This Christmas season has been different from any other Christmas that I've had since I realized that Santa Claus didn't exist. I've actually looked forward to it. I'm not necessarily looking forward to Christmas morning, but I've had so much fun getting ready for Christmas! This year I've realized that it's up to me to initiate Christmas traditions and also spread the excitement for the Christmas season. In order to spread my Christmas cheer, the first thing I needed to do was to make something to spread the cheer with... Nothing spreads cheer like homemade caramels. The second thing I needed was something festive to contain the delightful bonbons, which gets me to the point of the blog. When Chris's work sent us a welcome basket with goodies a few months ago, there was a very cute corrugated box-like container with pistachios in it. After the pistachios were gone I didn't have the heart to throw out the container. I wanted to do something with it. I didn't want it to go to waste. No, no. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I fully realized the potential of this little box. I suddenly realized that this corrugated cardboard box was a perfect template. I also realized that if I modified it a little the box would be perfect for small gifts. I tweaked the pattern just a little, and digitized it (which made the process of doing 19 boxes for friends so much easier), and now I give it to you with simple instructions, so you too can spread your holiday cheer (whatever holiday or occasion that may be) with your own personal touch! First, print out the Box Template on heavy cardstock. The thicker the better– I printed out the box template on a coated 100 lb dull cover. Any sort of thick scrapbook paper would do well, too. Second, cut out the template. I glued on wrapping paper to the back of the template to dress up the paper before cutting the template out. If you plan on doing that or something similar, use PVA glue (Elmer's glue might work) and apply with a thick brush. Then place the decorative paper on the back of the template and work flat with a bonefolder. Third, score along dotted lines. With a ruler and scoring tool (bonefolder or a dull pencil might do) make sure everything lines up just right Fourth, cut out slits for the side tabs. Fifth, fold the side tabs in (labeled A and B) corresponding slots. Sixth, fold the top and bottom tabs in order of number. Seventh, ENJOY!!! OH... and... Here's the caramel recipe: Caramels That Won't Fail(seriously) 4 cup sugar 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups karo syrup 2 cans evaporated milk Melt butter, add karo, then sugar. Cook until boiling. Add evaporated milk a little at a time (so candy won't stop boiling), stirring continuously. cook to firm ball stage (235º on candy thermometer). Pour into buttered jelly roll pan. Use a long handled wooden spoon for stirring. FOR MORE PRINTABLE BOXES, CLICK THE LINKS BELOW:

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Oranges are still 5lbs. for a dollar, which makes me just so happy! Oranges are such a happy fruit not only because they're my favorite fruit, but they also because embody my favorite color. I finally got around to making Orange Chicken during the day so that I could photograph it for my recipe book (Chris was very happy to have something for lunch other than a grilled cheese sandwich). It was a nice bright day –especially compared to the depressingly rainy day the day before– so it was ideal for taking photographs of my culinary masterpiece. YUM! Here's the recipe... it's really, really easy and delicious! Lemon Chicken 3/4 lb. Sliced Boneless Skinless Chicken 1 t. Salt (divided) 1 Egg Yolk 2 t. Rice Wine 1/8 t. Pepper 1 t. Soy Sauce 1/4 c. Sugar 2 t. Cornstarch 1/4 c. Chicken Broth 1 t. Sesame Oil 2 T. Water 1/4 c. Lemon Juice (I used fresh-squeezed orange juice instead. You jealous?) Combine chicken 1/2 t. salt, egg yolk, rice wine, pepper and soy sauce. Let stand for 15 minutes. Combine sugar, cornstarch, chicken broth, sesame oil, water, lemon juice and 1/2 t. salt to make the lemon sauce. Heat sauce with 1 T. hot oil. Dip marinated chicken in a mixture of 6 T. cornstarch and 2 T. Flour. Deep fry and drain chicken. Pour lemon sauce over chicken and serve.

So, this Christmas has been just as busy as any other, even though I no longer have to worry about school. Saturday, Chris and I went to the Oakland Temple at the perfect time to enjoy the Christmas lights. It was definitely different from Temple Square, but the effect was the same. We also had the chance to see an 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon (so cool). The Oakland Mission President bought it at an auction some time ago and decided to put it on display at the visitor's center. There were a lot of sister missionaries around, so I thought I'd ask them if they perhaps knew my cousin James. They did! When I asked them, their eyes got big and both of them exclaimed how funny and great he is. So cool. Wednesday, I volunteered for the Christmas Crèche exhibit at the LDS Stake Center in Palo Alto. It was so neat to be able to get in the spirit of Christmas. I volunteered for 2+ hours in the children's room, which was the perfect place for me. I got to sit, color, clean up after little kids and just have fun. I didn't wander around much, but I did make a point to see Brian Kershisnik's Nativity. Stunning. When I took a class from him a while back (almost 2 years ago) he had started working on it. His goal was to have 100 attending angels in the scene, and I think he reached it. The 8'x17' piece is just commanding of your attention. I love how he portrayed Mary and Joseph. Joseph seems to perfectly embody the exhaustion and magnitude of the event while Mary seems so calm and relieved to have the baby out and in her loving arms. I love how humble it is, yet so powerful. This, in my opinion, is how the nativity would have been. Brian Kershisnik, Nativity