Re: ***Holiday Planning, 2016***

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blessedw2
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby blessedw2 » Sun Sep 04, 2016 1:51 pm

this week's goal:
tar get have tide and paper towels on sale... I have a little extra cash so I will buy them on sale for the holidays..

. Last year I had no time for anything and we didn't even decorate the tree... mostly because I got tired of being the only one doing the work. I get made fun of for setting things up ahead and last year I had a child's temper tantrum (not verbally). I shut down and wouldn't do anything bc no one helped me. What did I get out of it...nothing. I love Christmas. I realized I can't make anyone else do the holiday the way I like it. - dd younger is usually wanting to join in but was booked. She was shocked that I didn't decorate the trees except for the lights and getting the tree. I didn't do gingerbread, or put out any real decorations. I was right on schedule for Christmas presents but I was sooooo tempted to let everyone figure things out themselves.. d girls did their name picks etc. which was good. Dh - the night before christmas asked if I was ready for Christmas - 8-)

This year, I will do christmas for me to fit with my joys and schedule. If they want to join me they choose to but I will be okay to just have fun. dd olders job is so busy that I can understand not planning ahead with the holidays, I have found, one has to set up dates ahead otherwise I can't do the fun things I want to do. This year no pouting. I will enjoy the holidays and not expect others to live up to my expectations of the holidays are for me.

So far I have dinner reservations set and tickets set for the Christmas Carol. Dec 23
I am going to call about high tea at the drake (once every couple years) with dd's (if they have time) and d cousin and her kids.

thinking about: caroling at cloud gate Nov 27 to Dec 18
, seeing the Christmas tree, Christkindel market,
Lincoln Park zoo lights

Me alone: symphony for Christmas music - its a wonderful life and music or another music program for the holidays. One year I went to the do it yourself messiah with d mil and it was amazing!

Craft fair dec 1 to the 4 lambs farm
Swedish American museum dec. 3 to 4th
it is always a joy to be here with you!

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Nancy
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby Nancy » Sun Sep 04, 2016 6:46 pm

I am trying to organize fabrics and what is next to work on for bags to go in side the gift baskets for families. I do not have all of them yet but working on it a bit at a time so I do not get to over whelmed. My head was starting to swim with all the options and possibilities. So I thought I would sort some of it out here. Blues I have 2-3 so will beed another. That will work for one basket.

I will do some red and green & white I think. I am still considering these.

blessedw2
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby blessedw2 » Tue Sep 06, 2016 11:40 am

I understand "my head was starting to swim with all the options and possibilities" d Nancy!!! I found a wonderful quilt shop by my home and it's amazing... lol all I could think of was possibilities! I would love to see a picture of what you are doing!

holiday planning:
I have my Christmas list done and kind of a budget.
I have to go to target this week to do the holiday fill up of cleaning supplies for the holidays- so I don't have to run out during the holiday season.
it is always a joy to be here with you!

blessedw2
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby blessedw2 » Thu Sep 08, 2016 12:05 pm

I bought Septembers extras for the holidays
an extra tide, paper towels, bounty. hand soaps,

I still need extra toilet paper, dish detergent, shampoos, 2 extra bags of dog food, 2 extra bags of cat food,

I also bought dh 2 little books about the history of our town
d mom bought a small water color I loved for my Christmas present.
ordered early christmas gift for dd older ... football tickets for her old university

ordered tickets for high tea with dd's and d cousin and her daughter $20 at the drake each.. and we all pay our own way it won't be bad
Last edited by blessedw2 on Fri Sep 09, 2016 7:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Nancy
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby Nancy » Thu Sep 08, 2016 5:03 pm

Who decorates for fall. I like to get green & orange that turn and ripen acorn squash & pumpkins , butternut ir hubbard or what ever I kinds find and will add spagitti squash this year for the front steps and take down the summer wreath and put up ths small scare crow one from the dollar store if I did not declutter it.

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Harriet
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby Harriet » Thu Sep 08, 2016 10:03 pm

Nancy, I have a quilt and some small quilted wall hangings that I like to get out this time of year. The quilt is burnt-orange and the others are in browns.

I looked at stamps and Christmas cards.

"Songbirds in the Snow" set of 4 stamps is already out. This year's silhouette one, "Nativity Christmas" , will be in blue and comes out October 6, the same date "Holiday Windows" set of 4 and "Hanukkah Holiday" do. And then this year's "Madonna and Child" is the last stamp of 2016, coming out October 11.

Also as I use the pickup-truck stamps I notice how Christmasy the red one looks, and have been saving those out. There are also green and white, for that matter. And it does dawn on me they would work well with some country-mailbox address labels we already have.

All those dates are well ahead of Halloween, so the Halloween night idea, of working on cards to get ahead, is do-able, lol. (I probably won't make it, but it's always nice to remember it's possible!

I don't like any card so much this year that I'm very attached to anything. Last year the Charlie Brown stamps just interested me so much and I felt I had a reason to choose the Charlie Brown scripture cards and was very content. This year, I just point-blank told dd that if she would create art that related to the Christmas story in some way for us, I would have cards printed with her art. It doesn't save any money, but it would give her a way to really be a part of things this year while she's living on campus.

blessedw2
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby blessedw2 » Fri Sep 09, 2016 7:39 pm

I decorate for fall... fall is one of my favorite times of the year. Sounds like your decorations will be lovely d Nancy!

Thanks for sharing about the holiday stamps d harriet! I will check my post office.

D Harriet you and I were thinking the same thing! So happy your dd is so creative!!! dd younger made a small painting a couple years ago that I had planned use for this years Christmas card instead - funny that you thought the same thing. Years ago I made Christmas cards from a pencil drawing my grandfather did when he was 12 (1923) so that all the family had the same art work of my grandfathers as I did. The family really appreciated it.

I think I am all set up for the holiday season for activities. All Tickets purchased for holiday events - except for the halloween walk at the botanic gardens.

The town next to us put up the Christmas lights last weekend. (probably trying to do it before the cold comes in). I would put my Christmas lights up early however I worry that Halloween tricksters would ruin them. You never know.
it is always a joy to be here with you!

blessedw2
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby blessedw2 » Sat Sep 10, 2016 11:38 am

Dates set and tickets set for the holidays:

DD older already told me she doesn't want to plan anything for Christmas (just like last year) and I have decided to not say anything. When I didn't plan anything she always asks why we didn't do anything - I know her schedule is crazy and I know that's why she doesn't like to plan ahead for family functions because her work is so stressful. So I am keeping very quiet - as the dates come up I will offer both girls the dates... dd younger is always game for the holidays and dd older will join in. I think she needs to have her own family Christmas to see that if you don't order tickets ahead of time that you can't go to the functions at busy times of the year. When I gave up the decorating last year the family noticed but still didn't learn anything. I think I made it look easy and they took the work for granted. I really missed out last year and i love Christmas. So I will do it for me, with joy, and if they want to participate they can. No pressure for anyone.

Sept 16 October fest with wonderful in laws sisters/brothers
September 13 Schaumburg sewing expo
september apple picking royal oak farm
October richardson's corn maze with family
October 20 to 23 Night of the jack o lantern walk at botanic gardens
November 4 High tea (decided to do this early bc dd and d cousins dd have finals at Christmas time)
November 5 NW/UW foot ball game
November 25 Down town with the girls
November 26 NW/U of I Ryan field. will try to sell these tickets for cheap
Dec 1 - 4 2 craft shows with d family (its a weekend of craft shows for our extended family)
same Lycée french market
Dec 3 -4 swedish museum julmarknad craft fair
Nov 25 to Jan 1 Christmas lights at lincoln park zoo.. dd youngers request
same Christkindlemarket both dd's request
Dec 23 dinner and Christmas Carol

theres two things I want to do but one is too expensive for the holidays - a french soiree
and I would love to go the the Japanese drumming but it's too close to other activities (going downtown gets expensive)
Last edited by blessedw2 on Sat Sep 10, 2016 12:20 pm, edited 3 times in total.
it is always a joy to be here with you!

blessedw2
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby blessedw2 » Sat Sep 10, 2016 11:51 am

I and dh made a decision to do Thanksgiving and Christmas one week before each respective holidays for d uncle at his home. We can't spend the those days with him but thought it would be nice to do

starting next years rudolph club ... 100 a month on Monday...
it is always a joy to be here with you!

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Nancy
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Re: *** Holiday Planning, 2016 ***

Postby Nancy » Sat Sep 10, 2016 4:25 pm

Got squash & one sugar pumpkin for the porch. Took down the summer wreath and washed it off it is drying now.
Last edited by Nancy on Sun Sep 11, 2016 4:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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