Christmas Planning (4)

We are really getting into Christmas and making it all about the season not just one day.

The start of my planning can be found here with links to the next ones within the post and at the bottom of this one.

You will have:

• A calendar 
• Planner page with added menu 
• Ideas sheet 
• Stationary needs 
• Gift list 
• Gift shopping list

So today I revisit my gift planner. I've ordered my online presents and filled in gaps. You have to laugh at this. Hubby has seen the list (just as well I didn't write his gift on it) but he has added my name at the bottom with the word "heaps" in the 'budget' column. Needless to say I will tell him otherwise! If you are posting gifts overseas you need to buy these ones first and then get them parceled up and posted. I don't really have any to do but you may have missed the cut off date by now for the cheapest postage, so get it done now. You will still have three weeks so as long as it the destination is not too remote they should still get there.

I re-check to see if there are any gifts I am going to make and make a list of anything I need to buy so that I can just get on and make the items in one go!

Over the next week I start buying items for cooking gifts, treats etc and any gifts I can. Its not my major shop but if I know what I need when I am in a shop I will buy it. When I got groceries last night I purchased a couple of presents and no-perishable grocery items because they were on special. How did I know? because I had made my lists.

Do you like to send Christmas cards?
Do you send them with a letter?
Or do you scribble in a card when you get one from someone else and post it in the hope that it gets there before Christmas?

Have a look on your ideas sheet and see if there is anything on it about cards. Like everything else decide if you are going to do what you have written and not do what is crossed out.
Remember that Christmas is not a time of stress or keeping up with everyone else or being the wonderful person you see in all the Christmas movies - they aren't real!!!

I have a box where I keep my Christmas cards, Christmas return address stickers, other stickers and a card address book. It has peoples names and addresses and if we have exchanged cards over the last few years. Just because some don't send us a card doesn't mean I don't send them one as some just aren't into doing that - but I am and I like to let them know I am thinking of them. I hate it but I do send a typed general letter because it saves writing it by hand and it is the only time I catch up with some people. And you know there is nothing wrong with that. As I have said Christmas is about love and its a time when we remember all those who we love and send them a greeting and let them know we are thinking about them. You know if you didn't do this and you are a bit like me the weeks, months and years would pass and we would just forget.

So today I type my letter and start writing in the cards. The overseas ones first so they can get into the post and then those in New Zealand. I have already bought the stamps so I can just post them as I go. Now I have already got four so it's not too early!

Tomorrow I will continue with this as it can take time. I will again check/finish my gift list and post all the cards I have done already.

So your Christmas planning has

• A calendar 
• Planner page with added menu 
• Ideas sheet 
• Stationary needs 
• Gift list 
• Gift shopping list
• Book or list of Card recipients

Your tasks

• Re check Gift list and shopping lists
• Write Christmas letter
• Start writing in and posting cards

See you in two days.

Christmas Planner

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4