Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have a fun suggestion for kids’ birthdays. Most kids only want frosting on a birthday cake, so I made a “tower cake” by using donuts. Just purchase a variety of donuts (about a dozen) and create a tower with them. Candles can easily be poked into them and be lit. It costs about $20. — Great Grandma Betty, in Vancouver, Washington

Great Grandma Betty, what a clever idea! It’s so unique, too. I’ll have to give this a thumbs up and try it sometime. — Heloise

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Heloise@Heloise.com

TOOTHBRUSHES FOR TASKS

Dear Heloise: Toothbrushes are so handy for a variety of household cleaning chores! Since I live alone, I don’t go through them frequently. I purchase inexpensive multipacks of toothbrushes to keep in my cleaning supplies closet. — Madeline, in Rutland, Vermont

SURGICAL SOCK TRICK

Dear Heloise: I, too, would get frustrated when trying to put on surgical socks, but an assistant at my rehab hospital showed this trick to me before I was discharged: Take a plastic bag (the type that is used in many grocery stores) and put it on your foot so that your toes are in the corner and the handles are in your hands. Gather up the sock and slip the sock on to your foot, which should be placed on top of the bag. Continue sliding the sock on until it’s completely covering your foot.

When you’re done, start pulling the bag out from the open toe area. The bag should slide out easily. (My surgical socks had open toes.) This method saved my husband and me from many minutes of frustration and aggravation. It also made it easier for me to dress myself and put my shoes on without needing assistance. — Pauline, via email

A CHILDLESS WEDDING

Dear Heloise: I once attended a wedding where a toddler didn’t want to sit still during the ceremony. The mother wrestled with her the entire time. (Might I mention that they were three rows from the front?) On the same occasion, another toddler screamed for about 15 minutes before the wedding started — and while the wedding party was getting ready.

Take my word for it: Don’t bring babies or toddlers to weddings; they get tired and cranky. It’s not worth the cute little shoes and clothes they wear. — A Faithful Reader, via email

Faithful Reader, more and more I’m hearing from brides that they want to restrict children under a certain age (usually children under 10 or 12 years old) from their weddings but don’t want to offend their families. The reason is most often due to children getting bored, tired, or — on occasion — a bit rambunctious.

When an invitation arrives, there’s usually an inner envelope with names on it. If the envelope says “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” for example, but doesn’t say “and family” or doesn’t mention a child by name, then they aren’t invited. If your children aren’t invited, please don’t bring them to the wedding.

When in doubt, call the mother of the bride or the maid of honor and ask. Please don’t call the bride and ask that your children be invited. It puts her in a very awkward position. — Heloise