*** Holiday Planning, 2012 ***

[Harriet]

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★˛˚˛*˛°.˛*˛°˛.*★˚˛*˛°.˛*˛°˛*★ Holiday *★* 。*˛.
˛★°_██_*.。*../ ♥ \ .˛* .˛。.˛.*.★* Season Is *★ 。*
˛. (´• ̮•)*.。*/♫.♫\*˛.* ˛_Π_____. ♥ On Its Way ♥ ˛* ˛*
.°( . • . ) ˛°/• '♫ ' •\.˛*/______/~＼*. ˛*.。˛* ˛.*。
˛*(...'•'.. ) *˛╬╬╬╬╬˛°.｜田田 ｜門｜╬╬╬╬╬*˚ .˛ ...

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We're going to have to acknowledge the calendar! It is beckoning!

Nancy has already mentioned planning for the holidays in PWYC !

Bernice has already mentioned The Holiday Grand Plan as well !!!

They were told to shush but it's not going to work! It really is that close!

The Holiday Grand Plan begins "Question Week" tomorrow, Sept 2.

The Houseworks Holiday Plan begins "Planning and Paperwork" week tomorrow, Sept 2.

For late bloomers, ( )

The Christmas Countdown begins "Get Organized Week" October 21.

Please use this forum to let us know either your own plans or the plans linked here that you are using, and the sparkly, cheery progress you are surely making! Don't forget that if you choose to create handmade gifts, that right beside this thread, the Arts, Crafts and Needlework thread posters definitely want to hear about your creativity!

[ellyphant]

Will have to think about this! I usually like to save Christmas for after Thanksgiving, but have been known to do Christmas cards in the middle of the summer--just because I love sending and receiving them.

Look forward to seeing everyone's plans!

[Nancy]

I did the Christmas in July oops I mean Aug. again this year cleaning out the storage zone, freezer, and made two costumes for just in case we need them for Christmas pageants. Checked with the gal at church and the discovered there were no costumes so lined up some that could be borrowed.

I saw Halloween stuff in a store yesterday and on a magazine yesterday.
Not too soon to think about sewing up Halloween costumes if you do that sore of thing. I like to look for stuff for that at yard sales in the summer.
We tried to grow pumpkins but only got squash oh well it was fun.

[BookSaver]

I think I mentioned before about finding instructions for a star made from folded fabric strips. The tutorial is here:
http://blog.betzwhite.com/2011/12/fabri ... orial.html

Several years ago I taught the same folding technique to make a bunch of paper stars for a Victorian era museum, because the craft is that old.

I was going to use the fabric stars for gifts to the other advisory board members in my sewing group.

Instead, we needed to decide on an educational program idea for our December meeting, so I offered to teach the stars as a "make & take" project. After the meeting, I will use my class samples to decorate my desk.

So I still need to figure out a small gift idea for those friends. I need the gifts by early November because a couple of them are snowbirds. They get antsy to leave the cold weather, and sometimes take off before Thanksgiving.

Deciding what to give DMom and DMIL is always a tricky challenge. They both say they don't want or need anything. Come on, though, you can't NOT give a Christmas gift to your mother!

[Harriet]

How to choose which one of the plans? Hmm... don't know how to decide which is best for me. Don't want to wait until October, really.

Very pleased to see the 2012 spine and cover for notebook with the new large design.

I shopped online for Christmas Cards. Favorite site this year for specifically Christmas cards is chistianbook.com. Have my choices down to a few.

It's definitely my intention to get Christmas Cards completed by Halloween and set aside. I plan this every year, every year I miss it, and every year I feel rushed to accomplish wrapping because the cards work is still in the way.

Shopped USPS for stamps and not very happy with those choices. The new Madonna is probably it, except that if my card choice is as rustic as I think it may be, most of the weathervane ones would be okay. But, have you guys checked out the Custom Stamps? Some of you may have even used them and have an opinion. I haven't. You can find a small selection of autumn ones at USPS but notice that they are exclusively "zazzle". So you can find a gargantuan selection at zazzle.com - so many Christmas design stamps that I haven't been able to look through a fraction yet. I don't know what I think about one particular company being showcased with such preferential treatment through USPS. Hmmm... ... Also, this type of stamp - however customizable - has less room for the design, to make room for the utilitarian black purchase area. So it's going to be pretty difficult to get it to look charming or old fashioned, if that was the idea.

Here they are, just the Christmas ones. There are 1,189 pages of 71,000 choices. What interesting times we live in.

How much time would I save if I bought the Madonna stamps now and put this out of my mind? Already see I'd save about $19.00 for my pocket. Still, it's a thought.

[Nancy]

I have been gathering a few things for baking some quick breads I get a few cake mixes and have been putting them away. I've also made up some
fruit sauce to go in these as well. It's in the freezer when it cools off we're going to have a baking day.

[ellyphant]

I can't believe all those choices of stamps! I must be a Scrooge, because I would never pay extra for custom stamps. Truthfully, if I have stamps on hand, I don't even bother to get Christmas ones. But, I do like the new Santa ones and the Holy Family ones coming out in October at USPS. May just have to get some of those this year.

Already have enough cards. I pick those up on clearance or at thrift stores. My favorite thing is finding vintage cards that have never been sent. Used to tell DD to stop me if I tried to buy any more cards!

Used to love wrapping gifts, but have been using gift bags the last few years. The bags are saved and used several times.

This will be DDIL's first Christmas with us, so I may need to "kick it up a notch."

Think I will start to gather some baking supplies, too, Nancy!

[Harriet]

Here are links to the stamps ellyphant mentioned.

2012 Santa
http://jollyreindeer.com/4599/santa-fea ... day-stamp/
2012 Holy Family
http://blog-stampofapproval.com/2011/12 ... -revealed/

The Santa would have been great for a different year, but this year I'm choosing between cards that carry their pretty sophisticated designs onto their envelopes and might not look right with bright Santas. If I could decide on the Madonna or Holy Family or the weathervanes, that would save me the $19.

That doesn't mean I don't adore Santa in design - as we looked at our card wreath last year, everyone's favorite was a big, jolly Santa as traditional as could be.

I played around with editing the custom stamps - I "wrote" O Holy Night onto the sky above a nativity - cool. I liked that but doubt I can justify the expense. It's good to keep up with what's out there. I care more about the Christmas stamps than any other through the year except maybe the grandchildren's birthday stamps - always try to get cartoon types for them.

ellyphant, I am a BIG gift wrapper. I wrap and wrap. I will even think about whether a gift is wrap-able as I'm deciding what to buy!!! This is what I did for the little great-neices and great-nephews last year. I am fully aware that it is perfectionistic, sidetracked and over-the-top. (I wont leave the photo up long)

Tower of Gifts2.JPG

[ellyphant]

Wow, Harriet, the gift tower is great! How nice for anyone on the receiving end of that!!

This thread is getting me excited for Christmas. I already know just where the tree is going--a different spot than last year. Have a second tree that can go in an upstairs window.

Last year, we didn't know which end was up...had just moved in here 6 weeks before.

[Nancy]

Glad I stopped by this thread just did it on a whim. Today I'm thinking of what to put in the deep freezer for make ahead meals and stuff. Holiday planning, emergency food stuffs to have on hand for snow days are on my mind. I think I need a list for that. Okay I've added those things to my shopping list for this week.

Baked up a loaf of quick bread to freeze and had to defend it against 3 yo. muncher! LOL! Satisfied 'em with ch. one next time I want to freeze one it will not be a granny duty day! LOL!

Put the 6 day old muffins in the freezer for later.