Craft ideas for Christmas

Christmas is here. All are gearing up for the upcoming Christmas Party and busy in decorating Christmas trees and houses. I have brought a simple and easy craft idea this time.

Here i will show you how to make these jingle bells in few easy steps

All u need is a carton, red velvet( or ordinary ) sheet and satin( to make bow), glue, some fresh leaves, golden glitter or cello tape

Lets get started off. First cut out the carton in the shape of a bell like this.

Take the red velvet paper and cut two pieces in the same shape but bit bigger in size, which covers on the sides too(because the carton is bit thicker than the normal chart paper)

Stick it on both the sides. In order to detail, put golden glitter or golden cello tape if you have at the bottom of the bell. You can highlight the borders even.

Make a cute little bow with the red satin and paste it at the tip of the bell

You can even try the shape of three bells together in the same way

Make a small hole at the tip and thread it through a simple thread or satin to hang. Collect some fresh pine leaves or christmas tree leaves, bunch them and fix them

So the bells are ready!

Happy Christmas!

Tambola-Luck by Chance!

This post is inspired by a game i played yesterday and was lucky to win some perks too. By seeing the picture of the ticket you must have figured out the game am telling about.

Yes, it is the favorite of all, Tambola (also known as Bingo or Housie-Housie).

Do include this game in your kitty party or whenever organizing a party for a smaller or a larger gathering. It will be real fun. There are many variations not only in the game but also in calling out the numbers too.

Variations of Tambola: The simple game of Tambola includes three lines (Top, Middle, Bottom) and two or three Full Houses. You can bring in some fun with these variations like..

Fastest five - One who cuts the five numbers in a ticket first.

Fastest seven - One who cuts the seven numbers in a ticket first.

King's corner - the first number in each line (in the above ticket 5,28,6)

Queen's corner - The last number in each line (in the above ticket 80,77,82)

Four Corners - The 4 corner numbers of the ticket (in the above ticket 5, 6, 82, 80)

Lines can be called twice.

Number of Full Houses can be increased.

How to Call Out Numbers?

There are numerous ways of calling out numbers in Tambola. Use your creativity in forming theme based Tambola like Tambola based on Bollywood movies and songs, Christmas (or Diwali / Holi) theme based Tambola, sports based Tambola, musical tambola, wedding theme Tambola, valentine themed so on. You can even call out the Tambola numbers in Hindi or any local language. You can bring in naughty and funny variations in the calling of housie numbers.

Here are few sets of calling out numbers. If you want, you can request for the complete access of these sets.

1st Set

1 At the beginning, first on the board, lone ranger

2 Kaala dhan, one little duck, baby’s done it

3 Happy family, goodness me

4 Hum doh humare doh, 2+2=4

5 Punjab mail no.5

6 Bottom heavy, In a fix

7 Lucky seven, One hockey stick, David Beckham, Colours of rainbow, saat sur, saat janam, days in a week

8 One fat lady/major

9 Doctor’s time

10 Badmash, A big fat hen

Continued here

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2nd Set

1 Kelly's eye - Buttered scone - At the beginning - First on the board - Number Ace

2 One little duck - Baby's done it - Me and you - Home alone - Peek a boo
3 Dearie me - I'm free - You and me - Goodness me - Monkey on the tree
4 The one next door - On the floor - Bobby Moore - Shut the door
5 Man alive - Jack's alive - One little snake
6 Tom Mix - Tom's tricks - Chopsticks - In a fix
7 Lucky seven - One little crutch - David Beckham - One hockey stick
8 Garden gate - Harry Tate - One fat lady - She's always late - Sexy Kate
9 Doctor's orders
10 Downing street - Cock and hen (rhyming) - Uncle Ben (rhyming) - Gordon's den (number 10 has - over the years - used the names of various prime ministers) - A big fat hen

Continued here

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3rd Set

1 Heads the chart / At the Beginning

2 One Little Duck / Me and You – So called because the number 2 is a swan-like shape.
3 Cup of tea / You and Me
4 Knock at the Door
5 Man Alive
6 Tom's tricks / Tom Nix
7 Lucky Seven / God's in Heaven
8 One Fat Lady / Golden Gate/ Garden Gate
9 Doctor's Orders 
10 Tony's Den. Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street (changes with each Prime Minister).
Continued here

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Here is an interesting Bollywood theme number calling or Bollywood based Tambola wherein the numbers are formed form the movies and songs.  

[The numbers can be called out in a dramatic way you like..]

1 Don / Baazigar / Badshah / Ek akela is Sheher mein...

2 Do Raaste / Aankhein / Do dil mil rahe hain..magar chupke chupke...

3 3 Idiots

4 Krazzy 4
5 Hum Paanch / Paanch Rupaiya baara ana...(Chalti ka naam gadi)

6 Dilli 6

7 Saat Khoon Maaf / Saat samundar paar me tere peeche peeche aagayi..

10 Dasvidaniya

11 Ek Aur Ek Gyarah

12 Barah Mahine.. Barah Tarike Se... (Song from movie Ready)

Continued here 

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A Holi based Tambola can be constructed in a much easier and simpler way. Allocate each number from 0-9 a different colour of your choice, like

0 - White     5 - Orange
1 - Red          6 - Pink
2 - Blue         7 - Black
3 - Green      8 - Brown
4 - Yellow     9 - Purple
Now you can call any number using this basic set. For ex. 20 is Blue and White, 73 is Black and Green, 95 is Purple and Orange...

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A Story based Tambola is one where you can weave a story using numbers. The occasion can be anything, a birthday party, baby shower/godhbharai, wedding etc. Here is one example for you, I created this Tambola story for a kid's birthday party with the Candy Theme..

Hello everybody, welcome to the Candyland…a land full of yummy and colorful candies you could ever see. This is a tale of little fairy Dayana, who is 1 today and her brother Dack who is 5 years old. Our cute princess arrived in this world on 16th April. As you know April is the 4th month of the year. She is our number 2 child. Dack was on cloud 9 when he saw her first time. 24 hours a day, he has been waiting for her arrival and play with her. He had 15 presents ready for her. He wanted to buy 35 more so that would make 50 presents but he controlled. The complete story here

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Christmas Themed Tambola : You can have a tambola with all Christmas related things like Christmas tree, Santa clause, jingle bells, holly and much more...in this Christmas themed number calling. For ex
1. Star on my tree, leads the way, number 1
2. 'Tis the season to be jolly, Merry Christmas no2
3. Three Wise men who followed the star to find Infant Jesus
4. Trim the Christmas tree to no4
5. Infant in Bethlehem
6. 3 pairs of Reindeer marching towards you no6
7. Hang your stockings to no7
8. O holy night, shine and bright no8
9. Candy to my cane no9
10. Glory to the newborn king no10
11. Jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way, the bells ring no11

continued here

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And here comes the Desi version/ Hindi version of the game Tambola...(though it's incomplete)

1. Sabse aage, sabse tez, badshah, no1
4. Single chor/ gale ka haar, No. 4
5. come for a drive, lagaao high-fives
7. Lucky no/ poori karoonga apni baat, tumhare saath
8. Mota pet
10. maanoongi tumhe apna hero, kaato one and zero; Sachin mera hero
11. paidal party, chalte chalte

12. dil ko lagta hai koi pyaara, no 12 mein hoon tumhara

13. kuch kehta hai dil mera tera, bas ruk gaya paas terah

Rest of the numbers here

And for those of you who have no idea about this game, this is an interesting and simple game wherein you have to cut the number being called out, if it exists in your ticket. And if you get the correct combinations, you win.

Do share your interesting experience with this 'Luck by Chance' game of Tambola or Bingo:)

Check these out :

Theme Parties - (Bollywood Night, Rainbow, Floral, Casino Night, Sports Day, Arabian Nights, Mirch Masala, Valentine's Day)
Couple Games  |  Party Games for Kids  |   1 Minute Games  |  General Party Games  |  Song Translation Game(English to Hindi)  |  Party Games for Individuals

How to do Surya Namaskar?

As requested by one of my reader Sucharita, here are some more details about

Surya Namaskar(Sun Salutation). As the name indicates it is a salutation to

Lord Sun. It is usually done both at sunrise and sunset, facing the Sun after

reciting the following verse:

Hiranmayena Patrena Satyasyapihitham Mukham,

tat tvam Pusan Apavrunu Satya-Dharmaya Drstaye II

Like a lid to a vessel, O Sun, Your

Golden orb covers the entrance to Truth.

Kindly open the entrance to lead me to Truth.

Surya Namaskar must be performed at some open and airy place. Perform slowly without feeling tired(fatigue) or panting and puffing. Remember the 3 things i had mentioned in my earlier post.

One complete cycle of Surya Namaskar is shown below. Such 12 cycles should be performed, chanting one mantra before the start of each cycle.

Also check How To Do Pranayama

These Mantras are as follows:

OM MITRAYA NAMAH OM RAVAYE NAMAH OM SURYAY NAMAH OM BHANAVE NAMAH OM KHAGAYE NAMAH OM PUSHNE NAMAH OM HIRANYA GARBHAYE NAMAH OM MARICHAYE NAMAH OM AADITYAAYA NAMAH OM SAVITRE NAMAH OM ARKAYA NAMAH OM BHASKARAYA NAMAH STEP 1: Stand straight with chest and spine erect looking forward. Bring your palms together in prayer position. Exhale. STEP 2: As you inhale, raise your arms overhead, keeping your palms together and stretch back. STEP 3: Exhale and then bend forward until your hands touch your feet. STEP 4: As you inhale, step the right leg back, arch back and lift your chin. STEP 5: Exhaling, step the left leg back into plank position. Keep your spine and legs in a straight line and support your weight on hands and feet. STEP 6: Retaining the breath, lower your knees, your chest and then your forehead, keeping your hips up and toes curled under. STEP 7: Inhaling, stretch forward and bend back. Keep your arms straight. STEP 8: Exhaling, curl your toes under, press down into your heels, and lift your hips. STEP 9: As you inhale, bring your right leg forward, with the top of the foot stretched out flat on the floor, and lift your chin. STEP 10: Exhale and then bend forward until your hands touch your feet. STEP 11: Inhaling, stretch your arms forward and over your head. Slowly bend backward from the waist.    STEP 12: Exhaling, gently come back to Tadasana.