Guest Post by Jen Malik I love Christmas Eve. It’s a relaxing night (well, compared to the chaos of tomorrow morning) and offers a little time to reflect while the wee ones sleep. They’ll be jumping on my bed at the crack of dawn (or earlier), so now’s my time. We usually have a simple dinner in the evening. It’s often our family tradition of fish. On more elaborate evenings, that might mean breaded and fried sole with homemade tartar sauce. On more tired ones, it’s Highliner fish sticks and chips for the crowd. Interestingly enough, both are met with equalled enthusiasm. After dinner, we get the cookies and milk ready for Santa. And of course, carrot sticks for the reindeer. I never get tired of seeing the look of satisfaction on the kids’ faces when they see they gobbled up their snacks. Funny thing is, they often check the treat dishes before they even look at the presents. Then the kids are off to bed, but of course, there are a few starts and stops along the way. “Mommy, I can’t sleep.” “I’m hungry.” “When will it be morning.” “I’m thirsty.” You know the drill, but eventually, they drift off to sleep and it’s quiet once again. With a glass or red wine, I settle down to last minute wrapping and getting presents under the tree. And of course, the stockings need stuffing too. I often look through the old photo albums…you know, prior to the digital age…and see how everyone has grown and changed. I think about Granny, who isn’t with us any longer and a few friends that have been lost along the way, but overall, it’s positive thoughts and remembering the good times we had. Cap it off with a Christmas movie favorite and the night is golden. I can’t let a year go by without watching A Christmas Carol. My favourite is still the 1951 version with Alistair Sim (although I am considerably younger!). I’ll save the hilarious A Christmas Story (remember, Peter Billingsley) for a fun night with the kids and remind them, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” over and over again. They love this, or so I convince myself. That’s pretty much for me. How does your Christmas Eve go?

Guest Post by Jen Malik I’ve never been one to get my Christmas shopping done ahead of time. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas until it’s really time. I got a good chuckle when I was in a grocery line earlier this month and the cashier told me (it was DECEMBER 4!!!), “I’m going to finish my last-minute Christmas shopping tomorrow.” What? Last minute? Well, I guess because in the commercial world Christmas starts well before November even starts, December 4 can seem like last minute. Of course, if you wait until the TRUE last minute and hit the shopping mall, you’re probably headed for some aggravation and disappointment. However, if you use some of my tips below, last-minute shopping can be much more pleasurable and the recipients of your gifts will probably pretty happy too. - Food clubs. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Many of us think of the fruit-of-the-month club or something like that but this kind of thing has caught on. You can find just about any kind of monthly club that your recipient is interested in: salsa, jellies, desserts, wines, beer and even barbeque sauce. - Gift cards. It seems like such a small presentation, but it is quite a popular gift. Do you know how many people pack the stores the day after Christmas just to return gifted items? A gift card avoids all of that. Have the kids put together some festive wrapping or decorate and envelope for a personal touch. - Charitable gifts. These gifts put others first and help great causes at the same time. Perfect for the person who ALREADY has everything, you can make a donation to various international charities (wildlife foundations, disaster relief, medical missions, peace keeping efforts and more) in the name of your gift recipient. They will receive a letter thanking them for their donation. - Food gifts. Before toys and technology, people gave what they had and that was usually some sort of food item. Sweet breads in decorative loaf pans, cakes, cookies and cupcakes still make great gifts for teachers, grandparents, neighbors and friends. Give the delectable offerings time to cool sufficiently before wrapping them. - Memberships/Subscriptions. Has one of the people on your list been meaning to join a gym? You can gift them a membership for Christmas. When money gets tight, memberships and subscriptions are usually the first to go. Renew a subscription to their favorite magazine or a service like AAA Motor Club. - Gift baskets. Most stores have them on display at Christmas time. You can purchase one that is already made if you see one that fits your recipient’s tastes. For teachers and coworkers, baskets with mugs and coffee or hot chocolate are a safe bet. Or better yet, create your own with a basket and small items that reflect the recipient. Overall…have fun. Dress your packages up, make your own cards. The personal touch will always go a long way.