Keeping the Castle » Holidays

Preparing for Hanukkah

Kathy Zengolewicz — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:44:33 +0000

There is a lot of buzz at this time of year regarding the preparation of Christmas, but how about Hanukkah. I thought I would do a short post to give Hanukkah equal time. Hanukkah is the Jewish celebration of the Festival of Lights. This holiday falls around the same time as Christmas.

Kathy Zengolewicz

During Hanukkah families gather together to celebrate with special food and games. Hanukkah commemorates the victory of a band of Jewish warriors, the Maccabees, over the Syrian king Antiochus almost 2,500 years ago.

Hanukkah will start this year at sundown on December 5th. You should already have your menu in place for the traditional holiday meal. Preparing a menu for the Hanukkah celebration is the first step to take in planning your celebration.

Make this a holiday for your family to remember. On Hanukkah eve, light a shamash, an extra candle used to light the remaining candles on the appropriate days. Sing songs. Play with a Dreidel. If someones doesn’t know how to play, teach them.

Fry up some latkes, at least on the first night. It may be a little unhealthy to have latkes all eight nights. Explore a good Jewish cookbook for other recipes for the remaining nights.

Hand out the nights gifts and maybe have a story time to refresh your memories of the tale of Judah Maccabee leading his men to victory over the Greek rulers who had ruled the Jews for more than 150 years.

Create a tradition for you and your family. Invite some friends, not familiar with Hanukkah, to celebrate with you. It is always interesting and educational to learn the culture of others. I know that I will be sharing in some of the Jewish cultures in the near future and I’m excited to be doing so. No matter what, make sure to enjoy your holiday.

Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!

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Hosting Overnight Guests

Kathy Zengolewicz — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:23:55 +0000

It’s that time of year when some of us have family and close friends visit for the holidays. Most of my family lives within an hours drive, but we do have a few relatives who live out of state and spend the night when they do visit.

sxc.hu

Don’t be stressed out at the thought of hosting family or friends overnight. I have a few tips to help you make your guests feel right at home.

Make sure to air out your guestroom a few days before. When I say air out I mean just that. Open the windows slightly to let the fresh air circulate in the room. You don’t have to leave it open all day, just about an hour and close the bedroom door so that there won’t be a draft in the remainder of the house.

Make up the bed with fresh linens. Put a medium sized basket in the room with a few essentials. You don’t need anything fancy just some toothpaste, new toothbrushes, soap, hand and body lotion, shampoo and conditioner. Leave a couple bottles of water, with drinking glasses, on the bedside or night table. You never know when you may need it and I’m sure your guests do not want to be roaming you home in the middle of the night to find water.

Also, place clean towels and wash clothes for each guest in the room. It’s nice to leave a book or magazine there, too in case they’re a little restless and can’t sleep. Some people sleep poorly when they’re not in their own bed.

Another great idea is to put some fresh flowers on a table or bureau. It adds a nice touch and is relatively inexpensive. Making your guests feel comfortable, whether they are family or friends, will help to make their visit more memorable.

Take care. I’ll talk to you soon!

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October Highlights at Keeping the Castle

Karen Weideman — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:53:56 +0000

It’s the end of another month and so once again I have put together a list of this month’s articles for easy access. I tried putting them into categories, but some of the categories overlapped a little. I hope this helps to find what you need or missed this month.

Food, Cooking, and Holidays:
Cooking with a Little This and That
10 Ways to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Your Last Minute Stop for Halloween Ideas
17 Halloween Cupcake Ideas
20 Pumpkin Inspired Recipes
Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner
30 Fall Inspired Desserts and Treats

Organization and Declutering:
Do You Have an All or Nothing Attitude
Tips to Get Your Organization Started
Simplify Your Life: Do Not Call Registry

Homemaking and Housekeeping:
Ideas for Repurposing Old Dresser Drawers
Tips for Completing Dreaded Chores
10 Ways to Save on Your Winter Energy Bill
How to Keep Your Carpet Smelling Fresh
Recycling Containers for Your Home
10 Easy Ways to Save Water
What’s in Your Washing Machine?
An Exploration of Laundry Myths
Lenox Bloom Dinnerware Review

Other:
A Farewell
Wordy Wednesday: My Trip to New York
Links I’m Enjoying
5 Tips for Grocery Store Baggers
I’m Headed to New York City!

As I mentioned earlier, this will be my last post at Keeping the Castle. It’s been a pleasure. You can continue to find me at Thrifty Mommy and on Twitter.

image used with permission of Linette G

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Happy Valentine’s Day from BHG

Karen Weideman — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:21:28 +0000

As always, Better Homes & Gardens has beautiful ideas for the holidays. Show that special someone how much you care by trying one of BHG’s sweet recipes or romantic gift ideas. I hope you enjoy these links.

22 Simple Treats for Two

29 Creative Ways to Say “I Love You”

Valentine’s Day Flowers and Centerpieces

So Sweet Valentine Treats

Easy to Make Valentine’s Day Cards

photo source BHG

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A Little Blog Hopping for a Cold Snowy Afternoon

SP Bragg — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:31:17 +0000

I hope you will join me on a little blog hopping. I really should go out and shovel the front walk, but… I’m working I have to keep up with the other talented ladies in my channel and it’s cold out there.

Holiday Baking Supply Stock Up Sales

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

Channel Your Inner Mrs. Claus

Dealing With Holiday Stress

Chocolate Zen: Dark Chocolate Espresso Beans

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