The Gift Courteney Cox Would Absolutely Love to Receive If She Didn’t Own One Already

Sure, Courteney Cox owns a company that makes beautiful surface sprays, and she’s been called out on Instagram for behaving a lot like her cleaning-obsessed Friends character, Monica, but she swears she’s not a germaphobe. She’s just your average neat freak. “I like order,” says Cox, who recently became the face of Shark’s campaign to promote its new PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and PowerDetect Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum. 

Like the rest of us, Cox appreciates the little things that speed up the dreaded chore of vacuuming, like powerful suction that scoops debris from the edges of a room and not having to untangle hair from the bristles. And she really enjoys it when she doesn’t have to lift a finger. “The robot [vacuum] goes around the room, detects dirt, mops it, dries it, and then goes back to its dock to empty. It’s like having the greatest relationship: You don’t have to do anything with it,” she says. Ahead, we asked Cox about her gift recs for fellow neat freaks, how she tackles holiday hosting, and more. 

My Luxurious Yet Practical Gift Rec

This would be the perfect gift for me if I didn’t have one [already]. I like to get things that are practical. This is the gift that will keep on giving. It’s not going to wear out, it’s such a practical luxury, and it’s worth every penny.

The Impractical Gift I Wouldn’t Mind Receiving

I’m definitely a less-is-more kind of person. If you’re going to get me a gift, I’d rather a few people go in and get me one nice thing than a lot of things that I don’t want. When I was younger, I used to think, Why would people send flowers? They’re just going to die. Now, I’ve got to say, I love flowers. I think that’s a good gift, someone sending you flowers once a month.

My Prehosting Cleaning Routine

Of course, [before guests arrive], I would have the floors cleaned and vacuumed, and definitely the countertops in the kitchen. I light candles in every bathroom, every room. I’m very specific with lighting: I like mid-level lights, and if you have overheads, I like them very dim. That’s the way I like to start.

How I Keep My Kitchen Cleanup Minimal

If I am the person cooking, I’m not someone who says, “Okay, I’ll just do everything at the end.” I like to [clean] as I go. It just makes it more manageable.

My Holiday Meal Tradition

For Thanksgiving, the meal is very specific, and it’s exactly the same meal I do on Christmas. I use Pepperidge Farm stuffing. I make cornbread from creamed corn from a can, sour cream, eggs, and milk. I do a pea casserole (like green bean casserole but with peas). We do a sweet potato casserole, like we did at my home in Alabama. I want to see the ridges from the Ocean Spray cranberry can! It is the most canned, nonhealthy meal you’ll ever eat. It’s something I’ve been doing since I was a child, so it’s really important to me.