www.zsl.org Deck the Zoo with bales of hay fa la la la, la la la, laaa well thats the way the song goes at ZSL London Zoo. Yep its Christmastime, and the Zoo is getting into the holiday spirit with Christmas Carnival an animal packed celebration of all things festive. Shed your serious side and pop on a Santa hat for a day full of fun at ZSL London Zoo. First stop is the Animal Parade; where some of the Zoos four legged creatures will go on a Christmas stroll through the grounds. Accompanied …

www.twomblypublishing.com ( where you can find the book “HORSES and PEOPLE MATCHING” followed it’s favorite pony ride company “Ponies for Parties” of Middleboro Massachusetts to East Bridgewater to celebrate “Christmas on the Common” sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of East Bridgewater….. lots of fundraising benefits…homespun Christmas fun..the ponies arrived AFTER the lovely Christmas parade ( sorry) and the craft tables were set up inside there were performances from local dance troupes …

17th Annual FIESTA-WORLD CRAFT BAZAAR Saturday – November 21st (10 to 4 pm) Florence Filberg Centre (Upstairs and Down) Courtenays FIESTA-WORLD CRAFT BAZAAR is now the largest fair trade global craft fair in Canada. Organizations and businesses from eastern Canada, lower mainland, Gibsons, and across Vancouver Island will be coming together to sell unique and exquisite clothing and crafts from around the world! There will be something for every price range and person on your list. Theres …

I’ve always been something of a cheap hedonist.  If it’s going to break the bank, or it’s not fun, why do it?  Yet, in this economy, I have been cutting back – on everything, including my fun money.  Instead of buying discounted movie tickets through my work, I downgraded my Netflix to two videos a month and started relying on my library card.  I’m learning to cook and always bring my lunch to work.  I’ve always been a thrift store maven, and am keeping a list of all the things I need once garage sale season starts.  I don’t own a car, and decided this year won’t be the year I purchase one.

While I’ve been able to save more, it hasn’t been enough.  Colleagues in my industry have had 20% pay cuts that have left them nearing bankruptcy and me quaking in my boots.  Will I be next?  It terrifies me, but I know that the only control I have is to plan for the worst while hoping for the best.  I don’t want to save less, and I refuse to lower my 401k contributions, so I have determined that I need to cut back my spending to less than 60% of current levels.

As I was cruising through my bank statements, I realized that prioritizing my spending means I won’t have to sacrifice as much as I’d thought.  In fact, many of the changes I’m making will save money while at the same time reducing stress and increasing my happiness.

Museums

I visit all of Chicago’s major museums once a year, and pay full price.  Most cities’ libraries have free tickets available to residents, and I am totally getting on that gravy train this year.  I’ll have to reserve far in advance, but hey!  I’ll get to go for FREE.  I’ll also be taking part in gallery walks – free, regularly scheduled tours that visit neighborhood galleries.

Groceries

I’m positively phobic of chemicals in the foods and products I buy, yet holy cow organic is expensive. To save on groceries, I’ll be venturing out to area farms over the summer for you-pick fruits and vegetables, and I’ll be purchasing poultry and meat from the Amish, about three hours from my home.  A friend and I are going to learn to can.  I’ll be able to eat locally grown, in-season, organic, free-range food all year long for significantly less than what I spend at the grocery store.  Plus I’ll be improving my pathetic cooking “skills.”

Festivals and Parks

I live in Chicago, a city famous for it’s summer festivals.  I’ll be taking full advantage of these over the next few months, especially the Movies in the Park and free concerts.

Park districts are amazing resources.  Where else can I take a digital photography class for $30?  I’ll get to improve my pictures while making friends with similar interests.  Maybe we can go on picture-taking adventures after class?  Win-win!

Crafternoons

This year, I’m going to invite friends over for potluck crafternoons.  It’ll be lovely Sundays with my girlfriends, filled with mimosas, yarn, and laughter.  I’m also hoping to learn tie dying and soapmaking.  Surely one of my friends can teach me?  For free?

Exercise

I love riding a bike, it makes me totally and completely happy.  While I will be spending a pretty penny on a good bike, it will eliminate the gym membership I don’t use.  I’ll be biking to and from work along the city’s gorgeous lakefront, and I’ll use the gym at my work in the mornings. Bonus – my work has a bike room and showers!

Gifts

I love gift-giving, and always overspend by magnitudes of 2 or 3.  To save money, I have already budgeted for Christmas, Hanukah and key birthdays, and have a box in my closet labeled, “presents.”  Through the course of the year, I’ll be purchasing gifts on clearance, and storing them until birthdays and holidays roll around. I’m also giving mostly hand-made items this year, so most of my crafting heads straight into the box. Hopefully, I’ll get the hang of canning so that I can give homemade jellies, jams and fruit butters for the holidays!

These are just some of the ways I’m limiting my spending while improving or maintaining my quality of life. Pinching pennies doesn’t necessarily mean misery.  In fact, I’m really looking forward to biking to and from work and having friends over on the occasional Sunday.  Readers, what steps have you taken to save money?  How have these changes improved your life?

As the holiday season draws near, you’re sure to be busy making your list and checking it twice.  Between balancing your budget with your children’s wish lists, battling the shopping malls for the best bargains, planning family gatherings, decking the halls, preparing holiday meals, gift wrapping, and more, it’s easy to see how Christmas can come and go without the time to slow down, take a breath, and enjoy the holiday season with your family.  

If you’re looking for ways to stop and smell the gingerbread this year while creating some precious memories that can last a lifetime, here are a few simple and fun holiday activities that will ensure your entire family has a holly jolly Christmas!

“Remember that Carol” is a simple game that both kids and adults will enjoy as they go from person to person each taking turns announcing a Christmas carol that they remember and singing a verse from it.  A great game to entertain your children at home or to pass time on the road while traveling for the holidays, it will have your family making beautiful music together in no time! 

Christmas Charades is fun for the whole family!  Just have everyone write out 2 or 3 common holiday-themed items, characters, or decorations, etc. on small pieces of paper.  Fold them all up and place them in a bowl, and then take turns drawing out one at a time and acting them out for all to guess.

Holiday bedtime stories.  Dedicate 5 minutes each night throughout the month of December to read your child a bedtime Christmas story book.  Let your little ones take turns picking out which book you will read each night.  You can let your children choose one or two new Christmas books each year to add to their collection. 

Christmas Gift Hunt.  If you like to open a gift early on Christmas Eve, or hunt for presents on Christmas day, you can create a memorable fun way for your children to receive their gifts by making a simple Christmas holiday hunt.  You’ll need to prepare ahead and hide a trail of simple holiday clues that when solved will lead your child from one clue to the next until they ultimately reach and uncover where their “treasured” Christmas gift has been stashed away.  If you don’t have time to make your own clues, inexpensive pre-made print ‘n’ play Christmas hunts are available online for both children and adults at Treasure-Adventure.com.  Simply download, print, and play instantly! 

Deck the halls!  Make holiday decorating a group effort.  Take time to work with your children to make a few simple personalized holiday projects that can be displayed in your home or be given as memorable and unique gifts to friends and family such as painting ceramic angels or holiday candles, making ornaments or homemade candy canes, coloring and cutting out Christmas designs and applying them to windows, stockings, sleds, and other traditional holiday decor, or making a wreath together with everyone contributing.  There is an endless array of Christmas craft kits you might take advantage of or just grab your construction paper, glue, scissors, glitter, garland, and crayons, and make your own holiday decorations. Your kids will love this family craft time and beam with pride as they get to show off their special creations to holiday visitors.

Finally, make Christmas eve all about family time.  Turn off the TV and video games, turn on the Christmas tree lights, and play an old-fashioned family game or just come together as a family to talk and enjoy each other’s company. 

It takes only a little time and creativity to bring your loved ones together around a few special holiday activities and make your own Christmas traditions and lasting family memories of the joyous holiday season together.