The First World War was known as "the War to end all Wars" and was a war with a large social and political impact on the world even still today.  Many men fought in the war, and while the United States entered the war late, and suffered the fewest casualties of all of the participating nations, the number of casualties the U.S. suffered was about 116,000 in total, the war was still devastating.

The official end of the war date was November 11, 1918, and at the one year anniversary President Wilson proclaimed November 11, 1919 to be "Armistice Day."  This was the first nationwide commemoration of the First World War.

On November 11, 1920 the countries of England and France held ceremonies to commemorate the war through the laying of rest an unknown soldier.  The following year, the United States did the same by relocating an unknown U.S. soldier from his grave in Europe into the current day Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C.  There was great ceremony around the event and the casket was placed into the tomb at exactly 11:00am on the morning of the 11^th of November 1920.  President Harding requested that all flags be flown at half-mast to commemorate the day and the great loss of life of the soldiers who fought in the war.

While this played out in other countries, the people of the United States took the unknown soldier to mean both the losses we faced as a country, as well as each American's loss and sacrifices in war.  Because of this, in the years, which followed, many states adopted laws declaring November 11^th as a legal holiday. 

On June 4, 1926 the United States Congress enacting a resolution asking the president to issue a proclamation to display the national flag on all buildings on November 11^th.  The resolution again named the day "Armistice Day."  On May 13, 1938 Congress enacted a new law, which made the day a national holiday.

In 1947, two years after the end of World War II, a "Veterans Day" parade was held in Alabama on November 11th.  In 1954 President Eisenhower signed a bill into law officially changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day.   

In the years which have followed, three more soldiers have been interred into the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C.  They are a soldier from the Second World War, the Korean War, and one from the Vietnam War. 

In 1968 a law was passed moving Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October.  However, many people protested because of the significance of the November 11^th date, and in 1978 President Ford signed a new law, which restored Veterans Day back to November 11^th. 

As of today, the Veterans Day National Committee has the job of coordinating all federal Veterans Day ceremonies.  Each year the current President of the United States visits the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and places a wreath while taps is played.  In addition, many states hold their own ceremonies to remember the fallen soldiers of war and the sacrifices of those who serve their country face each day.  It is very popular for town and cities to have Veterans Day parades to honor those among their communities who have either lost a loved on to a war, or who have a loved on currently serving in the armed services. 

Here in the United States, we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday as a legal holiday on the third Monday in January of each year.  The actual birthday of Dr. King was on January 15^th, however the third Monday is the holiday standard.  It is interesting to note that there are only four United States federal holidays, which commemorate an individual person, and this is one of those days. 

Martin Luther King Day started out as a holiday, which labor unions fought for in negotiations with employers.  They did so because Martin Luther King was a great proponent of labor unions and fair employment for all Americans.  After King's death in 1968 many labor unions lobbied to have King's birthday become a national holiday in celebration of his life and activism on behalf of trade unions. 

Elected largely because of the backing of trade unions, President Jimmy Carter endorsed the King Day bill and unions took the action and ran with it to garner support from Corporate America, unfortunately he was never able to sign the day into law. Finally, in 1981 a petition to Congress to pass the law was signed by six million people and relentlessly then President Ronald Regan singed the bill into law. 

On November 2, 1983 President Ronald Regan reluctantly singed a bill into law creating a federal holiday to honor King.  The first official Martin Luther King holiday was celebrated on January 20, 1986.

In addition to Ronald Regan, Senator Jesse Helms led the opposition to the new holiday.  He questioned whether Dr. King was important enough to receive such an honor partly due to his opposition to the Vietnam War and purported Communist connections. 

January 17, 2000 was the first time, which Martin Luther King Day was officially observed in all 50 states.  Before that date Arizona and New Hampshire did not observe the day.

Even though all of the states now honor the holiday, many did not name the day specifically after King.  In Utah the holiday was known as "Human Rights Day."  In the year 2000 Governor Michael Leavitt signed a bill officially changing the name of the holiday from Human Rights Day to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 

To this day, the holiday in Arizona and New Hampshire is known as Martin Luther King, Jr. Civil Rights Day. 

Interestingly enough, even though King Day is a federal holiday and an official state holiday in every state in the Union, it is often not observed by small companies other than banks.  Many large corporations close but smaller businesses tend to remain open.  However, as the years pass, more and more companies, small and large, are beginning to observe the day. 

Senator Harris Wofford and Congressman John Lewis wrote a bill, which was signed into law on August 23, 1994 by President Bill Clinton.  This legislation aimed to change the Martin Luther King Day to one of volunteer service and citizen action rather than as an observance of King himself. 

As each year passes, more and more states seem to be moving towards celebrating the King holiday as a day of service.  Dr. King was all about citizen action and service to your fellow man, so I think he would be very satisfied at this movement. 

I don't know what it is about the simple act of changing a calendar year, but New Year's Day is always a time of resolutions and renewal in our home.  We take this chance to start fresh and change things, which we have not been happy with the previous year.  While some things cannot be changed, such as medical issues and the nagging car repairs that come at the most inopportune time, there are many things about our lives, which we can change when we set our minds to the task. 

The first tradition we have at our home is that of buying a wonderful and decorative calendar to hang on our wall.  Sometimes we are given one for the holidays, other times we purchase our own.  Every New Year's Day I remove our old calendar and hang our new one.  In the process, I first copy over any important family dates such as birthdays or anniversaries, which I need to remember throughout the New Year. 

Many people set out to celebrate New Year's Day by making resolutions, which they really don't have any real desire to fight to keep going throughout the year.  If you have ever been in a health club or gym in January, then you know how many people can be there that you will never see again come February.  It would be almost funny, if it weren't so sad. 

The key to making your New Year's resolutions and having them become reality in your life is to start small and really dedicate yourself to what you want to change in your life.  If you are overweight, or even simply want to get into better shape, start with eating better and walking around your own neighborhood before you shell out the big money for a membership to a gym. 

Another good way to spend your New Years Day is to take the opportunity of the New Year to clean out and purge your living quarters.  It is very common to bring home your gifts from holiday celebrations and then have nowhere to put them.  By doing some much needed de-cluttering and purging you can have space for all of your new treasures and make some nice donations of your unused items as well.  Two of the best places to get rid of your unwanted items are through your local thrift store or freecycle.org.  Thrift stores will generally take just about anything, which they can re-sell to others.  With freecycle.org you send out an e-mail to your local area and the person interested in what you have to offer will come pick-up your unwanted items.  Both your thrift store and freecycle.org are good ways to keep your unwanted items out of the landfill.

In our home, we spend New Years Day first transferring the calendar, and then we move into the kitchen where we go through all of our cabinets and take a good inventory of what is in each of them.  For things we have a lot of, we make an effort to use some of it up in the next few months.  For things we will need to purchase we put them on our master shopping list.  While we are in the kitchen we also try to find items, which make good donations to our local food pantry.  For instance, if I have been getting great buys on soup and have 30 cans of it, I will usually give half to our local food pantry and keep the rest to cover us for the rest of winter.   

On addition to some of the suggestions above, it is always a good idea to look at the New Year as a time of renewal and a time when you can make changes to your life.  However, rather than having lofty resolutions which you cannot keep, start small and make goals to change things over the next year or even longer.  By making realistic goals you can change the things in your life that you choose to. 

Each April the holiday known as Earth Day is celebrated around the world.  Earth day is a day of celebrating this great big earth we live on, and a day to raise awareness of the special needs of our earth.  While many people think Earth Day is all about recycling and composting your trash, in essence it is much more than that.  And, because our children are the future of our planet, they are often the center of Earth Day celebrations.  Having our children grow up "green" will help the earth stay healthy as the years go by. 

There are many ways you can celebrate Earth Day with your children and spend the time teaching them about the environment at the same time.  Here are some basic ideas to get you thinking on how you want to spend your Earth Day this year with your kids.

Every single person on earth, child or adult, can do his or her part for the environment.  You can teach this to your children in very simple and easy to understand ways.  From the day your child is able to turn off a light or television, teach them about wasting electricity and make it part of their normal daily routine to shut off the power when they are done with something such as a television or game.  Also, teach them to always turn off lights when the leave a room.  If you teach them this as very young children, then it won't be such a battle when they get to be teenagers.  And, as they become teens, then it is time to teach them to use power strips and get rid of all of the phantom energy drains in their rooms. 

In addition to saving electricity, your children can learn to save water by doing small things differently in their daily routines.  Simple things like turning off the water while they brush their teeth or taking faster showers all help to save energy and conserve water.  If each member of the household does this, it will be a good habit everyone will follow without even thinking about it. 

A garden can be a wonderful way for a family to go green.  Allow your children to develop a compost pile.  You can compost your eggs shells and other organic waste products in your yard to keep them from ending up in a landfill.  You can then use that compost as fertilizer for your garden soil.  In addition to the exercise and interest that gardening provides, it also provides your children a chance to see how food is grown and used.  And, as an added bonus, your children will enjoy eating fruits and vegetables, which they have grown. 

Finally, the absolute best way you can teach your child about nature and the environment is to spend time outdoors with your children.  By getting your children interested in outdoor activities such as hiking and camping, you can ensure that they will have a more healthy life and a better respect for the world in which we all live. 

If you want to take your children to a park or on a hike, try letting them lead the way and show you what they find.  Children are much lower down to the ground and can show you many things that you might not have otherwise noticed.  If you will be spending time outside with your kids allow for a lot of extra time and for them to explore feely. 

In addition, take family camping vacations, which everyone will enjoy and which will help to teach your children about the outdoors in a way they can't learn, simply hiking around in a day. 

As you can clearly see, there are many ways in which you and your children can enjoy the earth we live on.  There is much more to Earth Day each year than a reminder to recycle your cans and bottles - although that is always a good idea too. 

Earth Day is a holiday, which falls in April of each year.  Celebrations of Earth Day are held around the globe, and the day is dedicated towards educating people on the merits of recycling, and doing other things to help save this big blue marble we all live on and call earth.

There are many ways you can celebrate Earth Day with your children and spend the time teaching them about the environment.  Here are some ideas to get you thinking on how you want to spend your Earth Day.

Every single person on earth, child or adult, can do his or her part for the environment.  You can teach this to your children in very simple and easy to understand ways.  From the day your child is able to turn off a light or television, teach them about wasting electricity and make it part of their normal daily routine to shut off the power when they are done with something such as a television or game.  Also, teach them to always turn off lights when the leave a room.  If you teach them this as very young children, then it won't be such a battle when they get to be teenagers.

Other ways children can pitch in to help conserve electricity is through walking or riding their bike more, as well as helping to hang clothing on a line to dry. 

In addition to saving electricity, your children can learn to save water by doing small things differently in their daily routines.  Simple things like turning off the water while they brush their teeth or taking faster showers all help to save energy and conserve water. 

A garden can be a wonderful way for a family to go green.  You can compost your eggs shells and other organic waste products in your yard to keep them from ending up in a landfill.  You can then use that compost as fertilizer for your garden soil.  In addition to the exercise and interest that gardening provides, it also provides your children a chance to see how food is grown and used. 

When you shop for food and other household products, explain to your children where they were made and where their packages end up.  A simple trip to your local landfill will be a huge eye-opener for your children and really help them to go green a lot faster.  There they can see the amazing amounts of waste even just one small town or community generates.  Soon your children will be telling you to purchase things with less packaging. 

If your child notices something in your own local town which is wasteful or harming the environment unnecessarily, ask them to write their local government official and let their voice be heard.  Explain to your children that democracy is for both adults and children.  This exercise is wonderful to help with writing skills, as well as to help build a sense of community in your child.

Finally, the absolute best way you can teach your child about nature and the environment is to spend time outdoors with your children.  By getting your children interested in outdoor activities such as hiking, you can ensure that they will have a more healthy life and a better respect for the world in which we all live. 

If you want to take your children to a park or on a hike, try letting them lead the way and show you what they find.  Children are much lower down to the ground and can show you many things that you might not have otherwise noticed.  If you will be spending time outside with your kids allow for a lot of extra time and for them to explore feely. 

As you can clearly see, there are many ways in which you and your children can enjoy the earth we live on.  There is much more to Earth Day each year than a reminder to recycle your cans and bottles - although that is always a good idea too. 

If you have school-aged children, then you have some very important people to thank come Christmas time.  The bus driver gets your children safely to and from school each day, regardless of the weather and other irritations.  And, your child's teacher is tasked with helping them learn to grow intellectually while at the same time generally does the work for a small amount of pay and appreciation. 

In order for you to show your appreciation to your child's bus driver and teacher this Christmas, here are some ideas to help you think of the perfect gift:

Christmas Gift Suggestion #1 - Teacher appreciation gifts should be for the teacher themselves and not so much a gift for the classroom.  If your secretary has done a great job this year, you don't reward her with a new office computer; you give her a bonus, which she can spend on herself.  The same idea goes for teachers and other service personnel as well.  However, the one caveat to that are items, which the school will never pay for and the teacher will end up purchasing out of their own pocket money. 

Christmas Gift Suggestion #2 - One of the absolute best gifts that you can give to a teacher or bus driver does not have to cost a dime.  What is it?  The gift of a hand-written note from your child thanking them for what they have offered your child. 

Christmas Gift Suggestion #3 - Many teachers start their day with a quick joke.  A nice clean joke book, appropriate for the age of the kids, can make a great gift for a teacher.  They can use this for a laugh, and they can also use it in their classroom as well.

Christmas Gift Suggestion #4 - Teachers always need board games to play in class, and even to enjoy at home with their own children.  You can very easily choose a good quality game and then let the teacher decide on where she would like to use it. 

Christmas Gift Suggestion #5 - Food items always make good gifts.  However, you do not need to send in cookies or cakes to feel appreciation from teachers or bus drivers.  Try buying their lunch or dinner by giving a gift card to your local restaurant or deli.  Or, you can even give a simple gift card to a local grocery store.

Christmas Gift Suggestion #6 - Teachers love books.  While books are always a welcomed gift, you can either choose one yourself or you can leave it up to the teacher by buying them a gift card for a book store such as Barnes & Noble which also gives them a discount on their purchases. 

Christmas Gift Suggestion #7 - A low maintenance plant is always a good gift option.  Try to stick to something easy to grow without too many requirements so they can be grown at school or at home.  One of my personal favorites is cactus gardens and Christmas cactus flowering plants. 

Christmas Gift Suggestion #8 - If the teacher or bus driver supports a cause make a donation in their name and give them a card with a note that you have done this. 

Christmas Gift Suggestion #9 - If you have a talent that you can teach others how to do, why not offer to teach the class something interesting for the teacher.  This gives them a break and helps them to plan a fun lesson at the same time. 

Christmas Gift Suggestion #10 - Last but certainly not least, do not buy a teacher something with "#1 Teacher" or an apple on it.  It is plain tacky and teachers generally have a ton of that stuff.  Instead stick to something consumable if you have to send in something like a coffee mug.  Replace that mug with some gourmet coffee or tea and the teacher will appreciate it! 

Christmas is a wonderful time of year to show the woman in your life just how much you love and value her.  Your gift to her will let her know just how special you think that she really is.  Nothing shows your love better than a well thought out gift which takes into account her interests and desires. 

Here is a list of gift ideas to get you started on your way to purchasing the best gift for the woman in your life this coming holiday season:

Gift Idea #1 - One of the best Christmas gifts you can give the woman in your life is the gift of your time.  Take time out to show the woman in your life that you value her, and all that she has done for you, by volunteering to complete tasks for her that you know she doesn't like to do.  This could be cooking a meal, or even cleaning her home for her. 

Gift Idea #2 - If the woman in your life doesn't take time out of her busy day to pamper herself, give her a gift of some luxury spa products which she can use at her leisure in the privacy of her own home.  Great options for this are bath salts and nice smelling lotions or body butters.

Gift Idea #3 - Women generally do not buy perfume for themselves.  While some do, many wait to have their favorite scent gifted to them by special family members.  If you are unsure which scent is the favorite of the woman in your life, a trip to her room can easily tell you.  The bottle, which is nearly empty, is the best choice for you to purchase for her. 

Gift Idea #4 - A mother's ring made with the birthstones of each of her children is an excellent gift choice for Christmas for your mother or grandmother; this ring shows all that see it that your mother or grandma has children who love her.  If your mother or grandmother doesn't wear rings, you can also get a mother's pendant necklace, which has the same effect. 

Gift Idea #5 - Every woman loves to receive flowers.  If you're the woman in your life works outside the home, have some holiday flowers sent to her office so that everyone knows she is special to you.  If the woman in your life prefers plants to flowers, have the florist send a nice basket garden or Christmas cactus instead. 

Gift Idea #6 - If the woman in your life loves techie gadgets, and many these days do, a nice digital camera or cool new iPod could be just what she has been pining over.  Mention new items on the market to her to get a feel for what she might enjoy having, but probably won't spend the money on to purchase for herself. From there you should get an idea of what the perfect gift will be.

Gift Idea #7 - Buy a tree or star in her name.  Many charities today allow you to purchase things such as trees in a park, bricks for a new building, or even a star in the sky.  By doing this you give the woman in your life something which will last a lifetime and beyond - without adding unwanted clutter to her home.

Gift Idea #8 - Many women today simply want the gift of some time home alone.  If you have younger siblings or a grandparent who your mother or other woman in your life cares for, offer to take over for the day and allow her to spend the day off either hiding out somewhere at home or at a nearby location. 

Gift #9 - While giving a typical household appliance won't be terribly appreciated by the woman in your life, trust me on this one, a gift of a Dyson vacuum or a Kitchenaid mixer will be coveted.  If the price is out of your range, you can ask others to split the cost and then all deliver this amazing gift come Christmas time.

If you have young parents-to-be on your shopping list for this Christmas, there are some wonderful gift options open for you to choose from.  You have the option of buying each of them a more traditional individual gift, gifting to them as a couple who are expecting, or gifting them something special to be used with their new baby. 

When you are trying to decide what gift to give to a couple who will be having a baby, it is important to know how far along they are and when the baby is due.  Personally, I generally don't like to gift presents to be used for their baby until after the mom-to-be is in the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy.  Before then there is just too much that can go wrong and I don't want my gift to turn into a sad reminder if something were to happen. 

So, before this time I tend to gift either to the couple together or individually.  What I give depends on how well I know the people and what their interests are.

When you will be gifting a couple who are expecting you have a unique option of giving them something that they can use before the baby comes or after.  A good gift for before the baby comes is something like a day at a spa, movie theater tickets, and other outings, which will be hard to attend once the baby is born.  I like to take this opportunity to give the parents something, which will help them relax and just simply have some fun. 

When you are going to give a gift to be used with the new baby, try and stick to neutral colors if you or the parents do not know the baby's sex.  You can choose from an endless supply of generic baby items at this point.  You can do anything from a simple gift of cute clothing items or designer shoes, up to the gift of a crib or other furniture item. 

As a parent, here are some gifts we received, or wished that we had, for holidays leading up to the birth of our children:

1.  Diapers, diapers and yet more diapers.  Seriously, babies use tons of diapers and even if the parents are planning on using cloth, disposables will still have to be used in some situations.  Ask what their choice is, paper or clothe, and then go from there.  Also, remember that babies are only very small for a very, very short period of time.  Buy diapers, which can be used when the baby is older than a newborn.  A huge supply of diaper wipes are also needed and appreciated as gifts. 

2.  Generally a baby shower gives the parents more than enough cute clothing to last the baby through most of their first year.  So, for holiday giving a good idea can be a basket of all of the essential items a baby needs in their first year of life.  Examples include: diaper rash cream, teething gel, teethers and pacifiers, nail clippers, baby shampoo and body wash, and any other small items you can find in the baby aisle at any local store which you think the parents would enjoy having. 

3.  Furniture for the nursery can be expensive.  However, if you and all of your family members go in on it together and split the cost, you can surprise the parents-to-be with a very nice sized gift certificate to your local furniture store.  If you know what furniture they are looking for you also have the option of buying it and setting it up for them as well.

4.  A good quality car seat which can last for years is a must have for all parents.  However, going out and spending a couple hundred dollars on a car seat can be hard for young parents to do.  This makes a car seat a great option. 

Hopefully this has given you some ideas when you go Christmas shopping this year for the parents-to-be on your list. 

Holiday shopping for men can be a real challenge.  Often finding the right Christmas gift to show your father, spouse, or other man in your life how much you love them can be a down right painful experience.  However, there are some simple things that you can purchase to really show him that you love and care for him.

Here are some gift suggestions to get you started thinking about what you can give to the men on your shopping list this holiday season:

Gift Suggestion #1 - If the man in your life is handy around the house, and he enjoys the outdoors, a Swiss Army Knife is always a good selection.  Swiss Army Knives stand for quality and function both at the same time.  Every man can use and enjoy a Swiss Army Knife. 

Gift Suggestion #2 - There is this really cool device on the market called the "Auto Card Manager."  It is used to store all of your credit cards, driver's license, medical cards, etc. in and it keeps them from being broken like they can be when you sit on your wallet all day.  This device is an excellent alternative to a wallet and something any man would love to have and use. 

Gift Suggestion #3 - If the man in your life enjoys a good quality wine or other expensive spirit, they can make a great gift.  Often men won't buy things for themselves, so gifts of things they really enjoy can be very well received. 

Gift Suggestion #4 - If the man in your life enjoys a good sporting event such as professional football or basketball, why not buy two tickets and make a day of it - just the two of you?  You can take them to a great event and you can build memories at the same time.  To help build additional memories, try a nice tailgating party before the game or a meal at a nice restaurant you both have wanted to try. 

Gift Suggestion #5 - If the man in your life is still wearing his old, funky watch from years ago, buy him a good quality one to replace it with.  Most professional men need to wear a nice watch as a sign of their prosperity.   

Gift Suggestion #6 - If the man in your life can't find his way around town, or if he loves to be in the woods hunting for treasures, a GPS can now be purchased for a very reasonable amount of cash.  GPS units are great for both directions as well as hobbies such as hiking and geo-cashing. 

Gift Suggestion #7 - If the man in your life has always wanted a Ferrari, but has been stuck in a Toyota, rent him a luxury car for the day and allow him to drive around and enjoy the car.  He might even find out that his Toyota is more comfortable and be thankful to you that he got to find that out for himself.

Gift Suggestion #8 - If the man in your life is handy and enjoys working around the house, a new laser tape measure and laser level can be just what he has been secretly wishing for.  Both are easy to use and are small enough to easily fit into a pocket when they are not in use. 

As you can see, buying a cool gift for the man in your life doesn't need to be too challenging.  The best thing you can do is think about what he likes and go with something of a similar theme. 

Often purchasing individual gifts for members of your family, or extended family, becomes harder and harder over time.  When we are children, we are very easy to buy presents for.  However, as we get older, and our tastes get more set in, it becomes harder for others to buy us things which we will like and enjoy.  A good solution to this issue is to purchase "family gifts" which everyone in the family can enjoy together. 

Here are today's top ten Christmas family gift suggestions to get you started on selecting a perfect gift for the family on your list - yours or someone else's. 

Family Gift Idea #1 - If you have a budget on the higher-end, a good suggestion is a Nintendo Wii gaming system.  The Nintendo Wii is much more interactive and family friendly than you typical gaming system. 

Family Gift Idea #2 - For more traditional families, or if you are on a much smaller budget, consider a gift of a game night basket.  In this basket you can put a new board game or two, a deck of cards, and some snacks for their game nights. 

Family Gift Idea #3 - If the family you are gifting enjoys movies, a movie night basket is a perfect gift.  Include in the basket their favorite movie candies, some popcorn, and either a DVD or a gift card to their local video rental store. 

Family Gift Idea #4 - For a family who is constantly on the move, the gift of something they can do together in the car can be just the ticket.  Consider a gift of a trivia game or book, which gives them car game ideas to try out.

Family Gift Idea #5 - If your family home schools their children, or simply spends a lot of time visiting local attractions, a year membership to your local zoo or other large attraction will be a very welcomed gift.

Family Gift Idea #6 - Another great gift idea is to gather recipes from all of your family members and put it together into a nice recipe book for all of the families on your gifting list. 

Family Gift Idea #7 - One tradition that works very nicely for family gifts for Christmas is the gift of a special Christmas tree ornament or ornament set each year.  You can use them to commemorate any special happenings in their family each year. 

Family Gift Idea #8 - Another big hit is a gift basket which includes chocolate in all forms, such as hot chocolate, gourmet chocolate candies, chocolate spoons to be used in drinks, etc.  As long as no one is allergic, there isn't a family out there who won't enjoy this basket.

Family Gift Idea #9 - If the family you wish to gift has been struggling to make ends meet, you may wish to help them out without doing so in an overt manner.  One simple way to do this is through a gift basket loaded with food items, which they can use.  Another simple way to do this is to fill a small gift basket with gift cards to local stores and gas stations in their area.  By choosing a variety of stores you can allow them to purchase things they need to help get them through the next year. 

Family Gift Idea #10 - Finally, the gift of an advent basket, or an "all week gift basket" can be a nice fun change from your typical gift basket.  In this basket you will include wrapped gifts which will be opened one each day until Christmas.  This is really enjoyable for children, even with small gifts to be opened.

As you can see, gifting for a family can really be the way to go this Christmas season.  Many people find it easier to purchase a gift, or make a basket, rather than try to find just the perfect gift for each member of the family.