However, for the adults, a sweet treat can be the perfect way to complete a candlelit dinner.  Whether you choose to make a gourmet dinner or order pizza, this dessert will be a beautiful final course.  Easy to make but also beautiful, this charming recipe is courtesy of Think Tasty.

Wine Poached Pears with Honeyed Mascarpone

3 pears, peeled

2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon*

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

4 oz. mascarpone

2 Tb. honey

Cut pears in half lengthwise, remove stem and core.  Combine wine, water, and sugar in a medium-sized pot, and bring to a boil over high heat.  When sugar has dissolved and mixture is boiling, add pears.  (If pears are not fully covered by liquids, more water can be added).  Reduce to simmering, and allow to cook for 15 minutes, or until pears can be pierced by a fork but still are firm.

While pears are simmering, combine mascarpone and honey in a small bowl.  Remove pears from poaching liquid, and place cut side up on a serving plate.  Place a generous scoop of mascarpone mixture in the scooped out section of the pear’s core.  Serve immediately, as the mascarpone will start to melt.

*Any red wine varietal can be used.  If using a white wine, the sugar can be reduced to 1/4 cup.

Invitations can be a handmade affair of red or pink hearts combined with glitter. Of course, parents will have to write all of the details of the party on the inside, but kids can decorate the covers of these heart-shaped cards in any manner they choose.

For a few party crafts, set out tissue boxes, glue, glitter, and other craft items for each child to decorate. It is up to you on whether or not you want to turn this into a contest for the best decorated boxes. Save these boxes for later when children can add their own homemade cards.

Set up another station for making Valentine’s Day cards. Cut the cards out beforehand or use recycled cards from last year. Consider encouraging parents to bring in their leftovers as well. Let the children create cards for the boxes. Although, if you do find someone not getting a lot of cards, you can supplement their box with the already made cards or whip up a few ahead of time to make sure boxes are full.

If you do intend on serving a lot of Valentine’s candy, consider making a few outdoor games where kids can burn off some of that sugar. Such things as a ring toss, hot potato, or a tug-of-war can easily be customized with red ribbons and hearts. You can also include a hide and seek game where kids try to find as many hearts as they can.

Prizes don’t have to be all candy. There are plenty of pencils, little games, and small prizes available that scream Valentine’s Day.

A mixture of crafts and games can make any Valentine’s Day party a blast. This holiday isn’t only for couples to enjoy.

Go to Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox is a cute little story about a groundhog who isn’t quite ready for hibernation. He keeps waking up. As he wakes up each season, he discovers all of the holidays before his. As the holiday icons discover him, they send him back to bed with a story and snack. Then it is time for him to wake up for his holiday. This cute little story will appeal both to preschoolers and young readers. Accompanying it are drawings by Paul Meisel.

Another story about Groundhog Day for young children is called, Gregory’s Shadow by Don Freeman. Gregory has a best friend called Shadow that he never wants to leave behind. On the day before Groundhog Day, they get separated. They have to find each other, or they can’t make the prediction. Along with the importance of his shadow, this book is also a little bit about being brave. The artist himself did the drawings that accompany the story.

It’s Groundhog Day by Steven Kroll is another captivating groundhog adventure for young kids. It is a tale about a groundhog and a wily raccoon who wants six more weeks of winter. Raccoon kidnaps the groundhog in an attempt to keep winter but Groundhog escapes, and with the help of his friends, helps Raccoon find an alternative. While it isn’t exactly about why there is a Groundhog Day, it is still a book that kids will enjoy. Illustrations are done by Jeni Bassett.

For older readers, The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun by Wendie C. Old is probably more appealing than a groundhog adventure. The book is compromised of chapters designed to explain the creation of the day and many of the traditions that go along with it. The book does contain some complex words that maybe a bit difficult for kids to handle. This is not a book that should be tackled by beginning readers, but it does contain quite a bit of information regarding Groundhog Day.

Groundhog Day has plenty of adventures in store for kids. Even if another six weeks of winter is predicted this Groundhog Day, children will still get a kick out of reading these stories.

(If you will be doing these crafts with young children, it might be a good idea to read a book or two about Groundhog Day before making crafts.  Letting them see what a groundhog looks like and where it lives will be a helpful start.)

Now all you need to do is choose the craft that is best for you and your family!

1)  Shadow puppets – Target age, three to eight

Needed:

Blank wall space

Large flashlight

Construction paper

Popsicle sticks

A) Start by cutting out shapes in the construction paper – you can make animal shapes, clothing, or anything your imagination desires. You can even use the groundhog from the craft below.

B) Attach your cutouts to popsicle sticks.

C) Place your large flashlight on a table so that the beam shines against your wall space.

D) Make sure the room is dark,so close the curtains or blinds, and turn off the lights.

E) Make a shadow puppet show – use the popsicle sticks to move your figures around, and watch your shadows come to life.

2)  Make a groundhog – Target age, two to five

Needed:

Brown construction paper and other assorted colors

Tissue paper in dark colors

Glue stick

Wrapping paper tube or long stick

A) Cut out a large egg shaped piece from the construction paper – this will be the groundhog’s body.

B) Cut out small triangles for the ears and nose in a darker color.

C) Cut out a small tail from the brown paper.

D) Cut out many small squares from brown, black, gray and white tissue paper.

E) Glue the tail to the oval of a  large body.

F) Have your child layer the tissue paper on top of each other so it looks like a groundhog, and use a glue stick to secure.

G) Glue on eyes and nose.

Additionally: You can attach your groundhog to the end of a wrapping paper tube or a long stick to act out when the groundhog sees its shadow. Use your groundhog as a shadow puppet for the first activity to see what happens when he sees his shadow.

3) Groundhog burrow – Target age, four to five

Needed:

Shoebox

Old fabric, tissue paper, washcloths – anything you have around the house which might act as groundhog bedding

Paper towel tubes or other left over cardboard tubes

Assorted stones, sticks, leaves etc.

You can make a burrow for your groundhog. Fill your shoebox with old washcloths, leftover fabric, or tissue paper. Talk about how this is where the groundhog might sleep. You can decorate it with sticks, rocks, or just cover it with the fabric or paper.

Talk about how groundhogs sometimes dig quite deep; you can make your own tunneling system so they can go deeper. You can simulate this by attaching cardboard tubes to your burrow and building a tunneling system.

Instead of dreading the cold outside or another hour spent in front of a screen, why not give this craft a try?  Not only will building it keep the kids entertained, they will be able to use their winter wonderland to amuse themselves for a long time after the building is done.

Goal

Build your own winter wonderland town.

Supplies

Boxes – you can use empty food boxes, old christmas boxes, but try to find some that are all of similar shape/size

Construction paper, tissue paper, cardboard, and/or colored paperboard

Markers, crayons, and/or colored pencils

Cotton balls

Glue

Glitter, ribbon, beads, other decorative goodies

Instructions

1. Take dark construction paper and lay it on an flat surface where you will display your winter wonderland town. You can tape or glue the paper together if you wish. This will be the ground.

2. Select a box and decide what kind of building it will be – a house, a post office, a library, a store. Trim the box, if needed, to an appropriate size (cut off the bottom if box is too tall).

3. Take a piece of construction paper and size it to the box. Lay it on the box, and cut out the paper so that it matches the size of the box.

4. Draw the front of the building on the piece of construction paper, and then glue the paper to the front of the box. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for all sides and the top of the box. You can use different materials to help decorate your building.

5. When the building is complete, place it on the ground.

6. Continue to make different buildings with the different boxes – ideally different family members make different buildings, and you can save some buildings for next year’s wonderland.

7. When you have several buildings in your town, you can draw roads on your construction paper. If you have green tissue paper, you can add bushes or trees as well.

8. Let it snow! Stretch out your cotton balls so they are nice and fluffy. Add snow to your town by spreading it out over the ground and buildings. Attach your cotton balls with just a touch of glue stick.

9. If your town feels a little empty, you can always add some figurines – like Lego or Playmobile people. You can even throw in some Matchbox cars or other vehicles that have the right scale.

10. You can enjoy looking at your Winter Wonderland, or let the kids play with it!

I know snowstorms mean shoveling and scraping, but they also mean fun for kids.  What snowstorm is complete without the building of a snowman on the front lawn?  And what snowman is complete without a carrot nose?

When the snowman is built, all of the snowballs have been thrown, and the walkways are cleared, it is time to return indoors for some dry clothes and warmth.  I can’t think of any better way to add warmth than with a pot of homemade soup.  Since you have carrots on hand from the snowman building, why not make a soup with them?

This soup, which is courtesy of Think Tasty (a food and restaurant publication), is a delight.  Its orange color and hint of sweetness are cheery additions to your dinner table.  Although it is creamy, it is healthy, as it is made with skim milk instead of cream.  Served with biscuits or dinner rolls, it is sure to please.

Creamy (Yet Lowfat) Carrot Soup

3 cups carrots, peeled & diced
1/2 Tb. butter
1 onion, diced
1 Tb. fresh thyme, diced
2-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup skim milk
salt & pepper
Sour cream*
Maple syrup*

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add carrots, and boil for 8-10 minutes, or until they are fork tender. Drain, and set carrots aside. Return pot to medium heat, and add butter. Once butter is melted, add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, and sauté for 1 minute longer. Remove pot from heat. Place half of carrots and half of onion mixture in a blender with half of the broth. Pureé until creamy. Repeat with other half of carrots, onions, and broth. Return all pureéd ingredients to pot and warm over medium heat. Add milk, and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 side dish servings or 2-3 main dish servings.

*When serving, each dish can be topped with sour cream or maple syrup for additional flavor.

1) An Inspirational Board is a great craft with older kids, or a way to inspire yourself. Print an inspirational quote from Dr. King in a nice font. Place it on a large piece of poster board or cork. Now go through magazines or websites you find inspirational. Choose pictures which inspire you and remind you of the quote. Try ‘I have a dream’ theme, or ‘hatred paralyzes life, love releases it.’

You can choose a wide variety of artwork. You can make the theme your own personal dreams or a testament to the love in your life. You can use inspirational images from history and blend them with your chosen artwork, or you can mix in more quotes.

Hang your scrapbook-style artwork in a place where it can continue to inspire you.

2) A Historical Timeline is a great craft to do with older kids. Create a timeline in paper or poster board for the entire history of the United States. You can begin with 1776 or another date if you prefer. Now research online with your kids to find significant moments in black history. Make sure to include Martin Luther King’s march on Washington and the assassination, but try to see what your children find and place these events along your timeline. This can be a great way to make learning about history fun and start a great dialogue on black history.

3) Coloring Pages are for younger kids, and a great way to learn about Martin Luther King. Find some good coloring sheets online and fill them in together. It is also a good opportunity to discuss King’s history while having fun coloring. To make it a little more interesting you can use watercolors instead of crayons.

4) Peace Sign Mosaics work for even the littlest ones.  One of Dr. King’s main messages was the importance of peace, so what a great way to commemorate this by making peace sign mosaics. Cut up colored tissue paper into one inch squares. Print out a paper peace sign. Use a glue stick to apply glue on a section of the peace sign and stick a variety of colored tissue paper to the glue. Continue to add mosaic pieces until the peace sign is completely colored. If you like, you can cut out your peace sign and glue a magnet on the back. Looks great on the fridge!

One of the better books for younger children to investigate is A Picture Book of Martin Luther King Jr. written by David A. Addler. Not only does this book give a timeline of his life, it provides a visual picture so that kids can follow along. The story is simple enough for younger kids to grasp.

For young readers, My First Biography: Martin Luther King, Jr. by Marion Dane Bauer, is a good book to explore. It is written at level that most younger readers can grasp. You may need to help on a few words. Accompanying the words are colorful illustrations that help with comprehension.

For older readers who want to understand the famous speech given by him, I Have A Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. features his full speech. More than that, it gives an accounting of how this speech changed things in America. Along with it is a brief timeline of his life. Your reader will find more than just a speech with this book.

Along with his famous speech, another book, DK Biography: Martin Luther King Jr. by Amy Pastan and Primo Levi, showcases more events in his life. It gives older readers a deeper perspective and understanding of the things that he had to go through in his life and where he discovered some of life’s lessons. It is accompanied by illustrations.

These are just of the few books that help children gain an understanding of Martin Luther King Jr. and the impact that he had on history. While his place in history is well-recognized, it isn’t always told.

While the directions may look complicated, this isn’t a difficult recipe. The hardest part was tearing the lettuce so it would make an acceptable wrap. My friend, Elizabeth, suggested I use romaine lettuce since it’s easier to work with, but I didn’t like the flavor of the romaine lettuce with this – it just doesn’t have the same crisp, watery texture of the iceberg lettuce.

What You’ll Need:

Chicken Mixture
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup water chestnuts
• 2/3 cup mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon hot mustard
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1-2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

How to Make It
1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, and sesame oil.
3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you’re ready to serve.
4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard, and set this aside as well.
5. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done.
8. Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
9. Keep oil in the pan – keep hot.
10. As chicken cools, mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
11. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
12. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
13. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
14. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce”cups.”
15. Top with the “special sauce.”

Silver is usually the traditional color of New Year’s. So, start your table decor with a silver tablecloth as a background. The silver tablecloth can match a variety of themes while still maintaining the feeling of New Year’s. Silver also has a tendency to make other colors on your table pop in comparison.

Add a bit of pizazz to your table by reusing your Christmas lights. Tape the string of either white or colored lights around the table. Tape the plug-in to the back of the table legs, and ensure all cords are tapped down to prevent your guests from tripping. Make sure to use the cool light strands. If you don’t have plug-ins available, go with battery powered lights, and hide the box under the table.

Spread around confetti (such as silver stars) to further decorate the tablecloth. These type of confetti items can easily be found for half-price after Christmas – or use candles.

For finger foods, choose crystal pieces that show the food rather than plates. Of course, your choice of plates should be cohesive with the theme of your New Year’s party. This also might be a good time to bring out those impressive plates that are used only once a year.

For the centerpiece, consider adding an interactive resolution tree. A resolution tree is where people can write out their resolutions and attach them. Provide colorful pins and a shiny silver star for a very unique look.

You can also use leftover Christmas items, such as a silver tree or a classic object that goes with your party theme. You don’t have to spend a lot to get a unique centerpiece.

Your New Year’s table decor can be as imaginative as your party theme. Take these ideas into consideration for your next New Year’s party.