OBT Holiday Countdown, Week Two
If you’ve been following along on Facebook, you’ll see that OBT blogger Claire Willett, the company’s resident holiday geek, is sharing a countdown to Hanukkah and Christmas with daily tidbits to get you ready for the holiday season, from recipes and stress-busters to holiday songs and videos. If you’re not on Facebook or you want to share the fun with friends and family, we’ll be posting a Friday roundup of all the week’s posts for you to enjoy!
MONDAY
16 Days to Hanukkah, 21 Days to Christmas
20 WAYS TO DRESS UP YOUR HOT COCOA
(Be advised that all of these are even better if you get the fancy kind and make it with milk. I like Moonstruck’s Dark Chocolate Cocoa Mix.)
ALCOHOLIC:
1) Amaretto
2) Bailey’s
3) Spiced dark rum
4) Kahlua
5) Peppermint schnapps
6) Grand Marnier
7) Coconut rum
8 ) Goldschlager
9) Butterscotch schnapps
10) Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
NON-ALCOHOLIC:
1) Candy cane (either crushed and sprinkled on top, or whole and hung over the side of the mug)
2) Cinnamon and a dried red Thai chili
3) Peanut butter
4) Vanilla extract
5) Melt Ibarra Mexican Chocolate into the milk instead of using mix
6) Pieces of a chocolate orange
7) Coconut milk, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves
8 ) Maraschino cherries
9) Sea salt
10) Maple Syrup
TUESDAY
15 Days to Hanukkah, 20 Days to Christmas
A festive party for 20+ people on $100 from Trader Joe’s, including flowers and a sparkly cocktail? TOTALLY POSSIBLE. Click here to see how!
WEDNESDAY
14 Days to Hanukkah, 19 Days to Christmas
If you need a little midweek pick-me-up, might I suggest this delightful video of Bing Crosby and David Bowie teaming up for sassy banter and beautiful singing in what looks like the grand foyer of some colossal English manor?
THURSDAY
13 Days to Hanukkah, 18 Days to Christmas
Holiday Stress-Buster: MAKE A “DON’T-DO” LIST.
Are you one of those people who goes insane with stress around the holidays? Here’s something to try.
1) Write up your entire holiday list of obligations – every event you have to attend and every task you have to do (decorating, writing the holiday letter, baking cookies for the neighbors).
2) Now go through the list and cross out 10% of the items on it, the ones that give you the least enjoyment. What do you tell yourself that you HAVE to do, but really don’t? Skip it or cut back this year. Do you send 100 holiday cards when you really could send 12? Do you secretly want to skip one of those nine cocktail parties so you can watch “The Grinch Stole Christmas” with your kids in their pajamas? How many people are REALLY expecting gifts from you?
3) For every item you cut, add in one thing that is pure enjoyment, just for you. Even if it’s just five minutes to listen to a holiday song you like, these little mini-breaks give us the recharge we need to make it through New Year’s without going crazy.
FRIDAY
12 Days to Hanukkah, 17 Days to Christmas
Time for a truly hilarious Friday Dance Break! Click here to watch Stephen Colbert take on the Sugarplum Fairy grand pas with two dancers from American Ballet Theatre!
