Christmas

I love this fruit salad recipe. Of all the things that I remember and enjoyed throughout the holidays, I love the fruit salad my mom makes every year.     I can’t wait to share this holiday tradition with my kids. Mostly, I love this fruit salad because it’s more than yummy-it’s fantastic. It makes …

Edible glitter is an actual thing. I don’t know about you guys, but with the holidays approaching my Pinterest boards are filling up with all kinds of yummy looking desserts.

The thing about Christmas decorating is, it’s only up for a month, so for the other eleven months out of the year– you have to store everything! But we only have so much space!  I love these awesome ornament storage ideas, because they’re simple, can be done with what you have around the house and …

Netflix Christmas movies are something special. They’re like something straight out of a Harlequin romance novel. (Like, for real– some of these are actually based on romance novels.) The campy acting, super-cute heroines and all-too-hunky guys might seem a little bit overdone, but let’s be honest, WE ARE TOTALLY OKAY WITH THAT. It’s Christmas for …

I never tasted a kolache until I moved to Texas. Before the move, breakfast was all about donuts, or the occasional sausage gravy over biscuits. Both amazing options, don’t get me wrong, but nothing compared to a delicious kolache. See, kolaches make you feel as if you’re both getting a treat, and eating a somewhat …

Winter is filled with to-do lists. Between shopping, baking, holiday parties, kid recitals, school parties, and a dozen other things you won’t know about until last minute, sometimes it feels like winter is trying to kill you. Not only is there a ton to do, but almost every stop involves you making or bringing some …

We all have our favorite cookie. My mom has always loved ginger snaps. Growing up, if there weren’t ginger snaps in a container somewhere in the cupboard, it meant my mom was making more later that day. I’ve always been a fan of coconut macaroons. I absolutely love the creamy texture of the coconut mixed …

Cranberry lovers know that while the holiday season is our Super Bowl, our games go all year. Anyone who loves that sweet, tangy, tart burst of cranberry on their tongue craves amazing cranberry recipes year round, and even if Thanksgiving and Christmas are the big show, these 25 tart and tangy cranberry recipes will truly …

Yes, Christmas is for kids. Blah, blah. It’s a holiday of hope, and peace, and cheer. But, for those of us with truly geeky hearts, that doesn’t mean we can’t geek out just a little bit when it comes to decorating our trees. In fact, what kind of fans would we be if we didn’t …

Seriously, when someone mentioned this yesterday I was torn between hoping and dreading. I mean, if you were around for the Great LuLaRoe Halloween Rush of 2016, you know what I’m talking about. How fast all those uh-mazing prints went. And then I saw the pictures… Oh. My. God. I want candy cane legs! These …

It’s the end of Summer now. Time to wake up early, shove those kiddos into their brand new clothes and hand them their backpacks full of glue sticks and yellow plastic folders. You wave a tearful goodbye as they board the school bus. As you close the door, you weep. Not because your baby has …

I literally counted down the hours until Christmas was finally over because I was on the verge of a complete breakdown. Like full on Dionne in Clueless type breakdown! Now That Christmas Is Over, Can I Please Have My Mental Breakdown? I did have a meltdown the day after Christmas and it was pretty ugly. I …

In the last few years Santa Claus’ darker half, Krampus, has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. The delightful half goat, half demon punishes where Santa Claus rewards. But he’s not the only other Christmas time folklore figure that kids can look forward to a visit from this holiday season. The History Of Krampus’s Gal-Pal, Frau …

If you’ve seen that meme about someone drinking and Priming (Amazon Prime that is)… that’s me. It’s not my house, but I’m that person. Can it be ordered online? Can I schedule a pick up and never have to go into the store? I’m that person. Which is kind of funny since, yanno, I’m an …

You might not know this, but blogs aren’t always written in order. You might get a kick butt Arbor Day blog idea, but Bastille Day is just around the corner. What are you suppose to do? Post one holiday’s blog the same time as another? That would be stupid. Plus, I hate how Big Arbor …

When I was little, we couldn’t even go to the mall after Thanksgiving. The department stores were okay, Mom tells me, but as soon as we approached the main mall where SANTA CLAUS was, I’d start screaming like I was being murdered. Now that Santa shows up around Halloween, I can’t let it dominate my …

If you’re like me, you’ve probably forgotten to get someone a gift. It can be hard to be thoughtful when you’re scrambling at the last minute to put together a present so someone doesn’t feel forgotten. I’ve come up with a solution that is one part unique gift, one part cleaning out your closet: The …

It’s hard to stay in the Christmas spirit. Between the shopping, and baking, and kids being home from school, and inlaws coming to visit (oh, good LORD, the inlaws), you can slip from “Merry Christmas To All” to “Get the Heck outta my kitchen before I deck your halls” pretty darn quick. Plus, with the …

When I was a little kid, my Christmases were fairly predictable. My brother and I would fall asleep on Christmas Eve somewhere after 1 AM (we were, of course, in bed by 9 PM but Christmas morning excitement is a hell of a drug). As soon as it was light enough to see, we’d bolt …

We all have groups of friends, co-workers, or other random people who want to give us presents at Christmas. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, ‘tis the season for White Elephant gift exchanges. White Elephant Gift Exchanges And Why We Suck At Them Everyone’s family has slightly different rules, but the general idea is that you …

Disclosure: Post sponsored by Mirum but all opinions are my own. It’s the week of Christmas and all through the house are hidden toys waiting to be wrapped and given by Santa. We all know that stores are closed Christmas day so what are you going to do when your kids open those gifts without …

I love giving gifts, but I hate shopping for them. I mean, HATE it. It isn’t that I’m indecisive. I know that when I see the right thing for somebody, I’ll know it. And by God, I’m going to keep looking until I find it. That’s why I cheat. I’m a Cheaty McCheaterson when it …

When my dad was a kid, he and his brother got these barber-pole sized peppermint candy canes in their Christmas stockings. Being boys, and being presented with more candy than they probably saw all year—because it was the olden days, when he had to walk to school in a snowstorm, uphill both ways—they each ate …

Whether you are a seasoned chef or a backseat baker with a thousand viewing hours of Chopped, there are lots of little tips and tricks to getting the perfect pastry. Unfortunately we usually only figure them out after an epic baking fail. Here are some hard earned bits of baking wisdom that I’ve learned from …

Working at Starbuck during the holiday season is its own type of pumpkin spice flavored hell, but you don’t think about those poor baristas stuck listening to the same songs for six to eight hours. Shuffled or not, it’s enough to make you want to drown yourself in the coffee urn. I swear if I had …

I was young when my doctor told me I wouldn’t be able to conceive without help—medical help, I mean, not the usual two-to-tango type. It sucked, but infertility runs in my family and having drawn the short straw in my generation, at least I found out early. I had plenty of time to think about …

You read that right, we don’t have one Christmas tree. We have seven. Believe it or not, that’s our version of compromise. When two people move in together not all things are going to be wonderfully in synch. For as great as my boyfriend and I have combined our lives there are some things we …

When I was very young (around the age of 5 or whenever the hell it is you start having actual memories), I liked my December birthday.  It’s Christmas Eve. Being close to a holiday that my siblings and friends were excited about made me feel special.  My Mom used to jokingly call me ‘Kyle Christmas’ …

Now, it may not seem like a habit that requires professional help, but shopping in December can be just as overwhelming as last minute Thanksgiving day shopping. Every single store is jam-packed with annoying people like me and it is always a fight to get to the section you need to (especially if you’re a …

Since the first of this month, my mailbox fills every morning with the day’s ads, which is normal, plus all the extra ones because the holidays are looming, which is seasonal, and half of them say “It’s day 6 (or 7 or 8) of the 12 Days of Savings!” which is wrong. Okay. It’s not technically …

My family has a tendency to over-do Christmas. My Mom especially liked to give everyone lots of presents. It’s how she showed her love and it’s how I tend to show mine. Since she passed a few years ago, Christmas has taken on even more meaning since it was so much her holiday. The days …

The day after Halloween my coworker put up her Christmas tree. I was like, “Ha ha, what a weirdo.” In my head. I’m not a butthole. Then another coworker chimed in that she’d put hers up, too. AND she was going over to her mother’s house that night to help HER put up her tree. …

“You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer, and Vixen…Comet, and Cupid, and Donner, and Blitzen…but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all?” So let’s just take a moment and talk about this, the absolute worst of all the Christmas songs. First, I get that you may not agree with me. You might have …

I’m a serious, die-hard Christmas’er. Maybe because I’m a December baby, but I go all in. Like, seriously all in. Just about every room in our house has a Christmas tree. I’ve got wreathes of Christmas cards. I used to be That Person who sent personalized letters every year. One of our biggest goals was …

My boyfriend and I are on year three of living together, and we still don’t have a real plan for how to split or manage the holidays. Add to it my birthday is in December, and, well…the season is always a marathon of family, parties and too much peopling. For one, he has a large, …

Every year we go through the same thing: I put up a Christmas tree; my animals do everything in their power to take it down. I’d say it’s the circle of life, but the truth is this is more a battle of wills between me and those little furry beasts I call pets. It’s like they’re …

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BOSEbuild for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. The world could use a little more kindness and love especially right now, wouldn’t you agree? With the holidays near, now is a great time to spread that love and holiday cheer for all to hear. …

I’ll never forget our first Christmas together…because it was an emotional disaster. We’d just settled down after years of dating, bought a house and it just so happened that we were going to have the children. Due to other circumstances the kids had never gotten the chance to have a truly festive holiday with their …

My birthday is December 5th. Just long enough after Thanksgiving and Black Friday that no one wants to go out and do something, and just enough into the month that there’s sure to be a Christmas party on my birthday. There’s some things about having a birthday in December that sucks: For the first ten …

I’ve been married to my wonderful husband for 14 years. He knows me better than I know myself, in most ways. However, for holiday gift-giving, it’s always hit or miss… and, that’s okay. I love him no matter what. I get just-because gifts throughout the year and I don’t hang on hopes of something extravagant …

I know I know – before you all throw me under a bus for being an ungrateful scrooge, hear me out. I am kind and thoughtful.  I am appreciative.  I have experienced both the haves and the have nots. We do practice gratitude and being thankful for what we have.  While we don’t necessarily revel …

Yet another year has zipped on by, leaving us all in much the same position we were 365 days ago:  wondering if it’s technically a “regift” if you only touched the packaging twice, hovering over our bank balance like a hawk, and dreading the inevitable racist comments from Grandma.  But we tolerate it, because the …

Grab some eggnog, and a loved one, the Hallmark Channel just announced their 2016 Christmas Movies schedule! All movies will be shown at 8/7c, and it looks like we’re in for another great year! Enjoy! Hallmark Channel’s 2016 Christmas Movies Schedule! October 29 – A Wish For Christmas Sara Shaw is the type of woman …

There are some things I forget about every single year when it comes to Christmas, but I’m determined to remember them for next year. I’m pretty sure they’re universal, too. Like that we all have someone in our family who tells inappropriate jokes around children. Or that grandma’s don’t always understand your sense of humor. …

Hallecake is back with another awesome video on her YouTube Channel–this time with a Christmas treat idea. I’m not sure where my daughter comes up with all this genius-ness. She’s AMAZING! And with a little recipe idea from Imperial Sugar, she makes the most awesome Reindeer Ho Ho Snacks for Christmas Treats! We had so much fun …

Every year from when I was little until even now, I’ve always gotten a stocking for Christmas from my parents. It had candy, of course, and some little toy (or usually a gift card now), and an orange. When I was younger the orange would always roll away (or be nudged with a petulant toe) …

For a lot of reasons that are the fault of so many different people, I am not on speaking terms with my family. Most of them have unfriended me on Facebook, I don’t get birthday wishes on my wall or cards in the mail anymore from them. This is my life, and there isn’t anything …

Isn’t it funny how the holidays have a certain smell? You know — gingerbread cooking, evergreen trees, cinnamon flavored candies — all my favorite things. Now you can get all the scents of the holiday season in a bottle with Christmas Spirit Essential Oil from Young Living. This is my favorite oil EVER! We made …

No holiday party is complete without a selection of drinks to keep your guests happy, but sometimes it’s hard to find a good balance between overly-fruity (some might say “girly”) cocktails and, well, beer. But if you want something that’s fancy enough for a party but not too sweet – and not too expensive that …

Okay, folks. We are down to the wire. Christmas is literally around the corner and if you’re starting to feel that panic of realizing you left one of the men in your life off your Christmas list, don’t worry! We’ve got your back. With Amazon Prime you’ve Still Got Time. So, take a deep breath, …

There’s nothing like a hot apple cider to keep you warm on these long winter nights. But if you want all of the “warm” with none of the “hot,” you’re going to have to switch out the heating process in favor of some good ol’ fashioned liquor. And let me tell you, if you like whiskey, …

Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell…okay, now that you’ve got a different Christmas song stuck in your head besides that one you heard in that department store a week ago, I can explain to you why it’s been stuck in my head: Because I’ve made this Jingle Bell Rock Cocktail. Sweet Santa on a pogo stick, …

Some of us love dessert (Okay, most of us. Like probably all of us…If you don’t love dessert get out of my face). Some of us love our dessert with a little side of the good stuff, and no, for once I’m not talking about coffee. This Little Drummer Joy may sound innocent enough, but it …

Rudolph was always my favorite reindeer. While the other reindeer always seemed a bit snooty (they wouldn’t let him play their games, c’mon!) Rudolph used his bright red nose to guide Santa through fog and make sure all kids get presents. What an amazing guy! That’s why instead of making any ol’ boring reindeer candle, …

My daughter is in the fifth grade, so she’s known the truth about the whole SANTA thing for a while. But, when it came up I was completely unprepared. We were getting our nails done right before Easter, and she leaned over to me across her pedicure chair. “Mom, tell it to me straight– there’s …

It seems that no matter how much I vow that this year will be different, I Always seem to gain weight over the holidays. It’s like the siren call of cookies and egg nog is too much for me to bear and every single year I’ve struggled with guilt over it. And that sucks. I …

Beauty products and makeup are a deeply personal thing. A red lipstick that looks amazing one someone else might look like complete shit on me. That is what makes buying gifts for the beauty lover in your life so difficult. Fear not, Totally the Bomb readers! I’ve got your back with this holiday gift guide …

My parents have been married for forty-five years. I feel I should write this as an early disclaimer before I completely throw my dad under the bus and before I tell you how men shop for Christmas. See, my dad is one of those guys who doesn’t always…know…what his wife is into. It’s not that he …

It’s getting cold outside and all the songs are telling you to warm up by a nice, crackling fire. We have a different idea. This winter, don’t warm up by the fire…get kinky in the cold instead. This Get Kinky In The Cold Cocktail will warm you up and taste smooth going down. Drink it …

We are getting ready to head into the holiday season, my favorite time of the year! I love how the season has an effect on people and the best in everyone seems to come out. I love the Cookie Exchange parties. I love the magic that comes with Christmas. I love all of the holiday …

If I hear another person asking me if I want to build a snowman, I might just throw something. Then again, if they want to build something like these Snowman Oreos, I might reconsider. Truth be told, these cookies are probably the only kind of snowman I want to even lay eyes on this time …

Growing up, there were certain situations that were always harder for me than for my brothers. I’d shrink away from loud parties, or start crying the second certain commercials came on, or basically have an emotional breakdown anytime I thought I disappointed anyone…and we (my family) just chocked it up to my personality. As an …

Have you ever wondered how good ol’ St. Nick unwinds after a long night of flying all over the world, risking life and limb stuffing himself down chimneys and braving the winter elements with nothing but a fur-trimmed suit, a wooden sleigh, and a bunch of rowdy reindeer? Well, this Kris Kringle Screwdriver might have something …

For some people, spending a joyous Christmas with family is less about enjoying the warm fuzzies and more about sticking your claws into said joy and hanging on for dear life as that family does their best to drive you crazy. And yes, when I say “some people,” I mean me. And when faced with the …

Even if you don’t have time to stand in front of a hot stove, stirring an even hotter pot, you can still make chocolaty goodness in your own home. These 25 Slow Cooker Chocolate Candy Recipes will make great gifts for friends, snacks for late night movie watching, and desserts that can be enjoyed year …

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE doing crafts with my kids. It’s even better when you can showcase those crafts around your house for the holidays. This DIY Terracotta Christmas Tree is an easy and cute craft that you can do with the kiddos. You’ll have fun and you’ll have great decorations for Christmas! …

For some, it’s the season where dreams come true. For others, it’s all about bah humbug and waiting for the new year to come. For me it’s all about that sweet smooching…and, of course, finding every opportunity possible to get my mack on with that hot guy I’ve been eyeing for months now. Now, if …

As the weather turns colder, visits become longer and this Red Snow Drift Cocktail is a great way to surprise those visitors with a wonderful winter drink that they won’t soon forget. Fruity, warm, spicy, and delicious, this drink will relax those winter blues, usher in welcome conversations, and warm tummies before anyone has to …

Some people love Christmas, but we’ve all got that one friend who REALLY LOVES CHRISTMAS. That one perky person in our lives whose eyes are bright and shiny year round and their optimism could brighten a funeral… When Christmas rolls around, it’s like GO TIME for that person. And while some of us drag out …

The holiday season is a time of joyous celebration, of giving, and of time spent with family. It reminds us all what it means to put others before ourselves. There is nothing more rewarding than to see the look on a child’s face on Christmas morning as the wrapping paper flies across the room, or the smiles …

It should be noted that despite it’s name, butterbeer has only a very slight alcohol content. It’s been known to get house elves drunk, but only because their bodies are so tiny and they have no tolerance whatsoever on account they rarely drink the stuff. For wizards and muggles, butterbeer merely has a delicious flavor …

This Christmas while you’re decking the halls and planning for a visit from Ol’ Saint Nick, you should plan some time for yourself, too! I know, I know, you’re thinking there’s no way to have ‘me’ time during the holidays, but you’re wrong! In fact, this printable Christmas planner is everything you’ll need to plan …

Christmas morning is all about Santa and presents at my house. I don’t want to step away from the kids to try to make breakfast or entertain grandparents! These 33 Christmas Slow Cooker Recipes are perfect because not only do they do the work for me, they make the house smell delicious and Christmasy from the moment …

If I drop the Christmas ham on the kitchen floor, the dog eats it, gets sick and throws up right under the tree, I will not let the holidays overwhelm me. If I forget about the Elf on The Shelf and my daughter cries because she’s pretty sure the reason he didn’t report back to …

Thanksgiving really wipes me out. Not just all the hard work that goes into making the meal fabulous, but also the sheer quantity of people in my house and the build-up. Christmas is like a soft, squishy cloud of relief in comparison. LOL! Just kidding! It’s just as stressful and wacky. But this year, I …

Too many Christmas Parties? Too much F-U-N this holiday season? Well, have no fear, friends. These 25 Un-Christmas Grinch Treats will be sure to keep your Christmas spirit simmering on low! (Just kidding-I can’t help myself!) There’s no way I get through the holiday season without watching the Grinch. Every time I do, I think …

Elf on the shelf is a fun way to countdown to the Christmas Holiday with your kids, but I have a daughter, and she doesn’t have a lot of army men and legos laying around, so we needed to come up with some Elf on The Shelf Ideas for Girls at my my house! If …

 You know what we need today? Some Christmas Tree Nails. 🙂 These were fairly straightforward to do. I just painted my nails white and while they were still wet I stuck on rhinestones in a tree shape. If you use a topcoat, it will hold up a little longer, but it’s REALLY hard to get …

My daughter and I are hard at work on our Minecraft Christmas Tree. She’s decided that she wants her entire Christmas tree adorned in all things Minecraft, and since creepers are my favorite Minecraft character, I decided to start with these Minecraft Creeper Christmas Ornaments. What you need to Make a Minecraft Creeper Christmas Ornament: …

Okay, some of you have the sad great fortune of knowing me in person. If you do, then you know I don’t really do stress. I pretty much never worry about stuff, and most of the time I’m all whatevs… That sounds all good and well, right? No stress? What’s that like you ask. Total …