Features Patient Care Practice
The other side of the table: Winter 2002

There are probably a few items in your home that could be used to create holiday cheer. My spouse has purchased a number of massage items over the years that have seen a few weeks use and then slowly found their way into the basement or garage. There are also massage therapy by-products that get thrown out each week that could be recycled into Christmas treasures.  

The first item on my recycle list is the wax bath, known in some circles as a ‘crock pot.’ If you have one of these objects in your basement I have some great suggestions. If it still has wax in it you will need to remove the wax. Melt the wax on low or medium heat.

The very first thing that you will want to do when the wax is warm is dip your hands in the wax five or six times. Wrap your wax-coated hands in plastic and sit quietly for 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes of quiet sitting is such a rare Christmas treat that you may as well take this opportunity to experience it. Remove the wax from your hands. Now you are ready to pour the melted wax into an old epsom salts carton for future use.
The ‘wax bath’ can then be washed with warm, soapy water.

You can then use the pot to create ‘Wassail,’ a traditional hot apple punch. Combine apple cider, pineapple juice, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and one whole nutmeg and heat slowly. It not only tastes great but your home will smell wonderful.

The wax bath can be used for other hot drinks as well: hot rum punch, hot toddies, peppermint schnapps and crème de cacao coffee, hot chocolate or warm milk for Santa! Your guests will be amazed by the novel way in which you used this castaway! Beware of your spouse! This item may be quickly re-incorporated into a massage therapy practice. Another item that the home of a massage therapist abounds with is beautiful, snow-white dryer fluff.

Although some people call this delightful substance ‘lint’ that is only because they do not wash 30 pairs of pure white cotton sheets and 60 white cotton towels every week.

White cotton fluff can be used for countless purposes! It can line gift boxes or be wrapped around delicate ornaments before they are put away. Cotton dryer fluff makes excellent stuffing for quilts or ‘draft dodgers.’
It can be used to create Santa beards, snow under the tree, or snow-topped roofs on Christmas villages.

If you are adventurous you can make your own holiday cards on homemade paper, or make coasters for punch glasses. If you collect the fluff all year you could even create quilted stockings to hang by the chimney.

If you don’t have time for any of the above suggestions, try raiding the aromatherapy cupboard. A sprinkle
of peppermint, mandarin orange or cinnamon oil on your light bulbs will give your home a fresh holiday scent, without the effort of baking, every time you click on the lights.