Blogmas Day Eighteen: Christmas Binge Watching for Beginners

One skill I have mastered appears to be the art of binge watching Christmas shows and movies. I am here to share these astounding skills with both the uninitiated and those less talented than I.  This requires both practice and dedication if you wish to become proficient in this art.

First you must prepare for your marathon.  Set your PVR, rent some movies and dust off your VCR. I also recommend recruiting a companion to watch these with as they can make one sentimental.  If none of your friends wish to join you (or you have no friends) watch with a dog. If you also do not have a dog please do not bark late at night, especially if you live in apartment building as it bothers and confuses the neighbors. Click here for a list of recomended movies and TVshows.

Once you have acquired your viewing material and viewing party you must arrange supplies. The basic supplies are pillows, blankets, pajamas and snacks.  If possible it is recommended  you light a fire if you have a fire place. PSA: Please do not do this if you do not have a fire place. Sleep.Create.Repeat is in no way responsible for damage to or loss of property due to accidents occurring after receiving this information. 

In addition to the your normal movie snacks (popcorn etc.) seasonal snacks are necessary to enhance the binge watching experience. Popular snacks include cookies, candy-canes, chocolate, eggnog and cocoa with marshmallows.

If you or any members of your viewing party become restless it is recommended that you decorate, sing along and/ or quote the movie, or bake more cookies (Here is a popular gingerbread recipe for my family).

Finally, do not be discouraged if you find this to be difficult.  Try again after Christmas once you have eaten a very large meal and become very sluggish as it may be easier to master the art of binge watching when tired. Good luck.

Until next time,

Kyra

Blogmas Day Sixteen: My Favourite Christmas Movies

Something that is important to my Christmas as the lights and the food is the movies.  The right movie will both get you in the Christmas spirit as well as bring you together with friends and family.  My family’s favorite movies and TV specials are:

Elf

Mr. Bean's Christmas 

Christmas With the Kranks

Charlie Brown's Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Shrek the Halls

Prep and Landing

Why is this list important you might ask?  Blogmas day seventeen directly relates to this list, just wait and see.

Until next time,

Kyra

Blogmas Day Eight: Inespensive Stocking Stuffers

                                      

This year I am in charge of filling the stockings of my family for Christmas morning. That will be for six people ranging from ages 12 to 80. This has been my mom's job for forever but I have taken it over this year in order to give her a lighter load at Christmas. Actually, I have almost completely taken over Christmas in our house this year. I am now in charge of baking, decorating and gift wrapping in addition to filling everyone's stockings. We are also trying to spend less money on Christmas this year as well as cutting back on the things we do not need. That being said there are some items that we always find useful and inexpensive as stocking stuffers.

For example:

Gum

Chocolate Bar

Mandarin Orange

Nuts

York Pepermint Patties (my personal favourite)

Comic Books

Notebooks

Stickers

Coloured Pens

Bubbles 

Razors

Deodorant 

Toothbrush

Nail Polish

Small Lotions

These are the stocking stuffers that we have found to be both inexpensive and useful.  There are dozens of cheap options at the dollar store but those things are not necessarily things that will be used by the recipient. Having a full stocking is great but is often less important for the adults. My 80 year old grandpa really doesn't want stickers and gum but would be thrilled with a toothbrush and bubbles.  You just have to know the person whose stocking you are filling. If all else fails use chocolate.

Blogmas Day Four: My Favourite Gingerbread

There are 21 days left before Christmas and I AM FULL OF SUGAR ALREADY!!! I baked and iced gingerbread today in order to practice my cookie icing skills. I realize now that I have zero cookie icing skills. That's why you practice before you commit to bringing seven dozen iced sugar cookies to a party, right? Thankfully I have no party to go to and get to eat this batch of cookies all by myself, explaining the abundance of sugar in my system)! These cookies are simple and taste great.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup shortening

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 cup corn syrup

5 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tbs ground ginger

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/3 cup milk

Instructions:

Beat shortening and sugar untill fluffy. Beat in corn syrup. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients. With wooden spoon stir into shortening alternately with milk. Mix with hands when the dough becomes too stiff to stir. Bake at 340f until lightly brown around the edges. Icing is optional.

I recommend freezing half this batch to use at a later date. I find this to be very handy if things become busy during December an you need something homemade in a hurry.

Enjoy your baking. 

Until next time, 

Kyra

Blogmas Day Two: December Favourites

  I love fall, but that love pales in comparison to advent and the whole Christmas season. I enjoy all aspects of Christmas. I like the songs, food, parties, decorations and traditions. December is also the only time of year I get to see my whole family so it becomes a very special time for us.
Now that the temperature is often dipping below zero my habits shift. I lean towards warmer clothes, warmer foods and warmer activities. I have some favorite things that I use especially often in December.

• Fuzzy Socks and Fleece PJs- I discovered the amazingness of fleece pjs three years ago when my grandma gave me a pair for Christmas. Now they are an absolute necessity for me. It gets very chilly in my bedroom during the night so having something warm is awesome. Plus they are superduper soft and comfortable to wear during the day too, because who would wear real pants when you can wear some extremely comfortable and cozy fleece PJ pants?! (fuzzy socks do basically all the same stuff but for my toes!)

• Eggnog and Grandma's Shortbread- this is self explanatory given the season, don't you think?
• Nokia phone- I got a new smartphone mid-November and I am very happy with it. It's a Nokia
 Lumia 620 and has a bright green case. It is so handy that I actually typed out this whole blog post when I have been out and about the  last few days!

• Pentatonix-  This group is a favorite for my whole family this year. We have both their 2014 Christmas albums and have been playing them on repeat constantly! The songs they perform range from "The little Drummer Boy" and "Mary Did You Know" to "Let it Go" and "Carol of the Bells". This is an acapella group and extreme talented. They have really gotten me in a mindset fir Christmas.

• Vaseline- This is another staple of mine when the cold weather hits. I use thus on my lips a few times each day and it. Keeps my lips from getting chapped in the winter air.







These keep me happy, cozy and sane during December and are things I use daily. Stay tuned for one of my favorite cookies tomorrow: Grandma's shortbread!

Happy Blogmas,
Kyra

Blogmas Day One: Sugar Cookies (part one)

HAPPY DECEMBER EVERYONE!!! I have dusted, vacuumed and cleaned up a storm this weekend because Christmas decorations can go up now!!!! I have to be up front and admit that I (*gasp*)began with the music and decorations before December first. I couldn't help myself this year.

I am getting ready for Christmas with BLOGMAS!!! I plan to have 25 different posts between now and Christmas. I am starting with a sugar cookie recipe.

My mom works in the office of one of our local grocery stores and is friendly with the women in the bakery. This is the recipe that the bakery uses for their sugar cookies.

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
3tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour

I mix this together at the beginning of the season and freeze it for when I need some cookies.  Next week I will be baking and icing these babies for family and friends

Happy Blogmas,
Kyra