As a kid, there was nothing I cherished more than the day we decorated the house for the holidays. My dad would carry boxes from the basement filled with candles, garlands, slightly odd-looking but well-loved ornaments that my sister and I made in pres…
As a kid, there was nothing I cherished more than the day we decorated the house for the holidays. My dad would carry boxes from the basement filled with candles, garlands, slightly odd-looking but well-loved ornaments that my sister and I made in preschool, and—my favorite—mugs that lit up with tiny lights on the outside when you poured hot chocolate into them. The ritual of readying the house was the first sign that the holidays were coming, and with them, festive family get-togethers and cozy evenings by the fire. It’s a tradition I try to recreate now, even in my tiny apartment, with a Charlie Brown tree and cedar-scented candles.
But between hosting houseguests, throwing cocktail parties, cooking Thanksgiving feasts, and welcoming in-laws and kids, the holidays can take their toll on a home. Come January, you can find yourself taking down the decorations and discovering stains of every sort: wine on your new throw, candle wax dripped on the good tablecloth, grease splatters on your apron, mascara smudged on the guest room pillows.
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