Click here! Quick “holiday gift” question!?

What’s a good (tasteful / fast / easy / affordable) Christmas / Hanukkah present to get for the staff of my dentist’s office?

All the stores are full of candy and cookies and chocolate baskets, and I can’t get them that… lol. Also, unfortunately I don’t have time to bake or make anything myself.

Thanks people! 😀

Jehovah’s witnesses is there anything left for your conscience to decide?

Why Can’t you:
Celebrate Mother’s Day
Celebrate Father’s Day
Celebrate Grandparent’s Day
Celebrate Birthdays
Celebrate Thanksgiving
Celebrate New Year’s Eve or Day
Celebrate Christmas
Celebrate Halloween
Celebrate Easter
Celebrate Flag Day
Celebrate Independence Day (Fourth of July)
Celebrate Hanukkah
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Celebrate Valentine’s Day
Celebrate "Any" Holiday
Sing any Holiday Songs
Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving
Create Holiday artwork in school
Join the Boy Scouts
Join the Girl Scouts
Buy Girl Scout Cookies
Become a Cheerleader
Attend class reunions (No "Worldly" association)
Go to the school prom
Play School Sports (No competition allowed)
Play Professional Sports
Join any organization that has ties to Christianity
Shop at the Salvation Army
Volunteer for the Salvation Army
Donate to Relief Organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Charities and more
Shop at Church run thrift stores
Shop at Church Garage Sales
Shop at any Store that has Christian ties
Contribute to the Red Cross
Attend a Church School
Join the YMCA
Join the Military
Become a Police Officer
Attend Alcoholics Anonymous
Have any job with a gun
Strike against a Company
Salute the Flag
Can’t Stand at Public Events while others are Standing to salute the Flag
Sing the National Anthem
Go to War
Wear Clothing Associated with War; e.g. Combats or Army Tops
Learn karate
Vote (Conscience matter now to please Governments, you will be ostracized if you do)
Run for any Public Office
Campaign for a Candidate
Contribute to the Presidential Campaign Fund on your tax return
Can join union, but not participate in its affairs
Run for class president
Join Sororities or Fraternities
Participate in holiday parties at school
Buy lottery tickets
Gamble
Play Bingo
Can’t buy a raffle ticket
Date without supervision – young or old
Watch R rated movies
Cannot work on another Church if it’s a regular customer
Own a religious picture or statue
Smoke cigarettes, pipes or a cigars
Sell cigarettes, pipes or a cigars
Accept Blood
Donate Blood
Store your own blood before an operation
Wear blue jeans or casual clothes to the Kingdom Hall
Wear pants to the Kingdom Hall if you are a female
Wear skirts or dresses that are above the knee at any time
Wear any type of long hair if you are a man
Wear a beard in some Kingdom Halls and areas (judged hard)
Pierce ears if male, other body parts if female
Have any tattoos
Say curse words
Can’t be hypnotized
Get divorced unless scriptural (adultery or fornication is committed by one partner) if you do divorce cannot remarry unless ex fornicates first
Toast drinks (pagan origin)
Throw rice at a wedding (pagan origin)
Say "Bless You" when someone sneezes
Say "Good Luck!", "Wish me Luck", "I was Lucky" or "You were Lucky"
Tell ghost stories
Practice Yoga
Own a Smurf
Eat Lucky Charms Cereal (References to Magical)
Throw a penny into a wishing well
Read Horoscopes
Promote anything Superstitious
Have wind charms because they represent a pagan symbol for scaring away demons
Watch TV shows, "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch", "Touched by an Angel", or "Bewitched"
Say "It was fate" or mention anything to do with "fate"
Engage in any risky acts such as: Sky Diving, Bungie Jumping & Hang Gliding
Have Jesus as your Mediator and Savior
Can’t partake in the Memorial of Jesus’ death, by eating the unleavened bread or drinking the wine; only allowed if you are from the elite group of the 144,000
A woman can’t hold a position of responsibility in the congregation
Wear or own a Cross
Attend another Church (Spiritual Fornication)
Associate on a regular basis with nonbelievers
Associate with ex-members
Associate with disfellowshipped ones
Talk with disfellowshipped ones
Sue another Jehovah’s Witness
Marry a nonbeliever (If you do, you are judged hard by the congregation)
Marry in another Church or attend a wedding in another Church
Have a funeral in another Church or attend a funeral in another Church
Pray, including holding your head down, when a nonbeliever prays
Study other religious articles not from the Society
Read negative information about the Society
Question the Watchtower Society on anything
Exercise your on conscience if it goes against the religion
Question the Society or the Organization
Have Christian freedom
If you are a woman you can’t pray aloud in the presence of men, without a covering on your head
If you are sick and need alternative medical help you can’t get illegal medicines from another country

Traditional Christmas/Holiday dishes from other countries?

Ok, so I’m wanting to make something a little different this year from Christmas eats, and since I love geography and cultural studies, I thought it would be cool to try a bunch of traditional holiday dishes from other countries and cultures. I’m looking for everything from cookies and sweets, side dishes and salads, to main dishes like soups, poultry, etc. In addition to Christmas fair, I’d also be interested in any Hanukkah recipes also.

So, if any of you guys have any suggestions for me, please either give me the recipe, leave me a link to a recipe, or just tell me the name of the dish and I can look it up myself. Thanks in advance!

What should I name this holiday story I wrote?

I’m in 9th grade and my English teacher had us write a short holiday story.

What should I title it?
Do you like the story, the writing style?

Cold water soaked her right ankle and oozed quickly down into her favorite shoes, a pair of beaten up converse. “Damnit!” she yelled, though over the loud, pouring rain, her family couldn’t hear her, as they scrambled to get into the silver SUV. They had just started their holiday shopping at the mall for the distant relatives. It was cold, wet, and miserable. Winter. Turning on the radio, her dad hoped to put everyone in a little bit better mood, but the over sung Christmas song by some unknown female pop star looking to cash in on the commercialized holiday put Noel Riga in an even worse mood.
She hated everything about the holiday season. She hated the mindless materialism, the hypocrisy of it all, the crowded malls, the terrible music, and everyone looking for a tip. But most of all, Noel despised that it was a family holiday and that her relatives felt obligated to come over. A fight would always break out, like last year, when her grandma screamed in broken English that she was leaving, and never wanted to see her unappreciative family ever again. The annual holiday party her mom hosted was yet another catastrophe, because her mom’s opinion on clean could rival that of an operating room or a five-star hotel. But Noel couldn’t just help dust and vacuum, she had to do it all while being yelled at at an excruciatingly loud decibel by her mother. It was awful.
And yet another quip of hers was her name. Noel!? There really couldn’t have been a worse name for a Scrooge like herself. She considered going by her middle name for a while, but Carol wasn’t much better.
So, as her calendar got more and more X’s on the month of December, Noel found herself dreading the holiday season more than usual. She wished with a snap she could make it January 2nd, and forget about the horrid holiday’s altogether.
It was her family’s tradition to make their wish lists on December 15th, exactly ten days before the big day. She scoffed at her brother’s list, which was frightfully long and detailed¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬: “#16. Slip on vans, blue with black trim, size 13. Check online.” She pondered what to put on her list. She had pretty much everything she needed or wanted, and the few things she needed or wanted already, and the couple small things she desired could be bought with the money given to her by an aunt or uncle who wouldn’t dare getting a more personalized gift, lest he or she get the wrong thing.
So Noel’s list contained only one item- a drama-free, happy Christmas and Hanukkah celebration. That was all. Unfortunately, she knew her twin brother was more likely to get everything on his long list, which was now being continued on the back of college-ruled notebook paper. She had little hop or faith in her family. “How are we supposed to get you that?” they asked.
Noel sighed. Looks like another crappy December.
But she had spoken too soon. Her mother had informed her that she would be forgoing the holiday party. The relatives came, and went for a walk any time the tension became uncomfortable. The Riga’s even agreed to not play holiday music, unless it was a true classic.
Noel helped her mom put all the old keepsake ornaments in the tree while eating homemade gingerbread cookies, the whole time wearing a (gasp!) Santa hat. And for the first time in her 14 year life, she was proud of her name: Noel Carol Riga.
Lalex: Nice catch! thank you 😀

Do you like the holiday story I wrote?

I’m in 9th grade and my English teacher had us write a short holiday story.

What should I title it?
Do you like the story, the writing style?

Cold water soaked her right ankle and oozed quickly down into her favorite shoes, a pair of beaten up converse. “Damnit!” she yelled, though over the loud, pouring rain, her family couldn’t hear her, as they scrambled to get into the silver SUV. They had just started their holiday shopping at the mall for the distant relatives. It was cold, wet, and miserable. Winter. Turning on the radio, her dad hoped to put everyone in a little bit better mood, but the over sung Christmas song by some unknown female pop star looking to cash in on the commercialized holiday put Noel Riga in an even worse mood.
She hated everything about the holiday season. She hated the mindless materialism, the hypocrisy of it all, the crowded malls, the terrible music, and everyone looking for a tip. But most of all, Noel despised that it was a family holiday and that her relatives felt obligated to come over. A fight would always break out, like last year, when her grandma screamed in broken English that she was leaving, and never wanted to see her unappreciative family ever again. The annual holiday party her mom hosted was yet another catastrophe, because her mom’s opinion on clean could rival that of an operating room or a five-star hotel. But Noel couldn’t just help dust and vacuum, she had to do it all while being yelled at at an excruciatingly loud decibel by her mother. It was awful.
And yet another quip of hers was her name. Noel!? There really couldn’t have been a worse name for a Scrooge like herself. She considered going by her middle name for a while, but Carol wasn’t much better.
So, as her calendar got more and more X’s on the month of December, Noel found herself dreading the holiday season more than usual. She wished with a snap she could make it January 2nd, and forget about the horrid holiday’s altogether.
It was her family’s tradition to make their wish lists on December 15th, exactly ten days before the big day. She scoffed at her brother’s list, which was frightfully long and detailed¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬: “#16. Slip on vans, blue with black trim, size 13. Check online.” She pondered what to put on her list. She had pretty much everything she needed or wanted, and the few things she needed or wanted already, and the couple small things she desired could be bought with the money given to her by an aunt or uncle who wouldn’t dare getting a more personalized gift, lest he or she get the wrong thing.
So Noel’s list contained only one item- a drama-free, happy Christmas and Hanukkah celebration. That was all. Unfortunately, she knew her twin brother was more likely to get everything on his long list, which was now being continued on the back of college-ruled notebook paper. She had little hop or faith in her family. “How are we supposed to get you that?” they asked.
Noel sighed. Looks like another crappy December.
But she had spoken too soon. Her mother had informed her that she would be forgoing the holiday party. The relatives came, and went for a walk any time the tension became uncomfortable. The Riga’s even agreed to not play holiday music, unless it was a true classic.
Noel helped her mom put all the old keepsake ornaments in the tree while eating homemade gingerbread cookies, the whole time wearing a (gasp!) Santa hat. And for the first time in her 14 year life, she was proud of her name: Noel Carol Riga.

LGBT: Fun Christmas questions.?

OK so I am stealing Saz-Stars idea here.

1. What type of tree topper do you have on your Christmas tree?

2. Do you still have any of your favorite Christmas ornaments from your childhood.

3. Do you have any heirloom Christmas ornaments that have been passed down in your family?

4. Real Christmas tree or artificial?

5. What color lights do you have on your tree? All white or multicolored?

6. Did you hang any lights or decorations outside this year?

7.Does your Christmas tree have a theme? or is it just random ornaments that you treasure?

8. Did anyone make popcorn garland for their tree this year?

9. Do you still put out cookies and milk for Santa?

10. If you don’t celebrate Christmas (because you are not Christian) can you tell me something about your religions traditions i.e. Hanukkah, Kwanzaa etc.?

Thanks for playing along!

L

Jennifer 8. Lee: Jews and Chinese Food: A Love Affair

www.92y.org In what is sure to be an entertaining talk based on her book “The Fortune Cookie Chronicles,” New York Times Metro reporter Jennifer 8. Lee dissects the longtime love affair between Jews and Chinese cuisine, touching upon pastrami egg rolls, Hanukkah fortune cookies and bagels in Beijing. Lee sheds light on the myths of Chinese food in the US and explains how it has become all-American. Includes a kosher buffet dinner. You can purchase tickets here: www.92y.org 92Y Food and Wine: www.92y.org Follow 92Y on Twitter: Twitter.com on Facebook: Facebook Read more on the 92Y Blog: Blog.92Y.org

Jehovah’s Witnesses are you assured of your salvation by Grace? Or Works and no guarantee of salvation?

Celebrate Mother’s Day
Celebrate Father’s Day
Celebrate Grandparent’s Day
Celebrate Birthdays
Celebrate Thanksgiving
Celebrate New Year’s Eve or Day
Celebrate Christmas
Celebrate Halloween
Celebrate Easter
Celebrate Flag Day
Celebrate Independence Day (Fourth of July)
Celebrate Hanukkah
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
Celebrate Valentine’s Day
Celebrate "Any" Holiday
Sing any Holiday Songs
Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving
Create Holiday artwork in school
Join the Boy Scouts
Join the Girl Scouts
Buy Girl Scout Cookies
Become a Cheerleader
Attend class reunions (No "Worldly" association)
Go to the school prom
Play School Sports (No competition allowed)
Play Professional Sports
Join any organization that has ties to Christianity
Shop at the Salvation Army
Volunteer for the Salvation Army
Donate to Relief Organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Charities and more
Shop at Church run thrift stores
Shop at Church Garage Sales
Shop at any Store that has Christian ties
Contribute to the Red Cross
Attend a Church School
Join the YMCA
Join the Military
Become a Police Officer
Attend Alcoholics Anonymous
Have any job with a gun
Strike against a Company
Salute the Flag
Can’t Stand at Public Events while others are Standing to salute the Flag
Sing the National Anthem
Go to War
Wear Clothing Associated with War; e.g. Combats or Army Tops
Learn karate
Vote (Conscience matter now to please Governments, you will be ostracized if you do)
Run for any Public Office
Campaign for a Candidate
Contribute to the Presidential Campaign Fund on your tax return
Can join union, but not participate in its affairs
Run for class president
Join Sororities or Fraternities
Participate in holiday parties at school
Buy lottery tickets
Gamble
Play Bingo
Can’t buy a raffle ticket
Date without supervision – young or old
Watch R rated movies
Cannot work on another Church if it’s a regular customer
Own a religious picture or statue
Smoke cigarettes, pipes or a cigars
Sell cigarettes, pipes or a cigars
Accept Blood
Donate Blood
Store your own blood before an operation
Wear blue jeans or casual clothes to the Kingdom Hall
Wear pants to the Kingdom Hall if you are a female
Wear skirts or dresses that are above the knee at any time
Wear any type of long hair if you are a man
Wear a beard in some Kingdom Halls and areas (judged hard)
Pierce ears if male, other body parts if female
Have any tattoos
Say curse words
Can’t be hypnotized
Get divorced unless scriptural (adultery or fornication is committed by one partner) if you do divorce cannot remarry unless ex fornicates first
Toast drinks (pagan origin)
Throw rice at a wedding (pagan origin)
Say "Bless You" when someone sneezes
Say "Good Luck!", "Wish me Luck", "I was Lucky" or "You were Lucky"
Tell ghost stories
Practice Yoga
Own a Smurf
Eat Lucky Charms Cereal (References to Magical)
Throw a penny into a wishing well
Read Horoscopes
Promote anything Superstitious
Have wind charms because they represent a pagan symbol for scaring away demons
Watch TV shows, "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch", "Touched by an Angel", or "Bewitched"
Say "It was fate" or mention anything to do with "fate"
Engage in any risky acts such as: Sky Diving, Bungie Jumping & Hang Gliding
Have Jesus as your Mediator and Savior
Can’t partake in the Memorial of Jesus’ death, by eating the unleavened bread or drinking the wine; only allowed if you are from the elite group of the 144,000
A woman can’t hold a position of responsibility in the congregation
Wear or own a Cross
Attend another Church (Spiritual Fornication)
Associate on a regular basis with nonbelievers
Associate with ex-members
Associate with disfellowshipped ones
Talk with disfellowshipped ones
Sue another Jehovah’s Witness
Marry a nonbeliever (If you do, you are judged hard by the congregation)
Marry in another Church or attend a wedding in another Church
Have a funeral in another Church or attend a funeral in another Church
Pray, including holding your head down, when a nonbeliever prays
Study other religious articles not from the Society
Read negative information about the Society
Question the Watchtower Society on anything
Exercise your on conscience if it goes against the religion
Question the Society or the Organization
Have Christian freedom
If you are a woman you can’t pray aloud in the presence of men, without a covering on your head
If you are sick and need alternative medical help you can’t get illegal medicines from another country

Become a Jehovah’s Witness and you shouldn’t….
…. if you do you will be looked down upon
Discuss politics
Surf too much on the Internet
Attend social functions organized by your place of work
Associate with worldly neighbors
Attend College (The Society has lightened up on this somewhat, but if you attend you are not putting Kingdom interests first, and will be judged.)
Play Chess
Go to Nightclubs
Own a Gun
Read
http://www.1timothy4-13.com/files/bible/diary.html