Leaving myself notes is turning out to be VERY HELPFUL. Last year I felt like I’d remember most of the Thanksgiving stuff, but I put all my plans and recipe print-outs into a folder anyway. This year when I got them out, I didn’t really remember any of it. And I kept thinking things like, “Uh oh. I must have thought I’d remember that recipe for roasted vegetables, but I don’t! …Oh, here it is in the folder! Whew.” The best were my menu-list notes such as “5 pounds PLENTY” after potatoes, and “next time, 3 dozen” after rolls.
This morning I got out my Christmas notes, which were much less organized because CHRISTMAS is much less organized. Here are some of them:
1. “Watch Christmas shows and read Christmas books EARLIER.” I keep thinking I should wait until it’s really close to Christmas, to maximize the Christmassiness of those activities. But instead I ended up feeling stressed and thinking “I STILL HAVE TO WATCH/READ THOSE”—when I’d spent several weeks of December WANTING to watch/read them but making myself wait. Silly! Plus, reading them earlier gets the holiday spirit going earlier.
2. “Eat all the candy canes BEFORE Christmas.” Nobody likes them after Christmas, so the deliciousness must be almost entirely Christmas-anticipation based.
3. “Buy one gift card per Target trip for a few months.” (I wrote about this idea here.) I need to write this on the calender in September instead: by the time I get out the Christmas Notes, it’s too late to remind myself of this.
4. “Remind kids about politeness/gratitude.” I keep thinking incorrectly that their training on that is complete. They still really need a refresher before opening any presents.
5. “Divide stocking stuff beforehand.” Every single year I think it’ll be fun! and festive! to divide the stocking stuff right before it’s time to fill the stockings. Every single year I end up sweaty and frazzled and rushed, ripping open bags of candy and dividing them all into five piles and trying to remember where I put the Silly Putty. This year I’m dividing it ahead of time into bags I can then just pour into each stocking.
6. “BRING FLASK.”
6 is probably the only one I’d remember without a note. haha
Hmm. Putting Elf and the scents of Christmas into my amazon shopping cart as soon as I finish this comment so we can get started on #1. Christmas isn’t my favorite holiday so stretching it out isn’t natural to me. But just because it’s not MY favorite doesn’t mean it won’t be my kids’ favorite.
#6 should be #1
I actually have #6 tattooed on the inside of my wrist.
This is my first year intentionally trying to be in the Christmas spirit. We whipped it out early, tree, books, and I am wondering maybe too early? My 3 year old asks every day if its Christmas. Going to be a long 25 days.
My favorite is #6!!! You are so awesome!!
The way you described yourself looking and feeling as you divided stuff up for the stockings made me laugh, because OH SO TRUE. I think it was the sweaty part that really got me. I always end up with flushed cheeks and a headache.
“I keep thinking incorrectly that their training on that is complete.”
I KNOW! I forget how these lessons have to be repeated over and over again. Same thing with manners in general…
SO SMART. I’m sure I’ve forgotten everything I said I’d do last year, except the buying online and shipping stuff directly to my husband’s family so I don’t have my dining room covered in boxes for all of December. We’re done mailing stuff! Whoo-hoo! Where’s my flask?
you’re so smart! #6 is THE best.
I used to be VERY good about being organized for Christmas – lately not so much. This year I’m trying very hard to get back to that organized way. So far, I haven’t accomplished much but I DID manage to snag the Giant Reese’s you wrote about – since I wrote it down!
Re: gratitude refreshers. We play a little game very year where the kids and I collect silly “gifts” from around the house and exchange them. Like, one square of toilet paper, a broken toy, a glass of water, etc. Then we practice giving them to each other and the recipient has to come up with something nice to say about the gift, no matter what it is. My daughter is 8 now and she’s really getting better about accepting things gracefully.
Kristin H – Oh, what a good idea! Fun AND good practice! I think I will try that!
My notes would all be WRAPIT NOW! DON’T WAIT! There is nothing magical about wrapping presents the night before Christmas and I forget that every single year until the dizzyingly tired moments when I sit looking at the pile of unwrapped stuff. Christmas despair.
I think I will start a holiday binder. We keep buying huge turkeys, because we don’t remember how big last years was. Kristin H is a genius, and we will try that game.
FWIW…Target has really cute flasks in their Christmas stuff for $5. You should totally check them out when you are picking up your next gift card or getting more stocking candy. ;)
We’re traveling for Christmas this year, and I’m thinking that bags of stocking stuffers sound perfect. Also, the gratitude game is genius!
SIX. I’m totally doing SIX.