Slow down for the holidays
photo by 427
The holidays are approaching quickly, and the tension is building. Readers are sharing their seasonal planning tips. Some people have it broken down to weekly tasks. They’re cleaning and organizing and buying ingredients, and holiday cards are ready to be mailed. But even with the best plans in place, the holidays can get frenetic. There never seems to be enough time. Add in the pressure of finances, and you can really stress yourself out. But keep in mind that you set the tone in your home.
Every year, I used to have all types of grand plans. We had to go looking at decorations, watch certain holiday shows, take photos, go sledding, etc. The list went on and on. I’d knock myself out trying to pull off the perfect holiday, but life has a way of hitting you square in the face. Sometimes it shows you the error of your ways. I realized my family wanted more of my time and not the busyness of activities. Sure, they love sledding and hot cocoa with marshmallows, but not when it’s being scheduled in between a dozen other activities. You can’t cue the festivities and make them joyful. My family needed me to be calm. How could they possibly enjoy anything if I was frazzled? I lowered my expectations. I had built up all the ways I thought our holidays had to be. I felt inadequate otherwise.
Our extended family lives far away, and we don’t get together every year. I sometimes feel enormous pressure to fill in the gaps and do it all. But I’ve cut myself a deal and realized that our holidays don’t have to be like everyone else’s. Do I have to have fresh cranberries, green-bean casserole, mixed nuts and black olives for it to be complete? No. Do we have to wear our best clothes when it’s just us here at home? No to that, too. So, while our traditions make our holidays our own, the main focus should be togetherness and not a long checklist of things to do. Re-evaluate which traditions your family truly values. How easily do we get sucked into what it appears it should be? Everywhere we look, we’re shown how other people are celebrating, so we compare ourselves. Enough already.
In recent years, we sometimes have had nontraditional holiday meals, worn our pajamas throughout the day and simply hung out together. My plan became, there is no plan. I’m available to my loved ones 100 percent. I don’t want to miss important moments because of my busyness. That’s not to say that I don’t do anything special, but I’m much more grounded now. With this decision, my family can relax because they can see that I am relaxed. I’ve learned that I don’t have to cram it all into one built-up day of the year. My kids don’t feel indulged or entitled. Of course, they still get excited, but they don’t expect things to be a certain way. I’ve discovered family togetherness comes in unplanned moments.
Many families are struggling. Don’t get depressed, frustrated or upset over a single day. Your holiday should be your haven. It’s a special day you spend the way you want to and not how you’ve been conditioned to believe it has to be. Don’t deprive yourself of the joy you and your family really want. Multitasking can be great when it’s necessary, but try doing one thing at a time more often. You’ll be happy to find the meaningful connections you’ve missed while trying to do too much.
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This year we decided to be untraditional in our approach to the holidays! We decided to buy a 20 pound turkey at 47 cents a pound and use that as our main dish for Thanksgiving. We decided instead of gravy we would use fresh salsa which is a surprising and refreshing change! t tastes great on meat even on turkey! Instead of mashed or whipped potatoes we decided the more healthier sweet potatoes would be better and more economical especially with the price of white potatoes these days. I picked up my sweet potatoes on sale for 99 cents for 6 pounds. We also decided to nix the stuffing and the rolls. We really don’t need all that bread. We also decided NOT to have the salad or black olives opting instead for a beet and orange salad which tastes absolutely sweet and fabulous! I got 10 pounds of oranges for 99 cents and I paid 77 cents a can for the beets. I got two cans. Just layer the beets on a plate and then peel and section the oranges layering them on the plate with the beets. It really is delicious! I chill the plate overnight and take it out of the fridge right before serving it. It is a hit with my family! I am making my own cranberry sauce as it is easy and I can control my own sugar level. My family likes the cranberry sauce a little on the tart side. I take some of the cranberries and whirl it into a cranberry bread. I realize that the canned stuff is cheaper but it is also loaded with high fructose and corn syrup. I can do without that!
We are also nixing the apple pie this year because where we live apples are sky high. Instead I will take my fresh pumpkins and make pumpkin pies. I will buy my pie crusts as I work full time and don’t have time to do everything from scratch. I also bought some wine to complete our meal. I went to the $ store and bought nice wine glasses. So that is that! My son decorated our dining room with Fall leaves and home made decorations! Easy as pie!
Some ideas for Christmas.
I am nixing the traditional cookie baking. Way too much work and life is too short to be going crazy making cookies! Instead I will take two recipes and use them for gifts. Gingerbread people which kids can help decorate and Shortbreads which are quick and easy!
One gift that is very economical is to buy a basket from the $ store and fill it with tortilla chips and your home made salsa.
Another gift idea is to bake bread and home made tomato sauce put it in a basket with a nice selection of pasta, and sprinkle cheese. How about making some homemade jam and jellies? How about making a cheesecake for someone on your list?
Gift for your kids:
North Pole Express: Paint a box red and white with the words From S. Claus. In it put Candy wreaths, Butterscotch Cake, some syrup and banana butter. Children will love this and it can be a gift for the whole family to share! You can package these items in tins, bags, and baskets. Tuck some sprigs of evergreen in the crate for a festive look!
To make the Candy Wreath you need
About 31/2 c mini marshmallows
1/4 c butter or margarine
9 large shredded wheat biscuits, crushed
1/2 cup vanilla baking chips
Red string candy
small candies such as M&M’s to decorate.
Melt marshmallow and butter in large sauce pan stirring until smooth.
Stir in crushed biscuits.
To make each wreath shape 1/4 mix into ball. Flatten ball and cut wreath shape with a biscuit cutter.
To decorate with melted candy: Place 1/2 cup candy chips into a pint-sized resealable plastic bag. Microwave at 50% 2-3 min. Turn bag after each min.
Candy should not be hot to touch but soft and warm. Cut off a small tip from lower corner of the bag and with sealed bag squeeze melted candy through corner of the bag as desired.
Tie string candy in bows and attach with melted candy. Put M&M’s on with melted candy.
Cream:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups light corn syrup
2cups whipping cream whipped
1 tsp nutmeg
In Dutch oven combine first 3 ingredients
bring to boil and stir constantly
Stir in nutmeg.
Put in a Mason Jar and twist lid tightly
Serve warm with French toast, pancakes or waffles.
Refrigerate when done!
Butterscotch Cake: Oven 350
1 C all purpose flour
1 C quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 C brown sugar
2/3 C butter or margarine
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 C butterscotch chips
1 C butterscotch ice cream topping
2 tablespoons flour
In Large bowl combine 1 c flour and next 5 ingredients. Press 2/3 of flour mixture of flour mixture into a greased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake 10 min. In small bowl, mix ice cream topping and 2 tablespoons flour: drizzle over butterscotch chips. Sprinkle remaining flour mixture. Bake 15-20 min or until lightly brown Cool completely. You may cut up into bars for easier handling and packing.
You can pack them in a canister or box (after wrapping them in foil or plastic wrap) or basket(wrapped in plastic) found at the $ store.
Banana Butter
4 large ripe bananas
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Place bananas and lemon juice in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until smooth. Transfer bananas into a large saucepan and stir in remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour into sterilized Mason jars.
Use on Toast and English muffins.
Keep in the refrigerator after opening.
A Box of Chocolates
1 bar sweet chocolate
1 C peanut butter-flavored chips
1/2 C chopped roasted peanuts
Break chocolate into pieces and place on double boiler with baking chips. Melt over medium heat and stir constantly. Remove from heat and spoon into mini foil cups. Top with chopped peanuts. Store in airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen candies
How about a Pizza Sauce and Crust Mix? Put the pizza mix in a cloth bag and the pizza sauce in a plastic jar. Buy a pizza cutter and some green and red peppers along with fresh whole mushrooms and a fresh whole onion and a jar of sprinkle cheese. Put it all in a basket with directions on how to make the pizza. Look for your favorite pizza recipe on the internet. You can print it out and laminate it and put it in the basket!
These are simple ideas to help make your Holiday special without going broke!
Sara ~ I cannot tell you how much your articles of recent have changed my way of thinking, especially in these difficult times. I am a single mother of two, trying to keep my small business afloat, as well as my personal finances! I’m not sure how I’m going to survive this holiday season b/w worrying about where my next job will come from and how I’m going to provide a christmas to remember for my children. What I take from your columns is the reinforcement that living simply gives us all an appreciation for what we already have – each other, our health, and our love! I’m trying to remain hopeful and I’m going to keep plugging along, hoping business picks up soon!!! Thank you!
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