On the 12th Day of Christmas....

...the Happy House gives to YOOOOOOOUUUUUU!!!! A Christmas Eve table :)



I used cake stands to indicate where dishes would go. Elevating them off the table gave a little more space as well.



All ready for dinner:


And Cam says Prime Rib is nicely followed up by YoBaby.

Merry Christmas Eve Everyone! We can't wait to tear into these bad boys tomorrow!

On the 11th Day Again of Christmas...

.....the Happy House gives to you....finished oodles of treats!

I want to share my Christmas Eve table with you, but I didn't get my pictures yet. So, instead, we're revisiting Day 11. Here are yesterday's treats all done up! (Recipes Below)






Roasted Cinnamon Almonds

Almonds: 8 Cups
Cinnamon: 1 tsp
Sugar: 1 cup
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Water: 2 tsp
2 Egg Whites

So what do you do? It's easy! And you'll never pay $8 for the almonds at the mall again, promise!

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and lightly coat a large jelly roll pan with nonstick spray. Whisk the egg white and water just until frothy. Dump in the almonds and coat them in the egg. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the almonds and toss to coat. Place them in the oven for an hour, flipping the almonds every 15 minutes. Allow them to cool and store them in an airtight container. (I like to use our vacuum saver for this!)


Hot Cocoa Mix

11 Cups Dry Non-fat Milk
1 Cup Dry Creamer
3 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Cups Chocolate Drink Mix (Like Nesquik)
1/4 Cup of Cocoa

Mix all the dry ingredients together. The ratio is 1/3c mix to 2/3c hot water.


Santa Handprint Ornaments
I followed these instructions for the ornaments and painted with acrylic paints.

On the 11th Day of Christmas....

....the Happy House gives to yooooooooou....a plethora of Christmas goodies!

I was busy in the kitchen tonight. I started with Gooey Lemon Cookies, followed up with salt dough ornaments and Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix and ended the night with Roasted Cinnamon Almonds.

My kitchen is no where near clean, but the dishwasher is running and everything is rinsed. I need to gear up for a busy day of cleaning and prepping for Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow so I'm d-o-n-e for the night!

On the 10th Day of Christmas...

the Happy House gives to yooooooou....presents under the tree!

I'm not 100% done. I need to finish up tomorrow, but this is a sight that makes me smile for sure! I love love love giving gifts!!




And don't hate on my phone pics. You know you love them :)

On the 9th Day of Christmas....

the Happy House gives to you...A Christmas Eve Dinner Menu :)

We are hosting Christmas Eve for the first time for Carl's side of the family. It will be a quaint, festive evening and I can't wait!

Getting Started:
Bake Brie & Crackers
Wine
Ice Water

Main Event:
Roasted Prime Rib
Smashed Creamy Red Skin Potatoes
Swiss Vegetable Medley
Yeast Rolls & Butter

Sweet Treats:
Holiday Pies
Chewy Lemon Cookies
Coffee
Hot Tea
Eggnog

I'm thinking I want one more appetizer that's cold so it can be ready right away. We are going to Christmas Eve Mass, so timing will be crucial! Now that the menu is set, I can breathe a little easier. But next big step is setting the table! So far the only elements I know I want are some fresh florals, an ornament feature on the chandelier like I did last year, and definitely candles! I'll be working on that tomorrow, but here is some eye candy I'll be using for inspiration :)

Have you created a Pinterest board with some stunning Christmas decor? Please do share it with me!!

On the 7th & 8th Days of Christmas

...the Happy House gives to yoooooou...Cookie Party Details!

The 3rd Annual Cookie Party Plan

Lunch Menu:
Deli Honey Ham, Roast Turkey & Hard Salami
Whole Wheat and Honey White Sliced Bread
Mustard & Mayo
Cut Romaine Lettuce
Cut Vegetables and Dip (brought by my sister)
Baked Macaroni & Cheese (brought by my mom)
Assorted Soda
Ice Water
Homemade Hot Chocolate

Cookie Assortment:
Sugar Cutout Cookies
Swedish Spritz Cookies
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Tips for Planning:

1. Make Cookie Dough the night prior- can be kept in the fridge
2. Do all cleaning the night before- I always wait to do the half bath the day of
3. Have boxes available for guests to take cookies home
4. Don't bother cleaning the floors ;) A good sweep is good prior, the floor is a sprinkle magnet!
5. Use plastic/paper tablecloths. Frosting will get everywhere.
6. This is the perfect occasion to buy some cute paper plates and napkins. The kitchen sink and dishwasher will be busy with baking dishes. Keep the lunch dishes simple!
   

A Cookie Party Recap :)

I set things up just a touch differently this year. Something I've realized is we don't all actually sit down at the same time to eat lunch. We mostly focus on the kids so they can get to decorating. So my key was not to worry about having 20+ seats. I simply opened up the dining table, and we set up some tables in the basement for some extra seating. The kids like to play down there while they are waiting for the cookies to cool anyway!

I set up all the food on the dining table as well, it worked just fine! I only have a picture with the sandwich goods, I was too busy once everything else was there.
Simple. Not fussy. Not even a tiny bit!

The plates, napkins and silverware were on the sideboard. And I had cake stands all over the place awaiting the cookies.

The beverages were in their normal spot. I did cans this year, and it worked great! This was before the ice, but I just poured it over the cans. Don't forget to set a Sharpie out by the cups. 10+ kids will never remember which one is theirs!


And then the overview of cookie central.


Lastly, here is our newest ornament for the tree. My sister gets me an ornament each year to remember the cookie party. This one is perfect!

(and because I always like to take away a lesson or two at the end of any party)

Things Learned for Next Year:

1. Make 5 batches of cookie dough (instead of 4) and start baking the cutouts the night prior- will allow for more time to bake other types of cookies and no wait time for cooling cookies
   
2. Designate someone to take photos during the actual festivities. I really wish I had done this this year. I was way too busy in the kitchen, and as you can see, I only have the prep photos :(

Overall, it was a HUGE success. I got phone calls and emails from my sisters the next day saying how much they love cookie day. Can't wait for next year!

On the 5th and 6th Days of Christmas...

...the Happy House gives to you... (I'm playing a touch of catch up!)

The Front of the Happy House:

The Back of the Happy House:

Doesn't it make your heart feel holidayish?? :) I still owe you one day, but I'll make up for it tomorrow! The weekend was a little crazy ;)