A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts Goes Texas

You can watch a 5 min video interview with co-author, Lesile Wilson, on Good Morning Texas on a segment The Not So Perfect Parent.

She shares some wonderful Christmas traditions from our book A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, so stop on by and watch, and post a comment there if you would.

Fa, la, la, la, la, SOCF went TEXAS!

Check it out here.

The grandkids are coming! The grandkids are coming!

My two guest bedrooms are set up to receive young children. When the first grandchild arrived, I went in search of a good sale on cribs and found one that was quite a deal. That has served well and still has a ways to go. But as the kids grew, it was more of a challenge to arrange comfortable sleeping.

My daughter-in-law came up with a great idea for Caleb when he got bumped from the crib by little sister Annalise. She bought a small tent that pops up easily. We spread a quilt on the bottom so that he has some padding, add a pillow and he's quite content to have his own space in Mommy and Daddy's room. It also keeps him contained so that he's not rolling all over the floor as was the problem with using sleeping bags for pre-schoolers.

To add to the festive spirit of Christmas, I make sure there are Christmas books available for that last story before little eyes need to be shut. And now, I'll have to be sure to have some young reader books for Tyler, the newest reader in the family. Maybe by Christmas, he'll be able to read the Christmas story to us!

Welcome to Guests

For holiday spirit to jazz up my home, I use Christmas theme towels, and fancy scented soaps, which I get out and display for use, especially when guests are coming.
Whenever you are out shopping for bargains be alert for the colorful sets of bath towels, embroidered with Santas, Christmas trees, snow flakes etc.
When not on sale these are a bit pricey for me, and I do adore a bargain.
A month ago I bought a set of a sky blue hand towel and a washcloth, embroidered with frolicking penguins.
By chance when we picked paint color when repainting our older bathroom we selected the palest of blues.
So that is my Martha Stewart coordinated moment for the year, blue penguin towels and blue walls.
I also indulge in fancy hand soaps, and share those with guests too.
I can definitely use a few more decorating holiday tips.
What are your ideas?

Preparing for Guests

Preparing for Guests

These ideas come from my very creative friend, Angela Allman. Our sons play baseball together and in the Texas July heat, she brainstormed some small touches we can add to make our guest rooms or bathrooms special for holiday guests.

Always shop the craft stores right before or right after Christmas. They have major markdowns on expensive garlands. Angela and I agreed that we’re too frugal (read: cheap!) to spend $24.99 on an evergreen garland with berries, pinecones, or even feathers. However, we feel like we’re getting a good buy if we snag the same thing for $12.50. Drape them over bathroom mirrors for a festive touch.

Pick up freshly cut pine or cedar bundles at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Arrange a few in the top of a hurricane filled with nuts in the shell.

To have your decorating energy go even farther, place a Christmas throw at the foot of every bed or drape one over your sofa. Decorating your home for Christmas couldn’t be easier!

Another inexpensive idea that’s very classy: Collect hotel shampoos, lotions and soaps during the year. Place them in a basket lined with a piece of gingham or tulle. Set one in the guest bath—and maybe even your own!

Brenda's Tip for Braving the Bathroom

It’s time to prepare for guests, but P-U, do you have a smelly bathroom? The ways I quickly freshen my guest bath for company is to wash the sink and toilet, change towels, and spray some room spray. All that can be completed in about 10 minutes. If time permits, I light a fragrant candle and look to make sure there are no hairs in the bathtub (I hate hairs in a tub!)

When hosting long term guests, I also place out a basket of travel size toiletries for their convenience and comfort.

Do you have a tip for making your bathroom more beautiful for guests?


by Brenda Nixon, speaker and co-author, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts

Make Guests Feel Special - Trish Berg

Both my mom and my mother-in-law are amazing hostesses, though they have very different styles. They both make guests feel special and welcome.

My mom makes guests feel welcome by keeping things low key. Her home is very relaxed. Mealtime is just a part of the event. Guests sit around the family room and visit by the fireplace, and when people get hungry, she serves the meal. Not set time, just when people desire.

One way my mother-in-law makes guests feel special by putting little gifts at their place setting at the dinner table at Thanksgiving and Christmas. This Thanksgiving, she had hot pads and dishtowels with beautiful Christmas scenes at every female guest's place setting.

For her male guests, she had a sweet treat bag of 5 hand dipped chocolates at their place setting.

Other years, she has had seasonal pins (like snowmen or Santa's), mini flashlights for the men, cheese spreaders with holiday themes, candles or even sweet smelling hand lotion.

You can find many great little gifts at dollar type stores, and whatever you do, just welcome guests in as you would like to be welcomed.

Enjoy the journey-Trish Berg
www.TrishBerg.com

Guest Towels and Travel Toothpaste

Last Monday, I didn't post about food drives because I was helping my mother-in-law after her surgery, but we do participate in one at our church--this year's goal is a collected 14,000 pounds distributed to families of one-seven members and up: staples, fresh produce and a ham or turkey. We shop from prepared grocery lists that we pick up when we choose the size family we can buy for. Our church is a county food distribution center all year, a main outreach for us, so we are known in the community as a food pantry.

The holidays offer another opportunity to give. On holiday distribution day, the boxes of food are arranged on the pews, and it takes nearly all of our huge auditorium to house the grocery items. It's a sight to behold. All those pews stacked with bread and ham, peanut butter and jam.

Now, let's switch gears. This week the Word Quilters will give you ideas for making your holiday guests comfortable. Not every one even has a spare room for guests, but whatever room you house your guest/s in, make sure it is as spotless as possible and clutter free. Depending upon their length of stay, provide closet space for clothing or a place where luggage can be easily accessed.

In the guest bedroom (we have one now that kids are grown and gone) I leave a few magazines and a book of devotionals and short stories in the room, and provide a lamp for soft lighting and one for reading.

In the bath area, I keep clean spare robes and small unused soaps and bottled shower gels. Also in a container, I place travel size toiletries: toothbrushes and paste, deoderant, shower cap, mouth rinse, throw away razors, and small shampoos, condtioners and hairsprays. Make sure you have a few paper cups in bathroom, too.

The final things I do--sometimes a non-family guest has a hunger or thirst late at nght and might not feel comfortable rummaging in your kitchen for food or drink. In the guest room, make sure there are light snacks and juices in a basket, and tuck in a few pretty paper napkins.

The last thing I d before a guest arrives is to fill two small vases in bedroom and bath with fresh flowers, tiny vases with just a few touches of wildflowers, garden blooms or hot house blossoms.

All the above lets my guests know that their visit was greatly anticipated. They see the "welcome mat" in all the pleasant details of care provided for their refreshment and comfort.

How do you offer hospitality to your guests?