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Christmas Tips
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For those who do celebrate Christmas, it can be, perhaps, the time of greatest expense, with the greatest flood of paper to landfill sites – and it doesn’t have to be that way!
1. Store Ornaments in Christmas tins. 2. Use Pringles cans for Christmas light storage.
Using Pringles cans to wrap Christmas lights is even better than tubes, as they don't bend - and you can store extra lights inside.
3. Cut your Christmas card list in half - or don’t send any.
-Send greetings by e-mail or use the phone. Short calls, of course!
4. Don't throw away your Christmas Cards!
-They can be used for so many things next Christmas: decoupage, wreaths, ornaments, decorations, collages, etc.. Put them in a bag and store them with your other Christmas things. -OR, you can cut out the pretty side of your cards, and save them until the following year, when you can use them as postcards. Less cards in the garbage dump. -Cut out the front of cards, and use them for gift tags next year.
5. Save money and prevent waste of Christmas wrap. -Use reusable Christmas bags, wrap gifts in newspaper, or put larger items in pillowcases, which become
part of the gift.
6. Buy gifts for children, only….OR, if you must buy for adults, draw names. 7. Rather than buying for adults, give a donation to a charity - in their name. Make sure to let them know. 8. Rather than buying for adults, play ‘The Grinch Exchange’.
Description and rules to follow this feature.
9. Buy gift certificates! -Put gift certificate in an envelope; decorate with a very small bow, if you choose; and then place
envelope on the bough of their Christmas tree. -OR mail in a plain envelope. Less postage and no wrapping paper!
10. Buy one gift that the whole family can use.
–i.e. a board game, which they can use on ‘Family Night’, a computer for fun and education. etc.
11. Give them ‘IOU’s’ to be redeemed at a time of their choosing. Free, of course!
–i.e. 2 hours of free babysitting, a car wash, some carpentry work, 2 hours of ironing, 2 hours of house cleaning, etc.
12. Make coupon books for your ‘honey’!
-Create a small booklet, with pages of ‘coupons’ that they can claim from you, at a later date. i.e. their favourite meal, a car wash and polish, a night out to the cinema, supper at their favourite restaurant, etc.
13. Buy them a membership to the ‘LIFESTYLE MOVEMENT’!!!
Christmas Gift Exchange Game
‘The Grinch Exchange’
Commonly known as ‘The Chinese Gift Exchange’ Rather than buying gifts for adults at Christmas, try playing this game when everyone gets together Christmas Eve or Christmas Day…It is one of the most humorous ideas for a Christmas gift exchange, and was commonly called the „Chinese Gift Exchange‟. As it has absolutely nothing to do with the Chinese, and I wouldn‟t want any offense taken, I choose to call it „The Grinch Exchange‟. The game is very funny; and, as it progresses, you can expect gales of laughter! Each person gets to select a wrapped gift, unwrap it; keep it; or possibly lose it to someone else, and have to select again. Being able to select from unwrapped gifts - or “stealing” a gift someone else is holding - makes this game very comical! Rules: First decide how much money should be spent on each gift. Remember that it‟s not the price of the gifts, but the fun and laughs, playing the game! You can also have a „theme‟ game. i.e. the silliest present you can find. If there isn‟t a theme, it might be a good idea for men to purchase items another man might enjoy, while women purchase gifts another woman would enjoy. Tell all your guests at least two weeks in advance, so they have time to purchase their gift. Perhaps giving them a written copy would be better, as they already have so many other things to remember, at that time of year! All gifts should be wrapped attractively, but do not put any type of tag on it, saying who it‟s from. Put the gifts together under the tree, on a table, or wherever convenient. On the day of the gift exchange, determine how many people will be playing, and write the necessary numbers on slips of paper. i.e. If there are 14 people, there should be 14 slips of paper, with numbers from 1 to 14 written on them. Fold each paper so no one can see the number inside, and then put the papers in a basket or bowl. Each person then selects a number from the basket or bowl to determine the order in which he or she plays. Number 1 goes first and gets to select and unwrap a gift. Everyone oohs and aahs or mentally thinks, “Boy, I‟m glad I didn‟t get that!” Number 2 then selects. But she may nick Number 1‟s gift or she may select a gift from the pile. If she takes Number 1‟s gift, Number 1 gets to select again from the pile. After she has finished her turn, Number 3 gets to select. Once again, she may select any opened or unopened gift. Each time a gift is taken away from someone, that person selects again. She may select any gift except the one that was just taken away from her. She may however, have the opportunity to select it again later. Some gifts are occasionally more popular and may get „nicked‟ several times. When it‟s your turn, don‟t be afraid to take a gift from someone else! The more takeaways and turnovers, the more fun the game becomes! Some of the best times are when a particular gift gets pinched several times. There are always lots of laughs and sometimes gifts get taken just for the fun of it. And after the game is over, if you and someone else wants to trade gifts, that‟s O.K. too.
“A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange.”
Author Unknown
(Reproduced with the kind permission of the Shelterbox Trust)
H
THE SHELTERBOX CHARITY
S h el t e rB o x – h el p f o r d i sa st e r vi ct i ms w o r l d w i d e
The ShelterBox Trust is a registered UK charity that provides emergency aid for victims of natural and other disasters anywhere in the world. Since operations began in January 2001, we have helped over 600,000 people and worked in more than 45 countries – responding to earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, wars, volcanoes etc. ShelterBox was set up by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard and all aid is distributed from our base in Cornwall. The charity is supported by international affiliates set up by Rotary clubs in various other countries, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and the USA. The charity's President is HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.
Our mission…
“To provide humanitarian aid worldwide in the form of shelter, warmth and comfort to people displaced by natural and other disasters.”
A unique solution…
Our solution to disasters is the ShelterBox – a tough, green plastic box containing a 10-person tent and ancillary equipment designed to enable a family of up to 10 people survive for at least six months. Made to a unique design using high quality materials, our tents are suitable for a wide range of conditions. Other items may include insulated groundsheets, thermal blankets, a multi -fuel stove, cooking equipment, tools, mosquito nets, water containers etc. Exact contents will depend upon local conditions and what is most needed. ShelterBox works directly with local organisations in countries where disasters have occurred, in partnership with other aid agencies and through the international Rotary network. Our volunteer teams often oversee the distribution of boxes to individual recipients – making sure aid gets direct to those people who need it most.
REACHING AROUND THE GLOBE
Since beginning work in 2001, emergency aid from ShelterBox has helped thousands of people. Boxes have now been flown or shipped from Cornwall to every continent on the globe.
Getting there fast – and first…
ShelterBox frequently manages to reach disaster scenes ahead of other, larger aid agencies. That’s because ShelterBox’s links with the worldwide network of Rotary clubs gives us an enormous advantage in the field.
Often, when a disaster strikes, Rotary clubs are our first point of contact. Their local knowledge means they can advise on what has happened, where the worst damage has occurred and exactly what help is needed. Our Rotary contacts, often senior business figures, can frequently advise on how best to get aid into their country – bypassing bureaucracy that holds up larger organisations.
RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES
a local Rotary club.
Appeals for help may come from the authorities in a disaster area, via another aid agency or through
Decisions will then be made on how many boxes we can send, what should be in the boxes – and how to get the aid where it is needed. The number of boxes we can send is limited by the funds available but our aim is always to provide immediate aid wherever possible. However, we can only distribute aid within safe and achievable operating parameters. Where necessary, we will take advice from the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and other relevant bodies.
Getting aid to its destination…
Boxes are generally flown from the UK to the country where a disaster has taken place.
Aid is delivered to the actual disaster area by whatever means are most effective – a decision often based on advice from local Rotary clubs and made in the field by the ShelterBox Response Teams (SRTs) that are delivering the aid. SRTs will charter vehicles locally and work with any appropriate organisations. These could include: other aid agencies; local armed forces, police and government bodies; Rotary and other local nongovernmental bodies. Where needed, SRTs are used to finding alternative forms of transport – whether using mules in the mountains of Kashmir or building rafts in Sri Lanka.
Help for All…
Disasters take no account of political, ethnic, cultural or religious boundaries. ShelterBox responds to disasters in the same way – whether the emergency is the result of a natural event or man-made. We have no political or religious affiliation. Our priority is the victims of the disaster: families and individuals who have often lost their possessions and livelihoods as well as their homes.
In partnership…
ShelterBox works with many partners - in particular Rotary organisations around the world. As well as our own emergency response operations, we also support projects by other NGOs where these fit with our own aim of bringing shelter, warmth and comfort to those affected by disasters. For example, we have provided tents and other material to help the Mines Awareness Trust with their operations to clear unexploded ordnance and train de-miners in former conflict zones.
Make a donation – make a difference!
Information on following page
Each ShelterBox costs an average of £490 – this includes all materials, packing, storage, transport and distribution to individual recipients worldwide. Based on a family of 10 using the box and contents for six months only
this equates to 27pence per person per day! Help now! The contents of a ShelterBox will vary according to what is needed following each disaster but your donation could help buy the following:
• Complete box and contents • Tent, groundsheets and blankets • Stove, cooking pots and utensils • Empty box and lid • Water containers and purification equipment • Tools, bag and rope • Axe, shovel and hoe • Pair of mosquito nets • Children’s pack £490 £250 £150 £25 £20 £15 £15 £8 £7
Your gift can help save lives and give new hope to familieswho have lost everything.
Donations and Information:
Any amount g rate ful ly a cce pte d!
For all telephone inquiries, please contact ShelterBox on +44 (0)1326 569782 Fax: +44 (0)1326 572336 To write to us, contact: The ShelterBox Trust HQ, Unit 1A, Water-ma-Trout, Helston, Cornwall TR13 0LW, United Kingdom Donations and general information - info@shelterbox.org
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“We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers.” Seneca “Before giving, the mind of the giver is happy; while giving, the mind of the giver is made peaceful; and having given, the mind of the giver is uplifted.”
Buddha