There is nothing like watching the Sunday School children’s Christmas program to get you in the spirit of the season. Our four year old granddaughter, Calyn, took her part seriously as Mary in the manger scene. The message and songs of the evening reminded us that it is not the expensive gifts, but rather time spent together that makes the holidays special. Make sure that your holiday traditions exemplify your values. Time spent playing board or card games together, viewing your communities’ Christmas lights, or enjoying a sing-a-long can help define the holidays in a way that is meaningful to you.
If one of your goals during the holiday season is to teach your children that we are all part of a larger community, consider delivering meals on wheels or visiting a shut in. Remember that during and just following the holiday season is the most difficult time for almost all individuals who are not with loved ones. Levels of depression rise alarmingly during this time. This is especially true if someone has lost a loved one or has experienced other stressful events such as a divorce or the loss of a job.
Take time to celebrate your family during this holiday season!
Avoiding Food Disasters
When company is coming for dinner it always seems like Murphy’s law kicks. Keeping a good sense of humor through it all will help.  So you forgot the sugar in the pumpkin pie. Just add an extra scoop of ice cream and laugh. Here are a few food disaster remedies that may help you make it through the holidays.
When the sauce is too thick, stir in more liquid a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. Just a tablespoon at a time prevents you from having to fix the opposite problem! When guests arrive late, turn the oven down to warm and keep the meat and potatoes covered with foil. Turn vegetables off and remove the cover to avoid overcooking. Quickly reheat before serving.
When there is just too much seasoning in a dish, add more food or liquid to dilute it. Or try to absorb the extra seasoning with a peeled potato. When the holiday cookies seem to be drying out, add a slice of bread to the container to restore moistness. When you forget to chill a fruit salad or beverage, stick it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Be sure to set the timer!
And finally, when a food burns to the bottom of the pan, place a slice of bread on top of the food and let stand, covered, about five minutes to absorb the burned smell. Then dump out whatever comes easily without scraping.
Happy Holidays from everyone at the Barton County Extension Office!
Donna Krug is the Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Barton County. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or e-mail her at dkrug@ksu.edu