One of the simplest ways to reach out to your community is start with what you are already doing.  Generosity doesn’t have to be a grand sweeping gesture.  Generosity, at its core, is simple saying: This is what I have, do you need some? It’s that willingness to make it stretch, the open hand that breaks off a piece and offers it to another. When...

The Top 10 Gifts You Shouldn’t Buy Your Wife This Christmas OK, let’s be honest. Sometimes men are bad at choosing gifts. Your intentions are good, but pick the wrong gift and you send the wrong message. So before you go out and buy a present for your wife, girlfriend or whoever that lovely lady is in your life, be sure to read these gift...

'Tis the season to be … gloomy? Feeling low this Christmas season?  You’re not alone.  Amid cheery songs, festive parties, gifts and good wishes, many lonely people are crying or dying on the inside.  Maybe you’re one of them.  I was. During a horrible year, my wife of 20 years divorced me, my employer of 25 years fired...

Christmas morning came early when three small children roamed our house. They are teenagers now, so we’re happy if they wake up before lunch. When they were little they pounced on me at 4 a.m., jarring me from slumber. “Let’s open the gifts,” they’d holler. Hey,” I’d say, trying to remember where I was, “It’s December 4th. Christmas...

I never did believe in Santa Claus. My parents rejected the materialism that is so often peddled in the name of Christmas and kept the holiday pretty low key. I've always been grateful for this lesson, and rather cynical about those wild eyed Christmas fanatics running amok in the malls. Since the thought of receiving gifts from a fat, bearded...

Oh no! Christmas is almost here! Have you ever had a difficult time trying to decide what to buy for your family at Christmas? If you're like millions of other people, the answer is yes. What if the grandkids simply toss your gift aside and mumble a "thanks"? What if that happens to you this year? What if the cookbook you wrapped so nicely...

Guidelines for parents, grandparents, or anyone with children on their shopping lists! American retailer JC Penney has teamed up with Toy Tips, Inc. to help shoppers choose the best toys for children. According to Toy Tips, play fosters intellectual, social and physical development. Adults are encouraged to view toys as learning tools with different...