Maximizing Your Next Christmas: Tips and Ideas for Post-Holiday Preparation

[raebates]

Today is October 7 There are only 79 days left until Christmas.Start working on your holiday menus now. If you’re thinking of trying something new, make it at least once before the holidays start to ramp up. That will give you a chance to tweak the recipe to suit your family. Plus, be sure to earn your free Butterball turkey from PC. That will help the holiday budget. I plan to earn one as a host and another as consultant.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 8. There are only 78 days left until Christmas.Is your list complete? Do you know everyone you want to give gifts to this year? Don’t forget your tips/gifts to service people. When you have a complete list it’s much easier to keep from breaking your budget. Do you usually give an extra tip to your hairdresser? Your garbage collectors? Those extras can really take a bite out of your budget if you haven’t figured them in.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 10. There are 76 days left until Christmas.How are you planning to do your wrapping? Some people choose to wrap as they purchase. Others, like me, like to take a day to do the bulk of the wrapping. Whichever way you choose, be sure to get all of your supplies together in one place. You can set up a corner as your wrapping station. You can put together a tote of some kind with all of your supplies so you can take it to whatever area is most convenient. Check now to make sure you have plenty of tape, wrapping paper, ribbon, bows, or whatever you use to make your packages pretty.By the way, I have discovered Foof Queens (foofqueens.com). They have ideas and the supplies to create them. They involve tubes of cellophane. Cool stuff.Once you start wrapping gifts, be very careful. Don’t mix up those tags. I once read about a holiday disaster in which a woman mixed up her tags. The pretty, lacy bra that was supposed to go to her recently engaged friend went, instead, to her 90-year-old grandmother. Grandma was so excited about the unusual gift that the woman didn’t have the heart to ask for it back. Don’t let this happen to you. Be very careful.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 11. There are 75 days left until Christmas.I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Take a close look at your calendar now. Block out some personal time. Think about what you really want to do. If you’d love to take one day just to bake cookies and make a gingerbread house, put that on your calendar now. If you’d like to take one day to watch a marathon of Christmas movies put it on the calendar now. If you’re trying to squeeze it in once the holiday season is in full swing you’re not likely to find the time. You need to make the time now. Many people want a simpler Christmas. This is the way to get it. Block out some down time now.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 12. There are 74 days left until Christmas.You’ve blocked out some personal time. Now I want you to practice with me. Say out loud, “I’m sorry, I already have plans that day.” Repeat several times daily. This is what you’ll say whenever someone wants you to do something on the days you’ve blocked out for personal time. Seriously, I don’t know why we are so reluctant to consider our personal time equally as important as, say, a doctor appointment. There is no need to explain. They don’t need to know that your plans include staying in your jammies all day drinking hot cocoa and watching old Christmas movies. That’s none of their business. Nothing less than a family emergency should derail your plans for a personal day.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 13. There are 73 days left until Christmas.Start to pay really close attention to grocery flyers so you can stock your pantry now with non-perishable foods for your holiday feasts. Canned goods and most frozen foods will keep for several weeks, so focus on sales and buy extras. This will help ease your budget, making room for those perishable items you’ll need to purchase at the last minute. Clean out your freezer and pantry in the next couple of weeks. You’ll save money by planning your menu around what you already have. Plus, you’ll make room for those things you can buy on sale this time of year.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 14. There are 72 days left until Christmas.Don’t get derailed on your healthy habits during the holidays. If you’re headed out to a party, eat a light, healthy snack before you go. It will be harder to stick to just one cookie if you’re famished. Make sure to schedule time to exercise. Those extra indulgences won’t do as much damage if you’re continuing to exercise and keep your metabolism revved.Make your choices wisely. If you wait all year for Aunt Sue’s famous triple-layer death by chocolate cake, go ahead and have a small slice. Just don’t eat ¼ of the cake or have helpings of every single dessert. If it’s the rich, creamy twice-baked loaded potatoes that call your name, have a little. Just don’t combine that with three dinner rolls and seconds of every starchy side dish. Oh, and since we're getting close to Halloween, remember this. One Hershey Pumpkin Spice Kiss has about 24 calories. A whole bag has about 1,470 calories.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 15. There are 71 days left until Christmas.Considering giving a gift that will be really funny? STOP! Think for just a moment. Will the recipient find it funny? If not, don't do it. A gift should be warm and thoughtful. If the recipient will find it funny, go ahead. If not, beware. For instance, I’m seriously considering getting The Furry Guy a bar of soap that smells like bacon. A few years ago one of the boys in our children’s ministry sat down on TFG’s lap, looked up at him and said, “You smell like meat.” We still laugh about it sometimes. He’ll find the soap funny, so it’s an okay gift to give.On the other hand . . . Years ago a squirrel ran up my mom's leg while the whole family was visiting a park in Florida. Startled, she fell and rolled a ways down the hill. She wasn't hurt. We all found it funny. However, even all these years later, she doesn't. We are always finding things that are squirrel-related that we think would be hysterical to give Mom. Mom, on the other hand, would not find it funny. So, we've never given a squirrel-related card or gift to my mom. It wouldn't be a welcome and thoughtful gift. As a matter of fact, she'd probably not talk to us for several months.Gifts should be all about the recipient.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 16. There are 70 days left until Christmas.That's right--there are exactly 10 weeks until Christmas.Are you a good recipient? In The Autobiography of Santa Claus one of the characters says that it's not the value of the gift but knowing someone cared enough to give. That's so true. Now, I know that sometimes the thought seems to be, "Oh, crap! I need to get something for _________ because [she's/he's] coming over in about 10 minutes." However, no matter how little thought you think went into the gift, your response should be, "Thank you," said with a smile.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 17. There are 69 days left until Christmas.A little bit of extra time right now will help you down the road. When you make something for dinner that freezes well, make double or triple. That way when you’re in the midst of holiday chaos you’ll have something easy and nutritious just waiting in your freezer. You’ll be a lot less likely to do takeout if there’s something already prepared at home.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 18. There are 68 days left until Christmas.Are you ready for holiday guests? Take a critical look at your guest room (or the corner of the basement you use as a guest room). Is everything clean, fluffed, and ready for guests? Do you have plenty of decent towels? We have a small basket with things like toothbrushes and sample-size toothpaste, deodorant, and such that we leave out for guests. By taking inventory now, you’ll have plenty of time to pick things up little by little so you don’t overwhelm your budget.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 19. There are 67 days left until Christmas.Buy your Christmas stamps soon. They became available for purchase October 13. There are several advantages to buying them now.

• You’ll have them when you address your cards.
• You won’t have to wait in lines during the holiday season.
• You can be sure they won’t be out of the ones you want. And, yes, the Christmas stamps are Forever stamps. That means if you're organized and store them away you can use leftovers from this year on next year's cards.
• You can start using them at the beginning of the season so you won’t still be using them in February.

 

[NooraK]

And, yes, the Christmas stamps are Forever stamps. That means if you're organized and store them away you can use leftovers from this year on next year's cards.

And since postage is going up January 22nd, you'll be saving money with those stamps saved until next year.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 20. There are 66 days left until Christmas.Are you going to offer any special services for your Christmas customers? If so, now's the time to get the word out. I have wish lists available now, so I can help my customers get what they want for Christmas. I’m offering a shopping service for those who hate to shop. They tell me how much they want to spend, and I’ll pick out products to purchase within that limit.Once again I’ll also be offering a Black Friday Sale. However, I’ll not get word out about that until the week of Thanksgiving.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 21. There are 65 days left until Christmas.Are the ornaments that decorate your tree filled with meaning and memories? Do you have a record of those? A couple of years ago I wrote down when, where, why, and from whom we got each ornament as I was putting them away. This way we’ll always know why we have the weird squirrel ornament and the many pig ornaments on our tree.

 

[ChefBevShu]

Great idea Rae! I've told my kids about the ornaments on our tree, but I'm sure they have forgotten by now. They aren't around to help put up the tree anymore which is mostly when I try to remember... I better do it this year while I still remember! LOL

 

[Sarahbeth71187]

Rae,
This is my first year as a consultant...can you tell me what kind of specials you will offer for Black Friday?

 

[NooraK]

Rae probably won't be back online until tomorrow morning, so here's a link to a past post about one of her sales:http://www.chefsuccess.com/f6/black-friday-sale-57394/#post697211

 

[raebates]

Thanks, Noora. It's pretty standard.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 22. There are 64 days left until Christmas.Check the bathroom. Do you have plenty of toilet paper? Are there clean, accessible hand towels? When you know that people are coming, be sure to check. It’s one thing if your family has to do that duck-walk across the bathroom for a new roll. It’s another if it’s the new neighbor you’re just getting to know.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 23. There are 63 days left until Christmas.If you’ve got someone on your list who’s difficult to buy for, try thinking outside the box. My brother and I could not be more different if we were raised on separate continents. In addition to the fact that we have very different taste and interests, he and his wife live a much more affluent lifestyle than we do. (In other words, they have lots more money.) It was always a struggle to figure out something for them. A couple of years ago I gave my brother a memory. When we were kids we’d watch the Christmas specials together. We’d have popcorn, Hershey bars, and Pepsi in Slush Mugs* while we watched all of those 1960s TV specials. Those specials are on DVD now, so I bought a few of our favorites. I found a set of 4 Slush Mugs and packaged those together with the DVDs, some popcorn, and some bottles of Pepsi. I included a note saying that I hoped he would be able to build some of the same kinds of fond memories we had with his own family. *Slush Mugs have an internal sleeve (kind of like the Chillzanne products) that you freeze. You pop that sleeve into the mug, then add your drink. Soon slushy ice begins to form on the sides. I always scraped mine down so it got all slushy quickly. My brother let his sit until it was almost solid. If you search online you should be able to find them if they interest you.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 24. There are 62 days left until Christmas.Get ready to wrap. Gather your supplies together. Don’t forget the scissors. Take inventory. Make a list of what you’ll need to purchase. Purchase at least twice as much tape as you think you’ll need. It won’t go bad, and you know you always underestimate how much you’ll need. Don’t be the person who has to tear that last ½″ of tape into 8 tiny pieces. Speaking of tape, consider using double-stick tape. It makes your packages look neater, and it makes them easier to open.If you need to mail out packages, this is a good time to take inventory of those supplies, too. One of the many blessings of having a PC business is that it’s usually pretty easy to find boxes.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 24. There are 62 days left until Christmas.

Get ready to wrap. Gather your supplies together. Don’t forget the scissors. Take inventory. Make a list of what you’ll need to purchase. Purchase at least twice as much tape as you think you’ll need. It won’t go bad, and you know you always underestimate how much you’ll need. Don’t be the person who has to tear that last ½″ of tape into 8 tiny pieces.

Speaking of tape, consider using double-stick tape. It makes your packages look neater, and it makes them easier to open.

If you need to mail out packages, this is a good time to take inventory of those supplies, too. One of the many blessings of having a PC business is that it’s usually pretty easy to find boxes.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 25. There are 61 days left until Christmas.Is your master gift list ready? This is one of the best ideas I’ve ever come across. I found it years ago, and it really helped to simplify my shopping. I keep my list on the computer, transferring information to my purse organizer (aka My Other Brain) for shopping. This way I can easily update it from year to year. Start with the obvious ones (spouse, kids, parents, siblings), then add people as they come to mind. Include everyone. We do goodie boxes for neighbors, newspaper carriers, and postal carriers. That group is on the list. This also helps me to stick to my Christmas budget, since I have someplace to figure out how much I can spend on each person/group.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 26. There are only 60 days until Christmas.Books are a great gift for children. If you’ve got children on your list, check out the local bookstore and see what’s available for their age group.If you’ve got really young kids on your list, I have a suggestion. A friend of mine, Susan Snyder, wrote a book What Will I Be When I Grow Up? How God Made Me Somebody Special. It’s available through any bookstore (brick & mortar or online). For more information about the book you can go to www.susan-snyder.com. Feel free to tell her you heard about it from me. No, I don’t get anything. She just likes to know how word’s getting out.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 27. There are only 59 days until Christmas.You always want to make sure that the flame of a candle can never, ever, ever come in contact with anything flammable. Be very careful about what you surround a candle with as you’re creating gifts and centerpieces. And, of course, never leave burning candles unattended.

 

[pampered1224]

Check out the great electric ones! We use them around our home and many, many people have to be told they are not real! No fuss, no mess and no flame!

 

[raebates]

Yeah, those are great. I just know that many people create candles as Christmas craft projects, so I wanted to remind them to be careful with their choices.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 28. There are only 58 days until Christmas!How’s your video library? Now is a good time to start watching for that old favorite that usually sells out before you get a copy. You probably know that some of those childhood classics like Charlie Brown and Frosty are now on DVD. Keep your eyes open for your favorites.

 

[raebates]

Today is October 29. There are only 57 days until Christmas.Think about scheduling a pajama day. Take one day during the holidays to stay in your jammies all day and watch Christmas movies and specials. It’s a relaxing day for you, and your kids will love it.

 

[ChefBevShu]

I love this idea...now to just get my "adult" kids to agree!

 

[raebates]

Today is October 31. There are only 55 days until Christmas.If you aren’t already almost done with your shopping, set dates now for dedicated shopping trips. You might even consider making the first one a reconnaissance mission. Before the crowds start making it difficult to really see what’s out there, stroll through malls and boutiques looking for inspiration. If you see that perfect gift for your niece, you can pick it up, but don’t feel like you have to buy anything. Just get ideas. This way you can be focused on what you want to purchase on your other shopping trips.

 

[raebates]

I love this idea...now to just get my "adult" kids to agree!

Beverly, you might be surprised how quickly they'll agree to a day just sitting around being comfy.

 

[raebates]

Today is November 1. There are only 54 days until Christmas. If you have small children, it’s possible that they went trick or treating. If they came home with waaaaaaaay too much candy, there’s a way you can use it to your advantage. Hard candies, Smarties and Necco Wafers can be set aside to use on a gingerbread house. Kids are much less likely to object to putting candy away for now if they know they’ll get to have even more fun (and still eat it) later. Speaking of candy. For the next few days Halloween candy will be on sale really cheap. Buy those big bags now and put them back for stocking stuffers. The outside has Halloween stuff, but inside it’s just fun-size candy. Leave it sealed, though. This will keep it fresh and safe from nibbling.

 

[raebates]

Today is November 2. There are only 53 days until Christmas.If you can’t, don’t. You’ll be asked to do lots of things during the holiday season. When that request comes to head up the holiday bazaar, think realistically about your schedule. Can you do it? If not, remember these responses:No. No is a complete sentence. You are not required to make an excuse or justify your answer.No, I’m already committed. Have you already agreed to head up your church bazaar? Direct the children’s program? No one said you have to do everything.No, but I’ll . . . If you’re willing to take charge of the spring carnival or chaperone the next four field trips, let them know. Let me think about it. This is actually my standard answer. I realized years ago that I usually became overscheduled because I didn’t take the time to really look at my schedule and see if I had the time to do what I was asked. Now I routinely ask for a day or two to make a decision. If they need a decision right that minute, I have to say no. I also learned a number of years ago that one of the guilt-trips that worked well on me was to say that if I didn't do it they might have to cancel. It took a long time for me to realize that if it was supposed to get done but I couldn't do it, God was tapping on someone else's shoulder. It wasn't my fault if it didn't happen. Plus, if I did it when I wasn't meant to do it, I was cheating the person who was supposed to do it out of the opportunity to serve where they were supposed to serve.

 

[pampered1224]

Plus you would be cheating yourself out of the enjoyment you normally should get out of doing things like that.

 

[esavvymom]

Good advice no matter WHAT time of year!

 

[raebates]

Today is November 3. There are only 52 days until Christmas.Twenty billion—that’s the approximate number of pieces of mail the US Postal Service handled in 2008 between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Get your packages and cards mailed early. If, like me, you have a long card list, start addressing cards now. I sit down in the evening with 10-15 cards. I address the envelope, add our return address, place the stamp, sign the card, insert it into the envelope, and then make the decision. If it’s someone who gets a card alone, I seal the envelope and place it in that stack. If it’s someone who will be expecting a Christmas newsletter it goes, unsealed, in another stack. Right around Thanksgiving I’ll print off our newsletters, add them to the cards, and seal the envelopes. This way the cards are ready to mail out that first week of December.

 

[raebates]

Today is November 4. There are only 51 days until Christmas.How’s your music? Do you love classical Christmas music or are the classics (like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) your passion? Check over what you have. Make sure they’re in good shape. Make note of any replacements you need. This way you can be on the lookout for good deals.

 

[raebates]

Today is November 5. There are only 50 days until Christmas!Try something new. Trying something new doesn’t mean you have to do it forever. Think about something you’ve always wanted to do during the holidays, and try it. After Christmas talk with your family members and see if it’s something you want to keep, change, or eliminate. Then again, you can’t do it all. If you add something, consider subtracting something else. Talk to your family now about what you love and what you can let go of.

 

[raebates]

Today is November 6. There are only 49 days left until Christmas!That's right--7 weeks, people!A calendar can be a great gift. Just make sure it matches the taste/interests of the recipient. You might like the Dessert of the Month calendar, but the cousin who just joined Weight Watchers might not.

 

[raebates]

Today is November 7. There are only 48 days left until Christmas!Keep a healthy perspective. I love Christmas magazines at least as much as the next person, maybe more. However, they can make you crazy. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but Martha Stewart doesn’t actually do all of that by herself. If you don’t have a full-time staff supplemented with additional seasonal help, you cannot do everything she does. The same goes for Paula Dean, Rachel Ray, and even Sandra Lee, the Semi-Homemade lady. Don’t beat yourself up if your home and dinner table don’t look like the ones in the magazines. Take a few ideas and run with them. Make them your own. Just promise me you won’t be awake at 3 a.m. the night/morning before the big family dinner hot gluing leaves (or snowflakes, or baby Jesus figures) to your napkin rings.

 

[raebates]

Today is November 8. There are only 47 days left until Christmas!Zatzkapol—a present you don’t want, can’t figure out what it is, and can’t for the life of you imagine why someone would get it for you. We’ve all gotten them. Practice your reactions before you go to gatherings so you’ll be ready in case you receive a zatzkapol this year.

 

[pampered1224]

Zatzkapol. I think my doctor had me get a shot for that. Hmm gotta think on that one. Anyway, Rae, thank you for doing this. Even though my family has not done a full blown, all the relatives, 90 course meal, there are some great ideas here. Love you for doing this! THANK YOU!!!

 

[lt1jane]

Zatzkapol—a present you don’t want, can’t figure out what it is, and can’t for the life of you imagine why someone would get it for you. We’ve all gotten them. Practice your reactions before you go to gatherings so you’ll be ready in case you receive a zatzkapol this year.

This is why when we have our Christmas party at work, our gift exchange is a white elephant. We are not allowed to spend any money on the gift we bring to exchange. We exchange our zatzkapol gifts for other things that we may actually want.

Last year I received a beautiful ceramic San Francisco Music Box Christmas tree that turned as it played and twinkled its lights. It was gorgeous. What's the catch? It said it played "Oh Tannenbaum/Oh Christmas Tree." Guess what it actually played?

highlight for the answer
"Here Comes Peter Cottontail!!!"

 

[raebates]

John, I enjoy this. It helps to keep me on track. And, it's easy. I just update things from the year before.Jane, that's hysterical. I'll be laughing about that all day.

 

[raebates]

Today is November 9. There are only 46 days left until Christmas!Need a moderately large gift bag? Consider using a reusable shopping bag, There are some nice generic ones out there (not affiliated with a particular store). Of course, if the recipient is a PC fan, you can always go with one of our fabulous PC reusable shopping bags.

 

[pchockeymom]

guess what it actually played?

Highlight for the answer
"here comes peter cottontail!!!"

that's hilarious!!!!

 

[[email protected]]

This is why when we have our Christmas party at work, our gift exchange is a white elephant. We are not allowed to spend any money on the gift we bring to exchange. We exchange our zatzkapol gifts for other things that we may actually want.

Last year I received a beautiful ceramic San Francisco Music Box Christmas tree that turned as it played and twinkled its lights. It was gorgeous. What's the catch? It said it played "Oh Tannenbaum/Oh Christmas Tree." Guess what it actually played?

highlight for the answer
"Here Comes Peter Cottontail!!!"

That is SO FUNNY!!!

 

[raebates]

Today is November 10. There are only 45 days left until Christmas!Right now the weather’s gorgeous where I live. This is the perfect time to get some of those outside decorations in place. I’m not suggesting that you secure the giant blow-up Santa or manger scene in you yard. But, it will be much easier (and more pleasant) for you to put those lights up around the eaves or across your roof now than when it’s really cold and possibly snowy. You can wait until Thanksgiving weekend to do the really visible stuff and to turn those lights on.