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Christmas shopping for her

December 8th, 2010

Woman Christmas Gift IdeasChristmas shopping for women is made so easy by stores like Wal-Mart. But women get tired of bath soaps and lotion. This Christmas get the women of you life something they will love. Hint to men out there: if the woman in your life never wears the heart shaped pendant that you gave her last year, do not get her another one. Women really want men to know what their likes and tastes are.

Jewelry is always a hit at Christmas, but you have to know where to go and what the women you are buying for likes. Kay Jewelers commercials flood the television this time of year. The open heart necklaces are one of their most advertised pieces of jewelry. People always say that you can not go wrong with getting jewelry, but you can. Kay has many different types of jewelry for all different women. The charm bracelets are a great gift idea; you can make them according to a women’s taste. The charm bracelets can be as extravagant or as plain as you would like.

If the women you are shopping for would rather be sitting in front of a sewing machine or a scrapbook than be decorated in diamonds, Hobby Lobby is the best craft store in Tyler. Their large selection of colorful and fun fabrics and patterns can make a great gift for women that love to sew and create clothing. Hobby Lobby has some of the greatest sales around. Many crafts that she enjoys can be found at Hobby Lobby. They are always having sales for 50%-75% off of many different products. You can completely decorate your home with the large selections of holiday and seasonal ornaments, and decorations. Young girls will love their many different craft ideas just for their age groups, such as jewelry design, kits for decorating rooms, and painting.

If the women you are shopping for would much rather enjoy time with you than a gift, you should buy her a date. Tyler has many great restaurants that can provide a romantic night on the town. Jake’s on the square has a great romantic setting on the roof of the restaurant. Many times Jake’s restaurant has live music. Another great restaurant to have a romantic date is the beautiful Viva Montez. The set up of the beautiful Spanish restaurant gives you and your love one the privacy and intimacy that you would want. One place I highly recommend is the KE Cellars. You can enjoy a great time with wine tasting, cheese and meat trays to compliment your wine and on certain night live music for your entertainment. Plan a date that she will love whether it is eating out, wine tasting, dancing or even shopping.

Kohl’s has only been in Tyler for the last few years but it has quickly become very popular. Kohl’s has many great sales. You can buy for all the women on your shopping list at Kohl’s large store. Get the women in your life a whole new selection of kitchen appliances with the best brand names, such as, the popular Food Network collections. There are many “as seen on TV” products, and many of the products are for sale for a better price than you have seen on television. Kohl’s is having one of there largest sales as a Christmas countdown. Kohl’s has all different products that are perfect for Christmas gifts. They have everything from clothing to frames and house décor.

While you are Christmas shopping for the women in your life this holiday season give a little more thought to what they would use and enjoy rather than running through the seasonal section at Wal-Mart and picking up the five dollar bath soaps and cheap Christmas chocolates.

The Texas Rose Festival

November 25th, 2009

The Texas Rose Festival is an annual three-day celebration held in mid-October at the peak of Tyler’s rose season as a means to recognize and remember the importance of the rose growing industry in Tyler’s history. The Texas Rose Festival draws thousands of tourists to Tyler each year and has become an economic boost to the city. Yet as a resident of Tyler, it took me 5 years to investigate any part of the festivities myself. A friend convinced me my darling daughters would love to take part in the Queen’s Tea, dubbed “Tea with the Queen.”

On Thursday, the Texas Rose Festival kicks of with the Queen’s Tea, a massive garden party open to the community, hosted on the Tyler Rose Garden grounds. Visitors are allowed to meet the crowned Rose Queen and the members of her court arrayed in spectacularly lavish royal dresses. Every would-be-princess’s eyes will pop as they enjoy tea and cookies while gazing at the glitter and glory of the bedazzled royalty. They’ll definitely want to pose with a glittering princess, so don’t forget your camera!

Any down side to the Queen’s Tea? My 5 year old was deeply disappointed that she was not actually allowed to sit at an elaborately prepared table and sip tea from delicate floral china, sharing pleasantries with the Queen herself. I quickly decided to skip the long line waiting for a photo op with her majesty and instead maneuver my young princesses toward a lesser royalty clad in an alluring pink dress with gold sparkles (and only three people in line) hoping that would suffice for a scrapbook memory. All was well until the questions forced me into a political tight spot: Are they real princesses?” No. “How do they get to be princesses?” Hmm…“Can I do that someday?” No. Daddy doesn’t make enough money to buy the sequins on the queen’s dress. And the Rose festival is all about money.

You see, it is a well known fact that the Rose Queen can never be a Cinderella. Regular peasant girls need not apply. She is chosen on the basis of financial donations from her family. Even physical attractiveness takes a back seat to the cash. So unless you have already dumped truckloads of money into the city’s pockets and have paid your dues wining and dining the selection committee while your little girl was growing up, she will have no hope competing against the daughters of East Texas royal families like Jack King’s, even if she is twice as congenial and three times as pretty!

Kids on the young side might be overwhelmed or in danger of getting lost in the crowds of the event, so you might want to leave them at home. Unless Junior is old enough to be interested in girls, he would probably want to avoid an ultra girly event like the Queen’s Tea unless the allure of cookies is strong enough. If pressed too long, he may decide to entertain himself in one of the reflection pools to escape all of the pink commotion.

Friday is the exclusive theatrical Coronation of the Rose Queen at the Cowan Center. Tickets are $20-$30 for the matinee, and $45-$60 for the evening extravaganza. (Sorry girls, but the Tea is free.) Other Friday events which require tickets are The Ladies Brunch (tickets sell out way in advance) and the Men’s Lunch ($40).

If Friday night’s excitement is too heavy on the pocketbook, relax, the parade is free. You will have to deal with crowds and traffic, though. The parade begins at Glenwood and Front St. or for a bird’s eye-view and play-by-play commentary, pick up a ticket ($7-10) for a seat in the Trinity Mother Frances Stadium, 700 Fair Park Dr. The Texas Rose Festival Parade winds down the festivities with rose-adorned floats bearing the new royalty, bands, drill teams, Shriners, and the typical parade fare.

Texas Rose Festival Tickets are available at www.texasrosefestival.com.