My Personal Finance Blog

If you love Christmas time like I do, you’ll probably agree that decorations are a big part of the season. And what would Christmas be without all the goodies? For my family and me, this includes cupcake decorations. If we’re honest, the tendency to over-indulge in such sweets is more prevalent around the holidays – and I wouldn’t have it any other way! So, I hope you enjoy these imaginative and whimsical Christmas cupcake ideas – creating as well as eating them.

o Here’s a real time saver – it’s simple yet fun, and your family, friends and party guests will love them. Start with your favorite cupcake recipe, from scratch or otherwise – a dozen or more, depending on quantity needed/desired. Generously top them with white frosting, add shredded coconut, dust with powdered sugar and voila! Instant, mini-winter-wonderland in a delicious cup.

o These are great for parties year-round, and especially at Christmas time. The idea is to create a miniature Christmas present atop each cupcake. Use a variety of icing colors; red licorice works well for your ribbons and/or bows. Toss on a small amount of sprinkles, if desired. (As with all these ideas, creativity is key.) For place setting name cards, use gift tags. Your guests will love these personalized, wonderfully edible place markers!

o Santa’s face was never so yummy: Top your favorite cupcakes, each one with red frosting on one side, white on the other. Mini marshmallows separate the two colors, forming Santa’s hat brim. Carefully use brown chocolate or green frosting to craft his face upon the white-iced side. Use little, round candies for Santa’s facial features (eyes, nose, etc.) Thin strips of various edible goodies (fruit roll-up cutouts, thin licorice whips) work great for the jolly old elf’s smile.

o These snowman cupcakes are sure to be a hit. White icing forms the base (or, snow on the “ground.”) Top that with a big marshmallow, add a little one above that (getting the picture?) A toothpick inserted vertically, through both marshmallows helps hold Frosty together. Use small candies (your choice) for eyes, nose, etc. – held in place with a small bit of frosting. Try a small piece of Tootsie Roll for his hat. These snowmen won’t likely melt … but they won’t last long, either!

o For this one, you’ll need about one and a half dozen cupcakes, and a suitably big, festive platter to hold them all. (We’re “building” a Christmas tree here, made of cupcakes.) Top all but four of your cupcakes with green icing – the remainder you’ll frost in brown chocolate. Simply arrange the four brown-topped cakes at one end of the plate, in the shape of your tree trunk. Arrange your green cupcakes above the brown, in a triangle, forming the rest of your tree. As for decorations, have fun, and don’t be shy – small chocolates (kisses, bells, and other shapes) are a must. Any and all colors of M&M’s are good; little candy canes, peppermints … you get the idea. As always, you can’t go wrong using grated coconut as snow, and red licorice makes great garland. Try tubes of gel icing, in a variety of colors, which can be found at most supermarkets (or party supply stores.) You might want to take a few photos before they devour your “tree!”

Have fun making (and of course, eating) your Christmas cupcakes – hopefully, these will inspire you to come up with some of your own yummy, artistic creations!

Unless you retreat into a cave to sleep through the winter, you cannot have missed one of the most recorded Christmas songs of all time. Every mall in the country plays “Winter Wonderland”, usually the Bing Crosby and not the Ozzy Osbourne version, until you wish it was Spring. The myth of happy white Christmases is completely misleading. Unlike the southern states where the only problem is the dazzling sunshine, the northern states experience the annual covering of their roads with ice, sleet and snow, closely followed by the misery of melting slush then freezing over as the next cold front moves in. Trying to drive safely on the roads at this time is a nightmare. Nobody is ever prepared. Somehow, there is a mass amnesia as we all forget those defensive driving skills. That way, when the first snow falls, we can all panic as we move sideways across the road, pumping at the brake pedal without any effect.

Talk to an insurance company at this time of year brings depressing news. The number of claims arising from traffic accidents rise by nearly 40% in December through February. There is a spike on the first days of real snow in each area and people suddenly remember all the things they forgot. So what should you do to prepare for this annual festival of destruction on the roads. Well, the first and most basic rule of all is simple. If the journey is not essential, do not make it. The safest place on the first days of winter is in the safety of your own home with your vehicle safely parked off the road. Remember, if you have your vehicle parked on the street, it is a target for any other driver to crash into. Leave it with your friendly mechanic and take the chance for a few maintenance chores. If the snow looks set in, fit snow tires. If not, then have all-season tires with good treads to maximize the grip on the roads and carry chains with you. To improve visibility in sleet and snow, you need new windshield wipers. Have the brakes and steering checked, and retune the engine to give the best chance of it starting in the lower temperatures – there’s nothing worse than being stuck with a vehicle that will not start. Finally, pack an emergency kit and keep it in the vehicle. That way, if the worst happens, you can keep warm and warn other drivers away from you with hazard flares until help arrives. Ah yes. To speed the arrival of help, program the numbers of tow truck companies and garages in your area so you can be rescued. Membership of one of the clubs like AAA can offer good rates on emergency roadside assistance.

And you should care because, with collision and comprehensive coverage in place on your newish vehicle, the auto insurance company is not going to sit quietly if you suddenly file a number of claims this winter. Your premium rates will rise. When it comes to getting auto insurance quotes, the rates will also be higher than you expect if you are an inexperienced driver or moving from a state where it is summer all year round to one with four seasons. Everyone has to learn how to drive safely in snow.