I love Christmas – but there is so much to do. The thing the one can so easily forget is that we still have to continue doing the things we do every single week of the year, whether that is work or family commitment – but we also have to find time to prepare the house, get the presents, do the shopping, prepare for parties and dinner dates, and hopefully catch a few hours sleep as well.

The key to getting it all done is a proper countdown to Christmas. Define what order you are going to do things in and how you are going to get it all done – leave nothing to chance.

We all have different things to do at Christmas – so you will not be able to simply download your perfect countdown to Christmas plan and follow it. Nice though it may be, it just isn’t going to be possible.

List for you Christmas Plans
The first thing you need to do is define what you hope to achieve during the Christmas period. I start with three categories; social, gifts and shopping, food. Although I really enjoy planning the food it actually isn’t sensible to start this until you have defined your other two lists.

Social engagements
This is a two fold list, it is the places and commitment we have, and also the guests we are going to have. Firstly, have a look in your diary and make sure that you have all you commitments marked in. If some are still unconfirmed make a few phone calls and see if you can get things agreed. Then you need to see who you want to entertain and work out the dates on which you are going to invite them. If you have not already done so – get those invites out!

Next you need to consider gifts. Of all the people you are going to see over the Christmas period, who do you need to buy gifts for? Then consider who you will not be seeing and work out if you need to send gifts (be sure to check you last postage dates for these).

This is the part which many people forget, or simply leave to ‘inspiration’ – you and your clothes. You already have made a list of the engagements you have and the dates you are entertaining. For these you will need outfits. Now, don’t panic I am not going to suggest that you go and buy a new outfit for each event. But you do need to consider some things. For example have you got enough dress and jacket combinations which you can put together or do you need to top it up? Does everything from last year still fit? Work out what you are going to wear to each event, remembering to leave time to wash or dry clean in between. If you need to buy anything, try to organise doing it as a part of your Christmas gift shopping – this will help you to be efficient and use your time well.

Now you need to get it all collated. I suggest using standard printer paper, I use one piece for each Monday – Friday in the run up to Christmas and a new piece of paper for each weekend. I add to each day, where I am going, who I am seeing, gifts I need to take and food I need to prepare.

Once this is complete it is just a matter of writing the shopping lists.

How to write a comprehensive shopping list in your countdown to Christmas plan
Start with two pieces of paper – one for food and groceries and the other for gifts. Now simply start at the beginning of your plan and work through each day writing down what you need.

Now you have your own personal countdown to Christmas you just have go and pick up the goodies – the sooner you do this the soon you can start enjoying Christmas in the knowledge that everything is in hand!

I also rather recommend one of these – they are really fun – and it is a great way for the whole family to get into the Christmas mood.

Countdown To Christmas 2010 Hallmark Ornament

• 2011 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament

Keepsake Ornaments let you bring big milestones and little moments to your tree for you to remember always.

Countdown to Christmas is a post from: Finest Christmas

Related posts:

1. Kids Christmas Crafts
2. Christmas Elves

I have just put up my first Christmas decorations of the year. I am very lucky that my kids still believe in Santa, and the first thing we do each year is make pictures of Elves and put them on the windows. These are the Christmas elves which the kids believe will watch over them and report back the Santa if they are ‘naughty’ or ‘nice’.

Originally we just had pictures which I printed off and the kids colored them in. Now we have got a bit more advanced.

Remember when you were little you – did you make chains of people; snowmen holding hands? Well, we do the same, but with elves. I use standard printer paper. I divide it into 4 strips lengthways, so I get 4 rows of elves. Each row is then concertinaed up to create 6 elves. These are the perfect size for us.

I stick them on the windows so they look like they are peeping in and watching. They are small enough that they don’t block out the light and all our guests go up and comment on them. They are a great talking point and everyone loves them.

My eldest son is rather into flags at the moment – he has a book with the world flags on and is constantly asking questions about the different symbols and colors. So for this year we went and bought a sheet of little flag stickers. When he colored in his elves he put a little sticker on each of their tops.

We had such fun making them and it was even a little educational as well.

For those of you who are following the current European crisis you will probably find it funny that he had England and Europe (one of the flags was the blue EU flag with the gold stars in a circle on it) together and France and Germany at opposite ends – great insight from a 6 year old!

Now our Christmas Elves are complete I think it will be the beginning of snowflakes on the weekend.

Below is a book which you may find helpful when planning your kids Christmas activities – remember to get some round ended, soft handled scissors as well.

Paper Scissors Glue: 45 Fun and Creative Papercraft Projects for Kids

• ISBN13: 9781845979751
• Condition: New
• Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Get your kids folding, snipping, and sticking with “Paper Scissors Glue”. Kids love crafting, and paper-based crafts are particularly popular, as they require no specialist equipment or hard-to-find craft supplies – just this exciting new book and some paper, scissors and glue! “Paper Scissors Glue” is divided into four vibrant sections containing 45 funky projects. Cutting features decoupage, collage-making and mosaics. Folding contains simple origami projects as well as cute hanging mobiles and classic paper planes, hats and fans. Printing and Painting includes paper-plate masks, treasure maps and marbling paper. And Modelling contains a papier-mache piggy bank, doll’s house furniture and a supersonic cardboard space rocket! Every project can be completed in four steps – just follow the simple instructions and you can’t go wrong!

Christmas Elves is a post from: Finest Christmas

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1. Kids Christmas Crafts
2. How To Include Your Christmas Crafts In Your Christmas Decorations

Once you have started on the route of Christmas crafts you will need to find places for all your projects. If you are doing these with young children or toddlers you will either have just one or two items which they did, or you will have absolutely millions of bits of paper to find homes for. So where do you put them all?

With kids there is always a balance needed. I love having their items of the tree, but I still like it to look good, and there are only so many snowflakes before the tree looks like it has been somewhat attacked! So this is what we do now with the snow flakes.

I divide the snow flakes into groups. If they are very big, they sort of take over the tree, hence they go on the windows. You will want to put them really high up so that they don’t block the light. You can overlap them here, put a line of the biggest ones on first and then layer the smaller ones or those on different colored paper over the top.

I like the smaller snow flakes on the tree, partly because I love the way the kids point out to guests which ones they made. However, from my experience it seems that the smaller the child the more paper there is left in their snow flake. So, I combine two snow flakes. My youngest is only just getting competent with scissors, so his tend to be circles or squares with a few holes cut into them. My oldest on the other hand creates really intricate ones which are so fragile that they need support. Hence I put the two together. There are two ways to put snowflakes together, either with glue, but sometimes this doesn’t really work – you end up with a rather stiff looking snowflake. The other method, and my favourite is to add a few strategic stitches to hold them together, this just really seems to work. (I discovered it one year when I ran out of glue, but it was one of those great discoveries)

Now you have a home for your snowflakes – but what about your chain men, normally Santa or snowmen? Well, if the snowflakes are at the top of your windows, the obvious place for you characters is at the bottom. Every year our windows are lined with elves, Santas and snowmen.

In my books Christmas is all about family – and I like to show off the kids creations, but I like to get a bit of a balance with some style and order. I was really pleased this morning, as my 7 year old headed out to school he didn’t talk about presents he wanted to receive he talked what decorations he was going to make and how he was planning on decorating the whole house!

If you are looking for some more inspiring ideas for your Christmas crafts – then check out the book below.

A Homemade Christmas: Creative Ideas for an Earth-Friendly, Frugal, Festive Holiday

Making something with your own hands—whether it’s a plate of just-baked cookies, a handcrafted stocking, a homemade wreath, or a hand-folded origami ornament—is a great way to connect with the true meaning of Christmas.

From holiday decorating to gift giving, A Homemade Christmas is chock-full of projects, recipes, tips, and helpful hints that are guaranteed to add a homemade touch to your holiday season. Open this charming volume to any page and discover a wealth of practical and easy-to-accomplish ideas for a homemade holiday:

• create personal, distinctive holiday greetings

• deck the halls with festive, handmade trimmings

• cook simple but memorable homemade dishes

• make unique, handcrafted gifts

• share the joy of the season with friends and family

Packed with inspiration and how-tos for ideas that are family-friendly and eco-conscious, festive and meaningful, A Homemade Christmas will put homemade back into your holidays!

How To Include Your Christmas Crafts In Your Christmas Decorations is a post from: Finest Christmas

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It is getting cold, and although I am happy for the kids to wrap up and head out the evenings are too dark. I am not a big fan of television for kids, mine seem to get bored and can never manage to agree on what they want to watch. Hence we now spend the evening getting ready for Christmas. Over the last couple of years I have tried lots of different kids Christmas crafts, and some have been amazing successes – while others were a complete disaster.

In the evenings I find that the most successful kids Christmas crafts are paper based ones. This is mostly for me, I don’t want to have to get out food colorings (for marzipan fruits), or paints. Messy activities are fine if you have a whole afternoon or morning, but if it is just a little while in the evening then paper is by far the best.

What you will need for kids Christmas crafts nights

• Two cardboard boxes. One to keep supplies in and one to put the finished products in.
• Lots of paper. This can be anything, I always pick up colored paper if I see it on offer in the shops, but I also keep packagings and anything which I think may be useful (and that includes cereal boxes). If you have ordered from Amazon you may have got your box stuffed with brown paper, I even fold and iron that and keep it – it is great for making into stars and then spraying with colored paints.
• Scissors – I always have a couple of pairs of kids scissors in the paper box. It means that they don’t get lost, they are never used for other projects, and have a couple of pairs means that there is no fighting over them.

What to make?

This is an unending list – but here are a few things to get you thinking:
1. Snowflakes. You probably made these are a child, you simply get paper, fold it in half, fold again and again until you have a triangle. Then simply cut out some notches and open up. You may not want your tree covered in these, but they are great to put on the windows! I have found that getting the kids to decorate one side of the paper before cutting can create some great effects. Keep it simple; lines across or diagonal on the page, or draw around coins to get circles. If you have toddles, just let them loose with come crayons and then get the older kids to turn them into snowflakes.
2. Paper folding. This can be really impressive and very simple. I have been doing origami for years and always use it on my tree. Guests tend to think that it is really difficult – but really, if you have a look in some of the kids origami books you will find plenty of simple stars and other items which can be used or adapted for Christmas.
3. Chain people. I love these – a real childhood memory. We make elves and Santas. We stick these along the bottom of the window frames so that it looks like they are walking along hand-in-hand. I tell the kids that the elves are keeping an eye on them and will report back to Santa if they are naughty or nice!

The one thing I will warn you about kids Christmas crafts are that they are totally addictive. My kids want to get the paper out every night, and it is great to see them concentrate on it and then go to bed tired, but really pleased with their creations.

I have added a link to a basic origami book. There are some which are specifically for Christmas, but you don’t need these. I think it is better to have a general one, and they you can use it all year round – after all paper folding is a great activity, even for warm summer muggy evenings.  For a couple of dollars you can guarantee hours of entertainment.

Easy Origami (Dover Origami Papercraft)

• DOV-27298
• 9780486272986
• Brand New Item / Unopened Product
• Dover

Kids Christmas Crafts is a post from: Finest Christmas

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1. Christmas Elves
2. How To Include Your Christmas Crafts In Your Christmas Decorations
3. Christmas Crafts Marzipan

Halloween has been and gone and now it is time to start the preparations for Christmas. The first thing to do is make a cup of coffee and get together some Christmas decorating ideas. I like systems – so this is how I go about it.

Where do the decoration need to go?
To do this I think of a friend who I have not seen for a long time and imagine that they are coming to visit. I imagine them pulling up outside and seeing the house for the first time, I think about what they are going to see as they head towards the door. I write down what they are going to see and this is the basis for my outdoor Christmas decorations.

Then I imagine them coming into the house and I write down, not what they are going to see, but what I would like them to feel. That may sound a little strange, but let me explain further. I have a friend who I speak to or email most weeks, but I haven’t actually seen for five years, hence she has never met my youngest son. If she walked into my house at Christmas I would want her to have an immediate sense of warmth and family. There are some people who would want more ‘wow’ things, or most stylish – you have to find the emotion you want to create in people.

What decorations to use?
I am a big believer in not wasting things, so I always start with what I already have. Firstly, I divide up the good and damaged decorations. I never throw away decorations when I pack up in January. For example, if you are making a wreath, you only see one side of a bauble, perfect use for baubles which have got dents in them!

Once I have got my ‘good’ decorations in a pile I return to the effect I want to create. What do I need to add to these to make it more; family bases, kiddy, stylish?

Once you have made these decisions and define what you need to it is time to start collecting – and I don’t mean in a shop. I remember one year I had a great tree which was all blues and silver. My husband had a pair of pjs which I had moved to the rag box as they were getting old. When I realise what colors I would be using that Christmas, the first place I headed was the rag box. In it I found several blue rags and also these pjs. This is what I did with them:

• I cut out rectangles of about 18 x 10 cm.
• I then put two together, right side in and sewed around the edges, leaving a small space of about 1cm in the middle bottom.
• I then turned them back to the right way out – through the little unsewn hole.
• I then bought some silver ribbon of about an inch and a half wide. I cut a piece of ribbon about 25cm long for each rectangle.
• I then tied the ribbon around the centre of the rectangles and with a bit of arranging I had the most beautiful bows for my Christmas tree. The bows had blue (or pj plaid) ‘wings’ and silver ribbon tails.

Since the kids came along I find that I have a much more multicolors tree and home, but it works well with us as the kids love the run up to Christmas and are always keen to choose remnants in a shop and paper from their craft boxes. (Admittedly we did have one Christmas which was rather Mickey mouse dominated, it was not our most stylish Christmas but it is great to look back on).

So where ever you start with your Christmas decorating ideas you must look at who you are going to be inviting, what you want them to thinks, and also how you are going to achieve that with the most fun!

If you are looking for some craft ideas to use check out the book below.

Christmas Decorating Ideas is a post from: Finest Christmas

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1. How To Include Your Christmas Crafts In Your Christmas Decorations
2. Homemade Christmas Decorations
3. Christmas Decorations

Dad can be a really difficult person to buy for, and this Christmas it will probably be even harder.  We are all tightening out belts a little this Christmas (and some of us are tightening them a lot!), hence we want every gift to be practical and still have a little bit of luxury to it.

I think that one of the things which makes a gift a success is the amount of use it gets.  There are two ways in which to achieve this.  The first is to find something which is a project, a model or something which will take time and patience to complete and will offer hours of relaxation time during the process.  The other way is to choose a gift which will become incorporated into life.  It will be used almost daily and will be that little bit more expensive than one would usually spend, but would increase quality of life.

Last year, I went more for the project, I bought remote control planes which had to be built and models which took most of the year to complete.  This year I have decided to go for something which is more family based.  My top gifts for dad are puzzles or games which the whole family can play.  Or my ultimate top gift – the Apple TV.

I know that the Apple TV does not sound a very romantic present and in fact it is not just for dad, its for the whole family.  But it is a little bit of luxury.  It is something which in these times we would not just go out and spend.  It offers hours of enjoyment and most importantly, it means that when you do have time to chill there will always be something to watch without any hassle.

I think that if other families are noticing the increased stress of daily living as much as we are, then you will realise how important it is to have some means of ‘winding down’ in the evenings.

Hence, my top of my list of Christmas gifts for dad is the Apple TV.  Be sure to check out the reviews below and you will realise why it is such a good investment.

Apple TV MC572LL/A (2010)

• Stream HD movies and TV shows rented from iTunes, plus content from Netflix, YouTube, Flickr, and MobileMe
• Smaller, redesigned device with HDMI and digital optical audio output; connects to network via Wireless-N or Ethernet
• Silent, cool, and very low power operation in an enclosure that’s less than four inches square
• Music, videos and photos can also be streamed from PCs and Macs
• Comes with 7-button aluminum Apple remote; can be controlled by iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch via Remote app

Apple TV has been redesigned to be small in size but big on entertainment. Rent from the largest selection of HD movies – many available the same day they come out on DVD. Watch Netflix titles instantly. Rent TV shows, commercial free in HD. And stream photos and music from your computer to your widescreen TV. The sleek new Apple TV has been completely retuned for your entertainment. It’s 80 percent smaller than the previous generation – even with a built-in power supply. Which makes it perfect for sitting neatly on a widescreen TV stand or squeezing into a crowded media cabinet. Not only does the new Apple TV have an amazingly small footprint, it’s also incredibly energy efficient. It stays cool without a fan, so it’s never noisy. And when it’s not filling your living room with drama, romance, and comedy, it uses less power than a night-light.

The sleek new Apple TV is small in size but big on entertainment. Rent from the largest selection of HD movies or rent TV shows in HD, commercial free. Stream directly from the huge catalog of Netflix titles. Watch your favorite YouTube videos. And enjoy music and photos from your home computer on your home theater system. All you need is a single HDMI cable to set it up.

Stream HD movies and TV shows from iTunes plus content from Netflix, YouTube, Flickr and MobileMe (see larger image).

The 7-button aluminum remote (HDTV not included; see larger image).

With the Apple TV, you can rent thousands of commercial free, high-definition TV episodes for just 99¢ per episode. Once you rent an episode, you have 30 days to press Play, then it’s yours for the next 48 hours. You can also rent over 7,000 movies with over 3,400 available in HD–and most new releases are available the same day they’re released on DVD. The Apple TV also connects to your home computer (either Mac or Windows PC), and you’ll be able to stream all your purchased music, TV shows, movies as well as podcasts and photo slideshows from your computer directly to your HDTV via the Apple TV.

Featuring ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (as well as a wired Ethernet connection) and an internal power supply, and the Apple TV offers silent, cool, very low power operation in an enclosure that’s less than four inches square–80 percent smaller than the previous generation. Control the Apple TV using the included seven-button aluminum Apple Remote, or use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and the Remote app–a free download from the iTunes App Store.

Coming Soon: Airplay

With Airplay functionality, you’ll be able to wirelessly stream music and video stored on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad to your HDTV via the Apple TV. Airplay will be available to mobile devices running the iOS 4.2 (to be released soon).

Key Features

• All-new design that’s small, quiet, and cool.
• Rent from the largest selection of HD movies.
• Rent commercial-free HD TV shows.
• Stream from the huge Netflix catalog of movies and TV shows (available to Netflix subscribers in the U.S.).
• Browse and play YouTube videos, watch HD podcasts, and listen to Internet radio.
• Access online Flickr photos and MobileMe galleries.
• Enjoy all the photos, music, and videos on your computer on the best TV and speakers in the house.
• Turn your photos into a stunning HD slideshow.
• Stream everything you watch over 802.11n Wi-Fi.
• Simple setup with a single HDMI cable for both audio and video.

Set-up is quick and easy with a single HDMI cable connection (see larger image).

See (larger image).

Specifications

• System requirements:
  • AirPort Extreme, Wi-Fi 802.11b, g, or n wireless network (wireless video streaming requires 802.11g or 802.11n) or 10/100BASE-T Ethernet network
  • iTunes Store account for renting movies and TV shows
  • Netflix account for streaming Netflix content
  • For streaming media from a Mac or PC: iTunes 10 or later; iTunes Store account for Home Sharing
• Video formats:
  • H.264 video up to 720p, 30 frames per second, Main Profile level 3.1 with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps per channel, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
  • MPEG-4 video, up to 2.5 Mbps, 640 by 480 pixels, 30 frames per second, Simple Profile with AAC-LC audio up to 160 Kbps, 48kHz, stereo audio in .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats
  • Motion JPEG (M-JPEG) up to 35 Mbps, 1280 by 720 pixels, 30 frames per second, audio in ulaw, PCM stereo audio in .avi file format
• Audio formats:
  • HE-AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through
• TV compatibility: High-definition TVs with HDMI and capable of 720p 60/50Hz,2 including popular models from these manufacturers: Hitachi, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, NEC, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Toshiba, Vizio, Westinghouse
• Wireless: 802.11n Wi-Fi (a/b/g compatible); 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
• Ports: 1 HDMI; 1 optical audio; 1 Fast Ethernet; IR receiver; microUSB (for service and support)
• Dimensions: 3.9-by-3.9-by-0.9-inches
• Weight: 0.6-pounds
• Power: Built-in 6-watt universal power supply

What’s in the Box

Apple TV, aluminum Apple Remote, power cord, documentation

Optional Accessories and Related Products

Apple designs Apple TV and iTunes to work together in a completely integrated system. And only the AppleCare Protection Plan provides one-stop service and support from Apple experts, so most issues can be resolved in a single call. Extend the complimentary service and support on your Apple TV to two years from the original Apple TV purchase date. With the AppleCare Protection Plan for Apple TV, you can be sure that your entertainment will play on and on. That’s because it covers both your Apple TV and iTunes–whether you use a Mac or a PC.

One stop for technical support

• Direct access to Apple experts
• Global repair coverage (subject to certain restrictions)
• Mail-in repair: Mail in your Apple TV using a prepaid shipping box provided by Apple2
• Carry-in repair: Take your Apple TV to an Apple Retail Store or other Apple Authorized Service Provider
• Use with a Mac or PC

Apple hardware coverage

• Your Apple TV
• AirPort Express Base Station, AirPort Extreme Base Station, or Time Capsule3
• Included Apple Remote and power cord

Software support included

• Connecting to AirPort networks
• Renting and buying shows from the iTunes Store
• Accessing photos on your computer

List Price: $ 99.00

Price:

Christmas Gifts for Dad is a post from: Finest Christmas

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There are so many wonderful ways to decorate your home and tree at Christmas, but some of the best decorations are the homemade Christmas decorations. Everyone always remembers when they have seen homemade ornaments. Also, if you have a family, then it is a great way to spend some evening together.

I recently came across an idea which I had never seen before – but I have just tried it out and what a success – I had to write about it!

Once summer has passed there are always some thing left over which we intend to keep for next year, but invariably misplace before we need them. In our household one of these is the spare icelolly sticks. I buy them by the hundred in the spring, and always have ones left over, and always loose them before next spring. This year – they have been turned into Christmas decorations.

They are very simple. We just used some standard kids poster paints, and a little piece of wool for the top of Santas hat and the bottom of his jacket. You can always add cotton wool for his beard aswell. There are obviously loads of different variations you can make of these, but this one is really easy and great fun. (Remember to paint the back red first.) I have a little hand craft drill I used to make the hole at the top, but you can probably use a kitchen skewer for this.

I have just had a quick go in Paint to try to create a little drawing of the these (I thought that would be better than the slightly sub standard photo I just took …) Here it is.

(for other Christmas decoration ideas check out our page.)

Homemade Christmas Decorations is a post from: Finest Christmas

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2. Paper Decorations

Most people, when you mention Christmas crafts think of making things with paper. But this is just as much fun, the results are great and its simple enough for even the smallest hands – Marzipan.

Firstly, let me explain the different types of marzipan. There is obviously the shop bought marzipan. This is great and easy to use, but if you want to get the most out of the project then you can make the marzipan as well.

If you are going to make your own marzipan there are two ways. The first is a no-cook option. If the kids are helping then this is the one I would suggest. The cook option makes a much smoother marzipan, which is much better for modelling, but if your kids are little then it doesn’t really matter too much. As they get more experienced over the years you can always sway to this.

This is the recipe I use:
200g Ground Almonds
100g Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1 Tbsp Cold Water
1 tsp Almond Essence

Most recipes will have raw eggs in them, but since I make this with the kids I don’t like to use that. Here’s what you do:

• Mix together the ground almonds and powdered sugar.
• Make a well in the centre of the marzipan mixture and add all of the liquid ingredients.
• Mix thoroughly.
• You can add a tiny drop of lemon juice or syrup if the marzipan is a little dry.
• Do not add too much liquid.
• You should be left with an almond pastry textured dough.
• Cover and place marzipan into the fridge for an hour.
• Use your homemade marzipan recipe for baking and making sweets.

Now you have the marzipan, you can start the really fun bit.

I think the best thing to start with is fruits. This is because even the youngest of children can make these and older kids can add details to keep them challenged.

There are several things you will need for this. The first is a cheese grater with all the different options on it. This is a great way to create texture. For example if you are making an orange you roll the an orange ball round and round on the smallest grate option until you have covered the orange in small dents, making it look very realistic. (similar for strawberries)

The next thing you need are a couple of cocktail sticks. These are used to create the create the indents at the top and bottom of the fruits and also to attach stalks and leaves to the fruit.

Finally, and most importantly you need food coloring.

You are now set for many fun hours, and lots of yummy treats to eat.

If you are feeling ambition you can check out some of the techniques here.

Christmas Crafts Marzipan is a post from: Finest Christmas

Related posts:

1. Kids Christmas Crafts
2. How To Include Your Christmas Crafts In Your Christmas Decorations

We did a quick survey of our friends and discovered that most of us were way off the mark when it came to gift ideas for dad!

It took us a while to work out why, and a lot of giggles over coffee – but when we realised the problem we quickly solved it. We had asked the various men the simple question: ‘what would you like for Christmas?’ The answered had ranged from ‘a Ferrari’, to ‘I need a new jersey’. They seemed to either not take our question seriously, or they gave us totally uninspired answers.

So we went back with some new question:
• What was the best Christmas present you ever got as a kid?
• What would be the best gift you could give a 20 year old boy?

The anwers were great. There was a general trend to the first question towards either indoor toys such as Scalextrics or model kits otherwise they were more outdoors stuff like a BMX, or first fishing rod.

The answers to the second question tended to follow on from the first. For example those who thought Scalextric was the best toy would now choose a ticket to the touring car championships. One of the days loved models thought the best trip for a 20 year old would be a flight in an F16. When they talked about the ideas their faces lit up like kids in a sweet shop!

So if you want to find gift ideas for dad which will really inspire him, check out some of the ones below – these were all given the seal of approval by our ‘test dads’.

#C1260 Scalextric Digital Pro GT 1/32 Scale Slot Car Set

• 4 cARS inCLUDED
• Multi Racing with Lane Changing
• Overtaking and Blocking
• Easy One button Set-up,Can race as many as four Cars
• Space needed : 9′ 2″ x 4′ 7″, track length is 22′ 2″

Scalextric Digital Pro GT 1/32 Scale Slot Car set.
Includes 4 cars,Aston Martin DBR9,Porsche 911 GT3R, Maserati MC12 and Ford GT-R.
Marked #C1260.
Brand New in Factory Sealed Box.

Cutty Sark Limited Edition Free Build Slip

A tea clipper launched in 1869. Length 85.34Meters, breadth 10.97M, draught 6.4M and displacement of 2133 tons. The most famous of all tea clippers, the Cutty Sark is today preserved for posterity at a dry dock in Greenwich. Built to transport teafrom China, she was designed by Hercules Linton, whose ambition it was to outstrip the Termopylae, the fastest ship of the times. This limited edition kit includes the building slip FREE, kit also includes laser cut wooden hull and wooden strips, stern tube with shaft, rudder, fittings set, sails, rigging thread, plan and manual. Scale model of a tea clipper from the year 1869.

Length 43.31″, Height 26.38″, Width 5.91″, Scale 1:75

Gift Ideas For Dad is a post from: Finest Christmas

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I know that I have already written a post about the Kindle for Christmas (here is the link if you missed it), but now the Kindle Fire is here, and OMG I need one.

I looked long and hard at the Nook as well, when I choose my Kindle, initially I had been quite keen on the Nook because of its color capabilities and I thought that I could use it to entertain the kids when out. But there were just too many things which were better about the Kindle. But the Kindle Fire is everything I could have hoped for.

If you are in the US then you need to pre-order your Kindle Fire – here is the link. Amazon have said that orders will be filled on a first come basis; so now if not the time to dither! I am afraid that if you are in the UK or Europe you have to wait longer, in fact they have not yet announced the release date – sorry guys, but keep checking as soon as I find it I will post it with a pre-order link.

Why is the Kindle Fire so good?
I am a complete book worm, so I loved the original Kindle, but I have two small boys and they are not natural readers. But I know that they will love to read books on the Kindle Fire, the books are in color and the great thing is that my oldest will be able to read books to his little brother when in restaurants and coffee shops.

Then for longer times out, you can also watch films! Perfect for kids. Admittedly the screen is small, but this is not something which seems to bother kids, they just like the novelty and distraction of a screen. (In fact my youngest thinks that the smaller the better – so he will certainly not be bothered by watching on a small screen).

All in the Kindle is perfect for any mom. It is easy for her to read, even while waiting at the school gates; and in addition it can entertain the kids at a moments notice.

So if the Kindle Fire is the perfect present for all Moms then I don’t know what is.

Pre-order your Kindle Fire NOW!!

Kindle Fire, Full Color 7″ Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi

Movies, apps, games, music, reading and more, plus Amazon’s revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser – 18 million movies, TV shows, songs, magazines and books – Amazon Appstore – thousands of popular apps and games – Ultra-fast web browsing – Amazon Silk – Free cloud storage for all your Amazon content – Vibrant color touchscreen with extra-wide viewing angle – Fast, powerful dual-core processor – Amazon Prime members enjoy unlimited, instant streaming of over 10,000 popular movies and TV shows

Kindle Fire is a post from: Finest Christmas

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