Christmas Rants

How to find the hottest toy of the year without jumping off a cliff.

Hi Everyone, Noel here again. I know, I just can’t seem to shut up when it comes to Christmas and I absolutely have to talk to everyone about getting the hottest toy of the year. Every year has one, whether it be a Furby or a Cabbage Patch Kid or a Tickle Me Elmo.

This year’s going to be no different and while I can’t yet predict which one it’s going to be, I can help you all by giving you tips on how to find the “it” toy of the year as soon as we know what it’s going to be.

Continue reading "The Hottest Toy of the Year: Don’t Be a Lemming" »

Posted by Noel Jameson at 7:12 PM | Permalink

Great Christmas gift ideas that are sure to please.

Hi everyone. It's Noel. It’s almost that time of year and I know that many of you are searching for great Christmas gift ideas. Of course, I can’t help but step in and suggest some great Christmas gift ideas that I’m sure you and your friends and family will absolutely love.

Continue reading "Searching For Great Christmas Gift Ideas?" »

Posted by Noel Jameson at 4:35 PM | Permalink

Have fun this Christmas with great Christmas crafts!

Hi Faith, it’s Noel. I agree with you on one point, I love Christmas crafts too. It sounds like you have your hands full this year with all of the Christmas crafts you’re working on. One of my favorite Christmas crafts is making ornaments with my younger son. He loves to cut stars and Christmas angels out of construction paper. Then we attach yarn and he gets to hang them on his very own little tree. It’s a Christmas crafts tradition at our house.

Continue reading "Crazy for Christmas Crafts" »

Posted by Noel Jameson at 9:41 AM | Permalink

Hey Faith, it’s Henry. Calm down. You’re worse than my wife. The commercialization of Christmas shopping is half of the fun of it and trust me, if I were to try to give my kids a stock certificate or a savings bond, they’d have my head for Christmas dinner.

You’re right about one thing though. Fighting the lines at Christmas shopping is a total nightmare and the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) is a complete madhouse. I’m old enough to remember the Cabbage Patch Kids nightmare of Christmas past. I think parents were actually biting each other over those darn things. Seriously, it’s no joke.

Continue reading "Ya Gotta Love Christmas Shopping" »

Posted by Holiday Henry at 7:35 PM | Permalink

Giving unique Christmas gifts that really matter...

Hi Noel. It’s Faith. I totally agree. Finding unique Christmas gifts can really be a pain. That’s half the reason I’m so fed up with the commercialization of Christmas. Do you think the stores really care whether or not you’re getting great Christmas gifts for your friends? Of course not! They only care if you’re spending your money and if it’s mass-produced junk, it’s no skin off their backs. It makes me sick.

Continue reading "Unique Christmas Gifts Come From the Heart -- Not the Store" »

Posted by Faith Juniper at 11:13 AM | Permalink

Finding unique Christmas gifts doesn't have to be a hassle.

Hi everyone. It’s Noel and I want to talk about unique Christmas gifts. Let’s face it, when you give the same things year after year after year, it gets boring, unless it’s cash (but cash can often be too impersonal for a Christmas gift).

Each year I spend hours trying to find unique Christmas gifts for everyone on my list and each year I succeed, but not without a lot of well-planned effort on my part. Just once I would love for the Christmas shopping nightmare to turn into a Christmas shopping dream. After all, I love shopping but fighting the Christmas crowds can get to the best of us. Even me.

Continue reading "The Hunt For Unique Christmas Gifts" »

Posted by Noel Jameson at 6:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

How to get away for Christmas vacation without spending a bundle.

Who’s going away for Christmas vacation this year? Unfortunately, I’m not. I went away for Christmas vacation last year, but this year my husband says it’s absolutely out of the question, so no Christmas vacation for Noel. Because of gas prices we can’t even take a road trip for Christmas vacation this year! Can you believe it?

Well, for those of you who do want to take a Christmas vacation this year, I have some great tips for you.

Continue reading "I Deserve a Christmas Vacation" »

Posted by Noel Jameson at 5:56 PM | Permalink

Hi everyone, it’s Faith. I just have to get this off my chest. It’s only October and I swear I’m going nuts trying to figure out who should get Christmas cards, who shouldn’t get Christmas cards, what kind of Christmas cards to send out, the list goes on.

Continue reading "The Christmas Cards Debate" »

Posted by Faith Juniper at 5:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Hi everyone. Henry here. I want, I want, I want. I’m sick of hearing it! It’s only October and my kids are already telling me what they want for Christmas. Well, they actually started making their Christmas list in June, but it’s really starting to get on my nerves.

I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for starting the Christmas spirit early in October, but I’m just not ready to hear the insistent whining about who wants what this year. If they don’t stop it, they’re going to wind up getting nothing but a pile of coal in their stockings.

Continue reading "I Want It For Christmas" »

Posted by Holiday Henry at 10:16 AM | Permalink

Hi everyone. It’s Noel. Okay, I have to ask it. Who’s sick of getting fat around the holidays? It’s a curse, but it’s one we might as well accept. We are all going to gain weight around the holidays and there’s no way around it. One year I tried to watch my weight during the holidays and I wound up gaining more weight than I had the previous year when I gorged myself.

Continue reading "The Holidays Are Coming -- You're Gonna Get Fat!" »

Posted by Noel Jameson at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

A thorny iPod problem

Henry here:

Three weeks ago, I got my son Apple's new iPod nano for his birthday. I don't think I've seen him without it since!

But now it's just a couple of weeks later, and the iPod nano no longer the latest and coolest thing. (grumble) Apple just announced new iPods with video -- and now Bob is hinting he wants the new iPod with video for Christmas.

Continue reading "The iPod is Great, But..." »

Posted by Holiday Henry at 7:20 AM | Permalink

Hi everyone, it’s Noel Jameson here. My five year old daughter is running around the house singing that she has a “passion for fashion” and it’s starting to get to me so I just had to vent. In case you haven’t heard, that’s the motto of the latest doll that every child must have – the Bratz doll.

What happened to the days when being a brat was a bad thing? Nowadays it seems that it’s cool to be a brat. In case you don’t know what a Bratz doll is, let me enlighten you a bit.

Continue reading "Bratz: A Passion for Fashion" »

Posted by Noel Jameson at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hi I’m Holiday Henry and I want to talk about artificial Christmas trees. Yes, you heard me right, my name is Holiday Henry. Well, it’s not my birth name but it’s what everyone calls me around this time of year.

The holiday season is right around the corner and our family was debating whether to get an artificial Christmas tree or a natural Christmas tree. I know it’s only October, but that only gives us less than three months to Christmas. It’s never too early to start planning and artificial Christmas trees are what I have on my mind at the moment!

Continue reading "The Beauty of Artificial Christmas Trees" »

Posted by Holiday Henry at 8:22 AM | Permalink