Today I bring to you a fun and frugal countdown to Christmas. Full of free and low-cost activities to help you have fun and get in the holiday spirit.
Make the countdown to Christmas awesome with these advent calendar fillers for teenage girls and boys. Fun gift ideas they will acutally like.
One my most popular Christmas posts is the set of 24 cards I created several years ago that tell a little piece of the Christmas story each day (you can see them HERE). I love those cards, but I wanted to make a set that was a bit more kid-friendly (the earlier printable was written […]
so, sure, we have many countdowns to christmas. many. but how can you resist making another cute one? this one will end up in the trash in the end anyway.. we have darling countdowns that grandma pitcher made years ago, reminiscent of the ones she’d made for her own kids years ago. they are sweet, and something I have used, but have had trouble with, with the girls at different ages. with the ones she made for us, you tie each treat onto a long fabric strip with ribbon. my problem usually comes in with my hands (thank you genes and arthritis..). it’s always cold, and sometimes stormy, which is a great little story problem that equals aching hands in my situation. the second problem is one, two, or three little girls, who like to steal treats prematurely. then I get ornery because chances are, my hands are still hurting after the initial 75 treat tie-ons, and then there is one (most likely more), treat to tie on. (now I shouldn’t blanket blame all three.. it’s usually a certain culprit.. ahemashleyahem.. who likes to take their sisters’ treats and say that they did it.) (it is also partly my fault, as they inherited my sweet tooth.) so I started thinking about this waaaay back in november, and came up with a pretty sweet solution. (bonus: it is also up cycling!!) so if you can’t tell, we’ve been saving toilet paper rolls like they are spare change. it didn’t take us long.. helps to have the hotel pitching in. I placed three treats in each empty roll cardboard core thing, wrapped it in tissue paper (okay, merrill did), and then twisted the ends, and tied them off with some string. (okay, merrill did that part too. my hands aren’t hurting!! sweetheart.) I printed off papers that are brand-spanking new from jessica sprague + heidi swapp (genius combo. can not go wrong there.). cut them to fit my rolls (got enough for 4 from each 8.5 x 11 sheet), and then taped them on the back side. I finished each one off with a number to identify just how many more days until christmas, that I printed off and punched with a 1 inch circle punch and stuck that on with a glue dot. getting them all hooked-up together wasn’t as easy as I initially thought. I tried glue-dotting the heck out of them, but they just wouldn’t stay. it was too heavy. so I resorted to my trusty old glue gun. worked awesomely. I took a small piece of ribbon and hot-glued that to the top roll to use as a hanger. now, all the treats are concealed, and safe, until the right day comes. the girls tear off one side and there’s the treats! but really, I love these papers.. love these colors!! trying really hard not to re-do the scheme of the tree this year…. and it would totally work, I re-painted the wall in the family room as one of my “keep yourself busy because merrill ditched us for two weeks” projects. links to jessica + heidi’s new collections here and here. dudes… they are totally on sale now too, along with a ton of other products!!!
Check out this easy Christmas science experiment for kids! Grow crystal candy canes and use as Christmas tree ornaments.
Find more fantabulous recipes, tips and tricks at www.thekitchenwhisperer.net. Also, join our TKW Family on Facebook
This is a simple and fun way to celebrate the season all month long. Use it as a Boredom Jar or Advent Christmas Countdown.
It's a Wonderful Movie -Family & Christmas Movies on TV - Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, ABCfamily &More! Come watch with us!
Get in the Holiday spirit with these 24 days of Christmas kindness activities for kids! Make an advent calendar of random acts of kindness with these festive ideas to countdown to Christmas!
DON'T PANIC! It's not too late to be on top of your festive knits. Check out these fab freebie makes!
Teach empathy & gratitude with this new christmas tradition, the kindness elves, forget Elf on the shelf. Use kindness elves to encourage acts of kindness this year
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...She was, hands down, the best bread baker in the neighborhood. Long time readers of my blog met Hannie five years ago and her Potato Bread was one of the first recipes I featured on my blog. She was a slight women who bubbled just as surely as the yeast she bloomed, and though only 5 feet tall, she could beat and pound five pounds of flour into submission with no special equipment, save for her arms and a wooden spoon. She had what my mother called a "hand" and the loaves that came from her kitchen were often extraordinary. Hannie's kitchen truly bustled in the weeks that lead up to Christmas and one of the breads she shared with the neighbors was a loaf she called her everyday stollen. Now between you and me, there was nothing remotely ordinary about her everyday loaf. It was chock full of fruit and nuts, but its reputation suffered because Hannie also made Dresdener Stollen, a rich yeasted loaf filled with almond paste, that was so good it made grown men beg for mercy or at least another slice. The ingredients used in that special bread were costly, so Hannie, instead, made her everyday stollen as Christmas gifts for the neighbors. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. If you are comfortable working with yeast dough, you'll find this to be a simple recipe, but despite the ease with which it comes together, it makes a lovely loaf. For maximum flavor, soak the raisins in brandy or orange juice for about an hour before using them, and make sure the bread is done before removing it from the oven. Here is how this holiday bread is made. Everyday Stollen...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite Ingredients: Bread 2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 2 tablespoons warm water 1 cup warm milk 3/4 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 1/2 teaspoon salt 4-3/4 to 5-1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup raisins 1/2 cup mixed candied fruit 1/2 cup chopped almonds Glaze 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 2 to 3 tablespoons milk Directions: 1) Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Add milk, butter, sugar, eggs, lemon peel, salt and 3 cups flour. Add raisins, candied fruit and almonds. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours. 2) Punch dough down and divide in half; cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll or press each half into a 12 x 7-inch oval. Fold a long side over to within 1 inch of opposite side and press edge lightly to seal. Place on greased baking sheets and curve ends slightly. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. 3) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. 4) Combine confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve a consistency suitable for drizzling. Drizzle over stollen. Yield: 2 loaves. Older Posts One Year Ago Today: Two Years Ago Today: Anise Biscotti Mulled Cranberry and Cider Punch Three Years Ago Today: Four Years Ago Today: Miso Soup Warm Apple Pudding with Hot Caramel Sauce
Good gravy has the power to transform, or even save, a meal. Open your mind to a slightly radical idea: make your gravy a few days, or even weeks in advance, simply reheating it in your turkey tray on the Big Day. To reduce food waste, I’ve updated my classic Get-ahead gravy recipe to give you the option of swapping out the chicken wings for drumsticks and legs. This means you can pick out the bones and turn the leftovers into a delicious meal – you’ll find links to 4 brilliant recipes in the tip box. So it’s really up to you on the chicken front – either way you’ll still have your epic gravy in the bag (and in the freezer), ready for Christmas Day.
24 Animals Who Are Here To Get You Into The Holiday Spirit (Day 24) - World's largest collection of cat memes and other animals
Get into the Christmas spirit with this 25 days of Christmas acts of kindness challenge! Teach kids about giving & serving while doing a Christmas countdown
Learn how to make a gatefold card, a simple fun fold which can be used for many occasions, not just Christmas
