If you’re in charge of organizing a family, friend, or co-worker gift swap this year, make it easy on yourself, and use the website Elfster.com. Simply create a new gift swap, and invite the participants via e-mail. Once everyone has accepted the invitation, Elfster will mix everyone up and email out gift assignments. You can include all the information like […]
A Clever Way to Hide Scratches on Furniture
The relatives are coming…and even though you resolved back in January to fix that scratch on the coffee table, almost 12 months have passed, and it’s still there. Not to worry: You can mask it in less than a minute. Simply break open a fresh walnut and rub the meat directly onto the spot. The oil covers marks on various […]
Being Sad Can Cost You
The classic carol claims that “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” But for some, the holidays are a time of melanholly, a.k.a. the holiday-season blues (as dubbed by last week’s issue of the New York Times magazine). And those moody feelings could end up costing you more than a gift-buying spree at the mall. New data from Harvard and […]
Have You Tried It? Target’s Electronics Trade-in Program
So what happens when you decide it’s time to upgrade to a new gadget—moving from the original iPad to a newer version, or switching systems and going to an Android tablet? What do you do with the device that you’re replacing? You could sell it on eBay or Craigslist, gift it to a family member, or reach out to your […]
2 Tips to Make Holiday Party Mingling Less Awkward
Tis the season for holiday open houses, office Christmas parties, and—for better or worse—endless amounts of small talk with acquaintances and strangers. If you find yourself at a loss for words on the party circuit (like I do), do not fear. I talked to a slew of mingling pros, who offered simple conversation starters anyone can use. 1. From humorist […]
Caring for Sequined and Beaded Dresses
The holidays are nearly upon us, and that means that all of those sequins and sparkles usually relegated to the back of the closet are about to make a reappearance. We gave Jerry Pozniak, managing director of Jeeves New York (a dry cleaner trusted by both celebrities and big-ticket customers like Victoria’s Secret) a call for some tips on how […]
