We want to wish you a very happy, healthy, and blessings for this new Year!

Petra Toys

Celebration is often the word associated with New Years. Many fun, traditional parties are enjoyed. That is definitely part of the spirit of the holiday. However, there is much more.

To begin with, New Years Eve is a time to express gratitude for all that we have and what we have experienced. Even events that appeared negative often have a positive side of it too. For example, you may have been upset when you were laid off at your job but that freed you up to find an even better one. We can be grateful where we live, and that we are alive and healthy.

We can also celebrate the spirit of the New Years holiday in a symbolic ceremony. Many people experience it as a time to let go of the old and bring in the new. I have had gatherings with friends where we wrote on a piece of paper all that we wanted to let go of. These included: loneliness, struggle, illness, stress, and addictions. We happily crumpled up the paper and threw it into the burning fireplace. When a fire was not available, we dumped the paper into a designated garbage bag or pail. We often experienced a release and felt a smile on our faces.

Then we wrote down on another piece of paper what we wanted to experience in the New Year. Often included were loving, fulfilling relationships, good health, prosperity, a slim body, and peaceful feelings. We shared these with everyone in the group as if it was already happening. For example, “I am in a loving, fulfilling relationship. I am prosperous and slim.” To reinforce the affirmations, we supported everyone with their wishes by saying, “You deserve all that and more!”

Sometimes, we took it a step further and closed our eyes so that we could imagine or visualize how we wanted our lives to be. This is another great method of actualizing your desires.

Other times, people brought magazines and a poster board. We had fun looking for pictures that represented what we wanted to create it our lives. This is referred to as a treasure map and is very powerful.

For example, some men and women picked the car model, year, and color they wanted, as well as their dream home. Others cut out pictures of a person with a slim, healthy body. Fun vacation spots were popular. Sometimes words like prosperity were added. All these pictures and words were pasted onto the poster board, and they wrote their positive thoughts or affirmations under them.

I found this to be extremely powerful to attract things to me, so be sure that you include exactly what you want. For example, if you love a blue car, put that picture up and not a yellow one.

Of course, it is imperative to forgive yourself for anything you felt you did wrong. Guilt feelings cause us to punish ourselves. One way we do that is by not allowing ourselves to have what we desire.

Finally, it is important to forgive others. Anger hurts everyone involved. It is human to make mistakes. We all act out of fear at times instead of love. Have compassion for peoples’ pain and forgive them. This is the time to complete whatever needs to be dealt with so that you can begin with a new slate and bring in more love and peace. Then you can enjoy the spirit of the New Years holiday.

On January 1st you can declare, “Today is the first day of the rest of my life! I am choosing love and peace!” That is the key to health, happiness, success, and world peace.

By: Helene Rothschild

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Copyright 2007 by Helene Rothschild, MS, MA, MFT, Marriage, Family Therapist, speaker, and author of “ALL YOU NEED IS HART! Create Love, Joy and Abundance~NOW.” A Unique Guide to Holistic And Rapid Transformation. She offers international phone sessions, books, e-books, MP3 audios, teleclasses, and a free MP3 Audio, “Healing Your Body,” E-book, “Truths Set You Free,” and newsletter. www.lovetopeace.com , 1-888-639-6390.

Look back over the last year and ask yourself, “How did I do this year?”

Do you feel happy with your progress and what you have achieved over the last twelve months? Can you see some room for improvement? Some lessons to learn or some things to do over the coming year?

The New Year is an excellent time to reflect upon the previous year and decide what you want to do with the coming year. It’s a great time to make changes in your life and to make the decision to create your dream life.

Traditionally, the time between Christmas and the New Year is a slow time where there is not much to do except eat left over turkey and chocolates. It is one of the best times to sit down and really plan the coming year to make sure you make the most of it.

You see, you have 365 days every year, just like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and everyone else on this planet. Where you are at the end of the year is determined by how you use this time, and it is entirely up to you how you use this time.

Sit down and think about this year and ask yourself these questions. If necessary, write them down and reflect upon them.

1) What did you do really well over the last year?
2) What could you have done better over the last year?
3) What do you want more of this coming year?
4) What do you want less of this coming year?
5) Where do you want to be in your life at the end of this coming year?

These are fundamental questions that will really help you to make the most of the year and to make the coming year your year.

Start this New Year with a new year and make the decision to create the life of your dreams. You really won’t regret it and it’s never too late to create the life you’ve always desired.

The first step in successful weight loss is to understand that changes to your lifestyle must be made. Simply put, successful weight loss involves making small changes and setting reasonable goals. Weight loss is a combination of many factors including boosting your metabolism by healthy eating and exercising.

As you’re probably well aware, there are hundreds of websites that offer advice and details about many doctor approved diets. The problem with dieting is that most people find them so hard to stick to, especially after the a few weeks. If the thought of going on a diet makes you cringe, remember that diets are not so much eating small amounts food, as it is about eating the right amounts of all the things your supposed to be eating. If nothing else, remember to include high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, limit your fat intake and choose lean cuts of meats. This is a nutritionally sound way to help you shed a few pounds, keep you active, and healthy at any age.

Including an exercise regimen in your life can help regulate of appetite, boost your metabolism, and decrease excess body fat. The health benefits of exercise include such things as a reduction in the risk of premature death by strengthening the heart, muscles, and bones. Another benefit of exercise is that it can also raise serotonin levels in the brain and effectively diminish junky food cravings. However, exercise can not make up for a poor diet. Many people still believe that they can eat what ever they want since they exercise several times a week. This is simply not true. What is true that a combination of diet plus exercise is are both primary factors involved in weight loss.

The most effective approach to weight lose is to gradually modify your current lifestyle and set reasonable goals. The best way to shed those unwanted pounds is to maintain a nutritionally balanced diet and to participate in a moderate exercise routine.

By: Lizzy Rodgers

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For more weight loss and diet tips, visit ModernDiet.net (ModernDiet.net)

If you are planning to host a New Years Eve party then you may want to think about making it a vegetarian New Years Eve party.

A major reason why some party host may choose to serve vegetarian food is because they are a vegetarian themselves and may have some new dishes they want to try out on their friends. However if you don’t have a lot of vegetarian friends you may want to consider having some non-vegetarian dishes as well.

Some people choose to go the vegetarian route because it can also reduce the food expenses This can especially be true if the crowd is expected to be pretty big. You may be surprised to know that many vegetarian dishes can be quite delicious if they are prepared the right way. The bottom line is people want to eat food that taste good, whether its a meat dish or a vegetarian dish.

Another reason some host will choose to go with vegetarian dishes as it may fit well with their party theme which may center around a particular diet. They also may consider the vegetarian dishes if they know the crowd that’s coming is very diet or health conscious.

If you do elect to host a vegetarian New Years Eve party, you will need to do some planning and make some preparations if you want to insure that the dishes prepared are totally vegetarian. This means not using any substitutes for any of the ingredients as this could end up adding animal fats. This can be avoided by using a good vegetarian cookbook and following the directions exactly as they are described.

If you have a lot of vegetarian friends and need to keep the costs down even more, you could consider having a vegetarian potluck party. If they are already vegetarians they will already have some great dishes they can prepare, but if they aren’t vegetarian your guest may feel a bit lost as what they should bring and may not prepare the dish exactly as the recipe describes. Whatever you decide just be sure to inform your guests of what type of food will be provided at the party so they know what to expect.

By: Olufemi Akinkuowo

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For more party ideas and tips for a fun and memorable New Years Eve, as well as a free course for making and keeping your new years resolution, please click here or visit my website: www.breakneckprofits.com/NewYearsEveParty/

If you’re not sure what you should be putting on your New Years Resolutions list, here are the top 7 resolutions other people have used:

1. Spend More Time With Friends and Family

It’s easy to get so busy with work that you neglect your friends and family. Before you know it, your friends have found new people to spend time with and your family have grown up. Plan to meet up with your friends on a regular basis, whether it’s for a meal or a movie. And make time to spend quality time with your family. You’ll thank yourself for it.

2. Get fit

Face it, most people aren’t as fit as they were in their younger days. Getting fit doesn’t necessarily mean going to the gym 5 times a week. It could be as simple as parking further away in the parking lot, taking the stairs rather than the elevator and generally being less of a couch potato. You don’t need Arnold Schwarzenegger’s biceps to be fit…

3. Lose weight

This often goes hand in hand with getting fit. Choose an eating plan (notice I didn’t say diet) that fits with your lifestyle. Then take the time to notice your food when you eat it rather than wolfing it down and paying no attention. Notice when you are full and stop eating, even if there’s still food left on your plate. Start listening to your whole body rather than just eating “because”.

4. Quit smoking

A lot of people vow to quit smoking at the start of the New Year. Often they’re the same people you’ll see gasping for a cigarette a couple days later. Plan your quitting. Treat yourself to a hypnosis session or CD/book combination. Buy this for yourself as a Christmas present if you’re that organized. Then follow the program. It’s cheaper and more effective than patches or gum and doesn’t feed your body more nicotine.

5. Quit drinking

In the same way as smoking, a lot of people decide to quit drinking when the New Year arrives. The thought of hangover-free days and a healthier liver is good. Again, there are plenty of self-help programs that will assist with your quest to give up alcohol. Search around and you’ll find one that works with you.

6. Get a better job

Many people use the New Year as an excuse to change their jobs. Make sure you don’t leap from the frying pan into the fire by doing research on the new place you’re planning to work for. Read up on resume and CV writing to make sure that your application stands out from the crowd. Maybe use a hypnosis or subliminal program to boost your confidence and presentation skills.

7. Help other people

This is a very popular New Years resolution. There are plenty of voluntary organizations that would appreciate some extra help and volunteering is easy. Check locally for a list of different charities and choose one that fits with your personal goals and aims. If you can’t commit regularly, don’t be afraid to say so. It’s better to say “I can only help once a month” than to say you’ll help every day or week and then not attend.

By:

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For more help with your New Years resolutions check out the ideas and assistance at Hypnosis ABC.

Christmas is quickly approaching and the time has come to soon send our invitations to the Christmas Eve or Day dinner.

Special occasions are a great time for friends and family and, in order to please our guests, we have to be creative when it comes the time to create our menu. But… if the Christmas turkey is a delicious meal, we would sometimes change our habits and eat something else.

Here is a Christmas menu idea including four different dishes from soup to dessert; which are simple to make special occasion cooking recipes but include a nice alternative to the Christmas turkey.

The portions are calculated for 8 guests.

Soup:

Tomato Cream

Ingredients:

2.2 lb peeled and chopped matured tomatoes
200 g chopped carrots
250 g chopped celery
120 g chopped onions
Chopped garlic (to taste)
1 small box of canned tomatoes
200 ml cream
salt and pepper to taste
Thyme, bay
Oil
2 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoon red wine vinegar
200 ml water

In a large saucepan, melt sugar with a little water and pour vinegar until reducing
Add the vegetables
Cover and simmer 20 minutes
Mash the canned tomatoes and add them in the saucepan
Simmer 30 minutes
Salt and pepper to taste
Add 200 ml water and then the cream
Blend the soup
Serve hot

Starter:

Avocado cream

Ingredients:

2 chopped avocados
2 lemons (juiced)
2 chopped shallots
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Use a fork to mash the avocado
Stir in lemon juice
Add the chopped shallots
Blend all the ingredients
Serve cold in small glasses
Decorate with lemon zest

Main dish:

Christmas Goose

Ingredients:

8 to 10 lb. whole goose
1 chopped onion
1 chopped apples
1 tablespoon dried grapes
Oil
100 ml red wine
500 ml chicken broth
Thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F
Put the oil coated goose in a shallow roasting pan
Tuck the wings and tie the legs together with kitchen string
Put the apples, onions and dried grapes around it
Cook for 3 hours, basting regularly with the cooking juices
Remove the goose from the oven
Pass the cooking juices through a strainer
In a saucepan, combine the fat from the roasting pan, the red wine, the Chicken broth and the red wine
Let cook until boiling and then add floor, stir constantly, until the gravy thickens
Serve with steamed potatoes.

Dessert:

Baked Apples

Ingredients:

10 mashed speculaas
120 g almond paste
40 g dried grapes
2 tablespoon rum
4 tablespoon grounded hazelnuts
1 tablespoon honey
8 apples, washed, cored and halved
sugar glace

Preheat the oven to 365 degrees F
Combine the mashed speculaas, the almond paste, the dried grapes, rum, hazelnuts and the honey
Put the apples in a baking dish
Garnish with the mixture
Bake for 15 à 20 minutes
Serve warm with ice cream and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Here are some Christmas Holidays from around the world. If you haven’t decided what to do for this Holiday Season you might find some inspiration here.

Visiting a major City at Christmas can be a very exciting holiday for a couple or a family. There will be plenty to do and sights to see. Two favourite destinations at Christmas are New York City or on the other side of the Atlantic is London, England.

London is of course a world famous city to start with. There are an amazing number of sights to see even before you start looking at all the special events for Christmas. After the regular sightseeing, Buckingham Palace, Changing of the Guard, Tower of London, Kensington Palace, Hyde Park, The Crown Jewels, The London Eye, etc you can settle down and plan which festive sights to see in the run up to Christmas itself.

No visit to London is complete without a visit to the West End to enjoy a show at one of its famous Theatres. While there you might even try a visit to a Pantomime which is a traditional British Christmas event.

Shopping is a major event in all cities at Christmas time and London is no exception. The lights and window displays in Regent Street and Oxford Street are worth a visit in themselves add all the wonderful stores and restaurants and you have a great day out.

There are Christmas Trees to see, Christmas Markets and Fairs, museums, galleries, attractions, restaurants, palaces and castles, parks and zoos and so much more. London would be a fabulous city in which to spend Christmas.

New York is one of the most exciting places in the world. Christmas in New York must rank highly as a favourite destination. First class hotels and restaurants. Fabulous shopping. An abundance of attractions from the Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty to museums, galleries, historic sites,Ellis Island, Wall Street, Central Park and so much more. There are fine restaurants, theaters, clubs and bars all dressed up for Christmas and ready to give you the time of your life.

Niagara Falls, Canada is another fabulous place for a Christmas Holiday. The Festival of Light is held during the Christmas Season. Niagara Falls and the surrounding area is transformed into an illuminated winter wonderland to the delight of the expected 1.3 million visitors. In addition to the illuminated Falls, there are 125 animated lighting displays and 3 million tree and ground lights along the 5Km of the Niagara Parkway. These imaginative displays include the world’s largest Canadian Flag, Disney Classics and “Twas the Night before Christmas,” an audio-visual spectacular. There are also the firework displays over the mighty falls. This is in addition to the already beautiful and exciting Falls themselves and the other Niagara Falls attractions. The “Maid of the Mist” boat trip, the Daredevil Museum, the Skylon Tower, the Cirque Niagara, Aquarium, Museums, shops, restaurants, bars, clubs and family attractions. This is a year round favourite holiday destination for honeymooners, couples and families but Christmas in Niagara Falls is an extra special experience.

Europe has some marvelous places in which to spend Christmas. Paris for a romantic Christmas. Lapland for an exciting children’s Christmas visiting Santa Claus. Sweden and its Ice Hotel for a very adventurous Christmas. The ski resorts of Austria for a traditional white Christmas, with skiing, snowboarding, log fires, mulled wine and delicious food.

Or you could chose a very untraditional Christmas and head for the sun. Australia has Christmas during its summer. All the festivities and sunshine, sandy beaches and a barbeque thrown in.

Finally right down to the bottom of the world. How about Antarctica for a Christmas adventure. Stay aboard an ice breaker and learn all about Antarctica and its wildlife. This would be a truly different way to spend Christmas, watching penguins at play and possibly seals and whales too, seeing magnificent icebergs and the awe inspiring scenery of the Antarctic.

From shopping for Christmas presents in a busy city to watching the sun set over the snow and ice there are so many wonderful and exciting places to visit around the world this Christmas.

How well I remember each of my children’s first Christmases. Even when we couldn’t afford to take many photographs, pictures are printed on my memory. My nine-month-old daughter on Christmas morning, wore her new nightgown, robe, and slippers I made her and put on her after her bath Christmas Eve. The night outfit was to be one of her gifts for that morning, but she needed to look “pretty” for pictures while she opened her gifts. So, she opened one the night before.

That memory is ours, my husband’s and mine, not hers. She couldn’t remember how many gifts she received, or if she got any. The tradition, of having the children open a present on Christmas Eve from Daddy, and wearing their new pajamas in order to have nice sleepwear for Christmas morning pictures was born her first Christmas, but not because she started or wanted it.

The first Christmas for our first son gave the family a story to tell and retell, but it wasn’t one the children remembered on their own. We planned on traveling to my parents’ for Christmas that year. I hadn’t been home for Christmas since my senior year in high school. Since my husband’s parents had left gifts for the two children, we decided to allow our two-year-old daughter and eight-month-old son open the gifts from that set of grandparents rather than take up space in the car going and coming. Our daughter was thrilled with the baby doll, and our son sat in the middle of the living room pushing the toy pickup going “rrrrr … rrrr.” We learned that boys learn how to make motor noises at an early age.

Christmas morning, our daughter ran to the tree, grabbed up the baby doll like the one left at home except for different clothes. She turned to her daddy and said, “Santa Claus brought my baby doll here for me.” However, if we hadn’t repeated the story later, she wouldn’t have remembered.

The point I’m making is little ones won’t remember how many gifts, how expensive, or the experience of their first Christmas. The memories and traditions are the parents’ and grandparents’. Those babies old enough to open presents often enjoy the wrappings more than the content. One or two toys are enough to occupy little ones. More than that, they don’t know which to play with first.

A baby’s first Christmas should be one that both the baby and the parents can enjoy. The parents then can have pleasant memories to share with the child when he or she is old enough to understand.

People usually think of Christmas as time for celebration and holidaying. However, the actual picture is far from it. The preparations for these celebrations usually eat up so much on your time that you are left stressed out and with no time for your self. You can however, simply prioritize things and enjoy the festive season in a much better way.

First of all, just decide not to do too much. Go through your Christmas card list and make necessary changes in it. You do not have to get gifts for all of your acquaintances. People move on and away, and if your college buddy has not been in touch for a couple of years, you can write one card less this year. However, keep a few token gifts, like chocolates or nuts, on hand and wrapped just in case you have to dish out an unexpected present.

Before getting down to your Christmas preparations make a ‘To do’ list keeping those things on the top that have high priority. Start doing things priority wise so that you can leave out the avoidable things if the schedule gets hectic. Do not try to do everything in little time. This can mess up things and leave you stressed out.

It is better to host a casual party than a formal dinner during the Christmas time. You can still keep on your nice clothes without making it a high dinner affair. Enliven the party with perky games and lots of handy yet elegant finger foods. It is wise to have a sandwich buffet for the guest where they can build their own sandwich and leave you with no serving worries. Do remember to keep this sandwich bar stocked with readily available nice hors ‘d oeuvres.

In order to eliminate stress from the Christmas celebrations, think of having a small get-together at home, rather than traveling to different places to see relatives. You will meet everyone and not get stressed out.

As long as you are consistent in not visiting anyone on Christmas, then no one can accuse you of trying to avoid them or playing favorites. Instead, travel to visit relatives two or three days after the holiday and stay for the New Year holiday. This way you can still visit relatives during the holiday season, but you are less stressed by having to rush through Christmas on someone else’s schedule.

Finally, do not leave all the post-festival cleaning for the last moment. Keep doing little things simultaneously such as keeping a garbage bag ready when you open your presents. Instead of throwing the papers and the packaging here and there you can directly out it in the bag. Do not keep piling up used things. Throw them as they are used. Have everyone load their dishes in the dishwasher after use.

There is no way to completely avoid Christmas stress, but by pacing yourself and refusing to allow the Christmas season to overtake your life, you can significantly reduce the stress you feel.

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