Keeping The Peace on Winter Break

You are home for winter break and your boredom and frustration may be starting to hit you.  Here are some great tips on how to survive winter break.  Make sure to keep peace with your family and enjoy your family time.  It is pretty nice not having to pay for laundry and getting a free meal!

I was extremely excited to go home for winter break last year. Quality time with the family, no schoolwork, and holiday festivities were just a few of the things I was looking forward to.

What I didn't expect were the changes I would have to make to my lifestyle now that I was back living at home instead of in an apartment.

1. Money: When you were in high school, your parents may have footed the bill for things like gas, shopping, or eating out. Now that you're in college, your parents may be expecting you to pay for more of your personal expenses or to limit what you spend on nonessentials.

Being home for the holidays is great for a free meal or Target run here and there, but try not to take advantage of your parents—or their wallets.

2. Cars: Did your sibling inherit your car when you went away to school? This can create animosity when you're home for breaks, especially if both siblings have a fairly active social life.

Lay down some ground rules about who gets the car and when, and what will happen if both parties have a function at the same time.

3. Conduct: Certain habits that you may have picked up in college—such as messes, late night pizza orders, and use of profanity—simply won't fly now that you're home.

Keep in mind the company you're in now that you're home for break. Parents and younger siblings may not appreciate your inability to do laundry or stories about your college adventures. Keep this in mind before you pawn off your dirty clothes on Mom or dish to Dad about your craziest weekend of the semester.

For more information see USA Today.

Tips for the Perfect Tree

Have you decorated the Christmas Tree yet?  Here are some great tips on how make that tree look like it is from a catalog.  Start early and make sure to get all the materials you need to have the tree of your dreams in your home.


1. To create more visual impact, hang larger, bolder ornaments closer to the trunk, and lighter, more simple ornaments closer to the edge.

Bigger ornaments can stand out against the bushiness of a tree's interior, and branches are stronger at the base, so this rule just makes plain good sense to follow. Use Glitter Spiked Burst Ornaments to punctuate the interior branches of your tree. Also consider tucking a few larger ornaments, like Paper Mache Animal Ornaments in spots where branches are sparse to fill up space and give your tree a fuller look.

2. Hang smaller ornaments near the top, and larger ones closer to the bottom.

Remember learning in art history class how the Greeks curved the columns of the Parthenon to make them appear straighter and taller when viewed from the ground? You can used the same forced-perspective technique on your tree! Placing smaller ornaments above eye level will subtly make your tree seem taller. It's also smarter as the smaller, more tender branches near the top are often not strong enough to carry the weight of large ornaments. Of course, the one exception to this rule is your tree-topper. The Capiz Star Tree Topper will seem even brighter and bolder when surrounded by smaller, more delicate ornaments at the top of your tree.

3. Mix up shapes and textures.

Variety is key to a perfectly decorated tree.Though it makes sense to stick with an overall theme when selecting ornaments, try to branch out in terms of texture and type. Knits are a great way to add a new, cozy texture to your collection. Try some Knit Animal Ornaments, or Knit Mitten Ornaments for cute shapes and comfy textures. If your tree has a more modern look, consider trimming with Knit Ball Garlands which add a new texture and shape in a clean, simple manner.

4. Use white lights to show off bright ornaments.

White lights, especially super-brights LEDs, provide the cleanest light for showing off glittering ornaments. When decorating your tree consider the placement of shiny ornaments in relation to strings of light. Shatterproof Blue/Green Ornaments, for example, will shine especially bright when reflecting nearby lights.

5. Estimate 150 lights per vertical foot of tree.

150 lights per foot of tree will provide a very luminous glow. Enough to illuminate ornaments as well as provide a soft light for the room.

Of course, none of these tips are very helpful if you don't have a tree to begin with! Artificial trees have come a long way since the days of bright pink metallic "trees". (Though if you're going for a retro Kitschmas, you could still get away with that one). Target has a wide selection, and we're a fan of the 7.5-ft Pre-lit Balsam Fir from Philips. It comes with a stand and is lit with 500 clear mini-bulbs so it's easy to set up. You can also choose an artificial tree by variety, like this Virginia Fir. Whichever tree you choose this year, follow the tips above for great results!

For more information see Apartment Therapy.