It’s the holidays: we travel, we buy gifts, we go to holiday parties, we get off schedule, and sometimes we mess up during this crazy time of the year. Here are 6-holiday hacks with easy fixes to help with those “oops” moments. Hopefully, these hack ideas will help keep the focus on building wonderful holiday memories this season and not the hack.
Holiday hack fix #1 – Easy fix with a candle
Either you didn’t want to buy a real tree, didn’t want to pay for a real tree this year, or you couldn’t get a real tree and your family misses that evergreen tree aroma. Easy fix with a candle that smells just like a Christmas Tree. Just burn a robust candle such as “Oh, Christmas Tree” from Pure Soaps And Candles. “Oh, Christmas Tree” wood wick lotion candle offers a real Christmas evergreen aroma in a candle.
Your friends and family will think it’s a real tree if you have this clean-burning candle throughout your holiday season. Extra bonus: it burns over 110 hours and puts out aroma to about 1500 sq ft so you probably only need one Oh Christmas Tree clean burning candle. But just in case, two are always nicer.
Holiday hack fix #2 – the “dreaded” unplanned guest
It’s the holidays and the dreaded unplanned guest decides to visit. Be it a neighbor, family, or friend who comes to beckon your door at an inopportune time [ie: the house isn’t as clean as you wanted]. No worries, holiday hack fix #2, just burn a candle. Burning a candle will distract your guest from any unpleasant aromas lingering in your home. Your guest will focus on the candles’ warm, enjoyable aroma. Pure Soaps And Candles offers a large selection of clean-smelling aromas including, Carolina Pine Forest, Sweet Autumn Spice, or Peppermint Stick. These are just a sampling of the variety of candle aromas offered depending on your scent desire; outdoor aromas, mints, or spices.
Holiday hack fix #3 – kids or families arriving before the cookies are baked
Remember that sweet holiday aroma you had when you came to visit your grandmother’s or aunt’s house for the holidays? If you want to recreate that for your family it could be a little more challenging with today’s commuters. Flight changes, traffic delays, the holidays include these unplanned schedule changes. Kids or families arriving before the cookies are baked won’t be a problem if you prep ahead with a cookie-smelling candle. Holiday hack fix #3, burn a cookie-smelling candle like a Homemade Gingerbread wood wick lotion candle.
Homemade Gingerbread in the Southern Blaze collection is a true ginger aroma using pure essential oils to build an authentic smell. Pure Soaps And Candles has made a Homemade Gingerbread that probably has real gingerbread men baked into the wax. [kidding]
Have a tin of pre-made gingerbread or chocolate cookies and pull them out when your guests arrive and light your candle. Your guests won’t even question if you just made the cookies for them even if they are store-bought. Scents that are sweet and warm imprint and tie event moments to your memories. Your kids or guests will link those wonderful holiday memories to that aroma and your home. The Chocolate Cake candle is also a must-burn if your family loves chocolate over the holidays. Peppermint Stick, Vanilla Pumpkin Spice, and Sweet Autumn Spice are also big holiday aromas that bring joy and warmth to the season. Holiday-themed, food-inspired candles are a wonderful addition to your holidays.
If you do have time for making gingerbread cookies, here’s a vegan recipe that we loved from Lands & Flavors.
Holiday hack fix #4 – last-minute ‘oops’ I forgot a gift
I write lists, I make charts, but inevitably every year I forget someone. My son’s history teacher, the postman, the next-door neighbor… you get the point. The last-minute oops gift. We have all done it. We look for something quick in our house to ‘regift’ to bring to a party for the host that we forgot. Here’s an easy holiday hack fix. Buy a few candles in aromas you love to have on hand for those last-minute oops holiday gifts. If you end up not needing the candles you keep them for yourself. Candles are a gender universal gift with most people enjoying good quality earth-made candles.
Holiday hack fix #5 – have a holiday candle on hand for someone who forgets the gift exchange
Our family loves our annual ‘Secret Santa’ gift exchange. But every so often someone forgets the gift exchange. This holiday hack fix is easy. Have a holiday candle on hand. Holiday candles make a wonderful gift. Have a few on hand for those who forget to bring their gift to swap with the group. They will appreciate it and so will the recipient of the gift.
Holiday hack fix #6 – burnt holiday casserole
If you haven’t burned something while cooking around the holidays, that’s really impressive. But for us “non-chefs” who make the inevitable overcooked sweet potato casserole, I implore you to consider having a robust candle on hand to cover the burnt smell of an overdone recipe. Burned holiday casserole or any burned item during the holidays is awful. Opening windows and doors with fans going, etc. A holiday hack fix that works well is burning a robust candle aroma.
A robust aroma candle or an air-purifying candle such as any candle using essential oils in the mint or citrus family can help cleanse and purify the air. A few suggestions include Pure Soaps And Candles Bless Your Heart with Spearmint and Wild Orange blends, or our Winter Nights using Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Vanilla. If you are looking for a robust smelling sweet holiday candle consider Carolina Christmas or Muscadine Vineyards. The Southern Blaze Muscadine Vineyards wood wick lotion candle omits a sweet wine aroma that is enjoyable this time of the year. Makes a nice addition to any festivity and remember, you can use it as a lotion once the wax is warm.
We hope you enjoy your holidays this season without any hacks!
Many warm holiday blessings to you and yours.
