Month: November 2025

2025-11-19T14:31:00

(BPT) – Hosting a holiday meal for friends and family can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. You can impress your guests and still enjoy your gathering without breaking a sweat (or the budget). All you need to do is follow these four expert tips to simplify prep and cleanup, so you can join your loved ones in celebrating the season.

Create a festive, inviting party setting

Your home decor can set the vibe for the party and a few simple festive touches can make guests feel at home. Pick a color scheme that fits your space and the tone you want for the party. For example, metallics, like a mix of gold, silver and cream, can give you a luxurious, modern look, while soft neutrals can create a sense of coziness and relaxation.

Layer your table to add warmth and interest. Try a textured table runner or tablecloth, some on-theme napkins, and a festive centerpiece such as a mix of florals and pinecones. Placing a few candles around your home and adding some greenery goes a long way to make your home feel even more warm and inviting.

And it’s the little things that add another level of special — think fun and festive glassware, decorative name cards, or even a sprig of greenery tied around your napkins.

Pro tip: Set your table the night before so that day-of, you can relax with your guests.

Prep ingredients ahead of time for stress-free prep

You may be cooking the holiday meal, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend the whole day in the kitchen. Consider prepping ingredients ahead of time to cut back on day-of cooking stress.

Cut, chop or slice vegetables, fruits and other produce ahead of time and store them in Hefty food storage bags. Similarly, you can combine veggies or meats with a marinade in a bag, seal and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook the dish the next day.

The next time you’re at the store, pick up a couple of boxes of Hefty Press to Close Gallon Storage Bags. These press-to-close storage bags feature a secure double zipper that snaps closed, so you can hear that your food has been securely sealed. Thanks to the bag’s expandable bottom, you can easily fill it with your prepped items. The next day, all you have to do is take it out of the refrigerator and dump it into a pan, pot or slow cooker.

To plan even further ahead of time, try Hefty Press to Close Gallon Freezer Bags, to prep ingredients or meals days in advance — leaving the day before the party free for details like setting up the decor and last-minute errands, instead of cooking.

Serve your holiday meal buffet style

Instead of portioning food onto every dish or placing food on the table, set up a separate table in the dining area, so guests can serve themselves. A buffet-style setup takes another task off your shoulders, and it gives your guests the power to pick and choose their own food and portions.

Without entrees and sides taking up space on the dining table, you’ll have more space for decorations and elbow room for your guests. When they’re ready for seconds, they can get up and mingle in line.

Send guests home with delicious leftovers

Now that dinner is done, dessert’s been served, and your guests are filing out, send them home with leftovers so they can continue to enjoy the holiday meal at home. This tip saves you cleanup time and space in your fridge and freezer.

Don’t worry about getting your food containers back. Instead, leave out food storage bags, so guests can store their own portions of their favorite dishes from the night.

For desserts like cookies or candies, offer your guests Hefty Press to Close Extra Large Sandwich Bags. For the main dishes and sides, make sure to leave out Hefty Gallon Storage and Freezer bags that have the strength and durability to safely store and transport larger portions.

Pro tip: Leave out markers for guests to write their names and what food is in the bag. You can even provide holiday-themed stickers or labels for a seasonal touch.

Host smarter, not harder

This holiday season, don’t just host, use these tips to host like a pro, wow your guests and enjoy the holidays.

Be sure to check out Hefty Press to Close Storage Bags at your nearest Walmart and at Walmart.com.

2025-11-19T11:01:00

(BPT) – Looking for ways to sweeten the holidays with special gifts, treats for gatherings and tasty recipes to bake together? You’ll love creating magical holiday moments with help from Chocolove, makers of high-quality, European-style premium chocolate crafted to surprise and delight with every bite.

For this year’s holiday offerings, enjoy a range of tantalizing flavors to make every occasion more joyful.

Tree-shaped bites

Chocolove’s indulgent, individually wrapped bites in festive tree shapes are back for a limited time in classic seasonal flavors, and two new flavors! Packaged in elegant, stand-up bags (both small and large), they are perfect for stuffing stockings or gifting to teachers and party hosts:

• Dark Chocolate with Peppermint Creme Filling — A cherished holiday flavor profile, vegan-friendly Peppermint Creme bites made with refreshing peppermint oil and luxurious dark chocolate.
• Dark Chocolate with Marzipan Filling — A modern twist on a European classic and inspired by holiday traditions, rich premium dark chocolate and silky almond-forward marzipan combine for a melt-in-your-mouth bite worth savoring.
• Milk Chocolate with Peanut Butter Filling — An elevated spin on a classic flavor pairing: Smooth premium milk chocolate and lightly salted peanut butter create a luscious, sweet-salty balance in every bite.
• Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut Truffle Filling — Fresh ground California hazelnuts combine with Belgian milk chocolate and a hint of sea salt to make a silky truffle filling inside a delicious milk chocolate shell.

Find the bites on shelves at Whole Foods, Target (new), Walmart (new), Walgreen’s (new), CVS (new), Albertson’s, Sprouts, Harris Teeter, Hy-Vee, Raley’s, Chocolove.com and more.

Elevated gift boxes to share and savor

These elegant, gourmet offerings handmade by Master Chocolatier Chef Patrick Peeters are gift options for everyone on your “nice” list (including yourself!). Find them exclusively on Chocolove.com:

• Cozy Holiday Moments Chocolate Gift Box — Experience the magic of sipping your favorite warm beverages in this assortment of 12 handcrafted truffles. Milk and dark chocolates are filled with Peppermint Mocha, Apple Cider, Hot Cocoa & Marshmallows and Assam Chai Tea flavors.
• European Connoisseurs Collection Gift Box — Elevate your celebrations with this elegant collection of 12 decadent chocolates inspired by European holiday flavors. Dark, milk and white chocolates feature Coconut & Almond Marzipan, Eggnog Ganache & Gingersnap Cookie, Orange Florentine Ganache and Mincemeat & Almond Streusel Cookie flavors.
• Peppermint Bark Assortment Gift Box — Immerse your senses in a refreshing zest of peppermint with luxurious double-layered bark, boasting a rich dark chocolate bottom with velvety white chocolate top adorned with crunchy peppermint candy pieces.
• Luxe Layers Collection — Whether you’re feeling dazzling or dramatic, find your flavor match with these two limited-edition gourmet bar creations: elegant and vibrant Ruby Chocolate with Mango Passionfruit and Feuilletine, and creamy and crisp Dubai-Style Dark Chocolate with Pistachio.

Bake your way to holiday happiness

Love baking decadent treats with family and friends? Indulge in the festive flavors of this Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bar recipe featuring creamy peppermint frosting that perfectly balances the bold intensity of dark chocolate brownies. These are as easy to make as they are to enjoy.

Ingredients

Dark chocolate brownies

• 2 bars Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Peppermint cream topping

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese (brick style), softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
• 9-16 Chocolove Dark Chocolate Peppermint Creme Trees

Preparations:

• Grease 8×8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over each side. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350F.

Make the brownie batter

• Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
• Break apart chocolate bars and place in a heat-safe bowl along with the cubed butter and salt.
• Place the bowl over a pot with about 1 inch of simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth.
• Remove from heat and stir in espresso powder and vanilla extract. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs and sugars together until sugars have dissolved (about 1.5-2 minutes).
• Pour chocolate mixture into the bowl and whisk to combine (the chocolate should be warm but not hot).
• Add flour and gently fold together with a rubber spatula.

Bake the brownies:

• Bake on the center rack of the oven 22-27 minutes.
• Allow to fully cool in pan before carefully removing with the parchment paper.

Make the peppermint cream:

• Whip the butter and cream cheese together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until completely smooth.
• Add half the powdered sugar along with the peppermint extract, vanilla extract and salt. Mix until smooth and incorporated.
• Add the other half of the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk. Mix again until smooth and fluffy.
• Add an additional tablespoon of milk if the mixture is still too thick and add a little additional powdered sugar if the mixture is too thin.

Frost/garnish the brownies:

• Pipe or spread the peppermint cream frosting on the brownies.
• Top each brownie with a Chocolove Dark Chocolate Peppermint Creme Tree.

Find plenty of delicious treats to help you create moments of joy at Chocolove.com.

2025-11-18T07:25:00

(BPT) – ‘Tis the season to be jolly! Or at least it should be. It can be challenging to balance hosting and attending holiday and football season get-togethers with friends and family with the chaos of holiday shopping and year-end obligations. These seasonal stressors can easily lead to a common problem: nighttime teeth grinding (also known as bruxism).

Silent night? Not so much

While it may seem to go against the spirit of the season, the holidays can bring as much stress as they do joy. In fact, an American Psychological Association study found that 41% of U.S. adults say that their stress levels increase during the holiday season compared to other points in the year.

Spending money, finding the right gifts or simply having too much to do during the holiday season can increase stress, which can lead to teeth grinding. Even if you don’t notice that you grind your teeth during the day, it’s very possible you’re grinding away on what’s supposed to be a silent night.

Teeth grinding has become more common over the past few years. According to a 2021 survey by the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute, over 70% of dentists noticed signs of teeth grinding and clenching in their patients, an increase of nearly 10% over the previous year.

Grinding your teeth may not initially sound like a bad habit, but it can wreak havoc on your smile and dampen your holiday spirit. Habitual teeth grinding can damage your teeth or jaws, and cause tension headaches along with face and jaw pain.

Stop grinding and start celebrating

How can you protect your smile from the nightly grind so you can spread the holiday cheer? If you know or suspect you’re grinding your teeth at night, consider protecting your smile with a mouth guard like the DenTek Professional Fit mouth guard.

DenTek’s Professional Fit dental guard offers dual-layer, full-coverage protection. The soft, cushioned upper layer molds to the shape of your teeth for a secure comfort fit. At the same time, the protective bottom layer has a strong grind shield layer to prevent bite-through.

You don’t have to book an appointment at the dentist to fit your mouth guard. Molding your DenTek mouth guard is as easy as 1,2,3. All you need to do is heat, shape and wear your mouth guard at night so you can enjoy the holiday season during the day.

Keep the grind at bay all year long

This holiday season, enjoy the festivities and invest in your dental health. Pick up a mouth guard for yourself and consider adding a few more to your cart as stocking stuffers for your friends and family.

Even after the holiday season is over, your mouth guard can continue to protect your teeth year-round from other grind-inducing stress. So, whether you’re concerned about how your favorite college and pro football teams will perform this season or worried about the list of 2026 to-dos, your teeth are covered.

To learn more, visit DenTek.com and head to your local Walmart to find a mouth guard of your own. Happy holidays!

2025-11-17T07:01:00

(BPT) – In grocery aisles crowded with golden hues and vague claims, Busy Bee Raw Honey delivers on a bold promise: delicious, raw, unfiltered honey with full transparency from hive to home.

There are common misnomers in the industry — with honey, “pure” and “local” may not mean what shoppers think it does. In fact, some honeys with those labels are actually blends of multiple sources, often impossible to trace and sometimes adulterated with additives. With Busy Bee Raw Honey every drop of sweetness is sourced entirely from the U.S.A., and tested for safety, quality and three times for purity.

The best part of each squeezable bottle is discovering the full journey of your honey. Each bottle features a peel-away back label that reveals a unique Real Honey Code along with your honey’s fast facts, including when it was made, the hive locations and the flowers foraged. The innovative Real Honey Code allows customers to visit the website and trace their honey from hive to home, featuring mapped hive locations, harvesting and packaging, all completed with a focus on keeping food miles low and producing high-quality, sustainable raw honey.

Packaged by Barkman Honey, Busy Bee Raw Honey carries on a century-long legacy of transparency, ethical beekeeping and high industry standards. The story began in the 1920s when Esra Barkman developed a deep respect for bees and a commitment to honest, sustainable beekeeping. His passion later inspired the founding of Barkman Honey in the 1950s. Still family-owned and operated, the company continues to source honey from its own apiaries and trusted beekeeping partners, ensuring caring practices and delivering pure, sustainable honey from hive to home.

Building on that commitment, Busy Bee Raw Honey’s new signature blue label and Real Honey Code go beyond packaging. They represent a promise of transparency, traceability and uncompromising quality.

2025-11-17T20:01:00

(BPT) – Does your customer experience meet your customers’ expectations? According to PwC, it probably doesn’t, as 54% of U.S. consumers believe the customer experience at most companies needs improvement. The stakes couldn’t be higher because this same study also found that 32% of consumers will walk away from a brand they love after just one bad experience.

So, what’s the secret to keeping people happy when they visit your business? Welcoming, comfortable, helpful environments.

The setting.

While many errands can be completed online these days, consumers still have to visit brick-and-mortar locations on occasion, and this can be a frustrating experience. According to a Waitwhile survey, Americans spend an estimated 37 billion hours each year waiting, whether it be in line at the bank, sitting in the hair salon or waiting at the doctor’s office.

If you know your customers are going to wait, ensure they’ll be comfortable when they walk into your business. Cluttered, cold or rigid furnishings can negatively impact individuals’ mental health. In businesses such as medical or legal offices, this could exacerbate stress in visitors who are already in heightened states of agitation.

What to do: Set the right tone for your visitors by outfitting your reception area with high-quality furnishings from companies such as Steelcase that are functional, comfortable and reinforce how visitors should feel.

The amenities.

According to Deloitte, brands that excel at tailoring and personalizing customer experiences are 71% more likely to achieve stronger loyalty. So when your customers visit, be sure to appeal to their preferences.

What to do: Make sure you are providing snacks and beverages that are tailored to today’s changing tastes. For example, 60% of Gen Z adults prefer iced coffee. That’s why many companies are turning to Peel & Pour Pods by Java House to offer visitors a quick, convenient way to customize their favorite beverages, from barista-quality cold brew coffee and tea to hydration drinks and hot chocolate.

The service.

As PwC shares, “The employee experience is the cornerstone” of customer service. Human interaction matters more than ever, because even though AI and technology provide the convenience people request, 82% of U.S. and 74% of non-U.S. consumers still want to work with a real person.

What to do: For companies seeking to enhance their check-in efficiencies, consider kiosks like those by Meridian, which can be adopted across multiple industries. However, efficient technology can’t stand alone. Ensure a human is nearby to welcome visitors and assist with navigating the technology if needed.

No matter the location, customer experience is only as good as the service provided. Elevate your visitor experience to create happy customers with a welcoming and comfortable environment, quality amenities, and convenient, accommodating service.

2025-11-17T09:01:01

(BPT) – The holiday season is full of activity, excitement — and impatience! One way for kids and families to savor each moment and actually enjoy the anticipation is by counting down the days to Christmas, with the help of special traditions like advent calendars. This year, you can establish new traditions with your kids or grandkids by celebrating the season through family-friendly countdown activities that provide focus and fun, keeping everyone happily engaged and excited about all the coming festivities.

The celebration experts at American Greetings offer these tips for helping your family make the most of holiday anticipation together.

Create a holiday music playlist

Include the whole family in creating a shared family playlist to get everyone in a holiday mood. Ask a family member to add one of their favorite Christmas carols or holiday-themed pop songs each day, and by the end of the month, you’ll have a whole album put together collaboratively by the family. Have fun blending nostalgic songs with modern classics. You’ll end up with the perfect playlist that can serve as the background for your holiday parties, or that you can sing along with as a family.

Need a way to send holiday cheer to loved ones far away? You could record the family singing together and send it to relatives as a holiday greeting!

Put a modern twist on holiday tradition with the new Peanuts^® Digital Advent Calendar 2025

You loved Peanuts as a kid, and now you can share 25 days of new surprises inspired by the world of Peanuts. Create a whole new family tradition that can span miles and generations with this interactive digital advent calendar celebrating the 75th anniversary of the adored Peanuts^® comics. American Greetings partnered with the iconic brand to provide fans of all ages with playful daily immersive experiences featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole Peanuts gang.

The Peanuts Digital Advent Calendar 2025 is a fun, interactive and affordable way to make holiday memories for the entire family. The calendar honors the timeless charm of Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts while adapting his beloved characters and their world for the digital age. Unlike passive advent calendars, this digital calendar is jam-packed with hours of themed fun, including interactive games, puzzles, Peanuts trivia, digital holiday greeting cards and creative activities including:

• Christmas tree decorator
• Build a snowman
• Stocking decorator
• Music sequencer
• Coloring comics
• Dress up Snoopy

— and much more, totaling over 30 activities your kids can enjoy. Best of all, fans who order the calendar before Dec. 1 will be granted early access to exclusive Homebase holiday activities in the days leading up to the official Christmas countdown.

Offering so much more than a traditional advent calendar, this option is perfect for today’s digitally savvy kids. They can even open each day’s event together with grandparents and family members near and far creating a whole new holiday tradition. Visit the AmericanGreetings.com website to get started today!

Make a card a day

Get everyone feeling crafty by opening up an art station with art supplies and card stock so kids can create a holiday card for someone new each day, including family, friends, your child’s teacher and neighbors.

Want to send holiday greetings to someone far away? Customize this Bing Crosby Christmas SmashUp to create a fun and festive greeting that takes a nostalgic trip back in time to hear the holiday classic. Or use any one of the other holiday Christmas ecards that can be personalized and sent virtually to brighten someone’s spirits.

Neighborhood night walk or scavenger hunt

Depending on the weather, go for a walk or drive together to discover neighborhood lights and decorations. You can create a scavenger hunt where kids get points for locating Rudolph, Santa or snowmen — along with bonus points for spotting unique, funny or memorable decorations.

Using these ideas, you’ll be spreading holiday joy and fun through the entire month, creating your own unique holiday traditions and memories that will last well beyond the season.

2025-11-17T07:01:00

(BPT) – November ushers in the festive holiday season and a renewed focus on the home, often the center of long-standing traditions and meaningful celebrations with family and friends. For many, being home for the holidays is a foregone conclusion, but for others — particularly people with disabilities and older adults — being at home may seem out of reach. With the gift of self-direction, however, they can be where the heart is for the holidays and all year long.

No place like home

Self-direction is a model of care for people who need the type of long-term services and supports (LTSS) that would qualify them for nursing home or other institutional care paid for with Medicaid dollars. This traditional type of care can be costly and isolating, and it tends to take control away from the person receiving care.

On the other hand, self-direction follows a person-centered philosophy. “In person-centered planning, the person needing care is in the driver’s seat. They choose who provides their support as well as when and where it’s delivered,” explains Pearl Barnett, chief operating officer of GT Independence, a financial management service (FMS) that helps people with the administrative tasks that come with self-direction. “Self-direction allows people to stay in their homes and communities, so they can keep making memories and maintain relationships that add joy to their lives.”

Rather than have Medicaid cover expensive institutional care, people participating in self-direction receive an authorized budget, seeded with Medicaid dollars, to manage and spend on the services and supports they need. Barnett adds, “For people who access it, self-direction is a priceless gift that recognizes their autonomy and enables them to remain in familiar surroundings, supported by caregivers they know and trust.”

Depending on the program, participants may be able to hire close relatives to provide support. Family members often step in, unpaid, to tend to personal care, and they are usually well acquainted with the individual’s needs and preferences. By paying family members in this role, self-direction programs are valuing their important work while also alleviating demand on a stretched caregiving workforce throughout the country, and especially in rural areas.

Happy in a million ways

With self-direction, people can and do thrive with the right supports in their homes and communities. Studies suggest that participants experience greater satisfaction with services and a better quality of life than those in traditional institutions.

People who self-direct can remain engaged in their communities, whether it’s viewing light displays and attending performances during the holidays or going to school, work, community groups or volunteer gigs throughout the year. Such activity builds connections and relationships that often go missing in traditional care models and that enrich both the people receiving services and people in their orbit.

“Self-direction will allow the person the ability to blossom,” says one participant, a disability advocate with a brain injury who is also a published author helping others “to see that things are not as stark as they may seem.”

Can’t beat home sweet home

Thousands of people from coast to coast are eligible for LTSS, often through Medicaid or other state-funded programs. If eligible for self-direction, they may discover that a holiday wish to stay in their home and community can be granted.

The self-direction journey often starts by reaching out to a state’s Medicaid agency to learn about available programs in an area. Other resources for information include state departments that serve older adults and people with disabilities.

Barnett notes that while her FMS isn’t in every state yet, “Our customer support staff is ready to point people to resources throughout the country. GT Independence serves programs in 18 states and the District of Columbia, and our reach is constantly growing. Our mission is to help people live a life of their choosing, so they can be home for the holidays and every day.”

More information about self-direction is available at gtindependence.com or by calling 1-877-659-4500.