10 Steps To Prepare Yourself For Incoming Holidays

It's time to prepare yourself for craziest holidays this year: Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Grab a piece of paper and jot down all things you need to do. You can use a calendar, too. That way you will forget nothing. But what are those things?

Here's what this list should look like:

1. Gifts: don't wait for the last moment to buy Christmas presents because you might not found what you wanted to buy. Then you will waste more time searching for alternatives. Remember to buy wrapping paper and decorative ribbons when you are shopping for gifts.

2. Christmas tree: Christmas tree ornamentation is the most enjoyable event for a family. Kids love it and so do grownups. Create some rituals along the way, like father putting a star on the top of the tree or something. Before decoration, check out the ornaments and tree lights and replace the broken ones. Christmas tree should look fabulous no matter the size.

3. Menu: Two weeks in advance you should have your holidays menu in place. Check out if you have all the necessary ingredients because the worst thing that can happen is that you find out you don't have everything you need in the last moment. Avoid that at all costs.

4. Beverage: If you have guests coming for holidays, check out what they like to drink. Make sure you have enough of everything to avoid a mess when you haven't anything to serve to your guest. You need to grab a bottle of your favorite drink and enjoy yourself, too.

5. Guests: Make a guest list for your New Year's party and call them as soon as possible to make sure you are the first to invite them. Keep track of your guest's interests. Match people with similar interests to avoid uncomfortable silence when people have nothing to say to each other. It's awkward for everyone.

6. Music: Make a playlist of favorite music you will play for holidays. Play it even during preparations and have fun! You will feel better and reduce stress.

7. Wardrobe: These events are unique and try to look and feel your best. The saying goes that how New Year starts it will affect the whole year. It doesn't matter who will be in your company - you will look and feel great.

8. Hair style: Go to the hairdresser. Avoid crowds by going two weeks in advance and your hair has to settle for a while to look perfect. Go early especially if you are dying your hair because it needs time to remove all traces of dye.

9. Kids: Kids can't wait to open their presents. As the moment draws near they are becoming more and more impatient. "Please God, give me patience RIGHT NOW!" It's not about the gifts but about expectancy. The presents are ok but all those wrapping papers and decorations... Fun never ends. One advice: if you have more presents for your kids, leave one at the side and give it to them after initial fuss is over. Kids will be thrilled!

10. Greeting cards: Don't forget to send to your loved ones greeting cards. It will make them feel good. You can even make these cards by yourself (Kids Crafts: Fusilli Pasta Reindeer Christmas Greeting Card). It will show your effort to make their holidays even better.

You will make your holidays even better if you do things in time. That will give you enough space to enjoy your time with family and friends.

Recipe: Christmas Tree Cake

Here's a recipe which is perfect for socializing with your kids.

Christmas tree cake ingredients:

20 lady's fingers

125 g margarine

1 whipped cream

100g cooking chocolate

1 cup of milk

100 g ground sugar

M&M candy (or similar)

2 egg yolks

Preparation:

Step 1: 10 lady's fingers dip into sweetened milk and arrange in Christmas tree shape (like on the picture)

Step 2: Whisk margarine and ground sugar, add two egg yolks and whisk some more. Add melted cooking chocolate and whisk. When this mixtures is smooth, spread it on the arranged lady's fingers.

Step 3: Arrange 10 lady's fingers on top like in step 1.

Step 5: Prepare whipped cream and spread it over second layer of lady's fingers.

Step 6: Arrange M&M candy on top. Put the cake in the fridge for a while.

And, finally, don't forget to clean your mixer!

How to Pick a Great Christmas Present for a Pre-Teenager

There is a saying in my country which goes like this: "Small children - small problems. Big children - big problems."

And how true!

This time I'll focus on less troublesome problem - how to pick an ideal present for 10 to 13 years old girls. In this post I'll help you to pick such present and make your daughter satisfied!

The problem lies in the fact that kids of this age love both the toys and things grownups use. Books play an important part in that age.

My older daughter is now 11. When we ask her what would she like to get for Christmas, she usually says that she doesn't know and that we should think of something.

We used to give our older daughter several smaller (less expensive) gifts. For example: a music CD, some makeup for kids and some doll (Bratz or Barbie). We investigate what's popular with her friends first.

The same story will happen this year. Bunch of hard choices, dilemmas and finally that moment... will she like it? She always did!

Let's see how to "read their minds" and give them something cool. Here is my list of great Christmas presents for pre-teenager girl. (note that you can click on the product names and buy them at Amazon.com):

1. Apple 4 GB iPod Nano Green (2nd Generation) ($199) - Yes, it's still hot stuff with teens. Like all iPods, it is easy to learn and easy to use, has superb sound quality, and is a real joy to use.

2. The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set ($29.70) - Set of famous children's books by famed C. S. Lewis. We follow the stories of children as they enter into the mysterious world of Narnia. Narnia is inhabited by an amazing assortment of mythological creatures that delight and fascinate.

3. Sims 2 - ($29.99) - Be careful with this one - this is a rather old PC game but your kids will love it. In it, players micromanage the lives of a family of virtual people, or Sims, and influence their paths toward success or something akin to a nervous breakdown. Its open-ended blend of cartoonish behavior and everyday living is unique in an art form otherwise obsessed with carnage and sports.

4. Celestron Powerseeker 60EQ Telescope ($69.99) - Nothing wrong in getting your child interested in science. This is an affordable telescope for beginning astronomer. Even real astronomers could use this one for fun!

5. Photo Story Jr.: Publish your own keepsake photo book! ($28.88) - This is very popular with girls of this age. As a bonus, it enhances their creativity.

Perhaps it's better to buy cheaper presents for your kid because they will loose interest in them after a few days.

If you have any other suggestions, please write them in comments section of this post.

Kids Crafts: Fusilli Pasta Reindeer Christmas Greeting Card

Holidays are coming and the kids are getting impatient.

Here's a suggestion how to entertain them while waiting for Santa. Kids will have fun while doing it and just for a moment they'll become "big" while creating something "real".

What you need for "Fusilli Pasta Reindeer Christmas Greeting Card" project:
1. Good will
2. Collage paper or plain colored paper. You can glue paper to thin cardboard and cut it in desired size.
3. Brown tempera
4. White tempera
5. Black pencil or felt pen
6. Thin paintbrush with sharp tip
7. Paper glue
8. Scissors
9. Self-adhesive red paper or plain paper and glue
10. Fussili pasta
11. Envelopes

How to make

Step 1: Fold rectangular shaped collage paper pieces in half.

Step 2: Put brown and white tempera into palette in separate slots. Put your kids thumb into brown tempera (they'll love it) and press it against collage paper in three spots. Let the paint dry (five to eight minutes will do). Thumb prints will represent reindeer's heads.

Step 3: Paint two white dots in the middle of thumb prints. These dots will be the eyes of your new reindeer. Let the white tempera dry, again for several minutes.

Step 4: Draw two small dots over the white tempera with black felt-tip pen. These will be the pupils.

Step 5: Cut small round circles using the red self-adhesive paper and place them under the reindeer's eyes. Voila - that's the red nose!

Step 6: Glue the Fusilli pasta over reindeer's heads (two for each head) making the horns. Let the glue dry for a few minutes.

Step 7: Let's decorate the greeting card with some tinsels, pieces of cotton wool (snow) or something else you've got handy.

Step 8: Write some greeting on the blank side of your Christmas greeting card, put it in the envelope and send to your friends and family.

I'm quite sure that the kid will enjoy making these greeting cards (mine did!) and you'll also have fun. Now go and make some Fusilli Pasta Reindeer Christmas Greeting Card by yourself!