Christmas ?

I know I do, the believe that retail has taken over Christmas, there is so much pressure on what to buy, from holiday decorations, food, gifts, party's, etc that the true meaning of Christmas is completely lost...

Wouldn't it be nice if the world could get back to focusing on that true meaning and stop allowing all of the commercialism to control the holiday...

When our children were small we still did the Christmas thing with Santa and all of the hype, but we didn't go over board, for two reasons we didn't have the money and it isn't about how much you get it's about Jesus.

We made our children's birthdays more special than Christmas focusing on one child at a time.

Christmas should come from the heart not the stores...Everyone should be teaching the spirit of giving...It is a very special thing to teach to give something handmade from the heart....

Our world is to focused on all of the material things out there. Did you ever stop any think about how many homeless and depressed people there are in this world, and the numbers always increase around the holidays...

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas !