~ Champagne Living

There's absolutely NOTHING worse than getting sick over the holidays. For us, it was always VACATION time when someone in the family would come down with a cold. I know that our family has tips that we use to try to survive the holiday season as I'm sure yours does too.

Clorox (yes, my favorite bleach that I seem to always write about when I'm talking about cleaning) is inviting you to share your best holiday health tips with other moms, and in return you'll have a chance to win some holiday spending cash!

Simply tweet your favorite tip for keeping your family healthier during the holiday season despite their hectic schedules.

Use he hash tag #cloroxholidays

You'll be entered into the Holiday Health Sweepstakes on Twitter. Lucky moms will win a gift card to use on their child’s (or their own!) holiday wish list. Five sweepstakes winners will be awarded one $50 gift card and one grand prize winner will receive one $100 gift card.

Go to - http://www.clorox.com/special-offers for more information.

Holiday Food Safety Tips:

· Are you in charge of cooking this year? Clean your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food.

· Making a turkey dinner? Be sure to sanitize all your cutting boards to prevent cross-contamination. For plastic cutting boards, first wash or rinse with liquid dishwashing detergent and water. Then soak it in a solution using 1 tablespoon of Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water. Let it stand for 2 minutes, and then air dry. For a wooden cutting board, use 3 tablespoons of Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water to create a sanitizing solution. Wash, wipe, or rinse with dishwashing detergent and water, then apply solution. Let it stand for 2 minutes. Rinse with a solution of 1 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water. Do not rinse or soak overnight.

· Spill some eggnog? Consider using disinfecting wipes to clean kitchen surfaces or use paper towels. If you use cloth towels, wash them often using the hot cycle of your washing machine. You can also sanitize sponges and dishcloths daily in the sink using ¾ cup of Clorox® Regular-Bleach to a gallon of water. Let it soak for 5 minutes, then rinse and dry.

· How long has that fruitcake been in the fridge?!? Refrigerators can harbor lots of bacteria, so be sure to clean and disinfect the whole thing often with disinfecting wipes. That includes the fruit and vegetable bins, which often have the most contaminants.

Holiday Health Tips:

· Don’t let your child’s nose turn as red as Rudolph’s! Get your family vaccinated – it’s the first step to help prevent the flu.

* If holiday shopping turns into a nightmare, don’t make things worse by sharing your germs. Cough into your elbows, not your hands, while you wait in checkout lines.

· Don’t be a Scrooge when it comes to hand hygiene! Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Also remember to carry alcohol-based hand sanitizer when you’re out and about.

* Is everyone in the house running around like busy little elves? Keep them all on their toes by disinfecting hard and frequently touched surfaces in your home, such as doorknobs, light switches and faucets.

· While visions of sugar plums dance in your head, remember to slow down and take care of yourself. Eat right (cut down on the holiday cookies!), exercise and get plenty of sleep.