Bar-Maids is a small family fun business. Though quite a few of us are together all the time, location aside, being with this fun-loving group of individuals during the holidays is what matters most. Our group of individuals happens to average about twenty. As you can imagine, when twenty or more people get together under one roof for at least a week, you need to have some rules. If you ever venture into something like this we offer up our list of rules, referred to as the 12- step program.

1. Travel Light: 1 suitcase per person. Diva’s – you can do this!

 

2. Minimal Mess: Shoes off at the door (Except for Santa. His footprints are a highlight as they make a path from the fireplace, to the cookies, to the tree. Boot bottoms dipped in flour (easy to vacuum).

3. Comfort: Beds for the oldest, kids in sleeping bags.

4. Ghosts of Christmas Past: Better than TV, we share a lot of family stories that seem to grow over time. Like the time that our Great Grandmother told our Grandma Pat (“The Queen”), “Remember, Priscilla, you have blue blood in you”. After hearing this one, Alec was caught in the bathroom sticking his finger with a pin to see if he had “blue blood” too.

5. Holiday Magic: The kids drift to sleep as stories are being read. One story always includes fairies.  They wake up in the morning to find fairy dust all over their sleeping bags. (Mica glitter).

6. Morning Mayhem: The first one up starts the fire, then the coffee. When you smell coffee, time to get a move-on.

7. Karate Kid showers: To make hot water stretch:  turn water on, get wet. Turn off, soap on. Turn on, soap off.

8. To Close for Comfort? If the house comes with a fireplace, chopping wood is a great stress reliever. So is taking a walk or play hide and go seek. U hide, they seek.

9. Life’s a puzzle: We always have a puzzle or two going. The harder the better. Teaches you a lot about an individual….really!

10. BIG functional kitchen. As we all cook together, there is a lot of chopping, stirring, and taste testing going on. While each meal includes at least one dish that is new, we always include something we call the “Queens Buns” (in honor of Grandma Pat) at each breakfast. We have many “Queen’s Buns” recipes, some quick and easy, some more time consuming. They are the best! (Stay tuned for more info on the "Queen's Buns" with Operation Turkey Trot!)

11. Making Memories: We have at least three people taking pictures. Crazy cousin Carol Ann always takes a picture of each meal set on the table awaiting the masses.

12. Kiss and Tell: Kiss everyone goodbye and tell them you love them.