People who purchase Christmas décor each year can add quite a bit of expense to an already expensive tradition. Rather than buying yet another string of lights -- possibly pushing the electric bill higher -- or paying for pricey, mass-produced decorations that you are likely to encounter in as many homes as you visit during the holidays, this year make your own. You may or may not save money, but you will certainly provide a project that the family can share.
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Picking a Christmas Tree
The Christmas tree is, quite literally, the centerpiece of Christmas for many who celebrate the holiday. But choosing the tree that best fits your family’s logistical and personal tastes can be a challenge, given the seemingly unlimited options filling store windows.
Put a Stop to Bedtime Tantrums
You know the scenario. It's time to go to sleep, but your toddler wants you to read just one more book or sing yet another lullaby. And once you're done with that, she needs a drink of water, but then still refuses to settle down. Before you know it, she's overtired and unhappy, which results in a bedtime tantrum -- and one exhausted parent.
Bountiful Thanksgiving on a Budget
Thanksgiving is about giving thanks. It’s about family and friends. But it’s equally, if not mostly, about food. Besides, thankfulness and loved ones tend to be free. Food isn’t. From birds the size of small children to complicated side dishes, the grocery bill for such a meal can become too much to bear. And as soon as you try to cut corners with cost, you probably worry that you’re cutting corners on quality, as well.
Elegance on a Budget
Times are tough -- but just because your budget is a little tight, it doesn’t mean your feast has to suffer. “Thanksgiving is about abundance, so an abundance of holiday items makes a simple but beautiful accent,” said Jeanette Chasworth, certified interior designer and owner of Chasworth Place.
Fool-Proof Holiday Entertaining
Whether you are a rookie or a veteran at hosting Thanksgiving, making the most of space and seating while doting over décor can send even the most organized planner into a frenzy.
Happy Parents = Happy Kids
Too often, parents get caught in a constant whirl of kid-friendly activities, scheduling mishaps and drive-through dinners to meet the needs of their family. A 4 a.m. feeding or daily carpool can drain even the most energetic mom or dad. Between your daughter’s dance lessons, your son’s soccer practice and hours of homework and housework to wade through, your hectic schedule may lead to exhaustion and even resentment as you are consumed with your ever-changing role as a parent.
Create a Great Living Room
The name "living room" says it all: You spend most of your home life in it. But you also welcome guests there; it is the most public room of your house and the one in which you want to make a statement and reflect who you are as a family.
Home Decor’s Forgotten Holiday
While ghosts and ghouls are out and about in October, and bright lights are strewn in December in preparation for Christmas, the Thanksgiving holiday, wedged between fright night and silent night, is oft forgotten when it comes to home décor.
When You Love Someone …
When you love someone, you give away your heart and your soul. You break down the walls, unleash your fears and dive in to experience something real. When you love someone, you share who you are inside, what you dream to be and work together to accomplish those dreams.
Shannon Philpott-Sanders 