Its All About Christmas

When starting an online business one of the most important things we need to do just like any other business is to sell products… One sure way to increase sales is to offer potential customers a special offer; it could be samples, discounts, trial offers, purchase awards etc. I have listed a couple of scorching offers that could be used to sell products like wildfire.

Offer free samples of your product to visitors on your website. Once the samples prove to be all that you say it is, it is very likely and easy for them to buy and refer others to you’re site. If you decide not to give away free sample you can offer a trial offer of the service or product simply to show the customer just how great it is, you can maybe have a free 30 day trial, this done by allot of business owners and is a time proven strategy to increase sales.

Offering a rebate to the customer after they buy the product or service is also a great idea. It will make the customer feel like they getting a great deal for purchasing your product. You can also have a payment option or payment plan; this makes the product more affordable to customers who might not be able to pay one flat price, this will defiantly increase your sales just do like all these infomercials you see on TV you can offer 3 easy monthly payments.

The time old buy one get one free offer is always a winner, this always work; simply reward your customers with a freebie if they buy one, two or maybe three items. This works like a charm and will defiantly increase your sales. Of course offering a discount will also increase sales, so go ahead and offer your customer an attractive discount on there purchases, this will make a huge impact on your profits.

The biggest money maker is having seasonal sales, Christmas, Labor Day Valentines day etc, When people are a in a festive mood they are ready to spend money so if you offer a holiday sale they will be ready and eager to buy, this will really improve the bottom line. Have a $1. Sale on your website for new customers, this will encourage them to visit your site to purchase your $1. Items plus they might buy other items as they are there. You can also offer coupons on items that are bought that can be redeemed to get discounts on some of your other products on future purchases.

Using testimonials on banner advertisements will make customers feel more secure to part with there money because you would have supplied them with proof that you are for real. It gives a potential customer a save feeling that real people have tried the product a liked it. For this to work the banner ad must have enough information that the customer can understand and relate to. This gives your site a personal touch that people would trust and once people trust you they would buy from you. If you would like to know more about on this topic check out the attached link

There are many times when to avoid dating. Dating after all should be entered as a fresh start without baggage. One should enter the dating scene only when the time is right. However many date during the wrong time and should be avoided. Advice from Gabby from the Christmas Play Land offers many valuables areas of helpful observations. Many seek the dating scene when they are feeling sad, down and lonely. The overall mood is that of being a needy person. Effects of being needy can result in: 1. Sound decisions cannott be made while going through a painful and emotional time in ones life. 2. Seeking another person to make you feel whole. 3. Not being able to focus objectively of what the date can offer. 4. Rushing to date makes your overall personal and emotional well being worse. Elements of the wrong time to date are: A. One should definitely avoid dating when there is a death to someone close like a parent, best friend,pet,etc. Using another person as a branch to cling to is definitely an emotional drain. Time alone to heal emotionally should be followed. B. Losing ones job is definitely not a time to date. Get a new job first should be the main objective. C. Being depressed is definitely the wrong time to date but yet many do. A depressed person definitely taxes the emotional resources of the potential date. One should seek a therapist, not a date while being depressed. D. Breaking up with someone and then jumping into the dating scene is definitely the wrong time. Do not bring the emotional baggage from the past into a new date. Dating during the wrong time can result in one of the worst dating experience period. One should enter the dating scene problem and baggage free . If experiencing any of the above areas, then just step back and take some personal quality time.

There are many times when to avoid dating. Dating after all should be entered as a fresh start without baggage. One should enter the dating scene only when the time is right. However many date during the wrong time and should be avoided. Advice from Gabby from the Christmas Play Land offers many valuables areas of helpful observations.

Many seek the dating scene when they are feeling sad, down and lonely. The overall mood is that of being a needy person. Effects of being needy can result in:

1. Sound decisions cannott be made while going through a painful and

emotional time in ones life.

2. Seeking another person to make you feel whole.

3. Not being able to focus objectively of what the date can offer.

4. Rushing to date makes your overall personal and emotional well being worse.

Elements of the wrong time to date are:

A. One should definitely avoid dating when there is a death to someone close like a parent, best friend,pet,etc. Using another person as a branch to cling to is definitely an emotional

drain. Time alone to heal emotionally should be followed.

B. Losing ones job is definitely not a time to date. Get a new job first should be the main objective.

C. Being depressed is definitely the wrong time to date but yet many do. A depressed person definitely taxes the emotional resources of the potential date. One should seek a therapist, not a date while being depressed.

D. Breaking up with someone and then jumping into the dating scene is definitely the wrong time. Do not bring the emotional baggage from the past into a new date.

Dating during the wrong time can result in one of the worst dating

experience period. One should enter the dating scene problem and baggage

free . If experiencing any of the above areas, then just step back and take

some personal quality time.

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DISCLAIMER: The following is NOT legal advice, nor is it a substitute for legal advice. If you are in Family Court you will need legal advice, so please see a lawyer.

The worst Christmas that I ever had was watching Godfather III in a theater after handing over the kids at 4:00 p.m. to mom the first year that we were separated.

I thought to myself I have never had such a low moment in my life. I know she felt the same way the year that she handed them over to me at 4:00. So, we managed to do it year to year. It was not perfect. Ultimately, we had to get really, really creative. For example, we would celebrate Christmas early. I mean the kids love that! You need to be creative.

When we would say, “Oh well, it is December 23rd. Let us have Christmas today.” We just surprised them, just bring it on them, and we would have such an amazing time just simply because we did not get stuck in the idea that it had to be a certain way.

For those of you on the call, I mean I really do hope that you get to see your kids over the next few days, but if you do not, the presents that you have bought and if you have not bought any yet, be sure to even though you think you might not see your kids go and buy a present. Wrap it up. Get a nice card and put it away.

If you see little Johnny, I am just going to say Johnny from now on because it is sort of a basic name, if you see little Johnny in March, you know what? You can put your Santa hat on and you can say, “You know what, Johnny? I have been waiting for this since December 25th. Ho-ho-ho, it is Christmas.

Let’s go see what’s left under the tree.” You can have Christmas anytime. Your son or your daughter will be blown away that you never forgot them because they may have been told something else by mom. This is proof to them that you did buy them a gift and that you did not forget them. It is still sitting there waiting for them. Here it is, March, June, whatever month it is later on in the year, okay. So, I want to encourage you to do that.

In my experience, I had to learn to let go of the idea the it had to be perfect and I clung to the idea that I had to create happiness for the kids and myself and my mother instead even when she was giving me a very, very difficult time.

I struggled with that to the best of my ability. It never was perfect but we do have happy memories as a result more often than not. One of the things that I have come to realize over the years is now that we are empty nesters, our kids are 26 and 21. Life is not perfect. I raised a stepson and a daughter and they are making their own life in the world and we are going to have to begin the process of sharing them with their new partners and girlfriends and boyfriends and wives and husbands and someday they will be having their little kids and we will be grandparents.

And there is going to be other extended family members. We are not going to be spending every Christmas with them anyway. This is all part of the process of life is that you have got to learn very often how to let go in different stages. The thing that I found as both the child of divorce and as a divorced dad is that things do ultimately equalize.

Why? It is sort of like adopted kids. They want to know where they come from. They want to know who they are. They want to know everything about themselves and if you have not been involved for a significant amount of time, you will often find that your kid as they get older will want all that knowledge.

And that is a GREAT Christmas gift to give your kids the lack of pressure to be with you. Recently our daughter told us about Christmas at her Grandma’s, my ex-wife’s mother. Now Grandma is getting older, she’s not going to be here forever, and certainly I’ll be here longer than she will be. So I understand and appreciate why our daughter likes to spend Christmas with her.

But as in every family, sometimes it can be difficult for any number of reasons. Our daughter was upset over something someone in the family said about me, and it was not her mother who said it. In fact she defended me according to our daughter. And she shared that what went through her mind was that she had sacrificed Christmas Day with me to face this bit of unpleasantness.

Now the word sacrifice is significant.

That’s what happens to kids in these situations they have to sacrifice. That’s just not right. Which is why I make the sacrifice knowing full well how difficult it is for them, so I try to make it easier.

That way I make Christmas and Holiday Access Nightmares More Manageable for the kids through my example. It’s a gift that’s hard to give, but it is one with deep feeling and meaning, which I know will pay off huge benefits down the road, because I intend to be around for many, many more years to come!

If I put the kids into a pressurized, guilt ridden situation how would that make them feel about Christmas? Even sadder I imagine. It’s hard to be a kid in a divorced family this time of year. Do what you can to make it easier for your kids they will love and appreciate you in an entirely new way.

A gift with unique features always bags the words of acclamations and enchants the recipient. If you are looking for such wonderful gifts then consider the collection of Christmas hampers. The gifts are perfect to celebrate noel and make it memorable.

Christmas hampers are ideal gifts for all ages. The gifts are beautifully presented in basket and also available with the option of personalisation. The collection of Christmas hampers is undeniable a surprise gift and displayed with different delicious edible items. You can consider the gifts that include: Christmas sweet selection, Festive Treats Hamper, Christmas Treasures, Christmas Tower, Caledonian Basket, Christmas Basket etc. The gifts are affluent in goodies, fine wine and various continental cuisines. The chocolate is an inevitable part of each gift and rich in truffles. It is a wonderful gift for food and wine connoisseur. 

The Christmas hampers are especially meant for the festive season. They are elegantly presented in baskets made from different ingredients such as: wicker, seagrass or wood. You can personalise the gift to make it more attractive. The gifts are wrapped with a colourful ribbon making it more alluring. With many of the gift hampers, a soft, cute teddy bear or a reindeer is also offered that adds charm to the hamper.

Christmas gifts signify love, affection and best wishes for the New Year. The Christmas gifts are sure to capture the heart of the recipient. For example: the Scottish Gift Basket is a gift with elaborate orientation making the festive season dignified and unforgettable. It comes with flavoursome wine (Fortant de France Merlot and Trig Point Colombard Chardonnay), truffles, biscuits, cake etc. Christmas hampers are some of the grand gift that is sure to make the yuletide celebrative.

Find more majestic gifts for your dear ones on this Christmas by considering the  Christmas Hampers . The gifts are beautifully wrapped and presented. Hampers are rich in goodies, truffles, biscuits and flavoursome wine.

The Christmas decorations are beginning to appear in high street shop windows, festive songs start to surf the radio airwaves and the ‘number of shopping days till Christmas’ countdown begins. As another festival period looms on the horizon our thoughts begin to turn to gifts.

In contrast to the decadent and often wasteful nature of Christmas, there has been a growing movement which strives to make Christmas a more thoughtful and caring experience. One of the ways this is manifesting itself is through the buying of Christmas gifts from or through charities.

For a long time charities have produced their own Christmas cards but now many are expanding their range to include a far greater selection of items. Almost all charities these days have some form of online shop from which it is possible to purchase all sorts of charity gifts. Some of the said items may be related to the charity, for example, you may be able to finds books and DVDs that give help and advice about cancer or green issues.

Other charity gifts, however, may have little or no connection with the charity’s work and are simply great gifts in their own right. For example, it’s possible to buy gardening tools such as secateurs and gloves or kitchen goods such as fondue sets, tea cosies and tea towels from some charity shops.

But why, you might ask, would you want to buy your kitchenware and garden tools from a charity rather than a garden centre or a hardware shop? Well, it’s all about voting with your money; think of every penny you spend as a little vote of support for a product and the vendor of that product. The more you spend, the bigger your vote.

By choosing to purchase your Christmas gifts from a charity rather than through the normal high street channels, you are giving your financial support to a worthy cause instead of just lining the pockets of a corporation. And as a big bonus, you are also raising awareness of the charity that you buy from as the recipient of your gift, who may previously have known little or nothing about the organisation, might even take an interest in it themselves.

So before rushing out to buy your gifts from big high street retailers – remember that your money is your voting slip, and try to use your purchasing power to do a little good in the world.

I might also add, with regards to myself at the time apart from being about to run out of my twenties I had gone about 14 years without really enjoying Christmas as this day no longer brought out in me the same enthusiasm which had been so abundant in my younger years. What it was that was missing my conscious was not aware of but what I felt was a certain emptiness on this day though I could see the opposite all around me in shape of everything that this holiday season had to offer. It was as if the decorated store windows, Christmas songs and all that lead up to the day itself went by me without arousing in me the slightest emotion that went beyond any other day of the year.

Despite all I can not claim that the cause of my apathy was because I had grown any aversions to Christmas but the trappings no longer fascinated me for my age was one that had witnessed them coming and going to the point where I knew not what to look forward to on this day. As for the presents, they were perhaps still interesting but I was no longer an infant who could count on them even if his financial situation did not allow to give them and the situation was not one that I expected to see any Ferraris or even Giorgio Armani suits under the tree.

All the same it was with my mind set on getting a Christmas tree that I left my apartment in downtown Warsaw and headed for the nearest mini mall where I was certain trees for the holiday were being sold. Naturally with the mini mall being less then half a kilometer away it did not take me long to reach it and there it was in front of the mall that I saw a man standing on the street selling artificial Christmas trees which seemed like a bargain. This man I will never forget had trees in 3 heights and prices. The first standing at 130 cm for 100 PLN (Polish New Zloty), the second at 150 cm for 125 PLN and the third one at 170 cm for 150 PLN. I seeing what this man had to offer inclined to take the largest tree but did not do so thinking that their might lurk a better offer somewhere in the mall so it was with this idea that I went inside the place where Mrs. Margaret Thatcher while being Prime Minister did some shopping of her own during Poland’s communist era.

This place which I am referring to is officially known in Poland as “Hala Mirowska” and it was there where I saw trees which in truth were slightly nicer as they were fuller as well as being some centimeters taller but however came at prices that ranged from 450 PLN to 900 PLN. The USD being at an exchange rate of 3 PLN to the Dollar makes it easy to see why I opted to retrace my steps to the man with the more reasonably priced trees. It was not really that I could not afford to get one of the more expensive trees but it just did not seem to make any sense to spend several times more for what would have amounted to more or less the same. Needless to say I got a tree from the first man, selecting to take the one that stood at 170 cm home in a taxi.

Once I had the tree home I needed to find a place where I could store it till the time was right to put it up after all it was the first of December and if my memory served me well trees were not usually put up till at least the 16th of the month. Of coarse there was the example of my sister who decorated hers on the 8th of the month which seemed like the concept I would follow and would have, had I actually found a place to the store the tree as the closet space was taken up by something or other. What would I do? Where would I put away the tree? Were the questions that my mind could not solve but then it came to me as I said to myself in the same way Scarlet O’Hara did in “Gone With The Wind” ,“I can’t think about that now. I’ll think about it tomorrow!” (well in my case after Christmas) so it was under the guidance of this theory that I put up my Christmas tree on the first of December with a slight worry that it might be a tad too soon.

Once I had the tree up I noticed that something was conspicuous because of its absence and that being decorations and perhaps lights so it was with the goal of completing the task I had already embarked on that I left home once more. Again it was “Hala Mirowska” that I set out for the accessories I had left out that would make this a tree truly a Christmas one. All that I saw was grand and shop I did to the point of being about to drop as I got all the items that my youth had always associated with Christmas. A reef, lights for the tree, bulbs in all season colors and in several sizes, CDs of Christmas songs and carols, and other decorations for the tree were what my second outing saw me purchase that day.

It was with childlike enthusiasm that I got home with all my treasures and started to adorn the tree with all the ornaments that Christmas stipulated while listening to those classics that brought back so many an idea from the past. Songs like “The Christmas Song”, “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” and “Jingle Bells” (a song that has nothing to do with Christmas other then mentioning snow) along with carols like “O’ Come oh Ye Faithful” , “Hark the Herald” and “Silent Night” (arguably the most famous of all) were sweetly pouring out of my speakers filling up the atmosphere with Christmas like I had not known since my expired years could be represented by one digit. It was as if the music was moving and controlling my actions and what my mind pondered as I went about the house putting up the decorations.

It was with care and taste that I festooned the apartment with the intensions of bringing back that holiday feeling that had been lacking for so long as it was with the new lady in my life who had not been there the previous year that I wished to share it. All was ready for her arrival. She had still not gotten back from her place of employment and as I waited I could see the work I had done which filled me with a certain sense of pride. I saw how the room as well as the ambiance had changed because of a simple tree that contained ornaments and music that perhaps in any other time of the year would have caused tediousness.

Hanna, the mother of “The Little Opera Singer” eventually arrived home to see how I had transformed the apartment in to something that resembled a shopping store window prompting her to add her eagerness to the scene. She would go on to tell me many years later how strange she found it at first fore she was not accustomed to seeing a Christmas tree so early but that after looking at it for sometime she started to get that feeling that Christmas was on its way. Naturally the music along with the tree enthused us as we planed our Christmas and what we were going to get one another.

The following days went by bringing Christmas ever closer with this tree of the season serving my girlfriend and I as a permanent reminder that soon that day would be upon us on which we would exchange presents and feel the delight of having one another. It even seemed unbelievable that a tree could do all this. The effect naturally was stronger at night with its lights a flashing. It even seemed to mesmerize us in to a peaceful sense of happy tranquility that could not really be compared to any other as we looked at the tree which had taken on a life of its own for we could gaze upon its simple form and find comfort. It was then that I figured out what had gone amiss for so long and what now was back to stay for every Christmas to follow. I might add that this holiday season was also kept busy with several visits from not only myself but my girlfriend to the department stores as well as other stores to do that required shopping that make the time of year beautiful.

Christmas eve eventually came but contrary to Polish tradition most Americans treat this evening as a time of reflection for the celebrations to come the following day rather then as a festive one so it was next to our tree that we spent this evening. Watching those classics such as “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and “It’s a Wonderful Life”, that never seem to age as this time of year also does not and me reading “The Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore was what we chose to do on our eve of Christmas. It also being that it was our first Christmas together I decided to share some other American Christmas traditions such as eggnog which I made remembering that it was rum that it should include.

And as must be the case Christmas followed its evening which took us out of our slumber bright and early to open up those presents which we had so tenderly purchased for each other. Perhaps it was not another Giorgio Armani Suit that I got but a bottle of eau de toilet by the same designer which was not unwelcome by me. As for Hanna she opened the “Tissot” watch I bought her which she wears till this day. The day was with us and for the two of us nothing could have been more perfect as we were having ourselves a merry little Christmas.

Unusual Christmas Decorations and Christmas Invitations

Christmas is a holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world every year. Some people feel that Christmas has lost the important spiritual and family focus and has started being all about the idea of giving gifts and Christmas parties with Christmas Invitations Cards, http://www.cardsshoppe.com/holiday-invitations/christmas-invitations-cards.htm However, this is not the case in most families that find special ways to celebrate this holiday and start traditions that have nothing to do with simply unwrapping gifts but are all about the spirit of family togetherness. People especially love sharing joy with a Christmas party invitation and by singing Christmas songs around the fire or even going caroling. Here are some ways Christmas is celebrated around the world.

The Joy of Christmas Music

One of the ways Christmas touches the hearts of so many is with the joy of classic Xmas songs. Whenever “Deck the Halls” starts playing in every store and on the radio everyone knows that the Christmas season has begun and its time for giving and spending time with the family. Not only does the music excite its listeners but it also has everyone waiting to receive their custom Christmas invitations so they can start preparing for the festivities.

The Christmas tree and Your Christmas Invitation, http://www.cardsshoppe.com/holiday-invitations/christmas-invitations-cards.htm

Of course, no holiday celebration is complete without a tree. The evergreen that doesn’t lose its color or needles even in the winter is a symbol associated with Christmas that is also the center of many traditions. Some families purchase new ornaments each year for the tree. Other families have a tradition built around purchasing a live evergreen tree and bringing it home to decorate. The Christmas decorations for the tree and the house include a wide-range of options from candles to strung popcorn to lights to homemade crafts created by children over the years. All of these things are intricate parts of how Christmas is celebrated. These trees are so symbolic of the season they are frequently featured on Christmas party invites.

Sending Invitations Christmas Cards

Another time-honored tradition for this holiday season is the mailing of Merry Christmas invitation cards to friends, family members, and other loved ones. Sometimes these Xmas invites can serve as Christmas Invitations Cards, http://www.cardsshoppe.com/holiday-invitations/christmas-invitations-cards.htm too. The cards are a reminder that even people not nearby physically are still in a person’s heart and mind during the holiday season. Plus, the cards are the perfect reason to update everyone on what family members are doing or to reconnect with loved ones (or even customers) with whom they haven’t had much contact.

Since sending out holiday Christmas invitations and cards complementing your Christmas decorations is so common in the United States it causes the postal workers to have to be busy and focus on getting out all of the invitations Christmas party in time. However, if it were not for the hard work of the post office the biggest way Christmas is celebrated would not be possible.

Read more about Hottest New Styles Trends for Christmas Invitations, Christmas Invitation Latest Designs and Christmas Celebrations with Christmas Party Invitations

It’s that time of year again – for those of us who are financially disciplined, you’ve either already completed your 2008 holiday shopping or you’ve got the money set aside and ready to go. For the rest of us, we’ve only just barely thought about Christmas shopping – and believe it or not, the big day is just 49 shopping days away! If you’re dreaded the holiday season because you don’t know where the money is going to come from to purchase your gifts – this guide will come in handy. Here are # ways to save money on your 2008 Christmas shopping:

Become an Amazon.com Associate

You know what an affiliate is, right? Amazon Associates can offer someone else’s products for sale and earn a commission for any sales generated. Sign up, create links for the items you need to buy, and purchase through your own links. You’ll get back some money in commission.

Visit CouponCodes.com for Discounts

Couponcodes.com offers coupon codes that can be used when shopping online. The site gives you a wide variety of coupon codes for each retailer listed on the site – but if there aren’t any coupons available it will offer up details on current sales or discounts available. There are a number of sites that offer coupons, take a look to find the sites offering coupons for the stores you shop most often.

Use FatWallet.com for Cash Back

Do all your holiday shopping through FatWallet.com (you’ll probably find all of your favorite retailers there), and earn cash back between 1% and 20%. It’s a bit like using a credit card with cash back – except that it’s the website itself that gives you cash back for purchases. The money is applied to your FatWallet account, and you can redeem it as soon as you’ve reached a $10 minimum. Once logged in, keep your eye on special offers – during the holiday season, some retailers offer higher amounts of cash back to encourage shoppers to buy from them.

Comparison Shop with PriceGrabber.com

When you know what you’re shopping for, go to PriceGrabber.com, type in the product name and then compare. You’ll see several retailers offering your item for sale, as well as the prices. You might be surprised at how differently items are priced at different stores! This allows you to see at a glance which store has your item for the smallest price tag. As an additional incentive to use PriceGrabber.com to find your items; some products offer $5 bonus for reviews. After you buy the item and submit a review, the site will give you $5 for your time.

Don’t Forget Your Sunday Paper

Throughout the year, you can find coupons for local stores in your Sunday newspaper. Between November and December, the number of coupons and the value of the coupons increase considerably. It is not unusual to find $5 off a purchase of $10 or $15 at your favorite local department store in the paper, so keep your eye out for coupons and special sale fliers and use them whenever you can to save money.

Friends and Family Discounts

If you know people who work in retail stores that you want to shop in, ask them if the store participates in a friends and family discount program. Many stores allow their employees to offer a discount to their friends and family on certain days or on certain items.

Outlet Stores

You can get everything from food to clothing to furniture and toys at discount prices at outlet stores. Typically the items are slightly less than perfect, so be sure to inspect them before buying but sometimes they are simply “last season” or overstock items that are sold at reduced prices to get them off the sales floor.

Convert Your Credit Card Rewards Points

Many credit cards allow you to turn reward points in for gift cards. Get some and give them as gifts or slide them into your significant other’s stocking!

If you and your family are thinking of another place to spend Christmas, you may consider spending Christmas in Amsterdam.

During the Christmas season, you may want to enjoy the outdoors as well and see other beautiful sites and the rich culture of the people of Amsterdam. In other places, you can’t really stay outside for long because of the cold weather. All the snow and the cold wind will just make you come back inside of the house.

In Amsterdam, it is also cold during Christmas, but a bit milder. In this type of weather, you will feel like it is winter because of the cool breeze. The best thing is, you can enjoy the outdoors. You can still walk around and tour the city. You can still visit the beautiful attractions during Christmas in Amsterdam.

Christmas in the City

Part of the Christmas spirit is visiting the church. There are plenty of churches around this city. You can visit one that is affiliated to your religion. Aside from churches, there are shrines and monuments that you may want to consider visiting while you’re there.

While touring the city, you will realize that the people in Amsterdam are very friendly and will try their best to welcome you. People in Amsterdam like most countries also do Christmas carolling. You will see a lot of carollers singing on almost every home they pass by. There are also a lot of celebrations and events around the city during the Christmas season like pageants and parties. The good thing is you can enjoy these events even if you’re not a local.

A Few Places You May Want to Visit

If you really want to feel Christmas in Amsterdam, you have to check out the Museum Quarter, or what most people call the Museumplein. This place has become a Christmas square each and every year. With a brightly-lit Christmas tree and the cool weather, this is one place that will really make you feel the Christmas spirit. There are a lot of unique shops as well as cafes that surround the area. An ice rink is also open in the evening.

If you’re in the mood to try something different, you can visit the Comedy Café on Christmas day. They usually serve special meals only during the Christmas season, at the same time; you can enjoy some entertainment offered by stand up comedians.

Popular and Historic Places

While you’re enjoying Christmas in Amsterdam, why not visit historic places. You can take a stroll along the Amsterdam canal ring. You can take a walk or rent a boat. You can also join a tourist cruise. If you decide to walk, you can also check out some monuments that you may pass by.

How about visiting museums like the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum. These museums are visited by millions of people every year and it will be worth your time if you visit these places.

The house of Anne Frank is also found in Amsterdam. During World War II, Anne Frank wrote her diary at this place. If you visit this place, you can actually see the diary on display.

Christmas memories always include the time I put aside for my children to make Christmas decorations. We love to make wall decorations and have many keepsakes of past Christmases, some 25 years old!  Remembering the activities that we shared making the decorations makes the holidays more special as you lovingly place your decorations on the walls. In the last article, Christmas Keepsake Decorations – Part 1, you saw how to make a “Rudolph Handmade Deer”, using your child’s hand for antlers. A perfect companion keepsake to place beside it is a Picture Christmas Wreath, using your child’s picture as the centerpiece.

Materials needed:  white poster board, red felt, scissors (both regular and Z edged), glue, green tempera paint, red wooden beads, tape, a protractor or 2 different sized bowls, some newspaper, and a picture of your child. If you can get your child’s picture in front of a Christmas tree, then it will really be cute! Doing these kinds of Christmas activities can make a family feel closer and helps make wonderful Christmas memories.

The first thing that you should do is draw 2 circles on the white poster board. The largest should be about 7 or 8″. The smaller circle should be 3 & ½ to 4 & ½” and centered in the middle of the larger circle. Let your child help you by cutting out the shapes. Use craft zigzag scissors to cut the outside edge on the larger circle like small Zs. Cutting the inner circle might be hard for children and they may need you to start the cut.

Next, lay down newspapers and let your child paint the larger circle with green tempera paint. It will be cute to see the ‘evergreen’ look or their brush strokes when it dries. While the paint is drying, take the 3 & ½ ” square cut red felt and draw a bow on it. The bow should use most of the square. The bow looks like a butterfly and the ribbon will be like an upside down V, about1″ wide and 1″ long. You should practice a few times until you get the design you like, then copy to the red felt square, and cut it.

Once the paint dries, you’re ready to assemble the wreath.  Turn the painted side down and tape the picture over the hole in the middle. Turn it over and check to see if the picture is centered. If the placement is good, then turn it back over and glue the edges to the wreath. Cut a 5″ circle from the white poster board and glue it over the picture, on the back.

You are now ready to finish the Christmas wreath. Attach the red bow with glue to the bottom of the wreath. Glue 5 red wooden beads on the wreath, like holly berries. Your child’s masterpiece is complete and ready to display alone or with the Rudolph Handmade deer. We enjoy making wall decorations that add Christmas spirit, memories and color to our home. If you and your family enjoyed this activity, then you can always use the remaining supplies to make other wreaths, and give them as Christmas presents from the child or family. More keepsake memory decorations will be explained in Keepsake Christmas Decorations