Monday Media Blog-Christmas Special

Welcome to the Monday Media Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.

I grew up at a time when Bob Hope’s annual Christmas special aired. Seeing his programs chock full of stars, his unique brand of humor, and the strong message that he would never forget America’s armed forces inspired me even as a child.

Today stars get their own Christmas specials, but a lot of times they are one-offs because the name in question is only a name for one season. Others are true to their craft, their heart, and their beliefs. Some even follow in Hope's footsteps and entertain the troops.

Long gone are the days of Hope’s stamina, consistency, star power, and heart.

Still, Christmas variety shows are peddled out yearly. What are your favorites from the past and/or today? Cite the host, guest stars, skits, and any other information.

And if you want to channel Bob Hope and honor his good works on behalf of our incredible military, please visit http://USO.org.

Friday Music Blog-Christmas Inspiration

Welcome to the Friday Music Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.

My Christmas music can be divided into several major categories, songs that make me sad and wistful, songs that fill me with faith and peacefulness, and songs that make me giddy with excitement.

This week’s focus is Christmas songs that bring forth a message of peace and a restoration in faith. As all of my topics are subjective, please interpret this in any way you see fit and leave your selections below.

I encourage you to revisit this blog throughout the day and weekend as new entries are added periodically.

Weekends are an excellent time to read and reread posts at Chief 187™Chatter. There are several Gift Guides from this year and previous ones to help with shopping needs this holiday season. Recipes for entertaining, cookie/candy making, and even leftovers appear on Tantalizing Thursday posts. Simple Joys can help get through rough spots you may be having. And the Monday Media Blog can offer up numerous titles across the board in television, movies, and video games to keep you entertained.

If shopping from home is a more pleasant activity than fighting the malls and traffic of the outside world, please use my Amazon link located on the right hand side of this page. Simply enter through my link, browse, add to your cart, and check out in one transaction and at no extra cost to you I benefit nicely from your efforts.

The Chief 187™ fan may appreciate a gift from my collection. My online store located at http://cafepress.com/Chief187 has an assortment of products at every price point. From apparel to housewares, paper products to bags and electronic sleeves, the items are useful, whimsical, and all feature a unique design incorporating the Chief 187™ custom logo, my likeness, and/or the Chief 187 website printed on the items. Do an online search for coupon codes at Cafepress for significant savings on the products – coupons change nearly daily so look often.

Finally I’d like to thank you all, once again, for continuing to make Chief 187™Chatter a part of your routine. By reading, commenting, sharing, and visiting this page you help make it a success and encourage me to continue writing, exploring, and soaring.

Wishing you all Simple Joys throughout this holiday season!

I invite you to join me again on Monday as I begin a fresh, new, and original week of works on Chief 187™Chatter.

Tantalizing Thursday-Taking it Easy

Welcome to Tantalizing Thursday on Chief 187™Chatter.

Christmas season is upon us and with it comes many opportunities to entertain. There are Open Houses, impromptu visits, Cookie exchanges, cocktail parties, dessert parties, dinner parties, brunches, and, of course, the big meals themselves.

This time of year sticking with tried and true recipes is the way to go. Now is not the time to experiment, test, or reveal a new dish.

But it is nice to shake up the ordinary and routine. In addition, it is lovely to take help from the grocery store when possible. Nowhere does it state that every food item must be homemade from scratch to be loved and appreciated by family and friends over the holidays.

Here are some of the ideas I have for entertaining easily leaving me time to actually attend and enjoy my own party.

Appetizers

Having one star appetizer is great. A hot dip, prepared delectable, or cold delicacy are all great ideas – think a spicy warmed queso dip, pepperoni melts on party rye, or shrimp cocktail.

But to flesh out the scene use things like an olive assortment, fine cheeses on a platter, assorted fruits or crudité.

To add some holiday appeal, try making your own version of a “Santa Mix” to add for a sweet layer of flavor.

Mix together any combination of the following or add your favorites to make a sweet mix:

Red and Green M&Ms (plain, peanut, almond, peanut butter, or your favorite flavors)
Bridge mix (this is chocolate covered assorted nuts and raisins and can be found in your local grocery store)
Roasted peanuts (with salt, low salt, or unsalted)
Corn nuts (if you like them)
Toasted lo mein noodles (found in the international aisle in the Asian food section in a canister)

Mix these ingredients in whatever ratio pleases you and serve in a cute holiday-motif bowl.

Main course

Roasts are delicious, casseroles are homey, and pastas are superb, but sometimes you just want someone else to do the work.

Rotisserie chickens are delicious, available, and so reasonable. From your local grocery store to the nearest Costco these chickens should never be overlooked as a dinner option. And do overbuy. Served first as a carved chicken, the meal is delightful. Leftovers, however, can be done as a pot pie, tacos, or sandwiches and more!

Side dishes

I find it easy and even enjoyable to prepare fresh vegetables for steaming in my microwave. Others don’t have the time or inclination. In that case, use the frozen vegetables to help get the meal on the table.

Frozen veggies are flash frozen at the peak of freshness so when they are prepared according to package directions they are darn tasty.

Prepared potato products – both white and sweet – are everywhere now, too. Pick up a tub of mashed potatoes, whipped sweet potatoes, or any other potato side dish like latkes (potato pancakes) and keep your meal humming without all of the mess.

Dessert

Want to make Christmas cookies but don’t want to invest the time to make the dough? Use refrigerated doughs!

Online there are myriad “recipes” to change store-brand refrigerated doughs into spectacular and wholly differently tasting cookies. Besides, most people like the decorating, not the making of dough.

Of course, if you are a mess in the kitchen, both literally and figuratively, then you can certainly resort to buying at the local bakery, ice cream shop, or grocery store for their incredible treats.

The whole point of entertaining for the holidays is opening your home. It’s not about how many hours you slave in the kitchen before, during, and after your guests.

Take help where you can, say “Yes” when an offer of “What can I bring?” comes in, and serve all of your dishes with a smile.

Wishing you a stress-free, scrumptious season of entertaining!

Santa's Helper Gift Guide

Welcome to Freestyle Wednesday on Chief 187™Chatter. This week’s focus is a Santa’s Helper Gift Guide.

Stuffing stockings takes a lot of work, creativity, and patience so why not help Santa this year by utilizing these ideas? Make the brands, styles, and items fit your taste or the taste of the person whose stocking you are helping Santa stuff!

Santa’s Helper Gift Guide 2012

Lip balm
Tire gauge
Rain X

Car wash certificates
Car wash supplies – soap, sponges, towels, tire cleaner
Scraper to keep in the car
Hand/feet warmers
Life Savers
Tic Tacs, especially holiday flavors
Foiled wrapped chocolate candy – the good brands

Specialty coffees, teas, and hot cocoa packets
Chocolate coated spoon/stirrer (can be purchased or made at home)
Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars
Small Lego sets
Pocket-sized dolls and accessories
Earbuds, especially with something cool to fit the recipients personality (Skull and cross bones, Hello Kitty, etc.)

Lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow, brow pencil, et al. – best if you know the brand recipient uses
Candle lighter
Candle snuffer
Candles
Batteries
Nail tools
Nail polishes
Jewelry

Socks
Slippers, especially slipper socks
Calendar, pocket or otherwise
Jam/jelly
Micro-plane/grater
Exotic spices
Pencil sharpener
Pens/pencils
Erasers
Notepads/memo pads
Package of Thank you notes
Handheld game

Paper napkins of all sizes for all occasions, holidays and otherwise
New Year’s Eve paraphernalia like blowers, confetti, plastic champagne glasses, 2013 glasses, necklaces, etc.
Popcorn, microwavable, or kernels for an air-pop machine, or some Jiffy-Pop for the stove top
Deck of playing cards
Bridge for Dummies book to bring this great came back into vogue
Barrettes/ headbands
More jewelry

Watch
Jacob’s Ladder, a great toy. Don’t know what it is? Look it up!
Barbie clothes
A package of Army men
Diary/Journal
Homemade gift certificates for favors – stay up passed curfew, mow the lawn, fix dinner, back massage, extra hour on computer/Wii
Seedlings
Gardening gloves and tools
Magnifying glass, especially a lit one

Favorite magazine, really cool if you got the subscription
The “Expensive” key ring for their make/model
Perfume/cologne, even the free samples
Cash
Gift cards for fast food restaurants, donut place, coffee place, iTunes, Amazon, Facebook, etc.
Gourmet pasta/sauce/croutons/breadsticks/olive oil/vinegar – 1 or more or a combination
Jewelry cleaner
Silver polish
Magnets
Christmas ornament, start a collection for someone or simply buy/make them something you love for them
Gum
Mechanix gloves

A canister of bungee cords
Neck pillow – yeah, seriously
Coupons for local eateries, products the recipients use, etc.
Decorative hooks
Reusable and beautiful chopsticks
Box of crayons
Collectible coins
Gloves/mittens, especially hand knitted
Wallet/change purse/clutch, especially with a token cash gift included
Orange/apple or other fruit to put in the toe
Bubbles
Toothbrush/toothpaste/travel toothbrush holder
USB drive
Memory stick
Baby doll/stuffed animal to stick out of the top of the stocking
Candy canes either traditional peppermint or modern choices like fruit-flavored or chocolate mint
Did I mention jewelry?!

There are infinite ideas with which to fill the stocking, or assist Santa in this case.

It is a great joy for me to share my ideas, but I would love to read yours as well.

For more great ideas to help Santa, check the archives or use the “search” feature located on the upper left hand side of this page.

Happy gathering!

Simple Joys

Welcome to Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter.

This season is highly emotional for me. I run the gamut from giddy with joy to feeling the weight of the world. I am thrilled with my family and the excitement that is pent up surrounding the holidays and, at the same time, saddened that all of my family is not with me throughout the season.

These feelings could become overwhelming and in the past they have, but now I know to look for my Simple Joys. Instead of fixating on what I don’t have, what I miss, and what I cannot change, I concentrate on the blessings I do have. I put my focus on the positives this season offers and let them wash over me.

I still feel what I feel, happiness, sadness, excitement, longing, joy, numbness, and even stress, but the harder times are tolerable because I have faith that when Simple Joys come along I can grasp them.

My favorite Christmas songs on the radio, a great Christmas episode of a beloved television series, a gathering of friends in my home, baking cookies with my children, and wonderful times alone with my husband are all Simple Joys that carry me through and help me enjoy the season.

And now, without further ado, is this week’s Simple Joys.

Snow! After the harrowing ordeal that was Superstorm Sandy, my community was looking forward to a dull end of fall. But early last week our town had a “snow event” that was supposed to leave a trace to an inch of snow. Instead, it started snowing at 5 am and didn’t let up until late afternoon. We didn’t get a lot of snow – only about 4 inches – but the schools were concerned and sent the children home early.

I was thrilled! By lunchtime my children were home and we suited up for an afternoon romping around the newly and continuously falling snow. We made snowman, had snowball fights, and I shoveled the entire driveway and walkway so my husband wouldn’t have to return home that night to do it.

Having the early unexpected snowfall turned into an afternoon full of Simple Joys.

Chocolate chip cookies. I baked my first batch of Christmas cookies of the season. My children and I adore chocolate chip cookies so I made the recipe late last week.

I’ll be making more this season as they are gone! But mixing, dropping, baking, and sharing these cookies with my children was a tasty Simple Joy!

Shelf. Last spring I asked a dear friend who is a good woodworker to make a mulit-tier shelf to my specific dimensions. We talked at length what I needed out of the piece and he was certain he could fulfill my request.

Last week my shelf was delivered by my friend. It was not just good it was perfect!

My friend and I sat and admired his work, caught up on events, and shared a cup of coffee and some chocolate chip cookies. My shelf – and my friend’s visit – was a Simple Joy fueled by anticipation and awash in relief that it is exactly what I wanted and now a part of my home.

Barbie ornaments. As a child I loved Barbie doll. Once I grew up, I loved Barbie doll. I also have always and still do love Christmas. When Hallmark Keepsake ornaments debuted Barbie ornaments, I was hooked. For years, long before I even thought about having children, I collected these miniature versions of popular Barbie dolls in their vintage clothing and holiday finery. My collection, although not complete, is vast.

For years they have sat in storage. But now I have a place for them. The shelf my friend made was created to display my little treasures.

Once the shelf was hung in a prominent location my daughter, who had never seen my collection, set to work and unwrapped each ornament from the box. We placed each ornament on the shelf in a specific order and admired our display at the end.

Having a special place to showcase my Barbie ornaments – and share them with my daughter – was a Simple Joy decades in the making.

Rise of the Guardians. As I have mentioned throughout this year, going to the movies is a family favorite now that our youngest is able to sit through an entire feature. This past weekend we saw Rise of the Guardians.

It was a terrific movie! I was much invested in the story and, truth be told, was emotionally drained upon its conclusion. I won’t give any spoilers here, but I do highly recommend the film. I know when it comes out on DVD my family will own it and add it to our library of Christmas movies.

Watching Rise of the Guardians with my family was a Simple Joy that made me excited for Christmas, have faith in humanity, cheer for children, and feel intensely.

As the weeks melt into days until Christmas I am gently reminding myself to try to relish the moments that are far too fleeting. I look forward to Christmas all year long and thus must do what I can to make the entire season enjoyable.

I, too, can stumble into the pitfalls surrounding the holiday season, but being aware and arming myself with the capacity for Simple Joys has done much to elevate my enjoyment level.

Wishing you all another week filled with Simple Joys.

Please join me tomorrow for my 2012 Santa’s Helper Gift Guide on Freestyle Wednesday on Chief 187™Chatter.

Monday Media Blog-TV Christmas Episodes

Welcome to the Monday Media Blog on Chief 187™Chatter.

It is the first Monday of December so, of course, my mind is still swirling around Christmas and the Holiday season.

Thinking back to my childhood I remember anxiously awaiting for my favorite television shows to offer its Christmas episode. The Brady Bunch, Little House on the Prairie, and even Night Court had programming that took place around or on Christmas.

To this day the Christmas episodes of my favorite television shows bring me much joy. For me, Glee stands out as a favorite as it marries music and Christmas.

What are your favorite Christmas episodes of a television series or series' you enjoy?

From All in the Family to M*A*S*H, Family Ties to The Flintstones, Happy Days and ER and anything and everything in between or since, tell your all-time favorites.

Please join me tomorrow for the uplifting and ever-popular Simple Joys on Chief 187™Chatter.