Christmas is the most awaited time of the year. Weeks before the big day, almost every one of us is already busy decorating, shopping, giving gifts and partying. With all these activities, preparing our kitchen for the holiday is sometimes last on our list. But this shouldn’t be the case because Noche Buena (the Spanish word for Christmas Eve) won’t be perfect without food and happy family at the table. So for a smooth and stress-free Christmas Eve dinner preparation and memorable Christmas celebration, here are my five tips:
- Plan Ahead
Even if you’re not a good planner, it is important to plan everything in advance when it comes to Christmas. Start listing your number of guests (if you’re the one hosting the Christmas feast), the fun activities to do while waiting for midnight and most especially start thinking about your menu. Go for uncomplicated and simpler recipes but make sure they’re your family’s favorites. Don’t choose recipes that you haven’t tried or mastered yet to avoid unnecessary worries, save them for another time or occasion.
- Keep your Kitchen Tidy
Days before Christmas, start decluttering your kitchen. Clean your table or bench tops so your kitchen will look bigger and easier for you to prepare the food. Organize your kitchen cabinets and drawers, check your canned products and condiments as well, and throw away all the expired items.
- Clean your Oven, Microwave, and Refrigerator
Cleaning these three appliances in advance will not only save you time preparing the food but also save you from embarrassment if one of your guests will offer help in your kitchen. Having dirty oven and microwave is definitely a ‘No-No’, as well as having a messy fridge. Clear out space in your refrigerator for leftovers or for those foods that need to be kept chilled. Remove all items that are past their use-by dates.
- Delegate and Share the Load
Preparing for Christmas celebration doesn’t mean you as a mom will do all the work. Delegate the preparation of some food to other members of the family. If you need to roast or grill something, assign that to the men of the house. If you have other relatives joining the feast, ask them to bring along food that can be added to the table.
- Buy Ingredients and Lacking Kitchen Items in Advance
Avoid shopping rush, buy or order your needed ingredients in advance. If you need fresh items, reserve them days before at your ‘suki’ or trusted seller so when December 24 comes, all you have to do is pick up the items, no need to worry for stocks shortage, etc.
As for kitchen items, don’t consider the price alone and settle for the cheapest ones. Consider as well the design and quality. When buying kitchen appliances, it is important to first do a quick research online and check whether the design fits the space allotted in the kitchen. When it comes to tablecloths, napkins and kitchen towels, since they’re among the things that guests will first notice, it is ideal to choose those which are not only of high quality but also those that complement the occasion. For kitchen towels and napkins for example, I opt for Sanicare products because when it comes to quality, they’re very absorbent, luxuriously strong but soft to touch. And with the delightful Christmas prints of their kitchen towels, there’s no reason why I’ll go for other brands.
Sanicare produces Christmas-themed boxes every holiday season. For this year, they released special Liwanag Christmas Boxes which were designed by artist Alex Eduque, the founder of MovEd. According to her, the boxes are inspired by world-class Filipino talent, and the ability of global citizens to find the silver lining amidst the darkest days. She included parols (lanterns) in her design because it’s a symbolic representation that transcends social classes, and lights up all Filipino homes. She chose to integrate the stars because it is a constant reminder that despite the differences and circumstances in all corners of the world, each one of us has a star shining brightly within.
Look at how festive the designs are, seeing the parols and stars, I am totally feeling the Filipino Christmas spirit!
How do you find the Liwanag Boxes? Perfect for your kitchen this Christmas, agree? This year, you have more reasons to get one for your home or buy as gifts to your loved ones because Sanicare is conducting an online contest called the Starry Bright Christmas Promo. Joining is very easy, just do the following:
- Post a creative photo on your Facebook account featuring the Sanicare Facial Tissue Liwanag Series Box.
- Your post must include a caption that starts with the phrase, “My Christmas is extra bright this year because ____!” and tag 3 of your friends. Don’t forget to include the mandatory hashtags #SanicareLiwanagSeries #Sanicare #SCPA .
- Once posted, go to Sanicare PH Facebook promo post and click the link provided in order to submit the entry. All other details about the contest are provided in the post.
The grand prize winner will get four (4) all day passes to Dream Play and Lunch buffet for four (4) at The Café at the Hyatt City of Dreams Manila. Ten (10) consolation prize winners will also be chosen to each receive a 2,000 peso Sodexo Gift Certificate from Sanicare. Exciting right?
The contest will run from November 22 to January 01, 2018. Winners will be announced on January 15, 2018 on the Sanicare PH Facebook Page so be sure to like their page. You can also follow Sanicare on Instagram @sanicare_ph.
So what are you waiting for mommies? Start preparing your kitchen early with Sanicare Christmas Liwanag boxes, join the promo and have a chance to win these prizes!
