Here are some tips for making personalized Christmas ornaments.

Why not trim your tree with family photographs. For example take the pocket sized 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches. Use a hole punch to punch a hole at the top, and put a red, white, or gold ribbon through the photo to hang on the tree. You can adorn your tree with an entire collection of photographs of your family from past to present.

If you have small picture frames made of light wood, paint them different colors. Choose your favorite photographs of the kids, and hang the frames on the tree by placing a ribbon either through the hook on the back or under the frame stands. For thicker frames, cover the outer edges with foil paper or fabric and decorate them with sparkles so they will stand out and enhance the look of the tree.

For the computer savvy, use a digital camera to take photographs of your entire family.
Use software to generate the picture into your computer and save the pictures to paint shop software. There are many things you can do to decorate the pictures. Add Christmas borders such as trees, bells, Santas, reindeer or holly and then add their names using different colors and fonts.

After the photograph has been decorated you can reduce the photograph, using the software, to 2-1/2 inches by 3-1/2 inches, and insert the photo into the frame and hang the frame on the tree. For larger photographs, take a piece of cardboard, cut the cardboard to the size of the picture, and paste the picture to the cardboard, punch a hole at the top, and hang the photograph proudly on the tree.

Your children can also participate in the decorating process by drawing pictures of themselves or family members using construction paper. An entire tree can be filled with their drawings, using different colored construction paper. They can hang their pictures using traditional hooks, ribbons, or yarn. Imagine their faces when the entire tree is filled with drawings. Remember to take a photo of them in front of the tree for your family scrapbook.

It won’t be long now. The New Year will soon be here. Before time slips up on you, you may want to start organizing a New Year’s Eve party. There’s still time to plan a great party for you, your family, and friends to celebrate.

Here are some things you may want to consider when making your plans:

Set a budget. Before you can plan too much, you need to know how much money you have for everything you’ll need for the party. You’ll need a location, food, beverages, invitations, decorations, party favors, and entertainment. Decide how much you’ll spend for each category and stick to that amount.

Set your guest list. Make a list with two columns – a list of people you definitely want to come to the party and a list of those people you’d consider. Cut the list down until you’ve reached the number that will enable you to remain within your budget. Buy and send out your invitations so people can respond to the invitation. Ask them to reply at least two weeks prior to the party. Remember not to make your invitation list too long. You can’t take people off the list but you can add people if some of your guests can’t make it.

Set a theme. Decide on a theme to give you a starting place to plan what type of food you’ll have, music, decorations, place settings, and invitations. There are so many themes to choose from when organizing a New Year’s Eve Party that you’re sure to find one that will suit you and your guests.

Set a menu. Food and beverages are always a big expense for parties. Will you prepare all of the food or will it be catered? Remember to keep your budget in mind when making this decision so you still have money left for the other items you’ll need.

Set a location. You may want to decide where you’ll have the party as soon as you can unless you plan to have it at your home or a friend’s home. If you’re going to rent a space for the party, you’ll want to have this task locked in as soon as you can. A week before the party, call to verify the room is still scheduled for your party.

Set a deadline. If you’ve sent out invitations and there hasn’t been a good response, you’re not obligated to have the party. Keep all of your plans in a folder for next year and you’ll be that much further ahead in the planning. Then send out postcards to people to let them know you’ve cancelled your party. Find someone else’s party to go to and bring in the New Year with friends.

Organizing a New Year’s Eve Party can be a lot of work, but if everything goes well the effort will be so worth it. Start early, set a budget, and plan to have fun. New Year’s Eve only comes once a year, so make the most of it!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
Food coloring
Cookie press with desired cutouts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sugar, egg, butter, salt and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat until mixture is fluffy; add flour. Beat until well mixed. Add a few drops of food coloring, 1 to 2 drops at a time until desired color is attained. Put dough into cookie press. Place desired shapes 1-inch apart on baking sheets. Bake for 7 minutes, or until edges brown slightly.

Instructions:

2/3 cup real butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks from large eggs
1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites, beaten
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Strawberry, cherry or raspberry preserves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend butter and sugar together. Slowly add egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Beat until well blended; add flour. Once well mixed, shaped dough into small balls. Dip balls into beaten egg whites and roll in nuts. Place on greased cookie sheet. Gently press down on each ball with thumb. Bake 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven; cool. Fill indents with preserves prior to serving.

Ingredients:

1 pound of sweet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup real butter, unsalted and softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 9-inch pie crust, prepared, but unbaked
1/4 cup crumbled pecan pieces, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil sweet potatoes until soft and tender. Cool and drain. Mash potatoes in a mixing bowl. Add butter and mix until well blended. Slowly stir in sugar, eggs, milk, spices and vanilla. Mix with a hand mixer until creamy and potato chunks have disappeared. Pour potato mixture into the unbaked piecrust. Sprinkle pecan pieces on top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until knife comes out clean. Cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. For an extra festive touch, sprinkle ice cream with peppermint candy pieces.

During the Christmas holidays, you drive around passing miles of homes whose decorations are so enchanting you feel inspired to decorate your own yard.
Once home, you plan to decorate your yard for Christmas, too. Here are some ideas to consider.

Run lights all along the eaves and sides of your home, as well as around each outer window pane. Place a big wicker basket of Christmas balls on your front porch. Add garland around or over your mailbox, as well. Take red, green or silver garland and wrap it around your front railing. If you have fir trees in front of your home, add lights to all of them. Decorate them with ornaments and garland, too. Better still, if you have a large tree on your front lawn, trim it with lights of all colors. If you have a spacious front lawn, put up a life size Santa or Snowman that lights up. Or, you can place an animated Santa, one that has a sensor so that when you pass it, you’ll hear “Merry Christmas” greetings.

Place poinsettias on each step next to the railing on both sides. Find a large Santa boot and fill it with gifts. Place it on the front lawn. If you have a large Merry Christmas sign that lights us – place it in your front yard, too.

If it has been a snow-less winter, spray the outside window panes of your home. Start at the bottom and spray up slightly to the right or left with a can of snow spray. If you cannot afford the traditional Santa and reindeer with sleigh on the roof, purchase or make your own sleigh, and fill it to the brim with empty wrapped presents. The sleigh would look lovely on the front lawn. Don’t forget – Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the Nativity Scene. Choose a special place for the Nativity Scene as well.

Decorating your yard for Christmas can involve every member of your family. Make it a special time. Draw a plan, together, to decide where each Christmas item will be placed on your front yard. Don’t be surprised when you see cars slowing down to admire your decorations, too.

Preparations for the Christmas season begin right after Thanksgiving. Christmas decorations in all shapes, sizes, and colors adorn store shelves just in time for the after-Thanksgiving Day sales rush. Moms and Dads line up for miles outside toy stores, rain or shine, to be the first to buy the hottest new item. By Christmas morning grown ups don’t even want to get out of bed to celebrate the day. This year instead of preparing our wallets and pocketbooks, let’s prepare our hearts to usher in the Christmas season with our families in a faith-affirming way.

Family Worship
The season of Advent (which means arrival) begins the first Sunday after Thanksgiving and extends through four Sundays. Advent celebrates the coming of the Christ child into the world and the significance of this event in the lives of every Christian.

The Advent wreath, the centerpiece of worship, consists of a small wreath (real or artificial), evergreen sprigs, five candleholders, and five candles. Three of the candles can be purple or deep blue, one is traditionally pink or rose-colored, and the fifth candle is white. The candles are arranged in a circular fashion inside the wreath with the white candle, usually called the Christ candle, in the center of the other four.

Worship time can be set aside each Sunday before church or later in the evening before bedtime. Family members can take turns each week lighting the candles and reading a devotional and prayer. A few moments can be set aside for any questions that younger family members may want to ask about the celebration.

Family Fun
Holidays are a time for people to get out and celebrate with family and friends. As a family, host a “Christmas for Christ” party. Involve the whole family in the planning. The central theme, of course, is the celebration of the birth of Christ. Have the children create their own special invitations. Invite Christian and non-Christian friends alike. Do the shopping for game prizes at this time too. If a lot of activities are planned, start early enough to fit everything into the evening.

To defray some costs, have guests each bring a dish and serve a buffet-style meal. Since decorations will already be hung for Christmas, no extra fanfare is needed. If a costume party sounds fun, have guests dress as a person from the nativity scene. Prizes can be given for the best costumes. The games that are chosen should revolve around the theme. People love trivia games, charades, and puzzles at parties. Let the kids take charge of the games while parents organize the buffet.

Don’t forget to end the night as well as you started. No Christmas gathering is complete without dessert, singing of carols, and the telling of the Christmas story. Sharing your faith with your family should be special and fun. You will create Christmas traditions that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Do you have special Christmas traditions with your family? Whether handed down from generation to generation, or beginning anew, most everyone does.

It is Christmas morning. The stockings hung on the fireplace are filled with goodies, and the presents around the tree are beautifully wrapped. The children awake very early, sensing that something magical has occurred the night before. There is a flurry of activity as you hear them rush into your room and excitedly announce, “Santa was here! Santa was here!” The lights on the tree seem to guide them to it, and they look down at all of their presents with wide-eyed wonder. The Christmas tradition with your family has begun.

After all the presents are opened, and many pictures have been taken, mom prepares a special Christmas breakfast, just as her mom taught her. As dawn becomes day, the fresh fallen snow beckons the kids outdoors. Perhaps the kids want to test out their brand new red sled; or build a snowman with mom and dad.

Later, while mom prepares Christmas dinner, the kids are playing with their new toys.
Perhaps dad is helping put together a new jet plane, while a bright eyed girl is re-arranging the furniture in her new doll house yet again. Mom puts on her favorite Christmas CD, and the house is alive with laughter and music.

Grandma and Grandpa arrive to partake in an early Christmas dinner. Grandpa is playing with the kids and Grandma is in the kitchen helping mom prepare for the feast. Turkey, stuffing, yams, broccoli and cranberry sauce begin the menu, followed by a homemade cake with special chocolate frosting – a recipe handed down from great-grandma. Milk and home made cookies for the kids round out the meal.

It’s nearly six o’clock and time to head out for Church services. Everyone dresses in their Christmas finest. Celebrating Christmas is more than just giving presents, it is a time to rejoice.

Back home, they all gather in the living room and turn on the TV to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, but not before they are once again gathered around the table to have a light meal, and another piece of that delicious chocolate cake!

While your Christmas traditions may differ from the ones described above, the fact is that what has just been described is a traditional family Christmas. It is about being together, enjoying the holiday, and celebrating the birth of a child. Merry Christmas.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup real, unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs
6 to 7 ripe bananas, mashed
1 16 ounce container sour cream
2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease two large, or four small loaf pans. Mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Dust greased pans with the mixture. Combine butter and 3 cups sugar. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream and remaining spices. Mix well; add baking soda and flour. Add nuts, if desired. Divide batter equally into pans. Bake for 55 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Serve with fresh whipping cream.

Beginning in early December, Christmas nativity scenes pop up in front of churches all over the country. Some depict the baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph. Others display the three Wise Men or “Magi” alongside the baby Jesus and his parents. Shepherds and their flocks are included, too. Still others feature stable animals and angels.

Let’s take a look into the Nativity scene though God’s Word. Two gospels in the Holy Bible contain an account of Jesus’ birth-Matthew and Luke. Both accounts mention that the Christ child was to be born of a virgin named Mary, who was pledged to be married to a man named Joseph (St. Matt. 1:18-25; St. Luke 2:1-7). They traveled to Bethlehem in the land of Judea where Mary gave birth to the Savior.

According to the book of Matthew, Magi visited Jerusalem and asked King Herod where the birth of the prophesied Christ had taken place (St. Matt. 2:1-12). They followed a star which led them to Bethlehem where they visited with the baby Jesus and his parents. In honor of his birth, they presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They never revealed the child’s location to anyone, thus ensuring his family’s safety from King Herod.

The book of Luke does not mention the Magi, but a group of shepherds tending their flocks (St. Luke 2:8-20). An angel of the Lord appeared in the midst of the shepherds and told them of the birth of Jesus and its significance. Following the angel’s instructions, the shepherds found the baby in Bethlehem, laying in a manger, or feeding trough, in the stable, because the inn had no room. After their visit, the shepherds told anyone who would listen about what they had witnessed.

The Magi were wealthy Middle Eastern men who traveled a fair distance to view the Messiah. Their wealth is evidenced by the caliber of the gifts they presented. The shepherds, in contrast, were simple, hardworking men who were given a revelation from God about the baby Jesus. It seems like they represent who Jesus was born to save-the rich and the poor.