#footprint santa claus craft

[iliveformanyfictionalcharacters]

The One Who Believes Chapter 1

Bernard (The Santa Clause) x Reader

Summary: [Reader] stopped believing in soulmates a long time ago - around the same time she stopped believing in Santa. What happens when she's finally given a reason to believe in both.

Chapter 2 >

Ever since I was a little girl, I believed there was someone out there for me. Someone who would love me for me, for every strange aspect of my personality, every hobby I loved and every experience I’ve had. When I was a little girl this idea was striking, it was a tangible thing that I fully believed would happen. I stayed up late as a toddler as my mother told me stories of how one day I’d find the one for me. As a young girl I played with my dolls and teddy bears and all the time thought of who out there could possibly be the one for me, what were they doing at that very moment? As a teenager I forced myself to focus on my schoolwork, however, somewhere in the back of my mind I still dreamed of my person. My One. My soulmate.

Now as a young adult it's become more apparent than ever that that's just not how it works. There's not a single person out there waiting for me, a person who has been crafted perfectly for me and me for them. Realistically I’d find someone that makes me happy that I can build my life with, someone I can marry and have children with. But the idea of a soulmate had become so utterly ridiculous to me that I almost cringed at my teenage self. But still. Sometimes, in the dark of the night, when everything was quiet and I could finally think to myself, I find myself wishing it were true. Wishing that there was some truth to my childish dreams. Wishing that my mother had meant something more when she told me of the love I'd one day find.

Christmas was coming up. I looked up at the date displayed on my computer - December 18th - one week until Christmas. I always felt bittersweet during the holidays, like something was missing. As of recently I blame this feeling on my mothers passing a few years ago. I still think of the last thing she said to me. “Believe [Reader]…the one is out there…you just have to believe.” Suddenly the sound of the bell atop the store door startled me out of my daydream. I worked in a bookshop. I can’t really put a name to my job though. As the only employee I stocked the shelves, checked out customers, worked the finances, and as of late cleaned the snowy footprints away from the door as people walked in from the frigid outside. I worked for the kindest old man and woman, who weirdly enough sort of reminded me of Santa and Mrs. Claus. The old man - Mr. Lou - was a big man with a long white beard and round glasses. The women - Mrs. Dorothy - was a kind old woman who wore exclusively ankle length dresses and always brought me homemade cookies when she came in. In fact, it was her who had just walked in. “Hello Mrs. Dorothy!” I called to her with a smile. She smiled back and adjusted the tray in her arms to give me a hug. “Hello Dear, how are you today?” I always loved Mrs. Dorothy, I never knew my grandmother but having her in my life made me feel like I had the most loving grandmother in the world. “I’m doing good Mrs. Dorothy, just got the last of the Christmas books stocked and I finally got that light changed,” I say pointing to the seemingly always broken lightbulb. “Oh thank you dear, Lou’s been meaning to do that but his back has just been killing him these days.” “Oh no, is he okay? Did something happen?” “Oh dear you’ll never believe it!” Mrs. Dorothy turned from the shelves she had been looking at and faced me with an amused look in her eyes. “He fell off a roof!” “He what!? Oh my goodness, is he okay?” I frantically ask her. “Oh yes dear, he's fine. It did put him out of his second job but he found a replacement pretty fast.” “Okay... that's good. Please let me know if there is anything I could possibly do to help.” I didn't even know Mr. Lou had a second job. “Oh dear thank you. You are so sweet, but you have already done so much for us the past 7 years. I mean, you've been working here since you were 16!” “Mrs. Dorothy, you know I love working here, and I love you two also. I would be happy to help in any way I possibly could.” She answered me with a smile and a cookie from the tray she was holding. She set the tray down and we held small talk for about an hour as more customers came in and out. Eventually closing time came and I started cleaning up the small messes here and there. Me and Mrs. Dorothy walked toward the door still talking, as we walked outside, harsh gusts of cold wind hit us. I wrapped my scarf tighter around me but Mrs. Dorothy hardly seemed fazed. In the seven years I’d known her the cold had never bothered her. “Well bye Mrs. Dorothy, I’ll see you tomorrow. Please remember my offer.” “Of course dear and for all your kindness let me tell you something, something I think you’ll find very helpful in the near future: His favorite color is burgundy.” “Wha-” but before I could question her extremely strange comment she whips around on her feet and walks in the opposite direction, toward her home. “You’ll understand when you need to, dear!” she calls, and just like that I was alone on the sidewalk in front of the old bookstore.

The walk home from work felt different than usual. The air held a sense of suspense, the feeling you get when you know something is going to happen but you don't know when, how, or why? Once home, I tried to shake off the odd feeling I had. I fixed some mac and cheese for dinner and watched a Christmas movie while eating. I took a long shower and crawled into bed still feeling uneasy. What had Mrs. Dorothy meant? Who's favorite color was burgundy? Why did I need to know it? How did she know I would need it? And most importantly, why was I starting to believe her? I fell asleep with more questions forming in my head than I had answers.

[helloparent]

Easy and Fun Christmas Crafts for Toddlers Ages 2-3

Christmas is a magical time of the year, especially for toddlers who are just beginning to understand and enjoy the holiday season. Engaging in festive activities can enhance their creativity, fine motor skills, and joy for the holidays. This article explores the best Christmas crafts for toddlers age 2-3, providing easy and fun ideas that are perfect for little hands.

The Joy of Christmas Crafts for Toddlers age 2-3

Crafting with toddlers not only keeps them entertained but also helps in their development. These activities can improve their hand-eye coordination, introduce them to new textures and materials, and offer a great opportunity for bonding. Here are some easy Christmas crafts that are ideal for toddlers aged 2-3.

1. Handprint Christmas Tree

One of the simplest yet most cherished crafts is the handprint Christmas tree. This craft is not only fun but also creates a keepsake that parents can treasure.

Materials Needed: Green paint, a large sheet of paper, a paintbrush, and decorations like stickers or small pom-poms.

Instructions:

Paint your toddler’s hand with green paint.

Press their hand onto the paper to create a handprint.

Repeat the process, overlapping the handprints to form a Christmas tree shape.

Once the paint dries, let your toddler decorate the tree with stickers or pom-poms.

Benefits: Enhances sensory experience with paint, improves hand-eye coordination, and creates a memorable keepsake.

2. Paper Plate Santa Claus

Creating a Santa Claus face using a paper plate is another delightful craft that toddlers can easily handle.

Materials Needed: Paper plate, red construction paper, cotton balls, googly eyes, glue, and markers.

Instructions:

Cut a triangle from the red construction paper to make Santa’s hat.

Glue the hat to the top of the paper plate.

Let your toddler glue cotton balls onto the hat’s brim and tip, and around the bottom of the plate for Santa’s beard.

Add googly eyes and draw a nose and mouth with markers.

Benefits: Develops fine motor skills through cutting and gluing, encourages creativity, and introduces the concept of Santa Claus.

3. Jingle Bell Bracelets

Making jingle bell bracelets is a fun craft that also creates a musical accessory for toddlers to enjoy.

Materials Needed: Pipe cleaners, jingle bells, and beads.

Instructions:

String a few jingle bells onto a pipe cleaner.

Let your toddler add beads to the pipe cleaner.

Twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together to secure the bracelet.

Benefits: Enhances fine motor skills through stringing, introduces rhythm and sound through jingle bells, and provides a fun accessory.

4. Cotton Ball Snowman

Building a snowman indoors is possible with this easy and adorable craft.

Materials Needed: Construction paper, cotton balls, glue, googly eyes, buttons, and markers.

Instructions:

Cut out a snowman shape from the construction paper.

Help your toddler glue cotton balls all over the snowman.

Add googly eyes, buttons, and draw on a carrot nose and a smile.

Benefits: Encourages sensory exploration with cotton balls, develops fine motor skills through gluing, and fosters creativity.

5. Christmas Tree Ornaments

Creating ornaments is a wonderful way for toddlers to contribute to the holiday decorations.

Materials Needed: Craft foam sheets, glitter glue, ribbon, and stickers.

Instructions:

Cut out simple shapes like stars, trees, or circles from the craft foam.

Let your toddler decorate the shapes with glitter glue and stickers.

Punch a hole at the top and thread a ribbon through to hang the ornament.

Benefits: Enhances creativity, develops fine motor skills through decorating, and creates personalized holiday decorations.

Also Check: School Parent app

6. Footprint Reindeer

Another keepsake craft, the footprint reindeer, is perfect for capturing a memory of your toddler’s tiny feet.

Materials Needed: Brown paint, a large sheet of paper, googly eyes, red pom-poms, and markers.

Instructions:

Paint your toddler’s foot with brown paint.

Press their foot onto the paper to create the reindeer’s body.

Once dry, add googly eyes and a red pom-pom nose.

Draw antlers with markers.

Benefits: Creates a memorable keepsake, encourages sensory exploration with paint, and develops fine motor skills through decorating.

7. Felt Christmas Tree

A felt Christmas tree allows toddlers to enjoy decorating and redecorating their tree without any mess.

Materials Needed: Green felt, various colored felt pieces, scissors, and Velcro dots.

Instructions:

Cut out a large Christmas tree shape from the green felt.

Cut out various shapes like stars, ornaments, and gifts from the colored felt.

Attach Velcro dots to the back of the shapes and let your toddler decorate the tree.

Benefits: Encourages creativity, develops fine motor skills through attaching shapes, and provides a mess-free activity.

8. Popsicle Stick Snowflakes

These simple yet charming snowflakes are great for developing fine motor skills.

Materials Needed: Popsicle sticks, glue, white paint, and glitter.

Instructions:

Arrange and glue three popsicle sticks in a snowflake pattern.

Once dry, paint the sticks white and sprinkle glitter on top.

Benefits: Develops fine motor skills through assembling, encourages creativity with decorating, and provides a fun winter-themed activity.

9. Pinecone Christmas Trees

Transforming pinecones into mini Christmas trees is an eco-friendly and fun craft for toddlers.

Materials Needed: Pinecones, green paint, glitter, small pom-poms, and glue.

Instructions:

Paint the pinecones green and let them dry.

Apply glue to the pinecones and sprinkle glitter.

Glue small pom-poms onto the pine cones as decorations.

Benefits: Encourages creativity, provides a sensory experience with natural materials, and develops fine motor skills through decorating.

10. Christmas Stocking Garland

Creating a garland of mini stockings can add a festive touch to your home.

Materials Needed: Red and white felt, scissors, glue, ribbon, and decorations like buttons and sequins.

Instructions:

Cut out stocking shapes from the red felt.

Decorate the stockings with buttons, sequins, and other craft materials.

Glue the stockings to a ribbon to create a garland.

Benefits: Develops fine motor skills through cutting and gluing, encourages creativity, and provides a festive decoration.

Conclusion

Making Christmas activities for toddlers between the ages of two and three can add to your children's sense of wonder during the holiday season. These simple, enjoyable, and instructive activities are made to help toddlers enjoy the holiday spirit while developing critical skills. These projects guarantee that even the youngest children can participate and make treasured holiday souvenirs because they use basic supplies and instructions. These ideas are great for adding creativity and joy to your house this holiday season, whether you're decorating a tree, making crafts for toddlers, or just searching for simple Christmas crafts.

Also Check: Christmas Activities for Kindergarten

[downtoearthmarkets]

‘Tis the season to eat, drink, be merry and bestow some great gifts upon family, friends and co-workers! Throughout the month of December, Down to Earth’s farmers markets will host a full roster of local food artisans, distilleries and craft-makers whose specialized creations will make unique gifts that are sure to delight whoever the lucky recipients may be. In anticipation of our holiday season markets, here is the first installment in our holiday shopping-themed newsletters designed to help you tackle even the longest of gift lists.

Farm-to-Basket Gifts You simply can’t strike out by gifting the favorite foodie on your shopping list with a festively curated holiday basket stuffed with a variety of sustainably produced and locally sourced farmers market goodies!

A gift basket offers plenty of versatility within its size, scope, theme, contents and price point. Once you’ve determined your specific gifting parameters, you can let your creativity run wild. The first step is to select the size of basket that is most appropriate for the recipient and occasion. Keep in mind that the bigger the basket, the more goodies you’ll need to fill it with, which can potentially result in a heavier, more unwieldy piece.

Next, decide upon the type of “basket” you’d like to use, whether it be a wicker piece with or without a handle, a plain wooden or decorated box or another type of vessel such as a salad or serving bowl that becomes part of the gift. Perhaps you already have a gently used basket hiding in plain sight amongst your stash of wrapping paper, ribbons and other gifting sundries. If the basket is still in good condition with little sign of wear and tear, there’s nothing wrong with going green by using it once again. In fact, minimizing and repurposing packaging is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint this holiday season.

In addition to the basket itself, you’ll need plenty of tissue paper or some decorative dish towels with which to cushion its contents and attractively arrange each piece, as well as to stuff any empty spots with. If your basket is going to sit awhile before being given gifted, opt for a variety of non-perishable goodies that will last for as long as you need them to. And now on to the fun part! Keeping in mind the individual tastes and food preferences of your giftee, it’s time to browse the vendor stalls and discover the many delectable gift basket treasures that await. 1. La Trafila Pasta is a Brooklyn-based business that creates handcrafted fresh pasta, their signature stuffed gnocchi, sauces, tiramisu and cannoli. Their amazingly decadent jars of Caramel Tiramisú feature layers of fluffy mascarpone cream, delicate ladyfingers and a rich caramel drizzle. Tuck a container of this delicious dessert into your basket to gift the ultimate Italian indulgence. 2. Cano Coffee Company is a New York-based roaster that imports beans from their family coffee estate in Colombia. Their fair-trade, single-origin coffee is available in whole bean and ground, plus their packaging is bright Santa Claus red that will insert a festive pop of color into your basket arrangement. 3. A bottle of Arlotta Food Studio's premium, organic, Kosher, flavor-infused California olive oil and barrel-aged balsamic vinegar will add a touch of culinary pizazz to your gift basket. 4. Help your giftee relax and unwind by including some much-needed pampering from Ash Hopper’s organic skincare line in your basket display. Ash Hopper specializes in creating 100% plant-based products that seamlessly blend science and creativity. Their sustainable skin solutions are designed for the eco-conscious generation, utilizing green chemistry and carefully sourced natural ingredients. 5. Simple Fine Foods' line of specialty condiments made with locally sourced ingredients provide a multitude of options for discerning gift basket shoppers. Choose from a range of tasty tapenades such as Muffuletta, Kalamata & Caper, Artichoke Pesto and Fig & Olive. Or how about a jar of gourmet mustard in unexpected flavors such as Dill Pickle, Creamy Garlic and Maple & Bacon? 6. Crop Culture is dedicated to protecting local ecosystems through the transition towards a circular economy and sustainable practices that minimize waste, conserve resources and promote regenerative agriculture. They sell a range of green lifestyle products including gardening kits and handmade crafts from cultures across the world. 7. Cooper’s Daughter Spirits is a woman-owned and family operated distillery, cooperage, and apple orchard sourcing Hudson Valley ingredients to make seasonal batch spirits. Local grain, fruit, botanicals and tree syrups form the foundation for the distillery’s unique spirits and liqueurs, while barrels that are handmade onsite are used to age their bourbon and whiskey. Their seasonal winter offerings include:

Black Currant Liqueur

Black Walnut Liqueur

Buddha's Hand Citron Vodka

Cacao Maple Vodka

Finocchietto Amaro

Mulled Peach Whiskey

Pumpkin Spice Vodka

Smoked Maple Bourbon

8. Ici Et La Creations focuses on the development of sustainable solutions that help facilitate daily life. They hand-sew reusable cover bowls, snack bags, waterproof bags, book protectors, toiletry bags, mini organizational travel pouches and more! Ici et La Creations considers product quality to be critical as each item should be a long-term investment for both the customer and the planet. 9. If your gift basket is being bestowed right away, why not stuff it with a cornucopia of fresh farmers market treats? Make it a classic fruit basket, but with a local twist, by selecting a variety of firm, not overly ripe, apples and pears from the farmstalls. You can even sneak in a bottle of maple syrup and drape your basket with a bunch of Concord grapes to add some extra fruity flair. Or how about a baked goods-themed basket replete with Blissful Table’s homemade granola, Orwashers Bakery’s babka and rugelach and Wave Hill Breads cookies in Ginger Molasses, Snickerdoodle, Oatmeal Cranberry and Chocolate Chip. Just let your creative juices run free! Down to Earth Markets hopes that these gifting ideas spark joy this season while helping you make a magical dent in your shopping list. Our farmers markets aim to present a wonderland of opportunities for fun and festive local holiday shopping that is an enjoyable, sustainable and accessible experience for everyone!

[preschoolplanet-blog]

Christmas craft ideas for kid

New Post has been published on http://preschoolplanet.us/christmas-craft-ideas-for-kid/

Christmas craft ideas for kid

Christmas craft ideas for kid

christmas-card-craft-idea

christmas-craft

                  This is especially important at the holidays because Christmas can be expensive enough already without spending money on the ornaments you’re making! I also like to keep things simple here when crafting with young children, so these projects are really easy for tots to do.

christmas-frame-craft-idea

christmas-tree-craft-idea

                  I’m sure they will enjoy helping you craft decorations that they can place around the house later.we found there are plenty of Easy and Cheap DIY Christmas crafts that your kids can make. Most of the crafts are made from household Items you can easily get them.

footprint santa claus craft

gingerbread-craft-idea

                  That being said, homemade items, toys, decorations and such can help children develop their creativity and imagination, it helps them train their skills and to improve their limb coordination at the same time.

paper-cup-christmas-tree-craft-idea

reindeer-headband-craft-

                  Reindeer-Headband-Craft-idea

snowman_frame_craft_idea

[perfectirishgifts]

Nordstrom Tries New Ideas And Becomes A Shining Star Of The Holiday Season

New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/nordstrom-tries-new-ideas-and-becomes-a-shining-star-of-the-holiday-season-2/

Nordstrom Tries New Ideas And Becomes A Shining Star Of The Holiday Season

The Nordstrom store at Maryland’s Towson Town Center is fully decorated for the holidays on December … [] 3, 2020.

Coronavirus has certainly changed the way merchants sell and customers shop. As COVID infection rates soar, retailers, large and small, fear anticipated mandatory closures during this ever-important selling season. It’s been a challenging, often devastating, year for many businesses. But Nordstrom has found that the combination of its legacy and traditions, along with new ideas and an expanded internet presence, will leave it well prepared for 2021.

It’s not to say that the retailer hasn’t struggled since the first COVID wave hit last March. The company’s New York City flagship was open for barely five months before temporarily closing its doors.

The downtown Toronto Nordstrom closed for in-store shopping on November 23, 2020. Canada’s largest … [] city and much of its suburbs were placed under lockdown beginning November 23 due to the spread of Covid-19. The restrictions include a ban on indoor private gatherings, will last at least 28 days. Retail businesses in the city have been restricted to curbside pickup only. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)

Last summer, Nordstrom permanently shuttered 16 of its full-line namesake stores. Designated as “suboptimal” performers, officials called their closures “long overdue.” COVID-19 only accelerated the company’s decision to pull their plugs.

Despite COVID-19, Nordstrom went forward with its annual Anniversary Sale, a long-standing sale event. In contrast to most retailers who focused on excessive summer stock clearance sales in August, Nordstrom offered new, specially curated merchandise.

Back-to-school sales, traditionally the second largest selling season of the year, were largely abandoned in 2020. Instead, many retailers pushed up their calendars and offered holiday bargains as early as October. That wasn’t the case at Nordstrom. The retailer held firm and didn’t jumpstart the holidays. A company spokesperson explained, “In keeping with our 119-year tradition of celebrating one holiday at a time, our stores [didn’t unveil] their holiday decorations [until] November 27.”

The Towson, Maryland Nordstrom is fully decorated for the holidays on December 3, 2020.

Though the Christmas decorations weren’t hung until Thanksgiving weekend, Nordstrom has worked hard behind the scenes and developed plans that address customer COVID anxieties. 

The company has expanded its curbside pickup service designed for “the safest and most convenient holiday ever.” The contactless service includes complimentary gift wrap with all curbside purchases. Special surprises and gifts are frequently offered to the first 50 curbside pickup customers each day as a gesture of thanks.

Nordstrom’s directional signage promotes shopping ease and efficiency during the holiday 2020 … [] season.

Nordstrom has stressed convenience in its stores this holiday season. Stores are stocked with specially selected pre-packaged merchandise designed for quick checkout, extensive toy shops, prominent directional signage, and in-store “pop-up” gift departments.

The retailer says the 2020 season features “a number of exclusive collaborations, launches and partnerships for holiday.” The retailer is test marketing three of these collaborations at 21 designated locations throughout the country.

Nordstrom is test marketing in-store “tree lots,” featuring an unique collection of highly-crafted Balsam Hill artificial Christmas trees, a special assortment of L.L. Bean winter clothing and footwear, and a “Five Two by 52” home assortment of cookware, dishware, and kitchen essentials. 

Over the past several years, the company has slowly expanded its home department. Though it is still lightly stocked, it helps fill a void left by its recently-closed competitors.

Nordstrom has significantly increased its online investment and the results have been fruitful. Last week’s third quarter earning call stated that digital sales have reached 54% of the entire business, up 33% over pre-COVID levels. CEO Erik B. Nordstrom told investors, “we are a majority digital business right now.”

Nordstrom stores feature Make Merry pop-up shops during the 2020 holiday season.

The company launched its Holiday 2020 website, under the Make Merry theme, on October 19. The site states, “Holiday cheer looks a little different this year, but at Nordstrom, festivities are in full swing.” The internet promotion includes links to video Santa chats, virtual Santa mailboxes, and festive craft ideas for the family, in addition to hundreds of gift selections.

The retailer’s Cyber Monday sale was touted by Marie Claire magazine as the “Best Cyber Monday Sale of the Year.” With over 1000 items specially priced at up to 50% off, Marie Claire encouraged readers to search the site and look for “items that [you have] been meaning to try for years.”

Nordstrom has devoted significant areas of floor space to “Service Bars” that accommodate needs such … [] as customer online pickup and gift wrapping.

The company’s online footprint has also expanded into its Nordstrom Rack JWN store format. The retailer has competitively positioned Nordstrom Rack into the only off-price merchandiser with a significant digital presence. 80% of the company’s top brands sold at its Nordstrom stores are presently carried at 248 Rack locations.

COVID-19 has provided a restart at the company’s opulent $700 million New York flagship. COVID temporarily closed the store shortly after it opened. But as shoppers and visitors eventually make their return to midtown Manhattan, the store will have a second chance at a grand opening.

Absent of traditional display windows, the New York Nordstrom is embracing elaborate holiday decorations. Over 253,000 lights, 150 trees, 700 ornaments, and an exterior flashing light show welcome weary shoppers in need of some festive cheer and normalcy.

Nordstrom promotes its 2020 Holiday “Make Merry” theme in a recently expanded home department.

Nordstrom was forced to abandon one beloved annual tradition at its downtown Seattle flagship store. Harking back to the building’s former life as the Frederick & Nelson department store, the Santa Lane exhibit, featuring Santa Claus in a street front window, was cancelled for 2020. Considered the nations’s first Santa Claus photograph concession, generations of Seattleites have posed with the store’s “Real Santa Claus” since 1943. 

The retailer is somewhat of a Johnny-come-lately as a large-scale clothing retailer. Founded in 1901, Nordstrom, over the course of 50 years, developed into the largest shoe retailing business in America. Its 1963 purchase of Seattle-based Best’s Apparel, greatly expanded the company’s merchandise assortment. By 1980, it became the country’s third largest specialty store, behind Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor.

Workers assemble a Christmas tree at the Nordstrom Inc. flagship store in New York, U.S., on … [] Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019. Nordstrom’s new Manhattan flagship, a 320,000-square-foot store opened last month, reflected a strong customer response with 85,000 visits during the first weekend. Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg

Nordstrom remains somewhat of an anomaly in today’s retail market. Exceeding expectations, it plans to enter 2021 with $1.5 billion in liquidity, including $900 million in cash. 

COVID-19 has brought numerous bankruptcies and liquidations to an already-battered retail industry. The new year promises more names to be added to the retail casualty list. Nordstrom’s present success and optimistic forecasts are refreshing.

From Retail in Perfectirishgifts

[babyblanket2001]

Hey, do you have any childhood memories about snow? it's snowing a lot where I live and nothing gives me nostalgia like coming in from the cold, having a cup of cocoa and putting on a Disney movie until I fall asleep on the couch.

that sounds so cozy!♡ there’s lots of snow here, too. i have tons of winter nostalgia, some of my favorite memories being:

- my dad taking me and my sister snow-sliding every year. this is the memory i come back to the most. there was this place with lots of hills and slopes, and we’d always go there. i was really small as a child, so i preferred the smallest hill. i remember the whooshing sound as i slid down, and the stinging freeze of snowflakes and cold wind hitting my cheeks. sometimes i’d flip over when i reached the bottom. it felt so exhilarating.

- the initial shivers and tranquil warmth of getting in a hot bath after being out in the cold all day. this feeling is actually the closest physical sensation to how nostalgia feels to me.

- the excitement and wonder of driving through Bright Lights around christmas time at night.

- my childhood dog (who died of old age last summer) running excitedly through blankets of snow as a puppy and getting snow all over his nose and fur. the cold air would make him really hyper and frisky, and when he’d come inside, he’d run all around the house playfully, barking at everyone. my mom would always dry him off with a towel, and eventually he’d fall asleep curled up in his blanket.

- drawing with my finger on the cold, foggy car window in the backseat and looking curiously at all the snowflakes stuck together on it in a layer of frost.

- the little coat hangers in elementary school where we’d all put our winter jackets. indoor recess. winter and holiday decorations and crafts in school.

- this christmas event i used to go to where all the kids would get to watch rudolph the red nosed reindeer on a projector screen, and we’d sit on santa’s lap and receive gifts from him. i still remember some of my presents. i once got a lizzie mcguire electronic toy game, and for some reason, that one stands out the most to me. the ground was always covered in snow every year we’d go to this event.

- sliding on a large patch of ice with my childhood best friend… this memory just came back to me. it’s a distant one.

- playing in the snow, bundled up in layers of clothes with my hat and mittens. i still remember the sound of my snow pants as they brushed together when i’d walk in the snow. i particularly recall my red and black fingerless gloves that doubled as mittens. i made so many snowballs with them. i also had a holographic looking purple bubble coat that i hated at the time, but looking back on it, it was a cute coat.

- snow angels. 

- christmas tree ornaments and the glittery cotton tree snow skirt. 

- SNOW DAYS. that feeling when i had slept in on a school day and my mom would tell me school was cancelled when i woke up. such a freeing, relieving feeling. it was as if the world had paused for a day of peace.

- looking out the window at a gentle, silent snowfall.

- stepping into a smooth, fresh layer of snow and leaving my footprints.

- christmas day, family christmas parties, christmas specials on tv (to name some: charlie brown, frosty the snowman, rudolph, and especially a year without a santa claus), the christmas pageants i was in for a couple of years in the very early 2000s, anything to do with christmas.

- fevers and sick days.

while i’m most fond of my childhood summers, the winter times were a special kind of warmth i’ll never forget.♡

[worddoodles]

04

Follow along Freddy’s story as you plunge head first into challenges and obstacles. Created in a laboratory machine by the brilliant Dr. P Starr, Freddy’s story turned out to be quite the adventure that would follow. In this kingdom management RPG, petitioners will arrive in the throne room each turn to ask for your advice and assistance. Life each day as if your life had just begun. The Eileen Mor Lighthouse Keepers. Nourishes for Beautifully Soft Skin. It’s today’s teams and today’s rosters with controls and graphics from 1994. Relive one of the greatest hockey video games of all time with your favorite clubs and stars of today. Food Critic Has Late Night Hankering for Liquid Nitrogen-Frozen Ravioli Balloon. Whitehouse Dishwasher Not Sure Why Trump Keeps Offering Him Pardon. The Luminary and his unique band of loyal companions work together to survive an onslaught of ne’-er-do-wells and overthrow the dark forces that plot to plunge the world of Erdrea into chaos. After a secretive agency in New York is invaded by an otherworldly threat, you become the new Director struggling to regain Control. Pizza and more Italian goodies, launching in the West suburbs Wednesday. You’re not even allowed unpasteurized cheese in the USA, don’t tell me your rights. Allergy and Immunology. Rain. Growing up an orphan, Rain joined Edenia’s army. His strategic genius earned him quick promotion, which he used to learn he was the bastard son of the god Argus, Edenia’s Protector. Armer with the knowledge that he’s a half god, Rain battles for his place in Edenia’s pantheon. Joe Biden says he asked Fauci to be his chief medical advisor and plans to call for 100 days of masks after inauguration. The sands opened and swallowed the group whole. All that remained of their existence was the footprints left behind in their trek. Soon, these too were erased by the wind. In world first, Chinese quantum supercomputer took 200 seconds to complete a calculation that a regular supercomputer would take 2.5 billion years to complete. Women left hallucinating for months after eating 5 day old service station sushi. Follow the grim tale of young Amicia and her little brother Hugo, in a heart rending journey through the darkest hours of human history. Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestle named top polluters for third year in a row. An Iranian nuclear scientist was killed using a satellite-controlled machine gun. The gun was so accurate that the scientist’s wife, who was sitting in the same car, was no tinjured. Officer K, a new blade runner for the Los Angeles Police Department, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. His discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former blade runner who’s been missing for 30 years. Aliens in hiding until mankind is ready, says ex-Israeli space head. Would you like the direct number to call them back later or I can take a message? Unto the End is a hand-crafted cinematic platformer about a desperate journey home. Master combat through improvisation in intense sword fights. The Babushka Lady. A mysterious woman in a headscarf was seen filming the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. For years, she remained nameless - until one day, she stepped forward with a story no one saw coming. In Cyberpunk 2077 you get ‘street cred’ for killing gang members and protecting cops. Any unemployment benefits made payable will be electronically deposited into this account. You better watch out. You better not cry. Better not pout. I’m telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town. He’s making a list and checking it twice. Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice. Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake! O! You better watch out! You better not cry. Better not pout. I’m telling you why. Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town. 

[marianadelamaodria-blog]

Are you a pie or a pizza? BuzzFeed Quizzes

For this week, I wrote about an already familiar platform: BuzzFeed. But, since it is not possible to cover the broad universe of this platform, which ranges from the serious tone with its news and investigation section to the well-known coverage of popular culture with the latest update of the Taylor Swift and Katy Perry feud, this week we will focus on in the BuzzFeed Quizzes.

I plead guilty to have taken one of these quizzes on one occasion because I was curious to know what Disney princess I am. However, because of work and the responsibilities of taking three courses for my master´s studies, I have not taken a BuzzFeed quiz in a long time. But when I came up with this week's post and continuing with my passion for popular culture- I am a pop culture geek- I decided to dive deep in the purpose of this BuzzFeed tool and share it with you, my dear readers.

I retook the Disney Princess test. According to Buzzfeed, “I don´t give a damn what other people think” and have amazing powers. I am still waiting for ice powers to appear any day. Source: BuzzFeed.

BuzzFeed quizzes, beyond being a method to pass the time and become the standard bearer of procrastination that you do not want your boss to see you doing at work, are an interesting and important topic regarding digital tools, and for which, I was motivated to write this post. Something I learned with time and as I get older – and hopefully wiser – is that every digital platform, as crazy as may seem, has a function and importance.

First of all, let's discover more about the website that has brought us quizzes like “What % Kourtney, Kim, And Khloe Are You?” (the Kardashians really are everywhere), “Pick A Dog And We’ll Reveal Your Deepest Fear” and “Chose A Hot Guy and We’ll Reveal What % Thirsty You Are”.  68.8 percent of Buzzfeed users are women, while 31.2 percent are men, 24.9 percent are between 25 and 34 years. But, would you like to know how massive is BuzzFeed? It has 200 million unique visits per month and half of the millennials in the United States read and navigate on this website.

Millennials really love BuzzFeed! So much that it could be named “the Millennial Town on the Internet”. Millennials watch an average of 38 videos BuzzFeed videos each month. What do they like to watch? Videos from their Tasty franchise, the BuzzFeed social food network that shares useful recipes and cooking tutorials, perfect for the Millennials who are trying to survive on their own – including me.

Millennials are the core of BuzzFeed. One website where they can find news, recipes, memes, ridiculous articles and of course, quizzes where you will know if you are a pie or a pizza. Source: Nielsen.

But wait, there's more. According to Nielsen, BuzzFeed visitors average 12 page views per person during the month, half of its monthly unique visitors come from social media and spend an average of 14 minutes using the site. Let's be honest, for a generation with an attention span of eight seconds, spending 14 minutes using a website seems like a lifetime.

One extra fact: three out of every 10 BuzzFeed visitors have earned a Bachelor's degree, and 14 percent hold a Master's degree. That means that there is a high probability that you, my dear reader, have visited BuzzFeed, and why not, wanted to know if you are a Kourtney, Khloe or Kim.

Now that we know the facts about BuzzFeed, let's get down to business. Why, you may ask, as communicators, should we take into account the quizzes on this page? The answer is in a single word: information.

It's as simple as that: One might think that when you're doing a BuzzFeed quiz, you're just passing the time and satisfying the curiosity of knowing if you're going to get married tomorrow or if your soulmate is Chris Pratt. However, there are quizzes that reveal personal data. According to an article by Dan Barker about the data points that BuzzFeed collects about its users, the platform collects the information and shares it with its business partners in order to use it and target ads.

That's right, we are taking more than an absurd quiz, we are providing personal information so that companies can show us crafted ads especially for archetypes.

And you might ask, what about their privacy policy? Apparently, in Millennial Town privacy policies benefit the site, not those who visit it, even if you do not create a BuzzFeed account to log in to the site, they start collecting information, as well as the IP address and the information that cookies and web beacons obtain regarding the browsing behavior.

BuzzFeed sees you when you are sleeping, it knows when you are awake, so be good for goodness sake. BuzzFeed would be the scariest Santa Claus, at least he doesn´t sell your information. Source: BuzzFeed.

Although it sounds unfair and frustrating, this practice is still legal. One of the criticisms that are always taken in considering the current legal regulations is that they are not updated at the same time as digital tools, leaving a space for platforms such as BuzzFeed or Facebook - remember the Cambridge Analytica controversy and Mark Zuckerberg's Senate hearing?- to take your personal information and do whatever they like with it. BuzzFeed, because of that incomprehension of the legislative groups on digital media, has caused these legal gaps that transform quizzes into the perfect tools to obtain insights about users on the network.

Who takes advantage of this legal gap and the privacy policies in favor of BuzzFeed? Brands. Through this collection of information, through a dynamic form of communication, you can know how the public is evolving, where their preferences are going, what their ideologies are, their fears, their expectations, what kind of romantic partner they want to have, where they would like to travel, what they eat, what is their favorite color and the list continues. As the specialist lawyer in digital subjects, Kerry O'Shea Gorgone, mentions:

"BuzzFeed has won the market research game: demographic information, complex psychographic data, location, and browsing history, all at its fingertips. And users are giving it up happily, just to discover if the Sorting Hat will put them into Gryffindor or Slytherin. This should affect data quality, but BuzzFeed tracks your individual answers, as well. In fact, they might gain even more insight into the deepest recesses of your mind if you take a quiz multiple times, like being privy to your burning need to be perceived as Harry Potter instead of Luna Lovegood or Arthur Weasley."

The more this situation is known, the way in which we as public interact with the content will change. I know, we all love those quizzes. I still remember when I used to take those cheesy quizzes in teen magazines during recess with my friends in high school. However, and this is part of growing up, we must be responsible, so I will we become aware of the way in which we give our information? Will we change our media consumption habits to protect our privacy? I dare to give an immediate response, based on what happened with Facebook and the answer is no. Although the situation with Cambridge Analytica caused a backlash by users, Facebook only lost 0.05% of its users in the United States and Canada. I can assure that none of my contacts left their Facebook accounts. In this case, the interaction and contact with our friends and acquaintances prevailed over the possibility that our information continued to leak. However, we will be more cautious when clicking on a news or filling out a quiz. It does not matter how much BuzzFeed plays with our nostalgia, something this page is an expert on. "BuzzFeed identified this demand for romanticizing, before, decades before most outlets and has made thousands of lists and quizzes that cater around this theme."

This is how teen magazines looked like when I was in High School. Back when Twilight was still a thing and the quiz was to know if you are ready for the vampire life. Source: Twilight Reality.

I am sure that after reading this post you will think twice about clicking on that “which classic “star wars” character are you?”

I know that it is not possible to be with the guard up all the time, thinking that the websites are going to track every step we take online to be able to create profiles and sell them to the companies. I know that we cannot constantly think that we are only a speck of information in the online universe. If we think about it, BuzzFeed would be the classic Habermasian tool where the public sphere becomes a mass exclusively focused on popular themes.  We could say that Millennial Town has its own Big Brother.

Now we see how 2018 is like “1984″. Image from: Wikipedia 

And this is how a post that began with an "innocent" quiz about Disney Princesses ended in a narrative of how quizzes are a tool to obtain information from a platform that could be the protagonist of an Orwell book. This demonstrates the complexity of the current digital platforms and the debate of what is the approach we must take in order to generate interactive content for the public and, why not, an ethical debate on whether we should create content oriented to the public or made exclusively in order that the companies obtain information.

I end this blog post with a bittersweet feeling because I have given my information to a page I used to visit to have fun. Is this going to change how I interact online? I will definitely become more aware of my “online footprint”. I am sure you have the same feeling.

Now, it's time to close the browser, turn off my computer and not visit that Millennial Town called BuzzFeed, not for a good time at least, no matter how tempting it is to know if I'm a Kourtney, Khloe or Kim. 

And you, what will you do?