The Painted Apron

Holidays, Happy December Holiday Round-up!

Posted by the Painted Apron on December 1, 2014 · 3 Comments 

I did a bit of small scale of decorating over the weekend

But mostly I was goofing off…  😎

To get back in the Holiday spirit, I looked through some Christmas pasts and found some of my very favorite Christmas ideas and recipes, for a little December 1 Holiday kick start!

Easy Party Idea

Take the stress out of holiday entertaining with a Bloody Mary Bar.  I am thinking about doing this for our annual Christmas Eve family lunch…

Set out all the fixings along with some unexpected surprises like these BLT kebabs

BBQ sauce or other unique ingredients~

Let everyone create their own concoctions and it will be merry  indeed~

Bloody Mary Bar Fixings:

Put out bowls of olives, green beans, celery stalks, cucumber sticks, jalapenos, pickled okra, cherry tomatoes, hard boiled eggs

Include an array of fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, parsley, cilantro and citrus wedges of lemon and lime

Don’t forget the heat, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, celery salt and

Besides traditional vodka, you could provide several different types of Vodka, such as Pepper, or Orange and a variety Bloody Mary Mixes, and fresh tomato, and orange juice

Offer some over the top garnishes such as crispy bacon strips, beef jerky,  shrimp and BLT skewers

Two-in-One Gift

Peppermint Snowballs fit nicely into a quick spray painted jar~ First spray the jar white then overspray with silver glitter and fill with Peppermint Snowballs, Trick or Treat Bars [so easy, and good any time of year], or even a store bought goodie

A little ribbon and a cute gift tag, and the wow factor is guaranteed!

Create a Surprise Decoration

You might want to have some fun with Frosty, like last year’s Frosty’s Bubble Bath

Be sure to stay tuned to see what he’s up to this year!

Try a different color on your table

Angels in the Snow is probably my very favorite table, there is something about aqua, silver and white that is ethereal.  A different color palette for holiday and winter decorating can be a refreshing change

Fast and Fabulous No Fail Holiday Recipes

Christmas Chex Mix, a different mix with cashews, Bugles and peanut M&Ms.  Make plenty, the adults will eat more than the kids!

North Pole Cocktail, a grown up version of a peppermint milkshake

Asparagus and Ham Alfredo Rolls look impressive, but are quick to throw together and are perfect for a brunch, luncheon, or a side dish for soup or salad

Croissant Brunch Casserole is a good choice for Christmas morning, and it’s a breeze to make with deli ham, croissants and cheese slices, baked in an egg custard.  Like other breakfast casseroles, it’s best made the day before and put in the refrigerator overnight

Loaded Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili will hit the spot after a night of shopping, caroling or tree trimming

Mongolian Beef is made in a slow cooker, get it going in the morning and you can smile all day

Orange Cornish Hens with Rosemary Salt are so easy to prepare and make an elegant presentation for company

Don’t forget Santa! He is going to need some cookies, like these Candy Cookies

Be sure to stop back by, I have lots of holiday fun planned for this month~

I love December!

tutorial for Christmas Cottages here

for more photos of the beach themed Christmas tree see Christmas in July here

click on the green highlighted recipe names for the recipes

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I will be sharing with the fabulous parties and blogs on my side bar and:

The Scoop

Between Naps on the Porch

Mila’s Little Things

Memories by the Mile

Posed Perfection

The Style Sisters

Pure Grace Farms

Melanie Makes

Holiday Recipe LInk up Party