Smorgasbord of Ideas

Chris Milton and Jeanne Reimers read up on holiday entertaining tips during the Smorgasbord of Ideas and Activities at the Sturgeon Bay library Nov. 13. Submitted photo.

It’s not too late to gather some great holiday ideas! Our Door County libraries offer access to cook books, crafting books, games, entertaining and holiday videos, jigsaw puzzles and so much more. A “Smorgasbord of Ideas and Activities” program Thursday, Nov. 13 at the library in Sturgeon Bay featured a one-stop-shopping opportunity where dozens of favorite books were laid out for browsing and discovery.

Two series of books are perennial favorites of hosting librarians Dixie Jorns and Linda Streyle: Taste of Home and Gooseberry Patch. These books combine realistic and doable crafts, cooking, entertaining and delicious, well-tested recipes for easy, fun and practical entertaining, year round.

Those who were unable to come to the program still have access to these great items by using their library card and free resources of the library. Some of the stress of the holidays can be lessened and made more fun by browsing through the library online catalog (InfoSoup.org) looking for books and materials that can provide colorful, simple decorating ideas, quick gift patterns, yummy recipes, crafting projects the family can do together, and ideas galore to ponder throughout the year.

Those in attendance were chuckling about some of the titles of Christmas cocktails in one of the featured books, The 25 Days of Christmas Cocktailing: One Man. One Month. One Very Merry Mission. A recipe and narrative are included for each day of December leading up to Christmas, such as The Rum Rum Rudolph, Gin-Gle Bells; O, Tan and Bombed, Ebenezer Scrooge-Driver, We Three Kings Disoriented Are, Peach on Earth, Bi-Polar Express, and You’re a Mean Drunk, Mr. Grinch.

Others were getting hungry as they discovered recipes for Minty Cheesecake Bars, Cherry and Apple Bread, Reindeer Food, Seafood Lovers’ Lasagna, and Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast. There were “Dinners in 30 Minutes,” appetizers, baking hints and shortcuts. Readers can discover food to make for vegetable lovers, gluten-free diners, those with a sweet tooth, slow cookers, pressure cookers, low sodium watchers, and just about every interest one can have in the kitchen.

The program featured just the tip of the iceberg of library resources, all for free and borrowable with a library card. Adventures in colorful crafting, drinking, cooking, gifting, creativity, and games the whole family can play together are only a footstep or keystroke away. It is all just another way the library helps keep holidays and entertaining affordable.

“We not only have books on recipes and crafts, but we also have games and toys … we have a nice selection of holiday music and DVDs,” Linda said. “It just makes the holidays a little more affordable. You can check it out, use what you need and bring it back and not have to go out and buy all these things. With the games and toys, there is a nice selection and you don’t have to have the same thing year after year.”

A link to a listing of popular holiday cooking and crafting books can be found on the library website homepage, DoorCountyLibrary.org. And what would librarians Dixie and Linda recommend as their top tips for holiday entertaining? Get organized and go easy on yourself.

“The one tip that has served me well in the past few years is that all my Christmas things were scattered all over and I have one file where I put all my Christmas recipes, ideas and pictures of things that I would like to do, like tablescapes and decorating,” Linda said. “I just throw it all in one file and there it is at my finger tips.”

“Keep it simple so that you have time to enjoy your family and friends instead of frantically trying to pull together big, fancy feasts and decorations that most people don’t care about,” Dixie added. “They just want the family time.”