While Thanksgiving has a number of traditional must-have dishes, #Christmas, #Hanukkah and the other December #holidays are more open to interpretation. Town & Country suggests a range of “iconic” recipes for main courses such as glazed ham, prime rib and Beef Wellington, as well as sides such as candied yams, roasted Brussels Sprouts and glazed carrots. Not feeling a feast? Just make a variety of finger foods, a charcuterie platter or a crock pot of hot soup; there’s bound to be plenty of visiting and gift-giving going on to keep the family busy, not to mention numerous platters of cookies. There’s really no wrong way to do the holidays! #HomemadeHolidayFavorites
Tag: Christmas giving
Have a Holiday Movie Night
When you’re done preparing for the day, the #holidays often include a viewing of a favorite seasonal movie. To make things even more festive, Taste of Home suggests creating a snack or meal that that ties in with your holiday viewing — serve spaghetti and meatballs à la Elf, Clark Griswold’s Christmas Vacation egg nog (saving the turkey neck for cousin Eddie, of course), meatloaf with a side of A Christmas Story, or roast beast like the Whos in Whoville enjoy in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. Whatever your tastes, a movie night can provide respite from the otherwise hectic holiday season. #HomemadeHolidayFavorites
Buy Holiday Tins and Platters at the Thrift
Presentation is half the battle when you’re making cookies or other #holiday treats to #give. Instead of buying new tins, bags and boxes for your edible #gifts every year, visit the local #thrift and #secondhand stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. There, you can find lightly used decorative tins, platters and plates ready to reuse with your homemade #gifts. The resale of all goods #donated contributes to programs that support the nation’s #veterans, and your festive recipes will make you the star gift-giver of the season! #HomemadeHolidayFavorites
Give an Edible Gift for the Holidays
#Homemade presents really make an impression when gift-giving, and the #holidays practically demand an edible gift. Cookies, fudge and peanut brittle are longtime seasonal favorites, or try your hand at making peppermint bark, chocolate truffles or fudge, Midwest Living suggests. When finished, give them to friends and relatives in decorative tins or tied with fanciful bows. Not only will they be thrilled, you won’t have to spend a lot of money to make a memorable #gift. Get the kids involved in the cooking and packaging process or do a cookie exchange, and you’ll create memories that last for years. #HomemadeHolidayFavorites
The Christmas Countdown Begins
At the time of this posting, there are just 27 days — less than a month — until #Christmas. If you celebrate #Kwanzaa, you get an extra day to prepare, but those celebrating #Hanukkah will need to be ready just nine days.
You may view the #holidays as the most wonderful time of the year, but with that wonder comes a lot of additional expectations and stress. You need to get gifts for the family, go to the office party, plan a big family feast, send cards, bake cookies — and time is running out!
Take a moment to collect yourself. “You can only do so much,” says The Mayo Clinic. “Be realistic with how much you can handle this season. Forget about perfection, and relax and enjoy the company surrounding you.”
Start with a plan. Get the calendar out and write down the most important events and deadlines. Assign days to complete specific tasks such as shopping, baking, cleaning and decorating, but be flexible — things can and will get delayed.
One set of important dates to remember is the shipping deadline for holiday gifts. For merchandise shipped via standard ground services with FedEx, the deadline is Dec. 15, and at UPS and USPS, it’s Dec. 16. Two-day shipping should get the goods to you in time if ordered by Dec. 20.
Keep up on healthy habits, too, so you don’t sacrifice yourself in service to the season. “If you already have a training or exercise routine, don’t let the holiday season throw you off,” says Calendar.com. “Exercise and physical activity can help clear your mind.”
Set expectations that are manageable, and be clear about them with family members and guests. Don’t set yourself up to make a big sit-down feast if you don’t have the bandwidth, for example — you can have a potluck or something even more casual.
Say no when you need to do so, and take time for your own relax-and-recharge sessions, whatever form they may take. Whatever you can manage during the season should be good enough. The clock may be ticking, but it’s your holiday, too.
Have a safe, happy and stress-free season!