‘Tis the season to be merry and bright!

The holidays are the most wonderful time of year. Made even more wonderful by having so many things to look forward to including visits with Santa, ugly sweater parties, cookies fresh out of the oven, ice skating, and taking in all the holiday lights around town as well as enjoying the company of friends and family.

In the midst of all the festive activities you and your family can take part in, however, comes the planning of family dinners and the preparing of your home for guests – if you happen to be hosting the holiday that is. Y, with Christmas fast approaching, this can make for a very stressful time indeed.

The good news is that with a little advance planning (there are still 15 days to go) and our ‘preparing your home for the holidays tips’; you can avoid stressing yourself out this holiday. This then allows you to enjoy the holiday as they should be spent…with good friends and family.

Ready Your Oven for Baking

While this may seem counterproductive to some, you shouldn’t use your oven’s self-cleaning feature in the days prior to baking, as this feature is so stressful on your oven that it actually has the potential to break it.

Rather than risk having to hire an appliance repair man or worse yet having to replace your oven days before Christmas, simply use a damp cloth to wipe around the burner elements – saving the big clean for after company leaves.

Clean Out the Refrigerator

Starting from the top and proceeding to the bottom, wipe down the entire interior of your refrigerator, as well as its door gaskets with 2 tablespoons of baking soda dissolved in one quart of water (the baking powder works to remove any lingering odors); completely rinse with water. Trash any expired or otherwise bad foods during this process.

Stock Up on the Comfort Foods

Considering that some visitors just love to show up unexpected during the holidays, it is always important to keep your house stocked with easy to make snacks and appetizers including eggs, nuts, chips, salsa, bean deep, coffee, saltines, cheese and fruit. Don’t forget to shop for the following items as well:

• Batteries
• Toothpicks
• Cheese Cloth
• Garbage Bags
• Kitchen String
• Coffee Filters
• Aluminum Foil and Pans
• Freezer Bags and Tupperware
• Dish Soap and Dishwashing Detergent

Make Sure You Have Enough Chairs

Make a list of how many people you invited to your holiday dinner. Now look at your dining set. Are there enough chairs (not to mention room at the table) for everyone? If you don’t have any desk chairs or folding tables that can spring into action, then you may want to ask friends and family if you can borrow some.

Other Preparing Your Home for the Holidays Tips

• Do focus on preparing your guest bedroom
• Do focus on preparing your bathroom(s)
• Do focus on cleaning your ceramic flooring
• Do focus on the tiny little details and touches such as dusting and picking up after the kids or dogs.
• Don’t overextend yourself
• Don’t forget to be a gracious and welcoming host

Happy Holidays!