Quick, Easy Ways To Celebrate

By Family Features

During the hustle and bustle of the holiday sea- son, everyone could use an extra pair of hands and a personal assistant. It can be a real challenge to get all of the shopping, decorating and baking done before the "big day" while still making sure everyone’s season is memorable.

According to American Greetings’ holiday-planning guru Patty Flauto, even those with limited time to prepare this holiday season can relax, thanks to the growing number of convenience products on the market.

"Manufacturers are getting much more consumer savvy and are catering to the demand for quick and easy holiday preparation with some great new timesavers that don’t sacrifice creativity," she said.

Flauto offered the following tips for saving time without sacrificing the special charm of the holidays:

¨ Use your computer! From storing Christmas card lists to printing address labels, the computer can be a blessing, especially at this busy time of the year.

        ¨ Set up a semi-permanent "wrapping station" in a spare bedroom or corner of the home office. Having everything on hand — tape, scissors, wrapping paper, assorted sizes of gift bags, tissue, ribbons, bows and tags — saves time and makes it easier to wrap a few things at a time.

¨ Use creative wrap and gift bags to assist in gift preparations. Shoppers don’t have to be professional decorators to make their gifts look great. American Greetings offers some great ideas this holiday, including glow-in-the-dark gift wrap, gift bags with removable magnets that hold a child’s picture and gift bags that light up!

¨ Take advantage of easy ways to entertain and clean up. DesignWare, for instance, offers a new Gingerbread Lane assortment that includes everything from disposable serving bowls and a plastic cutlery caddy to cute accessories like treat bags that match paper plates, napkins and table covers.

With all of the timesaving tips and fun new holiday products on the market this year, busy shoppers just might have more fun getting ready for the holiday!

For stores carrying these American Greetings products, call 1-800-777-4891.