FC is looking for your best Christmas/Holiday Tips & Tricks!

[ajrsmom]

Originally Posted by Cooked

One tip I find oh so helpful if you have pets or small children, put your unbreakable ornaments on the bottom part of the tree, they won't break when little hands or tails knock them off.

Oh yes! One of my cats loves to bat at the bulbs on our tree. We went from not decorating the bottom branches when the kids were little to not decorating them because of the cats. ROFL!! I do what you suggest now.

[ajrsmom]

Originally Posted by Sweet Magnolia

I used to make homemade hot chocolate while we were putting the tree up and decorating it. I always let the kids help decorate, no matter the size or age they were. It they piled too many up in one spot I simply moved them around on the tree after they went to sleep, they never noticed. We also read the story of the birth of the Christ child and The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve.


I also make a real Caramel Pie
1 1/3 Cup sugar(divided)
1 Can evaporated milk
4 large eggs, separated
4 Tablespoons flour
4 Tablespoons margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pre-baked pie crust
Bake pie crust as directed on package, let cool.

Mix 1 Cup sugar & 4 Tablespoons flour stir well, add 4 egg yolks, mix well, add 1 can evaporated milk and mix well. Cook on stovetop until it begins to get hot. Stir very frequently.

Put 1/3 Cup sugar in a heavy cast iron skillet and melt to a medium caramel color then pour into the mixture cooking on stovetop stirring constantly as you are pouring.

When mixture in boiler on stovetop is thick, add 4 Tablespoons margarine and 1 teaspoon vanilla, stir till the margarine is melted. Pour into cooked and cooled pie crust.

Meringue
4 large egg whites
1/3 Cup of sugar

Beat egg whites until slightly stiff, add sugar slowly, continue beating until stiff. Top pie with meringue and bake at 350*F until golden brown.


I seldom get the chance to share this recipe, people just call me to make them one or two.LOL
Hugs, Paula

Your pie sounds delicious! So if I call you, will you deliver one to me? YUM!!!

[RobertaD]

The recipes that I see for chocolate custard are for a pie. Custard is similar to Old Fashioned Cream Pie if you have had that before.

Roberta

[justEricka]

we dont really have a tradition...but this year im going to try to start one...i plan to take one day and bake salt dough ornaments and then when we are all together...i want to paint them with the kids...i think that will be fun...but im not sure how my kids will go over with it..lol..but i definatly plan to try...mom and i used to make some sort of ornament every year...clothespin raindeer...macaroini angels...things like that..i love those memories....

ericka

[bensmom526]

To save opened gift wrap for next year...
unwrap from roll and insert into the card board tube..

it won't tear or turn yellow and you can store
it in a corner of your closet...

I do this but can't fight the temptation of buying
coordinating gift wrap the next year..explains why I
end up with a zillion rolls of gift wrap... =0)

[bensmom526]

To keep the present opening frenzy under control
I wrap each family member's gifts in one pattern of gift wrap
Christmas morning I tell them who has which wrap and run out
of the way before I get trampled =0)

[ajrsmom]

Originally Posted by bensmom526

To save opened gift wrap for next year...
unwrap from roll and insert into the card board tube..

it won't tear or turn yellow and you can store
it in a corner of your closet...

I do this but can't fight the temptation of buying
coordinating gift wrap the next year..explains why I
end up with a zillion rolls of gift wrap... =0)

I bought some one sale two years ago, along with one of those wrapping paper containers. I filled it and put it in our storage locker....and forgot about it last year. lol! I found it this year. Someone here in our apartment complex threw away 5 large rolls of wrapping paper. I snagged it. It's in perfect condition...and now waiting for me to use it.

[ajrsmom]

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Thank you for all of these wonderful tips! Everyone who shared their tips here in this forum has earned an award(s)!

Check out the Holiday Tips post on the FC Blog!

Keep an eye out this week for the FC forums newsletter that will announce your award(s)!

[RobertaD]

We have had to put a 3ft high cardboard wrap around our tree this year to keep kitty from trying to climb it. Now she sits on the couch and stretches around the side piece to hit the bulbs. She is so funny will look around to see if anyone saw her do it.

Roberta