Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday

By: Poppie

I know your mind is on Black Friday.  I know you are planning your strategies, shopping lists, battle armor, and survival kits.  But I feel it is my duty to remind you of the wonderful online-sale day that is Cyber Monday, 2011.  Cyber Monday is a marketing term for the Monday immediately following Black Friday, created by companies to persuade people to shop online. The term made its debut just 6 years ago in November of 2005 by a company called Shop.org.

For some (like myself), Cyber Monday is much more enjoyable than Black Friday.  You can trade in your battle armor for your PJs or enjoy a hot cup of coffee while browsing the best sales.  And best of all, the only arguments you will have are with family members if they dare to interrupt your internet shopping. So if you break it down: pajamas, hot coffee, comfy couch, and ONLINE SALES!  It really doesn’t get any better than that.

Let me share one tip with you: be as diligent about staying on top of Cyber Monday sales as you are about Black Friday sales.  Although Cyber Monday may still seem like the little cousin of Black Friday to some, it is quickly becoming a shopping day to be reckoned with, especially with the ever increasing popularity of online shopping.  Retailers will be jumping at the chance to offer you great sales that you can take advantage of from the comfort of your own home. Another piece of advice, some online stores start their Cyber Monday as early as Black Friday to stay in competition.  This means you can still get that awesome sale item without battling the crowds. So put your feet up on the coffee table, grab your cup of joe and laptop, and shop away!

The "It" Gift




Every year there is one item that drives us all crazy – the “it” gift.  We all want “it” so bad we will do anything to get it.  Fights break out over the last one on the shelf; others sell it for an exorbitant markup in secondary markets like eBay or Craigslist. Children beg and plead until parents are ready to pull their hair out.  Santa gets more letters on this one item than all other items combined.  

But if you’re lucky enough to score one, it will be a star amidst the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning, and you’ll be granted hero status, at least for the day anyway.  What “it” is, of course, changes from year to year, and many of the hot holiday gifts throughout the last century have become some of the best loved and most iconic toys of all time.

I’ve assembled a quick timeline of some of the most popular toys from 1903 to now. Did you know that the teddy bear was the “it” item of 1903? Then it was board games for quite a while in the 1930’s to 1950’s. Then Barbie made her debut and became infamous, creating one of the biggest toy markets in history.  Now it is the latest gaming device that takes precedence over the market.   It’s certainly striking to see how technology and tastes have evolved over the last 110 years!

·         1903 – Teddy Bear

·         1916 – Lincoln Logs

·         1923 – Chinese Checkers

·         1935 – Monopoly

·         1945 – Slinky

·         1948 - Scrable

·         1952 – Mr. Potato Head

·         1959 – Barbie

·         1968 – Big Wheel and Lite Brite

·         1975 – Pet Rock (yes really!)

·         1977 – Stars Wars action figures

·         1983 – My Little Pony, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Care Bears

·         1991 – Nintendo Gameboy

·         1996 – Beanie Babies and Tickle Me Elmo

·         2006 – Playstation 3

·         2007 – Nintendo Wii

And now in 2011, the guesses are in for the “it” item of the year.  My pick for everyone, young or old, is the Kindle Fire or IPod Touch 4.  For the little ones, I have seen a huge pickup in Monster High (think Barbie with a dark twist) or the new electronic devices aimed for the younger ages like the LeapPad Touch.   What will you pick for your “it” item this year?

Thanksgiving Tree

Thanksgiving Tree

We all know Thanksgiving is a time of reflection on the blessings we have in our lives, yet it seems more and more a holiday to overstuff ourselves with a turkey dinner and pumpkin pie.  The thankfulness we should feel, especially on this day, but also year-round, has been replaced with a time to have the day off, watch football, and gorge on a great dinner.  We tend to forget why we even celebrate this holiday at all. 

Did you know that the Pilgrims had it extremely difficult that first Thanksgiving, yet still had a feast to consider all they were thankful for?  Here are a few hardships they endured their first year in 1621:

·    They didn’t even reach the place they had set out to go (Virginia) and ended up in Massachusetts. 

·    They had extremely bad weather (storms and snow) that first year and very rudimentary shelter.

·    They had little food.

·    Almost 2/3 of the first Pilgrims died of disease, malnutrition, or sickness from the cold.

·    Their first crops they planted, with help from the Indians, failed and what little they did get they sent overseas only to have it stolen by Pirates.

If you had endured all this, would you really be thankful?  Gratitude isn’t an emotion most of us cultivate, even on Thanksgiving.  We are more likely to concentrate on the turkey or television than on giving thanks.

Here’s my crafty solution for establishing a grateful heart in your family: a simple, child-friendly Thanksgiving Tree.  There are many ways to incorporate this into your holiday festivities, but here is my favorite.

You will need:

 

·         Construction paper (in fall colors)

·         Leaf stencil or your child’s hand

·         Markers

·         Glitter (optional)

·         Two-sided sticky tape

To do:

1. Cut a tree pattern with brown construction paper.  Make it as big as possible (note: you could also use real tree branches from outside or felt for this as well).
2. Have children use the stencils or trace their hands and make lots of leaves in a variety of colors with the construction paper, then cut out the leaves.
3. Put the tree up in a prominent spot so everyone will see it (maybe even in a glassless frame or as a centerpiece on your table).
4. Have every family member take a leaf (or several) and write something they are thankful for, then decorate with glitter if desired.
5. Stick the leaves to the tree with tape. 

This is a great way to encourage family members to express their thanks and can quickly become a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition.  It’s also fun to see how your family’s gratitude changes over the years.  Remember as the Pilgrims remembered, not to take the gifts and blessings in your life for granted and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Get Geared Up For Black Friday!

Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving, traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Though not an actual holiday, many employees do receive the day off.  The increased number of shoppers creates the busiest shopping day of the year.  To accommodate the rush, many retailers open at 3 am or earlier to offer massive sales to entice people to shop their stores.  Shoppers will camp out to be the first in line to get that special sale item for their loved ones.

What does Black Friday mean for shoppers? Black Friday = Sales!  Shopping for deals on Black Friday has become a post-Thanksgiving tradition for many families.  In preparation for this "holiday," shoppers map out the best routes to their favorite stores, each clutching a stack of Black Friday ads and coupons along with a survival pack.  What to pack in your survival guide?  Nobbies has given a quick rundown of the essentials:

Survival Pack:

·         Recyclable shopping bag to keep survival essentials in (plus an extra for your finds)

·         Thermos with water, coffee, cocoa, or energy drink

·         Energy bars or snacks (such as trail mix to keep you going)

·         Ads and coupons in order of first store stop to last

·         Book or magazine to read while waiting in long lines

·         Chapstick, earmuffs, gloves (while waiting in outside lines)

·         Black Friday Gear (antler headband, Santa hat, etc)



 What?  Why do I need gear?  Well, because of a few reasons: It’s a great conversation starter and people just can’t hate someone donning holiday gear to get into the spirit of things, even if you are grabbing the last toy out of their hands.  Also, if you are shopping with others, what an easy way to find your shopping partner during this hectic day. Plus, it’s just fun and makes the day smoother and your spirits brighter if you have on a silly tree hat or reindeer nose that glows.  Not to mention, you can wear your festive gear to all your many holiday get-togethers.

So get Geared Up to tough out the crowds and make the day the most fun it can be.  Don’t forget that Nobbies offers great holiday gear now through November 22^nd at 20% off as well as many items for your survival pack.  Come in early and get all the items you need to look festive while battling Black Friday crowds for all your awesome sale finds!

Welcome Home Soldier!

Welcome Home Soldier! by: Poppie

We all appreciate the great job our young men and women are doing overseas.  We all know someone who is serving or has served in one military branch or another to fight for the honor and integrity of our great nation.  I, myself, have a brother-in-law in the Air Force who has done several tours and a cousin in the army who is currently overseas as I write this.

It is sad to see them ship out and a great relief to see them return.  The best way to celebrate a loved one's return from serving our country is with a Welcome Home Party, especially since President Obama announced the return of our troops by year’s end and the ending of a 9 year long war.  Surrounding a person with love and joy is the perfect homecoming message.  They have done the hard work fighting overseas, now welcome them home with a party that will show your loved one how proud you feel and how happy you are that they are back!

Preparation:
Invitations, decorations, refreshments, and even presents can make your welcome home party a success.  But, be mindful of the guest of honor's situation, where he or she may be tired and in need of much-deserved rest.  It might be better to have a few people meet the returning soldier at their actual arrival and have a big party a few days later so he or she has time to settle in.  In general, the welcome home party shouldn't go over a few hours.  Also, consider recruiting a few guests to help you with the clean-up or decorating so you get to mingle with guests and your returning soldier.

Invitations:The thing about the military, is that sometimes you know the exact date to expect the soldier home and other times you do not.  They may have a target date set to return, but may hit or miss it by a few days.  This is why I suggest waiting a few days after the set date before having the party so you can be sure your soldier is home and has time to rest.  Send invitations out at least two to three weeks in advance of the party date if you are able.

Decorations:Decorations should include balloons, flags, streamers, and a huge “Welcome Home” banner. Use a color theme such as patriotic red, white, and blue for your decorations and tableware. There is probably no need to go to extremes on decorating for the event because it is the smiling faces that will really warm the heart of the honoree.

To add some extra ambience, though, have a centerpiece created to put by the refreshments or in the middle of the table and give each guest a support ribbon or bracelet to wear to honor your homecoming hero.  Another great idea is to have a Welcome Home sign board where guests can write a short message to the honoree.  Put a picture of your hero dressed in their military suit in or around your sign board.

Menu:Take note of the honoree's favorite foods, and make sure these items are on your food list.  Finger foods, cold trays, or sandwiches are usually a good idea for a welcome home party because it allows guests to mingle with your honoree and it makes clean up easier for you.

A cake, of course, is a big hit at any party.  Try to make the theme of the cake match the honoree's situation using plastic Army men situated atop the cake or stars and stripes to represent what your guest of honor was fighting for.  Use your imagination, and make the cake a memorable part of the party.



Used by permission of Alpha Company 2-5

 Thanks to all who have served our country in previous wars and tours and who are serving right now overseas.  We appreciate all your time and effort to fight for the beliefs and freedom of this country!  We can’t wait to be able to say, “Welcome Home”!

Ps – Can’t wait to have you back Cory and Alpha Company 2-5 Infantry!