Christmas Trees…Real or Fake?

With Christmas now being less than a month away, attention is turned to setting up a fake tree or getting a real one. This family still does the real thing, and goes to chop it down no less. I know many who are very happy to have artificial trees. Due to advances in reproductive quality, […]

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Time to Decorate Indoors….Festive But Simple

It’s tradition with me to start my indoor decorating the day after Thanksgiving. The time from now until Christmas is short, so I want us to enjoy the spirit for as long as we can.  I have learned over the years that simple and tasteful is yes, better. So I am not sure how it […]

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The Black Friday Frenzy….A Tradition Gone Awry

Black Friday has only a few hours remaining. I personally didn’t take part. But then I haven’t for a few years now. It just isn’t the same. Once again, it is probably an age thing with me. Or just a tradition that is disappearing. This day was always like a holiday in itself. Back in […]

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Pre-Turkey Day…..It’s Almost Here

The turkey is almost thawed, my cleaning is complete, pies are done and we are almost ready for takeoff. Dishes and casseroles are out and their functions for the meal tomorrow have been designated. This is just part of how we keep our sanity on days like this. My husband the former Marine, always has […]

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Turkey Thaw in a Tub…..Gotta Do What You Gotta Do!

So we started out with a 18 lb. turkey this year. My husband was never keen on the size since we had at least 8 people coming over for Thanksgiving. He likes to give out leftovers to the kids and have enough for at least another dinner and sandwiches. Turns out we are having 10 […]

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60’s and 70’s Was the Best…..Music that Is!

Whenever I start getting stressed out a bit getting ready for the holidays, I turn to music. I am a child of the 60’s and 70’s, and my tastes are very eclectic.  Of course, it’s my opinion that this is the best music ever to hit the airwaves, only because of the variety of artists […]

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Holiday Cleaning…You Can Take Some Shortcuts

Taking the focus away from cooking for the holidays, the other big time consumer is cleaning. Depending on your situation, whether you still have kids around, or it’s just you, and/or your significant other, we still like to have our domain presentable. I plan and then prioritize my cleaning. The focus is always put on […]

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Appetizers Before the Main Course…Keep it Light

As with most dinner parties, serving light appetizers  beforehand is commonplace. When it comes to the holidays, having some light ones to nibble on while waiting for the main meal to be served, is also a good idea. My feeling is keep it simple and even a little on the healthy side. The most usual […]

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Lunch or Dinner….So When Do You Have Your Thanksgiving Day Meal?

I’m not really sure there is a debate going on about this question. However, for years, our Thanksgiving meals have been on the early end of the spectrum. When I say early, that would be 1 or 2.  Those times have always screamed lunch to me. Next Thursday is no exception. I honestly don’t recall […]

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Cooking a Feast…Prepare One or Two Days Ahead

Thanksgiving is now less than two weeks away. Except for the turkey, I will start prepping that Tuesday before the big day. Since my husband and I both share in cooking the meal, we decided to begin where we could as early as we could. Since I am running around cleaning several days in advance, […]

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