36 Things That’ll Help You Deal With All Sorts Of Holiday-Specific Problems
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36 Things That’ll Help You Deal With All Sorts Of Holiday-Specific ProblemsIncluding a lazy Susan turntable for your dining table that’ll be da belle of da ball.
1. An electric potato peeler you may think wouldn’t be worth the counter or storage space, but talk to someone who’s ever had to peel enough potatoes to make mashed potatoes for 40+ people. It also works on apples, kiwis, oranges, and tomatoes. Talk about an investment.
Promising review: “Love it! It’s light and easy to use. When I use a potato peeler I was always peeling too much potato with the peel. This blade is fine and only gets the skin, in seconds. Except for the ‘poles’ of the potato but I don’t mind. It’s easy to clean if you have a sprayer to just rinse off the spikes where you insert your potatoes. Small enough and doesn’t take up much room.” —yestfl
Get it from Amazon for $19.98.
2. A special lazy Susan turntable that’ll help make sure that everyone gets served without having to handle any hot dishes. Also, it’ll for SURE turn you into a Thanksgiving legend.
Amazon
Promising review: “After using it for Thanksgiving dinner, all I can say is WOW. My dining table is 44″ wide and fully extended to 115″. The turntable and plates just fit across the width (with a note that serving utensils need to be tilted inward, and diners need to remember to keep their glassware on the side). So a 46- or 48-inch table would be ideal, but this works, and boy, does it work. I started with the original set and then added five extensions in order for the people sitting at the end of the table to have easy access. It also eliminated the need to pass hot serving pans. It was incredibly easy to set up, break down, and store. I can’t wait to use it again, and again. My family loved it. Koodoos to the designers, job well done. Best purchase I have made in a very long, long time. It is something you will not want to live without.” —dch0708
Get it from Amazon for $104.99 (additional plates available for purchase).
3. Plus, a rectangular lazy Susan made to hold more than the traditional round ones. Everyone who’s over at your house for Christmas drinks a different kind of milk or creamer in their coffee and that REALLY takes up some more fridge real estate.
Check out a TikTok of the rectangular Lazy Susan in action.
Promising review: “Wow! I love this turntable organizer! I can fit so many items on it, and because of that, I now have so much more space on the door shelves. With this organizer, I will have easy access to all of those extra items that just don’t have their own space. Now they do have a place to go! I would highly recommend this product to everyone who wants to feel more organized and doesn’t want to lose items in their fridge.” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $18.99.
4. A lidded charcuterie board to help you prep the perfect spread ahead of time and keep it in the fridge and/or covered before its great reveal. It’ll be especially handy when prepping to serve your charcuterie somewhere else when you ALSO have to haul a whole bunch of other stuff and gifts. Amazon
Promising review: “I bought these for a party and it was so easy to prep them and pop them into the fridge with the lid on. Same goes for storing leftovers afterward. It was also great to use for fresh fruit we cut up to enjoy all weekend. Looks lovely and is solid quality.” —AmJam
Get it from Amazon for $31.74.
5. Some no-slip ornament anchors for your most precious baubles so you don’t have to worry about your (also precious, but rambunctious) Golden Retriever pulling them down for fun.
They can also be used for hang tags, birthday and graduation decorations, and many other creative crafts. Ornament Anchor hooks are a useful tool for decorating and celebrating life’s special moments.
Promising review: “These are a great find! I bought my first of these a few years ago and they really are great! If you have precious ornaments that you don’t want broken, these are for you! If you have small children or pets, these are for you! I used them this year to hang some of my favorite ornaments at the end of branches (which I would never do with a regular hook for fear of the ornament getting jostled and falling. With these hooks, no fear! They are very secure!!” —DianeD
Get a 24-pack from Amazon for $15.99 (available in larger quantities).
6. A handheld gift wrap cutter will help you efficiently wrap gifts during the few spare minutes between when the kids are in bed and you’d like to pass out yourself. Even the paper with the grid on it can be difficult to manage!
My colleague Heather Braga has this and loves it: “I invested in this perfect gadget in 2022, and I’m not sure how I lived so long without it! It’s seriously SO easy to use. It cuts well through thick and thin paper, doesn’t take up a lot of storage space, and ensures clean lines when you’re trying to wrap something neatly. It’s so much better than when I’d try to fumble with scissors and cut completely unevenly. I’m a big fan. Additionally, Little ELF is a small business.”
Promising review: “This is one of those tools that you JUST CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT. I can’t believe I hadn’t found this sooner. You won’t go wrong with this tool. It’s literally the best thing ever.” —DRHino
Get a set of two from Amazon for $18.99.
7. Or a pair of gift-wrapping clamps to keep your roll in place on your kitchen countertop to get the festive task happen that much faster. Plus! They have tape dispensers, thus making them even handier.
Wrap Buddies is a small business making the laborious act of gift wrapping easier with their genius clamp system.
Promising review: “I wrap about 100 Christmas presents each year and this gadget is a GAME CHANGER! It makes wrapping so much easier! The tape dispensers are amazing, too! I wrapped 50 gifts this weekend! Do NOT hesitate to buy this! Super easy to set up and it truly makes wrapping simple!” —Molly Harding
Get a pair from Amazon for $24.99 (available in red and gray).
8. And a wrapping paper holder for storing your goods once the gift-giving season is over. No more buying paper because you think you’re out, only to unearth a crumpled roll of gift wrap during spring cleaning you could’ve used.Amazon
My mom has a similar container where she stores rolls in a hall closet. It makes gift wrap so much easier to find! Also if you like to save scraps of really pretty paper and bows for reuse later, they’ll be safe in this too.
Promising review: “Oh my word! I loooove this so much. It saves my wrapping paper and I can easily carry and store things like bows and ribbon as well. 1210 would recommend.” —Sara Freeland
Get it from Amazon for $11.43+ (available in several configurations).
9. A wineglass-washing dishwasher attachment in case your dishwasher isn’t equipped with a way to keep a wineglass upright and in place OR you don’t have enough for your needs. Everyone’s drinking wine during the festivities, which means all those wineglasses ALSO have to get clean.
Wine Wash Co. is a woman-owned small biz that specializes in dishwasher attachments.
Promising review: “I had a hard time finding wine glass holders for my dishwasher. My previous dishwasher had built-in holders, but my current dishwasher does not. I got tired of having wine glasses break during dishwashing cycles. These holders are sturdy and fit the bill for standard glasses. They can fold up when not in use. I would not use them for expensive Waterford crystal wine glasses, but they are perfect for everyday glasses. A must-have for wine drinkers!” —Alicia
Get a set of four from Amazon for $15.
10. A reviewer-beloved veggie chopper can make onion tears and spending an hour with a knife and cutting board a thing of the past just to get some dressing. (Yes, I say dressing! Say stuffing if you want.) This *quickly* and *evenly* chops or spiralizes veggies so you can spend a little more time hiding in the pantry.
Check out a TikTok of the veggie chopper in action.
Promising review: “Makes life so much easier. I can’t imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. We used to have a Prepworks chopper which was a similar idea, but you had to press so hard to chop, and it broke after not too long. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food, and it has a generous container.” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (clip the coupon on the product page to get $5 off; available in several chopping configurations).
11. A “LidPocket” that’ll help you finally have a spot to safely store your slow cooker lid while you’re checking on your famous queso dip you always make for Christmas Eve apps. Cheers to less mess on your counters!
Amazon
Check out a TikTok of the LidPocket in action.
LidPocket is a small business specializing in kitchen accessories.
Promising review: “One of those Instagram items I saw from one of the influencers I follow, and it works exactly how it was shown! So simple but a great addition to any slow cooker — this should be a staple part for all slow cooker. Hopefully this will be included in future products. Would highly recommend.” —Annette Voss
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
12. Plus, a box of slow cooker liners to make cleaning up after yourself (and delicious concoctions) criminally easy. Just toss the liner when you’re finished and maybe you can take a breather!Amazon
13. A quick-fix light tester because you’d hate to have to replace a whole dang tree just because of some defective bulbs. You simply plug in this gadget and that’s it!You’ll get a bulb tester, fuse tester, bulb puller, storage compartment for spare bulbs and fuses, and 10 clear replacement bulbs.
Promising review: “I bought this gadget in a last-minute (of course) situation of putting up Christmas lights. I have a very long, quite expensive pine garland with attached lights that go along my banister in my living room. I put them up this year, plugged it in and saw that half of the string of lights was not working. I found this little gadget and figured why not? Well, I am THRILLED — I took out one of the bulbs on the nonworking string of lights, attached this little gadget to the light socket and pulled the trigger ONCE — voilà! My light string is back to working in perfection and I couldn’t be happier! Love this little gadget and I am thrilled to have purchased it for fewer headaches in years to come!” —Abbey Bennett
Get a five-bulb pack from Amazon for $24.99.
14. Command decorating clips to securely hold up your holiday garlands, lights, and more without causing any damage to your walls. Like other Command products, they easily peel off. Amazon
Promising review: “Used these to hang string lights and flower garlands in a bedroom! They’ve been up since January and are holding strong. Application was easy, I was easily able to remove and replace any that I’d accidentally placed crookedly, hopefully they’ll be as easy to remove when it’s time for them to permanently come down. They blend in with the wall well, I’ve had many people ask me how the decorations are hanging. I even forget that they’re there unless I’m seeking one out.” —I Like to DIY
Get 20 clips from Amazon for $14.66.
15. A single-handed tape dispenser will earn you the title Papa Elf around these parts once everyone sees it in action. Push the lever to dispense a 1-inch piece, or keep it pointed to create a custom length of tape.
Promising review: “My last tape dispenser was awful. Threading the tape through the mechanism was a PITA. The gears and springs would fall out when you opened the damn thing. Eventually, the tape started to cling to the roller and would rip the paper I was trying to tape. This design is great; the tape self-threads when you put it on the rubber bands, the tape stays on the inside of the device until you press the trigger to release it, the tape self-cuts when you let go of the trigger. Everything can be done with one hand. Wonderful!” —Billster
Get it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in four colors).
16. A multipurpose extendable utility hook to help hang up your holiday lights and take ’em down. You lights — not a Clark Griswold–like moment — to be the neighborhood entertainment. Amazon
Eversprout is a California-based small business creating tools to help you get all your outdoor home and gardening tasks done with ease.
Promising review: “This pole is wonderful as it can be shortened or lengthened to place lights on the installed hooks so our Christmas lights can be put up without getting the heavy ladder out. The wind has been a little crazy as well, causing the lights to come off some of the hooks. The pole comes out and the fix is done from the ground with ease. Yeah, no more climbing the ladder to do the Christmas lights!” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in three lengths).
17. A bubble tent you can rig up for some toastier outdoor entertaining — especially if your indoor living area is a bit cramped for all the family you’re having over. And it’s not TOO big. So you could maybe get away with a bit of alone time or not-as-many-people time out there.
This splurge-worthy tent pops up automatically thanks to springy fiberglass ribs. When you’re done, it folds into a traveling case for later.
Promising review: “This was easy to assemble and is likely even easier with two people. I love going out in the woods to have a camping/picnic date or party with friends. It’s resistant to the wind and water-resistant. When the weather is cold, it’s cozy and warm inside this tent. It maintains a good temperature (review image above, left).” —jimeamezcua
Get it from Amazon for $247.59+ (available in four sizes).
18. A set of espresso martini mix packets to help satisfy your most ~discerning~ aunt who already likes a Thanksgiving cocktail. With one of these, you simply add vodka and water! Now you won’t have to do math and stock your bar cart full of half-filled liquor that will go untouched ’til next year.
Craftmix is a small business that specializes in instant drink mixers.
Check out a TikTok of the espresso martini mix in action.
Promising review: “The closest thing to creating a drink from scratch as you can get! Tried the variety pack and the espresso martini mix, and it was a hit with folks, and most couldn’t believe it when I told them it came from a packet. Especially if you’re thinking of hosting or making drinks in batches, Craftmix is a real timesaver. Would definitely recommend and plan on repurchasing for future get-togethers!” —Kenneth Walfred Fojas
Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $16.99 (available in eight other flavors and a variety pack).
19. A marble board wire cheese cutter to help you get a perfect presentation because you know your mom is going to post all the food pics on Facebook.
Check out a TikTok of the cheese slicer in action.
Promising review: “My mother-in-law had purchased one last year, and I tried hers at Christmas and fell in love with how easy it was to use. We have a lot of get-togethers with friends, and cheese is a staple appetizer in our house. So, I purchased my own and have been using it weekly since. It cuts easily and is mostly easy to clean. Sometimes cheese gets stuck in the crack, but some scrubbing with a small brush usually does the trick.” —Jessica
Get it from Amazon for $18.05 (available in two colors).
20. A set of reusable Gripstic bag sealers that’ll help keep everything fresh so you don’t have to run out to the store on Black Friday just to grab some nonstale Tostitos.
Gripstic is a small business that specializes in reusable chip clips.
Promising review: “I’m a stickler about stale chips and have always used those little snapping clips. I thought they worked pretty well, but they really don’t compare to Gripsticks. The snack that proved this the most was Pirate’s Booty. If these are exposed to air for more than three minutes, they turn into styrofoam peanuts. I promise they’re just as fresh as when you first open them with Gripsticks. They’re going to be my go-to chip clips moving forward.” —Rachel Campbell
Get a set of 24 from Amazon for $23.95 (available in five sets).
21. A ring can opener can help pop open all the cans of ingredients to expedite any food prep — without ruining your gorgeous press-on nails you applied for the holidays. Amazon
Promising review: “It does the job it’s supposed to do. I was cutting my hand trying to open cans. This allows me to get a better grip on the little loopy thing, and gives me leverage to open the can.” —P. Alscher
Get it from Amazon for $7.20.
22. A wine stain-removing spray, because, despite your pleas to not take your red wine to the couch to watch the Thankgiving game, your cousins are gonna. We all remember last year.
Promising review: “I fell in love with this product some 15 years ago and I am so very happy that it’s still available in the same wonderful formula as ever. It has a fantastic citrus scent. This takes care of any stain so fast and efficiently, it’s become a party trick. I have seriously poured red wine over a white comforter to demonstrate how great it is to a friend once. It is a miracle in a bottle! We use it for all sorts of cleaning on materials around the house, and one bottle has lasted us years! This is definitely a product every home should have.” —Melanie Nolen
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
To learn more, check out our Wine Away review (#1).
23. A set of 30 shatterproof ornaments already filled with sequins and tinsel to help add some razzle-dazzle to your tree without cat some breakable new toys.
Promising review: “These are awesome! My cat already dropped them and they didn’t break! 🙂 They are also beautiful and sparkly. 100% recommended.” —mmarrero
Get a pack of 30 from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in six pack sizes and 15 colors).
24. A 101-piece Wilton baking set that’ll help you reach peak cookie-making thanks to its range of alphabet, number, and holiday cutter shapes. These cutters are dishwasher safe!
Promising review: “I’m so glad I went for this set instead of spending tons of money on steel cutters. I made Halloween cookies with my 7-year-old nephew using the halloween ones, and we both had lots of fun! Cuts nicely and cleanly, dough does not stick to the plastic, and I hand-washed them and let them dry on the rack just like any other utensil/dish. Can’t wait to try the Christmas ones next month!” —JK
Get a set of 101 from Amazon for $27.49.
25. A bag holder to help you quickly get groceries, a shopping haul, or a horde of gift bags into the house in one fell swoop. It’s cold outside and you just wanna get in and put up your feet after dealing with other mall shoppers.
Each of these handles can support up to 80 pounds at a time, aka several shopping bags filled with produce, paper towel rolls, and other household stuff!
Promising review: “Like a lot of reviewers I’ve read on here, I do not like to make more than one trip packing my groceries home and up several floors. So to be able to load up many bags with a nicely cushioned handle that does not cut into your fingers is definitely a game changer!” —Murdog
Get a set of two from Amazon for $12.99.
26. Or a Shark Tank-featured Click & Carry Grocery Bag Carrier that’ll help you hoist your haul over your shoulder like Santa with his bag. (It’ll help you carry up to 80 pounds!)
Click & Carry is a Shark Tank and QVC-featured small business that specializes in easy carry accessories.
Promising review: “TikTok made me buy it. This is great when you have a few bags and a box — for example, if you balance the bags, you can throw it over your shoulder and walk inside and have two free hands to carry the box, which is great. Product seems well built, and is comfortable on your shoulder or hand because of the padding.” —Hung
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in seven colors).
27. Some sheet fasteners if that fitted sheet for your fave flannel holiday-themed sheets won’t stay put on your new mattress. These are exactly how they sound, so no matter how much you toss and turn, your fitted sheet comes loose in the middle of the night.
See them on TikTok here.
Promising review: “I love these! Since I started using them my sheets haven’t popped off once and that used to be a several-times-a-night problem because I toss and turn when I sleep. Thank you, TikTok!” —Gabby
Get a set of four from Amazon for $8.99 (available in three colors).
28. A slide-away storage bag will help you clean up any visiting kids’ mess SO much faster because you can toss it all onto this mat and then slide it into the attached bag. Now (hopefully) you won’t step on a Lego brick at 3 a.m. on the way to the bathroom. Again.
Watch one parent’s demo on TikTok.
Promising review: “I love everything about this item. This is my second one. We use one for Lego Duplos and the other I got for our massive Fisher-Price Little People collection. It’s expensive but worth every penny! If you have to scoop small toys into a bin daily…do it. It works exactly as it says and makes cleanup of small items a breeze.” —R. Stratton
Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in four colors).
29. A SwitchBot Smart Switch Button Pusher you can program so the coffee machine cuts on each morning before someone gently knocks on your door, asking if they can start a pot. Pot’s already on! (It also works with Alexa and Google Home.)
You won’t need to “smart enable” other parts of your home. Plus, you’ll be able to turn on your Keurig from the other room so it’s ready for you when you get out of bed. Best way ever to wake up.
Promising review: “This is exactly what I was looking for and had no idea it existed until I saw someone mention it on TikTok! Our front walkway gets pretty dark at night, and I was frustrated with trying to remember to turn on the light every evening and off every morning. I looked into those light sensors you can plug in, but our front porch light is under an awning with enough shade that it would have kept the light on 24/7. This little Switchbot solved the problem. I applied it to the indoor light switch and set the time on my phone. It has worked perfectly ever since.” —Alecia McLochlin
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in two colors).
30. And a set of replaceable Nespresso sticker lids if that last time you hosted, everyone went through your pods at lightspeed. These let you reuse pods instead of using a new one for every single cup of coffee. Simply refill a used pod with ground coffee and then stick on one of these “lids,” and they’re g2g in your machine.
Check out a TikTok of the Nespresso lids in action.
Psst — check this company’s Amazon storefront for more reusable coffee machine options for Keurigs and Vertuoline!
Promising review: “These were a great purchase! They’re easy to use and allow us to customize pods with our own flavors and be more budget friendly as well. As long as you trim the foil edge so it doesn’t cover the bar code under the rim of the pod, they’ll give you no trouble. I’ll definitely purchase these again and again.” —Mary D
Get a pack of 100 from Amazon for $8.78 (also available in packs of 52 or 200).
31. A bendy electric candle lighter to help reach into that deep jar of the holiday scent you unearthed from the back of your closet instead of struggling with a measly restaurant matchbook. Oh, and it’s USB rechargeable.
Promising reviews: “I absolutely love this product. Now I’m able to light candles where the candle wax has melted down and it’s hard to reach inside the jar. I also love the fact that you charge this with a USB cable and the charge lasts for a long time. It has indicator lights to let you know how much of a charge is remaining. I’ve only had to charge it once since I purchased it. Very durable and a great value for the price. I definitely recommend this.” —Cassandra S.
“Another product I got from TikTok. It’s a necessity. No more struggling and almost burning yourself. Stays charged for days. A week at most if you use it frequently.” —Nijada
Get it from Amazon for $15.99 (available in seven colors and in packs of two).
32. Plus, a set of three remote-control flameless flickering candles to help you set some ambience and magic on your dinner table or wherever else — without having to worry about a visiting dog or kid (or your clumsy cousin) knocking over a candle with an actual flame.
Since you’re not really a witch, you’ll need some IRL magic to make them work (AA batteries). Check out a TikTok of the flameless candles in action.
Promising review: “I bought the gold glass candle set. It’s almost iridescent gold and looks very elegant. The flame actually moves back and forth. I have mine set to come on in the evening and go off after four hours. The remote allows you to control the brightness of the candle, set a timer for auto on and off, and you can control how bright you want the actual candle inside the glass. I love them and plan to buy the gray glass set for my bedroom. Buy them; you will love them!” —Tammy B.
Get them from Amazon for $28.99.
33. A vacuum sealer that’ll help you bulk buy foods when they’re on sale before you have to feed an army, marinate meat, and then preserve any leftovers when people literally won’t accept anymore leftover turkey. Oh, and it’ll help you save space in the freezer!
Promising review: “I used the NutriChef Vacuum Sealer for the first time this week on several occasions. It is simple to use for vacuum-packing leftovers and uncooked food items for the freezer or for cooking immediately using my sous vide. The roll of vacuum bags allows the bags to be tailored to the amount you want to store, so there is no wasted bagging material or space in my freezer. The vacuum function can also be used with the provided stopper to remove air from bottles — e.g., opened bottles of wine. I am very pleased with this product as well as the accompanying bags.” —MJG
Get it from Amazon for $54+ (available in four colors).
34. A Cup Cozy Pillow with five compartments so everyone can fit their beverages on the couch and settle in for an annual watching of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Cue the Snoopy dance. Cup Cozy Pillow is a small business that specializes in family-friendly snack and drink organizers. Check out a TikTok of the Cup Cozy Deluxe Pillow in action.
Promising review: “This thing is great! I’m home on maternity leave with my new baby and spend most of my time on the couch under a sleeping baby. This product makes it easy for me to keep my drinks, remote, etc, close by, even with dogs running around. It’s a little more expensive than I would have liked, but it works, and I love it, so money well spent!” —Amber
Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in nine colors).
35. A digital thermometer so you can safely cook all kinds of meaty entrees AND finally whip up a holiday candy recipe you’ve saved all year.
This doesn’t have to just be used for meat — you can use it for making candy, frying, and so much more!
Promising review: “I purchased this little thermometer a year and a half ago, and it is wonderful. I use it frequently. I started using it for baking/roasting chicken to ensure I was cooking it to the US recommended 165 degrees F. Suddenly my chicken was cooked perfectly and was tender and moist! I’ve expanded my use of it to pork and even grilled steaks. In the last few months, I’ve tried frying chicken. This little device lets me know reliably when my oil is at 360 degrees F, ideal for starting to fry. Once frying, I use it to monitor the oil temperature as well as the chicken temperature. This is an inexpensive thermometer, but I love it. It cleans easily and has been reliable over the time I’ve had it. I would recommend it, and I would buy it again.” —Graham K. Glover
Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (available in two colors).
36. A covered battery organizer and tester because you need SOMETHING to help power all those toys that Santa’s going to leave under the three this year. It’ll hold up to 93 batteries. This batteries organizer holds 93 total batteries, including 45 AA, 25 AAA, four 9-volt, eight C, six D, and five flat.
Promising review: “I bought this as a gift for my wife. She is in love with it. It Decluttered our junk drawer and made order in our home. It comes with a tester, which is great because we were able to eliminate the bad batteries, which we got rid of, from the good batteries, which are now resting securely and neatly in the organizer. Would I recommend this to a friend? Absolutely. We already did!” —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $15.99.
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
