Create a lovely tea light for your Mother’s Day brunch table using an orange! Simply flatten the orange a bit with your hand, then using a sharp paring knife, cut a shallow hole in the top of the orange. Insert a tea light and you have a beautiful table decoration! Tip and image courtesy of
To bring the bubbles back to your bubbly, simply drop a single raisin into a glass or bottle of champagne or sparkling wine. The carbon dioxide remaining in the wine will adhere to the fruit and release it back into the drink.
Spilled gravy on your favorite shirt or holiday tablecloth? Here’s how to get it out: blot up as much of the liquid as possible (don’t rub!). Then mix 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide with 1/4 cup liquid dish soap. Work the mixture into the stain, then let it soak for 20 minutes. Rinse with cool water
Fill your home with the warm scent of the holidays with this simmering potpourri. Simply add 2 oranges cut in sections, 1 apple chopped, 1 inch piece of ginger, 1 cup cranberries, 3 cinnamon sticks, and a few small sprigs from your Christmas tree (or use 4 Bay leaves or rosemary sprigs) to 4 cups
To keep your cut flowers fresher longer, use equal parts water and Mountain Dew in the vase.
Place your delicate ornaments in empty egg cartons to keep them organized and safe when storing in the off-season.
Grab a bunch of grapes for your New Year’s celebration! In Spain, and many Latin cultures, it is believed that eating 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve — one for each stroke of midnight — will bring luck throughout the coming year.
When storing your fine china, place an inexpensive paper plate or coffee filter between each plate. This will help eliminate scratches.
After a large meal, eat some fresh pineapple. Pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which helps aid digestion and the feelings of overeating. But be sure to go for fresh — canned pineapple does not contain as much of the enzyme, which is destroyed in the canning process.
Serving stuffing at your holiday table? Break out the muffin tins! Create single serving “stuffin’ muffins” that have lots of crispy edges. Perfect for the kids’ table, plus they’re easy to store and reheat.
