Put Yourself in the Schedule

Have you noticed?
The season is coming, all right. My local stores are starting to fill up their Christmas aisles. My holiday senses are gearing up and getting ready! But are you feeling excited, like me, or are you dreading how quickly Christmas is approaching?

Gone are the days when I would dread the arrival of the holidays, with all its busyness and pressures. I look forward to Christmas all year, now, and you can, too.

How? Start by putting YOU in the schedule. When you anticipate relaxing times of soaking up the atmosphere and the spirit of Christmas, the busy hustle-and-bustle aspect fades away. At least long enough so that you can guarantee yourself and your family some real enjoyment.

How to do it? There are many ways. First off, however, just take the powerful move of SCHEDULING a "Do Nothing" night. Don't worry, it won't turn out to be a do nothing night, but scheduling it that way will ensure that it can be a "Do what you really want to do night." If you don't schedule it in, chances are something will come along--something you don't REALLY want to do--and fill it up. When all the weekends get filled up, either with "have to do's" or "should do's" (and we all know how easily that can happen), you won't have any time for "WANT to do's."

I'll talk lots more about how to enjoy the season, and lots of nineteenth century ideas will come into play. But for now, until next post, schedule a night or two (or three, if you're really brave) for "DO NOTHING" nights in December. They'll end up being the best nights of your holiday celebrations for the year.

Bringing in the Yule Log!

In olde England, a huge part of the excitement of Christmas was bringing in the Yule Log. This was an event which was anticipated by keeping a small figment of last year's Log, safely stowed away where it would be secure, to use when lighting the current year's (new) log. We are not talking about a small log like the ones you see on TV screens on Christmas Eve in the US (which is fine if you don't have a fireplace of your own). But the special Yule Log was HUGE--it went in the main fireplace, usually in the kitchen, or, in a parlour if the fireplace could fit it. Think partial tree trunk, here. The tree or log was carefully picked out ahead of time so that when the time came for it to be brought into the house, (no sooner than Christmas Eve)it would already have been cut and dry enough to light well.



This log was traditionally supposed to last not only throughout Christmas Eve, to usher in the holiday, but all through Christmas Day, too. It was used to heat up the festive drinks, such as nog and wassail; and it was used for cooking Christmas dinner. If the log lasted, all was fine and dandy; if not, it was considered bad luck! And a charred piece of it was also to be kept as the fire-starter for the following year's Christmas fire. Know any other facts about the Yule Log? Post a comment! Soon I'll be picking one comment each week and rewarding a free copy of the Christmas book to the commenter! Comments on all posts from October through December count!

Christmas 2008! Excitement Coming!

Almost every day my five year old asks me to show her how long it is until Christmas. I hold up my hands and flash ten fingers, and we count by tens, 'til I reach the approximate number. It looks like forever to her, but we adults know all too well, don't we, that it's just around the corner!

I usually start shopping in September, and because of this I never have to make Christmas-Eve runs to the store for last minute items. Christmas Eve is far too important a night to "spend" it--literally--shopping! It's the best atmospheric night of the year for either a quiet Yuletide night before a fire, with family, around the tree, or at a party with a group. However you choose to spend it, you should be enjoying the night. Scroll down this blog to get a simple "Christmas Scent" recipe, set it brewing on the stove or in a crock-pot and take a few minutes, or heck, a few hours, to soak in the ambience of Christmas Eve.

I'll be talking a lot more about wonderful ways to "return to what it's all about," so stay tuned! And I'm preparing some fabulous Christmas-themed giveaways to commenters, so subscribe today! You might just win a free copy of Regency House Christmas, too! (Five will be given away.)

Evening Dress December 1810

Christmas All Year

I love hearing from readers. Many have said that there is just so much crammed into this book (especially when you include all the bonus ebooks) that they couldn't take it all in at once. It reminded me that I should tell you, if you're a fan of the Regency or Christmas history, (especially an English Christmas), then Regency House Christmas: The Definitive Guide to a Remarkably Regency Yuletide! (which is loaded with facts, stories, pictures, poems and even food-- in the form of authentic recipes) can keep you up to your ears in Regency style all year.

When you get weary of the daily grind, or just want a mini-escape, remember that you have, right on your desktop or wherever you filed it away, an escape to Regency England awaiting you. Delve into the poetry one day; or choose one short story; or read about the Charitable giving of the time; or pick a "Collect" from the Book of Common Prayer; it may just speak to your heart, as it often did to Jane Austen's. Speaking of Jane, you may want to read one of her prayers aloud, or to yourself;
follow it up by making yourself a merry libation or a syllabub.

Nothing like dessert ("afters") Regency style!
Enjoy.
(What? Don't have a copy of the ebook, yet? What, I must ask, are you waiting for?
All of the bonuses are still included. Get your copy today! at my secure website .

The Christmas Book is Growing

Did you know that when you get "Regency House Christmas" you've bought all future additions and add-ons--at no extra cost? It's like making an investment in a fund that grows so that your final value is much greater than your initial cost. I research and add new material every year, but you only pay once, upon purchase, for the ebook. This is a great deal, and wonderful news for any Christmas lover or history buff--especially regency fans, of course. So get a copy soon--don't wait for the next Christmas season to come around, because before next season I may have to put an end to this perk. I do love researching the Regency, however, so rest assured that more material is definitely forthcoming! You'll love it.

PS: Technical difficulties getting the new Index and Table of Contents working properly, made me stop posting this December. I didn't feel right continuing to advertise a product I was hoping to offer in a much-improved format, only to be foiled by the technical stuff. If you have the ebook, don't worry; you WILL get the "new and improved ebook" when it is finally as I want it. You'll find it easier to navigate, bigger than ever, and with a full index. The Regency? You've got to love it.

Make Advent Real! Here's How

Tomorrow, Dec. 2 is the first Sunday of Advent. Raising your family's consciousness regarding Advent is a good way to remind them of the spirituality of this very commercial holiday season.

The simplest way to do this is to use a pre-made Advent calendar. These range from the inexpensive card-stock "open the windows" type to beautiful cloth calendars with pockets. One year, I baked up little cut-out cookies and constructed my own calendar using simple plastic snack bags (like sandwich bags, only smaller) and pinned them (use safety pins) in calendar fashion, to a felt background. I hung the finished "calendar" from a wooden dowel.(Pin the felt around the dowel--very simple.) Each day's bag held four cookies--one for each child, as I only had four, then--and was numbered on the outside with a permanent marker. (You could also use festive stickers to make it prettier. Or, use icing to write the number onto the cookies before assembling your calendar.)

Our calendar wouldn't have won any "Good Housekeeping" awards for beauty, but oh, the children loved it! Since it was a visual reminder as well as a gustatory delight, it had a double impact. Add to that a simple daily reading from scripture or an appropriate book of your choice, and you have a wonderful family tradition that brings meaning to all the bustle and busyness of the season.

Ultimately, it isn't the gifts on Christmas Day or the pretty tree in your livingroom that is soul-satisfying for either you or your family. Oh, they play an important part in our hearts and should be continued. But it is the birth of Christ and what that meant for the world that brings lasting contentment, long after the tree is taken down and the gifts have been used or outgrown.

For more ideas on keeping Advent, check out this link .

A Regency Advent

During the Regency, church-going families would have been well aware of Advent. In fact, for most average people (not upper-class) the season began the week before Advent with Stir-Up Sunday.

"Housekeepers or cooks, mindful of Christmas approaching, would start their Christmas pudding now. Poorer families had often been contributing to a "pudding club" for months in anticipation of being ready to afford the important dinner course."
"Stir-Up Sunday" became the unofficial start to the Christmas season. How the day got its name will surprise you: more on that in my next post!

[quote taken from Regency House Christmas: The Definitive Guide to A Remarkably Regency Yuletide!"

Make it Kind to Yourself

In her book, The Complete Holiday Organizer, Emilie Barnes says

Our world doesn't stop because the calendar says it's holiday time,
so be kind to yourself, and ask for help. Keep those goals and
expectations realistic and spend time celebrating the part of
Christmas that means the most to you.

This is such good advice! I firmly believe that what we all want most out of the season is time with our very own family, and what we all need most is time with our Lord. (Aren't these the things that matter?) Why not consider getting the Regency House Christmas package for some help doing both?

Maybe you really love some quiet time just enjoying carols and music of the season.
Why not ease your shopping burden by getting it done online? If you don't like browsing online, well, allow me to suggest that the Christmas Package I offer makes a wonderful gift! Women in particular seem to enjoy it, though men also appreciate the many different things it offers: From history to recipes to one-of-a-kind reading selections.

When you start downloading the package (which I've separated into 14 separate downloads to make it easy on your computer!) you just won't believe all you're getting at such a bargain-price: Only $14.95 until December 1st.

Act now. Don't wait.

Get the best deal on the book that will be offered this year.

You won't regret it. Guaranteed!

Blessings,

Linore
Go here Now!



[Quotation from, The Complete Holiday Organizer, by Emilie Barnes. Harvest House, 1987] p.103

Make it easy with Impossible Pumpkin Pie

Supermarkets are loaded with pumpkin pies these days, but in case you like home-made best, here's a super simple "impossible" pie recipe. (Crust prepares itself.)
Taking a few small steps like making this recipe over a more time-consuming one can ease matters for the home cook who wants to put only home-prepared food on the table.

Impossible Pumpkin Pie

16 oz pumpkin
12 oz Evaporated milk
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup biscuit mix (such as Bisquit)
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 350 F.
Grease a deep dish or 10" pie plate.
Beat all ingredients together with a mixer on medium speed about
two minutes or until smooth. Pour into pie plate. Bake 50 to 55 minutes
or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serves 8.
Serve with whipped cream.
Enjoy!

For hundreds of more recipes, see the entire Regency House Christmas package Here

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

I just saw a great article called Keeping-Christ-In-and-Stress-Out-of-Christmas with some great ideas for over-frenetic souls. If the rush of the season is burning out your joy, you might want to click the link (above) and see the full article.

I believe that keeping Christ in Christmas is THE single most important way to revive flagging hearts and souls. In the Regency Christmas Package, there are a couple of downloads that can help you do just that, not to mention the pages of beautiful poetry and snippets of hymns that emphasize the holiness of the season.

For historic interest as well as an uplift in your spirit, the three famous prayers of Jane Austen--that most famous regency author--are in the book. (Despite all the Hollywood hoopla cashing in on Jane, there isn't much notice of her faith and devotion to the Lord. Her prayers are sweet evidence of them, however, and worthy of being read aloud to the family during a December night at dinner or afterwards. You'll want to print them out to read more than once.)

For times of quiet reflection or boisterous singing, there are two separate downloadable ebooks --both included in the package--of Regency era carols, hymns, ballads and even a short play that can be acted out. Another great print-out you can take advantage of.

If you decide to hold a 19th century night (see my other posts on this page for how to do this easy, yet season-altering activity) you'll want to print out some of the many "Fireside Stories" I stuffed into the book, to enjoy at leisure.

I can guarantee that if you simply plan a few nights--even if you don't get to it until after Christmas--your experience of this holiday will improve. Your family will have new memories to boot. They'll forget most of what was unwrapped rather quickly--but time spent together, either using the games in the book, or some of the reading, or other ideas--will last a lifetime.

PS: I've kept the package at a family-friendly price--in fact, it's a bargain! Over $300 worth of value right now, for less than $15. It's last year's price but bigger and better than ever! You'll discover a new era (the Regency) that you didn't know you loved, and you and your family or friends will discover that Christmas really can be the most wonderful time of the year!

PSS: Price is going up on December 1st or thereabouts. Please hurry!
You can grab a copy using the button on this page, or go here:
The Christmas Book Page Enjoy and be blessed!

Can you SMELL the season? Here's how.

Did you know that memories are triggered by olfactory stimulants (smells) more than visual ones? In other words, looking through a photo album can bring back memories, but studies show that getting a fresh whiff of a scent from the past brings it back more strongly than visual reminders. For some reason, the olfactory nerves are wired that way--they lead right to the memory center of the brain.

If you've ever been fortunate enough to walk in a pine forest you know that powerful scent of "Christmas"--It's stronger than what you can get in your home with one tree. There are trees which emit a wonderful aroma but even so you can add the feel and joy and SCENT of Christmas to more of your home with the following simple recipes. (They're taken from "A Homemade Christmas"--just one of 39 free downloads you get with your Regency Christmas Package. Just FYI.)

SCENT OF CHRISTMAS

3 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons of ground cloves
1 tablespoon of anise seed
1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
1 quart of water.

Mix together. Add water. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, then simmer on low.
Enjoy the scent of Christmas in your home!
Dry mix can be used as a gift, too.

Also, by having this little recipe on hand, you can easily add ambiance to your 19th century nights to make them even more enjoyable and memory-boosting. (Not sure what a 19th century night is? Look over the posts on this page to find out) Children, especially, will respond to this atmospheric addition, and you just can't overdo making memories for the family. Following are other Christmas Scent recipes in case you want variation, one for the crock-pot which is convenient especially if you have one of the smallest size crocks.

A CHRISTMAS SCENT

Peels of 2 oranges
3 cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
2 1/2 cups of water

Combine in a saucepan. Simmer, add water as needed.

CHRISTMAS "SMELL GOOD"

1 pkg of pickling spice
1 pkg of whole cloves
1 pkg of stick cinnamon
1 jar of apple juice

Put in crock-pot. Fill to the top with water. Bring to boil, then put on low.

The three recipes were all from that same ebook, just one page, and that book is only one of 39 more ebook downloads that will transform your holiday like never before, and take you back to the warm firesides and cozy retreats of the past.
Get your copy today! (All orders are automatically entered into my contest, PLUS--for a LIMITED TIME ONLY--a free coaching call to "de-stress" your holiday with life coach Theresa Smith.) Go here:
See the webpage and order here.

Make It Stress-Free

Everyone knows the rush and worry of getting things ready for Christmas--make it easier on yourself by determining to ENJOY the season for a change. I've probably said this before, but it's when we slow down that we can refresh, refuel, relax--and enjoy. That's what my Regency Christmas Package is all about. (It's not just a book--with 39 bonuses, it's a whole package for you!)

If you're still new to the concept of a 19th century Christmastide, let me review: In the early part of the 19th century, the season of Christmas was more about
family and fun than gifts and giving. Sure, there was room for presents, and they did add to the fun, but they were just a small part. Focusing on the frenetic fifteen minutes or half hour of tearing into a pile of gifts is what gets us in trouble today. We spend an inordinate amount of time, money and energy preparing for that one *tiny* part of the holiday.

I'm not here to try and deprive you of that part of Christmas. It's still important. But I do want to help you with perspective, increasing the time spent in areas that will leave you feeling fulfilled and satisfied afterwards, not with the usual lament of All that effort--all that money--and they're still not happy!

(Believe me, I've been there, done that! I started Christmas shopping some years right after the holidays, beginning in January and going on until I felt I had "enough." Well, the definition of "enough" seemed to grow when I started early. By September I felt pretty much done with my family shopping and most of my friends, but I can't think of a single year when I didn't still get little extras right up until the big day. Little extras that add up to big expenditures. And all for fifteen to twenty minutes of chaotic present-opening. It's fun, too, of course, but it just isn't what it's all about!)

A 19th Century Christmastide, right in your own home, can bring a feeling of satisfaction unlike anything in a wrapped box. Here's the idea:

Decorate a little differently, making an effort to use as much live greenery as possible. This may mean waiting an extra week or two to put up a real tree, or real fir wreaths, real ivy and holly, etc. In my Christmas Book are instructions for making decorative sugarplums to beautify things even more. (Edible ones, too!)
It's a look that just can't be copied by artificial things, though the store-bought counterparts are lovely, too.

Next, download bunches and bunches of "Fireside Reading" and "Party Games"--both available in many shapes and sizes from the Christmas Package. Decide on a game or two, choose a story or two. (The choices are varied, and there's something for everyone, from "American Christmastides"--glimpses of the Yule Season back when the country was young--to "Tales of Wonder and Joy" [for kids from three to ninety-three]--and plenty others. You'll find much to interest you or any member of your family. For each 19th century night you want to have, pick something different.)

Before settling down before the fire or hearth (or wood-stove, or an arrangement of scented candles), prepare an authentic olde English recipe (choose from dozens available) such as mull'd cider, wassail, or negus; berry scones or English "biscuits"--or, use one of the many modern cookbooks that come with the Christmas Book, and treat your family to brand new mouth-watering delights.

Do you need my book to have a 19th Century night? No! You can take these ideas and adapt what you already own or have and make do just fine. Be sure to turn off lights (EXCEPT Christmas lights--they are one modern element that is worth keeping); and all noise. If it's a game night you're having,(using games from the book or a bonus book--not computer or video games) some light background music is acceptable. In the book, there are suggestions of period music for a more authentic experience, but you can choose any you like.

If you do get the package (which I've put at the very family-friendly price of only $14.95--less than a large pizza with toppings!--)you make things easier on yourself, and of course get to read all about a Regency Christmas. (What Jane Austen REALLY ate and Charles Dickens remembered.) PLUS the 39 downloads of stories, games, readings, cookbooks, candy-making, gift-giving, etc! You get old carols, ballads, poems and more. Customs, traditions, myth-busters, history, facts, and dozens of beautiful illustrations. I'm even throwing in a new children's coloring book for the littlest members to enjoy while you snuggle up with "Old English Christmases" or "A Puritan Christmas," (or many others).

Making room for just a few 19th century nights during December can change the way you feel about Christmas this year. Choosing just the right "Fireside Reading" can thrill your spirit and give you more Christmas joy than you've had in ages.

Blessings,

Linore
PS: It's a blessing for me and my family when I use the games, stories and recipes from the Christmas Book Package, and I know it will bless you and yours.

Here's a sample recipe from one of 458 pages of yummy treats (from just ONE of your 39 free downloads!)

New England Christmas Cookies

3/4 cup melted shortening
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup of sliced blanched almonds
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Cream sugar and melted ingredients. Beat eggs and add to creamed mixture. Sift together all dry ingredients and beat into dough. Stir in almonds. Form dough into small rolls and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate overnight. Slice thin and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.

(If you slice very thin, you can have two or three with your favorite Christmas drink, coffee or tea, and still not go overboard on carbs. Just watch carefully during baking because they'll bake up fast.) Enjoy!