It may be Black Friday (America’s official kick-off to the holiday season), but remember that there are plenty of ways to celebrate the holidays that don’t involve breaking the bank.
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An interesting twist on this tradition is to make ice luminaries to decorate outside your home for holiday parties. These follow the same idea as a traditional paper bag luminaria, but the bag is replaced by ice. For instructions on how to make these, see: http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/LifeinNewEngland-Ice-Luminaries.html
Holiday Greeting Cards
In France, holiday greetings are sent in the form of cartes de voeux (literally “wish cards”) that are decorated with bells, ivy and holly and given for the New Year. Inside, the sender writes a personal message wishing the receiver all the best in the new year. Holiday cards can get expensive, but making one’s own is a great alternative. You can also hand deliver them to save on postage. After all, who wouldn’t like to receive a handmade card around New Years, after all of the holiday hubbub has died down?
With the proliferation of e-card companies online have come endless options for sending free, personalized holiday wishes. Some families I know also send out an email with a festive holiday letter attached. This is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends far and near during the holidays.
Making Holiday Decorations
Making your own holiday decorations can be a great way to connect with different cultures (and perhaps relive past travels) while beautifying your home for the holidays on a budget.
Deck your tree with Japanese origami ornaments. These can be made by punching a small hole and threading a string through any handmade origami piece. Purchase some beautiful paper and go for it!
Make a traditional German lebkuchen (gingerbread house) or adapt it to make it your own. This can be a fun family project for a snowy afternoon. For ideas and instructions, see: http://www.lamiematinale.ca/index.php?id=71&L=1
International Culinary Traditions
Make a traditional French Bûche de Noël (Yule log cake). These are typically made of chocolate and decorated with frosting made to look like bark and candy mushrooms. They are relatively easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser. For a good recipe, see: http://www.joyofbaking.com/YuleLog.html
Whip up a batch of Mexican Bizcochos, flat cinnamon-flavored cookies or Polvorones (also known as Mexican wedding cakes or pan de polvo) -- pecan short bread cookies rolled in powdered sugar.
