The holiday season around our house is always a little different than other families! My mom celebrates Christmas, but my Dad, Sister, and I are Jewish so we celebrate Hanukkah. We end up basically celebrating both holidays in varying degrees. This year was super special, as Hanukkah and Christmas truly overlapped. (Hanukkah changes every year.)
Quite a few years ago, we were vacationing in the Florida Keys. In between being out on the boat and eating tons of fish, we would sit around and watch hours (I mean, hours) of "The OC" as a family. We got hooked on the concept of Chrismukkah and started incorporating it into our Decembers.
Because this year was a true Chrismukkah, we really went all out. My dad's side of the family lives in Florida, so they drove to our house to celebrate on Christmas night as well as a few family friends. We had traditional Jewish brisket (not me though... vegetarian!) and latkes. The dessert table was a true mix of Christmas and Hanukkah. We made sufganiyots and had tons of sugar cookies.
Instead of buying everyone lots of presents, we have a $2 gift "contest." (We calculated for inflation and raised the limit to $3 this year though!) Everyone brings a gift that's less than the limit to give to everyone. Trust me, we start planning for this in July... trying to find the perfect gift! I am personally a fan of super easy scratch off tickets though!
Our holiday traditions are always fun and always low-key. No one is stressed on Christmas! Win-win!
xoxo
C
Hi Megan’s preppy followers!!! I am Liz from midwesternpeach.tumblr.com. I haven’t been blogging lately because I have been so busy with work and just got married in November. I grew up in Lafayette, Indiana (right next to Purdue University). I know Megan and her BF from my Purdue days. My husband and Megan’s BF are really great friends from the fraternity and we were honored to have him in our wedding as a groomsman. I am so excited to share some of my family’s Holiday Traditions with ya’ll!
I was so blessed to have grown up in a family where most of my cousins, aunts, and uncles lived so close. Because of my family all being so close to each other, especially my mom’s side, we always spent Christmas Eve with them. My family and my mother’s side of the family are Catholic, so of course the reason for the season was more than just the gifts. In preparation for Christmas, like most Catholics we would prepare for the Lord’s coming with Advent, which starts the 4th Sunday before Christmas. We always had an advent wreath on the dinning room table which had four candles to represent the four Sundays before Christmas. My mom and I would usually volunteer at the church for families in need so they can have a Christmas, and we would make food for the homeless shelter. I always loved the season. We would go sledding in the snow, drive 2 1/2 hours to Chicago to see the store fronts, and drive around town and see all the lights on the houses. There was even a family that did a huge display of lights out in the country and when I was very young I opened the door to our van and lost my shoe! My dad still reminds me of that today, “I went to look at the lights where you lost your shoe...”
Christmas Eve in our home was always a blast. Every other year we would have Christmas Eve at our house or at my aunt’s house. My mom and her two sisters were always cooking and baking, especially on the holidays. For our main course we would always boil a ton of shrimp and serve with butter and cocktail sauce. Aside from the traditional pies and casseroles, My Aunt Judy always gave the boys of the family homemade beef jerky and I was always so jealous... she would even put it in the White Elephant gift exchange which was always a hit.
Homemade Beef Jerky
This recipe was given to my aunt by my great uncle. They drying method in the recipe reduces the moisture content to around 18% which means the jerky will store at room temperature as long as there is any to be eaten :) Any cut of lean beef can be used. It is very important to select a lean muscle cut and then remove all outside fat. Fat will turn rancid. The easiest cut to use is flank steak.
1 beef flank steak 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 tsp. lemon pepper
Trim all visible fat from beef. Cut lengthwise with grain into long thin strips, no more than 1/4” thick. Combine soy sauce and seasonings. Pour over beef strips and toss until well coated. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet. Arrange strips on rack to touch, but do not overlap. Bake in a very slow oven (150º-175º) overnight, 10-12 hours. Store finished jerky at room temperature.
*Note beef jerky should not be crisp, if it is, oven is too hot.
Another great hit at all of our holidays are my Aunt Ann’s homemade Caramels. This recipe has been around for 25 years, and they have been made for all the family weddings, even mine!
Caramels
2 1/4 cups brown sugar 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup butter 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup light Karo corn syrup
Pinch of salt
In a large saucepan, combine the first 4 ingredients. Cook over medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Gradually add milk; mix well. Continue cooking and stirring until candy thermometer reads 240º. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla until blended. Pour into a 9x13” buttered pan. When cool enough, cover with plastic wrap so not to form a skin on the caramels. You can use parchment paper to line pan. When cool, cut into small pieces and wrap in wax paper.
Our favorite part of the night, besides all the food and games of euchre is the White Elephant gift exchange. Each family member brings a wrapped gift. We then draw numbers to determine in what order we take turns choosing gifts. The first person opens a wrapped gift, then the second person chooses whether to open a wrapped gift or "steal" the previously opened gift. If a person has their gift stolen, they also have the option of choosing a wrapped gift or stealing an unwrapped one. And so on... Our family has the rule that a gift can only be stolen three times. There are usually re-gifted items, funny gifts, and sometimes one of the parents will put in something good (case of import beer, family heirloom, beef jerky mentioned earlier, etc). It is more to entertain than get something really good. Some entertaining gifts in the past have been: A box of travel shampoos and conditioners, a beer bong, an ugly shower curtain, or even snuggies.
Now living in Atlanta I am sure I will start some fun traditions with the husband and our dog Stout! I will be spending my first Christmas away from my family and with the in-loves (I like that better than in-laws) for the first time. I will miss my family tons, but I am not going to miss the snow this year!
Happy Holidays, fellow Prep in the Midwest Blog readers. This would be Megan’s soriroity sister, know from previous blogs as JM. Megan asked several of us to do a blog post for the holidays and I told her I would be more than happy to after I finished my Law School Finals. I finished with everything today and I will never ever have to take over the holidays as a full time student and let me tell you finals put a cramp on the holiday season. But finals are over so it now time to get into the Christmas spirit.
Growing up in the Midwest where Christmas Tree farms are plenty and one of the results from that is the annual family tradition of the hunt for the perfect tree. Now for those of you who either have a fake tree or purchase your tree precut, you have never had the privilege of the thrill of the hunt. Since we were little my family….Momma M, Papa M and sister SM have gone on this yearly trek and you have to understand there are certain qualifications for any tree we consider. It must have a straight trunk, it can be no taller than 8 feet, and it must pass Momma M’s hug test (if she can’t get halfway around the tree its too fat. Only once in my life have we not all gone and that was when Momma M was sick and couldn’t go….SM and I were still young so we had not bee fully schooled in “the hunt” and we failed. It was the fattest tree we have ever had and was almost too big for the area in the old house. Now the hunt is no something short, one year when SM and I were both in college or SM had just graduated we went to three, yes three different farms to find the perfect tree. It is no uncommon for it to take half a day as we trek over 10-15 acre large tree farms. We normally get it down to a couple of trees and then Momma M has to compare them which means normally SM, Pappa M, and I got left at our top three picks to guard them while Momma went between them. Finally when we had reach a unanimous decision (ok really it was Momma’s call at the end of the day) we all assumed our designated roles which we have had since I was 8 years old or so. Pappa would of course cut it down and Momma, SM and I use to hold it but after I hit 12 it was strictly my job. Pappa and I would carry the tree, SM would carry the handsaw, and Momma the measuring pole.
When SM and I were at Purdue we normally wrangled dinner out of Momma and Papa before they went home. Momma would put lights on it, normally around 1,000-1,200 lights, and when we got home we would decorate it. We are at no shortage of ornaments as Grandma M has gotten SM and me an ornament every year since we were born, so right there we have 4 dozen or more. We also have ornaments friends have given the family, several glass balls from my parent’s first tree together, ones from my parent’s childhood and even some that belonged to Momma’s grandparents. The only time we don’t go on “the hunt” for a Christmas tree is when we go to Florida and then I have to make do with a fake one….but throw in a beach and I can deal.
This is the first year I was not home to decorate but I think they did a great job and Momma saved a couple of ornaments for me to put on when I head home next week.
This is the first year I was not home to decorate but I think they did a great job and Momma saved a couple of ornaments for me to put on when I head home next week. A picture of the finish product that Momma sent me.
Over the years we have had scotch pines, white pine, Douglas fir and Frasier fir trees. I have to admit Fraser firs are hands down my favorite and have been our tree of choice for the past 8 years. Which is your favorite?
Scotch Pine
White Pine
Douglas Fir
Fraser Fir
I wish you happy holidays and I hope you get to sit around your Christmas Tree on Christmas morning whether it be a fake one, one you got precut or one you spent hours hunting with your family!
A quick intro: I've known Erin for over 13 years! We cheered together all through middle school and high school, both on school teams and competitive teams. She's an amazingly happy and wonderful person! She moved out to LA after college and has remained there. In her Blog below she talks about the traditions she's started there. Enjoy!
Happy Holidays from La La Land!
It may not be snowing here in sunny Los Angeles, but the tempurature has changed and we are no longer able to enjoy the beach. For these few months of cold weather, we pull out our cute boots, fashionable scarfs, and put on holiday themed productions all about town. There is an advantage to living in this crazy city, and that is the people. Everywhere you turn, there is a little theatre, dance production, comedy show, extravaganza going on, and the holidays are applauded through all various acts of talent. Some do it normal, but mostly Los Angeles can get really weird and that's why I love it here. I ran into two dancers at the farmer's market the other day, and they were explaining to me their Christmas show they were putting on. It wasn't just a dance Christmas show, it was a wacked out, Santa on crack type of event. I wasn't able to go, but I can imagine it was wild.
To gear up for Christmas here, I attended a few Christmas parades in the many nooks of Los Angeles. Burbank has a full-on parade and the streets are filled with candy and cheer. Hermosa Beach also gets down, and puts on a parade right near the pier. I'm pretty sure the Santa in the parade has Hawaiian shorts on. Woodland Hills has candy cane forest, and Santa Monica opens up their very popular outdoor ice skating rink. One famous production that goes on is the tree lighting at The Grove in Hollywood. Up and coming singers perform and fake snow covers the inside grounds of the massive shopping area. A little too commercial for me, but still a great time.
So, that's what the holidays are like in LA! I have yet to spend Christmas here, so all I can share is the excitement leading toward the magical day. I usually head home a few days before Christmas, and always seem to see C level actors in the airport. Each year it's a fun guessing game of who I will see. Last year I saw one the guys from the 90210 show. Then home to Atlanta it is. The #1 holiday tradition in my house is watching White Christmas on Christmas Eve, and drinking (vegan) Egg Nog.
This year, I am bringing a bit of LA home with me, as I've become vegan in this past year. Along with that, I work at the farmer's markets in LA too, so I hope to go home and encourage my family to eat as healthy as possible. They are slowly coming around. This incredible vegan mac n cheese recipe found it's way to me yesterday, and I plan on making it at home for my family.
Last but not least, I'd like to share a song by one of my dear friends who passed away this year. He is the reason I went vegan, and he is the reason I love LA so much.
Nick from Great Lakes Prep has generously offered to switch blogs with me for the day (how cool is that?!). Below is his entry regarding his exploration of his home town and his recommendations to future visitors. Enjoy!
I’ve always found the best way to explore a city is from the local’s perspective. They live there and are the most knowledgeable about which restaurants, attractions and other locations are actually worth visiting and which are simply overhyped tourist traps. Even with the advent of the internet and the ease of anyone with a computer getting their opinion heard, I feel that there is still an overall lack of information from a local’s perspective when it comes to travelling. It’s frustrating being in a new town where you know nobody and are trying to determine where you should eat or what bar you should go to. Luckily, I have good news for you. You no longer have to worry about this when you are in Indianapolis thanks to this handy local’s guide to the city.
Indianapolis is one of the most accessible cities in the country. Nicknamed the “Crossroads of America,” there are interstates and major highways leading into the city from all directions. Unfortunately, what makes Indianapolis so easy to get to also makes it very easy to pass on through. The next time you are cutting across the state en route to your final destination, I suggest you at least consider making a pit stop to see what this great city is all about.
I’ve always felt the best way to describe Indianapolis is that it is a really large small town. You’ll probably be shocked to know that Indianapolis is the 12th largest city in the nation and the second largest in the Midwest. The reason behind this is that the city itself is very spread out. What other cities consider suburbs are actually still within the city limits of Indianapolis and are known as neighborhoods. The downtown itself is very compact and is roughly one square mile. This makes it very easy to get around, decreases traffic and eliminates the need to find parking in various areas or rely on public transportation. For this guide I will focus mainly on the areas of downtown, Broad Ripple and Castleton. These are the areas you are most likely to visit when you are in the city.
Where to Eat
St. Elmo’s Steak House
Possibly the most well-known and definitely the best restaurant in the city, the iconic downtown steakhouse is a must visit. It may be pricey but you get what you pay for and most of the steaks are large enough that you can easily split them amongst two people if you are looking to be more economical. St. Elmo’s has ruined steaks for me at any other place. If this is your first time, you must also try the signature shrimp cocktail, an appetizer featured on the Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”
Yat’s
Cajun and creole food is not something normally associated with the Midwest so I won’t blame you if you somehow believe you were magically transported to New Orleans once you lay foot in Yat’s. From the eclectic décor to the hearty etoufees, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another Cajun/creole restaurant this good north of the Mason-Dixon line. The food isn’t flashy or gourmet but damn it is some good classic comfort food that will hardly even put a dent in your wallet.
Brugge Brasserie
Situated next to the Monon Trail in Broad Ripple, Brugge Brasserie serves up steaming pots of moules (mussels) accompanied by crisp frites (french fries). Simply choose your style of moules, everything from classic Provencal with white wine, garlic, butter and shallots to more exotic options like the lime juice, cilantro, onion and jalapeno filled Citron. Brugge Brasserie brews its own beers as well, highlighted by the Tripel de Ripple. The only downside is there’s a two Tripel limit, but that’s probably for the best since it clocks in at over 10% ABV. Any more than two and you might wake up the next day not remembering exactly how good it or the rest of the food tasted.
Café Patachou
Café Patachou and its sister restaurant Petite Chou are the premier breakfast spots in Indianapolis. The omelettes are imaginative and made with free-range Indiana eggs. The french toast is loaded with pecans, powdered sugar and maple syrup and the coffee is made with the best beans from sustainable farms engaging in free trade. There are several locations of each restaurant throughout the city so you should never be too far from one.
Boogie Burger
Recently relocated from its quaint, cramped Broad Ripple strip location to a larger spot a little down the road on the outskirts of Broad Ripple (and conveniently less than a quarter mile from my house), Boogie Burger grills up taste-laden burgers with all sorts of toppings. The best-selling Wild Wild West comes topped with cheddar cheese, hickory smoked bacon, onion rings and barbecue sauce. The New York, New York tops the burger off with swiss cheese and pastrami. The Disco Inferno raises the temperature with serrano peppers and pepper jack cheese. Complement your burger with the garlic and parsley topped fries or the gigantic portions of bacon, cheese and sour cream covered fries.
10/01
Relatively new to the Broad Ripple restaurant scene, 10/01 takes classic comfort food dishes and adds a gourmet twist. The mashed potatoes are finished with bourbon gravy. The pork tenderloin comes with a mustard aioli. The sweet potato fries, more of a dessert than a side, are the best I’ve ever had. I have yet to find something on the menu that I didn’t like. They have a great selection of local beers on tap, an excellent porch for summer dining and large picture windows that give you a view up and down the Broad Ripple strip during the winter.
Edward’s Drive-In
If you really want to eat like the locals, then you must try a pork tenderloin sandwich and if you’re going to try one, you might as well try the best in the city. The deep-fried breaded tenderloin is practically the size of a small Frisbee on your plate. Accompany it with onion rings, the large, traditional kind that you just know are probably adding a couple of pounds just by looking at them, and their signature root beer in a frosted mug.
Where to Drink
Howl at the Moon
A Thursday night favorite of the college crowd due to no cover with a student ID and $1 Coors Light, Howl at the Moon is well worth it on any night. Indianapolis doesn’t have much live music at the bars so the dueling pianos a welcome change of pace.
Broad Ripple
Broad Ripple itself is a great place to spend an evening. On the strip that runs through it are a variety of bars that cater to all types of crowds. Chumleys is excellent if you are looking for a bar with a huge selection of beers. Rock Lobster and the Vogue are good if the dance floor is your calling. Covers are few and far between so it’s easy to start the night at one bar and move on with the party as the night progresses.
Slippery Noodle Inn
The oldest continuously operating bar in Indiana, the Slippery Noodle Inn is the place to catch live blues in the city. The Inn has been around in various forms since 1850 and attracts both local and nationally recognized blues acts.
Rathskeller
The Rathskeller should be located under both the where to eat and where to drink sections. During the colder months it’s a great rustic place to grab a beer and excellent German food. Once the temperature starts to climb, the Biergarten opens up and becomes a go to spot for gigantic beers and large music.
What to Do
Attend a sporting event
Indianapolis is considered by many to be the sporting capital of the United States. The NCAA and National Federation of State High School Associations are headquartered here. The city has played host to the Final Four multiple times, the Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball tournaments and the Big Ten Football Championship and will host the 2012 Super Bowl.
Although suffering through a dismal year without Peyton Manning, the Colts are usually one of the top teams in the NFL and Lucas Oil Stadium is a much improved upgrade over the former RCA Dome. The Pacers have been much improved as of late and tickets are relatively inexpensive. The Fever went to the WNBA Finals this year. The Indians play at the AAA level of minor league baseball and Victory Field is consistently rated as one of the top minor league ballparks. The Ice are the local minor league hockey team.
If amateur sports are more your thing, Indianapolis has two Division I institutions, IUPUI and Butler. Catching a basketball game at Hinkle Fieldhouse should be a must stop if you are in town during the season. Several powerhouse high school football and basketball teams located within and around the city are consistently nationally ranked. Catch the high school basketball state championships at Conseco Fieldhouse if you can. Indiana high school basketball is what football is to Texas high school sports.
Indianapolis also has a rich racing heritage. MotoGP holds the Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix and NASCAR runs the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard every year. Of course, one of the greatest spectacles in sports takes place every Memorial Day weekend, the Indianapolis 500.
Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Zoo, located in White RiverState Park, is actually more than just a zoo. It is also accredited as an aquarium and botanical garden and was the first to be accredited as all three. Exhibits are split into Forests, Oceans, Deserts and Plains and feature interactive exhibits such as the Race a Cheetah and the dogshark touch pool. The dolphin show is also a can’t miss.
Children’s Museum
Indianapolis is home to the largest children’s museum in the world and a must stop if you have children accompanying you. I haven’t been since I was much younger but am anticipating we will be taking me nephew in a few years. The exhibits range from an indoor carousel to the Dinosphere, a sound and light experience recreating a day in the time of the dinosaurs, to a planetarium.
Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument
Located in the heart of downtown, the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument is a 284 foot tall monument honoring Hoosier veterans of the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War and the Spanish American War. Inside the monument is the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum, which details Indiana history during the Civil War. You can also reach the top of the monument by stairs for free or by elevator for a small fee. Come during the Christmas season to see the monument decorated like an enormous Christmas tree.
Conner Prairie
Take a step back in time to the pioneer days of Indiana at Conner Prairie, a living history museum located northeast of the city in Fishers. You can tour a 19th century village and speak with characters in period costume or visit a Native American fur trade camp. You might even be able to take a few swings as part of the 19th century baseball demonstration.
White RiverState Park
Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, White RiverState Park offers green space for picnics, museums for exploring and riverfront pathways for walking. You can learn about various NCAA sports at the NCAA Hall of Champions, view Native American artwork at the Eiteljorg and learn about the history of Indiana at the IndianaStateMuseum. During the summer the lawn is used for hosting concerts by nationally-renowned musicians.
IndianapolisMuseum of Art
Free admission (donations are accepted) make the IMA a great place for a cheap date. The collection encompasses a wide range of styles and cultures and there is a rotating special exhibit you can visit for an additional fee. Perhaps the best part of the museum is the surrounding 100 Acre Woods, a scenic park filled with artistic installations. It’s wooded trails surrounding the small lake are perfect for long walks on brisk fall days.
ButlerUniversity
I’m an alumnus so I may be biased but I believe no visit to Indianapolis is complete without a stop at Butler. The campus is picturesque with many scenic hideaways and Hinkle Fieldhouse is one of those arenas all college basketball fans must see at least once in their lifetimes. Catch a game on a Saturday afternoon to witness the awe-inspiring beauty of the court basking in the rays of the midday sun.
Fashion Mall at Keystone
If you’re looking to do some shopping while you are in town this is the mall to check out. Located on the north side of the city you’ll find Nordstrom, J. Crew, Brooks Brothers and The North Face among other options.
For more tips on visiting Indianapolis, as well as insight on food, travel and preppy fashion in the Midwest, be sure to check out my blog at greatlakesprep.wordpress.com. If you have any questions regarding any of the above topics or just want to chat, you can get in touch via the Great Lakes Prep Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr pages.
Seasons greetings, Followers of Megan! I’m Sarah (or S.S. from previous posts) and when I’m not distracting Megan with a bottle of wine and the latest episode of Toddlers and Tiaras, I’m helping her navigate the New Jersey transit system (and by helping, I mean looking around all wide-eyed and confused while cracking wise about the number of trains we have to take to get from Point A to Point B).J
What’s not to love about Christmas?The lights, the songs, the opportunity to dress your dog in their best and get their photo taken with Santa (yes, I’m one of those people).So when our favorite Prep blogger asked to me to share my Christmas traditions, I just couldn’t say no.
When I think of Christmas cookies, I think of biscotti and kolaches. Every year at Christmas, my grandmother makes her homemade almond biscotti (delish!) and my mother whips up some kolaches (if you’re not familiar with kolaches, they’re a delish fruit pastry type of cookie).I absolutely love baking and each year try out at least two new recipes (one for the hubby to enjoy and one for my puppies).For some great ideas for cookies that are not for your canines, check out The Joy of Baking’s website (http://www.joyofbaking.com).
mmm….fruit pastry type of cookie….
There’s nothing better than grabbing a cup of hot cocoa, piling in the car and driving around the neighborhood to look at the decorations.But while most people are enjoying the soft glow from hundreds of twinkling lights, I’m on a hunt: the hunt to find the tackiest home in town.You know which ones I’m referring to.They are the houses that inspire the following chain of thoughts: “Wow! I’d hate to pay that electricity bill!”; “I wonder how long it takes them to put that all up”; “What the heck do dolphins have to do with Christmas?!”Okay, so that last one might have been in regards to a house in my neck of the woods but you get the idea.So while Megan and I discuss the relation of aquatic mammals to the birth of our Lord, enjoy these pics from other tacky homes (and count your blessings they don’t live next door to you!)
Doing their part to ensure the local power company has a VERY Merry Christmas.
But my favorite part about Christmas traditions is making new ones.My husband is a police officer so we don’t always get to head home for the holidays.When it’s just the two of us, I try to make Christmas all the more special.We do holiday ride-a-longs where I get to watch him in action (and try my darnedest to stay awake all night, a hazard of the midnight shift), we make a fancy Christmas dinner together and sip on eggnog while we watch the classics.It’s a quiet way to pass the holiday, but Christmas is about being with those you love so I wouldn’t have it any other way.For me, it’s perfection.
That’s it for me, blog-o-sphere!I hope each and every one of you has the Happiest of Holidays!
Hello, Prep-in-the-Midwesters! I'm Charise, and I blog over at More Bread and Cheese, Please! I mainly write about recipes from my kitchen, but there's some entertaining/party and travel write-ups thrown in for fun. I know Megan through our Purdue tailgating crew. Anyway, I love, love, LOVE the holidays and am big on creating traditions. Since moving to Columbus, Ohio, right after college (Boiler Up!) 6.5 years ago with my then-boyfriend, now-husband, Ryan, there's a few things we do every year.
1) Wildlights at the Columbus ZooColumbus has a zoo ranked tops in the nation, which is not surprising considering famous animal caretaker Jack Hanna was its long-time director. Although I usually have a short attention span for looking at captive animals, I do love seeing the place entirely blanketed in millions of lights every winter. Snow, carolers, reindeer, polar bears, holding mittened-covered hands, and sipping hot chocolate (hidden flask of peppermint schnaaps and Bailey's optional ;)) - what's not to love? If you are ever in Central Ohio between Thanksgiving and New Year's, I'd recommend checking it out.
2) Annual Christmas Party Beginning the year after moving to Columbus, Ryan and I have thrown a big holiday shindig. We alternate the themes, one year doing the classic ugly holiday sweater party, and the next hosting a pajama jam. (I can't be the only one who always got new pajamas every Christmas Eve, right? It's my homage to that, and an excuse to still buy a new pair of fun-patterned fuzzy pj pants every December.) We may mix it up for the sixth year and do a dressier cocktail party, but we'll have to see about that! We consider the party our Christmas gift to all our local friends, and go all out - keg, spiked hot chocolate, champagne punch, and I spend multiple days cooking and baking up a holiday feast. The spread always includes a couple seasonal desserts. Last year's peppermint oreo truffles were quite the hit, and are easy, if a little time-consuming, to prepare. Recipe included at the end of this post if you'd like to try them out.
3) Homemade Chinese Food and Movies on Christmas Eve With divorced parents who live in different states, we do a lot of traveling for all holidays throughout the year. We've made an effort to make Christmas Eve *our* time, where we don't go anywhere and don't have any guests. This does not always make my family happy, but we're our own little family now, too, and have to do what's best for us. Since we cook a fancy dinner on Christmas day, for Christmas Eve I stir-fry a couple better-than-restaurant quality versions of Chinese food - general tso's and mongolian beef are our favorites. Then we hunker down on the couch with some adult beverages, our spiffy new pj's, and watch It's A Wonderful Life followed by Love Actually with the Christmas tree twinkling next to us. If we're still up for it, we'll throw in A Muppet Christmas Carol, but that often waits until Christmas morning.
2 packages of Trader Joe's Candy Cane Jo-Jo's or Peppermint Oreos
2 packages of cream cheese (I always use 1/3 less fat)
5-6 4 oz bars of bittersweet chocolate (like Bakers or Ghirardelli)
1 package of 12 candy canes
1. Place one package of oreos in a heavy-duty ziploc bag and crush with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Empty in to a large mixing bowl and repeat with second package. There should be some larger chunks, some crumbs, and some powdery pieces. (You can use a food processor, but what fun is that?)
2. Add the cream cheese and mix to combine. We just jump right in and use our hands so we don't break up the cookies any further with a mixer.
3. Form into about 1 in. balls, rolling bits of dough in your palms. Place on wax paper on cookie sheets. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Melt your chocolate in a double boiler (I use a medium metal mixing bowl over a medium saucepan with about 1-2 inches of simmering water in it).
5. Using two forks, roll each ball around the mixture, let some excess drain off, and place back on wax paper. Every 5-6 balls, stop to sprinkle your candy canes or other toppings before the chocolate hardens all the way.
6. Stick back in fridge to harden up. I'm store mine there but they should also be fine in a covered container at room temperature.
