25 HELPFUL HINTS FOR A HAPPY HOLIDAY

        Make totally edible Christmas ornaments by stringing popcorn and hanging cookies, nuts and candy.

        Decorate a red or green tube sock and use as gift wrap to hold a bottle of wine or a small toy.

        Wrap oversized gifts in a holiday-patterned tablecloth.

        Host a craft party to make decorations to donate to a charity.

        Charter a bus to tour your city's best decorated homes and hold your holiday party onboard.

        Give the gift of yourself by volunteering at a shelter.

        Roll up a magazine with a ribbon and attach a card giving the recipient a year's subscription for a last-minute gift.

        Enhance your New Year's party with clocks all set to ring at midnight.

        Keep a few generic wrapped gifts on hand in case you get an unexpected present.

        Wrap large, odd-shaped gifts in a decorated green leaf bag.

        Hang old ornaments close to the tree's trunk to add depth and color.

        Tie decorations with ribbon to your tree if you have small children or pets.

        A fabric-draped ironing board makes a great temporary sideboard to hold food or bar items.

        Recycle old holiday cards as gift tags.

        In small quarters, use your kitchen counter for your buffet and your stove's burners as a chafing rack.

        Serve only bite-sized party food to eliminate plates and utensils.

        Make your New Year's tablecloth from pieced-together calendar pages.

        Send a shamash with your Hanukkah invitation and ask guests to help you light your menorah.

        Sew napkins from African-patterned fabric for your Kwanzaa celebration.

        Hold your holiday party away from the office to put employees in a more festive mood.

        Rent a chipper to turn your old Christmas tree into mulch.

        Ask guests to recount their favorite childhood holiday memory.

        Illuminate your walkway with poinsettias decorated with white twinkle lights.

        Offer only eggnog and punch to reduce your beverage costs.

        Camouflage your artwork as decorated gifts.

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