Holiday Homemaking 2023 | Week 1
Episode two of Holiday Homemaking is here, and this week six more homemakers open the door on their Christmas: Kelly Gunderson, Brenda VanHellen, Carly Poulin, Sarah Beaugh, Nichole Pace, and Breanna Wakefield.
You'll hear about birthday cake for breakfast on Christmas morning, bubble bread rising overnight in a bundt pan, a hand-embroidered Advent calendar, honey bars with a mayonnaise glaze, tamales on Christmas Eve, allergen-free gingerbread houses, and a book tree that gets read every night of December. I'm also sharing a poem from Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, a full walkthrough for hosting a tree decorating party, and a reflection on the Advent theme of peace from the week my first grandchild was born.
Take one or two nuggets and apply them in the ways that bring value to your own practice of holiday homemaking.
Show notes
This week's Advent theme: Peace
Poem: "Christmas Plum Pudding" by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, December 1926
Kelly Gunderson: birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas morning, the San Antonio river barge lights, and a handmade Advent calendar of embroidered envelopes with a prophecy and an activity prompt for each day
Brenda VanHellen: make-ahead breakfast casserole, overnight bubble bread in a bundt pan, cookie tins shipped to Japan and New York, and a manger scene lit by the street
Carly Poulin: childhood ornaments, one-at-a-time gift opening with a designated Santa, soft-baked chocolate chip cookies, and slice-and-bake sugar cookies with pictures baked inside
Sarah Beaugh: baked oatmeal on Christmas morning, her mom's honey bars with the mayonnaise glaze, tamales on Christmas Eve, and the cradle-to-cross spiral candle wreath
Nichole Pace: an allergy-free cookie bake, allergen-free gingerbread house kits, Christmas Eve boxes with matching pajamas, and tracking Samaritan's Purse shoeboxes with her boys
Breanna Wakefield: Christmas morning at home before traveling, almond log cookies iced to look like birch bark, three trees including a book tree, and nightly Christmas light walks. Breanna looks forward to Connie's wild rice casserole all year. It's a recipe from her husband's grandmother and it's full of ingredients that remind Breanna of growing up in Minnesota. This recipe came from her father-in-law's mom who passed away a few years ago. The two were very close and he was delighted to know her recipe would be passed on to all of you!
Tree decorating party tips: check your expectations, hang lights and ribbon ahead of time, pull the tree into the middle of the room, borrow a second step ladder, set ornaments out on trays, put garlands and the topper on last, keep the food simple, and name a photographer
Essay: "Sleep in Heavenly Peace," on waiting for a grandchild and the peace Christ offers (Isaiah 26:3, John 14:27, Psalm 4:8)
Links: free Advent guide at theartofhomepodcast.com/Christmas · newsletter at theartofhomepodcast.com/subscribe · tip jar at buymeacoffee.com/theartofhome · feedback at theartofhomepodcast.com/contact
Catch up: Holiday Homemaking 2021 and 2022, eight episodes in the same format
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