All I can say is, wow — having Captain Adorable around for Christmas made it the best holiday ever! Our 9-month-old grandson considered the Dec. 25 festivities further proof that the world is full of fascinating things to touch, squeeze, throw, pinch and put in his mouth. My family had a wonderful Christmas and I hope yours did the same. In fact, it’s still a party around here — well, not right now since I’m the only one up at 5 a.m. and everyone else is sleeping it off. But still. We like to keep the good times going, unlike a former sister-in-law who literally — and I mean absolutely quite literally — began dismantling the tree as soon as the last wrappings were 
torn off and everyone was sitting around in a post-present daze. “Can you reach that string of lights?” she’d ask before we’d even had time for that third cup of Christmas morning coffee. Sheesh. I’m not that eager to get back to normal. So let’s keep things rolling with Cathy’s New Year Countdown as we count down the original 12 Days of Christmas to Tweflth Night, or Jan. 6. That seems like a better tradition than packing things up as soon as the stockings are unhung. For Christmas countdown Part 2, I’ll continue holiday-ing with tips, ideas, suggestions and all things festive. Ready? For Day No. 1, here’s my ode to Dec. 26 (after all, why should Dec. 25 have all the fun?):
‘Twas the morning after Christmas
and all through the land,
everyone was still sleeping
except for the band
of bargain-hunting shoppers
determined to find
discounts and sales
that will give them a hand
with next Christmas’s parties
and presents and such
so they can save lots of money
and tell husbands they hadn’t spent much.
Read the rest at my column in today’s TimesDaily, at http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20081226/ARTICLES/812260323. And check back for Day No. 2 in Cathy’s New Year Countdown.
Welcome to Day No. 2 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown. It’s Christmas Eve — time to get those stockings up. And if you still can’t find them (when 
you unpack the Easter decorations in a couple months, they’ll be there as wrappings for your china eggs) but don’t want to brave the crowds to buy replacements, try this incredibly stylish alternative my friend Marlene does at her house. Can you see what she’s used in place of stockings? Look closer. She’s got Santa hats up around her fireplace — turned upside down, they’re the perfect Christmas “stocking.” Fabulous idea! But then, she’s that sort of stylishly fabulous person. I think she just lets me be her friend for comic relief. Check back tomorrow for Day No. 1 in Cathy’s Christmas Countdown.
It’s Day No. 3 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown. If your home looks a little bare and you’ve got company coming soon, try this quick and festive decorating trick using things I promise you’ve got around your house. First, find a pretty clear bowl — how about that one you got as a wedding present and have never ever used? Second, unearth those boxes of solid-colored glass Christmas balls you bought on sale two years ago because you thought maybe someday you might want to hand-letter names and dates on them for personalized gifts but then later realized that really you never will and what are you going to do with boxes of solid-colored glass Christmas balls? Third, pile (carefully) the glass balls in the bowl, put your creation where 
everybody can see it and receive compliments for being an innovative and talented decorator. I know this sounds way too simple, but believe me: Its effectiveness far outweighs the effort you’ll put into it. And you get twice the decorating power since this looks cheerful and colorful in daylight and glows quite elegantly at night. If you’re so inclined, you can get all fancy and use glass balls of different sizes or coordinate different containers (bowls, vases, margarita glasses) of various colors for a pretty impressive display. Check back tomorrow for Day No. 2 in Cathy’s Christmas Countdown for a new take on hanging Christmas stockings.
It’s Day No. 4 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown, and it’s time for the world’s easiest and most appreciated gift ever: Peppermint Bark. Or, as we call it in my family in honor of my brother Mark, who claims this as his favorite holiday candy ever — Mark’s Bark. Sure, you can buy it fancy and already made from gourmet stores like Williams-Sonoma. But I promise you can make it much easier than pie. Here’s what you do: Melt some chocolate — whatever you’ve got around the house is fine. Spread it out sort of thin on a wax- or parchment-paper lined pan. Crush up some 
peppermint candy (very therapeutic this time of year if you put the candy in a securely closed plastic food bag and whack away with a rolling pin) and sprinkle the candy on the chocolate before it’s cool. When cool, break apart into cookie-sized pieces (again, very therapeutic). Stack and wrap for a festive gift or arrange on a plate for instant oohs and ahhs. You can get more complicated by layering white chocolate over the dark (a bit tricky because to make the layers stick you have to add the white-chocolate layer at just the right point in the cooling process) or by adding finely crushed peppermints or other flavorings to the chocolate. Need more help? For a video step-by-step tutorial , visit 
Welcome to Day No. 5 of Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas 
Countdown. You know, decorating your front door is like tying a festive ribbon around a carefully wrapped Christmas gift — it sets the tone and makes a promise for good things inside. I love this door in my daughter and son-in-law’s apartment complex in Huntsville, Alabama. A young couple with babies just moved in here, and I imagine that both time and money are tight. So they wrapped cardboard pieces in holiday paper and jaunty bows to create a quick, simple, inexpensive and fun entry — especially easy and environmentally
friendly when using leftover scraps. I love this idea! It reminds me of one year when I was young and my mom wrapped our front door in thick red paper and a huge white bow — creating, I thought, the world’s largest Christmas present. Moms are good like that. Check back tomorrow for Day No. 4 in Cathy’s Christmas Countdown — the easiest food gift ever perfect for co-workers, neighbors and everybody else.
For Day No. 6 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown, here’s an idea for a super last-minute gift and stocking stuffer. I love these! One of the best timesaving holiday tips I’ve ever heard is to have a signature gift that you can buy in bulk and have on hand for almost everybody on your list. You may not have thought of travel mugs as a one-size-fits-all gift since not everybody drinks coffee or has commutes, but these mugs are perfect for all sorts of folks. You can use them for coffee, sure, but also hot cocoa for those late-night drives out to see the lights and hot tea for extra energy to make it through that final shopping push. Or make your morning smoothie portable. And you don’t even need a cupholder to enjoy these mugs, of course. Maybe your kids will drink 
their milk if you give it to them in a penguin “glass.” I’ve seen mugs like theseeverywhere this year — Starbucks especially has some cute ones. To make them useable past December, my friend Susan (who gave the tall mug in the middle to her book-club members this year) says to look for winter themes rather than strictly holiday designs. She is so smart! Check back for Day No. 5 in the Christmas Countdown for a festive yet simple door design.
It’s Day No. 7 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown, 
and here’s one of the best online shopping sites ever: 
art work, pottery, jewelry, clothing, food, decor, quilts, toys and so much more. It’s like an arts/crafts gallery combined with an upscale gift shop and Real Simple magazine. Customer service is excellent. It’s probably too late to order for this year, but start planning your 2009 gift list right now — or treat yourself for being the best Christmas Elf ever with a little something special from . Tomorrow, it’s Day No. 6 in the Christmas Countdown — a super last-minute gift idea.
In Day No. 8 of Cathy’s 12 Days Before Christmas Countdown, it’s time to look at the original holiday-simplification guide, “Unplug the Christmas Machine.” Even though it’s almost 20 years old, this book remains the signature how-to for scaling back and cutting down. But you’ll find more here than tips on re-using wrapping paper and getting decorations out of your own backyard. In fact, the rest of the title says it all: “A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back in the Season.” Authors Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli show you how to identify and make time for what’s truly important to your own family’s holiday celebrations and gives you permission to ditch the rest. Isn’t that the kind of Christmas we all want? And we’re talking real-life here. For instance, the authors warn you that while deciding to forgo massive present-opening on Dec. 25 could be a good thing and spiritually satisfying, you might find yourselves sitting around staring at each other without anything else to do. Awkward! And while it 
reads a bit dated — it was written, after all, before laptops, cell phones and Blackberries became essential family tools — the core message still is relevant: To get the most out of Christmas, you’ve got to regain control of it. It might be too late for this year — you’ve already gotten all your Christmas chores done for this year, haven’t you? — but reward yourself by getting a head start on Christmas 2009. More good news? You won’t derail your new holiday frugality when you buy this book because as an older paperback, it’s only about $10 at most online booksellers — less if you buy it used. It’ll be a $10 you’ll never regret (unlike the $10 I spent on Max Factor Lipfinity Lipstick Sweet 55, but who knew?). Check back on Christmas Countdown Day No. 7 for one of the best online sites I’ve found for Christmas shopping.
It’s a week until Christmas Eve and Day No. 9 in Cathy’s 12 Days Before 
Christmas Countdown (seemingly mathematically impossible, but true nevertheless). To celebrate, how about a quick and easy recipe perfect for family entertaining or gift giving? It’s my family’s favorite, Graham Cracker Cookies. My mom first got us hooked on these, and now it’s not Christmas without them. Inexpensive, fun, quick, simple and satisfyingly too-rich-for-everyday, set these out for the kids when everybody gathers at your house — and watch the 
adults sneak a couple, too. Stack a few with doilies or squares of parchment paper, wrap up in plastic wrap and tie with festive ribbon for gifts. Or fill a holiday tin for the really special folks on your list. Here’s how you make them: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and layer with graham crackers. Bring one cup brown sugar and one cup butter to a hard boil and pour mixture over crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for about five minutes and remove. Cookies will be hot and soft and then will harden somewhat but won’t be crisp. Check back tomorrow for No. 8 in the Christmas Countdown for something to give you a headstart on Christmas 2009.
Coffee with Cathy 