Holiday Wishbook 2020 by Brookings Register

Holiday Wishbook 2020

Happy Holida

ys!

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

Holiday Wishbook 2020

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

Holiday Wishbook 2020

Stock the Pantry with Holiday Baking Ingredients Many holiday traditions begin with family and friends gathered in the kitchen or around the dinner table. Food is an integral part of celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas and Chanukah, and key components of each holiday are tied exclusively to food.

ing and icings. Brown sugar is refined sugar with molasses added, and is used in certain recipes, like gingerbread.

Come the holiday season, many people gather to make delicious desserts for holiday dinners or even as gifts. The right ingredients are necessary to produce a bounty of baked goods. It’s also essential to ensure those ingredients are fresh, as age can compromise the taste of some spices, and leavening ingredients like yeast, baking soda and baking powder may lose efficacy over time.

• Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter will be the default for

• Flours: All-purpose flour is versatile and useful in many recipes. In addition, bread flour, cake flour and pastry flour have attributes that make them better suited for their respective jobs than all-purpose flour. Individuals who follow certain diets, including gluten-free diets, can find alternative flours that can be substituted in many different recipes.

milks, such as soy or almond milk, can sometimes be substituted, but the resulting texture may change.

• Salt: Granulated table salt is used in everyday baking. baked goods unless the recipe specifically mentions salted butter.

• Eggs: Eggs help to bind ingredients together. Large eggs are most often cited in many baking recipes.

• Milk: Dairy adds moisture and texture to batters. Alternative

• Vegetable oil: Many recipes call for vegetable oil, which has a neutral flavor.

• Shortening: Shortening is a solid vegetable fat used to make

• Baking soda: This leavening agent is activated when it is com- tender baked goods. Shortening also has a higher melting point, bined with acid and heat. That is why it is often paired with citrus juice, buttermilk and sour cream.

which helps cookies and other items retain their shape while cooking.

• Baking powder: This leavening agent is baking soda mixed • Flavorings: It is helpful to have various spices and extracts on with a powdered acid and cornstarch. If baking soda is the only leavening agent, it will not require the addition of another acidic ingredient. “Double-acting” means carbon dioxide bubbles will form during mixing and again during heating.

hand. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice are some common baking spices. Almond and vanilla extracts are quite versatile and add extra punch to recipes.

• Additions: Mix-ins, such as chocolate chips, cocoa powder, • Yeast: Yeast takes more time to metabolize and cause doughs oats, nuts, and dried fruits, often turn up in holiday recipes. to rise than other leavening agents.

• Sugar: Granulated sugar is the most common sugar found in

recipes. Confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar) is used in frost-

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

Certain ingredients are essential for baking and holiday cooks can take steps to ensure their pantries are stocked in time for the holidays.

Holiday Wishbook 2020

Did you know? Christmas Day is the most popular day to get engaged. According to the 2020 WeddingWire Newlywed Report, more couples who were married in 2019 got engaged on Christmas Day than any other day during the year. Christmas Eve was the second most popular day to pop the question, while the Sunday before Christmas Eve came in fourth (New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day rounded out the top three). The appeal of Christmastime proposals helped make December the most popular month to get engaged, as more than 19 percent of couples who married in 2019 got engaged in the final month of the year. July proved the second most popular month to pop the question, as 9 percent of couples who wed in 2019 reported getting engaged in July. Tradition still has a place in wedding proposals, as 84 percent of proposers reported asking on bended knee, while 65 percent acknowledged asking parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; permission prior to popping the question.

Holiday Wishbook 2020

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

Holiday Wishbook 2020

Simple Ways to Prolong the Life of Poinsettias

Poinsettias and their rich red, white or variegated color schemes are the ideal backdrop for Christmas celebrations. In fact, poinsettias are among the most popular decorative flowers during the holiday season.

According to the 2013 USDA Floriculture Statistics report, poinsettias accounted for about one-quarter (23 percent) of all flowering potted plant sales that year. Roughly 34 million poinsettia plants are sold in a given season. Indigenous to Central America, the plant was introduced to North America in the 1820s when Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico, brought the red-and-green plant back with him from a trip abroad. While millions of poinsettias will be purchased for the holiday season, many mistakenly think their utility ends once New Year’s Day has come and gone. But with proper care poinsettia plants can continue to thrive and bring warmth and beauty to a home long after the holiday decorations have been tucked away.

• Choose a hearty plant. Experts with the University of Ver-

mont Extension Department of Plant and Soil Science say that many people mistake the plant’s leaves for its flowers. The red, white or pink bracts are actually modified leaves. The flowers of the plant are the yellow clustered buds in the center called “cyathia.” Choose poinsettia plants that have buds which are, ideally, not yet open.

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

• Keep the temperature consistent. Poinsettias prefer a

room temperature between 60 and 68 F during the day and 10 degrees cooler at night. Humidity levels between 20 and 50 percent are ideal. Group plants on water-filled trays full of pebbles to help increase humidity levels.

• Place near sunlight. The United Kingdom-based Perrywood

floral company advises placing poinsettia plants near a bright windowsill but not in direct sunlight. Do not let a poinsettia touch cold window panes.

• Avoid drafts. The plants are sensitive to drafts and changes in temperature. So it’s best to keep poinsettias away from drafty doors, windows, radiators, or fireplaces.

• Don’t drown the roots. Wait until the surface of the com-

post dries out before watering the plant anew. Also, the decorative foil wrapper that covers pots can trap water and lead to root rot. Remove it or poke holes in the bottom to allow for drainage.

• Cut back plants. Come mid-March, cut back the plant by

half to encourage new shoots, suggests the University of Illinois Extension. The plants also can be placed outside in the spring after the risk of frost has passed. Bring poinsettias back in around mid-September to early October to force them to bloom again.

Holiday Wishbook 2020

How to Host Virtual Holiday Celebrations The 2020 holiday season figures to be vastly different than seasons past. The novel coronavirus COVID-19 has transformed daily life in many ways. The public has become accustomed to wearing masks while shopping, limiting the number of people in public venues and keeping their distance from friends and loved ones. Many events have been reimagined as virtual celebrations because of social distancing protocols. For those with large families or people with inherent risk factors that make them more susceptible to illness, sharing the holidays over video conferencing apps may be the safest way to go in 2020. The following tips can help holiday hosts make the most of a virtual holiday experience.

Pick a bright, festive spot

Set up your tablet, smartphone or computer in a bright area with a festive backdrop. You’ll want others who join the virtual hangout to be able to see you clearly. A Christmas tree or a decorated fireplace in the background can set the scene.

Choose the right conferencing app

Certain programs may work better than others depending on your needs. For example, if everyone has the same operating system platform (iOS or Android), you may be able to use an app inherent to that system, which won’t require a separate download or login. Apps also may be chosen depending on how many people can be invited in, as some set limits. Do your homework and conduct a test run prior to the holidays.

Keep props nearby

If the goal is to open gifts virtually, be sure to have everyone gathered and gifts nearby so no one is scrambling in and out of view.

Holiday Wishbook 2020

Position the camera at eye level

Try to set up the camera so you’re not looking up or down. Practice looking straight into the camera instead of at yourself in the minimized window or even others on the screen. This way you’ll appear engaged.

Use mute when not speaking

Muting yourself (and encouraging others to do the same) when you are not speaking will limit the amount of background noise. As the host, serve as the moderator and encourage everyone to speak one at a time. Choose a visual cue to signal when someone has the floor to speak, such as raising a hand or even showing a festive picture.

Tune into virtual worship

While some places of worship have reopened to some capacity, others may still be offering hybrid services. If your place of worship offers services via YouTube or another video platform, gather around and watch together and participate just as if you were there in person. Better yet, share the link with other family and friends so they can tune in as well.

Share dinner ‘together’

Set up your camera source so it captures the holiday table. All parties gathering virtually can then sit down to the holiday meal as one and enjoy one of the season’s more endearing traditions. Virtual celebrations may continue through the holiday season. Adapting with some video conferencing tips can ensure everyone enjoys the festivities.

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

Holiday Wishbook 2020

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

Holiday Wishbook 2020

How to Create a Durable Gingerbread House Gingerbread cookies and houses are one of the many symbols of the holiday season, alongside Christmas trees and twinkling lights. In fact, few confections symbolize the holidays more so than gingerbread. Many a child (or a child at heart) has spent hours carefully trying to create decorative gingerbread houses. Although gingerbread recipes span various cultures, gingerbread houses originated in 16th century Germany. The fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel” helped solidify the popularity of gingerbread, which became part of Christmas traditions. Even though gingerbread houses can be fun to make, there’s no denying it can be exacting work — especially for those who strive for perfection. Prepackaged kits attempt to take some of the guesswork out of the equation, but those who are crafting from scratch can employ these tips as they build their gingerbread houses.

ter and not runny.

• Mind the dough. Do not roll out the gingerbread dough too

thin or it may become brittle after being cooked. Always cut out shapes before the gingerbread is baked. Let the baked pieces sit overnight to cool completely before using them to build.

• Patience is key. Allow the icing to dry for at least a couple of hours after adhering each piece and before moving and handling the house, says Beddall. Work in stages so that individual items can be decorated and allowed to dry. Then the walls can be put together, followed by the roof pieces.

• Kids likely will need help. Children may not have the pa-

tience or steadiness to handle complete gingerbread construction. They can decorate the separate pieces of the house while the components are laying flat, which is easier for kids. Adults can do the main assembly later on.

• Go for form and not flavor. Few gingerbread houses • Utilize a template. Free-handing may not be easy. Cut out ever get eaten, so focus on finding a dough that will bake up rock hard as opposed to one that tastes good.

templates using cardboard or posterboard for various gingerbread pieces.

• Get the right icing texture. Pastry artist Catherine Bed- One of the most important tips is to have fun. Don’t take gingerdall says royal icing is the preferred “glue” to adhere gingerbread pieces. Beddall says icing should be thick like peanut but-

Holiday Wishbook 2020

bread house making too seriously as a novice. Rather, enjoy the experience and the centuries-old tradition.

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

Holiday Wishbook 2020

Warm Up with a Rich, Chocolate Beverage Nothing beats sipping a hot, soothing beverage after a day of choosing the perfect Christmas tree or lobbing snowballs in the backyard. Teas, hot toddies, coffees, and mulled ciders certainly can fit the bill, but a mug of rich hot chocolate is a holiday season staple. Hot chocolate can be whipped up quickly from premade packets, but many such packets are loaded with sugar. Chocolate lovers should have a reliable hot chocolate recipe to lean on when the moment is right. This recipe for “Real Hot Chocolate” from “Chocolate” (Parragon) by the editors of Love Food is sure to please.

Real Hot Chocolate

SERVES 1 TO 2

1 1⁄2 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces 1 1⁄4 cups milk Chocolate curls to decorate Place the chocolate in a large, heatproof pitcher. Place the milk in a heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour about one-quarter of the milk onto the chocolate and leave until the chocolate has softened. Whisk the milk and chocolate mixture until smooth. Return the remaining milk to the heat and return to a boil, then pour onto the chocolate, whisking constantly. Pour into warmed mugs or cups and top with the chocolate curls. Serve immediately.

Holiday Wishbook 2020

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

Holiday Wishbook 2020

6 Ways to Stick to a Holiday Budget The holidays are an exciting, fun and joyful time of year. And for many people, the holidays also are expensive. According to the Motley Fool Company, a financial wellness resource, the average American spent $882.45 on Christmas gifts, food, decorations, travel, and other holiday-related expenses in 2019. Around 56 percent of gift shoppers set a budget for holiday spending, but only 64 percent stuck to it. In addition, 21.5 percent of respondents went into debt due to holiday shopping.

like dining out or entertainment extras. Many people plan to use credit cards to pay now and worry about the aftermath later. Only use credit cards if you have the money in the bank and can pay off the entire bill when the balance due is in January.

3. Set a spending limit for individuals. Based on your num-

bers and how much you plan to spend overall, start allocating money to categories, including gift recipients. Come up with a spending range for each person and stick to it.

Who doesn’t want to have a super holiday with delicious foods on the table and lots of presents to share with family and friends? While that’s tempting, such a bounty should never result in financial peril. These six strategies can make it easy to establish and stick to a budget this holiday season.

4. Pay in cash as much as possible. It’s easy to know what

ing plans, factor in all of the expenses associated with the holidays — not just the most obvious, like gifts. Costs for gas, parking lot fees, greeting cards, postage, travel expenses, and much more should be included in your final number.

suring up to your budget. If necessary, scale back on one category if you’ve tipped the scales in spending on another.

you’re spending when using cash as opposed to credit. There is some risk with carrying around cash, but that risk may be offset by the benefit of spending only what you can afford to spend.

5. Track all purchases. Save the receipts and keep a running 1. Budget for everything. When working out holiday spend- total of expenditures so you can see how your spending is mea-

2. Determine how much you can spend. Money for gifts

and other holiday expenses should ideally come from your disposable income. Look at your finances in advance of the holiday season and figure out how much extra cash you have for the holidays, and use that figure to determine how much you should spend. Find ways to make up any deficit by curtailing expenses

THE BROOKINGS REGISTER

6. Shop sales and deals. High-end stores may have the im-

pressive tag, but their prices can set you back. Instead, look for comparable gifts at discount stores and other retailers. Also, if you must use a credit card, use one that earns you a cash-back bonus for added savings. A holiday budget is a must to avoid overspending and finding yourself in debt early next year.

Holiday Wishbook 2020