I'm Dreaming of a "Green" Christmas!

As our family completes our holiday tradition of making ornaments for a gift exchange and putting up our tree – the day seems almost magical with the big white snow flakes falling outside the window - well, not in Phoenix AZ but we're dreaming a little. Hot chocolate simmers and the cookies are in the oven, completing the picture. Focusing on the spirit of Christmas and what it means to be with family, give to others and recycle, reuse and reduce is what we aim to do.

Here are some eco-friendly tips for a joyous and happy holiday season, from our home to yours:

Give.  Host or attend an alternative gift fair where you give to charity in someone else’s name. Your local United Way might have some ideas to help support this or may even be participating in an alternative gift fair for your community. Either way, you can give and donate your time, items or money toward human service agencies this year. Every dollar counts!

Resale. Shop resale and give gently used or “like new” gifts and invite the entire family to do the same.
Save Money. A programmable thermostat will help save energy and money – who doesn’t like that as a gift?
Less is More. The children will be receiving fewer gifts and ones that are either useful, can be used long term and if possible not plastic.
Twinkle to a Minimum. Fewer lights, which mean less energy, wasted. We don’t need outdoor lights twinkling and it just boosts are electric bill.
Reuse. No new holiday decorations. I have tubs upon tubs of decorations and it’s time to purge and donate some of these. No need for new ones.

Purge. Toys…the children have to many. To help the children make room for new toys I want them to go through and decide which ones they do not want and we will donate them to charity.
Recycle.  Make sure that as you add the gifts to your life that you clean out your closets, cupboards and garages and give what you don't need to Good Will or other agencies that help others in need.

Have a Blessed Holiday - Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all - Roger & Lisa Booth of Good Living Products

Why do we get kissed if we stand under the mistletoe?

Here is an interesting article I found about the Mistletoe. Hope you enjoy, it's interesting.

 Since ancient times, the mistletoe has been one of the most magical, mysterious and sacred plants of European folklore.

The ancient Druids considered the mistletoe to be a sacred plant and believed it had miraculous powers which could cure illnesses, serve as an antidote against poisons, ensure fertility and protect against the ill effects of witchcraft. It was also believed that the mistletoe was an aphrodisiac or a sexual symbol.

From these strange beliefs has come the modern-day custom of hanging a ball of mistletoe from the ceiling and exchanging kisses under it as a sign of friendship and goodwill.

The tradition of smooching under the mistletoe descends from the customs of several different cultures. For instance, exchanging kisses under the mistletoe was a tradition of Greek festivals and marital ceremonies. If a couple in love exchanges a kiss under the mistletoe, it is interpreted as a promise to marry, as well as a prediction of happiness and long life.

The Anglo-Saxons associated the powers of the mistletoe to the legend of Freya, the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. According to the legend, a man had to kiss any young girl who, without realizing it, found herself accidentally under a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. Guys would pluck a berry when they smooched the girls and when the last berry was gone, there would be no more kissing!
In France, the custom linked to the mistletoe was reserved for New Year's Day: "Au gui l'An neuf"--Mistletoe for the New Year.

Today, kisses can be exchanged under the mistletoe any time during the holiday season.

Did you know?

Although the mistletoe is considered to be the seed of love, the common name of the plant is derived from the ancient belief that mistletoe grew from bird droppings. This strange belief was related to the ancient principle that life could spring spontaneously from dung.

In ancient times, people observed that mistletoe appeared on a branch or twig where birds had left droppings. "Mistel" is the Anglo-Saxon word for "dung," and "tan" is the word for "twig". So, mistletoe actually means "dung-on-a-twig". What a strange meaning for a plant that is supposed to bring love and happiness!

In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered a plant of peace, under which enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses kiss and make-up. Whenever enemies met under the mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their arms and observe a truce until the next day.

Today's custom of using mistletoe to decorate houses at Christmas is a survival of European beliefs and traditions. In Europe, branches of mistletoe were hung from ceilings to ward off evil spirits. In some countries, they were placed over house and stable doors to prevent the entrance of witches.

Hope you enjoyed the article. Happy Holidays. Don't forget to check out our Holiday Section @ goodlivingproducts.com. It is an easy way to shop for that special someone in your life.

Lisa Booth
Good Living Products

We Love Our Wine - Even If We Can't Afford It

Lisa and I love our wine and thought you might like this article.  It's been fun to see the popularity of wine increase in the last several years.  We love both red and white wine as well as some great varietals  that we have discovered in our home state of Arizona.

Funny how even a deep recession doesn't seem to be able to mess with our wine drinking.  Lisa and I haven't stooped to boxes or jugs yet.......but you never know what the future holds! It's all a part of Good Living!!

Here's the article:

Cheers! Salúd! Clink, clink! However you toast, Americans will be tipping their glasses this holiday season. According to new research from Mintel, two-thirds of survey respondents (67%) say they partake in wine on holidays and special occasions while at home. Another 58% drink wine at home with dinner on an ordinary night.

The wine market has grown 20% from 2004-09 despite the recession; however, shattered consumer confidence caused a 3.2% decline during the height of the financial crisis in 2008. As consumers begin to see signs that the worst of the recession is behind them, Mintel forecasts the wine market will stabilize and increase by 2.1% in 2009.

“Despite the recent decline, the future of the wine market looks bright, at least for moderately priced segments,” says Sarah Theodore, Mintel senior food and drink analyst. “Value wines have helped consumers rethink their perceptions about wine. Domestic wines have proven to be somewhat recession-proof as unpretentious, economy-priced wines are fuelling recent sales.”

How does wine chalk up next to its alcoholic beverage counterparts? So far in 2009, nearly half of survey respondents say they drink beer compared to just more than one-third who drink imported and domestic wines (47% vs. 35%). Only 17% claim to enjoy champagne and sparkling wines and even less drink port, sherry and dessert wines (7%).

Sarah Theodore notes: “As wine finds its way out of the recession, it might be taking on a new form. The down economy has given impetus to boxed wine. Marketers have an opportunity right now to really play up the benefits of this type of packaging and finally eliminate its ‘cheap’ image.”

Nearly one in five respondents appears to be status-conscious when it comes to drinking boxed wine. Consequently, 35% of those aged 21-24 say they would drink boxed wine at home, but not serve it to guests, compared to 19% of all ages. In addition, 35% of 21-24 year old wine drinkers believe the wine brand they choose reflects their status to friends, compared to only 14% of all ages.

About Mintel

Mintel is a leading global supplier of consumer, product and media intelligence. For more than 35 years, Mintel has provided insight into key worldwide trends, offering exclusive data and analysis that directly impacts client success. With offices in Chicago, New York, London, Sydney, Shanghai and Tokyo, Mintel has forged a unique reputation as a world-renowned business brand. For more information on Mintel, please visit www.mintel.com.

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