Christmas Planning – week 1

I’ve got something ‘warm & wonderful’ as Flylady suggests (today, that’s a cup of chai and a digestive biscuit) and I’m looking through one of my favourite reads…my Holiday Control Journal! 🙂

If you want to see what’s in it, go to http://flylady.net/ and take a look around at the http://flylady.net/pages/holidaycruising1.asp section. Plenty of good stuff there to really get you in the Christmas mood 🙂

Now, if you’re not ready to get on board, don’t worry – there’s plenty of time yet. The official Flylady holiday planning doesn’t start until the middle of October. If you’re signed up for her e-mails, she’ll send you missions and ideas starting then – and you’ll still be ready to sit back and enjoy Christmas on 1 December 🙂

I downloaded my Holiday Control Journal in 2006 and it’s in a ring binder. I’ve extra dividers in there for:

• Christmas card lists
• Recipes (including my Christmas cake, baked in October)
• Gifts (including a list of label/shoe sizes and a list of general gift ideas for teachers/Secret Santa etc)
• Games & Songs (including mini Danish songbooks)

Today I’ve printed out new, clean pages for Christmas gifts. Last year we gave presents to over 25 people! But that also included small gifts for teachers and Scout leaders 🙂 I’m writing in all the names and making small notes. Some of the gifts will be carbon copies of last year – for example, for small gifts we often give a box of Scottish shortbread and a packet of special Christmas tea. Which is also a clutter-free gift 😉 Nieces and nephews always get money/gift voucher and then a small, silly thing. The kids aunties and uncles usually get the latest school photos, put in a nice frame from Ikea. Cheap and, hopefully, cheerful 🙂

Having the list written, means that I can now start buying/making gifts. For example, next time I’m shopping at Ikea, I’ll make sure to go and take a look at photoframes. If I’m in the dollar store (or 1okroner, as it is in Denmark…) I’ll be on the look out for stocking fillers.

So that’s it for today. If you’re joining me now, making a folder is a good place to start. If you’re not quite ready for the full Christmas experience at the beginning of September (and who can blame you?), feel free to come back when you are! 🙂

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Candace (@C_Joy) and Krista (@luvschweetheart), my twitter pals, are my Christmas partners-in-crime. Go check them out! The idea is to post once a week on a Sunday, with progress, thoughts and ideas. And hopefully give you some inspiration! 🙂

Candace http://flybabydiary.blogspot.com/

Krista http://typical-ramblings.blogspot.com/

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