s ’ y a d o T
Vol.1 No.5
Tech Trendz: Top Tablets for Boomers
Finance Report: Shoppers to Remain Conservative This Holiday Season
Boomer Healthy Festive Eating Social Security: Find True Value Cyber-Monday at Social Security.gov
Caring for Others And Yourself Manage a Healthy, Happy & Balanced Life
Boomer Travel
Holiday Hot Spots
Escape in Stress-Free Style
Today’s BoomeR
Featuring The Only B2B -Business 2 BoomeR Marketplace!
Up Coming Cruises-Book Now! Navigating South America & the Panama Canal 2013 “Credit Union Discovery Symposium 2013” March 17-April1, 2013 Exploring the Canary Islands 2013 “Credit Union FutureVision Symposium” June 1-12, 2013 Iceland & Norway Voyage of Discovery 2013 “Credit Union Challenges & Opportunities Symposium” July 1-15, 2013 The Hawaii Islands Tropical Exploration 2013 July 20-27, 2013 Credit Union Leadership Challenges Symposium September 15-27, 2013
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This Issue November/ December 2012 Volume 1, Number 5
Boomer Hot Topics
5
Boomer Travel
6
’s y a d To Founder John Vardallas & Alexandra Maragha Editor-In-Chief Alexandra Maragha
Holiday Hot Spots
Contributing Writers :
Tech Trendz
9
Top Tablets for Boomers
Caring for Others And Yourself
10
Social Security
13
Find True Value Cyber Monday
Shoppers to Remain 14 Conservative this Season Boomer Healthy Festive Eating
16
Set the Table to Shine
B2B Marketplace
19
Business 2 Boomers Marketplace
Karyl Richson– Social Security Gary Knowles– Travel Writer Chef Eben Atwater- Healthy Eating Advertising Team For Letters to the Editor, articles and feedback as well as advertising inquiries email Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com
The American BoomeR.com John Vardallas CAE, CUDE CEO/Founder Professional Speaker Business/Lifestyle Strategist Boomer Sage and Blogger JohnVardallas@TheAmericanBoomeR.com (608) 577-8707 Alexandra Maragha Co-Founder, Editor-In-Chief Today’s BoomeR Alexandra@TheAmericanBoomeR.com Today’s BoomeR Vol.1 No.3 Today’s BoomeR is published six times (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/ June, July/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec) a year by The American BoomeR.com 769 North Star Drive (Suite 207) Madison, WI 53718 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
The American Boomer @American_Boomer Today’s BoomeR 3
EDITOR’S LETTER
’s y a d To
Receiving Through Giving One of the most talked about things this time of year is how we can give to others who are in need. Donations of money, clothing, food and time really can make a difference in your local community through local organizations.
(feature)
p. 10
It is equally important to remember and take time for those who are a bit closer to home. This issue’s feature addresses the exact situation that many boomers face of taking care of their aging parents, while balancing the day to days of work, children, outside commitments, and their own piece of mind. Time is valuable in so many ways. To those you take time for, it gives a sense of self worth and increases the investment and output in the relationship that is established. For boomers, the time that you give to your parents and older loved ones can give you a sense of satisfaction that they know you care. The time that is spent with children can give you and them memories that will last a lifetime.
p. 4can learn from this example; from Younger generations the example set by their boomer parents. Speaking for my own generation (generation y), if we say it or not, we do take notice of all the little things that you give to those around you, and thank you. We hope our Boomer Travel and Healthy Festive Eating will entice and delight you this season while giving time with those you care about and love. Happy Holidays.
p. 12 Alexandra Maragha Editor-In-Chief Send Letters and Feedback to: Alexandra@theamericanboomer.com
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Boomer HOT Topics! The Average Shopper will spend $749.51 on gifts, décor, greeting cards and more this holiday season. The biggest portion of budgets this year going towards gifts for family members with the average person planning to spend $421.82 on children, parents, aunts, uncles and more.
46 MILLION turkeys were eaten on Thanksgiving last year.
Source: National Turkey Federation
1 in 8:
The number of older Americans that have Alzheimer’s. November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
Source: Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org
Americans get healthy meal ideas from the Internet (39%), cooking shows (37%), magazines (34%), cookbooks (33%), word of mouth (31%), recipes on labels (26%), and culinary magazines (12%).
Source: National Retail Federation
Source: Shopping for Health 2012 study by the Food Marketing Institute; Prevention
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BOOMER TRAVEL 6 Today’s BoomeR
Holiday Hot Spots Escape This Season in Stress Stress--Free Style
By Alexandra Maragha
The St. Regis Aspen Resort
Top Thanksgiving Retreats
XV Beacon Hotel -Boston Mass.
Aspen, Boston, California and Mexico may not come to Want to give back this Thanksgiving while also treating mind when thinking of where to spend the holidays. yourself? Stay at the landmark XV Beacon hotel in BosUsually it is who’s house will family and friends gather ton and ten percent of the room rate will be donated to visit, but this year, take the family, or who ever you may want, with you to these hot spots. Don’t let the stress of cooking a large Thanksgiving dinner and planning stand in your way of having an otherwise enjoyable time this season. These getaways are more accommodating than one may think for hosting an en- Fifteen Beacon tire family gathering, fixings and all. St. Regis Aspen Resort –Aspen Colo. If the cold and adventure laced in luxury is your style, visit the St. Regis Aspen Resort. Here all the amenities including butler service, will not leave you or your family or significant other disappointed. For ski enthusiasts, the Ski The St. Regis Aspen Resort World Cup takes place Thanksgiving weekend where resort guests can take in perfect views of the race. For the family, the hotel will have an inaugural tree-lighting ceremony that include carolers, hot chocolate, cooking decoration stations and fireworks. If you are looking to getaway with that special someone, the hotel is offering a three night package for two (priced at $1904, the year the hotel was built) in a premium room category, Thanksgiving dinner at Chefs Club by FOOD & WINE and spa treatment for two. Visit http://www.stregisaspen.com/.
to the Greater Boston Food Bank. The “ThanksforGiving” package include complimentary airport transfer, a welcome amenity and $100 food and beverage credit. Use the credit at the hotel’s signature restaurant Mooo for their Thanksgiving dinner Fifteen Beacon ($75 set menu) and dine free with $25 left to enjoy. Visit http:// www.xvbeacon.com/. Crystal Symphony Cruise -California and Mexico Try something a little more “out there” this Thanksgiving on board a Crystal Symphony Cruise to California and Mexico. The Pacific Holiday Cruise sails Nov. 18-25, embarking in Los Angeles and stops in Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Ensenada, Mexico, and San Diego. The multi-course Thanksgiving dinner is served in the Crystal Dining Room and there are plenty of other activities offered. All-inclusive, cruise-only fares start at $2660 per person. Visit http://www.crystalcruises.com/ VoyageDetail.aspx?CID=2228. Today’s BoomeR 7
Crystal Cruises
The Greenbrier -White Sulfur Springs, W.Va.
and locals alike venture to ice skate at the rink build below the plaza’s Prometheus statue, do some shopVisit the National Historic landmark, The Greenbrier ping or just take in all there is to see. Your children, or in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia and take in the child within may want to visit the famous FAO Thanksgiving at this classic 1778 American resort. The Schwarz and see the displays at Macy’s Santaland holiday is welcomed with scavenger hunts, afternoon where toy trains, elves and holiday scenes are plentitea, fashion shows and a gala dinner party and dance ful. The Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular, with chef Richard Rosendale (winner of the 2012 featuring the famous kicking Rockettes will leave you Bocuse d’Or USA championship) heading the with visions of sugar plums dancing in your head. Thanksgiving meal. Rates are $400 per night, Nov. 2125, with a 2-nigh minimum stay required. Visit Taos, New Mexico http://www.greenbrier.com/ For a more cultural Christmas celebration, visit Taos Top Cities for Sparkles and Lights where Native American and Hispanic influences give way to activities like the lighting of Ledoux Street, Looking to have a cheery getaway filled with sparkle with farolitos, or little lanterns lining the way when and Shine? Plan a trip to these most festive places to the street’s shops, galleries, studios and museums get into the holiday spirit. offer music, food and drink, and bonfires to passerby. New York City The lighting of the giant Christmas tree in New York City at Rockefeller Center Plaza leaves many Americans to know that the holiday and Christmas season has begun, with New York City to be the holiday capital. Tourists Thinkstock 8 Today’s BoomeR
Celebrate the Hispanic tradition Las Posadas in the days prior to Christmas where a candlelight procession takes place at Ranchos de Taos Plaza. On Christmas Day, the dwellers of Taos Pueblo hold a processional carrying the statue of the Blessed Mother with bonfires lit and traditional tribal dances perJeffrey Keeton, flickr formed.
With so many new tablets available on the market just in time for the holiday shopping season, it can be quite confusing to choose the right one, especially for baby boomers. Factors like screen size, resolution, battery life, camera capability, operating system/market and price are key points that boomers look for when selecting the right tablet. Here is how the newest tablets; Google Nexus 10, Apple iPad 4, Microsoft Surface, Amazon Kindle Fire HD and Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 stack up against each other. The largest screen size of the five is the Microsoft Surface at 10.6 inches. The Apple iPad 4’s retina display is one of the best on the market. The Samsung Galaxy Note’s Stylus Pen allows for users to write actual notes like pen and paper. If you want a reader that does more, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD is a great pick and the Google Nexus 10’s price point is competitive. See below for a full list comparison. Specs
Microsoft Surface RT
Apple iPad 4
Google Nexus 10
9.7 inches
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9 8.9 inches
10 inches
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 10.1 inches
Screen Size
10.6 inches
Resolution
1366 x 768
2048 x 1536
1920 x 1200
2560 x 1600
1280 x 800
Weight
1.5 lb.
1.44 or 1.46 lb.
1.25 lb.
1.33 lb.
1.31 lb.
Dimensions (WxHxD) CPU
6.7 x 10.8 x 0.37 inches Quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3
263.9 x 177.6 x 8.9 mm Dual-core A15
7.1 x 10.3 x 0.35 inches 1.4GHz Quadcore Processor
Storage
32GB or 64GB
6.4 x 9.4 x 0.35 inches Dual-core 1.5GHzTI OMAP4470 16GB or 32GB
16GB or 32GB
16GB or 32GB
Stylus Pen
Connectors
Operating System Battery Life
Camera
Networking
Price
No
USB 2.0, microHDMI Windows RT
7.3 x 9.5 x 0.37 inches Dual-core 1.3GHz A6X 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB No
Apple 9-pin dock Lightning connector iOS 6
8 hours mixed activity Two 720p HD cameras, front and rear facing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
10 hours video playback 5MP rear camera, VGA front camera Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi and 2G, 3G, 4G LTE; Bluetooth 4.0
$499 for 32GB, $599 for 32GB and Touch Cover, $699 for 64GB and Touch Cover
$499 for 16GB, $599 for 32GB, $699 for 64GB (Wi-Fi); $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB, $829 for 64GB (Wi-Fi + LTE)
No
No
Yes: S-Pen allows handwritten notes USB 2.0
microUSB, microHDMI
microUSB, microHDMI
Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich
Android 4.2, Jelly Bean
9 hours
9 hours
HD front camera
5MP main, 1.5 MP front
Dual-band Wi-Fi or dual-band Wi-Fi and 2G, 3G, 4G LTE; Bluetooth $299 for 16GB, $369 for 32GB (Wi-Fi); $499 for 32GB, $599 for 64GB (Wi-Fi + cellular)
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
1.9 MP front camera, 5MP Rear camera Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
$399 for 16GB, $499 for 32GB (Wi-Fi)
$499 for 16GB, $549 for 32GB (Wi-Fi)
Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich & Samsung Touchwiz 8 hours
Apple iPad 4
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 8.9
Google Nexus 10
Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1
Microsoft Surface RT
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Caring for Others And Yourself: Five Proven Steps to Successfully Manage a Healthy, Happy & Balanced Life While Caring for Aging Parents
“Your Well-Being is the Soil upon which the garden of your life blossoms or not.”
By Kathleen Cleary www.ThrivingInTheMiddle.com
L
ife is a Balancing Act. If you're like most professionals I know, you run along on the 'Treadmill of Life' wondering when you can come up for air each day. Between spouses and partners, bosses, children, pets, friends and volunteer obligations, it feels like everyone wants a piece of you. For many Boomers, the day often arrives when … things change. Perhaps you get a call from one of your parents, a sibling, or one of your folks' neighbors and hear something like, "Mom had a heart 10 Today’s BoomeR
attack" or "Dad had a stroke".
pared with the way you'd ideally like it to be. Google: 'Wheel of Life asThere are over 65.7 million sessment tool'. Many variations caregivers of chronically or terminally ill people in the US today: come up, like this one from Mindtools.com. 64% care for a parent and 50% are working full time. Each area of your life is mapped on a Boomers are being impacted by their circle, like the spoke of a wheel. You can personalize the categories to reaging parents changing health care flect things that are important to you. needs in a big way. Many struggle with time, balance, guilt, worry and lack of information and resources. During 16 years of helping my parents while running 3 small businesses, raising 3 sons, writing a book, serving on a non-profit board and rebuilding a house we lost to fire, I learned there were 5 basic steps that allowed me to stay healthy, happy, productive and focused. This wheel shows 'roles' you might have. Others use categories like health and fitness, family and The number one lesson I learned was friends, personal growth, environthat Self Care MUST be your #1 ment, fun and recreation, career, Priority. money, etc. On a scale of 0 – 10, 0 “Your Well-Being is the Soil upon reflecting complete dissatisfaction and 10 being 'life can't get any betwhich the garden of your life ter', put a mark along each area blossoms or not.” where you are today. As soon as you are feeling stressed, Most people end up with an irregular overwhelmed, or sick, you are no longer an effective caregiver to those wheel showing a 'bumpy' life ride. who depend upon you. Your diet, Once you've had a chance to see health, fitness, and emotional well- where you need to focus to bring betbeing need to be taken care of. Don't ter balance into your life, it's time for ignore them! step three.
Step 1: Make Self- Care your #1 Priority
you use each hour of your day for an entire week. Chart out a week with all your activities: sleeping, grooming, working, errands, playing with your kids, talking with your spouse, pet care, etcc. Most are quite stunned to discover they only talked with their spouse an average of 12 minutes a day or spent less than 30 minutes with their kids in a fun activity all week. This will make it clear to you what your actual priorities are (those you spent the most time on) as opposed to those you claim are your priorities. Then give yourself some time to reflect:
Do your priorities surprise you?
Are there things missing from your list?
Do you have too much going on in your life, leading you towards a breakdown?
What needs less attention and what needs more?
Is it time to get some support with all you are balancing in your life?
If this was your last week on earth, would you be happy with how you spend your time?
Now, create an ‘Absolute Must List’ for your life in the areas you want to Step 2: Assess where your life Step 3: Define Your Priorities honor as your priorities. This could be your daily exercise routine, time is in or out of balance & Schedule Them into your devoted to your family, time devoted There is a powerful tool you can use Life to a passion, etc. This time gets to give you a vivid representation of An exercise I encourage my clients SCHEDULED on your calendar and the way your life is currently, com- to do is to take a serious look at how honored. Today’s BoomeR 11
And remember, “NO” is NOT a selfish word! When asked to help with a project or volunteer on a committee, ask yourself, "If I say 'yes', will this give me a feeling of happiness or accomplishment?" If not, politely decline.
Step 4: Build your Support Systems
A wasn't working out, we'd discuss and come up with Plan B. This gave her a sense of control as well as a feeling of being respected with dignity. As CEO of your parents, be sure all essential documents are complete. If your parents move to a different state after signing legal documents, be sure to have them reviewed for validity in the new state!
At each stage of our lives, we have different needs for support. Evaluate where you could use help to make life Essential documents include: easier both at your parents' house as well as your own. Health Care Power of Attorney Among options to consider: Wills and Financial Affairs paperwork Personal Care Assistants Durable Power of Attorney Household Help Advanced Directives Companion Services Two sources for finding elder-law attorneys to help with Home Health Aides these are: 1. American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys— Aging in Place Specialists www.aaepa.com Caregivers Coach for Emotional Support, Goal set2. National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys— ting and prioritizing www.naela.com Career or Business Support Caring for aging parents can be very complicated. There There are countless services online for meal preparaare many tion, grocery delivery, and in-home help such as: certified profes Dream Dinners: www.dreamdinners.com sionals DineWise: www.dinewise.com and Let's Dish: www.letsdish.com services available Local Meals-on-wheels listings: www.MealCall.org to help Share the Care: www.sharethecare.org you find answers, Sitters for Seniors: www.care.com gain Step 5: Be the CEO of Caring for Mom and peace of mind and learn to make decisions with Dad, Inc. confidence. Adult children are concerned with their parents’ safety while Seniors want to stay home and be left alone on their own terms. To gain cooperation with my own mother, I told her to look at our relationship as a business partnership.
Most importantly, there is support to help YOU remain happy and healthy so you can actually enjoy the many blessings along your caregiving journey.
To learn more about how you can find the answers you need to caring for your parents while remaining happy, I was CEO of her care and she was my most important healthy and balanced yourself, I invite you to visit my client. She was still 'Queen of the Castle' and we'd make website: www.ThrivingInTheMiddle.com and join our decisions together about what help she needed. If Plan community. 12 Today’s BoomeR
Social Security: Find True Value Cyber Monday at Social Security.gov By Karyl Richson Social Security Public Affairs Specialist
Let the shopping season begin!
secure. It’s so easy, in fact, that it can take you as little as 15 minutes to apply online. In most cases, after your application The day after Thanksgiving has virtually become a holiday of is submitted electronically, you’re done. There are no forms its own. “Black Friday” is the busiest shopping day of the to sign and usually no documentation is required. Social Seyear, with people lining up at midnight for door-busting deals curity will process your application and contact you if any as they begin the busy holiday shopping season. further information is needed. When you’re ready to retire, And the Monday after that has become a virtual holiday, so apply at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline. to speak. “Cyber Monday” is the day web-savvy people Business Services Online is our one-stop shop for small busisearch for deals on the Internet. ness owners. The site allows organizations and authorized But there is more than one way to find value on the Internet. individuals to conduct business with and submit confidential For example, Social Security offers many online services to information to Social Security. Employers can use it to file Wthe general public — and they are free! Not only that, but 2s for their employees the fast, convenient, and paperless doing business online with Social Security will save you time way — online. Visit Business Services Online at and money. And it’s so easy to do. Here are some of the www.socialsecurity.gov/bso. most popular services you’ll find at www.socialsecurity.gov. In the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Social Security’s The online Social Security Statement is a hot new service that online services continuously receive the highest ratings in is a big hit with the millions of people who’ve used it since its both the public and private sectors, year after year. launch last May. Your online Statement provides you with a To learn more about all you can do on Cyber Monday, or any record of your past earnings, and it uses those earnings along day, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. with projected earnings for future years to give you accurate estimates of future Social Security benefits. Get your StateYour Social Security Questions Answered ment at www.socialsecurity.gov/mystatement. The Retirement Estimator is an easy way to get an instant, personalized estimate of your future Social Security benefits. Just key in some basic information and the Estimator will use information on your Social Security record, along with what you input, to give you a benefit estimate on the spot. You even can experiment with different scenarios, such as changing your future earnings and retirement date. Check it out in English at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator or in Spanish at www.segurosocial.gov/calculador. The online Retirement Application is the most convenient way to apply for Social Security retirement benefits. You can apply from the comfort of your home — it’s fast, easy, and
Q: What is the earliest age that I can apply for my Social Security retirement benefits? Answer: The earliest age to receive retirement benefits is 62, but you can apply up to three months beforehand. If you retire at age 62 today, your benefit would be about 25 percent lower than what it would be if you waited until you reach full retirement age. Even if you are not ready to retire, you still should sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday. You can do both online at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline.
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Boomer Finances: Shoppers to Remain Conservative this Holiday Season Report from the National Retail Federation (NRF) Consumers are prepared for a holly, jolly holiday season, though it’s evident most will take a conservative approach with their gift-giving budgets. According to NRF’s holiday consumer spending survey conducted by BIGinsight, the average holiday shopper will spend $749.51 on gifts, decor, greeting cards and more, up slightly from the $740.57 they actually spent last year. NRF is forecasting holiday sales will increase 4.1 percent to $586.1 billion.* "We’ve seen this pattern of cautious optimism all year and despite the challenges that still exist in our economy, it looks as if consumers are eager to celebrate with friends and family,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “As the most promotional time of the year, retailers will continue to look for ways to stand out, specifically with attractive deals on toys, electronics and apparel, even well before the ‘official’ start of the holiday shopping season – Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”
the near future.
“More than half of Americans this holiday season will feel the impact of the economy and will compensate by doing what they’ve been doing for several years – looking for ways to cut any corners, comparative shop online and in stores more often, and even planning to travel less or not at all,” stated Shay. Specifically, three in 10 (31.4%) consumers affected by the economy will comparative shop online more often, 46.4 percent will shop for sales more often, 23.2 percent will travel less or not at all, and 6.0 percent will comparative shop using their mobile device. Shoppers Plan to Start Early, More Than Half Will Shop Online For Gifts
Consistent with results seen the past 10 years, four in 10 (41.4%) of Americans say they will begin holiday shopping before Halloween. Perhaps boosted by interest in layaway options or an urge to score the season’s “must have” item before it is too late, 22.1 percent say they will begin in October, up from 20.3 percent last year. Another four in 10 (39.0%) will begin in November, 16.2 percent Economy Now “New Normal” as Fewer People Plan to will begin in first two weeks of December and 3.5 percent Change Spending Plans will wait until the very last minute and shop in the last In recent years, NRF’s holiday surveys have asked how the two weeks of December. economy will impact consumers’ spending plans. This holiday season, now accustomed to living on a budget, cutting back on nonessential purchases, and using coupons and searching for deals, 52.3 percent say the state 3.5 12.3% 16.2% 7% of the U.S. economy will affect their spending plans, down from 62.2 last year. While recent polls have shown that consumers are focused on the economy as it relates to discretionary spending, the lower percentage is indicative of a consumer that has spent four years changing spending habits, and is better prepared for the uncertain economic outlook in 14 Today’s BoomeR
22.1% 39%
There’s no question about the role comparison shopping plays with today’s budget-conscious shopper, especially when it comes to the winter holiday season. According to the survey, consumers will spend a considerable amount of time in stores and online this year looking for the best deal. Nearly two-thirds (65.3%) will shop at
any age group, though not the most amount of money. Adults ages 25-34 will spend the most at $175.65. “It looks like young adults have the ‘one for you two for me’ mentality about the holiday season this year, which is surprising given that this is also the age group that typically doesn’t have the income or ability to splurge,” said BIGinsight Consumer Insights Director Pam Goodfellow. “What isn’t surprising is that retailers’ holiday promotions continue to strike a chord with this age group, especially with promotions surrounding popular electronics and apparel items.” Six in 10 Holiday Shoppers Would Most Like to Receive Gift Cards
When it comes to holiday wish lists, the usual culprits top the list each year: clothing, books, DVDs, video games, and electronics, but there’s one that stands out more than any other – gift cards. According to the surdiscount stores and more than half (57.8%) will shop at vey, six in 10 (59.8%) of those polled say they’d like to department stores. Clothing stores (36.2%), electronics receive gift cards this year, up from 57.7 percent last stores (31.8%) and specialty stores (16.7%) will be pop- year and the most in the survey’s history. Half (49.1%) ular with holiday shoppers as well. Grocery stores will say they would like clothing, 45.7 percent said books, also see increased foot traffic – 51.8 percent will shop at CD, DVDs, videos, or video games, and more than onea grocery store for holiday items, up from 48.8 percent third (35.8%) are requesting electronics or computerlast year. related accessories. Nearly one-quarter (24.0%) want jewelry, the most seen since 2008. Setting a new high, more than half (51.8%) will shop online for gifts and other items this holiday season, up Smartphones, Tablets to Aid in Shoppers Holiday from 46.7 percent last year. When asked what percent of Purchases their holiday shopping they planned to do online, the Mobile shopping will be a big part of consumers’ shopaverage person will complete about 38.8 percent of ping experience this year, and according to the survey, their shopping on retailers’ and other companies webmore than half (52.9%) of those who own smartphones sites, another survey high. Shop.org, NRF’s digital diviand nearly two-thirds (64.1%) of those who own tablets sion, is forecasting online holiday sales will grow 12 plan to use their devices to research and purchase holipercent to as much as $96 billion.** day gifts, decor, food items, and more. Self-Gifting Reaches All-Time High As a nod to just how much shoppers enjoy taking advantage of retailers’ holiday promotions to treat themselves to something nice, consumers are expected to spend the most on non-gift items in the survey’s 10-year history. Six in 10 shoppers (59.0%) plan to spend an average of $139.92 on “self-gifting” this holiday season. Seven in 10 (71.5%) young adults ages 18-24, often the ones seen standing in the long lines for retailers’ midnight and early-bird Black Friday promotions, will spend an average of $159.62 – the highest percent of
About the Survey The NRF 2012 Holiday Consumer Spending Survey was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to the winter holidays. The survey polled 8,899 consumers and was conducted for NRF by BIGinsight October 2-8, 2012. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 percent. BIGinsight delivers executives timely, consumer-centric insights from multiple sources. As a comprehensive resource of information, BIGinsight represents the voice of the consumer and provides knowledge to marketers regarding consumer views on the economy, personal finance, retail, lifestyle, media and domestic and world issues. www.BIGinsight.com.
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BOOMER HEALTHY EATING: Festive Healthy Choices to Help You Shine This Holiday Season Recipes and Photos from Chef Eben Atwater www.urbanmonique.com
Ah, the holidays. The time of year for eating especially well. We all know what can, and does happen during the “Season of Excess”. The pain of blown diets and unwanted pounds lasts far longer than the brief joy of the meal. This year, make your resolution early and cook delicious holiday fare that won’t break the calorie bank. Here are some tips to help you shine this season.
rub the nuts inside the towel to remove loose skins, and then allow them to cool completely.
Snacks and Appetizers
Chestnuts: Locate the flat side of each nut; carefully slice an “X” all the way through the skin on that side. Place nuts on a baking pan and slide that into a preheated 425° F oven to roast for 30 to 40 minutes. Gently shake the pan periodically so the nuts cook evenly. Remove from the oven and peel as soon as they’re cool enough to handle, (If they cool too much, they’re really tough to peel!)
Instead of chips and dips, set out bowls of house-roasted, fresh hazelnuts, chestnuts, and dried cranberries; they’re delicious, simple, and much healthier, guaranteed! Hazelnuts: Spread a single layer onto a baking sheet and slip them into a preheated 350° F oven. Toast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the nuts start to brown and the skins blister. Remove nuts from the oven and wrap in a lightly moistened kitchen towel; let steam for 1 minute. Gently Eben Atwater is a Chef and writer who began cooking professionally in the 1970’s in Washington State and Idaho. In addition to a food blog he publishes with his wife and partner-in-crime Monica, Eben is an accomplished musician and instrument maker. He lives in western Washington State where he manages a bakery-café. Visit www.urbanmonique.com 16 Today’s BoomeR
Turkey is Tops Turkey remains a top choice for holiday tables for good reason; it’s festive, delicious and pretty darn easy. All too often though, diners
A perfectly prepared bird can still be mangled in the oven, so set up for success ahead of time. A probe thermometer is an investment worth having, period, end of story. Get the thermometer and cook to an internal temperature of 165º F in the thickest part of the breast, then allow the bird to rest on the stove top for at least 10 minutes before carving, and you’ll turn out a perfect bird, every time.
Sides Not to Pass On
feature a grim smile whilst carving through a dry, tasteless bird. Here’s how to beat that trap. The answer to the dry look is brining your bird, but brining with salt can cause dietary and health challenges for some folks. The solution, (pun intended), is an alternative brine, and for that we love apple cider. The cider will make your turkey incredibly tender and juicy, with a hint of sweetness.
Roasted Potatoes Instead of mashed potatoes, go with roasted. Not all potatoes are created equally, either, so shop around for something other than the ol’ russet. In most markets nowadays, you can find a good variety of spuds; we went for a three-color finger potato blend that I’ll bet you can find locally as well, and those little
¼ cup unsalted Butter Sprig of fresh Sage, (or a Tablespoon dry) ¾ Cup Apple Cider. Pinch of salt and pepper Combine in a sauce pan over medium low heat and reduce by 50% so it nicely coats a spoon. Keep warm and baste with a brush. We cover the bird in foil for the first ¾ of the roasting time, then uncover and baste for that last quarter.
guys taste as good as they look. Cut in half, then simply dressed with extra virgin olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and roasted in a 350º F oven for about 15 minutes yields a healthy and very tasty treat. Today’s BoomeR 17
Cranberry Sauce Zest ½ lemon, lime and orange, and then squeeze the juice into a measuring cup. Top off with water until you’ve got a cup of liquid. In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, dissolve ½ cup granulated sugar in the water and juice blend. Add a bag of cranberries, the zest, and ¼ teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg. bring to a full boil, stirring constantly. When roughly ¾ of the berries have popped, remove from heat and pour into a ceramic or glass bowl to cool. Cover, refrigerate and serve cold.
of water to a full boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Heat half & half in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through; turn off heat and leave on the burner, covered. Thoroughly combine eggs, additional yolks, ¼ cup of sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon, then fully incorporate the pumpkin into the mixture. Equally fill each ramekin, then place the baking sheet into your hot oven. Pour the hot water carefully into the baking pan until it reaches roughly halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until flan is set. Test by gently shaking the baking pan; the Sweet Pumpkin Flan flan should have a slight wiggle to it and feel And finally, there’s desert. Let’s be honest, firm when gently pressed with a finger tip. desert must be sweet and tasty or we’ve Remove from the oven and the baking pan, flunked as cooks! That said, we don’t need the whole pie, whipped cream, ice cream ex- and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. To serve, center a desert plate over a rametravaganza to put the perfect finish on a great meal. Our pumpkin flan is classy, lower kin and give it a quick, neat flip. The flan will in sugar and fat than the big boys, 100% de- slip out of the ramekin, and all that lovely caramel will be dripping down the sides of licious and a breeze to prepare. the flan. ¾ Cup granulated white sugar ¾ Cup whole milk 2 Eggs 2 Egg yolks 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract ½ teaspoon grated Nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground True Cinnamon ¾ Cup canned Pumpkin filling Arrange 8 (4-ounce) ramekins inside a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Heat ½ cup of sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and forms a medium-brown caramel, (5 to 10 minutes). Carefully pour a tablespoon of the caramel into each ramekin, swirling rapidly so the entire bottom is coated. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350º F. Bring 3 cups 18 Today’s BoomeR
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