BE THE HOLIDAY DJ

Old and tired holiday standbys these aren't.  Turn up the volume, gather everyone together, and have a family holiday party, just for your little crew.  Or, use these as a jumping-off point and download a bunch of newish holiday songs to your iPod, bring it to your sister's or mother's, and be the favorite festive DJ.

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, Ray Charles
Christmas Don't Be Late, Alvin & The Chipmunks
Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley
Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Weezer
Christmas Time Is Here, George Winston
Frosty the Snowman, Willie Nelson
Last Christmas, Glee Cast
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch, The Brian Stetzer Orchestra
Oh Good Grief, Vince Guaraldi Trio
The Chrismas Song, Catherine Feeny

and PLEASE don't forget...

Christmas in Hollis, Run-DMC (remember, "It's Christmas time in Hollis, Queens. Mom's cookin' chicken and collard greens...")

A TRAY OF (SUGARY) TREATS

We love to give neighbors and friends easy, homemade treats for the holidays.  We especially like giving the treats in, on, or with something that can be kept and used again - a classic white tray, a Nambe heart-shaped bowl, a copper cookie cutter, a sillicone spatula.  This year, we chose not to actually bake, but to put together a plate of super-easy candy treats.  If you're a dentist, stop reading now.

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups smooth peanut butter (not the natural kind)

6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup Rice Krispies

12 ounces chocolate chips

Beat together the first 4 ingredients, starting at slow speed for about a minute, then at high speed for about 3 more minutes.  Stir in the Rice Krispies.  Roll into 1-inch balls and freeze on a foil- or wax paper-lined cookie sheet.  Once the balls are frozen, melt the chocolate chips.  You can do this over a double boiler, but our favorite way is to put them in a glass bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval.  This should take about 1 1/2 minutes.  Using two forks or toothpicks, dip the balls in the chocolate.  Replace onto the cookie sheet, and freeze again.  (You can first add sprinkles or silver dragees if you'd like.)  Yum.

ENGLISH TOFFEE

from a Paula Deen recipe

1 stick plus 6 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cold water

1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 ounces milk chocolate chips

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with heavy-duty foil.  Over medium-high heat, combine first 3 ingredients.  Bring to a boil while stirring constantly, about 10 minutes (do this with a wooden spoon so as not to burn your hands!).  Stop stirring, and continue cooking until mixture reaches 305 degrees on a candy thermometer.  The color will be dark amber.  Work quickly, as this will burn fast (experience), and remove from heat.  Stir in the pecans and vanilla.  Pour onto the cookie sheet and spread to a 1/4-inch thickness.  Let cool slightly (about 4 minutes).  Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.  When they have melted, spread them evenly over the toffee.  Cool, then pop in the freezer.  Lift the foil out of the pan, and break the toffee into pieces.  Yum again.

CARAMEL POPCORN

2 bags microwave popcorn, popped
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts

1/2 cup roasted cashews

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup dark corn syrup

Line a cookie sheet with foil, and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Spread the popcorn, peanuts, and cashews in a layer on the sheet.  In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the next 4 ingredients to a boil.  Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 245 on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.  Quickly, pour the caramel over the popcorn, peanuts, and cashews.  Make sure everything's pretty well covered, before it gets good and crunchy.  Try telling your family this is a gift and will not stay in the house.

A QUICK TIP

Just a very quick endorsement, because we always love getting a great tip.

Fine details are not necessary, but Febreeze is amazing at freshening up sofas that have been victimized by a surprise session of throwing up (this, of course, after many "couch air flips" immediately following dinner on Saturday night while employing an adorable 13-year-old babysitter, resulting in a phone call that very effectively halts grown-up holiday festivity by saying, "come home NOW, Mommy!").

If this ever happens to you, send whatever can be removed to the dry cleaner, and spray the heck out of the rest with Febreeze.  We were amazed.

A PERFECT TEACHER GIFT

Our friend just gave us the best idea ever for holiday gifts for our teachers.  If you're still undecided (as we were moments ago) about what to give, consider this:  gift certificates at a Whole Foods- or Trader Joe's-like store.  The cards themselves are clever, printed with little sayings like "peas on earth," and they often come in cute and environmentally friendly paper sleeves.  Wrap in cellophane if you want, or just tie on a ribbon, and include a tag that says, "Lunch is on me!  Love, Lucy".  The teacher can either actually have lunch during the break, or she can use the card toward the purchase of groceries, flowers, bath products - maybe even a bottle of wine.

WHAT ARE WE HAVING FOR DESSERT?

Why have our kids suddenly decided that dessert is something that comes after every dinner?  Could it be that chocolate-chip banana bread that our sweet friend brought for a holiday treat?  Or maybe the box - yes, an entire box - of assorted homemade cookies we brought home from the cookie exchange party last weekend?  Or maybe it's the toffee we're making to give to friends?  Oh, the holidays.

Well here's a good answer to all that dessert craziness.  This is just a good, healthy dessert or snack to keep around this winter, while the citrus is so gorgeous.  Children will love it, and so will you.

GRAPEFRUIT & ORANGE SALAD

(you don't have to actually say the word "salad" to the kids)

grapefruit

oranges

dried, sweetened cranberries

To remove the peel and membranes from the grapefruit and oranges, work one piece of fruit at a time.  Cut off the top and bottom of the fruit, and stand it upright.  Cut down following the curve of the fruit, removing the rind and all of the white pith in thick strips.  Once the peel and pith is removed, slice as close as you can between the membrane and the fruit, making angled cuts to release the segments.

Once you've removed all the orange and grapefruit segments sans membranes, cut them in half and toss them in a bowl with the dried cranberries.  Refrigerate for a while, as the cranberries and juice will mix together to plump the berries and sweeten the citrus.  Once all of this comes together, you really won't believe it's just fruit that you're eating.  Best part - neither will your kids.

LITTLE GIFTS

The big presents are easy - puppies, dollhouses, Lucy & Michael playtents (!).  What's challenging for us is finding all those little gifts to stuff thier stockings or to open each night of Hanukkah.  In the spirit of keeping things simple and old-school, here are a few ideas that we're actually using ourselves this year.  We think they'll be fun to open and provide some great opportunities for family fun over the holidays.

A grab-bag filled with clear, colorful, beginner chopsticks and a set of magnets shaped like sushi.  We'll have siblings open the bags on the same night of Hanukkah, before dinner, and then serve take-out Chinese (or sushi if they'll go for it).  If you're in Houston, stop by Kuhl-Linscomb on West Alabama and Kirby, which is the amazing store where we got our Asian-inspired sussies - this would be our favorite store even if they didn't carry Lucy & Michael playtents and bags!

What kid doesn't love a party in the tub?  We're also giving Lush Handmade Cosmetics' Snowcake Shower Gel.  It smells like almonds and sugar, and the name is definitely a winner with kids.  They'll be clean and this should provide a good 30 to 45 minutes of fun in the tub (even more if you live somewhere like Texas and there's a chance that the weather will be warm enough to take the whole thing outside with a garden hose).  Buy it here.

Okay, we have to say it.  Lucy & Michael aprons really make an adorable gift when monogrammed (take one to your favorite monogrammer) or paired with something clever like cookie decorations (here are some great ones from Williams-Sonoma) to prompt an afternoon together in the kitchen.

http://lucyandmichael.com/items.asp?id=3

And we're sorry to keep touting ourselves (but, gosh, we've got some cute things!), but we're also giving Lucy & Michael tote bags with new Jellycat Bunglie Pigs inside.  You can buy the pigs at Oompa Toys (another store we'd love even if they weren't selling Lucy & Michael playtents!).  We think these little bundles will be perfect to take to Grandma's house and hope that the children will be excited enough to spend the night out (we're really craving a movie night!). 

GETTING CARDED

One of our favorite things about the holidays is opening the mail.  Every day brings a new crop of holiday cards with smiling faces, some of which we haven't seen since last year's cards.  We love seeing the new babies, where everyone's traveled, and who's lost their teeth.

So what to do with all those cards?  We've tried piling them into a big bowl, but we never feel like they quite get the attention they each deserve.

Propping them up on a mantle or table is a disaster as soon as some little person runs by fast enough to create a breeze.   And so, a few ideas from friends on displaying all the merry-wishes...

Go on a hunt for a good-looking, substantial, fallen branch.  Clean it up and attach picture hangars to its back, then hang it on the wall.  Use invisible wire to hang cards (with holes punched in their tops) at different levels.  If you're feeling colorful, intersperse a few different-sized ornament balls hanging among the cards.

Without getting too crafty, put together a simple mobile out of invisible wire, some crossed sticks or straightened-out hangers, and clothespins.  Clip the cards to the sticks or hangers a few at a time.

Paperclip the cards to the greenery in garlands, whether on the mantle, banisters, wreaths, or all of the above.

And, finally, our favorite...Simply tie ribbon around the banister.  Punch holes in the tops and bottoms of every card that comes in (our kids love to do this each day).  Use ornament hangers to hang the cards from the ribbon, and then from each other. 

Super-easy and cleaned-up.  The kids check out the stairs daily to see what's new and study all the faces.  What's not to love?

IT'S NICE TO SHARE

We've been saying it since day one.  First to the babies, gently, to encourage them to give us whatever it is that they're playing with, only so we can give it right back and say, "Thank you!"  Then to the toddlers, hoping that asking them to share a toy truck won't prompt an all-out kicking and screaming revolt.  And then - and this phase seems like it's going to last a long, long time - to the big kids, begging, "Please, please share with your sister." 

So much teaching.  At lunch the other day, a friend said that when she had her babies, she envisioned an adorable, pink-cheeked, chubby baby-filled life.  She said nobody (Mom???) told her how hard some days would be, and how sometimes she'd feel like it was just getting harder and harder, and how she'd say the same thing over and over and over ("share with your brother") seemingly to the walls.  It was actually quite a funny conversation, which ended in a very yummy slice of chocolate cake and a glass of wine (at lunch!), but that's another story.

So back to the teaching.  And the sharing.  December brings one of the most teachable moments out there for sharing.  Just about every day, we've been getting letters from nonprofits asking for end-of-year donations, and we've saved a pretty good stack of them.  The plan is that when we have a free 30 minutes, we'll hold a family meeting and go through the brochures and letters with the kids.  Who knows how meaningful the conversation will get - maybe it will be inspired, maybe it will just be a little humor mom time. Ultimately, we'll all forego one gift - one gift under the Christmas tree, one giftless night of Hanukkah.  The money that would have been spent on those gifts will somehow benefit the charity of everyone's collective choice, either as a monetary gift or as items purchased and donated - whatever hits home more for the kids.

Will our great plan mean more sharing inside our homes?  Probably not.  But maybe one day all of these small lessons and repeatings will build some great people.  We can only hope.  And in the meantime, let's share another slice of cake.

A SIMPLE SUPPER

In the rush of December (always?), we find ourselves looking for quick and simple ideas for dinner.  Here's a great standby to keep on hand and use whenever you want something healthy and homemade but just don't have the time or energy for complication.  Best of all, the slow-roasting tomatoes and garlic will make the house smell like you've made something really special.  The taste - mmmmmm - is the final hook!

PASTA with ROASTED TOMATOES & BASIL

12 plum tomatoes
olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

salt & pepper

dried oregano & basil

sugar

pasta

basil

fresh shaved parmesan

Preheat the oven to 250.  Cut the tomatoes in half, and take the seeds out with a small paring knife.  Arrange the tomato halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet lined with foil.  Drizzle just a little olive oil over the tomatoes, then sprinkle with the garlic, salt & pepper, a few shakes of oregano and basil, and a pinch of sugar.  Don't worry about measurements - just be sure each tomato half has a little bit of each element.  Leave these to roast in the oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until they are a bit brown on the tops and sides.  When the tomatoes have roasted, take them out of the oven and loosely wrap the foil around them, forming a packet.  Let them sit just like that until you're ready for dinner.

At dinner time, cook the pasta as usual.  While it's cooking, pour the tomatoes and their juices into a bowl.  Add some fresh basil leaves and chop everything very roughly (best done with kitchen shears).  We like to add whatever vegetables we have on hand - frozen peas, leftover broccoli, asparagus.  Mix with the pasta, top with parmesan, and dinner's done!

READ ON

In honor of our very wintry, wet weather here in Texas, we thought we would share some great reads for snuggling by the fireplace (possibly with lots of pillows inside a Lucy & Michael playtent?).  These are a few all-time favorites of ours - true gems that everyone in the family will love.

Age ranges are very loose, basically based on our own families.  All are as appealing to grown-ups as they are to kids (thank goodness!).

Ages 3 - 8:  Arnie the Doughnut, by Laurie Keller.  One funky take on a picture book!  Kids will love getting to know Arnie and his attempt at challenging his life's purpose - being eaten.  Adults will love Keller's witty jokes (a thank you to her editor is set to the old song "Super Freak") and illustrations that are clever and plentiful enough to stay fresh through hundreds of readings.  Because you will read this one hundreds of times!

Ages 5 and up: The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo.  Maybe you've seen the movie.  But if you haven't read this book, run to the bookstore now.  No kidding.  This is a truly delightful story of a brave mouse and "forgiveness, light, love and soup" (Booklist) - how can you resist?  Best read aloud to everyone in the family, from the youngest to the oldest.  It's a classic, and you'll smile while you read.

Ages 8 - 12:  Catherine, Called Birdy, by Karen Cushman.  A fantastic, funny, totally relatable story of 14-year-old Catherine living in 13th-century England.  Told through her diary, this book gives tremendous insight into life for girls in midevil England.  Historical fiction thinly veiled by a laugh-out-loud story that will transport young girls and hold them (and their parents) captive.

Ages 8 - 12:  Nicholas, by Rene Goscinny.  The first in a series originally published in France in 1959, this is a timeless story of adventurous school boys getting in trouble.  Their old-school antics are reminiscent of Leave It To Beaver and totally refreshing and new at the same time.  Sprinkled with tiny cartoon illustrations from Jean-Jacques Sempe, a much-acclaimed New Yorker cartoonist.  Girls and boys both will fall in love with Nicholas.

For the grown-ups:  The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery.  Another book translated from the French bestseller.  Months after finishing this book, we're still thinking about the intertwined lives of Renee, a concierge at an exclusive Paris apartment building, and Paloma, an overly precocious 12-year-old.  This book made us think about life and class and what's real and what's important more than any other book this year.  Read on if at first you don't think you'll love this book, because at the end you surely will.  Actually, we're on our way to begin re-reading it right now...