By India McCarty
Looking for a simple way to keep track of your holiday to-do lists? HOME TOWN’s Erin Napier has got you covered!
“Every year since we got married, Ben and I host Easter lunch at our house. And somewhere around year 10 I realized it was hard to remember the special ingredients of hosting one holiday every year,” she posted on her Instagram story.
Napier continued, “So one year I screenshot the family group text who brings what, of the ham that was the perfect size for our family, a note about the perfect tea to sugar ratio, photos of my grandmother’s CORRECT coconut cake and frosting recipe (not the one Mildred gave her that she reviewed as ‘just okay’ on her notepad) we use every year, and the annual photos of the girls with the Easter bunny.”
She explained she then compiles those screenshots into a photo album on her phone she titles “The Easter Plan” and sets a calendar reminder for three weeks before the holiday telling her to open the album.
Related: Ben and Erin Napier Share Favorite Holiday Hosting Tips
“I start my grocery list, I do my shopping, I assign the family their regular dishes they like to make,” the HGTV star said. “I’m learning after 7 years of being a mama that it’s easier to keep traditions going the way we’ve always loved it if we get organized.”
She added that she does the same thing for Christmas, easing the stresses of the holiday season.
Napier and her husband Ben recently spoke to GlobeNewswire about a different holiday they’re trying to get off the ground: Neighborsgiving.
Neighborsgiving is part of Bob’s Red Mill’s Moregetherness™ Movement, an initiative focused on helping people strengthen relationships with friends and neighbors.
“In an age where people feel lonelier than ever, this survey proves what we at Bob’s Red Mill have always known – that food is a powerful way to strengthen relationships and build community,” Allyson Borozan, Chief Growth Officer of Bob’s Red Mill, said in a statement. “Our Moregetherness campaign is our way to help bring more people together, more often, with food as a bridge to foster that connection.”
Napier added, “We are firm believers that open doors lead to open hearts. When I bake, it’s not unusual for me to make extra and run it over to a neighbor or a tired mama friend. It’s also a great reason to pop in and say hello. It only takes a few minutes, but those little touchpoints are what help knit a community together.”
“I think it’s a part of rural America, we have to watch out for each other. And take care of each other and think of each other,” she said in an interview with Parade. “Loneliness is an epidemic. But also life is just a lot easier if you feel like there’s somebody that cares that lives near you.”
For the Napiers, the holidays are all about connecting with family, friends and neighbors — no matter how disorganized things might get!
Read Next: Why These HGTV Stars Want Us to ‘Take Care of Each Other’
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
– Content: +4Share:
– Content: +3