The biggest holiday of the year is just a few weeks away, and this is a particularly hectic time for mommies like me. Apart from working on my businesses and blog, there are friends to meet, reunions to have, and shopping to do. On top of that, there’s the usual family activities, like play time and study time and, of course, meal time. And while it’s easy to eat out, nothing quite beats a yummy meal at home for family bonding, even though it can be tough to make time to prepare and serve food when there are so many other things to do.

If, like me, you still want to make the effort, though, here are a few tips to make your life a little easier:

1. Batch cook and pre-portion.

Freezer meals are often a busy mommy’s best friend. There are so many recipes you can find online for dishes you can make ahead and serve days, even weeks, later. As an extra step, make sure you portion these out before freezing so that, on busy days, you can just heat and be ready to eat in minutes.

2. Share the load.

Having someone to help you around the house is a godsend, but don’t just rely on yaya all the time. You can also get your partner and your kids to help with the meal preparation. In fact, having your child help prepare the food she eats is one tried-and-true way to reduce the chances of her becoming a picky eater. When she has a hand in making the food that goes on the table, she is more likely to want to try her creations. Plus, it’s a great life skill to teach early on.

3. Clean as you go.

Keep the kitchen clean as you cook, and don’t let dishes and cookware pile up after meals. While it can be tempting to procrastinate, a dirty kitchen isn’t just an eyesore, it’s a breeding ground for bugs and bacteria. To liven up the cleaning process, I’ve been using Sanicare’s special edition Christmas print towels, which also have the benefit of prettying up my kitchen counter.

4. It’s not a sin to order in.

Of course, there will be days when you run out of freezer meals and are just too tired or busy to take time out to cook, and that’s fine. That’s exactly why there are so many food delivery options to choose from. Plus, these days, you’re not limited to fast food for delivery. You can get meals from your favorite restaurants just by making a call or using an app on your mobile or on a webpage.

5. Dress to impress.

By this, I don’t mean that you can’t come to the dinner table wearing your comfiest pambahay outfits. I mean that you can level up your meal appeal by making the effort to prettify your table. Even when you’re serving takeout, use real plates, glasses, and cutlery. Pick pretty placemats and add decorative table elements. One thing that’s on my dinner table is my Sanicare Liwanag Christmas Box, which holds tissues for easy access and features a pretty design by artist and MovEd founder Alex Eduque.

In case you haven’t seen them yet, they’re super pretty and showcase designs by an up-and-coming local artist.

One design is inspired by parols, or star-shaped Christmas lanterns. This is uniquely Filipino and, according to the artist, is a symbolic representation of a sense of promise and unification.

The other design is inspired by the stars. Alex Eduque herself says that this is “a constant reminder that we share the same sky and, despite the stark differences and circumstances in all corners of the world, that each one of us has a star shining brightly within.”

Isn’t that a great thing to remind ourselves of, especially at Christmas?

Anyway, if you haven’t picked up a Liwanag Christmas Box yet, here’s one reason to do so the next time you’re at the supermarket: Sanicare is having a promo! The grand prize winner will get four all-day passes to the Dream Play and Lunch buffet at The Café at the Hyatt City of Dreams Manila. Ten consolation prize winners will also receive P2000 in Sodexo gift certificates.

Here’s how it works:

1. Take a creative photo featuring the Sanicare Facial Tissue Liwanag Series Box.
2. Post it on your Facebook timeline. Start your caption with the phrase, “My Christmas is extra bright this year because _____!” and make sure to use the hashtags #SanicareLiwanagSeries #Sanicare and #SCPA
3. Tag three other friends in your post, then publish.
4. Go to the Sanicare PH Facebook promo post then click on the link provided to submit your entry.

The promo runs from November 22, 2017, to January 1, 2018. Winners will be announced on the Sanicare PH Facebook page on January 15, 2018.

Good luck and happy posting!