From shopping and entertaining to baking and decorating, the holidays give us plenty of reasons to feel overwhelmed and financially stretched. This season, lessen the stress by incorporating a few simple tips that help leave a lasting impression without breaking the bank.
Revive Outdoor Décor
Love your holiday décor from last season? Don’t be afraid to reuse it again this year to help save time and money. To revive last year’s décor and keep it looking like new, try using OxiClean™ Versatile Stain Remover Powder. It’s the perfect solution to remove dirt, dust and grime from decorations that were sitting in storage or outside since you put them away.
Woo Overnight Guests
Fresh blankets and sheets is an inexpensive and cheerful way to help your guest feel like they’re staying at a hotel. To help freshen stale sheets and towels from the back of the linen closet, use Arm & Hammer™ Plus OxiClean™ Unit Dose Power Paks in Fresh Scent for a refreshing clean.
Take it one step further, keep a basket with fresh towels and toiletry items they may have forgotten, such as toothbrushes and toothpaste. The new Arm & Hammer™ Truly Radiant™ lineup of products are sure to impress. The Truly Radiant Clean & Fresh Toothpaste and Spinbrush™ are the perfect combination that refreshing and clean mint flavour that provides long lasting freshness guests will love!
Host a Potluck Christmas Dinner
Make this year’s turkey dinner a team effort! Get your guests involved in the party and arrange a potluck so that everyone pitches in. As the host, take charge by preparing the turkey and have guests bring the fixings, sides and desserts (and wine)!
When it comes to clean-up, cut back on the time you spend in the kitchen by using OxiClean™ Extreme Power Crystals™ and Triple Action Dishwasher Booster to remove the toughest stuck on foods and stains. There’s no pre-rinsing or pre-washing necessary.
Dress to Impress
From family gatherings to New Year’s Eve parties, holiday spills and accidents are bound to happen. This year, don’t let a fear of spills and stains keep you from wearing your favourite party clothes. Instead, use quality laundry detergent such as OxiClean™ HD Liquid Laundry Detergent to remove any dried-on stains the first time and keep clothes looking vivid and bright.
To accessorize your favourite party outfit, pair it with your best bling! For a quick, easy and effective jewelry refresher, try mixing Arm & Hammer™ Baking Soda with hot water and leave your jewelry to sit for a few minutes. In no time, your diamonds will be sparkling bright and looking like new.
Schedule Some “Me Time”
The hustle and bustle of the holidays is sure to leave any host tired, even when entertaining is kept simple. Enjoy some well-deserved “me time” and opt for a hot bubble bath with candles and reach for some Rub A535 Anti Inflammatory Heating Cream to soothe your aching muscles.
There are countless ways to lessen stress and save money during the holidays. What are some of your best kept tips to save money and reduce your stress?
I really like the idea of a Christmas Potluck. It means there’s not one person responsible, and diffuses the stress of the season.
Because we have a big extended family, we only buy presents for the kids, which saves some money.
I like the idea of a potluck – that way it’s easier on the host and everyone can feel a piece of the anxiety! lol
Thanks for the tips!! I just love Oxi products.
I definitely gotta schedule some me time.
I try to buy food items as they come on sale over the course of a few months to avoid having one large CHristmas food bill.
Love this! Excellent points of hosting without breaking the bank. We definitely need to start hosting a family pot luck. we do it for my girls christmas so everyone contributes something but we don’t do it when my family gets together
Great tips. Pot lucks are always great fun over the holidays.
I love the idea of a potluck Christmas Dinner. That would sure take a lot of stress away from the host.
I’m close to family now so this is good advice I want to do more entertaining.
You’ve got great ideas but my favorite is “schedule some me time” because we always seem to put ourselves at the bottom of the list or not on the list at all
Those are four great tips and potlucks are the best!
Thans for the tips! I suggest doing potluck andonly offering one type of alcoholic drink to cut down on costs
Great tips!!! I am looking forward to getting decorating this year! =)
Christmas can be so costly and stressful. I am always appreciative of tips that help reduce some of this.
All good ideas , I try to fress nice but always winding up with something on my clothes!
I will be working Christmas day so, I will take something to my parents for dinner
Christmas Potluck is a wonderful idea not so overwhelming for those trying to make new traditions for their families .
We usually have a potluck Christmas dinner which is great and I also like the Me Time which is sometimes a little more difficult to get.
Some great tips. Love doing the potluck idea over the holidays, does help to reduce the stress!
Christmas Potluck sounds like a great idea. Take away some of the stress and work out of Christmas dinner.
I just make sure that we aren’t scheduled for every minute of every day – there’s gotta be a PJs and movie on the TV day every once in a while
These are all great tips and I really like the pot luck idea, that is something different to do and would be very interesting!!
I would love to do a ‘potluckwine’ party!
we do the ‘everyone brings sides’ and the host/hostess do the turkey.
Really great blog post! Great tips 🙂
A potluck Christmas Dinner is a great idea!
We have lots of family around and have a Christmas Potluck every year.We just buy for kids and great grand Mother.
Great tips, thanks very much for sharing, I’m looking forward to trying the OxiClean products.
Me time is so important. Consciously scheduling it allows you to speak with your partner, parents or friends about watching kids or taking over chores so you can relax.
Potluck dinner is such a great idea! Helps alleviate the pressure of cooking!
I like the idea of a pot luck. It helps with those with a large family.
Thanks for the great tips and I like the idea of doing a potluck because everything is expensive now and takes a lot of time to prepare.
We always do a potluck on Christmas Eve – we have all the leftovers next day!
lots of great tips! Need the me time..I tend to be only one cooking and cleaning!
don’t leave anything to the last minute – cooking, cleaning, Gift Buying
I love these tips, especially the ‘me’ time. I don’t think anyone takes that into consideration… I noticed a few years ago I often ‘step away’ from functions just to collect my thoughts… its especially important when you are the host or hostess!
I like the idea of a potluck. It really helps not only with the money but it could get overwhelming with so many things to prepare.
Let everyone help ! In my family everyone cooks something so one person is not let doing it all !
Some awesome ideas here. I will be giving some a go.
great tips..everyone usually brings a dish to our Christmas gatherings!
Great tips and tricks , i love the Potluck , that;’s always a great way have lots of food for a family get together , less stress on everyone 🙂
I think the “me” time is most important and being able to have a few moments to yourself before guests come is key. So is counting backwards to make sure everything is done on time. Whatever you can prepare ahead of time improves the chance that you don’t have to run around right before people come, so you are refreshed and ready.
I love the potluck idea, wish I had thought of that. That would make holiday dinner planning so much easier for me and hassle-free.
I always have pot lucks as it takes a lot of the stress away!
I like the idea of a Potluck Christmas Dinner. This helps alleviate the stress of preparing dinner for my big family.
Great tips, especially important to me at least, scheduling ME TIME!
Me time is always important!
yes, some ‘me time’ is important to keep ourselves sane this busy holiday season!
Christmas potluck is a great idea. We’ll have to give that one a try.
I love these practical ideas for staying sane during the holidays!
I love the potluck idea 🙂
Love these ideas! Especially the Host a Potluck Christmas Dinner! I have never done that before.
This is our first year buying gifts just for the kid. I feel so much more relaxed about buying presents this year
The potluck christmas idea is wonderful! I will have to convince my family to participate!
I like the idea of a potluck dinner, a true potluck. you may have 6 desserts and no main course but that’s ok
I really love the idea of the pot luck Christmas Dinner! It makes mucho sense!