Happy Holidays! Any ideas to spread the cheer?

[reychop]

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

Next week is when classes finally end to start the long Christmas break which probably won't last until January 13. While I don't really celebrate Christmas that seriously, I want to change that now and start actively participating to brighten up our little home. I planned on cooking something but being a kitchen virgin, I think I'll stay away from that idea. Gifts would be nice but I want something more unique. My family rarely bond so I'm thinking of picking up ideas from people across the globe.

 

How about you guys, do you have something planned for the holidays? What fun things have you in store for your family? Any ideas with gifts? Parties? Or maybe you're willing to share a few recipes? Adventures? Let's get wild! ^^

 

(I understand that there are some might not be that enthusiastic with the incoming holidays. And I totally respect that. I was in the same position, too, in the previous years. So, I apologize in advance to those who will be inconvenienced.)

[DragonFire]

Hehe, I usually find a lethal punch loosens people up… as well as a few items of clothing!

 

Try this.

 

1 litre vodka, 70cl Southern Comfort, 1 litre Bacardi, 70cl Raspberry Liquor, orange slices. Lemonade to taste.

 

Trust me, it’s a great punch & despite the contents tastes more like raspberry’s than anything else.

 

[Cia]

I do the cooking thing. Baking, candy making, gift bag giving. I spent 3 hours at a cookie decorating yesterday, made 4 dozen of my own at home last night, a cookie exchange today, a cookie decorating/caroling event next weekend... Honestly the holidays are what you make them. You can't force family to participate. My kids and I decorate the house together and we always bake a batch and decorate a fresh set of cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. We also take hot cocoa and go look at all the neighborhood lights in the car as a family each year, my kids are little so they enjoy that. We also go with a club we belong to and take cards and do caroling at an assisted living facility each year.

 

If you have adults only your best bet is to put out some snacks (store bought are fine) and some drinks, perhap's Dragonfire's punch , throw on some holiday music and have a 'get together' with no pressure. No plans, no silly holiday traditions, just family/friends being together. Or you can do something different, a game night. You could do a Christmas movie trivia game, or a music trivia one. You can have guests name Christmas songs from the lyrics or even play them and then hit pause and see who can guess the next lyrics properly. The holidays are what you make of them. We all get so caught up in gifts and all the craziness, sometimes it's nice to just relax with family and remember that they are what is really important, no matter who the 'family' is.

[Nephylim]

Hehe, I usually find a lethal punch loosens people up… as well as a few items of clothing!

 

Try this.

 

1 litre vodka, 70cl Southern Comfort, 1 litre Bacardi, 70cl Raspberry Liquor, orange slices. Lemonade to taste.

 

Trust me, it’s a great punch & despite the contents tastes more like raspberry’s than anything else.

 

 

I am SO going to try that

 

I do the cooking thing. Baking, candy making, gift bag giving. I spent 3 hours at a cookie decorating yesterday, made 4 dozen of my own at home last night, a cookie exchange today, a cookie decorating/caroling event next weekend... Honestly the holidays are what you make them. You can't force family to participate. My kids and I decorate the house together and we always bake a batch and decorate a fresh set of cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. We also take hot cocoa and go look at all the neighborhood lights in the car as a family each year, my kids are little so they enjoy that. We also go with a club we belong to and take cards and do caroling at an assisted living facility each year.

 

If you have adults only your best bet is to put out some snacks (store bought are fine) and some drinks, perhap's Dragonfire's punch , throw on some holiday music and have a 'get together' with no pressure. No plans, no silly holiday traditions, just family/friends being together. Or you can do something different, a game night. You could do a Christmas movie trivia game, or a music trivia one. You can have guests name Christmas songs from the lyrics or even play them and then hit pause and see who can guess the next lyrics properly. The holidays are what you make of them. We all get so caught up in gifts and all the craziness, sometimes it's nice to just relax with family and remember that they are what is really important, no matter who the 'family' is.

 

 

I really am going to have to come round for the holidays at some point. You are a kitchen goddess

 

As for me Rey... fun fun fun.

 

Decorate the house to within and inch of its life... I love real greenery... holly, ivy, mistletoe. but we have shed loads of home made paper chains this year and a pink feather Xmas tree.

 

Home made gifts are awesome. Try hand made chocolates. I don't know if you can get them there but here you can get tiny little cake cases. Here are some recipes.

 

* take one glace, or fresh stoned cherry (but they don't last so long, you pretty much have to eat them straight away) and dip in melted chocolate.

* take some crushed biscuit crumbs and divide them into 3. One third put in a couple of drops (or more) of brandy (or brandy flavouring) and mix with melted chocolate until it binds. Roll into little balls and then roll in vermicelli

* take one third and add finely chopped nuts then mix in melted chocolte as above. Roll in chopped nuts.

* As above but using white chocolate, fruit flavouring (peach strawberry or raspberry) dip in chocolate, dark or light.

* mix marzipan with flavourings and/or colourings (you can get food colourings and flavourings in baking shops here) vanilla is nice... then roll into balls and dip in chocolate. If you are not so fond of chocolate you can chop up little bits of fruit (have to be quite firm fruit like cherries or slitly under ripe strawberries) mix with the marsipan, roll into balls and dust with sugar, vermicelli or anything you can think of that tastes nice and you can roll things in

 

Have fun

[Cia]

I really am going to have to come round for the holidays at some point. You are a kitchen goddess

Anytime, Anytime!!!

 

* take one glace, or fresh stoned cherry (but they don't last so long, you pretty much have to eat them straight away) and dip in melted chocolate.

 

You forgot the step *soak cherry in spiced rum* Though those are good when people won't be driving away

[reychop]

Hehe, I usually find a lethal punch loosens people up… as well as a few items of clothing!

 

Try this.

 

1 litre vodka, 70cl Southern Comfort, 1 litre Bacardi, 70cl Raspberry Liquor, orange slices. Lemonade to taste.

 

Trust me, it’s a great punch & despite the contents tastes more like raspberry’s than anything else.

 

 

 

Ohhh... That looks like delicious. I like Oranges. Unfortunately, even though my father would have approved of this delicious little punch I am the family's little "no alcohol" advocate. So with their approval or not, I guess we won't get to taste that. What a party pooper am I, eh? It was such an easy thing to make too. I might reserve it for a more special occasion, though. (perhaps when I can get over my unusual fear for alcohol.) XD Though, I could try that one without the licquors. It would be an interesting addition to the family dinner.

 

I do the cooking thing. Baking, candy making, gift bag giving. I spent 3 hours at a cookie decorating yesterday, made 4 dozen of my own at home last night, a cookie exchange today, a cookie decorating/caroling event next weekend... Honestly the holidays are what you make them. You can't force family to participate. My kids and I decorate the house together and we always bake a batch and decorate a fresh set of cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. We also take hot cocoa and go look at all the neighborhood lights in the car as a family each year, my kids are little so they enjoy that. We also go with a club we belong to and take cards and do caroling at an assisted living facility each year.

 

If you have adults only your best bet is to put out some snacks (store bought are fine) and some drinks, perhap's Dragonfire's punch , throw on some holiday music and have a 'get together' with no pressure. No plans, no silly holiday traditions, just family/friends being together. Or you can do something different, a game night. You could do a Christmas movie trivia game, or a music trivia one. You can have guests name Christmas songs from the lyrics or even play them and then hit pause and see who can guess the next lyrics properly. The holidays are what you make of them. We all get so caught up in gifts and all the craziness, sometimes it's nice to just relax with family and remember that they are what is really important, no matter who the 'family' is.

 

Woah! That's just the thing that I'm looking for. I know that I can't force them. But at least, I'll try to entice them into an activity that will get us to bond. All they're talking about are business and school. I guess the stories will change that. And try a bit of games. Though I have to unplug the internet first, crash the computer, hide the magazines and disable the televisions to get their butt of their chairs.

 

I am SO going to try that

 

 

 

 

I really am going to have to come round for the holidays at some point. You are a kitchen goddess

 

As for me Rey... fun fun fun.

 

Decorate the house to within and inch of its life... I love real greenery... holly, ivy, mistletoe. but we have shed loads of home made paper chains this year and a pink feather Xmas tree.

 

Home made gifts are awesome. Try hand made chocolates. I don't know if you can get them there but here you can get tiny little cake cases. Here are some recipes.

 

* take one glace, or fresh stoned cherry (but they don't last so long, you pretty much have to eat them straight away) and dip in melted chocolate.

* take some crushed biscuit crumbs and divide them into 3. One third put in a couple of drops (or more) of brandy (or brandy flavouring) and mix with melted chocolate until it binds. Roll into little balls and then roll in vermicelli

* take one third and add finely chopped nuts then mix in melted chocolte as above. Roll in chopped nuts.

* As above but using white chocolate, fruit flavouring (peach strawberry or raspberry) dip in chocolate, dark or light.

* mix marzipan with flavourings and/or colourings (you can get food colourings and flavourings in baking shops here) vanilla is nice... then roll into balls and dip in chocolate. If you are not so fond of chocolate you can chop up little bits of fruit (have to be quite firm fruit like cherries or slitly under ripe strawberries) mix with the marsipan, roll into balls and dust with sugar, vermicelli or anything you can think of that tastes nice and you can roll things in

 

Have fun

 

Ohh... Decorating the house could be fun. It's been a long time since it had a taste of colors. XD Thanks for that recipe. I'll try not to mess up the kitchen. Hehehe. I guess I'll be coming home with a blast after all. You guys gave wonderful ideas that I could work on and make our usual boring holidays "spicy". I wish I could be more creative like you guys. Thanks a lot! Oh and don't worry though, everyone in the family likes sweets, chocolate including, with the exception of my father. But I'll find something for him.

[Nephylim]

You forgot the step *soak cherry in spiced rum* Though those are good when people won't be driving away

 

Considering Rey is underage I was being a responsible adult... If you note I suggested the possibility of brandy flavouring

 

Your way is, of course much much better

 

. But I'll find something for him.

 

 

That would be the punch then

 

Have a fabulous holiday hun and tell us all about it afterwards

[reychop]

 

That would be the punch then

 

Have a fabulous holiday hun and tell us all about it afterwards

 

Ahh.. I would but that would be breaking my no alcohol policy. But since it's for him and it's for holiday, I guess it's worth a shot. As for the food, I guess I'll try the good old mango float, or some fruit salad. At least I won't have to deal with fire. But then again, Christmas is still far far away and the family will be passive until then. (sleeping early at 7 a.m and waking up late at 7) So I guess I'll have all the time to practice.

 

Of course, I'll check back in to report the result of my "experiment".

 

Oh and happy holidays to you, too! May we enjoy this one chance of a family get together to its fullest!

[JamesSavik]

Spread chaos. It's more fun.