Use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to make reindeer cookies. Just flip the cutout upside-down so the feet become antlers.
Glue three candy canes together for an easy and festive place-card holder; the curved ends of the canes become the feet of the holder.
To keep lit candles from dripping, put them in the freezer overnight before lighting.
Make a single, lengthwise slit in toilet paper rolls, then wrap them around rolls of wrapping paper to keep the paper from unspooling and wrinkling.
Styrofoam or red plastic Solo cups will neatly hold ornaments in storage bins.
Egg cartons are good for storing small ornaments.
Old aluminum foil and plastic-wrap boxes make good cookie containers for gifting. You can decorate the box in holiday colors, line up cookies, fold it closed and go.Who can't use some holiday tips to simplify life or be more productive during the seasonal blitz of cooking, wrapping and trimming? We've cherry-picked some of the best holiday hacks, or time-saving shortcuts, from Internet sites to help make the next four weeks a little less stressful.
• Remove sap from live trees off your hands with toothpaste. Dab toothpaste on your skin where the sap is stuck, manually rub the paste over the sap for a couple of minutes, then wash your hands with soap. You also can remove sap from carpeting with rubbing alcohol and from hardwood floors with mineral spirits.
• Corral kids' crafting work onto a large baking (cookie) sheet that is foil-lined - completely over the rim of the sheet - for minimal cleanup.
• Need a quick gift bag? Repurpose an empty potato chip bag. Turn the bag inside out, wash and dry it, then insert a present and use a ribbon to tie a bow onto the neck of bag.
• If your trip to visit family falls between Christmas and New Year's, save money by purchasing their presents at after-Christmas sales.
• A slice of bread could prevent a slice of your fingers. To pick up broken glass, carefully press a bread slice over the shards. The spongy bread picks up big and small bits of glass.
• Spread a layer of whipped cream on a cookie sheet and freeze. Use a cookie cutter to cut heart or star shapes from the frozen layer to float in hot chocolate.
• Load icing into condiment bottles for cookie decorating. The squirt bottles make it easier to control where the icing lands and how much.
• Use shiny green tinsel to make a Christmas tree look fuller. Layer it on inner branches to fill gaps.
• Make gift tags from copies of old baby photos; they will add to the family's fun figuring out who gets what.
• Turn triangular ice cream cones into Christmas trees. Simply turn the cone upside down and pipe on green frosting through a star tip, completely covering the cone to give the effect of leaves. Add edible pearls, red hots or other candies for ornaments.
• How frustrating is it when you're wrapping packages and can't find the tape edge - especially when you're using tape that's simply in a roll and not in a dispenser? Slip a penny under the edge of the tape and you'll never have that problem again, plus the penny makes it easier to lift the tape's edge.
• Give your home a pine scent even if you have an artificial tree. Purchase a small bottle of pine essential oil, rub a few drops on the back side of your heating system's vents, then place the vent back into position. The aroma will waft into the room each time the system clicks on.
• Label your Christmas decorations before storing for next year. Tie gift tags onto artificial garlands, clearly marking each garland's length - especially helpful when garland has been cut to fit a stair railing or other specific location - and where it was hung. If possible, store each garland in a separate, clearly marked bag as well.
Contact Susan Pierce at spierce@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6284.