Merry Christmas

This next week (starting tomorrow), we will have our kids and their families start to arrive in anticipation of celebrating Christmas at our house. Games will be played, hugs will be shared, prodigious amounts of food will be consumed, presents will be exchanged, and memories will be made. Our little home will host 17 people and two dogs, all coming and going and bumping into each other.

Central to our family's celebration is Christmas Eve, when we will gather in the living room and I will read the traditional Christmas story from the Bible. Three generations will listen to the story that has been told for centuries, contemplating the import of a babe lying in a manger.

For me, that is what Christmas is about. I really enjoy the decorations, the anticipation, the music, the lights, and the way everyone is just a bit nicer while wishing well to one and all. For me, though, it all pales in comparison to that first Christmas gift, offered in the humblest of circumstances to all the world.

I know that not everyone sees Christmas in the way I do. That's OK. You may not even believe that the gift of a child was necessary or of any real meaning. That's OK, too. I don't fault anyone their beliefs or their celebration.

Regardless of your beliefs or how you celebrate, what I wish for you is happiness, joy, and peace. I wish you a warm hearth and a full pantry. I wish you health and reciprocated love. I wish you the best that life has to offer.

From me to each of you, may you have a merry Christmas.

—Allen

WordTips (ribbon) for 21 December 2024

Finding and Replacing in Headers and Footers

If you need to make replacements in your document, the Find and Replace tool is the go-to option. If you want to replace text in more than just the main document, however, then you'll appreciate the ideas presented in this tip.

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(Thanks to Michael Avidan (MVP), Veronica Pavia, and Alicia Bardsley for contributing to this tip.)

Printing Document Properties

Word maintains quite a bit of information about a document in a special collection of items called "properties." You can print these properties whenever you print your document, if you so desire. Here's how to do it.

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Become a Mail Merge Wizard

Do you want to become a mail merge magician? Discover everything from the basics to being able to complete all your documentation needs—it's all here! Experience the magic today!

Suppressing Endnotes

Endnotes are a beneficial necessity for some documents. If you want to print a copy of the document without endnotes, though, you may wonder how to get the clean copy you desire.

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Automatically Inserting Brackets

Want a fast way to add brackets around a selected word? You can use this simple macro to add both brackets in a single step.

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WordTips YouTube Channel

Do you like to learn visually? Make sure you check out the WordTips YouTube channel. New videos are added weekly. (I typically try to add them on Tuesdays and Thursdays.)

New video: Counting a Particular Word
Need to know how many times a particular word appears in a document or a portion of a document? Here's a handy trick that will tell you the count, using a tool with which you are already familiar.

New video: Resetting Tab Stops to the Default
If you get a document that has all sorts of wonky tab stops defined, it is an easy task to get rid of them all and set everything back to the default. This Quick Tip walks you through the process.

Help Wanted

This section is for those having problems making Word behave. If Word is giving you fits, feel free to submit your own Help Wanted question.

If you have a solution for the problems below, click the link after the problem to send us your answer. (All responses become the sole property of Sharon Parq Associates, Inc., and can be used in any way deemed appropriate.) If your response is used in a future issue, you will be credited for your contribution to the answer.

Resetting Word

I just started working at a small company, so I inherited a computer (and Word) from the person I replaced. The previous employee configured tons of Word's settings to his liking, which I understand. Is there a way to "reset" Word to its default settings so I can get back to a state where I can start making changes according to my preferences?
—Nancy Hughes (provide an answer for this Help Wanted question)

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