It’s finally reasonable to blast Christmas music and every office building in downtown Seattle seems to have a Christmas tree. You may think you have plenty of time to do your Christmas shopping, but you don’t. Also, have you put covers on all your outside faucets? It’s getting mighty cold at night and those old pipes could burst. Your neighbors have recently engaged in a Christmas decoration battle across the street, lighting up the neighborhood as bright as day, interfering with your sleep cycle. And speaking of day…does the sun even come out anymore? It’s dark when you go to work and dark when you leave. Ba Humbug!
This is what Hungry Ginger would say if she were a Grinch (which I am not). I LOVE the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean the above Grinchy complaints aren’t true or valid. Not everyone loves the holidays and, even if you do, it can be a stressful time, full of expectations, to do lists, crazy holiday traffic and stressed out shoppers. That’s why this Hungry Ginger recommends a few things to bring you a little Holiday Cheer with a lot of Holiday Chill.
Have a Drink
Go visit the Christmas Popup, Miracle at Rob Roy (if you are in Seattle). They have decorated the shit out of the place (complete with a twerking Santa!) and have seasonal drinks up the wazoo. One “Yippee-Ki-Yay Motherfucker,” barkeep! Of course this popup is bound to be busy, so I recommend going early or late if crowds aren’t your thing. Honestly though, when we went at about 6 on a Saturday, it was packed but everyone seemed to be in a good mood and kindly made room in the cramped space. I don’t know if it was all the holiday cheer or what, but there was an unusual sense of conviviality among strangers that really warmed the cockles – could have also been the Rob Roy strong cocktails, but after two nogs, it’s really hard to tell.
If there isn’t a Christmas themed popup where you are, or if you just prefer to consume your holiday cheer at home, go buy some egg nog, mix with dark rum or bourbon and cognac and grate some fresh nutmeg on top and there you have it, holiday cheer. If dairy and booze aren’t your thing, try a cranberry old fashioned. Recipe is from Inspired by Charm.
CRANBERRY OLD FASHIONED
Makes 1 cocktail
Here’s what you will need:
3 ounces quality bourbon whiskey
1 ounce cranberry simple syrup*
3 shakes Angostura bitters
Garnish with orange peel, Ocean Spray® Fresh Cranberries, and rosemary
In a serving glass with ice, stir together the bourbon, cranberry simple syrup, and bitters. Garnish with orange peel, fresh cranberries, and rosemary.
*Cranberry Simple Syrup – In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar, and one cup of fresh cranberries to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 4-5 minutes. Strain with a fine mesh sieve. Cool before serving.
Watch a Holiday Movie
This is the time of year when the Hallmark Channel finally gets out of the red…and into the red and green! Oh yeah, I went there…Whether your idea of a great holiday movie is Mariah Carey realizing she is a princess while saving Santa from evil bankers trying to turn Rudolf into a stunt reindeer, or Bruce Willis barefoot in an air duct, holiday movies are a great way to get into the festive season and enjoy and cozy night at home. Some of my favs are the aforementioned Die Hard, Love Actually and the original Miracle on 34th Street (so dated, but so good!). The Thin Man is also a great one to watch between Christmas and New Years.
If you are in Seattle and feel like going out to a theater, the Cinerama is doing a Holiday Film Series this coming week and Three Dollar Bill Cinema is showing one of my favs, Auntie Mame!
Go on a Holidate
Every year, the hubby and I go on a holiday themed date, a holidate! We get brunch or holiday tea at the Fairmont, brave Nordstrom to get a little Christmas shopping out of the way and then settle down for a cocktail or three and a yummy dinner. A Holidate could be anything though! You could pack a thermos of spiked hot apple cider, some meats and cheeses and head up to the mountains for a snowy walk and picnic. You could check out the Enchant Christmas light show at Safeco and then get dinner in the International District, or drive over to Leavenworth and visit the year-round Christmas store and taste some full-bodied winter beers. You could do all of this with your S.O., your bestie, your Mom/Dad or your dog! The point is to make it yours so that the holidays bring you joy rather than annoyance. No matter what your religious beliefs may be, it makes sense that we have this festival of lights during the darkest time of year, so I invite you to get out there and enjoy it in whatever way warms YOUR cockles most!
Adventures of a Hungry Ginger 