The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide #3

The Ultimate

Holiday A publication of the Billings Area News Group

Gift Guide

Happy Holidays:

Make the holidays memorable Find unique gift cards ideas inside

A publication of the Billings Area News Group - 1

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2 - Holiday Gift Guide #3 - 2017

5 ways to make holiday guests comfortable

The time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day marks one of the busiest periods of the year for long-distance travel.

The United States Department of Transportation says that come Thanksgiving, the number of long-distance trips (50+ miles away) increases by 54 percent, and around Christmas that number rises by 23 percent over the remainder of the year.

Those travelers ultimately need a place to rest their heads, and many stay with family and friends.

Entertaining during the holiday season involves accounting for guests’ comfort, and that often means hosts must put their visitors’ needs over their own. Although some sacrifices need to be made, there is a way to find a happy compromise that can help the holidays go smoothly and happily. Consider these ways to help guests feel welcome whether they stay for a few hours or a few days.

1. Cater to specific dietary needs. One of the ways to treat guests kindly is by being aware of any special dietary needs they may have when it comes to preparing holiday meals or other foods during their visits. Some guests may require lowsodium diets, while others may be monitoring their blood-sugar levels and must dine accordingly. Vegetarians and vegans limit the foods they eat, while others may avoid foods based on religious preferences. Offer a variety of foods and try to cater to guests’ needs as much as possible. When in doubt, consult with the guest so he or she feels welcome and does not go hungry.

2. Make sleeping spaces as private as possible. Not everyone has a separate guest room for overnight stays, but try to make sleeping areas as private as you can when visitors spend the night. Use privacy screens or set guests up in a family room that’s away from the center of activity. Hosts may want to give up their own rooms for the comfort of guests.

3. Offer storage space. One way to make guests feel comfortable is to give them their own storage space. This can include space in a closet, a couple of drawers to stow their belongings, or hangers in the entryway for coats and other winter attire. Not only will this keep things more organized, it can provide guests with comfort.

4. Include guests when preparing for entertaining. Many guests like to feel involved, and by including them in meal preparation, decorating or shopping, you can help them feel included and appreciated.

5. Keep snacks and other creature comforts readily accessible. Guests may feel sheepish scavenging through cabinets or drawers looking for items. Make things easy to find by leaving items out on counters or indicating where items can be found. For example, if you know a guest enjoys an evening cup of tea and some cookies, leave out the cookies, tea bags and kettle so that he or she can indulge when the urge comes.

Guests are a large part of the holiday season. Help them feel comfortable whenever they visit your home.

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The history of holiday lights Holiday celebrants employ holiday lights in various ways.

Certain individuals may be content to hang lights on their Christmas trees and call their decorating complete. Others may get their holiday jollies by making sure each square inch of their home is covered in twinkling lights. Still, other people prefer the more subdued effect of lights framing one picture window of the house.

The tradition of Christmas lights stretches back to early modern Germany when people used candles to decorate Christmas trees in Christian homes. Those candles were harbingers of what would come when electric lights replaced gas and other open flame illuminating devices that were commonplace prior to the 20th century.

It would take several more years before holiday lights became a national tradition. On Christmas Eve 1923, President Calvin Coolidge began the country’s celebration of Christmas by lighting the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse located south of the White House with 3,000 electric lights.

Today, illuminated strands of lights have become a large part of holiday celebrations and have even been adopted for use during various year-round events. Such lights can be a beautiful and festive addition to many celebrations.

Thomas Edison, the inventor of the first successful practical light bulb, also created the first strand of electric lights that would be used in holiday decorating. By 1880, Edison had standard incandescent light bulbs well sorted out and desired a way to better advertise his invention, so he decided to make the most of the holiday season and put his light bulbs on display. According to a 2003 article in American Heritage magazine titled “The Wizard of Your Christmas Tree,” Edison strung incandescent bulbs all around the compound of his Menlo Park, NJ, laboratory. Edison constructed an eight-mile underground wiring system in order to power this grand light display. Because the laboratory was situated along the railroad that passed between Manhattan and Philadelphia, thousands of people were able to see the display.

The concept of electric holiday lights took a bit of time to catch on. Edison’s friend and associate Edward Johnson was tasked with stringing together colored lights in 1882 and placing them on an evergreen tree. Johnson hand-wired 80 red, white and blue light bulbs. In 1895, President Grover Cleveland requested the White House family Christmas tree be illuminated by multicolored electric light bulbs.

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4 - Holiday Gift Guide #3 - 2017

Simple ways to dress up your home for the holidays The holiday season is rife with traditions that focus on fun and family. One such testament to the festive spirit of the holiday season is the many homes and businesses decorated with the lights and colors that have become synonymous with the season.

Decorating for the holiday season can be time-consuming.

While decking the halls may not consume as much time as holiday shopping and wrapping presents, according to data from a 2013 American Time Use Survey, interior and exterior decorating for the holidays may consume anywhere from 2.5 to 3 hours per session.

Holiday decorating includes things as simple as setting up a menorah or as complex as stringing lights on the exterior of a home. Though elaborate displays can take hours to erect, timecrunched holiday celebrants can still create festive, welcoming displays.

Hang holiday wreaths. Holiday enthusiasts without much time to decorate can invest in a couple of holiday wreaths, which can be dressed up as much or as little as celebrants prefer.

If you do not have the time to string lights on the house, wrap them around wreaths hung in windows or hang the wreaths on a home’s main entrance. Celebrants who want to go a less traditional route can hang wreaths made of holly, citrus fruits, ribbons, or any other greenery instead of the more customary evergreen wreaths.

Decorate with ornaments. Ornaments are not exclusive to Christmas trees. Fill a vase or bowl with metallic ornaments and

place it in a prominent location, such as a busy hallway or the foyer of your home. Hang ornaments on clear filament from the mantle or within the main window of the house, where they can reflect tree lights and add sparkle.

Bring in more greenery. Drape evergreen boughs on staircase handrailings or on the mantle, or use greenery to frame doorways. The scent will be inviting and things instantly will look more festive.

Use throws and decorative pillows. Change the look of a room with holiday-colored decor if you do not want to clutter the space with knickknacks. A red and green blanket draped over the sofa can give off a comforting holiday vibe.

Focus on the front door and entryway. Celebrants who do not have the time to decorate their entire homes can create a warm, inviting space by decorating their front doors and entryways. Place greenery, bows, tinsel, lights, and winterinspired accessories by the front door so friends and family visiting for the season catch the holiday spirit the moment they walk through the door.

Place LED candles in windows. Rather than contending with twinkle lights and electric cords, homeowners can employ battery-operated faux candles to create a homey appeal in windows and hallways throughout their homes.

Simplify holiday decorating with some easy tips to make houses cozy and festive.

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Random facts about books that are weirdly interesting There’s nothing better than cuddling up with a good book. Books inherently offer solitude and a temporary escape from your own story. They’re basically magic.

Avid readers usually have a long history with books that often either started in the womb or shortly after — thanks to parents and their incessant desire to enrich your brain. So it’s no surprise that you (and so many others) are at your happiest when you’re reading.

Even though you might be a full-fledged reading pro and know everything about all the books you’ve ever read, chances are you don’t know all the things about actual books.

Find the previous facts in the last Holiday Gift Guide online at www.issuu.com/b.a.n.g 9) Icelandic people read more than anyone.

Perhaps it has to do with the weather, or maybe they’re just taught to really love books. Either way, Iceland for the win!

10) Alice in Wonderland is based on a real 10-year-old girl.

Her name was Alice Liddell, and her family was close friends with author Lewis Carroll. While on a boating trip, she asked him to tell her a story — and that’s how Alice was born.

11) Illiteracy is still a huge problem throughout the world.

One in five adults around the world can’t read or write, with the highest rates in South and West Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

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6 - Holiday Gift Guide #3 - 2017

Smart ways to finance holiday purchases Consumerism reaches a fevered pitch during the last quarter of the year, when the holidays fuel increased spending on everything from dining and entertainment to gadgets to toys.

It can be easy to get swept along during the season of spending and fail to pay attention to budgets when the urge to splurge on loved ones sets in. However, failure to take inventory of where money is going can leave individuals facing some unwanted financial repercussions come the new year.

Spending beyond their means is something many holiday shoppers fall victim to. Perhaps they didn’t accurately budget for the year, or surprise purchases crop up, pulling resources away from holiday allowances. That’s when credit cards can become so attractive, and potentially dangerous.

A 2014 survey from Accenture, a leading global professional services company, found that most people make a budget for holiday gift buying, but nearly half exceed their budgets anyway. Buying with credit cards makes overspending easy.

Consumers who want to avoid holiday debt can take a proactive approach and explore some other financing options this holiday season.

Layaway: Various retailers have reinstituted layaway policies to make it easier for shoppers to buy holiday gifts. With layaway, instead of paying for an item all at once and leaving with it the same day, shoppers pay a percentage of the cost of the item. In the meantime, it is held in layaway. Once an item has been paid for in full, the merchandise is free to leave the store. Spacing out payments can help shoppers avoid overspending, and many stores do not charge interest fees on layaway purchases.

Holiday clubs: Financial institutions may offer savings clubs that can help people save for holiday spending over several months. The “club” is simply a special short-term savings account set up to encourage holiday saving. Many such accounts can be opened with a nominal deposit. At the end of the term, the money can be withdrawn and used for holiday purchases. Shoppers likely won’t miss the small amount of money being set aside each paycheck, but are surprised to see just how quickly savings can add up.

While some banks still offer Christmas club accounts, which reached the height of their popularity in the 1970s, today they are most commonly offered by credit unions. According to the Credit Union National Association, or CUNA, nearly 72 percent of credit unions run Christmas clubs, and consumer interest in these clubs is holding steady.

Credit card perks: Smarter credit card usage during the year can be handy come the holidays. Choose cards that will yield cash back or other perks, such as discounts at certain retailers. Also, be sure to pay the balances off in full when the bills arrive, so as not to rack up high interest charges throughout the year. Use the cash-back rewards you accumulate during the year as a holiday spending allowance.

Holiday shoppers can implement a few saving and spending strategies to avoid going into debt this holiday season.

Using layaway, holiday club accounts and credit card perks, shoppers can take some of the bite out of end-ofyear spending.

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Keep the holiday season healthy, safe and secure During the holiday season, many people do not want their thoughts to stray to anything unpleasant. Although celebrating may be the primary goal come the holiday season, individuals and families also should devote some attention to keeping the holidays safe.

Just because it’s Chanukah, Christmas or New Year’s doesn’t mean safety and security should not remain a top priority. The following guidelines can help families enjoy a holiday season that is healthy, safe and secure.

Exercise caution when decorating. Decorations can be beautiful, but they also can be hazardous if not used properly. Overloading outlets is commonplace during the holiday season, but that can lead to home fires. Exercise caution around candles and other open flames. Pets may become tangled in wires or knock over glass ornaments. Keep delicate decorations away from harm.

Wash hands to prevent germs. As the cold weather arrives, people may spend greater periods of time indoors or in close proximity to other people. The holidays also are about greeting friends and relatives, and embracing or kissing. Do not ruin the festivities by spreading germs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the holiday season is also flu season. The CDC recommends celebrants wash their hands with soap and clean running water for at least 20 seconds to remove germs.

Keep track of curious children. Children are enamored with the sights and sounds of the holidays and may be more curious than ever during this time of year. Things adults take for granted can be hazards to youngsters. The needles of holiday trees can cause painful cuts in the mouth and throat of a child who swallows them. Snow sprays may be harmful if the aerosol propellants are used improperly. Peanuts and popcorn used for decorating can pose potential choking hazards to young children.

Be a smart host or hostess. Alcoholic beverages and holiday revelry sometimes go hand in hand. Responsible party hosts know when a guest has had too much and will arrange safe transportation home. Because kids imitate adults, many may drink the beverages they see adults drinking. Alcohol poisoning is a real risk for children, so pay attention to youngsters no matter how young they may be.

Protect the home. Deter home burglars when traveling for the holidays by having neighbors keep a watchful eye on your house. Use

motion-sensor lights, keep up the appearance that someone is home by having mail collected, and do not advertise any travel plans on social media. Investment in a home security system if need be.

Ensure a happier holiday season by making safety and health a priority.

8 - Holiday Gift Guide #3 - 2017

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Revisit lesser-known Christmas traditions

Christmas celebrants participate in many different traditions year after year, but some may not fully understand the meaning behind such activities. A Christian holiday, Christmas did not originate with all activities centralized to the church. In fact, many of the traditions people hold dear have pagan roots, which were adapted as Christmas celebrations evolved.

People who hang mistletoe in doorways may be surprised to learn that this tradition dates back to the ancient Druids.

The Druids believed mistletoe possessed mystical powers that brought good luck to the household and warded off evil spirits.

Evergreen trees are now associated with Christmas trees, but evergreen boughs were once used to decorate homes during the winter solstice to help people envision the spring to come.

Christians often look at evergreen trees as a sign of everlasting life and their relationship with God. However, while many Christmas traditions continue to be an integral part of annual celebrations, there are some customs that have fallen out of favor. Although these traditions may no longer be widely practiced, anyone can revive them and make them part of their holiday celebrations.

Wassailing is a custom that has ancient origins and is not as popular today as it once was. “Wassail” comes from the AngoSaxon phrase “waes hael,” which means, “good health.” Wassail is a drink made of mulled ale, spices and other ingredients. To go wassailing meant to travel door-to-door singing and offering a drink from a wassail bowl in exchange for gifts. Wassailing has been mentioned in certain Christmas carols, including “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

Largely an English tradition, wassailing was brought to America by British settlers. January 17th, the old Twelfth Night, is the traditional date for wassailing. Although wassailing has largely fallen by the wayside, increased interest in ales and craft brewing may help revitalize this Christmas tradition, which can inspire community spirit.

Gifting with fruit cake is another tradition that has been much maligned and does not enjoy the same popularity that it once did. Fruit cake is a cake made with chopped candied fruit, nuts and spices and is occasionally soaked in spirits. Fruit cakes have been enjoyed all over the world, but Americans may never have embraced the Christmas fruit cake tradition as much as those from other countries. However, with the right recipe and an open mind, it may be possible to resurrect the fruit cake tradition once again.

Mummers plays are another British tradition that arrived in North America with settlers but has largely fallen by the wayside. Mummers plays involved miming folk dramas, and the plays were commonplace around the holiday season. Celebrants may want to research such dramas and include them in this year’s festivities to liven up celebrations even more.

Traditions passed on through the years help make Christmas a favorite time of celebration. People may want to explore the less popular traditions today and once again make them interesting parts of this year’s festivities.

10 - Holiday Gift Guide #3 - 2017

Creative ways to reuse Christmas cards Roughly 1.6 billion Christmas cards, including boxed cards, are purchased in a given year. That’s quite a lot of cards to address and mail, and many festive greetings for recipients to read and display.

With so much money and effort put into sharing Christmas greetings, some people may wonder how they can prolong the merriment offered by these cards. Here are some creative ways to put Christmas cards to new use once this holiday season has come and gone.

Make your own gift tags. Christmas card stock is the perfect medium to turn into gift tags for presents. Cut the cards into squares or rectangles or use a stencil to create whatever shape you desire. Then use a hole punch to create a space for ribbon or another tie. Use the tag to dress up gifts with something more unique than self-stick tags.

Get magnetized. All it takes is a scissor, some glue and sheets of magnet for a decorative and fun craft project. Turn favorite Christmas cards into mementos that can be saved year after year, which also will dress up refrigerators or other magnetic surfaces.

This idea works well for photo greeting cards as well.

Make Christmas card ornaments. Use the cards to create uniquely shaped ornaments for the tree. Cards can be turned into block shapes and hung with ribbon. Another idea is to punch out circles

or ovals from the cards and tile them on a foam egg to look like a multicolored pine cone. Explore your creative side and decorate your tree at the same time.

Create greeting card garlands. Display cards by stringing them together and hanging them from the mantle or another prominent area. If cards are too large, punch out large circles from the cards and then attach those disks to heavy thread.

Decorate your packages. Instead of overspending on preprinted gift bags, make your own. Buy plain bags in a solid color and then embellish them with cutout patterns or pictures from Christmas cards.

Frame favorite cards. Make greeting cards a permanent part of holiday decor by framing the most decorative ones you receive. Use these frames year after year and put them on display with other holiday decorations.

Make a wine bottle gift tag. Use a 11⁄4-inch hole punch to create an opening for the neck of a wine bottle on a piece of folded card stock. Glue a greeting card to the portion of the card stock that will lay flush with the wine bottle and you have a decorative wine tag.

Shred older cards for confetti. Fill gift boxes or bags with homemade confetti made from recycled Christmas cards.

Holiday greeting cards can be recycled into gift tags, ornaments or even framed to stretch out their usefulness.

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Christmas cookies made simple Baking cookies is a holiday tradition for many families. Many homes are bathed in the inviting scents of vanilla, cinnamon and melting chocolate.

Baking cookies can be a social occasion in which family members and friends gather to create recipes passed down through generations.

Or baking can be a solitary venture in which cookies are prepared and packaged as holiday gifts. Either way, people who bake during the holiday season understand that making Christmas cookies can be a time-consuming, yet rewarding process.

This year, holiday bakers can embrace a number of time-saving tips and tricks to reduce the amount of time they spend in the kitchen and possibly even improve upon existing recipes.

Use a cookie mix. Who says you have to toil and make cookies from scratch? It’s the thought that counts, and any number of creative recipes can begin by utilizing a pre-made baking mix. These mixes already have most of the dry cookie ingredients sifted together, including flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. All you have to do is add the wet ingredients and any extra embellishments to make the mix your own. If mixes are too much work, purchase refrigerated or frozen cookie dough. Include your own add-ins, such as nuts, white chocolate chips, bits of dried fruit, or crumbled candy canes, to give the premade dough a unique flavor.

Prepare ahead. Many cookie dough recipes can be made and stored for later use. In fact, refrigerating a log of cookie dough can make it easier to cut or handle later on. Spread out the bulk of your baking over two days and you might feel less taxed.

Try a no-bake recipe. Creative culinary experts continually reveal their clever tricks, and many of these include no-bake versions of favorite desserts. No bake cookies come together in a matter of minutes, but still employ a host of delicious ingredients. Recipes frequently feature similar ingredients to traditional cookies, but rely on chocolate, honey or peanut butter as the setting agent to keep them together. Bakers may also like having no need to turn on their ovens.

Recycle leftover cookies. If you have a fair amount of cookies remaining or several that broke apart that do not look good enough to serve, never fear. Such cookies can be used as part of another delicious dessert. Grind cookies into crumbs that can serve as a pie crust for

pudding pies or no-bake cheesecakes, or mix cookie crumbs with cake frosting or a nut butter and roll into balls. Dunk the balls into melted chocolate, add a lollipop stick and make delicious cookie pops.

Cookies may be holiday traditions, but there are ways to reduce the amount of work and time required of holiday baking.

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Christmas music origins

Scores of artists have released Christmas albums or holiday-infused singles during their careers. Christmas music can be broken down into two distinct categories: traditional hymns and carols and popular secular songs.

Some believe that the religious standards have been passed down since the earliest days of Christianity. However, that is not so. Before the 12th century, music wasn’t typically included in religious services, and even then music was included only sporadically. In present day, religious tunes identified as Christmas music typically are not sung until Christmas Eve and thereafter until the Epiphany.

Many of the oldest Christmas songs are not old at all. Many popular carols sung today are less than 200 years old. The world’s most popular Christmas carol was originally a poem penned in 1816 by Austrian Catholic priest Josef Mohr. Two years later, Mohr asked Franz Xaver Gruber, an organist and local schoolteacher, to put his words to music.

The resulting song, “Silent Night,” was not translated into English for 40 years.

“Hark the Herald Angels Sing” also originated from a poem and had the original opening line of, “Hark how all the welkin rings.”

The subsequent version was more catchy, and the faster-paced accompaniment was courtesy of Felix Mendelssohn, added 100 years after the poem was written.

“Jingle Bells,” a nonreligious tune that has become synonymous with Christmas, was not originally written as a Christmas tune. In fact, the song was intended to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Christmas music is diverse, with lively tunes, modern interpretations and religious classics enjoyed through the years.

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A publication of the Billings Area News Group - 13

BECAUSE SAFETY IS KEY,

PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE! “Key” Strategies For A Safe New Year’s Celebration:

• Plan an alcohol-free celebration – Host a fondue or “make your own” ice cream sundae party as a fresh alternative. Add some fun party games to keep guests entertained without drinking!

• Check your keys with the host – This is an effective strategy for giving the host some control over inebriated guests.

• Keep the number of a taxi company handy – A good tip for both party guests and hosts alike.

• Offer to drive a guest home – Start the New Year off right by performing a good deed and help keep drunk drivers off the road.

• Appoint a designated driver – Use the buddy system and you can return the favor next time.

• Provide lots of snacks to party guests – Drinking on an empty-stomach rapidly increases the potentially destabilizing effects of alcohol.

• Post transportation info on party invites – Include information for public transportation, carpools and taxi company phone numbers.

It probably comes as no surprise that more traffic fatalities due to drunk driving occur around the New Year’s holiday than any other time of year. Of course, drivers should never drink and drive. With your safety in mind, these community sponsors urge you to review these important tips for hosting or attending a safe celebration!

A New Year is coming bringing much celebration, With good friends and good times and free-flowing libation -So party on hearty, but leave driving alone, Because we want to see you get safely home!

• Don’t let a friend drive drunk – Take the car keys away or use one of the strategies above to see your friends safely home.

WITH BEST WISHES TO EVERYONE FOR A SAFE & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

14 - Holiday Gift Guide #3 - 2017

Tips for less stressful holiday travel Roadways, railways and skies tend to get busy come the holiday season, when millions of people across the globe travel to visit family and friends.

Wherever travelers are headed, be it across the country or across the world, they should realize that many other people are traveling as well. That can lead to traffic, long lines and other side effects associated with large crowds. But before travelers let the idea of challenging travel conditions deter them, they can consider certain ways to make the process of getting from point A to point B a bit more manageable.

Travel by car Those traveling by automobile will have a few extra steps to take to ensure their trips go off with minimal disturbances. One of the more important steps is to ensure the vehicle is properly maintained prior to departing. Have the car checked by a mechanic and take care of any service appointments, such as oil changes or tire rotations.

Map out the route in advance and have an alternative plan if the route chosen proves to be too congested. One idea is to choose a scenic drive that may be a little longer but has less traffic. In addition, account for rest stops or points of interest that can break up the trip. Apps such as GasBuddy can help drivers find the cheapest gas or the cleanest bathrooms along their routes.

Bring along plenty of snacks so you can eat healthy and aren’t forced to rely on foods you otherwise would not eat. This is particularly helpful with keeping kids satiated. Plan for a few

treats along the way so that everyone traveling has an end goal, such as an ice cream or a souvenir.

Traveling by plane One of the key things air travelers can do to make holiday traveling easier is to avoid peak travel dates. Whenever possible, avoid traveling the day right before the holiday, which tends be the busiest and most expensive. Remember, weekends tend to be more harried and expensive as well, particularly when the holidays fall in close proximity to a weekend.

Weather is a gamble in many regions of the world during the holiday season. Develop a contingency plan just in case foul weather delays or cancels flights. It’s much less stressful to put plan B into motion than it can be to rush around trying to make new, last-minute plans.

Always shop around for the best rates, but also the best atmosphere. It may be wiser to fly out of a smaller airport where crowds will be thinner and delays less frequent, or you may prefer a larger airport that’s closer to home and offers more amenities.

Another way to avoid delays is to pack minimally. Ship gifts and even travel essentials ahead to your destination, and only bring carry-on bags aboard the plane. This helps travelers sail through security checks and avoid the crowds at the luggage carousels.

Holiday travel requires planning, patience and having alternative plans in place so that everyone can make it home for the holidays.

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A publication of the Billings Area News Group - 15

Budget for holiday gratuities Trash/recycling collectors:

Check with the local municipality for regulations on tipping public service providers, who can be tipped depending on your budget.

Daycare staff or babysitter:

Those tasked with caring for children are worthy of a little something extra. A gift between $40 and $70 can be fitting. In addition, include a handmade gift from the children if kids are old enough. The Emily Post Institute suggests gifting one week’s pay to a live-in nanny or au pair.

Housekeeper:

Up to one week’s pay should suffice for housekeepers.

Personal caregiver:

Gift between one week and one month’s salary for someone charged with caring for a loved one. In a nursing home setting, provide a gift the staff can enjoy, such as a catered lunch.

Teacher:

He or she spends several hours a day with children. Pool resources with other parents to purchase a gift card or thoughtful gift.

Other people that may be tipped include salon workers, building superintendents, doormen, tutors, and pet groomers whose services are required often.

If the rate of spending during the holiday is any indication, generosity is in full force come the end of the year. During their second annual holiday debt survey, the financial resource MagnifyMoney found consumers who took on debt during the 2016 holiday season started the New Year an average of $1,003 in the red. That marks an increase of 1.7 percent over 2015.

Rather than finding themselves in debt again next January, shoppers inclined to use their credit cards this holiday season must recognize the importance of budgeting for all holiday expenses — including those that may not immediately come to mind, such as gratuities for service providers.

Gratuities are gestures of kindness and appreciation during the holiday season. Although gratuities are not entirely necessary, many etiquette experts say certain people, particularly those who provide year-round services, are worthy of a little extra money this time of year. Consider thank-you notes for those people who don’t land on this year’s gratuity list.

The following is a list of service workers whose efforts throughout the year are typically worthy of gratuities come the holiday season.

Postal workers:

Postal workers face the elements each and every day to make sure letters and packages arrive on time. Their work is made even more challenging during the rush of the holiday season, when mail flow increases considerably. The U.S. Postal Service forbids carriers from accepting cash gifts, but gift cards or other tokens of appreciation can be fitting.

Newspaper delivery person:

Gift the equivalent of one month of the subscription price, which may be between $10 and 30.

16 - Holiday Gift Guide #3 - 2017

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