Staying in at New Years: Fun Ideas for All
Guest Post by Jen Malik

Can you believe it’s almost here…the last celebration of the year? Coming up the milestone year of 2010 that used to just to be something we heard about in science fiction novels and movies.

We’re planning a fun evening in this evening (fondue…as usual!) – forget the crowds, over-priced events. If you’re doing the same, here are some ideas for you.

For the Whole Family

- Slumber party. You don’t have to invite people over to sleep in the living room in your PJs. Have a family slumber party. Clear space in your biggest room. Everyone can bring their sleeping bag and pillow to spend an evening in the living room. Make snacks, watch your favorite movies and watch the ball drop, somewhere, together!

- Game night. Bring out your board games, electronic games and party games for a rip roaring good time until everyone falls asleep. If you have a karaoke machine, play some musical games while you laugh at each others musical talent (or the lack thereof). Or if your family has moved into the 21st century, RockBand will do the trick.

- Light up the sky. Shoot off a few fireworks to celebrate the New Year. Of course…be safe and obey all your local laws.

- Make some crafts. It will be a night of celebration, so you can take the day to make some crafts to use later on that evening. Create noise makers. You can use plastic eggs and rice or beans. Fill the eggs and then seal them with glue. Once it dries, paint the outside with festive colors. Another idea is party hats. It’s never a party without hats. Use construction paper, streamers, markers and glue to fashion a special hat to ring in the New Year.

- Prepare a special meal. Since the family is altogether, make dinner together. Each person can contribute their favorite dish to the meal. We love fondue at our house…it’s an all night feast.

Other Ideas

- Host a theme party. Invite guests to your home for New Year’s Eve but ask them to dress the part. How about a favorite movie character theme? What’s your favorite decade? What about sports?

- Teen New Year’s Eve party. If you are not in the mood to throw a party, your teenager might be. Instead of waiting up for them to come home, host the party in your home. Brainstorm with your child as to what the menu will be and how to decorate. They can give you some pointers there. If the parents want to stay, create a room with food and games for you guys.

- Movie night. This is a great idea for a group of friends or dating couples. Each person can bring a movie that they want to see. It can be of any genre or you can request holiday movies. Each person can also bring a snack for the evening. Just remember to turn to the ball dropping at midnight.

Whatever you do…have fun. You don’t need to buy a fancy dress, spend a ton on tickets and a cab ride home. Stay home, stay warm and have a ball.

Guest Post by Jen Malik

It never fails. Aunt Rita always buys you that horrendous Christmas sweater that you’re just never going to wear. Of course, if you’re ultra-polite, you may make an obligatory appearance in the sweater just once. But goodness knows, you don’t want that sweater.

So what do you do?
Ask Aunt Rita is she has the receipt, so you can exchange it? Probably not, because Grandma Johnston would be miffed and Aunt Rita might get embarrassed. Or would they?

Taking the lead from my mother, I prefer to take a pro-active stance when it comes to returning unwanted gifts. Personally, I find the thought of giving someone a total useless gift completely against the spirit of gift giving. Ego has no place in gift-giving…I give gifts because I want to show people I care and that I care enough to get them what they want. And even though I may try to buy the perfect gift, I most certainly goof up now and then.

So instead of creating any awkwardness, I enclose a gift receipt with each gift. That way, the recipient can exchange or return the gift. Heck, if they’d prefer to take the cold hard cash, so be it. It’s what’s useful to them at that moment. Many large stores offer gift receipts that list the items without their price, but if they decide to purchase they will get a credit or refund of the original purchase price. If the store I’m buying at doesn’t offer a gift receipt, I might include the receipt or at the very least, tell the recipient that if it’s not quite the right thing, they can exchange it.

I find that when you’re open like this, other people are open too. I don’t think it’s ungrateful (although some old school gift-givers may not agree, so use your judgment)…it’s a matter of being practical. And seriously, it does nobody any good when things pile up in your closet, never to be used. Of course, you might make donations out of some of the gifts or get resourceful and sell them on eBay, but certainly, many unwanted gifts end up in landfills. That’s not right either.

So let’s say we be practical this year? Let people get the gifts they want…and let there be no hard feelings. Sound good?
And seriously, if you keep pretending you like those horrid Christmas sweaters, you’re gonna keep getting more Christmas sweaters. Stop the vicious cycle now.

What to Do with Christmas Dinner Leftovers
Guest Post by Jen Malik

It’s fun (well, for most of us…I think!) to have the entire family together for a Christmas dinner. You share good food and good times on that special day of the year. But, what happens to the food once the meal is over? Well, I’ve got 8 ideas for you and hope they’ll come in handy.

- Make soup. Soup is a very comforting and warming dish when the temperature begins to dip. Using chicken or beef broth, you can use your leftovers to make some chicken noodle soup, turkey noodle soup or even beef stew.

- Freeze them. Freezing means that you can enjoy your Christmas fare at anytime. If you use plastic storage bags, make sure that they are freezer bags and write the date of freezing on the outside. When you divide food into portion sizes then you can thaw out only what you need and not the entire lot.

- Send guests home with food. Why keep all the bounty to yourself? Load up on reusable food containers (in festive colors) so that each guest can take home some food for later.

- Make a salad. Green salads can be so boring sometimes. Add a slice or two of turkey, beef, chicken or ham to spice it up. Leftover meats make great salad toppers.

- Breakfast additions. Omelets are fun to make. Even more fun than making them is adding different items to them to see what kind of combinations you can come up with. Use leftover Christmas dinner fare to decorate your omelet. Ham can be diced to use as an omelet add-in. Leftover vegetables can also be cut up to sprinkle inside an omelet.

- Go eastern. Did you have steak for Christmas dinner? Cut the leftovers into thin strips. With a few stir-fry vegetables you have created a new dinner meal. If stir fry is not your cup of tea, you can make lo mien, fried rice and other Asian dishes that include steak. Or if you had the traditional turkey, go wild with turkey chow mein.

- Casseroles are always a hit. Who doesn’t love a good casserole? With Christmas dinner leftovers, you can whip up a casserole for any meal. With breakfast, combine ham, veggies and shredded cheese with egg for an after Christmas treat. For lunch, use some turkey, rice, cream soup and vegetables for a midday meal. For dinner, try chicken, vegetables, noodles and cream of chicken soup for an easy all-in-one meal that takes less than an hour to cook.

- Create a pie. This is not the sweet treat but a dinner pie. Turkey or chicken and even beef can be placed inside a crust with tons of delicious veggies to make a pot pie your family will love.

I know it can be overwhelming when faced with all that leftover food, but hopefully these ideas can make sure nothing goes to waste.

Guest Post by Jen Malik

Christmas is the time of year when families can renew their connections to one another – but with the commercialism of the holiday, sometimes this gets lost. If you are trying to rekindle those feelings of love within your own family, here are some ways to do just that on Christmas day.

- Enjoy breakfast together. Breaking bread has always been a great way to share stories and foster the idea of family. Decide earlier in the month who will host the meal. If you live close to other family members then getting there is as simple as hopping in the car and traveling a few miles or minutes away. The actual meal will be a little later in the morning to accommodate everyone’s schedule.

- Read the Christmas story. Nothing brings a family closer together than remembering the reason why you are celebrating the holiday. Each person can take turns reading a portion of the story. You can even read different biblical versions of the story. For a new twist, have a few family members act out the Christmas story as one person narrates it.

- Hold a video family gathering. Most laptops come with webcams installed these days. If you have a desktop it is quick and easy to hook up one. With an instant messaging program like Skype or Windows Live you can see as well as talk to family members far away. Have those members who live close to one another gather at the home of one person. When everyone is together, start the video call. Everyone can go around the room and say what they are thankful for. You can share good times on Christmas morning even though you are far away.

- Attend a church service. It is wonderful when Christmas falls on a Sunday. Everyone can get bundled up and head off to a calming morning service. Even when it doesn’t, there are several churches that will hold a small service on Christmas Day no matter what day of the week it is. Agree with other family members to gather for this service to spend time in each other’s company.

Overall, take your time and enjoy the day. Instead of everyone ripping into presents and gobbling down dinner. Take time to savor each moment.

Guest Post by Jen Malik

I love Christmas Eve. It’s a relaxing night (well, compared to the chaos of tomorrow morning) and offers a little time to reflect while the wee ones sleep. They’ll be jumping on my bed at the crack of dawn (or earlier), so now’s my time.

We usually have a simple dinner in the evening. It’s often our family tradition of fish. On more elaborate evenings, that might mean breaded and fried sole with homemade tartar sauce. On more tired ones, it’s Highliner fish sticks and chips for the crowd. Interestingly enough, both are met with equalled enthusiasm.

After dinner, we get the cookies and milk ready for Santa. And of course, carrot sticks for the reindeer. I never get tired of seeing the look of satisfaction on the kids’ faces when they see they gobbled up their snacks. Funny thing is, they often check the treat dishes before they even look at the presents.

Then the kids are off to bed, but of course, there are a few starts and stops along the way.

“Mommy, I can’t sleep.”
“I’m hungry.”
“When will it be morning.”
“I’m thirsty.”

You know the drill, but eventually, they drift off to sleep and it’s quiet once again. With a glass or red wine, I settle down to last minute wrapping and getting presents under the tree. And of course, the stockings need stuffing too.

I often look through the old photo albums…you know, prior to the digital age…and see how everyone has grown and changed. I think about Granny, who isn’t with us any longer and a few friends that have been lost along the way, but overall, it’s positive thoughts and remembering the good times we had.

Cap it off with a Christmas movie favorite and the night is golden. I can’t let a year go by without watching A Christmas Carol. My favourite is still the 1951 version with Alistair Sim (although I am considerably younger!). I’ll save the hilarious A Christmas Story (remember, Peter Billingsley) for a fun night with the kids and remind them, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” over and over again. They love this, or so I convince myself.

That’s pretty much for me. How does your Christmas Eve go?

Guest Post by Jen Malik

I’ve never been one to get my Christmas shopping done ahead of time. It just doesn’t feel like Christmas until it’s really time. I got a good chuckle when I was in a grocery line earlier this month and the cashier told me (it was DECEMBER 4!!!), “I’m going to finish my last-minute Christmas shopping tomorrow.”

What? Last minute?

Well, I guess because in the commercial world Christmas starts well before November even starts, December 4 can seem like last minute. Of course, if you wait until the TRUE last minute and hit the shopping mall, you’re probably headed for some aggravation and disappointment.

However, if you use some of my tips below, last-minute shopping can be much more pleasurable and the recipients of your gifts will probably pretty happy too.

- Food clubs. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Many of us think of the fruit-of-the-month club or something like that but this kind of thing has caught on. You can find just about any kind of monthly club that your recipient is interested in: salsa, jellies, desserts, wines, beer and even barbeque sauce.

- Gift cards. It seems like such a small presentation, but it is quite a popular gift. Do you know how many people pack the stores the day after Christmas just to return gifted items? A gift card avoids all of that. Have the kids put together some festive wrapping or decorate and envelope for a personal touch.

- Charitable gifts. These gifts put others first and help great causes at the same time. Perfect for the person who ALREADY has everything, you can make a donation to various international charities (wildlife foundations, disaster relief, medical missions, peace keeping efforts and more) in the name of your gift recipient. They will receive a letter thanking them for their donation.

- Food gifts. Before toys and technology, people gave what they had and that was usually some sort of food item. Sweet breads in decorative loaf pans, cakes, cookies and cupcakes still make great gifts for teachers, grandparents, neighbors and friends. Give the delectable offerings time to cool sufficiently before wrapping them.

- Memberships/Subscriptions. Has one of the people on your list been meaning to join a gym? You can gift them a membership for Christmas. When money gets tight, memberships and subscriptions are usually the first to go. Renew a subscription to their favorite magazine or a service like AAA Motor Club.

- Gift baskets. Most stores have them on display at Christmas time. You can purchase one that is already made if you see one that fits your recipient’s tastes. For teachers and coworkers, baskets with mugs and coffee or hot chocolate are a safe bet. Or better yet, create your own with a basket and small items that reflect the recipient.

Overall…have fun. Dress your packages up, make your own cards. The personal touch will always go a long way.

Guest Post by Jen Malik

I’m looking forward to coming around with a few thoughts over the Christmas holiday while our resident blogger takes a well-deserved break. I welcome your comments and ideas. I love this time of year and hearing about other people’s ideas and traditions.

So let’s get to the heart of the matter here. Christmas is in 3 days (two if you celebrate on Christmas Eve!), so dinner’s gotta get get done. Everyone thinks of the traditional ham or turkey with all the trimmings as the must-have meal, but it’s a lot of work.

You can still have a delicious meal without slaving away all day. Really!

Ideas:

• Don’t have a lot of guests? Try oven-roasting a whole chicken or even chicken pieces.
• Take a walk on the wild side with a crockpot recipe the family loves. Even a pot roast can be cooked with a Christmas flair by topping the roast with cranberry sauce. Yes, cook the roast with the cranberry sauce on top and sprinkle a little onion soup mix for extra flavor.
• What about a Christmas pizza? A simple idea that can get the family involved. Choose a Christmas-themed pan shape (Christmas tree, bell, etc.) and go for it.

If You’re Still Making The Big Turkey or Even a Ham:

• Choose ready-made stuffing.
• Packaged turkey gravy can help in a time crunch. Just replace some of the water with pan drippings and YUM!
• Packaged mashed potatoes have come a long way. If you haven’t tried them in a while, do a test in your kitchen. You might be surprised.

Of course, if you aren’t into processed foods, things may not be so simple. You’ve just got to get creative with the time you spend in the kitchen:

• Appetizers can be simple. A veggie or meat plate. You can even purchase these fresh items, pre-cut and arranged.
• Don’t go overboard with side dishes. If you’re making them yourself, you don’t have to have EVERYTHING. Just make bigger batches of a few vegetables and other items. They WILL satisfy a hungry crowd.
• But better than making less is getting OTHER people to make it. Enlist all your guest to bring a side dish. Unless they have a specific dish they really want to make, be bold and tell them what to bring. It’s easier for everyone involved.
• Chop vegetables, get the bird ready and do other kitchen prep the night before. Enlist the help of family members and enjoy a glass of wine or a hot buttered rum…or two.
• Don’t be shy about asking for help on the big day. Your guests are perfectly capable of basting, slicing, setting and more.

The important thing is to enjoy the day. Entertaining can be fun, but if you’re running around the kitchen all day, sweating up a storm…it can lose a bit of its lustre.

Christmas belongs to everyone especially the children. Most of the memories that we treasure for a lifetime are created during childhood. Help your kids to make memorable moments with edible ornaments.

Edible ornaments are fun to make and even better to eat. One advantage of these ornaments is that there is less to pack away in containers once the holidays are over. These ornaments are biodegradable if the kids don’t get to them.

Start with the garland. Usually we string tinsel and other items that can be harmful to pets and children if they are eaten. In the early days of Christmas among the settlers, foods like popcorn and nuts were used for garland. Little treats could be placed on the tree that the kids could eat later.

Go back to the old ways and have the kids string a few strands of popcorn garland. Use their favorite popcorn flavors. You run the risk of more popcorn being eaten than strung but it is a chance you will have to take. Actually, stale popcorn is easier to string than freshly popped. Leave a bag or two of microwave popcorn sitting for a day or two and then begin decorating.

Pretzels can be strung as well. You won’t need a needle for this stringing procedure. Pretzels can be placed at intervals between the pieces of popcorn.

A popular tree ornament is candy canes. The red and white striped treats are a staple of Christmas. Now, they come in a variety of colors and flavors besides peppermint. Choose colors that complement your décor and color scheme for the Christmas tree.

They come individually wrapped so the candy can be shared with everyone after Christmas is over. In fact, if you have a Christmas party, let each child take a souvenir from your tree home to their tree.

Nuts can be glued together in the shape of a ball and hung like a Christmas bulb. Leave enough space to slip a piece of string or ribbon through the top and tie it to the tree branch. Since the shell is discarded anyway, a dab of Elmer’s glue won’t prevent eating them later.

Carefully choose which decorative edibles the kids can eat from the Christmas tree. For a fake tree, the branches are made of plastic and each ornament is safe for eating. With live trees, determine if the tree has been sprayed with anything to prevent bug infestation. Any small bugs or remnants of sprays can render the food inedible after coming in contact with it. In that case, use some sort of ornament hanger to keep the edible ornaments away from the tree branches and needles.

Edible ornaments are fun to make. Shellac the ones the kids want to keep so they are preserved for more Christmas memories.