Gifts to buy and packages to wrap and cookies to bake, oh my! Long Islanders are dashing and dancing to plan for end-of-the-year celebrations that typically include parties, presents and platters of food. How will everything on your massive to-do list ever get done? With help, of course. From folks who will let you make a mess in their kitchen to services that will mail your cards, decorate your house and wrap your packages, here's a roundup of shortcuts you can take this holiday season.
HOLIDAY MAILINGS
It's the biggest thing in holiday cards since self-adhesive stamps. Gerry Young of
Holiday Helper Greetings in Mastic Beach created a Web site --
mailmychristmascards.com -- that allows users to select holiday greeting cards and personalize them with a photo and message. Better yet, enter the names and addresses of the recipients, and the company will stuff, address and stamp the envelopes and stick them in the mail. Prices start at $34.99 to make and mail 10 custom photo cards.
For last-minute shipping, the
Hicksville Post Office has extended hours: 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. weekdays and 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. It's located at 185 W. John St. Call 516-933-2321 for general information.
GIFTS
Say good-bye to paper cuts. Mineola-based
Paper Bow & Scissors will wrap your holiday gifts with style. Wrappers will dress up packages that are dropped off, or they'll come to your home to wrap, bag and tag surprises from Santa. Wrapping paper, gift bags and bows are furnished, or supply your own. Prices start at $2 per package. Call 516-972-3907 for an estimate or to schedule services.
Get your gifts wrapped without leaving the mall. Most anchor stores in major malls offer gift wrapping for items purchased at the store.
Papyrus, the specialty-paper store at Roosevelt Field Mall, will also wrap gifts purchased elsewhere. Prices range from $3 to $10 per box, not including the cost of wrapping paper. Call 516-739-2254 for details.
When purchases say, "some assembly required," there's
Bay Harvest, a Dix Hills-based business that puts together computer tables, bicycles, elliptical machines and other gifts that come in a box with a gazillion pieces. Minimum fee is $65. Call 516-816-7635 for estimates.
MEALS & GATHERINGS
Big holiday meals and family get-togethers usually mean hours of cooking and cleanup. This year, give 'em all the trimmings, but let someone else do the work. Smithtown-based
Elegant Eating (631-360-2211;
eleganteating.com) offers a Christmas dinner with baked ham, roasted vegetables, fruit salad and dessert that serves eight to 10 people for $210. Extending the spirit of Hanukkah,
Ben's Deli (
bensdeli.net) is offering through Sunday a family dinner for six that includes latkes with apple sauce and chicken or brisket for $89.99. They'll even deliver.
You need to eat, but who needs cleanup?
Super Suppers has three Long Island locations where guests can prepare six or 12 meals to take home and serve later. (The meals make great gifts, too.) All the recipes and fresh ingredients are provided. Call for details. Bethpage (516- 520-0503), Nesconset (631-591- 2966) and West Islip (631-893-3162).
BAKING
Give grandparents and teachers gifts created by little hands.
The Long Island Children's Museum is offering sugar-cookie decorating workshops from 2:30-4 p.m. today through Friday. Kids can take home their masterpiece. Go to
licm.org or call 516-224-5800 for details.
Build a house in less than two hours! Lisa Basini, aka
The Baking Coach, is holding free or low-cost gingerbread-house workshops at libraries and community centers in Suffolk County. She supplies pre-baked "walls" and all the decorations. You assemble and decorate your confectionary home, which you take to your real home. Go to
bakingcoach.com or call 631-543-8608 for the schedule and contact numbers.
Al la Carte Culinary Services in Lynbrook (
alacartecs.com) provides all the ingredients for a holiday cookie "bake and take." Sign up for a four-hour class on Dec. 19 or Dec. 22 and take home a holiday tin brimming with cookies, fudge and brittle. Classes cost $89. Call 516-599-2922 for details.
DECORATING
Some landscapers and lawn-sprinkler services will hang holiday lights and other outdoor decorations, charging by the hour or project. Long Island-based
Pacific Lawn Sprinklers (888-438-7224) sells holiday lights as well as lawn and roof displays, all hung and lit by a technician. (There's a $1,500 minimum for the lights and installation.)
When the weather outside is frightful, let someone else hang the greens.
Fox-Jackson Designs in Island Trees will put up wreaths, swags and roping as well as pot evergreen porch trees. Better yet, they come and take everything down in January. Go to
foxjackson.com or call 516-579-1482 for pricing or to schedule an estimate.
SHOPPING
The best way to beat the crowds is to shop early or shop late. Long Island's major malls and select retailers are open extra hours:
The Americana (Manhasset): From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Fortunoff The Source Mall (Westbury): 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Sundays are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Green Acres Mall (Valley Stream): Open as early as 8 a.m. (anchor stores may open earlier) until as late as 11 p.m.
Kohl's: Opens as early as 6 a.m. and closes as late as midnight.
Roosevelt Field Mall (Garden City): As early as 9 a.m. (anchor stores may open earlier) and as late as 11 p.m.
SmithHaven Mall (Lake Grove): As early as 7 a.m. and as late as 11 a.m.
Tanger Outlet Malls (Riverhead): From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Toys R Us: Most locations are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Walt Whitman Mall (Huntington): As early as 8 a.m. until as late as 11 p.m.
Westfield South Shore Mall (Bay Shore): Opens as early as 7 a.m. and as late as midnight.
Westfield Sunrise Mall (Massapequa): Opens as early as 7 a.m. and as late as 11 p.m.
