The Twelve Days of Christmas

Just stopping in for a special Sunday post to tell you to head on over to Simply Homemade magazine's blog, where I'm guest posting a simple gift tutorial today.

Simply Homemade asked me to participate in a 12 day long guest posting event; one post for each of the twelve days of Christmas. I picked seven swans-a-swimming, and decided to make a simple swan gift set: a wine bag with six wine charms. Head on over to Simply Homemade for the instructions and pattern download! Make sure to also check out days 1-6, including Lex Smith's hunger-inducing post for six geese-a-laying. Day 8 will continue tomorrow with a post from Kendall, Kate and Emily of Trends with Benefits.  

Spring Break at KT's Refinishing School

If you don't already read KT's blog, you should head over to KT's Refinishing School today! She's doing a Spring Break guest posting event, and yours truly has something special to share about one of my favorite parts of Spring. (aside from seeing flowers like the ones in the photos above!)

Image via Flickr.

You Had Me at Holidays... Mr. CB

This is it, folks, the final post in the You Had Me at Holidays guest posting event! And of course, we're going out with a bang... with a post from none other than Mr. CB himself: Sean! You hear me talk about him all the time, so now it's his turn to speak up and share with you. One of the things I love most about Sean is the importance he puts on preserving memories and reliving them often. His family has plenty memories and traditions to share, and I love to hear about them. Without further ado, and no shame whatsoever, here's Sean with "How I came to loathe triangles…An embarrassing Christmas video."

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During the holiday season, I think many people prefer to surround themselves with the positive memories that they have collected over the years and that they associate with warmth and family. I am no different, and I have so many happy memories of Christmas from which to choose.

I found many such memories by looking at old photo albums. There are photos of family putting up Christmas decorations, catching snowflakes, sitting by warm fires, spending time with each other, and watching delighted faces tearing wrapping paper to shreds. Here are just a few of my recent favorites:

However, I think any Christmas story must take the good with the bad, the magical with the mundane, the delightful with the truly embarrassing. This is why my story today is about how I came to loathe triangles.

It was in this giving and humorous spirit that I wanted to share this brief video clip, which was captured from my uncle Ed’s video camera on Christmas Eve many years ago. I think I was 9 years old at the time.

In the video you can see, from left to right, my older brother Derek, my cousins Erin and Monica, and myself on the right, the one with the triangle.

Now a little background…Every Christmas Eve, my parents, brother, aunt and uncle, and cousins would gather in my grandparents’ basement to celebrate the holiday. We would eat a decadent dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes, fruit jello, warm rolls, and on and on. As children, we would bounce off the walls waiting for the opportunity to open presents while our parents took their time eating, which according to them would wait until “after we wash the dishes” or “after we drive around looking at Christmas lights.” The kids killed time by making forts out of gift boxes or sorting packages by size, shape, smell, or whether the box looked like it contained clothing (those were the least popular).

And of course, we sang Christmas carols.

As a boy, I thought of myself as having a decent singing voice and some musical talent (I had an active imagination). Christmas carols were among my favorite songs to play and sing. To this day, I can listen to Christmas music from September to the end of the year and not become bored.

One Christmas I developed a nasty cold, leaving me unable to speak or sing or even say thank you for the gifts people gave me (It shows how innocent I was that this part bothered me so much). It was a sad Christmas for me, and it felt traumatic at the time that I wouldn’t be able to contribute to our annual Christmas caroling. After some discussion my brother found the perfect role for me, though I didn’t feel that way at the time (judging by the look on my face in the video).

It’s more traumatic now to watch it, but at least I can laugh. This is my exposure therapy and my gift to you. For all of you triangle players, I apologize.

Thinking back, we all have moments of celebration that we wish weren’t captured on film. Without this video of me and my triangle, though, my 9th Christmas would not have been so memorable. Hopefully, this one will make you smile.

Wishing you a memory card full of warm memories this Christmas!

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Thanks for reading, everyone, and Merry Christmas! I'm going to take a few days off to spend time with family... but starting next Wednesday I've got some serious updates for you all! Happy Friday :)

You Had Me at Holidays... Landlocked Bride

Brit from Landlocked Bride recently got married herself, and she's here today to share some of her favorite winter passtimes that our hometown has to offer. Get cozy- she's got a list full of wonderful activities for couples looking to beat the winter blues.

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When the mercury gets low, I love to warm up by sitting inside watching a good Christmas movie, cuddling with my new husband, and drinking a big cup of delicious homemade hot cocoa (more on that shortly). BUT, I also love to take advantage of the romantic (and fun) activities St. Louis has to offer. Although most of them involve bundling up, you can use it as an excuse to snuggle up next to your honey.

Source

Steinberg Ice Rink is a local favorite. This outdoor ice rink is located in the history Forest Park, and has a little concession stand so you can grab a bite to eat, or get a cup of hot chocolate.

Shaw Park Ice Rink is another local fave - located in the heart of the Clayton / Brentwood area.

Santa's Magical Kingdom. Now, while this might be more of a hit with the kids, it is still a ton of fun to get a carload of friends together and check out the intricate Christmas light displays.

Source

Tilles Park. I've been driving through this park since I was a kid. What's even better is the fact that you can purchase tickets to take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the park to see the holiday light display. One I highly encourage you to take advantage of. It's worth every penny, and will give you the best excuse to cuddle up next to your sweetheart under a few blankets while you enjoy the spirit of the holidays.

And, my favorite thing? Hunting for a real Christmas tree. There happen to be several lots all over town, but my absolute favorite, is the Delta Gamma Shining Light Tree Lot. I may be biased (I was a Delta Gamma in college and worked this lot a million times over and still do), but they always have a wonderful selection of trees, wreaths, and garland. Plus, the proceeds benefit the Delta Gamma Center in St. Louis (one of only five in the country). After you purchase your tree, you can head home and enjoy some of this hot cocoa:

The Landlocked Bride's Homemade Hot Cocoa

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup cocoa
• 2 1/2 cups powdered milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Marshmallows
• Hot water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate evenly.

To Enjoy:

Fill your favorite cup or mug half full with the mixture and a few (or a lot of) marshmallows and pour in hot water. Stir to combine.

Keep the remainder of your mix in an airtight container.

Other local holiday attractions

• Way of Lights (at Our Lady of the Snows Shrine in Belleville, IL)
• Wild Lights at the St. Louis Zoo
• Sledding on Art Hill

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 Those of you who are in the St. Louis area have a lot of holiday and winter attractions to attend to... so you better get going! Just one more post for the YHMH guest posting event... come back tomorrow to check it out!

You Had Me at Holidays... Ashton Dene's Antics

Today's  post is from an old friend of mine who I lost touch with after high school. We randomly found each other through a blog I was doing a Clever Betty giveaway on, and had the crazy realization that we know each other from childhood! I asked Ashton to blog for you all because I remember her family being very close, fun-loving and full of holiday traditions. Today she's going to share one of those traditions with you.

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Hi y'all! I'm Ashton from Ashton Dene's Antics and am so excited to be posting during You Had Me at Holidays! Lauren is one of my oldest friends and I love that we've reconnected through the blogging world.

As far as Christmas goes in my family, we have more traditions than most, but I love each tradition and anxiously await getting together with my sisters and parents to celebrate the holidays.

The tradition I'd like to share with you all is the one that really kicks off our Christmas holiday - picking out our Christmas tree. Each year we load up in two cars and head out to the Mule Christmas Tree Farm the day after Thanksgiving. Here are our "rules" for picking out the Albert Family Christmas Tree.

"Albert Family Rules to Picking Out A Christmas Tree"

1. Make sure the whole family (that is in town) makes it out to the tree lot.

The whole family there means that not tree will go uncritiqued in your quest for the perfect Christmas tree!

2. Know *exactly* what you are looking for.

In the Albert family we have a few particulars we look for. A pine cone is a must (insisted by my mom, Jonna), so in previous years we have started bringing a pine cone with us to strategically place in the tree (just don't tell my mom!!). A very, very special find (and christmas tree quest ender) is a birds nest. In past years, we have in fact found this and it is rather magical.

3. To go along with step number 2, height and width are important (the tree has to make it through the door!).Over the years we haven't always had a measuring tape with us, so my sisters and I have come up with a few of our own.

First is the jump test.

If baby sis can jump to the top of the tree... it is too short! (she almost never can jump to the top, but seeing her try and get ups at every tree we like is hilarious if nothing else)

Second is the hug test.

If baby sis can hug the tree (like seen in the picture above)... it is too skinny!

As you can tell, we may be in our twenties, but we are little kids at heart and always want the biggest tree allowed in the house!

4. Always remember where your tree is.

We at the Albert house have found that it is often best to look for Christmas trees when it is cold/snowing out. Our tree selection time is much shorter...instead of the trekking we did this year since it was unseasonably warm.

5. Once you finally decide on a tree...cutting it down is tricky. You should always let your best player go first.

But let everyone get a chance until you reach

Victory and timber is yelled out by all.

6. Enjoy hot chocolate while they do all the necessary shaking/trimming/netting before you take the tree home.

7. Decorate and enjoy for the holiday season.

This is basically a play by play of exactly how the Albert family picks out a Christmas tree, which we have been doing since we are little girls. Each of these steps, as silly as they sound, are actual conversations and activities that take place during our Christmas tree quest.

I hope that no matter if your tree comes from the farm or a box at Target that you get to enjoy the holiday season with people you love.

Merry Christmas!
x, ashton

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See? I love that the Albert family takes their traditions seriously. And this is just one of many! Ashton's dad was actually my high school art teacher, and I have fond memories of blackout bingo and white elephant gift exchanges that he made sure to bring from his family to the classroom. More traditions to come... tune in tomorrow for a St. Louis themed YHMH!

You Had Me at Holidays... Mama Z

Bet you were wondering what kind of blog is called Mama Z, huh? Well... there might be one, but this Mama Z is actually my dear mother, dropping in to tell you about our family Christmas tradition: not having traditions at all! We're a family that likes variety... so each year tends to bring something different our way.

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Christmas is indeed one of the favorites in the Z household (I could almost pass on Halloween, 4th of July and Easter if it meant getting in on more holidays like Christmas.)

When the kids were little, buying presents was so much fun for me, but wrapping them became a challenge (when, where, how to hide them from them, etc.) because we lived in a small ranch-style house and Lauren & Mike knew every nook and cranny of that place.

(One of many family holiday photos; this one's from the late 80's!)

As we all got older, they were allowed to 'place their orders' for what they wanted for Christmas.  If we could have afforded to do so earlier in their lives, we would have taken a few more Christmas family vacations like the year we went to St. Thomas.  In 2003, we arrived just after 10 pm on Christmas Eve; the resort wasn't anywhere near town, public transportation there is almost non-existent, and the only restaurant on site was closed for the holidays!  Starving and a bit testy, a nice Santa-like local took pity on us and whipped up 4 plates of terrific burgers and fries. I can't remember if or what we ate on Christmas Day itself, but I do remember that leaving the snow and travel hassles behind the day before, was very far from our minds in the beauty and warmth of that great place.

We were lucky to do another family vacation in Acapulco several years later (that one went quite smoothly), but none since, as Lauren now lives in St. Louis and Mike in San Francisco and these parents would probably have to spring for the entire bill to get them to join us now.  Thoughts for future gifting??? (***note from Lauren- I'll for sure share photos from these vacations at some point... they've been packed away in our basement until Sean and I move to a place with more space to display!***)

(Mike, Gramma Z, Lauren, Greg, Jason, Grandpa Z in Chicago for Christmas in the mid 90's)

Most other Christmases were spent driving to Chicago to the gramma's homes. We usually had to stay in a hotel, and spent the better part of our times there, driving to and from the west suburbs to the south suburbs, to the north suburbs--exhausting, scary drivers and fighting more snow than Missouri ever gets.  But Gramma Marcy & Papa Ray always had a feast of food, tons of presents, and of course, visits with at least 2 of Lauren & Mike's 4 cousins.  Gramma's meals always included at least 3 meats (one of which HAD to be locally made Polish sausage), her strawberry, creamy jello mold, and her very own homemade pound cake.  I still make every year, those wonderful pecan cups that she introduced me to--and it pains me to see how quickly those little cups are snarfed up when they take so long to make!

(at Grandma J's house for Christmas... late 80's)

For many years, the Heraty Clan (my Irish relatives) was met up in the north suburbs of Chicago for a huge Christmas celebration.  We were only able to make that trip once or twice, and then it moved to a hotel north of O'Hare.  I have 40+ cousins and with all them eventually having families of their own, the crowd grew to a crazy number of people.  Luckily, the Heraty Clan has moved that gathering to the summer as of 2006, when travel for all is so much easier.

(***note from Lauren- the above photo displays what has become a bit of a tradition for us- holiday poppers that contain paper hats and little toys for everyone. One of my favorite parts of Christmas that was passed to us through the family friends who are also in the above photo!***)

Seems like all in all, every year had to be a different scenario because, as an ICU RN, I'm required to work the holiday every other year, and alas, 2010 is my year once again.  Happy Holidays to all and safe travel, Rosemary Z (with love from Papa Z too)

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This year we'll have a fairly uneventful Christmas since my mom has to work, but sometimes that is my favorite way to celebrate- on the couch, in pj's all day with plenty of food, a fire and Netflix... plus a pup to greet Mama Z with a lick when she gets home. We're not done yet... stay tuned tomorrow for more YHMH goodness! 

You Had Me at Holidays... Pizzelles Bakery

Today's  post if from Brandi of Pizzelles Bakery and Not Your Average Ordinary. I stumbled upon NYAO a long, long time ago, before I even knew what Google Reader was, and fell in love with the ethereal images that Brandi includes in many of her posts. To my utter amazement, Brandi somehow makes the time to blog at Pizzelles Bakery as well, which is a foodie's dream. She's here today to tell you about one of her cooking endeavors.

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There are few things I adore more than a really versatile dish. These vanilla roasted pears are
one of those: they’re perfect on their own or on top of ice cream. They would even be a delicious addition to a cake, French toast, oatmeal... The autumn may belong to the apple, but the pear ismy winter fruit.

I made this dish for the first time last winter, when I was home from San Diego and was spending some time with my boyfriend and his family at their home. At this point, I get full run of the kitchen when there’s something I want to make, and they benefit by being my test subjects on many new recipes.

Everything about these pears was delicious. They were warm enough to sweep that winter chill away and sweet enough to be dessert without being overly sweet. The best part? The recipe is also phenomenally easy. I think you’ll fall in love.

Vanilla Roasted Pears
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
1 1/2 pounds (about 4-5) ripe and fragrant but still firm, medium Bosc pears (any variety will
work but Bosc are my favorite; halve them through the stem and core)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons water
2-3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, place the sugar. With a sharp knife, split a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out into the bowl, stirring them into the sugar. In a baking dish, arrange the pears with the cut side up. Sprinkle evenly with lemon juice, then with the sugar. Cut the vanilla bean half you used in half lengthwise again and then in half widthwise. Hide these pieces in among the pears. Pour some water into the baking dish and put a small amount of butter onto each pear.

Roast the pears for 30 minutes, spreading the pan juices over them every 10 minutes or so. After that time, turn the pairs over and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, brushing them with the pan juices regularly. Finished pears should slice easily when cut a knife.

(recipes originally discovered on Smitten Kitchen, slightly modified)

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Hello, tastiness! I hope you'll try Brandi's recipe, and go visit her blogs to find more! Come visit here tomorrow for another YHMH post.

You Had Me at Holidays... Princess Lasertron

Today's post is from Meg, aka, Princess Lasertron. I adore reading her blog, which is filled with stories of her business endeavors, personal aspirations and the oh-so-adorable Alice, her 7 month old baby. She's here tell you about sharing the holiday spirit with her coworkers: team building with sprinkles.

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My name is Megan and I'm so excited to be doing a guest post today! You may knows me as Princess Lasertron, which is the business I started in 2005 to create accessories and the original felt flower bouquets for brides who were looking for alternatives to traditional options out there in the market. This year I also launched my first line of wedding and party dresses. What you may not know is that I'm also the owner of a creative coworking space called CAMP that I share with my employees as well as other local entrepreneurs. One of my favorite things to do in our studio space is surprise my coworkers with little parties to thank them for their hard work and support.

A few days ago we had a simple cookie decorating party that you could easily host for your office over lunch, for your friends after work, or for your kids during winter break!

I made a few batches of my favorite sugar cookie recipe at home. If you don't have time for this, you could definitely use store-bought dough. The point isn't to stress yourself out, so do whatever is easiest and most enjoyable for you.

I made a big bowl of my favorite white icing and brought some food coloring along with extra cups and knives to mix colors, and several containers of sprinkles, chocolate chips, pretzels--anything I had in my pantry to decorate cookies with! Everybody at the studio had a really fun time, and as word spread through Twitter, some of our friends from around town started showing up to help eat our handiwork!

So, that's one of my new favorite holiday traditions. It's nothing over-the-top or special, and it only takes an hour or so of preparation. I rolled out a simple cookie recipe, used social media to spread the word about a cookie decorating party, and let the natural flow of conversation and glad tidings take over from there!

xo
meg

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 Thanks a bunch, Megan! Who else is ready to break out the cookie dough? Stay tuned next Monday for another FULL WEEK of You Had Me At Holidays guest posts. Happy Friday, everyone!

You Had Me at Holidays... Finely Young

Today's post is from Ashlee of Finely Young. Ashlee and I work together at my day job; she's a graduate assistant. Ashlee recently jumped on the blogging train and I'm excited to see what kinds of classy things she decides to share with the world. She's here today to tell you about the evolution of holiday gift giving- couple style. 

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I was flattered when Lauren asked me to post. I don’t necessarily have some crazy wisdom to share but instead thought I’d share some self-reflection in hopes that it will inspire others to be better. Here goes.

I am lucky enough to have been with my wonderful husband for close to five years. For those who are curious, a quick breakdown: dating 3 years, engaged 1, married 1 = 5. As the holiday season fast approaches, I find myself thinking of Christmases of yesteryear with fond nostalgia and an empty wallet. I have also sadly realized that while I started out strong with gifts for the love of my life, I quickly faded. I usually pride myself on my gift giving abilities so this revelation is particularly heartbreaking.

Our first Christmas, the first in which we declared our love we went a bit overboard.

Remember this now ancient piece of Apple hardware? You can’t even buy cases for these things anymore…I also remember reading way too much into what I was going to put on the personalized message. We hadn’t said the “L” word yet so I panicked and may have used some phrase like “Fondly Yours.” I hope I didn’t really say that.

Second Christmas was my first foray into buying JY new shoes. During this point in time, JY operated under the life rule that you buy one pair of shoes, you wear them out, and you quickly move on. Oh, how times have changed. I am proud to say that he now owns about 15 pairs of shoes…mostly bought by me, but I digress.

Third Christmas, I was pretty college poor so I framed a picture of where we were engaged. Admittedly, kind of lame.

Fourth Christmas, I felt like he needed some new duds and Macy’s was having a friends and family sale (got to love it!), therefore he was given a beautiful North Face jacket. Still looks pretty beautiful because the thing isn’t super warm for Missouri/Nebraska winters. FAIL.

This year I was determined to do it up right. Instead we made the mutual decision to buy new bedding. Never have I felt so married. To verify that other couples do this, I asked around. Apparently it is a married thing to share a gift so I didn’t feel too badly. Still, I couldn’t help but think that he needed something under the tree. I ultimately went with a briefcase since he is graduating from law school in May and with that…I think I have officially reached adulthood. GULP.

In sum, here is a handy diagram. Basically JY started out ballin,’ and ended up with beddin.’ Sorry Babe, I’ll get you next year.

Anyone else seen a similar trajectory within his or her own relationships? Thanks, Lauren for the guest post! I look forward to hearing more about your evolution of holiday gift giving with the fiancée- that lucky devil.

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Thanks, Ashlee! Anyone else notice such a trend in gift giving to your significant other? I sure have... we started out with camera accessories and shiny things, and now we've moved on to "well the trip is our present to each other" or "I'll pay for your new glasses for our anniversary if you promise to get them before our engagement shoot..." There's still plenty of time to make that red line travel in a vertical motion, though, right Ashlee? Stay tuned tomrrow for more YHMH goodness! 

You Had Me at Holidays... Lisa Hessel Photography

Today's post is from Lisa of Lisa Hessel Photography. Yup, that's right. My wedding photographer is so awesome that she's willing to be a part of my guest blogging event! I love the stories Lisa tells with her camera. But I also love reading about her experiences with couples and families as she's taking those photos on her blog. She's here today to share a story about her own family and friends, and the tradition of FRIENDMAS.

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I’m just going to admit it: I’m tired.  Actually, tired doesn’t even describe it.  It’s more like I’m famished for rest. And chocolate too, but that’s neither here nor there.

I’m a professional wedding and portrait photographer, and the wonderful craziness that is 2010 is just about to die down. Hopefully by the end of December, there will be plenty of time to rest and spend time with family and celebrate.  But before we know it, wedding season will be here again (it starts mid-Feburary for me!), and my days will once again be consumed all things wedding.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely and completely love my job and  can’t imagine myself doing anything else… but the 60 days or so of recovery time, however, is quite lovely, and being able to hang out with our friends on a Saturday night is something we cherish. So while the snow is on the ground and the lights are twinkling in the trees, we’re going to make the most of the down time we have and really pack it full of fun, while, of course, leaving just a bit of time for relaxation and the occasional indulgence in a GLEE marathon :).

It’s a given we’ll spend time with our families, and of course we’ll celebrate Christmas at our church, but this year, we’re starting a new tradition.  This year, we’re celebrating Friendmas.  What is this Friendmas, you ask?  And really, that’s a good question, because, to be honest, I’m not quite sure.  

Let me explain.

So, my adorable husband Jon and I have a little boy named Kaden who’s almost two, and he’s quite the delight of our lives.

 We lead pretty busy lives (and “busy,” frankly, is putting it lightly), and as a result, we most times don’t get to see our friends and family as often as we would like. It’s really a shame, and something we’re working on because in the end, we don’t want our lives to be consumed with work and obligations.  We want a life that’s more than that.

And this is where our friends the Chapmans come into play.  Meet Bryce, Carrie and their precious daughter Ruby.  We’ve plotted and schemed for the last two years, and even though they don’t know it yet, Ruby and Kaden will be getting married in about 25 or so years.  Really.  Just you wait and see.

I don’t really remember exactly when it happened, but one day we looked over and the Chapmans were a part of our lives.  They were a fixture, just like they had always been there. We’ve been through the birth of our children together, we’ve weathered storms together, and we’ve eaten pizza from Dewey’s together more times than I care to admit. We live just two blocks away from each other, and I couldn’t be happier to have them as our neighbors.

So this Christmas, we are going to set aside some time to celebrate the season with our two families together. And hence, Friendmas.  I’m a big fan of creating traditions and making memories, and this is what we all hope Friendmas becomes… a tradition full of traditions.  While right now we don’t have a plan for what the first Friendmas will look like, I’ve had some ideas that I think all sound grand.  Here a just a few of my many suggestions:

• Making a breakfast feast for dinner, complete with chocolate chip pancakes, thick applewood smoked bacon, and the most fattening buttermilk biscuits we can make.  And then covering everything in syrup.  New Year’s resolutions will be right around the corner by this time, so why not live it up while we can?

• Making crafts with the kids.  I know they’re not even two years old yet, but can’t you just image how fun it would be for Kaden and Ruby to make a life-sized popsicle-stick manger scene for display at future Friendmas celebrations? Ok, ok… maybe that’s not the most realistic idea for toddlers, but perhaps we’ll think of something more doable.

• Putting the kids to bed and drinking hot totties till the sun comes up.  Ok, I’ll be honest, I don’t even know what a hot tottie is, but I’d really like to find out J.

• Taking lots and lots of little instax photos of the little kids.  Those little photos are way cute.  WAY cute. I took these one Halloween and Thanksgiving, and they melt my heart. 
 

• A Dora and Diego watch party.  It’s my favorite show.  I mean… It’s Kaden and Ruby’s favorite show.

• Some sort of competition.  Whether it’s eating marshmallows, or playing cards, or doing jumping jacks, or drinking hot totties, or racing through the neighborhood barefoot in the snow, there’s not much more exciting than a good competition between friends.  Especially when I get to eat marshmallows.

• Singing Christmas carols around the fire.  Many of you probably don’t know this, but I have an excellent singing voice, and I’ve already prepared a few numbers for party.  Some have compared my vocal prowess to the likes of Celine Dion.  And Carrie Underwood.  With a little bit of Miley Cyrus.  And a healthy dosage of the Celtic Woman. And Usher. (Let’s be honest, if you’ve heard me sing, you know that’s clearly a lie… I sound a little more like a wounded wildebeest than any of the aforementioned divas.)

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what I hope Friendmas becomes, but really, it seems kinda silly to pontificate about the details because it’s going to be great whatever we do. We’ll be celebrating the birth of our Savior with good friends who have become much more like family, and whatever the details entail, I know we’ll all be happy.  And blessed.  Oh so very blessed. It will be a time to remember that. 

 Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, whatever your traditions may be!

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I'm pretty sure I'm going to be stealing some ideas from Lisa in the very near future for new holiday traditions... and really, have you ever seen such beautiful families?!? Merry Christmas to the Hessels and the Chapmans. Stay tuned for more YHMH goodness tomorrow...

You Had Me at Holidays... KT's Refinishing School

Today's post is from the lovely KT over at KT's Refinishing School. She shares recipes, photos, book reviews and stories from her newlywed life on a daily basis. Most of the recipes usually leave me drooling, so I'm certain you're going to enjoy what she has to share with you today! 

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Hi everyone! First I want to thank Lauren for inviting me to her blog and giving me the opportunity to share some of my holiday traditions as part of You Had Me At Holidays!

Today I am going to share two of my family cookie recipes with you.  Along with these sugar cookies (with holiday themed colors and icing of course!), we make two additional cookies which we call Candy Cookies and Elephant Balls.  I know the names are a bit funny, especially that second one, but there is nothing funny about how they taste!

Here's a bit of background on our holiday cookie traditions.  My mom is a great cook but she does not enjoy baking at all.  As soon as my sister and I got old enough to bake on our own, the torch of Christmas cookie baking was passed onto us.  Typically, my sister and I spend an afternoon blaring Christmas music while we make all three types of cookies and homemade Chex Mix for everyone.  If we are feeling particularly festive, we have been known to make hot cider in the slow cooker while we wait.  The sugar cookies are a bit time consuming, so the fact that the other two cookie recipes require no baking and are pretty low fuss is much appreciated, especially after an afternoon in the kitchen baking and cleaning! Come Christmas Eve, Santa gets one of each of the three types of cookies served with a tall glass of milk along with a carrot or two for the reindeer on our Christmas plate.

J (my husband) and I were gifted with our very own Christmas plate at our wedding.  I can't wait to incorporate both of our Christmas (and cookie) traditions together during our first Christmas as a married couple!

Now for the recipes.  First up, Candy Cookies.

This is a recipe from my mom's family and one that my parents began making when they got married.  The sugar cookies are a recipe from my dad's family, so they blended their families and their traditions and made both each year!

Ingredients
1 stick margarine
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 cups instant oatmeal
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans--we usually use pecans but they can be made with either!

Miscellaneous--other supplies you'll need to make this recipe
3 quart saucepan
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Two cookie sheets, covered with parchment paper
Wooden spoon
Metal soup spoon
Combine first five ingredients (through milk) in a 3 quart sauce pan.  Heat over low to medium-low heat until all ingredients have melted and combined.

Meanwhile, measure oats, coconut and nuts into a large mixing bowl.  Pour warm ingredients into bowl and stir quickly to combine.

You will want to do this next part quickly so that the mix doesn't harden before you drop them onto the cookie sheets.  Using a metal soup spoon, drop cookies onto a lined cookie sheet.

Refrigerate for one hour and then store in an airtight container on counter or in a pantry, lining each layer with additional parchment paper to avoid sticking.

Makes approximately 50 cookies.
Calories: Don't ask, it's the holidays!

Next up, Elephant Balls.

I wish I knew how these cookies got their name.  My mom got the recipe, complete with its laugh-inducing name, from a coworker at Mutual of Omaha where she worked when we lived in Omaha growing up.  This wasn't an H family recipe when it came to us, but it has become one rather quickly.  In fact, I think these cookies have surpassed by Grandma H's (his mom) sugar cookies as my dad's favorite!

Ingredients
1 stick of butter or margarine
16 ounces (one small container) of chunky peanut butter
1 pound of powdered sugar
3 1/2 cups of Rice Krispies
1/4 of 1 cake of Parosal Wax, grated--this wax is used to seal jars, among other uses.  It is edible and will make your chocolate covered cookies very shiny
1 large Hersey Bar, broken into pieces
1 12 ounce package of chocolate chips

Miscellaneous
Box grater
Large mixing bowl
3 quart sauce pan
Double boiler---if you do not have a double boiler, you can use one saucepan and a glass bowl fitted on top instead!
Wooden spoon
2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper

Shave Parosal and set aside.  Melt butter and peanut butter over low heat in a sauce pan.

Combine powdered sugar and Rice Krispies in a large mixing bowl.

Once melted, remove butter mixture from heat and stir in with the powdered sugar and Rice Krispies mixture.  Press into medium sized balls, about the size of an average meatball.  As you work your way through the mixture, it may become dry and difficult to press into shape.  If this happens, melt a little more peanut butter and add to mixture.  This mixture will make 25 to 30 balls.  Freeze for one hour.

Fill the bottom pan of your double boiler with water.  To the top pan of your double boiler, add shaved wax,  Hershey's bar and chocolate chips.  Heat over medium heat until melted.  Remove from heat.  

Using two spoons, dip balls in chocolate mixture until covered and then transfer onto cookie sheet.  If the chocolate begins to thicken and becomes unworkable, return to the double boiler and heat until it loosens up.  Return cookie sheets to freezer for another hour.  Store in airtight containers.

This recipe can be doubled for large gatherings and they freeze very well.  

Calories:  Your guess is as good as mine--they sure are tasty though!

Note: the chocolate is usually more than enough for the cookies.  We had some left over so we dipped bananas and some biscotti in the rest and froze those as well because that's we had on hand but pretzels, donuts or large fluffy marshmallows would all work great here too!

  

So there are a few of my family's holiday cookie recipes. Thanks so much for letting me share them with you.  Please let me know if you try any of them! Also, I am always looking for new recipes to try, so please feel free to stop by my blog or email me at ktrefinishingschool@gmail.com com to share. I'd love to hear from you!

Happy Holidays everyone!

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See? I told you you'd be drooling. Pull yourself together, go make some tasties, and stay tuned for more YHMH goodness tomorrow...