When it comes to the holidays, it's so easy to get swept up in our household cleaning and hostess duties while easily forgetting the larger importance of the day. "What's important about the holidays is not asking 'What am I supposed to do?'," says Susan Lieberman, author of New Traditions, "but rather asking, 'How do I want us to feel and what will get us there?'" Here, a few suggestions on meaningful table traditions to foster a sense of family on Thanksgiving.
Create a Sense of Togetherness (Even With Those Who Aren't Present)
One way to foster a feeling of intimacy when your family is spread across the country or the globe is to all share in the same tradition. "I know one family that sets a time the day before and they all make pie at the same time, using their Grandma Betty's pumpkin pie recipe," says Meg Cox, traditions expert and author of The Book of New Family Traditions. Grandma then "calls around to the different households and speaks to each of her grandkids, wishing them
5 Thanksgiving table traditions for the modern family
By Sarah McColl, Shine staff | More For My Family – Thu, Nov 25, 2010 7:10 PM EST10 ideas for your turkey leftovers
By Sarah McColl, Shine staff | More For My Family – Wed, Nov 24, 2010 6:54 PM ESTAfter you make like Monica Gellar and put together a few super awesome post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches, you're going to want to switch it up a bit. In the crusade against boring meals, we've gathered a collection of recipes for your turkey leftovers that run the gamut from comfort food classics, to healthy salads, to kicky, spicy ethnic recipes. (And remember: if you really would rather put off the turkey for another day, you can always freeze it.)
Read More »from 10 ideas for your turkey leftoversNew tools to navigate the holiday shopping season
By Carolina Buia, Shine staff | More For My Family – Tue, Nov 23, 2010 5:44 PM ESTCheck out the latest electronic tools from Walmart to make the most of this holiday shopping season.
And while your reading the online circular, getting a digital store map is a click away. We all know finding the exact location of specific gift can be a challenge, that's why this is
Read More »from New tools to navigate the holiday shopping seasonThanksgiving dishes your kids can make
By Sarah McColl, Shine staff | More For My Family – Mon, Nov 22, 2010 5:15 PM EST"Getting kids involved in the kitchen at Thanksgiving is a terrific way to get them excited about the meal," says blogger Kelsey Banfield of The Naptime Chef. And who doesn't need a few extra hands in the kitchen on Thanksgiving? Here, six ideas for easy dishes your kids can make with your or comple
25 Secret Weapons to Lower Holiday Stress
By Better Homes and Gardens | More For My Family – Sat, Nov 20, 2010 12:00 AM EST25 sneaky ways to shop smart, reduce the stress, and get ready for a happy, healthy holiday.
By Rose Kennedy and Diana Reese

Holidays done right, your wayOh, the irony of those Christmas carols. You're singing about "chestnuts roasting on an open fire," but experiencing meltdowns by the microwave. Jingle Bells sounds way too close to Jangled Nerves and "sleep in heavenly peace" is almost comical if you think about it. That's because, for most of us, the holiday season involves lots of stress mixed in with all the Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.
But a little stress isn't going to stop most Motherboard Moms. in a recent survey they told us they aren't going to let anything get in the way of creating a special holiday for families. And they're not counting on Santa's elves for help, either; they have their own secret weapons for shopping, making holiday goodies, decorating, and keeping it all under budget. Here's their advice.
1. Be choosy about traditionsWe tend to
Read More »from 25 Secret Weapons to Lower Holiday StressThanksgiving sanity savers to help you juggle the big meal and houseful of people
By Sarah McColl, Shine staff | More For My Family – Fri, Nov 19, 2010 5:54 PM EST
Read More »from Thanksgiving sanity savers to help you juggle the big meal and houseful of people
By now you've likely read several articles about making this Thanksgiving like none other. You've got visions of grandeur: you've clipped seven new recipes, have invited your boss (just for kicks!), and are thinking of crocheting cornucopia centerpieces for the big day. Hold up there, Ms. Great Expectation. Lisa Quinn, author of Life's Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets advises taking the urge to be perfect down a notch. Read on for ways to keep your cool when you've got guests coming out of your ears and the biggest meal of the year on the stove.
Put on Your Game Face
This might sound a little intense, but let's take a cue from football stars on this one: get in the zone. Just as important as having enough sugar and flour for the pies is being mentally prepared for the day. You might not need to rehearse the image of you sliding the turkey into the oven, but you might want to be ready for Aunt Gladys's questions about why you haven't gotten a "real job" or why it seems you've "put onHow to shop online to find the best deals
By Emily Hsieh, Shine staff | More For My Family – Thu, Nov 18, 2010 8:00 PM EST
These days, it's hard to think of anything that can't be bought online. So much so that the breadth of options, both in terms of products and sites to buy them, can be a bit overwhelming. And while the internet is definitely a great place to score a great deal, there are certain tricks one should be aware of to hunt down the best possible price. Here-just in time to kickstart (and hopefully minimize) your holiday spending spree-a re-cap of all you need to know before filling your online shopping cart.
Look out for flash sales. The biggest thing to revolutionize online shopping in the last couple years has been the introduction of flash sale websites, where you can buy heftily discounted merchandise as a limited time offer. You'll need to subscribe for membership, and every day you'll get an email in your inbox notifying you of the daily specials. Different sites have different focuses, so for clothing there's gilt.com, hautelook.com, and ideeli.com; for children's clothes and
Read More »from How to shop online to find the best dealsThanksgiving tips from moms across the country to help you save money on the year's biggest meal
By Carolina Buia, Shine staff | More For My Family – Thu, Nov 18, 2010 10:09 AM ESTMoms from across the country share their tips on how they save money creating a Thanksgiving meal the whole family will remember. (This video contains some content created in association with an advertiser.)
Mercedes from commonsensewithmoney.com tells us that Thanksgiving dinner
Read More »from Thanksgiving tips from moms across the country to help you save money on the year's biggest mealHow to save money on big ticket electronics
By Emily Hsieh, Shine staff | More For My Family – Thu, Nov 18, 2010 6:54 AM EST
Whether you're toying with buying a new living room flatscreen, or getting ready to spring for the latest video game console your kids have been pining for, it's a good time to be shopping for electronics. This being the end of the year, retailers are about to get antsy about clearing out their inventories, and will be baiting us with some big-time sales. To maximize your dollars, read on for a range of money-saving strategies to keep in mind before you pull the trigger.
Comparison Shop. This goes without saying at this point, but you should check several different retailers, both bricks-and-mortar and online, to see how prices vary from one place to another. The internet is the best place to start. Use sites like pricegrabber.com, shopping.com, google.com, and fatwallet.com to see what deals are out there. Make sure to factor in shipping costs and taxes when comparing prices.
Double-Check For Coupons and Rebates. Lots of manufacturers offer mail-in rebates on top of a
Read More »from How to save money on big ticket electronicsHow to pick the right-sized bird, and other turkey questions answered
By Sarah McColl, Shine staff | More For My Family – Mon, Nov 15, 2010 5:00 PM EST
Read More »from How to pick the right-sized bird, and other turkey questions answered
When you're used to 4-pound chickens, the prospect of a giant turkey is intimidating, to say the least. How do you know how much to buy? And what happens when dinner is tomorrow and you forgot that whole defrosting thing? Below, a cheat sheet of tips to arm yourself with.
How Much to Buy?
Figuring out how much turkey to buy can seem confusing, but it doesn't have to be. For dinner itself, registered dietician Shari Steinbach advises figuring one-pound uncooked turkey per person when buying your bird. If you want leftovers, the rule of thumb is one-and-a-half pounds per person. So, a host with eighteen guests and a future filled with turkey tetrazzini, should buy a 27-pound bird. Still confused? Let this calculator do the arithmetic for you.
Should I Buy Fresh or Frozen?
"Most people agree that there's no noticeable difference in taste between fresh and frozen turkeys," says household savings expert for Coupons.com, Jeanette Pavini, so it's just a matter of choosing the option that's
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