Behave Yourself: 10 Things We Know About New Year's Receptions

This information would have been more useful to you a few weeks ago.  Frankly, we could have used it, too, but we had to complete the requisite field research first.

1.  A New Year's Reception is an Army tradition that essentially consists of a gathering held at the Brigade or something Commander's house.

2.  New Year's Receptions tend to be scheduled the weekend after the actual holiday, apparently with the purpose of minimizing your excuses not to go.  Your partner's boss knows whether you are in town too...so that's a thing.

12 Days of Responsible Shopping: Do it in the kitchen

In which we try to buy US-made baking supplies

you're going to need all this crap

Hark, hear the bells
No, that's the timer
Your stuff is burnt
Better start over

Too bad I'm not as good at baking as I am at making up awesome songs about my lack of baking skills.  Anyhow, we're guessing you've been voluntold to bring cookies, cupcakes, and other treats to some type of event this season.  (We have so much to say about that but not in this post.)


So, you married an army guy and now you're supposed to bake stuff, and bring it to events, unburnt and festive looking.  If you're short on time or otherwise need to phone this one in and make something simple, decking your (peanut butter) balls with some festive presentation involving seasonal wrapping will save you some dirty looks- and might even be fun!