Mailing packages and cards for the holidays? I am in the post office a lot mailing packages and have picked up these tips.

These ought to help you out:

1. The earlier you mail before the holidays, the better.
2. Cards take longer due to the high volume of mail, so don’t be one of those people who consistently misses the holiday by not mailing the cards in time.
3. Don’t go the US post office on Mondays or Tuesdays unless you enjoy waiting in long lines. And don’t wait for 2 days before Christmas either unless you want to pay a lot of money to ship overnight and weight in looooong lines.
4. The best time to go to US post office is at the end of the week, but not at lunch time and not just before the post office closes. Some locations have extended and Saturday hours. Check online.
5. If you do have small packages to mail, consider using the self service machine in the post office. You can weigh your package, print out postage and then pay with a credit card. You then drop it in a box. If it weighs more than the specified weight or size posted on the drop box, you can just hand it to the mail clerk without waiting in line.
6. Do not put stamps on packages or envelopes that weigh more than 13 oz. These packages will be returned to you.
7. Make sure you package your gift so that it is secure and does not move around in the box.
8. If you are mailing something fragile, take it to a mailing center like The UPS Store. It will cost more to mail it, but they will guarantee the items will arrive unbroken. If not, you will be reimbursed for the $ amount it is insured for.
9. Beware of HUGE or square shaped Christmas cards. They require extra postage. I did that one year and had to pay extra for all 120 cards! Never gonna make that mistake again!
10. Pay attention to the box you are using. My Mom shipped toys a couple of years ago in a box that was from a liquor store. There were illustrations of liquor bottles on the outside of the box. The box seemed to disappear into thin air. It took 6 weeks for them to be returned to her. It was because of the box illustrations that they were returned. It is against the law to ship liquor. So use a box with no illustrations. Any indication that something else is in there that may be illegal to ship, will result in a return to you.
11. Get familiar with Priority Mailing Boxes. There is a preset flat rate for using these, as long as your item fits in there securely. Very often this is cheaper than it would be if you used your own box. You can get the boxes for free at the post office. Usual transit time is 2-3 business days.  Click here to check it out.
12. Take the time to tape up your boxes carefully  so they can withstand the long ride.
13. Print addresses clearly so there are no delays.
14. Don’t forget to include your return address.
15. Don’t get aggravated if you have to wait in line. Trust me, you will have some excellent people watching in there. Long lines at the US Post Office have given me a ton of inspiration for my writing!
16. Beware of the parking lot. The drivers are horrendous!

I love the fact that I can sit in my PJs and shop for Christmas gifts on my computer. You can find things online you cannot find locally and you can browse without the exhaustion of mall shopping. Here are some tips:

• If you shop on a mega website like Amazon, know that some items are shipped from the individual merchants. So you may have different shipping times and fees. One year I ordered a bunch of items only to find out 10 days later some were out of stock. Not good.
• Try to order from places that offer low/free shipping costs only.
• Group purchases together so you do not order 10 items from 10 websites. You don’t want to spend $100+ on shipping fees.
• Read product reviews before making a purchase online. If a bunch of shoppers were disappointed in a product, you will be too. And if everyone loved it, you will too.
• Beware of costly electronic purchases online. I’ve read horror stories. It is better to buy a TV at a store, where you can see it, touch it, and know you are getting a new one rather than rebuilt. And that there is a physical place to return it if problems arise.
• Consider the  possibility of returns. It is hard to buy clothing as gifts, and you don’t want your gift recipient to have to pay to ship the gift back.
• Know the return policy. I ordered something off a bike website only to later discover that there was a restocking fee. Also note the return deadline. If it is not 30+ days, don’t buy it.
• When you are using a credit card to order online, verses cash in a store, it is easy to overspend. Print out every order receipt and make note of the total cost including taxes and shipping. It can really add up!

Have fun shopping!

Hunter and Gregory Blain, the beekeepers I interviewed the other day sent me a bear-shaped container of the honey from their hive! Click here to read the interview.

It tastes amazing! If you want to really treat yourself, make vanilla iced teas with Bigelow French Vanilla tea and one Tbs of honey. Add a few drops of pure vanilla extract. Yum!

Thanks Hunter and Gregory!

Today is my daughter Rachel’s 17th Birthday! She is 17, born on Aug 17 at 11:17pm.

Happy Birthday, Rachel!

You’re  the best gift I’ve ever received.

Homemade chocolate peanut butter mousse cake!

Some 10 Father’s Days ago, when my daughter was 6 we put on a series of skits for my husband and my step father. It was hilarious. Basically, what we did was make fun of them in a good-natured way. Skit Scenarios:

1. My daughter played her Dad, and I was me, driving in the car giving my husband directions. You see, my husband gets agitated if I tell him where to turn or that he needs to change lanes to get ready to make a turn. “Don’t you think I know where I am going?!” If I do not tell him where to turn or change lanes he often misses the turn. I get, “Why didn’t you tell me?” The family faced us as we pretended like we were in a car.
2. One day my husband said “Cable TV is getting so expensive, we should just cancel it and get rid of this idiot box. I certainly wouldn’t miss it.” The next day, the cable went out when an important basketball game was on, and he was flipping out – trying desperately to fix it, frantically calling the cable company. I played my husband, and my daughter played me for that one.
3. My stepfather, Jack used to stand in front of the TV – inches from the screen. He always tuned out my Mom. For this scenario, I put my (then 6 yo) daughter in shorts and a bra stuffed with small balloons, and a shower cap, and she had a feather duster in hand. She played my Mom and yelled at Jack, and I played Jack, standing in front of the tube, ignoring her, just like in real life. Everyone in the family was roaring with laughter.

After we were done performing, we enjoyed a cake I made in the shape of a remote control.

If you really want to give Dad a special TOTALLY FREE treat this year, “roast” him with the kids with a homemade skit he’ll always remember.

Celebrations are what life is all about. The milestones of life are what we remember as we get older and graduation is one of the most important. Here are my favorite ideas for graduation gifts for every age from least to most expensive:

Elementary School

1. Wall Map
2. A Party with Friends and family
3. New Bicycle

Middle School

1. World Globe
2. Cell Phone
3. Special Trip (NY City?)

High School

1. Digital Camera
2. PDA (iphone?)
3. Laptop Computer

College

1. Brief Case
2. Nice Watch
3. Car

For every age, a scrapbook with photos and personal treasures is a great gift as well. When all else fails, you cannot go wrong with money as a gift!

There’s nothing like a gift basket to celebrate a special holiday. Kids especially love a themed basket, and it does not have to be expensive to put together.

There’s no need to spend $ on your container. Use what you’ve got around the house! Here are some ideas:

• Take an old basket and give it new life with spray paint or just some red and white ribbons
• Wrap a small cardboard box in colorful wrapping paper with hearts on it
• Fill a big (clean of course!) red bucket with goodies
• Use a beach pail
• Use a giant red gift bag (maybe from Christmas!) You can sponge some white hearts on it with paint
• Fill a big tin you already have

Here are some ideas for items for your basket:

• A handmade card with a heart cutout
• Separate little notes, “I love you because…” each with a different reason why you love your child
• Heart shaped candies/chocolates/cookies
• Lollipops
• A book (about love of course!)
• Items to make Valentine crafts (stickers, papers, doilies, card stock, crayons, markers, etc)
• A small stuffed animal (red or pink)
• Puzzle books
• Travel size games
• Superballs
• Baseball
• Bubbles
• Marbles
• Sidewalk chalk
• Red or pink socks!
• Pencils (with hearts on them, of course)
• Red t-shirt
• Valentine PJs
• DVD/Movie Gift Certificate
• CD

Want to make it really fun for your kids? Hide their baskets and then give them clues about where they are.  Another great idea is to put the basket next to their beds after they’ve gone to sleep, so they’re the first thing they see when they get out of bed.

P.S. I got this cute free clip art from kaboose.com

The holidays are over, but it is not too late to write thank you notes for the gifts you received. As I’ve mentioned before, my Grandmother considered thank you note writing to be an unwritten law! Unfortunately, not writing a note will likely be remember longer than if you write one!

The best way to encourage your kids to get in the habit of writing thank you notes is for them to see you writing them as well. Both adults and kids can follow these easy guidelines:

• Always write out the note by hand and mail it. No emails please!
• Keep it short and simple.
• Say thanks for the gift.
• Mention the actual gift(s) you received.
• State why you love the gift or how you plan to use it.
• Mention how much fun you had getting together (if the gifts were exchanged in person).
• Sign off.

Sample Thank You Note:

Dear Aunt Jayne:

It was so nice of you to give me the beautiful flannel PJs for Christmas. Thank you so much! They are so so comfortable and warm. How did you know that red is my favorite color? It was so nice to have you and Uncle Jim over for dinner. The kids always love having you around. We can’t wait for our next get-together!

Thanks again,

Love, Debbie

I made a big batch of chocolate truffles to give to 2 of my favorite neighbor families. I decorated 2 business card boxes with festive foam stickers, lined them with some batting and put the truffles in tiny muffin cups. Then I added a few store bought chocolate and candy canes. They were fun to make and I dod not have to mess up the kitchen!