Goodwill at Your Address

Peace on earth covers millions of acres, but what about the peace in your household this holiday? Even though Deecember is here, our regular chores and lives move forward right along with the tinsel, the Shepherd's costumes and the eggnog. So what keeps you on an even bobsled during this month?

This week, the Word Quilters will give you tips for keeping the joy in Christmas, for fostering peacemaking in your home, not just being a "peace keeper."

1. Don't set your expectations too high for your home decor. Have you ever gone dress shopping when you already had a style and color in mind? I did and nothing on the racks met my expectations. Christmas can be like that too. Decking the halls at the malls is a lot easier than from pulling together a collection of his, mine, and ours. They have designers and budgets for decor, we have garage sale decor items, hand-me-down Lenox pieces and little hands outlined in glitter. All of these are tucked into spots reminding us of certain people. The items are not clutter because of all the memories tied to them. If someone brings you a gift. Display it proudly, no matter if it matches.

2. Keep the atmosphere loving, open, and lighthearted. Avoid pointing out your pet peeves throughout this month. Get out of the habit of saying, "I just hate--Mondays, frizzy hair, my weight, or numerous other things we casually say we hate. Don't nag others about behaviors. By January, you may be surprised at how your generosity improved the "flavor" of your home.

3. Make December a Secret Santa month for your family.  Secretly do things for other household members that will actually ease some of their work load. Empty the trash in your husband's office. Offer a back rub. Well, that's not exactly secret. I guess you could blindfold the recipient. Dream up your own list of Secret Santa things to do for others.....Shhh. Don't tell. You are doing this out of the goodness of your heart to help another, not to get applause.

Until next Sunday or Monday....
OK, that sums up my advice for a calmer December. Just wait until you read my co-authors' tips. These girls are goooooood!

Anyone want to chime in and share how you set the peace pace in your home?

Some Christmas Tree Facts

By now I'm sure my coauthors have given all the excellent tips I would have shared for your real Christmas Tree. Here are a few facts though that might be of interest:

• Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource if you want to be "green."
• Real trees are grown in all 50 states
• There are about one million acres in produciton for growing Christmas trees. Each acre provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.
• For every real Christmas tree harvested, 2-3 seedlings are planted in its place the following spring.
• It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree of average retail sale height, but the average growing time is seven years.

This information came from the Northeast Ohio Christmas Tree Growers.

Select Your Living Christmas Tree Carefully

When you choose a living tree that you will plant in your yard, find out the height and width that the tree will attain and make sure yon don't plant it too close to your house or to a fence.
Years ago our neighbors bought and planted the wrong Christmas tree in the wrong location, too close to the fence between our yards. Soon the tree began pressing the fence, damaging it, and creating shade for our flowers that needed sun. The tree grew tall rapidly and then died, and was expensive for them to remove!

Study where you will plant your tree, and consider the height and width the tree will attain. Noble Fir, Grand Fir and White Pine can live for a hundred years and reach 60 to 90 feet tall, with branches spreading thirty feet in width. For typical yards, dwarf Blue Spruce cultivars with their perfect conical shapes and thick foliage are excellent choices. Semi-dwarf Fat Albert reaches fifteen feet, Blaukissen or Blue Kiss reaches ten feet tall, and White Spruce Picea glauca Conica is a dwarf that only reaches seven feet tall.

Living trees need cool temperatures, so keep them indoors for only a week at most, with plenty of light and away from heaters or fireplaces, and be sure to keep the root ball moist. Before planting outdoors put the tree on a porch or in the garage for a few days, to allow your tree to acclimate to the change in temperature.

Your living Christmas tree will be a family treasure for years to come, and give it a name if you like.

Simple Storage Solutions

Try these:

• Use egg cartons to hold small, breakable ornaments.
• Wrap lights around paper towel tubes—and store extension cords inside. 
• Stubs wads of used wrapping paper in the loops of large (expensive) bows you’d like to keep to help them maintain their shape.
• Store bows and ribbon in plastic (crush-proof) containers.
• Label everything carefully, so that you can pick and choose what to get out next year!
• Keep a running list (on the computer) of who received what to avoid duplicating gifts next year.

Tips for Live Trees by Brenda Nixon

Welcome faithful readers!

Do you use a real or artificial Christmas tree? Each year, the Nixon clan rotates; one year it's real, then next we drag out a pre-lit artificial. This practice makes each Christmas different while preserving the tradition of decorating a tree.

I've learned three things by having a live tree in our home:

• Vacuum daily - or pine needles stick in your carpet and poke little feet.
• Saturate with clean H2O - or your tree will dry, look ugly and be a fire hazard.
• Keep kids and pets away - both can do damage to a living tree.

If you want more information on caring for a living tree see http://forestry.about.com/od/christmastrees1/ht/living_x_tree.htm.

Thanks for joining us at A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts blog.

Brenda Nixon, www.BrendaNixon.com
Co-author, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

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Decorate with LOVE - ByTrish Berg

This Christmas, while you are decorating your home with lights and your tree with ornaments, don't forget to decorate your life with love.

TIP #1 SEND A CHRISTMAS CARD
While you are filling out your Christmas cards, add an extra one to an American soldier who was injured in battle. Send your letters, cards and love to:



A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue NW
Washington , D.C. 20307-5001



TIP #2 EMAIL A SOLDIER
Go to
http://www.anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/

And on the left is a list of US soldiers overseas. You click on a name, fill out a form and will be sent the email of a soldier you can email, encourage and support.

TIP #3 Other Ways to Love Our Troops
Check out http://amillionthanks.org/ for more great ideas on writing or emailing our soldiers, sending care packages, and letting our troops know we love and support them, and are thankful for our freedom because of their sacrifices and dedication to our country.