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…
Decembers here, and holiday cooking will soon be in full swing. Do you know how old your spices are? Fresh, savory seasonings are a must during the holiday season–but in many kitchens, jars and tins of spices languish for years, losing flavor over time. Check your spice rack for freshness Read more…
There’s no panic like the one the morning of Christmas day, when you realize you’ve forgotten just which cookbook contains the family’s favorite sweet potato casserole. Twenty minutes later, books, notecards and torn magazine pages litter what was a once a clean kitchen counter. Fight back–and save your sanity–by spending Read more…