December 2008 Archives
There was a time, pre-kids, when a bottle of asprin and a roll of Tums were all our household needed in the way of medicines. The seasonal cold would occasionally warrant a trip to the drugstore for cough medicine - back when you could buy it directly off the shelf - and we could contain it all in the kitchen junk drawer along with the few batteries we needed for the television remote and the flashlight (ah, the battery needs were so simple then).
Then the daycare years began and suddenly every bug that got into the classroom had to run its course among our whole family. The drug cabinet became more sophisticated overnight; now we needed both adult and child versions of each medicine, then junior dosages along with a multitude of prescriptions in every dispensible manner: drops, creams, solutions and syrups. Boo-boos also required bandages, preferably of the cartoon character variety.
Clearly the kitchen junk drawer was no longer an option. Besides the sheer volume of medications, a new factor to consider was accessibility. Meds had to be well out of reach of the children but easily accessible to the parents. As every BirmimghamMom knows, she is most likely to be searching for a fever reducer between one and three a.m. (There is also a temporarily berserk moment at 7:15 a.m. when a sleep-deprived mom wonders whether she can tuck a couple of Tylenol melts into her kid's cheeks and still send them to school...but she usually snaps out of it.)
These little three-drawer units have kept the family stash organized through every fever virus, ear infection, and episode of poison ivy. They are around $8 at Target or Wal-Mart and are deep enough to hold a full-size bottle of pain reliever, cough syrup, or an aerosol can such as Dermoplast or Solarcaine. Each drawer can be fully removed so Mom can take the entire "fever" drawer to the bedside to take a temp and administer medicine or take the "bandage" drawer to the fallen victim to clean and dress the wound.
The drawers can be put back in place just as easily and are top-drawer dishwasher safe if something spills. Obviously they must be placed out of reach of the kids - on a high shelf in a linen closet, for example - and any serious prescription medications should be kept in a more secure place. Labels for each drawer make finding the appropriate medication much easier and will ease your mind incase a babysitter were to call needing a medicine or bandage for your child before you can get home.
Be sure to store a thermometer with the fever reducer and the antibacterial spray or ointment with the bandages. Consider keeping the kids' bandage drawer separate from the regular bandage drawer so you'll know when you need more cartoon bandages and Dad (or your 12-year-old) can avoid the indignity of having to leave the house in a Dora the Explorer bandage.
If you entertain other families with children, one dilemma you are bound to face is how to keep the kids occupied so the adults can talk and enjoy themesleves. At minimum, you probably have a dining table for the kids and pull out all the operational toys you can find for after dinner entertainment. Here is an ingenious way to feed the kids and keep them occupied at the same time.
This idea comes from Pizzeria Uno where we recently dined during a famiy vacation. The kids ordered "make your own pizzas" and they were a huge hit that has also been as successful at home.
Flatbread is a perfect pizza base because it fits on a standard plate and is available at any grocery (one package contains 6 eight-inch flatbreads and costs around $2). Provide a flatbread for each kid and portion out pizza sauce and shredded cheese for each person in side/fruit bowls (these hold about 1/3 of a cup) as well as a few pepperoni slices in a pinch bowl.
Let the kids take their time assembling their masterpieces before you place each pizza in a 400 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Bake them directly on the rack for a crispy crust; bake on a stone or cookie sheet for a softer crust. We've found the kids can't wait to see how their pizza turns out and they have a strong appetite for a dish they make themselves. (Pizzeria Uno had the kids write their names on a popsicle stick they baked alongside the pizza, but we've never had trouble distinguishing who made which pizza based on the pepperoni designs.)
Yes, this meal takes supervision, but is easier than creating a second kids' menu, describing each item to the kiddos, then having you or the guest moms help plate and serve. These ingredients are uniform to prepare, universally liked, and easily customized for the kids who, for example, only want cheese on their pizzas. In fact, a make-your-own pizza buffet would work for almost any age - including adults - but is especially well suited for company among kids who may not be as well acquainted as the parents. The time they spend preparing, comparing, and eating their pizzas is time you parents can be enjoying your grown-up meal and conversation.
You've been knocking yourself out to decorate the house, mail the cards, keep the elves in line, and nurture family traditions for lifelong memories. That's a lot to manage.
Moms, its time for us to be lazy on some small things so we can reserve our energy for the big things that really matter this time of year. Pizza and pancakes are almost staples in households with children, and here are some clever products that could save you some hassle.
Freschetta PizzAmore: This line of frozen pizzas now comes pre-cut. Honestly, this didn't register with me at all as I was stocking up based on a promotional price at the store. However, I saw the genius of pre-cut after I pulled it out of the oven to serve. There was
- no searching for the pizza wheel,
- no utensil needed for serving or eating,
- no disproportionate slices (is anyone developing a laser-guided pizza cutter already?),
- no bickering over the "biggest slice"
In fact, this pizza even comes with its own cooking tray so it can be successfully enjoyed with nothing more than some paper towels for serving and clean up. It couldn't have been easier. And though during busy times I might eat shoe leather if it was easy to heat and serve, the pizza was actually good.
Pancakes from a can? Yes, think pancake batter in a Readi-Whip can. This Batter Blaster was just a novelty to me when I first saw it in Publix for $4.99. You can make pancakes from a box of mix for less per serving, but this is some good stuff to have around.
- Cook a batch of pancakes with only a pan and a pancake turner - no measuring cups, bowls, spatulas, etc.
- Picky eater? Make ONLY ONE pancake with no batter left over - the rest of you can have your scrambled eggs
- Aspiring young cooks can make their own pancakes with your supervision; the can is easy to handle
- Midnight craving for Mom? Make a few pancakes and leave no evidence - just clean the pan like it never happened
- Even easier for Dad to handle Saturday morning breakfast while you sleep in (add pre-cooked, microwavable bacon and they have no excuse to disturb you! no excuse!)
Finally, despite the unnatural feeling of pancake batter in an aerosol can, this product is actuallly certified organic. You may be asking why anyone would choose this can over a box of frozen pancakes and it's a good question. If you sometimes tire of the uniformity of frozen pancakes and like the idea of controlling for size (plate-size or silver dollar?) and shape (Mickey Mouse heads, letters?) yourself, Batter Blaster lets you do just that.
Save your energy for your family's special meal and take some shortcuts on the rest. And have yourself a lazy little Christmas now.
Although you may have visualized carefully selecting, wrapping, and offering the Perfectly Appropriate Gift to your recipient, it may be necessary to give up this fantasy for now. Maybe time has run out, other daily crises have taken over, or you just plain don't know where to start. BirminghamMom.com's gift card directory may help you out of a jam and regain some precious time for yourself.
One of these stores (Publix, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart) is bound to be on a street near you. Although this list is not exhaustive and is changing all the time, it will give you a good place to start. Check the list to see which store carries the gift cards that fit your needs.
Of course, all offer gift cards for their own stores. Note that the only other retailer WalMart carries is its sister store (brother store?), Sam's. Also, unless the gift card is for an on-line store, double check to be sure the recipient has a location near him or her. A Boston Market gift card would be useful to a recipient in Atlanta but there are no Boston Market locations near Birmingham (be similarly careful with cinema gift cards also).
No doubt you've noticed those tubs labeled "Two Bite Brownies" that menace you near the grocery check out line. One of the appealing things about anything labeled "two bite" is the implication that you would be satisfied with only two bites, which of course is not true. You will simply eat more of them, effectively making them "some multiple of two" bite brownies.
You may not have realized that your favorite family size brownie mix yields the perfect amount of batter for 24 two-bite brownies. Any mix that yields a 9 x 13 pan of brownies will fill 24 small muffin cups, exactly the size of the two-bite versions. (You can also use a mix for an 8 x 8 pan to yield one dozen small muffin-size brownies). By preparing brownies in muffin cups rather than a square pan, you have several advantages:
- Brownies cook uniformly rather than chewy in the center of the pan, dry on the edges
- Perfect portions (before accounting for second helpings, of course)
- No need for utensils to cut, serve, or eat
- No crumbles or uneven cuts; less handling in general
- For versions with icing on top, spin the top of the brownie in a bowl of icing before serving to frost
Small brownies are perfect to take for treats at the office or at school. Mixes have come a long way; there are scores of basic to gourmet mixes that offer consistent, reliable results for hardly more than the cost of the raw ingredients themselves. If you insist on homemade, you can still knock yourself out with your favorite recipe and bake in muffin cups for easier handling and serving. We busy BirminghamMoms will take the help we can get.
The real retail warriors are chomping at the bit to get out into the bedlam and find the best deals after Christmas. If you are a keen shopper, you can set yourself up for next year at a fraction of the regular price. Here are some items to watch:
Serving Pieces - hold out until they're drastically reduced. Next year you can pile a platter with cookies and leave the platter for your host...fill a small serving bowl with peppermints for your out-of town guest to take...etc.
Decorations - If you are the trendy type and know you'll want a change next year, keep an eye out for overstocks and especially ornament sets you can place in glass cylinders, bowls, etc. According to Inc. magazine, some of the big colors for next season will be fuschia, steel gray, and teal blue.
Holiday greeting cards - Of course photo insert cards will be reduced, so grab these now at substantial savings. However, keep an eye out for small cards that can be used as gift enclosures or even gift tags for next year. Small cards are perfect to include with hostess gifts or treats for neighbors/mail carrier, etc., and they dress up the simplest bag. The gift tag shown here was repurposed from cards that were 75% off last year.
While we're on the subject of cards, make the effort to look at greeting cards in new ways. This framed "Santa serernity prayer" is actually a greeting card from a box I purchased for $3 on clearance at Books-A-Million . It never fails to get a chuckle and I had 9 more cards to send to friends. If you see a card that makes you smile, think about whether you would enjoy it in a frame as part of your decorations. Most cards come in standard sizes and a simple black frame is only a couple of bucks.
Tablecloths - You can rack up on tablecloths and table runners after the holidays at places like Stein Mart, HomeGoods, and Target. Anything red is subject to markdown even if there is nothing related to the holidays in the pattern. Single napkins make great liners for breadbaskets and can be had for a under a dollar.
Papergoods - Paper plates and napkins will be on clearance. I've found you can always use beverage napkins, especially in the more neutral colors and prints like golds, browns and grays. They are just as useful in other seasons and no one will recognize them as holiday leftovers.
Happy bargain hunting! You'll be ready to hit the season wide open next year.
If you are kicking yourself for procrastinating on teacher gifts, take heart. Stores knew you would arrive at this moment and are happy to help you out. Maybe this last minute dash for a gift will help you empathize with your panicked spouse who is searching for your gift right now (if not waiting until December 24th). You will understand why he opted for the fragrance gift set again - it was wrapped and it was easy.
Here are some options for teacher gifts around town:
- A'mano in Mountain Brook Village has one of the largest selections of pre-wrapped gifts that include holiday spreaders and dip plates, ornaments, snacks and filled cookie jars. Most of them are in the $20 and up price range, so if you have several to buy for, consider your budget first.
- Restoration Hardware has pre-wrapped silver ornaments for around $10
- Swoozie's has several choices in holiday ware, although not all selections are pre-wrapped (they will gladly wrap, of course)
- Stein Mart has polka-dot insulated cups and MP3 cases monogrammed with a single initial. Colors are green or pink and these are reduced (around $10) but the selection is dwindling.
- Wrapsody in Patton Creek is having buy-one, get-one sales on much of its holiday-themed merchandise. The specials change frequently - examples of specials have included ornaments, green-and-red items, holiday things with polka dots, etc. - and they have a full staff expediting wrapping to get you on your way
If your child's teacher has been in her profession for several years, you can be sure she has already amassed a collection of mugs and figurines and may have more lotions and creams than she can use. Consider a gift card, which she can use as she pleases for herself or perhaps her family. Give it with a cute, related object and the card will seem more personal.
- Barnes & Noble - Of course most teachers enjoy reading but consider what else she can fine here: stationery supplies, lap desks, music, or some quiet time in the cafe. Give with a fun bookmark
- Panerra Bread - She gets 30 minutes to wolf down her meal every day and then she has to make sure her student helpers have wiped down the table before lining up. Is that a relaxing lunch? With a Panerra card she can have a soup and sandwich to herself while she's out shopping or grab a box of bagels for weekend breakfast. Give with a bottle of Jones soda (sold in Panerra) tied with a ribbon
- Movie Gift Card - Rave sells gift cards at the box office (usually opens after noon) but this is an errand for your lunch break or before the matinee lines begin at 4 p.m. Blockbuster cards are also available in gift card kiosks at stores like Walgreens. Give with a big box of Goobers or a theater-size bucket of popcorn
Finally, one of the best gift cards for the teachers on your list might be the gift of reading for every young child in Jefferson County. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has partnered with the Junior League of Birmingham to provide an age-appropriate book each month to children residing in Jefferson County from birth to age five. The minimum donation is $10 and an acknowledgement will be sent to your child's teacher. What a great way to honor your child's teacher and benefit our own community!
Whatever you do, don't neglect to include a note thanking your teacher(s) for their efforts. If your child is old enough to write, insist that he/she write a note as well. Appreciation is the most meaningful part of any gift and all of us need encouragement and the reassurance that our work is valued. This is especially true for the educators and caregivers who wash hands, provide tissues, inspire and instruct our kids every day.
How many times have you been in the aisle of store considering a large item like a bookshelf but talked yourself out of it because you weren't sure how you'd get it home, let alone set it up? Maybe you weren't in a vehicle that would accommodate the purchase or you didn't know when you (or hubby) would ever be able to to assemble and intstall it.
An industrious fellow, Rickey Davis, works full time at Sam's but offers delivery and assembly services through his personal business, Means to an End. Means to an End serves customers who have purchased an item too big for transport in a family sedan from a store that doesn't offer delivery services. Clearly, Rickey saw a need in the market and has found a way to fill it.
Although most of his deliveries are near the Hoover area, Rickey delivers all around the Birmingham metro area. He can be reached at 427-4100.
A'mano, Mountain Brook Village - The coin purses pictured here are sooo cute and colorful; even Mom might be tempted to use one for a driver's license and debit card. How could these characters not bring out a smile? Rudolph and the Snowman offer especially cheerful season's greetings. These are $8 each.
Serendipity Sweets, Rocky Ridge in Vestavia - Small toys like wind-ups and rubber balls as well as candy sold by weight; treat yourself to an ice cream or yogurt while you're there.
Learning Express, Patton Creek and Cahaba Heights - bins of small toys as well as personalized hair barrettes, small bath toys, and battery-operated gizmos.
Cracker Barrel - Reliable selection of classic small toys (think yo-yos, paddleballs) and candies like pecan rolls. They have some good-looking ornaments on sale, too, and not as country-themed as you might expect.
Don't discount the toy aisle of drug stores like CVS for small, unexpected things. If you've ever taken the kids in while you've waited on a prescription, you know they can find plenty of trinkets they don't mind asking (begging?) you to buy. There are all sorts of kitchy amusements here under $5.
Apparently the elves visiting homes around town have been busy over the past several days. One BirminghamMom of two says her family's elves, Blossom and Oliver, have pulled just about every possible trick over the years they've been staying with her family; she laments the only things left for them to do are shoot fireworks from the roof and burn down the garden shed. This, it seems, is the hazard that comes from that slippery slope of ever-escalating elf tricks.
Some of the more tame elf antics BirminghamMoms have reported experiencing include:
- Finding "ho ho ho" written in toothpaste in the bathroom sink basin
- Noticing books shelved upside down and pictures hung from the side rather than the top
- Elves caught sitting in the car with a tell-tale empty candy bar wrapper before them
- The surprise of an elf perched atop Mom and Dad's headboard (he must have gotten up there on a Friday night because the kids spotted him when they came to wake Mom & Dad on Saturday morning)
- Discovering an elf sitting in a cup inside the cabinet
- Noticing "Good luck on your spelling test" written on the bathroom mirror with an Expo marker
- Seeing a trail of snow down the hallway and into the kids rooms (this snow looked curiously like baking soda, which wouldn't have been too bad since it would freshen the carpet and vacuum up easily)
My husband pointed out it will be hard for our elf to do something noticable in the house given the disarray it is in already. I feel certain our elf, Grady, is going to exact revenge for this comment. You do not want to unleash the fury of the elves.
Do you have elf antics to share? Add them through comments or e-mail info@BirminghamMom.com. We moms have to stick together to keep our elves in line.
Calendars are all over the place right now and the selection will never be better than the weeks leading up to the new year. We all want a new start and imagine a fresh calendar will make the task of getting everyone to the right place at the right time a bit more managable.
There are a few calendar versions in particular that are helpful to BirminghamMoms:
A wall calendar that comes with a magnetic strip so the calendar can be affixed to your refrigerator or magnetic memo board. Advantages include a line each day for each member of the family, bright stickers to draw your eye to practices, school events, and doctor appointments (and avoid writing "practice" on each successive week at the same time). A small pocket allows for collecting birthday invitations and announcements until they can be transferred to the calendar. This is the family calendar I've used for several years with great results.
Mom's Plan-It desk version: Similar features except has a tear-out meal planner/grocery list for each week and sections for babysitter, school and medical contact information. This is a thicker, two-page per week version that is designed more for mom's personal use than for display. Portability is a plus if you have to negotiate complicated schedules at planning meetings or events.
Find it: Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Target (stationery section for the wall calendar, book section for the desktop version), and of course calendar stores such as in the lower level of the Galleria. Retails for $14.99.
My ultra-organized sister recommended to this me and now I purchase one each year in addition to my planning calendar. It is wonderful for household receipts and routine statements. Each month's calendar is printed on a full size file pocket that can be detached and put away after the month ends. At the end of the year your filing is done.
If you keep it near wherever you stash your purse you can empty your receipts into the pocket folders regularly. Put it on the inside door of a master bedroom closet and you and hubby can deposit receipts and notes as you change clothes and empty pockets. If you don't like the idea of having credit card and billing info in view of the pest control or cleaning service, tack the calendar on the wall behind your hanging clothes. Only you will know it's there.
This calendar has been enormously helpful for finding receipts, especially for returns or rebates.
BirminghamMom Tip: Double the utility by using of this calendar by using its record-keeping aspects in reverse. Note all the birthdays, anniversaries, and card-worthy events on the calendar, placing the appropriate greeting cards for each event in the month's folder. Send the cards throughout the year as they appear in each month's folder.
Find it: Books-a-Million, Barnes & Noble, Calendar Stores $14.99
3. Mom's Family Calendar by Boynton
These cartoons are adorable and the calendar comes with hundreds of stickers to note every appointment, even haircuts. This format is different - the days of the week read horizontally rather than in a grid format - but you can easily look across a single day and see what everyone has scheduled.
Find it: Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, Calendar Stores $12.99
4. Mom's Family Engagement Calendar
This desk calendar is spiral bound but in a hardback cover. It's designed more for mom than the family at large, with the expected monthly grid but a two-page per week lay out for Mom and family members separated into "morning," "afternoon," and "evening."
Find it: Books-a-Million, $16.99
5. Store Brand Mom's Calendars from Rite Aid, Target
Other stores have have their own versions of the Mom-focused calendar, and although these aren't the quality of the above calendars, they will fill the basic need for recording engagements. The Rite-Aid version is $4.99 but is usually discounted.
The Target calendar is in the $1 section at the front of the store. It's much smaller and has no stickers but is plenty adequate for keeping up with appointments. This section of Target sells out quickly, so don't be surprised if these don't last long.
Note: No one wants to pay full price for a calendar after January 2nd. Look for discounts after the first of the new year and clearance reductions by mid-January. Can't go two weeks into the year without your trusty calendar? Me either. I buy the ones I want now so I won't be left choosing between calendars featuring chimpanzees or muscle cars.
When we got word from cousins in South Carolina that elves were invading kids' homes around the holidays, we hoped the moms around those parts would hold the elves at bay. Reports were that the elves ate crackers, stayed suspiciously quiet during the day, and then ran around the house during the night causing all kinds of mischief. "Let the other moms deal with elves," I thought. "BirminghamMoms have all we can handle staying one step ahead of Santa. We certainly can't be taking on any North Pole boarders over the holidays, especially if they're going to misbehave."
Well, the elves came anyway, aided by peer pressure from other kids at school - why, some classrooms even have unofficial elves! - and moms who were too ashamed not to have their kids enjoying the fun. When our elf arrived after weeks of pleading from the kids, I sat down with him and had a little talk.
"Grady, you know that Moms and Santa have a direct line of communication. The same way Santa knows if the kids are sleeping is the same way we moms know if you elves are awake. So let's understand each other up front, because I WILL be making a report to the #1 Jolly Old Elf himself.
"I'm busier than ever over the holidays and I don't have a lot of time for foolishness. So we are gonna set some ground rules. This is what other moms have told me to cover with you:
1. "Remember that whatever mess you make, the kids will have to clean up. They will be thrilled to see you play some tricks as long as you don't get too ambitious. It won't be any fun if the clean up is a lot of trouble, so keep it simple."
2. "I'm sure elves get tired too, and it's okay if you don't have something new for us every single day. I know one of one family whose elf only does tricks during the 10 days leading up to Christmas. That sounds pretty manageable. If you get out of hand, we might have to renegotiate the duration of your stay next year." (I didn't want to hurt his feelings and tell him I still wasn't convinced he could come up with enough tricks to keep us entertained this year.)
3. "Beware of the dog."
4. "I know you want to go to school one day like so many of the other elves, and I might allow it if the teachers say it is okay, but just know that one school visit to see the kids ages an elf by at least 50 years. I know you're already over 400 years old, but since that's young in elf years, you'll appreciate this advice one day the same way I appreciate my mom making me wear sunscreen. Besides, all the kids at school might not have elves, and that wouldn't be much fun for them." (Maybe their moms are more sensible, I thought silently.) "Every household honors its own special traditions."
5."Just remember that you are here to bring the kids some fun Christmas memories. As long as you inject some Christmas magic into our home this season, you will have done your job and will receive a glowing report to Santa. You don't have to do anything elaborate; just keep us guessing. We refuse to begin one-upping elf tricks among the kids' friends. The kids have enough presents, so you don't have to bother with those unless its a bit of candy before you leave. The fun is the surprise of where you show up and what you've done to the stuff we have already."
6."Sadly, elves don't usually keep up their magical mischief once the kids are grown, and we all know that will happen before we know it. Let's make the most of this time that we have together. You do your part and I'll do mine, okay? We're a team. I'm already starting to like you, Grady."
"I promise to keep you out of reach of the dog."
No doubt many of you BirminghamMoms have had your home decorated since Iron Bowl Saturday, with a wreath on the front door to announce the household is officially in holiday mode. However, if you've just now gotten around to decking your halls, check out this fantastic wreath I found at Lowe's for $16.99.
Finally someone at a big retailer with the bulk purchasing power to discount has gotten word that we need options besides 1) fir and 2) round. This wreath has cedar, juniper berries and pinecones and is still fresh and fragrant. I added four berry stems (pinched off a hedge of hollies bordering a parking lot!) and there you have the final version.
Some other options for wreaths around town are:
Collier's Nursery, off the 459 Acton Road Exit - boxwood wreaths in all sorts of sizes; drive up and choose one from the neat stacks without having to rummage (always great service here)
Andy's Creekside Nursery, Rocky Ridge in Vestavia - besides greenery, rows and rows of plants and around the corner from two great lunch spots: Cafe Iz for a soup and sandwich or Leonardo's for yummy Italian
Leaf & Petal, Mountain Brook Village - the fun of finding a wreath here is seeing all the winter plant arrangements and getting the fever to install a windowbox even if it is December
Of course, wreaths look gorgeous inside the house. I love to see them hung over mirrors, in windows, and on stairwell landings. With a few of these wreaths, you can embellish your home as well as a professional florist can.
These are some of my favorite tried-and-true ways to use what I already have in decorating for Christmas:
Place a bough or greenery (a limb trimmed from an evergreen is perfect) in a basket and fill with shiny apples.
Toss a bag each of red and green Starlight mints into a bowl for a table in the foyer (a one pound bag of mints is a buck at WalMart).
Force paperwhite blooms in a soup tureen or bowl you already have. Buy bulbs individually at garden shops Leaf and Petal in Cahaba Heights/Mountain Brook and Garden Shop of Homewood on Oxmoor Road).
Hang a santa or elf hat on a coat hook near the entry and it will look like your North Pole visitor has already arrived. You're ready to don your festive hat whenever the mood strikes you. (A bedpost is also a good spot for a Santa hat).
Hang a red apron (how cute is this kid's version from Kohl's?) on a peg in the kitchen. The apron will represent holiday baking even if the Pillsbury Doughboy is your family chef, and you're uniformed for festive baking should you be inclined.
For parties or special occasions at home, tie a red bow around your pet's neck. The best ribbon is double-faced satin (so there's no wrong side) which you can hand wash and iron to use again. Smith's Variety in Mountain Brook and Oodles of Ribbon in Homewood have the best selections of ribbon, but a fine red bow is all you're after. You can buy a 1" wide version of lesser quality on a three yard spool at WalMart or Michael's and have enough left over for wrapping.
Pull out the underutilized crystal or Revere bowl you received as a wedding gift and fill with any ornaments that don't fit your tree this year; if you don't have enough ornaments for a full bowl, place a small cereal or condiment bowl upside down inside and mound the ornaments over it.
Ribbon again! Take a leftover piece from a gift wrap and tie in a simple knot on the handle of your coffee carafe. Don't forget to flag the ends of the ribbon (fold and cut at an angle from the center up toward the edge of the ribbon or just cut the end on an angle).
It's a great feeling to find new uses for things you already have, and the enjoyment is multiplied when you realize you won't have bought anything new (hence, your money can be used for other things) and you won't have more clutter to pack and put away after the holidays.
If you don't already have one of these babies, put the collapsible mesh laundry bag on your list of things to grab while you're out running errands this month. It will be the best seven bucks you'll can spend to take it easy on Christmas Day.
You know how it gets: Presents are distributed, paper starts flying, and an hour later everyone is asked to stop and help search for the small but critical toy pieces that the diagram indicates were included in the package. Now it's time to sort through the shredded papers and dangling ribbons to look for what must have fallen out.
However, if you've popped up a mesh laundry bag, you've kept the damage at bay already by having an easy spot to collect the paper trash. Placed at the perimeter of the paper-tearing frenzy, you'll find most of the family enjoys making a "basket" with their wadded papers as they go through each layer of wrapping.
And don't underestimate how much those neat toy packages swell in volume once they're undone. Anything composed of more than one piece is probably going to be packaged in shrink-wrap and wired to a cardboard back with a sensor-tag, multi-security system to delay the enjoyment of the actual product. You'll be amazed at how many pieces of plastic it takes to properly display a toy in a hermetically sealed packaging window.
Keep the good mood flowing once all gifts are opened and everyone is ready to play with the toys and model the new clothes. It's a sure signal the party's over when you have to announce it's time to pick up all the mess and carry out the trash. With your mesh bag you'll have been collecting the paper all along and you can immediately shake to see if there are any toy pieces that were inadvertently tossed without excavating the entire trash bin. You can relax and watch the toy brigade without being the party-pooper who's just trying to eliminate a fire hazard.
Pick up one of these bins at Target, Wal-Mart, or any corner pharmacy chain like CVS or Walgreens (however, the latter carry smaller versions and you can probably use the biggest you can find). Tuck the collapsed bag in a corner of your great room on Christmas Eve and you'll be ready to pop it open on a moment's notice. Use it all year with a liner to collect paper plates after the barbeque, leaves from the yard, or corral balloons to transport to a birthday party. It might be good for laundry too, but mine stays busy doing everything else.
If you're buying gifts online, don't overlook an opportunity to earn savings for college through Upromise. As long as you start your shopping from the Upromise site (and have registered with Upromise, of course), you can still enjoy all the promotional benefits being offered by the retailer. That includes sale prices, any free shipping offers, coupon codes, and on and on. In fact, nothing about your shopping experience will be different except the fact that you started at Upromise.com.
As I always say, if you're shopping online anyway, why not bank two to eight percent for the kids' college fund? Here are just a few of the participating retailers along with the purchase percentage contributed and a few suggestions (none listed below link directly to the websites because you must begin your shopping from the Upromise site to receive any benefit):
- Target, Kmart - 2%; clothing, toys, electronics
- Shutterfly, Snapfish - 8%; photo cards or an album for the grandparents
- Barnes & Noble, Borders - 4% through the end of the year; Elf on the Shelf, Daring Book for Girls/Boys
- Petco, PetSmart - 7%; true pet lovers always have something for Fido!
- Best Buy - 2%; electronics, DVDs, Games
- Ballard Designs -3%; Accessories for home
- American Girl - 2%; dolls and doll clothing, accessories
- Lilly's Kids - 8% - personlizing all sorts of kid things even as Southerners were monogramming at boutiques
- Golfsmith - 3%; anything golf related, if you are a golf widow you may as well have the kids benefit
- Jcrew 2%;Gap 3%, American Eagle 2%, Limited Too 3%; for tweens and teens old enough to want clothes for Christmas
Upromise has a personalized link that you can send to family or friends so they can make their purchases with your account earning rewards. If you've already gotten e-mails asking for a wish list, you can respond and include your link, which will be provided to you on your Upromise secure log-in page. Web-savvy grandparents who are shopping online anyway will like knowing there is an additional benefit. And hey, if your kids have grandparents or a trust fund already covering their tuition, feel free to use my link! http://www.upromise.com/guest/2551487255.
