Category: Christmas / Yule

A Calendar of Yuletide Doings ... COVID Style!

12/4/2020

Even if Christmas sees us home alone this year, or with limited family or friends, here are some suggestions from the Meadow Sweet Grove fairy folk to make your season bright! Although 2020 might not allow for as much merry-making as is custom with Yule; you can still experience the magic of Christmas:

Dec 1 - Open your advent calendar
Dec 2 - Send pretty Christmas cards to friends
Dec 3 - Watch classic movies like: A Christmas Carol or It's a
              Wonderful Life
Dec 4 - Make a bowl of oranges studded with cloves - they smell
              wonderful

Dec 5 - Trim your cedar or holly tree and leave out the free trimmings for your neighbours ...
              or go on the search for pine cones or free trimmings someone left out for you!
Dec 6 - Decorate your front doorway with cedar boughs, holly & pine cones
Dec 7 - Build a snowman ... if you have snow, or watch Raymond Briggs' The Snowman
Dec 8 - Haul out the Christmas decorations and deck those halls
Dec 9 - Put up and decorate your Christmas Tree (save a few branches from the bottom)
Dec 10 - Make a wreath for the front door from stray branches cut from your Christmas tree
Dec 11 - Wrap up all those gifts you kindly purchased from Meadow Sweet Grove! Cut up old
                Christmas cards to use for tags
Dec 12 - Make catnip bags for the kitties or homemade treats for the doggies
Dec 13 - Do your grocery shop (online if you can) to gather all the Christmas fixings together for
                 the big day
Dec 14 - Put together a Christmas puzzle with a child, spouse, roommate or by yourself with a
                 glass of wine of course!
Dec 15 - Bake sugar cookies and cut into old-fashioned shapes like trees, stars, & snowmen
Dec 16 - Drop some of those cookies off on a neighbour's doorstep, knock, walk away and wave
                from a safe distance
Dec 17 - Watch funny movies like: A Christmas Story or Merry Christmas, Mr. Bean
Dec 18 - Make a cup of fancy hot chocolate
Dec 19 - Clean your little abode from top to bottom while listening to Christmas music
Dec 20 - Walk around the neighbourhood and look at all the Christmas lights

Dec 21 - Yule / Create a Winter Solstice Tree for all the little birds and
woodland creatures that visit your yard or balcony (click picture
to read how!)

Dec 22 - Watch unique cartoon movies like: Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas or Klaus
Dec 23 - Spend a quiet evening, gazing at the twinkling lights & enchanting ornaments on your
Christmas tree ... pour your favourite drink!
Dec 24 - Hang up your stocking, sit quietly by a window at midnight, and feel the approach of
Santa's sleigh

Dec 25 - Yule / Christmas - HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2020

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Decorating for Yule ... Naturally!

12/20/2019

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There are lots of little natural touches you can add to your home to "bring in the green" this Winter Solstice, Yule and Christmas Season! Here's a few quick and easy ideas:

Orange and clove pomanders
Trim the corners of your doors with sprigs of holly
Make a wreath starting with a wicker frame and add branches from your Christmas tree, some holly, winter berries, pine cones and anything else you can find in your garden or nature walks; add ribbon or bells
Fill a crystal or glass bowl with pine cones, bundles of cinnamon sticks and fancy ornaments

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2019

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Cleaning Out the Fridge After Christmas

1/4/2019

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1950s Refrigerator Advertisement

I hate to throw out food. It has just gotten too dear to fool around with!

Before Christmas and New Year's we purchase all kinds of groceries and goodies. We bake and cook - sometimes a little too much in anticipation of guests (Note: 2020-not this year of course!), and just in the spirit of abundance that the Yule Season represents. Hopefully, you have been freezing all your leftovers along the way - especially those best cuts of turkey.

I recommend taking a good look inside your fridge ... and now! Because that food is going to spoil if you don't get to it very soon. It's too easy to forget about something you bought and didn't use and that is now buried in the fridge, which is overly-stuffed with bits and pieces and leftovers. So do a proper clean-out to make sure you are saving as much of that food as possible.

Covered dishes are great for leftovers

Step 1:
What's in your fridge?
Take a good look on each and every shelf. Push everything aside so you know what is really in there. Remove all spoiled food and compost it, wrap up for the "green bin" (if your city provides that kind of recycling service) or toss out. Don't forget to reuse all those plastic, glass or metal containers ... if you haven't been using your very own covered dishes that is!

Step 2:
What's left?
Now take a look at what is left and prioritize. Do you have extra cheeses, vegetables and sauces? Make them part of the next few nights dinner plans so they don't go to waste, with these ideas:

~ Post-Christmas Dinner Plans ~

Various kinds of cheeses from cheese platters, sour cream, homemade dips =
"Put-It-All-Together" Macaroni & Cheese
Find the recipe here: february-when-theres-snow-on-the-snowdrops.html

Cherry tomatoes from finger food veg platters =
Spaghetti sauce or addition to salads. Or preserve and freeze to use as tomato sauce later on in the year.
Instructions here: january-make-even-more-of-the-food-you-buy-by-reincarnating-it.html

Left-over root vegetables like turnips, parsnips, carrots and potatoes =
Roast and serve as a side dish with meatloaf or fish dish.

Left-over vegetables like brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots, celery and peppers =
Stir fries, soups, omelets or cut up for snacking with hummus.

Left-over tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream and cheeses =
Nachos!

Left-over (or soft) mandarin oranges = Orange Slush

This is the absolute best! DO NOT throw out soft or wrinkled mandarin oranges. Wash, cut in half and juice. Pour the juice into a blender together with desired amount of sugar and some crushed ice. Blend and pour into glasses. Sooooo sweet!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2019 / edited 2020

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You Mean You Forgot Cranberries Too?

12/24/2018

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Cranberry Apple Chutney

Like cranberries with your turkey but dislike that "stuff in a can"? There is still just enough time to make your own for Christmas dinner!

~ Be forewarned! ~

This recipe makes SIX jars of cranberry sauce - I recommend cutting the ingredients in half ... unless you have an army eating at your house this Christmas Day!!

Cranberry Apple Chutney
2 medium apples, chopped
1 lemon, peeled and quartered
1 bag (12 oz / 340 g) thawed cranberries
1 cup raisins
4 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brandy
1 box powdered fruit pectin

Set the bag of frozen cranberries on the counter to thaw. Peel and coarsely chop the apples and lemon. Try and chop the raisins a little bit too! Then put apples, lemon and cranberries into food processor / chopper, a few at a time, until coarsely chopped. Remove and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped raisins. Then add all the sugar and mix thoroughly until completely mixed. Let stand for 10 minutes.

In a small saucepan, mix water, brandy and pectin. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour over the fruit and sugar. Continue stirring for another 3 minutes until well mixed but don't worry if a few fruit pectin crystals remain.

Pour into sterilized jars and seal tightly. Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Will store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or freeze to keep longer.

It's Christmas Eve and I know you have lots to do ... but since you are probably in the kitchen anyway, you might have just enough time to whip up a batch of fresh Cranberry Apple Chutney to accompany the Christmas turkey this year .. and impress the heck out of folks!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018

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Want to Save Money this Christmas? Buy Used!

11/26/2018

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I LOVE buying vintage items ... or just plain used! It's a way of life for me - why pay more when you don't have to? (Mother Nature will love you too for keeping good, reusable items out of the landfills!)

"Buy everything used when you can,
and only buy new when you can't" Meadow Sweet Grove / Vicki Buchanan

How can we apply this axiom to the hunt for Christmas prezzies? By visiting your local thrift stores of course, but expand that search at this time of year to include Christmas Markets, Craft Sales and Bazaars! Often the seniors centers and churches have the best sales and selection of vintage items. Since they are volunteer-run, they usually sell items at a much lower cost than thrift stores, who have to pay their employees; and the hand-crafted items are generally of exceptional quality.

Take a look at who's on your Christmas List

Book lover:
As long as you know the genre they enjoy, you really can't miss by buying 1/2 dozen paperbacks - there is sure to be one they haven't read - and your outlay is low, low, low. Insert a hand-made bookmark.

Music lover:
There is a huge sub-culture of music lovers returning to vinyl records. These types of venues often have stacks of old records. Again, as long as you know their preference, you can pick out several records for just a few dollars - make sure you take a good look at them and avoid any with obvious warps or scratches. Your audiophile will appreciate the superior sound quality of vinyl records versus digital reproductions and you can't beat the artwork / photography on some of those old album covers. If they don't fancy the recording, they might find the cover is worth framing - especially if it is kitsch!

Foodie:
Back to the books! Always lots of old cookbooks at your local Christmas Bazaar. Pair one with a vintage Pyrex mixing bowl, a couple of wooden spoons or potholders from the handcrafted aisle, and you'll still come out spending less money than buying some trendy new gadget at your local cooking store. Or buy a couple of bags of spices that are mentioned in some of the recipes. Don't forget to take a good look around - sometimes you'll find kitchen items from trends that have come and gone and come back in again. Like a fondue pot or an ice bucket ... okay, maybe don't buy the fondue pot but try to resist that retro ice bucket - if you can!

Pet Lover:
Look for hand-made catnip bags and doggie "poop bag" carriers. They are significantly cheaper than those available at the over-priced pet stores that are cashing in on your love of the fur babies!

Ladies:
There is always lots of vintage china at church sales. Find a pretty teacup and saucer (if you're lucky, a vintage tea strainer/ball) - buy some tea to go with it and you have a wonderful gift. Don't forget the jewellery! You might find a wonderful aurora borealis necklace from the 1950s or funky vintage Avon sets from the 1970s. You'll be amazed at the well-made costume jewellery from the past ... and amazingly low prices too! And so much more unique than purchasing new. Don't worry about used earrings - just give those posts a good clean with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or even plain old white vinegar! Buy some little organza drawstring bags from the dollar store and you now have beautiful presentation for your jewellery gift or pack up the tea things in a re-usable decorator cardboard box - also at your local dollar store.

Gentlemen:
Everyone is keen on saving the environment these days aren't they? Find some old over-sized vintage handkerchiefs for the boys. Wash and iron them. Even if he doesn't want to use them at work or at home, they're handy in the car for coffee spills or wiping a spot off the windshield. Indispensable in his pocket while working in the garden or the workshop for wiping the sweat off his hard-working brow!

Children:
Young children are the easiest. With usually boxes of toys to choose from, you can put together a nice little collection of toy cars, doll clothes, board games (check to make sure all the pieces are present) or some little stuffed animals. Take them home and give them a good clean. Plastic toys can be wiped down and the little crevices cleaned with a wet Q-tip. Stuffed animals can go right in your washing machine, with mild soap and cold water on the gentle cycle. Let them sit on a towel to dry. Barbie and doll clothes can be washed in the sink in a similar fashion. When dry, mend any little tears. Put them all together in zippered toiletry / cosmetic bags or small decorative boxes from the dollar store. Parents will appreciate that your gift comes with its own storage ... and not all that ridiculous plastic packaging that takes a hacksaw to get into!! Seriously, this reduces frustration on Christmas morning when the little one has to wait for scissors to be found, packaging to be cut ... not to mention cutting or untwisting all those superfluous tie-downs. And then somehow removing the delicate plastic toy without breaking it!

The amazing thing is that by shopping this way, you actually will find you think more about the person you are buying for. What do they really like? Would they be able to use this item? What could I pair it with? You spend less, yes, and save the environment too, but the result is actually more personalized ... and thoughtful, which is ultimately what gift-giving is all about!

~ Ending with a Heart-warming Story ~

My daughter was indoctrinated early into the thrill of the thrift store. Honestly, from the earliest days (when she was still in a carriage), I wheeled her in. She soon learned how quickly Mom would say yes, when a coveted toy was only $2, versus a brand-new toy in a "regular" store, complete with its copious packaging ... and retailing for $30. My sweetest recollection was when she was about 3 years old and playing with a Winnie-the-Pooh musical toy. It had a keyboard and Winnie, Tigger and Eeyore figures standing up at the top ... all ready to chime in when pulled. When it was time to leave, she reluctantly put the toy back on the shelf without even asking if she could have it (already she knew I had a limit on the "physical size" for toys). I told her to bring it along to the cashier and the look on her face was so dear - "We're getting it???" she breathed. That is the pleasure of second-hand shopping and that is the pleasure of being able to say yes, when a toy is only $3.99 ... with working batteries included!!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2018 / edited 2019

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Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe

12/29/2017

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The fairies at Meadow Sweet Grove just love fruitcake ...

If you research fruit cake recipes, you will find literally dozens and dozens of versions.
Here's one that I used for the single-layer cake featured here, inspired by a recipe in
"The Victorian Kitchen Book of Cakes and Cookies", but altered to suit our taste.

Ingredients for cake:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup gold raisins
1 cup currants
1 cup mixed peel (glace mix)
about 1/4 cup milk

Ingredients for topping:
2 to 3 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup butter
milk
vanilla

Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg. Sift the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Add to the wet mixture, a bit at a time, blending well. Fold in all the fruit. Add enough milk to create a very thick, but also very sticky mixture.

Grease two 8 inch cakes tins very well. Fold in the cake mixture and press down into sides. Slap and press the top of the mixture until you create a tight fit in the pans.

Bake at 300° for 1 1/2 hours. Remove, cover with parchment paper (to prevent burning) and bake for an additional 1 1/2 hours.

Absolutely essential extras:
Brandy, cheesecloth, tinfoil and a sealed container.

Instructions:
Pour brandy into a small mixing bowl. Soak cheesecloth until saturated. Lift cheesecloth and gently wrap around cake, stretching to fit and turning to cover well. When completely covered, wrap in tin foil and seal in container. Repeat process, once a week, for up to 6 weeks.

We are fortunate enough to have a holly tree living with us in the Grove and he kindly provided a sprig for the Christmas Fruit Cake. The sprig of holly is non-essential but incredibly traditional and gives a wonderfully earthy feel; so nice if you can get your hands on a piece to top your cake!

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A Calendar of Yuletide Doings

12/1/2017

3 Comments

A Calendar of Yuletide Doings

Here are some suggestions from the Meadow Sweet Grove fairy folk for "daily doings" leading up to Christmas Day (pick your own order!), to celebrate this magical time of the year:

Make an "old shop window" with your french door and fake snow.

Dec 1 - Take a child out for a cup of fancy hot chocolate
Dec 2 - Donate clothes, bottles & household items to a local charity
Dec 3 - Send pretty Christmas cards to friends
Dec 4 - Buy Christmas Crackers
Dec 5 - Build a snowman ... if you have snow! Or make a bowl of
              clove studded oranges.
Dec 6 - Watch old movies: A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life
Dec 7 - Attend a local Christmas event
Dec 8 - Trim your cedar or holly tree and leave out the free trimmings for
               your neighbours
Dec 9 - Decorate your front doorway with cedar boughs, holly &
               pine cones
Dec 10 - Put up and decorate your Christmas Tree
Dec 11 - Make a wreath for the front door from stray branches cut from
                 your Christmas tree
Dec 12 -  Listen to all your favourite Christmas songs
Dec 13 - Wrap gifts (cut up old Christmas cards to use for tags)
Dec 14 - Gather lots of nummy food and treats together for the big day
Dec 15 - Bake cookies and share with neighbours and friends
Dec 16 - Clean your little abode, ready to receive guests
Dec 17 - Watch movies: A Christmas Story, Merry Christmas Mr. Bean
Dec 18 - Enjoy a Christmas Concert in a lovely old venue such as a local church or hall
Dec 19 - Put together a Christmas puzzle with a child or friend
Dec 20 - Walk around the neighbourhood and look at all the Christmas lights
Dec 21 - Create a Winter Solstice Tree for the woodland creatures that visit your yard or balcony
(see last year's blog post for instructions: winter-solstice-december-21st-merry-yule.html)
Dec 22 - Watch movies: A Charlie Brown Christmas, White Christmas
Dec 23 - Spend a quiet evening, gazing at the twinkling lights & enchanting ornaments
                on your Christmas tree
Dec 24 - Hang up your stocking, sit quietly by a window at midnight, and feel the approach
                of Santa's sleigh
Dec 25 - Yule / Christmas - Have a Merry Christmas!

                                                                                                           Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2016/2017/edited 2019

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A Calendar of Yuletide Doings

12/1/2016

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Picture of Vintage German Advent Calendar

Vintage German Advent Calendar, c1950

A Calendar of Yuletide Doings

Here are some suggestions from the
Meadow Sweet Grove fairy folk for daily doings leading up to Christmas Day (pick your own order!), to celebrate this magical time of the year:

Make an old shop window

Dec 1 - Take a child out for a cup of fancy hot chocolate
Dec 2 - Donate clothes, bottles, household items to charity
Dec 3 - Send pretty Christmas cards to friends
Dec 4 - Buy Christmas Crackers
Dec 5 - Build a snowman ... if you have snow! Or make a bowl of
   oranges decorated with cloves.
Dec 6 - Watch old movies: A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life
Dec 7 - Take part in a local Christmas event
Dec 8 - Trim your cedar or holly tree and leave out free for neighbours
Dec 9 - Decorate your front doorway with cedar boughs, holly,
   pinecones
Dec 10 - Put up and deocorate your Christmas Tree
Dec 11 - Make a wreath for the front door
Dec 12 -  Listen to all your favourite Christmas songs
Dec 13 - Wrap gifts (cut up old Christmas cards for tags)
Dec 14 - Gather lots of nummy food and treats together for the big day
Dec 15 - Bake cookies and share with neighbours and friends
Dec 16 - Clean your little abode, ready to receive guests
Dec 17 - Watch: A Christmas Story
Dec 18 - Enjoy a Christmas Concert in a lovely venue such as a old church or hall
Dec 19 - Put together a Christmas puzzle with a child or friend
Dec 20 - Walk around the neighbourhood and look at all the Christmas lights
Dec 21 - Create a Winter Solstice Tree for the woodland creatures
(see instructions in folowing weeks!)
Dec 22 - Watch: A Charlie Brown Christmas, White Christmas
Dec 23 - Spend a quiet evening, gazing at the twinkling lights & enchanting
  ornaments on your Christmas tree
Dec 24 - Hang up your stocking, sit quietly by a window at midnight, and feel
  the approach of Santa's sleigh
Dec 25 - Yule / Christmas - Have a Merry Christmas!
Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2016

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Deck the Halls ... and your coffee table too!

11/22/2016

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Vintage German Christmas Postcard Toadstool

Vintage German postcard

The dark time of the year is also one of the most festive. The fairies are busy readying their little homes to prepare for all the happy visits from friends and family ... and Santa Claus of course. After all, Santa wouldn't miss this chance to party with his kinfolk!

Most of us have some cherished decorations that we lovingly bring out and display for the whole Yuletide season. It's nice to bring in some of Mother Nature's evergreen decorations too such as a pine, holly and cedar boughs to warm up and brighten our homes which remind us that the trees are only sleeping and life is an everlasting cycle.

A lot of fairies have small homes and so it may seem silly to have dishes with Christmas motifs that can only be used once a year. While a full set of dishes might cramp their style (or storage spaces!), a single decorative serving plate or tray is a very pretty accent to set out with some cookies, nuts, or other Christmas fare. The fairies have at least one such plate in their homes, stocked with yummy treats to welcome anyone who might stop by ... especially the biggest elf of all - Santa!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2016

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