Sunday, November 28, 2004

Christmas For Dummies





Speaking as the Chief of Christmas Dummies (and one who has been known to have a few Scrooge-like tendencies)--

Just last November, after myriad years of total Christmas disorganization (perhaps a sub-conscious rebellion of sorts?) I finally came up with the perfect Christmas planner.

I unearthed an unused binder (notebook) from our deep, creepy basement and tucked a Christmas-Victorian-ish calendar page into the clear plastic on the front of it.

Then on the inside, I added those clear 'plastic pocket pages,' you know, sheet protectors, the kind you buy at Office Max (or cheaper at Target), in which you usually slip in pages of a report if you are the college or executive type (both of which, I am not.)

Then into those clear plastic pages I started tucking in things like:

Mailing lists: Ones for relatives and old friends and internet group friends, etc.

Tom's and Naomi's Christmas gift lists

To Do Lists

Self-stick address labels

Gift tags

Christmas stickers

Christmas cards to send

Copies of our annual family Christmas letter and family photo

Magazine Christmas stories and how-to articles (to keep me in the mood)

Receipts for the gifts I bought

'What To Do Differently Next Year' lists


Then after Christmas I added favorite letters,photos and cards from relatives and friends which had arrived in the mail.

Well, I'll tell you. This year I feel like I am downright cheating at Christmas! Here before me, I have this Christmas binder just bulging with all the things I need to keep me sane and organized this December.

So I thought I'd pass along this idea in case any of you wanted to create your own Christmas For Dummies book, too. I know some of us don't "do" Christmas well.

Yes, some of us need all the help we can get.



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4 comments:

Saija said...

Love the picture . . . but you're scaring me, Debra, with how organized you are!!!! Mind you, it is a wonderful idea, BUT it is way too efficient and time saving . . . ?????

I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas too . . . I love what the Season means and I hate what "Santa" has made it into ... but the balancing act is doable . . . and Praise God we still have the choices in HOW we want to celebrate this beautiful time of year . . . have a good good Sunday, Saija

Michael said...

What a great idea.

Take Care
Michael

Debra said...

Hi Saija--Oh, don't worry... I'm sure I'll still be mailing and wrapping lots of things at the very last minute just as I do every year. My book comes in handy, but I've not yet found a way to make the book actually *do* my Christmas tasks for me! :o)

And Michael--Glad you liked this idea! Let me know if you (or anyone you know) makes a book of your own.

God bless... Debra

Debra said...

Hi Sherrilee... Thanks so much for your nice comments at my blog! (I read your other comments farther down at the "Crossroads " post, too.) I look forward to hearing from you again--sounds like we are kindred spirits! Thanks again and God bless... Debra