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Home > E-Newsletter Archive Listing Welcome to the CALLOWAY HOUSE E-Newsletter Archive December 2007 FROM CALLOWAY HOUSE TO YOU: TIPS, RECIPES AND MORE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND BEYOND For a lot of people, the holidays can be frantic – for teachers, even more so, since you have two “families” to consider! The Calloway House family has combined our recipes, activities and organizing/timesaving ideas to help make your holidays in the classroom – or at home – a little brighter. Enjoy! We had fun thinking of ideas to help you, and we hope you have just as much fun reading them. If you have ideas of your own you’d like to share (not just for the holidays), we’d love to hear from you! Please note: although most of the recipes we’ve included are simple, adult supervision is strongly recommended. Before proceeding with any recipe, check to make sure your students have no food allergies. Also check school regulations regarding cooking in the classroom. RECIPES SUGAR PLUMS (Pam, Customer Service) Pam’s idea combines a recipe with an activity. Read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” with your students, provide them with the history of the sugar plum, then pass out a sugar plum to each. You can also read the story with your family, then decoratively wrap a treat (include a tag with the history of the sugar plum) and place it on each child’s pillow! History: A sugarplum is defined as a small round or oval piece of sugary candy. The name could have come from the resemblance to a small plum, or from actual plums preserved in sugar, a relatively new idea in 16th century England. Before this time, sugar was so expensive it was used very sparingly. In the 1540's, however, sugar started being refined in London, which lowered the price considerably. Preserving with sugar allowed the fruits of summer to be enjoyed all year round, especially during the holiday season.
2 cups whole almonds Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Arrange almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast in oven
for ten minutes. Set aside to cool and then finely chop. Cooking Tip: Use of a food processor helps make preparation simple and much quicker. CRANBERRY SALAD (Janet, Customer Service) This recipe shows up every year on Janet’s table.
4 cups raw cranberries Combine cranberries, water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until all berries have popped. Remove from heat. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Stir in pineapple and nuts. Pour into your favorite mold and chill until firm. NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (Diane, Information Technology) A great recipe to make with your students!
1/2 cup light corn syrup, honey or molasses Bring syrup and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter. Add cereal. Drop by spoonfuls onto metal tray or waxed paper. THE MIX (April, Marketing) This recipe makes a large amount – just what you need to share with others. It’s super-easy to make with your students, too.
5 cups Cheerios® Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Melt chips and oil in microwave (on low heat). Pour chocolate over mixture until thoroughly coated. Lay in clumps on wax paper to dry. COFFEE CAN PUMPKIN BREAD (Sharon, Customer Service) Sharon makes this recipe every holiday in memory of a family member who first shared the recipe with her. It’s the perfect time of year to remind students how very special their families are!
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Blend together, then add: Grease (with shortening) and flour three coffee cans (11.5oz.). Fill each half full. Bake one hour at 350ºF. HOLIDAY PRETZEL SNACKS (Fred, Warehouse) You can enlist the help of your students to make this super-simple recipe.
Mini Pretzels Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cover a cookie sheet with foil. Spread the pretzels out in an even layer. Place a wafer on each. Put in the oven for just 4-5 minutes (long enough to melt the wafer). Remove from oven and top each wafer with an M&M. Let cool and enjoy! Cooking Tip: These can be made for any holiday – just use the wafers and M&Ms in holiday colors! ACTIVITIES SUPPORT THE TROOPS (Dawn, Warehouse) Have the class organize a giving campaign for troops and/or their families. This can be anything from sending cards or USO packages to the troops or collecting toys for children with deployed parents. Don’t just support them over the holidays – thinking of our troops throughout the year is a great way to instill patriotism (along with our SYMBOLS OF FREEDOM book set). CARD DONATION (Diane, Information Technology) Ask your students and/or parents to save their holiday cards. After the holiday break, collect the cards (or just front picture) and donate them to a local retirement home, rehab center, etc. for use in craft projects. CREATE MEMORIES, NOT BILLS (Amy Jo, Merchandising) Instead of buying gifts for each family member, organize one annual event that can be enjoyed by all ages any time of year. Events can range from a few hours to a long weekend. For events requiring travel, give several weeks’ or months’ notice so each family can arrange their schedules. Some events cost a few bucks and some are practically free! Suggestions? Camping at a state park, holding a pumpkin-carving contest or make-your-own pizza night, attending a national holiday event like the Macy’s Thanksgiving or Rose-Bowl Parade, attending a play or concert (some free!), dining at a “dress- up” restaurant, riding a train to a nearby city. Be imaginative! CLASSROOM ADVENT CALENDAR (Barbara, Administration)
Although Advent calendars have 21 days, you can modify this activity
for the number of students in your class: DECEMBER COUNTDOWN CHAIN (Linda, Information Technology)
- Have each student cut 25 strips (Our FISKARS® CLASSPACKS provide
enough scissors for your entire class) from brightly colored paper (1
inch x 9 inches works well). TREE FIELD TRIP (Sabina, Purchasing) Instead of picking a pre-cut tree, take a visit to a tree farm where you and your own child(ren) or your class can take a sleigh ride or hay ride, choose your own tree and cut it down. Local tree farms often offer field trips that include learning about conservation and planting and harvesting trees. Why not turn it into a learning experience? BARGAIN-BOOK READ-ALOUD (April, Marketing) Take advantage of post-holiday sales and buy holiday-themed chapter books or short-story compilations at bargain prices. The following year, read one chapter or story to your class every day leading up to break. It’s a great way to wind down each day! You can also do this at home with your family each evening. ORGANIZING/TIMESAVING IDEAS HOLIDAY (AND EVERYDAY) ORGANIZING TIPS (Lisa, Warehouse)
- Label the contents of each storage tub or container using self-
stick labels. For decorations or other seasonal or themed items
stored in multiple tubs, not only will you know what’s inside when
you need it, but you’ll know which tub to return it to. If you need
certain tubs before others, place those on top or in front where they
are easy to reach. TIMESAVING NAME TAGS (Steve, Information Technology) Before starting holiday shopping, type labels on the computer that say, To: (name) From: (name) for each student or family member you buy for, then print them out on self-sticking labels. As you shop and wrap, place the label on the gift. When the label sheet is empty, you know you’re done. Save the list on your computer and modify each year as needed. QUICK-AND-EASY, NO-STORE TREE ORNAMENTS (Sandi, Customer Service) Slice unpeeled oranges and apples (Red Delicious work well for their red skins) into ¼” slices. Insert a hook into each slice and hang from the tree. The fruit dries naturally (or you can pre-dry) and can be used as potpourri after the holidays. And best of all, the only things you have to store are the hooks! GIFT-WRAPPING/ENTERTAINING MADE EASY (Amy Jo, Merchandising) Gift Wrapping: Instead of using name tags, assign each family member a color of wrapping paper (that only you know). Use the same paper (or multiple patterns of the same color scheme) for each person. Wait until the last minute to attach bows so you can neatly stack the gifts and keep bows fresh.
Entertaining: HOT TIP: Instead of throwing tissue and wrapping paper away, use it to wrap fragile decorations or shred it and use it as packing filler! |
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