*** Holiday Planning, 2012 ***

[Harriet]

elly, I think your Dec 3 date sounds fine. That would mean close-by friends would get them on the 4th and out-of-state friends on the 5th. I wouldn't think it was early. Every year we get our first card (and only that one) on the first mail day of Dec exactly, from the same friend. She is outrageously organized. Every year she mails her card, family photo and long Christmas letter promptly on the last mail date of Nov and she puts everything related to that chore away before it's time to change her calendars to December. It's very important to her. Every year I get a "too early" feeling from it (not a bad feeling, though). Usually hers is the only one for a day or 2, then they start arriving. I would rather be the person who has my card sent to a friend somewhat early, but I'd like them to at least be used to the idea that it's December.

This makes me consider the opposite - that I really don't think any date before Christmas is "too late". Since I plan long and hard for finding meaningful cards, and try to make it a family experience for dd, I would like to think they arrive at friend's homes early enough to be a part of any decorating they may do. And that they don't arrive so late as to maybe be lost in the shuffle of that household's frantic moments. But if I got the cards into my friends homes on Christmas Eve, I would still call that a "win"!

Here's another thought or memory jogger - is there anyone on your list to whom you also send a birthday card during the season? HRH's brother's bday is right in the middle of Christmas Card arrivals. I try to make his birthday card separate and special, and send their Christmas card at least a few days apart from it. This is a time when I will definitely use a "Happy Birthday" seal/sticker and won't use a Christmas stamp or Christmas return address label, because I want him to see his birthday is as unique a day to us as anyone else's through the year.

[Nancy]

I use 4 ply yarn for most of the things I do it's easier to see!

Got 2013 calendars at the 99c. store the last time I was there they had a nice selection. Thinking a head h. was glad to get one for his office. Each one had two in the pack so we should be good for calendars now. I know banks and other places give them out but we forget to stop and get 'em. So now that's done!

[Harmony]

Nancy, thanks for the tip about the calendars. I get mine same place you do, and I'm surprised they are out already. We usually get a big one-page whole year calendar which I hang in the office, it's really helpful when I'm doing paperwork back here, but if we're lucky it will come free in the mail again. We just cut the advertising off the bottom.

I had a bright idea last night. After worrying about how we will figure this year out (Christmas, that is) I decided when the kids ask me when we're coming, what are we doing (and expecting us to work it around their situations) I'm going to try not figuring it all out myself. I'm going to tell them to just plan what they want and if at all possible, I'll do whatever they say. After all, they're the hosts..one's taking a trip, other has kid issues, so I'm going to tell them to discuss it between themselves and tell me what they want to do. And if we can do what they want, ok. If not, well, we'll do our best...and I'm not going to spend time fretting about it. I always try to get in there and help plan things, as they don't figure it out timely, but I've decided if it works out that I don't get to see one of the families, well it's their responsibility to make time for us. I'm sure tired of all the stress around this holiday.

[Ivy]

Harmony, Your idea about letting the kids make the plans and you following and adapting to them are great ideas. Less stress for you, you can relax and really enjoy the season.

Nancy, I get 1 calendar for my office and DH gets one for the dining room, which is our main one, but charities and our pharmacy have free ones we get. Maybe it's overkill, but in every room of the house, we know what date it is except for our master bedroom and the utility room.

I got labels onto the pen pals' Christmas cards. Regular family/friends to follow. Today? Well, am not sure. It depends upon what the mail carrier brings. I might get side-tracked depending if I get pen pal letters or not.

[Ivy]

P. S. Nancy, I use worsted 100% yarn, acrylic or cotton and occasionally baby sport, but that's as tiny as I can go because of my eyes. Also, using a teeny-weeny hook is so awkward for me. I'm all thumbs and just don't "get" it. It's like I'm looking cross-eyed to try to crochet thread. So shipped all my cotton stringy thread to a DF. I cannot cross-stitch for the very same reason. I have dry form macular degeneration, cataracts and an epi retinal membrane on the left eye, so that might have something to do with it, I guess.

The bigger the yarn, the faster the project goes, and the less yarn you use, too! Also, I love using hooks that are larger with 2-strands of yarn, to make something warmer, which is speedier to make, too.

[Nancy]

Started a sage green pot holder last evening.

[Nancy]

I found some sug. free orange jello in the cupboard last night so that is going to be set aside for turkey day! Next get cranberry sauce.

[Ivy]

Nancy, You're really more than a few steps ahead of me!

Go Girl, Go!

[Nancy]

Made one batch of cookie dough with dgd today I will freeze this batch.
We could make ch. / pb. coconut batch if H. had not eaten it on his home made granola in the mornings! LOL!

[blessedw2]

ordered my dmom her perfume for Christmas
looked up dh's wish - more than I think he realizes