An advent calendar is made up of 25 spaces that lead up to Christmas Day. Each day, you open the door, space, or present corresponding to the day. Many advent calendars have small treats in them, such as pieces of chocolate, small toys, or stickers, one for each day. Others may have quotes or sayings in them to get you in the holiday spirit. While advent calendars were traditionally for kids, you can find many adult-themed calendars these days, such as ones with small bottles of wine. Whether you like traditional Christmas carols or hymns or more contemporary Christmas music, Christmas songs are often ubiquitous this time of year. Usually, all you need to do is tune into a local radio station to find some Christmas tunes! If you don't have a local radio station playing Christmas songs, find songs online. You can use streaming music services to listen to them. Classic Christmas movies are sure to put you in the Christmas spirit. They range from fun and silly to more serious, but most of them focus on the meaning of Christmas, either in a secular or religious sense.  For some silly, fun movies, try Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or even White Christmas or "Miracle on 34th Street." For some more serious movies, opt for one of the many versions of A Christmas Carol or try It's a Wonderful Life. Plenty of stories focus on Christmas and spending time reading them with your family is a great way to get in a festive mood. Try reading a little bit of a longer story each night, for instance.  Of course, you can go right to the source and read the story of Christmas in the Bible. You could try classic stories, such as Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol or fun children's stories and poems, such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas or 'Twas the Night before Christmas. If your country celebrates Christmas, then you'll likely find plenty of places to see Christmas lights and decorations. Many towns put together light displays, but even if yours doesn't, try driving or walking through neighborhoods to see what individuals put up. Top off the evening with some hot chocolate and marshmallows! Many local churches will have candlelight services on Christmas Eve, usually late at night (around 11 p.m.), that mainly consist of a short sermon, scripture readings about the birth of Jesus, and Christmas hymns. Don't worry if you've never been before. Churches expect visitors, especially on special days like Christmas Eve. Ask your friends if they know of any nearby services or if you can attend one with them.

Summary: Put up an advent calendar to count down to Christmas. Turn up the Christmas music to put you in a festive mood. Watch classic Christmas movies to learn the meaning of Christmas. Read Christmas stories with your family to enjoy quality time with each other. Visit outdoor displays of Christmas lights and decorations. Attend a Christmas Eve candlelight service.


Start near the center of your face. Use gentle strokes to draw the hairs upwards. Continue doing this down to the thin part of the eyebrows. As you reach the end, brush to the side so your brows end in points. A spoolie is a tiny brush used on eyebrows. It looks similar to a mascara brush, but make sure you don’t grab a makeup-filled brush by mistake. Any loose hairs can be removed. Grip the hairs and pull them out one by one. Work slowly so you don’t thin your eyebrows more than you want. Take some time to step back from the mirror and see how your eyebrows look. Groomed eyebrows should complement your facial structure.  Start at the thicker part and end at the thinner part. Keep the hairs at an even length on the top and bottom of the eyebrow. Facial structure is important. For an oval face, for example, make your eyebrows square with space between them. For more square faces, a slight arch in your eyebrows will look better.

Summary: Brush your eyebrows into shape. Pluck your eyebrows with tweezers.


You might want everything; an architect, designer, builder and contractor as well as a team of sub-contractors. Or, you might want to do it yourself and call in help when you get stuck. Talk to contractors, at the very least. Unless you are experienced with building and renovations, you will need someone to help you get necessary permits and manage the overall project. You should do the same thing if you are working with designers and other professionals. Getting at least 3 quotes or estimates will help you determine who fits into your budget. Once you hire a contractor, discuss how long the work will take. This will help you plan your renovation and how you will function without the use of your kitchen.

Summary: Figure out how much professional help you need. Ask for estimates from at least 3 contractors. Talk about timeframes.


This will show respect and take some of the load off of their shoulders. If you live at home, make sure you take an active role in keeping it clean, particularly your room. If you don’t live at home, stop by once or twice a week to help out.  Wash and fold the laundry. Clean and put away the dishes. Pick up after yourself and others. Run the vacuum around the house. Cut and rake the grass for them. You were probably the recipient of your parents’ taxi services for most of your life. Now, you can return the favor. Offer to take them to where they need to go, especially if they are aging and driving has become difficult for them. Even if they are still able to drive well, having someone offer to chauffeur them around is a sweet gesture. Stay respectful, especially if your parents are older. They may not like the fact that they need help driving. Asking their permission to drive them around, instead of telling them that you are, can make a big difference. As your parents age, they may be unable to take care of their home as well as they could before. Instead of having them call a handyperson to make household repairs, offer to do them yourself. If you are unable to, hire someone yourself so that your parents don’t have to spend the money.  Your parents may not be forthcoming about what they need help with because they don’t want to burden you. Ask them directly how you can help. If they still won’t tell you, do some inspecting of the home yourself, or ask other family members if they know if something needs to be done. Your parents have likely been paying for you for a long time. If you have the means, treat them when you can. Taking them out to dinner or paying for a vacation together is a great way to thank them for what they’ve done and to show your affection. If they are on a fixed income, try some of the following:  Pay some of their bills. Buy their groceries. Cover the expenses for their pets. Work out a plan with them to help manage their finances.
Summary: Tidy up the home. Offer transportation. Handle repairs. Pay for what you can.