Happy holidays to all!
December 24, 2009 by jane
Filed under Entertainment, General
Season’s Greetings.
Glad Tidings.
Merry Christmas.
Happy Chanukah.
Yuletide Blessings.
Buon Natale.
Joyeux Noël.
Feliz Navidad
Mele Kalikimaka.
Meri Kurisumasu
Happy Kwanzaa.
Merry Chrismakkuh.
Happy Festivus for the rest of us.
Warmest thoughts and best wishes.
Goodwill to all women (and men).
Have a yule that’s cool.
Happy Holidays.
Happy New Year.
Peace on Earth.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday
November 27, 2009 by jane
Filed under Electronics, General, Pretty Chic, Shopping
If you slept in this morning, never fear. There’s still time to take advantage of “Black Friday,” the post-Thanksgiving free-for-all where everyone celebrates yesterday’s gluttony by going on a huge holiday season shopping spree.
With consumer spending down, merchants are putting even greater emphasis than usual on the importance of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. (Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday season.)
So, in order to do our part to stimulate the economy, here are some deals you can take advantage of:
Black Friday and CyberMonday Deals:
Sports Authority: Shop the circular during the 10 Hr Door Buster Special on Black Friday at SportsAuthority.com! 5am to 3pm on 11.27
Sports Authority: 15% off your Order on Cyber Monday at SportsAuthority.com! Exclusions Apply. Valid only on 11.30
ESportsonline: Save 20-50% + Free Shipping on Gifts for Women in the eSportsonline FOR HER Holiday Gift Shop.
Amazon: Visit Amazon.com to find great Black Friday deals and get FREE Super Saver Shipping on millions of items.
Talkin’ Turkey – Holiday Game Plan
November 22, 2009 by admin
Filed under Pretty Healthy, Pretty Tasty
The holidays are a time to reflect on the bounty of nature and, more importantly, pig out with family and friends. For many athletes, the holidays are also a time to compete in a special tournament or competition. Whether soccer, basketball, running or some other sport, you want to enjoy the great spread, especially the desserts, without giving up your game. What’s a player to do?
If you’re trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, don’t feel like you need to be deprived of your holiday favorites. Fitting all the yummies into a healthy eating plan is easy. Try to eat smaller portions, replace high calorie foods for lowfat options or slightly alter your recipes. For example, replace two egg whites for one egg or used dried fruits intead of nuts, or try evaporated skim milk in place of cream or whipping cream. You can also snack on foods that are high in soluble fiber such as fruits, veggies, and legumes – they actually slow down food digestion and make you feel full longer.
Roast turkey, a holiday staple, gets high marks from most dietitians for overall nutrition. It’s low in fat and high in protein. It’s also a good source of iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, potassium and B vitamins. A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless turkey breast contains 26 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat and 0 grams of saturated fat. To keep it healthy, you may want to forgo the skin and choose white over dark meat. Also, try to buy a wild or farm-raised bird without hormones and antibiotics. If you’ve got a holiday sports event you’ll be burning plenty of calories so for this one day, it’s probably okay to “have it your way.”
Side dishes can be traditional or creative but chances are there will be some potatoes on the table. You can add butter and sour cream, or you can make them lower in fat by using broth as a liquid or 2% milk instead of cream. Another way to add a lot of flavor without adding extra calories is to mash them with a few cloves of roasted garlic, which adds a mellow flavor. However you eat ‘em, they’re a great source of vitamin B6.
Stuffing can also get a holiday makeover and added nutrition by using whole-wheat bread and adding ingredients such as:
- Chopped vegetables (onion, celery, mushrooms, and eggplant)
- Nuts (toasted walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
- Fruits (fresh or dried cranberries, apples, apricots, or pears)
- Wild rice
Cranberry Sauce, always a staple, is rich in antioxidants which help protect your body from free radical damage. Cranberries also contain salicyclic acid, the same anti-inflammatory found in aspirin. Less inflammation means faster recovery so eat up!
Freshly picked pumpkins from the pumpkin patch are ideal for decoration, but the canned version wins for ease of preparation as well as for its nutrient score. In terms of both dietary fiber and beta-carotene, canned pumpkin’s nutritional profile far surpasses that of fresh. If you’re concerned about carbs and calories, consider:
- Pumpkin mousse or soufflé as an alternative to pumpkin pie.
- One-crust or no-crust pies rather than two-crust pies.
- Nonfat or reduced-fat whipped topping rather than full-fat whipped cream.
- Replace refined sugar with whole-grain sweeteners such as barley malt syrup.
Most experts say you shouldn’t view a holiday dinner as a meal of extreme excess or extreme restriction. To support the rigors of training, you need to eat well, but don’t forget a dose of good, sound common sense. The best game plan is to eat small portions of a variety of protein, fat, and carbohydrates throughout the day. And most important, take time to enjoy your friends, teammates and family.
Cheers, and happy, healthy holidays to all.
Sale: Sporty Holiday Cards
November 16, 2009 by admin
Filed under Basketball, Soccer, Softball
Say it with Sports!
CATCH THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT 5 x 7 Greeting Card
Inside Message:
Wishing You Peace, Joy & Happiness
TIS THE SEASON (Soccer) 5 x 7 Greeting Card
Inside Message:
The soccer season, the winter season, the holiday season. . . Hope all your seasons are filled with winning moments.
TIS THE SEASON (Basketball) 5 x 7 Greeting Card
Inside Message:
The basketball season, the winter season, the holiday season. . . Hope all your seasons are filled with winning moments.
Preseason Sale: Get a box of 15 cards & envelopes for just $10.95
Ana Ivanovic launches charity gift campaign
November 24, 2008 by jane
Filed under General, Pretty Good, Tennis
November 24, 2008 – Lots of feel-good stories around the holiday season. From Ana Ivanovic’s website comes news that the star tennis player is launching a charity holiday campaign complete with cuddly teddy bears that can be given as gifts:
Ana is the figurehead of UNICEF’s Christmas gift campaign in Serbia. Together with basketball legend Sasha Djordevic, Ana is appearing in print advertising to promote the items, which are sold on a 100 per cent charitable basis.
“When I was a kid I used to receive UNICEF cards,” said Ana. “Now, I am sending them. It is a special pleasure to know that each UNICEF card and product, apart from making a person who receives it happy, directly helps at least one child.”
Items for sale in Serbia include teddy bears, greeting cards and toys such as the “Brio Ant”. Visitors in Serbia can buy the items by visiting the UNICEF Shop.
Funds raised through the gift campaign are used within Serbia to fund UNICEF’s priority programmes, which are aimed at promoting a rights-based approach to the survival, development and inclusion of all children from conception through adolescence.
There is a particular focus on the rights of those children who are excluded due to ethnic background, disability, poverty, violence, abuse or exploitation. Ana fronts the “School Without Violence” programme and she visited a Belgrade school earlier this month.
Ivanovic, who grew up in battered, war torn Serbia (along with Jelena Jancovic), has an on-going relationship with the UN. Last year, she was named UNICEF National Amabassador for Serbia. In that role she uses her name and fame to advocate for child rights in Serbia, particularly in the areas of education and child protection.
Good stuff Ana. To see who else is giving selflessly back – check our post on Random Acts of Kindness.
