Holly, jolly tips and tricks for the holidays!

Food -

Don’t make everything from scratch – cheat a little with quality premade delicious treats and sides.

If you decide to cook everything get most of your side dishes and desserts done ahead of time.

You don’t need 6 side dishes - pick 2 or 3.  

Put out a bar so people can make their own drinks.

Say yes to help in the kitchen!

Travel -

Ship gifts ahead of time.  

At the airport pack your food and toiletries in their own separate zip lock bags so you clear security easily.

Pack fun toys or candy for the kids.  

Load up your iPhone or tablet with lots of games, music and books.

Day of the party -

If politics are too much to talk about - plan an activity. Make ornaments, decorate cookies, play a game or grab the old photo books and go through them. Create something to do to avoid the discourse.

Set the table ahead of time and set out the serving dishes too.

 If the standard gift exchange is getting old – go with a theme – white elephant, flip flop exchange (I’d say socks but we are here in SoCal and we are in flip flops more than socks!), cooking spice exchange, snack/cookie exchange, favorite Christmas movie or favorite candy!  There are lots of fun possibilities – get creative.

Again, if people ask to help clean up just say YES!

Merry Christmas! 

Glass Balls and Sugar Shock

Once again, it’s Christmas time and it’s all about our boys and the family over the holidays. This year, shockingly, we got our Christmas game on early. The tree is up and the house is decorated.  Older kids who can help set up the decorations, make it all easier. Except, when it comes to the glass balls. 

The other night both boys were playing with the snow globes (which are glass) and a bunch of my Great Grandma’s glass antique ornaments. After asking twice to quit playing with it all I caught myself yelling in frustration, “Stop playing with all the balls!”, which was followed by hysterical laughter from all my guys.

This weekend is cookie making, per their request. The last time we tried cookie making too much flour was put in the batter and it was a total mommy fail.  

We’ll try the cookie baking again because it’s Christmas and they love to decorate. OK who am I kidding, they love to eat all the frosting and sneak cookies until they are in sugar shock. Maybe this year we should toast to great memories, glass balls and sugar shock! 

Merry Christmas

For the first time in a long time I’m ready for it – I think, OK, I hope.  It is the middle of the month and the interior and exterior of our house is decorated.  The tree is up and decorated with a ridiculous amount of ornaments just like my Great Grandma Veary’s tree.  Her tree was the most decorated tree I’ve ever seen – it had so many ornaments on it you couldn’t tell it was fake!   Our Christmas cards are done – addressed, stamped and mailed! Thanks to my husband, most of the gifts are ordered and being delivered. I’ve even started wrapping the presents.   This year I actually feel in control of the madness and I’m not so stressed.  I have even planned to make cookies with the boys this weekend.  Cookies from scratch!   I have a sense of calm this year and which has led to organized holiday fun. It’s a good feeling, a Christmas feeling and I’m going to roll with it!


Merry Christmas!