The winter season is often a time for travel, holidays, family gatherings, and sometimes battling the germs that can accompany these festivities. During this season of cozy blankets, hot cocoa, and fireside chats, I try my best to keep my family healthy and happy, but it’s not always easy. I live and die by my Grandmother’s “golden rule”: always wash your hands with soap as often as possible. This single action is proven to help prevent the spread of germs and is an effective way to remove pesky bacteria from your hands. All it takes is 20 seconds of hand washing with soap and clean water. I especially like foaming hand soap because it’s easier to use and more fun for the kiddos. You can find a foaming bottle at most stores, or you can repurpose foaming soap bottles that you’ve purchased in the past.

I love the scents of the holiday season. Nothing compares to the fresh, crisp scent of peppermint, or the warm, inviting, and spicy scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves—nothing, that is, except the sweet scent of oranges mingling with spices and chocolate. That distinctive fragrance always evokes childhood memories of my mom and me handcrafting those lovely orange pomander ornaments, made by sticking cloves directly into an unpeeled orange in creative designs. It’s a beloved holiday tradition that I have carried over to my own family!