'Tis the season for tangled and broken Christmas lights. For stalking mall parking lots until you find a spot right by the door just to have someone sneak up that lane the wrong way and steal it from you. For waiting in a two-hour line for the lady who insists the sweater was on sale for a dollar less than it rang up. For standing in the Santa line for an hour with your cranky kids.

Although Christmas is a time to get together and celebrate the birth of Christ, the time leading up to it can be stressful. Take heart: Help is on the way.

SURVIVAL SHOPPING

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through, the malls, were last minute shoppers, both big and small. The aisles were crowded, the shelves were bare, looking around, there was nothing to spare.

It's easy to put off Christmas shopping, thinking you have plenty of time. Don't forget: You're not the only person who thinks that. By the time you do go shopping, the malls are jammed, things are picked over, the items you wanted are gone, and little Tommy winds up with underwear and a 2000-piece puzzle instead of the computer game he really wanted. "The best time to start shopping for Christmas seems to be right after the kids go back to school, in September or October," says Kerrie Wells, owner of Deerfields, a gift shop in Canton. She suggests that

"The best time to start shopping for Christmas seems to be right after the kids go back to school, in September or October"

by November, you should be halfway done shopping. By December, you should just be going out for last-minute items.

Rosie Wells, Kerrie's mother-in-law, helps Kerrie at Deerfields, and suggests starting Christmas shopping in January and continuing all year.

For some, coming up with great gift ideas can be harder than coming up with the money to

10 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING DECEMBER 2000

pay for them. "This year, candles are really popular," says Rosie. "You can't go wrong with a nicely scented candle."

Think about safety when buying kids' toys. If a toy involves a child riding in or on it, be sure to add appropriate protective gear. Read labels carefully for an age recommendation and always read the fine print. Even innocent-looking toys, like Legos or marbles, can be deadly in the hands of a child who is too young to use them. If you are buying for kids under three years, avoid toys with small removable parts. They are choking hazards. For the kids under eight years, avoid sharp-edged toys or electrical toys. Buy well-built toys. A poorly manufactured one may present unexpected hazards. Noisy toys may damage a child's hearing. And be wary of toys with long strings or cords because children could become entangled.

Don't be discouraged. Start shopping early, and you'll see shelves filled with a wide array of safe toys.

FOODS

Food is also an important part of the Christmas holiday, and few Christmas tables are without a large turkey.

Occasionally, an exotic trend tries to take root, and other meats, most often ham, will vie for a place at the Christmas table. Even so, turkey is by far the most popular meat dish for Christmas dinner.

But there are pitfalls in the holiday kitchen. Often, there's just one cook, and he or she's probably overworked. Or, there may be too many people in the kitchen. That can pose problems, too. Aside from the obvious precautions, such as keeping panhandles turned inward, everybody needs to be careful not to get burned by hot foods, pans or liquids.

"Cooks should practice safe food handling all near 'round, but they need to be especially careful during the holiday season, when under pressure."

The University of Illinois Extension emphasizes that cooks should practice safe food handling all year 'round, but that cooks need to be especially careful during the holiday season, when the cook is under pressure. It's especially important to take care with food handling, since it's more likely that the very young and the very old might be there, and they're particularly susceptible to foodborne illnesses.

Keep several points in mind when working with foods. Follow the basic rule that cold foods should be kept cold, and hot foods should be kept hot. And everything should be kept clean.

While many recommend using a time/weight/temperature chart to determine cooking time, the U.S Department of Agriculture recommends using a thermometer. A whole turkey should be cooked to 180 degrees F, and stuffing to 160 degrees F.

Keep cold foods below 40 degrees. Perishable foods, such as meat, gravy and mashed potatoes should not be left in the danger zone — between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F — for more than two hours.

Keep all work surfaces, utensils and hands clean when working with food. For more information on food handling, visit the National Food Safety Database at http:www.foodsafety.gov.

TIPS FOR SAFE WINTER DRIVING

Before you head out, check out these web-sites. Illinois statewide road conditions: http:/www.dot.state.il.us/
operations/mo_state.html.

Road conditions in

DECEMBER 2000 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 11

surrounding states http:// www.dot.state.il.us/road/otherst.html.

"Be sure to have supplies in your car in case you get stranded. Have a flashlight, blankets, snacks and bottled water.

Be sure to have supplies in your car in case you get stranded. Have a flashlight, blankets, snacks and bottled water. Have a big piece of brightly colored ribbon to tie onto your radio antenna to let people know you need help. It might be wise to have a bag of sand and a small shovel in your trunk. Be prepared to spend a night in a hotel or motel, if necessary.

Take your cell phone if you have one, and make sure the battery is charged. You can use it to call for help, if you need to, or to let the people you're visiting know if you're on schedule.

TRAVEL DURING THE HOLIDAYS

One of the fun things about Christmas is the opportunity to visit friends and family. There will be many people on the road during the holiday season. While most families drive to their holiday destination, many will be going by other ways, often by air.

No matter how you travel, be sure to allow extra time! Even during a time of peace on earth and good will toward men, tempers flare and nerves frazzle. Traffic will probably be heavy, and there may be fog, snow, sleet or all the above.

We found some wonderful advice for parents at www.survive-the-drive.com. For example, here are a few of their entertainment ideas.

Penny Ante - Give each kid 25 cents and fine them a penny whenever they fight or whine. If they have all their money when you stop, promise to double their money.

Foil Them - Toss a roll of tinfoil in the back seat and let the children create tin-foil sculptures.

Color My World - Pick a color and the first person to find 50 things that color wins.

"No matter how you travel, be sure to allow extra time! Even during a time of peace on earth and good will toward men, tempers flare and nerves frazzle."

Here are a few other tips for traveling with children from Survive the Drive:

1. Involve your children in planning the trip.

2. Plan for spills and carsickness.

3. Drive while the kids are sleeping.

4. Play games

5. When you take a rest stop let them play. Bring a Frisbee or stop at a playground.

WHEN THE HOLIDAYS DRIVE YOU NUTS

Say the words "Christmas," or "New Year's" and most people think of good times. However, about one in 20 feel otherwise, according to the National Mental Health Association.

There are several reasons people get depressed around the holidays. Many of these reasons are a result of the busy holiday season, with demands on people to produce the "perfect" holiday for loved ones. Other reasons deal with coping with a loss during previous holiday seasons.

Another reason could be physical - the lack of sunlight produces physiological changes that can cause the holiday and winter blues - called seasonal affective disorder.

Some remedies are simple but can be difficult to do:

•  Trying to make holidays perfect for everyone is an unreal expectation. Trying not to "overdo" will relieve stress.
•  Another cure for the holiday blues is to do something for

12  ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING  DECEMBER 2000

someone else. This not only aids the other person, but can also be spiritually healing for the person with the blues.
•  It is especially advisable to get exercise and eat nutritious foods during the holidays, when depression can creep in. When the body is fit and healthy, it can have a like affect on the mind and spirit.

"There are several reasons people get depressed around the holidays."

But just what are the signs of holiday depression? Among symptoms that adults can experience are constant headaches, a change in sleep patterns, anxiety, feelings of guilt or unworthiness, and a decreased interest in hobbies or interests. Children will often be more rebellious and disruptive.

DECORATING IN AND OUT

It starts as a vision, your home beautifully decorated for the holidays, as if it came straight from the pages of a Christmas catalog. Digging out the artificial tree and bending it back into shape, or driving to one of Illinois' real-tree farms is probably your first Christmas chore.

To make your hunt for a real tree successful, go when the temperature is above freezing so you can assess the tree's needles. They should be plentiful, smell like fresh evergreen and be extremely flexible. The trunk should be straight, and long enough to cut off another two inches when you get home. Shelby Electric Cooperative member Lowell Pfeiffer, of Pfeiffer's Trees, says, "Be sure the

"Be sure the tree you choose is freshly cut. If you keep it loitered it will stay fresh through Christmas."

tree you choose is freshly cut. If you keep it watered it will stay fresh through Christmas."

Once you have your tree home, safety should be one of your key issues. Water it daily to keep it from turning brown, drying out and becoming a fire hazard.

Before your family begins the decorating ritual, check all your lights for broken bulbs, empty sockets, cracked insulation or bare wire. As a rule, only connect three strands of lights, and don't plug more than three sets into one extension cord. Don't run cords behind radiators, under carpets, through doorways, around pipes, or near metal.

Now, don't forget the ornaments; they let you personalize your tree with designs that show your history and style. A new ornament is a wonderful way to keep a record of your children, grandchildren or your first Christmas together as a newly married couple. Every year, your tree probably gets a little fuller and more beautifully decorated, expressing the memories of the past years.

After putting up your tree, it's time to go outside. Remember to place lights with insulated staples or plastic clips. After Christmas, your perfectly decorated home must be turned back to its original self. Discard your tree as soon as it begins to dry out. Don't burn it in your fireplace.

For more information about holiday decorating safety, turn to this month's Safety column on page 14. If you would like to know about tree farms in your area, a great website to try is Captain jack's. www.christmas-tree.com.

DECEMBER 2000  ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING  13