Hang a Christmas tree!

It’s been a year for the books, hasn’t it? If you are pushed for time and space and want to put up a tree with a smaller footprint, you can make one, and attach it to the wall!

Grab some evergreen garland and some damage-free, easy-to-remove picture hooks. Shape the garland, beginning toward the ceiling, into a tree configuration, and pin with a picture hook, then work your way down the wall.

Complete the “tree” with a star on top, ornaments that can easily hook onto the garland and even lights!

It’s perfect for a child’s room, apartment or a senior with limited space. With the damagefree picture hooks, disassembly will be a breeze. - Heloise

Tech talk tuesday

DEAR HELOISE » I hear the term “spoiler alert” quite a bit. What does it mean? - Grandma Mary in Florida

Grandma Mary, ever write somebody about a great film or play you saw or a book you’ve read? Before you tell about a plot twist, the downfall of a character or the outcome of the story, you might alert your audience: Spoiler Alert!

You’re warning the person that you might be about to reveal information critical to the plot or the outcome of the story, so if they don’t want to know, they should stop reading right away! - Heloise

Gone phishing

DEAR HELOISE » My bank just posted on its website a reminder: They will never text me or call me asking for personal information to “reactivate” my account or frozen debit card.

They remind their customers that if it sounds suspicious, it probably is. - Ken R. in Texas

Firefighter reminder

A refresher on some holiday behaviors, from a firefighter in St. Louis, first printed last year:

Cocktail quickie

DEAR HELOISE » To remove the skin from garlic, I put several cloves in a cocktail shaker and give it a quick shake. The skins separate easily. - Wren B. in Calif.

Switch it up

DEAR HELOISE » I’m cleaning more nowadays, and I pay particular attention to light switches and doorknobs. These get extra wipes with the disinfecting wipes. - Joseph T. in Conn.

MOVE IT!

DEAR HELOISE » Enjoyed your moving tips this week. I would add: