Holiday Seasons 2020 - Edition Four

HOLIDAY 2020

'Tis the Season to Give Back

See inside to learn how you can help others this holiday season This Edition Is Sponsored By

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Holiday

Welcome to the Holiday Issue of

CONTENTS How to Approach Hosting the

8

Holidays During the Pandemic We are proud to be celebrating our seventh year publishing.

Thank you to all our loyal merchants and readers, we truly appreciate you.

This year has surely been one we will never forget.

The pandemic hit us all hard, however it has taught us some valuable lessons; family time is priceless, health should never be taken for granted, and of course, never underestimate the importance of toilet paper and paper towels!

We would like to thank all essential workers for their hard work and bravery. In addition, we feel it’s important to thank all small businesses. To say it has been difficult for many of them to stay afloat this year would be an understatement.

During the busy holiday season it’s so easy to shop online at major stores, however small businesses are the backbone of our communities and we support shopping small when possible!

This holiday season will look different than usual, but let’s try our best to enjoy it. Let’s be truly thankful for all we have this Thanksgiving. Let’s be joyful and generous this Christmas and Chanukah. Let’s shop small this Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Let’s give back this Giving Tuesday. And lastly, let’s not only get excited to ring in the New Year this New Year’s Eve, but let’s also try and reminisce on the good things that 2020 has brought us.

We’re always proud to be a part of the Long Island community and we wish you a very happy and healthy holiday season.

10

Shop Safely This Cyber Monday 'Tis the Season to Give Back

12-13

How Small Businesses can

14

How to Give Safely During the Pandemic

14

What is Giving Tuesday?

18

Holiday Baking Pointers

18

Fun DIY Craft Projects

20

Capitalize on Black Friday

- The staff of Long Island Media Group

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Art Director: Josh Marlowe

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How to Approach Hosting the Holidays During the Pandemic

T

he holiday season will be different this year. The ongoing pandemic has changed the way much of the world lives their lives, including how holidays are celebrated.

As the novel coronavirus COVID-19 spread across the globe beginning in the winter of 2019-20, the World Health Organization recommended a host of behaviors designed to prevent the spread of the virus and protect those who are most vulnerable to it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also noted the importance of keeping distance from others, especially for those who are most likely to get seriously ill if they’re exposed to COVID-19, such as the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions.

The WHO and the CDC continue to recommend social distancing, which means the holidays in 2020 will be unlike any other. Families must make their own decisions about getting together this holiday season, but

hosts who intend to welcome guests into their homes can take certain steps to keep everyone as safe as possible.

• Scale back the guest list. Families accustomed to large gatherings can scale the festivities back this year in an effort to keep everyone safe. Consider hosting a meal for immediate family members only, as the Environmental Protection Agency notes that COVID-19 may spread more easily in indoor environments via airborne particles. Extended family members can visit each other over the long holiday weekend to ensure everyone still sees each other, but keep such visits outdoors when possible.

• If the weather permits, consider eating dinner outside this year. Doing so may limit everyone’s exposure to the respiratory droplets that researchers say can spread the virus when inhaled. If necessary, serve the meal earlier than you normally would so everyone can eat in midday when it’s still warm outside. Hosts also can

consider serving something more convenient than turkey, which takes a long time to cook, and limiting side dishes to one or two items.

• Assign seats. If the meal will be served indoors, then hosts can assign seats to protect those most vulnerable to serious illness from COVID-19. Instead of cramming everyone in at one table, set up temporary tables and have guests sit in every other seat rather than next to one another. Isolate the vulnerable as much as possible while still ensuring they can engage in conversation.

• Discourage guests from attending if they feel sick. A list of COVID-19 symptoms can be found at www. cdc.gov. In the days prior to getting together, hosts can share that list with guests via email or social media and discourage guests who are feeling ill on or around the holiday from attending the festivities. If necessary, make a to-go plate for ill relatives and drop it off at their homes so they can still enjoy the holiday dinner.

• Stock up on hand soap and hand sanitizer. Hosts should make sure hand soap and sanitizer is readily available throughout their homes.

When guests arrive, make sure everyone washes their hands immediately, and encourage guests to continue doing so throughout the day.

The holidays will be different in 2020.

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Holiday 2020

Shop Safely This Cyber Monday

C

if any new updates can be installed before shopping on Cyber Monday.

yber Monday is a lucrative day for retailers. According to Adobe Analytics, which measured transactions from a majority of popular online retailers in the United States, consumers spent an average of $11 million per minute between 11 p.m. EST and midnight EST on Cyber Monday in 2019. And it wasn’t just the final hour of Cyber Monday that proved popular, as total sales in 2019 increased by roughly 19 percent compared to Cyber Monday a year prior.

The internet has made holiday shopping easier than ever, and retailers capitalize on that convenience every year on Cyber Monday. Savvy consumers recognize there’s great deals to be had on Cyber Monday, but the popular shopping holiday also marks a great time for cyber criminals to target unsuspecting online shoppers.

Holiday shoppers spend more time and money buying gifts online every year, so before the buying season begins it’s wise for shoppers to consider a few strategies for shopping safely this Cyber Monday.

• Avoid searching through search engines. When shopping, resist the temptation to look for deals through search engines. Cyber criminals can insert malicious links into search results, directing unsuspecting consumers to malicious websites designed to target their personal information. When looking for deals, visit the websites of established retailers instead of conducting searchs through browsers like Google or Firefox.

• Beware of malvertising.

In recent years, cyber criminals have employed malvertising to trick online shoppers into taking them to websites that look reputable, but looks can be deceiving.

Malvertising injects malicious codes into legitimate online advertising networks. If consumers accidentally click a malicious ad, the malvertising can trigger a code that installs malware or adware on their computers, and redirect users to a malicious website instead of the one the ad suggests or redirect

users to a website that looks just like a legitimate retailer’s site, even though it’s not. Update antivirus and ad blockers prior to Cyber Monday.

In addition, update browsers and plugins, which can often prevent malvertising attacks.

• Update your software. Skipping or delaying software updates on a computer, tablet or smartphone can make online shoppers vulnerable to hackers and other cyber criminals.

Install new operating systems on your devices when such updates become available, and check to see

• Read a URL before buying anything.

One old yet still effective trick cyber criminals employ is creating websites that look identical to those of trusted retailers. These copycat sites may only be one letter different from legitimate sites. By reading URLs closely prior to entering any personal information, such as their credit card numbers, consumers can protect themselves from copycat websites.

Cyber Monday shoppers should be as cautious about cyber criminals as they are excited about finding great gifts for their loved ones.

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Holiday 2020

'Tis the Season

Help Mrs. Claus is a non-profit organization located here on Long Island that was started by Jennifer Scully. In December of 2010, this single mom of a 5 year old daughter had only $38 in the bank.

However, her bills were paid, there was food in their fridge and she was able to get her daughter some presents to open on Christmas morning. Times were tough, but she felt a sense of gratitude.

Jennifer wanted to help others during this difficult time, because giving back always mends the soul.

In hopes of spreading cheer and genersoity instead of focusing on her less-than-perfcect situation, she reached out to the Harlem Dowling West Side Center for Children and Family Services. She asked if any of their children had written letters to Santa, and if so, if they needed help answering a letter to make the child's wish come true.

They indeed did have letters, 30 of them. However, they didn't have the resources to fulfill the childrens' wishes. Jennifer received the details of each and every letter, feeling excited about potentially helping these chlidren and she let them know she would see what she could do to help. After she hung up the phone she cried, knowing she couldn't afford to help them all. Not wanting to disappoint anyone, she turned to social media and found help from family, friends and even some strangers. Two days later, Jennifer was able to deliver an entire SUV full of Christmas cheer for all of the children who wrote to Santa, and Help Mrs. Claus was born!

Each year, Help Mrs. Claus receives anywhere from 160-550 letters to Santa from underprivileged children living in the five boroughs and on Long Island. The children are all hand-selected by their social workers to participate in this special program.

Help Mrs. Claus then hosts a letter reading party the Saturday before Halloween to allow donors and volunteers the opportunity to read through letters so each person can select a child or children they would like to shop for. At a later date, all of the gifts are collected, labelled and wrapped at a fun wrapping party and are then delivered directly to the children at a holiday party, hosted by Mrs. Claus. The current pandemic has resulted in many parents being out of work and a lot of local food pantries running low on food. Now, for the first time ever, Help Mrs. Claus has seen children asking for food. This heartbreaking reality has inspired Jennifer to try and give each child a minimum of one bag filled with non-perishable food items, along with the gift(s) they will receive from her non-profit. With so many children in need, Help Mrs. Claus needs your help to make their wishes come true.

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to Give Back Looking to lend a helping hand?

Due to the current pandemic, there was not a letter reading party, there will not be a wrapping party and the gifts and food items will be distributed at a drive-through party at the Hispanic Counseling Center in Hempstead.

The letters have arrived on October 18th and the deadline for gift drop-offs is December 1st. If you would like to see a letter and grant a child's wish and/or donate food items, you can! Please email helpmrsclaus@gmail.com or call 516.695.9921 to get started.

The drive-through party will be held on December 12th with a rain/snow date of December 19th.

Additionally, if you would like to donate monetarily to support the mission of this non-profit, you can do so on their website at www.helpmrsclaus.com. Every year, Jennifer takes money out of her own pocket to cover expenses because she truly believes in the motto that "No child gets left behind." Any donation amount will be very appreciated!

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Holiday 2020

How to Give Safely During the Pandemic

How Small Businesses can Capitalize on Black Friday

M

illions of small businesses have had a difficult year in 2020. As the novel coronavirus COVID-19 spread across the globe, governments all over the world took unprecedented measures to prevent the virus from claiming more lives. Public health measures like social distancing undoubtedly saved lives, but small businesses bore the brunt of the economic impact of such measures.

In the wake of such challenges, many small businesses have been forced to shutter. For those that have managed to stay afloat, the upcoming holiday season could prove vital to their survival.

Black Friday marks the unofficial beginning of the holiday shopping season. It’s a day when consumer spending annually reaches into the billions of dollars. For example, Adobe Analytics reported that Black Friday shoppers spent a record $7.4 billion in 2019. Capitalizing on Black Friday in 2020 can help small businesses generate a substantial amount of revenue in a year that has been chock full of financial challenges. The following are some strategies small businesses can employ to make this Black Friday as lucrative as possible.

• Connect with the locals.

In recognition of the economic challenges faced by small businesses in 2020, local chambers of commerce have gone to great lengths to encourage residents to shop local as economies have slowly reopened. Residents have responded to such efforts, and small businesses can do their part by making concerted efforts to connect with locals in advance of Black Friday. Advertise Black Friday sales in local newspapers and join your local chamber of commerce in encouraging shop local efforts on Black Friday.

• Open early. In an effort to promote social distancing, some big box retailers have announced changes to their Black Friday strategies. Those changes may include more limited store hours and later openings.

Local small business owners can capitalize on such strategical shifts by opening their stores early on Black Friday without compromising social

distancing guidelines. Place a sign outside your store that highlights your early opening but also reminds customers of your mask and social distancing policy. Thank customers in advance for adhering to your policy and for bringing much-needed revenue to your business.

• Optimize your mobile site. Lines are the norm on a typical Black Friday, but they might be even longer this year as small businesses minimize the number of people they allow in their store at one time. By optimizing their mobile sites in advance of Black Friday, small business owners can ensure shoppers waiting online have access to what’s inside the store even before they enter. That can make it easier to wait on line and ease customers’ concerns about spending too much time inside the store.

• Emphasize your status as a small business. The pandemic will no doubt compel many Black Friday shoppers to avoid crowded malls and big box stores in 2020. Small business owners can use their status as small businesses to their advantage by reminding customers their showrooms are small and easily controlled.

Small businesses may be struggling in 2020, but Black Friday is a golden opportunity for small businesses to recoup some of the revenue they’ve lost in a challenging year.

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D

onations are the lifeblood of many charitable organizations.

Unfortunately, donations also can be the lifeblood of criminal operations designed to scam wouldbe donors.

The potential for charity scams could be even greater in 2020. Charities accept donations year-round, but the spirit of giving that prevails during the holiday season makes the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas especially popular times to donate to charity. In addition to being on the lookout for the usual scams, the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia warns prospective donors to beware of potential scams involving the COVID-19 virus.

Recognizing the challenges people in their communities have faced as a result of the economic fallout of the pandemic, donors may be more inclined to donate to charities purporting to help laid off workers, small businesses or others adversely affected by the outbreak. That’s admirable, but prospective donors must recognize that their eagerness to support COVID-related charities may make them vulnerable to criminals looking to exploit their charitable nature. In recognition of that, the OAGDC offers these tips to men and women who are considering donating to charity in 2020.

• Be wary of recently launched operations. Operations that were formed in response to the pandemic may be viable, but the OAGDC also warns that many have been formed by scammers looking to exploit the outbreak for their own gain. Be especially wary of crowdfunding campaigns.

EDITION FOUR

• Ask questions. The OAGDC says that any charity, even those formed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, should be able to provide you with the same information as charities that have been around for years. Prior to donating, ask for the charity’s name, address, telephone number, and mission. In addition, don’t feel skittish about asking how your donation will be used and the percentage of each donation that goes to programs that directly help the people you’re trying to assist.

• Be vigilant before donating via peer-to-peer social networking websites. It’s especially difficult to verify how donations made via texts or websites are ultimately used. While these can be convenient ways to donate, the OAGDC urges donors to be especially vigilant about vetting before donating to charities through these channels.

• Never donate using cash, gift cards or wire transfers. Reputable charities do not ask for donations to be made in this way. The OAGDC advises donors to use credit cards whenever possible.

• The terms “COVID-19” or “coronavirus” do not authenticate a charity. A reputable name or logo does not mean the charity is actually reputable. Prior to donating, donors can confirm a charity is legitimate by contacting organizations such as Charity Navigator, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance or the National Center for Charitable Statistics.

Scammers will no doubt try to exploit the pandemic to take advantage of donors during the upcoming giving season. Savvy donors can employ various strategies to ensure their charitable donations end up in the right hands.

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Holiday 2020

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What is Giving Tuesday?

W

hile Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the more widely known retail holidays, Giving Tuesday is becoming pretty popular in its own right.

Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday helps raise awareness

that charity is an important component of the holiday season. The nonprofit services company Neon says nearly one-third of all annual giving occurs in December, with 12 percent happening over the final three days of the year.

Giving Tuesday is positioned right in the midst of the most popular time for charitable giving.

Holiday 2020

SEASONS® MAGAZINE

What makes Giving Tuesday unique is that it is largely fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. The day was actually created by the 92nd Street Y, a cultural center in New York City that has been instrumental in bringing diverse groups of people together with

the goals of giving back through service. The 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation came together in 2012 to help form a day that was focused on the generosity of giving during the holiday season. Thus, Giving Tuesday was born.

Technology and social media play a large role in uniting people for Giving Tuesday.

Founding partners included Mashable, a technology website, Skype and Cisco. But the success of Giving Tuesday is thanks in large part to the general public, who have both spread the word and made their own contributions to charity.

In 2017, Giving Tuesday soared to new heights when technology mogul Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, announced their foundation would match up to $2 million in donations to Giving Tuesday fundraisers started on Facebook. Facebook similarly waived its 5 percent fee for U.S.based nonprofits all day long.

The global Giving Tuesday movement helped raise more than $300 million online across more than 150 countries in 2017 alone. This year, the Giving Tuesday organization is poised to top their numbers and continue to improve upon the more than 46,000 participating organizations involved in their charitable efforts. Learn more at www. givingtuesday.org.

Did You Know?

According to Adobe Analytics, Cyber Monday spending reached historic heights in 2019. Online spending on Cyber Monday totaled $9.4 billion in 2019, which marked a $1.5 billion increase in total spending from the year prior. A global pandemic figures to compel even more shoppers to shop online in 2020, though economic uncertainty and high rates of unemployment may make it hard for some online retailers to exceed their Cyber Monday sales figures from 2019.

Though holiday shopping belts might be tightened in 2020, small businesses with e-commerce capabilities and strong online presences should not let that get in the way of their efforts to capitalize on Cyber Monday. In recognition of the struggles small businesses have faced during the pandemic, many local governments have emphasized the importance of supporting locally owned small businesses. Communities across the country have answered that call in many ways, and chances are strong locals will continue to do so this holiday season.

Small business owners who are ready to meet consumer demands this holiday season, even if those demands are not as great as in holiday seasons past, can capitalize on what figures to be a unique time for shoppers and businesses alike.

Holiday Baking Pointers

T

he holiday season is steeped in tradition. Baking is one tradition that comes with the holiday territory. Many people may only bake in November and December, so it’s understandable if they’re a little rusty come the holiday season. These baking tips can lead to successful yields of cookies, cakes and other holiday treats.

Follow the recipe carefully

When cooking, it is easy to add an extra dash of this or a pinch of that, but baking is a science and the ingredients are used in a ratio to produce a desired chemical reaction while cooking. To ensure success, do not substitute ingredients unless the recipe tells you how to do so, and measure each addition carefully.

Spoon out your measurements

It can be tempting to dig a measuring cup right into a bag of flour, but scooping packs the ingredients down — potentially causing you to use more than the recipe calls for. Instead, spoon the flour into your measuring cup gently and use a straight edge to level it out.

Even better, use a scale and metric measurements to ensure exact amounts of wet and dry ingredients.

Read up on temperature

Certain ingredients, like butter and eggs, are temperature-dependent.

Cold butter in biscuits helps them to rise up flaky and delicious. Eggs brought to room temperature enable the emulsification process to work more readily. The difference in temperature can mean a completely different chemical reaction, so follow the recipe accordingly.

Calibrate the oven

Purchase an oven thermometer, set your oven to 350 F, the standard baking temperature, and see what the thermometer reads. If it is different, adjust cooking times accordingly or have the oven repaired. Cooking at the wrong temperature might mean the recipe doesn’t turn out right.

Use unsalted butter

Most recipes will call for unsalted butter so you aren’t adding unwanted sodium to the recipe, affecting dough

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consistency and flavor.

Position pans centrally

Pans should be on the center rack of the oven. If the oven isn’t wide enough to put multiple pans side by side, place them on different racks and slightly offset them to enable air circulation.

Use parchment paper

This unsung hero of baking can keep cookies from spreading out on

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baking sheets, prevent cakes from sticking to pans and may even help batter and dough bake evenly.

Flip cakes

Cool cakes upside down on a cooling rack. This will help flatten out the tops, which makes it easier to stack and level cakes for layered cakes.

A few tips can go a long way to helping holiday baking go more smoothly.

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NY State COVID Compliant Business

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Curved stairlifts are custom-manufactured to fit the exact shape of your curved indoor or outdoor staircase.

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Fun DIY Craft Projects

G

as Duck Clean Release painter’s tape, to create a crisp border. Then paint on a writable area. Remove the tape and bake the mug for a custom creation that can be personalized with names or festive phrases.

ive your home a warm and cozy vibe this fall with a few DIY projects that are sure to add seasonal cheer to any space. Whether you’re looking for a rainy day activity to keep kids busy or searching for affordable décor options, these fall craft ideas are a great place to start -- all you need is your creativity and a few supplies.

Celebrate Fall Foliage.

Add fall flavor to a tabletop or mantel by filling mason jars with wheat and dried baby’s breath flowers. Give the mason jar an elevated look by wrapping it with jute ribbon and lace. Or, you can simply roll coordinating scrapbooking paper into decorative cuffs that slip inside.

Give Thanks. Banners are an easy way to make your own décor without spending a lot of money. DIY banners

look great on a front porch to welcome guests or they can be used on a mantel.

Easily create a banner with paper and duct tape. Write your own message or cut out shapes like leaves and pumpkins and attach them to twine or string.

Get Cocoa Cozy. Nothing is better on a crisp fall day than a cup of hot cider or cocoa. Make sure everyone in the family has their own customizable mug by using chalkboard paint. Use a quality painter’s tape, such

I

t is customary to decorate for the holiday season, but not everyone has the time, inclination or wherewithal to handle the task. Those who want to enjoy the holidays but do not have time to decorate can rely on the services of professional

Craft a Welcoming Wreath.

Wreaths are the ultimate seasonal décor item -- they are perfect on the front door to welcome guests into your home or can be used to line interior windows for a festive feel. However, store-bought versions can be expensive.

Test your crafting skills with a duct tape leaf masterpiece.

All you have to do is create a variety of leaves in fall hues out of colored Duck Tape: make two of each leaf, then add wire to the sticky side of one of the leaves so it can easily be shaped, place the two leaves together and repeat the steps until you have your desired amount of leaves.

For more fall craft projects and DIY inspiration, visit duckbrand.com.

There’s no time like the present to get crafty, so grab a cup of cider and schedule a fun family “crafternoon.”

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Did You Know? holiday decorators. These individuals are available across the United States and Canada and can design top-notch lighting displays. Depending on the decorator, interior and exterior design services may be available. Professional

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decorators can work in residential or commercial settings. Furthermore, some services may include preventative maintenance as well as timely takedown of decorations once the season is over. Hiring a professional has its merits, including

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time savings, reduced injury risk and the assurance that a clean and thorough job will be done. Professional decorating also eliminates the need to store lights and other decorations between seasons, freeing up valuable storage space.

For More Information, Call 631.226.2636

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