Essex Free Press 2014 Holiday Greetings - Dec. 11, 2014

Thursday, December 11, 2014

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Essex Free Press

ishing You And Yours A Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year!

DPM Insurance Group 29 Talbot Street North, Essex, Ontario Phone: 519-776-6457 www.dpmins.com Your best insurance is an Insurance Broker

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Christmas tidbits to put you in the holiday spirit • Christmas carols began as an English custom called “wassailing.”

Individuals toasted neighbors to a long and healthy life.

• Despite the common tale that three wise men paid homage to baby Jesus, the Bible never specifically calls out a number. Similarly, there’s no specific indication that they visited the infant Jesus.

The holiday season alone. has arrived, and • In 350 AD, Pope Their visit may have millions of people Julius I, bishop of occurred when Jesus across the globe will be Rome, proclaimed was older. celebrating Christmas December 25 the official • Santa Claus’ modern with their families and celebration date for the look was inspired by from The friends. The following birth of Jesus Christ. writings Knickerbockers of are some interesting Many historians and tidbits to share with theologians have New York and imagery your loved ones this surmised that Christ from Clement Clarke holiday season. really wasn’t born Moore’s “A Visit from • Each year, more this time of year, St. Nicholas.” Moore authoring than three billion thanks to imagery and denied the famous poem Christmas cards are information from the for 15 years after sent in the United States Bible.

it was published anonymously, feeling the poem was beneath his talents.

• Santa has his own official postal code. It’s H0 H0 H0.

• The song “Jingle Bells” was originally written for Thanksgiving and not Christmas. People loved it so much that the lyrics were changed to fit Christmas.

• Christmas trees typically grow for 15 years before they’re cut and sold. This means the trees sold today were likely planted in 1999.

• Christmas was not declared an official holiday in the United States until June 26, 1870.

• Before turkey, the traditional Christmas meal served in England

was a pig’s head and mustard.

• Male reindeer tend to shed their antlers in the winter. This means Santa’s reindeer are likely female.

• Christ may have been born in a cave rather than a manger.

According to the gospel of Luke, the shepherds that helped find shelter for Mary to give birth kept their flock in a cave. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is built over a cave called the Grotto of the Nativity, where Jesus is believed to have been born.

• Many people may be less inclined to

stand under mistletoe waiting for a kiss if they knew what “mistletoe” means in the ancient Germanic language. It literally means “dung on a twig,” for the bird who eats the berries and then leaves seeds in droppings to propagate new plants.

• Each holiday season, PNC Wealth Management calculates the costs of the gifts in the song, “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

The price index for the gifts went from $12,673 in 1984 to more than $24,000 in 2011. The most expensive gift is the swimming swans.

Source: Metro Creative

Voice Of Inspiration

Ò I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.Ó

~ Charles Dickens

Merry Christmas from all of us at...

Mayor Nelson Santos, Deputy Mayor Gord Queen Councillors Susanne Coghill, Tony Gaffan, Sandy McIntyre, Thomas Neufeld and Larry Patterson

35 Victoria Avenue, Essex

519.567.2102

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Strategies for last-minute shopper Holiday shoppers tend to fall into three distinct camps. There are those people who have completed all of their shopping and wrapping even before November ends. Others shop in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Finally, many people wait until the last minute, and such shoppers are the ones seen rushing from store to store on December 24.

Waiting until the last possible second to purchase a gift may not prove much of a problem when shopping for birthday gifts. But come the holiday season, such

procrastination may find shoppers perusing limited inventories and dealing with other frantic proscrastinators.

But even those shoppers who still plan to put off their holiday shopping can make the most of such stalling this holiday season.

• Consider eGift cards. Many retailers offer digital gift cards that can be emailed in a matter of minutes.

Purchase the card from the online retailer and email the redemption code to the gift recipient.

Time the email to arrive on Christmas morning or include all of the necessary information in a holiday card.

• Ship to store. Some shoppers like the convenience of shipto-store services. This enables a person to purchase a gift online but avoid shipping charges by having the item made available at a store location. Instock items are typically ready the day of purchase, and this helps you avoid crowds and impulse buys, as online purchases are typically available at special pick-up locations in the store that allow online shoppers to skip long lines at the registers.

• Avoid gimmick gifts. Skip the “as seen on TV” aisle at the store or trendy infomercial gifts. Such gifts may suggest to their recipients that you waited until the last minute to buy the gifts and then really didn’t

have any good ideas.

• Expect extra charges and factor such charges into your budget.

Procrastinating may work for your schedule, but expect to pay more if you shop online and require shipping. You will probably need to expedite shipping if you expect to have gifts delivered on time.

Verify the delivery date before making any purchases. Paying more for shipping may outweigh the hassle of driving to store after store searching for gifts. Online retailers like Amazon may even offer selective delivery on Christmas Eve. • Check store hours.

Some stores offer extended shopping hours to meet the needs of last-minute shoppers.

You may be able to visit early morning or

Just a note of thanks to our loyal customers and friends.

Wishing you all the best this holiday season.

County Print Plus 361 Talbot St. N., Essex 519-776-6686

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Season’s Greetings With a multitude of best warm wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season to all of you from all of us.

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late at night to skip the crowds. Certain department stores time sales with these extended hours, such as “early bird” or “night owl” specials, so you may even be rewarded for procrastinating.

• Shop smaller retailers. One way to avoid the hassles

that often come with holiday shopping is to patronize smaller, independent shops.

Chances are the crowds will be smaller at these shops and you may have access to a more unique selection of gifts than you would find at the nearby mall.

Source: Metro Creative

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Gift exchange Chanukah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are right around the corner. That means neighborhoods, buildings and stores will soon be awash in holiday splendor. Social schedules will be full, and men and women everywhere will shuffle to complete their holiday shopping.

Grab bags are a staple of this season of giving, and the following are a few dos and don’ts to ensure participation in gift exchanges is fun and friendly for all involved.

DO set a gift amount limit. Holiday grab bags are more about having fun and exchanging a little something with friends and family members than walking away with amazing prizes. Establish a spending limit so everyone receives a gift of roughly the same value and no one feels slighted or left out.

DON’T exceed the spending limit. It can be

dos and don’ts

tempting to spend more to make your gift appear more impressive. But overspending defeats the purpose of the gift exchange. Grab bags typically are anonymous, so being overly generous will not win you any style points.

DO make it a game. Tossing gifts in a bag only to have others reach in and grab one is certainly effective. But the concept can be even more fun if you make a game out of it. Try passing wrapped gifts around in a circle to a holiday song. When the music stops, the gift you are holding is the one you open. Experiment with your own variations to make gift exchanges more fun.

DON’T let anyone see the gift you bring. The idea is to keep things as secretive as possible so as not to sway the selection of presents.

DO ensure your gift is unisex. Unless you know specifically that only men or women will be opening the presents, select items that will appeal to both genders. Food, gift cards, music, or home staples make great grab bag gifts.

DON’T forget to consider ages as well. Gift

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exchanges may include both children and adults, so include gifts that appeal to all ages when necessary.

When the exchange has ended, allow participants to swap gifts if they want to.

DO expect some grab bag gifts to be gag gifts.

Such gifts are entertaining and may make up the majority of the grab bag gifts. Keep your sense of humor and you’re likely to enjoy grab bags a lot more.

DON’T regift items to use as grab bag picks. Should the person who gave you the gift participate in the grab bag, he or she can trace that gift back to you and may be offended.

DO make sure everyone is aware that there will be a grab bag gift exchange, as there needs to be an equal number of gifts to participants so everyone gets a treat. Hosts may want to have a few extra wrapped gifts around just in case someone forgets to bring their contribution.

Gift exchanges in the form of grab bags, auctions, swaps, and other games make for fun additions to holiday festivities. They also can be a part of any family or friends gathering to add excitement and entertainment to the occasion.

Source: Metro Creative

Voice Of Inspiration Ò My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others.

Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?Ó

~ Bob Hope

Wishing all my clients in the...

A Very Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year!

Denise & Rick Merritt 519-839-4462

HolidayGreet ings from...

Ann Marie Desjardins, Kristin Nottage, Sara Vermast, Cindy Meloche, Janice Cence, Lori Froese, Dayna Dipasquale, Tammy Snively and Nancy Belisle,

I Thursday, December 11, 2014

Gift Certifica tes Availab le!

We’re hoping that your holiday, Is as special as you are in every way Because one thing that we know is true Is that there are no nicer folks than you!

Gift s Certificate Available

Terry Lynn and Terry Therrien would like to say thanks to our loyal clientele and hard working staff. Happy holidays to www.talbottraildayspa.com everyone!

114 Talbot St. N., Essex 519-776-9880

Merry Christmas and many thanks for your valued patronage.

Alynn Lappan, Catherine Price, Allissa Prinsen, Amy Neels, Kendra McCorkle, Carol Wilhelm and Sarah Minnett

114 Talbot St. N., Essex | www.talbottraildayspa.com | 519-776-4448

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Frugal gift wrapping ideas 5 ways to reduce family Holiday shoppers spend billions of dollars each year on gifts for friends, family and coworkers. But holiday shoppers also spend substantial amounts of money dressing up those gifts with bows and wrapping paper.

Shoppers may not want to spend much more on wrapping paper, bags and other ways to dress-up their gifts, and by employing a few tricks of the gift wrapping trade, they may not have to. The following are some frugal, yet flashy, ways to wrap presents this holiday season.

• Children’s artwork: Over the course of a school year parents can accumulate dozens of original pieces of art from their children’s time in the classroom.

Instead of relegating those pictures to a memory box or temporary glory on the refrigerator, turn them into unique gift wrap. Pair these pieces of art with

colored ribbon, and everyone who gets a unique masterpiece will feel special.

• Newspaper: Recycle newsprint and comics into wrapping paper.

Encourage everyone to wrap in newspaper for a cohesive look come Christmas morning.

• Cloth: Leftover cloth from Halloween or cloth purchased to create homemade curtains can be turned into giftwrap for awkwardshaped gifts. Use decorative ribbon to seal the bundle shut.

• Brown paper: Brown paper tied with twine or ribbon is inexpensive and can easily be recycled after use.

Use a marker to put the names of gift recipients on each package to save on gift tags as well.

• Glass jars: Use mason jars when wrapping smaller gifts, including gift cards, to give them an arts-and-crafts feel.

• Fabric gift bags: If you’re handy with a needle and thread, sew

sacks out of leftover fabric to make gift bags of various sizes.

• Cookie tins: Find unique cookie tins from yard sales or leftover tins from holidays past and use them as gift boxes.

• Recipes: If you will be giving a cookbook or food-themed gifts, print recipes that can be used as gift wrap and then later used to make certain dishes.

• Baby linens: From blankets to wash cloths, use baby linens to wrap infant-themed gifts for new parents.

• Baskets: Wicker baskets are available in various shapes and sizes. They can be used to make a gift collection and then reused over and over again.

• There are many creative and inexpensive ways to wrap gifts this year instead of relying on preprinted and often expensive wrapping paper.

Source: Metro Creative

friction this season

(NC) The holidays are supposed to be happy and harmonious for families, but they can be stressful as well. Old wounds may be opened up and new lifestyle developments can change the routine.

For example, a recent divorce or a new baby often

creates unusual logistical challenges.

Here are five ways to foster closeness without becoming overwhelmed: 1. Avoid overlap with a simple online calendar into which each family member enters special events.

2. Keep your gift list manageable with a Secret Santa, where each member selects a name from the hat and buys just one gift instead of buying for the whole family.

3. Complete a group project together, such as all pitching in to help a family or village overseas.

Online at worldvision. ca/gifts, for example, you can select the family or community together.

4. Invite immediate and extended family members to a single gathering instead of visiting each home individually.

5. Take a vacation.

Go away for the actual date then return, ready to take on any family challenges during Boxing Week. www.newscanada.com

A Message of Thanks During The Holiday Season

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This holiday season, we want to give you our thanks and best wishes. Merry Christmas!

35 Wilson Avenue, Essex Ontraio N8M 2L8 Phone: 519-776-6407

Chartered Professional Accountants

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No holiday celebration is complete until eggnog has been served The holiday season is rife with tradition, from Christmas trees to lighting displays to visits with Santa Claus at the local mall.

Families reunite come the holiday season to exchange gifts, enjoy meals together and do a little catching up along the way.

But the holiday season also is synonymous with parties. Whether it’s to enjoy an office

Merry Christmas Joyeux Noël

holiday party, a gathering with family and friends or a more intimate gathering at home, such celebrations are a big part of the holiday season and a main reason why this is such a festive and beloved time of year.

As this is a season of celebrating, it’s good to remember that no holiday party is truly complete until eggnog has been served. Enjoyed almost exclusively during the holiday season, eggnog is as much a staple of holiday celebrations as stockings hung by the chimney with care.

This year, impress your holiday guests with the following recipe for “Excellent Eggnog” from A.J. Rathbun’s “Good Spirits” (Harvard Common Press).

8 ounces rum 4 ounces bourbon 1 quart milk Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish 1. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, setting the whites aside for a moment.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the yolks with a hand mixer until completely combined.

Add the sugar and beat until it reaches a creamy consistency.

3. Add the brandy, rum and bourbon, and then the milk, beating

well.

4. In a medium-size mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form (be sure before beating the whites that you have cleaned and thoroughly dried the beaters).

5. Fold the egg whites into the yolksugar-alcohol mixture.

Refrigerate the mix until well chilled (at least 3 hours).

6. Stir to recombine as needed. Serve the eggnog in mugs, topping each serving with some nutmeg.

Source: Metro Creative

Excellent Eggnog Serves 8 8 large eggs, preferably organic 21/4 cups superfine sugar 8 ounces brandy

May your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter & goodwill & may the year ahead be full of contentment & joy.

Extending my sincerest wishes to you and your family for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

– From the Natyshak family

316 Talbot St. N. Essex

Mayor Gary McNamara Deputy Mayor Joe Bachetti Councillors: Andrew Dowie, Brian Houston, Tania Jobin, Rita Ossington, Mike Rohrer

Merry Christmas

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Melt-in-the-mouth shortbread meets its match (NC) Try this all-time taste sensation if you dare.

Shortbread gets an upgrade in this recipe perfect for the holiday

season, says Anna Olson, celebrity chef and host of Food Network Canada’s Bake with Anna Olson. The dough can be made up to three

months ahead and then frozen, to be thawed in the fridge before baking for a perfect mid-winter pick-me-up.”

Skor Bits Shortbread Slice Cookies Makes about 4 dozen cookies Prep Time: 15 minutes Chill Time: 2 hours Bake Time: 16 minutes Ingredients 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ cup (125 mL) icing sugar, sifted 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract 2 cups (500 mL) allpurpose flour 1/3 cup (75 mL) cornstarch ½ tsp (2 mL) salt ¾ cup (175 mL) Hershey’s Skor bits Directions 1.

Using electric beaters (or a mixer), beat the butter for a minute, then add the icing sugar and beat until incorporated and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the vanilla, then add the flour, cornstarch and salt and beat on low speed.

Once incorporated, beat

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on medium-high speed (or more vigorously by hand) until the dough comes together. Add the Skor bits and stir in.

2. Shape the dough into 2 logs about 10 inches (25 cm) long (1 ½-inches/3.5 cm across) and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours until firm.

3. Preheat the oven to 325(F (160 (C) and grease or line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

4. Unwrap and slice the dough into cookies ¼-inch (5 mm) thick and arrange them on the baking trays leaving at least ½-inch (1 cm) between them. Bake for about 16 minutes, until the cookie barely start to show a little colour at the edges. Cool the cookies completely on the baking tray before removing. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up

to a week.

More information and baking inspiration

is available at www. hersheyskitchens.ca.

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Christmas tunes spread holiday Some stores start stocking Christmas decorations and wrapping paper as early as the end of October, and some families begin decking their halls in holiday finery in late November.

But for many people, the holiday season has not truly begun until the music synonymous with this festive time of year has hit the airwaves.

Few things can make a person feel as festive as the holiday songs they know and love. Many families have a favorite musical artist whose music they consider synonymous with their

holiday celebrations.

While families have their own unique holiday traditions, over time certain holiday songs have emerged as favorites. These are the tunes you’re likely to hear played over and over on the radio.

Billboard, which tracks the music industry’s most popular songs, compiled its own list of the most popular Christmas songs.

The list measures the volume of people who have been exposed to the song on the radio, and is based on ranking rather than exact figures of listeners, and the following are

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Thanks everyone!

Mike Cowan, L.E. (Ted) Nantais, Denise Wilds, Margaret DaSilva, Tina McMenemy, Amy Lane 180 Talbot St. S., Essex

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the 10 most popular songs based on those parameters.

10. “Happy Xmas (War is Over),” by John Lennon: This song debuted in 1971 and was written by Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono. Performed with the Harlem Community Choir, the song was originally a protest song about the Vietnam Warm before it eventually became a Christmas standard.

9. “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24),” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra: According to Nielsen, this instrumental mash-up of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Carol of the Bells” is one of the best-selling Christmas digital singles in SoundScan history. A combination of full, classical orchestra and rock, “Christmas Eve” is a memorable and powerful piece of music.

8. “White Christmas,”

by Bing Crosby: Crosby crooned this tune in 1942 in the movie of the same name, and Irving Berlin’s song soon became one of the most popular holiday tunes of all time. It has been covered innumerable times and has become a holiday season standard.

7. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” by Andy Williams: This popular Christmas song was written by Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963. The song celebrates the traditions and feelings of the Christmas season.

6. “Feliz Navidad,”

by Jose Feliciano: This Spanish-English pop song is recognized by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers as one of the 25 most-played and recorded Christmas songs around the world.

Puerto-Rican born Feliciano has said that the song has always been a bridge to the cultures that are so dear to him.

5. “A Holly Jolly Christmas,”by Burl

Ives: This song was written by Johnny Marks, an American songwriter. Ironically, Marks was Jewish, but he specialized in Christmas songs and wrote many of the holiday standards people love, including this upbeat tune and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”

4. “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” by Nat King Cole: Believe it or not, this song was actually written in the summer when composers Bob Wells and Mel Torme were trying to cool off with winter imagery.

Snow-covered images and phrases eventually turned into lyrics for this popular song that was most memorably recorded by Nat King Cole.

3. “Jingle Bell Rock,” by Bobby Helms: This song has been performed by many, but Helms’ version of the is perhaps the best known.

The song highlights the crossover style known as “rockabilly” and merges the classic “Jingle Bells” with rock n’ roll references of the 1950s.

2. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,”

by Brenda Lee: Brenda Lee was a chart-topping female vocalist of the 1960s who owes much of her success to this beloved holiday classic.

Despite the mature

sound of her voice, Lee recorded this version when she was only 13 years old.

1. “All I Want for Christmas is You,” by Mariah Carey: This uptempo love song has become a Christmas classic and one of Carey’s most popular

hits. She co-wrote and coproduced the song with Walter Afansieff.

It is one of the few, modern, original Christmas songs to stand the test of time and become an official Christmas standard.

Source: Metro Creative

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year From Andrew and staff.

Thank you for your patronage this past year.

We look forward to serving you again in 2015.

191 Talbot St. S., Essex Fresh food. Friendly neighbours.

519-776-4255

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Every Christmas Eve, children go to bed eagerly anticipating a visit from Santa Claus.

This merry gentleman

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The man behind the beard

is purported to visit the home of every good girl and boy, delivering gifts and cheer along the way.

Before the modern evolution of Santa Claus lived a very real and generous individual named Nicholas. In the third century, Nicholas served as the Bishop of Myrna in presentday Turkey. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, believing that giving should be done secretly and sacrificially in Jesus Christ’s name rather than one’s own.

Stories tell of Nicholas paying the dowry for poor daughters to enable them to get married. He reportedly put coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him. It is believed Nicholas helped to restore the hope of hundreds of people in his community, making him a beloved and revered Bishop.

Throughout his ministry, Nicholas fervently shared his life and fortune with others.

Nicholas continued to be revered and commemorated by many Christians even after his death.

His charity and unselfish works helped inspire generations of the faithful, and he eventually was named the patron saint of everyone from merchants to sailors to pawnbrokers.

No one really knows what St. Nicholas looked like. But in 2005, a forensic laboratory in England reviewed historical data and photographs of the remains taken from St. Nicholas’ grave in the 1950s. Researchers concluded that he was a small man, perhaps no more than five feet in height, with a broken nose.

This image certainly does not fit with the robust frame and other imagery awarded St. Nicholas in more modern years.

St.

Nicholas is believed to be the inspiration for Santa Claus, which was a name taken from the Dutch Sinterklaas, a contracted form of Sint Nicolass, or St. Nicholas.

Tales of the real St. Nicholas’ giving spirit were blended with a fictional personification

by New York-based newspaper writers who blended the St. Nicholas name with the appearance of a Dutch town citizen. The goal was to reach out to the primarily Dutch immigrants living in New York at the time.

This jolly elf image was given a boost by the publication of “A Visit

From St. Nicholas,” which was published around the same time.

Eventually, the merry Santa Claus portrayal began to outshine the more accurate St. Nicholas version as a religious man, fostered by political drawings and caricatures that depicted Santa as a chubby sort in a red suit. That image prevails to this day.

Beneath the Christmas symbolism, the beard and the presents associated with Santa Claus lies a tale of generosity that originated with St. Nicholas.

Source: Metro Creative

Voice Of Inspiration

Ò Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.Ó

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

From Our family to yours...

you h s wi is We best th ! he eason t l l a yS a d i Hol

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Holiday films to lift your spirits Many families have their own unique holiday traditions, but some traditions transcend familial lines to become an integral part of many people’s holiday celebrations. One of the more popular traditions during this festive time of year is to watch a favorite holiday film with family and friends. With that in mind, the following are some of the most beloved holiday movies ever to make it onto the big screen.

• “It’s a Wonderful Life”: Perhaps no holiday film is more beloved than this 1946 Frank Capra-directed classic.

Screen legend Jimmy Stewart plays a desperate businessman contemplating suicide during the holiday season. But a guardian angel helps him realize all the good fortune in his life by showing him what life might have been like if he had never existed.

• “White Christmas”: This 1954 song-and-dance film stars Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye as a pair of longtime friends and ex-military men who fall in love with a sister act team that includes famous singer (and aunt to George Clooney) Rosemary Clooney. Crosby and Kaye join forces to save the failing Vermont inn of their beloved former commander.

• “Miracle on 34th Street”: Natalie Wood stars in this 1947 classic that follows the trial of Kris Kringle, who claims to be Santa Claus and must prove otherwise to avoid being institutionalized. Nominated for Best Picture at the 1948 Academy Awards, “Miracle on 34th Street” won three of the prestigious statuettes, including a Best Supporting Actor Oscar® for Edmund Gwenn, who played the jolly old man in the red suit.

• “Bad Santa”: Though not quite as heartwarming as many holiday films, this 2003 black comedy stars Billy Bob Thornton as miserable, alcoholic con man “Willie,” who poses as a mall Santa Claus so he can rob a department store safe on Christmas Eve. But in spite of its rather raunchy take on the holiday season, the film is ultimately a story of redemption as Willie befriends a bullied youngster and begins to turn his life around.

• “A Christmas Carol”: Those looking for a more traditional take on holiday films need look no further than this 1951 adaptation of the Charles Dickens novella, which tells the tale of bitter miser Ebenezer Scrooge as he is haunted by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Source: Metro Creative

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Ring in the New Year with festive party ideas instead. For a fun effect, string holiday lights around the room or use a portable disco ball to spread sparkling colors on the floor and ceiling. Candles are another option for intimate affairs, but should be avoided as a safety measure if you’re having a large crowd.

• Set out New Year’s fill-in-the-blank cards.

Encourage guest participation with an entertaining idea.

Print out small cards that guests have to complete. Phrases like, Although New Year’s dinnerware to take- usually includes an “The bad habit I want Eve parties tend to be home favors. array of familiar songs to quit is ___” or “____ similar from year to • Encourage and music that appeals was the silliest thing year, hosts can explore guest input. Guests to the masses. When I did last year,” can be the many ways to understand the cost compiling a party fun to do and share. make their celebrations of hosting and the playlist, choose songs Guests can take turns stand out from those of amount of planning guests are sure to know guessing whose card is years past. This handy necessary to throw a and love. Mix these being read. guide provides ideas to festive party, and many in with a few of your • Have the party your get creative juices will likely reach out to favorites. You can even catered. Unless you flowing. ask what they can do ask guests to provide want to spend the • Establish a color or bring. Figure out in the names of three evening in and out of palette. Many people advance which aspects favorite songs when the kitchen, invest in catering. Guests of a equate New Year’s Eve of the party you want they RSVP. with the gold and silver your guests to take • Dim the lights. late party won’t expect hues of champagne. care of so you have a Bright lights can make a three course meal.

However, you can use ready answer when the guests feel intimidated However, platters of any festive color for inquiries start rolling and awkward. Set the sandwiches, appetizers other little mood by turning off and your party. Use the same in. munchies will fit the colors on everything • Keep musical tastes overhead lights, opting bill.

Remember, caterers from invitations to in mind. A fun party for ambient lighting may book up fast this time of year, so be sure to reserve service well in advance of your party.

• Create a specialty drink. In addition

to toasting champagne or sparkling wine, serve a specialty drink creation. This can be a beverage that ties into your color scheme or the theme of the party.

Dessert drinks, such as chocolate martinis or vanilla cake-flavored vodka mixers, may be the right flavor for your affair. As the host, you should remember to provide non-alcoholic alternatives as well.

• Consider more substantial food after midnight. Encourage guests to eat more and drink less once

the clock has struck midnight. Casseroles and other baked dishes are easy to make in advance and have on hand. A breakfast buffet of pancakes, toast and omelets also will fill guests up with something more substantial than chips and dips.

New Year’s Eve parties are a great way to reflect on the last year and look forward to a new one, and hosts can take steps to make their parties memorable for all the right reasons.

Source: Metro Creative

Secord & Smith Funeral Home 13072 Talbot Road, Maidstone

519-737-1133 W. RICHARD SMITH - Owner/Director

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