15 (through the 22nd) Hanukkah

The first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, is tonight. Lasting 8 days and nights, the holiday celebrates ancient triumphs of Jewish heroes. Actually not a major Jewish holiday, it has become one due to its proximity to Christmas.

21 Winter Solstice

The first day of winter. Today we're the farthest from the sun, the daylight is shortest, and the sun has its lowest arc in the sky of the year. Look on the bright side, the days only get longer from here!

24 Christmas Eve

25 Christmas Day

26 (through January 1) Kwanzaa

Based on harvest celebrations practiced in various African cultures, Kwanzaa is a spiritual and joyous celebration of the oneness and goodness of life, with no ties to any religion. It is a week of focus on traditional values: family, self-improvement, and community.

31 New Year's Eve

Have fun, celebrate, be wistful, be rowdy. Just don't drink and drive!

Have other dates this month that are important to you: birthdays, anniversaries, etc.? Visit our Forget Me Not page on our website to learn how QCS can make sure no important date ever goes forgotten again.

If you're so busy that you don't even have time to read this: STOP. Deep breath, in and out. Now, think for a moment. Surely there is something on your endless to-do list that you are dreading. Something you feel obligated to take care of every year, that you just can't stand. Well, your own fleet of elves has arrived!

Here are just some of the ways we are helping our clients this holiday season.

• Personalized gift shopping for everyone on your list
• Beautiful custom gift wrapping
• Party planning down to the last detail
• Grocery shopping: have you SEEN those lines?!
• Card addressing and mailing (let US get the writer's cramp!)
• Home decorating (yes, we CAN untangle those lights!)
• Decluttering your home for guests (no more disapproving glances and wrinkled noses!)

Now, how can we help YOU? Call us, let's figure it out together.

While this is a season of great fun, joy, and celebration, it's also one that tends to take our focus off of such things as the environment. And despite the idea of "goodwill towards men," it's easy to get caught up in our own little holiday world. Here are a few ideas on ways you might be able to tread a bit lighter on the world this holiday season.

It's unavoidable: you're going to eat too much this holiday season. So then why not try to use the best ingredients possible? Visit www.eatwellguid e.org to discover locally produced organic and sustainable food sources. You can search by zip code to find stores and small farms near you to source dairy, eggs, cheese, cage-free chickens, and antibiotic- and hormone-free meat. They also list organic restaurants.

If you think having an artificial tree is better for the environment, think again. Around 98% of real Christmas trees are grown on farms throughout all 50 states and Canada. Real trees are a renewable, recyclable resource, and real trees are planted to be harvested just as corn or pumpkins are cultivated. For each tree harvested, up to three new seedlings are planted in its place. This year, over 60 million new seedlings were planted by Christmas tree farmers in North America. There are about 500,000 acres in production for growing Christmas trees, and each acre provides the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people. Artifical trees are made of non- biodegradable plastics, and can't be recycled into anything helpful. Go green this year!

Looking for a way to give back to our troops? Consider donating to www.unmetneed s.com Run by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation, this fund provides money and volunteers to families of soldiers overseas who need help with medical costs, home repairs, or housing payments.

(Some info sourced from Real Simple magazine, December issue.)