*** Holiday Planning, 2012 ***

[Harmony]

Yes, I'll be sure to take pictures before I wrap. Have not posted anything here, prying eyes, ya know!

I am happy to have that package on its way to NC. Some really nice toys in it for 3 DGKids. I enclosed a nice card for DStepson and DDiL, and a children's card for the 3 little ones. DGD is in kindergarden, she might be able to read a few of the words.

This year I am in "don't obsess, just finish" mode. I wrapped those gifts, did not put ribbons on like I usually do, and put nice tags on but that was it. I usually fuss a whole lot more, but at least I got them packed and out the door.

DFriend tonight had a beautiful decoration I'd sure like to learn to make. Her neighbor made it for her. A wine bottle, covered in glass crystals and holiday applique, lit from the inside with a string of 15 white lights, nicely placed there with a rubber grommet at the bottom where the wire comes out. Anyone ever made anything like that before?

[Nancy]

I found a mini cherry pie got it for h. popped it in the freezer when I got home.

This week I sewed up four fabric gift bags in various sizes in red and green print that was fun. Three of them still need ties I've been thinking of crocheting them so I do not have to run to the store for ribbon.

[Ivy]

Hi, DH put up our miniature Christmas tree tonight.

Tomorrow we'll get out the shelf-hangers. They have heavy weighted-down mittens on their hands and we hang them from the china cabinets and entertainment center. There is a Santa, reindeer, and snowman, I recall. It's been a year, so I don't remember exactly.

Also, tomorrow, DH will hang our wreath on our covered porch.

[Nancy]

♥♥ I love the HGTV White House Christmas decorating show ♥♥ It was on this weekend and in yrs. past has been on again on Sun. so check your listings. It was 2 hrs. review of ones they have done before and then this years.

Our tree is up I've simplified it and just have a white tree with colored lights fast easy to put up and I can do it alone easily enough.

Meals ahead:
Planned left overs today! Yea for meals ahead. Dec. sub. way has two kinds of subs meat ball and cold cut for $2 for the busy days.

The family loves Franz strudel bread, and the pumpkin spice.

Christmas Cookies
Get gingerbread boys done found a box of Keebler ones every one loves 'em! Got green & white frosted animal cookies. I saw that they have the Christmas ones out now. This saves me time.

Flavored coffee creamer; Tried a couple new flavors.
I love the pumpkin spice. Eggnog flavor not so much.
They have sugar free mocha mint now.

When our kids were young I would only let them have sugary cereal at the holidays. Getting a favorite and a box they could have on Christmas morning when the opened the stockings so we could sleep in. When I found some [Lucky Charms] Christmas Crunch cereal it brought back memories of that so I had to get it! Dgd only eats the marshmello shapes in it dgson & I were joking that the other parts could be chicken food a special treat for them.

I would still like to get most packages & letters/cards in the mail.

[Nancy]

How is every one doing with their holiday prep.?

Last night I enjoyed a Halmark channel movie Christmas for Holly, I think it was from a Debbie Macomber book they will play it again in a week so watch your listings if you would like to see this one.

[Harriet]

I've appreciated the holiday viewing recommendations. Just to document in this thread, I enjoyed Duck Dynasty Christmas Special. I suppose the one I will look forward to is It's a Wonderful Life. Dd32 always looks forward to White Christmas.

Today I finalized the amazon order I have been hesitating about. Ordered a total of 9 gifts, 4 of which are for the party of the 22nd at in-laws' (for which I need to get a move on!), and I really needed dd14 to help me think about those children's gifts. Even she had a hard time, choosing something then reading more carefully and finding out it was a bad idea after all (for instance a beading kit for a 12-year-old girl that looked like a very nice-sized gift in the photo, but when you read the fine print, was only 4 x5x1 inches!)

I ended up getting 2 different Klutz book/kits for the 2 girls at that party - woven bracelets and bottle cap jewelry. I love giving crafty things to girls! I hope they don't look at my gifts and think, "Oh, Aunt Harriet buys us these yucky crafting things!" I hope their mother appreciates that I avoided the painting and oven crafts!

So, all gifts for that party are purchased except that I need to decide whether I'll take a secret exchange gift, and I'd like to add some small trinket to the gift for one of the babies.

Tree is up (purchased on the 8th) but have not yet decorated. Waiting on better days for my ddad so I can be sure of large enough spaces of time. Got a real "present" from my GP dr, who filled my thyroid script for an additional month and says I don't need to come in for blood work or anything until the holidays are well past. Whew. A savings of time and an off-my-mind blessing.

[Ivy]

DH put up the mini Christmas tree, needs to hang the outdoor wreath and we need to hang the shelf-hanger Santa, reindeer, and snowman. I got out my Christmas teddy bear, which is white and wearing a festive red velvet dress.

All cards were done long ago, sent pen pals' cards out the day before Thanksgiving, but family and friends went out on Dec. 3. I'm impressed with some of the handmade ones, too!

I need to decide if I want to go through the 3 gift bag boxes again, to use up gift bags, or just wrap and give, and keep the bags for next year. It's such a hassle to get out the boxes and sort through the numerous bags. I'm not trying to be a "Scrooge" here, but just simplify. 3 couples in the neighborhood get gifts from us; 1 - 2 items, so I can wrap them, save the bags for next year, and just hand deliver gifts un-bagged.

I only made DD 1 beanie slouch and 1 beret, Harriet, which was a Thanksgiving gift, I shipped to her. It's not a Christmas gift. Others each get a hat, except DD gets a boa and a BFF gets a scarf.

All that's left to do is a stuffed dog toy for Christmas, then I'm done and start cleaning, reading, and relaxing.

[Nancy]

We got several cards in the mail yesterday. I ended up calling my mom before granny duty and we had a good visit.

I started a letter and have nearly finished it.

Found some new hens so counting that as part of my Christmas what an idea gives a whole new concept to Christmas chicken instead of turkey doesn't it? LOL!

I found some sug. free mulled cider seasoning spices in the cupboard when I was looking for some thing the other day so I'm enjoying it now in my coffee this morning.

[Harriet]

What a nice Christmas present for you Nancy.

Just have to relate this smart, simple idea blessed posted in Cardfile Central today. For her gift tags she copied old photos of the person onto blank cards.

I watched dd as we walked through Hallmark and a few other shops today and I saw a few gift or stocking ideas for her.

[Harriet]

Lights are on the tree. HRH is so patient, trying light after light, adjusting the teensy tiny filaments, etc. He got 1.5 more strands to work when I was ready to give up on the .5 that I had and just go buy some! lol A disappointment is that our Spock talking shuttlecraft stopped talking. I know the children will be expecting to hear Leonard Nimoy telling us "Shuttlecraft to Enterprise, shuttlecraft to Enterprise, Live Long and Prosper" as they have never failed to listen. It still corrects a broken link in the lights, though, which is a puzzlement.

Have the rest of the ornaments out. After the tree, the mantle and tables, and then we'll tackle quilts. I've already gotten a call that neighbors plan to visit this weekend, bringing goodies, and I'd like to be done by then.

Harmony, I meant to mention to you that some of the most attractive outdoor decorative lighting of homes I've noticed this year are those who drape their shrubs, then maybe just line their walkways, doorways, maybe a lightpost. They have a finished look but don't seem to have sent anyone up on a ladder. Could that be a compromise that still let you and Mr. Harmony admire lights through your windows?