Christmas in the City

For a long time, I've dreamed of visiting New York City in early December. I've never been there, but I long to ice skate at the Rockefeller Center's outdoor rink in front of the grand Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. To glide and twirl on the ice set among the surrounding tall buildings of Rockefeller Center while the Christmas lights cast a holiday glow upon the smooth surface of the rink - for some reason that scenario just calls to me.

There's something magical about Christmas in the city, whichever city that just so happens to be. Over the years, I've found myself in downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul for various and sundry holiday events. The coldness and heavy air of the Minnesota winter descend upon the city in a different way, giving it an altogether different feel than being out in the openness of the winter countryside. But I like it. The holiday decorations, lights, red velvet bows, greenery and spruce tops nestled into pots and planters with lights and birch branches... it all serves as a festive show of solidarity to both celebrate the holiday season AND make the best of our cold Midwest winters.

Bundled up shoppers make their way, bags in hand, around downtown in a brisk hustle. Christmas music streams from shops and outdoor speakers. Cozy restaurant patrons can be seen through windows, warming up as they clutch mugs of hot coffee in their chilled hands.

Each year my brother Dave and I take our kids and spouses into downtown for some holiday event or other. Typically, it's the Holidazzle Parade, a nighttime spectacle of floats and characters aglow with strands and strands of holiday lights. Hearty Minnesota children bundle up in snow gear to sit on curbs in downtown Minneapolis, braving the cold to watch the merry glowing floats pass by. Mittens? Check. Tissues? Check. Hot cocoa in a Thermos? Check.

This year, the kids asked to change things up a bit. Rice Park in downtown St. Paul (with the help of some corporate sponsors) hosts a free outdoor skating rink. Aha! Situated right in front of the historic Landmark Center, this venue is nestled in a beautiful little piece of St. Paul. I was secretly excited about this outing. While it wasn't gliding and twirling under the looming heights of skyscrapers in New York City, it was amid a backdrop of historic Eurpoean-inspired architecture. I still love ice skating at an indoor rink or on a makeshift city party rink, but there's something magical about donning skates and gliding on ice set among beautiful, old, majestic buildings on downtown streets. Even the kids felt a little awe-struck gazing up at the stone buildings. Spectators stopped, shopping bags in hand, to smile at the children (and adults) taking advantage of the experience of downtown skating. Park trees twinkled with white lights. Holiday music streamed through the air. The smell of cocoa wafted from the warming house.

It wasn't quite how I imagined New York will be someday. But it'll certainly do for now!

Getting Geared Up for the Holidays!

 
Yes, it's been a while since my last post. I have no excuse except for the old cliche that I've been soooo busy! Halloween and Thanksgiving came out of nowhere, catching me totally off guard. Luckily, this year the kids wanted simple costumes that could be purchased rather inexpensively. This meant that I did not spend several hours sewing elaborate costumes, such as last year's Renaissance dress my daughter asked for. A black cape, black sweats and some fangs were certainly easier, if a bit less rewarding in the creative arts department. Ah well. Next year might provide me the opportunity to try my sewing hand at a Southern Belle number or perhaps some fairy attire and wings. We'll see!

Thanksgiving came and brought with it two sumptuous feasts and enough pie to warrant an early New Year's diet plan. My mom is the quintessential Midwest farm gal, showing her love through food favorites when the holidays roll around. Where one or two different homemade pies might suffice for some families, she is sure to cover all bases when it comes to everyone's favorite: pumpkin pie for Dave and Tom, lemon meringue for Julie, blueberry for Jane, tripleberry for Mark, apple for my dad, and banana cream for... well, I don't quite remember. I've forgotten which is supposed to be my favorite, so I try a few bites of them all.

Now that we've put the great turkey feast behind us for another year, on to Christmas!

The Friday after Thanksgiving is reserved for the family Christmas tree cutting ceremony. This exercise in family fun involves my husband Ryan and me forcing the kids to trudge through snow and endure cold, blustery winds the find the perfect Tannenbaum. I'm finicky (again, I take after my mother who has blasphemously thrown out a Christmas tree or two after giving up on trying to hide the bald spots and unforgiving shapes before instructing my dad to "give it another try, and this time, do please try to get the Fraser Fir I requested and please leave the crooked, barren-spotted conifers alone!"). And so we walk. And walk. And walk some more. The entire time my husband and children suggesting a Blue Spruce or Scotch Pine. "What about this one?" my son will ask. My daughter just gives up, asking me to hurry up so she can get some free hot cider. My husband is a good sport. He knows that all the careful scrutiny will result in that one glorious moment when we round a bend or crest the top of an evergreen covered knoll and discover a perfectly-shaped, full, lush specimen of Christmas tree grandeur. I proclaim, "That's that one!" and the kids clamber underneath with Dad, asking to take a turn at sawing for a spell to help fell the family Christmas tree.

Our tree is now up. The decorations were placed lovingly on the boughs (if a bit towards the lower half of the tree) by the kids while I handed them each ornament, recalling stories from Christmases past as Perry Como and Bing Crosby crooned in the background. I love these Normal Rockwell moments and hope they make an indelible mark on my kids' Christmas memories.

The wreath is up thanks to my husband's handy knot-tying skills. The porcelain nativity scene is arranged carefully, Mary's superglued hand raised in exclamatory wonder (thanks to a certain curious 2-year-old munchkin a number of Christmases ago who brought me the "pretty lady" and her hand). Greenery and pine cones have been arranged, the embroidered stockings hung, and the outside lights resurrected and put up. Fa la la la la, la la la la!

The Christmas shopping list is nearing completion and I await a few afternoons of freedom to brave the crowds. Grandma's Christmas recipes have been found. The kids can't wait to help mom perch Hershey Kisses atop peanut butter blossoms and employ the cookie cutters and red hots. Ryan has reminded me that the chocolate bon-bon cookies are his favorite, and my mom has hinted at scheduling some rosette making time.

This weekend's lineup includes: gingerbread house decorating, ice skating and a visit to see Jolly Old St. Nick.

I'm making every effort to get it all done: shopping, baking, drafting the Christmas letter, pulling together a Christmas pictures... 'Tis a busy season. But as time is so fleeting, I'm trying to embrace the holiday month. Like our children's baby years, it'll be gone before we know it!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or New Year, good luck with preparing and enjoying your holidays!

Take a seat!

The decision whether or not to have assigned seating at your wedding reception will surely provide you with a few opportunities for some pondering. What to do with your cousins from Europe who speak minimal English? And which table would make for a good fit for your college roommate, the only single gal at the wedding? And where, oh where, should you seat Great Aunt Agnes, who has a penchant for discussing her medical ailments with anyone within earshot?

While mulling things over and mapping out a plan for seating the medley of personalities that make up your friends and relatives, don’t forget to think about a seating schematic that represents you and your sweetheart. Anyone can number tables sequentially. But throw in a dash of creativity and treat your guests to some interesting tidbits about yourselves.

Important Numbers

If it just makes sense to you to use numbers to designate the tables, shake things up a bit and use numbers that have special meaning to you and your soon-to-be spouse. Be sure to include on the table number a brief description of the significance of the number. For example, if you each have one sibling, note that on table #1's card. Table #10 might explain that your birthdays are only ten days apart. Table #9¾? Perhaps you met waiting in line at the theater for tickets to the latest Harry Potter film!

Destinations

Consider naming tables after cities, parks, restaurants or other destinations that have special meaning for you both. Did you two meet waiting in line at the coffee shop on the corner? Seat your grandparents at the Common Grounds Café table. Maybe he proposed while on your summer trip to Colorado. Have your college buds gather at the Pike’s Peak table. Were you childhood classmates who both attended summer camp together? Your friends will get a kick out of sitting at the Camp Tamakwa table. Again, be sure to offer a printed explanation on each table number card.

Sports Nuts

For fellas who are lucky enough to catch themselves a girl who loves cheering on her favorite football, basketball or hockey team, going the sports theme route is a fun way to go. Pick your sport. Consider using team logos in lieu of numbers. Your guests will have a ball!

Authors or Favorite Books

For the well-read couple, utilizing the names of famous authors or books is a fancy way to designate tables. Looking for a fun way to help your guests pass a little time before the reception starts? Stand the books up on their tables to serve as table markers. Leave cards designed like old library book pocket inserts printed with a short quiz about the book at each place setting on each corresponding table. Who can name Captain Ahab's ship? To which island country did Gulliver travel?

Nature

Trees, national parks, world famous lakes, mountain ranges, regional wild animals, flowers… whatever elements of Mother Nature call to you will make for a down-to-Earth seating plan.

Movies

Are you and your betrothed movie aficionados? His buddies will appreciate being seated at the Rocky or Godfather tables while the bride’s galpals can chat about scenes from movies such as When Harry Met Sally and Pretty Woman. Your parents and grandparents can reminisce about scenes from old gems like Casablanca and Gone with the Wind. Where to seat the groomsmen? They can gather ‘round The Hangover table to rehash the bachelor party!

Hobbies and Interests

Is the groom a car fanatic? Consider naming tables after his favorite autos. Are the bride and groom both teachers? Seat guests at tables named after subjects and classes. Are you real board game lovers? Incorporate your favorites – who wouldn't want to be seated at the "Miss Scarlet" Clue-themed table? (We advise not leaving a lead pipe or revolver on the table, however!)

Whether you opt to go the creative route and have fun with your table names and numbers, or simply rely upon sequential numbers, use your table cards to jazz things up a bit. Photos, clip art, mini chalkboards, festive vases… the possibilities are endless. The day is all about the two of you. Why not make it personal and fun?

Fall Hayrides – A Rambling Ride Through the Colors

What better way to revel in fall's wondrous display of colors and brisk weather than to wend your way through the woods perched atop a hay bale on the back of a wagon? Now that's fall!

Having spent a good number of my childhood afternoons amid the wooded acres of my grandparents' farm, it simply doesn't feel like fall for me until I partake in a seasonal hayride. Of course, those rambling rides of my youth usually entailed chugging past the cornfields, over the hills and down into a valley adjacent to the wooded fence line to forage for hickory nuts underneath a canopy of brilliant yellows and rusty reds. Once my grandmother and I had filled our pails, buckets and bushel barrels with those meaty little nuts, we'd climb back into the wagon, sit atop our wobbly bales and enjoy the autumn afternoon as my grandpa pulled us back home behind the tractor.

My introduction to fall hayrides may have been simple transportation to and from one of nature's generous little food supplies, but the beauty and simplicity of those rides wasn't lost on me. When my kids were younger, I decided it simply wouldn't do to find the winter winds descending upon us without having taken time out for a fall hayride. As luck would have it, a large regional park/nature reserve in the area was not only home to acres upon acres of wooded splendor, but was also open for business for those looking to hire a hay wagon. This would be a perfect family activity, I decided!

We gathered the extended family one Saturday afternoon in late October and clambered atop bales stacked on a large flatbed wagon. Imagine the kids' delight when they discovered that this ride would not be powered by a pickup or a tractor, but two gentle giant draft horses! Some coaxing was needed to convince the kids to leave the horses be and climb up on the wagon.

A two-hour ride through woodlands and fields was just enough time for children of all ages to jump and play in the loose hay before snuggling down into their parents' straw- and hay-covered laps as the day grew cooler. The afternoon sun illuminated the hues of the season, setting the leaves ablaze in autumn tones of reds, oranges, coppers, yellows and golds. I sat back, my three-year-old daughter in my lap, thinking that fall drives are heavenly, but you miss out on the fresh, cool air in your face and the squirmy, giggling straw-covered urchin in your lap.

When the horses finally pulled the wagon to a gentle, swaying stop, kids and adults jumped down, brushed themselves free of straw and chaff, and ambled toward the picnic area where a bonfire and hotdog roasting sticks were at the ready. The hot mulled apple cider that awaited us helped ward off the chill in the air as my husband and I helped the kids hold their hotdogs over the flames. Later, after a potluck supper, the marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers were brought out – a perfect ending to a perfect day. Ooey-gooey s'mores and hot chocolate as the sun set on a lovely fall day.

Don't let this fall escape without finding an apple orchard, park or farm to partake in a fall hayride.

Fall Comes Calling

Perhaps it has something to do with my hair color, but every year when fall settles upon us, my soul is happy and I find genuine contentment with the world around me. The colors! Oh, the colors! Brilliant reds, decadent oranges, deep russets, glowing coppers… the hues that create the palette of fall feel like home to me, and I am at peace.

I’ll admit, there are moments of summer that I adore – the smell of freshly mown hay, the feel of thick green grass below bare feet, an ice cold root beer on a hot day, my mom’s colorful riot of blooming flowers filling the yard of my childhood home. But summer can hold only so much sway over a redhead with pale skin, devoid of any and all ability to tan, who has an ironic allergy to sunscreen. I simply wither when the mercury climbs into the 90s and beyond, and I’ve known my fair share of sunburns. No thank you!

Fall, on the other hand, is another matter entirely. The crisp, cool mornings and late evenings are invigorating. And who can resist the season’s smells? My grandmother’s apple crisp – heavenly. Cinnamon and nutmeg simmering together with apple cider – divine. But the inviting aroma of the crackling wood from a fall bonfire, now that’s the smell of the season I look forward to all year long!

There are those perfect days that come along every once in a while – the ones that you look back on and smile about for years to come. I couldn’t have been older than six or seven. I spent the day raking leaves into big piles with my grandparents in their expansive backyard on their farm. We raked and raked, and then my brothers and I jumped into piles of crunchy red and brown leaves. Later that day, we sat atop straw bales stacked in the wagon as my Grandpa’s red Farmall H chugged us back towards the woods. There, amid yellowing birch leaves and under golden orange hickory tree canopies, my dad and grandpa built a fire. Supper that night consisted of hotdogs cooked on sticks over the flames, golden brown marshmallows and apple cider.

The evening was chilly, but wrapped up in red woolen blankets and gathered around that delicious-smelling fall fire, sitting amid the fallen leaves, listening to my grandparents and parents talk and laugh, life was perfect.

Welcome, Autumn. I’ve missed you.  

Baby Shower Thoughts

This past weekend, my good friend Angie and I hosted a baby shower for my oldest friend Anne. She and her husband are expecting their baby girl in late October. Now that my youngest is turning seven, I’m excited for her, and excited to hold this brand new little bundle of warmth and promise. I miss the smell of babies and the contented coos and yawns I could look upon for hours.

I still remember my first baby shower. I attended with my grandmother and I was probably no more than four or five years old. I recall not quite understanding what it was all about, and I fretted over such things as whether or not we needed to bring our own towel and shampoo to this shower situation, or if those would be provided. The thought of a “shower” had me just as confused as the time my father announced that my mother had sent us on a “wild goose chase” to the store one Saturday morning. Just how were we going to catch this goose, I wondered, and what would we do with it when we had captured it?

Ah, but I digress.

Baby showers as we know them today are rather modern. However, preparing a mommy-to-be and celebrating the arrival of the newborn dates back to ancient Egypt and Greece. Hey – a new mom needs baby gear, right? Whether that baby gear includes a basket woven from reeds or a Pack-N-Play, there are gifts aplenty to bestow upon an expectant mother.

During the Middle Ages, godparents gifted baby with such items as silver spoons. Throughout the Renaissance, new mothers received sculptures, clothing linens and food to commemorate baby. Painted wooden trays with inscriptions wishing good health and successful childbirth were also popular.

The Victorian era ushered in baby showers as we now know them. Since expectant mothers were not to appear in public while pregnant, according to Victorian rules of society, tea parties were held for the new mother after the child was born. These turned into the modern-day shower by the beginning of the 1900s. Gifts were often handmade, save for the silver items typically given by the grandmother.

Today, friends, sisters, aunts, coworkers and even mothers host baby showers that can run the spectrum from small, simple and intimate to rather large and elaborate. Expectant parents register for items they choose themselves at one or multiple stores. Food, games, prizes, decorations – all part of your average baby shower. Clearly, things have evolved since moms of ancient Egypt were giving birth!

So how much work, money and time should hostesses put into planning a shower? I’ve asked myself this very question for the twelve or thirteen showers I’ve hosted. It usually shakes out that they’re a good deal of work, take a healthy amount of time, and you can spend as much or as little as you’d like. So, I’d like to throw out a few tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way. 

Divide and Conquer. While too many cooks can spoil the broth, so to speak, seeking help with shower planning and execution is a good way to reduce the work, stress and expense of shower planning. Coming together and establishing some plans and shopping lists will have you and your co-planners well on your way to a stress-free shower. Divvying up food preparation is also a must if your sanity is to be salvaged! 

Know Your Limits. Budget and space can be limiting factors on the guest list. If you offer to host a shower for a galpal, sister, coworker, etc., make things easier for her by presenting her with some parameters. Only have the funds to host a small event? Let her know. Does the dining room in the Victorian house-turned-restaurant where you wish to throw the shower only seat twenty? Tell her from the get-go. Imagining a shower for ten and receiving her guest list of fifty will make for an awkward conversation. 

Remember: It’s all about the Guest of Honor! Just because you might like a certain food/theme/game/venue doesn’t mean your guest of honor will. Be sure to consult the mom-to-be on important decisions like where to hold the shower, the general vibe of the event, and very importantly for pregnant women who might have a temporary aversion to certain smells or tastes, the menu! 

Prepare! We live in a very hectic, busy, overscheduled society. Don’t put off plans and prep work until the last minute! Game choices might very well require props or other items. Have those collected and ready to go before the last minute. 

Plan for the Inevitable! If you’re counting on receiving RSVPs from 100% of your guest list, think again. Any bride will tell you that there are a healthy number of invitees who won’t get around to responding. You’ll need to plan extra games, food and favors for guests who show up without RSVPing. 

Have a Clear Game Plan. While my co-hostess Angie is Miss Planner through and through, I’m more of a just wing it kind of gal. But, when you’re trying to lead a group of women through games, a meal and gift opening, it’s best to have a clear sense of what your agenda is and ensure each hostess knows what her duties are. As I ran the games, Angie got to work setting out the food and prepped the beverages. As soon as the games were completed, the meal was ready and waiting. No down time is a winning idea!

Whether you’re hosting an event for a few close friends or making plans for 50-60 of mom-to-be’s extended family members, remember that planning and preparation are imperative. Don’t bite off more than you can chew! Any type of shower should be a joyful event, not a nightmare to execute! Endeavor to have just as much fun as the guest of honor. 

Oh, and always bring extra pens and tape.

Vintage Charm

 

 

Inevitably, we women find ourselves sifting through our mothers' and grandmothers' closets for a bit of fashion inspiration from time to time. Whether it's rediscovering mom's Jackie O inspired pencil dress with a slimming belt or digging out grandma's long-abandoned but oh-so-graceful cameo ring, fashion statements have a way of wearing out their welcome only to make a resurgence at a later date.

Wedding fashions and trends are no exception. What once was considered passé eventually works its way back into our hearts and breathes fresh air into styles, palettes, and ideas. We call these trappings of yesteryear "vintage." They are timeless and classic, chic and sophisticated, and they are offering some refreshing options for today's bridal couples.

If you've noticed a return to the vintage couture of the '20s, '30s and '40s, you're not alone. Brides have been finding inspiration in the earlier decades of last century for everything from gowns and hairstyles to stationery and jewelry. Period themes are experiencing a resurgence as well, as couples are turning to eras such as the Prohibition and World War II for some creative fun. Think everything from flappers and pearls to seamed stockings and slimmer wartime cuts and hems. There's no end to the creativity that can be employed to bring in some period style.

The brooch is back. Although Great-Gran may have worn it pinned to a modestly high neckline, modern brides are putting these little adornments to creative uses. Brooches have found their way into updo's, clasping waist sashes onto gowns, and even adding some bedazzlement to bridal bouquets. Running the gamut from dainty and demure to grand and glitzy, these little charmers from a bygone era offer some wonderful ways to honor the older generations of women in the bride's family. Have a host of them from which to choose? Bejewel your bridesmaids with a unique piece to add a bit of pizzazz to their dresses.

A warm welcome back to lace is in order as well, as brides are flocking to gowns with beautiful overlays and delicate backs in a host of lacy patterns. Gone for now are the billowing layers of crinoline, cathedral length trains and Cinderella-esque creampuff sleeves as form-flattering sheaths are the style du jour. I love this look. Feminine. Graceful. Elegant. Where were these simple and lovely styles when I was walking down the aisle?

Lace veils are enjoying a renewed popularity as well, and can be found in varying lengths and a wide selection of styles. For brides looking for just a touch of lacy embellishment, luck is on your side. No need to worry about covering your wedding day 'do with heavy lace. Simple veils with delicate lace borders are easy to find and coordinate wonderfully with all manner of gowns.

Brides are incorporating romantic flowers into their bouquets to achieve a vintage feel. The addition of peonies and carnations infuses a bit of shabby chic into standby arrangements of roses, lilies, hydrangeas and other favorites. Popular bouquets of late are a bit more fuss-free, yet are still breathtakingly lovely.

Flattering hairstyles for vintage-inspired weddings are as easy as a softly swept-up 'do or loosely flowing curls. Looking to kick a bit of '20s fun into your big day? Pin curls, finger waves and fun bobs can make for smashing wedding day 'dos. Or, drawing a bit of inspiration from the glamorous golden days of Hollywood might be the ticket. Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner and Ava Gardner are all sources of divine 'do inspiration for retro-looking locks.

As for decorations and favors, everything emanating a nostalgic air is up for grabs. Bird nests, feathers, antique vases and bottles, silver serving sets, candies from yesteryear, stylish cars from the '30s and '40s, and anything else that sets the vintage tone bridal couples are looking for are perfect for setting the scene.

Looking for just the right invite to tie together a vintage theme? Carlson Craft has a wonderful selection of wedding stationery options for vintage-inspired weddings. These lovely styles offer soft and subtle designs, some embossed with lace embellishments. They're utterly sublime and perfect for inviting guests to indulge in a day of antique charm and timeless elegance.