Christmas Recap - Presents on Christmas Eve and Luminarias

I hope you had a very Merry Holiday! Christmas has come and gone, the decorations are coming down but for the moment I wanted to recap Christmas 2010.

First on Christmas Eve, I made an attempt this year was to have luminaries! I may not have a white Christmas in AZ but luminarias can be put out! I posted how I visited the Desert Botanical Gardens this year with their 8000 luminarias. You will also see many houses in AZ have luminarias for Christmas Eve. I just love how houses look with these light lining the driveways, so inviting and warm. I wanted to join in on this fun as well. While the south got snow, Arizona just got wind. I prepared getting the paper bags, tea light and then rocks to hold down the bags. I added a snowflake cut out to the bags as wll. However, they were out for a minute before I got nervous about the wind so in they came. Looked pretty for a second! Maybe next year.

Then, on to the presents! I have always been fascinated when people discuss what their holiday traditions are. One tradition my family always had is opening the presents on Christmas Eve. I mean ALL the presents from Santa! Every Christmas Eve one of the parents would take us out at night to look for Santa Claus and look at lights. One parent would stay home, usually with the excuse that they were tired or needed to take care of something. Then we would go out and come home to Santa already arriving! The story went that our house was one of the first places that Santa went to.

Now, being that I am the oldest of five kids I am betting that it was pretty convenient that the parents got to sleep in past 4 am. There was one memorable Christmas where my Dad came out and found me and the oldest brother playing the new Atari at 4 in the morning (it is still cool BTW. Pac-man does not age) We did still have presents Christmas day from the Grandparents, but most were the night before.

This holiday I went to my parents on Christmas eve for presents to keep with tradition, then the family came over to my place for the holiday! We went hiking by my place and then watched the classic Charlie Brown Christmas. Always great to spend the holiday with family, and even a treat with my sister flying in Sunday! Hope your holiday was wonderful as well!

 

 

Merry Christmas!! Gingerbread House

Merry Christmas!!

 I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas!

I did one last small project for Christmas yesterday. I heart gingerbread houses! It was a yearly tradition for me growing up with my siblings to make gingerbread houses. Back then, my mom was smart and used graham crackers to make the “houses” for us to decorate. With 5 kids, it was rather busy! I did buy a boxed version to cut short on time, maybe next year I will branch out and really make one from scratch.

 I was thinking this would save me time, but when I opened the box I ended up needing to put it back together anyway as it was broken!

Still came out looking great!

Christmas Card Holder – Clothespins and Ribbon

I have seen several versions of this from around the web (check this one out from Honey We're Home, so cute!) Here is my version of the clothespin card holder. I just used some items I had around from my other projects  (scrapbook paper, stickers and the ribbon) and just added the clothespins. I also had around a couple of those command hooks (extremely handy around the house!). I will likely change this for next year, but in a few minutes it was a quick fix! I added this to the entry way display on each side of the mirror.

Here are the materials I used.

Here are the results!

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Cookie Exchange - Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms

For the past two years I have been invited to a wonderful cookie and ornament exchange. Last year, I admit I bartered with another friend of mine to make the cookies.  I brought the ornaments and she provided the homebaked cookies. I had that whole “I just moved excuse” but really it was “I have no idea what to do, can you do it for me”.  Without that excuse this year, I had to find something I could bring (plus she was not able to attend so I am forced to do it myself J).

I bought the Better Homes and Gardens holiday cookies issue to look through and find a recipe.  B has a big sweet tooth so with his help a great looking cookie was picked out, and of course he convinced me that we needed to try to make the cookies before in order to be sure they will turn out ok! A did this a couple of weeks ago so I was ready this past weekend to bake and attend the party! Here are the results! I also made a name plate so everyone would know what kind of cookies they are with scrapbook paper.

Choco Mint Blossoms

From Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookies Mag

1/2 C butter-softened
1/2 C shortening
1 C sugar
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
Hershey candy cane kisses

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
2. In large bowl combine: butter and shortening, beat with electric mixer for 30 seconds
3. Add sugar,cocoa powder and baking powder
4. Beat in egg,milk, and peppermint extract.
5. Beat in as much flour as you possibly can with mixer
6. Cover dough and chill for 1 hour or until firm and easy to work with
7. Form 1 inch balls and bake for 10 - 12 min
8. Place candy in center as soon as you take out of oven

I transferred mine to another baking sheet and placed in the refrigerator right after. Otherwise the Hershey’s kisses melted!

And…..got a fantastic ornament at the exchange! J

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Candy Cane Rudolph

I have been making candy cane Rudolph the Reindeer for years and they never get old! They look great in stockings, give away bags, and on the top of presents. This is as far as I will get this year coming close to home made gifts – these are for some people at work! Here is how they were made, though you can google it and find many directions.

What you need:

• Brown pipe cleaners
• Red small balls
• Small eyes (in the doll section at most craft stores)
• Glue Gun
• Candy Canes!

1.Take your pipe cleaner and fold in half. Cut at the fold. Then take one of the pieces you cut and fold again to cut at the fold.


2.Wrap the large piece around the top of the candy cane. Use a small dap of glue to keep it from moving.


3.Take the small pipe cleaners and wrap like antlers around each side.


4.Glue on the small red balls and eyes.


Here is the final result! I bought Christmas bags from Hobby Lobby, then Christmas candy to fill the bags, and added some ribbon with the candy cane in the center.

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Holiday Home

Being that it is my first year in this big home I do not have as many decorations as I would like. We moved in last year in the beginning of December so I did not even attempt to place of any decorations then! I cannot justify going out and spending a lot to get the house looking perfect when I know the day after Christmas all those items will be half off! I did spluge on a few items and did my best to make a few DIY crafts to make the house feel like Christmas. I made the hem tape table runners and placemats seen here, the 12 days of Christmas board seen here, the Ballard Letter Wreath here, the Candy Cone trees here, the Martha Magazine Tree here and bought some various ornaments for the tree from Hobby Lobby. Everything else I had from years past when living in my previous home. Here is my holiday house for 2010 with traditional red and green!

Christmas Tree

The front entryway table and mirror

Formal Dining room table

Living room mantel

Living Room Candy Cones

12 days of Christmas board

One of my big goals to buy the day after is christmas lights! I had a few from clearance a few years ago, but with this big house they look small. I will get these after Christmas, but for now I put up just the letter wreath on the front door with a couple bows.

Happy Holidays!!

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