A Few Tips for a Happy – Potentially Stress-Free Christmas. Here in our hot, sunny Caribbean, we are a long way removed from those snowy scenes pictured on Christmas cards from around the globe. Without the changing seasons to serve as a reminder, Christmas often sneaks up on us before we know it! Well, it’s here again and with a little organization and a few helpful hints we hope that this season really will be something to be jolly about!
The looming pressure of gift buying and card writing, an inevitable side effect of this time of year, can leave most people in a cold sweat.
The key to a stress-free Christmas is organization. Make a list of all the people you need to buy for, giving those who live elsewhere priority to allow for mailing time. When buying for people ‘back home’ try and keep it light – there is nothing worse than the postage costing more than the present! Built NY make a great line of wine/drinks coolers made out of lightweight neoprene fabric – great for toting wine and champagne to Christmas parties! For the people on your list that live on Island but are impossible to buy for, remember gift certificates are a great way to go. It’s simple for you and you will know that they will be able to choose something they love.
Entertaining, for some, is a huge part of Christmas and the heat very rarely discourages people from cooking the traditional roast with all the trimmings! Now may be the time to invest in a new roasting pan, as unfortunately in this climate they don’t last forever. Or, alternatively you could line your old pan with a Silpat, a heat resistant silicon sheet that sits in the bottom of your pan, and after cooking removes for easy cleaning (better still you can throw it in the dishwasher). To take the guesswork out of your special meal, an OXO leave-in meat thermometer is essential to let you know when you meat is perfectly cooked.
And let’s not forget that Christmas is the time that you can indulge elaborately by decorating your dining table. Maybe it’s time to invest in some festive table linen, sparkly candles and funky napkin rings. Metallic colors are the key to create a chic table setting, so feel free to go crazy with those gold and silver tones! Beaded garlands twisted along the centre of the table, interspersed with candles and small decorations, make for great festive centerpieces.
So, from us at House, we wish you a very happy and relaxed Christmas season. We look forward to seeing you in the upcoming year.