MissDomestic.com

By Jason S. Parker

We could all spend a little extra on a really nice meal or buying your partner some perfume that they really like.  But if you really want to show your partner your romantic side then why not also present her or him with a gift that you have made yourself.  Not to mention it can be loads of fun.  Below we provide 5 different Valentine’s Day craft ideas which you may want to consider trying for this coming February 14th.

1. Candy Filled Heart - Take some white or pink paper (not too thick and not too thin) and cut out two identically shaped hearts.  Then take one heart and decorate this using glitter etc, and when dried attach to the other but leave the top of the heart open so that you can place a number of beautifully made heart shaped chocolates inside.  Then seal and present to your loved one.

2. Heart In Your Hands - For this you will need to scan your hand into a computer and then using a program such as ClipArt or  PhotoShop place a heart in the center of the palm.  Then very steadily insert a picture of your loved one into the center of the heart and on it place the saying “You Have My Heart in Your Hands”.  Once prepared, print off the picture onto some heat transfer material and then transfer the image on to a piece of clothing of your choice.

3. Mouse pad - If your partner spends hours at their computer each day why not present them with a mouse pad on which you can place a message of love that they will be able to read and treasure throughout the year.  To make it even more special why not go for a heart shaped one rather than the more traditional square or oblong ones.

4. Love Scrapbook - If you have the time why not make up a book of the time that you have been together and which you can then present to your loved one on Valentine’s Day.  It is a good idea to keep hold of little mementos from days that you have spent together such as ticket stubs of places that you visited (cinemas, theatres etc).  Also, include within some pictures and words that mean things to you.

5. Valentine’s Wreath - Again if you have time get hold of some various sized wooden hearts and then paint them.  Ideally use colors such as pink, red and white for them and then write words that are important and special to you both.  Once dried stick them onto a grapevine wreath and add a ribbon to it so that it can be hung up for all to see.

Along with the Valentine’s Day craft ideas we have provided above for you, a quick search of the internet and you will find plenty more.  Making something yourself will really show the person to whom you are giving the gift just how much they really mean to you.  It’s often the effort that shows the love.

Jason Parker is a rep at www.stvalentinesdaygiftbaskets.com where the sweetest and tastiest gift baskets are available.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

By Natalie Aranda

Love has many different meanings in every single language but there is a universal traditional day when people express their inner feelings for each other, either love or friendship. Valentine’s Day was coined as the exchange day for those with these naturally feelings for others, throughout all cultures.

The origins of Valentine’s day are traced back to the Medieval era associated with the Catholic Church feast day, but love and fertility nexus with this particular date falling on February 14 comes from the ancient times of Greece, when the Athens calendar included a period between mid January and mid February called the Gamelion, a month dedicated to the sacred marriage of Zeus and Hera, hence associated with love and fertility.

Lupercalia, the festival of Lupercus, the God of Fertility, was the equivalent in the Roman Empire and taking place on February 15, time of purification rituals. Lupercus was represented as a half-naked man dressed in goatskins. His priests sacrificed goats to the god on this day and after drinking wine, they ran through the Roman streets holding pieces of goat and touching anyone in their run including women in the belief to receive an easy childbirth.

There is no written reference about how Saint Valentine became the romantic love protector, in fact the Catholic martyrologies mention three different Saint Valentines under the date of February 14; a priest in Rome, a bishop of Interamna, and a martyr in the Roman province of Africa, making even more obscure the origins of this celebration.

However, in the 5th century the feast of Saint Valentine was officially decreed to be on February 14 by Pope Gelasius I during the year 496. In a later assumption, this could be just an attempt to supersede pagan holidays like Lupercalia celebrated in Rome until then. Apart from this historical setting, the rest is just legends.

Throughout time, the gift of blooming wild flowers was a common practice to demonstrate romantic love or affection between partners on Valentine’s Day. Daisy flowers became a sort of “yes-no” love divination. Today, daisies have their own meaning of innocence and loyal love, associated with the fifth wedding anniversary.

During the 19th century, roses took their place having different meanings according to their color or numbers of flowers given on Valentine’s Day. It was during the Victorian century when relics exhumed from the Roman catacombs of Saint Hippolytus were identified with Saint Valentine.

In 1836, the relics were donated by Pope Gregory XVI to the Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland, but once again, the obscure origins of Valentines (or Valentinus) and his relics are alleged to lie at the reliquary of Roquemaure in France and in Sankt Stephans Kirche in Vienna.

Instead of an uncertain Saint image, the 19th century associated the figure of the winged Cupid to Saint Valentine’s Day, along with and heart-shaped outline cards and paper cuts to be sent with flowers on this day, tradition remains today when a wide array of flowers can be chosen online and delivered anywhere just by placing your order via the internet.

Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. She writes about family, love and relationship. She enjoyed the experience of www.serenataflowers.com/sendflowers/Surrey.htm in Surrey, UK for

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

By Tony Connor

Jewelry is a traditional Valentine’s gift, but why not push the envelope and get her some unique jewelry?  It will show her your love and set her apart in the crowd.  She will love any jewelry gift you get her, but it makes it a bit more fun to get something different.

What do we mean by unique jewelry?  What we don’t mean is jewelry that she never wears - if she doesn’t wear it she may not like it!  Unique jewelry is either a stone she has never worn, designs that are a little unusual, personalized jewelry or jewelry from a different culture.

When buying unique jewelry there are a number of things to bear in mind.  First, and most important, make sure she will like it.  If you don’t know her tastes well enough then get something a little bit different; if you know her very well then go all out - she will at least enjoy the fact you tried to do something different and will appreciate the thought at least.  Also, you may have to pay a little more for truly unusual jewelry but you should be able to get something reasonable online.  The other thing to bear in mind is that if she really likes it she may want to get matching pieces, so make a note of what the store has in terms of similar designs or sets.

It may be worth thinking about getting a number of pieces, instead of just one.  She is more likely to like at least one piece in that case, and it’s nice to get a set.

Having something unique to wear will make her stand out and it’s something she can show off to her friends.  It also demonstrates to the world your love for each other and makes you both feel good about your relationship.

So bite the bullet and get her something different today!

Tony Connor is the owner of http://www.BrightGiftIdeas.com with gift suggestions for everyone. 

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

By David Ben-Ariel

Like dumb sheep to the slaughter, most of mankind continues to blindly follow pagan traditions, rather than obey God’s clear commands (Mark 7:7). Has it ever occurred to those stuffing their faces with Easter ham that Jesus would puke at the thought? Neither Jesus or Peter, James or John ever ate forbidden foods. They wouldn’t feel too comfortable at plenty of people’s dinner tables.

Even the early Gentile converts to Jewish Christianity respected the biblical dietary laws (Acts 15:20), understanding that not all foods are sanctioned by the Creator in the Holy Scriptures (I Timothy 4:5).

When John the Baptist recognized Jesus as our Passover sacrifice, he declared: “Behold the Lamb of God” (John 1:29). He didn’t say, “Here comes the Easter Bunny!” Again, like the Easter ham, the Easter rabbit is also rejected in the Bible as an abomination (Leviticus 11:6-7).

The very name of Easter exposes itself as a heathen festival, although it’s cloaked as “Christian.” Easter/Ishtar/Astarte is the Babylonian spring goddess our British-Israelite forefathers foolishly worshipped. Hence the fertility symbols of rabbits and eggs.

God isn’t fooled by such baptized paganism, such whitewashed heathen customs (Deuteronomy 12:30). He commands us to commemorate Jesus’ death every Passover and recognize His atoning work of redemption as our resurrected High Priest in Heaven, unleavening our lives of sin (I Corinthians 5:7-8).

The early Church followed Jesus’ Jewish example for several hundred years until Gentile opposition (from false converts) threatened them with a death sentence if they didn’t bow before Easter observances (the Quarto-Deciman controversy)!

A growing number now know, understand and believe the biblical account that we’re to observe Passover and that Jesus was resurrected before sunrise Sunday, “when it was yet dark” (John 10:1). Others prefer to reject this light of understanding to remain in their traditional darkness and die in their sins (John 3:19)– it’s that serious! Because if our nations don’t repent of such idolatry and immorality we’ll soon suffer national destruction, defeat and deportation! That’s why this article of faith is part of our plea to diehard Catholics and Protestants to repent.

Thankfully, every generation has those chosen few who are willing to reject holidays for holy days and “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered” (Jude 3). Hopefully, this plain truth about Easter will cause you to question your beliefs and provide some “kosher” food for thought!

David Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe’s Rise and Fall.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Plain-Truth-about-Easter&id=114571

By Sharon Jacobsen

I’ve tried. I really have tried. It went against my nature but I gave it my best shot and it just doesn’t want to happen. I am, quite simply, not a domestic goddess.

I’ve visited websites that are designed to help me get my home organised to almost military precision and read books that tell me how to remove stains from every imaginable surface with the aid of all sorts of weird and wonderful potions, but still my house remains the same. A mess! Albeit, a comfortable mess, but a mess just the same.

Right now, the situation’s bordering on the extreme, but that’s down to lack of cupboards, drawers and other storage facilities. Or so I say. If I’m honest though, that’s only part of the problem. The rest is all down to me and my lack of desire to join the ranks of the ‘clean queens’.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not living in a filthy pigsty or anything. My floors get washed, but often they’ll have to wait a day or three longer than they should before I get round to doing them. We wear clean clothes, but you’ll often find a skirt and blouse hanging in front of the gas fire in the evening, being dried for the next morning after discovering that the only clean clothes I have are an old pair of jeans and an out of shape t-shirt. We always have clean towels, but I can’t guarantee you’ll find them in the airing cupboard, where they should be. No, you may well have to run downstairs and hunt through the pile of clean washing that hasn’t quite made it upstairs yet. It’s usually on top of the dirty washing basket making more washing difficult to do without first removing that which is already done. A clever ploy, eh?

All in all, things happen in a pretty relaxed tempo around here.

But relaxation can quickly turn to panic.

“Oh heck! There’s no loo paper!” – Do you recognise that one? You’ve been busting to go, dash to the bathroom, sit down, let it go and then you notice it. Where soft, fluffy paper once resided, there’s now nothing but a mucky grey cardboard roll. A quick look on the toilet cistern, or wherever your extras are usually kept, confirms your fears. Anybody who’s ever had to deal with this situation knows just how awful it is. I swear, one day, I will be organised enough to know that at any given time, there will always be paper by the toilet.

“Sorry. I can’t offer you a cup of tea. I’ve run out of sugar”. – Even when I know I’m expecting company, I’m too damned disorganised to check these things beforehand. Do I have teabags, sugar, milk? How would I know? Well of course I know. I made a cup of tea last night and there wasn’t much sugar left. Take into account that the kids had cereal this morning and in all probability there isn’t much, if any, left. Why do these things just not sink in with me? Am I a complete airhead? No. I don’t think so. I blame it on having a busy brain. Some would say that I should keep it busy by thinking of things that matter rather than wondering how super glue was invented or whether or not to buy myself some frilly undies, but the fact remains the same; I’m just too busy thinking about more interesting things to notice the decline in our sugar supply. Will I ever learn?

“I’ll just put this in to soak”. – There’s a pile of washing up and by the time I get to the pots and pans I’m sick to the eye teeth of standing at the sink scrubbing dried organic residue from plates, bowls and other feeding utensils. All due to the fact that I didn’t rinse them off when I should’ve done, let alone wash them up straight away. The pots and pans have a tendency to be left to soak and you can bet your best set of cutlery that I’ll later need the sink for something, only to discover them sitting there in my way. What happens? I end up doing the most undesirable part of the washing-up procedure at record speed, but at a time when I least feel like doing it. Washing-up as you go along sounds like such a fine and dandy idea, but still my mountain grows!

“Does anybody know where’s there’s a pen that works?” – I have a plastic pot on my desk. In this pot there are pens. Four of them at the moment. One of them writes well enough to make quick notes, but I certainly wouldn’t want to write a letter with it. It’s one of those stop-starters. A cheapo left over from a pack of 10 for 99p. The other three won’t write at all. (For those who are interested, I’ve just binned them after trying them, rather than put them back in the pen pot, like I usually do – I’m learning). If I scout around a bit, I’ll probably find another 4 or 5 pens. If I’m lucky, 1 or 2 or them will probably write. I’ll have taken me 20 minutes to find them though.

“The washing machine won’t spin. Where’s the guarantee?” – Errr…. I believe we’re expected to keep our paperwork in a reasonably orderly fashion? Well, miracles could happen I suppose, but unfortunately, none have happened yet. I’ve got a draw with hanging files in my desk. There are about 30 files in there, all neatly labeled. “Bills to pay” – “Bills Paid” – “Birth, Wedding and other certificates” – “Bank Statements” – etc., etc. Now wouldn’t you think it would be easy to lay your hands on that guarantee with a system like that? Of course it would but that’d mean having to actually put things in there. There’s a huge difference between the filing system I intend to use, and the one that actually exists, namely a huge pile of papers on top of the desk, some of which have fallen down the back, and a shelf full of all sorts of paper things but quite honestly, I’ve no idea what they are. Oh well, I had good intentions.

Things could change but at the moment our house is ‘blessed’ with a distinct air of disorganisation. But we laugh about it, and we get on with it. It’s our home and until I decide to get my head out of the clouds and knuckle down to some real hard discipline and get all domestic, this is the way it will stay.

~~~

Sharon Jacobsen is a full-time freelance writer based in South Cheshire, England. For a reasonable fee she’ll happily write articles that your readers will love, and on any subject from dance to divination. Sharon can also deliver compelling sales letters, press releases, e-books and just about anything else that’s related to the written word.

To contact Sharon, or to learn more about her work, please visit: http://www.sharon-jacobsen.co.uk

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Domestic-Goddess?-You-Have-To-Be-Kidding!!&id=79547

By Jennifer Bailey

Easter—regarded as one of the most important religious feasts in the year—is marked by fun, togetherness and love. Feasts, get-togethers, and prayers together make up a happy Easter day. And to show our love on such an important day, Easter flowers exist. Bringing color, happiness, and vibrancy, they are sure to convey our message to all our loved ones.

Lilies are the most popular flowers during Easter. Another flower which is always an all-time favorite is the rose. Available in many colors, it has been used for centuries to express sentiments and deepest feelings. Besides such flowers, multitudes of other pretty, enchanting flowers like chrysanthemums, tulips, sunflowers, daisies and carnations, among others, are also available for Easter celebration.

Companies such as Dot Flowers, Larose, Brant Florist, Value Flora, Flora 2000, All American Flowers, Rose Guy, Dial a Bouquet, Flowers go.net, FTD or Florists Transworld Delivery, City Center Florists, and Flower Store provide beautiful flowers for Easter.

We usually have the option to choose from among different flowers designed in beautiful ways. However, some companies provide a customizing option too, by which we can personalize our chosen flowers. Brant Florist, Flora 2000, and Speaking Roses are some examples of companies that allow us to customize our gifts. While Brant Florist asks us about our preferences and accordingly creates a basket or bouquet of colors of our choice, Speaking Roses prints any logo or personal message in a unique way on the petals of any fresh flower.

Flowers are usually delivered in a box with a personal message and instructions on preservation and arrangement of flowers. Dot Flowers provides floral preservatives along with personalized messages and flower care information. Companies like Value Flora offer free chocolates along with the flower delivery. Vases are normally not included with flowers, but Dial a Bouquet provides a free vase with dozen or more peach roses.

All aforementioned companies usually have a hundred-percent-satisfaction guarantee, and provide beautiful flowers of high quality. There are some among these companies like Flowers go.net, Brant Florist, and Delivery Flowers which, if receiving a complaint, sends replacement flowers.

Same-day delivery and international delivery options are also provided by most of the florists.

Send Flowers provides detailed information about send flowers, send thanksgiving flowers, send easter flowers, send gift flowers and more. Send Flowers is the sister site of Long Stem Red Roses.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Send-Easter-Flowers&id=144331

By Alex Daniels

How does that saying go? “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and silver sixpence in her shoe.”  It is a credo believed to carry good luck dating back to the Victorian era and many folks, brides especially, try to arrange their wedding attire accordingly.

* Something old:  Something old represents the link with the bride’s family and many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewelry, her mother’s or grandmother’s wedding gown.

* Something new: This is to symbolize good fortune and success for the future of the couple. The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item.

* Something borrowed: Something borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when help is needed. The borrowed object means something such as a lace handkerchief.

* Something blue: The color blue is meant here to symbolize the loyalty and fidelity of the couple. Often the item is the garter.

* Silver sixpence in her shoe: A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe is to wish the bride wealth.  But frankly, if you are willing to go through your entire wedding with a coin in your shoe, well that’s just crazy 

The bride’s bouquet at its inception formed part of the wreaths worn by both the bride and groom.  It was a symbol of happiness.  Today the practice of tossing the bouquet is an off shoot of throwing the garter.  Single women compete to catch the bride’s bouquet because according to superstition the one to make the catch will be married next.

The wedding tradition of throwing the garter began in France when pieces of the bride were considered lucky.  The bride would throw the garter to those attending the wedding and whoever caught it could expect good luck.  In some states, the groom traditionally removes the garter from the bride and throws it to the unmarried men. The man who catches it is thought to be the next to marry.  As the wedding ceremony progress, the excitement level of all increases.

* Catching the garter: Men compete to catch the brides garter as the groom tosses it up in the air.

* Garter game: At some weddings the man who catches the garter places it on the leg of the lady who caught the bouquet or they have the next dance.

These superstitious wedding games have become part of the wedding tradition today.  It is believed that by participating you are bestowing upon the couple good fortune.

A century ago, wedding superstitions were even more deeply rooted.

* Marrying a man whose surname began with the same letter was thought to be unlucky.

* Marrying on Friday the 13th cursed your wedding from the start.

* Brides who choose to be married in December were thought to be the wisest woman because she surely would be marrying her true love.

The desire for a marriage to last is strong, and consequently weddings are particularly vulnerable to superstitious beliefs that can supposedly affect it.  My thoughts?  Try not to take any of them seriously, there are so many superstitions to follow it can drive you crazy!  And of course there’s the whole “superstition” aspect.  You do know that it’s all made-up, right?  That it’s not going to have any bearing on your marriage or wedding day at all, right?  Good.  I’ve got to go get the penny out of my shoe now.  Good luck!

Alex consults for a gift shop offering wedding party gifts and bridesmaids gifts. Alex is recently married.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Wedding-Superstitions&id=402244

By Adel Awwad

Many times while gambling, I’ve found myself searching for subtle signs to assist me in making my next bet. For
example, if I’m playing roulette and a person in a red blouse stands next to me, then I’ll place an outside bet on
red. If I’m experiencing very good luck at Blackjack and a less friendly dealer takes over the table, then I’ll take it
as a sign to move onto another table because my luck is about to change. Superstition and myth have always
played a small part in the gambling area.

From the common practice of blowing on a set of dice before rolling
them, to the not so common practice of carrying a toenail from a horned toad, many gamblers believe that they
can actually give their game play an edge by following irrational beliefs that have long been associated with
gambling. While most gamblers have adopted their own set of superstitious beliefs and practices, there still
remains a common set of beliefs that many gamblers have at one time or another adopted.

Some of the superstitions which are believed to bring good luck include:

- Carrying a four leaf clover.

- Carrying a rabbit’s foot.

- Carrying a horseshoe.

- Carrying a personal lucky charm.

- Wearing a lucky item of clothing.

- Blowing on the dice before rolling them.

- Being well dressed.

- Crossing one’s fingers.

- Stacking the gambling chips neatly.

- The color red.

Some of the superstitions which are believed to bring bad luck include:

- Breaking a mirror.

- A black cat crossing one’s path.

- Walking under a ladder.

- Dogs near a gambling table.

- The color black.

While most of us at one stage or another have given way to the occasional superstitious belief, when it comes to
the practice of gambling, it would seem to make more sense for a player to invest more time in the study and
practice of various playing strategies and less time in the practice of irrational superstitious beliefs which may or
may not work.

This article is the property of Casino Directory Before you use my article(s), you must agree to my Terms of Service.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Gambling-Superstitions&id=23020

By Sean Carter

A unique concoction of the traditional and the offbeat, modern Christmas ornaments add shine and shimmer to the festive décor. It is believed that most of what now passes to be an inevitable part of the American tradition has its origin in Central Europe. Although Christmas trees first appeared in America in the 1700s, the emergence of the modern Christmas tree, dates back to 15th and 16th century Germany. German mercenaries, called Hessians, who fought valiantly in the Revolutionary War, consequently brought with them the tradition of decorated trees. Christmas ornaments in fact came in vogue as late as 1880 when F.W. Woolworth of five-and-dime fame unwillingly stocked his store with ornaments manufactured by the Germans.

The village of Lauscha in Germany first manufactured the glass ornaments in 1800. There was division of labor as far as the creation of glass ornaments was concerned. Men were engaged in glass blowing, while women were involved in silvering and children in giving the finishing touch by adding a coat of color to it. Until 1925, virtually all glass ornaments were being manufactured there. By 1935, more than 250 million Christmas ornaments were being imported to United States. Thus the Christmas trees which were earlier decorated with edibles, were later replaced by radiant glass ornaments. However, the first record of Christmas tree balls saw its genesis as early as 1848 while pine cones were among the first few designs created by the artisans. The ideal situation underwent a drastic change with the disruption of this cottage industry, post World War II. In fact the separation of Germany paved way for Japan and Czechoslovakia to capture the North American market.

At present, the European glass reflector ornaments, executed with dexterity and ingenuity at the same time drawing upon the tradition of hand made craft work, are prevalent. They are inclusive of traditional images of Christmas, such as nutcrackers and Santa blown glass models, which are a customary part of Christmas ornaments, meant to be hung on trees. Next in primacy stands the birds, which are also considered to be among the most common figural tree ornament. They are regarded as biblical messengers that bring God’s love and peace to the world. Birds are also symbolic of good luck and good fortune. One of the very first tree ornaments, walnuts were believed to be “the nut of the Gods” by the ancient Romans.

Different symbols have different connotations, some have religious significance, while some are simply signs of good luck or associated with charming stories from the glassmaker’s past or better still, deeply rooted in German folklore. Fish and rose are ancient Christian symbols of Christ. Pickle ornament is regarded to be the German symbol of love. Baskets replete with fruits are symbolic of Christmas giving and were once frequently given by churches to the poor. A bunch of grape is the most common fruit glass ornaments, perhaps due to its religious significance. Fruits and vegetables are in fact thought to be symbolic of bountiful harvest. Musical instruments, especially horns, are prevalent since they are the harbingers of Christmas and were blown to welcome Christ into the world. Icicles have an old superstition associated with them. It is believed that one can forecast the depth of winter’s snows by measuring the length of icicles between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Stars metaphorically represent the star of Bethlehem. Red and white capped mushroom stem, and the chimney sweep ornaments are all varied forms of good luck charm. In the Victorian era, reflectors, referred to as “witches eyes” were placed on the Christmas tree to ward off evil present in the home during the holiday season.

Some symbols are believed to have political association too. The St. Charles Spaniel was an early blown glass ornament perhaps because it was the most popular pet of the Victorian era and a favorite with Queen Victoria. The teddy bear ornament is representative of the pompous, plush toy bear conceptualized by Margerette Steiff in 1903 and named after President Teddy Roosevelt. The dog in the potato sack ornament has the inscription “my darling”, the trademark of Witman Company as it was originally molded by this company and “My Darling” was the love name for a family doll.

The latest fad for finished Keepsake ornaments in a wide array of material has become the craze of the day. In 1973, Hallmark heralded this new tradition of Christmas decoration and gave birth to a new collectible industry through its production of six ball ornaments and twelve yarn figures. Now a host of ornament industries have made a beeline to woo the customers, through their wide range of keepsake ornaments.

While purchasing, people want their Christmas ornaments to be unique, an eye-candy to earn the attention of their guests. Hence, great care is taken both by the artisans, who display their finesse through their craftsmanship, as well as by the buyer who wants to shell out their money only in exchange for something worthwhile.

Sean Carter writes on holidays, Christmas Day and world events. He also writes on family, relationships, Christmas, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special
interest in ecard industry and writes for 123greetings.com He is an active blogger at Christmas Blog

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Christmas-Ornaments&id=372660

By John Kunkle

Russians are very superstitious people. They will deny this, but it is true. These superstitions affect my life on a daily basis. Most of the time they are harmless and I go along with them to humor my wife. Sometimes I tease her about them.

New superstitions pop up all the time, as new situations arise in our life. I keep telling her that I need a rulebook for them. Perhaps someday I will codify them in a book.

Russians are raised with these superstitions so they have no need to consult a manual.
Here are some of them. It is by no means an exhaustive list:

1) You can’t whistle in the house or car, as they believe that you are whistling away your money.

At a dinner party at our house, a friend of mine started whistling. My wife silenced him immediately. She explained to him, “You can whistle in your own house, but you can’t whistle in mine. In my house, it’s my money you are whistling away.”

When she first came to America, she would see people standing at intersections holding signs. She asked me what they were doing. I told her they were asking for money. She asked me why. I told her that they had done entirely too much whistling in their house for their own good.

2) If you step on your spouse’s shoe by accident, you have to let the other person step on your shoe, or you will have an argument.

I never tested this superstition. It seemed easier to go along with the remedy than pay the price for violating it.

3) If you leave your house, you cannot go back inside for something you have forgotten, or your trip will result in ‘nothing good,’ as my wife says.

4) If you must go back in to get the forgotten item, you can try to mitigate the bad effects of returning by looking into the mirror at your own reflection for a moment before you leave again.

5) Never demonstrate another’s surgery or wound on your own body with your hand or other means as you are likely to visit that upon yourself.

In the few times I have done this, my wife has tried to remedy this by wiping away the spot where I made the imaginary incision with her hand, blowing on her hand to blow it away to the wind, and covering it with the sign of the cross.

6) Never give a Russian woman an even number of flowers. Even numbers are for the dead. Always give odd numbers. When you order a dozen, or two dozen roses, for her, ask them to throw in an extra one for good luck.

7) Never give yellow flowers to a Russian woman. It signifies infidelity and may mean that your relationship will not last.

8) Never give a watch as a gift to a Russian woman. Time is running out on your relationship.

9) Never give knives or handkerchiefs as gifts. I don’t know the reason for this one.

10) Never celebrate a birthday early. You are pushing your luck.

11) Don’t show your newborn baby to strangers until after forty days. They are waiting for their soul to arrive and they may take on another’s soul or energy during that time.

12) It’s best to cut your hair or nails during a full moon.

13) It’s considered bad luck to shave or cut your hair when a family member is in danger or bad health.

14) Whenever someone praises you or offers a positive comment, you knock on wood or imaginarily spit three times over your left shoulder so that you are not jinxed by the comment.

15) Do not shake hands or kiss over the threshold of a door. It forms a bridge that allows the devil or evil spirits from the outside to enter the house this way. When I have done this by mistake, my wife usually pushes me back outside or pulls me inside before greeting me with a kiss at the front door.

16) Before anyone takes a long trip, the whole family sits together silently for a few minutes before the traveler leaves.

17) The truly superstitious have been known to eat ‘lucky’ bus tickets, when the sum of the left three numbers equals the sum of the three numbers on the right.

18) Recently, while preparing to give my infant daughter a bath, the little tyke peed on me while I was taking her clothes off. My wife laughed and said that it was good news. It meant that I would live to dance at my daughter’s wedding!

This list is not exhaustive by any means. Superstitions vary by country and locale. There is a popular Russian television show that travels around the country exploring the unique superstitions of each particular town or village.

Many of the superstitions came from folk tales or fairy stories, Russian Orthodox tradition, or had peasant or agricultural roots. Most Russians are only one or two generations from the farm or village.

At any rate, be aware of the superstitions and try to show some respect for them whether or not you believe in them. Your Russian friends will appreciate it.

John has been married to a Russian women for over five years.  He has travelled the path from finding her, to traveling to Russia, to bring his wife to America, and adjusting to married life.  He will show you step by step how to do this yourself.
www.russian-luv.com/superstitions.html

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By Heather Diodati

1. Before you start any new fitness program, especially if you haven’t worked out for awhile or never worked out at all, be sure to see your doctor for a complete physical exam. Make sure he/she knows about your fitness plans. He’s the only one who can give you the green light to go ahead with your program.

2. Calculating your body fat: Use this handy Body Mass Index Chart to find out if you’re carrying around too much fat in relation to your body weight. The fat is measured using the BMI or Body Mass Index.

3. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids during and after exercise to replenish fluids lost during your workout. Water is especially beneficial to lubricate and hydrate your body and to keep your skin and hair looking youthful. Eight 8-ounce glasses a day is the minimum.

4. Working out can dehydrate you sometimes without you realizing it. Drink two 8-ounce glasses of water for every half hour of exercise as well as before and after your workout.

5. Exercising in the summer heat can dehydrate your body at a faster rate. Work out in an air-conditioned room when extremely hot outside or wait until later in the day or early morning. If you are out during midday and notice any symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, chills, heart palpitations and light headedness, get out of the sun immediately and drink lots of water whether or not you feel thirsty.

6. Check your pulse while working out to ensure you are in a healthy aerobic range for your age. Here’s a handy chart for you to use.

7. Add a total of two tablespoons of ground flax seed daily to your food. Flax contains a fatty acid called alpha-linolenic cid and is beneficial in controlling blood pressure, maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system helping with digestion and much more. Read more about flax seed for your health.

8. Sore muscles after working out? An analgesic such as aspirin can help reduce pain while ibuprofen helps to control pain as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory.

9. Whole grains are better for your health than any products made with white flour and rice. The high fiber in whole grains helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, diabetes, colon cancer and more; generally contributing to your overall well-being, while white flour and rice has little to offer in the way of nutrients.

10. Dancing is excellent for the body as well as for the mind and spirit. Any kind of music and dancing, as long as you enjoy it and move to it, will benefit your body whether dancing fast and long enough to be a cardiovascular exercise or slower and for shorter periods to help stretch your body. It’s all beneficial, and for all ages!

Learning ballroom dance routines, for example, works your mind and helps prevent dementia.

For more information on ballroom dancing and health, please see the interesting articles at www.ballroom-dance-resource.com

11. Think success: picture yourself in a few months of working out. Keeping this picture of the “new you” in your mind will help to get you through difficult, new routines as well as for the times you really need to push yourself to exercise.

12. Set several small goals. They’ll be easier to meet than one large goal. Be sure to reward yourself for the successful accomplishment of each goal.

13. Make sure to use an exercise log to record your cardio time, type and intensity; your weights, type of exercise, reps and sets as well as room for notes on how you feel before, during and after each workout. Nutridiary has an excellent Free food and exercise log.

14. Always warm up and stretch each muscle group before starting your workout routine to help prevent injuries. Make sure to cool down properly to ward off muscle soreness.

15. Change your workout habits every once in awhile to prevent boredom and to continue benefiting from your workouts.

16. Be in tune with your body. If you experience sudden pain during a workout or afterwards be sure to seek medical help as early as possible.

17. Go for high intensity sprints in your power walking or jogging and similar short burst of energy in your other cardio activities. This varies your workout to benefit your development.

18. Ask a professional when using a new machine or using free weights to perform a new exercise. Knowing and using the proper form will help prevent injuries.

19. Short of time? Try to fit in ten minutes of exercise two or three times during that day. Studies have shown that this is just as beneficial as one 20 or 30-minute workout.

20. Be sure to wear the proper footwear for your workouts to avoid possible foot and ankle injuries.

21. Take full body before photos; one front, one side and one from the back. Wear form-fitting clothing. Then take the same photos wearing the same clothing a few months later. Keep a small scrapbook to motivate you when you feel like quitting.

Want more of Heather Diodati’s articles and how-to’s? Visit http://www.whimsies-online.com/freecontent.htm. By the way, you are free to use these articles on your websites and ezines provided you include the author’s bylines. A courtesy copy or an email mentioning where the article was published would be much appreciated!

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