Cocoa is always a favorite, and the peppermint version is especially delicious. You can add a few marshmallows for the little ones, or some vodka for that uncle who is looking for something “festive.” When you’ve got a house full of guests, a stovetop brimming over with holiday food, and […]
Who needs bows? When you’re wrapping gifts–especially gifts that you’ll be traveling with or shipping to their recipients–you can skip the time and expense of bows and decorate your Christmas gifts with a beautiful and easy, ribbon weave. Just lay one stripe of ribbon down at a time, and weave […]
A DIY holiday chandelier is easy to make if you have a hanging lamp, ceiling lamp, or even a ceiling fan in your home. Start with some Christmas tree ornaments. They don’t even have to be your favorites because, after all, they will be up near the ceiling. And they […]
DIY holiday décor doesn’t have to take a lot of time or money. You can make something spectacular with simple Christmas tree ornaments. No time for a tree? No worries. You can still get your ornaments out and create your own elegant décor. Use a cake stand, a “cloche” (we […]
Cookies are everyone’s favorite–especially during the holidays. You’ve probably spent a lot of time cooking up your mom’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Now here’s the way to wrap up those treats with style. For a holiday cookie swap, or just bringing treats over to the neighbors, forget about the standard paper […]
Oh, Christmas dinner–the time to have fun, reconnect with family, and bring up touchy subjects. Have you spent too much money on holiday gifts this year? You’re not alone. On average, an individual spends almost $900 on holiday gifts–and that doesn’t even begin to include travel and holiday meals! Bring […]
Gingerbread cookies are festive and fun, and you can easily turn them into holiday decorations! Here’s an easy and inexpensive way to add some “country cottage” holiday charm to your home. When you’re making these tasty cookies (here’s the easiest way to do that), use a straw to make two holes […]
Labels add the finishing touch on gifts, yet far too often we put all the effort into wrapping the gift, and the labels are treated as an afterthought. Now you can make DIY gift tags that are not only simple but also reflect what’s inside the package. This is so […]
Christmas ornaments can turn into keepsakes or even family heirlooms, especially when they are hand-made. But you don’t have to be an expert crafter to make holiday ornaments that will be treasured for years to come. These are so easy, even a first-time crafter can make them! Start with clear […]
Edible ornaments? Yes, and they are so easy to make that you’ll wish you’d known about this DIY project ages ago. All you need are some crushed candy canes, metal cookie cutters, and a little DIY genius. Oil a cookie sheet (and the inside of the cookie cutters), add the crushed candy, […]
Glass jars that you’ve tucked away all year are just what you need for this holiday hack. No room for a Christmas tree? No problem. It’s time to put those glass vases and mason jars to use. Fill the jars with ornaments, holly (real or faux, no worries), or LED […]
Candy cane place cards are so easy to make that even the kids can get in on this DIY holiday project. Kids of all ages love this! Start with some small candy canes and, if they come in a wrapper, remove it carefully. Then, glue or tie together three small candy […]
Candy canes are delightful at the holidays–you can hang them on the Christmas tree, use them to decorate garland, make place cards, and of course, eat them! For the kiddies enjoying hot cocoa, and for the grownups sipping on some eggnog, try using them as candy-coated stir sticks. Just melt chocolate (in […]
A Christmas tree cheeseboard is a wonderful way to serve up cheese and grapes as an appetizer. We love edible Christmas trees, especially when they are this fun and delicious! To make a Christmas tree cheeseboard, use sprigs of rosemary and thyme for the branches, then layer cubes of cheese, grapes, […]
Cranberry ice adds a festive flair to your drinks, appetizer platters and ice buckets at the holidays. It’s so simple to make, too. You can buy a bag of fresh or frozen cranberries at the grocery store. There’s no need to cook them, but be sure to rinse them! Add […]
The easiest Christmas manicure doesn’t require any special tools or heating lamps. Here’s a manicure you can do at home, with masking tape! First, polish your nails–we think green works perfectly for this endeavor, but you can also use red or silver. Then, when the first layer of polish is […]
Snowmen pumpkins are all the rage this year. It’s a smart way to “upcycle” your leftover Halloween décor. Whether your leftover pumpkins are the real deal or made of foam, it’s easy to paint them white and turn them into snowmen! (If the neighborhood kids already smashed your pumpkins, you can […]
A DIY holiday candle holder that is so easy and practically free! We’ve found yet another use for mason jars–or any empty jars you have handy: making your own holiday candle holders. This is easy and inexpensive: just tie some small cuttings from your tree (or your neighbor’s tree!), cinnamon […]
Candy cane frosting is perfect for holiday cookies and cakes. This easy frosting is lighter than traditional frosting–and quick to make. In fact, it’s so simple you can invite your husband–we mean, your kids–to help you make it. Start with some candy canes of any size. Place them in a brown […]
Wrapping paper has a way of disappearing–especially when your friends and family stop by and use yours. When you run out, it’s time to get creative. Use paper bags, turned inside out, to get a nice “Kraft paper” look. Forget about ribbons and bows! You can use any string that you […]
Hang a wreath on your front door without using a single nail. There are lots of good reasons to put up a wreath–it’s festive, fresh and a lot less expensive than decorating an entire tree! But, if you rent, or if you have a really nice front door, you probably don’t […]
The scent of Christmas is distinct, fresh and somehow reassuring, probably because it includes things that remind us of home: cinnamon, vanilla, pine, and cranberries. It is said that our sense of smell is strongly linked to memory, so let’s make this year full of good memories and wonderful smells. Now you […]
Strawberry Santas are super easy to make and require only three ingredients: strawberries, whipped cream and tiny round candies like these. Start with a bunch of strawberries. Rinse and remove the stems. Slice the top one-third of a strawberry, add whipped cream, then put the top of the strawberry on top of […]
Organize ribbon once and for all–when it’s time to wrap it up, you don’t have time for searching through a messy bag full of rolls of ribbon, only to find out you actually don’t have what you need. Use a free-standing paper towel holder to keep all your ribbons, strings and […]
Hang ornaments without stressing over those tricky little ornament hooks. The simplest way to connect an ornament and a Christmas tree? Paper clips! Of course you want your home or office to look festive, and ornaments, a holiday centerpiece, add to your festive style. Yet it seems that, every year, […]
Wrap oddly shaped gifts the easy way without spending a fortune on gift bags! Sure, wrapping up a gift with wrinkled paper and a whole lot of tape is cute–when you’re a kid. But presentation is important, and people do get a bit tired of digging gifts out of generic […]
Holiday brownies combine the best of both worlds: sweets + holiday celebration. (Oh, and at the holidays, calories don’t really count.) Whether you are making brownies, blondies, fudge, or even homemade marshmallows, make them in the shapes of Christmas trees, stars and holly with this very simple trick: use metal cookie […]
A DIY holiday serving tray is easy to make, and it will make everything you cook over the holidays look especially sumptuous. Of course, you want your fancy holiday drinks to taste good (here’s a vodka hack that will help). For holiday appetizers or drinks, you can make a fancy […]
Store small ornaments the easiest way in the world–just put them in an empty egg carton! When you’re ready to take down the Christmas tree, wreath, and creative décor, take the hooks off each ornament and tuck them away in the safety of the humble egg carton (six or twelve, […]
Edible Christmas trees are simple to make and delicious to eat. All you need is pita bread, guacamole and some pretzel sticks. You can add tomatoes or sour cream for some extra pizazz. Make your own colorful and healthy Christmas appetizer with these simple ingredients. Cut pita bread into wedges […]
Remove cherry pits before you serve a bowl of cherries and you won’t have to worry about your kids chocking on the pits–or spitting them out at their siblings. First, wash the cherries. Use a narrow-necked bottle, like a wine bottle or an old-fashioned soda bottle. If the cherry has […]
Create font based on your very own handwriting. Just a few years ago, creating a font took months of work by a graphic designer. Today, you can create a font based on your own handwriting, the easy way. High tech meets low tech at a website that will walk you through the […]
DIY nail art can be simple, fun and oh-so chic–all you need are a couple of Band-Aids. First, paint your nails with a base color. You can add a clear top-coat over the base, or over your “art” or, for a super long-lasting manicure, over both. Place the end of […]
Perfect mascara can be yours, at last. You want to coat all your lashes, from the base all the way up–but it can get messy. Try this: hold a business card at the base of your lashes. The card will absorb the extra mascara that would otherwise end up all […]
Remove water stains from your coffee tables, dining room table or even your piano bench (!) with the concentrated heat of your hair dryer. My friend used a Dyson supersonic hair dryer but honestly, any hair dryer will do. Cool glasses of water or hot cops of tea–along with those […]
Who needs bows? When you’re wrapping gifts–especially gifts that you’ll be traveling with or shipping to their recipients–you can skip the time and expense of bows and decorate your Christmas gifts with a beautiful and easy, ribbon weave. Just lay one stripe of ribbon down at a time, and weave […]
DIY holiday décor doesn’t have to take a lot of time or money. You can make something spectacular with simple Christmas tree ornaments. No time for a tree? No worries. You can still get your ornaments out and create your own elegant décor. Use a cake stand, a “cloche” (we […]
A DIY holiday chandelier is easy to make if you have a hanging lamp, ceiling lamp, or even a ceiling fan in your home. Start with some Christmas tree ornaments. They don’t even have to be your favorites because, after all, they will be up near the ceiling. And they […]
Wrapping paper has a way of disappearing–especially when your friends and family stop by and use yours. When you run out, it’s time to get creative. Use paper bags, turned inside out, to get a nice “Kraft paper” look. Forget about ribbons and bows! You can use any string that you […]
Holiday brownies combine the best of both worlds: sweets + holiday celebration. (Oh, and at the holidays, calories don’t really count.) Whether you are making brownies, blondies, fudge, or even homemade marshmallows, make them in the shapes of Christmas trees, stars and holly with this very simple trick: use metal cookie […]
Snowmen pumpkins are all the rage this year. It’s a smart way to “upcycle” your leftover Halloween décor. Whether your leftover pumpkins are the real deal or made of foam, it’s easy to paint them white and turn them into snowmen! (If the neighborhood kids already smashed your pumpkins, you can […]
Cookies are everyone’s favorite–especially during the holidays. You’ve probably spent a lot of time cooking up your mom’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Now here’s the way to wrap up those treats with style. For a holiday cookie swap, or just bringing treats over to the neighbors, forget about the standard paper […]
Gingerbread cookies are festive and fun, and you can easily turn them into holiday decorations! Here’s an easy and inexpensive way to add some “country cottage” holiday charm to your home. When you’re making these tasty cookies (here’s the easiest way to do that), use a straw to make two holes […]
Who needs bows? When you’re wrapping gifts–especially gifts that you’ll be traveling with or shipping to their recipients–you can skip the time and expense of bows and decorate your Christmas gifts with a beautiful and easy, ribbon weave. Just lay one stripe of ribbon down at a time, and weave […]
Holiday brownies combine the best of both worlds: sweets + holiday celebration. (Oh, and at the holidays, calories don’t really count.) Whether you are making brownies, blondies, fudge, or even homemade marshmallows, make them in the shapes of Christmas trees, stars and holly with this very simple trick: use metal cookie […]
