Ah, the holidays…time for families, decadent food, gift giving and getting, and, of course, colds and flu and anything else the kiddies (or you) may bring home to share. Of course, I give my kids medicine for their big, bad ailments, but like many moms and dads, I don’t like flooding their systems with cold medicines that were recently deemed unhealthy for little ones, and try my best to keep them as drug-free as possible. We like our Hello Kitty humidifier, steam baths, lots and lots of water, and favorite blankets to cuddle into. With kids, however, even the smallest sniffles can bring about great stress for them - raw noses! Itchy tissues! Hello Kitty’s smiling face can’t solve that problem…

There are alternatives to Dimetapp fixes, all of which will work for kids of any age (as well as you). Lo and behold, DailyCandy Kids Chicago sent out this great homemade chest cold rub recipe this morning that’s simple to make and a lot easier to apply (and smell!) You can easily find all the ingredients at your local Whole Foods or natural foods store, or this amazing on-line shop, Smallflower. Dubbed “The Original International Apothecary,” Smallflower is truly a one-stop shop for all things natural from head to toe for you and your family. From Hyland’s homeopathic cold remedy for kids, to every essential oil and Bach Flower essence under the sun to mix your own remedies, as well as teething and colic help, be forewarned - you’ll be ready to stock up for the season, hoping it will last well into the new year…