Keep Furniture Away from Windows

Placing cribs, beds and dressers near a window provides curious little explorers with access to sills that might ordinarily be out of reach. While your design scheme might depend upon a specific placement of furniture, it’s still essential that you keep anything kids can climb on or around away from the windows in their rooms. Even the most docile kids will find a reason to scale the furniture the moment an adult’s back is turned, and the last thing you want is for them to end up near a window when they do.

Install Window Safety Guards

Windows that can’t be utilized as an escape route in the event of a fire or emergency that would require evacuation should be fitted with child safety window guards that keep kids from opening far enough to slip through and fall. The state of Massachusetts actually recommends that all homes with kids under the age of six be equipped with some form of window guard. There are models commercially available that can be removed quickly by an adult in the event of an emergency, and these options should be installed over windows along your evacuation or escape route. Before you spring for safety guards and window stops, make sure that you check with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission for important safety and recall information.

Don’t Rely on Screens

Window screens allow breezes to flow through your home through an open window and keep flying insects from coming in with them. They’re not, however, at all effective in terms of window safety. Even the strongest screens can be easily pushed out of a window, leading to a potentially dangerous fall if a child is leaning on that screen. Make sure that you’re not relying on the screens installed within your window to act as a barrier against accidental falls.

Know the Difference Between Window Guards and Security Bars

While security bars and window guards are not the same thing nor do they serve the same purpose, they’re commonly confused. The placement of security bars designed to protect your home against intruders is wide enough to allow a small child to slip through, and the design of window guards is not intended to protect against intruders. It’s important to understand the difference between the two, both to keep your children safe from falls and to guard your home.

Supervise Kids Carefully

While it’s important to always keep a close eye on the kids under your care, it’s especially important when they’re in rooms above the ground floor and are capable of opening a window. Make sure that you never leave a child in a room unattended when a window is open, and that all windows are locked and carefully secured to prevent little fingers from opening them.

Set Rules and Stick to Them

If just getting your child into his pajamas is a battle of the wills each night, set rules and stick to your guns. Start a routine that lets him wind himself down. If he needs assistance getting into his pajamas, do so, then allow him some alone time to quietly play with his favorite toy, then have him pick out one or two books before settling in for a nightly bedtime story. Be sure that he understands that his alone time should also be the time for locating that favorite stuffed animal to snuggle at night, get a drink of water and use the bathroom one more time. If you aren’t clear about this, they may try and prolong bedtime by saying they need to find their teddy bear, that they’re thirsty or that they need to go potty again. Make sure that you don’t give into demands for “five more minutes” or tantrums that disrupt the routine; your child needs to know that the rules aren’t negotiable.

Show Plenty of Affection

Children need affection. They need to feel cared for and loved. Many times, kids will find ways of swindling a little extra snuggle time before bed. When devising your bedtime ritual, allow for enough quality time to cuddle and chat about the day. Read a story or two and just spend some quiet time together. By allowing time to connect with your child before she dozes off, it feeds the basic need of love. Sometimes, instead of a sip of water, what she really needs is a hug.

Maintain Consistency

Children that are old enough to sleep in a big-kid bed need to learn how to soothe themselves back to sleep. If your child depends on external sources for comfort, such as music or lighting, they will need the same external comfort each time they wake up. If she doesn’t have access to the things she uses to comfort herself or if she relies upon you for soothing to sleep, she will almost certainly come looking for you in the night. If your child comes into your bedroom and co-sleeping is not an option in your family, don’t allow them to sleep with you. Though it may warm your heart, it will make it harder for you in the long term by destroying the level of consistency you’ve managed to achieve. There are many tactics in getting your child back into their own, bed but consistency is key. If they yell for you, go in to make sure there is no major issue. If everything checks out, calmly tell them it’s time to go to sleep. Once. If they keep getting out of bed, silently put them back into bed. Don’t verbally engage with the child. They will eventually retire because their efforts aren’t eliciting the response and attention they are seeking.

Be Dedicated to Making Bedtime Work

Parenting is hard work; worthwhile and fulfilling, but hard. Dedicating time and effort to your child’s bedtime routine will ensure that positive habits are instilled and they’re getting the sleep they need to thrive and learn. This will also deepen the bond you have with your child. Spending quality time with them each evening will create happy memories for both of you. It is a time to have soft conversations about the day, tell them how proud you are of them, how much you love them and give them undivided attention to allow them to open up and tell stories of their own or what they learned that day. Reading them their favorite stories will become a family tradition that they may pass on to their own children. Getting a routine set for sleep will turn bedtime battles into bedtime bliss.

Aroma Therapy

Think about how you feel when you smell fresh bread baking in the oven.  How about the smell of warm cinnamon rolls or chocolate chip cookies?  The body reacts to certain smells and certain scents can actually help you recall memories.  However, aroma therapy is more than just memories that are associated with various smells. Different scents can also cause different reactions in your mood and aromatherapy can help fight off airborne germs.  For more explanation and examples, take a look at these five blog posts.

• Aromatherapy for Flu and Colds
• DIY: Aromatherapy Jewelry for Your doTERRA Essential Oils
• Celebrate Love with Aromatherapy this February
• Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: The Complete Beginner’s Guide
• Natural Health Remedies with Essential Oils—How to Use Aromatherapy (Part 1)

Topical Treatment

Do you believe that your foot is connected to your mouth?  If you don’t, try this experiment.  Rub some fresh garlic on the bottom of your bare foot and wait.  After a little while you will actually be able to taste garlic in your mouth.  Using essential oils topically will help you feel better because the oils are absorbed through your skin and into your body just like the garlic.  Read through these five blog articles for some examples of how to use oils topically to feel better.

• OTC’s Vs. Natural Remedies Using Essential Oils
• New Ways to Apply Essential Oils Topically
• Aromatherapy for Balancing Hormones, Part 1
• Essential Oil Safety
• Carrier Oil—What is it & How Do I Use It?

Oral Tinctures

Taking essential oils into your body can help you feel better in many ways.  Before consuming any essential oils, make sure that they are of the highest quality and safe to consume.  A homeopathic practitioner can mix oils in various ways to detoxify different areas of your body.  Read these examples to learn how to make your own essential oil blends.

• How We Use Essential Oils to Fight Colds and Flus
• Essential Oils Internally…Oh My!
• Essential Oils for Healing
• Natural Essential Oils and Quality Vitamins May Be More Effective Than Traditional Medicine
• Ways to Use Essential Oils to Relieve Stress—Part 3: Ingestion

Pamper Yourself

Essential oils can be used in your bath to relax you and soften your skin.  Oils can be sprinkled on your pillow or sheets to help you relax and sleep better.  Add a sachet with some essential oils to freshen your clothes.  There are many ways to be pampered with essential oils, so take a look at these five blog posts for more examples.

• Warming Essential Oils for Winter and How I Use Them
• Primp & Pamper! Let’s Talk Beauty…
• Make Fragrant Essential Oil Blends
• Weekend Pampering: The New Year Detox
• All-Natural Hair Oil Treatment

Homemade Products with Oils

Make your own bath soap, shower gel or even shampoo by adding essential oils to the mix.  Make your own lip balm with a cherry or peppermint scent.  Add scent to your favorite unscented hand lotion so that all of your lotions and gels match.  Sew up your own hot pack to treat sore muscles or make an eye pillow to lay across your eyes when you are trying to relax after a long day at work.  The projects explained on these five blog entries can be used for yourself or you can give them away as gifts or both.

• Essential Oil Bath Salts With Sharon Falsetto
• How Do I Use Essential Oils? {DIY}
• DIY Homeopathic Hot Packs (A Tutorial)
• How to Make a Lavender Eye Pillow
• Homemade Soap

1. Kidganizer – Designed specifically with the scheduling and financial needs of divorced or separated parents, this $1.99 app is perfect for managing hectic, two-household schedules. With an alert system that provides reminders of important events and appointments, no single parent should be without Kidganizer.
2. Easy Calendar – When your schedule is packed to the proverbial gills, it’s important that your scheduling app be as streamlined and simple to operate as possible. With this $1.99 app, you’re able to add new events with as few as three taps, edit with two and swipe through your weeks for long-term planning.
3. Glympse – Part of managing the schedules of each member of your family is knowing where they are at any given time. With this free app from Glympse, you can share your location to let family members know when you’re running late and when you’re on time. You can also send links to the relevant members of your family so they’re able to access your current location, as well as your ETA to a scheduled event. When the timer expires, your check-in is no longer accessible.
4. Fantastical – Fantastical is a powerful app that allows you to quickly and easily add events to your schedule, and even to speak the details for scheduling if your device supports dictation. Edit details, use the DayTicker function to view your entire daily schedule at a glance and keep up with the demands of your busy life using one dedicated application.
5. Family Organizer: Shared To-Do+Calendar+Grocery Lists – This free app handles not only the scheduling needs and to-do lists associated with your household, but also grocery lists. With a premium upgrade, you can even access your events from any computer and share calendar entries with other members of your family quickly and easily.
6. CalenGoo – Devotees of the Google Calendars system can breathe a sigh of relief with this $6.99 app, which allows them to access their calendars from an iPhone device despite nasty litigation wars. The integrated task list helps you keep up with what’s due, where each member of your family needs to be at any given time and any upcoming events.
7. OurFamilyWizard – While you must be a subscriber of Our Family Wizard to use their iPhone app, the app is free to download. Custody calendars and parenting schedules for divorced or separated parents, plus events, journal entries and a message feature help you co-parent without drama, so that you can keep up with schedules and maintain the peace.
8. Cozi Family Organizer: Shared Calendar, Shopping Lists, To Do Lists – This free app was named the number one app for moms by Circle of Moms, won the 2012 Appy Award for the Best Family/Parenting app and has received the National Parenting Seal of Approval for four consecutive years. Best of all, it’s free! Your family calendar is easy to access and edit, and you’ll always receive reminders to ensure that you don’t forget an upcoming event.
9. Skedi ~ Family Calendar for Busy Parents – Highly rated and featured by iTunes in What’s Hot in Productivity, Skedi is a $9.99 app that stores your family’s calendar in the cloud for immediate access from anywhere. Skedi syncs with any iOS calendar, so you can view your family’s schedule with no hassles.
10. Schedule Planner – With the free Schedule Planner app from Intersog, you can schedule every aspect of your day. From work to health demands and even meal time, you can keep track of every minute of your day when each and every one of them counts.

While your iPhone can track the schedule of your busy family, it’s important to remember that using your phone while driving is both illegal in many areas and a dangerous distraction. Regardless of how busy you are, make sure that you keep your eyes off your iPhone and on the road while you’re driving so that you always reach the next entry on your jam-packed schedule safely.

1. Botanical Gardens – It’s never too early to instill a love of the outdoors in a child. Most cities have botanical gardens, and most of those gardens have a dedicated area for kids to play and explore. Contacting the botanical garden nearest you is the best way to figure out their policies and the logistics of staging a first birthday party in such a lush, magical place.
2. Crafts Studios – Your baby might only be a year old, but he can smear paint on a surface with the best of them. When he’s done and the party has wrapped up, you’ll have a keepsake to remind you of the occasion for years to come.
3. Indoor Playgrounds – Kids with birthdays in the winter months aren’t usually able to enjoy an outdoor celebration, unless they’re budding ice skaters or snowboarders. When your little one reaches her first birthday during wintertime, hauling her friends to an indoor playground can be a great way to encourage physical activity without risking frost bite.
4. Kid-Themed Restaurants – Every city has at least one kids-only eatery. Parents may not love the pizza and shouting, but these places are heaven for kids. Your little one may be too small to attack the arcade games with fervor, but she will probably still be entranced with the animatronic shows and costumed mascots wandering around.
5. Ice Cream Shoppes – Everyone loves ice cream. From the little ones in your entourage to the oldest member of the party, everyone is sure to be thrilled with an ice cream party. Some shoppes even encourage kids to get creative, building their own wild sundaes and choosing offbeat toppings.
6. Parks – Those pavilions at your local playground can usually be rented or even reserved free of charge for parties, depending on the municipal policies in your area. While older kids run and play to their heart’s content, adults and very young children can enjoy the shade and shelter of a pavilion before the cake is cut and presents are distributed.
7. Aquariums – The sights and sounds of an aquarium are entrancing for kids of all ages, even those who are just turning a year old. There may even be special programs offered by your local aquarium for birthday parties, so make sure that you contact the administrative office to find out what your options are.
8. Zoos – There’s no upper or lower age limit on loving the zoo. Most even have smaller petting zoo areas inside to encourage hands-on interaction with domesticated animals! A zoo birthday party is a great way to encourage curiosity about animals and natural sciences in your little guests, while providing plenty of celebratory fun.
9. Amusement Parks – The idea of strapping your one-year-old into a rollercoaster is probably repellent, but there’s more to most amusement parks than adrenaline-rush rides for thrill seekers and daredevils. Most amusement parks have an area of smaller, more sedate rides for infants, toddlers and small children. Booking a birthday party at an amusement park near you will allow your little guest of honor to cruise around on a slow-moving train or bob along in a tiny boat to celebrate his special day!
10. Home – Birthday parties can very quickly become prohibitively expensive, and they’ll only get more extravagant as your child gets older. When he’s still so small and not likely to remember his party, there’s nothing wrong with hosting a smaller celebration with a more intimate gathering of friends and loved ones. Hosting your child’s first birthday at home allows him to stay in a comfortable, familiar environment while everyone crows about how handsome he is and how much he’s grown. 

In addition to these 10 venues, there may also be locally-owned treasures that capture the kid culture in your city perfectly. Networking with other local parents is a great way to get the skinny on what’s available for the smaller set in your neighborhood!

Know Your Triggers

The first step to breaking an emotional eating habit is to understand why it happens in the first place. Figuring out the situations and feelings that spur you to grab a snack when your body knows it isn’t hungry can help you avoid that behavior in the future. Think about the times when you eat as an emotional response and the situations that lead up to them. If there’s a common thread or two, you’ve discovered some of your triggers. When triggering situations arise, make a point of reminding yourself that food shouldn’t be used for comfort.

Enjoy a Parent’s Day Out

Every once in a while, it’s worth it to spring for a sitter and enjoy a day to yourself. When you’re in the house with children day in and day out, it’s easy to fall into their eating patterns and to choose their comfort-food fare over more healthful options. Getting out of the house and into the world to enjoy a hobby or simply enjoying a few kid-free moments can not only help you manage your stress, it can also help you step away from the chicken nuggets and hot dogs your kids are noshing on.

Question Your Cravings

When you feel a food craving arise, it’s a good idea to ask yourself whether you’re actually in need of food or if you’re really just in search of comfort. Before reaching for something to eat, examine your motives. If you’re stressed out, depressed or angry, it may be better to wait out the craving to make sure that it’s a need for nutrition instead of a need for comfort.

Avoid Eating out of Boredom

While it may be a dull one, boredom is still an emotion. It’s also one that can push you into a pint of ice cream in the blink of an eye. Downtime is rare when you’re a parent, but the lulls in activity that leave you bored can be the most dangerous to your resolutions to eat more healthily. When you’re enjoying a bit of peace, it’s better to spend it doing something constructive than having a snack.

Try to Manage Your Stress Level

One of the most common reasons for people to eat as an emotional response is stress. Managing stress is a challenge for everyone, but there are ways you can reduce the pressures in your life from time to time. Don’t let stress take over your life, and when you are stressed, make a conscious effort not to smother it with food. Yoga, a relaxing massage or even some quick breathing exercises can be a useful tool.

Think About the Behavior You’re Modeling

If all else fails, try to keep in mind that everything you do sets an example for your children. When you move towards the pantry to cover your negative emotions, you’re modeling the concept of food as comfort to your children and potentially instilling in them the same battle that you’re fighting. Think of your kids’ needs and the lives you’d like for them to have before you reach for an edible source of soothing.

Keep a Food Journal

When you’re chasing kids around the house, managing their schedules as well as your own and trying to keep up with the demands of a busy household, the idea of adding another daily task to your plate may be a repellent one. Taking a moment to jot down what you eat and how you were feeling when you ate it, however, can force you to think about the foods you consume and the motives behind your eating. You can also discover more of your triggers in order to build a more effective defense system against your own internal urge to cover negative emotion with food.

There are plenty of methods for controlling emotional eating, but the most effective one is a plan tailored to your individual needs. You may also find that reaching out to a support system like Overeaters Anonymous or even just an Internet message board community can help you feel as if you’re not alone in your fight.

1. Lowered Risk Factors – A 2010 Child Trends’ review indicates that kids from religious backgrounds are less likely to be involved in violence, theft and vandalism or to struggle with substance abuse problems than their peers.
2. Talking Points That Facilitate Conversation – Finding some common ground to serve as conversation fodder isn’t always easy, especially when you have tweens or teens that seem to think you’re completely out of touch with the modern world. Attending church services together and being active in faith-based programs provides your family with a wealth of talking points, helping to facilitate conversations and strengthen your bonds.
3. Instilling a Moral Compass – Regardless of denomination or belief system, one thing that all churches have in common is an emphasis on love, charity and faith. Imparting these virtues to your children through regular church attendance and service allows you to rest easy knowing that you’ve done all that you can to provide them with the moral compass they’ll need to successfully navigate the adult world.
4. Creating an Extended Support Network – A church family provides you with an extended network of like-minded people who have the same beliefs and spiritual aims that you have, allowing you to seek support and give encouragement to one another. If you happen to live far away from your own extended family, members of your congregation who you’re particularly close to can help fill that void.
5. Decreased Likelihood of Developmental Problems – A special report by the National Survey of Children’s Health indicates that religious participation by an intact family is associated with a lowered risk of developmental and behavioral problems in school-aged children.
6. Establishing a Routine – Kids need a reliable routine to truly thrive. Knowing on Saturday evening that they’ll be getting up and going to church the next morning allows your kids to include church services in their own routine, providing a strong sense of security and understanding of the world around him.
7. Creating Your Own Traditions of Togetherness – Whether you go out for a late lunch after church to a favorite restaurant or come home to make your own special meal, the benefits of sharing meals as a family are well-documented. When you establish your own family meal routine for Sunday meals after church, you’re creating your own family tradition.
8. Exposure to Music – Music ministries are a big part of most churches, and kids who have music training from an early age have been proven to outscore their peers on standardized tests, are more likely to graduate high school and are more likely to go on to college according to studies published in Social Science Quarterly.
9. Teaching Kids Organizational and Social Skills – Attending Sunday school classes or children’s ministry programs helps very young children establish the social skills and organizational skills they’ll need to thrive when they begin attending school.
10. Church Activities Can Help Kids Learn Compassion – Working with the less fortunate, volunteering to make a difference in the community and participating in outreach programs helps your children understand not only how fortunate they are, but also encourages a sense of compassion. These lessons aren’t easily taught and are valuable ones for your children to acquire as they make their way towards adulthood.

Spending time with other families that share your religious beliefs and are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of their own children as well as the less fortunate members of your community can help your family to become more grounded and fulfilled as a whole. Finding the right church may require a bit of trial and error, but your happiness within a congregation is largely dependent upon your family’s ability to fit in there and feel welcomed. Keep searching until you find a church home that brings you that peace, and attend it regularly to reap the many benefits!

1. Hot cereal – This old stand-by is probably the first thing many parents think of when they think of a hot breakfast. There are so many brands and flavors of hot cereal to choose from that you are sure to find a few that your kids like. Oatmeal and Cream of Wheat are two popular choices. Hot cereal can be made in the microwave oven in just a few minutes or on the stove top if you have a little extra time.
2. French toast – This is another favorite with kids. For something different, try making it with cinnamon swirl bread or raisin bread. French toast ‘sticks’ can now be found in the freezer department and make for a very easy, fun breakfast food for the kids.
3. Pancakes – Most kids love pancakes, and with a little creativity, you can make faces and shapes that will add fun to breakfast. Also, adding extra ingredients like berries, bananas or chocolate chips will spice up this familiar favorite.
4. Bulls eyes – There are several names for this tasty breakfast dish. Cut a circle out of the center of a piece of bread and butter both sides. Heat a non-stick skillet and put the bread in it. Put an egg in the circle cut out. Turn once when the bread is golden brown.
5. Breakfast burritos – Easy to make and fun to eat; wrap scrambled eggs, bacon and some shredded cheese in a tortilla and heat in the microwave to melt the cheese. It’s an effortless meal that kids will enjoy. For variety, you can use sausage links or add a little salsa to the wrap.
6. Sausage and egg biscuits – Use pre-cooked sausage patties and biscuits in a can to make delicious sausage and egg biscuits for the kids. Bake the biscuits according to package directions, scramble some eggs and heat the pre-cooked sausage. Put it all together and you have a warm and hearty breakfast sandwich.
7. Hot bagel sandwiches – Heat up a bagel and top with eggs and bacon or just use jelly or peanut butter. This is a handy breakfast idea for when you’re on the go.
8. Omelets – These don’t have to be difficult to make. Just mix eggs well, add a little milk or water, and pour in a non-stick pan. As the bottom side becomes well cooked, turn over the omelet. Add cheese and whatever other ingredients the kids like and fold in half. Serve immediately.
9. Breakfast pizza – Kids like the idea of pizza for breakfast and here’s a fast and easy way to do it: put a little pizza sauce on an English muffin along with some pre-cooked sausage and cheese, then heat in the oven or toaster oven until the cheese melts.
10. Waffles – You can either make waffles from scratch, from a mix or just pop frozen waffles in the toaster. Top them off with warm syrup or try applesauce or a warm fruit sauce.

You don’t have to feed your kids the same thing every morning in order for them to have a warm, satisfying breakfast. Try these 10 ideas to add a little variety to your morning menu.

Help Him Earn

It’s hard for your child to save money if he has no income, or to encourage him to save money that he receives as a birthday or holiday gift. In order for him to learn more about the concept of saving money, he needs to have a reliable method of earning it in the first place. Setting up a system of being paid in exchange for chores, or providing him with the opportunity to make money by completing extra tasks in addition to his daily chores are effective, but there are also a variety of ways that you can help him earn his own money. Finding the best system to suit the unique dynamic of your family may require a bit of creative thinking, but it’s the first step to helping him save and teaching him that money must be earned instead of being something that he’s simply awarded indiscriminately. 

Match His Savings

Encouraging kids to save their money rather than spend it isn’t always easy. Unless your child’s personality is one that has a natural affinity for saving, he’ll probably want to rush out and make purchases with every dollar that he earns. Establishing a system of matching the money that he saves can act as an incentive, especially if it’s paired with a contingency fee for early spending. Think of it as the kids’ version of an interest-bearing certificate of deposit!

Let Him See His Money Growing

Kids may not care much for columns and rows of numbers, but they will be encouraged to save if they can literally watch their money grow. Keeping a transparent jar for kids to fill with money as they save it provides a visual incentive, and he can watch his efforts literally pay off. When the jar fills, depositing the money into his very own savings account can strip away the temptation to make frivolous purchases with all of the cash he’s accrued.

Set Goals

Rather than making big purchases for your kids, encourage them to save up to make those purchases themselves. Gifting an expensive video game console or an electronic gadget for holidays or birthdays might earn his excitement and effusive praise, but encouraging him to set a savings goal and helping him to reach it will help instill a sense of accomplishment and pride in his ability to provide for his own material wants, along with a lesson on the concept of saving.

Keep Your Own Piggy Bank

Maintaining your own saving habits in a way that’s visible to your child and explaining what you’re doing can be one of the most effective ways of passing along the skill of saving money. Kids aren’t known for always doing what their parents say, but they do observe the adults in their lives incessantly and often mimic the behavior they see. Modeling strong savings habits and limiting impulse purchases will not only help you to save money in the long run, but also to encourage those values in your child.

Let Him Make Mistakes

Though it may be your natural instinct to do whatever you can to protect your child from disappointment and to head him off from making a mistake, sometimes mistakes are the best lessons. Allowing your child to spend money that he was saving for a specific goal unwisely will disappoint him when he realizes the setback, but he will learn the natural consequences of overspending. Also, resist the temptation to replace the money for him so that he fully understands the nature of the lesson he’s learned. When he’s forced to rebuild his cache of money from the ground up, he’s more likely to think twice before spending irresponsibly in the future.

Remember that the process of teaching your child financial responsibility and the importance of saving is just that: a process. It may take years for him to understand the implications fully, but it will be well worth the effort for both of you.

Invitations

Choosing the invitations gives you a vehicle to let everyone know the theme of the luncheon.  The invitation can be done online through e-vites or with more formal paper invitations, and how you handle the invitations will set the tone for the party to an extent.  Check out these five blog entries to get more ideas on invitations.

• Plan the Perfect Holiday Party
• Christmas Holiday Luncheon
• Holiday Parties: Who to Invite and How to Do it
• Fold of the Week: Petal Fold Holiday Invitation
• DIY Holiday Invitations

Theme

Choosing a theme for the party is one of the most fun parts of planning, whether you want to host a formal luncheon, like “White Christmas”, or a more informal affair, like a “Rudolph Party” where everyone is given a red nose.  If you need a little help, look no further than these five blogs.

• Planning a Work Holiday Party?  How to Pick the Right Menu
• How to Plan a Spectacular Holiday Party
• Count Down to Christmas: Our Favorite Holiday Party Themes
• Holiday Entertaining Ideas
• Checkered Flag Brings Holiday Party Ideas to You

Venue

Depending on how many people you’ll have attending your luncheon, finding a place to have the luncheon could become a large task.  As soon as you have your estimated total of guests in hand, start trying to find a venue.  Here are five bloggers who can give you more tips.

• 10-Step Company Holiday Party Planning Checklist
• Venues for Private Holiday Parties
• Company Holiday Party Planning: Challenging but Rewarding
• Tips for Tuesday: Holiday Party Venues
• PartyPlanner Pro Becomes the Event Planner Expert

Menu

Determining a menu can be a tricky bit of business, especially if you are using a caterer and have to adhere to a strict budget, or if you have certain dietary restrictions to take into consideration.  For some advice on planning the perfect menu, review these five blog posts.

• 9 Recipes for a Vegan Holiday Menu
• Spice up Your Holidays – The Party Menu
• Appetizers, Desserts and Drinks, Oh My!
• Holiday Party Food Ideas
• Your Holiday Cocktail Party Menu

Decorations

Decorating for a holiday luncheon doesn’t have to be over the top or difficult, and can be as simple as making sure each table has table linens and centerpieces.  Your theme will dictate what other decorations you want to incorporate, but if you are at an outside venue you’ll want to make sure that what you do is okay with the business.  These bloggers can give some helpful hints about decorating for a party.

• Party In Five: Holiday Cocktail Party
• Cheer: Host a Party & Decorate Your Table
• Christmas Decorations Themes
• How to Host an Eco-Friendly Holiday Party
• DIY: Holiday Decorating

General Checklists

When planning a party for a big group, sometimes it’s nice to have a checklist so you can divide and conquer.  Be sure to delegate different aspects of the party to others so that you don’t feel overwhelmed.  Here are five blog checklists to help you stay organized.

• Holiday Party Planning 101: Last Minute Party Checklist
• Holiday Party Planning Checklist: The Hosting Tasks
• The Leader’s Pocket Checklist for Holiday Office Parties
• Party Planning Checklist
• Print and Plan