"IT'S CHRISTMAS!" (You have to scream it like Noddy Holder, it's the law you know?)
What's that you say? The last Sunday in August doesn't mean Christmas to you and you can't imagine how I make the leap? Well let me explain.
I follow the Christmas Grand Plan and have done for many years now, (there's a rumour going around that it is six years and I can confirm that it is true) and this is where someone else has done the hard work part and thought about what you should think about and then has broken it in to weekly sections.
The first year I did it I was pregnant with Top Ender and needed to be organised as I was due to give birth just before Christmas (and we all know that Babies stick to their due dates...NOT!) and everything worked so well that I just carried on year after year.
This week has been list week and cleaning the front porch area. And so this week I have made my lists (updating some from last year) and cleaning my front porch area (I don't have a porch, but I clean the front area of my house and I want a porch swing so that counts right?) and getting ready for tomorrow (which is Question week and Living room).
My plans for this week were to make lists for the following;
*Gifts to be given, including amount to spend (Done!)
*Christmas card list (updated last years and Done!)
*Visits to make (Done and scheduled!)
*Parties/Entertaining (No parties, but a small gathering being organised so Done!)
*Menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years (Done, updated last years)
*Goodies for Sharing/Gifts. (Planned so Done!)
*Favorite Meals of Family members for freezing ahead. (Planned!)
*Long-term shopping list divided into: canned foods, perishables for each holiday, linens and dishes, decorations, etc. (Done!)
And my plans for next week are;
*Develop ideas for gifts and decorations (Nearly all done, as I keep a year long gift idea list).
*Order Christmas cards and address labels.
*To ask these questions:
*Order Christmas cards and address labels.
*To ask these questions:
- Do I see Christmas time primarily as a time for entertaining friends and renewing long lost acquaintances or as a time for family?
- How much emphasis do our Christmas activities place on the spiritual side of Christmas?
- How involved is my family in the Christmas preparation?
- What activities are particularly important to our family at Christmas? To myself?
- Why do we observe the traditions we do in our house?
- How important is an elaborately decorated house, homemade gifts or food, to my feelings about Christmas?
- What would my ideal Christmas be like?
And to make a start on the living room...
This year a friend (well I think she is) is following the plan and documenting it at her blog Typical Ramblings and is inviting others to join in and I thought maybe I should blog about it, so I am inviting you all to follow us on our journey and maybe to join in too!After all its never to early to think about Christmas!