My Christmas Memories: Christmas tips, traditions, recipes, stories and more.

A Christmas Gift For The Coffee Lover

Tim Hicks — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:14:43 +0000

Let me start out by stating that this article is not totally unbiased because I LOVE COFFEE! I love hot coffee. I love iced coffee. I love the foo-foo coffee drinks. I simply love coffee. That probably explains why I started to hyperventilate when I first saw this deal from Saveology.

It’s a great deal on a Keurig and K-Cup gift set. The set includes:

The Keurig® K-Cup B-130 individual coffee maker and a beautiful bamboo storage canister
A variety of 9 K-Cups, Green & Black’s® Organic (Cadbury® chocolates), and gourmet tea and coffee hard candies
Mug sensor – meaning no accidental spills
Energy Savings Mode – Auto Off

That’s a 193.95 value for $135 – a savings of 31% or $58.95. That’s a smokin’ deal. I know the local grocery store, here in Arizona, was selling the coffee maker alone for $130 and that didn’t even include the coffee.

I seriously need to contact my friends and relatives and give a (not so) subtle hint. Just to be on the safe side, I think I’ll include it in my letter to Santa too.

Merry Christmas.

$135 Keurig & K-Cup Medium Holiday Gift Pack ($193.95 Value) — Shipping Included! (Affiliate Link)

Special Deal: 10 Piece Snuggle Blanket Set

Tim Hicks — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:57:26 +0000

When it’s cold, there is nothing better than being snuggled down in a nice, warm blanket. Am I right? Well, here’s your chance to give that experience to ten people on your gift list at an amazing price. This offer is for ten snuggle poncho-style blankets in the following colors:

2 Camel
2 Purple
4 Plaid
1 Wine
1 Light Blue

Each blanket is 100% polyester and measures 57″ x 67″.

A zipper around the edge turns each blanket into a comfy robe.

Best of all, this ten-piece set is only $69.99 and that includes shipping within the Continental United States. That works out to only $7 each. These robe/blankets make a great gift at a great price.

Important: This is a special purchase so the following terms apply:

Returns will only be accepted for defective merchandise

Shipping is via UPS Ground. Please contact us if you would like another shipping method.

This offer is available in the Continental USA only

This price is only valid through November 30, 2011.

Order Yours Today! Only $69.99
(Suggested Retail: $186.99)

It’s October, Are You Getting Ready For Christmas?

Tim Hicks — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:56:06 +0000

Yes, this really is the clock which hangs in my office all year long.

It’s October second, we’re already over a week into Autumn. That begs the important question, “Are you starting to get ready for Christmas?”

Now, I know what many of you are thinking, “Christmas already? It’s not even Halloween yet! There’s plenty of time.” I can just hear some of you saying those very words, but, the fact is, Christmas is closer than you think. It has a way of sneaking up on us.

Just think about it. Does it really seem like it has been almost 3 months since Independence Day? Or a month since Labor Day? Nope. Time sure flies. Before you know it little ghosts and goblins will be at your door. Then, flags will appear everywhere to show respect for veterans (USA). Then it’s just a hop, skip and a jump until Thanksgiving is here. You know how fast time goes after that. It seems like Christmas is here before the Thanksgiving leftovers are put away.

Now, I’m not saying this to stress you out. That’s not the point. My goal here is to get you to start doing little things now so you can enjoy the holiday season more, with a lot less stress.

As for me, I’ve already started buying a few Christmas gifts. My goal is to have 50-75% of my Christmas shopping done before November 1. If I can be 95% done by Thanksgiving, that will be awesome I always like to leave a little “stocking stuffer” shopping for the week of Christmas because it’s fun.

Not only will you save time by starting your shopping now, but you will also spread the expense out over a larger period of time. If you get paid every two weeks, you only have 6 or 7 paychecks left before the big day. Still, it’s much easier to spread out the expense over six paychecks as opposed to trying to do everything with the two checks you get in December. If you get paid monthly, it’s even more important.

Aside from starting my Christmas shopping, I have also started working on my Christmas card list. Over the past few years, Christmas cards have taken a real beating in my holiday routine. Sometimes I put off addressing the cards until there is no point in even sending them. Not this year. I’m working on them now. These cards will hit the mail the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Well, gang. It’s been a long time since I’ve posted on this site and I apologize for that. Even though I do live Christmas 365 days a year (as evidenced by the Santa clock on my office wall), I don’t always get time to do all of the writing I would like. I do appreciate your support of this blog and promise to do better in the future.

Merry Christmas, Y’all.

Christmas In My Hometown

Tim Hicks — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:59:00 +0000

Here’s another Christmas song that Momma played every year when I was a kid. I play it every year too. It sure does bring back the memories.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE1_35PlWI0

The Live Christmas Tree

Tim Hicks — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:43:22 +0000

Although I do love the feel and smell of a live Christmas tree, it just never made sense to me that we should cut down a healthy tree just to decorate our home for a few weeks (at most). It just seems like such a waste. That’s why I’ve always had artificial Christmas trees. Sure, they aren’t quite as nice, but you can reuse them over and over again.

When I was a teenager, one of our neighbors had a different take on Christmas trees. They got a living Christmas tree. I don’t mean a “fresh cut” tree. No, I’m talking about a living tree with the root ball attached. They would decorate it for Christmas (all in blue if I remember right) and have it during the season. Then, when the Christmas season was over, they would move the tree outside and plant it in their backyard. What a great way to have a Christmas tree. You get all of the smell and feel of a real tree with none of the waste.

Whenever I would walk outside and look at the trees in our neighbor’s back yard, I would flash back to Christmas and remember how beautiful the trees looked when they were all decorated. It was like having a little bit of Christmas all year long.

If you decide to do this in your home, be sure to check with local nurseries to find out the best planting tips for your area.

Watkins Pumpkin Butter: A great holiday treat!

Tim Hicks — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 09:09:13 +0000

OK, I confess. I am a pumpkin butter addict. I have a one jar a week habit and I don’t intend to quit anytime soon. :-)

All kidding aside, I have discovered that I really do love Watkins Pumpkin Butter. If you’ve never had this wonderful spread then you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s similar to apple butter but it’s made with pumpkin.

I love to put it on biscuits and raisin bread. It’s almost like having miniature pumpkin pies. Yummy! Good stuff.

My wife Cindy and I are planning on featuring this wonderful product on our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables.

Watkins released this product as part of their 2010 “Seasonal Favorites” line. It’s only available for a limited time and only available in the US and Canada. I strongly urge you to get some now while you can still order it. As with everything Watkins offers, you get your money back if you don’t like it. Believe me, however, I suspect you will like it.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: Cindy and I are independent associates of Watkins products. Yes, we do earn money by selling these products to others, but these are also products that we really do use in our home every day. In fact, my family has been using Watkins products since before my great grandmother was born. We love them.

Christmas Shopping Discounts Are Expected in 2010

Tim Hicks — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 14:56:40 +0000

There are lots of reports going around that 2010 may just be a buyers’ market when it comes to getting great deals on Christmas gifts. While this is good news for consumers whose budgets are already stretched, it keeps the retailers a little nervous. The Christmas season accounts for up to 40% of annual revenue for many retailers.

The current expectations are based on the fact that many stores placed large order for holiday gift items back in the Spring, when the economic recovery was looking fairly solid. Now, here we are in October, when unemployment is still hovering around 10% in the US, and people are cutting back on spending. I’m sure merchants are having flashbacks to 2008 when they practically had to give stuff away to clear it out. According to the article, retailers did a better job of forecasting last year by ordering less. While 2010 may not reach 2008′s level of price cuts, it’s expected that there will still be plenty of discounts available to get shoppers into the stores.

Retailers are also expecting shoppers to wait until the last minute to shop, in order to get the best bargains . To counter this, many merchants are planning on running sales early. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Christmas sales running before Halloween.

The moral of the story for this Christmas shopping season is to “shop around.” You’re probably going to find some really great deals.

Is The Amazon Kindle A Great Gift Idea?

Tim Hicks — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 03:35:52 +0000

If you have avid readers on your Christmas gift list (like I do), you might want to consider the Amazon Kindle book reader
. My wife and I have both been wanting one of these for the last couple of years. This year, the price has come down to $139 which puts it in the ballpark.

The Kindle features a white screen with e-ink “printing” technology. It’s easy on the eyes and can even be read in bright sunlight. That’s something you can’t do with most tablet PCs.

It’s roughly the same size as many paperback books, but comes with a 6″ viewing screen. At 8.5 ounces, it’s actually lighter than most printed paperbacks. Plus, it will hold up to 3,500 books.

One of the neatest features (IMHO) is the built-in Twitter and Facebook functionality. Now, you can “tweet” about your favorite book without putting it down. You’ve got to love that.

There are over 700,000 books to choose from so you should be able to find a lot that you like. Plus, Kindle books are usually less expensive than their printed counterparts. Many out-of-copyright books are available for free.

The $139 version downloads books through Wi-Fi. There is a $189 version that has Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities. Also, there is a larger Kindle DX with a 9.7 inch screen for $379.00.

No matter which one you choose, I think the Kindle would be an excellent Christmas gift for the book lover on your list.

Keep this to yourself but please don’t tell my wife. It’ll ruin the surprise.

Overcoming The Christmas Blues

Tim Hicks — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 22:33:38 +0000

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. It’s a time of joy, of love and of giving. For many people, however, it’s also a time for sadness, loneliness and depression. Commonly referred to as the “Christmas blues,” these feelings can be more than just a dampener on your holiday spirits. They can also be symptoms of a much greater problem and shouldn’t be avoided. Instead, the issues should be properly addressed.

The Christmas blues can be caused by a lot of different things such as:

The loss of a loved one
The end of a relationship
Disappointment with present-day circumstances
Rose-colored memories of how things used to be
Unrealistic expectations
Or any of 1,000 other things.

Unfortunately, there is no universal “cure-all” for the Christmas Blues. What works for me, may not work for you and vice versa. I do have some suggestions for you that I hope will help. Please keep in mind that I am not a Psychologist, Psychiatrist or medical professional and that these suggestions are only intended for mild cases of “the Blues.” If you are suffering from severe depression or anxiety, you should seek competent professional advice right away. Just so we’re clear, I’m not a doctor and I don’t even play one on TV. OK?

Now that the disclaimer has been put in place and the lawyers should be happy, here are some tips that I use to fight off the Christmas Blues.

Step one is to discover why you are feeling blue. If at all possible, work to get to the root cause. After all, you can’t fight a problem you can’t identify.

Have realistic expectations. This is the biggie and it shows up in almost every Christmas tips article I write. Why? Because it is so easy to get unrealistically high expectations. After all, almost every holiday movie you watch shows every problem being solved in less than two hours. In the end, all of the characters are in an impeccably decorated house, looking out on the falling snow while Christmas carols play softly in the background. Unfortunately, real life isn’t like that. Your house may be a mess. Like me, you may live in the desert and have no chance of snow fall. Worse yet, your problem may still be looming overhead. Don’t expect perfection. Forget perfection. It doesn’t exist on this world. If perfection did exist, Jesus would not have had to be born in that stable in Bethlehem and we wouldn’t have Christmas anyway. Christmas is about finding the joy where it is not looking for it in the “perfect holiday.”
If finances are a big problem this year, move the focus off of presents as much as possible. Sure, everyone loves to get presents, but they should not be the centerpiece of your holiday season. Yes, I know that this is contrary to what the commercials all say, but it’s true. Work on making memories more than buying presents. Presents break, get used up or get tossed in a closet to rot; memories, on the other hand, last a lifetime.
The loss of a loved one can also be tough to deal with at Christmas. This is especially true if the loved one was a parent, spouse or child. After all, families are supposed to be together at Christmas and there is now an empty place at the table. We are usually tempted to try ignore the fact that the loved one is gone, but that’s not possible and it’s unhealthy to even try it. Instead of concentrating on the fact that the loved one is not here, concentrate on the Christmas seasons you did share together. Bring out the photos, home movies, whatever. I remember when we lost three dear loved ones in 2006, we put their photos on Christmas ornaments and put them on our tree every year. That way, they are still a part of our Christmas, even though they are not here with us. In the years since, we’ve lost more loved ones and, this year, there will be more special ornaments on the tree.
Remember, it’s OK to cry. Everything we see tells us that Christmas is a time for laughter, not tears. We often feel strange and out-of-step if we feel like crying during the holidays so we try to suppress it. Don’t do that. Let it go. It is usually OK to cry as long as tears aren’t flowing during all your waking hours.
Have a good support group around you. Talk to people. When we’re sad, it’s very tempting to isolate ourselves and wallow in our sadness. In my life, I have found it much better to talk to friends, family members, the pastor or other trustworthy souls. If the problem is that you’re lonely because you don’t feel that you have anyone to talk to, then I suggest that you get involved in an activity such as volunteering at a charity.
Avoid alcohol. It may seem like a good idea to “drown your sorrows,” but this doesn’t usually work and alcohol just tends to make it worse.
If you’re sad because Christmas seemed happier when you were a child, and the long-held traditions just don’t seem as much fun, make some new traditions. Remember, every tradition started somewhere. Be creative.

As I said, this list is not all-inclusive or universal and you may find that nothing on this list works for you. If that’s the case, that’s OK as long as it gets you to thinking and searching for your own solution. If you are suffering from severe depression or anxiety, please don’t rely on a Christmas website (or any other website) for an answer. Seek out help from a competent mental health professional. Remember, Christmas is a time of love and, whether you know it or not, you are loved. We pray that you will have a wonderful and joyous Christmas season.

For more information, please see my article entitled “7 Tips For A Low-Stress Christmas”

Remembering Those Wonderful Christmas Specials

Tim Hicks — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 15:28:47 +0000

Whatever happened to those great Christmas specials of years-gone-by? You know the ones I mean. We had Bob Hope with the troops, the Osmond Family, Andy Williams, Red Skelton and so many others. They were such wonderful shows.

I especially liked the “family” Christmas shows like the ones the Osmonds did. They made it look as though you were invited into their home for Christmas. (Continued below video)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m63qkJKlIUE

While it’s true that many of the stars I’ve mentioned have passed on, it’s sad that no one has really stepped in to fill the void. It seems as though the networks don’t feel that we would want to see wonderful holiday specials like these anymore. Personally, I believe that this type of thinking is wrong. Thankfully, many of these wonderful classic specials are still available on DVD so we can continue to enjoy them year after year.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKR8S6XkAww