Christmas Bliss

Enjoy the holiday spirit all year long!

Barb

Save Now for a Simpler Christmas Season

by Leave a Comment

Springtime is a great time to begin a savings plan for the holiday season. By making a budget, and saving just a little bit each week, you will be ready for holiday shopping. Save now for a simpler Christmas season later!

Start Today

Start by making a comprehensive Christmas list. Include not only the gifts you buy, but all the extras you will need (decorations, lights, wrapping paper, etc.) Now, put what you want to spend on a gift next to each name. Add a rough total amount that you’d like to spend on the extras. Once you have your total, make any adjustments to arrive at an amount that you are comfortable with and that is affordable. Then divide by the number of months or weeks that are remaining until Christmas. That is the amount you must save each month (or week) between now and December.

Shocked? That’s good! So often, we shop under pressure during the holidays. We don’t even realize how much has actually been spent until the credit card bills come in January. With this budget in hand, you can save now and pay cash for many, if not most, holiday expenses. You will also be able to take advantage of early gift sales when you see something special.

Take Simple Steps

Let’s say that you’d like to save around $1200 for Christmas, and you have nine months (or 36 weeks) to do it. If you save roughly $33 a week between now and mid-December, you can pay for your holidays and avoid the shock of January bills. Sounds good, but how?

In his article, “How to Save Money: 20 Simple Tips”, Dave Ramsey suggests ways to “find” money that can be saved for a special purpose, such as a holiday fund:

  • Cancel subscriptions you don’t use. A recent look through Amazon charges showed a subscription to a movie service that I had signed up for when renting a film. I was also paying for Kindle Unlimited, which I had never used. By cancelling these, I save $25 each month. What subscriptions do you no longer use?
  • Cut your grocery bill. This could be an easy place to save at least $50 – $75 each month. Plan a few meals each week, review what you have before you shop, stick to the grocery list, and buy generic when you can. You may find your entire Christmas budget at the supermarket!
  • Explore cell phone and TV options. Limit streaming services to what you actually use, or look for bundled services. Consider switching cell phone carriers or eliminating features you don’t use or need. These strategies can save $50-60 per month.
  • Borrow the things you need or buy them at a discount. When you do need to purchase something significant, check online marketplaces or a Buy Nothing Group. Often you can find what you need for free, or at a greatly reduced cost – and save something from the landfill in the process.

Saving for Christmas may seem strange when spring has just arrived, but when the holiday crunch hits, you will be glad you did!

Planning Ahead for Handmade Gifts

by Leave a Comment

One thing that I love to do at Christmas is to surprise those closest to me with something handmade in addition to, or even instead of, other gifts. Handmade gifts can really reflect what you know and love about the other person, and they always show how much you care. Planning ahead for handmade gifts makes the entire process more enjoyable. You’ll enjoy the creative time and your friends and family will love their gifts!

There are no shortage of gift ideas online and in craft books, of course, so it is easy to collect ideas for DIY projects for family and friends. In fact, I usually save gift ideas in my Christmas planner, or just in a list on my phone.

In order to have handmade gifts ready for Christmas – and to enjoy the process of making them – it is important to begin early. Handmade gifts should be made with love, not stress!

Decide which handmade gifts to make (and for whom).

The first thing to decide is who will receive handmade gifts this year. This can be decided a couple of different ways. Maybe you’ve seen ideas for DIY gifts that would be perfect for a few people on your list. Start with those ideas or begin with the recipients in mind and think about what they may like or need.

First, list who will receive a handmade gift and what you plan to make for each person. Gift ideas should be fluid, as not every project will work as expected. But by being flexible, you will be able to treat everyone on your list to something special made with love.

Buy the materials now.

While fabric stores often start showing Christmas fabrics in May or June, online fabric stores have these materials available all year long. But for most handmade gifts, specific Christmas materials are not needed. General craft supplies, fabrics, or other materials may be purchased now, so that you have what you need and can work on the projects when you have the time over the coming months.

Print out any patterns for your projects and keep them in your planner. Make a list of needed supplies and watch for sales.

Organize materials by project.

Because life is busy, you’ll want to be able to pull out your handmade gift projects whenever you have a chance to work on them – and without having to hunt for the pattern or materials. Use shoeboxes, or other small containers (even the extra-large Hefty zipper bags work great!) to keep all the related materials with the pattern so that you can easily pick up where you left off and complete the projects over time.

Store the handmade gifts safely.

As you complete your projects, store them in a gift closet or wherever you keep your early Christmas purchases. Make sure to note them on your planner and to congratulate yourself on a job well done!

Handmade Christmas gifts make the holiday extra special for the you, the giver, as well as the recipient. So enjoy a little Christmas spirit anytime, and start planning for handmade gifts today.

The Perfect Time to Make a Gift List

by Leave a Comment

Winter is almost over, and maybe you are thinking ahead to spring planting or a summer vacation. But now is also the perfect time to make a gift list! By planning ahead, you can take advantage of unique gift ideas and late season or other sales or make handmade gifts for a lucky few. Most importantly, you can spread the shopping out over the year, which will save you time and money in November and December.

If you have a created a Christmas planner, you may already have a gift list started. If not, creating a gift list is a great way to begin planning. I keep a running gift list on my computer, which I usually update once immediately after Christmas, and again in September or whenever I start looking for gifts in earnest.

For Family First

I love waking up on Christmas morning to a huge pile of presents under the tree. I always have numerous gifts for each member of my immediate family to open. My gift list reflects this. Next to every family member’s name, I add spaces for the number of gifts I want to have for them. I can also use this to keep track of what I have already bought and to make sure I have a good variety of gifts for everyone.

My immediate family page also has a section for stocking stuffers. Here, I also leave spaces for the number of small gifts for each stocking. Extended family and friends are on a separate page. Their names are simply listed down the side, with one space for gifts beside each name.

For Everyone Else

The second page also lists the more general gifts that I know I’ll need. These include small hostess gifts, gifts for exchanges, something for neighbors, work colleagues, or household helpers (babysitters, dog walkers, etc.). I often also include a couple of “emergency” gifts, good for last minute giving to anyone. By putting those smaller items on the list, too, no occasion or person is forgotten and you will always be prepared for any last minute needs.

Giving the right gift to everyone on my list is, for me, the most fun part of the Christmas season. By making my list early and keeping it updated throughout the year, I can be sure to find something special for everyone.

January – Time to Plan Ahead and Organize

by Leave a Comment

It’s January, and time to plan ahead and organize for the the next holiday season. Sound crazy?  Remember how November and December were a whirlwind of decorating, shopping, wrapping, cooking, and entertaining? In those moments, it is hard to think about what could be done differently or done better.

But January is the perfect time to plan for the next holiday season. Each year you can make the holidays more your own, minimize the last minute tasks, and have more time to enjoy family and friends.

Organize and Plan Ahead

Here, snow covers the ground and currently the windchill is at -7. I’ve put away the tree and all the decorations. In the calm of deep winter, I miss the tree lights and the warmth that the holiday decorations bring. One way to enjoy Christmas all year long is to spread some of the activities over the year.

January is a great time to think about what you wish you had done this past year. For example, every year, I promise myself that I will make little gifts for my family’s stockings. This year, I waited too long to start, so again I relied on buying something. I felt frustrated that I had not taken advantage of the time I had during the year to make something really special.

Other Tasks for January

  • If you buy Christmas idea magazines in the fall, you may never really take in all the ideas because you are so busy. January is a great time to tag the ideas you’d like to try next holiday season. Tear out the pages and keep them in a notebook or file folders, or just put a Post-It on the pages you want to remember. You can even color code your tags for gifts, decorating, recipes, etc.
  • Organize your gift wrap and bows. Look for sustainable items such as cloth gift bags or scarves that can be used each year to wrap gifts.
  • Make gift tags by cutting up Christmas cards or hitting up a craft store for premade tags that can be decorated for each recipient.
  • Update your Christmas card and gift lists with any new addresses or recipients.
  • Organize your decorations and donate anything that you are no longer using. This year I gave an extra tree to a friend, and a gigantic bag of ornaments to my oldest daughter, who was happy to have them for the tree in her new home. As for me, I was happy to pass them along and keep my own Christmas collection more curated and manageable.
  • Order holiday invitations or Christmas cards for next year. In January, you can still get a great selection and usually a good sale price. Just remember where you put them for next December!

It is never too early to start planning ahead for a wonderful holiday season!

Christmas Combos: Spend Less, Give More

by Leave a Comment

Want to spend less this Christmas, but give more? “Christmas combos” can help make shopping easier, more creative, and less expensive.

Shopping for kids at Christmas can be daunting. Buying multiple gifts for multiple children can be expensive under the best of circumstances. If you are someone who finds gifts throughout the year, it can be hard to make sure that everyone has an equitable sort of Christmas. But those old Christmas guidelines your parents used can be a helpful way to keep the shopping – and spending – under control.

Christmas gift

What are Christmas Combos?

What are Christmas combos? Remember the adage of “Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read”? This is a what I call a Christmas combo. It does three things that make your holiday shopping easier.

First it sets a limit on the number of gifts that each child will have. Second, it sets categories, which can be flexibly applied, but ensure that each child has an equitable set of gifts. Lastly, if you set a budget for each child or each part of the combo, this plan can help control your spending. Think creatively about filling each category and look for sales throughout the year.

Christmas gifts wrapped with bows

Building your own Christmas Combo

In the past I always thought that four-part Christmas combos we too restrictive. Besides I wanted my kids to open more than four gifts on Christmas morning. But my thinking on that has changed, especially as my kids have grown. I start with those four categories (need, want, wear, and read) to cover the basics. Then I add other gift categories to complete the combo. The process is creative and fun!

Other Categories to Add

Here are some other ideas for gifts to add to your Christmas combo:

  • Something to do: An experience, such as concert tickets, a trip to a museum or gallery, music lessons, an online class, an overnight camping trip, or a hike on a new trail, makes a great gift. The choices are endless and don’t have to cost much or anything at all.
  • Something to eat: A variety of Christmas cookies, homemade jam or chocolate sauce, their favorite dinner with a friend once a month, or gift cards to a favorite snack spot are all easily made or reasonably purchased.
  • Something homemade: A sweater, scarf, blanket, pajamas or doll clothes, if you like to sew, knit or crochet; gift baskets of skin or shaving products, yummy snacks, or art materials – these DIY projects become cherished gifts. And they are fun, creative, and generally inexpensive especially if you start early!
  • Something to learn: Sewing or guitar lessons, a session with a personal trainer, online language courses, computer coding classes, a gift card to Masterclass, Udemy, or Skillshare – now is a great time to give the gift of a new hobby or a familiar passion.

While you can see that each of these categories can overlap, that’s OK because it allows you a little flexibility when tallying all the gifts and making sure each child is receiving something for each part of your combo.

Have fun creating your own Christmas combo, and see how much easier and less expensive your Christmas shopping can be!

Find Amazing Christmas Fabrics Online

by Leave a Comment

Now is the perfect time to start Christmas sewing projects! From pajamas or quilts, to placemats or stockings – getting a head start on gifts and home decor will mean less pressure and a more festive Christmas later. One way to find inspiration is to shop Christmas fabrics, and now is the time of year when most fabric stores begin to display holiday materials. But if your local fabric stores are not available, where can you find amazing Christmas fabrics online?

Small Fabric Sellers

Etsy is a wonderful option for buying Christmas fabric online! Etsy’s smaller fabric sellers each have a unique selection of one-of-a-kind fabrics for your projects.

Here are some of my favorites:

Of course, there are plenty of other fabric stores on Etsy, and it is fun to explore!

Larger Fabric and Craft Stores

Unfortunately, one of my favorite shops, JoAnn Fabrics, has closed. However, if you prefer to shop the larger stores, here are two options:

Michael’s has 1,300 locations in 49 states and Canada, and they offer curbside pick-up and same day delivery. If you choose to order for pick-up, you will find that the fabrics listed on their site are not organized in any particular way. When you search for Christmas fabrics, you still have to scroll to get to them, which make comparison difficult. But while the selection is small, the styles are cute.

Hobby Lobby ihas over 1000 stores in 48 states. In addition to fabrics and sewing supplies, they also stock a wide variety of related items, including arts and crafts supplies, baskets, silk flowers, party supplies, and furniture, which can contribute to holiday decor. Hobby Lobby is closed on Sundays, which can make sewing on the weekends more difficult. Some customers complain of lower quality fabrics as well.

Don’t forget to check small local specialty fabric shops as well.

If your summer is looking a little quieter than usual, it may be time to think fleece blankets, flannel pajamas, Christmas lap quilts or stockings – and start your fabric shopping now!

New Gift Ideas This Christmas Season

by Leave a Comment

Are you in a gift-giving rut? Need new gift giving ideas? If you consistently buy one type of gift for someone (clothes or books, for instance), it may be time for a change. Break your predictable Christmas gift-giving habits by developing new gift ideas this Christmas season.

Think Creatively

Time and cost factor always factor into giving gifts. But you can find great gifts by starting now to think creatively and specifically about each person on your list. By keeping your eyes open for the unique and special, you can take find new gift giving ideas everywhere you look.

Think Individually

Time to get a head start on your Christmas shopping. Here are five strategies that can make your gifts stand out this season:

  • Decide on a formula. Last year, I used a Christmas Combo. This is a formula for choosing gifts: something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read, something to do, and something I made. It all added up to six quality gifts to open. While it was a bit tricky to come up with some of the gift ideas, I enjoyed the challenge. More importantly, everyone was delighted to be truly surprised on Christmas morning!
  • Brainstorm for each person. The key to being creative with gifts is taking the time to really think about each person. Consider their interests, likes and dislikes, before deciding on a gift. It is hard to do in November or December when when time becomes an issue. Take a day or two now to really think about each person. List their interests and gift ideas throughout the year. It will make your shopping much easier no matter when you start!

Look for New Sources

  • Experiment with new stores or sites. Part of why gift-giving becomes predictable is we fall back on the same stores or sites such as Amazon, especially if time is an issue. Why not treat yourself to a small business shopping excursion each month? Go to smaller boutiques or specialty shops in a nearby town. Check out curated lists of exceptional but lesser known shopping sites. You can find something that might delight those on your list, while you get a head start on your Christmas shopping, too!
  • Don’t forget handmade gifts. Last year I had grand ideas to make something special for everyone in my immediate family. However, I waited too long to do anything substantial. Not wanting to give up that piece of my formula, though, I made small gift boxes with sweets, cocoa and a cute mug in each. It was not what I originally planned, but it was handmade-ish and still very much appreciated. Start now to think about what you could make yourself, check out Etsy or use the gift basket/box approach to up your creativity game this Christmas.

Try Something Different

  • Consider gifts of time or experience. One way to get creative with Christmas giving is not to give “stuff” at all! I once gave my mother the gift of taking her to lunch at a different restaurant each month for a year. It ended up being a global culinary tour as we tried all types of cuisines, and it was lots of fun for me as well! Consider tickets to a show, a museum pass, an online course or a tour of some unique local feature. Try a service such as cleaning, yard work, babysitting or cooking. The only caveat with a gift like this, though, is to make sure you actually follow through with whatever you promise to do!

Now is the perfect time to start thinking creatively about your Christmas giving. Have fun and happy hunting!

Dos and Don’ts of Early Christmas Shopping

by Leave a Comment

It isn’t always easy to make the most of early Christmas shopping. When spring arrives, everything winter goes on sale. With those sales comes the possibility of finding deals on the perfect Christmas gifts for the upcoming season. But there are some dos and don’ts for early Christmas shopping to remember.

Caveats to Early Shopping

First, we aren’t always in the mood to think about Christmas just as it is getting warm outside and flowers are starting to bloom. How will you know what your family and friends will even want next Christmas season? There is also the problem of forgetting what you’ve bought or not liking what you chose for someone when you look at it six months later.

Early shopping is worth trying, though. The sale prices will help you stay within your Christmas budget, and potentially save lots of time in the fall.

Make the Most of Early Christmas Shopping

Here are some dos and don’ts to make the most of early Christmas shopping:

Do make a point of browsing the sales racks whenever you shop, keeping family and friends in mind.

Don’t buy anything just because it is on sale. Make sure it is something that you would want to give as a gift.

Do add what ever you find to your gift list, so that you don’t forget what you’ve bought come fall.

Don’t store the gifts in such an obscure place that you forget where they are. Designate a corner of a closet, or high shelf away from prying eyes.

Do mark the gifts by recipient and store them in an airtight container if possible. This will prevent them from becoming dusty or damaged in some way.

Don’t limit yourself to sales items. When you are able, take the time to try a new store or a different department. You may not find early gifts, but you’ll like have some new ideas for family and friends.

Do remember to look for more little novelty items that can be used as hostess gifts, stocking stuffers, or workplace surprises.

With no time pressure, lots of sales, and of course new spring and summer inventory to look forward to, you can find the perfect gift and save time and money later. Just follow these dos and don’ts to make the most of your early Christmas shopping!

Make (and Use) a Christmas Planner

by Leave a Comment

Now is a great time to make and use a Christmas planner! Why? Because the best way to have lots of good ideas for the upcoming Christmas season is to have a place to save and organize your ideas as they come.

Use a Binder

My Christmas planner is a large binder, where I have sections for the things that are most important to me: Gifts, Cards, Cooking, Decorating, Entertaining, and Crafts. Each section holds the key to what has worked well in the past, as well as new ideas I’d like to try.

Organize Your Ideas Section by Section

Gifts: This section has a printed gift list that I update each year. Whenever necessary, I add new friends, family, or colleagues, or remove those for whom a gift is no longer appropriate. After each name, there is a space for recording gifts that have been purchased throughout the year. At the end of the list, there is a space for writing gift ideas as I think of them. This section also holds any gift ideas from magazines or online with notations on whom may like them.

Cards: This section has a printed Christmas card list that also serves as an address book throughout the year. Each entry has the contact names and addresses, and includes the names of any children. Like the gift list, I keep it updated with each address change I receive. I also keep favorite past Christmas cards in the divider pocket for inspiration.

Cooking: Here I keep the Christmas recipes that I plan to use again, as well as new recipes that I’ve found during the year. I especially try to save those that will fit my needs during the busy Christmas season, including those for large groups and that can be made ahead.

Decorating: For this section, I keep Christmas images that speak to me, that create the kind of vibe or color scheme I want for my home at Christmas time. When it comes time to decorate, I have inspiration at my fingertips. Paging through this section helps inspire the holiday spirit, too, if you aren’t quite feeling it yet!

Entertaining: I host an ornament exchange mid-December, and a family gathering on Christmas Day each year. In the past, I have also hosted a Christmas luncheon for friends. I love creating a festive setting and picking up new ideas to make these events special. This section holds ideas for all kinds of holiday gatherings, including table decor and activities for kids.

Crafts: Christmas crafts always make me smile. I keep patterns and directions for handmade items in this section, and when i am thinking of making a gift or a special decoration, I look here first.

Create a Christmas planner and use it to organize all your good ideas throughout the year. Come November and December (and even before then), you’ll be glad you did!

Get Organized for Next Christmas Season

by Leave a Comment

By the end of January, Christmas is a happy memory. The decorations are put away, Christmas music has ended, and the house is back to its normal state. But don’t put the holiday out of your mind just yet because now is the perfect time to get organized for next Christmas season!

While there are certainly obvious things to do in January, like hit the after-Christmas sales or return gifts that didn’t work out, it is also a great time to sit down and think clearly and strategically about next Christmas season.

Organize Your Thoughts

Grab a pen, and write down your ideas as you consider these questions:

What worked this Christmas?

Your party was a hit or you finally baked the Christmas desserts you’ve always wanted to make. Maybe you started gift shopping earlier and therefore, were less stressed in December. This year I invited the neighbor’s kids over for cookies and a craft, which was really fun. Which activities went so smoothly this year that you want to repeat them next year?

What didn’t work this Christmas?

This year I wasn’t able to make gifts for my kids like I wanted to. I never planted the paperwhite bulbs I bought to be in bloom on Christmas Day. Those are two things I’d like to do differently next year, and I am sure there are others. What will you want to do differently next year to make Christmas as special as possible?

What will you need next Christmas?

As I put away my Christmas decorations this year, I paid attention to what I have and what I will need next year. I keep this list handy on my phone. Already it lists “Lights for the tree” and an “Extension cord for outside” among other things. What do you know that you’ll need for next season? Don’t try to remember everything later. Instead, start a list now and keep it handy all year.

What do you know you want?

Maybe you’d like to host a party next year, or like me, you’d like to make more of your gifts. Maybe you know you want a family portrait taken for the cards or you want to do more baking. Write down whatever will make your holidays ideal. Then try to schedule what you can during the year. Getting ahead where you can will save stress next season.

What are your Christmas priorities?

For me, it is celebrating Christmas Day with as many family members as possible. It is being personal in my gift-giving and as stress-free as possible come December. Whatever your priorities are, keep them in mind as you go through the year!

Use these questions to help you get organized for next Christmas season!