Here’s my top 10 list of traditions that connect me and my family to the season.

Please share any of your favorite holiday things with me. I’m always thrilled to discover new and wonderful treasures.

German Pickle Ornaments: Growing up, we always had the pickle ornament. Admittedly, we didn’t follow the German tradition that holds that whoever finds the pickle gets an extra present. Trust me, I would have won every year. I still love it when I open that little box every year and unwrap the pickle from its tissue slumber. You just have to love a glass pickle ornament. There are no two ways about it.

pickle ornament

Giving little gifties to the neighbors: For the last few years, I’ve made cookies for each of the neighbors. It seemed to be a great idea in the beginning–as I began looking through my cookbooks and Sunset magazines for the best and most wonderful cookie concoctions this side of the Mississippi. And when I began making the cookies and the house smelled wonderful and I felt homey and domestic, it was just all fantastic.  And then, hours later, when I was covered in flour and the spritz cookies looked like lumps of playdough and I still had nine dozen cookies left to make, well, let’s just say the holiday spirit seemed to wane. So last year, I cheated big time and opted for M&Ms and candy cane Hershey’s Kisses in cute little boxes. Cheating never tasted so good!

Jackie Gleason’s Christmas Album: What many people don’t know about this particular Honeymooner is that he was a renowned band leader and composer. This album is, for me, the sound of Christmas. It is the album my parents would put on as we opened presents every year. It’s soulful, jazzy, retro and perfect for a little nip of brandy by the fire.

jackie gleason christmas album

Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas: They used to show this on TV every year, and it’s just the sweetest thing in the world. Honestly, who could resist a show that has a song with these lyrics:
So, get the frown off your face
We’re gonna replace it with a grin and a dream come true
With a perty girl dancin’ to jug-band music
And a mess of mama’s barbecue.
They sell this on DVD and VHS at Target sometimes, so please look for it. It’s one of those rare treasures.

emmet otter's jug band christmas

Handmade presents from your little ones: So far, my sons have given me tree ornaments made out of:
–A wooden spoon, the little kind that used to come with the containers of ice cream you’d get at elementary school parties in the ’70s;
–A white clay snowman that looked beautiful and was then “deconstructed” by my abstract modernist 5-year-old;
–A pine cone sculpture that puts Rodin to shame;
–A glittery snowflake tree topper.
But my favorite must be the handprint wreath wall-hanging. I mean, really? How cute could this possibly be?

Barefoot Contessa French Chocolate Bark: I’m a bit of a sucker for Ina Garten, so when I saw this holiday recipe, I couldn’t resist trying it. It’s unbelievably amazing and makes a beautiful treat to share with friends and neighbors.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 24 pieces
Ingredients:
9 1/2 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces very good bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole roasted, salted cashews
1 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions: Melt the two chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Using a ruler and a pencil, draw a 9-by-10-inch rectangle on the paper. Turn the paper facedown on the baking sheet.
Pour the melted chocolate over the paper and spread to form a rectangle, using the outline. Sprinkle the cashews, apricots and cranberries over the chocolate. Set aside for two hours until firm. Cut the bark in 1-by-3-inch pieces and serve at room temperature. 2007, Ina Garten, All rights reserved.

Barefoot Contessa French Chocolate Bark

German Pyramids: My mama has a beautiful collection of authentic German figurines, music boxes and pyramids. My favorite of all time is a large wooden Advent pyramid. You light the candles and the heat from the flame makes the propeller blades turn, which then makes the little figures around the bottom spin in a procession. It has four little doors that you open each Sunday of Advent. On my mama’s dining room table, I thought it was the most magical thing in the world. Still do.

german advent pyramid

Tom & Jerry’s: My grandma Deedles had a beautiful white Tom & Jerry bowl with little mugs to match. I prefer Tom & Jerry’s to eggnog any day of the week. The drink is sweet and warm and totally yummy. This recipe does call for uncooked eggs, which, for some of you, might be a deal-breaker. I totally understand. But for those willing to give it a try, you won’t be disappointed. 
Here’s Deedles’ recipe: 
2 eggs (I know, I know, but just bear with me)
1/3 cup sugar (superfine is best)
3 drops vanilla extract
Pinch of baking soda
2 tablespoons of your favorite whiskey or 1/2 rum and 1/2 brandy–for each serving
Scalded milk
Nutmeg (freshly ground if possible)
Directions: Beat the whites and yolks of the two eggs separately until very light. Add 1/3 cup sugar to egg whites, continuing to beat until fluffy. Add the beaten egg yolks to whites of eggs. Add three drops of vanilla and a pinch of baking soda, continuing to beat well. Put desired liquor into each mug and fill with scalded milk. Stir and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serves 8.

tom and jerry's

Dropping gift hints: Do you remember when they used to give away prizes in which you went to a store and grabbed as much stuff as you could in like five minutes? Picture desperate ladies zooming down the aisles and throwing things into their shopping cart willy-nilly. If someone would like to give me that for Anthropologie, I’d be forever grateful. Just saying.

Last, but certainly not least, See’s Scotchmallow candies: Although I’m hard-pressed to discover a See’s candy I’m not in love with, I must say, over the years–and over many, many taste tests–Scotchmallow has my vote. Honey marshmallow, caramel and chocolate. My Grandma Deedles loved them–as well as Bordeaux and apricot bon bons–and I love them, too. Have a box for me. Or send me one. I’ve been very good this year

scotchmallow

Originally published December 2010 Walnut Creek Patch

photo courtesy Getty Images

It’s the holiday season. Christmas trees on the tops of cars. Shoppers bustling through the stores, peppermint mochas in hand. Squeezing into that little black dress for the holiday party next weekend. It is indeed a wonderful (albeit Spanx-ridden time). But if you’re like me, there are moments when it all seems a little overwhelming. When trying to balance the spirit of goodwill with the holiday to-do list seems almost impossible. Yesterday, I was trying to get a little Christmas shopping done at BroadwayPlaza, the ringing of Salvation Army bells in my ears. I was looking through the window of the Kate Spade store (pardon the drool) when a woman (you know who you are, my dear) literally pushed me into the wall with her shopping bags and muttered “move it” as she passed. And as initially irate as I was, I recognized in her that frantic holiday feeling I get sometimes – that feeling that everything has to be absolutely perfect and Martha Stewart-like in order for it to be a happy holiday at all.

I knew how she felt – shopping bags askew, gift list a mile long, cookies to bake, school holiday parties to plan – and I realized that I, too, could be just like her. Forgetting what the season is all about and becoming mired down in the details. But not this year. No, this year I’m going to approach the holidays with a little less zeal and a little more Zen – and here’s how you can too.

1)      You don’t have to cook everything

Here’s a little secret. When it comes to food, most of the time people can’t tell if something is homemade or store-bought. Certain things, yes. Like chocolate chip cookies, for example. There is literally nothing in the entire world like a homemade Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookie. Except maybe two Nestle Toll House chocolate chip cookies. But typically, there’s not a whole lot of sense behind driving yourselves bonkers making puff pastry from scratch or chopping basil for 3 days to craft homemade pesto. Now, I’m not saying you should never go all out and cook every single thing from scratch. I committed to doing it for a month this year (don’t ask) like some sort of crazed pioneer woman. And, while there were fleeting moments of blissful domesticity, honestly, I couldn’t wait until the month was over.  For some reason, when the holidays come around, there’s this sense that if you didn’t make it, you’re going to ruin the entire holiday season. I can’t tell you how many women at dinner parties feel compelled to confess that they’ve “cheated” on the dinner by buying certain dishes. That’s not cheating. That’s mitigating insanity. And I’m all for it. So for yourHoliday party this year, lay down your apple corers and pasta makers, pry your clenched fingers from the rolling pins and juicers and do yourself a favor. Hop on down to Trader Joe’s and treat yourself to some frozen appetizers, pop them in the oven and, when everyone asks how you could have possibly made such delightful delicacies, smile and proudly tell them you bought them in the freezer aisle. Cause that’s how you roll.

2)      Your presents don’t have to look perfect

Now, if you know me at all, you know that I’m obsessed with paper. I’m the crazy lady who strolls through the container store admiring the wrapping paper for fun. And for many years, I succumbed to my inner demons and worked my fingers to the bone creating “the perfectly wrapped present.” A lot of this is genetic, since my mother is the quintessential present wrapper. Her gifts are like pieces of fine art – gorgeous papers, exquisitely tied ribbons – and my DNA is programmed to follow in her scotch-taped footsteps. But last year when I found myself covered in paper cuts and muttering under my breath with each package, I realized that I was only doing this to maintain some sort of image. Do my children care if the ribbon picks up a subtle accent color in the wrapping paper? Do they really mind if the corners aren’t creased perfectly as they tear through each present like little hurricanes? No. What’s more, why, oh, why didn’t I allow those nice teenagers at Barnes & Noble to wrap my presents for me? This year, I’m taking a deep breath and when someone offers me free gift wrap, I’m going to say “Of course!” and watch them as I sip my non-fat peppermint mocha in peace.

3)      You don’t have to decorate every square inch of your house

Now, I truly need to take a dose of my own medicine on this one. Every year I am compulsive about filling every nook and cranny of my home with Christmas decorations. The tube sock snowman my son made in kindergarten? Right here! The oversized German woodcutter nutcracker? Over there! Enough lights on the tree to illuminate a small village? Of course! And I do it because I think my children can’t survive without living inside a replica of Santa’s workshop. But it’s not necessary. Yes, there are certain decorations with lovely sentimental value, like pickle ornaments and stockings my husband’s grandmother made, but overall if you find yourself going crazy as each plastic storage box of decorations is emptied, then take a break from the madness. Decide with decorations you adore and which ones you just put up because you’ve gotten into the habit of it. This year I left a lot of decorations in the box, like the paper mache Santa from our old neighbor. Because, honestly, the paper mache Santa from our old neighbor belongs in the box.

4)      You can stop and smell the fruitcake

Finally, the best advice I can give during this busy holiday season is to take a moment and enjoy it. Before our wedding, a dear friend told gave us a piece of sage wisdom – to, at some point during the reception, just stand quietly and take it all in. Reflect on the fact that all of your friends and family are there to celebrate you and remember what the day is truly for. The same advice works wonders for the holiday season. Take a minute. Smell the fruitcake. Sit in your living room next to a nice fire, listening to Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald sing “Baby it’s Cold Outside”. Put on your pajamas and watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with your kids. Meet a friend for coffee and laugh. Just take a few moments for yourself. Remember all that makes this season wonderful and give your loved ones an extra squeeze from me. For that is worth more than homemade pesto anyday.

*Originally published December 2010 Walnut Creek Patch

For listening with your children

A Christmas Together: John Denver and the Muppets

Best Track: “The Twelve Days of Christmas”

Second Best: “A Baby Just Like You” Not only does this album feature the irreplaceable John Denver singing some of the most beautiful carols of the season, it highlights all of your favorite Muppet characters: Miss Piggy, Kermit, Fozzy Bear, Gonzo … even Animal makes an appearance on “Little Saint Nick.” For me, the highlight of the album is “The Twelve Days of Christmas” if for no other reason than you get to hear Miss Piggy’s warbly soprano on “five golden rings.” For those of us who grew up with the Muppets, it’ll be a walk down memory lane. And for those too young to remember, it’s a timeless introduction to the wonder of Jim Henson.

For a retro holiday cocktail party

Christmas Album: Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass

Best Track: “My Favorite Things”

Second Best: “Winter Wonderland”

In 1962, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass debuted with a new sound – trumpets and beats and a distinctive Latin flair. Their aptly titled “Christmas Album” is the perfect mix of holiday favorites and retro brilliance. Imagine a Mad Men holiday party with margaritas. My favorite track is Alpert’s rendition of The Sound of Music’s “My Favorite Things.” You can’t help but smile and swing your hips. And be sure to listen to “Winter Wonderland.” It makes me think of Mary Tyler Moore in the snow.

For motivation while wrapping presents

A Very Special Christmas Vol. 1: Various Artists

Best Track: “Christmas in Hollis” by Run DMC

Second Best: “Merry Christmas Baby” by Bruce Springsteen

What were you doing during the holidays in 1987? If you’re anything like me, you were listening to the fabulous compilation album, A Very Special Christmas Vol. 1. This benefit collection features such greats as The Pretenders singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and Stevie Nicks’ haunting version of “Silent Night.” But the best has to be Run DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis.” Honestly, you hear those first chords and the beat behind, and you’ll be wrapping presents with renewed rhythm and swagger. And don’t miss Bruce Springsteen’s “Merry Christmas Baby.” The Boss has outdone himself.

For sitting by the fire with your sweetie

Christmas Songs: Diana Krall

Best Track: “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

Second Best: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

There’s just something about Diana Krall. Her voice is deep and rich and just makes you feel sultry and cool. Her Christmas Songs album is a fantastic accompaniment to sitting by the fireplace, maybe even with someone cute. There’s something remarkably simple about her singing – no bells and whistles – just a beautiful voice and a little piano and snare drum. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” has never sounded so good.

For those moments when a little country is needed

Now That’s What I Call a Country Christmas: Various Artists

Best Track: “Silent Night” by Johnny Cash

Second Best: “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives

This album is a veritable goldmine of country greats: Brad Paisley, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn – just to name a few. Where else can you find Johnny Cash singing “Silent Night” and Daruis Rucker (yes, Hootie) belting out “Winter Wonderland”? With 29 songs to choose from, you’re sure to find something to get those boots tapping. And don’t miss Burl Ives singing “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” from the 1964 television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

For those of you who wanted to be in an a cappella group in college (or just like in Glee)

Holiday Spirits: Straight No Chaser

Best Track: “12 Days of Christmas Live”

Second Best: “This Christmas”

I’ll admit., I’m a sucker for a cappella. And, yes, I watch Glee. But my adoration for this accompaniment-less genre really started in college when “The Mendicants” (one of the myriad a cappella groups on campus) came to sing at my freshman dorm and I swooned. Since then, I’ve kept up my love for all things harmonic – especially Indiana University’s own Straight No Chaser. If you haven’t heard them, maybe you’ve seen them on YouTube – their video of “The 12 Days of Christmas” has more than 8 million hits and you can see why. Their melodies and personalities are infectious and you’ll love how 80s band Toto makes a seamless appearance during those twelve days.

For no reason other than it’s wonderful

A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Vince Guaraldi Trio

Best Track: “O Tannenbaum”

Second Best: “Linus and Lucy”

Who could forget Charlie Brown and his poor little Christmas tree – so small and forlorn? The long-running television special is still a favorite of mine and my boys look forward to it all year long. I think one of the secrets to its longevity is the soundtrack – masterfully composed by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. This album, with its jazzy bass guitar and soulful piano, is a wonderful addition to any holiday collection – with the added benefit of the Peanut’s theme song, “Linus and Lucy.” You’ll be-bop right along to the music in spite of yourself.

I could go on. Willie Nelson and Norah Jones singing “Baby, it’s Cold Outside”…Frank Sinatra singing “Jingle Bells”…Johnny Mathis singing “Sleigh Ride”… Sara Bareilles singing “Winter Song”…and, especially, The Weepies singing “All That I Want”…much like Nick and Norah, I have an infinite playlist. And I’m always looking for something new. I’d love to hear your holiday favorites…for every occasion!

first, “her eyes and her dreams were the color of the sea”…

her eyes and her dreams were the color of the sea

next, “she carried with her the sea”

and, finally, because it reminds me so much of all the best things about my sweetheart, “nigel and lily embracing at sea”

so, again, when i’m big and fancy and have a hundred white walls to fill, you’ll know what to get me as a housewarming present. until then, i’ll put them up in my mind and wait…for more gorgeous artwork, visit http://amandablakeart.com/home.html

what mrs dewey did with the new jell-o

it’s that time again, ladies and gentlemen! time for Deedles’ holiday jell-o salad recipe!

i don’t know about your grandmothers, but my grandmother deedles loved jell-o. jell-o molds, jell-o parfaits, jell-o with just a dollop of mayonnaise on the top…jell-o was something yummy and sophisticated and worthy of purchasing several differently sized and shaped plastic jell-o molds for various occasions. as such, i love jell-o, too. perhaps not with the mayonnaise, but i do love it – especially around the holidays when i get to make her raspberry pretzel jell-o extravaganza. curious? here’s the recipe..(trust me..it’s divine!)

Bottom layer:

hold my heart

Exactly one year ago, my husband and two sons and I were landing in the Newark airport to visit my husband’s family for the Thanksgiving holidays. As any parent knows, a cross-country flight with children can have its obstacles. We were duly armed to the teeth with Wimpy Kid books, Chex mix, and fully-charged iPhones. Once there, we enjoyed a beautiful time – taking the boys to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, peeking out over New York City from the top of the Empire State Building, visiting my own personal Mecca, the New York Public Library. Bundled in our scarves and winter coats, we soaked up all that our family had to offer and flew home, a bit tired and a lot grateful.

In the weeks following that trip, the meaning of the word “grateful” would take on an entirely new meaning, with my husband’s diagnosis of testicular cancer.  What began as a rather mundane doctor’s appointment, ended with a phone call that would change our lives forever. Suddenly, we were thrust into a new vocabulary in which words like treatment and prognosis found their way into our daily life. It was scary and humbling and ultimately began a new chapter in both of our lives. Doctors told us, “if you’re going to get a kind of cancer, this is the kind to have”, based on the success of various types of treatment and remission rates. We took that small nugget of optimism and ran with it, putting on our armor of humor and positive thinking as a means of steeling ourselves against a mysteriously ominous foe.

My husband, God bless him, took this opportunity to develop an arsenal of jokes – he was “having a ball”…he was “one tough nut”…he was even “a sad sack.” And the jokes helped. We held on to one another and laughed and cried and moved forward in the best way we knew how. Through surgery, through radiation and towards whatever lay on the other side.

To say I fell in love with my husband all over again during his radiation sounds quite unbelievable and yet that’s exactly what I did. To watch my tall, handsome partner come home each day during his three week treatment with a tired smile on his face was devastating and reassuring all at the same time. There were nights when he couldn’t unbutton his own shirt. There were nights when he seemed right as rain and we talked over hot slices of Extreme Pizza and everything seemed safe in the world. And the juxtaposition of those two realities became our new normal. To say we were changed by this would be the understatement of the century.

The news of the diagnosis, the surgery, the doctors, the radiation and the “we’ll see you in six months” forever altered our mindset and our vision of life. We became grateful of new things – pieces of our relationship that, perhaps, we had never even noticed before. We pulled our sons to us closer, we saw our friendships with new eyes and we became thankful in a way that seemed more true and authentic.

And then, two weeks after my husband finished his last radiation treatment, my father unexpectedly passed away. One moment I was at my son’s Little League game and the next I was driving down Interstate 580 towards my hometown and my mother, suddenly a widow and I, suddenly fatherless. With this loss, came a sharp, new sadness – one that held no optimism for future good news, leaving just a wake of seemingly unending sadness.  The first few weeks were a  whirlwind of phone calls, documents, flowers, casseroles, sleeping pills and the keen awareness that I had to keep up appearances for my two children.

Seven months later, I still find it nearly impossible to wrap my head around these two experiences. It is hard work, this grief, and it continues through many iterations. There are days in which I laugh and find small moments of, dare I say, carefree joy. And there are others, like on Halloween, when I paused at the front door of my house on the way to a costume party, and couldn’t stop crying for two days. It is a journey of introspection and of finding strength that you weren’t quite sure you had before all of this happened. While the circumstances of these two events of the last year are different — and the way in which I have found myself facing them uses two seemingly disparate skill sets — with both, I am struck by the sheer power of the families in my community who have collectively risen to the occasion and created an almost improbable support network within moments.

I have, over the last several years, been on the baking end of, what I like to call, the “casserole hotline.” I have cooked chicken potpies and enchiladas and sweet potato soup for families in our neighborhood and within our group of friends who have suffered a loss, an illness, an unexpected tragedy. While I understood that this was a nice thing to do, I never understood the importance of this small gesture until I was on the receiving end of it. For weeks following my husband’s diagnosis and my father’s death, the doorbell would ring and another dear friend of mine would come in, bearing a warm plate of cookies, a Tupperware filled with tortilla soup, a delicious bottle of wine.  In feeding my family, these amazing individuals kept us afloat and carried us along with each new dish and bowl. I will never be able to truly express just how thankful I am for this and for every kindness afforded my family in the last year. We are blessed beyond belief. We have known great friendships in our lives, but never before have we felt so acutely the power of community. It is here that I find a new sense of gratitude.

In the past, Thanksgiving had offered a small moment in which to find things for which to be grateful – some deep and self-defining, others fleeting and simple as the fall of a leaf, the sound of my children’s laughter, the joy of losing a few pounds. And yet, with the rug quite literally pulled out from under me, I’ve been able to see the things and people in my life for which I am most grateful. I am grateful that I can wake up in the morning, feel the loss of my father and the uncertainty of my husband’s health, and yet still find it within myself to make myself a pot of hot coffee. That I can touch the heads of my sleeping children in the morning as a first call to wake up and get ready for school. That I hear the first small steps of happiness re-enter my mother’s voice as she navigates this strange new world into which she has been thrust. I am grateful for the people in my life who know the full depth and details of my experience and yet still find it within themselves to embrace me both literally and figuratively, no questions asked. I am grateful for old friends and new ones, brought to me at a time when I needed them most. They say that when God closes a door he opens a window, and I have felt that window open with great abandon and watched it allow so much goodness into my family’s life.

I have known great grief and I have been blessed to be part of this outpouring of support. When it is my turn again to turn on my oven and put all of my love into a casserole dish, I will do so with a renewed sense of purpose and appreciation for the bonds that we create among one another.  There is beauty in these bonds. We are never more beautiful than the days when we give of ourselves and link arms in protection around another one of us — creating, perhaps, one small warm and safe place in the world.

Originally published in the Walnut Creek Patch: http://walnutcreek.patch.com/articles/gratitude-154f858f

I figured it was high time to bring out the Thanksgiving decorations. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving gets the short end of the drumstick when it comes to pure volume of decorations.  But what it lacks in volume, it certainly makes up for in quality. For, of all of the holiday-based school art projects, the Turkey Day creations are, by far, my favorite.

I bring you, Exhibit A:  “Pine Cone Turkey with Mae West Feathers.” Why don’tcha come up and see me sometime?

Exhibit B: “Handprint Turkey with Hat.”

Exhibit C: “What I’m Thankful For Pilgrim” – please do read the fine print on this one. At the time, my three year old was apparently most thankful for chicken breasts.

Exhibit D: “The Milk Carton Mayflower” for those apparently non-lactose intolerant pilgrims

And, finally, I bring you this years Exhibit E: “Button Turkey.” My kindergartener was tasked with decorating a paper turkey with anything he wanted: crayons, paints, feathers – and my son, a man after my own heart, chose buttons.

Sometimes there’s nothing more wonderful or important than sitting down with my five year old and making a turkey out of buttons. Luckily, my son was able to find a button in the shape of a hat to really highlight this turkey’s rakish good looks.

When it comes to Thanksgiving craft projects, I’m not a believer in purely “child-based” projects for the holidays.  I think all members of the family can come together and create beautiful pieces that will last a lifetime.

Thankful Jars
My favorites are “Thankful Jars,” which provide a great opportunity for families to work together.

• Depending upon the number of guests you’ll be having this Thanksgiving, purchase the appropriate number of Mason jars (which you can find at any grocery store).
• Let your creativity run wild and decorate the jars any way you like. My children and I like to pick out pretty fall-colored ribbon and make construction paper leaves and flowers.
• Also, we like to take pieces of paper and, in my children’s handwriting, write each guest’s name.

• Punch holes in the base of each leaf, flower and name card and string enough ribbon through each to tie a bow around the mouth of the jar.
• Cut four to five strips of white paper for each jar – large enough for your guests to write one thing for which they are thankful.

As a pre-dinner activity, have everyone fill out their papers, fold them and tuck them inside their Thankful Jars. At dinner, go around the table, allowing everyone to read theirs aloud. The best part is that you can save particularly special ones.

Unfortunately, for my husband (the consummate Yankee fan), I saved his from two years ago. Derek Jeter and Katie? At least I made the cut.

Table Runner

Another of my favorite family projects is a handmade table runner. Last Thanksgiving, because I’m something of a paper nut, I had the bright idea to create my own table runner out of wrapping paper.

So, gathering all of my crafty courage, I visited The Container Store in Broadway Plaza. My sons and I found two beautiful papers, one brown floral for an accent and one that looked like cream-colored linen as a base. We also picked up a large spool of satin ribbon to match the papers.

• Once you have found wrapping paper that best suits your Turkey Day color scheme, measure your table and cut one of the papers (which will serve as the base) to cover the length of the table and about a foot and a half wide.
• Then, take your accent paper and cut it into enough 1-by-1-foot sections to span the length of the base.
• Glue those accent sections onto the base paper, leaving about an inch in between each section.
• Take a hole punch and put holes every six inches along the perimeter of the runner.
• String the entire length of the ribbon through those holes and tie in a pretty bow at the end.

I love my table runner and have used it on everyday occasions!

I know full well that I will be that mother who consistently breaks out the art projects from years gone by as a form of holiday decoration. And I will blow the dust off of the Milk Carton Mayflower each Thanksgiving. And the Dinner Plate Heart (don’t ask) each Valentine’s Day. And the Athletic Sock Snowman each Christmas.  And I will smile at the time gone by and the small hands that made each treasure .

The Hecht Museum is a museum on the grounds of the University of Haifa in Israel and is, perhaps, best known for its incredible collection of archaeological treasures from Israel, including rare coins, gorgeous jewelry and ancient mosaics. It is also home to the Ma’agan Michael Ship, the wreck of a 5th Century merchant vessel! The Hecht is also a well-known art museum, with pieces from a variety of artists including Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and, our featured artist, Amedeo Modigliani.

Modigliani, who was known as somewhat of a ladies man  (Andy Garcia played him in a movie version of the artist’s life…hubba hubba), was born to a Jewish family in Livorno, Italy in 1884. Modigliani was a bit of a sickly child and, as legend has it, once experienced such a high fever that he had a delirious dream. Upon waking from that dream, he announced to his waiting parents that he would grow up to be a great artist. And from then on, at the ripe old age of 11, Modigliani was enrolled in art classes and was nurtured as an artist by his family.  After Modigliani moved to Paris at the age of 22, he became a voracious artist – sometimes producing more than 100 drawings a day.

We looked at several examples of Modigliani’s iconic portraits and paid special attention to the elongated necks and faces the subjects have. Then, the children were given the opportunity to create a portrait in the style of Modigliani, utilizing his favorite those same characteristics. The results were breathtaking…

After completing our creations, I passed out “Modigliani Masks” that I made from printing out and laminating details from his portraits…I loved watching the class morph into a sea of long faces!

Here are a few ideas for at-home projects!

• Make your own mask of a famous artist! Just search for your favorite artist online and locate a good picture of their face. Print it out on an 8×11” sheet and laminate at LakeShore learning center. Then cut out the eyeholes and around the edges…punch holes on each side and place a piece of string around. (Alternatively, you can glue a tongue depresser to the bottom of the mask for more of a masquerade feel…) You can turn yourself into Picasso or van Gogh in an instant!

While this isn’t Modigliani-specific, I can’t pass up the opportunity to let you know that every Sunday at the SFMOMA is free for children! From 11am – 3pm, children are admitted free of charge, and the museum offers family tours at 1pm every Sunday as well. Make a day of it!

As our last class of the session, I was awfully sad to see the children go…but after they had all left, I turned to the white board to see a little note from one of my students…needless to say, I’ll miss you all too…

For anyone who has watched the pilot and 2nd episode of New Girl, you’ll totally get what I’m talking about here. Zooey’s character is quirky, smart, geeky, prone to spilling and, well, simply adorkable. With her glasses askew and a proclivity for singing her own theme song (“It’s Jess!”), Zooey’s role captures all that I love about geeks, dorks and nerds – the ability to be completely self-effacing, the tendency toward tripping and the unapologetic embracing of one’s own character. I do realize that perhaps my adoration of this fictional girl is something not exactly shared with everyone. My husband, who, granted, sat through the entire episode as I hungrily watched his reaction, wasn’t the biggest fan. But maybe that’s because I was staring at him the entire time waiting for him to shoot water out of his nose from laughing too hard. I’m alright with the fact that she might not be everybody’s cup of tea. I mean, I don’t particularly care for Snooki, and other people love her, so to each his or her own.

But my downright love for this character begged the question, “Why do I identify with her?” Coincidentally, a friend of mine recently asked me what sorts of things about myself I considered geeky. She’s only known me since the birth of our children and therefore didn’t have much of a notion of what I was like before kids. In addition to emphasizing that my Body Mass Index was probably a bit more in check, I tried to give her solid, tangible examples of what I deem my geekier moments. And in retelling them, I realized just how much of my character is built around them – how much of my sense of self is rooted in these anecdotes that continue to ground me and reaffirm my identity. I won’t bore you with the full dissertation – just the top five highlights…

1) When i was a little girl, I was invited by my childhood friend to attend the Junior Cowgirl competition in Mariposa, CA. She had won the title two years running and I was merely going along for the ride and the promise of free hot dogs. But every child who attended had to compete, so suddenly I found myself with a number safety-pinned to my chest and a lariat in my hand. Needless to say, by some divine secret of the “Hee Haw” sisterhood, I won the title of Junior Cowgirl for placing first in categories like watermelon seed spitting, skeet shooting and calf roping. Bragging rights? Check. Shiny silver belt buckle with my name on it? You bet your rawhide.

2) At a very fancy party at my college boyfriend’s private school, I was seated next to the headmaster who, years ago, had been a fellow English Major like me. Striving to impress this very accomplished gentleman, I told him that I was specializing in 18th Century British novels. When asked my favorite book of the period, I proudly told him “Gilligan’s Travels” which, as everyone knows, is the lesser-known Swift novel starring Ginger.

3) I’m an absolutely hopeless Anglophile and still keep a pound in my wallet from when I studied at Oxford. With no imminent plans to cross the pond, however, this obsession currently manifests itself as an addiction to Laura Marling and a predilection for reading to my children with a British accent. And, now, my older son does it and sounds a lot like Mick Jagger reading Captain Underpants.

4) I had the stomach flu on my first date with my husband. He was so handsome and I was so fearful that by cancelling I might never hear from him again, I put on my big girl pantyhose (and lilac pantsuit…horror…) and met him at the decided-upon restaurant…an Ethiopian establishment which, in any other circumstance, would have been ethic and lovely, but given the aforementioned gastrointestinal issues, made sitting in front of a platter of lamb dulet almost impossible. And yet, even though I only drank ice water and excused myself to the bathroom seven times (to not only barf but re-apply makeup with the emergency beauty kit I’d stashed in my gargantuan purse), the love of my life never knew until long after I’d snagged him as my very own.

5) When I was in the second grade, I wet my pants because mean Mrs. Cabral wouldn’t let me go the bathroom until recess. After, well, doing my business into my corduroy (and remarkably absorbant) jumper, I swiftly changed seats. When the other kids noticed the little puddle, I blamed it on this kid named Johnny but only because he used to chase me around the playground yelling “bite the weenie” and wouldn’t you do the same thing?

So, those are my top five moments of sheer geekdom for which I am eternally grateful. Like the latte I recently spilled into the crotch of my white jeans, I wear them with pride and the understanding that this is who I am. I am a woman who should never wear white jeans, but will continue to do so on the off chance that a day will come along in which I don’t sit on a Hershey’s bar. I wear them like my worn and tattered “Carpe Diem” t-shirt which I wore most days at summer camp. And I wear them like the big floppy hat I wore in college with the ginormous red rose on the brim that I thought made me look whimsical and romantic but really just made me look like a stop-light. I think these things are what make me who I am. And if they’re simply adorkable, then hooray for me. (“It’s Katie!”)

originally published September 30, 2011 http://pgnet.stanford.edu/get/page/blogs/post-view/?ciid=44847

My latest…borne of inspiration and the need to follow my own advice…