New Year's Eve - Revelry, Relief, Inspiration, Intentions, and FUN!
Be sure to play it safe, too - you wan to start the New Year Safe and Healthy...
Be wise and have a blast!
~ Get an AED.
At the end if each year, we take stock.
Of course, we want you to check your first aid kits and emergency supplies and make sure they are stocked, up to date and ready for the new year, but this is a time for taking stock of more than just your safety supplies.
Take a "snapshot" view of the year that has gone by... How did you do at your resolutions? How did you do professionally? Personally? What can make 2016 twice the success for you as a person?
Plan and make that happen.
So Santa treated you well, and you've now got every multimedia mind-boggling, sensory overloads device you could dream of.. now plug them all in and enjoy, eh?
Stop and think a moment.
Extension cords are a convenient way to power electrical devices, especially during the holiday season. However, without proper use, extension cords can become a fire hazard.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), most home electrical fires involve the home’s electrical wiring or lighting. Follow these important USFA tips to keep your family safe:
Keep your new toys and your home safe from electrical fire!
What are you doing the day after Christmas?
Retail workers are handling the frenzy of after-Christmas-sale shoppers, Etailers are welcoming the cash flow while allowing their websites to do the heavy lifting, Bargain Hunters are fighting the mad packs in the stores, and revelers are probably still sleeping off the effects of Christmas.
Which are you?
Boxing Day is a secular holiday that is traditionally celebrated on 26 December, the day after Christmas. It was started in the UK about 800 years ago, during the Middle Ages. It was the day when the alms box, collection boxes for the poor often kept in churches, were traditionally opened so that the contents could be distributed to poor people. Some churches still open these boxes on Boxing Day. December 26th is also St. Stephen's Day, a religious holiday. When December 26th falls on a Sunday, Boxing Day in many Commonwealth countries and former British dominions is moved to December 27th.
Family Traditions influence Company Habits.
Once upon a time, things weren't always on, always available, and at your fingertips... shoot, it's not really that long ago that 7/11 was an amazing thing conveniently (and somewhat outrageously) open 7am-11pm seven days a week! (most stores closed at 5 or 6, and nearly all were closed on Sundays.)
Now we're always open, always "on" our websites cater to the late-nighters and off-hour crowds, are supermarkets are open 24/7, and here we are working on Christmas Eve... it is expected of us by our customers in this immediate-gratification era, and while it is true that we and others may be closing our phone centers a little early, we certainly can't have the day off as in olden days.
Progress brings perks and penalties.
(By the way, we would rather spell it "perqs" since it is an abbreviation of "perquisite", but American English, especially after a charming recent coming of age movie dictates we spell it otherwise.)
Merry Christmas Eve to you all - we hope you enjoy the long weekend, as we will!
Who has "After Christmas" Sales?
Who doesn't?
Many of these "After" sales actually begin before. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that UPS, FedEx, and USPS were overwhelmed with packages and falling behind this year - know why? Online Retailer ("E-Tailer") sales outdid in-store Holiday sales, and outran all forecasts. This not only broke the shipping system, causing gnarly delays, but it really hurt the brick-and-mortar stores who have stacked products to the ceilings hoping for big bucks.
As result, we're all seeing those "After Christmas" markdowns in the shopping aisles now.
So keep this in mind as you plan your bargain shipping 00 sure the stores will have deals, but for the real deal - check out the online sales, too!
Having a Party?
Here are some smart TIPS:
If you plan on hosting a party this holiday season, please read the list of tips provided below for Adults and Drinking at parties.
Parents -
Pediatrician Benjamin D. Hoffman, MD, FAAP, shares AAP child safety tips for holiday gatherings. Whether your family is traveling across the country or opening your home to visitors, the advice in this video will help keep a visit to a children’s hospital off the schedule during holiday festivities this year:
As the source for American Red Cross First Aid Kits, and Red Cross Gift Ideas, we share a lot of ARC information and tips:
Here's a timely post from the Red Cross of Eastern Pennsylvania for the Holidays:
How to Reduce Holiday Stress
1. Remember to eat healthy. Try to keep a balanced diet and drink lots of water.
2. Get plenty of rest. With so much to do, it may be difficult to have enough time to rest or get adequate sleep. Giving your body and mind a break can boost your ability to cope with the stress you may be experiencing.
3. Set priorities. Tackle that to-do list in small steps.
4. Be patient with yourself and those around you.
5. Stay connected with family and friends. Everyone is in it together, so ask for help if you need it and help them if you can.