PRS Quotes

#PRSQuotes-- Women keep a special corner of their hearts for sins they have never committed.  ~Cornelia Otis

#PRSQuotes-- I have an idea that the phrase "weaker sex" was coined by some woman to disarm some man she was preparing to overwhelm.  ~Ogden Nash

#PRSQuotes-- If women didn't exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning.  ~Aristotle Onassis

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Christmas History in America

CHRISTMAS HISTORY IN AMERICA

In the early 17^th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe. When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday. 

The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.

After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America’s new constitution. Christmas wasn’t declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.

 

Washington Irving reinvents Christmas

In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving’s mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status.

Irving’s fictitious celebrants enjoyed “ancient customs,” including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving’s book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he had attended—in fact, many historians say that Irving’s account actually “invented” tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the season.

Before the Civil War
The North and South were divided on the issue of Christmas, as well as on the question of slavery. Many Northerners saw sin in the celebration of Christmas; to these people the celebration of Thanksgiving was more appropriate. But in the South, Christmas was an important part of the social season. Not surprisingly, the first three states to make Christmas a legal holiday were in the South: Alabama in 1836, Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838.

In the years after the Civil War, Christmas traditions spread across the country. Children's books played an important role in spreading the customs of celebrating Christmas, especially the tradition of trimmed trees and gifts delivered by Santa Claus. Sunday school classes encouraged the celebration of Christmas. Women's magazines were also very important in suggesting ways to decorate for the holidays, as well as how to make these decorations.

By the last quarter of the nineteenth century, America eagerly decorated trees, caroled, baked, and shopped for the Christmas season. Since that time, materialism, media, advertising, and mass marketing has made Christmas what it is today. The traditions that we enjoy at Christmas today were invented by blending together customs from many different countries into what is considered by many to be our national holiday.An overview:
1600's: The Puritans made it illegal to mention St. Nicolas' name. People were not allowed to exchange gifts, light a candle, or sing Christmas carols.
17th century: Dutch immigrants brought with them the legend of Sinter Klaas.
1773: Santa first appeared in the media as St. A Claus.
1804: The New York Historical Society was founded with St. Nicolas as its patron saint. Its members engaged in the Dutch practice of gift-giving at Christmas.
1809: Washington Irving, writing under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, included Saint Nicolas in his book "A History of New York." Nicolas is described as riding into town on a horse.
1812: Irving, revised his book to include Nicolas riding over the trees in a wagon.
1821: William Gilley printed a poem about "Santeclaus" who was dressed in fur and drove a sleigh drawn by a single reindeer.
1822: Dentist Clement Clarke Moore is believed by many to have written a poem "An Account of a Visit from Saint Nicolas," which became better known as "The Night before Christmas." Santa is portrayed as an elf with a miniature sleigh equipped with eight reindeer which are named in the poem as Blitzem, Comet, Cupid, Dancer, Dasher, Donder, Prancer, and Vixen. Others attribute the poem to a contemporary, Henry Livingston, Jr. Two have since been renamed Donner and Blitzen.
1841: J.W. Parkinson, a Philadelphia merchant, hired a man to dress up in a "Criscringle" outfit and climb the chimney of his store.
1863: Illustrator Thomas Nast created images of Santa for the Christmas editions of Harper's Magazine. These continued through the 1890's.
1860s: President Abraham Lincoln asked Nast to create a drawing of Santa with some Union soldiers. This image of Santa supporting the enemy had a demoralizing influence on the Confederate army -- an early example of psychological warfare.
1897: Francis P Church, Editor of the New York Sun, wrote an editorial in response to a letter from an eight year-old girl, Virginia O'Hanlon. She had written the paper asking whether there really was a Santa Claus. It has become known as the "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" letter. 4
1920's: The image of Santa had been standardized to portray a bearded, over-weight, jolly man dressed in a red suit with white trim. 5
1931: Haddon Sundblom, illustrator for The Coca-Cola ™ company drew a series of Santa images in their Christmas advertisements until 1964. The company holds the trademark for the Coca-Cola Santa design. Christmas ads including Santa continue to the present day.
1939 Copywriter Robert L. May of the Montgomery Ward Company created a poem about Rudolph, the ninth reindeer. May had been "often taunted as a child for being shy, small and slight." He created an ostracized reindeer with a shiny red nose who became a hero one foggy Christmas eve. Santa was part-way through deliveries when the visibility started to degenerate. Santa added Rudolph to his team of reindeer to help illuminate the path. A copy of the poem was given free to Montgomery Ward customers. 6
1949: Johnny Marks wrote the song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Rudolph was relocated to the North Pole where he was initially rejected by the other reindeer who wouldn't let him play in their reindeer games because of his strange looking nose. The song was recorded by Gene Autry and became his all-time best seller. Next to "White Christmas" it is the most popular song of all time.
1993: An urban folk tale began to circulate about a Japanese department store displaying a life-sized Santa Claus being crucified on a cross. It never happened.
1997: Artist Robert Cenedella drew a painting of a crucified Santa Claus. It was displayed in the window of the New York's Art Students League and received intense criticism from some religious groups. His drawing was a protest. He attempted to show how Santa Claus had replaced Jesus Christ as the most important personality at Christmas time. 7

http://www.thehistoryofchristmas.com/ch/in_america.htm

Holiday Shopping Tips

With Black Friday within reach and Christmas right around the corner, many people are starting to think about holiday shopping. Whether or not you plan to brave the storm this Friday, here are some tips to help you come out on top this holiday shopping season.

1. Create a holiday shopping budget.
Hopefully, you have been saving up for the holidays. If not, don't worry, just do your best this year and plan to do better the next. Whether or not you have money earmarked for gifts, you should create a holiday shopping budget. Make a list of people that you want to present with a gift and write down the gift ideas along with the amount you want to spend for each person. Be realistic with what you can afford! Now tally everything up and you’ll have your total cost. If the total is too high, either scale back on all the gifts, or make the tough decision of giving to fewer people this year. Whatever you do, create a realistic budget that you won't regret after the holiday season is over.

2. Scout out your gifts.
If you can afford to, buying locally is a great way to put money back into your community. However, you might not be able to find what you want locally, or the price might be so high that you want to make your purchase elsewhere. Whether you are planning to buy locally or online, you should first check out online coupon sites to see if you can find coupon codes and discount promotions for your purchases.
These sites sometimes offer discounts that stores do not advertise and have deals that could save you significant amounts of money.

3. Comparison shop.
Don't take the first "good deal" that you stumble across. Suppress your impulse to grab the deal right away and check out a few other sites or stores to see if you can find an even better deal elsewhere. Be sure to also check out items similar to the one that you intended to buy. Occasionally, you will find significantly better deal without sacrificing too much on features and functionality — this is especially true for computers and electronics purchases.

4. Buy with a Credit Card
Credit card use is not right for everyone, so if it is not for you, don't use it! If you can handle credit cards without much trouble, use them. Credit card companies usually provide additional warranty on your purchases and offer you a level of protection against damaged and/or defective products. Moreover, you can get cash reward on your purchases. For instance, Discover Card is currently offering a great promotion. It includes: 5 percent cash-back bonus in department stores and clothing stores, and a double cash-back bonus on up to $1,000 in online purchases through the end of the year. That is an excellent way to save a little more money on top of everything else.

5. Understand the price protection policy.
Be sure to ask about the price protection policy that each store offers. Some stores do not offer this protection, buy a few do. The protection period varies from store to store, but it is typically between 15 to 30 days. With price protection, you can demand a refund of the difference if the store reduces the price on the item you purchase inside the protected period.
For the power shoppers, you may even want to wait on your purchases so that the price protection period ends a few days after Christmas. This way, if the store offers an "After Christmas Sale" you can try to get some money back.
Good luck with your holiday shopping!

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2010/11/24/5-holiday-shopping-tips-that-will-save-you-money

#PRSQuotes

#PRSQuotes-- A woman can say more in a sigh than a man can say in a sermon. ~Arnold Haultain

#PRSQuotes-- Women really do rule the world. They just haven't figured it out yet. When they do, and they will, we're all in big big trouble. ~Doctor Leon

#PRSQuotes-- If a woman is sufficiently ambitious, determined and gifted - there is practically nothing she can't do”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?



Most people think of Thanksgiving and think its just a time for family to get together and eat a feast and have a day off of work... very few when asked know the real reason... so here we go...

When people think of Thanksgiving, most remember the story of the Pilgrims and the Indians at Plymouth Rock. The Pilgrims first arrived in America on December 11, 1620, not prepared for the winter they were to face. Out of the 102 who arrived on the Mayflower, forty-six of the people died during the first few months. Despite the devastation, they had a good harvest, partly in thanks to the Indians who lived nearby.
They had a traditional British Harvest Feast in thanks to God for surviving and the blessings of provisions that would see them through the winter. In contrast to our modern Thanksgiving menu, they actually had more meat than vegetables, including venison, fish and wild foul, which may or may not have actually been turkey. They probably didn't have much in the way of desserts, as they didn't have a lot of flour or sugar on hand. They probably had some fruits and corn. Instead of pumpkin pie, they probably had boiled pumpkin. The first Thanksgiving feast lasted for three days.

Thanksgiving was not an annual event in the U.S. for many years. In 1623, there was a drought and instead of having a celebration, the Pilgrims held a prayer service. When their prayers were answered the next day, they invited their Indian friends to join them in another Thanksgiving observance.
June 20, 1676 was celebrated as a day of Thanksgiving in Charlestown, Massachusetts. However this was very different than the first Thanksgiving. This was to celebrate a victory over the Indians. Another victory, this time over the British, was celebrated in October of 1677 by all of the thirteen colonies. George Washington established the first national Thanksgiving day in 1789, however not everyone thought it was a good idea, including Thomas Jefferson.

It wasn't until 1863 that what we know as our modern Thanksgiving came into being. Sarah Josepha Hale decided to promote Thanksgiving in her magazine, Boston Ladies' Magazine and in Godey's Lady's Book. She also wrote letters to different governors and presidents. Abraham Lincoln finally established Thanksgiving as the last Thursday in November. The date was changed a few times (to the third Thursday), but in 1941 was finally established on its current date, the fourth Thursday in November.
Over the years, it has drifted away from its original focus on being thankful. It has become a day to eat and watch football. While those aren't bad things, it is good for people to take the time to actually be thankful for their blessings

Fun Facts About Thanksgiving

Here are a few fun facts about "turkey day," in America:

• Thanksgiving is the most travelled holiday of the year
• Minnesota produces the most turkeys
• Americans are estimated to eat "46 million turkeys" on Thanksgiving
• Three towns are named after the Turkey (Turkey, North Carolina, Turkey, Texas, and Turkey Creek, Louisiana)
• 1934 was the first Thanksgiving the Lions and Bears played
• The turkey was the inspiration for a dance called, "the turkey trot"
• Deep Fried Turkey originated in the Bayou in the 1800's
• The first "championship football game" was on Thanksgiving Day, 1876
• More than "5,000 football games" took place by the 1890's, on Thanksgiving Day
• The Macy's Parade begin in 1924, and Snoopy has appeared more than any character

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Benefits of Smiling! :-)

Benefits of Smiling

We could all do with a bit of cheering up every now and then, so with research suggesting that all we need to do is smile, we look at how a simple facial expression could help lighten your mood.

Why it's good to smile

There’s nothing quite like a winsome smile for perking you up, as well as those around you.

Smiling, laughing, and positive thinking have been shown to have a huge number of health benefits to both mind and body.

Stress has been linked to a number of health problems, including heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

• When you laugh, your body releases endorphins. These are brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, which make us feel happy. They are also a natural pain and stress reliever.
• Laughing reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and gives us a quick burst of energy.
• A good laugh can be beneficial to the lungs, boost immunity, and could even burn off calories.
• Smiley, happy people are thought to have more friends and be more successful, by appearing more confident and approachable.

The science behind a smile

You may think that people smile because they are happy, but scientific research suggests otherwise.

'Simply using the same muscles as smiling will put you in a happier mood,' explains Dr Michael Lewis, psychologist at Cardiff University. 'That’s because use of those muscles is part of how the brain evaluates mood.'

Charles Darwin was one of the first to suggest our expressions may actually intensify our feelings. This theory is known as the ‘feedback loop’ or ‘facial feedback hypothesis’.

A smiling expression feeds back into how we experience mood, therefore making us feel happier or a joke seem funnier.

Professor Fritz Strack, along with Leonard L Martin and Sabine Stepper, investigated this theory and published a study in 1988. This revealed that people who used their smiling muscles when presented with cartoons found them more amusing than people who didn’t. Separate studies have shown that people suffering from facial paralysis, and without the ability to smile, have been found to suffer more from depression

Medical reason for not smiling

A small number of people suffer from Moebius Syndrome, which means that they are physically unable to smile. The condition affects the nerves that help us smile, frown, blink and perform other facial expressions.

Can smiling relieve stress?

Mark Stibich, PhD, a consultant at Columbia University, and contributor to a Guide to Longevity at about.com, believes smiling may also act as a stress relief. 'When you’re stressed a number of things happen to your body,' explains Stibich. 'Your pulse rate shoots up, your digestive system shuts down, and your blood sugar levels increase. "But two things also happen that you have voluntary control over – your breathing becomes shallower and faster and facial expressions kick in.'If you can slow your breathing down and change your expression, you may be able to turn around the stress cascade.'

Did you know?

A genuine smile is known as a ‘Duchenne smile’ after the French physician Guillanne Duchenn.

This involves smiling with the mouth and crinkling around the corners of your eyes.

A polite functional smile is known as a ‘Pan American smile’, and involves stretching the mouth, but doesn’t use the eyes.

How to put a smile on your face

• Spend time with friends and family who are most likely to cheer you up.
• Think about how blessed you are and thankful to be alive
• Contact someone who is positive and makes you smile
• Relax or eat your favorite foods
• Take time out and watch a film or a TV show you find funny.
• Even when you don’t feel like it, try and force yourself to smile – you may find that a forced smile becomes genuine.
• Reflect on happy memories by looking through photographs

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/benefits-of-smiling.htm

Workout Tips

10 Workout Tricks

1. Be Consistent

No exercise program in the world works if you don't do it consistently."

2. Follow an Effective Exercise Routine

Strength training. Even 20 minutes a day twice a week will help tone the entire body, and increased cardio/aerobic exercise: walking, running, or dancing.

3. Set Realistic Goals

Don't worry if you can't run a 5K just yet. Make it a habit to walk 15 minutes a day, and add time, distance, and intensity from there.

4. Use the Buddy System

Find a friend or relative whom you like and trust who also wants to establish a healthier lifestyle. Encourage one another. Exercise together. Use this as an opportunity to enjoy one another's company and to strengthen the relationship

5. Make Your Plan Fit Your Life

Too busy to get to the gym? Make your plan fit your life! You don't need fancy exercise gear and gyms to get fit.

6. Be Happy

Positivity  is key! Believe you can do it!! Be sure to pick an activity you actually enjoy doing. If you hate weights, don't go to the gym. You can lose weight and get in shape with any type of training or activity

7. Watch the Clock

Your body clock that is. If you're a morning person, schedule your fitness activities early in the day; if you perk up as the day goes along, plan your activities in the afternoon or evening. Workout while you have the most energy will yield the best results.

8. Call In the Pros

Some trainers suggest having a professional assessment to determine what types of exercise you need most to meet your goals.

9. Get Inspired

Fitness is a state of mind. "Who inspires you?" Draw alongside them for support and listen to other success stories!

10. Be Patient

Just be patient, and don't give up!! Hang in there, and you'll see solid results in time, just keep at it J

Denver Rescue Mission

All of our alarms rang this morning at 4 AM.......Today 5 of us went down to the Denver Rescue Mission and served the homeless. Needless to say we had a wonderful time especially knowing that we made a difference in about 200 persons in the Denver Metro Area. Upon arriving we walked past around 15 people sleeping in sleeping bags in the below 20 degree weather on the sidewalk.. as we were gasping in amazement one rose and said good morning ladies! We responded and proceeded to go into the mission to help prepare food for breakfast. With jokes and appreciation for all the blessings we have we were able to really enjoy our time. We at PRS encourage you to volunteer in your community! They need your help and someone may be touched by your smile or a kind word. We HAVE to stick together. We also must be THANKFUL for the things we have and not take things for granted.....God bless!

Concentrate on this Sentence

CONCENTRATE ON THIS SENTENCE:

To get something I never had, I have to do something I never have done before

CONCENTRATE ON THIS SENTENCE:

The will of God will never take You where the grace of God will not protect you

CONCENTRATE ON THIS SENTENCE:

When God takes something from your grasp, he is not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better

Figure out who you are

"Figure out who you are separate from your family,
and the man or woman you're in a relationship with.
Find who you are in this world
and what you need to feel good alone.
I think that's the most important thing in life.
Find a sense of self because with that,
you can do anything else."-Angelina Jolie

All the Sinlge Ladies! Part 1

So your Single eh?

Many of us have been frustrated and jealous of other happy couples and just want to find the man we were meant for. We feel left out and left with no hope of finding our soul mate. Dating can be exhausting and it can get old very quick, and there are lonely times where we all have given up one of our greatest desires. In those times we should find it essential to surround ourselves with all the blessings in our lives and refocus our life and thought processes. It is time to get out in the RIGHT places, take calculated risks and focus on what we are blessed with.

The fact is that being single is not a disease. It is not an epidemic or a virus. When people ask you “your such a nice pretty girl why aren’t you married”? Or if you start dating someone the question usually is so when is the wedding? You’re getting married right? Or when people say (usually married people) just hang in there he is right around the corner, maybe you should get out more or try on-line? The initial reaction is to either cry or be very angry. I say that we come up with a conditioned answer to people’s pressuring questions. We can be happy right here where we are. Society says that single girls are the outcast and we should feel sorry for them. Uhhh No, it is time to change this view!

We don’t owe anyone ANY explanation of where we are in life. I have come across too many sad single women recently not to bring this up. It is essential we live our lives no matter what the circumstance, and focus on what we do have! Yes, there will always be lonely times, emotional monthly times, chick flicks, girls nights with men talk, and day dreaming of the men we are meant to be with. I am in no way stating that I have mastered all of this but I am learning as we all are and enjoying my life. I am excited to meet Mr. Right, and I am excited to live my life. So ladies here is a little encouragement and food for thought for the modern single lady J Enjoy

EMBRACING SINGLENESS

Life doesn't start officially at 20 or 30 or 40. Life starts today!!! Life doesn’t start after you get married, or when you finally get pregnant, or when you buy a house, or when you are healed, or when you land your dream job. No, you can live life to the full now. Be encouraged to enjoy where you are in life right now, you are here for a reason!!

We can do so many things that our married friends cannot do however, let’s make it clear that marriage is a wonderful thing and will be enjoyed when it comes! I deeply want to be married and have a family, but right now is not the time for me. The focus in my life is me Deidra, and bettering myself and soul searching. I will continue these things as I see fit when I am with my future husband as well and find the balance that is necessary in a relationship. Ladies PRS is not a men bashing club at all. In fact we applaud all the great men out there because we know they exist! We are simply encouraging single women to live life, until we meet the one we are meant to be with J

 Like I said, this is time to be selfish in a way and figure out who we really are and what we want out of life. When we are in a relationship our focus shifts to completely off of us, to both of us, and bettering ourselves and our relationship. Once we stop looking for love and take a step back and re-focus life tends to run a bit smoother. Whatever happen will! Yes we have control over our destiny and have free will, but we also are sending out the desperate vibe to the potential candidates, which is not attractive. Confidence and a positive attitude and outlook is key, you are beautiful!

After the many pity parties that we throw ourselves over being single we need to realize that it isn't what we do or don't have that ultimately makes us happy or unhappy. It is how we approach those "barren" times that is the key to living a full life. We are not bound by your circumstances. However, we can let circumstances keep us bound, causing us to wallow in self pity or to blame others for our ill fate, but ultimately we don't have to answer to our circumstances, because they don't define who we are or what we will become. Our success or failure does not depend on where we are in life right now.

Stop and enjoy a beautiful sunset, the ocean, the mountains, the moon, the stars, a rainbow. Embrace the Creator of the universe. Embrace the beauty of His creation, His magnitude, His greatness, His love. Embrace life, knowing the creator has a plan even when you don’t always understand it or see it. Embrace His Word when life doesn’t make sense.

Welcome to PRS :-) You will not regret it!

Hello Everyone! We are PRS, otherwise known as Purple Ring Society :-)

PRS is a network of modern Professional women; who are enriching their communities by elevating, uniting, and inspiring themselves and others.

PRS strives to be well known in the community for being diverse and an effective leader in the Denver Metro Area. Our vision is to have different chapters in different locations in Colorado and to have sub-chapters within main chapters to cater to younger women. Help us build our vision!

Before we build... we are getting the community familiar with our name by serving in the community and having a strong facebook and twitter presence!

Find our group on Facebook: Purple Ring Society

Find PRS on Twitter @PurpleRing00

There will be many more blogs but we just wanted everyone to know what we are about! On this blog you will see:

• Inspiring words, quotes and stories for women
• Business events, networking and info about upcoming businesses
• Interesting facts and fun information
• Beauty tips for women
• Community events that you can be apart of
• Pictures of the events we attend
• Diet tips
• movie / restaurant recommendations
• Much much much more!!!!

Thank you so much for following and reading please help us grow and refer a friend. Stay tuned as we continue to construct the site to exactly where we want it!

Have a great week!