Driving home, my mind began racing over the coming holidays, what to serve, and how to serve it.
Of course finances are a consideration right now, so I try to think of ways to celebrate on a smaller budget, for example; if I want to bake my own cookies, I will have to invest time and effort but I will save money. Of course, this only works when the initial investment in baking instruments and supplies has already been made. If not, it might be just as well to order a cookie platter from the corner bakery.
Someone taught me that when I break a project down into parts, I can avoid feeling overwhelmed. So for holiday treats, I schedule time to fix something that can be baked in parts, like gingerbread men. I shop for the ingredients on Tuesday and create the dough on Friday night, chill the dough overnight and by Saturday morning, I can create a batch of cookies in twenty or so minutes. A recipe for McCormick's ginger bread men can be found at: http://www.mccormickgourmet.com
There are some traditional sweets that can be prepared very quickly without too much effort. Chocolate fudge would be your best bet. An example of some quick recipes can be found at http://fudge-recipes.net.
A simple task is to load up on holiday sweets like candy canes and mints. I just splash some candy around the house and let the small treats help quell hunger without ruining appetites.
The crème de la crème of holiday preparations is gift shopping in the Summer time. Once September rolls around the price roll backs usually disappear. Craft and novelty gift shops usually sell holiday items year round. Locating special keep sakes off season is fairly easy and the price is usually its lowest. Holiday collector's editions are often released well before the season. I adopted the habit of looking for holiday products all year long and my stress level has decreased by half. Now I have time to really savor the traditional holiday activities.
Remember for all dinner and party planning; Preparation and organization is eighty percent of the successful social function. Plan ahead, and then plan again for the little unforeseeable(s). I really enjoy my time with family and friends.
