Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Four Weeks to Imbolc

The home is in pretty good shape, because we just had Yule, but there are still things to do.

I love the Organized Homes Christmas planning, and I'm following it. Now, they have deleted it, and it only exists on the Internet Archive, so I am on my way of reposting it here so that I have it handy.

I need to concise the 18 weeks into four, which is not a problem - as said, most of the work is already done.

* I want to redo the balcony and replace the Yule-y things with Imbolc-y things.

* I need to plan the menu for Imbolc dinner. I want a full-course dinner, cubed :-D (21 or so courses ;-))

(Right now it's a lot more manageable, with blinis, borshch, orange chicken, and lemon fromage as dessert. With a generous "goody table" and cheese platter after the dinner.)

* I want to make food gifts for my sisters and send packages to Finland, to my sisters there. (Citrus things, like marmalade, dehydrated lemon peel powder, and orange oil.)

* I don't need to do much about the entry/foyer

* We need to start thinking about adding a "guest room" to the functions of our library/living room/studio, but not right now. It's good as it is for now.

* I want to do some more decorations



Sunday, December 24, 2023

This isn't Yule

 It's quarter to five on Christmas Eve afternoon, and I'm miserable. I don't know what is missing, but this isn't Yule. It has been snowing and the weather is wonderful. It's cold and white and glistening and so wintery and Christmassy as one could wish. I'm spending my Yule with my husband in a decorated and clean home, and he's making us the traditional Christmas dinner from his tradition. He's Danish.

I feel so bad. I feel depressed. Where are you, Christmas?


Christmas is supposed to be fun, happy, exciting and cosy time of being together with loved ones, relaxing, and enjoying things. 

I think one of the things missing is my family. It's just me and my husband, and I come from a big family. I'm the youngest of 6 kids, and our extended family (siblings with their spouses and children, and children's spouses and children) is now about 20 people.

We aren't doing anything special during the days leading to Yule. I think I want to watch movies together, do crafts and cook and bake and such things. Have a glögg party and cookie exchange and such things. Bake and decorate a gingerbread house. Have a winter hot chocolate picnic with ice skating. Play in the snow.

I want to sing carols.

I think I want to watch movies every day and do something connected to that. Like, have movie-themed snacks, and do some decoration or activity inspired by the movie.

I think I want to have Elf on the Shelf kind of tradition. I don't like the "official" Elf, because he's a snitch and created to control and manipulate the kids, and that's nasty. 

I want to play games, gather puzzles, and do things like that.



Wednesday, November 15, 2023

How I want my holidays

 I was watching a YouTube channel I like, and their preparations and celebration of the American Thanksgiving. And I am... judgmental. I know, I know, it's none of my business, done is better than perfect, everyone does their thing their way, not my way, and that's a good thing, and F me, that's why. I know, it's not good. I'm not pretending I have any right to be judgmental. I just am. So I am going to use this to talk about how I want my holidays as different from theirs, and I am not going to talk about theirs. 


Firstly, I want the home to be decorated. Thoroughly. Every room, every corner, nook, and cranny. (It's kind of interesting, that... nook is like a nose, a ridge, and the cranny is the opposite, a crevice. But nook has also come to mean a corner or a niche. Niche and nook might sound similar, but there is no etymological relationship.)

I want the decoration to be used to build memories and heirlooms. I don't want cheap crap bought new for every year with no connection, no personality, no meaning. Have one evening before the feast when you gather to make decorations. Give ornaments as gifts. It doesn't need to be expensive, it needs to be good quality and meaningful. Handmade is good. Children's paper decorations are great. Just make sure that you use good quality materials and not some cheap kiddie craft items that will deteriorate when one looks at it. I love decorating because I remember where and when and from whom I got all the pieces, and every piece has its place. I smile every time I pass them using my home, because every time I see them, I remember them again and again. That creates memories and love.

I want the decoration to appeal to all senses. Mainly the five well-known ones, but if you can find a way to appeal to one's sense of balance or spatial orientation, or... I don't know, hunger, good. I want everyone to feel good and sense pleasantry all the time they are in the area.

That's why it is very important to me, that the home is clean. Not just cleaned and tidy, but clean. Every nook and cranny, from floor to ceiling. 

And just a couple of words about "tidy". Of course, a home is meant to be used as a home, and if you use the dining room as a playroom, the kids should be able to play in the playroom even during the holidays. Nevertheless, the play should be put away when the dining room is to be used to dine in. Have toy boxes that don't look like toyboxes, or have curtains to the toy shelves, so that the dining room looks like a dining room, not like a playroom with the dining table in it. The dining table should be clean and decked with clean table cloth and good china and glasses, not paper plates and cups. Sure, when you have 10+ celebrators at the table, there's going to be a lot of dishes, but that too should be done together. You can even play games about who does the dishes. Make it a program point. Use it as a team-building activity. 


That's another thing about my perfect holidays. They should be "team-building events". A chance to enhance the feeling of being one big family, belonging to a group. That is why I want every member of the group to participate in building the feast. Every chore should be shared, done preferably by several members of the group, divided equally, age-appropriately, and so that no one has to do most of it. Let everyone do what they can and what they are best at, "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs". Give the chores plenty of time, so that you can be patient with people who might not do things the same way or speed as you do. Remember that done is better than perfect, and the main thing is being together, not that everything is perfect. No hostzillas wanted, OK. 

Then the food. I don't like ready-made and semi-finished, thank you. There are, of course, SOME things that I'm OK with, like canned and frozen vegetables, but things like packed macaroni and cheese or green beans are so easy and quick, that I think it's an unnecessary money pit, especially during the holidays. I also think the preparations for the meals are part of the "team-building activities". All the casseroles and most of the baking can be done beforehand and frozen. Also, if you have parties with many families coming together, a potluck is a perfect way to divide the cost and responsibility. So what Uncle Roger can't cook, or that Aunt Elizabeth's mashed potatoes aren't as good as cousin Carolyn's. It's most certainly good enough, and Uncle Roger can buy the cranberry sauce, or get a cheesecake from a bakery. He could have some team-building activities of his own, with friends, and exchange favors. "You make this casserole for my family dinner, and I'll build you the IKEA thing you want". 


Food is important. Every guest should have a meal that is pleasing and satisfying. At the same time, it is "just" food. It doesn't need to be perfect, it needs to be edible. Make your garlic-infused mashed potatoes to yourself, don't force that on your guests if some of them don't want to eat garlic. Give your vegan guests a vegan feast. Most traditional holiday dishes have an adequate alternative that fits all the eaters' diets and preferences. You can have questionable flavors as side dishes, like roasted garlic, garlic powder on the spice rack, and so on. Mind your guests more than "I've always done it this way" and "I like it better like this". Not using cilantro might make the food somewhat lacking in your opinion, using cilantro makes the food inedible in my opinion. Just think about the food you just can't eat, be it offal, insects, or soup, and remember the feeling when planning the dinner menu. If your holiday isn't a holiday without a certain dish, you can always make it for yourself. (You can of course turn that around - if all the other guests are OK with that dish, you can make the dish without the hated ingredient for that one guest - or ask them to bring it themselves. That is totally fine.) 

I just saw another Thanksgiving dinner preparation video, and there was garlic in EVERY dish. Even mashed potatoes. I hate garlic. I think it's disgusting. It smells and tastes like rusty nails in sweaty woolen socks, rolled on the barn floor. I wouldn't eat rusty nails and woolen socks with cow poo, I wouldn't serve it, I don't see the fascination, I wouldn't be able to eat anything except desserts there. Or, of course, I would, because I was raised right, but I wouldn't enjoy the food. I really hate garlic. 

Don't throw away food. Most scraps can be used to make stock, at least, if not other things. That's one thing that really bothers me. Of course, if you compost, it's somewhat OK to be a bit more wasteful, because everything that can be composted will be. But if you cook Brussel sprouts, the outer leaves can be cooked, too. 

Another important detail for me is that one needs to dress up. During a holiday dinner, one needs to have holiday attire. Sunday best. Formal knee-length dress with pumps. Suit. Business suit. Something like that. Neat hair. If you have long hair, tie it up. Or holiday holiday-inspired outfit, like a Christmas sweater. It's not OK - in my mind - to come to the table in sweats or T-shirt. (This, of course, depends on the family style. For some people, a shirt and jeans ARE "Sunday best". But they most certainly must be clean and neat.) Also, the whole company needs to "match". So, discuss the clothing options with all the guests good time before the dinner. 

And then the last thing about this. Everyone eats together and stays by the table until everyone is finished. No running to watch the television, what ever is on. No eating on flimsy paper plates balanced on knees. No eating at different times, in different rooms. 



Saturday, October 14, 2023

Some Halloween decoration tips

 I read a couple of articles, and here are some thoughts I have about them.

The 5 Mistakes Everyone Makes When Decorating for Halloween

Firstly, I think it's a lot of pretentious crap. :-D But they do have a couple of good points. Like "If you have to wipe fake cobwebs away to get through your front door while trying to see straight ahead of the blinding strobe light, you’ve gone too far. Halloween decorations are meant to be whimsical, but not inconvenient, impractical eyesores." 

The main thing here is that you do you. Do what pleases you, what you find nice, whimsical, if you like that kind of thing, even a little inconvenient if it assists in creating the atmosphere you want. Decorations are there to create the mood, atmosphere, air, and feeling. There are no "you should" or "don't do this, it's a mistake" other than you going against what you want.

“The biggest mistake people make when decorating for Halloween is going the traditional route"

I say total BS to that. That's not a mistake at all if you want to take the traditional route. So some fancy schmancy designer doesn't like orange. *I* like orange and it's MY house, not his!

The traditional Halloween colors are the colors found in nature; the color of soil, wet bark, midnight sky, root vegetables and pumpkins, autumn leaves... That is why the traditional colors of Halloween are black and orange. All the other colors added to the Halloween palette are things like bone white, rotting flesh purples, moldy green... :-D 

Now, if you don't want to take that route, take whichever you like. There are no problems with people having a pink Halloween, or turquoise, white, the whole rainbow. You do you, as said.

I like the idea of using a lot of textures and such, so adding metallics to the mixture is just a good idea. I mean, if you look at those pumpkins above, I love the blend of textures. The iron, the wood, the stone, the rough pumpkin and the smooth pumpkin, the crispy leaves, and the carved wood. (I think it's carved wood, it could be carved pumpkin, to be honest. I just like to think it's carved wood.)

If you want to have an all-black Halloween, go for it. And don't "romanticize it", if that's not your "speed". 

Going kitschy about Halloween is all fine. Go all store-bought. I personally love vintage and antique things, hand-made things (high-end artisan stuff as well as kid's pottering), and I have a very eclectic, bohemian style, but that's me. 

Sure, if you buy the usual dollar-store things everyone has, you won't win any prizes for individuality, creativity, and originality, but why would you need to? This is a holiday, not a design competition.

Also, the Kusama pumpkins... er... uh...


About the lighting... yes, do use colored light bulbs. There are tons of things to do with lighting. Read up about that, and experiment.

7 THINGS I’VE LEARNED ABOUT PLANNING A KILLER HALLOWEEN PARTY

"Halloweenie Roast started with a very simple concept: roast hot dogs around a fire pit in my parent’s backyard. (I have no outdoor space, and they’re gracious enough to share theirs every October.) Year two I did the same thing, and I’ll be honest – I was kind of underwhelmed by my own party. It wasn’t the Halloween gathering I wanted. So the next year, I went BIG. I added a theme. I had one of my photographer friends create a photo booth for us. I made tons of Halloween-themed goodies. I added a costume contest. And it was a HUGE success."

Remember to appeal to all senses. Touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. Most people just think about the sight, especially now in the Pinterest age, with a lot of visual inspiration. But things like music and smells are very effective in creating the proper (desired) atmosphere. 

This House Doesn’t Half-Ass Halloween

"I change out all the etageres, vignettes, mantels, hutches — you name it. Sometimes I even color code my bookshelves with orange, black, and white spines."

I think this is a very good advice. Change some details. Change the "soft furnishing", like curtains, sofa cushions, towels, etc. You can paper the books, or turn them spine against the wall so that only the white pages show out. That will create a very nice backdrop for items. 

Also, incorporate everyday items into Halloween decorating. "The easiest thing is to look at the color of things. For me, I have my mother’s typewriter from college as a Halloween decoration because it is orange. I collect vintage cameras and in the right setting, they can be spooky. I mentioned I like subtle spooky. Not everything has to scream BOO in your face — black and orange Murano glass ashtrays, vintage Band-Aid tins, doll heads, game pieces and more can be Halloween decorations in the right setting."



Friday, June 23, 2023

Family Game Night

Turn off the television, unplug the phone, and ignore the "to-do" list. Instead, focus on your family by planning a night filled with a winning combination of fun, food, and games. (Kids have a skill for being silly, so be sure to include them in the planning!)

First, pick a night when no one has to work and doesn't have mandatory meetings or events. If possible, try to make Family Game Night a regularly scheduled occasion.

Use a score sheet from a game to write out "invitations." Send them along in briefcases, backpacks or lunchboxes. You can also place them on bed pillows, tape them to a mirror or set them on breakfast plates.

Resist the temptation to include other families and just concentrate on having fun with your immediate family.

Have on hand inexpensive door prizes for the winners of each game. Such as decks of cards, hand-held games, and books of crossword puzzles or sudoku. (Here's some great suggestions of pocket (purse) games and here some travel games)

Plan your menu. For extra fun, use recipes that tie into the theme. Choose foods that keep the fingers clean and grease-free. 

Use a game table to display the food. Or decorate a dining table with playing cards, dice, game pieces, game boards, etc.

picture from Mimi's Doll House

Starting with the youngest family member, let each person choose a game to play.

Keep a running tally of the winners and post it on the refrigerator or family bulletin board. Award a larger prize (like a new board game) to the winner after a few weeks or months.

Monday, October 10, 2022

12 Days of Yule

 So... I'm participating in this... blog event? Whatever it is. We are given some ideas every day for 12 days. And I'm not too impressed... Yes, I'm a grumpy badger and I am going to be totally honest about it. No one reads my blog anyway.

So - I have a playlist for Yule songs. I have some 200 songs there, so it should take a whole day to listen to them. I don't need any suggestions on Christmas songs. (BTW, my mother was a Christian, and I grew up in a culturally Christian home, so I find the Christian Christmas songs nostalgic. It doesn't much matter, though, as Jesus was not born on Midwinter day. It's the Pagan Son God's birthday, so all these "God was born on Christmas day" lyrics fit my faith better than any Christian faith. :-D)

Also, my ideal Yule tree is filled with antique-style ornaments and has a star on top. That's the way my mother had it. The ornaments should be rather small, fit in the hand, and not be "rustic". Usually "rustic" means haphazard, clumsy, and looking like a toddler put it together using too much glue. I HATE the "make a cute ornament from an antique cake mold by gluing stuff on it!". I don't like ornaments made of little sticks, especially if they are then painted, and hung on the tree on a hairy piece of sisal string. There will be no sisal, hemp, jute, or burlap in my tree!  
I don't mind handmade things, or kitschy - to a point. It should be well-made and look nice. Salt dough is fine, as well as pine cones. 

I kind of like these pine cone gnomes.

I could also imagine crocheted snowflakes in my tree, though they should be made of a rather fine thread and stiffened, maybe even glittered. 

Another type of ornament I can see myself making is some sort of shadow box ornament with old snuff boxes (I mean the plastic ones, from Sweden. My husband snuffs, and there are always tons of those round boxes around. They might make nice ornaments, painted and decorated.)

Now, when it comes to gift ideas... you really need to just get gifts to people who you know well enough to have an idea of what they want for gifts.

Or if not, you know them well enough to give them a questionnaire to fill out that will help you. (You know, like a "gift exchange questionnaire" or one of those you give to kids where they can write their favorite color, and other such things, and where you write down their sizes and preferences and dislikes, etc.)
Keep an ear open during the year and write down things you have heard, like when they express they like something or wish they had something.

But, here's one Pinterest board about gift ideas, and here's one about stocking stuffers. I'm sure you'll get some ideas. (But, just in case, keep the receipts if the gift receiver wants to exchange the gift.)

The event uses the interest to advertise its own products and shop. Of course, it's a good thing, all the power to them, I mean, they did arrange this thing, and should be using it to advertise their own products, BUT... I was expecting something we could make ourselves.

Also, the recipes... blah. I think I would have been more excited with a list like this: "Christmas gift recipes", than some generic cookie recipes. Also, cookie recipes that every family has their own preferred version already. 

I have nothing against "farmhouse chic", but I have a lot against "let's bring in all the dirty old crap old people threw away and stain and distress everything because back in the olden days people didn't know how to make things and just nailed two broken boards together and called it a shelf" kind of "chic".
As if Little House on the Prairie from TV got it right! :-D As if! Michael Landon might have thought that some thin, uneven boards nailed on other thin, uneven boards a door makes, but Daddy Ingalls wouldn't have made a door to a dog house like that. Not even when he was 7.

No, gingham doesn't cover sins.

No, you will not bring things in from the barn. Your great-grandparents would have been ashamed!

So, our taste in decor doesn't agree at all. I'm rather disappointed with this. I was expecting something useful.

Also, they keep repeating the ideas and links over and over and over. 

On top of that, some of the links are broken, or the image links are broken. 

I'm glad I didn't pay anything for this, because it wasn't worth it.

Monday, November 15, 2021

Reposting

23 Free (or Cheap) Family Christmas Traditions
Author: Heather | Updated December 23, 2021

For some reason the link doesn't work for me. If it works for you, great, you don't need this page. If it doesn't - like for me - you do.

Watching holiday movies might be one of your family’s favorite Christmas traditions. Other families might make fruitcake, and some may even hide pickles in their trees. Whatever your family Christmas tradition may be, one thing is certain: it brings you all closer together.
But let’s get real, some holiday traditions are pricey! 

1. Start a Christmas tradition of adding kids’ handprints to a Christmas tree skirt.

Include the year with each handprint and eventually, the entire Christmas tree skirt will be covered in handprints of all sizes.

This is the perfect addition to your decorations, whether you have a traditional Christmas tree or not!

2. Go on a Christmas lights scavenger hunt with this free printable.

Turn this into an outdoor family Christmas tradition and bring some snacks whether you’re on foot or in a car. Make a list of everything you might see on the scavenger hunt, or use a free Christmas scavenger hunt list printable, and let the kids check off items as you look at lights.

3. Make a Christmas music playlist to share with all your friends and family.

4. Refresh your Christmas movie tradition by wrapping movies to open and watch each night.

Unwrapping a surprise movie each night is almost as much fun as watching it together. It’s one of those family Christmas traditions that will go on forever! (You can also pack a shoebox with the movie and things for themed movie night)


5. Or, wrap Christmas themed books to read every day during the holidays.

Try to aim for 12 books for the 12 nights of Christmas. Each night one child gets to unwrap a book for you to read. Check them out at the library or just use ones you already own.

6. Put together a night-before-Christmas box.

Include new Christmas pajamas or slippers, a movie or a book (even if you already own them!), a fun game and maybe some hot cocoa and popcorn.

Whether you have kids under the age of 5, teenagers or adult children, this Christmas tradition is always a bonding experience.




7. Leave candy in shoes in honor of St. Nicholas Day.

Saint Nicholas was a real saint known for being kind, helping those in need, and loving children. St. Nicholas Day is on December 6th, and traditionally, children leave their shoes by the door for St. Nicholas to bring them gifts and treats. Make this a Christmas tradition and fill shoes with candy. You can even sneak in candy from Halloween. (Traditionally, the kids fill their shoes first with snacks for St.  Nicholas' horse - carrots and hay. It's not for nothing, you know. :-D)



8. Make DIY reindeer food a new family Christmas tradition.

Mix together a combination of rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, red and green sugar crystals, and sprinkles. Sprinkle your homemade reindeer food in the snow for Santa’s helpers for a fun Christmas Eve tradition. (Stay away from actual glitter or any non-food items which are harmful to critters who may get into them.)

9. Write a letter to a soldier with Operation Gratitude.

Have every member of the family write a letter of gratitude to the soldiers serving overseas. Operation Gratitude allows you to say thank you, which is especially warming during the holidays when our soldiers are away from their own families.

It’s a great Christmas tradition that’ll help your kids spread joy without spending a dime.

Important note about sending letters: Please don’t place letters in individual envelopes. Just bundle them all together and mail them directly to Operation Gratitude, which will take care of the rest.

10. Adopt a family together.

Christmas is the perfect time to teach children and teens the spirit of giving. Make it a Christmas tradition to work with local charities to find a family in need, then get your family together in buying, wrapping, and delivering gifts.

11. Set out 12 boxes filled with themes and activities for the 12 Days of Christmas.

Twelve days of Christmas fun means being as creative as you can — from gingerbread day to movie day. Inside each box or package should be a full list of ideas, and also contain supplies for that day’s theme.


Make sure to save the best for last and a sweet Christmas Eve tradition!

TIP: Instead of wrapping surprises, just decorate paper bags with markers.

12. Create hope notes for next Christmas and tuck them away in holiday stockings.

This Christmas tradition starts on the tail end of Christmas. As you pack up your stockings for the year, each family member writes a note with a hope or goal they want to happen by next Christmas. Put it in a stocking for the following year. It’s fun to read what everyone hoped for and a good opportunity to reflect on the previous year.

13. Host a Christmas sock exchange.

Host a holiday sock exchange party asking friends to each bring a pair of holiday socks filled with their favorite things. Set a budget so everyone ends up with something fun.




14. Buy or make a new Christmas tree ornament to represent the year.

15. Start a Christmas pickle tradition (a.k.a. hide the pickle ornament).

After everyone goes to sleep on Christmas Eve, hide a pickle ornament somewhere in your Christmas tree. The first person to find the pickle on Christmas morning gets a special gift.

16. Buy an unexpected Advent calendar for cheap.

Funko Pop, LEGO, Friends, wine and cheese…the variety of Advent calendars these days is amazing.


17. Play BINGO while watching Hallmark Christmas Movies.

If you’re one of the many people who love watching these cheesy classics, make it a new Christmas tradition to play Hallmark Christmas movie BINGO

18. Make a keepsake ornament showing the length of your child with ribbon.

Measure your child’s height with ribbon and place it in a clear ornament. 


19. Label presents with holiday names instead of real names and don’t tell anyone who’s who until Christmas.

When you fill their stockings, place a small ornament at the bottom that reveals their Christmas tag name. For example, a reindeer ornament for the child whose presents are labeled Prancer.
(Variation of this is to wrap all the gifts for each child in their own wrapping paper and put a piece of that paper in their sock.)


20. Create a hanging DIY Christmas card display using greenery and a tree branch.


21. Have a Christmas cookie decorating party.

22. Dedicate a night to play the Silver Bells memory game.

The Holiday or Silver Bells memory game is just like the game Memory only this one calls for Hershey’s kisses and Christmas stickers, two sets of each, just like regular Memory! I’m all about family Christmas traditions where everyone gets chocolate.

23. Surprise friends and neighbors with a “Jingle.”

It’s like doorbell ditch, but with happy surprises. Drop off treats or cards for a sweet surprise. This free “You’ve Been Jingled” printable explains it all.