Holiday Gift Guide #1 2019

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A publication of the Billings Area News Group

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Shop small businesses to improve the holiday experience It’s the time of year when newspapers thicken with sales circulars and holiday advertisements. Consumers looking to beat the hustle and bustle and steer clear of the crowds this year may want to pay attention to local businesses in lieu of trekking to nearby shopping malls.

Every time consumers visit local coffee shops to grab a latte, pick up a dress at a nearby boutique or patronize a farmer’s market down the street, they are supporting a small business. The Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving are some of the busiest shopping days of the season, and they also can be some of the friendliest to small businesses.

Plaid Friday was conceptualized in Oakland. It may have been born in the Golden State, but the movement soon spread across the country. Plaid Friday is an alternative to big box stores’ Black Friday bonanzas. It is designed to promote both local and independentlyowned businesses during the holiday season. The name Plaid Friday was used to help people visualize the various threads of small businesses coming together to create a strong community fabric that was diverse and creativity.

Shoppers can continue their small business patronage with Small Business Saturday. This, too, is a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The first event was created by American Express in conjunction with the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation. Since its inception, many small business groups, merchants and politicians have touted the event and the Shop Small® mantra. The idea is that when small businesses thrive, communities and individuals thrive along with them.

The Small Business Administration says that, since 1995, small businesses have generated 66 percent of all new jobs in the United States. There are a number of big reasons to shop small. One can start around the holidays and then continue all year long.

• Shopping small businesses helps give back to the community directly. According to Civic Economics, a strategic planning business, on average 48 percent of each purchase made at independent businesses is recirculated locally through tax money and other support.

• Small business owners often strive to provide personalized, hands-on customer service.

Repeat business is key to their survival, so they want to ensure shoppers are happy.

• Small businesses, since they are not beholden to corporate oversight in terms of what they sell, have greater flexibility. That allows them to offer a diverse product selection.

• Small business owners often live nearby, and they’re the people you see in town, schools and elsewhere in the local community. Many consumers are comforted to know they’re supporting their neighbors, especially during the holiday season.

Supporting local businesses is easy. And shoppers who like what they see can share the good news with others on social media.

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Information to include on holiday party invitations Technology has changed nearly every facet of everyday life, and that includes holiday hosting. Whereas hosts once had to worry about getting invitations stamped, sealed and sent out on time, e-invitations, often referred to as “evites,” have simplified the invitation process immensely.

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Hosts can still send invitations the old-fashioned way, but they also can now use preexisting templates to design holiday invitations in minutes and send them out to all of their guests.

• Location: It might seem like a no-brainer, but don’t forget to include the location of the party on your invitation. Even if you annually host a holiday party at home, include your full address so guests, especially new invitees, have something to enter into their vehicle GPS systems.

• Degree of formality: Guests will want to know if the party is formal or casual, so let them know via the invitation. If no dress code information is included, guests will likely assume the affair is casual.

• Menu: If you plan to serve a meal, include information about the menu on the invitation and request that guests with specific food allergies inform you or bring their own food to the party.

• Theme: Holiday parties sometimes have themes. So if you want everyone to dress up as a favorite holiday movie character or if you want to throw a Santa-themed soiree, make sure to include such information on the invitation.

• Accommodations: The U.S. Department of Transportation notes that, each year, hundreds of people die in drunk driving crashes during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. If you plan to serve alcohol, let guests know on the invitation and let them know you will arrange for safe transportation home, if necessary. Ridesharing apps have made it easier than ever to get home safely, but hosts should still keep the phone numbers of local taxi companies on hand and make sure guests rooms are ready to accommodate guests who get a little too festive.

Party invitations have changed dramatically over the last couple of decades. But they still serve as a guests’ primary source of party information.

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• Date and time: The date and time of the party should be clearly stated on the invitation. The holiday season is one of the busiest social seasons of the year, with family gatherings and office parties dotting December schedules. Leave nothing to the imagination on your invitation and clearly indicate the day of your party and what time it begins.

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Cooking for a holiday crowd Decorations and shopping draw much of the attention come the holiday season, and rightfully so. But many people’s fondest holiday memories occurred around the dinner table during meals with friends and family.

Holiday foods tend to be rich, flavorful and timeconsuming to prepare. However, all the effort is usually worth the satisfied smiles on the faces of loved ones.

Planning holiday meals is challenging, and hosts often doubt if they have enough food for everyone. No one wants guests to leave feeling hungry, nor do they want to have tons of leftovers, much of which will inevitably end up in the trash. Determining how much food to serve involves figuring out a few key items, including the mix of guests (ratio of children, men and women), the length of the occasion, the timing of the event, and the type of meal one plans to serve. For example, if the holiday gathering is an after-dinner cocktail party, hosts can get away with offering very little food. However, hosts of holiday dinners have a lot more food to prepare.

To get started, consider these general guidelines, courtesy of Allrecipes.com and The Spruce, a home living resource.

• Think about which foods you plan to serve. Popular foods tend to go more quickly than other items, so serve more than the general portion guidelines suggest. Shellfish

appetizers, roasted or mashed potatoes, wings, and slices of rich meat are examples of popular fare.

• The more foods you offer, the smaller the portion sizes can be. But because guests will likely want to try all the offerings, expect the average person to consume more food per individual when several foods are offered.

• Most people will eat two to three portions each of appetizers or snacks. In fact, appetizers (for a hungry crowd) may be consumed in greater abundance than subsequent courses.

• Average portion sizes for each guest include: 3 ounces of dips; 3 ounces of salad; 6 ounces of meat or main entrée; 5 ounces of starch; and 11⁄2 pieces of dessert. These estimates can be used to calculate how much food will be needed.

• Think about adding “safety” items to the menu that can be pulled out in a pinch and don’t require much prep work. These can include cheese and crackers, extra bread, nuts, olives, or pretzels.

Hosts who are overly concerned that guests may go overboard can tame portion sizes by hiring servers who can oversee buffet lines. Otherwise, serve guests plated meals directly from the kitchen, from which hosts can dole out the right amount of food to ensure everyone gets enough to eat.

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What to do with Thanksgiving leftovers Holiday hosts toil for hours to create lavish meals everyone will enjoy. It’s not uncommon for Thanksgiving tables to be covered with more food than guests can conceivably (and comfortably) consume.

Leftovers are the norm, but without a plan for what to do with leftovers, food can spoil or end up in the trash.

Here are some delicious and waste-conscious ways to put Thanksgiving or other holiday meal leftovers to use.

Wrap it up promptly

Even though you may want to sit around and chat with guests when the meal is finished, leaving food out at room temperature for too long can create a breeding ground for microbes that may lead to food spoilage and sickness. With a few helping hands, all foods can be packaged away in no time, ensuring that drumsticks or stuffing can safely be served another day.

Collect containers

Be sure to have reusable food storage containers, ziptop bags, foil, and plastic wrap at the ready. Before all of the food is put away, encourage guests to make their own doggie bags.

Plan with other meals in mind

Shop for and prepare holiday fare with a nod toward what can be used in subsequent meals. Turkey is a versatile ingredient that can be made into everything from breakfast burritos to casseroles. Turn potatoes and sausage stuffing into latke patties that can be whipped up for breakfast or lunch. Sweet potatoes, squash and pumpkin can be mashed and reworked into batters for quick breads, pancakes and even doughnuts. Spoon leftover cranberry sauce over hot oatmeal in the morning or use it as a substitute for grape jelly in PB&J sandwiches. Try grinding up stale biscuits to make a breading for turkey slices and turn them into fried cutlets.

Take care of the needy

Find out which organizations accept food donations.

Even if you cannot donate previously prepared foods, if you have surplus packaged, boxed or canned items, you can bring them to food pantries and soup kitchens to help others.

Organize a post-holiday pot luck

Turn leftovers into an opportunity to fraternize with friends or relatives who couldn’t make it to Thanksgiving dinner. Pool your leftover resources and enjoy the fruits of everyone’s labor. A pot luck can be a great place to gather after shopping Plaid Friday sales in the community.

Thanksgiving leftovers can provide a few extra delicious meals when hosts plan ahead.

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7 budget-friendly tips for smart holiday gift giving (BPT) - The holiday season is full of celebration, social activities and spreading good cheer by exchanging gifts. The problem is gift giving can get expensive if you’re not making a plan and monitoring your spending. A happy holiday doesn’t have to mean stressing about finances or going into debt. You can enjoy the holidays and save money with some smart strategies for gift giving on a budget.

Create a gift list: Are you feeling pressure to get gifts for everyone? Thoughtfully consider who’s on your list this year.

While a gift may be appropriate for some people, others might simply prefer to spend some time together rather than exchanging gifts. Perhaps invite someone over for lunch or plan a cookie exchange with friends.

Make a budget early: Deciding on budget limits for your holiday gifts will help guide your spending. You might have an overall holiday budget and then a specific budget to target for each person on your list. Then, with your gift list in hand and budget in mind, you can shop for appropriate and affordable gifts.

What’s more, by starting early, you can take advantage of sales and other promotions that can help you save even more.

Stop worrying about perfect presents: Worried about finding the ideal gift? Coinstar’s recent holiday survey found about one-third of people don’t recall what gift they received last year, so stop feeling pressure to get the perfect present. Ultimately, it’s the thought that counts. Whether it’s a card or small, reasonably priced gift, the recipient will be glad you took the time to show you care.

Use change to stretch your budget: You probably don’t think much about coins, but the holiday survey found that people believe they have about $71 in spare change in and around their home! Collect and cash in that spare change at a supermarket Coinstar kiosk to boost your holiday budget. This can also be a fun activity for kids who can gather coins or dip into the

family coin jar for spending money and then buy gifts for family members. Visit www.coinstar.com/findakiosk to find a location near you.

Create a group gift exchange: If you have a large, extended family or a group of friends that you typically buy for, consider a gift exchange. It’s fun and budget-friendly because you’re not buying a separate gift for each person. Smart tip: Set a price limit per gift to keep everyone in the same ballpark for presents and prevent any competition of one person outdoing another.

Opt for services as gifts: Rather than giving a physical present, is there something you could do that the recipient would appreciate? Consider an act of kindness like cleaning a family member’s home or watching their children. If you have a particular talent, consider how that can be incorporated into your gift. Know how to play the piano? Offer to give children lessons.

Do you have a snowblower? Offer to help clear a neighbor’s driveway after a snowstorm.

Consider charitable donations: Giving to charity on behalf of someone else can be a nice holiday gesture. Whether it’s animal welfare, disaster relief, a children’s charity or something else, think about what the person is passionate about and select an appropriate charity.

The Coinstar holiday survey revealed that if there were no obligations or expectations around gift giving, about 10% of people would give to charity. Keep in mind, Coinstar kiosks in supermarkets allow you to donate your change to certain charities, making it easy to put your change to good use and give a meaningful gift.

No matter what you choose, gift giving can be meaningful and affordable. Let these ideas inspire you to stay on budget and shop wisely this holiday season.

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Safety tips when buying toys for tots Toys play a pivotal role in the lives of young children.

While fun is always a consideration when buying toys for kids, toys can do more than entertain. The National Association for the Education of Young Children notes that toys for young children should match the youngsters’ stages of development and their emerging abilities. When those matches are made, children’s imagination and coordination will develop, all while they’re having fun.

Safety is another factor adults must take seriously when buying toys for children. Unfortunately, safety is not always foremost on the minds of toy shoppers. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission notes that more than 251,000 toy-related injuries were treated in American hospital emergency rooms in 2017. Thankfully, such injuries are almost always avoidable, especially when shoppers follow a handful of safety strategies when buying toys for young children.

• Avoid toys with lots of pieces. Stanford Children’s Health notes that toddlers and small children tend to put things in their mouths, increasing their risk of choking as a result. When buying toys for toddlers or small children, avoid toys with small parts that can be choking hazards.

• Pay attention to age recommendations on packaging.

Age guidelines on toy packages are designed to ensure that kids play with toys suited for their age and abilities.

Children are more likely to enjoy playing with toys designed for kids their age, and these toys are less likely than age-inappropriate toys to put youngsters’ safety in jeopardy.

• Recognize even stuffed animals can present safety hazards. Stuffed animals may not appear to pose as safety risks, but poorly made stuffed animals may have small parts that can easily come off. Poorly made stuffed animals may prove no match for the prying hands of curious youngsters, so make sure any small parts on stuffed animals, such as eyes and buttons, are securely fastened before making any purchases.

• Teach kids how to use toys. When giving children advanced toys, take the time to show the youngsters how to use them. Such demonstrations can clear up any confusion about the toys, reducing kids’ risk for injury as a result.

Safety should always be a priority when purchasing toys for kids.

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10 ways to support local businesses Small businesses are the lifeblood of many communities. In the United States and Canada, the majority of businesses in operation are classified as small businesses, according to data from the Small Business Administration and Statistics Canada.

Consumers can express their appreciation for the small businesses in their communities in various ways.

1. Create a guide to local small businesses and share it with other people from the community who have like-minded interests.

2. Shop at small businesses regularly.

3. Use social media to give your recommendations on small businesses that go above and beyond in quality and service.

4. Speak with business owners about your experience as a customer, sharing insight about both good and bad experiences.

5. Encourage your family or friends to make small business shopping a larger part of their overall spending plan.

6. Think of small business sponsorships when putting together school- or club-based fundraisers.

7. Host a meet-and-greet event for various small business owners.

8. If you own a small business, keep business cards, flyers or a sign advertising another small business in the area to show mutual support.

9. Invite small business owners to community activity centers, nursing homes, schools, and the like to share their experiences about starting a business in the area.

10. Participate in community events that may be sponsored by small business owners.

Statistics show just how big small business is Small businesses have such a big impact on their communities, and the world at large, that it might be time to reconsider refering to them as “small.” According to the World Bank, small businesses have a major impact on the world economy, especially in emerging countries. In such nations, small and medium enterprises contribute up to 60 percent of total employment and up to 40 percent of national income. Small businesses figure to frame their economies in emerging countries in the coming decades, and they’re already doing so in developed nations, such as the United States and Canada. The following statistics show just how big small businesses have become.

• The U.S. Small Business Administration notes that small businesses make up 99.7 percent of all employers in the United States. Percentages are similar in Canada, where BDC, a bank devoted exclusively to entrepreneurs, notes that 99.8 percent of businesses employ fewer than 499 workers.

• Hundreds of thousands of new businesses are started each month, with Yahoo! reporting that about 543,000 entrepreneurs open a business in a typical month.

• Small businesses benefit one another, as a 2017 report from the Canadian firm FreshBooks found that 66 percent of small businesses outsource services to other small businesses.

• No business is too small to be a small business. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that microbusinesses, which are defined as firms that employ between one and nine employees, accounted for 75 percent of all private-sector employers as recently as 2013.

• Small businesses and happiness might be linked. A 2019 survey from Guidant Financial and the online lending marketplace LendingClub found that 78 percent of small business owners rated their level of happiness as an average of eight on a scale of one to 10 (10 being the happiest).

• Female entrepreneurs are on the rise. A 2017 report from American Express found that female entrepreneurship grew by 114 percent between 1997 and 2017.

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How to throw a fun themed holiday party

(BPT) - This year, why not choose a fun theme for your holiday party? You can create a great atmosphere while providing entertainment for all ages with a little creativity - and local resources.

You could do the usual “white elephant” gift swap, or hold an ugly sweater competition, but that’s so last year - why not brainstorm a few new ideas?

Silver screen soiree

How about designing your party around a favorite movie? Choose a film or movie franchise that means a lot to you and your crew. Is it something you all grew up on? Or a current favorite?

Whatever cinema theme you choose, let guests know ahead of time so they can choose outfits to represent a character or idea from the movie. Offer a link to an online trailer in your invitation for guests who may not have seen the movie. Plan decorations, food and beverages to go with your movie theme. Get the movie soundtrack to play during your party and create the right ambiance by renting a popcorn machine for your guests.

Small screen inspiration

Along the same lines, a TV show theme could be fun. Again, pick a show that you and your family or friends grew up with, or that’s an obsession, a guilty pleasure or even a current fad show you all love to hate! Encourage guests to dress the part, and create a trivia game based on the show, with prizes for the bestinformed partygoers.

For entertainment, rent a projector to play episodes on a big screen or on the wall.

Take a “journey” with your party

Choose a place - city, state or country - to be the “locale” for your party. Let the food and music you play be inspired by the location that’s meaningful to you. Your hometown, where you went to college, your first overseas trip or honeymoon location would be good choices. Serve foods from the location you have in mind, whether they’re homemade or purchased.

Or you could journey to another time, since there’s nothing like time travel to spice up a party. Choose an era from the past, or even go with a futuristic, sci-fi

theme for your party this year, and tell your guests to dress accordingly. Have fun and get creative with your ideas for the decor, music and entertainment!

Step into the pages of a book

Let a favorite holiday storybook or novel inspire your party’s attire, snacks and decorations, whether it’s a childhood favorite or a recent bestseller. You can find games to complement the theme of your book, ranging from giant chess boards or carnival games to sumo wrestling and casino games, at rental locations near you. Give guests a chance to give back to the community by asking everyone to bring a children’s book to donate to a local library or children’s hospital.

Break free from the party clock

Shake up your usual entertaining routine. Do you usually host a dinner party? Make it a festive brunch.

Always serve a lunch buffet? Offer your friends or family a late-night, post-theater get-together instead.

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No matter what creative idea you come up with for your themed party, the good news is that you can rent anything you might need to make your unique party happen. Find your party supplies at a rental store near you by checking out Rental HQ.

A publication of the Billings Area News Group - 13

Giving a little more this holiday season The holiday season is a time of giving. The generosity on display during the holiday season may not have an official start date, but the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving Day may be the unofficial beginning of the giving season.

Tuesday may be the catalyst for charitable efforts, it doesn’t need to end there. People are urged to be generous all year long, including throughout the holiday season. Here are some seasonally specific ways to give back a little more.

The first Tuesday following American Thanksgiving has been referred to as “Giving Tuesday” since 2012.

The event was started by the 92nd Street Y in New York City, the United Nations Foundation and the technology website Mashable as a response to the commercialization of the holiday season and the rampant consumerism that seems to start as soon as the last bite of turkey is digested. Today, Giving Tuesday harnesses the generosity of millions of people around the world and helps millions of dollars to find its way into the coffers of organizations that need it most. Giving Tuesday inspires people to volunteer or give back to causes that are near and dear to their hearts.

• Pay it forward by treating someone behind you in the checkout line to coffee, fast food, a candy bar, or whatever else suits you at the time. Perhaps he or she will do the same and keep the generosity going.

Thanks to technology, giving has the capacity to go viral and inspire others to engage in their own charitable efforts. Since its inception, Giving Tuesday has evolved. The event now underscores how communities can harness the power of people working together to elicit great change.

Giving can be the focus of the holiday season, and in ways that are meaningful to the people on the receiving end of the generosity.

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14 - Holiday Gift Guide #1 - November 27, 209

Keep safe during a season of holiday ‘spirits’

The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day are some of the most festive times of the year. Family and friends socialize and exchange gifts while many people take inventory of their good fortunes. Many things are enjoyed in abundance during the holiday season, and that unfortunately can include alcoholic beverages.

A 2018 survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of the supplement company Morning Recovery revealed that, among 2,000 American respondents, the average person consumes twice as many alcoholic drinks over the holidays than any other time of year. That uptick in drinking likely has something to do with the holiday social scene. In normal, non-holiday weeks, Americans attend just one social event, but that number climbs to three when the holidays arrive.a The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a division of the National Institutes of Health, warns that the holidays can be a time when some people are more likely to drink to excess in the name of merrymaking. Despite the known dangers of excessive consumption of alcohol, many people still overindulge. Perhaps some sobering statistics can be just what people need to avoid drinking too much this holiday season. SCRAM systems, which make alcohol monitoring software systems for the criminal justice market, A New Year is coming, bringing much celebration, With good friends and good times and freeflowing libation -- So party on hearty, but leave driving alone, Because we want to see you get safely home!

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• Seventy percent of holiday drunk driving deaths are caused by drivers with a blood-alcohol level of 0.15 or higher.

• In December 2017, 885 people were killed as a result of alcohol-impaired crashes.

• A BAC between 0.08 and 0.14 causes noticeable impairment of coordination and driving skills. It is illegal to drive at this level in all 50 states.

• One in eight drivers who consume alcohol say they’ve driven when they thought they were close to or over 0.08 BAC in the past year, according to AAA. • The NIAAA reports that 40 percent of traffic-related deaths during Christmas and New Year’s involve drunk drivers.

Alcohol lowers people’s inhibitions and affects their judgment, potentially contributing to reckless decisions.

Many people think that a cup of coffee is all that’s needed to sober up and get home safely. The NIH says even after someone stops drinking, alcohol in the stomach and intestines continues to enter the bloodstream, resulting in impaired judgment and coordination for hours after one has had his or her last drop.

Impaired driving and other activities can make for unsafe conditions this holiday season. Celebrants should be aware of their alcohol intake and have responsible ways to get to and from social occasions.

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