Chopping onions is one of my least-favorite cooking duties, so I have to admit I cheated on Thanksgiving.

Normally, my husband chops the onions. But knowing he would be Turkey Trotting and I would be home quadrupling my stuffing recipe (we like leftovers), I bought several bags of prechopped, packaged onions – with celery, too! –from the produce department.

I have no regrets.

I may not be a pro at chopping onions –nor am I getting all teary-eyed about it –but I have picked up a few other pointers along the way.

I’m quite speedy at wrapping holiday gifts. Quite clever at covering up a stain on a tablecloth. And, with the possible exception of accidentally vacuuming up our daughter’s Hannah Montana wig while rushing to clean a few years back, I’m pretty good at shaping up a room in a snap before guests arrive.

Here are some of our favorite how-to tips to help during the holidays:

Help Santa: Now is the time to make sure you have all the necessary batteries to operate the toys that may soon appear under the tree.

Avoid a wardrobe crisis: Don’t wait until an hour before any party or gathering to decide what you’re going to wear –only to find out your velvet jacket is missing a button or something doesn’t fit quite right.

Plan now, right down to shoes and hosiery, to make sure you have everything you’ll need.

This goes for casual gatherings at home as well.

Iron an embroidered tablecloth: Press the cloth on the wrong side, which will raise the embroidery in attractive fashion. For lace tablecloths, place a damp cotton terry towel between the cloth and the iron. Use a low heat setting.

Prepare for company: Before your guests arrive, always begin the affair with an empty dishwasher. And pretend they are coming a half hour before expected, so you don’t answer the door with sopping wet, straight-from-the-shower hair.

Wear red lipstick: This is from the new book “How to Sew a Button and Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew” by Erin Bried (Ballantine Books, $15): Gently brush off any rough skin from your lips with a damp washcloth or dry toothbrush. Blot dry with a tissue. Choose a liner the same shade as your lipstick, and line the edge of your mouth. (If you can’t find an exact match, use a lighter shade, not darker.)

Starting at the center of your mouth and moving toward the corners of your lips, apply lipstick directly from the tube. Blot gently and repeat.

Remove glass rings from wood: Here’s another tip from the book: To remove ring, mix 2 tablespoons vinegar with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Dab a soft rag into the solution and then rub the wood, along the grain, to make the ring disappear.

Next time, use coasters!

Be a good guest: Never ask the hosts to show you “the rest of the house.” Don’t tell anyone, “You look tired.” Don’t harass the hostess. If she says, “No thanks, I don’t need help right now,” get out of the kitchen.

And if your kids are with you, forbid them from pounding out “Jingle Bells” all night on the piano.