Fall is here, and everyone knows that that means Christmas is just around the corner. In little more than two months, you’ll be waking up to the most celebrated day of the year, Christmas. When December arrives, it’s time to break out the fun, colorful, and animated decorations. Â
[Read more…]How to Enjoy Your Christmas in NYC
New York City is one of the most visited places in the world, but when winter rolls in, it’s a veritable winter wonderland. Festively decorated store fronts, twinkling Christmas lights, and bustling shoppers turn this metropolis into something straight from a holiday postcard. If you’re planning a winter trip to NYC, make sure to intertwine some of the city’s most treasured sights for the proper holiday experience.
Enjoying a Simple Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is unlike most popular holidays for me because it is passed without the usual pomp and busyness that accompanies most holiday preparations. I know that it can get pretty hectic for the one who cooks the Thanksgiving feast, but since I’m way better at eating than cooking, no one expects me to cook anything during
Thanksgiving.
What I like about Thanksgiving though is not getting to enjoy a sumptuous meal without having to sweat it out in the kitchen, but because I usually get to spend it the way it is meant to be spent – in reflection. Instead of stressing about gifts, cards, and parties, I get to spend the day quietly at home, or wherever I find myself that day, reflecting on my life and the things I am thankful for.
If you find yourself spending Thanksgiving in a frenzy doing preparations, I urge you to take some time for yourself to enjoy this holiday in the right spirit. It doesn’t matter whether you can just squeeze in 5 minutes to count your blessings, or have the luxury of time as I do as long as the time you spend being thankful puts you in a more positive frame of mind.
Thanksgiving in a simpler but more meaningful way this year, here are some ideas for you.
Call people up to say thank you – You don’t have to sound like a greeting card when you do this. A simple thank you for whatever they did for you or gave you would surely put a smile on their faces.
Take a walk – It doesn’t matter if you go to a park to do this or just go around the block. What’s important is that you take your time to notice the beauty of your surroundings, and so get to appreciate the things you take for granted most days.
Engage in your favourite activity – Spend time to do what you love doing most and be grateful that you are take time to enjoy yourself.
Image credit: eHow
Last Minute Gift Wrapping Ideas
There are several more hours before Christmas Eve, and I just got back from the supermarket. Needless to say, it’s sheer chaos out there. My sister’s wrapping up her gifts at the last moment – sans traditional Christmas wrapping paper. If you’re tired of wrapping gifts the same old boring way, here are a few ideas which you can put to good use without having to buy new materials.
Dig into your old stuff and look for suitable materials. We have found widespread brochures and catalogs to be useful. They’re really colorful and perfect for Christmas gifts. Usually, the material is glossy, making it even more suitable for wrapping gifts. For wine bottles, I just get a big enough spread of material, wrap it up, and twist. Just tie a ribbon for added flair.
I also got a couple of gifts wrapped in plain brown paper – the kind that they use in meat shops. I really like it even though it’s just plain and not that festive, it does have an appeal of its own. What I was thinking was that if you have kids, you can ask them to draw or paint on the paper. That would make the wrapping even more special.
How about newspaper? For your eco-conscious friends, this would be the perfect choice. I am sure you have a stack of old newspapers somewhere – just get some tape and a pair of scissors and you’ll be done with your gift-wrapping in no time at all!
Easter Egg Overload?
If you’re anything like us, you had way too many eggs over the Easter holiday. I suppose we do not really think about the days following the holiday – what are we going to do with all those eggs? Some are simply wasteful and throw them away. At this point in time, though, wastefulness is something that we shouldn’t even consider. So, what to do with all those Easter eggs?
The answer is simple: be as creative as you can and come up with new recipes to make use of those leftover eggs. I found some really mouthwatering recipes over at iVillage; here are my favorites, which I shall make use of!
Deviled Bacon and Eggs
All you need are the hardboiled eggs (of which you have plenty, I assume), some bacon, salt, mayo, and pepper. Get the yolk and mash it with the seasonings and mayo. Put the mashed yolk back into the egg whites and top with crispy bacon. Simple, isn’t it? I think I’m going to add some cayenne pepper for more kick.
Garlic Pickled Hard Cooked Eggs
Doesn’t the name make your mouth water? For this, you’ll need hardboiled eggs (without the shells, of course), pickle juice (just get the juice from a can or bottle of pickles), peppercorns, red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, bay leaves, and juniper berries. Combine all the ingredients in a jar huge enough to contain the eggs plus liquid. Keep in the fridge for at least 3 days. Dig in! According to the recipe, this can be kept in the fridge for 2 weeks before you need to throw it out. I think it 2 weeks won’t pass by before you eat it all up!