LIVING QUARTERS Disclaimer: The views or opinions presented in this publication are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Employees of ABSTRACT MEDIA GROUP COMPANY LIMITED are expressly required not to make defamatory statements and not to infringe or authorize any infringement of copyright or any other legal right. Any such article is contrary to company policy and is outside the scope of the employment of the individual writer concerned. The company will not accept any liability in respect of such article, and the employee responsible will be personally liable for any damages or other liability arising.
T
he spectacular lights we see at Christmas time let us know that the season is here. The wonderful blinking lights on the Christmas tree are often the centre point of all decorations in a home over the Christmas season. One problem though is that too often, people shop for Christmas lights without thinking through how and where they will be used. By planning ahead you can get the most out of your money. Follow these simple lighting tips to brighten your Christmas.
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For Christmas displays that feel a bit lacking, consider adding Christmas lights with features. Blinking, chasing, or even musical Christmas lights may be the perfect way to enhance the display.
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If this is your first time lighting up for Christmas, start off small. String lights around your Christmas tree or around some plants outdoors.
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There are different lights for different parts of the house as well as outdoors. It is important to know the difference. If you are unsure ask the sales representative when you go shopping.
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When reusing lights test light strings and replace burned out lights. Burned out lights drain power from the entire light string, and the other bulbs will grow dimmer.
Decorative Lighting Tips
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Avoid old-fashioned nails, staples, screws, or hooks when mounting your display. Electrical tape is a quick and easy alternative. It won't destroy your roof, and it's a good tool for protecting electrical connections.
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Use a sturdy ladder when you hang lights on a very tall tree. You’ll stay safe and you'll be able to reach the branches easily.
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To string trunks of trees, start at the base and wrap the lights around in a spi-
ral.
Multicolored lights work well for outlining walks, paths, and driveways. Holiday lights can be dazzling and fun, but be careful not to overload
your circuits. Include no more than 1,400 watts on a circuit. If other lights in the house dim when you turn on the holiday lights, your circuit is overloaded.
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Find illuminating inspiration in unexpected places. A decorative porch column would look pretty with a little extra light. w w w . a m g tt. c o m
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If you don't have roofing experience, get a professional to run the lights along your roof. Keep lights and cords away from metal.
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Remember to turn off outdoor lights before going to bed, and don't leave them on when you're away from home.
DECEMBER 2016
ABSTRACT HOME
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LIVING QUARTERS
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Real vs. Artificial Plants
t is undeniable that plants are one of the simplest ways to decorate your home or office space. They add a level of beauty and sophistication to any room. Plants have a calming effect on us, -unless you have to maintain them-. It is for this reason that many persons are opting for artificial flora. Real plants need careful tending. Special dirt and fertilizer must be sourced. Failure to do so will result in less than pleasant odors emitting from your plant’s pot. In addition, a sick or dying plant is not a sexy show piece. It tells of some shortcoming in your homemaking skills. Never something we want displayed. Pruning is necessary. This can be avoided by spending extra for grafted or dwarf plants. If you are in need of a hobby dwarfing plants is a skill that teaches patience and gives tangible boastful rewards. If you avoid these points then you must be skilled when pruning. Removing the apex of most
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plants will stop their growth upwards permanently, producing short wide plants. While cutting stems on other varieties will kill your plant. At the very least haphazard cutting will produce odd, coarsely shaped
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plants with brown tips. I am sure we remember from Sesame Street that plants need water. This becomes a bit of a science when indoors. Too much water will rot your plant’s root. It can also collect under the pot
and give rise to other nuisances such as mosquitoes, Worst case scenario it spills onto your carpet depositing the materials and their odors from the pot. Many are not aware that real plants should not be in an enclosed room with a sleeping person at night. At night the plant does not exhale oxygen since there is no photosynthesis taking place. It emits carbon dioxide just like us. A beautiful silk plant is cheaper than the real plant it is imitating. It can be maintained by lightly dusting, even polishing. However, they only look beautiful while they look real. The moment the aesthetics of the plant diminish it’s time to change it. When compared real plants are yours for a lifetime. You can name them and take pride in their development. However, fake plants can change as your mood and décor change. Whichever way you decide we hope you know what you are getting into.
LIVING QUARTERS
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The Rules of Holiday Hosting
f you're the Christmas host, then you will find you have a big juggling act on your hands. You may well be dealing with several different generations, as well as bringing together representatives of two entirely separate families (united by marriage). All that, and presents and food too! These handy tips will make your life a little easier: • Difficulties frequently arise when two different families unite for Christmas celebrations. The tendency to fetishise your own family's version of Christmas ("We always go to midnight mass, have a cooked breakfast, open our presents before lunch etc. etc.") can sit very uncomfortably with new arrivals, who feel forcibly dragooned into your own family mythology. If you are hosting in-laws (or other families) at Christmas, be aware of this tendency. Make tentative suggestions ("we normally open our presents before lunch - is that ok with you?") rather than confident pronouncements. Make your guests feel involved in plan4
ning the structure of the day.
• If you are hosting a multigenerational family gathering it is your responsibility to ensure that everyone's tastes are catered for. Grandparents, however doting, will soon wilt if they are forced to spend hours in an overcrowded sitting room watching increasingly raucous children play havoc with their Christmas booty. Never presume that other people will find the spectacle of your over-excited children as captivating as you do. Ensure that there is always a quiet zone where the older, less hyper-active, guests can retreat for drinks and civilised conversation. • Do your best to accommodate the excitement of the children. Inevitably, adults find the hyped-up excitement of small children at Christmas a little wearing. But grumpiness is not an option. Christmas is, after all, most children's favourite time of year. If you have room, try and head the children off into a different part of the house.
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Try and get them out of the house at some point in the day - they could play in the garden, or be marched off on a brisk pre-lunch walk (all of these options are more popular if their presents include bikes, roller skates, skateboards etc.)
• Don't inflict agonizingly long meals on small children. The adults may like nothing better than lingering over their port and stilton into the small hours, but most children will want to bolt their turkey and get back to their presents. Let them. It's much better to enjoy adult company and conversation than to find yourself sitting at a table feeling frazzled by unhappy kids. • Christmas television is a mixed blessing. There is a surfeit of choice, and much potential for conflict of interest. Head off any disputes by planning ahead, recording as many programmes as possible, and ensuring that family viewing is not steam-rolled by one interest group (usually the kids). Never assume that your
guests will want to see certain programmes; always ask beforehand, and provide alternative (non-televised) entertainment.
• Ask for help when you need it. If you are in the panicstricken last stages of preparation for the Christmas lunch, and desperate for someone to do some preemptive washing up, don't hesitate to ask. Guests will leap to their feet when help is solicited, because they feel guilty when they're lounging around not doing anything. • Finally, don't expect perfection. Certainly you should make every effort to ensure the day goes with a swing. Plan ahead meticulously, decorate your home beautifully, cook delicious food, buy well-chosen presents, stock up on excellent drink. But don't demand too much of yourself, your family or your guests. Building up your expectations of the day to dizzy heights will mean that mishaps and misunderstandings (however minor) are blown up out of all proportion - and that's not what Christmas is about.
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LIVING QUARTERS
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Top 5 Bathroom Renovations
s time goes by we like to change the way things look. We change our hair and clothes to go with the latest trends and we also change things in our homes. As such there comes a time when the bathroom needs to be renovated and so many ideas come at us that sometimes we simply don’t know what to do. Here are the top five bathroom renovation ideas. 1. The Floor The more floor that shows, the bigger your bathroom will seem. During bathroom renovations, you should try to uncover as much floor as possible. You can do this with the use of wall mounted cabinets, sinks, and other items. Large tiles with small grout lines also help the bathroom appear larger. Keep the floor light in color to help it reflect light and create the illusion of a large space. 6
to design the room the way you want to. 4. Fixtures Use of white or cream colored fixtures (i.e., toilet and bathtub) is recommended. Colored fixtures tend to look very dated after a few years. And while it is possible to change a toilet with little or no problem, you will have a considerable amount of work to do if you decide to change the shower or the bathtub. This would certainly run up a large bill.
2. Colors Color coordinate your bathroom; pick a color that suits your style and one that goes well with the general décor of your home. The tiles, bath mats, shower curtains and other accessories should say a lot about who you are.
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3. Tiles Tiles are widely used in most bathrooms because of their availability, price and ease of cleaning. When renovating a bathroom look carefully at tile selection. You may want to choose large tiles for the floor and smaller ones for the shower. Tiles are available in a wide range of colors, designs and themes making it easier for you
5.Accessorize One beautifully framed mirror over a sink is more attractive than many surfaces covered with mirrors. Supplement it with a wall-mounted adjustable makeup mirror. It’s also important to think of mirrors in bathrooms as design elements which expand the room visually and add light to the room
HOME OFFICE
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Ways To Help You Improve Your Home Office
f you are an entrepreneur operating from your home office, chances are your job may just be more difficult than you think. Apart from other people in the corporate world taking you less seriously, the fact that you’re home makes it more difficult to get into a ‘work’ frame of mind. Giving your home office space its own individuality is a must. In so doing, you can go all out and really get your decorative juices flowing, to create the perfect, comfortable office space. Here’s how to start this process. Add a Filing Cabinet If you don’t already have one, a filing cabinet can help clean up the most disorganized of offices. You have to stay consistent with them, but they pay off big rewards. Improve the lighting Nothing improves an office space like lighting. If your office doesn’t get a lot of daylight, you might want to begin by maximizing that. Make sure your windows are clear of any8
plants are better company anyway. A bit of greenery can lift a room and make it a much more pleasant place to be. Apart from adding to the general décor, you will be able to enjoy their oxygen emitting aesthetic.
thing that impedes the light. If you are on the ground floor but facing the wrong direction to get much natural light, you can use a strategically placed mirror outside to reflect more light in. Similarly on the inside a mirror can help push light around your room. Along with natural light, consider getting a lamp or some other types of lighting. Tidy Up the Wires Wires are an ugly necessity of the modern world. While you might be able to get a wireless mouse, keyboard and even internet, you simply can’t escape power cords. Chances are that you’ll have quite a few other
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types of cables too and they’re probably all in a giant pile of knots somewhere under your desk. What can you do? Quite a lot actually…Bind cords together with small ‘tidies’, strings or rubber bands. Clamping long running wires to walls is also a good way to save space and ease clutter. Plus, it saves the danger and embarrassment of tripping on exposed cords. There are also clever innovations available such as retractable cords which help tidy any wire problem. Buy a Plant Nothing brightens up a space like other forms of life. If you can’t have co-workers, well
Add some Colour There’s nothing like colour to warm up an office space. Get some artwork or a poster to make your wall a little more visually interesting. Grab a cool desktop for your screen and a nice screensaver for when you’re busy away. It doesn’t even have to be paint. Some creative people have gone as far as putting skittles in glass jars and arranging them neatly in strategic places in the room for effect. These are hip ways of making the room fun and colourful. Your home office doesn’t have to be bland in order for you to project the right image for your business. Feel free to spruce up your roost in order to make it ready for business and comfortable at the same time for optimum results.
Love Smiles Christmas Greetings from First Citizens
ELEGANT IDEAS
Create Ambiance With Curtains
The Curtains are important in this cozy interior in turquoise and beige tones.
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ELEGANT IDEAS
Swag valances usually work well with big windows in open spaces.
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ELEGANT IDEAS
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DECEMBER 2016
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ELEGANT IDEAS
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ELEGANT IDEAS
The latest trend in 2016 is mixing and matching dark tones and textures with light ones.
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DECEMBER 2016
ABSTRACT HOME
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KITCHEN
Tips To Stress-Less Christmas Cooking
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hristmas day usually turns out to be a magnificent feast for many with tons of fun for everyone except the provider of those meals. Usually the cook is drained and stressed after all of the big prep and as such cannot truly enjoy the holidays as the rest of the people. However, it does not have to be like that. A well-prepared chef can make their kitchen merry at Christmas with the right planning and consideration. How many days do you plan to entertain or cook special meals for your family? Mark them out and then draw up menus for all the meals well in advance, including all drinks, breakfasts and snacks. Starting this task early gives you time to look at new ideas, search out recipes and change your mind or amend if circumstances or guest numbers change. Line up all the recipes you need in the order you need them (or at least make a note of where they are). Once you have all the recipes you want, read the recipes, then read them again. There's nothing worse than realizing on Christmas Eve you are missing an important ingredient, pan, or worse, you don't know how to do it. Choose or 16
check recipes to see if some of the dishes can be made in advance and frozen or how long they will keep once cooked so they can be prepared one or two days in advance. Maybe the final popping in the oven or the frying could be done on the last day while the pre-prep could be done days ahead and frozen! You can't possibly do everything on your own so don't take on more than you can. Pull back and be realistic in balancing what is required in the kitchen and everywhere else (gift-wrapping, housework, kids and family). Anyway, Christmas is all about togetherness, so include the family in what you do and make it a fun activity! If you still want to be a Domestic Goddess that's fine but if you can delegate a few jobs - peeling
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the potatoes, polishing the silver, whatever - it will help ease the pressure. Surprisingly many people do like to help and share the fun in the kitchen so don't be afraid to ask. No one wants a frazzled cook at the Christmas table. Christmas cooking and all it involves is not a time to start experimenting with new techniques. If you have never made bread, now is not the time to start (I'd rather buy it from the market!) but if there is something you really want to cook and haven't ever tried, maybe you could do it now. Better see how it turns out and not make a fool of yourself on the final day. Shopping is one of the biggest jobs at Christmas, so to simplify the task make a master-shopping list of everything you will need, including any new cooking equipment. Divide the list into perishable and non-perishable goods including wines and spirits. Buy all nonperishable goods, wines and spirits well in advance as many supermarkets and shops stock them as early as October. Order any specialist goods (perishable and non-perishable) well in advance and check if they deliver. In fact try to get as many items delivered as you can. This not
only saves time but also a lot of trouble. Perishable goods don't need to be bought on Christmas Eve. Buy them a day or two before and store them in the refrigerator or a cool, frost-free place. Here is a list of few jobs that are often forgotten and will make Christmas cooking easier. • Sharpen knives including the carving knife well in advance. Makes all the chopping, peeling and carving so much easier. • Clean out the freezer well before Christmas -- you can't do this job early enough. Sort the freezer out and make space for Christmas food to be stored together in one place. Rummaging through an overstocked, messy freezer, trying to find food can become irritating. • A week before Christmas give the refrigerator a good sort through and clean and make space for Christmas food - time for all the old jars and leftovers to hit the trash can. • Time for a deep clean of the oven. If you leave this job until after Christmas, it will be ten times messier with all that turkey fat.
RECIPES
D
Delightful Desserts
essert isn’t a regular part of Trinbagonian cuisine. We regularly eat heavy one-course lunches and look forward to the next meal later on. That’s not to say that we don’t consume dessert-type foods. We just eat them like snacks at various times of the day. Because of our eating habits, a lot of people don’t put much focus on making desserts. We hope to change that by sharing some great dessert ideas that are popular around Christmas, but can be eaten any time. Also, note that these four fantastic deserts being featured aren’t as difficult as you think to prepare.
TIRAMISU Ingredients 6 egg yolks 3/4 cup white sugar 2/3 cup milk 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pound mascarpone cheese 1/4 cup strong brewed coffee, room temperature 2 tablespoons rum 2 (3 ounce) packages ladyfinger cookies 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder Directions In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Cover tightly and chill in refrigerator 1 hour. 18
In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Whisk mascarpone into yolk mixture until smooth. In a small bowl, combine coffee and rum. Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise and drizzle with coffee mixture. Arrange half of soaked ladyfingers in bottom of a 7x11 inch dish. Spread half of mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, then half of whipped cream over that. Repeat layers and sprinkle with cocoa. Cover and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours, until set.
GOLDEN RUM CAKE Ingredients 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix 4 eggs 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup dark rum 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup water 1 cup white sugar 1/2 cup dark rum Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in the eggs, 1/2 cup water, oil and 1/2 cup rum. Blend well. Pour batter over chopped nuts in the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for
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60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto serving plate. Brush glaze over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb glaze and repeat until all glaze is used. To make the glaze: in a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rum.
PEPPERMINT MERINGUES Ingredients 2 egg whites 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 peppermint candy canes, crushed Directions Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with foil. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks. Drop by spoonfuls 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy over the cookies. Bake for 1 1/2 hours in preheated oven. Meringues should be completely dry on the inside. Do not allow them to brown. Turn off oven. Keep oven door ajar, and let meringues sit in the oven until completely cool. Loosen from
foil with metal spatula. Store loosely covered in cool dry place for up to 2 months.
CRANBERRY PISTACHIO BISCOTTI Ingredients 1/4 cup light olive oil 3/4 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 2 eggs 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 1/2 cups pistachio nuts Directions Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well blended. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts, then beat in the eggs. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually stir into egg mixture. Mix in cranberries and nuts by hand. Divide dough in half. Form two logs (12x2 inches) on a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Dough may be sticky; wet hands with cool water to handle dough more easily. Bake for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, or until logs are light brown. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Cut logs on diagonal into 3/4 inch thick slices. Lay on sides on parchment covered cookie sheet. Bake approximately 8 to 10 minutes, or until dry; cool.
BRIDAL
Choosing A Bridal Bouquet
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ne of the most integral accessories to your wedding day is the flowers. There is a surprising amount of detail that can go into putting a wedding bouquet together and as simple as it sounds, at first some people get it completely wrong. Choosing a wedding bouquet does not have to be stressful. It is all a matter of blending with the existing themes. Here are some tips. Choose your wedding dress before the flowers. The colors that you choose for the wedding will help you to choose what types of flowers you want in your bouquet. You will want to choose colors that complement each other. This will also influence what type of flower you choose, as you will find flowers that go with the colour of the wedding. It will also let 20
you know if you should include greenery or not. Next, consider the size and shape of the bouquet carefully. Short ladies should go for a large teardrop or sheath bouquet, as they need to add
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height. These two types of bouquets give the illusion of length, whereas a posy would make you look more compact and shorten you even more. Tall ladies should go for a large posy or a medium teardrop bouquet.
A large posy will draw the eye down and give people a focal point so that they won't be focusing on your height. A medium teardrop will also draw the eye down so that your height looks a little more even. As for large ladies, it is recommended that they get a large bouquet. A small bouquet will exaggerate their width, and make them seem larger than they really are. Use a large bouquet, which will make you seem much slimmer. Finally, add a personalized touch to our bouquet. Incorporate flowers that might have a personal meaning either to you or another family member. If you have a family heirloom such as an antique brooch, a lace hanky or something else to work into your something old, new, borrowed and blue, ask your florist to add it to the top of the stems.
FAMILY
Christmas Traditions Revealed, How Many Will You Try This Year?
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very family has their own set of traditions. Whether it is an annual family day in June, a Boxing Day celebration with close family and friends or mandatory family dinner at night, these rituals have been proven to help keep a family unit together. Christmas is usually that time of year when most family traditions are highlighted. Let’s take a look at the top ten choices.
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Attend the Christmas Eve midnight church service or early morning Christmas service. Why not make it a tradition to attend the Christmas service with family? The phrase “a family that prays together, stays together” should not be taken lightly. If you have a family of your own, this can be one of the first family traditions to get the ball rolling.
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Make a few hand-made ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree. The holidays always present the op-
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Although the date varies by choice, the Christmas tree usually goes up two weeks before Christmas. Have every one gather to decorate the Christmas tree placing those special ornaments that were mentioned in #2.
portunity for the younger ones to showcase their creative talents. So much so that collages are in abundance. Encourage them to make some at home; keep old ones around for years to come and make new ones every year for Christmas.
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Create an evening, maybe after Christmas dinner, where the family can take a drive or walk around the neighborhood to view the decorations on different houses.
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Cook or bake the favourite family treat and serve this only at Christmastime. This way the antici-
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pation builds up for when it is finally served.
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Select a day when family and maybe close friends can visit to spend time with each other. Boxing Day has been hailed worldwide as “Family Day” so this can be the perfect time of year. Play games, share stories an even swap dishes to make the day a memorable one.
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Open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas morning. This way it doesn’t get in the way of the enticing Christmas breakfast that adorns the dining table.
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How about giving to the less fortunate? After doing the huge Christmas cleanout, donate toys and clothes that are no longer useful, to any charity of your choice to bring that extra smile to a child’s face. Maybe even donate non-perishable items to orphanages.
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Take a family photo and send greeting cards to relatives with special Christmas Greetings.
Watch a Christmas-themed movie. Some of the favourites include The Nutcracker and How the Grinch stole Christmas.
POWDER ROOM
WARDROBE
Holiday Wadrobe Essentials
C 5 Hair Tips F rom
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The Experts
s women we all know that our hair is a great part of our beauty. We take pride in caring for it. However sometimes we may not take care of it in the right way. In order to have hair that looks great we need to pay special attention to it at all times. I am sure that most of you have heard the saying garbage in garbage out. This means that whatever you put into your body is what you get out of it. This is true for your hair as well. You need to have a proper diet to reap the benefits of lustrous hair. Taking care of your hair from the outside only does not benefit you as much as taking care of it from the inside. To help you along with taking care of your hair I have found these tips from hair experts.
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The further the hair is from the scalp, the less it can utilize the scalp’s natural oils. For hair that is past shoulder length, use a hair moisturizer each day to moisturize the ends.
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To keep hair looking straight for a longer period, wrap hair each night. First moisturize hair with setting lotion. Then part hair and begin combing clockwise or counter clockwise around the
head to create a beehive. Clip the hair in place and tie with a scarf.
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The best oil to use in your hair is jojoba oil. When applied to the strands it softens them. It also works wonders on frizzy hair. It can be used as a pre-shampoo treatment or applied to dry strands for extra protection during the day.
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Always wash hair in warm water as shampoo works best in that temperature. As with all things don’t use extreme temperatures. Hair is a fiber just like cotton or wool and extreme temperatures can damage it.
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Use only human hair when doing weaves. It is smooth and soft and has a silky texture. Synthetic hair is coarser and doesn’t last as long.
hristmas party season is around the corner and it is time to prepare your Christmas wardrobe. Clothes with minimal pieces but maximum glam are the look for Christmas parties. At the same time, you'd want clothes that you can still wear long after the festive season. So you have to be wise when choosing styles and colours. You need a wardrobe that takes you from day to night and which can go from glamorous party girl to career woman easily. Keep in mind when shopping that your clothes must be versatile. In this way you can mix and match to suit the mood and occasion. You have to start from the foundation come up just as you would do when building a house. The basics include skirts, pants and dresses. Find classic pieces that go with everything and can be worn for most occasions. Buy the basics in a neutral colour that flatters you and goes with jewel tones and metallic as well as neutrals. The best colour you could use for your foundation is black; it goes well with everything. Black is also a slimming colour so you can indulge a little extra as we often do at Christmas. This makes black the ideal base colour for your wardrobe. For serious partying, you need at least three black dresses to last you through the festive season. Buy one short dress that shows off your legs, one long dress that grazes your ankle and one mid-length dress that ends just above your knees. Next, you need at least three black skirts. Again, you should get one that is short enough to show off your legs. Bear in mind, the shorter your skirt, the longer your legs look especially when you wear high heel shoes. You also need a long black skirt preferably one that grazes the ankle. Such a skirt would be wonderful for black tie events, formal parties or when you want to look exceptionally elegant. The third skirt should be either slightly above w w w . a m g tt. c o m
or below the knee. Three is the magic number when it comes to getting dresses and skirts. These dresses and skirts will form the backbone of your wardrobe. With these, you'll have something to wear for every event. You want outfits that make you look beautiful. Silk is one of the more flattering fabrics you can find. It flows sensuously over your body. Not only does it feel divine against your skin, it also makes you look feminine. It also has the classic, timeless look that you should go for when attending a formal event. You need to get a collection of silk tops that flatter you. At first glance, pick the ones that catch your eye. These are the ones you instinctively like and trust your instincts to pick what you would look best in. Don't worry about the tops being too flamboyant, too colourful or even too revealing. This is the Christmas season, so you can dress to celebrate. You'll pair these tops with your black skirts so you can get away with jewel tones as your black skirt would lend the outfit the air of elegance you need. Pearl accessories are the rave this season so be sure to pick up a few to add to your look. Finally, get a collection of accessories. Buy some earrings, necklaces, belts, scarves the works. You can mix and match these with your tops and skirts for countless new looks. Wear your outfits differently by switching the accessories. Wear your black dresses with different accessories and different makeup for each party. Vary your hairstyle with every party you attend. In this way, you can confidently charge into the party season and always have a new look for each party you attend. Though the basics of your wardrobe are black you add some colour to it. Go for the pastel colours that are feminine and soft. This Christmas season give your wardrobe a makeover and go out and have some fun.
DECEMBER 2016
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MEDICINE CABINET
HOME GYM
Emergency Choke Procedures
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f you notice someone suddenly collapse, start to cough, become unable to talk or experience difficulty breathing, something has become stuck in that person’s throat and they need to get help immediately. If you are the closest person you may have to practice some emergency choking procedures. First lean the person forward slightly and stand behind him or her. Make a fist with one hand. Put your arms around the person and grasp your fist with your other hand in the midline just below the ribs. Make a quick, hard movement inward and upward in an attempt to assist the person in coughing up the object. This maneuver should be repeated until the person is able to breathe. If after doing this, the person loses consciousness gently lay him or her flat on their back on the floor. Kneel next to the person and put the heel of your hand against the middle of the abdomen, just below the ribs. Place your other hand on top and press inward and upward five times with both hands. If the airway clears and the person is still unresponsive, begin CPR. Babies should be picked up 24
and five back blows should be administered, followed by five chest thrusts. Hold the infant with the head angled down to let gravity assist with clearing the airway. Supporting the baby’s head is important. If the infant turns blue or becomes unresponsive, CPR should be done. When the rescuer is smaller than the person who is choking they should have the victim lie down on his or her back. Then use the same technique used for unconscious people. If you are choking and you are alone you can do an abdominal thrust on yourself. This can be done in one of two ways. Firstly you can position your hands in the same fashion as if you were performing the maneuver on another person and deliver an inward and upward thrust. The other option is to bend over with your belly resting on a firm object, such as the back of a chair, and thrust yourself into the object. Choking can lead to death. If you are unsure of what to do please call the emergency line to get a medical representative at the location as soon as possible. Also if you have tried helping a choking person and they are still unconscious get help.
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Common Exercise Myths Explored
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eople (especially Trinis) generally have a habit of listening only to what they want to hear. As such, it doesn’t take much for any sensationalized tidbit of info to become law in most minds. When it comes to exercise there is a host of myths that have stuck around for ages. This article should help dispel some of them.
Myth # 1: If You Are Not Going to Work Out Hard and Often, Exercise Is a Waste of Time. This kind of thinking keeps a lot of people from maintaining or even starting an exercise program. Research continues to show that any exercise is better than none. For example, regular walking or gardening for as little as an hour a week has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. Myth # 2: If You Exercise Long and Hard Enough, You Will Always Get the Results You Want. In reality, genetics play an important role in how people respond to exercise. Studies have shown a wide variation in how different exercisers respond to the same training program. Your development of strength, speed and endurance may be very different from that of other people you know.
Myth # 3: Exercise Is One Sure Way to Lose All the Weight You Desire. As with all responses to exercise, weight gain or loss is impacted by many factors, including dietary intake and genetics. All individuals will not lose the same amount of weight on the same exercise program. It is possible to be active and overweight. However, although exercise alone cannot guarantee your ideal weight, regular physical activity is one of the most important factors for successful long-term weight management. Myth # 4: If You Want to Lose Weight, Stay Away From Strength Training Because You Will Bulk Up. Most exercise experts believe that cardiovascular exercise and strength training are both valuable for maintaining a healthy weight. Strength training helps maintain muscle mass and decrease body fat percentage. Myth # 5. Going to a Gym Is the Best Way to Get Fit. Research has shown that some people find it easier to stick to a home-based fitness program. In spite of all the hype on trendy exercise programs and facilities, the “best” program for you is the one you will participate in consistently.
GARAGE
PETS
How To Increase Your Car’s Resale Value
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lanning to resell your car in the future and buy a new and more advanced model? Then you have to exert more effort in keeping it in good shape and excellent driving condition by now. Even if it’s already old, you can sell it at high price if it looks and performs like new. Here are some tips that will assist you in upping your car’s resale value.
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Buy a car that will hold its value. Resale value is based on many factors, including desirability and reliability. Some makes, such as Toyota, Honda, Mercedes and Lexus, always hold their value well. Use a good used car pricing site, such as Kelley Blue Book or NADA, to research the resale history of models in which you are interested. Some options, such as air conditioning or a sunroof, will improve your car's resale value; consider buying them even if they aren't on your personal must-have list.
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Follow the maintenance schedule and keep all receipts. You'll find the maintenance schedule in the back of the owner's manual. Keep receipts for all maintenance and repair work, no matter how minor. A stack of receipts underscores the fact that your car has been well taken care of. Savvy used car buyers will be willing to pay extra for a car with a fully documented service history.
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Don't crash. Any history of collision damage can ding your car's resale value, and a trained used car appraiser can spot body work from a mile away. If your car is in a collision, use an experienced repair shop with a good reputation and insist on using factory (also known as OEM, for Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts. Save all receipts and be up front and honest about any collision repair work when it
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comes time to sell or trade. Being evasive about collision repair may lead the buyer to believe that the damage was more extensive than you are letting on.
4
Resist the urge to customize. Spending money on your car can actually decrease its value. If you do have your car customized, stick to nonintrusive upgrades such as new wheels or an upgraded stereo that won't require extensive re-wiring or cutting up the dashboard. Save the old parts so you have the option of returning your car to its original condition before selling.
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Get Good Music. As was hinted in the previous tip, add a custom or premium sound system. This is something you can enjoy while you are still driving the car, and even though it costs money, it is going right back into your pocket when you sell the car. The stereo you install should have with multi-disc or Mp3 capabilities or be IPod compatible.
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Keep it clean. The better your car appears to be kept up, the more it will be worth, and most people associate cleanliness with care. Washing and waxing your car on a regular basis is a much easier way to keep it looking good than paying for an expensive detail job when the time comes to sell.
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Get It To The Garage. Swap out any broken or old parts for refurbished parts that you can buy at a discount. This won't directly affect the resale value, but a private used car buyer will pay more for the car if all the parts are in working order. Your car should be a lot more attractive to a potential buyer if these steps are followed. So give it some thought and make a few thousand extra bucks that you can put toward your new automobile or project.
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Four Steps To Providing Better Dental Care For Your Pets
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ne of the most important things an owner can do to promote a healthy and lengthy life for their pets is to provide proper oral care. It may seem like a far-fetched idea that pets may need to visit dentists or attend scheduled check-ups, but all these things help to increase the life-span of a dog or cat. Learning to spot deficiencies can be the key in curbing the problem of bad oral care, as well as regular, scheduled visits with a veterinarian. Follow these steps below in order to keep your pet’s dental care in check.
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Be on the lookout for any signs of dental problems. These can include bad breath, disfigured and discoloured gums and teeth, irritability from dogs or cats or pets pawing at their faces. These are all signs that there may be a problem with your pet’s dental care.
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Maintain regular veterinarian visits. Be sure to uphold scheduled visits with the vet so that he/she might be able to pick up on any problems, which the veterinarian can work on resolving as soon as possible. Check-ups, which should include dental exams, can help to prevent your pets from getting dental problems.
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Brush your pet’s teeth- Although easier said than done, brushing your pet’s teeth is one of the best ways to provide maximum health care for your pet’s teeth. Start when they are younger so that they can learn to tolerate the brushing of their teeth. The first time should involve you using your finger, and gently wiping the teeth’s surface. It is advised that you soak your finger with a food that your pets like to eat. Gradually, move from your finger, to a soft cloth or gauze wrapped around your finger to a special toothbrush and toothpaste made for pets. Recently, there has been a new alternative to brushing your pet’s teeth, which involves you spraying a liquid into your pet’s mouth to curb bad-breath and other dental problems. But its benefits have not been confirmed by noted veterinarians.
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Similar to the spray that can help with dental care, consider foods that can help maintain a healthy mouth. Talk to your veterinarian about these foods or do your own research on which pet foods can give your dog or cat the best oral care. Be sure to monitor the effects of these on your pet’s mouth, in order to gauge their effectiveness.
TRAVEL
Making The Most Of Christmas Travel
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here's nothing very jolly about standing in a long queue at the airport, or sitting in traffic on the highway out of the city when you should have been lying in that hammock, swimming in the pool or chilling at the beach hours ago. However, that's what often happens in the peak Christmas travel season, when everyone hits the roads and airport and tempers start to fray. Here are our top-10 tips for keeping your cool this Christmas travel season. Be digital If you're flying, check in online in the 24 hours before your flight and save yourself a lot of standing around at the airport. There will still be a queue for bag dropoff but it tends to move fairly quickly. Online check-in also allows you to choose your seat. Pack light It's hard to pack light at Christmas, but it does make life easier, as well as help you avoid excessbaggage charges. If arriving at your destination well before 28
Christmas Day, consider doing at least some of your shopping when you get there, as airlines have little Christmas spirit when it comes to overweight bags.
Pack smart Don't be among the many who cause delays at airport security checkpoints by packing sharp objects, aerosols and other prohibited items in hand luggage. Despite several awareness campaigns, airports still confiscate hundreds of items a day at security checkpoints. If you're travelling overseas, remember there are also restrictions on liquids in hand luggage: each item must be 100 milliliters or less and all containers must be in a clear, zip-lock bag. If you're carrying Christmas gifts, it's best not to wrap them, as they need to be available for inspection. Pack safe Don't put presents in your checked-in luggage unless you absolutely have to. Christmas is the busiest time of year for air travel, meaning a greater chance
ABSTRACT HOME DECEMBER 2016 w w w . a mg t t. c o m
of luggage going astray, so make the most of your seven-kilogram-a-person carry-on baggage allowance. Most airlines allow laptops, handbags and cameras to be carried on in addition to the allowance, which leaves more room for small gifts.
Think ahead If you're going to need airport transfers, airport parking, hotel parking or other arrangements, book it now. Seeing the "car park full" sign when you have a flight to catch can make you feel wretched and you shouldn't assume hotels will have parking available when rooms are fully booked. If you're likely to be arriving late at your accommodation, you may need to call and make arrangements to collect a key or be given an access code. Be distracted If you're flying, get yourself that book you've been wanting to read so you can turn waiting time into relaxation rather than frustration. Accept that things are going to take longer than
normal and use the time enjoyably. If you're driving, downloading some podcasts or new music before you leave can make a big difference. If you're going on a long drive with children in the car, a cheap, portable DVD player may help bring peace and goodwill. Don't forget your Christmas spirit If there's one guarantee about the Christmas travel season, it's that there will be spectacular tantrums in the airport and on the roads - and we're not talking about children. In the airport, remember the staff are doing their best to get thousands of passengers on the right planes at the right times. It's not in an airline's interest to take off late. On the roads, it helps to remember that everyone else is trying to get to their holiday destination as well. Wear a Santa hat, listen to music, do whatever it takes to remember that Christmas is supposed to be fun, not survival of the fittest.
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