Have you started anything yet? Shopping? Projects for decor? Cooking?
I have done absolutely nothing to prep since last month. This makes me behind schedule. While last month I was doing quite well for 4 months out, at 3 months out I still have another week of cookies to bake for 15 Days of Holiday Cookies. I still have to schedule a second week of 15 Days of Holiday Cookies too. One week is completely done – baked and scheduled, and the plans were in place to have all three weeks finished by the end of September. Plan-sman I am not going to make that deadline.
Oh! One thing I did do was schedule my niece to decorate! I haven’t decorated my whole house in years. Hubby and Sonny-boy refuse to help me, and it is too much for one person, so years ago I got my niece to come over and put up at least one tree and decorate the banister. Since we are replacing that banister in January, I am going to give her the green light to go nuts decorating it this year – I may not have anything on it next year. 😛
While she does that, I do the outside lights, the wreathes and a second tree. I plan on having the house decorated in November. Yeah yeah, but we have to go down to Florida before Christmas, and there is no way I am coming home and running around like a chicken trying to do everything necessary to host 20+ people the week before the holiday. As it is I have the cleaning ladies and my hair appointment scheduled that I have to attend to the week before (and those are important!)
Hubby and Sonny-boy move furniture and set up the tables for Christmas Eve. And, Hubby does a lot of the cooking.
Hmmmm so I guess I did accomplish a few things this past month – I schedule decorating, hair and cleaning services for the holidays!
So, how are your holiday preparations going!?
Stephanie B says
I creates 2 pintrest boards. One for DIY decor that I will probably never make, and one for homemade gifts that I will probably never make. Ahhh….accomplishment! I do have some gift ideas in mind, but haven’t even decorated for Halloween yet so no real thought about Christmas. I do need to schedule which parents we will visit when but I’ll wait until Thanksgiving to do that.
Ann says
One for DIY decor that I will probably never make
LOL Stephanie.
Ann
Shell says
I still just have one gift for my grandson purchased. Other than that I have been asking the kids to make up wish lists.
Ann says
My mother does that too – asks for a wish list. For the kids it is great, but for us a token would be just fine. I wonder if she’d go for that if I suggested it to her?
Ann
Stephanie K says
I have the nephews and niece gifts purchased, but very little for my kids. I usually have all of their stocking stuff put in a drawer and ready by now, so I’m feeling behind. I have bare cupboards when it comes to holiday baking stuff, I’m really hoping to find some good deals soon. We bought a new Christmas tree on clearance last year, but I’m not sure I’m going to like it. The worst part is that I threw out the old tree so there’s no going back, it’s either pay full retail or deal with it.
Ann says
Maybe you can live with the new tree for one year and look for another on clearance after the holidays this year, Stephanie?
Ann
KimH says
I havent done a thing & Im probably not going to do much..
We have discussed it and we all agreed to not exchange gifts this year.. Im out of a job, M’honey’s job changed in a big way and hasnt stabilized, my daughter is out of a job, my step-son’s job went to part time instead of full time, and my step-daughter & her S/O just bought a house.. soo… we’re all feeling a financial pinch at the moment.
We’ll still have Christmas dinner, same as always.. but I never get freaked out about it.. its just family.
We’ll still probably do stockings anyways.. We’ll see what really happens. Its difficult to change traditions.
Ann says
WOW! I hope the job prospects for all of you start looking up soon, Kim. That is terrible.
Ann
KimH says
Thanks Ann.. It is pretty shocking for us all to have job issues at the same time! I was laid off last November & have enjoyed having almost the entire year off.. but its just about time to become gainfully employed again.. and there are whispers on the wind that I hope pan out as well as Im thinking & hearing they may..
We’re not destitute but we’re not blowing any money we dont really need to blow either.. mostly.. 😉
KimH says
I will say.. Im not disappointed regarding not exchanging Christmas gifts.. mostly. If I find something thru the year that I think would make a great Christmas gift then I’ll buy it.. but sometimes Christmas comes along & Im not happy with my contributions or I know the kids are having a tough time trying to keep up with the Joneses and I dont like that part of it at all and never have.
In my Mom’s home.. we didnt exchange Christmas gifts. When we were little kids we always had a big Christmas but after we were teenagers we didnt exchange gifts any more & it was great by us. Every once in a while Mom would tell us on Christmas day that she had something for us that she bought during the summer & she put it away somewhere & couldnt find it.. haha.. typical.. We MIGHT get it before the next Christmas came along.. and sometimes we didnt. It was never any big deal. But we always gathered at my Grandmothers house on Christmas Day and that is what we all looked forward to. Mom had 3 sisters and our cousins are more like brother & sisters to us all…and it was a great day to spend together.. Loads of fun to be had.
Don on the other hand has always been a huge Christmas gift giver & hes REALLY GOOD at it too. I always feel inadequate cuz I can never be as good of a gift giver as he is.
Ann says
I hope those job prospects pan out, Kim and the next job is better and better paying than your last job!
Ann
Candie says
I have all presents bought. I am through with that. Since it is just me but family comes over, I do a 6 1/2′ tree and a few small decorations outside. I can’t climb ladders so I can’t do much. I was going to look at Pinterest and see if there are ideas for inside decorations. I have some, I just dislike taking them down.
Ann says
I wish I could find my pictures I took last Christmas so I could post cheap decorations. Grrrr I told my neice she can come over the day after Halloween, and I will take pics then – hopefully it won’t be too late for you, Candie.
Ann
KimH says
Ann! You didnt Pinterest them? Next time!