Ah, the holidays! ‘Tis the season to be jolly – and stressed out, too.

That mix of glad anticipation and worry can extend not just to figuring out how long it will take to thaw out the turkey, but to concerns about the tabletop on which the big bird will be set.

Whether yours is a pricey new acquisition, a valuable heirloom, or just an old table that’s been a part of your holidays forever, you may wish to protect your groaning board from spilled drinks, splashed gravy and hot pans. Then you can limit your stress to timing the turkey preparation.

The way to do this is to acquire a table protector pad. Some people purchase them when they acquire their tables from a furniture store or department store when protector pads made to fit the table precisely are easy to order. In Rockland, Bricher-Lydon company manufactures table protector pads to fulfill those orders. And that’s not only for ordinary round, square, and rectangular tabletops. With more than 20 years experience, the company is tops in turning out pads that will fit tables, sideboards, buffets, and more, in all shapes and sizes, including those that have curved, scalloped, and other unusual edges.

All the company needs is an accurate pattern. They keep hundreds on file from major furniture manufacturers, such as Ethan Allen and Broyhill. When a pattern is not on file, they send a kit through the mail, which includes instructions for measuring your table, and paper to use for step one in the pattern-making process.

The table topper pad will be built of several layers, sandwiched between a suede-like base that is laid against the table and a decorative vinyl top. Those layers include core board, insulating felt, and an aluminum heat shield. There is a choice of colors for the suede and vinyl and typical pads are hinged for compact storage. For more information, call 594-1002 or visit www.sentrybymail.com.