Christmas on the Internet

Snowflakes
How to make a 3D snowflake (http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-3D-Paper-Snowflake)

4 ways to cut an elegant snowflake (http://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Elegant-Paper-Snowflakes)

Make a snowflake on MakeAFlake.com (http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Snowflake-on-MakeAFlake.Com)

Elves
Elf yourself (www.elfyourself.com) - upload a picture of yourself and end up looking like a dancing elf.

Christmas Teaching resources
From the Woodlands Junio School (http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/teacher/christmas.html)

Father Christmas
Track Father Christmas on his travels on Christmas Eve at Norad Tracks Santa.

Fertility Facts

• Age is the single most important determining factor of a woman's fertility. The menopause is the menopause and your reproductive system starts ageing much earlier than that.
• As your age goes up, the likelihood of gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and difficulties in labour go up too.
• Older women having babies means more complicated pregnancies, and more babies who are born underweight or premature, which puts strain on maternity services.
• Younger women may be relying too much on IVF as a fallback. The success of IVF is linked to age. The success rate of one cycle of IVF is about 10% for women between 40 and 42, and under 5% for those between 42 and 44. The truth is that most people who try IVF after 40 will fail.

Good Housekeeping, April 2014

Facebook and Twitter for Historical Figures

Some museums have been experimenting with creating fake Facebook pages and Twitter feeds for historical figures connected with their subject focus or local area. If you want to have a go for your museum or village or town, read on.

The tool to create a fake Facebook wall (page) is at My Fake Wall www.myfakewall.com/ - you don't need to have a Facebook account, though it helps if you know what the layout is supposed to look like.

The fake Twitter builder is at http://faketweetbuilder.com - there are various options you can explore.

Phil Bradley in CILIP Update, May 2011

Portion Control (2)

Here are some more tips to help a move to a healthier eating plan.

• Can't say no to cake? Have just a small slice and (my tip) put the rest away, out of sight, and wait 15 minutes. Chances are you'll feel as satisfied as if you had eaten more.
• Cut your food into smaller pieces - it'll take longer to eat, allowing your body to signal that it's full before you have a chance to overeat.
• Switch hands - so if you're right handed, put your fork in your left hand. Having to work on your co-ordination will help you stay focused.
• Take one bite at a time - you'll eat more mindfully if you take small bites, chew them thoroughly and finish them one by one.

Good Housekeeping, June 2013

Frequent Swimmer Hair Care

If you are a frequent swimmer, you may find that the chlorine in swimming pool water leaves your hair dry and frizzy, and may even affect the colour of coloured hair. So here are a few tips from a trawl around the Internet.

1. Wet hair before your swim. Your hair takes up the water making it less easy for it to absorb the chlorinated water.
2. Some people also apply some conditioner or a small mount of a light oil (olive or coconut).
3. Wear a swim cap - this will keep much of your hair from contact with the chlorinated water.
4. Shampoo your hair well after swimming (even just a good rinse is better than nothing).
5. Then apply conditioner.
6. Leave to dry naturally - a microfibre towel is kind to the hair and it is best not to use a hairdryer.
7. Between swims, some people also recommend using a leave-in conditioner daily and a deep conditioner weekly.

25 Sep. 2014: If you look for them, there are some shampoos formulated for swimmers' hair care; examples are UltraSwim products and the Boots Sun, Swim & Gym range.

28 Jan. 2016: Before you swim, try putting on Philip Kingsley Swimcap, a protective, water-resistant cream, available from Marks & Spencer, £18.