Hoopla digital. - Christmas Recipes & Crafts

Theres no denying it. Christmas is a truly magical time of year. Theres the crisp, cool bite of winter air, the smell of pine needles, twinkling lights, and, if youre lucky, even a few jingle bells jingling, too. And thats just outside. Inside cozy homes everywhere, the smells of freshly baked pies and cookies mingle with the scent of the freshly cut Christmas tree adorned with twinkling lights, sparkling ornaments, and candy canes. A ham or a bird roasting in the oven raises everyones appetite for the big sit-down meal that draws generations of family, loved ones, and good friends to the table.

What better way to spend time with the family than cooking up delicious treats, making gifts for others, and fashioning your own unique Christmas decorations? As the weather turns chilly and the days get shorter, the weeks leading up to Christmas are the perfect time to start your craft projectswhether youre making gifts or home decorations.

Decorations, such as the Christmas Wreath, or a Decorative Jar make lovely gifts for those hard-to-buy-for people on your list. Homemade Christmas cards, such as the Christmas Snowflake Card, come in handy when its time to put Christmas and New Year greetings in the mail. Gift Tags and Gift Decorations, too, are both useful and a fun way to add a personal touch to your gift presentations.

Set a festive scene in your home with Handmade Stockings, Christmas Card Tree Decorations, a Country-Style Garland, and a Decorative Centerpiece. And if youre feeling romantic, dont forget to hang a sprig or two of mistletoe.

The best cold-weather activity of all just might be staying indoors and cooking up delicious treatseither to give as gifts or serve to guests. From the Christmas Kitchen offers plenty of delectable gift ideas. From Indulgent Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix and Pistachio & Apricot Nougat to Christmas Ginger Thins and Nutty Peppermint Bark, theres a sweet treat to appeal to everyone on your list. Not-so-sweet options, such as Corn Relish or Mixed Nuts in Herbed Salt, are sure to delight those who dont go for sugary treats.

Once your gifts are all wrapped up, its time to plan for the festive meals. No matter what type of affair you envision, our festive recipes will do the season justice. The Christmas Favorites chapter includes essential recipes for the main eventFestive Shrimp Cocktail, Traditional Roasted Turkey, Baked Fish, Creamed Spinach, Cornbread, and many other seasonal favorites.

Brunch favorites, including Christmas Spiced Pancakes, Asparagus & Egg Pastries, and the always-popular Pain au Chocolat Cinnamon Rolls, are sure to delight on Christmas morning.

Kick off a celebratory dinner with Chestnut & Pancetta Soup or Baked Oregano Lobster. For the main dish, choose from a traditional Prime Rib of Beef au Jus or Roasted Monkfish with Scalloped Potatoes. Pair these with superb sides, such as Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Desserts, including Cheesecake with Caramel Pecans or a Dark Chocolate Yule Log, provide an elegant ending.

Weve even got you covered for drinks and canaps, with recipes for Holiday Eggnog, Kir Royale, Stuffed Olives, Blinis with Shrimp & Wasabi Cream, and more.

A chapter on leftovers offers deliciously creative ideas for giving them a second life. Turn leftover roasted turkey into Turkey Club Sandwiches, leftover roasted chicken into Chicken & Dumplings, leftover ham into Ham & Leek Risotto, and leftover potatoes and Brussels sprouts into Salmon & Potato Casserole.

Enjoy the Season

Christmas is meant to be full of joy and good fun, but too often we get hung up in all the preparation. So many parties to planand attendso many meals to cook, gifts to buy or make, and other tasks to do. However, a good plan of action can mean that youll enjoy the season to the utmost.

Start your crafting and shopping earlyas soon as the mood strikes. The minute the weather turns chilly is the perfect time to start thinking about Christmas crafts. For gifts, the advice is to start early. However, if you have just a month to go and can brave the crowds, take advantage of the after-Thanksgiving sales. Better yet, if youre really organized, shop during the after-Christmas sales for next years gifts. Even if you simply take advantage of reductions on gift wrap, greeting and gift cards, Christmas tree ornaments, lights, and other decorations, youll cut down on last-minute chores and save money.

As for the big day itselfor any parties you plan to throw for the seasonthe first order of business is to decide what type of holiday affair you want to host. Will it be a fancy black-tie soire with champagne and caviar and guests in their holiday finery? Or do you prefer a cozier, family dinner with roasted turkey served with creamed spinach and finished off with pumpkin pie? Of course, there are a million options in between, including a casual cocktail party, a buffet party, a themed brunch, or a formal sit-down dinner.