Need Your Pictures From The Holiday Party?

Email Mary Hildebrand at ohpiffle@gmail.com.  Request must be made via email so that Mary can send them to you electronically.

Thanks!

Do You Do The 12 Days Of Christmas??

If you like sneaking around making your family and friends happy, this 12 day Christmas gift idea list will make your mission possible! 
Though many people celebrate the twelve days of Christmas starting on the 13th or 14th of December (depending on whether they want to deliver the last gift on Christmas Eve or Christmas day), the 12 Days of Christmas actually start with Christmas Day and finish  on 5th January. I guess I would like getting gifts no matter when they came!

Whichever you choose, you should drop off the first 12 day Christmas gift idea with a letter or poem explaining the operation and how you plan to carry it out. You can do things a couple of ways:

• During a time when you don't think you will be noticed (check for anyone following you), drop off each daily gift on the recipient's porch or doorstep. In your first note, inform them that they should under no circumstances try to find you out. If they do, they risk the whole mission being called off. Your identity will be revealed on the 12th day of Christmas cheer.
• If you will be unable to get the gifts to them each day, hide the gifts inside their home or with an insider (family member/room mate). Each day, enlist the help of one stranger to help you call the recipient and inform them of that day's gift location. One lady says, "Bank tellers, librarians, receptionists, local business owners and literally a stranger near a payphone were all willing to call for me to keep my identity a secret until the last day."

Here is my 12 Day Christmas Gift Idea List:
1. A Partridge in a Pear Tree - Can of pears, basket of fresh pears, or just a single pear with a Partridge Family Christmas CD or a small bird ornament
2. Two Turtle Doves - Turtle candies and Dove chocolates or Dove soap
3. Three French Hens - Gift certificate to KFC or another chicken restaurant, video of Chicken Run, cornish game hens, a hen plush toy with a little beret and French flag you make out of felt, homemade chicken dinner with French bread
4. Four Calling Birds - Cell phone cases, candy cell phones, phone book, clock that makes bird noises
5. Five Golden Rings - Gold napkin rings with winter napkins, donuts, can of pineapple rings, butterscotch lifesavers, gift certificate for onion rings
6. Six Geese a-Laying - Filled plastic eggs, chocolate cream-filled eggs, six eggs in a basket plus ingredients for omelets
7. Seven Swans a-Swimming - Origami swans made out of gift certificates, swan soaps, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake CD, bubble bath and a rubber duckie with a note attached explaining "this swan was in his ugly ducking stage"
8. Eight Maids a-Milking - Merry Maids gift certificate, jug of chocolate milk, eight different milk products, milk maid caramels, bath milk bubble bath
9. Nine Ladies Dancing - nine pairs of socks for their tired feet, ladyfinger cookies, Nutcracker book or video, Pirouette wafer cookies
10. Ten Lords a-Leaping - Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance CD or DVD, something with frogs, jar of hoppin' John soup mix,
11. Eleven Pipers Piping - Christmas CD with bagpipes, bubble pipes and bubble solution,
12. Twelve Drummers Drumming - Ice cream called Drumsticks, drum of popcorn, drum ornament, CD of bandmusic

How to Avoid Weight Gain During the Yummy Holidays

Yummy, decadent food is all around this time of year. For 5 weeks we struggle to keep our weight down. Here are some tips to help keep the pounds off:

• Don't try to lose weight till the New Year, instead focus on not gaining weight
• Don't go to a party or gathering with food if you're hungry. Saving up all day will lead to overeating
• Plan ahead for food gatherings-decide beforehand what you will and won't eat
• Eat a healthy breakfast! 
• Delay having a treat until after you've eaten a meal
• Drink a glass of water before having another treat-it will help fill you up
• Choose hot chocolate over eggnog, preferably sugar-free hot chocolate. Add some light cream if you like
• If you love your eggnog, thin it by adding low-fat milk
• Don't stop exercising. If you don't exercise, take walks, play sports, Wii Fit, or something active with your family especially on days when there will be lots of food
• Don't stand by the food table, you will be tempted to snack, rather make yourself a plate and include some healthier options along with the treats
• Cook with low fat milks, soups, sour creams, and cream cheeses
• When confronted with a plate of treats, choose 3 and make them small bites
• Make sure you get enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep is related to unhealthy eating/snacking

Are You Participating In The Angel Tree This Year?

Just a quick reminder that if you grabbed an angel from the angel tree, please bring your gifts to the church no later than Sunday, Dec. 18.  You are welcome to give your gifts to a member of the Relief Society Presidency or the Elders Quorum Presidency.  If possible, please bring your gifts in gift bags.  If you are unable to bring them in gift bags, please bring them unwrapped and they will be wrapped for you.  Thank you again to everyone who is participating.  What a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit!!

Looking for Stocking Stuffer Ideas For Men?

Try some of these!!

1. Cologne – samples work best because they are smaller and cheaper
2. Soap – manly soap is nice
3. Undies
4. Socks
5. chocolate or other candy
6. chocolate covered bacon, pretzels, or other food items
7. Beanie/knit hat
8. Gloves
9. Holiday ornament
10. Key Chain
11. Phone case
12. Money clip
13. Wallet
14. A cheesy movie from the clearance bin (hello Chuck Norris)
15. Mini lego kits (like race cars, lego men, key chains, etc.)
16. Deck of cards or other card games (like Uno)
17. Silly toys – parachute men, poppers, wind up animals, sticky hands, mini etch-a-sketch, etc.
18. Key covers
19. Ear buds
20. Ties
21. Cufflinks – if your guy wears them, there are some awesome ones on Etsy
22. Manly bath products or bath favorites
23. Pocket knife
24. Mini tools or weapons – what male doesn’t love a Nerf gun?
25. Batteries
26. A book, graphic novel, or magazine
27. $5 giftcards – one of my favorites, fast food works great
28. Gum or mints
29. Chapstick – my husband always steals mine or complains about chapped lips
30. Hand or boot warmers
31. Hand or cuticle cream
32. Computer decals
33. Car air fresheners
34. For the love of your life: Massage oil
35. Patches, stickers, or pins of a sports team, band, or company, etc.
36. Hot Coco cup or mug
37. Nail clippers and tweezers
38. Razors and other shaving accessories
39. Boot or hat cleaning or weathering spray
40. Pens or pencils