Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for love, but the other 364 days are great for that, too. As a parent, you have the double-duty of wanting to make your spouse and your kids feel special – and all the more so on Valentine’s Day.

To embrace your kids with Valentine’s love, try these three powerful ideas that will leave no doubt they’re the apple of your eye.

• The power of kind words
Despite what’s said about “sticks and stones”, words can have a huge impact on how children see themselves. Think about the potentially negative impact of a phrase such as, “You are always doing stupid things!” Or, “You act more like a baby than your little sister.” We all know that raising a child can be frustrating (our words sometimes reflect that frustration), but let this Valentine’s Day serve as a reminder of the positive power of our words. Make a commitment to use your words to develop your children’s self-esteem. Praise their accomplishments, no matter how small. Let them know you’re proud, for example, of the A+ they got on their spelling test or the improvement they’re making in whichever subject. Talk about the beautiful colors they used in their drawings. Tell them how excited you are to see them when they arrive home from school.

Wouldn’t it be nice to win a $1,000 VISA® gift card just for sharing a photo of your child? That’s what will happen for one lucky participant in Gerber Life’s Project Open Book.

Project Open Book is an initiative where parents can upload a photo of their child into a mosaic on the Gerber Life Facebook page. In return, they will be supporting childhood literacy and entered in a drawing for a chance to win a $1,000 VISA® gift card. For every photo uploaded, Gerber Life will donate $1 to Reading is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s largest non-profit organization supporting children’s literacy and which provides books to children in underserved communities across the country. The goal of Project Open Book is to raise $10,000 for Reading Is Fundamental.

December is filled with festivities and celebrations worldwide.  Here’s how various people around the world enjoy this glorious month:

Chanukah

For eight days in December, this year starting December 21, Jewish people around the world celebrate Chanukah, the “festival of lights.” They light a menorah – a special candleholder – in remembrance of an ancient miracle in which one-day’s worth of oil burned for eight days in their temple. As part of the celebration, they eat potato pancakes called latkes, sing songs, and spin a top called a dreidel to win “gelt” – chocolate coins.

St. Lucia Day

December 13 is St. Lucia Day, a holiday that celebrates this third-Century saint, in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Bavaria, Italy, Malta, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovakia and St. Lucia, West Indies. Many girls dress up as “Lucia brides” in long white gowns with red sashes, and wear a wreath of lighted candles on their heads. They sing songs and offer coffee to their family, along with twisted saffron buns called “Lucia cats.” 

With so many parties and so much great food, the holidays can be a challenging time of year if you’re trying to watch your weight and your waistline. How can you treat your taste buds without sacrificing a good time?

Eat sensibly on the day of your holiday dinner. Be sure to have a moderate breakfast or brunch before the big dinner arrives. This will help make sure you don’t come to the main meal with a full appetite and a fuller plate.

Eat the right appetizers. Those hot dogs in a blanket and miniature egg rolls are certainly tasty but they can really pack on the pounds. Each bite contains about 100 calories or more. Choose to eat fresh vegetables instead (without the dip, of course) or, if that’s not an option, simply limit your portions.

Keeping the holidays festive without spending a pretty penny doesn’t seem possible sometimes. Even though we’d all love to make “big” purchases, the budget isn’t always willing. Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to keep your costs down without losing your holiday spirit.

• Make a list and check it twice (at least) – Decide on a budget you can comfortably live with for food, gifts and decorations. Having a specific amount in mind will help you avoid overspending. Also, be sure to watch for coupons or grocery flyers for food items that are on sale. Keep an eye on department store sales and online offers for gifts and decorations. By planning even a week or two ahead, you can tap into sales on just about everything you might need, at discounted prices.
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