1. Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama, by Selina Alko 2. Eight Candles and a Tree, by Simone Bloom Nathan
A DV E N T C A L E N DA R Let the countdown to Christmas begin with one of these DIY ideas from Penelope Dullaghan, an Indianapolis-based illustrator and crafter. B RO W N - PA P E R PAC K AG E S
(Tied up with string: optional.) Stamp or handwrite numbers on brown-paper lunch bags (or mini-size versions, available in bulk at amazon.com). Fill with sweet notes, chocolates, or tiny trinkets—ornaments, card games, a bouncy ball. On a blank wall, tack up two lines of heavy twine and use small clothespins to attach each bag. TREE BR ANCH
Find a pretty branch outside, let it dry, and spray-paint it white for a snowy feel. Then place in a tall vase weighed down with colorful glass stones or sand. Use ribbon to tie on notes with numbers on one side and Advent activities on the other. A S FO R T H E AC T I V I T I E S…
Take inspiration from Jordan Ferney, blogger at Oh Happy Day: “I make a list of all my favorite things to do, eat, and experience during the holidays and print them on slips of paper that I put in our family Advent calendar. I started doing this when I was a newlywed, but it’s become even more of a tradition since I had children and life is more rushed. Every day, we do one thing to slow down and celebrate. Sometimes it’s big, like a trek downtown to visit Santa. Other times we will do something simple, like hang mistletoe and kiss under it.”
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Celebrating both Hanukkah and Christmas in your home? The staff of InterfaithFamily, an organization based in Massachusetts supporting Jewish-Christian couples, recommends these kid favorites.
C H O W TO ROA ST
Chestnuts
Alice Medrich, a baking expert and the author of Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-YourMouth Cookies, buys and roasts chestnuts every holiday season. “They’re great for nibbling with drinks before a family dinner,” she says. “They have a sweetness and a starchy texture that’s similar
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3. Nonna’s Hanukkah Surprise, by Karen Fisman 4. Light the Lights! A Story about Celebrating Hanukkah & Christmas, by Margaret Moorman 5. The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story, by Lemony Snicket
to a yam.” Here’s her method: Before roasting, cut an X on the bottom of each nut to help it cook more evenly and thoroughly. Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tip of a knife inserts easily into the flesh. Then wrap them in a thick towel for 5 to 10 minutes. This steams the chestnuts slightly and makes removing the stubborn shells and skins before serving a million times easier.
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D D EC O R AT E THE TREE A L I T T L E D I F F E R E N T LY
Add some unexpected magic with one of these ideas. “Growing up, we’d tuck dolls and small toys into our family tree, set deep into the branches, so it almost looked like they were playing peekaboo,” says New York City– based craft stylist Blake Ramsey Murray. She also cuts paper stars out of origami paper, snips a hole in each center, then slips them over string lights. (Or use foil cupcake liners instead.) “That really makes your tree glow,” she says. For a cool icicle effect, hang metallic straws (Murray likes gold and silver ones from Kikkerland) on ornament hooks all over the tree.
