Boomer Yearbook Blog » Christmas http://boomeryearbook.com/blog Connecting Boomers for Fun and Profit Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:24:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Hangover Cures: The Best and The Worst http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/25/hangover-cures-the-best-and-the-worst/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/25/hangover-cures-the-best-and-the-worst/#comments Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:38:26 +0000 German Roig http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5941 Hangover Cures-The Best and Worst: BoomerYearbook.com

Hangover Cures-The Best and Worst: BoomerYearbook.com

This series of articles from Boomer Yearbook explores the fascinating and varied behavioral patterns that occur when baby boomers are affected by outside events, or by the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced by men of the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: Boomer Yearbook’s Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation

Hangover Cures: The Best and The Worst

Psychological Articles by Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Any self respecting baby boomer with experience of the psychedelic zoom of the sixties and seventies will remember all too well what a bad hangover feels like! It feels like death, that’s what it feels like! A really bad hangover can have all the symptoms of serious disease and knowing it was self inflicted brings surprisingly little comfort!

Part of formulating a cure entails knowing what alcohol does to your body. Psychological articles state the main problem as being that alcohol severely dehydrates, so all the best hangover remedies include re-hydrating your poor abused bod and waiting for improvements.

Anyone who drinks regularly will tell you that a good dose of junk food with a generous helping of grease will help. It certainly can make you feel better but it is not necessarily providing the internal environment your body needs to recover properly from an excess of alcohol.

Hangover Cures-The Best and Worst: BoomerYearbook.com

Hangover Cures-The Best and Worst: BoomerYearbook.com

A side product of alcohol is acetaldehyde, responsible for making the nervous system twitchy and producing mild depression for someone trying to recover from too much alcohol. It’s unpleasant, producing dreadful headaches and a loss of balance. No wonder you feel like hell! Dry mouth; nausea; stomach cramps; high temperature – if you look them up online, the symptoms are similar to those experienced during the early stages of cholera.

Okay, so enough of the lectures, let’s consider some remedies:

Coffee is a no-no, despite it being the most attractive option. It’s a diuretic, dum-dum! The Hair of The Dog is also a bad idea – it’s like trying to cure a broken leg by breaking the other leg! Water is good: plenty of it.

Try mixing in a blender a banana; strawberries; a tablespoon of honey; a pinch of salt; milk, a tomato and orange juice. It sounds disgusting but it actually tastes okay. Drink it with a tablet dose of concentrated vitamin C. Wait for developments.

The ice pack is always soothing. However, be warned that the ice pack on the head cure has been tried by baby boomer drinkers the World over and found to be ineffective for a serious headache, requiring the application of additional restoratives. Never apply the ice pack directly to the head; always wrap it in a towel and apply for twenty minute intervals only to avoid causing an ice ‘burn’ to your skin.

Baby boomer women in the Australian outback swear by a wool shed concoction called ‘The Quick and The Dead’ – consisting of a vile mixture of egg yolks mixed with bicarbonate of soda, milk and brandy. Needless to say, the potion induces vomiting, hence the recipe name (if you’re not quick, you’ll be dead) – a fine example of the cure being worse than the disease!

Baby boomer parties of the late twentieth Century prompted detailed research into the effects of alcohol and it has become apparent that people who are under weight suffer more than those who are carrying extra weight. Great – drunk AND fat!

Psychological articles note that as with all things, prevention of the effects of alcohol is better than cure and there are ways to prepare for a night of heavy drinking that will limit the damage.

The Psychological Article on Hangover Cures: The Best and The Worst is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

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How to Escape a Hangover: Pre Party Precautions http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/25/how-to-escape-a-hangover-pre-party-precautions/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/25/how-to-escape-a-hangover-pre-party-precautions/#comments Fri, 25 Dec 2009 18:36:38 +0000 Administrator http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5945 How to escape the party hangover: BoomerYearbook.com

How to escape the party hangover: BoomerYearbook.com

This series of articles from Boomer Yearbook explores the fascinating and varied behavioral patterns that occur when baby boomers are affected by outside events, or by the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced by men of the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: Boomer Yearbook’s Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation

How to Escape a Hangover: Pre Party Precautions

Psychological Articles by Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Surprisingly, a lady baby boomer is less likely to take pre party precautions against the effects of alcohol than a male baby boomer. Why should that be? Perhaps because in the hours before a party or social gathering, ladies are concerned with their appearance or arranging baby sitting or fixing snacks for the children – rushing through a dozen tasks prior to going out for the evening and possibly neglecting the opportunity to safeguard against a hangover the following day.

Serious party goers have actually been known to drink before they leave the house. This practice of ‘kick starting’ an evening is extremely stupid and bound to cause long term problems over time. Some people do this to combat nervousness or shyness, finding the alcohol slightly sedating. Far from drinking alcohol before the evening commences party goers should eat rather than drink, to help ward off some seriously unpleasant symptoms of hangover.

It is a fact that food helps with a hangover and it makes the symptoms less unpleasant. But whatever you eat before you drink alcohol will make you feel infinitely less like death in the morning. Take the opportunity to eat something before going out drinking, especially if you know there will be little food served at the party. A sandwich and a glass of orange juice is a great pre-fixative for an evening’s drinking, as the carbohydrate and the Vitamin C helps the system cope with the alcohol. A well fed baby boomer is less likely to suffer in the morning!

Assuming you have managed to squeeze in a small sandwich and a glass or orange juice, go ahead and primp yourself up for the best party ever, but before you step out of the front door, drink a full glass of water too. When you are agonizing over what to wear and whether the cab is going to show up on time it is easy to forget you need to take care of yourself we are told in psychological articles, but observing these eating and drinking rituals before going out will reap benefits in the morning.

The baby boomer party attitude is traditionally one of abandonment but as we get older we need to take care of our party equipment to ensure it stays in shape for many years in the future! People who try the eating and drinking ritual before going out invariably adopt it as habit once they experience the difference in how they feel the next day.

Alcohol is a diuretic, according to psychological articles that explore the effects it has upon the fragile human frame! Realistically we all like to drink – thus we at BoomerYearbook.com think it makes sense to prevent rather than cure!

The Psychological Article on How to Escape a Hangover: Pre Party Precautions is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

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The Hair of The Dog: Does It Work? http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/19/the-hair-of-the-dog-does-it-work/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/19/the-hair-of-the-dog-does-it-work/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:49:26 +0000 Administrator http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5934 The Hair of the Dog: BoomerYearbook.com

The Hair of the Dog: BoomerYearbook.com

This series of articles from Boomer Yearbook explores the fascinating and varied behavioral patterns that occur when baby boomers are affected by outside events, or by the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced by men of the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: Boomer Yearbook’s Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation

The Hair of The Dog: Does It Work?

Nope.

By Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Well, I guess we should elaborate a little – otherwise there will be nothing for you to read!

The baby boomer set has become synonymous with parties; having a great time; Woodstock; rock concerts; a wild and wonderful generation of sociable and friendly party animals with a taste for great music and great conversation. We start the parties, we keep them going and we truly earn our reputation for being the good time Charlies that rocked the World with our radical views and our unique understanding of how to enjoy life.

Enjoying life is great but it comes with a few drawbacks, not the least of which is alcohol and its effects on bodies that are not getting any younger. As we reach fifty, sixty and seventy, we continue to enjoy our friends and take the opportunity to celebrate at the slightest excuse – birthdays; Christmas; anniversaries; New Year and a long list of other occasions we cannot let pass by without some liquid refreshment to oil the conversation and lift everyone’s mood.

Our baby boomer philosophy on being sociable is flawless but so many of us suffer the after effects of late nights and too much alcohol in pursuit of having a good time. As the years roll by and these effects become more intrusive, we try all kinds of post party hangover remedies, the most popular being ‘The Hair of The Dog’.

‘The Hair of The Dog That Bit You’ is simply a euphemism for topping up alcohol levels that are already too high. Certainly you might feel better momentarily, for a few hours even, as the intoxicating effect of more alcohol lulls you into a false sense of well being. Sooner or later, however, you will pay an even higher price for adding fuel to the flame!

Alcohol is dehydrating. The more alcohol you put into your system, the more you will have to negate its effects. Psychological articles tell us that there is a steely stubborn determination in the average baby boomer to celebrate life with alcohol whenever the opportunity presents, despite the after burn we experience on a regular basis! One of the symptoms of getting older is our inability to cope with the influence of alcohol on our systems.

There are some preventative measures that may be taken to try to limit the effects of an excess of alcohol, such as eating a meal before we drink heavily and making sure we have plenty of water with whatever we drink – even more before we retire for the night. Problems pop up when we eat socially because we are then at the mercy of our hosts who serve alcohol before dinner and then serve dinner late; or restaurant late service.

The baby boomer generation continues to drink the Hair of The Dog in the hope of putting off the evil symptoms of hangover. There’s only one word for it – cheers!

The Psychological Article on The Hair of The Dog: Does It Work? is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

byb-ChristmasCard

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

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The Holly and the Ivy and the Blow Up Plastic Flashing Santa http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/the-holly-and-the-ivy-and-the-blow-up-plastic-flashing-santa/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/the-holly-and-the-ivy-and-the-blow-up-plastic-flashing-santa/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:25:03 +0000 http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5888
BoomerYearbook.com
BoomerYearbook.com

Articles from Boomeryearbook.com explore the fascinating and varied behavioral patterns that occur when families are affected by outside events, or by the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced in the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: The Boomeryearbook.com Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation.

Psychological Articles by Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Christmas decorations in pre baby boomer years were mostly home made; paper chains and prickly holly wreaths the mailman complained about as he tried to squeeze Christmas cards through the letter box, getting skewered on the holly in the process!

Christmas stockings pinned to the mantel were actual old stockings, washed and patched and pressed into Christmas service; childish drawings were used for Christmas cards and sprinkled with glitter which spread all over the house each time an open door or window created a breeze! Our modern day decorations are sophisticated and undeniably gorgeous.

Those of us who aspire to discreet Christmas decorations are at variance with the ‘Christmas tackiness brigade’ and the clash of interests can be interesting at this time of year, according to psychological articles.

Some people have a flair for decorating their home at Christmas time. There is no doubt about it that some baby boomers have perfected the art of classy Christmas adornment. The door wreath is perfect and fragrant with just the right amount of color; the staircase is decked with evergreen and color matched bouquets to compliment the décor; the tree is correctly balanced with fat bows of wide Christmas ribbon, wired to produce the best effect and stay in shape; the Christmas lights are the tiniest and brightest, winking cosily in the firelight. No trace of tattering! No angel hair drunkenly wafting around the sitting room – no red or green foil hanging lanterns!

Other baby boomers have a different agenda when it comes to Christmas cheer. They deliberately seek out the worst possible clashing colors and Christmas novelties to deck the house with the noisiest and most intrusive crackerjack pendants; red and white painted Santa faces; spray on snow that adheres to the windows and won’t come off no matter how you scrape and rub; racing roof lights that make the house resemble a highway truck stop diner.

The worst possible tacky Christmas decoration must be the blow up plastic flashing Santa; the bouncing red and white clad effigy of Father Christmas, usually super sized, crawling up the side of the house or positioned to look as if he is about to topple down the chimney. He is large; he is garish; he is ugly; he has no trace of good taste about his person; he is irresistible to baby boomers on a mission to destroy every vestige of good taste in Christmas decoration!!

Psychological articles claim that people with a conflict of taste, not only in décor but also in Christmas trimmings, clash horribly at this time of year and fail to agree on just about every aspect of Christmas, from the size of the tree to the color of the candles on the table!

If you live in a house with a tasteless magnet, try to exercise a little tolerant diplomacy this year – even flashing Santas need love!

The Psychological Article on The Holly and the Ivy and the Blow Up Plastic Flashing Santa is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

byb-ChristmasCard

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

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Token Gifts for Christmas: The Gifts We Never Gift Wrap http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/token-gifts-for-christmas-the-gifts-we-never-gift-wrap/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/token-gifts-for-christmas-the-gifts-we-never-gift-wrap/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:11:11 +0000 Administrator http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5884 Token Gifts for Christmas: BoomerYearbook.com

Token Gifts for Christmas: BoomerYearbook.com

Articles from Boomeryearbook.com explore the fascinating and varied behavioral patterns that occur when families are affected by outside events, or by the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced in the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: The Boomeryearbook.com Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation.

Psychological Articles by Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

There are some things that come at a very high price: personal loss; bereavement; divorce; financial hardship. We can do nothing about many of the worries our friends and family are struggling to cope with this Christmas. Or can we?

Psychological articles that teach us about pride tell us that paying our Grandmother’s heating bill is a kindness but it can also lead to her experiencing a loss of dignity and distress at having to resort to a ‘hand out’ to help her out of trouble. Baby boomers with a genuine desire to help might also run into difficulties when trying to alleviate suffering for someone else.

There is a long list of opportunities for those discreet and silent gifts that are never gift wrapped and never mentioned before other people. Paying the car insurance; fixing the roof; paying the school fees; helping to make home made gifts for a friend who cannot afford to buy any this year; driving an elderly friend to the shops so they can do their own shopping; baby sitting for a pal so she can spend a rare evening out on a Christmas treat with her husband.

These things are never gift wrapped yet always appreciated so much more than the standard box of chocolates or a bottle of perfume. They might be unorthodox gifts but they are sometimes more appreciated as they produce that warmth of feeling we all love. Baby boomers adore Christmas and being a social bunch, love the trappings of Christmas more than any other generation. We invented the tackiest Christmas decorations ever!

For people who are having a hard time this year, the silent and unwrapped gift is the best option. Psychological articles observe that a favor or kindness to a friend can create positive emotions for both the giver and the receiver. Taking a friend with financial problems out to lunch is thoughtful but not always appropriate – the friend might feel ‘compromised’ if they cannot reciprocate – but
going on a forest hunt for pine cones to make a home made Christmas wreath will produce the same warm companionship and not embarrass anyone. Especially if it is followed by a guilty sharing of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows!

Holiday Love: BoomerYearbook.com

Holiday Love: BoomerYearbook.com

It is always better to adopt some tact and diplomacy when dealing with elderly people who need help at this time of year. Financial help is an especially touchy area and baby boomers feeling a cash gift is the only sensible option should be as casual as possible and do not make it a big production – the more fuss made, the worse the person will feel.

Try presenting cash gifts in a festive card – baby boomers are resourceful enough to know how to make a money gift acceptable for people who need the financial help more than another Christmas gadget.

byb-ChristmasCard

The Psychological Article on Token Gifts for Christmas: The Gifts We Never Gift Wrap is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

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Getting Back to Normal After Christmas: Coping with Post Christmas Loss After the Kids Go Back to College http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/getting-back-to-normal-after-christmas-coping-with-post-christmas-loss-after-the-kids-go-back-to-college/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/getting-back-to-normal-after-christmas-coping-with-post-christmas-loss-after-the-kids-go-back-to-college/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:19:44 +0000 http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5880 Post Christmas Blues: BoomerYearbook.com

Post Christmas Blues: BoomerYearbook.com

Articles from Boomeryearbook.com explore the fascinating and varied behavioral patterns that occur when families are affected by outside events, or by the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced in the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: The Boomeryearbook.com Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation.

Psychological Articles By Dr. Karen of BoomerYearbook.com

Christmas is the favorite time of year for so many of us and it’s no wonder! Whether we live in a hot or cold climate during the festive season, there is something about the traditions of Christmas that brings out emotions in all of us and sends us running to the shops for tinsel early December, no matter how hard we try to be cynical!

Christmas festivities are usually left to the lady of the house, although there are a few gentlemen baby boomers who undertake plenty of Christmas preparations such as hauling home the Christmas tree and buying the biggest turkey in the free world. However, psychological articles tell us that the more we do to make our family Christmas the best ever, the harder we come down to earth when the festivities are all over and it is time for visiting family to return from whence they came…

It is the eternal ‘Cinderella’s pumpkin’ effect – sooner or later, the pretty baubles and the nodding Santa on the porch and the evergreen with twinkling lights that make the hearth look so beautiful must come down and be replaced with the trappings of normality. The silk Christmas roses are carefully re-folded and returned to their tissue-lined boxes; the chandelier is carefully stripped of mistletoe; Christmas ribbons and crystals are rolled up and packed away till next year; the delicious left over festive foods in the refrigerator are hastily eaten before they spoil.

Psychological articles claim that the very worst aspect of post Christmas blues is the disappearance of loved ones back to work, or college, or elderly baby boomer grandparents travel back to nursing care homes, or their comfortable ‘apartment for one’ in the city. We wave them off, knowing we will probably not see them again until the next special occasion. Baby boomers are great at entertaining family and talented at making other people feel comfortable and in the holiday spirit – it’s not easy to come to terms with the anti climax of early January!

How do we cope with it? Perhaps we should stop them from leaving! Well – perhaps not… Lives have to be lived, after all! The best way to cope with the post Christmas blues is to stay focused and busy and turn to the tasks put off before Christmas to occupy our time and take our minds off missing absent family. As psychological articles inform the sharpest sense of loss is certainly felt by Mom baby boomers saying goodbye to kids leaving for college after the winter break. Mothers conquer their ‘empty nest’ emotions with some difficulty when their children leave home to be educated elsewhere. Those feelings of loss return after a long holiday period; especially Christmas when so many happy celebrations take place to enhance the holiday mood.

Cheer up, Mom – they’ll be home again soon, dragging three months laundry behind them and begging for a bigger allowance!

byb-ChristmasCard

The Psychological Article on Getting Back to Normal After Christmas: Coping with Post Christmas Loss After the Kids Go Back to College is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

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Homemade Gifts for Christmas – The Gift of Your Time http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/homemade-gifts-for-christmas-%e2%80%93-the-gift-of-your-time/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/homemade-gifts-for-christmas-%e2%80%93-the-gift-of-your-time/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:07:45 +0000 http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5876 Home Made Christmas Gifts: BoomerYearbook.com

Home Made Christmas Gifts: BoomerYearbook.com

Articles from Boomeryearbook.com explore the fascinating and varied behavioral patterns that occur when families are affected by outside events, or by the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced in the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: The Boomeryearbook.com Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation.


By Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

There are so many wonderful things you can make with so little skill it hardly seems necessary to venture into the shops at all but the truth is that these gifts cost in other ways – blood, sweat and tears and also that precious commodity psychological articles tell us everyone has so little of – TIME!

One of the really beautiful gifts that can be home made are salt dough figures that can be baked in the oven to harden and then painted with paint and glitter to make gorgeous Christmas decorations – a great gift for grandparents who are baby boomers and annoyingly seem to have everything else. If you have a local market where you can buy wicker tubs or baskets, they are really the most beautiful gifts when filled with not just goodies but FAVORITE goodies, decorated with your little salt dough trims.

Make beautiful gift ties out of old necklace beads and crystals and baby ribbon – they look super expensive and require five extra minutes. Baby boomers always have old costume jewelry hiding in the attic – make use of all that hoarded history and turn it into great gift garnish! If you have run out of ribbon rosettes or bows, cut a sprig of evergreen from somewhere in the garden and tie some brightly wrapped candy with string around the sprigs before taping them to your parcels. For extra effect, sprinkle with glitter.

Home made chocolate truffles taste the best when they are home made and especially if they come in those cute home made gift boxes – you can get patterns free online from craft pages and keep the kids quiet for hours making them. Home made preserves should be finished with brightly colored gingham lid covers and tied with pine cones, cinnamon sticks and bright red or green ribbon to look inviting and delicious.

Psychological articles teach us that the aroma of Christmas food is heady and has associations with childhood. Cakes; Christmas mulled wine; fudge; coconut ice; Turkish delight; gingerbread cookies; shortcake; rum and raisin toffee and fruit cake are all things that can make great gifts and appreciated far more than a ‘here today gone tomorrow’ plastic gadget. The gift of your time is so much more precious.

A bottle of wine for older baby boomers is a lovely present but if it is wrapped imaginatively it can look like a work of art – buy and wash some second hand doll’s clothes and dress the bottle – the results are hilarious! A false moustache and a brightly colored scarf on a bottle of Tequila can make a great present!

Bedroom slippers are great to receive as a gift but a little boring – try making homemade soap (recipes found online) and wrap the slippers with a matching towel and face cloth – it’s fragrant, original and different to anything you find in the shops.

byb-ChristmasCard

Photographs are always useful when making homemade gifts, for collages; gracing home made photo frames, adding to key rings and putting inside new wallets or purses. Grandchildren’s photographs can be added to other presents for baby boomers, as part of the gift tag or something extra to enclose with another gift.

There is something rustic and beautiful about home made gifts clustered beneath a Christmas tree. They need not cost the earth but they mean the World.

 

The Psychological Article on Homemade Gifts for Christmas – The Gift of Your Time is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

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Baby Boomers Guide to The Worst Christmas Gifts Ever – What NOT to Buy http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/baby-boomers-guide-to-the-worst-christmas-gifts-ever-%e2%80%93-what-not-to-buy/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/12/11/baby-boomers-guide-to-the-worst-christmas-gifts-ever-%e2%80%93-what-not-to-buy/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:33:05 +0000 http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5869
Worst Christmas Gifts for Male Baby Boomers: BoomerYearbook.com
Worst Christmas Gifts for Male Baby Boomers: BoomerYearbook.com

Articles from Boomeryearbook.com explore the fascinating and varied behavioral patterns that occur when families are affected by outside events, or by the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced in the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: The Boomeryearbook.com Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation.

Psychological Articles by BoomerYearbook.com

The worst present buyers ever are men, is the general belief, but women can buy some howlers too.

One of the most difficult groups to buy gifts for is older men. Older female baby boomers can always find pleasure in a hand tied bouquet delivered to the door or a ticket to the ballet or the latest bestselling bodice ripping novel and festive bookmark. Men, true to form, can be quite a bit more difficult to please when it comes to the gift department.

The very worst possible gift for male baby boomers, according to countless surveys conducted over many Christmases, is the economy pack of socks or underwear, usually packed in jolly Santa cardboard sleeves and sporting some terrible Christmas jingle played on a recording that sets itself off during board meetings at ten minute intervals. Ditto for the novelty reindeer tie or waistcoat; garish, undeniably festive, yet absolutely unacceptable.

Cologne and after shave lotion or shaving balm is nice but so difficult to make the right choice for someone else and how awful to have to plough through a bathroom cabinet of unwanted gifts for the rest of the year! Gentleman baby boomers are old enough to need a whole closet in the bathroom by the time they reach their sixties! No, no, no…give it a miss this year!

A great gift for men that is always appreciated is a bottle of something delicious, but ONLY if you have first done your research to find out what the man likes to drink – getting a bottle of the one thing you really cannot stomach is the most chilling Christmas present imaginable!

BoomerYearbook.com

BoomerYearbook.com

The tool kit and the garage always seem an obvious place to start to buy gifts for men but in fact the array of tools and power accessories on the market can leave you reeling. Do not under any circumstances ask a store assistant’s advice in a hardware store – you’ll be there till next Christmas listening to the advantages of the bigger horse power version of whatever, and you might die of tedium while you wait.

Unless your man has stipulated a yearning for something particular – don’t go there! You can wander around the DIY department till sundown wondering whether to buy something that cuts, sucks or makes holes of different sizes in MDF. The other disadvantage of buying such gifts is that they weigh a ton to carry home – it’s all too stressful and psychological articles recommend we avoid the strain on our emotions; and try our best not to stereotype the men in our lives!

On the list of ‘don’t’ is also the game ticket for one! Never buy one ticket for a spectator sport (nobody to shout with; nobody to argue with and nobody to get drunk with). Buy two and he will be oh, so much happier!

Psychological articles on the male boomer psyche tell us that gadgets are always a good idea for men but, like the little boys most boomer males may still be, they are hard on batteries. Make sure gadgets run on rechargeable batteries or may be electrically recharged unless you want to see your expensive gift land in the gift graveyard by January.

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As worthwhile as charitable causes are, psychological articles inform us that most male baby boomers rarely have the same feel good attitude as female baby boomers regarding adopting a polar bear or saving a few whales to celebrate the festive season. If you want to see your husband or boyfriends’ facial expression fall down a yard, give him a gift to improve his soul and help save the planet…better to keep this as a joint gift for the two of you and follow the advice of psychological articles making sure he gets something he can drink, fly, play, eat or make a noise with!

Psychological articles say that Christmas comes but once a year – the rest of the time we spend wondering what to buy to celebrate it!

The Psychological Article on The Worst Christmas Gifts Ever – What NOT to Buy is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series ofbaby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!
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Santa’s Little Helper http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/11/30/santas-little-helper/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/11/30/santas-little-helper/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:38:29 +0000 http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5306
Santa's Little Helper: BoomerYearbook.com

Santa's Little Helper: BoomerYearbook.com


 

 Karen Turner, PhD of BoomerYearbook.com
 
Author Bio
 
Clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner has created a social network for baby boomers interested in meeting and connecting with generational peers. Boomer Yearbook focuses on joining boomers from around the world, providing fun, integrative and interactive features that optimize social and emotional wellness. As a psychologist, Dr. Karen’s goal is to provide free challenging brain games, informational newsletters on life, professional coaching, boomer relevant forums, the latest news on cosmetic surgery and skin enhancements as well as health and wellness features that may maximize learning and functioning.
 
 
 
 
 
Santa’s Little Helper

 

Baby boomers, especially Moms, are up there with Santa’s Elves when it comes to getting an enormous number of tasks completed in time for Christmas.  The countdown starts in November, somewhere between Halloween and New Years and each day there seems to be a Christmas blind panic moment as we realise we have forgotten to order, buy, ice or stuff something in preparation for the big day.

 

Christmas is always a special family time and it is easy to understand why everyone loves the twinkling lights; Christmas roses; the smell of mince pies baking on an icy cold day; a roaring and welcoming fire wafting the aroma of cinnamon and pine through the house; snow falling; Christmas carols and dozens of brightly wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree.

 

These things don’t just arrive by auto-suggestion, unfortunately: someone has to make the effort to shop and organise and cook and arrange the hundreds of elements that go into a successful family Christmas and deal with the disasters along the way.  That someone is usually you! 

 

Retail marketing experts know exactly where our buttons are and start to push them in September when the first tentative boxes of Christmas crackers appear next to the check out in the supermarket, forcing us to mentally schedule the Christmas agenda of tasks to be completed.  For many baby boomers, Christmas entails booking flights for elderly relatives; arranging for train connections and airport pickups and decorating the guest room in time to receive Christmas visitors.  The ‘to do’ shopping list is endless!

 

One of the uglier aspects of Christmas shopping is the ‘proxy gift buying’ that goes on in so many families – Mom buys gifts for Grandma on behalf of the kids; gifts for the kids on behalf of Dad; gifts for Aunt Mabel on behalf of everyone else and the worst – gifts for herself from Dad!  This is absolutely the saddest moment of Christmas when baby boomer Mom is sent out to buy her own gift from her husband – ‘yeah whatever you want, Hon, you know what you like’ (Creep…)

 

This Christmas, think of the effort Mom puts in for everyone and take the ten minutes to buy her something thoughtful and have it nicely wrapped: it’s the least you should do.  Teach younger family members the importance of thoughtful gift giving; it will stay with them forever.

 

At what should be one of the more joyful times of the year, so many family arguments and disagreements color the holidays for baby boomer Moms who spend half their time in diplomatic arbitration between the in laws and the children or the husband and the mother in law, or whomever… Christmas brings out the best and the worst in just about everyone but if a mature effort is made by all, family gatherings can be enriching and enjoyable. Those who take the opportunity to air family grievances at Christmas need to rethink their priorities and remember there are some people who have to spend every Christmas alone.

 

The designer Christmas tree is usually a bone of contention at this time of year.  In so many homes, the children are prohibited from going anywhere near the perfectly arranged Christmas tree with its Versace or Swarovski crystal baubles that cost a small fortune.  Some have a ‘designated’ Christmas tree for children; solely theirs to decorate with their childish paper chains and home made gingerbread decorations, with a separate tree for everyone else to be pretentious about.  Ugh!  Not the spirit of Christmas but it works for some!

 

One of the greatest Christmas cooking tips of all time is: eat out.  Just kidding… It is easier for baby boomer mothers with a large family to schedule Christmas dinner for the evening rather than the traditional lunchtime or mid afternoon banquet.  This gives more preparation hours, allowing small gaps for playing board games with the kids; opening gifts; imbibing a festive cocktail or two and generally enjoying the Christmas cheer the rest of the family take for granted.  Be careful how many cocktails you consume on an empty stomach though, especially if you want to avoid napalming the turkey by accidentally grilling instead of roasting!

 

Delegation is everything: involve the rest of the family, right down to the youngest, in preparing the Christmas feast, even if it is only washing a few vegetables; setting and clearing the table or folding napkins. Make it clear that shirkers will be severely dealt with and resolve to abolish baby boomer Christmas slavery once and for all!

 

Young children can be a handful on Christmas day.  Around two o’clock, childish tempers become frayed and this is usually the result of being too tired, too warm and too hungry.  Most children stay up far too late (Santa watching) on Christmas Eve, resulting in broken sleep and over tiredness.  Make the effort to ensure that little kids are taken out for some exercise and that their tummies are topped up with some nourishing sandwiches if there is a long wait until dinner. Detail someone to take them out with the dogs for a walk and to work up a good appetite!

 

To keep the party atmosphere sweet, try to separate a play area for very young children so that elderly guests can have a little peace and quiet.  In smaller homes this is not always possible but most people have a bedroom or den where youngsters can play with their new and noisy acquisitions without deafening everyone else. 

 

A word of caution: Christmas food is yummy but if you overeat and drink too much you are likely to miss out on so much Christmas fun by having to sleep through the rest of the party. Snacking throughout the day and following up with enough food to feed a small country is asking for trouble for digestive systems of all ages!

 

A warm home with plenty of love in it – try this perfect and timeless recipe for an outstanding Christmas, this and every year…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Santa Baby: The Five Sexiest Christmas Gifts for Women http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/11/24/santa-baby-the-five-sexiest-christmas-gifts-for-women/ http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/2009/11/24/santa-baby-the-five-sexiest-christmas-gifts-for-women/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:53:35 +0000 Administrator http://boomeryearbook.com/blog/?p=5253 Santa Baby: The Five Sexiest Christmas Gifts for Women: BoomerYearbook.com

Santa Baby: The Five Sexiest Christmas Gifts for Women: BoomerYearbook.com

This series of articles from Boomer Yearbook explores the fascinating and varied sexual behavioral patterns that occur as a result of the impact of the modern World; the challenges faced by men and women of the new age and the hurdles that must be addressed: Boomer Yearbook’s Guide and Coaching Strategy for the baby boomer generation.

Dr. Karen for BoomerYearbook.com

Let’s begin with the UNsexiest Christmas gifts, and pay attention boys! Psychological articles recommend that buying your lady an inappropriate Christmas gift could seriously damage your health…

• Kitchenalia: This includes toasters; blenders; food processors and especially new saucepans. Lady baby boomers do not wish to see anything that grates, cuts, chops or juices under the Christmas tree.
• Handkerchieves: Who uses handkerchieves nowadays apart from elderly people who should be persuaded that tissues are more hygienic?
• Practical pyjamas: PYGAMAS?! What were you thinking?! Ditto slippers.
• Socks: Socks are everyday wear and should not be given as gifts, especially at Christmas and never to ladies.
• Cookbooks: (See Kitchenalia). Groan… We are not interested in what you want to eat! Well, perhaps we are but not at Christmas and not as part of a thoughtful Christmas gift. Save the cookbooks for Valentine’s Day (uh – no that was a joke…)

The sexy stuff is what makes the World go round for lady baby boomers with a taste for romance. However, it is important when buying sexy presents for ladies to bear in mind that not every push up balcony black lace bra and matching thong will be to your lady’s taste. If you are in the least unsure about what your lady likes to wear in the undergarment section, do yourself a favor and stay well clear of the lingerie department.

If you insist that sexy undies are the way forward, remember that ladies lingerie stores are patronized mostly by ladies shopping for themselves – don’t handle the merchandise; don’t loiter near the changing cubicles and don’t ogle other shoppers to try to guess their size – it’s rude and might land you in trouble, so ask the sales assistant for help. Psychological articles show us that a great number of obsessive personalities start their careers in lingerie departments!

Safe bets

• Many lady baby boomers like soft white cotton nightwear and expensive, high thread cotton or embroidered bed linen. Yummy.
• Perfume, French and plenty of it. Do not under any circumstances buy the smallest size available unless you want to join the turkey in the oven.
• Theatre tickets. Okay these are borderline sexy but many lady baby boomers like to get them
• Jewelry. Same rules as perfume but not necessarily French.
• Chocolates; sexy pillows; music CDs; books and leather goods are all welcome but only in quantity.

Gift wrap absolutely everything. If you cannot gift wrap, ask a friend to help you.

Merry Christmas Santa Baby!

The Psychological Article on Santa Baby: The Five Sexiest Christmas Gifts for Women is part of Boomer Yearbook’s continuing series of baby boomers psychological coaching tips and how to alleviate elderly problems. We believe knowledge is power. We’d love to hear what you think.

Boomer Yearbook is a Social Network and Psychological Articles for Baby Boomers. Connect with old and new friends, or expand your mind and ward off senior moments and elderly problems with dream analysis and online optical illusions and brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join other Baby Boomers to stay informed, receive weekly Newsfeeds, and let your opinions be heard. Baby boomers changed the world. We’re not done yet!

signup

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