Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving 2020. This year has been unlike any other, but we have learned so much. Let’s continue to follow our COVID protocols (social distancing, handwashing, masking up, staying home if we feel sick), and let’s also always look for the good in every situation. That’s how we grow.

Leftover laws

After today’s feast, you may have lots of leftovers. What to do? Here are some hints:

Organization nation

DEAR HELOISE » We start to plan for Christmas events now. We need the time to coordinate with the whole family, and with COVID this year, things are really odd. But to lessen stress, we plan now. There are the questions of who’s coming, what to bring/give, and where the party be held. The why is simple. It’s Christmas and it’s family.

— Marta S. in Illinois

Stained coffee cups

DEAR HELOISE » Even with the quarantine, we’ve had family over, and boy, do they go through the coffee cups and leave them stained! What works for me are denture cleaning tablets — one per cup with some hot water, and overnight, stains disappear.

— J.W. in Texas J.W., this is easy, safe and cheap, as is my solution — baking soda! Baking soda is a workhorse in the home. Nontoxic, safe, cheap and readily available, I keep boxes on hand. I’ve compiled a collection of my favorite baking soda hints, hacks, recipes and tips into a handy pamphlet. Would you like to receive one?

Marshmallow matie

DEAR HELOISE » I wanted to tell you about a hint I created for saving hard, dry marshmallows! I wanted to make s’mores and discovered that my marshmallows had become stale, a common problem in my household.

I remembered that a slice of bread helps soften brown sugar, so I took a piece of fresh bread (I used white), and put it in the plastic bag of marshmallows, then closed it tightly with a twist-tie. By the next day, the once-hard marshmallows were soft and fresh again, and just perfect to be toasted for s’mores!

Enjoy, and I do love reading your daily column for useful tips around the house and domestic inspiration!