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Saving On Party Planning This Holiday Season – $50 Gift Card Giveaway

You are here: Home / Giveaways / Saving On Party Planning This Holiday Season – $50 Gift Card Giveaway

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Saving On Party Planning This Holiday SeasonThe Holidays are a time when we can all get together and give each other some special cheer. To many people like myself, any time is a great time to celebrate, but many can go a little over board on the supplies. It is never fun to burn a hole in your wallet and then regret it the next day.

A great party is always a great memory, but breaking the bank is not. So why not think about some ways to save some money this year?

To be honest, with most things saving money can always be done, but most people don’t want to waste the time or know quite where to start. The 2013 Discover Holiday Shopping Survey showed that 41 percent of people plan to spend between $100-$299 to host a holiday gathering, so it’s possible to stay within budget and still throw a beautiful party.

So here are some ways to manage those party expenses. Think about asking guests to bring a dish or beverage to pass if you’re planning that amazing dinner and wine pairing party. The Discover survey showed that a majority, 90 percent of Americans, hosting holiday parties will ask people to contribute a dish or beverage to the festivities.

If you are a Discover cardmember, you can save just in time for the holiday party season. Through Jan. 8, 2014, more than 85 merchants on ShopDiscover.com, Discover card’s exclusive online shopping portal, are offering even more Cashback Bonus just for using the portal to shop.. For example, 1800Flowers is offering 20% Cashback Bonus, Crate & Barrel is offering10% Cashback Bonus, and Petco and PetSmart are offering 15% Cashback Bonus. It’s the perfect way to find that holiday floral arrangement, new serving ware, or a new toy to keep that pet friend happy and content.

What are your plans this holiday season? Any get together with friends and families to just enjoy the season? Or maybe you’re planning a huge feast with the table spread full of food and all the noise and joy that fills the house?

GIVEAWAY GIFT GUIDE I’m giving away a $50 gift card to help spread the cheer and cover some of those party expenses (open to US residents ONLY.)

Share with us a cherished family recipe but you do not have to divulge the entire recipe, but make us salivate. Or you can even post a newly-discovered one. Maybe you have a great treat you have picked up and changed or one you invented on your own! Let’s hear it. I ’ll choose a random reader from the comments to win!
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I am a compensated brand ambassador for Discover. All opinions are my own.

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About Kristin

Hi, I'm Kristin mom of three, runner and dorky dancer. Our Ordinary Life is a family lifestyle site that is focused on our life with our girls in Southern California. We enjoy spending time outdoors being active as a family and living a healthy lifestyle is also important to us. That's while you'll also find delicious recipes and the latest from our family at Our Ordinary Life!

« How to make your home fit for a family Christmas: taking inspiration from Sainsbury’s film
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Comments

  1. Gwen B. says

    12/15/2013 at 2:04 pm

    I’m fond of Cherry Eggnog, where one adds cherry brandy instead of brandy (keeping the rum).

  2. laurie says

    12/14/2013 at 8:11 pm

    my receipe is cherry delight, it is make with a graham cracker crust, then cream cheese and cool whip on one layer, then cherry pie filling on top man it is so good

  3. ellen casper says

    12/14/2013 at 6:23 pm

    My gandmother’s plum pudding recipe which is over 75 years old

  4. Kathleen says

    12/14/2013 at 5:27 pm

    We call it pink salad and it’s been a traditional family recipe for all major holiday dinners – it’s just pineapple, jello mix and cool whip but its super fluffy and yummy

    kport207 at gmail dot com

  5. Jessica H. says

    12/14/2013 at 5:26 pm

    My favorite family treat during the holidays is my Mom’s homemade almond joy bars. They are absolutely mouth watering. They have a thick graham cracker bottom, a sweet coconut middle layer, and melted chocolate chips as the top layer. They are the one thing I would abandon my low carb lifestyle for! lol Thank you for the wonderful giveaway!

  6. Marci says

    12/14/2013 at 5:25 pm

    One of our family recipes that does have a secret ingredient is Apple Toffee Dip! Everybody raves about it!

  7. CJ Godfrey says

    12/14/2013 at 3:11 pm

    The newest treat I have discovered is a honey bun cake. It’s simple to make and the icing is the best. It’s tastes like a big honey bun, but in cake form!

  8. Virginia Rowell says

    12/14/2013 at 12:36 pm

    My cherished family recipe is fried cauliflower. Cauliflower dipped in egg and flour and fried in butter. Yum.

  9. Kyl Neusch says

    12/14/2013 at 10:44 am

    it is apple crisp

  10. Sadie B. says

    12/14/2013 at 9:01 am

    We love meringues with mini chocolate chips.

  11. rachel travis says

    12/14/2013 at 7:47 am

    We have a “secret family recipe” for a delicious apple cake. Warm right out of the oven with a cup of coffee– doesn’t get any better!

  12. ellen beck says

    12/13/2013 at 11:50 pm

    http://instagram.com/tannawings ID for instagram (you didnt have a box there)

  13. Vicki Wurgler says

    12/13/2013 at 2:01 pm

    I have a cherry cookie from my grandmother and a recipe for fudge from my mother

  14. Lisa Davis says

    12/13/2013 at 1:02 am

    It’s simple, but I love my mom’s chocolate chip cookie recipe, which was passed down to her by her grandmother. It was the first thing I ever learned to bake and I remember making them with her as a little girl, so it’s very special to me.

  15. Jennifer T. says

    12/12/2013 at 8:57 pm

    I make a homemade spiced cranberry relish. It’s diced pears, apples, and cranberries with warm cinnamon and sugar. So much better than the canned stuff.
    jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com

  16. D SCHMIDT says

    12/12/2013 at 6:40 pm

    My favorite recipe is my Grandmother’s rich Christmas fruit cake, I particularly love the recipe because of the marzipan icing.

  17. beth shepherd says

    12/12/2013 at 4:47 pm

    We make the best caramels. They have chopped up pecans and are smooth and just plain delicious!

  18. Brandy Wilmoth says

    12/12/2013 at 1:36 pm

    While at Thanksgiving dinner, I was impressed by a Pumpkin Cheesecake which is now my favorite dessert of all time!!

  19. Jessica w says

    12/12/2013 at 1:13 pm

    cranberry fluff

  20. Allison Downes says

    12/12/2013 at 12:32 pm

    My most cherished recipe is my moms peanut butter fudge

    Thank you for the nice giveaway!

  21. Kristie says

    12/12/2013 at 12:31 pm

    My mom make some sticky buns that are awesome using frozen rolls and butterscotch pudding.

  22. Tabathia B says

    12/12/2013 at 10:27 am

    My grandmother always makes a sweet potato pudding that is so good and so delish every christmas

  23. Jammie says

    12/12/2013 at 9:44 am

    Mama’s macaroni salad! I love pasta, cheese, tuna fish, and miracle whip this salad has all of the above plus. Everyone I make it for just brags about how yummy it is.

  24. Lynda Del says

    12/12/2013 at 9:17 am

    My chicken noodle casserole remains a hit in our home.

  25. ellen beck says

    12/12/2013 at 12:00 am

    One of my favorite holiday recipes was my husbands grandmothers million dollar pie. It is so easy to make and so good and refreshing. It is basically 6 ingredients if you choose to use a store bought crust. It has sweetened condesed milk, lemon juice, pieapple pecan and whipped cream poured in a graham craker crust. It is delicious and a pie that isnt heavy at all.

  26. mrsshukra says

    12/11/2013 at 11:06 pm

    I have been researching on recipes using all this cream cheese that I have and today discovered pumpkin cream cheese bread recipe with maple syrup!

  27. Geoff K says

    12/11/2013 at 8:37 pm

    An old family recipe we always make around the holidays is one that couldn’t be simpler — it’s “sticky popcorn” with a mixture of boiled butter, Karo syrup, sugar, and vanilla poured over popcorn. Simple but delicious!

  28. mickeyfan says

    12/11/2013 at 7:53 pm

    In our family, it’s all about the peanut butter balls. Little bites of pb heaven dipped (twice) in chocolate. Mmmm.

  29. Jennifer says

    12/11/2013 at 7:22 pm

    Almond Snowball Cookies

  30. Suzanne K says

    12/11/2013 at 6:42 pm

    My grandmother used to make thousands of Christmas cookies, all kinds, and send a huge box to us from Germany. I especially loved the jam filled ones but had no clue as to how to make them. I finally figured out that they are similar to Linzer cookies, and made my own with seedless blackberry jam. Yum!

  31. mary gardner says

    12/11/2013 at 6:40 pm

    my family has an old recipe for coconut cake which is my favorite. it has lots of butter and uses freshly grated coconut and coconut milk. i could eat the whole thing if my stomach would hold it.

  32. Kim Henrichs says

    12/11/2013 at 6:38 pm

    My mom’s chicken and noodles. It was one of those all-day dishes that you could smell cooking and salivate for, for hours. Basic chicken cooked up with carrot, celery and onion, then cream of chicken soup added in but the best is the hand rolled homemade noodles.

  33. Patricia Wojnar Crowley says

    12/11/2013 at 6:26 pm

    My mom’s pie crust is my favorite family recipe! It’s flaking and perfect!

  34. Tari Lawson says

    12/11/2013 at 5:33 pm

    My mom makes these awesome cookies. the dough is a cream cheese type dough that you roll out then fill with cherry preserves and bake. When done, you let them cool a bit them sprinkle with powdered sugar. They are unbelievably delicious.

  35. Wild Orchid says

    12/11/2013 at 5:24 pm

    A classic recipe we love is the cherry pie from the Betty Crocker cookbook. The crust is so buttery and flakey, and the cherry filling is a perfect mix of tart and sweet. My mouth waters just thinking about it.

    Entered the rafflecopter as “Wild orchid”

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

  36. Elena says

    12/11/2013 at 4:33 pm

    Our family’s favorite recipe is roasted goose stuffed with apples

  37. Christina says

    12/11/2013 at 12:17 pm

    My family loves my fudge recipe (its pretty basic and simple but they all claim they can’t make it and it doesn’t taste as good as mine lol) – I make walnut, plain and PB fudge every Christmas. They also love my pumpkin roll and I am making it every other week for someone during November and December. I’m not a big fan of sweets, so I actually don’t eat either of those things.

  38. Cynthia C says

    12/11/2013 at 11:40 am

    One of my favorite cookies is walnut cranberry biscotti. It’s really a healthy cookie because it’s made with olive oil instead of butter or shortening and has lots of chopped walnuts and dried cranberries.

  39. Kelly D says

    12/11/2013 at 10:46 am

    My husband is Italian so has many family recipes, a special one that takes a long time to make is Pignolata, it’s a type of dessert covered in honey. Here is the link: http://cookingitaliano.com/?p=9

  40. Danielle says

    12/11/2013 at 10:05 am

    My mother makes the absolute best chicken soup – sounds basic but it’s not – everyone who tries it wants the recipe but it’s a secret and has been passed down in my family.

  41. kristin says

    12/11/2013 at 9:57 am

    EGG NOG COOKIES

    1 1/4 cups white sugar
    3/4 cup butter, softened
    1/2 cup eggnog
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    2 egg yolks
    1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    Directions:
    1Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
    2Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
    3Cream sugar and butter until light.
    4Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth.
    5Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined.
    6Do not overmix.
    7Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart.
    8Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.
    9Bake 20 to 23 minutes until bottoms turn light brown.

  42. Jessie C. says

    12/11/2013 at 9:32 am

    My cherished family recipe is sweet potato casserole

  43. tammigirl says

    12/11/2013 at 9:12 am

    This is not necessarily a holiday recipe, but anyone who has ever had this begs me to make it for them:

    Brown ground beef. Add taco seasonings if you like. Whatever floats your boat.

    Make some mashed potatoes. If you want, use instant. Make yourself happy.

    Combine equal-ish amounts of the ground beef and potatoes. Or not. Just make sure the mixture will hold together, at least.

    Have a fryer of hot oil ready. I use 10″ or larger skillet for this. I like to do a few at a time. Use whatever temperature fries stuff. This is not rocket science.

    Get corn and/or flour tortillas and put some of the mixture inside. Fold in half like a taco. Using tongs to hold the open side together, dip the taco into the hot oil and hold for a few seconds. Make sure to turn them over during frying. How long depends on how cooked you want your tortilla. The longer you keep it in, the crispier it will be. I like to still be chewy.

    When you remove them from the oil you will want a heat resistant place to stand them on end so any excess hot oil can run out. I use a heat resistant colander. Sprinkle with salt immediately.

    Served with sour cream for dipping, these are heavenly.

    I know they sound weird, but trust me, I’m normally a one taco girl and I can eat 8-9 of these, they are so good.

  44. Cynthia R says

    12/11/2013 at 8:50 am

    chocolate pie recipe, sugar, eggs yolks, evaporated milk, cocoa powder for merigne sugar and egg whites

  45. Jennifer says

    12/11/2013 at 8:24 am

    I make a delicious cranberry sauce for thanksgiving. Fresh cranberries ground in the food processor, cherry jello, sugar and pecans. Super easy and delicious!!

  46. Mary Happymommy says

    12/11/2013 at 7:43 am

    My family recipe is arroz con pollo.

  47. Colleen Fuller says

    12/11/2013 at 7:37 am

    We made homemade rolls! The kind that Grandma always made! real butter, flour, and yeast! Yummy!!!

  48. Stephanie Phelps says

    12/11/2013 at 6:49 am

    One I love and have used for years the kids love is easy and yummy!
    Peppermint Brittle
    30 small peppermint candy canes
    2 pounds white chocolate

  49. Barbara Montag says

    12/11/2013 at 6:36 am

    I make a fantastic Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce – my own recipe.
    Thank you.

  50. Denise L says

    12/11/2013 at 6:34 am

    My grandma was not Italian but she was married to one (Italian by proxy). She made what we called seed cookies every year for Christmas. They are basically a not very sweet butter cookie with a hint of citrus rolled in sesame seeds. Sounds plain, but so addictive! I never got her recipe, but I did find a good recipe online and now make those cookies every year at Christmas 🙂 I found out the real name is Regina Cookies.

  51. debbie says

    12/11/2013 at 6:19 am

    I have a hundred year old recipe I make for pumpkin cookies. They are drop cookies. They look like they would be really heavy cookies, but they are really light and fluffy.

  52. Lisa Brown says

    12/11/2013 at 6:02 am

    I love a good peppermint candy cheesecake for the holidays and this one is a winner http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/candy-cane-cheesecake

  53. Margaret smith says

    12/11/2013 at 5:03 am

    Mine is my Mom’s Homemade Fudge. It’s soooo delicious.

  54. Adrienne Gordon says

    12/11/2013 at 4:11 am

    we make a velveeta cheese dip with sausage and green chilis

  55. Debbie Jackson says

    12/11/2013 at 4:05 am

    Grandma’s Christmas peach cobbler was made with fresh peaches, real butter and topped with fresh cream from the local dairy

  56. Kelly Kimmell says

    12/11/2013 at 3:57 am

    My favorite family recipe is chocolate peanut butter oatmeal no bake cookies!

  57. Cheryl F. says

    12/11/2013 at 2:54 am

    My favorite holiday dish is Bûche de Noël. It’s got a wonderful history behind it, perfect for the season. It’s a beautiful creation made with marzipan and chocolate — what’s not to love? Here’s one version, but there are many:

  58. Joyce Harrell says

    12/11/2013 at 3:42 am

    I just found a new one for a reindeer cookie…it is darling..cannot wait to make it

  59. Janet W. says

    12/11/2013 at 3:31 am

    One cherished family recipe I cook is my mom’s chicken rice casserole dish!

  60. rebecca shockley says

    12/11/2013 at 12:24 am

    My ultimate favorite is my mom’s caramelized oven baked pecan’s, they are to die for!!!

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