So many times we only remember important lessons near Christmas time. During the year we forget others, we are not so nice to people, and we seem to forget others throughout the world are in need of our help and prayers or even just a smile to strangers we pass on the street.

While doing research for more videos to put up on the magazine I ran across the video “We Are The World” this song touched me as a young teenager so very much, and today it still brings back all those same thoughts and ideas I had back then.

“We Are The World” reminds us that everyone can make a difference, AND we each are in charge of our own destinies as well as how others view themselves! What a powerful thought! We change people’s lives each and everyday just by being who we are…so who are you?

Do you think of others? Do you pass people on the street and act like they are not there? Do you treat others bad? When was the last time you smiled at someone? Or give money to the Salvation Army or some other charity that you pass on the street? What about just smiling at a stranger? Or helping them in the parking lot? We don’t have to do a lot to make a difference in this life!

I know this song is not a Christmas song per say but listen to it and hear the words….

“We are the ones who make it a brighter day, so let’s start giving….”

Remember to give a little of yourself each and every day…

Here is the origional video to the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas Time” better known as “Feed the World”it makes me cry everytime I hear it!

previously published in Reminisce EXTRA Magazine
by Denise Cassino

Robin and Denise (right)

In the fifties during December, my little sister and I often sat cross-legged inside the tent formed by the long drapes that covered our picture window, our flannel nightgowns billowing outward from the heat registers upon which we nestled.  As Christmas approached, we gazed up into the blackened night sky dreaming about Santa.  The tiny red lights of small aircraft slowly flickered across the starry sky, and I would whisper to Robin our mother’s words  -  “Those are Santa’s helpers watching to see if we’ve been good.”

We waited breathlessly for Christmas.  Mom worked during the days, so we spent our Christmas breaks sledding together, irritating our older brother, John, and playing Christmas music by the Chipmunks on the old console stereo.  As we listened to the radio, Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” often filled the air, and Johnny Mathis was a staple.

The family usually decorated the tree without Dad who worked the 3-11 shift, so Mom fashioned a ritual.  To the strains of Christmas music, and despite a few disputes and brotherly punches, we had a jolly, happy time  around the tree actually stringing popcorn and cranberries while the old black and white flickered with images of an old Christmas movie like “Miracle on 34th Street.”  Mom was meticulous about the method for draping the silver tinsel over the outstretched branches, careful to create the illusion of shiny icicles.

Mom arranged a sheet beneath the tree, and a few gifts would appear in advance of Santa’s arrival, causing much speculation and package rattling.  Because the tree went up several weeks before of Christmas, we spent idle evenings lying beneath the tree staring up at the glittering, glowing colored lights, laughing at our distorted images in the mirrored ornaments.

One Christmas Eve, after arranging Santa’s cookies and milk, our mother tucked us into bed, grabbing the bottoms of our flannel nightgowns and shaking us into them like potatoes in a sack so she could tuck the nightgowns under our feet for warmth.  Then, she kissed us goodnight and left the room.  A few minutes later, I swear we heard sleigh bells tinkling outside!

Despite our efforts to stay awake so we could witness Santa’s arrival, the next thing we knew, it was 4 am and John had awakened Mom and Dad.  Our door opened and Mom whispered, “Santa has been here.  Put on your robes and slippers.”  We gathered in the hall, tingling with excitement, while Dad entered the living room alone.  Suddenly the Christmas tree was alight, and we spied dozens of shiny gifts with glimmering ribbons piled beneath the tree!  A fancy, blue dress with lace and trim, just my size, hung on the bookcase. Small Army jeeps and vehicles encircled the tree!  Beautiful dolls with smiling faces beckoned us!  The magical aura created by the colored lights turned the room aglow, and we stood in absolute awe.   Santa lived!

“Well, let’s open some gifts!” Dad would say.  Soon, we had advanced upon the bounty and loose ribbons and torn wrapping paper abounded.  Robin and I usually received matching dolls. This particular year, we got tall dancing dolls with long dark hair.  They wore black velvet pants and white satin shirts, and we called them “the Bendy dolls” because every joint moved.  That year, Mom got a negligee and perfume from Dad, and she floated around the room like a pink cloud wafting “Taboo.”  We played until our eyelids drooped, and then we all wandered back to bed for a Christmas morning snooze.

Christmas Day was always filled with the tantalizing aroma of roast turkey and stuffing, a sumptuous repast shared with our Aunt Mary and Uncle Myles, and sometimes our dear friends, the Bach family.  We made a big event of the day, setting the table with the best China, crystal and cloth napkins.  We all donned our new clothes for the occasion - I remember one dress with a red velvet top and a white organza skirt adorned with a flocked, velvet pattern that I wore proudly over a huge petticoat. The evening hours drifted slowly by while our torpid torsos bulged. We often watched a Christmas Special on television – maybe Perry Como - and ate pumpkin pie topped with real whipped cream while I buried my nose in one of my new Nancy Drew books.   Much too soon, it was all over for another year.  The tree came down, the toys were put away and winter set in.  I remember a few years later I became skeptical of the reality of Santa and asked my mom if he was real.  She said, “He is if you believe in him.”

Though it never seemed like it, in retrospect, I know that money was often scarce. I am certain that there were many years our parents struggled mightily to provide us with a memorable Christmas experience, but somehow, they always came through with an abundance of gifts and joy.  I suspect that the looks on our faces on those magical mornings made it all worth the sacrifice.  Now on December nights when I look up at the stars glittering against a black velvet sky and see those little red lights, I remember those wonderful moments that the real “Santa’s helpers” made possible, and I feel blessed.

Denise Cassino is a baby-boomer from suburban Chicago.  After earning a B.A. in English at Northern Illinois University, she moved to Denver, Colorado.  Always a lover of the written word, she began writing four years ago.  Her work has been published in such ezines as AboutTeens, Tapestry, Hackwriters, Ten Thousand Monkeys, Apollo’s Lyre and in print magazines:  Reminisce EXTRA, Garden and Hearth, Cottage Magazine, National Association of Women Writers, and in print anthologies: Passion, The Colour Gallery, and Taj Mahal Review.  Her dream is to have her first novel published. Denise is Senior Editor of Long Story Short, Director of Production and Curriculum Coordintor for Long Story Short School of Writing. Denise loves to travel, has back-packed through Europe, visited Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean along with 40 of the United States.  Happily married after 26 years, Denise practices commercial real estate and resides in the mountains west of Denver. For more of Denise’s writing, see her website: Denise Cassino - Turning a Phrase. or Contact Denise.
See Denise’s webpage in the LSS Writers’ Lodge.

By Denise Michaels

Can you stick to your budget this month and make Christmas 2008 more fun than ever?  Yes, it’s possible.  All you need is a little ingenuity and a return to some of the old-fashioned fun that used to be a staple in December for generations but seems to have gotten lost in this era of hyper-commercialism.

Creative Ideas for Christmas Giving

Many people have decided to cut back on what they spend this Christmas and I applaud that decision. You might be thinking you’ll have to slog through a rather Scrooge-like season.  But, it doesn’t have to be that way. The last few years I’ve kept to a very close budget for the holiday season just because I didn’t want to stress over it. I don’t use credit cards or go into debt. Somehow we always have a great time and certainly FEEL the holiday spirit. Just go back to some of the traditions of yesteryear before Christmas became all about the money. Here are a few suggestions to make your Holiday season bright:

Start playing Christmas music around the house now.  Set your car radio to the “all Christmas music all the time” radio station.

Sing while you’re cleaning up the kitchen or dusting. My husband and I can now sing harmony together on “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World” and “Deck the Halls.”

Make lots of Christmas cookies together with the kids. Let them do the icing and decorating. You’ll use ‘em later when company comes over. Cookies freeze well in ZipLoc bags.

Bake Pumpkin-Nut bread. Or, Cranberry-Orange bread.  Or both.  These old-fashioned holiday treats make a great money-saving gift or are an easy addition to a buffet or brunch table. They freeze well, too. Wrap in a red and green plaid bow from a crafts store with a card that includes the recipe. Give to your kids’ teachers, neighbors, the UPS guy - whoever matters - but you want to keep your gift simple and inexpensive.

Get a special holiday coffee or tea and drink it all month. I love Celestial Seasoning Sugar Plum Fairy tea - only available this time of year.  Starbucks has a special Christmas Blend, too.  Put eggnog in your coffee or tea.  There are low-fat and low-sugar varieties available.

If you already own holiday dishes and serving pieces - put them in the cupboard and store away your regular dishes for the month of December. Use your Christmas dishes every day, all month long. I have “Christmas Memories” by Spode I bought on ebay several years ago.

Wear red. Or green. As much as you can this month. I avoid Christmas clothing that screams “Ho-ho-ho!” but I’ll wear a red sweater with a Christmas pin or scarf.  After December 25th put away the Christmas-y accessories and you’ll have a nice sweater or dress to wear until spring.

If you paint your nails anyway - do ‘em in red this month.

Bunk political correctness and say a cheery, “Merry Christmas!” to everyone you meet. *wink*

Teach your kids how to sing Christmas carols - it will remind you of Christmas as a kid.

Don’t visit the mall to get you in the Christmas spirit. It’ll just put you in the mood to spend.

Avoid buying more decorations just because they catch your eye.  They’re designed to do that.  Besides, you have to store that stuff the other 11 months of the year. Yes, the decorations are tempting but you probably have enough already.

When I was younger and couldn’t afford real decorations for a tree, I baked gingerbread cookies (a little thicker than usual so they’re sturdy) shaped like gingerbread men, stars, hearts and trees. I trimmed them with red cinnamon candies before baking and white Royal icing (it gets rock hard) after they cooled. I hot glued a metal ornament hook to the back and shellacked the front. A couple dozen “ornaments” for the cost of ingredients. I went to a craft store like Michaels and bought a few rolls of Christmas-y ribbon and tied bows on the tree branches.  I got peppermint canes to hang, too. I also strung popcorn with cranberries while watching a Christmas movie one evening and hung it like garland. The whole enchilada probably costs about $15-20 rather than that much for one or two Victorian ornaments. Cookie and Candyland was my Yule Tree “theme” the first few years I was on my own until I gradually bought the decorations I wanted. Those same gingerbread cookies held up for several years stored in a dry place.

Take stock of decorations that need to be replaced as you unpack them. Buy them early the morning of December 26th when they’re marked down 75 percent.

As you gradually purchase decorations – focus on creating a collection of items that aren’t fragile.  This way they’ll last year after year. I especially avoid delicate glass bulbs and buy items made of plastic, fabrics or other more sturdy materials.

Make an important celebration of decorating your Christmas tree. Play holiday music and pop a big bowl of popcorn as your children hang ornaments around the tree. (You can always re-arrange them after they go to bed. *wink*)

One decoration every family who truly celebrates Christmas should have is a Nativity scene or Creche. After all - it’s the reason for the season. Let the kids place the figures one evening after dinner while telling them the story of the Baby Jesus in the manger and what it means to you. (If you don’t have one - go out early December 26th and get one on sale for next Christmas.)

Keep your outdoor holiday decorations basic. A welcoming wreath is simple and easy. Who needs a massive electric bill in January from all the lights?

Limit your Christmas decorating to the common living spaces in your home. Generally the foyer, living room and dining room. After all, do you really need Christmas sheets and comforters? Christmas bath towels? It’s silly. Focus your holiday decorating on the main rooms and make a bigger impact with less cash. Less time taking it all down, too.

Hang mistletoe under a doorway or entrance to a room that’s in a high traffic area.  Remember, any time you meet the one you love under the mistletoe you’re supposed to kiss!

Plan on a fun caroling outing in your neighborhood with friends, young and old. Print out the words to the holiday songs everyone loves from online.  Let the grownups carry a lit candle if you can do so safely.  Don’t forget your reading glasses if you need them.

Celebrate afterwards at your house with cookies, Pumpkin-Nut or Cranberry-Orange bread and hot cocoa or hot apple cider (coffee for adults). Keep it simple.

If you come from a large family of adults suggest drawing names from a hat and agree to only buy a gift for the person whose name you pull. Set a price limit of $30-40. You can save a huge amount of money and time and each person gets one nice gift.  Remember, Christmas isn’t about quantity or even quality.  It’s about love and light.

Look in your newspaper for a performance of a local college choir or community orchestra performing holiday music. Some larger churches put on amazing performances every year very inexpensively.

Cut back on your Christmas card list. Only send cards to family members. Send ecards online to everyone else.

To balance some of the rich foods during the holidays have some week night dinners with a very simple supper of homemade soup.

Rent DVDs of favorite old Christmas movies to watch together as a family in the evening.  Check out “Miracle on 34th Street” or “Scrooged.”  Watch your TV Guide for when good Christmas specials and movies are on TV.  Make a bowl of popcorn and enjoy “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.”

Help others less fortunate. Maybe your church or a local charity helps certain families and you can contribute time, food or make a donation. Or, serve food to the homeless at a shelter to help you appreciate what you have.

Know someone who’s really struggling? Buy them a gift card for a grocery store.  It might make the difference between whether they have a Christmas dinner with their family or not.

Help someone anonymously. Last Christmas one of my favorite Starbucks baristas (and a single mom) had a house fire the week before Christmas. I put some cash in a card and signed it “One of Your Favorite Customers” and gave it to her Manager to give her. Great Karma, too. *wink*

Never buy another cookbook again. I get all my recipes from Epicurious.com Over 25,000 recipes from Gourmet, Bon Appetit and other magazines. You can even set up your own recipe box to store your favorites.

Homemade gifts are a great way to save money.  Take stock of your skills and you’re sure to create an inexpensive gift that creates a lasting memory.

Make a colorful, fun “Coupon Book” or “Certificate” of your “services” to give. They can be naughty or nice. It could be something ooh-la-la for the one you love. A sexy massage - or whatever. Use your imagination. Or, it could be something as kind as an offer to help your mom take down all her decorations or visit for tea one afternoon. Get a box and wrap it in tissue and Christmas paper like a regular gift.  Make good on your offer without them having to ask.

Handwrite a short letter to the one you love. Tell them how you feel. Thoughtfully tell them what you love and why he/she is so special in your heart and always will be. They will treasure it more than any other gift this Christmas.

When buying gifts - stop thinking “impressive.”  Instead start thinking “loving.” It’ll help you stay within your budget and feel good about your selection. And, don’t buy what YOU would like. Buy what they would like. I’ve purchased gifts I honestly didn’t like (not my taste or color) but perfect for the other person. Those gifts are always a hit. I just smile and say, “You’re welcome!”

If you purchase from a department store - ask for the free gift box you usually get. Even if that blouse is for you - use the box for the PJs you bought for your Dad at a store that doesn’t provide boxes. If you still need more boxes the least expensive place I’ve found is Party City.

Don’t go shopping “just for fun” or “to get out of the house.” Check names off your list purposefully and stop shopping when you’re done. Don’t tempt yourself needlessly. If you can shop in the morning on the weekdays - the malls are almost never crowded then.

My mom used to let us open a gift on December 23rd. It was always something new to wear for the big family dinner. A new dress, sweater or PJs for Christmas morning. But it was fun to open one gift before all our friends. If you plan to buy something new for your kids to wear anyway – wrap it as a gift and make it an occasion.

Light candles. There’s nothing like the glow of candles wherever appropriate in your home to add holiday magic along with the music.

On a crisp, clear evening after dinner, dress warm and go for a walk with someone you love. Hold hands. Enjoy the lights and Christmas displays in your neighborhood. Look up at the stars and sing “Silent Night” together.

If you have Jewish friends make a bunch of sugar cookies iced in blue with silver dragees (those tiny silver balls) and deliver them with a white Pointsettia. (Hanukah is December 22nd.)

Attend your church’s candle lighting ceremony - whether it’s December 24th or a couple days before. Even if you’re not a member - go. Put it on your calendar. Sing while holding your candle - and feel surrounded and connected to the real spirit of Christmas.

Try your hand at making a special Christmas coffee cake for breakfast Christmas morning. Make it a tradition every year. Also, I always serve cranberry juice in fancy goblets for Christmas breakfast, too.

Have the whole family get dressed up for the big holiday dinner. They may gripe at first but they’ll know it’s a special occasion and the grandparents and older family members will appreciate it. The days before the big dinner are a great opportunity to teach your kids good table manners that will last a lifetime.

Whether you open gifts in your family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day savor the action by having people open gifts one at a time so everyone can “ooooh” and “aaaah” over them. And insist those who get clothes or anything wearable “model” their new stuff.

After the present opening at your Christmas get together play a fun, silly game like Charades. Divide your group into two teams - the men and the women. Other fun games are Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit and Balderdash.

Vow to use all your holiday leftovers wisely in meals the following days. I make a great “Breakfast Hash” with sauteed dressing, leftover veggies cut up and a poached egg on top.

My Christmas tree is festooned in red, white, crystal, silver and gold.  On December 26th, I remove all the red ornaments.  I also replace the red and white wool felt tree skirt with a swath of a couple yards of silver lame fabric I bought a few years ago.  In five minutes my tree is transformed from Christmas cozy to New Years Eve chic.

Make December 26th a game day for the kids to play with their new toys. They’ll appreciate them more that way. Let them invite their favorite friend or cousin over to share their new toys, too.

Take a little quiet time for yourself between Christmas and New Years to write your goals for 2009. I visit the lobby of a luxurious hotel, get a cup of tea and write - surrounded in opulence.

Have a holiday tea for your girlfriends the week between Christmas and New Years. Serve tea, leftover cookies, Cranberry-Orange or Pumpkin-Nut bread, maybe a couple packages of those mini-quiches you get in the frozen food section of the grocery store and some fresh strawberries. You’re set. Serve on your fanciest serving pieces.  You own them already why not use them?  Don’t own them?  Borrow from a few neighbors and invite them to the tea. (Much less expensive than a typical Open House with a groaning buffet and booze.)

To make your tea fun and meaningful, buy a poster board for each woman.  Ask them to bring a stack of old magazines and their New Years resolutions in mind. Have them cut out pictures of their resolutions or goals from the magazines as they sip tea and nibble on cookies and make a Vision Collage they can look at to inspire them to stick with their goals throughout the year.

Arrange an inexpensive New Years Eve potluck party. Send out invites on Evite.com Have people bring a dish to pass. Have a theme that keeps it inexpensive and casual. Mexican food is a great choice. Make something homey like a Chicken Enchilada casserole, for example. Others can bring dishes to complement. Chips and salsa.  A green salad. Cinnamon cookies. Serve more leftover cookies and Cranberry-Orange or Pumpkin-Nut bread for dessert. Have friends bring booze (if they drink), too. Provide the basics, the home to gather in, non-alcoholic beverages (don’t forget coffee), the music and the TV to watch the ball drop on Times Square at midnight. Aim for 10-15 people. You don’t have to fill the house to overflowing to have a good time.

If they’re old enough - get your kids involved taking down the decorations and packing them away for next Christmas.

Yes, this is a long list.  However, the idea isn’t to do it all, but to inspire you.  If you’re on a budget you may not want to do all the things on this list.  Instead, go ahead and pick and choose the ideas that will appeal to you and your family and make it your merriest Christmas season ever.  Even on a budget.

Denise Michaels

Denise Michaels loves the holidays and spreading Christmas cheer this time of year.  She is author of the business bestseller “Testosterone-Free Marketing” and is a marketing mentor and a professional speaker.  Find out more about Denise at http://www.MentoringwithDenise.com or discover her book at http://www.tfmbook.com

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It’s Christmastime. Cold, competitive Elaina Houston would rather work than celebrate. Not only is Christmas a complete waste of time and money in her opinion, but also it brings with it haunting memories that drive Elaina further into her frigid shell. Work is the only answer, but she’s surrounded by coworkers who bask in the holiday glow, constantly reminding her of painful memories from Christmases gone by.

Then one night, a week before Christmas, her past comes back to haunt her, and she’s given an ultimatum. Either she learns the Spirit of Christmas or she won’t live to see another December 25th. Can Elaina experience a change of heart before she runs out of time?

Find Out! Download your FREE Copy of the ebook “Miss Humbug” by Marnie L. Pehrson by filling out the form below: