Holiday Boot Camp: Part 3 -- Christmas Decor

Don't worry -- we won't be trimming the tree before Halloween, but we can schedule a time to decorate right now!

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I have a fake tree, so I just need to go into the attic and take mine down, but y'all who get real Christmas trees need to plan a bit more! Do you go to a Christmas Tree Farm, cut your tree down, drink hot apple cider, and wear plaid. I am super jealous! Plan the day you want to go get your Christmas tree right now! Pencil it in! If this is an important outing to you and your family, make sure it happens. Don’t let the old adage, “Christmas snuck up one me this year,” into your vocabulary this Holiday Season.

I am planning on doing something kind of crazy insane unique this year... With Thanksgiving travel and Christmas travel, we are not going to have a huge window of opportunity to enjoy our Christmas decor, so I am actually going to decorate before we leave for our Thanksgiving trip! Crazy! Now when we come home our house will already be in the holiday spirit! Sounds good to me!

One thing about holiday decor is that you have to know when to say "no." Decide what is important to you and your family and stick to it! We've decided at this point in our lives, we won't be putting up Christmas lights. We might down the road when we have kids, but right now, we have decided to save our money. Plus, Hubby fell off a ladder earlier in the year, so we try to avoid him being on one unless it is absolutely necessary. Another decor item I won’t be purchasing is a Christmas wreath. I very rarely use my front door since I park in the garage, so I won’t actually ever see the wreath. I would rather spend money on decorations that I will actually get to enjoy!

If there are Christmas decorations you want to purchase this year, write it down. If you see something on your list when you are out and about, buy it if it meets your needs and budget. This year I really want stockings and a garland for the mantel. Shouldn’t break the bank and it will make my living room extra festive! I’ve already started looking…

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I also really want to purchase an Elf on the Shelf and move him each day for Hubby. It is definitely silly, but I think it will add a touch of whimsy to the season!

Be sure to make a note in your calendar for when you want to purchase your Christmas tree and when you want to have your home decorated by.

What decoration are a must in your household? Chime in with a comment below!

XOXO

Meg

PS: This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on these links and/or making purchases from those links, I may receive a small commission. As always, thank you for supporting this little blog!

Holiday Boot Camp: Part 2 -- Christmas Cards

I'm back with Part Two of my Holiday Boot Camp! If you missed Part One, you can check that out here! How is your gift giving list coming along?

This week it is all about Christmas Cards...

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Do you send Christmas Cards? I absolutely love sending them, but they are a bit of work and require some planning. If Christmas Cards aren't your thing and you don't want them to be your thing, just hold tight until next week -- there is no rule that says you have to send Christmas Cards, and you shouldn't spend time and money on doing something you don't enjoy. 

If you love sending Christmas Cards, start thinking about what style card you would like to send? I like using Snapfish or Shutterfly to create a photo card -- so I am going to need a cute photo of Hubby and Me. If you like sending a folded (non-photo) card, I would recommend Papyrus for their beautiful cards. 

Next, start thinking about when you would like to have your cards mailed by. I am shooting to take my Christmas Cards to the post office by Saturday, December 3rd. I'm estimating two weeks for my processing and shipping, so I need to place my card order by Saturday, November 19th. Note an "order by" date and a "mail by" date in your calendar!

Now decide who you will send your cards to. Close family and friends? Work colleagues? Old college friends? Make a list of who you will be sending cards to this year. Now, place a star next to everyone who you need an address for -- people who just moved, new friends, etc. It is now your mission over the next three months to acquire these addresses. Go!

XOXO

Meg

Holiday Boot Camp: Part 1 -- Gift Giving

While it is only the first of September, I know the holidays are right around the corner! I absolutely love Christmas, but somehow my good intentions and holiday cheer get lost in the mix of last minute shopping and overspending -- like the year I had to next-day a bunch of gifts! Ugh! Somehow gift giving isn't nearly as fun when you're paying overnight shipping fees!

Anyone else have this problem?

I've decided to make it my mission to have a stress free Christmas this year -- and you're all invited on this quest for happier holidays -- to actually celebrate the birth of Christ, spend time with your family and friends, bake cookies, and even remember to move that darn Elf on the Shelf!

The only way to lessen the stress of the holidays is to plan. plan. plan!

And I've got an easy five part series to start planning for Christmas... right now... in September! Grab your calendar and a notebook and let's get to it!

Let's start with a tough one... gift giving!

I love giving gifts but I have a hard time finding that perfect gift! This is usually because I wait until the last minute. Whoops! 

This year I'm taking a vow to shop early!

Here's what we're gonna do...

Make a list of everyone you plan on purchasing gifts for. 

Next to each name write down how much you plan on spending for each person.

Next to the dollar amount, brainstorm ideas of what that person needs and/or wants. 

Also make some notes next to each name. Will they receive their gift on Christmas Eve? Christmas Day? Mid-December at the annual holiday party? Do you need to mail the gift? Make it a goal to mail all of your Christmas packages three weeks prior to Christmas Eve -- that is Saturday, December 3, 2016. Write that in your calendar!

You'll want to factor the shipping costs into your budget and you'll want to factor in extra shipping time if you are shipping internationally!

Planning ahead allows for us to pick thoughtful gifts, shop sales, and avoid the holiday crowds!

Keep the list in your purse to remind yourself of your shopping plans and to fill in any blanks when you come up with brilliant ideas!

Here is a snapshot of some of my list. The list is a work in progress and I likely won't complete it for a month or so, but the main thing is I have started to think ahead and am being intentional and thoughtful about my gift giving.  

Next, get out your calendar and set a goal of when you want to have all of your Christmas shopping completed. I marked my calendar for December 1, 2016. This may sound insane, but with enough planning, I know I can do it!

Is there anything you can purchase now? I know I am going to buy my nephew the Fisher Price Little People Nativity Set. (I bought it for my niece last year and it was a big hit!) I can order this now and store it in the closet until December. Done!

Are you a gift card giver? Can you buy a gift card every few weeks? This helps spread the cost out over the next few months! Winning! Just don't forget where you put those gift cards!

Do you typically attend numerous holiday parties? Don't forget a hostess gift! Candles and bottles of wine are super easy to buy now, store, and gift later!

That's all for now! With enough planning we're definitely going to a have a stress free holiday!  Cheers!

XOXO

Meg

PS: This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the links or making purchases through the links, I may receive a small commission. As always, thank you for supporting this little blog!