Simple Tips to Destress the Holidays...and...What They Remember Most

Photo: Chronicle Herald

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If you're at all like I am...

then you are a collector of ideas on how to...

De-Stress the Holidays!!

I was honored recently to contribute to an article that discussed that very subject.

Below, you'll find a little excerpt from the excellent article,

featured in the Nova Scotia Chronicle Herald.

(In it, I share my own cautionary tale.)


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"Tracey McBride learned the conse­quences of holiday stress the hard way.

She recalls one year when she went “crazy" trying to create the perfect holiday home.

“It was really pretty — I was pleased and received a lot of compliments,"

says the California-based craft and home-solutions blogger and life stylist.

Then a few years later, she said to her son,
“Remember that year? Everything was so cute."

Her son replied “Yeah, I remember that year. You were in a really bad mood."

That was McBride’s light-bulb moment.

“I realized that they’re not going to remember any of this stuff," she says.

“What they remember is the mood you created."

Here’s how to create a festive home on a budget, so you can concentrate on the memories you’ll be making..."

Please click the link below to continue reading.
Nova Scotia News - TheChronicleHerald.ca


Note: It is a lovely and interesting article...and...no...not because I contributed to it. In it you will learn new, valuable and interesting information on how to cull frugal luxuries from the holiday season and enjoy what matters most...despite the size of your bank account...or time restraints.

Do YOU collect ways to De-Stress the Holidays???

I would LOVE to hear them, as always.

xox

The Most Expensive Luxury

"Their memories will be encrusted over with sublime and

pleasing thoughts."


--Henry David Thoreau

Katie and Clancy in the forbidden chair.



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Excerpt below taken from Frugal Luxuries, by Tracey McBride, Bantam Books, NY, 1997


M e m o r y M a k i n g


"If you believe, as I do, that time is the most precious commodity, then a memory is the most expensive of luxuries. What makes it so costly is the fact that you must spend your most precious divided, time, to buy it. That being the case, let us briefly explore the concept of making and collecting memories. It costs us nothing but thought and a bit of energy to make a moment happy or unhappy. If you choose to take a positive outlook and/or action, the moment may transform into a happy one, thus creating a happy memory. And a happy memory is the most precious frugal luxury.

....I have a vivid memory of our two older children when they were not quite two and four years old. They had snuck into the living room to play on a certain chair that they were not allowed to sit on. For some reason, this silk damask club chair appealed to them both immensely. Perhaps the cool smoothness of the fabric soothed them, or maybe it was the simple fact that it was forbidden territory. Whatever the reason, one hot afternoon I found them nestled side by side in the outlawed chair. Giggling and laughing.

Katie was wearing nothing but a diaper held in place with silver duct tape (a necessity due to her penchant at the time for discarding the diaper entirely). Clancy was wearing a pair of swimsuit trunks. The combination of the uncharacteristically rebellious behavior, their unexpected camaraderie, and their odd appearance made me laugh and take their picture instead of scolding.

Now that they are both young adults,
this memory has become especially precious to me. Had I simply gotten irritated and not appreciated the moment, I would not have this moment to savor, or the many others like it."

Simple Tips for an Elegant, Frugal Holiday Party

Serve simple but delicious foods...

in artful and unique ways.

Serve ordinary drinks in pretty stemware

garnered from thrift shops and estate sales...

(they needn't match)...

and garnish them with extraordinary, yet simple,touches...

(such as the pomegranate seeds above).



Illuminate your party using simple,

encased votive or tea-lite candles set inside plain drinking glasses.

Let Nature be your florist...

gather pine cones and evergreens from your garden...

greens such as cedar, rosemary, pine and boxwood add

fresh and festive embellishments...

(at little or no cost).


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Hello kind souls, not too long ago...

I was honored to be invited to contribute...

to an interesting article at Bankrate.com ...

they were gathering simple ways to conserve money...

and time...

while entertaining during the holidays.

Please feel free to go by and give it a read.

It offers lots of fun and fresh ideas!

To get there? Simply click on the link below!

Bankrate.com: 5 Tips for Throwing Elegant, Fun & Frugal Holiday Parties


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Photos: Bankrate.com

Mary's Meanderings: 15 minutes--ok-- 15 seconds of fame! and White Wednesday-

"Friends are helpful...

not only because they will listen to us,

but because they will laugh at us;

Through them we learn a little objectivity,

a little modesty,

a little courtesy;

We learn the rules of life and become better players of the game."

~Will Durant

Mary Ellen from Mary's Meanderings was my very first blog friend. I don't know how she found me but she extended her hand of friendship almost immediately after my entrance into this wonderland...this ethereal sphere. She has generously shared tips and tricks that demystified the mechanics of posting... comforted me with her calm posts and wise words of wisdom... inspired me to action and beauty via her lovely images.
Today, Mary's posted a list of several lovely giveaways. If you'd like to take a peek at Mary's inspiring blog (and learn more about the giveaways) please click the link below:
Mary's Meanderings: 15 minutes--ok-- 15 seconds of fame! and White Wednesday-

KINDNESS

" Kindness is a language...


which the deaf can hear...


and the blind can see."

--Mark Twain

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Hello to all kind-kindred souls!

We've had a bit of a computer problem these past days...

just now getting things sorted out!

Hoping to post more very soon!

Sending out very Good thoughts to you all, as always.

xox
Tracey
x0x

Announcing the Winner of the "Frugal Luxuries" Giveaway!

A very Warm...

Thank You...

to each of you kindred souls who entered the Giveaway!!

It is a pleasure to mingle minds with you !

In fact, it's been so much fun...

Look for another Giveaway very soon!!

Charlene...
from "My Heart's Ease"...
was randomly chosen as the winner of Frugal Luxuries!

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P.S. We'll be posting the winner of Frugal Luxuries by the Seasons on that blog right after this!!