neighbor gifts 2012 [gift idea]

Our gifts have been delivered, so I can finally share what we gave our neighbors and friends this year. I knew with an active 10-month old crawling around, whipping up homemade goodies for everyone on our list wasn't going to be an option this year. Plus, we had so many compliments on our Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancake Mix gift last year, that I wanted to do another mix of some kind. That way, people aren't overloaded with sugar and because the holidays are so busy anyway, they can have a quick breakfast or save it for another time. 

This year, we gave muffin mix with a tag that said

"You're getting muffin for Christmas" with some cupcake papers attached.

If you would like a printable of the tags, leave a comment. I'd be happy to share!

Can you believe Christmas is just around the corner?

Thank you for sharing this Christmas season with me here! 

brown paper packages...

Sometimes I like just clean and simple Christmas gift wrap.

Here is a little twist on brown paper packages tied up with string.

I feel a song coming on...

Oh how I love wrapping gifts. 

When do you do your wrapping? 

ogden's christmas village [activity]

If you find yourself in the Ogden, Utah area this Christmas season,

be sure to check out the Christmas Village in the Municipal Park downtown.

It is a charming display of lights and cottages modeled after Santa's village at the North Pole.

Unique displays in each window take you back to the magic of Christmas as a child. 

Click here for more information. 

clothesline christmas card holder [DIY]

One of my most favorite things about this time of year is receiving Christmas cards in the mail.

I love opening up the envelope to see what picture people chose and also love reading the updates. 

And then I love displaying them all month long and being reminded of family and friends who we love so much. 

This year, I wanted a different way to display them. Not that taping them on the fridge isn't good enough, but I wanted something more visible. I had some leftover clothesline from the Clothesline Advent Calendar I made, so it seemed fitting to use it and some of the remaining clothespins to hang our Christmas cards. Please tell me you love using up things you already have, too?

I picked up the clothesline from Dollar Tree. Aren't dollar stores awesome? I especially loved that it was green and white. And clothespins there are steal! The same package at Wal-Mart is 3x the price!

As soon as we get cards in the mail, we hang them on the clothesline that is hung between our kitchen and living room. Oh, it just makes me so happy every time I walk under them.  

How do you display your Christmas cards?

{P.S. As soon as I know our cards have been mailed, I'll be sure to share our Christmas card we sent out this year.} 

12-12-12! And 12 days of CHRISTMAS ideas

Happy 12-12-12! 
Do something simple to make it memorable.
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Speaking of 12's, tomorrow starts the 12 days of Christmas.
Unintentionally, I have done some sort of 12 days of Christmas for the past few years. 

I thought I'd compile some of the things I have done, in addition to some other 12 days ideas that I love.

#1- Sweet & Simple 12 Days of Christmas
I already posted this one here, but if you need a quick go-to idea, this  is it!

#2- 12 Dates of Christmas

Before we had a baby, I planned 12 Christmas dates for my husband and I for the month of December.

Some were simple and free, and a few cost money and were more elaborate. It was so much fun!
These were the dates we did:
1. Visit the Old World Christmas Market at the Gateway
2. First Day of December Candlelight Dinner
3. Open "It's a Wonderful Life" and watch it by the fire
4. Go to the Festival of Trees
5.  Went on a World Nativity tour
6. Saw Tangled at the expensive theater- we never do that!
7. Went doll shopping for a Secret Santa project
8. Went to the David Archuleta Christmas Concert
9. Go to the Wasatch Lawn Christmas Luminary Display
10. Went to the Christmas Utah light display
11. Visited Temple Square
12. Read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' and exchanged a simple gift.

#3-12 Acts of Service 

I like the idea of doing 12 random acts of service.

#4- 12 Days of Christmas Stories 
Originally, I got this idea from my friend Andrea (who contributes to this blog). She wraps up 25 stories and reads them each day with her children as a countdown. Unfortunately, my Christmas story collection isn't that big, so we will be doing 12 days of stories. This would be a fun gift for someone as well!

#5-12 Days of Nativity Scriptures 
I received a 12-piece nativity set from a friend a few years ago. I've always just set it out as part of my decorations, but this year, we'll be adding one piece to the nativity each night after we read a scripture telling us about that certain piece.

#6- 12 Days of Christm"US"
One year, I gave my husband 12 gifts that were pertinent to just "US" since it was our last Christmas before our first child was born. A lot of them were inexpensive, but had a funny memory or inside joke related to each one. 

Have fun! 

soap-carving nativities [activity]

A few years ago, my husband planned a really fun Christmas date for us. 

He picked up a few bars of Ivory soap and we carved a nativity together.

We are definitely not sculptors by trade, but we had a blast!

For a fun family activity, assign every one a few nativity characters and create a masterpiece together! 

cheap, merry & bright christmas mantle [decor]

Linking up today with My Sister's Suitcase Mantle Party.

Here's mine: 

Part of my Christmas decoration spruce-up included my mantle. 

I splurged a little on the stockings, but everything else you see was found at thrift stores or year-end clearances. I made the red burlap wreath, redid the advent calendar, and up-cycled the stocking holders.

For our apartment that doesn't have the greatest light, it sure brightens things up for the holidays.

This is what it used to look like:

This year instead of having our nativity on our mantle, we'll be using it for a 12 days of Christmas, where we add a new piece each day.

sweet & simple 12 days of Christmas [gift idea + activity]

My mom loved doing the 12 days of Christmas for someone who needed some extra holiday cheer.

She always involved us in the process by having us help with the shopping, wrapping, or delivering. 

One of my favorite childhood Christmas memories is getting all bundled up, piling in our station wagon, and doorbell ditching the gifts each night. She always used the same 12 days of Christmas gifts. I'm not sure where she got this idea, but she loved it because it called for simple and inexpensive gifts that could be picked up during your normal shopping. This is my go-to 12 days of Christmas as well. I love the poems for each day and it doesn't cost a lot to do. Most items can be found at a dollar store.

*Simply cut out the tags, attach them to gifts, and deliver!

Enjoy one of the most fun activities of the holiday season. 

Here is a preview of the poems & gifts for each day, but if you'd like a printable version, click here.

*Also, if you are interested in an editable document (in case you want to switch up some of the days or gifts, leave a comment with your email address or send an email to sofestive@gmail.com  and I'd be happy to email it you!)

chocolate christmas houses [tradition]

I hope you found a present in your shoe for St. Nicholas day today!

But if you didn't, here's a fun activity you can do to celebrate. 

It's tradition in my husband's family to decorate gingerbread houses. We didn't get around to doing it at Thanksgiving, so we did it on our own. We usually make them out of graham crackers and my mother-in-law's perfect frosting, but this year, we changed it up just a tiny bit. My inspiration came from my aunt's chocolate house she made with real chocolate a few years ago. I wasn't about to mold chocolate like she did, so instead, I picked up a box of chocolate graham crackers. So much easier, but with a similar result.

I pre-cut a few pieces just to make the process quicker so we could get to the fun part of decorating much sooner. And I used this frosting recipe. It works great! Although if you were doing this with little kids, you could always pre-assemble the houses with hot glue and then let them use the frosting for decorating.

Gingerbread House Frosting

2 egg whites

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

2 tsp. water

3 cups powdered sugar (possibly 4)

Beat the egg whites, water, and cream of tartar until frothy (about 2 minutes). Add in the powdered sugar and continue to beat until thick and pasty. Add in more powdered sugar until it is thick, if needed. Scoop into  cake decorating bags or sandwich bags and snip off the corner for easy application.

pom pom tree garland [DIY decor]

I've been sprucing up my Christmas decorations this year and this Pom-Pom Garland

was near the top of my list. It's tradition to get tin ornaments every year. Even though the tin ornaments are silver and gold, this garland does not take away from the classy look that I love, but gives it just the right amount of  modern pop with its bright colors.  

What you'll need: 

1" or larger pom-poms (Hobby Lobby had the cheapest) 

stitchery thread

needle

Simply thread the needle and sew through each  pom-pom.
I did mine about 2-3" apart so I wouldn't run out, but it could also look good with them closer together. 

Hang on your tree or use on a mantle or to decorate for a holiday party.

Also, don't forget to put your shoe out by the tree tonight for St. Nicholas. 

If you are new to the tradition of St. Nicholas day, read about it here. 

the best christmas movies ever

Winners of the giveaway posted below. 

I'm a sucker for Christmas movies. There are so many to watch, that I have to start early to get through them all. Here are some of my all-time favorites, starting with the cartoon ones. Yes, I still watch these and LOVE them because they bring back so many childhood memories. I can't wait until my little boy is old enough to enjoy them!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas  :: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Frosty the Snowman and Frosty Returns

Home Alone :: Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Jingle All the Way :: A Christmas Story

White Christmas :: It's A Wonderful Life 
Miracle on 34th Street :: One Magic Christmas 

Elf :: The Santa Clause
Prancer :: The Polar Express

What are your favorites? 

easy candy christmas countdown [DIY]

Tomorrow is the big day--the countdown to Christmas begins!
(Plus there will be a GIVEAWAY! You won't want to miss it!)

If you don't have time or energy to make the Clothesline Advent Calendar I posted about a few days ago, here's a simple alternative for you. It's the

These were the countdown chains we always had growing up. They were quick to make and also inexpensive. Plus, they were simple enough for children to make, with just a little help.

So, it doubled as an advent calendar and activity! Double score. 

What you'll need: 

plastic wrap

25 pieces of candy

ribbon, bakers twine, raffia, or string

Just follow these 5 easy steps: 

1. Choose your favorite candy. We prefer Lindt chocolate balls around here! (Don't worry, we make a family chain so all the goodness isn't going to any one person.) Cut a very long piece of plastic wrap-about 75 inches long or longer. (Enough for about 3 inches per candy)

2. Lay your candy equally apart on the plastic wrap. 

3.  Fold the bottom edge of the plastic over top your row of candies. 

4. Now do the same thing with the top edge, so it covers the candy completely.

5. Finally, tie off each section with ribbon or string.

Each day, it's one piece of candy closer to Christmas!

---------------------

If you don't have time or resources for this either, consider sticking to a simple paper chain.
Write an activity on each slip of paper. Attach together to form a chain.
Each day, cut off a slip of paper and do the activities! 

advent calendar ideas

Are you getting your advent calendars together?

I have two this year. Who says you can only have one?

My first one is a wooden one that I redid. I picked up on clearance for $7. 

I repainted it and put on new numbers. I like the clean, modern look.

This one will be used for our Keeping Christ in Christmas advent. Each box contains a scripture to read and a little treat. 

The second one we have is for our Christmas activities. 

You can make one, too!

All you need: a dollar-store clothesline, clothespins, paper, advent numbers, and contact paper if you want to make it re-usable. The total cost should be around $4 or less if you already have materials at home. 

On the back of each card has a Christmas activity that we will do that day. The contact paper makes it so you can write with a dry-erase marker. Then you can reuse from year-to-year, or if you need to change activities at the last minute, no problem! Holidays require flexibility, you know.

And should you decide to make one, I've made it simple. Click here to download a printable version of the numbers. All you have to do is cut and paste, literally. 

If you make one,  I would love to see it!

Come back tomorrow for more activity ideas than you'll ever need for your new advent calendar!

christmas is coming!!!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. 

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we can focus on Christmas! 

(My husband is trying to teach me to not be too excited for Christmas that I overlook Thanksgiving.)

I really do love Thanksgiving. But there are just so many festive things to do at Christmas.

I decided to pull all of my Christmas-related posts into this preview guide so that the ideas would be more accessible. I realize that many of you readers were not around when this first started., so I think (hope) it will be helpful. I know it will for me since some ideas get lost in the shuffle.  

And just for your reference, there will be a "Christmas Ideas" link at the top of the site that will have all of these ideas for quick reference, should you ever need to access them again. 

Some of these ideas are from previous posts and a few are posts that will be coming this month. So stay tuned for full details on them--in addition to some new ideas!

As always, I love hearing your traditions, favorite recipes, and ideas. If you would like to share any of your favorite holiday ideas, send an email to sofestive@gmail.com or post them on our Facebook page.  

The more ideas we all have, the merrier! 

Traditions & Activities 

Advent Sundays :: St. Nicholas Day
Write and Burn Letter to Santa ::  Christmas Eve Candlelight Dinner

Twas the Night Before Christmas Gift Exchange :: Christmas Jar Service 
Hay in the Manger :: Soap Carving Nativities

Make Gingerbread Houses :: Celebrate Christmas Adam
Gifts to Jesus Box ::  Tin Ornaments

Advent Ideas

Scripture Advent-25 Days Closer to Christ :: Countdown Chains

Christmas Story Countdown :: 50 Christmas Activities for Advent Calendars

Festive Food & Recipes

Christmas Candy Cane Sundaes :: Holiday Sugar Cookies

Christmas Morning Beignets ::  Festive Nachos 

Crafts & Decor

Christmas Beds :: Stocking Hangers
Red Burlap Wreath :: If You Don't Have a Mantle
Ornament Exchange 

Gift Ideas 

Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancake Mix :: Holiday Muddy Buddies 

Chocolate Peppermint Spoons :: Whopper Reindeer Poop

Sweet & Simple 12 days of Christmas
Christmas Eve Pajamas

Come back tomorrow for a look at my NEW advent calendars for the year...
and how you can make one of them! 

cinnamon oatmeal pancake mix [gift idea + recipe]

This year for neighbor gifts, we wanted to do something that would be useful and not contribute to the sugar overload that usually happens this time of year. So, we made {cinnamon oatmeal pancake mix} and packaged it up all cute. Thanks to my cousins for the great recipe!

It's a win-win. Easy for us. Convenient for the busiest time of the year. And cute. Not to mention they are so yummy! Here is how they turned out...

Here is the recipe:

Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancake Mix

ingredients: 

4 cups quick cooking oats

2 cups flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup non-fat dry milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

directions: 

mix all together. place in airtight container. store in a cool,dry place. use within 6 months. the entire batch will make 4 batches of pancakes. each batch makes 16-20 pancakes. 

to make pancakes:

in medium bowl, beat 2 eggs. beat in 3 Tbsp. oil gradually. alternately stir in 2 cups of mix and 1 cup of water. drop onto lightly greased skillet. when batter starts to bubble, turn pancakes over. cook about 2 to 3 minutes.

chocolate covered spoons + hot chocolate [gift idea]

I'm sending my little sister in Arizona a package so she can have a "White Christmas".

One of the things I included was chocolate covered stirring spoons. 

They were simple and fun to make! 

What you'll need: melting chocolate (or chocolate chips), crushed candy cane, and plastic spoons

Melt the chocolate for about 30 seconds or until it is completely melted. 

Then dip the spoon in the chocolate and sprinkle with peppermint before it cools.

Let it cool on wax paper for about 15 minutes. 

Package in cellophane and bundle with hot chocolate and marshmallows.