An alternative to using beforeEach and afterEach

test.util.js

const I = a => a

// this is just wrapping before and after functions around chai's BDD `it`
export const wrapIt = (before = I, after = I) => (label, fn) => {
    const ctx = before();
    it(label, (ctx) => fn.call(ctx));
    after(ctx);
};

thing.test.js

const {wrapIt} from 'test.util.js'
describe('thing', () => {
  const createThing = () => new Thingy();
  const destroyThing = it => it.destroy();
  

  const thing = wrapIt(createThing, destroyThing);
  
  thing('works', me => expect(me).to.be.ok);
  thing('uses less boilerplate than last idea', me => expect(me).to.be.ok);
});

describe('stuff', () => {
  const createStuff = () => ({
     thing: new Thingy(),
     nothaThing: new AnotherThing()
  });
  const destroyStuff = ({thing}) => thing.destroy();
  
  const stuff = wrapIt(createStuff, destroyStuff);
  
  stuff('can test things on the context', function(){
    expect(this.thing).to.be.ok;
  });
  stuff('can still use arrows by destructuring', ({nothaThing}) => expect(nothaThing).to.be.ok);
});