4 Quick Holiday Home Makeovers

Practically point-and-click, these decorating tweaks won't make you break a sweat — or the bank — as you prepare your home for holiday visitors.

  1. Brighten Up the Bathroom

Even if you sing Adele while you soap up, this "Yellow Submarine" shower curtain by Jan Habraken lightens what can be the house's darkest room. And it's kid-friendly yet not adult-repellent.

2. Stow Your Stuff

Sweep off those surfaces in time for guests. The felt storage bins at West Elm are 16 inches square and can hold unopened mail, unread magazines, unfilled papers, and more.

3. Put Out the Welcome Mat

Maine's lobstermen must now replace their "float rope" with "sink rope" to avoid entangling sea creatures. The Maine Float-Rope Company keeps float rope out of landfills by making it into doormats. Solid or striped, they'll add some summer to your doorstep beneath the graying skies of winter.

4. Tame the Bedside Table That jumble of drinking water, reading material, writing implements, and ringing alarm clock next to your bed can coexist, says Martha Stewart Living. The Ferm Living "one-bedroom apartment cabinet".

Holiday Lights, ‘Gangnam Style’

“Gangnam Style,” the dance hit by Korean pop star PSY, has become perfect fodder for video reenactments worldwide, from dancing Thai prisoners to Ellen Degeneres’ JCPenney takeover to dancing lights. Yes, dancing lights.

 Texan John Storms “choreographed” his holiday light display to the record breaking hit. In a clip posted on YouTube (which has over 700,000 views), twinkly Christmas trees, snowflakes, wreaths and icicle lights blink on and off in sync with the music.

 After watching the video I couldn't stop wondering how, and why, Storms did it. So, I caught up with him to get some answers. For the past few years, he’s been decking out his family home in a spectacular menagerie of holiday lights and setting the entire display to music. He chooses tunes based on what his family likes and what’s popular. This year’s show has about a dozen songs.

 Storms started the extravagant displays as a way to continue the “aww factor” of his childhood and share it with others–and, it’s working. Storms said kids dance in the street and families tell him his “dancing house” has become part of their holiday tradition. “We do it to bring a moment of joy to the kids,” he said.

Storms lights up for the first time on Thanksgiving Eve and keeps it going until New Years Eve. Each year, he stocks up on cheap decorations during holiday sales, starts song selection and sequencing in September, then dresses up the house and tests the lights in November.

As a software quality assurance engineer, using Light-O-Rama software to sequence the lights and music isn't too tricky (though, some songs are harder than others), Storms said, and he makes his work available for other hobbyists to use in their own displays. He breaks each song down into foreground, background, vocals, etc. and then programs the lights accordingly. Each piece of the display, be it a tree or a light strand, is on its own “channel” that Storms can turn up, down, fade up or fade out.

For a technical “how-to” of the show, check out Storms’ site. To see more light shows, visit his YouTube page.

How to Eat Well for Less

Buy the best when it makes a difference, and fill the rest of your grocery cart with values.

Save on: Wine

Here's why: Consumers and wine experts liked inexpensive bottles—think Barefoot, Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw, Black Box—just as much as their pricey counterparts in a large-scale blind tasting.

Splurge on: Pasta

Here's why: Generic and bargain-basement pastas often end up as a mushy mess. You don’t have to spend much more to get chefs’ picks like Barilla or DeCecco, which are used in top restaurants.

Save by buying: Everyday oil

Here's why: When oil is going to be cooked, you can usually substitute vegetable or regular olive oil (even if the recipe calls for extra-virgin). High heat destroys much of the taste.

Splurge on: Extra-virgin olive oil

Here's why: Fifty percent of the olive oil sold in the United States may be adulterated with cheap filler oils. Ideally, taste before you buy, and check for a regional seal of certification on the bottle.

Save by skipping: Bottled water

Here's why: That idyllic blue stream on the label likely has nothing to do with your drink: 49 percent of bottled water in the United States comes straight from purified municipal tap water. Instead, use a simple home filter.

Splurge on: Honey

Here's why: You don’t need to go for a wildflower artisanal blend, but carefully check the label. Often the cheap “honey” in a bear squeeze jar is mixed with corn syrup.

Save by skipping: Hamburgers
Here's why: Preformed frozen burgers cost more than plain ground beef—and you can make patties yourself in less than ten seconds each! Plus, E. coli might be more prevalent in the frozen patties.

Splurge on: Coffee
Here's why: Consumer Reports’ two best supermarket coffees (Gloria Jean’s and Newman’s Own) cost about $13.50 a pound but scored significantly better on taste than $8-a-pound brands.

Save by buying: Frozen produce
Here's why: It’s cheaper than out-of-season fresh produce and is also often higher in nutrients and better tasting because it’s frozen right after picking.

Splurge on: Chocolate
Here's why: One-dollar bars combine 20-plus ingredients to create a bar-shaped amalgam of brown chemicals. For $2 more, you could get real dark chocolate.

Save by skipping: Specialty baking mixes
Here's why: Consumer Reports’ taste tests prove that Duncan Hines brownies are just as showstopping as ones made from pricier gourmet mixes.


Splurge on: Vanilla extract
Here's why: “Never use the artificial stuff!” says Susan Reid, editor of The Baking Sheet. “It has one chemical flavor note trying to make up for over 200 flavor notes found in true vanilla.”

Save on: Cheese
Here's why: If you’re melting or mixing the cheese with other ingredients, go cheap! Save the $20-per-pound artisanal triple-crèmes for a special cheese plate.

Save by skipping: Light juices and light coconut milk
Here's why: To make reduced-calorie versions of these products, companies simply add water (and maybe artificial sweetener or thickener). Buy the regular version and water it down yourself.

Vice Advice: I Quit Smoking. Now What?

Smoking can take a serious toll on your health, but quitters may bounce back more quickly than you think. Here, the truth about the damage done, and the repair plan to follow now.

What's the Damage?

First, congrats on kicking the habit. Breaking an addiction to the nicotine in tobacco is not easy. With each smoke-free year that passes, you lower your odds for heart disease, serious breathing problems, and cancers of the lungs, mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, and more. But you may not be in the clear just yet. Your heart and lungs remain at higher risk of disease than that of a nonsmoker for up to 20 years after you quit.

Can You Undo It?

Absolutely. You’ll see immediate health benefits shortly after quitting, but the full benefits take years to reap. Heart disease risk drops 50 percent within a year after kicking the habit, but it’s not until 15 years later that your risk of heart disease and stroke fall to the level of someone who’s never smoked. As for lung cancer: After 10 years smoke-free, your risk is about one-third to one-half that of continuing smokers; it falls to that of someone who’s never smoked within 20 years.

Even better: If you take these additional steps to improve your health beyond staying smoke-free, you can accelerate the recovery and end up even more immune to the diseases linked to smoking.

1. Be vigilant.

Habits and addictions do not die easily. Even if you’ve been smoke-free for years, it might take just one weak moment to reignite your habit. Always be mindful of the benefits of not smoking, and the self-respect you’ve earned in kicking the habit, and don’t let yourself be tempted.

2. Stay away from secondhand smoke.

Passive smoking nearly doubles your odds of a heart attack—and may be even more risky for former smokers whose lungs and cardiovascular systems are still recovering. Avoiding smoke at home, work, and when you’re out socializing is the biggest preventive step a former smoker can take, say Harvard Medical School experts.

3. Pack your plate with fruits, veggies, and whole grains.

These natural foods contain lots of cell-protecting antioxidants that further guard against heart disease, stroke, and several forms of cancer. And new research indicates they may even help you kick butt: A University at Buffalo study found that smokers who ate the most produce were three times more likely to not have smoked in the last 30 days than people who ate the least. Researchers aren't exactly sure why, but think that fruits and veggies may make cigarettes taste bad, thus making them even less appealing. Bonus: You get extra vitamins and cholesterol-lowering fiber.

4. Take care of your ticker.

Stay up-to-date with blood pressure and cholesterol checks to watch your risk of developing heart disease. And let your doctor know you used to smoke: He or she may be more likely to take stricter approaches to testing and treatment knowing that you are a former smoker.

5. Watch your lung health.

Stay alert for signs of problems, such as persistent coughing, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Tell your doctor right away if you experience any of these.

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie Recipe

Quartered peanut butter cups top this rich smooth pie from Rhonda McDaniel of Rossville, Georgia. "It's always a hit at gatherings," she says. "It saves time, too, because it can be made in advance and frozen until needed."

Ingredients

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

2/3 cup whipped topping

14 peanut butter cups,divided

1 chocolate crumb crust (9 inches)

Directions

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Fold in whipped topping. Coarsely chop half of the peanut butter cups; stir into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into crust. Quarter remaining peanut butter cups; arrange over the top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Health Confession: Do You Inhale Your Lunch?

Yesterday, I managed to scarf down my lunch—a very delicious hummus and veggie sandwich from Cosi—in about 3.5 minutes. I was chewing so fast, I had to catch my breath afterward! Granted, it was an unusually packed day, but I find myself crossing off lunch like it’s a line item on my To Do list more often than not. And according to this new Lithuanian research, I really need to stop and savor my meals. The researchers learned that speed eaters were 2.5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people who ate more slowly. Other research has also linked eating fast with obesity. And proponents of mindful eating say that savoring each bite helps connect us to a sense of nourishment and well being. Old habits die hard, but this essay about embracing the French way of lunching—that is, taking at least a 30-minute lunch break away from your desk, and preferably outside—is inspiring me to make a change. Surely, I can manage to take a break one or two times a week—and author Rachael Levy says it will improve how I do my job: “The lunch break is a chance to refresh the mind and socialize with friends and co-workers. You’ve already been in class or work all morning, and you’re about to do it again all afternoon. By taking those few moments to breathe, you come out feeling refreshed and invigorated. At work, time spent chatting with colleagues can lead to great ideas and cross-pollination between departments. And if you’ve broken bread with colleagues at lunch, it’s going to be easier to approach them in the professional sphere.”

How Much Exercise Do I Really Need?

Most healthy people should aim for at least 30 minutes, five times a week, of moderately intense activity such as brisk walking, plus 10 to 15 minutes or so of strength-training (digging in your garden counts) 2 or 3 days a week. This is enough exercise to help you lower your risk for health conditions like high blood pressure, stroke, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and osteoporosis, and to prevent the natural loss of muscle mass that slows metabolism and contributes to weight gain in your thirties, forties, fifties, and beyond.

If you’re trying to lose weight, more activity is better. An hour or even 90 minutes of moderate exercise, or 1/2 hour of vigorous activity such as jogging, strenuous aerobics, or fast-paced cycling, is ideal. Of course, anything you do is better than nothing, and consistency counts. Fitting in 30 minutes most days of the week, even in 10-minute bursts, is better than playing the weekend warrior by overdoing it once or twice a week.

If you’re the type that just doesn’t enjoy going to the gym or using a treadmill, choose an activity you enjoy that you can do for 10 to 30 minutes or longer and that raises your heart rate. This could be dancing, playing tennis, chopping enough wood to heat your house for the winter, or lining up strenuous yard work or housework that feels like a workout.

Are Kettlebell Workouts a Shortcut to Fitness?

Could kettlebells really help you burn calories faster than conventional strength training programs? Fitness research suggests…

Working out with a kettlebell (a weight that resembles a cannonball with a handle attached to the top) burns more calories and builds strength faster than traditional strength training. Gyms across the country are adding kettlebell classes, and many personal trainers incorporate the weights into clients’ workouts — all with the promise of an outsize payoff.

The truth? New research suggests that kettlebells really may get you fitter faster. In a small study from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, seasoned exercisers burned nearly 300 calories in a 20-minute workout with the weights — significantly more than they would have with conventional strength training. To avoid back strain, start with a relatively light weight (8 pounds for women, 13 pounds for men).

Founder of eHarmony’s Advice on Marriage

Like every father, Neil Clark Warren worried about whether each of his three daughters would marry the right guy. But not every father turns that concern into a billion-dollar matchmaking business.

As a clinical psychologist and theologian for nearly 40 years, Warren had counseled thousands of couples who couldn’t get along. He was a front-row witness to what he calls the horror of divorce. Statistics painted a bleak picture for his girls.

“Half the people who get married in America are ending up divorced, and of those who stay together, half say they’re not very happy,” Warren notes. How could he help them beat the odds?

To find out why marriages failed, Warren conducted over 500 “divorce autopsies,” interviewing the former spouses, their children and even their parents. The big surprise was that rifts in the relationship had roots far earlier than expected: “We found that over 70 percent of the couples indicated that they were in pretty deep trouble when they first married.”

Warren wondered how he could help people do a better job at selecting a mate. He decided to administer a series of standard tests to 5,000 married people to assess their compatibility. After a rigorous statistical analysis, he says, “we ended up with 800 really solid subjects. We had 200 people in the very happily married category, 200 who were pretty happy but not totally, 200 who were not very happy at all but not ready to quit, and 200 in the very discouraged group.”

Warren then compared the very happily married people with the very discouraged group and struck gold: The two groups had significantly different answers in 29 categories. He hypothesized that if he could bring together people with similar responses in those categories — which include curiosity, intellect, appearance, sexual passion, sense of humor, anger management, self-perception, spirituality and values — the likelihood they’d find the ideal partner would soar.

In the late 1990s, online dating was in its infancy. “It was almost all men and it was a little sleazy,” Warren says. “But in time, I began to see that was the only way we could put people together in a good way.”

How to Write (and Read) a Love Letter

When writing a love letter, remember: It's not a card. It's a letter.

A long time ago, when I was living in my favorite apartment behind a bamboo patch in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, I wrote my first love letter. It was a liquid hot afternoon, and I was sitting on my screened porch, enjoying my boredom, thinking that I was full up with the very thought of her. I drew a pretty cool heart on a piece of newsprint, rolled that into a manual typewriter, and then pecked out about 15 sentences. I took more than an hour. I had to. I couldn’t edit, and I couldn’t use Wite-Out. It worked too. That woman was happy.

So happy that she stuck it on the door of her refrigerator, where it clung to a magnet-laden collage of birthday cards, Easter cards, thinking-of-you cards. This irked me. “It’s a love letter,” I told her. “It’s only for you. You’re supposed to save it. It’s supposed to be folded up in a book somewhere.” She didn’t get it. She treated it like a card.

When it comes to writing a love letter, remember: It’s not a card. It’s a letter.

First, sit. Letters take time.

Letters have a rhythm. Letters must be written, and writing takes a while. Three lines can’t do the work of three paragraphs. This is not to say your letter must be long. Three paragraphs can do the work of three pages. Just give them some time.

Be loyal to the past you share.

If your love emerged on a kayak trip, then you don’t just mention that experience — you make it. Let the river become your palette. Tell a story that only the two of you know. Or narrate a moment in which she was unaware that you were watching her. Use detail to show what you remember and that you remember.

Let the example precede sentiment.

A good love letter declares itself plainly, then illustrates particularly. “I saw you watching the men play chess in the park. So quiet. I love the way you look at things.” Show her what you love in her before you tell her what you love in her. Show, then tell.

Don’t repeat yourself.

Emotional declarations matter more if you space them a little. Even in a short letter, you must create room. With love, there’s value in scarcity. That’s why it feels like such a jackpot.

Most of all, remember that it’s private.

Say something that surprises you about yourself. Let her know that she is redefining your terms. In this way most, a love letter is like love itself. There must be risk.

Get Your Antioxidants in the Morning

Coffee’s not only our morning wake-up call, it’s also the No. 1 source of antioxidants in our diets, outpacing even cranberries and red grapes. Mind you, cranberries, grapes, and other fruits and vegetables are much higher in antioxidants than coffee, but we don’t consume as much.

Skip the Lemon at a Restaurant

Never ask for lemon in a drink. Everybody touches them. Nobody washes them. We just peel the stickers off, cut them up, and throw them in your iced tea.

-Charity, Kansas City waitress

Our tip: Squeeze the lemon into your drink and then leave the rind on the cocktail napkin.

Are You Ironing Wrong? 8 Tips on Getting it Right

Donna Wallace, product manager for Rowenta Irons, a leading manufacturer of premium irons, offers these tips to achieve perfectly pressed clothes and linens:

1. Sort clothes according to temperature, working from coolest to hottest. Iron silks and synthetics on low to medium heat (approximately 350°F), wool on medium to high, and cotton and linens at high temperatures (400°F to 425°F). Since the right temperature is critical, let the iron sit for a few minutes after you have adjusted the controls.

2. Hang up or fold your garments immediately after ironing them.

3. Never use circular strokes — you can stretch the fabric. Iron lengthwise and eliminate wrinkles by blasting the area with steam.

4. When ironing large items, such as a tablecloth or curtains, set up two chairs next to the ironing board and fold the piece carefully onto the chairs as you work on it. You could also iron large items on a tabletop padded with a towel, provided that the table won’t be harmed by the steam or hot temperatures.

5. Iron sensitive fabrics with a pressing cloth — a clean cotton cloth, handkerchief, or napkin. Iron fabrics inside out to protect them from becoming singed or shiny.

6. If you must use an extension cord with your iron, use a 12-ampere cord. Lighter-weight cords could overheat, causing fires. Make sure that you arrange the cord so you won’t trip over it.

7. Press pleats starting from the bottom, working from the inside of the pleat to the outside. Set pleats with a shot of steam.

8. Let clothes sit for a few hours after you’re finished ironing to allow the creases to set.

Coffee: The Miracle Drug

When was the last time you heard a doctor use the word miracle? Well, wake up and smell the coffee: “It’s amazing,” says liver specialist Sanjiv Chopra, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Coffee is truly a lifesaving miracle drug.”

Though he says it’s still a “scientific mystery” how a simple cup of coffee works its wonders in the body, large epidemiological studies repeatedly verify its astonishing benefits. Some recent research highlights:

* More than three cups a day lowers women’s risk of developing the most common skin cancer by 20 percent.

* More than six cups a day cuts men’s risk of dying from prostate cancer by 60 percent.

* Drinking at least one cup of coffee a day lowers women’s risk of stroke by up to 25 percent.

* Consuming at least two cups daily reduces women’s chances of becoming depressed by up to 20 percent.

“Drink it black, or at most put a little skim milk in it” to minimize calories, Dr. Chopra recommends. The benefits from decaf may not be as prodigious, so stick with regular if you can tolerate the buzz. Dr. Chopra drinks at least four cups a day himself, though most people should limit themselves to two. And no, he jokes, “I’m not sponsored by Starbucks.”

Dr. Sanjiv Chopra is the author of Live Better, Live Longer: The New Studies That Reveal What’s Really Good — and Bad — for Your Health.