The Best Way To Gift Wrap Your Christmas Cookies

A brilliant hack for keeping pets out of your tree, a natural remedy for a queasy tummy, and more. December 16, 2021 [View Online]( Good morning! As inexpensive, heartfelt, and traditional as they are, it’s no wonder homemade cookies are the de facto holiday “neighbor gift.” If you’re planning on taking cookies to the neighbors in the near future, you’ll learn a clever way to package them in Today’s Good Thing. Also in today’s newsletter, there’s another great OGT reader tip in Your One Good Thing. I always appreciate knowing I’m not the only one who panic-cleans their home when visitors are on their way. Jillee DAYS UNTIL 🎄 Christmas: 9 🎊 New Year's Day: 16 TODAY'S GOOD THING The Best Way To Gift Wrap Your Christmas Cookies [Photos of a paper plate being fashioned into a basket for cookies.]( Taking cookies to the neighbors? Here’s a great way to wrap them so they make it safe and sound. One of my favorite holiday traditions is the annual unofficial cookie exchange in our neighborhood and church community. I love seeing (not to mention tasting) the different varieties of cookies that come our way, from recipes that have been with families for generations to new creations inspired by the latest baking trends. When it comes to my own cookies, I don’t necessarily want to plop them on a paper plate and call it a day, but I don’t want to spend a lot on containers either. Part of the appeal of homemade treats is that they're relatively inexpensive to make in bulk, so spending a bunch of money on packaging doesn't make a lot of sense. I also want to ensure my cookies make it to the neighbors intact. I’ve had too many cookies slip and slide off of their plates between houses to not consider a better way to protect them in transit. Luckily for me, a friend turned me onto a simple, attractive, and utterly brilliant way to gift wrap homemade cookies that offers more protection than other methods I’ve used while still being very inexpensive. It's a method of turning a cheap paper plate into a small “cookie basket” that’s functional and looks nice too. Give this a try if you’re giving out cookies or other treats to the neighbors this year, and they’ll surely be wowed by your gift before they take a single bite. [See The Tutorial For DIY Cookie Baskets ➜]( Related • [You Should Never Skip This One Step When You Make Cookies]( • [These Sour Cream Cookies Are The Holiday Tradition I Look Forward To The Most]( ⚡️QUICK TIPS⚡️ • For Instant Pot users and fans of easy desserts, this 3-ingredient Apple “Dump Cake” is sure to become a new favorite. [Read more ➜]( • Finding it hard to fall asleep when you get into bed at night? Try these 9 actionable techniques to fall asleep faster. [Read more ➜]( • Using tea tree oil to prevent mildew growth in your washer is one of 8 ways you can use essential oils in laundry. [Read more ➜]( WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT? Use “Alarm Bells” To Keep Pets Out Of The Tree [A photo of Jillee hanging bells on a tree under Milo the Boxer's watchful eye.]( If your pets are all too interested in your Christmas tree, try this easy and humane deterrent. Some of our furry friends are too curious for their own good, especially when it comes to new, novel, and seasonal items. Christmas trees are a perfect example of something that can draw their attention, and depending on your pet’s disposition, it may seem like a shiny toy, climbing wall, or sinister stranger. Whichever the case may be, you probably don’t want your pet in, on, or around your tree, and luckily there’s an easy option for discouraging their tree-related hijinks. Hang a few bells from the lower branches of your tree—for some pets, the unexpected jingling may be enough to discourage them. For pets that are less skittish, the sound of bells may not send them running, but they can still be useful to you as an alarm. When you hear bells, you’ll know your cat or dog is getting into the tree again, and can intervene if you so choose. SWAP THAT 🔄 FOR THIS Natural Relief For A Queasy Tummy [Photos of Pepto Bismol and Tum Ease roll-on.]( Between rich foods and too many treats, it pays to be prepared for tummy troubles this time of year. Like a moth to a flame, it’s hard for me to resist the draw of the types of rich foods and sweet treats that can easily upset my sensitive stomach. And that’s doubly true during the holiday season, when rich dishes and delicious Christmas treats seem to lurk around every corner. But I don’t want to deprive myself of foods that are central to the Christmas experience, so I try my best to walk the thin line between self-deprivation and overindulgence. I also make sure I’m prepared for those moments of queasiness with the help of my favorite easy-to-use remedy: my [Tum Ease roll-on](. This blend features several oils known to have unique properties that can aid in the digestion process, including cardamom, ginger, and sweet fennel, just to name a few. And the roll-on format makes it easy to use as soon as I feel any hint of discomfort—just a couple of swipes onto my lower abdomen and I’m good to go. [OGT readers get the best price on Tum Ease ➜]( JILLEE'S PICK Festive Wallpapers For Your Phone [Various festive phone wallpapers in a collage.]( If you like to decorate your physical surroundings for the holidays, why not decorate your digital space too? In fact, digital decorating is even easier than decorating your house, because there are no boxes to haul out of storage and no strands of hopelessly tangled lights to unravel. I like to change up my phone backgrounds (both the home screen and lock screen) fairly frequently, so I was recently looking around online for some Christmas-themed phone wallpapers. I ended up finding quite the collection of great options and thought I'd share. My search led me to an article titled “[50+ Free Stunning Christmas Wallpaper Backgrounds for iPhone]( on Chic Pursuit, a blog that specializes in sharing decor, beauty, and style inspiration. Visit the link for an abundance of festive wallpapers (which, despite what the title suggests, can be used on any type of smartphone). There are all sorts of beautiful, seasonally appropriate images to choose from, replete with decorated trees, wrapped gifts, snowy villages, and more [bokeh]( Christmas lights than you can shake a stick at. Let me know if you end up using any of them on your phone, or which ones you love the most! YOUR ONE GOOD THING Use Shampoo To Quickly Clean A Sink Linda W. from Dallas, Texas has a great tip for a fast bathroom sink touchup: "Clean your bathroom sink in a hurry with a dab of shampoo. It easily washes away soap scum and leaves the sink clean and shiny and smelling fresh! I sneak in a quick cleaning when I have unexpected company." I love any tip or trick that makes my house look cleaner than it actually is at any given moment, especially the ones that are quick and easy enough to use on short notice. This tip checks both boxes, so thank you very much for sharing it with us Linda. Our unexpected guests may not notice or care if the bathroom sink has soap scum or flecks of toothpaste in it, but we care. And now we can rest easy knowing that a little shampoo will take care of the mess in no time, and it’s all thanks to our friend Linda. Have a great tip or trick of your own? [Share YOUR “one good thing” here]( for a chance to see it featured in a future newsletter! A FEW MORE THINGS... Happy Birthday: What do Catherine of Aragon, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Jane Austen have in common? They were all born on December 16—in 1485, 1770, and 1775, respectively. If you’re celebrating a birthday too, then congratulations for being in such impressive company, and a big “happy birthday” from the OGT Team! Would You Rather? Christmas Edition: “Would you rather” questions make great icebreakers and can lead to memorable conversations with family and friends. Here’s one to try: “Would you rather wrap 100 presents or decorate 10 trees?” What did you think of today's email? [Not good]( | [Just okay]( | [Loved it!]( 🏠[Visit the By Jillee Shop]( 🤗 [Join OGT Free]( Let's connect! [facebook]( [instagram]( [pinterest]( [youtube]( If you have thoughts, comments, questions or a tip or trick you'd like to share, I'd love to hear from you! 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