Amid the hullabaloo that is the Christmas season, a lovely idea is to have a respite—in other words, a pause in the grand celebrations—by planning an intimate, elegant dinner for two at home. I adore the idea of moveable feasts and have been known to set up the dinner table in very unexpected places, such…
The Family Table: 6 Generations of Siste Kage and the Universal Bread Maker
Submitted by Doris Richardson, Georgia One of my favorite memories and family traditions is that of making Siste Kage (Sosterkake) during Christmas. Actually, it’s my mom who makes it every year, without fail, and I help. She’s the expert, not really needing to follow the recipe exactly, and only checking to make sure she’s remembering…
The Family Table: The Norwegian Holiday Bread—and Hand-Cranked Bread Maker—Passed Down 6 Generations
Submitted by Doris Richardson, Georgia One of my favorite memories and family traditions is that of making Siste Kage (Sosterkake) during Christmas. Actually, it’s my mom who makes it every year, without fail, and I help. She’s the expert, not really needing to follow the recipe exactly, and only checking to make sure she’s remembering…
5 Tips for a Simpler, More Enjoyable Holiday Season
By now, everyone has seen the photos of ships piled high with cargo backed up as far as the eye can see at America’s ports. As a result, “supply chain” is just the latest addition to the post-pandemic American lingo. Between Postal Service kinks and snarls in the supply chain, Americans are particularly panicked about…
Holiday Cookies: 7 Festive Recipes for the Must-Bake Cookies of the Year
It’s the most delicious time of the year. The holiday baking season has begun, and for extra inspiration, we’ve rounded up a collection of Christmas-ready cookies from this fall’s fresh batch of baking cookbooks. First, we stop in Germany, where the Advent season is marked by a steady parade of traditional treats. For Anja Dunk,…
Spiced Honey Rum Balls
This version of old-school rum balls amps up the flavor with a few clever ingredient swaps, like graham crackers instead of traditional wafer cookies, honey to replace corn syrup, and warm spiced rum for white rum. A pinch of cinnamon brings out the rum’s spices, while a toss in coarse sugar adds sparkle and crunch….
Is Retail Therapy Causing You to Overspend for the Holidays?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year—for buying gifts. And while you’re at it, you might as well buy something for yourself, right? We’ve all been there. Remember in Friends when Monica bought those super expensive leather boots on impulse? She ended up regretting it because they really hurt her feet. Womp, womp! Listen,…
8 Clever Ways to Make Your Holiday Celebration More Sustainable
The holidays are a time of gifting thoughtful presents and adding festive decor inside and out. However, all the cheer often means a lot of “stuff.” And a lot of waste. Americans toss 1 million extra pounds of garbage each week between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, according to the National Environmental Education Foundation. Wondering…
Embracing Hanukkah
Hanukkah, the “Festival of Lights,” commemorates Jewish guerrillas’ victory in the second century B.C. over a Greek ruler who suppressed Jewish religious practices in Israel. In the United States, 68 percent of Jews consider Hanukkah to be one of the three most important Jewish holidays, compared to 38 percent of Jews in Israel, according to…
A DIY Gift Basket: Homemade Mulled Wine
During this season of giving, keep your gifts rich and real with homemade and locally sourced products, foraged decorations, and repurposed items. A gift need not be pricey or fancy, and when it’s homemade, it conveys a personal, meaningful touch. Look to your community and Mother Nature for inspiration. There’s an abundance of natural gifts…
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