There are many ways to say Merry Christmas

After writing last week’s sort of “feeling sorry for myself” column, I thought maybe we should have a happier, heart-lifting one to help put us all in a happy, true Christmas mood. Right?

Because Christmas is such a happy time, I decided I would try and give you some ways you can say “Merry Christmas” without any shopping, spending money, rushing to get everything done, frustrations, etc., and just enjoying the special season now, and even all year. So I hope you like these ideas and can come up with lots more of your own.

For example: enjoy the fresh, clean smell of the Christmas trees; cuddle up with a child or someone special and tell a story as you recall an old, happy memory or memories; enjoy our feathered friends and keep their feeders full; visit a friend or shut-in; record a Merry Christmas message on your home answering machine; take time to “listen” to any snowfall, then go out and build a snowman with some children — yours or the neighbors — or, better yet, have a snowball fight; look at Christmas with the eyes of a child and remember long ago ones; go window shopping with someone special — it’s free and fun; and share your Christmas smiles and good wishes with everyone you meet and keep it going all year.

Wouldn’t life be so much more wonderful if we spread our Christmas feelings all year?

Before watering your plants with city water, let it sit overnight at room temperature to help get rid of any chlorine in the water. Use snow during the winter because it has much-needed nutrients and minerals which plants love.

Help your car doors open easier and with less chance of freezing shut by rubbing vegetable oil around the edges of both the door and car.

If you need some off-white thread to sew on a button or mend a small tear, dip regular white thread in some tea, and you will have your “antique white.”

Here are a couple hints you might like to try. If soap powder makes you sneeze, put one or two teaspoons of salt in the soap box.

Before you throw out any moldy cheese, cover it in a container with a few sugar lumps. Wait several minutes, and the mold will disappear like magic.

To easily remove that sticky glue residue left when you pull off an adhesive price tag, just rub the spot with some peanut butter and remove with a little paper toweling.

Our Food for Thought this week is: “If crime doesn’t pay, how come it’s one of the biggest businesses in the U.S.?”