Christmas Gift Solutions

Free Shipping & X Box Giveaway Till 12/31

2005-12-26T15:27:00.000-06:00

Hi, I hope you had a great Christmas. If you didn't get exactly what you
wanted, Overstock.com has a wide selection of merchandise to choose from,
just likee your local store. Go ahead and Pamper Yourself. Always Secure
On - Line Ordering, and Excellent Customer Service. Free Shipping until
December 31, 11:59 p m, 2005.

Overstock.com is giving Xbox 360 Travel Bundles away every day for the rest of the year! Any customer who makes a purchase on Overstock.com will be eligible that day to win an Xbox 360 Travel Bundle.

Overstock.com Xbox 360 Giveaway!

Happy Holidays!

2005-12-25T09:31:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas From The McQueen Family

Click Here To See Your Card

Free Sitewide Shipping at Overstock.com

2005-12-24T12:05:00.000-06:00

To end 2005 with a bang, Overstock.com will be offering Site-wide free shipping from now until 11:59 p m on 12/31/2005. No minimum purchase required.

Be sure to see how you can get a free X Box at Overstock.com

I hope you and your loved onesare safe and well this Christmas Eve.

Julie McQueen

2530 Harry Wurzbach

San Antonio, Tx

Feliz Navidad: A Mexican Christmas

2005-12-24T11:40:00.000-06:00

Since I live in San Antonio, Texas, I thought I would post an
article to show you how our friends "south of the border"
celebrate Christmas. I enjoy the Mexican festivities they
have here in San Antonio. ( I was born and raised in Nebraska.)

Mexico is a devoutly religious country and almost everyone is Catholic, so Christmas in Mexico has a strong religious flavor to it celebrating the Nativity. Families traditionally celebrate with a Novena, or nine day celebration before the holy night of December 24, Christmas Eve.

Villages and homes both schedule the Novena and reenact the journey of Joseph and Mary when they were looking for lodging while on their way to the Roman census. Re-enactors will sing a simple chant. Every home has a Nativity scene, and home owners play the part of the inn keepers. All of the re-enactors carry small lit candles and usually four teenagers will carry small statures of Mary and Joseph, with Mary riding the donkey. The head of the procession will carry a small lantern made of paper with a candle inside. The enactors will ask for lodging at three houses and only the third will let them in. Then the guests come into the home, kneel before the Nativity scene and sing praises for the Virgin Mary and traditional Christmas songs. Then the home will host a party for the children. The highlight of the party is the Piñata. A tradition imported from Italy, it is thought of as Mexican and is paper mache or a clay pot decorated with paper, and is filled with hard candy, peanuts sugar cane and fruit. All the children are blindfolded and take a turn at hitting it with a stick until someone breaks it open, then all scramble for the treats inside.

As in the United States Mexicans exchange gifts but rather than doing it on Christmas, they wait until New Year's Eve for a celebration called Misa de Gallo, or Rooster's Mass. Many families go to church early and open gifts at midnight. Others wait until January 6 which is known as the Day of Kings, or Wise men's Day, and celebrates the Magi who brought gifts to the baby Jesus. Children traditionally place their shoes near the window so the Magi can fill the shoes with gifts. If the present is bigger than the shoe, it is placed next to the shoe; and many children receive new shoes as Wise Men's Day gifts. The day also includes a Merienda, kind of a tea time with hot chocolate and La Meridenda, an evening meal of celebration.

Another Mexican tradition is the Rosca de Reys, a big oval shaped wreath made of a special egg bread filled with dried fruit and sprinkled sugar decorations and a small ceramic doll inside. The doll represents the baby Jesus and whoever gets the doll is the Godparent of the baby Jesus in a celebration called Candelaria on February 2.

As Christmas is celebrated throughout all of Mexico, government offices will be closed for two weeks for all of the celebrations. In recent years many Mexicans, especially the most affluent, have adopted Santa Claus and many American traditions, but even then the flavor remains distinctly Mexican. As the land of the Piñata accepts the Christmas Tree, Christmas traditions melding show the true spirit of Christmas, with nation's coming together in peace.

Order By 12/21 For Christmas Delivery

2005-12-17T22:57:00.000-06:00

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Shop Until 12/21 To Have Gifts Delivered By Christmas

2005-12-15T16:42:00.000-06:00

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Christmas Shopping For Your Parents

2005-12-14T18:10:00.000-06:00

Christmas Shopping For Your Parents

Christmas shopping can be tough when you are first starting out on your own, but it is especially tough sometimes to figure out what to buy for your parents. What do you feel is expected of you? What is too much to spend? What is appropriate for you to purchase for the people that raised you? One good way to figure this out is to spend some time with your folks on a casual basis. Getting dinner every so often, or going out for a drink is a good way to figure out what kinds of things that they are interested in. More importantly, it is a good way of figuring what kinds of things they are interested in but would not invest in themselves. Here are some helpful hints.

If your mother is a world class cook, but it is still baking with the same pans that she made your childhood birthday cakes with, perhaps getting her a new pots and pans set is a good idea. Do not worry too much about the logistics of stainless steel versus Teflon. Stay in your price range and get her something she can use, and she will love it no matter what.

Let us say that your parents just moved in to a community for retirees. Your father is taking a real shining to the golf course, but he doesn’t have his own clubs. Maybe you cannot afford a whole set, but buying him a gift certificate to a sporting goods store could help him out and nudge him in the direction of spending a little bit of money on his new hobby for himself. Maybe you buy a golf bag and a small gift certificate, and that way there can be no confusion about what the gift certificate is for.

Do not worry too much about how much you spend on your parents. They are going to care more about the thought that you have put in to their gift than the amount of money that you spent on it. For example, the entire set of golf clubs might not mean as much to your dad as a season of his favorite show on DVD. Your mom would probably be just as happy with a new cookbook as a whole new expensive set of pots and pans. It is all a matter of how much thought you put into it.

Think about the gifts you got your parents for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as a kid... Watches? Ties? Flowers? A new Vacuum? Stay away from anything generic like that, that does not show a lot of thought put into it. Opt instead for something simple but thoughtful. Get your parents a picnic basket with the makings for a gourmet meal and a nice bottle of wine. It may not be that expensive, but it shows that you care and that you want them to have some time to themselves for all that they have given to you.

I hope you find the articles useful and your holiday shopping is going smoothly :). For last minute gift ideas visit overstock.com. See ya tomorrow.

http://tinyurl.com/7kj6p

Wishing you the best of the Season,

Julie

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2005-12-09T10:38:00.000-06:00

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Have a Sweet Christmas

2005-12-08T10:01:00.000-06:00

Christmas Day, you can put in all of the work you want on Christmas dinner and gathering your friends and family for a special day. No matter what though, come that evening, no one cares about anything quite as much as what is for dessert. Many families have items that are traditional dessert items based on either cultural heritage or their own personal family history. One thing that was particularly tempting growing up in my large Italian family, was looking at the untouchable dessert table all day, as the hours and minutes dwindled by toward the time at which we would actually be able to eat the delicious concoctions. Here are a couple of simple ways to tempt your eager guests.

Eggnog Cheesecake: A new twist on an old favorite, substitute milk for egg nog in your favorite cheesecake recipe. Be liberal with seasoning the mix with cinnamon, nutmeg, and other apple-pie like spices. Top the egg nog cheesecake with dollops of whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or nutmeg. This is a great way to work some of the flavor of the season in to a tried and true family favorite.

Chocolate Cake Pudding Trifle: A favorite in my family for years, this simple recipe is rich, filling, and a little bit different for those craving a change from the norm. Bake two chocolate cakes layers, either round or square, about nine inches in diameter. While these are cooling, make about 8 cups of chocolate and vanilla pudding in equal parts. Do not mix the chocolate and vanilla puddings together. In a large bowl, put about an inch of chocolate pudding in the bottom. Tear bits of cake to create a layer of cake above the pudding about equal height. Next create a one inch layer of vanilla pudding on top of the cake. Repeat the cake layer, and alternate between chocolate and vanilla pudding until you reach the top of the bowl. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a dessert sure to dazzle any chocolate loving audience.

Saltine Sugar Candy: Take a large glass oven pan, about nine inches by fourteen inches, and coat it well with margarine or vegetable oil. Coat the bottom of the pan with saltine crackers, over which you are going to pour about a quarter inch think layer of milk chocolate. You want to refrigerate this chocolate and saltine mix until it is hardened, and then take it out and break it in to smaller candy sized pieces. In a separate bowl, mix melted butter and sugar, and then simmer until caramelized. Dip each piece individually in the caramel solution and then set out to cool. Once these are cool, you have a delicious toffee chocolate treat that is sure to horrify any dentist and tantalize any taste bud.

There are a lot of ways to make your Christmas dessert table stand out. The best is to just be yourself. Modify classic recipes, or come up with your own. Cook to taste, that way, you know someone will like it.

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A Perfect Holiday Theme

2005-12-05T20:46:00.000-06:00

A Perfect Holiday Theme

The soft gentle action of multi-colored bubble lights add a nostalgic dimension to your tree trimmings.

The "skinny" Santa Claus decorations are a delight to young and old as they pass your home on the way to visit friends or a church or town get-together.

A truly entrancing torte filled to overfilling with fruit flavors and decorated with breathtaking edible flowers.

Fruitcakes, dense and moist, sliced and arrayed on a platter adorned with holly and pine cones.

The above - a mixture of modern and old-fashioned.

The Holidays - a collage of past childhood items and new found trimmings.

We all have our own style of decorating - there is a touch of maple wood, and glass and metal in all of us. We grow each day, we mature and we are surrounded by new sensations, discoveries, and baubles.

What is the perfect Holiday decor for your home - the perfect meal or decorative touches for all those parties and dinners?

Simply - a melodious harmony of what you would like to remember from your childhood (tinsel, sleds, one-piece snow suits) and what today's world has evolved into.

Tree ornaments add sparkle, and interest to your tree. There are ornaments you saved from your children's first attempts at art, to those magnificent sculptured delicate glass ornaments that reflect the tiny multi- colored lights strung on a tree, or even "talking" Santas, snowmen and Mr. Spock.

They are caressed by popcorn or cranberry garlands, and that beloved angel right there on top. Underneath, a shiny Santa Express train on a lovely hand-quilted tree skirt, with a lighted Sinclair Gas sign that sheds its light on that feisty Camaro filling up at the pump. Mix and match to your heart's delight, and to the pleasure of family members.

There are no directions or explicit requirements to decorate for the Holidays. The decor of choice - what warms your heart, and puts that gleam in your eye. Its remembering your child's first Christmas and seeing it now through a young adult's eyes, as they add their opinion and touch to your scheme of things. Its a pleasure to the decorator and the observer.

The Holidays is using grandma's treasures crocheted tablecover and also that etched candle that emits fragrances with each breath as well as that doormat that starts singing Christmas Carols as soon as someone nears your door. Your home decor should take your breath away as you light the tree for the first time, cut into a juicy, moist turkey, and even enjoy that salsa with the chips and crackers. The Holidays are a scrapbook that looks back into the past but invites the future to join and to inscribe the current pages.

Its time to return to the basics in your Holiday entertaining and festivities. The basics of fun, friendliness, inspiration, nostalgia, hope, and love. It's holding hands and singing Christmas songs as a gliding sleigh carries you to a warm bonfire where hot chocolate and hot cider await. But it is also pizza, space creatures that talk and walk, and a tie with lights that flash.

We should never become too set in our ways to forget the past nor too sure of ourselves not to look at the future. The Holidays - the perfect time and place to be who we are and to display our heritage and ancestry, as well as our goals and our visions. These are times to kiss under the mistletoe and watch the latest DVD with your family.

The Holidays - the best of all our worlds joined together for all to enjoy and partake - you can't go wrong with this combination.

©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002 November Wishing you and all your loved ones a truly Memorable, Enchanting, and totally wonderful Holiday Season Please subscribe to our free Holiday newsletters: e-mail : akaptur@centurytel.net to subscribe or visit: http://www.arleenssite.com/, http://www.arleens-rusticliving.com/, http://www.topica.com/lists/simpleliving

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Holiday Tips For Mom

2005-12-04T19:30:00.000-06:00

Holiday Tips For Mom
by Jodie Lynn

Each year it's the moms who are usually left holding the bag with everything still left inside to wrap, cook or clean. From shopping to driving to practices and sewing costumes for the annual Holiday pageant - and (oh yeah) - preparing the meals -- moms across the country are getting that overwhelming sensation of "feel like screaming!" This well-known and familiar pattern sends us moms into holiday overload.

But this year - in this unpredictable time of uncertainty - we have a little more on our shoulders and in our hearts. Now, more than ever, our children and families need us and we need them. Here are a few tips that might help us to slow down and maybe even enjoy a little more "face to face" time with our families this holiday season.

1. The first thing to do is to make a list of goals before the big rush. Write down what you want to get accomplished during the holidays. Make two columns. List one as "doable" and the other as "FLS" (feel like screaming). If a goal makes you "FLS," as you write and think about it, quickly find a compromise without feeling guilty and move on.

2. Get real and throw Martha Stewart out the window. Don't make such a fuss over food and decorations and end up making yourself sick and feeling unappreciated. Make a few favorites and ask for help with any harder than average tasks. Pick up a few side dishes at the local deli for those special meals.

3. As you get things done, mark it off your list. It doesn't matter how small of a job it may be, mark it off so you can visibly see what you've done with your time and feel better about it.

4. Delegate my dear! Things may not be done exactly as you'd like for them to be, but who really cares? (If you do, get over it.) There's simply no reason why moms must do everything. Let others help and allow them to feel good about it.

5. Plan any parties before the middle of the month. Send out invitations early and have the party early. This will leave you with plenty of time to take care of other arrangements for family and friends without feeling rushed.

6. Address your Holiday cards now. By beginning early, you can let the kids and hubby help. You can address them, the kids can add the stamps and hubby can stick on the return address labels. "Voila!" - He can mail them too!

7. Choose names in a large family. Put family member names in a bowl and let each person choose one. Set an acceptable amount to spend on presents and stick to it. For those show offs who can't stick to the rules, boot them off the gift list...or at least tell them you are thinking of it "just to keep things fair." They may get the hint.

8. Ask the kids if they'd like to make gifts for grandparents or someone else that's special. There's nothing more loved and appreciated than homemade gifts from kids. If you begin now, they will have plenty of time to complete the endeavor without becoming frustrated. Encourage the kids to work on them a little each day or whenever time allows. And, remember to let the kids decorate and complete their own creations. That means HANDS OFF - Mom.

9. Make family traditions. Anything a family does together each year can become a tradition to look forward to the following year. For example, something as simple as baking and decorating cookies for a local nursing home makes a lasting and memorable tradition and inspires children to think of others during this busy season. It's not only fun but puts a smile on an elderly person's face and helps to instill sharing and caring in our own hearts.

10. Make time for mommy. We all need a little "me" time (especially during the holidays). Take at least one hour a day and find something to reinstate balance into your life. It might be in the form of exercise, reading or listening to favorite music for only an hour a day. Let your family know ahead of time you will be doing this alone and stick to your choice. Remember that a happy momma has a happy family!

Jodie Lynn is a nationally syndicated parenting columnist, author and parent educator. Her column, Parent to Parent, is available to over 350 newspapers throughout the United States and Canada. Her latest book, "Mommy CEO (Constantly Evaluating Others) 5 Golden Rules," (2001 revised edition) is now available from any bookstore

Christmas Gift Solutions

2005-12-03T22:40:00.000-06:00

Christmas Gift Solutions

Life Lessons from St. Nicholas

2005-12-03T22:24:00.000-06:00

Stewardship Nuggets for Families and Children
Life Lessons from St. Nicholas
By Janet Zimmerman

"It is more blessed to give than to receive" — Acts 20:35, NRSV

As Christmas approaches, expectant children are making lists of presents that they hope to receive. Advent is an appropriate time to teach them about the life of St. Nicholas and to remind them, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Nicholas was born during the third century in a village that is located in modern-day Turkey. His wealthy parents raised him to be a devout Christian. Sadly, they died in an epidemic while he was still young. Nicholas obeyed Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor." He used his whole inheritance to help the needy, the sick, and the suffering. The church recognized his total dedication to God and declared him Bishop of Myra while he was still a young man. Nicholas was known across the region for his generosity to people in need, for his love of children, and for his concern for sailors. You can find many legends about his life on the Internet and in library books. In Europe, St. Nicholas' Feast Day is held on December 6. This special day celebrates the stories of his generosity and goodness. Our current images of Santa Claus have little in common with this devout bishop! The life of St. Nicholas has much to teach us.

Encourage the children to approach the Christmas season by focusing on what they can give, not on what they can receive. In addition to money, a person can give time, talents, and possessions to help others. Brainstorm with the children ways in which they can give their time, talents, and possessions to others. Here are some suggestions:

Help an elderly neighbor address Christmas cards or wrap presents.
Provide childcare for the children of a single parent, allowing the parent time to purchase gifts.
Ring bells at one of the many Salvation Army kettles.

Shovel snow from a neighbor's sidewalk or driveway or help with some yard work.

Assist a family who has a parent overseas serving in the military.

Be a friend to a new student at school.

Help the children see the needs of those around them and guide them in choosing a need that they can meet. Children can work independently or together on a project.

Comparison Sites Ease Bargain Hunts

2005-11-28T08:25:00.000-06:00

Comparison Sites Ease Bargain Hunts

Some firms provide side-by-side prices from retailers to make online gift searches less taxing.

By Julie Tamaki, Times Staff Writer

Bunions throbbing after a weekend of mall hopping, millions of holiday shoppers will boot up their computers today and begin scouring the Internet for bargains.

But with the proliferation of shopping sites, finding the perfect gift online can be just as frustrating as navigating the galleria.

Shopzilla.com and PriceGrabber.com aim to help. They are among more than a dozen comparison shopping sites that make a buck by shepherding shoppers to deals offered by online and traditional retailers.

Such sites can help save anywhere from a few bucks on a DVD to thousands of dollars on a liquid crystal display television."We still love to get a bargain, and finding the lowest price is such a small victory," said Anne Marie Luthro, a vice president at Envirosell Inc., a market research firm based in New York. "You get to say I got a [iPod] nano, but I only paid $199 for mine as opposed to the guy who paid $229."

Experts predict more shoppers than ever will require help navigating the Internet in the weeks before Christmas. Online holiday sales are expected to increase 25% over last year to $18 billion, according to Forrester Research Inc.

Today is expected to be one of the busiest online shopping days, as workers return to the office and take advantage of their employers' high-speed Internet connections.

Atlas, a digital marketing firm, predicts Dec. 12 — a Monday — will be the single biggest day of the 2005 online holiday shopping season.

A survey by Jupiter Research found comparison-shopping sites are increasingly influencing shoppers, with the percentage of online consumers who view the sites as the most efficient way to find products and help users decide on purchases rising by more than a third this year to 61%.

"We also saw a 36% increase in consumers this year who said price is the most important factor when I'm figuring out what to buy," said Patti Freeman Evans, a retail analyst at Jupiter Research. "Price has always been important, but that's a huge increase."

Farhad Mohit, co-founder and chief product officer at Los Angeles-based Shopzilla Inc., said his company aimed to save customers time and money by sifting through thousands of retail websites.

"If you can't find what you're looking for from 64,000 stores and 30 million items [on Shopzilla], then you're certainly not going to find it at the mall," Mohit said.

Shopzilla's search engine, for example, turns up 50 retailers selling Sharp Electronics Corp.'s 37-inch Aquos liquid crystal display television, with prices of $1,660 to $5,000. Such sites frequently offer to calculate tax and shipping based on a customer's ZIP code. In many cases, they also provide customer reviews.

"They are offering an additional level of selection and service that you can't get through a basic search" on Yahoo Inc.'s or Google Inc.'s websites, said Safa Rashtchy, an analyst at Piper Jaffray & Co.

The word "stroller" turns up more than 3.5 million results on Google, but nets 1,100 references on Shopping.com, which can easily be sorted by price, brand and type.

"It's the paradox of choice," said Lorrie Norrington, chief executive of Shopping.com, which boasts 35 million products spread over 325 diverse categories that include such items as flowers and fax machines. "You want a lot to choose from. At the same time you want to be able to quickly cut through the clutter."

Another challenge facing comparison sites is figuring out ways to infuse online shopping with some of the excitement that draws many consumers to the mall.

Yahoo's shopping site, shopping.yahoo.com, recently launched "Shoposphere." The feature enables users to post pick lists featuring some of the 90 million products contained in Yahoo's database based on themes such as fish tank ornaments and poker paraphernalia.

"Typically, e-commerce has been a fairly antisocial activity — antisocial not in the pejorative sense, just solitary," said Rob Solomon, vice president of Yahoo Shopping Group. "With Shoposphere you can interact with people who have picked products."

NexTag.com's website offers a toolbar to make it easier for online shoppers' search, be it for a coffee maker, vacation or a mortgage lender. "The biggest challenge in our business is driving traffic to our site," said Stephen Imbler, NexTag Inc.'s chief financial officer.

Comparison sites are also expanding their category coverage to attract a wider audience. The grocery saver feature on Cairo.com's website allows shoppers to compare advertised prices of leading grocery stores in their neighborhoods. In Glendale, for example, ham dinners recently ranged from $39.99 at Albertsons to $69.99 for a gourmet version at Ralphs.

Although Cairo generates revenue via ads displayed on its site, most shopping comparison sites turn a profit by striking deals with merchants who pay so-called click through fees based on referrals they receive from the sites.

Yahoo's site lists items for sale by merchants who pay the fees as well as those who don't. Click fees vary by category, according to Solomon, with Yahoo receiving about 20 cents for each book, music and video referral.

Shopzilla, which also includes a combination of paying and nonpaying merchants, lists results based on a formula that factors in whether the firm receives referral fees from a merchant in addition to a product's price, availability, a merchant's rating and brand strength.

Last month, Shopzilla topped Nielsen/NetRatings' monthly list of online shopping directories and guides by attracting 17.5 million visitors, followed by Shopping.com, Yahoo Shopping, NexTag and Google's Froogle. Because the firms rely on separate search engines, savvy shoppers may want to visit several sites since results vary.

Froogle.com's site comes up with 18 listings for "Elmo's World — Dancing, Music, Books" DVD, ranging from $7.11 to $12.35. PriceGrabber.com's website showed 11 merchants selling the same DVD, with prices from $6.20 to $12.99.

Although Froogle may net more results, Envirosell's Luthro said people at her office liked PriceGrabber best. Rashtchy gave PriceGrabber high marks for its "pure and simple" approach and name recognition among consumers.

Shoppers can receive e-mails from PriceGrabber when a product they want hits a certain price, eliminating the need to hunt for bargains.

"It's not that we're out to take the fun out of shopping," said Kamran Pourzanjani, chief executive of PriceGrabber. "If anything we're there to help educated shoppers and make sure there's no buyer's remorse whether they buy online or offline."

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The History Of Thanksgiving

2005-11-24T10:16:00.000-06:00

Boston Massachusetts Information:
The History of Thanksgiving

The Wampanoag Indians

When the Pilgrims first landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in Dec. 26, 1620, it was the day after Christmas. Those who know Massachusetts winters realize that this was just about the worst time to land, with frozen land, no food, and bitter snows coming shortly. The ship had carried 102 passengers, and about half of the Pilgrims died during this first winter. Still, that even some of them survived was thanks to the native Wampanoag Indians, who met up with them soon after they landed.

The Wampanoags lived in small villages along the coastline of both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. They fished, farmed, and were generally peaceful and friendly. They lived in wigwams, and wore deerskin outfits.

Squanto
The Indian which helped the Pilgrims the most was "Squanto", who had visited England before and knew how to speak English and work with these visitors. His ability to communicate with the Pilgrims and show them how to survive in this harsh winter was key to their survival.

The First Thanksgiving
The pilgrims invited their two key Indian helpers, Squanto, Samoset, plus Chief Massasoit, to share in their Thanksgiving since they had been so instrumental in the pilgrims? successes that summer. The Indians brought their families, numbering over 90 people. The pilgrims were overwhelmed, and didn?t have enough food, so the Indians brought along their own supplies for the feast. The Wampanoags brought turkey, deer, berries, squash, cornbread, and beans - things that they'd farmed and that they'd shown the Pilgrims how to care for.

Cultural Differences
The Wampanoag Indians normally ate sitting on the ground, on furs. For this special occasion, they sat at the tables with the Pilgrims. The Indian women and men both ate together. Pilgrim women didn?t have this equal status though - they had to stand behind their menfolk, dutifully waiting until the men were done and full before they were allowed to eat anything.

The Spread of Thanksgiving
Many states began having their own Thanksgiving celebrations in the fall, to give thanks for bountiful harvests. Abraham Lincoln made it official, and set aside the third Thursday as the national holiday in 1863.

I wish each and everyone of you a prosperous and blessed day. Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, count all your blessings and life will be so much better.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Julie

Christmas Cheer From Overstock.com

2005-11-15T17:18:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone, Julie here again. I want to invite you to look at a great place to shop

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"Tis The Season"

2005-11-11T20:26:00.000-06:00

Hi, how are you doing today? It's never too early to start with the "ole"
Christmas list, getting ideas fot gifts.

If you are like I am about shopping, I love convenience and quality,
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with overstock.com. Overstock.com has many products to choose from
just like your store. Customer service is outstanding,.

Don't take my word for it go and visit overstock.com now.

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Common questions about Sheets

2005-11-05T18:06:00.000-06:00

Sheets
Common Questions

Shop for sheets,shopping guide

I keep seeing something called "T-sheets?"

These are soft cotton sheets with a Jersey knit weave, similar to a cotton T-shirt. They are a knitted, heavier weight than regular cotton sheets and offer extra softness and great fit.

What are twin XL sheets?

This is for a slightly longer twin bed, which is commonly found in dorm rooms, so every college freshman needs a set of these! Check the style sheet you are interested in for this specific size.

Are sheets designed to fit my mattress?

Most sheets today will fit a deeper mattress. Check the packaging which lists the depth of the side or states "guaranteed to fit."

How come all pillowcases say standard/queen or king?

The most common size pillow is standard. Have you ever noticed that your pillowcases are a little too long for your pillow? That's where Queen size pillows come in - they fill up your pillowcases to the end. A nice touch, especially for shams. King size pillows are longest and use King size cases. So what does all this mean? Use Standard/Queen pillowcases for your Standard and Queen pillows, and King for Kings.

What is combed cotton?

Combing is an extra step during the manufacturing process that reduces the amount of short, uneven fibers in the cotton, leaving the longer and stronger fibers for weaving.

What sheets will be less pilly?

The worst offender for getting pills (those little annoying balls of worn fabric), are the cotton/polyester blends with a low thread count. Conversely, 100% cotton sheets with a higher thread count will not be as likely to pill.

What is the difference between King and California King?

Predominantly found on the West Coast (hence the name, California King), a Cal-King mattress is narrower and longer than the regular (Eastern) King. This should only be of concern when buying your fitted sheets, as a King size flat sheet will always be the same size whether Eastern or Western orientation.

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Benefits Of Holiday Shopping Online

2005-10-25T18:23:00.000-05:00

Shopping for holiday gifts and needs online saves you time and alot of hassel with crowds, bad weather, and mad house traffic.

Overstock.com is a online department store, offering something for everybody. You can order on a secure server. The most you will pay for shipping is $2.95.

Here is an example of what they have. Be sure to visit Overstock.com .

http://ssl.linksynergy.com/php-bin/common/reset_password.shtml?code=tt9XNq4Vk9Gfuw4LQzSZHM8ymH1LckDY

Winter Holiday Calender

2005-10-22T22:18:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday to you. How are you today? I ran across this winter holiday schedule and thought I would pass it on.

I just love winter and the holidays, so you will be hearing alot about happy times in Nebraska, when I was a child. Times were alot different then. I plan to teach my newborn grand daughter
the same traditions.

Winter Festivals & Traditions

November 1....................................... All Saints Day
November 11..................................... St. Martin's Day (Germany)
Last Thursday in November................ Thanksgiving Day (USA)
Fourth Sunday before Christmas......... Advent begins
December 6 ...................................... St. Nicholas Day
December 8....................................... Bodhi Day in the Buddhists' faith
December 10..................................... Hannukah begins (date varies)
December 13..................................... Santa Lucia's Day (Italy, Sweden)
December 15 - 16 ............................ Posados or Novena begins
December 17 .................................... Hannukah ends (date varies)
December 19..................................... St. Nicholas Day (Julian Calendar)
December 20 .................................... St. Ignatious' Day in Romania
December 20/21................................ Winter Solstice
December 21..................................... St. Thomas' Day
December 23..................................... Little Christmas in Denmark
December 24..................................... Christmas Eve
December 25.......................... Christmas Day
December 26..................................... St. Stephen's Day, Boxing Day in England,Kwanzaa begins
December 27..................................... St. John's Day, Mother Night
December 28 .................................... Holy Innocents Day
December 30 .................................... Bringing in the Boar
December 31 ................................... New Year's Eve, St. Sylvester's Eve, Hogmanay in Scotland
January 1........................................... New Year's Day, St. Basil's Day
January 2 .......................................... Snow Day, Holde's Day
January 3........................................... Evergreen Day
January 4 .......................................... St. Distaff's Day
January 5 .......................................... Epiphany Eve
January 6 .......................................... Epiphany, Three Kings Day, Twelfth Night
January 7 .......................................... Russian Christmas
First Monday after Epiphany................ Plough Monday in England's traditions
January 13 ........................................ Twentieth Day, St. Knut's Day in Scandanavia

Have you thought about buying your Christmas gifts online this year? It is easy to do and you shop in the comfort of your home. Overstock.com has low prices plus very low shipping. If you want to take the hassle out of Christmas, check with Overstock.com.

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Have a wonderful weekend!

Julie

Welcome To The Christmas Blog

2005-10-21T20:18:00.000-05:00

This blog will feature Christmas gifts you can order online at a discount.

But anything you want to ralk about is ok as long as it pertains to Christmas.

iProspect: Online Holiday Shopping Starts Two Weeks Early

Oct. 19, 2005

A warning to retailers who are preparing their paid inclusion campaigns for the holiday shopping season: It's later than you think.

Consumers begin online holiday shopping two weeks before the traditional Thanksgiving weekend start, search engine marketing firm iProspect said last week.

Paid inclusion conversion volumes historically start climbing two weeks prior to Thanksgiving weekend, according to data from iProspect's paid search advertising tool, iSEBA.

IProspect, Watertown, MA, advised retailers to complete campaign testing by Nov. 11.

"In order to fully capitalize on peak holiday conversions, marketers must be locked and loaded with a solid strategy sooner than many have anticipated," Fredrick Marckini, CEO of iProspect, said in a statement. "Creative and landing page testing must begin now -- today -- and must be ready well in advance of Thanksgiving. Search marketers who wait until Thanksgiving will get a late start and will miss out on a good chunk of holiday season sales."

This early push differs from offline marketing, where the U.S. Postal Service now sees more ad mail sent later in November and even into December because late holiday orders still can be delivered in time.

Well, I haven't even started thinking about a gift list yet, but it is time to be promoting online.