I’d hoped to be able to post at least one more recipe before the craziness of Christmas descends upon us, but it is not to be. I have three, count ’em, three sick kids right now, and I haven’t been feeling so hot myself. Needless to say, the Christmas spirit in this house is a little dampened and I have not been able to get to all the cooking I had planned. I have no new recipes to offer you, so I thought I might distract you from this fact with a few pretty pictures of my holly in the snow and an idea for a fun, easy project for little kids.
After almost no snow for the entire month of December, it looks like we will indeed have a white Christmas here in New England, and for that I am grateful. It certainly cheers the little ones to look out from the windows and see all the glittery white stuff on the ground. I am also grateful that it looks like we will all be feeling a lot better for Christmas Day itself. At this point, we really can’t ask for much more than that, so I will take pleasure in the little things. Like snow on holly and a quiet Christmas with my family.
And Reindeer Food. If you have any little ones in the house that still believe in Santa Claus, they will love this idea. I am stealing it, without shame, from the preschool my older two both attended for several years. It’s simple and fun. Just mix some oats with any sort of craft glitter you might have on hand. If you don’t have any glitter, throw some Christmas sprinkles in. Then, on Christmas Eve, have the little ones sprinkle it onto the snow (or the grass, or the patio) for Santa’s reindeer. Make sure you go out after the kids are in bed to sweep some of it up so they know the reindeer came to eat it! If you have snow, make a few hoof-prints around the reindeer food to show that Rudolph and his companions had their fill.
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So, to all of my readers, friends and family, I wish you and yours the best of the holidays!
Lizzy says
Aw, shoot…3 sick kiddos for Christmas? Sending you all healthy wishes…and Merry Christmas wishes, too! Your holly is spectacular…love it!
K o r i says
Wow, beautiful photos! And great idea with the reindeer food! I hope your kids get well asap. Merry Xmas to you!!!
Stella says
Hey Carolyn, I suspect many will be in your very busy predicament. Ooh, except you have sick little ones to boot. Yikes! Wash your hands a lot (smile)…
Hope you have a Merry Christmas too and a relaxing one!
XOXO,
Stella
p.s. I'm reliant on eggs when I do gluten free too. Gotta figure that one out…though organic eggs aren't so bad. I love them:-)
Sandra says
I hope that all of you will feel better…I am sending you as well health wishes!!!! I remember reindeer food when my kids were in Kindergarten.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Jeanine says
Hope you guys are all feeling better by tomorrow morning! 🙂 Merry Christmas, Carolyn! Those pictures are beautiful!
Annie says
I love the reindeer food! Back when my son still believed in santa he brought some home from school and it was so much fun!
Have a merry christmas and I hope that everyone feels better soon!
Diethood.com says
Reindeer food – that's so sweet! I am wishing you and your family a fast recovery and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Boulder Locavore says
How beautiful Carolyn! We typically put carrots out for the reindeer and find in the morning that they are very messy eaters, having strewn bits of carrot everywhere by morning! No snow for us this year (boo hoo). Will live vicariously through yours!
Happy holidays to you and your family! Looking forward to more of your culinary magic in 2011! Toni
Floriana says
Happy Holidays, Carolyn. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes you've share with us 🙂
Green Girl @ A little bit of everything says
May you and your loved ones be blessed with the essense of Christmas — Love, peace, joy and hope — all your lives through. Have a most wonderful Christmas
Merry Christmas Carolyn
whatsfordinneracrossstatelines says
Oh no, three little ones sick! Even though they are sick, I'm sure they will spring out of bed in the morning in hopes of St. Nick. Wishing you and your family a Very Merry Christmas and to be well in the New Year!
What beautiful snow, we don't have any hear where I live.
-Gina-
Ang says
What a great idea!!! Hope ya all feel better. Merry Christmas!
♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ says
Im sooo wishing for snow for reindeer food ,and would love to ask my mommy to do this for me , never mind i already know 🙂
Super cute!
Hope they are all soon fine and well and u have a wonderful holiday too!
Merry Christmas!
sara @ CaffeIna says
Oh my, three sick kids is no fun but at least you guys are together, at home, warm and….with the snow outside, so Xmas! We don't get the luxury of the snow here and sometimes I miss it. I love your little project. I'll have to remember it for next year to have my school kids doing it.
MegSmith says
I absolutely loved sprinkling reindeer food on my lawn for Santa's reindeer! Alas that was a long time ago but my parents always obliged in going out to pick some up off the lawn and to make little hoof prints in the snow. I hope you and your kids start feeling better before tomorrow! Have a Merry Christmas 🙂
BakingWithoutaBox says
Hope Christmas brings good health to your household. Good luck with the sick babies. Love that Reindeer Feed.
Felice says
Sorry you are not feeling well. The holly looks beautiful. It really makes me wish I was somewhere cold.
Susi says
Carolyn wishing you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas and only the very best in the new year! Can't wait to see what you have in store for 2011 :o) Hope you and the kiddos feel better soon!
Elisabeth says
Carolyn-Wishing you, and your loved ones a Very Merry Christmas, and good health!
Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels says
I hope all of you feel better soon, it seems like the flu is going around.
Your photos are absolutely gorgeous! I love the snow on the holly, so beautiful.
What a great idea to make Reindeer Food, how cute is that.
Have a wonderful Christmas with your family! 🙂
Maris (In Good Taste) says
Sending healthy vibes to your familu!
Hope Santa's reindeer enjoy their treats 😉
Torviewtoronto says
beautiful pictures
happy holidays to you and family
Amy Bakes Everything says
Aww, I hope everyone is feeling better! Gorgeous photos…Joey's kindergarten sent home the glitter oats for the reindeer…my husband said, "all the birds are going to poop glitter on the cars!"
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Sommer J says
That's too cute! I will have to try that next year! We left a solitary carrot. hehe. Hope your lil ones feel better soon and you and the fam enjoyed the day!
Donna says
awwww…hope you guys are feeling better, Carolyn! And that is too cute with the reindeer food! You're a great Mom:)
Emma says
I hope you all feel better soon and that Christmas went well Carolyn.
What pretty photos of holly, your side of the world must be so magical at this time of year 🙂
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says
WOW, all three? You poor thing! Well, I hope they are healing fast and you'll be able to relax!
Joanne says
I hope you guys are feeling better and that you were able to enjoy the holiday even in the wake of so much illness!
The pictures are gorgeous! Happy holidays!
The Mom Chef says
I hope everyone is back to healthy by now!
Our preschooler brought home her bag of reindeer food and we faithfully put it on the front porch. I did remember to sweep it up and sure enough, first thing the next morning Dudette ran to the door to see if it was gone.
I love your holly pictures!
She's Cookin' says
Love the reindeer food 🙂 So cute! Merry Christmas and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2011!
Chef E says
Ha! I love this post…reminds me of how we used to take things like this and string them up when I was little. We had holly bushes growing under our windows as a child…maybe because it would detour a would be thief LOL not sure, but they were pretty when it snowed!