Top Ten Jobs to Make Christmas Money This Christmas
Money for Christmas
Jobs for Christmas
Christmas and Money: The Recession is hurting many job categories. But not in all of the Christmas Seasonal areas. While not all of the usual Christmas temp jobs are still available, there are a number of seasonal services and Christmas vacancies that businesses and private employers cannot even fill.
What is going on?
Christmas temp jobs: In the UK, the Royal Mail has announced that it plans to hire seasonal temp workers, although the Royal Mail jobs will be down. The U. S. Postal Service has asked Congress for permission to lay off 120,000 workers by 2015. While North of the Border, Canada Post has cut back pay rates of new hires by 30% and is laying off casual workers (although a recent Canadian Press release "Canada Post Profit Totals $438 Million on Tax-related Gain -- Revenue Higher" concludes that since Canada Post lied about its record breaking profits to the News Media and Government during its Company Lockout, the Feds may force Canada Post to rehire casual workers "for the good of the economy."). Overall, since lower-paying delivery, express, messenger and courier jobs in the private sector have increased, delivery jobs have remained about the same in total, keeping them in 12th position in Top Jobs for Christmas 2011.
Meanwhile, Reuters has reported, "Asda, Britain's second-biggest supermarket chain, is recruiting an extra 10,000 jobs for Christmas and the New Year, to complement its existing 10,000-strong seasonal squad. Asda, owned by U.S. group Wal-Mart Stores Inc, said the extra jobs were on top of its commitment to create 7,000 new positions by the end of this year." Also in London, England, Boots have announced 7,000 holiday jobs for Christmas. Wal-Mart outlets in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be seeking Christmas temp workers, as will Macy's, Target and J C Penney. Argos jobs and Tesco jobs are up. Overall, the retail and restaurant sectors are still hiring seasonal workers at the same rates as Christmas jobs 2010 -- enough to keep them in 11th place in the Top Jobs for Christmas again this year.
The largest increase in new jobs and income is in personal services. A great time for those who want to be their own bosses and make fast money through self-employment!
What are the Top 10 Jobs for Christmas?
10. Christmas Knitting. The hand-knitted Christmas Scarf is especially a best-selling item. Being handmade, it is unique -- a big selling point. You can create your own patterns. Both knitted and crocheted versions are easy to make and quick to create. A great way to save money Christmas or make an extra income. Scarves are a fashion of the winter season. They are so popular because of the way they can spruce up any outfit. In fact, many women say that a scarf is a great element in their wardrobe.
"It's the holiday season," says Ange Parker of Illinois, "and you get so many invitations to formal parties and events that you run out of dresses to wear. You obviously don't want to be caught wearing the same dress at another party. Wrap a Christmas-scarf around you and the dress looks different, new. Scarves are great even for those times when you just don't feel like wearing chunky jewelry. Since the Christmas-scarf is decorative and colorful, all you need to do is slip into the dress and drape the scarf elegantly. Your look is complete."
"Make money from your knitting without having knitted products of your own. When you mention making money from knitting, most people naturally assume you need to sell your own knitted products. Whilst this is often true, it is not necessarily the most profitable or easy way to make money. Did you know there are successful knitters who have learned how to use other powerful ways to generate profits without selling their own knitted products?," Liz, Author of KNITTING FOR PROFIT.
9. Pet Sitting. Pet sitting is another growing occupation. Plenty of people arrange to catch up with family across the country and abroad and may not have anyone to take care of their pets, especially during the Christmas Holidays. While pet sitters usually care for and walk dogs, they can also provide other services, from caring for a cat to feeding birds or fish. Professional pet-sitting companies often have vacationing staff to replace over the Holidays, or have aditional clientelle to service. Also, starting your own Pet Sitting business could be the perfect Xmas gift to yourself and your family. The financial rewards are worth it. In many localities, no special occupational license or accreditation is required for pet sitters. Usually, pet sitters refer to themselves as "licensed" when they only hold a local business licence.
8. Working on a Cruise Ship. Cruise ships hire from 300 to 900 crew members per ship. Cruise ships do their maximum business during Christmas and the New Year. The best times to apply for such a job are the months leading up to Christmas. Why? First, it's an extremely busy time of year. Most ships are fully booked during the winter months and they have to ensure that they are fully staffed in all departments. Second, a lot of experienced crew sign-off to be home with their family for Christmas. In fact many of them actually time their contracts to end just before Christmas! And third, the World Cruises begin in January through to the end of March, so it's important for the ships to be fully staffed and prepared. And of course, this also gives you a good chance of getting on a world cruise for your first onboard posting!
Crew members include the marine operations crew such as deck and engine officers, seamen, motormen and so on; chefs, bakers, kitchen and food server staff; entertainers and musicians; deck and cabin steward/stewardesses; bartenders and cocktail servers; retail and gift shop clerks; fitness and gym instructors; security guards; senior activities and recreation workers; youth counselors; office personnel; photographers; tour guides and shore excursion staff; medical staff; casino dealers; sound technicians and broadcast techs.
The beginning pay rate is from $2000 to $7000 per month, depending on the Cruise Line, more for experienced workers.
7. Selling Goods on eBay. Selling goods on eBay is making a popular come-back. More people are shopping online all the time and eBay is coming back into its own. This is the best time to earn extra Christmas money. So, why not put up some of your unused items around the house? You can always find customers for items if you advertise a low price -- either starting bid or "Buy Now." Popular brand names and latest style clothing are hot. DVDs that you ran only a few times and are unscratched are hot. Collectibles -- or items that serve as creative decorations, are selling. Collectible Items of Years Gone By are bringing big prices. With the Boomer generation now retiring and looking online to recapture their childhood, collectibles from the Fifties and Sixties are especially hot.
6. Making Christmas Wreaths. Every season, Christmas wreaths are hand made by individuals or families and quickly sold. Christmas wreaths are a traditional Yuletide custom that give Holiday time guests a festive greeting, saying "Merry Christmas" from your doorway entrance.
How to make a Christmas wreath: To make a Christmas wreath you will will need a wreath ring, florist wire (you can get these cheaply from our neighborhood florist) and some vegetation, usually braches from a fir, spruce or pine tree, although ivy and loral leaves are also popular. Pine cones or a red ribbon usually are added as festive trim.
Usually, a nice sales display can be set up on your own property. Or they can be sold though a local Xmas venue.
5. Christmas Holiday Lighting Business: the hottest new trend. In the past six years, the Christmas Lighting and Decorating Service has grown 800%. And yet existing holiday decorating services are swamped with business they can't handle.
"A small scale Christmas Light Installation business can easily expect to earn $20,000 in their first season, provided they have a solid and sound business strategy," report the authors of CASHING IN ON CHRISTMAS. "Many mid-sized Christmas Lighting and Decorating companies rake in earnings to the low to mid Six Figures. I also know of one company called 'The Perfect Light' that generates over a Million Dollars in sales in less than three months. So there is plenty of money to be made in this budding, high growth industry."
No wonder that the Christmas Light Installation Business is the hottest Xmas job of all! Number Five and Climbing!
4. A Christmas Tree Store. Still a symbol of the holidays, a Christmas Tree store -- or tree lot -- can be a low-start, high-profit venture. From the traditional live tree -- fir, spruce or pine -- to the latest artificial trees, often pre-decorated -- Christmas trees are a major item purchased new every year. Besides the family home, most towns, cities, retail businesses and shopping malls have at least one tree, often several. The Canadian Christmas Tree Growers Association alone reports that it harvests almost six million trees each season, with half of them being shipped to the United States. The sales increase each year.
3. Personal Shopper Service. Personal shoppers began by giving advice and making suggestions to people, usually about clothing. And then the consultant job expanded into actually purchasing products for customers, a service offered by major upscale stores like Bloomingdales, Debenham's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Macy's. Now personal shoppers actually purchase the gifts for their own clients.
More upper income families are too busy to buy their own seasonal gifts. They have neither the time nor patience to get in stressful mall line-ups, search online, or battle through crowded parking lots and underground car parks. Gift Buying Services are also hired by corporations to purchase gifts for workers and clients. Whoever has a daunting Christmas list. Personal shoppers seek and purchase gifts (usually on a cash advance) according to the individual needs of the clients -- and wrap and deliver the gifts. Many Personal Shoppers do their searching and buying completely online, using their client's credit card.
2. Personal Chef. The in-home chef is gaining in popularity, especially for seasonal meals and get-togethers.
Specializing in home cooked meals and in-home catered events, the chef or personal caterer plans meals, does the grocery shopping, and cooks meals on site. They prepare everything from romantic gourmet dinner for couples, to nutritious prepared meals for families, to complete catered banquets. The largest growing segment is the upper income business and professional class -- often couples too busy to cook at home (a growing number of young, successful professional women don't know how to cook) but with lots of money to spend. Personal chefs also cater to commercial venues, such as Cocktail Receptions and Office Parties.
1. Mall Santa or Helper. The first department store Santa appeared in Macy's 6th Avenue store in New York in 1862. Santa's little elves/helpers appeared later. Soon, the Toy Department Santa became a tradition thoughout Victorian England, Canada and the United States. The modern mall Santas carry on the seasonal tradition. The "Christmas Jobs 2011" Help Wanted ads are still full of "Shopping Mall Santas and Helpers Needed."
Over 1500 major malls in North America have a Santa's Village, each employing at least 2 full-time professional Santas. In today's social climate, stricter character references and background checks are required for the job. But the job description remains the same: friendly, cheerful and patient personality. A second language helps in some localities. Payscale.com reports that the average pay rates for Mall Santas go from $13.00 to $100 an hour. Because the larger malls can easily generate over $350,000.00 in revenue from in-store photography each Christmas season, malls are known to pay up to $200.00 per hour to their most popular Santas.
==>> SEE: Top Franchises 2012 - Best Franchises in The U. S. & Canada - Start Your Money-making Business
How to Make Fast Money with Your Own Christmas Light Installation Business -- My Success Story
Need Christmas money? If you're self-employed in a personal service field like landscaping, painting or any form of contracting and repair, you know that the winter months are usually a time of enforced vacation. If you were able to squirrel away as much money as you could during the regular season, you might be able to coast through Christmas and New Year's on your savings.
I discovered something amazing a few years ago that made all the difference in how I looked at the holidays.
If you know anything about the window cleaning business, it's very much like landscaping and painting contracting businesses. Over the long winter, there's usually not much work available. OK, there are a few loyal customers who want something done, but your chance to make fast cash during the holidays is very poor.
Now -- after taking the time to do some research on the Christmas light installation business -- that has really changed. This growth industry has weathered the worst Recession since the Great Depression and is still growing by leaps and bounds!
Every year, businesses and homeowners are hiring experts to handle the job of outdoor lighting during the holiday season.
They are doing this for any number of reasons -- chief among them being time and safety concerns. Upper-income homeowners are now competing with each other with elaborate Christmas light displays. In fact, affluent couples (business and professional couples) don't get to spend much time at home with their families -- making it "The Perfect Christmas" for their children has become a prime motivation. "Money is no object," is music to the ears of a new entrepreneur.
Elderly homeowners who wish to continue their hallowed Xmas traditions are hiring professional installers to do the job rather than risk injury or electrical mishaps.
Some Christmas lighting installation owners have been so successful at this that they are now booked way in advance of the season and even make themselves available for special events year-round (Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc).
So what does it take to get started in the Christmas light installation business?
Some people have begun on a small budget, using their existing equipment and buying supplies as they need it. Because this is a cash business, they've been able to canvass prospects, set appointments and use their immediate income to fund the business.
There are easy ways and difficult ways to make this unique business opportunity work. Successful Christmas light installation operators have taken the time to study the business and learn the tips and tricks necessary for avoiding problems and creating immediate profits.
Without this knowledge, the learning curve can be quite steep. Many have avoided the outrageous franchise fees in favor of the more common sense home study courses that allow them to get quickly up to speed and manage their own business.
An increasingly popular way to make fast money.
History of Christmas Tree Lights
The first lights on Christmas trees were candles that were attached to the tree branches with either melted wax or pins that held them in place, a scene right of Dicken's "Christmas Carol."
Of course, many trees went up in flames due to this practice. Many families kept buckets of water nearby to extinguish the impending fire. In the homes of the wealthy, it was often times the job of a servant to watch the tree during the evening hours and be prepared to extinguish a fire, if necessary. As a result of this eminent risk, most trees were decorated on Christmas Eve and promptly removed following Christmas day -- Boxing Day in Canada and England. This must have been a lot of work for such a short viewing of the tree!
In 1882, the technology of Thomas Edison was used to hand wire 80 red, white, and blue lights onto the first electronically lighted Christmas tree. It took a few years for this idea to catch on. When President Grover Cleveland set up an electronically lighted Christmas tree in the White House in 1895, finally the idea began to get some publicity. The general public realized that there was a better way to light their Christmas trees.
By the close of the 1800's, General Electric Company began manufacturing and selling hand blown bulbs that were ready to wire into a string to be put on a Christmas tree. Since the average homeowner was not well educated about how electricity worked in those days, a new industry sprung up of "wiremen" who were hired to wire the bulbs together to light the family tree.
In the early 1900's, some big department stores began setting up large illuminated trees to attract customers. And attract customers it did! Everyone wanted to have a tree at home like the stores were capable of putting on display. In the early 1900's, the cost of such a tree was in excess of $300. That price included a generator and the wireman's service. By today's standard, that cost would be equivalent to more than $2,000.
In 1903, the American Eveready Company developed and marketed the first Christmas light set, which had screw in bulbs and a plug in wall socket, since many homes had been "wired" for electricity by this time. Then in 1908, entrepreneur Ralph Morris came up with the idea of taking the lights from an old telephone switchboard, wiring them on a Christmas tree, and running a battery as a power source.
But the individual who made the biggest difference in electric Christmas tree lights, and who made them affordable to the general public, was Albert Sadacca. Albert's family manufactured imitation birds in a wicker cage that lit up with electricity. At the age of 15, Albert had the idea of making electric Christmas lights. His parents thought it sounded like a good idea, and the family gave it a go. The first year, they only sold 100 sets of lights. The following year, Albert decided to color the bulbs in red, green, and other colors. This idea really took off. Albert Sadacca went on to become the head of a NOMA Electric Company, a multi-million dollar corporation. Headed up by Albert and his two brothers, Henri and Leon, the trio formed the largest Christmas lighting company in the world prior to 1965.
Today, yet another revolution in Christmas lighting is occurring. The newest offering in holiday lights are LED lights that use significantly less electricity than incandescent bulbs and burn out less frequently. With the trend toward energy conservation and "going green", LED lights are rapidly gaining in popularity. Though they are more expensive than traditional incandescent light sets, one way to change over all your holiday lights is to buy one new set of LED lights per year until everything is changed over.
The Hot New Home-Based Business That Brings In Cash for Christmas
If you're self-employed, want to be self-employed, or you have been trying to figure out how to increase your income though the long winter, I want you to give this some serious consideration.
If you've ever driven around town from late October to the end of December, you've seen many beautiful Christmas light displays.
Did you know that some of the most amazing displays aren't even put up by your neighbors or that local business owner? These people have been paying from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand dollars to have a local contractor put up those holiday lighting displays on their storefronts or homes.
There are people making an amazing income of real cash money from this growing home-based business.
The profits are enormous -- if you know what you're doing.
You're going to need to be familiar with the following:
• Party holiday lighting
• Mini lights
• LED battery operated lights
• C7 and C9 bulbs
• Net lights
• LED Christmas lights
• 12 V LED lights
• Rope lights
• Icicle lights
• Illuminated Christmas wreaths
• Illuminated Christmas garlands
• Holiday light controllers
• Light clips and hooks
• Lights stakes
• Rope lights
• Sculpted clips for mini lights
• Timers for Christmas lights
• Light repair tools
• Color caps
• Blackout cats
• Assorted electrical plugs
• Electrical cord strippers
• Wire cutters
• Assorted clips for grooves, tiles, gutters, fences, shrubs and trees
You're going to be learning how to maneuver safely on a ladder, a roof -- and in, and around trees.
I no longer do the installation myself. I have people hired to do that for me. But when you're just starting out, you may have to get on the ladder to get the work done. It makes a great family business, believe me. The work itself is fairly easy and simple. Once you get started, time passes by quickly. And the joy of knowing that you are your own boss -- and that you will be being paid real money for your day's labor in just a few more minutes -- will actually have you whistling while you work. It does me! And the more money I make, the louder I whistle!
Finding the contracts relies on your marketing skills. But if you take a few courses offered by holiday lighting experts, you'll quickly learn what works in your field and what doesn't.
Take many colorful photos of your finished work to promote yourself and your finished work. Don't forget the glowing testimonials from happy customers -- they go a long way to getting you the next job.
Quite often, it's a husband and wife venture. She designs the lighting displays, any inside decorations (extra income), and does the on-computer "paperwork." He puts up the lights. More women are going into the business for themselves and hiring the physical labor. The profits are just too big to ignore. Once the fast money starts to pour in, a common refrain is, "Why didn't we think of this before?"
Now, my friend, let's talk money. Depending on your location, you can average anywhere from $500-$1000 a day as a startup. Learn how to market yourself properly and follow one of the online courses and you may be able to double that next year. This business is not rocket science and can be a heck of a lot of fun.
Cruise Ship FAQ: 6 Common Questions - Cruise Ship Jobs Demystified
Here is a list of questions that people seeking cruise ship employment commonly ask:
1. How long will it take Me to get a Job On a Cruise Ship?
From the time you send out your first application, it could take days, weeks or even months before you get hired. However, as with any job, the time it will take you will depend on the position you're applying for and the current demand for that position.
A lot will also depend on whether or not you put enough EFFORT into applying for these positions. It goes without saying; Your chance of success is greatly enhanced if you spend time and attention on putting together excellent applications and sending out as many as possible. The process will speed up dramatically if you have the right contacts.
2. How long are cruise ship employment contracts?
Contracts vary depending on the position and cruise line you're working for. A typical employment contract is six months, but it can range from four to 10 months.
3. What hours will I work?
There is no rough guide to the hours you will work as it will depend entirely on which department/job you work in and the itinerary of the ship you're on. However, you must be mentally prepared to work long hours and be completely flexible as your schedule will vary from day-to-day.
What I can tell you is that you will NOT be working 9 till 5 and you won't get weekends off.
4. Do I get time off in port?
All positions allow you time off in port. But the job you do will determine exactly how much time you get off. To get the maximum time off in port, apply for jobs in departments that only really function when the ship is at sea, including; gift shop, casino, entertainment, etc.
5. Can I choose which ship I work on?
This is a surprisingly common question. 99% of the time the answer is "no" for your first contract. You will be told which ship you're going to. Sometimes returning crew members have the luxury of selecting the next ship they will work on, if there are vacancies.
6) How long should my CV / resume be?
Your CV/resume should never be longer than 1 or 2 pages, particularly in an industry where you're often competing against hundreds, even thousands of other applicants for the same positions.
I've seen applications sent through with as many as 6 pages. But let me tell you, there is NO WAY a recruiter will bother to read through that many pages. Not when she's got another 300 hundred waiting in her inbox to sift through!
So, if your resume is over 2 pages and filled with 'useless information', 'pointless waffle' or simply looks like it's going to be hard work to read it then it will almost never get looked at. Period.
For this reason, before you apply for any jobs on cruise ships I strongly suggest that you take some time out to produce a really clear, concise and powerful 1 or 2 page CV/resume.
Get rid of any unnecessary, unrelated information and put the MOST important stuff at the top of the first page. Make sure that your CV/resume is specifically tailored to the job you're going for.
By doing this you'll grab the attention and interest of most recruiters and encourage them to read your resume.
More importantly, doing this will give you an advantage of gaining cruise ship employment of over 90% of the applicants immediately.
The REAL Truth about Cruise Ship Jobs!
Forget you've ever watched a single episode of THE LOVE BOAT. Block out those fond memories of Gopher, Isaac, Julie and even that kid that was on for a while. Erase all mental images of Captain Stubing's socks. Don't even THINK about playing the Love Boat theme song in your head.
As engaging as the seagoing sitcom might have been, it should not be used as a point of reference for anyone considering a cruise ship job. Our happy-go-lucky heroes might have been world class party animals but there was one important element missing: work. Most crew members work seven days per week. Contracts usually last at least six months. You don't get to go home on the weekends. You have to work the holidays.
Are there really opportunities? You bet! Compared to other industries, cruise lines have a high employee turnover rate. Many people work on ships as a means to see the world, save money and have some fun. They don't do it with the intention of developing a lifelong career (although it can be addictive!) The cruise industry is booming away at an all time high with over 190 ships and 17 new ship buildings scheduled over the next two years. That's about 130,000 jobs.
Most cruise ships employ a multi-national crew. Sometimes there are as many as 80 different nationalities on one ship. In many cases nationality influences job opportunities. It is not uncommon to find each department on one ship is comprised of the same nationality unique to the other departments. That helps prevent culture clashes where they live, work and play together.
If you are American, Canadian or European and you are interested in a hotel department or entertainment department job, your best plan of action would be to apply directly to the cruise line or concessionaire.
The beauty salon, gift shop, photography service and casino are almost always concessionaires. These companies set up and maintain facilities onboard and share the profits with the cruise line. They hire their own employees.
To apply, send a cover letter, resume and photograph. The cruise line will use your photo to get a sense of how well you present yourself. A personal interview is not always required. It is very important that the materials you submit look as professional as humanly possible. The cruise lines receive gazillions of submissions. In order to reduce them to a manageable amount, the first step in the hiring process is the elimination process. If your materials are sloppy, incomplete or sent to the wrong department they will be trashed immediately.
Now that you have an idea what that "something for everyone" is that the Love Boat theme song promises, go ahead and play it in your head.
A lot of the newer cruise ships set sail with over 2,000 guests and over 800 crew on board. Cruise ships are becoming small cities on the ocean. They have everything you could want from a shopping area, theatres, dining rooms, live shows, hotel services, passenger activities, health clubs, and spas. Whatever your trade or skill is on land; there is a 99% chance they have a job for you on a cruise ship.
Neil Maxwell Keys is THE cruise ship jobs expert and best-selling author of "How to Get a Cruise Ship Job Quickly & Easily!" You can get his FREE cruise line employment mini-course by visiting: http://www.GetaCruiseShipJob.com
Job Trends for 2011 & 2012
Top Jobs for the Future
TrendBloger.com reports that the Top 7 Careers of 2011 and beyond will be:
1. Geoscientists
2. Biomedical Engineers
3. Healthcare Workers
4. Industrial Hygienists
5. Accountants
6. Machinists
7. Software Engineers
Of the seven, the largest number of jobs will be in the Healthcare service areas, both public and private. With the Baby Boomer generation retiring and entering the senior citizen cohort over the next decade, the need for additional healthcare workers will soon explode. The number of new seniors services and facilities will grow at an amazing rate. Healthcare workers will include medical staff of all disciplines, dietary and environmental (laundry and housekeeping) workers, as well as home care specialists.
While the Recession is seeing massive layoffs and cutbacks in the public sector (especially in Canada), as well as increasing unemployment in the manufacturing, raw products and construction sectors, there has been an increase of employment in many service industries. As with previous recessions, the greatest gains are being made in part-time employment (without the full-time benefits) and self-employed home-based services.
Top Growing Job in 18 to 28 Age Group:
Job Games Tester: How to Become Video Game Tester There is ONE big misconception about the game testing industry and that is: People think that they need major experience in the field to get started. "One of the few jobs not affected by the Recession!" said CNN about the growing Video Game Testing Job Segment. As video games continue to grow in popularity and sales, the need for in-home video games testers is outgrowing the number of fully-employed game testers.
Christmas vacancies: How to Find Christmas Jobs
How to make fast money: Temporary Christmas jobs are offered by companies who need extra staff for the holiday times such as Christmas. These vacancies are mostly for a short period of time but they can always turn into permanent ones. If you have a temp work then don't consider it as work that you shouldn't be too serious about. If you want the job to turn into something longer term than it is, then you must be good at what you are doing and you may then expect an offer to work as permanent.
How can I find a temporary vacancy?
There are different ways of doing that actually. You could start searching temp jobs via;
- Companies career sites
- Major online job boards
- Local papers
- Temp Agencies
- Word of mouth
When you follow the list above there is no reason that you can't find a job for short-term work.
Retail temp jobs are still being posted for the Holiday season. Is Walmart open on Christmas day 2011 in your area? Depending on the Walmart hours on Christmas day and the after Christmas sales, overtime may be avialable. Walmart holiday hours vary by location. Is Best Buy open in your location over the 2011 holidays?
Are you looking for a legitimate way to make money online? Maybe you want some extra spending money. Or perhaps you need the money to pay bills. You might even want to get rich.
Getting paid for filling out simple surveys or as a seller on eBay, or having a percentage of any sale that you can generate, could be your next way to get your extra income.
Top 10 Christmas Gifts: How to Find the Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Men and Women
With the coming of each Christmas season we start to think about Christmas gifts for our children, friends and husbands or wives.
Searching for the top 10 Christmas gifts is a great place to get some Christmas Gift ideas. There are many top 10 Christmas Gifts listed on the internet that start to appear early in the Christmas Season. Scanning through some of the Top 10 Christmas Gifts lists from previous years is a good idea as well.
So then how can the latest top 10 Christmas gifts help us when we start to do our Christmas Shopping? One approach would be to brainstorm some Christmas gift ideas for the person you are shopping for. Next check out a top 10 Christmas gifts list to see if there are any similar gifts. If there are you will have something that is popular with everyone including the person you are Christmas shopping for.
Here is a rundown of the top Christmas gifts in each category to provide some Christmas gift ideas for Men, Women and Parents and get the creative juices flowing.
Top Christmas Gifts for Men
Men are men and they need man toys like power tools, sport equipment and electronics. Ski and snowboard equipment and accessories is a popular item for men. Rugged outer wear and work wear make top Christmas gifts including jackets, sweaters and strong boots. Laptop, USB drives and digital cameras not to mention an iphone or an itouch are very popular Christmas gifts for men. If your budget is smaller then look for clothing accessories, cases and magazine subscriptions to Men and fitness related magazines.
Top Christmas Gifts for Women
We all know what is at the top of every woman's list; Jewelry. But it needs to come from their significant other to really mean something. Other popular Christmas gifts for women are perfumes, lotions and body care sets so they can pamper themselves throughout the year. Cell phones, mp3 players, laptops and other electronics are also very popular gifts for women but with some color like blues, pinks and purples. Handbags and purses are a top Christmas gift as well as a bestselling novel for those looking for a less expensive Christmas gift.
Top Christmas Gifts for Parents
Parents are the ones with the thankless job of raising a family and with each passing year the popular choices of Christmas presents for parents become more diverse. They will welcome gifts of any kind because they know it comes from the heart. Electronics, clothes and household items are a popular Christmas gifts for parents although anything handmade such as a craft or a framed photo is especially popular.
We hope this list of top Christmas gifts has helped you to get started with your Christmas shopping this year so you'll have some ideas before heading off to the malls. Remember to get gift receipts and start early to avoid missing out on the popular items and avoiding the big crowds.
Deck the Halls - Top 10 Best Christmas Decorations for This Christmas 2011
The actual decorating may not be the most fun part but once the job is done, most people love a home that is beautifully decorated for the holidays especially if they will be hosting any Christmas parties. If you are wondering how to deck the halls this year and set your home apart from the rest, here are some suggestions on the top 10 best Christmas decorations 2011.
1. Pull Up Christmas Tree
This is one of the best ideas for Holiday decorations if you are not planning to have a real tree or even an undecorated faux tree. This pull up Christmas Tree comes pre-decorated and pulls up into a well decorated tree. Definitely one of the best Christmas decorations 2010.
2. Brides' Tree Ornament Collection
These are the perfect ornaments for the first Christmas being celebrated by newlyweds that are so pretty and fabulous and are one of the best holiday decorations 2010. This also makes one of the best Christmas gifts 2010 for any newlyweds that you know.
3. Disney Mickey and Minnie Mouse Christmas Sleigh Bells Ornaments - Set One by the Ashton-Drake Galleries
First ever collectibles from Ashton-Drake to celebrate the holidays. These will be fun to give the kids to decorate the tree with and they also make one of the best Christmas gifts 2011.
4. Swarovski 2011 Annual Crystal Snowflake Ornament
Some of the best holiday decorations are from Swarovski. Each year, Swarovski creates the perfect ornament for the year and this year it is no exception with this 2010 marked snowflake Christmas ornament. Get it for yourself or give as a gift. This makes one of the best holiday gifts 2011.
5. Thomas Kinkade Tabletop Christmas Snowman Figurine: Crystal Celebrations by The Bradford Exchange
The "painter of lights" created this beautiful tabletop figurine that makes one of the best Christmas decorations 2010 that comes in the shape of a snowman. Also makes one of the best holiday gifts 2010.
6. Peanuts Lighted Pathway Markers
This makes one of the best Christmas decorations 2010 for the outside of your home. It also makes one of the best Christmas gifts 2010 for friends and family for all the Peanuts fans. These represent lighted pathway markers featuring some of the Peanuts characters.
7. Club Pack of 24 Santa, Angel and Snowman Theme Stockings
No Christmas decorating is complete without decking the halls with Christmas stockings. This is a cheap 24 pack of Christmas stockings that you can use for Christmas decorations 2010.
8. 16" Lighted Gold and Burgundy Angel Christmas Tree Topper/Table Top Decoration
Highlight the summit of your real or faux Christmas tree with this ornate angel tree topper. The angel is wearing an elegant burgundy gown that is detailed with gold lace on the front which makes it one of the best holiday decorations 2010 or you can use it as a table top Christmas decoration. Also makes one of the best holiday gifts 2010 for Christmas decorations.
9. Giant Commercial Grade Santa On The Moon Christmas Display Decoration
To go all out for your home or place of business, this Santa sleeping on a crescent moon after a long day makes one of the best and perfect Christmas decorations 2010. This exhibit is bound to garner a lot of attention. Also represents one of the best Christmas gifts 2010.
10. Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas II You"
Released on November 2nd, is this Christmas CD from Mariah Carey. No holiday season is complete without great holiday music from the bestselling singer with one of the best voices out there. This also makes one of the best holiday gifts for this Xmas.
"How to Make $10,000 a Month" A Successful Christmas Light Contractor Tells His Story
"If you have a driving desire to make more money for your family over this Christmas, pay close attention. You probably don't know this, but many families that proudly display their outdoor Christmas lights annually have a secret they don't usually share with their neighbors.
"I discovered their secret years ago at a party.
"A prominent doctor had a Christmas celebration at his home in an exclusive part of town. While enjoying the festivities, my wife and I took a walk through the neighborhood and gazed at all the spectacular Christmas lighting. We got back and commented to our host how beautiful the lighting was on all the streets in the area -- and he explained that several private contractors come out each year and compete unofficially against each other for the best lighting display.
"Surprised, I asked why his neighbors would hire someone to do the lighting for them. He looked at me as if I'd suddenly turned into a Klingon. My wife later commented that there was no way any of the people in this neighborhood making half a million a year would risk going up on their roof for the sake of Christmas lighting and decorations. Most of his neighbors wouldn't think twice about spending $3,000 or $4,000 to get the job done perfectly.
"That's when the light bulb flashed. I had discovered why there is over $200 million a year spent on professional Christmas lighting installation. The truth is, if someone is busy, stressed out, or just plain worn out from the Holiday preparations, they don't want the hassle of putting up Christmas lights. Not if they can hire someone to do it for a few hundred dollars. If they have a huge home, that makes matters even worse -- for them. But the job even more lucrative -- for me.
"So, if you thought that every one of your neighbors actually do put up their own Christmas light display, you would be in for a shock. And the more prosperous the locality, the less likely it will be that they're putting up their own Christmas lights.
"If you want to make $10,000 a month during the holiday season, I recommend that you take a closer look at becoming a commercial Christmas lights installer. The market is definitely out there for that service -- and growing more each year.
"I've built a thriving business putting up Holiday lights for the upper income crowd. In fact, I can't keep up with it. The Recession hasn't made a dent in my business -- after all, the rich are still getting richer. And now I'm getting calls at Hallowe'en -- Thanksgiving -- the Fourth..."
