Photo: [LINK]
Whether you plan on hosting a Christmas dinner with guests or still with your immediate family only, wouldn’t it be nice to have a holiday-ready, festive home this December? After all, nothing is better than a cosy, homey atmosphere to put everyone in the holiday spirit! If that is your goal, then do read on, as we have a lot of tips for you on how to achieve just that this season of giving.
An Essential Cleanliness
Photo: [LINK]
First, let’s look into making our home cosy and looking and smelling clean. With the holidays approaching and our guests raring to go to our little family reunions and potlucks, we have to make sure our houses are as clean as can be. Keeping the house clean eliminates germs, dirt, and dust which can affect indoor air quality [1] and even exacerbate potential illnesses.
A little spring cleaning is the perfect time to test out some NOW Foods Essential Oils that are surprisingly great at keeping the house and home clean. Take a look at the different essential oil blends you can make to give your house the scrub-down it needs all while making sure it smells absolutely divine [2] [3]:
- Disinfectant: Combine 4 ounces of distilled water and add 5 drops of NOW Foods Lavender Essential Oil, 2 drops of NOW Foods Orange Essential Oil, and 5 drops of NOW Foods Tea Tree Essential Oil.
- Toilet cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda and 1-2 drops of NOW Foods Lemon Essential Oil or NOW Foods Tea Tree Essential Oil into the toilet bowl. Scrub this mixture into the toilet seat along with your choice of disinfecting spray.
- Floor cleaner: Add 1 cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of salt, and 10 NOW Foods Tea Tree Essential Oil together in a shaker and mix together. Spray white vinegar in the toilet bowl and then incorporate the baking soda mixture with it. Wait for a fizz reaction to occur and add white vinegar as needed to achieve intended results. Let sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing clean.
By using these essential oil-based cleaners, you do not only leave your house looking squeaky clean but the strong scents of the essential oils also make your spaces and surfaces smell fresh and fragrant!
A Whiff of Freshness
Photo: [LINK]
Speaking of having a clean-smelling home, why not up the game with essential oil therapy? Essential oil therapy or aromatherapy is an ancient and time-honoured tradition that uses plant extracts to promote both physical and emotional health [4]. Diffusing essential oils helps purify the air in a room naturally and allows you to enjoy aromas that can relax or stimulate your mind, especially after a day’s work. With NOW Foods Essential Oils, you can easily achieve both!
Try NOW Essential Oils in Pine Needle, Wintergreen, Myrrh, Cinnamon Bark, Frankincense, and/or Tangerine to make your home absolutely ready for the holiday festivities. You may use these oils by themselves or by mixing them with other variant for a little something special. With the wide selection of NOW Essential Oils available, you can practically have any scent you want!
Moreover, the good thing about having NOW Essential Oils handy is they could also serve as lovely, practical gifts for your guests this season. Present them in a decorated box or basket under your Christmas tree for easy access or even hang it up as Christmas tree ornaments!
A Table for Everyone
Photo: [LINK]
Whatever theme you’d be decorating your home around this season, don’t you agree that Christmas easily brings to mind snowflakes, snowcapped mountains, and a cold breeze wherever part of the world you may be? This must be one of the reasons hot chocolate drinks are also quite a hit at this time of the year, along with sweets and nuts for some fun healthy snacks. So, why not fill your pantry with some of these treats, including meal ingredients that make for other delicious snacks and easy-to-make mouth-watering meals?
NOW Foods Cocoa Lovers Organic Hot Cocoa is the perfect cosy dessert to welcome the holiday season. It has a rich milk chocolate taste, is low fat and gluten-free –– definitely a drink both kids and adults will love, even if served as a cold chocolate milk drink! However, if you’re really watching your diet and want something sugarless, you may opt for NOW Foods Cocoa Lovers Slender Hot Cocoa and still enjoy the same rich milk chocolate taste.
Of course, your pantry is not complete without snacks as well as ingredients that will make for sumptuous meals, right? With NOW Foods Organic Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix, you can make irresistible freshly-baked chocolate fudge brownies for your family and friends. This quick and easy brownie mix is sure to be a hit with your guests and is even the perfect gluten-free snack!
For something more filling, try whipping up some spaghetti pasta that’s both delicious and healthy. NOW Foods Organic Quinoa Spaghetti is a healthier option for those looking to eat a lot on the holidays without putting in the weight.
It’s made with three simple organic ingredients (i.e., rice, quinoa, and amaranth), it’s gluten-free, yet offers the delicious flavour and texture you expect from traditional pasta. Serve it as a main dish in your favourite pasta sauce or sautéed vegetables, or have it as a pasta noodle soup for appetiser or side dish. The possibilities of a delightful meal are endless with good quality pasta noodles, indeed!
Lastly, do you know of a natural thing that could help boost the immune system? Quality sleep. Sadly, though, for some, it can be hard to come by, and with all the excitement (and worries) the holidays could bring, it can become more elusive for many. Best to have NOW Supplements Sleep Regimen 3-in-1 on hand then, to help ensure that you get that restful sleep, especially when you need it the most. With all these tips that have been shared, may you find yourself stress-free as you prepare yourself and your home for the upcoming holidays. Happy Holidays!
References:
[1] https://www.swipenclean.com/clean-house-important-feel-better/
[2] https://sherrystrong.org/essential-oils-9-best-cleaning-recipes/
[3] https://www.lovingessentialoils.com/blogs/diy-recipes/20-essential-oil-cleaning-recipes
[4] https://www.nowfoods.com/healthy-living/articles/more-about-aromatherapy-and-essential-oils