Holiday Celebrations 2012

HolidayCelebrations 2012

Holiday Cocktails Cookies Crafts!

Inside: Hot Holiday Looks & Savings!

Cheers to You this Holiday Season

E

veryone has the grandest plans to make the holiday season as special and memorable as can be for their families.

No doubt, there’s great pressure to translate those “sugar plum” visions to reality. So we wanted to take some pressure off by providing you with easy ways to start crossing to-do items off your list, while adding a bit of joy and cheer to your season. In these pages you’ll find exclusive holiday products and savings along with fun and festive recipes, entertaining tips, DIY crafts, the inside scoop on holiday decorating trends and more. But first and foremost, we didn’t forget about YOU! While you’re making sure everyone else’s holiday is special, we wanted to share inspiration, tips and resources to make YOU shine this holiday season.

May your light shine brightly this holiday season as you create special memories and celebrate life with family and friends.

Cheers,

Dawn, Elizabeth, Audrey & Vera

Presented by Dawn Sandomeno & Elizabeth Mascali Dawn Sandomeno and Elizabeth Mascali, lifestyle & entertaining experts, are co-founders of Party Bluprints Inc. and The Party Bluprints Blog and co-authors of Plan to Party. They are on a mission to inspire simple and special home entertaining.

Dawn and Elizabeth, have been featured on NBC’s TODAY Show, Good Housekeeping, Kiplinger’s and Redbook magazines, Martha Stewart Living Radio and more.

Connect with them this holiday season on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo by Alexandra Mascali

Audrey McClelland & Vera Sweeney Getting Gorgeous was founded in 2010 by partners Audrey McClelland and Vera Sweeney.

Bringing fashion and beauty advice to moms is their primary focus. Their passion has been featured on a multitude of media outlets including Oprah’s O Magazine, Redbook, GMA, Pregnancy Magazine, The Rachael Ray Magazine and more.

Follow them this holiday season: Vera on Facebook and Twitter Audrey on Facebook and Twitter

Cocktails & Cookies Candied Snickerdoodles From:

Party Bluprints (Makes approx. 40 cookies)

“These are handsdown my son’s favorite Christmas cookie (I can’t resist them either). We like to use a variety of sprinkles to give each batch of cookies a different look and taste/ texture depending on the type of sprinkles/ jimmies. Enjoy.”

—Elizabeth Photo ©Party Bluprints, Inc

Ingredients

Instructions

❑ 1 ½ cups sugar ❑ ½ unsalted softened butter ❑ ½ cup shortening ❑ 2 eggs ❑ 2 ¾ cups flour ❑ 2 tsp. cream of tartar ❑ 1 tsp. baking soda ❑ ¼ tsp. salt ❑ sprinkles/jimmies

●P our sprinkles/jimmies into individual pie dishes or rimmed bowls and

set aside. ●P reheat oven to 400°. Cream sugar, butter and shortening. Add eggs and mix

thoroughly. ● Add remaining ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. ●R oll dough into 1” balls and then roll in sprinkles. Place on cookie sheets 1 ½”

apart and bake 8-10 minutes (until bottoms are barely golden brown). ●A llow to cool on cookie sheet a few minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Once completely cooled, store in airtight container.

Sparkling Prosecco Cocktail (Serves 8)

Ingredients

From:

❑ 1 pint raspberry sorbet ❑ 1 cup chilled vodka ❑ 1 750 ml bottle Prosecco

ts n i r p u l B y t r a P

Merry Mocktail

Instructions ●U sing a 1 ½” melon Photo ©Party Bluprints, Inc

One of our #1 Holiday Entertaining Tips: Be a considerate host and serve both a signature cocktail and mocktail.

(Serves 8)

Ingredients

Instructions

❑ 1 pint raspberry sorbet ❑ 1 750 ml bottle sparkling cider

●U sing a 1 ½” melon baller/ice cream

scoop, place a scoop of sorbet into the bottom of each Champagne flute. ●F ill each flute ¾ with sparkling cider.

baller/ice cream scoop, place a scoop of sorbet into the bottom of each Champagne flute. ●A dd 1 oz. chilled

vodka to each flute and top with Prosecco.

Serve immediately.

Last Minute Entertaining Tyson® Any’tizers® Bruschetta

From:

I’m lucky enough to live in a very social town especially around the holidays. It’s not out of the ordinary for me to send out an email and pull together a last minute Holiday Bunco Party. I love entertaining and I love to celebrate the season with my close circle of friends. That’s why it’s important for me to have appetizers on hand that are quick, easy, and delicious. Tyson® Any’tizers® Bruschetta is the perfect combination of high-quality chicken breast meat, bacon, ranch sauce and cheese. All I have to do is bake them for a few minutes and the party can begin with ease.

Vera

Hot New Product Tyson® Any’tizers® Bruschetta will be available in all Walmart stores from 11/27 through 12/24 for $6.97.

Last Minute Entertaining Tips from Party Bluprints

1

Stock your pantry with non-perishable “cocktail hour” snacks nuts, breadsticks, cheese, olives and cookies.

2

Stock your bar with basics: red and white wine, prosecco, beer, sparkling water and sparkling apple cider.

3

Make and freeze (or purchase frozen) appetizers and casseroles – they’re perfect for pop-up parties when you want to invite guests back to your house.

Pepperidge Farm® Milano® Minis Candy Cane Cookies It’s always important to have some delicious and festive cookies on hand for your family or guests throughout the holiday season. When I was a little girl, my mother would always have a cookie jar filled to the brim with Pepperidge Farm® Milano® cookies, it was always so comforting to come home to a full cookie jar! Well, this holiday season I’m continuing the same tradition with my four sons. Pepperidge Farm® has the most delectable, luxurious, holiday-inspired cookies of all this season, their Milano® Minis Candy Cane cookies! These are absolutely some special holiday cookies for my sons - they will get such a kick out of the shape of them. I can just see us enjoying some yummy cookie time at night and savoring every bite!

Milano® Minis Candy Cane cookies are perfect “on-the-go” treats for children; perfect for guests to enjoy some indulging; and perfect for you to pamper yourself with a little splurge! A holiday-hit for all, even Santa!

Hot Holiday Exclusive Pepperidge Farm® Milano® Minis Candy Cane cookies will be available exclusively at Target from 10/28 through 12/29 (limited quantities available).

4

Make sure your music system is working properly and have a great music mix all cued up.

5

Create a party mood in minutes – simply light an assortment of nonscented pillar and votive candles and dim the lights. Always keep a “back-up” box of votive candles on hand.

From:

Audrey

Last minute or not, make sure to “Celebrate Life” this holiday season with family and friends.

Cheers to Entertaining ~ Dawn & Elizabeth

Happy Holiday Entertaining 5 Tips for Happy Holiday Entertaining From Party Bluprints

1

Be Smart

Keep it small - with an intimate gathering you can connect with your guests during the hectic holiday season – that’s the goal, right?

2

Be Realistic

Decide what style of party (cocktail, dinner, brunch, wine tasting, dessert party) works for your entertaining style, schedule and space.

3

Be Early

Pick your party date and send your invites out ASAP, as calendars tend to fill up quickly with holiday parties.

Photo ©Party Bluprints, Inc

4

Be Personal

Personalize your party with special touches, e.g., “wow” tablescape, welcome signature cocktail, thoughtful favors. By taking the time to make your guests feel special, your party will be transformed from a holiday gathering to an unforgettable experience.

5

Be Present

Have a party plan that allows you to prepare most everything ahead of time so you can be a guest at your own party and enjoy sharing time with loved ones.

Holiday Sangria “Homemade gifts from the heart are some of my favorite to give.

Make up a few batches of this festive Holiday Sangria, wrap it up and give them as favors, hostess gifts or stocking stuffers (I’d love to find this in my stocking!) Or display it as the focal point of your ‘help-yourself-bar’ at your holiday gatherings.”

—Elizabeth

Ingredients ❑½ cup fresh cranberries ❑ 2 cinnamon sticks ❑ 1 granny smith apple, washed and sliced ❑ 1 orange, washed and sliced

❑ ¾ cup brandy ❑ 1 cup orange juice ❑ 1 1.5L bottle Carmenere (Chilean Red Wine) ❑ 1 half gallon wide mouth Mason jar

Instructions ● Add cranberries, cinnamon sticks,

From:

apple and orange slices to Mason jar.

Pour in brandy and orange juice and then fill jar almost to top with wine (for a sweeter sangria also add in 2 tbsp. sugar.) Stir, screw on top tight, and refrigerate.

P a rt y B lu pr in ts Photo ©Party Bluprints, Inc

*Note: Make sure to remove all seeds from orange and apple slices before adding to jar.

Holiday Style searsStyle.com Light is a common thread in many faiths, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or wait till New Year’s Eve, it’s an opportunity to SHINE – check out what I found at searsStyle.com! One of my favorite things about the holiday season is that I can dress up and bring on the glitz and glam whether I am the host or guest. My favorite way to get this look (and gift it) is by going GOLD. You can go for the gold with this gorgeous dress from searsStyle.com or use gold as an accent to make eyes and nails glitter. This look is spot on trend this season. I can’t wait to gift this cool gold bangle to my sisters. It’s the perfect price and will allow me to spread the sparkle to those I love. To stay on top of the holiday trends and feed my inner fashionista, I follow searsStyle on Facebook and Twitter for the latest fashion and beauty news from the street and my favorite celebs daily. It’s fun to follow and the best part is that I can feel beautiful, be in style, and it all fits my budget!

From:

Dawn

Exclusive Coupon for our searsStyle Social Fans

20% off

Simply “Like” searsStyle on Facebook!

Regular, sale and clearance priced clothing and accessories.

Click through to see full details.

From:

E li za be th

Cookie’s® Kids My #1 pick for one-stop online shopping for kids is Cookie’s Kids. I have 9 nieces and nephews, ages 7 months – 14 years old, and I can shop for all of them here since Cookie’s® carries over 40 brands, including North Face, Spyder, Levis, Ralph Lauren, Guess, ranging in size from infant to teen. I have such a large family to shop for that one-click, one-stop shopping with a trusted retailer is a huge help. Plus, I love that Cookie’s®, the largest kids store in the world, is family-owned and offers savings of up to 90% off retail. My holiday shopping just got so easy and affordable with this online discovery! I also appreciate their online promotional offers. Every little bit of savings helps at the holidays and it makes me feel like a savvy shopper.

Special Holiday Offers

Use promo code Jester when you purchase $200 from Cookie’s® to get a FREE North Face Backpack or use promo code FSALL99 for FREE shipping off $99 apparel purchase.

Stuff the Stocking Colgate® 1D Limited Edition Combo Pack

From:

I love surprising my kids with really cool stocking stuffers.

They’re like the “cherry on top” of Christmas presents and I’m always on the look out for that “it” gift that will really make them smile. One of my favorite ideas this year for gifting the hard to please tweens in my family is the Colgate 1D Limited Edition Combo Pack with One Direction Colgate® Power Toothbrush and One Direction Colgate® MaxFresh™ Toothpaste. My nieces will love these totally cool toothbrushes, the free downloadable song and the chance to win One Direction concert tickets. The hottest boy band may just get the girls brushing and that’s a win for them and me! At under $10, this makes a great gift idea for Secret Santa grab bags too.

Hot Holiday Exclusive: Purchasers of Colgate® 1D Limited Edition Combo Pack (Power Toothbrush, Toothpaste and Download Code for Exclusive Live Version of “More Than This”) are eligible to enter contest for a chance to win tickets to a 1D concert. These combo packs are available exclusively at Walmart and on Walmart.com for $9.96 from 11/10 12/31 or until supplies last.

Dawn

From:

Elizabeth

Starbucks® Holiday Blend 28 oz.

The holidays are my favorite time of year and I enjoy adding special touches to the season - one of my favorites is holiday coffee. I love coffee and there’s something about Starbucks® Holiday Blend that captures the smell and taste of the season. Since this blend is only available during the holiday season, it keeps it special as you wait all year long for this treat. I stock up on it as soon as it’s available so I have plenty to serve at holiday celebrations. I also wrap it up as gifts; it never gets old with a new packaging design every year.

Once you introduce it to others, it will surely be on their wish list every holiday season.

Hot Holiday Favorite Starbucks® Holiday Blend 28oz. Spicy & sweet with hints of comfort & joy. Full-bodied blend of earthy Asia Pacific, lively Latin American, and spicy aged Sumatran beans. Pairs well with ginger, orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin and cloves. Available at Sam’s Club 11/1 – 12/31 (or while supplies last) for $18.98.

Healthy “Pampering” NIVEA Smooth Sensation Daily Lotion For Dry Skin

From:

The winter weather can be rough on a woman’s skin. I host several family holiday meals during November and December.

We all know how much work and preparation goes into satisfying a large crowd. Not only am I cleaning my house from top to bottom, but I’m also preparing and cleaning large amounts of dishes. My hands suffer terribly because of this.

It’s critical that I take an extra few minutes a day to rehydrate during this festive time. Nivea Smooth Sensation is a great daily lotion that is not only priced right but is the perfect way for a woman to pamper herself after a long day.

Vera

5 Holiday Beauty Tips from Getting Gorgeous

1

Don’t be afraid to get festive with your nail polish. There are plenty of sparkly colors to choose from this holiday season.

Opt for silver or gold to ensure that your outfit doesn’t clash with your polish.

2

It’s always fun to opt for bronzers that include a little shimmer. Lightly brush bronzer along your cheekbones and t-zone.

3

Be sure to moisturize daily.

It’s a very hectic season, one holiday after the next; make sure this step is part of your everyday routine.

Rio Soul

From:

It’s always fun to bring some style and fashion into your workouts! Whether you’re into Zumba, yoga, Pilates, core training or walking, you will fall in love with Rio Souls. Rio Soul offers a super flexible and soft sole shoe for your moving feet, they are as comfortable as slippers! The gorgeous colors they offer will keep you inspired and fashion-forward wherever you (and your feet) are moving. I love to go on power walks in my neighborhood, and nothing makes me happier than when I look down and see my vibrant Rio Souls! There’s something about the added fashion pizzazz in your workout that can help kick it up a notch! And don’t worry, even if your workouts during the holidays are walking through the mall, these Rio Souls will keep you fashionably moving! They are perfect for the leading lady in your life, which could be YOU.

4

Be bold and opt for a rich red lipstick for all those evening holiday parties. But remember, if you put a heavy focus on your lips be sure to take it easy with your eye region. It’s one or the other when it comes to the face; otherwise, you will look overdone.

5

Audrey

Exclusive Holiday Savings Order Rio Soul online and use the coupon code R888SOUL to get 30% off, plus FREE shipping.

Treat yourself to a styling session at your hair salon. Whether you are hosting for the holidays or just a guest, make sure you look and feel your best. You’ll be surprised at what a great blowout can do for a girl’s mood.

Smart Shopping OtterBox ® Everyone I know is buzzing about the iPhone 5. No doubt, it will be one of the hottest technology gifts of the holiday season. If you are investing in an expensive phone, you better be sure you are protecting it with the right case. With two school-age children competing for time with my iPhone 5, I understand the importance of having a solid protective case. My poor phone gets dropped more times in a day than I care to admit. Luckily for me, OtterBox® designed a protective case that can withstand the worst of the worst.

Parents will absolutely appreciate this, but so will teens, tweens and those friends of yours who are a little too rough with their technology. It’s the must-have accessory of the season.

From:

Vera

Hot Holiday Gift Wrap me in an OtterBox® - Walmart stores carry two of the most popular series: the Defender Series® (pictured here) for $46.88, a rugged, protective case for demanding conditions, heavy use and random accidents; and the Commuter Series® for $34.88, a stylish, protective option for a highlyconnected lifestyle.

9 Ways to Shop Smart this Holiday FROM GETTING GORGEOUS 1 Shop Early

6 Holiday Lists

Don’t wait until the last minute to get through your holiday list. The earlier you start, the more likely you can take advantage of some amazing deals.

Download your Holiday Shopping List to your phone, this way you’ll know exactly who you are shopping for and can cross their names off as you go.

2 Go With a Theme Consider buying everyone on your list something from the same store. It will save you a lot of time and energy during the hectic shopping season.

3 Check Deal Sites There are plenty of people who spend multiple hours a day searching the net for the biggest deals. Lean on the coupon sites that aggregate coupon codes for thousands of online retailers. Before you make your final purchase, do a quick search to make sure you aren’t missing out on a coupon code.

4 Do your Research If you are buying a technology gift, remember to check multiple sources for the best available price. Most stores will price match. So, it is worth checking the circulars for major retailers to maximize your savings.

5 Consider Tech Accessories Everyone you know owns a smartphone, a tablet, a reader or a laptop. Why not surprise them with a cool accessory customized to their liking. It will be something they use daily for sure.

7 “Like” Your Favorite Stores on Facebook During the holiday season, major retailers always make special promotions available to their fans. Be sure to “Like” your favorite stores on Facebook so you can take advantage of their last minute deals.

8 Check Twitter for Deals Many retailers will actively update and share deals, sales and savings through their Twitter feed. Make sure you’re following your favorite shopping destinations so you can keep yourself updated.

9 Create a Holiday Budget It can get crazy shopping throughout the Holiday Season and your wallet can really feel the effects.

Create a Holiday Shopping Budget for yourself. Key in on exactly how much you can spend on everyone on your shopping list. It’s a smart way to keep yourself focused and on budget.

Hot Holiday Looks Dress your Home for the Holidays From Party Bluprints We translated these three Holiday 2012 trends, as reported by Christmas World, into home holiday décor for your wall or staircase, table and mantle.

Trend #1: Do-It-Yourself (DIY) A strong trend towards do-it-yourself this holiday will help save families money and add to the festive spirit!

The Inspiration: 12 Days of Christmas Good Deed Cards bring the Christmas spirit to life with DIY wall art with a heart.

Get the Look: Recycle holiday cards using the covers to decorate a clasp envelope. Slip a “good deed” into each of the 12 envelopes, close clasp and hang on wall. Each day an envelope gets opened and a good deed gets done.

The Inspiration: Star of David Staircase – A Stairway to Heaven, Hanukkah –style.

Get the Look: Create the Star of David with painted blue Popsicle sticks (make 8 for the 8 nights of Hanukkah) and hang. In honor of the “Festival of Lights” string little blue Hanukkah Lights down the banister to enhance the look.

Photos ©Party Bluprints, Inc

Click Here

For Detailed Instructions on Creating these 3 Looks!

Trend #2: Au Naturel

Nature continues to be the primary source of inspiration. White wash and glimmer as well as the knitted look remain very popular for 2012.

The Inspiration: The beauty of this Alpine Sparkle look lies in its nature-inspired simplicity. The combination of ice encrusted trees and glistening snow is sheer magic and will transform your home for any holiday celebration.

Get the Look: Simply combine fresh greens and flowers, mercury glass, metallic and white dinnerware for your holiday table. FYI: you can also carry the look over to your buffet table and mantle.

Photo ©Party Bluprints, Inc

Trend #3: White is Right

This year white is right! Snowy decorations, fluffy white Christmas wreaths, and glitter effects will be in fashion.

The color combo of the season will be silver and white.

Tree and table decorations will trend towards classic elements, such as baubles, stars, angels and nativity figures - items that give Christmas a traditional character.

The Inspiration: Mother Nature’s Winter Beauty downy, glistening, peaceful.

Get the Look: Start with a white mantle as your base.

Add soft white, silver and sparkling elements such as LED pillar candles, feather-filled and feather-adorned glass balls, and crystal star and iridescent glitter accented ornaments. Dust with artificial glistening snow.

Hot Holiday Looks Top 5 Holiday Fashion Trends For the Ladies: by Audrey ● For the Mom-to-Be: by Vera

Trend:

Sequins

Trend:

Audrey: It’s all about the glitz and the glam this holiday season - it’s time to sparkle with some sequins! Find a gorgeous sequin top, sequin dress or sequin skirt to wear to your holiday parties! Sequins are such a wonderful trend during the holidays because they’re fun, fashionable and oh-so-chic!

Audrey: If you’re a blazer girl, a white blazer is the one to have this holiday season. Crisp, elegant and sophisticated, and pairs perfectly with a trouser pant or a pencil skirt for your holiday festivities!

Vera: Blazers are wonderful accessories for any woman. Consider looking for a cropped blazer if you are in your second or third trimester because the last thing you want is to have a fitted jacket wrapped around your belly.

Vera: If the thought of a sequin maternity dress scares you, don’t worry!

There are other ways to bring this trend into your wardrobe. How about a sequin clutch? It will give you just the right amount of sparkle for the holidays.

Trend:

Blazer

Little Red Dress

Audrey: A Little Red Dress! Red is an iconic color for the holiday season, so really play with it! Find a beautiful and classic Little Red Dress that suits and flatters your figure and wear it throughout the holiday season. It will literally become a fashionstaple in your closet throughout the holidays!

Vera: I love the idea of the Little Red Dress for an expecting mom. However, it can be hard to find in a maternity size. Believe me, I’ve tried. If you get lucky - go for it! Otherwise, opt for a deep red sweater instead. You can play with the festive color and mix and match with fitted jeans, black pants or leggings.

Trend:

Statement Jewelry Audrey: Amp up your accessories this holiday season. What we love about accessories is that you can wear basic pieces from your wardrobe, but change the look and feel of these outfits by really going overboard on some statement jewelry pieces - chunky and colorful necklaces, gold and silver cuff bands, layered rings and bold colored drop earrings.

Dazzle away!

Vera: I wouldn’t go too crazy with statement jewelry while pregnant. Your main attraction is that beautiful baby bump. Don’t take away any much-deserved attention. Instead, opt for a long necklace - something that will draw the eye down to your growing mid-region. Consider a set of thin bangles for your bracelets and wide, round hoops for earrings - the simpler the better.

Trend:

Festive Shoes

Audrey: Sometimes it all comes down to the shoes. Stay away from your basic black heel this holiday season, have some fun with color and embellishments. Red heels, green heels, pink heels are such fun options. Try heels with glitter, studs or sequins. Really have some fun during the holidays, it’s a time to celebrate!

Vera: Believe me... I am a heel girl through and through.

But, I’m one of those pregnant women who have to deal with swollen feet and ankles. This means all my heels are no longer an option. If you are like me, opt for a fabulous pair of flats. Get creative and think leopard, sequin, gold, or silver. The more festive the better!

Party with a Purpose When hosting this holiday season, it’s easy to incorporate an element of giving to those in need. Hosting a Holiday Art Auction is one of our favorite activities as it gives the youngest children on up an opportunity to be active participants in the “giving back.”

How to Host a Holiday Art Auction: Simply offer younger guests paper, crayons and colored pencils to create works of art for an auction.

Have your auctioneer collect the signed artwork from the kids and auction them off with all proceeds going to a pre-designated charity. As the host you can choose to match a portion of the money raised from the auction.

Regardless, of how you incorporate giving into your holiday celebrations, provide your guests with information on recipient of donations.

During this season of giving, please consider a gift to those who lost so much (some lost everything but their lives) in Hurricane Sandy. Our communities and surrounding areas were severely impacted.

Some Suggestions: Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Aid Restore Our Shore The NYC Mayor’s Fund for Hurricane Sandy

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