Christmas

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Culture

Happy Holidays everyone! Whether you just finished celebrating Chanukah/Hanukkah, are currently enjoying Christmas, or are getting ready for Kwanzaa tomorrow, we hope you have a wonderful time with friends and family. With the last week of 2014 upon us, we encourage you to think about the ways that you want to Seize Your Youth in the New Year! We will be here to provide you with inspiration, ideas, and support as you jump in.

As always, thank you for being part of the Carpe Juvenis community!

- Catherine and Lauren

rudolph
CultureSkills

We live in a society where we constantly feel judged and pressured to suppress all of our flaws and quirks in order to blend into the “norm.” Especially as young adults, it is extremely hard to be confident about who you are when most of the time we are not even sure who that is. A lot of the time, it is a constant struggle between deciding if you should be yourself or if you should be like everyone else. And if you do decide to be yourself, there’s the question of how much of yourself you should be.

Even though it can be difficult to figure out who you are in this world, it is extremely important to take a note from one of the most unique and inspirational figures of them all; Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Though he may be a fictional character that comes around each holiday season, Rudolph exhibits all of the qualities that each and every one of us need to embrace more often; being a leader, being a friend, and being himself.

Rudolph’s eventual decision to be confident in his red nose is what makes him a leader. Standing apart from the crowd, along with being happy with who you are, is a tip we can all take from the reindeer himself. Rudolph is also an amazing friend to Hermey and Yukon Cornelius. He supports them in their differences just as they support his. Rudolph also makes sure not to leave behind the misfit toys when he is at the head of Santa’s sleigh, and he makes sure to pick them up from Misfit Island and give them a chance to have homes of their own.

Through being himself, Rudolph is able to help an endless amount of people. Though at first Rudolph is ashamed of his differences, he soon learns that his differences are what save Christmas. And while it may be hard to believe sometimes, we all have our own shiny, bright, red nose to light the way on a stormy night and save the day. So while you sit back with your hot chocolate by the fire and watch your favorite Christmas movie this winter, keep in mind that we all have the ability to be our own Rudolph, and that what we think of as imperfections are actually what makes us wonderfully and beautifully unique.

Image: Story Telling Cooking and Kids

gift
Culture

While it may be hard to admit, girls are some of the hardest people to shop for when putting aside clothes and makeup. And with the holiday season right around the corner, it’s definitely time to start getting the shopping done! Here are five things on every girl’s holiday list:

  1. Coffee

Whether it’s a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks or a Peppermint Mocha k-cup from Dunkin Donuts, sometimes coffee feels like it’s practically our blood. The drink is not only delicious, but it’s something to swear by when waking up for 8:30 a.m. classes and needing something to warm our hands as we brave the cold.

  1. Chapstick

With cold weather comes chapped lips and that’s fun for no one. Chapstick is one of the many simple pleasures in life that we all just can’t seem to get enough of; especially when it comes in so many yummy flavors!

  1. Chipotle

Embracing the calories is all the rage when it comes to Chipotle. What girl doesn’t like indulging in some guacamole? There’s nothing like an excuse to splurge on the love of food!

  1. Uggs

We all have to admit to owning at least one pair whether we’d like to or not. And though it may be hard to admit, this fad may just be the warmest and comfiest of them all!

  1. Yoga Pants

These might as well just be a gift from the universe itself! Yoga pants are a way of life; and a way of looking put together after rolling out of bed. These are sure to keep you comfy but also stylish when the cold weather hits.

What’s on your holiday wish list?

Image: Kevin Dooley

books
Culture

1. Holidays

The obvious: it’s holiday season. You may celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or just plain old New Year’s Eve. December means shopping. It means pigging out on all year-round-forbidden foods. And it means seeing family and friends and reconnecting with those who you have maybe lost touch with throughout the entire year. I see December as a month of reunion.

2. Hot Drinks

Don’t tell me you don’t participate in PSL season. Okay, if you had to look up PSL, maybe not. Either way, we all know there is nothing more comforting or satisfying than sipping on a searing cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate in cold December. It is the time where coziness reaches its climax. Drinking away your calories is acceptable, but only in December.

3. Smell

December has a smell - that is fact. It smells like cinnamon. It has the aroma of pine trees. And it has the faint scent of deliciously baked goods. Am I wrong?

4. Winter Clothes

Summer is definitely a desired season, but during this time you can finally dress in sophisticated coats and elegant scarves that you’ve secretly been waiting to wear all year long. It’s cold, but not cold enough where you’re forced to wear bulky parkas. Also, it calls for some fun when putting an outfit together - scarves, boots, pants, jackets, ear muffs, hats, and gloves! There is much opportunity to be a fashionista – get creative, my friends.

5. Cozy, Cozy, Cozy

Not only do you get the chance to drink sugar and calories, but December also means sitting by mellow fireplaces, candles, and an excuse to just be lazy for once! The sun sets earlier, therefore your days end earlier and getting home early in the midst of some comforting dim lights is very tempting. Readers: what’s better than spending a night reading a captivating novel by the fireplace?

6. Netflix

Let’s be honest, not all of us have boyfriends and girlfriends to cuddle with. However, Netflix is always there to comfort all singles worldwide. From interesting documentaries to addicting TV shows to the movies we just never had the time to watch during the year, Netflix is our best friend.

7. Vay-cay

December is the time to reunite with family and friends, as previously touched on. However, it is also a time of travels and vacations - be it to see those family and friends or to travel with those family and friends. December is a time to bond with family and friends and get closer to your loved ones while still getting the chance to visit familiar or unfamiliar places!

8. Fluffy Snow

December introduces many parts of the world with snow. By January, the snow is no longer “pretty” because by then, it has turned yellow or brown and icy. However, in December, it is a beautiful thing to see blankets and blankets of freshly fallen snow! Snow angels better be on that to-do list!

9. ABC Family

December tends to revolve around child hood memories and this includes flipping the television channels only to find Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas or Polar Express on. For some of us, ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas is on our calendar - spare the judgments, please.

10. Reflection and Renewal

Above all, December is a month of renewal. It is a time to wrap up the year, to wrap up old habits, to plan for new ones; it is a time of reflection and preparation. This is a beautiful time that invites reminiscing and change. Plan to embrace the goals you have for 2015 and think about what you would like to leave behind in 2014. December is the close for the year - enjoy every last moment and squeeze out the best remaining bits of it!

How will you enjoy December?

Image: Stanford

xmas 1
Culture

‘Tis the season to stay inside, cuddle up with good friends, and enjoy some of the holiday’s cinematic greats. The Christmas season has inspired some of the most intriguing, touching, and lesson-filled films in cinematic history, and here are some that you might find yourself watching within the next month:

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  1. A Christmas Story

Iconic for its famous “you’ll shoot your eye out” line and for the fact that TBS literally plays it on a 24 hour loop on Christmas, this classic Christmas tale reminds you of the hope and excitement each and every one of us had as Christmas approached each year. The film follows Ralphie and his exploits as he runs from bullies, wears humiliating costumes made by loving relatives, and fights for his right to own a Red Ryder air rifle. All in all, this movie is hysterical and will remind you of all the antics you got into as a child.

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  1. It’s A Wonderful Life

A little less self-deprecating than the first, this film reminds us in a lighthearted fashion that the holidays are not about gifts or decorations: it is about celebrating with loved ones. This film follows George Bailey, a man who had many aspirations and ideas for his future, who ends up with a life he did not vision for himself. Though he loves his family, Bailey feels as though life would be better off without him and that is exactly what he gets. Bailey is visited by an angel who grants him this wish, and shows Bailey just how wrong he his. He touched and impacted so many people in positive ways, which is kind of the point of the holiday: no matter how tough things are, remember that you have a support system to rely on and be relied upon. Plus, when a very special bell rings in the last scene, you will be filled with all kinds of warmth – I don’t want to spoil it for those who have not seen this movie yet!

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  1. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Both a Christmas and Halloween movie, this Tim Burton film meshes all the best of the spookiest and the happiest holidays respectively. Jack the Pumpkin King feels as though there is something missing; Halloween has become dull. So, in search of something to spice up the festivities, Jack walks dejectedly into the forest outside of the cemetery to find the seven holiday doors. Accidentally opening the portal to Christmas Town, Jack finds elves preparing for the Christmas season and is very impressed by the entire atmosphere of Christmas. What ensues is a wild idea to mix Halloween and Christmas, and crazy happenings such as kidnapping Santa Claus and battling with the Boogie Man occur. This was most definitely my favorite holiday film as a kid and I recommend it to anyone who loves the creativity of the storyline or just the fact that is has songs in it.

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  1. Elf

This film is probably one of the most quoted and Tumblr reblogged Christmas movies ever. After discovering he is not truly an elf, the movie follows along on Buddy the elf’s journey to find his real dad. This hilarious Christmas story stars a very funny Will Ferrell, and has many scenes that will have you and your friends bent over in laughter, as well as teaching you an appreciation of the child-like belief that Buddy exhibits all throughout the film - maybe growing up is not always the best idea (but inevitable, nevertheless).

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  1. A Christmas Carol

By far one of the most recognizable Christmas tales, A Christmas Carol has been a staple for the holiday season since its publication. Not to mention its many screen reincarnations, this film can be seen in many forms: one could watch the original, the one with Jim Carrey voicing over a cartoon version of the film, or even a Muppets version in which Michael Caine plays the infamous Scrooge. This classic teaches us the importance of not only being thankful for what we have, but also for inspiring us to help others who are less fortunate than we are. Greed is the bane of humanity, and this story does a fantastic job of giving its audience a newfound appreciation of that notion.

What are you watching this holiday season?

Images: s-herman / Insomnia Cured Here / Chris Friese / J / DVD Talk

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CultureSkills

No matter what you are celebrating this holiday season, a party is a great opportunity to see those closest to you. The task of setting up a party is easier than you think. Here are some ideas to make sure your party is a success:

1. Decorate

There is a time to decorate and this is it. Your residence doesn’t have to be all holiday themed if you have guests of more than one faith. Snowflakes, snowmen, or other seasonal themed decorations are appropriate. Decorations that you have collected over the years can be charming. If you don’t have those on hand, homemade or new decorations could be just the thing to make your place seem like a home. “‘Tis The Season: DIY Christmas” by Nicolette Pezza will give you some simple tips to make homemade decorations.

2. Make A Holiday Playlist

There are lots of Christmas albums out there these days. Mix and match your favorite tracks to give your party some background music. It’s a great way to set the mood.

3. Watch Holiday Movies

There are tons of holiday movies out right now which is a great opportunity for a holiday movie marathon. Channels like the Hallmark Channel play holiday films pretty much continuously. Dig up some good holiday flicks or tell your guests to bring their favorites. You may learn to love something new.

4. Get Holiday Themed Food and Drinks

Holidays are a great time for making treats and distributing them to friends and neighbors. At my holiday parties, I let my friends help in the creation and design of their cookies. It’s a good way to be creative and productive when making your party spread. Think of some seasonal items for the rest of the menu. Take a look at “3 Easy To Make Holiday Beverages” by Marian Rose Bagamaspad for drink ideas.

5. Hand Out Party Favors

The point is to get your friends something to remember their time. Holiday baking would count as a party favor. There are a lot of sales going on now. Find something small for the people in your life. This could also be a time to pass out Christmas cards.

6. Do What Works For You

Do whatever you feel comfortable with. I know many people who bought themselves Christmas sweaters this year. Have a Christmas sweater party! Share a holiday tradition with your friends or create a new one. It’s a good way to get to know people better. The important thing is to have fun with what you have.

These are just a few suggestions for throwing the ideal holiday party. Use what is around and available to you. The holiday season is a great time to see all those people you miss the rest of the year. You’ll want everyone to have a good time.

What are your holiday party must haves?

Image: Daniel Ramirez

candy canes
CultureSkills

It’s the time of year where silver and gold are soon to be decking the halls, and while decorating for the season brings nothing but smiles, the decorations can get a little pricey! There are some great DIY ideas to bring the holiday spirit into your home without breaking the budget.

1. Table Décor

Grab some old bottles or jars and cover the outside of them with some holiday paper. Use a contrasting color to write words such as “Joy” or “Noel” with one letter on each bottle! A paper mache technique works great for these!

2. Favorite Cuddly Snowman

Use a lone, clean white sock to make your favorite frosty friend come to life! Using some clear hair-ties to separate each section of the snowman and some black and orange felt for the buttons, nose, and arms, Frosty will be finished in no time! Add some google-y eyes and you’re all set!

3. Rudolph Candle

Take a candle (preferably of a brown color) and go outside to find some branches to your liking. These will serve as Rudolph’s antlers and can be hot glue gunned to each side of the candle! Grab a red cotton ball to put on the front and voila!

4. Frosty Fridge

Possibly the easiest and most inexpensive of them all would be to make your fridge Frosty inspired! Grab some orange and black construction paper to cut out buttons, eyes, and a nose and tape them onto your fridge! Top it off with some holiday patterned wrapping paper to act as a scarf for your new Christmas friend.

5. Candy Cane Bouquet

This is a simple and adorable center piece for your table: Grab some candy canes, ribbons, and either real or fake flowers. Tie the candy canes around the bouquet of flowers with the ribbon, tie a bow, and you’re done. A cute and polished way to add Christmas joy to your table top!

There are so many ways to add holiday spirit to your home, and with Christmas right around the corner, the decorating has just begun!

How are you DIY decorating this holiday season?

Image: Stephen Nakatani

friends
Culture

We’re so excited that one of our favorite holidays is just around the corner. While delicious food is a major perk of Thanksgiving, it is also a great time to remember what you are grateful for. We’ve talked about ways to show your gratitude throughout the year, Spotlighted a guy who started a company that encourages sending thank you cards, the power of random acts of kindness, and have offered tips on different ways to say thank you.

Thanksgiving is a time to count your lucky stars, appreciate your family, and give back to those you love. It is also a perfect time to share with friends and show how much you care about one another. A fantastic way to do this is by hosting a Friendsgiving! Friendsgiving is the celebration of Thanksgiving dinner with your friends, and it usually happens the Wednesday before or the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Whether you plan a Friendsgiving a couple of days before Thanksgiving or if it replaces actual Thanksgiving (since you might not be able to make it home for the holiday), there’s no better way to spend time with friends.

These are the 6 benefits of hosting a Friendsgiving:

  1. Experiment with new recipes.

Have you been waiting for the perfect event to make those mini pumpkin pies? Here it is, your perfect moment has arrived. Since you’ll be cooking or baking for a crowd, you can try multiple recipes and show off those kitchen skills.

  1. Experience different traditions.

Encourage those attending to incorporate their family traditions – does your best friend play football with his family before the feasting begins (hello Friends!)?, does your other friend watch football on TV afterwards? Is there a movie that one of your friends watches every Thanksgiving? Does someone love playing board games post-meal? Perhaps your family goes around the table before eating to say what they are grateful for?

Include these fun and new traditions into your Friendsgiving. By kicking off Friendsgiving, you and your friends will be starting a tradition of your very own.

  1. Try your friends’ favorite foods.

Make your Friendsgiving a potluck and tell everyone to bring their favorite dish (you’ll want to coordinate this so you don’t have four types of mashed potatoes). Through the variety of foods, you will experience the different flavors that your friends have enjoyed and celebrated over the years.

  1. You’ll get two days to focus on being thankful!

While being grateful every day of the year is important, this year you’ll get two days to focus on what you are thankful for – Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving. Lucky you!

  1. Start celebrating Christmas early without judgment.

So you and your friends want to start listening to Christmas music without being judged for it? This is the safest environment to do it in! Blast those Christmas carols and holiday tunes and make a dance party out of it. Who better to rock out to Jingle Bells with than your best friends who love the holidays just as much as you?

  1. Cleaning has never been faster.

Once the meal is over, there are multiple hands to make the clean-up process move much faster. For a stress-free post-meal experience, clean before you eat dessert. This way there won’t be that huge task looming over you. The job gets done sooner when everyone helps out.

Happy Friendsgiving!

Image: Friends Season 10

budget xmas
Skills

Now that finals are coming to an end, you finally have time to start enjoying the holiday season. You can think about gifts and decorating now that you have a break from all of your schoolwork. As you add people to your gift list and think of ideas for Christmas Eve or New Years Eve, the cost of gifts and celebration plans may start quickly rising. If you are trying to avoid an expensive holiday season, there are many ways you can celebrate on a budget. Don’t let the holidays put you in debt or stress you out in the new year. You can save a bunch of money while having a great time!

1. Determine your budget.
The very first thing you’ll want to do is set a limit on how much you want to spend. You can do this in terms of the total amount you will spend, or based on how much you want to spend per person. Keep in mind, you do not need to buy gifts for every single friend or family member. A heartfelt card is more than enough for those you don’t necessarily want to buy presents for.

Let’s say you set a budget of $75-100 for presents and holiday events. You now have a number to work with, which enables you to allocate your funds appropriately to each person and event on your list. Write down everyone’s names and jot down ideas for gifts, along with a ballpark cost. Having all of the names and costs will help you visualize whether you will be able to stay within budget. If it looks like you are going over budget, adjust your gift ideas or think of something else to give (see below).

2. DIY gifts.
If you’ve ever been on Pinterest, you’ll know that we are becoming a very do-it-yourself world. DIY gifts are not only an inexpensive way to show someone you care, but these types of gifts are often very thoughtful because they take time to make.

DIY gift ideas:

*Knit a scarf
*Make a set of greeting cards to give as a bundle
*Bake cookies
*Write a poem
*Make a picture frame and frame a special photo
*Create a scrapbook of memories
*Make soap or candles
*Make a homemade snowglobe
*Design cork coasters
*Paint wooden utensils
*Make a homemade card with a special handwritten note

3. Experience gifts.
Instead of purchasing or making a gift for someone, take him or her out for an experience gift. Sometimes there’s no better gift than time, and by treating someone to a fun afternoon is a very special present. You may have to pay for tickets or food, but this can be done on a low budget.

Experience gift ideas:
*Take someone out to lunch or to see a movie
*Visit the zoo
*Spend the day at an amusement park
*Walk around your local botanical gardens
*Go ice skating
*Hike in the morning and watch the sunrise
*Bake a cake or cook a meal together

4. Coupon gifts.
If you aren’t interested in purchasing, DIY, or experience gifts, giving coupons might be a unique twist on your usual holiday presents. Many people love favors, and giving a little book of coupons to your Mom, Dad, siblings, or friends will not go unappreciated. All you’ll need is a piece of paper, a pen, scissors, and a stapler. Of course, you can make your coupon book look fancier, but this is a quick, easy, and cheap way to offer something nice to someone. Get creative!

Coupon gift ideas:

*Wash the car, inside and out
*Clean a room for someone
*Pick up the groceries
*Cook dinner
*Wash and fold laundry
*Making the bed every day for a week
*Favor of your choice

5. Limit gifts and spending total.
Before you and your friends or family buy presents for each other, have a discussion about how many presents you will get for one another or about how much you want to spend. 1 present and 1 stocking stuffer is typically a good limit for family, whereas friends can differ based on who you are buying presents for. By being transparent about your budget and limit, you and your family and friends can unload that stress and just concentrate on finding the perfect gift.

6. Make dinner and rent a movie.
When it comes time for the actual celebrations, there is no need to buy a new dress, suit, or shoes to attend a festive party. There are inexpensive (and fun!) ways to spend Christmas Eve or New Years Eve, such as making a home cooked meal and renting a movie. You can even just order pizza and watch a Christmas special. The time spent together with people you like being around is all you really need for the holidays.

7. Host a cookie decorating party.
What better way to get in the holiday spirit than to decorate (and eat) cookies? Spend your days off icing cookies with family and friends. The time will fly when you are rolling dough, listening to holiday tunes, and icing cookies with every color of the rainbow.

8. Volunteer.
Give the gift of time! Volunteer at your local food bank or animal shelter, or make blankets and collect toys. The options are endless and it may just be the best gift you give all season.

9. Secret Santa.
When you and your family or friends decide to do Secret Santa, your costs are seriously cut since you only have to buy one present! Set a maximum limit so that everyone stays within that price range. Get a group of people together, draw names from a (Santa) hat, don’t tell anyone whose name you have, and then purchase a special present that will be exchanged later. It’s so much fun to surprise someone with a funny, novelty gift.

CultureSkills

‘Tis the season for Christmas music, holiday decorations, and…holiday cards? Each holiday season, you might give your friends little gifts and cards, and your family might send out cards to family around the globe. In addition to sending holiday cards to just family and friends, you may want to consider sending cards to previous internship supervisors, family friends who gave you advice, and mentors who sat down with you for coffee and informational interviews. Holiday cards can be short and sweet, and they are a nice gesture to show your network that you are thinking of them and to keep you in their minds. Before jumping into just sending off random holiday cards, we have compiled tips that we have learned over the years…

  1. Gather information: If you collected business cards from those you worked for or worked with, there is usually an address listed on the front. If you only have an email, you can simply send a message to the person who you want to send a card to asking for his or her mailing address. It is more convenient to have all of the necessary information before you start writing cards so that you can easily seal them up in the envelopes and send them off all at once.
  2. Send cards to your network: Send holiday notes to your old bosses, mentors, and people you have met before and admire. Just as you would email them every now and then with a ‘hello’ and update, holiday cards are a great way to stay in touch.
  3. What to write: You don’t need to write a novel. Simply (hand write!) a brief note wishing them a happy holiday season, a great new year, and perhaps one sentence about what you have been up to or a couple of sentences about a memory or important lesson learned from your experience together.
  4. Keep it ambiguous: If you aren’t sure whether your previous internship supervisor celebrates Christmas or Hanukkah, keep the message a little ambiguous by sticking to: “Happy holidays!” This way, you won’t offend anyone or make any assumptions. You can’t go wrong with wishing someone a ‘Happy holidays!’ or a “Happy New Year!’
  5. When to send: Since the holidays can be a crazy time to send letters and packages, it’s better to send your holiday cards earlier rather than later. Get your cards written, sealed, and stamped by the end of November or early December, and try to get them out by the end of the first week of December. This gives the cards plenty of time to make their way to their destination.
  6. Types of cards: The cards you send don’t need to be expensive. If you want to hand-make your holiday cards, that would be great! If you are looking to purchase nice cards, here are some good options: Papyrus / Tiny Prints / Shutterfly /Paper Source / Target / Barnes and Noble. If you get your cards in early/mid-November or at the end of Christmas from the year before, you can score some pretty sweet deals and save a couple of extra dollars.
  7. Plan ahead: For next Christmas, buy holiday cards from this year that are on-sale. That way you can save money and be prepared for next year’s round of holiday cards! Also, maintain a list of contacts with their addresses to make next year’s information gathering super easy.

Will you be writing holiday cards this holiday season?