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For many people decorating the tree is one of the most rewarding activities of the year. Here are some ideas I’ve come across in years past. Frosted white Christmas tree balls placed in front of the tree lights create an iridescent glow. If your conventional tree top keeps drooping over, try putting a big velvet bow on top of the tree, it adds a homey feeling. Many folks like using a strict color theme when decorating their tree; white and blue or white and green; another popular combination is maroon and gold. Satin balls and bows are usually the main decorations for this sort of thing.

If you have some bright silk flowers on hand, you may want to place a few of them on your tree. Dried wild flowers in small bunches are also very nice (safest on artificial trees). A new and fun garland wrap is beads. A string of gold or silver beads really brightens up the tree during the day so you can refrain from lighting the tree all of the time. The best part is that the decorations are not hidden from view as with old fashioned garland.

Popcorn balls for the kids wrapped in thin ribbon and hung from the tree branches are an old fashioned favorite. Remember? Melt five tablespoons of butter in a medium sauce pan and add about 15 large marshmallows and eight small squares of caramel, stir them together over a very low heat until the mixture becomes a thick liquid texture. Pour over half a bag of popcorn (medium size), careful not to burn your hands; mix together and mold into 21/2 inch balls.

It is my opinion that, since we only get to do this once a year, we should dress things up as much as possible. It may help to keep the holiday spirit alive for the rest of the year.

Written by Delightful Biteful

The lines of distinction are sometimes a little fine when telling one dessert from another; for instance, the difference between a pie and a tart or the similarities of a cream puff and an éclair. How about the identity crises of a torte when compared to a common cake?

It’s time for cupid’s sweet expression again; the exclamation point on the winter holidays. Those tasty sweets in their colorful packaging are being displayed along with the sad looking teddy bears and goofy key chains. It makes me think of the beauty of American culture. In America, we really know how to have a good time, and we know how to dress it up just right. Good food alone can lift us up out of any miserable feeling; at least for awhile and celebrating a holiday that calls for enjoying a fancy snack makes this indulgence convenient and lots of fun. On this day of affection, we get the opportunity to say; Hey! I really like you and I am giving you something sweet to prove it.

I have saved my Valentines boxes from the last ten years. Yes, my house is cluttered, but that is what comes from being a sentimentalist. I use them to save some of the cards and letters that mean the most from throughout the year. When Valentines Day rolls around again, I remind myself that the box of chocolates before me is instrumental in the storage of some important items, but the box must be empty to have its full effect. I inevitably rise to the task at hand and consume those troublesome sweets. Ummm!

The delicate texture and gourmet taste of a fancy piece of chocolate can last in a person’s mind due to the quality and the fact that the special treat is an expression of how special one is considered to be; and the memory starts there.

Enjoy your chocolates and don’t let anyone tell you that your enjoyment is irresponsible or frivolous. Calories can always be lost but memories can not always be gained.

Written by Delightful Biteful

Well, I have learned that I’ll never know everything and the things that I do know will always be expanded upon in a way that I did not think of before. How frustrating!

Some of the latest tips I’ve learned for making something good even better are as follows:

Stained Glass – Crown with a matching antique velvet bow and it looks quite unique. Silicone Caulk does the job.

Soft Sculpture – Look online for dolls or animals. The pieces are not only fun and interesting; they make great conversation pieces as well.

We are already nearing the end of another holiday year. It seems that Christmas week comes and everything is a blur until the 3^rd or 4^th of January. I wanted to pass on a few little tips for a quick holiday recovery. They are simple, but tried and true.

1 – Drink club soda for two or three days after the New Year to help get the metabolism going; I don’t know why it helps, it just does.

2 – Take a 10 or 15 minute walk to clear your mind at the end of each day.

3 – Try to take some extra cat naps whenever you can to make up for the extra merry making.

4 – Take some extra vitamin C, it will help your immune system keep up its strength after expending the extra holiday energy. If you’re like me, you do not like the empty look around the house after taking down those cheerful decorations.

5 – Put up some new decorations for every day use, a couple of colorful prints and seasonal flowers will make the transition from holiday hype a little smoother.  

After all is said and done, do as much as you can to make your life easier. In life, the little things make the biggest difference.

Watching the news and hearing about stampedes for x-men and all of the high profile toys made me remember the truly wonderful holidays I was fortunate enough to enjoy. Presents like the Rocking Horse, Holly Hobby, the Doll House and Raggedy Anne were thoughtfully placed under the tree to remind us that we were children and that our innocence and imaginations were something to be protected and preserved for as long as possible. I remember feeling safe and happy, only concerned with arranging my new miniature house.

I try to recapture that spirit each year. I believe that the holiday spirit is attained by bringing out the child in me and everyone around me. I take what extra time I can for holiday celebrating and get-togethers. Spreading cheer is easy to do; I just buy some holiday greeting cards and hand them out with seasonal stickers enclosed as a little gift and tape a candy cane across the top of each card. I hand them out to as many people I can to try and include everyone around.

Finally, I enjoy a nice hot cider. I learned to mix about 1 tsp. of maple syrup per serving of apple cider and heat it with cloves, orange peels and cinnamon sticks and carefully strain after about 10 minutes. So here’s to holiday cheer.

Seasons Greetings to all!

Written by Delightful Biteful

Decorating is one of life’s hidden pleasures. I love to take on the challenge of coordinating colors to create a striking and tasteful effect. Sometimes “simple”, is the most effective method of successful decorating. For instance, last year’s Christmas tree adorned red velvet ribbons with white luminescent decorative balls hung alternately and evenly around the tree. The top of the tree held a big floppy red velvet ribbon crowned with a white starlit angel. Everyone loved it and it was actually quick and easy to decorate.

Tree skirts present an opportunity for the perfect decorative finish. I’ve just secured a large piece of thick blue velvet, to wrap around this year’s tree. My color combination is going to be blue and gold. I found some beautiful decorative balls made in Poland. They are dark blue with gold sparkling patterns blended throughout. I am going to add dark blue and gold soldiers and light blue and gold Christmas stockings. To avoid monotony, I intend to add a few decorations with the colors of red and gold. I’ve noticed that clear lighting is the fashion this year. Personally, I don’t like the stark illumination. I will have clear lighting but will include a string of blue lights placed further back on the branches to add more flare yet remain inconspicuous. HA!

The first step for engaging in this project is to find a way to make it fun and rewarding. My holiday decorating has become something of a ritual over the years. First, I brew a pot of hazelnut coffee; lay out a tray of rainbow cookies,  I put on Christmas music and light the holiday candles. It makes the decorating process more pleasant and taking breaks from the tree dressing more frequent.

If the snow is coming down you can think about how cold it is outside and of how warm you are inside. That’s a fine feeling to start the season off with.
Written by Delightful Biteful

The small wonders that make a holiday complete are so under spoken and yet so powerful. I was looking around the room the other evening and took note of all the little decorative touches I’ve added for the holidays. I suddenly realized, colorful and joyful surroundings can lift the spirit no matter how difficult life can get, and it does it, so subtly, that sometimes I don’t even notice my cares lessening.

As a teen, my Mom told me that if things got tough and I couldn’t change them, then I should change something in my environment and add something nice to look at. I of course shrugged it off, but now as an adult, I see that once again, she was right.  

What I do is simple stuff. For instance, I try not to hang the same holiday pieces in the same places every year and I always try to use different methods of decorating. This year I am using sheer ribbon with a glittering gold finish, and draping it along the walls with grand bows to accent the main points of the room. I am also hanging clear lights along the walls to pick up the colors of the glittering ribbon. It adds a very magical holiday feeling to the house.

My favorite activity is finding a new addition to my decoration arsenal; something very special that will become a part of future holidays.

Our society celebrates lots of holidays. Each season provides an opportunity for honoring, celebrating and decorating. There is always some way to brighten up our surroundings and distract ourselves from the every day grind.

In my opinion, we should give ourselves the best chance that we can to enjoy our moments. There really is nothing to lose but monotony and sadness.

Written by Delightful Biteful

I was sitting back with my cup of coffee, planning the events of the season. We have a globe of people in one country and so much has combined to create some neat holiday traditions. In review, I notice the activities throughout the years have had some variations but always with the same goal in mind; to build up the human spirit and reflect on our humanity. At least this is what I hope for.

So far, we have gotten the trick or treating out of the way and all of the ghouls have gone. Now, we must consider Thanksgiving dinner with a mix of holiday decorations. We make plans for who we are going to visit, get out the greeting cards and start gift shopping, hoping to create the right atmosphere so that everyone feels a part of it all.

Moving along, I think about where some of these traditions came from. We know that the turkey came from our early settlers, carols from England, Santa from Scandinavia and Christmas trees from Germany, but how is it that over a relatively short period of time so many influences have combined and been adopted by the masses to create a specific means of celebrating each holiday? I know media had a lot to do with it in the earlier part of the 19^th century, but these traditions had rooted themselves in popular American culture before then. So, it may be that people knew enrichment on sight, and that was all they needed to create a timeless tradition in a rather short period of time.

Now, enough of that, I’m onto my holiday main courses and this Thanksgiving holiday we will prepare a traditional turkey dinner, but for Christmas we are going to dine on lasagna and antipasto. My antipasto is going to consist of genuine provolone cheese atop iceberg lettuce along side rolled up slices of Italian salami, ham and pepperoni, and roasted red peppers with black and green olives. I am feeling a little ethic this season and I think it is a wonderful way to embrace a globe of people.

Written by Delightful Biteful

This year Thanksgiving is celebrated on November 27^th. The festive celebration was declared a national holiday by President Lincoln. The first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts by the Plymouth Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620. The early celebrations lasted for days and consisted of people from different areas and included guests among the Wampanoag Indians.

Turkey, being a Native of North America was decidedly the bird prepared for the great holiday feast. It is reported that turkeys get very nervous around the holiday season. The original cornucopia was made from a curved goat’s horn stuffed with various fruits and corn maze. Included in the celebration was Squash used widely for its traditional value and its particular good taste during the autumn season.  

Pumpkin pie is thought to have evolved from settlers who filled their hollowed pumpkins with milk and spices to create delicate gravy. Pumpkin pulp was later appreciated for its rich taste and when mixed with sugar and milk made a tasty seasonal dessert.

When planning your Thanksgiving feast it is always a safe bet to serve the traditional foods so that all of your guests know what to expect. Some wonderful side dishes to complement your dinner can be creamed spinach or asparagus with hollandaise sauce. Other sides to consider are banana walnut bread or corn muffins.

Similar holidays are celebrated around the world. It has been a custom throughout the ages to give thanks to the Creator for the provision of food and comfort that’s been bestowed upon us. The holidays are also a time to come together and celebrate family. The season is an opportunity for hope. Remember that you don’t have to celebrate in the traditional fashion or have a lot of people in your life to feel the joy around you. I knew a man that spent every holiday alone for ten years and reported that his holidays were as rich and meaningful as anyone else’s. He used to remark about appreciating the world around him and reminding himself that as long as he was alive, he was a part of everything. He believed that no one is truly alone. Those are some wise words to live by.

Written by Delightful Biteful