INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you want to expand the door decorations beyond the door itself, consider hanging seasonal garlands (often made from evergreen boughs or artificial pine-needles) or tinsel around the doorframe. You can also drape the seasonal garlands or tinsel around the exterior entryway or porch of your home. Hang the garlands or tinsel using push-pins, to avoid the unsightly holes that nails or screws will leave in your woodwork. Make the most of your space by decorating not only the doorframe itself, but also the area in beside the door with larger items that will be easily noticed. Place a large nativity scene, or Santa or nutcracker doll beside the door. If you'd prefer a more woodsy look, stack birch or aspen logs beside your door. If you've chosen a decorative themewhich could include snow and snowflakes, Christmas ornaments, woodsy evergreens, or a rustic lookmake sure that your decorations around the doorframe are consistent with the theme. If you live in an area that's unlikely to receive snowfall during the winter, but still want your seasonal decorations to look wintery, consider spraying items such as an evergreen wreath or Christmas garlands with a white or silver spray paint. A touch of white will make your decorations look woodsy and wintery. Holiday or craft stores will also sell sprays designed to look like thick snow. If you'd prefer more of a textured look, purchase a can of fake snow and spray this on your wreath or other decorations. As with any aerosol spray, do not spray towards your face or inhale the vapors. Spray in a well-ventilated area, and never near an open flame.

SUMMARY: Drape garlands or tinsel. Add wintery paraphernalia around the doorframe. Use white spray paint to create a faux-snow look.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Practically every U.S. state allows adoptees to view non-identifying records surrounding their birth and adoption. These include information such as birth date and time, general physical characteristics and ages of the parents at that time, stated reasons for adopting out the child, and more. They don't have any information that can be quickly or easily used to track down birth parents, but such records can narrow the search considerably and provide a good starting point. Depending on where you were born, your identifying adoption records (that is, records that include names and addresses) may be open, meaning that you can request and view them to find out more about your heritage. However, to protect adoptees and biological parents alike, some states strictly seal their identifying adoption records. Still other states operate on a "mutual consent" principle, meaning that your birth parents would have to have granted their consent before you could access identifying records. Reunion registries aim to get around the problem of sealed adoption records by connecting adopted people with the parents who put them up for adoption when they were younger. People post details about themselves and scan each others' posts trying to find likely matches. Reunion registries can and do work; however, they're only effective when both parties know about them and are willing to post in them. The most popular reunion registry collection is at http://reunion-registries.adoption.com/. In some cases, if there's a lot of resistance from other parties or the government, and you're particularly determined to learn more about your past, legal maneuvering and activism can become useful tools. There are various organizations that staunchly support the right of adoptees to learn about their genetic history, and provide resources and knowledge for those engaged in a struggle to win that right. Chief amongst these is Bastard Nation, "the adoptee rights association." Bastard Nation advocates for adoptee rights and provides access to in-depth knowledge about the legal rights of adoptees in every state. Their website is at http://www.bastards.org/. The cold truth is that not every biological parent welcomes contact from children they adopted out. Such contact can be seen as disruptive or invasive, especially in cases where the fact of the adoption was kept a secret from their current family and friends. Some states actually require counseling before allowing adoptees access to identifying records, to ensure that they understand this fact. Whatever you do, tread gently and reach out cautiously before you take a plunge into an impromptu meeting or call. In almost all cases, hiring a private investigator won't be worth the money. Freely available knowledge and resources will usually carry you at least as far as a private investigator will, in this sort of work. That said, there may be some situations where outside assistance is called for; in those cases, be very careful and do your homework before hiring anyone. Be sure your terms are clear, and that the investigator has a strong positive reputation so that you don't end up getting scammed. As with any contract for services, be sure you get a copy of your investigation contract in writing, and review it with a lawyer before signing it.

SUMMARY: Check non-identifying records. Check identifying records. Look into reunion registries. Learn your legal options. Be aware of the risks. Avoid investigative services.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You'll want to familiarize yourself with some southern speech mannerisms so that you'll know what people are talking about. Try to incorporate some of these phrases into your vocabulary as well. "Taters" - as in sweet 'taters, mashed 'taters, etc - refers to potatoes. "Light'nin bugs" are fireflies. "Y'all" is a standard contraction for "you all." "Amen!" is frequently used to express agreement. "I reckon" is a common substitute for "I guess" or "I suppose." Terms of endearment, such as sweetie, darlin', sugar, and honey, are commonly used by southern belles. While you should never use pet names to refer to your elders, these terms are great for friends, acquaintances, and children. No matter how old you get, a real southern belle will always refer to her folks as Mama and Daddy. Calling your parents anything else will make you stick out like a sore thumb! Swearing is considered both rude and incredibly tacky amongst southern belles. If you must, incorporate alternative, G-rated curse words into your vocabulary, such as "shoot," "darn," and "fudge." Like swear words, all bathroom talk is considered rude and tacky. If you need to use the restroom, simply excuse yourself from the conversation, and if you must, refer to the bathroom as "the powder room."

SUMMARY:
Use southern slang and expressions. Use pet names. Call your parents Mama and Daddy. Avoid using swear words. Never talk about the bathroom.