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Organised Christmas 2008.. The countdown has begun!
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I'm lucky in that I go to my parents for Christmas, so all the cleaning/decorating etc doesn't apply to me (haha :P).
So, to do:
[strike]Buy Christmas presents (not fresh)]
Buy Christmas presents (fresh)
Make all handmade gifts
Wrap Christmas presents
Make a list of people to send cards to[/strike]
Write cards
Acquire addresses for cards
Post them
[strike]Remind mother about shoeboxes in her spare room[/strike]
Pay shoebox donation and send her the confirmation email to print out
Pack for Christmas at home
Fly there!
[strike]Buy Christmas wine (my contribution is KEY to Christmas!)
Organise transport of pre-bought wine from Ireland to UK[/strike]
[strike]Make date with Dad for boot sale pre-Christmas and Christmas shopping[/strike]
Assist all family members with wrapping gifts :rolleyes:
[strike]Organise Christmas lunch with friends[/strike]
Deliver Christmas cards to people on parents' road
Siren - I think I'd approach your situation with the view of maybe having 3 different plans, one where you are both together, one where you are away with your family and away from OH, and one where you are at home all day then OH comes back after work. That way you can plan loads of things for each, so when the time comes for the decision you won't feel so rushed
I also reckon you can have just as good a time if you plan it well with all the scenarios, but especially if you are flexible and don't expect too much. Um I'm not good at explaining myself, what I mean is that people are let down mostly when their expectations are far too high and tey fixate on them, and it HAS to be that way...........whereas if you are more laid back and don't set that 'ideal' you won't get as upset - oh heck does that make sense??
I know what you're saying about your OH working, but if you went to family, you could set him up a Christmas for when he gets in, like a treasure hunt for some pressies, an already cooked dinner that just needs warming up, some messages of lurve (maybe a video message or whatever
And if you decide to be at home waiting for him, then you can spend all day being busy preparing and have your Christmas together in the evening.
LOL I'm probably coming across as trivialising your situation, but that's not what I mean, I just think that a lot of people seem to get worked up over the one day when there's always a way round it to keep everyone happy.........I'll shut up now!!
JayJay I like the thinking! I want to go to Cornwall and have my christmas now
Tessie Bear, I have never been out for christmas because I really like the intimate family affair at home and also i'm a bit stingey and couldn't bear to part with so much money!! I think it would be nice though just to relax and have no dishes to do.
Hey HaleyHop that site looks super cute! I will have to register there when I can stop chasing my tail trying to get organised here! it is great to have you here and you sound experienced so tell me your secrets lol.
SugarSpun, You sound so organised and with your Christmas I can see why too! Your list was really useful to me as it contained a lot of reminders of things to do! I wish I had already but most of my gifts.. I don't even know what I have already!
How far you got on this organizedchristmas.com malarky then? I have just realised that their weeks start on a sunday so I am totally a week behind now as I only found it friday NOOOOOOOOO!!
All of your advice made perfect sense Savvy and was kind of good for me too because last year I spent a long time planning the perfect christmas and on the day both kids woke up completely mardy and really ill. It was a disaster!!
I came to a decision early on in the kids lives, that if others wanted to spend lots of money on overpriced tat and toys, that's immediately reduced after Christmas, then go ahead. That way my money went on more practical or meaningful things like their 4x4 driving experience which has stayed with them for years unlike the overpriced tat!!! I've tended to err towards a more recycled/moneysaving/homemade influenced Christmas over the recent couple of years, which gives us more money to spend on going snowboarding as a family
For this year so far I've made all the flannel reindeer with soaps inside for the men, about a third of the way through making the doorhangers for everyone and have produced the photo we took in Lapland in Feb this year, where my eldest wrote Merry Xmas in the snow for our chirstmas card this year
I have kept a list for the last 3 yrs in Word for who I send cards to and their addresses that get updated through the year etc, so need to do that, and all the pressies are on a spreadsheet, that gets updated with ideas throughout the year and how much I've spent, so that's all organised.
House is currently being sorted as we're moving my sons about to create a 'media' room for them to give them more space....................errr so it's bedlam round here!
You can really tell how excited everyone is about the christmas planning by the length of the posts.Thanks OP for the link to the website,its fantastic.I am so glad there are more people planning so far ahead too,I dont feel like such a nutter now.I had my list out last month and have lots of pressie shopping done already.
I would love to have a go at the grand plan on the website but with building work going on upstairs and down at the moment in my house I will just do the christmas planner this year.I used to be such a perfectionist,especially at christmas, but this year as last my catchphrase will be 'good enough'.I do love all the planning,love my lists and ideas notepads,love magazines for decorating ideas and everything chrismassy.
I had been thinking about buying a fake tree this year to save some money but after reading and thinking about the family values questions on the OC site I realised that the thing I adore most in the run up to christmas is the choosing of the tree with the kids and decorating it,using its lower branches for other decorations and the gorgeous smell of the real pine that hits you everytime you come home.It does mean I cannot have a tree up all december as the real tree would get a bit shabby after that long but I do love a real tree.
I started thinking about this christmas in the Jan Sales this year and throughout the year i have been on the lookout for great deals - hence i am very ahead already. (have some presents bought and wrapped already!)
I really like the idea of being organised so i can sit back and really enjoy the christmas season for the reasons its meant for, not for materialistic, commercialised reasons that are shoved down our necks in the run up to christmas.
I bought all new decs and tree last year so i am now looking at ways to decorate the outside of my house cheap but nice looking ie poinsettias, hm wreaths with ribbons, candles in jars. I remember when i was a child going to church and being given an orange with cloves in it, a red ribbon around the middle and a candle in the top which we lit.