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Welcome to Our Holiday & Seasonal Newsletter!
Featuring the latest news and holiday trends from the best sources, our friends in Galena.
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Research Finds Most People Feel ‘Overwhelmed’ by Family’s Mess at Home
(StatePoint) While finances are a main topic that families fight over, a new survey discovers that cleaning and organizing also top the list.

According to the survey, which was conducted by Duck brand, 76% of people feel “overwhelmed” by their family members’ messes. In fact, the research finds that messiness impacts relationships between family members: 46% of people say it causes “tension” between them; 35% say it causes arguments; and 33% say it is a “source of stress on a daily basis.”

Knowing that disorganization impacts relationships, the survey aims to shed light on the source of the stress, as well as pet peeves families have when cleaning and organizing:

• Arguments about tidying up may happen frequently because 74% of people say they have a different idea of what “clean and organized” is compared to other members of their household. Additionally, 44% say “cleaning and organizing frequency” is the most difficult task for their family to agree on.

• Survey respondents say their top peeves about their family’s cleaning and organizing style is they procrastinate (56%) and they don’t like to clean/organize themselves at all (36%). According to 48% of survey respondents, another big annoyance is having to frequently remind other people in the home to pick up their belongings. When they don’t clean up after themselves, most (58%) say it makes them feel annoyed and some say they feel angry/frustrated (29%).

• Clutter in the living room is the “most annoying mess” that family members make on a regular basis, followed by not wiping up spills in the kitchen or fridge (45%), according to the results.

Although there is a lot to disagree about when it comes to clutter, there is one thing families are aligned on: 85% believe “living in a tidy home leads to more harmony among household members.” Duck brand offers simple solutions for a happier, more efficient home: Install Easy Mounts Interior Drywall J Hook in the hall closet, entryway or garage to encourage family members to keep bags, hats and toys off the floor. If the kitchen is a messy hotspot, place Clear Classic Easy Liner Brand Shelf Liner in the fridge to cut down on sticky spills.

For expert tips and ideas on how to use Easy Mounts and Easy Liner around the house, visit Duck brand.

“Families are constantly on the go, so it is hard to keep up with daily tasks around the house,” says Angee Mantell, Insights & Innovation product manager at Shur tape Technologies, LLC, the company that markets the Duck brand. “Implementing a few simple solutions can help teach tidy habits and encourage everyone at home to play their part in making spaces neat and clutter-free.”

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5 Tips for Getting Kids Involved in Holiday Traditions
(StatePoint) The holiday season is a magical time of year filled with cherished traditions that bring families together. And while gift-giving is one of the most beloved customs (especially for children), it can sometimes overshadow the true spirit of the season. Here are a few festive winter activities that focus on quality time together and spreading joy.

1. Spread Joy with Kid-Created Cards. According to a recent survey from AmericanGreetings.com, nearly 90% of Americans say that season's greetings bring them joy; and 92% say they specifically enjoy kids’ homemade cards. This year, eliminate the stress of planning holiday cards—and teach kids about spreading cheer—with the Creatacard app for iPad.

The easy-to-use app from American Greetings allows kids to create, color and customize cards using virtual tools, including markers, photo frames, stamps and and stickers. Once complete, the greeting can be sent via email, text, or on social media. It’s a simple, cost-effective and personalized way to teach them about bringing joy to others.

2. Quality Time in the Kitchen. Kids love sweet treats, so start involving them with baking and decorating traditional holiday goodies. In addition to being an excellent way to spend time together as a family, the tradition teaches them cooking basics, like reading recipes and measuring ingredients. Be sure to make it fun with plenty of frosting and sprinkles, or even add some competition with a decorating contest. You can also pair this activity with a cozy movie night or deliver treats to neighbors and family members to teach the importance of kindness and giving.

3. Deck the Halls. A perfect holiday tradition for the whole family to get involved in is the Christmas tree. Whether it’s a trip to pick out a real tree, or setting up an artificial one, you can make it an adventure from set-up to decoration. Plus, crafting homemade ornaments each year is the perfect kid contribution. Not only will they take pride in their creations, but each year will spark a bit of holiday nostalgia.

4. Interactive Christmas Countdown. According to a recent survey, what do 94% of Americans say increases the excitement of the holiday season? Advent calendars. But this year, skip the paper versions and get the whole family engaged with the interactive Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar. The unique virtual calendar offers breathtaking illustrations of a fictional English country estate with exciting features unlocked daily in December. From a scavenger hunt to music, daily gifts, animated stories, books, games, creative activities, puzzles, and so much more, there, there’ something for everyone to enjoy and look forward to each day of the season.

5. Teach the Spirit of Giving. While it can sometimes be easier to do the holiday shopping yourself, involving kids in gift-giving can teach them the thoughtfulness behind selecting meaningful gifts. If you have a large family, consider a Secret Santa where everyone shops for one specific family member. This is also a good opportunity to help kids make homemade gifts with more sentimental value. For an added lesson, explain how to follow a budget and count money when at the store.

By incorporating these tips into your holiday traditions, you will create lasting memories, instill valuable lessons and celebrate the joy of giving with your family.

 
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Give the Gift of Better Mornings This Holiday Season
(StatePoint) The holiday season is the perfect time to show your friends and family you care about their well-being. And what better way to do that than with the gift of better mornings? From stay-at-home parents to nine-to-fivers, here are three gift ideas that will improve the early hours of their day.

1. Rise and shine: A morning is only as good as the night of sleep that preceded it. With a Restore device from Hatch, included wind down routines, soothing music, guided sleep exercises and sleep stories and sounds, can make falling and staying asleep easier at night. In the morning, an alarm light with 22 different colors makes for a gentler, individualized wake-up call, setting the tone for a peaceful and productive day.

2. The perfect cup of coffee: Those who like to linger over their morning cup of joe, or those who easily get distracted mid-cup by work tasks, meetings or parenting duties, know all too well that a great cup of coffee can lose its steam by the time it’s able to be enjoyed. Now, there is a solution for keeping one’s favorite hot beverage the perfect temperature -- from first sip to last. Nextmug, a ceramic, temperature-controlled, self-heating mug, maintains an individual’s beverage at their ideal temperature for hours. This eliminates trips to the microwave to reheat cold coffee, and means that whether one is stuck in an in-person meeting or a video call, their beverage will stay the right temperature the entire time. With three settings, Warm (130 degrees), Hot (140 degrees) and Piping (150 degrees), there is room to customize one’s drink and enjoy it for hours. Ideal for home, the office or the home office, you can brighten and improve mornings, wherever they take place. To learn more, visit nextmug.com.

3. Jazz up the shower: Take shower time to new heights by letting your loved one bring their favorite audio entertainment in there with them, be it an intellectually stimulating podcast that broadens their horizons or their favorite pop tunes. For students, this gift could even improve their academic success. With so many textbooks now available as audio recordings, shower time can become an opportunity to creatively squeeze in a study session and brush up on the latest material. Just make sure the speaker is listed as safe for the shower and that it can be hung or mounted easily.

This holiday season, brighten your loved ones’ year ahead with gifts that make mornings easier, and more joyful and productive.

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The Best Holiday Gifts for Teachers
(StatePoint) Have some teachers in your life? Use this subject-by-subject holiday gift guide to help them level up their lesson plans:

History

Spark a vibrant classroom discussion every day with the History Channel’s This Day in History boxed calendar. Featuring brief explanations of extraordinary happenings throughout the ages -- from groundbreaking inventions to declarations of war -- teachers, and their students -- will be treated to a breadth of information that can deepen their understanding of world events, all before they even begin their official coursework.

STEM

The latest enhancement to the scientific calculator is the fx-991CW ClassWiz from Casio, a gift well-suited for any advanced high school- or college-level math, science or engineering instructor. With an all-new quadruple graded LCD display and intuitive design, users will be able to easily find their cursor while writing and modifying expressions. Its circular, convex buttons prevent the mis-keying of information, helping teachers ace their lectures and demonstrations. With the ability to store up to nine variables, which can contain integers, computations, and functions that will persist in the calculator’s memory between uses, teachers will be ready to pick up where they left off between class sessions. By partnering the ClassWiz with an internet-capable mobile device, solutions can be graphed and visualized through ClassPad.net, a free online tool that supports student learning by offering a clean and versatile workspace for computation, graphing, geometry, statistics and more.

English

Keep English teachers excited about their subject matter with Book of the Month. This service offers subscribers a choice of one of five to seven fiction books each month. Books range from literary fiction to thrillers and even YA to interest readers of all kinds. As the gift giver, you can choose between a 3-, 6- or 12-book membership, which recipients can receive at their own pace. Who knows? Your gift may just motivate them to create their own after school book club that will inspire their students to engage with literature on a deeper level.

Physical Education

Whether they’re running drills, refereeing the game or simply getting the class’s attention, your favorite PE teacher or team coach will feel their most official with a custom engraved whistle. Personalized with their name and favorite sport, they’ll feel both loved and appreciated on the court and field, and the results will show all season long.

This holiday season, get creative with your gift-giving, finding meaningful gifts for teachers who are passionate about what they do.

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How to Set Up the Ultimate Workstation for Kids at Home
(StatePoint) Want to help guarantee your child’s academic success? While you can’t control what goes on in the classroom, you can facilitate their study time at home by setting up an A+ workstation. Here’s how:

1. Choose a location: Select a location that’s well-lit, preferably with some natural light, and away from noise and distractions. Whether it’s your child’s bedroom or a corner of the dining area, the area should be large enough for all their supplies and tech to stay organized.

2. Use color wisely: Research has shown that certain colors have the power to boost productivity and creativity or promote a sense of calm. Decorating the space with care could potentially help your student weather crunch periods with ease. You may also opt to color code binders, dividers and other supplies by coursework so that your child can quickly identify the items they need.

3. Update tech: Equip the workstation with the latest technology and educational tools. For easy essay composition, your child’s suite of devices should include a tablet or laptop and a printer. To get your student prepped for math and science classes, be sure to supply them with a graphing calculator featuring the latest capabilities. The fx9750GIII, for example, is not only stylishly available in trending colors, it’s capable of programming in CASIO Basic and MicroPython. Python files are easily stored and transferred via USB to a computer. With graph and statistical functions, exam compatibility mode and a suite educational resources, your student will be well prepared to take on all their STEM coursework and test prep.

4. Prevent clutter: Clutter can pile up all too easily, making it difficult to find notes and assignments. Keep the mess to a minimum with the addition of a few organizational tools. Hang a corkboard to post reminders and to-do lists. Add wall shelving or a sorting tray to keep papers filed by subject area or due date, and use small baskets or cups to collect erasers, paper clips and other small supplies. Finally, be sure the workstation has its own waste bin, so that items that are no longer needed can be efficiently tossed or recycled.

5. Consider ergonomics: Eliminate distractions by making sure the workstation is ergonomic-friendly and comfy. If your child sits at a desk, ensure their computer monitor is at eye level and that their feet touch the floor. Adjustable laptop tables can transform a makeshift work area on the couch or bed into a comfortable workstation.

By setting up a dedicated homework area designed for productivity, you can help your student make the grade.

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