Silver Bells and Silver Shells

This years' coffee table display was created using silver plated shells (I have had them for years!) pretty mercury glass balls, a sea glass ornament gift and accompanied by my fave pink and glitter murex shell ornaments.

The shells and aqua sea glass were mostly collected on our California Beaches (my pockets are always stuffed with something I have found...), our look was complete with a string of pearls and a treasured snow globe.

....And maybe a Tom and Jerry's yummy holiday cocktail!

Tom and I had our Christmas dinner last week before we headed up north to spend the holidays with our family in the Pacific Northwest. Tom was the master chef of a fabulously wonderful prime rib dinner, with goat cheese twice baked potatoes and delish Ina Garten roasted carrots. (Thanks Serena for my new cook book!)

Then we toasted the season with hot Tom and Jerry toddies in my grandmother's vintage gold rimmed cups.  I have packed and repacked these little darling cups more times than I can remember, but this is the first time I have ever actually used them.

Made me so happy, and I think it would have made her very happy too.

Tom and Jerry's:
There are a ton of recipes out there to whip these up, but we took a short-cut on ours and then added the whipped cream and cinnamon sticks to make them extra special. We recommend Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum and Trader Vic's Tom and Jerry Mix - both were excellent and can be found easily.

Here's a few links to recipes if you'd like to make them without buying the mix:

All Recipes - Tom and Jerry Cocktails

Esquire Magazine - Tom and Jerry (has a fun little history lesson!)

Epicurious - Tom and Jerry

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve!

Friday Night Candy Cane Cocktails

These were so yummy - we might have even had two!  After all, we had to celebrate our hard work decorating the Christmas tree....

2 oz. Vodka

2 oz. Peppermint Schnapps

2 oz. Whipped Cream Vodka

Ice

Crushed Candy Canes for Glass Decorating

Candy Canes for Garnishment

Step 1: Crush Candy Canes and roll martini glass edges to decorate (can be a bit tricky!)

Step 2: Pour Vodka, Peppermint Schnapps, and Whipped Cream Vodka over ice into your martini shaker.  Shake well, and pour carefully into decorated martini glasses.

Step 3: Add Candy Canes 

Step 4: Enjoy with someone special!

 

Snicker Doodles for Santa Claws

Trying something new this year for our Santa cookies. Snicker Doodle cookies loaded with white chocolate chips!  

Yum.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Margarine (2 sticks)
1 1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cups of flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 package white chocolate chips (or to your liking)

Cinnamon and Sugar Mixture for rolling cookies:
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees

1. Cream together margarine, sugar and eggs.  Add in vanilla, mix well
2. Mix dry ingredients together and then mix into margarine mixture
3. Fold in white chocolate chips
4. Put cookie dough into the fridge for at least 30 minutes to make the cookies easier to roll
5. Roll cookies into cinnamon and sugar mix and place on cookies sheet about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 10-11 minutes



7. Wait for Santa Claws! (Claus)

P.S.

Crab Mixing Bowl

Seashell Pitcher from our Sea and Shore Collection:

Tropical for Christmas

Over 31 years ago, I spent my first tropical Christmas in Hawaii. Was totally expecting it to be a really weird,bummer time, not like Christmas at all.  Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. (might have even been a little whiney). My first time away from the cold rainy Pacific Northwest and away from family during the holidays.

Where could we possibly find a Christmas tree in Hawaii?  We didn't even have ornaments! (or any money) A wreath? So weird to be wearing shorts and t-shirts.. what do you do when it's 80 degrees and sunshining in the winter?

Me and Dad snorkeling in Hanauma Bay 1983

Our  tree that year, turned out to be rather magical with a little help from my mom and dad. My grandma Johnnie had a Christmas tree farm in her back "40". Every year after my brother Jeff, and I were old enough, we spent our December weekends helping customers at her farm cut down their own Christmas trees.  Believe it or not, I got to be pretty handy down in the dirt with a tree saw! I can't even begin to count the weekends spent cold, muddy and soaked through after tramping around (sometimes for quite awhile) in between wet Douglas Fir, Noble Fir and Blue Spruce trees.  It was all worth it though, to hang out in the kitchen with my grandma telling stories and drinking hot chocolate. Oh, and we may have consumed some Christmas cookies too!

So, I digress...  My dad must have felt pretty sorry for me (I was a more than a little pathetic), and he and my mom came up with a plan to get a tree to me in Hawaii.  I have always loved the smell and the gorgeous colors of blue spruce trees. Dad went to grandma's and found a fatty, round one and cut it down. Somehow between all of them, (there might have been cocktails involved) they figured out how to squish it, wrap the bottom in wet paper towels and a plastic bag.  Then the whole thing went into a constructed lop-sided cardboard box.  With about 5 pounds of packing tape!

Took five or six days to get to us, but made it perfectly in one piece! My mom was so sweet, making a bunch of cute reindeer and Santa ornaments and sending them along too.

Have such wonderful memories of that first holiday in our home in Pearl City. We had a huge mango tree in our backyard,  fenced in from the sugar cane fields and surrounded by pretty pink oleanders with a beautiful dark pink blooming bougainvillea growing in our courtyard. Our neighbors even had big red blooming Poinsettias growing in their yard!

What to do when it's 80 degrees?  Go to the beach and go boogey boarding! Which is exactly what we did on Christmas Day in 1983.

Here are a few of my favorite tropical Christmas Tree ideas - 

what a fun way to celebrate life in the islands. (or pretend you are on a tropical vacation!)

Love this "reclaimed" from the sea tree from musician Jack Johnson, featured in Coastal Living last holiday - who needs a real tree? Just create one of your own!

Load up the shiny ornaments! Wouldn't it be fun to create a tropical tree in your outside living area? (from the Frontgate catalog)

 Lily Pulitzer, of course.  Something so fun about a total infusion of tropical, bright color!

One of my all-time favorite Christmas decor inspirations from Coastal Living Magazine.  I have had this image pinned on my bulletin board for 5 years... check out the palm fronts mixed with the blue, aqua and silver.  Love this tree!

More color infusion topped off with palm fronts from Better Homes and Gardens (bhg.com) What an inviting, cozy room!

 Who says the tree has to be green? I really really want the ottoman... (also Coastal Living Magazine)

Maybe surfing after Christmas brunch? The purple and turquoise is such a great combo! (also Coastal Living) 

Looks like a fabulous party!  I want get invited -  (so sorry, do not know the source)

Hoping to get our tree this weekend...