***Holiday Planning, 2014***

[FelineFriend]

Need to write thank you cards to a couple who gave us gifts.

Since Christmas is day after tomorrow, we'll be receiving gifts then, too, I've decided to write out thank you cards on Friday, Dec. 26 or the evening of Christmas, to send out ON Friday the 26th, so they'll arrive on Saturday OR on Monday.

[Nancy]

Finishing some last minute touches to gift basket adding fresh apples. Made cobbler for Christmas breakfast. Hubby was grinning ear to ear.

[FelineFriend]

That made me SMILE that your Dhubby's grinning from ear-to-ear over the cobbler.

It's hard for me to actually believe tomorrow's the big day! I started preparing so far in advance, with the crochet, and everything. What will I do, when it's over? OH! I'll get ready for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day! And then, I betcha, here, people will be starting to plan their resolutions and their 2015 ideas out. I can hardly wait to see the Focus calendar, too.

It would be so much fun, if there was a Holiday Planning, 2015 thread, for holidays like President's Day, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, etc... It would be fun to see what everybody, here, is doing to decorate and celebrate, the different holidays, throughout the year, and not just in November and December.

[Nancy]

Ff I do those others on card file thread or crafting and needle work thread.
Cookies are done.
Turkey is on the grill the weather is perfect calm sunny and 38*. Made deviled eggs.
Little smokies are thawing.
I have some cobbler in the freezer for hubby's lunches.
Thaw out pies next.

Make hand pies next week some time.

[FelineFriend]

I wrote out thank you cards to DSON/DDIL & DD, thanking them for our gifts.

[blessedw2]

hope all had a wonderful 2014 holiday planning!!! I learned even more this year than I did last year about my Holiday planning and things that meant a lot to us and what didn't work and needs to go away.

What worked:
painting and repairs early - what would work better - put things throughout the year - not just in the focus category. That includes health.
Working on the declutter thread - I took a year off and wow that hurt me for getting ready for Christmas. (so keep up with declutter by month)

What worked in the past that I didn't do this year and I paid for it with stress... have the girls and dh make their list at the beginning of November - do the lights before halloween, get the village design done early, and set up parts in the beginning of November to make it easy to put on the table in the 3 season room.

save money for Christmas early

don't buy:
a pre cut tree - buy fresh
berries on branches as they fall all over the place

do: buy the pre made cutting decorative for front of house again only...(Christmas tree in family room is enough). no greenery on fireplace

[FelineFriend]

DH got Hickory Farms, for us to enjoy on New Year's Eve, when we're watching New Year's Eve from the Needle on TV. They have fireworks on the Space Needle. So beautiful! ♥ ♥

[blessedw2]

sounds like fun
also ham sounds wonderful

[FelineFriend]

One of my DFriends is doing what she calls, "Undecorating," for Christmas. She's putting out her light blue decorations, to tie in with winter.

I haven't done any "undecorating" yet. But I'm thinking about putting things away, on January 1, 2015, and getting out Valentine's decor and red candles, matching etched red antique vases, etc... ♥

[Nancy]

Thinking I can take down the cards.