Elevator Talk With Michelle

Here are some great gadgets that the people on your gift list will love.

(1). Starscope Monocular

(2). Poliglu

(3). ThePhotoStick Omni

(4). Peeps Carbon Technology

(5). Kailo

(6). Bril

(7). Power Pod

(8). Kelvin17

(9). iMemories

(10). KoreScale Gen 2

(11). FIXD

(12). NeckRelax

(13). BarxBuddy

(14). Bondic

(15). Heatcore

(16). Flexsafe

(17). GoDonut

(18). Tvidler

(19). MPG Kids Smart Watch

(20). MPG Premier Play v4

(21). Miracle Sheets

(22). MPG Premier Watch 5.0 v2

(23). InflateR

When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past. Here are some other things you can do:

(1). Acknowledge your feelings

(2). Reach out

(3). Be Realistic

(4). Set Aside Differences

(5). Stick To Your Budget

(6). Plan Ahead

(7). Learn How To Say No

(8). Don't Abandon Your Healthy Habits

(9). Take a breather

(10). Seek Professional Help If You Need It

Take control of the holidays. Don't let the holidays become something you dread. Instead, take steps to prevent the stress and depression that can descend during the holidays. Learn to recognize your holiday triggers, such as financial pressures or personal demands, so you can combat them before they lead to a meltdown. With a little planning and some positive thinking, you can find peace and joy during the holidays.

Anyone who's crafty knows how valuable DIY Christmas gifts are. Making something with your own two hands for friends and family is a gift in itself!

(1). Homemade DIY Extracts (vanilla, orange, mint, etc. You can put them in cute decorate jars).

(2). Painted Mason Jar Succulent Planter

(3). 10 Minute Photo Keepsake Ornaments

(4). DIY Peppermint Mason Jar Candles

(5). DIY Instagram Photo Box

(6). DIY Desk Organizer

(7). Yarn Cuckoo Clock Wall Hanging

(8). Mystery Braid Bracelet

(9). Tablet Or Cookbook Stand

(10). Zippered Clutch

(11). Christmas Potpourri Gift

(12). Candles

(13). Wax Melts

(14). Tin of cookies

(15). Jewelry

(16). Book Markers

(17). Snow Globes

(18). DIY Fleece Blanket

(19). Photo Transfer Art (can go on anything)

(20). Simmer pot, or stovetop potpourri

(21). Flavored Salt (salt w/other seasonings)

(22). Spice rack

(23). Flavored soap

(24). Christmas tree made out tea bags

(25). Pressed flower art

(26). Cute apron for the chef in your life

(27). Ornaments made of clothespins

(28). Tote Bag

(29). Cell Phone Cases

(30). Phone pillows

(31). Cozy, Oversized Knit Blanket

(32). Chalkboard Serving Tray

(1). Cuddle-worthy sweatshirt.

(2). Airfly wireless transmitter 

(3). Impactful Morning journal 

(4). Cookbook

(5). Fleece blanket

(6). Rose quartz roller and scraper massager

(7). Twistable memory-foam travel pillow

(8). Glass beaker shot glass set

(9). Custom-made Starbucks cup 

(10). Graphite pencils that can be planted

(11). Star-studded sterling silver earrings.

(12). Tri-fold travel wallet

(13). BPA-free, dishwasher-safe cold brew iced coffee maker

(14). Ultra-plush and fluffy slippers

(15). Reversible vegan-leather travel tote

(16).

What could be more comforting during the holidays than a traditional Christmas dinner shared with family and close friends? While food blogs at this time of year often offer us "new and creative" Christmas recipes, sometimes we just crave the classic, tried-and-true Christmas recipes that we grew up with.

(1). Christmas Goose

(2). Honey Glazed Ham

(3). Toffee Eggnog

(4). Rum Eggnog

(5). Herb Roasted Turkey

(6). Classic Beef Wellington

(7). Pheasant

(8). Rack Of Lamb

(9). Marinated Roast Beef

(10). Baked Trout With Lemon And Dill

(11). Classic Roast Chicken

(12). Roast Duck

(13). Roasted Butternut Squash

(14). Mashed Potatoes

(15). Butter Yeast Rolls

(16). Yorkshire Pudding

(17). Vegan Barley And Wild Rice Pilaf

(18). Roasted Potatoes With Bacon

(19). Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts

(20). Chestnut Stuffing

(21). Traditional Minced Pie

(22). White Dream Christmas Cocktail

Virtual Christmas parties are holiday celebrations that take place via video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and WebEx. You can include fun virtual holiday party games, activities, and entertainment. The goal of these events is to create the holiday spirit and celebrate in a safe and fun way.

(1). Online Holiday Bingo.

(2). Virtual Holiday Scavenger Hunt.

(3). Create A Cheery Holiday Playlists.

(4). Virtual Holiday Party.

(5). Virtual Christmas Trivia.

(6). Virtual Christmas Party Invitations.

(7). Virtual Holiday Icebreakers.

(8). Christmas in my Town Icebreaker.

(9). Craft Festive Ornaments.

(10). Create Your Own DIY Christmas Cards.

(11). Create A Holiday Newsletter.

(12). Holiday Dinner.

(13). Cocoa And Conversation.

(14). Virtual Christmas Slideshow.

(15). Holiday Readings.

(16). Caroling Karaoke.

(17). Holiday Recipe Swap.

(18). Gratitude Ceremonies.

Final Thoughts: While you and your family members can’t all be together in the same room, you can still have great fun and fellowship.

Book domestic trips to a winter wonderland or a sunny state. This winter, experts say there will be a clear split between sunny escapes and winter wonderland.

Hawaii is great if you're not comfortable leaving the United States but still want those warm vibes.

Florida is another great option for relaxed policies, great weather, and cheap deals.

Colorado is perfect if you'd rather ski or cozy up by a fire. Utah and Montana offer similar activities and amenities.

Choose Costa Rica or Mexico for deals on a tropical vacation. If you're interested in traveling internationally, Costa Rica is the best choice for a tropical getaway. "Most Costa Rican properties don't require a minimum night stay.

Mexico has been a shining star during the pandemic. Destinations like Cabo are expensive, but there's availability in the Riviera Maya for those who don't want to spend top dollar.

Brandon Berkson, founder of the hotel curation site Hotels Above Par, suggests that "Instead of heading to mega-resorts and tourist-heavy destinations such as Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, consider cities that pulsate with culture. San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City.

Now is the best time to visit Europe. While headlines about restrictions might lead Americans to assume Europe is off-limits, vaccinated Americans are permitted to visit most nations. Europe is always special around the holidays and there are fewer crowds, which makes tourist experiences much more enjoyable.

Avoid places with heavy restrictions and crowding, and don't travel if you're unvaccinated. The CDC advises against all travel, even domestic for unvaccinated travelers. If you are vaccinated, it is advised that you familiarize yourselves with local requirements around vaccines, testing, or quarantine before booking, and consider the risks associated with mandatory restrictions or areas with high community spread.

Keep in mind that some countries won't allow you in without proof of vaccination like Tahiti, which requires full vaccination. And while many European countries are open to US travelers, Belgium, Bulgaria, and Sweden are not as of the recording of this Podcast.

The Netherlands requires quarantine and a negative test even if you're fully vaccinated. Other places have fewer rules, and as a result, they draw large crowds.

(1). Write Out Your Monthly Income.

(2). Write Out Your Monthly Expenses.

(3). Make a Note of Other Expenses.

(4). Zero Out Your Budget.

Other Things To Consider: Another rule of the zero-based budget is that each dollar has to have a name. Therefore, you’ve got no more dollars to budget because they are all accounted for. If you come out ahead by $50 or $100, you’re not done. That $100 has to go somewhere, which can go toward the Christmas budget or into another savings account. This is going to free you up to relax and enjoy life, knowing that everything is suitable and ideal.

How To Budget Irregular Income. Even if you have an irregular income, zero-based budgeting is a possibility for you. You can actually plan for irregular incomes exactly like regular ones. The goal here is to list your income based on what you earned the last year (the lowest amount). You can also list the expenses in their order of importance. Of course, focus on food, shelter, clothing, utilities, transportation, etc. first. When you get paid, take your money and go down your list from most important to least important. It might not cover everything, but you can pick up and continue with the list next time.

What’s a Christmas Fund? Many banks offer Christmas funds, which allows you to deposit the money you need and hold it until you are ready to spend it. Generally, you can set up a free Christmas fund, or you can do it yourself. Buy a few envelopes and have that be your account. Don’t dip into that money until you are ready to start spending for the holiday season.

How to Set Up Your Christmas Fund. It’s often easy to set up a free Christmas fund and have a debt-free Christmas. Take the money you’ve set aside each month for your holiday budget and put it in a separate account. Alternatively, you can create a budget line item that says, Christmas Fund. Enter the balance of what you’ve saved, what you want to save, and a long-term goal. Once you know your holiday budget, and what you’re spending on Christmas, it’s time to divide up how much you’ve got by how much time is left. For example, if you have already saved $500 and have a budget of $1,000 with three months left to go, you should be saving about $170 to have that much money to spend.

How Much Money Should I Save for Christmas? Generally, the rule of thumb here is to not spend more than one percent of your yearly income for holiday shopping. Of course, the amount you have to play with depends significantly on your Christmas budget. When you create a Christmas budget, it helps you realize what you’ve got, and you can divide that by how many people for which you’re spending. If you use the debt-free approach, you aren’t going to use a credit card for any Christmas shopping purchase.

How Much Should I Budget for Gifts? That amount is up to you. It’s important to make a list of everyone you want to buy for. Of course, nothing comes for free, so you’ve got to plan ahead to budget enough money for everyone’s items. You can save money, and some gifts can be free with coupons and other tactics. However, it’s best to plan ahead and divvy your holiday gift budget for each person before you start buying presents.

Don’t Go into Debt. Living free of debt doesn’t start at Christmas time, but it can be ruined during the Christmas holiday. Your Christmas budget is there to ensure that you can buy something for everyone on the list.

(1). You must create a theme for your tree.

(2). Decide what kind of tree you want to use.

Fraser Fir: Strong branches, yellowish-green in color and has a strong fragrance.

Douglas Fir: Strong branches, dark green in color and has a strong fragrance.

Canaan Fir: Strong branches, rich green in color and has a medium fragrance.

Concolor Fir: Strong branches, bluish-green in color and has a medium fragrance.

Scotch Pine: Strong branches, dark green in color and has a medium fragrance.

Virginia Pine: Not so strong branches, green in color and has a medium fragrance.

White Pine: Not so strong branches, light bluish-green in color and has a low fragrance.

Blue Spruce: Strong branches, silver blue in color and has a strong fragrance.

(3). Add your lights to the tree.

(4). Hang your ornaments strategically.

(5). Fill in any gaps with picks. They add texture as well as filling in gaps, where necessary.

(6). Add your tree topper.

(7). Lastly, add your tree skirt.

What is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey or ham dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of "Merry Christmas" to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas?

The true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love. The real Christmas story is the story of God's becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Here are some frequently asked questions:

(1). Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us!

(2). Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior!

(3). Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself (1 John 4:8).

(4). Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? Out of gratitude for what God did for us, we remember His birth by giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate.

God loved His own and provided a way, the only way for us to spend eternity with Him. He gave His only Son to take our punishment for our sins. He paid the price in full, and we are free from condemnation when we accept that free gift of love.

"But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

With this in mind, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. Sure, enjoy the season but remember to rejoice as well! After all, the true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of God's ultimate gift: the birth of Jesus Chris.