"12 Days of Christmas" Blog Challenge! - Day 2

Day 2: Black Friday/General Shopping Tips & Tricks (Christmas Shopping Tips and Tricks)

A trivia first --

Black Friday is the traditional opening of the Christmas shopping season in the US which is the day after Thanksgiving Day. According to Mr Wiki, "black friday" originated in Philadelphia to describe "the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic which would occur on the day after Thanksgiving." Nuff said. :)

Here in the Phillipines, Christmas shopping starts early in the "ber" months. You can even see Christmas decorations beside halloween items! Anyway, here are the few items that works for me.

1. Plan ahead by making  a list WHO-WHAT-HOW MUCH
2. Check out the location of bazaars in your area so you can make an itinerary
3. Wear comfortable clothes and sandals.
4. Do not wear flashy jewelries if you plan to shop in open bazaars to avoid attracting pickpockets.
5. Take note of your credit card usage.
   
6. Arrive early. You can haggle better in the morning, when both parties are not yet tired and irritable (this works)
7. Leave early, too. There's no point joining the rush hour!

The First Annual

 "12 Days of Christmas" Blog Challenge!

Link up and tell Aly @ Analyze This your 12 Days of Christmas!

Days 1 -3 are November 22 - 24

**** NO BLOG CHALLENGE ON Thanksgiving! ****

Day 4 will pick back up on November 26th!!

Topics:
Day 1: Christmas/Holiday traditions

Day 2: Black Friday/General Shopping Tips & Tricks

Day 3: Most meaningful gift/best gift you've received

Day 4: Tips/Tricks to a Budget Friendly holiday season

Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Show Special

Day 6: Gift ideas (what do YOU want? We all have family/friends reading our blogs...so let them know!)

Day 7: Holiday Craft/DIY  (If you don't make anything, what do you WISH you could make?)

Day 8: Least favorite thing about the Holidays

Day 9: Favorite Holiday recipe

Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs/Caroles

Day 11: New Year Resolutions

Day 12: Show us your decorations (indoor/outdoor)

Day 13: Favorite Cookie Recipe

Day 14: Oprah's Favorite Things: What item(s) would you want if you were in the audience?

"12 Days of Christmas" Blog Challenge! - Day 1

The First Annual

 "12 Days of Christmas" Blog Challenge!

Day 1: Christmas/Holiday traditions

• Simbang Gabi or Mass at Dawn is a nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother that starts at Dec 16 and ends Dec 24. This is also called  misa ng tandang  or MIsa de Gallo in Spanish.
  

Days 1 -3 are November 22 - 24

**** NO BLOG CHALLENGE ON Thanksgiving! ****

Day 4 will pick back up on November 26th!!

Topics:

Day 2: Black Friday/General Shopping Tips & Tricks

Day 3: Most meaningful gift/best gift you've received

Day 4: Tips/Tricks to a Budget Friendly holiday season

Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie/TV Show Special

Day 6: Gift ideas (what do YOU want? We all have family/friends reading our blogs...so let them know!)

Day 7: Holiday Craft/DIY  (If you don't make anything, what do you WISH you could make?)

Day 8: Least favorite thing about the Holidays

Day 9: Favorite Holiday recipe

Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs/Caroles

Day 11: New Year Resolutions

Day 12: Show us your decorations (indoor/outdoor)

Day 13: Favorite Cookie Recipe

Day 14: Oprah's Favorite Things: What item(s) would you want if you were in the audience?

one sunny morning

As I was walking one sunny morning, I saw this flower in rather lonely crag and almost went unnoticed.

See more yellow @ Mellow Yellow Monday to brighten your day!

Cheesy Friday 5 for November 19

It's that time of the week again for Friday 5 questions! Make sure to visit the home of Friday 5 by clicking on the button.

The question for today:

• Do you prefer to be in the driver's seat or in the co-pilot's chair, literally and figuratively?
• Do you have a lot of baggage, literally and figuratively?
• How much junk have you got in the trunk, literally and figuratively?
• At celebrations where people are drinking, are you more likely to be literally or figuratively drunk as a skunk?
• What's something you enjoy that's literally cheesy, and what's something you enjoy that's figuratively cheesy?

Literally:

• I prefer the co-pilot's seat because most times I just want to enjoy the view.
• No, I like to travel light. 
• It depends.
  
• I try my best not to get drunk especially if it's someplace outside my home.
  
• I love pizza with double serving of mozzarella and blueberry cheesecake

Figuratively

• Taking charge of things and happenings in my life is a must.
  
• I don't carry them long especially if that baggage is called grudge.
• I hold on to things as long as there is sentimental value to it.
  
• I always get "drunk as a skunk" on conversation and camaraderie.
  
• Love letters
  

like The Little Prince's sunset

It was The Little Prince that said, "You know, one loves the sunset, when one is so sad..."

Do you think that it's true?





See more sunsets and beautiful skies here!

My 2011 Blogging Resolution

It's Thursday once again and another 13 things is here!

Since 2011 is just around the corner, I might as well get on my blogging resolution for 2011.

1. Buy a new computer
2. Think of a niche
3. Get a self-hosted domain
4. Find a great blog layout
5. De-clutter my sidebars
6. Be more careful when inserting links
7. Respond more to comments
8. Do not mimic, be the first to talk about something
9. Increase readability of posts
   
10. Keep blog contents up to date
    
11. Learn more about social media traffic
    
12. Learn SEO
13. Blog, blog, blog!

More 13 things things here.

It's Thursday Thunks!

Thursday Thunks: I told you I'd post it!

The TT questions are brought to you by Berleen, the color of snow and the number that comes after 393.


Turn the tv on and open the newspaper.... whats the best reported news you've ever heard?

First, Gin Blossoms is  in Manila today and two ,  David Foster says Charice Pempengco may win a Grammy!

Hey! Guess what? Whats the best personal news someone has told you?

My mom's sugar level (who is diabetic) is quiet these past two weeks

Goshdarnit I'm tired... When you lay down to sleep at night, whats the best position for you to fall asleep in?

On my side, facing the wall.

What the most excited you've ever been?

 I'm excited about my  high school alumni homecoming next week!

Ever touched a turkey? And yeah, I mean the gobble gobble kind. I'm glad I re-read this or this could have been a stupid question. Have you ever touched a living, breathing, not on your plate turkey?

I would be VERY, VERY afraid to touch a living, breathing, not on your plate turkey! I still remember being chased by turkey when I was 8.

google photo

Its everywhere, it's driving me crazy! Spend money, people, spend money! Have you boughten anything from the "new & early" Black Friday deals this year?

No, not yet. My official Christmas shopping starts as soon as I get my bonus! LOL

So the news is out, the most best news ever in the history of news - Kimber & Berleen are finally going to meet! Kimber is flying to Minnesota. What should she bring with her?

A fabulous winter coat?

Kimber thinks all Minnesotans eat lutefisk. It's a Scandinavian food and lucky for her, we're German. Maybe it's Norwegian. Heck I don't know - you ever ate the stuff?

What's that?

Whats in your right pocket right now?

Coin purse without coins

When you go to the dentist for your cleaning, do you use the toothbrush that they give you or do you use one that you have purchased yourself?

The dentist is giving away toothbrushes? I always buy my own after I go to the dentist!

Come and visit Thursday Thunks for a fun Thursday!