[article] Early Christmas Shopping, Key to a Happy Holiday

Author: Thomas Bronson

If you are one of those people who gets their Christmas shopping done early every year, you probably find yourself getting a great deal of mean looks from others around the holiday season. This is especially true if you make a habit of letting others know you have already finished your Christmas shopping. This happens because the vast majority of people do not get their Christmas shopping done early and may be envious of those who manage to finish their shopping early. The fact that most Christmas shoppers wait until the last minute is evident by the crowds who flock to malls and shopping centers in the final days before Christmas.

If you are one of these people who always finishes their Christmas shopping early you may already have a method to accomplishing this goal. However, if you are like the majority of people who spend every year last minute Christmas shopping this article will provide you with some tips for getting your Christmas shopping done early this year.

One of the best ways to get your Christmas shopping done early is to try to do a great deal of Christmas shopping for the next year in the first few days after Christmas. Although the stores are usually quite crowded on these days there is not the same sense of urgency which prevails in the days just before Christmas so the atmosphere is more relaxed. Additionally, many stores are holding sales so not only can you do a large portion of your shopping but you are also likely to save a great deal of money in the process. The first few days after Christmas are an excellent time to shop because you are likely still in the Christmas spirit.

Another way to get your Christmas shopping done early is to plan on doing all of your Christmas shopping online this year. This is an excellent idea because most retailers will wrap the item for you and ship it directly to the recipient. You will pay a little more for these services but the convenience of not having to do the wrapping yourself or stand in long lines at the post office is certainly worth the extra fee. Committing to Christmas shopping online really helps you to get you shopping done early because you know you have to make your purchases early in order for them to arrive on time.

Think about the following alternative of planning for an early Christmas shopping: Whenever you are shopping for a gift for a family member, friends or relatives for his or her upcoming birthday, you can only search for an extra gift for that person in the same trip. The idea behind this alternative is to make you to get your Christmas shopping done early by giving away one gift for the intended recipient on his or her birthday while reserving another gift for the Christmas season. Although this plan is fairly straightforward and simple, this plan has been proven effective and well-received by most early shoppers who do not find themselves rushing for the last minute shopping; yet, finding the best gift for each person on their name lists. Nevertheless, you should also remember to plan early for the late December birthdays shopping to be done in November or even earlier in order to beat the crowd at the shopping centers and malls. You will be surprised to find that before the Christmas fall, you have an accumulation of Christmas gifts for your loved ones.



Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/early-christmas-shopping-key-to-a-happy-holiday-117536.html

About the Author:

Thomas Bronson manages an ecommerce website that specializes in a number of different gift baskets such as gourmet gift baskets, chocolate gift baskets, fruit gift baskets and so on. His store is located at http://www.giftbasketsaffair.com

[article] Christmas Light Bulbs

Author: Kimberly Quang

Few things can be more frustrating than Christmas lights. Bulbs short out, wires fray and tangle, plugs bend and break. And even once these problems are straightened out, mounting the bulbs into orderly rows can be a challenge all its own!

Don't fret! If you are looking for hard-to-find replacement Christmas light bulbs or related accessories, from bulbs to mounting clips, timers and power strips, the full online selection of Christmas light accessory products can help you overcome all of the obstacles that might stand in the way of your holiday decorating visions.

Replacement Christmas Light Bulbs.

C7 and C9 light bulbs are the most commonly used light bulb for Christmas applications such as string or rope lighting. Ranging between 5 and 7 watts, these energy-efficient bulbs may be either transparent or double-dipped in special coatings that give them bright colors when lit. "Twinkle" Christmas bulbs and ceramic Christmas light bulbs are also available in C7 and C9 sizes.

If you are using heavy duty Christmas light string, we have a range of long life bulb options appropriate to this as well. The intermediate base, medium base and candelabra base bulbs from American lighting are built to last-rated at 8000 hours each!

Christmas Light Bulb Brackets & Mounting Clips.

As Christmas nears along with its accompanying decorating challenges, you might begin thinking about how you are going to display your string lights. Don't give into the temptation to rely upon nails or other quick fixes to mount each Christmas light bulb on the string. Nails or tacks give you little control over the direction of the bulb, and can result in an unsightly mess.

There are a few different types of mounting clips for C7 & C9 Christmas light bulbs, which come in packs of 100. It is a good idea to look carefully at the different brackets available, and consider which would be the best option for your given application. C9 or C7 Christmas light bulbs can be mounted with two screws using a regular shingle tab, which also comes in horizontal or 90 degree varieties. A stake mounting bracket can be used to string lights along the perimeter of your yard or garden. A regular mini light clip is also available.

Other Christmas Light Bulb Replacement Products.

Other Christmas light bulb replacement products are also available. Should you lose or damage a C7 or C9 socket, a plug/adapter F-socket or M-plug, or even the electrical wire itself, there are always replacement products here. Essentially there is everything you need to build Christmas string lights from scratch!

If you have a faulty Christmas string light, and do not know what is causing the problem, our Mini Light tester can identify faults in the light bulbs and/or electrical wire. Other useful accessories include an outdoor timer with a photocell that automatically activates at dusk, an outdoor power stake with three outlets, blackout caps for empty C9 or C7 Christmas light bulb sockets, as well as an end cap for spliced ends. It is a good idea to look carefully at the different brackets available, and consider which would be the best option for your given application



Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/religion-articles/christmas-light-bulbs--324553.html

About the Author:

To learn more visit our Christmas light bulbs section or read more about Christmas decorations.

[article] Christmas Decorations to Light Up your Holidays

Author: Wain Roy

In the bleak cold days of winter, Christmas comes alive with the jingling bells, twinkling lights and the handsome Christmas evergreen. Everything about this holiday bears the spirit of joy, hope and festivity—be it the Christmas planning, Christmas party, Christmas greetings or the Christmas decorations. It is a big celebration and justifiably so, demands big preparation. Just as the shopping and planning ensue right after Thanksgiving, decoration activities start at least a week in advance. With a wee bit of extra time and imagination, you can do wonders with your Christmas decoration. So it is always a wise thought to start decorating your home early.

How to get started? Well, it is always the Christmas tree which is the central element of the holiday and consequently, the starting point of decoration. The whole family is hooked on to adorning their fir with great enthusiasm all through the pre-Christmas days. The bells, stars, beads, garlands, angels, teddies, icicles, snowmen, cookies, nuts, stockings, gift boxes and other ornaments are scattered everywhere to be neatly arranged on the branches of the Christmas evergreen. The mind-boggling range of Christmas ornaments adds up to the holiday delights and is, therefore, a fun source of more Christmas decoration activities. There are little gingerbread men, crystal snowflakes, silver icicles, red hat ladies, colorful balls and bells, Christmas print ribbons, red berries, German glass ornaments, Santa caps, small toys, angels, and even handmade paper or cardboard ornaments to make the Christmas tree look stunningly gorgeous. The lights go in the last, spiraled around the cone-shaped fir and to sign it off in all its brilliance. Brightly colored gift boxes piled up at the base of the tree is again a traditional sight and brings back wonderful memories of Christmas. To render a cute touch, sometimes people even choose to snug the base with a bunch of plump teddies clad in Christmas gear. Why not try that this Christmas? It sure would be amusingly different.

Besides the Christmas tree, there is still much left to the decorations. Bet you cannot afford to miss decking up your halls and yards on Christmas. If you choose to go the Victorian way, you can stock up your stuffs with stockings or take the floral route to the big occasion. Flowers look elegant and fresh on Christmas, just as much as it goes with the Christmas wreath at the front door or the mistletoe hanging on the doorway. Then there are the holly and ivy to pretty up your halls and bring nature indoors. As eye-catching centerpieces, a big bowl stuffed with red apples, fresh oranges and grapes would be a winning idea anytime. You may reserve the Christmas figurines like the Nativity Scene or the Santa and his reindeers for outdoor decoration.

However, no matter how much or how little Christmas ornaments you use for your Christmas decorations, do not forget the lights. The festive decoration and the holiday spirit fall insipid without the splendor of the Christmas lights. So go ahead and light up your holidays.



Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/free-articles/christmas-decorations-to-light-up-your-holidays-82154.html



About the Author:

Wain Roy is an internet marketing professional expert in various industries like real estate, web design, finance, medical tourism, Canadian pharmacy drug and Christmas ornaments