Hopping Good Easter Cooking Ideas

The F F F Plan, Extra!

Easter is another one of those days that brings friends and family together. There are many great dishes and plans that can be made for Easter dinner depending on where in the world you may be celebrating. Just remember to try to avoid making plans for Easter dinner that are contingent upon the weather to work because it never seems to do exactly the opposite of what you plan for no matter where in the country you may be.With so many dyed eggs around it would be a shame not to incorporate them into the meals that are being prepared for your Easter menu. There are many ways to do that and a favorite in my house is with devilled eggs. In addition to devilled eggs, which are excellent appetizers you can also chop the eggs up and include them in potato salad, egg salad, or chicken salad (which also happens to make excellent finger sandwiches for a light appetizer). You may also use boiled eggs in the making of cornbread dressing and/or giblet gravy, which are both popular Easter dishes in some southern states.The good news is that there are plenty of dishes that go wonderfully well with eggs. If you like ham this is a great dish to serve with dressing, to make ham salad with later, and to simply have along with your favorite egg recipe. Ham is relatively simple to make as the hard part is often waiting on it to be finished. If you want even more simplicity the only thing you really need to do to have an excellent ham dinner is poor a can of Coca-Cola over the ham, cover it in aluminum foil, and bake it for the necessary duration. It really can't get any easier than that though there are plenty of more complicated ham recipes available.You will want to offer plenty of side dishes to compliment your main dish. Popular favorites are vegetables, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, dressing, sweet potato casserole, and rolls. These are all relatively simple to prepare, not very time consuming and can also be delegated to guests if you'd like without too terribly much fuss. You'll also want to have a few appetizers on hand for the time before dinner is ready and a couple of desserts for the perfect finish - as if those chocolate bunnies from the Easter basket's are not enough. For those looking for fare that is a little lighter on Easter I recommend offering salads with low fat dressing, steamed veggies, use diet coke on the ham instead of regular and prepare at least one sugar free dessert as well as offer some fruit and a raw veggie platter with fat free dip along with the appetizers. Easter is a day to celebrate and you shouldn't leave family members who are dieting to dread their lack of healthy eating options. You'll also find yourself surprised by those who, given the option, will eat the healthier foods if they are available. Make sure you offer plenty of drink options ranging from bottled water, coffee, tea (sweet and un-sweet if you live in the South), and favorite pop brands of family members as well. If you are hosing Easter dinner at your home in addition to these cooking ideas I also suggest offering a place for your guests to change clothes if necessary. Many people come wearing their Sunday best and while it was great for church services and photo opportunities they don't often fare too well with gravy, butter, or grass stains.
Of course you could skip all the advice above and go for a down home hoe do

wn of a barbecue for the Easter holiday that in some parts of the country signals the approach of Spring. Barbecues are often appealing because it limits a good bit of the mess to the great outdoors and gives the kids involved a great place to run, play, and let off steam.

Holiday Table Strategies

The F F F Plan, Extra!

It’s that time of year again and for most of us that will mean rounds of parties, get-togethers and holiday dinners. While the holidays are a great time to get-together with family and friends, they can be a real threat to our diets. This year instead of giving up holiday get-togethers all together or giving in to the decadent fare spread out before you and regretting it later learn how to successfully manage the holidays with some creative table strategies. When planning strategies to keep your diet intact throughout the holidays, there are two main fronts you need to wage on the Battle of the Bulge. First, you need to work on diet strategies for events that you host and second, strategies for events that you do not host.Hosting holiday events can be a lot of work, but it does give you a tremendous advantage in terms of managing your diet. Many people are reluctant to even attempt incorporating their diet plans into the foods they offer at holiday get-togethers because they are concerned they will offend their family and friends. First, not everything that you offer on your holiday buffet table needs to be diet related. Just make sure you have enough of the items that fit into your plan so that you have plenty to choose from without straying into forbidden territory. Also, consider ways that you can make traditional foods diet friendly. In many cases, your guests and family will never even know the difference; unless you tell them. Cocktail parties are always a big hit and it’s easy to incorporate diet friendly foods into such a party with low calorie dipping sauces, lean meat skewers, fresh vegetables and fruits. You will have less control over events that you are not hosting; but that doesn’t mean that you have no options. One of the best ways to defend yourself against the onslaught on tempting foods at most holiday parties is to eat a sensible small meal before you attend the party. This will take a significant edge off your appetite and you will be less likely to cheat when you arrive.

Another strategy that can work well is to bring a dish that fits in with your diet plan. Don’t make a big deal out of it or force it on anyone else and you’ll likely find that no one is really paying much attention to the fact that you brought your own food. Also, be sure to drink plenty of water; which can be a great tool to help you fill full. Finally, don’t forget to incorporate the help of a weight loss buddy to get you through any moments of temptations. Chances are, there will be at least one other person in attendance who is also trying to stick to their guns in terms of diet resolutions. Support one another by staying away from the food table and taking a brisk walk after the event to work off anything you just couldn’t resist sampling.

Holiday Food Binging May Not Be Safe

The F F F Plan, Extra!

Starting from around Thanksgiving to roughly the end of Christmas, people eat more than they usually do at any other time of year. This period of time is sometimes nicknamed the “season of gluttony,” where even the most health and weight-conscious individuals forget about the stress of watching what they eat and dig into whatever happens to be on the table at the time. For some, avoiding the stress and anxiety that comes with turning down food during the Holidays is often enough to make them go on eating binges until the 25th comes around and all this insanity ends.
After all, a little indulgence during this relatively short amount of time isn't going to have any harmful side effects on the body, is it? Well, medical science may have something to say about that assumption. For most, the worst things that can happen are things like indigestion, a hang-over (for those among you who drink), and the need to get looser-fitting clothing. However, science says that there may be more drastic side effects than that, some of which may appear immediately, while others may manifest later on.The immediate effects usually come in the form of flatulence and bouts of indigestion that vary in terms of intensity. Putting on a few extra pounds after a couple of meals is perfectly understandable and, for some people, even expected. Other, more dangerous side effects can appear, however. For example, it is quite possible for someone to experience nausea and drowsiness while driving home after a particularly big Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Pain in the gallbladder and a mild dulling of alertness and reflexes can also come because of massive meals. However, these are just the preliminary things that people have to worry about.The higher the quantity that was eaten and the more fat content it had, the longer it takes for the meal to actually finish being dissolved by stomach acids. This causes an extra load to be placed on the body, forcing the circulatory system to pump more blood into the digestive system to keep up with the load. This deprives over areas of the body their regular supply of blood and nutrients, which results in things like nausea and drowsiness. For the average system, this is not a major problem, but for people with already strained cardiovascular systems, this can result in things like heart attacks and higher blood pressure levels.

The ability of the human mind to ignore things like being full is an evolutionary mechanism that allows humans to stock up on body fat in times of plenty. This, in theory, allows people to have a larger energy reserve when food is scarce. The body and mind does place limits on things like these, but during the Holiday season, most people are able to ignore this impulse in favor of eating more food. People find it much harder to turn down food during the Holidays, especially if they're not participating in the usual family conversations that happen during these times. However, reducing the amount of food eaten can be critical in avoiding a number of complications that may arise from over-eating during the season.

Holiday Eating Anxieties for Bariatric Patients

The F F F Plan, Extra! Most Bariatric Surgery Patients experience a wide range of Holiday eating anxieties which can actually ruin a perfectly good Holiday around friends and family.  

Prior to surgery, Holidays meant family, friends, and lots of food to indulge in and enjoy – often at a glutinous rate simply because Holiday foods are “special” because they are only provided during the season and they are prepared so carefully which adds guilt if you don’t partake of it.  
How many times do you hear these phrases said at a Holiday gathering?
“That’s ALL you’re going to have?  I worked so hard on that dish…”
“You better eat this now, because it won’t be here for another year….”
“It will hurt my feelings if you don’t eat this…..”
“These are very special ingredients I ordered specifically for this dish…”
“You can’t be NOT HUNGRY… it’s a Holiday!”
“Just ONE LITTLE BITE, PLEEEEEZEEEEZ…..”
“Have more, there’s plenty…”
“Take some of this home with you if you’re not going to eat it now…”
“Oh nonsense!  You’re allowed to eat a lot today!”
“You should have worn your FAT PANTS to gorge yourself like the rest of us…”
OH, how this list could fill a book, right?  Such comments add enough stress to non-surgery individuals who carefully watch their weight, let alone those who have had the Bariatric surgery and have to be careful what they eat, how much they eat, and how often they eat.  So you are NOT ALONE in feeling some anxiety about being around all of the special food at gatherings this season.
I’d like to offer some suggestions that have worked for me and others during this most stressful time when Holidays equates to special foods and the pressure to partake in them is way too much out of hand at times.  1.   Prepare you mind for the event:  Reflect on past Holiday experiences and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you.  Have it in your mind what you will say and do when those food-pushers taunt you or down-right threaten you to eat during the “special occasion.2.  Anticipate the food:  Reflect on past Holiday foods that are always provided to you within your social circle.  Predetermine what you WILL eat and what you WON’T eat.  Making a decision ahead of time will curb your gut-reaction to “cave in” to the urgings by others to eat what you shouldn’t eat.3.  Never try anything new at the party:  Not knowing how you will react to the food carries the high risk of making you ill and calling for you quick retreat to the bathroom or feeling sick for an hour or so.  This will draw attention to you, which is something you don’t’ want.  The host and guest will feel badly for you, so don’t put them or you in such a situation.  Only eat things that you are absolutely certain that you can tolerate.
 4.  Take baby-bites of the “special” foods:  Literally, take a baby-bite if you absolutely must partake of foods strictly for the social expectations.  If it’s too much for a baby’s mouth, then you’re putting too much on the spoon or fork.

5.  No-Guilt in Tossing it:  In a social event where you don’t’ want attention drawn to how little you are eating, take a small plate with small portions of food, then take small bites of each item, then TOSS the rest away when no one is looking.  This gives the appearance that you’re “normal” and all will assume you have gotten your fill.  This spares hurting the feelings of Great Aunt Gerdie who truly does cry if you refuse her special 60%-sugar/90%-fat/carb-loaded/stroke-on-a-plate pie.  Tossing out the unwanted uneaten portions is just a “different” way of consuming… so don’t’ feel guilty about it.  All that matters is that Great Aunt Gerdie delights in seeing her pie disappearing.
6.  Eat healthy before you go and bring your own essentials:  Never go to a Holiday party hungry… NEVER!  This is self-sabotage in the worst way!  Enough said?  Take along your own treats and drinks that are RNY-Friendly to you.  Don’t request an extra effort on your host.  You know what you need, so take it with you.  While they are eating pies and cakes, you can have the sugar-free fudge sickles you brought along or those sugar-free pudding cups.  And if they are serving only sodas or alcohol and you cant’ do them, bring your own herbal teas or no-sugar-added hot chocolate packets.  This will make you, the host, and the guests feel comfortable and nobody will feel that you are “suffering” as they eat your NO-NO’s.  7.  Talk more than you eat:  The Holidays should be about PEOPLE, not food.  So be social.  Focus on the people; laugh with them, tell stories, listen to their tall tales, play games, etc.  If you do these things, you’ll be amazed at how well the gathering will go for you simply because you didn’t focus on food.  And when the food-pushers come along, just glance by them off into the distance and make your exit because you “want to talk to so-n-so or your cell phone is vibrating and you’ve got to excuse yourself for the call…. Perfectly acceptable to have a pre-planned “way out” when you need one.  8.  Change the food-subject:  Others may want to cry boo-hoo with you if you keep telling them of all the foods you’re missing out on this year.  Don’t do that!  Rather than mourn the loss of your favorite Holiday treats, brag on the fact that you’re feeling so much healthier, your clothes are getting baggier, and you’re dreaming again of all the great things that are in store for you now that you are slimming down.  Don’t’ allow anyone to pity you for not eating like you used to eat.

9.  Wear a “knock-out” outfit:  WOW them all this Holiday season by wearing a special outfit that you feel very proud to be seen in.  The food isn’t special to you anymore… you’ve swapped that for the special outfits you can now wear!  Let people whisper to each other how great you look rather than how little you are eating.  The stress of not eating so much will be far away to you when you feel good about yourself and look good too.10.  Make your visit brief:  if you are getting too much pressure from others or are experiencing too many anxieties, let leave the gathering earlier than you originally planned.  Maybe you’re tired, the roads are getting bad, you realized you need to do something… remember that “pre-planned” escape should be there for you if you need it.
I can attest that these are tactics that I’ve used and STILL use in social gatherings when it is expected to eat special foods during special times.  Granted, I am three years post-op, so my anxieties are not as high as they once were… but they certainly threatened my Holiday happiness not too long ago!
Remember this most of all…. The more prepared you are ahead of time, the less you’ll feel nervous about those awful Holiday Eating Anxieties.  Now go have fun!

Holiday Eating Anxieties for Bariatric Patients

The F F F Plan, Extra!

Most Bariatric Surgery Patients experience a wide range of Holiday eating anxieties which can actually ruin a perfectly good Holiday around friends and family.  Prior to surgery, Holidays meant family, friends, and lots of food to indulge in and enjoy – often at a glutinous rate simply because Holiday foods are “special” because they are only provided during the season and they are prepared so carefully which adds guilt if you don’t partake of it.   How many times do you hear these phrases said at a Holiday gathering?“That’s ALL you’re going to have?  I worked so hard on that dish…”
“You better eat this now, because it won’t be here for another year….”
“It will hurt my feelings if you don’t eat this…..”
“These are very special ingredients I ordered specifically for this dish…”
“You can’t be NOT HUNGRY… it’s a Holiday!”
“Just ONE LITTLE BITE, PLEEEEEZEEEEZ…..”
“Have more, there’s plenty…”
“Take some of this home with you if you’re not going to eat it now…”
“Oh nonsense!  You’re allowed to eat a lot today!”
“You should have worn your FAT PANTS to gorge yourself like the rest of us…”OH, how this list could fill a book, right?  Such comments add enough stress to non-surgery individuals who carefully watch their weight, let alone those who have had the Bariatric surgery and have to be careful what they eat, how much they eat, and how often they eat.  So you are NOT ALONE in feeling some anxiety about being around all of the special food at gatherings this season.
I’d like to offer some suggestions that have worked for me and others during this most stressful time when Holidays equates to special foods and the pressure to partake in them is way too much out of hand at times.
1.   Prepare you mind for the event:  Reflect on past Holiday experiences and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you.  Have it in your mind what you will say and do when those food-pushers taunt you or down-right threaten you to eat during the “special occasion.
2.  Anticipate the food:  Reflect on past Holiday foods that are always provided to you within your social circle.  Predetermine what you WILL eat and what you WON’T eat.  Making a decision ahead of time will curb your gut-reaction to “cave in” to the urgings by others to eat what you shouldn’t eat.

3.  Never try anything new at the party:  Not knowing how you will react to the food carries the high risk of making you ill and calling for you quick retreat to the bathroom or feeling sick for an hour or so.  This will draw attention to you, which is something you don’t’ want.  The host and guest will feel badly for you, so don’t put them or you in such a situation.  Only eat things that you are absolutely certain that you can tolerate.
4.  Take baby-bites of the “special” foods:  Literally, take a baby-bite if you absolutely must partake of foods strictly for the social expectations.  If it’s too much for a baby’s mouth, then you’re putting too much on the spoon or fork.
5.  No-Guilt in Tossing it:  In a social event where you don’t’ want attention drawn to how little you are eating, take a small plate with small portions of food, then take small bites of each item, then TOSS the rest away when no one is looking.  This gives the appearance that you’re “normal” and all will assume you have gotten your fill.  This spares hurting the feelings of Great Aunt Gerdie who truly does cry if you refuse her special 60%-sugar/90%-fat/carb-loaded/stroke-on-a-plate pie.  Tossing out the unwanted uneaten portions is just a “different” way of consuming… so don’t’ feel guilty about it.  All that matters is that Great Aunt Gerdie delights in seeing her pie disappearing.
6.  Eat healthy before you go and bring your own essentials:  Never go to a Holiday party hungry… NEVER!  This is self-sabotage in the worst way!  Enough said?  Take along your own treats and drinks that are RNY-Friendly to you.  Don’t request an extra effort on your host.  You know what you need, so take it with you.  While they are eating pies and cakes, you can have the sugar-free fudge sickles you brought along or those sugar-free pudding cups.  And if they are serving only sodas or alcohol and you cant’ do them, bring your own herbal teas or no-sugar-added hot chocolate packets.  This will make you, the host, and the guests feel comfortable and nobody will feel that you are “suffering” as they eat your NO-NO’s.

7.  Talk more than you eat:  The Holidays should be about PEOPLE, not food.  So be social.  Focus on the people; laugh with them, tell stories, listen to their tall tales, play games, etc.  If you do these things, you’ll be amazed at how well the gathering will go for you simply because you didn’t focus on food.  And when the food-pushers come along, just glance by them off into the distance and make your exit because you “want to talk to so-n-so or your cell phone is vibrating and you’ve got to excuse yourself for the call…. Perfectly acceptable to have a pre-planned “way out” when you need one.

8.  Change the food-subject:  Others may want to cry boo-hoo with you if you keep telling them of all the foods you’re missing out on this year.  Don’t do that!  Rather than mourn the loss of your favorite Holiday treats, brag on the fact that you’re feeling so much healthier, your clothes are getting baggier, and you’re dreaming again of all the great things that are in store for you now that you are slimming down.  Don’t’ allow anyone to pity you for not eating like you used to eat.

9.  Wear a “knock-out” outfit:  WOW them all this Holiday season by wearing a special outfit that you feel very proud to be seen in.  The food isn’t special to you anymore… you’ve swapped that for the special outfits you can now wear!  Let people whisper to each other how great you look rather than how little you are eating.  The stress of not eating so much will be far away to you when you feel good about yourself and look good too.

10.  Make your visit brief:  if you are getting too much pressure from others or are experiencing too many anxieties, let leave the gathering earlier than you originally planned.  Maybe you’re tired, the roads are getting bad, you realized you need to do something… remember that “pre-planned” escape should be there for you if you need it.

I can attest that these are tactics that I’ve used and STILL use in social gatherings when it is expected to eat special foods during special times.  Granted, I am three years post-op, so my anxieties are not as high as they once were… but they certainly threatened my Holiday happiness not too long ago!

Remember this most of all…. The more prepared you are ahead of time, the less you’ll feel nervous about those awful Holiday Eating Anxieties.  Now go have fun!

Holiday Diet And Weight Loss Tips

The F F F Plan, Extra!

The approaching holidays are a nightmare for anyone engaged in a weight loss or diet regimen and with very good reason. With all of the temptations that seem to lurk around every corner, office get-together and holiday party; it can be easy for even the most determined dieters to get sidetracked and lose sight of their weight loss goals. This year; however, by giving your choices and portions a little carefully aimed attention you can avoid destroying all the hard work you have put into your diet the rest of the year. One of the biggest challenges for many dieters during the holiday season is avoiding the hectic round of get-togethers and parties that almost always come hand in hand with the holidays. The good news about such events; however, is that many of them tend to be buffet and pot-luck types of affairs; which gives you numerous options that can help you to stick to your diet plans. While buffet tables are typically laden with heavy casseroles and fatty appetizers, you can usually find at least one platter of fresh vegetables served with a nice low-fat dip. Also, opt for fresh fruits instead of the abundance of baked desserts that are typically offered. Instead of stocking your plate up with diet dangerous foods, choose steamed vegetables and healthy grains such as wild rice and wheat bread. Opting for white meat instead of dark meat can also help you to stay on the straight and narrow, by avoiding additional calories. Whenever possible, limit the amount of alcohol based beverages that you consume. Just a few alcoholic beverages contain a surprising amount of calories; not to mention the fact that they only serve to increase the appetite of most people. Choose a light bear, wine spritzer or carbonated flavored water instead. When it’s your turn to prepare the mound of requisite holiday food, remember that there are several tricks you can employ in order to stay true to your diet goals and keep family and friends pleased at the same time. One way to do this is by substituting evaporated skim milk for regular milk or cream in your holiday recipes. This will help to tremendously cut down on the amount of fat and calories included in your dishes without sacrificing taste. Unsweetened applesauce makes a great substitute for calorie laden oil while egg substitute can easily replace the requirement for eggs in most recipes without any noticeable change to the taste.

Finally, one of the best ways that you can avoid overindulging this holiday season is to take it slow and easy. Remember that the entire point of this time of year is to get together with friends and family members; many of which you might not see for months to come. Focus on the fun and conversation instead of rushing through a heavy meal and you’ll find that not only did you enjoy this year more, but that you made it through with your diet intact.

Healthy Holiday Eating – Bring Something Good To The Party

The F F F Plan, Extra!

It seems that we’re invited to a party or family get-together every other night in the weeks before the Holidays. Unfortunately most of the dishes that are brought to those events are not exactly healthy. We all tend to overindulge during the holiday season, tempted by all the unhealthy treats around. But to be honest with you, I get tired of all the rich and fattening food rather quickly and welcome a healthy fresh alternative. This is your year to shine with that healthy dish the next time you are asked to bring something to a holiday party. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
1. Veggies and DipJust cut up some fresh veggies. Good choices are celery, broccoli, cauliflower and cucumber. Add some baby carrots and grape tomatoes. Serve it with a low fat ranch dip and you’re good to go.
2. Fruits and Dip Serve some fruit that’s in season in bite size chunks with a side of low fat vanilla yogurt. Wash some strawberries, peel and cut up some apples, pears, cantaloupe and even some fresh pineapple for a sweet treat that’s actually good for you. 3. Cheese and CrackersMake a platter of several low fat cheeses and get a box of whole-wheat crackers. To make it even more fun, use some holiday cookie cutters and cut shapes out of the cheese. Just arrange everything on a platter and take it to the party. 4. Bring A SaladA salad of mixed greens with some other veggies mixed in always makes for a great side dish and will go with any other foods that are served. Start with some basic mixed greens, preferably dark greens. I like to mix baby spinach with some other dark greens. Dice up some red and yellow peppers for color and some slices of cucumber for crunchy texture. Top it off with some grape tomatoes and you will have a colorful and yummy salad. I like to bring several ready-made l

ow fat dressings form the grocery store to serve with the salad. Go ahead; give one of these ideas a try. You’ll be surprised how well received your healthy dish will be. Plus you’ll know there will be at least one dish at the party you can fill up on that is actually good for you and your health.
Happy Holidays!

Favorite Foods of Christmas

The F F F Plan, Extra!

Favorite foods enjoyed by Americans for any given holiday, season or special occasion will likely include some ethnic
dish, given the many ethnic groups that reside in the country. Despite this variety of melting pot cuisine, there are some similarities in
dishes that will be a part of most meals during celebrations such as Christmas.
Christmas in the United States

comes almost one month after another big holiday, Thanksgiving, in which the traditional
meal must consist of a turkey as the main dish. This dish also carries over into Christmas as roast turkey is one of the main dishes that
may be served for Christmas dinner. But unlike Thanksgiving, which is solely devoted to turkey meat, Christmas dinners may also
include other birds or poultry.  These include roast goose or duck. Roasted ham may also be served. Cranberry sauce, vegetables,
pumpkin pie and a plum pudding or fruity Christmas pudding for dessert tops off traditional Christmas dinners. Mince pies and pastry
that is filled with a mixture of chopped, dried fruit may also be added to the menu.
For drinks at Christmas dinner, a bottle of champagne is very popular, as well as wines. But the everyday beverage of beer
is a must for many people to make a meal truly enjoyable.
Before Christmas Day and the big dinner arrives, there's also another type of food that Americans enjoy in large quantities
during the Christmas season. The consumption and sales of candies, gingerbread and other cookies and holiday treats increases rapidly

during the holidays. Similar to how department stores seek to attract shoppers to buy items for Christmas gifts, candy manufacturers
also put out special boxes and types of candies for Christmas and the holiday season.
A survey done in 2004 by the National Confectioners Association found that many adults derived much pleasure at
Christmas from giving and receiving candies and other treats. In their responses the survey participants said that giving decadent
boxes of chocolate to friends and family, placing candy canes on the Christmas tree and hiding candy treats in Christmas stockings
were favorite ways to give and receive candies, cookies and treats during the holidays.
Sweet treats remain popular at Christmas despite a constant message about dieting that is present in everyday life in the
media, in billboards and from some food manufacturers. At Christmas time, people feel free to enjoy the festive season without
constraints. But they also know that they can enjoy candies and cookies that are health conscious by eating ones that are targeted to the
low-carb dieter by having ingredients that are sugar-free and fat-free or both.
Cookies that are enjoyed at Christmas are often home-baked ones and usually include gingerbread items.  The tradition of
gingerbread cookies at Christmas is also believed to have originated in Germany and brought to America by German immigrants.
German bakeries began baking very fancy gingerbread houses with icing as edible snow and other decorations after the Grimm
Brothers published their children's story, Hansel and Gretel. That story had a description of a house that was made of bread,  a roof of
cake and windows of barley. The popularity of the creations by German bakeries gave rise to cookie cutters that were made in a
variety of shapes, enabling small gingerbread cookies of various shapes to be baked at home. Some of these cookies that had the
shapes of little people and animals were used to decorate Christmas trees.
More than one hundred years ago from today, German homes in Lancaster County in Pennsylvania would have cookies
that were up to one foot high in the front of windows of their houses as decorative items during winter. The cookies were often giant
gingerbread men and women that had colorful rows of buttons and big smiles. Passersby were often cheered and intrigued by the sight
and brought the idea to their homes on a smaller scale.
Being able to enjoy special dishes, candies, cookies and other goodies during Christmas and the holidays adds a sweet
flavor to the season and also helps to create warm and cherished memories.

Cooking Christmas Cookies with the Kids

The F F F Plan, Extra!

Christmas cookies are as much a part of the Christmas tradition for many as a visit from Old St. Nick himself. The cookies are often prepared in hopes of his pending arrival by children that are as excited as they can possibly be with all sorts of visions of great things to come dancing around in their bright and shining little eyes. Preparing the cookies in these instances can be a great time of bonding with your little ones but can also be a trying time if you don't follow a few of the tips and hints listed below.If you want to make cooking Christmas cookies and/or candy with your little ones the very best experience for you all that it can possibly be make sure you do it on a day when this is the only thing on your calendar. You do not want to rush through this time that is not only important for bonding with your child as a parent but also a time that is an important opportunity to lock in a few precious memories of great times you'll spend together. This is one thing that you want your children to look back at Christmas and remember doing with you and you want to be able to look back on Christmas and remember doing this with your children.

You should also make sure that everyone is well rested and well fed before beginning the process. This is important now more than ever before, as we know more about the dangers of foods, such as raw eggs, that are included in cookie dough as well as the dough for many of our favorite Christmas confections and candies. You do not want to risk the health of your children through temptation over raw cookie dough.

Be sure that every child gets a turn with the fun stuff. This includes of course using the mixer and watching things spin around as well as choosing their personal favorites for the next batch of cookies. You should also make a few cookies that you plan to let them paint, decorate, and play with just for fun and their own personal enjoyment. This will guarantee a few smiles while also scoring a few brownie points for mom.

Be patient and expect spills and messes. If you can afford a cleaning service once a year, the day after your cookie extravaganza is the day you want to splurge. Seriously, don't sweat the small stuff. We make little messes every day it shouldn't be such a shock when they make a really big mess in one day. This is one of the reasons why you want to plan your cookie making on a day when the calendar is clear-you will need time for clean up when all is said and done.

Make sure you have all the necessary ingredients for each and every single recipe before you begin. This is very important as cookie dough doesn't wait well for that final egg and children don't understand very well when they are interrupted from one project to run a quick errand (also, when was the last time you made it in and out of the grocery store in under an hour?). If you can make it through all the steps above you should be in for smooth sailing and Christmas cookie cooking.

Cocktails for a New Years Eve Party

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In planning a New Years Eve party, one of the most exciting items is the selection of cocktails for the party. New Years Eve is a holiday which is largely associated with alcohol consumption. Those who attend these parties are likely to expect an array of interesting cocktails to celebrate the coming of the New Year and many hosts are more than willing to oblige their guests with an assortment of delicious and interesting cocktails.
When planning a New Years Eve party which will include children, it is important to plan on serving a wide variety of non alcoholic beverages in addition to the alcoholic cocktails for the adults. This is important because it will prevent the children from being envious of the interesting beverages the adults are drinking. It will also prevent the children from being curious about the drinks the adults are enjoying and attempting to sneak a taste of these beverages. Non alcoholic cocktails are also considered mocktails and can often be created to look just like the real beverages in a wide variety of colors, flavors and textures. Beverages such as the pina coloda, margarita and a variety of martinis can all be made in non alcoholic versions.
In planning cocktails for a New Years Eve party, you should consider offering a wide variety of beverages throughout the night. This could include both hot, cold drinks and even frozen drinks. One of the most popular cocktail options for a New Years Eve party is punch which is served from a punch bowl. This festive cocktail is typically sweet and contains ingredients such as fruit juices, lemon lime soda and an array of alcoholic ingredients such as vodka and rum. Some hosts may even include champagne in the punch mixture. Adding a scoop or two of sherbet to the punch bowl also helps to cool the beverage and adds an additional layer of taste and texture to the mixture.

Another popular option of a New Years Eve party is to offer one signature cocktail throughout the evening. This can be an item such as a Martini created specifically for the occasion with a seasonal feeling. An eggnog martini is an example of a beverage which is a great deal of fun as well as appropriate for the season. Champagne cocktails are also appropriate for a New Years Eve party. You can create a simply champagne cocktail by combining champagne with sweet vermouth and grenadine. Hot cocktails are also popular options for a New Years Eve party. Spiked coffees and hot chocolates are always popular but for a more festive cocktail consider creating drinks with a hot cider base. You can create a luxurious hot chocolate cocktail by combining a butterscotch flavored liqueur with rich hot chocolate. An example of a hot beverage which is also quite festive is a hot cider spiced with cranberry juice and rum. Although hot cocktails are extremely popular, most guests will likely only drink one or two hot cocktails during the evening. Conversely they are likely to consumer significantly more cold cocktails during the course of the evening. For this reason, it is recommended to provide both hot and cold cocktails during your New Years Eve party.  Regardless of the type of cocktails you decide to serve throughout the evening, it is customary to offer a champagne cocktail at midnight. You should begin distributing the champagne a few minutes before midnight to ensure everyone has their glass in hand to make a toast and take a sip of the bubbly champagne at midnight. Offering the champagne in an elegant glass and including a strawberry in the glass can create a more elegant presentation. You should also use a fine champagne. During the evening, you may have served alcohols which fit your budget, but it is worthwhile to splurge on a more expensive champagne for the toast at midnight.

Christmas Recipes: Delicious Christmas Puddings

Christmas Recipes: Delicious Christmas Puddings
Pudding Recipes given here are easy to cook and absolutely delicious.  Properly made Christmas puddings will be extremely tasty and make your Christmas celebrations a memorable experience.  Enjoy these Puddings with your loved ones during this Christmas.
Christmas Pudding (1).Ingredients of Christmas Pudding:-
1 lb. raisins (stoned), 1 lb. chopped apples, 1 lb. currants, 1 lb. breadcrumbs, 1/2 lb. mixed peel, chopped fine, 1 lb. shelled and ground Brazil nuts, 1/2 lb. chopped sweet almonds, 1 oz. bitter almonds (ground), 1 lb. sugar, 1/2 lb. butter, 1/2 oz. mixed spice and 6 eggs.
Instructions:-Wash, pick, and dry the fruit, rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, beat up the eggs, and mix all the ingredients together; if the mixture is too dry, add a little milk. Fill some greased basins with the mixture, and boil the puddings from 3 to 4 hours.
Christmas Pudding (2).Ingredients:-
12 oz. breadcrumbs, 1/2 lb. currants, 1/2 lb. raisins, 1/2 lb. sweet almonds, 1 doz. bitter almonds, 3/4 lb. moist sugar, 3 oz. of butter, 2 oz. candied peel, 8 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of spice and 1 teacupful of apple sauce.
Instructions:-Rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, wash, pick, and dry the fruit, stone the raisins, chop or grind the almonds, beat up the eggs, mixing all well together, at the last stir in the apple sauce.  Boil the pudding in a buttered mould for 4 hours, and serve with white sauce.
Christmas Pudding (3).
Ingredients:-1 lb. each of raisins, currants, sultanas, chopped apples, and Brazil nut kernels; 1/2 lb. each of moist sugar, wholemeal breadcrumbs, wheatmeal, and sweet almonds and butter; 1/4 lb. of mixed peel, 1/2 oz. of mixed spice, 6 eggs, and some milk.
Instructions:-Wash and pick the currants and sultanas; wash and stone the raisins; chop fine the nut kernels, blanch and chop fine the almonds, and cut up fine the mixed peel. Rub the butter into the meal and breadcrumbs. First mix all the dry ingredients, then beat well the eggs and add them. Pour as much milk as is necessary to moisten the mixture sufficiently to work
it with a wooden spoon. Have ready buttered pudding basins, nearly fill them with the mixture, cover with pieces of buttered paper, tie pudding cloths over the basins, and boil for 4 hours.
Christmas Plum Pudding (1)Ingredients of Christmas Plum Pudding:-One cupful of finely-chopped beef suet, two cupfuls of fine bread crumbs, one heaping cupful of sugar, one cupful of seeded raisins, one cupful of well-washed currants, one cupful of chopped blanched almonds, half a cupful of citron, sliced thin, a teaspoonful of salt,
one of cloves, two of cinnamon, half a grated nutmeg and four well-beaten eggs.
Making of Christmas Plum Pudding:-
Dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of warm water. Flour the fruit thoroughly from a pint of flour; then mix the remainder as follows: In a large bowl put the
well-beaten eggs, sugar, spices and salt in one cupful of milk. Stir in the fruit, chopped nuts, bread crumbs and suet, one after the other, until all are used, putting in the dissolved soda last and adding enough flour to make the fruit stick together, which will take all the pint. Boil or steam three to four hours. Serve with wine or any well-flavored sauce.
Christmas Plum Pudding (2)Ingredients:-

2 cups ground suet, 2 cups bread crumbs, 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons Baking Powder, 2 cups sugar. 2 cups seeded raisins. 2 cups currants, 1 cup finely cut citron, 1 cup finely cut figs, 1 tablespoon finely cut orange peel, 1 tablespoon finely cut lemon peel, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground mace, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 cup water or prune juice and 1 cup grape or other fruit juice
Instructions:-
Mix thoroughly all dry ingredients and add fruit; stir in water and fruit juice and mix thoroughly. Add more water if necessary to make stiff dough. Fill greased molds 2/3 full, and steam two or three hours.  This pudding should be prepared and cooked a week or more before used. Before serving steam one hour and serve with hard, lemon or foamy sauce.

Christmas Dinner Ideas from the South and North

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Are you tired of Turkey for your Christmas Dinner? Here are some yummy ideas to serve at Christmas dinner that may please your family and your guests.Love the southern flavor? Try serving Shrimp and Grits for Christmas dinner (serves two people). Double for 4.
You will need cooked grits (2 serving sizes)
Olive Oil (2 Tablespoons)Diced Tasso Ham (1/2 cup)Diced Leeks (2 Tablespoons)Diced Onion (2 TablespoonsDiced Green Peppers (2 Tablespoons)Large Shrimp (20 medium, peeled, de-veined, with tails onWhite Wine (1 to 2 TablespoonsHeavy Cream (1 cup)Salt and Pepper to tasteChopped Green Onion Tops
Instructions:

Cook grits according to package directions, then set aside and keep them warm.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.Add the tasso and saute until crisp
Add the diced vegetables and saute until the onions are translucent.Add the shrimp and saute for an additional 30 to 45 seconds or until the shrimp are pink.
Remove everything from the pan and set aside.Deglaze the pan with a little of the white wine.
Slowly add the cream and let reduce until thickenedSeason with salt and pepper.
Divide the grits onto two plates.Pour the sauce over the grits. Garnish with the onion tops. Add the shrimp mixture and enjoyNortherners, say “MMMMMMM my favorite Christmas Dinner Pot Roast!” It smells heavenly cooking and is oh so tender.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

You will need:
1 (4-pound) boneless Chuck pot roast (tied).
Salt and pepper to taste2 tablespoons of Vegetable oil
1 finely chopped cup of onions1 finely chopped cup of carrots
1 finely chopped cup of celery2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons of thyme
4 cups of beef stock
4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons of butter, allowed to soften
First, pat the roast dry and season well with salt and pepper.
In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
Add the roast until all sides are brown. (this should take about 15 minutes)
Put the roast on a plate.
Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the Dutch oven.
Add onions, carrots, celery to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat. Stir occassionally until golden.
Place roast back into the Dutch oven. Add the bay leaves, thyme and enough beef stock to come 2/3rds of the way up.
Bring to a simmer, skim, cover tightly, and set in the lower third of a 350 degree preheated oven.
The liquid will need to remain at a simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the beef is tender.
You will need to turn the roast over several times during the cooking time.

At the end of the time and when the roast is tender, carefully take the Dutch oven out of the oven with oven mitts.
Take the roast carefully out of the Dutch oven and place on a cutting board. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Cover it with aluminum foil during the 10 minutes. Make a gravy out of the liquid in the Dutch oven while you are waiting on the roast.
Slice the roast and serve with a salad and dinner rolls.

Chew Your Way To Diet Success This Holiday Season

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If you’re looking for a new and innovative way to stay away from all the holiday goodies this year, you might not need to look for anything other than a pack of sugarless gum. A survey conducted by the Mayo Clinic revealed that chewing gum can actually raise your metabolic rate by as much as 20%. The study suggested that chewing gum may also make it possible to lose as much as an additional 11 pounds per year. Above and beyond the benefits of increasing your metabolism and burning calories; chewing gum may also have significant advantages when it comes to staving off the temptation to indulge in holiday foods.A recent study conducted by Wrigley confirm that an astounding 70% of Americans eat more at holiday parties than they normally would any other time of the year while 72% find it difficult to maintain their diet during this time of year. Chewing gum; however, may make it possible to not only avoid eating more but to stick to your diet as well. Here are some tips on ways that you can incorporate gum into your diet plans this holiday season:

Instead of giving into temptation, keep a steady supply of gum available at your desk at work as well as in your purse or pocket when you’re out and about this holiday season. That way you’ll be able to pop in a stick of gum whenever you feel tempted to cheat on your diet. You may very well find that if you chew a piece of gum for a few minutes and engage in another activity, such as shopping, wrapping gifts or visiting with friends and family; the temptation to snack will have completely subsided.If you plan to bake holiday treats for others this year, chewing gum while you’re doing it can keep you from snacking while the goodies are baking. While it might not seem like much at the time, all those little taste tests can really add up. Keep a stick of gum in your mouth and you won’t be nearly as likely to sample.If you’re concerned that the calories associated with the gum will backfire on your diet plans, there’s good reason to believe that you can lay those fears aside. According to a registered dietician at Baylor College of Medicine, the average stick of sugarless gum contains just five to ten calories. If you opt for low calorie gum and not one loaded with sugar, you can be sure you’re not replacing one problem with another. Most gums containing sugar can have 25 calories per piece and while that might not seem like a lot, if you chew several pieces per day it can start to add up. Instead, be sure to choose a sugarless brand with whatever sweetner you prefer.

This type of gum usually has less than 10 calories per piece; which is really quite insignificant when compared to what you might be consuming instead. If you’re substituting it for a high-calorie dessert or snack as well as participating in an active and healthy lifestyle; you can actually reduce your overall calorie intake.

What to Consider Before Decorating Your Lawn for Christmas

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Each year, millions of Americans choose to decorate their homes for Christmas. While many individuals keep the Christmas decorations on the inside of their homes, not all do.  There are a fairly large number of individuals who also choose to decorate the outside of their homes, namely their lawns. If you are interested in decorating your front yard for Christmas, there are a number of important factors that you may first want to keep in mind. These factors may reaffirm your decision to decorate your lawn for Christmas, but they may also want to make you change your mind.
Perhaps, the most important thing to think about is what type of decorations you want in your front yard.  In the United States, as previously mentioned, a large number of individuals decorate their front yards with Christmas decorations. These yard decorations come in a number of different formats. There are some homeowners who simply place a Santa yardstick in their yard or add lights to the outside of their home, but other homeowners go all out, some with huge inflatable Santa dolls and other colorful decorations.  The type of Christmas decorations that you plan on using, as well as how many will make it easier to determine whether or not you should decorate your lawn for Christmas.Unfortunately, there are many homeowners who feel that they can do whatever they want to their property because it is their right to do so. While it is your right to decorate your home, as well as your front yard, you will want to take your neighbors into consideration. If you live in a highly populated community, there is a good chance that large lawn decorations, especially those with bright lights, may cause some discomfort among your neighbors.  You will not want to create a Christmas lawn display that has your neighbors up all night because your Christmas lights are shining into their bedroom. That is why it may be a good idea to speak to your neighbors before decorating your lawn, especially if you plan on creating a large display.  You may find that your neighbors do not even care.   In addition to what your neighbors think, you may also want to be concerned with what your town, city, or county officials think. While you might not necessarily know this, there are some cities, towns, and counties that have strict regulations on what can or cannot be placed on a lawn. This is most commonly seen with business signs or election signs. While your local community may not have these restrictions, it is important that you check ahead of time. If you do set up a large Christmas display and you are legally prohibited from doing so, you will likely just receive a warning the first time, but action may be taken later. That is why it is important that you know what you are getting yourself into ahead of time.Before deciding to decorate your lawn for Christmas, it might be a good idea to examine the cost of doing so.

 While it is possible to find a number of low-cost Christmas decorations for the lawn, such as small lawn signs and outdoor Christmas lights, the larger you want your display to be the more you will have to pay.  If you are looking for large decorations, such as an inflatable Santa and reindeer set, you will need to pay quite a bit more money.  These decorations may cost fifty dollars or more.  If you are decorating for Christmas on a budget, it may be difficult or impossible for you to find large, affordable Christmas decorations, unless you are willing to buy used decorations.  It may also be a good idea to examine the cost of extra cost of electricity, especially if you are using a large number of Christmas lights.  When it comes to decorating your lawn, as mentioned above, there are a number of advantages and disadvantages.  By keeping the above mentioned points in mind, you should be able to decide for your own whether or not it is a good idea for you to decorate the outside of your home for Christmas.

Make Your Own Holiday Dough Ornaments!

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With daily schedules bursting at the seams, decorating your home for the holidays can seem like just another chore on your to-do list. Although it may seem quicker and easier to buy your ornaments at your local discount store, consider clearing some time in your schedule to make your own holiday ornaments.

You’ll find that the time spent creating your unique holiday creations will be well spent.
Here’s a recipe for making your very own Dough Ornaments. It’s simple, fast, and very expensive. More importantly, they are fun to make with family, and you will love the sight of them hanging from your Christmas tree!
Homemade Dough Ornaments 
For the dough mixture, you will need:
4 cups of flour
1 cup of water
½ cup of salt
Food Coloring bottles (optional)
Cookie Cutters (optional)
2 cups ground cinnamon (optional)
For decorating your ornaments:
Ribbon
Acrylic paints and brushes
Glitter, Stickers, Stamps, Etc.
Clear protective paint sealant
Mix the dry ingredients together, and then add water. If you’d like, you can add food coloring to your dough mixture. You may want to mix up several batches of different-colored dough, or you can plan on decorating your ornaments later with acrylic paints.
For an extra special treat, mix two cups of ground cinnamon into your dough mixture. Your ornaments will be tinged with a wonderful cinnamon scent!
If your dough mixture feels too sticky, add more flour. Knead the dough until it is smooth and stiff. Use a roller pin to flatten out the dough. Once the texture is smooth and consistent, use cookie cutters to cut out different shapes. You can also shape the dough into a design of your own.
If you used food coloring to create batches of different-colored dough, now’s the time to get creative. For example, if you’ve mixed up a small batch of red dough and another batch of regular-colored dough, you can create candy cane decorations. Simply create one batch of red colored dough, and leave aside a portion of regular dough. Then flatten out the dough and cut out two long strips from each batch. Intertwine the two strips to create candy cane decorations!

Once all the dough has been shaped, use the tip of a pen or straw to make a small hole at the top of each of your ornaments. Then place them on a baking sheet, and bake them in the oven at a low setting for about an hour.
After your ornaments have baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool. Once they are cool to touch, the fun part really begins. Pull out the paints, felt-tip markers, stickers, glitter, and anything else you can think of, and begin to decorate. Be creative.
When you’re finished decorating, let the paint dry for several hours, and then seal your work with a coat of clear protective sealant. When the ornaments have dried, string a ribbon through the top and tie into a knot. You can also use metal hangers. Hang your new creations from the Christmas tree and enjoy!

How To Prepare Yourself To Choose The Right Christmas Tree

The F F F Plan, Extra!

The first thing you want to think about before choosing a Christmas tree is where do you want to put it. Don't place your tree near heating vents, radiators, sunny windows, or fireplaces. Place your tree in a more insulated spot but still where people can see it.
Next, using a tape measure, measure the height of your ceiling and the width of that space. This will help you to decide where a good place a Christmas tree will fit your home. Plus measure your tree stand to know the diameter of the tree trunk you can use, and measure the height of your tree stand and the length of your treetop decoration.
Remember to bring your tape measure with you when you go shopping for your tree, and bring the measurements you wrote down on paper.
You should also bring construction gloves for your hands protection. To protect your car, truck, or van from sap and pine needles use an old blanket. Unless the tree farm has one bring some rope or twin to tie your tree to your vehicle.

Make sure your tree stand is ready, get a bucket of warm water so your tree has water to drink right when you get it home. Check that your tree stand is strong and the right size. If you need a new tree stand the taller the tree the larger diameter of the trunk. Make sure the stand can hold lots of water.
Once the above steps are completed you are ready to choose your Christmas tree.

Holiday Decorating Ideas and Party Planning

Great Christmas Piano Hits!

Make decorating your home for holiday parties a pleasure instead of a stressful nightmare. Organization and planning helps you keep on top of your holiday parties.
Create a gorgeous party planning notebook with an inexpensive plastic three-ring binder that has a space to insert an inspirational picture. Keep cutouts from magazines of ideas you love about decorating, themes, menus, and recipes. Keep notes about your party afterwards so you remember what worked well and what to do differently next year. Your personal party journal will be an invaluable assistant to help you avoid holiday stress.
Holiday Decorating
Enjoy your home decorating for the holidays. Don't try to do too much. Keep in mind that people love to come to homes decked out in festive array but that it doesn't take a lot of cluttering ornamentation to create a holiday statement. Just a few large decorations can add the desired impact without taking a lot of time to set out. Plus, too many little decorations get lost when you have many people standing around.
Where to decorate for impact:
1.  Your front walkway: Greet guests at the entrance with lights surrounding your front door and two large poinsettias or evergreen trees.
2.  Your front door: A large swag of evergreen decorated with nuts, apples, raffia, and ribbon spiced up with cinnamon sticks and cloves makes a different statement than the usual wreath.
3.  Your dining table: If you plan a sit-down dinner, avoid tall centerpieces that interfere with guests seeing across the table. White table cloths reflect the light, add a feeling of elegance, and don't interfere with colored china. Bold colors add drama. Have fun with your table decorations.

4.  Look up: Because table decorations get in the way, add garlands above archways and doors.
5.  Your powder room: Because guests use this room privately, they take the time to look around and notice decorations.If your TV looks like a black hole in your room when it's off, play an old black and white classic movie with the sound turned off.Enjoy your holiday decorating this year. Try some new ideas and keep a party planner for next year. You'll be ready for new holiday decorating ideas!

Holiday Crafts For The Kids

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Kids, young and the young at heart, love the holidays and there are an almost limitless number of crafts that can be made to keep the kids busy, especially when the weather gets bad and they are home from school. Many projects can be done with common items found around the house.
Paper snowflakes are always a favorite and all you need is white paper, scissors and possibly glue and glitter. Fold the paper in half, half again and again, until you have a triangle. Cut small shapes, unfold carefully, you have beautiful one of a kind snowflakes. If you have glue and glitter, the kids may want to make them a bit fancier. They also make wonderful decorations to hang from the ceiling and windows for the holidays.Recycled cards - let the kids cut the message parts off the cards, and by gluing them to the front of either folded construction paper or lightweight card stock, they can create their own cards to send to friends and family. Ribbon, glitter and other items can make nice decorative touches.Ornaments/gift tags – by cutting out the pictures from the cards in different shapes (stars, circles, etc), maybe even using scrap booking edging scissors, some ribbon and glitter, they can make cute ornaments for the tree that can also be used as gift tags.Candy dish – cut a hexagon of plain cardstock and then six pieces from Christmas card fronts (trying to get the nicest part of the picture showing on the shape) that taper slightly wider at the top than the base for the sides. Cover all the pieces with clear contact paper and punch holes along all the edges, evenly spaced. Sew the pieces together using ribbon or yarn,

and you have a one of a kind candy dish. Let the kids experiment with different shapes and sizes.Styrofoam ball snowmen are an easy project. Stack and glue together (use toothpicks to support the pieces) different sizes, and decorate with buttons, or scrap pieces of felt for the eyes and mouth and buttons. To make a cute hat for the snowman, place a standard size styrofoam coffee cup upside down on a foil lined baking pan. Place in the oven at a low temperature (adult supervision). Watch carefully as the cup begins to melt, shrink and reshape itself into a funny top hat. Remove carefully, let them cool, and they can be painted and decorated and glued onto the snowman’s head.

Effortless Christmas Tree Decoration

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The decoration of Christmas trees has evolved and undergone many changes,
much like many of the early traditions of the Christmas season. Christmas tree
lighting that started out with real candles underwent probably the biggest
change when electric light became commercially available and special Christmas
tree lights were manufactured. It is therefore not surprising that today you can
set up Christmas trees that are expertly decorated with little or no effort.
While many people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its scent, many others
simply want a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and will choose an artificial
or man-made tree. Artificial trees have been available in America since the
start of the 20th century. Many artificial trees are made to have a similar
appearance like real Christmas trees, but changes have been made to them to make
them decorative and different from regular Christmas trees.
As an example, in the 1950s some artificial Christmas trees had branches
made of aluminum-coated paper to give them a shiny metallic look. For those who
like to have a Christmas tree with a unique look, trees with a similar shiny,
metallic appearance are available today. They are however made with a different
material because the older trees were a fire hazard.
For the those people who are very busy and don't have the time to spend
carefully placing Christmas lights on trees, there are several pre-lit models of
Christmas trees on the market today. A standard type of these Christmas trees
look like their real counterparts except multi-colored fiber-optic lights can be
found scattered throughout the limbs and branches of these trees. This
arrangement saves time and effort of having to undo or untangle strings of
Christmas tree lights.
Another type of pre-lit artificial Christmas tree are those that are made
completely of fiber optics so that the tree appears to be shaped out of strands
of light that are wispy. Some of these brightly-lit fiber-optic trees also come
equipped with pre-recorded Christmas songs and carols and speakers to give the
added pleasure of music.

Many pre-lit Christmas trees have electric Christmas tree lights however
which need to be plugged into a real electrical outlet. The advantage of these
trees is that the lights are already strung on them from the factory and you
need only to follow the instructions about how to assemble the tree and plug in
the different parts for it to appear lighted. Once this is done correctly, the
tree will look as if it was decorated with lights manually or professionally.
Another ready-made decorative feature of artificial Christmas trees is to have
the appearance of snow-covered branches. That trend is an evolution of faux snow
that is often sprinkled in garlands and wreaths to add a Christmas quality to
those decorations. Icicle ornaments are also used to decorate real and
artificial trees and icicle lights are commonly used along rooflines and outdoor
areas for additional lighting decoration. These decorations, along with the
ready-made snow-covered branches of artificial trees, all convey the frosty, icy
and cold feel of the winter season when Christmas occurs.
Christmas trees that arrive from the factory with lights also have
decorations such as apples and minute red berries to provide additional color,
and real pinecones that may or may not be frosted or sprinkled with faux snow.
They may also be pre-decorated with red or gold bows, round ornaments, flower-
like patterns, dried bow and twigs and gold frosted branch tips. to give an
appealing, sparkling appearance.  The trees also have varying hues of green
similar to real Christmas trees.
Pre-lit and pre-decorated Christmas trees are therefore an excellent way
to brighten the holiday in your home and enable you to gain more time to enjoy
the festivities of the season.

Decorating Your Kitchen for Christmas

The F F F Plan, Extra!

When it comes to decorating for Christmas, there are many individuals who automatically think about their Christmas tree. While decorating your Christmas tree is a big part of the Christmas holiday, it is not the only thing in your home that you could or should be decorating. What many individuals do not realize is that, if you wanted, you could easily go about decorating your whole home for Christmas, including your kitchen.As previously mentioned, a number of individuals do not realize that they can effective decorate their whole home for Christmas, especially the kitchen.  If you would like to showcase your Christmas spirit in a room other than the one that your Christmas tree is in, you should start with your kitchen. One of the reasons for this is because there are, literally, an unlimited number of Christmas decorations that are designed for the kitchen.  One of the most popular ways to decorate your kitchen for Christmas is by purchasing and using Christmas themed potholders.  You don’t even necessarily have to use them. Just having a potholder with a picture of Santa, snowflakes, or reindeers should be enough to bring the Christmas spirit into your kitchen. In addition to potholders, you can easily find oven mitts, as well as kitchen towels that come with a Christmas theme. Hang these items in your kitchen and they can easily be considered Christmas decorations.
In addition to potholders and kitchen towels, you can also bring a touch of Christmas spirit into your kitchen with some kitchen magnets.  A large number of retail stores, both on and offline, carry a fairly large selection of Christmas magnets.

What is nice about these Christmas magnets is that they come in a number of different forms.  You could easily purchase some cheap plastic magnets, the ones that look like they were made for kids, or you also purchase more elegant magnets, often handcrafted ones.  In fact, it is even possible to purchase Christmas magnets that double as Christmas frames.  What better way to bring the Christmas spirit into your kitchen than combining your Christmas decorations with pictures of your family?You can also decorate your kitchen for Christmas by using Christmas kitchenware. Christmas kitchenware tends to encompass a number of different things.  For the most part, Christmas kitchenware includes the items that you use in your kitchen, often on a regular basis.  It is possible to find kitchen eating utensils that have a touch of Christmas in them.  It is also possible to find plates, bowls, and cups that come pre-designed with Christmas pictures or symbols.  If you have a number of these items showcased, out in the open, they could easily be considered Christmas decorations.  The above mentioned Christmas decorations and items are just a few of the many that you can use to decorate your home for Christmas.  If you are looking for additional ideas, you are advised to perform a standard internet search. Online, you should be able to find a number of tips on decorating for Christmas, including your kitchen.  It may also be a good idea to start shopping for Christmas decorations, whether you shop online or at one of your local retail stores.  Once you are able to see all of the Christmas decorations that are available, you may be able to determine which decorations would look great in your kitchen.