Guest Post: DIY Gingerbread Houses

Everyone who knows the story of Hansel and Gretel is doubtlessly aware of the appeal of gingerbread houses! My kids always loved the story, and came home for the holidays especially excited to build their own gingerbread houses. Apparently, some fellow students from their adventure boarding school were gingerbread house experts, and gave my own kids some helpful tips for creating top of the line gingerbread houses of their own.

With the holiday season rapidly approaching, now is the perfect time to spend quality time with your family by creating your own festive themed gingerbread house. Follow these quick and simple instructions to create the perfect gingerbread house for your own family. You can thank my kids for their insight later!

1) To save on cooking time, buy sheets of pre-made gingerbread. These can usually be bought from your local supermarket or at arts and crafts stores. Cut the sheets into the desired outline of the house using scissors or a knife. You can be as creative as you want here with this part; remember that it’s your house and it can be designed according to your desires.

2) Once you have cut all the walls, base and roof for your gingerbread house, you may want to cut out some squares on the side of the house to form windows. This makes for a nice touch, and makes it look a little more realistic. Before putting the house together, make sure to leave some interesting things inside.

3) Next step is putting the house together. You can use icing to glue the house together, which you can either make yourself or buy from the grocery store. Simply paste the icing along where you want the parts to stick together and then put your walls and roof into place. Voila, by now you will have the structure of your holiday gingerbread house up and running.

4) To finish off your gingerbread creation, decorate the walls and roof with icing and candy. Any kind of candy can be used, but hard candy usually looks the best. Glue the pieces of candy onto the house using icing, and use any left over icing to create patterns that look like snow. This is usually the part kids love the most, so be imaginative and remember to have fun!

Now that your gingerbread house is complete, display it somewhere prominent and where people can really admire it. Be sure to take a snapshot of you and your kids with your homemade gingerbread house. This is a family project you will want to remember! Happy Holidays!

This is a great choice as an adventure boarding school downtime activity or something to enjoy with the whole family at home.

Guest Post: 6 Winter Activities to Keep the Whole Family in Shape

For many people, winter is the most difficult season to stay healthy. Cold weather sets in and people spend less time outdoors.

There are many opportunities to eat calorie-laden foods, but few to burn those calories off. Here are six winter activities to keep the whole family in shape. These can be enjoyed by people of all ages, even younger children can even enjoy these activities with everyone.

Skiing

Snow skiing is a strictly winter sport. It is one of the most physically demanding sports, yet it can be enjoyed by almost anyone. Experts will tone their bodies, focusing on their legs and torsos, but general skiers do not need to exercise before going out. Skiing itself can be the exercise.

Families can enjoy both downhill skiing and cross-country skiing together. When deciding which a family would be best suited for, there are a couple of factors to consider.

Downhill skiing is much more expensive than cross-country. The equipment costs more and the most significant cost is the lift ticket. A cheap ticket will cost under $40.00 for a local hill but tickets in resorts can easily cost $100.00 or more.

When cross-country skiing, families might have to pay for access to a park or a trail, but these prices are insignificant in comparison to downhill skiing.

Families with little children should pack snacks and a thermos of hot chocolate if they are going cross-country skiing. Many downhill slopes have a lodge at their base, where people can duck in to get warm and eat lunch. Most cross-country trails are miles long and do not have a shelter.

Ice Skating

Going ice skating is a classic winter activity. Many parents have gone ice skating since childhood but neglect to bring their children ice skating. Skate rentals are usually only a few dollars and admission to a rink is also affordable, if not free. While skating, families will have fun weaving around each other, watching one another fall and sip hot cocoa or tea.

Christmas Light Walk

For about a month out of the year, trees, houses and businesses are decorated with beautiful lights. Driving around town is a popular way to admire everyone’s lights, but this mode does not burn any calories.

Instead of taking the car around houses, put on a hat and some mittens and take the family for a walk around a few blocks. Walking is a peaceful way to appreciate the holiday decorations, have some precious family time and get some exercise, all at once.

Snowball Fight

For the brave parents, engaging children in a snowball fight can be a blast. As family members try to hit each other with snowballs while evading other’s throws, they will get a great workout. Running around is especially difficult if the snow is deep.

In order to make sure everyone has a good time, there should be a few ground rules. Do not throw snow at anyone’s face, only make snowballs/no ice-chunks are allowed and most importantly, do not eat yellow snow….. unless your older brother does first 😛

Snowman

Building a snowman provides a workout similar to having a snowball fight but it is much more peaceful. Rolling and lifting a large a chunk of snow is not as easy as children might think. Everyone can help decorate the snowman with old winter gear or find items from the environment. Once the snowman or snowwoman is made, everyone can then make a snow angel.

Football

What better way is there to celebrate the end of the football season than with a family game? Most families will want to limit this to touch football to make sure everyone can participate. Playing on snow makes people work harder and helps even the field of talent.

Winter is a time of eating hearty foods and staying warm. This year, it does not need to be a season of gaining weight. These six activities are ways that the entire family can spend quality time together, while exercising.

Author Bio: Jason S. writes for Iron Science Whey Protein, a manufacturer of quality nutrition supplements ranging from whey protein isolate to creatine.

Guest Post: DIY Glitter Ornament

There’s nothing better than getting in the holiday spirit with some glitter and a good craft! This glitter ornament DIY craft is fun, easy, and inexpensive! Another bonus: this craft is super easy to clean up and won’t leave glitter all over everything. These look gorgeous on a tree and make great holiday gifts.

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

clear glass ornaments
clear floor wax – make sure it’s Pledge brand with the blue cap bottle
fine glitter
cotton swabs
a paper cone funnel (or, my version: an envelope with the corner cut off)

Step 1: Remove the hangers from the top of the ornaments

Step 2: Squirt the floor wax into the ornament and swirl around the ornament to coat the insides. Don’t shake it, the wax will bubble up inside.

Step 3: Let the excess wax drip back into the bottle

Step 4: Use a cotton swab to pop any bubbles and wipe the mouth of the ornament from excess wax.

Step 5: Use the paper cone (or envelope) funnel to add the glitter into the ornament. Put quite a bit in to coat the entire ornament. Don’t worry, you’ll dump the excess out.

Step 6: Place your thumb over the mouth of the ornament and shake the glitter all around so it coats the entire ornament. Dump the excess glitter back into the container so it’s ready to go for the next round.

Step 7: Voila! Replace the ornament hook and you’ve got a gorgeous set of SPARKLY ornaments!

If you’re giving these babies as gifts, you can add a bow to the hook to dress it up a little more and find ornament sized boxes for pretty gift wrapping.

Author Bio: As a writer for Handbag Heaven. I spend most of my days accessorizing with purses and handbags, but outside of my job I spend time crafting, cooking, and shopping! The holidays are perfect for exercising my hobbies! I also enjoy spending time with my husband, family, and my precious puppy.

Guest Post: How To Have An Eco-Friendly Christmas

With all the excitement of the Christmas holiday, it can be easy to forget the green initiatives we use the rest of the year in our daily lives. Even if we do try to implement them, the commercialism of the holiday doesn’t exactly lend itself to being eco-friendly. There are ways, however, to be green this Christmas season:

1. Reduce your paper waste.

There are many ways to reduce the amount of paper waste you use during Christmas. Don’t over-wrap items, or use sturdy gift boxes that can be repurposed as storage containers and boxes for next year’s gifts. Try not to decorate with paper items, either. If you send out Christmas cards, try to use recycled paper, or better yet, don’t send out cards at all. Replace them with paperless e-cards or friendly phone calls.

2. Buy Fair Trade.

Fair Trade supports eco-friendly initiatives around the world, so lend your own support and buy Fair Trade gifts this year. Fair Trade products run the gamut from coffee and food products to linens, clothing, and alcohol. A simple Google search will turn up hundreds of licensed partners to help you find anything and everything you need for holiday gifts.

3. Buy local and handmade.

If you can’t or don’t want to go the Fair Trade route, you can reduce your environmental impact by giving local and handmade gifts. Seek out artisans in your area for gifts. You may find them at local festivals and fairs, farmer’s markets, and even through Etsy searches. Buying local reduces how much energy is expended to get your product to you, and handmade means significantly less energy went into making your products.

4. Use eco-friendly decorations.

Instead of using plastic or paper decor that will just get thrown away, try using natural items. This can include pinecones, potted plants, beeswax candles, and more. If want to get really creative, you can even repurpose old items like CDs and old Christmas cards can be used to make beautiful decorations. This isn’t just eco-friendly, but also family-friendly, as well.

5. Recycle!

When the holidays are over, don’t toss those pounds of cardboard and wrapping paper in the trash. Recycle them, along with any plastic, glass, or metal that may have accumulated. If you don’t have a recycling system in your hometown, try to get together with other families ahead of time to carpool and take your load to the nearest recycling center.

6. Give back.

Support green initiatives by giving back this holiday season. Donate to your favorite charity or adopt a child from an Angel Tree. Volunteer at a local shelter, nursing home, or hospital by spending time with residents, helping decorate, or even bringing a holiday treat. Being green is all about supporting compassion for the earth and its residents.

Go green this Christmas and make it even better than ever.

Nicole Rodgers has been blogging in the Green, technology, and fitness industries for three years. Last year Nicole decided to have a green holiday this year. She purchased ecofriendly ornaments, gifts, and etc goods in order to be green. After Christmas Nicole always makes sure to check out any cyber Monday sales in order to save money on eco gifts and ornaments for next year.

Guest Post: Prepare Your Home for the Holiday Season

The Christmas season is fast approaching, so it makes sense to think about getting your home ready in good time, especially if you are expecting guests. Many people have relatives to stay over the Christmas period, and proper preparation ensures that things will run a lot more smoothly.

When you are expecting people to stay in your home for a couple of days at Christmas, it’s a good idea to undertake a maintenance check well in advance. Things like neglected bath repairs may not bother the immediate family, but you may want things to be right for your guests. Very often people will live with a dripping shower or cracked tray for months but if guests are coming to stay then shower repairs may be in order. Replace any loose or worn tap washers before there’s a problem.

Cleaning the House

You may want to make a list of all the jobs that you haven’t got around to this year such as kitchen repairs and any bath repairs that might be needed. Clean and defrost the freezer a few days before you shop for Christmas food so there’s plenty of room for any extras. Clean all the rooms and make sure that the beds are changed and well aired before your guests arrive.

Replace any missing curtain hooks and if you have nets or voile at the bedroom windows give them a wash as this will brighten the room considerably. A vase of flowers in the bedroom shows you care about your guests, and often means that they will care less about any jobs you may have missed.

Christmas Decorations

If you are like many other busy people the task of decorating the tree and hanging the garlands often gets left until Christmas Eve. Your guests may want to arrive the day before Christmas Eve to avoid any traffic problems or train and bus cancellations. When you are expecting company for Christmas it’s best to make time to put up festive decorations a day or two before people are due to arrive.

Make sure that any cards you have received from your expected guests are in a prominent position and that presents are wrapped and labelled before people arrive. If you normally have a real tree that should have been ordered well in advance and delivered a few days before Christmas.

Food and Drink

Make comprehensive lists of all the things you think you will need, including any special dietary requirements your guests might have. Despite what people tell you they always eat more food than you could possibly imagine, so have a good stock of all the breakfast basics. You should have checked that you have more than enough crockery well before the event when you undertook any necessary kitchen repairs.

Use a thermometer to make sure that your turkey has reached the right temperature before you turn the oven down. Keep a list of any likes and dislikes your guests may have expressed so that dishing up the Christmas dinner runs as smoothly as possible. After dinner you can sit back and relax, for a while at least.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Hometech who provide bath and shower repairs which are a great alternative to replacing damaged fixtures as it reduces the amount of waste going to landfill.

Guest Post: Celebrate the Holidays Without Wasting Your Cash

If you are wondering how you are ever going to get through the holidays without spending too much money, you are not alone. It seems like all we do during the holiday season is spend money on stuff. Whether it be gifts, food, or a plane ticket home, there are no shortages of ways to spend tons of money. However, there are ways you can cut back on those expenses.

Create spending limits

One way to spend less money is to have a budget for your gifts this year. Establish a spending limit between yourself and your loved ones so that everyone is on the same page. As long as everyone knows that you are not going to spend more than a certain amount on a gift, they won’t feel compelled to buy anything overly expensive on you either.

Make your own gifts

The real spirit of the holiday is to show thought, so a great gift can be homemade. Give homemade cookies and fudge to people in the office; learn to knit scarves, sew aprons, or put together dolls for the children on your list. It may take more time and some effort to learn how to make things, but there are hundreds of possibilities explained on the Internet and it will only cost you a few dollars to give your friend or loved one a thoughtful gift.

Don’t overspend on the Christmas party

Instead of traveling to many parties, and spending a lot of money on food and wine, why not just have one party that everyone can come to? Have everyone bring a dish and see what everyone can come up with. If you don’t have time, or money, to commit to a big party, a small gathering with friends and nearby family should suffice.

Again, the meaning of the holiday is to be with your close friends and family, so don’t worry about having to go all out. If people really demand refreshments, or you want to get into the holiday spirit, you can bake your own cookies, or buy an inexpensive bottle of wine.

Stay home for the holiday

You might be tempted to go home to mom and dad’s for Christmas, but it might be better to just stay home and enjoy the holiday by yourself. If you have gotten a gift, you can always ship it to wherever it needs to go, and you can phone home, or use Skype, to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Your family will understand that it might not be worth it to pay for gas, or to purchase a plane ticket, to visit. If you don’t have much time off from work, you might not have a choice anyway.

This holiday season, don’t worry about spending so much of your hard-earned money. Instead, focus on just being with your friends and family and enjoying each other’s company. The memories made are what people will remember, not how much you spend on gifts or food for the holiday party. Don’t stress out. Just have fun and be jolly, and everything will turn out for the best.

Photo credit: Christmas tree by Jim Winstead/flickr

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