Be prepared for spur-of-the-moment company
Don't let your family attack the homemade fudge or cookies your neighbor gave you. Hide the goodies and serve 'em to your guests (who may assume they came from your kitchen).
Got a sink full of dishes -- and a full dishwasher? Pop the dirty plates in the oven till your friends are gone.
Steer everyone to the room that sees the least kid traffic. Or have a chat wherever you have the most of your holiday decorations: Those'll distract guests from the Legos underfoot.
Keep a stash of store-bought eggnog in the fridge, sprinkle with nutmeg, and serve in pretty glassware. You'll look like a festive, happy hostess -- even when you're at your wit's end.
Fast Web ways to do good
Here's what your $25 donation can do:
Supply ten books to special-needs children. (Reading is Fundamental, rif.org/donate)
Provide breakfast for a week to a young cancer patient. (St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, stjude.org/donate)
Contribute a medicine cabinet to a house being rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina. (Habitat for Humanity, habitat.org)
