| Some of my clients dread the holiday
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| | redeemable for an activity you can do
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| season because it often represents
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| | together -- can be very meaningful. Among
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| stress, pressure, expectations, guilt,
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| | the most prized gifts I've ever received
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| disappointment, pain, loneliness,
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| | have been homemade cards with a heartfelt
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| exhaustion... and the list goes on.This
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| | note written inside. Value goes far
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| is a choice. We choose who we spend time
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| | beyond the cost of the gift.A great
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| with. We choose what activities we say
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| | resource for homemade gift ideas is a
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| yes and no to. We choose where we go.
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| | book called The Perfect Mix. It contains
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| Your holiday season can be as simple or
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| | creative edible gift ideas, including
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| as elaborate as you choose to make it,
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| | wrapping suggestions and tag
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| and it can be a lot of fun if you plan
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| | instructions, along with a source guide
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| accordingly.Take some time this week to
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| | for supplies. The book offers more than
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| think about what's most important to you
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| | 90 recipes for soups, breads, muffins,
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| this season, and then do a little
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| | cookies, and other gifts. The gifts I've
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| planning. Here are some suggestions to
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| | created from this book have been very
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| help.==> Create a list of holiday rituals
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| | well received and appreciated.Instead of
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| that are important to you.Seek your
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| | exchanging gifts with friends, consider
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| family's input on holiday decisions. Ask
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| | having a holiday or post-holiday party
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| family members what they liked and
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| | with them.Avoid parking hassles, gridlock
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| disliked about last year's holidays.
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| | traffic around the malls, and long lines
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| Write down the most important elements
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| | at the register by shopping online and
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| and activities you wish to include this
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| | through catalogs. A number of retail
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| year, and plan to make it happen.Keeping
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| | stores now offer merchandise online, as
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| time-consuming and irrelevant traditions
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| | well. If you are purchasing a gift that
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| or rituals "just because we've always
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| | needs to be mailed, you can arrange to
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| done it that way" can increase stress.
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| | have it sent directly to the recipient,
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| Keep only those traditions that have
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| | thus avoiding the extra steps of
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| meaning to you, or create some new
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| | wrapping, labeling, and mailing the
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| ones.Give yourself permission to be in
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| | gift.Spread out your purchase of gifts
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| the moment and enjoy the smells, sounds,
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| | over the weeks of November and early
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| feel, and tastes that are unique to this
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| | December. It's easier on the budget, and
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| season of the year.==> Make a list of
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| | less stressful than waiting until the
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| those you want to spend time with during
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| | last minute.Wrapping gifts can take a lot
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| the holidays.Who nourishes you? Who are
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| | of time. Instead of wrapping all of them,
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| the family members, friends, and
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| | use a gift bag with a nice bow tied at
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| colleagues you enjoy being with?Do you
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| | the top, or use a decorated gift
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| want to do any entertaining? If so, when
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| | box.Consider giving an alternative gift
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| and with whom? Plan ahead and ask for
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| | to a friend or loved one by giving to a
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| help if you want it. True friends and
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| | charity in their name. One of my favorite
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| loved ones will not care how many hours
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| | charities is Heifer Project
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| you slaved over the stove. Spending time
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| | International. Through living gifts of
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| with you is what they'll cherish most.
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| | animals, HPI is helping families
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| You don't have to be Martha Stewart to
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| | worldwide to become self-reliant. You can
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| throw a great party!Are you invited to
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| | buy an animal that can change the life of
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| holiday parties that you really don't
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| | a hungry family and at the same time
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| want to go to, but you've gone in the
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| | honor family and friends. Visit HPI's
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| past because you should? Be at choice --
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| | "gift catalog" at Spread the holiday
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| don't play the victim! This is not about
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| | cheer with those in need.Volunteer to
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| whom you should see, but rather whom you
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| | serve a holiday meal to the homeless,
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| choose to spend time with.==> Mail your
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| | work in a soup kitchen, or work at a food
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| greeting cards, holiday letters, and
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| | bank.Adopt a family for the holidays and
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| packages early.Some time-saving
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| | provide them with gifts or holiday foods.
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| tips:Write a short holiday letter that
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| | Many churches and non-profit
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| covers the highlights; copy it on holiday
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| | organizations can match you with a needy
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| paper and add a note at the end to
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| | family.Look for a Giving Tree in your
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| personalize it. Make a collage of
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| | local retail stores. The tree is filled
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| pictures to photocopy on the back side of
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| | with cards that list a specific gift
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| the letter.Use self-adhesive return
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| | desired by someone in need. You select a
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| labels. These labels are inexpensive and
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| | card off the tree, purchase the suggested
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| often come with festive holiday designs.
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| | gift listed on the card, and return the
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| One great online source for these is
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| | gift to the tree with the card attached.
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| Walter Drake at Colorful Images is
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| | The store wraps the gift and delivers it
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| another source. They can be reached at
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| | to the intended recipient.The end of the
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| 800-458-7999.If you have your addresses
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| | tax year is a great time to review your
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| on a computerized database, consider
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| | budget and consider a year-end gift to
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| printing out your mailing list on clear
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| | your favorite charities. This can
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| address labels. Years ago, an old college
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| | represent a significant tax deduction if
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| friend commented that she thought it was
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| | you itemize, while doing great things
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| tacky to use address labels on holiday
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| | locally and globally.==> Use your
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| cards and letters. I told her that my
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| | calendar.Now that you're clear about your
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| choice was to either use labels or not
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| | intentions, calendar them in. Writing
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| mail our annual holiday letter to the 250
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| | them down for follow-up on a specific
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| people on our list. Now that she has a
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| | date will help you to remember to do it
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| young family, I've noticed she has
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| | and will keep things from falling to the
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| started using address labels, too!E-mail
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| | last minute. Here is a list of activities
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| a holiday letter to those with whom you
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| | you can pencil in on your
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| correspond electronically. You can easily
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| | calendar:Schedule family meeting to
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| personalize this for each recipient.
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| | discuss plans and intentions for the
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| Attach color photos highlighting the past
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| | holiday seasonMake airline, hotel, and
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| year. Another alternative is to create a
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| | rental car arrangements (if traveling out
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| holiday web page, and include the link to
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| | of town for the holidays)-- ASAP!Holiday
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| it in a personalized e-mail message.Mail
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| | decorating (indoor, outdoor, office,
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| packages early to avoid longer lines at
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| | etc.)Finalize holiday entertainment plan
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| the post office and ensure they will
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| | and guest listMail invitations or call to
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| arrive in time. Or, better yet, sign up
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| | invite others to events you have
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| with and avoid the lines altogether. You
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| | plannedMeal planning and preparation (can
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| can mail large packages without standing
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| | some cooking be done ahead of time and
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| in any lines -- as long as you have an
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| | frozen?)Prepare gift listHoliday gift
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| accurate way to weigh them before you
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| | making/holiday bakingGift selection &
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| purchase postage online.==> Thoughtfully
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| | purchaseGift wrappingPrepare mailing list
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| plan your gift-giving.Give from the
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| | or database for holiday cards/letters
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| heart... not out of obligation. Decide
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| | e-mailsPrepare holiday cards, letters,
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| whom you choose to give to and make a
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| | e-mails, WebsiteMail cards, letters,
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| list. This will help you avoid
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| | packagesGather information about
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| overspending through impulse buying.If
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| | volunteer opportunities and calendar in
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| you think back to the most cherished
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| | activities you choose to doFinalize
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| gifts you have received, they are often
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| | charitable giving plan for 2000Happy
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| homemade or from the heart. A gift of
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| | holiday organizing!
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| time -- such as a gift certificate
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