Figuring it Our Friday - Gifts and Hosting and A Recipe

I love to host Thanksgiving. I love to plan the menu, I love to bake and cook. I love to have my home full of family enjoying yummy food.
I do not, however, love dishes. This year, I decided to just not do them. Instead, I bought (drum roll please)fancy disposable dinner plates and utensils.

Everyone dined. A lot. And then we tossed the plates.
Easy breezy mac and cheesy.
Loved it!
And just to share: I am a total turkey briner. To me there is no other way to have a turkey than to brine. And then to soak cheesecloth in butter and wine or butter and apple cider and cover the turkey with it. Cheesecloth keeps the moisture and flavor locked in and yummy. And no need to baste unless you want to. Seriously.
Now I just need to figure out how to keep the kitchen clean and counters clear once guests arrive. It just never seems to work out, no matter how on top of it I am during the day. Ideas? Tips?
Gifts.
This year we decided to keep our Christmas simple: 3 presents under the tree for each girl and stuff (and I do mean stuff!) their stockings.
It was my idea and yet...I had the hardest time sticking with it! I don't want my girls to be spoiled and expect more and more each year. So if we start out simple they'll expect simple? Right? That's the theory.
Anyway. As far as shopping goes, this was a much simpler year. We planned out the presents (the big gift this year is bikes. We are so excited to see their faces!), found the store that sold them, dropped off the kids and Happy Meals at Grandma's and got 'er done! So simple!
We did go over our present limit by one present.
I just had to get them matching aprons to help me in the kitchen! Had to! Don't believe me?

See? Super cute, right? I can't wait until the package arrives! I'm hoping it's in time for Christmas.
What are your must haves for under the tree this year?

My must have holiday roll recipe from my Taste of Home Baking Cookbook:
Golden Crescents (amazing with ANY meal) Yield: 2 dozen
2 packages (1/4 oz each) active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (110-115)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 TB butter, softened, divided
2 TB shortening
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
4 to 4-1/2 cups flour
In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sugar, 1/4 cup butter, shortening, eggs, salt and 2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place (I set my oven to warm when I first start mixing the dough, then turn it off and place the dough in the now warm oven to rise) until doubled, about 1-1/4 hours.
Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each portion into a 12-in. circle. Melt remaining butter; brush over dough. Cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end and place point side down 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans to wire racks. (These also freeze great once baked. Just let thaw on counter, then warm in oven for a few minutes)