Tips to make holiday dinner a success

DEAR HELOISE: I am hosting my first holiday dinner for family, and I am so nervous. What should I do, basically, to have a good first gathering?

— Becky from Texas DEAR BECKY: Really there are just three basic keys for a holiday party:

■ The setting. Think about the first impression your guests will have when they come into your home. Are there decorations in the entry? The mood should be an appealing one.

■ The scent. What will your family smell when they enter your house? Candles, cookies baking or fresh holiday greens will do the job. ■ The sound. Put on your favorite holiday music, playing softly in the background.

DEAR READERS: The holidays are such a hectic time with all of the events and family gatherings.

In the rush of everything, you may toss out lots of things into the trash. Be aware that you could accidentally put personal info into the trash that a criminal could use for identity theft.

So, do not throw into the garage any personal, financial or medical information. Take off labels from medicine bottles before you toss out empty bottles. Shred or cut up copies of your bills. You want to be sure that no one can get your Social Security number or credit card dates or numbers.

DEAR READERS: When you bring fruits and vegetables home from the supermarket, it’s really important to store them properly. It’s best to eat them several days after you have brought them home, but if you can’t, here’s how to keep them as fresh as you can:

■ Store vegetables in the refrigerator in perforated plastic bags.

■ Use the crisper drawers to help veggies retain moisture. Adjust the humidity controls in the crisper drawers.

■ Put fruits and veggies in separate drawers, because this will prevent the ethylene gas of fruit from affecting the veggies.

■ Do not place potatoes, onions, tomatoes or garlic in the refrigerator.

To share a hint, write to P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000.