Newsletter #105 - Holiday movie ideas; alternatives to Christmas presents; how to make s'mores brownies.

TeenHelp Newsletter #105 - December 24th 2018 - http://www.teenhelp.org

Welcome to the TeenHelp Newsletter! Our Newsletter contains a lot of useful information about our current work, including updates to our site and services, new resources, details of upcoming events, short bits of advice, interesting links and more!

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The Newsletter team would like to wish everyone on TeenHelp and their loved ones a happy holiday.

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TeenHelp regularly makes changes to its site and services. Some of these are large and noticeable, and others are small and much less so, but each one contributes to the positive development of TeenHelp and how our users experience our community. Below are some of the most recent developments.

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The Holiday Resource (December 16th 2018)

The holiday season is upon us and TeenHelp made a fun resource to give you some ideas on what you can do this season and how to cope with any mental health issues that might arise.

http://www.teenhelp.org/holidays/

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Share your views 2018 (December 16th 2018)

2018 is coming to an end and we are asking your opinion on how we can help make TeenHelp more welcoming. This survey is anonymous so please feel free to share your thoughts openly.

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f2-an...-views-2018-a/

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Holiday chat support (December 12th 2018)

The holidays are upon us and for many people they can be a difficult time. This year we have decided to hold a Holiday Chat Support to help those who might struggling at this time. Check out the dates to see if you will be able to attend.

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f2-an...-chat-support/

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"Who can help me?" sticky moved (December 2nd 2018)

The sticky, "Who can help me?" that was previously located in the Depression and Suicide forum has been moved to a new location in the Get Advice section. This resource lists people you may be able to talk to when you are having a difficult time.

http://www.teenhelp.org/getadvice/

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New Newsletter Editor (December 1st 2018)

TeenHelp is pleased to welcome a new Newsletter Editor to the Newsletter Team. We congratulate and wish Frankie (Oh, Bother) all the best in her new position!

http://www.teenhelp.org/newsletter/

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Latest articles (December 2nd 2018)

Creative Gift Wrapping
Creative gift wrapping can add a unique and personal touch to the presents you give to people. This article shares interesting ways to wrap gifts.

Postpartum Depression (PPD)
Postpartum Depression is a type of depression that affects mothers after giving birth. Read this article to learn about the symptoms, causes, and what to do if you or someone you know has postpartum depression.

The difference between anxiety and panic attacks
Many people are unsure about the difference between an "anxiety attack" and a "panic attack." This article explains what each term means, what the differences are, and how to cope.

Who can help me?
It is important to have people you can talk to when you are struggling. Read this article for suggestions on who may be able to help you when you are having a hard time.

http://www.teenhelp.org/articles/

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TeenHelp works with a range of different organisations and websites in order to help and educate young people. Below is a selection of some of them. For a full list of the organisations we work with, please visit our Resources page.

http://www.teenhelp.org/resources/

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The Compassionate Friends

The Compassionate Friends is an organization that provides support to families who are grieving the death of a child. Their goal is to ensure that nobody has to grieve alone and to help families grow and become stronger after experiencing a death.

https://www.compassionatefriends.org

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Each month we share small bits of practical advice that you can implement to improve your life or that of others.

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Holiday movies to watch

Holiday movies are a great way to unwind, spend time with people in your life, and get into the Christmas spirit. Here are a few different movies you could consider watching this holiday season.

• The Santa Clause (1994). The Santa Clause is a movie starring Tim Allen, in which he becomes Santa Clause after accidentally killing a man in a Santa Suit. The depictions of the north pole transport viewers back to their childhoods. People are also able to watch The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and the Santa Clause 3 (2006).
• Elf (2003). Will Farrell plays the role of an elf named Buddy who was mistakenly transported to the north pole and raised by Santa's elves. Buddy decides to go to New York to find his real father. Viewers may relate to Buddy's feelings of being unable to fit in.
• The Polar Express (2004). On Christmas Eve night, a boy boarded the Polar Express and experienced a journey with other children that he'll likely remember for the rest of his life.
• Prancer (1989). Prancer is about an eight year old girl who struggles with the fact that her peers no longer believe in Santa Clause. She stumbles across Prancer, one of Santa's reindeer, and rehabilitates him while bringing the magic of the holiday season to her town. Prancer Returns (2001) is also an option for viewers to watch if they enjoyed the first movie.
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964). Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a classic film that many people have grown up watching. It shows Rudolph's story and his journey. This film is often sold in combo packs with other classics such as Frosty the Snowman and Kris Kringle

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f223-film-television/

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Alternatives to Christmas presents

The holiday season is a time when people give gifts. However, there are times when giving gifts can be difficult. Here are some alternatives to giving out presents.

• Make memories with family and friends. Instead of focusing on the gifts you can give loved ones try and focus on the memories you can make with them. Try and plan activities you can do with family and friends. You can visit Christmas light shows, watch Christmas movies or have a Christmas dinner. Take lots of pictures and you can make a scrapbook.
• Make a need list. It is easy to get caught up in the things our loved ones want but sometimes it's better to focus on what they need. Ask your loved ones for a list of things they need and then purchase them something from the list. You might be surprised by what they need.
• Offer your time. Ask your loved ones if they need help with chores. A lot of the times our loved ones have a lot of chores they could use help with and they'd be appreciative of the time you give to help.
• Give homemade items. There are plenty of homemade items you can give to loved ones. Try looking these items up online and you might find that they are fun to make and are quite appreciated.
• Do secret Santa. Sometimes giving gifts can still be fun but affording gifts for every family member or friend can be difficult. Try and organize a secret Santa with your family and friends. Each person can pull a name and will be able to buy a present for that one person.

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f219-lifestyle/

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S'mores brownies

Their name makes them sound difficult to make, but they are a quick, simple, and great tasting treat to try your hand at this season (or any time of year).

• Gather your ingredients. For these brownies, you will need a baking pan, brownie mix and the ingredients required on the back of the box, graham crackers, and mini marshmallows.
• Line the bottom of the pan with whole graham crackers. You may need to break them into halves or fourths to get them to fit. The bottom of the pan with the crackers is going to serve as the bottom of the s'more.
• Prepare your brownie batter. Follow the instructions on the back of the box, or use your own instructions if you have a homemade recipe that you prefer instead. Next, pour the batter on top of the crackers. Do not mix the crackers and the batter.
• Bake your brownies at the right time and temperature. Brownies typically take a while to bake. During the last ten minutes or so, top the brownies with the desired amount of marshmallows. The marshmallows will easily burn so it is important to add them when the brownies have almost finished baking.
• Remove the brownies and let them cool to room temperature for a better taste. You will know that the brownies are done if you can insert a toothpick and pull it out cleanly. When the brownies are cooled, cut them with a plastic knife and serve.

http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f184-food-recipes/

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A lot of content is posted to TeenHelp every single day, from threads to articles, social groups to albums. But it is difficult for even the most veteran user to keep on top of it all, so we have selected a few items from among the masses that we thought were interesting to draw your attention to.

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Threads

When do you start listening to Christmas Music?
The user of this thread is curious as to when everyone starts listening to Christmas music. Come here to share when you begin listening to holiday music.
http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f224-...ristmas-music/

Refused Birth Control
The user who posted this thread was refused birth control a few months after giving birth to her son. Read this thread to learn about what this user experienced.
http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f6-se...birth-control/

Terrible anxiety involving phone calls
Many people have anxiety related to making or answering phone calls. This thread discusses the fear as well as some suggestions to combat the anxiety people experience.
http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f205-...g-phone-calls/

Why did you choose your username?
People around TeenHelp tend to put a lot of thought into their usernames. Why did you choose yours? Share your thoughts and see what others have to say here.
http://www.teenhelp.org/forums/f35-g...hoose-your-un/

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Social Groups

TH Jedi (Or Sith)
If you are a fan of the Star Wars movies come to this social group to discuss your favorite parts of the movie and if you feel you relate more to the sith's or other characters in the movies.
http://www.teenhelp.org/socialgroups...%28or+sith%29/

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Each month we feature a picture by one of our users. If you would like to see your picture here please contact us by replying to this Newsletter, emailing us at publications@teenhelp.org, or messaging our Newsletter Officer (.:Bibliophile:.) on the website.


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Donate to TeenHelp

In order to continue providing free services to young people around the world, TeenHelp requires a constant income of voluntary donations to support our regular costs. If you are able to, we ask that you please donate any money you can to us, even if it's only a few dollars.

http://www.teenhelp.org/donate/

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Our social networking pages are a great place to get a lot of high-quality information. We aim to connect you to interesting organisations, volunteering opportunities, events, news stories, pictures, videos, and more!

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Editorial team

Publications Team Leader/Editor-in-Chief: Haley (Halcyon)
Newsletter Officer: Jenna (.:Bibliophile:.)
Senior Newsletter Editor: Cassie (cynefin)
Newsletter Editor: Chantal (MsNobleEleanor)
Newsletter Editor: Dez (Melancholia.)
Newsletter Editor: Sammi (Ambedo.)
Newsletter Editor: Frankie (Oh, Bother)

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