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How To Make a Chinese Dragon

mina — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:22:10 -0600

How To Think of Good Gift Ideas

bronwyn — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:22:36 -0500

Have you ever been totally stumped when it is time for holiday gift giving? Baffled at what to do for someone's birthday? Many of us do not know what to get for our closes friends, family members, or co-workers, and this can cause great angst when it is time to go shopping! Lucky, there are some ways to think of great gift ideas for just about anyone.

How To Make a Bunny Rabbit Cake

Cassandra — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:18:45 -0500

For a little fun in the springtime, consider adding a Bunny Rabbit Cake to your dessert plans. This simple-to-follow plan will be fun for you and the kids. You'll be sure to have a great time making and dining on this special dessert.

Materials:
Cake mix for 2 9" round cake layers
1 tub of whipped topping
1 package of baker's coconut (approximately 2 cups)
1 small package of licorice whips (black or red)
1 handful of jelly beans or gumdrops

Tools:
2 9" cake pans
Knife to spread the icing

How To Plan a Mother's Day Party

jadenjade — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:42:43 -0500

How To Make Ukrainian Easter Eggs

teacher — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 20:54:54 -0500

What is Pysanka? It is a technique to decorate Easter eggs according to the Ukrainian tradition. This technique takes a lot of time, patience and...creativity. Although you can use specific traditional patterns, you can also use some creativity to display various designs of your choice.

The original intention behind this tradition was to send good wishes to family and friends when handing the eggs out as gifts. It is a bit similar to a card in which you've written best wishes, but the eggs were an easier way to express those wishes throughout the years when writing was not an acquired skill by all. At home, these eggs were meant to attract specific blessings (such as having a good crop, benefiting from good health, etc). How do you make Ukrainian Easter eggs? Let's see...

How To Celebrate International Women's Day

aesta — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:00:21 -0600

March 8 is now designated as the annual celebration of the political, economic and social achievements of women who continue to struggle in so many countries to live on an equal basis with men. The day recognizes women's contributions, especially in the undervalued roles of keeping a home and raising children. Women must play the leadership role in building and sustaining families both in the social and economic chaos of the developed world and in the life-threatening turbulence and poverty in Africa and Asia. Women's Day has now become global and has been designated as a national holiday in countries which recognize that in so many ways, the real heroes of our time are not the newsmakers, but the half of humanity that carries half the weight of our future with so little daily recognition.

How To Make Valentine's Day Special WITHOUT a Special Guy

Lorats1 — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:24:52 -0600

Tell me if this sounds familiar. It’s the eve of a certain holiday. And you’re in no mood to celebrate. Feeling a little bit like a Scrooge, right? Bah Hum Bug! You just want to sleep through the day and pretend it doesn’t exist. And all those people enjoying it, all those Tiny Tim’s? Well, screw ‘em! But it comes anyway.

Valentine’s Day

Yeah, yeah, for some, it will be all hearts and flowers, blah, blah, blah. Well, goody for them. Like that girl who will be staring lovingly into some gorgeous doctor’s eyes while he gets down on one knee in front of an expensive restaurant full of approving patrons, and asks for her hand in marriage? Well, la di friggin da for her.

How To Wrap Gifts the Eco-Friendly Way

triple1 — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:05:29 -0600

We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions by giving gifts to friends and family. Everywhere you look in stores, you see commercial gift-wrap, tamper-proof packages with multiple layers of plastic, and other packing materials that are not eco-friendly.

Is there anything you can do to lessen the impact? Yes! You can be kind to the environment while creating something unique that will merit extra appreciation from each gift recipient.

How To Not Be Embarrassed by Your Relatives During the Holidays

mariamia — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:14:47 -0600

With the holiday fast approaching, it is also time for the relatives to show up and ask their litany of embarrassing questions. Everyone knows what I am talking about. I have a huge Italian family. They walk in the door with big hellos, kisses on the cheeks, and then it is time to sit down to what is supposed to be a nice family holiday dinner.

As we sit down to eat, you can hear the laughter from the other end of the block. When everyone starts stuffing his or her face, it becomes a little less noisy. That is when someone in the family starts asking all of the kids (that range between 20 and 35 in the family) personal questions that we just don’t want to be talking about in front of the whole family.

Instead of answering him or her with a cocky remark, I have come up with some humorous answers to take the spotlight off of you and put it back on the person who has the guts to ask you such personal things.

How To Outdo Others in the Competitive Art of Gift-Giving this Holiday Season

wearmenaked — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:38:55 -0600

Yes, this season is about giving…in theory. But why not be the best gift-giver you can possibly be? More importantly, why not shamelessly and effortlessly defeat your competition?

THE CAST

The GIFT GIVER: Played by none other than YOU

The GIFTEE (otherwise known as the Gift Receiver): Lover, person you want to be your lover, co-worker, family member, fiancé, husband, wife, person you know is going to get you a gift and you will feel like crap if you don’t give him one

The GIFTROBBERS (people who want to outdo you in the gift-giving process.): These people may include jealous family members, wannabe lovers of the GIFTEE, passive aggressive relatives, a person who likes to throw money around to hide his glaring flaws, etc.

How To Buy a Gift for Someone Who Has Everything

omehaney — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:58:57 -0600

Many of us have someone in our lives that has absolutely everything and then some. Buying a gift for that special person can prove quite stressful around the holiday season and with each upcoming birthday. Sit back and relax. Here are a few pointers aimed at making difficult gift buying a little bit easier.

How To Buy Videogames as Gifts

weefz — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 13:22:16 -0600

Buying videogames for other people can be complicated. There are so many different options - it's a bit like asking how to buy a book for a book reader. Nevertheless, it's easy if you follow these steps. Here's what to do.

How To Buy a Cigar as a Gift

FrankHadley — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 13:47:18 -0600

The world of cigars can take a lifetime to understand, so it only makes sense that looking at this world from the outside can be overwhelming. If your man smokes cigars, buying him the perfect gift can be quite the challenge. The key to being successful in this hunt for the great cigar gift is to know the exact tastes of whom you are buying for. Cigars aren’t jeans; it takes much more than finding the right size for them to fit right.

How To Celebrate "Buy Nothing Day"

ronkhare — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:14:43 -0600

Do the holidays seem overly commercialized to you? Do you find yourself wondering how buying people things is the only way to show that you love them? Are you tired of being pressured into “buy, buy, buy!” for the sake of the holidays? Does the world seem just a tad too obsessed with the material and lacking the spiritual?

If you answered "yes" to the above questions, you're not alone. The trend of massive holiday buying continues to grow: Americans will spend over $457 billion dollars for the three main winter holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa) this year. At an average of over $800 per person, holiday shopping seems to be a national--if not worldwide--obsession.

How To Talk Like a Pirate

Pirate — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 16:57:57 -0500

Avast, me hearties! Yer dutiful Cap’n invites ye t' lend yer ear t’ his words o’ wisdom.

Let none o’ ye doubt me words, ‘pon pain o’ death! Aye, this be the best advice – serve ye well in a pinch, ‘twill, till ye find yerself adrift on a hogshead or asleep in Davy Jones’ locker!

How To Be a Pirate Wench

Angel — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 18:14:48 -0500

While your pirate heaves ho, you’ll be heaving your bosom. Here are a few tips on how to let your inner wench seize the day:

How To Stay Safe Around Fireworks

Brian263 — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:49:00 -0500

Ah, the smell of gunpowder hanging in the air on the Fourth of July... the crackling and sparkling, the giant displays that light up clouds of smoke, the tar marks and refuse strewn all over the street for the sweepers to clean up in the morning - what child can resist the call to light fireworks on Independence Day?

How To Find a Mother's Day Gift from the Kids

Denise639 — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:09:00 -0500

Kids love to give gifts almost as much as they like receiving them! It gives them a sense of independence and accomplishment and helps to make them feel good about making someone else happy. And what better day for your child to give a gift than on Mother's Day? By picking out the perfect gift for Mom, you are telling her that she is the most wonderful mom in all the world.

Here are few suggestions to help find the perfect Mother's Day gift on any budget:

Homemade gifts. Kids like creating things and moms love getting those cherished handcrafted gifts. There are oodles of sites that offer great crafts that kids can make themselves. A simple Google search for "mother's day crafts" will yield you approximately 2,100,000 websites, and the first page of results is enough to give you plenty of ideas. You will be able to find crafts that younger children all the way up to adults can make on their own.

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How To Find the Perfect Mother's Day Gift

Beth141 — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 21:27:00 -0600

It's that Sunday in May when the country stops to appreciate mom. You're trying to find the perfect gift but all you've got now is one mother of a problem. How do you find the perfect Mother's Day gift? Here are some tips that might help you on your search.

How To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Beth141 — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 20:19:00 -0600

You don't have to be Irish to enjoy St. Patrick's Day, the green-themed holiday known for its celebration of Irish culture and myth. From parties to parades, there are many ways people of all different ethnicities can be Irish for the day and enjoy a good time on St. Patrick's Day. Here are some ways you can celebrate.

How To Celebrate Mother's Day with Your Mom

Beth141 — Sun, 18 Feb 2007 11:30:00 -0600

Most moms would like nothing better for Mother's Day than the chance to spend time with their kids. If you live close enough to see your mom on Mother's Day, there are certainly many ways the two of you can celebrate together. Here are a few things to consider if you're planning to celebrate Mother's Day with your mom.

How To Understand Ash Wednesday

W.J.592 — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 18:12:00 -0600

Counting backward forty days from Easter (with the exception of Sundays) is Ash Wednesday, a Christian Holiday which marks the beginning of Lent. To understand Ash Wednesday, you must first understand the following:

The history: It is thought that Ash Wednesday's roots come from as early as the sixth century. At that time, people who committed the most serious of sins, and repented and confessed to the bishop, were assigned a penance, or punishment. This penance oftentimes lasted a long period of time, so the sinner was marked by ashes and special clothing as a penitent (one who is performing a penance) and was made to sit in a different part of the church until his sin was forgiven. The rest of the congregation spent the time before Easter praying for the sinners, and that forty days became what we know as Lent.

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How To Dye Easter Eggs

W.J.592 — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 13:50:00 -0600

The process of dying Easter eggs can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. It can be a fun, kid-friendly activity, or a serious, quiet artistic endeavor. Either way, you will end up with a beautiful finished product. Here's how:

Gather your supplies. To simply dye your hard-boiled eggs, you will need: hard-boiled eggs, newspaper to lay out on the table to protect it from the dye, small cups or bowls, a slotted spoon, vinegar, food coloring and hot water. You may also want rubber bands, electrical tape and cooking oil for some of the fancier dying techniques. If you plan to decorate hollowed-out eggs, you should gather up: a needle, glue, sequins, ribbons, glitter, paints, colored foil, tissue paper, tempera paints and acrylic spray. Children may want an old shirt or smock to protect their clothing from the dye and other craft messies.

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How To Plan a St. Patrick's Day Party

Carrissa593 — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 11:07:00 -0600

St. Patrick's Day is a great time for everyone to let loose and be "a little Irish." Throwing a St. Patrick's Day party for friends and family is the perfect way to share in the spirit of the day. With just a few special elements, you can easily plan a memorable Irish bash.

How To Find the Perfect Father's Day Gift

Victoria116 — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 07:04:00 -0600

Whether the father you are buying for is your dad or your husband, finding the perfect Father's Day gift can be quite a task. The gift should convey how much this dad means to you. Here are some tips on how to find the perfect Father's Day gift.

How To Celebrate Father's Day with Your Dad

Victoria116 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 09:32:00 -0600

Father's Day is a wonderful time to show your father--or any father figure-- how much he means to you. Traditionally celebrated on the third Sunday in June, Father's Day is a day to honor the man that you call Dad. Not sure what to do to make this day special for your father? Read on for some tips on how to celebrate Father's Day with your Dad:

Take a trip down memory lane. If you still live in the area where you grew up, take your dad on a walking or driving tour of your hometown. Stop by the ball field or the park where Dad used to take you when you were a kid. Go out to eat at an old restaurant or diner that your family used to frequent back in the old days. Your dad will certainly appreciate walking down memory lane with you--and you'll enjoy it, too.

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How To Plan a Valentine's Day Date

Vanessa264 — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 14:28:00 -0600

Valentine's Day can be a great way to ascertain your standing with a woman simply by seeing how she responds to your request for a date. Below are some tips to help you plan a Valentine's Day date that entices:

Make your reservations early. Make your reservations before you ask for a date. Yes, you may have to cancel the reservations if, for example, you've chosen a steakhouse and your date is a vegetarian, but making reservations early shows your good planning, which is always a positive quality in a potential paramour.
Ask your date early. No woman wants to be asked out for a Valentine's Day date on February 13. Or February 12th, 11th or 10th, for that matter. Your best bet is to ask her at least a couple of weeks out, but you can ask her up to a week ahead of time.

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How To Find the Perfect Valentine's Day Gift

Kara470 — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 17:20:00 -0600

Do you feel the pressure yet? Once New Year's Day has passed, it's not unusual to find Valentine's Day paraphernalia on store shelves-from bags of candy hearts to red-and-white stuffed teddy bears, from heart-themed boxer shorts to "Be Mine" balloons. This is also when those TV commercials for diamond jewelry pick up in earnest. And you'll soon see the local newspaper filled with restaurant ads featuring prix fixe Valentine's Day dinners.

Traditionally, Valentine's Day is a holiday when loved ones express their affection for one another-with cards or love poems, flowers or gifts. But with all the commercial marketing of the holiday, you might get caught up in what you "should" buy for your spouse, significant other or child.

How To Make a Valentine's Day Gift Basket

Carrissa593 — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 14:00:00 -0600

A Valentine's Day gift basket is a great way to show someone how much you care about them on this holiday devoted to love. A handmade gift basket is especially personal and easy to put together. A collection of classic Valentine's Day selections creates the base for any great basket.

Choose the basket. Decide on what size basket you want to make and what will be going inside of it. You want to be sure to select a basket that will comfortably fit all of your items and not leave too much empty space. While a red or pink colored basket may be a nice touch for the season, a natural colored basket is classic, and can be used by the recipient around his or her home once the goodies have been used up.

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How To Find Holiday Sales

Beth141 — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 17:08:00 -0600

Whether you're a shopping addict who can't get enough of sale prices or a shop-a-phobe who wants to get in, get out, and get home, you're probably still looking for a good deal on the presents you buy for the holidays. Where can you find sales so those great deals don't go untapped? Here are some ways to find holiday sales.

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How To Understand Easter

Robin103 — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 19:21:00 -0500

Easter is the Christian celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It may seem unusual to celebrate a death, and if death had been the end of Jesus, there would be no celebration today. But Jesus defeated death and was raised from the dead. Easter Sunday is the day that Christians remember this and celebrate it. To understand what Easter is about, you need to know the following:

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