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Monday, November 29, 2021

How to Plan a Retro 1950s Christmas Party

The Harris Sisters are gearing up for the holidays, and we wanted to bring you an idea for a Vintage/Retro Themed Christmas Party. We know that lots of families may have not had the opportunity to see each other last year, so why not go all out this Christmas and host a themed 1950s cocktail party? We have all the details to make your vintage-themed Christmas party a success!



Have Yourself a Retro Little Christmas


Start with an invitation that matches your retro theme. Because people's calendars tend to fill up around the holidays, make sure to send your invitations well in advance of your party date. If you'd like for guests to come dressed from the era, add "vintage attire requested" to the invitations. (That will add to the fun of the party!)

What to Wear to a Vintage 1950s Christmas Party


For women, the main part of your party attire will be a vintage 1950s dress. There were two silhouettes of cocktail dress that were popular in the 1950s: a slimmer dress that was a bit longer and a full-skirted dress that was worn with a crinoline petticoat underneath.

If you really want to go all out, you can wear matching 1950s accessories like gloves, pumps, and jewelry. If you have access to vintage Christmas brooches or Christmas corsages, these would make the perfect accessory for your outfit.

For men, you can wear a suit and tie (or a jacket and tie with dress pants). If you'd like to accessorize, you can't go wrong with a fedora and suspenders.


How to Decorate for a Mid-Century Christmas Party


Part of the fun of this party will be decorating with real vintage Christmas items. If you already collect vintage Christmas decorations, now's the time to bring them out to help set the scene. (These items are available on eBay and Etsy if you'd like to purchase the real deal.) Mid-century Christmas decorations that would be perfect for decorating for a 1950s Christmas party:

  • Vintage Aluminum Christmas Tree
  • Shiny Brite Ornaments
  • Tissue Paper Honeycomb Christmas Decorations (fans, bells, trees, etc.)
  • Vintage Tablecloths
  • Blowmolds
  • Plastic Inflatable Christmas Figures (Santa, Reindeer, etc.)
  • Vintage Christmas Wreaths


If you don't have access to a vintage aluminum tree, try decorating your Christmas tree with these items to give it a vintage look:

  • Tinsel or Tinsel Garland
  • Bubble Lights or Other Large Colorful Bulb Lights
  • Lights with Reflectors
  • Popcorn or Cranberry Garland
  • Star or Angel Topper

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree


If you have a record player and Christmas albums from this era, now is the time to bring them out! However, the next best thing is to make a playlist with some classic Christmas songs for the party. Here are 10 Christmas Songs from the era to get your party playlist started:

  1. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
  2. Here Comes Santa Claus - Gene Autry
  3. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Gayla Peevey
  4. Frosty the Snowman - Jimmy Durante
  5. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
  6. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) - Alvin and the Chipmunks
  7. Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
  8. Santa Claus Is Back in Town - Elvis Presley
  9. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Dean Martin
  10. Cool Yule - Louis Armstrong


Encourage your guests to dance in the style of the era too. Some popular party dances from the 1950s were:

  • The Twist
  • The Stroll
  • The Jitterbug
  • The Bunny Hop



1950s Cocktail Party Menu


Since this is a cocktail party, an important menu item will be the cocktails. Popular drinks from the 1950s include martinis, daiquiris, old-fashioneds, mint juleps, highballs, whisky sours, champagne cocktails, and punch.

Most cocktail party menus in the 1950s included platters of bite-sized appetizers and desserts. Here's the retro menu we used for our 1950s Christmas Cocktail Party:





Other 1950s-era appropriate menu items include:


I hope we've inspired you to plan your own 1950s-themed Christmas party. The Harris Sisters send you warmest holiday wishes and hopes for a very Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

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Monday, November 22, 2021

The Best Lip Products for Dry, Chapped Lips

Fall is one of my absolute favorite seasons. But as the leaves start to change colors and the temperatures start to drop, every year - without fail - my lips start to dry out and get chapped. I am always on the hunt for the best lip products for dry, chapped lips. 

Also, wearing masks seems to have made the situation worse for me as far as I can tell. Last fall brought with it the worst chapped lips I've seen in a very long time, so I kicked my quest for the perfect lip product into high gear. I was determined to have better results this fall season! So, since I have been searching to find the best solution to prevent chapped lips, I thought I would share the products that have worked for me.

This is a review of my tried-and-true recommendations for those with dry, chapped lips. I did my best to include as many different price points as I could. All of these products have worked wonders for me, but not everyone will have the same results. I hope you will find this post helpful!


Best Recovery Lip Balm for Severely Chapped Lips



I'm starting with the big guns. If you have severely chapped lips that need repair and healing, this is is the lip balm I would start with. Lanolips Original 101 Ointment Multipurpose Superbalm is a super-thick lip balm that penetrates your dry, cracked lips and seals in moisture. Made from humanely sourced, ultra medical grade lanolin, this cruelty-free lip balm gives the absolute best hydration for extremely dry and chapped lips. 

In addition to the traditional Lanolips 101, it also comes in flavor options such as strawberry, peach, green apple, and lemonaid, as well as tinted options like rose gold, bronze gold, and rhubarb. If you're looking for a tinted lip balm, this might be the best option for you.



Best Everyday Lip Balm




This lip product was at the top of my list to try simply because it's been around for decades and the formula has not changed. I wanted to find out if it lived up to all the hype - and boy did it ever! 

For severely chapped lips, Vermont's Original Bag Balm makes a great everyday lip balm because it contains ingredients like petrolatum and lanolin to lock in moisture. The Bag Balm formula has remained the same since 1988 (with only 4 ingredients and no added fragrances, colors, alcohol, parabens, or phthalates). Because this is the original, cruelty-free Bag Balm formula (only in a convenient lip balm sized tube), you can use it on any part of your body that is dry, chapped, or cracked.

If you don't need the lip balm sized tube for on-the-go use, you can order the larger sized Bag Balm in the tin. The ingredients are the same.



Best Lip Balm with SPF



Stick with me on this one - it's actually from a men's skin care line. But as far as I'm concerned, if a product works, it works. And since there's nothing inherently "male" about this (or any) lip balm, it can really work for anyone. 

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm offers SPF 25 sun protection; skin conditioners like beeswax, shea butter, and lanolin; and antioxidants that soothe and relieve dry, chapped, irritated lips. This cruelty-free lip balm also comes in flavor options such as natural mint, black tea & blackberry, grapefruit & ginger, mango & mandarin, lavender, and pineapple mint. If UVA and UVB sun protection are at the top of your list for skin care products like lip balms, then this is the right product for you! 

Best Nighttime Lip Balm



The name of this product says it all: My Favorite Night Balm. It truly is my favorite. And if you're a daytime lipstick wearer, then this product is definitely one I'd recommend for you because it works all its magic at night. Can't get any better than that!

This deep moisturizing lip balm helps repair seriously dry lips while you sleep with ingredients such as shea butter and lanolin. Apply this 8-hour recovery balm liberally before bed to hydrate your lips overnight. Developed by C.O. Bigelow, the oldest apothecary in America, it's available at their flagship store in Greenwich Village in New York City, at their online store, or at other online retailers like Bath & Body Works or Amazon. 

This is actually the only product to make my list that I've been using for YEARS. I went back to the drawing board on all of my daytime lip balm products, but I couldn't find anything to hold a candle to this nighttime lip balm. It's the OG of night balms in my book!

BONUS - Best Lip Scrub




As an added bonus, I thought I'd share another favorite lip product: Eco Lips Lip Sugar Scrub. Use this to exfoliate your lips once a week to help prevent them from getting chapped in the first place. It instantly reveals softer, smoother lips after just one use (and another bonus: it tastes good too). 

Use it at night to exfoliate dry, rough lips with sugar while conditioning them with coconut oil to get them smooth and ready to apply your nighttime lip balm. Pure and 100% gluten-free and organic, this lip scrub is made in the USA, is Fair Trade Certified, is cruelty-free, and is earth-friendly. It's available in your choice of brown sugar, mint, vanilla bean, or mint truffle flavors. Pair one of these flavored lip scrubs with an exfoliating lip brush and you're in business!


Useful Stocking Stuffer Ideas

When they say that the best things come in small packages, in this case, it's absolutely true. Don't forget that these must-have lip balms and scrubs are small enough to easily fit into a stocking, so they make great Christmas gift ideas too! They're all under $20 and some are below $10 (with discounts for buying multipacks). So it's easy to buy for everyone on your list. Fill everyone's stockings this year with something they'll love (and actually use). 

This post contains affiliate links.
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Monday, November 15, 2021

Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread

This Easy Brazilian Cheese Bread recipe is inspired by the savory pastry from Brazil, pão de queijo. With main ingredients like extra-sharp cheddar and Pecorino Romano cheeses, it's made to be enjoyed warm as a snack, an appetizer, or with your favorite meal. 

These rolls have crunchy outsides, chewy insides, and a yummy, cheesy flavor. Because you combine the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth, it's an easy recipe to make. (And one your kids will enjoy helping with!)

As an added bonus, it's also a gluten-free recipe because it uses tapioca flour.


Brazilian Cheese Bread

1 cup whole milk

1 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1/3 cup olive oil

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

2 cups tapioca flour


  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Add milk, cheeses, oil, eggs, salt, and tapioca flour to blender, making sure to add tapioca flour last. Process on high speed for 30 seconds.
  3. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down sides of blender. Replace lid and process on high speed until smooth, about another 30 seconds.
  4. Pour batter evenly into muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full
  5. Bake in oven until rolls are golden brown and puffed, 25-30 minutes.
  6. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let rolls cool on cooling rack in muffin tin for 5 minutes.
  7. Run butter knife around edges of rolls to loosen from muffin tin and transfer to cooling rack. Serve warm.

Notes:

You can change the types of cheeses in this bread if you'd like to change the flavor, but there isn't really a good substitute for the tapioca flour. Tapioca flour provides the crispy crust and chewy texture of the Brazilian cheese bread, which is what makes it unique. This is the reason there isn't a good substitute.

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Monday, November 8, 2021

The BEST Chewy Triple Chocolate Cookies

These cookies have been a favorite in our family for years, and if you're a fan of chocolate, I think you'll love them too! What sets them apart from other cookies is their fudgy texture.

If you're looking for a new recipe to add to your holiday baking rotation, then look no further. This one is sure to please adults and kids alike (and is sure to be a standout at your next Christmas cookie exchange)!



Triple Chocolate Cookies

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

28 oz. semisweet chocolate chips, divided

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder

10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar


  1. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Place 16 oz. semisweet chocolate chips in heatproof bowl. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir. Repeat until melted and smooth.
  3. Beat eggs and vanilla together lightly. Sprinkle with coffee powder to dissolve. Set aside.
  4. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in sugars until combined, about 45 seconds. Mixture will look granular. 
  5. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add chocolate in steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl with rubber spatula. 
  6. With mixer at low speed, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. 
  7. Mix in remaining 12 oz. of chocolate chips with a spoon until incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until mixture is scoopable and fudgelike, about 30 minutes.
  8. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  9. Leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each ball, scoop dough onto lined cookie sheets with 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop.
  10. Bake until edges of cookies have just begun to set but centers are soft, about 10 minutes. 
  11. Cool cookies on sheets about 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.


Notes:

This recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies. You can make a lot of cookies in one batch and they're unique, so they're also a great choice for if you're baking for charity. We've donated these cookies before as part of Aidyn's service organization's volunteer hours.



The balls of raw cookie dough should be about the size of a golf ball. If you make the cookie dough smaller, the cookies won't turn out as chewy. I use the OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoop in size medium, which is the equivalent of the 1-1/2 Tbsp. size needed for this recipe.

The cookies may appear under baked at first, but they will firm up as they cool. Baking them longer will also affect their fudgy texture.

If you're a fan of flavored baking chips (sometimes sold around the holidays), they might be nice to substitute for the 12 oz. of chocolate chips that you add in step 7. For years, we made this recipe with raspberry flavored baking chips when they were readily available. But it might also be fun to substitute caramel, cherry, mint, or peanut butter, according to your specific tastes. Another fun addition around Halloween or fall-time might be to substitute Reese's Pieces in this step.

Because the recipe makes so many cookies, you could also divide the dough before adding the baking chips in step 7. That would allow you to make a half-batch of triple chocolate cookies and a half-batch of double chocolate cookies with your choice of flavored chips.

Make sure to check out these other favorite Harris Sisters holiday cookie recipes:


 
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