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Holiday Links And Tips For Giving |
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Tips for Tips.....
Don't Be Too Personal: If you choose to give a gift instead of cash, make sure it's appropriate for the situation. Anything too personal might send the wrong message and make the person receiving your gift uncomfortable.
Don't Tip Everyone: Business owners who employ the people who provide a service for you don't expect tips, and receiving one could even be awkward for them. Remember that they are rewarded all year with your patronage. Instead, direct your tips to the owner's most deserving employees.
Don't Expect Special Treatment: Giving a tip is a way of showing appreciation, not a request for preferential treatment or service. On the other end of the scale, tipping does not make up for being a rude customer!
Don't Go Into Debt: You should never feel pressured into giving a holiday tip. Also, don't feel that you have to increase your debt or deplete your emergency fund to make tips. If your financial situation doesn't allow for tips, send a personal note of thanks to the person or their employer instead. If your financial situation improves after the holidays, you can consider giving a tip at that time.
Think your budget doesn't have room for tipping? According to the National Retail Federation, holiday shoppers plan to spend at least $120 on themselves; cutting back there could make room for some well-deserved tips.
Holiday Tipping Etiquette, From The Emily Post Institute:
Baby Sitter: a night's pay and small gift from the children
Day-care Provider: a small gift from you, or $25-$70 and small gift from children
Au Pair/Nanny: a week's pay and small gift from child
Housecleaner: pay for one day to up to one week
Apartment Building Superintendent: $20-$80
Apartment Building Doorman: $15 or more
Trash Collector: $10-$30
Paper Delivery person: $10-$30
Beauty Salon staff: cost of one treatment
Dog Walker: up to one week's pay
Fitness Trainer: cost of one session
We offer cost effective gift solutions for those last minute tips and gifts for important people in your daily life.
Custom gifting from $5.00 and up.
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Recipe Corner |
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Correction from last weeks recipe David's Famous Chili. (Recipe will make 12 quarts of chili)
Chicken Chili Lasagna
We enjoy the mild blend of seasonings, cheeses and tender chicken. This is a little putsy to make but well worth the effort. Jenn
SERVINGS: 12
CATEGORY: Main Dish
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 35 min. Bake: 40 min.
Ingredients:
2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 medium onion, chopped
8 green onions, chopped
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
12 flour tortillas (6 inches), halved
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, onions, 1-1/2 cups Mexican-cheese blend, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon cumin and cilantro until blended. Stir in chicken; set aside.
In a large saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, chilies, thyme, salt, pepper and remaining cumin.
Spread 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with six tortilla halves, a third of the chicken mixture and a fourth of the cheese sauce. Repeat tortilla, chicken and cheese sauce layers twice. Top with remaining tortillas, cheese sauce and Mexican cheese.
Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.
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| Recommended Links |
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Simply Festive Gifting!
Last minute custom gifting is our specialty. Take the stress out of the holidays and call us today. Gifts filled with sausage from Marathon, Wisconsin cheeses, crackers, Holiday snack mix, cocoa, tea, holiday chocolates and candies. A nice little "Thank You" gift. Gift can be customized with dip mixes, mulling spices, fireside mocha coffee, locally made New Roots Coffee and many more options.
Prided: $20.00-$75.00
We Ship Worldwide
Local Delivery Available
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Welcome to week eight of Expressions weekly newsletter. We will inspire you, make you laugh, make you think and help you grow. I will include encouraging tips for gifts, words for the day and food for thought and lots of fun recipes every week!
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Brought to us by Dale Carnegie:
Networking Ideas That Make a Difference
- Smart business people understand the value of networking. Put simply, expanding your contacts improves your chances to build good relationships, discover leads, and generate increased sales. Plus, the more people you get to know in your own industry - or in different businesses and functions - the easier it will be for you to find the best sources when you need specialized information or the insights of an experienced professional. Here are some known ways to widen your circle of contacts by improving your networking strategy:
- Offer to help others. End meetings and calls by asking, Is there anything I can do to help you?
- Communicate your unique knowledge and expertise to others.
- Share your own personal contacts judiciously.
- Be approachable.
- Write personal thank-you notes to people who help you.
- Follow through on your commitments - always.
And when you're planning to participate in a networking event, increase your chances for success by applying these easy ideas:
- Know who will be attending the event.
- Arrive early.
- Dress appropriately.
- Bring lots of business cards.
- Have a personal 30-second "commercial" ready.
- Remember people's names and use them in conversation.
- Spend most of your time with people you don't know.
- Learn about other people before you start talking about yourself.
- Have fun.
If you have the opportunity to join a networking group I highly recommend doing so. Building positive relationships with others is the key to building your success as a business leader. I belong to (BNI) Business Networking International. Not only have I acquired business from BNI but I have built relationships with very reputable business leaders. BNI membership offers members valuable workshops to teach us the key to networking effectively. The links I offer in this newsletter are business leaders I know personally and have done business with.
There are many other ways to network in our area I will list multiple options for networking in the weeks to come.
Today visit BNI @ www.bni-mn.com You are welcome to visit our group. We meet every Tuesday @ 11:30-1:00pm at The Rose Garden in Wausau. Email me if you are interested in coming to see what BNI is all about. Lunch is always served and is awesome! jenn@expressionsbaskets.net
Have a great networking day!
Jenn |
What are the holidays really all about?
The holidays are among us. Yes that time of year we gather with our friends and family to share our thanks. We eat delicious treats and foods that tantalize our taste buds. The smell of a freshly cut tree or warm soup cooking on the stove, on a cold winter's eve. Yeah sounds like the holidays alright. There is the other part of our holidays. The time we go shopping in search of the perfect gift, and not to mention preparing the meal for those of us who do the cooking. Sometimes in the hurry of it all, we forget what its really about. What is it really about anyway? It is about being grateful and simply experiencing the joy that comes from sincerely appreciating everything. Let us realize that with such a fast paced life and the glitz and glamour of wanting it all, it sometimes can be hard to enjoy and appreciate the simple things every day. Perhaps its that we do not appreciate as often as we should. Appreciation is the very essence of personal and business success. How do you show appreciation?
The secret is in building relationships. Building relationships is what success on any business level is all about, no matter what time of year it is. How do you build strong relationships? Start with a smile. It is free and works wonders. Always be genuine and sincere with clients. Never sell them your product. I realize that this sounds odd because as a business owner this is what you do, sell. Remember why it is that you patron the places you patron. Most likely you shop there because you know that these businesses are not simply selling you a product. They are helping you solve your problem and simply care. Make your clients part of your business. Clients are the main reason for my business. Without them I do not exist. So simply scheduling some special events, writing handwritten thank you notes, fun workhops, newsletters and more really help in creating word of mouth and build a sense of community that people want to belong to. These are just some ways to building relationships in your organization.
Thanks to all who have touched our life and our business this last year and always you are truly appreciated!
Holiday Happiness To All,
Jenn & Dave |
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Redbook shares 6 simple ways to stay cool,
calm and connected this season:
Stressful situation #1: Taking care of domestic duties
Cookies to bake, gifts to wrap, cards to send - holiday prep can send even the most domestically inclined among us into a panic. Take a deep breath and try to keep perspective. "You shouldn't feel bogged down by something that is supposed to be joyous," says Donna Lang, author of Gift for Giving, "so if it isn't joyous, you're doing too much." Since there isn't time to do it all, "focus on the two or three holiday activities you love," suggests Donna Smallin, author of "The One-Minute Organizer." To lighten your load more, we found creative shortcuts for a few holiday must-do's:
Holiday cookies, courtesy of Rachael Ray, host of the Food Network's "30 Minute Meals": "If you're making cookies with kids, it's all about the decorating anyway. So buy slice-and-bake sugar cookies, frost them with simple buttercream frosting - one part butter to one part confectioners' sugar - and decorate with Froot Loops, mini chocolate chips and sprinkles."
Signature wrapping, courtesy of Donna Lang, author of "Gift for Giving": "Pick one signature wrap and use only that. I love cellophane bags, which you can buy in bulk at a floral supply store. They're the easiest thing in the world. You can twist any gift in tissue paper, plop it in a cello bag, tie it with ribbon or a piece of twine, and it looks like you slaved over it. And, there's no paper to spread out, so it's great if you have kids or pets. I also love gold metallic pens, because they look so festive and save you from buying cards. You can write right on the bags!"
Holiday cards, courtesy of Donna Smallin, author of "The One-Minute Organizer": "Too many people do cards out of a sense of obligation. So ask yourself, 'Why am I sending cards? Is it because they sent me a card, or because this is how I stay in touch with these people?' Before starting, pare down your list. Maybe you'll skip folks you'll get to say 'Happy Holidays' to in person. I also recommend keeping a spreadsheet of names and addresses and printing your labels. This saves time and gives you a head start for next year. Then have a card party: Invite over a few girlfriends or your sister, put out snacks, and everyone does their cards and chats. That way, writing cards becomes a great excuse to get together." For more great tips and information, visit Redbook magazine online.
Coupon Codes Don't Buy Without One! Click the link to see if there is a code for your gift purchases. Coupon Codes
Test Your Gift Etiquette:
Brought to you by Kiplinger.com
When you give a gift, should you include the gift receipt?
Including a gift receipt is "the most wonderful thing in the world," Post says. It says to a person: I thought you would like this, but if it's not right, feel comfortable taking it back, and I'm making it easy for you.
Are thank-you notes necessary if you thanked the giver in person when you opened the gift?
Answer: No -
Post says it would be nice to send a note in addition to thanking someone in person, but it's not required. The exception: wedding gifts. On any occasion, though, it's always best to send a hand-written note if you aren't able to thank someone in person for his or her gift. E-mail notes aren't preferred but are better than nothing, Post says.
Should you give your boss a gift?
Answer: No, it might look like you're kissing up.
Post says don't give your boss a gift -- unless there is just one or two of you in the office. You don't want gift giving in the office to become a competition to win favor. On the other hand, it is okay to give a colleague a gift. But don't do it during work hours if you're only giving to just one person -- or a select few -- in your office.
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HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE! From: www.idealbite.com
Ways To Have A Greener Holiday:
Take the 100-mile Challenge No, we don't mean running 100 miles to burn off holiday calories. We mean, go local. On average, food travels 1,500 miles from farm to fork. Try using ingredients produced within 100 miles of your home to cook your holiday feast.
Why it matters-If 10,000 households spend their holiday meal dollars on local food, we'll invest about $381,000 into our own communities.
Heat Your Home with Cookies Take a bite out of your holiday heating bill: When you finish baking cookies (or ham, or pie, or casserole...), turn off the oven, open the door, and use the warm air to heat things up.
Why it matters-If 10,000 households turned down their heat 1 degree, collective savings this year would be 400,000 gallons of oil - enough for a Prius to circle the globe 700 times.
When you stop believing in Santa Claus
is when you start getting clothes for Christmas.
I told Santa you were good this year....and
He hasn't stopped laughing since!
What do you have in December that you don't have in any other month ?
The letter "D" !
Christmas Thoughts and Inspiration:
"I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas
with a note on it saying, toys not included."
-- Bernard Manning
"Let Christmas not become a thing Merely of merchant's trafficking, Of tinsel, bell and holly wreath And surface pleasure, but beneath The childish glamour, let us find Nourishment for heart and mind. Let us follow kinder ways Through our teeming human maze, And help the age of peace to come."
-- Madeline Morse
"Let us keep Christmas beautiful Without a thought of greed, That it might live forevermore To fill our every need, That it shall not be just a day, But last a lifetime through, The miracle of Christmastime That brings God close to you."
-- Garnett Ann Schultz
Have a beautiful week and joyous holiday we will see you next time!
Remember to support your local business this holiday and keep our community thriving!
Many Holiday Blessings,
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