Now that the digital age is upon us, most people have become shutterbugs. It’s so much fun to click and share your photos right away. If you’ve just purchased or received a digital camera or you want to know how to get professional-looking holiday photographs this season, read on.

Family photo greeting cards make great inexpensive holiday gifts. If you’re planning on taking a holiday Christmas card photo of the kids this year, plan early. Yes, you’ll have to buy their Christmas outfits ahead of time, but it will be worth it. No later than November, have your children dress in their holiday finery. Make sure you choose a time for your photo shoot that works for small children. If it’s just before nap time, you’re not going to get the best shots. Pick a time, like after lunch, when everyone’s happy and content.

Set up an area for your shot that’s got great lighting. It may be natural light or artificial. Just make sure there are no shadows or dark places that will obscure the little one’s face. Pick some holiday props. Even if your living room looks like a hurricane came through it, clear an area of all but a chair or bench and some lovely holiday props like christmas gift boxes or holiday stuffed toys or blanket. Depending on the number of children to be photographed and their age, you’ll want to have everything set up before you call them over. Take a few test shots to see if the area you’ve prepared looks good in the frame. Use your digital camera’s playback feature to see the shots after you’ve taken them.

Now, bring over the kids. You can also take a family photo if your camera has a self timer. Just set the camera on a piece of furniture or a tripod and click and run so you can get in the photo.

Set everyone up so that all faces can be seen and there are no distractions in the frame. Even the smallest thing can ruin a great photo. Make sure all collars are in the right place, all ruffles and fringe are flat and in place. All faces clean? Then you’re ready to roll.

Shoot a photo and look at it right away. Do the colors work? Is everyone smiling? Is the photo centered? Modern photo programs like Picasa (which you can download for free) will allow you to crop and edit, so you don’t have to go crazy trying to get it absolutely perfect. But no program will fix a photo that’s fuzzy or blurred.

Take another few frames and review. Are the expressions realistic? A phony looking card is worse than none at all. If you’ve got a whole family in the frame, be sure to check each person to make sure their eyes weren’t closed. Red eye can be taken out in a photo program so don’t worry so much about that.

If you’ve got small children or pets that are supposed to be in the picture, let them rest between takes. Chances are you’ll get a better photo if you are spontaneous. So have one person place Fido or Baby in their place as you quickly get several shots in a row. You may find that an unposed, off the cuff shot is better than anything you could have set up.

Have fun with holiday photo taking this year. Use the same suggestions when taking candids around the holiday table or at parties. Check to see what’s in the background before you shoot. Make sure the lighting is right. Turn off the flash if there’s an overload of light in the photo. Center your subject. Zoom in at concerts as close as you can to your child so you can get a good shot of their face. The audience shots of the entire group are often not as personal as a close up of the individuals.

With these simple guidelines, your holiday photos will turn out professional every time.

Direct delivery of a corporate gift has a host of benefits, not the least of which is freeing up the time of whoever coordinates them. The internet has made the process faster, and delivery makes it easier still. Other benefits:

• If you are ordering products, you will likely have to pay shipping. Why not just pay for it to be shipped to the recipient, instead of handling it yourself and then packaging it up again for transport? And if the vendor offers corporate gifts on sale or free shipping, even better. You can increase savings here.

• Whether or not the products are to be shipped in from a merchant or vendor, they still have to be transported from the work place to the home. Skip this step and just send them to their front door.

• This eliminates the “What did you get?” question that will inevitably surface around the office if you are giving employees or associates gifts. Comparing gifts is not great for morale – but getting a great gift at home certainly is.

Here are some tips for making your gift and its delivery smooth and thoughtful:

• Think about the recipient. Sending a “blanket” gift can backfire. Say you want to send fresh steaks to your clients and employees. This is wonderful! It has a high value and can be enjoyed by the entire family. But there are sure to be vegetarians and vegans on your recipient list. This gift is not only inappropriate, it shows a lack of interest or knowledge about the recipient. You can choose more general gift baskets, such as those with gourmet foods, fruit, or teas and coffees.

• Think about cost. Fruit baskets are wonderful – but they’re heavy! They will cost more to ship. You can either choose a vendor that offers reasonable or free shipping, especially with bulk orders, or you can choose a smaller, lighter object, such as a box of exotic holiday chocolate truffles.

• Think about freshness. There’s a reason why coffee and biscotti baskets are popular; they stay fresh for a long time. When you opt for things like fruit, you have to worry about the speed of delivery and hope the vendor is prompt and the products arrive in top condition.

• Choose a vendor that you trust and which has a reputation for excellence. Choosing a no-name company may seem like a cost-saving measure, but it can backfire if arrangements are poorly done or shipping is slow.

• If you are assembling your own corporate gift bags or baskets, look into flat rate shipping, which can save you money and time.

• Include a personalized note in your package. This is important in helping the recipient feel more valued and appreciated.

Corporate gift giving can become much more efficient when you have the shipping and delivery taken care of outside the office. Choose a trustworthy vendor who, in turn, uses a trustworthy carrier, and your gifts will arrive in tact and much appreciated.

When you have a birthday girl or boy with a summer birthday, you have a ready-made party! Summer lends itself to casual parties and you don’t have to do much to make it festive. The pool is always a fun place to host a party. Or have a party on the sand at the local beach. Your job is just to get the food and drinks there. The rest will take care of itself.

A beautiful backdrop like the ocean or a poolside deck is perfect for a party. If you’re at home by the pool, all you really need to do is bring out sandwiches, coolers full of icy cold drinks, some chips and dip, and watermelon. When the time comes, bring out a birthday cookie cake and sing Happy Birthday. Make it ultra casual so everyone feels they can just lounge around. Bring a stereo outside so you can play dance music and have extra towels on hand. Serve treats that are easy to grab on the go like Rice Krispy treats and cookies as well.

If you’re going beach side, have everyone join you at the beach at a certain time. Bring coolers of cold drinks and foods that don’t require much preparation and are easy to eat. You might make up individual boxes for each guest so they have a lunch all set to go. Get boxes for take out from a craft store and include an apple, a sandwich, chips, and cookies. Let guests grab their own drinks out of the coolers. Instead of having a messy cake at that beach, bring a tray of cupcakes which are easier to eat and don’t require any cutting. Have lots of extras on hand like extra bowls of chips, different types of cookies, and even a cheese and crackers tray if you like. The food should be simple as most of the party will be spent in the water or lounging on the sand. Have extra beach towels or spread out a big blanket or two.

Set up a beach volleyball net and bring a few balls. Get a friendly game going. Offer sunblock to those who may have forgotten it or give out little tubes of sunblock as favors at the beginning of the party. You can also do personalized water bottle labels that say “Happy Birthday Dave” or whatever you’d like. They are easy to print off your computer. Just glue them over existing water bottle labels.

If you plan on having a nighttime event, bring materials to build a camp fire. Check to make sure you’re allowed to have a fire on the beach first, of course. If your party is in July, bring some sparklers or other fireworks as a patriotic gift for your guests. Then toast up some s'mores and make it a real cookout. You can even do a clambake if you make a large enough fire. Many companies will deliver an entire clam bake to you in tins for cooking, so all you have to do is set it on the fire. You’ll need more durable plates and napkins. So set up a table that can house utensils, napkins, and plates. You can have each item in baskets so they are easy to transport and serve from on the table. Bring garbage bags so clean up is really easy.

Gift acceptance policies most often refer to nonprofits that depend on donations and fundraising for the capital they need to operate. The Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) policy, for instance, states that they will not “accept contributions from corporations/industries and their respective corporate foundations whose core activities may be in direct conflict with the goals of the medical humanitarian work of MSF, or in any limit MSF’s ability to provide humanitarian assistance.” This policy makes it impossible, then, for MSF to accept a gift from a big pharmaceutical company, for example, who charges outrageous, usurious prices on AIDS medications for use in third world countries. This “core activity” conflicts with MSF’s goals and values.

Many organizations have very broad acceptance policies, like that of the MSF. What constitutes an activity that is in direct conflict with the organization’s goals can be murky. For instance, big tobacco is a major contributor to a variety of organizations that help people quit the habit. Their products would seem to be in direct conflict with these organizations! But purposely broad language allows the nonprofit to be flexible enough to accept this type of donation.

You can find sample gift acceptance policies online and tailor them to your specific needs. In general, though, your policy should contain:

• Your organization’s mission and purpose. It is very important to have your overarching goal always foremost in mind. What are you trying to accomplish? Will these donations and gifts make that goal possible?

• Purpose of having the policy and guidelines regarding fits. Why do you have this policy in the first place? You want to guide donors, but you also want to guide employees and those who accept the volunteer gifts. You also want the policy to serve as a means of protecting the organization from responsibility, liability, IRS sanctions, or negative publicity.

• Indication that legal counsel may be called upon. In your policy, make it clear that you will seek the advice of counsel if you are not sure of the appropriateness of a particular gift or donor.

• Your position on restricted gifts. These are donations that the donor wants earmarked for a specific purpose. Your policy can discuss whether you choose to accept restricted gifts, if you only accept them in certain circumstances, or if any gift that benefits the organization as a whole and is in keeping with its mission will be accepted.

• Types of gifts accepted. Cash is always nice, but many organizations also accept real estate, stocks, and other donations. Do you want to accept charitable annuities, lead trusts, remainder trusts? Do you want to accept residences, jewelry, artwork, cars, or bequests? Ask yourself if your organization can handle the type of donation offered. For example, you may not want to accept a home because you do not have the resources with which to convert it into cash or usable space for your needs.

Another reason to be cautious about tangible gifts, such as real estate, is that you are then liable for any hazards or damages. If, for instance, that house that was donated to you turns out to be sitting on hazardous waste, your organization is responsible for the cleanup – and you cannot sell it without disclosing it is toxic. Use caution if accepting non-cash gifts.

• Reporting requirements. In your policy, inform donors if you will be sending them 8382 Forms for tax purposes if they contribute over $500.

It is impossible to write every contingency into your gift acceptance policy; you can’t think of every single situation in which someone might donate something, but you can set up a committee to review donations and determine if specific donors fit within the established guidelines and work with your organization’s mission and purpose.

Writing a corporate gift acceptance policy can save you from making bad decisions that, on the surface, seem like generous gifts.

You can learn more about corporate gift giving from this article Business Gift-Giving Etiquette.

Remember When

No one is born being the boss. Most everyone has had to start small and work their way up the ladder. Remember what it was like for you when you first started out. Maybe you were like the nervous college grad that’s too afraid to speak up at meetings, or maybe you felt like you had to really prove yourself by going above and beyond every day. You’re the boss now, so you can make it easier on your direct reports. Why not offer to take that college grad out to lunch and give him some advice on how to be more confident? Write a hand-written note thanking that one employee who always stays late and really goes the extra mile. When you step into the shoes of your employees, you make them feel that you really care and understand where they are coming from.

Perks Money Can’t Buy

Maybe you can’t offer everyone another day off or an extra holiday. But what you can do is be sympathetic to your employees. And you can offer them a great working environment that’s more precious than a day off. Does the crew have to work this Thanksgiving? Bring in a turkey dinner for the staff to share during lunch so they won’t feel they’ve missed all of the holiday. Do you have a great employee who never asks for anything?  Offer him a few minutes of extra time to run errands at lunch. Is there a single mom who has no child care when school is unexpectedly closed one morning? Let her bring her child in to the office for a few hours. Anything extra you can offer your employees to show them you’re sympathetic will result in better attitudes all around. Then, when you need them to go the extra mile for you on a project, they’ll be more than willing.

Treat Everyone as an Individual

Does a certain employee come in yawning a lot in the morning? Don’t assume he’s lazy. Ask if he’d like to talk about anything. Maybe he’ll let you know he’s going to night school to finish his degree or that he hasn’t been sleeping well because he’s worried about his wife’s health. Instead of grouping people into categories, treat each person as an individual. They’ll be more apt to think of you as a great boss because you cared enough to ask about their lives.

Hold Informal Lunches

Once in a while, host an informal lunch where your employees can eat with you and discuss any concerns they may have with the work environment. If they’re reluctant to share aloud, invite them to drop questions or suggestions into a box anonymously and go over them at the luncheon. Provide foods that are easy to eat and those with limited lunch breaks can grab quickly. Make yourself known as the boss that listens and you’ll have more dedicated employees.

Read this great article on Boss's Day Gift Ideas.

Not everyone is aware that Secretary’s Day is a big deal. In fact, some bosses don’t even give a nod to it. But the bosses who value the staff they have will surely want to make this day a big event for their finest secretaries.

Gone are the days when the secretary made coffee and took notes. Today’s secretaries deal with vendors and clients and are in on the high level meetings. Most times they know everything that’s going on in the company as well. So, reward this faithful employee by gifting him or her with a special Secretary’s Day gift.

Consider that a day off or pay for a day off if it’s not feasible for your secretary to actually be out of the office is one of the best gifts you can give. The fact that she or he is being noticed for their work and being paid for extra time that they didn’t ask for is a really big incentive for them to keep doing their best.  If you run your own small company, it’s easy for you to accomplish this. If you have budgets and constraints on you from higher levels, see if you can request this special gift in writing long before April rolls around. That way, you’ll be sure to get clearance and be able to spring your surprise.

Another way to arrange the special day off is to contact the husband or wife of the secretary. Get them in on the planning. Be sure that they know their spouse will have the day off with pay and then get them to plan a special day out with her or him on their end. It will be a dual surprise that will bring lots of joy.

If you want to go more traditional, stay away from personal items. Jewelry and articles of clothing or perfume are not appropriate. If you really feel that this is what your secretary will like, give her a gift card to a store where she can make the choice for herself. In this day and age, you don’t want any gift to be construed as inappropriate. No one could ever balk at a gift card (just stay away from Victoria’s Secret).

Roses or other flowers delivered to the office are always appropriate as is a special cake or lunch. If you’re going to do this, plan on a time when the staff can all congratulate the secretary in the break room or conference room so it seems more special. Godiva or other gourmet chocolates are also a nice idea as are any high end foods. Stay away from alcohol unless you’re sure that a bottle of champagne would be received well by her.

There are so many creative ways to thank an administrative genius. Just be sure that you don’t forget to actually do it!

More on this subject:

• Gifts For Administrative Professionals Week
• History of Administrative Professionals Day
• Secretary's Day Gift Ideas from a Group

10. Switching the salt and sugar at breakfast time. Lunch time. Or dinner.

9. Have coworkers bring several sets of clothing to work. Have them change pieces of their outfit after the culprit/victim has seen them in it. Let the confusion begin. (via @Mashable)

8. Put a piece of tape over the laser of a coworker or family member's computer mouse.

7. The famous "rubber band around the sink sprayer" trick. Wrap a rubber band tight around the kitchen sink sprayer and face it towards you. Sit and wait until someone turns it on.

6. Put a balloon or bubble wrap under the back tires of someone who will be backing out of their driveway or garage. When they run over it, they'll think they blew a tire or ran over something.

5. Turn on everything possible in the victim's car - this might include windshield wipers, a loud radio with obnoxious music, heat/air on high, etc. then turn off the car. When it's time for them to go somewhere, they'll have a rude awakening.

4. Scoop out the top inch of the victim's deodorant. Replace the gap with cream cheese and sculpt accordingly.

3. Choose a nail polish that you don't want anymore. Put out a piece of wax paper and lay the nail polish on it's side so that it spills out and dries that way. Once it's dry, pick it up and place it somewhere that it would be horrible to have spilled nail polish.

2. Set computer monitors screen views to go upside down, people will be so confused when they get back to their desks, and will have no idea how to fix it. (CTRL+ALT + Arrow Down Key twice) Note: To change it back, press CTRL + ALT + Arrow up key twice.

1. Don't do anything at all. Instead, sit with a sly smirk and ask questions. "Did you use the bathroom this morning?" or "How was your coffee?", "That's a nice shirt you have on today". Confuse them without even pranking them.

Have any to add to the list? Add them in the comments!

Low Fat Potato Skins Recipe

Makes 8 servings

These potato skins make great party food; from Fiona Haynes, About.com Guide to Low Fat Cooking.

Ingredients

4          small russet potatoes

1/2       cup cheese, reduced-fat, shredded

1/2       tsp paprika

1/2       cup fat free sour cream

2          scallions, white part only, thinly sliced

Directions

Prick potatoes with a fork. Microwave on high for up to 10 minutes, depending on size of potato (or bake for 40-50 minutes in a 425 degree oven).

Allow potatoes to cool.

Cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh, leaving a thin border next to skin. Reserve flesh for another use. Brush potato skins with a little canola oil or lightly spray with cooking spray. Place scooped-out potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until edges are crisp.

Divide cheese among eight halves. Sprinkle with some paprika. Return potatoes to oven and bake or broil until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Serve with dollops of sour cream and scallions sprinkled on top.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa Recipe

(from Low Fat Cooking at about.com)

Makes 8 servings

Good protein Salsa

Ingredients

2          cups black beans - drained and washed

2          cups corn - drained

1/2       cup diced red onion

1/4       cup diced jalapenos

1/2       cup chopped cilantro

1/4       cup fresh lime juice

2          cups tomatoes - diced

2          cloves garlic - chopped

1          salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Add all ingredients and stir. Refrigerate.

Smoked Salmon Mousse

(recipes.sparkpeople.com)

This creamy, decadent spread helps a little smoked salmon go a long way.

10 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients

6 ounces smoked salmon (preferably wild Alaskan)

8 ounces light cream cheese

zest of one lemon

juice from one lemon

2 T dill weed

1/2 t black pepper

1/2 small red onion, chopped

Directions

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until creamy and well mixed. If you don't have a food processor, chop salmon and mix together. Mixture will be chunky if prepared this way.

To serve: Spread on baguette slices and top with a thin cucumber slice and a pinch of dill. (These calories not included.)

Number of Servings: 16

Roasted Vegetable Dip with Baked Pita Crisps

(from www.associatedcontent.com)

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini, sliced (4 cups)

2 medium yellow summer squash, sliced (3 cups)

2 medium red bell pepper, sliced

2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, peeled

Cooking spray

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400° F spread all the vegetables on a cookie sheet, spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and red pepper, bake about 30 minutes, turning vegetables over one time. Place vegetables in a blender or food processor. Blend 1 minute on high. Serve warm or chilled.

Baked Pita Crisps

(from www.associatedcontent.com)

To make 2 dozen pita chips

Ingredients:

1 ½ pita breads (6 inches in diameter)

2 teaspoons canola oil or butter, melted

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 375° F. Split each pita bread around the edges with a knife to make 2 rounds. Lightly brush oil over pita rounds. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Cut each round into 8 wedges. Place in a single layer in 2 ungreased cookie sheets. Bake till lightly brown about 6 minutes.

Yum, I'm getting hungry.

When it comes to Super Bowl parties, the guys want hearty food. So, save the dainty finger sandwiches for another time. Plan to have a buffet that can sit out all during the party. Have chili in crock pots—try different flavors. Bring out some rolls and cold cuts, chips, dip, hot dogs, burgers and chicken wings. Ask guests to bring their favorite appetizer and you’ll have your party work half done.

What can you do to create a super atmosphere for your Super Bowl party? You can make use of the football field as your guide. Think of ways to incorporate the theme of football into your setting. You might bring in some football helmets, line them in foil, and serve chips in them. Or you might buy football shaped drinking cups that the guests can take home at the end of the night. Football shaped cookies make a sweet treat and football shaped ice cubes are fun in the drinks. Decorate your table as a uniform and use big stick-on numbers as the centerpiece.

Guys won’t care much about fancy, but you still want to make it look festive. Hang up team banners, pennants, ads, or any other memorabilia you’ve got. If you have a healthy rivalry going between the two teams that are playing, hang up both uniforms and colors from each team.

Cut American cheese singles into the shapes of football jerseys and write numbers on them with Cheeze Whiz. Or make football shaped meatballs. The more interesting you make the room, the more fun you’ll all have.

If you have a bet going, blow up the betting card and make it the focal point. Set it on an easel or a kid’s chalkboard where everyone can see it.

Bring in some pom poms from the party store and have everyone give their best cheer. Make the guys join in, too, for fun. See who can come up with the funniest or silliest cheer and give out prizes.

Make beer bottle labels that sport your name or your team’s name. You can order them online or you can make them yourself right from your computer using adhesive back paper.

Make shirts that everyone can wear and then take home. Write the team’s name on the front, or use a logo, and write each person’s name on the back of their shirt. Or you can write “The Dawsons’ Super Bowl Party 2011” in fabric paint.

Plan to have lots of cozy seating. If you can, bring in beanbags, inflatable chairs, gaming chairs, or anything you have around the house that’s comfortable. You might move furniture out of the way so guests can make themselves comfortable on pillows on the floor.

While you’ve got the furniture out of the way, why not set up a Wii challenge. During half time, you can all join in and try to beat each other at Wii sports. The worse people are at the game, the more fun it is for everyone who’s watching.

Go all out and make your Super Bowl party a hit this year.

You can use a real tent for your sleeping quarters, or create one of your own!  A couple chairs and some large sheets or blankets are all you need to create the illusion of a tent.  Grab a couple flashlights and books, tell some ghost stories, make shadow puppets and enjoy some one-on-one time with the kids.

What about the campfire, you ask?  Below is a fun craft that is perfect for pretend play!  Some toilet paper rolls, cotton balls and tissue paper make for a realistic mini campfire you can sit around to make your camp out even more fun!

Supplies:

• 6 cardboard tubes
• brown acrylic or poster paint
• large paintbrush
• red, yellow and orange tissue paper
• 2 twigs
• cotton balls
• white craft glue
• hot glue gun

Directions:

1. Paint all cardboard tubes with brown paint and let dry. repeat for a second coat if needed.

2. Cut tissue paper into three squares for each color. The yellow squares should be a little larger than the orange and the orange should be a little larger than the red.

3. Glue cotton balls to the ends of twigs for marshmallows.

4. Arrange cardboard tubes into a pile, you will need three of the tubes to be pointing upward with some room in the center of the pile where the tissue paper will be.

5. Use a hot glue gun to quickly tack them together, but reinforce with white glue as it holds together better.

6. Place a square of red tissue paper into the palm of your hand, lay a piece of orange on top of that and a piece of yellow on top of the orange square. Stick your pointing finger into the center of the yellow square and close your palm around your finger. Hold tissue paper in place and remove your finger.

7. Put some glue on the end of the gathered tissue that is in your palm and insert it into one of the open cardboard tubes that are sticking up at the top of the campfire pile. Repeat this process for all the other two sets of tissue paper and glue into the remaining two tube that are pointing upward.

8. For added stability, and to make this easier for your child to carry, glue the entire project to a piece of sturdy cardboard to create a base. You can even create some pretend rocks to go around the campfire!

And if you are doing a "pretend" camping trip as part of a kids party, why not give each kid their own little miniature camping lantern keychain.  They'll love them!