Tag Archives: holiday season

How to Host a Quarantined Easter

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Easter is a time of the year that brings the whole family together. It is fun with egg hunts, kid-friendly activities, and quality time with loved ones. However, with the pandemic at hand, this is going to be a very different Easter than usual. Churches are closer, social gatherings are dwindling, and home lockdowns are going into full effect. So how do you celebrate this time with others when you are forced to stay at home by yourself?

Sunday Service

If you go to church on Easter Sunday, consider that plan to be canceled. However, many services are still live-streaming or creating pre-recorded sessions. You can now enjoy your Sunday Easter Service in the comfort of your own home.

Family Time

These new times demand innovative gathering solutions. Many families are staying connected through Facetime, Zoom, and other virtual calling apps like HouseParty. You can facilitate these plans with your own family for Easter. Make something unique where you can have a family game night or an activity to partake in while video chatting. This activity is a great way to have family time still, even when you cannot all be together.

Easter Dinner

Just because your friends and family cannot join you, does not mean you cannot dine like a king or queen. You can still have some of your favorite holiday, traditional meals this season. You may need to have your groceries delivered, yet a half ham or turkey will go great with other mini Easter dishes as well. Simply create your own mini feast for the ones in your home. If you live alone, still enjoy your dinner yourself!

It can be challenging to celebrate a holiday alone or without your typical holiday plans. However, do not hope in this uncertain time. The holiday is still here, and it is an opportunity to celebrate it in a new way. Make sure you still enjoy this day by making it special. It can be hard to get everyone excited in the house for the new, changed celebration, yet the opportunity to enjoy the day is still there! Do not lose sight of the holiday.

Holiday Meals for the Entire Family

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The holidays are full of memorable events, but nothing brings a family together like food. Sitting down with your loved ones and sharing a meal brings a sense of togetherness and evokes feelings of thankfulness and comfort. It provides the assurance that the people who have gathered with you are full and happy.

Today, cooking a holiday meal that can be eaten by the entire family can be a difficult task. Beliefs, preferences, and allergies can make catering to everyone’s needs frustrating and nearly impossible. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives out there that can be used to make holiday dishes available to almost everyone at your table this year.

Plant-based cooking not only ensures that vegetarians and vegans in your family can enjoy your meal, but it also eliminates dairy, making it okay for anyone who is lactose-intolerant. Plus, it eliminates any type of meat which may be avoided due to someone’s religious beliefs.

While drinks are just as important at the dinner table as the food, you can make sure everyone is catered to this year with an easy to make vegan eggnog.

Vegan Eggnog

Ingredients: 

  • 24 ounces silken tofu (crumbled) 
  • 2 cups of soy milk
  • 2/3 cup turbinado sugar 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 cup water (cold) 
  • 1 cup rum
  • 4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
  • 20 ice cubes 
  • Nutmeg for garnishing

Instructions: 

  • Place the tofu, soy milk, sugar, and salt in a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the water, rum, and vanilla extract.
  • You will want to keep the mixture refrigerated until it is ready to be served.
  • When you are ready to serve the eggnog, blend the mix with the ice cubes until frothed 
  • Enjoy! 

A hearty vegan Shepherd’s pie is an excellent way to ensure all your guests are able to enjoy a warm and filling entree this holiday season.

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients: 

  • 4 Potatoes 
  • 2 tbsp vegan margarine 
  • ¼ cup unsweetened soy milk 
  • Salt and pepper (to taste) 
  • One onion 
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil 
  • 1 ½ cups vegan ground beef substitute 
  • 1 ¼ cups vegan gravy 
  • ½ cup green peas 
  • ½ cup of corn 
  • ½ tsp garlic powder 
  • Dash of cayenne pepper 

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 F 
  • Dice potatoes and chop onions
  • Boil or microwave potatoes until soft 
  • Drain potatoes and mash with vegan margarine and soy milk 
  • Add salt and pepper to add taste 
  • Saute the chopped onions in the vegetable oil 
  • Combine the onions, beef substitute, vegan gravy, peas, corn, garlic powder, and a dash of cayenne pepper in a large mixing bowl and pour into a pie pan 
  • Spread the mashed potatoes over your vegetable mixture 
  • Bake for 30 to 40 minutes 
  • Enjoy! 

The holidays are full of wonderful sweets, so give vegan gingerbread cookies a try this holiday season to ensure everyone satiates their sweet tooth.

Vegan Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup of vegan margarine 
  • 1 cup of sugar 
  • Egg Replacer for one egg 
  • 1 cup molasses 
  • Two TBSP apple cider vinegar 
  • 5 cups flour 
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 TBSP ginger 
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
  • 1 tsp cloves 
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Instructions:

  • Beat the margarine and sugar together in a large bowl 
  • Add the egg replace, molasses, and apple cider vinegar to the mixture 
  • In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. 
  • Pour the dry ingredients into the large bowl of wet ingredients and combine well 
  • Let the dough refrigerate for at least two hours to become firm 
  • Preheat the oven to 375 F 
  • Either roll out your dough and cut it into holiday shapes with cookie cutters or form it into ½ inch balls 
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper 
  • Place your cookies on the sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes until done 
  • Enjoy! 

The holidays bring a lot of different people from separate walks of life together. Plant-based options make sure that you are prepared to cater to anyone this holiday season. Feel free to leave a comment below with your favorite go-to holiday dish and make sure to subscribe!

Doing For Others

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8243548_SFor most of us, this is a special time of year, with family gatherings, celebrations with friends, and decorations and food taking up our time and thoughts.

For some people, however, the holiday season is no pleasure. Lack of funds, family issues, or the loss of a loved one can make the holidays a challenge to survive rather than something to enjoy. Amidst your fun activities, this is a good time of year to add helping others to your holiday list. Here are a few suggestions.

Donate to a food bank or rescue shelter. With the economy still down, many people rely on this type of assistance and these services are stretched to the limit. By donating food and dollars, you can make a difference for people and families not as fortunate as yours.

When giving, think of holiday needs. Rather than digging through your pantry for those cans of olives no one wants to eat, shop for special holiday non-perishables, or donate a turkey at one of the local turkey drives.

Adopt a family: Many non-profit organizations have families of people in financial trouble that could use a hand. You generally get a list of ages and genders of family members, along with some things on their wish lists. It can be a fun family experience to shop for another family, choosing special things to make their holiday brighter.

Donate your time: Hospitals and nursing homes have rooms full of lonely people who would love a visit and maybe a few homemade cookies. Shut-ins often receive holiday meals, and by volunteering to deliver some you can brighten someone’s day with your visit. Often you are the only person they will see that day, so taking the time to chat and say cheering words can make a world of difference.

Take a few minutes to think about how fortunate you are, and then you may want to help others feel fortunate too.

Make Holiday Place Settings Special Simply

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Simple things can take a holiday table out of the ordinary and make it something special. You don’t need to spend a lot of time or money to get a beautiful looking table in your home. Let’s see a few possibilities.

This photo shows a festive table that required very little effort. By tying the silverware with some holiday ribbon, you have an instant splash of color and charm. Throwing a few confetti stars on the plate makes the entire place setting inviting. The table decorations are also simple – greens and ornaments. By coordinating colors and style the hosts made this table ready for holiday guests.

Here’s another simple but charming place setting. The simple napkin ring is highlighted with a couple of candy canes tucked inside with the napkin, and holiday cookies add to the final look. For an inexpensive holiday tablecloth, check out the seasonal fabrics at your local sewing store. Then just buy enough to cover your table properly and hem the two edges. Let the natural selvage serve as a hem for the long sides. The snowflake tablecloth in this photo coordinates well with the cookies and small silver balls scattered on the table.

This plain white tablecloth gets its holiday cheer from poinsettia table runners down the center and crossing to make the equivalent of placemats for each place setting. Inviting gift-wrapped favors, a cluster of cinnamon sticks, and a small pair of Santa’s boots complete the look. No need for special holiday china if your table linens show the season. More wrapped gifts and gold candles complete this holiday tablescape.

You don’t have to mimic Martha Stewart to set a beautiful table this year. Just use your imagination and a few extra elements, and your table will look as inviting as the food you will be placing on it. And have a happy holiday from all of us at Fulton Homes.

Perfect Pet Presents

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Whether you have pets yourself or friends and family have pets, the holiday season is a great time to remember to shower your furry buddies with gifts. As you contemplate the right options for the kitten or puppy in your life, here are some ideas and safety factors to consider.

Toys: If you want to give something such as a stuffed toy, stick to those made for animals. That little Santa at a discount store may be tempting, but the fabric, stuffing or trim may not be pet-friendly. You would also miss out on that all-important squeaky factor, disappointing some dogs that actively look for the squeaker when given a new toy.

Treats: A nice box or stocking filled with treats is almost always a welcome gift. Be sure to check with the owner to avoid food allergy issues. If you’re feeling adventurous, how about making homemade dog biscuits or cat crackers? There are numerous recipes available on the Internet, and people and pets appreciate something you bake yourself.

Unlike cookies for people, dogs and cats are not fussy about how their treats look. If they smell like peanut butter, bacon, or tuna and salmon for a cat, they will be thrilled with your gift.

Wrapping for pet gifts is also casual. Most pets don’t care about ribbon or tags, with the possible exception of kittens that see them as a fun extension of the gift. The best option is plain tissue paper with a minimum of tape. This enables even the least adventurous to open their own presents.

One last tip: Don’t put pet presents under the tree until just before it’s time to unwrap. Animals are not at all good about waiting and may dive into the celebration a bit early.