I’m not a fan (sacrilege, I know), but to those who love it, Diet Coke is as addictive as crack. This Christmas, Diet Coke fans can bring effervescent joy to their world with a quirky holiday ornament that pays homage to their favorite artificially sweetened elixir. Crafted of glass and featuring an eye-catching glaze and sparkly glitter accents, the Diet Coke ornament is 4” of Diet Coke-aholic tree-trimming awesomeness. For those who feel that a day without Diet Coke is like a day without sunshine, this décor’s for you. Commence holiday cheering in 3, 2, 1 …
From the category archives:
Christmas
Let’s ponder for a second the possibility that maybe this year Santa doesn’t want you to set out milk and cookies for his annual trip down your chimney. Perhaps the big guy will go into sugar shock somewhere over the Pacific Ocean and he’d simply relish a small break from sprinkles and chocolate chips? If you think this might even be a remote possibility then might I suggest a well-timed bowl of piping hot Snowman Macaroni and Cheese should be left fireside instead? While all of that gooey Gruyère certainly wont lessen Santa’s waistline one bit it will definitely perk him up for the long toy delivery journey ahead.
When the weather outside is frightful, nothing soothes like a steaming cup of hot tea. This time of year, my mug is filled with flavors of the season like peppermint, orange, and my favorite, Gingerbread Spice Herb Tea. With a nostalgic medley of ginger, cinnamon and other all-natural ingredients, Gingerbread Spice Herb Tea tastes and smells just like its oven-baked namesake. But—naturally free of refined sugars and added sweeteners—this tasty tea won’t have you packing on the holiday pounds. Gingerbread Spice Herb Tea is also caffeine free, and does not contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, making it a festive treat you can indulge in at any time of day or night.
Other delicious, all-natural teas in the Celestial Seasonings holiday line include: Candy Cane Lane, Nutcracker Sweet, Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride, and Sugar Plum Spice. Need some instant holiday cheer? Just add water. Note: these teas can be difficult to find on your grocer’s shelf. To locate a flavor near you, be sure to use the store search on each tea’s product page, or you can order directly online.
Almost every recipe I made for my first Christmas dinner last year came from Diana Morgan’s must-have cookbook The Christmas Table. If you’re at all nervous about playing hostess for this month’s festivities then I absolutely recommend picking up this title. Morgan covers everything from the traditional holiday turkey to a sublime show-stopping crown roast. But that’s only the beginning; from appetizers to cocktails, dessert to leftovers and even edible gifts this book offers step-by-step instruction on everything you’ll need to know to entertain in fabulous style.
The pièce de résistance of my feast last year was a decadent Eggnog Cheesecake. This year I’m hoping to tackle the Yorkshire Pudding with Chives and perhaps the Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Créme Anglaise. Then we’ll possibly wash it all down with a Blood Orange Mimosa (or three). Now if that line-up doesn’t scream “jolly and bright” I don’t know what does.
Be still my eggnog loving heart! King Arthur Flour sells a professional-quality flavoring that will apparently knock your baking socks right off. I just adore eggnog and I’m simply over the moon with thoughts of waffles, muffins, cookies, cakes, and even candies spiced with this unique essence. So order a bottle and get your teaspoon ready. The holiday treat experiments you could whip-up with this simple addition are endless.
Maggie of the fabulous website Eat Boutique has bundled together an amazing array of New England centric products perfect for holiday giving. All of the items are hand-crafted from artisans who care about authenticity and old-fashioned hospitality.
This unique giftbox holds the following sweet and savory treats:
- Taza Chocolate Covered Almonds, 8 ounce package
- Taza Chocolate Covered Nibs, sweet 2 ounce package
- Lark Fine Foods Salted Rosemary Shortbread, 7.5 ounce package
- Lark Fine Foods Mighty Gingers, spicy 8.5 ounce package
- Q’s Nuts Sweet & Sassy Pecans, 5 ounce package
- Q’s Nuts Key Lime Coconut Ginger Cashews, 3 ounce package
- Hutchinson’s Candy Famous Fudge, 15 ounce package
- Silverbrook Farm Pear Ginger Jam, luscious 8 ounce jar
The New England Giftbox offer is very reasonably priced at only $65 per set. However, there is a limited supply so place your order now! I’m positive they will sell out quickly.
On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen …. Pottery Barn’s popular line of classic, reindeer tableware is given a kid-friendly twist with these fun and fanciful Reindeer Dinner Plates. BPA and phthalate-free, melamine/bamboo reindeer dinner plates feature each member of Santa’s famous sleigh team and are top-rack dishwasher safe. Like to have the complete tablescape? Check out the reindeer runners, tablecloths, and placemats. And for those who are fans of one red-nosed reindeer in particular, Rudolph makes a solo appearance on sets of too-cute tumblers, napkins, and dessert plates.
I’m a sucker for anything with Victorian roots during the holidays. Which is probably why I try to read A Christmas Carol every year — or at least watch a version, even if it is just the Muppet one. Everyone knows about Christmas Crackers and Wassail but have you ever heard of the Peppermint Pig?
According to legend, this tradition began in Saratoga Springs back in the early 1880s. A pig, revered as a symbol of good health, happiness, and prosperity was made from hard peppermint candy. After a holiday supper it was broken in a cloth bag and the pieces were shared by all in the hopes of good fortune for the coming year.
Doesn’t this sound like an adorable addition to your family’s holiday? I think this pink pig will definitely have to make an appearance at my home this year. We can use all the good luck we can get!
One year my mother and I made a homemade Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. After spending the good part of an afternoon creating our cake we finally finished and placed it on the porch to harden the icing. Then we proceeded to get ready to go to my grandmother’s for Christmas Eve.
Unfortunately our cat Lucy chose that exact time to wander in from a day playing in the woods surrounding our house. He (yes, Lucy, was a boy…it’s a long story) was apparently hungry so he started licking our cake with exuberant relish. And that’s just where we found him a short while later. Needless to say his frosted whiskers forever labeled him as a Christmas cake culprit.
Thanks to Ina Garten though you wont have to slave over a hot stove all day to make a special holiday dessert that the whole family will love. Brand new for the season and just waiting to be scooped into paper-lined baking tins is the Barefoot Contessa’s Red Velvet Cupcake Mix. In mere minutes you’ll have piping hot festive cupcakes fresh from the oven. You may want to keep an extra package or two on hand though just in case your favorite furry friend takes a liking to the dessert tray.
Three years ago while shopping for holiday decorations at Target I happened upon a stack of Thomas Cranberry Bagels on an end aisle display. You could smell the fruit through the wrapper! Those bagels were seriously calling my name so of course I had to buy them. I still fondly remember eating my first one for breakfast (with sensible whipped cream cheese — because these are definitely not diet food) almost every day that week, and then I promptly went back to Target and bought two more packages so that I could freeze them. I then continued to eat them throughout the holidays.
Since then I’ve made it a point to stock up on these favorite limited edition breakfast items and I advise you to do the same. Everyone needs all the help they can get on cold Monday mornings and these delicious bagels absolutely do the trick. Thomas also makes Cranberry Toasting Bread and English Muffins if that’s more your breakfast style. But hurry! These wont be on the shelves for long.
