Guest Post by Jen Malik It’s easy getting into the routine of staying up later, getting up later, eating (a lot of) yummy food and hanging out with family and friends, isn’t it? But sooner than we’d hope, the reality hits. The holiday is just about over and as it stands now, there are just a couple of days before we’re back to the usual grind. Sigh. The kids go back to school, Dad goes back to work and I’ve got to get into my usual routine. Problem is, none of us really want to. But alas, we don’t have much say in the matter. If you’re in a similar boat, take heart…you aren’t alone. And maybe some of these tips will help. Going Back to Work: Take it easy in the next couple of days. If you’ve been going non-stop with visits with family and other obligations, clear your calendar now. It’s time to get some relax time in now before heading back to the ol’ grind. Get the house back in order. Okay, this is contradictory to taking it easy, but if you’ve got a clean house, laundry done, decorations put away, you won’t be worrying about those things when you get back to work. If you’re really ambitious, make preparations for your meals over the next few days. The night before, get your clothes, lunch, purse and keys ready. That way, when you’re a zombie in the morning, you know you’ve got all these little details taken care of. It can make a world of difference to your morning routine. On your first day, don’t expect too much of yourself. If you’ve been away and others have been in the office, take the time to go through your email, see what happened and put together an action plan. Don’t wear yourself out by staying too late. You can get back to it tomorrow. Going Back to School: A few days before returning to school, get the kids back into their usual night time and morning routines. Bed times should return back to normal (probably for you too – start setting your alarm again). Talk to the kids about school. Get them excited about seeing their friends again, taking their favorite classes and other things they like about school. On the first day back, give yourself a little extra time and avoid the snooze button. Snoozing will just make you sleepier and everyone will be rushed and stressed. That’s no way to end the holiday. With all that in mind, I’m off to finish all those loads of laundry that have been piling up. Now that it’s 2010, I’m hoping someone will invent “self-washing, drying, folding and putting away” clothes. Seems like a good idea to me. Anyone?

Guest Post by Jen Malik I’m looking forward to coming around with a few thoughts over the Christmas holiday while our resident blogger takes a well-deserved break. I welcome your comments and ideas. I love this time of year and hearing about other people’s ideas and traditions. So let’s get to the heart of the matter here. Christmas is in 3 days (two if you celebrate on Christmas Eve!), so dinner’s gotta get get done. Everyone thinks of the traditional ham or turkey with all the trimmings as the must-have meal, but it’s a lot of work. You can still have a delicious meal without slaving away all day. Really! Ideas: * Don’t have a lot of guests? Try oven-roasting a whole chicken or even chicken pieces. * Take a walk on the wild side with a crockpot recipe the family loves. Even a pot roast can be cooked with a Christmas flair by topping the roast with cranberry sauce. Yes, cook the roast with the cranberry sauce on top and sprinkle a little onion soup mix for extra flavor. * What about a Christmas pizza? A simple idea that can get the family involved. Choose a Christmas-themed pan shape (Christmas tree, bell, etc.) and go for it. If You’re Still Making The Big Turkey or Even a Ham: * Choose ready-made stuffing. * Packaged turkey gravy can help in a time crunch. Just replace some of the water with pan drippings and YUM! * Packaged mashed potatoes have come a long way. If you haven’t tried them in a while, do a test in your kitchen. You might be surprised. Of course, if you aren’t into processed foods, things may not be so simple. You’ve just got to get creative with the time you spend in the kitchen: * Appetizers can be simple. A veggie or meat plate. You can even purchase these fresh items, pre-cut and arranged. * Don’t go overboard with side dishes. If you’re making them yourself, you don’t have to have EVERYTHING. Just make bigger batches of a few vegetables and other items. They WILL satisfy a hungry crowd. * But better than making less is getting OTHER people to make it. Enlist all your guest to bring a side dish. Unless they have a specific dish they really want to make, be bold and tell them what to bring. It’s easier for everyone involved. * Chop vegetables, get the bird ready and do other kitchen prep the night before. Enlist the help of family members and enjoy a glass of wine or a hot buttered rum…or two. * Don’t be shy about asking for help on the big day. Your guests are perfectly capable of basting, slicing, setting and more. The important thing is to enjoy the day. Entertaining can be fun, but if you’re running around the kitchen all day, sweating up a storm…it can lose a bit of its lustre.