Archives for November 2014
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My 15 Favorite Christmas Songs
Welcome to the third day of my 12 Days of Christmas posts. I have favorite songs that I like to play during the holiday season, so I’m focusing on my favorite Christmas songs. Shortly after Thanksgiving, I blow the dust off the CDs and crank up the volume on the CD player. Christmas music just puts me in a festive mood, and motivates me to start decorating for the holiday season. I start off the season with Merry Christmas To All of You by The Temptations. It’s my all time favorite Christmas song, and by the time the holiday season is over everyone in my house is hoping that I will never play it again. I do play others, by that particular song is at the top of the list. Here’s my top Christmas songs:
- Merry Christmas To All of You – The Temptations
- O Holy Night – Celine Dion
- All I Want For Christmas – Mariah Carey
- Please Come Home For Christmas – Aron Neville
- Up on the Roof Top – Jackson Five
- Carol of the Bells – Celtic Woman
- Run Rudolph Run – Chuck Berry
- Some Day At Christmas – Jackson Five
- Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt
- Silent Night – The Temptations
- Merry Christmas Baby – Bruce Springteen
- Merry Christmas – Rod Stewart
- Christmas Through Your Eyes – Gloria Estefan
- White Christmas – Kenny G
- What Christmas Means – Kem
Colavita Italian Gift Basket Giveaway
Welcome to the Cooking With Colavita Giveaway
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Sponsored by: Colavita
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Kid’s Breakfast Ideas: Snowman Pancakes
Today I’m featuring my favorite fun kid’s breakfast ideas. How about a snowman pancake? I fix these the morning of Christmas Eve, and the kids love them. They make the kids happy and they put everyone in a festive mood. So, festive pancakes are a great way to start the Christmas celebration. Besides, they are quick, easy and fun to make. To make things more festive, try to find a winter themed plate to place them on. You should be able to find them on at the Dollar Tree, Big Lots or Dollar General. I found the plates shown at the Dollar Tree.
The recipe for these snowman pancakes is simple:
Step 2 – Use a black food pen to make the buttons, mouth and eyes. If you don’t have a food pen on hand, use chocolate chips.
Step 3 – Cut 2 strips of bacon, 1 for the scarf and 1 for the arms. You cut out fingers in the bacon with a pair of scissors for the arms. I was lucky when I made the pancakes this time. I found snowman paper plates, so I didn’t make the bacon arms. Place the other piece between the small and medium pancakes for the scarf.
These pancakes are fun and easy to make. They should be placed on your fun kid’s breakfast ideas list. Get out the griddle and get to work. The adults enjoy them as much as the kids. There’s a child in each of us, and they come roaring to the surface during the holidays. When the children eat everything on their plate, I tell them that they’ve made a happy plate. I’m sure there will be happy plates in your home too. Enjoy!
You may also like: Snowman Donuts or my Christmas White Trash recipe. Try both, they’re fun and delicious.
9 Favorite Holiday Movies
Watching holiday movies is a great way for me to get in the holiday spirit. So, I thought I would share some of my favorites with you. Hopefully, my posts will motivate you to get into the Christmas spirit too.
Watching holiday movies is my first step toward preparing for the holiday season. I watch the movies while I decorate the house and trim the tree. My favorite Christmas movie list changes from year to year. I always seem to find another movie or 2 to add to the list. Most importantly, they have become a holiday tradition for me. So, the first movie on the list is a must for me. You guessed it, A Christmas Story with Ralphie. You know the adorable little boy who wanted the Red Ryder BB Gun from Santa. I watch this movie all day and laugh. The Eggnog and Bacardi contribute to the laughter too I’m sure. But, the movie is a great holiday treat.
Additionally, I probably have every word memorized from the movie. I’ve watched this movie during the holidays since my daughter was a little girl. She’s approaching 39 years. If my daughter and I are not together, my daughter calls me on Christmas day and says “Mom, Ralphie is on”. Do you ever wonder how they choose the people to play the roles in movies? They couldn’t have found better people to play the Parker’s in A Christmas Story. My grandson is following in my footsteps. He watches the movie with me and has received his own DVD so he can watch it when his heart desires. Here’s the remainder of my Favorite Christmas Movie List:
- A Christmas Story with Peter Billingsley and Melinda Dillion. My all time favorite Christmas movie. One of my employee’s has a miniature leg lamp in her office. Too funny.
- National Lampoon’s Christmas with Chevy Chase. What an idiot! Need I say more.
- Deck the Halls with Danny Devito. Great music and light shows in this movie.
- Christmas With The Kranks with Jamie Lee Kurtis, Tim Allen and Dan Aykroyd. I love how the neighbors come together in this movie and demonstrate that giving is better than receiving.
- Home Alone with Macaulay Culkin in this movie, but I have to give Joe Pesci and his side kick their props too.
- Bad Santa with Billy Bob Thorton, Bernie Mac and John Ritter. How can you go through the holiday season without seeing a drunk Santa.
- A Boyfriend for Christmas – This is one of favorite Hallmark Movies with Patrick Muldoon and Kelli Williams. Who doesn’t love a romantic Christmas movie. Kelli Williams wishes for a boyfriend for Christmas. Santa delivers, but things don’t go as planned.
- Undercover Christmas – Another romantic Christmas favorite from Hallmark with Jamie Gertz and Shawn Christian. You like eye candy, Shawn Christian doesn’t disappoint in this FBI undercover agent type movie who falls in love with the prime witness in a major case.
- Last Holiday with Queen Latifah and LL Cool J star in this movie. I love Queen Latifah and how she demonstrates courage when she believes her life is coming to an end way too soon.
- It’s a Wonderful Life – Jimmy Stewart was wonderful in this movie. Sometimes when we think we want more, something happens in our life that teaches us that we should appreciate the one that we have.
Finally, I regress back to my childhood during the holiday season. I love the movies, the Christmas tree, the lights and spending time with family and friends. What are your favorite holiday movies, I may want to check them out and add them to my list. You may also like 13 Fun and Frugal Christmas Gift Wrap Ideas.
Teaching Your Children the Meaning of Christmas
Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on teaching children the meaning of Christmas. Do you think Christmas has become too commercialized? Have we truly lost the meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior, and giving to others? I want to share an experience that I had picking a child to sponsor from the Angel Tree in Walmart. Sponsoring a child from either Walmart or Kmart each year has brought me joy for years, but I choose to walk away last year without purchasing a gift.
I choose to walk away from the Angel Tree for the following reasons:
The children were asking for expensive game systems and games. I did a calculation on at least 2 or 3 children’s wish list and they totaled hundred of dollars each. I could have selected a few items from the Angel Card, but I was left wondering what we’re teaching our children.
You’re asking for charity that equates to hundreds of dollars and obviously feeling no guilt about the list you have submitted. I have sponsored a child for years, and that was the first year that I witnessed these types of items on their wish list. I felt bad that I walked away, but I was so shocked that I felt it was best for me to leave the store. Can anyone say holiday stress?
I understand that many parents are out of work, and they will be unable to meet their children’s wish list. But if you’re unable to buy expensive gifts don’t expect others to take up your slack. Our priorities in this country puzzle me. We act as if someone owes us something, and it seems this type of thinking is being passed on to our children.
I understand the children want the latest toys and gadgets, but my thought is that their parents should try to buy these items used if possible. My issue is about values, no more and certainly no less. Simply put, don’t pass the financial burden on to your fellow citizens who are trying to be charitable.
To keep cost down during the holidays I started making many of my gifts. Also, I buy clearance items at the end of the season for the following year. I crochet and make scrapbooks and gift baskets for adult members of my family. Also, I set a budget of $50.00 for each of the teenage children in the form of a mall gift certificate.
I don’t have time to bang my head trying to figure out what the teen would like. Can somebody say holiday stress again! The siblings in my family stopped exchanging gifts years ago. We only purchase for the children now. That really helped eliminate holiday debt. Furthermore, I have a Christmas Club where I set aside money each week throughout the year for my grandchildren’s gifts. I host Christmas dinner or a gathering for my siblings, and I’m grateful for their company. That is gift enough for all of us. I refuse to belong to the debt club. I relinquished my membership years ago, and I surely will not go into debt for someone else.
Parents get real because the world doesn’t owe you or your children anything. We must learn to make our way in this great country. If times get a little rough be grateful for any assistance you receive; however, don’t take advantage. Teach your children that the holidays are not only about receiving, but giving and spending time with family and friends.
Focus on keeping your children warm, keeping a roof over their head and food on the table. Coats, shoes, hats, gloves and necessities for school should be at the top of the lists if you’re seeking charity. If you want a fellow citizen to purchase a toy or electronic item, it should be reasonable. Just saying!
Finally, what’s your thoughts on the commercialization of Christmas? Do you go into debt on Christmas gifts? I would love to hear your opinion about the Angel Tree I encountered. Please leave us a comment.