Easy Holiday Survival Tips

This is a crazy busy time of year.  Here are a few of our favorite ideas and tips to help you stay calm and enjoy the holidays:

~~Keep a couple of packages of frozen cookie dough on hand to pop in the oven when you have unexpected guests.

 ~~Yummmm, we all love the smells of the holidays.  Keep a simmer pot going with cloves, nutmeg, and other spices to give your home a fragrant holiday smell.

~~For quick and easy decorating purchase a holiday rug.  These are the perfect size for your foyer, kitchen or in front of the tree or fireplace.  We have a nice selection of styles for $49.

~~Set aside a single place to collect receipts throughout the season for returning or exchanging items. Update your budget list as you make purchases so you do not overspend.

~~Once school is out, the kids will be bored.  Create an inexpensive family tradition---purchase a ready-made wreath of greens and then gather items to decorate it. Use pine cones, ribbons, crystals, feathers, beaded garland or homemade paper snowflakes.

~~Use lots of candles. Nothing makes a room feel warmer and more inviting than candlelight.  Plus if unexpected company arrives, it is not as easy to see the dust in a dimly lit room!

~~Have pets?  Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to—complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their crate or in a separate room away from the hubbub.

~~Looking to stuff your pet's stockings? Choose gifts that are safe.  Dogs have been known to

tear their toys apart and swallow the pieces. Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible, Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible. Long, stringy things are a feline's dream, but the most risky toys for cats involve ribbon, yarn and loose little parts that can get stuck in the intestines, often necessitating surgery. Surprise kitty with a new ball that's too big to swallow, a stuffed catnip toy or an interactive cat dancer—and tons of play sessions together.

~~Feeling cozy is as mental as it is physical. Add a touch of nostalgia to create coziness. ‘Tis the season for sentimentality. Put out some Santa pieces or other family “heirlooms” on a buffet, and keep treats, sweets and cookies out so that the casual nibbler can enjoy themselves. Make a pot of hot cocoa to welcome your family into the kitchen.

Watch The Progress

We are almost finished with a big kitchen makeover and also have two bathroom updates in progress.  (Yes, Don is very busy overseeing these projects!)   We are posting pictures of our progress on Enhance Floors & Mores Facebook page.  Please check them out and let us know what you think about the results. 

Fashion: What's Hot
If you are shopping for clothing for gifts this holiday season, and have no idea what’s to buy, here’s a quick list of the “in” looks:

~~Punk looks

~~Checks, plaids, and tartans

~~Emerald green, grey, and blue shades

~~Winter white

~~Beanies and knit caps

~~Prints---bright colored and animal
~~Leather