Every year we have had our kids watch and track Santa’s journey around the world on Christmas eve at the NORAD site.  It is so much fun, and as technology has evolved, so has the Santa-spying!

You can see in the screenshot above what the front page looks like.  All of Santa’s stops are logged on the Google map and you can watch Santa with Google Earth too.  At the bottom it tells you Santa’s current location and next stop and even when he’ll get there with a countdown timer!

The green video boxes can be clicked on to show a live reporter “spotting” Santa in a news clip.  The reporters are real service men and women from the US military.  You can also watch Santa and the reindeer flying through the air on the Santa Cam!

Each Christmas it adds an extra layer of fun and excitement as the kids hurry to get in bed before they see Santa heading towards us in Alaska.  I wanted to share in case you wanted to give it a whirl with your kids tonight.  Merry Christmas!

While others love to stay home during the holidays, others love to travel. A fun family vacation is easy to plan, even during the holidays when a lot of people are hopping on planes to go home. As long as you are prepared, that is. Here are a few tips on how to organize a family holiday getaway:

1. Plan ahead. I cannot stress enough that this is one of the most important things when organizing a trip. You have to account for scheduling, budget and coordination with others in the group. Planes, buses and rental cars can run out of seats or bookings, and planning ahead will help you with the availability of your preferred mode of transportation. You may even save more when you book seats in advance. Another tip: the bigger the group, the earlier you should plan.

2. Scout for deals. Most travel agencies, hotels and airlines offer deals several months ahead. Get half off on airfare or hotel bookings when you check in their websites. There are also many coupon websites that offer package deals at more than half off. Sign up for newsletters or get on the mailing lists to receive the latest promos.

3. Take everyone’s needs into consideration. With families, the age range will make it a challenge to find everything suitable for the group. If Grandma is not as mobile, you might have to find a resort that is easy to get around in. For your sister who has children with sensitive allergies, you may need to check ahead on menu options or make sure they will not be exposed to dust or pollen.

4. Ask everyone for their help on their needs. It’s true that too many cooks in the kitchen make a very sloppy casserole, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to get an opinion every now and then. If there are special needs in one family, give them the contact details to the hotel you’re going to so they can coordinate for themselves.

Ask an aunt who has been to the place you’re visiting if the itinerary you planned is actually possible to pull off. Ask dad for tips on how to approach everyone about budget considerations. Getting information is only a call or email away.

With a lot of patience and a little research (or the other way around), planning a holiday family vacation can be fuss-free. Use these tips for a fun family getaway that you can enjoy with the whole clan in tow!

Editor’s Note: A very important but often overlooked component of planning a holiday vacation with your extended family is the “going dutch” aspect.  If you are planning the trip and assuming that everyone feels the same about who pays for what, think again. 

In case there are differences of opinion, make sure you all agree (in email so there is a written record) on how the daily expenses of the trip will be paid for.  If you expect each family to pay their own restaurant ticket each day and each family alternates days paying for grandma’s meals, make sure everyone is clear on that before you leave.  Having clear expectations lessens the chance of miscommunication and hurt feelings.  – Danelle

This guest post was written by Rachel Book.  Rachel is a part-time researcher and analyst for Green Valley Christmas Trees. She is also in charge of next year’s family holiday getaway to Hawaii!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!  The team at Home Ever After is taking the weekend off to enjoy the reason for the season.  You’ll see some guest posts and a few holiday deals come through, but we’ll be back to a full schedule on Monday.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family and remember to take time for yourself during this busy time.  Happy Holidays!

For Christmas 2010 (yes, this was last year’s beauty that I’ve been hanging on to!), I decked out our brand new home in poinsettia fare, including one dedicated Christmas tablescape that even had my new poinsettia dishes by Better Homes and Gardens.

The table looked almost too pretty to eat a meal at!  The red stemware was paired with my red satin poinsettia napkins.

Metallic red chargers served as the bottom layer for our gorgeous plates and rested atop my red satin poinsettia placemats with metallic red and green leaves.

The Perfect Poinsettias in a Holiday Glow Christmas Tablescape is linked to Delightfully Inspiring, Creative bloggers party & hop, 11th Heaven, Tablescape Thursday, and Made by you Mondays.

It’s also in the blog hop world at these fine sites: Wordless Wednesday, 5 Minutes 4 Mom, A Renaissance Woman, A Work in Progress, Barefoot Mahala,  Be There 2 Day, Brookie’s Baby Bargains, Busy Working Mama, By Word of Mouth, Carrie with Children, Crazy About My Baybah, Create with Joy,  Frugal Plus, Frugality is Free,  Gaynycdad, In Him We Live,  JaMonkey, Kibitz Spot,  Letters From Momma, Making Mama Happy, Mama to 4 Blessings, Mom Caboodle, Mom’s Own Words, My Thoughts and Ramblings,  NYC Single Mom, One Smiley Monkey, Parenting by Dummies, Princesscj Haven,  Sakura haruka, Saving with SaveOne, Shasher’s Life,  Terri’s Little Haven, Thriving Despite Us, Toronto Teacher Mom, Tots and Me,

by Alvina Lopez

The holidays, particularly Thanksgiving and Christmas, are wonderful times of togetherness and magic, but they are also particularly expensive for you and your family. With gift lists, travel plans, family dinners, and a hundred other related holiday expenses, it’s no surprise that many people start thinking about how to save a few bucks here and there during the holidays.

If you’re looking to save some money in the holidays, why not start at home?

1. Check the ‘Stat

The thermostat, that is: one the best ways to save money is to tightly control your heating and air-conditioning. An efficient way to handle the heating is to keep the temperature around 68 while you are awake, and lowering or turning it off when you sleep. Remember, you can always pile on more blankets.

You can save about one percent for every degree lower you keep your house as long as you keep the temperature constant for at least eight hours. The same is true in the summer, except that you keep your house warmer instead of cooler to save money.

2. Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are great air circulators, and also will save you money on your energy bill, as they take less electricity to run. In the winter you can reduce your heating costs by around 10% by turning your fan on in a clockwise rotation (clockwise creates an updraft, which pushes hot air back down to the floor), and in the summer that number jumps up to 40% when you keep fans running counterclockwise. So become a fan!

3. In Hot Water

Washing machines use a considerable amount of energy, but will use considerably less when you wash with cold instead of hot water — up to 90%! Furthermore, air-drying your clothes rather than using your dryer will both reduce your energy bill and preserve your clothes longer and better than the dryer.

4. Skirt the Draft

Any crack, seam, or opening in your house that leaks air will let in a cold draft in winter, and put a greater strain on your heater, and, by extension, your wallet. The best way to avoid this leakage is to seal and caulk any place that lets in air. Also, you should use weather stripping around windows and doors if they are cold air culprits.

Proper insulation in your house (and in your ducts) can make your air conditioning system more efficient and can save on your energy bill.

5. Get in the HoLEDay Spirit

Ok, that was a bad joke, but is still good advice. LED Christmas lights can last up to 100,000 hours and use less energy than traditional decorative lights.

Christmas doesn’t have to break the bank. Follow these tips to keep your spirits high and your wallet thick during the holidays.

Alvina Lopez is a freelance writer and blog junkie who blogs at Accredited Online Colleges.

This is a guest post by Kevin Craig who is a financial writer associated with OVLG. He provides free debt consolidation advice to people since 2007 and guides them to attain a debt free life.

Christmas is approaching and there are few vacations that are better known for their glitter, fun and capability to lead you into further debt. So how can you retain the first two characteristics of the festive season and skip the final one? While getting into debt is quite a smooth process, it’s possible for you to get out of it and enjoy a debt free Christmas.

Following are a few tips to help you remain debt free in this festive time of the year.

1. Intelligent shopping – Avoid shopping in the peak season of the year. Keep your eyes open for sales, discounts and bargains all through the year and grab the opportunity when you see one. Buying gifts during discount periods will not only cost you less, but will also reduce the burden of your budget.

2. Look for discount stores – Nowadays, people shop for brand labels rather than the goods itself. If a product is expensive, it doesn’t really mean that it’s a good quality product. Thus, go for shopping at discount stores rather than shopping malls. Surprisingly, you might find the same products at a really cheap price.

3. Ideas for stocking stuffers – The stocking stuffer gifts of the early 20th century like pennies, peppermint sticks and oranges have been replaced by iPods, cameras, cell phones, DVDs and CDs. But before you spend your money just on these stocking stuffers, stop and think again. You could consider visiting the local discount store and buying some unique yet inexpensive candles, toys and treats that won’t affect your budget.

4. Shop online – It has never been this easier to find savings over the internet. The process of finding gifts online has truly become quick and easy through customer reviews, product ratings and cost comparisons. The internet can furnish you with the information as to whether you’re actually purchasing a fine quality product and whether the price of the product is reasonable enough.

5. Make use of coupons – While you may still check the local paper for sales, coupons and store discounts, the choice of online coupons is almost unlimited. Prior to buying the latest items, go through specific coupon websites or stores sites themselves.

6. Gift cards – Though gift cards can’t save you much cash, many stores have initiated gift card discounts to make shopping affordable for you. Deals like buy a $150 gift card and get $50 gift card free are being offered by numerous stores and restaurants. This kind of deal can aid you in getting your Christmas budget under control.

7. Credit cards – Credit cards could be a great way of saving during this festive season. Frequent flier miles, store discounts, cash back, and other incentives might be an extraordinary way to save. An example of using a credit card while doing your festive shopping is exemplified by employing a cash back credit card.

Follow the above tips and take your first step towards a debt free Christmas. Refrain from debt and enjoy your festive shopping. Wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Cooking up a Delicious Christmas This Year – That Won’t Tip the Scales!

So many of us look at Christmas as a time of year that is all about consuming mass amounts of calories. We look forward to the comfort food and use the holidays as an excuse to eat whatever we want.  Sure it’s hard to pass up Mom’s stuffing or that plate of delectable Christmas cookies.

The truth though is that in your hosting responsibilities, you can actually cook up something delicious that doesn’t cast aside your healthy living. Focus on the right methods and ingredients and your guests will never know the difference!

Simple Changes That Really Add Up on Scale Success

Here’s the thing, you are going to have to let yourself splurge a bit at Christmas. This is a special time of year with family and friends and you should enjoy it.  Having an extra glass of wine or small slice of pie isn’t what will kill you. It’s about moderation not deprivation!

As you get planning for your hosting duties though, think about how you can make some of the most delicious Christmas favorites in a healthier manner.  It can be as simple as some modifications or substitutions.

If you are playing host this year then take that as an excellent opportunity to generate meal ideas that are actually good for you. What I have done to "cut the fat" from our meals is to extend this to our finances, too. For instance, at our annual Christmas get together, I repurposed some old birthday party decorations like balloons and streamers that happened to be red and white (I had to buy some green.) Also, I found some old game sheets from a party a couple years back that happened to have a silver backing. My 5 year old daughter and I folded and cut them into snowflakes.

Delicious Substitutions for a Healthy Holiday Meal

Anyway, onto Christmas dinner planning! Here are some ideas you may like to experiment with to have a leaner holiday this year:

• Serve up the big turkey or delicious pot of pasta (turkey is naturally lean anyway), but then make some modifications elsewhere. Your family can’t go cold turkey all at once in their eating habits, but if they see that the mashed potatoes can be just as delicious with a fat free sour cream at the core, they are bound to be convinced.
• Try a huge salad of greens this year as an alternative to the broccoli rice casserole you served last year. Even better, try the broccoli but serve it up with lemon juice and olive oil. It’s still a delicious dish but far more nutritionally sound.
• Substitute whole grain dinner rolls for the typical refined white flour type that you’ve always served. This offers fiber and more conscious calories for a family favorite.
• Use sea salt instead of table salt. Not only is the sodium content lower, sea salt also tastes more potent, so you won’t need to use as much.
• If baking a pie, use a sugar substitute, with an almond flour crust versus a white flour crust.
• Skip the baked goodies after dinner and instead lay out a delicious selection of dark chocolate squares. Most grocery stores now sell dark chocolate, but you will likely have to go to a specialty health food bakery for dark chocolate desserts.
• Try cranberry juice spritzers (no alcohol) with seltzer versus sugary fruit juices.
• For your stuffing recipe, cut the white bread content in half and replace with brown and wild rice.

Oh, when starting out buying the low-everything food substitutes, always read the ingredients. I actually generally stay away from most low-fat or no-fat products because they usually pump up the salt content. Other products have twice as many scientific-sounding ingredients than the regular products. Low-fat milk products are a safer bet because they use skim milk instead of whole milk.

Making Spirits Bright and Waistlines Tight

These simple ways of changing up the family meal in a delicious and  nutritious way can be a fun little challenge that really benefits your family in the long run. Thinking of new ways to serve up family favorites and comfort foods is innovative and fun to plan for. This will start a whole new Christmas tradition—and the good news is that you are helping to create healthier habits for the rest of the year.

The final season of the year is here, and our Christmas home tour walks you through our new holiday house for the 12 days of Christmas.  Don’t miss the whole 12 Days of Christmas Home Décor series with pictures of gorgeous holiday interiors – subscribe for free!  Here is a sneak peak into the next 3 days of Christmas décor for you too:

Christmas Day 1: Entryway Welcome Table

Christmas Home Decor Day 2: Porcelain Pets

Christmas Home Decor Day 3: Holiday Bathroom Towels

Christmas Home Decor Day 4: Faux Present Boxes

12 Days of Christmas Home Decor: Day 1 Entryway Welcome Table

How do the photos below look for warm and inviting?  Is that just what you want to see when walking in to a holiday home from the cold winter outside?  The first touch of Christmas inside your door can set the tone for the holiday home you want to present to family and visitors.  The scene below is set up on a small table in the entryway of our house. 

To create a similar holiday welcome table in your entryway, you don’t have to spend a lot of money. In fact, our holiday welcome table was a very frugal project.  Here’s how it’s made up:

• Small decorative table, available at mass retailers for about $15
• Gold metallic round placemat, $1.50
• Wooden cork-backed placemat with fireplace scene design, $2.00
• Gold holiday basket, bought the day after Christmas at a craft store for 99 cents 

Our gold metallic placemat just happened to be the same size as the table top, which kept us from using a tablecloth.  However, you can purchase decorative tablecloths for these small tables or make your own out of a small amount of fabric.  The entryway welcome table can be quickly and frugally changed out to decorate with the seasons and add an inviting touch to your home!

These pieces were all bought on sales combined with coupons to make them even more budget-friendly, except the table, which we already owned.  Be on the lookout for the handy wooden placemats which can also be hung on the wall, since they look just as good as a painting, but are far less expensive.  Inexpensive holiday décor pieces add variety to your holiday decorating, but won’t break the bank since they’ll only be on display for about 1 month out of the year.

Read more of our holiday articles before you go.  Plus, check out our check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here. 

We originally published 12 Days of Christmas Home Décor Day 1 on December 13, 2010.  It is linked to WordlessWednesday.com, 5 Minutes 4 Mom, Delightfully Inspiring, Creative bloggers party & hop, 11th Heaven, Tablescape Thursday, and Made by you Mondays.

The following guest post was contributed by Andy at Saving Up, a comparison website where people in Australia can find a savings account as well as helpful tips on saving money. 

There is no denying that Christmas is one of the most expensive times of the year. From loved ones to coworkers and many others, buying gifts is a large part of the holiday season. Unfortunately, it is easy to spend more money than your budget allows. Here are 10 tips that can help you get through the Christmas holiday on a budget!

10 Tips to Get Through Christmas on a Budget

1. Set a budget: This is an obvious tip, but one that many people overlook. If you don’t have a budget written out there is a good chance that you will break the bank and find yourself in a bad financial situation. Note: write your budget on paper so you can track your spending to ensure that you are staying on track.

   Editor’s Note: Use our free Christmas Shopping List Budget Planner to plan all your Christmas gift shopping.

2. Resist the urge: There is nothing better than giving great gifts for Christmas, but who says you have to spend a lot in order to make the recipient happy? You may get the urge to overspend, but you must ignore this as you continue to shop.
3. Shop online: Online prices are often much cheaper than those at local stores. Along with this, many online stores offer free shipping and guaranteed delivery by Christmas day. When you add together these benefits, it is easy to see why a large number of people do all of their shopping online.
4. Use coupons as often as possible: You can find coupons and promotions in your local newspaper as well as online. It doesn’t matter where you find your coupons, as long as you are using them as a means for saving money. If you take the time to search far and wide for the best coupons, you may be able to save money on every purchase you make.
5. Comparison shopping is a must: Regardless of what you are buying, it is safe to say that more than one store sells the item. By comparison shopping, you can be 100 percent sure that you are getting the best deal. Even if you only save a few dollars, this can really add up over the course of the holiday shopping season.
6. Don’t be in a hurry: Many consumers rush out to local stores on Black Friday in search of the best deals. While there is nothing wrong with this, you don’t want to jump the gun. If you do this, you could miss out on some of the better deals that are sure to come available as the holiday closes in.
7. Make your own gifts: This is truly one of the best ways to save money on holiday gifts. Are you the creative type? Do you know somebody who loves homemade gifts? If you answered yes to these questions, you should consider making a few gifts. This can be anything from a homemade Christmas wreath to a batch of your famous chocolate chip cookies.
8. Suggest a “grab bag” for your family or group of friends: With this, you and everybody else who participates are only responsible for buying one gift. This is by far one of the best and easiest ways to save money without looking cheap. Remember, you are not the only person who is interested in staying on budget during the holiday season. You may find that others are trying to save just as much money as you.
9. Avoid using credit cards, if possible: It is very easy to overspend when using a credit card. After all, the money is not coming out of your bank account and you have a near endless supply (based on your credit limit). The last thing you want is a huge credit card bill showing up in your mailbox sometime during the month of January. If this happens, you will look back at your spending and wonder what went wrong. But sometimes, you just have to use a card. If you’ve run up a large balance, be sure to apply for an interest-free balance transfer at the earliest possible opportunity to save more money.
10. Be realistic: It is important to set a budget for Christmas spending. At the same time, it is essential that you are realistic. For example, if you say you will only spend $2 on every person on your list you are setting yourself up for failure. Set a realistic budget so that you have a realistic chance of meeting your expectations.

Do you want to guest post on Home Ever After?  Submit your guest post here.

Since I’ve been talking about my favorite Christmas television commercials so much, I figured I better share them with everyone! 

This Glade commercial is the one that makes me want to drive to the store in the middle of the night and buy their products – no kidding.  Here is the Glade winter holidays (Christmas) commercial in which all the Christmas cookies come alive (click to watch):

The other top Christmas commercial for 2011 is from Target and plays the song, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” in the background.  Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a copy of this video available to share.  If you find it, leave the link in the comments so we can add it!

Many people host holiday parties in their homes at this time of year, but there are often small details that get overlooked during the preparation.  This list of 9 tips for having a great holiday party (complete with Christmas party shopping list) will help you remember these little things while you’re still in the planning phase.

9 Tips that Make Holiday Party Prep Easy

1.  Expect 1/3 of the people you invited to attend, but plan for double. You never know how many people will really attend your Christmas party, and it’s better to be prepared for more than to fall short of food or supplies.

2.  Shop in advance. Shopping for your Christmas party’s food and supplies well in advance will ease your stress and make you less likely to panic if the first store is out of what you need. 

3.  Make a complete list of holiday party supplies and food items before shopping. This list could include:

• Napkins and tablecloths
• Paper plates, plastic spoons and forks, plastic cups
• Platters and serving dishes
• Serving utensils such as large spoons and pie servers
• Finger foods and hors d’oeuvres
• Ingredients for all main dishes and desserts
• Juice, soda, or bottled water
• Alcoholic beverages and mixers needed to make holiday cocktails
• Bottle opener for wine or bottle cider
• Extra toilet paper and paper towels
• Christmas CDs or MP3s (if you’re planning to play your own holiday music)
• Disposable cameras for guests to use and leave with you afterwards (this is a great way to ensure you get a lot of pictures from your party)
• Extra chairs or folding tables

Holiday Party Bathroom Prep

4.  Take anything out of the medicine cabinet you don’t want seen,  including prescriptions and other personal items.  It’s a well known fact that humans are curious creatures, and if guests use your bathroom the desire to snoop might be overwhelming!

5.  Don’t make people dry their hands on your used bath towel.  Either put out fresh towels on a towel rack or paper towels, but please don’t make people go over to your shower to look for something to dry their hands on!

6.  Empty the trash. An empty trash bag looks clean and tidy and will make the trash can less likely to overflow before the party is over.

7.  Make sure you leave toilet paper backup. One roll of toilet paper isn’t going to cut it – leave a few spare rolls in a highly visible place, such as on the back of the toilet or on a nearby shelf.

Holiday Party Food Tips

8.  Have backup food ready.  Just in case people are hungrier than expected or more guests arrive than RSVPd, have some party snacks in reserve. 

Either leave them in the refrigerator or pantry depending on what they are, but make sure they are already on a tray and ready to set out as needed.

9.  Go easy on the alcohol. Many hosts like to offer alcoholic beverages such as wine or cocktails at their holiday parties, but you want to keep things from getting out of control at the same time.

• Only set out a small selection of alcoholic drinks along with a large selection of nonalcoholic drinks, such as punch, juice, or even hot apple cider.
• If you notice that a certain person is getting a little loud or obnoxious from too much drink, don’t put any more bottles out for a while.
• Some hosts will also choose to make nonalcoholic cocktails, such as daiquiris and other frozen blended drinks.

Above all, remember to have fun!  As the host, your behavior will set the tone for all the other guests at the party.  If you are relaxed and friendly, they will be too.

Plan ahead and anticipate your needs, but go easy on yourself as far as the expectations of throwing the perfect holiday party.  None of the guests are going to remember a little detail that you forgot as long as they are enjoying themselves and your good company!

We originally published 9 Tips for Having a Great Holiday Party on December 16, 2008.  Photo credits Kris de Curtis through attribution license and Scott Snyde.

I love the Red Cross and all the work they do, and I think it’s important to support them all year long.  Let’s not forget to add the Red Cross onto the Christmas shopping list planner as a person to buy for!

Their site gives you the opportunity to buy things for people in real need, like those who have lost their homes to fires or natural disasters.

In the past, I’ve had my kids sit at the computer and help me pick out which presents we buy for the Red Cross families (you can see them all here).

The other good news is that they have this easy way to give all year long.  My favorites are the gifts like diaper and formula packs for mothers with babies, cooking packs with pots and pans and stirring utensils for people who have recently lost their homes, etc.

Editor’s Note:  The Red Cross did not ask me to post this – it’s completely a public service.  I’m just a huge fan and supporter of the work they do, and I donate to the Red Cross because I think it’s important to remember that Jesus told us to love one another.  We can do that every day by taking care of each other, even those in need that we don’t know personally!

Christmas Shopping List Planner and Budget Spreadsheet

Home Ever After’s latest free organizational spreadsheet, the printable Christmas Shopping List Planner and Budget, is ready for you just in time for the hardcore holiday gift shopping to start!  Get your free printable copy  by clicking the picture above or the link below. 

Using this printable Christmas shopping list planner and budget spreadsheet every year allows me to complete my shopping early and keep spending reasonable.  I have one Christmas shopping list planner and budget for extended family, one planner for immediate family, and one planner for friends, teachers, church staff, gift exchanges, etc.

Click here to print the printable  Christmas Shopping List Planner and Budget Spreadsheet.

How to use this Christmas Shopping List Planner and Budget

By keeping your Christmas shopping list altogether, you’ll make sure that no one is left out and that you can see you which gifts you already purchased and which ones you still need to buy.  Our spreadsheet allows you to plan your spending in advance so you can stick to your budgeted amount as you’re shopping  for the item.  This great holiday shopping tool has several helpful features:

• Budget amounts for gifts by age group
• Separate your list by family (list members of your own family together, your brother’s family, best friend’s family, etc.)
• Dollar amount totals for each person, each family, and overall.
• Separate columns for budgeted amount and actual amount, so you can see if you spent more or less.

The Christmas Shopping List Planner and Budget spreadsheet is free because I want you to get organized this Christmas and keep your gift shopping budget under control!

Print it out, write on it, and take it to the store with you.  That way you can plan your gifts ahead of time so they follow your budget, and make quick substitutions at the store if you find a different perfect gift! 

We originally published our printable Christmas Shopping List Planner and Budget spreadsheet in 2008, but it’s had a redesign and is fresh and new for 2011.  Check it out and see if it won’t look really snazzy in your household management binder!

My husband and I first saw this social media Christmas video last year at Christmas time.  At first, I was skeptical to watch it because I didn’t want people making a mockery of the Lord!  But after I watched it, I was so glad I did.  It made me cry with happiness remembering the miracle that happened all those years ago and the great gift that God gave us in His son.

Watch the video and see if you have the same reaction I did:

“There’s no better

Shopping partner

Than my

Sister”

Happy Holidays to all the sisters out there which make perfect shopping partners! I took this gorgeous Christmas photo in the real North Pole, Alaska.

The following guest post was written by stay at home Dad, Chris Molnar, who is father to two and party planner extraordinaire. He just recently gathered some helpful party ideas with Yo Gabba Gabba and has learned through this the meaning of stress in events! He wants to save you from his past fate he suffered and help you to create a party that is stress free and full of fun.

Host a Stress Free Christmas This Year

Let’s face it; we all start out with the best intentions each and every year for a wonderful holiday season. Thanksgiving may go well, and then before you know it, it’s time to prepare for the Christmas feast — and suddenly, you’re in a time crunch.

If you have ever hosted in the past then you know it can be a lot of work. It’s enough to handle baking the Christmas cookies, sending out the Christmas cards, buying and wrapping all of the presents—then you have to get your house and a real feast ready for all the family. It can be exhausting!

Make this year different and plan a stress free Christmas that is actually enjoyable for the whole family and for you.

Making a List and Checking It Twice

First and foremost, it’s all about the planning. Yes, you’ve heard that before and sure you’ve tried in the past. Learn from previous mistakes this year and start with the typical but highly underrated list.

Take the time to list out every main activity that you need to get accomplished and then list out subtopics. Start with something like grocery shopping and then under that, include getting ingredients, planning  cookie exchange, and planning out your menu, as a few examples.

This easy step sounds so cliché but it can be a real time saver and allow you to relax a bit because you can actually see each and every task and you can mark them off and view your progress as you get closer to party time.

Cleaning House from Inside Out

Just as you would for an adult get together or even a children’s birthday party, you need to clean house. This too can be a major area of stress as you want everything tidy and spotless for the whole family to see.

The best way to handle this and to keep the stress to a minimum is to take it in phases. We know you’re busy with a whole slew of other things, so start early and clean from “the inside out.” In other words, save the more visible areas like bathrooms and kitchen for last. These are just going to get messy again anyway in the days before the party if you do them too early.

Move in phases through the house…and don’t burn out! The week before the party, do a room a day. This doesn’t mean the whole day — it means an hour or so devoted to all the nooks and crannies, then a rest until the next day (and the next room).

To keep your final phase — visible areas — easy, clean up as you go along. Rather than leaving out the pile of gift wrapping accessories, put it away as you use it. Pick up the kids’ toys at the end of the day to avoid a huge mess to deal with.

Breaking things up can help to keep the stress to a minimum along the way and at the end when it’s go time!

Set Your Limits

You need to know your limits in every aspect of the planning.

For instance (and this is a big one for holiday parties), you need to know just how much you can handle in the kitchen. If you can handle the main dish and perhaps a couple of side dishes without a panic attack, then go for it.

If however you need a little help, don’t be afraid to call in reinforcements. Everyone will offer to bring a dish so take them up on it! This will cut back on your  workflow and expenses and allow your guests to feel involved.

Also know your financial limits. Christmas can be an overwhelming expense with the gifts and the food alone. So if you need to keep to a budget, plan it out ahead of time. Set limits with family and friends on the gift buying so that you don’t go overboard.

Do the same with the food—if you can’t afford filet mignon this year then go for something hearty and delicious that doesn’t break the bank. In these times there’s no shame in saying that you have to cut back a little. This will save your bank account and keep you stress free throughout!

Take the time to really enjoy this holiday season. Christmas is a wonderful time to come together with family and friends. If you learn how to plan properly, set your limits, speak up for yourself, and ask for help when you need it then there is nothing to stress over. Just take it one step at a time and remember what Christmas is all about!

What do dream of when you imagine the perfect gingerbread house for your holiday home? 

Is it clumsily put together by a small child and looks like it will only hold together just long enough to be eaten?

Is it master planned with creative use of candy to fashion architectural elements which would rival Willy Wonka?

Whatever your gingerbread house dreams entail, it’s time to start planning and designing the gingerbread house for your holiday home. 

Essential Christmas Home Décor – Gingerbread House

The gingerbread house pictured at left was a collaborative project between my then-6-year-old daughter and my husband.  As you can probably tell, she didn’t do much of the work, just most of the watching!

He designed some fabulous gingerbread house elements out of candy, which I just love:

• Starlight mint candy to serve as the round window above the door
• Melted and drizzled marshmallow cream on the roof to create snow and icicles
• Multi-colored Pez candies to form the bricks in the walkway
• Shaved coconut to create freshly fallen snow on the ground

Plan your gingerbread house now, complete with sketches, candy notes, and a candy shopping list.

Get creative in planning the gingerbread house for your holiday home.  Have a contest amongst your older children to see who can come up with the most unusual gingerbread house uses for candy!

Holiday Home – Plan the Candy for Your Gingerbread House is linked to WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

I know what my favorite parts of the holiday season are, but I’m curious about
everyone else.  What are you most looking forward to this Christmas?

Leave your answers in our holiday poll below (You can choose as many as you like!).

We’ve done the first course of our holiday meal with a gorgeous but casual red and green plaid tablescape with gold accents.  This is the appetizers and drinks course, so the place settings are missing and the 2 metallic gold placemats house the non-alcoholic cider bottles and the gold-rimmed glasses.

We achieved a more casual look by using a plaid tablecloth and a rustic wicker basket in the centerpiece (this is fitting for an Alaskan tablescape, isn’t it?).  We showed you how to make the Serving Basket Christmas Centerpiece here.

Our viney wine holder stands behind the centerpiece with the candles all lit up (pictured at left).  We shared about the LED candles here. 

Once the guests arrive, the wine or cider bottles are moved out to the placemats with glasses, ready to be served (see below). Replace the wine holder with a vase of flowers or, in our case, a potted poinsettia.  Feel free to add hors d’oeuvres to the table at this time as well. 

For an extra special touch, you can replace the round gold placemats with round serving trays. This way your tablescape will be portable as you have someone take the drinks around to your guests.

Find more Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch, Works for Me Wednesday, and Homemaker Mondays at 11th Heaven.

How to Make the Serving Basket Centerpiece

Supplies:

• 1 wicker basket with handles
• 2 cloth napkins
• 1 box of Christmas ornaments
• 1 pillar candle

1.  Start with a rectangular wicker basket with handles on the sides.  The basket should be farely shallow, since you’re trying to recreate the look of a serving tray with wicker.  These baskets are available at craft stores and are frequently on sale.

2.  Lay the first cloth napkins into one half of the basket with the points up, down, and hanging over the handle.  Do the same with the second napkin on the other side of the basket.  Depending on the size of your basket, the napkins may or may not overlap each other in the middle.

3.  Place a pillar candle in the middle of the basket.  If it’s too short, use a candle holder to lift it up a little.  it doesn’t matter if the candle holder doesn’t match the colors of your centerpiece because it will be completely covered up.  In the photo, we’ve used a candle holder for a tea light (the pillar is just sitting on top of it).

4.  Next, add Christmas ornaments.  Once you have all the ornaments you’d like to use in the basket, it’s time to start sculpting.  Try stacking the ornaments up around the candle for a nice sloping effect.  If you use two different sizes of ornaments, try putting the smaller ornaments on the top layers of the stack around the candle.

5.  When finished, light the candle in your centerpiece and prepare to be amazed at how great it looks from just a few simple steps!  Your Serving Basket Centerpiece will look something like ours:

Read more of our holiday articles before you go.  Plus, check out our Winter Eye Candy here.  12 Days of Serving Basket Centerpiece is linked to Works for Me Wednesday and 11th Heaven.

So you’ve invited a whole bunch of people to your house for a holiday party, and you’re suddenly having second thoughts about the whole affair. Don’t panic – read our tips for stress free holiday entertaining!

Try to let go of any perfectionist tendencies you may have and know that the most important thing about a party is having fun, not being stressed.

Here are some great ideas for minimizing those concerns and enjoying this holiday season: 5 tips for stress free Christmas entertaining.

5 Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining

1. Plan the menu in advance. Make a checklist of everything you need to do and buy. Don’t wait until the last minute to start crossing things off the list!2. Prepare reliable recipes you have made before. This is not the time to cook anything too time-consuming or ambitious. If you’re going to make something for the first time, leave enough time before the big event for a practice run.

3. Don’t be shy about accepting help. When people ask what they can bring, tell them.

4. Take care of yourself. Make sure you get enough rest and eat well. You don’t need to get sick or feel run-down right before a big party.

5. Take a deep breath. Picture all the fun you’re going to have when the party is going on—and just think how relaxed you’ll feel once it’s over!

For additional ideas, recipes, menus and tips, check out Kraft Foods’ Entertaining Guide and guide on how to throw a Party in a Pinch. But, most importantly, remember to relax and have fun—and both you and your guests will enjoy the holiday cheer!

More 12 Days of Christmas Home Décor

• 12 Days of Christmas- Day 1 Entryway Welcome Table
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 2 Porcelain Pets
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 3 Holiday Bathroom Towels
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 4 Faux Present Boxes
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 5 Leave Pretty in the Package
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 6 Colored Stemware
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 7 Wreaths on Inside Doors
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 8 LED Candles
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 9
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 10
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 11
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 12

12 Days of Christmas Home Decor: Day 8 LED Candles

LED candles are also called wickless candles and flameless candles.  LED candles look just like regular candles, only there’s no fire inside.  They are made of real wax so they look, feel and smell just like normal wick candles.  They have an on/off switch on the bottom, which turns on the LED light inside.  The LED candles I bought even flicker so they look exactly like they have a flame flickering inside.

If you have children, these LED candles are a huge draw.  Now you don’t have to worry about burning candles with curious hands trying to get them down or play with them, and it won’t matter if anyone accidentally knocks them over or if you forget to turn them off before bed.  Some LED candles even have a timer on the bottom so they will shut themselves off!

LED candles are now available in LED pillars, tapers, tea lights, votives, and decorative candles of all shapes and sizes.  LED candles are a hot trend this holiday season because they’re inexpensive, eliminate the risk of fire, and look fantastic!

Read more of our holiday articles before you go.  Plus, check out our check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here.  12 Days of Christmas Home Décor: Day 8 LED Candles is linked to 11th Heaven, WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

More 12 Days of Christmas Home Décor

• 12 Days of Christmas- Day 1 Entryway Welcome Table
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 2 Porcelain Pets
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 3 Holiday Bathroom Towels
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 4 Faux Present Boxes
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 5 Leave Pretty in the Package
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 6 Colored Stemware
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 7 Wreaths on Inside Doors
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 8
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 9
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 10
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 11
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 12

12 Days of Christmas Home Decor: Day 7

You can never have too many holiday wreaths, and you don’t have to waste your time trying to decide which one to put on your front door this year.  You can display ALL of your wreaths using my holiday tip:  display Christmas wreaths on your inside doors!  Using this method, we’ve got wreaths up on the inside of our back door, which can be seen in the dining room (pictured directly below), as well as the kids’ bedroom doors on both sides, entryway doors and bathroom doors.

Below, you can see the photo of the jingle bells wreath, which is one of my favorites.  The jingle bells wreath is on the outside of the guest bathroom, better known around my house as the holiday bathroom because its décor changes with the seasons and holidays.  (Remember when we showed how to do displays of Christmas towels in a holiday bathroom?)  The cool thing about this wreath is that it has real jingle bells on it, so you can hear when anyone goes into or out of the bathroom! 

Using the ever-so-nifty double wreath hangers that are available in stores right now, you can hang wreaths on both the inside and outside of a door.  The plastic or metal hook just rests over the top of the door (as shown below) and doesn’t damage your door, but allows you to hang a Christmas wreath on both sides.

I also use magnetic wreath hangers (as pictured on the wreath above) on my metal doors, because they don’t do any damage or leave holes in the doors. These magnetic wreath hangers are so strong they can hold up to a 10 pound wreath!  You can see what they look like or buy the magnetic wreath hangers here with free shipping.  I love that the hanger is small and completely hidden by the wreath- you can’t tell how the wreath has been attached to the door.

Read more of our holiday articles before you go.  Plus, check out our check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here.  12 Days of Christmas Home Décor: Day 7 Wreaths on Inside Doors is linked to 11th Heaven, WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

Home Ever After’s Take & Make Menu Plans:

Christmas Holiday Brunch Recipes

Just in time for Christmas, enjoy our holiday brunch menu plan!  This brunch menu with recipes is perfect for a holiday open house or even a day-after-Christmas Sunday brunch. 

These special brunch recipes offer a little flair and pizzazz that will have your guests wondering if you had the food catered!  Of course, all the recipes are actually quick and easy to make so you’ll still have time to relax and enjoy the company of your holiday guests.

Our Take and Make Menu Plans include recipes for each meal item, so that you can click the food name to print out the picture, recipe and directions to add to your cookbook (complete with nutritional information as well).

Holiday Brunch Main Course

Enchilada Egg Bake with Fresh Salsa Verde Sour Cream

Holiday Brunch Side Dishes

Bacon Pancakes with Warm Orange-Maple Syrup

Cheddar & Sour Cream Scones

Holiday Brunch Dessert

Chocolate Raspberry Napoleons

More 12 Days of Christmas Home Décor

• 12 Days of Christmas- Day 1 Entryway Welcome Table
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 2 Porcelain Pets
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 3 Holiday Bathroom Towels
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 4 Faux Present Boxes
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 5 Leave Pretty in the Package
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 6 Colored Stemware
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 7
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 8
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 9
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 10
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 11
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 12

12 Days of Christmas Home Decor: Day 6

Now is the time of year to be watching for sales and coupons on stemware in all kinds of home and mass retail stores.  During the Christmas season, you’ll be able to find colored stemware available in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and materials to stock up your tablescape dishes. 

Be on the lookout for red, gold, silver, green, and even gold rimmed stemware now to use during the rest of the year as well as Christmas.  Red wine glasses will come in handy for Valentine’s Day and all the patriotic holidays.  Gold wine glasses work for Halloween, Thanksgiving and New Years.  Silver wine glasses are great for Christmas, New Years, and graduations.  Green stemware can mix and match into spring and summer tablescapes with a variety of floral designs.

Colored stemware looks great displayed in a china cabinet, on a baker’s rack, or on a  display wall shelf next to your dining room table.  Feel free to mix and match between solid colors and those with clear tops and colored stems.

I prefer to go with the shatter-proof acrylic stemware (as picture in the top photo) to avoid any accidents that would cause me to break a set.  As you can see in the picture, you can’t tell the difference between the glass and the acrylic wine glasses. 

Plus, you can even let your kids use the acrylic wine glasses for their water glasses or juice glasses.  They’ll feel special for getting to use your special occasion glasses, while you’ll feel at ease knowing they can’t break them!

Read more of our holiday articles before you go.  Plus, check out our check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here.  12 Days of Christmas Home Décor: Day 6 is linked to 11th Heaven, WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

More 12 Days of Christmas Home Décor

• 12 Days of Christmas- Day 1 Entryway Welcome Table
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 2 Porcelain Pets
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 3 Holiday Bathroom Towels
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 4 Faux Present Boxes
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 5 Pretty in the Package
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 6
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 7
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 8
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 9
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 10
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 11
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 12

12 Days of Christmas Home Decor: Day 5 Pretty in the Package

It’s no secret that many things look better when left in the package, like toys, candles, dolls, and especially Christmas candles and Christmas ornaments.  Why do you think the holiday aisles at the store look so appealing?  With their dozens of identical items side by side and the uniformity of placement and color up and down the aisles, the order in a world of chaos draws the eye instantly. 

The picture at the top shows a small piece of one of my kitchen displays: gold ornaments, still in the box, and a poinsettia candle, still in the plastic wrap and tied with a red ribbon at the top.  Why are they still in the packages on my kitchen counter? Because they look so good! 

Directly above are 2 boxes of mini glitter ornaments in gold and red, plus a light green glittery Christmas tree candle.  They look perfect in the packages, so they stayed that way for this display.  The ornaments will have to come out soon though, because they’re the filling in one of our Christmas centerpiece tutorials coming up.  (Did I mention that you’ll want to get our free email updates now so you don’t miss these great holiday projects?!)

Directly below in the last 2 pictures are the gold poinsettia candles: 1 round ball and 1 pillar.  They are wrapped up like little presents already, with pretty clear cellophane and red satin ribbons.  These candles are packages so nicely that they could be given as Christmas gifts as-is. 

A good rule of thumb is that if something looks good as is, don’t change it.  If the manufacturer has gone to great lengths to make an item look so appealing that you can’t help but buy it, chances are that its holiday wrapping is just right already.

You obviously don’t want a price tag out for all your holiday guests to see, so make sure the tags are removed when leaving an decorative item in the packaging.   

When you get ready to display your items the second time around out of the packages, they’ll almost look like new holiday décor!  Enjoy the new feeling and give them a completely different role in your Christmas décor and displays.  For example, these pillar and ball candles can be unwrapped, wicks trimmed, and put up on some beautiful tall metallic candle holders for a different look altogether.

Read more of our holiday articles before you go.  Plus, check out our check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here.  12 Days of Christmas Home Décor: Day 5 is linked to WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

More 12 Days of Christmas Home Décor

• 12 Days of Christmas- Day 1 Entryway Welcome Table
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 2 Porcelain Pets
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 3 Holiday Bathroom Towels
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 4 Faux Present Boxes
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 5
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 6
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 7
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 8
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 9
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 10
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 11
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 12

12 Days of Christmas Home Decor: Day 4 Faux Present Boxes

Getting your house to look ready for the holidays quickly is a snap when you use faux  Christmas present decorative boxes!  I have a little secret – the gold box pictured is not a real present.  It’s not even really a wrapped box.  This decorative “present” is from a craft store’s day-after-Christmas clearance sale.  It cost about $2 if I remember correctly, but looks very expensive!

The lid lifts off the box and it’s empty inside.  The permanently placed ribbon never comes off the box, since it’s glued on, and always looks picture perfect.  Plus, as long as you take care of these decorative boxes, they can be used year after year.  What a little investment for a big return!

This type of faux Christmas present decorative box has a lot of uses in your holiday home décor.  Faux present boxes are great for storage of little items out in the open.  They’re also deceptive when used as filler to make a pile of wrapped Christmas presents look even bigger and fuller:  just mix them in with your stack of presents under the tree, but don’t put any gifts inside or labels on the outside. 

Faux presents can also be set out with holiday displays, which is what I like to do.   The gold box in the photos is currently on one of our holiday tablescapes as part of the centerpiece, as you can see in the photo below.

Read more of our holiday articles before you go.  Plus, check out our check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here.  12 Days of Christmas Home Décor: Day 4 is linked to Works for me Wednesday, WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

More 12 Days of Christmas Home Décor

• 12 Days of Christmas- Day 1 Entryway Welcome Table
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 2 Porcelain Pets
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 3 Holiday Bathroom Towels
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 4
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 5
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 6
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 7
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 8
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 9
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 10
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 11
• 12 Days of Christmas – Day 12

12 Days of Christmas Home Decor: Day 3 Holiday Bathroom Towels

It’s a snap to set up your bathroom as a holiday bathroom with a few quick and inexpensive changes.  We started our holiday bathroom décor with some festive Christmas towels.  The basic towels that make up the displays are a solid rich red color that can be re-used in a holiday bathroom for Valentine’s Day and 4th of July as well. 

The 2 tricks to making the holiday bathroom décor look rich and expensive is to use Christmas printed kitchen dish towels and to layer the towels thickly.  Fold your towels over themselves to make them narrower than your towel rack or bar.  Layer a smaller towel on top of a bath-sized towel before adding the Christmas dish towels.  This set up gives you a plush luxurious holiday look for your Christmas bathroom that will make it look like it was decorated for a magazine!

Read more of our holiday articles before you go.  Plus, check out our check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here.  12 Days of Christmas Home Décor: Day 3 is linked to WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.