This post is dedicated to one of our readers who mentioned in a comment that they’re bored with the old Christmas Music…

So here are some new Christmas songs I chose for you to listen to. Hope you like them. Click on the name of the song to reach a u tube video.

A very beautiful song… Its all about Christmastime memories

Christmas like a child- Third Day

A peppy new song…..

Jennifer knapp- Sing Mary Sing

A familiar song, but done the Kutless way!!

Kutless-Mary did you know

A contemporary Christmas song..

Christmas Angels, Michael W. Smith

Another song that will make you wanna dance

Steven Curtis Chapman- This Baby

Tim

Cornflour Dough

My last batch of cornflour ornaments failed- But I’m not gonna give up!!

Here’s a recipe I found on http://www.ci2eye.co.uk/Articles/41598/Membership/Resources/Articles/Messy_tray_activities.aspx

It looks good. I think it will work. I’m gonna try it!!

What you need:

2 cups salt

2/3^rd cup of water

2 cups cornflour

½ cup water

What you do:

Mix 2 cups of salt with 2/3^rd cup of water in a pan.

Stir constantly over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until bubbles appear. (Adult)

Remove from heat and immediately mix 2 cups cornflour and ½ cup cold water to the hot mixture.

STIR QUICKLY to form a stiff dough.

Points to note:

This dough will harden if left exposed to air.

For a harder set, may be baked in oven at 350c for approx 1 hour.

 

Sharon

Why buy decorations?

Christmas decorations cost a fortune, and wherever you go , you find the same decorations.  Want to make your house look unique this Christmas?  Get your kids to make their own Christmas decorations!!

Here are a few of the Christmas Decorations that I’ve been working on recently. The simple instructions to make them, are given on http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/kidscraftsactivitiesblog

This pretty angel made out of wax paper will look beautiful on your Christmas tree

Hang this paper wreath on all the doors of your house.

This simple star will also look great on your tree.

Here’s an easy to make advent calender that will help your kids countdown to Christmas.

Deck up your home this Christmas!!

Rich Plum cake

This is a recipe I used to make cake last Christmas. My friends and relatives loved it. Try it out!!The final cake weighs 1.81 Kg.

Ingredients:

225 gms butter
225 gms caster sugar
6 eggs
225 gms flour
225 gms currants
115 gms mixed peel
115 gms blanched almonds
115 gms glaced cherries
225 gms raisins
225 gms sultanas
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon orange juice or brandy
1.5 tablespoon instant coffee

Instructions:
1. Line a cake tin, at least 7 1/2 in. diameter x 2 3/4 in. deep, with greaseproof paper.

2. Divide the flour into three parts.

3. Sift the cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda and salt with one part of the flour.

4. Leave one part plain.

5. Chop the peel, almonds and cherries and add them and the other fruit to the third part of the flour. This should prevent them from sinking during cooking.

6. Cream the butter.

7. Add sugar to the butter and cream again.

8. Add one egg at a time, beating each thoroughly. Add one tablespoon of the plain flour after the third and each successive egg, to prevent curdling.

9. Add the coffee and brandy (or orange) and beat thoroughly but not too enthusiastically.

10. Sieve in the flour that was mixed with the cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda and, the remainder of the plain flour.

11. Add the flour with the fruit, stirring well but lightly and pour into the cake tin.

12. Tie a double strip of strong brown paper around the tin and place it on a flat tin covered with a double thickness of brown paper. This will prevent the bottom and sides of the cake from burning.

13. Place the tin on the centre shelf of the oven and bake at 350 F for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Have fun with Christmas Baking!!

TIm

Brandy Apple pie

A great way to warm up the party this Christmas.

You will need:

150 ml Apple Juice

60 ml Brandy

Cinnamon sticks

Apple pieces

Instructions:

Heat up about 150 ml of apple juice with a few cinnamon sticks, not too hot just warm it. Pour it into a glass (preferably a brandy balloon) and add 60 ml of brandy. Serve with apple slices or pieces.

This is a great after dinner drink and really keeps you warm. Try it out and see if you can find the hidden apple pie inside the glass.

Tim

Just putting up decorations is not enough!!!

A little effort before starting to put up decorations goes a long way in making your decorations look better, and your geusts feel more comfortable. Here are a few tips to help you start.

Clean Up:

• Decorations get people to look at parts of your house that usually don’t get noticed- fans, corners, ceilings, window panes and railings. So make sure that you clean up everything well before you start decorating.
• Always start cleaning from the top – ceiling to furniture and then the floor, or if you live in a duplex the second level before you do the first level. This helps to make sure that you’re not cleaning the same thing again and again.
• Never dust vigorously – if you stir up dust, it will land on the stuff you had dusted earlier. To avoid this use a slightly damp cloth to wipe dust off objects and furniture.

Rearrange your furniture

Christmas is a time when there’s a lot of activity in the house. Visitors and families come over, so make sure you’re ready for it.

• Make extra rugs, cushions and chairs available in your living room for people to sit
• When you plan decorations, keep in mind the part of the room a person gets to see as soon as they enter the room. This should be the focal point of the decorations in the room.
• Push unnecessary furniture against the walls to give more space for moving around and sitting.

Set the mood:

• Fill some small cloth bags with cinnamon and other spices and leave them around the house, to give a Christmas feel to the house.
• Bring out all your Christmas music and start playing it.

These are just a few tips to get you to start thinking- do you have great ideas too? Do share it with us!!

Tim

Telling the Christmas story through craft

So often, we get caught up in decorating for Christmas that we forget why we are celebrating it in first place. Last year, I came up with an idea for Christmas decorations that are a great way to tell the Christmas story, and at the same time look very attractive.

I also added a couple of lines below ( the pictures show hindi words), to explain the picture. Its a great way to tell your kids and others what Christmas is all about.

This was a whole series of 5 posters- you could do as many as you like.  Kids will enjoy cutting and sticking all the shapes.

Ron

Shoebox Activities

Do you find that your child can’t play a particular game for more than 15 minutes, or that he finds it hard to sit put at dinnertime? It’s really good to allow your kids to run around and learn by exploring their environment, but at some stage they need to learn to sit down and do a specific activity that they’re asked to do.

A great way to start is by giving them shoe box activities.

A shoe box activity is basically an old shoe box filled with one structured activity that a child can do for ten minutes or so. It’s a way to get your child to calm down and learn.

Activities can be as simple as you like- a puzzle, sorting, stringing beads, making a tower- anything. Here’s an example of a simple color sorting activity you could put in a shoebox.

Having a number of shoeboxes which are labelled with a picture, helps a child to choose what they want to do. It also encourages them to put back everything into the shoebox when they are done.

So if your child finds it hard to sit down and do something- find an old shoebox.  It really works!!

Ron

Sorry guys!! The cornflour ornaments that I wrote about a few days ago ended up like this!!

It was actually all going well, and I made the ornaments and left them to dry.

3 days later- I find a heap of cornflour and baking powder!!!

So sorry!!- I am still looking for a better recipie- and will let you know when I find something that works!

But till then, keep coming back for other ideas.

Ron

10 steps to a successful party

We’re all dying to organize the “party of the season”. Sadly, It doesn’t always end that way. Who says you need alcohol to keep the spirits high? Here are some simple tips to make sure that your party is a success!!

1. Stick to a theme- thats a big first step in making people remember your party.

2. Have a variety of small bites. Make bites small. Small means bite size or two bites. No one likes to hold on to huge sandwiches at a party.

3. Make sure you have different beverages – tea, coffee, 2 types of juices and soft drinks – this usually keeps everyone satisfied.

4. Don’t stick to the usual simple and plain beverages. Try a few simple mocktails and you’ll surely have everyone talking about your wonderful party where they got served amazing mocktails.

5. Prepare well in advance – but be flexible. Don’t plan too many details; you might not be able implement all that you planned.

6. If you are planning for an outdoor party, keep a tab on the weather report-  it really helps.

7. Keep a few party games prepared. When the excitement is low, introduce a game!

8. Make sure you are not doing the last minute arrangements, at the very last minute. Finish your work an hour before the party so that you have time to dress up and be at the door to meet your guests.

9. Ask a few friends in advance, to be ready to help you if you need a hand. So even if something goes wrong, you know who to call.

10. Last,  most importantly , make sure you spend enough time with everyone and forget about organizing for some time. The party is also for you to enjoy. At least while it lasts. So pick up a mocktail, and have fun!