Issue Date: November 27, 2005
Help your kids be great gift givers
Most kids don't just want to get presents by the tree or menorah, they want to give them, too. The good news is that gift giving provides a perfect teaching moment for parents, regardless of their child's age, says Peggy Post, co-author of "Emily Post's The Gift of Good Manners" (and the etiquette queen's great-granddaughter-in-law). Her advice:
Kids should give gifts relative to their age.
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Toddlers. Homemade gifts are great, but keep them simple. Don't expect pre-schoolers to work on something for an hour.
Elementary school. Kids this age tend to like purchasing a gift. Avoid buying it for them; let them choose instead. Decide ahead of time if your child will use his allowance money or if you will give him shopping funds. Either way, set a price limit.
Middle school. Have your child make a list of the people she'd like to give gifts to and help her set a budget. Even homemade gifts cost money.
High school. Help your teen set limits. Suggest a secret Santa exchange with friends. Work on a budget, and avoid being cajoled into maxing out your own credit cards.
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Try snowshoeing
Last year, 4.7 million people went snowshoeing. And no wonder: It's low impact, and it burns more calories than downhill skiing, walking or running. In fact, snowshoeing burns 420 to 1,000 calories per hour.
"It's a great way to stay active in the winter without spending a ton of money," says Karen Righthand, marketing director for Atlas Snow-Shoe Company. "If you can walk, you can snowshoe. You don't need a lift ticket, and you can do it at a golf course or park once it snows."
Many resorts now offer snowshoe trails and rentals. On Jan. 7 -- Winter Trails Day -- try snowshoeing for free. Check wintertrails.org for locations.
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Make a meal in 1 pot
For health benefits, you can't top dried beans. They are rich in antioxidants and fiber and are low glycemic, helping to control blood sugar. If you don't use no-salt-added beans, rinse to remove sodium.
3-Bean Chicken Stew
1 Tb. canola oil
1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks
1 large yellow onion, chopped
14-ounce can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 15-ounce cans of no-salt-added beans (black, navy and kidney)
3 cups no-salt-added tomatoes
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup dry red wine
1 large bay leaf
1 Tb. Italian herbs
1 cup smoked chicken breast, cubed
1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat oil in a large pot; brown chicken. Remove chicken and set aside. Sauté onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, celery, carrots, wine, bay leaf, herbs and all chicken; cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Add parsley, cilantro, salt and pepper, and simmer 5 more minutes.
Serves 8
Per serving: 361 calories, 39g protein, 32g carbohydrates, 6g fat (3g saturated), 75mg cholesterol, 12g fiber, 267mg sodium.
For more great USA WEEKEND recipes, visit usaweekend.allrecipes.com.
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New gear for easier trips
Looking for new gear and gadgets to give to the traveler on your gift list? There are plenty from which to choose.
If you plan to travel light, the new Casio EX-S500 is a 5-megapixel camera that also takes MPEG-4 movies. But it's only about 1/2-inch thick and slightly larger than a credit card. This miniaturization costs $399.99.
The SideWinder cellphone charger ($24.95) weighs only 2.5 ounces.
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The SideWinder manual cellphone charger weighs just 2.5 ounces and has a tiny crank with which you can charge your cellphone. Two minutes of turning gets you six minutes of talk time. Retailing for $24.95, it's ideal if you're camping, stuck in a blackout or simply caught without your charger.
Fishing enthusiasts note: L.L.Bean's Travel Series Fly Rod outfits are six-piece rods in a 22-inch travel tube that can be carried aboard an aircraft. They start at $245.
How about a plastic wallet that you could take to the beach? That's the idea behind the Jimi. About the size of a cellphone, this $14.95 translucent wallet is made from recycled plastic and can hold a few dollar bills and credit cards.
And while the Ultralight/Watertight .5 first aid kit from Adventure Medical Kits is designed for adventure sports enthusiasts, its compact size, light weight and waterproof bag make the $17 kit useful for all travelers.
Headsets that reduce in-flight noise are all the rage. Solitude Active Noise Cancellation headsets, which retail for $199.95, produce white noise to block unwanted sounds and plug into an armrest or MP3 player to help you create your own in-flight concert.
Everett Potter is an award-winning travel writer in suburban New York.
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