DECEMBER 2021
COVER STORY
Tips for Small Businesses Inspired by 2022 tech trends, pg. 10
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Contents Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com
About Us
Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader
Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad. Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.— Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent. Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com ruralleadermagazine@gmail.com
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5 Four Expert Tips to Protect Yourself from Credit Scams
13 Four Easy Ways to Maximize Your 2021 Holiday Budget
6 Impactful Ways Consumers Can Support Small Businesses This Holiday Season
15The Silent Health Risk of COVID-19: Five Facts to Know about Blood Clots
8 How to Enjoy the Holidays without Overloading your New Year’s Resolutions
17 Tech-free Experiences and Gift Ideas for Kids of All Ages
9 Five ways to Practice Gratitude with Your Child This Holiday Season COVER STORY 10 Tips for Small Businesses Inspired by 2022 tech trends
19 Unboxing Your way Through the Holidays? Try ‘inbinning’ to End the Year on a Greener Note 21 Seven Ways to be a Holly Jolly Host this Season
Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue. As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support! Sincerely, Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
What you do matters. @RuralLeaderMag
Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@RuralLeaderMag.com—
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Four Expert Tips to Protect Yourself from Credit Scams While credit scams have been around forever, they’ve recently exploded in number. According to Mint, from 2019 to 2020, the number of identity theft reports went up by 113% and the number of reports of identity theft by credit cards increased by 44.6%. The amount of fraud by new credit card accounts saw a 48% increase from 2019. As more information is digital today, on top of the increase in health and financial stressors, scams designed to access your credit accounts or personal information are on the rise. Having financial or credit accounts hacked can have long-lasting implications, beyond financial loss and inconvenience. Here are tips to help protect your credit and personal information. 1. Practice good cyber hygiene. Use long, strong passwords unique to each account or website - or use a password manager to help create better passwords and keep track of them. Change the password on your home’s router. If you’re using the same password for several accounts, or haven’t changed passwords in a while, now’s the time to clean up your digital act. 2. Back up your data. Having digital and physical backups for your data protects you from not only losing important information, but also from ransomware attacks - when a hacker freezes or destroys your data unless you pay them in bitcoin. While this is more likely to happen to businesses, it can give you peace of mind to have your data backed up. Consider both a Cloud backup as well as on a physical hard drive - and/or printing out vital infor4 RuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2021
mation or documents. 3. Monitor your credit reports. Keeping an eye on your credit reports alerts you to attempts to steal your identity, such as someone opening an account in your name. You can check any of the major credit reporting companies for free once a year. However, because identity theft is becoming more frequent, you should check your credit score more often. One tactic is to rotate which company you request a report from, requesting one every few months. You can also check your credit with VantageScore, which uses credit scoring models that provide lenders and consumers with highly predictive credit scores that are easier to understand and actually score more people. Access yours for free through the providers at VantageScore.com. Check your credit reports for: * Credit accounts/debt that isn’t yours. * Inquiries indicating a company accessed your report without your permission. * An address where you’ve never lived. This could be a sign someone’s tried to use your identity to open an account. If you see items like these on your report, contact the credit agency right away. A change to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) in 2018 allows consumers to put a freeze on their credit reports for free, so credit reporting companies will restrict access to your reports, not allowing lenders with whom you do not have an existing relationship to pull them. This can help prevent fraudulent credit applications GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2021 5
from being opened. Then you can choose when to “unfreeze” the credit reports and put them back into circulation. 4. Be alert to common scams. You may receive an email saying one of your credit accounts has been blocked or suspended. It may look like an email from a legit company. Never click links within the email, as they may take you to a fake website (that looks real). Instead, access your account from the website you always use to see if there’s a problem. Contact the company directly, not through the email. Most likely it’s a phishing attempt to get your personal login or financial information. Scammers may take advantage of current crises,
claiming to be COVID-19 contact tracers, or referring to government stimulus checks. Never give personal or financial information like your birthdate or Social Security number over the phone or via email. Other common scams involve taxes or unemployment compensation. View any email or text asking for information or to reply with an account login or other personal information as suspect, and contact the supposed sender directly. Learn more about tips and credit strategies at VantageScore.com.—
Impactful Ways Consumers Can Support Small Businesses This Holiday Season It’s no secret small businesses have been largely impacted by the pandemic. New York Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez acknowledged the pandemic has “sparked a once-in-a-lifetime crisis for American small businesses.” Black business ownership was especially hit hard with a decline of more than 40%, the largest drop across any racial demographic, according to a report by the House Small Business Committee. With government aid struggling to meet the demand, companies and nonprofit organizations launched relief programs and crowd-sourced campaigns to provide valuable support. A recent example of two institutional forces rallying together is the newly announced partnership between Prudential Financial and the New Jersey Devils for a first-of-its-kind Buy Black program where Prudential will donate its premier logo space on the Devils’ helmet to a Black-owned, New Jersey-based business. This history-making move provides the business with unprecedented exposure during select games starting in December. The collaboration offers valuable business and marketing opportunities and increases visibility for Black entrepreneurs, helping
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them grow and thrive in the communities. For businesses that faced financial hardships and challenges since the pandemic, this holiday season is important to reenergize sales. Every purchase can help revitalize a once thriving entrepreneurial community - one step at a time. During the season of giving, there are several ways for local consumers to support the small business community, including: * Shop small: Get to know the businesses in your neighborhood. Find and support local small businesses this holiday season. * Share on social: Share details of the business on personal social channels and identify creative avenues to expand the spotlight, such as posting about the business on professional networks to encourage others to make an informed purchase. * Write a review: Providing positive feedback on a purchase or service experience with a business-ofchoice encourages others to follow the lead. These small efforts can help small business owners begin the journey of recovery from the pandemic crisis to thrive again. It takes every member of the community to come together and provide support.—
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How to Enjoy the Holidays without Overloading your New Year’s Resolutions Face it, everyone’s done it - abandoned wellness goals over the holidays, hoping to make up for it with New Year’s resolutions. According to a recent study, half of Americans have broken a diet due to the holidays. In the fifth annual “Writing Off the End of the Year” survey, commissioned by Herbalife Nutrition, the average respondent expects to gain eight pounds over the holiday season. But most aren’t worrying about the weight gain, and instead plan on enjoying the season without sticking to their diets. What’s their solution? More than 60% say they will wait till the new year, making that extra weight next year’s problem. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Putting those extra holiday pounds on your New Year’s resolutions just makes it harder down the road. And unfortunately, the pandemic has compounded the problem. For 40% of respondents, the extra weight they anticipate is in addition to weight they’ve already gained during the pandemic. The stress of the past year and a half has spurred many to overeat, with 65% feeling like they “deserve” treats this year more than previous years. Between the pandemic and the holidays, how can you avoid piling on the pounds - and overloading your 2022 resolutions? “Holiday celebrations don’t have to destroy your healthy lifestyle,” said Dr. Kent Bradley, chief health and nutrition officer, Herbalife Nutrition. “Focus on your long-term goals, so you can make more thoughtful choices.” Here are tips for staying on track over the holidays - and making resolutions you can keep all year. Plan ahead. Don’t arrive hungry. Eat a high protein snack, to give you energy and keep you from overindulging at a party. Snack on hard-boiled eggs, lean lunch meat, low-fat cheese, yogurt or a handful of nuts. Other great options are Herbalife Nutrition’s protein Shakes or Protein Bites, a bite-sized protein bar. “By focusing on proteins over carbs, slowing your eating pace and making sure you don’t go to the party hungry, you can enjoy yourself and minimize weight gain,” adds Bradley. Stay hydrated. The body can mistake thirst for hunger, which may lead to overeating. Staying hydrated with plain or sparkling water also helps you feel fuller. Sip on a glass of water between snacks to slow down and enjoy the day. Pace yourself. In the survey, 48% admitted they’ve 8 RuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2021
eaten so much during the holidays, they had to undo the button on their pants or loosen their belt, and 45% have eaten more than one of the same meal in a day - such as multiple lunches or dinners. Others said they’ve eaten until they feel sick, unwell or full to bursting - or they deliberately wore stretchy clothes to accommodate overeating (both 39%). If you’re hosting a gathering, start a holiday singalong, set up a fun craft or suggest a walk outside. If you’re at someone else’s shindig, take breaks from eating treats by talking to people or playing games. Food doesn’t have to be the centerpiece of every get-together. Make your resolutions count.In the survey, 2/3 of respondents (64%) said they’re actively delaying attempts to be healthy over the holidays - and of those, 56% said they’ll begin postponing their wellness efforts by mid-November. But many said they’ll pick healthy habits back up in the New Year. The study found that 39% plan to make a New Year’s resolution for 2022. The top goal? Exercising more (27%), followed by eating healthier (25%) and focusing on self-care (22%). Make your resolutions concrete, realistic and attainable - so you can keep them well past January. “The most successful New Year’s health resolutions combine nutritious balanced diets and exercise, have specific, achievable goals - and activate a community of like-minded supportive people,” added Bradley. Here’s how to make effective New Year’s resolutions: * Make them simple and concrete: “30 minutes of exercise per day” or “Add 1 vegetable to meals,” for example. If you’re starting an exercise program, check with your doctor first. * Don’t overload yourself: Start with only 1-2 goals, or you can feel overwhelmed. * Use the buddy system: Find a friend or group of like-minded people to support you and help keep each other accountable. Don’t give up on your wellness before New Year’s, and use resolutions to focus on small, reachable goals, so you can build on that success all year long. Learn more about Herbalife Nutrition products to support your goals by visiting iamHerbalifeNutrition. com.—
Five ways to Practice Gratitude with Your Child This Holiday Season
The holidays are a time when gratitude is at the forefront. In fact, gratitude has been shown to help kids and adults practice resilience through tough times by focusing on the positive emotions that come with spending quality time with family and friends. That’s why character education matters. At Kiddie Academy, Character Essentials is a comprehensive character education program for infants through school-age children. The monthly theme for November is “We Are Thankful.” As you embrace the season of giving, now is a great time to reflect and think of ways to relieve the stress of today’s world and infuse gratitude and thankfulness into your family’s holiday traditions. Try one of the following five ways suggested by Joy Turner, Kiddie Academy vice president of education, to help you practice gratitude with your children and family this year: 1. Head offline. Dedicate some time during the holidays to spend offline - no electronics! Cell phones, video games, computers and tablets give short-term happiness. Spending time together making memories is what brings long-term happiness. As a family, share the things that make each other feel happy. Include non-tangible items such as spending time doing activities you enjoy! 2. You’ve got mail! You may not be able to spend time with every single person you’re thankful for. Have everyone in the family write a thank-you letter to people who couldn’t be there this year. It can even be a note to a friend you’re thankful for who lives far away! Be prepared with stationary or greeting cards and stamps. Then, take a family walk to the mailbox or a trip to the post office after dinner to send them together. 3. Create a gratitude jar. During your holiday cele-
brations, invite your family to jot down things they’re grateful for on slips of paper and put them in a jar. Help your child use crayons and markers to make them more colorful and fun. Then, go around the table picking them out and taking turns reading them. Make sure to write the year of when you created the jar - year over year, you can look back on past jars. You’ll have a big collection before you know it! 4. Home is where the heart is. People everywhere experience the holidays in a different way. Part of practicing gratitude is realizing that there are others who are in need. If you can, safely support a local group that helps people who are experiencing homelessness, or gather food to take to a local food bank. Help someone in your community you know is struggling. Find a local organization that can help you make an impact and engage your child in the critical life lesson of giving back to those in need. 5. The grand finale - dinnertime! Most people would agree that a holiday centered around food and family is a great way to spend the day. Prepare your holiday meal as a family! Bonding happens during these activities. The act of preparing food with your family is great for your well-being and teaches children to be thankful and appreciative. It also provides a time to reconnect with family and focus on what is important in your lives. Yes, this pandemic holiday season may have its challenges, but with some resilience and a grateful attitude, your family can still find the “Happy” in “Happy Holidays.” You may even create a new gratitude habit that will help your child’s character development. If you run out of ideas or want to practice other key character traits, head over to Kiddie Academy’s website to download the Character Essentials Activity Book.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2021 9
COVER STORY
Tips for Small Businesses Inspired by 2022 tech trends Small businesses are important parts of communities and a key driving factor of the current economic recovery. Modern technology and workplace trends are transforming how these organizations are run, not only to increase productivity, but expand the possibilities of the future. Ahead of the national celebration of Small Business Saturday, new research found that the United States is home to 32.5 million small businesses employing 46.8% of the private workforce, according to the 2021 Small Business Profiles from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Combine small and medium-sized businesses, and you cover the vast majority of companies in the country - a powerful economic force. “We see a bright future ahead for businesses in 2022,” said Eric Yu, Lenovo senior vice president, small and medium business segment. “Small to medium-sized businesses can utilize the best in technology to help overcome the challenges today and drive growth, engage employees and boost profits.” Yu and the experts at Lenovo offer tips for SMBs based on their top technology predictions for 2022. Learn more at Lenovo.com. 1. Add hybrid workforce technology. Workplace culture continues to evolve with hybrid workforces here to stay. Technology is driving this momentum 10 RuralLeaderMag.com | DECEMBER 2021
forward, enabling businesses of all sizes to remain agile and adaptable. SMBs should seek purpose-built technology solutions that bring equity, parity, presence and inclusion to hybrid work. Emerging technology will also advance SMB growth, with augmented and virtual reality creating custom workplaces for employees, immersive training, efficient data analysis and enhanced productivity. Just imagine the possibilities of training employees virtually, tapping resources beyond what’s available locally and removing the need to travel. Technology makes this a reality. 2. Enhance digital security. Digital threats are as much a concern for SMBs as they are for large companies. Whether it’s private client data, proprietary company information or financial accounts, security must remain top of mind in 2022 as cybercriminals become savvier every day. Prioritizing security with seamless authentication driven by artificial intelligence and biometric technology (such as fingerprint scans) will be key for SMBs as they further transition to public key infrastructure (PKI)-based device security, like those used today to access mobile banking applications, and multifactor authentication, for application and device access. 3. Invest in modern monitors. The desktop mon-
itors SMB employees use can transform their work experience for increased comfort and capabilities. Investing in modern monitors makes sense, especially for remote employees and those in technology roles. For example, SMB employees can seamlessly multitask through modern desktop monitors that offer larger screen real estate and single cable management for easy connections. What makes these monitors different? Next-generation monitors feature higher resolution, new aspect ratios such as ultra-wide and low blue light tech to reduce eye strain. Monitors will extend functionality for SMB employees as they can provide a docking hub for connection of other devices such as smartphones, speakers, headphones and tablets. 4. Upgrade your accessory ecosystem. Beyond modern monitors, other aspects of home office technology are transforming, too. Creating an up-to-date and efficient workspace at home is important for productivity but also for personal well-being. Providing employees with complementary tools that bridge the gap between home and office will elevate the experience and empower hybrid working trends. When researching new accessories for SMB employees, consider the most common pain points of power anxiety, poor audio quality and physical
stresses of inappropriate input devices resulting from longer working hours. Power banks, noise-canceling headphones certified for unified communications platforms and ergonomic mice and keyboards will become more mainstream in 2022, allowing teams at SMBs to improve their work-from-anywhere capabilities and productivity. 5. Support agility and flexibility. The growth of hybrid and remote workplaces has elevated the need for work tools that allow employees to work when and where they want. Evolving form factors and better connectivity will become more ubiquitous, allowing SMB employees to set up shop almost anywhere. This flexibility can add strain to IT resources, and impact business capital expense. SMBs need to consider as-a-service subscription-based models, not just for hardware but to support their solution lifecycle. Successful businesses will embrace this trend and seek vendors with end-to-end capabilities to securely deploy to remote users, offer hardware and software managed services and provide end-user tech support. As-a-service solutions reduce pressure on capital, allowing SMBs to redirect investment into new growth opportunities.—
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Four Easy Ways to Maximize Your 2021 Holiday Budget From holiday shopping and gift-giving to hosting festivities in-person or virtually, people are eagerly embracing the 2021 holiday season. But just how much jingle are people spending to be jolly? Consumers will spend an average of $1,447 on gifts, travel and entertainment this year, according to PWC research. It’s a joyful time, but it can also be stressful - especially if money is tight. Luckily, it’s possible for everyone to enjoy the holidays and stick to a budget. All it takes is a bit of planning and a bargain-hunter’s mindset. Consider these tips for maximizing your budget so you can enjoy a season full of merriment: 1. Make a budget and shop holiday deals. A budget will be your best friend during the holiday season. You don’t need to go into debt to have a happy holiday! Figure out how much you can realistically spend on gifts, and split that total up equally amongst the people you want to treat this year. Then, filter by price when shopping online to help you stick to that amount. Amazon customers can shop with confidence that they’re getting low prices on the products they need and want, whether they’re shopping for themselves or taking advantage of early savings on gifts for friends and family throughout the holiday season. 2. Save with an Amazon Prime membership. In addition to Amazon’s everyday low prices, Amazon Prime members enjoy benefits like fast and free delivery, unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Prime Video, access to more than 3,000 books and magazines with Prime Reading, exclusive discounts, early access to select deals and more. And did you know that Amazon offers a discounted Prime membership for select government assistance recipients for just $5.99 per month? That’s all of the shopping, savings and entertainment benefits of Prime at half the price. To learn more or start a 30-day free trial just in time for the holidays, visit
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Amazon.com/primediscount. Plus, SNAP EBT beneficiaries in 46 states and Washington, D.C. can also use their nutrition assistance benefits to order eligible groceries online from Amazon.com and Amazon Fresh, so you can still save big while getting everything you need delivered. 3. Opt for low-cost/free entertainment. You don’t have to spend money to make memories. Many holiday traditions cost little to nothing and often are the most meaningful. You can even make a holiday bucket list of things everyone wants to do before the end of the year. Need ideas? Try singing classic carols, turn on some modern tunes and have a festive dance party, or select a festive show for a merry movie night. Amazon Music and Prime Video, which offer thousands of shows and movies and millions of songs all included with your Prime membership, are great ways to indulge in the season at no extra cost. 4. Consider a virtual gift exchange. Make a list of everyone on your gift list and organize them into groups. This may include family, friends, colleagues, teachers, neighbors, community members and more. For big families or larger groups, consider proposing a secret Santa or name exchange so you gift one person rather than everyone, helping everyone in the group to save. No address for the person you’re gifting? No problem. New this year, Prime members can send surprise gifts just by providing just a phone number or email address. Using the Amazon mobile app, simply select the product to gift, select “add gift receipt for easy returns” during checkout, then type in a known email address or mobile number of the recipient. That individual can either accept the purchase or exchange for a gift card, without letting the sender know they did.—
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The Silent Health Risk of COVID-19: Five Facts to Know about Blood Clots COVID-19 is associated with many complications, but one that many people are not as aware of are blood clots. According to a recent study, between 25% to 49% of patients with severe COVID-19 also experience blood clots with blood clots in the lungs being the most common condition. These blood clots can be limb- and life-threatening. Jeremy Sipe, a 52-year-old avid runner, knew something was wrong when he was experiencing shortness of breath after a few steps on the treadmill. He tried again later in the day and the same thing happened - he was out of breath after just a couple of seconds. He called his doctor immediately and ended up in the hospital diagnosed with a blood clot in his lung, also known as a pulmonary embolism. “Jeremy’s clot could have been life threatening,” said Dr. George Chrysant, interventional cardiologist at INTEGRIS Baptist in Oklahoma City, OK. “It is important to recognize the signs of blood clots, especially pulmonary embolisms, because when they are diagnosed and treated quickly, complications decrease dramatically.” Blood clots are often overlooked and misunderstood. The following are a few things to know about blood clots. Risk factors for blood clots. Blood clots can affect anyone at any age, but there are factors that can increase risk, like surgery, hospitalization, pregnancy, cancer, and family history. Studies have shown an increased chance of suffering a blood clot during the COVID-19 pandemic, both among those who have the virus and those with more sedentary lifestyles due to shutdowns and working from home. Symptoms of blood clots. A blood clot in your arm or leg can cause swelling and pain. It may be tender, red, or warm to the touch. A blood clot in the lung can cause difficulty breathing, an irregular heartbeat, chest pain and coughing up blood, according to the American Lung Association. Technology for blood clots. Dr. Chrysant removed Jeremy’s blood clot with a medical technology from Penumbra, Inc. called the Indigo System Lightning
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12. It works like a minimally invasive “vacuum” inside a blocked artery or vein to remove a blood clot. “In the past, we would have been limited to clot-dissolving medications, which can be problematic because they sometimes require long stays in the intensive care unit and have a high risk of causing bleeding elsewhere in the body,” Dr. Chrysant said. Five facts to know about blood clots. Doctors say it’s important to know the facts and seek treatment right away if you suspect a blood clot. Here are a few things to remember: * Blood clots can affect anyone. Still, there are risk factors that include smoking, obesity, pregnancy, being sedentary, and birth control and hormone therapy. Certain diseases and conditions, such as cancer, also increase risk. * Genetics play a role. If you have family members who have a history of blood clots, or you have a personal history of repeated blood clots, you could be more at risk. * Doctors have tools to diagnose a blood clot, but there is no routine screening. Your doctor will gather information about your medical history, age, medications, and lifestyle factors. Diagnostic tests are usually only performed if a clot is suspected. * There have been recent advancements in the treatment of blood clots. With new technology, doctors have more treatment options to help patients. * You can help prevent blood clots. Be aware of risk factors, recognize the signs and symptoms and see your doctor right away if you suspect a blood clot. And remember, when you’ve been sitting for a long time, stand up and walk around or stretch your legs every couple of hours. “I’m fortunate that I saw my doctor right away and had this blood clot taken care of that same day,” said Sipe. “I felt a difference immediately after the procedure and I even went to the gym that evening. It’s important to know when to see a doctor, especially when things don’t seem right.” For more information about Penumbra, visit www. penumbrainc.com/patients-caregivers/.—
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Tech-free Experiences and Gift Ideas for Kids of All Ages
Less stuff and more memories - this is what many parents are striving for with their families. This goal is inspiring a new approach to gifts that bypasses toys and screen time, and instead focuses on activities that make a lasting impression and get kids out of the house. Experiential gift giving is one of the year’s hottest trends. Not only do these types of gifts create memories that last, but there’s no need to worry about supply chain issues or delivery delays when you’re gifting an experience. Need inspiration? Here are some of the most popular experiential gift ideas for kids, tweens and teens: Explore Mother Nature. Give them a reason to get outdoors and explore the natural world with a thoughtful gift related to Mother Nature. For example, consider gifting an annual pass to a national park or state park. If you live in areas with snow, another good idea is a season pass to a ski area or lift tickets. If your loved one has no experience on skis or a snowboard, consider gifting a lesson, too. Jump for joy. Indoor trampoline parks give kids of all ages adrenaline-pumping, laughter-filled fun. Sky Zone, the creators of the world’s first indoor trampoline park, is a choose-your-own adventure with something for everyone, from the Little Leapers program for kids 6 and under to neon dance parties after dark at GLOW for kids, tweens and teens. With a wide array of active entertainment experiences, you can test out your ninja skills on the Ninja Warrior Course, slam dunk like a pro on SkySlam, play Ultimate Dodgeball and much more. Now through the end of the year you can get a free $10 Bonus Card
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with every $40 gift card purchase at SkyZone.com/ Holiday-Gift-Card. ‘Tis the season to be jumping! Theater tickets. In a world full of screens, live theater stands out as a unique form of entertainment. Do a little research to see what’s available and consider gifting tickets to an upcoming show. Select a theater or show based on kids’ ages and interests. You could even make a day out of going to the theater and dress up for dinner as well. Whether a big city theater or a small local troupe, this experience is sure to delight. Classes. Is your child curious about a hobby or always eager to continue learning? Art, dance, woodworking, sewing, singing, robotics - there are so many options to explore either in-person or virtually. Gift a child a class and you may inspire a passion that they’ll have for the rest of their life. Is Mom or Dad interested as well? Take the class with them and make memories together. Museum discovery. Kids are naturally curious, so gift them tickets to a local museum and you give them a reason to explore and learn. Some examples include a science museum, zoo, aquarium, children’s museum or animal sanctuary. Want to splurge? Some locations offer special behind-the-scenes tours that you can schedule for the kids in your life. Whether a holiday, birthday or any other reason to give a gift, consider opting for experiences like these over traditional gifts. They’ll help kids explore new activities and create treasured memories.—
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Unboxing Your way Through the Holidays? Try ‘inbinning’ to End the Year on a Greener Note If you’re familiar with popular “unboxing” videos on social media, you can probably imagine that’s exactly how this holiday season will look - on repeat. With everyone ordering more items online than ever before, unboxings will be a daily - if not hourly activity. But what can you do with all the extra packaging and waste that tend to pile up over the holidays? It’s time to amp up your recycling game. Nobody wants to clog up trash containers with empty plastic bottles, cans, plastic and paper, and now, there’s a simple antidote: #inbinning. Dropping your recyclable items into a recycling bin is a small act that can result in a big impact. You should also make sure you are following local guidelines on what materials are (and aren’t) recyclable. Here are some helpful tips to improve your #inbinning process so you can help make the world a little greener: Get good recycling bins. While some communities provide recycling bins for curbside pickup, it helps if you also have smaller recycling bins for easy use inside the house to collect recyclable items. Place them in your kitchen, garage and/or any other areas where you’re likely to be unboxing, discarding packaging or finishing a beverage. This makes it easier for everyone in the family to participate in your household’s #inbinning efforts. Get the whole fam involved. A quick refresher on how and what to recycle will help everyone in your household participate in this season’s #inbinning. Very young children love to help out and to feel like
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they’re part of a larger effort, and recycling items isn’t hard for them to do. Explain how even these small acts can have a big impact on the environment, and that the best time to start is now. Think before you toss. Before you’re about to discard something in the trash, take a good look and ask yourself: Can this be recycled? Cans, bottles, glass, paper, newspaper, cardboard and many types of plastic can be recycled - whether at home or on the go! Review the recycling guidelines in your area for rules on what can or can’t be recycled, and how to best prepare certain items for recycling (such as rinsing out food and beverage containers, re-capping a bottle or flattening cardboard boxes). Open gifts and recycle at the same time. Contrary to what you may have heard, most holiday wrapping paper is actually recyclable. However, any paper that’s metallic, or that has velvety flocking or glitter on it, will not be recyclable. Most holiday gift-wrapping paper can also be added to your recycling bin, even if there’s a little tape on it. Having a family get-together over the holidays? Strategically place bags, boxes or bins around the room to collect wrapping paper as you open gifts together so it’s easy for everyone to remember to recycle. You’re likely about to receive way more packages than usual from your online holiday shopping, so be ready - and keep recycling at the top of your mind to help start the New Year off right. Let your holiday unboxings lead to a lot more #inbinning. Learn more about how to up your recycling game at PepsiCoRecycling.com.—
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Seven Ways to be a Holly Jolly Host this Season ‘Tis the season to make up for lost time and host friends and family this holiday. Along with celebrating cherished traditions comes the revolving door of loved ones at your home. As a global leader in hospitality, Hilton is here to help you welcome your guests and provide an unforgettable experience with these seven helpful tips: * Cookies Baking Beats Chestnuts Roasting: Nothing’s better than the aroma of freshly baked cookies filling up a house, and guests (including Santa) will appreciate the taste as well! The classic, easy recipe found on newsroom.hilton.com/static-doubletree-reveals-cookie-recipe.htm will be sure to win your visitors over as the signature, warm DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie is the perfect welcome gift or sweet surprise. * Silent Night, Cozy Night: Elevate your guests’ stay with a hotel-like experience. Little things can go a long way, like offering bedding layers to cater to an individual’s body temperature and a down duvet for extra comfort. Clear space in drawers so guests have room for clothing. On top of a dresser, place a basket with a TV remote, reusable water bottles in case they get thirsty at night and fluffy towels and a comfy bathrobe. Finally, add a candle to the guest bedroom or bathroom for a little R&R; candle scents including pine, cinnamon, vanilla and gingerbread can boost your guests’ mood as well. * It’s Beginning to Taste a Lot Like Breakfast: The holiday festivities don’t need to end at night. Cook up fond memories the next morning with friends and family by serving up breakfast options that cater to all taste buds. You could provide fresh-baked waffles like those served at Hampton by Hilton, cooked-toorder omelets found at Embassy Suites by Hilton, breakfast sandwiches like Home2 Suites by Hilton, or a “Top It” Bar like Tru by Hilton. * Do You Hear What I Hear?: Music can spark happy memories and is often an important part of treasured family traditions, especially this time of
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year. Holiday music tends to spark nostalgia and get you in the spirit so be sure to curate a playlist that will keep guests singing, dancing and potentially caroling throughout their stay. * Santa Paws is Coming to Town: As pet ownership continues to rise, people are spending more time with pets now than ever before, and some loved ones won’t travel without them. Cater to their four-legged friends with a special pet-friendly area with toys and treats to reduce their anxiety - consider cashing in loyalty rewards, like Hilton Honors Points, to shop for a few items on Amazon.com while saving your wallet. Find out where the closest dog park is and inform your guests ahead of time so their furry friend can release some pent-up energy after a long car ride - before entering your home. * I’m Dreaming of a Wi-Fi Christmas: As guests take to social media to post photos and videos, a slow Wi-Fi signal can be a buzzkill. Before your party, move the router to a more centrally located spot in your home for better coverage, make sure there are no obstructions around it and then run a speed test. Also, post your password on decorative signs around your home for convenience. * Get into the Holiday Spirits: Stay on top of the always-changing drink trends and serve up some tequila, which has grown in popularity this year. Tequila is an excellent choice this holiday season because you can easily set up a cocktail station so your guests can help themselves to a variety of mixers including lime, club soda, ginger syrup and more. Whether you’ve invited family to stay over for the holidays or you’re hosting friends for cocktails, following these Hilton tips will provide the gift of great holiday memories for your guests - and put you on everyone’s nice list.—
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