It’s All Fun & Games Until…

Confession: I’m not good at giving gifts. I mean, I’m a giver. I am. I’ll give you the shirt off my back. It’s just that I’m not very good at picking out the right thing. When I give a gift there is always a gift receipt with it. Chances are, it’s either returned or regifted.

If it’s not the right thing, then I either end up going overboard or underboard, if that’s a word. (Pretty sure it’s not.) When someone says, “Let’s not get each other anything,” I don’t. But then they do. Or, then there’s the situation when I repeatedly see things people might like. My kids’ teachers. My bff. The mail lady. And it quickly becomes a little bit awkward when there’s too many “just because” gifts in a row.

Christmas or birthdays? Please tell me exactly what you want. Because otherwise I’m going to wait until the last minute because I can’t think of the *perfect* gift to get you. And then, because it’s the last minute and I never could think of that perfect thing, you get stuck with something say, coffee filters, because at least I’ll know they’ll get used.

Anywho, at Christmas when my family suggested a White Elephant gift exchange my initial reaction was negative. I lump White Elephant exchanges up there with Red Rover and dodgeball. I always got clothes lined in Red Rover. I always got hit smack in the face in dodge ball. In the White Elephant you get, well, junk.

But, then, oh then, I realized…The White Elephant gets you off the hook. Nobody likes what you brought? Well that’s the point isn’t it?? Everybody wants what you brought? Even better. And so I went where all good people go when they’re in search of a good White Elephant gift. Goodwill.

Usually when I hit up Goodwill I’m looking for things I can repurpose or sell. So this time I had to put on my blinders and search out the ugly. First up? Vintage Tupperware. This is high quality stuff y’all. A set of 4 square containers, with lids. In shades of burnt pumpkin and avocado, it was definitely a score. That stuff was made in America. It was made to last.

Next up? A vintage Budweiser beer can lamp. I didn’t know if it worked. It didn’t matter. White Elephant, remember? Now, this wasn’t a lamp made from an actual beer can. This was a lamp that was manufactured that way in the 1970’s for the Budweiser company. I looked this bad boy up and he was actually worth some loot. Added bonus? It turns out that it worked. 😉

Both got wrapped up in the ugliest gift bags I could find: an acid washed denim looking one and a Carebears Christmas one. And dare I say, these were actually some of the more popular gifts in the exchange. And, as I’m sure you can imagine (*sarcasm*) the beer lamp was “stolen” quite a few times throughout the game.

Red Rover and dodgeball may have me beat, but the White Elephant? All me, all the time.

XOXO,
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A Boy & His Dog


I’m used to the dog whimpering a little when my son leaves for school in the morning. But this morning I heard the strangest sound, and when I went to investigate I found the dog lamenting in the most sad and pitiful way. It wasn’t an obnoxious noise. It wasn’t loud or crying for attention. It was the sound of losing a loved one, of needing your person, of being left behind.

It made me happy and sad at the same time. So happy because every boy needs a dog to love him unconditionally and completely. But sad for the dog whose short memory would have to wait 8 hours to find out that his master always comes back. A timeless tale, wouldn’t you say?

This is an old photo from 3 years ago, but I love it!

XOXO,
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Celebrate New Year’s in the South

The South has so much to offer if you are looking for something fun and exciting to do on New Year’s Eve. Events can go from sophisticated and classy to downright trashy. There is literally something for everyone. We’ve rounded up just a sampling of what the South has to offer for New Year’s Eve entertainment.


Alabama  

Hunstville – puts on quite a show at Big Spring Park with fun activities ranging from concerts to ice skating and fire works.

Mobile – MoonPie over Mobile  In Mobile the New Year’s countdown is commemorated with the drop of a giant MoonPie. This just made me love Mobile a little bit more than I already did. How awesome is this?!

Georgia

Atlanta – There is a TON of fun stuff to do in Atlanta on NYE. From the popular Peach Drop at Underground Atlanta to the Chick-fil-A bowl there is something for everyone. More options are listed here.

Savannah – Sail the Savannah River in style. Take a memorable New Year’s Eve dinner cruise. 

Louisiana

New Orleans – The party is hoppin’ in Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Instead of a ball drop, Baby New Year drops from the top of Jax Brewery. Be sure to stick around following the drop to watch a spectacular fireworks show over the Mississippi. 

Shreveport – Shreveport has something for everyone. Most area casinos offer New Year’s Eve events. A family friendly option is the New Year’s at Noon event at Sci-Port Discovery Center. 

Mississippi

Biloxi -Most of the casinos will be hosting New Year’s Eve events. Several casinos will have concerts and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight.

Columbus hosts a New Year’s block party on main street that includes live band entertainment, a ball drop, and a cash giveaway after midnight. 

The Carolinas

The Carolinas have some of the most original New Year’s Even celebrations. If you didn’t already know, Brasstown, North Carolina is the Opossum Capitol of the World. At midnight you can countdown the New Year with an opossum drop. 

In Mount Olive, North Carolina, the home of Mt. Olive Pickles, you can watch a giant pickle drop into a pickle tank at 7 p.m., which is midnight Greenwich mean time. 

Asheville – Spend an elegant evening welcoming in the New Year at the historic Grove Park Inn.

Charleston – From New Year’s Eve Gala balls to concerts and carnivals, there is plenty to choose from in this classic southern city. 

Tennessee

Gatlinburg – A magical place to visit during the holidays, Gatlinburg welcomes the New Year in with a ball drop and fireworks show at the base of the Space Needle. 

Knoxville – If you’re in Knoxville this New Year’s Eve, be sure to check out the New Year’s Eve party at the Knoxville Museum of Art.

Nashville – This city goes all out with the fantastic Music City New Year’s Eve Bash on Broadway. If you can’t make it, the show is streamed live online.

Virginia

Carytown/Richmond – The ball doesn’t drop in Carytown, it rises.  Head to the historic Byrd Theatre to ring in the new year and countdown the ball ascension. 

Williamsburg – Happy Hogmanay to you. Celebrate a New Year at Colonial Williamsburg.

That was just a sampling of what’s available on New Year’s Eve in the South. Feel free to leave your own NYE suggestions and links in the comments section. 

Happy New Year!

XOXO,

Abby


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The Southern New Year’s Day Menu

Now that Christmas has come and gone, the pine needles are meeting the vacuum. The trashcan is overflowing. Thoughts of last minute tax write offs are dancing through our heads. With New Year’s Day just a few days away, we are preparing for a fresh start ahead of us.

In the South, our holiday traditions continue on to New Year’s Day. On New Year’s Day we prepare a traditional meal for our families to welcome a new year of health and prosperity. What a perfect way to begin the new year together, gathered around the table enjoying good food with the people you love.

However, our southern New Year’s Day meal isn’t a random, ordinary meal. Each dish on the menu symbolizes something different that we hope the new year will bring us.

Our menu begins with collard greens.

Collard greens (or any kind of greens) represent money for the coming year. If you have never cooked collard greens, don’t be intimidated. The recipe can be as simple or complex as you like.

Next come the black eyed peas.

The lovely cream colored peas with a black “eye” spot symbolize coins. On New Year’s we mostly eat black eyed peas served warm, but I also use THIS recipe that my family really enjoys.

Along with the peas and collards we have corn bread.

Corn bread is a staple of the southern dinner table. However, on the New Year’s Day table corn bread represents gold. In the South, everybody’s momma puts a different pinch of this or that into their recipe. Mostly I use a corn bread mix from a box. (Hush your mouth! I’m a busy person.) Krusteez makes a gluten free cornbread that we like.

Last of the symbolic foods for the southern New Year’s Day menu is pork or ham.

The pork represents moving forward. A pig roots forward in the earth, unlike a cow that stands still or a chicken that scratches backwards. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what kind of pork is served. It could be a roast, pork chops, or a baked ham. I will admit that once in a hurry I even went to the deli and got some sliced ham. Most years we have a baked ham with a maple glaze.

Update: If you’d like to check out my Southern New Year’s Menu with a Twist, click here.
Happy New Year!

Abby

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Southern Thanksgiving Menu: 10 Recipes for your Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving is almost here and my big, Southern family is getting ready for a day of food, laughter, and time spent together. We all gather at our momma’s house, everyone bringing food to contribute to the meal. Each of us has “perfected” a certain dish, and it goes without saying what we will contribute to the menu.

While the recipes below are not our own, here is a menu reminiscent of what we traditionally enjoy each year.

 
1. Herb-Roasted Turkey – The star of our meal is our Herb-Roasted Turkey. With 4 kids and 5 grandkids, our delicious bird is big and never disappoints. 
2. Corn Pudding – A traditional southern dish, this is a family favorite. Rarely is there any left over.
3. Cranberry Sauce – A tart addition to the menu, everyone looks forward to this dish on our table.
4. Southern Cornbread Dressing – In the south our menu includes this recipe in place of stuffing. It is a blend of flavors that is sure to please everyone. Dressing recipes and techniques are handed down and sought after.
5. Green Bean Casserole – No matter where you go, this Thanksgiving classic is sure to be found on the table.
6. Southern Macaroni & Cheese – We are not talking Kraft in a box. Southern mac & cheese is an art form. Ingredients vary widely. Recipes are guarded and coveted. Southern mac & cheese is sophisticated and adored. Often unexpected ingredients are what takes this dish to another level.
7. Sweet Potato Casserole – Sweet Potatoes are grown all over the south, and it’s no surprise that sweet potato dishes traditionally cover our Thanksgiving tables. This dish is expected on a southern Thanksgiving menu.
8. Southern Coconut Cake – Walking in the door with a prized coconut cake is a head-turning event at any Thanksgiving gathering. This traditional southern dessert is a crowd pleaser.
9. Pecan Pie – We know how to pronounce it. We know how to bake it. But most importantly, we know how to eat it. We love our pecans in the South!
10. Pumpkin Pie – Last but not least, the traditional pumpkin pie! This one is a shoo-in favorite!

We wish you peace, blessings, company, and love this Thanksgiving. We are thankful for your support of our blog, and other endeavors.
From our big southern family to you, Happy Thanksgiving!
XOXO,
Belle & Beau

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10 Southern Traditions (That Y’all Should Know About)

In the South, tradition is everything. We do it, because we’ve always done it. We may know better in some cases, but we carry on with traditions because who we are and where we came from matters to us. 

 
1. Haint Blue – It’s no coincidence that many Southern homes paint the ceiling of their front porch blue, or “haint” blue. Originally this color was chosen to deter spirits, haunts (haints), and ghosts. This color was also thought to deter biting insects. Now we know better, but the tradition lives on. And, if I say so myself, it’s a beautiful one!
2. Bottle Trees – Southern gardens traditionally have a “bottle tree.” Bottle trees were believed to attract evil spirits at dusk. The spirits were supposedly trapped in the bottles, and when the sun rose and shone on the bottles, the spirits were destroyed. Tradition says that as the wind blew across the bottles you could hear the spirits moaning. 
3. Burying the Bourbon – Southern wedding tradition says that if a bride and groom go to the site of their wedding exactly one month before the wedding day and bury a bottle of bourbon, then it will not rain on their wedding day. The bottle should be completely full and buried upside down, or so tradition says.
4. Cake Pulls – Another Southern wedding tradition is the cake pull. Charms with different symbolic meanings are placed into a layer of the wedding cake. Before the cake is cut, single bridesmaids are given a chance to pull a ribbon and draw their “luck.”
5.Low Country Boil (Frogmore Stew) – Whether you prefer shrimp or crawfish, a low country boil will have corn on the cob, potatoes, and sausage to fill your belly. Ingredients are boiled together and then traditionally dumped out onto a tablecloth of newspaper. This is a summertime favorite!
6. Religion – Southerners have religion, and then they have football. Enough said.
7. Barbeque, BBQ, Pig Pickin’ – We cook it low and slow. And we take it seriously. Vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, or whatever else you like to use, what we can agree on is that it is finger lickin’ good!
8. Tailgating – If you weren’t clear from #6 that football is important in the South, then you need to check out a Southern tailgate. Saying that we love our SEC teams would be an understatement. Ladies take our college colors to a whole other level. Fall wardrobes are always worked with SEC colors. And pearls. A tailgate is a perfect opportunity for us to show off our team spirit!
9. Manners – In the South, manners are not an option. We bless everyone’s hearts because even if we do not like you, we will be kind. We help each other. We respect each other. And we expect the same in return. Southern manners are the reason why we don’t just have men in the South, we have gentlemen.
10. New Year’s Day meal – Tradition says that on New Year’s Day Southerners should eat pork, collard greens, black eyed peas, and cornbread. Each of these foods symbolizes something that will provide good fortune and prosperity for the future. For more info on why the Southern New Year’s Meal is so important and what each food symbolizes, go to the post HERE. 

Our beliefs in spirits and fortunes may change over the years, but who we are and where we came from matters to us. And so, tradition lives on.


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