Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts

Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas

The holidays are a time for giving, and what better way to show your loved ones how much you care than with a homemade gift?

Homemade gifts are personal, thoughtful, and often more meaningful than store-bought gifts. They also show that you put time and effort into creating something special for the recipient.



If you're looking for some inspiration for homemade Christmas gifts, look no further! Here are 15 ideas to get you started:

Soy Lotion Bars by Bitz N Giggles

Crochet Cats by Red Ted Art

Painted Mason Jars by Mommy Made That

Bacon and Whisky Maple Syrup by A Country Girl’s Life




Lavender Loofah Soaps by Earth Friendly Tips

Wine Cork Snowman by Then It Dawned on Me

Mickey Mouse Rope Baskets by The Everyday Mouse

Easy Knitted Blanket by The Frugal Family

Chocolate Mug Cakes by In the Kitch



Honey Roasted Cashews by The Home Intent

Marble Tiled Coasters by Making it Manzanita

Infinity Scarf by Swoodson Says

Reading Pillows by The Happiest Camper

White Chocolate Liquor by Aubrey’s Kitchen

Vanilla honey Lip Scrub by The Soccer Mom


Find more DIY gift ideas here

Ribbon Charm Bookmarks

Ipad Stands

How to Plan the Perfect Christmas Party: Some Top Ideas to Make Your Event Memorable

 




It's the most wonderful time of the year, and we are full of good cheer! There's nothing like a proper celebration of the season, and if you plan a Christmas party, you know very well that it needs to be as special as possible. And whilst you can always rely on Christmas traditions and the décor you used in celebrations past, there’s no reason to stop there. In fact, there are more ideas than ever – and they can certainly add a sparkle to your Christmas event. So here’s how to plan the perfect Christmas party: some top ideas to make your event memorable.



Select your venue wisely.


The first thing on the list would be to select your venue wisely. The venue, after all, can make or break your event – especially the most amazing event of the year! When selecting a venue, it's important to consider certain requirements, such as live music or a dance floor (and these are just the beginning). You also have to consider whether the space is what you need – so make sure you have your guest list (or at least an estimate of the number of people). It would also be wise to keep a few questions in mind, such as whether the venue has a sound system, when it is available, the booking terms and conditions, and whether it has parking. Does the venue have its bar and catering facilities?


Determine a theme


Why not determine a theme if you want to give your Christmas event that extra 'wow' factor? The theme will help you decide on other aspects, such as décor, food, entertainment and activities, and so on. Some themes are also more inspired than most, such as a winter wonderland, a Christmas jumper or pyjama party, a Christmas party with Christmas characters like Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, Santa's Elves, and more. Or you can celebrate in style with a Christmas carnival, and plenty of Christmas-themed stalls are available nowadays. Whatever theme works best for you, you could also seek help from fabulous party planners in Gloucestershire, like Oasis Events.



Decide on the décor


The decorations can add more ambience and personality to your event, but they can also be expensive, so take note of that. You can choose to create your décor (again, this would depend on the theme you are having), or you can rely on a professional to do it for you. If you decide to do your own thing regarding the décor, the best you can do is form a committee that will be in charge of it. This is one of the best aspects of having a theme – it can help you choose patterns, colours, and a motif much more easily. Plan ahead for the décor you need to hire from a vendor (like lighting).



Plan the entertainment

A Christmas party wouldn't be complete without the proper entertainment, so plan this wisely. You can go the traditional route with beloved Christmas games like charades, musical chairs, and musical statues. Or you can be more adventurous and have a game of Pictionary, wrap presents in a relay game, hold a Christmas-inspired treasure hunt, or have a game of Christmas bingo!


Image attributed to Pixabay.com


How to Save Money for Christmas

 

Photo by Joslyn Pickens 


When the Christmas season rolls around it is a time for gift-giving. However, before you go ahead and start spending, it is a good idea to try to save. 


With inflation rising, it's best to try to keep spending as minimal as possible. Here's a closer look at how you can control your spending this holiday season.

Create a Budget

The first step to saving money is to create a budget for the holiday season. First, write the names of all the people you want to buy gifts for and then decide how much money you want to spend on each of their gifts. 


This is an easy way to immediately control your spending. Once you have finished allocating the amount you want to spend, you can then calculate your expenditure. 


It might also be a lot more fun to try to fit the gifts you buy into the amount that you set for each person, instead of the other way around. Remember that getting gifts is simply a way to help us learn about the true meaning of Christmas. In the end, it's the thought that comes.

Use a Tracker

If you always have your phone with you a good idea will be to start using a tracker to keep your spending down this holiday season. It can be easy to say that you will think about how much you are spending in January. 


However, when January rolls around you will likely regret that you have spent so much. Getting an app on your phone to assist you with keeping track of your spending in real-time, is a good idea so that you can avoid regrets.

Start Shopping Early

One of the best things you can do is to start shopping as early as possible. The earlier you start shopping the less likely it is that you will overspend. 


Don't wait until the week of Christmas or the day before Christmas to start trying to find gifts. You are likely to end up having to buy things at more expensive prices. Take advantage of Black Friday deals and cyber week sales.

Combine Orders

If you decide to shop online you should consider combining your orders to ensure that you are getting the best value for your money. Buying all your gifts at one time and then getting them shipped out at once is the best way to avoid high shipping costs when you are purchasing gifts online.

Stay Off Your Credit Cards


Another thing you can do is try to stay off your credit cards during this time. Try to use cash instead. 


This is where making a budget becomes critical. You can then pull all the cash that you need at once.


Once that cash runs out your spending is done. Do not carry your credit cards with you when you go shopping. This will make it even easier for you not to use them if you run out of cash.

Set Up a Dedicated Christmas Account

If you typically have a lot of people you need to give gifts to at Christmas, you can set up a dedicated Christmas account. You can start putting funds in it from January so that at the end of the year you will have a good stash of cash ready to buy Christmas gifts. 


The good thing about having a separate account is that you get a debit card for that account. It helps you to separate your money. Even if you don't save in the account every month, you can decide on your budget for Christmas spending, put all the money into that account and then use your debit card. 

Shop All Year

Yes, you are trying to save money, but if you start your Christmas shopping a little bit every month by the end of the year you will already have a special gift ready for everyone.


Take advantage of all the sales that happen throughout the year and purchase something whenever you can. By the end of the year, you will have saved money and avoided the Christmas shopping rush.

Get the Gifts You Need


Getting gifts for the people you love at Christmas is critical. You don't want to disappoint anybody. However, gift-giving can rack up some very high bills. It's always a good idea to be as prepared as possible so that you can save as much money as you can for the new year. 



14 Christmas Casseroles for Breakfast

Are you looking for a way to make Christmas breakfast amazing without spending much time in the kitchen? This list has 14+ breakfast casseroles that will make the holiday morning deliciously satisfying!




From casseroles loaded with sausage to hearty casseroles that are straight from the Amish country. This collection has some really decadent ideas for you!  I can't wait to hear which is your favorite!

As you might have figured out already, I am all about the Christmas holidays! I drive my family a little nutty with my enthusiasm for the holidays. I begin building steam in September and am elbows deep in crafting, cooking and wrapping by the weekend after Thanksgiving.

I guess you could consider this your one stop shop for crafty ideas, easy foods and great gifts. Well, enough about my holiday obsession and let's get on to these recipes! Be sure to click thru the link to visit the recipes.




Sausage Apricot Breakfast Casserole by Dukes and Duchesses

Breakfast Burrito Casserole by Homemade Interest

Easy Overnight Egg Bake by Foodal

Overnight Cinnamon Roll Casserole by The Kitchen is my Playground

Sausage Breakfast Casserole by Meaningful Mama

Farmers Market Breakfast Casserole by Two Healthy Kitchens

Cinnamon Roll Casserole by Cook Eat Go

Mediterranean Brunch Bake by Simply Stacie

Potato Breakfast Bake by That Guy Who Grills

Easy Egg Casserole by Mama Loves Food

Cowboy Christmas Casserole by Platter Talk

Eggs Benedict Casserole by Centsless Meals

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole by Spend with Pennies

Amish Breakfast Casserole by Ally's Sweet and Savory Eats

Find all of my holiday crafts here




12+ Cheesecake Recipes for the Holiday Season


The holidays are the perfect time to whip up and enjoy a decadent cheesecake! If you have been looking for a unique new recipe to try, this collection is the perfect starting place.

Make sure you pin this collection to your holiday baking board. 

Social shares are so much appreciated. They help my site grow and send traffic to my blogging friends that participated in sharing recipes for this post. So please, hit that share to twitter, facebook, pinterest or etc button!



This collection has something for everyone! From a sweet sopapilla cheesecake to  cranberry cheesecake bar recipe that is perfect for Thanksgiving



Sopapilla Cheesecake by Spend with Pennies
Monkey Bread Cheesecake by Sweet Recipeas
Red Velvet Cheesecake by Food, Folks and Fun
Maple Bacon Cheesecake by Ashlee Marie
Funfetti Cheesecake  by The Suburban Soap Box
Fireball Brown Sugar Cheesecake  by Sweet Recipeas

Related: Apple Pie Cheesecake Parfaits



Gingersnap Cheesecake by Julie Measures
Birthday Cake Cheesecake by Centsable Mom
Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars by Centsless Meals
Christmas Tree Cheesecakes by Mom Foodie
Peppermint Cheesecake Trifle by Tastes of Lizzy T
Cranberry Cheesecake Bars by Domestic Superhero


If you are craving more holiday goodness check out my Thanksgiving collection.
There is so much fun to be found in my Christmas section, you won't want to miss a moment!


15 Advent Calendars for Kids

When I was a kid, one of my favorite parts of the holidays was the little advent calendar my grandma always had for me. I only got to see her on weekends, so when I would get to her house, I would get to open several windows at once, for a few little treats!



Looking back on it, the calendar was as basic as it could get. The squares of chocolate were small. But, it was the fact that someone thought of me and picked up an advent that had a picture she knew I would love on it, and she kept it for me, on the odd days I came over.

Now I am a mom and I always have an advent for my kids. They love the little ceremony and surprise that awaits them. If you are like me, and maybe don't have the time to create an elaborate advent, check out these ideas from Amazon. This post contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase, I will earn a small advertising fee.



Paw Patrol Advent
Hatchimals Holiday Advent
Barbie Careers Advent Calendar
Mega Bloks TMNT Advent
Playmobil Advent
Play Doh Christmas Advent
Grinch Advent Calendar
Hot Wheels Advent
Crayola Christmas Countdown
Disney Tsum Tsum Advent
Lego City Advent
VTech Smart Animals Advent
Thomas and Friends Advent Calendar 
Funko Harry Potter Advent
Olaf's Adventure Christmas Countdown Calendar 

If you find a great advent calendar on Amazon, I hope you will leave me a comment so I can add it to my list!

Design Your Own Play Doh Ornaments

Kids of all ages are sure to love this Design Your Own Play Doh Ornaments project. It is perfect for holiday crafting and turns out so cute everyone will love to display these!


I am crazy for all things play doh, so naturally I had to make something for Christmas from my favorite craft material. These ornaments are so easy! They will have you saying, who knew you could not only draw on play doh but you can bake it too?!

This post contains affiliate links. Making a purchase means I will earn a small advertising fee, at no cost to you.




These easy ornaments give kids a chance to design their own addition to the Christmas tree! Made with basic supplies this is the perfect project to do with the kids for minimal mess this holiday. 


You can make your own white play doh, like in my super soft play dough recipe, just leave the food color out, or to make this activity really easy during a generally already packed holiday season, just buy cans of white play doh.


To make these design your own play doh ornaments you will need
Supplies
white play doh
washable markers
cookie cutters
bakers twine
A pen or stick to poke a hole with



Directions
Roll the play doh out to be about 1/8" thick.
With your cookie cutter of choice cut shapes of doh.



Poke a hole in each ornament so that it can be hung after completion. I used an ink pen to make my holes.



Use washable markers to draw on the designs.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Allow to cool.
Thread bakers twine through the hole and display on your tree.



Find all of my Christmas crafts here
Reader favorites include:
Button Tree Ornaments
Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments


12 Cheesecake Recipes to Make for Christmas

Cheesecake is one of those things in life that should be savored and shared. I think it is always one of my favorite options at the dessert table. I found 12 Cheesecake Recipes to Make for Christmas that are perfect for sharing and celebrating this holiday season!

Cheesecake recipes for Christmas


I have found 12 incredible cheesecake recipes to make this Christmas and I know you are going to find a few on this list that you can't wait to try! From Peppermint varieties to Pecan Pie Cheesecake, this list has something for everyone on it!

No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake

Eggnog Cheesecake

Candy Cane Cheesecake with a Sugar Cookie Crust

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Balls

Raspberry Cheesecake Shooters

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

Gingerbread Pumpkin Cheesecake

Santa Hat Peppermint Cheesecake Bars

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Easy Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Which of these sounds like the cheesecake of your dreams?

You can find more awesome recipes here

These Christmas tree inspired snacks are sure to be a hit with the kids!
My family is crazy for these fun Christmas treat ideas.


If you have a favorite cheesecake recipe, please do tell me all about it!


10 Projects to Make for Hanukkah



 The holidays are near and it is time to get crafting! I have 10 Projects to Make for Hanukkah that you aren't going to want to miss! These are so fun you are going to light up at the sight of them!

These 10 Projects to Make for Hanukkah are perfect for crafting with the kids and are a great way to add a little festive decor to your home without having to head to the shops to get it!







Hanukkah Party Poppers by Frugal Elegance
Shimmering Star of David by Crafts by Amanda
Hanukkah Stained Glass Craft by Kid World Citizen
Modern Menorah by Delicate Construction
Handprint Menorah by Mom Endeavors
Elegant Menorah by Mod Podge Rocks
Hanukkah Gelt Tree by Yesterday on Tuesday
DIY Menorah by Sugar Bee Crafts
Hanukkah String Art by Delicate Construction

I can't wait to make the party poppers with the kids! They are going to LOVE these!
If you have a fun craft or DIY for Hanukkah please leave a comment to share with us! If you make any of these ideas make sure you share a pic on facebook!

Find all of our holiday posts here



Easy Rudolph Ornaments

These easy Rudolph ornaments are fun to make and share this holiday season. These come together with the most basic supplies and are perfect for making with the kids.

Easy Rudolph DIY Christmas Ornaments

I got everything for this project at Dollar Tree. So, you know it is going to be a cheap and easy project that is perfect for the kids!

Supplies

Gold Pipe Cleaner
Clear Bauble
Red Button
Craft Eyes
Brown Paper Bag
Scissors
Glue



Directions

Attach the gold pipe cleaner o the top of the ornament and form Rudolph's antlers.


Have the kids cut or tear the brown bag into bits.

Fill the ornament with bits of the brown bag


Glue the eyes and button nose on the ornament.  Allow it to dry overnight then hang on your tree or share with someone special.

Easy Rudolph Ornaments. Kid Made Ornaments. Kid Crafts, Christmas Crafts. DIY Ornaments

You can find all of my ornament crafts here



Paper Fortune Cookies for New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve is just a few days away! To make the evening extra fun for the kids, I have been making these cute paper fortune cookies so they can open one on the hour and have fun reading their fortunes to each other!



This is such an easy craft idea!! It can be used for parties, holidays or even as place markers at a dinner party!




All you need is scrapbooking paper
Glue
Scissors
Paper and a Pen

To begin, cut several uniform circles from paper.


Gently fold the paper together, but only make a small crease in the center.

Unfold the circle, placing it so the crease runs from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock.  Place a small dot of glue at 3 o’clock.



Fold the circle and press the paper onto the glue dot, making a taco shape.


Gently press the crease you made in step 2.  Place a glue dot along the folded side of the taco — alongside the crease.


Gently bring the two ends of the 'taco' together.  Pinch it together so that the glue dot holds the two halves together.



Add a strip of paper with your fortune inside.

You might also like these yummy pizza ideas for New Year's Eve.


Christmas Math Printable

Christmas is near and my kids are excited! 
Every day begins with the all important question of how many more days til Christmas?!

This year I am taking that excitement for the holiday and turning it into a fun way for Rolf to practice his addition skills and get a little coloring time in with this fun and free printable math worksheet!

This is ideal for first and second graders. it gives them a few problems to work on and a little art time too.  Print a few for your kids, or a stack to entertain them during a party or before the holiday meal is served!

 


                                                            Print the Math Worksheet here 

If you have a kiddo that will love this worksheet, let me know in a comment!


You might also like this easy christmas ornament idea.



Ribbon Tree Ornament Craft

I am so excited to decorate my trees this year! I have already been playing around with some cute handmade ornament ideas!


Today I have a really economical and adorable DIY ornament that I know you are going to want to make! It costs just about $2 to make a dozen of these! They come together so easily that making a dozen is no problem at all!

This post contains affiliate links or sponsored content.

These are cute for decorating a tree, or adding a little something to a wrapped gift!



To make these ribbon tree ornaments I used:

  • A spool of ribbon I bought at Walmart for 97 cents
  • Chunky Craft Sticks
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
Directions:
  • Begin by laying 4 craft sticks together, draw the outline of a tree on them.
  • Cut the sticks to shape the tree.
  • Cut the tiny top triangle from the scraps to avoid wasting a whole craft stick!
  • Cut small bits of ribbon to cover the tree shapes. Glue them on and trim.







  •  Now glue the ribbon covered craft sticks onto one more craft stick.




  • After gluing all the sections on to the base craft stick, flip it over and add a small loop of ribbon so that you can hang it!


This is a fun project to do with the older kids, and these are really pretty lovely in their simplicity! I have a short video of the process to share with you. I would love it if you gave it a thumbs up!





I can't wait to hear what you have planned for holiday crafting!

You might also like these cute DIY Mickey Ornaments!

Melted Snowman Bark


Melted Snowman Bark is an incredibly easy and adorable treat to make and share this holiday season! Perfect for sharing with friends and family, it comes together in a flash. This is a snack that melts the hearts of all who see and taste it!



This is such an easy recipe, you guys! It takes easy to find ingredients and creates an unforgettable treat with less than 10 minutes of prep!

Ingredients:
This post contains affiliate links or sponsored content.

1 lb package of candy quick coating, in white chocolate or vanilla flavor.
Pretzel Sticks
M&Ms
Orange Food Coloring
Edible Eye Decorations
Mini Reese's cups, cut in half

                       
Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Melt your candy coating in the microwave. Stir every 30 seconds until it is smooth.

Take about 2 spoonfuls of the melted white coating and place it in a baggie with one drop of food coloring. Make a tiny cut in the corner of the baggie and make tiny little carrots for the noses.

Spread the melted white candy coating on the lined cookie sheet.

Add Reese's halves to make hats, adding eyes below them, an orange 'carrot' nose, stick pretzel arms, and add M&M's for buttons.



Keep spacing in mind as you make these, as after it hardens, you will break them into chunks.
This should set in the refrigerator for an hour to harden, maybe longer depending on how thick you spread the white candy base.

You might also like this 10+ Tasty Sheet Pan Meal ideas post.