Big family? Lots of friends? Secret Santa? Everybody, at some point in the holiday season, has to acquire gifts in bulk.

For quick, neat holiday decorating, attach one of Marilyn Minter’s limited-edition stars and Christmas tree vinyl decals to the wall.

The bug-hunters interviewed for this story.

How to deal with bedbugs.

How to deal with cockroaches in your apartment.

How to deal with mice and rats in your apartment.

The bedbug epidemic keeps getting worse. Mice are migrating indoors for the winter. Rats are getting churned up by construction all over the city. Cockroaches are simply eternal. Still, it is possible to live vermin-free in New York.

From friendly ghosts to flesh-eating creatures, these haunted houses offer a full spectrum of scares.

If you just want to test-drive, there are more-sophisticated alternatives than press-ons.

Impulse tattoos are a bad idea—you know, they’re permanent, and all. But if you have to have a lotus blossom or a lightning bolt right this minute, there are many talented and responsible walk-in shops.