For many families, the focal point of Thanksgiving Day is a table laden with delicious food. As nice as it is to dive into these foods, getting them to the table often requires a lot of work and can be stressful. Last year, for example, we spent the entire day before Thanksgiving preparing various dishes. Then I was up and cooking again … [Read more...] about Simple Ways to Streamline Thanksgiving Dinner Preparation
Rejuvenating Friendships
16 Alternatives to “Good Luck”
I’m not concerned about breaking a mirror or having a black cat cross my path because I don’t truly believe in luck. However, I noticed recently how deeply the term “luck” is ingrained in my language. When someone is about to embark on a new venture, it’s not uncommon for me to wish them good luck. Likewise, I sometimes say the following: … [Read more...] about 16 Alternatives to “Good Luck”
8 Ways to Stay Connected to Friends Without Social Media
Last week I mused about whether or not social media is indispensable in maintaining contact with others. Though I’m not a heavy user of Facebook (the only social media I am on other than Pinterest), I’m reluctant to delete my account because I fear I will grow completely unaware of what is going on in the lives of my friends. Thank you … [Read more...] about 8 Ways to Stay Connected to Friends Without Social Media
Is Social Media Indispensable in Maintaining Contact with Others?
To many of us, social media seems like an important and perhaps even indispensable part of life. It’s hard to imagine that there was a time—not so long ago, in fact—when social media didn’t exist. I’m not a heavy user of social media. I have a Facebook account and a Pinterest account. I check the former a couple of times each week and I … [Read more...] about Is Social Media Indispensable in Maintaining Contact with Others?
Printable List of Alternative Gift Exchange Ideas
Each year around Christmas, many of you stop by and check out a post I wrote several years ago about alternative gift exchanges. This post has inspired many of you to try out some non-traditional approaches to giving gifts! This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us will be having non-traditional Christmas celebrations. Because of … [Read more...] about Printable List of Alternative Gift Exchange Ideas
Check On Your Friends
A few days ago I received a simple text message from a friend. She stated that I had come to her mind earlier in the day and she wanted to see how I was doing. There wasn’t anything extraordinary about this message, but it really meant something to me. I was doing fine—my day had not been anything out of the ordinary—but I felt cared for and … [Read more...] about Check On Your Friends
26 White Elephant Gifts from Around the House
Pretty much every year of my adult life I’ve attended at least one holiday gathering where there was a white elephant gift exchange. Though the specific details vary, most of these have involved the exchange of silly, strange, or humorous gifts. I often scramble around the house a day or two before a white elephant gift exchange in an … [Read more...] about 26 White Elephant Gifts from Around the House
Forming Genuine Friendships in the Age of Social Media
Because we have many friends or followers on social media and we interact with these folks (often by “liking,” commenting on, or sharing posts), it seems like we are connected. However, this sense of connection is often an illusion. In fact, I bet many individuals walk away from time spent on social media feeling just as alone as they did … [Read more...] about Forming Genuine Friendships in the Age of Social Media
