In the spirit of neighborliness, we come together to share our favorite ways of keeping the holidays simple, gift giving easy and our favorite Christmas music to have playing in the background of this season! We are deeply grateful to you, our reader, for being a part of this community and want to wish you a merry and memorable Christmas.
JESSICA
Favorite gift to make:
I enjoy making soups and repurposed items, cookie making and pretzel dipping day with as many generations as can come; then giving them to neighbors in our development (one that is very closed and not friendly yet looks for us each year) & making a point to hold one gathering of great people to connect and be intentional about relationship.
I love listening to:
Michael Buble - Let it Snow and any of the classics... Dean Martin! Frank Sinatra! Nat King Cole!
I enjoy making soups and repurposed items, cookie making and pretzel dipping day with as many generations as can come; then giving them to neighbors in our development (one that is very closed and not friendly yet looks for us each year) & making a point to hold one gathering of great people to connect and be intentional about relationship.
I love listening to:
Michael Buble - Let it Snow and any of the classics... Dean Martin! Frank Sinatra! Nat King Cole!
JEN
Favorite gift to make:
Southern Pecans. I love making these and putting them in cellophane bags with pretty ribbon for hostess gifts, neighbors, the mailman, etc. Just keep them in your freezer and pull one out when you need a little gift. Easy and delicious!
Southern Pecans
1 pound pecans
1 cup sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp cinnamon
Combine sugar, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whip egg white and water with wire whisk or fork until frothy (do not use electric beaters). Pour froth over nuts and mix until all nuts are wet. Add sugar mixture to wet nuts and mix until all nuts are coated. Spread onto large greased cookie sheet with an edge. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes (stirring every 10 minutes). Loosen from cookie sheet while still warm. Place on wax paper to cool. Enjoy!
I Love Listening To:
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi Trio and A Christmas To Remember by Amy Grant. These two are so peaceful and beautiful, I play them all year round. I was going to mention my Dolly Parton holiday station on Pandora, but I thought I might get asked to leave Neighborlies. Hard Candy Christmas still moves me to tears. I'm such a weirdo.
Southern Pecans. I love making these and putting them in cellophane bags with pretty ribbon for hostess gifts, neighbors, the mailman, etc. Just keep them in your freezer and pull one out when you need a little gift. Easy and delicious!
Southern Pecans
1 pound pecans
1 cup sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp cinnamon
Combine sugar, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whip egg white and water with wire whisk or fork until frothy (do not use electric beaters). Pour froth over nuts and mix until all nuts are wet. Add sugar mixture to wet nuts and mix until all nuts are coated. Spread onto large greased cookie sheet with an edge. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes (stirring every 10 minutes). Loosen from cookie sheet while still warm. Place on wax paper to cool. Enjoy!
I Love Listening To:
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi Trio and A Christmas To Remember by Amy Grant. These two are so peaceful and beautiful, I play them all year round. I was going to mention my Dolly Parton holiday station on Pandora, but I thought I might get asked to leave Neighborlies. Hard Candy Christmas still moves me to tears. I'm such a weirdo.
HEATHER
What I do to keep it simple:
Online shopping only. Make ahead (any) breakfast casserole to put in the oven Christmas morning (this is a great one!). Read the Christmas story in the kids bedroom before rushing downstairs for presents. And don't forget to chill the champagne for Mimosas.
I love listening to:
James Taylor Christmas and Andre Bocelli. And my husband and son on the piano (Not sold in stores).
Online shopping only. Make ahead (any) breakfast casserole to put in the oven Christmas morning (this is a great one!). Read the Christmas story in the kids bedroom before rushing downstairs for presents. And don't forget to chill the champagne for Mimosas.
I love listening to:
James Taylor Christmas and Andre Bocelli. And my husband and son on the piano (Not sold in stores).
CARLA
What I do to keep it simple:
As the years have passed, I've become increasingly less frenzied over perfecting every little detail--so I guess changing my mindset was the first thing. Do I dare share that for the last two years, we didn't even put up a tree? (Gasp!) We have a faux tree that I have year round that I may decorate in a seasonal theme, but not a traditional Christmas tree. I also love avoiding the crowds and shopping online.
I love listening to:
City on a Hill is always on my playlist this time of year.
As the years have passed, I've become increasingly less frenzied over perfecting every little detail--so I guess changing my mindset was the first thing. Do I dare share that for the last two years, we didn't even put up a tree? (Gasp!) We have a faux tree that I have year round that I may decorate in a seasonal theme, but not a traditional Christmas tree. I also love avoiding the crowds and shopping online.
I love listening to:
City on a Hill is always on my playlist this time of year.
KRISTEN
What I do to keep it simple:
Buy (almost exclusively) online, choose quality over quantity (our boys are each getting only one gift from us this year). Most importantly, I am purposing myself to be intentional with my calendar <-- this one is really hard/important because my December work schedule is REALLY FULL (like, scary full). So planning intentional down time to bake and be with my kids and also saying "no" to (even really great) things in order to have PJ family time to just be together are ways that I am attempting to preserve my sanity and the mental health of my family.
I love listening to:
All of the classics - Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Dean Martin - I have a Pandora station of these gems. Aaaaaaand, if I'm being honest…the Mariah Carey Christmas album is pretty much unbeatable.
Buy (almost exclusively) online, choose quality over quantity (our boys are each getting only one gift from us this year). Most importantly, I am purposing myself to be intentional with my calendar <-- this one is really hard/important because my December work schedule is REALLY FULL (like, scary full). So planning intentional down time to bake and be with my kids and also saying "no" to (even really great) things in order to have PJ family time to just be together are ways that I am attempting to preserve my sanity and the mental health of my family.
I love listening to:
All of the classics - Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Dean Martin - I have a Pandora station of these gems. Aaaaaaand, if I'm being honest…the Mariah Carey Christmas album is pretty much unbeatable.
TERRI
What I do to keep it simple:
I try to simplify Christmas as much as possible. Once I get myself going, I enjoy the decorating of the house and gradually adding gifts for those on my list, but they are not expensive or in abundance. Growing up my children always received just three gifts- I guess because Jesus did...but then again, why do we give ourselves gifts on HIS birthday? That's always a mystery to me. I hate the frantic pace that the media captures from Thanksgiving eve to the day AFTER Christmas- as much as possible I wanted to shift the attention off of that and on to just BEING during the Christmas season. Early on my kids knew to make a list of things they wanted, but they also knew that there would not be an over-abundance under the tree.More than anything, I hope my kids will remember what they gave, more than what they received-or begged for- or coveted over.
I love listening to:
I'm a fan of Pandora and enjoy the mixed station of Celine Dion, Josh Groban and Michael Buble that is playing in the background as I type!
I try to simplify Christmas as much as possible. Once I get myself going, I enjoy the decorating of the house and gradually adding gifts for those on my list, but they are not expensive or in abundance. Growing up my children always received just three gifts- I guess because Jesus did...but then again, why do we give ourselves gifts on HIS birthday? That's always a mystery to me. I hate the frantic pace that the media captures from Thanksgiving eve to the day AFTER Christmas- as much as possible I wanted to shift the attention off of that and on to just BEING during the Christmas season. Early on my kids knew to make a list of things they wanted, but they also knew that there would not be an over-abundance under the tree.More than anything, I hope my kids will remember what they gave, more than what they received-or begged for- or coveted over.
I love listening to:
I'm a fan of Pandora and enjoy the mixed station of Celine Dion, Josh Groban and Michael Buble that is playing in the background as I type!
JANELLE
Simple gifts:
This year my Dad and Mom are writing letters of blessing and encouragement to their 25 grandchildren.... no gifts, only the beautiful blessing of their words (and the kids will be grateful dang it)! In other simple gift news, I have used the French Press Mornings encouragement verses more than a few times. You can print a bunch out and tie a ribbon around them and voila, a notecard set. Or frame them.
What I love listening to:
"Wintersong" by Sarah Mclachlan, anything by Over the Rhine and a new one that I ordered this year by Katharine McPhee, "Christmas is the time to say I love you" (stupidest album title ever)! Also, our record player breaks out during the holiday season with oldies by Bing, Evie, Frank and Psalty.
This year my Dad and Mom are writing letters of blessing and encouragement to their 25 grandchildren.... no gifts, only the beautiful blessing of their words (and the kids will be grateful dang it)! In other simple gift news, I have used the French Press Mornings encouragement verses more than a few times. You can print a bunch out and tie a ribbon around them and voila, a notecard set. Or frame them.
What I love listening to:
"Wintersong" by Sarah Mclachlan, anything by Over the Rhine and a new one that I ordered this year by Katharine McPhee, "Christmas is the time to say I love you" (stupidest album title ever)! Also, our record player breaks out during the holiday season with oldies by Bing, Evie, Frank and Psalty.
MICHELLE
How I try to not overspend:
I LOVE buying presents. I love finding something that screams "This Is Perfect for Person A" and knowing that they will have that same excitement when they open it. But our bank account doesn't love me loving it. So I create a budget for each person and stick to it by putting literal cash in a literal envelope with that person's name on it. We've done this for the past 10 or so years. And I'm SURE that THIS will be the year that I don't use our credit card as a back up ...
What I love listening to:
"She & Him : A Very She & Him Christmas" - for a little folksy-ness. "Cambridge Singers & John Rutter : Christmas Star" - for a little classical chamber Christmas. "David T Clydesdale : Let Heaven and Nature Sing" - for a little classical modern Christmas.
I LOVE buying presents. I love finding something that screams "This Is Perfect for Person A" and knowing that they will have that same excitement when they open it. But our bank account doesn't love me loving it. So I create a budget for each person and stick to it by putting literal cash in a literal envelope with that person's name on it. We've done this for the past 10 or so years. And I'm SURE that THIS will be the year that I don't use our credit card as a back up ...
What I love listening to:
"She & Him : A Very She & Him Christmas" - for a little folksy-ness. "Cambridge Singers & John Rutter : Christmas Star" - for a little classical chamber Christmas. "David T Clydesdale : Let Heaven and Nature Sing" - for a little classical modern Christmas.
JEANE'
What I do to keep it simple:
For our children' gifts, we are sticking by this guideline: Something to wear, something you need, something you want, something to read. Also, as I'm not much of a follower of blogs about easy gift giving (except for my moms!), I have loved the ideas that my cousin Lindsay has shared on quick, easy and desirable gifts to give... her Pinterest board is completely worth following!
What I love listening to:
James Taylor Christmas, Perry Como and any Amy Grant Christmas album.
For our children' gifts, we are sticking by this guideline: Something to wear, something you need, something you want, something to read. Also, as I'm not much of a follower of blogs about easy gift giving (except for my moms!), I have loved the ideas that my cousin Lindsay has shared on quick, easy and desirable gifts to give... her Pinterest board is completely worth following!
What I love listening to:
James Taylor Christmas, Perry Como and any Amy Grant Christmas album.
