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The holiday season can be exciting and fun, but it can also be exhausting or lonely for some. Retirees need to keep in mind some simple but helpful tips for making the season more enjoyable and less stressful.

1. Keep your focus on the reason for the season. The holiday season – no matter what your religious faith – is a time of celebration and spiritual refreshment. The beginning of a new year can be a time of new commitments, new beginnings and new opportunities. The season offers a reminder and a chance to reorder our priorities and make the most of each day. Adjusting our perspective in light of spiritual teachings can bring brightness and hope into our daily lives throughout the coming year.

2. Pace yourself. Many people arrive at the actual holiday too exhausted from preparations to actually enjoy the day. Many people find it helpful to limit the amount of time and energy spent on any part of the preparations for the holiday at a given time. Some people structure their days to shop for two hours, then rest for one hour, and then do another task. It is also important to pace yourself in terms of activities and events. Sometimes, what we need most is control over our time and activities. If you are becoming overwhelmed by the array of events and activities and you find that your schedule is filling rapidly, you might do well to make some choices. Limiting your activities to the most important events might help you pace yourself and prevent the exhaustion that can drain the fun from everything.

3. Don’t be alone unless you want to be. The holiday season can be very sad and depressing for those who find themselves alone. If you don’t have family or friends nearby with whom you plan to spend part of the holiday, you can still spend the day with others. Check in your community for gatherings of others who would otherwise be alone. Or – better yet – find a community opportunity to help others on the holiday. Most communities have programs that offer meals to the homeless and needy. You can be with others and feel wonderful about the way you spend the day by volunteering to help with preparation and serving of the meals.

4. Don’t lose sight of the budget. Overspending during the holidays is very easy. But it can create a lot of stress in January when the bills start to arrive. It is so much fun making purchases of gifts for children and grandchildren that the budget can easily be forgotten. Be honest and realistic about what you can afford to spend on gifts and entertaining. Then stick to the budget. Keep in mind that a modestly-priced gift that fits the recipient can mean more than the most expensive new thing available. Some families manage spending by setting clear limits on the cost of gifts for the adults in the family. This allows them to spend more on the younger children. Be creative in thinking about holiday spending and try to keep your focus on the right gift for each individual rather than the most expensive.

5. Don’t lose sight of your dietary needs. Many of us have special dietary needs as we grow older. Whether we are just eating smart or we are watching sugars, fats and cholesterol, many of us need to maintain a healthy diet – even during the holidays. In most cases, it is okay to splurge a bit at a holiday dinner or party if we adjust our diets during the rest of the day to keep our overall diet within bounds. Remember that making yourself sick by ignoring your dietary needs will not make the holiday more enjoyable for you or those around you.

I hope these very practical tips will help you get the greatest possible enjoyment and renewal from the holiday season. By keeping things in perspective and monitoring spending and diet, you will probably enjoy the holidays more. Pacing yourself and keeping a view to the meaning of the season in your belief system will help you avoid exhaustion and renew yourself as the New Year begins.

Deep-Fryed Turkey

3 gallons peanut oil for frying, or as needed
1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/4 cup Creole seasoning
1 white onion

In a large stockpot or turkey fryer, heat oil to 400 degrees F. Be sure to leave room for the turkey, or the oil will spill
over.

***** Side Note *****

How to determine the amount of oil you need:
The easiest way I've found to determine the amount of oil you need is to place the turkey into the fryer and fill with water until the turkey is just covered. Remove turkey and allow to drain, pat dry with paper towels as well. Make note of the level of water in the fryer. Discard water and dry throughly. Fill frying vessel with oil to the level as noted above. This should help in preventing hot oil spill overs.

***** End Side Note *****

Layer a large platter with food-safe paper bags. Rinse turkey, and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Rub Creole seasoning over turkey inside and out. Make sure the hole at the neck is open at least 2 inches so the oil can flow freely through the bird. Place the whole onion and turkey in drain basket. The turkey should be placed in basket neck end first. Slowly lower basket into hot oil to completely cover turkey. Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees F, and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove basket from oil, and drain turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees F.

Finish draining turkey on the prepared platter.

Grilled Whole Turkey

12 pounds whole turkey
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika

Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect medium heat, and lightly oil grate. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Place turkey breast side down on the prepared grill. Sear turkey on both sides until skin is golden to dark brown. In a large roasting pan, mix together the water, bouillon powder, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, parsley, and paprika. Place turkey breast side down in the roasting pan. Scoop the pan mixture over the turkey. Cover tightly with foil and place on grill. Grill 3 to 4 hours, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180F. Remove turkey from grill and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Smoked Turkey

1 turkey 8 to 22 lbs., fresh or completely thawed
Sweet Pickle Brine (recipe to follow)
Maple syrup

Sweet Pickle Brine:

1 gal. water
2 1/2 cups salt, rock, pickling or canning salts are recommened
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Lquid garlic
1 oz. pickling spices

Mix well. You may need to adjust the amounts depending on the size of your bird. This recipe should suit you fine for an 8 to 12 lb. turkey.

Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water, drain and pat dry. Prepare sweet pickle brine. Brine turkey according to the following schedule, 8 to 12 lb. bird 3 days, 13 to 16 lb. bird 4 days, 17 to 22 lb. bird 5 days. Remove from brine; rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry. Allow to dry in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Lock wings behind back and tie legs and tail together. Baste turkey with maple syrup before putting in smoker and every 2 hours while smoking. Position turkey on cooking grill. Smoke cook until done.

The best way to determine doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey (the breast) the internal temperature should read 180 degrees F.

Smoking food is more an art than a science; this recipe is not intended for the novice. Allot of factors go into determining the cooking time for a particular food when smoking.

Cool turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving to enhance the smoked flavor. You may serve the turkey right away if you wish.

While adults indulge in the festivities and revel in enjoying the spirit of Christmas, undoubtedly it is more fun for children because they are able to lose themselves in the wide-eyed wonders and glorious splendor of the season.

Activities at Christmas that children can enjoy include all of the sights, sounds and scents that put the magic and a festive spirit into Christmas.

At major shopping centers like malls, children can enjoy various window displays and arrangements inside stores that show Christmas sceneries. The displays, which can be moving, stationary or interactive, can be so numerous and mesmerizing that parents often arrange a trip to such malls just for children to view the many displays.

Shopping malls are also a popular place where Santa Claus is sure to be found. For a small fee, children can get to sit or stand with Santa Claus, talk with him and most importantly, get a picture taken with Santa. Those children, like pre-teens and teenagers, who may be too old for Santa Claus can also be entertained by the various grand Christmas displays as well as one of their favorite activity - shopping.

Various colorful and twinkling lights is certain to be a part of the displays at malls and shopping centers, but other arrangements of Christmas lighting can also be a delightful activity for children to enjoy. Because Christmas displays have become so common, everyone has some form of lighting arrangement at their houses. This has led to neighborhoods where it is common to see an increase in traffic during the Christmas season because of the fanciful, landscaped displays of outdoor Christmas light decorations. These usually include figures of reindeers, Santa, sleighs, angels, shepherds and animals that are a part of the story of Jesus' birth. It can therefore become an activity to take a tour of these neighborhoods with children for them to feast their eyes.

In a similar manner to the grand Christmas lighting that can be found in some neighborhoods and the occasional home, there are also themed-lighting at quaint villages and special large, Christmas light displays at venues like some public parks. The displays can be similar to those seen in neighborhoods except that they are usually on a larger and grander scale. As an example, a typical home lawn display will have a Christmas display that includes Santa, a sleigh and a reindeer or two all as separate pieces. A Christmas display at a themed-village or park would have a large and possibly moving display of Santa Claus with elf-like figures in a sleigh that is being pulled by reindeers as one big structure.

These Christmas sights are what often bring out the wide-eyed wonder in children as their faces express awe and amazement.

While children will have a beautifully decorated Christmas tree at home to enjoy, it will also be fun for them to go to other lightings of Christmas tree because again, those trees are usually bigger and decorated on a grander scale than the ones in their living rooms at home. Just about every town, city or municipality will have a Christmas tree lighting in a central location.

Sometimes local firehouses will also have a special Christmas tree lighting. At these events, children can see a local official or personality flip a switch to symbolically turn on the Christmas tree, in a similar like they would have seen the President do on television.

Those local events are likely to include Christmas treats and goodies, a Santa Claus to present Christmas gifts to children and the singing of Christmas carols.

Taking time out to engage in activities just for the enjoyment of children will make them feel special, experience the magic of Christmas and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Christmas is described as a festive season therefore we should all engage in activities during the season that provide entertainment, merriment and which give pleasure. Because Christmas is about celebration, many types of festivities can be found to suit all preferences to make the season a joyful one.

A readily available option is watching Christmas movies. This can be done from the comfort of home or by spending a few hours out at the theater. A wonderful option now available for obtaining movies is to rent them via the Internet. It's an option that allows you to get any movie you want to see - whether traditional, popular or a remake of an original title. There's also fairly easy access to obscure movie titles, as well as movies with holiday or Christmas themes.

Although Christmas movies embody the spirit of the season, you can also take time out during Christmas to enjoy new releases that may or may not have a holiday theme. Christmas is a good time to catch notable new releases because they are timed to be shown in theaters before the end of the year to be considered for prestigious Oscar nominations.

Performances of Christmas plays that depict the Nativity scene are also another popular entertainment during Christmas. Although these performances are done year after year, they never grow old because of creative difference in interpreting the story, and also in how each role is acted by different actors every year.

The dramatization of the Nativity demonstrates the meaning of Christmas and can also simplify the meaning of Christmas for children. Participation in the Nativity is also an important activity for children in drama groups at schools and church groups.

Along with depicting the meaning of Christmas, the Nativity play also portrays moral lessons that can serve as an inspiration for the way to become a more spiritual person and to live a better life. Watching or taking part in the Nativity play at Christmas time can therefore affect your attitude and outlook on life.

Musical entertainment at Christmas can come from pausing during shopping to listen to a choral group at the mall or downtown. It can also be entertaining to simply hum along to a Christmas carol or song being played on the radio. Carols as a tradition at Christmas is said to originate in England and France in the Middle Ages. At the time, carols were dances accompanied by singing. The tradition that Anglo-Saxons preferred was to have small choirs gather on the village green and sing carols and Christmas songs to passersby. Over time, the meaning of the word changed to refer to only certain types of songs.

The tradition of Christmas carols is also believed to evolve from the angels, shepherds and Wise Men who bowed down to sing praises and to worship Baby Jesus.For those who are really lovers of the arts, professional groups like Orchestras, Symphonies, Conservatories and Choirs also offer splendid concerts during Christmas. They will also sing Christmas carols and songs. But the harmony of their voices accompanied by a full compliment of instruments provides a richer and more melodious rendition of the carols that is unlikely to be heard anywhere else.

Probably the most popular festivities at Christmas are parties, which seem to happen everywhere all the time at Christmas. There are parties at work, home, with friends and class parties at school. Even social hubs such as bars may have special nights with different food and lower-priced drinks during Christmas.

It seems there is no end to the festivities during Christmas. It's always important however to have a good time, to remember the unfortunate and to reach out to them and to have fun but in a responsible manner.