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October 2023
Let’s Turn the Clock to Christmas!
WHY I’M PREPARING FOR THE HOLIDAYS EARLY
I used to think it was silly how companies and businesses would display their Christmas decorations and marketing material as soon as Halloween ended. But now, I understand why corporations and families start preparing for the holiday season months in advance — time can pass you by in an instant. When I was a kid, Christmas looked a lot different. I only had to worry about how to fall asleep on Christmas Eve because I was too excited to go to bed. But now, as a parent, I have to make the holiday season memorable for my children. I’m also focusing on work because now through December is my busiest time of the year at the firm. If I fail to plan, I’ll struggle to get everything done before Santa comes down the chimney. Because of everything going on these next few months, I’m skipping Halloween all together and preparing for Christmas.
I’m doing this mainly because I want to make sure my family’s Christmas card reaches your mailbox before Dec. 25. I send Christmas cards every year to my relatives and clients — it’s a tradition I love sharing with all of you. But last year, time caught up to me, and I was unable to send any out. I was so upset that I didn’t make them a higher priority. While I can’t change that past, I can change my actions moving forward. This year, I decided to be proactive and have my Christmas cards finished and ready to be mailed before St. Nick looks at his list. My family and I are taking group photos this month so we can have the finished product back before the holidays. If you try to wait to take pictures, the photographer may be fully booked with other families, and it could take a month or so for them to send images to you. By taking pictures this month, my wife and I will have more than enough time to decide which ones we want on the Christmas card and how we want the images placed on the letters. There’s more to creating and sending cards than selecting a picture and putting a stamp on the envelope. You have to decide what your family is wearing in the photo, what you want the card to say, and if there are any specific color schemes or fonts you want to use. Outlining these ideas in advance will ensure everything is completed in time and that I won’t go a second year without sending you a Christmas card! Nurturing the relationships I have with you is my utmost priority, and sending these cards is one way I can show my gratitude. So, in a month or so, be on the lookout for a Thrift Family Christmas card in your mailbox!
–Joel Thrift
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In the 1800s, wealthy English families clamored to get their hands on the latest garden decoration trend, one that would showcase their affluence to other families while maintaining their image as intellectuals. No, this garden trend wasn’t a bench, wind chime, or statue. It was alive . They were called “Ornamental Hermits” and were living men hired to inhabit the gardens of the elite. Aristocrats across England between 1727 and 1830 outfitted their landscape gardens with “hermitages,” or tiny structures for the hermits to live in, and would pay the men to dress like Celtic priests, refrain from bathing, grow their hair and nails, and sit in the gardens looking contemplative while reading and writing. The idea was that these men would add an air of mystique to the property, as the hermit life symbolized philosophical and scientific curiosity, which of course, reflected the values of the property owners. And at the The Hidden History of Ornamental Hermits
time, hermits were a great curiosity of many due to their alleged “mystic powers.” By the end of the 19th century, the ornamental hermit craze fad ended, largely due to complaints that hiring a human to be a garden decoration and forcing them into a silent, unclean life was exploitative. However, many wealthy garden landscapes throughout England still feature tiny overgrown hermitages where these living “decorations” once resided.
Behind the Plate: Unveiling Food’s Mysteries
You probably think you know the foods you eat pretty well. Otherwise, you wouldn’t put them in your body, right? But you might be surprised to learn that common dietary staples like eggs, pineapples, and even chocolate cake are hiding some shocking secrets! The stickers on fruit are edible. According to the Food and Drug Administration, they have to be! Since these stickers come in contact with something we do eat, manufacturers must make them from safe materials in case any substance from the sticker transfers over. So yes, the stickers are indeed edible but have no flavor or nutritional value. Pineapples are not a single fruit but many berries grown together. Have you ever noticed the pentagon-shaped pattern on the outside of a pineapple? Each of
those pentagons is its own berry, called “syncarp,” and they all grow together onto the pineapple’s main “core,” which is that hard column in the middle most people cut around. German chocolate cake isn’t German. It was simply named after baker Samuel German who created a sweet baking chocolate used in the original recipe. Eggs sold in the U.S. would be illegal in the U.K. It’s all thanks to the fact that eggs in the U.S. must go through a washing and sanitizing process before they hit the shelves. While in the U.K., it’s illegal to wash or clean eggs in any way before selling them.
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TAKE A BREAK
In the U.S., 21 million people report having at least one major depressive episode, while 17.3 million adults live with major depressive disorders. When someone feels depressed, there isn’t much anyone can do to help them. However, someone suffering from depression can do a few things to help ease their symptoms. No. 1: Be gentle with yourself. When you feel depressed, you’re not going to accomplish the same number of tasks or be as productive as you usually would — and that’s okay! Be open and accepting of your current state, and take pride in your progress that day, no matter how small. No. 2: Take a walk — literally ! SMALL JOYS, BIG DIFFERENCE: Overcoming Depression
Candy Costume Gourds Halloween Haunted Moon Raven Tricks Vampire Werewolf Witch Zombie
THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Research shows that for some people, even a little bit of exercise
Ingredients
(like a short walk) not only reduces their current symptoms but can also prevent future depressive
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour • 1 tsp baking soda • 1 tsp salt • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 2 large eggs • 2 cups (12-oz package)
episodes. Even if you can only walk around the block, it will still help your mind and body. No. 3: Do things YOU enjoy.
semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. 3. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until creamy. 4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended. 5. Gradually beat in flour mixture. 6. Stir in chocolate chips. 7. Arrange dough in rounded teaspoonfuls on ungreased baking sheets. 8. Bake 8–10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; move to wire racks to cool completely.
The fatigue that depression brings can feel more powerful than your desire to enjoy your hobbies. Push back against this as much as possible and do something enjoyable, even if it seems minor. This will boost your mood and motivate you to continue engaging in activities.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
It’s Beginning to Look Like … Christmas?
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The Bizarre Trend of Living Garden Decorations From Stickers to Cakes: Food Revelations!
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Walking Toward Happiness: Depression’s Antidote Revamp Your Space on a Budget With Furniture Flipping
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Furniture Flipping: Your Wallet-Friendly Ticket to a Stylish Home Makeover!
One of the easiest ways to refresh your home is to change your furniture, but that isn’t always cheap. According to Furnishr, a turnkey home-furnishing platform, refurnishing a living room can cost you nearly $2,500 on the low end , and that’s just one room. But if you don’t have thousands to spend on an interior facelift, don’t give up hope! Furniture flipping is a great way to revitalize a living space without breaking the bank. What is furniture flipping?
You’ll likely reupholster any chair or couch you buy, so don’t worry about the fabrics; instead, focus on the frames. Consider the structure of the furniture and let your creativity imagine what color or material would look perfect in your home. What are some ways to upgrade old furniture? Change the color! Give that furniture a good cleaning, strip off the old finishes, sand down the surface, and apply a fresh coat of paint so it looks new!
You “flip” furniture when you purchase old or outdated furniture from a local thrift store or online resale marketplace and then update it to a new, trendy condition!
Change existing hardware. Many handles on furniture pieces require only a screwdriver to change out. Visit your local hardware store and pick out some in your style! Reupholster couches or chairs. While it may require some work, reupholstering fabric furniture can save you a TON of money. If you want to learn how to do it, search “DIY reupholster” on YouTube. Hundreds of flippers are there waiting to give you advice!
We know what you’re thinking: “Ew! I don’t want to sit on someone’s used couch,” or “Why would I buy used furniture for my home?”
Remember, flipping means work . The whole point is to give old and cheap furniture a complete makeover to make it uniquely yours.
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