Thursday, October 22, 2009

Great Kick Off, great tips!




Thank you Nancy for a great time this morning getting our group off and running with helpful information about how to get started in our pursuit of a peaceful and worshipful holiday season. Here is a collection of tips shared this morning and in the past. Please leave your own tips in the comments section below the post and they will be added to our Words or Wisdom column.


"When setting up your holiday planner/control journal, see the Flylady website or Organized Christmas for great tips. At least include a master gift list, envelope for receipts, pen/pencil, and recipes/grocery lists. Consider using a plain binder or notebook, nothing too cutsie or Christmasy less you spark the interest of little curious eyes! Also, you may want to leave the first few pages blank in case the wrong little (or big) person opens your planner, the first page will not have all of your Christmas secrets right up front" Nancy


"Set up a wrapping station! A clever way to do this is to gather all supplies, paper, ribbon, tape, tags, scissors, and place them in a garment bag (the small thin ones used for a single man's suit or dress from a store or for travel). Hang the bag on the back of a door and you will "always have everything to need right on hand to "wrap as you go" and to put the supplies away quickly and neatly. Want to take on a more elaborate set up? Take a look here.
Decorative holiday boxes (found at Hobby Lobby, Michael's) make great looking quick and simple wrapping and are study enough to use for storing holiday items until next year!" Nancy, Missy

" When tagging gifts wrapped for your children, give each child a secret name or number so that the card reads To: #3, or secret name From Mom and Dad or Santa, whoever! This adds to the fun of guessing whose gifts are whose and takes away any tendency to see who has the most gifts under the tree. The same code names or numbers can also be used on shopping lists in case the list gets into the wrong hands!!" Jennifer and Missy
"If you have a desire to simplify decorating for the holidays, limit your decorating efforts to five areas only: Christmas tree, front door, one mantle, one banister, and EITHER your dining room table or your kitchen table. Your house will feel festive and uncluttered through out and you will not be WORN out! Of course, if decorating is your thing and brings you joy, not stress, then decorate away!!!" Nancy
"Now it a great time to order Christmas cards, special deals abound! Some of our favorites Tiny Prints, Vistaprints, and The Write Impression on the Murfreesboro Square all have special discounts for early birds ranging from 50% off your order, to $20, $40, and $60 off depending on the size of your order, to free address printed envelopes. Getting christmas cards completed by December 1st may the the largest stress relieved of them all!"
"Order Christmas PJ's for your family now, when selection is good! Try Garnet Hill, Pajamagram, or Lands End." Rebecca and KJ
"I print a copy of my Christmas Card list from my computer with addresses and keep in in my planner. I am always surprised how often I need to refer to it for an address to mail a package, when I have a few minutes sitting in a pick up line and I can address a few cards, or to mail an invitation. I now keep this list in my planner year round". Laurie
"Instead of saving entire catalogs, I buzz thru them daily and only keep the page I like with the gift idea I like circled. I put the name of who it would be appropriate for on it and I check to make sure there is a phone # or website address at the bottom of the page. Then I store it in my Christmas notebook." Tracy
" When giving ideas for a gift for your child, such as legos, suggest that the giver include a CONTAINER for storing/organizing them. This is a good tip for any gift with small pieces such as barbies, Polly Pockets, blocks, building sets or any kind, the list is endless! Lisa
"My extended family always struggles with what to get my boys for Christmas. They don't want to get something they already have and are often just not sure what to get. I have started making a short list for each of them and emailing it by the end of October. I keep a list of this on my computer so that nothing is duplicated." Angi




"Last year I made notes about how I decorated my house (and took pictures) kept my favorite and/or easy Christmas recipes and my favorite Christmas card styles so that I would have them for a quick reference when I started this year. My notes were very helpful and reminded me of some things I forgot about last year." Jennifer
"Take advantage of your crock pot, let it work for you on busy shopping days! Check out these sites for great recipes 50friends and Allrecipes for some new ideas. Also, keep some simple staple "treats" in your pantry for spur of the moment fellowship in your home.... hot chocolate, popcorn, special salsas and chips, ingredients for simple dips. You will always be able to say "come on over" or just enjoy with your family all of the surplus time your preplanning will create! Enjoy!!"
"Put out a holiday puzzle...I bought one on sale for half price after Christmas last year and can't wait for our family to sit by the fire and the tree and work it together. Isn't that why we are doing all of this?" Tracy
"Wrap one side of your extended family with one side of your christmas paper and the other side for the other when using a 2 sided paper like Sally Foster. You could also accomplish this by using two different papers or different color ribbon with the same paper. It really helps when packing up to visit one side of the family to make sure you have not forgotten anyone's gift!." Jennifer
"Using cute ribbon, tie Christmas Cards on a Christmas tree each day they arrive. You can then pray for the families on the tree...and after taking them down...continue to pray for a few of them each day all year long by scrolling through them each morning during your quiet time. " Tracy
"As a former teacher, I always loved getting ornaments from my students. Each year when I hang them, I always think of that child. Make sure to write your child's name in permanent ink somewhere on the ornament." Angi
"Limiting number of gifts children receive is the most common bit of advice passed along. Saves money, space, and unfailingly encourages appreciation for fewer well selected items."
"Best tip from last year: Letting each of my four kids pick just one thing that is Christmas to them and then I am focused on only four special things instead of running around all Christmas trying to do all things." Tracy


1 comment:

Tracy Jones said...

Laurie,
Thank you for having this blog for us. I sincerely appreciate all you do. Merry Christmas!
Tracy