Oh, the holidays! Fancy foods, family feasts, holiday parties; eat, drink and be merry! But beware, holiday party pounds can creep up on you rather quickly. There are, however, ways to avoid this added poundage by planning ahead and considering these simple tips when accepting holiday party invitations.

1. Eat a little something nutritious before you head out to party. If you are not starving when you arrive, you are far less likely to chow down at the buffet table of tempting holiday treats.

2. Sit or stand as far away from the food as possible. Put as many people and as much space as you can between you and the goodies.

3. Keep your hands otherwise occupied. A diet drink in one hand and your purse in the other will make it more difficult to juggle a plate of Christmas cookies.

4. Talk, talk, talk! Keep your mouth moving by meeting people and enjoying conversation and you won’t have time to stuff it with food!

5. Avoid the over consumption of alcohol. This one isn’t just about weight gain, although alcohol is loaded with calories, it is a wise idea everyone should consider! Have one drink then switch to something less caloric. You’ll enjoy the party and the day after as well!

It is the holidays though so do allow yourself one special treat. You won’t find those holiday bourbon balls at any other time of the year so indulge within reason by popping one or two and you can ignore all those weight loss commercials that pop up in January!

Don’t you just love the holiday season? Holiday cards, Christmas cookies, decorations and parties! You get to see all sorts of family and friends and attend wonderful festive gatherings and family get-togethers. Of course, given the dreaded H1N1 virus we all fear, you may want to pay special attention to your form of meeting and greeting this season.

We all now know to sneeze or cough into our elbows, but what about the obligatory social kiss or welcoming handshake? Many of us expect a kiss on arrival and when we leave but how are we to continue this tradition in a germ-filled world? Consider these steps to proper etiquette with attention to health.

I bet all of us have an aunt who just loves to welcome us with a kiss, if not two! The popular kiss on both cheeks was invented by the French but has become internationally popular. To execute one properly you do not need to actually place lips to cheek. You kiss the air on either side to make it look as if you had connected. This year your “air kiss” can be contained to one side only and you should consider an even wider gap when leaning toward the ear. Be the initiate and you can escape quickly, avoided an unhealthy exchange while preventing hurt feelings.

The traditional handshake too has been modified. Adopt a more “hip” approach by initiating a fist or elbow bump instead! That way you’ll avoid palm to palm contact and get the party started with an upbeat laugh for two. The recipient will no doubt appreciate your intent as well!

Do you have any other healthy greeting alternatives to get the holiday parties and family gatherings off to a great start this year?

By now you’ve all heard the story about the 6 year old in Colorado whose parents thought he had taken a joy ride in the family’s experimental helium balloon. No less than the Norad and the US Air Force were strategizing ways to bring him down safely. Turns out he was hiding from his parents at home and not even in the balloon, thank goodness. Sure made for some interesting live news though!

Anyway, it brought these uplifting images to mind! Don’t wait until its too late to let someone know you care. Opportunities like these can float away unexpectedly! Rise to the occasion by sending one of these:

If you’re planning an uplifting event soon, we have more balloon themed greeting cards you should see!

Andy Rooney was singing my song on 60 Minutes last night! He was talking about the troubles the U.S. Postal Service is experiencing. I guess I wasn’t truly aware that taxes don’t contribute to the support of the postal service. It may be a government agency but it is run like a business so has to support itself.

Andy pointed out that in 1900 there were 77,000 post offices around the country while today, with 4 times the number of people, there are only 37,000. I’m not surprised that fewer of us are actually writing letters, with the ease of email taking over, but I have to agree with Andy here when he says, “An e-mail has all the charm of a freight train.”

I have to wonder how much social interaction and just plain good old-fashioned etiquette is suffering when we forget just how special handwritten letters or greeting cards mean to each of us when they show up unexpectedly, delivered by a mailman (or for crying out loud, mailwoman!). Isn’t this a tradition we should fight to continue? Do you enjoy receiving more than just bills and marketing materials in your mailbox?

There are thousands of ways to track the health of the economy but I found this one to be quite interesting. Did you know that you can tell how the economy is doing by tracking the sales of men’s underwear? Yes, it’s true and here is the theory behind this creative analysis.

Underwear is considered a necessity but in tough economic times, buying replacement pairs is optional. Not usually seen, this is one piece of clothing that doesn’t have to be in perfect repair to wear! And so, when funds are tight, new underwear becomes a luxury.

Average sales are reported at 3.4 pairs per year. From 2004 to 2008 sales of single pairs rose from 5% to 8% with multi packs declining, also so indication that consumers are trying to save.

On a good note, Sears is seeing an increase in underwear sales and Target is reporting stronger sales over the past two months, including sales of multi packs! Have you been scrimping on your skivvies?

And what about women’s undergarments? Should Victoria keep her sales a secret?!