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Headstart on the Holidays

It may still be plenty hot in Texas, but make no mistake about it… fall is on the way! From Halloween all the way up through the Christmas season, here are a few pointers to help you get a head start on the holidays. 

 

Get Your Home Prepped Inside and Out

 

From Halloween parties to Thanksgiving meals and New Year’s soirees, a home can see a lot of foot traffic during the holiday season. In order you save yourself some time (and stress), a little bit of prep work in advance can go a long way. 

 

  • Prep your lawn with the final fertilization of the season and give it a one-last mow once you’ve raked and bagged the last of the leaves. 

 

  • Seal up any air leaks around draft doors or windows. 

 

  • Repair any damaged walkways and add adequate lighting since the days will be getting shorter. 

 

  • Add some curb appeal to your front door with a festive wreath. 

 

  • Give your carpets and drapes a thorough cleaning.

 

  • Take some time to dust the interior light fixtures in your home, as well as ceiling fans. 

 

  • Clean your baseboards and touch up any interior/exterior paint blemishes. 

 

Holiday Budgeting 

 

The holiday season is a lot of fun, but all of that fun can also take a heavy toll on your bank account. There’s still plenty of time, however, to work out a game plan for your holiday budget so you’re not looking at a stack of unpaid bills come January. 

 

  1. List out your holiday expenses. Write out a detailed list of what you can afford to spend for holiday travel, decorations, food, gifts, etc. It’s best to break this up per holiday and give yourself some flex room. 

 

  1. Resist using credit cards as much as possible. Yes, they’re convenient, but making gifts or any sort of frivolous purchase will only leave you with a bigger bill to pay once the holiday season has passed. Unless you’re disciplined to pay your credit card down in full at the end of each month, opt for cash as much as possible. 

 

  1. Don’t be afraid to set financial boundaries. If you have more expenses this year than the previous, then be upfront with your family that you’re working with a tighter budget and may have to cut back on travel or gift spending.

 

Recruit Some Help

 

Setting up a killer haunted house for the neighborhood kids or hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for 15 people is a lot of work – so don’t be afraid to ask for help! If you have a friend or family member who is especially good at decorating, then ask if they’d be willing to help out for an afternoon. Are your pie-making skills lacking but your aunt is a baking champion? Then, be sure to tell her how much you admire her pies and ask if she’d be willing to handle dessert duty at Christmas dinner. 

 

Nearly everyone is busy during the holidays, but people also tend to be especially open to helping out and spreading a little holiday cheer, so reach out and ask for a helping hand. 

Looking for the perfect home to settle into this fall? Go ahead and contact the Crosswinds team to learn more about this master-planned community.

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Area Attractions Blog Events Family Fun Kyle Texas Lifestyle

July Events + Activities in Kyle, Texas

With summer in full swing, July is packed full of activities for the entire family. Mark your calendar because there’s something for everyone happening this month in Kyle. 

 

Happenings and Events

 

Grab the sunscreen and a bottle of water, and get outside because there are events happening around Kyle you won’t want to miss! If you haven’t made it down to Kyle Market Days yet, then be sure to stop by the July 13 date. From 8 AM to 1 PM, vendors at Mary Kyle Hartson Park will be selling food, arts and crafts, and farm-to-market items. There will also be live music to go along with a patriotic theme. 

 

If you’re looking for some relief from the Texas heat (and who isn’t?), then Kyle’s Dive-In Movie Night is not not be missed. Families are invited to the James Adkins Pool on July 19 for a 7:30 PM showing of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Along with swimming, there will be raffles, prizes, and outdoor games to round out the fun. 

 

Hobbies 

 

Kyle’s community calendar is full of opportunities to enjoy a variety of hobbies (all in the comfort of air conditioning). Community hobby night happens every Monday at 5 PM and offers visitors to the library a chance to enjoy models, miniatures, board games, card games, and fiber arts. Be sure to stay after for weekly trivia, kicking off at 6:30 PM. 

 

Summer is one of the best times to pick up a new hobby, and teens can take a free juggling workshop on Saturday, July 6, at 1 PM. 

 

Ways to Stay Fit

 

If you’re looking to get active this summer, there are several events happening around Kyle  – all of them free and open to the public! On Tuesday, July 2 and 16, at 6:30 PM, there’s a free Hatha-style yoga class that is open to all ages and skill levels. 

 

If you can’t make one of the yoga classes, then be sure to stop in for the July edition of Kyle’s free nutrition class and walking club. The event takes place July 16 at 10 AM and will cover both tips for healthy eating as well as a walking session. 

 

Something for the Kiddos

 

It’s important that kids stay active both mentally and physically on summer break, and from babies up through teens, there is plenty happening around Kyle for children. 

 

On July 8 at 10:30 AM, parents can enjoy stories and sensory play with their toddlers at the Kyle Public Library, and on July 11, babies can get in on the action with nursery rhymes at the Baby Lapsit event. Older kids and teens will want to check out events like Lego Mania, Pokémon Trainers, and a reptile show happening on July 10 at 2 PM. 

 

Arts

 

Looking to get crafty this summer? From art shows to DIY art classes, a variety of artsy events are happening around Kyle this July:

 

Needless to say, there’s a lot going on and a lot to love about living in Kyle. If you’d like to find your dream home here, reach out to us to learn more about the Crosswinds master-planned community.

Categories
Blog Events Lifestyle Tips

The Art of Hosting: Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining

Everyone loves a good holiday party. If you are the one hosting the event, as much enjoyment as it can be to welcome friends and family into your home, putting together the endeavor can also be stressful. 

 

From the invites to the cooking (or catering), here’s a game plan for hosting a holiday get-together like a pro. 

 

Settle on a Theme

 

There’s nothing wrong with simply opting for a run-of-the-mill holiday theme with the usual decorations – tinsel, lights, red, greens, etc. If you want to take things a step further and really impress your guests, opt for a theme that will create a vibe. This could be anything from an ugly sweater party, a holiday movie-themed soiree, or a glammed-up Christmas in Vegas affair. 

 

Get Invites Out Early

 

Once you have your guest list together, get those invites out at least three weeks in advance. Any sooner and people could have plans already made. Digital invitations allow for a quicker response time. Still, if you want to go the old-school route, paper invitations add a certain element of whimsical holiday nostalgia. 

 

To Cook or To Cater?

 

If you don’t fancy yourself a cook, or if you know you’re prone to getting overwhelmed in the kitchen, then opting for catering is a viable solution. Keep in mind that this is the busiest time of the year for caterers. The top caterers in town will likely be taking orders weeks in advance, and even grocery store deli/bakery departments will need a few day’s heads up.

 

If you plan on doing all the cooking yourself, plan ahead and cook as much in advance as you possibly can. 

 

Now, in our opinion, the best option is going to be the potluck route. Asking guests to bring their favorite dish to share not only saves you money and the stress of cooking but also ensures a variety of foods to enjoy!

 

Offer a Mix of Drinks

 

Offering a signature holiday drink, typically a punch or good egg nog, isn’t required, but it will undoubtedly be appreciated by guests. 

 

What is essential, though, is offering a good mix of drinks. This includes both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. If you’re going to be serving wine, start with something light and save the heavier wines for the main meal. 

 

Designate a Coat Room

 

…Or at least a coat corner. Many parts of the country (including Central Texas) can get pretty chilly in December, and your guests are going to need somewhere to throw all those oversized winter coats. 

 

Free up some closet space in your entryway, designate a DIY guest room if possible, or, at the very least, invest in a coat rack ahead of time. 

 

Cheerful Vibes and Party Essentials

 

Make sure that your party feels like a party. This means curating a holiday playlist (or at least selecting some festive Spotify channels) of merry tunes. You may want to have a classic Christmas movie playing on the TV in the background. Of course, there are other party essentials that should also not be overlooked:

 

  • Make sure bathrooms are well stocked with toilet paper
  • Keep cleaning supplies (club soda, paper towels) handy for spills
  • Be sure to have plenty of ice
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

It’s only natural to want to invite friends and family into your home during the holidays when you love where you live. To learn more about the master-planned Crosswinds community, contact us today.

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