13 Ways to Make the Holidays Easier

Needles. Everywhere. But there’s a solution! Prevent ornaments from breaking by choosing plastic instead of glass. All your Christmases can be bright—with a light repair kit.

“Christmas and New Year’s are when I throw my biggest parties. I love to entertain but absolutely hate to do dishes. These one-and-done forks, spoons, and knives are sturdy, posh—and gold!”—David Bromstad, My Lottery Dream Home. Shiny Gold plastic flatware, $4.50 for a set of 25 forks, spoons, or knives, fine-essentials.com 

Keep your artificial wreaths in top form during the off-season with these puncture- and tear-resistant storage bags. The interior buckle strap holds a wreath snugly in place, a transparent vinyl window helps you ID the contents, and a D-ring lets you hang the bag in a closet or the garage. 48"-diameter wreath storage bag, $60, the-cover-store.com

With this all-inclusive service, sending a card via snail mail is now fully automated. You start by emailing friends a link to the site so they can enter their home address—or just enter their addresses yourself. Then choose a card from 200-plus styles, and type in your personal greeting. Customize each card with a personal message—in a font that looks handwritten! Sip eggnog while the site handles everything else, from affixing the stamp to physically mailing the card. Holiday cards, from $2.50 each plus postage, postable.com