IN THIS ISSUE:
- MAKE-AHEAD RECIPES TO FREEZE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
- MAKE-AHEAD MASHED SWEET POTATOES
- MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE
- MY FAVORITE CRANBERRY RELISH
- FROZEN CRANBERRY SALAD
- FROZEN INDIVIDUAL CRANBERRY MOLDS
- PILGRIM HAT COOKIES FOR THANKSGIVING
- DRESSING or STUFFING
- CONFETTI CORN
- LET'S TALK TURKEY!
- GETTING A “JUMP” ON THE HOLIDAYS - THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS
- HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN CORN HUSK DOLLS
- BLESSING MIX
- THANKSGIVING SCRIPTURES AND A QUOTE
- 60 TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFT IDEAS
- OTHER CHRISTMAS TIDBITS
- MORE CHRISTMAS IDEAS
MAKE-AHEAD RECIPES TO FREEZE FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Tips on How Not to Spend Your Entire Holiday in the Kitchen - Start Cooking Now!
by Lois Breneman, Copyright 2003
by Lois Breneman, Copyright 2003
Since we could all use extra hours around the holidays, any shortcuts we can apply in our kitchen will give us more time and energy to be used elsewhere - preferably with our families! Here are a few ways of trimming down our kitchen time and energy over Thanksgiving and Christmas.
MAKE-AHEAD MASHED SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes can be cooked and mashed ahead of time, then frozen. We used to grow sweet potatoes in our garden and harvest several bushels at one time. That's when I learned to freeze them! Now when sweet potatoes are on sale, I like to stock up, because the prices fluctuate greatly. Autumn is when we find the best prices in the US. Bake the washed sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven or roaster pan with a small amount of water added for moisture. Bake at 350 F. for about an hour (check for tenderness). When cool enough to handle, peel, mash and freeze in freezer bags. It's as simple as that! I like to freeze sweet potatoes without salt or seasoning, so they can be used for sweet potato casseroles, bread, muffins and pies. Of course, freezing a casserole flavored with ingredients such as butter, salt, brown sugar (or sucanat), cinnamon or cranberries also works very well. It's wonderful to go to the freezer and take out a dish already prepared, except for thawing and heating! If you are able to freeze your casserole in the same dish you plan to set on the table, that saves even more time.
Sweet potatoes can be cooked and mashed ahead of time, then frozen. We used to grow sweet potatoes in our garden and harvest several bushels at one time. That's when I learned to freeze them! Now when sweet potatoes are on sale, I like to stock up, because the prices fluctuate greatly. Autumn is when we find the best prices in the US. Bake the washed sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven or roaster pan with a small amount of water added for moisture. Bake at 350 F. for about an hour (check for tenderness). When cool enough to handle, peel, mash and freeze in freezer bags. It's as simple as that! I like to freeze sweet potatoes without salt or seasoning, so they can be used for sweet potato casseroles, bread, muffins and pies. Of course, freezing a casserole flavored with ingredients such as butter, salt, brown sugar (or sucanat), cinnamon or cranberries also works very well. It's wonderful to go to the freezer and take out a dish already prepared, except for thawing and heating! If you are able to freeze your casserole in the same dish you plan to set on the table, that saves even more time.
A last minute tip: Brown sugar or sucanat, from the health food store, placed around the outside edge of the casserole not only looks and tastes good, but it allows those who prefer not to have sugar to reach into the center for a scoop. Color and texture give the dish more appeal, so why not add chopped walnuts and/or dried cranberries, sprinkled around the edge or only in the center?
MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE
Five or ten pound bags of white potatoes are often "Buy One -- Get One Free," so in order to take advantage of these special prices, without them spoiling, you can cook, mash and freeze them for multiple casseroles to use later.
Sometimes I cook the potatoes and mash them, adding some of the cooking liquid, butter and salt - and freeze them in a casserole dish until needed. Before serving them, I thaw the potatoes, heat them in the microwave, add a little milk as I mix them up with a potato masher and they are ready to serve! They can also be held over in the oven, covered, until the rest of the meal is ready.
Five or ten pound bags of white potatoes are often "Buy One -- Get One Free," so in order to take advantage of these special prices, without them spoiling, you can cook, mash and freeze them for multiple casseroles to use later.
Sometimes I cook the potatoes and mash them, adding some of the cooking liquid, butter and salt - and freeze them in a casserole dish until needed. Before serving them, I thaw the potatoes, heat them in the microwave, add a little milk as I mix them up with a potato masher and they are ready to serve! They can also be held over in the oven, covered, until the rest of the meal is ready.
Or here is a delicious and convenient recipe from the More-With-Less Cookbook by Doris Janzen Longacre. If your family does not like spinach, try substituting grated carrots or other vegetables, although it is very good plain, with vegetables served on the side. If potatoes are the only vegetable your children will eat, try mashing a few cooked carrots or some sweet potato in with the white potatoes. When I've done this, my family thought I had added cheese. For extra nutrition and a yellow tint, an egg can also be added as the potatoes are whipped. A sprinkle of dried dill weed mixed into the potatoes as well as over the cheese before (or after) baking adds extra flavor and color.
Cook and mash:
3-4 large potatoes.
Add:
1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar (given in recipe, but certainly not necessary)
1/4 cup butter
Add just enough milk to bring to proper consistency and beat until fluffy.
Add:
1/8 tsp. dill seed
2 tsp. chives, chopped
1 cup cooked spinach, well drained, chopped (optional)
Place in greased casserole and top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. May be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated, or make a double recipe and freeze half to add to a future oven meal. Or freeze now to use during the holidays!
MY FAVORITE CRANBERRY RELISH
1 bag (12 oz.) fresh cranberries, chopped finely
1 large can crushed pineapples, in its own juice, undrained
1 large jar natural applesauce (no sugar added)
zest from 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
Stevia to sweeten (very little is needed)
Chop washed and drained cranberries in a food processor, removing the soft and mushy ones first. Add undrained pineapples, applesauce, zest, orange juice and stevia. Refrigerate 1 to 2 days before serving, so the flavors and cranberry color has time to intensify. The pineapples and applesauce will take on the cranberry color.
Since fresh cranberries are so seasonal, I like to stock up and freeze chopped cranberries, so we can enjoy this delicious and healthy recipe all year round.
3-4 large potatoes.
Add:
1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1/2 tsp. sugar (given in recipe, but certainly not necessary)
1/4 cup butter
Add just enough milk to bring to proper consistency and beat until fluffy.
Add:
1/8 tsp. dill seed
2 tsp. chives, chopped
1 cup cooked spinach, well drained, chopped (optional)
Place in greased casserole and top with 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese. May be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated, or make a double recipe and freeze half to add to a future oven meal. Or freeze now to use during the holidays!
MY FAVORITE CRANBERRY RELISH
1 bag (12 oz.) fresh cranberries, chopped finely
1 large can crushed pineapples, in its own juice, undrained
1 large jar natural applesauce (no sugar added)
zest from 1 orange
1 cup orange juice
Stevia to sweeten (very little is needed)
Chop washed and drained cranberries in a food processor, removing the soft and mushy ones first. Add undrained pineapples, applesauce, zest, orange juice and stevia. Refrigerate 1 to 2 days before serving, so the flavors and cranberry color has time to intensify. The pineapples and applesauce will take on the cranberry color.
Since fresh cranberries are so seasonal, I like to stock up and freeze chopped cranberries, so we can enjoy this delicious and healthy recipe all year round.
FROZEN CRANBERRY SALAD
How easy can it get?
1 #2 can crushed pineapple in its own juice, drained
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 cup sour cream (Whipped cream could be substituted for all or half of the sour cream.)Mix together and put in ice cube trays or in a 9x9 glass dish. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Freeze overnight. Cut into squares and serve as a salad with green lettuce beneath or serve as a dessert - maybe with a cookie on the side.
FROZEN INDIVIDUAL CRANBERRY MOLDS
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 cup sugar (Healthier - Splenda or NuStevia - use less)8 oz. crushed pineapple with juice, drained 1 cup chopped pecans
8 oz. sour cream (Whipped cream could be substituted for all or half of the sour cream.)Mix together all ingredients and freeze in muffin cups.
1 can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 cup sugar (Healthier - Splenda or NuStevia - use less)8 oz. crushed pineapple with juice, drained 1 cup chopped pecans
8 oz. sour cream (Whipped cream could be substituted for all or half of the sour cream.)Mix together all ingredients and freeze in muffin cups.
*Note: Small pieces of banana mixed in is delicious too! Either cranberry recipe is a great make-ahead salad or dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas! Of course, either recipe can be frozen in a large mold, glass dish, muffin cups, custard cups or individual molds.
PILGRIM HAT COOKIES FOR THANKSGIVING
Using the best rolled gingerbread cookie recipe I've ever found (below), cut with round cookie cutters and bake, following the directions below. A time-saving tip would be to make enough gingerbread cookies in all kinds of shapes right now and freeze them. Then have the children help to decorate them with frosting closer to Christmas.
For Pilgrim hats, after the round circles have cooled, unwrap a small peanut butter cup and place one upside down in the center of each round cookie. Using store-bought frosting in a tube (or your own frosting), pipe a ring around the base of the peanut butter cup, "gluing" it onto the cookie. This can be a thick or a thin line, and it will automatically form the band of the hat! Lastly, pipe a square buckle from that line, upward onto the peanut butter cup to form the buckle. These can be made ahead, as well! You may want to bake the round cut-out cookies and freeze way ahead of time to simplify things even more, then have family members join in this fun decorating project. That's what I did this year, thinking my daughter would enjoy this!
When our children were young, my sister and two brothers got together for Thanksgiving and we moms organized fun art projects for the children. Those are priceless photographs, now that they are all grown! Well, enough reminiscing! Here's the recipe!
For Pilgrim hats, after the round circles have cooled, unwrap a small peanut butter cup and place one upside down in the center of each round cookie. Using store-bought frosting in a tube (or your own frosting), pipe a ring around the base of the peanut butter cup, "gluing" it onto the cookie. This can be a thick or a thin line, and it will automatically form the band of the hat! Lastly, pipe a square buckle from that line, upward onto the peanut butter cup to form the buckle. These can be made ahead, as well! You may want to bake the round cut-out cookies and freeze way ahead of time to simplify things even more, then have family members join in this fun decorating project. That's what I did this year, thinking my daughter would enjoy this!
When our children were young, my sister and two brothers got together for Thanksgiving and we moms organized fun art projects for the children. Those are priceless photographs, now that they are all grown! Well, enough reminiscing! Here's the recipe!
The Best Gingerbread Cookies Ever!
Beat butter and sugar (sucanat) together.1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup or less brown sugar (or use sucanat)
Add and mix together:
1 egg
3 Tbsp. orange juice
4 tsp. grated orange rind
Add remaining ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
a dash of salt
Mix all ingredients well and chill dough for 3 hours. Roll 1/4" thick. Cut cookies in various shapes. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.
Beat butter and sugar (sucanat) together.1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup or less brown sugar (or use sucanat)
Add and mix together:
1 egg
3 Tbsp. orange juice
4 tsp. grated orange rind
Add remaining ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
a dash of salt
Mix all ingredients well and chill dough for 3 hours. Roll 1/4" thick. Cut cookies in various shapes. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake.
DRESSING or STUFFING
I like to make a large dishpan full of stuffing at Thanksgiving, so I can freeze the extra and completely skip the process for Christmas -- it's already done! I don't really use a recipe for this, but make it as my mother always did. Cube bread (whole wheat and white mixture) and let it dry out on a large tray for a day or so. Sometimes I dry it in a dishpan, stirring occasionally over a 2-3 day period. Melt butter, add chicken broth, beaten eggs, lots of cooked celery and onions (sometimes a small amount of grated carrots for color), salt, onion salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and other dried herbs (parsley, Greek oregano, thyme, rosemary or tarragon, etc.). Stir well. Add enough bread crumbs for a slightly moist mixture. I bake it in greased dishes, (rather than in the bird) at 350ยบ F. until golden brown on top. Don't overbake. The unbaked stuffing mixture will freeze great in containers or freezer bags to serve later.
Note: Anytime before Thanksgiving is the time to make this recipe and freeze for both Thanksgiving and Christmas or any other time you want to enjoy stuffing throughout the year.
I like to make a large dishpan full of stuffing at Thanksgiving, so I can freeze the extra and completely skip the process for Christmas -- it's already done! I don't really use a recipe for this, but make it as my mother always did. Cube bread (whole wheat and white mixture) and let it dry out on a large tray for a day or so. Sometimes I dry it in a dishpan, stirring occasionally over a 2-3 day period. Melt butter, add chicken broth, beaten eggs, lots of cooked celery and onions (sometimes a small amount of grated carrots for color), salt, onion salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and other dried herbs (parsley, Greek oregano, thyme, rosemary or tarragon, etc.). Stir well. Add enough bread crumbs for a slightly moist mixture. I bake it in greased dishes, (rather than in the bird) at 350ยบ F. until golden brown on top. Don't overbake. The unbaked stuffing mixture will freeze great in containers or freezer bags to serve later.
Note: Anytime before Thanksgiving is the time to make this recipe and freeze for both Thanksgiving and Christmas or any other time you want to enjoy stuffing throughout the year.
CONFETTI CORN
If you want to save last minute meal preparation, cut a couple pats of butter into a microwavable casserole dish. Add finely chopped fresh or frozen green pepper, a jar of chopped pimientos (drained), dill weed and a bag of frozen corn. Cover and put the dish in the freezer. To make things even easier for us, some supermarkets sell bags of frozen chopped onion, red, green and yellow bell peppers. On the day you are ready to serve the corn, take the dish from the freezer, thaw and microwave as you normally microwave corn. Add salt to taste just before serving. To cook on top of the stove, add a small amount of water first. This is a quick, tasty and colorful dish -- yellow with red and green!
If you want to save last minute meal preparation, cut a couple pats of butter into a microwavable casserole dish. Add finely chopped fresh or frozen green pepper, a jar of chopped pimientos (drained), dill weed and a bag of frozen corn. Cover and put the dish in the freezer. To make things even easier for us, some supermarkets sell bags of frozen chopped onion, red, green and yellow bell peppers. On the day you are ready to serve the corn, take the dish from the freezer, thaw and microwave as you normally microwave corn. Add salt to taste just before serving. To cook on top of the stove, add a small amount of water first. This is a quick, tasty and colorful dish -- yellow with red and green!
LET'S TALK TURKEY!
If using a frozen turkey or turkey breast, be sure to give it a couple days in the refrigerator for safe thawing. For a juicy turkey or turkey breast, place a grapefruit, orange or lemon inside the cavity prior to roasting. Pierce the fruit to prevent it from bursting, and simply cook it as usual. You are "guaranteed" a juicy bird each time and there will be no citrus or orange flavor in the turkey. I don't know how this works, but it does. You simply take the fruit and dispose of it after roasting. Obviously, you don't stuff this bird, but it works great to have a separate casserole dish of stuffing as a side dish. Several "Heart to Heart" ladies and I have tried this and we all agree that it works great!
GETTING A “JUMP” ON THE HOLIDAYS - THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS
by Lois Breneman, © 2003, Revised 2004, Heart to Heart
Most of us are not finished with our Christmas shopping, and don’t get stressed about that! I'm not finished either, but that's okay! But there are lots of other things we can do ahead of time to help get a “Jump” on the holidays.
Discuss with the family what they'd especially like to do for the holidays. Be sure to delegate some of the work to each family member, putting them in charge of specific projects. Plan your Thanksgiving and Christmas meals early. Look through recipes, write out your holiday menus now, make a grocery list and shop early for all except the perishable items. Buy a couple turkey breasts now while on sale for 88 cents a pound!
Purchase basic ingredients such as unbleached flour, shortening, cooking oil, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips when on sale, but don’t wait until the last minute. I remember one year how I needed unbleached flour for baking cookies and the shelf was bare! Buy it now! This will cut way down on your time, saving trips to the grocery store during your busiest time of the year. Spices such as ginger, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg that are necessary for Thanksgiving and Christmas baking can be purchased in bulk at a health foods store to save as much as ten times the price in grocery stores. Use your savings to buy gifts. Rather than baking with sugar, try sucanat or honey from the health food store.
Find a few holly or bayberry candles to get your family in the holiday spirit. Play your Christmas music while you bake cookies, cakes and pies now and freeze them for the holidays. All this will help get you and your family into the spirit and spur you on to finish the shopping and pull out the decorations too. I usually enjoy decorating the day after Thanksgiving, if at all possible, so we can enjoy everything longer. Don’t overdo the baking, though baking now for parties will save you time in the long run. A birthday cake for Jesus will freeze well, if baked ahead, but frost it after it is thawed. Let's not forget that it is Jesus' birthday that we are celebrating!
Choose Christmas cards now – or use what you had already bought on sale last year. Type out all the names and addresses of those to whom you plan to send a Christmas card. Keep this list in a file to copy, paste and print. These names and addresses can be printed on mailing labels. Or they can simply be printed on white paper, cut out and glued onto envelopes with a glue stick. This can be done now. Sign the cards now, as well. Stickers, stamps and return address labels can be added now. Let the children help. There are so many rubber stamps available to dress up an envelope and that can also be done ahead of time!
If you plan to send a newsy Christmas letter to friends and family whom you don’t see very often, work on a rough draft now. Get input from each family member on what to include. Then fine tune it and print it out! Make copies on colored paper. Use a rubber stamp with a Christmas theme. Fold the letter and tuck into the cards. Done! Now your cards will be ready to mail when the time comes. If you are waiting for a picture to include, fine, but the rest will be done, and your planning ahead will relieve a lot of pressure.
You may want to find a new Christmas ornament to make together as a family project. Search for ideas now. Holiday magazines, the library, craft books and Michael’s are good places to find ideas. I've been giving each of my children a special Christmas ornament each year. They took their ornaments when they left home, but we still enjoy giving them a new one each year.
Find an Angel Tree in the mall and shop early for the child to whom you choose to bring some Christmas joy. Find out if there is also a needy family who needs a meal or other help. Remember the single moms.
As far as your gift list, write down all the names of those to whom you plan to give a gift. Check to see what gifts you already have on hand and continue from there. If you have time to make a gift that isn't too complicated, make it in multiples – assembly line style. Handmade gifts that are done well are always welcome, and you can save so much. Christian books, CD’s and tapes are a great gift idea too.
A few other small ways to plan ahead (every little bit helps!):
*Make a list of goals for your family during this holiday season, along with how you can reach those goals. Keep things in perspective.
*If it's cold where you live, you may want to put out your snowmen and sled decorations early, even before Thanksgiving!
*Cream cheese balls freeze well. That’s something you can do now for later, even as gifts!
*If you don’t have an Advent Calendar to use with your children, make plans now.
*Be sure your bathrooms have extra toilet paper and hand towels available.
*Decide now which dishes you'd like to use for the special meals and make a note of it.
*I like to use an 8 1/2 x 11" piece of colored paper, folded in half, to write down my specific plans. Being a bright pretty color, I'm not as likely to loose it! ;-)
These are just a few tips to help in planning ahead. I'm sure you can think of lots more! You can make this Thanksgiving and Christmas season a time of real thanksgiving and peaceful joy, rather than hurried, frazzled, stressful drudgery! Simplify by cutting out some things you think you just have to do! Make time to be thankful and remember that the only reason we have Christmas is because it's Jesus' birthday. "Jesus is the Reason for the Season!"
BLESSING MIX Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for this great Thanksgiving recipe! *Each ingredient in this snack mix symbolizes something associated with Thanksgiving. 2 cups Bugles brand corn snacks - shaped as a cornucopia, a horn of plenty. 2 cups pretzels - represent arms folded in thanks and prayer. 1 cup candy corn - during the first winter, the Pilgrims were each allotted only 5 kernels of corn per day because food was so scarce. (Corn nuts from a health food store are a good substitute) 1 cup dried fruits - Thanksgiving is the celebration of the harvest. 1 cup peanuts or sunflower seeds - seeds represent the potential of a bounteous harvest for the next season if they are planted and well tended. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together. Other ingredients such as dry cereals, candies, or marshmallows can also be added. Make this mix as a family and eat while discussing each ingredient and how it relates to Thanksgiving. |
THANKSGIVING SCRIPTURES AND A QUOTE
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. - Philippians 4:6-7
There are lots more scripture verses on being thankful and content than the ones below, but these will get you started as you discuss thankfulness with your children.
Psm. 95:2 * Psm. 100:4 * Psm. 50:14 * 2 Cor. 9:15 * Eph. 5:20 * Phil. 4:11 * 1 Tim. 6:6-10 * Heb. 13:5
Remember ever; and always, that your country was founded...by the stern old Puritans who made the deck of the Mayflower an altar of the living God, and whose first act on touching the soil of the new world was to offer on bended knees thanksgiving to Almighty God.
~ Henry Wilson, 18th US Vice President under Ulysses S. Grant
~ Henry Wilson, 18th US Vice President under Ulysses S. Grant
60 TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFT IDEAS
by Lois Breneman, © 2006, Heart to Heart
It seems to have become more and more common for parents to be expected to give gifts to their children's teachers at school, so if you are at a loss for ideas. Hopefully these sixty suggestions will give you some creative ideas. Showing appreciation does not mean you have to go broke, however.
Of all these gift ideas, my favorite is number one - that of writing a heartfelt thank you note with a small gift. I'm sure this would be one of your child's teacher's favorite and most treasured gifts as well. I remember how after I wrote a thank you note to a kindergarten teacher at the end of the school year, she told me how she rarely ever got a thank you - in letter or word! That is terribly sad! And it doesn't cost anything except a little thought and time! Your child could even add a P.S. and we all know how that would be appreciated by a teacher! Even an additional thoughtful poem about children or teaching would be enjoyed by your child's teacher.
I might add that I believe most teachers already have quite enough coffee mugs, vases, hankies, key chains, decorations and trinkets with apples on them, especially if they have been teaching for several years. So unless you know the teacher collects apple trinkets, try not to give a gift that will end up at a yard sale or as a donation to charity.
Before giving chocolate, nuts or sugary sweets, find out if they are able to eat them. Some people are allergic to chocolate or nuts, are diabetic, trying to lose weight, or would just rather eat healthier foods. Perfumes are not a good gift, since many people are allergic to them or might not choose the scent you would. Hand lotions that are lightly scented or without scent would probably be fine in most cases. Of course, if you know your child's teacher's favorite perfume, then it would be a fine gift. When teachers were surveyed, most teachers said they did not consider gift certificates impersonal, but loved receiving them.
There are so many good people who serve us throughout the year, but are forgotten when it comes time for showing appreciation or giving gifts. How about the principal, secretaries, cafeteria staff, the teacher's aide, the P.E. teacher? Then there are the nursery workers, Sunday school teachers, the Awana leader, band leader, private piano teacher - and the list goes on! Parents can't possibly buy or make gifts for all of these people, unless you make something like identical inexpensive Christmas ornaments in assembly line fashion. Then it probably wouldn't break your budget.
I heard of one mother who wanted to do something special for people in volunteer positions, who are often completely overlooked when it comes time to give out thanks, such as Sunday School teachers or nursery workers at church. So each year she and her husband try to invite their children's Sunday School teachers and their families to dinner in their home to thank them for their hard work and dedication throughout the year. She said it never ceases to amaze her that she always hears comments like, "No one has ever done anything like this for me before and I've been teaching Sunday School for twelve years." If you can not invite them all to dinner, a nice "Thank You" note or card given at the holidays or the end of the school year would go a long way in showing your appreciation. They love sincere appreciation!
If dealing with such a large number of potential gift recipients is just too much to think about, but you still want to remember each one in some special way, think about donating a book to the school or church library in the names of all the people who have been part of your child's life this year. Then give each person a card telling them why they are so important to you and your child. Let them know of the book donation and how you hope this gift will help other children as they have helped your child.
It's the thought that counts. Showing appreciation to teachers should be an expression of our sincere thanks to the dedicated people who have given of themselves to our children or touched our lives in a positive way. Remember that gift giving is not a competition to see which child brings the most expensive gift for his teacher. Explain that to your children as well.
The following are suggestions for helpful and often inexpensive teacher appreciation gifts for "Teacher Appreciation Week," the holidays, or the end of the school year. If the cost for what you'd like to give is too high, get on the phone and find one or more other families to give an extra special gift as a joint effort. Most of these suggestions are not that expensive, especially the first one.
1) A heartfelt thank you letter or handwritten card from the parent (and/or student), telling what you enjoyed about the year or how you appreciated the teacher's input into your child's life. This seems to be one of the best and most appreciated gift ideas, and could be given alone or with a small gift.
2) Gift certificate to a Christian book store
3) Nuts
4) Homemade fudge
5) Pencils printed with "Best Teacher in the World," the teacher's name or "Mrs. Dye's Class"
6) Decorated gingerbread men
7) Flavored coffee, hot chocolate or tea mixes.
8) An apron, possibly that you made.
9) A candle
10) Anything for the classroom: games, construction or other paper, books, rulers, masking tape, Scotch tape, rubber bands, things to decorate or theme objects.
11) Pot holders or placemats - plain or quilted (maybe start planning for next year)
12) Dried fruit
13) A gift certificate to a Bath store.
14) Shoebox sized plastic storage boxes for classroom supplies or home use.
15) Houseplant that you started and established earlier in the year or one you bought. Pothos is a good hardy plant that lives through most anything and does well even without a lot of light.
16) A homemade mix in a jar, where you layer the dry ingredients, and attach the recipe (Muffins, cookies, five bean soup, etc.)
17) Homemade Christmas cookie assortment
18) Chocolate dipped pretzels.
19) Chocolate anything, if you know they aren't allergic to chocolate
20) Painted glass ball Christmas ornament or another type ornament. These are fun for teachers to take out each year and remember students from years past. Write your child's name and the year on them, if possible.
21) Rubber stamps for class papers (100%!, Good Job!, Excellent!, Improvement!, etc.)
22) Rubber stamps for the teacher's own personal use
23) A gift certificate for a massage (several parents might join together for this)
24) Stationery or note cards
25) Postage stamps
26) Book about birds, flowers, houseplants, science experiments, riddles, jokes
27) Silk flower arrangement
28) Decorations for various holidays
29) Gift certificate to a school supply store
30) Pretty cardboard storage boxes. You could cover sturdy shoe boxes and lids with fabric, wallpaper or contact paper or buy some boxes at a craft store.
31) Home grown herbs and spices -- Children can help with this.
32) Fresh fruit basket, though it's best to give too many perishable gifts, in case they get more fruit than they can use.
33) A coupon for a main course, dessert or complete dinner - to be delivered in January or whenever you say. Then be sure to communicate with the teacher and deliver when the time comes.
34) Handmade gift tags for all year round - birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas. Punch a hole in one corner and add a few rolls of thin ribbon to tie on the tags.
35) Devotional book, music tape or CD
36) A tape or CD from Focus on the Family www.focusonthefamily.org
37) Housecleaning - a joint gift of several families going together to cover the cost.
38) A list of cute kids' quotes, possibly made into a booklet
39) As you mix up cookie dough, mix a very large batch in a clean dishpan, and give some of the dough as gifts. Simply roll the unbaked dough into logs, wrap in several layers of plastic wrap, then in cellophane or gift wrap and tie at both ends. Keep chilled. Or if you freeze it, the dough will stay cold for several hours. I made the Best Ever Gingerbread Cookie recipe and gave the dough as gifts one year. Later it can be sliced and baked.
40) If you have an herb garden and have dried your herbs, a sampling of a few different herbs from your garden would be a very nice gift.
41) If you know of a more expensive item that your teacher is in need of, several families could go together to purchase that item as a joint gift. Give other parents a call and see if they might like to join you in that purchase.
42) Cloth napkins or paper ones (find out teacher's kitchen colors).
43) Kitchen towels - possibly with an embroidery design - made much quicker with the embroidery machines these days! (Find out kitchen colors)
44) A gift certificate to the grocery store. Now that's one everyone can use!
45) Stickers!
46) Gift certificate for a video rental.
47) Find out your teacher's hobbies, and purchase an item she could use, or give a gift certificate to a hobby store.
48) Popcorn and a flavored salt sampler.
49) Hand lotions with very light or no fragrance
50) Teachers are on their feet for long hours. Several families could go together to give her a foot massager.
51) At times teaching can be stressful. Several families could join in and give a hand held Homedics massager.
52) Homemade candies
53) Concert voucher (for 2)
54) Movie theater passes (for 2)
55) James Dobson's book, All About Boys - www.focusonthefamily.org He is currently working on a similar book about girls! (Note: The book came out in April, 2010!)
56) A snow globe nativity scene. You will find the best bargains after Christmas, so you might want put this on next year's gift list.
57) A small nativity scene for the schoolroom, her home, or both. Again after Christmas sales are best.
58) Have a small trophy or marble block made saying, "Best Teacher of the Year Award - According to Your Third Grade Class" Call the trophy store for prices. You might be surprised at how little one would cost.
59) Homemade quick breads (Cranberry-orange, date-nut bread, banana nut bread, etc.)
60) Homemade whole wheat-honey bread or homemade sticky buns! Yum!
OTHER CHRISTMAS TIDBITS
Quote ~ Jesus gave history a new beginning. In every land He is at home ... His birthday is kept across the world. His death-day has set a gallows against every city skyline. -- George Buttrick
Quote ~ Jesus gave history a new beginning. In every land He is at home ... His birthday is kept across the world. His death-day has set a gallows against every city skyline. -- George Buttrick
Deer in the Yard ~ Karen Coughlin in Florida shared this interesting link - http://www.pelorian.com/deer.html
MORE CHRISTMAS IDEAS
By Carol Vega in Pennsylvania
By Carol Vega in Pennsylvania
Snow Scenes ~ Fun and simple craft for kids. Recycling too. You will need: Old Christmas Greeting Cards, White glue, small brush or Q-tips, salt (or glitter).
Select a card. Tear off the second page of the card. Have glue in a small cup or bowl. Have children use a small brush or Q-tip to brush the glue over certain parts of the scene that is printed on the card. Next sprinkle salt or glitter (or both) over the glued picture. This will make the pictures look snowy. Kids can hang these in their bedroom windows, give them away, write a note on the back for a new special card for someone or glue them onto a wrapped package for a special package decoration. (This is a great way to jazz up brown bag wrap or solid colored paper!)
Twig Snowflakes: A Kids' Craft for Outdoor Decorating ~ For ages 3 and up. You will need: Assorted twigs: broken into 3"to 5" pieces, 2" foam balls, Spray snow or white spray paint.
Gently stick enough twigs into each foam ball to cover it thoroughly. Parents: Take the snowflakes outside onto newspaper or an old plastic tablecloth and spray paint them white on all sides. Once dry, tie string to one twig and make a loop. Hang these on an outside evergreen tree. This sounds so simple but they really look great on a tree! And your child can say "I did that!"
Theme Gift Baskets ~ Some fun ways to give a bigger gift of both store-bought and home-made gifts is to make up a gift basket. You can get baskets all year round when on sale, find them at yard sales or thrift stores or re-use ones given to you that sit in your attic. You could also use a Christmas stocking to hold your gift instead of a basket!
Consider pairing:
- A scented candle and bubble bath (homemade bath salts, etc.), and CD or tape of relaxing music (The dollar store has these!)
- Cookie Recipe book, cookie cutters and cookie decorations
- Joke book and whoopee cushion (have your kids print up some little cards with their favorite jokes on them and tape these little cards all over the outside of the package or basket. Add the child's name below!)
- family video, cola, snacks, and popcorn
- Paperback book & box of cocoa (you could also add a homemade no-sew fleece blanket)
- Calendar, diary and nice pen.
- Young girl/Teen: Hair scrunchies. Fun hair accessories, hairbrush & kid's shampoo
- Bubble bath, fun- shaped bath soap or spray foam and a bath tub toy (for child)
- Art Basket: Coloring book, crayons, markers, watercolors, paint brushes and paper.
- Disposable camera or film and photo album
- Desk organizer full of paper clips, etc., calendar, and a bulletin. (Fill the calendar with family birthdays and events. Add a few fun photos and tacks to the bulletin board.)
- Coffee-lover: Nice large mug, coffee packets, or mixes, chocolate covered spoons, bag of mini marshmallows, a few candy canes. (Try the dessert coffee recipe below. Put it in a nice jar from the dollar store! Add a tag around the neck with the instructions for preparation!)
No-Sew Fleece Blanket ~ Choose polar fleece in cute patterns at a fabric or craft store. Baby blankets require about ¾ of a yard, you’ll want a yard or more for adults and older children. You can make a heavier blanket by layering two fabric panels or a lighter-weight blanket by using one layer only. Cut about 2" strips on the edges and tie them together to add fringe. They don't fray, even with washing.
Potpourri Topiaries ~ Easy to make, yet a very nice decoration and gift! You will need: Clay pot (any size), foam ball (approximately the same size as the width of the pot), Long twig (approx. 3 times the height of the container, Craft (tacky) glue or glue gun & glue. Bag of potpourri, Floral foam and Spanish moss.
Parent: Use a knife to slightly sharpen one end of the twig. Glue a piece of floral foam into the clay pot. Then glue the blunt end of the twig down into the foam. Place the foam ball onto the pointed end of the twig, allowing the twig point to pierce the ball. Remove and add some glue and replace the ball onto the twig. Glue some Spanish moss into the pot to cover the floral foam. Open the bag of potpourri and allow the child to glue pieces all over the ball, overlapping when necessary to cover the entire ball.
Make a festive bow from holiday ribbon and glue at the bottom of the ball. This can be left like this or if you hope for it to last longer, add a spray fixative or sealer onto the covered ball and the twig. If you still want the aroma of potpourri, you can add fragrance oil to the Spanish moss in the pot. Note: You could also use a plastic plant pot, but add some stones to the bottom before your plant foam for weight! This way it is not top-heavy!
Unique Holiday Towel Set ~ For a cute Christmas present for grandparents, an addition to a kitchen gift basket, or to decorate your own home, try this cute idea! Buy a plain white tea towel from the dollar store or other discount store. You can also make cloth napkins and potholders. To decorate, dip your child's foot in brown paint. Stamp it onto the towel for the reindeer's face. Next using tan (or yellow) paint use handprints for antlers. Thumbprints in red make great noses and the tips of pinky fingers dipped in black make the eyes. This idea would even work on a white sweatshirt if you used fabric paint. (Once dry, iron it to make it permanently set.)
Another Great Sweatshirt Decoration ~ Buy a solid, dark colored sweatshirt in the size of the gift recipient. Navy and royal blue, green, or black all work well. Gather together all your white buttons! You may need to buy a large bag of white buttons. Show your child how to lay out the buttons onto the sweatshirt to make a tree shape. Make a few trees in different sizes. Add a line of buttons along the bottom to make the snow-covered ground. You may also add your very smallest white buttons as snow falling by placing them here & there above and around the trees. To add the buttons, you will need a no-sew fabric glue. This makes it simple and safe for the kids. It would take too long to sew that many buttons! These look really neat when done.
Decorative Candles at a Fraction of the Cost ~ These are great gifts. Make a set of three different sizes to sit together or just add one to a gift basket! Buy plain solid colored fat pillar candles in different heights. I like them white but any color will work. You will also need buttons (all different sizes) but all the same color as the candle. Simply glue buttons, varying different sizes, onto the candle, starting at the bottom. Only glue them 1/3 to 1/2 the way up. The top line of buttons should be in a wave pattern or at different heights. (This looks better than stopping them all at the exact same level.) They look really nice and the glossier buttons catch the light of the candle and shimmer when the candle is burning. Make green candles with all green buttons and red candles with all red buttons. My favorite is all white candles with white buttons. Try it and see which you like best!
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