Holiday Hostess Gift | Wine "Wrapped" in a Wrap

Wine is always the best Hostess Gift.  I like to dress up the bottles with wrapping to make it more of a special gift.  Sometimes we'll write right on the bottle with a gold sharpie - I especially like to do this for special bottles we give for birthdays or anniversaries.  And sometimes I tie a bow around with a tag to dress it up a little bit.  Recently, I wrapped a Wrap around the bottle to make a package that is a gift in itself.  

I've added a new Deep Red Wrap to my collection.  This has been my go-to this season.  I don't own many (any!?) red blouses or sweaters, so this wrap instantly gives my wardrobe a festive flair.  I've worn it dressed up with a dark brown faux fir vest, my black wool coat and super casual with my olive and navy puffer vests.  

For the Wine Wrapped Gift, I tied the bottle with Brown Velvet Ribbon and a Berry Tag.

Super Soft Scarves, $12 $10

 

Wraps, $16 $14

Gift Wrap & Packaging | Ribbon & Cello Bags Restocked

I love wrapping gifts.  I have always used simple light weight craft paper and really fabulous ribbon.  I wrapped this first stack of gifts this week using a combination of all different ribbons - some old, some new.  I used some classic Christmas colors, but then added some favorites from years and seasons past.  I think the eclectic-ness adds a charm factor that matchy-matchy doesn't quite acheive.

My favorite ribbon, tags & packaging, here >

I think my hands down favorite is this fabulous wide green satin.  So pretty and silky.

Most of the ribbon has been restocked here >

This slate colored ribbon (from last season) looks so pretty with the light green snowflake tag.

I think red berry tag looks very sophisticated when paired with the rust colored velvet.

Tags, 10 for $4, here >

Here, I've paired the green satin ribbons with the Green Snowflake Tag & the Old Fashioned Wreath Tag.  If you go matchy-matchy, might as well go all out!

The Dark Grey box is our Boxed Gift Card for the store this season.  My favorite gift to give (wink, wink).

The Holiday Ribbon Collection has just been restocked.  Shop >

I always keep a big stash of Cellophane Bags for homemade treats.  They really dress up any simple gift.  They've also been restocked today.  Shop all of my favorite Gift Wrap Essentials, here >

Christmas Cookies | Sugar Cookies

As I'm preparing for my Holiday Christmas Cookie Brunch Workshop next week, I'd thought I'd share my tried and true, favorite recipe.  This is the same recipe my mom used when my sister and I were growing up, decorating sugar cookies for each and every holiday.  The dough is incredible to snack on!

Jenny's
Deluxe Sugar Cookies

 

Sugar Cookie Recipe

2 sticks of butter
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp of vanilla
1 tsp of cream of tarter
1 tsp of baking soda
1 egg

In your Kitchen Aid fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and powdered sugar.  Add Flour, vanilla, cream of tarter, soda, and egg.  On slow, stir together ingredients just until combined.  Turn the dough out onto a floured board and wrap it with plastic wrap.  Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.  

Unwrap the dough and put it on a floured board.  Be sure to flour the rollin pin, as well. 

Roll out dough until 1/4 inch thick. 

Cut shapes.   Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.  




Bake for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees just until the edges begin to turn brown - baking time will depend on size and thickness of the cookie.  

Utilize scraps of dough by making them into a ball and re-rolling them and cutting shapes.

Royal Icing

3 egg whites
4 cups of powdered sugar

In the Kitchen Aid fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until almost frothy.  Add in the powdered sugar and whisk on slow until smooth.  You may need to add more or less powdered sugar or water to achieve desired thickness.  For sugar cookies, you want the icing to be thin enough that it will fall back on itself and smooth itself out, but not too thin so it will run off of the cookie.

Good colors are so important to making professional looking sugar cookies.  Here are my tips :

Red : When making red you need to use a lot of food coloring.  I also add orange to the red to make it less pink.  Add just a touch of green to the red to make it less electric.

Green : I add a little bit of yellow and orange to green to make it more of a natural green.  For christmas, I like to use two shades of green - light and dark. 

Blue : I add a little bit of yellow and orange to blue to make it softer.  It is a more sophisticated looking blue.

Packaging Baked Goods in Your Kitchen - Creative & Resourceful Ideas

When I owned a catering company, I learned that it, indeed, is “all about presentation,” as they say.  I’ll never understand how someone can spend so much time and effort into making a delicious and beautiful treat, then put it into a plastic tupperware box or put it on a paper plate wrapped in plastic wrap.  Drives me crazy... I realize that most people do not have all the time in the world to dream up how to package their cookies.  Yes, I know there are more important things.  Buuuut, it is so easy with just a little effort.

Take a cue from you favorite retail boutiques, do they put your purchases in a plastic grocery stack?  No, they wrap your items lovingly in tissue sealed with a branded sticker and then into a color coordinated gift bag.  Packaging your kitchen goodies nicely might even make them taste better... if that is possible.

Now, you can find all of this packaging supplies in my online store : Everyday Occasions - enjoy!

 Kitchen Packaging Supplies
   
Cellophane Bags (buy here)
2.5" circle labels
Small Rectangle Labels
Parchment paper
Bakers twine
Scissors
Various Ribbons & Colorful Twine

Here are some of the examples of how I have used these materials throughout the year :

 The BEST Buttermilk Biscuits & Homemade Blackberry Preserves

Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies in bags with twine tie

Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies with Foldover Card 

Banana Bread packaged in parchment tied with twine

oohh... look what's inside!  (recipe here)

Black and White Cookies with Large Circle Labels, Ribbon & Cello Bags

Black and White Cookies with Large Circle Labels, Ribbon & Cello Bags 

Mini Chocolate and Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies in Cello Bags with Foldover Card 

Mini Chocolate and Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies in Cello Bags with Foldover Card packaged in a mailer box with parchment paper, then tied with natural twine.

Holiday Sugar Cookies in cello bag, tied with twine and card

Chocolate Brownie Cupcake... yum!

3 Ways to Help this Holiday | Giving & Helping | Charities to Support this Holiday

Over the years, I have tried to do give back in unique ways during the holidays.  I like to give in ways that bring surprise and delight to those that I'm helping - to somehow bring the magic of Christmas to someone that may have never experienced the wonderment and joy Christmas can bring.

Each year I think of a new way to share the spirit of giving, but I always follow a couple of rules:

- It must be anonymous.  I always give without attachment of my name - if I'm looking for credit, then it is not giving in the Christmas Spirit. 
- I must do it without reward.  This means that I don't even get to watch them experience the joy and surprise.  I know this might sound a little strange, but I believe that if I'm giving from a pure heart, the motivation should not be myself relishing in the reaction of the person receiving.  If I am giving to receive (in the form of joy), then it is a selfish act.  Also, if their reaction is not what I would've hoped, then I might be discouraged.
- I have to give up something, too.  It can be easy around Christmas time to spend, spend, spend and add up the damage in January.  When I donate, I consciously go without something I was planning to buy for myself of for someone else. 

It can be easy to write a check, but I encourage you to think about the act and method of your giving more creatively this holiday season.  Be sure to give in a way that honors the Christmas Spirit of good will and wonderment!

1. Shelter Santa

Mike and I usually set a spending limit for our gifts - about $100 or so.  We do this because we don't 'need' anything and it forces us to be creative rather than go buy something luxurious.  Last year, I decided to spend the $100 for his gift on toys, books and clothes to give to a shelter.  On Christmas Eve morning (when we exchange), I surprised him with a huge "Santa" bag (you'd be surprised how far $100 goes in the toy department at Target) filled with wrapped gifts.  We dropped them off at a shelter for families on Christmas Eve on our way to church.  He loved that I gave him the gift of giving - I'm lucky to have a husband that "gets it."

2. Surprise Santa

A couple of years ago, I had set aside my $100 to donate or give at my whim during the holiday season.  I kept it in my wallet and waited for the perfect moment to bestow it somewhere or somehow.  Before I knew it it was Christmas Eve and I still had that $100 bill.  I thought, who would really need this tonight?  I went to a Dollar General Store at 5pm and walked the aisles until I saw the perfect candidate - she was dressed in a uniform from work and she was looking at books for children.  I had been watching her before and saw which car that she had arrived in.  So, I went outside and put an envelope with the $100 on her windshield and I left.  I didn't want to hand it to her in person, because I didn't want to embarrass her.  I didn't wait around to watch her find it.  I just wanted her to have it.  I love this method because she didn't find the money until after she had checked out so I knew that she had purchased whatever she could afford and the money would be an extra cushion for her - however she needed to use it.

3. Holiday Baking Drop Off

We all get joy from eating a beautiful Christmas sugar cookie or a festive cupcake.  There is something special about treating yourself to something beautiful that was handmade just for you.  While they might not be one of the basic food groups or at the top of the food pyramid, baked goods that are made with love can definitely have a huge impact on someone without much delight or love in their life.  One year Mike and I delivered 2 dozen beautiful cupcakes to a homeless man on the side of the road.   I know it seemed like a random gift to give someone without a home or proper clothing, but when he opened the box his face lit up.  As we drove away he yelled to us, "I LOVE CUPCAKES!" in the happiest tone.  Maybe those cupcakes brightened his day just a little.

Concord Christmas Tree Lighting | My Life | Concord, Ma | Holidays

Sometimes I have to pinch myself... do we really live in this perfect little idyllic town?  Does this quaint town really exist?  My latest 'pinch me' moment was when we walked downtown on a Sunday night for the Concord Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting. 

The little town center was filled with area families and children anxiously awaiting the arrival of Santa to flip the switch and light the huge tree in the middle of town.

Mr. Darcy (and Mike) were very excited.  D had to be carried most of the way... all of the kids running around and the general splendor was a little too much for him to handle at times.  The problem is that he thinks he is a kid, and when a group of them run by he likes to run after them... which is sometimes scary for the children.   

The Toy Shop in Concord is amazing.  It is filled with classic toys and play things - a huge collection of wooden toys, baby dolls, instruments, infant toys, animals, train sets, etc.   

The main street was bustling before the parade began... everyone was looking for a great spot and getting hot cocoa.

Many of the local churches had groups of carolers singing Christmas songs - might have been my favorite part.  For those of you that know my family, we love a good sing-a-long... especially during the holidays.

Mr. enjoying the carols. 

Kids all lined up for Santa.  Look at the little girls in the elf hats!

More groups singing.

A vintage car started off the parade.

Santa brought up the tail end on the back of a fire truck.

 

The big moment... lights!