HoliDaily
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Table of Contents
02 Four of the Most
04 3 Ways to Let
Useful Gifts for The
Them Know You
Holiday Season
Care
08
10
Winter Festivities
Give Back This
in the Twin Cities
Holiday Season
12
Cookie Culture
Four of The Most Useful Gifts for The Holiday Season Socheata Mok
Since it’s almost the holiday season, now’s the perfect time to start thinking about the gifts you’re going to get for your family, friends and co-workers. But, if you can’t figure out what to get, then you may want to consider giving something the receiver may find useful. To help you get started, here are four of the most useful gifts for the holidays that you can add to your shopping list:
02
1. Shower Speaker
3. Power Bank
Do you have a friend, a family member or a co-worker who loves to spend time in the shower? If so, then you should consider getting them a shower speaker! Additionally, a shower speaker connects to your phone via Bluetooth, which is beneficial to pick up phone calls in the shower without worrying about water-damage. Finally, shower speakers are small and lightweight, so it’s very convenient for users to carry around. You can buy them today at the nearest Best Buy, Target, Walmart or online on Amazon. Check out the lists online at Lifewire to decide which shower speaker is best to get for your loved ones.
Power banks are great gifts because they allow users to charge their phone whenever they want on-the-go. Most power banks also pretty small, which is convenient for users to carry around because it can fit in a bag or purse easily. To help you determine which power bank you should get for your loved ones, visit Just Creative online.
2. Electric Protein Shaker Electric protein shakers are excellent gifts for people who exercise regularly because it can blend their shake in less than 30 seconds. Additionally, they remove and dissolve lumps of protein powder more effectively than a regular shake bottle by using an electricpowered motor. To help you determine which electric protein shaker is best to give your loved one, check out the online article on Garage Gym Builder.
4. An Anti-Theft Backpack Do you care about providing safety for your family, friends or co-workers at school or work? If so, definitely consider getting them an antitheft backpack. Anti-theft backpacks are excellent gifts because they offer users security from pickpockets. Additionally, most anti-theft backpacks are made using weather-resistant materials that can help secure accessories from being damaged by rain or snow. To help you determine which antitheft backpack you should get for your loved ones, check out Travel and Leisure’s website.
03
3 Ways to Let Them Know You Care Jennifer Harley
During the holiday season, reminders of loved ones surround us through commercials on television, friends talking about plans for winter break and even memories from past holidays. As we get more and more sentimental about the people in our lives, gift-giving around the holiday season seems to get increasingly stressful. Some say that the best gift is one that comes from the heart, so why not give them something no one else can?
04
1. “Open When...” Letters Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. One way that you can continue to support your loved ones is to write encouragement for different situations in their life. These letters can range from times when they need a hug, to when they are angry, to when they need overall support. What You Need: • A box or container to hold all the letters • Envelopes • Cards or stationery paper • A pen • Markers (if you want to decorate the envelopes or container) • Decorations (stickers, ribbons, glitter, etc.) Start by thinking about some topics that could potentially happy in the future for them. Then write a letter to them as if that event has already happened, and feel free to write-in links to videos or print out memes that relate to that topic. This is pretty open-ended, so use your creativity to inspire letters for any occasion.
2. Photo Album + Letters A way to make those you care about feel loved is to create a photo album with all the pictures of memories you have with each other. What You Need: • Photo album (The size is up to you) • You can buy these at your local craft store • Photos (You can print these off at Walgreens or CVS) • Stickers (If you want to decorate the pages) • Printer paper or stationery • Writing utensil After printing out all the photos that you want to use, put them in the photo album. If you want to write a little note about the memory then write it on a piece of paper (your preference) and then slip it into the photo slot as well. Keep doing this until you are all out of photos.
3. Video Making a video to capture the timeline of your relationship with a loved one will let them know that you cherish those memories. This option will be like a digital version of a photo album, but if you have any memories on video, this is the option that you will want to choose. Whether it’s the time when you both decided to sing karaoke or random dancing in public places, a video to capture all the memories will let them know you care about them. What You Need: • Photos and/or videos (on a computer) • Video editor system (iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, etc.) This idea is also very open-ended. Feel free to add in some text at the end as a letter and music as you flip through the photos.
Winter Festivities in the Twin Cities Dave Villarama
Stuck in the Cities over Thanksgiving or winter break? Not to fear, there is still plenty to see and do to keep yourself from going stir crazy while everyone’s out of town and the weather gets bad. From watching this year’s edition of the Border Battle, to catching your favorite artist at one of the many great venues around town, to just staying active and healthy while having winter fun, there’s something for everyone!
08
1. Minnesota-Wisconsin football game, 11/30, TCF Bank Stadium The annual clash between the University of Wisconsin Badgers and our very own University of Minnesota Golden Gophers on the football field will take place right here in Minneapolis over this Thanksgiving break. Newlyranked Minnesota seeks to hang on to Paul Bunyan’s Axe, the trophy awarded to the winner of each year’s matchup; Minnesota is currently in possession, after defeating Wisconsin 37-15 last year at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. It is sure to be a great game to watch.
2. Upcoming concerts Minneapolis and St. Paul boast a wealth of both local and nationally-charting artists and bands. Here’s a not-at-all exhaustive preview of big names coming through the Cities this winter. • • •
The Maine, 11/16, Varsity Theater Louis the Child, 11/27, the Armory Brockhampton, 12/3, the Armory
• •
101.3 KDWB Jingle Ball (Katy Perry, Camilla Cabello, 5 Seconds of Summer, Lauv) 12/9, Xcel Energy Center Snowta New Year’s Eve Festival (Zeds Dead), 12/3012/31, the Armory
3. Holidazzle Parade, 11/29-12/22, Loring Park, Minneapolis Free admission, local restaurants serving food, a skating rink, and classic holiday movies and music make the Holidazzle Parade, running Thursdays through Saturdays between November 29 and December 22, an unmissable winter attraction for all ages.
4. 2020 Saint Paul Winter Carnival, 1/23/20202/2/2020, Rice Park, Saint Paul An ice bar to keep those of age warm, a renowned ice sculpture garden, three different parades, and a wide array of food trucks take over Rice Park in downtown St. Paul to help ring in the new year. Additionally, there is a Cinco de Mayo themed night and a dog showcase.
Give Back This Holiday Season Maria Kasel
‘Tis the season of giving back. Make it a new tradition to do some good during the holidays with loved ones. Here are five ways you can show your gratitude by helping those in need this holiday season.
10
1. Bring festive cookies to a local nursing home — Have a cookie baking party and bring your extra cookies to a local nursing home. You can even throw in a carol or two!
2. Host a toy drive — Your younger siblings, cousins or children you babysit might be outgrowing some toys around this time of the year. A toy drive would be perfect for those that need to make some extra room and those that need some extra joy during the holiday season.
3. Make a donation that lasts all year — Get together with your family and brainstorm organizations that you care about or want to learn more about. Commit to donating $5 every month to spread out the joy all year. Every year, you can think of a new philanthropy to learn about and give back to.
4. Write letters to deployed members of the military — Everyone deserves a little extra love during the holidays. Send a letter of appreciation to those away from their family in order to feel a sense of togetherness.
5. Visit a dog shelter — Even pups need some extra love during the holidays. Nothing sounds better than warming up with some dogs after a Minnesota snowstorm. You may even find the perfect gift for everyone on your list all in one place! I am sure they would love a sip of your eggnog as well.
Cookie Culture Erin Baker
All around the world, food is synonymous with culture. Families and friends gather in the kitchen and create memories over drinks and music, all while creating delicious treats for the occasion that brought them together. The taste of food from your childhood can invoke vivid memories from long ago. My own mother, Rhona M. Baker, instilled a strong connection between celebration and cooking within my family. Rhona moved to the United States as a teenager; she grew up in South West Germany and spent her free time learning life lessons and family recipes from her Oma, her grandmother. No matter what holiday or festivity is being celebrated, you can find Rhona baking or cooking something. For the bigger holidays, we would start baking three days in advance. By the actual day of the holiday, every counter and table in the kitchen would be covered in pies made from scratch and tupperware containing hundreds of cookies.
12
As a child my favorite cookie was the vanillekipferl, or as I called them when I was little, “moon cookies.” Vanillekipferl originated in Bavaria in the thirteenth century and have been a tradition in my mother’s family for about as long as the cookies have existed. The small crescent cookies are covered in confectioners sugar and melt in your mouth, but these cookies have more significance in my family than their delightful taste. My mother reflects on the significance of these cookies to her childhood and family culture: “I love making these traditional German cookies with my children because it reminds me of my childhood in Ulm, Germany. The smells, tastes, and family conversation are reminiscent of how my family spent the *winter* holidays. my Oma and mother would talk about how hard it was to find the ingredients after the war and how a small batch of cookies was necessary to remind them that everything was alright. These cookies have a lot of butter and egg, so my Oma and Opa finally we’re able to get some hens and a
cow after much bartering. My mother and her sisters would take turns collecting eggs and milking the cow before school. My Oma would take a bicycle and go to shops to get the nuts, sometimes it was almonds, sometimes it was hazelnuts, or she would combine the nuts to make these delicious cookies. When we baked, it was the only time my Oma, mom, and aunts would tell stories of their survival of the war. These cookies are more than food, they are my family’s heritage” My family is lucky to have this recipe; the recipe was survived by Oma and great grandparents, who managed survived World War II, concentration camps and relocation, when a lot of people didn’t. I myself am also reminded of some of my favorite memories as a child and some very important moments growing up that occured while baking with my mom. I have five siblings and we would all gather together and pitch in, now as adults we live across the country
from Miami to Seattle and haven’t all been together at the same time in over a decade. Despite our physical distance, we all bake and cook the same recipes we grew up with and send photos of food to each other via the family group chat and it’s like we are all a little closer to home again. So, while my mother is unaware of how much I treasure those hours of baking in the kitchen together, even thinking that her kids might resent time spent baking instead of playing, it was the greatest gift my siblings and I could have ever received for any holiday. Everytime I smell vanilla I’m a four year old again, excited to finally be old enough to roll out dough with my mom to the sound of the Lord of the Rings film playing in the background as we make memories. With that said, I’d like to share the recipe for Vanillakipferl with you and invite you to submit a recipe of your own!
Vanillekipferl Ingredients: • ½ cup almonds • ½ cup hazelnuts toasted and peeled* (½ walnuts also works perfectly) • ½ cup + 2 tbs white sugar • Pinch of salt • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter cut in small chunks • 3 egg yolks • 2 ¼ cups flour • 3 (.32 oz) envelopes vanilla sugar • ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar Directions: • In a food processor or grinder, chop the almonds and hazelnuts until very fine, but not quite a powder • Pour nuts in a medium size mixing bowl and add sugar, salt, butter, egg yolks and flour • Knead well to combine, butter will soften as you work the dough • Shape into a ball as best you can (dough will be crumbly) • Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, overnight is fine as well • Preheat oven to 350F • Section ball of dough into 4 pieces • Scoop one tablespoon of dough and shape into crescent shape one at a time • Place on on parchment paper-lined baking sheet • Bake 15 minutes • Let stand 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool • In a medium bowl mix vanilla sugar and confectioner’s sugar • While cookies are still warm, put them in the bowl of sugar and coat them entirely • Let cool completely and store in airtight container • *yields 7 ½ dozen cookies