Menu
We’ve been creating and adding Digital Christmas Photo Cards and here’s one of our favorites. Come see them all!
- Green Damask Holiday Photo Card
Archive for the ‘Christmas’ Category
NEW Exclusive Christmas Photo Cards you’ll Love!
Monday, November 22nd, 2010Try Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Apples for your Next Party
Friday, November 12th, 2010
For our holiday family gatherings, sweet potatoes are a must! Not all of us like them but we still can’t go without them. If you have picky eaters in your family, try this new twist on sweet potatoes from Reynolds that will have your family wanting more!!
Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Apples Recipe:
1 Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liner
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 cups diced apples
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Glazed Pecans (optional)
Open the slow cooker liner and place it inside a 5- to 6 1/2 -quart slow cooker bowl. Fit liner snugly against the bottom and sides of bowl; pull top of liner over rim of bowl. (more…)
A Simple Trick to make your Holiday Turkey Simply Awesome
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
Personally, I can’t get enough turkey throughout the year, Thanksgiving and Christmas just isn’t enough for me. I probably make a turkey 4-5 times each year. So, who makes the best turkey in your family, your Mom, Grandma, or Sister? Well, if you follow this trick that I use when making my turkey, the answer will be YOU!!
The trick to making the best turkey ever, is called brining (basically a salt bath – and no, it doesn’t make the turkey salty.) When you brine a turkey, it is the most moist, tender and juiciest turkey you will ever have, and it cuts down on cooking time by 20-30 minutes. You will need to do this the night before your turkey day because it has to sit in the brine for 12 hours.
Here is what you’re going to need for this fantastic brine:
1 gallon vegetable broth
1 cup sea salt
1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried savory
5 lb. bag of ice
Invited to a Cookie Party? Take Low Carb Almond Sugar Cookies
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
Ground almonds create an “almond flour” which is a wonderful substitute for wheat flour for many baking recipes.
1-1/4 cup almond flour
1 cup Splenda
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
additional Splenda, for decorating
Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
Stir together flour and Splenda. Blend in butter, egg and vanilla until well mixed. Form into 1-inch balls on a cookie sheet and flatten each with a fork. Sprinkle with additional Splenda.
Bake for 8 minutes or until set but not brown. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet then remove to wire racks to cool.
About 33 calories per cookie.
Shop our Holiday Party Invitations
Strategically Preparing For Holiday Houseguests
Thursday, November 4th, 2010
Whether it is family or friends that are visiting, it is important to make them feel at home and not like they are in your way. There are challenges and rewards to hosting a guest during what is the most strenuous time of the year. However, with a few early preparations, you can create an enjoyable guest experience as well as enjoy the holidays.
First of all, if you are not feeling ok, then before beginning any type of preparation, take care of yourself. You could be suffering from a back ache or migraine headaches that, if left unchecked, could wreak havoc on the entire holiday season. Holiday entertaining is serious business. One year, my back went out due to a stressful time at work, and it was no small picnic to get everything done in time.
The next thing to do is to thoroughly clean your house, especially the areas that get frequent traffic, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and living room; and of course, the guest bedroom. If the intended guest bedroom is in somewhat disarray and disrepair and cannot be remedied in time, then consider offering your bedroom to the guest while you stay in the other room. Sometimes simply decluttering a space makes a huge difference. It is about the guest feeling welcome, after all. It is also about keeping you sane. You do not want to spend a lot of time renovating a guest room that will not be used for another year.
Fruits of the Season Fall & Holiday Invitations
Wednesday, October 20th, 2010The Fruits of the Season Invitation features a border of pine cones, applies, grapes and beautiful leaves trimmed in gold foil accents on a black background. This invitation is perfect for a Fall or Christmas event for business, family or friends.
Shop all Autum & Fall Invitations
Shop all Holiday & Christmas Invitations
The Joy of Holiday Invitations or the Bah Humbug of it All
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
Red Poinsettias Holiday Invitations
We know there is 18 days until Halloween and already you’re being bombarded with Christmas stuff. We also know:
- There’s 73 days until Christmas, (Yikes!)
- Less 21 days for the first Saturday in December – the 4th
- Less 7 days, the minimum amount of time you should give for RSVP before your party date
- Less 7 days, give or take, to order and get your holiday invitations delivered
- Less 3 days average time it takes hosts to get invitations in the mail
…you’re running out of time!
And then, there’s your guests to consider. They have holiday invitations for his work, her work, their kids, their “other” friends, professional organizations they belong to, New Year’s Eve, and you probably have those same commitments too. December calendars fill up at warp speed.
How is your party going to grab your guests’ attention? By sending them a custom printed party invitation. If your social circle is a partying group, don’t make the mistake of skimping on an invitation. Your party invitation needs make guests say, “We’re going to this party!” Custom printed invitations can be the difference between a packed party or a dismal, embarrassing “is anyone coming?” turnout.
When guests pull out their calendars, you want your custom printed invitation on the top of the pile. A casual invitation by phone call is too informal and often slips their minds if their calendar is not in front of them at the moment you call. It’s also ineffective for conveying the tone of your party like a custom printed invitation. A letter sheet folded into a “bill-size” envelope that reads like a laundry list of boring details won’t make it to the top of the pile in the bid for a coveted party date. An emailed invitation, provided guests remember to print it, loses it’s appeal quickly when it’s printed on plain white copy paper and lost in the pile of other papers on your desk.
While we can’t clean your house or do your shopping for the party, we can get perfect holiday party invitations in your hands quickly and efficiently.
Impress your guests with the best! Shop our Holiday Party Invitations now. Look for the “Exclusive” label for invitations you won’t see anywhere else.
Ornate Ornaments Holiday Invitations
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010Elegant jewel tone Christmas Tree Ornaments decorate the left side of this beautiful invitation-a perfect choice for a holiday party invitation, Christmas party invitation, corporate holiday party invitation, holiday open house, office Christmas party invitation and more.
Shop all Holiday Party Invitations
Party Invitation Dress Codes Explained
Tuesday, October 5th, 2010
Cocktail Party Attire
Whether you’re the invitation sender or the invitation recipient, how to dress for a party is an age old question.
If you are sender, how do you visualize your guests as you circulate through your party? Use your imagination to determine the feel of your party, then inform all your guests on the invitation with the appropriate dress code.
Do you envision strict black-tie, black-tie optional, festive attire, casual holiday attire, dress to impress, or anything but blue jeans? Sometimes the location of your holiday event will help determine dress code, but be specific so your guests will arrive appropriately attired.
If you are the invitation recipient, when in doubt, dress up. Who doesn’t want to look better than the rest of the party competition? If you’re overdressed, you can always say you are on your way to another party.
It is also fine to ask the host or other guests what is appropriate and acceptable for the event. Find something you’re comfortable in – are you going to be eating, drinking, dancing? Women, don’t wear something you can’t sit down in whether it’s a too tight ball gown or a too short mini, be comfortable! If you’re comfortable, you’re going to feel great!
5 Holiday Invitation Mistakes and how to to Avoid Them
Thursday, September 30th, 2010
Jolly St. Nick's Face Holiday Invitations
December 1st and the start of the holiday season may seem a long time off, but if you’re hosting a holiday party, you’re running out of time….fast!
1. Ordering invitations too late.
December calendars fill up at warp speed and to get guests to attend your party, you need to mail holiday invitations at least 4-6 weeks before your party date. So, if you’ve chosen the first week of December for your date, you need to mail your invitations by the first of November at the latest. Don’t forget to allow time for your supplier, hopefully Announcingit, to process, print and ship your invitations to you.
2. Not ordering enough invitations.
You order the same amount of party invitations as the year before, but forgot about the new employees, the new couple down the block, or the new couples you really clicked with from your child’s soccer team. We suggest ordering at least 10 extra invitations to avoid the costly and time-consuming need to reorder.
3. You made a mistake in the wording!
Proof read, proof read, proof read. Be sure to check your holiday invitations for spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes as well as information you might have inadvertently omitted. Double check the date, the time and location as well as the spelling of all the names.
4. Your boss will be out of town!
Decide on a guest list for your holiday party, then check the calendar and set a date and time that is convenient for all your guests and/or co-workers. Planning the office Christmas party only to find out the boss will be in Tahiti on that date would be a disaster! Make sure there are no conflicting parties or events planned or any business commitments that conflict. If your party won’t be a success without “The Smiths” in attendance, make sure they have your party date open before you commit to your chosen date.
5. Inadequate Postage
Don’t assume your complete invitation will take standard postage. Is your invitation square? Does it need to be be hand-cancelled? Is it oversized? Overweight? All of these concerns could mean your invitation will require extra postage, but how much? We suggest assembling one invitation and taking it to the post office to have it weighed and the size measured before you buy or affix postage stamps. Also, if for some reason invitations need to be returned to you, make sure you have your return address on all envelopes so if there is a problem, they can be returned to you.
See all our Christmas and Holiday Party Invitations for personal or business events.
Let’s Connect!
