Tag Archives: holidays

Dec20

Easy Peasy Parties: Don’t Miss The Fun With These Time Saving Tips

Posted on by
Standard
Easy Peasy Parties: Don’t Miss The Fun With These Time Saving Tips

If there’s one thing that I love, it’s parties! They’re a great excuse to dress up, gather your friends together, and have a great time. But they’re also hard work. If you’re not careful, you could spend the whole evening in the kitchen preparing food and ensuring everyone’s needs are met. Follow our simple tips to enjoy your parties and still be the hostess with the mostess.

The Right Tools For The Job: Having the right tools for the job will make the process simpler and more efficient. So it follows that having the right kitchen appliances and accessories will make your preparations much smoother. Start with the basics like a good set of kitchen knives. Most food prep requires chopping of some description and the right knife will make your job much easier.

If you enjoy baking, possessing a professional food mixer will save on combining, rubbing in, whisking, etc. You’ll be whipping up Baking Show quality cakes in no time at all. An ice machine is also a godsend when it comes to parties and cocktail hour. Check out reviews such as the Manitowoc Ice Machine Review to find the best machine for your needs.

And finally, a dishwasher is indispensable and will pay for itself time and again in terms of the time you save. At the end of the party, you can stack the dishes, close the door, and switch it on. No more standing at the sink for hours clearing up.

party1.jpg

^ My kind of party!

Food: The food will depend on the type of party that you’re throwing. If it’s a casual affair, maybe chips, dips, and beers will be sufficient. If you’re throwing a dinner party, then that’s a whole different ball game. For anything in between, there are several nifty time-saving methods that you can employ.

  1. Suggest Everyone Brings A Dish: This will take a little organization. Otherwise, you’ll have thirty plates of cupcakes and no savory snacks. Get your friends together and decide who will bring which dish. Ensure that you have a good selection. This will free you up to spend time on your dress preparations, so you can emerge looking effortlessly stylish.
  1. Do A Buffet: Buffets are a great option when it comes to parties. The food is provided on a large table and everyone helps themselves. You can cater for lots of different tastes; just ensure that everything is correctly labeled. You don’t have to worry about trips in and out of the kitchen and ensuring everything is timed to perfection. You won’t even have to serve. Everyone can serve themselves while you get on with having fun. This is how my graduation party was set up and it worked perfectly! Just make sure that you provide for people with dietary restrictions and preferences like allergies or veganism!

For extra time-saving points, provide guests with paper plates and paper napkins. At the end of the night, go around with a plastic bag and toss the plates in the garbage. No washing up. Bonus! (In my opinion, this is a must!)

party2

 Pixabay Image

  1. Provide a Drinks Table: Providing a drinks table where everyone can help themselves will ease the burden of constantly having to check that everyone’s glass is filled. Pop and water are a necessity but you could also provide the fixings for hot chocolate or a specialty cocktail for some mixing fun!

party3.jpg

Cheers!

Parties are fun and a great way to catch up with all of your friends. Don’t miss out on yours by spending it in the kitchen. Employ a few smart time-saving strategies and the party will run itself.

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec19

The Perfect Festive Night In

Posted on by
Standard
The Perfect Festive Night In

The countdown to Christmas is on, by the end of this week we’ll be tucking into a big dinner and ripping open the presents under the tree! But in the meantime, why not enjoy the run-up to Christmas? It’s that perfect time of year when everyone is truly in the festive spirit; chances are you’ve already broken up from work and have free time to relax and enjoy yourself. Here’s everything you need for a perfect, festive night in.

Make Your Surroundings Cozy: Whether it’s your comfy sofa with plenty of throws and pillows, or your bed with gorgeous, clean sheets make sure that you have everything situated for cold winter cuddles. If you want to really treat yourself you could buy a brand new set to use; Christmas bedding is a popular choice, or you could go with something luxurious like hotel bedding from Richard Haworth. Light some candles, turn on the heating, draw the curtains and create the perfect cozy environment to enjoy your evening.

Use Some Pampering Products: A pampering bath is the perfect way to begin your cozy night in. A soak in a hot bath with a luxurious bath oil, bath bomb, or bubbles will warm you up and have you feeling perfectly relaxed. You could use a face mask to treat your skin, and a hair mask to nourish your locks. You could paint your nails in a festive shade and use your most indulgent skin care to leave your skin feeling extra smooth and soft. We all have those products which we save for a special occasion, so why not make that now!

Change into Comfy Pajamas: Once you’re out of the bath, comfy pajamas are a must. You can buy pajama sets, dressing gowns, fluffy socks, and slippers all for relatively cheap, and they’re great for this time of year. You want pieces that are ultra soft and comfortable so you can properly lounge. I recommend TJMaxx for all of your pajama needs – that’s where I stocked up!

Prepare Some Festive Food and Drink: Enjoy some of the delicious festive snacks that you probably wouldn’t have during the rest of the year. Hot chocolate with all the trimmings, or a glass of mulled wine. Lots of chocolate and indulgences- Christmas isn’t a time to be counting calories! Allow yourself whatever you want, guilt free. The inevitable New Year’s detox is right around the corner so may as well enjoy it while you can!

Decide On a Few Things To Do: Do you have a box set that you’ve been dying to start, or a program you want to catch up on? Now is the time to put it on. You could scour Netflix for some Christmas films or download lots of books to your Kindle. You could listen to music, Skype a friend or family member, or even put on a meditation app and just relax. This is a great time to catch up on all of the fun things that you want to do on a regular day, but just don’t have the time for. Having time to sit around and do whatever you want gives your mind a much-needed break from work. When you eventually do go back in in January, you’ll be well rested and ready to go.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Dec14

The Guests Are Coming: Last Minute Christmas Preparations

Posted on by
Standard
The Guests Are Coming: Last Minute Christmas Preparations

There’s a point in December when you suddenly realize that you’re running out of time. Only a week ago you were telling your friends, rather smugly, that you’ve finished your Christmas shopping and are well ahead of the game. But you still have the food shopping to do, the Christmas Day meal to prepare, and your guests are due to arrive. It’s all a bit stressful. Take a deep breath and follow these last minute preparations:

Make A List: Make a list of everything you have to do between now and Christmas. Work out what can be delegated and get other family members involved. You can’t do everything yourself, and you shouldn’t have to. Are there any tasks that could, at a pinch, be completed after your guests arrive? For example, last minute wrapping, etc.? If so, move these items to the bottom of the list and start with the more pressing issues.

Comfort: Is everything in place to ensure everyone’s comfort during the holiday? Is the house warm enough? Do you need to bleed the radiators? Do you have adequate seating? If not, consider investing in some giant bean bags. Check the dimensions of the room and find the perfect sized bean bag for you. Find it at Fombag or other retailers. Also, ensure that you have adequate dining room chairs.

Food: You should also get the big food shop out of the way before your guests arrive. You don’t want to leave them to their own devices and then head off to the shops. Try to find a quiet time to do this and avoid the crowds. Late at night or early morning often works well.

Have you catered to all tastes and dietary requirements? If you’re entertaining new guests such as new girlfriends, husbands, etc., check whether they have any specific dietary requirements. You don’t want to find out that your mother’s new partner is vegetarian just as you’re serving the turkey.

xmas9

 So cute!

Guest Bedroom: Is your spare room ready to receive your guests? Temporarily relocate any large storage items such as furniture, boxes, and exercise equipment. Dust and vacuum thoroughly. Strip the bed and make it with fresh linen. Clear a space in the closet for hanging clothes and storing shoes, etc. A carefully placed string of fairy lights will provide some festive cheer. Leave some spare towels for your guests and ensure that the bathroom is adequately stocked (and clean!).

xmas10.jpg

 Love the lights!

A Warm Welcome: Provide a warm welcome to your visitors by paying attention to the front of the house and entrance. Clear any leaves and debris from the yard and wash the front door and windows. A Christmas wreath and string lights will add a little Christmas cheer. Ensure the hallway is also welcoming. Remove any clutter and make it as easy as possible for guests to enter with suitcases and boxes of gifts. Add garlands to banisters and decorate the walls.

xmas11.jpg

Love these little guys!

All’s that’s left is to put the kettle on or mull some wine. Then you can sit back and enjoy the Christmas tree lights and wait for the doorbell to ring. AND THEN OPEN PRESENTS!!!!!!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

Dec8

All Done Holiday Shopping!!

Posted on by
Standard
All Done Holiday Shopping!!

Hey everyone and happy Thursday! This past week I completely finished all of my holiday shopping – gifts wrapped and all and let me tell you, I could not be happier! If there’s one thing that rings true about my style of holiday shopping, it’s that it is all done online, as my featured image says. You can call me the Queen of the Amazon because Amazon.com is always my go to website for gift purchasing.

In my family, I have five people to shop for as well as my boyfriend and best friend, so figuring out the perfect gifts for seven people proved to be a bit difficult. But fear not! I am going to share with you guys my techniques to getting your holiday shopping done as efficiently as possible:

  1. Set a Price Limit: The first thing that I do when the holiday season rolls around is set a price limit for how much I am comfortable spending. Whether that be in total or for each individual person, I make a budget and try very hard to stick to it. Once you know what price range you’re working with, is when you can narrow down the type of presents that you will be giving.
  2. Create Your Gifting Style: What are your go to’s when it comes to gift giving? My method of choice is giving presents that are compatible with a person’s favorite hobby. Do they like gardening or working outdoors? Pick out a sweet bird feeder and some seed packets! How about baking? Snag some must have ingredients in a cook’s arsenal like flour, sugar, and some cute cookie cutters. Once you know your style of gift giving, it should be easy to come up with some great ideas for everyone you need to shop for.
  3. Make a List: And check it twice! After you establish your gift giving style, create a list that can be subject to change for your shopping that needs done. I composed an email to myself for all of my shopping that included who I was buying for and gift ideas for each person. As I completed different purchases, I went back to the email and edited it with a big “DONE!” next to each thing that I could check off. This helped keep me organized and it kept me on target for what I wanted which helped me avoid senseless purchasing that strayed from my list.
  4. Scour the Deals: If you’re shopping at the local mall or from the comfort of home, it is important to make sure that you are getting the best deals for your purchases. Sign up for email updates for the stores that you plan on hitting up to receive notifications of upcoming promotions and discounts. If you are a fan of shopping online, like myself, then I cannot recommend downloading Honey enough! They will hook you up with all of the best promotions for the site that you’re shopping on without having to search for promo codes or discounts. So handy!
  5. Keep Organized: As you finish up your shopping and begin receiving the parcels that you ordered make sure that you keep everything nice and organized. Set aside space in your closet for your present stockpile and continue to reference your list in regards to your purchases and budget. Then, once all of your shopping is done, pencil in an hour or two to wrap up your presents to avoid prying eyes in the home!

Holiday shopping can be stressful but it doesn’t have to be! If you keep chipping away at your list a bit at a time, soon you will have a present stockpile just begging to be wrapped! Believe me, the sigh of relief you can breathe once you’re all done will make it all worth it!

What is your gift giving style? What is your favorite gift that you have ever received? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec2

The Best Way To Have A Sane Christmas

Posted on by
Standard
The Best Way To Have A Sane Christmas

The festive season is here and everybody’s already lost their minds. Of course, that’s all part of the joy of Christmas but it can be a little bit of a headache when every home, shop, restaurant, or outdoor marketplace you enter is coated in an overwhelming assortment of lights, colors, foods, and an unimaginable quantity of gifts; most of which you never even knew you needed before then, but you’re now absolutely positive you, your friend, or some distant relative cannot possibly live without a Walking Dead mug set or a miniature drone.

So, where to begin? You may not have much money so you want to do this conservatively and quickly. Well, at least, you probably won’t have much money after it’s all gone on the food, gifts for friends and family, or any traveling you’ll most likely be doing over the holiday season. But fear not! There are ways to still find time and money to make your home look perfect and feel a little saner during this chaotic time of year.

First of all, a warm home is a happy home. There’s no wonder you’re not feeling very ‘Christmassy’ if your home’s freezing. The first step to creating that festive glow you crave is to insulate as cheaply as you can. Home glass and glazing is always a safe bet. Professional companies are experts when it comes to interior design and you could really let your home flourish if you expertly weaved a new set of doors or windows into your festive, warm, cozy little home.

You can really make everything blend into the same common aesthetic or theme if you work at it and a warm, colorful home is definitely a great way to induce those same warm, colorful, festive feelings within yourself. So much heat is lost through poorly-insulated homes, so make sure you’re safe and sensible this winter. There are always ways to converse heating and money so whether you want to just warm up certain rooms, the loft, or the entire home, make sure you do so properly.

holidays1.png

 Brrrr!

 Shop around for festive decorations! When you see vibrant, slightly-over-the-top decorations, gigantic trees, and an overzealous assortment of presents, foods and goodness knows what else, it can be difficult to know where to begin. It can also be difficult to figure out whether you can even afford such luxuries or whether there’s the time to adorn your house in such a bonkers manner.

Don’t be fooled by the colors and pretty lights. Beautiful decorations don’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. In fact, given that the quality of most streamers, baubles, and tinsel is roughly the same across most stores, shop around for the best price! If you find something that’s perfect, think about the fact that you can use it for years to come. These are all investments and good decorations aren’t just for Christmas; well, they aren’t just for one Christmas, anyway.

You should definitely consider hopping on the bandwagon when it comes to artificial Christmas trees. Rather than shedding ridiculous amounts of cash for a real tree each year and then dealing with the messy aftermath of clearing up broken branches afterwards, opt for a solution that you can use year after year. My family has legitimately been using the same artificial tree for the past seven years and it still looks great! …I think so anyways!

Remember, Christmas can be relatively inexpensive if you invest in goodies that you could reuse next year. In 2017, you can feel festive without spending a penny on making your home look nice!

Featured Image By: Free Images

Dec2

Keeping Your Health Intact During The Festivities: Top Advice You Need

Posted on by
Standard
Keeping Your Health Intact During The Festivities: Top Advice You Need

There are so many benefits to the Christmas holidays. For one thing, you can spend time with your loved ones. And also, you get to enjoy a load of parties during the holiday season. But although it’s a very good time of the year, there are many things during the Christmas holidays that can jeopardize your health. So here is some of the top advice you need to keep your health intact during the festivities.

Watch Your Food Intake: With so many meals out, you can easily pile on the pounds over the Christmas period. After all, most of the grub you will be eating will be full of calories. But if you do put on weight, you could end up becoming overweight. And then you might end up running into health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes. So be careful with your food intake over the festivities.

Opt for a healthy dinner which will help you get enough nutrients to stay fit and well.  There are some great cranberry salads around at this time of the year! And it’s not just dinners you need to be careful with this Christmas. Just because the sweetie tin is in full view doesn’t mean you need to keep picking at them (easier said than done!). You can easily end up having more than your daily calorie allowance! And as well as being damaging to your physical health, you could also damage your oral health, too. No one wants to end up needing fillings after the Christmas holidays!

Keep Warm and Cozy: It’s also so important that you stay nice and warm during the holidays. Although you might want to wear a killer dress during Christmas parties, you might end up with the flu. Make sure you wear a coat, scarf, and gloves while you are outside to ensure that you stay toasty during the festivities. And keep the heating on to stay warm in the house. If you do feel ill during the holidays and want to contact a doctor, you could always use a Healthcare App. That way, you can get in touch and ask for advice from the comfort of your home! Nice!

xmas6.png

Pexels Image

Keep Your Drinking Under Control: You will drink more than you do the rest of the year when it comes to the festivities around Christmas. I know some of you are bound to get merry during the office work parties! And not forgetting the actual day where you will drink from morning to the early hours! But if you are silly with your drinking, you could put your health in jeopardy. For one thing, you could cause permanent damage to your liver. You might be surprised how damaging a boozy session can be to your organ. Not only that but drinking a lot can cause you to pile on the pounds. Alongside all the Christmas food, you could soon be overweight! And as well as this, drinking could put your health at risk if you get behind the wheel. Make sure you have fun but don’t go crazy with your drinking during the festivities.

xmas7.png

 Cheers!

 And once Christmas is over, you can start to work on keeping your health intact for the new year. You can read our previous blog for help achieving the body of your dreams.

Featured Image By: Pexels

Nov24

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Posted on by
Standard
Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hello everyone and happy happy Thanksgiving to everyone!! I’ll keep this post short and sweet because I am sure all of you have some driving, cooking, and HELLA eating to do! I just wanted to wish everyone the happiest of Thanksgivings today and a most wonderful holiday season. All of my readers and blogging friends already know how thankful I am for each and every one of you but I will say it again: I’M THANKFUL FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. Thank you for always offering me your support, kind words, and friendship!

Have an amazing day and don’t get too down on yourself if you have to unbutton your pants button or add a few more notches to your belt! As always, I plan on going hard this Thanksgiving and hope everyone does the same! What is your favorite Thanksgiving food? What is your favorite holiday tradition? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov24

The Advanced Guide To Christmas – Let’s Get It Right This Year!

Posted on by
Standard

For most people, Christmas is a magical and wonderful time, full of celebration, presents, and good will. Unless you are the one that has to organize and pay for it all! Then, it can be a bit of a nightmare. But with a little careful planning, you too can have a perfect Christmas with a minimum amount of stress. Just read on to find out how:

Parties: One of the great joys of Christmas is sharing a drink and holiday treats with your friends and neighbors – unless it is your house that they are coming to this time. In which case, it is very easy to reach panic stations pretty quickly. Avoid the hassle and stress of entertaining at Christmas, not by hiding behind the curtains with the lights out but by being as prepared as possible.

A week or two before the party, make a list of everything that needs doing. The last thing on your list should be the decorations that you need to finish putting up on the day. If possible, get in food that is ready prepared so you just have to warm it up. Or, if you are cooking for the party yourself, make things that can be baked well ahead of time and frozen or stored until they are needed.

xmas4.jpg

YUM!!!

Presents: One of the most essential parts of Christmas is the gift giving. But Christmas shopping is so time-consuming and expensive. To lighten the load why not buy a joint gift for the families or households that you know? Consider something like a Christmas hamper delivery as a gift for an entire family. Then you can add in items that you know that everyone will like. Or you could choose to do secret Santa? Then you only have to buy one gift so it can save you both time and money.

Food: What Christmas day is complete without the traditional Christmas lunch? If you are dreading waking up at 5.30 am to get the turkey stuffed and in the oven, then read on. It doesn’t have to be as difficult as all that! If you can get away with it, choose a turkey crown or a smaller bird like a duck or goose. These won’t take as long to cook, so you won’t have to get up at some ungodly hour to ensure that it is ready by 1 pm. You can also make your life a great deal easier by choosing ready prepared vegetables and trimmings. They taste delicious and who is to know that you didn’t wrap that pig in its blanket personally?

Entertainment: One of the most dire thing that can happen is that you put a lot of time and effort into making Christmas wonderful and then boredom kicks in. After the presents are open and the turkey has been eaten, everyone just sits around doing nothing and feeling blah as can be. Pop out for a walk, or dust off a board game or two to keep people interested and feeling festive well past lunch time.

How do you prepare for the holiday season? Who is done with their shopping already? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov22

Fun And Unique Gift Ideas To Make Anyone Smile

Posted on by
Standard

Whether you’re buying a gift for a birthday, Christmas, or just because, a fun and unique gift is always going to be a winner. Some gifts are so cliche these days that many people don’t put any thought into it or appreciate it when they receive a gift. These fun and unique gift ideas should give you some great inspiration!

Bacon Toothpaste: For the bacon lovers out there, how about some bacon flavored toothpaste? Not quite sure if this would mean bacon breath all day long but it would definitely be a tasty way to brush your teeth in the morning.

Samurai Kitchen Knives: For the wannabe ninja and chef, what could be a better kitchen accessory than some samurai style kitchen knives? They will add personality to any kitchen, as well as a useful utensil.

Custom Bobblehead: This is a fun gift that the receiver can place in their car, on their desk, or anywhere else they’d like. A custom bobblehead can be handmade to look just like them. The unique craftsmanship is something else!

gift.jpg

Flickr Image

Zombie Survival Manual: There are many people out there who believe that the Zombie apocalypse will soon be upon us. Although unlikely, it never hurts to be prepared. For the paranoid person who wants to survive the Zombies, a manual is a great gift.

Bubble Wrap Costume: Do you know somebody who constantly gets into scuffs and scrapes? A bubble wrap costume could be just the gift! They might not use it to protect themselves the next time they go out but at least they’ll have fun popping it.

gift1.jpg

 I LOVE bubble wrap!

Mug Cake Recipe Book: Mug cakes are quick and easy ways of making a yummy dessert in minutes. If you know a cake lover or somebody with a sweet tooth, this could be the perfect little book for them.

Instagram Photo Printouts: Instagram printouts are thoughtful gifts for friends or family members. You could frame them or leave them loose, as some come in a sort of Polaroid style. Or you could create a scrapbook or photo album dedicated to the giftee in the situation.

Grow Your Own Bonsai Tree: Growing a bonsai tree can be lots of fun, plus, it’s beautiful to look at. One of these trees could be the perfect gift for an avid gardener or somebody who wants to spice up a work desk. Bonsai trees are said to make the owner more peaceful, as caring for one can be a great stress reliever.

Polaroid Camera: Polaroid cameras are perfect for those who want to take fun, vintage style photographs. It could be a good gift for the amateur photographer or for the young person who likes to document their social life.

gift2

Cheese!

Donald Trump Toilet Paper: Well…this could be a fun novelty gift at the very least. Just be careful you don’t offend anybody with this gift! 😉

What is the best unique gift that you have ever received? How about your favorite creative gift that you have given? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov9

Coping With Christmas: Ways To Live Up To The Ideals You Have In Mind

Posted on by
Standard
Coping With Christmas: Ways To Live Up To The Ideals You Have In Mind

We are now less than seven weeks from Christmas! Let that sink in for a moment. Less than fifty days away (http://emailsanta.com/clock.asp). Are you excited yet?

Of course, Christmas itself is a joy in most ways. But the thing about Christmas is that it happens in December. Right there in the winter, in the cold and the rain and, yes, the snow. So we can be excited for the season while simultaneously having a few fears about it.

What we need to do is focus on making Christmas as wonderful as the legend has it. To make sure that that happens, it’s important to meet the challenges that the season throws at you. And challenges there will be. So are you ready to roll up your sleeves and give it the best you’ve got? Of course you are! You might just need some guidance in that – and a refresher course in enthusiasm.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow: There’s no getting away from it – in the heart of winter the chances of heavy snow increase. It’s not the case everywhere but if you’ve got a White Christmas, then it may look like a picture-book. It may be what you want but it is also something you need to be ready for. Your yard can be treacherous to walk in – especially for elderly relatives. Snowblowers from the likes of http://snowshifts.com can make a big difference to keeping everyone safe.

Too Many Guests For Comfort? Christmas is a family holiday and it stands to reason that if you have a big family, you want a big family Christmas. Of course, if you happen to be the host for that gathering, it means your home gets fuller. And you may not see the damage until everyone else goes back home.

Your home is built for a certain number of people. When more cram into it and stay for a few nights, that’s more food being cooked. More dishes being washed, more showers being taken, and more people utilizing the throne room. It means pipes can easily get blocked – especially as colder temperatures could lead to freezing. So keep a plumber on speed dial. Overnight, turn off your main water supply – it makes freezing less likely.

Emotions Run High, For Better Or Worse: The fact that you have a lot of people in the home together can lead to some of the best memories you’ll make. And if the weather permits, it means the chance for some trips out and walks in the snow. But the longer a lot of people are cooped up together the more chance there is for discord.

So there has to be metaphorical cooling-off as well as the literal kind. If there tends to be tension between certain people, allocate cooler heads to them so groups can separate and steam can be let off.

When everyone has gone home after the family gathering, you want your home to still be that cozy refuge from the winter weather. But more than that, you want it to be somewhere you can feel happy and relaxed so you can enjoy the rest of the holiday season.

Featured Image By: PixaBay