MAKE A NOTE CHRISTMAS EXTRA!! -- December 6th, 1997

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Too many reader requests to just do 2 issues this month, so those who are getting too much email can just delete this one, but I hope you will find at least one helpful thing. ALL of these items are requested by readers & they might have passed their usefulness if I had waited until the next regular issue on the 15th. Strictly Christmas this time.

SPICE TEA CLARIFICATION

The instant tea should be plain, no lemon or sugar added, or you will have an extra sweet/lemony mix. POST IT...with the recipe from last issue.

DECORATING THE TREE

If you have a very short tree, hang the lights/garland vertically to make it look taller. If you have a tall, but skinny tree, use those horizontal stripes (w/lights/garland) your mother warned you about to make it look wider. If you are blessed with a perfect full tall tree, then hang things in a zig-zag pattern starting from the top of the tree. POST IT...withyour Christmas tree decorations.

ICICLE LIGHTS

These first came out last year and are just beautiful. They are a string of varying lengths of strings  of white lights. When you hang them around the edge of your house it creates an icicle effect. They are NOT icicle shaped LIGHTS though. Target carries them($20/9ft), but the best price if you divide things up by the foot is through the Harriet Carter catalog 1-800-377-7878, $18/10ft or $32/20 ft (that already figures in shipping). We have them up if you are in the neighborhood. They also have some up in Biazza Ridge, & off of 71st School Rd, for those of you in the area. The farther you go around your house the better the effect. POST IT...on your shopping list or by your telephone.

POST OFFICE CHRISTMAS CACHETS

A cachet is a design stamped on an envelope to commemorate some postal event, in this case Christmas. If you have your Christmas cards done, but haven't mailed them yet, you can have them postmarked in Bethlehem, in the USA that is. It is a fun little extra thing to do. Mail all of the already stamped cards/letters that you wish to have stamped w/a Christmas scene and postmarked in Bethlehem w/a note explaining that you want this done, to one of the 3 post offices below.

Postmaster - For Christmas stamp.

Bethlehem, PA 18016

Postmaster - For Creche Scene

Bethlehem, NH 03574

Postmaster

Bethleham, CT 06751-9998

This last one has several pages of stamps to choose from. You can write for a list for next year. Be sure to leave room on the lower left corner of the front of the envelope for all of these stamps. POST IT...with your Christmas card stuff.

CHRISTMAS PARTY GAMES

#1. Have people wrap presents in teams, but only use their non-writing hand. Give them paper, children's scissors, tape, & a box.

#2. Play horseshoes only with Candy Canes.

#3. Put the name of famous Christmas characters (historical or fictional) on a name tag on the person's back. They can ask each person at the party 3 yes or no questions about the name on their back to try to discover who "they" are.

#4. Each person at the party starts with one safety pin, every time they are caught using a Christmas word, the person who catches them can take all their safety pins.

#5. I also have 2 games that I can mail to anyone interested if you will send an e-mail to Make-A-Note@worldnet.att.net. One has drawings that illustrate about 30 different Christmas carols. For example, a knight full of holes in his armor = O Holy Night. The other is a page of about 25 Christmas Trivia questions. I will send  you a question sheet and an answer sheet. POST IT...with Christmas books/material.

CHRISTMAS GOODIE GIFTS MADE EASY

Another asked me for ideas for easy edible gifts to make. Use the Duncan Hines brownie or blondie mixes, but sprinkle Christmas colored M & M's on top, or crush candy canes for the top. Make rice krispy treats but mix in the Christmas colored M & M's or sprinkle red and/or green Christmas sprinkles or sugar on top. Get some of those empty jars(or buy some cheap jelly jars) out and fill with the Christmas wrapped candies you see in stores now, or M& M's, candy canes, or layer them with first white candies or pistachios, then red candies/pistachios. If you give candy canes you might want to attach the story of the Candy Cane from the last Make-A-Note on a nice tag. Buy quick bread mix and put a nice bow on a loaf to give to people. If you have a bread machine, put it to work for you. 

Fill a jar  up with honey, but add a cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves, & 2 whole allspice. Set container in bowl of hot water for 20 min for flavors to develop & then dry, wrap a ribbon around it & give it away. Spray pine cones (if you need any, feel free to collect the ones in our yard :-) with gold or silver metallic paint, when still a little wet, sprinkle with ground cloves or cinnamon. Tape off excess spice. Let dry. Arrange in a basket with a pretty ribbon for a centerpiece or attach ribbons to turn them into Christmas ornaments. Going to an ornament exchange, but forgot your ornament? Pick up a box of candy canes & tie a pretty ribbon around the bunch. POST IT...with your Christmas books/material, shopping list.

EASY CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO HAVE DELIVERED

Order Christmas flower/fruit arrangements or magazines. If you are looking for a magazine for children, I have a list of about 40 different children's magazines with subject, ages, order info, etc. If you would like a copy send an email to Make-A-Note@worldnet.att.net. Be sure to specify what you want me to send you, the magazine list and/or games. Gift certificates are easy to pick up and easy to mail, or even order & have sent from catalogs. You can also send candy or balloons through various companies, even stuffed animals. POST IT...near your shopping list.

DECORATING IDEA (Courtesy of Hallie Lowe)

Take clear square plastic take out containers and/or 1liter clear plastic bottles and cover in colored cellophane/plastic wrap like giant hard candies. Attach to pine branch garlands around your front door, home, etc. POST IT...with your Christmas decorations.

CHOCOLATE CHIP SQUARES (Courtesy of Joanne Kertis)

Somehow someone got the idea that I brought these to a recent potluck & after the Kertis left w/the remainder of the squares, I was surrounded by people demanding to know what I had done w/them. So I decided to print the recipe here & prevent a riot. :-) Very easy, very good.

POST IT...in your recipe box. We now return to our regularly scheduled programming. See you on the 15th.

God Bless, Sharon

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