A young woman woke up one Valentine’s Day and told her husband about a dream she’d just had. “I dreamed that you gave me a necklace for Valentine’s Day.” she said. “ What do you think it means?” “You’ll know tonight,” he said. That evening, the husband came home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, the woman opened it. Inside was a book entitled “The Meaning of Dreams.”

If you’ve ever had a disappointing Valentine’s Day, try making sure it doesn’t happen again by taking to heart these three creative and inexpensive ideas:

• Rent a movie

Not just any movie, rent the first – or one of the first – movies you ever saw as a couple. Another romantic idea is to download a few episodes of a TV show you used to watch together when you were falling in love. Dim the lights, hold hands, and think about what life was like before the only movies you watched had a G rating and a talking animal.

Before you begin reading the articles in our Blog about Thanksgiving, take a moment to see how much you know about  the holiday. Here are 5 questions to test your knowledge:

1. Which U.S. President officially set aside the last Thursday of November as the national day for Thanksgiving?
2. The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade began in what year – 1911, 1920 or 1939?
3. The average weight of a turkey purchased for Thanksgiving is how many pounds – 15, 17 or 19?
4. The holiday shopping season traditionally begins on the day after Thanksgiving. What is the name of that day?
5. What percentage of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving Day – 71, 81 or 91 percent?

And let’s ask one more question: Who can have a happier, healthier and truly thankful Thanksgiving by reading the articles in our Blog?

Answers:

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. 1920
3. 15
4. Black Friday
5. 91
6. You

For many families, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season and the spending spree that comes along with it. It’s not uncommon for some moms, dads and kids to head out bright and early on “Black Friday” – the day after Thanksgiving – with the hope of finding the best deals on those wish-list items. 

No matter if you’re a Black Friday early-riser or wake-up-at-noon super sleeper wouldn’t it be nice to have a fatter wallet (not just a fatter stomach) once Thanksgiving is over? You can, with the help of these money-saving tips:

• Plan your menu early – Know what you’re going to serve for Thanksgiving about five weeks ahead of the big day. Many supermarkets have lower prices on traditional Thanksgiving items in the month leading up to the holiday, so check the store circulars for the lowest prices – and make sure to look for matching coupons. For a small weekly fee, websites such as www.thegrocerygame.com will help you find deals and let you know if there’s a coupon to lower the cost even further.

• Don’t overbuy – The tendency for many Thanksgiving cooks is to prepare more food than needed. Often, however, the extra food (and the extra money spent) may be wasted. To make sure you don’t overspend and over-prepare, go online and search for terms such as, “How much food do I need for Thanksgiving” or “How much turkey do I need for 10 people.” You’ll find lots of sites that can help you to determine an appropriate amount of food.

• Use leftovers – A meal with leftovers can be just as satisfying as the original feast. Be sure to save more than just the turkey. Cranberry sauce can be used again, vegetables can be used to create soups and dips, and mashed potatoes can be shaped into patties for frying.

For some parents, it’s difficult to hand over tasks to their young children, especially if it involves food and drinks.  It’s not that the parents are “control freaks”; they just know that kids aren’t always careful, which can lead to mistakes and messes, spills and stains.  And that means the parents spend less time fixing dinner and more time fixing problems.

Thankfully, there are lots of ways to get children involved in Thanksgiving preparations without having to worry about big messes.  Here is a sampling of ideas:

The center of attention on Thanksgiving Day is always the food. Sure, there are some families where a crazy uncle tries to steal the spotlight, but the real star of this holiday is the seemingly endless supply of turkey, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, pies and other goodies.

With so much great food, many of us think it’s impossible to stay healthy on this special day, but it’s not. Here are five tips to help you enjoy a healthier Thanksgiving and still eat plenty of delicious food. Now, that’s something to be thankful for!

1. Lay off the skin – Even though turkey skin is tasty and hard to resist, eating even two ounces will tack an additional 220 calories onto your meal. By comparison, two ounces of mashed potatoes made with whole milk and butter total 70 calories. Two ounces of turkey breast are just 29 calories. So, before adding that turkey skin to your plate, ask yourself if it’s really worth the extra calories. If you’re still tempted, think about this. It takes roughly 50 minutes of raking leaves to burn off 220 calories.
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