Blessings to you and your family~
Jennifer
Christmas
Frappuccino Fun with Amy: Seven Sanity Savers for Christmas Week
Need a little help during the busiest year of the week? Give these Sanity Savers a try:
1. Play Holiday music when you’re at home and in your car. It’s a mood elevator. (And, NO TV!… Stay away from watching TV because it’s a time stealer!)
2. Get sleep and use your time wisely. Run errands as little as possible, and only early in the morning. (WalMart is empty at 7am.) Wrap your gifts this weekend. Don’t wait until Christmas Eve!
3. Do a good deed everyday – it will put you in the best mood! Examples: Give extra to the Salvation Army Bell Ringer; buy a coffee / drink for the person behind you in line or at the drive thru; give unexpected money to someone in need.
4. Be the nicest to your own family! Be as kind to those who live in your house as you are to everyone else.
5. Don’t Panic – Christmas comes and goes every year. No one really remembers the meal or gift. The experiences are what make the memories.
6. Don’t eat junk food all day and wonder why you have a headachce (I’m speaking to myself on that one!). Try to make balanced food choices each day.
7. Let’s hear from you on this one! I combined a few of the ideas in order to leave a space for YOU to share your Sanity Saver idea. So, leave a comment, and help us all save our sanity this Christmas Week. 🙂
Merry Christmas and have a great week! TTFN…
Amy
Frappuccino Fun with Amy: Too-Easy Christmas Goodies
When my husband Richard and I first got married, I so aspired to be “Suzie Homemaker”. I set aside a day during the holiday season and decided to make Christmas Cookies. I envisioned myself happily rolling out and decorating beautiful sugar cookies to share with one and all… What a nightmare it turned out to be! My dough was too gooey, my cookies weren’t very pretty, and my kitchen was trashed! Needless to say, my Christmas Spirit was gone!
After the cookie baking ordeal, I made it my goal to find Christmas goodies that are easy to make and great to give. Then I discovered Yummy White Christmas Mix and Delicious Dipped Pretzel Rods. “Suzie Homemaker” was back in business. 🙂
If you’re looking for some easy Christmas treats, you might want to give these a try.
White Christmas Mix
1 box Crispex or Corn Chex cereal
1 box Cheerios
1 bag small pretzel sticks
1 can mixed nuts
2 packs of white almond bark (Wal-Mart)
1 bag holiday M&M’s, plain or peanut
In a huge bowl or roasting pan, mix all dry ingredients (except M&M’s). Melt almond bark according to directions. (I do mine in the microwave.) Pour melted almond bark over dry mixture and stir. Don’t stir too much, or you’ll break everything. Spread mixture over waxed paper to dry.
It usually takes between 30 minutes to an hour to dry. Once dry, break mixture up and place in an airtight container. Then add the M&M’s. This can be packaged in small cellophane bags, tins, or canning jars. This snack mix tastes great and is very addictive. 🙂
Dipped Pretzel Rods
1 pkg. long pretzel rods (I buy mine by the bucket at Aldi, but you can also buy them in a smaller sized bag at Wal-Mart or grocery stores.)
1 package chocolate almond bark
1 package vanilla almond bark
Various toppings: sprinkles, crushed peppermint, mini M&M’s, mini chocolate chips, coconut, crushed red hots, chopped nuts, etc.
Melt almond bark as directed and pour in a long slender container (like a drinking glass). Dip the pretzel in the glass filled with chocolate. Cover ¾ of the pretzel. As you bring the pretzel out of the glass, twist the pretzel to get rid of the excess chocolate. Place on waxed paper and coat with one of the toppings.
These take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to dry. And they look beautiful packaged in cellophane bags tied with a ribbon.
Now…If you have to choose between Dipped Pretzels and White Christmas Mix, the White Christmas Mix is easier and faster to make.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is not to wait until the last week of December to give my baked goods. I give them as early as I can. So many sweets are given the week of Christmas that these special treats will get lost in the crowd. My philosophy: Why not give them now so they can be enjoyed???
If you make these treats now, they will be good until after Christmas. It’s great to have these treats on hand, so you, too, can be “Suzie Homemaker” and always be ready to bless someone with a homemade treat. I just left some in my mailbox for the mailman today. 🙂
These Too-Easy Christmas Goodies are fun treats to give and to eat.
Have a great weekend… TTFN… Amy
Dec. 2009~ This post is linked to Blessed with Grace – Tempt My Tummy Tuesday ~Lots of good recipes for Christmas treats linked here. 🙂