Simple Mom » 12 christmas projects

The Top of Your Holiday To-Do List: Breathe.

Tsh — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:00:30 +0000

How is the holiday season treating you so far? Already wiped out? Christmas can easily become such a stressful time of year – too many events and not enough blank boxes on the calendar, too many people on the gift-giving list and not enough in the wallet. Too many expectations, real or perceived, and not enough hands to do it all. The idyllic holiday scene in your mind just doesn’t match the living room scene before you. It might be too… just not what you want.

So your holiday preparation assignment today?

Breathe. Relax your shoulders. And do the following.

1. Write down some descriptive words.

Take a moment with a cup of coffee, a pen, your family calendar, and your journal, and list 3 to 5 words that describe your ideal current holiday season. Be careful to appropriately define the word ideal. I don’t mean “magazine picture-perfect.” I mean, what’s best for everyone in your family, in your current situation? That’s my definition of ideal.

• My words: joyful, prayerful, fun, people-centric, restful, celebrating the birth of Jesus

2. Update your calendar.

Got your words? Okay, now grab your calendar, and make sure it’s up to date – at least through the end of the year. Scribble in your kids’ school performances, your company parties, and the day you’ve got a babysitter to go Christmas shopping with your spouse. Making sure your calendar is up to speed means your brain isn’t scattered and you don’t have that nagging I-know-I’m-forgetting-something feeling.

• Our calendar: We’ve checked with the family members with whom we’re celebrating the holidays, so we know when they come and go (which affects how we spend our time). We’ve scribbled down a list of additional people we want to see. I’ve planned my blog posts for the rest of the year.

3. Evaluate your family’s commitments.

Once your calendar is up to date, back up and look at the entire month, the big picture. Is there enough white space? Are there blank boxes?

If so, good. If not, you’re booked. Don’t accept any more commitments.

• Us?: We’re booked.

4. List the rest of your priorities.

Now make a list of things you’d still really like to do for the holidays. Keep it somewhat realistic (no “speed off to the airport with no one knowing and buy first-class tickets to Hawaii”), but keep it light-hearted as well. Think of the fun things you’d like to do.

Then, for the rest of the hoilday season, make those more of a priority than doing what you feel like you should do. Pay your bills, get enough sleep, and spend time with the in-laws, of course. But don’t scale that gingerbread house from scratch if you just simply don’t have the energy, time, or money to do so. It won’t be fun if you’re doing it because you feel like you’re supposed to. Remember the words from the first task? Keep your to-do list focused on making those words a reality.

Photo by Coco Calletti

My holiday list:

watch A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Christmas Vacation, and The Nativity Story
address and mail Christmas cards to close friends and family
drive around and look at Christmas lights
make and decorate cookies with my daughter
make one Christmas craft with my daughter
read most of Your Money or Your Life
sit down with my husband and write some family goals for 2009
relax, laugh, and play games with my extended family
get enough sleep

That’s my list, so that’s what I’ll be doing. As much as I love poring over amazing craft blogs and drooling over festive recipes on food blogs, I’ll have to be content with bookmarking them for another time. I think we’ll do crafts like snowmen garland, or woodland snowflakes, or perhaps a pretty snowstorm. And food? I think we’ll stick with simple cookies. Or perhaps gingerbread – mmm.

5. Smile, laugh, and relax.

Remember your life’s priorities during the holidays, and respect them. Don’t force it to be more than it is, yet don’t neglect its spiritual remembrance. Reflect on your childhood holiday memories. I’ll bet you most of them have to do with family, friends, and a general festive atmosphere. If you’re like me, you barely remember all the gifts and all the events.

After you’ve done this exercise, please share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear from you… Are you stressed? Where do you think the pressure stems from? Does your attitude about the holidays affect your family? What are you looking forward to for the rest of the holidays?

For more thoughts on keeping the holidays simple, peruse some writing from my fellow Life Skills Network members:

Simplify Your Holidays in 3 Easy Steps at My Dollar Plan
Crappy Economy = Best Christmas Ever! at My Super-Charged Life
Simply Perfect: Holiday Tips from On Simplicity Readers at On Simplicity
3 Ways to Simplify Your Christmas at The Wisdom Journal

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The Top of Your Holiday To-Do List: Breathe. is a post from Simple Mom

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Link Love :: Kick off the Christmas Season with Simple Home Decor

Tsh — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:00:44 +0000

Photo by Gaëtan Bourque

I love decorating for Christmas starting the first weekend after Thanksgiving. Something about all the food and family puts me in the mood to dust off the Christmas carols and start adorning our home with the spirit of the season.

We’ve got two basic guidelines for holiday decor:

If at all possible, make it by hand.
And no matter what, keep it simple.

In my opinion, with seasonal decorating, less is more. Your collection of vintage ornaments piled neatly in a glass vase and simple green wreath hung by grosgrain ribbon makes more of an impact than random Christmas crafts cluttered here and there.

As with everything else in your home, remember the classic quote for decorating for the holidays – “Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

This weekend’s link love is all inspiration for your Christmas decor. And if you have more links to share, please do so in the comments.

How to Hang a Wreath :: Nesting Place
The Most Wonderful Christmas Garland Ever :: also Nesting Place
Simple Holiday Decorating :: Blissfully Domestic
Reinventing What You Have for Seasonal Decorating :: HomeGoods (written by Melissa of The Inspired Room)
5 Minute Holiday Decorating Ideas :: Real Simple
Holiday Curb Appeal :: Cottage Living
1-Day Christmas Makeover :: Better Homes and Gardens
How to Make a 3D Paper Snowflake :: Persipacious
Paper Snowflakes :: Instructables
All Christmas :: Flickr
Christmas Project archives :: ReadyMade
Mammoth List of Festive Tutorials :: Whip Up

Alright… Now you add to the mix!

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Shop NOW For The Holidays, While There’s Plenty of Time

Tsh — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:00:31 +0000

Photo by Jennifer Love Hewitt

Today is officially six weeks until Christmas, if you can believe it. You may notice a whole slew of stores and shops featured on the right-hand side – these are all businesses endorsed by Simple Mom for the holiday season. From now until Christmas, I’ll be highlighting a few of these cottage industries every week. Each were carefully selected as businesses I truly do endorse as promoting simple living in some fashion. Whether they exist to help life at home, encourage higher-quality playtime for your kids, or I’m simply promoting a well-run mom business so that she can work from home, each company deserves the Simple Mom “mark of approval.”

With this in mind – this week’s project for preparing for Christmas is to start shopping for your gifts. Or to start making your gifts. I know many of you have already done this (bravo!), but it’s not too late to begin the gift buying process and cross it off as “done” in plenty of time.

It’ll come as no surprise to you that I advocate not going nuts with gift-giving for the holidays. Many extended families draw names, give only to the children, keep it all homemade, or forego gift giving all together, and I think these are all great ideas. But don’t endorse this idea while going crazy for your own family. Hopefully you’ve already set aside the needed funds for Christmas gifts, so you’ve got a financial limit. This is a good thing.

Your kids really don’t need that much for Christmas. Cut back on the gift giving, and:

the focus will be more on what Christmas is really about,
they’ll more deeply appreciate the gifts they are given,
it’ll serve as yet another good reminder that life is not all about them, and
your home will be that much more free of clutter.

In our family, the kids get three gifts. That number is kind-of arbitrary (initially stemming from the idea that Jesus was given gold, frankincense, and myrrh – which is not morally black-and-white, but you get the idea). We take our time opening them, and we let them play and enjoy each gift for a while before moving on to the next one.

Yes, our kids are young, so there may come a time when we revisit this idea, especially if they ever want or need something that’s higher priced. If that’s ever the case, we’ll probably just get them that one gift, and involve them in making that decision, further helping them understand why money management is so great.

The adults – my husband and I – talk over gift-giving ahead of time each Christmas, and agree on our boundaries beforehand. Some years, we haven’t given each other anything. Other years, we’ve done $50 each person max. This year, we’re getting an iPod and calling it our gift to each other. Regardless of what we do, we keep it simple, and only bother with gifts we truly want or need.

Photo by Steve Spencer

Think about your favorite holiday memories from childhood. How many of them involve an actual gift? I’d wager not many. For me, my favorite memories involve being with people, laughing, playing, crafting and baking, going to Christmas Eve church services, and just being together celebrating the season. That’s what your kids will value as adults, too.

Epson Artisan 800 Winner

I know you’re all dying to know – after all, there were almost 2,000 entries for the Epson Artisan 800 printer. I don’t blame you – the printer rocks my socks off. And really, I can’t call it a printer, because it faxes, scans, photocopies, and decorates our home for the holidays. From now on, I’ll just call it our fabulous zipzorp.

Anyway – the winner of the Artisan 800 is Shilo of My Place of Peace with her second entry as a subscriber. Congratulations! Be looking for an email from me soon, so I can send your info off to the right people.

If you didn’t win, I highly recommend considering it as a quality tool for your home. Head here to order one, and you’ll get a $60 rebate plus an extra set of high-capacity ink. Thank you, Epson, for being so generous to Simple Mom and Blissfully Domestic readers!

Also, don’t forget about the other recent giveaway. If you want to add that extra touch to your holiday cards this year, personalized stamps on Picture It Postage is a fun idea, sure to make the grandparents swoon. And if you’re still in the market for holiday photo cards, I naturally endorse my shop, Chickpea Designs. You’ll save money if you order in November!

Check back tomorrow for another fun giveaway, perfect for a Christmas gift!
__

What’s your family’s policy on gift-giving? Trying something new this year? Share your ideas in the comments.

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Create, Order, Buy (or Win!) Your Holiday Cards in Plenty of Time

Tsh — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 06:07:40 +0000

This giveaway is now closed.

The first giveaway for November comes to you from one great company and from, well, yours truly. And it also happens to coincide with the next project in the 12 Weeks to Prepare for Christmas series.

Now’s the best time to start working on your holiday card plans. These days, sending digital newsletters or digital cards is the norm, but I still enjoy sending out the tried-and-true snail mail method (though yes, I detest paper clutter). For me, it’s all part of the holiday spirit to take a family photo, address and stamp envelopes, and lovingly display the ones I receive in return.

If you plan to include a family photo in your card this year, take your first shot this week while you’ve still got plenty of time, so that you’re not rushed and have time to try again. And if you’ve collated your address list, you should already know how many cards you need to order. It’ll save you money to order early with some shops, including mine.

Start addressing envelopes now, just a few at a time, and you’ll be golden by early December, when you can mail all your cards in one fell swoop. Keep your address list and envelopes in a convenient location, and write out a few at a time here and there. It’ll be painless.

If you plan on sending out photo cards this year, then I’ve got an chance for you to win some in this giveaway. One reader will win a customized high-resolution digital photo card file of their choice from Chickpea Designs, my graphic design shop. The file is yours to keep forever – you can make as many prints as you want, when you want. In addition, you will receive 10 5×7 prints of your photo card, free.

(And although I’m referring to holiday cards here, I’ve also got baby announcements, save-the-date cards, and birthday invites – any of those designs are eligible for this contest.)

The second addition to the giveaway is from PictureItPostage. You will win two sheets of personalized US postage stamps – simply upload your photo on their site, edit and align it, and voila – stamps with your children (or dog, or hamster, or neighbors) are headed your way.

PictureItPostage also has a hilarious contest going on right now – until November 19, upload your worst holiday photo, whether it be flat-out embarrassing or simply unflattering. Starting December 1, people can vote for their favorite photos – and two grand prize winners will win a new Canon Digital SLR camera and five sets of stamps. Plus, think how entertaining it will be to endlessly peruse horrible photos. Now that’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Here’s how you can win a personalized photo card design, 10 5×7 photo card prints, and 20 personalized postage stamps:

1. For a single entry, simply comment below, and answer this question – what’s your favorite holiday?

2. For a second entry, email me at simplemomblog (at) gmail (dot) com with the secret code in the email’s subject line (no need to write anything in the email’s body, as it won’t be read). To find the secret code, make sure you’ve subscribed to Simple Mom’s feed either via RSS or via email, and look in the footer of any post.

3. For a third entry, mention this giveaway on your blog, and make sure I somehow find out about it.

This giveaway will end on Friday, November 7, midnight CST. I hope you win!

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The Jesse Tree: a Family-Oriented Way to Focus on the True Meaning of Christmas

Tsh — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:00:35 +0000

Photo by Kevin Day

I‘ve wanted to do a Jesse Tree for Christmas for the past few years, but I’ve never actually done it for one main reason – I haven’t planned far enough in advance. No longer.

Think of a Jesse Tree as a sort of advent calendar, except that in addition to a countdown to Christmas, you go through a family devotion in the Bible, starting with creation and ending with Jesus’ birthday. It’s geared towards the kids, so the devotional times are short, easy, and visual.

I know not all of you are Christians, but for those of you that are, you might want to consider starting this tradition with your family. All it takes is a little planning and your crafty hat.

The Jesse Tree Process

Every evening for about four weeks until Christmas, the family reads through a devotional, talks about the lesson, and hangs the appropriate ornament on the Jesse Tree. Each lesson walks chronologically through the Bible, highlighting historical moments that lead to the birth of Jesus.

I’ve seen some Jesse Tree devotionals with 25 days, starting with December 1, and I’ve seen some that have 29 – four full weeks plus Christmas Day.

There are a few devotionals you can find online, but there aren’t a lot. This year, if I have time, I hope to write our own, probably using the Scripture outline found here. I like the idea of doing 29 days, to coincide with the full celebration of Advent.

How to Make a Jesse Tree

You can make the tree as ornate or as simple as you like. Several ideas I’ve seen are:

a simple tabletop Christmas tree
a tree cut out of butcher paper and taped to the wall
a bare twig with lots of branches, planted in a pot

Because we’re traveling for Christmas this year, I think I’ll find an inexpensive tabletop tree for now – but when we celebrate Christmas at home next year, I’d like to find a beautifully simple branch and plant it in a pot.

Making the Ornaments

Photo by Karly B

Again, these can be simple or elaborate. Some ideas:

draw them on paper, punch a hole, and run them through with some ribbon
print them online and do the same thing
sew them with felt
craft them with store-bought ornaments
you can even buy a Jesse Tree kit

I remember Shannon creating hers out of inexpensive ornaments from Hobby Lobby – I think I’ll do the same. I prefer a simpler, classic-yet-modern aesthetic that I haven’t yet found online.

So this is my Christmas project for the week – hitting up Hobby Lobby, Garden Ridge, and other type stores for ornaments, looking for an inexpensive tree, and drafting up a simple devotional for our family, gearing it towards our preschool-age children.

Do you have a Jesse Tree with your family? How do you do it? If not, what are some of your family traditions to count down to Christmas Day?

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Serve Your Community as a Family this Christmas

Tsh — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:30:48 +0000

Photo by Sue

Christmas is a great time to serve your community, your loved ones, and those less fortunate worldwide. It’s vital to teach your children about the condition of most people in the world, and it especially hits home when those in their own community live with less.

But you know what I’ve found? We grown-ups need the reminder just as much as our kids. In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to speed past the world and forget how truly fortunate we are. As you change diapers and crunch Cheerios under your feet all day, there’s nothing quite like giving to remind you of your blessings.

We often have good intentions to give, serve, and volunteer during the holidays. But the season sneaks up on us, and before we realize it, we haven’t made the plans or set aside the time – and those good intentions remain just that.

I encourage you to explore options now to serve as a family, and to set a plan on your family’s calendar.

A Few Options for Serving as a Family

• Operation Christmas Child with Samaritan’s Purse – This is a great option to do with little children, because they can help out first-hand. Simply fill a shoebox with little toys, hygiene necessities, and school supplies, then label it appropriately for the right age and gender. Download the labels and find gift ideas on Samaritan’s Purse’s website.

• Christmas Gift Program, Compassion International – Donate a small amount (they suggest around $18) towards ensuring that every child in Compassion International’s child development centers has a gift to open on Christmas Day. You can further the learning experience with your kids by fasting for one meal together as a family, and explaining that you are putting the money you’d normally spend on a meal to buy a Christmas present for a child on the other side of the world.

• Find out if there’s a clothing or food drive at your child’s school, and participate together as a family.

• Many churches have gift sponsoring opportunities during the Christmas season. Sponsor a family together, and use the opportunity to go shopping with your kids and explain what you’re doing.

• Keep small, non-perishable food snacks in your car, and when you see a homeless person at the intersection during a red light, give them a small amount. If your children are in the car with you, explain why you’re giving the food to him or her.

• Set aside funds for a uniquely large tip for a waiter or waitress at a restaurant. When you get great service from someone with a great work ethic and a cheerful attitude, nonchalantly leave them a big tip. It will completely make their day (trust me, as a former waitress), and your kids can experience giving first-hand.

• There are so many local opportunities in most cities – you can gift wrap, organize donations, clean, serve food, and play with kids. Search your local area online for ways you can serve your community, and do what you can to involve your kids. Do Something and Charity Navigators are just two search options.

How does your family serve together? Do you make it a priority to volunteer in some way during the Christmas season? If you have a charity or organization to recommend, please share it in the comments – I’d love to hear more ideas.

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Gather Your Holiday Addresses Now, When There’s Still Plenty of Time

Tsh — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:00:28 +0000

Photo by birdyboo

This week, I’m collating our Christmas card mailing address. This isn’t too complicated for me, since I already keep an extensive database of friends and family with FileMaker Pro.

But even if you don’t have this, it still shouldn’t take you too long. Set aside a few hours this week, and gather your mailing addresses. Even if you’re planning on a simple newsletter sent via email, make sure you have correct emails. You don’t want to spend hours nagging your friends (and your friends of friends) when you could be snuggling on the couch with hot chocolate and Elf.

If you don’t have a comprehensive address list, here are a few places to start:

your wedding mailing list
university and/or sorority alumni databases
church directories
your kids’ school directories
Facebook

And here’s the key – keep these addresses for next year. You can invest in some database software, or you can simply keep them in Excel and print them for your Home Management Notebook. There are also a few online secure address books, such as Zexer, Flexadex, and Plaxo (why do they all have the letter x?).

Either way, take care of your mailing address now, so that the holidays are just a smidge more relaxing.

How do you store your important addresses?

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Keep Your Holiday Supplies Simple With an Inventory and a Plan

Tsh — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:00:37 +0000

Photo by Foto Blitz Color

This week’s project is not revolutionary or a brand new idea, but the kicker is doing it in plenty of advanced time. This week, we’ll take inventory of our holiday items, get rid of what we no longer need, and make a shopping list for the things you need to buy.

Our family doesn’t have much Christmas decor to begin with, but in the next two days I’m going to get it all down and make a simple list of what we have. And then I’ll keep an eye out for what we need, well before the insane holiday chaos begins.

Here are a few tips to get your organizing juices flowing.

Organize Your Ideas

First, organize your holiday ideas. If there are craft projects you’ve found online that you’d like to do, bookmark them in a logical way where you’ll find them. You’re probably not surprised that I keep mine on Delicious.

Also bookmark decorating photos that inspire you. Don’t hold your home’s standard to an immaculate Pottery Barn catalog spread, but use those forms of eye candy to generate some ideas (I love Meredith’s inspired ideas from the coveted store’s catalog photos). Most professional decorating ideas can be done much more frugally.

Once you have a general idea of some projects you’d like to tackle this year, you can scratch out a basic list of supplies you’ll need. For example, I already know I want to make a new tree skirt this year, so I’m going to keep my eye out for fabric now.

Edit Your Stuff

Embrace the philosophy “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful” for the holidays as well as for life, and set aside any Christmas knickknacks you don’t truly love. If something doesn’t line up with your taste, you probably won’t love having it on display for the holidays. Even if you got it as a gift, you’re not required to keep it.

Then, depending on how much you have, either sell the items individually on eBay or Craigslist, or sell them as an entire set of holiday decor. If you don’t think you’d make enough cash for the hassle, consider posting your stuff on freecycle – someone else may love your stuff.

Inventory Your Supplies

You should be left with items you like and want to use this year.

Test your strands of lights, and if any of them are burnt out (and beyond simple repair), throw them out. There’s no need to hold on to them, and they’re easily replaceable.

Inventory your wrapping paper and see if you need to replenish your supply. I recommend mostly using season-less paper you can use year-round, but if you want specific holiday wrap, the earlier you buy it, the better the selection. I’ll share more tips on creative gift wrap ideas soon.

I love wrapping gifts with real ribbon – if you do, too, check how much you have, and keep an eye out for inexpensive spools year-round at craft stores.

Store Your Items Logically

After you inventory your stuff, store it logically according to when you’ll use it. If there are some holiday supplies you’ll use first, for example, box those items together in a box labeled “Christmas – Box #1.”

Even better, make a simple list of the box’s contents – then either write it directly on the box, or write it on paper and tape it securely.

Make a Shopping List, Keep a Sharp Eye, & Make a Plan

Make a master list of what holiday supplies you need to stock up on this year. Then keep it someplace, like your Home Management Notebook, where you can easily access it when you’re shopping online or when you’re going out and about.

Keep an eye out for items in stores, and watch for coupons. You might want to go ahead and schedule some of the project ideas on your family calendar, especially if they involve multiple people.

I’m looking forward to doing some holiday project “research.” Is there anything you already know you’re going to tackle? What are some things you no longer need? Start organizing and planning now, while there’s still plenty of time until Christmas. All in all, it should only take you a few hours this week.

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Enjoy a Simple Christmas With a Well-Planned Budget

Tsh — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:00:25 +0000

Photo by Alenxandre Duret-Lutz

I‘ll be quite honest – if you haven’t started saving yet for Christmas, it might be a bit challenging. BUT – it can be done. You truly don’t need to rely on credit to have a good season.

However, if you’re late jumping on the “Christmas planning ahead bandwagon,” let it serve as a great fire to get you going for the next holiday season. When you save a little every month all year, the Christmas season truly becomes something worth anticipating. As Dave Ramsey says, Christmas is not an emergency – it falls on December 25 every year, so you know it’s coming.

It can sneak up on you when you’re not looking, however, so join me in looking a few months down the road, so that you don’t panic when it’s time to spend money.

I’m not going to harp on how much money you should be spending on what – every family is different. But this is Simple Mom, after all, so I’m obviously going to advocate keeping the holidays simple. And since I’m a follower of Jesus Christ, my Christmas season revolves around celebrating his birth – and I want to do whatever I can to keep my family’s perspective on him.

This week, if you haven’t yet, sit down with a cup of coffee and jot down what you think your holiday season will cost. It can be done a number of ways, but here’s a number of the most common line items:

DECORATIONS:

tree
lights
misc. decor (ornaments, candles, wreath, etc.)
craft supplies
music
movies

FOOD (not including regular groceries):

cookie ingredients
misc. dessert ingredients
Christmas day dishes

CARDS:

stamps
cards and/or envelopes
paper for family newsletter
photography

GIFTS:

spouse
kids
parents
siblings
nieces
nephews
grandparents
other relatives
neighbors
coworkers
friends

EVENTS:

tickets
clothing
dining out
contributions

GIVING:

charities
volunteering
misc.

Please note – I am NOT saying you should be budgeting money for each of these categories. Not by a long shot – I’d say that we’ve personally budgeted for about half of this. But I did want you to be aware of all the little things that can really add up, and if you don’t plan ahead for them, they might knock on your wreath-adorned door when you least expect it.

Once you come up with a number for your line items, add up the total, and divide by the number of months left until Christmas. If you’re doing this now for the first time, that would be three – October, November, and December. That is the amount you need to budget starting this month to meet your Christmas budget.

What To Do If Your Numbers Aren’t Pretty

If seeing this on paper scares you, there are two options – you can decrease your expenses, or you can increase your income.

Decrease Your Expenses

As I mentioned, you really don’t need to spend money on all this stuff. Every family is different, but I think we can all agree that extravagant spending doesn’t make the holidays any more special. How much you’ll spend has nothing to do with how much fun your season will be, and the amount you spend on gifts certainly has nothing to do with how much you love the gifts’ recipient.

More than anything, consider curbing your gift giving. Many extended families draw names, where everyone is only responsible for giving one gift. I think that’s a fabulous idea. Many also don’t give to each other at all, or only give to the children – also a smart move. I mean really – how many random knickknacks do your parents need? Embrace simple living, and express this in your gift giving. (We’ll discuss some simple gift ideas closer to Christmas.)

Also, I recommend setting a price limit on gifts, then searching for the right gift within that budget. Instead of being pre-sold on that $75 sweater for your sister, then stretching your budget to make it work, decide the maximum amount you’ll spend on siblings. If that sweater is just too much, then let it go. If you know ahead of time that your max is $20, you’ll need to find something in your price range.

Make most of your decorations, when you’re able. Instead of spending a pretty penny on more ornaments, look for ways to beautifully create some at home, and get your kids involved as well. Also look outside for nature to provide some gorgeous, free decor you can use indoors. (Later in the season, I’ll post some ideas and some great links around the internet for beautiful, homemade ideas.)

Increase Your Income

The other way you can make your budget work is to bring in more money. There are a myriad of ways you can do this, of course, but a simple option is to get a holiday job.

I’ve done this for about seven years now, working as a gift-wrapper at Williams-Sonoma. I love this job. I’m not able to do it this year, but when I can, I truly enjoy working there, and not just for the added income. It’s a great company, and the working environment is positive, so it actually lifts my Christmas spirits. And I love wrapping presents, so it fuels my creative drive. One of the best perks is a really great employee discount, which is helpful for the gift-giving season.

Most stores hire holiday help, and all of them have different expectations, pay rates, job roles, and employee discounts. But almost all of them start their holiday hiring now. If you want to do this, I suggest asking around sometime this month – don’t wait until Thanksgiving. The jobs will be filled then, mostly by college students home on holiday break.

Finally, I’ve created another free PDF download – a simple worksheet to help you budget for Christmas, if you haven’t yet (click on the thumbnail to see an enlarged image). You can download it here, and I’ve also included it in my downloads page at the top of this site. Perhaps it can be useful to you – let me know what you think.

How do you budget for Christmas – are you financially ready this year? Have you ever gotten a holiday job? I’d love to hear your great ideas.

CURRENT SPONSORS:

Plan to Eat - meal planning made simple.
The Justice Conference - Justice hangs by a thread.
Lil' Soak - Sewing hope with handmade goods.
Treed - A simple, flexible, effective project planning tool.

Enjoy a Simple Christmas With a Well-Planned Budget is a post from Simple Mom

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Plan for the Holidays: 12 Weeks To an Enjoyable Christmas

Tsh — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:00:36 +0000

Photo by Anthony

As of tomorrow, there are 12 weeks until Christmas.

I know. Where has the year gone?

I love the holiday season, but like most people, it is a crazily busy time for our family. Year after year, I’m frustrated that this time of year I cherish so much feels exhausting by the time December 25 rolls around. I remember as a kid hearing adults say that they’re glad the holidays are over, so that life could get back to normal. And I would think, “They’re nuts! How boring can adults get?” But now, as an adult… I kind-of understand, sadly.

The holidays are meant to be fun, to be celebratory – they’re holidays, for Pete’s sake. But traditions and life and conflicting schedules can easily steamroll a family’s good intentions to have a simple holiday season. My conclusion – or at least theory – is that in order to truly soak up the festive season without wishing for its end, you’ve got to plan. Or more to the point, plan in a stress-free way, with plenty of time to care of the cumbersome details, so that the great stuff about the holiday season is truly great.

We keep our Christmases pretty simple, as you might guess. But they’re still just too exhausting, in my opinion.

This year, I’m running an experiment on my theory to see if it’s true. I’m going to take no more than a couple hours a week for 12 weeks, and plan just a bit for Christmas. My hope is that by the time December rolls around, when our schedule inevitably runneth over, most of the details are done, and we can actually revel in the joy of the season.

Once for the next 12 weeks, I’ll post my current week’s plan, and if you’d like, you can join me. Then the following week, I’ll share how it went, along with the next item on the docket. My general plan is this:

Week 12: solidify our Christmas budget
Week 11: inventory our holiday decor stuff; make notes on what to look for in stores on sale
Week 10: organize our mailing address list for Christmas cards
Week 9: research ways we can volunteer time and/or donate gifts as a family
Week 8: gather supplies to create a Jesse Tree
Week 7: design our cards, order stamps, and address envelopes
Week 6: finish shopping for our gift list
Week 5: get out the calendar and schedule dates and events
Week 4: decorate for Christmas!
Week 3: make food plans; freeze meals for the next few weeks
Week 2: make and freeze cookie dough; prep food gifts
Week 1: thoroughly clean, prepare for guests, or prepare to be a guest (aka traveling)

And since this is the twelfth week, on Friday I’ll share a few thoughts on budgeting for the holidays.

Have you even thought about the Christmas season yet? What’s the hardest thing for you to tackle? I’d love to hear whether you’ve made any plans.

CURRENT SPONSORS:

Plan to Eat - meal planning made simple.
The Justice Conference - Justice hangs by a thread.
Lil' Soak - Sewing hope with handmade goods.
Treed - A simple, flexible, effective project planning tool.

Plan for the Holidays: 12 Weeks To an Enjoyable Christmas is a post from Simple Mom

Similar Posts: