Harriet, You're so full of such good ideas and great suggestions! Thank you!
I believe this year, since we couldn't find Christmas cards at Costco we liked, it was a good thing, how I'd found oodles of older cards, from charities, leftover from deceased MIL's things, cards of ours from past years, etc... was a money-saver. Also, I'm glad I got the cards started before Thanksgiving and mailed on Dec. 2, although for my pen pals, I mailed to them after Thanksgiving, to get them done earlier and out of the way. But next year, I am hoping DH and I can go to Hallmark or agree on something at Costco, in the way of cards, by doing it EARLIER, rather than waiting for and hoping for better cards to come in later.
I'd like to continue to crochet the 3 youngest grandchildren each 3 gifts, for Christmas, but to start earlier this summer. It's hard to balance writing stories with reading and crochet for the holidays. I'd love to finish up a specific UFO, to give as a gift. It'll be a beautiful Granny lap robe.
As far as nibbles, I didn't do too bad this season, I weigh within a 3-Lbs. range that I weighed before Thanksgiving. I need to be more wise in the new year, hope to do more holiday baking in 2014, but not too much.
I'd love to make some kitchen items into sets, for pen pals, or make infinity scarves if they're still "in". I need to invest in better gift labels or make some pretty ones by hand. I'd love to make some rubber stamped card sets for pen pals, for gifts, too. Time-consuming, I know, but I have tons of supplies and it's ridiculous to let them go to waste. I need to invest in the smaller mailers, about the 6" x 9" size, too, for card-set gifts.
I believe it may be a holiday tradition for the dfamily to all meet at Dson/Ddil's home, for a celebration because they have to bring 2 cars to our home, since they have 7 kids, 2 parents. When we all go to their place, they have a long home-made 14-foot (guessing) dining room table, to sit the 13 of us. It's wonderful, brunch there was great, their kitchen's set up for it, too. I'd like to be able to bring foods to it, which would be a dump 'n' bake cake, some cookies, and perhaps bring some eggnog for them. We don't do alcohol, but eggnog's fun and festive.
ONE HUGE MISTAKE I've made throughout the holidays, is how I've been staying up until midnight - 1 a.m.
It makes me groggy in the a.m. and move so slow. It makes getting everything done harder. So I'd try to not eat past 8 p.m. and would try to be in bed no later than 11 - 11:30 p.m. I need to think of my health, mood, perkiness, and energy. Also, I've made the mistake of not exercising everyday, so I'd be more proactive during the holidays in 2014. I may make myself a "Mind Map" poster out of bristol board and colored markers, to post in my office, to give me some encouragement and keep me at a more proactive and positive aim. Health is so very important during the holidays. It's not an excuse to let it all hang out, splurge on sugar, be inactive, and I hope to change in the holidays when they come and plan for it in my day runner, for part of my monthly goals, all year. In fact, now
is the time to sit down and pre-plan goals out for the entire New Year, to help myself with my goals, etc... Thank you,
Harriet, for getting my brain to do thinking!