What’s for dinner … on Christmas Day? Christmas Eve? New Year’s Day? The only one who should wing it when it comes to holiday meals? The turkey. Smart cooks know that a written menu plan calms chaos in the kitchen, and never more so than before a big holiday feast. Read more
It’s the holiday chore nobody wants: wrapping gifts at midnight, Christmas Eve. To head off last-minute wrapping, wrap gifts as you go. Wrapping in small doses, you’ll do a better job and enjoy it, too. To track whose gift is which, use small stickey notes to identify gifts. Another way Read more
Christmas card chores can feel overwhelming if done in a big gulp by a single hand. Spread the joy with a Christmas card round robin! Draft all family members for the job, and divide cards among them. Each member starts with a different section of the list, writing a brief Read more
Can it really be December 10th? With the turn of a calendar page, the season is upon us–and for most of us, our time is our scarcest holiday resource. The beginning of December is the perfect time to check your progress! Sit down with the family calendar and evaluate where Read more
Will your family travel this holiday? Take time today to check travel plans. Confirm flights and hotel stays, or check the car for winter travel safety. Prepare packing lists, and check luggage sizes online if you’ll fly this year, Tidy up loose ends before you go.
Will you entertain during the Christmas season? Whether it’s a simple potluck gathering, formal dinner party or all-out bash, planning pays. Get a grip on any holiday parties now, before the December rush begins. Sending invitations early makes it more likely guests will be able to attend; having shopping and Read more
Whether it’s the front porch or foyer, apartment door or entryway, the holiday season will bring new scrutiny to the entry area of your home. Remove clutter, clean and organize the portal to your household today. Check the front door, cleaning and polishing knob, knocker and any windows. Check the Read more
Yes, it’s wall-to-wall shoppers at the supermarket during the season–but if you must join them? Instead, assemble a holiday survival kit. Before you shop for the holiday meal, check supplies of these often-forgotten items for your holiday gathering. Pencil these items into your regular shopping list–and save a last-minute trip. Read more
If your family traditions include Christmas cakes–those glorious fruit-studded concoctions traditional to the British Isles–it’s time! Fruitcake jokes aside, you’ll need 4 to 6 weeks to mellow traditional Christmas cake recipes, so start your baking this week. Happy Christmas!
Attitudes to holiday baking fall into two general categories: you love it, or you hate it. Whether you’re dreaming of the Christmas bakefest as early as July, or dreading it as the season approaches, you need a plan. A written holiday baking plan makes sense–and cents–of holiday baking chores. Knowing Read more