Guest Post by The Jedi’s Grandpa

I still can’t believe it’s 2010. Remember when that year was just a movie title? Well, we’re here now. Although the world is not exactly the way science fiction writers pictured it, the world is a completely different place than it was just 20 years ago.

20 years ago, not every household had a computer and no one had the Internet as we know it today. Cell phones were a rarity and text messaging via mobile phone was non-existent. In fact, most ‘in-touch’ people still carried pagers, aka ‘beepers’.

Ah so long ago.

But enough memory lane wandering. Let’s get back to the here and now. It’s a new year and in fact, it is a new decade.

I know we talked resolutions the other day and I hope those tips were helpful.

Interestingly enough, according to a quirkology.com study, only 12% of the participants achieved their New Year’s Resolution goals, even though 52% were confident at the outset of the study that they would do so. That doesn’t bode well for us and our resolutions, does it?

Bah humbug, I say!

I think New Year’s Resolutions get a bum rap because they come with such a big, shiny label. People make and break resolutions every day. They say they’ll stop smoking. They say they’ll stop eating junk food. They say they’ll become a vegetarian. They say they’ll exercise 3 times per week. Guess what? Most of those people don’t do it, no matter on which day they made they made the resolution.

The Mark Twain quote rings true for so many people, in so many ways: “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it hundreds of times.”

The thing is, you’ve really got to be dedicated to your goal or resolution. You need support, a plan and you’ve got to get back on track when you fall off. If you’re just making a resolution for resolution’s sake, save it for another time when you’re really ready.

Like I mentioned, I’m putting a focus on a healthier lifestyle. No pressure to be stick thin, starve or exercise until I drop. Maybe fewer ice cream treats and more walks up the stairs, instead of taking the elevator. You know, stuff I can incorporate into my everyday life.

If you’re making a resolution, good for you. If you’re not, why not make a goal to simply be grateful for all the blessings your life has brought you? When you’re ready to set an important goal for yourself, you’ll know it.

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Guest Post by The Jedi’s Grandpa

Can you believe it’s almost here…the last celebration of the year? Coming up the milestone year of 2010 that used to just to be something we heard about in science fiction novels and movies.
We’re planning a fun evening in this evening (fondue as usual!) forget the crowds, over-priced events. If you’re doing the same, here are some ideas for you.

For the Whole Family

- Slumber party. You don’t have to invite people over to sleep in the living room in your PJs. Have a family slumber party. Clear space in your biggest room. Everyone can bring their sleeping bag and pillow to spend an evening in the living room. Make snacks, watch your favorite movies and watch the ball drop, somewhere, together!

- Game night. Bring out your board games, electronic games and party games for a rip roaring good time until everyone falls asleep. If you have a karaoke machine, play some musical games while you laugh at each others musical talent (or the lack thereof). Or if your family has moved into the 21st century, RockBand will do the trick.

- Light up the sky. Shoot off a few fireworks to celebrate the New Year. Of course…be safe and obey all your local laws.

- Make some crafts. It will be a night of celebration, so you can take the day to make some crafts to use later on that evening. Create noise makers. You can use plastic eggs and rice or beans. Fill the eggs and then seal them with glue. Once it dries, paint the outside with festive colors. Another idea is party hats. It’s never a party without hats. Use construction paper, streamers, markers and glue to fashion a special hat to ring in the New Year.

- Prepare a special meal. Since the family is altogether, make dinner together. Each person can contribute their favorite dish to the meal. We love fondue at our house – it’s an all night feast.

Other Ideas

- Host a theme party. Invite guests to your home for New Year’s Eve but ask them to dress the part. How about a favorite movie character theme? What’s your favorite decade? What about sports?

- Teen New Year’s Eve party. If you are not in the mood to throw a party, your teenager might be. Instead of waiting up for them to come home, host the party in your home. Brainstorm with your child as to what the menu will be and how to decorate. They can give you some pointers there. If the parents want to stay, create a room with food and games for you guys.

- Movie night. This is a great idea for a group of friends or dating couples. Each person can bring a movie that they want to see. It can be of any genre or you can request holiday movies. Each person can also bring a snack for the evening. Just remember to turn to the ball dropping at midnight.

Whatever you do, have fun. You don’t need to buy a fancy dress, spend a ton on tickets and a cab ride home. Stay home, stay warm and have a ball.

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Guest Post by The Jedi’s Grandpa

It’s fun (well, for most of us, I think!) to have the entire family together for a Christmas dinner, sharing good food and good times on that special day of the year. But, what happens to the food once the meal is over? Well, I’ve got 8 ideas for you and hope they’ll come in handy.

- Make soup. Soup is a very comforting and warming dish when the temperature begins to dip. Using chicken or beef broth, you can use your leftovers to make some chicken noodle soup, turkey noodle soup or even beef stew.

- Freeze them. Freezing means that you can enjoy your Christmas fare at anytime. If you use plastic storage bags, make sure that they are freezer bags and write the date of freezing on the outside. When you divide food into portion sizes then you can thaw out only what you need and not the entire lot.

- Send guests home with food. Why keep all the bounty to yourself? Load up on reusable food containers (in festive colors) so that each guest can take home some food for later.

- Make a salad. Green salads can be so boring sometimes. Add a slice or two of turkey, beef, chicken or ham to spice it up. Leftover meats make great salad toppers.

- Breakfast additions. Omelets are fun to make. Even more fun than making them is adding different items to them to see what kind of combinations you can come up with. Use leftover Christmas dinner fare to decorate your omelet. Ham can be diced to use as an omelet add-in. Leftover vegetables can also be cut up to sprinkle inside an omelet.

- Go eastern. Did you have steak for Christmas dinner? Cut the leftovers into thin strips. With a few stir-fry vegetables you have created a new dinner meal. If stir fry is not your cup of tea, you can make lo mien, fried rice and other Asian dishes that include steak. Or if you had the traditional turkey, go wild with turkey chow mein.

- Casseroles are always a hit. Who doesn’t love a good casserole? With Christmas dinner leftovers, you can whip up a casserole for any meal. With breakfast, combine ham, veggies and shredded cheese with egg for an after Christmas treat. For lunch, use some turkey, rice, cream soup and vegetables for a midday meal. For dinner, try chicken, vegetables, noodles and cream of chicken soup for an easy all-in-one meal that takes less than an hour to cook.

- Create a pie. This is not the sweet treat but a dinner pie. Turkey or chicken and even beef can be placed inside a crust with tons of delicious veggies to make a pot pie your family will love.

I know it can be overwhelming when faced with all that leftover food, but hopefully these ideas can make sure nothing goes to waste.

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Guest Post by The Jedi’s Grandpa

Christmas is the time of year when families can renew their connections to one another but with the commercialism of the holiday, sometimes this gets lost. If you are trying to rekindle those feelings of love within your own family, here are some ways to do just that on Christmas day.

- Enjoy breakfast together. Breaking bread has always been a great way to share stories and foster the idea of family. Hopefully you already decided who will host the meal. If you live close to other family members then getting there is as simple as hopping in the car and traveling a few miles or minutes away. The actual meal will be a little later in the morning to accommodate everyone’s schedule.

- Read the Christmas story. Nothing brings a family closer together than remembering the reason why you are celebrating the holiday. Each person can take turns reading a portion of the story. You can even read different biblical versions of the story. For a new twist, have a few family members act out the Christmas story as one person narrates it.

- Hold a video family gathering. Most laptops come with webcams installed these days. If you have a desktop it is quick and easy to hook up one. With an instant messaging program like Skype or Windows Live you can see as well as talk to family members far away. Have those members who live close to one another gather at the home of one person. When everyone is together, start the video call. Everyone can go around the room and say what they are thankful for. You can share good times on Christmas morning even though you are far away.

- Attend a church service. It is wonderful when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Everyone can get bundled up and head off to a calming morning service. Even when it doesn’t, there are several churches that will hold a small service on Christmas Day no matter what day of the week it is. Agree with other family members to gather for this service to spend time in each other’s company.

Overall, take your time and enjoy the day. Instead of everyone ripping into presents and gobbling down dinner. Take time to savor each moment and each other.

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Guest Post by The Jedi’s Grandpa

I love Christmas Eve. It’s a relaxing night (well, compared to the chaos of tomorrow morning) and offers a little time to reflect while the wee ones sleep. They’ll be jumping on your bed at the crack of dawn (or earlier), so now is my time.

We usually have a simple dinner in the evening. It’s often our family tradition of fish. On more elaborate evenings, that might mean breaded and fried sole with homemade tartar sauce. On more tired ones, it’s Highliner fish sticks and chips for the crowd. Interestingly enough, both are met with equalled enthusiasm.

After dinner, we get the cookies and milk ready for Santa. And of course, carrot sticks for the reindeer. Seeing the look of satisfaction on the kids faces christmas morning when they see the snacks they left out have been gobbled up. Funny thing is, they often check the treat dishes before they even look at the presents.

Then the kids are off to bed, but of course, there are a few starts and stops along the way.

“Mommy, I can’t sleep.”
“I’m hungry.”
“When will it be morning.”
“I’m thirsty.”

You know the drill, but eventually, they drift off to sleep and it’s quiet once again. With a glass or red wine, I settle down to last minute wrapping and getting presents under the tree. And of course, the stockings need stuffing too.

I often look through the old photo albums, you know, prior to the digital age, and see how everyone has grown and changed. I think about my mom and dad, who aren’t with us any longer and friends lost along the way. Funny how it’s positive thoughts and remembering the good times we had that always remain.

Cap it off with a Christmas movie favorite and the night is golden. I can’t let a year go by without watching A Christmas Carol. My favourite is still the 1951 version with Alistair Sim, I’ll save the hilarious A Christmas Story (remember, Peter Billingsley) for a fun night with the kids and remind them, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” over and over again. They love this, or so I convince myself.

That’s pretty much for me. How does your Christmas Eve go?

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Guest Post by The Jedi’s Grandpa

I’ve never been one to get my Christmas shopping done ahead of time. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas until it’s really time. I got a good chuckle when I was in a grocery line earlier this month and the cashier told me (it was DECEMBER 4!!!), “I’m going to finish my last-minute Christmas shopping tomorrow”.

What?

Last minute?

Well, I guess because in the commercial world Christmas starts well before November even starts, December 4 can seem like last minute. Of course, if you wait until the TRUE last minute and hit the shopping mall, you’re probably headed for some aggravation and disappointment. Or, if you’re like me – fun!

However, if you use some of my tips below, last-minute shopping can be much more pleasurable and the recipients of your gifts will probably pretty happy too.

- Food clubs. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Many of us think of the fruit-of-the-month club or something like that but this kind of thing has caught on. You can find just about any kind of monthly club that your recipient is interested in: salsa, jellies, desserts, wines, beer and even barbeque sauce.

- Gift cards. It seems like such a small presentation, but it is quite a popular gift. Do you know how many people pack the stores the day after Christmas just to return gifted items? A gift card avoids all of that. Have the kids put together some festive wrapping or decorate and envelope for a personal touch.

- Charitable gifts. These gifts put others first and help great causes at the same time. Perfect for the person who ALREADY has everything, you can make a donation to various international charities (wildlife foundations, disaster relief, medical missions, peace keeping efforts and more) in the name of your gift recipient. They will receive a letter thanking them for their donation.

- Food gifts. Before toys and technology, people gave what they had and that was usually some sort of food item. Sweet breads in decorative loaf pans, cakes, cookies and cupcakes still make great gifts for teachers, grandparents, neighbors and friends. Give the delectable offerings time to cool sufficiently before wrapping them.

- Memberships/Subscriptions. Has one of the people on your list been meaning to join a gym? You can gift them a membership for Christmas. When money gets tight, memberships and subscriptions are usually the first to go. Renew a subscription to their favorite magazine or a service like AAA Motor Club.

- Gift baskets. Most stores have them on display at Christmas time. You can purchase one that is already made if you see one that fits your recipient’s tastes. For teachers and coworkers, baskets with mugs and coffee or hot chocolate are a safe bet. Or better yet, create your own with a basket and small items that reflect the recipient.

Overall, Have Fun. Dress your packages up, make your own cards. The personal touch always goes a long way.

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At 66+ years I still do.

Oh, not the guy in the red suit standing on every corner but in what he represents – the spirit of giving and caring that happens at this time of year.

Yes there is a great deal of ‘commercialism’ on this, as well as other holidays, but I look past that, to deeds we do to make folks’ – especially children – lives happier.

Will future generations continue to believe/give – that dear folks depends on what you teach in this present season!

ps: Look for a small series of guest posts on making the holiday season a bit easier for you, by ‘The Jedi’s Grandpa‘, starting Tuesday.

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Peter Lorre, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff Tribute

Many of the customs we practice to celebrate Halloween today have deep seated roots in the traditions of ancient times.

Trick-or-treating for example, most probably originated from All Soul’s Day parades that were held in England many years ago. Reason being is that during these parades, destitute peoples would plead for something to eat as they could not afford to buy this sustenance Other families in turn would present them with special pastries deemed “soul cakes” as a promise to pray for those in the family that had passed on to the afterlife.

Not to be forgotten, many families would also leave food and drink outside during All Hallows Eve and All Saint’s Day to keep wandering spirits at bay. Some would say that this tradition could be where children dressing up as ghouls and goblins represent the wandering spirits and the candy/food given would coincide with that custom.

Which brings us to why we dress up in costumes today for both parties and the act of trick-or-treating. Long ago, during Celtic times, special ceremonies were held to signify the ending of Summer and the beginning of winter. This was called Samhain.

During these ancient festivities, Celts would wear costumes made from animal skins. The Celts believed that on this night, October 31st, the dead could cross over from their world back in to ours. To keep the spirits from recognizing them, they would dress in costumes to hide their true identities from the wandering spirits.

They believed that by wearing masks, that this would conceal them and make the roaming spirits think they were other kindred spirits simply wandering about and leave them at peace.

By incorporating the disguises and leaving food offerings outside their homes, people of the past believed it would keep restless wandering spirits distracted protecting themselves and their homes from becoming infested with unwanted spirt guests.

Obviously today, there are many other types of costumes we don on Halloween. Not just the traditional witches, goblins, and ghosts of the past.

All of this explains why in current times we wear costumes, throw parties, and go out trick-or-treating on Halloween. To date, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion every year celebrating Halloween. That’s a whole lot of candy and costumes!

Halloween has come a long way from it’s beginings so long ago. Whether you love it or despise it, Halloween is the second largest commercial holiday celebrated across America today. And it looks like this ancient tradition isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

I hope this little series has given you a little better understanding of where our Hallowee traditions come from. And that, while some people still consider this to be an evil and fearsome holiday, it really all comes down to having a little bit of fun.

People love stepping away from reality and life’s daily toils to become someone else. Halloween gives us the opportunity to do this. Even if it is only once a year.

Enjoy a safe and scary Halloween

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When colonial Americans first began participating in Halloween celebrations they would conduct something known as “play parties”. These parties were held as public events in celebration of harvesting crops.

During these play parties, neighbors would get together and tell tales very similar to the ghost stories we tell today. They would also experiment in fortune telling, plus throw in some dancing and singing. Sometimes, there would also be some type of pranks being played. Or “tricks” if you prefer.

However, not everyone across America would participate in these play party gatherings. Even though annual autumn festivals were commonplace, these were not classified as Halloween parties until later.

Around the mid nineteenth century, after the Irish immigrants had arrived in America somewhere along 1846, Halloween became more popular throughout the country. Combining Irish and English traditions of old, people began the more modern day custom of dressing up in costumes and going trick-or-treating. During the early days, treats consisted of food items or money, unlike the candy that is traditionally passed out to trick-or-treaters of today.

By the end of the nineteenth century, Halloween was mainly celebrated with home hosted parties. These would be thrown for both children and adults. During these upgraded get togethers, party goers would play festive games, eat seasonal foods, and wear stylish costumes that were popular to the period. Most hosts would steer clear of things considered too frightening such as ghost stories so everyone could have a fantastic night of fun.

When the 1920’s and 30’s rolled around, Halloween festivities received yet another update. Many of the celebrations were centered around community activities such as parades and city-wide parties.

In the 1950’s Halloween was becoming a celebration geared towards the youth of America thanks to the baby boom. During these years, community based parties were drummed down into classroom festivities and home based parties. And it is also during this time that trick-or-treating came back in to fashion.

Bringing back the tradition of trick-or-treating provided communities with a way to enjoy and share the holiday together without the need for huge “town hall” type gatherings. This was considered a great American tradition of being able to celebrate the holiday as a community while keeping costs and vandalism down.

ps: Stay tuned for #5 – The Final Part in this short series

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When the first settlers came to America, they left many old traditions and celebrations from the old world behind, including that of Halloween. Many puritans believed it was a paganistic holiday and had no place in the development of their new life.

So, Halloween was all but forgotten. Until the mid nineteenth century when millions of immigrants came across the ocean to America. With them, they brought along their  long practiced cultural traditions.

Not long after their arrival, America was changing into a veritable melting pot of cultures. And so, adaptations began changing the custom of Halloween into what we now recognize it as today.

Instead of having huge bon fires as part of traditional Halloween celebrations, people would use pumpkins carving out portions and lighting candles inside as lanterns. Ancient costumes worn went from animal skins to more modern attire such as dressing up as ghosts, ghouls, and witches.

And as for the trick-or-treat candy collecting, well, this is believed to have originated from another old tradition that was termed “Souling”. Souling was the practice of people going door to door praying for the souls of the departed at their neighbors homes. In exchange for the prayers, the home owners would offer food to their visitors.

Others also believe that trick-or-treating could have stemmed from people leaving food offerings out on their porches during All Hallows Eve to appease the spirits in letting their home and family be at peace.

The true origins of trick-or-treating are still not known for sure. But what we do know is that it sure is loads of fun!

Even with these changes, some regions of America still frowned upon the celebration of Halloween. In places like New England, strict Protestants did not participate in Halloween. Nor did they allow others to take part in such pagan rituals in their communities.

However, in the earlier years, places like Maryland and many southern colonies celebrated Halloween regularly. And today, thanks to the Irish immigrants coming over during the mid nineteenth century, Halloween has become a national celebrated holiday all across America.
Bringing Halloween To America

When the first settlers came to America, they left many old traditions and celebrations from the old world behind, including that of Halloween. Many puritans believed it was a paganistic holiday and had no place in the development of their new life.

So, Halloween was all but forgotten. Until the mid nineteenth century when millions of immigrants came across the ocean to America. With them, they brought along their  long practiced cultural traditions.

Not long after their arrival, America was changing into a veritable melting pot of cultures. And so, adaptations began changing the custom of Halloween into what we now recognize it as today.

Instead of having huge bon fires as part of traditional Halloween celebrations, people would use pumpkins carving out portions and lighting candles inside as lanterns. Ancient costumes worn went from animal skins to more modern attire such as dressing up as ghosts, ghouls, and witches.

And as for the trick-or-treat candy collecting, well, this is believed to have originated from another old tradition that was termed “Souling”. Souling was the practice of people going door to door praying for the souls of the departed at their neighbors homes. In exchange for the prayers, the home owners would offer food to their visitors.

Others also believe that trick-or-treating could have stemmed from people leaving food offerings out on their porches during All Hallows Eve to appease the spirits in letting their home and family be at peace.

The true origins of trick-or-treating are still not known for sure. But what we do know is that it sure is loads of fun!

Even with these changes, some regions of America still frowned upon the celebration of Halloween. In places like New England, strict Protestants did not participate in Halloween. Nor did they allow others to take part in such pagan rituals in their communities.

However, in the earlier years, places like Maryland and many southern colonies celebrated Halloween regularly. And today, thanks to the Irish immigrants coming over during the mid nineteenth century, Halloween has become a national celebrated holiday all across America.

ps: Stay tuned for #4 in this short series

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