See reference: Halloween Gift Baskets

Ben was sitting in the corner chair waiting for the phone call that never came. His mom had tried unsuccessfully for the last two hours to keep his mind off of the phone. She had asked him if he wanted to play chess or checkers, or maybe a game of Monopoly. He turned down her offers and insisted that the phone call would come any minute so he could not play games with his mom. He did not want to be too far away from the phone. Little Ben is six years old and is waiting for his dad to call. His mom and dad were divorced last year and he hardly ever sees his dad anymore. He is lucky to see him once a month and that makes him very sad. Dad promised that he would call this week. He said he would bring Ben to the community Halloween party and has to make arrangements to pick him up. The party is tomorrow night and Ben still has not heard from his dad so he is certain that he will call tonight. Dad would never let him down. Or would he?

See reference: Father’s Day Gifts

We have all given our fair share of ties to dad on Father’s Day. I remember buying my dad a shiny silver tie in the 1970’s (think disco). I don’t think I ever saw him wear it yet he accepted my gift as if it were the best present he ever received. Dad’s are like that. They want to make us happy so they pretend that they like our gifts. But a gift that is never used is not a true gift, is it? It is time to choose something special for our favorite man, something unique that fits his personality as well as your budget.

See reference: Mother’s Day Gifts

Mother’s Day is celebrated in North America on Sunday May 14, 2006. This special day is not about expensive gifts or extravagant dinners but is celebrated to show Mom how much we love and appreciate her. When were little a quick hug and kiss would be sufficient. As we got older we started drawing our own Mother’s Day cards with stick figures and scribbled words. We would go out into the yard and nearby fields to pick wild flowers and we would hand them to Mom with proud smiles. As teenagers we let her sleep in and brought her breakfast in bed or we baked a Mother’s Day cake that was shared with the entire family. As young adults we might have cooked her a special dinner with all of her favorite foods. Mom appreciates all of the little things that we do for her because she loves us and knows, by our actions, that we love her. My favorite Mother’s Day was when the family pulled out a box of old photographs and we laughed and smiled as we went through them. The memories that we shared that day were priceless. A Mother’s love is not something that can be replaced or bought but it is something that is to be remembered and cherished forever. Show your Mother you care by some small gesture on your part whether it be a store bought gift, a hand made gift, or the gift of four simple words, “I love you, Mom”.

See reference: Housewarming Gift Baskets

I moved last month, after living in the same home for over nine years. Boy, was I unorganized for this move. I did not take enough time off of work and found myself throwing my belongings into boxes just days before the movers came. I was still packing the morning the movers came and did not finish packing during the two hours it took them to load their truck so I had to store the rest of my belongings for a day until I was able to close on my new home. My car was filled to the brim when I pulled into the attorney’s parking ramp on the day of closing.

See reference: Holiday Gift Baskets

The holidays are a stressful time for many of us. We want to find the perfect gift for our family, friends, and business associates so we tend to waste hours shopping in large, overcrowded malls and not finding what we want. By the end of the shopping day, we are tired, hungry and poorer because we typically spend more than we set out to. And our feet our sore and we have run into more than one bad-tempered shopper who has tested our own holiday spirit.

By Criss White

Just about everyone loves the sweet temptation of chocolates and candy. Here are some intriguing statistics and facts about candy and chocolate:


1. The average American eats 10-12 pounds (4.5 kg) of chocolate a year. The average Swiss eats 21 pounds a year.


2. Chocolate is the food most commonly craved by women, but can contribute significantly to bulimia, obesity, and binge eating.


3. Several medical studies show that eating chocolate in moderation can actually prolong your life by reducing risk of blood clots and fighting bad cholestorol.


4. Chocolate is not physically addictive and does not cause acne, as shown in several medical studies.

See reference: Holiday Gift Baskets

Don’t you just love this time of year? Here, in upstate New York, the fall leaves are starting to turn into bright, beautiful colors and are fluttering to the ground in a graceful dance. The air is turning brisk as daylight savings time approaches. Local farmers have turned their corn fields into giant mazes which offer hours of challenging fun for adults and children alike. The firehouse and town recreation center are preparing for their upcoming Halloween parties where the community comes together to play games, bob for apples, eat sugar coated donuts and drink apple cider. The local college students are busy making gory-looking costumes and painting scary scenes for the annual haunted house that frightens kids and entertains adults. The stores are already stocking delicious Halloween treats and a variety of scary, cute, and funny costumes for the upcoming fall celebration. Homeowners are readying themselves for the holiday by decorating their front doors and windows with glow-in-the-dark ghosts, goblins and skeletons. Tombstones with RIP painted on them, caskets, and scarecrows grace front lawns while witches on broomsticks have “hit” at least one tree on every block. Soon the doorbells will be ringing and greetings of “Trick or Treat” will be heard as giggling children and their parents walk to each house in the neighborhood to collect handouts of candy, apples, popcorn balls, and sometimes even pencils or small change. Halloween is just silly fun that brings the community together and can be enjoyed by all. Happy Halloween!

On August 29th and 30th, our country was hit by a devastating storm. Hurricane Katrina roared into the gulf coast and tore apart parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, and buried New Orleans in water. There are possibly millions of people who are homeless and probably thousands who are dead. Most of the survivors are now in makeshift shelters in our nation’s southern states wondering what is to become of them.

Right now, immediately after the hurricane, the golf coast is swarming with reporters who televise the latest developments in the gulf coast. We see the devastation through their camera lenses. We see the tear-stained faces of adults and children as they search for their family and friends. We’ve watched people who were forced to abandon their pets to ensure their own survival. We see their belongings scattered across the landscape because they are just too weak to carry them. We have watched them die from lack of food, water or health care. We see the bodies left behind in the flooded waters.

See reference: Gift Baskets for Women

Sometimes we take people for granted, especially our loved ones. They are always there for us when we need them yet we do not always show them how much we care. People need to feel appreciated. The women in our lives are no exception.

Our moms, for instance, take care of our every need from the day we are born until the day we leave for college and sometimes well beyond the college years. She has changed our diapers, kissed our booboos, gave us a hug when we were feeling blue, played with us, helped us with our homework, clothed us, fed us, and prepared us for life in general. Mom is truly worthy of our respect.

See reference: Fruit Gift Baskets

It has been known for many years that eating fresh fruit is good for your health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) food pyramid recommends eating a variety of fruits as part of a balanced diet. According to the USDA, fruit provides nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of our body and people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Eating fresh fruit has been known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. If eaten as part of a balanced diet, eating fruits rich in potassium may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and may help to decrease bone loss. Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium and calories. Fruit also has no cholesterol.