What Are the Best Christmas Gifts to Give?

Before buying random gifts and hoping that they will be pleasing to the recipient, read this article and learn how to avoid aimless gift buying. Discover ways to purchase what they desire, or ideally, provide them with a gift card and then enjoy the remainder of the day in each other’s company.

Christmas gets more over-blown and expensive with each passing year. Christmas is time for picking up piles and piles of wrapping paper and trying to figure out how to fit gifts in cars, even though every year we swear that the next year we will be better prepared. It’s fun to receive gifts, especially when you’re a kid, but as adults, do we really need to go bonkers in the mall each year?

Unfortunately, the majority of the population are unaware of what most people would like. The theory espoused is apparently that if you buy a lot of things, eventually you will hit on something that pleases the receipient. Do some research prior to choosing a person to date. You need to get opinions from people who are sure of what they are looking for. Asking very specific questions throughout the year will aid you in finding the perfect gift. This will hopefully stop you from buying those useless gadgets and trinkets. Gift cards are always an option, when every other idea seems likely to fail. You can make this personal in any number of ways. How about adding home made biscuits, or a card with a personal message that means something uniquely to them? The gift of getting to spend time with family and friends is way greater than any gift can give you.

A lot of people feel that gift cards are not personal, but of you think about it, you realize that giving a friend something he or she doesnt like or need is not personal either. When you cannot determine the perfect gift through any means, gift cards are the ideal solution. Most of the time people don’t know what they want, or won’t answer if they do. Don’t worry, you’ll find plenty of ways to keep this group happy. Here is a great site for some gifts for everyone.

15 Resources For Tracing Your Family Ancestry

If you’re like me, when you were young, looking beyond your
mother and father to find out where you came from just wasn’t
important.

Well, I’ve found that the older you get, the more important your
ancestry becomes. I’m not sure why. Maybe I have a broader
perspective on things now. Maybe I’m just curious as to whether
there was nobility in my family. Perhaps I’m looking for some
closet skeletons.

Whatever my reasons, I do find tracing my ancestry fascinating.
It is so interesting to learn about other people–how they
lived, what they did, who they knew. But I’ve also learned along
the way that most people haven’t a clue what resources are
available to them beyond the usual - interviewing family,
checking birth certificates and newspapers, etc.

So here I’ve compiled a list of 25 resources you should take
advantage of if you’re really serious about finding out “where
you came from.”

1.The obvious, of course, is interviewing family members; not
only mom and dad, but aunts, uncles, distant cousins. Start by
drawing a quick family tree going back just two generations and
start making calls or sending mail or emails. Here are some of
the basic things you’ll want to know:

  • Complete names
    (married and maiden names)
  • Addresses throughout their
    live
  • Birth records
  • Military service (when and
    where)
  • Marriage records (even attendants, if
    possible)
  • Property records (state and county)
  • Burial records (where)
  • Old pictures, especially if
    they have names and dates
  • 2.Family bibles. While it doesn’t seem to be such a common
    practice these days, in the past, families kept their bible
    forever, often keeping record of family members, births,
    marriages, and deaths on pages within the bible.

    3.Old family letters. Once again, with technology, we’ve all but
    lost the art of letter writing (what will our own children and
    grand children have to look back on in years to come?). But
    older generations tended to preserve letters of importance.
    These letters can oftentimes be of great value in tracing your
    ancestry. They may contain important dates, facts, and places
    that will be of help. Check return addresses and postmarks for
    information.

    4.Legal documents are a great resource. Such documents include
    deeds (property addresses), wills (names of kin you may not have
    known about), marriage licenses (note the witnesses), birth
    certificates, voter registration, adoption records, and even
    judgements. Your search for these documents should begin with
    state and county records.

    5.What about associations your ancestors may have belonged to?
    These would include churches, clubs, veterans groups and lodges,
    all of which may be able to provide background information for
    your search.

    6.Census data. After 1840 the Census collected age, place of
    birth, occupation, personal wealth, education, spouse, children,
    hired hands, and even immigration information. Copies of the
    original decennial census forms from 1790 through 1930 are
    available on microfilm for research at the U.S. National
    Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC
    (http://www.archives.gov/), at Archives regional centers, and at
    select Federal depository libraries throughout the United States.

    7.Naturalizations records. For Pre-1906 Naturalizations: Contact
    the State Archives for the state where the naturalization
    occurred to request a search of state, county, and local courts
    records.

    Contact the NARA regional facility that serves the state where
    naturalization occurred to request a search of Federal court
    records.

    For Naturalizations After 1906: After 1906, the courts forwarded
    copies of naturalizations to the Immigration and Naturalization
    Service (INS). Naturalizations from Federal Courts are held in
    the NARA’s regional facilities for the Federal courts for their
    area. Learn more:
    http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/naturalization/

    8.Grave sites. Headstones will give dates and possible family
    names.

    9.Libraries. Here you’ll find newspaper articles (look for
    obituaries, and birth and marriage announcements) and books on
    local history (what was taking place during their life). Many
    libraries can be accessed online. You will also find genealogy
    information in several libraries, the Allen County Public
    Library in Indiana having the second largest genealogical
    collection in the US. Another good source is the Family History
    Library in Salt Lake City, UT.

    10.Genealogy message boards. Google “genealogy message boards”
    and join in–you’ll find a wealth of information available!

    11.Military records. You’ll find several sources online,
    including NARA
    (http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/).

    12.High school and college yearbooks. These sources can help
    locate a relative or provide other resources for your search.
    Check online.

    13.Family pedigrees. These are family groups already linked in a
    computer system. Accessing an individual’s family group sheet in
    a linked pedigree will also give you access to all of the
    records that are linked to that individual. Two great sources
    are Kindred Connections
    (http://www.kindredkonnections.com/index.html) and the Family
    History Library
    (http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asp
    ).

    14.U.S. Immigration records. Two great sources are Ellis Island
    Records (http://www.ellisislandrecords.org/) and Ancestry.com
    (http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/default.aspx?rt=40)

    15.Social Security Death Index. This is a database of people
    whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration
    (SSA) beginning about 1962. The best source is RootsWeb.com
    (http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/?o_xid=0028727949&o_lid=0028727949&o_xt
    =41534187).

    Now that you’re all grown up and interested in finding your
    “roots”, these 15 resources should get you well on your way.
    It’ll be a fun and rewarding adventure.

    “Anticipating” Your IRS Refund Can Cost You Plenty

    While accountants are reaching for aspirin, millions of
    Americans are reaching for some fast cash this tax season.
    Unfortunately, those who reach for fast cash in the form of a
    “refund anticipation loan” are getting hit with interest rates
    and fees that are out of this world.

    The tempting ads are plastered in newspapers and on television
    for “fast cash refunds”, “express refunds”, or “instant
    refunds.” The ads offer to get your refund in a day or two, or
    in some cases even instantly.

    What is a “refund anticipation loan”? It’s a loan that borrows
    against your anticipated tax refund from the IRS. Refund
    anticipation loans, or RAL’s as they are known in the tax
    industry, carry annual percentage rates (APR’s) of about 60% to
    over 700%, a fact that many consumers either don’t realize or
    simply overlook.

    RAL’s are marketed to people who need money the most such as low
    and moderate income workers. A report by the National Consumer
    Law Center notes that “about 40% of the 12 million refund loan
    customers in 2000, were families who received the Earned Income
    Tax Credit, the largest federal poverty assistance program.” And
    since the RAL’s often use the term “refund” in their ads, many
    of those who take the bait don’t realize that they’re receiving
    a loan and not their actual refund from the IRS.

    The fees associated with RAL’s are expensive. For example, let’s
    say the IRS owes you a refund of $2,000. In order to get a RAL
    you pay the following: RAL loan fee = $75, Electronic filing fee
    = $40, tax preparer’s fee = $100. Total fees associated with
    your RAL = $215 which is more than 10 percent of your estimated
    refund. The APR on your refund loan equals a whopping 142
    percent!

    Many low and moderate income workers are without bank accounts
    and wind up paying an additional fee to set up a one-time-use
    account so that their IRS refund can be direct deposited.

    Before giving in to the temptations of refund anticipation
    loans, ask yourself if you really need your money that quickly.
    If you can wait just a bit longer for your refund you’ll line
    your own pockets with extra cash rather than forking it over to
    a RAL lender.

    A great way to save money at tax time is to go to a Volunteer
    Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site. VITA sites provide free tax
    preparation to low and moderate income taxpayers and are
    sponsored by the IRS. They can be found in libraries, community
    centers and other locations during the tax season. To find a
    VITA site call the IRS general help line at 1-800-TAX-1040 or
    visit www.tax-coalition.org.

    How to Create Your Ideal Life.

    When I lost it all, I felt powerless. During my darkest hours, I wrote letters to God asking “why?” I received answers in writing.

    If you have either lost it all, or you are not passionately thrilled with your life, here is how you can turn it all around. It is easy!

    If you stop to consider what’s on your mind most of the time, I think you’ll find that your thoughts focus on those areas of your life that you are not happy about.

    People who have achieved self-love and who are fulfilling their life’s passion in their work reached joy only by going through a process that was fraught with self-doubt, fear, insecurity, rejection, low self-worth, pain, and hard life lessons.

    I compared myself to others who were successful and wondered, “What is wrong with me?” I wondered, “Why is my life like that of a person with a Ph.D. driving a cab?” I would look at women I admired and ask myself, “Why are they successful, fulfilling their dreams in joyful, prosperous careers, while I am struggling?” I questioned myself. I searched within. I wrote letters to God pleading for answers. And I received those answers in writing.

    In our universe there is little physical proof about how to achieve the manifestation of our dream life. We have been so conditioned to live trusting just our five senses that we ignore the strongest sense of all. That sense I will refer to as “instinct.”

    You instinctively know your potential. You feel frustrated because you sense there must be a better way. Your feelings and senses are right.

    On the other hand, you are scared to death of the unlimited power and potential you have within. Your past is your comfort zone because it is the only way you know. Your unconscious negative thoughts - your complaints, worries, doubts, anxieties, fears, and insecurities - are part of that comfort zone. But your soul, or instinct, knows all you are capable of. Your instinct trusts that you deserve and will receive what your heart truly desires.

    So you have a little battle going on inside: self vs. instinct or soul.

    Your heart, soul, and instinct say: “Go for it! You can do it. You were born to succeed. You deserve the best. If you want to travel to the other side of the world, you can!” So you then feel inspired or excited. But your self steps in and says, “Are you crazy? How can you travel to the other side of the world when you don’t have enough money to buy food? Be realistic. You’re a dreamer. This is impossible. Stop fantasizing. Get back to reality.”

    Does any of this sound familiar to you? Does your heart tell you one thing and your head another?

    Do you feel deep within that you are in this life for a specific purpose, and then does your logic tell you otherwise?

    Do you truly believe that one person has the ability to fulfill his or her dreams, and you do not? Do you have a talent, gift, or inborn ability in a certain area? I would venture to say the answer is yes.

    Are you using it? Developing it? Exploring the possibilities or experiences you can create in your life because of it? Or, do you avoid that area all together because it is scary to go there?

    If you avoid fulfilling your inborn potential, then you avoid your life purpose. You avoid what your heart wants the most: your ideal life. This is the reason for your frustration, fear, doubt, anxiety, illness, worry, and pain.

    I will give you a major indicator as to what is winning in your life: self or soul. If it feels good and right, it is right, and that is your heart and soul winning. That is your true essence coming to the surface. When your head jumps in and tells you every reason why what feels so right is logically so wrong, then your self has won and has pulled you back into your old comfort zone. Then you stagnate and, as a result, you feel some form of pain.

    The answer to how you create your ideal life is to do what you feel excited about doing. You follow your heart, soul, conscience, and that “still small voice” within that guides you, which is your instinct. You form a picture in your mind of your ideal life, and when you feel excited, you keep reinforcing that excitement with the assurance that you can be, do, and have all you picture.

    As soon as you feel out of your comfort zone, expect that your head will jump in with every doubt, disbelief, criticism, negative view, impossibility, and impracticality to pull you right back into the old version of yourself and your life that you are now striving to outgrow. “As you think, so you shall have.” That saying is true. But another saying, “Seeing is believing,” is not - as least not when it comes to creating the life you want. For that purpose, you must turn the saying around: “Believing is seeing.”

    You have to picture it - whatever “it” is - mentally. Only then will you receive it.

    When you picture your ideal life, day in and day out, somehow your subconscious mind cannot distinguish between past and future. It focuses on the exact picture you hold in mind, the one you have the most feeling for.

    Now, I actually did this in the form of a treasure map. This is an empowering and powerful tool you can use to create and manifest all that you desire in your life. The process is actually quite simple, and it’s fun, too. Take a pile of old magazines and cut out pictures of everything you want to be, do, and have. I mean, get down to business. How do you really want to look, feel, and be? What exactly do you want to own? Where precisely do you want to travel? How do you really want to spend your leisure time? What does your ideal mate look like? How do you want to contribute to the lives of others? From the magazines, cut out the pictures and words that will form a large, detailed picture of your life. Your ideal life, your dream life. And don’t hold back. Go all the way!

    When I did this, I was a student in school, broke and struggling, but very excited about creating a brand-new life for myself. One of the pictures I cut out was of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. I had always wanted to go to the Middle East. I thought it would take many years for me to get there. Six weeks after creating my treasure map, I was standing in front of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. That was the picture that I had the most feeling for, so that was what I manifested first. The treasure map works! The universe is not void. Our thoughts do have power.

    That which we focus on, we draw directly to us. You can’t simply will it, like some sort of forced mind control. That won’t work. You have to genuinely believe in what you want to bring about in your life. The most important factor in the process is your feeling of excitement about what you want to see come into your life.

    Once you have true inner belief, conviction, and natural excitement, the key to receiving what you wish for is to let go. Let go and trust that you will receive all you desire, simply because you deserve to receive every joy you can conceive.

    I do understand that letting go is the hardest part. But when you look at this treasure map, day in and day out, and you see in those pictures the ideal life you want, somehow, bit by bit, the pictures become your reality. In my case, perhaps because so many of the pictures seemed to be out of the realm of logical possibility at the time, I did not expect to achieve my desires quickly; I was not too attached to having them become manifest right away. Each picture represented a genuine want, but how could I be emotionally attached or feel desperate about something like a trip to the other side of the world when I barely had money to buy groceries? Perhaps my lack of attachment kept me out of my own way. When we hold on too tightly, we instill fear instead of the faith or belief or self-worth that needs to preside. Every one of us deserves to have it all in our lives. Why should someone else have it all and not you?

    In a nutshell, DECIDE to create every thing and experience you want. Picture it. Know when it feels right, and exciting, it is on its way to you. Expect it!

    In her nationally praised seminars and workshops, Author, public speaker and columnist Barbara Rose shares the secrets of turning tragedy into triumph. Her books; Individual Power: Reclaiming Your Core, Your Truth, and Your Life; and If God Was Like Man (Publication Date April, 2003) share profound, inspiring insight. Please visit her website http://www.borntoinspire.com