With the holiday season upon us, Live Quickie wanted to provide some solutions that could help take the hassle out of your holidays. We've singled out some of the most stressful parts of the holiday season and came up with corresponding solutions so that you can better enjoy the season. Fortunately, we live in a time of innovation. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with all the new services available and most importantly the good ones, so we did it for you. This holiday season we invite you to take full advantage of the services and applications that will make your gift shopping, grocery shopping, decorating, and meal planning a breeze!
Gift Shopping
Although the world is becoming more and more adaptive, it's not completely there yet. Add overcrowded malls, public transportation, and parking lots to the equation and you have the recipe for a holiday headache. What if you could say goodbye to the lines and instead shop from the comfort of your own home? Surely you've heard of a little online book seller that now sells, well, everything. Amazon can be an amazing place to do all of your holiday shopping. With a Prime membership, your shipping is free. You can even pay a little extra to get same-day or next-day shipping (great for those last-minute shoppers). Even better, your gifts already arrive in a box. You just need to add wrapping paper, ribbons, or drop it in a gift bag, which you can also buy on Amazon.
Although Amazon is probably the most popular, you can find great deals and holiday ideas from other department stores! Walmart offers free two-day shipping on almost all their products, so you can use the money you save on shipping for some delicious hot chocolate. Are you shopping for someone who is a little clumsy? Walmart has you covered. Walmart has partnered with Allstate, so you can now buy protection plans for as little as $25 for three years!
Decorating
If you are celebrating the season with a Christmas tree, you can get the pre-lit artificial kind on Amazon, but some assembly is required. Although pre-lit artificial trees are great, nothing beats the real Douglas fir. Going to a tree farm and choosing a tree is a nightmare in snow-covered grounds, and hauling a tree on top of your car is a big 'no' from us. Amazon to the rescue again. This year, Amazon will be delivering real Christmas trees straight to your door, fresh pine scent and all. When searching for the tree, make sure it is not labeled "artificial." To make it easier to find, search for Hallmark Flowers. They are partnered with Amazon in selling and delivering these real Christmas trees! This is an excellent option for those with limited mobility. Decorating it is still up to you, though.
Cooking
No holiday is complete without a home-cooked meal. If you aren't headed to Mom's for dinner this year, you might be brave enough to cook one yourself. Of course, this means grocery shopping. Have you ever been to a grocery store in December? Crazy long lines & carrying all the groceries home and then stocking them will have you wishing you had just ordered a pizza.
But did you know there is an app for skipping the store? In fact, there are at least two amazing apps that will do it all for you! Instacart and Shipt are smart phone applications that allow you to grocery shop from home. These apps are the Uber of your grocery shopping! Here's how it works: you enter your entire grocery list and identify the store you want the groceries from. A driver from the service will then shop for you, deliver your groceries, and even put them away for you! Better yet, you can do this at any time of day, as long as stores are open. Drivers will deliver the groceries within an hour of your order being placed. Now you're cookin'.
And speaking of cooking, if you're looking for recipes, look no further. Don't let it be another year of buying pre-made pies and claiming you made them. Emeals will not only give you a list of recipes that will help support your dietary needs, they will plan your whole menu and tell you all the ingredients you need. Once you've identified the ingredients you need to shop for, you can pair Emeals with Shipt or Instacart to have a seamless delivery service. What could be easier?
Smoothing Out the Details
If you're hosting the holidays at your house and have guests that have limited accessibility, plan ahead! There are DME providers in your area that can provide you with equipment rentals. Whether it's a scooter, chair, or even a transfer chair, you can rent it for the holidays.
This is just our list of possible solutions to the hassles of the holidays. Let us know if you've tried any of these services! You are likely to have a few good ideas of your own. We'd love to hear them. Please share what gets you through the holidays by adding your ideas in the comment section below.
Happy holidays!
About the Author
Cody was introduced to the medical industry at a young age. After completing his Bachelor's degree in Marketing, he decided to begin a career within the industry. Cody is passionate in helping, learning, and finding new ways to help people with physical disabilities overcome barriers. Motivated to improve the lives of others, he loves finding innovating technology as a solution for others. Outside of work, Cody enjoys working out, hiking, and spending time with loved ones.
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