Getting together with your family over the holidays can be very stressful. Just about everyone has certain relatives who always know which buttons to push, and seem particularly fond of doing it this time of year. These are the people we love, so how about some tips on how to make family holiday parties bearable?

• Assume a role at your get-togethers. Be the photographer or the dish washer, take charge of entertaining the kids, offer to be the one that takes care of an elderly relative for the event - whatever the task, it gives you the opportunity to retreat if one more person asks you “why aren't you married yet?”
• Turn awkward conversations around by asking questions. If an older relative is showing disapproval over your current job situation, ask them about the jobs they had during their life - which was their most or least favorite, what their dream job would have been, etc. You may gain some new insight.
• Invite a friend. Sometimes they can help you put things in perspective and see the humor in the situation.
• Take breaks if you need to. A few moments in the bathroom or getting fresh air on the porch could help you feel less stressed. It may also be just the amount of time needed for Aunt Ethel to forget she wants you to teach her how to email you the pictures of her cats again.
• Go out of your way to say something positive to each of your loved ones. Compliments are gifts everyone loves.

Holiday parties with the people who've known you all your life should be a time of love and happiness. Have a positive attitude, and have a good time!

Thanksgiving is the most widely celebrated holiday in the United States. For many families, this is the only time during the year that they are together, and they have many ways to celebrate their togetherness - mainly the annual feast. As the story goes, the first Thanksgiving was all about the pilgrims being thankful for the food that had been provided to them by the local Wampanoag tribe, and even today, when we think of counting our blessings, food should be included.

While we all know there are hungry people in villages on the other side of the world, we often forget that we may have neighbors who aren't well provided for. It's easy to take for granted that we can just stop at the local grocery store and buy our food, and leave the trouble of slaughtering animals and toiling in the fields to someone else. Whether it's at Thanksgiving, or throughout the year, we should take a few minutes to savor our food.

At the first Thanksgiving, the pilgrims received the gift of maize from the Native Americans, who considered corn a vital part of their diet and folklore. Here is a recipe for Indian pudding, a popular dessert made from cornmeal, that often finds its way onto many Thanksgiving tables.

Being grateful for the little things - like the food we eat - can help make your Thanksgiving holiday feel more authentic.

Are you prepared for your holiday shopping? Black Friday and Cyber Monday are coming up, and we've got some tips so you can easily shop for those bargains!

• Before you do anything, make a list. If it's not on your list, no matter how great the discount, you're not saving anything by making an impulse buy. If you’re thinking about purchases beyond your gift list - for example you KNOW you’ll need a new computer monitor in the spring - then by all means, add it to your shopping list. But otherwise, don't buy a monitor just because it's on sale.
• Find out what the regular purchase price is for each item on your list, including shipping costs if applicable. A little bit of research on Google shopping will tell you the price at most stores, so you’ll know if the sales price is good or not.
• Sign up for sales alerts from your favorite stores. If you're opposed to getting all those emails, then obtain a new email account dedicated to promotional deals.
• Check out the social media pages for your favorite retailers. They often publish special sales.
• Some of the best information about discounts can be found on sites like BlackFriday.com or forums like FatWallet.com. 
• Make careful note of the timetable for sales. Some Black Friday sales start as early as Thanksgiving Day, and some are limited to only a few hours.

With a little research and preparation, you should be able to get your shopping out of the way in order to spend the rest of the holiday weekend with your family.

Happy bargain hunting!

What does it mean to be an American? It’s not simply a love of our homeland. It's almost like being a member of a large family, where all our parents tell us that we have to look out for each other, and that our dreams will come true if we just work hard enough.

Going out to vote on Election Day is one of the ways we keep our American family together. Voting means that we have a voice in how our communities are being helped as well as issues that affect us personally, like reproductive rights or discrimination laws. Being an American of legal voting age means we are responsible for the rest of our family.

Of course, there are many of us who feel that voting is a chore - not unlike having to cook dinner for the family. But it's important to remember that voting is a privilege that generations of Americans struggled to win, and that there are people in other countries who are still fighting for that right.

And speaking of fighting, there are about 22 million members of our American family - our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters, our mothers and fathers - who are veterans of our armed forces. These family members go out into the world, risking life and limb to keep us safe. These are the people who enable us to continue to call our country “the home of the brave.”

November means that we honor our family, our fellow Americans, by going to the polls, and taking the time to thank our veterans, either with a handshake or volunteering. This is what it means to be in our family - to insure our families are taken care of now and in the future.

Does the thought of holiday shopping leave you with that not-so-merry feeling? Here are some tips that can help save you time, money, and stress this holiday season:

• Santa's done it for years, and so should you: make a list. Decide early what your budget will be and who your gift recipients will be. Consider what gift(s) you'd like each person or family to receive from you. The best presents are usually the ones you think about ahead of time.
• Decide which retailers you'd like to deal with for your holiday shopping and sign up for their newsletters, apps, and/or text alerts. You'll receive notifications of sales, and often obtain a new customer discount, too.
• When you do find an online coupon, be prepared at the checkout - either print it beforehand, or have a screenshot on your phone that you can display. No sense in being confronted with no internet service at the checkout line.
• Team up with a friend or family member for your shopping - share in legwork and research, take advantage of splitting the costs of any buy-one-get-one deals, etc.
• Don't forget the incidentals like gift wrap. Save money by buying in bulk with others, or make your own from newspaper, boxes or some other unusual items.

Most holiday shopping nightmares come from waiting until the last minute. Think about it this way: would you rather be relaxing with family and friends on Christmas Eve or driving around desperately hoping the local stores are still open. The holiday headache you save may be your own.

If you'll be attending a Halloween get-together, need to bring a treat to an office party or just want to surprise your family, here are some of the strangest and/or cutest Halloween fare the internet has to offer:

• Appetizers are always popular at parties, and these are some of the eeriest! Try some Halloweeno Jalapeno Popper Mummies, or Graveyard Taco Dip or everyone's favorite, Deviled Green Goblin Eggs.
• If you'll be partying with some little vampires, make their day with some Blood Drip Cupcakes. Children and adults alike will adore these Monster Strawberry Cupcakes.
• No Halloween party is complete without some....odd treats. The kids will shriek with terror before diving into some Jello Blood Worms, or Bloody Severed Fingers. 
• Craving brains for your holiday menu? You're covered with these Pork Dumplings with Chili-Sesame Sauce, or this oh-so-yummy Brain Dip.
• Cheese Ball Monsters will totally rule any celebration, but adults might appreciate a more classic Great White Pumpkin Cheese Ball.
• Mummy Mini Pizzas and Halloween Top Ramen are great ways to involve the kids in cooking—and might get them to eat their veggies!
• No need to go thirsty with these crazy recipes—how about serving up a nice cup of Witch-Brewed Cider with Shrunken Apple Heads?
• Gluten free? No problem. Check out these 9 gluten free Halloween recipes.

Halloween only comes once a year, so make it a memorable one!