Christmas Wrapped

Don’t scramble when your coworker pops in with a bottle of wine or your neighbor drops off a basket of fruit. This season you will be prepared. This season you’ll be ready. This season you won’t break the bank.

Pick up a few of these excellent little gifts, wrap them up, clear out some space in your front hall closet and suddenly you’re not only gracious, you are a genius.

Short White Kira Vase $14.99

Pomegranate and Fig Candle $13.99

John Derian Poinsettia Disc

Bird T-Lite Holder $7.99

Birds On Ribbon Ornament $2.99

Red Tealight Set $12.99

John Derian Card Suits Coaster Set $12.99

Small Mirrored Star $9.99

Pine Votive Holder 3-Piece Set $12.74

Botanical Kissing Ball $9.99

When it comes to hosting a party, you can never have too much ice. The typical mid-party ice run means spending money on something you can make better for free. And who wants to leave their own party in the middle of all the fun?

Fill your freezer with as much ice as you can fit in there. But remember ice can do more than just keep a drink cold. It can be pretty. It can be a conversation starter. It can be fun!

In addition to using creative ice trays, like this one that makes ice kebabs, there are a few simple things you can do to make your ice gorgeous.

~ Make Clear Ice
Homemade ice is usually cloudy. To make ice crystal clear, use distilled water and boil it before putting it in the tray. Make small, clear cubes and it is like chilling your drinks with diamonds.

~ Make Flavored Ice
Choose flavors that will compliment the beverages being served. Then, make flavored ice cubes by using two tablespoons flavored syrup for every cup of water. As the ice melts, a subtle flavor will be added to the drinks rather than watering them down. For instance, lemon ice cubes would compliment iced tea or a gin and tonic, while cherry ice cubes would compliment a cola or bourbon.

~ Make Special Ice
After filling your tray with water, add berries, edible flowers or mint leaves so they’ll be suspended in the ice. Get creative! This is a chance to make an edible garnish that will make your drinks stand out.

~ Make Ice That Doesn’t Pick Up Unwanted Flavors
Keep the ice safe from being the other things in the freezer by storing it in a covered container.

If you were to take a quick glance at your holiday to-do list (or visualize it if you haven’t yet started one) what would you see? Lots of shopping tasks? Party prep details? Scheduling babysitters? Scheduling extra work to cover the added costs of the holidays? 

A list like that can quickly induce stress and anxiety – things that are the exact opposite of what the holiday season should include. I remember as a kid, the holidays were so much fun for me. They felt light and airy and exciting. Obviously, my parents were doing a lot of behind the scenes work to make those feelings possible, but there’s no reason I shouldn’t still have that joy of the holidays without the stress now that I’m a parent myself. 

So this year, I challenge you to change your to-do list. And while there are details that certainly have to be covered, it’s equally important to include some items on your list that serve no purpose other than providing you with pure, simple f-u-n. 

Grab a piece of paper right now (or open up a blank document on your computer) and create a “Fun To-Do” list. Put down things that you loved doing during the holidays as a kid, or always wanted to do. As a kid, I loved our annual night of driving through neighborhoods to look at lights. My parents would make hot chocolate for us, we’d put Christmas music on in the car, and we’d drive around for a couple of hours “oooooohing” and “ahhhhhing” over the lights. And one thing that I always wanted to do, but never did, was make a gingerbread house. That’s something I’d love to try with my kids this year. 

Speaking of kids – if you have them, let them join in the process of creating your “Fun To-Do” list. What a great example you can set for them by showing that it’s not just the details in life, but that having fun is just as important. And they are most likely to come up with the best fun items on the list. 

Finally, think ahead to early January. How do you want to feel, and how do you want to remember your holiday season? Do you wan to remember a month of fun and excitement, or of stress and anxiety? Be sure to make your lists accordingly.

This year we’re going to try something different for a change and simplify everything for Christmas. This means I’ll give Jon a list of cute accessories, and he’ll give me his list of gadgets that I will point out we don’t need.

I figure if I give him my list before Thanksgiving, he can capitalize on the sales, which will be more important this year than in years past.

A few of the items (I hope you read this, Jon):

Isaac Mizrahi for Target Computer Tote:

Bedding (because I’m pregnant and tired, and we all know how much I like to nap):

A maternity cocktail dress for New Year’s Eve:

A pair of new sneakers to make room for my swollen ankles:

And a pair of stylish sweat pants that won’t show just how many bags of chips I’ve been eating:

I’ve known my husband for over a decade, but he’s still a huge challenge to shop for because he wants things that are expensive (new computer, perhaps a hybrid crossover vehicle) or outside the realm that I am comfortable buying. Like this one from his list the past three years: THX certified receiver/amp.

In years past I’ve purchased clothing for him, and this has been met with varying degrees of success. This year, he swears he’s submitting a list, but I’m not holding my breath. Last year’s list included a $1.2 million dollar dream car. I’m still bitter about that one.

It’s not just my husband who is difficult. I have a father and a step-father to consider. There are only so many Clint Eastwood movies to give them, so I usually opt for a gift card.

This year I’m planning on buying gadgets exclusively for my husband because these items always elicit a giddy response. For instance, I’m considering this handsfree bluetooth speaker that will help him comply with all hands-free driving laws:

While searching for that I found several other things my little gadget freak might enjoy. Like this cute USB hub:

This past summer he tried to be a better grill master, and since he was always taking his phone out to time his turns of the meat, I’m thinking this might be more helpful than getting his greasy hands on his phone:

The final gift that I’d like to get would be this dog tracking GPS: