Late December is a time for visiting relatives who bring strange smelling casseroles to the house. The windows are shut tight due to the winter solstice and chilly temps outside. Maybe the aroma is produced by the relatives themselves from the cigar of Uncle Lewis and well…we all know about cousin Eddie. 
We all need a little fresh air to go with our holidays and some live plants might just be what you’re looking for.
Adding some houseplants to the home and office can’t hurt. I’m sure there are some EPA estimates somewhere about the quality of indoor air versus outdoor air. Think about it, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen as part of the photosynthetic process. Studies have found they absorb more than just carbon dioxide having the ability to absorb other indoor air pollutants. Even soil and roots can play a role in removing air-borne pollutants. Plants also help add some moisture to the air as well as oxygen. Visually they’ll improve both your mood and the mood of your guests as we Ho-Ho-Ho through the holidays.
Before you throw the Poinsettia in the trash claiming it to be poisonous consider the following. Poinsettias as a living plant can improve indoor air just like a houseplant. They are not deadly beauties and have had a bum rap as highly poisonous. 
Accidental ingestion will not kill you and any normal kid or pet would spit out their nibble after the first bite or two because they taste awful. I’ve tried them and believe me, stick with the eggnog. You would have to eat a whole lot of leaves to reach the point of potentially toxic compounds. In most cases adding it to the buffet would lead to some nausea, no different than Aunt Bethany serving up her jello mold.
