New Family Habits For The New Year

‘Tis the season for New Year’s resolutions.  But in a lot of cases, resolutions get broken quickly.  Perhaps a better way to frame your good intentions is to call them “new habits for the new year.”
That tells you there’s a little work involved, not just some end goal you hope to reach.
A great way to make a new habit stick is to do it with someone else.  Good news!  Your family is a built-in support group.  Talk about starting one or two new family habits this year.  And when you pick one, stick to that one until it’s pretty well established before adding another one.
Here are a few ideas to consider:
Exercise: When you are all more fit, you’ll all keep your hearts healthy.  Good exercise also promotes improved moods and better stress management.  Start by taking walks, playing in the snow, dusting off the outdoor play equipment, or riding bikes.  Make a list of some fun things you all enjoy and do at least some of them together.  Extra curricular activities like sports or dance can also count.
Cooking: Everyone loves to eat, so why not enjoy cooking together?  Even young children can share in food preparation, table setting, and “taste testing” activities.  You can make family favorites together, try new foods, and give your best recipes a healthy makeover.  This keeps everyone more aware of healthy choices and teaches the kids valuable life skills.
Reading: Did anyone get books for Christmas at your house?  If not, you can still get the ball rolling by making inexpensive beautiful bookmarks.  Take a trip to the library together and ask the librarian to recommend books for everyone in your family.  Dinnertime can be a great place to talk about how they are enjoying their books.  Encourage your kids to share books with each other, even if they are different ages or genders.

Auto Repair: Ensuring Which You Get A Protected Drive In Your Vehicle by Latoya Edge

Are you trying to find the auto repair companies on your useful car or truck? If absolutely yes, then you certainly will need to consider numerous vital factors previous to you hire one. A vehicle operator ought to be well-informed enough to choose up the great solutions for his auto. As a lot of people have had negative encounters with auto repair stores, it is very important to pick out a reliable one. Should you get a while in studying to learn the best auto repairs, then you certainly can simply do away with a whole lot worse experiences at an previous auto repair products and services station.
A frequent auto repair service surely raises the life of the car. Be certain to decide on the proper a single. An auto repair service guarantees that an automobile undergoes program maintenances which primarily contain hose replacements, batteries, wiper blades and many others. An auto repair qualified will ensure sleek running of your respective car or truck by preventing corrosion. You ought to guarantee to change the dirty oil which could cause some significant damages for the car's motor. Being a motor vehicle proprietor any individual won't like a troubling engine, the regular fix get the job done can be rather practical. One particular really should retain his budget in his brain just before likely for an auto repair.
The auto repair products and services do the job won't imply you devote large sums. Basically, the price is dependent on auto areas which can be used to the fix do the job. Even the effectiveness of a brand-new automobile comes down greatly more than a time frame. A few of the critical parts like shockers and mufflers need to have restore and alternative for the very long lasting of the car. Although these automobile components will not will need a major repairing work, 1 must not dismiss the normal upkeep of all those parts.
Do you very own a BMW? If certainly, then possessing an automobile instead of retaining it may possibly lead into dress in and tear from the important sections with the car or truck. BMW is among the most complex and technologically innovative motor vehicle readily available within the sector. At an auto repair shop, ensure you routinely do servicing of your motor vehicle. Vehicle shops give an assurance which you experience a reliable auto. Meanwhile, acquiring a dependable BMW fix store is not effortless. Servicing your automobile in an efficient shop is definitely the utmost significant point. Owners take a pride to generate this automobile. As a result, it is sensible to make investments a bit more on repairs and frequent servicing of your beneficial possession.
VW Fix could be the other type of sophisticated repairing. Repairing with the automobile components of a Volkswagen like exhaust process, brakes, VW fuel injection and VW motor with the earliest is much better for the smooth functioning with the motor vehicle. You would like to be sure that you simply choose a reputed qualified to do the automobile repairs and solutions work.
One more vehicle trucks transport serious loads and travels more time distances. Therefore, the possibilities of those autos getting broken are a great deal more. So, a normal truck repair can save you from paying an enormous sum on high priced auto components.

Mother's Day Fun

Mothering Sunday

Mothering Sunday is celebrated in UK in the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of Mother Mary and now, all mothers. It has come to be celebrated in a similar fashion as Mothers Day is celebrated in US though the date of the festivals differs. Besides history of Mothering Sunday in England and the reason for celebration differs from that of Mother's Day festival in US. Similarity between Mothering Sunday in UK and Mothers Day in US can be seen in the way the festivals are celebrated today. As in the case of Mothers Day, on Mothering Sunday people give flowers and gifts to their mothers and show their love and gratitude towards them.

When is Mothering Sunday ?
The date of Mothering Sunday in UK varies every year. It does not correspond to the Mother's Day festival in US which falls on the second Sunday in the month of May. Mothering Sunday in England is always celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) in honor of Mary, the mother of Christ.

Since the date of the festival falls half way between Shrove Tuesday and Good Friday in the middle of the Lent Mothering Sunday is also called Mid-Lend Sunday. And as the day of Lent and Easter varies every year so also the day of Mothering Sunday. Mothering Sunday is celebrated on May 10, 2012.

History/Origin of Mothering Sunday
Mothering Sunday Histroy in UK is centuries old. It goes back to the time of early Christians in England who celebrated a Mothers festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of Virgin Mary. Some believe that the ceremonies in honor of Roman mother goddess, Cybele were adopted by the early church to worship Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. Others say the Mother Church was substituted for Mother Goddess and according to a custom laid a person visit the church of his/her baptism (Mother Church) on this day.

The origin of Mothering Sunday can also be traced to the fact that in early times people in England as a tradition visited their nearest parish called, "Daughter Church" on every Sunday. Also in those times, in the 1600s, children after the age of ten left their homes for jobs as apprentice or domestic servants. It was considered important by the people that these children be allowed to visit their home and mother church once a year. Accordingly, once in a year, in the middle of the Lent the children were given a leave by their employers to visit their "Mother Church" or Cathedral of their hometown. These children on their visit to their homes brought along gifts, flowers and special cakes for their mothers. These visits thus became a time for family reunions and over a period time, this holiday meant for the return to Mother Church was stretched to include all mothers and was named as Mothering Sunday.

Mother's Day History

Origin of Mother's Day goes back to the era of ancient Greek and Romans. But the roots of Mother's Day history can also be traced in UK where a Mothering Sunday was celebrated much before the festival saw the light of the day in US. However, the celebration of the festival as it is seen today is a recent phenomenon and not even a hundred years old. Thanks to the hard work of the pioneering women of their times, Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis that the day came into existence. Today the festival of Mothers day is celebrated across 46 countries (though on different dates) and is a hugely popular affair. Millions of people across the globe take the day as an opportunity to honor their mothers, thank them for their efforts in giving them life, raising them and being their constant support and well wisher.

New Rules for Christmas Gift Cards 2010

Gift cards have added a whole new competitive element for Christmas retailers and have introduced interesting new dilemmas for Christmas shoppers. As a shopping trend there is no doubt that gift cards have grown in popularity - more than $80 billion worth of them were sold in 2009. But as a category gift cards have matured and, thanks to legislation taking effect before the holiday shopping season 2010, the rules have changed a little bit.

As you will learn, the benefits to the buyer of gift cards could not come at a better time. In a down economy, gift cards have steadily dropped in average price - from a high of better than $58 in 2008 to an average high value of just over $44 today.

The economy has much to do with that. People are buying gifts on a budget and gift cards make it simple to stay on strict targets - and are cheaper and easier to send than conventional gifts. The average value of a gift card has also been affected by the broad variety of gift cards now available - everyone from 7-Eleven to the National Park Service now offers a gift card.

But shoppers' perceptions about gift cards likely have a lot to do with that decline as well. At a sensitive giving time such as Christmas many wonder about the appropriateness of giving gift cards at all, viewing them as impersonal and, in some cases, thoughtless giving efforts. At least that is how folks felt in 2007 when a national survey revealed that 46 percent of gift card recipients were not appreciative of the gift cards they received.

In a new study released recently it appears gift cards are benefitting from economic difficulties in one respect: 77 percent of recipients now say they love gift cards if they help meet a need such as groceries, instead of a luxurious want, such as lotions, jewelry or books. The 2010 My Merry Christmas.com survey of Christmas trends and opinions reveals that Christmas is more meaningful if giving focuses on wants more than needs by better than 82 percent of respondents, a clear indicator of the economic times.

Over the years gift cards have also been problematic for both givers and receivers. Givers have been limited by pre-set amounts established by merchants. Receivers have been penalized for not immediately redeeming gift cards of their full value. Legislation was passed in 2010 that should clear up some of those issues. Here is a brief list of what you should know about new gift card rules in effect for cards purchased after August 2010:

1. Gift cards are good for a minimum of 5-years by law. No more expiration dates.
2. If a gift card lies dormant no fees can be charged for maintenance or storage for at least a year.
3. If a gift card lies dormant for MORE than a year, significant fees can be charged for maintaining a balance. Buyer - and receiver -- beware.
4. Lost or stolen gift cards, by law, must be replaced upon demand when proof of purchase is satisfied matched with unredeemed value.
5. Though most name brand retailers don't charge a premium for a gift card, some do and can, if properly disclosed, according to the CARD act passed in 2010.
6. If a company goes bankrupt, like Sharper Image did a few years back, gift cards from them will be absolutely worthless. No protection is offered from new legislation.

Only time will tell how gift cards will mature as a gift giving category. No doubt future economic shifts and retailer promotions will affect how gift cards are used and perceived.