When Do You Put Up The Tree?

November 19, 2012 by Heather C. Watson in "ashland", "autumn", "christmas lights", "christmas", "holidays", "november", "thanksgiving", "traditions", "winter"

When do y'all put up your Christmas tree?

This time of year, that's a divisive question. Too early, and you're stealing Thanksgiving's thunder. Too late, and you're a bit of a Scrooge. It's a quandary of Christmas cheer.

My family doesn't do Black Friday. There's no 4 a.m. trip to Wal-Mart or Kohl's for us. The day after Thanksgiving is forever reserved as The Day We Put Up The Tree. Like Nordstrom, we wait until it's appropriate, but we don't wait too long.

Now, I may have been ready to succumb to the peer pressure of Facebook this weekend. Those folks who posted photos of their trees just seemed so... happy. I already have a few presents purchased, and it's just about time to pull out the Love, Actually DVD. It basically made sense, right?

I was almost convinced until I found myself in Ashland this weekend. I love that town's Christmas decorations, and I wanted to take a few photos for HerKentucky holiday posts. The decorations were as delightful as ever, but it was 63 degrees and sunny. Santa looked a little warm in the sunlight amidst the leaves. Maybe waiting another few days makes sense...

When is your "right time" for holiday decorations?

Thanksgiving Traditions

November 16, 2012 by Heather C. Watson in "hadley pottery", "holidays", "louisville stoneware", "thanksgiving"

Spode Woodland, via Belk

Thanksgiving is a holiday centered around family, gratitude, and tradition. As we carry on the tradition of the earliest settlers of our land, we celebrate with the customary feast foods.

Now, this sounds momentous, proud, and lovely. But, the truth is, the food gets a little monotonous. If you don't like ham or turkey, then most of the time, you're just out of luck.

In a lot of families, the preparation of a huge meal falls on one or two people, who are charged with meeting the dietary and taste demands of a crowd. Earlier this week, I was talking about the meal with my aunt, the traditional hostess of our family Thanksgiving dinner. She noted that several family members want the dishes we serve to be exactly the same as in previous years. Now, occasionally we mix it up a bit -- one year a second, fried turkey (whom my brother and cousin named "Brian" after a long debate as to whether the bird should be brined, but that's another story for another day...) was on the menu. Sometimes, I'll try to branch out into sweet potato pie or another dish that seems to fit. But, by and large, the menu is fixed. My mom will make pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and broccoli casserole. My uncle and grandmother will conduct a raging two-hour debate about whether traditional dressing or oyster dressing is better. I'll make a hot brown on leftover turkey Thursday night. I guess that's how traditions work.

via Louisville Stoneware

Every family has their own set of Thanksgiving customs as well. Some folks, like Lydia, are all about the football-and-sweatpants aspect of the day. Others are hurrying up the holiday for a tryptophan-induced nap and Black Friday preparations. The lucky ones, like Cristina, can pour a bourbon and enjoy the day. When my maternal grandmother was alive, we stood in the kitchen and took a turn saying what we were thankful for. It was a beautiful moment of affirmation for the adults, and the bane of the grandkids' existence. But, it's forever etched in our memories as What You Do On Thanksgiving.

via Hadley Pottery

A fun way to mix up tradition is to add some pretty new dishes and serving pieces to your holiday table. I'm forever in love with Spode's Woodland china pattern. Someday, the Hunting Dog series will be mine. More locally, pieces from Louisville Stoneware and Hadley Pottery add a little Kentucky tradition while prettying up your table.While my suggestions for turkey tikka masala often go ignored, at least I can spice up the holiday with these fun bird patterned china patterns!

Here's to old traditions and a few new ones to mix things up!

What are your Thanksgiving traditions?

Turkey Day - One Week Away

November 15, 2012 by Guest User in "cooking", "holidays", "thanksgiving"

One week from now, most of us will be cooking, searching for our holiday sweatpants or eagerly anticipating Thanksgiving Day football. For me, I'll be staying as far away from the kitchen as possible - in my sweatpants, watching the Macy's Day Parade and ready to eat copious amounts of food.

No one wants me in the kitchen unless it's time to do dishes. Every year, I somehow magically disappear when it comes to dishes time! If my family is reading - I swear it's not intentional. Of course it isn't!

I listened to a fascinating NPR interview of chef Alton Brown yesterday and realized that people really get into Thanksgiving. Traditions are important to people, that much I know, but I guess I never realized that some people feel pasionately that there is a right and wrong way to cook a turkey. Who knew that stuffing preparation (inside the bird or out?) could be such a divisive holiday issue?

I pretty much just show up to eat and nap. I do remember the year someone forgot to make the mashed potatoes. That was terrible.

That's why I decided to consult my sister to bring you some tips for Thanksgiving that are actually useful. I'm pretty sure my tips on the best strategy to maintain your comfy couch seat in the face of would-be seat stealers aren't very helpful! I can attest that she knows her way around a kitchen.

Turkey Day is a week away. Here are my sister, Kate's, best tips to make it a day that your family AND you can enjoy. It sounds like she feels there is a right and wrong way to go about Thanksgiving, too.

Plan ahead of time and be organized. This allows you to spend as much time with friends and family and out of the kitchen!
Fresh turkey is the best, but frozen will do. Just make sure to plan enough time to defrost!
What is that saying, “Butter is better”? Well, it’s the truth. Fat equals flavor and there’s no better tasting fat than butter. I usually have a pound (or two) of softened butter sitting on my counter top ready to go. I use it on my turkey (flavors turkey and drippings used for gravy), in my mashed potatoes, in corn, on bread, in desserts, and anywhere else I can think of. Last year, I even used it on my son’s arm when he got it stuck in between the chair rungs.
Nothing makes better gravy than the turkey drippings. Pour drippings into a large measuring cup. The fat will rise to the top while the dripping settle to the bottom. Skim off fat and use to make a roux. Add strained drippings and chicken stock (if necessary) to make gravy. Season to taste. Nothing is better.
Pumpkin pie screams Thanksgiving, but it’s nothing without whipped cream.
Thanksgiving Pantry Must-HavesButter
Sage
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Chicken Stock
Poultry Seasoning

Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tip or a tradition you can't imagine not honoring next week?

Happy Fourth, Y'all!

July 04, 2012 by Heather C. Watson in "HerKentucky", "holidays"

Whether your celebration style is fancy

Source: preptothemax.tumblr.com via Her on Pinterest

Or casual,

Source: toryburch.com via Her on Pinterest

Here's to a safe and happy Independence Day!

Southern Christmas

December 21, 2011 by Emily Ho in "christmas", "emily", "holidays", "traditions"

Prior to being a Kentuckian, I was a Georgia peach. Granted, I was only 12 when I moved here, but my mom was from Savannah and had a slow, southern drawl to her speech. She was mega-Georgian.

Anyway, growing up, I quickly realized the grandeur of the Southern Christmas. Not sure where the revelry comes from in the tradition with my family as we were never particularly religious. I do know that Christmas time was my favorite as a child, and to this day have really strong inclinations to keep some of the Southern traditions intact despite not having family around.

Hubs grew up in Lexington, and has a different version of a Southern Christmas than my family did. They focused much less on material items, decorations, and food than we did. Perhaps some of that comes with having a large family and enough chatter to fill the house with color.

Ingredients to my Southern Christmas:

The tree. Real or fake, but white lights only. Ribbons must be present and theme trees are acceptable (in color or category). Multiple trees are encouraged as well if there are children - they get their own tree.
Needlepoint stockings hanging on the fireplace mantle. Bonus if the names are on the stocking. At Christmas, stockings must be overflowing with lots of goodies. Some of my favorite things were in the stockings, just because they were unexpected and thoughtful.
A wreath on the front door.
A tree skirt with tradition. I have the one my family used growing up. It doesn't match the tree or my house decor, so I cover it up. Still, I know it's there and that's all that matters.
Food. Lots of food. Staples include: pecan pie, pumpkin pie, ambrosia, ham, turkey, giblet stuffing and gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes (fresh, not from a box, and with real butter), baked macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole with those fried onions on top, yeast rolls.
Holiday-scented potpourri or cinnamon pinecones around the house.

These days the food is much lighter, the potpourri has been replaced with Scentsy and hubs and I don't do stockings, but I still have my little semblance of my Southern Christmas.