the magical Christmas tree

It’s early. And quiet. And the tree is on…

I am supposed to be doing something else right now; but I can’t. I am completely wrapped up in magic and memories this morning. So I succumb to the moment. I turn on some relaxing music, my “Spa Christmas” CD (not kidding.), light a Christmas candle and pour another cup of hot coffee. We need to chat…

You see, I realized something very, very important this morning.

Our Christmas tree is magical.

Here’s the deal. Over the years our tastes have changed, decorations have come and gone, we have even moved from house to house. But something significant occurred to me this morning. Our Christmas tree is different. It defines us as a family. It is the one true constant that ties every single Christmas together throughout the years.

We are not a fancy tree family. No white lights, Waterford crystal and Christopher Radko ornaments here, my friends. Our lights are bright and multi-colored; our ornaments an eclectic combination of wonderful memories. A snapshot of who we are as a family.

A Chiefs ornament that my sweet (widdle) hubbie made as a kid in 1971; a Santa walking his 3 little pigs (that’s mine!), a collection of treasured ornaments given to my kids every year from their grandparents, our very own “Christmas Vacation” squirrel, a beautiful assortment of treasures hand-painted by my (very talented) mom…

We have decorated this tree together as a family for more than 24 years. When it comes to our favorites (Mom & Dad), however… that is easy. We have a little box that houses all of our very, very favorite little treasures. Most of them date back 20+ years to the preschool days. Our precious little angels – perfectly framed in construction paper stars and sequins. Glittered teddy bears with crooked little googly eyes hand-crafted by two adorable little three year olds. Priceless. And, without a doubt, magical…

In the quiet of this magical morning, as I was snapping pictures of our beautiful tree – I was overcome with emotion… the treasured memories of days gone by. An intense happy and sad at the same time. Our son moved to Dallas in the fall. He was home for Thanksgiving, and it felt beyond wonderful to have both of my kids home at the same time again. As a family, we treasured every single moment together xoxoxoxo And although our time passed so very quickly, we were able to accomplish one very, very important thing before he left. We decorated the tree. Our magical tree…

For those of you who may not believe in the magic of Christmas, allow me to share one final thing. As I was reminiscing this morning, completely wrapped in a warm blanket of memories from the past, I was also very focused on the happiness of this given moment. The present; a gift. A thought suddenly occurred to me. What about our kids? I wonder what favorite memories and traditions they will carry with them into THEIR futures? Our daughter LOVES Christmas, her family and tradition. I think it is safe to say that she will probably take a lot of her memories of Christmas past into her future. My son is also very family oriented, but decorating for Christmas was never a real “priority” for him. When they were little, both of my kids each had their own little tree in their rooms. Santa would always leave one little gift under their (room) tree on Christmas Eve… if it was up!! My daughter had one tree with lights AND three bright tinsel trees plus an entire collection of her own ornaments that she had collected over the years. No problem there, Santa. My son? Well that was a completely different story. Trying to get him to decorate his one little (room) tree was next to impossible. That is, until he finally figured it out. He started hiding the little tree (completely decorated) in the back of his closet from year to year. From that point on, it was never a problem.

So you are probably wondering, as I was this morning, what special memories will he carry into his Christmas future…? He is on his own now for the first time, far from home at Christmas time. He lives alone and although he will be back in Kansas City a few days before Christmas, I was sad thinking that that he would not have any “Christmas” in his new apartment over the next few weeks. It was at that very moment that a text came through on my phone. “Mom, I’m thinking about getting a Christmas tree… Any chance you could send my ornaments? They should be in the back of my closet.”

I cried. Yes, sweetie. I know where they are.

And that is the story of the magical Christmas tree. The end.

scrumptuous seasonal sipping

12 / 13 / 12

Candy-Cane Marshmallows

Give out homemade treats that are great in hot cocoa (see below) – or straight from the bag. Peppermint marshmallows are easy to make; they get their red swirl from a quick marbleizing technique. Follow our recipe, then package them in small cellophane bags to show off their good looks. Fold the top of each bag over once, and staple it shut. Use a small hole punch on either side of the staple. Thread a length of red twine through the holes, and knot it in front. Pull one end through a gift tag, and finish with a bow.

Link: Martha Stewart Living, December 2004

Yield Makes sixteen 2-inch squares

Ingredients:

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
4 packages (1/4 ounce each) unflavored gelatin
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons red food coloring

Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray; line bottom with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray, and set pan aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring; let mixture come to a boil. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup water in a heatproof bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Set the bowl with the gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in extract; set aside.

3. Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Whisk gelatin mixture into sugar mixture; with mixer running, gradually add to egg whites. Mix on high speed until very thick, 12 to 15 minutes.

4. Pour mixture into lined pan. Working quickly, drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow. Using a toothpick, swirl food coloring into marshmallow to create a marbleized effect. Let marshmallow stand, uncovered, at room temperature until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight. Cut into squares.

OK. Now we have these delicious (and bee-u-tee-ful!) “candy-cane marshmallows”, courtesy of Martha Stewart (and her team!)… so how about something EQUALLY delicious to serve with them??? Like maybe a cup of yummy hot cocoa? And since we’re sharing recipes for “sumptuous seasonal sipping“; how about a little spiced cider and some holiday eggnog? No problem… “epicurious” is here to help. Click this link: Spiced cider, hot chocolate and holiday eggnog, and/or – read on! Click on the links below for individual recipes. I guarantee there is something for everyone!!

A Toast to the Season

When it comes to drinks, this truly is the season of comfort and joy. Whether it is a steaming mug to take off the chill after shopping or a bowl of spirited eggnog to jump-start your holiday party, everybody delights in raising a glass of holiday cheer. Happy days to all!

drink tips:

Take Your Time

Never let the milk boil when making hot chocolate. Heat it slowly until just steaming to prevent lumps or a skin from forming.

Stay Cool

To keep things safe, once mixed, eggnog should be refrigerated until served. It’s not a good idea to add ice, though—once it melts, it’ll water down the nog. Instead, pre-chill the punchbowl (if it doesn’t fit in the fridge, pack it with ice).

Best Bubblies

For Champagne punches, there’s no need to fork over a ton of money for an expensive sparkler—a good domestic sparkling wine will serve beautifully. For fruity drinks, try a lightly sweet (demi-sec) variety rather than dry (brut).

Plan Ahead

Mix several large pitchers of the basic ingredients of your punchbowl drink in advance. The last few steps can be done in smaller batches as needed.

Spiced Ciders

The scent of the season

Cups of Chocolate

Morning, noon, and night, a classic comfort drink

Once-A-Year Riches

Ideal centerpieces for any festivity

it’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas…

12 / 9 / 12

Oh my ~ how does one describe the scents of Christmas….

Pine needles and Christmas trees, gingerbread, peppermint candy canes, fresh oranges (and cloves!), Christmas cookies fresh from the oven, mulled cider or wine, a steaming cup of hot cocoa… As different as it may be for each one of us, I think there is also a real “connectedness” when it comes to the scents of the Christmas season. So good news. I have THREE special treats for you to enjoy today, and I think that you are going to enjoy each one of them… Please let me know if you try one or have a favorite!

(#1) Orange Clove Pomanders (pic above)

I make these every year, and if you have never made one… this is the year to give it a go. They smell SO good (especially while you are making them), the “design” ideas are endless, they cost next to nothing and they are SUPER SIMPLE!!! Here is a little video to get you motivated…Orange Clove Pomanders. OK, and another one…

As for the next little yummy scented goodie, I have a few people to thank. Grace Bonney has a wonderful blog that is chocked full of great ideas, “Design Sponge”, and I strongly encourage you to check it out! Secondly, the writer of the article (below) is part of the Design Sponge team, and her name is Ashley English. To check out her posts, click here. Finally, a thank you to my friend, Jerrod (from Brandtabulous), for turning me on to the site initially!! Big thanks to all…

(#2) Small Measures: Natural Room Spritz

I have what I’ve dubbed a “hound’s nose.” Depending on how you look at it, this can be a blessing or a curse. I can sniff out specific aromas as soon as I step into a business or residence. This is great when it’s a French bakery, and less pleasant when it’s, say, a cat’s litterbox. When I was pregnant, this sense was magnified. Oh, the gripes my long-suffering husband had to withstand!

The thing is, though, that my particular olfactory department is especially affected by synthetic smells. I’ve been in the car with my mother when she decided to remove her nail polish and just about had to pull the car over because of my intense reaction to her polish remover’s scent. So when it comes to fragrances in my home, I go as natural as possible. There are a number of truly wonderful room spritzers available for purchase today, but I love whipping up a bottle of my own. It’s easy to do, cost effective (once you’ve purchased some essential oils, that is) and customizable in multitudinous permutations.

For today’s Small Measures, I’m sharing three seasonally themed all-natural room-spritz blends. Now you can freshen up your space while keeping synthetic (and potentially toxic) ingredients out. And if your nose is anything like mine, this is a very, very good thing indeed! — Ashley English

Any time I come across a bottle whose shape or general appearance appeals to me, I remove the label and squirrel it away for later use. This comes in handy when making room spritzers. All of the bottles and misters shown above were up-cycled from their previous incarnations (which include a bottle of Chinese herbs, a vanilla extract bottle and a personal fragrance bottle). If you don’t have bottles or misters on hand, you can often find both at natural foods stores or at Mountain Rose Herbs (a wonderful supplier of essential oils, also).

For each of the three blends listed here, place the essential oils in a 4- to 8-ounce jar. Add 3/4 cup of ethanol (I used vodka), and top off the bottle with distilled water. Shake, spritz and enjoy!

Winter Wonderland

10 drops balsam fir needle essential oil
10 drops juniper essential oil
10 drops pine essential oil

Citrus Grove

10 drops lemon or lemongrass essential oil
10 drops orange or tangerine essential oil
10 drops grapefruit or bergamot essential oil

Sugar & Spice

10 drops clove or nutmeg essential oil
10 drops cinnamon or anise essential oil
10 drops vanilla essential oil

What about you? Got any natural, simple ways to freshen up a room? (Check out my post from last December on making a natural potpourri!) I’d love to hear them. With the holiday season right around the corner, having a go-to room spritzer on hand is just what you (and your guests) could stand to have around.

Images and styling by Jen Altman

(#3) Christmas Scent

Ingredients

2 -4 tablespoons cloves
2 -4 cinnamon sticks
4 bay leaves
1/2 oranges, sliced
1/2 lemons, sliced

Add orange and lemon slices to dry mixture of spices. Put in a small sauce pan with 4 cups of water (or apple juice/cider). Simmer on low to release the fragrance. IF you simmer it for a few hours, you will need to add more water occasionally so it doesn’t boil dry. Store in refrigerator when not in use, to prevent molding. It can be simmered over and over again! Always add more water to equal 4 cups before each use.
TO GIVE AS A GIFT: put ingredients in a quart-sized decorative jar. Add enough water to fill jar. Add a few drops of red food coloring if desired. Close securely and give with a small gift tag explaining how to use it.
Note, I prefer to use the lesser amount of cloves so that they don’t overwhelm the other fragrances.

sugar cookies

7 / 9 / 12

So today is “National Sugar Cookie Day”… and for me, that brings back a flood of “warm, fuzzy” memories! With my mom, with my grandma, with my kids. Easter, Halloween, Christmas, just because. Sugar cookies on a stick for every “half birthday party” at school. Ahhh… It’s like a little trip down memory lane; and I am suddenly missing those “”above mentioned people” very much… Tuck these recipes away for a rainy day, and create a future memory with someone that you love. Enjoy!

Sweetopia’s Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups butter (at room temperature)

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

Seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 3 tsp vanilla)

5 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low tomedium speed. (Use the paddle attachment). Mix until thoroughly incorporated – forabout one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mixagain for a few seconds more.Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporatedinto the dough. If you’d like a light and fluffy cookie, that’s ideal, however the dough will spread more during baking;

not ideal if you’d like the cookie to hold its shape.

2. Add eggs slowly and mix. Scrape down the bowl with your spatula at least once andmix again.

3. Cut open your vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out. Add to mixing bowl. Alternatively, add liquid vanilla extract. Stir briefly.

4. Sift your dry ingredients together. (Flour, baking powder and salt).

5. Add all of the flour mixture to the bowl. Place a large tea towel or two small teatowels between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won’tescape. Mix on low speed for 3o seconds. Remove the tea towels and observe the doughmixing; when it clumps around the paddle attachment it’s ready. It’s also important atthis stage not to over mix the dough (the glutens in the flour develop and the dough can become tough).

6. Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper. Place on a bakingsheet and into the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.

7. Roll out the dough further if you need to, and cut out cookie shapes. Place onparchment paper-lined baking sheet. Re-roll scraps and repeat.

8. Put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again.They will then hold their shape better when baked.

9. Preheat your oven to 350°F or 176°C.

10. Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. The bakingtime will depend on the size of your cookie.

11. Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate!

A few notes about the recipe:

*Butter – The butter needs to be soft, or room temperature. I leave mine out the night before I do my baking. If you forget, you can grate the butter on the largest hole of your box grater, so that the sugar and butter will mix together better.

*Baking powder – I hardly use any baking powder in my recipe because the dough willspread and rise more during baking, thereby making the shape of the cookie less crisp.