TEA LIGHTS WITH A TWIST Looking for a way to spruce up tea lights?

This article from The Telegraph in London--with a great, illustrative photo--shows that simple, inexpensive decorative touches can go a long way.

BUSY DAYS IN INDIA The Hindustan Times provides a first-hand account of New Delhi's hectic wedding season: As many of 14,000 weddings took place on the last weekend in November alone!

HOLIDAY SAFETY The Dolphin (the news outlet of the Naval Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut) offers a useful compliation of holiday safety tips for Christmas trees, candles, etc.

They're all simple tips, but it's worth taking a moment to review them.

TOASTING GUIDE CNN offers a fun piece with do's and don't for champagne toasts. The piece is timed for New Year's Eve, but the tips apply to any occasion. Among the recommendations:

One thing to keep in mind, if you are planning to toast a guest of honor at a party, it is proper to wait until after the host has had the opportunity to do so. If you think the host has no intention of making one, then request to make one yourself. When the time comes, get the room's attention by simply asking everyone in the room for a moment of their time. You may want to avoid gently tapping on a glass with a spoon -- you don't want to break it!

PARTY BUDGETING ROUNDUP Here's an article with a number of money-saving wedding tips.

And this piece from the Idaho State Journal offers some helpful advice to people planning holiday gatherings on a tight budget.

WORD IS SPREADING Even the Associated Press notices the trend:

"Money doesn't buy chic class,"Mattie said. "I've been to some pretty expensive weddings that were tacky." Frugal brides are bucking a trend. Before World War I, the average wedding was one-third of a family's median annual income, but cost as a percent of income has been rising ever since, said Alan Fields, co-author of Bridal Bargains. Kelly Hamilton, owner of a consignment shop called I Do Bridal in Chicago, said some brides come to her with "sticker shock." "They realize they're only in that dress for 12 hours and $5,000 later, they've got a dress that's sitting in a box," said Hamilton, who sells dresses that start at $100. "They would rather spend the money on a honeymoon or furniture."

More here.