Holiday Living

We're in the final push of the holiday season, but there is still some celebrating to do — a few champagne toasts included! That being said, ring in 2013 on a healthy note with Giada De Laurentiis's favorite healthy indulgence: fruit-filled Bellinis. In an exclusive POPSUGAR interview, Laurentiis shared a few tips and tricks on how to enjoy this tasty treat during the most tempting time of the year.

The champagne- and fruit-filled Bellini, unlike most sugary cocktails, is a low-calorie option (only 78 calories per four-ounce serving), while fruit is filled with fiber and antioxidants. You can have the best of both worlds by blending a bag of frozen fruit with two tablespoons of sugar in a food processor, then adding a spoonful or two to a flute of champagne. If you are hosting guests, then consider making a Bellini bar with a a variety of fruit purees. Giada recommends raspberry, blueberry, and the classic mango. Finish off your party with light appetizers that aren't bread-heavy, like this spicy chipotle hummus dip served with veggies. Cheers!

Like many, Peeps played an integral part in the Easter celebrations of my youth. Almost too cute to eat, and with a pleasantly spongy texture punctuated by a dense and crackly coating of sugar, they were the treat I yearned for year-round. So it was a touch bittersweet to discover a few years back that Just Born (the Peeps parent company) had decided to spawn seasonal sweets for nearly any occasion. Sure, I could get my fix at a moment's notice, but as with many treats with a limited season, when their availability escalated, their sparkle diminished.

Given my aforementioned feelings, I was a bit unsure how to feel about their latest offering, spiced gingerbread men. Would they be a welcome addition to the chubby chick and cheery bunny fold, or would they fall flat? Moreover, would Peeps translate well beyond the classic vanilla flavor?

When a visit to see Santa is part of your family's Christmas tradition, each year is likely to bring about a new reaction from your little one(s). For all the talk about and adoration of jolly old St. Nick this time of year, actually seeing him in person is likely to elicit everything from stage fright to tears to refusal to let the next child in line take his turn. Which is exactly why the resulting photos are always so memorable. Seeing our readers' kids' photos with Santa this year is at the top of our Christmas wish list, so we hope that you'll oblige and share away!

Last call! Today's your last chance to upload your best shot to Instagram, give it a caption, and be sure to include the hashtag #lilsugar so that we can find you. We'll post our favorite pics tomorrow!

(Here's my little guy, looking just a bit perplexed on his first visit to the man in red.)

Now that the Christmas rush is over, you might be less than giddy over some of the gifts you received. Every year, millions of dollars are wasted on unwanted gifts, but that doesn't mean you should let your own unwanted present go to waste. If you're eyeing a certain gift with distaste, here are a couple of options you can take:

• Exchange or return it to the store: If the kind recipient was thoughtful enough to include a gift receipt, use the opportunity to trade the present in for an item that you actually want or to get a refund. Remember not to take too long when returning the gift, because there usually is a time frame for when the store will accept a return. Also, check the return policy to see if you're allowed to get a full refund or if you're only allowed to trade the item in for another.
• Sell it online: Sell the unwanted gifts on sites like Craigslist, eBay, or Amazon. If you don't have much experience with online commerce, ask a savvy friend who's well versed in selling items on the web to help you out. If you're creating an account, try not to pick a username that's too obvious or your recipients may spot you reselling their unwanted gifts. If the item has been personalized for you, be honest and mention that in the description. You might also want to offer up a discount if the gift has your name engraved on it.
• Regift it: You can also give the present to someone else if you follow regifting rules, such as making sure you aren't giving the gift back to the same recipient and that you're thinking about the recipient and not giving another unwanted gift. If the gift isn't Christmas-themed, you can perhaps give it as a thank-you gift at a New Year party if it's appropriate.
• Donate it: When all else fails, you can always donate it so the gift will hopefully be used by someone else. Call local charities to see if they're willing to accept the type of item you're thinking about donating. Use Charity Navigator's advanced search feature to look for suitable charities near you. Remember, you can deduct this donation on your income tax return, so try to do this before the end of the year!

While you're trying to decide what to do with your unwanted gifts, keep this rule in mind: try to get rid of them as soon as you can. The longer you leave your gift sitting there, the longer it'll be part of your clutter, and you might start procrastinating and delay dealing with it.

No one likes taking down Christmas decorations, because that means having to wait a whole year before they grace your home again. But there are ways to make them last until New Year's Eve, if not past that, and give them a thriving post-Christmas life.

• Garland: Christmas garland in reds, golds, and silvers can go a long way once the holiday is over. Consider hanging it upside down for New Year's Eve streamers. Want to use it past Jan. 1? Upcycle it, and turn it into packing material for fragile objects.
• Wrapping paper: If you get creative, there are many uses for gift wrap (including framing graphic patterns), but some of our favorites have to do with lining. Gather large-enough scraps, and line shelves and kitchen drawers that need some sprucing up, or use metallic paper to line drink trays for New Year's Eve.
• Ornaments: Don't put ornaments back in the garage once Dec. 26 rolls around. All you have to do is place them inside a jar — as is — for some festive New Year's Eve decor.
• Greeting cards: The kid inside might want to hole-punch them until they turn into confetti, and while that might not be a bad alternative, why not use them as gift tags for birthday presents? If the designs look too Christmas-centric, then turn them into tags for next year.
• Wreath: Take the pine needles from your door wreath (or Christmas tree, for that matter), and place them in a potpourri bag so you can make the scent of Christmas last as long as possible.