Saying good night to a red balloon, a bowl of mush, and a pair of mittens? Hey, whatever it takes to drift off to dreamland. Just like the little rabbit in Goodnight Moon, Real Simple readers are serious about their bedtime rituals, which include everything from clutter busting to late-night laughs to kisses, prayers, and loving last looks at sleeping children. And readers aren’t any more likely to part with their evening protocols than that famous bunny was — rest assured.

This Month's Winner

Her Words
Every night I write an entry in my funky “no rules” diary. Sometimes I draw, sometimes I make fun lists (Top-10 Rock Stars), and sometimes I jot down memories, like how my grandmother has the best laugh. It’s so much nicer than writing “Work sucks” or “Lose 10 pounds,” things that I used to think a journal was for.
Kathleen McNee
San Francisco, California
Kathleen will receive a copy of Real Simple Celebrations.

Last Laughs

Before I go to bed, I always have myself a laughfest. I am a huge I Love Lucy fan, and every night I put in a DVD and watch one of my favorite episodes.
Jennifer Sampson
Naperville, Illinois

I have a nightly routine: Brush, floss, wash, remove contacts, laugh. I can’t go to sleep without The Daily Show and Jon Stewart’s wit and intelligence. A fresh dose of laughter takes away all the stress of the day, and there’s no better way to fall asleep than with a smile.
Kaelyn South
Boston, Massachusetts

I turn on the Cartoon Network, set the timer on the TV, and drift off to sleep with a laugh. The real world will be there when I wake up — why carry it into my dreams?
Tracy Bramlet
Westerville, Ohio

A Little Romance

Every night, just before I go to our bedroom, I invite my husband to join me (always in a humorous tone). The invitation takes a variety of forms, but it works: He usually does. After 44 years, I must have lured him into bed about 12,000 times.
Marilyn Hartman
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

The last thing my fiancé and I do before going to bed is tell each other one thing we love about the other. It’s nice that the last thing you think about before falling asleep is that you are loved and why you are loved.
Jessica Martin
Charlotte, North Carolina

I race my husband to bed. The last one under the covers has to turn off the light. It has become a game we play each night. I usually lose, but it’s fun to try to win.
Nicole Miller
Wilmington, North Carolina

My husband and I reach over and give each other a small kiss and say good night. Half the time, we simultaneously deem that kiss lame, turn back over, and make out for a minute or so.
Natalie Plummer
Chattanooga, Tennessee

On a good night, my husband will come to bed and give me a reason to put my book back on the night table.
Tracy Duda
Macomb, Michigan

In the Spirit

I close my eyes and say a small prayer that tonight will be the night my nine-month-old son sleeps through.
Lauren Secousse
Huntington Beach, California

Taking stock of what I have learned during the day is my evening ritual. I begin by asking the question “What have I learned today?” and things just unfold before me. Sometimes my lessons are warm and fuzzy and sometimes they are harsh, but they are all lessons that I needed. I always go to sleep with a higher awareness.
Janet Hall
Memphis, Tennessee

I pray, a relatively recent development. I started reciting the bedtime Shema, Jewish prayers to be said just before retiring. Besides reaffirming faith, the words are meant to help us let go of all that stresses us in order to awaken in the morning ready once again to appreciate life.
Susan Mathason
Columbia, Maryland

As a child, I would often recite “Now I lay me down to sleep,” and even though my prayers have changed somewhat, my sentiments generally haven’t. Ending the evening in prayer seems to center me, and while it doesn’t lift every burden, it does help me sort out all the frayed edges of my day.
Angela Wilkerson Fitch
Campobello, South Carolina