Blog Posts by GALTime.com

By GalTime Teen Parenting Expert, Barbara Greenberg, PhD

Handmade Gifts for Your Teen My daughter is in her early twenties now. I recently asked my girl what some of her favorite holiday gifts from me were over the years.

And for goodness sake, I bought her countless gifts during the teen years that ranged from technology presents to trips to handmade collages.

I am not kidding when I tell you that her favorite gift ever was a card in which I pasted photos of her younger self next to her older self.

Special Video 1. Making a very special video of some of their funniest and most joyful moments

Use iMac or another simple, intuitive video uploading and editing program to pull together favorite bits of video,

By Romance Recovery's Johanna Lyman for GalTime.com

Baby, it's cold outside....It's no secret that the holidays are a stressful time of the year. It always feels like we have too much to do and too little time and money to accomplish everything on our list.

This year seems to be particularly intense, and I'm not even buying into all that "end of the world" talk.

To counter all that craziness, here are my favorite ideas for staying in love -- or at least minimizing the fighting, during stressful times like these.

1. Set aside daily time for extreme self-care. This advice is important not only for the holidays, but during any stressful time. When I get busier, the first thing that usually falls apart is my self care routine, and I know I'm not the only one. This year, make it your top priority to eat in moderation and exercise regularly, and watch how much easier it is to stay balanced, sane, and happy.

2. Get out of the house every night. My friend Alyson swears by this routine: "Evening

by GalTime.com's Design Diva Katie Meyers

Hanukkah Home decor and celebration ideas for Hanukkah

Just because Hanukkah lasts for eight nights doesn't mean you'll need to stretch your bank account more than any other holiday.

Here are some budget-friendly entertaining tips and inspirational décor items to ensure your holiday is filled with latkes, laughter and love.

1. Accessorize your table with metallic objects. While there are many gorgeous Hanukkah-inspired décor pieces available, you don't need to purchase them all to set the scene. Design your table using items you already have that are ornamented with gold, bronze, silver accents or edging. Layer them using other festive pieces to set a stylish vibe.

RELATED Celebrate Hanukkah--- For Less!

Metallic Objects













2. Get creative with color. The most traditional hues for Hanukkah include white, blue, and yellow gold. Think outside the "color box" and get creative using shades in the same families such as turquoise, royal blue, ivory or silver. If

By Jessica Ashley, GalTime.com Senior Editor

Prince William and Kate Middleton prince william and kate middleton announce pregnancy. is it too soon to buy a gift?

With the announcement that a Royal Baby is on the way to Prince William and wife Kate Middleton, surely the castle gates will soon be lined with gifts bestowed upon the heir-to-be. That is, if the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Queen and Uncle Harry are anything like the scads of families who can't help but fill a stocking for a fetus.

So maybe the royals aren't like every other family. Perhaps they hold tight to superstitions or faith-based traditions like some of the grandparents and parents-to-be I've known over the years, not wanting to bring any gifts or gear into the home until the baby has safely been born. Or perhaps, they are like my family, who would stack presents under the tree and fill a stocking marked "Zygote" if the opportunity presented itself.

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by Jennifer Jolly for GalTime.com

Online Savings Toolkit Maximize online savings

Want to score outrageously brag-worthy bargains this holiday season? Then skip the mall mayhem!

From making a list and checking it twice, here are the very best sites, services, and no-brainer tech tools to login, load-up, and start saving now!

1. Better Christmas List
Smartphone app organizes your gift list and keeps an eye on your budget

Ditch that coffee-stained list you scrawled out on the back of an envelope and take a page from the tech-savvy Santa playbook with the Better Christmas List app. Having this easy, intuitive, budget-conscious gift organizer in the palm of your hand is like having your very own elf! Just download, type in your gift list, organize it by groups (family, friends, co-workers), and set a budget. It even has a password-protected option to make sure your tech savvy kids don't take a peek!

2. Dealnews
Best of the latest crop of deals delivered straight to your screen

by Lynn Perkins, CEO and founder, UrbanSitter for GalTime.com

Snagging a Babysitter during the Holidays We all know the holidays seem to creep up faster and faster every year. When you're knee deep in shopping, cooking and caroling, one thing that's nice to cross off your list is the babysitter. You probably have a least a few dates on the calendar, so here are some tips for making it easy.

1. Book now. The best advice you can take is to confirm your sitters now. Even if it's a month out, you'll feel relieved to have it done, especially for dates set in stone such as the company holiday party or a good friend's annual gift exchange. You're also likely get the sitter you want because chances are she's not booked yet.

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2. Choose "off" nights. Saturday nights are by far the most popular in December. If you are considering hosting a dinner party or making reservations out, why not choose a Friday night or even Sunday? The restaurant is less likely to be booked and same

by Cari Coulter, RD, LD for GalTime.com

Healthy Mashed Potatoes Favorite Side Dish Made Healthy

Mashed potatoes made right please everyone in the house, at the table and moving through the buffet. Here's our favorite way to enjoy this classic holiday comfort side dish with a third of the calories, none of the fat and lots of creamy deliciousness! Be sure to compare the calorie and fat count for this dish with the tally for traditional recipes (you'll find that at the end) so you will smile even bigger with each bite.

Enjoy!

MASHED POTATOES MAKEOVER

Ingredients

16 oz potatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup fat-free sour cream

½ cup fat -free vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

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Method

1. Boil potatoes until tender.

2. Drain potatoes and transfer to large mixing bowl.

3. On slow speed, begin whipping potatoes. Slowly add sour cream, broth, and seasonings.

4. Whip until smooth consistency is

By Sasha BeautyBlogger for GalTime.com

Spread the holiday cheer! Looking good doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg this holiday season. You can find tons of amazing beauty products to supplement your splurge-worthy buys, without putting you in the red!

So whether shopping for yourself or tackling your Christmas gift list, here are 10 skincare, hair, and makeup steals that are guaranteed to bring some holiday cheer (and plenty of dazzle, sparkle, and radiance)!

Multi-tasking shimmer (e.l.f. Studio Body Glow, $6): This lightweight powder can be used all over the body (shoulders, eyes, and cheeks) for instant glam and radiance.

Clean tresses extender (Umberto Dry Clean Dry Shampoo, $8.99): 'Tis the season for insanely busy schedules, and we gals love products that save us time, starting with our tresses! Clean your hair in an instant without stepping into the shower with a few sprays of this specially formulated, clean-hair extending, dry shampoo.

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