Exotic Flowers in Boston

The holiday season is filled with joy, cheer and goodwill to all men and although it is certainly a wonderful time of year, it can all become a stressful one as well.  For some people, the scrambling for presents, decorating the house and visiting with relatives resonates agreeably but for others it can prove quite difficult.  There’s never enough time to do EVERYTHING on your list and the socialization between those you may not see often can become complicated or downright unpleasant.  If you’re the guy or gal who opens their arms to all the chaos that Christmas sends, well then good for you but if you‘re among the masses who need a tiny bit of help dealing with the seasonal “Fa La La” then this blog’s was written for you.   Some us need a break, a way to recharge or even just a means of coping with the next few weeks.  The first step is to look in the mirror and realize that IT’S OKAY.  You’re not a failure if you’re not dying to hang tinsel from your ears or hang mistletoe toe from every bough.  Not everyone can be Clark Griswold who manages to turn a rosy cheek when dinners are burned, family gatherings go a blunder or Christmas tree’s go up in flame. The holidays are hard!  So if you feel like you may relate to these feelings and are holding out for a few ways to burn through some of your seasonal steam, here’s a couple of ideas to try before the one who melts down is you.  

1. EXERCISE

This is probably the number #1 answer to your problems if you suddenly wake up with backaches and headaches once December rolls around.  Stress commonly pockets itself throughout the joints of the body leaving it sore, stiff and uncomfortable.  By doing even five minutes of stretching in the morning and evening, you’ll release tension and relax your muscles to get a better night’s sleep.  It’s a busy time of year but if you can insert a half hour of walking, jogging, biking, swimming, yoga, Pilates or aerobics, you’ll feel the difference almost immediately.  

2.   Don’t Forget to Treat Yourself!

I’m not talking about booking a cruise the day after Christmas but it’s not against the rules to treat yourself to a little holiday treat.  Maybe you like aromatic candles, a box of rich chocolates or a quick pedicure at the salon?  These services and items are not expensive and can very well lift you up to elevated moods just by taking care of yourself for a bit.  For me, I love a great fashion or cooking magazine to soothe over bumps and ripples in my yuletide season!

3.  Sleep.  For the Love of God…SLEEP!

Sleep deprivation has got to be one of the most typical problems during this time of year and many don’t even realize how terrible it is for behavior, mood and overall demeanor.  I realize there’s a ton to do but neglecting rest isn’t the answer.  Skip that last aggravating errand that no one is going to care about anyway and lie down on a couch with a good book.  Make sure you go to bed a couple of minutes earlier than you usually do and turn off the TV.  A continuous healthy cycle of this will make you feel better and not as cranky as you were before.   

You may have laughed out loud when you read the title of this blog but I bet it wasn’t because the idea was out totally of the park!  How many of you secretly parent a child who is otherwise perfectly well mannered until the dreaded Christmas season rears its ugly head?

“I want this!  

“I better get that!”

“But you said Santa would give it to me!”  

photo credit via http://702mag.com/

Sound familiar?

I don’t know what happens but many kids suffer this incredible personality change when Christmas closes in and many of us have a hard time figuring out why this occurs?

We use Santa as bait for good behavior, but even the guy in the red suit is no match for the whiles of overly excited, out of control little pills.

Perhaps the “Twinkie Defense” (or in this case the “Candy Cane Defense”) is responsible since their intake of sugar extends well past what their small bodies can manage?   Or could it be the continuous visions we load their tiny minds with through holiday media of movies and books?  Are characters such as Ebenezer Scrooge impacting their little minds with thoughts of selfishness, annoyance and naughty behavior?

According to specialists, the “Christmas Crank for Children” diagnosis stems from an increase of stimulation, decreased amount of sleep and an influx of in-nutritious foods.  One of these off kilter may not seem like such a big deal but when you combine all three-SHAZZAM!  You’ve got yourself one unhappy, inflexible hooligan of a kid.  

That kind of stinks, right?

After all, this season is made merry and bright by a child’s faith in holiday magic.  Their inherent ability “to believe” is what makes the whole thing fun and memorable for all of us who will do anything to see smiling faces on Christmas Day.

Is there anything we can do to prevent this negative metamorphous from occurring?  

Of course there is!   

While we can’t compete with the impact of Christmas Crazy, we can attempt to manage certain areas of their care, which will benefit their health (most specifically their mood) during the holidays.

1. Mandate a reasonable time for bed and just say no to “Can I have ten more minutes, pleeeaaaasssseee?”
2. Make sure they are drinking lots and lots of water to wash their systems out from built up sugar.  You’re not going to get them to avoid all of the Christmas sweets but you can help to keep them hydrated.
3. Lower their expectations of what they are going to “get” and ask them what they are going to “give”.  Not up scaling previous holiday shopping is one way to keep things under control and to evade some of the unwarranted “gimmees”.  
4. While there are lots of invitations to get-togethers and parties, your child may not be able to attend all of them.  Seasonal burn-out is typical with younger children who really need a grounded schedule to go by.  While agreeing to a few dates is perfectly fine, having your family booked out every day of the Christmas month is going to undoubtedly overwhelm and exhaust them.
5. Switch up their books and DVD’s with some topics that are not holiday related.  Keep the Christmas classics that you love and add material other than stuff solely wrapped around trees, wreaths and Santa.  It will help keep things in perspective and allow an easier transition when it’s time to get back to their regular routines.

Bakers love the holiday season because there is a vast assortment of ideas to create delicious edibles including cakes, pies and particularly, sugar cookies!  After all, you can’t have Saint Nick make his annual visit without leaving a few morsels of yummy sweets, right?  

photo credit via sweetsugarbelle.com

Christmas cookies are by far the most fun and certainly the most beautiful out of all traditional seasonal desserts.  Creative chefs can let their imaginations fly when coming up with new shapes and images, making their presentations even more impressive.  

Although snowflakes, pine trees, ornaments and stars are among the most popular themes during this month, garden lovers will be overjoyed to see the new trend of “flower sugar cookies” climbing in demand! From happy daisy faces to poinsettia plant designs, horticultural elements are beginning to turn up in several Boston bakeries and floral shop owners couldn’t be more excited!  Not only are upscale supermarkets and restaurants using the new fad to gift patrons with samples but florists are also jumping on the bandwagon and adding satchels of these cookies to holiday orders.  Pretty smart, huh?

For the experts, this is an easy task but for those who neglect culinary brilliance, baking can seem a bit overwhelming.  Honestly, who hasn’t burned a cookie sheet or two in their day?  Thankfully, there are hundreds of recipes that are simple to follow including this one from the Food Network.  Grab your aprons and rolling pins and lets get baking!

Ingredients:  Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter 1 large egg

1/2 cup light brown sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients: Icing

1/4 cup water 2 cups confectioners' sugar

3 tablespoons egg white powder Candy, sprinkles, dots, chocolate chips, ANYTHING SWEET!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat the butter with vanilla extract, egg and brown sugar until blended.  Slowly add the flour and season with salt to make the dough firm.  Freeze the dough for 20 minutes and then begin to carve and shape cookies with cutters or free style.  Place in oven for 20 minutes and watch their edges turn golden brown.   Cool cookies for another 20 minutes before decorating.

Whisk together the water, egg powder and confectioners’ sugar until smooth.  Add desired coloring of food dye to create color and immediately apply to cookies.  Decorate with candies and let them sit for an additional 30 minutes icing to set.  

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “the gift that keeps on giving,” a million times before, particularly during the holidays.  You might even associate the term with cruddy presents like “cheese of the month club” and dread even the quickest notion of receiving one for yourself.  The funny thing is, this type of gesture is making a huge comeback this Christmas and with good reason why.  Instead of getting a year supply of dairy, clever givers are finding ways to make their gifts meaningful in the sense that they continue their value far after the season has ended.  Immediately gratifying trinkets such as sweaters, scratch tickets or bottles of wine are being replaced with longer lasting impressionistic expressions such as hand made items and thoughtful activities.  People can only have just so much “stuff” so many are welcoming this heartfelt trend and hoping to find other unique ideas to gift.  

Sometimes the thinking behind this notion is harder than the actual packaging.  We may become consumed and wrapped up with a concept that is overly complicated instead of putting thoughts into simpler terms.  You don’t have to be over the top with expensive presents or tokens either, so presents should reflect thoughtfulness instead of cost.  In an effort to pass along this wonderful way to show someone you care, here are a few great options that may fit perfectly underneath your tree this season…

A Beloved Family Recipe

If you know of someone who loves to cook (or loves to eat) give him/her a framed copy of a special recipe you know they like!  Maybe Grandma Ester left notes on how to bake the perfect ginger snap cookie or perhaps Uncle Fred bequeathed his famous clam chowder recipe to you?  These are the dishes that are meaningful to gift upon someone who shares the same passion for cuisine and if you’re lucky, they might even give you a taste when they’ve tried it out.

Seeds

I’m actually using this one for my mom who adores gardening as much as I do!  Although you’ll have to start collecting seeds from pods during the months of July and August, you’re efforts will be duly noted when your flowers bloom in their garden for years to come.  

A Coupon Book

Get a few pieces of paper, staple them together and make your own coupons that they can use whenever wanted or needed!  Create tickets that reflect the appropriateness of the relationship such as “1 Kiss” for your romantic interest and “1 Load of Laundry” for your parents.  Be careful not to mix them up because things could get a little uncomfortable if the wrong person receives the wrong coupon book!

Museum Membership

Sometimes the best present given are an activity like visiting the aquarium, zoo or a museum.  Memberships are an excellent way to give a gift that keeps on giving and they will long be thanking you throughout the entire year.

December is a great time to spend with friends and family but sometimes we forget what the holiday is all about.  Frequently, our concerns are focused on checking off our list of presents we feel we have to buy, complaining about the long lines in the department stores.  I’m not saying that our purchases during the season aren’t gifted with good intent, I’m just stating that much of what we buy to wrap up and put underneath the tree is unnecessary. Hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars later we are merely left with that feeling of “thank god that’s over” while we sweat over next month’s credit card statements.  

So this might sound a little strange but there’s a new trend sweeping across New England this Thanksgiving and it’s all about dressing the bird in flowers!  That’s right!  People are actually asking caterers and florists to create small flower displays either around or on top of their turkeys in order to reap a particular benefit!  Sound crazy?  Well, the reason lies in the belief that doing so will bring about some…umm- interesting side effects.  We’re not quite sure where this phenomenon started but we do know that Bostonians are actively placing their orders for the upcoming holiday sending designers into turkey hysteria!  Want to learn more about how and why this fad is circulating?  Read on to learn the secret to this turkey taboo…

photo credit via http://blovelyevents.com/

According to ancient scripture, the turkey was once thought to be of regal stature in certain cultures and was often given a bed of petals to sleep on during customary celebrations.  Depending on the color of the feathers the bird adorned, people would actually attempt to match the shading to the blossoms presented.  If the turkey had more red feathers, he was thought to be a bringer of love and romance while a turkey having blue feathers was believed to induce sorrow or death.  Nowadays, the Thanksgiving turkey is being wrapped in flowers of a chosen color in the hopes to encourage the desired omen.  (For those who would like to try this, select green flowers to entice a windfall of money, purple for courage and yellow for happiness.)

A second theory for why people are covering their birds with flowers is due to the aroma-therapeutic benefits that can be infused into the skin.  While many of these dressings include herbs such as rosemary, parsley and sage, there are blossoms such as dandelions and nasturtium now being thrown into the mix.  Creative chefs are infusing their meat with an incredible seasoning of sweet to spicy tastes just by covering the top of the turkey’s back and legs with freshly cut florets.  Be careful not to use species like roses that will embellish a musty aftertaste and try choosing varieties that have an earthy consistency such as heather, alliums, chicory, geraniums and borage.

Flowers are an enormous tradition associated with the Easter holiday.  For some, it’s because of the religious attributes and for others it’s the seasonal celebration of spring.  Whichever attribute resonates with you most, it is true that more than have the homes in the Boston area will feature a floral arrangement during the next few days of festivities.  As some are purchased in order to brighten up their dining room tables while some are otherwise gifted from a loved one, Easter flowers are the most beautiful presentations that mark the warmer weather of the year!  As the temperatures begin to warm, a brighter and bolder color wheel of options is renewed giving us a breathtaking palette to work from.  With options such as tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, hydrangea and other little bulbed beauties that are finally available, florists are whipping up sensational treats for you to enjoy.  

Saint Patrick’s Day is on March 17th (which falls on a Thursday this year), a holiday long associated with luck, fun and Irish tradition.  Customarily, Boston is just the place to celebrate the festivities, often hosting thousands of visitors who sit, drink and be merry within one of our many local pubs.  Granted, the green beer is fun but did you know that alcohol was originally banned on the holiday, forcing restaurants and bars to be closed? This is just one example of the trivia and customs associated with Saint Patrick’s Day that few even know about.  Test your Irish history and see if you’re aware of these true facts about an authentic Saint Patrick’s Day celebration!

1. Saint Patrick was not from Ireland, as many believe.  He was originally born in England and was captured, then enslaved to Ireland as a sheepherder. Once he escaped, he returned home to become a priest and then travelled back to Ireland to pass on his teachings.  

1. The story about Saint Patrick chasing the snakes out of Ireland is almost impossible to be true according to experts from National Geographic.       These slithery critters are almost never seen in this area because the geographical composition is post glacier.   

1. The official Irish color is not green but is in fact BLUE!  Most of Ireland is not as lush as most people believe accept for the Emerald Isle.  The blue is significant because it is the shade featured in many of the country’s flags.

1. Even though the four-leaf clover is a wonderful find since they are extremely rare, they are often misconceived as the country’s symbol.  The harp is actually the official logo of Ireland, although clovers remain the more popular notion.

1. Corned beef and cabbage might be the sought after dish on the menu this holiday but did you know that bacon was actually the original protein cooked during this holiday?  Because many settlers who came to America could afford so little, this inevitably led to a substitution using a cheaper product than pork.  

The Chinese New Year begins on February 8th, the beginning of the Chinese calendar that is also referred to as the “Spring Festival”.  The date marks the start of the new lunar schedule as well as the reunion of family and friends to gather together at their homes the eve before.  The traditional meal served at this time is actually called Reunion Dinner, which kicks off the celebratory festival.  Typically red envelopes are given with cash as the whole house is decorated in similar colors to symbolize the hope of “wealth”, “happiness” and “good fortune”.  In order to encourage good luck to the family, a massive cleaning of the home takes place, ridding the space of dirt and other unhealthy essences.  Once the family is content that the abode is unblemished and cleansed thoroughly, it is the belief that luck will soon find its way through the doors.  

Every New Year is dedicated to a specific animal, known to hold particular characteristics and fortunes for anyone born within the particular twelve-month segment.   2016 has been deemed the “Year of the Monkey” including the years 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992 and 2004.  If you have been born into this category, it’s a pretty safe bet that you are intelligent, curious, witty and a bit mischievous which can sometimes get you into a bit of trouble.  Your magnetic personality offsets this flaw because monkeys are often energetic, clever and creative although clumsiness is another trait most possess.  Due to your intellect, great jobs for you include banking and accounting but try to find a job closer to the city since it is also likely that you prefer urban living to the countryside.

Here’s what else you should look out for during the Chinese New Year of the Monkey!

Luck Days:  14th and 28th

Lucky Numbers:  9 and 4

Favorite Flowers:  Chrysanthemums, crape-myrtle

Best Colors:  Gold, White and Blue  

Best Advice:  Focus on your health this year and remember to take a vacation.  

Worst Advice:  Don’t take greedy risks or illegal advances where money is    concerned.  You’re going to get caught!

Best Love Match:  Rabbit/Ox

Worst Love Match:  Pig/Tiger

Kids will be starting their December vacation soon and Boston parents are beginning to feel the anxiety about how they will entertain them for a whole week!  I know some families solve the problem by simply hopping a flight to Orlando for a week but realistically, that’s not in the cards for everyone.  For most households, there’s a budget to follow, particularly after the season of giving has finally passed by.  Activities for children can be really expensive so how do we keep them happy without emptying our wallets completely? We get resourceful, that’s how!

Boston has a lot to offer and if you look hard enough, you’ll find that there are quite of few places that are affordable during this time of year.  If you have an open mind and are ready to take charge of the “Winter Break Blues” than browse through these great ideas suggested by New England’s savviest families!

Hiking and Nature Walks

When you live in the Boston area, you’re fortunate to have several beautiful hiking trails across both the north and south shores.  From Harold Parker State Forest in Andover to Hale Reservation in Westwood, there are plenty of paths to take your little ones adventure seeking for hours of enjoyment.  Not only is this a free outing, the whole family will be benefiting from the fresh air and brisk exercise!

Museum Passes

Our city has loads of interesting sites to see and some of the most impressive museums present in the art and science world.  The problem is that many of them can be quite costly, especially if you’re planning on buying tickets for four or more people.  Those fees add up so do yourself a favor and plan ahead.  Often websites such as Groupon will offer discounts or check out local companies who might be sponsoring coupons. 

Libraries

If you haven’t visited your local library, then you should because I’ll bet you find your new best friend pretty quickly!  Libraries are accommodating to all people of all ages and the best part-everything is free!  These media havens aren’t what they used to be when they only carried a few DVD’s and dusty books.  Most branches support a hefty amount of contemporary digital media, offer computer games, conduct story times and even hold special events during the school breaks.  You’re kids will love the experience and they also might learn something in the process!