I dropped Cooper off at preschool yesterday and immediately headed to the post office to mail packages & pick up stamps for the holiday cards I have yet to send out. The line at the post office went smoothly and the lady who helped me was an absolute dream. Hooray for excellent customer service! Then I went to pick up a few groceries and just when I was ready to tackle another item on my TO-DO list, my car wouldn’t start!  For the first time in my life, I ran out of gas. I KNEW I should have stopped at the gas station before I got groceries but I felt like I’ve been pushing EVERYTHING in my life to the limit lately, I assumed my car would push too. Thank God for husbands who come to the rescue!

Emails piled up in my inbox, clean laundry overflowed in baskets on my living room floor and then one of my cats puked on my stairs (which I stepped in!). To combat the stress, I took a break and went out to lunch with Casey. We went to get fancy sandwiches and fresh air but after THREE attempts at making my sandwich without mayo and over an hour of my limited time wasted, I felt like throwing in the towel.  It just wasn’t my day!

Instead of tackling my TO-DO lists when I got back from the sandwich fail, I made these white chocolate peppermint pretzels instead. Getting lost in dipping pretzels into creamy melted white chocolate, studding them with cracked candy canes and lining the rods (haha, rods!) up into organized rows, made me happy. And then… I got a call from preschool telling me that Cooper needed to be picked up ASAP because he contracted pinkeye. It’s a good thing I got at least one solid thing done that day…

What’s my point? There’s no doubt that the holidays can be stressful. These little obstacles in life are only as big as we make them.The pressure we put on ourselves this time of year has the power to erase the holiday spirit we’re supposed to give & receive. Relax!

If you’re stressing out because the clock is ticking and you haven’t figured out what to make for the holidays, just make these easy white chocolate peppermint dipped pretzels. They’re therapeutic and they pose as little reminders of how sweet, savory & crunchy life can be.

Remember: Make things simple and give yourself permission to slow down!

And we’re off!

Organization to clear your mind. Ahh… beauty.

Unwrap those candy canes. Why do those wrappers insist on sticking to your hands?! I don’t like it.

Put them in a plastic bag and bang the heck out of them. Take THAT, holiday stress!

Take your white chocolate and cut it up with a serrated knife.

Put it in the microwave and melt it. Stir. Pop it back in until it’s done.

Set up your work station.

Dip the pretzels in the bowl. It’s like they’re in a hot tub….time machine?

Let the excess chocolate drip off and then roll them in the broken candy cane.

Let them rest so the chocolate can set.

When ready, wrap them up in baggies. I bought these treat bags at Michael’s!

Pull out your crafting supplies!

Staple pretty paper to the top edges.

Punch two little holes on the top and feed a ribbon through. Now tie it.

Holiday stress? What holiday stress?! You made prettie things for important people!

ENJOY!

White Chocolate Peppermint Dipped Pretzels

makes about 50

• 1lb. white chocolate
• 50 pretzel rods (about two bags worth)
• 9 candy canes

Unwrap candy canes and place in a plastic sandwich bag. Bash with a mallet until candy canes are broken into very small shards. Place on a plate and set aside.

Roughly chop white chocolate with a serrated knife and place into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 40-50 secs on high power. Stir and microwave for another minute, or until white chocolate is thoroughly melted. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Dip each pretzel rod into the white chocolate and coat half way up the rod. Use a fork to help coat the pretzel. Let excess chocolate drip off and lightly roll pretzel in the candy canes. Place candy coated dipped pretzels onto the parchment sheet and let cool.

If you want to speed up the setting time, place the dipped pretzels in the freezer for 5 minutes. You can package them right away!