Holly: The Christmas Classic

Ah, holly. When you see those iconic green leaves and bright red berries, don’t you just instantly think of Christmas? And there’s a good reason for it. Holly has been associated with winter festivities for centuries. In many cultures, it’s believed to bring protection and good luck. So, not only does it add a pop of color, but it also comes with a dash of history and tradition.

When it comes to decorating with holly, the possibilities are endless. Mix those shiny leaves and berries in a vase for a simple yet elegant centerpiece. Or intertwine them with fairy lights and drape them along your stairway or mantel. If you’re feeling a bit more creative, you can also incorporate them into handmade candle holders or napkin rings for your Christmas dinner table. Trust us, with holly around, every corner of your home can feel a touch more festive.

Ivy: Evergreen And Always Lovely

Now, onto ivy. This plant might spend most of its time quietly climbing walls and fences, but come Christmas, it’s ready to shine. There’s a timeless charm to ivy. Did you know that in ancient times, ivy was seen as a symbol of eternal life? It’s because of its resilience and how it stays green even in the harshest winters.

Using ivy in your Christmas decor adds a touch of nature and tradition. Its flexible tendrils are perfect for crafting. Think about wrapping them around wreaths or combining them with other festive plants like holly or mistletoe. And here’s a fun idea: you can create a beautiful table runner by laying down strands of ivy and sprinkling in some pine cones, candles, and ornaments. Oh, and let’s not forget about the chandeliers or ceiling lights.

Mistletoe: Because Who Doesn’t Want A Cheeky Kiss?

Mistletoe isn’t just a plant; it’s an experience. It’s an instant conversation starter, a reason for laughter, maybe even a touch of romance. Mistletoe, you see, carries with it a fun tradition – a chance for people to steal a quick peck underneath its boughs.

But where did this quirky tradition start? Ancient Celts and Norse folk believed mistletoe had healing powers and could ward off evil spirits. The act of kissing beneath it was a sign of love and a promise of happiness. Today, while the deeper meanings might have faded, the joy and playfulness remain.

Pine And Fir: Freshness Overload

Ah, the scent of pine and fir. It’s like taking a deep breath in a winter forest. These trees, often the stars of our living rooms in December, have so much more to offer than just being Christmas trees. The branches of pine and fir trees, with their sturdy needles and aromatic scent, make them ideal for various festive crafts.

Why not snip off a few branches and create mini tabletop trees for your dining or coffee table? You can even jazz them up with some mini ornaments or ribbons. And if you’re someone who loves the aroma they bring, consider making sachets filled with pine needles to freshen up your closets or drawers. Oh, and if you’re wondering about how to make them look stunning, dive into the 2023 Christmas garlands ultimate guide. It’s got some fab tips!

Your garden? It’s a Christmas goldmine. So, this festive season, let’s keep things real and natural. A dash of creativity, some garden wonders, and your home can transform into a festive wonderland. Dive in, have fun, and let your garden lead the way in spreading that warm Christmas cheer!

The post Bring That Christmas Sparkle Indoors With Garden Plants appeared first on InstantELLA.

Sink into a rich, warm pie

Although savory pies might not be the most popular thing here, there’s nothing like a crust full of saucy, warm meat that can really give you that sense of comfort when it’s dark outside. If you’re cooking for the whole family, or just a couple of people who will be glad to heat up the leftovers the next day, then a chicken pot pie is a great, inexpensive option, that stays warm for a long time thanks to all of that thick, delicious filling. Excellent for warming the body after a day out in the cold.

Nothing like chocolate to lift the mood

Aside from being utterly delicious, chocolate is recommended for those in a low mood who are trying to show a little self-care. However, you’re really going to get your forkful’s worth out of it if you make it a little special, such as creating a big tray of brownies, whether to share with family and friends or to put in the fridge to heat up again later. The sumptuous, gooey, richness is bound to put a smile on any face. Even the smell from the oven alone might be enough to lift your spirits.

Add a little heat to your potatoes

If you’re aiming to eat healthy during the holidays, then you might want to avoid getting too reliant on meats and desserts alone (as convincing as they can be). Potatoes aren’t exactly the lightest vegetable, but they are great for creating thick, hearty meals that can feel perfectly comforting when it’s dark out. However, you can turn up the heat a little bit more with a Mediterranean flair, using herbs like garlic, parsley, fresh rosemary, and even a little bit of pepper to make them all the more fragrant and welcoming.

Get familiar with your slow cooker

Rather than just a recipe, if there’s one appliance that can make your winter months a lot more delicious and help you make long-lasting comfort foods that you can pre-prepare for the week, then a slow cooker is going to do you a ton of good. You don’t need complex recipes, although there are tons out there, all you typically need is a stock, be it of your own making or storebought, meat, and vegetables, and then read up on how long to keep them in the pot.

Good food can help you feel a lot warmer and can do a lot to fight off the low moods that can so often come with the winter months. Hopefully, we’ve given you some inspiration of your own to cook some of your comfy favorites.

The post The Top Comfy Foods To Get You Through The Cold appeared first on InstantELLA.

It’s hard not to want to spend all you can on friends and family. And when you go over your list of all the people you want or need to give gifts to it can feel like more of the season of spending a lot of money than giving.

Here’s Why Your Business Needs a Company Party Now

But there is a way to be Santa’s little helper without spending an arm and a leg. For the sake of the rest of the year, here are a few ways to stick to a budget and not overspend during the holidays.

Be aware of the retail tricks

Ways for Businesses to Increase Their Holiday Sales

If it seems like a deal that’s too good to be true, it most likely is.

A lot of stores will try to fool you with sales, money back offers, and incentives to come back and shop but be aware that those are big ways they get you to spend money that you don’t necessarily need to spend.

Stick to your budget at all costs

9 Expert Tips to Avoid Overspending During the Holidays

Early on try to make time to create a budget and make sure that you account for all that you need to spend. Then when the time comes to buy your presents stick to that budget like glue.

Don’t allow yourself to make exceptions and you will find that you will spend the amount you allotted and nothing else.

Don’t buy for yourself

5 ways to avoid overspending this Christmas

When you are out looking around for presents for everyone else it can be pretty tempting to buy a thing or two for yourself as well.

But as tempting as it may be, resist picking up things for yourself because it will add up really quickly. If it helps you can buy online or pick out the things you want and trust that your loved ones will get those things for you.

Use cash

5 Must-Follow Black Friday Shopping Tips

One great way to stick to a budget is to withdraw the amount of your budget in cash beforehand, that way when you run out of money you know it’s time to stop the spending.

Resist the urge to open credit cards or overspend the money in your bank account so you don’t give creditor’s rights to start blowing up your phone and keep your money in the account where it should stay.

Assign gift duties

7 Easy but Oh so Cute Christmas Decoration Ideas

As your family grows it can seem like the number of presents and therefore the amount you spend seems to grow as well.

In cases like this, you can do a draw for presents or a secret Santa that way everyone gets a present but you don’t have to overspend by worrying about getting each individual family member a present.

Something else you could do is split some of the more expensive gifts between a couple family members that way you are each contributing to the gift but also keeping costs low.

The post How to Not Overspend This Holiday Season appeared first on InstantELLA.

You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout and I’m telling you why, because it’s nearly Christmas time!

No matter if you are the type to put up the Christmas tree as soon as Halloween is over or if you are the day after thanksgiving type, who doesn’t love Christmas and decorating for the holiday?

There is something so heartwarming about seeing all the lights, ribbons, wreaths and ornaments, but it can also be a little intimidating to know where to start.

If all you wanted to do is spread Christmas cheer but you need some ideas, here are a few to help you out.

Here are seven easy but really cute Christmas decoration ideas to help your home scream, “Merry Christmas to all!”

Mason jar elves and reindeer

Elf Christmas Mason Jar Gifts

Mason jars are great for so many things, including creating really cute Christmas decorations.

The best part is these jars can be totally customizable, but also you can put little treats inside and give them as gifts for your neighbors and friends.

A DIY Wreath

65 DIY Christmas Wreath Ideas to Give Holiday Guests the Warmest Welcome

For these decorations that you can never have too many of in or outside of the house, all you have to do is go to any craft store or even dollar store and get a plain wreath, and then just pick out all the flowers, ribbons, and lights you want to decorate it with!

You can even keep it simple and classic and buy some spray snow, spray it on a green wreath and tie a red ribbon on the top and there you have it! A super cute and festive wreath for less than five bucks.

Lighted garland with ribbons

DIY Christmas Scrappy Lighted Garland Tutorial

Something cute and unique, that is also pretty easy to make, is using a couple strings of lights and some ribbon to make a lighted garland.

You can choose the colors and type of material you want to use, and then all you have to do is tie them all along the string of lights, then hang wherever you like!

Make sure to get plenty of extension cords and check that your electrical system is up to date, and order any parts you need from websites like www.electricalwholesale.com.

Pipe-cleaner snow-flakes or snowmen

Pipe-Cleaner Snowflake Ornaments Project

Simple and cost-friendly, you can involve the kids in making these adorable ornaments to hang on the tree.

Ornaments made from cookie cutters

Cookie Cutter Ornaments Project

Cookie cutters come in all shapes and sizes, and all you need are some pictures or pretty colored paper to glue behind them to turn them into beautiful ornaments.

These can also double as a cute gift that your kids can put together for Grandma and Grandpa or whoever else is on their gift list.

DIY Snow-globes

DIY Snow Globe | Sea Lemon

Another decoration idea that uses ever useful mason jars, there are so many Pinterest posts to follow on how to make these fun little snow globes and place them all over your house just in time for Christmas.

Easy paper plate Santa

PAPER PLATE SANTA CLAUS

This is a Christmas craft the kids are sure to love and have them feeling the Christmas spirit.

All you need are some paper plates, scissors, red paint, glue, and some black constriction paper!

The post 7 Easy but Oh so Cute Christmas Decoration Ideas appeared first on InstantELLA.

1. Oatmeal

Turn instant oats into a quick, easy, and deliciously healthy breakfast by adding berries and cream to it. If you have oatmeal lovers, this is a great meal to get your kids going in the morning. You can even lay out bowls of fruit on the table for your kids to put in their oatmeal.

2. Smoothie Bowls or Yogurt Parfaits

Smoothie bowls are great, especially if you want to hide some vegetables that your child wouldn’t get otherwise. Use your favorite smoothie recipe, pour it into a bowl, and add fruit and granola to it. Likewise, for an even simpler breakfast, add fruit and granola to yogurt. Lay out all of the fix-ins and let your kids make their own healthy parfait.

3. Grilled Cheese with Veggies

Are your kids grilled cheese lovers? Use whole grain bread, a favorite cheese, and add on veggies like tomatoes, peppers, spinach, and cucumbers. This meal only takes a few minutes to make and is perfect for quick lunches or dinners.

4. Chicken Salad

Grill up some chicken, throw it in a leafy green mix, add toppings like cheese and tomatoes, cover it in your favorite dressing (or your kids’ favorite dressing). For an extra simple meal, grill up some extra chicken on a night when you have chicken planned, and save if for lunch the next day. Any salad will be a great healthy and easy meal – you can use deli meats or leftover Christmas ham and turkey for the meat too.

5. Pesto Pasta

Cook up some bowtie pasta, mix it in with pesto or Italian dressing, and lay it over a bed of leafy greens for a perfect and simple healthy meal. If you have children old enough to do so, you can even instruct them to boil the pasta and mix it with the dressing.

The post Healthy Kid-Friendly Meals to Get You Through the Holidays appeared first on InstantELLA.