This holiday survival guide is rather belated, but hopefully you can still find a few tips to make your Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, and/or winter break a little more fun.
For many people, the holidays include traveling or hosting so that they can spend time with family and friends. A side effect of this is that you will be spending A LOT of time with people and you will probably need an activity to fill up some of the time. I recently discovered a very fun and portable card game that can be taught in 5 minutes and played in about 20 minutes.
For many people, the holidays include traveling or hosting so that they can spend time with family and friends. A side effect of this is that you will be spending A LOT of time with people and you will probably need an activity to fill up some of the time. I recently discovered a very fun and portable card game that can be taught in 5 minutes and played in about 20 minutes.
The premise of SushiGo! is that you are eating at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant and have to pick pieces of sushi that are whizzing by so that you can create a high-scoring sushi dinner. Each turn you pick a card from your hand and then pass the remaining cards to your neighbor. Some cards require a set to be worth any points, some are always worth points and others are only worth points if you have the most of that type. Since a full game can be played in about 20 minutes, it is perfect to pull out when the turkey takes longer in the oven than expected.
The box says that this game is appropriate for ages 8+, but I think that it can probably work for kids as young as 6 as long as they can match pictures and know their numbers. There are only a couple cards that require reading, but if you're playing with young kids, the game is unlikely to be super cutthroat so you could clarify the meaning of cards during game play.
The box easily fits into a backpack or large purse so you might find yourself bringing it around to all your holiday events as a just-in-case activity.
The box says that this game is appropriate for ages 8+, but I think that it can probably work for kids as young as 6 as long as they can match pictures and know their numbers. There are only a couple cards that require reading, but if you're playing with young kids, the game is unlikely to be super cutthroat so you could clarify the meaning of cards during game play.
The box easily fits into a backpack or large purse so you might find yourself bringing it around to all your holiday events as a just-in-case activity.
Another popular activity this time of year is shopping because this is the time of year for big sales at retailers. Before you head to the mall, be sure to review these three posts so that you can get the most of your purchases:
Getting the most of the winter sales Guide to Elegance: bargains Tips for shopping the sale section
Getting the most of the winter sales Guide to Elegance: bargains Tips for shopping the sale section
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There will be a point during any visit that everyone needs a little bit of alone time. If you are the host, you can make this easier on your guests by adding a couple items to their nightstand.
First, your guests will appreciate it if you write down the information for your WiFi network. Now if they have to slip away for a few minutes to answer work emails or check the tracking number for a last-minute present, they don't have to interrupt the festivities. I also like to put a collection of books and magazines in the guest room since not everyone feels comfortable pulling books off the shelf in someone else's home. Essay collections or short books work nicely because they can be finished during the visit, but you could also add a couple paperback books that you don't mind lending out to the stack. |
Another nice touch is to put together a bathroom basket for your guests with wash cloths and toiletry samples. You might have samples from your own travels or if you subscribe to Birchbox, but if not, you can pick up a couple items in the travel section of most drugstores. I like this because then as a guest I never have to worry that I am using up someone's expensive shampoo.
If you're the guest this holiday season, be sure to check out last year's post about hostess gifts and personalizing generic gifts! Along with hostess gifts, you will need a great party outfit or two.
Although you want to look great for the holidays, it is also important that you are wearing comfortable clothes so that you can enjoy eating all the holiday treats without discomfort and can get down on the floor to play with kids and pets.
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Last year's post about dressing for Thanksgiving dinner has fabric and style suggestions that are just as applicable in December. For twelve outfit ideas that will cover just about any holiday party dress code, browse through the 12 Days of Holiday Parties series from 2013.
A couple festive cocktails are always the perfect addition to a holiday party. I createdthree recipes with the flavors of Thanksgiving dinner. Since Christmas dinner includes a lot of the same flavors, it's a great time to make them again! 
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The holidays can be stressful with extra people in the house, so making a big breakfast in the morning is probably the last thing you want to do. Luckily, it's easy to prepare breakfast the night before and still have something hot on the table the next morning. Sounds too good to be true, right?
The afternoon or evening before, prep the egg casserole (which you will then leave in the fridge overnight) and bake the sweet potato-bourbon bundt cake. The next morning, simply cook the casserole in the oven for ~45 minutes. Lightly dust the bundt cake with sifted powdered sugar and put out a bowl of fresh fruit. If there will be lots of people eating at once, organizing a selection of tea bags at the table will avoid a traffic jam in the kitchen.
For the sweet potato-bourbon bundt cake, I use Bakerella's recipe which she adapted into cupcakes. I pour it into a bundt pan (or loaf pans) and then bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
For the sweet potato-bourbon bundt cake, I use Bakerella's recipe which she adapted into cupcakes. I pour it into a bundt pan (or loaf pans) and then bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Egg, Pepper, & Hashbrown Casserole
Ingredients
butter or cooking spray, for the pan 8 ounces frozen hash browns 8 eggs 3 bell peppers, chopped salt and pepper to taste 1 cup Cheddar, Pepper Jack, or other grated cheese |
In a buttered oven-safe dish, evenly spread the frozen hash browns and then layer the chopped bell peppers on top.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you want to add. Pour the eggs over the potatoes and peppers. Sprinkle with the cheese evenly over the top. At this point, the casserole can be covered and put in the fridge overnight. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes. |
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