Holidays

6 Easy Tips To Host a Simple 4th of July Picnic

June 26, 2023 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

July 4th is right around the corner. Maybe you're planning a picnic to celebrate. I hope so! Because I have some suggestions for hosting a simple picnic that won't leave you scrambling to do all the things and never enjoying the event. Shop Early Buy beverages and paper products in advance. I prefer to handle this labor-intensive shopping trip early. Drinks are heavy! Last-minute errands will arise for forgotten items. So deal with the non-perishables early and save time. During my weekly shopping trip, I shop for my meal plan and the picnic. I stock up on items like onions, garlic, butter, olive oil, mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. I also buy the hot dogs and ground beef and store them in the freezer until picnic day. Let Guests Help Everyone asks this question, "What Can I Bring?" This time, be ready with an answer and make the party fun for you and your guests. Plan the menu, make a list, and delegate items to your guests when they ask. Be specific and make it easy for …

5 Fun Things to Do on Black Friday Instead of Shopping

November 21, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Truth be told, I have wonderful childhood memories of Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Our routine included grandma’s cooking times two! For many years, my mom was an intentional Black Friday shopper. As a busy working mom, she capitalized on the day off and finished most of her shopping in one day. Would you like to create a simple Christmas? Learn more in my Christmas Workshop and 3 Digital Downloads. Check it out here! Coffee, Dessert, and Flyers The Black Friday tradition began with the “newspaper flyers”. They arrived Wednesday, unlike modern-day Black Friday advertising. After dinner, Grandma Ruth served apple, mincemeat, and pumpkin pie. She poured coffee as we broke open the cellophane package of ads for Friday's sales. The next day, my mom dutifully packed turkey sandwiches and carried a hand-written list with her Christmas Club envelope. This was money saved weekly from her paycheck which created the gift budget and not a …

How to Make Homemade Hot Cocoa and Marshmallows

January 3, 2022 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Are you looking for a snow day activity? My dear friend Danielle shared this recipe with me years ago. And it's now part of our New Year's gifts. My husband and I create gift bags for the neighbors including hot cocoa, taco seasoning, homemade vanilla extract, brownie mix, and sugar bath scrub. But everyone notices if their hot cocoa does not include Homemade Marshmallows. Yes...you can make homemade marshmallows and it's kinda fun. I customize each gift bag to the recipient and don't always make everything. That defeats the purpose of a simple, homemade gift. Just think of the list as options to consider. You can google recipes for all of them. But first the cocoa, it's easy. Hot Cocoa Just 4 ingredients, mix in a bowl, done! 2 C Dry Milk 2/3 C Sugar 2/3 C Cocoa 2 tsp Cinnamon Fill any sized Mason Jar or container of your choice with cocoa. You can make as many or as few gifts as you’d like by portioning the mix. Print this cute tag and attach …

Have You Ever Wanted To Skip Christmas?

December 7, 2021 by Amy Slenker-Smith 4 Comments

A few years ago, I watched a movie based on John Grisham's, Skipping Christmas. In Christmas with the Kranks, Tim Allen proposes that he and his wife (Jamie Lee Curtis) take the $6,100 they normally spend on Christmas and go on a Caribbean cruise. He arrives home with the flyer, ready to buy the tickets. Since their only daughter won't be home, he makes a strong case to skip all the work and expense of a traditional holiday. Wouldn’t a real vacation be better? Imagine lounging in the sun, umbrella drink in-hand! Sign me up! Is Skipping Christmas possible? But it made me think? Is Skipping Christmas really possible? Maybe. I already skip parts of Christmas, like obligatory events and tasks. But I kept the parties and experiences. Do you see the difference? When my to-do list held only chores and errands, I found myself rushing to just get it done! Now, my list is filled with holiday experiences. Here’s how it changed over the years. …

Experiences Not Stuff

November 5, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith 4 Comments

The trip can be the gift Experiences, not stuff, that’s my motto. Winter break offers an ideal time to travel and often allows trips to be our primary Christmas gift. This year we plan to ski because it's an outside sport and one we love. Traveling is a treat for all of us. And while we plan to drive this year, my son navigates airports like a pro as he's been flying since age 3. I’m smiling as I look back on the whirlwind of travel in late 2016, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Each memory equally strong and precious because the experiences will stand the test of time and outlast any Christmas present. No tangible item compares to the time I had with husband, son, and parents. Little Things and the Starbucks Effect Through daily life, we intentionally sacrifice stuff for experiences…prioritizing game night, family dinners, and movie night. But we also budget travel in lieu of weekly trips to Target or expensive Christmas gifts. The "Starbucks …

I Think Shopping Has Made Me Hate Christmas

December 22, 2017 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Ok - perhaps hate is too strong of a word, but I strongly dislike shopping. I cannot sugar coat it. Last week was Week 3 of my holiday preparation. During this week, I attempted to focus on Gift Making & Shopping. As you’d expect, this is my least favorite week of the season. All week, I struggled to get going. Even writing about shopping felt like a chore because it's so counter to what inspires me about living a minimalist lifestyle. Perhaps like me, you also feel bogged down by the “need” for excessive gift giving and family expectations. In fact, I know you do! Because I’ve talked to you at my speaking engagements. Gift Giving is the #1 question I field at these events especially from exasperated parents. Gift making is a completely different story. Photo calendars for the grandparents, cookies and mason jar mixes. The recipients look forward to these gifts and return empty jars for refills. Delivering these homemade items makes us feel like Santa with the …

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