Verve holiday 2014

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W i s c o n s i n ’ s

M a g a z i n e

f o r

W o me n

Holiday 2014

FREE

10WAYS

hang

getting the

to

De-Stress

the Holidays

BlacK

Freaks

Friday

If you can’t beat the crowds, join them

of the

holidays

Take Time to

Celebrate Christmas

birthdays HOLIDAY 2014 |

1

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Eastern Wisconsin’s Magazine for Women Publisher Delta Publications, Inc. 606 Fremont Street, Kiel, WI 53042

with energy and enthusiasm or vigor

HOLIDAY 2014

on the cover 8 BLACK FRIDAY FREAKS

Black Friday brings true stories from the trenches.

12 10 WAYS TO DE-STRESS YOUR HOLIDAY SEASON

Great ideas to calm down the

calamities of the holiday

season so you can enjoy them too.

Copy editors Mark Sherry | Judy Preder | Donna Berchem | Ann Mathes marks@deltapublications.com judy@deltapublications.com

your voice

3 WOMEN IN MOTION

What is your favorite holiday movie?

48 DARLENE BUECHEL

There’s a lot to that Happily Ever After saying.

l ife 4 TALKING TURKEY

Four easy steps to that perfect Holiday Bird this season

20 GETTING THE HANG OF

THE HOLIDAYS

Simple decoration tricks to make your home shine for the holiday season.

22 CELEBRATION SEASON

Adding birthday celebrations

to the Christmas season is a trick.

Contributing writers Darlene Buechel, Faye Burg Margaret Richman

36 ORGANIZING FOR

NEXT YEAR

Use positive habits this year to make next year’s holiday habits easy.

health

34 HOW COOL AFFECTS US

Does cooler weather really have a positive impact on weight loss?

Design team Klaudia Schnell | Tammy Defatte | Callah Kraus graphics@deltapublications.com Advertising/Marketing Pam Mathes pam@deltapublications.com Dianne Fett dfett@deltapublications.com Joe Mathes joe@deltapublications.com Eric Mathes eric@deltapublications.com Candace Te Beest candy@deltapublications.com Contact our advertising representatives at 920-894-2828.

PUBLISHER Mike Mathes mike@deltapublications.com VERVE Magazine is published quarterly

by Delta Publications, Inc. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

Opinions expressed by contributors in this publication are not necessarily the opinion of the publication.

VERVE is distributed at more than 200 locations in Eastern Wisconsin.

Pick up your free copy at our local outlets.

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HOliday 2014 | holiday

selected at random • out & about • in the street • on the job

we asked > “My favorite Christmas movie is ‘The Christmas Shoes.’ When my mom was sick with cancer, I would have gone without to get anything she requested, and I did. I miss my mom more during these holiday seasons that one can express. I think going through what I did and watching others go without, gives me the greatest feeling when I can give, even if it is just to sit down with someone and just listen to a story they have to share.”

KATHY MUENCH Manitowoc

What is your favorite holiday movie? “‘The House Without a Christmas Tree’ love, love, love it! I watch it about 10 times each holiday season!”

BARB TECHEL Elkhart Lake

“My favorite is ‘Love Actually,’—‘Christmas Vacation’ so close though!”

LARA BAUS Elkhart Lake

“My favorite Christmas movie is ‘Annabelle’s Wish’ a movie about a calf who wants to be part of Santa’s Reindeer Team and learn to fly.”

“It’s a Wonderful Life.”

TONI HABERMANN New Holstein

Circulation Sharon Schjoth sharon@deltapublications.com Donna Berchem office@deltapublications.com

For a complete list of distribution sites, visit our website www.iwantverve.com

4

women inMotion “My favorite Christmas Movie is ‘Elf.’ Every time I watch it, I feel the warmth of my grown kids and laugh at the scenes they loved the most. ‘Elf’ elevates my mood and Christmas spirit.”

DEBBIE KLINGEISEN Clarks Mills “The Family Man.”

PAMELA BUTLER CHANNEL Sheboygan “My favorite Christmas movie is ‘Home Alone.’

Although it is not really a Christmas movie, the setting is at Christmas time and both myself and my family love to have movie night on Christmas Eve to watch it and have a good laugh.”

JOY OTTO Valders

TAMMY PETHAN Chilton

“There are so many to get wonderfully lost in on the Hallmark Channel. I would have to say, ‘Silver Bells.’ A Christmas tree grower comes to New York to sell his trees. His son runs away. I watch it every time it is on...and that is usually often!”

LOIS WAGNER Chilton

“That’s easy—‘White Christmas!’ In the days before recording shows you had to watch it when it was on.

Many times it was on at 11 o’clock at night and my mom, sister and I would get our pajamas on, make popcorn, turn off the lights and watch the movie together. Very special memories.”

MARILYN STENSKE Kiel

“My favorite Christmas movie is ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’”

MARY DAUN St. Cloud

“My all time favorite Christmas movie is 1989’s cult classic ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ with Chevy Chase.

I can’t remember the last Christmas that my dad and I haven’t watched it together and laughed our butts off for the entirety of it. Comedic brilliance with a dose of heart felt family Christmas warm and fuzzy undertones.”

GINA BORLAND Elkhart Lake

“‘It’s a Wonderful Life’—a tradition I’ve started with my family seven years ago. We watch the movie after decorating our Christmas tree.”

TAMMY RABE Sheboygan

“My favorite Christmas movie would have to be ‘Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas.’”

PEGGY ZIMMER Manitowoc “My favorite holiday movie is, ‘Miracle on 34th Street.’ It is the best old time classic that captures the magic of Christmas.”

ARLEEN GEBHART Chilton

“One of my favorites is ‘The Christmas Story.’

Watch it all morning long on Christmas morning!”

ERICA BATES Chilton “My favorite Holiday Movie is, “Miracle on 34th Street.”

MARY JO MUELLENBACH New Holstein

HOLIDAY 2014 |

5

1. Buy

Before you start shopping for a turkey, consider how many people will be at the table. The average Thanksgiving bird runs about 14 to 16 pounds, but a 12-pounder could work for smaller groups. To guarantee the right size, order the turkey from a market or butcher one to two weeks in advance, and pick it up on Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

When it comes to the turkey itself, fresh is best. Fresh birds are slightly

CTW FEATURES ©

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| HOliday 2014

Sarah Stegner, co-chef and coowner of the Prairie Grass Café in Northbrook, Illinois, believes in buying only the freshest ingredients and locally whenever possible.

“Look for a bird that’s hormonefree, antibiotic-fee and maybe free range,” Stegner says. “And if you can’t find it from a local source, you can still go and ask for these things from your butcher shop.”

2. Brine

There are different ways to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey for roasting – but the goal always is to make sure the breast meat doesn’t dry out.

“Typically, turkey breast meat is dry because the white meat is done before the dark meat is finished, and

so it’s drying out the white meat,” says Diane Morgan, author of “The New Thanksgiving Table” (Chronicle Books, 2009).

Brining, or pre-soaking the turkey in a liquid-salt solution, helps to keep that breast meat moist and the turkey flavorful. According to Morgan, the key to brine is the salt. Salt can have different weights depending on the brand, and following the recipe precisely is critical.

“If you put a half cup of Morton’s iodized salt in a measuring cup and weighed it, it’s heavier than a half cup of Diamond kosher salt because it’s a flakier salt,” Morgan says. “So you’re actually getting a different proportion of salt to water.”

Morgan brines her turkeys in foodsafe oven roasting bags and double bags for protection. From here her steps are as follows:

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A delicious turkey starts at the store, comes to life in your kitchen and leaves everyone anxious for leftovers — after the food coma dissipates.

Here is our simple guide for making it happen.

T

hanksgiving is about family, gratitude and, of course, food. The centerpiece of any truly authentic Thanksgiving meal is a succulent, flavorful turkey — but preparing the bird takes more than just a pan and an oven. Here is our simple guide to achieving the perfect Thanksgiving turkey in four easy steps.

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Keep In Mind:

1. On Tuesday, remove the giblets and neck. Put the turkey inside the bags, pour the wet brine over, tie it up and leave covered in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours.

Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day At the end of the day, remember that Thanksgiving is more about family than about turkey. Try not to feel too much pressure, and take this advice from Rodgers:

2. Wednesday night, take the turkey out of the bags, rinse it off, pat it dry and then leave uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow the bird to air dry and encourage a crisper skin on the finished product.

“If you’re a beginning cook, remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Whoever taught you to make a turkey, they did not learn how to make it overnight. You learn as you go along. Take notes.â€? ď‚Ą

3. If using a kosher turkey, keep in mind that these birds have already been soaked in salt water to meet kosher standards, so brining is not necessary. Also, beware of brining a frozen turkey. Many brands are already brined, so make sure to read the packaging before getting started.

Diane Morgan’s Juniper Brine

From “The Thanksgiving Table�

(Chronicle Books, 2001)

3. Cook

Ingredients

Rick Rodgers, a cooking teacher and author of “Thanksgiving 101� (William Morrow Cookbooks, 2007), uses a standard roasting pan and rack for the turkey, but he does suggest investing in something “heavy duty.�


2/3 cup kosher salt
 2/3 cup sugar
 5 fresh sage leaves


Before placing the bird in the oven, Rodgers ties the wings down across the breast with a piece of string to hold them in place. He also loosely ties the end of the drumsticks together so the turkey will look compact.

Rodgers roasts his turkeys breast-up for the duration but covers the breast with foil to slow down the cooking in that area. With about an hour left, he removes the foil to let the skin brown.

4. Carve

Once the turkey is out of the

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When the turkey is brined and ready to go, it’s time for the oven.

When it comes to the actual roasting, Rodgers says, “I like 325 degrees throughout the entire period [of 3-4 hours]. It helps the turkey from shrinking too much, and you don’t have to worry about it not browning enough.�

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4 sprigs fresh thyme 
2 bay leaves 
6 whole cloves
 oven, Drew McLachlan, a chef and director of retail development at 121 Restaurant Group in North Salem, New York, advises letting it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before carving. Use that time to finish prepping your other side dishes, McLachlan adds.

piece,� says McLachlan. “Then separate the thigh from the drumstick and carve the meat off the thigh if wanted.�

To carve the bird, use a sharp slicing knife with a thin blade. Place the turkey on a large cutting board with a moat – or a dip around the outside – so the excess juices will be retained.

Once each breast is removed, slice it into thick cross sections. McLachlan says this encourages the meat to retain more moisture. “The breast slices may be a bit untraditional,� he adds, “But the taste is better!

“When it’s time to carve, first remove the legs and thighs in one

From there, McLachlan’s strategy is to cut down the keel bone – the hard ridge that runs between the breasts at the top of the bird – and remove one side of the breast, and then the other.

Chain Saws

1 teaspoon juniper berries crushed


$

Starting at‌

Preparation Put all the ingredients in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Add 8 cups of water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Boil for 3 minutes; then remove from the heat.

Add 4 cups of ice-cold water, stir, and set aside to cool.

Then proceed with the directions for Brined Turkey.

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taste | Grape escapes b y Margaret Richman

Dec. 6 & 7

Black Friday

FREAKS B

lack Friday, the paramount shopping day of the year; a buying spree spurred on by retailers creating a sense of urgency to score on unheard of deals.

An irked Philadelphia Police Department laid claim to coining the moniker in the mid-60’s. A sea of traffic jammed cars and overcrowded sidewalks needing their intervention were not a welcome diversion from

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| HOliday 2014

their essential duties. Otherwise go with the more popular belief that the day provides a magical line of demarcation on a retailer’s accounting books, stores no longer running in the red to operating in the black. Where the name originates is not of interest to those who embrace the day. What is important is that it is here to stay.

Shoppers, oblivious to sleep deprivation gaining an adrenaline rush

from the frenzy, accepting the lines, and plowing ahead with re-caffeinated bodies adds to the moniker. They are known as Black Friday Freaks. What motivates them to participate in the annual fever pitch and what tips do they share for those wanting to join the club?

Tammy DeFatte of New Holstein has three decades of Black Friday experience. As a child the

Thanksgiving meal at her grandparent’s house in Fond du Lac was followed by the gang perusing the ads in the paper looking for special deals and the freebees which were standard in the early days. Grandpa was an early riser and Tammy enjoyed joining him on the Friday hunt. “Back in the day, every store pretty much gave out free stuff.

JC Penney’s gave away snow globes and Fleet Farm stuffed animals or a matchbox size semi. Sears even gave out gift cards which were a big draw. My grandparents eventually tired out of the experience but the excitement of the day was in our blood. I then shopped with my sister and am now joined by our father who enjoys bonding with daughters during the day,” said DeFatte.

Tammy has her routine down. “We try to get to the store one hour before it opens and usually are between the first and 20th person in line. It is warmer by the door. My dad has a handicapped sticker so using his car is an advantage for parking. Dad brings a chair to sit down in line. He stays behind us since he jokes that he is afraid we will run him over and then adds that if he goes down he will act as the speed bump to hold off the others. When doors do open, dad gets the cart and goes and stands in the checkout line while I start running around the store,” she said.

DeFatte and her father arise earlier each year as the stores have changed their hours but their routine remains unchanged. Check

the flyers, note which stores have rainchecks, which store has the most items they want to purchase, and keep in mind the typical longer lines at Menards and Shopko. The excursion is usually over by 10 a.m. “We also go to Fleet Farm Toy Opening in mid-October and call this our practice round for the big day. I love the energy and excitement; it is a strategy thing and we work well as a team. I think people should try it at least once,” DeFatte said.

Kiel resident Cary Johannes has headed to the Sheboygan area with her mother, sister, and mother’s cousin for their annual Black Friday expedition for years. It is a day to get together and she believes her shopping cohorts are low key in comparison to the hardcore freaks. “We set aside this one day per year to shop together. It works for us since my sister and I have young children; we and our husbands are off of work and they are able to care for the kids,” Johannes said.

The foursome looks through the papers the night before and individually makes their list. They decide on who has the best deal as their method of choosing the first stop. “Despite the stores switching to earlier openings we stick to our 5:30 a.m. time slot and have found that the lines aren’t as bad since the mad rush is over. For us it is all about attitude, if we get the item then it was meant to be if not, oh well,” Cary said.

“We have found a few shoppers are insensible but most are very gracious. It

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STRONG WOMEN | Black Friday Freaks

Black Friday Freaks | STRONG WOMEN if that was the specific item I wanted when someone grabbed it out from under me and I lost my chance,” Woelfel said.

Surely a hardcore Black Friday Freak has scored on that ultimate deal. “The biggest deal that comes to mind happed at Kohl’s.

Personal DVD players had recently come on the market and they were very expensive at that time.

Kohl’s had the players on sale plus were giving out $50 in gift cards with purchases so I ended up buying several for $20 a piece,” she said.

Mixed in Dawn’s memory bank of this day is the year she and her sister stayed awake for 48 hours. “We had returned home from the trip and had to go straight to the hospital where our mother had been taken. We stayed with her all night since she was nearing death and had then passed away.

Her memory is now with us each year on the shopping excursion,” Woelfel said.

Jenny Schmidt and Rachel Schroeder pose with their shopping results.

can be fun to have a conversation with someone while waiting in the long lines and inevitably we run into people we know,” she said.

DeFatte tells the story about meeting the same couple on an annual basis. “Every year we seem to run into the same couple waiting for the doors to open at Fleet Farm. We don’t know them nor see them outside of this day but it is fun to make small talk about how our year had been,” said DeFatte.

Johannes tops off her annual event with their husbands meeting them for lunch and everyone then going their separate ways.“We are now just sticking to tradition,” she said.

Dawn Woelfel readily admits that

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| HOliday 2014

she is one of those hardcore Black Friday Freaks. Thanksgiving meals have even been moved up a few hours to accommodate her concentration on the upcoming shopping frenzy. By 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, she and her daughter Tanya head out of Chilton to meet up with her sister Debbie Schmitz at her home in Fond du Lac. “We look through the papers and flyers that we get from several papers over and over, sometimes 20 times.

Just when we think we have planned our shopping trip we end up starting all over again. We go when the doors open never going to bed that night.

We have stood in lines at the door freezing for 2-3 hours,” Woelfel said

with a good hearted laugh.

Practice makes perfect and this group knows the ropes. “Target is the best organized in terms of their lines.

They have it barricaded and cops are around. The line is single file so no one can butt in ahead of you. It is really annoying when that does happen. My sister always brings a chair and sits down in line. She also packs mandarin oranges to eat to keep going,” she said.

An error to not repeat is hesitation.

“The hardest part for me is that they put merchandise in different spots that day so sometimes there is confusion as to where to go. Once I made the mistake of hesitating trying to decide

Dawn feels the day is not a game but more of an adventure. “It is more of a rush just doing it. It really isn’t about the big hot buys but the excitement of watching the crowds. It is an adventure,” she said.

Rachel Schroeder wins the prize for shopping stamina. In 2013, she and her cousin Jenny broke their personal record for their Black Friday madness going at it for 36 hours while traveling to three major cities. This unshakeable shopper asserts that she

wander,” Schroeder said.

It is more of a rush just doing it.

It really isn’t about the big hot buys but the excitement of watching the crowds. It is an adventure.

— Dawn Woelfel Black Friday fan doesn’t tire out and is fuelled with the amusement of people watching.

“Sometimes while standing in line you can get warm and then feel the fatigue.

Usually I do not get tired. I have so much fun watching the people that it keeps me going,” said Schroeder.

Rachel and her cousin have been at it for 10 years and are occasionally joined by others but their taga-longs tend to be short lived. Schroeder laughs as she describes those with less endurance. “We have been joined by my mother, another cousin, and one year my son. They usually go one or two years with us and then never join us again. One year my middle son was around 13-years old and had gotten his deer early. So with no need to hunt he joined us. By 2 a.m. he called it quits and went and slept in the car.

We would check on him between stores to see if he was still breathing,” Rachel joked.

With Walmart opening at 6 p.m. her routine has been altered. “We start at the Walmart in Chilton and will arrive sometime between 6-8 p.m. since they stagger what will be on sale. We

then head to Appleton, mainly the big department stores. We find the lines at Best Buy and Target impossible and usually avoid those stores unless there is something that we really want. We never lollygag in a store; we go in for the specific sale item only. Sales are usually over by noon so we have returned to a store later if we want to just

Last year the duo diehards returned to their homes in New Holstein after the Appleton shopping segment, took a shower, refueled and then headed out to Sheboygan for more bargain hunting. A third sequel in Fond du Lac followed the Sheboygan jaunt creating history for the two Black Friday Freaks.

“We have so much fun,” she avows.

Within the human experience, the definition of fun is rather diverse. Good luck Black Friday Freaks chasing those sales; go time is just around the corner. 

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10 Ways

What, you?

Worry? Nah. The big holiday meal is a piece of cake by employing a few time- and sanitysaving tricks and shortcuts.

Y

ou can have a memorable holiday meal with delicious food, a beautiful table and appreciative guests, but with a fraction of the usual work.

If you pare your to-do list to emphasize the season’s bounty and at the same time streamline food preparation, you’ll enjoy the celebration as much as your guests do.

“For the holidays it’s being together that counts.

Not all this other stuff,” says Patricia L. Mote, author of “Great Menus: Seasonal Recipes for Entertaining” (Dicmar Publishing, 2011).

Here are 10 things you can do to make your holiday feast fun and effortless.

to De-Stress the holidays  by Bev Bennett CTW FEATURES ©

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1. Accept Offers (And That Means All Of ’Em!) Say yes when people offer to bring food, especially if they’re doing so to accommodate their own diets, says Mote, who’s based in Annapolis, Maryland.

2. Assign Your Serving Dishes Set out serving pieces a day in advance and label each dish with the food that goes in it. That way you’re not wondering what to serve the salad in at the last minute.

A labeled bowl also will be a reminder that you left the something in a container in the back of the refrigerator.

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3. Decorate with Food What better way to celebrate the season’s harvest then to display a fresh bounty of fruits, vegetables and herbs?

Swiss chard, pears and apples combine for a centerpiece that’s both natural and pretty, says Kerry Dunnington, a Baltimore caterer and cookbook author.

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or one hour before performance

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e arts.

“Lots of fruit going down the table looks festive, adds

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| HOliday 2014

HOLIDAY 2014 |

15

HOLIDAY TIPS | Take away stress Mote, who suggests turning the decorations into fruit salad for the next day’s breakfast.

4. Save a Step with Fresh-Cut Veggies Let a supermarket salad bar be your source for chopped, fresh vegetables.

Stock up on chopped onions, carrots and mushrooms that will be the base of many of your holiday dishes – stuffing and soups, to name a few.

5. Embrace the 5-Ingredient Recipe Your guests won’t know or care how elaborate your recipes are, so put an ingredient limit on the dishes you’re making. Seasonings don’t count.

6. Get Back to Flavor Basics You can do a lot with salt and

pepper.

“Salt is my go-to seasoning. It brings out the flavor of anything you add it to,” says Dunnington, who uses specialty salts in “grayish, reddish and blackish” hues.

7 . Contrast Textures for Lively Dishes “I love to put crunchy with tender: crunchy almonds with tender green beans,” says Dunnington, author of “Tasting the Seasons: Inspired InSeason Cuisine That’s Easy, Healthy, Fresh and Fun” (Artichoke Publishers, 2014). And don’t forget the dried cranberries.

8. Let Dessert Come Out of Its Shell Have you noticed that people skip the piecrust and eat the filling?

That’s because it’s the best part. So, concentrate your efforts on the filling.

Replace pie with panna cotta, a light and creamy no-crust dessert that doesn’t need baking.

9. Take a Hike Get guests out of the house between the entrée and dessert, says Mote.

“Take a walk. Don’t worry about the dishes; they’ll get done,” she says.

10. Use Chinese Restaurant-style Takeout Boxes to Distribute Leftovers “You don’t want to give people plastic containers or your dishes for leftovers, but you can get takeout boxes from craft stores,” says Mote.

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How to be an awesome guest Being a perfect guest means your host and companions are thrilled with your presence. You’re charming and considerate and enjoying yourself, all because you do three things.

1. You Respond to Invitations “If you’re invited to someone’s house and they ask you to RSVP, it’s important to do so,” says Elaine Swann, a San Diego-based lifestyle and etiquette expert. “The host wants to know how many chairs to pull out; how much macaroni and cheese to make,” she says.

2. Entertain Others Not just the smart adult at your elbow but also your children and those of other guests.

“Children who are rude or tired can make it hard on the host family,” Swann says.

If you’re going to a Thanksgiving dinner with your children, pack a snack if the meal will be delayed. In addition, bring an age-appropriate game for your children to play.

You can also win points with other peoples’ children.

SM

“If you’re going to a [Thanksgiving] party with lots of children it doesn’t take much to bring crayons and coloring books,” says Swann.

3. Make Sure that Your ‘Helpful’ Gesture Actually is Helpful When you see guests pause during the meal you may assume that’s your cue to clear the table.

That’s not necessarily the case.

“Nothing drives me crazy like people who jump up to do the dishes during the meal. It breaks the flow of the event,” says Patricia L. Mote, an author in Annapolis, Maryland.

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“I love to transform the house, but I usually feel a bit overwhelmed trying to find room for all of our decorations,” confesses mother of three Tina Jacobs, an artist and illustrator who operates Tina Jacobs Designs in St. Louis.

“While our collection of standard holiday/party décor rarely expands, the children’s collections of art and crafts grow each year.”

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“I absolutely love children’s art and think it is important to display it in a beautiful way your home,” says Lauren Hufnagl, a Pennsylvania-based mom of two who blogs about children’s design ALovelyLark.com. “Not only does this show your children that their creations are valuable to you, it is

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Holiday tips | Done with love also very beautiful and can really add life to any space.”

Worthy goals, for certain, but when the glittery pictures and tiny sculptures are piling up, what’s the best way to give each their due?

Mix ‘n’ Match on the Tree “Around the holidays, I use the decorations my kids made just like decorations I’ve purchased at the store,” says Cathy MacArthur, a mom for 30 years and nineyear veteran art teacher in public and private New Jersey schools. Over the years she’s kept a box of each child’s handmade crafts, and although she sent the boxes with her older kids when they left home, she kept the Christmas ornaments, marked carefully with their names, the date of creation, and the teacher who helped.

“My tree is a hodgepodge of handmade and purchased ornaments,” she says. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

Put the Spotlight on Kid-Made Creations However, items other than ornaments require further imagination. Jacobs

reserves mantle space in her home for holiday canvases her children have painted, “and they look brilliant with candles or Christmas lights illuminating them.” She also likes to display ceramics and handmade trinkets on her buffet and sofa table, because this puts them right at kids’ eye level. “Their art comes to life when surrounded by the rest of our standard decorations,” she says. “We all have memories associated with each piece too, so many sentimental conversations come up during these times.”

Jacobs has framed some of her kids’ very favorite holiday creations over the years, and she swaps some of her home’s usual wall hangings for these pieces during the season.

“In our house we have we

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have framed children’s art hanging right next to old Italian oil paintings. In my eyes they all hold the same precious value.”

Get Creative You also might consider hanging arty offerings from a wire or curtain rod, clipped onto a sheet of chicken wire with clothespins, or tacked up around a doorway as you do with holiday cards.

Hufnagl has compiled an assortment of options for displaying children’s art – holiday and otherwise – on her blog, ALovelyLark.com (search “children’s art”).

treasures. The Artkive app ($4.99, iOS) not only keeps a shareable catalog of kids’ creations, it offers an easy interface for printing custom hardcover books that just need a coffee table to sit on. (Kendall’s Kindergarten Creations, anyone? A Holiday Retrospective from the Gardner Family?) Or visit www.artsonia.com, the world’s largest kids’ art museum, to create an online gallery presence for your munchkins’ masterpieces. 

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ď ˝ by Alice Oglethorpe CTW FEATURES Š

Getting the hang of the holidays D

uring any other time of year, stringing up random items around the home looks odd and haphazard. But around the holidays, hanging ornaments, mistletoe, wreaths, bells and more from the ceiling can be an easy way to give a home a glamorous and festive feel.

Easy Does It The easiest project is to take something that is already hanging and add holiday items to it.

That’s how Barbara Matson did it. “I’m not one to break the bank when I decorate for the holidays,â€? says Matson, who lives just outside of Vancouver and blogs on home dĂŠcor at MarkovaDesign.com. “I have a gorgeous crystal chandelier over my dining room table and decided to hang some Christmas balls from it with pretty ribbon.â€?

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| HOliday 2014

Matson made sure to keep the balls high enough so they wouldn’t interfere with people dining or candles on the table.

cording and hung it from a hook on the ceiling.� Once it was in place, Sykes decorated the wreath with different

“I also hung crystals from an iron chandelier in my kitchen, strung up a glittery sign that says Noel in front of a mirror, and hung wreaths in front of my windows,� she says.

Get Your Craft On Jessica Sykes, a crafter in New Port Richey, Florida, literally turned things on end when she made a wreath to hang from her ceiling. “I wanted to use some of the vertical space in my home, so I bought the largest foam wreath ring I could find in a craft store, wrapped it in faux garland, and sprayed it with flocking paint to give it the look of being frosted with snow,� she says. “I then tied it in three different places with

ornaments. “You don’t have to make it all yourself,� she says. “You could get a real wreath or a faux one that was already made. And I did just silver ornaments, but you could combine them with gold and green ones as well.�

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Inspirations for Small Spaces Hanging decorations help make the most of a tight spot, such as doorways or nooks. Melanie Collette, a crafter blogger in Mesa, Arizona, found large bells for a low price, and bought some to hang over a small bar area in the kitchen. “I had seen ornaments on ribbons hanging in windows, but I wanted something a little more substantial in my home,� says Collette, who blogs at CraftyCupboard.net.

She took a white three-quarterinch dowel rod that was six feet long and wrapped it with red tape so it looked like a striped candy cane. “I screwed some hooks into the ceiling and tied ribbon to the rod and hung it on the hooks. Then I used ribbon to hang the bells from the rod along with snowflakes, stars, and glitter balls,â€? she says. “Everyone compliments me when they see it.â€? ď‚Ą

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Doubling up | CELEBRATE LIFE

planning birthday dinners and cakes and school birthday and holiday treats along with the traditional holiday cookies and candy, I was a certified shopping, baking and planning fanatic for about two weeks straight every December.

 by Faye Burg

Our children are now grown adults and we still celebrate each birthday, most often by meeting at a favorite restaurant chosen by the birthday boy or girl.

As I delved into this story to see how others handled their own holiday birthdays or those of their children, it was fun to see similarities and differences in family celebrations and traditions.

...and Merry Christmas Most of us probably know someone with a birthday on or near Christmas.

Perhaps we even have personal experience with sharing our own birthday with the holiday season. When my editor discussed this story idea with me, I couldn’t help but chuckle as I told him that not only is my birthday a few days before Christmas, but the Lord also blessed my husband and I with three Christmas babies.

As a child I remember the Christmas tree was always in place and decorated in time for my birthday and yes, sometimes a larger present would be given as both a birthday and a Christmas present. In addition, two close family members’ birthdays are literally a week after Christmas so it has always been a busy time of year for our family.

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| HOliday 2014

With two of our four children born a few days before Christmas and one born right after Christmas, I have always not only looked forward to the holiday season, but tried to prepare as well for what can only be referred to as the rush and flurry of activity and planning that came with it.

Christmas decorations were up, but each birthday was also decorated for and celebrated individually. Special dinner celebrations in our home complete with streamers, balloons, cake, gifts and the grandparents were our tradition. With one of our daughters birthdays falling a day before one of our sons birthdays, it would be up with the pink streamers and balloons one day and then taking them down the next day so we could put the blue decorations in their

place. A few days after Christmas pink decorations went back up for yet another birthday celebration. Separate cakes and birthday dinners for each birthday in addition to Christmas meals, candy and cookies meant a lot of good leftovers for quite some time.

In my mind each child was a special gift from God and each child deserved a special celebration just for them as they grew to adulthood. When we think of the fact that we are only given 18 birthdays with our children before they are grown and leave the nest to venture out into the world and start their own lives and families, it is easy to want to make memories and grasp and treasure each precious moment with each precious child.

Between birthday and Christmas shopping and wrapping of presents,

SANDY BURG “I didn’t know what it was like to have another special day during the year.”

Sandy Burg of New Holstein was born on Christmas Day. “I didn’t know what it was like to have another special day during the year,” Burg said.

“It was all that I knew so it was fine with me.”

Burg remembers attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and then having lunch which always included a birthday cake.

“After midnight it was officially my birthday,” Burg explained. “To this day, we still celebrate Christmas Eve with my family and it always includes a birthday cake. My husband and our two sons

always make it a special time for me.”

SANDy BURG, New Holstein

Burg said she never felt slighted having a birthday on Christmas Day. “My husband and our two sons along with their wives and our two granddaughters have always made the day special even though they’re spread thin over the holidays with other families involved,” Burg said.

“My parents were and my mom still is right there to make sure my birthday isn’t forgotten, as well as my siblings.”

Burg was surprised one year as her husband planned a 40th birthday celebration for her on Labor Day weekend. “He surprised me with a party at our house,” Burg said.

“We arrived from a golf outing and when we opened the garage door all of our guests were sporting brown paper bags over their heads HOLIDAY 2014 |

25

Doubling | CELEBRATE LIFE Horsing aroundup | HEALTHY WOMEN

HEALTHY WOMEN | Horsing around that had my graduation picture blow up and affixed to the bag. The eyes were cut out where they could look at me and all I could see of their faces were those beady eyes. Talk about getting freaked out.”

Cully is grateful to her parents for creating fun and lasting memories.

“I have fond memories of some wonderful birthdays,” she said as she remembered uniquely themed parties including an artist visit, taking friends to a production of the Nutcracker, and playing in the snow.

With her youngest son’s birthday on January 6, Burg said they learned over the years to save one of his Christmas list suggestions for his birthday.

Cully said the best advice for dealing with Christmas birthdays is to make it a goal to create the kind of birthday for each child that they can one day look back upon and cherish.

“Make the birthday about them, what they love, what their interest is and what makes them excited,” Cully suggests.

Burg’s advice for others with holiday birthdays is simple. “Keep the gifts separate. Don’t purchase a more expensive item and say it’s for both celebrations. Treat the birthday as a whole separate event.”

Burg enjoys having a birthday on Christmas Day and is thrilled to find someone who shares a birthday with her. “I feel a special something with that person,” Burg said, who after finding out her neighbor shared her birthday, would sent a Christmas birthday card to her every year. “I have family and friends who never fail to send me one of those. It’s nice to know that they went out of their way to find a Christmas birthday card just for me.”

“It really is no different than many other days throughout the year,” Burg added. “My husband’s birthday is June 17 which is very close to, if not on, Father’s Day, so his birthday is observed on Father’s Day. He deals with the same issue really.”

26

| HOliday 2014

“Christmas birthdays are special,” Cully said. “I never wished my birthday was a different day or at another time of year.”

O li v ia C ully, C h i l t o n

Olivia Cully “Being able to celebrate my special day around my favorite holiday made me love both even more.”

As a child Olivia Cully of Chilton loved the fact that her December 22 birthday is just a few days before Christmas.

“I look so forward to the holiday season, especially Christmas, so being able to celebrate my special day around my favorite holiday made me love both even more,” she said.

Cully remembers the story her parents shared of spending their first Christmas with her in the hospital. “There was a crazy storm that caused the hospital to lose electricity,” Cully said. “Thank goodness

for generators.”

“Winter weather, beautifully decorated hospitals, jolly nurses, Christmas music, holiday on-call schedules and travel plans can all lead to interesting welcome to this world stories,” Cully added.

“Something that’s unique to that time of year.”

Now as an adult, Cully still loves celebrating her special day close to her favorite holiday. “My husband, family and friends are still wonderful about celebrating both days separately,” Cully said.

Several birthday celebrations made Cully’s birthday a special event.

“Each year I usually had a friend birthday party, an immediate family celebration with a favorite dinner, cake and gifts and once we moved closer to extended

family we had a celebration with them as well,” Cully explained.

“My parents, family and friends were mindful of separating the two special days for me,” Cully added. “I would receive separate presents for my birthday and Christmas.

I do appreciate their thoughtfulness in making the effort to make my birthday a special day in itself.”

School birthday celebrations were hit or miss for Cully depending on how Christmas vacation was scheduled. “My mom would bring in birthday treats before school let out for Christmas break so that I could still celebrate with my school friends just like most of the other kids,” Cully said. “I remember one year we made ice cream clowns.”

“If you do know someone with a birthday on or around Christmas do take a few minutes to ask them their

thoughts on their birthday and what their ideal birthday situation would be,” she added. “I have been asked about my birthday being close to Christmas quite a bit over the years and it’s never bothered me to talk about it. I appreciate that people are sensitive to it and that they even think to ask.”

at finishing Christmas baking and shopping. “All I had to do was wait,” Baldock said. “Each night as I kissed our 10- and 7-year-old daughters goodnight I would say maybe the baby will come, but each morning they would greet me with “oh mom you’re still here” when I woke them up for school.”

Joie Baldock

Labor began late on Christmas Eve but Baldock did not deliver the baby until a cesarean section was performed 24 hours later. Baldock was blessed with a 10 pound baby boy.

“Later as I lay watching my husband hold his son in his arms with tears of happiness in his eyes, I knew that every single minute was worth it,” Baldock said. “Not a day has gone by that I haven’t said thank you to God for my wonderful husband, our two lovely daughters and thank you for our beautiful son.”

“Later as I lay watching my husband hold his son in his arms...I knew that every single minute was worth it.”

Kiel resident Joie Baldock knew her baby would be born close to Christmas, so she meticulously planned and made sure everything was ready and organized several weeks before the baby was due to arrive. With her suitcase packed and baby things ready and waiting, Baldock worked

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Mooney said. “At this point we are not sure how we will handle his birthday. The only thing I do know is that there will be cake.”

Marion Christel “Oh, Mama, he is the best Christmas gift of all.”

With her husband’s family located in Minnesota, Mooney said combining the child’s birthday with Christmas is a possibility.

“I would like for things to be separate but combining everything would be a lot less work and with family in Minnesota we often celebrate multiple birthdays and holidays at a time.”

“In the year 1956 on the 20th of December I gave birth to our number three son,” Marion “Petie” Christel of New Holstein shared.

“On the 24th of that year I brought this son home,” Christel continued.

“I remember clearly that the day was sunny and bright and the snow was melting and running down the sewers. This little boy of mine was a sight to see, a baby wrapped in a fuzzy bright yellow bunting. He had golden, curly hair and bright blue eyes looking up at me. A real sight to behold.”

“My husband Spitzee had brought the older boys along to pick up the baby and me,” Christel explained.

“Mike was in first grade and Rick was in kindergarten.

Since the Lord Jesus already knew what was going to happen, I feel that it was a wonderful delay as the baby was due on the 16th of December; he was born four days overdue on the 20th, making it possible for what happened next.”

“As they say, “out of the mouths of babes,” our five year old Rick leaned over the seat to look at his new little brother. He was heard to say, “Oh Mama, he is the best Christmas gift of all.” No one had thought of exchanging the baby for something else. That is one scene I will cherish forever. A 5 year old brought us to the true meaning of

28

| HOliday 2014

DENA MOONEY - Chilton Christmas. A baby was born then too.”

Eve, we would have named her Eve,” Mooney added.

On Christmas Eve as Christel sat rocking new baby Duane and thinking of what Rick had said.

“That was certainly the true meaning of Christmas.

Jesus is the reason for the season.”

Mooney is new to the Christmas birthday concept

Dena mooney “At this point we are not sure how we will handle his birthday.

The only thing I do know is that there will be cake.”

Dena Mooney, Planner at the Calumet County Courthouse, is due to have her second child on December 24. Although she knows the child will be a boy, Mooney and her husband are not considering a Christmas related name.

“However, if it was going to be a girl born on Christmas

and open to advice. “No one in our family has a Christmas birthday, so I am open to suggestions,”

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Mooney said she is not worried about making her child’s birthday a special and memorable occasion.

“I have a feeling that his birthday will overshadow Christmas actually,” she said. “I think it will be a neat thing and will probably tell him that everyone

will always remember his birthday.”

“We are just so excited for this little guy to arrive that no matter when he comes we are blessed beyond words,” Mooney added.

STACY MILLER “It taught our boys a few things. It taught them that gifts don’t have to come from Santa as Mark was a gift from God.” Stacy Miller’s Christmas baby boy came as a surprise. “We thought we were done having children,” Miller explained. “Mark was a huge surprise.”

Miller, of Plymouth, was in the process of completing

her Masters in Science of Nursing while expecting her Christmas baby. “I graduated on December 13, 2013, took my Nurse Practitioner state boards on December 16, 2013 and had Mark on December 26, 2013,” she said.

will not be taking down the Christmas decorations.”

Miller also received suggestions of keeping Christmas and birthday separate and celebrating the birthday in the summer. “We are seriously pondering that for future birthday parties.”

The Millers plan to celebrate Mark’s first birthday on his actual birthday of December 26 and not mix Christmas with birthday. “This will be strictly a birthday party,” Miller said.

Miller said they will work hard to make Mark’s birthday special. “Mark’s Godfather has a Christmas birthday as does another very close family friend, so at least he is surrounded by empathy and support should he need it as he gets older,” she added. “They both talk about how their birthdays were combined with Christmas and they didn’t tend to get separate birthday and Christmas gifts, but one big gift to cover both. There weren’t separate celebrations so the

Given a lot of advice on how to handle a Christmas birthday, Miller said they might change how they celebrate as Mark gets older. “One person told me she has all of Christmas packed away before her son’s birthday on December 28,” Miller explained. “We

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their bedtime prayers, they asked God for a healthy baby brother. When we got him, they thanked God. They all quickly learned to put his needs before their own because he is so helpless.

They did this without ever complaining and to this day all three of Mark’s older brothers adore him and help take care of him.”

S tacy miller - P l y m o u t h big gift would be presented with the opening of the Christmas gifts.”

The biggest challenge for Miller at this time is figuring out what food to serve for Mark’s birthday. “There is so much around the holidays that we’re not sure what to serve,” Miller explained.

“I’m not sure about the cake as we usually have two cakes, one ice cream and another regular cake. I don’t know what we’ll end up doing considering there are

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already tons of cookies and candy.”

We felt really special having Mark the day after Christmas last year because we considered him our best Christmas gift ever. It taught our boys a few things. It taught them that gifts don’t have to come from Santa as Mark was a gift from God. It also taught them a lot about selflessness. Of course they were excited about Christmas and presents, but that was nothing compared

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to their enthusiasm to meet their baby brother. Instead of praying for “stuff” during

“I think that will help elevate the excitement factor for Mark’s first birthday because his brothers are so excited to celebrate with him,” she added. “I think we should embrace our birthdays no matter what time of year they are. We can’t control the calendar but we can control our response to how holidays and birthdays land and how we celebrate.” 

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Heavenly scent I

Wreath Factory has the great smell of greens at holiday time

f there is such a thing as a heavenly scent, it must be what The Wreath Factory smells like each November and December.

Since opening its doors to the public at N6625 STH 57 just north of Plymouth in 1993, The Wreath Factory at Otter Creek has been making its own fresh wreaths for everyone from walk-in customers to businesses, organizations and individuals thousands of miles away.

The wreath making effort actually began a decade before that when owner Michael Beeck made wreaths for a 4-H club to sell. Family and friends joined Beeck in the effort as they worked out of a nearby shed with no running water or heat.

These days somewhere between 15 and 20 additional staff members come on board for the holidays, working out of a large room near the rear of The Wreath Factory.

Mardell Blohm oversees the wreath aspect of the business and is blessed to have other “seasoned” employees helping make the wreaths. Some of those wreath makers are retired individuals from the area.

Some might work 20 hours per week making wreaths, while others work up to 60

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| HOliday 2014

hours per week at this time of year.

Matt Trotter, who handles marketing for The Wreath Factory, said the average wreath maker working at a good pace can produce 50 wreaths per day. They need that type of production because The Wreath Factory sells thousands of wreaths during the holiday season.

Cedar and pine used for wreaths comes from Wisconsin, but balsam is brought in from Nova Scotia as it is of a different quality which lends itself well to wreath making. Botanical flowers, berries, eucalyptus and other adornments are brought in from California and elsewhere.

When it comes to wreaths, The Wreath Factory has virtually every size, shape, variety and price point to please any customer, from a 12-inch wreath to a 72-inch wreath and from $20 and up.

Employees who are new to the wreath making operation cut their teeth by cutting the greenery for the wreaths. Their cuttings are then taken by the wreath makers who use wire forms and a relatively simple but important foot-operated machine to pinch the wires around the greenery. Use too little cedar, pine or balsam and the greenery can fall out; use too much

and the wires cannot be closed properly.

Decorators then take the wreaths and add flowers, berries, bows and other adornments. As Trotter said, the entire process is really an artistic team effort.

An important step comes near the end as their wreaths are sprayed with a safe preservative which allows them to be shipped to businesses, organizations and individuals around the country. Trotter said the combination of fresh products and the preservative allow The Wreath Factory’s wreaths to often last until Easter, and some customers indeed choose to keep them up until then.

The Signature is the name of one of The Wreath Factory’s most popular sellers. That wreath features fresh, fragrant mixed evergreens, seeded eucalyptus, bay leaf and red berries.

Other wreaths carry some unusual names, including American Spirit, Flying Advent, Merry Berry, Ring a Ding, and Southern Charm.

Custom orders can sometimes be done on the spot if the store is not too

busy, but pre-orders are the preferred way to go.

Some orders for individual or bulk wreaths have already arrived, others will be coming in throughout November, and still others will arrive just days prior to Christmas. The Wreath Factory employees even have been known to do installation of wreaths throughout eastern Wisconsin.

Customers also are able to purchase their own wreath making ingredients from The Wreath Factory and make their own wreath, or take part in classes which are conducted at the sprawling location.

In addition to wreaths, The Wreath Factory also provides evergreens as hanging baskets, boughs, garlands, and potpourri bags, according to Tina Nohl, event planner for the year-round business.

Nohl said the week before, during and after Thanksgiving is prime time for the Christmas rush at The Wreath Factory, which is open seven days per week and often hosts bus tours and other groups.

Learn more about The Wreath Factory at www. wreathfactoryonline.com. 

WARM WISHES & GOOD CHEER!

May the season be filled with Dreams come true!

Your dream is out there. Go get it. We’ll protect it.

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STRONG WOMEN | Climbing the ladder

Keep your eye on the pie Handmade, with a lard crust and a whole lotta love—pie will be the best thing you eat all season

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| HOliday 2014

P

ie and the holidays: They go together like pie and ice cream, or pie and coffee, or pie and a dollop of whipped cream ... Is anybody else getting hungry?

But why pie, exactly?

Why not cake, or brownies, or any of the other delicious options that might typically adorn our dessert plates after a celebratory meal?

For some, the attraction may simply be nostalgia, but many say it comes down to one simple truth: Pies are made with love.

“There’s something very hospitable and warming and memory creating about pie,” says Michael Ciapciak, owner of Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits in Chicago. “You don’t really cook pie from a box … there’s something about pie that makes people very excited.”

Because it involves a bit more labor than other desserts, pie can seem daunting to many bakers.

But if you take advantage of a few simple tricks, your pie just may be the star of the meal.

So, what does it take to make a top-notch pie? As it turns out, experts say one of the most important factors also is the toughest to master: the crust.

Just about every pie crust is going to feature some combination of the same ingredients: flour; water; salt; and either butter, lard or shortening (or perhaps, a combination of two of those three). Some recipes also may include a little sugar, but for the most part, the big decision comes down to your choice of fat.

Lard has had a resurgence lately, becoming the go-to

recommends using fresh, in some pie-making circles, high-fat butter and good with its ability to provide unbleached flour. And a wonderfully flaky if you are texture. Still, making a many pie ven if the fruit pie – be aficionados it apple, will say that blueberry, a good, torn or the pear, peach high-quality the pie is too juicy or if it or other butter is doesn’t thicken – try to your best properly it’s source your bet if you’re still going to be fruit from aiming for the delicious somewhere most delicious local, and result. whenever possible, buy “In a nutshell, lard fruit that is in season. provides the beautiful

E

crust is

flaky texture, while butter provides the lovely flavor,” says Ciapciak, who uses a lard-butter mixture in his pie crusts at Bang Bang.

“We use a perfect balance of both.”

Looking for some additional pie crust tips?

Emily Elsen, owner/founder of Four & Twenty Blackbirds in Brooklyn, recommends making pie crusts by hand with a pastry blender, as opposed to using an electric machine that may overwork the dough. Other tips for a tasty crust include keeping your butter cold, adding your water just one or two tablespoons at a time, and letting the dough rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour before rolling it out.

“You want it to be flaky and kind of shaggy, but not too blended to a smooth consistence,” she says.

“Don’t be afraid to try (making your own crust),” Elsen adds. “It’s fun, it’s not that difficult, ultimately, and you can say you did it.

People appreciate the efforts of homemade pies.”

Unsurprisingly, the quality of the ingredients in your pie can make a big difference, too. Elsen

“If you’re baking a fruit pie, using just truly ripe local produce will really make a difference,” says Adrienne Kane, author of “United States of Pie” (Ecco, 2012). “And if you are making an apple pie,

making sure that they are apples that one wants to really eat, not just bake with. The same goes for peaches and berries and what not.”

So if you’re thinking about enjoying some pie this holiday season – and there’s a good chance you are – it’s a perfect time to try your hand at your own.

It may be a challenge, but Kane says people shouldn’t let that faze them.

“Relax, take a deep breath, and realize that it’s just dessert,” says Kane.

“Even if the crust is torn or the pie is too juicy or if it doesn’t thicken property, it’s still going to be delicious, and people are still going to be happy to enjoy a homebaked pie.” 

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35

Weight loss | HEALTH

Cooler

Temps...

Do they really help with

Weight loss?

tissue or BAT). Unlike normal (white) fat, which stores energy and calories, brown fat acts more like an internal furnace, consuming calories to expend warming energy. The mechanism that triggers brown fat into doing this is—yes, you guessed it!—cold temperatures.

These were the theoretical ideas that researchers in Britain and the Netherlands used when designing their studies. They suspected that people who are more exposed to ambient temperatures—and in particular colder rooms—might burn more calories and thus lose more weight. The first paper suggesting this was published in 2011 in the journal Obesity Reviews, and found that the time we spend in wellheated buildings did indeed seem to

affect the level of brown fat we carry.

With regard to brown fat, it’s kind of ‘use it or lose it.’ If you’re not exposed to cold, you’re going to lose your brown fat, and your ability to burn energy will be affected.

100-200 calories a day!

But you can get it back.

In the study, when people were exposed to 60-degree rooms, their energy expenditures increased by

Similar findings were reported in a Dutch study recently published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.

The experiments confirmed that people exposed to 60-degree rooms for two hours a day began to exhibit

 by Dr. Nic Giebler

D

o cooler temperatures really help with weight loss?

Those who are a bit overweight and are trying to lose a few pounds are generally aware of many of the factors that make it harder to lose weight: the prevalence of high-fat, high-sugar junk foods everywhere we go, inactivity dictated by jobs that keep us at our desk all day, driving as opposed to walking—the list goes on and on. You can add one more item to the list of things that might be contributing to keeping you fat—your home’s central heating system.

“But wait,” I can hear you thinking. “We naturally gain weight in the fall and winter, don’t we? Isn’t it in our genetics? Besides, this is

36

| HOliday 2014

Wisconsin ”it’s cold out there!” you’re thinking.

Yet, as odd as it sounds, a couple of recent studies have suggested that lack of exposure to cold or chilly temperatures may be contributing to keeping us fat. Most of us spend 90% of our time indoors, which means during the winter we are in homes and offices that are heated to temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, with the nationwide average being about 72 degrees. In contrast to previous eras, “central heating” also means that we tend to keep all rooms in the house at the same temperature, which reduces exposure to what researchers call “ambient temperatures.” We tend to feel temperature differences only when

This process burns additional calories, but also tends to trick the body into producing more brown fat (technically called brown adipose

This is clear evidence that cold adaptation increases energy expenditure. There is no doubt in this respect.

More long-term studies are needed to validate this effect, of course, especially research involving subjects who are actively dieting and trying to lose weight. Thus far, early indications are that if you are trying to diet, turning down the temperature in a couple of rooms of your house and spending a few hours a day in them might help.

Similar studies have shown an increase in a body’s brown fat when one simply sleeps in a cooler room.

So, conserve some energy, save some money on your utilities bill, and also lose some weight by at the very least, turning down the furnace at night spend your sleeping hours at a cooler temperature. 

New Year!

New You!

we go outside.

Researchers in Britain and the Netherlands began to wonder about the long-term effects of this, because our bodies have built-in mechanisms to normalize temperature when it gets cold, which are no longer being used. When our bodies are exposed to cold, we shiver—this is the body’s mechanism for warming itself up and shivering expends calories. Even when it isn’t cold enough to actually shiver— for example in rooms heated to 60 degrees—our bodies generate more heat internally via a process called “non-shivering thermogenesis.”

non-shivering thermogenesis, in many cases burning as much as 30% more calories than people in warmer rooms.

Feel Better.

Move Better.

Live Better.

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HOLIDAY 2014 |

37

Strong WOMEN | Staying organized

consistent.”

The experts at Coppell, Texas-based The Container Store agree, and point out that clear containers and labels can be used as well for easy identification of contents.

Label the contents clearly before storing. You may take a photo of how items are arranged and store it in the box so you know where everything goes next year, they suggest.

Where did I put that?

T his year , make a v ow to put away e v erything perfectly

C

ommon sense dictates that the ease of holiday decorating depends largely on the organization of last year’s storage.

The problem is, oftentimes people are so exhausted after the holiday season, all they want to do is shove everything in boxes and deal with it later.

It’s time to change all that.

This year, make a commitment to store everything in a neat and organized manner. Here’s how:

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| HOliday 2014

The Origins of Organization Good storage starts with good containers. Jodie Watson, founder and president of Supreme Organization in Sherman Oaks, California, recommends large, plastic, durable storage bins.

“You can get them in the color of the holidays,” Watson says. “If you wanted a Halloween orange or a Christmas red, you can do that. Just try to keep them

Displaying a live tree will of course eliminate the need to store one of the largest items, but if using an artificial tree, Watson advises keeping the original box.

“They’re usually packed really compactly, and

it’s designed to fit that particular tree,” Watson says. “But if that’s long

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gone, there are different types of plastic bags that you can buy that can

actually hold even really large trees – they’re artificial tree bags.”

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39

Strong WOMEN | Staying organized Depending on the available storage space, Watson recommends hanging as an option for wreaths or fabric items. Dry clean fabrics like tree skirts, table clothes and blankets at the end of the holiday.

Then, purchase a hanging storage box – the type typically used for clothes – to neatly pack them away.

With ornaments, use a cardboard box that comes with adjustable dividers.

For any ornaments or items that are particularly fragile, however, Watson suggests storing that in its own container.

“It’s almost as if you’re packing it for a move,” says Watson. “Packing peanuts are a really good way to store fragile items, or

wrapping them carefully in tissue paper with a layer of bubble wrap around it.”

The Container Store experts also caution that ornaments made with natural materials – such as paper, or kid’s craft projects with dried food like pasta –always should be kept in airtight containers to keep pests away. Archival storage boxes protect items made from natural fibers from yellowing.

Lights can be frustrating to unpack the following year if they were not stored correctly. Simply winding each strand around some type of spool – either storebought or a homemade piece of cardboard – will do the trick. The same tactic

PICK UP THE HOLIDAY ISSUE OF

your fingertips.

also should be used for garland.

Don’t forget about gift wrap. According to the Container Store, wrapping paper is best stored in a closet or under a bed. Keep tape and scissors stored with the gift wrap and ribbons, and you’ll have everything you need to start wrapping again next year at

If that overwhelming feeling sets in, consider downsizing. Or, ask a friend for help.

Watson points out: “If we’re not particularly organized, we all have a friend who is – somebody that can help you and can help make it fun.” 

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| HOliday 2014

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HOLIDAY 2014 |

41

Solutions | Recipes from Marge

Recipes, Recollections & Reminiscings from Marge

Spiced Cranberry Orange Mold 1 package (8 servings size) or 2 pkg. (4 servings size) Cranberry flavor Jell-O 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

By Marge Petts I know the holidays are nearing as our house is filling up with fall decorations, also the lists of things to do, things to buy for holiday dinners and the smell of wood.

This will be the fifth year that we have heated with wood. It’s much warmer and cozier and we’re not constantly adjusting the thermostat. Of course, the savings is huge. It takes a lot more work to cut the tree down, cut the trunk in pieces, lug it home and then split and stack it and then bring it in the house. You only go through all this work because you love the feel and smell of the wood burning.

Because we also love the feel and smell of a holiday dinner in the works and the anticipation of family coming home for the holidays, we begin the preparations early. The first thing that comes out is a lined theme book. If we are having guests for a whole day or weekend, I title each page with breakfast, lunch and dinner and always list on the top of the page the people who will be there. This helps with planning quantities of food needed.

Someone made a remark to me recently that I appear to be very organized. I don’t really think about it, but I guess I am. Putting things down on paper frees your mind. You need to know what you’re going to make, what you have to buy and who’s coming.

You’ve now completed the hard part. A quick glance at your notes and lists tells you what you need to do next without losing sleep over what you may have forgotten. The following recipes will make you look like a gourmet cook without spending hours in the kitchen.

See Meals with Marge weekly in the Tri-County News.

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42

| HOliday 2014

Sugared Pecans MAKES 4 CUPS 1 lb. pecan halves 1 cup sugar 3/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup water 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

Toast pecans in one layer on baking sheet for 10 min. at 300º F. In a small saucepan,

combine all but pecans and vanilla. Cook until syrup spins a small thread from the end of a spoon and turns light brown, about 5 min., using high heat.

Remove from heat and add vanilla and pecans. Stir quickly until syrup crystallizes.

Pour onto a greased platter.

Separate nuts to cool. Store in decorative glass jars for gifts or your own enjoyment.

Sweet Potato Chili

A SLOW COOKER DISH. LOW IN FAT AND CHOLESTEROL SERVES 6

3 large sweet potatoes, about 2 lbs. peeled and cut into ¾ inch pieces 1 large onion, chopped 1 green pepper, core and seeds removed, chopped

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4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 can 15 oz. pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 can 15 oz. jalapenoseasoned petite diced tomatoes 2 tbsp. chili powder 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped 2 packages 8.8 oz. each, fully cooked microwaveable brown rice such as Uncle Ben’s.

Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray.

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1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce

Layer sweet potatoes, onion, green pepper, garlic and pinto beans in slow cooker. Combine tomatoes, chili powder, cocoa, cumin, salt, cayenne and 2 cups water in a mediumsized bowl. Pour over vegetables.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours.

Stir cilantro into chili and serve over brown rice.

1 cup cold water SERVES 10 1-1/2 cups boiling water

1 orange, sectioned, diced 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Stir boiling water into gelatin and cinnamon in large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in cranberry sauce until completely dissolved and melted. Stir in cold water. Refrigerate about 1-1/2 hours or until thickened (spoon drawn through Jell-O leaves definite impression). Stir in orange and walnuts. Spoon into 5-cup mold.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Unmold. Garnish as desired. Store leftover gelatin mold in refrigerator.

Unmolding. Dip mold in warm water for about 15 seconds.

Gently pull gelatin from around edges with moist fingers.

Place moistened serving plate on top of mold. Invert mold and plate; holding mold and plate together, shake slightly to loosen. Gently remove mold. Center gelatin on plate.

Pumpkin-Powered Muffins MAKES 12 Corn oil cooking spray 1-3/4 cup flour 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400º F. Spray 12 muffin pan with cooking spray.

In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.

In large bowl, mix pumpkin, water, oil and eggs. Stir in flour mixture just until moistened (over beating can lead to tough, chewy muffins – yuck!) Stir in 3/4 cup pecans. Spoon batter into muffin cups.

In small bowl, combine granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup pecans. Sprinkle about 1 tsp. nut mixture over each muffin.

Bake 20 min. or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool 5 min., then remove from pan and set on wire rack. Serve warm.

Holiday Cranberry-Orange Slices

5 Pounds of Wonderful Fudge 1/2 cup butter 14-1/2 oz. can evaporated milk 4 1/2 cups sugar 1/2 lb. marshmallows 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (chocolate chips would be fine) 1 tbsp. vanilla 2 cups chopped walnuts

Combine butter, milk and sugar in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.

Cover. Bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, turn off heat.

Add marshmallows. Stir until melted. Add chocolate, one kind at a time. Add vanilla and nuts, stir. Pour into (2) 9x13 inch buttered pans.

Let stand until firm before cutting.

Submit your recipes to Marge by email at: owlmcp@charter.net or mail to: Marge Delta Publications P.O. Box 237, Kiel, WI 53042

1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 cup canned solid-packed pumpkin or mashed (baked or canned) sweet potatoes 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup corn oil 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup chopped pecans, divided 2 tbsp. granulated sugar

55 COOKIES 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg yolk 1 tsp. vanilla 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I usually add an additional 1/2 cup flour to my cookie recipes) 1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans 2 tsp. finely shredded orange peel

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt; beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in as much of the flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in cranberries, pecans and orange peel.

Divide in half. Shape each into 9-inch long roll. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper.

Chill 3 hours or until firm enough to slice.

With serrated knife, cut rolls into 1/4 inch slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350º F oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm and lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

To store, layer between waxed paper in airtight container, cover. Store at room temp. up to three days or freeze one month.

HOLIDAY 2014 |

43

on the bulb or in the socket, according to Johnson.

“You want to make sure that copper wire on the outside of the bulb lines up on each side,” Johnson advises. “Because if those are turned, and you put it back in the socket, it might not be making the connection – that’s what will kill that section of 50.”

Let there be LIGHT!

Johnson also recommends one last check – of the fuses on the plug. Those can be easily replaced just like blown bulbs.

Ultimately, if no lights are black, all wiring is lined up and the fuse is working, that’s when it is time for a new strand of lights.

Don’t let burnt-out bulbs darken the holidays

T

here is perhaps nothing more frustrating around the holidays than attempting to fix a string of broken lights. Luckily, there are a few quick steps to take before simply trashing the whole strand and buying them anew.

Johnson. “LEDs haven’t caught on as much just because there is a difference in color variation.”

There are two main types of holiday lights – incandescent and LED. While there are many benefits to LED lighting – longer lifespan, energyefficient, cool to the touch – incandescent lights are still king when it comes to the holidays, according to Noah Johnson, team leader of tree department at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

First, before the lights are hung, check for and replace any burnt-out bulbs. Look for a faint black ring around the inside of the bulb – these are either burnt out or on their way. Johnson cautions that if any such bulbs are not replaced, it could cause a chain reaction.

“The most traditional light that everybody tends to go for yet is still incandescent,” says

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| HOliday 2014

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During Johnson’s four years in the tree department, he has found that while incandescent lights are more likely to malfunction, they also are easier to fix.

“Say, for example, you’ve got 10 black bulbs that will not work in that section of 50 anymore – that puts 20 to 30 percent more power to the

CHOOSE FROM SEVERAL STRESS RELIEVING MASSAGES.

remaining bulbs,” says Johnson. “That’s when your lights will get really bright, and they’ll blow out the entire section.”

If there are no black rings and an entire string goes out, it generally is the result of wire misalignment

• Private no-fee event room • Book your very own private Art & Vino party (minimum 10) • Full catering available • Plenty of off street parking • Flexible accommodations Book your function now.

920-428-8466 437 E. Mill Street Plymouth 920.428.8466 www.pourvino.net

HOLIDAY 2014 |

45

Patchwork Allechant Boutique

has been having a great time helping our customers purchase Alex and Ani Bangle Bracelets for themselves and others. We enjoy hearing stories about their special person’s life or something in their own life that inspires them to purchase one of the bracelets. Best of all the Alex and Ani bracelets are made in the USA out of recycled materials and many of them are Charity By Design meaning that a percentage of their sales go to some very wonderful charities.

Besides these great bracelets we carry a ton of other jewelry, purses and trendy clothing to keep you looking up to date fabulous. We are excited for the holiday season and are already booking lots of Boutique Bashes for the winter months. Nothing like a glass of wine and some retail therapy to take away the chill of winter. If you are interested in a no pressure fun shopping party that includes yummy food, door prizes and some fashion advice give us a call and we will tell you all about them or stop by. Birthdays, bridal showers, office parties, just because or any reason you can think of, a Boutique Bash is a great way to have a fun evening with no cleaning or planning on your part. Where Fantastic People and Stylish Clothing and Accessories Meet! 920-893-9888. 217 East Mill Street, Plymouth.

See our ad on inside back cover

Bemis Bath Shoppe

The Bemis Bath Shoppe, located in downtown Sheboygan Falls, is a stunning two-story boutique that boasts nine inspirational lifestyle vignettes displaying hundreds of Bemis’ signature company toilet seats.

The Bemis Bath Shoppe also offers a variety of luxurious bath & body products, bath linens & accessories, cabinet & bath hardware, candles, gifts, clothing and more! 1 Store. 2 Floors.

Endless Ideas. resonates with customers because they immediately see the infinite possibilities to enhance the look of their home or find beautiful gifts and personal items.

Bemis Manufacturing Co. and the Bemis Bath Shoppe are proud to be located in Sheboygan Falls. The Sheboygan County area is the bedrock for the company and the Bemis family is committed to manufacturing here for years to come.

To learn more about the history of Bemis Manufacturing Co., visitors can browse the second floor at the Bath Shoppe to enjoy historic company images and informational video. Store hours are Mon-Wed 9-5; Thurs-Fri 9-6; Sat 9-3.

See our ad on page 9

46

| HOliday 2014

Patchwork is a collection of news briefs, community news items and other information that we share on behalf of interested business and organizations in our communities.

We welcome your contributions. VERVE reserves the right to edit content for length and appropriateness. You can send your Patchwork item for consideration through our website at www.iwantverve.com. Click the link on top of any page of the site.

Falls Glass

offers a wide array of products, many of which are on display in their showroom. When you visit their showroom it becomes abundantly clear that Falls Glass Service supplies windows and doors, mirrors, shower doors, gas and wood fireplace inserts, awnings and railings, as well as, three season rooms or under deck roofing systems.

When building a new home or new commercial building, or when remodeling your existing home or business, it will surprise you how many products Falls Glass Service offers. Their motto “We’re more than glass” makes it clear as glass that they sell, manufacture, install, repair and replace a number of essential and useful products that enhance home and business life. They can install everything they sell. 433 Monroe St., Sheboygan Falls, 800-242-3192. 6 days a week, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; Sat 8am-noon. www. fallsglass.com See our ad on page 27

Image by Design

has the OPI Gel Polishes that will stay on for two weeks and doesn’t damage your nails. While thinking about our Gel Polish, remember your feet with our Spa Pedicure. Stop in to browse our jewelry, scarves and purse collection that changes constantly. We also have homemade soaps. All are great gift ideas. Discover the breakthrough in permanent ammonia free color. Essensity, by Schwarzkopf is ammonia free, alcohol free and odor free with 100 percent gray coverage, come and check it out. Thinking about getting your ears pierced? We have a variety of earrings to choose from. We carry many hair care products: Eufora, Phyto Organics, Paul Mitchel, Nioxin, MENSDEPT. and more. We welcome all clients from the past, present as well as the future. Call for an appointment with one of our seven experienced stylists to best suit your needs, all with many years of experience. Mon-Thurs 9am-8pm; Fri 8:30am-4pm; Sat 8am-1pm. 920-8942110. Gift certificates always available!

goals, are just as diverse as the programs move set, with recent additions such as Fusion, Core, and Strike broadening the workouts’ variety and application.

Instructors cultivate a noncompetitive atmosphere where all exercisers are welcome regardless of age, build, or fitness background. This sense of community keeps Jazzercise devotees coming back, but so too do the results; benefits ranging from weight loss and boosted core strength to increased flexibility and stress relief. Kiel area participants enjoy three classes weekly at the City Hall on second floor. Class times are Mon and Thurs at 6pm, Sat at 8 am.

Attend once, twice or three times weekly.

For more information check us out at jazzercise.com or 920.775.9305 See our ad on page 45

Klips & Tips

is a full service salon that has something for every member of the family. We have been in business for two years now in our location at 435 E. Mill St, Plymouth. We offer a wide range of services. Each one of our employees has an expertise including; all nail services, up-dos, body waxing, ear candling and of course “normal” salon services. If you want to feel like you need to have a vacation, come in for a day of beauty. Enjoy some time in the tanning bed (that has new bulbs) and feel like you are in the tropics, have a pedicure and shellac manicure. We offer many different wedding packages as well as princess packages and Mommy and Me classes.

Our salon staff has just come back from a variety of educational classes that we enjoyed greatly. The new colors and styles for fall are exciting. We use Joico (The Healthy Hair Company) hair color, perms and products in the salon. They are designed to put your hair in better condition after a chemical service than it was before. What more could you ask for? The color leaves you with incredible shine! We also offer Seacret products

for the whole body. Please call or stop by. We look forward to making your day great. (920) 627-4247.

See our ad on inside back cover

Millhome Nursery & Greenhouses

Your Beautiful Christmas Starts at Millhome Nursery. A relaxing drive through the gentle rolling hills of the area countryside will find you at our garden center. At this time of year the colorful greenhouse of spring and summer gives way to a vast sea of red and white!

We feature all the traditional Poinsettia colors as well as a variety of other colors & styles. All the Poinsettias are locally grown at our nursery.

We also hand craft our own wreaths in a range of sizes and shapes, as well as planters, baskets, roping, kissing balls and custom work. The retail area is ready with plenty of ideas for decorating and gifts. We also have gift certificates for the undecided. A step inside the store fills your senses with the sights and smells of Christmas.

Our Christmas Open House is Fri, Dec 5, 9am-5pm and Sat, Dec 6, 9am-5pm.

New this year will be Sneak Peek Sat, Nov 22. Come out to the country and enjoy a relaxing stroll through our garden center. Take in the fresh country air and let the beauty of our plants overwhelm you. See you soon!

See our ad on the inside back cover

Nesemann’s Diamond Center

was established is 1919 and has been in the town of Plymouth since 1957. We are a family owned and run business and we aim to please the customer. We have a full line of engagement rings that fit any budget and with a bench jeweler on hand customizing and designing rings becomes very easy. We also carry a large selection of gold/silver gemstone designs, watches, and giftware for any occasion.

See our ad on page 38

Family owned since 1905

Jazzercise

Certified Jazzercise instructors lead groups through intuitive, energized workouts producing feelings of accomplishment and confidence. Today, it’s undeniable: Jazzercise is a worldwide empire, spanning more than 1,800 locations and 32,000 weekly classes across the globe. It’s also hip; gone are the leotards and legwarmers of the 1980s, replaced with a high-intensity blend of cardio, strength training, kickboxing and power yoga performed to hits by chart-toppers from Shakira to Justin Timberlake. The class formats, which vary according to different toning

W

W!

Kiel • 920.894.2772 • www.bobschoenbornsjewelry.com

In addition to the sale of fine jewelry, we provide repairs on all your jewelry needs in house! Not one single item repaired at Nesemann’s is sent off site, everything is done in house by Mike (owner) or Alex (son). Engraving and appraisals add to the list of services we provide for our customers.

Please allow Nesemann’s Diamond Center to fulfill all of your jewelry needs. “There’s always a Nesemann at Nesemann’s.”

See our ad on page 46

Nicola’s Gift Cottage

TIS’ The SeaSON...in the heart of the quaint and quiet Village of Elkhart Lake! Nicola’s goal is to bring you the most unique merchandise and top customer service through out the year, into the Holiday Season. As we head into celebrating our fifth season in Elkhart Lake, Nicola offers an array of fresh new ideas with a little bit of everything for yourself or that special someone on your gift list. As promised, we have continued to expand on our ever-changing inventory throughout the entire year. We are excited for you to stop in and see our new retro vibe of kitchen and home accessories, as well as our ever-expanding children’s line, which now includes some of the top selling items in the KLUTZ line. Friends and family will want our popular “Just Be” in Elkhart Lake, custom designed T’s and sweatshirts. While we continue to carry some of the old favorites, we have new colors and designs of the chic and savvy, yet functional Baggalini Bags and much more. Even your guy will enjoy a stop in at Nicola’s, to see our growing collection of merchandise. Gift cards and wish lists available. Open May-Dec 21; Wed 11am-6pm; Thurs, Fri 11am-5pm; Sat 10am-3pm. Extended hours May-Aug; open Tues 11am-5pm; open 9am during Saturday’s Farmers Market. Thank you for your continued support through the years. Call for seasonal hours 608-2790607. Like us on Facebook!

See our ad on the inside back cover

Pourvino

is the county’s newest wine bar.

Located in downtown Plymouth across the street from the Plymouth Arts Center. Pourvino provides a location

Ha p p y H ol i d a y s

where you can “relax and wine” during your visit to Plymouth. Serving over 100 different labels of wine, select bourbons, scotches, martinis and beer, Pourvino is sure to have something for all tastes.

Want to have something with that wine?

Enjoy some fine meats and cheeses or sample some of our quality desserts, some of which are exclusively prepared for Pourvino. Looking for a location to host your next anniversary, after work get together or ladies night out? Feel free to book our “no-fee” event room designed to handle a variety of events from Wine Tastings to seminars. Open Tues, Wed, Thurs 4-10pm; Fri 4-11pm; Sat 1-11pm; Sun 1-6pm. For more information, call 920-428-VINO (8466).

See our ad on page 43

SURPRISES!

One of Sheboygan County’s favorite gift shops is back in Downtown Sheboygan! Bringing specialty and exclusive gift items to Eastern Wisconsin for over 20 years, SURPRISES! is a “must-visit” store for all your “musthaves.” Long established as a destination for Bachelorette party and novelty items, we stock a huge assortment of Over-the-Hill birthday gifts. Whether it’s brainteasers for all ages, huggable plush for kids, Marilyn-Elvis-Wizard of Oz collectibles (to name but a few), or the ever-popular Italian link charm bracelets, SURPRISES! is your shopping destination for everything unique & unusual. Our experienced sales staff will help you find the perfect item for the “difficultto-please.” Open seven days a week for your shopping convenience. Please call for specific daily open hours or check our posting on Facebook. (920) 4588007; 1104 N. 8th Street, downtown Sheboygan.

See our ad on page 47

200 Off

HAIR’S TO YOU

2007 Calumet Drive • New Holstein

(920) 898-9219

Coupon expires 02/09/15.

8:30am-2pm. Come and sample the many flavors of the season! Nueske hams make a wonderful entree for your family holiday get-together. Gluten-free preserves and baking mixes, cheese ball and dip mixes, cocktail mixes as well as garnishes are just a few of the many items we have to enhance your holiday entertaining needs. With the upcoming holiday season, feel free to choose the perfect gift from our pre-made gift boxes, or we can custom make one for you. We also have a wide selection of holiday and Wisconsin gift items sure to please everyone. Remember to ship as early as possible to insure the gift arrives before Christmas! Open Mon-Fri

Calumet County Bank offering two convenient locations:

Making a

difference

103 N. Main St., Brillion 920-756-2181 W443 Veterans Ave., Sherwood 920-989-2781

in our community, one customer at a time.

Growing Together with Our Community

www.calumetcountybank.com

Duct Cleaning Available Year Round

IImprove your h home’s ’ air i quality by having your air ducts cleaned. Get rid of the dirt, dust, mold, pollen & animal dander.

CALL JASON TODAY AT

920.207.3297 for a free estimate!

L O C AT E D I N K I E L

jazzercise Real Results • 920-7 920-775775-9305

“One of my best friends asked me to go with her to Jazzercise “Just to try it” and I’ve been hooked ever since! I dropped 40 pounds and got back to my size 8.”

Nancy, 54

HAIRCUT with Andrea

Vern’s Cheese

located at 312 W. Main St., Chilton is a three-generation family business that offers a large variety of Wisconsin-made cheese, glass bottled milk, ice cream, and other dairy, meat, and specialty products. Our large selection of wine is sure to complement any cheese item you purchase, or just by itself if you feel the need to relax. Our annual Taste of the Holidays open house is set for Fri, Dec 5 8am-5:30pm; Sat, Dec 6

Timm House

The 2014 Timm House Christmas theme is TOYLAND. Tour the first floor rooms of the house, each one decorated based on a different children’s toy type. See the toy train tree, or a doll tree along with a variety of other trees all highlighting the magic of a child’s Christmas. Hours: l-4pm Nov 29, 30; Dec 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28. All other times by appointment. 1600 Wisconsin

Bring in this coupon and receive

$

Avenue, New Holstein, 920-948-7748. www.newholsteinhistory.info.

See our ad on page 46

10 FOR

60

$

*

3 MONTHS

UNLIMITED CLASSES FOR

$

99

*

Kiel City Hall • M/Th 6pm • Sat 8am

*New/non current students. Offer expires 1/5/15.

jazzercise.com • 920-775-9305

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING DUCT & DRYER VENT CLEANING

100

$

off

NEW FURNACE INSTALLATION OFFER EXPIRES 12/31/14.

HOLIDAY 2014 |

47

8am-5:30pm; Sat 8:30am-2pm. We look forward to helping you with your holiday and everyday entertaining needs. 920849-7717. www.vernscheese.com.

See our ad on page 18

Victorian Chocolate Shoppe

Experience Sheboygan’s Old Time chocolate and candy store offering over 80 varieties of homemade hand-dipped truffles and chocolates, perfect for any

occasion. We also carry 22 kinds of delicious sugar-free chocolates. Holiday gift boxes filled with goodies are made to order. Take a walk down memory lane with our wide selection of nostalgic candy. You haven’t visited Sheboygan unless you stop in for our famous chocolate dipped raspberries. There is something for everyone. 519 S. 8th St., Sheboygan. 920-208-3511. www. victorianchocolateshoppe.com.

See our ad on page 17

Celebrating our 1st Holiday Season in Plymouth

RSG

Our Eclectic Mix Includes: Vintage Furniture, Antiques, Home Decor, Handcrafted Jewelry, Hats & Scarves, Many Items by Local Artists, Honey and So Much More.

429 E. Mill Street, Plymouth • 920-892-6476

Brillion

Nov 19, Reading Between the Wines book club, Bakkehia Wine & Spirits

Give the Gift of Music!

Acces ents sories Instrum Gift Ideas Galore!

DREAMS UNLIMITED Music Store & Studio

215 E. Mill St., Downtown Plymouth

(920) 893-8703

Check us out on

www.dreamsunlimitedmusicstore.com email: dreamsunlimitedmusic@yahoo.com

Happy Holidays From Nesemann’s Diamond Center

WOLF’S CYCLING & FITNESS

Treadmills • Ellipticals Recumbent Bikes 920-457-0664 • SHEBOYGAN S. 12th & Broadway Store Hours: Mon-Fri 9-8 • Sat 9-5

TIMM HOUSE CHRISTMAS

T

he 2014 Timm House Christmas theme is TOYLAND. Located at 1600 Wisconsin Avenue, New Holstein. Tour the first floor rooms of the house, each one decorated based on a different children’s toy type.

See the toy train tree, or a doll tree along with a variety of other trees all highlighting the magic of a child’s Christmas.

November 29 & 30; December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28.

920-892-7726

W5132 County Rd. O • Plymouth

(North side of Hwy. 23 across from Aurora Clinic)

www.nesemannsdiamondcenter.com

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| HOliday 2014

HOURS: 1 - 4PM ALL OTHER TIMES BY APPOINTMENT. MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT www.newholsteinhistory.info or by calling 920-948-7748.

choral concert, free carriage rides, www.newholsteinchamber.com

Kiel

Nov 28, 4-7pm Merchant specials, chili cook-off Nov 28, 7pm Christmas parade

Dec 6, 9am-3pm Howards Grove Holiday Market & Bake Sale, Howards Grove High School

Nov 20, Pizza & Wine Night, Bakkehia Wine & Spirits Nov 21, 22, 23 Schroth Floral Christmas Open House Nov 26, Live Music by “The Chickendales”, Bakkehia Wine & Spirits Dec 3, An Evening In Paris-French Dinner & Wine, Bakkehia Wine & Spirits

®

H o wa r ds G r o v e

Dec 17, Reading Between the Wines book club, Bakkehia Wine & Spirits

Chilton

Dec 5, 8am-5:30pm Taste of the Holidays, Vern’s Cheese Dec 6, 8:30am-2pm Taste of the Holidays, Vern’s Cheese Dec 7, 1pm Sounds of Chilton, The Engler Center for the Performing Arts, Chilton High School

E l k ha r t La k e

Nov 29, 6:30pm Elkhart Lake Chamber of Commerce Tree Lighting, Village Square Train Depot Nov 29, 4-6:30pm Wine Tasting Event, Lake Street Café, Paddock Club & Vintage Dec 5-14, 10am-5pm Osthoff Old World Christmas Market Jan 23-25, 2015 Elkhart Lake Chamber of Commerce Schnee Days

H i l be r t

Dec 12 & 13, 6:30pm Calumet County Community Theatre Singers, Village Hearthstone

P l y m o uth

Nov 29, 7pm Christmas parade, Fremont Street

S heb o y ga n

Nov 30, 5pm Jaycees holiday parade

S t o c k b r i dge

Dec 5-7 Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas

Dec 5, noon-8pm Frolic on Fremont, shop the stores on Fremont St. Food, beverages & horse-drawn wagon rides Dec 5-6, 9am-5pm Millhome Nursery Open House

Your Downtown

Dec 6, 10am 20th Annual Sleigh Bell Run/Walk, Kiel Middle School www.sleighbellrun.com

The Ultimate In Shopping pping ing Fu Fun! un! n

OUR LAST CHRISTMAS SEASON BEFORE RETIREMENT

Dec 6, 8am-noon Jr. Achievement Breakfast with Santa, vendor fair, bake sale, Kiel Middle School Dec 7, 6pm Kiel Municipal Band Christmas Concert; Kiel City Hall Auditorium

100s of Gifts Specially Priced

Kohler

Nov 21-23 Wisconsin Holiday Market

Well Stocked forr W Our Final Christmas as

Manitowoc

Nov 26, 6:30pm 26th annual Lakeshore Holiday Parade. Visit Santa at the Rahr-West Art Museum 4:30-6pm and after the parade

Favorites!

1104 11 10 N. 8th St. • 458-8007 007 7

Downtown Dow Do w Sheboygan ygan yg n New H o l ste i n

Nov 29, 30, Dec 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21,27, 28, l-4pm Timm House Christmas, www. newholsteinhistory.info Dec 7, 12-5pm Country Christmas, New Holstein High School; Festival of Wreaths; holiday craft projects, food and beverage; photo with Santa & Mrs. Claus;

OPEN DAILY

✄

Clip this Cli thi ad d for special in-store savings!

✄

Thanks for reading Verve!

May you enjoy a blessed holiday season.

HOLIDAY 2014 |

49

Happily ever after

ď ˝ by Darlene Buechel

W

hen our son Ben set his wedding date with his lovely bride Lauran for December 13th, my first thought was, “Cool date: 12-13-14.� The next thing that popped into my head was, “There better not be a snow storm!� After those initial thoughts, my mind drifted back to the many changes in weddings since Rich and I tied the knot in 1982.

Back in the 1980’s, “Save The Date� cards didn’t exist. You may have heard a couple was engaged, but didn’t get a notice regarding the actual wedding date until a month before the big event when a full-card invite complete with two sheets of tissue paper arrived in the mail. These days most invites are one cardboard of paper with an elegant design and often a post-card reply attached.

When our daughter Dani married Mark back in 2007, I attended a Friday night rehearsal dinner for the first time. At our wedding (and most nuptials of the 80’s) a car driver was assigned to each couple in the wedding party. The Friday before the big event everyone would meet at church for rehearsal then proceed elsewhere with car decorating and beer drinking to follow- but no civilized sit down meal. These days you don’t hear of car drivers, but many times a wedding bus or limo is hired to transport the whole group.

In 1955 when my parents tied the knot, they also had car drivers but no photographer on site. Back then the wedding party went to a studio for maybe a dozen formal wedding pictures. Today’s bride will have literally hundreds of wedding day photos from official photographer, to friends taking digital pictures, to smartphone selfies.

Wedding entertainment has changed over the years too. When my parents married they had free beer

50

| HOliday 2014

and polka music at the reception – just like we did in 1982. For Dani’s a deejay complete with strobe lights and headpounding bass got the crowd fired up.

Last August when my niece Shannon tied the knot in Madison their deejay also provided a photo booth. I like this fun, new trend. Rich and I grabbed props (me a pink cowboy hat and Rich a one-horn Viking helmet) and made funny faces for the photo booth camera. We got to take home a set of pictures and another set went into a photo book for the bridal couple. With all the planning and stress that goes into a wedding, it’s a nice thought that the wedding couple will be able to enjoy the goofy pictures as well as formal documentation of the big day.

Along with dancing and photos, food is also quite important. When my parents wed in 1955, neighbor women cooked the celebration meal which was held at the brides’ house. When Rich and I married in 1982 we had a family style chicken and tips supper at the reception hall. While family style meals are still common today, the choice of food varies greatly. At my nieces Madison wedding we feasted on catered foods such as Panini, chicken, beef on sticks, and other hors’d’oeuvres. It was quite different but very yummy. Shannon also had mini-cupcakes in tasty flavors instead of a traditional tiered wedding cake.

Speaking of tradition‌one thing that remains constant is the beautiful, bridal gown- although styles and prices

have changed through the years.

In 1955 my mom wore an elegant white dress of brocaded satin with a price tag of $100. My dress in October of 1982 boasted a lacy high neckline, long sleeves, full veil and train, and cost around $300.

Bridal gowns these days tend to cover less and cost more. When Kim Kardashian wed Kris Humphries back in 2011, her Vera Wang custom gown set her back $25,000.

Quite a hefty price tag considering the marriage lasted only 72 days!

When Kim wed Kanye West in May of 2014 she shelled out 2.1 million for her Givenchy creation – she must be in marriage for the long haul. Of course the average non-celebrity bride could not feed a third world country for the cost of her wedding finery. I would not be rude (or nosy) enough to ask Shannon or Lauran what they paid for their 2014 gowns, but according to a wedding cost statistics website (statisticbrain.com), the average wedding dress of the past year cost $1,053.

While you can’t put a price tag on true love, the wedding industry sure does its best. In 2014 the average cost of a U.S. wedding was between $27,000 and $29,000 (not including the honeymoon). Most girls spend their childhood dreaming of the perfect Cinderella wedding. As young, engaged women they are bombarded with decisions and stress leading up to the big day. My advice to all engaged couples would be to plan a wonderful, beautiful, and within budget wedding.

My specific advice to our son Ben and his soon-to-be bride Lauran can best be summed up by a quote from Fawn Weaver –New York Times bestselling author of, “Happy Wives Clubâ€?, - who said, “Happily ever after is not a fairy tale. It’s a choice.â€? Please choose to look at each other with love every day – and your “Happily Ever After “ can really come true. ď‚Ą

SATURDAY, NOV. 29 TREE LIGHTING 6:30PM

AT VILLAGE SQUARE TRAIN DEPOT

SCHNEE DAYS

the true dep pth of Elkhartt Lake

JAN 23-25, 2015

Elkhart Lake Chamber of Commerce • 920.876.2922 • www.elkhartlake.com Your

Beautiful Holidays

OPEN HOUSE

Full Service Salon

920-627-HAIR (4247) & .JMM 4U t 1MZNPVUI

OPEN: Mon.-Thurs. 9am-7pm 'SJ BN QN t 4BU BN /PPO www.klipsntips.com

Celebrate Christmas with the Plymouth Arts Center!

Start Here!

Fri, Dec. 5 • 9-5 / Sat, Dec. 6 • 9-5

111 E. Rhine St h Elkhart rt LLake

Beautiful Millhome Grown Poinsettias Variety of colors & sizes

Buy from the grower & SAVE! Fresh Hand Crafted Wreaths & Roping

N9469 Rhine Rd. (Cty E) Elkhart Lake • 894-7877 www.millhomenursery.com

Wednesday 11-6 15 Thursday & Friday 11-5 Saturday 10-3 thru December 20

M-F 9-5 • Sat 9-4 • Closed Sundays

Call for seasonal hours: 608-279-0607

Celebrati 26th Chring our stm season! as

“A little piece of Scandinavia in the heart of Elkhart Lake�

Imported

Directed b D Dir by: K Kerrylynn l Kraemer, K Mandy M d Radloff R dl ff & TTom Clegg.

Musical Accompaniment by Freddie Noordyk

6 Shows: Dec. 12 to 21 TICKETS: $12 Advance Adults • $15 at the door $5 Advance Children 12 & under • $6 at the door www.plymoutharts.org • 920.892.8409 Box Office: Tues.-Fri. 10am-4pm

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR

Plan for a Good Financial start to 2015

ear End of Y

List To-Dcoheck of

nd Year e lio with CB es.

Portfo ment Servic Invest ciary wed BeneďŹ ation revie informpdated. and u ealth your h Reviews and ex . g savin ing accounts spend you where

Check ve in 2015. can sa

Holiday Hours: Open Daily 11am

Dale of Norway

•Linens •Chocolates •Tomten (elves) •Ornaments •Candles •Sweaters •Clogs •Crystal

81 South Lake Street • Elkhart Lake (920) 876-2520 • (920) 838-2502 • nordicaccents@aol.com

6 You know it will be something special‌

6

6

when you see a ribboned gift bag from Allechant Boutique under the tree.

Lots of great new accessories, clothing and jewelry arriving weekly!

6

WE BUY GOLD, SILVER & SILVER PLATE. Join Our Elite Club: Text BLUSH to 36000 for extra special deals!

AllÊchant Boutique llc A 217 East Mill St. • Plymouth • 920-893-9888 Open Most Days 10am to 5pm • Extra Hours By Appointment

Only Located at Community Bank & Trust!

Mary Ryan

Investment Executive 920.459.4444

www.communitybankandtrust.com Securities offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Investments are: • Not FDIC/NCUSIF insured • May lose value • Not financial institution guaranteed • Not a deposit • Not insured by any federal government agency. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity.

217 EAST MILL STREET PLYMOUTH, WI 920.893.9888

HOLIDAY 2014 |

51

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS at Calumet Medical Center You don’t have to go far for personalized care.

With special interests in women’s health, exercise and fitness, nutrition and chronic diseases,

JILL SCHABACH, family nurse practitioner, and

JESSICA JANNETTE, adult nurse

practitioner, offer comprehensive primary care at Calumet Medical Center Clinic.

To learn more about Jill or Jessica or to schedule an appointment, please call 920.849.3800 or visit affinityhealth.org.

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| HOliday 2014