"Genius ain't anything more than elegant common sense."Josh Billings
|
| |
Get The Help You Need With Fund Raising Ideas
There are many fund raising ideas on the market today for anyone that is looking for them. Fund raising ideas are easy to come up with and are very successful in some cases. Before you start on fund raising there are a few things to do to make it as good ...
Holiday Dating: Finding The Right Gift For Your Sweetie
Dating relationships are tough enough, but finding the perfect holiday gift for your latest flame can be even tougher. Sending the wrong gift can also send the wrong message. And if you've only been dating for a short time, you may even not yet know all ...
How to Save Money with Great Gift Ideas
Want to save $1000 this year for very little effort? Gift giving is an area where impulse buying is a frequent occurrence. I was amazed to discover I was spending over $1500 or more per year for gifts. What have you spent for gifts in the last 12 ...
|
|
|
| |
Too often we forgo entertaining because of the mere thought of all of the preparation that is involved. And more is not better. Often we try to out do each other with lavish parties and expensive gifts. Stop and remember for a second what was important from your own childhood. Was it an outing? Baking cookies with your grandmother? Building a snowman with your dad? We need to connect. This doesn’t require more time, just shifting the focus of the time we already have. Here, a casual party and a very simple activity were the catalyst that brought everyone together.
To get the entire neighborhood into the Christmas spirit we planned a caroling party.
The day before our guests arrived, my kids and I spent an afternoon making decorative candleholders to give to each caroler, to light the way for our caroling expedition.
Dad, dressed as Santa, provided our very own photo opportunity. Little ones whispered their Christmas list in Santa’s ear. Grown ups, as well as kids, had their pictures taken in Santa’s lap.
Adults, kids, and even a few dogs then joined us on our merry way. Our numbers grew as we made our way caroling through the neighborhood.
As the carolers returned, we welcomed them with Mexican hot chocolate and ginger spice cookies. This party was a great way to engage everyone in an activity that the whole family could enjoy. And for a few short hours we were able to turn our attention away from the commercial marketing of the holidays to something much more personal.
Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate
Recipes are one of our most cherished traditions. Passed down from one generation to the next, they conjure up memories of holiday preparations or time spent with a favorite relative. Cooking provides a quiet time to pass on the wisdom of family lore.
Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
4 ounces Mexican chocolate such as Ibarra
or
3 ½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla, preferably Mexican
2 eggs
1. In a medium sized saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until scalding.
2. Break the chocolate into pieces. Add to the hot milk along with the sugar and salt. Stir until melted. Beat with a wire whisk until frothy.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla. Continue to whisk.
4. Pour into 4 mugs. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
You have permission to reprint this article electronically or in print, free of charge, provided that each article is:
1. Printed in its full form with no changes
2. Includes an active link
3. A courtesy copy of your publication is sent to the above contact
4. And the byline appears at the bottom of each article,including the authors bio.
About the Author
Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell Sewall Oakes are the co-authors of the award-winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions. To check out their website that's jam packed with family ideas, visit
To subscribe to their online newsletter, go to
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Trend Report: Gifts for brides, grads and dadsWashington PostYour best friend is getting married, your brother is graduating from high school, and, on June 17, you're expected at a family cookout with a gift for Dad. Here, less-than-$100 gift suggestions that won't gouge your budget.and more » |
|
Creve Coeur veteran receives respect, gifts from Patriot GuardPeoria Journal StarAmong the gifts given to Piercy was a flag that was flown at the funerals of central Illinois' two most recent casualties of war - Marine Lance Cpl. Jordan Bastean and Army Sgt. Dean Shaffer, both of Pekin. "As I sat at work today, and I thought about ... |
|
Gizmo | High-tech gifts for gradsThe Courier-JournalThere's a lot of tech out there to sort through when you're thinking about graduation gifts. Why not relax and let the experts handle it for you? Here are our favorite picks for the loved ones in your life. The good: The entry-level Amazon Kindle 2011 ...and more » |
|
