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Big Quiz Giveaway - Fun, Books & Prizes
Giveaways are great…until you discover you weren’t one of the lucky grand prize winners. LitRing is sponsoring a giveaway where everyone is a winner! Take the #LitQuiz to discover your next late night binge with a book tailored matched to your preferences.
Click HERE to get take the quiz. Be sure to browse the LitRing website where you can find lots of new releases, free reads and enter to win more than $1,500 in prizes.
Good luck and happy reading!
January Reader Appreciation Giveaway
New in 2017! Each month I’ll be sponsoring a reader appreciation giveaway. This month, one lucky winner will receive a $25 gift card. It’s just my way of saying thanks for all you do!
There are lots of ways to enter for a chance to win:
Like, share and/or comment on one of my Facebook posts.
Share one of my tweets
Tell friends about one of my books on your Facebook page (be sure to tag me in the post so I see it)
Write a review for one of my books and send a link (or screenshot) to your review to Jacki@JackiDelecki.com
Newsletters subscribers will automatically be entered so join my mailing list if you aren’t already a subscriber.
Good luck and thanks for being a Jacki Delecki reader!
*Reader can select choice of $25 gift card from Amazon, Starbucks or Gyft.com.
Celebrate December
Although Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa fall toward the end of December, the twelfth month of the year feels like 31 days of festivities…and with good reason. December is jam-packed with noteworthy celebrations besides more well-known holidays.
Don’t miss any of these festivities. Some are silly, some are serious, but all of them fall in December.
December 5 – Repeal Day commemorates the repeal of the 18th Amendment and the end of Prohibition.
December 6 – St. Nicholas Day is the feast day of St. Nicholas.
December 9 – Christmas Card Day honors Sir Henry Cole, an Englishman who designed the first commercial Christmas card in 1843.
December 13 – Milad un Nabi commemorates the birth of the prophet Muhammad.
December 21 – Winter Solstice marks the start of winter and is the shortest day of the year.
December 23 – Festivus is a non-denominational holiday inspired by a Jerry Seinfeld episode.
December 24 – Chanukah (also Hanukkah), known as the Festival of Light, is a Hebrew celebration which runs through January 1.
December 25 – Christmas is a Christian holiday honoring the birth of Jesus.
December 26 – Boxing Day, also St. Stephans Day, is based on a Middle Ages practice in which alms were distributed to the poor.
December 26 – Kwanzaa is an African-American celebration of “family, community and culture” which runs through January 1.
What special occasions do you celebrate in December?
9 tips to survive holiday shopping
Are you a Black Friday shopper, battling the masses to get in on super deals, or do you prefer to purchase holiday gifts from the comfort of home on Cyber Monday? Whatever your preference, this upcoming weekend is one of the busiest times of the year for shoppers.
Did you know this weekend includes Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday? Retailers and merchants focus an enormous amount of time and research to cater to shoppers’ preferences and patterns. According to Fact Retriever, retailers use satellite images of retail parking lots to predict earnings and rely on psychological triggers such as music, visuals and key words to entice shoppers. Read 38 Fascinating Facts about Holiday Shopping for more details.
Holiday shopping can be stressful. It is time consuming and prompts financial anxiety. There may also be concerns about finding the “perfect” gift, obligatory gift giving and trying not to lose sight of the real meaning of the season. Here are nine tips to help you survive–and maybe even enjoy–holiday shopping.
- Make a list and check it twice. Jot ideas for gifts so you don’t wander aimlessly. Having a list can also help you determine your budget.
- Decide on a gift-giving theme. Have fun by deciding to purchase gifts according to a theme – books, crazy socks, food & cooking, gardening, music.
- Buy in bulk. No need to stress about giving each person an individualized gift. If you find an object you think people would enjoy, buy one for everyone on your list.
- Be realistic about your budget. Know what you can afford to spend and plan accordingly. If finances are tight, get creative and give handmade or homemade gifts such as jams/jellies, baked goods or coupons for services such as babysitting, yard work, etc.
- Give an “experiential” gift. Give a gift that allows people to enjoy a special experience – cooking classes, travel, skydiving. Even dinner or movie certificates are great!
- Give of your time, talent or treasures. You don’t have to buy something to give a meaningful gift. People may be even more appreciative of gifts such as preparing a special meal or recipe, piano lessons, creating a painting or handing down a beloved family heirloom.
- Don’t shop when you are tired, hungry or pressed for time. Dealing with long lines, crowds and no parking spots is bad enough, but the experience is even more unpleasant when you’re not at your best. Avoid peak shopping times (such as weekends), fuel up before you go, take your e-reader for long waits in line, leave the kids at home and focus on the spirit behind your gift.
- Shop online. Save time and money by shopping online. Be sure to allow sufficient delivery time, especially if you are ordering gifts that need to be shipped.
- Have fun! Hand out mini candy canes to children (ask parents first!) and store clerks. Wear colorful holiday clothing. Admire the decorations. Indulge in a cup of hot chocolate and cookies. Get your photo taken with Santa.
How do you survive the holiday shopping challenge? Share your tips and strategies. Happy shopping!
What will be on your Thanksgiving table?
Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, which means you have exactly one week to finalize your menu, design a tablescape, confirm RVSPs and decide who will sit where to minimize family squabbles. Actually, that is Martha Stewart’s Thanksgiving To Do list. Mine is half as complicated, and I’ve even been tempted to join those individuals who dine out on Thanksgiving or have the meal catered.
Whatever you do or how ever you celebrate Turkey Day, there’s no arguing the joys of splurging on holiday favorites. Some families have secret recipes handed down from generation to generation while others serve up simple but much-loved dishes like the classic green bean casserole made with Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup and French’s French Fried Onions.
This year I’m breaking with tradition and making a Tangerine Curd Tart for dessert. No, I’m not going rogue just for the heck of it. Thanks to the bounty of the Meyer lemon tree I bought last February at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, I have beautiful fruit that needs to be harvested and used soon.
If you’d like to serve something different to your family and friends, here is the Food & Wine recipe I’m using.
Tart shell
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1/4 cup ice water
Tangerine curd
2 teaspoon finely grated tangerine zest plus 1 cup freshly squeezed tangerine juice (not bottled)
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup granulated sugar
12 large egg yolks
Pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature
Whipped cream
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
Make the tart shell. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, blend it in until pea-size pieces remain. Stir in the ice water until the dough comes together; add another tablespoon if the dough seems too dry. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate for 1 hour.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to an 8-by-18-inch rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Fit the dough into 13-by-4-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the overhang. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Line the tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for 40 minutes, until set. Remove the paper and pie weights and bake for 10 minutes, until cooked through. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
Make the tangerine curd. In a medium saucepan, whisk the tangerine zest with the citrus juices, sugar, egg yolks and salt. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring often with a spatula, until the curd is very thick but pourable, about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl and whisk in the butter. Scrape the curd into the tart shell and press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Refrigerate until set and chilled, 3 hours.
Make the whipped cream. In a medium bowl, beat the cream with the confectioners’ sugar until medium peaks form. Dollop on top of the tart and serve.
For the Thanksgiving purists around my table, I’ll also be serving pumpkin pie.
What is your favorite Thanksgiving Day classic food item ? Does your family have any non-traditional dishes, without which Turkey Day wouldn’t be the same?
Whatever is on your table next Thursday, I hope it is seasoned with love, friendship, good health and happiness.
