Low-Cost, No-cost ways to celebrate Christmas with kids

Cutting costs at Christmas doesn't mean celebrating like Scrooge. It's not about what you buy -it's about what you do!

Putting "celebration at the center of the season -and taking the focus off gigts and giving- can be the key to happy holidays that don't break the bank.

Better, when it comes to Kids and Christmas, cheap is good! Simple. Inexpensive family activities can be as meaningful as pricey Nutcracker tickets -and no need for scratchy dresses or dress-up suits.

Try these no-cost ways to celebrate the holiday season with kids:

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Nutritional Resources for Families

Find tips on healthy eating, recipies for balanced meals, resources on getting your family together at mealtimes, and advice on nutrition for your whole family, no matter the age of your children or your family's lifestyle.
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On the Virtues of Making Your Children Do the Dishes

Quiz for the day: How much time each day, on average, does a 6- to 12-year-old child spend on household chores?

If you guessed more than a half-hour, you're wrong. Children are spending a mere 24 minutes a day doing cleaning, laundry and other housework -- a 12% decline since 1997 and a 25% drop from 1981 levels, says Sandra Hofferth, director of the Maryland Population Research Center at the University of Maryland, based on a forthcoming study of 1,343 children. In the glacial realm of sociological change, that amounts to a free fall.

It also reflects "important behavioral and values shifts that will affect lives for years to come," Dr. Hofferth says. One consequence is never more obvious than at this time of year, when hundreds of thousands of college freshmen move into their dorms and promptly begin destroying their laundry. Other studies suggest the shift may have longer-term

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Spanish Version

In case you speak Spanish, please give me a hand with this site. "La casa a un click" is a blog in spanish that I set up recently and It needs polishing up.
I'd appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to fill up the questionaire or send some suggestions.
Thanks for your help and when the new version is ready I'll let you know

Kitchen Management : Knowledge is POWER!

Whether you’re a newly married couple, a working parent (married or not), about to have your first child, or if it’s simply time to move out of your parent’s home and live on your own, cooking will be a part of your daily routine. Regardless of culinary experience, people of all levels quickly learn that without the proper tools and ingredients, even the best of cooks can falter. Terminology in the kitchen it’s own language—and to novice cooks, can sometimes seem like a foreign language! Check out my Kitchen Jargon section.

About Lauren Meet Lauren, a devoted wife and mother, internationally-renowned cook, lifestyle advisor and teacher. She has carefully and lovingly created this "virtual kitchen" in celebration of all of you who wish you could gather your family around a thoughtfully-prepared home cooked meal regularly -- and make it a priority -- but don't know where to begin.

Lauren website