Christmas Countdown

raebates

With apologies to those who don't celebrate Christmas . . .


As of today, October 4, there are only 82 days left until Christmas.

I thought it would be fun to start a countdown--not that I'm excited or anything.

I figure this is a great place to post organizing ideas, gift ideas, and such. For instance, today I found a great tip. I've mentioned before about purchasing stocking stuffers ahead.* Today's tip was to put a bags labeled with each person's name on hangers in the closet. As you purchase specific stocking stuffers for each person, you simply place them in that person's bag. Ta da! No more Christmas Eve confusion. Of course, those big bags of candy can just be divided evenly or according to space at the last minute.

Please add your own tips, gift ideas, frustrations (maybe someone will have a suggestion), or whatever.







Note: I'm leaving December 10 for Dallas and won't be back until December 15, so I'm counting on lots of help.








*Right now you can get back-to-school supplies dirt cheap. After Halloween fun-sized candy will be on sale. Most will be sealed in Halloween bags, but the candy will be in standard packaging. As long as you leave it in the bag it will stay fresh.

KellyTheChef

I am gonna need all the help I can get this year! With a newborn, it's gonna be a wild ride!

As much as I would like to come and kick you in the shins for pointing out to me that there are only 82 days left...I needed to hear it and get my bootie in gear!! lol

Kattyschack

I love the tip with the goodie bags in the closet. That would definately help avoid the headaches I always seem to have on Christmas Eve. I don't mind the countdown b/c that only means that there is 69 days until my birthday!!!

raebates

Gotcha beat, Kattyshchack. Mine is only 30 days away. As a matter of fact, I've decided to tell people that the PC Calendars were specially made with two November 3rds so that I get two birthdays next year. However, they can change theirs if they really feel that's necessary with the stickers.

raebates

Kelly, look at it this way, you have a whole 82 days in order to get things done. A little bit each day will get you there with very little stress.

Step 1--Cut out anything that isn't really meaningful to your family.

Step 2--Delegate everything it's possible to delegate.

Step 3--Let go of the stuff you've delegated. If it isn't done like you'd do it, at least it got done. At the very least you'll have a great story to tell, and you'll know never to ask that person to handle that chore ever again.

raebates

Today is October 5, and there are 81 days left until Christmas.


Start thinking now about your holiday wardrobe. What will you and your family wear for important occasions? Does everything fit? Is everything in good repair? By planning now, you have plenty of time to replace or repair. You might even find something on sale.


This tip came from organizedchristmas.com.

KellyTheChef

This is only our third Christmas in this house. The year we moved, we actually moved on December 23rd!! (BTW- Don't ever do that!!) There was WAY TOO much going on, so Britt (14 then) and Sean (11 then) did ALL of the decorating from putting up the tree, and everything else! I used to be the type that had to have everything "just so" on the tree. I have spent years getting past that, and that year solidfied it. They did it all and I didn't worry about it, nor did I move one single ornament or decoration. It was soooooooooooooo much less stressful!!

raebates

I think that's often the hardest thing for us to do, is to let go of what we've delegated.

I used to know a woman who got upset that her husband never helped around the house. Then, I found out that he had once surprised her by cleaning the house while she was at work. He didn't dust, vacuum, or clean the bathroom correctly, and she let him know it (albeit fairly gently). He never did it again. I told her that if she ever wanted him to help again she had to decide which was more important--the help or it being done her way. She argued that she just wanted it done right. I said, "Okay, then you'll have to settle for always doing it yourself." She moved away years ago. I wonder if she ever learned to simply say thank you when he helped.


Note: from what she said, he didn't pull the do-a-really-crappy-job-so-she'll-never-ask-again trick.

raebates

Today is October 6. There are 80 days left until Christmas.

Your tip for today. Buy your holiday stamps soon. This year's Christmas stamps will arrive at your local post office soon. Ask when, because it varies. There are several reasons to buy them soon.

First, you can buy them a book or two at a time, which spreads out the expense.

Second, you'll have your pick of stamps. If you've ever been stuck between a choice of Christmas stamps you don't like or using non-Christmas stamps, you'll understand why this is important.

Third, you'll avoid the long holiday lines at the post office. You know they would just stress you out. Right?

Fourth, you'll have plenty of time to use up the extra stamps during the holidays. If you're like me, you'll purchase full books of Christmas stamps. It's not likely that you'll have an exact multiple of 20 Christmas cards to send out. I hate using Christmas stamps in February.

chefann

<giggle> Unless you're like me, who purposely uses the Kwanzaa stamps on my Christmas cards to confuse people.

raebates

That doesn't surprise me at all, Ann. My son does the same thing.

christinaspc

I love christmas, Last year I couldn't wait till after thanksgiving to put up christmas tree. I don't really care for the snow and horrible weather we get but I love all my decorations and I love hallmark ornaments and so we found a pretty prelite colored tree and all I got on it is hallmark ornaments, I will have santa's and snowmen and baby jesus all through the house I have so many things I have down sided and you can't even tell it.

I have had halloween decorations out for over a week now. ha-ha.

Thanks for starting this I can't wait to drag out my tree and all the decorations. Back to finding the clothing to wear for pictures and such I gotta get on the ball with that I don't have anything yet let alone halloween costumes maybe I better start there 1st.

Kelly I am sure your going to have a great christmas with the new baby.

raebates

Today is October 7. There are only 79 days left until Christmas.

Do you need a new tree skirt? Don't buy one. They can be really expensive, and it's something you'll only use for a few weeks out of the year. All you need is 4 or 5 yards of fabric. A tablecloth works well. Just wrap it around the base, spiraling out a bit. After Christmas you can wash it and use it the rest of the year as a tablecloth. Just be sure that you get a color or pattern that you can use throughout the year. If it has little wreaths and reindeer on it, you might not feel comfortable using it in August.

raebates

Today is October 8. There are only 78 days left until Christmas.

Plan your calendar. Yes, we're only in the second week of October, but you and I both know that the holiday season ramps up toward the end of October. Sit down soon and look at your calendar.

• Do you have standard family events? Write them in.
• Do you have traditional, recurring church events? Write them in.
• Do you host your own gatherings? Choose your dates and write them in.

Now the real work begins. Plan a few "get it done" days. If you need a whole day of baking in order to get ready for the cookie exchange, block out that time. If you like to take one day to wrap gifts, block out that time.

Now, choose the dates that you will be available for shows. If you're like me, you already have shows on the calendar for the next few months. That's great. However, you want to make sure what dates you still have available.

This is going to sound really strange, especially if you know how busy I am. But, for your own sanity, plan a few days to just take it easy. Write them on your calendar now. Take a day to just watch Christmas movies, or drive around looking at Christmas decorations (both daytime and nighttime), or plan a day to take the kids shopping (maybe you could even fit in a visit with Santa). The important thing is to simply take a couple of days to enjoy the season. If you plan it now, and you block out the time on your calendar as "unavailable," you can legitimately say, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I already have plans that day."

raebates

Today is October 9. There are only 77 days left until Christmas.

Plan something fun and low-stress with friends.

Every year I have a Grinch Party. My friends come over in their jammies. (Well, not everyone, but everyone's comfy.) They aren't allowed to bring anything. I make really simple foods like we used to eat a sleepovers--chips, popcorn, cookies, soda . . . We spend the first 15 minutes or so chatting. Then, we watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the original, animated version). After that, we just sit around and talk. The invitation says from 7 to 8 p.m. That gives everyone a chance to leave as soon as they need to. Most stay much later. It's a fun, no-stress evening for everyone. I only invite good friends, so I'm not really concerned about making sure every little thing is in place.

Feel free to adopt or adapt my idea, or come up with one of your own. The idea is just to have fun with friends.

rennea

Love that idea Rae, what fun it must be.

chefsteph07

I scheduled our family Christmas pictures last week for the first weekend in November, so I'm thinking of what we are all going to wear...we usually color coordinate! I"m thinking red this year, last year we wore blue.

I started buying my Christmas ornaments the weekend we got back from conference in JULY...I bought $100 worth (I'm a member of the Hallmark ornament club...love it!) and I know there's a few more I want to pick up so I hope to do that by the end of the month and be done!

jrstephens

I stress over the PERFECT picture for our Christmas cards. Last year I thought I need to do this earlier but with Cole being 5 months old he can change so much in 2 months and I want his to be recent. I want to do a collage of pics. I am hoping my friend that designed my birth announcements can help me. I saw the cutest thing on Rachel Ray last year. You take a close up pic of your tree and use that as your background, and then you use a movie reel and put pics in the squares. It was so cute!! I took pics of my tree last year to use as my background this year!

chefsteph07

That's so neat..I'm not that creative, I just go to Olan Mills! LOL

GourmetGirl

Rae I LOVE that idea! Pajamas, Totino's Party Pizzas and Puppy Chow - makings of a great night!