Giveaway: $500 Amazon Gift Card plus Betty Crocker products
Mazzy will be five next week and Harlow just turned two. For the past few years, we have been able to get away with a pretty minimal holiday celebration. In fact, I’ve been using a sneaky little holiday hack of which I’m quite proud.
Are you ready for this one?
Mazzy’s birthday is December 9th and she always has a birthday party. My trick is stashing away a bunch of her birthday presents to use for the eight nights of Hanukah. Trust me, the last thing Mazzy needs is a double dose of new toys.
But… since Mazzy is now in kindergarten and learning basic math (like “why were there only 7 presents when there were 15 kids at my party????”), I don’t think I will be able to get away with that this year.
To make things even harder, I’ve noticed Mazzy is becoming increasingly obsessed with Christmas. I think she’s a little sad we don’t celebrate it and I find myself looking for ways I can make our holiday season just as festive, without her feeling like she’s missing something by not having a tree at home.
This is one reason I was very excited when Betty Crocker asked me to make a “how-to” video for one of their Top 10 Holiday Cookies for Kids. It seemed like an easy way to amp up Mazzy and Harlow’s Hanukah this year.
FYI- If someone had asked me to make holiday cookies from scratch, I probably would have backed away from the confection oven slowly before hightailing it out of the kitchen. I AM NOT A BAKER. Being in the kitchen with a bag of flour and an electric mixer STRESSES ME OUT.
But cookies from a mix in a box, I can handle.
In fact, I told Betty Crocker I would do them one better.
“If you want to show how easy it is to make Betty Crocker cookies, can I have my four-year-old bake them for me?”
They agreed and another Mazzy Baking Tutorial was born.
If you are not familiar with Mazzy’s tutorials, she has made cookie lollipops and mini turkey meatballs in the past with a confidence I cannot muster in the kitchen. And now, I think Mazzy has done her best work yet— baking Betty Crocker Holiday Present Cookies.
They’re square peanut butter cookies decorated to look like presents with a little frosting, food coloring and sprinkles.
I think you can see in the video how much Mazzy genuinely loves baking. I like to think she also loves spending some quality time with mom. Although I’d venture to guess that dipping her fingers in frosting probably has a lot to do with her enjoyment level as well.
In any case, I can’t think of a quicker or easier way to make it feel like the holidays than baking some festive looking cookies FROM A BOX.
Hope you enjoy this video as much as Mazzy and I enjoyed making it!
You can find the full recipe here, plus lots more kid-friendly cookies ideas at Betty Crocker’s Kid’s Cookie Corner.
Do you have a holiday hack or shortcut you want to share?
It can be about anything from baking to gift wrapping to holiday travel. I’ll be posting my favorite holiday hack responses in a follow-up post, with one answer selected randomly to win a $500 Amazon gift card and a portfolio of Betty Crocker products.
Winning $500 in a Mommy Shorts giveaway is a pretty good shortcut to holiday happiness, don’t you think?
GIVEAWAY RULES:
1. You must be a Mommy Shorts facebook fan to enter. If you are not one already, you can become a fan by clicking here. Then leave a comment below explaining your favorite holiday hack. I will also be accepting entries on my facebook page.
2. If you’d like a second entry, subscribe to the Mommy Shorts daily or weekly email and leave a second comment saying you did so. If you are already a subscriber, just say so in your comment.
3. If you’d like a third entry, tweet the following and then leave a third comment saying you did so.
I’m sharing my holiday hacks for a shot at a $500 Amazon gift card from @mommyshorts & @bettycrocker! http://bit.ly/1tElJtx #getyourbettyon
Winner will be announced on December 15th. You can read the full rules here.
Good luck!
——————————-
This post was sponsored by Betty Crocker, but all thoughts and finger licking children are my own. Be sure to check out their Kid’s Cookie Corner for some really fun baking ideas easy enough for your kiddos.
I have a couple – adding almond extract to my sugar cookies, they taste and smell amazing! – and I buy holiday paper after Christmas and use it forever, including the ones that aren’t holiday specific as birthday paper
I also do that! Actually I don’t buy ANY decorations or wrapping paper during the holiday season…I get everything the day after Christmas and keep it in the back of my closet! I can’t stand to pay full price for that stuff 🙂 It drives my hubby crazy…he hates that we get all this cool stuff and then he can’t even use it until the next year 🙂
My holiday hack is starting my shopping early. Really early. Between my daughter’s December birthday and with all of the holiday events, its less stressful to spread the shopping out.
I also subscribe to MommyShorts Daily.
This fall we took a bunch of nice family pics. I chose one for our Christmas card. We get it printed at Costco for 13 cents a piece, instead of their very nice (very expensive) cards. Some options let you put a Holiday phrase or year border for free!!
During my daughters birthdays parties, there is usually that one toy the kids already have, or don’t like, so I stash it for Toys for Tots. It’s a little lesson on not wasting and giving to others. We also let the kids buy some extras to go with it.
Lastly, we definitely do the premature dough for cookies, so much easier! Kids can go to town on sprinkles and decorations!
My holiday hack is shopping…I have most of it done early (usually be the end of summer after Legos go on clearance at Walmart)! When I am done and stores have great deals that I don’t want to miss…I simply buy them for the next Christmas and stash them away. To keep track of what I bought and where I stashed it, I just put it into my phone calendar as an event on December 1st. I can easily check to see what I have and who it is for by pulling up my calendar when I am holiday shopping throughout the year! I can also actually find the presents too!
Baking hack – my kids and I LOVE to bake . For something easy, use a boxed cake mix recipe to make cookies. Love Pinterest for ideas like that.
Holiday hack is definitely ordering online. Ain’t nobody got time for malls.
I’m a subscriber!
Tweeted. For the second time ever.
*sniff* poor Canadians 🙁 cute video though!
My favorite holiday hack is really silly, but anything I make that is sweet gets sprinkles to make it festive. Otherwise, tinsel everything because I’m a tacky, tacky girl and I love tinsel.
I am terrible at wrapping gifts so I buy a bunch of holiday gift bags at the dollar store and put the gift in the bag with some tissue paper. Easy and cheap! Already a subscriber and follow you on Facebook and Instagram!
Already a subscriber to the newsletters! 🙂
I buy all the Hanukkah stuff after the holiday is over for the next year… Same thing with Christmas paper, boxes and tissue paper. I also keep a stash of little stocking stuffers and small gifts for the random white elephant gift exchanges that pop up. And I usually start baking cookies a month ahead of time and freeze them! Nobody knows the difference!
My favorite holiday hack has to be Secret Santa. I am one of six kids, who have girlfriends/boyfriends or wives/husbands; not to mention two sets of parents. It gets pretty spendy and ridiculous buying for so many!! A few years ago my sister and I decided to use Secret Santa as a way to save money and focus on just one person to make sure their gifts are extra special. It works like a charm!!
p.s.- I am a subscriber 🙂
Not too big of a hack, but I save so much on gifts using Amazon Lightning Deals. They start before thanksgiving so it helps budget. This year, there were toy deals starting in October, so I’m almost done shopping now! Also my daughter’s birthday is in March so I always buy too much and save some gifts. I’m a Facebook fan and email subscriber.
My holiday hack is one that’s been passed down from my mother. When I was growing up she would hide small presents like candy or little toys in hollow ornaments and various spots around the tree. The hunt for gifts slowed the rush to treat through my presents and made the excitement of the holiday last longer at minimal cost. I would even try to open all of the regular ornaments in search of treasure! I’m so excited to start this tradition with my two year old this year.
my favorite holiday hack is ordering presents from Amazon and having them shipped directly to family in Amazon gift wrap… especially for my family overseas, this has saved me a ton of money in shipping costs!
My holiday hack: We don’t have a lot of holiday decorations, so for an instant festive look, I cover my couch cushions in cheap Christmas print plush throw blankets. Sounds weird, but looks fantastic!
Also – I’m a subscriber to Mommy Shorts Daily
We remove all packaging from Santa gifts and leave them unwrapped. Less waste and kiddo can get right to the fun!
My holiday hack is taking the kids out for a drive to look at Christmas lights. By the time we get home they are all sleepy and pass out. Makes for an easier night.
I was trying to save money on gifts for extended family this year and I got the idea of making a busy bucket for my 3year old nephew. These are great because it’s a gift for toddler but mom benefits too- in the doctors office, traveling, at a restaurant, at a family gathering or anywhere that involves waiting! But the best economical way to make busy buckets is to make more than one since you use things like Pom poms and pipe cleaners. So then I thought I’d give one to my cousin as a thank you for the mountains of hand-me downs and another one for my friend who’s given us mountains of advice and insight into raising our first babe. But here’s where things get really good- I found out there’s a single dad with little kids the same ages as Harlow and Mazzy that our community is gathering a holiday hamper to help him out this year. So I made busy buckets for him too! I had enough supplies to make at least 15 activities for each busy bucket. But the BEST part is that my son is only 5 months old and I made him one too, in advance! When he’s 2/3 years old and I’m back at work and life seems crazy I’ll whip out the busy bucket! There’s nothing like feeling prepared and helping out family and a neighbor who could use a hand. So I’ve spent the last 3 days of nap times making busy buckets- with everything including a felt fishing game and a build your own race track on the go.
My Christmas hack is I buy a stack of Amazon gift cards in 15.00 and 25.00 amounts. If I have last minute gifts for someone I forgot or someone gives me something I did not expect I have something on hand! If I still have the Amazon gift cards no big deal I buy everything there anyways!
I am a facebook fan
I just joined the subscription emails.
My holiday hack is: my mom sends a box of cookies every year. Saves me from having to bake very much!
My hack is making mashed potatoes from a box. When I became an official adult and had to bring a side to Thanksgiving, I volunteered for mashed potatoes because it seemed easy and I know my mom doesn’t like to make them (should have been a clue). After making a batch from scratch that took a lot more time and effort than I expected, I realized I didn’t have enough (mashed potatoes are big in my family) and I didn’t have time or potatoes to make more. I did have a box of instant potatoes in my cupboard so I whipped those up and shamefully took both to dinner. People gobbled up those damn boxed potatoes and left my hard work for me to take home as leftovers! So now I just make a box or two every year and my family thinks I’m some kind of mashed potato expert.
I subscribed to email
My husband was diagnosed with celiac disease about 5 years ago. One of the times he really misses eating gluten is around holidays due all the baked goods my mother-in-law makes and he became accustom to growing up. So my holiday hack is to make new holiday baked goods he can eat and to help his mom make his favorites with gf ingredients! Also, I’m a crazy online bargain shopper and do most of our shopping online to avoid crowds and get the best prices!
subscribed to the newsletter!
I have a box of used ribbons and name tags. I have some that have been in use for at least 13 years :). It is handy to have tags with names already on them and ribbon that is already cut. Plus, it is nostalgic to see a present with a favorite tag on it. One time I saw a fancy bow on a package from my husband and commented on how I was impressed – he said oh I found that in the box and just slipped it on – it happened to be just the size he needed.
My holiday hack is decorating/hosting a tea table for my church’s tablescape competition/luncheon, and then using all the decorations I splurged on or made in my own house. That way I get to put on a great mini party for friends at church and then score myself some awesome new decor in the process, and hubby doesn’t mind me spending the extra cash 🙂
i also am a subscriber 🙂
I subscribed to the Mommy Shorts email list
I have given donations to organizations instead of clutter to my family or I give my mommy and daddy friends a night out!
Tweeted too!!
I am a mommyshorts subscriber.
Tweeted
My hack is buying a spiral ham and my extra special rub is just real maple syrup and brown sugar. Everyone things it is amazing and it is sooo easy!
I buy a case of sparkling cider and have it at my door for unexpected neighbor gifts. A few ribbons, a tag that says, ‘Have a sparkly holiday season’ and I’m done.
Whenever I need crushed Graham crackers I put them in a ziplock bag and smash them inside the bag. Super easy way to get it all smashed! It’s also super fast.
Already a subscriber!
My holiday hack is that I only shop online and only while drinking wine!
My holiday hack is that we do pot roast for Xmas dinner, but we do it in the crockpot. We plug it in and then spend the day opening gifts, watching movies, spending time together and then dinner is done as if by magic! No one is stuck in the kitchen away from the fun 🙂
Im a fan on Facebook — groogruxking40
Email subscriber groogruxking40@gmail.com
I tweeted https://twitter.com/groogruxking40/status/543586483127746560?s=17
My hack is Use shiny green tinsel to make your Christmas tree look fuller.
My holiday “hack” is having Amazon Prime… Two-day shipping right up until the last minute means that everyone’s presents still get here in time… Even for super last-minute requests, or people who surprise you with a present!
I make homemade whip cream to go with store bought pies/cakes/cookies. People are always impressed, it dresses up the store bought sweets, and it’s super simple.
My holiday hack is something old that I recently discovered. I bake cookies for everyone in my family and always struggled to make the cookies smaller or stretch out the batches of dough to have enough for everyone. Then I discovered the handy dandy cookie press. Stuff it and click, click, click, 3 dz lg cookies turn into 7 dz appropriately-portioned-for-holiday-gluttony cookies.
I am already a subsciber.
I tweeted.
I thought I had a hack this year – handed the Toys R Us flyer to the kids to have them circle their favorites. Narrow down the choices, right?
They circled everything. EVERYTHING – even the baby toys. They’re 5.
I’m a subscriber!
I buy small gifts throughout the year for the kids. Our Kroger always has great deals on toys and I got Barbies, Sofia the First dolls and Cars toys for $3 each. I also stock up to use them for gifts for my friend’s birthday gifts.
Already a subscriber!
Tweeted! Btw, my 3yo loved Mazzy’s video. We are making the cookies this weekend!
Pack a roll of blue tape (masking tape) to take with us as we travel to multiple relatives/friends non-baby-proofed houses. We use it to cover any electrical outlets that draw our toddler’s attention
already subscribed. 🙂
My holiday hack is buying each person the wrapping paper that fits their personality. I have four kids so this helps me remember whose gifts are whose and the kids also know and get excited that santa brought their favorite doc Mcstuffins, superheroes, frozen ect (whatever they are into that year) paper!
This year I bought a box of holiday apples from Mrs.Prindables on QVC. There are 10 in the box and make great gifts for the bus driver and all of the teachers who teach in my son’s school. I am a Facebook fan and weekly email subscriber!!
Well the obvious Christmas hack (my favorite) is to get as much shopping done as we can on Amazon! This is not a shameless plug, just an honest fact! 🙂
Signing up for the newsletter now! Also a longtime Instagram fan as well as facebook!
Getting the newsletter now too! 🙂
I guess my holiday hack is… lowering everyone’s expectations. No, it doesn’t have to be perfect and over the top. No, you don’t need a mound of presents. No, really, it’s okay that they didn’t smile in their pictures with Santa. It makes the holidays really easy breezy!
I’m a fb fan and a mail list subscriber. 🙂
And I tweeted too!
My favorite holiday hack is going to my local bakery and buying all kinds of pies and desserts so I don’t have to make it myself. I like you on facebook as Thomas Murphy.
I subscribe to your email as rounder9834 @yahoo.com
tweeted
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/544015895832829952
My hack is buying stuff as I find sales throughout the year.
tweeted https://twitter.com/ajoy1332/status/544149702246400000
I start early and end early using online mostly. I tweeted and I’m a subscriber.
I have a new holiday hack that I would totally put in Pinterest if I had a blog! I had a gallon ziploc bag full of dreidels – I’m preschool educator and they seem to multiply in my classroom. This year I threw them all in a tall glass vase and stuck it on the coffee table…BAM! I am winning at Hanukah!
[…] when Mazzy and I made that holiday cookie baking tutorial? The experience was fun and pain-free and Mazzy still asks to watch that video to this day. It is […]
[…] since I posted the video of Mazzy baking Betty Crocker cookies as my new go-to holiday hack (baking Betty Crocker from a pouch is still a good hack even if you […]
That’s so wonderful. Its’ so nice.