Chores chores: Ultimate Household Chore List 2022: Keeping Every Room Fresh & Clean

Ultimate Household Chore List 2022: Keeping Every Room Fresh & Clean

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Parachute Team

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JESSICA SCHRAMM FOR PARACHUTE

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Household chores aren’t necessarily anyone’s idea of fun. Still, getting them done is paramount to keeping your home clean, healthy, functional and all-around pleasant. Whether you have kids, live with roommates or reside only with a partner, a chores list can help things run more smoothly.

Your house chores list won’t look exactly the same as the next person’s, but this guide will go over some of the most common daily, weekly and monthly chores.

Here’s the full list of household chores we’ll cover:

• Washing dishes

• Loading/unloading the dishwasher

• Cooking or preparing meals

• Packing lunches

• Sweeping or vacuuming the kitchen and eating area

• Feeding pets and getting them fresh water

• Walking the dog

• Taking out the trash

• Clearing the counters and putting things away

• Making the bed

• Vacuuming all rugs and carpets

• Sweeping or vacuuming and mopping all hard floors

• Dusting shelves and window sills

• Cleaning the bathrooms

• Scrubbing all sinks, drains and faucets

• Changing out hand and kitchen towels

• Changing out bedding

• Doing laundry

• Planning weekly meals

• Grocery shopping

• Watering plants

• Rolling out the garbage and recycling bins

• Mowing the lawn

• Cleaning all windows and mirrors

• Cleaning out the refrigerator

• Tossing out expired pantry food

• Cleaning out the oven and microwave

• Changing the HVAC filter

• Dusting the blinds or shutters

• Vacuuming or steaming the curtains

• Vacuuming furniture

• Cleaning the walls

• Dusting the baseboards

• Organizing the closets

• Bathing the pets

• Washing the car

• Vacuuming out the car

• Weeding the garden

Read on for details, insights and tips for creating your own chore chart.

Benefits of a Household Chores List

Why make a home chores chart? In a perfect world, all tasks would get done in a timely manner without you having to ask or remind your family or housemates. But realistically, pulling it off takes a bit more planning and organization.

Making a list of chores to do around the house can ensure everyone does their fair share of work. Plus, it can take some of the mental burden (or emotional labor, if you will) off the person who typically does the remembering and reminding. Listing everything out and assigning tasks will help put housework on autopilot.

A chore chart can also help you make sure things get done on time. And when things are done on time, tasks won’t pile up and become insurmountable. For instance, not folding and putting away clothes one week means you’ll have twice as much to do the following week. But if you get it done every weekend, it won’t feel so overwhelming. And in the end, a clean, orderly home is simply more enjoyable to be in.

What to Put On Your Chores Checklist

So, what tasks should you include on your household chores checklist? It depends. As mentioned, a chore list for adults with roommates will probably look a little different from a family chore chart or a list of household chores for couples. And of course, you probably have personal to-dos on top of the communal tasks that need to be done.

You can get an idea of what to put on your daily, weekly and monthly chart by checking out the lists below.

What Household Chores Should Be Done Daily?

There are a handful of things that need to get done daily, but that doesn’t mean they’ll take much time or effort. Like brushing your teeth, completing a task every day may eventually feel more like a habit than doing a chore.

Your daily chore list might include:

• Washing dishes

• Loading/unloading the dishwasher

• Cooking or preparing meals

• Setting thes table

• Packing lunches

• Sweeping or vacuuming the kitchen and eating area

• Feeding pets and getting them fresh water

• Walking the dog

• Taking out the trash

• Checking the mail

• Clearing the counters and putting things away

• Making the bed

As noted, some tasks are more personal, like putting your belongings away and making your bed, though there might be some grey area with couples and families with younger kids.  

Want to make your personal chores list all the more satisfying? Learn How to Layer Your Bed Like a Stylist.

What Household Chores Should Be Done Weekly?

Weekly tasks are things that may not require daily attention but still need to be completed on a regular basis. While every home and household is different, the following list can help get your wheels turning when creating your own chart.

Your weekly chore list might include:

• Vacuuming all rugs and carpets

• Sweeping or vacuuming and mopping all hard floors

• Dusting shelves and window sills

• Cleaning the bathrooms

• Scrubbing all sinks, drains, and faucets

• Changing out hand and kitchen towels

• Changing out bedding

• Doing laundry

• Planning weekly meals

• Grocery shopping

• Watering plants

• Rolling out the garbage and recycling bins

• Mowing the lawn

Depending on your personal needs and preferences, you might do some of these tasks more than once a week, while others may be completed bi-weekly or even monthly.

What Household Chores Should Be Done Monthly?

Each month, you can tackle things that aren’t as urgent or that may take a bit longer to complete, such as deep-cleaning and organizing. Still, getting them done is as important as your household’s daily and weekly tasks.

Your monthly chores list might include:

• Cleaning all windows and mirrors

• Cleaning out the refrigerator

• Tossing out expired pantry food

• Cleaning out the oven and microwave

• Changing the HVAC filter

• Dusting the blinds or shutters

• Vacuuming or steaming the curtains

• Vacuuming furniture

• Cleaning the walls

• Dusting the baseboards

• Organizing the closets

• Bathing the pets

• Washing the car

• Vacuuming out the car

• Weeding the garden

Some tasks can be done every few months or even annually, such as cleaning out the garage or replenishing cleaning products, toilet paper and other household essentials. You might also have some seasonal outdoor projects, like cleaning the gutters, pressure-washing the driveway and washing the outside of the windows.

Read our article for the quintessential Bedroom Organizing Tips.

Laundry Chores

Laundry is among the more time-consuming and tedious household chores, but it still needs to get done on a regular basis. Depending on the size of your household and who lives with you, you might be able to break it up so that one person doesn’t bear the entire burden. Here’s what to consider.

Washing, Folding and Putting Away Clothes

Dirty clothes typically pile up the fastest, so it’s vital they’re not only washed but also folded and put away. If one person is in charge of washing and folding, you might have another person make sure everything’s put back in the proper drawers or closets.

Read our blog to learn How to Wash, Dry and Care for Bathrobes, then check out our How to Wash Organic Cotton Clothing and Organic Clothing Guide for insight into finding and caring for the best high-quality garments for you and your family.

Washing Bedding

You should change out your bedding about once every seven to ten days, whether you do it by grabbing a fresh set from the linen closet or washing your sheets and duvet cover. Putting this on your weekend chores list makes the most sense for many households. However, some people like to switch out their pillowcase multiple times a week to minimize the amount of oil buildup and bacteria that touches their face.

For a deeper dive into this topic, see our article, How Often Should I Wash Cotton Sheets? And check out our guide on How to Wash and Properly Care for Bedding for step-by-step instructions.

Washing Bath Linens

Bath towels, hand towels, washcloths and other bath linens should be washed about every three or four uses — or at least once a week, if that’s what your schedule allows. Since towels are heavy and bulky, tossing in a few wool dryer balls can help prevent twisting, speed up the tumbling time and even make them fluffier (and if you’re wondering, yes, wool dryer balls really work and are better than dryer sheets!)

Some people like using a fresh makeup towel every night for skincare purposes, in which case it might be worth getting a set of seven. That way, you can wash them once a week and keep a folded stack in your bathroom.

Here’s some helpful resources for keeping your towels fresh and clean:

• How to Wash and Properly Care for Towels 

• Keeping Towels Fresh: How to Get a Smell Out of Your Towels

• How to Fold & Style Towels Like a Hotel

Washing Other Household Linens

You probably have various other household linens that need weekly laundering. These may include tablecloths, cloth napkins, fabric placemats, dish towels, cloth rags and bath mats.

Items like rugs, shower curtains, throws and decorative pillow covers can be cleaned monthly or bi-monthly. Just make sure they’re machine-washable before tossing them in your washing machine.

Check out our guides to learn How to Wash, Dry and Care for Bath Mats and Rugs.

Bedroom Chores

Household chores often include tasks that are more or less everyone’s responsibility. So then, what should your bedroom chores list look like?On a daily basis, you can make your bed, tidy up your vanity, put dirty clothes in the laundry and bring any water glasses back to the kitchen.

Once a week, you can put your clean clothes away in drawers and on hangers, vacuum the floor, wash your bedding and dust all the hard surfaces. Bedroom tasks you can do less often include cleaning your comforter and bed pillows, organizing your drawers, doing closet inventory and donating unused items.

Read our blogs to learn How to Care for Down Bedding and discover Why Making Your Bed Matters.

Bathroom Chores

While cleaning the bathroom probably isn’t the funnest thing on your chores list, it’s definitely not something you want to skip. Whether it’s a half bath, a powder room, a guest bathroom or an en-suite primary bath, cleaning this space regularly will ensure it smells fresh while keeping mold and mildew at bay.

In addition to washing the towels weekly, your list might include vacuuming and mopping the floors, cleaning the counters, scrubbing the tile, sanitizing the faucets, wiping down the tub, squeegeeing the shower walls and cleaning the mirror. You may want to launder your shower curtain and clean the liner once a month as well.

See our guide for a complete rundown of Bathroom Essentials and Functional Necessities every home needs.

Living Room Chores

Since the living room is a shared space and generally a high-traffic area, your living room chores list should cover both daily and weekly tasks. Your daily chart might include folding blankets, straightening throw pillows, putting toys away and placing the remotes back in their designated spot. 

Once a week, you can tackle vacuuming the floors, fluffing up the furniture cushions, dusting all hard surfaces, wiping down the coffee table and end tables and watering plants.

For specific decor tips, see our guide on How to Style Throw Pillows Like a Designer, and check out these 23 Basket Storage Ideas.

Kitchen Chores

What about the kitchen? As with the living room, this high-traffic space is shared by everyone in your home. Since it’s used multiple times per day for cooking and eating food, regular cleaning is crucial for preventing stinky smells, mold and pest infestations.

Sweeping and mopping the floors, wiping down the counters and disinfecting all high-touch surfaces are important to-dos. Beyond that, your chores list should focus on doing dishes, taking out the trash, recycling and cleaning out the fridge, pantry and cabinets. Here’s what to consider.

Setting the kitchen table is probably a daily chore as you’re preparing for dinner. Here’s a thorough guide on the Best Stylish and Functional Kitchen Table Top Decor Ideas.

Doing Dishes

If you live with roommates and typically prepare your own meals, it might make the most sense for each person to be in charge of their own dishes. But if your home has a dishwasher, you may want to take turns with emptying duties.

For couples and families with kids who eat shared meals, divvying up the kitchen chores list can make things more fair and manageable. For example, if one person cooks dinner, someone else might clean up the dinnerware afterward, and another person might be in charge of emptying or loading the dishwasher.

Taking Out the Trash

As mentioned, household chores are particularly critical in the kitchen to prevent odors. Doing the dishes and wiping down the counters is part of the equation, but taking out the trash daily (or at least every couple of days) will help keep the space smelling fresh.

If your kitchen has a garbage disposal in the sink, be sure to run it after doing dishes. And if your family composts, make sure the bin is regularly emptied.

Recycling

Recycling is key to keeping your home not only clean but also green. In addition to trash and potentially compost, your kitchen should have designated bins for paper products, plastic containers, aluminum cans and glass. (The rules on combining materials vary by region, so check with your local waste-management provider if you’re not sure how to separate your recycling).

If you’re like the growing number of modern households that receive a package daily, you’ll want to have a system in place for cardboard boxes. To minimize clutter and stay on top of your recycling, be sure to break boxes down promptly and put them in the appropriate bin.

Parachute is committed to sustainability and green business practices. Ongoing efforts include a circular program for recycled down pillows, a pledge to be carbon-neutral, strategies to reduce packaging waste, Oeko-Tex and GOTSⓇ certification for our core products, and a goal to replace all virgin polyester with recycled polyester.

Some things are easier to get rid of than others. Here’s How to Donate, Recycle and Reuse Old Bed Sheets and Towels.

Cleaning Out the Fridge

Cleaning out your fridge is an essential household chore for maintaining a fresh-smelling kitchen. Each time you buy groceries, do a quick scan of produce, meats, cheeses and other foods that are no longer good.

Once every month or so, check the dates on condiments and other less-perishable items and toss anything that’s expired. To prevent your fridge from smelling like a lunch box, you’re also wise to take everything out each month and wipe down all the shelves and drawers. Put fridge cleaning on your monthly or bi-monthly chores list.

Cleaning the Pantry and Cupboards

Spices, canned food, baking essentials, snacks and other dry goods typically don’t go bad as quickly as refrigerated items. However, anything that’s been opened — even if it’s resealed or secured with a chip clip — will go stale a little quicker.

As with your fridge, it’s a good idea to toss out expired pantry food each time you bring groceries home. Then on a monthly basis, you can do a more thorough inventory and wipe down the shelves while you’re at it.

Keeping Your Closets and Cabinets Organized

On a similar note, keeping your closets and cabinets organized can actually help you keep your entire home clean. How so? When each item has a designated spot, it’s easier to tidy up, and (bonus!) you’re less likely to misplace things.

But it’s not quite as simple as throwing stuff into a closet or cabinet. Ideally, the interior should be organized into zones with assigned shelves, bins or sections. This is where a label maker can really come in handy.

Also, you’ll want to avoid overstuffing your storage areas. There are definitely some exceptions, but a good rule of thumb is to take something out of your home every time you bring a new item in. For instance, if you buy a new sweater, you might donate an old cardigan you no longer wear.

How Should You Organize Your Linen Closet? Read on to find out.

When and Where to Deep-Clean

Deep cleaning is kind of like organizing in that it needs to be done but not necessarily very often. So, where does it fit into your chore schedule? This depends on how many people live in your home, whether you have kids or pets and the space in question. Generally speaking, you should prioritize high-traffic areas.

For example, kitchens and bathrooms can often use a thorough scrub-down every couple of weeks. Garages and attics, on the other hand, may only need to be deep-cleaned once a year. A home office might fall somewhere in between and require dusting every month or two.

Keeping a House Clean With Kids and/or Pets

Maintaining a clean and orderly home is easier said than done when you have kids, pets or both. However, creating a household chores list can make things feel less chaotic while preventing an accumulation of sticky residues, crumbs and fur.

Encouraging each child to do a chore can help them develop a sense of responsibility and feel good about contributing. That said, a family task list won’t look the same as a chore chart for adults.

Consider the age of each child, and assign duties accordingly. Younger children can do simpler tasks, such as putting away their folded clothes, feeding the pets and cleaning up their toys. Older kids can do tasks like emptying the dishwasher, running a load of laundry, checking the mail, walking the dog or taking out the garbage.

Here’s some helpful resources for Washing & Caring for Baby Bedding and Towels to keep your little ones safe with non-toxic washing techniques. 

Eco-Friendly Housewares for a Clean, Green Home

Cleaning can be enjoyable, but it’s safe to say not everyone likes doing chores and housework. That’s why making a list of what needs to be done, creating a schedule and assigning tasks to each member of the household can make things a bit more doable.

If you’re looking for ways to make your lifestyle and home more eco-friendly, Parachute has you covered. From sustainably made bedding and organic linens to natural laundry essentials and artisan-made decor, you’ll find something that speaks to you.

Browse the environmentally conscious collections today!

Read Next:

• Fall Cleaning Guide: Clean Your Home for Fall

• Simple Ways to Freshen Your Home for Spring

• Spring Organization: An Expert Guide

• How to Keep White Bed Sheets White

• How to Wash, Dry and Properly Care for Percale Cotton Sheets

• How to Wash, Dry and Properly Care for Sateen Sheets

• How to Wash, Dry and Care for Linen Sheets

• How to Wash, Dry and Care for Organic Cotton Sheets

• Best Sustainable Fabrics for an Eco-Friendly Home

• Best Oeko-Tex Towels, Sheets, Shower Curtains, & More

• Best Organic Towels: What to Look For in Organic Bath Towels

• Best Organic Bed Sheets: What to Look for in Sustainable Bedding

• Best Organic Bathrobes: What to Look for in Natural & Sustainable Robes

• What is a European Bedding Style? Scandinavian Double Duvet Styling Advice & More

• Bathroom Interior Design Ideas: How to Style a Bathroom

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All your daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal tasks on one simplified list.

Show of hands: Who loves having a clean house? Now another show of hands: Who enjoys having to do the chores that’ll keep your home clean?

Even though we all love when our home is tidy, having to actually do the work to get there (read: household chores) is a whole different story. That said, doing house chores doesn’t need to be overwhelming! Once you break down the tasks into daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal lists, you’ll see how little time it actually takes to keep your house clean. Household chore lists can help you iron out (pun intended) what needs cleaning and how often.

So, if you often find yourself climbing Mount Laundry, or waking up to a counter full of dinner dishes, give this approach a shot and see if it helps you streamline your process. (For the particularly tough cleaning projects, don’t forget that you can always hire a housecleaning service to help you out.)

Daily household chores list

Daily household chores help you stay on top of clutter and make your home guest-ready at any time. The daily chore list should be shared among family members so no one has to do it all.

Here are some examples of daily household chores you’ll want to consider adding to your list:

Bedrooms

• Make the beds.
• Put things in their place. For example, toss clothes in hampers and have kids put their toys away.
• Clean up spills, dirt and other messes (as needed).

Kitchen

• Wash your dishes after every meal. When dry or done, unload the dishwasher and put the dishes away.
• Clean all kitchen countertops. This includes your stove top. Put things away and wipe them down.
• Clean the outside of appliances. For example, wipe the outside of the microwave, dishwasher, coffee maker and refrigerator, etc.
• Vacuum high-traffic areas.
• Clean up spills, dirt, and other messes (as needed).
• Put things in their place. For example, put all used ingredients, food and dishes away.

Main living spaces (e.g., living room, TV room, dining room, office etc.)

• Deal with your mail. Do this on a daily basis to keep clutter under control. Sort out the bills and important papers. Recycle the junk mail and outer envelopes and file the rest of the mail away.
• Vacuum high-traffic areas. You should focus specifically on any main entries.
• Clean up spills, dirt and other messes (as needed).
• Put things in their place. For example, stack books, fold blankets, and have kids put their toys away.
• Take out the trash, compost and recycling (as needed).

Bathroom

• Do a quick wipe-down of bathroom surfaces. This includes sinks, counters, mirrors and faucets.

Weekly household chores list

One of the best ways to tackle weekly chores is to assign each chore a day of the week. For example, Sunday might work best as laundry day, so everyone has clean clothes for the coming week. If you know a particular day of the week is typically a busy one, assign a smaller chore for that day.

Here are some examples of weekly household chores you’ll want to consider adding to your list:

Bedrooms

• Wash clothes and put them away. Lightly organize the inside of your drawers and your closet.
• Wash and replace bed sheets. This includes mattress covers and pillow cases. This can be done every week or every other week.
• Vacuum or sweep.

Kitchen

• Vacuum or sweep all floors. This includes all of the hard surfaces in your home.
• Mop all floors. This includes any hard floor surfaces in your house. If you have hardwood floors, make sure to dust-mop them first.
• Show your refrigerator and freezer some love. Throw out unused leftovers, pitch anything spoiled and do a quick wipe of the inside and rinse of detachable parts.
• Wipe down the rest of the kitchen. Specifically, we mean wiping down kitchen cabinets and appliances, paying close attention to handles.
• Dust all surfaces. A quick dusting once a week helps reduce allergens and protects surfaces from scratches and wear.

Main living spaces 

• Vacuum high-traffic areas. You should focus specifically on any main entries.
• Put things in their place. For example, stack books, fold blankets, and have kids put their toys away.
• Take out the trash, compost and recycling (as needed).

Bathroom

• Give your bathroom a scrub. Thoroughly clean all surfaces in your bathroom(s), including the toilet, shower, and mirror.
• Replace and wash bathroom rugs and towels.
• Scrub sink and clean drain.
• Scrub the toilet seat and toilet bowl.
• Clean the tub and shower walls.

Monthly household chores list

Add these monthly tasks to your weekly chore list. But spread them out so you only add one a week to keep the extra work from becoming overwhelming. You can assign them to weeks — for example, clean your furniture the first week of the month. Wash mattress covers the second week, and so forth.

Here are some examples of monthly household chores you’ll want to consider adding to your list:

Bedrooms

• Thoroughly clean and organize the inside of your drawers and closet. Reorganize and fold clothes.
• Vacuum and sweep. This time, clean under your furniture — especially your bed — and in any hard to reach places.

Kitchen

• Clean the inside of your oven.
• Clean the inside of your trash cans and recycle bins. 
• Clean out your dishwasher. Just make sure you’re using a cleaner that’s recommended by the dishwasher manufacturer.

Main living spaces

• Clean your furniture. Vacuum cloth furniture, such as sofas. Wipe down wood furniture with cleaners. Treat leather furniture with a conditioner.
• Wash your bedding. This includes comforters and duvets.
• Wash ceiling light fixtures and wipe fan blades.
• Wipe down light switches, door handles and the surrounding wall area.
• Clean the inside of your washer and dryer machines.
• Don’t forget your windows. Make sure to dust, vacuum, or wash window coverings.
• Wipe down baseboards, moldings, doors and door frames.
• Vacuum under furniture.

Bathroom

• Scrub the tub and shower walls and floor.
• Sweep and mop the bathroom floor.

Seasonal household chores list

Spring is historically a time to clean all the winter dust and soot from a home. Though the purpose now is different, your house and your sanity still depend on a good seasonal cleaning and decluttering. Seasonal tasks typically can be done twice a year, in the spring and fall.

Here are some examples of seasonal household chores you’ll want to consider adding to your list:

Bedrooms

• Clean out your closet. Attend to your closets and dressers by donating items you no longer wear. Store winter and summer clothes in bins or in the back of the closest when out of season.
• Wash pillows and some stuffed toys.
• Clean out toy bins. Organize your kids’ toys and school items by donating things you don’t need or use anymore.
• Vacuum mattresses.

Kitchen

• Deep clean the fridge, freezer and pantry. Throw out expired items and scrub everything.

Main living spaces 

• Vacuum window screens.
• Wash windows inside and out. Cleaner bottles that attach to your garden hose make this job easy — and fun for kids!
• Run a carpet cleaner and clean your rugs. Clean the floor under the rugs, as well.
• Clear out gutters.
• Clean fireplace and chimney.
• Clean under furniture. Move lighter pieces and use an attachment to vacuum under heavier items.
• Vacuum and clean out air vents and their covers.
• Clean wood furniture. Better Homes and Gardens offers some instructions about what products to use.

Bathroom

• Apply tile and grout cleaner.

It may help to make family members their own lists so everyone knows what is expected of them. Just remember to keep kids’ chores age appropriate.

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HOLIDAY WORK | Science and Life

Meeting the New Year is always a pleasant event. Only on this night, the tart aroma of pine needles mixes with the sweet smell of freshly baked pies, and the house becomes like a fabulous home. Close people gather at a beautifully served table, and everyone is anxiously waiting for the clock to strike. But in order for the holiday to be a success and leave the most optimistic impressions in the soul, its preparation should be treated as an art. FIR-TREE – GREEN NEEDLE
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Science and life // Illustrations

Science and life // Illustrations

Old Christmas card.

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New Year is unthinkable without a fluffy Christmas tree – live or artificial.

If you prefer a real Christmas tree, choose the beauty of the forest at the bazaar responsibly. A fresh tree, unlike a long-cut one, is strong in body and spirit. To check this, shake it well, smell and feel the needles. A recently cut tree has soft needles that do not fall off, and the branches are so flexible that it is not easy to break them.

It is necessary to bring the Christmas tree from frost to warmth on the day when you decorate it, before that it is better to store the tree on the balcony.

There are many ways to extend the life of a Christmas tree. Put it in a bucket with wet sand or water and tea leaves (having previously cut the trunk into a cone and removed the bark from the bottom by about 8-10 cm). Another nutrient mixture: in 3 liters of water, dilute one teaspoon of citric acid, gelatin and three tablespoons of crushed chalk. Do not forget to add water to the bucket from time to time and spray the branches from the sprayer. Then the tree will stand for three weeks, giving new shoots and filling the apartment with a real forest aroma.

When installing an artificial Christmas tree in your apartment, remember that candles and sparklers should not be lit near it: plastic is flammable.

Beautifully looks tree, decorated with toys of the same color and shape, for example, only blue or gold balls. Or straw bells (how to make them, see “Science and Life” No. 2, 2002). Designers advise hanging toys on the Christmas tree strictly in a spiral or horizontally.

A “sweet Christmas tree” will be a real surprise for a child. Bake figures of different animals, stars, circles, triangles from shortcrust pastry, decorate them with multi-colored icing. In the finished toys, make holes with a needle, thread a thread through them and hang them on the Christmas tree.

BEAUTIFUL Feast
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Delicious food and drinks are an important part of the festive table. However, it is equally important that everything is not only tasty, but also beautiful. Therefore, when planning in advance the New Year’s dinner menu, do not be stingy to spend your energy and money on table decoration.

Candles in beautiful candlesticks are a classic attribute of a solemn evening feast. Try to move away from the classics. Place candles of different heights and thicknesses on a mirror surface. For example, in the center there is a spruce candle, and around it are small figures of Santa Clauses. You get a lovely composition.

It is beautiful when multi-colored tea candles (so-called sleeves) are placed in small groups around the table in transparent low candlesticks, and flower heads (violets, azaleas or any other) are placed in small groups around the table.

A very special effect occurs when the fire is reflected in the glass painted with bright patterns. Buy glass paints and use them to draw colorful swirls on a small clear vase. Here is the original candlestick.

Flowers on the table – a good idea, but not a new one. Replace them with a miniature live Christmas tree in a pot or a vase with Christmas balls, tinsel and cones.

Oranges and tangerines will help make the feast even more colorful and bright. Just need to decorate them. Tie each fruit crosswise with gold braid, tie a bow on top, and then stick whole cloves (but not flowers, but spice) into the peel in parallel rows in a circle.

The choice of dishes is also an art. It depends on how the cooked dishes will look. Plain plates go well with a contrasting color tablecloth. In the center of the table, it is desirable to place decorations that echo the color of the dishes.

To create a festive atmosphere, disperse elements of New Year’s decoration throughout the apartment.

Details for the curious

FROM THE CHRISTMAS TREE TO THE CHRISTMAS CARD

It is believed that the custom of decorating a tree for Christmas was born in medieval Germany. There, on the day of commemoration of the ancestors of Adam and Eve on December 24, a Christmas tree decorated with red apples was placed in the room, personifying the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and at the same time the “Christmas pyramid” – a triangular structure made of wood, on the shelves of which there were gifts, there were lighted candles, and the top was decorated with Star of Bethlehem. At some stage, two rituals were replaced by one. This is how the Christmas tree was born. The first written mention of it dates back to the 16th century. In the German city of Strasbourg, both the poor and noble families decorated their fir trees with colored paper, fruits and sweets in winter.

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In Russia, the first Christmas tree was arranged by the Germans who lived in St. Petersburg in the 40s of the 19th century. The new fun was to the taste of the high society and very soon spread throughout the country.

Paper Christmas decorations appeared in Europe in the second half of the 19th century – they were brought from Japan and China by Christian missionaries. Later, the Germans launched the production of hollow Christmas tree balls made of glass, painted with phosphorus and glowing in the dark.

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The progenitor of modern champagne was sparkling wine, which, as a result of the fermentation of a mixture of wines from grapes from different areas, received the Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon. It was in 1668.

In 1780 champagne came to Russia. It was then that the company “Clicquot” (a famous manufacturer of sparkling wines) sent a whole basket of champagne to a Moscow merchant. However, in Russia, loud fame came to the drink later, in 1814, when Nicole-Barbe Clicquot (who took over the company in 1805 after the death of her husband) sent 12,180 bottles of excellent champagne to St. Petersburg.

Around the same time, after the defeat of the Napoleonic army, a special sparkling wine from Champagne gained worldwide fame and acquired its current name – champagne.

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The first greeting cards for Christmas were made by the English artist Dobson in 1795. Five years later they were already being sold along with stationery and prints. Gradually, greeting cards appear in all European countries. From there they are often imported to Russia.

Russian Christmas cards first issued in 1898 year by the community of St. Eugenia, who took care of the sisters of mercy of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878.