My daughter Anna (age 5) on Christmas Eve 2002, getting ready to participate in a Nativity re-enactment.
I am going to admit a little something to you today.
Sometimes I get a big fat pit in the bottom of my stomach when I can see another Christmas season rolling into view. It’s not that I don’t love holiday cheer. I do! I really do! But sometimes I assign myself a few too many holiday projects of wonder, and by the time the jolly day arrives I am down right exhausted, frazzled and full of grinch-itus.
One year, when my oldest three kids were just tiny I decided to tackle several DIY projects as gifts. On my to do list where…1) Re-finish and paint a wooded doll house as a gift for my then 4-year-old daughter Anna, complete with homemade curtains, linens, bed spreads, and some doll clothes. 2) Sew matching robes and pillow cases for all my kids. 3) Make homemade caramel, fudge and toffee for all of my neighbors. 4) Make heaping plates of Cinnamon Rolls for all of my siblings and their families (I have 12, including both sides!). 5) Cross stitch a beautiful Christmas Stocking for my then 8 month old daughter Emily.
Needless to say, it was too much! What was I thinking! To top it all off, several days before Christmas MyHandsomeHusband got super sick with the flu, and wasn’t able to help me finish up the doll house, deliver goodies to neighbors, or any of the many other tasks of Christmas. With three small children to care for, the doll house half done, none of my presents wrapped, and zero plates of Cinnamon Rolls complete… I showed up at our extended families Christmas Eve party pretty worn out, and frustrated. Fortunately for me, my sweet brother and sister came home with me that night and helped me finish up the doll house and wrap all of the presents. (What would a girl like me do without brothers and sisters!)
I’ve learned a few things since then. The most important being…keep it simple. Sometimes we women try to complicate life by making things Super Spectacular and Grand, and then feel “less than” when we can’t make it all happen. Did you know my 8 months old daughter had no idea her cross stitched stocking didn’t get hung that year! Crazy, right. 🙂 The doll house we worked hard on ended up being used by Anna to hang her frilly dress ups on. Now that I have driven this motherhood train for 16 years, when I see Christmas on the horizon and I feel that familiar pit in my stomach…I remind myself to simmer down, girl. I don’t want to get so caught up in all of the rush, that I forget to enjoy the simple, fabulous things the holidays can capture. I love snuggling with my kids next to the Christmas tree while we read a story. I love the beautiful lights shining through the snow. I love hearing MyHandsomeHusband play Christmas songs on the piano. I love the generosity that appears in so many. Keeping my Holiday plans simple, really allows me to enjoy it all so much more.
That is my advice to you.
Plain and simple.
Those of you have read my blog for a while, know that cooking spray is pretty much my best friend. I don’t know that I have ever written a recipe post with out typing the words “cooking spray” at least once within it. Truly, I couldn’t function in the kitchen without it. Not only do I use it to coat the bottom of baking dishes and pans, but I often spray it all over my hands when I am working with bread/roll dough. I also spray it on my rolling-pin, and on my counter top to help when I’m rolling out cookies.
PAM Cooking Spray is especially fabulous and works so much better than the generic brands. Did you know that it leaves up to 99% less residue than bargain brands, and has zero calories? Isn’t that great! PAM Cooking Spray is a simple, fabulous way to add ease to your holiday cooking and baking. I highly recommend it.
Below, there are links to 4 fabulous recipes from my archives that are SIMPLE to put together, but taste fabulous and will make any Holiday Breakfast or Brunch a breeze to put together. Pam Cooking Spray plays a big part in all of them. Enjoy!
This Cinnamon Roll Cake has all the flavors of Cinnamon Rolls…without all of the work. 🙂
These babies can be put together the night before you need them.
Breakfast Casserole with Potatoes, Ham, Eggs and Cheese
This savory casserole can also be made the night before you need it.
Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast with Strawberries
I am going to sound like a broken record here…but this fabulous recipe is made the night before as well.
Here’s to a super, fabulously simple holiday season, guys. 🙂 My best wishes to all of you and yours.
My daughters Anna (age 6) and Emily (18 months) and many cousins, on Christmas Eve 2003
PS…PAM Cooking Spray and BlogHer would like to give one of you wonderful readers $100 Visa Gift Card! Super nice of them, right?! To enter all you need to do is leave a comment below telling me how you keep your Christmas season simple.
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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winner will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
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This sweepstakes runs from 11/20/13 – 12/29/13.
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559 comments
i keep it simple by enlisting in fmaily help with cooking
https://twitter.com/jtwark/status/417043537905983488
I delegate some things to other family members to do.
Thank you.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/JalapenoMama/status/417057246527643648
plan ahead and bake early
My kids are older and we all work together pulling together cooking and baking and it makes it so much funner with the ones you love by your side 🙂
https://twitter.com/klp1965/status/417071145020444672
Make sure that I am organized that way we all can have downtime together :).
I use tide pods and fabric softener! twice a week
plan and prep beforehand and remember what Christmas is really about and going to church!
tvollowitz at aol dot com
Shop only once or twice way before the 25th.
I keep it simple by panning ahead and get everyone together to help.
Thank you for the nice giveaway!
lola_violets_2010{AT}yahoo{DOT}com
I tweeted:
https://twitter.com/lolaviolets2010/status/417081001370611712
lola_violets_2010{AT}yahoo{DOT}com
I buy gifts all year so I can enjoy the holidays stress free
I keep it simple by asking everyone to bring a side dish or dessert to Christmas dinner.
tweet
https://twitter.com/eswright18/status/417092037591064576
We don’t exchange gifts anymore. It’s easier, since our family is 40+ members. We just have a great meal and enjoy visiting and catching up with each other.
http://twitter.com/mendyd/status/417094438440411138
Have all ingredients out before you start!
We just have a few smaller gatherings rather than one huge one lately
I tweeted
https://twitter.com/The_Sunshyn/status/417106053235367938
We keep it simple by going over to the in laws, no messy behinds for us. 🙂
I cook for both sides of our family one on Christmas night and then Christmas Day I have learned over the years to keep it simple everything doesnt have to be Made from scratch all the time I do what I have time for now, and Im much happier now and much more awake 🙂
By not sending Christmas cards, not baking cookies and trying to only buy a few gifts person
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/rosannepm/status/417128236032598016
I didn’t overspend, and we had a really simple dinner menu.
We keep it simple by not exchanging gifts (just the kids), and focus on the importance of being together as a family despite our conflicting busy, sometimes hectic schedules. 🙂
I make a list for gifts and things to do like baking and stick too it taking it a little at a time
https://twitter.com/eaglesforjack/status/417139822420299777
I make it simple by ordering online, but I think you meant to ask about food, so I’ll say that I like having help in the kitchen.
I try to do a little at a time. I also ask people who are joining us for dinner, to bring a side dish, appetizer or desert, to help out.
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/417144127327707138
Thanks again.
I shop early/.
https://twitter.com/sohamolina/status/417167200718290944
I do all my shopping online and just get the stocking stuffers in stores.
https://twitter.com/smilekisses/status/417180831757500416
We do potluck!
I try to keep my Christmas season simple by reminding myself, and my family, that we need to stop and remember what Christmas is truly all about. After that we try to just spend more time with each other and less on the money aspect.
I tweeted about the giveaway
https://twitter.com/lgothard/status/417215119202844672
@lgothard
most of my recipes contain 4 ingredients or less
The holidays are insane – I have to make a plan and force myself to stick to it – or else I’d go crazy!
Tweeted!
https://twitter.com/gildedaged/status/417293290099064832
By lining my pans with foil & using Pam I have a quick clean up!
https://twitter.com/wikichoco/status/417295515563220992
I cheated this year. We kept it very simple and we did not wrap any presents all year. THank you
tweeted https://twitter.com/klynn6161/status/417330197516394497
I focus on the Holidays being about family and that seems to make all the other hustle and bustle fall away 🙂
I make quick and easy recipes
https://twitter.com/aes529/status/417345146548531201
We keep our Christmas simple by limiting the number of gifts we give out. We don’t give very many gifts to our kids and extended family too. We think its too easy to get wrapped up in all the gifts so we try to take the focus of that and keep it minimal.