Just a note to share a few things that have made my Christmas preparations and shopping easier and less stressful.
It's great, and makes wrapping gifts a pleasure. I'm not sure how it stays put, but it does!
Another thing I love this time of year is Williams-Sonoma's Winter Forest collection of soap, lotion, and air freshener products. I especially love the room freshener spray, and they offer it only at Christmastime. It smells wonderful, and brings the aroma of an evergreen forest into your home. I use it year-round.
I ordere these little guys from Coldwater Creek, and they make me smile every time I see them. I put them on our porch to greet our visitors ...
I've also enjoyed doing the majority of my Christmas shopping online this year ... mostly through Amazon.
They make the whole shopping experience as easy as possible, and give you detailed information on each of your orders, including shipping dates, tracking numbers, and delivery dates. And an added bonus is that you can call and talk to a courteous and knowledgeable customer service representative at any time, if you have a question.
Barnes and Noble is another one of my favorite less stressful places to shop. I love their "pick up" service, which is wonderful if you are in a hurry. You can place your order online and if they have the item(s) you want in the nearest store, they will put the order together for you and you can pick it up at the checkout desk. How easy is that!?
I've saved my best stress-reliever for last -- a recipe for a delicious hot holiday drink, which is also the best party punch ever when it's served cold. I don't care for most hot drinks, especially spiced teas and ciders, but we're having a family party this Sunday, and I want to serve something hot when our company arrives. Yesterday, I made the punch and heated it, and it was absolutely delicious. Here's the recipe:
Bring to boil:
1 3-oz Package Apricot Jello
1-1/2 Cups Sugar
4 Cups Water
Add:
Large Can of Pineapple Juice
1/2-Oz Almond Extract
This can be done ahead of time, then just before serving, add 1 Quart of Ginger Ale. Simmer until hot. [Makes One Gallon]
If you have any "stress busters" you'd like to share, please leave a comment. I'd love to hear them.
