Making the Season Bright
All is calm: Is there more stress than tinsel in your home? Bunni Tobias, a Lake Forest child psychologist and educator, has a few ideas on how to keep tykes--and adults--calm during the holiday chaos. “Give kids little things to do that will make them feel a part of the holiday bustle,” Tobias says. “Make a calendar, which provides structure for each member of the family, and during social gatherings designate a corner in the house where children can calm down and rest. Make sure they realize this isn’t punishment but rather a place to relax.”
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Blooming change: You were comfortable with the red poinsettia and then they were bred to bloom in yellow, apricot, pink . . . you name it. One book clears up the confusion. “Poinsettias: Myth and Legend, History and Botanical Fact” by Christine Anderson and Terry Tischer (Waters Edge Press, $21.95) details how the plant has been adapted as well as reveals its use in Aztec medicines and provides advice on proper care.
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Making memories: “I am a crafty, sewing, baking type, and I have a huge family. We make most of our gifts, but the time we spend brainstorming, giggling and catching up is more precious than anything we produce. Last year it was ornaments and leopard-print club purses. This year it’s sarongs, games and, as always, fudge.”
--Susan Roush, Laguna Beach,
founder of Binky Patrol Inc.
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Cyber Kwanzaa: Is your Web page lonely for visitors? One of the benefits of the Internet is linking your page to others. At www.melanet.com/kwanzaa you can add your page to a list of others that are dedicated to Kwanzaa. For more on the African American celebration, which is Tuesday-Jan. 1, visit www.tike.com/pruitt.htm for one family’s traditions and members.nbci.com/web_lady/kwanzaa/kwanzaa2.html for recipes.
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Kitschy Christmas: Just like the poke in the eye you needed right now, Billings Paint & Hardware in Belmont Shore has Three Stooges plastic lawn ornaments. Forty-inch-tall Larry, Moe and Curly are wearing Santa caps and holding candy canes. “We sell a lot of regular hardware, but we also look for fun, obscure things,” owner Doug Billings says. (562) 439-2113.
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Lush life: Most people mix red and white during the holidays. Not Barbara Kohan, owner of Flower Warehouse in Costa Mesa. She picks just one palette, say, tulips or roses that range from pale pink to deep red, and accents with winter berries. “Flowers in the same color are pretty and easier to deal with than multicolored arrangements,” she says, adding that oversized arrangements on dining room tables are passe. She suggests lining the center of the table with brandy snifters, terra-cotta pots, tea cups or mugs. Overstuff the containers for a plump, lush look.
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Have a home or garden tip or shortcut? Call (714) 966-7883, write Home Design, Los Angeles Times, Orange County edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626 or send e-mail to ocsocalliv@latimes.com. Please include your name and phone number.
