The New Domesticity: Sentimental Giving
The soft glow of candlelight bounces through etched crystal. We pass around sparkling cranberry cider, adding a vibrant crimson hue to the festive setting. The crystal goblets touch our lips as we laugh, sing, and visit. I look fondly from face to face, warmed
Kindness Advent
Make the holidays meaningful this year with a kindness advent calendar! Each day in December is marked with a suggestion for acts of kindness to perform that day to spread joy and cheer to others, bring your family closer together,
Renaissance Dad: Christmas Reflections
I’ll wake up this Christmas Eve morning, as I do every year, thinking about my Mom. It's been 28 years since our last Christmas together. Mom loved Christmas. Even though there was never much money, there was always a tree covered with gaudy old bulbs,
Elsa’s Juggle: How a Visit to Kenya Changed Me, and My Daughter
“$20? I want $100!” It was my daughter Ajuna’s 7th birthday party. My sister had graciously given her cash, and here my daughter was, in front of our friends and family, requesting more. I was embarrassed, but more than that, I was concerned
Raising Money Smart Kids
As a kid, I had a treasured piggy bank. I remember dumping it out, then separating the money I had saved into piles of dollars, quarters, and dimes so I could count exactly how much I had. I dreamed of
All in the Family: Parents and Children “Play” Together
As kids grow toward adolescence, the wide open days of early childhood seem to grow fewer as kids’ schedules fill up with sports, music, clubs and a whole new kind of social life. The apron strings fray a bit as many parents find
The New Domesticity: Autumn Nesting
The bright red tartan wool blanket gently sways in the autumn breeze. Slanted sunlight and scurrying squirrels remind me that this blanket may have seen the last of the picnic days. But, who knows? Weather is a capricious maiden, and we may yet have
Renaissance Dad: Grillin’ Thanksgiving
“What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?” Erma Bombeck Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, but it’s
Chef Perry’s Top 10 Secrets to a “Less Stress” Holiday Feast
The holidays are, hands down, my favorite time of year. But, it can bring with it a fair amount of stress. And if you come from an Italian family, like mine, well . . . fugget about it! So, if
Top Toys 2019
The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) recently unveiled its 2019 Best Toys for Kids award winners, selected by independent toy retailers across the U.S. To view the complete list of winners, pick up a copy of our November 2019 issue