Christmas Twinkle

Holiday Photo Tip #3

by Warren Tang
Shoot Things, Not Just People -
As much as the holidays are about people – family, friends, loved ones, and even in-laws – the spirit of the holidays is also in the décor, the food and yes, the desserts. To capture the full essence of the holiday season I encourage you to include photos [...]

Holiday Photo Tip #2

by Warren Tang
Get Down Low And Get Close -
Just because you’re taller than your kids doesn’t mean most of your photos should be of the tops of their heads. To get some great photos of children try to get down to their level where you can make eye contact and really engage them. You can [...]

Tips for Holiday Photos You’ll Cherish

by Warren Tang
As the holidays are upon us, many of us are feeling the need to capture memorable photos of friends and family, food and fun, and the sparkle of joy in the eyes of the little ones. Whether you’re wielding a $2,000 professional DSLR camera, snapping with a slim and trim compact camera, or [...]

Swiss Maid Fudge – Homemade Gingerbread Bark Spices Up The Holiday Season

Posted by admin on January 12th, 2010

Every family has their holiday food favorite. Perhaps Grandma’s buttery shortbread is a traditional treat; maybe homemade Greek Christmas bread is a goodie everyone looks forward too; perhaps an old-fashioned family recipe for chocolate fudge is the indulgence of choice for the holidays. When it comes to mouthwatering, homemade food, there really is no place like home for the holidays. While it’s true that nothing could ever replace these once-a-year treats, there are some novel, seasonal edibles on the market which can be interesting complements to the traditional fare.

Swiss Maid Fudge, a proud, longtime producer of handmade candy, is one confectioner that is keen to develop new and exciting confections each year. They have recently launched their newest baked good, homemade gingerbread bark, and have already received favorable reports from customers. To make the bark, they enhance their signature recipe for milk chocolate with holidays spices, mix the chocolate by hand on cool marble to harden it into a brittle bark, and then top it off with crumbly bits of classic gingerbread drizzled with white chocolate. This bold blend of flavors is destined to become a new family favorite.

While proud of their candy-making heritage and classic confections, Swiss Maid Fudge is excited to cook up tasty, innovative creations. Besides their newest product, homemade gingerbread bark, Swiss Maid Fudge has blended classic ingredients with new flavors to invent several original holiday candies such as homemade peppermint stick chocolate fudge, candy cane truffles and chocolate dipped peppermint stick apples. Swiss Maid Fudge confectioners have stayed true to their candy-making roots, carefully making all of their products by hand with all-natural ingredients and no artificial preservatives. Their small batches of candy are made fresh daily so that customers are always sure to taste the candy at its best.

Over the past 45 years, Swiss Maid Fudge has developed a loyal following of customers from near and far. Locals of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin know that they can count on their favorite homemade candy-maker, Swiss Maid Fudge, to dish out the richest fudge, the chewiest salt water taffy, and the gooiest caramel apples. As generations of customers have grown up and moved away, Swiss Maid Fudge has made sure that Midwesterners can still get their hands on their favorite candies by ordering them online. From old-fashioned chewy chocolate caramels to the new, crunchy, homemade gingerbread bark, quality, handmade candy is only ever a few clicks away.

Swiss Maid Fudge, a family owned and operated business, has been passing down confectionary skills and tricks of the trade for generations. Ingredients for their old-fashioned candies are boiled in large copper kettles set over an open, gas-fired cast iron stove, and then mixed and molded on cool, solid marble. Mastery of these traditional skills is essential in producing luscious candy and Swiss Maid Fudge is committed to keeping their candy-making traditions alive.

For more information or to order spicy, homemade gingerbread bark online visit SwissMaidFudge.

Christmas Cake

Posted by admin on January 12th, 2010

Christmas is the most widely celebrated religious festival in the world since time immemorial. Several philosophies, practices and taboos are directly and indirectly attached to this particular holy celebration. With this regards, the Christmas cake undeniably requires a very special mention. It is the integral part of the celebration and a must in this joyous affair.

Christmas cake is a type of fruitcake that is being served on 25th December. It is said that the origin of Christmas cake can be traced back to the city of Dundee and is made with finely blend Scotch whisky. It is light in nature and also crumbly. It is generally made up of ingredients like raisins, currants, cherries and sultanas.

The other generic features of Christmas cake can vary drastically depending on the manufacturer, the place of manufacturing, requirement of the customers and many such other factors. It can either be spongy or medium weighted or even heavy. The shape is not a constant thing, as it may be either square, or oblong. The cake also has nuts like almonds in it, but just like the flexibility offered by the manufacturers in cases of other fruit cakes; they can be omitted for the people who are allergic to them.

A notable point at the context of the ongoing discussion is that frequently a coin was used to be added on the top of a Christmas cake that was a sort of token depicting good fortune to the people who used to have it.

In many places around the world, the Christmas cake is made up of high quality whipped cream and for the purpose of flavoring; inputs like the ambergris or the civet musk are used.

Sum and substance Christmas cake carries with it the very message of the holy festival of Christmas. It conveys, in an unconventional way, the expressions of love and brotherhood al around.

Buying vs Making Your Own Christmas Decorations

Posted by admin on January 11th, 2010

If you are like many other individuals, you enjoy Christmas. With Christmas comes gifts’, spending time with family, and Christmas adornments. While everyone loves to get Christmas gifts and spend time with their family, there are others who are most excited about decorating for Christmas. In a way, putting up Christmas decorations symbolizes the upcoming Christmas holiday. Perhaps, that is one of the reasons why decorating for Christmas is enjoyed by so many.

When it comes to decorating for Christmas, different individuals use different methods. Perhaps, the most popular method is buying Christmas decorations from the store and then hanging them or displaying them in the home. In addition to buying store bought adornments, there are other individuals who make their own Christmas adornments and then hang or display them. If you are preparing to decorate your home for Christmas, you may be wondering which decorating method you should use. Honestly, the decision is yours to make; however, you will find that each method has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

As previously mentioned, one of the most popular ways that most individuals choose to decorate their homes for Christmas is by purchasing store bought decorations. These store bought adornments can include items such as a Christmas tree, Christmas lights, Christmas tree ornaments, Christmas lawn decorations, and Christmas kitchenware. Perhaps, the wide variety of different decorations that can be purchased online or from a storefront retail location is the greatest benefit to buying your decorations. While it is possible to make your own Christmas lights or Christmas kitchenware, it is time consuming and you need to have special skills to do so.

In addition to the selection of Christmas adornments that you have to choose form, when buying store bought Christmas decorations, you will also find that buying pre-made Christmas decorations saves time. Shopping online is the best way to save time, when buying Christmas adornments, but you can also save time by buying your Christmas adornments from one of your local retail stores. As nice as it may be to make your own Christmas adornments, it is a time consuming task, especially if you have never made your own Christmas decorations before.

So far, it may seem as if you can benefit the most from buying store bought Christmas adornments, but it is important to note that you can also benefit from making your own adornments. Perhaps, the greatest advantage to making your own Christmas adornments is that you can make what you want. Since you know every inch of your home, you likely know what will look good in one area and what will look good in another. If you are looking for a particular Christmas adornment, such as a Christmas painting, and you are unable to find it, you may be able to make your own. While it will take some skill and time, it is almost always worth it to get exactly what you want.

Another advantage to making your own Christmas adornments is that, as previously mentioned, you can make whatever you want, however you want to. When most of us think of homemade Christmas adornments, we tend to think of decorations that were created from scratch. The reality is that you can make your own decorations with existing Christmas decorations or traditional craft items, if you want to. For instance, you can easily make your own Christmas table centerpiece by using a glass bowl or large candleholder, artificial flowers, sand, or even Christmas lights. Despite the fact that you did not make each piece of the decoration yourself, you altered it enough whereas it can be considered a homemade Christmas adornment.

The overall goal of decorating for Christmas is to bring the Christmas spirit into your home. In all reality, that is the most important thing. It really shouldn’t matter whether you choose to make your own Christmas adornments or buy them; the same goal will be accomplished.

Tips For Making Delicious Yorkshire Puddings

Posted by admin on January 10th, 2010

Once an obscure peasants’ food, Yorkshire pudding has risen to the rank of a traditional Sunday dinner dish. These days it’s even something of a gourmet item, as presented by chefs like Delia Smith and James Martin. Not too shabby for a simple savory dish made from nothing but the most basic ingredients. Its popularity speaks for its tastes, but there’s more to making a great Yorkshire than you might realise.

The Ideal Yorkshire Pudding?

As with any common, traditional dish, opinions vary on what makes the best Yorkshire pudding. Most fans can agree on a few essential qualities, though. While it should puff a bit, it shouldn’t be quite as high or light as, say, a popover. The inside should be soft, but not soggy, and the underside nice and crisp.

Originally Yorkshire pudding was served before the roast in the hope that people would fill up on that first, so the meat would go a bit further. But there’s an even better reason to eat it first, while it’s still piping hot. Straight out of the oven, the pudding is light and puffy, and the bottom is still satisfyingly crisp. As it cools, though, it tends to fall and get soggy on the bottom.

Popular Variations

Yorkshire pudding batter consists of flour, eggs, and milk, and is traditionally baked in the drippings from roast beef. Some cooks, however, enhance the flavor with herbs like parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary. If you decide to experiment with herbs, use a light hand at first to avoid overpowering the flavor of the pudding and drippings.

While you can spice up your pudding with different ingredients, it’s the cooking technique that really makes the difference. These days you can buy pudding mix and even frozen Yorkshire puddings, but making it from scratch gives you more control over the process, so the outcome is usually better.

Yorkshire Pudding Cooking Tips

If there’s one thing that’s critical to making a delicious Yorkshire pudding, it’s temperature. This is not a delicate souffle that’s going to burn if it gets a degree too hot. High temperatures are a must. First of all, the cooking fat and the pan for the pudding must be hot before you add the batter. The fat should be smoking slightly and the batter should sizzle as it hits the fat in the pan.

What’s more, the pudding needs an oven temperature of about 225 C to cook properly. The trouble with this is that it’s too hot for the roast beef, so you don’t want them in the oven at the same time. One way around this is to remove the roast when it’s partially cooked and turn up the oven heat to cook the pudding. The pudding won’t take long and the roast will stay hot and continue to cook if covered.

Getting Yorkshire pudding to turn out just right takes a bit of practice, but there’s nothing complicated about it. Whether you’re planning on roast beef for your next Sunday dinner or you’re just in the mood for some old-fashioned comfort food, try making this pudding from scratch and you might be surprised how well it turns out.

Holiday Decorating with Kids

Posted by admin on January 10th, 2010

Planning Christmas with kids gives you an opportunity to get them involved. Christmas is a truly magical season for children, and letting them decorate for Christmas will not only give kids a sense of accomplishment with what they created, it will get your house decorated as well!

If you don’t mind homemade décor on your tree, your kids can craft edible treats to hang. Spend an evening stringing popcorn to drape around the tree. You can make edible gingerbread men or one inedible ones that will last for years. Either one will bring wonderful aromas into your home. The kids can help roll out and bake the gingerbread, and then help you hang them with ribbon. Let your kids decorate ornaments with glitter and paint, or create your own by taking pictures of your kids princess costumes and dress ups and mounting them on construction paper.

Let your kids help you decorate the tree. If they’re not very excited, try letting your girls wear their kids princess costumes and the boys wear their capes and Santa hats. Put music on so the little tots can dance, and let the kids roam around the tree. The music and costumes will make decorating more of a magical experience and less of a chore.

Every Christmas brings a plethora of Christmas cards. Everyone is eager to send off holiday greetings in a red holiday dress. Rather than store the greetings in a disorganized ramble on the refrigerator, try placing them in a photo tree made to slide pictures in. This way the kids can slide the greeting cards in and out by themselves to take a closer look at their family and friends.

Gingerbread houses are a great way to spend an evening together as a family. You can make the house from scratch or buy a gingerbread house kit, and fortunately the kits are typically inexpensive. Let the kids help. Older kids can do most of the assembly themselves; so let them go to it! For toddlers, put the frosting on the house first, and allow them to place the candies on top. Display the gingerbread house. You can use it as a centerpiece on the table, or as an item of décor on a shelf or countertop. The kids will be so proud to show guests their creation!

A personal favorite childhood memory is cutting out snowflakes with my family. I was wearing my red Christmas dress, and my sisters and I were wandering around the kitchen, cutting paper and singing along to Christmas music. The little scraps of paper probably made a mess, but no one seemed to mind. We hung the snowflakes in our windows. We argued about whose was the best, and I felt a sense of pride whenever I walked past one of my snowflakes.

Another fun decorating opportunity for Christmas with kids is to make the countdown chain until Christmas. Let the kids choose an obvious place to put the chain. You can make the chain more interactive by adding topics of conversation on the chain. Suggestions include: “What is your favorite Christmas memory?” “What do you like most about Christmas?” “What is your favorite part of the Christmas story?” While your kids answers to these questions might be short, they open up the opportunity for you and your kids to converse more with one another.

Holiday decorating with kids is a great chance to bond as a family. So pull out those princess costumes, turn on some holiday music, and get started!

Christmas Coupon – Get Your Christmas Coupons Today

Posted by admin on January 8th, 2010

Christmas Coupon – Get Your Christmas Coupons Today

Get Your Christmas Coupons Here

Christmas gifts are so expensive for people now that any savings are welcomed.

All of us are finding that Christmas gifts are rising in price and many are using coupons to save money on the presents they buy at Christmas.

It’s so easy to save money by using coupons on when you shop and you can get your Christmas coupons by clicking on the link above or below and finding the coupons that are right for you.

With the economy struggling people everywhere are looking for ways to save money and this can be achieved by cutting down on your outgoings.

One of the easiest ways to do this is by using Christmas coupons to reduce your final bill at the cashiers desk when you pay for your gifts.

Get Your Christmas Coupons Here

The number of people out of work is very high at the moment and by using coupons you are able to save money this festive season when you go shopping at your local shop.

If you have a computer and internet connection you can easily find Christmas coupons from your computer.

Christmas coupons are very popular because Christmas is a very expensive time for all and are high on everyone’s list.

Christmas is a time for giving but the trouble is it is also a very expensive time.

What better and easier way is there to saving money, cutting down on your expenses and getting your gifts at a discount price with Christmas coupons..

Holiday Photo Tip #3

Posted by admin on January 8th, 2010

by Warren Tang

Shoot Things, Not Just People -

As much as the holidays are about people – family, friends, loved ones, and even in-laws – the spirit of the holidays is also in the décor, the food and yes, the desserts. To capture the full essence of the holiday season I encourage you to include photos of the things that make your family holiday unique and special. Years from now you’ll cherish that photo of the paper mache snowman your child made in school or that triple layer banana rum upside-down cake from Aunt Selma.

With my 3 simple photo tips you’re ready to take some holiday photos you’ll be proud to display on the mantel and cherish for years to come. What are you waiting for? Go grab that camera and go snap some priceless keepsakes!

In case you missed Holiday Photo Tip #2 you can read it HERE.

Stay tuned for more holiday photography tips and all things Christmas!

Holiday Photo Tip #2

Posted by admin on January 7th, 2010

by Warren Tang

Get Down Low And Get Close -

Just because you’re taller than your kids doesn’t mean most of your photos should be of the tops of their heads. To get some great photos of children try to get down to their level where you can make eye contact and really engage them. You can even try getting down on your belly and shooting up! The new perspective can be fun and different! Another common problem with holiday photos is the background clutter that distracts the viewer and ruins otherwise lovely photos. The way to exorcise drunk party guests, roaming relatives, and piles of wrapping paper from the backgrounds of your photos is to get close. By zooming in or simply walking closer to your subject, you can capture little Suzie’s gleeful gasp as she tears open that perfect gift without showing off the pile of paper, ribbons, and unfolded laundry in the background.

In case you missed Holiday Photo Tip #1 you can read it HERE.

Stay tuned! Holiday photo tip #3 is coming soon!

Lawn Decorating for Christmas without Going Overboard

Posted by admin on January 6th, 2010

When many of us think of outdoor Christmas decorations, yard signs and inflatable Christmas characters often come to mind. While many homeowners do choose to decorate their homes with inflatable Christmas characters and yard signs, there are others who feel that those types of outdoor Christmas decorations are too extreme. If you would like to decorate your lawn for Christmas, without shoving your Christmas spirit down your neighbor’s throat, you can. There are a number of outdoor Christmas decorations designed for individuals just like you.

One of the best ways to go about decorating your lawn for Christmas, without going overboard, is to replace the items that you already have in your yard. You will want to make those replacements be ones that have a Christmas theme. For instance, if you have a number of potted plants or flowers out in your yard, there is a good chance that they are in a traditional flower pot. Did you know that you can purchase Christmas planters? Christmas planters are just like the planters that you may be using now, but they often have a Christmas or a holiday theme to them. You should be able to find Christmas planters that come in Christmas colors or ones that have Christmas designs, such as Santa or snowflakes. Christmas planters are an easy way to decorate the outside of your home for the holidays.

If you are a homeowner who has trees in your yard, there is a good chance that you have a birdhouse in at least one of those trees. Did you know that you can buy Christmas themed birdhouses? For the holiday season, you could easily replace your traditional birdhouse with one that has a Christmas theme. Christmas birdhouses come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. Popular birdhouse shapes includes those that are shaped as churches, but it is also possible to find birdhouses that are shaped like snow sleds or something else similar in nature. Christmas birdhouses are another easy way that you can bring a little bit of Christmas spirit to your front or backyard.

Another way that you can quietly, but effectively decorate your front yard for Christmas is by purchasing Christmas stepping stones. Christmas stepping stones look great in any yard or along any walkway. As with most other outdoor Christmas decorations, Christmas stepping stones also come in a number of different sizes, shapes, and styles. Regardless of the size and shape of each stepping stone, you will find that most come with a Christmas or holiday design. It is not uncommon to find Christmas stepping stones that are decorated with snowflakes or Christmas trees. Depending on where you are shopping, additional designs may also be available.

As beautiful as Christmas birdhouses, planters, and stepping stones are, they are items that often go unnoticed or un-purchased. For that reason, it may be a little bit difficult for you to find the above mentioned Christmas decorations in one of your local retail stores. It may be possible to purchase these amazing, but unique outdoor Christmas decorations from a specialty Christmas shop, but for the largest selection of outdoor Christmas decorations, you are advised to shop online. You can easily find a number of retailers that specialize in selling the above mentioned outdoor Christmas decorations by performing a standard internet search.

Tips for Holiday Photos You’ll Cherish

Posted by admin on January 6th, 2010

by Warren Tang

As the holidays are upon us, many of us are feeling the need to capture memorable photos of friends and family, food and fun, and the sparkle of joy in the eyes of the little ones. Whether you’re wielding a $2,000 professional DSLR camera, snapping with a slim and trim compact camera, or dusting off an old film camera for this annual tradition, your holiday photos don’t need to be boring line-ups of the usual suspects or posed mug shots with artificial smiles. Here are hints to help you create some inspired photos you’ll cherish for years to come.

Turn Off The Flash And Use A Tripod -

Most amateur photographers assume that a flash, whether built-in or add-on, is necessary for indoor photos. The truth is a flash will light up Uncle Bob’s toothless smile or little Jimmy’s rosy cheeks with a bright white light while the background will fall into indistinguishable darkness. If you have a DSLR with an add-on flash you may be able to tilt the flash upward to “bounce” the light off the ceiling, and succeed in lighting the background as well as little Jimmy’s adorable grin, but you’re still drowning the scene with sterile, ambiance robbing white light. Part of what makes the holidays charming is that golden glow of holiday lights – candles flickering on the table, a yule log burning in the fireplace, the warm twinkle of a thousand Christmas tree lights. To capture this magical light you’ll need to turn off your camera flash and mount your camera on a tripod. Why do you need a tripod? Because without a flash, the dim indoor lighting in most homes would cause the camera to use a 1 second or longer exposure. Since nobody can hold a camera perfectly still for 1 or 2 seconds, the result will be a very blurry photo. Go ahead, grab your tripod and give it a try. Turn off your flash and you’ll be rewarded with dreamy photos bathed in the golden light of the holidays!

Get Down Low And Get Close –

Just because you’re taller than your kids doesn’t mean most of your photos should be of the tops of their heads. To get some great photos of children try to get down to their level where you can make eye contact and really engage them. You can even try getting down on your belly and shooting up! The new perspective can be fun and different! Another common problem with holiday photos is the background clutter that distracts the viewer and ruins otherwise lovely photos. The way to exorcise drunk party guests, roaming relatives, and piles of wrapping paper from the backgrounds of your photos is to get close. By zooming in or simply walking closer to your subject, you can capture little Suzie’s gleeful gasp as she tears open that perfect gift without showing off the pile of paper, ribbons, and unfolded laundry in the background.

Shoot Things, Not Just People –

As much as the holidays are about people – family, friends, loved ones, and even in-laws – the spirit of the holidays is also in the décor, the food and yes, the desserts. To capture the full essence of the holiday season I encourage you to include photos of the things that make your family holiday unique and special. Years from now you’ll cherish that photo of the paper mache snowman your child made in school or that triple layer banana rum upside-down cake from Aunt Selma.

With my 3 simple photo tips you’re ready to take some holiday photos you’ll be proud to display on the mantel and cherish for years to come. What are you waiting for? Go grab that camera and go snap some priceless keepsakes!