#holiday guide

Holiday Guide: Mass Effect Christmas Sweatshirts

The Mass Effect Christmas content I didn’t know I needed until now. These sweatshirt designs created by MerryWeissmas are on sale for 21% off this week at the artist’s TeePublic shop.

• Embrace the art of kindness (i.e. Practicing random acts of kindness). 

• Ground yourself and practice deep breathing to center yourself on a regular basis. 

• Create a gratitude list including 5 things you are grateful for each day. 

• Simplify the holidays (i.e. Decluttering items, writing shopping or grocery lists). 

• Pamper yourself and rejuvenate. 

• Embrace your creativity by making DIY gifts such as bath or baking products. There are many resources that include a variety of DIY gifts such as YouTube or Pinterest. 

• Don’t be hard on yourself. 

• Get yourself a gift. 

• Embrace old traditions that you love or cultivate new traditions. Do which ever one works for you. 

• Take time and space to recharge at holiday events (i.e. Bathroom breaks, taking a walk outside, etc)...

• Avoid over indulgence. This may include foods, compulsive spending, alcohol, and other toxic substances.

• Exercise regularly if possible. 

• Seek out inspiration to help motivate you during the holidays. 

• Create a budget if you plan on spending money during the holidays. 

• To avoid sensory overload, it may be helpful to shop when it is less crowded. This may include mornings or before the holidays. Shopping online may also be a helpful option. 

• Get cozy and find time to relax. 

• Help create someone else’s holiday. 

• Know your triggers and have a plan that includes healthy coping strategies. 

• If you are low on cash, swapping trades with someone such as babysitting or cooking can be a great gift idea on the holidays.

• Attend support groups. There are a number of support groups such as 12 step meetings on the holidays that may provide support as well as holiday celebration. 

Wishing you all a happy holidays!

With love,

Dahlia

the holidays are upon us, and one of the best parts is gift giving! earlier this month, i reached out to the critter community to share their creations with me, whether it was dice, clothing, or “smutty bookshop” scented bath bombs. it’s easy to get stressed out when looking for presents, but i love buying from independent businesses and creators whenever possible. not only will your support help smaller creatives flourish, but your gifts will feel more personal and unique!

before we dig in, i recommend stopping by shop.critrole.com for officially licensed merchandise. geek & sundry also released their own critter holiday guide earlier this week, which includes a list of the cast member’s favorite charities you can make donations to. supporting our beloved cast and crew comes first, and this guide should be used as a supplemental tool to help you find gifts beyond what the critical role fam has to offer.

keep in mind that this guide is also just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to critter creations. i was so overwhelmed with submissions that i unfortunately had to leave a number of people out, and for that i’m deeply sorry. i am amazed at how creative and impressive this community is and i thank you all for reaching out.

dice

for those in need of a full set, “fireball” by caroscuriosities, “dark magic” dice by greenleafgeek, and “sandy beaches” by npcdice are handmade and full of intricate detail. majestic trinkets also has a gorgeous selection of 3d printed metal dice for those who really want to make an impression (they even have a pizza-themed set!). when those dice start acting up, pull a laura bailey and throw them in the “dnd rpg dice shaming dice jail” by criticalkits.

oh, and do know a critter with a raging sweet tooth? sugaranddicecrafts has you covered with their edible dice sets.

dice bags

for starting or modest adventurers, i recommend the “iridescent dice bag” by bagofdiceholding, “drawstring dice bag with chinese dragon pattern” by setdaffodilsonfire, and the “black leather drawstring dice bag” by therislane. 

yarn lovers will love this unique “dragon egg dice bag” by stitchcraftsnsorcery. morningdewdicebags offers a fun selection of sequin dragonscale bags. “adventurer’s inventory dice bag” by greyedout is a solid option for pocket lovers and “the bulba-bag: grass monster inspired drawstring” by magicandstitchcraft is just really freaking cute.

if you think something critical role-inspired will do the trick, this “stay in school kids medium segmented dice bag” by arrowsongcrafts is a nod to everyone’s favorite shit-kicking monk. and who could deny “the little sapphire jester inspired dice bag” by crystalbeehouse?

crafts

this “leather card holder” by theartfulrogue is both beautiful and practical. embroidery fans will love this “how do you want to do this” hoop by lauramakesthingsshop and “carnival tree ornament” by bearclawcraftsshop, which is a nice call-back to the beginning on campaign 2. for glassware, i recommend love this “nott pint glass” by brittsgeekboutique and “drink the dead” mug by sunlitlake.

for those who like cuddlier versions of classic d&d monsters, the “crochet cthulhu stuffed animal” by mostlyharmlessshop and “moxie the beholder wearable handsewn plush” by charredstitchery are too good to pass up.

clothing and accessories

bunnidesigns has a fun and flashy assortment of d&d inspired jersey shirts. by now, every critter should recognize void merch’s signature, bold lettering style, and the rpg collection features numerous shirts worn by the cast throughout campaign 2. the “dungeons and dragons lucky shirt” by paolaspixels is also beautifully designed and features unique sleeve prints (she also offers a large variety of gorgeous enamel pins that are definitely on my list).

this “critical role/dnd patterned stretchy tote bag” by brightshaw is bright and full of bold detail, and for those who want something more on the subtle side, i recommend the “dagger dagger dagger” pouch by rhi43.

pins and patches

these critter location pins by geeky clean are not only approved by our cabbage lord brian w. foster, but they’re a fun and simple way of sharing your roots with other critters. the “d20 hard enamel pins: dungeon master” by eldritchrach is a perfect choice for any leader, while the “vicious mockery hard enamel pin” by hallofmirrorsartwork would be a great for any sass king or queen.

as for patches, the quests & queers collection by majesticmess has a wonderful selection for the lgbt+ critter in your life.

jewelry

for any caleb fans, i recommend this bracelet made with red creek jasper beads by loopedla (fun fact: the woman behind this etsy, tara sands, is the voice actress for a lot of iconic pokemon voices). any druid or overall earthy type would love this “green aventurine necklace” by lunastredesigns, which includes an gold acorn and maple leaf charm. lilacfoxdesigns also has an ensemble of vox machina inspired necklaces, “the ranger” being my personal favorite!

body care

mollymauk may be gone, but his memory lives on in soap form by fandomfinery. natural20bath has d20 dice soap in nearly every color and scent imaginable, and you’ll even get a 7-piece polyhedral dice set included! for those looking for a larger set, this “winter in wildemount: critical role inspired bath bomb or soap gift set” by criticalbaths includes 4 bath bombs (this is the one that includes “smutty bookshop”) and a handmade tusk love ornament.

character art commissions

what could be better than receiving a personalized photo of your d&d or tabletop character? the following artists are offering commissions and you can thank me later!

blueberry-me: headshot, half body, full body, sketch, and illustrations.

afterwits: portrait, half body, half body with background, and full body.

emedeme: chibis, line art, character sheet, and illustrations.

ioana muresan: character design, tarot card, illustration, and painted style. (note: ioana did the officially licensed critical role tarot cards!)

comic books

saga, vol 1: know a critter you’d like to get into comics? not only is saga one of the most popular, expansive series right now (warning: it’s also very adult), but fiona staples just about broke instagram with her mollymauk fan art earlier this year.

kid lobotomy, vol 1: by now, everyone who has seen any critical role fan art is familiar with tess fowler’s distinct style. this book is worth picking up even if it’s just for the liam o’brien cameo!

motor crush, vol 1: babs tarr’s anime-influenced style shines in this sci-fi action-adventure series revolving around a young woman in the world of motorcycle racing. also, babs has adorable jester, beau, and twinnie prints available until november 30th.

I’mma be real with y’all, I was always that dummy who bought a smoked ham from the store and just heated it up and called it good. But I know people love making dishes their own, and I have finally concocted one that I genuinely enjoy, so here’s a fun little recipe that doesn’t have too terribly much added sugar, and will also not mask the classic ham flavor that much. The glaze, while lovely, is totally optional if you want to avoid sugar, or just really don’t feel like messing with it. Or if you want to let the ham flavor shine front and center.

But let’s start with some ham pickin tips, because there are a million kinds of ham out there and all of them are different, surprisingly. I mean, how many ways can one make a big ol pig thigh? At least 4, when you’re talking about general grocery store hams: Smoked, Cured, Uncured/Fresh, and Spiral Sliced. You can actually have combinations of these, too.

Smoked Ham is cured (meaning preserved and [generally] rendered edible*) by smoking. Cured hams are generally cured in a sugared brine, sometimes with added spices to infuse a specific flavor. Uncured/fresh hams are raw and have no real smoky or salty flavor, taste more like a pork loin or roast, and are really expensive. *Some cured and smoked hams aren’t technically cooked or ready to eat, but all these will be labeled as such, and have their own instructions about temperature.*

Most hams you see at Christmas are Spiral Sliced, which are generally cured and glazed, bone-in, and pre-sliced very thin and uniform. These are great for just popping in and heating up, and making most everyone happy. They also tend to be a good economic option, as they usually go on sale about this time of year. However, it is pre-glazed and pre-seasoned, and usually has a ton of added sugars, so if you want one that you can make your own, go with a smoked ham.

Smoked hams can come either boneless or bone-in, and I love getting bone in to make soup with later. This recipe uses a bone-in smoked ham, but if you find a spiral-sliced that wasn’t pre-glazed/seasoned, it should work just as well and you can skip the scoring in step 1.

Recipe: Orange-glazed Rosemary Holiday Ham

Step 1: Preheat oven to 325F. Score your smoked ham by running a sharp knife 1/4 inch into the meat in a medium-sized diamond/crosshatch pattern. (This allows the spices to get in past the fat layer.)  Pop the ham into the pan and add about a half cup of water to the bottom of the pan.

Step 2: Prepare a spice mix. Don’t include any salt, because most hams are salty already. Use about a teaspoon of each of the following: black pepper, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, and sage, as well as 2 teaspoons of rosemary. Mix them in a bowl and wait a second.

Step 3: Thoroughly mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 teaspoons of mustard. Pour the mixture over the ham, making sure to try and get it in the scores.

Step 4: Lightly sprinkle the spice mixture all over the ham. Then pop that baby in the oven! Heat it for around 15 minutes a pound, or until it reads 130F on a meat thermometer. (This is for cured/pre-cooked hams only, as it is too low for an uncooked or fresh ham. Follow the package instructions for fresh or labelled-uncooked hams!)

Glaze mixture: Juice of one large orange, zest of one large orange, 1 tablespoon of butter melted, 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of honey, 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (or white, whatevs), 2 teaspoons of minced garlic, 1/2 tsp of chili powder, and just enough water to make it thick but pour-able if it isn’t already (that depends on the moisture level of the brown sugar, and the thickness of your honey).

Step 5 (optional but recommended): If you glaze the ham, do so about 30 minutes before it’s done. Turn the oven up to 425. Pour the glaze mix over the ham, and add a thin drizzle of honey over the top of that. Bake it until the top is sticky, or until the ham finishes its heat to 130F.

If you aren’t using a pre-sliced smoked ham, cut against the grain after letting it rest for about 10 minutes.

Tips: If using a meat thermometer on a pre-sliced ham, stab it perpendicular to the slices, or it won’t read right.

I love using orange blossom honey, I find it complements the “orange” theme very well.

Feel free to add a little more rosemary to the glaze; rosemary and citrus really go well together!

Go forth and ham, my lovelies! Whether you try this recipe, a plain smoked ham, a brown sugar spiral sliced, or if you mix your own spices on a cured ham, just remember that most hams are pre-cooked and only need sufficient heating. Makes them a pretty easy addition to the holidays!