Category Archives: Holidays

So you have leftover fruitcake… Now what?

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There are two types of people. Those that love fruitcake, and those that don’t. If you happen to be in the 2nd group, but find yourself the recipient of a fruitcake gift this holiday season, your first instinct may be to re-gift it.

But what if you can’t think of a single person who may actually like the stuff? You don’t want to be wasteful and toss it, so what should you do with it? Believe it or not, there are ways to make fruitcake absolutely delicious. Here are four recipes you’ve just got to try that will give you a whole new opinion of Christmas fruitcake.

Fruitcake Bread Pudding

Fruitcake Bread Pudding – This is our very own recipe that turns what can be a dry cake into a moist delicious dessert. The recipe is super simple and you probably have all the ingredients on hand. You’ll need:

1 fruit cake

3 cups milk

1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbsp Vanilla

Rum Sauce

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 Tbsp whipping cream

4 tablespoons dark rum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear or cut fruitcake into bite-sized pieces and put in baking dish. Whisk sugar and eggs together then add milk and vanilla. Pour this mixture over fruitcake pieces and let soak for at least 30 minutes. Then bake for 30 minutes.

While pudding is cooking, heat all sauce ingredients in a pan over medium heat at a simmer stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. About 15 minutes. Pour over warm bread pudding.

Fruitcake French Toast

Fruitcake French Toast – A great twist on this favorite breakfast food Myrecipes.com has a tasty recipe that’s sure to put a smile on your family’s face. If you want to use up other holiday ingredients, substitute ½ cup of eggnog for 2 of the eggs and the heavy cream.

Fruitcake Icecream

Fruitcake Ice Cream – So, so easy! Just chunk up leftover fruitcake and mix it into store-bought vanilla ice cream with some roasted blanched almonds. Another option is to mix the chunked-up cake into butter pecan ice cream. If shakes are your thing, give it whirl in the blender with a splash of milk!

Fruitcake Pops

Fruitcake Pops – Even the kids will love these and you can let them help you decorate them! All you need is 2 cups crumbled fruitcake and 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into bits. Grind the fruitcake in a food processor until it forms a ball then using damp hands form your cake balls. Let the cake balls rest on waxed paper for 30 minutes and then put them on sticks. Melt your chocolate in the microwave stirring often until smooth and once completely melted; carefully dip the cake balls in the chocolate. Use Styrofoam or foil tightly wrapped over a deep pan to keep the pops upright until the chocolate hardens. Then decorate any way you wish!

There are many other ways to use that fruitcake besides these recipes that will make it delicious. Try using it in a trifle or mix it with yogurt and make a parfait. The possibilities are endless if you just get a little creative. We’d love to hear your ideas! Share them here or over on our Facebook page!

 

7 Ways You Can Support Small Businesses

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The Saturday after Thanksgiving is known as Small Business Saturday. It’s a day dedicated to recognizing the millions of small businesses in the United States, and is designed to encourage people to shop small and bring more holiday shopping dollars to these small businesses as opposed to big-box retailers.

In today’s day and age, it’s more important than ever that we show support for both local shops and small online sellers that sometimes struggle to compete with large chains and mega-retailers. Here are five ways that you can support the little guy and make a big difference in their bottom line.

Shop

Shop their stores. The best way that you can support a small business is by spending money in their stores and on their websites. Not only do you help them to remain in business, but you ensure that they will be around for years to come.

Gift Card

Give their gift cards. Everywhere you go you’ll find gift cards for sale for huge national businesses. They are easy to buy right as you check out at many stores. Why not go out of your way and stop at a local shop or go to a small businesses’ website and spend your money there instead?  It really helps out the mom and pop shops that vie for your business and work hard to stay afloat. You may also introduce the recipient of the gift card to a business they have never shopped before.

Positive Review

Write a positive review. We’re always quick to post negative reviews if we have a bad experience but if you have a wonderful interaction at a small business; it’s just as important, if not more, that you share your great experience with other people. Your positive online review is the perfect way to give a small business a boost.

Share Purchase

Share your purchases. If you buy something that you just love, share it with your friends and family through pictures on social media. Many times people don’t know what some of these small stores and online retailers sell. This is a great way of showing their merchandise to other people who may also be interested in the same type of thing or be inspired to check it out themselves.

Sub to NL

Subscribe to their newsletter. Small businesses depend on staying front of mind when it comes to earning business and repeat shoppers. One of the ways they do this is by sharing news, sales, and new merchandise with their customers. Email newsletters are the most popular and efficient way to get the word out and keep you in the loop on all their exclusive content.

Follow Us

Be social. Following a small business online, commenting, liking, sharing their posts, and tagging them are all ways to bring attention to their stores. The more interaction a small business has online, the bigger their boost when it comes to being discovered by new shoppers.

Referral

Refer friends and family. If you love a small business tell everyone! Scream from the highest mountain how great your favorite shop or online seller is. Every time you talk about them you potentially encourage a new customer to check them out.

As a small business ourselves, we are thankful for the amazing customer relationships we have developed over the years and are grateful to all of you that have continued to support The Pajama Company. We look forward to being the go-to for all your pajama needs for many years to come.

Are you ready for Christmas? Your last-minute holiday checklist

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Christmas is just days away and as prepared as we think we are, there always to seems to be something we forget to do or get ready for. We’re here to help make sure that your holiday runs smoothly with a Christmas checklist you’ll want to refer to every year. Don’t forget to check it twice and then sit back and enjoy the magic of Christmas!

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Check the fridge and pantry: There is nothing worse than getting ready to prepare an amazing holiday meal only to find out that you don’t have an ingredient on hand and the stores are closed. Write down everything you plan to make and then inventory your refrigerator and pantry. Don’t forget appetizers and beverage needs.

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Remember service folks: Show your hairstylist, trash removal workers, the kid’s teachers, and all the people who make your life easier how much you appreciate them during the holidays. A gift card is a perfect way to do this allowing them to choose what’s right for them. Your delivery drivers and postal employees work especially hard this time of year, but they may not be able to accept gifts or only those valued under a certain amount. Check with your local offices to find out what they are allowed to receive. Another great idea is to leave a basket of goodies (think pre-packaged snacks, bottled water, and juice) at your door so they can grab a snack. With all the packages they are delivering, they may not have time to stop for a meal. Your gesture will be truly appreciated.

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Pick up stocking stuffers: Many times we find ourselves in a position where we could use a quick gift or stocking stuffer. Be prepared by picking up a few extra little tidbits for these very occasions. A good rule of thumb is to get something that you yourself would use, eat, or want and is not anything that would be outdated next year. That way, if you don’t give it as a gift, you can use it for yourself or keep it for next year.

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Don’t forget the pets: When busy shopping and picking out the perfect gifts for the humans in our lives, we sometimes forget about the furry critters that live with us. They like Christmas too! A couple of toys or treats for our fur-babies will make them extra happy during the hustle and bustle of the season. Most times, these gifts should be kept in an out of pet-reach place until you are ready to give them their goodies. 9 out of 10 times, under the tree is not a wise choice – trust us on this. 

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Schedule visit times: Family gatherings will be a bit different this year as large get-togethers aren’t recommended. If you have a lot of people you want to communicate with on Christmas it might be a good idea to create some kind of a schedule where can connect with them. This way you’ll be sure to share your season’s greetings with everyone you love and care about.

Wrap (1)

Wrap it up: Are all those presents you hid throughout the house wrapped? Make one last sweep of all your favorite hiding place to make sure you’ve got them all. You don’t want to remember Christmas morning that you forgot those 2 on the top shelf in the linen closet behind the towels.

Christmas to do (1)

Make your own checklist:  One of the most important things you can do is create a list of your own. Are the Christmas Morning Pajamas clean? Is your holiday music playlist ready to go? Have all the decorations been put up? There are so many things to think about. If you plan in advance and keep yourself organized you’ll be able to enjoy the very long holiday weekend with no worries!

 

Merry Christmas!

Easy Homemade Stocking Stuffers Perfect for Holiday Gift Giving

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Many people are doing Thanksgiving weekend a little differently this year. Lots of folks won’t be traveling or hosting large get-togethers. Black Friday will be a more virtual event than anything else, and you’ll find yourself spending a lot of time at home with your immediate family.

So how can you spend your time after the feast is over? Enjoy a day of making homemade stocking stuffers! It’s a great way to spend fun family time, and you’ll have some wonderful gifts for the holiday season. These homemade presents will be perfect for friends, family, neighbors, teachers, and even your mail carrier or hairdresser. Pretty much anyone you’d like to share a little cheer with!

There are tons of great ideas out there, and many of them you can do with things you already have in your home. Here are some of our favorites. We hope you’ll find this fun to make and spread joy to others.

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Mint Sugar Scrub – Every gal loves beauty products and you only need a few ingredients to make this absolutely fabulous sugar scrub. All you need is ½ cup oil of your choice (we like coconut), 1/12-2 cups of sugar, 1 Tablespoon of peppermint extract, and a drop of green food color. Warm the oil in the microwave for about 20 seconds and add 1 ½ cups of sugar, the extract, and color. Mix everything until well combined (add some more sugar if it’s too moist). Pur in small mason jars and decorate with a festive ribbon or cloth under the canning lid. You can also use different essential oils or extracts (with different food colorings) to make a variety of scents.

Ornament

Salt Dough Ornaments – There is nothing more special on a tree than a one of a kind handmade ornament. Simply mix up 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup salt, and 1 1/2 cups of warm water in a mixing bowl. Knead the dough until it is smooth. Roll it out and cut shapes with holiday cookie cutters or better yet, go freestyle. Be sure to make a hole for hanging (a straw works great) Bake for about an hour at 300°F until dry. Let them cool and then decorate!

Cinnamon Candle

Cinnamon Stick Candle Holder – Fill the air with the sweet smell of cinnamon for the holidays. It doesn’t get easier than this. Place cinnamon sticks around a candle, and hold them in place with a rubber band. Then cover the band with twine or ribbon for a beautiful, deliciously smelling gift.

Cocoa

Hot Cocoa Mix – Another stocking stuffer in a mason jar brings a sweet warm treat to all! Layer cocoa, sugar, powdered milk, and marshmallows in a jar. Decorate and share the sweet love. We found a great recipe at The Food Network

Sweater Stockings

Sweater Stockings – Want to step it up a notch? Create the actual stocking and stuff it with your handmade gifts using old sweaters. This is quite easy and they are absolutely adorable. Trace a stocking on an old sweater, cut it out, and then sew it inside out with the foldover sewn the opposite way.  Use fabric scraps, ribbon, or wood or metal house numbers to personalize.

We hope you’ll have tons of fun making these gifts! From the team at the Pajama Company, Happy Thanksgiving!