Delightful December Day 25 - Happy Birthday Jesus!

 

For unto us a child is born, 

unto us a son is given: 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 

and his name shall be called Wonderful, 

Counselor, 

The mighty God, 

The everlasting Father, 

The Prince of Peace.

Delightful December Day 24 - Christmas Eve Traditions!

This has got to be one of my favorite days of the year! We have a nice dinner with family where the kids even get to open some presents! Then we come home and open some new jammies, hang up our stockings, put out cookies, and read the Christmas story. I love the anticipation from the kids and the joy that fills the entire day (and spills over into tomorrow)!

Merry Christmas Eve...what are your family's traditions on this special day?

Delightful December Day 23 - Christmas Breakfast

I'd love to know what is on your menu for Christmas morning! 

Photo by Kristen Steele Photography courtesy of Pizzazzerrie

At our house the requested dishes are "extra cheesy cheesy eggs" aka scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, cinnamon rolls, and OJ. I have tried to make monkey bread the past few years, but it never seems to turn out.


The problem with breakfast food for me is timing, getting it all done at the same time to serve hot. I might make some of these blueberry almond muffins from Busy Cooks for the kids to munch on while I am fixing everything else.


I also love baked french toast, not only because it is yummy but because it can be made ahead. Unfortunately my family does not share my fondness for this dish!

I might just have to try this Christmas Morn Breakfast Casserole shared on Recipe4Living. It can be made the night before, sounds super easy, and would save this mama the stress of cooking on Christmas day.

Christmas Morn Casserole

Ingredients

• 6 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 lb. pork sausage, browned and drained
• 1 C. biscuit baking mix
• 2 C. milk
• 1 tsp. oregano

Directions

Mix all ingredients and pour into a 13x9 baking dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered in 350-degree oven for 1 hour.

Time to share...do you have any Christmas breakfast traditions or easy make ahead breakfast dishes?

Delightful December Day 22 - Recycle Christmas Cards

Don't throw away all of those beautiful Christmas cards you have received this month! Here are a few ideas to enjoy them all year round!


I love this place mat idea from Charlotte's Fancy! All you need is some paper, cards or photos, and contact paper and you have a beautiful place mat covered in memories!

 

You can also make gift card holder boxes and gift tags to use next year!

I also read an idea of keeping all the photos and newsletters in a three ring binder. You can look through it years later and have a book of memories from all the years past!

Time to share...what do you do with all those Christmas cards on December 26th?

Delightful December Day 21 - Cards

It is not too late to send out those Christmas wishes!

I had the opportunity to try Smartecards and love their philosophy of reducing the carbon footprint while also helping non-profit organizations. 

You can customize your card with a photo, music, and text. They have many holiday designs for occasions all year long. The cost is only $1 per card (which is a lot cheaper than purchasing them and paying for postage) and 80% of your donation goes to the non-profit of your choice. For more information visit www.smartecard.org


For a free option, we've found many nice cards at Dayspring. They have several pretty designs and always have a sweet, inspirational message.

Time to share...will you be sending out cards this year? Regular mail or email?

Delightful December Day 20 - Christmas Lights

Psst...I have a secret! We have a tradition of surprising the kids with a drive to look at Christmas lights around town. There are a few great houses in our area, some that even are set to music!

Here's how it all goes down:
1. I tell the kids to go upstairs and get ready for bed and hear "aww, mom it's too early!"
2. While they are upstairs I sneak some blankets, cookies, and hot cocoa into the car. I also start some Christmas music on the stereo.
3. When the kids come back down I tell them they need to get in the car because we have to run to the store real quick. This, of course, brings on more sighs, perhaps some moaning, and dare I say even some whining. When they get to the car, however, they are pleasantly surprised!
4. We enjoy a drive around town singing carols and looking at all the beautiful lights!

Time to share...Does your family take an annual drive to look at Christmas lights?

Delightful December Day 19 - Eggnog

I love the taste of eggnog! I can't drink a huge glass of it, but a taste here and there is perfect for me this time of year. 

I love that you can find the eggnog flavor in some of your favorite treats. You can find it everywhere this season from eggnog lattes to milkshakes. I ran across a few more recipes that I would love to try!

Eggnog Pound Cake - From Southern Living December 2009
Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) package pound cake mix $
• 1 1/4 cups eggnog $
• 2 large eggs $
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg $
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract $

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat all ingredients together at low speed with an electric mixer until blended. Increase speed to medium, and beat 2 minutes. Pour into a lightly greased 9- x 5-inch loaf pan.
2. 2. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

You can also modify this recipe to make cupcakes!

Eggnog Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened $
• 1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened $
• 1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup eggnog $
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg $
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract $

Preparation

1. Prepare Eggnog Pound Cake batter as directed. Place 24 paper baking cups in 2 (12-cup) muffin pans; spoon batter into cups. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely. Beat butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with eggnog, beginning and ending with sugar and beating at low speed. Add freshly grated nutmeg and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Spread over cupcakes.

And don't forget the cookies!


Eggnog Cookies

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup eggnog
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well with a wire whisk and set aside.
3. Cream sugar and butter until it forms a grainy paste. Stir in eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks. Beat at medium speed until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed just until combined.
4. Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bottoms turn light brown.

For  a vegan recipe check out PTIT Chef's adaptation of a Betty Crocker recipe for Eggnog Cookies HERE!

Who could resist these Eggnog Cheesecake Bars from Land O Lakes! With only 15 minutes minutes prep time, that is my kind of baking.

Eggnog Cheesecake Bars

Crust

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Filling

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Land O Lakes® Eggnog or Land O Lakes® Fat Free Half & Half

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3 Land O Lakes® All-Natural Eggs

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. Beat until well mixed. (Mixture will be crumbly.) Press crust mixture onto bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients except nutmeg in same bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture is creamy.

Spread filling over hot, partially baked crust; sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Continue baking for 28 to 33 minutes or until set. Cool completely. Cut into bars with wet knife. Store refrigerated.

 

And just when I thought pancakes couldn't get any better...check out this recipe from Andreasrecipes.com!

 

Eggnog Pancakes

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup eggnog
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
Preparation
1. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in mixing bowl.
2. Add the eggnog, butter, and egg. Stir until the dry ingredients are coated. Don’t over mix.
3. Pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of mix onto hot, greased griddle. Cook until the top starts to bubble and the sides start to firm. Flip and cook until lightly browned on the bottom.

 

My kids are getting a special treat one afternoon this winter break, we'll be mixing up some eggnog milkshakes! 

Just take equal parts eggnog and vanilla ice cream and blend. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg...yum! 

 

Time to share...what is your favorite eggnog flavored treat? 

Delightful December Day 17 - Scarves!

Scarves are so trendy right now, I know I wish I had a few more to accessorize with. They can be pricey for such a simple strip of fabric, so I searched some DIY ideas and wanted to share!


I love these braided designs made from recycled t-shirts, for the tutorial check out This Old Dress!

Fleece is so cozy and warm and easy to work with. I think this fringed fleece scarf would be cute for any age and can be customized with any color combination. Check out Make and Takes for a demo!

For a feminine look you can check out this pretty ruffled scarf tutorial from Quiver Full of Blessings (love that blog name!) and make one for yourself. I think I just might have to go find some cute fabric to make my own this week!

Not getting out the sewing machine any time soon? Well here is a simple no-sew option for you with just a strip of fleece that is that is 7" wide by 64" long. Sam from All Sam's Idea gives a great tutorial with pictures HERE.

Time to share...do you wear scarves and what is your favorite style? Would you ever attempt to make your own?

Delightful December Day 16 - Gifts in a Jar

I love gifts in a jar! I have attempted to make them and a few times discovered it was a bit harder than it looked. It made me appreciate receiving them that much more.


I think we've all seen the hot chocolate mixes and cookie mixes, but how often have you seen pie in a jar? I just love this idea from Little Birdie Secrets, who wouldn't be thrilled to receive this little sweet treat?!

I also ran across another idea I hadn't seen before at Little House Living for caramel popcorn mix in a jar! I love caramel corn, but the process can be a bit daunting. I love this idea because it is so simple, even if you don't give it away you might want to try it on your next movie night!

No matter what you fill the jar with, the packaging says it all, so make it cute! You can find some great ideas and adorable FREE printables at Design Dazzle.
Just look at this cute jar tag!

Time to share...what is your favorite gift in a jar idea?

Delightful December Day 15 - Neighbor Gifts

Whether you chat with your neighbors every day, or just give a wave as you drive by, it is always nice to extend a gesture of kindness to those around you during the Christmas season. You don't have to spend a lot of money.

I love the ideas that Tip Junkie shares, most of them are things you might already have around the house!

I made these bags for my teacher gifts this year. I used flannel fabric and feed corn for the filling, but you could also use a washcloth like she suggests on How Does She.

I made these fun bowls out of old vinyl records we got at the Goodwill a few years ago and filled them with Christmas goodies for our neighbors and friends. Casa Sugar has a great tutorial HERE to help wish your neighbors a "rockin' Christmas!"

Baked goods are always a welcome treat and last year our sweet neighbor Mary gave us a cookie decorating kit. The boys had so much fun decorating their gingerbread men cookies with the supplied frosting and candies!

Time to share...what is the best neighbor gift you have ever received or been given?

Delightful December Day 14 - Email from Santa

My kids loved getting their personalized emails from Santa last year, so I will be setting them up again this week! I had to show them each one at a time because if you watch one for someone else you can see how it is the same video with different information. They loved how he knew so much about their year and what they wanted for Christmas though, and Little A is asking if he will get another email this year. 

You can check out the Portable North Pole site HERE.

Time to share...do your kids get emails or phone calls from Santa?

Delightful December Day 13 - Candy Canes

Candy Canes

Look at the Candy Cane
What do you see?
Stripes that are red
Like the blood shed for me
White is for my Savior
Who’s sinless and pure!
“J” is for Jesus My Lord, that’s for sure!
Turn it around
And a staff you will see
Jesus my shepherd
Was born for Me!

Click here to download the Candy Cane Poem.

A cute craft idea with only a few supplies is a candy cane reindeer! Twist a pipe cleaner for antlers, glue some google eyes and a red pom pom for nose. I remember making these as a kid!

How about setting up a candy cane hunt for the kids?

Hide mini candy canes all over the house and let the search begin!

And for a pretty centerpiece idea how about surrounding a candle with, you guessed it, candy canes!

Time to share...what is your favorite candy cane idea?

Delightful December Day 12 - Favorite Christmas Books

We have a bench that sits under the window on the landing upstairs. It has a blanket, pillow, and basket of books that I change out according to the season. It is full of some of our favorite Christmas books now and there are so many more I would love to add to our collection.

A few of our favorites are...

The Christmas Box

 Little Critter's the Night Before Christmas

Mrs. Wishy-Washy's Christmas

The Spirit of Christmas

 The Polar Express

 A few of Jan Brett's greats including

The Wild Christmas Reindeer

and The Mitten

 And of course Luke 2:1-20 

of The Holy Bible

A few more on my wish list are...

Humphrey's First Christmas

 

Llama Llama Holiday Drama 

 

The Carpenter's Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree

 

 I think this would be a great one for little ones...

Getting Ready for Christmas: A Daily Advent Prayer

& Activity Book for the Family

 

 

 

And something for the whole family...

A Family Advent: Keeping the Savior in the Season

 

 Mortimer's Christmas Manger 

Time to share...what is your favorite Christmas book?

 

Delightful December Day 11 - More Than Mistletoe

December can be such a busy month, and it can be easy to get caught up in the busyness and stress that the world tries to bring during the holidays. It is important to remember to set aside time to connect with your spouse.

It doesn't have to be a weekend getaway, or even an entire day, a little bit of time together can go a long way. If you are a parent, so much of your time may be spent on the kids and making sure they have a memorable holiday season. Don't forget about your spouse, and how important it is to take the time to let them know how much they mean to you. I read an idea the the other day in an email (and now can't remember who it was from) that a couple had a roll of red wrapping paper in their room. They would buy a special gift for one another and open them away from the kids, just a special time between the two of them.

My husband and I are very blessed to have family in town that will take care of our kids so we can get away every once in a while. Today we went out to lunch and did some Christmas shopping together and ended the afternoon with ice cream. It was nice to just stroll through the mall holding hands and talking.
I encourage you to set aside a bit of time to connect with your spouse and let them know they are important to you. Don't over schedule yourself or pack your day so full of activities that at the end of the day you have no energy left to spend with them. Create your own holiday tradition so that everything is not just about the kids. And if all else fails, hang a bit of mistletoe above the door (or the headboard of your bed) and give your sweetie a holiday smooch!

Time to share...how do you connect with your spouse during this busy time of year?

Delightful December Day 10 - Homemade Tree Skirts

Tree skirts are like the perfect shoes to complete the outfit. Whether you have a themed tree or a Hodge-podge of family memories covering the limbs, every tree needs a proper skirt.

I have recently run into the problem of my pretty green and red velvet skirt being covered in cat hair, as under the tree is her favorite place to nap. It was suggested to me to cut a round flannel backed vinyl Christmas tablecloth to place around the tree, so it could be easily cleaned off.

I found a few other homemade ideas during my search for a solution and I wanted to share!

I fell in love with this ruffled skirt 

from HGTV the moment I saw it.

They offer a tutorial for this no-sew project, and though it seems time consuming, I think the result is beautiful. You could really use any combination of fabrics to match your decor!

Ashley also has a great step by step guide with pictures on her blog, The Johnston's.

I also love the look of this embroidered felt skirt from Little Birdie Secrets. You could make a simple version without the embellishments, but I think they add a really sweet touch.

I'm not sure it gets much more resourceful than this idea from Chica and Jo! How about turning a bridesmaid dress into a beautiful satin tree skirt?

As Chica says, "how many times have you heard a bride say “You can just shorten your bridesmaid dress and wear it again!” Well, by the time you cut the bottom off your dress for this project, you’ll find that what’s left of your long, formal gown is an un-hemmed party dress. Here’s your chance to make good on the bride’s idea!" 

I love it! 

Time to share...do you have a favorite tree skirt? Any ideas on a cat (hair) friendly tree skirt solution?

Delightful December Day 9 - Reindeer Food

My boys love to put out a bowl of "reindeer food" each year on our front porch. When I was young my sister always wanted to leave out a carrot for Rudolph who was her favorite.

One of the boys brought home a cute bag 

they made in class a few years ago

and we've kept reindeer food tradition ever since.

Here is the canister we keep on our counter until the big night.

I found a few cute recipes and crafts that would be

fun as gifts or just for your own kiddos.

The basic recipe consists of rolled oats and maybe some colored sprinkles or sugar for sparkle. 

Some recipes call for glitter to add a little "magic," but we've found 

that the sugar works just as well and the reindeer prefer the taste!

There are many options for packaging if 

you are going to give these as gifts.

A simple ziploc or cellophane bag with a tag, 

sticker, or cardstock toppers

would be simple and cute! I've also seen jars, test tubes, cans.

       

Whimsie Doodles has a really cute FREE printable 

and packaging idea on her site!

Tip Junkie has SO many fun free printables,

(I might have to share a few others in the next few days)  

including two for reindeer food!

I also love the design that Rainy Day Story shared on their page!

Visit the site for more fun pictures and a recipe!

 

Hoosier Homemade shares a recipe that I will definitely be trying, and it sounds so yummy it might not all go to the reindeer! How cute is this homemade reindeer bucket for serving?!

Time to share...Do you leave out treats for Santa's reindeer?