A New Year’s Resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year’s Day and remain until the set goal has been achieved[1].

We at ForRent.com strive to be the leading internet listing service for apartment seekers. We want to give you an opportunity to choose your next loft, townhouse, condo, efficiency, house, duplex or apartment for rent by searching through over 50,000 apartment listings nationwide on our website. We also wish to be apartment hunters’ guide when searching for tips and advice in their daily life as well as during the apartment search. So that is our resolution, to be all those things for you!

So what are your resolutions this year?? If it’s to find a great new place to call home, go to ForRent.com! We can help you make your resolution a reality!

[1] Wikipedia.org

Since we’ve posted information about Christmas and Hanukkah, I thought I’d post a brief history of Kwanzaa as well.

Kwanzaa is celebrated from December 26^th (today) till January 1st and is a holiday for honoring family, communities and African Culture. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza” which means “first fruits” in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language. It was created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor in the department of black studies at California State University at Long Beach. This celebration is held for seven days, one day for each of the below principles.

Day One: UMOJA (Unity)

This principle promotes togetherness among families, communities and races.

Day Two: KUJICHAGULIA (Self-determination)

This day is about creating and living with each others’ unique identities.

Day Three: UJIMA (Collective work and Responsibility)

On the third day, those who celebrate Kwanzaa encourage each other to embrace individual problems as issues that the community can solve.

Day Four: UJAMAA (Cooperative economics)

Ujamaa promotes entrepreneurship that will benefit the community.

Day Five: NIA (Purpose)

People strive to improve the community with their vocational skills.

Day Six: KUUMBA (Creativity)

Kuumba is closely related to Nia. Kwanzaa stresses any creative work that will make the community a better place for present and future generations.

Day Seven: IMANI (Faith)

The last night of Kwanzaa encourages people to believe in each other and the victories won by their ancestors.

Kwanzaa isn’t a religious holiday, so it is not uncommon for a family to celebrate both Christmas and Kwanzaa.

Do you or somebody you know celebrate Kwanzaa? Tell us a little bit about your traditions?

Source: OfficialKwanzaaWebsite.org

ForRent.com is dedicated to helping the consumer long after the apartment hunting process is over. We strive to be a resource for apartment renters, when searching for tips and advice during the apartment search as well as in their daily life. Complementing our pre-existing efforts and in honor of the holiday season, ForRent.com launched a holiday blog campaign called “25 blogs ‘til Christmas’”, which took place throughout the month of December. We hope our recipes, tips/advice and movie reviews helped you during this season, but even more we hope that you recognize us as your ultimate apartment listing service.

Thank you for being our friend, visiting our profile and searching for apartment on our website. We hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe Christmas! See you after the holidays!

Sincerely,

ForRent.com

Cheddar-Chive Biscuits

These Cheddar-Chive Biscuits are an easy option when you want to set out the food and enjoy the fun.

INGREDIENTS
4 cup(s) self-rising flour
1/4 cup(s) fresh chives, snipped
2 tablespoon(s) sugar
1 teaspoon(s) freshly ground coarse black pepper
3/4 cup(s) solid vegetable shortening, chilled and cut in small chunks
1 cup(s) shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cup(s) (up to 1 3/4 cups, as needed) buttermilk
1/4 cup(s) unsalted butter (optional), melted

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir flour, chives, sugar, and pepper until blended; using a pastry blender, cut in shortening and cheese, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Drizzle 1 1/2 cups buttermilk over the flour mixture, stirring it in with a large fork until a moist dough forms, adding the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk if dough seems dry (it should be slightly sticky). Turn dough out onto a floured surface. With floured hands, gently knead 3 or 4 times until dough comes together.

Dust surface with a little more flour, then roll dough 3/4-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Transfer dough rounds to a baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps and repeat rolling and cutting, for a total of 24 biscuits.

Make a slight dimple in the center of each biscuit to help the top rise evenly. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush tops with melted butter, if using. Serve warm.

Souce: MSN Lifestyle

I’m talking about the songs, that when you hear them, they just SCREAM Christmas to you? Ones you love to hear over and over again during the holiday season. Truth be told, I LOVE Christmas music. I could hear it all year long. And because I love them all, I don’t have just one top song. So I took a quick poll around the office and here’s a few that my co-workers and I love!

Jingle Bell Rock

Sleigh Ride

Wonderful Christmas Time

Rockin Around the Christmas tree

The First Noel

O Come All Ye Faithful

The Little Drummer Boy

What Child is this?

Santa Baby

All I Want For Christmas Is You

I’ll Be Home for Christmas

I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus (by Jackson 5)

So let us know your favorites!! Christmas is just two days away!! Start singing your beloved tunes!

Okay, so I was searching on the web and I found this cool article on MSN.com. (I copy and pasted the text for you below.) As you all know, my boyfriend and mine’s favorite Christmas movie is the Grinch. Read what the article says about Grinch lovers like us and figure out what your favorite Christmas movie says about you!!

Article:

By Margot Carmichael Lester

Your new guy says he can’t get through the holidays without watching A Christmas Story at least three times (he even has the leg lamp). Or it’s your new lady friend who sings all the tunes from Santa Claus Is Coming to Town in the shower. We asked pop culture mavens Alexis Bondoc, columnist for IntrepidMedia.com, and Ian Williams, an author/director/filmmaker, how a person’s all-time fave Christmas show reveals his or her dating M.O. Read on for some intriguing insights!

A Charlie Brown Christmas
Alexis: The fella who never misses this show is probably a classic guy who already knows how to dress and laugh. Slip him a CD by Vince Guaraldi (who did the jazzy numbers on the show) as a gift.
Ian: If your girl loves this show, deep down, she may want to don a black turtleneck and get existential—this show has a message. But she always has time to dance (who can resist that music!) and maybe she can make clouds of dirt like Pigpen.

A Christmas Story
Alexis: Aww… He’s got a wistful, nostalgic sense of humor and can probably remember every Christmas morning growing up. But, more importantly, there’s more than a slight chance that he didn’t get that one certain gift that every other kid on his block got — the Radio Flyer wagon or the super-cool robot set — and can still remember that deprivation NOW. Will you be the one to indulge him now?
Ian: Your romantic partner is something of a happy medium: corny, yet cool. Not cool in a desperately hip way, but subversive enough to keep things interesting. She hasn’t forgotten what the wonders of childhood were like—and doesn’t want to.

Bad Santa
Alexis: If this is your guy’s favorite seasonal show, then hold your horses. This guy is the Anti-Santa who would probably be happy to make a bunch of gift deliveries with a bottle of Jack Daniels. His ideal vision of Christmas probably involves telling little kids they don’t need Barbies or that Mickey isn’t a real Mouse and that he lives next to a 7-Eleven instead of the North Pole. Run, run, run. Unless you’re happy spending your time with the embodiment of Life’s Little Destruction Book…
Ian: Most likely, your lady was waiting for a movie like this long before it came out. Finally, someone told a Christmas story without much of a moral… and with lots of cringing along the way. Not one for nostalgia, your girl probably wants to order Chinese food rather than prepare a feast. If you are equally dark in your outlook, well, merry, merry!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Alexis: You don’t have to worry about this guy at all. He’s offbeat, sure, but he’s got a good heart. He probably loves celebrating Christmas with a delightfully creative and witty sense of humor instead of tradition. He’ll probably surprise you with completely novel ways of marking the holiday season.
Ian: The girl who loves this one is a sucker for ritual, and why not? We all know what happens to the Grinch, but the magic is in the retelling. The Whoville song is treacly and boring, but the Grinch’s theme, with jazz glissandos and rich baritone, make it a yearly must-see. But you must ask this woman: Does she identify with the Grinch… or the Grinch’s poor dog? That will give you some important clues!

It’s A Wonderful Life
Alexis: If your guy likes Frank Capra’s all-time classic, you can put good money on the fact that he’s as classically appealing as Jimmy Stewart—and probably as thoughtful, too. Thoughts count a lot with this kind of guy; make sure yours are up to snuff.
Ian: Like Crowded House sang, “Wherever there is comfort, there is pain,” and don’t your baby know it! She gets It’s a Wonderful Life as it was meant to be: not a sing-songy holiday card, but a deeply sad reflection on dreams deferred. She’s a deep-thinker… and probably a keeper.

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Alexis: Any guy who picks this stop-animation classic is probably as unique as little Rudolph is. He probably celebrates Christmas — and lives his life — with a playful and creative streak. I mean, this is a guy who lives for the island of misfit toys and the Bumble! He’s probably quite a character.
Ian: Yikes. Easily the most anesthetized and goofy of the Xmas specials, Rudolph has the subtlety of a “Hang in There!” cat poster. Repetitious and cloying, it goes down like a bowl of red frosting. Your girl might be cute, but she’ll put antlers on your dog and giggle like she was the first to think of it. Consider yourself warned!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Alexis: The guy who loves this one is manly enough to really get down with Christmas and the classics, especially if he’s a Fred Astaire fan. This guy truly loves the holiday. You will celebrate every possible tree-lighting, sidewalk chorus group, eggnog-pouring moment, and you will do it with a smile on your face.
Ian: If your baby’s favorite is this one, she’s probably a Goth chick. No other Santa origin myth is quite so dark. Sure, Fred Astaire narrates, but St. Nick as an unwanted orphan? Hunted like a criminal? We knew Santa’s psyche was complicated, but we didn’t know he needed therapy.

Now, we’re not saying you should take any of these interpretations as the gospel truth. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. But you should learn a little about yourself. What’s more, adding these insights to other information could help you figure out if you and your sweetie have a future full of holly-jolly Christmases together—or if your holiday honey will leave you feeling like your heart got run over by a reindeer. Ho ho ho!

Margot Carmichael Lester’s work also appears in Go magazine.

Christmas time brings a treasured tradition for me-Gift Wrapping. I just love to gift wrap presents (for Christmas as well as other holidays). But during the Christmas season is when I really get to strut my creativity.

In my house, I’m the gift wrapper. I even wrap my own gifts from other family members (taped securely of course). Something about taking a plain box and wrapping it in holiday colors/themes, adding some decorative elements and putting it under the Christmas tree gives me such joy! So I wanted to give all you last minute wrappers a game plan as there are only a few more days till Christmas!!

Okay, so in order for you to wrap the most amount of gifts in a little amount of time you need to set up a gift wrapping station. Here’s what your station needs to have:

Wrapping paper

Now while I love to wrap gifts, I still have a budget so I rarely spend a whole bunch. I usually buy gift wrap at the Dollar Store or Target where I get great deals. Now for paper you have a variety of colors you can choose from. You could pick whatever colors your décor is, specific symbol or theme of Christmas you love (i.e. Santa or Snowmen), or choose metallic wrapping paper that are colors of the season. (Bonus: if you get plain red wrapping paper it can double as your Valentine’s Day wrapping paper too!)

Gift Bags

Plain, colored, with or without handles, gift bags are terrific for giving presents that don’t have to be in a box or that have multiple items. I usually purchase these at the Dollar Store as well because I am able to get two for a dollar (which if you go to many other retail shops they can be up to $3.99!) Plus, with a little bit of ribbon, you can dress up any bag to be festive! (Which brings me to the next items at your wrapping station….)

Ribbon

I usually use curling ribbon for my gifts because they are inexpensive and I can create a unique touch by using a variety of colors and curling the ends. But there are many other ribbons you can use to decorate the gifts you are wrapping, such as: Wired ribbon, silk ribbons and more! Whatever you like best, make sure you have a lot of on your station so you can add a little embellishment to your gifts.

Tissue Paper

When lining gift boxes or bags, cushioning delicate items or for actual wrapping paper, colorful tissue paper will add some holiday colors to your gifts. I also get these at the Dollar Store as many sheets of paper are…you guessed it…..a dollar. I can get a variety of colors depending on which will coordinate best with my wrapping paper. And buying a few bunches will last me well into the next year.

Tags

I like to splurge a little on the tags because I think of them as the final touch on the ‘masterpiece’. I have some that are little cards with envelops, some I create from scrape booking leftovers and others that are holiday stickers. The actual gift and the ornamentation will determine which tag I use. But these are a must on your wrapping table as they identify who the gift is for and who it is from.

So now that you have your essentials for decorating beautiful holiday gifts, here are a few more tools you’ll need to complete your wrapping station.

○ Scissors

○ Tape

○ Pens (have a variety of colors and/or metallic)

○ Baskets (should you have any gifts that need to go in Baskets)

○ Cellophane (for baskets, if needed)

As you scramble to wrap your holiday gifts this season, I hope these tips provide you with some organization to make the process a little less stressful! Happy wrapping!

Hot Artichoke and Tuna Dip
3 oz. tuna, drained
12 oz. marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1-2 cloves garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped canned green chilies
1 tablespoon minced green onion
2-3 tablespoon mayonnaise
Hot pepper to taste
Crackers or French bread to eat with

Blend all ingredients, expect crackers or bread, in a food processor. Process till blended, not pureed. Put in ovenproof dish and bake uncovered in 350 degree temp (Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes or till golden brown. Serve hot with crackers or bread. Makes 12 servings.

Crab Dip

8 oz Cream Cheese

1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon of mayonnaise

1 small finely minced onion

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Garlic powder to taste

Mix well and spread in round glass pie plate.

1 12oz. bottle of Heinz chili sauce

Dash of Tabasco sauce

1 tablespoon of horseradish sauce

Mix and spread on top of cream cheese layer

1 lb. of lump (or claw) crabmeat-sprinkle on top of chili sauce (add chives on top for color)

Hope you enjoy these!

What is the true meaning of Christmas? Why desperately shopping last-minute for the perfect gift of course; which just so happens to be the subject of this holiday-themed movie.

The story line is about a workaholic dad, Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who is trying to get the hottest toy of the season, Turbo Man action figure, for his son Jamie (Jake Llyod) on Christmas Eve. Of course, all the stores are out of it and have been since Thanksgiving!! As Howard races from toy store to toy store, he runs into mail carrier Myron Larabee (Sinbad), another neglectful dad hunting for the Turbo Man doll. Arnold Schwarzenegger has many humorous scenes in which he is attacked by a rogue band of elves and angry mothers at a mall and let us not forget he is also in a super hero costume!

Although this was not my first time watching Jingle All the Way, I still found it enjoyable to watch with the holiday inching forward. Arnold Schwarzenegger is amusing as a suburban man trying to undo all his wrongs by getting his little boy what he wants this year. Throughout the movie we are all rooting him on to beat the odds and get the toy! I found it to be a fun seasonal treat that will thoroughly entertain you and your family.

Source: Star Pluse

So yesterday was our office Holiday Cookie Exchange. Several people from our department brought in their favorite holiday goodies. If you or someone in your office is thinking of doing this too, here are a few tips:

1. Invite the entire department, quad or group to participate.
2. Ask each guest to bake enough for the exchange and perhaps a few extras for people to take home to their families.
3. Avoid duplication of cookies by asking guests to tell you (or whoever is organizing it) what they are bringing.
4. A neat idea is to ask others to choose a recipe that is traditional to their background. That way everyone learns about traditions from another culture and/or ethnic group!
5. And of course a great present to everyone (besides the yummy treats you bring in) are the recipes so others can use them for their holiday feast this year!

We had a nice selection of treats for our exchange. Chocolate Chip w/Mint, Candy Cane Jo Jos, Sugar Cookies with holiday decorations, Pistachio and Macadamia Nut cookies, Grandma Kisses and so much more! Here are a few recipes from those that participated so you can try to make them!

Reindeer Poop:

Ingredients:

1- box of Chex cereal (any flavor)

1- stick of butter

1- bag of semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup of creamy peanut butter

Powdered/confectioner sugar

Directions:

Melt together the butter, chocolate, and peanut butter on medium. Pour evenly over cereal then cover with powder sugar. If you want to do this in a big Ziploc bag, it may make shaking it around to evenly cover a little easier!

Mint M&M’s & Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Ingredients:

Chocolate Chip Toll House Cookie Dough

Mint flavored M&M’s

Directions:

Leave cookie dough at room temperature for at least 10 minutes so it’s soften. Greece baking pan(s). Take a slice (or scoop depending on the size of cookie you’d like) and put in as many or as little mint M&M’s you’d like (more M&M’s will give it a bigger mint flavor). Roll repeatedly in your hand for form a ball. Make sure all the M&M’s are surrounded in dough (although some can be on the edges). Put mixture on cooking ban and bake for 11 minutes at 375 degrees (leave in longer if you’d like it crunchy versus soft and moist)

Do you have any additional Holiday Treat Recipes you’d like to share? Any you learned from your Holiday Cookie Exchange?? Let us know!