Mistletoe :-*

 Hey Hey hey :)

        One of my favorites holiday traditions is MISTLETOE :) Who doesn't like the idea of stealing a kiss under the mistletoe?  It actually originates from a Pagan and Norris tradition that was associated with having magical powers.

      There are several species of mistletoe that grow in various parts of the world. Most mistletoe plants are poisonous if eaten and should be kept out of the reach of children. It is actually a parasite plant that grows on trees and steals its nutrients for its benefits.

" The most fully developed myth regarding mistletoe comes from the Norse mythology of the Vikings. Mistletoe’s curative powers and the belief that it can raise humans from the dead relates to the resurrection of the Norse god Baldar.

The story goes as follows. Baldar, the Norse god of the summer sun, saw in a dream his death. Frigga, his mother and the goddess of beauty and love — and from whom we get the name Friday — compelled the elements, plants and animals not to kill Baldar. But she neglected to extract this same promise from the unique mistletoe. The mischief god Loki (brother of Thor) realizing that mistletoe grows on trees and has no roots in the ground fashioned a poisoned dart from mistletoe and with the aid of Baldar’s blind brotherHoder shot the mistletoe missile to kill Baldar. His death brought winter and his mother’s lamentation.

Frigga’s tears over her son changed the red mistletoe berries white and raised Baldar from the dead. From her gratitude she blessed with a kiss everyone who walked beneath mistletoe, declaring that the mistletoe must forever after bring love rather that death into the world."

http://billpetro.com/history-of-mistletoe

Christmas Party Tips

Hey ALL J

   It’s that time of the year when everyone is getting in the spirit and wanting to celebrate the correct way with tacky sweaters and spiked cider or eggnog.  Here are some tips to throwing a successful party J

http://blog.forrent.com/holidays/12-tips-for-throwing-a-tacky-christmas-sweater-party#.UMDdZOTg2So

1. Send Invitations: Send out an evite to all of your guests and have the image be a picture of you or your grandparents in their favorite holiday sweater. Be sure to provide all of the details (especially the fun ones like the games and prizes included).

2. Find the Best Tacky Christmas Sweater: The best part of the party is OBVIOUSLY the sweater. Here are some ideas on places to find these fabulous outdated fashion statements: Garage Sales, Family Members (aka. Grandma and Grandpa) and Thrift Stores.

3. Don’t Forget Accessories: Accessories can often times make the tacky sweater that much tackier! Go to your local drug store and look for lighted pins, reindeer antlers, Santa hats, tinsel and more!

*** attaching some mistletoe to your wrist can only lead to some interesting stories *****

4. Make a Centerpiece: Creating a neat centerpiece that can actually be devoured is ideal. Make a ginger bread house with candy and icing to use as a centerpiece for the food table. Something tells me that this will be eaten after tip #9.

5. Provide an Award: Have a trophy personalized that says “Tackiest Sweater Award 2008″. After all of the guests have arrived, simply have them write on a piece of paper who they think should win and then count up the votes.

6. Food: Select a potluck style that will work best for you and your guests. For example: (1) appetizers only, (2) bring your favorite dish, (3) assign each guest to bring an appetizer, main dish, or dessert, or (4) as the host, you will provide the main dish (a turkey, ham, etc.) Try and coordinate this in advance so you don’t have duplicate dishes.

7. Beverages: There are a variety of factors to consider when selecting your beverages for your party. It’s important to have something available for everyone’s likes and dislikes. Be sure to have a variety of mixers on hand as well as non-alcoholic drinks. Having a pre-made themed beverage also saves time and money while still being festive.

8. Keep the Bathroom Line Entertained: All those beverages can certainly call for a long line at the restroom. Decorate your bathroom door with wrapping paper, ribbon and a bow and have people sign the door and write a message on the wrapping paper. The messages are bound to be great conversation starters and ice breakers.

9. Play Games: Set up a scavenger hunt with two teams. Create a checklist of all the items to provide to each team. Each team is then responsible for taking a picture of each checklist item as proof. Here are some checklist ideas: Find a street name that has a Christmas theme, take a picture with your team in your sweaters in a 7-11, sing a Christmas carol to a stranger as team, Find a Santa and sit on his lap, kiss someone under a mistletoe, find something showing one of the 12 days of Christmas etc…) This is absolutely hilarious.

10. Give Prizes: The winning team of the scavenger hunt or games that you play can receive prizes. Some good prize ideas are DVD’s, gift cards, candles, books etc… Wrap them up and put them under your tree. You could always go the gag gift route as well.

Best of luck with planning your next Tacky Christmas Sweater Party. !!!!

Rain Rain Go Away.

Hello ALL J

       Its that time of the year where  the skies open up and California actually gets rain!!!  This crazy wacky weather might catch some of you of guard, and you might actually have to walk outside in the rain!  Well fear not residents for your convince we have umbrellas to “borrow”!!!!  All you do is come to the lobby and see a staff member!  We will have you sign a form to borrow one of our Tuscany umbrellas and then return it back to us when you’re done!  This amazing addition to our community was brought with you in mind!  :) 

 

STAY DRY!

 

Smart Shopping

Hey All,

   It’s that time of year when shopping is on everyone’s mind … with the stress of finals and the year winding down online shopping is a great option for avoiding the craziness of the stores. There is a certain risk of buying things that you haven’t actually seen. Here is a link to some top 10 tips on shopping smart and safe online :

http://blogs.mcafee.com/consumer/10-tips-to-safe-online-shopping