Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. That’s why we’re proud to give back to those establishments across Long Island and in The Rockaways through our energy efficiency and economic development programs. You too can help support them by shopping for gifts in your community. It’s how we keep our local economy strong and how we stick together on our island.
Learn more about how we’re supporting local businesses at psegliny.com/businessfirst.
TAs we come close to year’s end, it’s the perfect moment to look back on all that 2025 has brought us and look forward to what lies ahead. Your continued support means the world to us - we truly couldn’t do this without you. Within these pages, you’ll find a mix of seasonal pieces and local community news. And don’t forget to enter our featured contest! May this season bring you peace, joy and renewed hope for the coming year. Looking to advertise? Contact us today for more information!
Sayville Boys Golf Claims County Championship
TheSayville High School boys varsity golf team won the Section XI Boys Golf Team Championship with a victory over Sachem in the championship finale on November 3rd, 2025, at Pine Hills Golf and Country Club in Manorville. It was the seventh anniversary of the Golden Flashes’ last Suffolk County team championship.
“We are all so incredibly proud of these remarkable student-athletes for the skill, talent, and determination they displayed,” said Sayville Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Ferris. “We congratulate the boys' golf team on its outstanding success and will continue to cheer on our Golden Flashes as they compete for the Long Island championship.”
Sayville won the semifinals and finals on the same day to claim the county championship. The topseeded Golden Flashes first teed off against fourth-seeded Riverhead High School at 8:00 a.m. and triumphed in
a 7.5-1.5 victory, winning total strokes by a margin of 204-213. Sayville went on to compete against third-seeded Sachem, winning 8-1, with a margin of 197-203 in total strokes.
With this championship
victory, Sayville qualified for the Long Island team championship, which will take place in the spring against the Nassau County team champion on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park.
Sayville School District And Special Olympics New York Host Unified Youth Summit
Over350 Long Island high school students with and without intellectual disabilities, as well as their educators, attended a Unified Youth Summit at the Sayville Old Junior High School on Friday, November 7. At this event, students learned how to develop a plan to grow social inclusion and Unified programming in their schools.
The Special Olympics New York Unified Youth Summit is a free event for Long Island high school students offered as part of the Unified Champion Schools Program. The goal of this event is to bring students with and without disabilities together in a conference setting to educate and inspire them to make a positive impact in their schools and communities.
Long Island students with and without intellectual disabilities, and school staff, from Amityville, Center Moriches, Commack, Connetquot, Deer Park, Harborfields HS, Huntington, Islip, Kings Park, Northport, Patchogue-Medford, Rocky Point, Sayville, Sachem North HS, and Walt Whitman HS.
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Tips To Stay The Course With A New Diet
Thedawn of a new year marks a great time to turn over a new leaf. Many people begin a new year by making resolutions, and aspiring to eat healthier is annually among the most popular pledges health-conscious individuals make. A recent Statista survey of hundreds of people across the globe found that eating healthier was the second most popular New Year’s resolution of 2024. 50 percent of respondents indicated they set goals to eat healthier in the year ahead. Though each year is different, it’s fair to assume a similarly large percentage of resolution-minded individuals will aspire to eat healthier over the next 12 months. As people begin their journeys to a healthier lifestyle, they can consider these strategies to stay the course with a new diet.
• Do not eat too close to bedtime. A recent study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics found that eating more of a day’s total energy intake in the evening is associated with a higher risk of being overweight or obese. The researchers behind the study concluded that eating more of the day’s energy intake at midday can lower the risk of being overweight or obese. Individuals are more likely to stay the course when they see positive results, so try to eat dinner several hours before bedtime and resist the urge to snack after dinnertime.
• Treat yourself, but only periodically. It’s unreasonable and potentially counterproductive to avoid foods seen as treats completely. Cutting out indulgent foods may seem appropriate, but such an approach could make you miserable, and a diet that sparks feelings of misery will prove harder to commit to than one that allows for the occasional indulgence. Moderation is the name of the game, and that should be a rule of thumb for both healthy foods and indulgences. Don’t make indulgences part of your daily routine, even if you eat them in moderation. Rather, save treats for special occasions, and even then only eat them in moderation.
• Consider eating less, but more frequently. Data is conflicting regarding eating smaller but more frequent meals. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that individuals with six or more eating occasions in 24 hours had a lower mean body mass index than those with four or fewer eating occasions in 24 hours. The researchers behind the study concluded that eating a larger number of small meals throughout the day may be associated with improved diet quality and lower BMI. This approach is commonly referred to as “grazing,” and some research has indicated it has no metabolic advantage over other approaches to eating. So what to make of the mixed results? Dieters can decide for themselves and eat more frequent but smaller, healthier meals to combat hunger pangs that can arise when switching to a new diet. If hunger no longer poses a threat that can derail your diet, then this approach might increase the chances you stay committed to eating right.
A Dog Trainer’s Tips For A Safe, Fun Holiday Season With Pets
By Darris Cooper, CPDT-KA, FFCP, National Dog Training Manager at Petco
(NAPSI)—The holidays are a great time to bond with loved ones, which—for most people—includes beloved pets. Whether you’re dressing up in matching outfits and snuggling up at home, enjoying traditions and festivities with family and friends, or traveling for holiday adventures together, these essential tips will help you and your pets navigate a safe, healthy and fun holiday season and beyond:
• Prepare Pets for Big Gatherings: Pets thrive on routine, so new people, sights, smells and sounds can cause extra stress during the holiday season. Give your pet a calm, quiet place of their own, such as a crate or bed in a room away from the festivities. Training can also help your pet self-soothe when they are feeling stressed or overstimulated. Introduce your pet to new pets and people in a calmer environment before the holiday festivities begin. If this isn’t possible, you can still practice meeting new people by inviting a friend over to mimic these interactions and using positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors. A professional dog trainer can also provide personalized tips to keep your pet comfortable and polite in new situations and festive environments.
• Heed Holiday Hazards: The holidays bring festive decorations, new foods and colder weather, all
of which can pose risks to pets. Common holiday plants such as poinsettias, ivy, holly and mistletoe can be toxic if ingested, so these should be kept out of pets’ reach. Similarly, avoid giving your pet potentially toxic holiday foods such as ham, turkey skin and bones, onions, garlic, candy and chocolate. Holiday decorations are meant to be enjoyed by all, but if you have a frisky feline that likes to knock things over, move breakable decorations out of reach and place glass ornaments higher up on the tree. And, for pet parents living in or traveling to cold climates, be sure your pet is bundled up with gear including a cozy puffer jacket, festive holiday sweater and booties.
• Travel Safely: Travel via planes, trains and cars reaches a peak during the holidays. If your pet will join you, plan ahead to confirm pet-friendly hotels, TSA-approved carriers and a special seatbelt or harness for the car. Use a pet travel bag for all the essentials—plenty of your pet’s food, travel bowls for food and water, calming supplements, their favorite toys, and a bed or blanket they can use while away from home. For anxious pets, slowly work your way up from exposure to the car, to sitting in it while the engine’s off, to longer rides, while rewarding calm behavior along the way. Be sure to consult your veterinarian to rule out any underlying health
issues contributing to anxiety and for your pet’s specific needs.
• Start the New Year on the Right Paw: This year, many people are starting their New Year’s resolutions early, and pets should, too. Getting new routines in place now can help lay the groundwork for a healthy and strong start to the new year. Schedule your pet’s regular veterinary and grooming appointments and ask about any nutrition or exercise changes if your pet is entering a new life stage. It’s always a good time to set goals for a new training regimen, regardless of your pet’s age.
• Celebrate in Style: No holiday celebration would be complete without gifts and treats. Pets can get in on the fun by snuggling up in holiday pajamas that match their parent’s, getting cozy in themed beds such as a snow globe and a dreidel, donning a dapper tree print collar and sporting
a festive sweater. Pets can join in baking traditions with a matching oven mitt and dog toy set and an adorable pie-shaped plush dog toy. The dog toy Advent calendar, holiday beverage plush toys and jar of plush pickle toys make great gifts for dogs, while a teaser base with assorted festive attachments, a cat treat Advent calendar and a sixfoot cat scratch house are sure to be a hit with cats. For Hanukkah, Petco has a cute “Chewish” plush bone dog toy, dreidel cat teaser, blue fair isle cozy coat, and more.
• Save on New Pet Essentials: Petco’s new “Welcome to the Family” program features free in-store booklets providing new dog and cat parents with practical guidance and shopping checklists for pet parents created by Petco’s expert veterinary, training and grooming teams, plus exclusive discounts on pet services and essentials from top brands.
New Year’s Eve Celebration Ideas For Families
TheNew Year’s Eve countdown is on, with people eagerly awaiting the opportunity to say goodbye to this year and welcome the possibilities of the year ahead. The month of January’s name was derived from the Roman god Janus, who was the god of beginnings, endings, doorways, and transitions. Symbolized by his two faces looking in opposite directions, Janus presided over many transitions.
Billions enjoy celebrating the arrival of a new year. While New Year’s Eve may be known for its raucous nature, complete with overflowing cocktails and packed dance floors, parents looking to celebrate with their young children have plenty of
Comeoptions to turn NYE into a more family-friendly affair. Explore these ideas for family-friendly NYE fun.
• Noon Year’s Eve: Staying up until midnight might be a stretch for young children, who tend to get wired and cranky the later into the evening they go beyond typical bedtime. Instead of waiting until 12 a.m. for the countdown, move it back (or ahead) 12 hours to 12 noon. Young children won’t mind if it’s the sun out instead of the moon, as long as they get to make noise and throw confetti.
• Homemade noisemakers: Making noise is part of the fun of welcoming the new year. Kids can get in on the act of crafting
Did You Know?
New Year's Eve, it's customary to count down the last 10 seconds until the clock strikes midnight and the new year officially begins. It seems like the 10-second countdown is as old as time itself, but the tradition actually is much more modern. According to Alexis McCrossen, a history professor at Southern Methodist University, prior to the twentieth century, New Year's Day was celebrated rather than New Year's Eve. And even up until the mid-twentieth century, countdowns were not associated with New Year's Eve or even festive occasions. However, the tides turned on countdowns with the Apollo moon launch in 1961. After that, countdowns for radio hits and other fun activities began. Although some TV announcers in the 1960s began counting down to the new year, it wasn't until 1979 that the crowd at Times Square in New York City began joining in. This was despite the first New Year's Eve ball drop being held more than 70 years earlier in 1907. Publisher Adolph Ochs organized the first New Year's Eve party in Times Square in 1904, while the first-ever ball drop took place three years later when the city banned fireworks for the celebration. Yet it was not until the final year of the 1970s for it to be fashionable for a crowd to gather and participate in shouting out the 10-second countdown, a practice that is now tradition.
their own noisemakers from items that already may be around the house. Collect empty toilet paper or paper towel cardboard tubes for this purpose. Cover one end of the tube with masking tape or a round piece of plastic. Fill the tube with beads, small seashells, rice, or dried beans, leaving enough room for the materials to move around inside the tube. Seal the other end and allow the kids to decorate their noisemakers. Then it’s only a matter of shaking them when it’s time to welcome 2026.
• Dress-up photo booth: Many people love to dress up for a special occasion. At a family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration, set aside a corner of a room with dress up props like funny glasses, feather boas, top hats, and NYEspecific items. Explore digital disposable camera apps like POV, Lense or Pixel Party. Guests simply scan a QR code for the event that the party host
has established for a low price, and can snap moments at this “photo booth” that are shared effortlessly to one digital place.
• Kids beverage bar: Ensure that younger guests can be age-appropriate mixologists with sodas, fruit juices, citrus slices, and maraschino cherries. Or set up a hot cocoa bar with miniature marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and peanut butter chips.
• Family-friendly dance club: Put together a playlist of popular songs and choose the “clean” versions so children will not hear questionable lyrics. Clear an area of the party to serve as the dance floor, and utilize strobe lights or a disco ball to enhance the atmosphere.
Families can celebrate New Year’s Eve with kids in entertaining ways that are appropriate for everyone in the home.
How To Stay Healthy While Traveling For The Holidays
The holiday season is always a busy time of year for the travel industry, and 2025 figures to be no exception. A November report from CNN indicated that the aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that passenger bookings on major airlines for Thanksgiving were up by 2.22 percent from a year earlier, when holiday travel reached a record high.
Traveling is indeed a key component of the holiday season for millions of people, and long lines at airports, crowded train stations and trains, and even heavily trafficked roadways are among the challenges such individuals must navigate as they aim to spend time with loved ones between late November and the first week of January. Finding ways to stay healthy while traveling is another challenge that such individuals face. While that can be difficult, travelers can look to various strategies to stay healthy when taking to the rails, roads, or friendly skies this holiday season.
• Take some creature comforts to ensure a good night’s rest. The Clayton Sleep Institute reports that as much as 80 percent of travelers report sleeping worse while traveling than they do at home. Jet lag, general weariness, and unique sleeping environments can compromise travelers’ ability to get sufficient and quality rest while away from home. When possible, taking some creature comforts along, such as the pillow you sleep on at home, can facilitate better rest on the road. That can promote a healthier
holiday season, as the Mayo Clinic notes, people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get sick after exposure to a virus, including the common cold.
• Do some homework on nutrition. Healthy food and the holiday season are not exactly synonymous, and it’s easy to overindulge in unhealthy fare like baked goods when visiting loved ones between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. It’s also more difficult to eat healthy when traveling, regardless of the time of year. Some pre-travel homework can help travelers find restaurants that offer healthy fare on the road to their destination and locate restaurants with nutritious foods once they
arrive. Travelers can also pack healthy snacks to enjoy during their travels.
• Stay somewhere you can exercise. Many hotels now feature on-site fitness facilities and/or swimming pools so guests can exercise during their stay. Travelers can book stays in these facilities rather than staying in hotels with no such offerings or in loved ones’ apartments. Some hotels may include access to a local fitness facility with each booking instead of an on-site exercise room. Travelers who want to stay healthy while on the road can take advantage of these offerings during their stay.
• Take something along to calm the stress. Even the
most seasoned travelers can succumb to travelrelated stress, especially during the busy holiday travel season. Take along an engaging book, a tablet pre-loaded with films and television shows, a smartphone with a full array of podcasts to listen to, or additional items that might help you remain calm should a stressful situation arise during your travels. Stress can compromise the immune system, so having a distraction during travel delays can help people get through their holiday travels in a healthy way.
Staying healthy when traveling during the holiday season can come down to some simple planning.
Simple Stuffed Shells To Please A Hungry Holiday Crowd
Holiday hosting is a fun way to welcome loved ones. Opportunities to host abound between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, and savvy hosts know how useful an expansive culinary repertoire can be during a time of year when it’s common to enjoy home cooked meals with loved ones. Simple but flavorful meals are a holiday host’s best friend. Such meals, which include the following recipe for “Stuffed Shells With Spinach and Ricotta” from Lines+Angles, give hosts more time to mingle but still ensure a delicious dish makes its way to the table come dinnertime.
Stuffed Shells With Spinach And Ricotta
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Salt, to taste
32 jumbo pasta shells
10 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups ricotta, softened
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided), plus extra to serve
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 3⁄4 cups marinara or spaghetti sauce
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per package directions until al dente. Rinse pasta in cold water to stop cooking process and drain well.
2. Squeeze spinach dry. Transfer spinach to large bowl. Add ricotta, 1⁄2 cup Parmesan, garlic, and beaten eggs to bowl. Season mixture with salt and pepper, and mix to blend.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
4. Spoon 1⁄2 cup marinara sauce evenly over bottom of 9- x 13- x 2-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with spinach mixture. Place shells, filling side up, in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1⁄2 cup Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake until heated through and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Spoon remaining sauce over shells.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve.
Congratulations Natalie Affenita: Top 40 Under 40
Natalie was recently Honored in a special edition of the Long Island Real Producers Magazine as being one of the Top 40 Under 40 Licensed Real Estate Agents
Natalie Affenita has never been one to follow a straight path. In fact, she’s taken more detours than most-including captaining a collegiate dance team, traveling the world, working as a travel agent in Florence, and selling stone in a mason’s yard before realizing that real estate was where she was meant to be.
Her journey into the industry was anything but conventional. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was working with her father in construction when a customer walked in, looking for materials. Natalie didn’t just sell him a piece of stone-she sold him on her talent. So much so that he took her to lunch the next day, not to discuss masonry but to convince her to get into real estate. After a few conversations and some paperwork, she was officially in the business, and she hasn’t looked back since.
Real estate has tested her in ways she never expected, especially when health complications forced her to undergo surgery to insert a cardiac monitor, which Natalie still has today. But slowing down? Not an option. Even during recovery, Natalie found a way to keep her deals moving, show properties, and stay present for her clients-thanks to an incredible support system of family, colleagues, and sheer determination. “Real estate doesn’t pause, and neither do I,” she says with a laugh.
Now, with Douglas Elliman Real Estate, She’s laser-focused on breaking into the luxury market, expanding her network, and making a difference through her extensive charity work. And if her track record proves anything, it’s that no matter what life throws at her, Natalie will always find a way to turn it into an opportunity.
Staying The Course With A New Year’s Resolution
The holiday season is steeped in tradition. Many of those traditions are rooted in celebrants’ faith, but one of the last customs people embrace each year is largely secular.
The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions is older than many people may realize. According to History.com, the ancient Babylonians are believed to be the first people to make New Year’s resolutions, beginning roughly 4,000 years ago during a 12day festival known as Akitu. That festival was religious in nature, but many people now make resolutions aimed at selfimprovement unrelated to their faith. As people ponder their resolutions for the year ahead, the following strategies might help them stay the course over the next 12 months.
• Give serious thought to a prospective resolution. Statistics regarding New Year’s resolutions vary, but a 2024 survey from the Pew Research Center found that 13 percent of adults polled indicated they kept none of their resolutions. Numerous variables can affect whether or not a person keeps a resolution, but giving a potential resolution little thought ahead of time can make achieving a goal unlikely. Give any potential change ample thought before committing to a resolution. If you aspire to lose weight, identify the ways you’re going to go about that. Find a local gym to join, identify ways to eat a more nutritious diet, and perhaps most importantly, study how you can make time to stay the course. A
little legwork in advance of declaring a resolution can pay off in the long run.
• Set periodic goals. Small goals along the way to the larger goal can serve as motivation to keep going. If you aspire to watch less television and read more, resolve to read 100 pages per week and then gradually increase that total if you so desire. Small goals can provide a great means to measure incremental progress that will ultimately make achieving a larger goal more likely.
• Be realistic. Realistic goals are more likely to be achieved than ones
that seem good on the surface but are too difficult to keep. For example, if you aspire to exercise for an hour each day but obligations to work and family leave little time for physical activity, then you may need to reduce those expectations in favor of a more realistic, achievable goal. Taking on too much will only discourage you when hurdles inevitably appear, and that is likely to compel you to abandon the resolution entirely. If your initial goal is realistic, then any challenges that arise are less likely to derail your efforts.
• Don’t go it alone. Many
people employ the buddy system as a means to stay motivated with fitnessrelated resolutions, and that approach can be applied to any goal you set at the beginning of the year. Having someone there to hold you accountable, and doing the same for a partner, increases the chances you’ll stay the course.
New Year’s resolutions are an ancient tradition, even if the majority tend to be abandoned rather quickly. But anyone can buck that trend and stay the course by employing a few simple yet effective strategies.
Seven Ways To Organize And Store Holiday Decorations
Holidaydecor comes in many different sizes — from the smallest tree ornaments to illuminated statues for the yard or inflatable items. Figuring out a storage plan can take a little effort. These seven tips can help.
1. Purchase clear, similarly sized storage bins and shelving racks, hanging them where you plan to keep the decorations. Most people prefer an out-of-the-way spot, such as in the garage, attic or basement. Label each bin by holiday and put the bins in chronological order to make finding items more convenient. Uniform bin sizes make it easier to stack and store.
2. Store smaller items inside larger decor items. Decorative baskets or wrapped boxes brought out for Christmas or Chanukah are ideal places to keep smaller tchotchkes like ceramics, dreidels, candlestick holders, or mantel hooks. Delicate items can be tucked into Christmas stockings or wrapped and stored in a fluffy tree skirt. Egg cartons can be used to keep small items safe as well.
3. Label everything, so you will not need to dig through boxes or bins to know what is inside. This might be a good year to ask for a label maker for the holidays!
4. Use overhead or wall storage for holiday decor. Overhead spaces in the garage or basement walls can be good spaces to keep holiday decorations. Always keep bins and boxes off the floor, so they are not vulnerable to damage related to leaks or floods.
5. Garment bags can protect larger decorations, such as wreaths, artificial trees, or signs. If you have a large number of mechanical, illuminated, or inflatable lawn ornaments, consider investing in a small shed where these items can be safely kept. Wrap the extension cords and any bracing stakes or strings used with the decorations so it’s easy to find.
6. Utilize pieces of cardboard as well as toilet paper or paper towel tubes to keep lights and wires tidy. Tuck cords into the toilet paper tubes, and wrap lights around the cardboard to avoid tangles.
7. Each year, take inventory of your decoration collection and toss out anything that is damaged or has seen better days.
Storing holiday decorations will take some time, but once you establish a system, things will be simple year after year.
Did You Know?
Christmas trees are a key component of many people's holiday season. It's a family tradition to choose the tree each year and then adorn it with ornaments, tinsel, family mementos, and a beautiful tree topper. Most people fasten the top bough with an angel or a star. The first tree toppers were the infant Jesus, but toppers are now available in other options symbolic of the Nativity of Jesus. The star refers to the Star of Bethlehem. The angel represents the messengers of God as well as the Angel Gabriel, who visited Mary to share the news that she would be giving birth to the Son of God. People can choose whichever topper they prefer, but many refer to the religious significance of Christmas.
Some Unique New Year's Celebrations Across The Globe
Itis time to turn the page on one year and usher in another. Each December 31, people all over the world reminisce, celebrate, plan, and party in honor of the changing calendar.
Many are likely familiar with some of the common ways to ring in the new year, which include champagne toasts, fireworks and watching the ball drop in Times Square. Yet, there are many other
ways to celebrate this occasion and welcome a new year with hope and good luck. Enjoy these ways to commemorate the start of 2026.
· Smash pomegranates for luck. Many have heard of smashing grapes to make wine, and the band Smashing Pumpkins has millions of devoted followers across the globe. The comic Gallagher used to smash
Pet-Friendly Holiday Decorating
Decorating is one of the great joys of the holiday season. Stores adorn their windows with amazing displays and homeowners deck out residences with all measures of holiday wonderment.
Approximately 94 million households in the United States feature a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association. Many of those households will be decorating for the holidays and must figure out ways to keep homes safe for all residents — including those covered in fur. These tips can ensure a pet-friendly season with lots of holiday decor.
proof ornaments and other decorative items that are durable and non-toxic. Items made from felt, fabric or wood tend to be safer than items that can break.
• Pick pet-friendly plants. Poinsettias and mistletoe may be traditional, but they can be toxic to pets. Additional options like Christmas cactus can be safer. Artificial plants are another alternative to consider.
• Opt out of open flames. It is best to avoid traditional candles when pets are around. Instead, there are plenty of those powered by LED lights that even mimic the flicker of real candles.
watermelons on stage. But in Turkey, smashing a pomegranate outside your front door is said to bring good luck. The fruit is seen as a symbol of prosperity, abundance and health.
· Put on some polka dots. In the Philippines, wearing polka-dotted clothing on New Year's Eve is a tradition said to bring good fortune in the new year, according to Philstar Life.
· Grab some cash. There's a perpetuating superstition that it's better to have some extra money in your wallet to enter the New Year full of financial prosperity. Also, it's best to wipe out any unpaid debts before December 31 disappears; otherwise, the months ahead might not be financially sound.
• Avoid tinsel and ribbons. Digestive issues or blockages can affect pets who ingest tinsel or ribbons. Select pet-safe ribbons or garlands, and skip the tinsel entirely.
• Avoid edible decor. Candy canes on trees or popcorn garlands are festive,but they may prove too tempting for pets to resist. Animals can get sick and may knock over the Christmas tree or other items to access the food.
• Secure decorative items. Position the Christmas tree in an area that is not easily accessible. Avoid putting it near furniture that can be used as a jumping-off point. Make sure the tree stand is sturdy enough to prevent tipping, and consider using wire or
string to tie the tree to a ceiling or wall anchor for further stability.
• Mind the scents. Some fragrances can be overwhelming or irritating for pets, so use scented diffusers or plug-ins sparingly. A simmering pot of cloves, cinnamon sticks and orange rinds can create a welcoming, all-natural aroma.
• Create a sanctuary. Try not to move too many of the pet’s creature comforts, such as favorite toys or bedding. If you must move these items out of the way, gradually introduce the pet to his or her new area, which can be set away from the hustle of the main entertaining area.
Where Holiday Memories Begin Let Me Guide You Home
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With deep local expertise and a proven record of successful sales, I guide clients with clarity and confidence. This holiday season, let’s plan your next move together.
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Award Recipient, Top 15% of Agents Nationwide* #4 Agent By Trasactions* | #20 Agent By
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Sayville Office | 150 Main Street 631.589.8500 | elliman.com
