“It took me almost 54 years, but I think I’ve finally figured the whole Christmas thing out.”

Whether it’s timing the amaryllis to open on the exact party date or getting all the cards addressed and mailed before it’s too late, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but also can be the most exhausting too.

Window shopping with friends in NYC is my favorite way to get ideas for everyone on my list and get into the holiday spirit.

It’s taken me over half of a century to figure out the minor details to make it relaxing and fun. Mastering the Art of Christmas comes from many years of doing it wrong. Here’s what I’ve discovered over the years to make everything right.

Buy gifts for others that YOU really want yourself—like really bad.
Stock up on festive, holiday tops and outfits in October, or earlier, before they are all picked over and obsolete—before resortwear comes out. You know you are going to want (need) something, and if you wait until December it could be a lost cause.
In the day of social media craze, your friends are pretty up to date on you and your family and pets, so use your Christmas card fund to order customized gift tags for your food gifts. It will take them over the top. And while you are at it, order a new style of personalized notepaper to write all your thank-you notes. I like to have all of my notes in the mail before New Year’s Eve. Start the new year fresh!
Elevate your homemade gifts with a professional-looking custom tag.

The good news is that if you order too many gift tags, you will have plenty for next year. They will not go to waste.
Buy at least one gift that is not on your child’s electronic (with links added) wish list. If their mouth doesn’t open at least once, you’ve missed the best part of gift giving.
Make it your mission to be completely finished shopping by December 15^th. The ten days before Christmas should be used for cooking, visiting, and celebrating.
Pick up gift wrap and ribbon before Thanksgiving. As I’ve said before, wrap as you go!
Everyone in your “monthly” life needs to be recognized in some way during the holidays. It doesn’t have to be much—just a thought. For instance, I gave my Fed Ex friend David a quart of my Get Well Chicken Noodle Soup that I had in the freezer. Eventually he is going to need it, running around in shorts all day long in the winter!
ALWAYS have four or five extra gifts wrapped, and ready to tag quickly. You never know!
Remember your friends’ children. You will be a hero.
Keep a special photo album with one holiday picture of your family from each year. I like to do my photo by our tree. I never tire of looking at these. It will be the first thing I grab if the house catches on fire.
Don’t let all of the tiring, silly, meaningless holiday details ever outshine the reason we are celebrating, and the importantance of being with family and friends.
Two separate outlets, two surge protectors, and a helpful husband with fly rods and ball retrievers can get the job done.

Food Gift for Friends

These Pickled Mustard Seeds are a welcome change from a heavy sweet for a food gift for friends. Simply add a few tablespoons to any roasted vegetables the last few minutes of cooking. They are especially tasty over Brussels sprouts and carrots.

Pickled Mustard Seeds

Makes 10 cups

3 cups sugar

10 teaspoons salt

2 cups water

3 cups white wine vinegar

1 cup yellow mustard seeds

1 cup brown mustard seeds

20 garlic cloves (2 per jar)

Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool before placing it into jars. It will keep at least a month in the refrigerator.

This recipe makes 10 cups, but easily can be halved or quartered.
Leslie Byars Register

Yields 10 cups
Pickled Mustard Seeds

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Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- 10 teaspoons salt
- 2 cups water
- 3 cups white wine vinegar
- 1 cup yellow mustard seeds
- 1 cup brown mustard seeds
- 20 garlic cloves (2 per jar)
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Allow to cool before placing it into jars. It will keep at least a month in the refrigerator.
7.8.1.2
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https://dearpartydiary.com/mastering-the-art-of-christmas/
Keep your eye out for inexpensive package toppers like these cute whisks from Publix. $1.59 each

Fabulous Finds

From Murray’s in NYC, these attractive slate cheese boards made from Brooklyn Slate come in two sizes with their very own spreader, chalk, and burlap bag for storing. The smaller size is $24.99, large $29.99, murrayscheese.com

“If you run across a fabulous gift idea, don’t be afraid to buy multiples for several of your friends. And when ordering online, always check the “free gift wrapping” option when available—even if it’s just for the box!”

Need help keeping up with your stuff? There will never be a question whose is whose phone charger, platter, or jean jacket with IdentaMe Labels. With a million variations, icons, and more, these can be personalized for everyone on your list. $14.99 for 56 small round labels. Other sizes and styles available at identamelabels.com

These classy, black craft boxes are available in all sizes from amazon.com. No paper needed, which really speeds up the wrapping process. Every gift looks like it came from Barneys!

Now, on to the important things…

What’s on my wish list?

With a December 26^thbirthday, I can’t help but write a few things down on a wish list—this is my moment for the year!

Maybe it’s the art major in me coming out, but this Dinner with Georgia O’Keeffe cookbook looks amazing! I always enjoy any new book or cookbook. It’s my inspiration. Available at bergdorfgoodman.com

Look at a glimpse of these beautiful photos from Bergdorf’s website. I can’t wait to see every page!

I admit, I’m handbag obsessed—they always fit! This clear Cult Gaia mini Ark Bag will go with anything. Please someone in my family read this post! cultgaia.com

This bag will match any outfit. Summer, here I come!

A girl can dream. I saw these Gucci slingbacks in person in New York. I love a beautiful shoe with a comfortable, block heel. And a shoe with a little bling never hurts! gucci.com

I bought one of these Casafina Ibiza Individual Pasta bowls for a gazpacho photo last year, and now I eat out of it every day for lunch. This pottery is lightweight, microwave safe, ovenproof, and dishwasher safe. I’d love to have enough to set my table, and maybe the dinner plates too. Hint hint. Available at Table Matters, table-matters.com

I don’t own a broach, but if I did I would want this one. It’s amazing how you can put it on anything (like any t-shirt or blazer) and it suddenly looks like Chanel! chanel.com

I’m fascinated by this Dior Lip Glow. You apply evenly, and in 10 minutes your lips turn “your” unique, natural color. Everyone is different. dior.com

On Christmas Day I hope to be wearing these. They scream Christmas and are super comfy! May Leather Red-Star sneakers by Golden Goose, bergdorfgoodman.com

Well, I guess this is a wrap for 2018. I’ve got a BUSY week. Lily is being presented at a debutante ball on Saturday, and we have a slew of folks coming in from SMU to celebrate. I’m having the pre festivities at my house. So, I better get cooking!

I wish you all a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year. I’m gathering new recipes, ideas, and props for a fresh start in January. So be sure to subscribe to dearpartydiary.com so you won’t miss a single post. The party never ends.

See you next year!

I would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie

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When I was in elementary school, I remember coming home after school and spotting a new present under the Christmas tree. My mother made all of our packages look like they came from a fancy department store. That was not an easy thing to do when you live in a town of 10,000 people. She would add ornaments, greenery, dollar store finds, well, just about anything to our gifts. I couldn’t wait to open them!

Why give just one present when you can give two?

Be creative with your wrapping this year. Spend less money on expensive ribbon and make them all unique with a package topper. It’s an easy way to personalize each gift. They can be found anywhere—dollar stores, checkout lines, even in your junk drawers! The key is lightweight and attachable.

An extra set of measuring spoons always comes in handy when cooking with wet and dry ingredients.

No man will be disappointed when he sees this cute miniature of bourbon on his package. No waste here! **Bulleit Bourbon**, bulleit.com

The hole in the bottom of this tiny clay pot makes it easy to attach to the package. Perfect for the gardeners in your life. **Black Sheep Antiques**, 336-432-0565, contact@blacksheepantiques.com

A monochromatic package can be the most elegant of all. Gift wrap by Sugar-Paper, **Target**, target.com. Star ornament available at **The Container Store**, containerstore.com

It’s nice to give an ornament with a date for the memory. This shiny gold bell gets everyone in the mood for Santa. **Target**, target.com

A simple gold letter dresses up a pretty red box. Box by Sugar-Paper. Both available at **Target**, target.com

Food Gifts

You can always tell a food gift that works—it’s eaten the first day or two. The ones that linger around until New Year’s Eve and end up in the trash, well, . . . .

My sister, Beth, better known as “Sugar” since she became a grandmother, has a foolproof, microwave praline recipe that takes the guesswork, thermometer, and mess out of the process. They are so easy to whip up and make a wonderful gift for neighbors and friends.

Anyone can make these easy microwave pralines. They are a piece of cake!

Sugar’s Pralines

Makes 2 dozen

1 pound (1 box) of light brown sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 ½ cups pecan halves

In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat sugar and whipping cream on HIGH for 11 to 13 minutes, until hot and bubbly. (Cooking time may vary slightly with microwaves.) DO NOT LET IT BURN.

Remove from the microwave, and add butter, combining thoroughly until completely melted. (I like to cut the butter into smaller pieces, to allow it to melt quickly.) Add pecans, and stir to combine.

Learn from Leslie: I do 11 minutes in my 1200 watt microwave.

Drop pecan mixture immediately onto wax paper with a spoon or small measuring cup.

Be sure several pecans are in each spoonful as you drop them to the wax paper. You want each praline to have several pecans.

Allow to cool completely. It may take an hour or two.

The pralines will lighten as they harden.

Poster board strips easily turn this box into an ornament-like box.

Add a raffia bow and a gift tag and they are ready to deliver. They may also be frozen if desired. Allow to come to room temperature before packaging. Gift tags from **The Scribbler**, scribblerpink.com

Christmas Charcuterie

I adore a printed tag. If I could label everything I own I would! **Say Grace Papergoods**; contact Gina Winn at 205/329-4097, Instagram @mamawinn4.

Everyone likes a good cheese plate, so I decided to add this to my friends’ and neighbors’ gifts this year. I picked three or four of my most favorite cheeses (Cowgirl Creamery’s Mt Tam Triple Cream Brie, Manchego, and Port Salut), a hard salami, several nuts, an apple, a few cornichons, and a miniature honey with dipper. I assembled on a bamboo paper plate and packaged in clear gift bag.

This is a fun project to do with your family—create an assembly line and give everyone a job.