The "other" 12 days of Christmas!

12 Fresh Cloth NapkinsHave them ironed and ready to go.

11 Catchy Christmas Carols• “White Christmas,” Otis Redding • “Christmas in Hollis,” Run-D.M.C. • “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” the Jackson Five • “The First Snowfall,” Bing Crosby • “All I Want for Christmas,” RuPaul • “Silver and Gold,” Burl Ives • “Baby, Please Come Home,” Darlene Love • “Fireside,” Jim Brickman • “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” the Pretenders • “Santa Baby,” Eartha Kitt • “Christmas Time Is Here,” Vince Guaraldi

10 Hours for ShoppingThe average person spends that amount of time hunting for gifts, according to Consumer Reports.

9 Feet of Garland Per Foot of TreeYou need to go to great lengths indeed to jazz up a spruce of average height.

8 Care-Package ItemsHere’s what soldiers overseas most frequently request:• Letters from people like you • Nutrition bars • Ground coffee • Flavor packets for water • DVDs and CDs • AT&T global calling cards • Personal-hygiene supplies • Blank cards to send to their loved ones

7 Words to Remember“It is in giving that we receive.”— Saint Francis of Assisi

6 Rolls of Gift WrapAccording to the people at Kate’s Paperie, the paper retailer, most of us need this much to get the job done. (Choose recycled paper whenever possible.)

5 Emergency GiftsDon’t get caught short (again). Store them in a closet prewrapped for surprise guests.• Pillar Candles: unscented, ikea.com; scented, colonialcandle.com • Card Games in Tins (like Uno, Old Maid, and I Spy): amazon.com • Bud Vases: cb2.com; buy in bulk, save-on-crafts.com • Special Teas (mightyleaf.com) or Cocoa (chocolatebarnyc.com) • Paperwhite Bulbs: whiteflowerfarm.com, smithandhawken.com

4 Champagne CocktailsUpgrade a glass of bubbly with one of these options:• 1 tablespoon pomegranate juice • 1 scoop mango sorbet • 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice • 1 teaspoon Amaretto liqueurCheers!

3 Hours for WrappingYes, that’s the average time it takes, say the folks at Consumer Reports—and it’s all torn off in seconds!

2 Billion Christmas CardsIt may feel as if you’re personally sending out that many, but that’s actually the national total, according to HallmarkAnd a “

One-Horse Open Sleigh”Did you know that was the original title of “Jingle Bells”? A little fact to get your Christmas-party conversation started. Happy holidays!

This list was posted on Real Simple Magazine's website at www.realsimple.com

Glittery Pinecone Decorations

These pinecone decorations are a quick and easy craft which children of all ages - even the youngest - will enjoy. My son made one of these when he was two year's old .

You will need:
PineconesPipe cleaners (chenille stems)White glue (PVA) PaintbrushGlitterGlitter glue (optional)
Wrap a pipe cleaner around the pipe cleaner and form the top into a rough hook shape so that you can hang your finished decoration on the tree.
Now paint the edges of the pinecone with PVA glue, stand the pinecone on a paper plate of newspaper, and sprinkle with glitter. If you are doing this with a large group of children you can put the glitter out into bowls and dip the pinecones into it, which will give heavier coverage.
Alternatively, put dollops of glitter glue all over the pinecone. This is the less messy option, but it does take a long time to dry.

Frosty and Friends (Marshmallow Snowman)

Make a sweet snowman out of marshmallows! This cute idea is from the new book Kids in the Holiday Kitchen by Jessica Strand and Tammy Massman-Johnson.
Also, in the book are recipes and craft instructions for Incredible Edible Ornaments, Ice Cream Treewitches and more to inspire kids of all ages to get into the kitchen and get creative!
Preparation
Materials:
3 large marshmallows
3 toothpicks
Royal icing (recipe below)
Miniature chocolate chips
1 pretzel stick (small and thin)
8 inches skinny red licorice (or fruit leather cut into a thin strip)
1 Hershey's Kiss or Rollo candy
Steps
See the photo of the Marshmallow Snowman above for reference. Connect 2 marshmallows on the first toothpick. Push the second toothpick halfway into the top of the second marshmallow and spike your third marshmallow onto the top half of the toothpick. The toothpicks should be completely hidden in the marshmallows.
Using your third toothpick as a glue stick, add dots of icing to stick on chocolate chips to form “eyes” and “buttons.” Break the pretzel stick in half for arms, and carefully push them into the sides of the middle marshmallow. Wrap the licorice (or fruit leather) around the “neck” for a scarf, and use icing to glue the Kiss or Rollo onto Frosty’s head as a hat.
Makes 1 Snowman
Royal Icing
*An adult should prepare this icing.
Ingredients:
1 pound (about 4 cups) powdered sugar
6 tablespoons warm water
3 tablespoons meringue powder
Preparation:
In a mixer, beat the powdered sugar, water, and meringue powder on low speed for 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium, and continue beating until icing form soft peaks, 6 to 8 minutes. For a thinner icing, add 1/2 teaspoon additional water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

Mary, Did You Know?-Christmas Song

c. 1991 Word Music ( a division of Word, Inc.) and Rufus Music (admin. by Keeling & Company, Inc, Nashville, TN) Words: Mark Lowry Music: Buddy Greene Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
That your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered
Will soon deliver you
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know
That your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby
You've kissed the face of God
Mary, did you know?
The blind will see
The deaf will hear
And the dead will live again
The lame will leap
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
That your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know
That your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding
Is the Great I Am
Oh Mary did you know?

Recycled Snowman Light Bulb

Material:Small Globe Lightbulb (bulb area almost the same size as a standard bulb)Glass or Metal Paint (acrylics), Blue, Red, Black and WhiteBlack FeltChristmas Ornamental Scraps6 inches of Black RibbonCotton Swab (Q-tip)ToothpickHow to:You will need a circle of black felt, that is between 2 1/2 and 3 inches across. This circle can be a little crooked, in fact it looks much sweeter with a little jagged hat. Cut a small circle in the centre of your felt circle, a little smaller than the socket of the lightbulb. The felt will stretch when you pull it over the light socket.Paint the socket of the bulb with black paint, using a cotton swab. Allow this paint to dry completely. Using a cotton swab, dipped in blue paint, add one dot for each eye, another cotton swab dipped in black paint for the nose and then wet a clean cotton swab, dip the wet swab in red paint, then in white and mix together on the swab. Gently dab a few dots to create the cheeks.Using a toothpick dipped in red paint, paint a mouth and another toothpick dipped in black paint to add a few scribbled lines above the eyes.Glue your strip of black ribbon, to the sides of the socket (the ribbon ends will be hidden under the hat), gluing all the way up the socket and at the top of the socket (see photo), pinching the ribbon together at the top of the socket. You need this extra secure for your hanger to remain in place. Allow the glue to dry completely before you continue.Add a little ring of tacky glue around the socket edge, where it meets the bulb and pull the hat over the socket, down to the bulb. Press the felt hat brim against the tacky glue and allow to dry.Once the glue is dry, using tacky glue add a few embellishments to the front of the hat. This not only looks pretty, it disguises the socket of the lightbulb. Everything is secured to the bulb using tacky glue only and it works perfectly.

Peppermint Tree

I just had too post this becuse my grandmother just loves peppermints!!
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Double-sided foam tape
9- by 4-inch Styrofoam cones (sold in most craft stores)
Three 10-ounce bags of individually wrapped green striped mints
Small bag of individually wrapped multicolored sour balls or jawbreakers
Yellow paper
Yellow lollipop
Decorative candle stand
Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Apply strips of double-sided foam tape to the Styrofoam cone, as shown at left, until virtually the entire surface is covered. 2. Now your child can attach the wrapped mints to the exposed tape, starting with one row around the bottom and working his way up. For the best coverage and color, he should stick each mint to the tree by the rounded edge rather than with the flat surface facing out. Encourage him to mix in a few multicolored sour ball or jawbreaker lights as he goes. 3. For a tree topper, cut a star out of the yellow paper, tape the lollipop to it, and then push the lollipop stick straight down into the cone. Finally, set the tree on the decorative candle stand.

Christmas Reindeer Rule

Christmas Reindeer Rule'Twas the Night before Christmas, has lots of rhymes.But do you think the story really fits with our times? We don't have a chimney, our socks are in the wash.Dreaming of sugar plums? Oh my gosh!
And what's with a kerchief? Our dad wears no cap.He snores all night, you call that a nap?They tell us that Santa is coming tonight.He'll be flying in here on a sleigh. YEAH, RIGHT!
When we were much younger we believed all that stuff,Now that we're older we know it's a bluff.This Christmas eve is not going as we wish.So we sneak down the stairs to turn on the dish.
All involved in the movie, we wouldn't hear a mouse.But all this clatter, meant a party at the neighbors house.As we sprang to our feet, to see who was there.We couldn't believe it was really reindeer.We looked at each other, and gave out a squeak.Someone is coming, oh what a sneak.No it's just Dad going to the can.No, really look, it's the fat man.
He stands by the table and looks through the houseAnd takes from his pocket a tiny gray mouse.He says, "Ho, Ho Ho, I truly believe,There must be a mouse in each Christmas eve."His belt buckle shakes as he laughs, look at that.My gosh this jolly old guy sure is fat.He looks up, sees us, and gives a big smile.He says, "I came to see you, let's talk a while."You're grown up kids that don't believeThat Santa Claus comes on each Christmas eve.You let your minds be filled with doubt.It's simple, without me the fun is left out. "I remember the time you both sat on my kneeSmiles on your faces, eyes sparkling with glee.Don't you remember the thrill you felt then?With a little belief you can feel it again.

He turns as he says, "Will you please come out here?And there on the driveway stood eight tough reindeer.They all nod to us and then snort in chorus,"Who's these cool dudes now standing before us?"As the big burley guy crawls into his sleigh. We're both thinking, there ain't no way!He says, "It's my new team, a real with-it crew.I'll let HP give their names to you.""Here's E-mail and Smiley, Micro Soft and Charley,I'm HP, there's Copy, Surfin' and Banner.The big guy is Santa, the North Pole's his home,We're with him all year, we hang out in Nome."
Then they take off and fly to the roofTap a short rap and give a "high hoof."All turn and shout, "Tonight reindeers rule.The eight of us wish you a crazy cool Yule."Then Santa shouts, "It's true some things change.But believe in the basics." As he speeds out of range.This Story dear folks, is so out of sight."Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good-Night!"