Last year at Valentine’s Day, I had just gotten home from the hospital from having my daughter, Prynne, and having emergency surgery right afterwards.  We obviously didn’t have the time, energy, (or health in my case) to shop, make, or do anything for Valentine’s Day. 

My husband used some Valentine heart candies I had gotten for a Home Ever After centerpiece to make me a beautiful “ring” out of a candy wrapper!  The silver folded part in the middle is the “diamond”!   It’s the thought that counts, and it was the most perfect Valentine’s Day gift I ever received!

Get more Wordless Wednesday at WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

Holiday craft projects don’t have to look like kids’ stuff!  Our fantastic Valentine gift bag mail boxes (pictured above) are a perfect fit for your home décor.  This row of Valentine card holders has been hung on the living room wall with 3M command hooks.  They are ready for your family to put their Valentine’s Day cards, candies, and treats in for a fun holiday exchange.

When Valentine’s Day comes, just take the bags down and pass them to the appropriate person so they can open their loot!

Here’s how we made them.

DIY Craft Project: Easy Valentine Gift Bag Mail Boxes

I purchased 6 Valentine’s Day gift bags at the craft store.  Yes, these are meant for gift giving, but can be used for so much more!

Make sure to pull the back handle up, so the bag can hang by it.  Next, pull the front handle to the inside, so it lays flat (as shown at left).

Next, you’ll need decorative letters.  If you’re great at calligraphy, you can write your script by hand onto the bags.

However, if you need a little help in the lettering department, there are two options.  Either buy scrapbooking stickers like I did (pictured at left) or buy a stencil of a script font and red glitter glue pens.

To write the names on the bags, center your name in the middle of the bag.  Do the middle letter(s) first, then work outwards to either side.

This will ensure you get the names placed evenly in the middle of the bag.

At left, you can see one finished bag.  It has been hung on the wall with a 3M command hook, which are perfect for holiday decorations since they are removable and won’t damage walls.

Finally, here is the finished product: a whole row of Valentine Gift Bag Mail Boxes for my family.

You can not only enjoy them as holiday décor until Valentine’s Day, but also slip in cards, stickers, candy treats and even roses on the big day!

We originally published Valentine Gift Bag Mail Boxes on February 8, 2011.  It is linked to Works for Me Wednesday and 11th Heaven.  Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links and readers may assume that HomeEverAfter.com receives compensation when my referral links are used.

This week’s photo was taken by Jan Tik – thank you!

Winter Eye Candy: Color Hanging On

If you love looking at gorgeous photos, check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here. Get more Wordless Wednesday at WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

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.

Nessa is a mother of two living the small town life in rural Texas. She loves cooking everything from tried and true recipes to her own wonderful creations. Catch her blogging at Ramblings of a Texas Housewife and on Twitter @Nessa_TX.

Editor’s Note:  Nessa brings us 4 fabulous recipes to use turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving.  Do you have turkey leftover recipes to share?  Leave the links in the comments below!

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful day of food, family, and fellowship. The day after is often the day of turkey leftovers. So, I decided to share some of my favorite ways to use up all those delicious bits you have left after the big meal is done.

There are so many things you can do with cooked turkey leftovers! A good rule of thumb is that if you can use chicken, you can most likely use turkey instead. I’ve done everything from turkey salad to turkey enchiladas with great results. Here are a few more turkey leftovers ideas for you. Enjoy!

King Ranch Turkey – Leftover turkey is fabulous in place of the traditional chicken in this Texas casserole favorite.

Turkey Tetrazzini – This is a great dish that my family loves when it’s cold outside. There are lots of good recipes available on the web for this. I make mine by making a simple white gravy with lots of onions, garlic, and black pepper.  This casserole is great when topped with bread crumbs and/ or cheese before baking.

1. Cook a pot of pasta while you are making the gravy.
2. Add a bag of frozen mixed vegetables to the pasta right before you drain it, the heat from the pasta will help defrost the veggies.
3. Add shredded up turkey tot he gravy once it’s done, then mix it into the pasta veggie mixture.
4. Pour all into a greased casserole and bake at 350 degrees until heated through.

Next, you’ll want to read Nessa’s  Cowboy Brunch.  Make sure you subscribe to our free updates so you don’t miss any of our recipes!

We originally published The Day After Thanksgiving – Recipes to Use Turkey Leftovers on November 23, 2009.  Find more cooking articles at Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, and Homemaker Mondays.

If you love looking at gorgeous photos, check out our other eye candy here or specifically Winter Eye Candy here. Get more Wordless Wednesday at WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

The video below demonstrates how to thaw a turkey quickly.

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Want more? We’ve got enough How To videos and instructions to keep you busy all day!

Make sure you also read our article on How to Cook a Turkey in case this is your first Thanksgiving being in charge of the bird.  We won’t leave you on your own to figure it out!  You can cook a prize-winning turkey dinner with no experience at all.

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Want more? We’ve got lots of How To videos and instructions.

Throw in some fun history of the pilgrim festivities and how they’ve evolved over the years and you’ve got one fantastic Thanksgiving infographic!

The Thanksgiving Day infographic was created by CreditDonkey with data and research from the US Census Bureau, Gallup, History.com, Epicurious, and AAA.

via

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!

Even if you’re not keen on keeping around the heavy orange tones when breaking down your Halloween décor to transition into Thanksgiving, you can do this and match the pumpkins to your preferred color.

This glittering of the pumpkins will work with any color – just use a clear-drying glue and add the glitter of your choice!  I like to use a flameless candle in my pumpkins too.  Safety first!

Source: everythingfab.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Get more Wordless Wednesday at WordlessWednesday.com and 5 Minutes 4 Mom.

Start Planning Thanksgiving by Choosing a Location

With 11 short days left before Thanksgiving (in the USA), its time to start planning Thanksgiving dinner for those of us who have been procrastinating!  A little Thanksgiving dinner planning now will go a long way towards lowering your stress level on Turkey Day.

Where should you start with your Thanksgiving dinner preparation?  Every large project can be traced back to one single starting place, so today let’s choose the location for your Thanksgiving feast first. 

You’ll need to email or call your family members to get started planning your Thanksgiving celebration by deciding the location together.  Use the sample questions listed below to help you figure out the specifics for your holiday.

Those with large families in the same town/area will be choosing a location:

• At whose house will dinner be held?
• If no family members have a house large enough for the gathering, will you rent a hall or room at a restaurant?
• If renting a location, who will pay?

Those with families living in distant locations will be deciding:

• What town will Thanksgiving be in?
• Which family members will be traveling, and which will be hosting in their town?
• Is the hosting family’s house large enough to host Thanksgiving dinner?
• If renting a hall or room at a restaurant, who will pay?
• Does the hosting family have room for out of town guests to stay with them, or should they book hotels now?

Those with small families (parents and kids only without extended family):

• Will you have Thanksgiving at home or will you go to a restaurant to eliminate the cooking?
• Will you have a mini-Thanksgiving dinner for just you and your spouse after you put the young children to bed?

If you are military deployed or military stationed away from family:

• Are there friends or other families you will spend your holiday with?
• Can your family back home include you via technology (call in, webcam, etc.)?
• Will you travel home to be with your family for Thanksgiving?

If Thanksgiving is being hosted at your house:

• Is your dining table big enough to fit all the guests?
• Do you need to bring in additional chairs or tables?
• Will you have a separate kids’ table?  Will it be in the same area as the adults’ table or in a separate area due to space constraints?

Every family has different circumstances, which means the decision you make will fit your unique situation.  Go with what feels right, keeping in mind that Thanksgiving is a holiday during which we give thanks for the people that mean the most to us.

Don’t feel guilty if you’d rather go to a restaurant and skip the cooking so you can spend quality time talking with your loved ones!  Make a choice that is right for your family and kick-start your Thanksgiving planning today.

We originally published Get Ready for Thanksgiving: Location Location Location on November 10, 2008.  Photo credit.

Happy Veteran’s Day!

“I’m proud to be an American
where at least I know I’m free,
And I won’t forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A”

-Proud to be an American by Lee Greenwood

Lots of people are off work today for Veteran’s Day, and planning a long weekend full of fun activities with family and friends.  Let’s not forget what today is all about!  Shake a soldier’s hand today and tell them thank you for keeping us free!