DRIED CITRUS FRUIT GARLAND

Decorating for Christmas is something I absolutely love to do every year (even though it can take days and essentially makes your house look worse before it gets better!). I have a good collection of decor but always like to add something new each year and this year I decided to make something homemade ( I may have also purchased items too – who can resist the Christmas aisle in Homesense!).

I wanted to make something that could last for many seasons and after seeing variations of the dried fruit garland on Pinterest for years, I decided to tackle the project head on. Surprisingly it was quite easy – the most difficult part was trying to figure out how I wanted to organize the fruits. There are so many variations you could go with – check out my creation and tips and tricks below!

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TRADITIONAL POLISH WIGILIA COMPOTE

Polish traditions run strong on holidays (have you seen my post about Easter baskets?) and Christmas Eve is no exception! Our family sits down to a large dinner consisting of 12 separate dishes (yes 12!) and they are all served one by one so you can properly taste and enjoy each item. The 12 dishes originally stem from the 12 disciples but as kids we were more excited for all the food than the reason behind the meal.

One item that always ended up on the table (above and beyond the 12 dishes) was a fruit compote that was so delicious we would drink it before the third dish even came around. My mom varies this compote drink up every year to keep things interesting – some times its made from dried fruit but other times from fresh/frozen fruit. There are so many variations and it always turns out beyond Delicious! Check out the recipe below for all the details!

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HOW TO THROW AN EASY CHRISTMAS COOKIE DECORATING PARTY

Decorating cookies for Christmas can be so much fun but also a little stressful! I love looking at all the cookie decorating posts on Pinterest but some look extremely elaborate and nothing like something the average person can create! The cookie decorating setups look even grander and make me question how are they possible with 10 people attending ?!

I’ve put together a few ideas on how to throw an easy Christmas cookie decorating party that won’t break the bank or stress you out! Down below are a few tips on how to put together this event without going overboard and spending a week planning it out.

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NEW YEAR’S EVE TABLESCAPE – BLACK AND SILVER

I have never been a huge New Year’s Eve person which I definitely think most people can relate to. Not to be confused with the New Year in general which I absolutely LOVE! Planning out a fresh year, looking back at goals and creating new ones – that’s my jam… but that is a post for another day. New Year’s Eve on the other hand just seems to always be a huge build up and never really delivers in my opinion. The holidays are busy enough therefore by the end of December I am ready to stay in with friends and do something low key. 

While I love getting in sweats and relaxing on the couch with m bffs, I do think that staying in with friends can sometimes use a little pizzazz. This is a quick tablescape that I whipped up which primarily consists of Christmas ornaments! No need to venture out for New Year’s themed decor – just use what you have to add some sparkle to the table this year!

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THIRD ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CRAFT PARTY

This past weekend I had the girls over for our 3rd Annual Girls Christmas Craft Party. This is a day I started three years back and has become a tradition that we have kept going these past few years. This year I wasn’t sure if we were going to end up doing it because my husband and I sold our house and moved in November therefore it’s been a few hectic weeks!

The craft day is open to everyone and the attendance list changes yearly. Not everyone can make each event but it’s fun to get together when possible. Each year I have planned a specific craft that we do together as a group. The first year was making our own various Christmas themed lip and body scrubs and epsom salts for the bath.  Last year we made Christmas wreaths and this year we made homemade soaps/gift bows to give out for presents (and keep for ourselves too of course!). It’s always fun to brainstorm new ideas and to get together during this busy season. Next year I may need to recreate my homemade chocolates because they were delicious and would be so much to do together! 

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