| 1. Save your shopping to the last minute. The Jiffy Mart | | | | *For ideas on how to really enjoy the holidays check |
| is usually open all night Christmas Eve and you can | | | | out the suggestions below. |
| always buy a Nascar cap or lighter for your wife. | | | | How to Have Some Really Happy Holidays! |
| 2. Plug all your Christmas lights into one socket. The | | | | |
| overload will create a great fireworks display and give | | | | 1. Know what is important to you. Write it down. What |
| you a new festive holiday hairdo. | | | | do you want? Lights? Music? Family? Charity? |
| 3. Make sure you give your children lots of holiday | | | | Religion? There are so many choices and opportunities |
| cookies and candy. They need extra sugar to be this | | | | you need to decide for yourself what you want. |
| persistent and annoying about getting stuff and how | | | | 2. Schedule. Let it be known what you want and when |
| Santa does his job. | | | | you want to do it. The time will get away from you |
| 4. Insist that you attend every holiday party and event | | | | and you will be saying, "I wish I would have." |
| that is around. No matter how exhausted you are or | | | | 3. Budget. Tell your kids that Santa can only bring them |
| how much your feet hurt, go! | | | | one big toy to each kid. Don't get into competitive |
| 5. Be sure that you don't set limits on spending. Hey! | | | | spending with relatives or friends. Don't equate your |
| You've got charge cards. You've got checks left! Hey! | | | | own self-esteem with the amount of money you |
| There's an ATM! That must mean you can afford it. | | | | spend on gifts. |
| Show your kids that its all about the stuff! | | | | 4. Slow down. Your internal organs do not know they |
| 6. If you've never chopped down a Christmas tree go | | | | are supposed to exist on less sleep, more sugar, and |
| to your neighborhood tree lot and tell them you want | | | | hours on your feet shopping. |
| to get the feel of cutting your own tree down. Carry | | | | 5. Write a personal note or make a personal gift for |
| your own chain saw onto the lot and for safety be | | | | someone who adds a lot to your life. |
| sure and wear an old hockey goalie mask for safety. | | | | 6. Visit a nursing home. Bring some holiday cheer to |
| Watch the children run around and squeal in unbridled | | | | people who have really missed out. These people may |
| joy. | | | | not have the opportunity to share in the hustle bustle, |
| 7. Use the fruitcake your friend sent you as a | | | | lights and sounds of the holidays so take some of it to |
| doorstop. Invite your friend over and she will be so | | | | them. |
| impressed that you are using her gift so proudly. | | | | 7. Take special time with meaningful people. Have an |
| 8. Invite all the associates and relatives you do not like | | | | annual holiday lunch with your best Friend. Spend an |
| to one party. That way you can get all the | | | | evening by the tree with your spouse complete with |
| unpleasantries over in one evening. If you add alcohol | | | | holiday music. -Charity. Shop for a needy child. Have |
| you could even get law officers to validate how hard | | | | your office adopt a needy family. |
| these people are to get along with. | | | | 8. Teach your children charity. Let them pick out |
| 9. Send out one of those yearly family update | | | | presents for children their age. Take them to serve a |
| newsletters. Enclose your family pictures (Everybody | | | | meal at the homeless shelter. |
| has blank space on their refrigerator they need to fill). | | | | 9. Sing. Sing loud. Sing Jingle Bells. Make up verses. |
| Detail every day of your kid's school life. You have so | | | | Make up new songs with your kids. Listen with your |
| many to send just address them to "Resident". | | | | kids to Jonas Brother's or Christina Aguilera's |
| 10. Ask for receipts with your presents. I mean, really | | | | Christmas CD. Go to the church Christmas musical. |
| we're all going to run into each other at Wal-Mart the | | | | 10. Bake, craft, draw, create. Making things makes |
| day after Christmas exchanging everything anyway. | | | | things personal for both the giver and receiver. It allows |
| So just ask for the receipts in advances and make | | | | you to put your own spin on what Christmas means to |
| things really easy for us. | | | | you. |