12 days of SIMPLE holiday gift giving • day 6

It's Saturday...

exactly one week before Christmas.

Needless to say it's a busy day for us all, I'm sure.

Let's keep the post short and sweet...

Day 6

When you return home from all-day shopping...

gather your family together...

pick your favorite HOLIDAY movie...

(or use your handy dvr if you have it, to pre-record)

pop some popcorn...

snuggle up together...

and get lost in the holiday togetherness!!

If tonight doesn't work...

plan it for a different night.

Invite neighbors/family over if you REALLY want to reach out.

Need a movie suggestion?

Here are my favorites:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Elf (I never tire of this movie...LOVE it).

the Holiday (adult movie...LOVE)

Now...

as for the popcorn.

Keep it simple by choosing the microwave variety.

Or...

Try these next "tried and true" recipes I absolutely find delicious and worth the effort...

Crunchy Caramel Popcorn

(adorable popcorn box pictured here is available from Party Starters on Etsy)

Mmmm...

in fact, this is the best recipe I've ever tried.

Want the recipe?

(Download the FREE 4x6 .pdf here)

(Thank you Southern Living for the BEST Caramel Popcorn recipe EVER!)

OR...

try my FAVORITE kind of popcorn

Old-Fashioned Kettle Corn

(download the FREE 6x8 .pdf here)

thanks to "Our Best Bites" I've found a recipe I LOVE and is super easy!

HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING IDEA

Bundle up bags of "Crunchy Caramel Popcorn" or "Old-Fashioned Kettle Corn" and include the recipe card.

Easy peasy and so yummy!

If you've got it in the budget...include a dvd too.

KEEPING IT REAL

• That 2nd picture of the Crunchy Caramel Corn happened by accident when it tipped over during the photographing process. I was frustrated at first and then realized the beauty of it. Perfect!

• I burned the first batch of Kettle Corn but the process was so easy I wasn't discouraged.

I ended up making 3 additional batches after that and they came out perfect.

• Cleaning up the pot and lid after making the Kettle Corn is a pain - just soak it in warm water and then have someone else wash it. *wink*

• I finally "fully" decorated my "lights-only" tree yesterday afternoon.

As the girls and I stood admiring it just after we'd placed the angel on top...

the tree fell right on top of Ella. *gasp*

Ella was completely fine...she didn't even cry. She just kept saying "mess".

And yes...it was quite a mess with water, ornaments and christmas tree needles all over the floor.

I actually laughed when it happened...

but was thoroughly irritated after spending 20+ minutes sopping up water and getting stabbed by needles as we attempted to reposition the tree and make it more secure. *wink*

And then of course the drama of my middle daughter storming off mad/upset when my oldest daughter blamed her was so enjoyable.

I think what happened was Ella was actually pulling ornaments off of the tree and I think she just tugged a bit too hard. *wink*

The tree is now secure...

everything cleaned up.

It's amazing how one minute we were blaring holiday music, singing along while decorating the tree...

really enjoying the time together...

and then BAM!!!

pure chaos! *smile*

I will attempt to redecorate the tree perhaps later this afternoon!?

Or maybe it's just destined to be a "lights-only" tree this year?

I'm okay with either option....really.