It’s the Big Day: An Important Christmas Message

I hope you, your families and friends have a delightful, memorable, and special day that you will remember fondly for years to come. – Elle

1 Day Until Christmas: Why Do I Fall for It Every Year, Do You?

It’s Christmas Eve. By the time I will have finished writing, and publishing this post it will be Christmas Day my time. Why, you may ask am I posting in the middle of the night? It is for one simple reason…I fell for it….again. All day today I fell into the Christmas Eve trap. Everyone was out and about. In the malls, boutiques and grocery stores. As I sat in my home comfortably stress free this morning, my mind started to wander and asked: “Did you buy enough gifts for so and so? Better go out today and get a little something more. Plus, the grocery and liquor stores are closed tomorrow, so you better stock up as if the next ice age is approaching within 24 hours as we will not be able to leave our home until the second Mesozoic era.” I spent more money today (in miscellaneous and food) then I had on all the presents I already purchased for my family. As a result of my inability to go against the cultural grain (and my unfounded need to not be labeled “cheap”) I became increasingly crabby as Christmas Eve progressed. Now it is almost Midnight (my time) with presents still unwrapped, and a bare tree standing in front of me (that may never see a string of lights or a glittery ornament this year). Then in the quite of this Christmas Eve night I realized Christmas is coming whether I am prepared or not, and Stressed is Desserts spelled backwards. Since the latter is the case, then I can’t take the Stressed all to seriously. Maybe this is the Christmas miracle, realizing that “Yes” once again I fell for it, and “Yes” I’m still not ready for (now today) to be here, but nonetheless I’m accepting what is. No more fighting the inevitable next day’s arrival. No more guilty feelings about how much I spent and did not decorate. Rather Desserts and Christmas peace in the middle of chaos is what I am choosing to embrace. That beats being Stressed any day. So if you are like me Let go…and let it be a very,

Merry Christmas!!!!

2 Days Until Christmas: the History of Foul Food, Hitting, and St. Nicholas’ Bones that Were Our Christmas Traditions

With Christmas so close at hand, and this little countdown I’ve created, it got me thinking about the origins of Christmas. I’m not talking about the religious traditions we undertake, but rather the secular ones. I mean it’s 2010. I can’t image Christmas was celebrated in the same as today in the early 19th Century. So to find answers, without having to read up on the subject which would require more work and time than this season and blog allow (and cause I didn’t wanna), I went to Television (the source of all that is factual and true). But, I did not go to just any T.V. source,  I went to the History Channel. What did I find?  I found my answer, in a short video with fun pictures and music that further fuel the Attention Deficit Disorder that is so prevalent in America and those who amble about the Internet.  Let’s just say that boiled wheat, bone ointment (of a Saint no less) and hitting (hopefully) are not a part of our current Christmas traditions. However, if you’re looking to kick it “old skool” for the holidays, your answer is above.

3 Days Until Christmas: Make Sure to Get Egg on Your Face

Eggnog (photo provided courtesy of elanaspantry.com)

There are a lot of things about Christmas I love. Ironically, Eggnog is not one of them. I love creamy, ice cream like drinks. But I have never been able to wrap my taste buds around the egg holiday favorite. I must admit that I’ve only had store bought Eggnogs. That’s why I was thinking this year, I’m going to give the perennial favorite another shot, only this time the shot will be homemade and of different variations. With my goal in mind I did a little Internet research and found, a whole Eggnog website at Eggnog Recipe Collection. It has alcoholic, traditional, easy, low-fat and indulgent Eggnog recipes. This peaked my interest and satisfied the first part of my Eggnog journey. But always wondering if there is something better out there, I perused a little more and  hit on something  that fits my wannabe more of lifestyle from Elana’s Pantry, a vegan gluten free Eggnog recipe. These sites are perfect as I can amass a test kitchen laboratory of different Eggnogs to give my appetite a true opportunity to either deny or exult the tastiness of Eggnog.

I just seems to me that I can’t give up on a food item if I’ve only had the mass produced processed form of it. This year it’s all about the egg (or the almond depending on the recipe), with heavy cream, nutmeg, and bourbon made in my own kitchen. If you like me, do not like Eggnog or are searching for an Eggnog to write home to mom about, set up your own test kitchen with your family and you as the testers this very merry holiday.

4 Days Until the Big Day (Christmas): and How not to Pull a Nutty

Keep Calm and Carry On

If you celebrate Christmas one of two things is happing to you right now. Some of you are in organized Christmas bliss because your shopping is done, Christmas cards are sent out, meals are planned and home decorated. Other’s of you, like me, are not done with your Christmas shopping, have a vague idea as to what you are going to cook for Christmas dinner, you haven’t gotten out your Christmas cards (which is probably too late for), and the house is not fully decorated. If you are in the latter group here some ideas I found trolling around the Internet, as well as my own to have a…as I like to call it…a Nutty Free Christmas.

Shop Online: I did this for all the gifts that I have so far. The best part is that they guarantee Christmas delivery (if ordered by a certain time) and you can fill out a card on-line so you don’t have to purchase one (or a Christmas tag for that matter).

Realize Christmas is not like on Television or Movies: Your Christmas will not, nor has it ever been perfect. Your meal won’t be perfect, nor will your kids. And the family fiasco that ensues will not be funny until years later or to the unfamiliar observer.

Take a Deep Breath: Curse while doing so under said breath, and then let it go. Surrender is the key folks. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

Spend what you Can Actually Afford: Have we learned nothing from America’s almost financial ruin? Too many things were put on too much credit. Therefore, if you have credit left don’t use it for gifts for people who will forget about said gift in less than six months. Use cash and a budget. It’s not the size of the gift that matters it really is the thought. You can always see what the thoughtful gifts are. More money does not equal thoughtfulness.

Purchase only Perishable Gifts: I learned this nifty tip from Ina Garten a couple years ago, and have put it into practice since. When I purchase something perishable, like theater tickets or food, I know it will be used. People very rarely let these types of gifts go to waste. I like knowing my money was not wasted. Plus it makes shopping for people so much easier.

Give money to young adults for Christmas: This does not need to be explained if you have a young adult in your family. If you have a small child that will one day be a young adult you’ll learn why this is such a fantastic tip the hard way.

Focus on what Christmas really is about: It’s about getting together, eating and enjoying the company no matter who the company is.

Give Yourself Credit: The fact that you have even gotten a little bit of your Christmas To-Do list completed is worth a celebration. I’ll let you in a little secret: Getting down on yourself makes life much much harder and you much less motivated to continue whatever it is.

Do What Ever You Can with a Drink in your Hand and Great Music in the Background: For my AA friends make sure you have that music on loud and dance it out.

Keep Calm and Carry-On: Enough said.

5 Days Until Christmas: Set Up Your Own Holiday Photo Booth and Watch the Evening Progress

We all take photos of family and friends during the holiday. However, I think it’s time to bring it up a fun notch for the holidays. Yes, posed pictures are nice, but how about your own holiday photo booth? I have to let you know that this great idea is not mine…while I’d like to take credit, I won’t. It is a great idea from Digital Photography School. Don’t worry you don’t have to purchase a photo booth. All you need to do is find a space at the party with a lot of light. Hang a curtain in the background.  Initially start off taking the pictures in the beginning as people arrive, and then leave the point and shoot camera on a tripod on a short timer, so people can revisit the “booth” as the night goes on, on their own. I love this idea. You get to see the progression of merriment. For the complete how-to click here (and above). Needless to say, if all goes right you’ll be talking about these pictures for years.

6 Days Until Christmas: Help for you and your Children to Know What is Happening at the Northpole

It’s almost that time, and I’m excited. But, my enthusiasm wanes in comparison to all the children around the world. So to help your kids, nieces, nephews &c. really get into the count down of Christmas I found a couple of sites they may like. The first site is noradsanta.org. This site is featured in many languages, has it’s own countdown and an interactive Santa village where each building in the village leads to interactive and educational games. What is also great about Norad, is that it tracks Santa on his flight to all the children’s homes throughout the world on the faithful day, using Google earth. You and your kids will love this site. I did. Another great site for the family is northpole.com. It too has an interactive Santa’s village with games, i.e. questions to determine whether you or your children will be on the Naughty or Nice list. It also shows Santa’s favorite Christmas books by age range, along with recipes, and stories that can be read to you or read by you or your child. Take the time this year to get invested with your child in the hope that is Christmas. You won’t regret it. Many of the activities are a good way for you to release the child in you (that never went away) or kill a little time while on your own.

7 Days Until Christmas: the Must Watch Christmas Movie List

Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a feeling. To get that Christmas feeling I make sure to watch the same movies, and some new ones. Movies, especially the right one’s around Christmas instill in me the idea of family, humor, how good life really is, friendship, absurdity, and Christmas miracles. So here is my list of must see movies for your family, you and your friends, you and your partner, or just you.

1. Elf

2. White Christmas

3. Last Holiday

4. A Christmas Story

5. The Holiday

6. Love Actually

7. The Night Before Christmas

8. It’s a Wonderful Life

9. The Family Stone

Those are my foundations, but I’m not exclusive to only these movies during the holidays. What are your must see holiday movies? If you don’t have any, don’t you think it’s time to get some?

8 Days Until Christmas: What Are You Eating Christmas Morning

 

Never-fail Souffle from Saveur (photo credit: Christopher Hirsheimer)

I don’t know about you, but every holiday morning is the exact same for me. I get up, excited about early holiday dinner. But I’m at a complete loss for what I’ll have for breakfast. The breakfast can’t be too light, so I can be satisfied. It also cannot be too heavy, so I can participate in a Spanx worthy meal. So either I have nothing for breakfast or the same old, which seems so dull given it’s a holiday. I mean, shouldn’t every holiday meal be something special. I say: “Yes!” this year. Therefore, this Christmas I’m going to do something different. I’m going to make a Christmas breakfast that is not what I normally eat. Christmas isn’t like any other day, and neither should any of my meals that day either. Here is the caveat. It has to be filling enough, special enough, and easy enough to whip up and eat. I believe Saveur’s Christmas breakfast Souffle (and all their other Christmas breakfast meals fit the bill (mostly…some are intricate). It’s special, guaranteed to be good (I mean it’s from Saveur, I love them), and quick! Click the picture to go to the recipe and see the other Christmas breakfasts. So this is my plan, a special Christmas breakfast to go with a special Christmas dinner. Now, what are your holiday breakfast plans?

 

9 Days until Christmas: Bakers Get Out Your Skills for this Holiday Torte

Ribbon Cake from Bon Appetit

There always has to be a special something for Christmas dinner. Something you don’t make often, you do well, takes time, looks incredible (like you want to smear it all over yourself incredible), and taste even better. This cake, is IT! This little item is know as the The Ribbon Cake around the office of Bon Appetit where this spiced Chocolate Torte delicacy originated. Click the image to go to Bon Appetit and the recipe, but more importantly to learn why this has been their most popular cake for 24 years. Yes, you heard me right. 24 Years!!!  About 12 years ago made a flourless chocolate cake that was on the cover of the current (back then current) Saveur magazine for some guests I was having over. Little did I know the time, patience or energy it would take to make that cake (given that I really a novice and this was my very first foray into fine baked goods. Go big or go home, no). Well it took me from start to finish, about six hours to make that cake. I’m proud to say it looked like heaven and tasted better than that. I have friends who still talk about how good that cake was to this day. In all these years I haven’t felt anything calling me as much as that flourless chocolate cake on the cover of Saveur those many years ago…until now!!

10 Days Until Christmas: creating a Holiday Centerpiece Your Family Can Argue Over (literally)

DIY Holiday Centerpiece: created by Michael George from Epicurious

Chances are for the holidays you have family coming over, and/or friends. Even on Christmas sometimes tensions run high (hopefully not between friends, but rather family). So if great Uncle William is hammered, and Sister Eliza is fuming because Mother Dearest was critical again while at dinner, why not have the festivities surround a gorgeous centerpiece. This do-it-yourself(er) is from Epicurious.com and it’s creator is Michael George (the Artistic Director of FlowerSchool of New York. It’s quite easy to do (for the know how click the picture) and a real room and table brightener. Even in the midst of calm, chaos, anger, annoyance, or drunkenness (disguised as holiday cheer) beauty is always appreciated.

11 Days until Christmas: the Brits have Bridget Jones, Mark Darcy & Crackers

DIY Christmas Crackers

In many parts of Europe, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, Christmas Crackers are a enduring holiday tradition. Not so much in the United States, but I have brought them to our family for this Christmas. If the allure of the “Crack” ing sound and the goodies inside (small trinkets or sweets) prove to put smiles on everyone’s faces, then they will probably be an on-going tradition at my home. Now I purchased my Crackers. You can get them anywhere. But for those of you who want to really put the personal touch on Christmas, click the picture for the DIY Crackers you see here posted on Our Big Earth. This is great project to get kids involved in too. The point is, is that not EVERY THING has to be the same, and that includes Christmas. Inject at least one new thing, for my family it’s the Christmas Cracker…and see if everyone’s reaction warrants a new holiday tradition.