Best and Worst Holiday Foods
David Zinczenko, author of the Eat This, Not That! series of books, offers tips to help you make healthier food and drink choices this holiday season.By David Zinczenko
Original Content | October 27, 2009
The Eat This, Not That! Guide to Holiday Food
Whether your weakness is mayo-spiked deviled eggs or rum-spiked eggnog, the holiday season is packed with one belly-bloating temptation after another. In fact, studies show the average person consumes an extra 600 calories a day between Thanksgiving and New Year's, which translates to an extra 6 pounds of lard.
While everyone's entitled to a little indulgence, there's a fine line between festive and fattening. Fortunately, making simple food swaps helps keep the pounds down without sacrificing merriment. You don't have to diet. You don't have to deprive yourself.
Cocktails
Worst cocktail:
Gin and tonic (8 ounces)
240 calories
22 g sugars
Drink this instead:
Champagne
100 calories
5 g sugars
Before your raise your glass to good health, consider your own. The sad truth is that light-tasting tonic water contains as much sugar as two glazed doughnuts, making it nothing more than a glorified soda. Champagne is just as bubbly but contains only one-fourth of the sugar and half the calories.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/2
Dip
Worst dip:
Spinach and artichoke dip
300 calories
19 g fat
Eat this instead:
Salsa (1/4 cup)
10 calories
0 g fat
The wrong dip can transform healthy veggies and a whole grain pita into vessels for fat and hundreds of extra calories. Avoid creamy, cheesy dips at all costs and stick to the tomato-based salsas and bruschetta, which are low calorie and offer a healthy serving of vegetables to boot.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/3
Side Dishes
Worst side:
Baked potato with butter and sour cream
400 calories
14 g fat (6 g saturated)
Eat this instead:
Roasted red potatoes (1/2 cup)
100 calories
5 g fat (1 g saturated)
The difference here is in the toppings. Add bacon and cheese to the mix, and add an extra 150 calories. Another smart sides rule: Not all salads are paragons of virtue. Greens with croutons and Italian dressing pack in 140 more calories than a serving of peas with pearl onions.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/4
Hot Drinks
Worst hot drink:
White chocolate mocha (20 ounces)
660 calories
22 g fat (15 g saturated)
95 g sugars
Drink this instead:
Café au lait with peppermint syrup (20 ounces)
150 calories
5 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
17 g sugars
Sugary coffee concoctions are a holiday shopping staple—but the wrong one could deliver more calories than a Big Mac! Avoid mochas, lattes and cappuccinos and order a café au lait with a spurt of flavored syrup instead.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/5
Desserts
Worst dessert:
Pecan pie à la mode
810 calories
65 g fat
55 g sugars
Eat this instead:
Chocolate fondue
340 calories
10 g fat
28 g sugars
In the wide world of holiday pies, nothing is worse than a slice of pecan. Blame the filling, which is a sickly-sweet sludge of corn syrup and sugar. Fondue, in comparison, is a fun and relatively healthy way to splurge after a big meal. Angel food cake makes an ideal dipper: light, low in calories and virtually fat-free. Fruit is even better.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/6
Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
Simple Eat This, Not That! food swaps will make holiday weight gain a thing of the past. These holiday party survival rules may even help you lose weight:
•Watch what you drink. The average American consumes about 450 liquid calories a day. Forgoing the fancy holiday drinks means extra room for other sweets and treats.
•Snack smart. Protein-based snacks, like jumbo shrimp, cheese or prosciutto, will make you feel full longer than carb-loaded breads will.
•Master the buffet. Use a small plate—a study from Cornell University found that you'll serve yourself less, but feel like you've eaten more!
David Zinczenko is the editor-in-chief of Men's Health magazine and co-author of the Eat This Not That! series of books.
http://www.oprah.com/food/The-Best-and-Worst-Holiday-Foods/7
MY THOUGHTS
champagne! champagne would really hit the spot. and i love salsa. the bottled ones, of course. who's got the time to make their own salsa? not me. that's for certain. i miss cooking though. maybe next year. or not.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Beat the Bloat this Holiday Season
10 Ways to Beat the Bloat
Try Changes in Your Diet and Exercise
By Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., Lifescript Nutrition Expert
Published December 26, 2010
Is your belly bulging after yesterday’s holiday feast? Follow these 10 bloat-busting tips and you’ll fit back into those skinny jeans again...
1. Hydrate
Drinking water is probably the last thing you want to do when you feel like your belly is about to explode.
But downing several glasses a day will restore the sodium balance so your body will give up fluids. Water also flushes your system and keeps your digestive tract moving so you don’t become constipated.
Ditch the sodas and other carbonated beverages. You may think they’ll make you feel better by inducing burping, but all they do is add gas to your system and increase bloating.
Instead, quench your thirst with water – the perfect, all-natural drink.
If you have to dress it up, add lemon or lime slices or an instant low-calorie flavor pack, like Crystal Light, Propel, Water Sensations or any store brand. Stash them in your purse or gym bag.
If you love the taste of fresh lemon and lime, try crystallized True Lemon and True Lime (TrueLemon.com) in individual packets with no sweeteners or calories
Many water-filled fruits and veggies can help hydrate you. Grab in-season, juicy fruits like tangerines and kiwis for a healthy snack. Or dine on a fruit salad or a plate piled with hydrating vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.
2. Cut Down on Salt
Salt makes your body retain water. But cutting back on it isn’t easy – nearly 80% of the sodium in our diets comes from packaged or canned foods and restaurant meals. And 9 in 10 Americans are eating too much salt, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Think fresh and unprocessed. Prepare more meals at home and buy low-sodium convenience foods.
You’ll win by eating plain fruits and vegetables, but be careful about the dipping sauces or salad dressings. Their salt content can bring on the bloat.
You can’t judge a food’s saltiness by its taste, so study the nutritional information on food labels whenever possible: a 6-inch tuna sub sandwich has more than 1,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium, but an ounce (1/4 cup) of salty peanuts has only 160 mg, about the same as a cup of fruit-flavored yogurt.
At home, hide the saltshaker.
Add flavor to your dishes with lemon, garlic, basil, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, jalapeños, or any of favorite herbs and spices.
3. Skip Sugar Alcohols
These sugar substitutes – sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, erythritol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH) – could be lurking in any food marked “sugar-free.”
Sugarless products may save a few calories, but they linger in your gut, where normal bacteria make a meal of them. The result? A lot of gas.
4. Be Wise About Dairy
A great source of calcium, protein and other nutrients, dairy also contains lactose, a natural sugar.
Nearly 50 million Americans are lactose-intolerant, meaning they lack enough of the enzyme lactase to completely digest lactose. Undigested lactose causes gas and cramping.
Some lactose-intolerant people can eat cheese and yogurt without discomfort, because much of the lactose breaks down during processing. They may even drink small amounts of milk.
If dairy bothers you, start drinking about one-fourth to one-half cup milk twice a day and work up to about two cups daily.
You can also try lactose-reduced milk or Lactaid, an over-the counter lactase supplement. Take it each time you eat or drink dairy foods.
If you avoid dairy or eat very little of it, you’ll have to work extra hard to meet your calcium needs of about 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg per day. Try calcium-fortified soy milk or orange juice instead.
5. Eat Potassium-Rich Foods
This mineral triggers the kidneys to excrete more sodium.
Most fruits and veggies are loaded with potassium, but some are extra packed: bananas, mangos, melons, papayas, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and nuts. OJ is another great source – but watch out.
Fruit juice is a concentrated source of natural sugars, which means the calories can add up fast.
6. Eat Small
Feel stuffed? Eat smaller portions to give your digestive tract a chance to work.
If small meals leave you hungry and low on energy, perk up with a healthful snack. Or divide your meal into two and eat them 2-3 hours apart.
If a typical lunch includes a sandwich, broccoli and apple salad, and yogurt, switch to two mini-meals:
Mini meal #1: 1/2 sandwich, broccoli and apple salad
Mini meal #2: 1/2 sandwich, yogurt
7. Savor Every Bite
Don’t gobble. Slow down and enjoy your food. You swallow more air when you race through a meal. More air in your belly means more bloating.
8. Take Beano
Plenty of disease-fighting foods – like beans, broccoli and beets – cause gas. But don’t skip them.
Instead, try Beano, an over-the-counter digestive supplement, breaks down their complex sugars into simple sugars before your gut’s bacteria can chow down and leave you with a gas crisis.
Also check out the 10 Best & Worst Foods for Your Tummy.
9. Move It
Get off the couch. Feeling bloated and sluggish is no reason to skip your workout.
You can move gas quickly through your system with a little huffing and puffing. Turn on some loud music and dance the bloat away. Take a walk. Or play tag with the kids.
10. For Chronic Bloat, See a Doctor
Most bloating is no cause for concern.
MY THOUGHTS
this is just a welcome article. i've gobbled so many food the past 3 days i feel really bloated. i've started hyrdrating and eating fruits and veggies for potassium. will start on dairy tomorrow. and dancing again.
Try Changes in Your Diet and Exercise
By Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., Lifescript Nutrition Expert
Published December 26, 2010
Is your belly bulging after yesterday’s holiday feast? Follow these 10 bloat-busting tips and you’ll fit back into those skinny jeans again...
1. Hydrate
Drinking water is probably the last thing you want to do when you feel like your belly is about to explode.
But downing several glasses a day will restore the sodium balance so your body will give up fluids. Water also flushes your system and keeps your digestive tract moving so you don’t become constipated.
Ditch the sodas and other carbonated beverages. You may think they’ll make you feel better by inducing burping, but all they do is add gas to your system and increase bloating.
Instead, quench your thirst with water – the perfect, all-natural drink.
If you have to dress it up, add lemon or lime slices or an instant low-calorie flavor pack, like Crystal Light, Propel, Water Sensations or any store brand. Stash them in your purse or gym bag.
If you love the taste of fresh lemon and lime, try crystallized True Lemon and True Lime (TrueLemon.com) in individual packets with no sweeteners or calories
Many water-filled fruits and veggies can help hydrate you. Grab in-season, juicy fruits like tangerines and kiwis for a healthy snack. Or dine on a fruit salad or a plate piled with hydrating vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.
2. Cut Down on Salt
Salt makes your body retain water. But cutting back on it isn’t easy – nearly 80% of the sodium in our diets comes from packaged or canned foods and restaurant meals. And 9 in 10 Americans are eating too much salt, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Think fresh and unprocessed. Prepare more meals at home and buy low-sodium convenience foods.
You’ll win by eating plain fruits and vegetables, but be careful about the dipping sauces or salad dressings. Their salt content can bring on the bloat.
You can’t judge a food’s saltiness by its taste, so study the nutritional information on food labels whenever possible: a 6-inch tuna sub sandwich has more than 1,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium, but an ounce (1/4 cup) of salty peanuts has only 160 mg, about the same as a cup of fruit-flavored yogurt.
At home, hide the saltshaker.
Add flavor to your dishes with lemon, garlic, basil, rosemary, cilantro, parsley, jalapeños, or any of favorite herbs and spices.
3. Skip Sugar Alcohols
These sugar substitutes – sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, erythritol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH) – could be lurking in any food marked “sugar-free.”
Sugarless products may save a few calories, but they linger in your gut, where normal bacteria make a meal of them. The result? A lot of gas.
4. Be Wise About Dairy
A great source of calcium, protein and other nutrients, dairy also contains lactose, a natural sugar.
Nearly 50 million Americans are lactose-intolerant, meaning they lack enough of the enzyme lactase to completely digest lactose. Undigested lactose causes gas and cramping.
Some lactose-intolerant people can eat cheese and yogurt without discomfort, because much of the lactose breaks down during processing. They may even drink small amounts of milk.
If dairy bothers you, start drinking about one-fourth to one-half cup milk twice a day and work up to about two cups daily.
You can also try lactose-reduced milk or Lactaid, an over-the counter lactase supplement. Take it each time you eat or drink dairy foods.
If you avoid dairy or eat very little of it, you’ll have to work extra hard to meet your calcium needs of about 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg per day. Try calcium-fortified soy milk or orange juice instead.
5. Eat Potassium-Rich Foods
This mineral triggers the kidneys to excrete more sodium.
Most fruits and veggies are loaded with potassium, but some are extra packed: bananas, mangos, melons, papayas, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and nuts. OJ is another great source – but watch out.
Fruit juice is a concentrated source of natural sugars, which means the calories can add up fast.
6. Eat Small
Feel stuffed? Eat smaller portions to give your digestive tract a chance to work.
If small meals leave you hungry and low on energy, perk up with a healthful snack. Or divide your meal into two and eat them 2-3 hours apart.
If a typical lunch includes a sandwich, broccoli and apple salad, and yogurt, switch to two mini-meals:
Mini meal #1: 1/2 sandwich, broccoli and apple salad
Mini meal #2: 1/2 sandwich, yogurt
7. Savor Every Bite
Don’t gobble. Slow down and enjoy your food. You swallow more air when you race through a meal. More air in your belly means more bloating.
8. Take Beano
Plenty of disease-fighting foods – like beans, broccoli and beets – cause gas. But don’t skip them.
Instead, try Beano, an over-the-counter digestive supplement, breaks down their complex sugars into simple sugars before your gut’s bacteria can chow down and leave you with a gas crisis.
Also check out the 10 Best & Worst Foods for Your Tummy.
9. Move It
Get off the couch. Feeling bloated and sluggish is no reason to skip your workout.
You can move gas quickly through your system with a little huffing and puffing. Turn on some loud music and dance the bloat away. Take a walk. Or play tag with the kids.
10. For Chronic Bloat, See a Doctor
Most bloating is no cause for concern.
MY THOUGHTS
this is just a welcome article. i've gobbled so many food the past 3 days i feel really bloated. i've started hyrdrating and eating fruits and veggies for potassium. will start on dairy tomorrow. and dancing again.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Creative Ways to Make Your Gifts Stand Out
Be a Wrap Star! 5 Creative Ways to Make Your Gifts Stand Out
Good things come in great-looking packages. We've got nifty and thrifty tips to help you deliver perfect presents.O, The Oprah Magazine | November 16, 2010
Prop Stylist Elizabeth Press traces her gift-wrapping prowess to her mother, whose creative, budget-conscious ideas—like wrapping boxes with painted newspaper comics, pasting gift certificates inside hollowed-out books, and making decorative stamps out of eraser carvings—proved that a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. "She really understood presentation,"Press says. "Her creativity could turn even inexpensive gifts into something fabulous."
Now Press has her own cost-saving tricks. To achieve a chic, monochromatic effect, she says, "let leftovers be your guide."If you have lime-colored ribbon from Easter, use green paper. And forget traditional holiday color combinations: Pair pink with red, yellow with gold.
1. Keep it Monochromatic
Combining any two shades of the same color "is a straightforward scheme that looks really modern,"says Press. FYI: Matte, solid-color papers tend to cost less.
2. Add Nontraditional Accents
Unexpected finishing touches are likely sitting idle in your drawers and closets. Instead of tying a bow, use cord to attach an ornament or dreidel; pin a brooch or faux flower onto ribbon; top children's gifts with chocolate coins or a glued-on toy. Press particularly loves to decorate with alphabet stamps, spelling out the recipient's name or initials, because "they instantly make a present feel personalized."
How to Make Your Own Stamps
What you'll need:
1. A rubber eraser (at least two inches wide) or a large potato sliced in half widthwise.
2. A marker to draw a simple shape on the eraser or sliced potato.
3. An X-Acto knife to carve away the eraser (or a kitchen knife for the potato), leaving the raised shape.
4. Water-based paint—or a leftover can of acrylic wall paint, diluted in a bowl.
Brush the paint onto your carving, test it on scrap paper, and stamp up your ribbon, paper, etc., in random patterns. "The idea is for it to look fun and homemade, not perfect,"stresses Press.
Tip #3: Think outside the cardboard box
3. Think outside the white cardboard box
Pick up colorful, inexpensive containers from stores like Pier 1, or use Chinese-takeout cartons from a party store (perfect for cookies and candy), tea towels or scarves (ideal for wine bottles and other odd-shaped offerings), and ID-badge sleeves (fun holders for gift cards). "You don't need wrapping paper if you have pretty fabric or containers,"Press says.
4. Focus on the Bows
For about $50 at stores like Staples, you can buy hundreds of feet (years' worth!) of kraft paper. Use it for all your presents, then dress them up with colorful ribbons. Classic hangtags give an old-fashioned "special delivery!" effect
5. Personalize Your Paper
Use a printer to make unique backdrops: a color photo of you with the gift recipient, a googled image of an Impressionist painting, a vintage map. "It takes relatively little effort,"says Press, "but it's the icing on the cake."
Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list with our giftfinder!
MY THOUGTHS
i love wrapping gifts. more than the shopping. it's a pity i'm done with all the gifts before i found this article. i'm so interested i was tempted to unwrap them and use some of the ideas here. except for bows. i can never tie a ribbon. except the laces on my shoes. and i don't want my gifts to look like footwear.
Good things come in great-looking packages. We've got nifty and thrifty tips to help you deliver perfect presents.O, The Oprah Magazine | November 16, 2010
Prop Stylist Elizabeth Press traces her gift-wrapping prowess to her mother, whose creative, budget-conscious ideas—like wrapping boxes with painted newspaper comics, pasting gift certificates inside hollowed-out books, and making decorative stamps out of eraser carvings—proved that a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. "She really understood presentation,"Press says. "Her creativity could turn even inexpensive gifts into something fabulous."
Now Press has her own cost-saving tricks. To achieve a chic, monochromatic effect, she says, "let leftovers be your guide."If you have lime-colored ribbon from Easter, use green paper. And forget traditional holiday color combinations: Pair pink with red, yellow with gold.
1. Keep it Monochromatic
Combining any two shades of the same color "is a straightforward scheme that looks really modern,"says Press. FYI: Matte, solid-color papers tend to cost less.
2. Add Nontraditional Accents
Unexpected finishing touches are likely sitting idle in your drawers and closets. Instead of tying a bow, use cord to attach an ornament or dreidel; pin a brooch or faux flower onto ribbon; top children's gifts with chocolate coins or a glued-on toy. Press particularly loves to decorate with alphabet stamps, spelling out the recipient's name or initials, because "they instantly make a present feel personalized."
How to Make Your Own Stamps
What you'll need:
1. A rubber eraser (at least two inches wide) or a large potato sliced in half widthwise.
2. A marker to draw a simple shape on the eraser or sliced potato.
3. An X-Acto knife to carve away the eraser (or a kitchen knife for the potato), leaving the raised shape.
4. Water-based paint—or a leftover can of acrylic wall paint, diluted in a bowl.
Brush the paint onto your carving, test it on scrap paper, and stamp up your ribbon, paper, etc., in random patterns. "The idea is for it to look fun and homemade, not perfect,"stresses Press.
Tip #3: Think outside the cardboard box
3. Think outside the white cardboard box
Pick up colorful, inexpensive containers from stores like Pier 1, or use Chinese-takeout cartons from a party store (perfect for cookies and candy), tea towels or scarves (ideal for wine bottles and other odd-shaped offerings), and ID-badge sleeves (fun holders for gift cards). "You don't need wrapping paper if you have pretty fabric or containers,"Press says.
4. Focus on the Bows
For about $50 at stores like Staples, you can buy hundreds of feet (years' worth!) of kraft paper. Use it for all your presents, then dress them up with colorful ribbons. Classic hangtags give an old-fashioned "special delivery!" effect
5. Personalize Your Paper
Use a printer to make unique backdrops: a color photo of you with the gift recipient, a googled image of an Impressionist painting, a vintage map. "It takes relatively little effort,"says Press, "but it's the icing on the cake."
Find the perfect gift for everyone on your list with our giftfinder!
MY THOUGTHS
i love wrapping gifts. more than the shopping. it's a pity i'm done with all the gifts before i found this article. i'm so interested i was tempted to unwrap them and use some of the ideas here. except for bows. i can never tie a ribbon. except the laces on my shoes. and i don't want my gifts to look like footwear.
Fresh Holiday Home Decor
Fresh Holiday Home Decor
Event planner Debi Lilly shares tips on how to use fresh fruit and flowers in your holiday décor.By Erin E. White
Original Content | November 17, 2000
Fresh Holiday Décor
Welcome your friends and family to your home this holiday season with festive décor that anyone can create. Event planner Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event shares tips and photos from a family Christmas Eve party she planned for a client in the Chicago area. "It is so much fun to decorate this time of year because you can start in November and continue adding special touches for more than month," she says. "Little extra touches help make the holidays a special experience, and guests notice and enjoy the extra touches too," she says.
Create a Key Lime Wreath
Fresh fruit is a great decorating resource during the winter months, Lilly says. "Especially with the cool weather we have in the Midwest, fruit can last outside for at least four weeks," she says. To create this key lime wreath, use straight pins to secure key limes to a Styrofoam ring, Lilly says. Then, secure a few cranberries around the wreath with straight pins topped with small pearls. "You don't have to hide the pearl pins—they become part of the design," Lilly says.
Artistic Apple Designs
Apples are another hearty fruit that make an impression when used as outdoor holiday décor. Lilly used a hot glue gun to adhere Lady and Gala apples on a cone-shaped Styrofoam form that can be purchased at a craft store. Depending on your color scheme, Lilly says you could also use Granny Smith or Red Delicious apples."The trick is not to use really big apples," Lilly says. "Try to use smaller apples that are around the same size." This idea can also be used indoors for a table center piece, Lilly says.
Illuminate with Cranberries
Cranberries are another one of Lilly's favorite fruits to use outdoors. Here, she puts a sophisticated spin on a holiday luminaries. "Instead of using a paper bag and sand and a small candle, we used these large, glass cylinder vases, placed a pillar candle inside and filled the bottom with cranberries," she says. "Make sure the container you use is tall enough to block the wind so that your candle won't blow out."
Also, Lilly says it is important to use fresh cranberries versus frozen. "Frozen cranberries can get mushy and bleed and won't be very pretty. Fresh cranberries keep their color and shape up for weeks," she says.
Adorn Your Front Door
Don't be afraid to pull out garland, pinecones and silky ribbons to decorate your front door. "A lot of people think they can't use [silk ribbons] outdoors and think they need to use the stiff plastic, ribbon, but that isn't so. We love to use the thick, wide, silky ribbon, and it holds up beautifully outdoors," Lilly says.
A Special Mantle Scene
Continue using fresh fruit and flowers to decorate indoors, and if you have a fireplace, deck it out for the holidays! Here, Lilly created a winter white scene over a mantle by pinning white carnations to a floral oasis foam ring. "You just submerge the ring in water and it soaks up the water, then you cut your carnations with about a half an inch of a stem and poke them into the wreath," Lilly says. You then secure the carnations to the wreath with pearl-topped straight pins. "The floral oasis foam gives the carnations a water source, and if a few of the carnations begin to turn brown, just pop them out of the wreath and replace them with fresh carnations," she says.
Use garland, pinecones and more fresh fruit designs to top off your holidays mantle, and don't forget to add some candles too. "We always decorate with candles; they just create such a warm and inviting mood and are perfect indoors or out," Lilly says.
MY THOUGHTS
exciting isn't it? espcially for someone like me who couldn't even find the time to put up the plastic xmas tree. i missed decorationg for xmas 2 years in a row. next year i hope schedules won't be so hectic so i can try one or two of these fresh holiday decors.
Event planner Debi Lilly shares tips on how to use fresh fruit and flowers in your holiday décor.By Erin E. White
Original Content | November 17, 2000
Fresh Holiday Décor
Welcome your friends and family to your home this holiday season with festive décor that anyone can create. Event planner Debi Lilly of A Perfect Event shares tips and photos from a family Christmas Eve party she planned for a client in the Chicago area. "It is so much fun to decorate this time of year because you can start in November and continue adding special touches for more than month," she says. "Little extra touches help make the holidays a special experience, and guests notice and enjoy the extra touches too," she says.
Create a Key Lime Wreath
Fresh fruit is a great decorating resource during the winter months, Lilly says. "Especially with the cool weather we have in the Midwest, fruit can last outside for at least four weeks," she says. To create this key lime wreath, use straight pins to secure key limes to a Styrofoam ring, Lilly says. Then, secure a few cranberries around the wreath with straight pins topped with small pearls. "You don't have to hide the pearl pins—they become part of the design," Lilly says.
Artistic Apple Designs
Apples are another hearty fruit that make an impression when used as outdoor holiday décor. Lilly used a hot glue gun to adhere Lady and Gala apples on a cone-shaped Styrofoam form that can be purchased at a craft store. Depending on your color scheme, Lilly says you could also use Granny Smith or Red Delicious apples."The trick is not to use really big apples," Lilly says. "Try to use smaller apples that are around the same size." This idea can also be used indoors for a table center piece, Lilly says.
Illuminate with Cranberries
Cranberries are another one of Lilly's favorite fruits to use outdoors. Here, she puts a sophisticated spin on a holiday luminaries. "Instead of using a paper bag and sand and a small candle, we used these large, glass cylinder vases, placed a pillar candle inside and filled the bottom with cranberries," she says. "Make sure the container you use is tall enough to block the wind so that your candle won't blow out."
Also, Lilly says it is important to use fresh cranberries versus frozen. "Frozen cranberries can get mushy and bleed and won't be very pretty. Fresh cranberries keep their color and shape up for weeks," she says.
Adorn Your Front Door
Don't be afraid to pull out garland, pinecones and silky ribbons to decorate your front door. "A lot of people think they can't use [silk ribbons] outdoors and think they need to use the stiff plastic, ribbon, but that isn't so. We love to use the thick, wide, silky ribbon, and it holds up beautifully outdoors," Lilly says.
A Special Mantle Scene
Continue using fresh fruit and flowers to decorate indoors, and if you have a fireplace, deck it out for the holidays! Here, Lilly created a winter white scene over a mantle by pinning white carnations to a floral oasis foam ring. "You just submerge the ring in water and it soaks up the water, then you cut your carnations with about a half an inch of a stem and poke them into the wreath," Lilly says. You then secure the carnations to the wreath with pearl-topped straight pins. "The floral oasis foam gives the carnations a water source, and if a few of the carnations begin to turn brown, just pop them out of the wreath and replace them with fresh carnations," she says.
Use garland, pinecones and more fresh fruit designs to top off your holidays mantle, and don't forget to add some candles too. "We always decorate with candles; they just create such a warm and inviting mood and are perfect indoors or out," Lilly says.
MY THOUGHTS
exciting isn't it? espcially for someone like me who couldn't even find the time to put up the plastic xmas tree. i missed decorationg for xmas 2 years in a row. next year i hope schedules won't be so hectic so i can try one or two of these fresh holiday decors.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
5 Ways to Stay Sane Over the Holidays
5 Ways to Stay Sane Over the Holidays
By Lesley Dormen
O, The Oprah Magazine | December 03, 2010
You know that woman who glides through the holidays effortlessly turning out fruitcakes, entertaining fractious family members, and thinking up unbelievably perfect gifts without being a wreck inside? We don't, either. Holiday stress is now part of the human condition. As the familiar tension digs its heels in, consider a dose of calm from Alice Domar, PhD, author of Self Nuture and one of our LLuminari experts.
1. Reassess. Create a list of everything you do for the holidays and notice which activities make you queasy even thinking about them. In each case, ask, "Who am I doing this for?" Your husband? Your children? Your mother? If you're going through the motions only to meet your own expectations, perhaps you could cross off that activity this year. If you're doing it for others, suggest something different. Instead of cooking up a huge family Christmas dinner, for example, propose making reservations at a special restaurant. Anxious about the usual New Year's Eve party? Your husband might be more than happy to ditch it and escape with you to a romantic hotel.
2. Check your perfectionism at the door. Are you a working woman who is comparing her baking and tree-trimming efforts with those of someone who doesn't have a full-time job—or with the way your stay-at-home mother handled the holidays? Are you envisioning your Christmas party right out of a movie? "We put so much of this pressure on ourselves," says Domar.
3. Put yourself on the receiving end. Come up with gifts that will benefit you as well as the other person. Instead of getting your friend a $50 sweater, use the money to take both of you for a manicure/pedicure. Buy two tickets to a play or concert. Convince your family to pool what everyone would have spent on presents and hire a massage therapist to give half-hour shoulder rubs as you all sit around at your holiday gathering.
4. Break the routine. If you're losing sleep over where the family should spend the holidays, "start a new tradition," says Domar. If a large get-together is too complicated or torturous, suggest seeing relatives separately. Or arrange for everyone to put their family gift money toward going on a cruise together. If logistics are suffocating, celebrate a month later when travel is easier and fares are cheaper.
5. Buy a few extras. It's everyone's worst nightmare: the beaming acquaintance who shows up unexpectedly with a gift. You can sometimes get away with, "Oh, I haven't wrapped yet," but Domar suggests protecting yourself by having a few extra generic gifts ready—a pretty little vase, a blank journal on nice paper, a lottery ticket. And if the reverse happens—you buy someone a thoughtful, one-of-a-kind treasure and she has nothing for you, or pulls out some $2 trinket? "It's very hard to gauge what other people will spend," says Domar. "They may have a different gift-giving style. They may be having financial difficulty. Don't let it ruin your holiday."
MY THOUGHTS
somehow, we've managed our family christmas celebration in such a way that it won't put too much stress on just one or two persons who would play host. for years, we've been going out of town - to some resort or private pool. no rushing to clean the house, buy groceries and then slave over the stove. no cleaning after wards and putting away china and silver. now we have all the time to just laze around. more time to just bond together. of course, it can be expensive. so we start saving for christmas at the start of the year.
By Lesley Dormen
O, The Oprah Magazine | December 03, 2010
You know that woman who glides through the holidays effortlessly turning out fruitcakes, entertaining fractious family members, and thinking up unbelievably perfect gifts without being a wreck inside? We don't, either. Holiday stress is now part of the human condition. As the familiar tension digs its heels in, consider a dose of calm from Alice Domar, PhD, author of Self Nuture and one of our LLuminari experts.
1. Reassess. Create a list of everything you do for the holidays and notice which activities make you queasy even thinking about them. In each case, ask, "Who am I doing this for?" Your husband? Your children? Your mother? If you're going through the motions only to meet your own expectations, perhaps you could cross off that activity this year. If you're doing it for others, suggest something different. Instead of cooking up a huge family Christmas dinner, for example, propose making reservations at a special restaurant. Anxious about the usual New Year's Eve party? Your husband might be more than happy to ditch it and escape with you to a romantic hotel.
2. Check your perfectionism at the door. Are you a working woman who is comparing her baking and tree-trimming efforts with those of someone who doesn't have a full-time job—or with the way your stay-at-home mother handled the holidays? Are you envisioning your Christmas party right out of a movie? "We put so much of this pressure on ourselves," says Domar.
3. Put yourself on the receiving end. Come up with gifts that will benefit you as well as the other person. Instead of getting your friend a $50 sweater, use the money to take both of you for a manicure/pedicure. Buy two tickets to a play or concert. Convince your family to pool what everyone would have spent on presents and hire a massage therapist to give half-hour shoulder rubs as you all sit around at your holiday gathering.
4. Break the routine. If you're losing sleep over where the family should spend the holidays, "start a new tradition," says Domar. If a large get-together is too complicated or torturous, suggest seeing relatives separately. Or arrange for everyone to put their family gift money toward going on a cruise together. If logistics are suffocating, celebrate a month later when travel is easier and fares are cheaper.
5. Buy a few extras. It's everyone's worst nightmare: the beaming acquaintance who shows up unexpectedly with a gift. You can sometimes get away with, "Oh, I haven't wrapped yet," but Domar suggests protecting yourself by having a few extra generic gifts ready—a pretty little vase, a blank journal on nice paper, a lottery ticket. And if the reverse happens—you buy someone a thoughtful, one-of-a-kind treasure and she has nothing for you, or pulls out some $2 trinket? "It's very hard to gauge what other people will spend," says Domar. "They may have a different gift-giving style. They may be having financial difficulty. Don't let it ruin your holiday."
MY THOUGHTS
somehow, we've managed our family christmas celebration in such a way that it won't put too much stress on just one or two persons who would play host. for years, we've been going out of town - to some resort or private pool. no rushing to clean the house, buy groceries and then slave over the stove. no cleaning after wards and putting away china and silver. now we have all the time to just laze around. more time to just bond together. of course, it can be expensive. so we start saving for christmas at the start of the year.
Friday, December 10, 2010
survive holiday shopping with kids
Survive Shopping with Small Kids
Get Your Shopping Done and Save Your Sanity
By Michelle Kouzmine, About.com Guide
I know just how you feel, embarrassed, desperate, ready to jump into the closest, deepest hole. You look around and see other people happily shopping with their well behaved kid while yours loses it after the first 15 minutes in any store.
Yep, my kids have thrown super-duper, massive fits in the mall too. Did I give up shopping? No way! I just made a few simple adjustments to our shopping routine to make the entire process more enjoyable for the entire family.
•Eat before you leave and feed the kid.
Keep everyone's energy and blood sugar levels nice and high by starting the trip off with full stomachs.
•Tell your child ahead of time exactly what will happen.
For example, "We are going to buy you a pair of shoes. The salesperson will measure your foot, and then we will try on several pairs. We will choose the best ones and buy them for you."
•Bring along no-mess snacks.
Bring a snack to keep your child from getting hungry and tired. A snack is also a good distraction in case your kid gets bored. Make sure the snack is a no-mess snack such as dry cheerios.
•Bring an umbrella stroller.
If your child is under five and tends to tire easily, bring along an umbrella stroller to give his feet a break. Some shopping malls rent out strollers for a small fee.
•Let your child bring a toy along.
Most children like to bring something from home with them wherever they go. Let your kid bring a small item with him to keep him occupied while you shop.
•Promise a small reward for good behavior.
On the way to the store, promise your child a small reward if he is well behaved throughout the trip. The reward can be a trip to his favorite food stand or a small trinket from a vending machine.
•Get your child involved in shopping.
Most small children are not overly interested in fashion, but if you try, you can get your child more involved in choosing his wardrobe. When buying shirts for example, pick the style and let him choose the color. Actively look for items that you think he will like such as a backpack featuring his favorite storybook character.
•Take shorter shopping trips.
Marathon shopping is sure to end badly. Budget your time wisely and take several smaller shopping trips. Soon your child will get used to shopping and you will be able to increase your mall-time bit by bit.
•Shop online
If your kid is really going through a tough patch, and shopping together seems impossible, do some of your shopping online. Just about anything is available through online stores these days.
Eventually, your child will grow out of this difficult stage and you can begin shopping normally again. Until then, be patient and use these tips to make shopping with your kid easier.
MY THOUGHTS
i remember going to the mall with my nephew and my niece. the minute we entered the mall, my nephew persuaded me to go to the toys area. of course, he got his toy. as soon as he got what he wanted, he felt instantly hungry. right after eating he wanted to go home. i thought his tummy was aching. apparently, that was a ploy. he wanted to go home so he can start playing with his new toy. moralof the story - if you want to enjoy your holiday shoping with kids, get the toy last.
Get Your Shopping Done and Save Your Sanity
By Michelle Kouzmine, About.com Guide
I know just how you feel, embarrassed, desperate, ready to jump into the closest, deepest hole. You look around and see other people happily shopping with their well behaved kid while yours loses it after the first 15 minutes in any store.
Yep, my kids have thrown super-duper, massive fits in the mall too. Did I give up shopping? No way! I just made a few simple adjustments to our shopping routine to make the entire process more enjoyable for the entire family.
•Eat before you leave and feed the kid.
Keep everyone's energy and blood sugar levels nice and high by starting the trip off with full stomachs.
•Tell your child ahead of time exactly what will happen.
For example, "We are going to buy you a pair of shoes. The salesperson will measure your foot, and then we will try on several pairs. We will choose the best ones and buy them for you."
•Bring along no-mess snacks.
Bring a snack to keep your child from getting hungry and tired. A snack is also a good distraction in case your kid gets bored. Make sure the snack is a no-mess snack such as dry cheerios.
•Bring an umbrella stroller.
If your child is under five and tends to tire easily, bring along an umbrella stroller to give his feet a break. Some shopping malls rent out strollers for a small fee.
•Let your child bring a toy along.
Most children like to bring something from home with them wherever they go. Let your kid bring a small item with him to keep him occupied while you shop.
•Promise a small reward for good behavior.
On the way to the store, promise your child a small reward if he is well behaved throughout the trip. The reward can be a trip to his favorite food stand or a small trinket from a vending machine.
•Get your child involved in shopping.
Most small children are not overly interested in fashion, but if you try, you can get your child more involved in choosing his wardrobe. When buying shirts for example, pick the style and let him choose the color. Actively look for items that you think he will like such as a backpack featuring his favorite storybook character.
•Take shorter shopping trips.
Marathon shopping is sure to end badly. Budget your time wisely and take several smaller shopping trips. Soon your child will get used to shopping and you will be able to increase your mall-time bit by bit.
•Shop online
If your kid is really going through a tough patch, and shopping together seems impossible, do some of your shopping online. Just about anything is available through online stores these days.
Eventually, your child will grow out of this difficult stage and you can begin shopping normally again. Until then, be patient and use these tips to make shopping with your kid easier.
MY THOUGHTS
i remember going to the mall with my nephew and my niece. the minute we entered the mall, my nephew persuaded me to go to the toys area. of course, he got his toy. as soon as he got what he wanted, he felt instantly hungry. right after eating he wanted to go home. i thought his tummy was aching. apparently, that was a ploy. he wanted to go home so he can start playing with his new toy. moralof the story - if you want to enjoy your holiday shoping with kids, get the toy last.
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