Tag: Gifts
Japan Gift Wrapping
Just in time for Christmas. A step by step tutorial on how to speed gift wrap like in Japanese department stores.
The truly prepared already have their Christmas presents wrapped and hidden away. But the rest of us have real life to deal with and will most likely wrap our gifts with just minutes counting down to Christmas morning.
To help lift your gift wrapping game, Beat The Bush explains a simple yet ingenious Japanese gift wrapping technique.
The Twelve Gifts Of Birth
Once upon a time, a long time ago, when princes and princesses lived in faraway kingdoms, royal children were given twelve special gifts when they were born. You may have heard the stories. Twelve wise women of the kingdom, or fairy godmothers as they were often called, traveled swiftly to the castle whenever a new prince or princess came into the world. Each fairy godmother pronounced a noble gift upon the royal baby.
As time went on, the wise women came to understand that the twelve royal gifts of birth belong to every child, born anywhere at anytime. They yearned to proclaim the gifts to all children, but the customs of the land did not allow that.
One day when the wise women gathered together they made this prophecy:
Some day, all the children of the world will learn the truth about their noble inheritance. When that happens a miracle will unfold on the kingdom of Earth.
Some day is near.
Here is the secret they want you to know.
At the wondrous moment you were born, as you took your first breath, a great celebration was held in the heavens and twelve magnificent gifts were granted to you.
The first gift is STRENGTH. May you remember to call upon it whenever you need it.
The second gift is BEAUTY. May your deeds reflect its depth.
The third gift is COURAGE. May you speak and act with confidence and use courage to follow your own path.
The fourth gift is COMPASSION. May you be gentle with yourself and others. May you forgive those who hurt you and yourself when you make mistakes.
The fifth gift is HOPE. Through each passage and season, may you trust the goodness of life.
The sixth gift is JOY. May it keep your heart open and filled with light.
The seventh gift is TALENT. May you discover your own special abilities and contribute them toward a better world.
The eighth gift is IMAGINATION. May it nourish your visions and dreams.
The ninth gift is REVERENCE. May you appreciate the wonder that you are and the miracle of all creation.
The tenth gift is WISDOM. Guiding your way, wisdom will lead you through knowledge to understanding. May you hear its soft voice.
The eleventh gift is LOVE. It will grow each time you give it away.
The twelfth gift is FAITH. May you believe.
Now you know about your twelve gifts of birth. But there is more to the secret that the wise women knew. Use your gifts well and you will discover others, among them a gift that is uniquely you. See these noble gifts in other people. Share the truth and be ready for the miracle to unfold as the prophecy of the wise women comes true.
Written By Charlene Costanzo
A Very Special UPS Delivery
Great job UPS!
4-year-old Carson developed a friendship with his UPS driver, Mr. Ernie, when he began receiving shipments of special milk. Carson has become fascinated by all things UPS. He wishes to be just like his pal, so UPS made Carson a UPS driver for a day.
For 4-year-old Carson of Colorado Springs, Co., the familiar UPS brown truck means more than just delivery time. It signals a visit from his special friend.
Parents Jim and Karen, who requested their last name not be used, explained that a milk sensitivity required Carson to receive multiple deliveries a week of a special type of formula. Those frequent visits helped the boy form a strong bond with his local delivery driver, Ernie Lagasca, to the point where he would eagerly await Lagasca’s arrival.
“He loved trucks. He would sit in the window when I drove by and over time, I started honking and waving,” Lagasca explained. “It got to the point where he’d hear the truck coming and be waiting on the curb.”
Eventually, Carson’s interest in all trucks became specifically about the big brown truck and its friendly driver. Lagasca, who Carson refers to as “Mr. Ernie,” was happy to indulge the little guy, and began to cherish the time they spent together.
“[In] my job, I meet a lot of wonderful people, but Carson really stood out,” Lagasca said. “Just to see him growing up so far in his young life, how I’ve made an impact on him. He adds a bright light into my life. It makes me feel my job is more worthwhile.”
As the two spent more time together and their unique friendship blossomed, Carson realized his dream of following in Mr. Ernie’s footsteps to become a delivery driver himself. He sports a miniature version of the company uniform, complete with matching cap, and turned the family’s basement into a shipping department for when he “plays UPS.”
How To Of The Day: Package Cookies for Maximum Freshness
Gifting or shipping cookies to someone else? This video from the folks at America’s Test Kitchen will make sure they stay fresh and moist!
Giving the gift of a tin of freshly baked cookies is a wonderful thing, and the last thing you want is for your recipient to open it up to find the cookies all dry and crumbled in the tin. Thankfully America’s Test Kitchen has a foolproof way to keep them moist for the long haul: Pack them with tortillas.
Load More