Ah, the holidays. That warm, fuzzy time of year when, if you’re
not working, you’re baking, buying presents or scouring Web sites
for the best deals, prepping for a party, assembling gifts and
wrapping presents. And that was just Saturday. Sleep? Who needs
it!
Ah, the holidays. That warm, fuzzy time of year when, if you’re not working, you’re baking, buying presents or scouring Web sites for the best deals, prepping for a party, assembling gifts and wrapping presents. And that was just Saturday. Sleep? Who needs it!
To ensure you are NOT the crazy parent who finally loses it in the wee hours of Christmas morning because the one screw absolutely necessary to completely finish assembling your kid’s bike is nowhere to be found, invest a few of your valuable minutes reading this. It’s for your sanity. And that’s the best present of all, isn’t it?
So wrap your hands around a warm mug, breathe and read on to find out how to save time shopping for last minute gifts, learn easy wrapping tips so you look like you know what you’re doing, get tips on final but simple touches that make a party truly sparkle and, perhaps most importantly, ensure toy assembly goes easier this year by following these tips.
IT’S A WRAP
Before you get overwhelmed by gift-wrapping, take some advice from Kat Rojina. Rojina was a finalist a couple years ago in the Most Gifted Wrapper in America contest.
Here are her pointers for a speedy wrapping that won’t look like a rush job.
– Set up a workspace with a good pair of scissors or a paper cutter, high-quality paper and tape.
– Consider a pop-up tape dispenser, which attaches to your wrist with an elastic band and dispenses pre-cut,
2-inch tape strips.
– Stock up on rolls of white, gold and silver paper that can be dressed up with accent ribbons, silk flowers, pine cones or other “found objects” for a more personalized look.
– Think outside the box by wrapping gifts in cookie tins, mason jars, flower vases, coffee cans or other containers around your house.
ONE-STOP SHOP
If you’ve completed all your gift-buying for Christmas, you have our permission to skip this part. If you’ve completed all your grocery shopping for Christmas, you have our permission to gloat.
And if you’ve completed neither, you have our permission to join the club.
A few ground rules: Thou shalt not panic. Thou shalt multitask. And thou shalt never make two stops when thou can make one. Which brings us to grocery store gifts.
A quick scan of your grocer’s aisles reveals countless gift cards, DVDs, books, gourmet chocolates, wine, body care products and picture frames that make sufficient gifts in a pinch. Kids’ gifts are especially easy to score: coloring books, craft supplies, stickers.
However, if you’re hoping to give a gift that doesn’t look like it was picked up at the last minute, you have to hunt a little harder. That is, don’t wait till you’re in the checkout line.
We challenged ourselves to find items at three major grocery stores we’d be proud to present to loved ones, or happy to receive ourselves.
– Olive oil bottle: A ceramic olive oil dispenser works well as a hostess gift, especially paired with a bottle of gourmet olive oil.
– Candle holders: The floral department can be a treasure trove of gifts that give nary a hint of being located steps from the deli counter or the pharmacy. The vases, wreaths, holiday decor and candle holders would not look out of place at a home decorating store.
– Travel bag: A roomy canvas bag with three zip-close compartments and (faux) leather trim? What guy doesn’t need one of these?
– Hat and scarf set: Many grocery stores have a good selection of winter gear for men, women and kids.
TOY ASSEMBLY TIPS
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring … except for Dad, who yelped after smashing his hand with a hammer while that handlebar washer for the new trike – obviously possessed by some grinch demon – rolled under the couch for the fourth time.
OK, it’s not that bad. Still, we don’t blame you if assembling new toys and electronic gizmos on Christmas Eve holds all the appeal of shoveling out a half-dozen driveways.
That said, don’t give up. Just follow our instructions and you’re more likely to have a hassle-free holiday.
– Time it: Remember the golden rule of home improvement: Building takes longer than you think. So if you’ve got three toys and figure an hour apiece, you’re better off doubling the estimate.
– Parts: Open the box carefully so as to make potential returns easier, and never, ever assemble without counting out parts first. You don’t want to get that wagon 80 percent built only to find the rear axle missing. Don’t assume you can just go to the store and get the missing part; it doesn’t work that way when the factory is likely on another continent. By the way: Do you have batteries?
– Tools: It’s hard to predict the tools you’ll need beforehand. But a couple implements will make you handier than Santa’s ace elf. First: A hex wrench set. Five folding hex wrenches sell for about $10. (Get metric sizes.) Second: A socket wrench set.
– Hotlines: Many toy companies offer live customer service via phone or Internet. You can find a listing of these phone numbers and Web sites at parenting.com. (Search for “toy assembly help for parents.”) The list includes brands such as Mattel, Fisher-Price, Hasbro and Tiger Electronics. Note many hotline services maintain regular business hours, Monday through Friday, so don’t wait until 1 a.m. Christmas Day to cry uncle.
– Save it for morning: Why build in secret when you can make it a family project?
Perk up a party
The menu is set, your guests are notified, your house is clean – you’re ready for your holiday party. But things feel a little lackluster.
It’s finishing-touches time, because often it’s the swiftly done small stuff that adds up to premium results. Here are fast ways to pump some perk into your party, plus a few no-cost alternatives.
– Use, don’t abuse, the tube: Slide in a kitschy fireplace DVD. Cable services such as Comcast on Demand are offering yule log programming for the holidays. Or you can find the log online.
– Sound advice: No time to craft the perfect mixed CD? You could always put your MP3 collection on shuffle, but then you risk chasing David Bowie with your nephew’s favorite “Sesame Street” track, or worse – that one guilty pleasure track. If you don’t have time to make a party playlist, use iTunes’ Genius feature, which automatically generates a 25-song playlist from your library that complement each other, all based on just one song you select initially. Stream free music by tuning in to your cable service’s music channels, or ask guests to bring their iPods with a 10-song playlist ready to plug into your dock.
– Scent that makes sense: You don’t have to burn a smoky candle or deluge your home with aerosol sprays or – gasp – your own perfume. Make your soiree pleasant by placing an attractive reed diffuser on a side table or mantel. Manipulate a tantalizing food aroma by timing the preparation of aromatic enticers such as spiced cider or an apple pie for just before guests arrive.
– Parting gifts: Don’t send your guests home empty-handed. Whip up some homemade baked goods – go ahead and cheat by embellishing a mix if you’re short on time (think peppermint extract in brownies) – wrap them in colorful tissue paper or long, thin cellophane gift bags tied with ribbon. They’ll have tasty memories of your fun bash for days. Be diligent about taking photos of each of your guests, and send them off with promises of a promptly delivered e-album.
