Oh, i honestly didn’t think at the beginning of this year that we still be in lockdown for the holidays. But rates are rising here in the Midwest so home it is for the holidays.

I truly love the holiday season. I love creating rituals and traditions with our family. Making the little moments special, magical. I’m not a huge fan over the overconsumption and commercialization of the holiday season so I love the idea of bringing the outdoors in and repurposing things around the home for decorating for the holidays.

ive turned Ball® Canning little quilted jars we used for jams this season into magical sparkling candleholder with the addition of a beeswax tealight, the Ball® Canning Fluted Jar we canned our pears in into flower vases + drinking glasses.

Simple, stress free holiday decor for our little holiday dinner. I’m planning on making a simple menu, with pumpkin pie of course, because it’s just us four + poppy. I still pulled out nice linens to set the table + saved some pumpkins from halloween with other bits of gathered nature from our walks for a centerpiece.

although it’s just us, hoping it still feels like a time of celebration, gratitude + remembrance of the people whose land we live on, the Meswaki, Sauk + Ho Chunk peoples.

Even in these hard, uncertain times we can still cultivate our values and celebrate the light within each of us. Staying home with intention to stay well and healthy until we can gather again.

seasonal simple syrup for a champagne cocktail

ingredients

1 1/2 cup of water

1 cup of fresh cranberries, halved

1 sprig of rosemary

2-3 dried orange slices or fresh orange peel

1 cinnamon stick

1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger sliced

1 cup of honey (or sugar)

directions

place water, cranberries, rosemary, cinnamon stick, ginger and orange in a saucepan. bring to a simmer over medium heat, turn down and let simmer on low for 10 minutes. strain through a fine mesh sieve and return to the pan. Add your sweetener until, stir until dissolved. Store in a pint ball jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Cranberry Champagne Cocktail

add a tablespoon or two of cranberry simple syrup to a glass of champagne. Add an ice cube or frozen cranberries + a sprig of Rosemary to garnish. Feel free to experiment. A splash of orange juice would be delicious for a mimosa, add the simple syrup to bubbly water + add garnishes for a mock tail. Or the cranberry syrup, bubbly water + a splash of gin is delicious too! Serve in a ball pint jar for a simple + casual look.

stay well + healthy, xo

alyson