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A lot of what is widely regarded as true about Christmas or held as a

the spring instead. It is therefore little wonder that there are many fancy

stories and tales that are told about Christmas and the Christmas season.

The most common fancy tale that everyone tells, particularly to children,

is about Santa Claus, also called St. Nicholas. But even if it were accepted

that Santa Claus existed, where does he live and how is he able to get to all

the houses of good boys and girls on Christmas Eve?

In the United States, Santa Claus is said to have two homes. There is a

home in Torrington, Connecticut, which is used as a distribution point for Santa

and his many helpers, who are elves, to hand out gifts. And then, a second home

is said to be located in Wilmington, New York, and that is where Santa Claus and

his delivery reindeer crew are located.

But Santa can be visited in Cyberspace at anytime and what about the

widely held belief that Santa Claus really lives in a village at the North Pole?

The people of Finland also claim that their country is the official

residence of Santa Claus. That's because in Finland, you can actually visit a

village any time during the year and see Santa's workshop and observe Santa and

his elves hard at work as they prepare for their very important Christmas gift

delivery job on Christmas Eve. The only day when Santa's workshop is closed to

visitors is of course, on Christmas Eve.

Maybe a very smart visitor could visit Santa's workshop on the day before

Christmas Eve to see if there are any clues to how Santa and his reindeers plan

to make their trip the next day. That's because as the tale goes, in Finland

Santa Claus and his reindeers do not reach their destinations around the globe

by flying.

Finland welcomes visitors to Santa's workshop but there is nothing said

about whether visitors actually have any chance of having a word with the man

himself. While the chances of doing so are believed to be non-existent, among

the questions that inquiring minds could ask Santa is whether Rudolph is the son

of Donner (and to confirm the spelling - Donner or Donder) or whether Santa

spotted him in a different reindeer village one foggy Christmas Eve when he had

already started on his Christmas toy-delivery mission.

If mere mortals got a chance to question Santa, then he also would likely have

some questions for us humans. He may want to know whose idea was it to have

Christmas trees and for the gifts to be placed under them.

The tradition of Christmas tree as it exists today comes from Germany by

way of immigrants. But it isn't clear how the tradition really gained a foothold

in Germany. One story is that Christians in Germany during the 16th century

started to bring trees that were decorated into their homes. Some of those

Christians would build pyramids for Christmas. The pyramids were made of wood

and would be decorated with evergreens and candles if wood was in short supply.

It is however Martin Luther, a Protestant reformer, who is said to have

been the first to add lighted candles as decoration to a tree based on his

inspiration from the brilliant light of twinkling stars that shone through

evergreen trees as he walked home one winter evening.

As the legend goes, Martin Luther placed a tree in a primary room of his

house and placed wires with small, lighted candles around the branches of the

tree. And that is how, as the tale goes, the Christmas tree as known today, was

The real meaning of Christmas, the season of good cheer, is about giving

For Christians, Jesus was born to save mankind from sin by giving

everlasting Salvation to all who believe in the Word of God and chose to follow

the principles for living in the Bible. Jesus therefore gave in the ultimate way

- he offered himself as a sacrifice for every living person. Christians

therefore believe that Christmas should be about following the example of Jesus

by giving of oneself to others, especially to those who are in need.

The Christmas season should therefore be about spreading goodwill and good

cheer. This purpose of Christmas is very significant because research by social

service organizations has shown that Christmas happens to be a high time for

depression among the have-nots, among people with problems and others who just

don't have the means and resources to enjoy the merriment of the holidays.

The hundreds of Santa letters written by children are often a sad

testament to the many unmet needs of families and individuals during the festive

Christmas and holiday times. Just about every child is told the story of Santa

Claus, or hears about him because his presence is everywhere at Christmas. And

up to the age of 7 to 8 years, most children believe the story about Santa Claus

bringing toys and other gifts. That's the reason why so many young children

often write letters to Santa at Christmas time in which the innocently plead for

toys and other gifts because they their parents or other relatives will not be

able to give them those Christmas toys or Christmas gifts that they want.

Thankfully there are many volunteer and charitable efforts carried out by

groups and corporations that seek to fulfill the needs of children and also of

adults during the Christmas season. One of the most notable organizations that

do such charitable work is the Salvation Army, which has a history of giving

service to those in need.

According to The Salvation Army's website, the organization as known today was

started in 1865 by a Methodist minister, William Booth and his wife Catherine.

They formed a group that preached, provided food and shelter to the homeless,

the hungry and to alcoholics in need of recovery services. The services were

provided in London's East End. Booth and his followers, first known as 'The

Christian Mission,' started to use The Salvation Army name in 1878.

The Salvation Army is now uniquely associated with the Christmas season through

its many representatives who dress up as Santa Claus and stand outside retail

establishments ringing their bells while they kindly seek donations from

shoppers to help the poor at Christmas.

Individuals also play Santa Claus at Christmas time and help out those in need

by donating toys and gifts through their companies, other business enterprises

such as banks or through their local municipality. These groups usually all have

a box or an area where new toys or clothing can be dropped off and the items are

then donated to families in need or to social service providers for distribution

to the needy during the Christmas season.

Along with much charitable giving at Christmas time, other public interest

groups also work hard to inform and educate consumers about avoiding the after

Christmas blues. This is often experienced in January when the bills and debts

are due as a result of all the spending, much of it on credit, that is done for

the holidays.

These groups try to spread goodwill and cheer in a different way. They try to

provide educational information on spending responsibly during the Christmas

season with the hope that the happiness and good feeling enjoyed during the

season can also carry over after Christmas and not be spoiled by the burden of

having huge bills to pay.

Crucial Considerations about Marketing Postcards

Postcards give us joy, inspiration and motivation. They can touch our pride, ego, psyche but most of all they touches our soft spot – our heart.

Keywords:

custom postcard printing, discount postcard printing, business postcards printing, postcard printing services, create-a-postcard printing services, po

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Postcards come in different kinds. The first one is called view postcards. This type of postcard offers reference to historic landmarks, buildings, towns, streets. View postcards have been existent since the onset of postcards.

Next, we have historical postcards. These postcards commemorate historical events, politics and social problems such as war, wrecks, floods, epidemic, conflagrations and other worth remembering events from the past.

Another type is the greeting card. This type of postcard is the center of attraction during the holidays. Come Christmas day, Thanks Giving day, New Year’s day, Valentines day, Graduation day and all the red dates in our lives, greetings postcard will come to liven up the special day.

Fourth, we have photographic postcards. These postcards are made up of real pictures of women, lovers, children, landscapes, seascapes, still life and the likes. Photographic postcards have been popular at the time photomatage was made available. This popularity continues up to the present time.

Photomatage technique allows photos to be changed or transformed into artsy masterpieces.

Lastly, we have promotional postcards. This type of postcard is popular to savvy businessmen and marketers. They are used to publicize and promote new products or services. One factor that made it a sure hit is personalization. Personalization allows incorporation of company logos, company pictures and unique and business stingers. By this, the postcards appear more personal, thus warmer and more effective in conveying a marketing message.

It is necessary to know the types of postcards so that whenever you decide to market them or in case you are assigned a postcard printing project, you know exactly the concept.

Another crucial consideration is the materials to be used. Paper, ink and printer must be of good quality in order for your output to be high quality as well.

Finally, you have to consider the commercial printer to trust to. It will be better if you choose a printer with create-a-postcard printing services.

Now, you are ready for the next postcard printing task.

Personal Branding is about honing your skills, narrowing your focus, and getting clear on what you're passionate about.

*A strong personal brand will enable you to effortlessly attract clients and opportunities. You will position yourself in the mind of your marketplace as THE service provider of choice to dominate your market and command higher fees - work less and make more!

*Establish yourself as an expert and become a celebrity in your area of specialty. Gain name recognition in your area of expertise where it counts the most - in your customer's mind. Make a lasting impression and be super-rewarded for your individuality.

Trust, respect, and admiration will follow when your name and message are embedded repeatedly into the consciousness of your target market. You will be perceived as an expert the more you are visible to your target audience. Your brand will propel you to the top in your marketplace.

Carbon Trading – What’s All That About?

Keywords:

Green, Businesses, organic, social, ethics, fair, trade, health, renewable, energy, eco, babies, eth

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There is an emissions trading scheme in operation internationally but many people aren’t aware that this is perceived to be the cornerstone of the climate change policy in the EU and USA.

Firms are set quotas on how much carbon dioxide they can produce per year, if they produce more than this allowance, then they buy an allowance from another firm that has not reached it’s quota on how much it can produce in one year! Get it?

Emissions Trading is particularly suited to the emissions of greenhouse gases, the gases responsible for global warming, which have the same effect wherever they are emitted.

Emissions of carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas - are widely thought to be a key factor in global warming, and increasing atmospheric temperatures around the world.

The idea of the carbon-trading scheme was to raise the cost to firms of continuing to pollute while creating a market to give an incentive to become more environmentally efficient. They are traded in a similar way to buying and selling shares, there are a number of companies that offer the buying and selling of carbon units and many offer different commissions and even free trading if you shop around. I even saw one firm that offered a one stop shopping for Renewable Energy, Biodiversity, and Greenhouse Gas. Its like an online retailer but for things you can’t touch. Ill have 2 pounds of apples, a bag of potatoes and a Biodiversity credit please!!!

On an international level countries are able to deal in carbon trading The potential benefits of such a system for developing countries would be that poorer, developing countries can sell there surplus carbon dioxide to richer countries. This income could stimulate much needed economic growth. They could also achieve their Kyoto commitments at the lowest possible cost as the money needed to invest in cleaner technology can be funded by the trading on carbon units. Countries like the USA and UK could pay the countries in Africa to REFOREST there lands, this reduction in carbon dioxide in the planet would then allow USA/UK firms to emit extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It would probably be cheaper to REFOREST parts of Africa then to buy state of the art cleaner technology for firms in the West. How many trees could you plant for a million dollars/pounds in Africa?

The cost of cleaner technology in the West obviously varies from industry to industry, size of the company, technological advances available etc but surely a company would not trade CO2 unless we were talking big money. Carbon trading sounds a bit strange to me, as you are trading air, but if this leads to more trees being planted and a reduction in climate change – Im all for it!

Customers Who Rave About You and Your Service

Keywords:

business, marketing, customer service, satisfaction, personal level, return policy, hours of operation, guarantee, warranty, value

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According to customer service studies by marketing gurus of the world, here are the following qualities, which must be present in your life and your business in order to develop raving fan customers who are not just satisfied but completely loyal to you over the long haul.

1. People want you to show an interest in their lives.
You not only know about their business, you know about their families, the hobbies they enjoy, and their life experiences. You know when they have had a win or a wow in their business, the birth of a new child, or a milestone celebration around the corner.

2. People want you to be quick!
People want their products and services yesterday, not tomorrow or 3 - 4 days down the road. In today's fast paced world, if you take more than 24 hours to respond to a request from a client, there is a very likely chance that he/she will find someone else to take your place. These are no longer the days of the Pony Express. These are the days of overnight service by Fed Ex, Palm Pilots that call personal messaging systems, high speed internet connections, and fax machines galore. Be quick and be energetic, or you will fall behind in a flash.

3. People want you to be very available.
People are tired of automated message machines or the words “Press 1 for Bob Smith, press 2 for customer service, press 3 if you speak Spanish…press 4 if you want to hire another company!” There is very little excuse for not being available. Provide your customers with your business phone, mobile phone, fax machine, e-mail address, and your physical mailing address. If you live alone, work out of your home and don't want to share your home office address, then get a P.O. Box. Your customers want to know that they can reach you when there is a problem or a concern with their product or service.

4. People want a friendly voice and a warm smile.
The first rule of customer service when you meet any person or when you answer the phone is to grin from ear to ear. If you are not smiling, this will come across over the phone and will definitely be seen and noticed in public, so get busy being happy when you are out and about and when you are engaging in a phone conversation. If you have a virtual company, put a fun photograph or a 5 x 7 card on your desk that says, “Smile…Today is a great day.”

5. People would rather you under promise and over deliver.
Customers never forget a mistake or your delaying their product or service. If you promise something on Friday, and you deliver it the next Tuesday, they will tell the world about you…in reverse referral. They will tell the whole city that you were late, and there won't be one thing you can do to reverse the negative publicity around your delay. Do not make promises that you cannot fulfill. Let the customer know that you will get them their product or service beyond the time that you know you can actually make it happen. When they receive it early, they will be pleasantly surprised, and will tell the world how wonderful and quick you are!

6. People want you to help them…they don't want to be sold.
Hey folks…people do not like pushy people. Your job as a business owner is to continue to add value to the lives of your clients without pushing a new product, service, or extra fee on them before they are ready. The bottom line: Don't be a pushy pest! It will drive folks away in a heartbeat.

7. People want to hear you say, “Yes, I can do that.”
People don't want to hear dumb excuses. Customers and clients of today are smart and savvy, and when they call for help, the last thing they want to hear is:
“That's not my job.”
“I can't answer that, because I don't know the answer.”
“Can I put you on hold?”
“My policy does not allow for that.”
“I'm sorry...that is the best I can do. I am only human.”
And the frustration begins to build.
People don't want to hear your problems. They want their problems fixed. There is always some sort of solution, even if you cannot fix the problem! You will win points forever with comments like:
“You are absolutely right. I will get the answer to your problem by the end of the day.”
“I thank you for your concerns. I am going to incorporate your idea as a way so that it works for us all.”
“This is Sally Jones. How may I help you today?”
“I do not provide that service, but I have 15 people on my team who do work with that. May I refer you to one of these men or women?”

8. People want to know that you are highly trained and skilled.
Are you continuing your training? Are you working with a coach? If not, your customers will know it in a heartbeat. Your clients want to know that you are on the cutting edge and that you are constantly devoted to the highest level of learning and training made available. To begin with, get the training…incorporate training monthly, then let your clients know what you are learning. You can show your clients how you continue your training through monthly announcements in your newsletter, e-mails about your schedule, and through blogging.

9. People want you to drop the “nit picking.”
If you are charging nickels and dimes for added extras such as an additional ten minutes on the phone or for each document you send a client, you will be viewed as “cheap,” and this will leave a bad taste in the mouths of your clients. Remember…these nickel and dime expenses can add value to the lives of your clients and will create walking billboards for your business.

10. People want to hear the magic words “Thank-you.”
This is music to a client's ears. Say it with sincerity, and say it often. Your clients are allowing you to own and operate and business and to earn money doing it, so thank them again and again for what they add to your life.

© Copyright 2004 Alicia Smith

The real meaning of Christmas is often expressed as being about giving to

with the Three Wise Men who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But

the practice of giving gifts as is common today, evolved from a retail strategy

that involved Santa Claus and attracting children into stores. For that reason,

giving gifts at Christmas and during the holidays has been centered on children.

Giving gifts during Christmas started in the early 19th century when the

celebration of Christmas was restored after a period when the Protestants in

England banned Christmas celebrations. In 1820 to 1840 when Christmas

celebrations regained popularity, stores started to advertise special Christmas

shopping promotions. At the same time, newspapers also created advertising

sections solely for holiday shopping advertisements. These special advertising

sections had prominent displays of Santa Claus.

In 1841 when a store in Philadelphia had a life-size model of Santa Claus,

hundreds of children turned up to get a look at Santa Claus, which had become a

new and popular element of revitalized Christmas celebrations. The interest in

seeing Santa Claus provided a marketing idea to retailers that they could

attract children and parents to stores through offers to have a look at a 'real'

or 'live' Santa Claus. Because of that marketing strategy to attract children

during Christmas, the focus was therefore to give Christmas presents to

children.

Today, gift-giving is still focused on children, but adults are as much popular

recipients as children. Within families, the focus on children is evident in the

fact that an individual child will get more gifts than any other individual

adult member of the family. For young children, who are particularly delighted

and enchanted by the holidays and Christmas festivities, toys are usually the

gift given. Among older children, clothes and electronic gadgets are popular

items to give as Christmas gifts.

Adults are the ones however, for whom there is the widest range of items that

can be given as Christmas presents. An item that will make a good Christmas or

holiday present to just about any adult is a decadent box of chocolate or

holiday cookies. This is enjoyed even by those who are diet-conscious because,

they can be sugar- and, or, fat-free or also low in carbohydrates. At Christmas

time also, many people tend to temporarily disregard any strict diet rules that

they are following and so they welcome and enjoy any type of Christmas treats

heartily.

According to a survey done in 2004 by the National Confectioners Association, 90

percent of 1,000 adults who were surveyed responded that giving or receiving a

box of chocolates and creating or receiving a stocking filled with goodies were

among the top three ways they enjoyed candy during the winter holidays. A third

way was having candy that was placed in a dish, which indicates that having

sweet treats at Christmas time is generally enjoyed by a broad cross-section of

people.

Aside from family members and friends, it may also be a nice gesture to give a

holiday or Christmas present to colleagues at work, teachers of your children

and based on your profession, to business clients. The primary reason to give

any of those categories of people holiday or Christmas gifts is likely to

express appreciation. For that reason, a holiday present of goodies or treats

would indeed be a sweet gift to give.

Do You Need A License? Regulated Industries... Learn More About It...

Keywords:

Article Body:

I once knew a guy whose great idea for a ‘home business’ was to run poker tournaments from his house. Needless to say, that didn’t last long once the police heard about it.

If you think you’ve got an idea that’s going to make you big money, there might be a reason why everyone else isn’t doing it – and that reason could be related to the law. Many types of businesses are strictly regulated and controlled by governments.

Gambling.

However fun and profitable it might be to put fruit machines in your house, run a mini card casino or just invite the local old people over to play bingo, it’s almost certainly illegal without a license. Gambling is an industry that’s almost always strictly controlled – it might be fine to gamble privately with your friends (or, depending on where you live, it might not be), but as soon as you start running it as a business you’re on very dodgy ground. You’ll also find that most places have laws against for-profit lotteries – sorry. Applying for a license to turn your home into a gambling premises is unlikely to succeed. If you wonder why, consider what would happen if people in your area could do that. It wouldn’t be pretty.

Alcohol.

Yes, it seems odd to some people that you need a license to serve alcohol – after all, you can invite people round to your own house for a drink perfectly legally, can’t you? As soon as you start charging them for those drinks, though, the nature of what you’re doing changes drastically in the eyes of the law, and you’re going to need a license. If you don’t get one, then you could be heading off to jail for quite a while.

Again, you’re going to have trouble getting an alcohol license for your home, unless you’re holding some kind of event there and the drinking is just incidental. Alcohol licenses are usually subject to appeals from people who live near the premises being considered, and you can guarantee that your whole neighbourhood is going to turn out to say what a bad idea it would be.

Medics.

If you plan to do anything medical, then you’ll probably need a license. When I say medical, I mean doctors, dentists, opticians, and even vets. You might think it’d be fine to turn your home into an ‘animal hospital’, but you need to be qualified and licensed. Of course, if you’ve previously been a doctor, dentist, or whatever, then you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting licensed to do the same thing from home.

Children.

People get jumpy around children, and you’re very unlikely to be able to look after any as part of your business without jumping through all sorts of hoops. Just to be a nanny, there are all sorts of courses to take and regular inspections to go through. If you ever wonder why there’s a shortage of small-scale childcare, it’s because it’s so hard to keep within the rules while making any profit.

Food.

If you’re going to sell food, you usually need to register, for hygiene and safety reasons – imagine if just anyone could sell you food, without any checks! For various reasons most local government agencies are especially strict if you plan to handle raw meat. It’s usually fine to sell cooked meat, but raw meat is considered more dangerous. Food licenses aren’t too hard to get, anyway, provided you have a relevant hygiene qualification and you’re willing to have your kitchen and products inspected at regular intervals.

More.

This list is nowhere near exhaustive – it just covers some of the most common kinds of businesses that people think of. If you’re planning to do something more unusual, then you really need to check your local laws.

Should I Bother?

Most home business owners don’t know about the rules that apply to them, and don’t especially care either. Every day you operate in a regulated industry without a license, though, you risk being shut down, or worse. It’s only going to take one upset customer or neighbour to get you into big trouble – so unless you want to be worrying all the time, make sure you’re properly licensed for whatever you want to do

Everything you want to know about credit cards!

Everything you want to know about credit cards. That should say it all. When you type the website name on your address bar, a simple yet neat looking informative homepage unravels before you. This website is perfect for the dynamic generation of the 22nd Century who can deposit money in their respective accounts and can check their bank balances just with a click of the mouse.

Keywords:

American Express, Citicards

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Today there are credit cards available for everyone, right from a simple college student to a distinguished businessman. The website states that Citibank is now offering a new cash back business credit card called the Citi Professional Cash Card. This is Citi’s foray into the cash back business credit card segment. Cardholders will also be able to call a 24/7 business assistant (like a concierge service) to book your travel or dining arrangements. This option, though just a tad bit heavy on the wallet, is incredibly convenient for businessmen who’re ready to shell out a bit for a good investment. CitiCards are convenient to use, and that provide your business with exemplary and intelligent payment solutions, making you the master of your expenses. All for just a small price, and it’s worth every penny, and a lot more.

American Express, on the other hand, has a lot to offer for all classes of people. Green Cards, Gold Cards, Platinum Cards, Blue cards—you name it, they’ve got it. While Gold Cards and Platinum Cards are more befitting for the distinguished working men, Blue Cards are ideal for students. Easy and simple to use, with a whole lot of benefits, the Blue Card is every teenager’s dream come true. It's easy to save money and time when you transfer balances from your higher-rate credit cards to your Blue from American Express Account. With their competitive rates, you can save money on interest charges and save time managing your finances with one monthly payment.

There are several informative website for the resourceful young businessmen and working people. It contains everyone you need to know about online credit cards, new credit card offers with a variety of schemes available to satisfy customer needs, and credit card services available for customers.

Easy and simple accessibility has to be the website’s biggest asset.

If you’re in a hair-ripping situation of debt and you’re clueless about your next step, then the solution is glaring right before you.

The website also enables you to compare credit card offers from Visa, MasterCard, American Express, CitiCards, and Discover, some of the renowned, top-notch credit card brands in the world. Quick and easy to access, simple yet informative, it’s a dream come true for every business man to find a simple and inexpensive solution to all his financial problems.

Have You Heard About Streamline Magic?

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Cover Letters, Resumes And The Job Hunter…What’s It All About?

Keywords:

Resume, Cover Letter, Career resources

Article Body:

Any good job hunter needs a resume package. The cover letter and resume always go together and do the same basic thing in slightly different ways. A job hunter without both of them will probably not get very far in the search for a good career position.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at what these crucial documents should do for you. The first part, the cover letter, is a short one page letter consisting of three or four paragraphs. It serves as an introduction to the resume. It is the part that will always be seen by the gatekeeper.

The second part is the resume itself. Many job hunters make the mistake of thinking they can just leave a resume without a cover letter. That is like putting on a suit and tie, but forgetting the shirt or the pants. They are a package and they go together.

The resume itself may be in either functional or chronological format. The functional format concentrates on skills. The chronological format concentrates on employment listings. The most effective resumes use elements of both formats to create a combination resume that gets results. It should be laid out in a graphically appealing style, with adequate use of white space, bullet points to draw attention to important parts, and conservative fonts used. While you will occasionally bold face or italicize a font to draw attention to a point or break up a large section of type, changing fonts often makes it hard to read, so stick with one basic font. Also never go smaller than ten point type, and if possible stick with twelve or eleven point. Those sizes are easier to read. If your cover letter and resume are in a small type and hard to read, they simply will not be read, and will not help you.

Many job seekers wonder how they should present the resume package to the decision maker. There are several acceptable methods. If mailing it, use a large nine by twelve white envelope to avoid folding your materials. The white envelopes look nicer than the tan manila commonly used in business. Also large envelopes are generally the first thing people open when they get their mail. If not the first then they may save the large envelope for last. Since people tend to remember the first and the last – the alpha and the omega – while forgetting much of what is in the middle, either first or last is a good thing.

If you are hand delivering your documents stop by an office supply shop and pick up a clear plastic folder with a pressure binder spine and place your cover letter and resume in it. It makes a great presentation and will complement it perfectly. Use these tools well and you are on your way.

Christmas as a holiday period was instituted and celebrated at about the same

drunken and carnival-like celebration, that has some similarities to Mardi Gras.

During this celebration every year, there would be a crowning of a beggar or

student as the 'lord of misrule.' Those taking part in the activities would

pretend to be loyal subjects to the 'lord of misrule,' During this time some of

the poor would also visit the rich in their houses and ask for some of their

best food and drink. Those among the rich who didn't cooperate would be subject

to rowdy behavior and mischief by the poor. For their part, the rich used

Christmas as the time when they would reach out to the poorer members of society

by tolerating them in such visits or by leaving out food and clothing for them.

For many centuries before the birth of Christ and the recognition of Christmas,

there had always been celebrations in many countries during the middle of

winter. During the darkest days of winter for example, the early Europeans were

said to celebrate light and birth. The winter solstice was a period of rejoicing

for many people because it meant that the worst part of winter was over and they

could therefore look forward to having days that were longer with more hours of

sunlight.

In that tradition, the Norse peoples in Scandinavia would celebrate a period of

Yule from Dec. 21, which was the winter solstice or start of winter, through

January. To recognize the re-emergence of the sun, fathers and their sons would

take large logs home and set them on fire. There would then be a big feast until

the log was completely burned out. That could take as much as 12 days to happen.

The custom also was one of hope for the Norse because there was the belief among

them that every spark from the fire represented a new pig or calf that would be

born in the New Year.

Many parts of Europe also thought that the end of December was a perfect time to

celebrate because during that time, a lot of cattle would be killed to avoid

having to feed them during winter. For many people, the end of December was the

only time during the year when they had a significant amount of fresh meat. By

that time of year also, wine and beer that was made earlier in the year would

have fermented and be finally ready for drinking.

The tradition of Santa Claus has also been an ancient legend with slight

differences or variations in olden days from the 1700s in some countries. In

German and Switzerland, children who were well behaved would receive a Christmas

present from Christkind or Kris Kringle. Christkind, which means Christ child,

was believed to be an angel-like figure that went along with St. Nicholas on his

holiday journeys to deliver gifts.

A jolly elf by the name of Jultomten was believed to deliver presents in

Scandinavia in a sleigh that was pulled by goats. And in France, Pere Noel is

the one who fills the shoes of French children with Christmas gifts, sweets or

treats at Christmas time.

In Russia, there's a legend that Babouschka was an elderly woman who gave

incorrect directions to Bethlehem to the three Wise Men so that they wouldn't

find Jesus. She later felt sorry for doing so but couldn't find the Wise Men to

tell them about the error. Today in Russia, it is believed that on Jan. 5, the

day before the Epiphany or Three Kings Day, Babouschka visits Russian children

and leaves presents by their bedsides in the hope that one of the children will

be Baby Jesus and will forgive her.

Have You Thought About Selling Services

http://sendmyfreegift.com/

http://myauctionacademy.com/

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ebay, online, auction, business

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It's not widely known that it's possible to sell services on eBay, in fact there's a large category devoted to it, called ‘Speciality Services'. To give you an idea of some of the possibilities, some of the main sub-categories include:

Advice & Instruction

Artistic

Custom Clothing and Jewelry

Auction Services

Graphic & Logo design

Media editing and duplication

Printing

Restoration and repair

Web and Computer services

As you can see, there's quite a range on offer, and bear in mind that there are specific niches even within each of these main sub-categories. For example, within the ‘eBay auction services' category, there's more categories such as appraisal, listing services, packing and shipping, and shopping assistance.

I bet that either you can provide a service that falls under one of these categories, or you know of someone else whose services you could promote (and take a commission).

I would suggest that your first step is to browse these categories and see what people are offering. You'll soon see which topics are swamped with sellers thrashing each other on price, whereas others will have gaps in the market waiting to be filled by you.

Let's suppose that you have a friend that happens to be an expert at camera repair, yet in the local area his store has been struggling to find enough work.

A quick check in the ‘camera & photo' category of ‘restoration and repair' reveals just 6 listings, and only one seller seems to be a regular in that category, AND they are charging what seems to be a decent amount for the service. I would say that this represents a tremendous opportunity for someone else to come into that niche and provide a quality service.

That's just one example of how you can offer a service to a HUGE audience, easily and cheaply. I'm amazed that more sellers aren't doing this, services are such an untapped market right now on eBay.

Continuing with the camera repair example, imagine if the business owner produced some ‘camera repair' DVD training guides - simple instructions on easy maintenance tasks from an ‘insider expert', and then offered those DVD's for sale as a backend product.

They would sell loads of them, especially because the customer had recently experienced the pain of having a broken camera! It's the perfect tie-in product because the customer would no doubt want to do anything to prevent a reoccurrence, by means of preventative maintenance.

Everything I Need to Know About SuccessI Learned Through Networking

Whenever I network or attend events, I always tell people that it was worth my time and money if I gained just one creative idea or contact from the experience. This article offers a number of "networking nuggets".

Keywords:

success, networking

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Copyright 2006 Red Ladder, Inc.

As a Consultant, I attend a lot of networking events, industry association programs, and one-on-one meetings for breakfast, coffee or other food-related events. Whenever I network or attend events, I always tell people that it was worth my time and money if I gained just one creative idea or contact from the experience. This past month I really put that concept to the test by attending numerous networking meetings, including one tele-networking event!

Here are a few nuggets that I picked up as I networked my way through the past month.

1. Be Bold! The Woman's Club of Minneapolis recently featured motivational speaker Ann Ulrich, who said, "We create our own possibilities for success by boldly creating opportunity from possibility." According to Ann, combine possibility with perseverance and professionalism and you have your own personalized recipe for success. How do you create your own possibilities? By being bold of course.

2. Think Big. Sandra Wakefield, an advocate of Brilliant Living (her TV program bears that name), is also an advocate of brilliant networking. She recently brought together a group of like-minded women with the intent of connecting them with an organization that could help make their business goals and personal dreams come true. Not only did she inspire these women to think big she inspired them to think about how taking their businesses to the million dollar (or more!) level. Now that's thinking big.

3. Tell Your Stories. Tom Bengtson, owner, publisher and editor of Northwestern Financial Review, has been in the industry long enough to know what connects a writer to the reader or a speaker to the audience: personal stories. He encouraged me to share my own personal stories in my writing and my speaking engagements. According to Tom, "We learn something about the person who shares their stories, and there is value in that. But the real reason to share your stories is to learn something about yourself." The message? Sometimes the best lessons in life we teach ourselves.

4. Develop a "kitchen cabinet." Erin Dady works closely with aspiring women political candidates. A panelist at the recent Joint Dinner of Women's Professional Associations, Erin shared some advice that highlighted the importance of having a trusted group of advisors on your team that she called, "your kitchen cabinet." These were the trusted men and women that you surround yourself with around your kitchen table. This powerful network is a key success factor when running for office. It can also be the key to success if you are climbing the corporate ladder (think mentors) or a growing a successful small business (think advisory board). Net, net, regardless of what you call them, no woman should be without the equivalent of a powerful "kitchen cabinet."

5. Filter Advice. Judge Susan Burke, recent panelist at the Joint Dinner of Women's Professional Associations, spoke about her recent experience in running for public office. In the early stages, every person she encountered (including her boss, husband and parents) gave her a list of reasons why she shouldn't run for office. That being the case, what finally compelled her to run for office? "I learned to beware advice from people who have a vested interest in the outcome," stated Judge Burke. The lesson? Seek advice but ultimately you need to make the final decision.

This past month I was lucky enough to obtain the five great nuggets I shared with you above. To recap: don't be afraid to be bold, think big, or tell your stories. But during the process, remember to surround yourself with trusted advisors but be sure to filter any advice you receive. Not bad for a month's worth of networking. Don't you agree?

Caring about your clients shows through in all you do

Caring about your clients and your product or service shows through in a hundred subtle ways to your clients. In my experience, I've found that people that either work in healthcare or start a business in the healthcare industry do so because they really, truly care about helping people. Does that show through in your marketing materials?

Keywords:

caring about clients, caring, keeping clients, clients, Kelly Robbins, show you care, marketing materials, communication

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Copyright 2006 Kelly Robbins

Caring about your clients and your product or service shows through in a hundred subtle ways to your clients; regardless of whether you are in the healthcare industry or not.

In my experience, I've found that people that either work in healthcare, or start a business in the healthcare industry do so because they really, truly care about helping people. I also have found that most people in the healthcare industry - no matter if they are chiropractors or coaches or copywriters - are very passionate about what they do. They truly care about making someone’s life better.

And because they know at the core of their being that they can help you or someone you know live a better, possibly pain-free, healthier life they tell everyone they know about it. They do a good job talking about it and often give talks in the community and with their clients.

My question to you is...does this passion, this sincerity, this caring show through in all your marketing materials too? Does it shine through on your web site and your brochures? In the handouts and flyers you put around town? When you talk with people your sincerity and passion is shown by not only what you say, but in your body language, the tone of your voice, the sparkle in your eye...and people pick up on that energy. Communicating that in written materials is not as easy because people can see all of these subtle yet powerful things.

Here are a few things you can do in your written materials to demonstrate you're caring:

**Know what keeps your prospect up at night and be sure your sales letter or web site talks about those concerns in a friendly and personal way. It may be a pain in their leg, not being able to ski with their family, or not having the energy to make it through the day.

**Know about their pains and fears. When you are truly concerned about your prospects welfare it will shine through in your writing.

**Write like you talk. Be conversational and write to a fourth grade level. No big words or words that you have to explain their meaning.

**Picture one of your clients (or a good friend that's experiencing a pain) and talk to them. Write how you talk, not how you write. Writing marketing materials is different and it's ok to break the rules. You are not getting these published in academic journals or writing your dissertation.

**Give examples of people you've helped and how it's affected them in a positive way.

**Be yourself and let your personality show through.

Frequently Asked Questions about Consulting

Consulting means to give professional advice in the area of your expertise. Consulting can be performed in a wide range of topics such as law, marketing, finance, accounting, communication and any other area in which you are an expert. When you become a consultant, you are essentially declaring yourself as an expert in that particular field.

Keywords:

consulting,consultants,consultant management consulting,business consulting,computer consultants,computer consulting

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What is consulting?

Consulting means to give professional advice in the area of your expertise. Consulting can be performed in a wide range of topics such as law, marketing, finance, accounting, communication and any other area in which you are an expert. When you become a consultant, you are essentially declaring yourself as an expert in that particular field.

What type of work is involved in Consulting?

In consulting, the consultant provides a company or client with a specific service or their expert knowledge in their field for a specified amount of time. The job of a consultant is to enable the client to find a lasting solution to their specific problem by offering them advice and new information in that field. In consulting, you are required to give the client complete focus and use your skills of thought, analysis and brainstorming to come up with a solution and new ideas.

In consulting, what makes a great consultant?

When you decide on a career in consulting, you should be able to provide your client and their organization with intense motivation and excellent ideas. You should also be prepared to deal with situations that are often complex and perhaps even hostile. You should use your assessment skills and competency to know what needs done in any situation.

The different types of consulting

There are two general types of consulting available to those who wish to enter this career. These are called specialists and generalists. A consulting specialist tends to focus on one area of practice such as a specific area of expertise or a specific industry. A generalist focuses on a wider area of consulting. These types of consultants typically go to work for a firm that gives general type of advice to many different companies.

What do you need to get into the field of consulting?

People looking for consultants are looking for a person who has the ability to not only offer advice, but also create ideas, insight and share knowledge in their area of expertise. You must be able to provide your client with new and innovative ideas for creating and implementing solutions.

Some companies and firms that deal with consulting will look for those who have college degrees in business administration or other similar fields. You also must possess the desire to help provide service to your clients in the areas that are needed. Furthermore, in consulting, you must be a people person in all aspects. This is important because you will certainly not want to work those long, hard hours with someone you simply cannot get along with. You should enjoy working with all types of people.

In consulting, it pays to do your homework. If you are considering becoming a consultant, you should conduct thorough research to decide if consulting is right for you.

Facts About Searching Jobs Abroad

Keywords:

job, opportunity, employment

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Job hunting abroad can be both an opportunity and an adventure. There are hurdles to overcome when searching for the right job abroad. Let's take going to Madrid, Paris, Rome or London for example. It's not enough to just send resumes, the idea should be "get the luggage and get on the plane."

Getting a work permit is one obstacle in Europe. To stay there for an extended time, a residence permit is needed. This an only be granted once a working permit has been granted. Companies only provide non-European workers their work permits if they prove that there are no qualified European for the position. This is tough since the European Employment Services allows different companies to recruit prospects in eighteen European Economic Area countries. Remember that an ideal candidate is one who is able to speak the native language of a specific city other than English.

If you have your eye on Spain, a typed application letter with a resume must be prepared, including a recent photo and translated qualifications and/or copies of diplomas and other credentials. The letter must be written in a direct formal style citing the vacancy applying for. A must have for the closing should be "En espera de sus noticias, les saluda atentamente."

In the United Kingdom, newspapers are good sources of job openings. Assorted prime papers offer complement of job vacancies like "The Guardian," "The Daily Telegraph," "The Times," or the "The Independent" particularize vacancies daily. Companies are very particular regarding the reason you are applying. Research on their product offers, location of branches/offices, etc. There must be a reason why there is an interest to work for a specific company.

The application for jobs in Italy should also consist of a typed application letter. This should be formal and conventional in form. Using the Italian language is a must when explaining the intriguing reason for application. Diplomas and other credentials including impressive list of references should be handy during the initial interview. There are three to four expected follow-up interviews including a psychometric test. Put emphasis on personal appearance before the interview especially how the dress as this shows the concern in getting the job being applied for.

The average job search abroad ranges between six to twelve months. Experts consider searching for a job a full time job itself. Attending career counseling is helpful if unsure on what to do. There are a lot of great career resources who can give advise that best fits ones interests and passion.

Finally, The Truth About Credit Repair and Free Credit Reports

Have you ever been curious about what really goes on inside those companies that allege to erase bad credit overnight? How do you get your free credit report and what do you do with it once you've received it?

Keywords:

free credit report,credit repair,fair credit reporting act,credit cards,bad credit

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Advertisements are everywhere these days selling books, systems and secrets to help you improve your credit. Most of these programs have claims which read like the covers of supermarket tabloids:

"In three hours my credit score went from 580 to 676!"

"Eradicate bad credit and annihilate your debts with just 2 Magic Letters!"

Are these types of claims ALWAYS too good to be true? The answer is Yes and no.

There are many people would love for you to think that the only thing that can rehabilitate bad credit is time, in reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, time is only one of any number of factors which can fix any given credit report, but it's far from being the only factor. How can I say this? Easy.

Under a consumer protection law known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (aka the FCRA), the only negative information which can be left on your credit report is not what is accurate, but only negative information that can be proved as accurate under the FCRA. What in the world does this mean to you?

It means any unflattering item on your credit report can only remain there if it is actually accurate and CAN BE PROVED AS SUCH under the guidelines of the FCRA. This undisputable fact presents consumers like you with both good news and bad news. The good news is that, through the FCRA, your credit score can most likely be improved dramatically in a very short period of time with only a modest amount of effort on your part.

The bad news is that while the actual "work" will take very little of your time, it is essential that you have good information on how to go about it. Believe it or not, 9 out of 10 courses on credit rehabilitation will do nothing more than lead you astray because they will provide you with what the industry refers to as "Boiler Plate" dispute letters. These letters are nothing more than form letters and, quite frankly, the Credit Bureaus and Creditors will laugh at you if you try to use them.

While I agree with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that there are things that a credit repair clinic can take care of for you legally that you can do for yourself with little or no cost, what makes the credit repair clinics successful is access to the inside tactics and techniques. This involves strategies such as "Proof of Contract", "Constructive Notice", "Challenge of Procedure" or "Restrictive Endorsement" and many others.

The question you have to answer will be what are you trying to accomplish and how much time will it take you if you do it yourself? Remember, you get what you pay for. If you pay little or nothing, expect little or nothing in terms of your results. If you've got more time than money, do it yourself, but make sure you have the right kind of information. If you have more money than time, have someone else handle this for you.

All of this could "sound" impressive, yet really is quite simple. When all is said and done, it is nothing more than a method of communication which exercises your rights of consumer protection, gets the results you want, and raises your credit score simultaneously. Once you learn how simple this can be by doing it for yourself, you will realize there is a fortune to be made doing it for others! Maybe even be on your way to a new career, who knows? No matter what, it all starts by requesting a free copy of your credit report here: http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com.

In a future article in this series, we'll answer the question: "Is Your Credit Score Costing You A Fortune?"

Frequently Asked Questions about Articles of Incorporation

Articles of incorporation are a set of rules that determines how a corporation should be managed and they are filed with the government in your area. In order for a business to become a corporation, the Articles of Incorporation must be filed with the appropriate agency. It is important to know that in...

Keywords:

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What are Articles of Incorporation?

Articles of incorporation are needed when a business decides to incorporate. Articles of incorporation are a set of rules that determines how a corporation should be managed and they are filed with the government in your area. In order for a business to become a corporation, the Articles of Incorporation must be filed with the appropriate agency. It is important to know that in, they may not be called Articles of incorporation in your area. They may also be referred to as Certificate of Organization, Certificate of Formation or Certificate of Organization.

Where do I file the Articles of Incorporation?

Articles of Incorporation must be filed with the government in the area in which you intend to incorporate. Typically the forms are filed with the Secretary of State. However, if approved you may use another regulatory agency or company. There will be a fee associated with filing Articles of Incorporation and this will vary depending on where you live.

The forms needed to file the Articles of Incorporation should be readily available to you from a variety of venues. You can obtain them by printing them on your computer from the web site of the Secretary of State. You can also obtain the forms needed by writing to or calling your Secretary of State and asking them to mail the form.

What information is contained on the Articles of Incorporation?

There is a variety of information that is required when you file the Articles of Incorporation. These are the basics in all areas. However, your local government may require additional information. It is important that you conduct full research on what your area may require.

The first piece of information to be listed on the Articles of Incorporation includes the name of the corporation. This will be the legal business name under which the corporation will conduct business. This should include any designators at the end such as Inc. or Corp.

You will also be required to determine the purpose of your corporation as stated by the government in your area. The name and address of the person responsible for accepting any legal notices in regards to the business named, such as an attorney.

Another piece of information that is required on the Articles of Incorporation includes the number of shares the business is allowed to issue. The type of business the corporation is conducting will determine the amount of shares issued and how many people can hold them.

The final requirement for the Articles of Incorporation are the signatures. This should be of the incorporator or any directors along with the addresses of all signatories.

Other requirements that may be required in your specific area could include the duration of the corporation, if the corporation will have preemptive right or cumulative voting and if the business will offer various classes of their stock shares. It is important that you research all areas of the Articles of Incorporation and understand what is required and what additional items may be added to your filing.

Crazy about Packaging

Packaging makes a world of difference. It could be the same product, but with a different packaging and consumers go wild! Freelance Graphic Designer and Writer who normally strategizes such branding and packaging designs finds herself a victim of her own trade.

Keywords:

packaging,package,design,branding,brand,sell,selling,marketing,advertising,advertise,promotion,promote,promotes,designer,designs,graphic designer

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“It’s the same old tissue, honey, it doesn’t make a difference, ok? It’s still going to work the same way”, my exasperated husband hissed into my ear as I grabbed cartons after cartons of some ‘designer’ tissue. DESIGNER TISSUE! Hah, can you even hear me say that? I can’t believe I actually wrote ‘designer tissue’. So, yes, for a graphic designer and writer who knows all about the kind of effort one puts into packaging and branding products, I sure fell for it. All the hoopla. The shenanigans. The ‘suck ‘em in with good copy and fab color combo’. Hey, I am still a consumer, remember that. I am entitled to fall for nice packaging, I have a prevailing right to be human.

But they are so pretty…the packaging. I swear!

They have the ‘nature lover’ packaging, the ‘fruity’ packaging, the ‘woman on the go’ packaging, and then they have the ‘kids’ packaging. I grabbed 4 of each design packages and made a run for the counter with them with my screaming kids and exasperated husband running after me in slow motion. It was definitely a ‘die-hard’ moment. You know, when the hero is running away from a bunch of wild bad men with machine guns, and they’re shooting at your feet or something…and there’s an explosion behind you…and everything happens in ssslllloooowwwww mmmmooooottttttiiiioooonnnnn.

Well, in this case, I was running for checkout with boxes of tissue paper with fancy packaging designs on them. If I didn’t like the packaging designs so much, I would find it comical enough. But I am dead serious. In fact, I loved the packaging designs so much, after using up all the tissues in the boxes, I would cut out the designs and place it into my ‘must keep for reference’ clear folder. I don’t keep a lot of stuff in there because I am pretty selective about the designs that I like, but these packaging designs made the cut. They definitely did.

You see, this is the kind of thing that happens when you put some effort into making your packaging design. Yeah, we all have this in the back of our heads…. “Hey, it’s PACKAGING! It’s what’s INSIDE that count. They’re going to THROW the PACKAGING away. So, why spend so much money on the packaging?” Maybe you’re also thinking that the money should go towards developing better quality products…for faster shipment options…or maybe the money should go towards spending potential clients to expensive dinners in Italian restaurants. It’s your call, really.

But this is what I have to tell you, as a graphic designer and consumer. The more effort you put into designing your packaging, more customers will stop and take a look at your packaging or what’s inside the packaging. Now, does it make sense for me to say now that when they stop and take notice of your packaging, your chance of getting them to buy your product increases? Exactly.

You see, the role of packaging is to grab the consumer’s attention. And without an electrifying packaging, consumers are going to walk past the heaps and heaps of other competitor products…and yours…without even knowing you’re there! Your product is sitting there on a shelf, for goodness sake, and the only weapon you have is to have a nice packaging. Once they stop and take a look, you’ve won the first round.

Think about it!