As we celebrate with our loved ones, we’ve all got little tips and secrets to make our festive occasions extra special. Join us and our friends Meera, a school teacher, Janet, a number crunching accountant, and Sharina, a supermom with tiny tots aged 5 and 7, as we share a treasure trove of personal touches.
Making the table look good
Sharina remembered her grandma’s décor sense, “She uses banana flower petals to serve toasted soy beans, corn chips and even sambal. They’re pretty and colourful… easy to find at any pasar malam.”
Jazz up plain water
“Sounds great! I usually add a stick of celery to a jug of water. It looks festive and the water tastes fresh,” added Janet. |
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Sweet scents of the season
Meera reminded us how important the sense of smell is. “I love vanilla scented candles for my table settings. They put me in the mood to enjoy a good time. Of course, if you’ve got kids visiting, make sure the candles are out of the way.”
Keeping the kids happy
Expecting young guests? Sharina who looks after her two kids all day, offered this child-friendly tip: “Use large pieces of white paper as table cloth for little guests. Give them crayons or colour pencils and let them go wild without the mess.”
“You could also have the latest animated movies on standby,” added Meera.
Good to know
Soy beans and chick-peas are high in protein. When toasted instead of fried they’re also low in fat.
Good to remember
Afraid to over-indulge? Here’s a great tip from a Dear Nestlé member, Nur Haslinda Jamil of K.L. “I plan my meals when visiting the homes of friends. I have an appetiser in one house, the main course in another and so on.” Thanks Nur, we’ll keep that in mind!
Sharina reveals her secrets
Sharina stands by these tried and tested methods to keep little ones entertained amidst the festivities.
Bake with mom
Bring out the rolling pins and mixing bowls. Your little ones can help you knead the dough, beat the eggs, mix the batter or even cut out shapes with the cookie cutter. Who knows, fast learners may even pick up the family’s recipes!
Little helpers are a big help
Why not get the kids to count out the cookies and fill up the tins. Have them put in the cookies two-by-two or three-by-three and so on. What better way for them to practise their mathematics.
Let the games begin!
Stay well-stocked with board games, colouring books and card games. HAPPY FAMILY and SNAP! are giggly fun, but MONOPOLY or SCRABBLE will keep them busy.
Kids who click
Older children will get a kick out of this. Why not put them in charge of snapping pictures of the family get-togethers. You may end up with some fun and candid shots of grandma and grandpa.