Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Christmas list already????

{Christmas 2009}
Last year I was super organized.
For the first time ever I had all my Christmas preparations done by the end of November.
Yippee!
I was then able to really enjoy baking and celebrating the season with my family all through December.

No stress.
No panic.
No fighting the crowds.
No driving around trying to find a parking spot at the mall for 30 mins.

Just happy fa la la-ing
and time to hear those sleigh bells jingling
ring-ting-tingling too!

So, after years of crazy December stress how did I do it?
Simple.
I was determined.
I planned ahead.
Made a list.
Crossed it off through November.
And enjoyed a stress-free Christmas.

I want to do the same thing this year. And so, it's time once again to sit down, write out my list and focus on getting it crossed off.

That gives me just over a month to complete my Christmas list.
Think I can do it again?

Christmas List 2010
  • Have our family picture taken for our Christmas cards
  • Print/write up Christmas cards
  • Mail 'em out
  • Write out a list of people we are buying for and ideas for each one of them
  • Purchase gifts for family and friends
  • Decide on and then make teacher gift
  • Decorate our home/tree (outdoor lights- check! shhh, don't tell anyone they've been up since last year ;)
  • Buy stocking stuffers for the kids
  • Make up our "Quality Christmas" family gift (rather than our yearly trip to Edmonton, we've decided to do something a little different this year for our own little family gift. Details to come :)
  • Purchase our new Christmas PJs {we open new PJs every year on Christmas Eve to wear Christmas morning}
  • Make our gingerbread house
  • Christmas Baking. Mmmmm!

Have you started thinking about Christmas yet?
Are you a 'plan ahead' or 'last minute' kind of shopper?
What's on your list?

8 comments:

  1. I so badly want to do the pj's tradition, but sadly never get to it. Maybe this year!
    I've been tempted to start Christmas baking already!

    ReplyDelete
  2. plan ahead for sure! i too hope to have everything done by the end of november. except the christmas card and letter. maybe if i did i wouldn't be mailing it off two days before christmas again 9as i have in the past 115 years).

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've been thinking about Christmas in an effort to avoid thinking about Halloween and the huge stash of mini chocolate bars in the pantry that I should NOT be eating :)

    For purchased gifts - I am about 50% finished
    For handmade gifts - it's a work in progress...

    We do pj's on Christmas Eve too. If you're looking for awesome pj's, my "go to" is Hatley. And a bonus is it's online shopping :) In fact, I'm currently sitting here typing in my black and red moose pj's from them right now (yup, I know, it's past noon)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm usually a planner, but this year I've done nothing toward Christmas. To be honest, I felt a little panicky when I read the title of your post. But then I saw your list and it made me smile and just look forward to all the season brings.

    Your "quality Christmas" sounds like it'll be interesting...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Going to steal this very list!!!

    Thanks ;-)

    Our big decision at this point is where we'll be spending the holidays... urg. Not fun. Once that's decided, I'm hoping it will be smooth sailing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm completely ready for Christmas- I am practically sitting on my hands wanting to get our decorations!!!!! I LoOOOOVED this post- makes me happy just thinking about it.
    I do not do ANYTHING "extra", beginning December first. I scheduled 15 photo shoots this season- and I am fighting off stress. But I protected the month of December with my life. Because I don't want to be a crazy mama running around. The last 3 years I've guarded this month for just my family and I feel like we truly enjoy it now.

    I have SO been praying for you- when I see a comment from you, it truly makes my heart smile. I've been praying health for your baby, peace for your mind/soul and happiness for your entire family.

    You have NO idea how much I want to find a jet plane to Canada to do some newborn photos :) GeEesh why do we have to live thousands of miles apart? lol

    ReplyDelete
  7. i may copy this post idea friend :o)

    i am totally a plan ahead person. i have a few things to get for morgan otherwise i am done with my kids. i am hoping to get everything wrapped this weekend too to help with some snoopers. i have the girls' birthdays coming up so it will be a wrapping party. my family hasn't exchanged adult gifts in 15 years and we stopped doing kid gifts when we moved here so that is nice to not have to ship. besides my family i have very few gifts to buy but i need to make a list of all the misc gifts like ss teachers, dance teacher, piano teacher and plan what to make/give them. any good homemade ideas??

    ReplyDelete
  8. The only people we have left to buy for are parents and a certain two other people who have three little ones that we already bought for. So if you have any ideas on what you would like let me know :)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for leaving your comments. I absolutely love hearing from you :)

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