Egg-less Nog

Get this–

You can make your own luscious egg nog without coming anywhere near drinking a raw egg (sorry Rocky). The difference between Vanilla pudding and French Vanilla pudding is that–one has eggs already in the mix–the other doesn’t. Simply perfect.

Ingredients:

8-9 cups milk
1 3 oz package of French Vanilla Instant pudding
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp of nutmeg

In a large bowl, mix the pudding with 2 cups of the milk. When pudding is set, add in the rest of the ingredients. Mix very well. Chill.

Drink it up.


Egg-less Nog
 
Ingredients
  • 8-9 cups milk
  • 1 3 oz package of French Vanilla Instant pudding
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp of nutmeg
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, mix the pudding with 2 cups of the milk.
  2. When pudding is set, add in the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Mix very well.
  4. Chill.

Christmas Hugs

While you have your oven on…

Ingredients:

Pretzels–the grid kind work very well

1 pkg. Hershey’s hugs

red and green M&M’s

You can make these little gems in just a few minutes. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place pretzels on cookie sheet. Put one, unwrapped Hug on each pretzel.

Place in the oven for 1-2 minutes–or until the tips of the candy are soft. Remove from oven. Gently press an M&M on the top of the Hugs. Makes a really pretty neighbor treat too. They’ll think you slaved…


Christmas Hugs
 
Ingredients
  • Pretzels--the grid kind work very well
  • 1 pkg. Hershey's hugs
  • red and green M&M's
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 250 degrees.
  2. Place pretzels on cookie sheet.
  3. Put one, unwrapped Hug on each pretzel.
  4. Place in the oven for 1-2 minutes--or until the tips of the candy are soft.
  5. Remove from oven.
  6. Gently press an M&M on the top of the Hugs.

 

Twelve Days of Christmas–Nativity

On December 13th, there are officially 12 days left until Christmas…I know, scary.

So, if you’d like to do the “12 days of Christmas” for someone–there are plenty of fun ways.

My personal favorite approach is the one that has the little nativity pieces and scriptures or verses to go along with it. I found this darling Nativity set at Walgreen’s for only $4.99. At that price–I bought a couple. Please don’t buy an ugly nativity. You’ve seen them–where even the sheep look like they’re being pinched. Cute is so much better.

What you’ll need:

1- 11 or 12 piece Nativity Set

1- Star Ornament

12 Cello bags

Raffia or Curly Ribbon

Small candy treats (optional)

Anyway, so you will pick a neighbor or friend that you would like to give a gift to each night until the 24th of December. Now choose carefully– because if you pick someone that is too far away you may miss a night and that will really screw things up. Someone up the street a few houses is perfect because you can drop off the treat and run. Less chance of getting caught when there’s no car involved. Be sure to let the kids help.

Since each nativity set can be slightly different–you know, one will have a shepherd and donkey and another will have two sheep and a cow–so you have to be flexible. A decent knowledge of the Christmas Story would be helpful as well. I’ve made it easier for you. Just click on the Scripture tags..you’ll see.

Scripture Tags #1

Scripture Tags #2

Scripture Tags #3

Once you’ve chosen your family, you make up the bags. It is so much easier and less stressful if you make all 12 bags in one sitting.

Wrap the ornaments and put one in each bag.

If you choose to add treats make sure you have enough for the family. Try to keep your son from swiping the Cream Savers.

Add curly ribbon or raffia–for fluff. Print and cut out the scripture tags and attach one to the appropriate bag. The order I chose to use was:

Day 1 Joseph

Day 2 Mary

Day 3 Lamb

Day 4 Lamb

Day 5 Angel

Day 6 Manger

Day 7 Ox

Day 8 Wiseman

Day 9 Star

Day 10 Wiseman

Day 11 Wiseman

Day 12 Baby Jesus

Deliver one each night for 12 nights– the last one being baby Jesus on the 24th.

Fancy Paper Snowflakes

When I first saw one of these elaborate snowflakes online, my immediate thought was, “Yeah, sure. Way too hard.”

Then, I looked at the directions more closely and thought, “Well, maybe if I put my glasses on and wait until it’s totally quiet in the house and I can concentrate.” Sadly, this house is never totally quiet, so that was out.

But after looking even closer I found that even if you have little kids running all over the place or you’re surrounded– as I am–by crazy people, the good news is: YOU CAN STILL DO THIS.

I’m serious.

I’ve already told you how I feel about hard stuff–I don’t participate.

So if I can do it–baby, you can do it.

You will need 6 squares of paper–any size…but the same size. You will also need a pair of scissors, some transparent tape and a stapler. THAT’S IT!!

I used a stick to hold this one up so I could take a picture of it. You don’t need a stick. Forget the stick.

Click here for actual EASY step by step instructions and you’ll be making so many snowflakes that you’ll scare yourself. You are going to love this.

Carry on…

Christmas Magic and Snoopy Kids

As I’ve mentioned before–magic is a big deal to me. Remember the fairy post? Each time I see the Nutcracker–I’m pretty sure I truly belong in that Sugar Plum place. No, I mean it. Sometime, maybe I’ll tell you how I feel about pixies and Santa and toys coming to life. At some level of sleep deprivation I could probably even give you a pretty convincing speech in defense of the Keebler Elves.

As I’ve said, magic works for me.

Now, of course, I don’t mean the–eye of newt, ‘piece of thine own tongue,’ chicken knuckles, creepy stuff. I’m talking about the–sparkly tinsel, Deck the Halls, new doll plastic smell on Christmas morning –magic. You know…MA-GIC. The whispery, tip-toey kind. The candy cane hot chocolate kind.

The very best kind.


When my kids were tiny, I worked hard to pass that same sense of wonder, that shivery, strangeness on to them–as a personal favor. One reason is because we already have enough grim-reaper moments on this earth, and I personally refuse to give them any more space. But the biggest reason is that it’s just more fun if I’m not the only one in the house bursting into song every time someone rattles a jingle bell.

Way better if we’re all nuts.

Another advantage to having 5 kids who have passed “Magic and Wonder Appreciation- 101” is that while other moms were trying desperately each year, to hide the Christmas presents in a new place (or new  country) that their snoopy children hadn’t discovered yet– I could stack 5 feet of gift boxes in my sewing room with a blanket over them and say, “Don’t peek–you’ll spoil the magic!” Oh, of course they could look if they wanted to, but the feeling was, “Why would you wreck your own Christmas? Magic is better.” My kids swear to this day that it worked…even the boys.

That said, it’s been hard not to post the projects that I’ve been working on this season, but I couldn’t, unless I wanted to spoil my own family’s Christmas. So I’ve come up with a solution. I’ll put them on another page and hang the “Andersonians Beware” sign on the door. Once it’s up–you can peek if you like. But I bet you a million bucks…they won’t.

Because for us…Christmas magic is just better.

PS–So watch for it…a new “door” that will be opening in the next few days.

Look carefully…You’ll see…