Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas Tip - 1 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Relax ... And Smell The Eggnog

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven.com
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Christmas Eve is here ... and now it's time to celebrate.

For many of us, this day finds us stressed and obsessed. We fly around in a tizzy, feeling "not yet ready" for the holiday. It can be hard to shift gears out of planning mode.

But what's the best gift you can give yourself and your family? A relaxed and happy self.

Take time today to shrug off the last bits of holiday care. Release any remaining expectations, cancel un-completed chores, set aside the to-do list, and take time to smell the eggnog.


Christmas is here!

Christmas Tip - 2 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Simplify Holiday Breakfasts

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



If you're hosting houseguests this week, think ahead to breakfast each day. The simpler, the better--so try these tips to simplify holiday breakfasts:

Set the table for breakfast as you clean up from dinner.

Post a breakfast menu on the refrigerator to encourage volunteer help from early-rising guests.


Focus breakfast menus on quick, make-ahead items like breakfast casseroles, muffins, fruit, choice of cereals and juice. You can't enjoy your guests' company if you're slaving away in the kitchen!

Christmas Tip - 3 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Assemble Toys


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



It's the phrase that strikes fear in the hearts of parents everywhere: "some assembly required". Today's toy packaging--twist ties and all--can put a serious wrench in a happy Christmas morning.

Will Santa bring bicycles, riding toys or other assembly-needed gifts this year? The time to assemble them is now!

For younger children, consider removing toys from packaging altogether. Short attention spans won't need to wait anxiously to play with Christmas gifts while you wield the wire cutter.


Get cracking on putting toys together in good time for Christmas Eve. Santa will sleep soundly on the big night!

Christmas Tip - 4 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Prepare Stocking Stuffers


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



The stockings are hung by the chimney with care ... so it's time to prepare to fill them! Ease this midnight chore with a bit of pre-holiday organization.

Set aside a plastic supermarket grocery sack for each family member, and sort stuffers into the sacks. Slip handles around a clothes hanger, and hang the sorted stuffers at the back of the closet.


With stuffers sorted and ready, Santa won't be fumbling in the dark, trying to remember what gift belongs where ....

Christmas Tip - 5 Days to Christmas! It's Time For A Camera Check!


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Ready, set, roll 'em! Christmas morning will soon be here, so take a moment to prepare to capture the memories.

Haul out the cameras and videocams and make sure they're ready for the big day.


Charge the batteries, check supplies of film or digital media, and be sure you have cables handy for uploading digital photos. Share the moment!

Christmas Tip - 6 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Record A Holiday Greeting


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



To give a holiday welcome to phone callers this week, record a special Christmas greeting on the phone answering machine.

It's fun, free and a festive way to connect with those whose calls you've missed..


Happy Holidays!

Christmas Tip - 7 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Write Letters To Santa Claus

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas


Haul out the pencils! It's time to write letters to Santa Claus.


Parents, do remember to save children's letters to Santa from year to year. Everyone will enjoy watching the lists (and the handwriting) grow over the years--and the result will spark family scrapbooks.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Christmas Tip - 8 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Make A Christmas Morning Basket

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas




Gifts are piling up beneath the tree, and Santa's ready to roll: time to prepare a Christmas morning basket!

The concept is simple: gather the tools and supplies you'll need to open Christmas gifts and put them in a basket, gift bag or gift box beneath the tree.

Include items like scissors, box cutter, notepad and pen (for recording "gifts received"), camera or videocam, trash bags, zipper food storage bags (for bundling small pieces so they're not lost) and extra batteries.


Add a Santa hat for a fun touch: she who wears the hat, passes out the presents!

Christmas Tip - 9 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Keep An Ornament Journal

Photo and Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas




The family tree shines during the season when each ornament tells a story--but will you remember?

Keep track of ornament collections with an ornament journal. Whether it's "Baby's First Christmas" or a special gift from Nana's last vacation, a quick note about each new ornament will preserve the memories from year to year.


We make it easy with a free printable ornament journal page:

Monday, December 15, 2014

Christmas Tip - 10 Days to Christmas! It's Time For A Pre-Holiday House Cleaning


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas


With only ten days to go, it's time to give the house a final going-over before Christmas.


Play cleaning service this week, and give every room a top-clean session of dusting, vacuuming and final touch-up. You'll bring the entire house to a holiday-ready state in good time to celebrate!

Christmas Tip - 11 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Organize Holiday Potluck Meals

Photo and Article Courtesy of Organized Christmas




Pitching in to share the work makes a lot of sense when it comes to holiday meals--but without a bit of planning, you can end up with six different versions of Green Bean Casserole--and no rolls!


Bring order to potluck dinners today. Our free printable form makes it easy to plan, delegate and coordinate a shared menu:

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Christmas Tip - 12 Days to Christmas! It's Time For An Under-Tree Storage Box

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



The tree is trimmed, lights glowing. Packing away the storage boxes is easy, but what do you do with all those little bulbs and fuses? They wander the house, constantly underfoot--until you need one.

Keep holiday decor supplies close at hand with this simple, sneaky solution: an under-tree storage box. Select a pretty holiday gift box with a removable lid. Put all fuses, replacement light bulbs and extra ornament hooks inside the box, add a gift bow and slide it beneath the tree.


Next time you need to replace a light bulb or add a new ornament to the tree, grab the box. It'll hold--and hide--all the holiday supplies you need.

Christmas Tip - 13 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Hold A Gift-Wrap Party

Photo Couresty of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Whether you're a devoted wrap-a-holic or giftwrap-averse, here's a holiday event for you: a wrap party!

The premise is simple. Gather your friends, a few cookies, some eggnog and a few holiday CDs. Get together to wrap, wrap, wrap your gifts in good company. Sharing a few laughs with friends makes the chore fly.


Bonus benefit: encourage guests to swap left-over gift wrap supplies at party's end. Everyone will leave with fresh new wrapping designs for the last few gifts to land under the tree--and a good time, too.

Christmas Tip - 14 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Update The Address Book


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Christmas cards and holiday letters are spilling from the mailbox these days, so take note! Their arrival means it's time to update the address book.

Check cards and envelopes for address changes; update address books for those who have moved or changed telephone numbers.


Too busy? No problem! Toss envelopes into a file folder; when life slows down in January, it'll be easy to check return addresses against address book entries and update as needed.

Christmas Tip - 15 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Eat From The Freezer!

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



It's time! If you've stockpiled a few freezer meals to use during the holiday season, pencil them into the menu plan during the next two weeks.


What? You say you missed out on this step? Check the supermarket's freezer section. A stash of family-sized entrees like lasagne or Florentine chicken can chill dinner-hour stress during the holidays. No more "dine and dash" at the pizza place or fast-food joint!

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Christmas Tip - 16 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Print Holiday Labels

Printable address labels are wonderful things, and never more so than during the holiday season.

Sure, they'll see to it that your Christmas cards get to the right address, but try these other uses for self-adhesive address labels during the holiday season:

  • Label baked goods for a professional touch. Seasonal clip art makes it pretty!
  • Home-printed gift tags for Christmas gifts will stay put in transit.
  • Party name tags or dinner party place cards are easy to create with labels.
  • Identify all those cords behind the Christmas tree: wrap a label around the cord, stick the ends together and mark which lights are which for easy reference.


Christmas Tip - 17 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Plan Low-Cost Celebrations With Kids

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days To Christmas


Celebrating with kids? It doesn't need to cost money.

Putting "celebration" at the center of the season--and taking the focus off of gifts and giving--can be the key to happy holidays that don't break the bank.

Better, when it comes to kids and Christmas, cheap is good! Simple, inexpensive family activities can be as meaningful as pricey Nutcracker tickets--and no need for scratchy dresses or dress-up suits.
Try these no-cost, low-cost ways to celebrate the holiday season with kids:


Low Cost No Cost Ways to Celebrate Christmas with Kids

Celebrate with Kids

Cutting costs at Christmas doesn't mean celebrating like Scrooge. It's not about what you buy--it's about what you do!

Putting "celebration" at the center of the season and taking the focus off of gifts and giving can be the key to happy holidays that don't break the bank.

Better, when it comes to kids and Christmas, cheap is good! Simple, inexpensive family activities can be as meaningful as pricey Nutcracker tickets--and no need for scratchy dresses or dress-up suits.

Try these no-cost, low-cost ways to celebrate the holiday season with kids:

  • Christmas Camp-Out: One evening, roll out sleeping bags in the living room, and hold a family camp-out underneath the Christmas tree. Don’t forget the hot chocolate and carols around the fireplace!
  • Lights Night: Put younger children to bed as usual, but wake them an hour later. Tumble the family into the car pajamas and all, and drive out to see the Christmas lights. Pack hot drinks and popcorn for a surprise treat.
  • Shopping Date: To encourage children to give, make a one-on-one shopping date with each child. Together with a parent, help the child shop for gifts for other family members. Be sure to stop for a sweet treat. Make memories!
  • Pet Patrol: Visit the local humane society or animal shelter, and volunteer to walk homeless pets during the season. Fresh air and family time are a bonus!
  • Candle-Lit Dinner: Make an everyday dinner special by dining by candlelight. Share stories around the table as you enjoy the glow.
  • Glowing Toes: Share a mother-daughter moment: a girls-only pedicure party, complete with Rudolph-red nail polish!
  • Library Lane: Visit the local library and check out books about Christmas. Read one book each night in December as a special holiday countdown.
  • Cracker Crafts: Save enough toilet-tissue tubes to supply the family. Create Christmas crackers by stuffing tubes with tiny candies, toys and treats. Wrap crackers, and use them as place cards for holiday dinners.


Magic Elf Tradition: Will Santa's Magic Elf Visit Your Home?

magic elf
What would happen if one of Santa's elves came to your house to visit?

He'd arrive sometime before the holidays began. Sent by Santa to check on good little girls and boys, he'd roam the house at night, popping up in the most unlikely places come morning.

Sometimes, elf mischief would take place--and he'd be caught red-handed! Finally, on Christmas Eve, he'd report to Santa and hitch a ride back to the North Pole ... until next year.

If you can imagine it, you can do it: meet Santa's Magic Elf!

Sometimes known as the Elf on the Shelf, the Magic Elf tradition is an interactive holiday activity for families or school classes. Free printable letters from Santa, Elf passport and Elf report make it easy to create a new holiday tradition!

It's easy to invite Santa's Magic Elf to visit!

Choose a time for the visit
What's the right time for the Elf to arrive? Thanksgiving weekend? Two weeks before Christmas? When the family puts up the Christmas tree?

Choose a date for the Elf's arrival, and prepare for fun!

Whenever he or she arrives, Santa's Magic Elf will need a passport. Print one here: Elf Passport.

Print a Letter of Introduction
Your Elf will need a letter of introduction, explaining why he or she is visiting the family. We make it easy with a selection of free printable letters from Santa, or you can create your own letter of introduction.

Santa will need to explain that the Elf has come to report the behavior of good little boys and girls, and that he or she will be returning to the North Pole on Christmas Eve.

Given Elves' well-known propensity to misbehave, a warning about Elf Mischief might be in order.

Create an Elf Report
Santa's Elf will need a way to make his report. Give the Elf a small notebook, or print our free Elf Report--it's where Santa's Elf will record his observations for the year (and be a cherished keepsake after the holidays).

Introduce the Elf to the Family
Will the Elf arrive in a basket on the doorstep? Will he make a magical trip down the chimney? Will he be found on or under the Christmas tree?

However he gets there, know that Santa's Elf always likes to make a splash when he arrives!

Watch Santa's Magic Elf make his report
Each night, the Elf will find a new place to hide; he'll want to make a thorough report to Santa. Since he's here to look for good behavior, he'll have to travel all through the house in the course of his visit.

Elves can go to sleep in some of the most unlikely places! It's often necessary for the children to search the house in the morning to find the sleepy Elf.

Watch Out for Elf Mischief

Late at night, Santa's Magic Elf is able get into all sorts of mischief!

Elves have been known to spill sugarbowls (and leave their tracks in the spill), bounce on the sofa (disarranging the cushions), grab the remote for some late night television, check out the refrigerator, hide in pockets or leave small surprises for their young friends.

You'll find loads and loads of ideas for Elf Mischief on the MagicalHoliday Home Magic Elves message boards. Our friends know that Elves are much more inclined to get into trouble when they're away from Santa! 

Help the Elf's subjects write a letter to Santa
Naturally, the Elf is hoping that Santa will receive a good report about him, too. The children may wish to write to Santa, and tell him about the Elf's visit. They may even ask to be visited next year, so be sure the Elf has letters for Santa when it's time to return.

Return to the North Pole
Be sure Santa's Magic Elf is packed and ready to go on December 24th. He can wait for Santa in a stocking or near Santa's cookies and milk, but he'd better have his journal and any letters for Santa and be ready to leave.

Santa's in a hurry on Christmas Eve, and can't wait around for a laggard Elf!

Printable Magic Elf Letters

Print:

Sunday, December 7, 2014

Christmas Tip - 18 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Wrap As You Go


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas

It's the holiday chore nobody wants: wrapping gifts at midnight, Christmas Eve. To head off last-minute wrapping, wrap gifts as you go.

Wrapping in small doses, you'll do a better job and enjoy it, too. To track whose gift is which, use small stickey notes to identify gifts. (Deter snoops with a numbering system tied to the master gift list!)

Another way to ease gift-wrap chores is holding a gift-wrap party with friends. Pour hot cider, put out a plate of holiday cookies and stack Christmas music in the CD player as you chat and wrap together.


A clutter-busting bonus? Swap leftover gift wrap at the end of the event; a friend's tired roll end becomes your family's fresh new pattern.

Christmas Tip - 19 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Schedule Family Nights


Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article courtesy of 101 Days to Christmas



Everyone loves a bustling, busy holiday season, until there’s too much of a good thing. Result: meltdown!

Consider scheduling regular “Family Nights”--no parties, shopping, performances or activities—to give family members time together during the height of the season.


Focus on quiet activities, like board games or watching holiday videos together, to build family togetherness and make holiday memories!

Christmas Countdown to an Organized Christmas - Day 42 - Holidays Ahead

Article and Photo Courtesy of Organized Christmas


We did it! Time to look ahead to the holiday season ... because it's here!

For the past six weeks, we've been preparing for Christmas together. We've assembled a Christmas planner, organized gifts and giving, and conquered holiday chaos in the kitchen. Each day, we've pondered new innovations and old traditions, moving ever closer to our goal: a serene, joyous holiday season.

This is not to say that we're all ready! I'd venture that 98% of us still have more to do. Not only is this no surprise, but it's normal. That's why the Countdown ends where it does. There's still time to complete holiday preparation, and nearly all of us will need it.

At the same time, look how far we've come! If you've been trying, you should be well ahead of the Christmas game.

Better, the notes, forms and records you've assembled will be next year's road map to an even easier season.

By the season's end, we'll be ready to tackle new challenges at home. But first, the Christmas Countdown includes a special Holiday Debriefing, to allow you to record the season's high points, stresses and memories. To be completed after the holidays, using the debriefing exercise to evaluate this year's holiday will help point you toward an even better celebration next year.

So open the door! Even if only metaphorically speaking, hang a wreath on the front door and welcome the holiday season. You've earned it!

To Do Today

Print the 2 forms: 


Review holiday menu plans. Order poultry or special roasts for any holiday meals held in your home.

Create a space for incoming Christmas cards and holiday letters. Prepare for the postman!

Complete interior and exterior decorating. As a last touch, decorate the front door as a symbol that you are ready to celebrate!

To Read Today

When the post-holiday fever quiets, take a few notes to jumpstart next year's preparations:

Hold a Post-Holiday Debriefing

It's over for another year!

Wild and woolly or sane and sedate, we've passed through the holiday season and into a new year. Breath caught, it's time to debrief.

You know debriefing, right? The astronauts do it, spies do it, pilots do it: a measured after-the fact evaluation of the mission or flight.

Smart holiday planners should do it, too--because taking time now to note what worked, what didn't will be a road map to a more organized Christmas next year.

Find a quiet spot sometime within the next week. Play that new educational video for the kiddies, and pour a hot cup of tea. Grab your Christmas notebook and a copy of our debriefing worksheet to record your thoughts.

Then address these questions:

1. What worked this holiday season?

Start with your strengths--it'll give you the motivation to tackle your weaknesses. Large or small, list the things that went right this year.

Was this the first year your family broke away from Christmas-at-Grandma's (complete with cranky kidlets and a 6-hour drive on icy road)--and you loved it, intergenerational flak notwithstanding? Did you buy a new gift wrap organizer that made wrapping a breeze? Was your freezer stocked with easy-prep meals, making the evening crush much calmer?

Whatever worked for you, write it down. It'll remind you of what went right when next year's holiday madness approaches.

2. What was the worst aspect of holiday prep this year? How can you avoid the trap in the future?

Were you wrapping gifts at 3 a.m.? Baking while watching the 11 p.m. news? Were the ornaments buried in a dark attic, or were they all but destroyed by a lousy packing job?

Pick the worst element of your holiday planning, and decide how to lick the problem next year. Write it down for future reference.

3. Were you satisfied with your level of giving? What did you give: time, money, self, talents? Did you include your children in giving?

Perhaps it's having lived with a Rocket Scientist child with an infallible Do-As-I-Say detector, but I don't think it's possible to teach children about giving if it doesn't start with you. All that women's magazine nicey-nice tradition stuff won't dent those little psyches unless you are on board--so were you?

Think about bringing some of that Christmas spirit into the other eleven months of the year. Evaluate your level and kind of giving, and make notes

4. How well did your household run this holiday season? Were you calm and cozy or stressed and strung out? What one improvement could you make in your planning for next year?

Whether it's wardrobe or food prep, shopping or storage, zero in on your holiday systems, and look for ways to improve. Write 'em down.

5. Honesty time. How did your holiday go? Not the children, not the spouse, not the extended family members or the church or the shelter--you.

Yes, you. Did you experience the expectancy, the magic, the sparkle of this season?

Great holiday? Write down the grace notes that got you in the ho-ho-holiday mood and kept you there. Did you play more Christmas music or spend special time with each loved one? Remind yourself--and write it down.

Nobody wants to admit it out loud, but many of us felt a little bit flat at one time or another this year. Spare a thought to the reasons--because they'll point the way to needed changes next year.

Were you worn out from all the brou-ha-ha-ha? Too many parties, with an overload of that jolly old depressant, Demon Alcohol? Groaning under the load of Christmas Tradition--and shouldering that burden alone?

Home managers deserve a holiday, too! If the season got to you this year, figure out one or two things to do differently. Perhaps you'll ask the family for help, or pare down outgrown traditions. Maybe you'll plan to make quiet, reflective time a priority during these hectic weeks. Record your conclusions; they'll guide you next year.

For home managers, the holiday season represents a hefty amount of time, energy and money, and we deserve to treat that expenditure seriously. Yes, we love the holidays. Yes, we enjoy most of the tasks necessary to bring them to birth, but don't let sentiment blind you to the real work involved. Like all work, this too has dignity, and deserves efficiency and respect.

Don't let this holiday season slip into the photo album until you've made a record of the triumphs and the trying times. Slip into something comfortable, put on a pot of tea, and think like an astronaut.

Finished? Take your written record and file it in the Christmas planner. Next year, it'll be the first reminder you see--and will be your guide to a more organized, more joyous holiday season.


Organized Christmas? Five Tips to Get Ready For Next Year

It's the day after Christmas, and every year at this time, the e-mails in my inbox tell the story: "I wish I'd found this site earlier!"

Each year, I hear from scores of readers who came looking for holiday help at the height of the celebration-and faced with the reality of Christmas chaos.

Stumbling over our site, they see that it's possible to be organized--and joyous--during the holidays. They just wish they'd found us earlier!

So say you're starting now, the day after Christmas. What's the secret to a stress-free season? Plan ahead!

Try these five tips to get ready for next year.

Debrief
With memories of the holidays fresh in our minds, there's no better time to create a simple record of what worked--and what didn't--this holiday season. Answering a few simple questions in writing preserves the actual state of your household's holiday--and gives you the information you need to craft a better plan for next year.

Print a copy of our debriefingworksheet, and take a few minutes to answer the questions it poses. Next year when you begin planning for the holidays, you'll be able to avoid the seasonal potholes and repeat the year's successes. 

Take notes
A few quick notes now can solve many problems next December. While decorations, gift wrap and recipes are still around you from this year's celebration, take inventory to avoid surprises next year.

Whether you'll replace burned-out light strings, replenish gift wrap supplies or recreate that great dessert recipe, a few notes now will set a straight course for next year. Better, post-holiday clearance sales mean you'll save money!

Using our decorations inventory, eyeball your decorations and note any needed replacement decor items. Check gift wrap, ribbons and tags before you tuck the snowman paper into a storage box, and hit the sales to stock up for next year. Tear tried-and-true recipes from seasonal magazines, and tuck them into a page protector for future reference.  

And since a picture is worth a thousand words, circle the house now with a camera, and photograph holiday decorations. Use these photos as a guide for next year--and to remind yourself of what's tucked away in storage.

Note it now, and you'll know it later!

Start a gift list
Just after the celebration, it's easy to remember which gifts were a hit--or a miss. Was a nephew unexpectedly delighted with a copy of the latest "Harry Potter" book? Start a gift list now, and you'll remember to add "Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans" candy to his stocking next year.

A printable Christmas gift list form helps corral all those fleeting, "Oh, wouldn't he love a ...." thoughts, and gives you the jump on next year's gift list. Print one now to hold these last-minute gift possibilities; you'll have a head-start when you start next year's holiday shopping. 

Make a Christmas planner
Notes, checklists and planner forms will help you get organized--but only if you can find them! Solution? A simple three-ring binder creates a Christmas planner, a one-stop planning tool that will track and record holiday prep around the year.

New Years' sales at the office supply store make it easy to set up a simple notebook as your Christmas planner. Click a set of dividers and a handful of page protectors into a good-sized binder. Add filled-in forms and lists, and as you see recipes, craft ideas, or decor inspiration, tear and tuck torn pages into page protectors.

For the ambitious, we've got a complete set of holiday calendars, forms and checklists free for the printing--but even a modest start on assembling a Christmas planner will help anyone have a simpler, more organized celebration next year. 

Choose an organizing plan
Here at OrganizedChristmas.com, we know there's no "one right way" to get organized for next year's holiday season. Some folks love to "think Christmas" all year round, while others must be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the season late in the autumn. That's why we offer different organizing plans to help everyone achieve the serene and stress-free holiday of their dreams. Which one is right for you?

Rudolph Club: Okay, you want to do a better job, but who wants to be thinking about Christmas for weeks on end? We've got a short and sweet solution: the Rudolph Club. On the 25th of every month, the Rudolph Club meets to assign short, simple tasks to help prepare for the holidays. Over the year, you'll assemble information for holiday letters, set up a gift closet, organize crafts projects and do basic holiday planning a bit at a time. 

By breaking the job down into tiny monthly bites, the Rudolph Club conquers Christmas chaos a bit at a time--and without having to "think Christmas" the whole year through. Visit our site on the 25th of every month to join the Club.

Christmas Countdown: Don't want to be bothered until next year? The Christmas Countdown is the plan for you. Starting on the last Sunday in October, the Countdown breaks down holiday prep into an easy, six-week process that will finish preparations in good time for the season. 

Working with friends, we'll prepare for the holiday season together--so mark your calendar and visit us next October to count down to an organized holiday season!

Holiday Grand Plan Ready for the big guns? Try the Holiday Grand Plan. It's not for the faint of heart, but is designed to help you clean, declutter and organize the entire home in time for the holiday season. 

Working room by room and week by week, you'll declutter, clean and organize your home while planning and preparing for the coming holiday season. With a kick-off date in late summer, the Holiday Grand Plan will see you through to the celebration--and the home--of your dreams.

Ready? It's time to get organized for Christmas ... next year!

Today's Recipe
date nut bread recipe

A final contender for Christmas gift baskets, Date-Nut Bread has a rich and fruity flavor.

Try Date-Nut Bread toasted and spread with cream cheese for a mid-morning snack, or paired with a hearty soup for a warming holiday meal.

Date-Nut Bread

It's a natural for holiday gift-giving: Date Nut Bread!

Moist and fruity, this sweet quick bread makes a wonderful addition to holiday gift baskets. Double-wrapped in plastic food storage wrap, it freezes beautifully.

Toast and top with cream cheese for a Christmas morning treat!

Ingredients
1 1⁄2 cuppitted dates, chopped
1 1⁄2 cupboiling water
1⁄2 cuplight brown sugar
2 tablespoonsbutter, unsalted
1 egg
2 1⁄2 cupsflour, all-purpose
1 teaspoonbaking soda
1⁄2 teaspoonsalt
1 cupwalnuts, chopped

Instructions
Bring water to boil in small saucepan. Stir in dates. Remove from heat and cool until lukewarm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place brown sugar and butter in mixer bowl; cream until blended. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add date/water mixture, and beat until blended.

In another bowl, combine flour, soda and salt, mixing thoroughly. Stir wet ingredients into flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Do not overbeat; batter should be lumpy. Fold in nuts.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan, or three small mini-loaf pans.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 60-75 minutes for large loaf, 45-60 minutes for mini-loaves.

Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Notes

To freeze, wrap cooled loaves in plastic wrap; place wrapped loaves in food freezer storage bag. Freeze for up to 8 weeks.



Friday, December 5, 2014

Christmas Tip - 20 Days to Christmas! It's Time To Schedule Self-Care

Photo Courtesy of Clipart Heaven
Article Courtesy of 101 Days To Christmas


If my mail as editor of Organized Christmas is any guide, there are a lot of tired holiday planners come December 26! Between holiday prep and the excitement of the Christmas season, self-care can go missing for many of us.

Fight back! Plan personal pampering sessions now, and add them to the holiday calendar.

"If Mama's not happy, nobody's happy"; your mood affects the whole family. If you find the season stressful, plan now for some personal pampering sessions during the coming weeks. A massage, a retreat, or even a gathering with girlfriends can be a welcome break during the season.


Better: look for ways to lighten the holiday load while you relax. Example: plan a gift-wrap party with friends. Setting aside an afternoon for cookies and coffee while you wrap gifts together converts a chore into fellowship and fun.

Christmas Countdown to an Organized Christmas - Day 41 - Focus on Traditions

Article and Photo Courtesy of Organized Christmas


Christmas. For many of us, our picture of this holiday is a static one: we've "always" done this or we "always" do that.

Indeed, that idea of tradition and stability and connection is one of the deepest and most meaningful themes of the holiday!

I make Aunt Bill's Brown Candy or Mim's Texas Pralines because my mother did, my grandmother did, my great-grandmother did.

Celebrating that connection is wonderful, but don't let it blind you to the very real fact that Christmas also changes.

If I compare our current Christmas celebrations to my childhood holidays, I find that today's rejoicing is longer, faster, more intense and more expensive. Not better or worse, but different.

This is, I humbly submit, as it should be. Children grow. Families change. On growing older, many of us explore new spiritual depths, finding meaning in different places.

And, yes, it means that while I treasure my copy of a candy recipe that is written in my great-grandmother's hand, I also know that modern cooks needed the transliteration I provided a few years ago.

Where Granny Hawk measured sugar in pounds, I measure in cups. Where grandmother Mim cooked her pralines over the stove, mine get made in the microwave.

Times change, and so do holidays. Be of good cheer! Christmas has room for both tradition and novelty, and no one need feel constrained from Christmas innovation.

But I really have to wonder whether my grandchildren will treasure my old 5 1/4-inch floppy disk, containing updated recipes for grandmothers' favorites ...

To Do Today

Print the 2 forms:




Prepare household traditions

What's tradition in your household? Today's the day to prepare.

Bring out the family's favorite holiday books, music and movies. Display holiday collections, and prepare to track new acquisitions with a Holiday Collections inventory form.

Does your family give each child an annual ornament? Use an Ornament Journal inventory page to list each year's special ornaments.

Looking for a new tradition? Try the You've Been Elfed game to bring seasonal fun to neighbors or co-workers.

Learn about other traditions

The holiday season isn't just Christmas, hard as that can be to realize in our go-go consumer economy. Other nations, races and ethnic groups have fruitful and fascinating holiday traditions that also enrich this season of the year. This holiday season, learn more about Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, and holiday celebrations of other countries.

Open the doors, and bring new dimensions of the holiday season to your family. The world is wide and large and full of goodness to share. What better time to rejoice with the whole world?

To Read Today

Holiday traditions don't have to be expensive! Try these no-cost, low-cost ways to celebrate with children:

Low-Cost, No-Cost Ways to Celebrate with Children

Cutting costs at Christmas doesn't mean celebrating like Scrooge. It's not about what you buy--it's about what you do!

Putting "celebration" at the center of the season--and taking the focus off of gifts and giving--can be the key to happy holidays that don't break the bank.

Better, when it comes to kids and Christmas, cheap is good! Simple, inexpensive family activities can be as meaningful as pricey Nutcracker tickets--and no need for scratchy dresses or dress-up suits.

Try these no-cost, low-cost ways to celebrate the holiday season with kids:

  • Christmas Camp-Out: One evening, roll out sleeping bags in the living room, and hold a family camp-out underneath the Christmas tree. Don’t forget the hot chocolate and carols around the fireplace!
  • Lights Night: Put younger children to bed as usual, but wake them an hour later. Tumble the family into the car pajamas and all, and drive out to see the Christmas lights. Pack hot drinks and popcorn for a surprise treat.
  • Shopping Date: To encourage children to give, make a one-on-one shopping date with each child. Together with a parent, help the child shop for gifts for other family members. Be sure to stop for a sweet treat. Make memories!
  • Pet Patrol: Visit the local humane society or animal shelter, and volunteer to walk homeless pets during the season. Fresh air and family time are a bonus!
  • Candle-Lit Dinner: Make an everyday dinner special by dining by candlelight. Share stories around the table as you enjoy the glow.
  • Glowing Toes: Share a mother-daughter moment: a girls-only pedicure party, complete with Rudolph-red nail polish!
  • Library Lane: Visit the local library and check out books about Christmas. Read one book each night in December as a special holiday countdown.
  • Cracker Crafts: Save enough toilet-tissue tubes to supply the family. Create Christmas crackers by stuffing tubes with tiny candies, toys and treats. Wrap crackers, and use them as place cards for holiday dinners.


Today’s Recipe

Aunt Bill’s Brown Candy

Aunt Bill's Brown Candy Recipe
Ready for a unique seasonal taste treat? It's Aunt Bill's Brown Candy!

With unforgettable caramel flavor and bursting with plump pecans, this old-fashioned cooked candy is a Sooner tradition in the state of Oklahoma--and it's been a family favorite in the Ewer household for five generations!

Not for the inexperienced candy-maker, but for those with a good knowledge of candy-cooking, it's a heavenly holiday treat.

Ingredients
6 cupssugar, divided
2 cupslight cream or half-n-half
1⁄4 teaspoonbaking soda
1 cupbutter, unsalted
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
2 poundspecans, shelled (about 8 cups)
Instructions
Combine 4 cups of sugar and the milk or half-n-half in a large, heavy saucepan. (Rub the sides of the saucepan with butter, to help prevent graininess.) Stir and set aside.

Put the remaining 2 cups of sugar in a large iron skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar starts to melt. At that time, place the sugar-milk mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

At the same time, continue melting the sugar in the skillet, stirring, until all is melted and it is the color of light brown sugar. Melting sugar scorches VERY easily, so watch carefully. The entire process may take almost 30 minutes; at the end, you want one pan of light-brown melted sugar AND the milk-sugar mixture at a very light simmer.

The next step requires family teamwork. Pour the melted sugar into the simmering milk-sugar mixture in a stream "no bigger than a knitting needle". Stir constantly! This step may take five minutes, and works best if someone strong pours the melted sugar v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y.

Continue cooking the combined mixture to the firm ball stage (246 degrees; higher at high altitudes), do not stir, other than to scrape the sides of the pan occasionally.

Remove from the heat at once. Stir in the baking soda--the candy will foam vigorously, so call the children to watch this step. Plop the butter into the foaming mixture, and let everything stand without stirring for 30 minutes.

Add vanilla and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture stiffens and loses its gloss. This process may take 10 to 15 minutes, so beat in turns with your helper . Add the pecans, stir to mix, and turn the candy out into a buttered 13-by-9-inch rectangular pan.

Let the candy cool until barely warm; cut in smallish pieces--it's rich.

Notes
This candy is a wonderful keeper if each piece is wrapped in aluminum foil, and the wrapped pieces stored in an airtight container.

Aunt Bill's Brown Candy is traditionally sent by the women in our family to family members serving in the military. It's sturdy, keeps well and won't be damaged in transit--and brings an unforgettable taste of home to our family members in service.

Mim’s Texas Pralines

Creamy and delicious. this Texas treat dates from the days when Christmas memories had to be made with little more than some nuts from the backyard trees.

Traditionally sent to our family by my grandmother, Mim Miller, these pecan patties spell "Christmas" to me!

Includes both conventional and microwave directions.

Ingredients
1 cupbrown sugar, packed
1 cupsugar, granulated
1⁄2 cupmilk
2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
2 tablespoonsbutter, unsalted
1 cuppecan halves
Instructions
Conventional directions: Combine milk and sugars in a large saucepan. Boil to the thread stage.

Add butter, vanilla and pecans, and cook over medium heat to the soft ball stage.

Remove pan from heat. Beat candy immediately until it thickens. Quickly drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper.

Microwave directions: Combine milk and sugars in a 2-quart batter bowl; microwave on High for 7:00 minutes, until mixture begins to bubble. Add butter, vanilla and pecans.

Microwave on High six to seven minutes, until mixture reaches 232-degrees to 240-degrees--the soft ball stage.

Remove from microwave, and beat candy immediately until it thickens. Quickly drop by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper.

To use microwave thermometer to test temperature, crumple a 15" piece of Stretch-Tite or plastic wrap into a long ribbon.

Center the ribbon over the batter bowl, pressing both ends on the outside of the bowl. Stick the microwave thermometer through the center of the plastic wrap strip--it will stand straight up in the center of the candy.

Check the thermometer every 45 seconds to 1 minute.

NOTES : For a quick holiday treat, try making pralines in the microwave--Cynthia's update to this classic recipe. Both conventional and microwave directions are included.

Game:

You’ve Been Elfed!

Have you been Elf-ed? Join the fun with this Christmas version of the Halloween BOO game.

Sometimes called "You've Been Jingled", "You've Been Elf-ed!" is easy to play.

Sometime before Christmas, one neighbor starts the game, secretly leaving a basket of treats together with an Elf sign and Elf poem explaining how to play the game.

Ring the doorbell and run! It's the best part of You've Been Elf-ed!

In turn, each recipient is asked to post the sign to alert would-be Elves that they've been Elf-ed, and to pass the game along to two more friends or neighbors.

As the days pass, Elf signs pop up all over. Who's been Elf-ed? It's all part of the fun to see holiday cheer spread from door to door.

To start the game, we've made it easy with free printable Elf-ed poems and Elf signs.

Will you join the Christmas fun? Look out ... You've Been Elf-ed!