Prepare early to ease holiday stress

DEAR READERS: With the upcoming holidays —Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah — all of the gatherings take a lot of organization and can be stressful. Use these two Heloise Hints to help ease the stress: 1. Plan ahead. 2. Get everyone in the family involved with the festivities.

Here are some further tips to help with your gatherings:

Weeks before the dinner, buy all of your nonperishable items, canned goods, frozen food, liquor, wine and bottled beverages. Stock up on paper towels and extra toilet paper. And if you are not going to use china or glasses, purchase disposable plates, glasses, utensils and napkins.

Use your family computer to create a Thanksgiving file and a Christmas file, which will contain lists for guests, shopping items, menus and recipes.

To engage your children, let them use their computer or smartphone to create menus, invitations or place cards to be printed or emailed to guests. Have them help set the table and cleanup afterward.

To manage the kitchen mess, try to clean up as you cook. Have your kids help out; assign them specific tasks.

DEAR HELOISE: We have a lot of old wooden furniture that we inherited, and I am noticing small cracks and scratches in some pieces. What can I do to repair them, and how can I take better care of my lovely furniture?

—Beth in Oklahoma DEAR BETH: With age, this does happen to antique pieces. Be aware that wood furniture needs attentive care and a good polish to help prevent it from drying out. If the cracks are bigger, you need to consult a wood professional in your area. But if the scratches or cracks are smaller, here are the steps you can take.

1. Go to a hardware or big-box store and buy wax sticks. You can match the wax stick color to the wood finish. The sticks also can cover up cracks or deep scratches in the wood.

2. Rub the stick into the crack until the wax is flush (even) with the surface.

3. Then heat a putty knife in hot water and use the flat side of the knife to press across the area filled with the wax. This will make certain that you have an even, smooth surface.

4. Dust the wood pieces often and polish regularly to help keep them in shape and looking good.

DEAR READERS: If you have cooked vegetables, a stew or anything that you want to keep warm on the way to a party, use this good idea. Put the hot soup, stew or vegetables in a widemouth, half-gallon thermos. It will stay hot and, best of all, nothing will spill in the car.