Embracing Meaningful Handmade Gifts
Gift-giving during the holiday season can be a time of stress for many, especially when trying to find the perfect present that genuinely reflects love and thoughtfulness. This year, there’s an emphasis on meaningful, handmade gifts that not only capture the spirit of the holidays but also bring a personal touch. One particularly special gift involved repurposing a family heirloom—a wedding dress—into a handbag. This thoughtful transformation was destined for my mom, who played a significant role in both the memory of wearing the dress and its new life as a stylish handbag, complete with a delicate bow made from the original dress fabric. This keepsake serves as a personal and continuous connection to family history and love, ideal for special occasions, or even as “Something Borrowed” on my own wedding day.
We’re not a family that indulges too heavily in gift-giving; instead, we focus on the sentiment behind the gesture. My fiancé and I typically prefer to create memories through shared experiences, like annual trips, rather than exchanging material items. However, small tokens such as handcrafted gifts are always appreciated. To further the personal touch, I recommend considering gifts like protein bars for my brother, a scrapbook for my sister-in-law’s growing family, or cooking ingredients for my dad who loves to cook.
If you’re inspired to create your own memorable gift, consider supporting artisans who specialize in upcycling materials. My mom’s friend, Helen, has an Etsy shop where she transforms recycled fabrics into handbags. She can turn jeans into chic purses or even wedding dresses into timeless keepsakes. Her work is not only environmentally friendly but also supports local craftspeople, making every purchase feel good for the soul.
Creating Plant-Based Holiday Feasts
Moving from gifts to gastronomy, holiday meals should be as joyful and heartfelt as the gifts. Hosting a plant-based potluck is a wonderful and inclusive way to celebrate. This year, I raided my freezer for leftover Thanksgiving treats like cranberry-pea-can rolls and pumpkin maple cornbread, ensuring nothing delicious goes to waste. Preparing for our gathering, my mom and I spent Christmas Eve indulging in the kitchen, experimenting with new recipes and revising old favorites.
The main attraction was a vegan version of a classic holiday ham—a tofu seitan ham. While it was a bold new venture, both in aroma and texture, it might appeal more to meat lovers. Personally, the seitan roast from Thanksgiving was more to my taste, but exploring new recipes is half the fun of holiday cooking.
Every table needs gravy, and my go-to, the “321 emergency gravy,” is a quick, savory blend of water-sautéed onions, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, and marsala wine. This topping is as delightful on hearty stews as it is on mashed potatoes or the aforementioned seitan roast.
Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth
Dessert is where the magic truly happens. Cinnamon rolls from my healthy desserts cookbook have been reinvented with a new filling of pecans, dates, maple syrup, and cinnamon, crowned with a luscious cream made from soaked cashews and coconut cream. These rolls are an absolute treat that concludes the meal with a sweet, festive note.
Stuffed mushrooms have also become a staple at our holiday gatherings. Easy to prepare, they involve taking mushroom caps and filling them with a mixture of toasted walnuts, pine nuts, red onion, and nutritional yeast. A splash of marsala wine elevates their flavor profile, making them a hit for any occasion, not just Christmas but also future Super Bowl parties.
Preparing for Holiday Travel
As we continue to spread the holiday cheer, plans for a trip to New York require thoughtful meal preparation to avoid fast food pitfalls while traveling. Soups, especially from our healthy soups cookbook, like lentil or Moroccan pumpkin chickpea, are comforting and nutritious options. They’re hearty enough to sustain us on long road trips and easy to prepare and transport.
With these ideas in mind, celebrations, whether at home or afar, are sure to be rich in both flavor and sentiment. So, gather your family, friends, and culinary creativity this season, crafting not only gifts but also experiences that will foster cherished memories for years to come. Whether through handmade gifts or delicious plant-based meals, there’s no better way to show love than by sharing your time and talents during this special time of year.
