Quick and Dirty Holiday DecoratingWritten by Elizabeth Hekimian-Williams
You're tired. You've worked hard all week. Suddenly, kids shout gleefully... "let's decorate!" ... in anticipation of coming holiday. The "let's not" is miraculously not permitted to escape your lips. Instead you take a deep breath while you wonder about how this decorating could become an easier and more fun-filled activity.Well, it can be! - First, insist on family members pitching in to help and treat this like a family project. This should not just rest on your shoulders to accomplish and it will be much more fun if you all are making changes and creating memories together. - Next, pick a day and time you'll all devote no more than one to two hours for a quick holiday makeover at your home (for a major decorating holiday schedule two or three longer blocks of time). It helps if you can set decorating date about one to two weeks from now, if time still allows for that. This gives you time to gather items together for project. - Ask kids to create one or two new arts and crafts decorations that are suitable to holiday to have ready for decorating day. Or, ask them to select ones from among any they may already have on hand, for instance, from school projects. - Decide on 3 to 4 areas you will focus on decorating this year. Here are some choices: front door, front yard, entry hallway, kitchen table, dining room table, living room, patio, bathroom, bedroom. There are other areas you could consider as well. But if you want quick and dirty, then focus in on only 3 to 4 of areas for decorating this year. Anyway, you can select other areas next year for a change. - Keep holiday decorations in separate bags, boxes or baskets in same closet or in attic so they'll be easy for everyone to retrieve when they are needed next. - Buy items you really love when you see them advertised or they may not be available when you later. It's common for seasonal merchandise to change from year to year and also they are not stocked year-round typically. So, your item may no longer be available if you wait too long to decide you want it. Then stash your figurines, statues, wall hangings, and other holiday decorations in your bags or boxes, sorted by holiday.
| | Do Not Call Registry is Just the 1st StepWritten by James H. Dimmitt
The Federal Trade Commission launched it’s much anticipated “Do Not Call Registry” on June 27th, several days earlier than announced July 1 debut. The FTC reported that they were receiving as many as 1,000 registrations a minute at their website, www.donotcall.gov. As of Tuesday, July 1, 12.5 million telephone numbers had been logged into registry, according to FTC.The “do not call” registry takes effect on Oct. 1 and telemarketers who call numbers on list could face fines up to $11,000 per call. While consumers may consider registry a victory over annoying telemarketing calls, those same telemarketers have already begun to focus on other ways to reach consumer via e-mail and direct mail marketing. According to Direct Marketing Association (DMA), companies spent over $80 billion on telemarketing in 2002. Marketers will now look to focus those funds toward more traditional sales pitches to reach their targets and avoid possible fines. Consumers should prepare for onslaught of direct mail and internet advertising they will receive, including possibility of more spam e-mail. You can register for this national registry at www.donotcall.gov. Your registration will be valid for a five-year period, after which you would need to renew your registration. Registering for FTC’s “do not call” registry is only first step to take toward “opting out” of telemarketing advertising.
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