The days are shorter, the holidays are upon us- it’s the Time to be Merry and Bright, right? Unfortunately, with a few days to go…some feel dreary and dull, weary and worn, overwhelmed. Good gatherings, the best parties should be an escape from the daily routine- the ones that take on a Childlike Joy, where the Unexpected, the Amusing and Heartwarming Set the Stage for a departure from Daily Cares. Why bring everyday concerns to a party? Why would you want to mope and cope- when you could take part in light hearted flirting? Or laugh at an outrageous comment delivered with a deadpan look? Or there could be Music or Mingling and Moving about? A good party is a brief Vacation- a departure from the daily cares. 
With just a few days to go… here’s a few Merry and Bright Ideas…
- Keep the Food confined to What Folks really want to eat! Fried Chicken beats Caviar any day!
- Guests really do want to know the answer to – ‘What can I bring?’ – let the answer be helpful to the hostess- ‘Bring a couple of bags of Ice’ or ‘Bring your favorite dip or side dish’. Guests really do like to help-
- Why not assign someone the job of collecting coats? Another might stand at the doors with a tray of something to drink. Even glasses of ice water loosen folks up, and start conversation.
- Have guests help unload cars, bring in offerings of food or drink. When you get everyone in on the act- there is a sort of being Merry and Bright that naturally occurs.
A few days ahead, assign someone to plan a short program- ask them to send out a few emails to guests who are natural born leaders or entertainers- that say-
- ‘Tell a funny Christmas story’ ‘Please do a short holiday reading- your choice’. ‘Plan to lead us in a Christmas Carol.’ Believe me, give them a conversation starter or an easy task and most folks will rise to the occasion!
One of my favorite things to do for a party is to add Merry and Bright Party Favors.. maybe a mix of homemade and purchased cookies- Cookies for Santa! With instructions to put them out on Christmas Eve for that Jolly Old Elf- the tags have sweet and goofy messages! 
The best parties include guests of all ages. Old folks bring a wealth of wisdom which can easily be turned upside down by an earnest and charming child. Mixing age groups is the best way to ensure the party ends at a reasonable time. Speaking of time…it gets dark early…there’s no reason not to start the party early! Encourage guests to dress in simple, comfortable attire with a festive touch. Red lipstick, a Red ribbon in your hair, a Santa hat, Elf Slippers or Reindeer Antlers guarantee some fun! I know you can do it! 
As for home décor- Keep it simple…That old fashion adage- ‘Women who wear black lead colorful lives’ applies… Décor should be as simple as the little Black Dress- with just a touch of color. Here at the Cottage, the color scheme is neutral- Red seems to be a universal way to bring on the festivity- We keep it simple. Two red pillows and big Amaryllis blooms instantly brightened the room! Fresh Poinsettias are an easy inexpensive way to add color too! And a big red bow on a simple evergreen wreath at the door is good looking too. 
In fact, Red is a universal color which goes with any décor! Simple décor keeps you sane and guests won’t worry about messing things up or knocking things over. Don’t over-decorate. Keep it Simple. Your guests will bring their own lively shades of color, which is the best way to keep it Easy. Merry. And Bright…
Love y’all, Camellia
*all photographs are obviously mine. 
Any good Southern Hostess has a dish of Toasted Pecans ready at a moment’s notice to serve to drop in company or the finest occasions… In fact it is difficult to imagine any festive occasion all year round when Pecans aren’t welcome! Especially welcome during the Holidays!
As an addition to Holiday Gatherings- these Holiday Orange Pecans can be made in less than an hour- packaged for Holiday Gifts, Hostess Gifts and even kept in the Freezer for…oh I don’t know…maybe New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day or Birthdays and Anniversaries.
*The lyrics of this beloved Children’s Christmas Carol have an obscure history. Long thought to have been written by Martin Luther for his children in the late 1400’s- with variations of the first two stanzas being referred to most often in the late 1800’s. Since that time researchers haven’t found anything like it in Luther’s Writings and could have originated with the Lutheran Church instead- it remains a mystery to this day. Apparently, numerous publications recorded the prose in the late 1800’s right here in America. The composers of the melody have not been fully established, but all agree ‘Away in a Manger’ is thoroughly American.
I have lots of recipes scribbled on lined paper- I’m never sure where I found these recipes or why I’ve kept them… I ran across this one called -Gingerbread Crumb Cake. To be honest it isn’t as dark as a true gingerbread. Still. It does have warm gingerbread spices- as it bakes, the scents wafting through the house bring holiday cheer. This Crumb Cake is a standout for the holidays. It doesn’t hurt that it’s easy to make, keeps well and best of all is great for drop in company or gift giving. Gingerbread Crumb Cake really doesn’t call for extra special ingredients, so you can whip one up when the notion strikes!
True Gingerbread has been around a long time… Crumb Cakes are more recent- I call them mid-century recipes, yet most likely Crumb Cakes were made long before the World Wars made it necessary to ration Butter, and Butter this Gingerbread Crumb Cake does require- no substitutes will do! For Breakfast or Brunch or even as a simple Dessert, it may look humble though the flavor and aroma distinctly says- Winter Holidays . The distinction of the Spice Mixture for Gingerbread Crumb Cake is the surprise pinch of Black Pepper along with traditional Gingerbread Spices. The method is also distinct- a Buttery Crumb Mixture is sprinkled on the Bottom of the baking dish, the batter is spread over it; then the remaining generous crumb topping covers the top of this small cake; making for an especially good Coffee Cake. It bakes in less than an hour, with very little clean up. 
In the South, Storytellin’ is an acceptable art form…for some unknown reason Southern Folks who are Artists of any kind are reluctant to say-
Patti Callahan Henry is the relative newcomer to the bunch, but she’s already something else, as we say. She’s a New York Times Bestselling Author who does speaking engagements on the Importance of Storytelling. This little book- is a Holiday Story, a tender love story, called The Perfect Love Song– It’s about thinking you’ve finally gotten everything only to find out,..well I’ll let you read it for yourself. She spins quite a tale- unexpected but really not, if you’ve had your dreams for the big time and you happen to be from the South. Patti Callahan Henry has lived in a part of Alabama I know quite well- yet her range of understanding Southern Folks from different backgrounds makes me believe she knows something about Storytellin’ and I like it.
Camellia's Cottage 