HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR HELOISE: I save coffee cans to store cookies inside. I bake a lot in December to give away to family and friends and for special events. They stay fresh for weeks.

— Ruth A., La Verne, California

DEAR READER: I do the very same thing. However, I paint the outside of the can in a cheery color. After the can dries, you can let children or grandchildren decorate the exterior of the painted can with stickers, pictures or even cut-out designs. It’s a nice craft project and gets the children involved in the holiday.

If it’s a nasty cold, windy day, the children can stay occupied and out of the way while you are cleaning house, wrapping gifts or folding laundry.

DEAR HELOISE: We’ll be having overnight guests in December, so in the morning, I’ve planned a special breakfast that includes omelets. Here is what I do:

The night before, I cut up all sorts of vegetables, scallions, mushrooms, ham, tomatoes and bell peppers. Then, in the morning, I hand each guest a plastic bag and tell them to select what they want in their omelet and place their selection in the bag. When they are done, I whip up three eggs and pour the vegetables onto their omelet. This way, they get exactly what they want, and it makes it easier on me during cleanup time. — Della M., Auburn, Maine

DEAR READER: That is a terrific idea and one that I plan on using the next time I serve breakfast to overnight guests. Thanks for the hint.

DEAR HELOISE: The scammers never give up, but now that prices have risen so much during this inflationary period, everyone is hoping to find a way to make extra money doing one thing or another. That has been an open door for scammers to prey on people’s fears and needs.

This past week, I received an email from someone claiming to be from a publisher’s clearing house, and they said I had won $7,000 a week for life. All I had to do was click on a button on my computer screen that read “Accept or Declined.”

Yes, we’d all love to win a deal like that, but in truth, it’s very rare. Please warn your readers of the dangers of frauds, like that scheme. The return address on the email should be the first clue that it’s not real. And never give those people any financial information.

— J.R.W., Dallas