5 Minute Crafts Magazine - December 2021

HOLIDAY PLAYBOOK GIFTS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LISTS

December 2021 $5.99 (Canada) $3.99 (US)

Plus CHRISTMAS CRAFTS & YUMMY RECIPES

december 2021

CONTENTS

“A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking.”

—Earl Wilson.

5

DECEMBER 2021

CONTENTS

57

45

11

style

home

health

food

living

THE BRAID AND THE BOLD If you have long hair, this is the perfect opportunity to play around and create an original style with it. One of the things you can do is make braids. The best is that there are almost countless variations of braids that you can try every day and achieve new looks for different occasions.

TOILET WARS Did you know that the bathroom is the second most used room in a home?

Then, you can imagine how much bacteria is hidden there — a lot. In that sense, cleaning the bathroom consists of not just mopping the floor, but also disinfecting the items we use often — like the toilet brush.

LITTLE MINDS It’s likely that most people have experienced memory lapses from time to time.

However, being unable to recall simple things, such as people’s names or where you left your keys, can be very frustrating. Fortunately, there are certain techniques to enhance your ability to remember things.

POPULAR TIKTOK TREND Dalgona candy is a traditional Korean candy made of sugar and baking soda. It’s usually sold by street vendors and, nowadays, it has reached even more popularity due to its appearance on the Netflix series, The Squid Game.

GIVE A GIFT December has arrived, so it’s time to start planning what you will give to your friends and loved ones this holiday season. Let your creativity run wild by complementing your gifts with personalized tags that have your own personal magic.

11

18

FACE TO FACE SHEETS Sheet masks were first made popular by Korean skincare routines, but they quickly became a worldwide trend.

Because there can be some confusion between sheet masks and regular face masks

21

24

MATTRESS SIZES If you need to buy sheets, you might be wondering what size is the best one.

holidays

27

2021 GIFT GUIDE With price points of $25 and under, you might as well get one for yourself too.

35

features

40

HOLIDAY HEADSTART What is more boring than using the same decorations on the same Christmas tree every year? We want some diversity but decorations from the store might be too expensive.

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DECEMBER 2021

45

49

COME CELEBRATE The festivities leading up to the New Year are a great time to pamper those close to you with tasty and unusual treats. For example, you can make them a Christmas tree with chocolate stuffing, snowmen made of marshmallows, unusual cookies, and more.

57

departments

10

EDITOR'S LETTER

64

TRICKS & TIPS

66

CHILL & DRAW COVER PHOTO © TED + CHELSEA CAVANAUGH

JES WATSON Editor In-Chief

FOOD DIRECTOR Annabelle Waugh FASHION & BEAUTY DIRECTOR Julia McEwen HOME & GARDEN DIRECTOR Brett Walther MANAGING EDITOR Day Helesic TEST KITCHEN SENIOR FOOD SPECIALIST Irene Fong FOOD SPECIALISTS Jennifer Bartoli, Amanda Barnier ARTICLES EDITOR, FOOD Gilean Watts INTERN Jessica Bronstein ART CONSULTING DESIGN DIRECTOR Brendan Fisher ACTING ART DIRECTOR June F. Anderson SENIOR ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Henrietta Poon CONTRIBUTING ART DIRECTORS Lisa de Nikolits, Leanne Gilbert FEATURES HEALTH EDITOR Kate Daley CONTRIBUTING HEALTH EDITOR Tralee Pearce SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Jill Buchner ASSOCIATE EDITOR, FASHION & BEAUTY Andrea Karr CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jacqueline Kovacs

COPY & OPERATIONS EDITORIAL OPERATIONS & ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Olga Goncalves Costa COPY EDITOR Stephanie Zolis CONTRIBUTING COPY EDITORS Ruth Hanley, Debbie Madsen Villamere ASSISTANT EDITOR Teresa Sousa INTERNS William Dixon, Thalia Gamage, Natalie Wong

EDITORIAL DEPUTY EDITOR Jessica Pollack SENIOR EDITORS Ariel Brewster, Sadiya Dendar, Simone Olivero CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Claire Gagne ASSISTANT EDITOR Kevin John Siazon COPY EDITOR Kelly Jones PROOFREADER Janet Morassutti INTERNS Emily McDonald, Arisa Valyear

ART CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Colleen Nicholson IN-HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHERS Carmen Cheung, Erik Putz

MARKETING SERVICES & CREATIVE SOLUTIONS General Sales Manager CAROLINE K. BRETON Creative Brand Director LAURA DENTON CONTENT DIRECTOR Kim Alison Fraser MANAGING EDITOR Renée Sylvestre-Williams MANAGER, STRATEGY AND IDEATION Stevie Gorrie STRATEGISTS Sarah Drake, Jessica Lee, Marcela Perez ART DIRECTORS Susan Jackson, Suzanne LaCorte, Peter Robertson JUNIOR COPY WRITER Victoria DiPlacibo SENIOR DIRECTOR, CLIENT DELIVERY Stefany Pierce CAMPAIGN MANAGERS Melissa Carmichael, Ivan McBurney, Rob Stephenson, Inga Terzopoulos

PRODUCTION PRODUCTION TEAM LEAD Carol Zephyrine RESEARCH SENIOR RESEARCH ANALYST Eva Chau MARKETING , COMMUNICATIONS & EVENTS SENIOR DIRECTOR Tracy Finkelstein MANAGER Silvana Sciortino SENIOR SPECIALIST Erin Quinn SPECIALISTS Carlie McGhee, Summer Varty, Alyson Young SENIOR DESIGNER Colin Elliott CONSUMER MARKETING GROUP VICE-PRESIDENT, CONSUMER MARKETING Christopher Purcell GROUP CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Doris Chan PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGERS Yen Duong, Amanda Stone DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Jason Patterson DIRECTOR, NEWSSTAND SALES Pat Strangis

BUSINESS BUSINESS MANAGER Nancy Baker DIGITAL SOLUTIONS GROUP GENERAL MANAGER, NATIONAL PORTALS Ray Ostor

PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER Pat Danaher DIGITAL COLOUR SPECIALIST Nicole Duplantis (on leave), Katarina Marinic

ST. JOSEPH COMMUNICATIONS CHAIRMAN + CEO Tony Gagliano VICE-CHAIRMAN John Gagliano PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER, SJC MEDIA Ken Hunt SENIOR VICE-PRESIDENT, REVENUE Lynn Chambers VICE-PRESIDENT, CONTENT & CREATIVE Maryam Sanati MANAGING DIRECTOR, CONSUMER REVENUE Allan Yue MANAGING DIRECTOR, RESEARCH & CONSUMER INSIGHTS Clarence Poirier MANAGING DIRECTOR, MARKETING Nadine Silverthorne DIRECTOR, CUSTOMER SUCCESS Terry Smith DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION Maria Mendes MANAGING DIRECTOR, Branded Content Sasha Emmons HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Jason Maghanoy DIRECTOR, MARKETING SPONSORSHIPS Jessika Fink

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5 Minute Crafts is published by St. Joseph Communications, 15 Benton Road, Toronto M6M 3G2. Montreal office: 249, rue Saint-Jacques, Bureau 201, Montréal H2Y 1M6. Vancouver advertising office: 180 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver V5Y 3T9. Contents copyright 2021 by St. Joseph Communications; may not be reprinted without written permission. Article proposals and manuscripts must be accompanied by self-addressed envelopes and sufficient postage; otherwise they will not be returned or acknowledged. While the publishers will take all reasonable care, they will not be responsible for the loss of any manuscript, drawing or photograph. ISSN 0009-1995. Single copy price: $4.99 + tax. Full subscription prices: Canada, 1 year (10 issues), $15 + tax. In U.S., 1 year, $45; foreign countries, $75. Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index. Printed in Canada by St. Joseph Communications, Print. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. 5 Minute Crafts receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time. 5 Minute Crafts, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, republish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. This statement does not apply to materials and/or pitches submitted by freelance writers, photographers or illustrators in accordance with known industry practices.

The following video might feature activity performed by our actors within controlled environment- please use judgment, care, and precaution if you plan to replicate.

All product and company names shown in the video are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Letting Go I

have a hidden talent—I know how to cut intricate paper snowflakes. I’m not very crafty otherwise, though I greatly admire folks who cut, stitch, and hot-glue beautiful things out of humble materials. I wasn’t raised in a home where we made many holiday decorations. Our yuletide tradition was for my father to take us to the local department store for the after-Christmas clearance sales. I remember my mother’s dismay when we found a life-size plastic soldier for the living room.

As the youngest of four, I headed up the Christmas decorating, a task I enthusiastically geared up for after Halloween. I wound tinsel garland around banisters. I helped my dad wrap candy cane ribbon and lights on porch pillars. I dragged all the ornament boxes out of the attic and loaded our tree until it sagged. Although nothing matched in color or style, each decoration had a story.

And tucked among those store-bought ornaments were the odd few that we had made in elementary school or in an art class—each imprinted with shared years and good memories.

Maybe that’s why I’m most drawn to stories of family traditions, especially those that are handmade. What could be more special in this age of online shopping and overnight everything than a gift or a decoration constructed with our own hands? These are the meaningful details that launch family traditions for years, if not generations. My snowflakes themselves aren’t so long-lasting. But that’s OK by me. It’s the act of cutting— and finding little triangles of confetti for months to come— that makes me feel like I’m fully in the season and continuing a holiday tradition I’ll never retire.

Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!

JES WATSON Editor In-Chief

10

DECEMBER 2021

style THE BRAID AND THE BOLD If you have long hair, this is the perfect opportunity to play around and create an original style with it.

One of the things you can do is make braids. The best is that there are almost countless variations of braids that you can try every day and achieve new looks for different occasions.

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DECEMBER 2021

STYLE

1

Step 1: Make a thin braid at the side of your head.

Step 2: Pinch the end of the braid with your fingers.

Step 3: Start pushing the braid up by moving your fingers.

Step 4: Keep pushing the braid up.

Step 5: Position the braid around your head.

Step 6: Secure the end of the braid with a pin.

2

Step 1: Select a part of your hair and tie it into a ponytail.

Step 2: Pick a thin lock from under your ponytail and wrap it around the hair tie to hide it. Secure with a pin.

Step 3: Take the second part of your hair and tie it with a second hair tie. Take the hair from the first ponytail and slip the end into 2 sections.

Step 4: Position the ends from both sides of the second ponytail. Secure the end with a small hair tie.

Step 5: Next take the ends of the hair from the second ponytail and split them into 2 sections.

Step 6: Position the ends from both sides of the first ponytail. Secure the end with a small hair tie.

Step 7: Keep repeating steps 3, 4, and 5 moving down.

Step 8: Secure the ends of the hair with a hair tie. You can also add hair ornaments.

3

Step 1: Put your hair into a high ponytail.

Step 2: Split your hair into 2 locks and tie them at the end. Take one lock and split it in the middle to create a “hole.”

Step 3: Take the second lock and use your finger to split it in the middle to create a “hole.”

Step 4: Thread one lock into another.

Step 5: Keep doing it by alternating the locks.

Step 6: The result should look like this.

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DECEMBER 2021

4

Step 1: Select a part of your hair and tie it into a ponytail.

Step 2: With a help of your fingers, create a hole in the upper part of your ponytail.

Step 3: Place 2 fingers in the hole and twist the hair.

Step 4: Take hair from the lower part of your head (the hair that was not tied into a ponytail).

Step 5: Pull it through the twisted hole in the ponytail.

Step 6: The end result should look like this.

STYLE

5

Step 1: Make 2 Dutch braids on the sides of your head.

Step 2: Hold each braid with your hands respectively.

Step 3: Tie the braids.

Step 4: Tie the ends of the braids one more time.

Step 5: Hide the ends of the braids underneath.

Step 6: Secure everything with pins.

6

Step 1: Select a part of your hair.

Step 2: Tie it into a ponytail. Make 2 thin braids on both sides of your head.

Step 3: Secure the ends of the braids with a rubber band.

Step 4: Pick a thin lock of hair from the end of your ponytail and pull them through the braids.

Step 5: Use can use a plastic loop tool to help you with pulling.

Step 6: The end result should look like this. You can also add hair ornaments.

7

Step 1: Find the beginning of the natural part in your hair and select a lock of hair there.

Step 2: Position the selected lock of hair at the opposite side of your head.

Step 3: Find a lock of hair on the opposite side and do the same thing with it.

Step 4: Select the next lock of hair and position it at the opposite side of your head.

Step 5: Keep braiding your hair until you reach the back of your head.

Step 6: Secure your hair with a scrunchie to create a ponytail.

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DECEMBER 2021

8

Step 1: Make a thin, loose braid on the side of your head.

Step 2: With the help of your fingers, make a small hole in the top part of your braid.

Step 3: Take a lock of hair near the natural part of your hair and pull it through the hole in your braid.

Step 4: Take your braid, and with the help of your fingers, make a second hole in it, a bit lower than the first one. Select a lock of hair under the lock that you picked near the natural part in your hair.

Pull this lock through the second hole in your braid.

Step 5: Keep doing the same with the other locks of hair. Repeat on the other side of your head.

Step 6: the end result should look like this.

Step 7: With a pin, secure the ends of the braids at the back of your head.

Step 8: The end result should look like this.

9

Step 1: Select a part of your hair.

Step 2: Make 2 side ponytails .

Step 3: Make 2 braids .

Step 4: Fluff the braids out.

Step 5: Wrap a braid around itself.

Step 6: Secure its end with a pin.

Step 7: Take the second braid and wrap it around the first braid.

Step 8: Secure everything with pins. You can also add hair ornaments.

10

Step 1: Select a part of your hair and tie it into a ponytail.

Step 2: Pick a thin lock from under your ponytail and wrap it around the hair tie to hide it. Secure with a pin.

Step 3: Take the second part of your hair and tie it with a second hair tie. Take the hair from the first ponytail and slip the end into 2 sections.

Step 4: Position the ends from both sides of the second ponytail. Secure the end with a small hair tie.

Step 5: Next take the ends of the hair from the second ponytail and split them into 2 sections.

Step 6: Position the ends from both sides of the first ponytail. Secure the end with a small hair tie.

Step 7: Keep repeating steps 3, 4, and 5 moving down.

Step 8: Secure the ends of the hair with a hair tie. You can also add hair ornaments.

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DECEMBER 2021

STYLE

FACE TO FACE SHEETS

Sheet masks were first made popular by Korean skincare routines, but they quickly became a worldwide trend. Because there can be some confusion between sheet masks and regular face masks

18

DECEMBER 2021

STYLE How to Use a Sheet Mask

Step 1 Before using your sheet mask, use a facial cleanser and make sure the skin is clean and free of excess oil, dirt, makeup, and impurities. Clean skin absorbs products better.

Step 2 Now that your skin is clean, cut or tear open the sheet mask packet and take it out.

Because these masks are typically drenched in serum, be careful — it might drip all over the floor when taking it out.

Step 3 Next, carefully place the sheet mask on your skin by lining up the cutouts to the appropriate spots on the face. If the mask has any folds after putting it on, take some time to smooth them out and make sure it is clinging firmly to your face.

Step 4 Keep the sheet mask on for around 15 to 20 minutes. This time can vary depending on the type of mask you’re using, so make sure to check the instructions.

Note: Don’t keep the mask on for longer than instructed. Letting the sheet mask completely dry on your face can have the opposite effect and dry your skin out instead of hydrating it.

Step 5 Once the time is up, remove the mask and toss it out. Gently massage the excess serum the sheet mask left on your skin.

Note: Don’t reuse your sheet mask. These products are designed to be used immediately after opening and then thrown away.

Step 6 Finally, proceed with the rest of your skincare routine. Sheet masks can be helpful and fun to do, but they aren’t a replacement for any other skincare steps.

If you’ve used your sheet mask in the morning, follow it up with a broadspectrum sunscreen.

If it’s nighttime, apply a layer of moisturizer to lock in all that serum.

These products act as a seal that keeps the serum from the sheet mask trapped in your skin so it can continue to derive benefits from it.

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DECEMBER 2021

TOILET WARS Did you know that the bathroom is the second most used room in a home? Then, you can imagine how much bacteria is hidden there — a lot.

In that sense, cleaning the bathroom consists of not just mopping the floor, but also disinfecting the items we use often — like the toilet brush.

home

Warning: Before you start cleaning, remember to put on sanitary gloves and goggles to protect your skin and eyes.

21

DECEMBER 2021

HOME 1. Soak in a mixture of bleach and water

Use bleach as a disinfectant. If you prefer a natural sanitizer, you can use vinegar instead. Just remember not to mix vinegar with bleach because the mixture can create toxic fumes.

Instructions: 1. Prepare 2 capsules of bleach and pour them into the toilet water.

2. Put the brush inside of it and let it soak for an hour.

2. Clean the brush holder

You can use the method stated above and let the brush holder soak in a bucket with a mixture of hot water and bleach, or you can use a disinfectant spray.

Instructions: 1. Spray the inside and the outside of the holder with a disinfectant.

2. Let it drain above the toilet bowl for around 10 minutes.

3. Rinse it with hot water.

4. Let it dry or wipe it with a cloth or a sponge.

5. You can now place the brush inside when dried.

Note: You can make this a part of your routine every other time you clean the toilet — simply spritz the holder and let it sit for 10 minutes.

3. Rinse the toilet brush

Now that the brush has been sitting in the mixture for an hour, it is time to rinse the bleach off.

Instructions: 1. Fill a bucket with hot water and pour it into the toilet bowl.

2. Flush the toilet and rinse the brush in the water.

4. Dry the brush

The brush must be completely dry before placing it into the holder. You can air-dry it on a towel or, a better solution, under the toilet seat. Make sure that the bristles hang over the bowl.

Instructions: 1. Place the toilet brush in between the seat and the bowl.

2. Let it air dry for 30 minutes.

5. Store the toilet brush and the holder

The last step is to make sure both the brush and the holder are dry because moisture can encourage bacteria growth. After making sure they’re both dry, you can store the items properly.

You should wash the toilet brush at least once a week and replace it once every 6 months. This prevents spreading germs every time you scrub.

Also, it is good to use toilet brushes with silicone bristles, as they don’t hold on to bacteria very easily.

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DECEMBER 2021

HOME

MATTRESS SIZES

If you need to buy sheets, you might be wondering what size is the best one.

Keep in mind that some new mattresses are deeper than older ones, for example, and that manufacturers might add or remove a few inches here and there. That’s why our article is merely a guideline you can use to have an idea of the different sizes available out there.

⚠️

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DECEMBER 2021

HOME Get to know the different types of mattresses.

Before buying any sheets for your bed, you might want to figure out what size it is. Here is a guide of the different sizes that you will commonly find across the U.S. and sometimes abroad too.

Remember that this guide is a non-comprehensive one, so there might be other sizes not included here. All values are approximate.

Twin: 38 inches by 75 inches. Typically suitable for toddlers and children.

Twin XL: 38 inches by 80 inches. Perfect for a child that’s tall and needs more leg room.

Full or Double: 54 inches by 75 inches. Ideal for active sleepers and older children as there’s more room than in twin and XL beds.

Queen: 60 inches by 80 inches. Ideal for couples living in smaller bedrooms.

King: 76 inches by 80 inches. Ideal for couples that need more personal space and that have a large bedroom.

California King: 72 inches by 84 inches. Ideal for someone taller than 6 feet.

Then, there are less common sizes, like the following: Crib: A standard crib size is 52 inches by 27 inches. These are meant to fit your child during the first 18–24 months. However, there are also mini cribs adapted to smaller spaces. These are typically 38 inches by 24 inches. Just keep in mind that due to their smaller size, mini cribs won’t fit your child as long as a standard crib will.

Split Queen: This is essentially a Queen size bed made of 2 separate 30 inch by 80 inch mattresses put together. Its advantage is that each mattress can have a different level of firmness, so you can always get what you prefer even if you’re sharing the bed with someone else. It’s also easier to move.

Split King: A full split king mattress is basically 2 separate twin XL mattresses side by side measuring 38 inches by 80 inches so 76 inches by 80 inches in total.

Split California: This is 2 separate mattresses that are 36 inches by 84 inches. It’s one of the least common sizes to be found.

Determine the sheet size you need.

1. If you don’t know it already, take a minute to understand what you are measuring: the width (W), length (L), and depth (D) of the mattress.

2. Stretch the measuring tape across the mattress to measure the width. Start at the bottom right corner of the mattress and stretch it all the way to the bottom left corner. Write it down.

3. Place the measuring tape at the top of the mattress, at the headboard. Stretch it to the bottom of the mattress where it ends. This is the length of the bed. Write it down.

4. Place the measuring tape at the top of the mattress. Extend it to the bottom of the mattress to measure the depth, or thickness.

Write it down.

5. Pick out your sheets based on the size of the mattress (see the table above, all units are in inches). Please keep in mind that some mattresses and bedding manufacturers may add or subtract a few inches from the sizes above, so that’s just a guideline. Note: The difference between a comforter and a duvet is that the latter comes in 2 separate pieces, an insert and a cover.

If you have a split mattress, traditional bedding will fit unless it is on an adjustable bed frame. In that case separate fitted sheets for, say, the 2 twin XL mattresses are required if you have a king size bed.

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DECEMBER 2021

holidays 2021 GIFT GUIDE

With price points of $25 and under, you might as well get one for yourself too.

27

DECEMBER 2021

2021 GIFT GUIDE FOR KIDS & FAMILY

1

2 Screaming goat figurine Amazon for $8.17.

Elf Snowball Showdown card game Amazon for $6.99.

3

4

5

Lego BrickHeadz Nutcracker Building Kit Amazon for $9.99.

Clear jelly lipsticks with real flowers

Melissa & Doug Scratch Art Rainbow Mini Notes

Amazon for $15.98.

Amazon for $9.79.

6

Necklace activity set Amazon for $8.99

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DECEMBER 2021

7

Fenty lip glosses Amazon for $9.99.

2021 GIFT GUIDE FOR BEAUTY & FASHION

8

Trio of mini Pat McGrath MatteTrance lipsticks Sephora for $25.

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DECEMBER 2021

Dressy plaid cashmere-feel scarf Amazon for $12.98

A pair of cushiony inserts that'll transform any pair of shoes into Uggs.

Amazon for $19.95

2021 GIFT GUIDE MORE BEST GIFTS

11

Disney Villains Face Mask Set

Amazon $17.95 (also available in Disney Princesses for the Main Character in your life).

12 13

Mega-pack of acrylic, golden, and pearl hair clips Amazon for $11.99.

Jacob & Eli 18-shade eyeshadow palette Amazon for $13.52.

14

Burt's Bees Pumpkin Spice Lip Balm Walmart for $7.99.

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DECEMBER 2021

2021 GIFT GUIDE

15

Cadbury Drinking Chocolate Loblaws for $4.99.

16

Travel Sized Wallet Amazon for $12.99

17

Other Wordly by YeeLum Mak

Amazon for $12.29 or from Bookshop for $13.79 (to support local bookstores).

18

19

A toasty *fleece*-lined beanie Amazon for $14.99

10-pack of sheet masks

set of 10 from Amazon for $9.99 (available in two sets of 10 and one of 20).

20

Christmas Film Socks

Amazon for $8.99 (available in four styles).

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DECEMBER 2021

health LITTLE MINDS

It’s likely that most people have experienced memory lapses from time to time. However, being unable to recall simple things, such as people’s names or where you left your keys, can be very frustrating. Fortunately, there are certain techniques to enhance your ability to remember things. ❗ Important: This article is for informative purposes only. Ask for medical help if you’ve noticed that your memory is getting worse, or if you have difficulty carrying out your normal daily activities.

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DECEMBER 2021

HEALTH Excercise regularly. Take snapshots with your mind.

Including physical activity in your routine can make your blood flow increase throughout your whole body, including your brain. This can help you keep your memory in good shape.

Experts recommend doing at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week, such as fastpaced walking, or 75 minutes of intense activity a week, such as jogging. It’s advisable to spread these times throughout the week instead of doing long workout sessions at once. If you don’t have much time to exercise, take 10-minute walks during the day.

Turn off bright screens before bedtime.

The blue light in digital devices, such as smartphones and TVs, can reduce the production of melatonin, having a negative impact on your sleep quality. All of this can subsequently affect your neurons, making it more difficult for them to access your memories and coordinate information.

So, in order to improve your memory, it’s recommended to avoid bright screens at least an hour before going to sleep.

A sharp memory is linked to good learning, therefore, forming meaningful associations with new information as you learn it can help you improve your memory.

A good strategy for this is to take mental notes of situations. For example, when you want to remember something important, such as where you left your keys, use your mind to take a picture of them lying next to an object or in a specific place after putting them down.

Listen to music.

It’s been shown that performing music or simply listening to it can reactivate certain areas of the brain linked to memory, speech, and reasoning, among others. Therefore, music can help you to recover past memories. At the same time, classical music, in particular, can help you retain new information, as well as improve other brain functions.

Talk to other people.

An active social life can help you prevent stress and depression, which are linked to memory loss.

Moreover, a strong support system is essential to keep your emotional and mental health in good shape.

So, it’s important to socialize regularly, either with family, friends, or other people. Keep in mind that if you don’t have much time to do it, a 10-minute conversation can be enough to improve your memory.

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DECEMBER 2021

Eat dark chocolate.

Research states that cocoa flavonoids in dark chocolate can improve brain function, including memory. These active compounds have been shown to boost the blood flow toward the brain, making people do better on spatial memory tests. ❗ Make sure to opt for dark chocolate with at least 72% cacao content and avoid products with added sugar, as the latter ingredient can do all the opposite. Also, don’t exceed 1 ounce (28.3 g) of dark chocolate a day.

Train your brain.

Regular mental workouts are very important for a healthy brain, which can lead to a positive impact on your memory. Moreover, it’s been proven that brain training activities can improve brain function.

Therefore, it’s advisable to take up stimulating exercises, such as the following: Solve math problems in your head without using a piece of paper.

Memorize a list of objects or actions to see how many items you can remember later.

Learn a different language with activities that involve listening and enriching vocabulary.

December 39

DECEMBER 2021

HOLIDAY HEADSTART What is more boring than using the same decorations on the same Christmas tree every year? We want some diversity but decorations from the store might be too expensive.

Idea № 1

1. Take some different-shaped light bulbs.

2. Cover each of them with glue.

3 and 4. Put a lot of glitter on them. Also, decorate the base of the bulb with glitter.

5. Put some hairspray on each bulb.

6. Find thin sparkling ribbons to hang them with, and decorate the tree.

Idea № 2

1. Take a plastic ball.

2. Attach a bright ribbon to it.

3. Glue some funny eyes to the ribbon.

4. Decorate the tree with the ball.

Idea № 3

1. Take the inside of a toilet paper roll and cut a ring about 0.3 inches in width.

2. Take a ball of bright yarn.

3. Cut off a piece of yarn and fold it in half: on the one side there should be a loop, and on the other — 2 loose ends.

Tie the yarn onto the ring.

4. Repeat step 3, adding enough yarn to cover the entire ring.

5. Pull the ends of the yarn on the other side of the ring.

6. Tie them.

7. Cut the ends of the yarn.

8. You now have a cute little hat.

9. Make hats using different colored yarn to decorate the tree.

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DECEMBER 2021

Idea № 4

1 and 2. Take al dente pasta and a strong thread in a needle. Pierce the pasta with the needle and string them along the thread.

3. Using a brush, put glue on the pasta.

4. Before the glue dries, apply a lot of glitter to the pasta.

5. Use the garland you just made to decorate the tree.

Idea № 5

1. Put caramels into a Ziploc bag.

2 and 3. Mash the caramels in the bag using a hammer.

4 and 5. Cut cookies out of dough, cut holes in the middle, fill the holes in the cookies with the mashed caramels, and make holes on top of them so you can hang them after baking. Then put them into the oven and bake.

6. After baking, the caramels will melt and fill the spaces. Attach the threads to them and decorate your Christmas tree.

Idea № 6

1. You need penne pasta and a glue gun.

Put some glue on one piece.

2. Attach to another piece.

3. Make 6 corners and create stars.

4. Put some glue on another piece.

5. Glue it between the 2 edges of the future snowflake.

6. Repeat with other edges.

7. Put some glue into the center of the snowflake to make it strong.

8. Cover the snowflake with silver paint on both sides.

9. Add a thin red ribbon to hang it on the tree.

10. Decorate the tree with the snowflake.

Idea № 7

1. Take a cinnamon stick and apply some glue from a glue gun.

2. Glue 3 branches of an artificial Christmas tree to make it look like a small tree.

3. Use different-colored buttons.

4. On the other side, glue a golden ribbon to hang the toy on the tree.

5. All done!

Idea № 8

1. Take a bottle cork and dip its smaller side into red paint.

2. Dip the bigger side into black paint.

3. In the middle, draw a face: with eyes, a mouth, and a nose.

4. Make a white cross under the face (on the belly).

5. Use small metal hooks to make it possible to hang these newly-made toys on the tree.

Idea № 9

1. Carefully, remove the cap from a light bulb.

2. Pour some glue into the bulb.

3. Place a small Christmas tree inside.

4. Add some artificial snow.

5. Decorate the tree inside the bulb. Put the cap back on the bulb and decorate it with a bow.

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food POPULAR TIKTOK TREND Dalgona candy is a traditional Korean candy made of sugar and baking soda. It’s usually sold by street vendors and, nowadays, it has reached even more popularity due to its appearance on the Netflix series, The Squid Game.

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FOOD

Dalgona Candy Ingredients 1/2 cup of sugar 1 tbsp of water 1/3 tsp of baking soda 1. Coat the cookie cutters and the presser with baking soda. Then sprinkle some of the product on top of a non-stick surface or over a sheet of baking paper. This will prevent the melted sugar from sticking to them.

2. Pour 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 tbsp of water into the pot or frying pan, and place it on the stove on the lowest heat. Stir the mixture in a quick circular motion with the wooden chopstick for 2 minutes until the sugar melts and turns into a soft golden color.

3. Remove the pot or frying pan from the heat and add 1/3 tsp of baking soda to the mixture. Stir quickly until the ingredients are well-combined.

4. Pour the paste onto the non-stick surface forming small circles.

Make sure to do it very quickly to prevent the mixture from hardening.

5. Press down each of the circles with your jar lid or presser to thin them out. Coat the lid with more baking soda if necessary.

6. Decorate your dalgona candy by pressing the cookie cutters gently on each circle.

7. Let the candy cool down, and enjoy.

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FOOD

COME CELEBRATE

The festivities leading up to the New Year are a great time to pamper those close to you with tasty and unusual treats. For example, you can make them a Christmas tree with chocolate stuffing, snowmen made of marshmallows, unusual cookies, and more.

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FOOD

Christmas tree with chocolate stuffing

1. Roll out the puff dough, cut a circle out of it, and place it on some baking parchment. Place a triangular piece of chocolate on top.

2. Arrange the chocolate pieces on the dough in the shape of a Christmas tree the way it’s shown in the photo.

3. Cut off a triangle part of the dough on the top of the chocolate tree.

4 and 5. Make several cuts around the tree the same way it’s shown in the photo.

6. Fold the dough in the shape of a corner at the top of the tree by placing one piece of dough over the other.

7. Fold the dough into a chocolate Christmas tree the way it’s shown in the photo. Brush it with egg yolk.

8. Sprinkle the tree with chopped nuts and confectionery sprinkles.

9. Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

10. Bon appetite!

Puff pastry trees

1. Take a layer of puff pastry.

2. Cut it into equal strips with the help of a dough-cutting wheel.

3. Fold each strip in the shape of a Christmas tree, making the bottom part wider and the tops more narrow.

4. Pierce each tree with a wooden skewer.

5. Brush each tree with egg whites.

6. Sprinkle with sugar and ground cinnamon on top (you can also sprinkle some of the trees with pastry poppy seeds).

7. Bake the trees in the oven at 390°F for 10 minutes.

8. Stick the finished product into the chocolate candy, which will play the role of a stand. Put all of the trees with stands on a dish and sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

Glazed Marshmallo gingerbread w snowmen 1. Get a ready-made gingerbread cake.

2. Cut out future gingerbread with the help of cookie-cutters.

3. Evenly pour a white glaze over part of the gingerbread pieces.

4. Cover them with confectionery sprinkles.

5. Decorate the Christmas tree-shaped gingerbread pieces with green confectionery glaze.

6. Decorate all the gingerbread pieces using confectionery sprinkles and glaze.

Let the glaze dry well.

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1. Take marshmallows and sweet breadsticks.

2. Place 3 marshmallows on one breadstick.

3. Make legs and arms for the soon-tobe snowman out of breadsticks.

4. Draw on eyes and a mouth with the help of a confectionery glaze. Make the snowman’s nose out of the dough or marzipan sprinkles.

5. Place the snowman on a cup of hot coffee or cocoa. Bon appetite!

FOOD

“Snowmen” Glazed cookies candy cookies 1. You’ll need ready-made cookies, marshmallows, and confectionery glaze.

2. Using confectionery glaze, draw the snowman’s eyes and mouth on the marshmallows. Make the nose out of pastry sprinkles.

3. Abundantly apply white glaze to the cookies.

4. Place the snowman’s head on the glaze before it dries.

5. After the glaze becomes dry, draw the snowman’s arms, a scarf, and buttons with the help of a confectionery pencil.

6. Bon appetite!

1. Take some dough and glazed chocolate candies. Keep a part of the candies intact, and chop the rest into tiny pieces.

2. Separate a small piece from the dough and dip it in the chopped candy.

3. Mix the dough so that the candy spreads evenly.

4. Place 3 whole candies on each cookie.

5. Place baking parchment on a baking sheet and place the cookies on top.

Bake them in the oven until they’re ready.

6. Bon appetite!

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FOOD

Gingerbrea Christmas Cookies Snack d Christmas tree cookies with a layer snowmen trees of jam from eggs 1 and 2. Roll out gingerbread dough and cut 4 Christmas trees out of it with the help of cookie-cutters.

3. Cut out a strip on the top part of 2 Christmas trees, and on the trunk part of 2 other trees (the way it’s shown in the photo). Bake in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes.

4. Contour the trees with green confectionery glaze.

5. Draw on tree decorations.

6. Assemble a 3D tree by connecting the pieces together. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

1 and 2. Take a layer of puff pastry and cut out stars of different sizes from it.

3. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, place the stars on it, and bake them in an oven preheated to 350°F for 10 minutes.

4. Squeeze the chocolate glaze from a pastry syringe onto the largest star.

5. Place a smaller star over it.

6. Assemble a tree from the stars and sprinkle it with powdered sugar.

1. Roll out some shortcrust pastry.

2. Cut out the future cookies with the help of large cookie-cutters.

3 and 4. Cut small holes with the help of smaller cookie-cutters in half of the big cookies. Bake them in an oven preheated to 350°F until they’re ready.

5. Sprinkle the cookies with small holes with powdered sugar.

6. Apply jam (raspberry, cherry, or apricot) on the second half of the cookies that don’t have smaller holes in them. Place the cookies with holes over them.

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1. Cut off the “bottom” of a hard-boiled and peeled egg.

2. Remove the top of the egg with a teaspoon so that the cut is rounded.

3. Pierce 2 pieces of boiled carrot with a wooden skewer.

4. Place the second boiled and peeled egg over the rounded cut of the first egg.

5. Pierce both eggs with a wooden skewer with the carrot on its end. The carrot will serve as the hat of the future snowman.

6. Take a plastic cocktail stick and use it to make the snowman’s eyes and holes for buttons.

7 and 8. Take a black olive and keep piercing it with the cocktail stick by slightly pressing it. Eventually, you will cut out small pieces from the black olive that will play the role of the snowman’s eyes and buttons.

9. Insert the olive pieces you just made into the eyes and buttonholes on the snowman.

10. Place the snowmen onto a plate sprinkled with salt. Use a carrot to make their noses and pieces of bacon to make their scarves. Bon appetite!

living GIVE A GIFT December has arrived, so it’s time to start planning what you will give to your friends and loved ones this holiday season. Let your creativity run wild by complementing your gifts with personalized tags that have your own personal magic.

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LIVING

Christmas tree tags Design 1 Green paper, A4 size Red paper, A4 size Gold star Pearl beads (different colors and sizes) Glue 1. Fold the green paper in half, widthwise. Right where the paper folds, draw a Christmas tree and carefully cut it, following the figure you just outlined.

2. Fold the red paper in the same way you folded the green one in step 1. Then, glue both pieces of paper together, but make sure to use glue only in the parts that are close to the border of both pieces of paper.

3. When you open the paper, that is now shaped like a card, you will see 2 Christmas trees appear in the center. Glue the points of the trees together.

4. Stick a gold star on the top of the tree.

5. Decorate both sides of the tree by gluing a few pearl beads of different colors and sizes, as if they were garland and Christmas lights.

6. You can decorate the outside of the design with gift paper and ribbons.

Design 2 White paper, A4 size Cinnamon stick Golden ribbon Golden beads Liquid glue A red star 1. Fold the white paper in half, widthwise. Glue the cinnamon stick in the center of the resulting front cover of what will be the front of your card.

2. Put 6 drops of liquid glue in a zigzag shape. These will be the points of the tree. Start at the top of the stick and then move all the way to the bottom by dropping glue to the left and right of the stick. The further you move down the cinnamon stick, the more the glue drops should be placed far from the stick.

3. Stick the gold ribbon to the glue pattern you made in the previous step.

4. Cut off the excess tape at the base of the tree.

5. Place the star at the top of the Christmas tree.

6. Glue the golden beads to the folds of the ribbon.

7. Write a message of your liking under the Christmas tree.

Design 3 Green paper Scrapbook paper, A4 size A golden star Glue 1. Start by creating 1-centimeter folds with the green paper.

2. Press the folds tightly to make sure the accordion-like shape of the paper is maintained.

3. Hold the folded paper tightly together and cut 5 snippets, each of them longer than the previous one.

4. Fold the scrapbook paper in half, widthwise. Glue the 5 snippets right in the folds of the scrapbook paper, from shortest to longest. Each of the snippets should be about half an inch lower than the previous one.

5. Close the card and make sure that each of the snippets is glued well to the card.

6. Glue a golden star right above the shortest snippet and you’ve got a Christmas tree.

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LIVING Gift box tag White paper, A4 size Gift wrap scraps Colored ribbons Green ribbon Golden snowflakes Glue 1. Fold the white paper in half, widthwise, then, while still folded, make 3 vertical cuts in the folded border. Each pair of cuts has to be longer than the previous one. Leave about 1/4 of an inch between each cut.

2. When opening the card, you’ll see that the cuts make the fold look as if it has 3-D cubes.

3. Decorate each of these cubes by gluing different gift wrap scraps to them 4. Stick decorative ribbons on both sides of the boxes.

5. Glue a green ribbon at the top of the boxes.

6. Stick golden snowflakes around the gift boxes.

Dried-flower bouquet tag Scrapbook paper Cardboard paper, A4 size Dried flowers or twigs Woven twine Printed or colored decorative ribbon Glue 1. Put a small drop of liquid glue in the center of the scrapbook paper.

2. Stick the woven twine on the glue.

3. Then place the twigs perpendicularly on the woven cane.

4. Glue them together.

5. Seal the bottom corner of the woven cane with glue.

6. Place a ribbon over the bouquet.

Christmas ball tags Design 1 Cardboard paper, A4 size Transparent plastic sheet Colored sequins Liquid glue Ribbon 1. Fold the paper. At the top of the front cover, cut a circle that is 8 centimeters in diameter.

2. Paste a 10-centimeter circle of transparent paper in the same place but on the other side.

3. Place the sequins on the transparent paper.

4. Glue a second circle of the same size to the first circle you made to prevent the sequins from falling out.

5. Draw an outline of a Christmas light bulb around the circle on the front of the card.

6. Glue the ribbon to the figure. Personalize the note on your card.

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Design 2 White and red paper 2-colored thread Christmas ball figures Liquid glue Fine tip marker Adhesive tape 1. Place a drop of liquid glue in the upper left corner.

2. Make a bow by putting 4 strings together and glue it to the paper.

3. Spread the hanging threads on the paper and stick small pieces of tape to each end.

4. Stick the Christmas ball figures onto the tape.

5. Try to place the Christmas balls so that they don’t overlap each other.

6. Write a message of your choice. You can place it on the right side, next to the Christmas balls.

Button animal tags Design 1 8″ x 8″ colored paper Buttons in different sizes and colors Glue Fine tip marker 1. Paste a large button in the center of the paper.

2. Draw the eyes of the animal above the button.

3. Glue 2 smaller buttons diagonally to the drawn eyes.

4. Write a message of your liking with a fine tip marker.

Design 2 Follow the same steps as you did with the previous card, but replace the colors of the paper and buttons according to the character you want to depict.

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TIPS & TRICKS

Guide to Types of Nuts

The nut is a fruit of some plants. As a rule, it has an edible kernel and a hard shell. In the botanical sense, it’s the hard shell that doesn’t open up itself to release seeds that defines the nut. For example, hazelnuts, chestnuts, and acorns are nuts. However, in the culinary sense, nuts include any edible kernel with a hard structure. And that’s what our article is going to tell you about.

Almonds

The almond is a tree native to Iran and surrounding countries.

The edible fruits of this tree are called almonds as well. This plant is widely cultivated around the world. In 2019, global almond production was 3.5 million tonnes, with the largest producing countries being the United States, Spain, Iran, Turkey, and Morocco.

Almonds are sold both with shells and without them. Also, you can find blanched almonds in stores. These are almonds without shells that have been treated with hot water to soften the seed coat. It is then removed and only the white almond seeds are left.

Although almonds are often eaten on their own, raw, or fried, they are also a component of various dishes. For example, this nut is added to muesli and used to prepare a variety of desserts like pastries, cakes, nougat, cookies, and marzipan.

Almonds are also used to make flour, sugar syrup, and vegetable milk.

Hazelnuts

Hazelnuts refer to true nuts.

They are the fruits of a species from the genus Corylus, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The kernels are surrounded by a hard shell inside which there is the seed that has a thin, dark brown skin.

In 2019, the global production of hazelnuts was 1.1 million tonnes.

Turkey is the main supplier of this nut, followed by Italy, Azerbaijan, the United States, Chile, and China.

Hazelnuts are eaten raw or fried.

They are also used in baking, desserts, and a variety of confectionery products. For example, pralines, chocolate bars, truffles, and cocoa butter can be cooked with hazelnuts.

In addition, this nut is used to produce vegetable oil with a rich aroma, which is used for culinary purposes.

Walnuts

Walnuts are a fruit from any tree of the genus Juglans. The 2 most widespread types of walnut are the Persian (Juglans regia), native to Iran or the black walnut (Juglans nigra), native to eastern North America.

In 2019, the global production of in-shell walnuts was 4.5 million tonnes. Mostly they were grown in China, as well as in the United States and Iran.

The walnut fruit is an edible drupe seed with a soft green husk. They are sold with or without shells and are usually eaten on their own raw, toasted, or pickled. Also, walnuts are often added to muesli and various desserts such as baklava, brownies, and warm pies. In addition, walnuts can be found in some meat dishes in Iranian cuisine.

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Pecans

The pecan is a species of hickory native to the southern United States and northern Mexico. It’s from there that 2 to 3 tonnes of fruit from this tree, which look like walnuts, are picked up annually. Just like walnuts, pecans are an edible drupe seed with a soft green husk.

Pecans are eaten fresh or used in cooking, especially for making desserts like cookies, cakes, pies, ice cream, and pralines.

Cashews

Cashews are fruits from an evergreen tree with the same name that is native to Brazil and Venezuela. At the beginning of the 16th century, it spread throughout the world and is now actively cultivated in other countries like the Ivory Coast and India which are the main producers of cashews nowadays. In 2019, the total world cashew production was about 4 million tons.

The fruit of the cashew tree has a thick shell and seeds and grows at the apex of a fleshy stalk known as a cashew apple.

The latter can also be used as food but its seeds, once cleaned from the shell, are more popular. They are actively used in Indian, Chinese, Filipino, and Thai cuisines. They are eaten raw or fried and are also added to desserts and curry pastes. In addition, cashew kernels are used for making vegetable milk.

Macadamias

Brazil nuts

Starting from the end of the 19th century, macadamia nuts started to be cultivated in other countries. In 2018, the total world production of these nuts was 200,000 tons. South Africa is the largest supplier of macadamias, and it is followed

by Australia and Kenya

The fruits of the Brazil nut are drupe hard-shelled seeds that are stored in a hard, woody capsule. One capsule can fit from 8 to 24 nuts. They are eaten raw or added to desserts such as the Brazilian nut cake, which is popular in the Amazon region.

The macadamia is a nut that is native to Australia. It grows on a tree with the same name from the Proteaceae family. The fruit is a hard, woody, globose follicle with a pointed apex, that has 1-2 seeds inside. They are eaten raw or used to make vegetable oil. They are used for frying food and for dressing salads.

The Brazil nut is a fruit from a tree with the same name from the family Lecythidaceae. It is native to South America, where nuts are not cultivated, but harvested directly from the wild.

In 2019, the global production of Brazil nuts was 78,000 tons, most of which were harvested in Brazil and Bolivia, in the Amazon rainforest.

Pistachios

Pistachios are the fruits of the pistachio tree from the Sumac family. They originate from Central Asia and the Middle East. In 2019, the global production of pistachios was about 0.9 million tons. Most of these nuts were grown in Iran and the United States, and the rest in China, Turkey, and Syria.

The fruits of the pistachio tree are drupes, containing a single seed in a cream-colored shell.

When ripe, they abruptly split open and start to look the way we are used to seeing them.

The kernels of pistachios are eaten whole, either fresh or roasted. They are also added to all kinds of desserts, such as ice cream, baklava, chocolate, halva, Turkish delight, and biscuits. In addition, pistachios are an ingredient in the Italian sausage called mortadella.

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Pine Nuts

Peanuts

Also, there is a coffee made of pine nuts. It is popular in the Southwestern United States, especially in the state of New Mexico, and is a dark roasted coffee with a deep nutty flavor.

The world production of pine nuts is not huge. For example, in 2017 it was only 23,600 tons. The main producing countries were South Korea, Russia, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Peanuts are sold in-shell or without shells and are eaten raw, roasted, and sometimes boiled. They are used to produce peanut butter and flour, and are also added to a wide variety of dishes like sauces and desserts typical of Latin American, Asian and African cuisines.

Pine nuts are the seeds of several types of pine trees that are common in the Northern Hemisphere. They are extracted from pine cones and consumed raw. They are also often added to meat, fish, salads, and vegetable dishes. A variety of desserts are also prepared with these nuts. Moreover, they are the most important ingredient in pesto sauce in Italian cuisine.

The peanut is an annual plant that belongs to the botanical family Fabaceae. Its fruits look like a papery pod containing one or more nut-like seeds.

Peanuts are native to South America but are currently cultivated in many countries with tropical climates. World peanut production in 2019 was 49 million tonnes. China is the largest supplier, followed by India, Nigeria, Sudan, and the United States.

CHILL & DRAW

GREG

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

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