Thursday, November 21, 2013

Sensational Songs

Christmas Carols

A great way to spread the holiday cheer is to go Christmas caroling with some of your friends or family.  You could go door to door or even go to nursing homes or hospitals to visit the people there to brighten their day. No matter where you go, I'm sure the people will appreciate it and you might even make someones day. Before you go you will need to print out the lyrics to the songs you want to sing. I found a website that has all the Christmas song lyrics in one place. Just simply click the song you want to sing and print off the lyrics. It will be so easy print everyone off a copy so you can all go caroling. If you have never been, then there is a first time for everything and it is never too late to try something new! A few family members and I will be getting together and going caroling when it gets closer to Christmas.

Website:http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/c/christmas_carols/

Marvellous Meals

My Christmas Dinner


We eat our Christmas dinner at noon on Christmas day. At this time I am with all my family including  my parents, sister, grandparents, uncle, and cousins. We always eat at my grandparents' house, and when we get there the table is already set and ready to go. We all bring various items and set them on the stove and counters. Then, when it is time to eat we all get in a line and go through all the food like an all you can eat buffet. For our main dishes we have ham, turkey, and home-made noodles. For the vegetables we have cooked broccoli, carrots, and green beans. For our grain, we always have crescent rolls and biscuits. Other things that you might find are mashed potatoes, salads, stuffing, and shrimp. On a different counter we put all our desserts which usually include cookies, a pie, a cake, rice krispie treats, oreo balls, and brownies. We always make a lot of food that way when it is supper time we can eat leftovers. We usually still have leftover food after then too. Whatever we have left over we divide evenly and all take it home to eat later.

Creative Cards

Send them to everyone!

Looking for unique Christmas cards to send this year? I know I am. I like average Christmas cards as much as the next person, but I love getting really unique cards. My personal favorite cards are the ones with the family pictures in them. If you like adding pictures to your cards, then check out the website down below. There you can add any amount you would like if any at all. You can also choose any style, color, and shape that you like best so you can send out the perfect cards this season. I've found so many styles that I like it will be very hard to pick which ones I will want to send out this year. This site is even eco friendly. Their paper is 100% recycled premium or pearlescent paper. That way you are helping our environment and sending out awesome cards.

Website: http://www.minted.com

Super Sales

Black Friday Edition


Christmas is right around the corner so you have probably already started getting some gifts for your friends and family. If you haven't then don't worry you still have time. If you want some incredible deals, then I suggest you go shopping on Black Friday. My family and I go every year and we get a ton of presents that night. If you are searching for any electronics to buy as Christmas presents then Black Friday is the best day to get them because almost anywhere you decide to go will have major deals. If you have a Walmart near by then I would definitely stop by to get your electronic devices there.

On the other hand, some people just do not like to get out during the madness on Black Friday. If you are one of those people then you can just shop online. A majority of the stores that will be having sales will offer free shipping on Black Friday. So if you don't want to go out and shop you can still get some of your gifts ordered for a cheap price. 

I will not only be shopping in stores but also be checking out the deals online. I'm hoping to knock out a lot of my Christmas gifts that day. Happy shopping. :) 

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Delightful Drinks

Hot Chocolate  

During the winter time nothing is better than having a few cups of hot chocolate on a cold, snowy night. It is very simple to make and warms you up from the cold. A great time to have this is right after you have been outside for a long time or you are just really cold and want to cuddle up and drink something warm. When I was a kid I always remember my mom making my sister and I some hot chocolate after we got done playing in the snow. So if you have kids, make sure you do that because that was always wonderful when she had it ready for us when we walked through the door. If you are wondering how I make it then there are a few different ways. Depending on how much time I have I either make homemade using Martha Stewart's recipe  or just simply use the kind from the box.  If I am using the kind from the box then I just follow the directions on the back of the box, but instead of using water I use milk. To me, I think it makes the kind from the box taste a lot better. No matter what recipe I use I make sure to add some mini marshmallows to the top of my hot chocolate. I will be having this drink more times than I'd like to admit this holiday season. 


Monday, November 18, 2013

Groovy Games

Festive Christmas Games


Don't get stuck at another boring Christmas party! Liven your night up with one of these fun Christmas games. If you are hosting a Christmas party and want to entertain your guests then I found some awesome games for you to play. Check out the website below to see 25 Christmas party games that you can choose from. There are some that kids can play, some for adults, and some that can be for anywhere in between. When my whole family gets together for Christmas and are looking for something to do, then I'm going to get a few of these entertaining games going. Because who doesn't love a little competition, right? :) 

Website: http://www.signupgenius.com/home/christmas-party-games.cfm


Brilliant Blankets

A Great Gift for Anyone

Not sure what to get your friends or family for Christmas? Why not make them a tie-blanket! Instead of buying an overpriced blanket from a store it is a lot cheaper to make your own. You can even customize your blanket to your liking, so its a win win situation! My mother and I started making them a few years ago and realized how easy they were to make and how big of a hit they were as gifts. If you are wondering how to make them, then just keep on reading.

First off, you are going to need to go to the store and buy two pieces of fleece that are each two yards long. You can buy the same color or design of fleece for both sheets, but we personally enjoy having a design on one of ours and a solid color on the other. Once you have both of your pieces of fleece you will need to lay them on top of each other and smooth them out. Then, on each of the corners cut out a three inch square. This may look a little silly at the beginning, but trust me it will look great in the end. Next, you will need to use the width of a ruler to measure your tie widths. Then just simple use your scissors to cut four inches up. Make sure you cut through both pieces of fleece so you can tie them together. Once you have that done on one side, then you can start tying your knots. Then, just simply do the same thing on each side of your blanket. And thats it! You're done with your tie-blanket. It's really that simple to make and most people love having a nice cozy blanket during the winter.

Picture: http://www.angryjuliemonday.com/2012/01/11/wordless-wednesday-crafting-blankets/

Lovely Lights

Simple, but Beautiful 


Thinking about keeping your decorations simple this year? No worries, I have the perfect solution for you. Christmas lights like shown in the picture are a perfect route to go to go if you want something that is not only simple, but also beautiful. During the Christmas holiday I love decorating my bedroom. I don't know about you, but I don't want any decorations in my room that are big and bulky. So, instead of putting up a tree or stockings like we put in our living room, I choose Christmas lights. A great place to hang them is around your window, door, or even closet. Each year I hang them in a different place in my room to switch things up. This year I am going to put them around my window. You can get colorful lights, or just the original plain lights. I personally have them both. My favorite part of having them hanging up is when you turn off your normal lights and they are still on. It just simply looks magical. The lights really add a festive feel to your room and they are so cheap, and you can find them just about anywhere. I'm pretty sure that I got mine at Wal-Mart a few years back, and they are still working great.

Picture: http://certified-lighting.com/christmas-lighting.php

Craving Cookies?

Chocolate lovers...this ones for you!



I can definitely say I am a major chocolate lover. Each year for Christmas I make cookies for my family, and this year I will be making Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies. These are my personal favorite kind of cookies, so I'd like to share a recipe that I found for them with you. I have used this same recipe in the past, and will even use it again soon. If you love chocolatey, gooey, delicious cookies then you can check out the link below for the recipe. They only take about 30-40 minutes so I recommend that everyone tries making these scrumptious cookies.

Website: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-white-chocolate-chunk-cookies-recipe4/index.html

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Cozy Coffee

Happiness in a Cup



I don't know about you, but I love when restaurants start selling their holiday items. One of the places that comes to my mind when I think  about Christmas drinks is definitely Starbucks. They have quite the variety of holiday drinks, including the Gingerbread Latte as shown above in the picture. I'm not a huge peppermint fan, but my friends and family say that the Peppermint Mocha is to die for. If you love peppermint, then I'm sure you will enjoy that drink. Not only do I get a warm drink when I go, I also purchase a tasty treat. They have Christmas cookies and cake pops, so I always get one of the two. In case you were wondering what other tasty treats or cozy drinks they have, then you can check out the website below. Just talking about it makes me excited to go and get my favorite Christmas drinks and treats. Hope this helped you choose to go there next time you see a local Starbucks instead of just driving on by.

Website: http://www.starbucks.ca/promo/holiday


Magnificent Music


Listen Up!


One of the happiest things about Christmas is going around and hearing all the Christmas music. Don't have any  Christmas music downloaded on your Ipod or phone? Don't stress! I found a wonderful website to help you out. Its completely free, and you can choose what station you want to listen to. My personal favorite is "That Christmas Channel", so make sure to give that one a listen. If you don't care for that one, I'm sure you will find one that you love. And don't forget the great quote from Elf  "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." So feel free to sing loud and proud when you are listening to your favorite station.

Picture: http://bethlehempc.org/christmas-carol-concert-family-fun-event/


Website: http://www.live365.com/genres/christmas

Tasteful Tags

An Easy DIY


This year instead of buying dull, boring Christmas tags...why not make your own? I saw the picture below online while searching the web, and immediately knew that these tags were the ones I wanted to make. I usually buy the boring sticker ones that you can get for about $3, but this year I wanted to spice it up and try making my own. If you too want to make these same tags like below, then keep on reading!

First off, I'm going to start by buying some construction paper. I will then start cutting out multiple tan squares for all of the tags. Next, I will cut out  cream colored squares that are slightly smaller than the last tan ones we cut out. Then, just simply glue the smaller squares on the bigger ones. Now we have a base for our tags. Next, cut out some green triangles for the Christmas trees. Also, we will need to cut out small brown rectangles for the tree trunks.When you have your shapes cut out  glue them onto the cream squares. If you want to add some pizazz to your trees then you can draw on some ornaments. When you are done just cut out a star for the top, or simply draw one. Next, time to add some text. I personally have a stamp that says "Merry Christmas!" so I will just be stamping all of my tags. But, if you don't have a stamp and don't want to buy one, then you can just write it out. Next, you are going to need to hole punch each one of your tags. I will be doing mine in the top left hand corner. Then, just cut a small piece of string so you can and  feed it through the hole punch and you will then be able to tie it on your gift. In the picture above they added ribbon, so you could totally add that to your tags, but I will be adding tiny colorful bows to mine instead.

Your tasteful tags are now complete! All you have to do now is flip the tag over and write who its to and from. These tags are easy to make, and they look even better than the store bought Christmas tags you usually see on gifts.


Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Perfect Presents

A Gift for Him



Whether you are buying for your brother, dad, uncle, grandpa, or even your boyfriend or husband, lets face it....men are hard to buy for. And, as much as we dread it, we still have to do it every year. I may have some assistance for you this time around though. If you check out the website below you will find the top 25 Christmas gifts for  men this year.  It will be a lot easier getting your ideas for the perfect gift this way rather than spending endless hours at the mall searching for that gift. No matter what you buy off the list, I'm sure it will leave a huge smile on his face. Happy shopping! :)

Website: http://www.askmen.com/entertainment/mrtech_100/126_tech_gadgets.html

Wonderful Watches

A Must See



Now I don't know about you, but I know I love watching Christmas movies. As soon as Thanksgiving is over I think it is a must to sit back and relax one day and just watch Christmas movies. You can watch them on Netflix, on DVD, or something along those lines, but my personal favorite is watching them on tv. A great channel to tune in to for the month of December is ABC Family because they have the 25 Days of Christmas. If you don't know what that is, it is where they play different Christmas movies each night of December. They make sure to play not only the classics, but also newer releases. It even gives you the opportunity to refill your glass of hot chocolate, or grab another cookie during commercial breaks. So get your snacks ready, grab a blanket, and turn on ABC Family every night during December to catch the best Christmas movies.

If you are wondering what movies will be playing and when they will be on, then you can check out the website below. It has the complete schedule for their famous 25 Days of Christmas for each day. I know I'll definitely be tuning in for a majority of the Christmas movies to get me in the spirit. Will you? 

Website: http://www.countdownuntilchristmas.com/abc-family-25-days-of-christmas-schedule/

Stocking Stuffers

Our Tradition


One of our Christmas traditions is to stuff our stockings.  First of all we all have large, matching stockings with our names on them that we hang in our living room. We don't have a fireplace so we hang ours on the four hooks on one of our shelves. The only rules we have for stuffing our stockings are no peeking in your own stocking, get everyone a stocking stuffer, and make sure the items fit in the stocking! Typical gifts that we see in the stockings are lotion, perfume, hand sanitizer, socks, nail polish, Scentsy refills, gloves, etc. The purpose of the stockings is to get us excited for Christmas because we always open them on Christmas Eve so its like a little tease for the next day.

Without a doubt, it is always entertaining to go out and buy these small items for each one of my family members. This shows how much you pay attention to the little details in your family's lives. Some of my favorite gifts that I've received have been in my stocking, so you never know what you will get. I currently only have one item for each of my family members, and that is a hand sanitizer from Bath and Body Works. I made sure to get their favorite scent so they can not only kill germs, but also smell wonderful. I am going to have to hit the stores and look for more stocking stuffers before we open them on Christmas Eve.

Although this is our family tradition, many other families have a tradition of their own that is something like ours. If you don't do anything like this, I recommend that you try it this year. It is actually fun to find the perfect items for your family members, and see what they find for you.

Picture: http://www.personalcreations.com/personalized-christmas-stockings-pchrsto

Tasty Treats

Yummy In My Tummy 


If you are in charge of desserts for a Christmas meal and don't know what to make, I have the solution for you! On the website below, there are 30 scrumptious Christmas dessert recipes to choose from. You will find exactly what you are looking for if you want something sweet, salty or anything in between. There are multiple different treats that I think look extremely tasty, so I might make more than one for the holidays. You will have a crowd pleaser no matter which treat you choose. Happy cooking! :)

Website: http://jamiecooksitup.net/2012/12/30-christmas-treat-recipes/

Darling Decorations

 Decorating the Tree


You know Christmas is only a month away when we start to decorate our homes for the holiday. At my house, we usually have all our Christmas decorations up by the day after Thanksgiving. One of my favorite parts of the holiday time is decorating the tree. We personally use a artificial tree so it doesn't make a huge mess.

 Once we get ready to start decorating, we have to make sure we put some Christmas tunes on to get us in the spirit. My parents put the tree up and do all the boring, hard parts, and then my sister and I do all the fun decorations and ornaments. We have a variety of ornaments on our tree that include store bought items, and even home made items from previous years. Each year before we put the tree up we make a new ornament or go out and buy one to make that year special as well. That way our ornament collection is growing each year, and our tree is never bare. Even though we have many ornaments on our tree, you can't forget about the lights! Some people have colorful lights on their tree, but we personally have the simple white ones. To spice our lights up we have them set to a blinking setting so about every thirty seconds they blink. After we get everything on our tree, its time for the angel on top. I usually put the angel on each year on the top, because I'm taller than my sister so it's easier for me.

 After all the decorations are up we usually turn of the lights and admire how pretty and festive our living room now looks with our  Christmas tree. I am so excited because we will be doing this in just a few weeks.

Picture: http://www.christmas2013.co/2013/10/christmas-tree-decoration-idea.html

Monday, November 11, 2013

Crafty Christmas Gift



Meaningful Gift, Reasonable Price

If you are having a hard time deciding what to get people and don't want to spend a lot of money, I have the answer for you. This will be a great idea for your parents, or even grandparents. First off, you need to purchase a sign like in the picture that says "Grand kids" or "Children", depending on who you are giving it to. If you are low on cash, you could even paint the sign yourself. Once you have your sign done you need to get a hot glue gun ready. Then, you will glue down the close pins on the bottom of the sign. Depending on how many children there are that's how many close pins you will need. If you want to add some more design to the overall product, then you can color the close pins or add anything you'd like. Once the close pins have dried completely and are securely glued on the sign, you can find pictures of each of the kids and insert them. Then, you are done! This is a really easy, quick Christmas gift that anyone would love to receive.

 Personally, I think I will be making this for my grandma so she can have pictures of all of her grandchildren. Even though it was so quick and simple to make, it looks like you put a lot of time and work into the gift. I can't wait to see her reaction once she opens this present.

Picture: http://mix931fm.com/crafty-last-minute-christmas-ideas/

Christmas on the Clock

Constant Countdown

If you are excited as I am for Christmas, there will be a constant countdown link on my blog! It includes days, hours, minutes, and even seconds. You will always know how many days you have to get your shopping done, decorations put up, and Christmas cards sent. This is the best time of the year, and everyone should be getting excited because the 25th of December will be coming faster than we know it.

http://www.xmasclock.com/

Friday, November 8, 2013

Welcome!

Hi, my name is Taylur Edrington, and this is my blog.  Since you are here, I assume you are a Christmas time lover just like me. It is truly the most wonderful time of the year, and I will be posting multiple times a week all about it. If you are looking for anything Christmas related, then you came to the right place. Stay tuned weekly, for new posts and thoughts.