If you’re anything like me, you have no idea how long that Chinese food has been lurking in the back of the refrigerator. I always have the best of intentions to write down on the top of the container when it was exactly that I ordered delivery, but suddenly it’s innumerable days later and I’m trying to gauge the ratio of likelihood of food poisoning to how hungry I am. These little digital counters from DaysAgo, $7.99 at The Container Store, make a great stocking stuffer and will save me from many upset tummies! They’re also useful outside the refrigerator — they can be used to count down from when the plants need watering or air filters need to be replaced. — Katie D.

Related: stilltasty.com

You know we like the Christmas trees, so how could we pass up telling you about the artificial Christmas tree sweepstakes at Balsam Hill? It’s your chance to win a Colorado Mountain Spruce Christmas tree valued at $799. Talk about holiday cheer!

Now through Saturday, save 10% on all items in the “gift” category at Oeuf. Use coupon code EARLY SHOPPER.

Take 20% off your order of $75 or more on the Scandinavian designs at Peek Keep, now through December 31. Enter promo code 20%Off at checkout.

Allmodern.com is offering DwellStudio decor and furnishings at a 20% discount, among many other seasonal offers.

Speaking of AllModern.com, check the CSN Stores Facebook page for daily holiday deals and giveaways from their many online stores.

Oo, here’s a nice little something to go with a book gift or on their own: Book City Jackets has some gorgeous new releases, and they’re offering free domestic shipping on any order of two sets or more and $5 off orders of $50 or more. Enter discount code BCJ2009.

Gessato has some lovely gift ideas, including some that would be great for hard-to-buy-for men, and you’ll get free shipping on orders of $120 or more.

A recent story about scientists growing meat in a lab made me shudder (if you’ve read Oryx and Crake, you know why). I was a vegetarian for almost a decade, but I went back to being a meat eater quite a few years ago. Recent books like Eating Animals and The Omnivore’s Dilemma have been making me think about it again. So I’m curious about our readers and their habits — where are you on the meat-eating spectrum? Take the poll, and then tell us more in comments about what you eat and why. — Mary T.

Photo by Michal Zacharzewski

Here on Shelterrific we’ve put much thought into trees around the holidays. We’ve desired real trees, fancied untraditional and aluminum trees, wondered about black trees, and even entertained the great “real vs. fake” debate. Now I present for your consideration the cardboard Christmas tree. Made from 100% recycled cardboard, this mini tree from PopDeluxe is big on irony. (If it’s made from real trees, it counts as a real tree, right?) Perfect for crafting, its radial design also allows for a more compact 180 degree configuration, which might be a good alternative for those of us who, I don’t know, may or may not be seriously considering displaying a live tree on the fire escape for lack of better spatial options. Even less room? Try the smaller Snowflake Tree, now on sale! — Sarah C.

It may not be the season to think about outdoor sculpture, but I can’t help imagining how wonderful Terra Sculpture would look in my yard now that the trees have lost their leaves…or with a dusting of snow…okay, I just want one, period. The company was created by the design team of Jennifer Gilbert Asher and Mario Lopez with marketer Karen Neill Tarnowski. Made from powder coated, stainless, and weathered steel, Terra Sculpture has been featured on HGTV, in the LA Times, and plenty of other places you can read about on their blog. The work sells for between $1,900-$2,900, but for substantial art up to six feet tall that is definitely not what you can pick up at the big box store, I’m okay with that. — Mary T.

After reading through all of your amazing comments and suggestions on my post about wanting to hang a pot rack, I decided I should probably consult the guy actually in charge of building it for me. It turns out my boyfriend is pretty creative and quite the handyman. I came home from work one day to find he had devised a plan for building me my very own pot rack. Less than $20 and 30 minutes later I had a great place to hang my new pots. It was as simple as drilling a few pilot holes, screwing in some eye-hooks, hanging a couple of carabiners and sawing off the handle of a broomstick. Oh, and the pretty metal hooks—they’re actually shower curtain hooks! I think it looks rather sleek…in an industrial sort of way. Let me know if you want more detailed instructions and I’ll get the handyman himself to write some up. —Erica P.

Lately I’ve been finding myself in the kitchen even more than usual. I’ve been trying to make some major dietary changes, eliminating most processed foods and white flour. It’s really hard for a gal who loves her pastries, but I’ve begun experimenting with baking with nuts. My first attempt was a definite success: I used this grain-free banana bread recipe, substituting agave nectar for honey and using a 50-50 mix of almonds and ground walnuts instead of hazelnuts. This time, I wanted something more autumnal and reminiscent of my mom’s famous persimmon date cake, spiced with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and allspice. So I threw some persimmons in the freezer (this turns a crisp fuyu soft, custardy, and ready to mash) and set off to bake my own version. These satisfying yet delicate muffins are wheat-free, sweetened only with fruit, high in protein, and low in carbohydrates — perfect for that breakfast on the go or a midday snack! — Megan B. Click for persimmon date almond muffins! (more…)

We got this plea for knob ideas from reader Molly. We have suggestions below, but bet you do, too. Please weigh in!

“My husband and I are re-doing a dresser, and we need some cute knobs to put on the drawers. I’m not interested in the standard brushed knobs you can find in any home improvement store, but cute, different ones. I’ve already looked at Anthropologie, and might stop by some antique stores. I just wondered if you or your readers might have any suggestions for any stores (preferably online) that offer cute knobs? Thanks!” — Molly

Hi Molly. Thanks for writing in. We have two immediate suggestions for you. Why not consider faucet handles, like the ones that Mary T put up in her kitchen recently? She got the idea from Good Housekeeping and we all love the results. Or, for some straightforward online resources, try this post from Erica about hunting down glass knobs.

Leave your suggestions for good online knob resources below!

I’d been scouring Craigslist for a small desk for my daughter’s bedroom re-do, but after three months of no-go and a birthday deadline fast approaching, I changed my plans last garbage day. With my neighbor’s blessing, I snagged her chair from the curb. It took about two hours to scrub and vacuum it clean. Then I repaired the loose wicker on the front legs, gave it a coat of white primer, and finished with two cans of Krylon Watermelon. (Still not sure about the monogram I taped off in the diamond pattern on the back of the chair — I was going for funky but think now it might be fussy. Thoughts?) Click to read the rest — and see the chair as it looked before Sarah’s magic! (more…)

Get all your holiday shopping done with one Etsy seller this year! Le Papier Studio has a dizzying selection of over 100 items, including delicate and stark silhouettes including beautiful canvas wall calendars, pretty bookplates, handmade art, and custom made cufflinks featuring your favorite person’s profile. With prices starting at $8 and hardly climbing above $50, it’s easy to find thoughtful gifts within any budget. — Katie D.