Getting Organized

Well the countdown at the top of my blog says "239 Days Until Christmas", but at my house the Holiday Prep Season has begun!

I have thumbed through my Hallmark KOC Dream Book several times and am filling out my pre-order form to turn in this coming weekend. I have made my homemade gift list, checked it twice, and am stitching away on those projects.

Today I updated my gift chart and will be starting to fill it in with few gifts I've already purchased (mainly stocking stuffers). Since I'm working on my chart, I thought today would be a good time to share this part of my Stress-Free Christmas Plan with you.



I've been using this method for almost 20 years and it certainly works for me. I create a table with a column for each person I'm purchasing gifts for. The yellow highlighted rows are for stocking stuffers. Since I took this photo I've also added a bright green and a purple row. One is for calendars, one is for ornaments. The pale pink and blue rows are for the grandkids' gifts. Each grandchild gets four wrapped presents.

In May, I determine my budget for the year and then I ask everyone for a wish list. This year I'm working on a form with questions that will help them (and me) with good suggestions. I'll share it with you when I have it finished later this week. Once I have the wish lists, the shopping begins! I do not use credit to buy Christmas gifts. I use cash. Starting in May helps me to buy a little at a time and to be disciplined to sticking to my budget.

When I buy a gift, I bring it home and wrap it, put the gift tag on it, and post it on my chart. I used clear plastic tubs to store the wrapped gifts in. Once the budget for each person is spent, I'm done with them. Keeping this chart is a great way for me to know what I've bought for who. I can see at a glance who still needs to be shopped for and who's completed. If they give me a last minute suggestion and their budget is spent, I tell them they need to give that suggestion to someone else.

My goal every year is to be completely finished with shopping by Thanksgiving. I have hit that goal every year since I started this method back in 1995. Some years I've been done by Halloween!

Having the shopping and wrapping done early frees me up for a fun-filled, stress-free December!

The day after Thanksgiving (or sooner if I'm not hosting Thanksgiving dinner) I take out all of the gifts and put the ribbons and bows on them. Then they go under the tree. I "X" off each gift as it goes under the tree so that I know I haven't misplaced one. The empty tubs go back out in the garage for use the next May when I start all over.

So there you have it: my complicated explanation of my very easy organization tool. I'd love to hear your tried and true methods - please share!

Early Bird Christmas Sale

Today is April 8, and I received my first Christmas sale email from Herrschner's. Last week I was in Hobby Lobby and as I was checking out the cashier told me they would start receiving Christmas merchandise in May. Last week I received my Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Club Dream Book. I've already been through it several times and have had most of the kids go through it to choose the ornaments they would like to own. I just have to narrow down my list and then I'm ready to pre-order from Hallmark!

I know a lot of people do not like the fact that the Christmas shopping season starts so early. Some people feel that it takes away from all the holidays between Memorial Day and Thanksgiving. Some people think that it only promotes the commercial side of Christmas. Other people feel pressured to spend more money because the products are available for a longer period of time.

To all of this I say: Humbug

Here are my top five arguments for having Christmas merchandise out early...

1. I am a born again Christian. I know that Christmas is about Christ's birth. Every time I make a Christmas related purchase, or see a Christmas related advertisement, I hear CHRISTmas. Having Christmas stuff out early does not detract from the spirituality of the holiday. After all, if Christ hadn't been born, we wouldn't have Christmas at all.

2. I am a cross-stitcher. Every year I hand make gifts for Christmas. This takes time. The more gifts I wish to make, the more time it takes. I need for the Christmas craft supplies to be in the stores early so I can get an early start. I'm way organized, but even I'm not organized enough to purchase the supplies I'll need for 2014 Christmas in 2013 Christmas shopping season!

3. I want to be stress-free. I strive every year to be completely finished with all Christmas preparations by Thanksgiving. I want to have the entire month of December free for fun with friends and family, for attending community Christmas events, for driving around to look at Christmas displays, for watching Christmas DVDs and listening to Christmas music. 

4. I want to be debt-free. I do not want to buy Christmas with credit cards and have massive bills to face in January. I spend cash for Christmas. The only way to do that successfully is to come up with a budget early in the year and buy a little at a time. If I have to buy decor or gifts that are available exclusively for Christmas, I need for them to be available early in the year for cash purchases.

5. I enjoy the joy of Christmas. I love the anticipation. I enjoy buying or making gifts for people that I know they will appreciate. I like thinking about the plans I'm going to make this year, the people I'm going to visit, the cards I'm going to send, the goodies I'm going to bake. When I see Christmas items appear in the stores, I get excited and start making lists!

These may not be good reasons for some, but they work for me. I'm inspired by the appearance of the first Early Bird Christmas Sale and my KOC Dream Book. This week I'll go over my list of home made gifts and make a list of the supplies I need to purchase. I'll start pouring though my cookbooks to pick a couple of new goodies to make this year. I watched a Christmas DVD yesterday while I cross-stitched. But make no mistake, through it all, I know what Christmas really is... it's one of the foundations of my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

New (to me) Christmas Books

In February I attended an annual book sale that takes place in Phoenix. It is a huge event attended by people from all over the world. You can read about it on my personal blog here and here and here. The sale makes it easy to find Christmas books. They pile them all on an end cap. I always head for them as soon as I arrive.

I wanted to show you the books I scored this year. They are all in excellent shape and the most expensive one set me back $2.00! I really enjoy Christmas books and I read them all throughout the year. Sometimes more than once!

This year's treasures include:

Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Christmas in Sugarcreek by Shelley Shepard Gray

The Christmas Wish by Richard Siddoway

A Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keillor

Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs

Family Blessings by Fern Michaels

I'd love to hear what your favorite Christmas stories are!