Thanksgiving And Appreciation Gifts

Page 1


CONTENTS 1.

Foreword

I

2.

Valentine’s Day

1

3.

Easter’s Day

18

4.

Mother’s Day

32

5.

Father’s Day

45

6.

Children’s Day

59

7.

Halloween

68

8.

Thanksgiving

81

9.

Black Friday

100

10.

Cyber Monday

111


FOREWORD Thank you so much for signing up for this free magazine and catalogue. What you are about to read is what you need to know about each of the special occasions and my recommended gifts which I do earn commissions as Amazon affiliate should you be interested to get any of them. They range from Fashion And Accessories, Handicrafts, Children’s Toys And Games, Computer And Accessories as well as Home And Kitchen Furnishings / Appliances.


VALENTINE’S DAY


1

HOW VALENTINE’S DAY CAME ABOUT? According to Wikipedia, Valentine's Day, also known as Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine is a celebration observed on February 14 each year. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it is not a public holiday in most of them. St. Valentine's Day began as a liturgical celebration of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. Several martyrdom stories were invented for the various Valentines that belonged to February 14, and added to later martyrologies. A popular hagiographical account of Saint Valentine of Rome states that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. According to legend, during his imprisonment, he healed the daughter of his jailer, Asterius. An embellishment to this story states that before his execution he wrote her a letter signed Your Valentine as a farewell. Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion as well as in the Lutheran Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church also celebrates Saint Valentine's Day, albeit on July 6 and July 30, the former date in honor of the Roman presbyter Saint Valentine, and the latter date in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna (modern Terni). 1


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards known as Valentines. In Europe, Saint Valentine's Keys are given to lovers as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver’s heart, as well as to children, in order to ward off epilepsy (called Saint Valentine's Malady). Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten Valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.


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DO SOMETHING TO MAKE YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL

Valentine’s Day without a gift is like a day without smile. Hence it is very important to have a heart of remembering and giving your loved one gifts on this very special day. Gifts are something that can express your words deep down inside which your words can do. Gifts that you spouse will feel special that they have never expected or wish to receive from you and trust me they will feel luckiest person on this earth. 3


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

The Valentine’s Day gift ideas are very simple for this day as the day of lovers can accept any gifts which are given by lover. You can consider several like baby cupid with wings; perfumes and many more are there to impress your spouse with them. There are different sections of gifts that are gifted to both the genders that are different for males and different for females. The Valentine’s Day gift for him should be different from the gift which you give him on any occasion. Boys love gadgets so if you have good budget then you can opt for musical section like iPad, iPhone or you can also gift him a video game set like Sony Playstation or Xbox Set If you budget is not high so no need to worry at all you can also get some good gifts for him. You can gift him love tokens. Like fashion, trendy watches, love pillow case set, sweet treasure chest, missing you puzzles, coffee mugs with his name engraved and many uncountable gifts are there which can make him really special. When it comes to the Valentine’s Day gift for her you need to be choosy as girls like those gifts which are not too costly but cute enough to handle. You can gift your girl a beautiful pair of T-shirts or short shirts if she wears them, chocolate boxes, teddies, jewelry, ladies watch, perfumes, hand bags, make over kits and many more are there. You can buy all the girly things which can impress her. You can also gift her gadgets like cell phones or I pods as girl now days going gadgets crazy too. Apart from normal gifts there are certain sections of Valentine’s Day unique gift in our list. The gifts like chocolate, teddy, cupid and red roses are very common things. The day of Valentine comes once in a year so why not celebrate it with some unique gifts. You can plan unique gifts for your loved ones like spa tickets where you can go together and enjoy, candle light dinner can again a best option, small overnight trip can be fantastic idea, pool side party can be new idea to it. There are many personalized way to make this special moment more special and gift unique gifts to her or him. You can also have beach side dinner with chill champagne and delicious different cuisine foods which by loved by you both.


Valentine’s Day Gifts

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These ideas can really work if you want to make it special. Celebrate your happy Valentine’s Day with some great ideas that may make your day wonderful. Just give some beautiful gifts to your partner on this Valentine’s Day. Find and send also some good looking greeting and thanksgiving cards with you sincerity and kindness.


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HOW TO HAVE THE BEST VALENTINE’S DAY EVER

In the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14th of each year. Originated in Rome, it has been celebrated for over 1500 years. It is not a national holiday, but a day celebrated in numerous countries around the world. It is also one of the most universally recognized and prominent days of the year. It is a day where people show their love for one another through various acts of kindness. It is a celebration of passion, affection, and romantic love. 6


How To Have The Best Valentine’s Day Ever

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There are many symbols used to show the essence of Valentine's Day; red roses, cupid, and champagne just to name a few. Cupid, who is the spirit or the representative of Valentine's Day, is usually portrayed as a small child like figure possessing a bow and arrow. In mythology, he uses his arrows to make people fall in love. If you are married or in a long-term committed relationship, it is a great day to rekindle your love for your spouse or partner by sending them a card, flowers, chocolate, or a special gift. Many individuals take their loved ones to a romantic meal, often accompanied by candlelight, roses, and possibly a long enchanting walk. But, the question is how you can make this Valentine's Day special for you and your loved one. The following are some ideas that will help you make this Valentine's Day one that both of you will remember. The first thing to keep in mind is that the best kind of gift you could give your significant other is an unexpected one. The less they know the better. If you send your loved one flowers or chocolates to their place of employment, it may surprise them and give them feelings of joy and happiness. When you display your affection for your spouse or partner openly, it shows them your commitment and appreciation of them. If you have children, finding a babysitter and making reservations at their favorite restaurant for a special night out, may make this day special and memorable. If taking your spouse or partner to dinner is not an option, there are other ways you could show them your affection. In the morning, tell them you love them and give them a kiss. Although, you might want tell your significant other you love them and kiss them every day, not just on Valentine's Day. You can send them a thoughtful message during the day. It could be as simple as Hey Her Name followed by Happy Valentine's Day, I was just

thinking of you.

A heartfelt card, a single rose, a long and embracing hug, or a passionate kiss are other ways to show you truly care for your loved one.


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

Valentine's Day is the one special day of the year, where you should rekindle passion, reignite a relationship, and go out of your way to show your spouse or partner that you love them. Hopefully, this Valentine's Day is the best ever, for you and your loved one.


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CHOOSE YOUR PERFECT DESTINATION FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

Valentine's Day have fix date of celebration and every year it falls on February 14th. It is a day when every couple is involved in sharing their love with their partner. Most are expressing their warmth love to special ones. The day completely associated to saints and angels, worship and harmony and everything cool peaceful and good. Most times, the angels are thinking to be Cupid, sometimes for the love. 9


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

Every devotee of love usually seeks for distinct ideas to give pleasing to special one with a lot of cared. When it involves loving gifts, nothing will beat the charm of Valentine’s Day pictures that flashing a treasured moment of togetherness. Romantic picture frames will build the proper gifts for your girlfriend and spouse. If you want to make something special and turn your partner more fondness to you, you must find some pictures that really give lots of pleasing to your both. There are several types of love and romantic images and with the ease of internet, you can easily get it. Just enjoy the special and romantic Valentine's pictures by downloading almost free and share with your near and dear ones. Apart from cards and pictures, you can also look for clip arts that are much funny and better ideas to you. The Valentine's day clip arts can be best presents and you can find it in diverse designs and colors. It is available in numerous symbols of love and can be used to send as greetings. You can find such clip arts in all forms and sizes the images of blossoming hearts, cupids and hearts of wings. Most clip arts are designed with the text of Happy Valentines and you can also give it your personalization. To show your love and fondness, must make sure a nice cards with some clip arts images. You can find it on internet because there are huge ranges of cards available. It can be used also for your personal purposes. Just download some beautiful clip arts and send to special one. Valentine's Day is most awaited time for every lover or couple. They eagerly wait for this day with some fresh ideas and want to do something special to impress their love. You can consider for Valentine's day baskets that because it is so exclusive and demonstrate your thoughts into a gifts just ideal for special one. You can present gift baskets to almost everyone special in your life. The gifts baskets demonstrate that you feel the person you love justify the very best.


Choose Your Perfect Destination For Valentine’s Day

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You can also present baskets filled with the delicious fruits, chocolates, nuts, wine and several delicious food and snacks. These baskets are crafted to keeping the passion and romance in mind for everyone. You can also make baskets with your personalization. Your creativeness really adds more flavors in gift baskets. So just put some efforts and make some baskets for presenting your love. Start your celebration with rose day by presents some beautiful bunches of roses to your love. It is initial day of love festival and celebrated with great enthusiasm. You must present a bunch of red rose to your sweethearts with uttering some loving words. It can be most effective and your partner tends to you affectionately. On that actual day, you can also present some beautiful valentine day poems with writing on greeting cards. It is wonderful way to state your feelings of heart. You can also say it verbally that will be really great. Enjoy Valentine's Day by sharing some beautiful pictures and clip arts with your love. If you want to give surprising Valentine gifts, you must look for gift baskets. Express your feelings with some Valentine’s Day poems along with red roses.


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LAST MINUTE’S VALENTINE DAY GIFTS

Have you left it to the last minute to get your Valentine's Day gifts for your loved one? If so, that is okay. For you are not alone. We all know how hectic life can be right now, and finding that perfect romantic gift can be a little too time consuming in today's busy society. 12


Last Minute’s Valentine Day Gifts 13 Your partner would understand if you really didn't have the time go find the right gifts, but that wouldn't make for a very romantic Valentine's Day would it? Thankfully, there's a way around this! You can easily find all the very best Valentine's present ideas online, you can still have brilliant Valentine's gifts for your significant other in time for the big day itself. But what do you get your loved one when you're so pushed for time? How do you decide on the ideal gift when time is running out? That's easy. Think of their hobbies, their style, things they like to eat, things they want to do, music they like, any aspect of their life that you feel you can enrich with a good gift. Last-minute romantic gift ideas do not have to be limited to the first thing you see. Spend a minute to thinking about the sort of thing they would love on this most loving of days, and then have a look online for the best deals on your Valentine's Day presents with the best shipping costs. You are able to order your favorite wines, your flowers, your Valentine's Day gifts, and even book your meal. You can look into booking movie tickets, hotel rooms, and pretty much anything else that you might want or need so that you are able to enjoy a delightfully romantic and memorable Valentine's Day with your much loved partner. You can indeed discover perfect romantic gifts for the big day, even when time is running out, and the 2 of you are able to have a great time together without breaking the bank or any hearts along the way. To achieve the best result from your search for last minute Valentine's Day gift ideas, look for something a bit more of a surprise factor to it. Just because you are short on time out of time does not mean you cannot find great Valentine's Day gifts and activities that your partner will love. Check out what is available online, and looking to express shipping and career rates to ensure that those all-important Valentine's Day gifts arrive in time for your romantic day.


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EASTER DAY


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HISTORY OF EASTER DAY

Easter – also called Pasch or Resurrection Sunday – is a festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial after his crucifixion by Romans at Calvary Century 30 AD. It is also the culmination of the Passion of Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and penance. The week before Easter is called Holy Week. 18


History Of Easter Day Gifts

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It contains the days of the Easter Triduum, including Maundy Thursday, commemorating the Maundy and Last Supper as well as Good Friday, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus. In western Christianity, Eastertide, the Easter Season, begins on Easter Sunday and lasts seven weeks, ending with the coming of the 15th day, Pentecost Sunday. In Orthodoxy, the season of Pascha begins on Pascha and ends with the coming of the fortieth day, the Feast of the Ascension. Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts which do not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars which follow only the cycle of the sun. Rather, its date is determined on a lunisolar calendar similar to the Hebrew calendar. The First Council of Nicaea established 2 rules, independence of the Jewish calendar and worldwide uniformity, which were the only rules for Easter explicitly laid down by the council. No details for the computation were specified; these were worked out in practice, a process that took centuries and generated a number of controversies. It has come to be the first Sunday after the ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or soonest after 21 March but calculations vary in East and West. Details of this complicated computation are found below in the section Date. Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover by much of its symbolism, as well as by its position in the calendar. In many languages, the words for Easter and Passover are identical or very similar. Easter customs vary across the Christian world, and include sunrise services, exclaiming the Paschal greeting, clipping the church and decorating Easter eggs, a symbol of the empty tomb. The Easter lily, a symbol of the resurrection, traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day and for the rest of Easter tide. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter and are observed by both Christians and some non-Christians include egg hunting, the Easter Bunny, and Easter parades. There are also various traditional Easter foods that vary regionally.


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HISTORY OF EASTER GIFTS

Easter gifts have a long and fascinating history. Gifting is tied to the holiday known as Easter, and ancient Pagan rituals focused at this time of year upon the renewal of the earth, the upcoming green new growth that the emerging sunlight and warmer weather encouraged, and the idea of birth and rebirth. The egg is a symbol of all of these ideas, and was adopted by and still is used in Christian Easter celebrations to this day. To start, eggs were painted and decorated and used as gifts. They were given as a romantic gift to admirers, as well as to servants and children. People of Eastern Orthodox faiths made this tradition their own by dying their eggs red to symbolize Christ's blood, and on Easter day they would crack the eggs, to represent Christ breaking out of the tomb. As technology improved, there were hollow eggs crafted from cardboard that were filled with smaller gifts, typically food items. 20


History Of Easter Gifts

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Hollow eggs were also formed from sugar, and were decorated with sugar royal icings. Perhaps the ultimate gift egg was the FabergĂŠ egg, which was studded with real jewels and was given originally as a gift for the Czar of Russia. Around this time chocolate Easter eggs were created and soon became a favorite holiday tradition. As an extension of the egg, the chick was also associated with Easter, and today children will often find marshmallow chicks as a gift that was linked to the original prominence of the egg in the Easter celebration. Another type of gift you will likely find in modern Easter baskets are rabbits, usually in the form of a toy stuffed rabbit or rabbit-shaped candies and chocolates. This tradition also traces back to early Pagan traditions. Rabbits are known for their ability to reproduce, and this idea of birth, especially in early spring when rabbits tend to give birth to their young, helped to tie them as yet another symbol of this holiday season. Clothing was sometimes associated as an Easter gift. In the early Catholic tradition, if the faithful were baptized the night before Easter Sunday, they wore white robes for Easter week. If they were baptized before this night, then they got to wear new clothes. Everyone wearing their robes or new clothes could then take part in an Easter parade, which was a walk after mass on Easter Day. Because of the association with a new growth cycle, gifts from the garden are also connected to Easter. Easter lilies are often given as gifts because they bloom around the time Easter is celebrated. Easter baskets in early times contained gifts to the goddess Oestre in the hopes that she would grant a good harvest. Eggs were often collected in baskets as well. German legend of an Easter hare, later changed to rabbit, which would bring a basket filled with sweets and colored eggs to children on Easter morning, was brought to America by early German settlers, and the practice continues to this day.


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STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO MAKE THE PERFECT GIFT BASKET FOR EASTER

Easter is a time of fun and celebration in many places all over the world. It is also a time for giving the perfect gift baskets to special people in your life. There is great fun in receiving such Easter gift baskets. But who's saying there can't be fun in preparing these Easter gifts? This brief guide will walk you through five fun steps for assembling the best gift basket to give away this Easter. 22


Step-By-Step Guide To Make The Perfect Gift Basket For Easter

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Before buying your materials, you need to find out whom to give these baskets to. That way, you can estimate how many items or how much material to buy. You can also innovate and be creative. Doing so will not only make the steps fun for you but will also help you save on expenses. As a bonus suggestion, why not involve your kids and other family members in making these Easter baskets? After all, the common custom all over the world is for families to give such gifts to other families. Although in many other places, it is also acceptable for individuals to give Easter gift baskets to other individuals. Read through the following steps first before buying your materials. This tutorial is not meant to be an absolute instruction manual. Instead, treat it as a guide to get you started. Step 1 – Finding A Suitable Basket To Hold Your Easter Gifts Your first destination is the basket to hold your gifts. Depending on the weight of the gift items you'll be putting into it, the gift basket must be of adequate size and depth. It must be able to hold the weight of the gift items. The color is up to you. You can go for one-color baskets, or you can go for the fancier, multicolored ones. One-color baskets; however, tend to make your colorful gift items stand out. That's why I prefer to use them instead of the multicolored ones. Giving Easter gift baskets goes a long way back to ancient times, and the tradition wasn't always about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Instead, the tradition centered on spring. The earliest record of such gift offerings are etched in stone literally on the walls of the ancient Persian city of Persepolis (ca. 550-330 BCE). Ancient Persians brought gifts to their king as offerings for the coming of spring, which also marks their New Year. Although the ancient Persians also offered colored eggs, they didn't limit their gifts to eggs.


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

Several centuries later, Germanic peoples began the custom of offering gift baskets to one another in honor of the spring and dawn goddess known as Eostre or Ostara, from whose name we get our modern-day Easter. The practice of hunting for eggs and the myth of the Easter Hare (or Easter Rabbit), both of which were symbols of fertility and new life, also began during this time. As the original ancient spring rituals began to spread, different people also adapted their own ways of celebrating spring. For instance, apart from painted eggs, people gave such Easter gifts as seedlings and live animals. In fact, in Christian history, several early churches started the tradition of bringing food (including eggs, of course), livestock, and seedlings to church on Easter day so that the priest could bless them. The belief was an ancient one: they needed the blessing for a bountiful harvest. Thus, today, Easter gifts are usually placed in Easter gift baskets. The size of the basket doesn't matter. The material doesn't matter much either. The basket is just the container. But, if you prefer to give an Easter gift whose container can be used long after Easter, try to find a durable and multipurpose basket. Step 2 – Stuffing The Easter Basket With Real Or Artificial Grass The idea here is to make your Easter gifts look as if they are sitting on a nest. Particularly a hare's nest (technically called a form). This notion comes from the old tradition of hunting for Easter eggs, the real purpose of which was to find the Easter Hare or Rabbit. According to tales and myths, the Easter Hare is the spring goddess' precious animal and is supposed to lay colored eggs. In reality, hares or rabbits don't lay eggs at all. But, through some historical twist, the myth of the Easter Rabbit gives the animal egg-laying abilities–and colorful eggs at that! If you want your Easter gift basket to be in keeping with the ancient traditions, stuff it with grass, preferably freshly cut crass. Although that might be a little bit messy, don't you think so? And, real grass dries up quickly.


Step-By-Step Guide To Make The Perfect Gift Basket For Easter

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So, the next best thing would be to use material that resembles grass. I have tried using shredded paper, which I colored with green dye. You can even go beyond green by using multicolored grass equivalents. Make sure you arrange the grass into some kind of nest or hare's form. Step 3 – Filling The Easter Gift Basket With Gift Items The traditional items for an Easter basket are Easter bunnies and Easter eggs. You can go for the real thing, if you like but you can't expect the bunny to sit still until the basket is delivered to the recipient. There are many bunny and egg-themed gift items that you can fill your basket with. One really amusing thing that I've seen many of my friends do is to buy plastic Easter eggs, the kind that comes in assorted colors. Each plastic egg is hollow inside and can be opened at the middle. My friends would place small gift items–usually sweets or candy (especially chocolate, jelly beans, gummy bears, and gummy worms), food (e.g., biscuits, snack bars, and the like), small toys, and trinkets inside the plastic eggs. They usually include a dozen eggs (in different colors) per basket and add a bunny to the mix. The bunny would look like it is protecting the eggs inside the basket. Although, if you are familiar with the custom's roots, you know that the hare lays those eggs. Most of my friends use stuffed bunnies, especially for Easter gift baskets for kids. Or you can go the unconventional route by filling the basket with other non-bunny, non-egg gifts. If you follow this route, you have two options: whether to stick to the traditional themes of Easter (i.e., spring time, abundance, and new life) or to give gift items that you believe might be meaningful and significant to the recipient. I have a handful of friends who fill their Easter gift baskets with fruits and food instead of inedible items. Another group of my friends fill their gift baskets with clothes. Especially shirts, one for each member of the recipient family. My whole point in mentioning this is that you don't need to restrict your Easter gifts to what is traditional or customary.


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

Step 4 – Wrapping the Basket In Transparent Plastic And/Or Tying A Colored Ribbon This is completely optional. The transparent plastic will protect your gift items from dust and dirt. The colored ribbon is just an additional decorative piece. Avoid overly flashy ribbons that will steal the scene; the gifts inside the basket are the focus, not the ribbon. Step 5 – Attaching A Gift Tag Or Greeting Card Again, this step is completely optional, although I strongly recommend it. The gift tag will identify whom the Easter gift basket is for. Usually writing the recipient's name on the tag, along with a short greeting, will work just fine. Or, you could include a greeting card instead of a simple gift tag. You can use the greeting card to pour out all your Easter-related sentiments for the recipient. Finally, if you really are at a loss for ideas, or if you are unsure about what gift to give to your loved ones this Easter, you can always resort to Easter gift cards. These are handy and practical gifts. You can give Easter gift cards with denominations as low as 15 cents to as high as $5,000. You can then email them, send them via Facebook, print them at home, or send them by postal mail to your recipients. If you prefer to give your gift recipients the flexibility and freedom to choose their own gifts, then gift cards may be the perfect gift for them this Easter. Bring back the fun and joy into your search for the perfect gift for your loved ones.


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MOTHER’S DAY


1

MOTHER’S DAY ORIGIN

Mother's Day is a celebration honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in the months of March or May. It complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Father's Day and Siblings Day. The celebration of Mother's Day began in the United States in the early 20th century. It is not related to the many celebrations of mothers and motherhood that have occurred throughout the world over thousands of years. Such as the Greek cult to Cybele, the Roman festival of Hilaria, or the Christian Mothering Sunday celebration (originally a commemoration of Mother Church, not motherhood. 32


Mother’s Day

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Despite this, in some countries, Mother's Day has become synonymous with these older traditions. The modern American holiday of Mother's Day was first celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother at St Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Today St Andrew's Methodist Church now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine. Her campaign to make Mother's Day a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis, died. Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War, and created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she started and to set aside a day to honor all mothers, because she believed that they were the persons who have done more for you than anyone in the world. In 1908, the US Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother's Day an official holiday, joking that they would have to proclaim also a Mother-in-law's Day. However, owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all US states observed the clarification needed for the holiday, with some of them officially recognizing Mother's Day as a local holiday, The first being West Virginia, Jarvis' home state, in 1910. In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother's Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honor mothers. Although Jarvis was successful in founding Mother's Day, she became resentful of the commercialization of the holiday. By the early 1920s, Hallmark Cards and other companies had started selling Mother's Day cards. Jarvis believed that the companies had misinterpreted and exploited the idea of Mother's Day. That the emphasis of the holiday was on sentiment, not profit. As a result, she organized boycotts of Mother's Day, and threatened to issue lawsuits against the companies involved.


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

Jarvis argued that people should appreciate and honor their mothers through handwritten letters expressing their love and gratitude, Instead of buying gifts and pre-made cards, Jarvis protested at a candy makers' convention in Philadelphia in 1923, and at a meeting of American War Mothers in 1925.


2

MAKE OR BUY YOUR OWN MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS

When you are on the lookout for mother’s day gift ideas, it can be difficult to find a gift which shows your effort into it. We know every mother has her own preferences but getting a gift which best suits her on this annual occasion is worth honoring her. Your first priority is to snap out of your routine gift buying habits for yourself. Then check out some of the unusual and unique gift ideas online or offline when you are shopping around. With a whole range of gifts available on display, you can come up with some ideas. 35


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

If you can afford to buy, good for you and your mother. If not, then you have to come up with creative ideas and what you can afford to make your own gifts for your Mother to appreciate. If your mother loves jewellery and food, then what you can do is to give her favorite pendant with the Make Your Own Cupcake Trinket Box! This fantastic little kit has everything you need to make your mum a beautiful cupcakeshaped trinket box. Cupcakes are all the rage now with cupcake mugs, tea trays and even necklaces invading our high streets. The time has come to make your mum a personalized cupcake of her own to store all of her favorite jewellery in. The kit includes felt pieces, string, a plastic needle, stuffing and accessories so all you need is a little patience and you will have a beautiful gift for mum in no time. Why not treat mum to another necklace and hide it inside her new cupcake shaped trinket box? A nice idea for Mother's Day would be to wake mummy dearest up with breakfast in bed. What better way is there to bring your mum a nice cup of tea in bed than in her very own personalized mug? The Paint Your Own Mug is a great creative gift for mother's day. The set comes complete with a blank ceramic mug, 4 paints and a paintbrush. Simply choose your design and create your masterpiece! Once your design has been painted on to the mug, simply let it dry for 24 hours before placing in the oven to fix the paint. Everyone has their favourite mug so why not make a beautiful mug for your mum to cherish every day of the year? If you are looking for a truly sentimental gift you can personalize yourself, look no further than the Photo Bag Personalized Handbag. When it comes to handbags, all women like to have their own personal touch. Whether it is a limited edition Prada or a new season Primark, so long as they make them their own, women go wild for handbags. So why not give her the gift she always wanted, her own only one ever made handbag?


Mother’s Day Gifts

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The Photo Bag is a clear tote style bag with pockets in each side so you can personalise it with your favourite family snaps or holiday postcards! There are 12 compartments, which will fit any 6" x 4" photos or postcards. The handles of the Photo Bag are made from beautiful ribbons and the bag itself measures approximately 32 cm x 36 cm x 10 cm. A personalized handbag is perfect for putting a smile on mum's face wherever they are! So before you make the Mother's Day hike to the high street, take a look at Find Me A Gift and their unique range of make your own' mother’s day gifts! The credit crunch is hitting businesses across the country and people are seeking alternative stores to save money and get a bargain. Find Me a Gift offer everything online without the need for people to spend money on petrol, parking and inflated prices. With special offers and free shipping on orders over ??100 (UK only) this online store has everything from cheap novelty items to luxury experiences. Find Me a Gift is one of the UK's leading online gift retailers (ranked in the Top 10 of Hitwise). Established in June 2000, the company specializes in a wide range of gadgets, experiences, toys and personalized gifts with worldwide delivery and year round sales.


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WHY IS MOTHER’S DAY SO SPECIAL?

Mother's Day is a national holiday celebrating the loving bond between a mother and her child. Being a mother is among the toughest yet most rewarding jobs all women could ever have. At the moment of conception, many mothers' nurturing instincts take over. They start eating better, schedule regular doctor's appointments and prepare for their new baby. 38


Why Is Mother’s Day So Special?

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The maternal inclination to protect and comfort their baby kicks in and shapes the way they think and act. Many people say women glow during pregnancy - possibly pregnancy itself radiates motherly love that secretes from their bodies. Women know how painful birth can be, but they push the pain aside, just waiting for the first moment they see their baby. You can clearly see at the time of birth, their tears are not because they are exhausted and in pain, but because of their immediate love for their baby. Mothers are responsible for nurturing, teaching, and loving their children. Their impact on their child's life is crucial to their child being a positive and contributing member of society. We have all seen in movies the major events between mothers and their children's lives. Such as watching their child going off to school for the first time, watching them sing in their first school performance, or sitting in the audience as their child receives an award at school. But there are so many other ways mothers impact their children. I cannot count the times my wife has juggled work and her school schedules to attend one of our children's plays, award ceremonies, or sports activities. I know she believes someone has to be there for them, someone has to be in the audience to clap and show that they are loved. Mothers show compassion when their child is sad, listen when they need a friend, celebrate their successes, give them strength when they fail, and always think of their child before their own needs. Mothers often stay up all night with their baby, if he or she is sick and hold them in their arms to comfort them, possibly telling them that everything will be alright. If they have to go to work the next morning, they may be exhausted. But most will likely tell you they will not trade the good times or bad times for anything in the world. Because of this maternal devotion, children often think of their mothers first during major events throughout their lives. If you have ever watched an award ceremony, professional sports draft, or attending a wedding, you have surely heard the phrase "I would like to thank my Mom, she was always there for me".


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

Why is Mother's Day so special? Being a mother is special privilege. A unique job that requires unwavering commitment, dedication and love. This maternal love not only helps their child develop into a loving and responsible adult, but helps the mother to evolve into a more devoted and caring being. There truly is no replacement for a mother; it is a special bond, which can only be created between a mother and their child. Mother's Day is the perfect occasion to thank them for being there. I hope you and your Mom have a very happy and memorable Mother's Day.


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FATHER’S DAY


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FATHER’S DAY ORIGINS AND INSPIRATION

While mothers have had their special day since 1914, fathers have only recently officially received the recognition they so richly deserve. After all, dad is the pillar of the family unit, the one who made us feel safe, loved to tickle and tease, and above all gave us a sense of security. While mom was the pillow to fall on, dad was the rock who held us up. Here are some thoughts and facts on Father's Day, dedicated to every man out there who proudly wears the name DAD. 1. Origins In 1909, listening to a sermon on Mother's Day, Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd felt inspired by Anna Jarvis's efforts and felt there should also be a Father's Day. 47


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Her father, Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, had as a single parent raised his 6 children in Spokane, Washington after his wife's death. She initially suggested June 5th, the anniversary of her father's death. However, she did not provide the organizers with enough time to make arrangements and the celebration were deferred to the third Sunday in June. Unofficial support from such figures as William Jennings Bryan was immediate and widespread. Calvin Coolidge recommended it as a national holiday in 1924 but the all-male U.S. Congress was mindful that passing a measure so favorable to males could be seen as a conflict of interest. In 1926, The National Father's Day Committee met for the first time in New York City. Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day a holiday in 1966. But the holiday was not officially recognized until the presidency of Richard Nixon in 1972 when he signed into law a permanent U.S. Father's Day to be observed on the third Sunday of June. 2. Inspiring Words When my friend was 14, his father was so ignorant that he could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when my friend got to be 21, he was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. I am sure we all remember our teenage years and how true and insightful this statement by Mark Twain is. Here is another of my favorites. It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was. What Is A Dad? I’m sure not everyone would answer exactly the same way but this poem by an unknown author seems to sum it up very well. What Makes A Dad? Unknown God took The strength of a mountain, The majesty of a tree, The warmth of a summer sun, The calm of a quiet sea, The generous soul of nature, The comforting arm of night, The wisdom of the ages, The power of the eagle’s flight, The joy of a morning in spring, The faith of a mustard seed, The patience of eternity, The depth of a family need.


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Then God combined these qualities. And then there was nothing more to add. He knew His masterpiece was complete, And so, he called it - Dad. Perhaps the most important thing a father can give us is love. Hold on to your memories of youth. Those things that your father did that made you feel so special and loved. My favorite memory is of my father coming into my room one night when I was crying. He was so concerned even though to him, my problem must have seemed insignificant. By the time he left, I was happy and the world was a brighter place. Many of us have such memories.


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FATHER’S DAY GIFTS

Father's Day is just around the corner. I have no doubts that you are now scrambling to find the perfect gift for dear old dad. With each passing year, it can become harder and harder to come up with great Father’s Day gift ideas. Does your dad seem to have everything? Are you having a hard time figuring out just what you should get him? Are you tired of the traditional tie gifts and ready for something new and unique? 50


Father’s Day Gifts

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I have done the homework, research and hard work for you. Here are some fabulous Father’s Day gift ideas that might be perfect for the main man in your life. All you have to do now is decide which one is the perfect fit. The internet is full of great gift ideas and the great thing about shopping on the internet is that it saves you a great deal of time, money, and hassles. Thanks to the internet you have more choices than you ever had in a traditional offline shop, which means more chance to get creative and really find that perfect gift. Another great thing about the internet is that it makes shopping for your Father’s Day gift easy, quick, and safe. You save gas running to the various stores to look for that perfect gift. You save money because most websites will offer discounts or incentives. You save time because you do not have to get in your car, drive from store to store, and search through each one until you find that right gift. If shopping on the internet just sounded like a great idea, I couldn't agree with you more. What is more is that many websites offer gift wrapping and shipping to anywhere in the country or world, depending on which site you use. At the same time, you could start your Father's Day shopping right now and have it shipped at a later date, so that it reaches dad at just the right moment. Starting your shopping now is a great idea, because you have already taken care of your gift and now you do not have to worry about it slipping your mind until the last minute. If you are like me at all, you tend to forget sometimes, even when you try not to forget. So here are some Father’s Day gift ideas for you to consider to get you started. 1. Father’s Day Gift Baskets Father’s Day Gift Baskets are great because they can be themed to cover any hobby or interest your dad might like. These hobby gift baskets are perfect for getting something that your dad will really enjoy. What is even more important your dad will know that you were thinking about his interests. For example, if Dad loves motorcycles, why not send him a motorcycle themed basket.


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THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION GIFTS

Maybe your dad loves to golf, mine does too, so a golf gift basket might be the way to go. Of course, if you do happen to forget to do your shopping ahead of time, there are also some great gift baskets that make perfect last minutes gifts such as fruit or wine gift baskets. 2. Personalized Is Always The Way To Go I am really big on personalized gifts. To me, they just make the day and gift that much more special. Some personalize Father’s Day gift ideas might include personalized key chains. With a name or monogrammed initial, money clip, holders for business cards, cufflinks, or even get their favorite tool engraved with their name or special saying. And dad will know that you took the time to select the perfect gift and how it personalized! Jewelry Just For Dad Some men like men's jewelry, my dad is not one of them, but my grandfather was a big fan of pocket watches and cufflinks. There are many great Father’s Day gift ideas when it comes to men's jewelry. Aside from a pocket watch or cufflinks, you might consider a personalized necklace, a ring, or even a great chrome lighter, which can also be engraved. 3. Golf Gifts I could not leave out golf Father’s Day gift ideas. My dad is an avid golfer, just like dads all across the world. So, when searching for the right gift ideas, I just had to include golf gifts. The great news is that you have a wide variety of choices when it comes to golf gifts. How about getting dad a fabulous golf gift basket, which might include great snacks, a cup too keep dads drink cold, ball markers, note pad, tees, or a number of other things. Or a personalized putter set. There is an endless supply of golf gift ideas for Father's Day.


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TOP 10 FATHER’S DAY GIFTS

Every year when Father's Day approaches, sons and daughters always find it a difficult problem to choose a best gift for their fathers. Some just think that the most expensive means the best. However, a best gift is a gift that is unique and most important, it should be practical. So today we will share with you some special Father's Day Gift ideas in the hope that you may bring a real surprise when that day arrives. First, you can schedule an outing. Often a time being together in peace is what a father expects most. You can arrange a picnic, taking your dad to nearby mountains to enjoy a wonderful day and hearty chats. 53


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Second, you can help with chores. Dads often do mowing and fixing at home. But sometimes such routine may be boring. So you can set these chores up like a coupon book that your dad can redeem when he doesn't want to, say mow the lawn, but make sure that you follow through and do the work. Third, you can simply make a photo frame and include a photo of the two of you. Or you can offer to clean the family car. That is also a good idea. The above is some simple Father's Day gift ideas which are practical and money-saving. They are good ideas, especially for teens. However, if you have enough money and don't think well of the above, be patient and go on reading. The following is some advice on gadgets that you can buy for dads. The first one I like to recommend is a wireless luggage finder. A wireless luggage finder is a parented electronic luggage tag which features a built-in wireless transmitter and wireless key chain recognition device. While you wait at baggage claim, your key chain will sound, flash, and vibrate once your suitcase is within 20 meters. It really seems as if the suitcase could alert you while it is on the conveyor belt. For frequent- traveling fathers, this is useful and it saves the trouble of searching for suitcases. The second is a LED flash light. Dads are usually the ones who do manly jobs, such as fixing the car, repairing the garage and making sure that the sink is fine. These jobs are done only when there's sufficient light. So with a LED flash light, dads can see everything which should be seen, even in the dark so as to finish their jobs. The third is a leather bag. Bags are useful for women as well as for men. And generally speaking, men are less experienced than women in buying such accessories. It follows that a stylish and durable leather bag can be a perfect Father's Day gift.


Top 10 Father’s Day Gifts

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There are kinds of men's leather bags, and the price ranges from dozens of dollars to hundreds. Which kind is to be chosen all depends on whether it suits your father. Other Father's Day gifts include a cocktail making class where dads learn how to make classic cocktails while enjoying them with the experts, a skydiving adventure, a race car drive and ride and a journey abroad. Those gifts are not cheap, of course. As a matter of fact, a Father's Day gift needs not to be an expensive one. As long as you love your father, any gift is the best.


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CHILDREN’S DAY


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CHILDREN’S DAY

Children's Day is recognized on various days in many places around the world to honor children globally. It began the second Sunday of June in 1856 by the Reverend Dr. Charles Leonard, pastor of the Universalist Church of the Redeemer in Chelsea, Mass. That Sunday of June Dr. Leonard held a special service just for children to Dedicate them. He christened the day, Rose Day. Later it was named Flower Sunday. Still later the second Sunday of the month of July was named Children's Day. 59


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The International Day for Protection of Children is observed in many countries as Children's Day on 1 June since 1950. It was established by the Women's International Democratic Federation on its congress in Moscow. Major global variants include a Universal Children's Day on 20 November, by United Nations recommendation. Universal Children's Day takes place annually on 20 November. First proclaimed by the United Kingdom in 1954, it was established to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children. That is observed to promote the objectives outlined in the Charter and for the welfare of children. On 20 November 1959 the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.[6] The United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November 1989 and can be found on the Council of Europe website. In 2000, the Millennium Development Goals outlined by world leaders in order to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015. Albeit this applies to all people, the main objective is with regard to children. UNICEF is dedicated to meeting the 6 of 8 goals that apply to the needs of children so that they are all entitled to basic rights written in the 1989 international human rights treaty. It also delivers vaccines, works with policymakers for good health care and education and works exclusively to help children and protect their rights.


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5 BEST CHILDREN’S DAY GIFTS FOR GIRLS

The International Children's Day is around the corner. And I know that lots of parents are preparing gifts for their children. If you are still not clear about what to choose as gifts. Then you can read our follow recommendation and perhaps you will find the suitable item for your little girls. 1. New Dress Girls are all like new clothes, the little kids are no exception. So bring her a new dress as gift. I guess she will be so happy to wear such a new dress on that special day. 61


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2. Children's Swimwear Another good idea for the best gift is children's swimwear. As we are in the middle of summer, this is just the best time for us to go swimming. That will be very funny if you spent the time with your kids in the swimming pool. You teach them how to swim and share the joy and laugh together. 3. Toys All the kids love toys. And for girls their favorite toy may be Barbie Doll. From past to present, Barbie Doll act as a playmate to a girl when she was in her childhood. And because of the companions of Barbie doll, little girls have good memory of their childhood. So choose a Barbie doll for your lovely daughter and leave her good memory. 4. A Series Of Cartoon Films if you ask me what I loved to do mostly in my childhood; the answer should be watching cartoons. It is hard for me to rethink the question why kids are all love watching cartoons so much. But the idea of giving your kids a series of cartoon films will be inerrant. Choose what she likes best and put it in front of her. You will get your baby's scream of surprise. 5. Books Last but not least we recommend sending a book to your kids. As we all know that in the modern society knowledge is power. It is definitely a good idea to help your kid develop the habit of loving reading when she is very young. Choose the books which are fit for her age. You can let her reading the book alone. Or choose to read the book with her together and share the ideas or thoughts with each other after finish the book. Send a gift to kids is just a way to express our love to them. And the form to express your love is never limited to this. Anything you do for your kids are gifts and contain the love.


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FINDING THE PERFECT CHRISTENING GIFTS FOR BOYS

Finding ideal christening presents for boys is a simple way to make a child's christening day special. Unique christening presents not only show the child how much you care about them, but also serve as a symbol of your shared faith. If you are searching for great christening gift ideas, then there are a wide variety of gifts to choose from at the nearest Christian book store or online gift stores. 1. Embroidered Pillows And Comforters Embroidered pillows and comforters are both great choices when searching for christening presents for boys. 63


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There are many styles and colors for you to choose from so you shouldn't have a problem finding a good gift. You can even get a short bible verse embroidered upon the pillows or comforter. Including an inspirational message on the pillow or comforter will be a constant reminder to the child. It will help to keep them rooted in their faith and let them know that their family supports them. You can also customize embroidered pillows and comforters with a specific theme or pattern that matches current dĂŠcor. 2. Books And Toys We all know that infants have no practical use for gifts such as books and various toys. But these are still great gifts. These presents can be kept as memorabilia until the infant grows and can actually benefit from the gifts. There are board books that are developed and intended for young children, that proud parents can store and display these items in their home until the child has grown enough to truly appreciate the gifts. Many of these books that are given as christening presents for boys are typically books about Bible and other Christian stories which include pictures to make it fun for the child. These presents serve as entertainment to the children as well as a trusted learning resource. 3. Stuffed Animals And Other Toys Stuffed animals and other similar toys are also great christening presents for boys. You can also get one of the stuffed toys embroidered with a biblical quote or inspirational phrase Or help the parents out by giving presents that help decorate their baby boy's room. These gifts can be small items like a silver plated photo frame, biblical portraits, or even little toy figures from the bible. More great concepts for christening presents for boys could be a christening memory box, or infant jewelry with Christian-themed pendants.


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HALLOWEEN


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ORIGINS

Halloween - also known as All Saints' Eve - is a celebration observed in a number of countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the 3-day observance of Allhallowtide - the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints, martyrs and all the faithful departed. According to BBC Online, it is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from the ancient Celtic harvest festival Samhain and that this Gaelic observance was Christianized by the early Church. Samhain and other such festival had pagan roots. Some, however, support the view that Halloween began independently of Samhain and has solely Christian roots. 68


Origins

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Halloween activities include: 1. Trick-or-treating (or the related guising), 2. Attending Halloween costume parties, 3. Decorating, 4. Carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, 5. Lighting bonfires, 6. Apple bobbing and divination games, 7. Playing pranks, 8. Visiting haunted attractions, 9. Telling scary stories and 10. Watching horror films. In many parts of the world, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve. Including attending church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead, remain popular although elsewhere it is a more commercial and secular celebration. Some Christians historically abstained from meat on All Hallows' Eve - a tradition reflected in the eating of certain foods on this vigil day - including apples, potato pancakes and soul cakes. Christian Influence Today's Halloween customs are also thought to have been influenced by Christian dogma and practices derived from it. Halloween is the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day Also known as All Saints' or Hallowmas on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November, thus giving the holiday on 31 October the full name of All Hallows' Eve. Since the time of the early Church, major feasts in the Christian Church (such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost) had vigils which began the night before, as did the feast of All Hallows'. These 3 days are collectively referred to as Allhallowtide and are a time for honoring the saints and praying for the recently departed souls who have yet to reach Heaven.


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All Saints was introduced in the year 609, but was originally celebrated on 13 May, the same date as Lemuria, an ancient Roman festival of the dead. In 835, it was officially switched to 1 November, the same date as Samhain, at the behest of Pope Gregory IV. Some suggest this was due to Celtic influence, while others suggest it was a Germanic idea, although it is claimed that both Germanic and Celtic-speaking peoples commemorated the dead at the beginning of winter. It may have been seen as the most fitting time to do so, as it was when the plants themselves were dying. It is also suggested that the change was made on the practical grounds that Rome in summer could not accommodate the great number of pilgrims who flocked to it. And perhaps because of public health considerations regarding Roman Fever - a disease that claimed a number of lives during the sultry summers of the region.


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HALLOWEEN GIFT BASKETS

October is the time of year that many people are gearing up for Halloween. There are parties and other events that giving the host or hostess Halloween gift baskets is the perfect thank you gift. After all, there are gift baskets for almost all other occasions during the year and special events. These gift baskets are filled with goodies to the brim but seldom do people think about Halloween gift baskets for others. They are a great deal of fun and wonderful to give during the celebrations, festivities and activities surrounded around Halloween. When you think of Halloween gift baskets most people think of children. After all, Halloween is for kids. 71


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Yet, many kids love the Halloween gift baskets they do not seem to appreciate them as much as grown-ups. One of the best adults to give Halloween gift baskets is to the child's teacher. You will discover that Halloween is a very busy event for the majority of teachers. Kids need assistance getting their costumes and make-up ready for the holiday events. Naturally, the end of the day is a time that teachers would enjoy Halloween gift baskets to help them relax and have their own treats. Do you remember the hours and hours your grandmother spent baking those perfect Halloween cookies? Grandmothers enjoy having gifts of appreciation and gratitude. The Halloween gift baskets are ideal for grandmothers to enjoy as the Halloween events come to an end. There are all kinds of delicious cookies, tasty candies and even chocolate delights that fill Halloween gift baskets. The popularity of Halloween gift baskets is increasing the number of pre-made baskets available from stores. Take a trip to your local gift basket vendor to order a basket ahead of time for October. Are you out of luck finding a vendor to purchase Halloween gift baskets from? The good news is that many online shops specialize in Halloween gift baskets. Many of these store fronts will take the time to allow you to pick out special items just for the basket to make it more personable and just what you need for the gift.


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HALLOWEEN GIFT IDEAS

It is that time of the year when ghosts, witches and ghoulish monsters roam the streets uninhibited. Yes, this is Halloween, the celebration of all things dark, dreary and creepy. An annual holiday celebrated on October 31, the day is often associated with the color black as well as with fun Halloween activities like trick-or-treating. Jack-o-lanterns, dressing up in monster costumes and Halloween parties, all form an integral part of the festivities and celebrations. 73


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Yet for most, the scariest part of Halloween is not the monsters and the mayhem, it's figuring what to gift loved ones to make their celebrations more special. It is vital that the gift be interesting and also keeps with the theme of Halloween. Quite a challenge! A few exciting Halloween gift ideas which are easily available are monster masks or cakes and cookies shaped like tombstones or coffins. These are sure to make the kids especially happy. Gifting greeting cards, horror movies on DVD or CD, board games, as well as scary jewelery, are a few other popular options. Almost every holiday have songs. Halloween has some amazing songs to either scare your company for fun. People will be searching for cool Halloween songs and it can be one of the coolest Halloween gift ideas. Though, if you are looking for something a little more unique and refreshingly different, there is always the option of premium gifting sites . From gourmet baskets bursting with irresistible Halloween treats to floral bouquets exclusively crafted by world renowned floral masters, this is one Halloween that won't be BOO-ring for your loved ones. The author writes about gifting ideas and gifting needs for all kinds of occasions and is also proficient in writing about different floral solution and gifting ideas. He writes exclusively for Flora2000.


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THANKSGIVING


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5 FAST AND AFFORDABLE THANKSGIVING IDEAS

Thanksgiving has been a special occasion to me and my family. It enables us to take a break from our studies and working schedule so that we can recall how very thankful we really are for what we have. It is also a doorway for the busy and occasional costly holiday season! So here are some great ideas to enlighten the autumn splendor in your home without spending too much money. 81


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1. Create A Platform For Your Thanksgiving Celebrations! Put up layer fabrics on windows and tables, take out the area rugs for layering and exchange some of your more summery accessories for ideas with rich colors and feel. This do not need to be costly. You can start off by visiting your own linen closet for quilts and sheets which can be pushed into service, or head down to your local thrift store to find out what they got in store. You can produce great looking sew placemats from warm colors of fleece. Call up your few close friends and see if they got linens or accessories to trade! You can arrange breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings for those. 2. Purchase 1 Or 2 Packs Of Silk Fall Leaves They merely cost a couple of dollars at discounted prices, so make full use of your budget permits. Position them behind picture frames, spray them on tabletops, and even affix them to your guest towels! There is nothing bringing that warmth to a home more than fall's splendor! 3. Restructure Your Family Living Areas Think about how restructuring your seating arrangements could produce conversational areas, and heat up the look of a room. Use the sofa on a diagonal, or make use of loveseat at the dining table. Move a hardly used chair to a corner and include some throws and pillows for your reading venue. A fresh view can be charming and fresh, and who knows, maybe you actually will get around to that book! 4. Create A Little Snack Or Breakfast Table In A Corner Of Your Kitchen Decorate it with a basket of apples, and maintain a venue setting or two always set for that impromptu hot cider with your spouse or kids. These touches provide warmth whether we utilize them or not, just realizing they are there for us! Serve dinner and supper burgers on your best china, put a vase of fall flowers out at breakfast, or visit a farmers market and put up your finds in pretty baskets from the dollar shop. Tie fall ribbon to the rear of dining chairs, added with pillows or guest towels.


5 Fast And Affordable Thanksgiving Ideas

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Use dry erase marker to write inspirational messages on the bathroom mirrors for your kids and guests! Apply these great ideas for your home today, and discover how thankful your family and friends are that you cared enough to make your home attractive without spending more than required.


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7 AFFORDABLE THANKSGIVING DECORATION IDEAS

Thanksgiving is approaching. You instantly recalled about turkey, sweet potatoes, apple pie, corn cob, and vegetable salad which are normally Turkey meals. All of a sudden, you decided to compile a list of things you will order and contribute to the Thanksgiving Party that you will organize for your family, friends and relatives. In fact, you feel so excited about it. However, you should remember the things that you should bring to the occasion: beautification. Decorating your house is simple to say, but tough to do, in particular when your budget is limited. 84


7 Affordable Thanksgiving Decoration Ideas

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Now, how do you go about beautifying your place for the Thanksgiving with affordability in mind? You need not worry. Just take note, uniqueness can result in Thanksgiving decorations being cheaper or more affordable. Here are our 7 affordable Thanksgiving decoration ideas to assist you. 1. Fill your house with colors that represent Thanksgiving: orange, red, green, brown and amber. These colors may have to be more particular in your living room, where you get your visitors. You may utilize these colors for the fabric for your centerpiece, table, placemats, sofa, and pillow, among other things. 2. Lighting attributes a lot in bringing a Thanksgiving atmosphere in your home. Light your house with candles which symbolize the colors of gold, red, yellow, and brown. Position them significantly in the tables around the home. 3. Flowers are also a sign of Thanksgiving. Consider decorating your house with flowers. Or, you may opt to gather fallen dried leaves from your area and attempt to create a unique decoration out of them. 4. Try to come up with a decoration out of a pumpkin. The most prominent is placing a face on a pumpkin. Craft 2 designs and display them in the family dining table and in the centerpiece table placed in the living room. 5. A house which organizes Thanksgiving will not be fulfiled without a Thanksgiving wreath, so create at least one. Display this right at your door step to say hello to everybody coming to your home. This will provide warmth to your visitors. 6.

Load the center of your family dining table with a basket of fruits and some vegetables.

Not only will they add variety to dinner, they will also add nutrition to members who are more concerned with eating healthy to just delicious food.


86 7.

THANKSGIVING AND APPRECIATION IDEAS Exhibit your family pictures in the living room.

Remember to produce all your creative juices to design picture display with a Thanksgiving theme. Such decoration will certainly grasp the attention of your visitors. With these Thanksgiving decoration ideas, you will definitely spend less than expected. Significantly, you will also manifest the artist in you.


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THANKSGIVING DECORATIONS

Thanksgiving is closing by and people will come to gather to offer thanks for all blessing that come this year. The time turkey, pie, and delicious dishes will fill the table. Family will be reunited and children will find themselves with gifts and toys. Commonly, thanksgiving is celebrated with a dinner. The host will be very busy preparing the foods to be eaten and shared. The dining table will be dress accordingly. Some few table preparation tricks will make the stable very presentable. 87


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There are also thanksgiving decorations products that can help in preparing the table. These thanksgiving decorations items can make the occasion more lively and felt. The thanksgiving decorations products can now be purchased online. Different internet shops are now offering thanksgiving decorations items with variety of kinds, design, and type. For a better viewing of items, the Dino Direct has list of thanksgiving decorations products that will fully dresses the dining table. The product list is composed napkin rings, decorative candleholder, flameless candle, kitchen mat and other kitchen accessory. A concrete example of thanksgiving decorations products is the napkin rings. The site offer variety of napkin ring to prepare the napkins n style and elegance. The thanksgiving decorations napkin rings comes in design like stylish pattern round, spring three coil, irregular round, triangle, Q shaped, and rose figured rings. The materials used in the thanksgiving decorations rings are also notable. Some of the materials are alloys, stainless steel, iron, and grid copper. The materials make the thanksgiving decorations rings durable to last for more thanksgiving occasion. The surface of the rings are fully furnished and polish making it very shiny, sparkling, and truly elegant. Candles and candleholders are also remarkable items in the site list. The site has the Best Wishes Flameless Tea Light LED Candle for Thanksgiving 12 Pcs item. The candle used LED bulb and designed o look like a real candle. It can save the house from smoke, bad smells, and spilled wax. The candle can be turn-off by blowing or shaking closely like a real candle. Another beautiful thanksgiving decorations item is the candleholders. The candleholders have design that contributes to the table presentation and the traditional candlelights are preserved and presented elegantly. The thanksgiving decorations products are also affordable.


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HOMEMADE THANKSGIVING DECORATION IDEAS

Holiday season is the opportunity for people to decorate their houses. If they have one, their lawn or yard. The same goes for Thanksgiving decorations that reflect the harvest season as well as the beautiful red, gold and brown colors of fall. While some of these ornaments were developed by the old European pagan folks and used for the end of harvest season celebrations; some ornaments have wholly been created during the twentieth century. 89


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It is typical to see, on the gardens or yards of many houses, foddershocks or bundles of cornstalks placed with other Autumn symbols. Such as pumpkins, cushaw, scarecrows and other decorations related to the fall season. For instance, the wicker man is one of these decorations, born from the old European pagan traditions. This decoration was filled with the first goods from the crop and given as a present to the gods before being burned in their honor. Another of those decorations stemming from these old traditions is the wreath. A wreath was woven out of grapevines or thin oak limbs and was generally decorated with wooden beads, sunflowers, feathers, miniature pumpkins and many other products from the fall season. With the advent of aggressive commercialism during the 20th century, entrepreneurs cashed in on the idea of ornamental lights, once simply used for Christmas decor for the Thanksgiving holidays. Right along with decorative napkins, tableware, candles, napkin rings, and hundreds of other Thanksgiving-themed things. You can purchase cute small Tom Turkey figurines to put on your tables and images of happy settlers and Indians that are enjoying a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Pre-made fodder shocks, fall wreaths, acorns, apples, oak leaves, ears of weath, small gourds are available in any retail store and even at the local road side flea market or farmer's market. Although, if you have the time and the inclination, you will be able to save money and have more fun making your own Thanksgiving decorations. 1. The Foddershock Building a foddershock is really easy. You just have to get a good number dried corn stalks, normally left in cornfields after the harvests, and tie them in the midsection of the bundle to create a sort of tepee shaped bunching. 2. Stand Your Fodder Stock up in the selected area of lawn or yard and add squash, pumpkins, gourds, around it. You can also add a scarecrow to your new fall decor.


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3. Handmade Scarecrow Creating a scarecrow is so simple. Just make a cross with two sticks that you will join firmly together. Dress the sticks with a long sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. Add some items such as socks or a hat. To build the head of your scarecrow, use an old pillowcase or a cloth bag. Fill it with papers, old rags or fiberfill. Draw a face on the fabric and then bind the head on the vertical stick with a strong bond. Tip: put an old hat on top of it. As a good alternative, you may use a pumpkin for the head. These are just a few of the decorations you can create at home with your kids. Do not hesitate to use your creativity to make your own traditional Thanksgiving decorations!


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HOW TO MAKE A GREAT THANKSGIVING DINNER

A truly great Thanksgiving dinner blends the best of tradition with new modern touches. Spice up this Thanksgiving holiday with fresh table decorating and menu ideas that your family is sure to love. Also, find ways to make the holiday fun for the whole family by get kids involved in the table preparation and cooking. How your table is decorated sets the tone for you entire holiday dinner. Create a warm and inviting atmosphere using fun touches. 92


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Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling: · 1. Use a bouquet of fresh fruit shaped as autumn flowers as your centerpiece · Orange and brown candles can create an added touch of elegance · Pumpkins, gourds or dried corn make great place holders · 2. Fold table napkins into holiday shapes like a turkey Your holiday menu should be as fresh and interesting as your decor. 3. Consider adding a new flare to your traditional dishes this Thanksgiving. Here are some creative meal ideas to get you on your way: · Deep fried turkey is not only delicious but cooks in a fraction of the time · A. Add roasted garlic and chives to mashed potato dishes · B. Steam corn in olive oil, coarse salt and cracked pepper C. Add tex-mex, grated cheddar cheese and finely diced jalapenos to traditional biscuits 4. Get kids involved this Thanksgiving holiday. From food preparation to table setting kids can be a great help. Most kids are excited about the holiday and eager to participate. Here are a few ways to include them: · A. Let them decorate the table using decorations you have selected · B. Have them add the place holders where they like. It might be fun to seat family members in unexpected spots · C. Give them simple cooking tasks as you speed through the menu. Like beating eggs or mashing potatoes. Also, get kids involved by giving back. Create a new tradition where the entire family volunteers at local community dinners. Did you know that organizations like The Mississauga Food Bank source, manage and distribute food to 111 food programs?


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Donating time, money or food to a local food bank can be a valuable experience for the whole family. The key to having a great Thanksgiving dinner is not just in great decorating and a creative menu but how you spend the time together. Make that time special not only for your family but those families fighting hunger in your community as well. Create flavorful meal ideas, fun decorations and find ways to get your family involved.


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BLACK FRIDAY


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BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Usually the fourth Thursday of November. Since 1932, it has been regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season in the U.S., and most major retailers open very early and more recently - during overnight hours and offer promotional sales. Black Friday is not an official holiday, but California and some other states observe The Day After Thanksgiving as a holiday for state government employees, sometimes in lieu of another federal holiday such as Columbus Day. 100


Black Friday Shopping

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Many non-retail employees and schools have both Thanksgiving and the following Friday off, which, along with the following regular weekend, makes it a four-day weekend, thereby increasing the number of potential shoppers. It has routinely been the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005 although news reports - which at that time were inaccurate - have described it as the busiest shopping day of the year for a much longer period of time. Similar stories resurface year upon year at this time, portraying hysteria and shortage of stock, creating a state of positive feedback. In 2014, spending volume on Black Friday fell for the first time since the 2008 recession. $50.9 billion was spent during the 4-day Black Friday weekend, down 11% from the previous year. However, the U.S. economy was not in a recession. Christmas creep has been cited as a factor in the diminishing importance of Black Friday, as many retailers now spread out their promotions over the entire months of November and December rather than concentrate them on a single shopping day or weekend. The earliest evidence of the phrase Black Friday applied to the day after Thanksgiving in a shopping context suggests that the term originated in Philadelphia, where it was used to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving. This usage dates to at least 1961. More than twenty years later. As the phrase became more widespread, a popular explanation became that this day represented the point in the year when retailers begin to turn a profit, thus going from being in the red to being in the black. For many years, it was common for retailers to open at 6:00 a.m., but in the late 2000s many had crept to 5:00 or 4:00. This was taken to a new extreme in 2011, when several retailers. Including Target, Kohl's, Macy's, Best Buy, and Bealls opened at midnight for the first time. In 2012, Walmart and several other retailers announced that they would open most of their stores at 8:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, prompting calls for a walkout among some workers. In 2014 stores such as JCPenney, Best Buy, and Radio Shack opened at 5:00 PM on Thanksgiving Day while stores such as Target, Walmart, Belk, and Sears opened at 6:00 PM on Thanksgiving Day.


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3 states - Rhode Island, Maine, and Massachusetts - prohibit large supermarkets, big box stores, and department stores from opening on Thanksgiving, due to blue laws. There have been reports of violence occurring between shoppers on Black Friday. Since 2006, there have been 7 reported deaths and 98 injuries throughout the United States. It is common for prospective shoppers to camp out over the Thanksgiving holiday in an effort to secure a place in front of the line and thus a better chance at getting desired items. This poses a significant safety risk (such as the use of propane and generators in the most elaborate cases, and in general, the blocking of emergency access and fire lanes, causing at least one city to ban the practice.


2

BLACK FRIDAY ADS

Black Friday ads are valuable pieces of paper. But they are meaningless unless you plan on using them. You get large amounts of these black Friday ads stuffing your mailbox on a regular basis. It is eventually your task to take the time to painstakingly go through them all to find which of these advertisements are relevant to your individual shopping needs. Little do most people know that there is in fact a solution to this problem that involves the use of little paper, little time and a medium amount of effort. We all know how much of a waste of time sorting through black Friday ads can be. 103


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Usually, you have these advertisements loaded into your mailbox and under your door, in no particular order and sometimes wrinkled or ruined as a result. The delivery and condition of these ads makes the patience testing task of sorting through them all extremely difficult, almost to the point where it is not even worthwhile. Not to mention the fact that with the increased number of these advertisements coming yearly, it has become less humanly possible to search through them all to find the most promising deals. Fortunately there are such things as ad scans, which are your most valuable asset in managing your search for the best black Friday deals. Ad scans are the easiest way for you to sort through hundreds of ads from retailers across the country to find the deals you are looking for. This online tool scans the internet for all the black Friday promotions and coupons from retailers of all sizes, putting them in one database for you to browse at your convenience. These scans are extremely valuable, as they save time and paper, allowing you to do one quick black Friday shopping search to see all the relevant sales available. An ad scan would present you with a list of ads that you can sort based on your shopping preferences. For instance, you can sort the black Friday deals by store. This would be useful if you were interested in Walmart black Friday sales. You could look at sales from multiple stores at once, covering a range of department stores, franchises and even smaller retail locations. Further, you can also sort the online ad scans listings by product category, meaning that you first look for the type of product you want and then the associated discounts. Combining these 2 types of lists would also give the consumer an even stronger ability to find the deals they covet most, again avoiding the effort of looking through endless piles of paper. Essentially, if you are looking for the easiest and most time efficient way in which to gather and sort through all the best black Friday ads, then ad scans are the way to go. They clearly present the user with the most efficient way to prioritize their shopping lists, as well as seek out the deals which best align with their buying needs. This greatly helps the shopper avoid the aggressive in-store environment that they will find when searching for products on such a wonderful shopping day.


3

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST FROM BLACK FRIDAY DEALS?

If you are also interested in making the most from Black Friday deals then you should understand the ins and outs of this exciting program. Because it will be necessary for you have complete understanding towards these deals. There are many Black Friday Questions among the people and they are interested in knowing it in deep. It is one of the most important and beneficial shopping event and you will probably like to take advantage from it. Its commencement falls on the day of Friday after the Thanksgiving. 105


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In this present year, it can be on the November 26. People love to get the latest and most advantageous deals on that day and they would love to have some shopping. They like to spend their time on that day because they will have a chance to make the most Black Friday Deal. If you have questions in your mind, you can make them clear by knowing more about this event. You will not have to face any of the big trouble if you are going to spend some time on that day. You can take complete advantage form Black Friday Deals because these are also available online and you will not have to go to many places if you are adopting this way. You will be able to get the best deals of all the year on that day because it is rather a special day for all people and you will find number of different deals in markets and shops. You can take the help of Internet for making the most from Black Friday Deal because these deals will be available for you on the Internet very easily. And you will find them conveniently without facing any panic or trouble. You can have exciting offers and gifts while visiting these online shopping stores and this thing will be more suitable for you than any other way. You can get the products with extra ordinary discounts and you will have a chance to buy them in cheap prices because of huge discount. You can save your money if you are interested in having this Black Friday Deal. It will be beneficial for you by all means. You can make the end of November, beautiful and attractive for you because of all these exciting and marvelous offers. You can use coupons for having some other benefits. Now, there will not be any Black Friday Questions in your mind and you would have understood all-important points very clearly. You can make the most from this Black Friday Deal, if you are going to take part in this event. You will find this occasion full of colors and benefits, many people will love to have some share in it by shopping more and more. You can also get many other advantages from that day and it is not so far from you. This deal will give you time to select most appropriate gift and product for you.


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CYBER MONDAY


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ORIGINS

Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. The term Cyber Monday was created by marketing companies to persuade people to shop online. The term was coined by Ellen Davis and made its debut on November 28, 2005 in a Shop press release entitled Cyber Monday Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year. According to the Shop / Bizrate Research 2005 e-Holiday Mood Study, 77 percent of online retailers said that their sales increased substantially on the Monday after Thanksgiving, a trend that is driving serious online discounts and promotions on Cyber Monday. 111


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In 2014, Cyber Monday online sales grew to a record $2.68 billion, compared with last year's $2.29 billion. However, the average order value was $124, down slightly from 2013's $128. The deals on Cyber Monday are online-only and generally offered by smaller retailers that cannot compete with the big retailers. Black Friday generally offers better deals on technology, with nearly 85% more data storage deals than Cyber Monday. The past Black Fridays saw far more deals for small appliances, cutlery, and kitchen gadgets on average than Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday is larger for fashion retail. On the past two Cyber Mondays, there was an average of 45% more clothing deals than on Black Friday. There were also 50% more shoe deals on Cyber Monday than on Black Friday. Cyber Monday has become an international marketing term used by online retailers across the world.


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SIMPLE TIPS FOR CYBER MONDAY SHOPPERS AND RETAILERS

Cyber Monday is just around the corner. If you're one of the many anticipating all the good deals you will find online, you should go to the battle prepared. Yes, participating in the Cyber Monday mad rush is pretty much like going to a battle. You will be battling it out with the thousands (or millions!) of people spending the whole of Monday in front of the computer grabbing all the awesome discounted deals on some popular consumer items. It is the best day to buy that LED TV you have long had your eyes on. Or that laptop you simply adore. 113


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Although it is going to be more comfortable than getting crushed inside the shops on Black Friday, there are also downsides to shopping on Cyber Monday. But only if you are not well-prepared. If you run an online shop, Cyber Monday is one of the best profit-making opportunities of the year. But it will take more than good products and a website to attract online shoppers. There are a number of important things that online retailers like you should prepare for before Cyber Monday comes. What follows are two sets of tips: one for Cyber Monday shoppers, and a second one for online retailers. A. Tips For Cyber Monday Shoppers: 1. The first thing that you need to do is update the security software of your computer. With the many websites you will be visiting, you will never know what your computer can get. It is better to be safe than sorry. 2. Find Cyber Monday Deals Selling What You Want Do not just click on links found in social media sites as many of these are fronts for scams. Also avoid clicking on links found in emails coming from unfamiliar or unknown senders. 3. Look For The Best Deals Do not purchase the first item that you find just because you like it. Search for more alternatives; not necessarily cheaper ones, but those that offer more. Like free shipping and extra free merchandise. 4. Use More Than One Credit Card Another tip for not getting scammed is to use more than one credit card. Especially if you intend to do multiple purchases. This will also help make it easier for you to track your expenses. 5. Search For Cyber Monday Coupon Deals If you want to save some and still get the best deals, search for Cyber Monday coupon codes.


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Some coupons have add-on offers that can help make your Cyber Monday shopping experience more rewarding. Tips for Cyber Monday Retailers: 1. Use Social Media To Promote Your Site Coming up with an ad on Facebook or fanpage, for example, will help inform the buying public about what your site has to offer. Blogging about your Cyber Monday deals will also help a lot. 2. Strong Call Of Action In marketing and advertising your site, be sure to come up with a strong call of action. Use phrases or sentences like grab the latest name of your product for the lowest price. Or Get The Best Deal For Your Money Now! Include all the details you want your target buyers to know, like discounted prices and additional merchandise or promo offers. You can also provide them with a link of the products you will be selling. 3. Early Preparation Start your marketing and advertising campaign early. You still have the whole of Thanksgiving week to draw in the buyers, so start working now! 4. Note The Needs And Wants Of Shoppers Finally, do not forget to highlight all the things that Cyber Monday shoppers look for: online security, quality (in products and deals), and exceptional service. We hope that these tips will help make your Cyber Monday a fruitful experience! Happy shopping!


3

TIPS FOR GETTING FABULOUS CYBER MONDAY SHOPPING DEALS

For as long as I can remember, Black Friday was the shopping day of the season. Since it kicked off the official holiday shopping term, it was the one day when you could save some serious cash on everything from socks to electronics. In recent years, though, Cyber Monday has quietly usurped the top position with over 95 million Americans doing their shopping on this day versus the 79 million Americans who shopped in retail stores Black Friday in 2009. Cyber Monday is the first Monday after Thanksgiving. 116


Tips For Getting Fabulous Cyber Monday Shopping Deals

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It developed over the years because it was the first day that people went back to work after the Thanksgiving. Employees would use the company's high speed internet to do their holiday shopping online. Retailers took notice of the spike in their web traffic and began offering Cyber Monday deals that rivaled their Black Friday offers. In addition to being incredibly easy and convenient, you can score some good deals with the Cyber Monday specials offered by retailers. Here are some tips for getting the most out of this popular online shopping event. 1. Do Your Homework Since you are shopping online, you won't have the benefit of being able to see or touch the products. Therefore, do some window shopping and get the model numbers, sizes, colors - all the pertinent information about the products you want to buy. This will help make sure you order the right thing. 2. Shop At Places That Offer Free Shipping If you are not careful, the cost of shipping can easily gobble up the money you save shopping on Cyber Monday. Look for places that offer free shipping deals. This can save you another 20% off the cost of the product. 3. Get Online Early To Avoid Digital Congestion Just like the stores on Black Friday, websites will be inundated with internet visitors on Cyber Monday. This can affect the site's loading time and slow your shopping to a crawl. Especially if you are using a dial up service. Get up extra early to avoid the rush. 4. Shop Early To Get The Good Stuff Another reason to shop early is that quantities may be limited. Many retail stores will have deals throughout the day.


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Since they don't want to give away the store, they will often limit coupons and quantities to the first few hundred people who checkout online. If you want to get the deal, be at your computer before everyone else. 5. Shop For Electronics Online Retailers know that most people who shop online for Cyber Monday deals are tech savvy. Therefore, they will usually offer some awesome deals on electronics. Instead of risking life and limb to get them on Black Friday, wait until Cyber Monday and enjoy front door delivery. 6. Make Friends With Retail Me Not This is a website that specializes in providing coupon codes for all of the major retailers online. To save additional money, you should have this site open so you can search for Cyber Monday coupon codes quickly and apply them easily. 7. Shop At An All In One Website To save time and money, pick a one stop shop website that serves as a portal to multiple retail stores. The main benefit of using this type of website is that you can comparison shop prices without having to surf from one site to another. The site where I shop has a powerful search engine that will help you seek out the best deals and potentially earn you cash back on your purchases. Amazon is among the major players in the online shopping world. Last year, it was the number one most visited retailer on Cyber Monday for the third year in a row. However, a fast rising competitor - Alibaba - is giving the internet retailer a run for its money. Founded and headed by CEO Jack Ma, this China-based company directly contracts with manufacturers to get the best price on over one million brand named products including HP, GPS from Garmin, Canon, and Cuisinart.


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